OF THE

ADMINISTRACION OF PUBLYKE BAPTISME

TO BE USED IN THE CHURCHE

    It appeareth by auncient wryters, that the Sacramente of Baptisme in the olde tyme was not commonly mimstred, but at two tymes in the yeare, at Easter and whytsontyde, at whiche tymes it was openly mynistred in the presence of all the congregacion: Whiche custome (now beeyng growen out of use) although it cannot for many consideracions be wel restored again, yet it is thought good to folowe the same as nere as conveniently maybe be: Wherfore the people are to bee admonished, that it is moste conveniente that baptisme shoulde not be ministred but upon Sondayes and other holy dayes, when the most numbre of people maye come together. As well for that the congregacion there presente may testifie the receyvyng of them, that be newly baptysed, into the noumbre of Christes Churche, as also because in the Baptisme of Infantes, every manne presente maye be put in remembraunce of his owne profession made to God in his Baptisme. For whiche cause also, it is expediente that Baptisme be ministred in the Englishe tounge. Neverthelesse (yf necessitie so requyre) children ought at all tymes to be baptised, eyther at the churche or els at home.

PUBLIKE BAPTISME.

    When there are children to be Baptised upon the Sonday, or holy daye: the parentes shall geve knowledge over nyght or in the mornyng, afore the beginning of Mattens, to the curate. And then the Godfathers, Godmothers, and people, with the children muste be ready at the Church dore, either immediatly afore the laste Canticle at Mattens or els immediatly afore the last Canticle at Evensong, as the Curate by his discrecion shall appoynte. And then, standyng there, the prieste shall aske whether the chyldren be baptised on no. If they aunswere No, then shall the priest saye thus.

DEARE beloved, forasmuche as all men bee conceyved and borne in sinne, and that no manne borne in synne, can entre into the kingdom of God (except he be regenerate, and borne anewe of water, and the holy ghost) I beseche you to call upon God the father through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteouse mercy he wil graunt to these children that thing, which by nature they cannot have, that is to saye, they may be baptised with the holy ghost, and receyved into Christes holy Church, and be made lyvely membres of the same.

Then the prieste shall saye.

Let us praye.

ALMYGHTIE and everlastyng God, whiche of thy justice dydest destroy by fluddes of water the whole worlde for synne, excepte viii persones, whome of thy mercy (the same tyme) thou didest save in the Arke: And when thou didest drowne in the read sea wycked kyng Pharao with al his armie, yet (at the same time) thou didest leade thy people the chyldren of Israel safely through the myddes [=midst] therof: wherby thou didest fygure the washyng of thy holy Baptisme: and by the Baptisme of thy wel beloved sonne Jesus Christe, thou dydest sanctifie the fludde Jordan, and al other waters to this misticall washing away of synne: We beseche thee (for thy infinite mercies) that thou wilt mercifully looke upon these children, and sanctifie them with thy holy gost, that by this holesome laver [=water] of regeneracion, whatsoever synne is in them, may be washed cleane away, that they, being delivered from thy wrathe, may be received into tharke [the ark] of Christes churche, and so saved from peryshyng: and beeyng fervente in spirite, stedfaste in fayth, joyfull through hope, rooted in charitie, maye ever serve thee: And finally attayne to everlastyng lyfe, with all thy holy and chosen people. This graunte us we beseche the, for Jesus Christes sake our Lorde. Amen.

¶ Here shall the priest aske what shall be the name of the childe, and when the Godfathers and Godmothers have tolde the name, then shall he make a crosse upon the childes forehead and breste, saying.

¶ N. Receyve the signe of the holy Crosse, both in thy forehead, and in thy breste, in token that thou shalt not be ashamed to confesse thy fayth in Christe crucifyed, and manfully to fyght under his banner against synne, the worlde, and the devill, and to continewe his faythfull soldiour and servaunt unto thy lyfes ende. Amen.

And this he shalt doe and saye to as many children as bee presented to be Baptised, one after another.

Let us praye.

ALMIGHTIE and immortall God, the ayde of all that nede, the helper of all that flee to thee for succour, the life of them that beleve, and the resurreccion of the dead: we call upon thee for these infantes, that they cummyng to thy holy Baptisme, may receyve remission of theyr sinnes, by spirituall regeneracion. Receyve them (o Lorde) as thou haste promysed by thy welbeloved sonne, saying: Aske, and you shall have: seke, and you shall fynde: knocke, and it shalbe opened unto you. So geve nowe unto us that aske: Lette us that seke, fynde: open thy gate unto us that knocke: that these infantes maye enjoy the everlastyng benediccion of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternall kyngdome whiche thou haste promysed, by Christe our Lorde. Amen.

Then let the priest lokyng upon the chyidren, saye.

I COMMAUNDE thee, uncleane spirite, in the name of the father, of the sonne, and of the holy ghost, that thou come out, and departe from these infantes, whom our Lord Jesus Christe hath vouchsaved, to call to his holy Baptisme, to be made membres of his body, and of his holy congregacion. Therfore thou cursed spirite, remembre thy sentence, remembre thy judgemente, remembre the daye to be at hande, wherin thou shalt burne in fyre everlasting, prepared for thee and thy Angels. And presume not hereafter to exercise any tyrannye towarde these infantes, whom Christe hathe bought with his precious bloud, and by this his holy Baptisme calleth to be of his flocke.

Then shall the priest saye.

    The Lorde be with you.
    The people. And with thy spirite.
    The Minister. ¶ Heare nowe the gospell written by S. Marke.
 

    At a certayne tyme they brought children to Christe that he should touche them, and hys disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus sawe it, he was displeased, and sayed unto them: Suffre lytle children to come unto me, and forbyd them not; for to suche belongeth the kingdom of God. Verely I say unto you: whosoever doeth not receyve the kyngdom of God, as a lytle chylde: he shall not entre therin. And when he had taken them up in his armes: he put his handes upon them, and blessed them.

After the gospell is red, the Minister shall make this briefe exhortacion upon the woordes of the gospell.

FRENDES you heare in this gospell the woordes of our Saviour Christe, that he commaunded the children to be brought unto him: howe he blamed those that would have kept them from hym: howe he exhorteth all men to folowe their innocencie. Ye perceyve howe by his outwarde gesture and dede he declared his good wyll towarde them. For he embraced them in his armes, he layed his handes upon them, and blessed them: doubte ye not therfore, but earnestly beleve, that he wyll lykewyse favourably receyve these present infantes, that he wyll embrace them with the arms of his mercy, that he wyll geve unto them the blessyng of etemall lyfe: and make them partakers of his everlasting kingdome. Wherfore we beyng thus perswaded of the good wyll of our heavenly father towarde these infantes, declared by his sonne Jesus Christe; and nothyng doubtyng but that he favourably alloweth this charitable worke of ours, in bringing these children to his holy baptisme: let us faythfully and devoutly geve thankes unto him; And say the prayer which the Lorde himselfe taught. And in declaracion of our fayth, let us also recyte the articles conteyned in our Crede.

Here the minister with the Godfathers, Godmothers, and people presente, shall saye.

    ¶ Our father whiche art in heaven, halowed bee thy name, &c.
 

And then shall saye* openly.

   I beleve in God the father almightie, &c.

The priest shall adde also this prayer.

ALMIGHTIE and everlastyng God, heavenly father, we geve the humble thankes, that thou haste vouchesaved to call us to knowledge of thy grace, and fayth in thee: Increase and confyrme this fayth in us evermore: Geve thy holy spirite to these infantes, that they may be borne agayne, and be made heyres of everlasting salvacion, through our Lord Jesus Christ: Who lyveth and reigneth with thee and the holy spirite, nowe end for ever. Amen.

¶ Then the prieste shall take the childe in his handes, and aske the name. And naming the childe, shall dyppe it in the water thryse. First dypping the ryght syde: Seconde the left syde: The thryd tyme dippyng the face towards the fonte: So it be diseretly and warely done, saying.

¶ N. I Baptize thee in the name of the father, and of the sonne, and of the holy gost. Amen.

¶ And if the childe be weake, it shall suffice to powre water upon it, saying the foresayed woordes. N. I baptize thee, &c.
    Then the Godfathers and Godmothers shall take and lay theyr handes upon the childe, and the minister shall put upon him his white vesture, commonly called the Crisome [i. e., the baptismal gown]; and saye.

TAKE this white vesture for a token of the innocencie, whiche by Gods grace in this holy sacramente of Baptisme, is given unto thee: and for a signe wherby thou art admonished, so long as thou lyvest, to geve thyselfe to innocencie of living, that, after this transitorye lyfe, thou mayest be partaker of the lyfe everlasting. Amen.
 

Baptism, from a 15th C. Pontifical

When there are many to be Baptized, this ordre of demaunding, Baptizing, puttyng on the Crysome, and enoyntyng, shalbe used severally with every chylde. Those that be firste Baptized departing from the fonte, and remaynyng in some convenient place within the Churche untill all be Baptized. At the laste ende, the priest calling the Godfathers and Godmothers together: shall saye this shorte exhortacion folowing:

¶ The minister shall commaunde that the Crisomes be brought to the churche, and delyvered to the priestes after the accustomed maner, at the purificacion of the mother of every chylde. And that the children be brought to the Bushop to bee confirmed of hym, so soone as they can saye in theyr vulgare tounge the articles of the fayth, the Lordes prayer, and the ten commaundementes, and be further instructed in the Catechisme, set furth for that purpose, accordingly as it is there expressed.
    And so lette the congregacion departe in the name of the Lorde.

¶ Note that yf the numbre of children to be Baptized, and multitude of people presente bee so great that they cannot conveniently stand at the Churche doore: then let them stand within the Churche in some convenient place, nygh unto the Churche doore; And there all thynges be sayed and done, appoynted to be sayed and done at the Churche doore.

¶ N. I Baptise the in the name of the father, and of the sonne .and of the holy ghoste. Amen.

¶ And let them not doubt, but that the childe so Baptised, is lawfully and sufficiently Baptized, and ought not to be Baptized againe, in the Churche. But yet neverthelesse if the childe whiche is after this sorte Baptized, doe afterwarde lyve: it is expedient that he* be brought into the Churche, to thentent the prieste maye examine and trye, whether the childe be lawfully Baptized or no. And yf those that bryng any childe to the Churche doe aunswere that he is alreadye Baptized: Then shall the priest examin them, further.
 

* they in some printings

¶ By whom the childe was Baptised?
    Who was presente when the childe was baptised?
    Whether they called upon God for grace and succoure in that necessitie?
    With what thyng, or what matter they dyd Baptise the childe?
    With what woordes the childe was Baptised?
    Whether they thinke the childe to be lawfully and perfectly Baptised?

And if the ministers shall prove by the aunswers of suche as brought the childe, that all thynges were done, as they ought to be: Then shall not he christen the childe agayne, but shall receyve hym, as one of the flocke of the true christian people, saying thus.

I CERTIFIE you, that in this case ye have doen wel, and according unto due ordre concerning the baptising of this child, which being borne in original synne, and in the wrathe of God, is nowe by the laver [=water] of regeneracion in Baptisme, made the childe of God, and heire of everlastyng life: for oure Lorde Jesus Christe doeth not denye hys grace and mercie unto such infantes, but most lovingly doeth call them unto him. As the holy ghospell doeth witnesse to our coumforte on this wyse.
 

AT a certaine time thei brought children unto Christ that he should touch them, and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus sawe it, he was displeased, and sayed unto them: Suffre lytle chyldren to come unto me, and forbidde them not, for to suche belongeth the kingdome of God. Verely I saye unto you, whosoever doeth not receyve the kingdom of God as a lytle chylde, he shall not enter therm. And when he had taken them up in his armes, he put his handes upon them, and blissed them.

After the ghospell is read: the minister shall make this exhortacion upon the woordes of the ghospell.

FRENDES ye heare in this ghospell the woordes of our Saveoure Christ, that he commaunded the children to be brought unto him, how he blamed those that would have kept them from hym, howe he exhorted all men to folowe their innocencie: Ye perceive how by his outward gesture and dede he declared his good wyll towarde them, for he embraced them in his armes, he layed his handes upon them, and blessed them. Doubt you not therfore, but earnestly beleve, that he hath lykewyse favourably receyved this presente infante, that he hath embraced him with the armes of his mercy, that he hath geven unto him the blessing of eternal lyfe, and made him partaker of his everlasting kingdom. Wherfore we beyng thus persuaded of the good will of oure heavenly father, declared by his sonne Jesus Christ towardes this infante: Let us faythfully and devoutly geve thankes unto him, and saye the prayer whiche the Lorde himselfe taught; and in declaracion of our fayth, let us also recyte the articles conteined in our Crede.

Here the minister with the God/athers and Godmothers shall saye.

OUR father whiche arte in heaven, halowed be thy name, &c.

Then shall they saye the Crede, and then the prieste shall demaund the name of the childe, whiche beyng by the Godfathers and Godmothers pronounced, the minister shall saye.

¶ N. Doest thou forsake the devill and all his workes?
    Aunswere. I forsake them.
    Minister. Doest thou forsake the vaine pompe and glory of the worlde, with all the covetous desyres of the same?
    Aunswere. I forsake them.
    Minister. Doest thou forsake the carnall desyres of the flesh, so that thou wilt not folowe and be led by them?
    Aunswere. I forsake them.
    Minister. Doest thou beleve in God the father almyghtie, maker of heaven and yearth?
    Aunswere. I beleve.
    Minister. Doest thou beleve in Jesus Christe hys onely begotten sonne our lorde, and that he was conceyved by the holy Gost, borne of the virgin Marie, that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucifyed, dead, and buried, that he went downe into hel, and also did arise againe the third day, that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the righte hande of god the father almightie: And from thence shal come agayn at the ende of the world to judge the quicke and the dead, doest thou beleve thus?
    Aunswere. I beleve.
    Minister. Doest thou beleve in the holy goste, the holy catholyke Churche, the Communion of Saintes, Remission of sinnes, Resurreccion of the flesh, and everlasting life after deth?
    Aunswere. I beleve.

TAKE thys whyte vesture for a token of the innocencie whiche by goddes grace in the holy sacramente of baptysme is geven unto thee, and for a signe wherby thou art admonished so long as thou shalt lyve, to geve thyselfe to innocencye of livyng, that after this transitory life, thou maiest be partaker of the life everlasting. Amen.

¶ Let us pray.

ALMIGHTIE and everlasting god heavenly father, wee geve thee humble thankes that thou hast vouchesafed to cal us to the knowlege of thy grace, and faith in thee: Increase and confirme this fayth in us evermore: Geve thy holy spirite to this infant, that he being borne agayne, and beeing made heyre of everlasting salvacion through our lord Jesus Christ, may continue thy servaunt, and attein thy promises through the same our lorde Jesus Christe thy sonne, who liveth and reigneth with the in unitie of the same holy spirite everlastinglye. Amen.

Then shall the minister make this exhortacion, to the Godfathers, and Godmothers.

FORASMUCHE as this chylde hath promised by you to forsake the devil and al his workes, to beleve in god, and to serve him, you must remember that it is your partes and duetie to see that this infant be taught, so sone [soon] as he shalbe able to learne, what a solemne vowe, promise, and profession he hath made by you, and that he may know these thinges the better, ye shall call upon hym to heare sermons: and chiefly ye shal provide that he may learne the Crede, the Lordes prayer, and the ten commaundementes in the english tong, and al other thinges which a christian man ought to know and beleve to his soules health, and that this childe may bee vertuously brought up, to leade a godly and a christian life. Remembring alway that baptisme doeth represent unto us our profession, which is to folow thexample of our saviour Christe, and to be made like unto him, that as he died and rose again for us: so should we whiche are baptized, dye from sin, and ryse againe unto righteousnes, continually mortifying [subjugating] al our evil and corrupt affeccions, and dayly proceding in al vertue and godlines of living.

&c. As in Publike Baptisme.

¶ But if they which bring the infantes to the church, do make an uncertain answere to the priestes questions, and say that they cannot tel what they thought, did, or sayde in that great feare and trouble of mynde (as oftentymes it chaunseth): Then let the priest Baptize him in forme above written, concernyng publyke Baptisme, savyng that at the dyppyng of the childe its the fonte, he shalt use this forme of woordes.

IF thou be not Baptized already, N. I Baptize thee in the name of the father, and of the sonne, and of the holy gost. Amen.

O MOSTE mercifull god our savioure Jesu Christ, who hast ordeyned the element of water for the regeneracion of thy faythful people, upon whom, beyng baptised in the river of Jordane, the holye ghoste came down in the likenesse of a doove: Sende down we beseche thee the same thy holye spirite to assiste us, and to bee present at this our invocacion of thy holy name: Sanctifie this fountaine of baptisme, thou that art the sanctifier of al thynges, that by the power of thy worde, all those that shall he baptized therein, maye be spirituallye regenerated, and made the children of everlasting adopcion. Amen.
O MERCIFULL God , graunte that the olde Adam, in them that shalbe baptized in this fountayne, maye so be buried, that the newe man may be raised up agayne. Amen.
GRAUNT that all carnal affeccions maie die in them; and that all thynges, belongyng to the spirite maye live and growe in them. Amen.
GRAUNT to all them which at this fountayne forsake the devill and all his workes: that they maye have power and strength to have victorye and to triumph againste hym, the worlde, and the fleshe. Amen.
WHOSOEVER shal confesse the, o lorde: recognise him also in thy kingdome. Amen.
GRAUNT that al sinne and vice here maie bee so extinct: that thei never have power to raigne in thy servauntes. Amen.
GRAUNTE that whosoever here shall begynne to be of thy flocke: maie evermore continue in the same. Amen.
GRAUNT that all they which for thy sake in this life doe denie and forsake themselfes: may winne and purchase thee (o lord) which art everlasting treasure. Amen.
GRAUNT that whosoever is here dedicated to thee by our office and ministerie: maye also bee endewed with heavenly vertues, and everlastinglye rewarded through thy mercie, O Blessed lorde God, who doest live and governe al thinges world without ende. Amen.

The Lorde be with you.
Answere. And with thy spirite.

ALMIGHTYE everliving God, whose moste derely beloved sonne Jesus Christe, for the forgevenesse of our sinnes did shead out of his moste precious side bothe water and bloude, and gave commaundemente to his disciples that they shoulde goe teache all nacions, and baptise them in the name of the father, the sonne, and the holye ghoste: Regarde, we beseche thee, the supplicacions of thy congregacion, and graunte that all thy servauntes which shall bee baptized in this water prepared for the mynystracion of thy holy sacrament, maye receive the fulnesse of thy grace, and ever remaine in the noumbre of thy faithful, and elect children, through Jesus Christ our Lord.