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Then shall the Priest say to the Sponsors this Exhortation

following.

FORASMUCH as these children have promised, by you their sureties, to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in God, and to serve him; ye must remember, that it is your part and duty to see that these infants be taught, so soon as they shall be able to learn, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession they have here made by you. And that they may know these things the better, ye shall call upon them to hear sermons: and chiefly ye shall provide that they may learn the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, and all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his soul's health. And ye shall use your utmost endeavours, that these children may be virtuously brought up to lead a godly and Christian life; remembering always, that Baptism doth represent unto us our profession; which is to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto him: that as he died and rose again for us, so should we, who are baptized, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness, continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living.

Then shall the Deacon add, and say:

Ye are to take care, that these children be brought to the Bishop, to be confirmed by him, so soon as conveniently may be, that so they may be admitted to the holy Communion.

Note, That if the number of children to be baptized, and multitude of people present, be so great, that they cannot conveniently stand at the Church-door; then let them stand within the Church, in some convenient place nigh unto the Church-door : and there let all things be said and done, appointed to be said and done at the Church-door.

THE MINISTRATION OF PUBLIC BAPTISM

OF ADULT CATECHUMENS,

Or such as are of riper years, and able to answer for
themselves.

When Catechumens are to be Baptized, they shall give in their names before Lent, desiring to be Baptized at the approaching Paschal Festival.

And the Priest or Deacon shall examine whether they be sufficiently instructed in the principles of the Christian religion, and exhort them to prepare themselves with prayers and fasting for the receiving of this Holy Sacrament.

And if they shall be found fit, then the Sponsors or Witnesses, (who shall be of the faithful, and above sixteen years of age, a man for a Male-Catechumen, and a Woman for a Female Catechumen,) and the People, with the Candidates for Baptism, must be ready at the Church-door at the time that the Priest by his discretion shall appoint. And the Priest and Deacon

coming to the Church-door, and standing there, the Priest shall say to the persons that are to be baptized:

Have ye been already baptized, or no?

If they answer, No; then shall the Deacon proceed as followeth.

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, None can enter into the kingdom of God, except he be regenerate, and born anew of water and of the Holy Ghost: let us call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteous mercy he will grant to these persons that thing which by nature they cannot have; that they may be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost, and be received into Christ's holy Church, and be made lively members of the same.

People. Lord, have mercy: We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

Then shall the Priest say, the persons to be Baptized kneeling : ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who of thy great mercy didst save Noah and his family in the ark, and also didst safely lead the children of Israel thy people through the Red Sea, figuring thereby thy holy Baptism; and by the Baptism of thy wellbeloved Son Jesus Christ in the river Jordan didst sanctify the element of water to the mystical washing away of sin: We beseech thee of thine infinite mercy, that thou wilt graciously look upon these thy servants: wash them, and sanctify them with the Holy Ghost, that they, being delivered from thy wrath, may be received into the ark of Christ's Church; and being stedfast in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass the waves of this troublesome world, that finally they may come to the land of everlasting life, there to reign with thee, world without end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 Apostles that they should make disciples of all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: We call upon thee for these persons, that they, coming to thy holy Baptism, may obtain remission of their sins by spiritual regeneration. Receive them, O Lord, as thou hast promised by thy well-beloved Son, saying, Ask and ye shall have, 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 the Priest shall blow upon the face of every Person to be Baptized, and sign them with the sign of the Cross upon the forehead; after which he shall say:

I COMMAND thee, thou unclean spirit, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, that thou come out of and depart from these persons, whom our Lord Jesus Christ hath vouchsafed to call to his holy Baptism, to be made members of his body, and of his holy congregation.

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