Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/465

EXHORTATION TO CONGREGATION UPON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL AND PRAYER.

CHURCHES UPON THE ANCIENT MODEL.				REFORMED CHURCH.
Danish.	Hermann.	English.	Mecklenburg.	Zurich.	The rest.
No. 1.	No. 2.	No. 3.	No. 4.	No. 5.	No. 6.
Which one blessing we do wish to pray for	Believe these words & this deed of our Lord Jesu Christ, upon them, and doubt not but that He will receive your children so, [in holy baptism,] and embrace them with the arms of His mercy, and give them the blessing of eternal life, and the everlasting communion of the kingdom of God. The same Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, confirm and increase in us your faith. Amen. And be ye most certain, that our Lord Jesus Christ will mercifully regard this work of your charity graciously towards this infant, and that He will hear your prayers, as He Himself thus commanded with His word, "Suffer the little ones," &c. Introd. exhort.	Doubt ye not, therefore, but earnestly believe that He will likewise favourably receive this present infant &c. and make him partaker of His everlasting kingdom. Wherefore, we, being thus persuaded of the goodwill 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 bringing this infant to holy baptism, let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks unto Him, and say Edward VI., First Book, adds, "the prayer which the Lord Himself taught, and in declaration of our faith, let us also recite the articles contained in our creed."	If there is time and the child not washed. Beloved friends of Christ, we hear, in this short Gospel, both the great trouble and need, as well of ourselves as of this child, and again our highest comfort. For, first, we are all through the fall of Adam, so corrupted that we are conceived and born again in sin, and so are born the children of wrath, and for the sins' sake belong to the kingdom of the devil, to death, hell and damnation, whereof the previous exorcism of the unclean spirit was to remind us. For all born of flesh is flesh, and cannot inherit the kingdom of God, unless it be born anew, and come into the gracious kingdom of Christ our Lord. 2. We hear of the greatest comfort for us and our children, that Christ, the Son of God, our Lord, was so very ready and willing, graciously to help the children which were brought to Him, and all of us, who come to Him, so that He is even displeased, when they would have hindered, and not faithfully brought them to Him. 3. He cares most mercifully for them, and takes their part most lovingly, as if He were, (as indeed He is,) their natural Father, takes them in His arms, embraces them, saves and redeems them from the kingdom of sin, the devil, death, and hell, and lays His Almighty, Divine and Gracious hand upon them, takes them into protection and defence against all ill, and blesses them, so that they now with Him, shall be children and heirs of His heavenly Father, and His co-heirs of bliss and life eternal. And He warns us, the elders, to see to it, that we also abide in simple faith, and walk as childern before Him in the kingdom of heaven, (i.e. of grace and life,) and begin and continue ever to live in innocence and purity, that we may not be cast out of it for ever. Since, however, all this (Christ's saving from sin and the kingdom of the devil through the laying on of His hands, &c.) besides this His word, is given, imparted, and thereby assured to this child, as to us all, also in an outward sign, in Baptism, namely, and the word of God, "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, we will now baptize it in the name of the Lord, having first prayed. Our Father," &c.	(Addition in English Translation A.D. 1693, Liturgia Figurina) not in Zuingli nor in the Ritus Eccl. Figurina 1702. [Forasmuch as you have heard here, that it is the Lord's pleasure that little children be brought unto Him, because He is their Saviour also: therefore we will bring unto Him this child as far as it lieth in our power, i.e., through baptism we will receive him into His Church, and give him the earnest of the covenant and of the people of God. God give us His grace thereto.]	None.

THANKSGIVING AFTER THE GOSPEL.
Hermann.	Edward VI.'s First Book.	Present Form.	Reformed Churches.
Almighty and everlasting God* we give thee† eternal thanks, that thou hast vouchsafed to call us‡ to this1 knowledge of Thy grace and faith in Thee. Increase2 and confirm this faith in us evermore. Give Thy Holy Spirit to this infant, whereby§ he may be born again, and be made an heir of salvation everlasting, which Thou hast promised to Thy holy Church, to the children and old men together for the sake of Christ, of Thy grace and mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.	* heavenly Father. † humble ‡ this § that =which Thou hast promised—mercy.	1 the 2 this knowledge.	None.