shall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. xviii. 19.)

23. What does the priest exhort them to ask of God the Father? That He will grant unto the child that thing which by nature he cannot have, namely:

1st. That he may be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost. "John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." (Acts i. 5.)

And 2ndly. That he should be received into Christ's holy Church. For "by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body." (1 Cor. xii. 13.)

3rdly. That he be made a lively member of the same. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. vi. 11.) 24. Why does the priest now say, "Let us pray?"

To remind every one in the congregation that they ought to join in this and all the other prayers, and to shew their charity in interceding for the child here offered to God, that he may effectually receive all the benefits annexed to this holy Sacrament. 25. Repeat the prayer following.

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 Israel thy people through the Red Sea, figuring thereby thy holy Baptism; and by the Baptism of thy well-beloved Son Jesus Christ, in the river Jordan, didst sanctify Water to the mystical washing away of sin; We beseech thee, for thine infinite mercies, that thou wilt mercifully look upon this Child; wash him and sanctify him with the Holy Ghost; that he, 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 he may come to the land of everlasting life, there to reign with thee world without end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

26. Repeat the Scripture which shews that God saved Noah and his family in the ark from perishing by water.

"And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of heaven, and they were destroyed from the earth. And Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark." (Gen. vii. 23.)

27. Repeat that part of the Scripture which describes the leading of the children of Israel through the Red Sea.

"The children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand

of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore." (Gen. xiv. 30, 31.)

28. What do these two events figure or represent ? Holy Baptism.

1st. Of the ark. As those were preserved whom the ark did bear upon the water, so in like manner it is by Baptism that men are placed in a state of salvation, being brought into the ark of Christ's Church. The efficacy of this Sacrament is ascribed not to the outward element applied to the body, but to the inward disposition of the mind ("not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God"). Those who are of riper years must have this in themselves, and it is accepted for infants from the sureties who promise in their name.

2ndly. The passing of the children of Israel through the Red Sea is a figure of Baptism, since the going into the sea resembled the ancient rite of going into the water, and their coming out of it, the rising up out of the water.

29. Give an account of the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the river Jordan.

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answered, Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness: then he suffered him." (Matt. iii. 13, 14, 15.)

30. How did this sanctify water to the mystical washing away of sin?

This was the language of the primitive Church, not that they thought that the water contracted any new quality in the nature, but was only said to be sanctified in the use thereof, being converted by Christ's institution from common to sacred purposes.

31. With what do we pray God to wash and sanctify the child? With the Holy Ghost. "Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor. vi. 11.)

32. From what do we pray he may be delivered?

From God's wrath. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." (Mark xvi. 16.)

33. Into what do we pray he may be received?

Into the ark of Christ's Church. "The Lord added to the church

daily such as should be saved." (Acts ii. 47.)

34. In what do we pray he may be stedfast?

"Stedfast in faith." (1 Pet. v. 9.)

35. Joyful through what?

Through hope. "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing." (Rom. xv. 13.)

36. That he may be rooted in what?

In charity. "Being rooted and grounded in love." (Eph. iii. 17.) 37. How do we pray he may pass through the waves of this troublesome world?

So that finally he may come to the land of everlasting life. "Being now made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” (Rom. vi. 22.)

38. With whom do we pray He may reign for ever?

With Almighty God. "Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them." (Rom. vii. 15.)

39. Repeat the next Prayer.

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 believe, 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 thy well-heloved 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 this Infant 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.

40. Of whom is Almighty God the aid?

He is the aid of all that need. "The Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works." (Ps. cxlv. 9.)

41. Of whom is He the helper ?

Of all that flee to Him for succour.

"They that know thy name

will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." (Ps. ix. 10.)

42. Of whom is He the life?

Of them that believe. "Whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die." (John xi. 26.)

43. What else is God here called?

The resurrection of the dead. "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." (John xi. 25.)

44. What do we pray the infant may receive?

Remission of his sins by spiritual regeneration. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Tit. iii. 5.)

45. What are the grounds on which we urge this petition?

The promises made by Christ. "Ask, and ye shall have; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Matt. vii. 7.)

46. What do we pray the infant may enjoy?

"Ye are

The everlasting benediction of God's heavenly washing. washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor. vi. 11.) 47. What do we pray he may come to?

The eternal kingdom which God has promised by Christ our Lord. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts xvi. 31.)

I

48. Repeat the words of the Gospel, written by St. Mark, which the priest now reads to the people when they have stood up.

Hear the words of the Gospel, written by St. Mark, in the tenth Chapter, at the thirteenth Verse.

THEY brought young children to Christ, that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom 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.

49. Repeat the exhortation founded on this.

¶ After the Gospel is read, the Minister shall make this brief Exhortation upon the words of the Gospel.

BELOVED, ye hear in this Gospel 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 believe, that he will likewise favourably receive this present Infant; that he will embrace him with the arms of his mercy; that he will give unto him the blessing of eternal life, and make him partaker of his everlasting kingdom. Wherefore we being thus persuaded of the good will of our heavenly Father towards this Infant, declared by his Son Jesus Christ; and nothing doubting but that he favourably alloweth this charitable work of our's in bringing this Infant to his holy Baptism; let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks unto him, and say,

50. Who did Christ command to be brought unto Him? 51. Who did He blame?

52. What does He exhort all men to follow ?

53. How did He declare his goodness towards children?

54. What may we therefore believe concerning the infant brought

to be baptized?

55. With what will Christ embrace him?

56. What will He give unto him?

57. Of what will He make him a partaker?

58. Of what are we persuaded concerning this infant?

59. Of what have we no doubt ?

60. How ought we faithfully and devoutly to give thanks to Him?

By saying the thanksgiving following.

ALMIGHTY 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 this Infant, that he may be born again, and be made an heir of everlasting salvation; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

61. For what do we thank Almighty God our heavenly Father? For that He has vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of his grace and faith in Him, "who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." (2 Tim. i. 9.)

62. What do we beseech Him to increase in us?

The knowledge of his grace. "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (2 Pet. iii. 18.)

63. In what do we pray Him to confirm us?

In faith. "Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding in the same with thanksgiving." (Col. ii. 7.)

64. What do we ask God to give to the infant about to be baptized?

His Holy Spirit. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." (Luke xi. 13.

65. For what purpose do we ask the Holy Spirit for the infant? That he may be born again, and be made an heir of everlasting salvation. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John iii. 5.)

66. Through whom do we ask for these spiritual blessings ? Through our Lord Jesus Christ. "He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him." (Heb. vii. 25.)

67. Repeat the address which the priest is now to make to the godfathers and godmothers.

DEARLY beloved, ye have brought this Child here to be baptized, ye have prayed that our Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive him, to release him of his sins, to sanctify him with the Holy Ghost, to give him the kingdom of heaven, and everlasting life. Ye have heard also that our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised in his Gospel to grant all these things that ye have prayed for which promise he, for his part, will most surely keep and perform. Wherefore, after this promise made by Christ, this Infant must also faithfully, for his part, promise by you that are his sureties, (until he come of age to take it upon himself,) that he will renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly be