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¶ After which he shall say this exhortation following.

BELOVED, ye hear in this Gospel the

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express words of our Saviour Christ, that except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Whereby ye may perceive the great necessity of this Sacrament, where it may be had. Likewise immediately before his ascension into heaven (as we read in the last Chapter of St. Mark's Gospel) he gave command to his disciples, saying, Go ye into the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature: He that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned. Which also sheweth unto us the great benefit we reap thereby. For which causc St. Peter, the Apostle, when upon his first preaching of the Gospel many were pricked at the heart, and said to him and the rest of the Apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do; replied and said unto them, Repent and be baptised every one of you, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost: for the promise is to you and your children, and to all that e afar off, even as many as the Lord our

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God shall call. And with many other words exhorted he them, saying, save yourselves from this untoward generation. For (as the same Apostle testifieth in another place) even Baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Doubt ye not therefore, but earnestly believe, that he will favourably receive these present persons, truly repenting and coming unto him by faith; that he will grant them remission of their sins, and bestow upon them the Holy Ghost; that he will give them the blessing of eternal life, and make them partakers of his everlasting kingdom.

Wherefore we being thus persuaded of the good will of our heavenly Father, towards these persons, declared by his Son Jesus Christ; let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks to him, and say,

LMIGHTY and everlasting God, heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks, for that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace and faith in thee: Increase this knowledge, and

confirm this faith in us evermore: Give thy Holy Spirit to these persons, that they may be born again, and be made heirs of everlasting salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Then the Minister shall speak to the Persons to be bap tized on this wise,

W

ELL 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. Ye have heard also that 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 your part, in the presence of this whole congregation, answer to the following questions.

DOST thou renounce the devil

Quest. Do

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, nor be led by them? Answ. I renounce them all.

Quest. Dues of the Christian Faith, as

OST thou believe all the Arti

cles

contained in the Creed.

Answ. I do.

Quest.

WILT thou be baptized in this

faith?

Answ. That is my desire.

Quest. WILT thou then renounce what

God forbids, believe what he teaches, and practise what he commands? Answ. I will endeavour so to do, by God's

assistance.

Then shall the Minister say,

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 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.

A

LMIGHTY everliving 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 thy Congregation; and grant that these persons now to be baptized with water may receive the fulness of thy grace, and be among the number of thy faithful

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