sanctam Trinitatem invocando, ita dicens: N. Et ego baptizo te in nomine Patris: Et mergat eum semel versa facie ad aquilonem, et capite versus orientem: et Filii : Et iterum mergat semel versa facie ad meridiem: et Spiritus Sancti: Amen. Et mergat tertio recta facie versus aquam.1

This old form, to which the people were accustomed, was retained in the first Prayer Book (1549), with the permission that, if the child be weak, it shall suffice to pour water upon it.' The action was brought to its present simplicity in 1552:2

Then the Priest shall take the child in his hands, and ask the name, and naming the child, shall dip it in the water, so it be discreetly and warily done, saying, &c. And if the child be weak, it shall suffice to pour water upon it, saying, &c.

Pre

From this period also the giving of the Christian name at the time of Baptism was more clearly marked. viously the child had been called by its future name many times during the earlier part of the Service; but these were now omitted, and the name was pronounced for the first time together with the act of Baptism. The alteration of the rubric in 1661 marks this still more clearly; and also shows that Baptism by immersion was no longer the rule: If they shall certify him that the child may well endure it, he shall dip it in the water discreetly, &c.'

8 "

1 Manual. Sar. Ritus Baptizandi: Maskell, p. 23. This Ritual allowed a child in danger of death to be brought to church, and simply baptized without any ceremony: 'Notandum est etiam quod si infans sit in periculo mortis, tunc primo introducatur ad fontem, et postea baptizetur incipiendo ad hunc locum: Quid petis? Et si post baptismum vixerit, habeat totum residuum servitium supra dictum.' Ibid. p. 29.

2 The form in Hermann's Consultation (fol. 178) was: This prayer

ended, let the Pastor require the infants
to be given him, let him ask the names
that they shall have, and let him bap-
tize them, saying, I baptize thee N.
in the name of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost.'

3 The undue stress laid upon im-
mersion by the Anabaptists might
well make it necessary that the
Church's rule should declare with-
out any doubt that the validity of the
Sacrament was not confined to that
one mode of its administration.

Publi Baptism of Infants.

after Bap

tism.

The sign of the Cross.

After the action of Baptism, in 1549, two ancient ceremonies were retained,—the putting on the chrisom, Ceremonies and the anointing. The ceremony of making the sign of the Cross upon the child had occurred at an earlier part of the Service.2 In 1552 this single ceremony was retained; and its place was naturally altered so as to occupy that of the anointing after Baptism. The words used, which express that the Sacrament has been completed, and the newly-baptized thereby received into the congregation, belong entirely to our English Prayer Book.

The Thanksgiving after

The Address to the congregation, with the Lord's Baptism for Prayer, and the Thanksgiving that follows, were placed here in 1552. It is an important addition, expressing so unequivocally the regeneration of each baptized

Regenera

tion:

1 'Then the Godfathers and Godmothers shall take and lay their hands upon the child, and the Minister shall put upon him his white vesture, commonly called the chrisom; and say, Take this white vesture for a token of the innocency which by God's grace in this holy sacrament of Baptism is given unto thee; and for a sign whereby thou art admonished, so long as thou livest, to give thyself to innocency of living, that, after this transitory life, thou mayest be partaker of the life everlasting. Amen. Then the Priest shall anoint the infant upon the head, saying, Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath regenerated thee by water and the Holy Ghost, and hath given unto thee remission of all thy sins: He vouchsafe to anoint thee with the unction of His Holy Spirit, and bring thee to the inheritance of everlasting life. Amen.' On the antiquity of these ceremonies, see Guericke, pp. 233 sqq.; Hook's Church Dict. art. CHRISOME.

2 Hermann's Consultation (fol.

174), like the Sarum Ordo ad faciend. Catechum., and the Prayer Book of 1549 (above, p. 374), uses this ceremony in connexion with the exorcism:

After this making the figure of the cross with his thumb upon his forehead, and upon his breast, let him say: Take the figure of the holy Cross in thy forehead, that thou never be ashamed of God and Christ thy Saviour, or of His Gospel; take it also on thy breast, that the power of Christ crucified may be ever thy succour and sure protection in all things.'

3 The sign of the Cross was used by the early Christians on every occasion (Tertull. de Corona, c. 3): whence it is reasonable to conclude, even without direct evidence, that they used it on the solemn occasion of Baptism, as we know that it was used, not as a new ceremony, in the fourth century: August. de Catech. Rud. c. 20: 'Passionis et crucis signo in fronte hodie signandus es.' See Bingham, XI. 9, §§ 4-6.

4 Regeneration is the ecclesiastical term applied to the grace

THE BAPTISMAL OFFICES.

Public

Baptism of
Infants.

Lord's
Prayer.

infant. The Lord's Prayer also begins the action of Thanksgiving, and thus occupies the same position in the Baptismal Service that it was made to occupy in beginning the administration of the Lord's Supper, at the same revision of the Prayer Book in 1552. And this use of the Prayer of the Faithful is peculiarly suitable, as beginning the ecclesiastical life of the infant with the expression of what is to be henceforth his privilege, in calling upon God as Our Father. The Thanksgiving for the benefits of Baptism, which have now been received in regeneration, adoption, and incorporation into Christ's Church, is also a prayer for the grace of perseverance, and growth of the spiritual life.1

The Exhortation to the Godfathers and Godmothers was composed in 1549. Besides making mention of the Lord's Prayer and Creed, which had been enjoined in the old charge to the sponsors,2 the Ten Commandments

received in Baptism. It is taken from Tit. iii. 5, did λovтρoû πaλy γενεσίας. In the language of Christian antiquity, the Latin word regeneratio, and the Greek words ἀναγέννησις, ἀνακαινισμός, ἀνάκτισις, ἀνανέωσις, μεταβολή, μεταποίησις, παλιντοκία, παλιγγενεσία, constantly signify the participation, and the effects, of the sacrament of Baptism. The term used to express a returning to God, after a state of sin, is METávola, pænitentia, conversio. Both the schoolmen, and the most eminent divines of the Reformation, use these words in their ancient sense. Regeneratio and conversio are sometimes used as convertible terms by Calvin, as they were afterwards at the Synod of Dort (1618); but even at that period the words retained their distinction of meaning in exact writing. In the sermons and books written about the beginning of the Rebellion, Regeneration came into common use for Repentance and Con

version; and from the Puritans this
improper use of the word passed to
other writers, so much so that, at
the revision in 1661, some found
fault with the Prayer Book for re-
taining the word Regeneration in its
original sense, which it had kept for
sixteen centuries, in opposition to
their novel signification. Nicholls.
See above, pp. 123 sq.; Comber's
chapter upon 'The Close and Con-
sequents after Baptism,' Companion
to the Temple, III. iii. § I; Browne,
Exp. of the Articles, pp. 615 sqq.;
Blunt, Lect. on the Early Fathers,
pp. 532 sqq.; Wall, Infant Baptism,

I. 281.

I

P
Comp. the expressions used in
the Collect for Christmas Day.

2 Godfathers and Godmothers of
this child, we charge you that ye
charge the father and the mother to
keep it from fire and water and other
perils to the age of vii year: and
that ye learn or see it be learned
the Paternoster, Ave Maria, and

The Ad

dress to the

Sponsors.

Public Baptism of

Infants.

Confirma tion,

are added, and sermons are pointed out as the means of obtaining sound instruction. It also shortly reminds them that the duties of a Christian life ought to be found in daily exercise among all who are baptized.

In the Prayer Book of 1549 a rubric followed this Exhortation:

The Minister shall command that the chrisoms be brought to the church, and delivered to the Priests after the accustomed manner, at the purification of the mother of every child: and that the children be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed of him, so soon as they can say, in their vulgar tongue, the Articles of the Faith, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, and be further instructed in the Catechism, set forth for that purpose, accordingly as it is there expressed. And so let the congregation depart in the name of the Lord.

The mention of the chrisoms was omitted in 1552, and the rubric itself was changed in 1661 for a specific form of words, in which the Minister is to give the direction about Confirmation. It was then necessary to bring this ordinance to the memories of the people; and more than probable that many Ministers ended the Service without noticing the rubric, or making any mention of Confirmation. At the same time the declaration of the undoubted salvation of baptized infants1 was transposed

Credo, after the law of all holy
church; and in all goodly haste to
be confirmed of my lord of the dio-
cese or of his deputy; and that the
mother bring again the chrisom at
her purification: and wash your
hand or ye depart the church.'
Manual. Sar. Benedictio Fontis;
Maskell, p. 14. The rubric was
more specific: et quod confirmetur
quam cito episcopus advenerit circa
partes per septem milliaria.' Ibid.
P. 25.

1 This assertion carefully avoids
all mention of children unbaptized.
It is borrowed from The Institution

of a Christian Man (1537), p. 93:

Item, that the promise of grace and everlasting life (which promise is adjoined unto this sacrament of Baptism) pertaineth not only unto such as have the use of reason, but also to infants, innocents, and young children; and that they ought therefore, and must needs be baptized; and that by the sacrament of Baptism they do also obtain remission of their sins, the grace and favour of God, and be made thereby the very sons of God. Insomuch as infants and children, dying in their infancy, shall undoubtedly be saved thereby,

tism of Infants.

from the Preface to the Confirmation Service to the end Private Bapof the Baptismal Office; and reference was made to the 30th Canon (1604) for the object with which the sign of the Cross. of the Cross1 had been retained.

SECT. II.-The Ministration of Private Baptism of
Children in Houses.

The following are the Rubrics of the medieval Office, relating to the Private Administration of Baptism by laymen :

and the sign

Rubrics.

Notandum est quod quilibet sacerdos parochialis debet parochianis Mediaval suis formam baptizandi in aqua pura, naturali, et recenti, et non in alio liquore, frequenter in diebus dominicis exponere, ut si necessitas emergat sciant parvulos in forma ecclesia baptizare, proferendo formam verborum baptismi in lingua materna, distincte et aperte et solum unica voce, nullo modo iterando verba illa rite semel prolata,