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knowledge thereof over night, or in the morning before the beginning of Morning [or Evening] Prayer, to the [Minister].* And then the [Sponsors], † and the people with the Children, must be ready at the Font, either immediately after the last Lesson at Morning Prayer, or else immediately after the last Lesson at Evening Prayer, [or such other time] as the [Minister] by his discretion shall appoint. And the [Minister] coming to the Font, (which is then to be filled with pure water,) and standing there, shall

say,

Hath this Child been already baptized, or no?

If they answer, No: then shall the [Minister] proceed as followeth.

Dearly beloved, forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin; and that our Saviour Christ saith, [" Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God"]; I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteous mercy he will grant to this Child that thing which by nature he cannot have; that he may be baptized with Water and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ's Holy Church, and be made a lively member of the same.

The American Prayer-book is followed in the substitution of "Minister" for "Curate' and "Priest" throughout this office, since our Ordinal permits deacons "in the absence of the priest to baptize infants."

The word "Sponsors" is here and elsewhere substituted for "Godfathers and Godmothers," both as being more concise and also more suitable to their duty of promising, as well as more correct, when, from there being only one child to be baptized, there are only three present in all, to whom therefore the phrase "Godfathers and Godmothers" cannot correctly be applied.

There would perhaps be less interruption to the service, if baptisms were solemnized "immediately after Morning or Evening Prayer," i. e. between the Prayers and the Ante-Communion Service in the Morning, and between the Prayers and Sermon in the Evening. At at all events, experience proves that it would be well to leave it discretionary with the minister to a certain extent. The Westminster Assembly's "Directory" insists on publicity in Christian Baptism, forbidding its private ministration, and requiring it to be "in the place of public worship, and in the face of the congregation, where the people may most conveniently see and hear," and administered only "by a minister of Christ."

¶ Then shall the [Minister] say,
Let us pray.

[(And here all the congregation shall kneel.)†

Almighty and everlasting God, who of thy great mercy didst save Noah and his family in the Ark from perishing by water; and also didst safely lead the children of Israel thy people through the Red Sea, figuring thereby thy holy Baptism; and by the Baptism of thy wellbeloved Son Jesus Christ, in the river Jordan, didst sanctify Water to the mystical washing away of sin; We beseech thee, for thine infinite mercies, that thou wilt mercifully look upon this Child; wash him and sanctify him with the Holy Ghost; that he, being delivered from thy wrath, may be received into the ark of Christ's Church; and being stedfast in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass the waves of this troublesome world, that finally he may come to the land of everlasting life, there to reign with thee world without end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty and immortal God, the aid of all that need, the helper of all that flee to thee for succour, the life of them that believe, and the resurrection of the dead; We call upon thee for this Infant, that he coming to thy holy Baptism, may receive remission of his sins by Spiritual regeneration.‡ Receive him, O Lord, as thou

It has always appeared to the writer, that the Lord's Prayer (complete with the doxology) might more suitably be used here as the first Prayer (just as it is in the Office of Private Baptism) than in its present place just before the post-baptismal thanksgiving.

This Rubric is added from the Office of Adult Baptism.

The petition "may receive remission of his sins by Spiritual regeneration," has been excepted against. But surely as a petition that the child may receive that work of the Holy Spirit upon the inner man, which produces "repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ"-may be so changed in heart as hereafter to repent and believe the Gospel,-it is most suitable? Hence the American change of "sins' into "sin" is needless and less comprehensive as is also another change in the exhortation, "release him from sin," instead of "of his sins." The Westminster "Directory" enjoins petitions very similar to those contained in our ante-baptismal Collects. Among other things the minister is directed to pray that God "would join the inward Baptism of his Spirit with the outward Baptism of Water," &c.

SPECIMEN OF A REVISED BAPTISMAL SERVICE.

hast promised by thy well-beloved Son, saying, Ask, and ye shall have; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: So give now unto us that ask; let us that seek find; open the gate unto us that knock; that this Infant may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal Kingdom which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the People stand up, and the [Minister] shall say,*

Hear the words of the Gospel, written by Saint Mark, in the Tenth Chapter, at the Thirteenth Verse.

They brought young children to Christ, that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

After the Gospel is read, the Minister shall make this brief Exhortation upon the Words of the Gospel.

Beloved, ye hear in this Gospel the words of our Saviour Christ, that he commanded the children to be brought unto him; how he blamed those that would have kept them from him; how he exhorteth all men to follow their innocency. Ye perceive how by his outward gesture and deed he declared his good will toward them; for he embraced them in his arms, he laid his hands upon them, and blessed them. Doubt ye not therefore, but earnestly believe, that he [is willing to]† likewise favourably receive this present Infant; that he [is willing to] embrace him with the arms of his mercy; that he [is willing to] give unto him the blessing of eternal life, and make him partaker of his everlasting Kingdom. Wherefore we being thus persuaded of the good will of our heavenly Father towards this Infant, de

The American Rubric in this place. which permits considerable omissions, seems to be very objectionable.

This is apparently the meaning of the word "will" in this place (just as in Athanasius' Creed" will be-vult, is willing or wishes to besaved") as the concluding words seems to prove, "will give unto him the blessing of eternal life," &c.

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thy Holy Spirit to this Infant, that he may be born again, and be made an heir of everlasting salvation; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Then shall the [Minister] speak unto the [Sponsors] on this wise.

Dearly beloved, ye have brought this Child here to be baptized, ye have prayed that our Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive him, to release him of his sins, to sanctify him with the Holy Ghost, to give him the kingdom of Heaven, and everlasting life. Ye have heard also that our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised in his Gospel to grant all these things that ye have prayed for: which promise he, for his part, will most surely keep and perform. Wherefore, after this promise made by Christ,* this Infant must

It might be a relief to some tender consciences (though the writer himself does not desire it) to omit the words "in the name of this child" in the first question, and thus make the answers to the two first questions to become personal professions of "Renunciation" and "Faith" on the part of the sponsors, as security to the Church, that they are fit to undertake the training of the child as promised in the fourth answer. The service might then stand thus: "Wherefore, after this promise made by Christ, [ye] must also faithfully, for [your] part, promise [that this child shall be taught to] renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly believe God's holy Word, and obediently keep his commandments. I demand therefore, Do ye renounce, &c.? Do ye believe, &c. ? Will ye that this child be baptized, &c.? Will ye then, see that he be taught, so soon as he shall be able to learn, to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe all the Articles of the Christian faith, and to obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of his life?" (see Matt. xxviii. 20). The concluding address to the sponsors might then stand thus: "Forasmuch as ye have] promised [that this child shall be instructed'] to renounce the devil and

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I demand therefore,

[Do ye], in the name of this Child, renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that [ye will] not follow, nor be led by them?

Answer. I renounce them all. Minister. [Do ye] believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth?

And in Jesus Christ his only ... Son our Lord ? And that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost; born of the Virgin Mary; that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; that he [descended] into hell; and also

all his works, to believe in God and to serve him ; ye must remember, that it is your parts and duties to see that [he] be taught, so soon as he shall be able to learn, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession, [ye have] here made [for him]. And that he may know these things," &c.

This Rubric is adopted from the American Prayer-book.

'as

+ As the questions are addressed to the sponsors, the plural number is preferable to the singular. The first question might be well abridged by adopting the terms of the Catechism, "Do ye, in the name of this child renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh'?" And the second thusat least in the Infant Office-"Do ye believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith' briefly comprised in' the 'Apostles' Creed'?" The American Prayer-book has it thus, "Dost thou believe all the Articles of the Christian faith, as contained in the Apostles' Creed ?" In the Catechism only two things-repentance and faith-are declared requisite to be personally professed or promised by sureties prior to the reception of Christian Baptism. The third -the promise of obedience to God's commandments--did not exist in the Baptismal Service till the last revision in 1661-2.

Or, "into Hades."

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And [do ye] believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholick Church; the Communion of Saints; the [Forgiveness] of Sins; the Resurrection of the [body]; and [the life everlasting]?

Answer. All this I stedfastly believe. Minister. [Will ye that this child] be baptized in this faith?

Answer. That is my desire.

Minister. [Will ye] then ['see that he be taught, so soon as he shall be able to learn,' to] obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of [his] life?

Answer. I will ['endeavour so to do, God being my helper'].§ ¶Then shall the [ Minister] say, ['all kneeling'].

O merciful God, grant that the old Adam in this Child may be so buried, that the new man may be raised up in him. Amen.

Grant that all carnal affections may die in him, and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in him.

Amen.

Grant that he may have power and strength to have victory, and to triumph, against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Amen.

Grant that whosoever is here dedicated to thee by our office and ministry may also be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlastingly rewarded, through thy mercy, O blessed Lord God, who dost live, and govern all things, world without end. Amen.

Almighty, everliving God, whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his most precious side both water and blood; and gave commandment to his disciples, that they should go teach all nations, and baptize them In the Name of the Father, [and of] the Son, and [of] the Holy Ghost; Regard, we beseech thee, the supplications of thy Congregation; sanctify this Water to the mystical washing away of sin; and grant that this Child, now to be baptized there[with], * Or, "into (es) this faith."

That is, "attend to-observe" (TYPEW.)

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SPECIMEN OF A REVISED BAPTISMAL SERVICE.

may receive the fulness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶Then the [Minister] shall take the Child into his hands, and shall say to the [Sponsors],

Name this Child.

And then naming it after them.... he shall dip it in the Water discreetly and warily, ['or pour Water upon it,'] saying,

N. I baptize thee + In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost..

Then the [Minister] shall say,

We receive this Child into the Congregation of Christ's flock,* (*Here the Minister] shall make a Cross upon the Child's forehead,)and do sign him with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner, against sin, the world, and the devil; and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end. Amen. ¶ Then shall the [Minister] say,

Seeing now, dearly beloved brethren, that this Child is ['dedicated to'§ the living and true God'], and grafted

The precedents for this unlimited discretion respecting Immersion and Affusion are the American Prayer-book, and our own Adult Office.

+ The simple meaning of the act of Baptism seems to be, "I dedicate thee by the sign of water to the service of the Triune God." The phrase which we sometimes find in Scripture, of Baptism "in the name of the Lord Jesus" would, perhaps, seem to refer to the peculiar case of Jewish converts, while the institution of Baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity, as recorded in Matt. xxviii. 18, 19, 20, has a direct reference to the Gentile world-" all nations."

It might possibly be expedient to omit the sign of the cross, as it, perhaps, has a practical tendency to divert the attention of the illinformed from the dignity of the sacrament of Baptism; so the foolish phrase "half-baptized" seems to suggest. The form might then run thus, "[who hath received the sacrament of Baptism], in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed," &c.

From the seventh collect in the Baptismal Offices.

From 1 Thess. i. 9. as applied to the Blessed Trinity in the First of the Thirty-nine Articles.

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into the body of Christ's Church,* let us give thanks unto Almighty God for these benefits; and with one accord make our prayers unto him, that this Child may lead the rest of his life according to this beginning.+

Then shall be said, all kneeling.

Our Father, which art in Heaven. Hallowed by thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. [For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever.] Amen.

Then shall the [Minister] say.

We yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to [grant unto this Infant to be 'here dedicated to thee by our office and ministry,' and incorporated] into thy holy Church. And humbly we beseech thee to grant, that he, being dead unto sin,|| and living unto righteousness, and being buried with Christ in his death, may crucify the old man, and utterly abolish the whole body of sin; and that, [being] made partaker of the death of thy Son, he may also be partaker of his resurrection; so that finally, with the residue of thy

Or "into the body of ['the Christian'] Church." This is the only benefit which is dogmatically affirmed by our Church in the Twenty-seventh Article, to be consequent upon the outward sign of Baptism.

That is, in obedience to the Lord to whom he has been dedicated-agreeably to his profession-"answerably to his Christian calling."

This emendation is taken from the seventh collect in the Baptismal Office.

Or "into the ['Christian '] Church."

That is "that he may be dead indeed unto sin,' and 'alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord,' (Rom. vi. 11), and being buried with Christ," &c. The word "being" is often used conditionally, or as a prospective petition, in our Liturgy, e. g. "that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness." The words "being regenerate" in the collect for Christmas-day, therefore, fairly admit of this use, in the case of those whose consciences will not allow them to use them as a positive assertion; "that we being (i. e. supposing us to be-if we be) regenerate, may daily be renewed," &c. So, "to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent," i. e. supposing them to be-if they be-penitent.

['saints'] he may['inherit']* thine everlasting kingdom; through ['the same thy Son Jesus']* Christ our Lord. Amen. Then, all standing up, this [Minister] shall say to the [Sponsors] this Exhortation following,

the

Forasmuch as this Child hath promised by you his Sureties, to renounce devil and all his works, to believe in God. and to serve him; ye must remember, that it is your parts and duties to see that this Infant be taught, so soon as he shall be able to learn, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession, he hath here made by you. And that he may know these things the better, ye shall call upon him to hear Sermons; and chiefly ye shall provide, that he may learn the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments..., † and all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his soul's health; and that this Child may be virtuously brought up to lead a godly and a Christian life; re.. membering always, that Baptism doth represent unto us our profession; which is, to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto him; that as he died, and rose again for us, so should we, who are baptized, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness; continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living.

Then shall he add and say,

Ye are to take care that this Child be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed by him, so soon as he can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, . . . and be further instructed in the Church-Catechism set forth for that purpose.

ET Then the Minister may add,

+ These three emendations are taken from the thanksgiving in the Private Office, which having been composed since that in the Public Office (viz. in 1661-2) may be taken as a model for improving the latter in these particulars, as it is desirable that there should be no verbal discrepancies between them, except in the omission of a few sentences in the Private Office, which, in the prospect of the child's probable death, are hardly suitable for use. This seems to be the reason for the abridgment of the thanksgiving in our Private Office, which our American brethren, in restoring it to the same length as the Public form, do not seem to have perceived.

The American Liturgy has been followed in the omission of "in the vulgar tongue" both here and in the next paragraph.'

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[The Church of England, since the abolishing of Popery, hath ever held and taught, and so doth hold and teach still, that the Sign of the Cross used in Baptism is no part of the substance of that Sacrament: For when the Minister, dipping the Infant in water, or laying water upon the face of it (as the manner also is,) hath pronounced these words, I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, the Infant is fully and perfectly baptized. So as the Sign of the Cross being afterward used, doth neither add any thing to the virtue and perfection of Baptism, nor being omitted, doth detract any thing from the effect and substance of it.

The American Prayer-book has been followed in the omission of the declaration respecting the salvation of deceased infants. For the learned Bishop of St Asaph, reminds us that the original "object" of this declaration (viz. "to prevent people from esteeming baptism incomplete without" confirmation) "is not now answered, while the expression, 'certain by God's Word,' might as well not be

applied to a proposition, which, however true,

must be proved by reasoning on the analogy of God's dispensations, and not from any one or more texts of Scripture, adduced directly in its confirmation," &c. (Bp. Short's History of the Church of England, s. 671, p. 494, note). It is a remarkable fact that the words in this declaration "which are baptized" were not inserted in that copy of the Prayer-book which received the sanction of Convocation, and that Sir Cyril Wyche having observed the omission, pointed it out to the Lord Chancellor Hyde, who privately "supplied it with his own hand;" and that, "even after it had passed the two houses" of Convocation (Lathbury's History of Convocation, c. x. p. 249)! The supposed difficulties of this declaration have been much exaggerated. If we may infer from Scripture that the benefits of Christ's universal redemption are effectual to the salvation of all infants "dying before they commit actual sin," much more may we infer it of those who have been in Baptism dedicated to the true God, consecrated to Christ's service, and formally consigned to the Good Shepherd's care. On this see Hooker (B. v. c. 60, s. 6,)

This is the latter part of the 30th Canon, to which a mere reference is now made in our Prayer books. If the sign of the Cross should be omitted, of course this declaration would be no longer needed.

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