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pare themselves with prayers and fafting for the receiving of this holy Myftery; for which duties, the time before Eafter is particularly proper.

And if they fhall be found fit, they shall be baptized after

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this manner. Early beloved; Forafmuch as all men are finners, and they that are in the flesh cannot pleafe God, but commit many actual tranfgreffions; and that our Saviour Chriftfaith,None can enter into the kingdom of God, except he be regenerate and born anew of water and of the Holy Ghoft; I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, that of his bounteous goodnefs he will grant to these perfons that which by nature they cannot have; that they may be baptized with water and the Holy Ghoft, and received into Chrift's holy Church, and be made lively members of the fame.

Then fhall the Prieft fay,

Let us pray. (And here all the Congregation fhall kneel.)

Almighty and everlafting

God, who of thy great mercy didft by thy Son our Saviour Chrift appoint Baptifm, as the laver of regeneration, and the means of admiffion into thy holy Church, and as an ordinance for the myfticalwafhing awayof fin; We beseech thee for thine infinite mercies, that thou wilt

thy

mercifully look upon these fervants; wash them, and fanctify them with the Holy Ghoft, that they being delivered from thy wrath, may be received into the ark of Chrift's Church; and being fted faft in faith, joyful thro' hope, and rooted in charity, may fo pafs the waves of this troublefome world, that finally they may come to the land of everlafting life, there to reign with thee, world without end, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen. ALmighty and immortal

God, the aid of all that need, the helper of all that. flee to thee for fuccour, We call upon thee for these perfons; that they coming to thy holy Baptifm, may receive remiffion of their fins by fpiritual regeneration. Receive them, O Lord, as thou haft promised by thy well-beloved

Son, faying, Afk, and ye fhall receive; feek, and ye fhall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: So give now unto us that afk; let us that feek, find; open the gate unto us that knock; that these perfons may enjoy the everlafting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal

K

king

kingdom which thou haft promised by Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then fhall the People and up, and the Priest shall fay, Hear the words of the Gofpel written by the Apoftle John, in the third Chapter, beginning at the firft verfe. ΤΗ Here was a man of the Pharifees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The fame 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 those miracles that thou doft, except God be with him. Jefus anfwered and faid, unto him, Verily, verily I fay unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God. Nicodemus faith 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? Jefus answered, Verily, verily I fay 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 faid unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it lifteth, and thou heareft the found thereof; but canft not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: fo is every

one that is born of the Spirit.

After which he fhall use this Exhortation following. Eloved, ye hear in this Gofpel the express words of our Saviour Chrift, that except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Whereby ye may percieve the great neneffity of this holy ordinance where it may be had. Likewise imme diately before his Afcenfion into heaven (as we read in the laft Chapter of Mark's Gofpel) he gave command to his difciples, faying, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gofpel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, fhall be faved; but he that believeth not, shall be condemned. Which also fheweth unto us the great benefit we reap thereby. For which cause Peter the Apoftle, when upon his firft preaching of the Gofpel many were pricked at the heart and said to him,and the reft of the Apoftles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? reply'd and faid unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you for the remiffion of fins, and ye fhall receive the gift of the Holy Ghoft. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God fhall call. And with many o

ther

ther words exhorted he them, thee, now and for ever. A

faying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. For (as the fame Apostle teftifieth in another place) even Batpifm doth alfo now fave us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the anfwer of a good confcience towards God) by the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift. Doubt ye not therefore, but earnestly believe, that he will favourably recieve these prefent per fons, if they truly repent and come unto him by faith; that hewill grant them remiffion of their fins, and beftow upon them the Holy Ghoft; that he will give them the bleffing of eternal life, and make them partakers of his everlasting kingdom.

Wherefore we being thus perfwaded of the good- will of our heavenly Father towards thefe perfons, declared by his Son Jefus Chrift; let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks to him and fay,

ALmighty and everlafting God, heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks, that thou haft vouchfafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace, and faith in thee; Increase this knowledge,and confirm this faith in us ever

more: Give thy Holy Spirit to these perfons; that they may be born again, and be made heirs of everlasting falvation, thro' our Lord Jefus Chrift, who liveth and reigneth with

men.

Then the Prieft fhall speak to the perfons to be baptized on this wife. Well-beloved, who are come hither defiring to receive holy Baptifm, ye have heard how the Congregation hath prayed that Almighty God would vouchfafe to receive you, and blefs you, to releafe you of your fins, to give you the kingdom of heaven and everlafting life. Ye have heard alfo that he hath promised by Jefus Chrift, in his holy Word, that those things that we duly pray for fhall be granted; which promife God for his part will moft surely keep and perform.

Wherefore after this promife made by Chrift, ye muft alfo faithfully, for your part, promife in the prefence of this whole Congregation, that ye will renounce the devil and all his works, and

faithfully believe God's holy
Word, and obediently keep
his commandments.
Then shall the Priest demand
of each of the persons to be
baptized, feverally, thefe
Questions following.
Questions.
Doft thou renounce the

devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous defires of the fame, and the K 2

carnal

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carnal defires of the flesh, fo that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them? Anfw. Irenounce them all. Question. Oft thou believe in one unbegotten Being, the only true God, Almighty, the Father of Chrift; the Creator and Maker of all things; from whom are all things?

And doft thou believe in [one] Lord Jefus Chrift, his only begotten Son, the first born of the whole creation, who was begotten by the good pleasure of the Father before the world began; by whom all things were made, both thofe in heaven, and those on earth, vifible and

invifible; who in the laft days defcended from heaven, and took flefh, and was born of the holy Virgin Mary, and did converfe holily, according to the laws of his God and Father, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and died for us, and rofe again from the dead after his paffion on the third day, and afcended into the heavens, and fitteth at the righthand of the Father, and again is to come at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead; of whofe kingdom there fhall be no end?

And doft thou believe in the Holy Ghost, that is the

Comforter; who wrought

in all the Saints from the beginning of the world; and was afterwards fent to the Apoftles, by the Father, according to the promise of our Saviour and Lord Jefus Chrift; and after the Apoftles to all believers in the holy Catholick Church?

And doft thou believe the Refurrection of the flesh; and the remiffion of fins; and the kingdom of Heaven; and the life of the world to come?

ly

Anfw. All this I stedfastbelieve.

Question.
Ilt thou be baptized

in this faith?

my

defire.

Anfw. That is Question. Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the fame all the days of thy life?

Anfw. I will endeavour fo to do, God being my helper. Then fhall the Prieft fay, Merciful God, grant that the old man in thefe perfons may be fo buried, that the new man may be raifed 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 ftrength to have victory, and to triumph a

gainst

baptize thee unto the

gainst the devil, the world, N. Name of the Father,

and the flesh. Amen. Grant that they being here dedicated to thee by ourOffice and Miniftry, may alfo be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlastingly rewarded, through thy mercy, O bleffed Lord God, who doft live and govern all things, world without end. Amen.

A Lmighty,

everliving

God, whofe most dearly beloved Son Jefus Chrift, for the forgiveness of fins, did give commandment to his difciples, that they fhould go, teach all Nations, and baptize them unto the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft; Regard, we beseech thee, the fupplications of this congregation; fanctify this water to the myftical wafhing away of fin: and grant that the perfons now to be baptized therein, may receive the fulness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen. [Here fhould follow the Anointing with the Holy

or

Oil.] Then shall the PerJons that are to be baptized, be decently put into Water by one more Deacons, or Deaconneffes. After which the Priest fhall come and dip each Perfon in the Water thrice, faying,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. Amen. Then fhall the Prieft go away and the Perfons Baptized fhall be decently taken out of the Water by one or more Deacons or Deaconneffes, and by their affiftance hall put on their white Garments; and the Prieft fhall draw near and fay to each of them. Ake this white garment for a token of the innocence which by God's grace is given unto thee in the holy mystery of Baptifm; and for a fign whereby thou art admonished, fo long as thou liveft, to give thyself to innocency of living; that after this tranfitory life thou may ft be partaker of the rewards of holiness and purity in the life everlafting. Amen. Then shall every one of the

Perfons Baptiz'd ftand upright, and fay the Lord's Prayer; and then that which here follows. God Almighty, the Father of thy Chrift, thine only begotten Son; Give me a Body undefiled, an Heart

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pure, a mind watchful with knowledge the prefence of the Holy without evrov, Spirit, for the obtaining and affured enjoying of the truth; thro' thy Chrift; by whom glory be to thee, in the Holy Spirit, for ever. Amen.

Then

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