CHAPTER LI.

THE MINISTRATION OF BAPTISM TO SUCH AS ARE OF RIPER YEARS.

+The minister, coming to the font, which is to be filled with pure water, shall use the following, or some other suitable exhortation:+

Dearly beloved, forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin, (and that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and they that are in the flesh cannot please God, but live in sin, committing many actual transgressions,) and that our Saviour Christ saith, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God; I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteous goodness he will grant to =these persons= that which by nature =they= cannot have: that =they= may be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ's holy Church, and be made lively =members= of the same.

+Then shall the minister say:+

Almighty and immortal God, the aid of all that need, the helper of all that flee to thee for succor, the life of them that believe, and the resurrection of the dead: we call upon thee for =these persons= now to be baptized. Receive =them=, O Lord, as thou hast promised by thy well-beloved Son, saying, Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: so give now unto us that ask; let us that seek find; open the gate unto us that knock; that =these persons= may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord.

Amen.

+Then shall the people stand up, and the minister shall say:+

Hear the words of the Gospel, written by St. John in the third chapter, beginning at the first verse.

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

+Then the minister shall speak to the persons to be baptized on this wise:+

Well-beloved, who are come hither, desiring to receive holy baptism, =ye have= heard how the congregation hath prayed that our Lord Jesus Christ, would vouchsafe to receive =you=, and bless =you=, to release =you= of your sins, to give =you= the kingdom of heaven, and everlasting life. And our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised in his holy word to grant all those things that we have prayed for; which promise he for his part will most surely keep and perform.

Wherefore after this promise made by Christ, =ye= must also faithfully, for =your= part, promise, in the presence of this whole congregation, that =ye= will renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly believe God's holy word, and obediently keep his commandments.

+Then shall the minister demand of each of the persons to be baptized, severally:+

Ques. Doth thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow or be led by them?

Ans. I renounce them all.

Ques. Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth? and in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord? and that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary? that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried? that he rose again the third day? that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, and from thence shall come again at the end of the world, to judge the quick and the dead?

And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost, the Church of God, the communion of saints, the remission of sins, the resurrection of the body, and everlasting life after death?

Ans. All this I steadfastly believe.

Ques. Wilt thou be baptized in this faith?

Ans. This is my desire.

Ques. Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life?

Ans. I will endeavor so to do, God being my helper.

+Then shall the minister say:+

O merciful God, grant that the old Adam in =these= persons may be so buried, that the new man may be raised up in =them=.

Amen.

Grant that all carnal affections may die in =them=, and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in =them=.

Amen.

Grant that =they= may have power and strength to have victory, and to triumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh.

Amen.

Grant that =they=, being here dedicated to thee by our office and ministry, may also be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlastingly rewarded, through thy mercy, O blessed Lord God, who dost live and govern all things, world without end.

Amen.

Almighty, ever-living God, whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his most precious side both water and blood; and gave commandment to his disciples, that they should go teach all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: regard, we beseech thee, the supplications of this congregation; and grant that the =persons= now to be baptized may receive the fullness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

+Then shall the minister take each person to be baptized by the right hand; and placing him conveniently by the font, according to his discretion, shall ask the name; and then shall sprinkle or pour water upon him, (or, if he shall desire it, shall immerse him in water), saying:+

N., I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Amen.

+The minister may, at his discretion, lay hands on the subject, accompanying the act with a suitable invocation.+