The 1549 Book of Common Prayer: Baptism · The 1549 Book of Common Prayer: Preface

The Book of Common Prayer

	The Book of Common Prayer - 1549

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	Marke
a certayne tyme they brought children to Christe that he should touche	x.
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	* shall he say in
then shall saye* openly.	some printings
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 let the priest take one of
the children by the ryght hande, thother being brought after him. And	Baptism, from a 15th C. Pontifical
cumming into the Churche towarde the fonte saye.
THE Lorde vouchesafe
to receyve you into his holy housholde, and to kepe and governe you
alwaye in the same, that you may have everlasting lyfe. Amen.
Then standyng at the fonte the priest
shall speahe to the Godfathers and Godmothers, on this wyse.
Wel beloved frendes, ye have
brought these children here to bee Baptized, ye have prayed that our
Lorde Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receyve them, to lay his handes
upon them, to blesse them, to release them of theyr sinnes, to geve
them the kyngdome of heaven, and everlastyng life. Ye have heard also
that our Lorde Jesus Christe hath promysed in his gospel, to graunte
all these thynges that ye have prayed for: whiche promyse he for his
parte, will moste suerly kepe and perfourme. Wherfore, after this promyse
made by Christe, these infantes muste also faythfully for theyr parte
promise by you, that be theyr suerties, that they wyll forsake the devyll
and all his workes, and constantly beleve Gods holy woorde, and obediently
kepe his commaundementes.
Then shall the priest demaunde
of the childe (which shalbe first Baptized) these questions blowing:
first naming the childe, and saying.
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 covetouse desyres
of the same?
Aunswere. I forsake
them.
Minister. Doest thou
forsake the carnall desyres of the flesh, so that thou wilt not folowe,
nor be ledde by them?
Aunswere. I forsake
them.
Minister. Doest thou beleve
in God the father almightie, maker of heaven and earth?
Aunswere. I beleve.
Minister. Doest thou
beleve in Jesus Christe his only begotten sonne our Lorde, and that
he was conceyved by the holy gost, borne of the virgin Mary, that he
suffered under Poncius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buryed, that
he went downe into hell, and also dyd ryse agayne the thyrde daye; that
he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the ryght hande of God the father
almighty: And from thence shall come agayne at the ende of the worlde,
to judge the quicke and the dead: Doest thou beleve this?
Aunswere. I beleve.
Minister. Doest thou
beleve in the holy gost, the holy Catholike Churche, the communion of
sainctes, remission, of Sinnes, resurreccion of the fleshe, and everlastyng
lyfe after death?
Aunswere. I beleve.
Minister. What doest
thou desyre?
Aunswere. Baptisme.
Minister. Wilt thou
be baptized?
Aunswere. I wyll.
¶
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.
Then the prieste shall annoynt the
infant upon the head, saying.
ALMIGHTY God the
father of our lorde Jesus Christ, who hath regenerate thee by water
and the holy gost, and hath geven unto thee remission of al thy sinnes:
he vouchsave to annoynte thee with the unccion of his holy spirite,
and bryng thee to the inheritaunce of everlasting lyfe. Amen.
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:
FORASMUCH as these
children have promised by you to forsake the devill and al his workes,
to beleve in God, and to serve him: you must remembre that it is your
partes and duetie to see that these infantes be taught, so soone as
they shalbe able to learne, what a solemne vowe, promyse, and profession,
they have made by you. And that they maye knowe these thynges the better:
ye shall call upon them to heare sermons, and chiefly you shal provide
that thei may learne the Crede, the Lordes prayer, and the ten commaundementes,
in thenglish tounge: and all other thinges which a christian manne ought
to knowe and beleve to his soules health. And that these children may
be vertuously brought up to leade a godly and christian. life; remembring
alwayes that Baptisme doeth represent unto us our profession, which
is to folow thexample of our Saviour Christe, and to be made lyke unto
him, that as he dyed and rose againe for us: so should we (whiche are
Baptised) dye from synne, and ryse agayne unto righteousnesse, continually
mortifying all our evyll and corrupte affeccions, and dayly procedyng
in all vertue and godlynesse of lyvyng.
¶ 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.
	* they in some
OF THEM THAT BE	printings
BAPTIZED IN PRIVATE HOUSES
IN TYME OF NECESSITIE
¶ The pastours amd curates shall oft admonyshe the
people, that they differ [defer]
not the Baptisme of infantes any longer then the Sondaye, or other holy
daye, nexte after the chylde bee borne, onlesse upon a great and reasonable
cause declared to the curate and by hym approved.
And also they shal warne them that without great
cause, and necessitie, they Baptize not children at home in theyr houses.
And when great nede shall compell them so to doe, that then they minister
it on this fashion.
First
let them that be present cal upon God for his grace, and saye the Lordes prayer,
yf the tyme will suffre. And then one of them shal name the childe, and dippe
him in the water, or poure water upon him, saying these woordes.
¶
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.
¶
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.
	Marke
	x.
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.
Then
the minister shal put the white vesture, commonly colled the Crysome,
upon the childe, saying.
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.
The
water in the fonte shalbe chaunged every moneth once at the lest, and
afore any child be Baptized in the water so chaunged, the priest shall
say at the font these prayers folowing.
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.

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