things to abhor falsehood and lies; and to love and cultivate truth and integrity, which will make him amiable in the eyes of all, and acceptable to God. Tell him that he is to love and to do good to all men, because all are equally the children of God with himself, and the objects of his fatherly kindness and care; that he is not born only for himself, but for others; to serve his country and mankind by promoting truth and virtue, and the public good. Sow in him betimes these seeds of piety, charity, sincerity, and all goodness; for otherwise the weeds of evil will spring up in his heart, which ye may never afterward be able to root out. And although no pains which ye can take, can ensure success, yet whatever happens, ye will have discharged your duty, and not have the guilt and mortifying reflection of having contributed to the ruin and misery of those you love. Remember the saying of the wise man, Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. If your labors should be successful, it will be a source of the highest and purest pleasure and satisfaction to you; and ye will have the joy of leaving behind you those who may live and do good in the world, when ye shall be no more in it. And may the supreme Father and Governor of all things direct and bless you in the faithful discharge of your duty, for his glory, the good of mankind, and the advancement of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Where there are other Sponsors who present the Child to be baptized, and not the Parents, the Minister may thus begin the Exhortation, YE who have now undertaken the care of this child who naturally belongs to the parents, must take heed and remember that it is also a child of God, for whom it is to be educated and fitted; and if through your, &c. END OF BAPTISM OF INFANTS. THE BAPTISM OF THOSE WHO ARE OF RIPER YEARS. The Minister may begin the Service with the following Observations, relating to the Appointment, Nature, and Use of Baptism. OUR blessed Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, commissioned his apostles to complete the work he had begun, by preaching his gospel to all nations. All power, said he, is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you; and lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world. By this direction of our Saviour, all persons are to be acknowledged as members of his church, by baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. They are then consecrated to the divine service, in that religion which came from God the Father, was published to the world by his Son, and confirmed by the operations of his holy Spirit. Water is employed as an emblem of purity, or of that moral and religious improvement, in which all our Christian advantages should terminate. Let us, therefore, as The Minister shall then many as are here assembled, by the present administration of baptism, take occasion to establish in our minds a lively sense of our obligations to serve God, according to the gospel of his Son, in holiness and righteousness all our days. Then shall the Minister say to the Person desiring to be baptized, OUR Lord Jesus commanded, that all persons baptized should be in structed in his holy gospel. You in the profession of the Christian faith, present yourself to be baptized according to his institution. Do you now promise, that you will receive the instructions of the Christian religion, and govern your faith and practice by its doctrines and laws? Answ. This I now promise, and by the help of God, will endeavor to perform. baptize the Person, I BAPTIZE thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Min. Let us pray. ALMIGHTY God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, regard in mercy the prayers of thy people; and bless thy servant, who hath now been acknowledged as a member of the Christian church, by baptism. Incline his heart to receive with all readiness the doctrines and instructions of Christ, and to submit faithfully to the authority of his laws. Give him strength to triumph over the temptations of vice, and to be steadfast in the practice of that holiness which baptism is designed to represent; that, living as becometh a good and faithful member of the Christian church here on earth, he may at length partake in heaven of that eternal kingdom which thou hast revealed to us by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. WE give thee humble thanks, O heavenly Father, 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, that we may be enabled to mortify all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily to proceed in all virtue and godliness of living, till we come to that eternal kingdom, which thou hast promised by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. NOW unto him who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, through Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen. THE EXHORTATION. Christian Brother, IN obedience to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all persons baptized be instructed in his holy religion; you have now engaged, by a solemn promise before God and this assembly, that you will receive the instructions of the Christian Religion, and govern your faith and practice by its doctrines and laws. May you carefully keep in mind this promise, and perform it faithfully. To this end, you are diligently and honestly to search the Scriptures. These contain every thing necessary thing necessary to eternal salvation; and from these you may obtain all that information which is requisite to improve your understanding and confirm your faith. Above all, you are carefully to obey the precepts of the gospel, and to cultivate that purity of heart and affections, which all its laws, ordinances, and doctrines are designed to promote. Having the fear of God before your eyes, be you with fidelity and exactness now exhorted to discharge the duty you have now acknowledged. To the due observance of it may God |