nerate this Infant with thy Holy Spirit,

3. to receive him for thine own Child by adoption, and to incorpo

thy holy

Church.

except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit: marvel not. John iii. 3. 5, 6, 7. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. 1 Cor. xii. 13. Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts ii. 38, 39. I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. Isa. xliv. 3. Ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Eph. ii. 22. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Titus iii. 5. See also, Jer. i. 5. Luke i. 15. 1 Cor. iii. 16.

3. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Rom. viii. 16. It shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; rate him into there shall they be called the children of the living God. They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. Rom. ix. 26. 8. When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Gal. iv. 4, 5. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John i. 12. As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free. For the body is not one member, but many. 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13, 14. The Church which is his body. Eph. i. 22, 23. 4. Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed

4 And humbly we

he, being dead unto sin, and

living unto

righteousness, and

being buried

with Christ

the old man,

abolish the whole body of sin; and that, as he is

made partaker of the

death of thy

Son, he may

taker of his

beseech thee unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ to grant, that our Lord. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. I speak after the manner of men in his death, because of the infirmity of your flesh; for as ye have may crucify yielded your members servants to uncleanness and and utterly to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. Rom. vi. 11. 13. 19. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and also be par gave himself for me. Gal. ii. 20. Who his own self resurrection; bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness. 1 Pet. ii. 24. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses. Col. ii. 12, 13. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Rom. vi. 4, 5, 6. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath,

5. so that finally, with

of thy holy Church, he may be an

inheritor of

thine ever

lasting king

dom, through Jesus Christ

our Lord. Amen.

malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another; if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

And

above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Col. iii. 1 to 5. 8 to 15. 5. We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the the residue beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end. Heb. iii. 14. These all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Heb. xi. 39, 40. After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Acts xv. 16, 17. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. The dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thess. iv. 14. 16, 17. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Acts xx. 32. That they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Acts xxvi. 18. He is the Head of the body, the Church: who is the firstborn from the dead. Col. i. 18. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give

1. Foras

much as this Child hath

you his sureties, to re

nounce the

devil and all

believe in

God, and to serve him;

ye must remember,

you the kingdom. Luke xii. 32. If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Rom. viii. 17. Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable coinpany of angels, to the general assembly and Church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. Heb. xii. 22, 23, 24. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Pet. i. 3, 4, 5.

CLXVIII & CLXIX. The Exhortation to the Godfathers and Godmothers.

1. Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High. Psal. 1. 14. Now I say, promised by that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time aphis works, to pointed of the father. Gal. iv. 1, 2. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. that it is your For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is duties to see your life and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land. Deut. xxxii. 46, 47. Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall be able shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou lemn vow, liest down, and when thou risest up. Deut. vi. 7. promise, and Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul dilihe hath here gently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes made by you. have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all

parts and

that this Infant be

taught, so soon as he

to learn,

what a so

profession,

2. And

that he may know these things the better, ye shall call

upon him to

hear sermons;

the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons and thy son's sons; specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. Deut. iv. 9, 10. The father to the children shall make known thy truth. Isa. xxxviii. 19. I know him, that he will command his children and his houshold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Gen. xviii. 19. Train up a child in the way he should go. Prov. xxii. 6. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Eccl. v. 4. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Psal. xxxiv. 11.

2. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom. x. 17. And all the people gathered themselves together as one man. And Ezra the Priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding; and he read therein. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood; and he opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people ;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up. And the Levites caused the people to understand the law. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. Neh. viii. 1 to 5. 7, 8. Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law and that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God. Deut. xxxi. 12, 13. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. Luke ii. 41, 42. The next Sabbath day