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The Book of Common Prayer

The Book of Common Prayer

Item Information

Title

The Book of Common Prayer

Creator

Church of England

Publisher

W. Jackson and A. Hamilton

Date

1784

Rights

In the public domain and may be used without copyright restriction

Identifier

https://exhibits.lib.unc.edu/items/show/7034

Text

[verso page, top half]
The MINISTRATION of

PUBLICK BAPTISM of INFANTS,

To be used in the CHURCH.

The People are to be admonished, that it is most convenient, that Baptism should not be
administered but upon Sundays, and other Holy-days, when the most number of People
come together : as well for that the Congregation there present may testify the receiving
of them that be newly baptized, into the number of Christ's Church ; as also because in the
Baptism of infants, every man present may be put in remembrance of his own profession
made to God in his Baptism.  For which cause also it is expedient, that Baptism be mini-
stered in the vulgar Tongue.  Nevertheless, (if necessity so require) Children may be bap-
tized upon any other day.
And note, That there shall be for every Male-child to be baptized, two Godfathers and one
Godmother ; and for every Female, one Godfather and two Godmothers.
When there are Children to be baptized, the Parents shall give knowledge thereof overnight,
or in the morning before the beginning of Morning Prayer, to the Curate.  And then the
Godfathers and Godmothers, and the People with the Children, must be ready at the Font,
either immediately after the last Lession at Morning Prayer, or else immediately after the
last Lesson at Evening Prayer, as the Curate by his discretion shall appoint. And the Priest
coming to the Font, (which is then to be filled with pure Water,) and standing there, shall say,


[verso page, bottom half, left column]
HATH this Child been alrea-
dy baptized, or no?
If they answer, No : Then shall the Priest
              proceed as followeth.
DEarly beloved, forasmuch as
all men are conceived and
born in sin ; and that our Saviour
Christ faith, None can enter into
the Kingdom of God, except he be
regenerate, and born anew of Wa-
ter and of the Holy Ghost ; I be-
seech you to call upon God the Fa-
ther, through our Lord Jesus Christ,
that of his bounteous mercy he will
grant to this Child that thing which
by nature he cannot have ; that he
may be baptized with water and
the Holy Ghost, and received into
Christ's holy Church, and be made
a lively member of the same.

[verso page, bottom half, right column]
             ¶ Then shall the Priest say,
                         Let us pray.
ALmighty and everlasting God,
who of thy great mercy didst
save Noah and his family in the ark
from perishing by water ; and also
didst safely lead the children of Isrs-
el thy people through the Red Sea,
figuring thereby thy holy Baptism ;
and by the Baptism of they well-be-
loved Son Jesus Christ in the river
Jordan, didst sanctify Water to the
mystical washing away of sin ; We
beseech thee, for thine infinite mer-
cies, that thou wilt mercifully look
upon this Child; wash him, and sanc-
tify him with the Holy Ghost; that
he being delivered from they wrath,
may be received into the ark of
Christ's Church; and being stedfast
                                                in


[recto page, top]
Publick Baptism of Infants.


[recto page, left column]
in faith, joyful through Hope, and
rooted in charity, may so pass the
waves of this troublesome world,
that finally he may come to the land
of everlasting life; there to reign
with thee world without end,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.
ALmighty and immortal God,
the aid of all that need, the
helper of all that flee to thee for
succour, the life of them that be-
lieve, and the resurrection of the
dead ; We call upon thee for this
Infant
, that he coming to thy holy
Baptism, may receive remission of
his sins by spiritual regeneration.
Receive him, O Lord, as thou hast
promised by they 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 un-
to us that knowkc ; that this Infant
may enjoy the everlasting bene-
diction of thy heavenly washing,
and may come to the eternal king-
dom which thou hast promised by
Christ our Lord.  Amen.
Then shall the People stand up, and the
                   Priest shall say,
Hear the words of the Gospel writ-
  ten by Saint Mark, in the tenth
  Chapter, at the thirteenth Verse.
THEY brought young chil-
dren to Christ, that he should
touch them ; and his disciples re-
buked those that broutht them.
But when Jesus saw it, he was much


[recto page, right column]
displeased, and said unto them,
Suffer the little children to come
unto me, and forbid them not : for
of such is the kngdom of God.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever
shall not receive the kingdom of
God as a little child, he shall not
enter therein.  And he took them
up in his arms, put his hands upon
them, and blessed them.
After the Gospel is read, the Minister shall
  make this brief Exhortation upon the
  words of the Gospel:
BEloved, ye hear in this Gos-
pel the words of our Saviour
Christ, that he commanded the
children to be brought unto him ;
how he blamed those that would
have kept them from him ; how he
exhorteth all men to follow their
innocency.  Ye perceive how by
his outward gesture and deed, he
declared his good - will toward
them ; for he embraced them in
his arms, he laid his hands upon
them, and blessed them.  Doubt
ye not therefore, but earnestly be-
lieve, that he will likewise favour-
ably receive this present Infant ;
that he will embrace him with the
arms of his mercy ; that he will
give unto him the blessing of eter-
nal life, and make him partaker of
his everlasting kingdom.  Where-
fore, we being thus persuaded of
the good-will of our heavenly Fa-
ther towards this Infant, declared
by his Son Jesus Christ ; and no-
thing doubting, but that he fa-
vourably alloweth this charitable
                                         work