THE ORDER FOR THE

Christening of Infants,

OR THE

Consecration of Children to the Lord.

At the time appointed, the Parents and Sponsors, with the Child, standing before the Minister, let him say:

Hear the words of the Gospel, written by St. Mark, in the tenth chapter, at the thirteenth verse:

THEY

HEY brought young children to Christ, that He should touch them; and His disciples rebuked those who 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.

EXHORTATION.

BELOVED, ye hear in this Gospel the words of our Saviour Christ; that

arms,

He commanded the children to be brought unto Him; how He blamed those who would have kept them from Him; how He exhorted all persons to follow their innocency. Ye perceive how, by His outward gesture and deed, He declared His good-will towards them: for He embraced them in His He laid His hands upon them, and blessed them. Doubt ye not, therefore, but earnestly believe, that He will likewise favorably receive this present infant; that He will embrace him in the arms of His mercy, that He will give unto him the blessing of eternal life, and make him a partaker of His everlasting kingdom. Wherefore, being thus persuaded of the goodwill of our heavenly Father towards this infant, let us humbly and devoutly call upon Him and say:

ALMIGHTY God, Eternal Father, who by Thy holy prophet hast taught

us that children are an heritage of the Lord, who also didst enjoin

upon Thy chosen people Israel to teach their children Thy statutes and ordinances, and who, through Thine apostle St. Peter, hast assured us that the promise is unto us and to our children, we beseech Thee, receive this child into the covenant of Thy mercy, take it into the embrace of Thy protection and love, and so carefully guard it, O Thou tender Shepherd of our souls, through all the trials and temptations of this mortal life, that in the end it may safely arrive at Thy blessed fold, the Church of the first-born in heaven, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

DEA

TO THE PARENTS AND SPONSORS.

EARLY beloved, we have prayed that our merciful Father would vouchsafe to receive this child into His flock, and give him the kingdom of heaven and everlasting life. To this prayer ye should add the promise of a faithful Christian nurture, which, therefore, in the presence of God and of this congregation, I now demand of you.

WILL you bring up this child in the nurture and admonition of the

Lord; will you teach him from his earliest years the nature of that covenant, under the shelter of which he stands, and do all that in you lies, to bring him to the knowledge and faith of his Saviour Christ?

Answer. I will, the Lord being my helper.

Minister. Will you be careful to fashion yourselves after the rule and doctrine of Christ, and to make yourselves, as much as lieth in you, wholesome examples to this child?

Answer. I will, with the Lord's help.

Minister. Will you abound in prayer for this child, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance?

Answer. I will, by the help of God.

Minister.

MERCIFUL God, grant that the old Adam in this child may be so buried that the new man may be raised up in him. Amen.

Grant that all sinful affections may die in him, and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in him. Amen.

Grant that he may have power and strength to have victory, and to triumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Amen.

Grant that he may receive the fulness of Thy grace, and ever remain in the number of Thy faithful children, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then the Minister should take the child into his hands, and say to the Parents or Sponsors:

NAME THIS CHILD.

N.

Then, naming it after them, he should say:

WE consecrate thee to the Lord,* in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

WE

E receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock, in trust that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under His banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end. Amen.

OUR

THE LORD'S PRAYER. [All kneeling.]

UR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name: Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

WE

E yield Thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that we have been permitted to consecrate this child to Thee, and most humbly do we implore Thee by Thy grace to make him henceforth and wholly Thine. Let Thy law be put within his mind, and written in his heart, that dying with Christ to sin, and rising with Him to righteousness, and growing up into Him in all things, he may finally, with the residue of Thy holy Church, be made an inheritor of Thine everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

AND,

ND, we beseech Thee, O Blessed Redeemer, hasten the time when all the children that are born to the sons of men shall be instructed in Thy Word, enlightened by Thy Spirit, and kept in paths of purity and peace; so that, having glorified Thee in their generation, and served Thee in Thy Church on earth, they may finally be received into Thy heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ our only Saviour and Redeemer. Amen. Then, all standing up, the Minister should say to the Parents and Sponsors, as follows:

FORASMUCH as ye have promised to bring up this child in the nurture

and admonition of the Lord, I exhort you to have always in remembrance what a solemn and weighty obligation ye have here assumed. And as ye cannot, without God's help, faithfully fulfil so great a trust, I beseech you to pray earnestly for the aid of His Holy Spirit, that instructing this child in the truths of God's holy Word, he may speedily be led to a knowledge of Christ and faith in Him, and to a walk and conversation answerable thereto; so that, having arrived at years of discretion, he may be ready to profess his faith in Christ, and take upon himself the obligations which such a profession involves.

Or, "I baptize thee;" in which case water should be applied.

THE ORDER FOR THE

Administration of Baptism.

When persons are to be baptized, timely notice should be given to the Minister, that due care may be taken for their examination, whether they be sufficiently instructed in the principles of the Christian Religion, and prepared to come in penitence and faith to this holy ordinance.

And if they shall be found fit, then may they present themselves, with their witnesses, at the Font, immediately after the Second Lesson at Morning or Evening Prayer.

Minister.

Hear the words of the Gospel, written by St. Matthew, in the twentyeighth chapter, beginning at the sixteenth verse:

THEN

HEN the eleven disciples went into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

EXHORTATION.

BELOVED, ye hear in this Gospel the express command which our

Saviour Christ gave to His disciples, saying, Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: whereby ye may perceive the great importance of this ordinance, where it may be had. For which cause, 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 baptized every one of you for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our 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 God will graciously receive these present persons, truly repenting, and coming to Him by faith; that He will strengthen them with His Holy Spirit, and perfect that good work which He has begun in them, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Wherefore, we being thus persuaded of the good-will of our Heavenly Father towards these persons, let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks unto Him and say:

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, heavenly Father, we give Thee humble

thanks, 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. Bless these Thy servants, who are now visibly received into Thy Church, that they may be filled with Thy Spirit, and kept by Thy perpetual mercy, and may continue steadfast in the confession of Thy holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then let the Minister speak to the persons to be baptized on this wise:

WELL-BELOVED, who are come hither desiring to be baptized, ye

have heard how we have prayed that our merciful Father would vouchsafe to receive you, and bless you, and to fill you with the Holy Ghost. Ye know also that He hath promised, in His holy word, to grant those things that we have prayed for; which promise He will most surely keep and perform. Wherefore, after this promise made by God, ye must also faithfully, in the presence of these your witnesses and this whole congregation, promise and answer to the following questions:

DOST

OST thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the sinful desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them? Answer. I renounce them all; and, by God's help, will endeavor not to follow, nor be led by them.

Minister. Dost thou believe all the articles of the Christian Faith, as contained in the Apostles' Creed?

Answer. I do.

Minister. Wilt thou be baptized in this Faith?

Answer. That is my desire.

Minister. Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life?

Answer. I will, by God's help.