First Book of Edward VI. day, next after the childe be borne, onlesse upon a great and reasonable cause declared to the Curate, and by him approved. And also they shall warne them that without great cause, and necessitie, they baptise not children at home in their houses. And when great nede shall compell them so to do, that then they minister it on this fashion. first let them that be present call upon God for his grace and say the Lordes praier, if the tyme will suffer. And then one of them shall name the childe, and dyppe him in the water, or powre water upon him, saying these words, N. I baptise thee in the name of the father, and of the sonne, and of the holy ghost. AMEN. And let them not doubt, but the childe so baptised, is lawfully and sufficiently baptised, and ought not to be baptised againe in the Churche, But yet neverthelesse, if the childe whiche is after this sorte baptized, do afterwarde live, it is expedient that they Second Book of Edward VI. The Use of Salisbury. this sort recover, let them be brought to the Church, let the exorcisms and catechisms, with the anointings, and all the other aforesaid things, be said, except the immersion in water and the form of baptism, which are altogether to be omitted. And therefore, if a layman shall have baptized the child, let the priest diligently inquire before he is brought to the Church, what he said and what he did; and if he shall find that the layman hath, in the proper and prescribed manner, baptized the child, and hath used the form of words in Baptism entirely, and in his own tongue, he shall approve of the act, and shall not rebaptize him. But if the priest shall, with good reason, doubt whether the infant presented to him for baptism have been baptized in the prescribed form or not; he ought to administer all the rites to him as to another who evidently has not been baptized, except that the words essential to the Sacrament ought to be used conditionally, in this manner. The Liturgy of Herman. afterwards to the temple of hys parentes kynsfolkes, and Godfathers, whych muste come with a good company, and religiously, as men that ought to give thankes for this exceading great benefite of regeneracion ministered to theyr infante, and to offre him to god, and his saviour in the congregation. The pastours then shall aske these men after what sort, and wyth what wordes they baptised the infante, wherther they did baptise him, as the Lord commaunded in water, and in the name of the father, the sonne, and the holie goste. Whiche if they shall answer that they called God upon the chylde, and prayed for him, and baptised in the name of the father, the sonne, and the holye goste, and that thei beleve that he is truely clensed from sinnes and borne agayne to God, the pastours must confirme them in thys belefe, and in no wyse Baptise suche an infante agayne. And that men maye be more comforted, and the celebration of so great First Book of Edward VI. be brought into the Churche, to the entent the priest may examyne and trye, whether the childe be lawfully baptised or no. And if those that bryng any childe to the Churche do answere that he is already baptised: then shall the priest examine them further. By whom the childe was Baptised? Who was present, when the child was baptised? Whether they called upon God for grace and succour in that necessitie? With what thyng, or what matter they did Baptise the child? With what wordes the childe was baptised? Whether they thinke the childe to be lawfully and perfectly baptised? And if the minister shall prove by the answeres of suche as brought the childe, that all thynges were done as they ought to be: Then shall not he Christen the childe againe, but shall receive him, as one of the flocke of true Christian people, saying thus, Second Book of Edward VI. First Book of Edward VI. I certifie you, that in this case ye have done well, and accordyng unto due order concernyng the baptysyng of this childe, whiche beyng borne in original synne and in the wrath of God, is nowe by the laver of regeneracion in Baptisme, made the childe of God, and heyre of everlastyng life, for our Lorde Jesus Christ doeth not deny his grace and mercy unto suche infantes, but most lovyngly doeth call them unto him as the Holy Gospel doeth witnes to our comfort on this wise. The Gospel. Mar. X. At a certain tyme they brought children unto Christ that he should touche them, and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was displeased, and sayd unto theim: Suffre little children to come unto me, forbid them not, for to suche belongeth the kyngdome of God. Verely I say unto whosoever doeth not you, receive the kyngdome of Second Book of Edward VI. receyved into the noumbre of the children of God and heyres of everlasting lyfe. |