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his distress. Pardon, we earnestly entreat thee, | wards me, enable me to meet it with a mind fully his wilful and his heedless follies, his errors, and prepared for it, and to pass through this great and his crying and notorious sins; particularly that for which he is now to die. O Lord, thou God of mercy, who art abundant in goodness, have pity on the work of thine own hands. Bury his sins in his grave, and, however they may rise up in this world to disgrace him, let them never rise up in the next to condemn him: and whatever he suffers here, let him hereafter be in the number of those whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. However men, in the execution of justice, and to deter others from being guilty of the like wickedness, may kill his body; let neither his body nor his soul be destroyed in hell, but be delivered from eternal condemnation, for the sake of Jesus Christ, who died to save sinAmen.

ners.

awful trial in the manner most profitable for me. O let me not leave any thing undone which may help to make my departure safe and happy, or to qualify me for the highest degree of thy favour that I am capable of attaining. Pardon the sins which I have committed against thee by thought, word, and deed, and all my neglects of duty. Par don the sins which I have committed against my neighbour; and if others have wronged or offended me, incline my heart freely and fully to forgive them. Cleanse my soul from all its corruptions, and transform it into the likeness of thy Son Je sus Christ; that I may behold thy face in glory, and be made partaker of thy heavenly kingdom. And, O merciful Father, give me that supply of spiritual comfort, which thou seest needful for me in my present condition: and grant that, when science, with a well-grounded assurance of thy my change comes, I may die with a quiet confavour, and a joyful hope of a blessed resurrec tion; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,

A Prayer of Preparation for Death. O ALMIGHTY GOD, Maker and Judge of all men, have mercy upon me, thy weak and sinful creature; and if by thy most wise and righteous appointment the hour of death be approaching to- | Amen.

THE MINISTRATION

OF PUBLIC BAPTISM OF INFANTS.

TO BE USED IN CHURCHES.

THE people are to be admonished, that it is most conceived and born in sin, and that our Saviour venient that baptism should not be administered but upon Sundays and other holy-days, when the most number of persons come together; as well for that the congregation there present, may testify the receiving of them that be newly baptised into the number of Christ's church; as also because, in the baptism of infants, every man present be put in remembrance of his own profession made to God in his baptism. For which cause also it is expedient that baptism be ministered in the vulgar tongue. Nevertheless (if necessity so require) children may be baptised on any other day.

And note, That there shall be for every male child to be baptised, two godfathers and one godmother; and for every female, one godfather and two godmothers.

When there are children to be baptised, the parent shall give knowledge thereof over night, 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 lesson at morning prayer, or else immediately after the last lesson at even ing 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,

Christ saith, none can enter into the kingdom of God, except he be regenerated and born anew of water and of the Holy Ghost; I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Je sus Christ, that of his bounteous mercy he will grant this child that thing which by nature he cannot have, that he may be baptised with water and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ's holy church, and be made a lively member of the same.

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 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 deDEARLY beloved, forasmuch as all men are con-livered from thy wrath, may be received into the

Q HATH this child been already baptized,

or no?

If they answer No, then shall the Priest proceed as

follows:

ark of Christ's church; and being steadfast 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 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-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 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.

Then shall the Priest speak unto the godfathers and godmothers in this wise:

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. You have heard also, that our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised also 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 believe God's holy word, and obediently keep his commandments. I demand therefore,

Dost thou, in the name of this child, renounce the devil 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.

Minister.

Dost thou believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth?

buried; that he went down into hell, and also did rise again the third day; that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; and from thence shall come again, at the end of the world, to judge the quick and the dead?

Then shall the Priest stand up, and shall say, 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, Suf And in Jesus Christ his only-begotten Son, our fer the little children to come unto me, and forbid Lord? And that he was conceived by the Holy them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Ghost; born of the Virgin Mary; that he sufferVerily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not re-ed under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and ceive 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 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 exhorted all men 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 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 ours, in oringing this infant to his holy baptism, 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. 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.

And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic church; the communion of saints; the remission of sins; the resurrection of the flesh; and everlasting life after death?

Answ. All this I steadfastly believe.
Minister.

WILT thou then be baptized in this faith?
Answ. This 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? Answ. I will.

Then the Priest shall say,

O 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 carnal 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 whosoever is here 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.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting 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 and 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; sanctify this water to the mystical washing away of sin; and grant that this child now to be baptized therein, may receive the fulness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children; through Je

sus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then the Priest shall take the Child into his hands, and shall say to the godfathers and godmothers, Name this child.

And then naming it after them (if they shall certify him that the child may well endure it,) he shall dip it in the water discreetly and warily, saying, N., I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. But if they certify that the Child is weak, it shall suf fice to pour water upon it, saying the aforesaid words, N., I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then shall the Priest say, WE receive this child into the congregation of Christ's flock, and do sign him with the sign of the cross, in token 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.

Then shall the Priest say,

SEEING now, dearly beloved brethren, that this child is regenerate and grafted into the body of Christ's church, let us give thanks unto Almighty God for these benefits, and with one accord make our prayers unto him, that this child may lead the rest of his life according to this beginning.

Then shall be said, all kneeling,

OUR Father which art in heaven; Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against

us.

And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Then shall the Priest say, WE yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy Holy Spirit, to receive him for thine own child by adoption, and to incorporate him into thy holy church. And we humbly beseech thee to grant, that he, being dead unto sin, and living unto righteousness, and being buried with Christ in his death, may crucify the old man, and utterly abolish the whole body of sin: and that as he is made partaker of the death of thy Son, he may also be partaker of his resurrection; so that finally, with the residue of thy holy

church, he may be an inheritor of thine everlasting kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Then, all standing up, the Priest shall say to the godfathers and godmothers this exhortation following: FORASMUCH as this child hath promised by you his sureties to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in God, and to serve him; ye must remember that it is your parts and duties to see that this infant be taught, so soon as he shall be able to learn, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession, he hath here made by you. And that he may know these things the better, ye shall call upon him to hear sermons; and chiefly ye shall provide that he may learn the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, in the vulgar tongue, and all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his soul's health; and that this child may be virtuously brought up to lead a godly and Christian life; remembering always, that baptism doth represent unto us our profession; which is, to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto him; that as he died, and rose again, for us; so should we, who are baptised, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness, continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living.

Then shall he add, and say,

Ye are to take care that this child be brought to the bishop, to be confirmed by him, so soon as he can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments in the vulgar tongue, and be further instructed in the Church Catechism set forth for that purpose.

It is certain, by God's word, that children which are baptised, dying before they commit actual sin, are un doubtedly saved.

To take away all scruple concerning the use of the

sign of the cross in baptism; the true explication there. of, and the just reasons for the retaining of it, may be seen in the XXXth Canon, first published in the year MDCIV.

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And also they shall warn them, that, without like great cause and necessity, they procure not their chil dren to be baptised at home in their houses. But when need shall compel them so to do, then baptism shall be administered on this fashion :

sence, any other lawful Minister that can be procured.) First; let the Minister of the parish (or, in his abwith them that are present, call upon God, and say the Lord's Prayer, and so many of the collects appointed to be said before in the form of Public Baptism, as the time and present exigence will suffer. And then the Here the Priest shall make a cross upon the Child's Child being named by some one that is present. the forehead. Minister shall pour water upon it, saying these words

N., I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Then all kneeling down, the Minister shall give thanks

unto God, saying;

of his resurrection; and that finally, with the resi due of thy saints, he may inherit thine everlasting kingdom, through the same, thy Son, Jesus Christ

our Lord. Amen.

WE yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful And let them not doubt but that the Child, so bapFather, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this tized, is lawfully and sufficiently baptized, and ought not infant with thy Holy Spirit, to receive him for to be baptized again. Yet, nevertheless, if the Child, thine own child by adoption, and to incorporate which is after this sort baptized, do afterwards live, it is him into thy holy church. And we humbly be-tent that, if the Minister of the same parish did himself expedient that it be brought into the church, to the inseech thee to grant that as he is now made par- baptize that Child, the congregation may be certified of taker of the death of thy Son, so he may be also the true form of baptism by him privately before used.

A VIEW

OF THE

EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY.

IN THREE PARTS.

TO THE HONOURABLE AND RIGHT REVEREND JAMES YORK, D.D. LORD BISHOP OF ELY.

MY LORD, When, five years ago, an important station in the University of Cambridge awaited your Lordship's disposal, you were pleased to offer it to me. The circumstances under which this offer was made, demand a public acknowledgment. I had never seen your Lordship; I possessed no connexion which could possibly recommend me to your favour; I was known to you, only by my endeavours, in common with many others, to discharge my duty as a tutor in the University; and by some very imperfect, but certainly well-intended, and, as you thought, useful publications since. In an age by no means wanting in examples of honourable patronage, although this deserves not to be mentioned in respect of the object of your Lordship's choice, it is inferior to none in the purity and disinterestedness of the motives which suggested it.

How the following work may be received, I pretend not to foretell. My first prayer concerning it is, that it may do good to any: my second hope, that it may assist, what it hath always been my earnest wish to promote, the religious part of an academical education. If in this latter view it might seem, in any degree, to excuse your Lordship's judgment of its author, I shall be gratified by the reflection, that, to a kindness flowing from public principles, I have made the best public return in my power.

In the mean time, and in every event, I rejoice in the opportunity here afforded me of testify. ing the sense I entertain of your Lordship's conduct, and of a notice which I regard as the most flattering distinction of my life. I am, MY LORD, with sentiments of gratitude and respect, your Lordship's faithful and most obliged servant, WILLIAM PALEY.

PREPARATORY CONSIDERATIONS.

I DEEM it unnecessary to prove that mankind stood in need of a revelation, because I have met with no serious person who thinks that, even under the Christian revelation, we have too much light, or any degree of assurance which is superfluous. I desire, moreover, that, in judging of Christianity, it may be remembered, that the question lies between this religion and none : for, if the Christian religion be not credible, no one, with whom we have to do, will support the pretensions of any

which dictated this counsel to continue; suppose a a part of the creation to have received faculties from their Maker, by which they are capable of rendering a moral obedience to his will, and of voluntarily pursuing any end for which he has designed them; suppose the Creator to intend for these, his rational and accountable agents, a second state of existence, in which their situation will be regulated by their behaviour in the first state, by which supposition (and by no other) the objection to the divine government in not putting a differSuppose, then, the world we live in to have had ence between the good and the bad, and the inconA Creator; suppose it to appear, from the predomi-sistency of this confusion with the care and benerant aim and tendency of the provisions and contrivances observable in the universe, that the Deity, when he formed it, consulted for the happiness of sensitive creation; suppose the disposition

>ther.

volence discoverable in the works of the Deity, is done away; suppose it to be of the utmost importance to the subjects of this dispensation to know what is intended for them; that is, suppose the

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