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Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2011 with funding from

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http://www.archive.org/details/conferencebetweeOOwall

CONFERENCE

BETWEEN

TWO MEN

THAT HAD DOUBTS ABOUT

INFANT-BAPTISM.

BY W. WALL,

AUTHOR OF THE HISTORY OF INF AX T- BAPTISM;,

AND

VICAR OF SIIOREHAM IN KENT.

THE NINTH EDITION.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR F. C. AND J. RIVINGTON,

Bo.kjdlers to the Society for pn meting Cbrlflian Kmivledgfy

no. 6iy st, Paul's church-yard.

1809.

TO THE

READER.

OIXCE the Time that I ptbUJhed a Booh, called The
^ Hiftory of I n f a n t-B ap r ism, continuing many
Quotations of the Anticnts on that Subje£}\ which made the
Book too large for poor People to buy, or to read ; I have
been advifedhy fome Friends, to whom I oiue a Deference}
to draw up for the Uje of the Poor, a jhort Summary of
the Evidences therein given f making References to the
larger Bosk J and of the Prooisr/W Reaions from Script ure,
reiat ng to that Practice. I have not found it very feofible
to bring a Con t rove r/y into fo narrow^ a Compajs : and am
forced, for Brevity's fake, to refer to my own Book, not
only for what I have there J aid mxfelf but aifo for what
I have there quoted from the Fathers and others. Which
would not be very modefls but that I could more readily and
briefly refer to that, and you ef may more readily have
recourfe to that, than to the Fathers Works. You will
find there their own Words at- large, and the Book and
Chapter whence they are copied. It is mentioned in the
References only by this Word Hill.

And in this Con Terence, thofe that deny Infant -B apt if m,
are named (not Anabaptiiis, which Name they difown ?
but) As it* pee dob apt ift s : and thoje that praclfe Infant -
Baptijm, are named Pcedobaptifis.

In the Conference P. reprefents one that has formerly
had Doubts about Infant- Baptifm, but is now fatisjied :
and A. one thai has now J itch Doubts.

I pray God to hep us ail in the Way of Truth and
Unity.

Law and Gilbert, Printers, St. Jphn's Square, London

THE

CONTEXTS.

Page

A Difference in opinion concerning the age

** or manner ot deceiving Baptifrn, is not a

fufficientcaufeof renouncing communion, 2,S,&lc»

The duty of the people to confult t eir parlors
concerning any doubt in religion, before
they feparate for it, - - 9,10,8:0.

The proper translation of Matt, xxviii, 19, and

of John iii. 3, 5. - 14-, &c.

An in rant not uncapable of being entered into a

covenant with God, - l,>

The covenant oi circumcifion, a fpiritual cove-
nant, - - - *- ]Q

Infants baptized bv theJews and calied in their
language, Profelytes, or Difciples. Which
teaches us to underhand our Saviour's words,
Matt, xxviii. 19. MakeDifciples all nations, 23 — SI

Regeneration, in all old books, denotes baptifrn, 32

How an mtant is faid to be regenerated by the

fpirit, - - - - 34

The cafe of an infant dying unbaptized, - 2>'6

The Pelagians thought that he might be happy,

but yet n,ot go to heaven, - -36

An opinion of lome, that all infants of Hea-
th-Mis, &c. go to heaven, - 37

The import of our Saviour's faying, Ma: k x. 1^. fb#

An explanation of the fenfe in which St. Paul
fa\ s that fame children we:e holy, 1 Cor. ■
vii. 14-. - . - 59

Neither St. A u ft in nor Pc lagius had ever heard

oi any Antipoedobaptiits, - • ' 46

Their

The CONTENTS,

Page

Their comment on I Cor. vii. J 4 - 47

Baptifm is to us inftead of circumcifion, and

is called the Chriftian circumcifion, CololT.
^ ii. II, 1:2, 51

Gonfequeiices may be ufed in arguments from

fcripture, - . - - 5 6,57

The reafon why fo minute a thing as the cir-

cumcifing or baptizing of infants, is feldom

mentioned in fcripture hiftory, - - 59 — 64

An objection from the church-catechifm an-

fwered - - - - 65, 66

Proof that the primitive Chriftians praclifed

Infant Baptifm in the firft century, - 66, 71

And in the fecond, - - - 71

And in the third, - 71,72

And in the fourth, 72

All the feveral feels baptized infants, as well

as the catholics, - - -7*

The difingenuity of Mr. Danvers in quoting

of authors, - 67,72,78

Godfathers ufed in baptifm in the primitive

times - - - 75

Inftances of chriftians children pretended to

have been left un baptized, proved to be falfe, 76, 77
The manner of baptilm in the primitive times:

and the fignification of the word, to Baptize,

as it is ufed in fcripture, - - 78, &c»

A CON-

&1 <

Xt

^

CONFERENCE, $&

P. ' " AM forry to hear, that fince I left your
country, your neighbour Jebn N. has
forfaken the church, and is turned an Anabap-
tift. I took him for a very honeft man : and
he was a conftant keeper of the church and
communion, and very (tudious in the fcriptures.

A. He is fo ; a very honeft man. And for
his for faking the church I am as forry as you :
and I and fome others have had conferences
with him on that fubje&j and he has fludied
the point fo well, that he has fome regret of
conference for the fin of fchifm, and will, I
believe, return to the communion of the church,
provided he may be admitted holding that opi-
nion. But for his opinion againft Infant-Bap-
tifm, I cannot be forry, for I am of that opi-
nion myfelf.

P. I crave your pardon ; it is more than I
knew. You were not accounted of that opi-
nion in my time : And I remember that your
children were chriftened.

A A. I

2 A Conference between two Men

A. I was not then of that opinion fo abso-
lutely as I am now. But I had even then
doubts of the lawfulnefs of Infant-Baptifm ;
which have fo far increafed fince, that they
have turned the fcale with me : And I intend,
God willing, to advife my children (when they
are capable) to receive baptifm in the due way,
and to receive it fo my felfj and had before this
time, but that I find fome difficulty in getting
one to baptize me.

P. I thought they had been very forward to
do that office to any one that is of their opi-
nion ?

A. Yes : to one that is of their opinion in all
things. But I, though of their opinion for adult
baptifm, yet have, I thank God, been made
■thoroughly feniible of the fin of divifion (<?),
feparation, and renouncing communion with an
cftablifhed church, though holding fome errors,
provided they be not fuch as do avert the
foundation of chriilian faith ; and therefore am
defirous to continue in communion : and they
do not much care for baptizing fuch an one.
And indeed I was not very inclinable to receive
it at their hands, becaufe of their fchifm ; but
had rather have received it from fome minifler
of the church, of whole ordination to the mi-
niftryl am much better fatisfied, but I find that
cannot be obtained.

P. Will not the minifler of the church bap-
tize you by dipping^ if defired ?

{V) Bift. Part. II. Ch. xi. j 1—5.

A. Yesrj

*£$«/ Infant-Baptism. 3

A. Yes, very willingly, and the rubrick (/>)
prefcribes it in the firft place •, if the perfon be
willing to venture his health, which I %ip very
willing to do ; being fatisfied that going into the
water has more of fright than hurt in it. But
they will refufe it to me, becaufe they reckon
my baptifm received in infancy, to be a bap-
tifm rightly adminiftered ; and confequently*
that the baptifing me now, would be proper
Anabaptifm : which both fides hold to be an un-
fitting thing. I know thole that have aiked
them, and they would not give it them : and
indeed by their principle cannot. So that ic
were better for me, if I had had antipcedobaptift
parents ; for then the minifters would willingly
have baptized me now.

P. What do you think to do in this cafe ?

A. I hear that there are in fome parts of
England antipcedobaprifts that are more for a
general communion of all faints ; and that dp
either continue ija the communion of the efta-
blifhed church themfelves, or at lead will bap-
tize a man that does : and that do not require,
that when one renounces the devil and wick-
ednefs, one muft alio renounce all the catho-
lick church except themfelves. And I think
to find out fome Rich man ; for I would wil-
lingly fo receive my baptifm, as to keep my
old creeoV. and own (c) the catholic church, and
the communion of Saints -, and be baptifed into
the chrijlian church, as fuch^ and not into any

(b) Part II. Ch. ix. § z. (c) Hift, Part II,

Chap. ix. ^ io. p. 333.

A * parti-

4 A Conference between two Men

particular feet. I want fuch a man as Mr.
Tombs was.

P. I xio the more heartily piry your cafe,
becaufe I have had great doubts about Infant-
Baptifm myfdf, and continued under them for
fome years, and during all that time felt great
perplexity of confeience. And I indeed was
like to fall away farther than you are like to
do ; for I fhould have gone totally over to
them, and fhould not only have forfaken the
church, but mould have been probably by this
time a great hater of it, and railed againft it,
as many of them do. For as for the way that
you take, it would not have come into my
mind : it is, you know, more fpoken againft
than either of the other. You will be called
a Jack on both fides, a halter between two
opinions.

A. I do not halt between two opinions \ but
do, by a perfuafion that is now firmly fettled,
hold thefe two things : lft, That the doctrine of
Infant-Baptifm is an error. idly, That one is
not to feparate from a church merely for fome
error held, or erroneous practice ufed by them ;
provided this error be not fuch as does avert
the foundation. And this is owned in the con-
feffion of faith of one hundred churches of anti-
■pcedobapifts, printed at London, 1699. And (d)
it appears alfo by plain confequences from what
they there fay (if), that they themfelves do not
take this error to be fuch.

(d) Chap, xxvl, xxviu [e ) In the Preface.

P. What!
9

"about Infant-Baptism. 5

P. What ! do thofe hundred churches live
then in communion with the church of England?
or do they feparate from it, as all the antipcedo-
baptifts about us, you fee, do ?

A. That I do nor know. But by their own
principles they ought to hold communion, if
the church would admit them.

P. What do you do when in the time of
public fervice an infant is baptized 1 You cannot
join in thofe prayers.

A. Not in all of them. That (/) God
would bids the infant, and that fin cafe he
live to maturity) God would make him a good
man, I pray with the reft. To the^ other
prayers in that form of baptizing I give no
amen : but I read in the mean while fome
chapter in the Bible.

P. By this rule, not only the Antipoedobap-
tiflsy but much more the prejbyterians, indepen-
dents, &c. ought to come to church, though
they hold their particular opinions. And by
the fame rule, put the cafe that the church of
England fhould declare for your opinion of
antipcedobaptiiirr; and eftablifh it by vote in
convocation, and by laWj I and others that
believe Infant-Baptifm to be the right way,
ought not even in that cafe to foriake her com-
munion : but only getting our own children
baptized, ought in other tilings to hold com-
munion (g).

{/) Hijt. Part II. Chap. xi*. § 7. it. § 4. [g) Hift.

Part II. Chap. xi. J 6.

A3 A. I

6 A Conference between tiuo Men

A. I do conceive it clear from Scripture,
that both thefe your confequences are true -,
provided you and they may be admitted with-
out declaring any aflent and confent contrary to
your own opinions. And the church of Eng-
land does not require any fuch (&) aflent and
confent in order to lay communion. And it is
plain alfd from fcripture, that fuch communion
ought to be confiant; and that the man fo join-
ing ought to avoid all that caiife divifionsi Rom.
xvi. 17. (chat is, renounce communion with
them) though thole dividers may hold opinions
which he thinks to be truer in fome particular
matters. And in a word, that all chriftians in
the world that hold the fame fundamentals,
ought to make one church, though differing
in lefler opinions*; and that the fin, the mif-
"chief, and danger to the fouls of men, that di-
vide into thofe many feels and parties among us,
does (for the moil of them) conhft not fo much
in the opinions themfelves, as in their dividing
and feparating for them.

P. This way of yours, if practicable, would
cure at once, God knows, how many mifchiefs.
But you fee the world is not of your fentiment :
for as foon as they fail into any particular opi-
nion in religion, they (ct up a feparate church
for it.

A. Not all the "world. It is only in England
and Holland where this humour does fo gene-
rally prevail. In other parts of Chriftendom

\h) Hijt. Part II. Chap, xfc § 2.

they

about Infant-Baptism. 7

they (though holding different opinions, yet)
do account fchifm from them a great wicked-
nefs, and a great mifchief. And, to fhew you
they are -in the right in thinking fa, I will
(becaufe you Teem not to have confidered this
matter fo well as fome Others) refer you to
fome plain places of icripture, which if you
pieafe now to perufe, I will be filent the while.
See what our Saviour hirnfelf fays, John x. 16.
John xvii. n. And what the primitive chrif-
tians praetifed, Acls ii, 46. and iv. 32. And
what St. Paul fays, 1 Cor. i. 10, 11, 12. and
2, 3, 4, alfo the whole twelfth chapter: Eph.
ii. 18, fcfr, to the end. Where the Jewifh and
Gentile chriftians are (hewed to be one body,
cne houfiold, one temple fitly framed together:
and yet thele were of different opinions in fe-
veral matters. Like wife chap. iii. 6. iv. 1
to 13. Phil. ii. 1, 2. where he ufes the mo ft
folemn adjurations to this purpofe. But I
would more efpecially recommend to you the
reading of GaL v. 20, 21. Yhil. iii. 15, *6\
The fourteenth chapter to the Remans, and
part of the fifteenth, to verfe 7. and alfo Rom.
xv. 17. — Have you read them ?

P. Yes, I have : and I thank you for direct-
ing me to them. For though there is none of
them but what I had read before, yet I had not
minded how fully applicable they are to this
purpofe.

A. Are they not plain, full and earned ?

Do you find any of the controverted points to

be determined by fcripture in words nigh fo

A 4 plain

8 A Conference between two Men

plain or pathetic ? Whatever difputes be railed,
whether fuch or fuch a point be a fundamen-
tal, there can be no doubt but this is one of
the mod fundamental of all. You fee in that
of Gal. v. where St. Paul gives a roll or cata-
logue of fuch fins as mail certainly exclude
men from heaven, that he reckons /editions
and herefies among them. And.thofc are the
words by which he commonly denotes parties,
factions, divifions and fchiims in the church ;
as appears by comparing i Csr, xi. 18, 19.
and ieverai other places.

P. I obferve fome of thefe places to require
that we mould be like-minded, of the Jam e mind,
mind the fame things, &c. Do not thefe mean
that we muft be all of one opinion : which is
the thing that we find to be impoffible?

A. I have read a book of bifhop Stilling-
fleet's, called The Unreafonabknejs of Separa-
tion*, which mews (i) that the original words
in thofe places do fignify no other than what
we lay in Englifn, Unanimous. And men may
be unanimous in the joint-worfhip of God,
though they be not of the fame mind in all^
difputable things. And he alio plainly fliews
there, that that command of St. Paul, Phil. iii.
15, 16. is to be applied fo, namely, that if we
differ about the lawfulnefs or unlawfulnefs of
fonie particular practices, it is to be hoped
that God will in time bring us to a right and
uniform underftahding of them : but that in

(/) Hifi. Part II. 17, 18, 19.

the

about Infant-Baptism. $

the mean time we mould, in the things where-
unto we have attained, or wherein we have agreed,
worfhip God with a joint rule of worfhip. But
this is more fully and plainly commanded by
St. Paul in that other place, Rom. chap. xiv.
and xv. to verfe 8. where giving rules to thofe
that differed in opinions, he orders them not to
judge or defpife one another for them; but to>
receive one ancther ; meaning to chriftian com-
munion and brotherhood, as the fcope of the
place (hews. .

P. That place is indeed full to this' purpofe.
And the command he gives with fuch earneft-
nefs, Rom. xvi. 17. to avoid thofe that cauje
divifionSy is a plain proof that we ought not
only to beware that we do not ourfelves make
any divifion, but alfo to avoid thofe that do.
But foine fay baptifm is a fundamental ; and
therefore that they that differ about it cannot
be of one communion.

A. That baptifm is a fundamental, I am in-
clined to be of their opinion : It is fo plainly
commanded in fcripture, and fo much ftrefs
laid on it; which makes me amazed at the
Quaker sy and fome of the Socinians, that call
themfelves chriftians, while they rejecl: it. But
the parties we fpeak of do both of them own
baptifm : They differ only about the age or
manner of receiving it.

P. Well. Upon the whole matter, I am fen-

fible what thanks I owe to "God for reflraining

me from the error of antipcedobaptifm, which

would in my cafe have been attended with the

A 5 fi&

10 A Conference between izvo Men

fin of fchifm -, which is, I fee, ten times worfe
than the error itielf.

A. I ilia 11 be obliged to you, if you will let
me know the grounds upon which you over-
came the inclination to that which you call an
error, but I think is the truth : For you fay
you were once inclined to it. Were it not that
you feem a ferious man, I fhculd be afraid that
you overcame it as people ufe to overcome any
good motion of confcience, namely, by (lifting
the conviction you had.

P. Not fo : but I had certainly yielded my-
felf up to it, if I had not confulted fome of
-more underftanding than mvfelf, and particu-
larly Mr. B. the minifter of the parilh I live
in. And I would crave leave to afk you, whe-
ther you have taken the fame courfe ; that is,
whether you did propofe to him that has the
cure of your foul, or fome other minifter, your
doubts about your baptifm received in infancy,
before you came to this refolution of renounc-

ing it ?

A. I confefs I have not.

P. How then can you acquit this courfe of
yours from being rafii and precipitate, in a
matter of fo great moment ? Thole men, who
having doubts concerning any practice, or any
doctrine received in the church, do ufe all
means that are in their power for clearing of
the truth: if they be yet at laft miftaken in
judging; and the error do, after their bed
endeavours for information, appear to them
to be the truth; will, as we have reafon to

hope.

about Infant-Baptism. it

hope, obtain an eafy pardon of God for their
miftake. But it it-ems plainly to be a fm of
preemption in any of us to alter, on our own
heads, a practice fo univerfally received in,
Chriflfs church, without fo much as confult*
ing thofe that are over us in the Lord, to fee
whether they can give any fatisfadlion to our
objections. You would not do fo with a title
of land conveyed to you in your infancy : if
you thought you had difcovered any flaw in
your old title, you would confult a law er be-
fore you threw it up to feek for a new one.
If I did not otherwife perceive you to be a
confeientious man, and converfant in the fcrip-
tures, I fhould queftion whether you had learned
thofe firfl chriilian leifons of humility and mo-
defty, which teach us not to be wife in our ow&
conceits. This duty of hearing and regarding
our fpiritual guides and paftors, is enjoined m
texts of fcripture as plain and exprefs as thofe
you recommended to me, Epbef.lv. n, 12, ij>
14. where it is fhewn to be neceflary for us, in
order to our prefervation from being tojfed to
and fro, and carried about with every wind of
new doctrine. Alfo 1 TbeJJ'. iv. 12, 13... Heb.
xiii. 17. Malachi ii. 7. and many other fuch
places. I am lure it is that without -which' I
fhould have been undone.

A. What I fa Li before again (i divifions^ may
fatisfy you that I am no dtfpifer of the church-
or the minifters thereof. But I have read many
of the books written for as well as thofe agarnjf
infant-baptifm. Molt of the former are written
A 6 by

12 A Conference between t-wo Men

by minifters : and it is in their .books that we
expect the bell of their reafons and proofs.

P. I had done the fame : but I find that
without the other, is not nigh ib ufeful. A
living guide at hind, to explain things that are
obfcure, aniwer any emergent objection, inforce
and clear an argument where it Teems deficient,
&c. is a help greater than one would think. A
man that can read a good phyfic-book, may
think himfelf able to prefcribe medicines to
himfelf out of it : but he commonly makes mad
work of it, if he goes about it, Befides that,
in this cafe of fpi ritual direction, thefe are the
men whom God has appointed to watch for
our fouls, as they that mult give account : and
he is mod likely to give a ble fling to his own
jneans.

A. Did you find Mr. B. willing to difcourfe
calmly and friendly with you ? I have heard
that they generally are apt to defpife a man
that comes with thefe fcruples ; and rather to
chide, deride, and perhaps hate him; than pa-
tiently hear his reafons, and take pains to fattsfy
him.

P. I have heard the fame. But I found by
experience that there is nothing more contrary
to truth than that infinuation ; which feems to
have been raifed on purpofe to obftruct the
fruit of their miniftry. They do on the con-
trary own that this is one of their proper bufi-
nefles, and that one of the greateft difcourage-
merits they meet with, is to find that people
have fa little regard for their advice and afuft-

ance*

alout Infant-Baptism. ij

ance, as not to fend for them when they are
fick, confult them when they are in any doubt,
&c. When I had, in difcourfe with any An-
tipcedobaptifts, met with any new argument
or objection that did puzzle me, and came to
him with it; he did not only patiently give
me the hearing, but alfo fhewed an imwiliing-
nefs to part with me, until he had given full
fatisfaction to my mind : or, if the cafe re-
quired, he would fnew me fome book to read
at my leifure, where that matter was more
fully cleared. In a word, as I have occaiion
to love him better, fo I am iacisnrd that he
loves me better than he did before I gave him
that trouble.

A. I may then perhaps take your advice,
and difcourfe with our minifter, or. fome other
before I fully re foive. But in the mean time,
I defire you to let me know what were the chief
reafons by which Mr. B. fatisfied you.

P. It was the work of feveral conferences,
reading of books and places of fcripture, to
which he referred me. And you cannot think
that the fubftance of all that can be given in
this half hour, without great difadvantage to the
force of the argument.

A. I mail make allowance for that. Only
tell me the chief heads of matters. I will con-
fider, confer, and read books about them at my*
leifure.

P. He firft advifed me (feeing I had already
read and thought much of that matter) that I
would let him know which of the reafens and

objections

14 A Conference between two Men

objections brought by the Antipcedobaptifts I
could anfwer myfelf. For they bring many ar-
guments, fome of more weight, fome of lefs,
and fome of none at all.

A. This was a good method, both to (horten
the difpute, and make it more diftincT: and clear.

P. I told him ; That

Firft, I did already underftand that in the
text of St. Matt, xxviii. 19. (which is the chief
account of Chrift's commiQion to baptize the
nations) Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations %
baptizing them. The word which is tranflated,
teach, does not properly fignify (k) teach, but
make difciples ; or enter difciples : or, (to exprefs
it in one word, as our Saviour does) difciple all
the nations, or profelyte to me all the nations, bap-
tizing them.

A. Well ; That is granted by all the under-
flanding men of our opinion.

P. Secondly ', That whereas in the text of St.
John iii. 5. Except a man be born of water, and
ef the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God; fome Antipcedobaptiits do catch hold of
the word man (/) there, and fay, it muft be a
man grown, and not a child ; I underflood that
to be a miftake, ' proceeding from ignorance of
the original word : and that our Saviour's own
word is fuch as fignifies, any one, or any perfon>
man, woman, or child.

A. But was not this to yield the whole
matter at once ? for if no perfon, man, woman,

(k) MJl. Part II. Chap, x, § 3. p. 377. (/) Ibid.

Eart II, Chap. vi. § 1,

W

about Inf an t-B autism, 15

or child, can in God's ordinary way enter the
kingdom of God without baptifm -, is not this
a proof that children, as well as grown men, muft
be baptized ?

P. I do think fo now ; that this text is enough
to carry the whole difpute before it.

But I thought then that though the words
be general, yet they muft interpret them with
a limitation to fuch fubjecls as are capable of
the thing fpoken of: and I could not then
conceive that a child, though he might be
born of water, could be faid to be born of the
fpirit. And befides j I queftioned whether by
that phrafe [born of water and of the fpirit]
was meant baptifm at all : or whether it were
only an allegorical phrafe, denoting by the
word water, only the internal cleanfing or
fandlification of the heart (m). But thefe things
he cleared to me afterward.

Another thing which I owned of myfelf,
was, That I was fatisFjed that a child is not
uncapable of being entered into a covenant
with God. For this was the exprefs order of
God himfelf; Beut. xxix. 10, 11, 12. Ton
ft and this day all of you before the Lord : your
captains , &c. ycur little ones, &c. that thou
jhouldeft enter into covenant with the Lord thy
God, and into his oath. And that they might
and did, receive in their infancy an outward
facrament, namely, the facrament of circum-
cifion, as a feal of this covenant, is alfo plain
and confefted. So that I myfelf was able to
{m) Hift. Part II, Chap, x. j 3. page 380.

fee

1 6 A Conference between two Men

fee the weaknefs of all thofe arguments in the
books of the Antipcedobaptiiis, which repre-
fent an infant's being entered into any cove-
nant at all with God, as an abfurd or ridiculous
thing ; and that 1 accounted all finch their
fayings as make a mock at this, (becaufe the
-child has no fenfe) to be very profane; as
calling a reproach on the wifdom and former
conduct of God himfelf, in appointing cir-
cumcition to children eight days old. More-
over, whereas, fome of them fay, That this
covenant which the little ones were entered
into, and which was fealed to them by circurn-
cifion, was only a carnal covenant, to give
them the land of Canaan, and to engage them
in fome carnal ordinances, and contained no
fpiritual privilege or engagement in it; I could
fee myfeif the faifhood of that pretence. For
in Gen. xvii. where circumcifion to the infants
is inftituted, the ftyle of the covenant is -, Walk
before me and be thou perfecl. And on God's
part, not only to give them the land of Canaan,
but thus ; To be a God to thee, and to thy feed
after thee, ver. 7. And fo likewifc in the
afore faid place of Deut. xxix. (where the little
ones are entered) That he may be a God unto thee.
And in Chap. xxx. (which is one continued
recital of the terms of the covenant then en-
tered) And the Lord thy God will circumcife
thine hearty and the heart of thy feed, to love the
Lord thy God with all thine heart, &c. v. 6.
And on the man's part, v. 16, To love the Lordy
to walk in his ways, and to keep his command-

ment$%

about Infant-Baptism. 17

mints, Sec. — Thefe furely are fpiritual things,
and what our Saviour calls the firft and great
commandment.

And as for the covenant of the ten com-
mandments in Horeb, I perceived that it was
made with the infants as well as others. For
forty years after (when all (») that were twenty
years old at the giving the law were dead in
the wildernefs) Mofes fays, Deut. v. 2, 3, The
Lord made a covenant with us in Horeb. Even
with us, who are all of us alive here this day.
Molt of thefe were infants and little children
ac that time. So that I counted it plain, that
infants may be entered into a covenant with
God, to do fome fpiritual duties hereafter, of
which they at preient can have no knowledge
or fenfe; and to receive lome fpiritual pri-
vileges.

A. Whether you call this covenant a carnal
or a fpiritual covenant ; the right to it was
conveyed down in a carnal way, from father
to fon, by a flefhly generation ; and was a par-
ticular privilege of the offspring of Abraham's
body.

P. The covenant had this property, that
whoibever was in it, had a right to bring all
his children to be entered into it in their in-
fancy. But this was not limited or contined
to the offspring of Abraham's body ; for the
words are (0) He that is bom in the be life, or
bought with money of any. ftr anger > which is not

(//) Numb, xvi, 32. 33. it. xxvi. 64, 63, [c) Ge/u

xvii. 12, 13.

1 8 A Conference between two Men

ef thy feed, &c. muft be circumcifed. And fo a
profelyte was to circumcife all his males (p),
and then he was to be as one born in the land.
So that the covenant extended then (as it does
now) to all of any nation that would come
into it ; and they were to bring into it all the
infant children, not only of their own body,
but all that they had the legal cuflody or pof-
feffion of.

A. But here is a queftion hotly difputed,
Whether the circumcifion given to thefe in-
fants, were to them a feal of the right eoufnefs
cf faith ? That it was fo to Abraham himfelf,
is exprefsly faid by St. Paul, Romans iv. i jr.
even of that faith, by which he is the Father
cf all them that believe under the gofpel. But
the AntipceJobaptifts do deny that it w7as fo
to the infants : becaufe they were not capable of
having any faith at the time of their circumci-
fion, as Abraham had.

P. This difpute feems to me only a conten-
tion about words. For as the Pcedobaptilis will
not pretend that it was to the infants a feal of
any actual faith then at that prefent wrought in
their hearts : fo the other cannot deny that it
was to the infants the feal of a covenant then
entered, by which covenant they were engaged
to believe in the true God when they came to
years of difcredon. For I quoted before the
very words of the covenant engaging them to
love the Lord, to walk in his ways, &c. And
that fuppofes .faith in him.

(/) Exod, xii. 48, 49.

And

about In fan-t- Baptism. 19

And you may obferve, that St. Paul, in Rom. x:
6, 7, S, when he is going to quote fome paflages
out of that very recital of the covenant in Dent.
xxx. (into which the little ones were entered,
Dent, xxix.) premifes to the quotation theft:
words ; But the right eoujnejs which is of faith
fpeaketh en this wife : and then having recited
thoie paflages, he adds, this is the word of faith,
which we preach.

A. But do you think that the covenant made
to Abraham, into which the little ones were ad-
mitted, did contain any engagement on God's
part, to give an eternal life after this ; which is
the chief thing in the gofpel-covenant ?

P. Not only I do think h ; but all Chrif-
tians, except the Sccinians. And it is plain by
our Saviour's words. For he, at Matt. xxii.
31. proves to the Sadducees the refurreclion
of Abraham to eternal life from thefe words ;
/ am the God cf Abraham. And thofe very
words had been part of the covenant fealed
. by circumcifion. Thefe Sadducees were the
Only men in the Jewifh church that denied the-
refurrection : and our Saviour here tells them,
they err, not knowing the fcriptures. But all the
orthodox Jews believed and expected it, as we
perceive by St. Paul's appeal to them them-
felves, Acls xxiv. 15. And it was from this co-
venant (which was fealed by circumcifion) that
they expected it.

A. It is, you know, difputed between the
two parties, whether Abraham's covenant was
the fame with ours: the Antipcedobaptifts,

many

ao A Conference between two Men

many of them fay, No : for ours is called, Heb.
viii. 6. A better covenant, eftablijhed upon better
promijes.

P. I know it is fo difputed. But that in
which they are agreed, and which is plain, is
enough for our purpofe, namely, that in both
administrations, faith in God, and obedience
to him, is required, and a faith alio in the
Mefliahj the jews believing him as to come j
we, as already come : and that in both there
are delivered promifes, both for this life, and
for that which is to come. On which account
St. Paul, Ga). iii. 8, calls the former by the
name of the Gojpsl preached before to Abraham :
and at.^T. 17. the covenant confirmed before of
God in Chrift. And that in both of them there
is granted the direction and afiiftance of the
fame fpirit.

They are alfo agreed on the other fide, that
now fince the actual coming of Chrift, there
are more clear revelations of the future glory,
greater and ftronger motives to faith and obe-
dience, (which, if we neglect or defpife, we
mall be fubject to greater condemnation) a
fuller and more particular knowledge of the
nature and Offices of Chrift, and of his work
of redemption wrought for us, £s?r. On which
account ours may be called, in fome fcn^, a
new or a better covenant : though the fubftance of
the things declared, enacted, and revealed, be
the fame.

But the only thing that concerns our prefent
purpofe, is this -, that an infant then was en-
tered

about Infant-Baptism. 21

tered into a covenant containing in it an engage-
ment to fuch ipiritual things, as he could no more
underftand, than an infant now can underftand
the things covenanted at baptifm.

So far therefore I told Mr. B. I could go of
myfeK, in anfwering the doubts and objections
againft Infant Baptifm ; that I could fee plainly
that an infant is not uncapable of being entered
into a covenant with God, obliging him to do
and to believe fome things hereafter, (if he live)
of which at prefent he can have no. fenfej ani
that upon fuch his entrance he may be made
immediately an heir of eternal life by cove-
nant, which will hold good fo longr till he by
actual fin does break the faid covenant. And
that I conceived this tranfaction, that was then
done by God's command in fpiritual things,
to bear fome refemblance to what we fee every
day done in temporal affairs ; namely, a deed
of land with covenants is fealed to an infant,
and the guardian, in the infants name, feals
the counterpart: there is no difficulty in un-
derstanding that the infant, when he grows up,
mud (if he will hold that land) perform the
covenants mentioned in the deed : and that if
he will not, he lofes all right to that inheri-
tance ; but iii the mean time the deed is not
infignificant, becaufe the infant does not under-
ftand it.

A. You granted that an infant is not un-
capable of all this j but that fuch a thing is
poffible to be done, if God pleafe : and that
fome fuch thing was done by his order in the

cafe

2 i A Conference between two Men

cafe cf circumcifion. But this does not prov?,
That (now, fince circumcifion is abolifhed) we
mn ft fet up any fucH practice in fpiiitual things
without an order from him.

P. .No. So I thought then that this does
not follow. Neither do I think now that it
follows merely from thence j that becaufe an
infant is capable of fuch a token of a covenant
as baptifm is, therefore it muft be given to
him. But this takes off the force of all thofe
arguments of the Antipcedobaptifts, which they
raife from the incapacity of an infant. One
half of what they fay is, not only that God has
not ordered infants to be baptized ; but alfo that
it would have been an abfurd or fooliin thing
to order it. And they do not mind, that all
the jeers they cad upon baby-baptifm, (as they
call it) taken from the incapacity of an infant
for fuch an holy ordinance, do reflect upon the
wifdom of God, who appointed circumcifion,
which by the fame rule, they may call baly*
circumcifion.

Mr. B. alfo (hewed me afterwards grounds
from fcripture that do much confirm the con-
fequence from the ufe of circumcifion to that
of baptifm. But I am telling you as yet, only
how far I could argue or anfwer their arguments
myfelf.

A. Thus far you could go : and I do not
fee but you might go fo far upon good ground.
What were the remaining difficulties at which
you ftuck ? -

about Infant-Baptism. 23

P. Nothing but that which you mentioned
juft now. That though there is no/eafon but
Cfirifi might have ordered baptifm to infants
proportionably to the ufe of circumcifion ;
yet that I could not find that he had done fo.
And therefore I queftioned whether it were
his meaning that infants fhould be entered (at
lead by any vifible token) now, (though I
law plainly they were formerly) becaufe nei-
ther he nor his apoftles have exprefTed any
iuch thing, (as it was plainly exprefTed before)
nor have given us any example of it in the
New Telia ment.

A. Well. That is the chief of all. And
that was a thing in which I am fure Mr. B.
could not fatisfy you. Pray,, what did he fay
to that ?

P. He laid that our Saviour's command to
difciple the nations, baptizing them, being given
in very fhort and general words, exprefiing
only the term nations, and not defcending to
exprefs particularly the forts of perfons that
make up the nation ; it was nrcefTiry, in order
to our judging whether he meant infants and
all, or only the adult men of the nations, to
mind (q) what was then and before that time
ufually done in the Jewifh church in receiving
any profelyte of the nations that came over
from his heathenifm to the true religion, and de-
fired that he and his children might be admitted
into covenant with the true God.

(?) Hjft< Introd*a. § i, 2.

Ana

2 4 A Conference between two Men

And that it was ufeful alio to know how the
primitive chriilians (who lived fo nigh the
times of the apoftles, as that they might eafily
know what the Apoftles ordered with refpedt
to infants) did practife tins command.

And as to the firft of thefe things : he made
me underftand (what I knew not before) that
fuch a profelyte of the nations was wont to be
baptized, and his children like wife (r).

A. This is news. He was wont to be cir-
cumcifed, he and all his males, we know. But
baptized : how does he prove that ?
» P. From a great many pafTages in the books
of the Jewiih writers, who, in letting down the
cuftbms of their nation, do mention the baptizing
of fuch a profelyte and his children, male and
female, as ordinarily as they do the circumcifing
of the male ones.

A. Did he ihew you thefe pafTages in the
books themfelves? I wifh I could be fatisfied
whether there be any truth in this matter of
fad.

P. The books themfelves are written in the
Hebrew or Chaldee language. But there are
feveral Englijh and Latin writers of unquef-
tionable credit, who do quote the places : fuch
as Dr. Hammond , Dr. Lightfoct, Mr. Seldeny
Ainjworth, &c. Of theie he mewed and lent
me fome, and directed me to others. They
do produce the words of the Jewiih writers ;
name the book and page, and give the tranfla-
tion. He lent me alfo a book called The
(r) Hi/?. Introduft. $ 2, 3*

Hifiory

about Infant-Baptism. i$*

Hiflory of Infant Baptifm, where (as in the
book icfclf, are given the paiTages of the eldefb
chriilians concerning the baptizing infants,
fo) in the Introduction, the chief of thofe
places concerning the Jewim Baptifm are col-
lected ; and references given to the books be-
fore named, and a great many others, for any
one that will, to find more of the fame. I
ipent two or three weeks in getting and read-
ing thefe books about the jewifrl Baptifm of
profelytes and their children, and at lad was
folly fatisiied, that they had Rich a cuftom :
And I underftand by a late book of Leo M<h
dena (s), and by fome other accounts, that
they have the fame cuftom fliil, if any profe-
lyte comes over to them. And I found that
though there was a difpute (/) between Dr. Ham-
mond on one fide, and Mr. Selden and Mr. Tombs
(who was the moft learned- of the Antipoedo-
baptifts) on the other fide, concerning the
children of natural Jews ; yet they all agree,
that the infant children of Profelytes were
baptized; and that it was a common phrafe
with them to call fuch infants Profelytes, as
well as their parents. For they have fuch
fayings as thefe :

If (it) with a Profelyte, his Jons and his
daughters be made Profelytes : that which is
done by their father, redounds to their good.
And again,

(;) Hi/}, of the Jews, Part V. Ch. ii. (/) Miji.

Introduft. & 3. («) Gemcra Bab, Chetubeth. Ch. i.

8 J

clG A Conference between two Men

A (x) Projelyte that is under age, is baptized
upon tht knowledge [or profeffion\ of the houfe
vf ' Judimen , [that is, the fynagogue or church
of. t;;e pla ej and they become to bim a father.
And ; gain,

An IJraelite that takes a little heathen child,
cr finds' an heathen infant, and baptizes him for
£i Projelyte \ behold he is a Projelyte. Maimon.
Helach. Aibdim. c. viii. For it feems that it
was iheir cuftom with infant children whom
they either took in war, or found expofed in
the highways by their heathen parents. Of
which you may fee more in the aforefaid
Books.

A. If I were fure of this it would go a great
way with me. For fuch a cuftom would di-
rect one to another fenfe of our Saviour's
word, dijciple or make djciplesy than I fhould
otherwiie have thought of. For putting the
ale that it was then cuftomary to baptize fuch
infants, and call them Projelyte s, and they
were ufually faid to be made Prcfelytes (which
feem.5 much the fame word as difciples) our
Saviour's command in thefe WorJs; Go dij-
ciple, or make difciples ail the nations, baptiz-
ing them ; would feem to me to include the
infants as well as others. For a man is to take
Words in that fenfe, in which they were cur-
rent at the place and time in which they were
fpoken. So that it would in that cafe, feem to
me necefl^y that our Saviour, if he meant

(x) Maimon. If. Bia. Ch. xiii. § 7.

they

about Infant-Baptism. zj

they mould, in baptizing the nations, not bap-
tize infants, as had been ufually done, fhould
have laid fo.

P. You draw naturally the fame confe-
rence that Mr. B. urged to me. For when
I had read the aforefaid books, and owned
myfelf fatisfied that there was fuch a cuftom,
he faid to me; " fuppofe an Antipcedobap-
<f tift congregation fhould fend one of their
" teachers to fome heathen ifland, with a
" commiffion in thofe words; Go> difciple
u that nation, and baptize them ; He indeed
" would not think himfelf commanded to
" baptize the infants, becaufe that was not
" the cuftom of the church that fent him.
u But fuppofing a minifter be fent by the
" church of England with a commiffion in the
cc very fame words; Go, difciple that nation,
tc and baptize them ; would not he think him-
*' ieif commanded to baptize the infants of
t{ fuch as were converted and baptized ?"
I granted he would : becaufe that was the
known cuftom and meaning of the church
that fent him. So, fays he, when the apoftles
were fent with a commiffion given in the faid
Words; what could they think other, but that
they muft do as had been ufually done in the
church where they and their mailer had always
lived ?

He afked me alfo this queftion ; fuppofe
pur Saviour had bid the apoftles, Goy difci-
ple all the nations, and [inftead of baptizing
fcad faid] circumcife them ; muft they not have
B 2- circumciied

23 A Conference between two Men

circumcifed the infants of the nations as well
as the grown, men, though there had been
no expreis mention of infa/its in the commif-
fion ? I granted it. " Then/' faid he, cc what
<c is the reafon that in cafe circumcifion had
<c been appointed to the Gentile nations, it
cc muft of courfe have been given to infants ?"
I faid, becaufe the apoftles knew of themfelves,
that circumcifion was ufually given to infants.
He de fired me to draw the fame confequence
from what the apoftles muft know of baptifm
ufually given to infants.

A. I mould be almoft of his mind, if the
matter of fact were certain. But of what cre-
dit are thofe Jewifh. books that mention this
cuftom ?

P. ^They are fuch as the Jews own for the
moll authentic they have, except the Bible.
And not only the books of particular men,
but their Mifna and Talmud (which are to
them much the fame as the book of Canons,
or the Rubrick are with our church) are full
of thefe orders about receiving and baptizing
Profelytes, the Men and their Children. Now,
how fallible foever the Jews were in judging
what is fit to be done ; yet they cannot fail of
being fufficient witnefTes of the matter of fad,
and able to tell what was actually done among
themfelves,

A. From what authorities in Mojes" law
did the Jews infer this necefiity of a Profelyte's
baptifm ?

P. They

about Infant-Baptism. 29

P. They reckoned that the whole body of
their nation, men, women, and infants, was
baptized unto Mofes (not only in the cloud and
in the fea, as St. Paul fays they were, 1 Cor. x.
1, 2. Tor the cloud and lea covered men and
children ail alike, but alio) juft before the
giving of the law, in Exod. xix. where Mofes
is ordered thus, vtrr. 10. Santlify the people
to-day and to-morrow, &c. They hold, that
the way by which Mofes fanctified them on
thefe two days, was by warning them (for
they prove from many places of their law, that-
by fan £1 if ying, is often meant wafoing ; efpe-
cialiy where any man is laid to ianctify other
men.) And fmce it was commanded in Numb.
xv. 16. One law and one manner Jhall be for
you and for the ftrar.ger> [or Profelyte] &c.
they conclude, that as their own nation, men,
women, and children, were entered into covenant
by the fanctitication of warning or baptifm, fo
ought a Profelyte ; and if he will have his chil-
dren entered, fo ought they.

A. I fee it neceflary to know the fenfe in
which the words of any law were ufed at the
time when that law was given. But does it
not feem ftrange that we fhould have need to
recur to the Jewiih Talmud for fettling a point
in our religion ?

P. You exprefs that queftion improperly.-
The point of profelyting (or making difciples)
the nations, is fettled by Chrift. But fince
he was a Jew by nation, and fpoke the phrafes
of that languages what hinders but that we
B 3 may

3<> A Conference between two Men

may learn from Jewifh books what that phrafe
of projecting, or making difciples, did then
ufually fignify in that language ? One of the
main articles of our faith, is, that Chrift was
trucified: and fince crucifying was a fort of
death not ordinarily ufed by the Jews, but
by the Romans^ (for it was a common way hv
which the Roman flaves, guilty of any notori-
ous crime, were executed) we understand by
Roman writers what fort of death it was j the
cruelty of it, the form of the gibbet or crofs
to which they were nailed, &c. more parti-
cularly than we do by the words of fcripture.
And yet nobody is fo filly as to fay, we ground
the belief of that article upon the Roman
hi (lories. It is only the ufe and proper fig-
nification of the word that we learn from
them.

A. If this was the meaning of the word,
dijcipling-, and this was the cuftom to make
the infant children of Profelytes difciples, (a^s
well as the parents) and call them fo,, and
baptize them ; the rules and conditions of this
dilpute are turned upon the Antipcedobaptifts,
For whereas they ivied to fay ; " Since bap-
" tifm was a new ordinance inflituted by
" Chrift ; his faying nothing of infants, is a
(C fign he meant not to include them. It will
" be rather faid, on the contrary, fince it was
<f no new ordinance, but a thing that had
'* been ufually given to infants ; his not except-
i€ ing of infants, is a fign he meant not to ex-
« elude them." So that the proof will be on

them

about In fan t-B a ptis M. 3 1

them to fhew that infants are forbidden to be
baptized.

P. You fay no more than Dr. Light/cot (a
man of the greateft fkill in the Hebrew cui-
toms and language) fays on this (%) argument.
" If baptifm and trve baptizing of infants had
been a new thing, and unheard of until John
Baptiji came, as circumcifion was, until
God appointed it to Abraham ; there would
have been, no doubt, as exprefs command,
" for baptizing infants, as there was forcircum-
14 cifing them. But when the baptizing, of
" infants was a thing commonly known and
" ufed, as appears by inconteftible evidence
<c from their writers ; there needed not exprefs
" aiTerrions that fuch and fuch perfons were to
" be the objects of baptifm, £sfc"

And in another book (a) having fhewn at
large that this was the cuuoitj, he concludes,
<f That fince it was ordinary in all ages before,
<c to have infants baptized, if Chrift would
" have had that cufbom abolifhed, he would
14 have exprefsly forbidden it. So that his and
<f the fcriptures fikhce in this matter, does
4C confirm and eftablifti infant-baptifm for
" ever (£)."

And there is a quotation which Mr. B.
(hewed me from a chriftian writer of ihe ekle'l
times, which farther co< firms this notion and
meaning of the Word difciyling^ to have

(z) Harmkny on John i. -5.
{a) llor. Heb. on Matt. iii. [b) Hrfr. Introilua.

B 4 then

32 A Conference between two Men

then in common ufe. It is from JujYin Mar*
tyr's apology for the chriftun religion to the'
emperor Antoninus Pius. This Juftin was him-
feJf a jew, (I mean a Samaritan Jew) born in
the apofties times, and converted to chriftia-
ifity about thirty years after; and he fpeaking
there of the continent life led by the chriftians,
fays, " Several perfons among us fixty or fe-
" venty years old, of both iexes, that were
tc difcipkd to Chrift in their childhood, do
" continue virgins." He ufes the very fame
word that is in the text of St. Matthew -, Go,

pie the nations, baptizing them. And this. "
lie lays, was done to them in their childhood.

A* I iliall judge better of this matter, when
I read the books you mention.

P. Our Saviour alfo, Matt. x. 42. fpeaks of
a cup of cold water given to one of thofe little-
ones in the name of a difciple. But there is
one thing more, you will obierve if you read
the laid books, namely, that the Jews did
commonly, call the baptifm of fuch a Profelyte,
his (r) Regeneration, [or being born again] and
fo do all the chriftians of thofe eldeft times
call the chriftiar. baptifm by that name (d),
and the faid Juftin Martyr for one. This puts
it beyond all doubt, that our Saviour by thofe
words, John iii. 3, 5. Except any one be bom
again, horn of water, &c. does mean baptifm -3
for that was the common phrafe for it at that
time.

(c) Hifi. Introduce. § 6. (d) Uifi, Part I. Ch. xi. § 3,
Ch. iii. § 2. Part II. ch. vi. § 1.

A. This

about Infant-Baptism. 33

A. This takes off one of the objections
which you faid you had againft applying that
text to the proof of Infant-Baptifm. But what
fa1/ you to the other, born of water and of the
fpirit? How can a baptized infant be faid to be
born of the fpirit ?

P. There are fome operations of the holy
fpirit, as working actual faith, repentance,
&c. in the heart, of which an infant indeed is
not capable. But when God does apply the
pardon of original guilt, does transfer a perfon
out of the flate of nature into the ftate of grace
and of the chriftian covenant, does unite him
as a member into the myftical body of Chrift,
accept him for his child, &c. thefe things,
and. thefe promifes, are fpoken of in fcripture
as done, fealed, and applied to the perfon by
the fpirit. Now of thefe latter an infant is
capable. And John the Baptift is faid to be
filled with the Holy Ghcfteven from his mother's
womb.

And a perfon that is capable of fome of the
great ends of baptifm wrought by the fpirit,
may be baptized for them ; though he be not
as yet capable of all the feveral ends for which
baptifm is defigned. For our Saviour, who
was not capable of remiflion of fins, regene-
ration, &c. was baptifed for the other ends that
baptifm is defigned for.

Mr. B. mewed me where the chief of the
Antipcedobaptifts, (e) Toms> Danvers, &c.

W Bift% Part. II. Ch, vi. § u

B s do

34 <A Conference between two Men

do own this application of Chrift's Jpirlt to in-
fants, and God's putting them into Chrift,
uniting them to him by his holy fpiritj and
the* ancients do fpeak at the fame rate (/).

A. Then it is in this fenfe, I fuppofe, that
the church of England gives thanks to God,
" That it has pleafed him to regenerate the
cc baptized infant with the holy f fir it ; to re-
Cf ceive him for his own child by adoption,
cc and to incorporate him into his holy church."

P. Yes, doubtlefs.

A. But will not this text fo cleared from
the objections, and underftood thus [that ex-
cept any perfon, man, woman, or child, be
baptized, they cannot enter into the kingdom of
God] prove too much, in your fenfe, in ref-
pect of fuch infants as by fome unavoidable
accident do mifs of baptifm ?

P. Not more than it does now in your fenfe,
being underilood of all grown perfons; many
of whom do, after they have refolved to re-
ceive baptifm, mifs e>f it by fudden death, &V.
All fuch texts of fcripture are to be underftood
with an allowance, namely, that fuch or fuch
an ordinance is appointed by God as the ordi-
nary (g) means, or ordinary condition of fal-
vation : Nor that we are to bind God to the
means that he has bound us to. As in the cafe
of circumcifion omitted, though the rule was as
peremptory as this; That foul fhall be cut off:

[f) Ibid. Part I. Ch. xv. § $, and 9,
Q) HiJ}, Part II. Ch. vi. § 7, 8.

Yet

about Infant-Baptism. 35

Yet where his providence made it impractica-
ble, he did not execute the penalty -, and yet
in ordinary cafes the rule flood firm.

A. I think the Antipcedobaptifts generally
have in this refpect, the mod charitable opinion
of any. They, moft of them (all of them, ex-
cept fuch as pry into the decrees of election
and reprobation) are very pofitive that all chil-
dren dying in infancy, baptized or not, born
of parents godly or ungodly, chriftians, turks,
or heathens, do go to heaven.

P. This were to good purpofe, if the kingdom
of heaven were at their difpofing.

But if we have no promife of God, it is not
a promife of man that will keep us from dc{-
pair. I remember a faying of St. Auftin {h\
againft the Pelagians, (who denied any origi-
nal fin in infants ; and laid, if infants died un-
baptized, they might be faved ; that is, be in*
fbme good place hereafter, though not in the
kingdom of heaven) " Let us not of our own
" heads promife any eternal falvation to in-
cc fants without the baptifm of Chrift, which
" the holy fcripture, that is to ke preferred
" to all human wit, does not promife.' ■

A. What made thefe Pelagians* fay, they
fhouid not go to heaven, and yet be in fome
other good place ?

P. They faid they mould be in fome good
place, as having no fin. But they did not-
dare fay they mould go to heaven, except they
were baptized : becaufe our Saviour had
[h) Ibid. Parti, ch. vi. $ 5.

B 6 given

36 A Conference between two Men

given that rule laft mentioned, except any one be
born of water, Sec.

A. Then they judged that that text does in-
clude infants and all.

P. No chriftian at that time made any doubt
ofthat(z). Suppofe you have a child that is
like to die, and ibme advife you to pray for
its foul, and others difTuade, faying, all chil-
dren are faved, whether you pray for them or
not : Which would you count the mo ft chari-
table of thefe ?

A. I mould take the counfel of thofe that
advife me to pray.

P. Do the fame in refpecl of thofe that ad-
vife you to baptize it. For you fee that in both
thefe texts, that of Matt, xxviii. 19. and this
of John 'in. 5. our Saviours words are general
and univerfal ; All nations ; every perfon : And
that the reafons which the Antipcedobaptifts
bring why infants fhould not be meant as well
as others, do fail of proof. Therefore it is good
to be fure : and take the advice of the iudicious
Mr. Hooker (k) ; " If Chrift himfeif, who
<c giveth falvation, do require baptifm; it is
*f not for us that look for falvation, to found
<c and examine him, whether unbaptized men
" may be faved," [by men, he means any
perfons of human nature ; for he is there fpeak-
i'ng of infant baptifm] " but ferioufly to do
" the thing that is required j and religioufly

. (/) Jiiji. Part I. Chap. vi. § 4.
[i) Ibid. Part II, Ch. vi. $ 1..

4t

to

about Infant-Baptism. 37

cc to fear the danger which may grow by the
cc want thereof."

A. But they fay, they do not protnife this
of their own head. Our Saviour, fpeaking of
little children, Mark x. 14. fays, Of Juch is
the kingdom of heaven. Therefore ail children
go to heaven.

P. He fays, Offuch is the kingdom of heaven :
which proves that they are capable of going to
heaven : and that many infants do go thither.
But he adds at the fame place ; therefore fuf- '
fer them to come unto me and forbid -'[or with-
hold] them not. And fince our Saviour is now
-prefent with us only in his ordinances and fa-
craments, what way have we to bring our chil-
dren to him, as he orders, but by baptifm to
offer and dedicate them to him ? And here
I would afk you one queftion : they fay that
ail children, heathen^' children and all, go to
heaven. Do they judge that heaven is their
natural portion, as being human creatures,
and becaufe they are born of human race ? or
that they have it by the merits and purchafe
of Chrift and his death ?

A. O ! by Chriit. They do not offer to fay
that the kingdom of heaven is given to any
human creature, but only for the fake of
Chrift's merits.

P. Now does it not feem to you ftrange,
that the children of heathen men, of fuch men
as are without Chrift3 (as St. Paul fays, Epb.
ii. 12.) and ftrangers from the covenant of pro-
pufe} having no hupe, and without God in the

world j

38 A Conference between two Men

world ; fhould have an equal intereft in Chrift
with the children of chriftians, who do offer
and dedicate both themfelves and their chil-
dren to Chrift ? And that there fhould be no
more promiie to a good chriftian for his chil-
dren, than there is to the children of Pagans ?
Sr. Paid, having told the Epheftans that they
had been fuch ftrangers from the covenant, &c.
lays in the next words ; But new in Chrift Je-
fus, you who were feme time afar off, are made
nigh by the blood of Chrift, But it feems they
had been nigh once before, namely, in their
infancy. Pray tell me : Do they count fuch
infants members of Chrift, united to him,
parts of his body the church, redeemed by him,
included in his covenant and purchafe ?

A. They do not fay, that fuch infants or
any infants are members of the church. For
that would prove that they muft be baptized ;
baptilm being the entrance into the church.
And what they would fay to your other words,
members of his body, united, redeemed, covenant,
purchafe, Sec. I know not, (I believe fome of
them would fay one thing, and fome another),
but that they are faved by him, they fay.

P. The fcripture calls the church, his body
(/) ; and him the Saviour (m) of the body :
but that he fhould be the Saviour of any that
are not of his body, is befide the fcripture.
And that alfo puts, every where a great diffe-
rence between being in Chrift on one fide, and

(/) Eph% U 23. {m) Ibid. v. 22:

about I n'F ant-Baptism. 39

cf the world, or without Chrift, or in the king-
dom of darknefsy on the other. But that one
place of St. Paid, J Cor. vii. 14. dees moft ex-
prefsly fhew the different ftate of fome infants
from that of others ; for he puts a cafe in which
their children would be unclean : but vow, fays he,
they are holy.

A. I v.ifh we had a good comment on that
text. I muft frankly own to you, that I am
not very well fatisfied with the exposition which
thofe of our opinion give of it ; that St. Paul
perfuading there the man that had an unbeliev-
ing wife, not to put her away, becaufe fhe, an
unbeliever, is fo fanctified by him a believer,
that the children are holy, fhould mean no
more than this ; that they are not baflards.
For I do not fee that they would have been
baflards if both the parents had continued in
unbelief. Nor do I find the words ever fo
ufed, that holy fhould fignify legitimate ; or that
unclean, when oppofed to holy, (as it is here)
fnould fignify baftard. Nor does that feem to
have been the doubt, or queftion put by thefe
people to St. Paul; Whether the ufe of the
marriage bed did in fuch cafe continue lawful,
and the ifTue legitimate : but whether the con-
tinuing of cohabitation were advifable, confi-
dering the danger of being drawn to idolatry,
and the abomination which the heathen huf-
band muft have of his wife's worfhipping Chrift*
or the chxiftian hufband of his wife's worfhip-
ping of idols in the fame houfe : and confider-
ing that St. Paul bad before written to them,

not

40 A Conference between two Men

(n) not to accompany with fornicators, idolaters,
Sec.

P. If one reads the place attentively from
verfe 12 to 1 6, he fhall plainly perceive (what
you fay) that the query which they had writ-
ten to St. Paul about this matter, was not of
lawful or unlawful ■, but of expedient or inexpe-
dient. For they had fent to him feveral que-
ries about feveral matters, as appears at ver. .
1 . Now concerning the things whereof you wrote
to me.

Some of their queries had been about the
lawfulness or finfulnefs of fome things. And
to them St. Paul anfwers not by way of his ad-
vice,, but by the authority of Chrift -, as at ver.
10. I command; yet not I, but the Lord.

But to this queftion, of cohabitation in cafe
of different religions, he anfwers in another
{train ; To theje /peak J, not the Lord. And
his advice is not abfolute neither : for he ad-
vifes the continuance of dwelling together on-
ly in cafe the unbelieving party be willing.
If any brother [that is, any man that has em-
braced chriitianity] hath a wife that believeth
not, and fhe be p leafed to dwell with him, let
him not put her away : and the woman that has
a hujband that believeth not, and if he be pleafed
to dwell with her, let her not leave him. Now
this is what he would never have laid, if the
queftion had been of lawful or finful: as whe-
ther the unbelieving woman would have been
in the ftate of an harlot to a chriftian hufband,
(//) 1 Cor, v. 9, 10..

or

d&j«/ Infant-Baptism. 41

or the children fo begotten baftards. For the
willingnefs of the unbelieving party to co-
habit, would not in fuch a cafe have mended
the matter at all. For a willing harlot, that
is pleafed to dwell with a man, is as bad, if not
a worle harlot, than one that is over-perfuaded
again ft her will, and the children as much
baftards.

And befides : How could a man that had
had feveral legitimate children by his wife,
whilft they were both heathens, fall into a
doubt that thofe that mould be born to him
after he became a chrillian, would be baftardsj
merely becaufe me would not become a chril-
tjan too ?

A. I am perfuaded, as I faid, that St. Paul
means fomething more by fanclified, unclean,
and holy. But what he means I cannot tell.
For the interpretation given by the Pcedobap-
tifts of holy, that is, federally holy, or in cove-
nant with God, is far-fetcht too. It makes St.
Paul prove a thing that was obfeure by a thing
that is more obfeure. / would not have yon
fart. The unbelieving wife is fanclified by the
believing hujband, fo that the children which floe
fhall bear to him Jball be in covenant. In what
covenant do they mean, in a ftate of falvation?

P. Some explain it fo : in the covenant of
grace. But fome others that will not allow
that a child who after proves wicked, (ever
was in a ftate of falvation) do, by covenant holi-
nefs, mean only a right to church privileges :
every one that is a member of the vifible

church,

4^ A Conference between two Men

church, has a right to church-privileges, and
fo is holy in that refpect; though every fuch
member is not in a ftate of falvation. And from
the child's having that covenant holinefs, they
conclude its right to the feal of the covenant.

You cannot deny that this fenfe of the word
holy, is much more agreeable to the general ufe
of that word in fcripture, than the other. Holy,
that is, belonging to God, accepted of God, Jet
apart to God. And unclean, that is, out of cove-
nant with God, is a very common ufe of the
word. Ads x. 28. Rom. xi. 16.

A. Pray, how did Mr. B. expound this text
to you ?

P. He conferTed there had been various in-
terpretations of it. But that which feemed to
frirn more natural, plain and agreeable to the
fcope of St. Paul there, than any of thefe new
ones, is that which, he faid, was moft cyrrent
among the ancient chriftians. And I alfo do
think it fo, fince I have confidered and com-
pared it with the text : but I confefs at firft it
feemed very new to me, becaufe the fenfe in
which we have been ufed, in thefe later times,
to take words, does prejudice us againft any
other, though many times that other do upon
fearch appear to be the ancient fenfe of them.

A. What was his interpretation, which you
fay is the ancient one ?

P. Firft he obferved to me, that the word
which is there translated [is fancJijied] is in the
on-ginal [has been Janclified (0).

(v) lift. Part I. Chap. xi. § 1 1.

A. I

about Infant-Baptism. 43

A. I have feen many on both fides recite it
fo. But then how came our translators to alter
the fcnfe ?

P. The properties of languages are, it feems,
fuch, that that is fometimes necefTary, when
the fenfe requires it: and they thought, it
feems, that it required it here. But lb it is in
the original: An unbelieving bujband has been
fantlified by bis wife : and an unbelieving wife
has been fantlified by her bujband, &c. And by
this the ancients underftand [has been converted,
or perfuaded to receive the chriftian faith and
baptifm] or, as St. Paul exprefTes it in the
verfe next but one, has been Javed by her. So
in l Cor. i. i, 2. To thofe that at Corinth are
fantlified [or, (as ic is there alfo in the original)
have been fantlified} called to be faints, that is,
to all that have embraced chriftianity there :
or have been baptized : for the word fantlified,
is by all old chriftian writers frequently ufed
for baptized.

A. Well. Suppofe it be fo : The unbelieving
party has oftentimes been converted by the be-
lieving party. This indeed agrees well with
St. Paul's fcope : for he is there perfuading
them to ftay with their unbelieving partners on
account of this hope, and it is the fame encou-
ragement that he ufes verfe 16. V/bat knowefl
thou, O wife, whether thou fhalt fave wy buf-
band? &c. But ftill I do net fee how this
gives much light to what follows; Elfe were
your children unclean ; but new are they holy.

P. You mull note that the word here trans-
lated

44 A Conference between two Men

lated [holy] is in St. Paul's epiftles, (when it
is applied to perfons) far oftner tranflated
faints \ however they happened here to tranflate
it holy. And that word, faints, was in the
lame life then, as the word chriftians is with
us. As in the Creed, the communion of faints,
is nothing elfe but the communion of chriftians.
And St. Paul's direction of his epiftles, To all
the faints at fuch a place ; is as much as to
lay, To all the chriftians there. And the word
that he ufes here which we read holy, is the
very fame as that in the Creed, and in the di-
rections aforefaid of St. Paul's epiftles, is trap 6
lated faints.

A. Now I begin to undcrftand your mean-
ing. " The unbelieving party is generally
" prevailed on by the believing party. Were
<f it not fo, the children of fuch matches
" would be brought up to heathenifm : but
<c now we fee they are generally made chriftians,
<c or faints." This is what you underftand St.
Paul to fay.

P. You take it right. He would have them
ftay with their partners that did not yet be-
lieve : and perfuades them thus : It fre-
*c quently has, been obferved, that an unbe-
Cf lieving hufband has been fan6lified, or
<c brought to the faith, and fo to baptifm,,
" by his, wife : and likewife an unbelieving
u wife by her hufband. Were it not fo, that
" the faith of the one did generally prevail
Cf againft the infidelity of the other, the chil-
u dren of fuch of you as are fo matched would

« be

about Infant-Baptism. 45

cc be generally kept unbaptized, and fo be un-
(c clean. Bjt now we fee, by the grace of
" God, a contrary effect : for they are gene-
" rally baptized, and fo become holy faints, or
" fanccified (/>)•" ^c ls mucn the fame advice
that St. Peter gives to women that had unbeliev-
ing hufbands, 1 Pet, iii. i. That if any obey not
the word, they may be won by the converfation cf the
wife, &c.

A. -Do they think that St. Paul means, Juch
children as we now fee generally baptized ?

P. Yes. The term faints is not given in the
New Teftament but to baptized perfons. They
called no other by the names of faints or bre-
thren.

A. This fits your purpofe indeed. This was
all you wanted ; that there mould be in fcrip-
ture mention of any infant baptized. I am apt
to doubt that this interpretation has been in-
vented to ferve a turn by fome Poedobaptift
that was puzzled with that objection of the
Antipcedobaptiih, that there is no example of
it in fcripture : not that it has come naturally
into the mind of any reader, but on that occa-
fion.

P. I can, as it happens, cure your doubt/
For there are upon record, feveral (q) com-
mentaries of ancient chriftian writers upon this
text, who do expound it much to this purpofe.
And I have noted down the words of two of
them that lived 1300 years ago, and had never

(/) Hift, Part I. Chap. xi. § 1 1. Part II. Chap. x. § 3.
p. 378. {q) Hiji. Part I. Ch. xix. § 19.

9 heard

46 A Conference between two Men

heard of any Antipcedobaptift, who do explain
it jufb in the ienfe that I mentioned. I will, if
you pleafe, lhew you in their own words.

A. How did you know firfl that they had never
heard of any Amipcedobaptift ? This muft haye
been within 300 years of the apoitles time.

P. They do both of them fay at other places
of their books that they never did.

i. Now this looks very odd. How fhould
men that lived at a time when no Antipcedo-
baptiil had ever been heard of, come to fay in
their books that they never heard of any ? What
gave them occafion to fpeak of it then ?

P. They difpured about original fin, as I
told you before. The Pelagians faid there is no
fuch thing. St. Auftin faith \ Why then are in-
fants baptized, if they have no fin ? They an-
fwered (r), it was, cc that they might be fanc-
<c tified [or made iamts ] in Chrift." St. Anfiin
faid5 he had never before met with any ehrii-
tian, churchman or fe&ary, (that owned the.
fcriptures) nor read any chriftian writer, who
taught any other doctrine, but that infants arc
to be baptized for -pardon of fin. From whence
it is my confequence, that much lefs had he heard
or read of any that denied that they are to be bap-
tized at all.

Pelagius was reproached by lome people,
that by denying original fin in infants, he did
deny any necefiity of baptifm to them. He
anfwered in a rage ; That (s) the thing which
they accufe him of faying, was a thing " that
{r) Hi/l. Parti. Ch.xix. § 17. (s) Biji. Part I. Ch.xix. § 3°-

" .he

about I nf ant-Baptism. t 47

" he never heard any man, no not any impious
cc fectary, fay. For who, fays he, is fb igno-
" rant of what is read in the gofpel (meaning
<c John iii. 5.) as to hinder infants from being
" baptized, and born again in Chri.r, and to
cc make tnem mifs of the kingdom of heaven ?■"
For though he thought a child dying unbap-
tized would have no punifhment, as having no
fin ; yet he thought it could not come to hea-
ven, as having no intereft in Chrift.

A. Did not Tertullian live before thefe men ?

P. Yes. He did.

A. Then how is this fenfe ? They never heard
of any one that ever was againft Infant-Bap-
tifm : and we know he gave his opinion againft

P. You obferve right. It muft be con-
cluded that they had never feen (u) his book of
baptifm : for he having revolted to herefy, his
books were not much read by churchmen : and
that obfervation of theirs, that there had been
none before their time of that opinion, does
not hold, without an exception of that one
man. But even he, in the trueft editions (w),
fpeaks againft the ufe of it only at fuch times,
when there is no urgent neceflicy, by the child's
■being in danger of death.

A. Well. What is the comment on this text,
given by thofe two men ?

P. You mall have it in their own words.
St. Auftin fets down the texts (#) ; An iinbe-

(/) Hift. Part ^ Ch. bt. § J. (a) Hiji. Part. II. Ch. x.
$2 to 5. (au)'Partl.Ch.iv. $8. Part II. Ch. ii. § 5.
lx) Hijl. Part I. Ch. xv. § 2.

Ueving

4S A Conference be l ween two Men

ffeving hufband has been fanclified [fo he reads
it; and lb it is in the original] by his believing
wife : and an unbelieving wife by her believing
hu/baud: and on that gives this comment;
cc I fuppofe it had then happened, that feveral
<c wives had been brought to the faith by their
<c believing huibands, and huibands by their
cc believing wives. And though he does not
" mention their names, yet he makes life of
cc their example to confirm his advice. " Then
he lets down the reft of the text, eife were your
children unclean; but now they are holy, [or
faints] and gives this comment; <c For there
ci were then chriftian infants that were fancli-
" tied, [or made holy, or faints] fome by the
iC authority of one of their parents ; fome by
" the content of both: rhich would not be,
c< if as foon as one party believed, the marriage
" were diffolved ; and the infidelity of the
" parties were not borne with, till there were
" an opportunity of believing." By an in-
fant's being fanclified by the authority of its
parents, can be meant nothing but its being
baptized: and the word fanclified, is a common
word with him for baptized.

Pelagius wrote a comment on both the
epiftlcs to the Corinthians. And on that text
makes this comment (y) ; <c There were by
cc this time examples, both of men whom their
cf wives, and of women whom their huibands,
cc had gained over to Chrilt; and of infants,
<f concerning whom the chrilHan defire, even

(j) Hjft. Part I. Ch. xix. § 19.

"of

about Infant-Baptism. 45

" of one of their parents,, had prevailed that
" they mould be made chriftians."

A. This is indeed as you explain it. But did
not Mr. B. own to you that fome of the ancients
expound the text otherwiie ?

P. He did own that there are fome (z) that
make no more doubt of it than the Antipcedo-
baptiits do. But that the moft, and thofe the
mod ancient, do underftand it of baptifmal ho-
linefs.

A. Are there any more texts of fcripture, or
arguments that he produced to you ?

P. Yes, feveral. But the time will not allow
to mention any more than the heads of things
to you. By referring me to many texts where
circumcifion is mentioned, and many where
baptifm is mentioned, he made it plain to me,
that baptifm ferves to the fame ufe and pur-
pofe now, that circumcifion did to the Jewifh.
church : to confirm the truth of the promifes
on God's part, and inflate the partaker in the
privileges of the church of God, and to denote
the obligation of the party (if he lives) to faith
and obedience.

That baptifm is a feal of the covenant,
which is for iubftance the fame covenant that
was eftablifhed then : and therefore that God's
command to give the feal in infancy then, does
continue a command to us, and is a fufficient
declaration of his will to us now, unlefs he had
fomewhere declared an alteration of his will ia
that regard.

(z) Hi/i. Part I. Chap. xix. § 19.

C That,

50 A Conference between two Men

That the fcal fhould be given indifferently
to all nations, and to both /exes, did need a par-
ticular declaration (becaufe that was otherwife
in the cafe of circumcifion), and that is ac-
cordingly particularly declared by St. Paul,
Gal. iii. 28. where ipeaking of baptifm, he
fays, there is in refpedfc of it neither Jew nor
Greek, bond nor free, male nor female -, that is,
there is no difference between them : but that
there mould be neither young nor old, needed
no declaration, becaufe that was a ruled cafe
before in the ufe (both of Jewiffi baptifm, of
which we fpoke before, and) of circumcifion
itfelf. It was a known thins; all along: before
in the covenant, as it was made with Abraham
and renewed to Mojes. There was need of an
exprefs prohibition, if infants, that had ever
been members of the vifible church and people
of God, had been now to be excluded. Efpe-
cially when St. Peter, perfuading the Jews to
chriftianity and baptifm, tells them, Afits iii.
25. Ye are the children of the covenant •which
God made with our fathers, &c. Now that
covenant had ever included infants : and there-
fore when he fays again, Acls ii. 39. Repent
and be baptized, &c. for the promife is to you
and your children, &c. it follows, that they
were flill to have a covenant including infants :
or elfe it would have been a covenant altered
much to the worfe in that refpect ; if the Jews,
when they became Chriftians, were to lofe the
advantage of having their children admitted as

church-

^///Infant-Baptism. 51

church-members by circumcifion, and have no-
thing fubftituted for them inftead thereof.

A. We grant that baptifm does refemble cir-
cumcifion in many uies of it, as a feal, an en-
trance into the church, &~c. But fo did many
other things, the Ark of Noah, the Sea, the
Clouci, tsc. And therefore your conference,
that it is to be applied to the fame perfons as
circumcifion was, is not very plain, unlefs you
could mew from fcripture that it is appointed
by Chrift to be to us in the ftead or place of cir-
cumcifion.

P. The fcripture does fay that, in effect,
when in Col. ii. 11, 11. it calls baptifm the
circumcifion of Chrift : or (as it would more in-
telligibly and more agreeably to the fenfe of Su
Pauly be rendered, and is in feveral tranilations
rendered) cc the chriftian circumcifion," (a) that
is, the facrament which is appointed by Chrift to
us inftead of circumcifion.

A. Turn to that text and expound it.

P. The Coloffians were going to make two
additions to the chriftian religion. One was
the worfhip of angels, taught by the philoso-
phers; the other, circumcifion, taught by the
Jews: St. Paul, at ver. 8, 9, 10. fhews that
the firft was needlefs ; for that having Chrift they
were complete in him, who is the head of all
angels. And at ver. 1 r, 12, 13. that the other
was needlefs too : for in Chrift , fays he, you. are
circumcifed, &c. by the circumcifion of Chrift y
buried with him in baptifm. Sec. He cannot
(«) Hifi. Part I. Chap. ii. § 2.

C 2 mean

$i A Conference between two Men

mean (b) that they were circumcifed by that
action by which Chrift in his infancy was circum-
cifed. Hemuft mean, by that which Chrift has
appointed for, or inftead of circumcifion to a
chriftian.

And here if St. Paul had meant this as appli-
cable to the grown men only amongft them, and
not to the children; might they not reafonably
have objected; " It is true, we have baptifrn
Ci inftead of circumcifion: But what have our
<c children ? nothing at all."

You will find (e) all the ancient chriftians call
baptifrn, cc the fpiritual circumcifion, the circum-
" cifion done without hands, xht chriftian circum-
cc cifion, our circumcifion, &c??

Do not you remember how angry fome Jews
that had lately received the chriftian faith were
with St. Pauly Acts xxi. 21. for that they had
heard that he taught all the Jews that were
among the Gentiles, that they ought not to cir-
cumciie their children ? How much more, think
you, would they have objected to him, if he
had taught them that they ought not to baptize
them neither ? And fince we do not find that
they objected that to him, we have realbn to
conclude that he never taught fo.

A. But neither do we rind, on the other fide,
that St. Paul made that apology to them, that
they had baptifrn inftead of it.

P. You do not read it there. But you do in
the aforefaid place of his letter to the Coloffians
(who were troubled with that fort of judaizing
[b) Jbid. ~{c) Hift. Parti. § 2. Ch.vi. § io.Ch.xiv. § 1.

Chriftians)

3

about Infant-Baptism. S3

Chrirtians) that they had the Chriftian circum-
cifion, viz. baptiim.

Does not he in his epiftle to the Romans,
ch. ii. ver. 17. tell the Gentiles that had em-
braced the faith, that they were now grafted
into the olive tree from which the unbelieving
Jews were cut off, and did partake of the root
a)id fatnefs of the olive tree -3 that is, of all the
privileges which the Jewilh church had ? And
does he not fay, Gal. iii. 14. that the bleffing of
Abraham might come on the Gentiles? And was
not that a great part of it, to have their chil-
dren admitted into the covenant, and into the
privileges of the church and people of God ?
And this privilege of bringing in their infants,
had been ever granted to fuch Gentiles as did em-
brace the Jewifh religion, as was faid before.

A. But as foon as John the Baptift came
baptizing, this privilege was declared to be
abrogated. For he fays to the Pharifees and
Sadducees that came to be baptized ; Think not
to Jay within your/elves, We have Abraham to
our father. They mud fhew perfonal fruits of
repentance, if they would be baptized, Matt, iii,
7> 8, 9.

P. Was this cafe of theirs any thing like that
of infants ? Theje were a generation of vipers,
that had by their actual fin and hypocrifies for-
feited all the covenant right which they originally
had: and had great need of actual repentance.
This does not prove than any infant would have
been fo fent back.

A. None could be fent back where none
C 3 came,

54 A Conference between two Men

came, or were brought : and we do not read
that any infants at al! were brought to him.

P. It is true : there is no exprefs mention
of any : nor could it well be expected in an
account that is fo fliort in all. But if you will
read the books I mentioned, of the Jewifh bap-
tifm, you will find that they prove it to have
been fo ordinary a thing, and praclifed of
courfe, for people that came to baptifm to
bring their children with them, that they take
it for granted that thofe that came to John, did
fo : and that the reafon it is not mentioned, is,
becaufe it was a practice fo ordinarily known
at that time, that there was no need to mention
it ; as for the fame reafon you may read in the
Old Teftament the hiftory of five hundred years
together without any mention of any one infant
circumcifed.

St.Ambrofe, who lived fo near thofe times, tlfat
he might enquire of the Jews their cuftoms, and
know much better than we, fpeaks of (d) the
infants baptized by John the baptift : and fo
does St. Auftin after him. Now fince it was fo
ordinary to bring infants ; if St. John had re-
jected them that would have been as proper to
have been recorded as the hiftory of his rejecting
the Pharifees.

A. I will, God willing, read thofe books of
baptifm ufed by the Jews. For matters of
fact are more material to direct one in the right
understanding of a practice, than thefe argu-
ments from the reafon of the thing : which may
(d) Hi/i. Part I. Chap. xiii. § i.

I fee

about Infant-Baptism. $$

I fee be banded to and fro eternally. Had you
any other arguments from Mr. B. ?

P. He bade me confider how many abfur-
dities do follow by coniequences from the Anti-
pcedobaptift's opinion : as, if an infant cannot
be a church member, or one of the church ;
then Chrift in his infancy was out of his own
church, neither head nor part of it. He bade
me imagine St. Peter, when he exhorted his
nation to turn chriftians, fpeaking thus to
them; " You and your children have been
*' hitherto in covenant; but now if you will
" believe in Chrift, you yourfelves mail have
i( the privileges of the covenant in a higher
" degree ; but your children fhall be in no better
p condition than the Pagan world 3 out of any
" church-covenant;" and fo that their com-
ing into a better condition put their children
into a worfe. That Chrift came to difpoffefs
infants of their covenant right. That if Chrift
were now on earth, and we brought an infant
to him ; he would receive and embrace him :
and he will now receive fuch into his kingdom
of heaven. But if we bring him to be ad-
mitted into his church, or myftical body, he
will rejedt him for his incapacity. That he
that has now his angel in heaven beholding (e)
the face of God, is not worthy to have his
guaruian or fponfor in the church on earth.
That in fo many families (■/) mentioned in
fcripture to have been baptized (fuch an one
and all his) there were no children. That all

(e) Matt. xviii. 10. (/) AStXvji. 15, 35. 1 Cor. i. 16.

C 4 the

56 A Conference between two Men

the christian world fhould be in an error, Pro-
teftants, Papifls, Greek church, all the (g) na-
tional churches in the world ; and they only in
die right. May we not fay with St. Pau/,
1 Cor. xiv, 36. What? came the word of God
out from you P or came it unto you wily ? Or as he
fays, chap. xi. 16. If any man Jeem to be con-
tentions, we have nofuch cufiom) neither the' churches
if God.

A. Theft confequertfial proofs of a thing
are in doctrines of morality, &c. of good ufe.
But you know what the Antipcedobaptifts fay ;
that in a facrament of pofitive inititntion we
are to expect dire.61 orders, and are to keep clofe
to the letter/

P. They are in this refpect: the mod: unfair
arguers in the world. When we produce the
pofitive inftitution, " Difciple all the nations,
*f baptizing them/* they cannot deny but in
lt the literal and grammatical fenfe, infants are
part of the nations, as well as kings, &c. (who
are no more particularly named than infants
are ;) and when we bring Chrift's pofitive de-
termination> No per/on that is not born of water
can enter > &c. they own that infants are per-
fons ; but then they come with their proofs
by confequence from other places, that we mull
in all reaibn except infants. And yet when
we ufe the fame method in anfwering any place
that they can bring, then confequences are no-
thing. Can they think that God meant that

lg] Hjfi. Part II. Ch. viif.

about Infant-Baptism. 57

in reading his word, we mould fuperfede all ufe
of our own understandings ?

For baptifm itfelf indeed to be a chriftian fa-
crament, there was need of an exprefs precept:
but for the fubjecl: of it, we may argue by parity
of reafon, that thofe who formerly were admitted
to it, may be now.

; The refurreclion is a fundamental : yet Chrift
proved it (h) by a confequence. The alteration
of the day of fabbath is a matter of pofitive wor-
fnip : yet we ufe confequences in proving it;
and thofe more liable to exception (if we would
cavil) than the baptifm of infants.

But to come nearer to this very matter, the
fit fubjects of baptifm : St. Peter thought that
Gentiles, unlefs they were circumcifed, were
not fit fubjects of baptifm. Nuw the way that
he was convinced by, in Atls x. was not by
any pofuive order, or exprefs words. cc Bap-
" tize this Cornelius " or, cc Baptize Gentile
" men, though uncircumcifed.,> But when
he was told that they were no longer uncleany
ver. 28. and faw the Holy Spirit come on them,
he concluded by confequence, ver. 47. Can any
one forbid water, that thefe ftoould not be bap-
tized, who have received the Holy Spirit, &c.
He went by this rule ; one that is capable of
the ends of baptifm, mould be baptized. So
we fay; the children of chriftians are not un-
clean, but capable of feveral of the ends of
baptifm ; and conclude (though not from thefe
only) that they are not to be denied water.

{h) Matt. xxii. 31, 32.

C 5 Mr.

5$ A Conference between two- Men

Mr. Toms hirnfelf fays, (/) « If it fhould be
<c made known to us that infants are fanclified,
cc I mould not doubt but that they are to be
*c baptized : remembering the faying of St.
(< Peter." Meaning this faying.

A. It cannot be denied but St. Peter argued
here by confequences. But I believe that will
happen to me, which has often happened to
me : when I have at any time heard or read
liich reafonings as thefe of yours, I have been
for the prefent moved, and inclined to return
to my old opinion of Infant-Baptifm. But
when I come again to reading of the fcripture
irfelf, and find there the tenor of baptifm gene-
rally to run thus ; Repent and be baptized —
He that believetb, and is baptized — Baptizedy
*cv.fejfwg their fins — If thou believeft with all thy
hearty thou mayeft be baptized — then, methinks,.
J fee plainly that infants have nothing to do
with it. And then the anfwer which the Pce-
ciobaptifts do give to this, is fo groundlefs and
precarious, that it turns my ftomach. They
diftinguifh and fay -, " Baptifm is of two forts,
° adult-baptifm and infant-baptifm ; thefe
*f places fpeak of adult and not of infant-
" baptifm." But when we fay, <c Where
<c then are the places that fpeak of the other ?"
they can produce none. If I fhould maintain
that infants may receive the communion, and
you fliould confute me with that fcripture. Let
a man examine bimfelf> and Jo eaty &c. and
I fhould diftinguifh, " Communicants are of
(/) Exeixitatio?i% Page 2.4,

" two

about Infant-Baptism. 59

cc two forts, adult communicants, and infant
cc communicants/' would you not fay that I
begged the queftion ? adult baptifm : why that
is all the baptifm that the fcripture anywhere fets
forth !

P. If you fay thus (and I know that many
Antipcedobaptifls do with a broad affurance
fay fo ; but if you fay thus) then you mufl fay
that all the places of fcripture which I have
now produced, and others which others do
produce, do iignify nothing at all to the mat-
ter. And to fay that, unlefs you could difprove
them, is either begging the quedion, or denying
the conclufion, when you cannot overthrow the
premifes.

A. I did not defign to undervalue your rea-
fonings. But you cannot deny that the hiftory
of the baptifm s in fcripture runs with thofe claufes
which I mentioned.

P. It is true, for the moft part. But you do
not feem to confider the ftate of thofe times,
and of the people then. They were all of them
people and nations that had had no gofpel or
chriftian baptifm before. In fuch a Mate of
things, the firft and main work was to per-
fuade the adult perfons to believe the gofpel :
and that order of words was in that cafe necef-
fary, " Preach it to them : he that believes it,
<c and is baptized, mall be faved." For thofe
people muft be baptized after they were taught ;
having had no fathers that believed the gofpel,
to baptize them into it before. In the cafe I
put before, if circumcifion inftead of baptifm
C6 bad

6° A Conference between two Men

iiad been appointed, yet in fending apoftles to
thefe people, our Saviour could hardly have
exprefTed it after any other manner than thus :
" Go, profelyte the nations, circumcifing them :
€C he of them that believes the gofpel, and is
Cf circumcifed, fhall be faved." And the hif-
tory of their fuccefs would have run much as
it does now; <c Such a heathen man, or fuch
<c a number of them, in fuch a city, upon fuch
ff preachings and arguments, repented, confejfed
(< their fins, believed with all their heart, and
*c were circumcifed." And yet ail this is no ar-
gument that they mould not, or did not circum-
cife their children.

A. I confefs that in fuch a (late of things,
the converting and baptizing the grown per-
fons was the principal work, and that there
was more occafion for mentioning that, both
in the commiffion and in the hiftory, than the
baptizing of the infants. But methinks, there
would have been fome mention of the infants
(one at leafiY) as baptized, if they had been
•generally baptized : efpecially when at fome
places it might have come in fo naturally, that
the context does feem to require it, if it had
"been true. As in Acts viii. 12. They were
haptized, both men and women. Here one word
added [and children] would have ended all this
difpute. Can we think that God would have
fuffered fuch an omiffion of one word in the
recital, which would have been of fuch ufe for
the quiet of future ages ? this would not have
jfwelled the book. For that, I know, is your

pretence,

ahout Infant-Baptism. 6t

pretence, that in a hiftory, which muft be
jfhort, the particular things that were of courfe,
could not be all fet down.

P. We are not to give rules how the fcrip-
ture fhould have been exprefTed. In many
other controverfies, as well as this, a few words
added to the text, might (as we fhouLi think)
have ended the difpute. But we fee the con-
trary : for bapttfm itfeif is plainly exprefTed,.
and ib is the other facrament ; and yet you fee
a world of people in England deny them both.
God might, for aught we know, leave fome
things more difficult to be traced, that we
mighc be under a neceffity of ftudying his
word, and the nature of his covenant to us
therein declared, more frequently and atten-
tively. There mud be herefies, St. Paul lays,
that they which are approved may be made
manifeft. We are thankfully to take his word
as it is -, and to follow that fenlc of it, which,
upon a diligent fearch and weighing of the
whole, Teems to us his true meaning; whether
iQt down expreTsly, or gathered by good con-
Tequence.

A. You Tpeak pioufly : we muft do {ot But
that is a reafon againft our taking Infant-Bap-
tifm to be his true meaning, that there are no
plain examples of it in his word, That which
you urge of houfholds baptized, is not a certain
one. And the other, of fome children of the
chriftians at Corinth mentioned by St. Paul to
have been baptized (as you interpret it) is an
obfeure one.

P. It

6 2 A Conference between two Men

P. It is obfcure to us now, only for this
reafon : it is not common with us now to ufe
the word ■" Janet \fied\ for [baptized'] but it was
in thofe times a very ordinary ufe of it. I
am (k) told, that it is not fo little as an hun-
dred times, that St. Aujiin, for one, when he
is to fpeak of perfons baptized, expreifes it
[fanftified] as you faw he did in the paffage I
recited to you. And Mr. IValker has taken
the pains (/) to produce quotations out of the
New Tedament, and almoft all the antient
chriftian writers, to (hew that it was a com-
mon phrafe with them to fay fanflified. inftead
of baptifed, and faints inftead of baptized
ihriftians. If you have a confeientious defire
to underftand the. true meaning of a "fcripture
parTage, you muft be at the pains to fatisfy
yourfelf by reading fuch quotations : elfe, if a
word in the fcripture times fignified one thing,
and in our common ufe another thing; mil-
takes will be unavoidable. I profefs to you
fincerely, that I am now fully perfuaded that
that is the true fenfe of the place; though at
rlrft it feemed as new to me, as it does now to
you. It mufl: have been fome vifible holinefs
of the children, from which St. Paul draws an
argument to fatisfy the parents of the expedi-
ency of their cohabitation ; fome known and
cuftomary privilege which fuch children had
in the opinion and practice of that church ;
and I know of no fuch that they could have>

{k) Hiji. Part I. Ch. xi. § 9. Ch. xv, § 2. (/) Modeji

Fteafor Infant -Baptijm) Chap, xxi*.

but

about Infant-Baptism. 63

but their baptifm. Pray let us put this cafe ;
fuppofe you were not an Englifhman, but a
foreigner, and beginning to learn the EngliGi
language, and did meet in fome Englifh book
with this paffage ; " Such a man's children
<c are chriftened." The word chriftened being
not u fed in fcripture, and having no parallel
to it in the Latin language, nor in fcveral
others, you might be to feek for the meaning
of it. What muft you do in that cafe ?

A. Why ! I muft afk fome body that was
more converfant in the Englifh language and
cuftoms, what that word fignified, and what
was the ufe of it. among the Englifh -, and they
would tell me, that chrtftened fignifies, made a
chriftian -, and that the ufe of it among the
Englifh, is, to ftand as another word for bap-
tized. So that it is, Such a man's children are
baptized.

P. Juft lb, if you or I meet in St. Paul's,
epiitles with this paffage : Now are your chil*
dren faints -, and know not what to make
of it : we muft afk fome minifter, or other
perfon, that is more converfant in the ancient
language and cuftoms : and he would mew us
by forty inftances in St. Paul himfelf, and a
thoufand, if need bei in other writers about
that time, that the /life of that word, faints,
among the ancients, is, to be as another word
for chriftians. They faid ; children made Joints y
or mac^e chriftians : and we in analogy to it*
fay children chriftened, or made chriftians; and
9 the

64 -d Conference 'between two Men

the meaning both of the one, and of the other,
is baptized.

A. Then I alfo, it feems, mud read thofe
books. But pray tell me, to how many years
do you reckon the hiftory of the Afts cf the
Apoftles does reach ?

P. From Chrift's afcenfion to St. Paul's firlt
imprifonment at Rome. It is much about thirty
years.

A. The chriftians mud have had many thou-
sand children born to them in that fpace of
time.

P. No doubt of it. And you think, I fup-
pofe, becaule none of them are regiitered in the
Acts to have been baptized in infancy, that
they were not baptized in infancy.

A. That feems to me an argument.

P. Well. Hold fad to that argument. And
we will put the cafe for once, that the inftanccs
which I brought from the Afls, of houfholds
baptized, and the other, of the Corinthians
children, do prove nothing. And then I afk
you this queftion ; Do you think that thofe'
thoufands of children were ever baptized at
any time of their life at all ?

A. I fuppofe that as they grew to years of
difcretion they were baptized.

P. And yet there is no fuch thing regiftered.

A. Let me fee. Were none of thofe men,
whofe baptifm is recited in the Afis> the ions
of chriftians ?

P. Not one ; if thofe houfholds that we read
to have been baptized, had no children in

them.

about Infant-Baptism. 6$

them. Asd if you conclude that none of thofe
thoufands were baptized in infancy, becaufe it
is not mentioned •, and I conclude that they
were not baptized at age, becaufe that is not
mentioned neither ; the Quakers and Socinians
(who hold that when the parents or mailers of
families are baptized, there is no need that
their children or pofterity ever after fhopld be
baptized, but that all ufe of baptifm may ceafe
in a chriftian nation) will take our conclufion,
that they were not baptized at all.

A. Rather than they fhould do that, I would
grant that there were children in the houfnolds
that were baptized : and that the Corinthian
infants were baptized.

P. I hope you will be ferious in a thing that
affects your confeience fo much as you fay this
does. And I hope alfo that you will not efpoufe
a principle which muft eflablifh the error of
thofe grofsly deluded people.

A. It feems to many, that the church of
England itfelf has given up the caufe to the
Antipcedobaptifts ; when in the catechifrn they
(fpeaking of baptifm in general) do own, that
there is required of perfons to be baptized,
faith and repentance ; and that after this is
eftablifhed in the general, what they fay after-
wards of infants baptized on a promife of thefe,
comes too late.

P. There is no. doubt, but nat all baptifm
whatsoever is on a covenant ; as, of the king-
dom of heaven to be given on God's part, or
faith and repentance on the baptized perfon's

part i

66 A Conference between two Men

part : only with this difference as to infants
and adults, namely, that thefe conditions are
required to be performed at prefent of the
adult ; of infants, when they are, on account of
age, capable of them. And this is all the church
means, namely, that hoth adult perfons and
infants are baptized on the fame covenant,
which, ought to be declared at the baptifm.

^ A. Why then did they not exprefs it more
diftincTtly in the anfwer there given, and fay
" of adult perfons is required faith, &c. at pre-
" fent j of infants, if they live ?

P. Before the rife of any enemies to a doc-
trine, men are apt to be unguarded, and not fo
diftinct in their expreiTions about it. Now at
the time of compofing this catechifm, there
was never an Englifhman of their opinion, as
the author of the afore faid Hi/lory of Infant-
Baptifm nas (hewn (jn).

A. Let us come to the fecond thing, which
Mr. B. told you was fo ufeful to give light in
this matter : namely, the practice of the pri-
mitive chriftians, who lived fo nigh the times
of the apoftles, that they muft needs know
whether infants were baptized in the apoftles
time, or not. If I could any ways come by a
true account of the practice of thole ancient
times, I fhould be much fwayed by it : lince
thefe men could by a little enquiry know with
eafe and certainty, the matter of fadb about
which we are in the dark ; as we Englifnmen
cannot but know what was done in England in
(m) Part Jl. Ch. viii. i 6,

queen

cjjout Infant-Baptism. 67

queen Elizabeth's time, in a practice fo pub-
lic and notorious. And fince our queftion now
is about a matter of fact (what the apoftles did
in this cafe of in flints) let ibme people fay what
they will in flighting of human authority, it
never can, nor never mail, link into my head,
but that they whofe fathers or grandfathers
Jived in the apoftles time, mufl know what the
apoftles did in this matter. And where the
fcripture is Ihort, or doubtfully exprefTed, thefe
mens books are, it feems, larger : fo that one
would think that learned men might be agreed
concerning the practice of the times I now
fpeak of. But I find fo much contrariety in
the accounts given, that there mud be on one
fide or on the other, great difingenuicy ufed by
them. I wifii I were able to read the books
my felf: I would certainly give a true account,
of which fide foever I were. You, I perceive,
are confident that the ancient practice was
wholly on your lide : and fome books that I
have read, do give the account fo. But then
others bring in thofe ancient fathers fpeaking
all on the other fide. What verdict can one
give upon fuch contrary evidence ?

P. I am afraid you have read Danvers. That
book did me once a great deal of hurt.

A. And I thought it did me a great deal of
good. For it leads one through all the firft
centuries with quotations, mewing, that aduk
bap til m only was then in ufc.

P, You muft of nccefilty read Mr. Baxter's
Confutation of the ft range Forgeries of Mr. H.

Danvers*

63 A Conference between two Men

Danvers. Or, Mr. Wills 's two books on that:
fubjecT: ; with his Appeal to the Antipcedobap-
tifts themfelves, that they ought to renounce
Arch a man. Or, Mr. Whifton : or, The Hiftory
of Infant Baptijm («). You will find, that
book (which has been fo magnified and handed
about among thofe people, and has mifled
feveral of them) to be a great fhame and dis-
credit to their oaufe. And in this refpecl, I
may fay, that afterwards it did me good too :
for it gave me an averfion to that caufe which
was thought to need fuch forging and pervert-
ing of teitimonies, as even the Papifts do fel-
dom ufe.

A. I fhall judge of that, when I read the
book, you fpeak of. But J mull own to you
my iufpicion, whether that quotation you
brought juft now, as out of Juftin Martyr, be
genuine, where he fpeaks of fome chriftians of
his acquaintance that were then feventy years
old, and had been baptized in their childhood.

P. The word ufed by Juftin, is not the word
itfelf [baptized] but [difcipled, or made difci-
ples] as I rehearfed it. It is, as I told you, the
fame word that is ufed by St. Matt, xxviii. i 9.
Difciple the nations, baptizing, Sec.

A. That fcems to me much at one. For
our reafon why infants cannot be baptized, is,
becaufe they cannot be difcipled. Nor do I
fee what Juftin could mean by the infants being
difcipled to Chrift, but their being baptized,
But the reafon of my questioning whether it
(») Past II. Ch, i. and all over the book.

be

about Infant-Baptism. 6g

be genuine, is, becanfc I have ufed to mind
how early any' of the quotations are, that are
brought for Infant -Baptifm, and I do not re-
member that they brought any fo early. For
Juftin wrote that Apology at the year after
ChriiFs birth 140, as I remember ; that is,
within 40 years of the death of fome of the laft
apoftles : and 70 years reckoned back from
that time, do reach in the midft of the apof-
tles time, and come within 36 years of our
Saviour's death.

P. The quotation is genuine (as Mr. B. af-
fured me) and the book unqueftioned. You may
not have met with it before. We are beholden
to Mr. Dorrington {0) for obferving a paiTage
which fo many before him had over-looked.

A. Some other paffages of antiquity that you
have mentioned, I will remember and examine.
Efpeciaily that of thofe men that fay, they never
heard of any chriftians that did not baptize in-
fants. Did Mr. B. tell you of any more ?

P. Yes. He gave me an account out of the
four firft centuries. And in the firiT (p) of
them (which is the age of Chrift and his apof-
tks) there are, befides the books of fcripture,
but two or three fhort pieces left. They are on
other fubjects, and have no difcourfe directly
about infants. But they fpeak of original fn
with which we are born ; and one of them (who
wrote before St. John) mentions the necefllr.y of
baptifm to all peribns, in order to entrance into
God's kingdom, as a known chriftian doctrine

(0) Vindication of the Chunk, (p) Hiji. Part I. Ch. i.

at

76 A Conference between two Men

at that time. For he fays, none can come there
'without the feal ; and that thatjeal is water.

In the iecond (q), there are alfo but few-
books left. Yet of thofe few, what Jujiin fays,
you have heard : and he difcourfes moreover of
baptifm being to us inftead of circumcifion :
and of original fin, &£. And L'ccneus, *who lived
30 years after Juftin> reckoning up the feveral
forts of perfons that are by Chriji born again
unto 'Gody mentions infants exprefsly among
them. And the word [born again] does with
him and all old writers (and Juftin for one)
fignify baptifm as peculiarly as the word
[chriitening] does with us.

A. I do not fee how infants can be faid to
he born again in any other fenfe.

P. You obferve right. In the third cen-
tury (r) Tertullian (year after the apofties 102)
who was much given to fingular opinions, and
oppofed the received practices in many things,
difputes againft the cuftom of baptizing in-
fants, virgins, young widows, &c. (at leaft ex-
cept in clanger of death) I counted this tefti-
mony to be as good an evidence for Infant-
Baptifm as any : for he fo gives his reafons and
opinion againft the cuftom, as that one plainly
perceives by his words that it was then actually
the cuftom to baptize them.

Origen9 ten years after, does in feveral places
fpeak of Infant- Baptifm, as a known and un-
doubted practice : and (in one of them) as hav-
ing been ordered by the apofties.
(2) Hift. Part I. ch. ii.and iii. (r) Hj/l, Part. I. ch. iv, v, vi.

A. U

about Ixfant-Baptism. 71

A. If that were a known thing at that time,
that the apoftles ordered fo, Tertullicn mud
have been a madman to oppofe it.

P. It is probable he did not know it. He
lived in a country in Africa, where no apoftie
ever came, nor nigh it. But Origen lived near
Judea, and had been born of chriftian. parents,
and fo might know it better. And St. Ambrofe
and St. Auftin do affirm the lame thing, that
the apoftles pradtifed and ordered it. About
forty years after Origen, one Fidus, a country
bifhop, fent a fcruple of his to St. Cyprian, and
fixty-fix bifhops that were occafionally affem-
bled ; " Whether the baotifm of an infant
" mud not always be on the eighth day after
" his birth, becaufe circumcifion was fo ?"
They fend him a letter, in anfwer, fC That his
". fcruple is vain ; that the child may (and
" muft, if there be danger of death) be bap-
" tized fooner : and fpeak of the refufal of it
" as dangerous to the foul's health of the
cc child. '* This was about 150 years after the
apoftles ; and fome of thefe fixty-fix bifhops
muft be fuppofed to be 70 or 80 years old
themfelves : which reaches xo half the fpace :
and it appears by their words, that not one of
them made any doubt of Infant-Baptifm.

A. I remember that letter : but Danvers
would have it to be fpurious.

P. There is not a piece in all antiquity that
can more certainly be proved to be genuine ;
for St. Hierom and St. Auftin do very frequently
quote pafTages out of it.

A, What

72 j? Conference between two Men

A. What, to confirm Infant Baptifm ?

P No. I told you before that they never
lltard of any one that denied that : but to con-
firm the doclrine of original fin, which the JV-
lagians denied, though they owned In fant-Bap-
tiiin.

As for the next century, it is endlefs to re-
peat theii fayings : but I have here a note of
their names. The council of Eiiberis (year
afcer the apoftles 205) Of tains 260. Greg. Na-
izi an z en 1 6 o . St. Am brcfe 274. Siriciu s 2 8 4 . St.
Auftin :qo. Paulinas 293. Council of Carthage
297. Another 300. Another 301. Innocentius
302.

A . Hold. Was not that Pope Innocent ?

P. Yes.

A. Dauvers fays, he was the firft. that de-
creed infants to be baptized.

P. How true that is you may guefs by what
I have rehearfed. And St. An/tin (before Inno-
cent was Pope) writes, fC that it was not de«
<f creed in any council, but had been ever in
" ufe*" And that " no chriftian man of any
Cf fort, had ever denied it to be ufeful (sj.}>

A. Go on with your names.

P. No. Here I will give you the note —
There are a great many more of them. They
do all of them (feme in feveral places of their
works, St. Auftin in above 1000 places) fhew by
their words, that infants were baptized in their
times : and that without controverfy. There is
not one man of them that pleads for it, or goes
(sj Hifi. Part I. Ch. vii, viii. &f4 to xxiii. Part II. Ch. x.

about

about Infant-Baptism. 73

about to prove it, as a thing denied by any
chriftian, except thofe that denied all water-
baptifm.

A. Were there then any Quakers in thofe
days ?

P. There were fome heretics that denied all
baptifm. But it was only fome of the groifeft
and mod enormous ones, and fuch as denied the
fcriptures alio.

A. And is there no author in all this fpace
of time that fpeaks againft Infant-Baptifm, but
only that Tertullian f

P. Not one among thofe that owned any bap-
tifm at all.

A. Nor one that do fay that it was the
cuftom of fome churches to baptize only the
adult ?

P. No fuch thing.

A. Then (if I find what you fay to be true)
I will never believe Danvers's book any more.
For he quotes feveral authors of thefe times to
fay : cc That in the eaftern church they bap-
€C tized only the adult (/)." But then in a
poftfcript he corrects that ; and for eaftern he
fays we muft read weft em* And if it be true of
neither of them, how grofs is that ?

But for the feveral feels (u) that were in
thofe times, Novations, Bonatifts, Sec. and for
the Britons he makes a pretence. You fay St.
Auftin knew of no feci: that denied Infant- Bap-
tifm. Had St. Auftin any great knowledge of

(/) Treatife of Infant -Baptifm > cent. 4. I. p. 56. Ed. 2.

See Hif. Part ] L Ch. i. {*) Hi/f. Part. II. Ch. iv.

D the

74 A Conference between two Men

the feds that were or had been ? You find he
-was ignorant that Tertnllian had fpoken againft
it.

P. He had fo good knowledge, that he wrote
a book of all the fedls that were then, or had
been (he reckons 88, and their feveral tenets)
and of the Novations and Donatifts writes
largely : but not a word of their denying Infant-
Baptifm.

But it had been Pelagius's intereft (being fo
"hard preffed with that argument; " Why are
" infants baptized, if they have no fin ?") to
have found out fome that denied it, if he could.
And yet he alfo declares, as I told you, that he
never heard' of any. And he was a Briton bom,
but lived moft part of his time at Rome and Je-
rujalem> and fo muft needs have heard of them,
if there had been any.

A. Where may I find the paflages of the
authois named in your note, and the reft that
you refer to ?

P. If you will read them at large, and in
their order of time, (which I think is better
than reading of fcraps) you may fee them in a
book, called, The Bijiory cf ' Infant- Baptifm.
That writer pretends to little more than the
mere pains of collecting them ; but he has done
them at large, and in the author's own words,
and referred to the book and chapter whence
they are copied.

A. Do thefe fathers feem to have confidered
thofe things, which the Antipcedobaptifts do
now ufe as reafons againft the baptizing of in-
fants :

about Infant-Baptism. 75

fants : as that they have no fenfe of the thing,
no faith, &c.

P. Yes. As appears in the difcourfe they
have about (w) the godfathers profefling in the*
name of the child, that he does renounce, be-
lieve, &c. Where they confefs that the child
has not in any proper fenfe, faith, &c. but that
it is only the godfathers declaring, in the name
of the child, that part of the covenant which
the child is bound to believe and perform, if he
live. So far are they from thinking this a rea-
fon againft the baptizing of them.

A. Then they ufed godfathers in thofe times
too?

P. Yes. Your own friend Tertullian (year
after the apoflles 100) fpeaks of them as being
then in ufe, where he fpeaks of the other.
And fo do many of the reft.

A. But if there was no church, fed:, or fo-
ciety that renounced Infant-Baptifm ; there
feems to have been a great many particular
chriftians that let their children grow up un-
baptized. For the Antipcedobaptifts bring
many inftances of emperors, as Conft amine, &c.
and many other men, as Aufiin, cVc. that had
chriftian parents, and yet were baptized at full
age. And here (excufe me if I deal freely with
you) I can prove the contrary of what you have
faid. You fay St? Auftin never had heard of
any chriftian of our opinion : it is plain that
his own father was of this opinion. I have my-
fe\t read his book of ConfelTions; where he in
[fit) Hi/i. Part II. Ch. v. § 1, 11, 16, 17.

D 2 the

;6 A Conference between two Men

the ninth book tells us how he was baptized at
his own defire, being above* thirty years old.

P. I have ken fourteen fuch inftances
brought : but I have (at) feen thirteen of them
ihewn to be miftakes, or to fail of proof: and
the fourteenth proved to be a difpurable cafe.
But none of them more palpable miftakes than
thofe two you mention. Did not you read in
thofe books of St Auftin, that his father was a
Heathen, and did not turn Chriftian till a little
before his death ?

A. I did not mind any fuch thing.

P. Then when you read them again, mind
■what he fays, in the firft book, ch. ii. fecend
book, ch. iii. ninth book, ch. ix. you will find
what I fay to be true. And for Conftantine^ do
not you remember that he was the firft Chriitian
emperor ?

A. Yes. Every one has heard of that.

P. Do you think that the firft Chriftian em-
peror had a Chriftian emperor for his father ?

A. Was his father emperor ?

P. Yes. (y) Conftantius Cblcrus. He died at
Tcrk, poiTefled of the imperial dignity. He
died a Heathen:

A. Then what makes people write fuch
bulls? I think that after the fourth century the
Antipcedobaptifts do confers that Infant-Baptifm
did generally prevail.

P. Yes." Mr. Terns fays, (z) " that St.
<c Aujlins authority carried it in the following

(x) Hi/}. Part II. Ch. iii. ( v) Ibid. 2. (z) Examcn,
Part I. j 8.

" ages,

about Infant-Baptism. 77

" ages, almoft without controul." Which is
hard, when St, Auftin profeffes folemnly, that
he never heard of any one in his time, or ever
before, that oppofed it.

A. Buc hark ye. E>id not thefe ancient chrii-
tians give the communion to infants, as well as
baptifm ?

P. No. None of the mod ancient {a). i In
St. Cyprians time, there was a cuftom of giv-
ing it in his church to yGung boys or girls of
about four or five years old. And afterwards
mere infants received it in fome churches. But
not till after the year 400, as for as I can find.
I believe that Pope Innocent, whom Danvers
makes the firft decreet of Infant-Baptifm, was
really the firft that decreed that they mud re-
ceive the communion.

A. In what manner do you find that thefe an-
cient chrifrians adrniniftered baptifm to infants
and others ? By dipping r or, by pouring water
en the face ?

P. By dipping generally (b). But if the per-
fon were weak, io that going into the "water
might endanger his life 5 or in times of great
halte, want of water, or other neceflity, they
gave it by putting water on the face.

A. Then they did not think dipping to be
of the effence of baptifm •, fo as that a perfon
baptized, by putting water on the face,' mould

{a) Hifi. Part II. Ch. ix.§ 15, 16, 17. [b) Hift. Parfll.

Ch. ix. i 2.

be

7 8 A Conference between two Men - v

be accounted as not fufficiently baptized ! Our
Saviour in his command, ufed only this word,
baptize. Now what did Mr. B. tell you was
the proper fignification and ufe of that word in
other places of fcripture?

P. The word, to baptize, in fcripture (c) is
ufed for any washing, whether in whole or in
part ; whether in a facramental way, or on other
occafions. And the facramental warning is
fometimes. expreded by the word baptize, and
fometimes by other words, that are ufed for
common warning.

A. What places of fcripture did he bring,
where the word baptize is ufed for any other
warning than that of dipping?

P. Luke xi. 38. The warning of the hands
is called the baptizing of the man. For where
we read; The Pharifee marvelled that he had
not waffoed before dinner. St. Luke's own words
are ; that he was not baptized before dinner.
And fo where we read; Mark vii. 4. When
they come from market, except they wafh, they
eat not. St. Mark's own words are ; except they
be baptized, they eat net. Now this warning
before dinner, was only the warning of the hands -,
as we fee, Mark vii. 5. and that was by a fervant's
pouring water on the hands. Pie brought alfo
feveral other places.

A. And where is the facramental warning ex-
preiTed by other words than are ufed for com-
mon wading?

[c) Ht/t, Part II. Chap, viii, § 6. pnge 219.

P. Eph.

about Infant-Baptism. 79

P. Eph. v. 26. The wajhing. of water. Tic.
iii. 5. The wajhing of regeneration. Hcb. x. 22.
Having our bodies wafloed. The word here ufed
in the original, is not baptizing, but (as Mr. B.
a fibred me) the fame that is ufed Aols xvi. 33.
He wajhed their Jlripes. No man will think
they were put into the water for that.

A. I fhali be lef> anxious about this; partly
becaufe our Saviour has given us a rule, Matt.
xii. 3, 4, 7, that cc what is needful to preferve
<c life, is to be preferred before outward cere-
<c monies :" and partly becaufe in the church of
England (and fo I fuppofe in other churches)
any man may have his child dipped at baptifm,
if he will venture the life of his child.

But for the baptizing of infants, I mall con-
fider, read, and confer on the feveral things
you* have mentioned ; and what will be the re-
fult I know not : but I am refolved to take
your advice in conferring with our curate, or
fome other minuter, before I determine on any
alteration. For I find that they know many
things that are ufeful to find out the true fenfe
of a fcripture-pafiage, more than we do.

P. If you do fo, and with an unprejudiced
mind, I do not much .doubt but tnar, by the
grace of God, you will not only overcome ail
your fcruples, but alfo be more confirmed in
opinion of the validity of your.baptifm, and
more thankful for the fpiritual benefits con-
veyed to you by it, than ever you were before
your doubting, as (I thank Gocl) I am. There

are

So A Conference between two Men, Sec.

are many that were of our church, who are
now far gone in their new ways, and become
teachers in them, who wanted nothing but this
to have kept them fteady in the unity of the
church of Chrift and of its doctrines.

FINIS.

I Fruited hy Law and Gilbert, St. John'f Square, LondoJ

SERIOUS CAUTION

AGAINST THE

DANGEROUS ERRORS

or THE

ANABAPTIST S.

BY THE LATE RIGHT REVEREND
LEWIS, L0RD BISHOP OF ST. ASAPH.

_. - ' .*.. —I- .... ,, ... ■■ -^-t-.

Who hath bcuitched you that you Jhould not obey the
Truth ? — Ga!. lii. 1.

loimon :

PRINTED FOR F. AND C. RIV1NGTOX.
BOOKSF.I.1FS5 10 TITL
IOCIETT FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KN0WLE8C^
NO. 62, ST. PAWL'S CHURCH-YAK*.

180?

Printed by Law and Gilbert, St, John's Square, Qerkeuwell.

X HERE is fomething fo unchriftian ia
flighting the Ordinance of cur blefied Sa-
viour himfelf ; fomething fo contrary to that
unity of Spirit and bond of Peace, which
the Apoftie recommends to us, in Separating
from that found and pure part of Chrifts
Church, wherein ye were born and bred,
that I cannot perfuade myfelf any of you
would knowingly and wilfully do either the
one, or the other. But, it is poffible you
may be mifinformed ; and perfuaded to do
that blindfold, which, with your eyes open,
you would iliun as moft foolifh and wicked.
That fome of you have been fo milled, I
am well informed; and I hear it with the
deeped forrow; as it is a matter wherein the
eternal welfare of your fouls is more nearly
concerned than perhaps you are aware. I
do entreat you, therefore, in the Lord Jefus,
to coniider attentively what I here offer to
remove fuch dangerous prejudices from your
minds.

" Go and teach all nations, baptizing them

hi the name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Glwft. (Matt, xxviii. 1.9.)

A 2 With

( * )

With thefe awful words did our Bleffed
Saviour inftitutc Baptifm, asthefolemn Kite
by which He would have all mankind ad-
mitted into covenant with God, through hi3
Merits and atonement : and commifiioned
the Apoftles and their Suectilbrs in the
Church to admin ifter the fame. For, that
the commiihon was not confined to the per-
fons of the Apoftles only, but to extend to
their Succeffors, is evident, beeaufe our Sa-
.viour promifed, at the lame time, his prefence
and bieffing on the Miniftry to the end of
the world. " Lo! I am with you akray,
veen unto the end of the world?

Before we leave this important pall age, I
muft apprize you that the word we here find
rendered tenth, according to its true mean-
ing ihould be rendered make dijiiples of.
For want of attending to this, our tranila-
tors introduce a needlefs tautology, or re-
petition, in our Lord's words, which doth not
belong to them, u Co, teach all nations, bap-
tizing them and teaching them." Whereas
our Lord faith — "Go make difciples of all
nations, baptizing them, and teaching them.*
As if he had faid — The privileges of being
7 God's

( A )

God's people are no longer confined to the
nation of the Jews; go, therefore, and confer
them on thofe of all nations by baptizing
them, &c. I thought it neceffary to clear up
this point at fetting out, as this overfight of
ourTranflators hath been wrefted to counte-
nance a doctrine mo ft contrary to the na-
ture of the inftitution, and to the Spirit
of the Gofpel. — Now to proceed —

Baptifm being thus appointed, by our
Bleffed Redeemer, if any have, agreeably
in all points to the intent of this inftitu-
tion, been once admitted into the Gofpel
Covenant ; and had their title to all the Be-
nefits of ChrihYs Death and Paffion thus
fealed and confirmed, it muft be allowed by
all, there can be no neceffity to repeat it.
As far as externals go, our title once fealed,
is as good as it can be. Moreover, to re-
peat it is evidently not only unnecevTary
and abfurd, but wicked. It is to trifle with
the ordinance of Chrift, and in effect to
introduce into his Church a facrament
which Me hath not appointed.

But you have been told you were not at

firft admitted according to Curias Inftitu-

A 3 tiou

( o )

tion — You were fprinkled indeed with wa-
ter— but it was when you were an infant,
at a time when you knew not what was in-
tended by it; that you were not in a ca-
pacity to ftipulate any thing on your own
part, nor to apprehend by Faith the mer-
cies of God offered unto you in that Sa-
crament.— Befides, that the word baptize,
the principal word in the command, was
not complied with : that it does not mean
fprinkl'uig, but a total immerfion or dip-
ping over head and ears ; and that the
praclice of Chrift himfelf, and of his Apof-
tles, was always agreeable to fnch a mean-
ing.— The vanity of fiich objections will
cadly appear.

As to the words baptize and bapiifm,
they are greek words, and eonfequentiy
their meaning muft be fought in that lan-
guage. Now the moft approved Dictiona-
ries of the greek tongue mow that the
word Baptize figniries fimply to wajh. And
it is u fed in Scripture for xvafking of any
kind, and in inftances where there was cer-
tainly no immerfion.

Matt. iii. 11. " He Jhatt baptize you with
the Holy Gh oft \ and with Fire '," which pro-

mife

( 7 )

mife is applied (Ads i. 5.) to the fending
down of the Holy Ghoft in the fhape of
fiery tongues; and was fulfilled (Acts ii.
3.) when V there appeared unto the Apoftles
cloven tongues like as of Fire, and it fat upon
each of them. "

In St. Mark vii. 4. we read of thePhari-
fees, that when they come from the market,
except they wash (i. e. literally baptize them- \
felves) they eat not. Now the manner of waih-
jng, before meat, we know to have been not by
dipping, but by pouring water on the hands
(2 Kings iii. 11.) And, in the fame place of
St. Mark, we read of the waffling (baptifm)
of Brazen verTels and of Tables. (Heb. ix.
10.) of divers warnings (baptifms) under the
Law; fome of which were not by dipping,
but fprinkling (Numb. xix. 13, }$, &c.)

For the practice of Chrift and his Apof-
tles, 1 fee not how it can be collected that it
was certainly a total immerfion in any one
inftance : and there are feveral, in which it is
more than probable that it was not.

It is true Chrift was baptifed by John in

the river, and fo was the Eunuch by Philip ;

but the text doth not fay that either Chrift

A 4 or

( 8 )

of the Eunuch, or any one baptized either by
John or by Chart's Difciples were plunged
over head and ears. But allowing that it were
fo, the bare example in fuch a cafe could not
bind without a precept. Provided the cifen-
tials of a Sacrament arc preferred, the mere
mode of application, wntefc limited by a pofi-
tive reftriction, muft.be free. In matters of
this kind, what may be proper at one place,
and onetime, may in others become highly
improper, and even impoffiblc. At the begin-
ning*, Chriftians had no Churches with Fonts
in them; befides, the multitudes of people to
be baptized at one time, made it expedient to
go down to rivers, and places where were
many waters, as St. John did to /En on beyond
Salem; at which place, by the accounts of the
mof< creditable travellers, there are indeed
manyzcatcrSy a great number of fmall rivulets,
but fofhallow as hardly to reach to the ancles,
and therefore could not well anfwer the pur-
pole of dipping : but this by the bye. — In that
clrmatc, they might very well go to ponds and
rivers, for the purpofe ; but in this, it would
many times be attended with great danger.
In fome countries, they have fcarce water

enough

( 9 )

enough to drink, not a river nor a brook iti
many miles compafs. What mult be done
in fuch places ? Surely, dipping canot be ne-
ceffary; fince, if it were, none could be bap-
tized: and if not in fuch places, not effenti-
ally requifite any where ; for, no (ituation can
alter the effentials of a Sacrament. But if the
examples of Scripture are to be our rule in this
cafe, they mud have been clearly uniform;
whereas there are many baptifms recorded in
Scripture, which, from the circumflances of
the feveral cafes, could not in any reasonable
probability have been performed by dipping.

Acts ii. 41. We read of three thoufand
baptized in one day, and that in the city of
Jei ufalem, where water could not eafily have
been procured for the dipping of fo many.
. Befides which, it mull have taken up a much
longertime in the performance than oneday;
hardly lets than a week would have fuifked.

Read likewife the baptifm of Paul by Ana-
nias; (Acls ix. 18, 19, lJ0.) where from the
whole paffage it is next to certain that be was
baptized iu the lodging. Likewife in the
faouie of Cornelius, St. Peter's words, "can
" ami forbid water that theft jhould not be
A 5 "bap-

( io )

"baptized?" (A&s x. 47) imply certainly that
the Water was to be brought for the Bap-
tifm of the new Converts, and not that they
were to go out to the Water.

The fituation of St. Paul (Ads xvi. 37.)
renders it extremely improbable that he
ihould carry the jailer and all his family
out at the dead of night to a pond or river
to be baptized.

Thefe inftauees are fufficient to mow that
no conclusive argument can be drawn from
the cafes recorded in Scripture, that a total
immerfion is of abfolute neceifity to baptifm.

Neither is the fpiritual actor Grace figni-
fied by baptifm at all more lively reprefented
by dipping than fprinkling. — For if dipping
be faid to rep re fen t the total burial of the old
Man with the affections and lufts; and the
emerfion from the water, the being born
again and becoming a new creature : on the
other hand, the cleanfing of the Soul from the
guilt and filth of Sin, and putting axvay the
filth of the flcjh may be Sufficiently exprelfed
by fprinkling only. And we find accordingly
that this outward a 61 of baptifm, reprefenting
the inward ablution of the Soul, is in Holy
Scripture expte&ly ftyiefi fprinklmg.

Heb,

c;

( M )

Heb. ix. 13. "7%e? blood of bulls and
gents sprinkling the unclean J anciifeth
" to the purifying of the flejh. Heb. x. 22.
" Having our hearts sprinkled from an
" evil confience, and our bodies wafhed with
"pure water" 1 Pet. i. 2. " Through the
"fanciification of the Spirit and sprinkling
" the Blood of Jefus CkriJ."

I know, in the early ages of the Church, a
threefold immerfion was practifed pretty ge-
nerally, but as they had no precept for it
any more than we, their example cannot of
necefiity oblige us. And it mould be remem-
bered, that the Church of England prefcribes
dipping though it allows sprinkling; and
the latter is generally practifed, not to the
exclufion of the former, (which would always
be adminiftered if required ;) but only as in
all other refpecls a matter of indifference, and
for practice rather more convenient. More-
over, they who plead the authority of anti-
quity in this trilling inftance (which by the
by too was never practifed but with various
exceptions) cannot expect their plea flioukj
have much weight; feeing they thcmfelves
reject the conftant and uninterrupted prac-
A6 lice

( 12 )

ticc of the univerfal Church of Chrift, in a
point of much greater confequence, the
baptifm of Infants.

That the baptifm of Infants is perfectly
agreeable to the nature of the inftitution,
and to Scripture, I am now to fhow.

Baptifm, as hath been obferved, is the ap-
pointed rite of admifiion into covenant with
God, through the Merits of Chrift. By
fuch admifiion, we are removed out of that
ftate of nature, wherein we are born the chil-
dren of wrath, fubjeft to the doom of that
original Sin, which we inherit from our fir ft
parents; and are placed in a ftate of Grace
and Salvation and made heirs of the King-
dom of Heaven. Children are juft as capable
of this benefit, from baptifm, asperfons of ripe
age. Chrift hath no where excluded them;
for the words of the Inftitution are unlimited,
<; baptize all Nations" And he hath not only
exprerTcd his favour to them himfelf, but re-
commended little children as patterns to all
who fhall receive the Kingdom; they muft
therefore be themfelves in the fame capacity
to receive it as others; that is, by ufe of
the appointed means. Now that admifiion by
baptifm is generally neceffary to the Salvation

of

( 13 )

of all, ChrinYs own words fuftlcicntly prove,
" Unit fs one be born of water and of the Spirit
u he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God."
(John iii. 5.) I know our Tranilation reads
"except a man be born, &c.:" and the
Anabaptifts have argued from thence that
none but a grown man fhould be baptized.
But the word man is not in the original.

Obferve, I fay that Baptifm is generally
neceffary to the falvation of all : but we are
not thence to conclude, that all who die with-
out Baptifm, are configned to eternal mifery.
We may in charity believe that God doth
and will fave thoufands of fuch. But al-
though He is not tied to his own ordinances,
We are: and parents are guilty of an hein-
ous crime before God, who in contempt of
Chriffs command take not care for their
childrens baptifm, thereby depriving them
of the ordinary remedy of that original ma-
lady, in which they are conceived and born.

That God himfelf judges infants capable
of being admitted into Covenantwith him, is
undeniable, from his own appointment of cir-
cumcifion to be performed the eighth day.
They who wifli to tniflcad you will lay, I
know, 4i Show us a like command for bap*

" tifm,

( H )

" tijm, and we will be fatisfied. " You may tell
them that the command of Chrift is general
"baptize all nations'" and to juftify their
practice, it is incumbent on them to mow that
infants are exprefsly excluded. 'Till they do
this, their conduct is no better than prefump-
tion and blafphemy. For, all the arguments
they can produce againft the propriety of
infant-baptifm not only proceed on falfe
grounds, but if they prove any thing, muft
conclude as ftrongly againft the propriety
of Infant-Circumfion as of infant-baptifm.
But God hath determined otherwile, and
they make themfeives wifer than God. Cir-
cumcifion was the leal of the felf-fame co-
venant, as baptifm is; that Covenant of Pro-
mi fe, which to Abraham was confirmed of
God in Chrift, and which the Law that was
added, four hundred and thirty years after-
wards, could not difannul (Gal. iii. 17.)
Shall we fay then, that they which were of
the Seed of Abraham, according to the Flefli,
were capable of being entitled to the blefTed-
nefs of theGofpel; but they who are the
feed of Abraham according to the promife,
his children as he is Father of the faithful

arc

( 15 )

are in no better ftate than idolaters and in-
fidels? this finely is to make thofe unclean
and common, which the Apoftle calleth holy
(1 Cor. vii. 14.) ^ el few ere your children an-
i( clean but now are they holy." How could
they be holy, but by the Grace of God? and
if they have that, or are capable of it, who can
deny water that they Jhould not he baptized ?

Had our Saviour laid " Go and difciple
or profelyte all nations and circumcife them,"
none will pretend that in that cafe infants
ought to be excluded. What reafon then can
there be that the milder ordinance of bap-
tifm, when appointed for the fame purpofe,
fhould be denied them? Circumcifion, it may
be laid, was known to the Jews, and had from
the firft been performed upon infants. — Nei-
ther was baptifm a new Tnftitution : as ap-
pears by that queftion of the Jews to John
the Baptift " Why baptizeft thou then if
thou be not that Chrift nor Elias" (John i.
25.) The truth is that baptifm was con-
ftant.ly praCtiied by the Jews from the time
of Mofes. For they baptized as well as cir-
cumcifed every profelyte, that came over to
them from the nations. And this baptifm,

k

( 16 )

It has been lliown by thofe belt fellled in
jcwifli cuftoms, was adminiftercd to in-
fants as well as grown perfons. It is further
remarkable with regard to the jewiih bap-
tifm of profclytes, that it was 'called ttew
birth, regeneration, or being born again,
which mews that the chriftian baptifm, to
which the fame terms are applied, was derived
from thence. This mode of ad million our Sa-
viour retained, as on many accounts better
adapted to the fpirit and defign of the Gof-
pel, than circumcihon. " lie took it into his
" hands" (fays a learned Author) S( fiiek as
" he found it; adding only this, that he eu-
fi alted it t& a nobler purpofe, and a larger
<; life." It is therefore reafonable to imagine
that fuchas it was in the jewifli church, fuch
it would continue in the chriftian, unlefs
where a fpecial alteration were prefcribed :
efpecially as the perfons, to whom it was firft
committed were thcmfelves Jews; and would
at leaft praelife it in all cafes that the Jews
did, and confequently extend it to infants.
An infant, we all allow, may have tem-
poral privileges, and an intereft in temporal
eftatcs conferred upon him, by legal wri-
tings,

( I? )

tings, and forms, and feals. Thefe, I arn
fure, you would not withhold from your
children. Much lefe mould you be willing
to deny them that feal which conveys unto
them a title to an inheritance in Heaven,
that fadeth not away.

You may ftill be told, that, whatever be the
reafons one way or other, the Apoftles, who
tfiQuld be our only guides in fuch a practice,
actually baptized no infants. The contrary
of this atTertion is probable from what is faid
above ; but will be ftill more evident from
fcripture fads. The Apoftles baptized whole
families; that of Lydia (Ac~ts xvi. J 5.) that
of the Jailor (Aels xvi. 33.) that of Stepha-
nas (1 Cor. i. 16\) Surely, it is hardly to be
credited, that in all thefe families, there were
no children. And, if there were any, and the
Apoftlehad not baptized them, he would have
made the exception, as he doth in a like cafe
(] Cor. i. 14.) " IthankGod, I baptized none
u of you but Or if pus and Gains. I baptized
1 ' alfo the houjhold of Stephanas. " The Apof-
tle doth not here except fucklingsand chil-
dren, where his argument required that he
ihould, if they had been in fact omitted. And

in

( 18 )

in the cafe of the jailor, it is faid, that he and
all that belonged to him, all his, were bap-
tized. But that the Practice of infant-

baptifm was actually derived to us from the
Apoftles, may be collected from teftimonies
immediately fubfequent to the times, in
which they lived. I ihall mention only two
inftanees of unqueftionable authority.

Juilin Martyr, in his Apology, takes occa-
fion to fay that * ' there were among Chriftians,
" at that time, many per fons of both fares, fome
li Jixty, fame feventy years old, who had been
V made difaiples to Chrijl from their irt-
"fancy" Now he wrote this apology about
the year of our Lord 140. Therefore, thofc
perfons, whom he fpeaks of, as baptized fixty
or feventy years before, in their infancy, mull;
have been baptized in the fir ft age, while
fome of the Apoftles were yet living.

At the fame time with Juilin Martyr, lived
Irenaeus Biihopof Lyons, who (it hath been
proved) was born at the end of the firft cen-
tury, about the year 97: and was a difciple
of Polycarp, who was a difciple of St.
John. About the year of our Lord 17$, he
wrote. his book againlt herefies, when he was

himfelf

( 19 )

himfelf near 80 years old, and muft needs be
a competent judge of the Church's fenfe
and practice in this point, during the fecond
century. "The ordinary zvay of being freed
"from original fin (he fays) is baptifm, which
u is our regeneration (or new birth) unto
" God." And this he exprefsly affirms to be
adminiftered to children, as well as adult
perfons, ".For," fays he, "Cfuijl came to fare
" all perfons by Himfelf, all I fay who by him
" are regenerated unto God, infants, and
" little ones, and children, and youths and
" elder perfons," Now Irenaeus had before
told us that baptifm is our regeneration
unto God, all, therefore, whom he here men-
tions, as regenerated unto God, muft have
been baptized.

Thus much may ferve to prove beyond dis-
pute that infant-baptifm was an apoftolical
practice, and is derived to us without inter-
miflion from the Apoftles themfelves.

That from the time of Irensus above
quoted, it was the uniform practice of the
Church till the reformation, is evident from
the mod authentic records of the acts and
councils of the Church during that period.

After

( 20 )

After the reformation, all the protectant
Churches, however they might differ in other
points, agreed in the continuance of mfkiit-
baptifm : one fe6t only excepted of mean
and turbulent enthufiafts, whofe doctrines
■were blafphemy, and their lives a continued
feries of the mod flagitious crimes. Thefe
were the original Anabaptifls. And the peo-
ple, who would thus miflead you, are thofe
who inherit the name, and in this inftance
the doctrine and practice of thefe men. I
hope in God they have abandoned all the
reft of their abominations, which were indeed
blots in the reformation, and a difgrace to
human nature. Shall the defcendants of
fuch men rife up in oppofition to the whole
Church of God, and charge it with impiety
and profanation of the Sacraments? — Let
me caution you again ft them, that they may
not deceive you to the hazard of your pre-
cious fouls, making you indeed blafphcme
the ordinance of Chrift and deny to your
dear babes the fcal of their redemption.

But betides that it cannot be delayed with-
out danger, preemption and impiety, the
practice of baptizing in infancy is attended

with

( 21 )

with very beneficial confequences. By this
means, an additional obligation is laid by the
Church feu* the bringing up of children fo
dedicated to God, in the ways of his Laws,
and the works of hkj commandments. More
over, all fuch fhameful and fcandalous ne-
glcels of baptifm, and delays in the admi-
niftration, arc prevented, as would otherwife
mo ft certainly arife in the Church. Were
pcrfons wholly left to thcmfelves, there
would be much difficulty to bring many to
baptifm, efpecially ata time, when they would
be moil ftrongly folicited by the allurements
of the world, and the violence of their own
inordinate paffions. How averfe men in ge-
neral are to fo drift and fpiritual an engage-
ment, is but too evident from the difficulty
there often is to perfuade them to come to
the Lord's Supper. But when the engage-
ment is laid upon them in their Infancy, and
they are brought up with a due fenfe of the
obligation upon thcmfelves, they come into
the world with great advantage, and an ad-
ditional fecurity againft the firft encroach-
ments of Sin from the checks of their own
Conference, continually reminding them of

the

( 22 )

the folemn engagement they are under.—
Let none, therefore, I entreat you, perfuade
jou to deny your children this benefit, to
turn out your dear lambs, without their
Lord's mark, open, to be feized and branded
by the watchful enemy of their falvation.
Keep them, and yourfelves, rather within the
fold of that Church, where, under Chrift the
great Shepherd, your fpiritual fafety is pro-
vided for by the wifdom and piety of as wife
and pious men as have lived upon earth, fince
the days of the Apoftlcs. And the advantage
of what they planned and eftablifhed is now
confirmed by the experience of ages. — Here
you are admitted into covenant with God
by baptifm, foon after you are born, in the
mod decent and folemn manner, amidft the
prayers of a devout congregation. — Here
every means are provided for your proper in-
ftrucHon in the nature of the engagement
you are under; and at fuch time as you are fo
inftruc~ted, you are directed to acknowledge
yourfelf, in the moft awful manner, to be
bound by the Vow made for you by others
at your Baptifm. Here too aconftant and re-
gular public worihip is prefcribed, and pious
4- prayers

( 23 )

prayers provided, wherein all may join with
their heart and undei (landing ; which can-
not be the cafe, where thev have no thins: to
direct them hut the efTufionsand raptures of
a heated imagination. Such xvorjhip (if it
can be called worjfiip) may be downright
madnefs in fome, but in the reft it mud; be
grimace and hypocrify. Men may and ought
to devife prayers fuitable to their own parti-
cular fit nation and circumftances, in private :
but our public relation to each other, and to
the Church of Chrift, is continually and in-
variably the fame ; the fubjiance of our pub-
lic wormip and addreffes, therefore, rauft be
continually the fame too. It is abfurd then
to fay that the form need be varied, efpe-
cially fince if the form be known and agreed
on by all, all may join in it with fervour and
devotion. By the bleffing of God, the Church
of England is at this day in polfeffion of a
Form of Prayer as near perfection as I be-
lieve any human computation ever was. —
But to proceed. — In this Church, care is
taken that you ihall hear conftantly the pure
word of God, and that it ihall be expounded
to you in fobriety and truth. The other

Sacrament

( 24 )

Sacrament too of the Body and Blood of
Chi ill is duly and rightly adminiftered.- And
laftly a regular miniftry is appointed, moil
agreeable to the institution of the Apoilles
themfelves, under t[ie ftricleft engagements
to watch over your ibuls with diligence and
integrity, and guide you, as much as in them
lieth, in the way of peace and falvation. In
inch a Church, if your fouls are not fafe, they
can be fafe no where. — Do not, therefore, for
Chriffs fake, and as you value your own eter-
nal happinefs, do not forego fuch advan-
tages to follow whom and what ye know not.
May the God of all truth keep you in
the way of truth, in the knowledge and
love of Jefus Chrift, in due reverence and
obfervance of his ordinances, in unity, of'
fpirit, in the bond of peace and in righte-
oufnefs of life ; and finally bring you to
eveiiafting joy, through the fame Jefus
Chrift our Saviour, who with the Father
and the Holy Ghoftliveth and reigncth one
God, blevTed for ever. Amen.

FINIS.
L*w and Gilbert, Printer* St. John's Square, Clcrkcnwell.

A

PRACTICAL EXPOSITION

ON THE OFFICES OF

BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION;

AND ON THE

COMMUNION SEPiVICE

OF THE

CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

AS PRESCRIBED BY THE

BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER.

BEING THE

SUBSTANCE OF EIGHT SERMONS, PREACHED AT

THE CHAPEL AT IIIGHGATE, IN MIDDLESEX.

TO WHICH ARE ANNEXED

PRAYERS and DEVOTIONS

SUITABLE TO THOSE SUBJECTS.

By EDWARD YARDLEY, B. D.

ARCHDEACON OF CARDIGAN

THE SECOND EDITION,

PRINTED FOR F. C. AND J. RIVINGTONj

Biwkjellers to the Society for Promoting Ckri/t'an Knowledge,

NO. 623 ST. TAUL'S CHURCH-YARD ;

1810.

and Gilbert, Printers, St. John** Square, Lcn<3<m>

THE

PREFACE.

IT will be wholly needlefs to fpend
Time in proving to the Members of the
Proteftant Church of England, to whom
thefe Difcourfes are addreffed, the Obli-
gations they are under to have a com-
petent Knowledge of thofe Offices of
Devotion of which our Public Service
confifts.

The Administration of the Two Sa-
craments instituted by our bleffed Lord,
and th? Order of the ApoStolical Rite
of Confirmation, are of fuch interesting
Concern to every one of us, that it is
hardly pardonable in any to be wholly
ignorant of what is therein tranikcted
between Gou and us, for our Spiritual
and internal Advantage,

Baptiftr*

iv PREFACE.

Baptifm is the Sacrament by which
we are admitted into the Church of
Christ, and therefore is never to be
repeated. And as we are but once
baptized, and moft of us received that
Sacrament whilft we were in our Infant
State, when we were incapable to under-
stand either the Promifes which were
then made in our Names, or the Benefits
which we then became intitled to; this
Sacrament is ordered to be administered,
as often as may be, publicly in the
Church; to the End that we may be
frequently reminded of our own Duty9
and of the Heavenly Bleffings which
were then conferred on us.

Hence arifeth the Neceflity of under-
ftanding aright that holy Office of our
Church, that whenever we are prefent
at the Reception of any into the Church
by Baptifm, we may not fland as mere
idle Spectators, or Witneffes to the nam-
ing of a Child, but may ferioufly recol-
8 - left

PREFACE. r

left and renew the Promifes which were
made on our Behalf when we ourfelves
were baptized, and the Happinefs which,
upon the Performance of thofe Promifes,
will infallibly accrue to us.

Thofe who were baptized in their In-
fancy, and had Sureties to engage for
them, are ordered, when they come of
Age, to take thefe Engagements on
themfelves, and in their own Perfons to
promife the Performance of them in the
Prefence of the Bifhop ; and to this End
the Church hath provided the Office of
Confirmation: And therefore the Necef-
fity of underftanding this, as well as the
Office for Baptifm,. muft appear plain-
and evident..

What hath been find- in this Treatife

on Baptifm and Confirmation is the Sub»-

ftance of Four Sermons lately preached,

and now firft preiented to the Public.

a What

vi PREFACE.

What followeth under the Title of The
Rational Communicant^ contains Foufc
Discourses, formerly publifhed, with
the Addition of feveral Notes, attempt-
ing to (hew the Agreement of our pre-
fent Communion Service with the an-
cient Liturgies \ and of an Euchariftical
Office, taken chiefly from thofe venerable
Remains of primitive Chriftianity.

As the Author modeftly hopes the
former Edition hath, through God's
Blefling, done fome Good, he is encou*
raged to reprint it in a fmaller Form*
that the Cheapnefs of the Book may be
a means of its being more widely dif-
perfed, and thereby come into the Hand!
of the greater Number.

In order to reduce the Treatife to this
Size, the Notes are many of themL6mitted7
efpecially fuch as were intended only to
fatisfy the learned Readers ; and thofe

which

preface: vii

which were thought necefiary to be re-
tained, -are thrown into the Tex", that
they may neither be neglected as ufele£f
nor caufe any Interruption in the Courfe
of Reading,

The Deiign of all thefe Difcourfes is,
to inform the pious Chriftians in the true
Senfe and Meaning; of the Sacred Offices?
and to direct their Zeal anc\ Devotion to
that Decency and Propriety of Beha-
viour which the feveral Parts thereof
juftly require of them. And it is hoped
that the Prayers which are added, taken
from Authors of great Piety, may be
of Spiritual Benefit to thofe who are
deftitute of other Helps of the fame Na-
ture.

i STENTS,

CONTENTS.

Of BAPTISM,

Page

QF Public Baptlfm, - r 1» &c*

Of Private Baptlfm; - - 28-

Qf Baptlfm of thofe of riper Fears, - •* S4

Of CONFIRMATION, - 40

A Prayer on Baptlfm, - - - 50

^' Prayer and Thankf giving on ditto r 4 - 52

jf Prayer hefore Confirmation, — - 5 3

A Prayer after Confirmation, - -55

The RATIONAL COMMUNICANT,. 57
Communion Service, - - - 6 fe

7/f>* Three Creeds., - - - 74

Offertory, - .... 79

Exhortation and Invitation, - - 85

Confeffion and Ahfolutlon, - - 85

Eucharlfllcal Suffrages, - - - 92

Confecratlon of the Elements, * - 97

Difirlbutlon and Reception, - - L02

Poft Communion, - - - 108

Application of the whole, - - - 1 1 *•

.4 £//? of Books fait able to the Subjecls treated of

in this IVork, - - - 122

yfo Eucharlfiical Office, conftfling of Prayers,

Meditations, and Thaukfgivings, 19.5 to the End*

AN

EXPOSITION

ON THE

OFFICES*

OF

BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION.

OF BAPTISM.

Matthew xxviii. 19, 20.

Go ye therefore, and teach all Nations ", baptizing
them in the Name of the Father, and nf the
Son, and cf the Holy Ghojl : teaching them to
ahferve all Things whatsoever I have com-
manded you : And lo, I am with you alzvay,
even unto the End of the World.

THE Evangelist Sc Matthew having given
us a large Account of the Birth and
Circumciilon, the Preaching and the Mira-
cles, the Crucifixion and the Refurrect i<jn
of the BleiTed Jesus, concludes his Gbfpel
with relating the folemn Manner in which.
he inftituted the holy Sacrament of Bapttfrn.
He tells us, that when the Eleven A^oities
B were

2 An Expofition gh the Offices

were gathered together, according to th«
Appointment of their Matter, jefus came, and
/pake unto them , faying. All Power is given
unto me in Heaven and in Earth, ver. 18. As
if he had faid, I havefinifhed the Work which
my Father gave me to perform ; I have con-
flicted and built a Church which I have pur-
chaled with my own Blood; I was obedient
unto Death, but now Death is fwaliowed up
in Victory ; I am rifen from the Dead, and
have triumphed over the Grave, and am by
God the Father exalted to be a Prince and a
Saviour; He hath given all Things into my
Hands, and my Power is unlimited and unre-
ftrained ; all Things both in Heaven and Earth
obey my Will, and as an Act of this Autho-
rity, As my Father hath fent me, tvtnfofend
I you, and give you, by Virtue of the follow-
ing Commiffion, Power to make Difciples, and
in my Name lo admit them into the Church :
What ye ihall do herein according to my ln-
ftitution, I will ratify and confirm your Act,
for Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the End
§f the World ; Go ye therefore, and teach all
Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft.

The Word Baptfm implies dipping or
plunging in Water, or fprinkiing or wafhing
with it; and as the Element of Water hath a
natural Property of cleanling, (6 this hath very
anciently been ufed both by Jews ami Gentiles
as a Sacred Rite to fignify inward Purification,
and the wafhing away of Crimes and Guilt ;

and

of Baptifm and Confirmation. 3

and to this the Jews introduced another ufe of
Baptifm, and be fides Circumcifion, adopted it
as a Ceremony at the Initiation of Members
into their Church. After this, John, the Fore-
runner of the Meffiah, in order to prepare the
way for the Reception of the Gofpel, did in
the River Jordan adminifter the Baptifm of
Repentance. The Jews then, being accuf-
tomed to this Rite, did not look upon it as a
new or uncouth Ceremony, when our Lord
exalted ic into a perpetual Sacrament for the
Admiffion of Members into his Church.

All the Eflentials of Baptifm were pointed
©ut by the Founder of our holy Religion, and
thefe were to remain without any Alteration :
But as to other Circumftances relating to the
Adminiftration, He hath left the Church at
Liberty to order fuch Ceremonies as fhallfeem
fitted to the State and Condition fhe is at any
time in ; and to make fuch Orders in relation
to the Manner of adminiftring this Sacrament,
which, though they are in themfelves indif-
ferent, yet it becomes our Duty to comply
with them, becaufe fhe prefcribes them.

The Primitive Churches were not without
their Forms for the decent and folemn Admi-
niftration of this Rite ; and the Church of Eng-
land hath not been wanting in making the fame
Provifion; and hath in her Common Prayer
Book inferted three feveral Offices for the Mi-
niftration of Bap.ifm, to be ufed according to
her Direction. One of them is for the Sake
of fuch whom the ancient Church ftiled Adultsy
B 2 who

4 An Evpofition on the Offices

who were of Riper Years, and were come to
the Ufe of* their Reafon, and capable of an-
fwering for themfelves when they came to be
Baptized. The other two are for the Ufe of
Infants^ one of them to be performed in the
Church j and the other in Private Houfes, out
of Companion to fuch Children, whofe Health
will not permit them to be carried out of Doors.
As all our Offices of Religion ought to be
well underwood by thofe who join in them,
that their Zeal may be well guided, and their
Behaviour iuitaby and properly directed -, and
with this View the Communion Office hath been
already explained, a.> being a Service which
every good Chnftian ought frequently to be
prefect at: So the B 'apt ijma I Office will require
the fame 1 \iins, though it be but once ufed in
Behalf of cve;y Member of our Church, and
his Baptifm is never to be repeated. For as
tothofc Few whowert Baptized fi nee they came
to \ t a or Difc retion, and anfwered for then-i-
ll I- ^ it is very fit that in attending to the
"Baptifm of others, they Ihould be remindedof
tlv: T i ngs tney tnemfelvea promifed, and of
the Engag< menrs they entered into, which it
is thri; bounden Duty to comply with. And
as the far greatcft Part of us were Baptized
in our tender Age, when we knew neither the
B&hefits o;. this Sacrament, nor the Vows and
Pro; piles which tfte charitable Care of our God-
fa.- Godmothers made for us, and in

ovi Names undertook that we ihouid Perform
them -, io it is exceeding ufetul for us ferioufly

to

of Baptifm a fid Confirmation, 5

to liften to the Baptifmal Service whenever it
is performed, and to confider the Advantages
we are entitled to from having received that
Sacrament, and the Obligations which from
thence we are bound to fulfil.

In order therefore to make this divine Ser-
vice the better undtrftood, I /hall proceed to
a Practical Explanation of The Miniftration of
Public - B apt if in of Infants, to be ujed in the
Church, This is the Title it bears in tht Com-
mon Prayer Book; and this will remind us to
make two Obfervations. Firfty That &i" Law-
fulnefs of Infant Baptifm is maintained by our
Church, who in her twenty-it venth Article of
Religion declares, that it ought to " be re-
" tamed in the Church, as melt agreeable with
" the Inilitution of ChriuV' and hath here fur--
nifhed us with a peculiar Office Tor the Mmi-
flration of it. The Baptizing of Infantb is no
novel Practice, but was in ufe in the Primitive
Church : And certainly when our Lord com-
manded his Apoftles to Baptize all Nations,
He would have exprefsly forbid the Baptizing
of Infants, if he had meant that they mould
be excluded ; but as he hath not, his Pcrmif-
fion mult be underfbood, and even i.jfants
comprehended under the Term of all Natk-ns,
Baptifm fucceeded in the Room of Circumci-
fion, and thofe who were then capable of the
one, are undoubtedly now qualified for the
ether. If Children of eight Days old were fit
to enter into Covenant with God by Circumci-
fion, no Reaibn can be given why Infants
B 3 ihould

6 An Erpq/ition en the Offices

ffiould at any Time be debarred from enter-
ing into Covenant with God by Baptifm : Nor
is it any newThingfor Children or Minors to
agree to, and Fromife thofe Things by their
Guardians or Sureties, which thcmfelves arc
not able either to underftand or perform at the
Time in which they enter into that Engage-
ment.

A fecond Obfervation is, That this Office is
intended to be ufed only in the Church ; and
therefore whenever this Public Service is ufed
in any other Place, the Defign of the Church
is oppofed, who hath provided another Office
for Private Ufe. But I mall dtkr entering far-
ther on this Topic, until I come to conlidex
that other Form.

After the Title there follow fome Rubrics'
of Direction, i. Though, " if Neceffity fo
cc require, Children may be Baptized on any
" Day, yet the People are to be admoniihed,
<c that it is moil: convenient that Baptifm fhould
" not be adminiftred but upon Sundays and
rc other Holy-days, when the moil Number
<c of People come together ; as well for that
cc the Congregation there prefent may teftify
" the receiving of them that be newly Bap-
u tized into the Number of Christ's Church ;
" as alfo becaufe in the Baptifm of Infants
cc every Man prefent may be put in Remcm-
<c brance of his own Profeffion made to God
cc in his own Baptifm ; for which Caufe alfo
<f it is expedient that Baptifm be miniftered
" in the Vulgar Tongue/'

2. Cf There

<yf Baptifm and Confirmation. 7

£. fC There (ball be for every Male Child
" to be Baptized, two Godfathers and one
M Godmother j and for every Female, one
" Godfather and two Godmothers." It will
interfere lefs with the Explanation of the Of-
fice, if I here fpeak of this Inftitution ; which
feems to be borrowed from the Jews, who
formerly did, and even now do require Spon-
fors to anfwer for thofe who are to be Cir-
cumcifed. Baptifm is a Covenant, wherein on
one Side God promiieth to convey Pardon
and Grace, and expects that Man mould, on
his Part, promife Faith and Obedience : And
fo when Infants, not yet arrived at the Ufe of
their Speech or their Reafon, are Baptized, it
becomes necefTary for fome other Perfons to
lend their charitable AfTiftance, and to under-
take in the Name of fuch Infants for the Per-
formance of their Part of the Covenant,

In the firft Ages of Chriftianity this Cuftom
was introduced into the Church ; and then in-
deed there was efpecial need of it : For if thofe
who were related to, and had the Care of any
Child which was Baptized, were, by the Per-
miflion of Providence, taken off by Perfec-
tion ; — or if, through y their own Frailty they
fell from the Faith, and revolted to Heathenifrn
for fear of Perfeeutionj — in thefe Cafes the
Church had ftill in referve fome who had fo-
lemnly engaged themfelves to fee the Children
brought up in the Faith and Fear of Christ.
And as the Cafe (lands now with us, confider-
ing the Coldnefs and IndirTerency of mod Peo-
B4 pie

8 An Expojition on the Offices

pic in Affairs of Religion, the Ignorance which
incapacitates fome Parents, and the wicked •
Slothfulnefs which hinders others from Inftrucl-
ing; it from hence becomes very fit, that
ibme other Perfons, be fides the Parents, fhould
promife to overlook the religious Education of
the Children to be Baptized. The Parents are
already bound by an inviolable Law to pro-
mote the Spiritual, as well as the Temporal
Happinefs of their Children ; and therefore
they are not admitted as Sponfors in Baptifm,
but the Church requires this from others, as
a fupernumerary Security. If the Parents of
the Children take all poffible Care to give them
a virtuous and religious Education, the Sureties
are then tafed of their Charge : But if the Pa-
rents umit this \\ — if tht Children have the
Misfortune to loft their Parents, and to be left
Orphans 5 — if they take to ill Courfes, and
neglect the Duties of Religion; — in thefe Cafes,
Godfathers and Godmothers are obliged to exert
themfelves, and to remind them what a folemn
Vow, Promife and Profefiion was made in their
Name atBaptifm ; for they have a Sort of Pa-
ternal Right to aumoniin, exhort and rebuke
thofe for whom they are Sponfors. If this kind
of Guardianfhip be thought by any to be too
great a Burden, let them remember, that as
foon as the Child is come to Years of Difcre-
tion, and is inftrucled in the firft Principles of
Chriflianity, they may clifcharge the Obligation,
and quit themfelves of the Truft, by bringing
the young Perfon to thcBifhop to be Confirmed

bj

of Baptifm and Confirmation. 9

by him, and to take upon himfelf th'ofe Vows
which his Sureties formerly made in his Name.

3. The next Rubric enjoins the giving de-
cent and timely Notice of a Chriftening to the
Miniftcr, either cf ever Night or before the
C( beginning of Morning Prayer ;" and that
when he hath " appointed" the Time of the
Day, they are all, immediately after the laft
LefTon, " to be ready at the Font," where
<c Pure Water" is to be provided for the Per-
formance of this facred Rite. Water is the
Element appointed by our Saviour as an
EiTential, without which the Sacrament cannot
be adminiitred j and it ought to be cc Pure,"
both in regard to Decency, and to the fpi-
ritual Signiricancy of it, as employed to wafh.
away Sins. The Apoftles and Primitive Chrif-
tians Baptized in Ponds and Rivers, and in
any Place which had Water convenient; but
when the Empire became Chriftian,. and
Churches were built for the Worfhip of
Christ, Baptifteries were joined to them, or
Fonts (receiving their Name from the Foun-
tains or Springs formerly ufed for the fame
Purpofe) were fet up at the Entrance of them,
to fignify by their Situation the Admiffion of
Members into the Church by Baptifm.

The Time being now come, and every thing,
ready for the Celebration, the Prieft, who un-
der the Bifhop, and by Authority derived from
him, is the proper and ordinary Minilter of
Baptifm, or the Deacon^ as his Deputy or A£-
iiftantj fianding at the Font is to enquire whe •
B 5 cher

10 An Expofithn on the Offices

ther cf this Child hath already been Baptized,
"or no?" The Rcafon of this Queftion is
founded upon this Chriftian Maxim, that Bap-
tifm is never to be repeated. There is but
<c one Lord, one Faith, one Baptifm," Epb.
iv. 5. As we are by that Sacrament admitted
into the Church of Christ, the very Nature
of it fhews that it ought to be but once admi-
niftred. Circumcifion under the Law, and Bap-
tifm under the Gofpel, were inftituted as Sa-
craments by which Men were to enter into Co-
venant with God; and if through Malice or
Frailty they afterwards break his Covenant,
they were not to be re-entered by thofe Rites,
but other Means were provided whereby they
might be reconciled to God, without being
Circumcifed or Baptized again : And thus in
the Nicene Creed we profefs to believe Cf one
<f Baptifm for the Remiffion of Sins." If
indeed this Rite mould be adminiftred in any
other Manner than that in which our Lord
inftituted it, and any of the EfTentials of Bap-
tifm mould be omitted, it then ceafeth to be a
Sacrament, it is of no Value or Efficacy, and
the Perfon in Behalf of whom this vain Cere-
mony was ufed, is obliged to receive the true
Chriftian Baptifm, attended with all its effential
Parts. Neither is this Rebaptization or a Re-
petition of the Sacrament, becaufe the other
was not according to the Inftitution of Christ,
and fo no Baptifm.

If the Minifter, upon Enquiry, is informed
that the Child hath not been already Baptized,

he

ofBaptifin and Confirmation* 11

he then begins the Office with a Preface, in
which is declared that "ail Men are conceived
ce and born in Sin, and none can enter into the
<f Kingdom of God, except he be regenerate
** and born anew of Water and of the Holy
£f Ghost j" and therefore he defires the Con-
gregation fC to call upon God through Christ,
" that he will grant to this Child that Thing
<c which by Nature he cannot have, that he
cc may be Baptized with Water and the Holy
<c Ghost, and received into Christ's holy
Cf Church, and be made a lively Member of
Cf the fame." Then, after the ufual Invita-
tion, " Let us Pray," follow two devout Pray-
ers: The former of them commemorates God's
Mercy in " faving Noah and his Family ia
u the Ark from perifhing by Water, and in
(c fafeiy leading the Children of IJrael through
* the Red Sea,'' which were two remarkable
Types of Baptifm; and alfo the Baptifm of
his Beloved Son, who thereby did cc fanctify
<c Water to the myftical warning away of Sin;"
and then God is befought c< mercifully to look
cf upon the Child, to wafh him and fanclify
" him with the Holy Ghost, that he being
(f delivered from Wrath, may be received into
" the Ark of Christ's Church, and being
" ftedfaft in Faith, joyful through Hope, and
cc rooted in Charity, may fo pafs the Waves.
" of this troublefome World, that finally he
4C'may come trothe Land of everlafting Life.*
All here is fo eafy to the meaneft Chriftian^,
that it needeth no Explanation; only thus
B 6 muck

12 An Evpofifion on the Offices

much iruft be remembred, that every one in
the Consecration ought devoutly to join in
this and all the other Prayers, andtofhew their
Piety, their Zea. and their Charity, in inter-
ceding tor die Child or Children here offered
to G d, that they may effectually receive all
the Benefits annexed to this holy Saerament.

■ The next Prayer, by the moft awful and
prevailing Titles, begs of God, that " the In-
<f fant coming to his holy Baptifm, may receive
<c Remiffion of Sins by Spiritual Regenera-
" tion; that God, according to his Promife,
" would give to thofe who afk, let them that
cc feek find, and open the Gate unto them
<c that knock; that this Infant may enjoy the
<{ everlafting Benediction of his heavenly Wafh-
<c ing, and come to his eternal Kingdom."
What is meant here by Spiritual Regeneration
requires to be fpoken to; to " be regenerate
iC and born anew of Water/' are in the Be-
ginning of this Office fpoken of as the fame
Thing ; cc the Inward and Spiritual Grace,"
conveyed to us in this Sacrament, is by our
Church Catechifm faid to be cc a Death unto
cf Sin, and anew Birth unto Righteoufnefs; for
" being by Nature born in Sin, and the Chil-
iC drc'n of Wrath, we are hereby made the
" Children of Grace." " We are buried with
€< Christ by Baptifm into Death, that like
■J as Christ was raifed up from the Dead
<c by the Glory of the Father, even fo we
" fhould walk in Newnefs of Life." Rom..
y'u 4. And the fame St Paul ftiles Baptifm
l « the

ofBaptifm and Confirmation. 13

<c the Warning of Regeneration;" Tit. iii. J.
becaufe in Baptifm the Holy Spirit works in
us a Change fomethinglike a new Birth, tranf-
lating us from a natural State in jidam^ to a
fpiritual State in Christ; both the Water
and the Spirit at the fame Time concurring to
this new Birth : For as we are but once born
into our natural Life, io we are but once born
into our Spiritual or Chriftian Life: We are
but once Baptized, and once Regenerated -y —
Regenerated at the very Time when we are
Baptized. This is the Language of Scripture,
thus this Term was applied by the antient Fa-
thers, and thus it is ufed by our Church : So
that to fpeak of a Chriftian's being Regene-
rated in any other Stage of his Life ; or to ap-
ply the Term of Regeneration or new Birth,
to the turning from a iapfed State to a State of
Holinefs, — to that Renovation, Amendment
or Renewal of the Heart of Man, which is the
Duty of a Chriftian, and which the Word of
God exhorts us to acquire, — to make it fignify
Converfion or Repentance -, is, if there were
no worfe Confequences attending it, mixing
and confounding of diflinct Notions, mifap-
plying Scripture Phrafes, and abufing the an-
cient and known Language of the Church-
After this Prayer is ended, the Minifter
reads that Portion of the Gofpel by St. Mark,.
in which is related the kind Reception wnich
little Children met with from the BleiTed Je-
sus ; and then he is ordered to make*" a brief
" Exhortation on the Words" which he hath

read 5

14 An Ejpofition on the Offices

read; obferving to the People that " Christ
(C commanded horde Children to be brought
cc unto him -, how he blamed thofe that would
cf have kept them from him ; how he exhort-
<c eth all Men to follow their Innocency; how
Cf he declared his Good-will towards them, by
cc Embracing them, Laying his Hands upon
cc them, and BlefTing them :" Hence we ought
to believe that he will be equally indulgent
towards this prefent Infant, and favourably
allow die charitable Work of thofe who bring
him to Baptifm : And upon this he begins a
Thankfgiving to Almighty God, for having
u vouch fafed to call us 10 the Knowledge of
cc his Grace, and Faith in him," begging that
he would Cf increafe this Knowledge, and con-
ct firm this Faith in us evermore, and give
tc his Holy Spirit to this Infant, that he may
" be born again, and be made an Heir of
€C everlading Salvation, through our Lord
ce Jesus Christ."

Next follows an Addrefs to the Godfathers
and Godmothers, reminding them of what
they have prayed for, and that they may furely
depend on Christ's performing his Promife
of granting their Petitions. But as in all Co-
venants there mud be an Engagement on both
Sides, fo in the prefent Cafe, the c< Infant muft
<c alio faithfully for his Part promife by his
" Sureties, until he come of Age to take it
" upon himfelf, that he will renounce the
" Devil and all his Works, and conftantly be-

" lieve

of&aptifm and Confirmation. 15

Cf lieve God's holy Word, and obediently
u keep his Commandments."

Thefe Queries ought regularly to be made,
to, and anfvvered by the PeiTon who is to enter
into Covenant; but as the Infant is not capable
of understanding the Queftions, or of making
any Anfwer, this Incapacity muft be fupplied
by thofe who undertake for him, who muft
anfwer in his Name : And the Queftions
might without any Abfurdity be put to the In-
fant, " Don: thou Promife ? Wilt thou be Bap-
<c tized ?" And the Anfwers made by the Sure-
ties, reprefenting the Perfon of the Infant,
might without the lead Impropriety be, " I
<f promife, — I will:1' Or the Demand may
be addreffed directly to the Sponfor, " Doit
ct thou in the Name of this Child ?" — But
however this be done, Anfwers ought to be
made in the Words fet down in the Common
Prayer Book, and not, as is too much the
Practice of the Times, A (lent to be given
only by Silence or a confenting Bow.

The firfl Demand relates to the Renuncia-
tion of the Devil, and every Work which is
oppofite to the Defign of Chriftianity, which
are to be abjured by all who enter into. Cove-
nant with God by Baptifm. The Second re-
quires a ftedfaft and lively Faith in the Holy
Trinity, and in ail the feveral Articles of the
Religion of Christ, which are there briefly
fummed up in the Words of the Apoftles
©reed. The Third regards the Will and De-
fire of the Child to enter into the Church by
8 Baptinp,

1(5 An E.i pojtiion on the Offices

Baptifm, or " be Baptized in this Faith ?**
and the pofitive Anfwer is, cc This is my De-
" fire:" charitably fuppofing that if the In-
fant underftood what is now tranfacling for
eternal Benefit, and was capable of explain-
ing himfelf, he would do it in thefe Words ;
and if when he comes of Age, he doth not
willingly and heartily confirm every Thing
which is here done and promiferi for him un-
der every one of thefe Demands, he thereby
forfeits all the Benefits which Chriftian Baptifm
confers. The fourth and 3a(l Queftion is,
whether " he will obediently keep God's holy
tc Will and Commandments, and walk in the
€C fame all the Days of his Life ?" And the
" Anfwer is, I .will." Thus then Wicked-
nefs being renounced, Faith declared, Obedi-
ence vowed, and Baptifm re quelled, the Mini-
ftration of the Sacrament may folemnly proceed.
But let me ftop to remark, that it is fup-
pofed that the Sponfors who undertake frhis.
kind Office in Behalf of another, do for them-
felves renounce all Sin, believe the Truths of
Chriftianity, and refolve to live as the Servants
of Christ;, for otherwife they are unfit Re-
prefentatives of an innocent Child, and fhame
themfelves when they enter into this Engage-
ment. Whiift thefe Demands and Anfwers are
making, the reft of the Congregation are not
to join therein : the whole Tranfaclion being
between the Minifter on the one fide, and the
Gourathers and Godmothers on the other. But
that this Time, inftead of being loft, may be

employed

of Baptifm and Confirmation. 17

Employed to their Spiritual Advantage, let:
every one ferioufly recoiled what palled at his
own Baptifm -, and let him take this proper
Opportunity of renewing the Vows which were
then made in the Behalf of himfelf. When
the Minifter begins, "Doft thou renounce ?" —
Let him fay, not aloud fo as to difturb the
Congregation, but to himfelf, with a devout
Heart, " I do renounce the Devil and all his
<f Works, the vain Pomp and Glory of the
<f World, with all covetous Defires of the
" fame, and the carnal defires of the Flefh,
" fo that, God being my Helper, I will not
" follow nor be kd by them." When the
Miniftfer faith, " Doft thou believe I — repeat
to yourfelf the Articles of your Christian
Faith, and at the End fay in your Heart,
« All this I ftedfaftly believe." When he
faith, " Wilt thou be Baptized?— fay foftly,
" Lord, I thank Thee that I have been Bap-
<c tized in this Faith." And when he comes
to the laft Demand, " Wilt thou then obedu
" ently keep ? — fay within yourfelf, " I will
<c obediently keep God's holy Will and Com-
fc mandments, and walk in the fame all the
" Days of my Life ; and may the Grace of
" God afllft me herein. " Thus lhall we turn
this Part of the Service to our own ufe, into
an Acl of true Devotion, beneficial to our
own Souls, and acceptable to Almighty God.
The Stipulations being made, the Prieit of-
fereth up to our merciful G ->d four fhort Pe-
titions, to every one of which, as to every

other

18 An Expofitlon on the Offices

other Prayer in this Office, the People are t*
aniwer " Amen" The Purport of them is,
that God would " Grant that the old Adam
u in this Child," the Original Corruption
which every one brings with him into the
World, c< may be fo Buried, that the new Man
" may be railed up in him : — That all car-
" nal Affections may die in him, and that all
" Things belonging to the Spirit, may live
cc and grow in him: — That he may have
" Power and Strength to have Victory, and
(i to triumph again!! the Devil, the World,
fC and the Fiefh :" — And that all who are
here (that is, at this Font, erecled in the Houfe
of God, and fet apart for this facred Office)
dedicated to God by his Minifters, " may alfo
" be endued with heavenly Virtues, and ever-
*f laftingly rewarded, through God's Mercy."
Next after this, follows a Prayer for the
Confecration of the Water. As in the other
Sacrament we hold, that after Confecration the
Elements retain the fame Nature, and are Bread
and Wine ftill : So here we think not that
there is any material Change of the Water, but
that it is neverthelefs proper, that by reciting
the Words which our Lord ufed when he in-
ftituted this Sacrament, and by Prayer, we
mould fet apart this Water from profane and
common Ufes, and dedicate it to God for the
facred Purpofe for which it is deugned, en-
treating him that it may become the Laver of
Regeneration to the Child to be Baptized there-
in : And therefore the Church prayeth, that

He

of Baptifm and Confirmation. 3 9

He " whofe mod dearly beioved Son, for lhc
f< Forgivenefs of our Sins, did fhed ouc of
u his moft precious Side both Water and
" Blood, and gave Commandment to his Dif-
" ciples, that they mould go teach all Na-
" tions, and Baptize them in the Name of the
" Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
" Ghost; would regard the Supplications of
" his Congregation, fan&ify this Water to
H the myflical Warning away of Sin, and
" grant that this Child now to be Baptized
" therein, may receive the Fulnefs of Grace,
" and ever remain in the Number of his faith -
" ful and elect Children, throughjESus Christ
" our Lord."

The Minifter then, taking the Child into
his Arms, require th of the Godfathers and
Godmothers to Name it. The Jews always
named their Children at the Time of their Cir-
cumcifion, and Chriftians have always given
them a Name at the Time of their Baptifm,
both which were Sacraments of their Initiation
into their refpective Churches. The Option
of the Name undoubtedly belongeth to the Pa-
rents, but as it is a Token of our new Birth,
thofe who undertake for us are enjoined to ac-
quaint the Minifter with it: Who calling the
Child by his Name, and either dipping him in
the Water, or pouring Water upon him, faith,
" I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father,
" and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
This Form of Words is an eflential Part of
this Sacrament; it was prefcribed by our BleiTed

Lord,

20 An E,rpoJit?on on the Offices

Lord, and none but Heretics ever prefumed
to make any Alteration in it. It denotes not
only the Authority of the Adminiftrator, and
by whom he is empowered to admit new Mem-
bers into the Church 5 but ir ieclareth the
Three Peribns in the holy and undivided Tri-
nity, into whofe Faith, Worlhip and Obedi-
ence every one is Baptized.

As to the Manner in which the Water is
ufed, either by pouring it upon the Child, or
dipping him in it, our Church hath not deter-
mined, but left it at large thai either Way may
be ufed according to Difcretion. In the firffc
Ages of the Church, the mofc common Cus-
tom was that of plunging or dipping the new
Converts, numbers of whom were grown Per-
fons, into the Water: And as long as the
warm Climates of the Eaft, and the Strength
of the Perfons Baptized prevented any Incon-
veniency from following it, this was obferved;
but yet not fo rigidly as never to be altered 5
for even then, in the Primitive Times, in the
Cafe of Clinics or Sick Perfons who were con-
fined to their Beds, and could not attend the
public Baptifteries, this Sacrament was per-
mitted to be adminiftred by Afperfion or pour-
ing of Water on them. This Method after-
wards grew more common; and as the Gofpel
fpread towards the colder Countries of the
North, fprinkling Was more commonly ufed,
left the Perfon's Health fhould be endangered
by the other Practice of dipping : And furely
Infants require as tender Uiage as Sick Per-
fons,

of Baptifm and Confirmation. 21

fons, and if fprinkling with Water hath always
been thought furrlcie.it for thefe, it cannot with
any fnew of Reafon be denied to the others.
Water mutt be ufed ; as to the Quantity it is
indifferent ; nor mud we think that the Grace
given by God in Baptifm is meafuied by,
tor bears any Proportion to the Quantity of
Water ufed in that Sacrament.

The Baptifm being com pleated, and the In-
fant thereby made a Chriftian, the Mmifter,
(till holding him in his Arms, fojemnly declares
his <c Reception into the Congregation of
" Christ's Flock, and figns him on the Fore-
t£ head with the Sign of the Crofs, in Token
" that hereafter he mail not be afnamed to
<c confefs the Faith of Christ crucified, and
<c manfully to fight under his Banner againft
<c Sin, the World, and the Devil, and to con-
Cf tinue Christ's faithful Soldier and Servant
« unto his Life's End."

This ancient, harmlefs and figniricant Cere-
mony hath met with much Oppofition from
the Adverfaries of our Church, and by foine
been made an Argument for diffenting from
us. The Rubric at the End of this Office re-
fers us to the thirtieth Canon of our Church for
Satisfaclion herein; and therefore initead of
faying any Thing of my own on this Head,
and becaufe many have not the B^ok of Ca-
nons by them, I lhall beg Leave to make a
large Extracl from it. It bears for its Title,
<c The lawful LJfe of the Oofs in Baptilna ex-
" plained." In it the Convocation (i com-

" mends

23 An ExpoJItion on the Offices

" mends to all the true Members of the ChurcU
cc of England^ thefe their Dire&ions and Ob-
cc fervations."

cc Firlt, That although the Jews and Hea-
c; thens derided both the A pottles, and the reft
cf of the Chriftians, for preaching and believ-
cc ing in him who was Crucified upon the
cc Crofs ; yet all, both Apoftles and Chriftians,
<c were fo far from being difc our aged from
<c their Profeflion by the Ignominy of the
cc Crofs, as they rather rejoiced and triumphed
cc in it. Yea, the Holy Ghost, by the Mouths
cf of the Apoftles, did honour the Name of
cc the Crofs (being hateful among the Jews)
<c fo far, that under it be comprehended not
(< only Christ crucified, but the Force, Ef-
" feels, and Merits of his Death and PaiFion,
<f with all the Comforts, Fruits and Promifes
" which we receive or expect thereby."

" Secondly, The Honour and Dignity of
" the Name of the Crofs, begat a reverend
<f Erlimation even in the Apoilles Times of
cc the Sign of the Crofs, which the Chrifliaris
cc fhortly after ufed in all their Actions, there-
Cfby making an outward Shew and Profeflion,
_ " even to the A'ftonifhment of the Jews, that
" they were not aftiamed to acknowledge him
" for their Lord and Saviour, who died for
" them upon the Crofs. And this Sign they
c( did not only ufe themfelves with a kind of
fC Glory, when they met with any Jews, but
" figned therewith their Children when they
cc were Chriilened, to dedicate them by that

" Badge

%f Baptlfm and Confirmation. 25

c< Badgre to his Service, whole Benefits be*r
<c ltowed upon them in Baptifm, the Name Or
" the Crofs did reprefent. And this Uie of
cf the Sign of the Crofs in Bapcifm was held
Cf in the Primitive Church, as well by the
f£ Greeks as the Latins, with one Conient and
" great Applaufe. At what Time, if any had
u oppofcd themftlves againft it, they would
cc certainly have been cenfured as Enemies of
£C the Name of the Crofs, and confequently
<c of Christ's Merits, the Sign whereof they
" coulu no better endure. Tins continual and
" general Ufe of the Sign of the Crofs, is tvi-
cc dent by many Teftirnonies of the Ancient
" Fathers/'

" Thirdly, It mull be confefTed that in pro-
" cefs of Time the Sign of the Crofs was
" greatly abufed in the Church of Rome^ el-
" pecially after that Corruption of Popery had
*' once poficilcd it. But the Abute of a Thing
M doth not take away the lawful Ufe of it.
" Nay, {o far was it from the Purpofe of the
" Church of England to for fake and reject the
" Churches of Italy , France, Stain, Germany,
" or any fuch like Churches, in all Things
" which they held and pradtiied; that it doth
il with Reverence retain thofe Ceremonies
" which do neither endamage the Church of
is God, nor offend the Minds of fober Men :
M And only departed from them in thofe par-
" ticular Points, wherein they were fallen both
" from themfelvcs in their ancient Integrity,
" and from the Apoftolical Churches which

cc werc

24 An Expofition on the Offices

" were their firft Founders. In which rcfpecl:,
cc amongft fome other very ancient Ceremo-
cc nies, the Sign of the Crofs in Baptifm hath
cc been retained in this Church, both by the
<f Judgment and Practice of thofe Reverend
cc Fathers and great Divines, of whom fome
<c conftantly fuffered for the Confeflion of the
<c Truth, and others being Exiled, did after
cc their Return continually defend and ufe the
cc fame. . This Resolution and Practice of our
(< Church hath been allowed and approved,
" becaufe indeed the Ufe of this Sign in Bap-
cc tifm, was ever accompanied here with fnch
" fuitlcient Cautions and Exceptions againft all
" Popifh Superflition and Error, as in the like
<c Cafes are either fit or convenient."

cc Firft, The Church of England fince the
" abolifhing of Popery hath ever held and
cc taught, and fo doth hold and teach (till, that
" the Sign of the Crofs ufed in Baptifm, is no
<c Part of the Subftance of that Sacrament:
"' For when the Minifter dipping the Infant in
" Water, or laying Water upon the Face of
c< it, (as the Manner aifo is) hath pronounced
C£ thefc Words, / Baptize Thee in the Name cf
" the Father, and of the Sen, and of the Holy
" Ghoft, the Infant is fully and perfectly Bap-
" tized. So as the Sign of the Crofs being
4< afterwards ufed, doth neither add any thing
C( to the Virtue and Perfection of Baptifm,
<c nor being omitted doth detract: any thing
cc from the Effect and Subftance of it."

<f Secondly^

of Baptifm and Confirmation. 25

il Secon'dly, It is apparent that the Infant
" baptized is, by virtue of Baptifm, before it
ff be figned with the Sign of the Croft re-
4S ceived into the Congregation of Christ's
<c Flock as a perfeft Member thereof, and not
" by any Power afcribed unto the Sign of the
" Crofs. So that for the very Remembrance
" of the Crofs, which is very precious to all
H them that rightly believe in Jesus Christ,
f^and in the other Refpecis mentioned, the
" Church of England hath retained ftill the
<( Sign of it in Baptifm : Following therein
3 the Primitive and Apodoiical Churches, and
" accounting it a lawful outward Ceremony
'c and honourable Badge, whereby the Infant
V. is dedicated to the Service of him th.it died
iC upon the Crofs.' *

<f Laftly, The Ufe of the Sign of the Crofs
<l in Baptifm, being thus purged from all Po-
IC piih Superltition and Error, and reduced in
" the Church of England to the primary In-
cc ilitution of it, upon thofe true Rules of
ic Doctrine concerning Things indifferent,
cc which are confonant to the Word of God,
ff and the Judgments of all the ancient Fa-
ic thers, we hold it the Part of every private
^ " Man, ""both Minister and other, reverently
<i to retain the true Ufe .of it prefcribeju1 by
*l public Authority, confidering that Things
Cf of themfelves indifferent, do in fome Sort
<f alter their Natures, when they are either
4< commanded or forbidden by a lawful Ma-
<c giltrate, and may not be omitted at every
C ?« Man s

26 An Fjxpofitlon on the Offices

€C Man's Pleafure contrary to the Law when
ec they be commanded, nor ufed when they are
** prohibited."

To return to the Baptifmal Office : After
the Infant is received into the Congregation,
the Lord's Prayer is repeated : And after that,
•the Church, fenfible of the great Benefit the
Child hath been made Partaker of, heartily
thanks God that he hath been cc pleafed to Re-
<f generate him with his holy Spirit, to receive
#; him for his own Child by Adoption, and to
tf incorporate him into his holy Church." And
then God is humbly befought " to grant that
fC this Infant being dead unto Sin, and living
iC unto Righteoufnefs, and being buried with
c< Christ in his Death, may crucify the old
" Man, and utterly abolifh the whole Body
ec of Sin ; and that as he is made Partaker of
i( the Death of his Son, he may alio be Par-
" taker of his Reiurre&icn ; fo that finally he
" may be an Inheritor of the heavenly King-
« com."

All how {landing up, nothing remains but
an Exhortation which the Minifter is to make
to the Godfathers and Godmothers; reminding
.them of what they as Sureties have undertaken
for the Child ; and that this is no Matter of
mere Form, but that it is their cc Parts and
4C Duties to fee that this Infant be taught, fo
£C loon as he i h all be able to learn, what a fo-
<c lemn Vow, Promife and ProfeiTion he hath
fC here made by them;" to do all that is in
fcheir Power towards having him M VirtuoufSy

iC brought

of Bapiifm and Confirmation. 27

a brought up to lead a Godly and a Chriftian
"Life;" that to this End he fhould attend
to " hear Sermons, and fhould learn the Creed,
cc the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Command-
cc ments in the Vulgar Tongue, and be in-
cc Unacted" not only in the Words, but the
Senfe of the Church Qatechijm, and thtn they
are to bring him to the Bifhop to be Confirmed,
and to take upon himfelf thofe Vows which
they his Sureties have now made in his Name.
And here the Service Ends.

After this is added this Declaration for the
Comfort of Parents, cc It is certain by God's
cc Word, that Children which are Baptized,
cc dying before they commit actual Sin, are
" undoubtedly raved." For as full Pardon
and Remifiion of Sin, is one of the Benefits
01 this Sacrament, the Baptized Infant can
have remaining in him no Taint of that Ori-
ginal Guilt which he derived from the Fail of
his fir ft Parents ; and if he die in his tender
Age, before there is any pofhbility of appre-
hending Good and Evil, or of offending by
the Commifhon of actual Sin-, he mud to that
Time have continued Guiltlefs, and fo die in
the Favour of God, and through Mercy and
the Grace received in Baptifm, be admitted as
one of Chust's Fold into the Kingdom of
Heaven.

C 2

28 An Expq/ition on the Offices

Of PRIVATE BAPTISM.

HAVING already explained in an eafy
and practical Manner, The Office of
Public Baptifm ; I come now to confider the
next Service in our Common Prayer Book,
which is there intitled, The Miniftr at ionof Pri-
vate Baptifm of Children in Houfes. And here
my Labour will be much Abridged, as there
are many Things in this Office which have
been already explained in the former. The
EfTentials of Baptifm are always the fame, and
are never to be omitted or-alterech But the
Time and the Place, the Manner and Circum-
ilances admit of fome Variation.

The firft Rubric which precedes this Office;
requires the Minifter or f< Curate of every Pa-
<c rifli to Admonilh the People, that they de-
Cf fer not the Baptifm of their Children longei
cf than the tirib'or fecond Sunday after theii
" Birth without great and reafonable Cauie."
To delay any Point of Duty is dangerous, fina
Time and the Accidents it brings with it are
not in our Power ; and it Parents for no fub-
ilantial Reafon defer the Baptifm of Children;
when their precarious Lift depends on fo flendei
a Thread, and in the mean Time Death fhoulc
thatch them away Unbaptized ; how woulc
3 the]

of Baptifm and Confirmation. 29

they blame rhemfelves for fuch a Neglect of
Duty?

The Minifters are farther to warn their
Flock, H That without great Caufe and Ne-
11 cefilty they procure not rheir Children to be
" Baptized at Home in their Houfes : But
u when Need fhall compel them fo to do, then
<c Baptifm fhall be adminiftered on this Fa-
•', fhion," afterwards fet down. From whence
we may draw two Obfervations, nrft, That
the Church is the Place in which Baptifm ought
generally and regularly to be adminiftered ;
and, fecondly, That whenever it is done in a
Private Houfe, this Private Office only mud:
be ufed, I need not take any Pains to prove
that no Part of God's Service more properly
-demands Reverence and Solemnity, than the
Adminiftration of thofe Sacraments which
Christ himfeif hath ordained. The Jewi/b
Sacrifices were confined folely to the Temple,
and the Chrillian Sacraments, are with great
Propriety to be celebrated in our Churches,
except in thofe Cafes where Sicknefs or Infir-
mity difpenfeth with Solemnity : and furely
we fhall feem very undeferving of rae Grace
of God, if we think much to wait in his
Koufe to partake of the Means. And as to the
Sacrament of Baptifm, it cannot well be ad-
miniftered with fo much Reverence in private
Houfes, where it is frequently attended with
Indecencies very unbefitting fuch an holy
Rite ; — where the Guefts come as to an Enter-
tainment or a Merry-meeting, and too often,
C 3 I fear,

30 An Eapojition on the Offices

I fear, look upon the Miniftration of it, and
the Prayers ufed at it, only as a formal cuf-
tomary Introduction to their Jollity and Feaft-
ing, if not to their loofe Mirth. In order to
prevent this Cuilom as much as poflible, let
the Parents or thofe who have the Care of iin-
baptized Infants, neither deceive the Minifters
nor their own Souls, by pretending the Chil-
dren are weak and in danger of Death, when
they are not ; for to procure the Sacrament to
be given in Private by a Lie, is a Crime which
will certainly be very odious in the Sight of
the God of Truth, and will not go un-
pu mined.

Secondly, As our Church hath kindly pro-
vided for Cafes of Neceiiky by a particular
Office, fnc muft be underftood to forbid the
Ufe of the other Office of Public Baptifm upon
fuch Occasions. The former was compofed to
be ufed when the Danger the Child is in re-
quires Haite, and the Time and Exigence will
not permit larger Forms or greater Solemnity;
and therefore the EfTentials being obferved, the
other Ceremonies muft give way to Neceffity ;
and if thcChild furvives its prefent weak State,
it is to be brought to Church to be received in-
to the Congregation, and the Sponfors are then
to Promife for it : Rut all this is prevented
when the whole Solemnity is performed in a
Chamber, which is ftrictly ordered to be done
only at the Font. Befides which I might add,
that there are feveral PalTages in the Public
OfHce, which are peculiarly adapted to its Ufe

in

&f Baptifin and Confirmation, 31

In the Church, and which are not free from
Abfurdity and Impropriety when they arc de-
livered in a private Room. j

The next Rubric limits the Performance of
this Sacrament to fc the Minifter of the Pafifh,
<c or in his Abfence to any other lawful Mi-
<c niiler that can be procure^." So that Wo-
men and mere Lay-men are wholly excluded
from intermeddling herein. When cur Lord
inflituted Baptifm, he gave his CommilTion to
his Apofties, and in them to their SuccciTors,
and promifed, as to what they mould do here-
in, to be with them " even unto the End of
Cf the World," To admit Perfons into the
Church, is an Act of Authority which none
fhould pretend to, bu. . ~< who art thereunto
impowered by Christ t [ead of it: And
in his Name it is that they on God's Part pro-
mife Remiffion of Sins and S] Regefte-

ration, which come primarily an i oris i ally
from God, and are never conveyed to Man in
the Sacraments, but by thole whom he hath
been pleafed to make his Infrruments. That
this is the Opinion of our Church is plain from
her Declaration in the twenty-third Article,
where fhe faith, cc It is not lawful for any Man
<c to take upon him the Office of public Preach-
<c ing or Miniftry, of the Sacraments in the
<c Congregation, before he be lawfully called
" and fent to execute the fame :" And in her
twenty-fixth Article fhe difcovers the Grounds
on which fhe pafTcth this Judgment, becaufe
" Thofe who have Authority in die Miriifcra-

C 4 « tion

32 An L&xpqfiiion on the Offices

,f tion of the Word and Sacraments, do not
*f the fame in their own Name, but in
^ Christ's, and do minifler by his Commif-
11 fSonand Authority/'

When therefore an infirm Infant is to be
baptized at Home, and a lawful Minifler is
procured, he " with them who are prefent, is
" to call upon God, and fay the Lord's
,r Prayer, and as many of the Collects ap»
" pointed to be (aid before in the Form of
•* Public Baptifm, as the Time and prefent
" Exigence will fufFer. And then the Child
f< being named by fomt one that is prefent,
*\ the Minifrer fhall pour Water upon it/' and
ufe that divine and unalterable Form j Ci I
•• Baptize Thee in the Name of the Father,
<f and of the Son-, and of the holy Ghost. '
After which he concludes the Service witii
a Thankfsnving from the former Office.

Left ar# one fhould imagine that the Sacra-
jment adminiflered in this fhort and concife
Manner, is not complete, and the Child here-
by not made a Chriftian : or ihould be apt to
think or fay, that the Child is only half Chrif-
tened, as too many Ignorant People foolifnly
and abfurdly exprefs themfelves ; the Church
adds, by way of Explanation, c' Let them not
'f doubt, but that the Child fo Baptized is
<c lawfully and fufficiently Baptized, and ought
fC not to be Baptized again. Yetneverthelefs,
" if the Child which is after this fort Bap-
cc tized, do afterward live, it is expedient that
<f it be brought into the Church, to the Intent

" that

of Baplifm and Confirmation. 33

€C that if the Minifter of the fame Parifh did
" himfelf Baptize that Child, the Congrega-
" tion may be certified of the true Form of
c; Baptifm, by him privately before iifed:1'
And then he is to declare this in the Words
fet down in the Book.

" But if the Child were Baptized by any.
c; other lawful Minifter," then he is to exa~
mine thofe who bring the Child to Church, by
whom it was done, — in whofe Prefence, — and
with what Matter and Words the Child was
Baptized; and if by their " Anfwers he finds
cc that all Things were done as they ought to
(C be : then mail not he Chriften the Child
" again,, but (hall receive him as one of the
'.' Flock of true Chnftian People," and in
Words let down, acquaint the Congregation,
that all having been " well done, he is by the
<c Laver of Regeneration in Baptifm received
" into the Number of the Children of God,
€i and Heirs of everlafting Life."

The Gofpel is read, and the Exhortation-
upon it, the Lord's Prayer repeated, and the
Thanksgiving follows, almoft all agreeing with
the former Office, except the change of a few
Words in regard to the Child's having been al*
ready Baptized. Then the Name of the Child
being afked, the Godfathers and Godmothers
have the fame Demands put to them, and the
fame Anfwers are required. After which the
Minifter. receives him into the Congregation,
and iigns him with the Crofs j and after the
ihort Preface, returns God hearty Thanks in
C 5 Behalf

34 An E.vpnfuion on the Offices

Behalf of the Infant, and concludes with an
Exhortation relating to the Duty of the Spon-
fors, all pretty nearly the fame a^ in the former
Office. So that here no farther Explanation
is requifue.

There is a Poflibility that when the Pried
questions thofe who bring the Child, whether
he hath been rightly Baptized, their Anfwers
may be lb uncertain that he cannot learn whe-
ther the Infant hath had the true Chriftian
Baptifm. or whether any of the effential Parts
of that Sacrament were omitted : And in this
Cafe- he is ordered to ufe the whole Service
of Public Baptifm, but when he comes to the
Form of 'Baptifm to fay,~~" If thou art not al-
cc ready Baptized, I Baptize thee, &c." And
this Form of Hypothetical Baptifm is, I think,
made ufe of for thofe Children whole Parents
have deferred them in their Infancy, when
they fall into charitable Hands, and it is not
known whether they have been already Bap-

tized or not,

Of the BAPTISM of fnch as are of
R'rpe'r Years.

T hath been cbferved that our Church, in

her Liturgy, hath .fnrniihed us with three

different Offices to be ufed in the Celebration

of the Sacrament of Baptifm, each adapted to

4 the

of Baptifm and Confirmalhn. 35

the particular Circum fiances either of Place or
Perfon. The third and lad of thefe comes
now to be briefly confidered. — I fay briefly,
becaufe the Ellen tials of Baptifm being religf-
oufly preferved in them all, and the Adcrcffes
to the Almighty both hi the Petitions and
Thankfgivings being nearlythe fame, a Single
Explanation of them is fufficient, and Repe-
titions would be ufelefs#and inflpid.

This Service is intitled*, <c The Ministration*
<c of Baptifm to fuch as are of Riper Years,,
cc and able to anfwer for themfelves." And
therefore it is piain that, in this Cafe, fome
Parts of k miift differ from the other Forms,
which regarded onlv theJBaptizing of Infant?,
who could not comprehend the Terms of the
Gofpel Covenant, "nor were able to anfwer for
themfelves.

This Office was not originally in our Litur-
gy, but w^as compofed and inferted at the lad
Review, fnon after the Reftorafiom of our
Church and Nation : when with the R'eturn of
thofe invaluable Bit Mings, we were overflowed
with Jews and Infidels, and an Inundation of
Sectaries who called themfHve^ Ohriftiaiv,
when many of them had never been regularly,
admitted into the Churcri. On thefe Accounts
the tender Care of our Governors in the
Church, thought it proper to cornpoie this
Office, to be used in Favour of thofe nno
mould be thoroughly periuaded of the Nricf-
fity o( Chriftian Baptif u, and defi rotfc in that
Sacrament to give their Name to Christ, and
G6 . , who>

36 An Expojitlon on the Offices

who on Admittance into the Church would To-
lemnly Promife and Vow to adhere to the Fairh .
of Christ, and to live as his holy Gofpel re-
quires. And, befides this, as our Commerce
extended itfelf far both into the Eaftern and
Weftern Parts of the World, and by the Care
and Pains of good and pious Labourers in the
Word and Doctrine, many were drawn from
their Heathenifrn and Idolatry, and became
perfuaded of the Truth of Chriftiariity ; this
was ftill another and a very powerful Reafon
for our having an Office fuitable to the Occa-
fions of receiving thefe Converts into the
Church of Christ by Baptifhv

But though our Defire is great to enlarge the
Kingdom of our Lord, yet all poflible Care
is taken not to admit as his Subjects any who
for worldly Motives or with indirect Views
would croud into it. We defire no Converts,
but fuch who are Sincere and Honeft, — who
are fully informed in the Nature of the Chrif-
tian Covenant, and are perfuaded in their Minds
that it is their Duty and their fpiritual Intereft
to come into it. - The Hearts of Men are in-
deed deceitful, and defperately wicked, fo that
we cannot certainly know them. It is poffible
we may be deceived in the Judgment we make
of them : And this mould fpur us up to a
more diligent Enquiry into the State of their
Souls, and the Sincerity and Soundnefs of their
Intentions; and with this View our Church
orders in her Rubric before this Office, that
"* when any fuch Perfons who are of Riper

" Years

of Baptifm and Confirmation. 37

<c Years are to be Baptized, timely Notice
cc fhall be given to the Bifhop, or whom he
" fhall appoint for that Purpofe, a Week be-
cc fore at the lead, by the Parents, or fome
ci other difcreet Perfons ; that fo due Care
cc may betaken for their Examination,whether
cc they be fufficiently indructed in the Princi-
cc pies of the Chriftian Religion ; and that
cc they may be exhorted to prepare themfclvcs
cc with Prayers and Fading for the receiving
€i of this Holy Sacrament/' Where, by the
way, we may obferve, that as Retirement from
the World, in order to give ourfelves up for a
Time to ferious Thoughts and Meditations,
and as Falling; and Abdinence, attended with
fervent and earned Prayers to God for his Par-
don and Ble fling, are the fitted Means to ob-
tain his Favour before we enter upon any fo-
Jemn and weighty Work j fo Perfons who
defire to receive the Chriftian Baptifm will
with the greated Propriety fpend the Time
immediately preceding it in this devout and
religious Manner.

" If they fnall be found fit, then the God-
" fathers and Godmothers (the People being
M afTembled upon the Sunday or Holy-day ap-
" pointed) fhall be ready to prefent them at
" the Foot immediately after the Second
c< Lefibn, either at Morning or Evening Pray-
" er, as the Curate in his Difcretion fhall think
u fit." The Godfathers and Godmothers here
mentioned prefent the Perfon at the Font to
be Baptized, as thole mentioned in the other

Office

38 An Expofition on the Offices

Office bring the Infants to receive that Sacra-
ment: but in other Refpects they are very-
different. At the Baptifm of an Infant they
are Sponfors to anfwer for him, and enter into
an Engagement to fee him reiigioufly Edu-
cated ; but here they are only Witnefles of the
Perfon's entering into the Chriflian Covenant,
when with his own Mouth he binds himfelf to
comply with the Terms of it j and the only
Duty incumbent on them, is to remind him
of the folemn Vows he here takes upon him.

All being ready, and ttanding at the Font,
the Prieil is to ei quire whether the Party hath
been already Baptized : and being allured that
he hath not ; he acquaints the Congregation,
that all Men are born in Sin; and commit
many actual TranfgrelTions, and that they
cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven,
except they be born anew of Water -and of
the Holy Ghost: He therefore befeeches
them to call upon God for the gracious Ac-
ceptance of the Perfon new prefent, and goes
before them in the Prayers commented upon
in the former Office.

The Gofpel is then read, beir>g taken out of
the third Chapter of St. John, wherein the
Evan gelid records the Difcourfe which our
blefTed Lord had with Nicodenuis, when he
fhewed the Necefiity of being born again' of
Water and of the Spirit: A Portion of
Scripture extremely well adapted to this Oc-
cafion. And in the Exhortation following the
Minuter riiateS the Application, and . fhews

them

of Baptif?n and Confirmation. 39

them the Commif&on fdr'v -g which the

Apoftles received or tl 4er, and the

readinefs with which the fir n fans fub-

mitted to this facred Ordinance, and gives
them good Grounds of Bope that to this Per-
fon truly repenting and coming unto Christ
by Faith, he will grant Remiflion of Sins and
iht Gifts of the holy Ghost, and eternal Life.

Next follows the Thankfgiving for our be-
ing received into the Knowledge of Chrifti-
anity, with a Petition for the Increafe and
Confirmation of it; and then the Priefc, ad-
dre fling hip felf to the Perfon to be Baptized,
makes the fame Demands as in the former
Office, and he with his own Mouth is to an-
fwer every one of them particularly.

After this, is done the Pried takes the Can-
didate for this Sacrament " by the right Hand;
<c and placing him conveniently by the Font,
u iL all afk the Godfathers and Godmothers
" the Name ; and then will dip him in the
<c Water or pour Water upon him, faying"
thole folemn and invariable WTords which the
hleiTed Jesus appointed always to be ufed when
this Sacrament is adminiflered ; and then he
" receives him into the Congregation of
" Christ's Flock, and figns him with the
<f Sign of the Oofs*" and exhorts the Con-
gregation to join with him in the Lord's
Prayer, and in humble Thanks for the Blefs-
ings received, and devout Supplications for
him who is now admitted into the Church by
Chriftian Baptiim, He then addreileth himfelf

&ft

40 An Expofiilon on the Offices

fir ft to thoie who have been choferr WimeiTes
of this facred Action, and chargeth them to
put him in mind of the folemn Vow, Pro mile
and Profellion which he hath here made j and
then to the new Baptized Perfon, exhorting
him <f to walk aniwerably to his Chriftian
cc Calling, and as becometh the Children of
« Life.";

Here the Office ends: Only a Rubric is
added, declaring it to be " expedient that
Cf every Perfon thus Baptized, mould be Con-
ic firmed by the Bifhop lb foon after his Bap-
cc tifm as conveniently may be : that fo he
" may be admitted to the holy Communion."

Of CONFIRMATION.

THE ancient and Apoflolical Rite of
Confirmation was in the firft Times of
ChriOianity adminiftered with Prayer and Im-
pofition of Hands : fome additional Ceremo-
nies were afterwards inferted in the Celebration
of it; and the Church ( f Rome hath brought
into it feveral ridiculous Super ft it ions, and
hereby wholly excluded the Primitive Kite of
laying on of Hands. But our pious and pru-
dent Reformers, who thought Confirmation to
be of too great Ufe and Advantage to be laid
afide and neglected, rejected all thoie adulte-
rate Novelties, and reftored it to the Primitive

and

of Baptifm and Confirmation. 41

and Apoftolic Form ; and compofed a grave
and folemn, a pithy and expreifive Office,
which in our Common Prayer Books carries
this Title, lc The Order of Confirmation, or
" laying on of Hands on thofe that are Bap-
iC tized and come to Years of Difrretion."

When a Day is appointed for the Celebration
by the Bifhop, to whom for honour Sake this
Ministration is folely referved, Notice is given
to the Minifters, that they may enquire who
there are in their Pari {lies of a proper Age who
have not yet been Confirmed; — that when they
have found them, they may examine them to
difcover their Proficiency in Chriilian Know-
ledge, and inflru£l: them in the Expediency of
this Rite, and how they are to behave at it.

The Office begins with a fhort Preface> de-
claring how convenient it is, that thofe who
are come to Years of Dtfcfetton, and have
learned the Purport of their Baptifmal Vow,
should wich their own Mouth and Confent
openly before the Church ratify and confirm
the fame ; and therefore it is thought good to
Order, ct that none hereafter (hall be Con-
" firmed, but fuch as can fay the Creed, the
<c Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Command-
cc ments, and can alio anfwer to fuch other
** Que ft ions as in the Church Catechifm are
" contained." From which Words we mud
not imagine a bare Recital or faying by Heart
of the Church Catechifm is fufficient to qua-
lify any for Confirmation ; for then many
Children of a younger Age than are ufually

allowed

42 An Expedition on the Offices

allowed of, would, by the help only of a good
Memory, be fie for Confirmation : But the
Church really intends that none mould be pre-
fented to the Bifhop, before they can, not only
fay, but underftand and give a rational Ac-
count of the Chriftian Doclrine, and in parti-
cular are well acquainted with their Baptifmal
Vow, which they come hither to renew.

The Preface ended, the Bifhop demands of
the Perfons to be Confirmed, whether they do^
in the Prefence of God and the Congregation,
renew their Baptifmal Vow, and take it upon
themfelves to believe and do thofeThings which,
their Godfathers' and Godmothers undertook
and promifed for them at their Baptifm ?

After every one of the Candidates for Con-
firmation hath fhewn his readinefs to renew this
Vow by a dire 61 Anfwer in an audible Voice ;
the Biihop and Congregation join to exprefs
their Joy in the Words of the Pfalmift j — in
acknowledging their good Intentions to be
owing to the Help of God ; — in Blefiing him
for infpinng them with good Defires j — and
begging that their Prayers which they are now
about to offer up may be heard and accepted.

After thefe Verficles and Refponfes, follows
a Prayer, which hath, with little Variation,
been ufed for feveral Ages in the Office of
Confirmation ; that thofe who in Baptifm
have received the Holy Ghost the Sancli-
fier, may at this Time receive the fevenfold
Gifts of the Holy Ghost the Comforter.

When

ef Baptifm and Confirmation. 43

When the Bifhop hath in this Manner be-
fought God, he lays his Hands on the Head
of every one ieverally, and begs for them the
Defence of God's heavenly Grace, and the
daily Increafe of his holy Spirit, which are
the Benefits of Confirmation when rightly and
duly celebrated.

After the mutual Chriftian Salutation of the
Bifhop and People, the Lord's Prayer is here
fubjoined, and is immediately followed by two
Collects; in which the Bifhop prays, that the
Impofition of his Hands on thofe Perfons,
may not be a vain and empty Ceremony, but
that what is now done may be effectual to their
well Living here, and their Salvation here-
after : After which he difmiiTeth them with a
folemn Bleffing.

Thus is this fhort, but excellent Office of
our Church drawn up, fo as to avoid the two
Extremes of Enthufiafm and foppifh Super-
flition on the one Hand, and of flovenly Irre-
verence and Indecency on the other : And as
the Rite is itfelf undoubtedly Apoflolical, fo
our Manner of admin.ilT.ring it is agreeable to
the Practice of the Apofties.

At the End of this Office it is ordered, that
<f none fhall be admitted to the holy Commu-
" nion, until they be Confirmed, or be ready
Cf and defirous to be Confirmed."

I now proceed to apply what hath been faid
in the Examination of thefe Offices of Baptifm
and Confirmation, in an Addrefs to thofe who
are in a. peculiar Manner concerned in them.

In

44 An Ejpnfit'ion on the Offices

In regard to Baptifm, I muft fir it fpeak to
thofe who have the Care of young Children
who are not yet Baptized ; that, whether they
be Parents or Relations, it is a Duty incumbent
on them to caufe the Infants to be brought to
Christ's holy Baptifm ; and there to be rege-
nerated and born anew of Water and the Spi-
rit, and be made Members of Christ, and
Heirs of Salvation. Let them not dare to look
upon this as a vain or empty Ceremony, which
may fafely either be complied with, or omitted ;
but as a Sacrament inftituted by Christ him-
felf for a Means of Grace, and for the folemnt
Entrance of his Difciples into the Chriftian
Church. Let them not therefore detain the
Infant by any unneceiTary Delays, but caufe it
to be Baptized as foon after its Birth as they
conveniently can, left by fome unforefeen Ac-
cident the Child fhould die before it hath re-
ceived this Sacrament, and they undergo the
heavy Weight of their criminal Negleci. ' If
the Child is well enough to be brought to
Church, let them, by no falfe Pretence of 111-
nefs or Danger, prevail on the Minijer to
Baptize it at Home, for Deceit and Falfhood
fhouid never keep Company with religious Du-
ties. When the Sponfors and others bring the
Child to the Church, iet them do it in iuch a
decent and grave Manner, as may fhew that
they are properly difpofed to perform an OfHce
well-pleafing to God : And when they come to
the Font let them there behave with a religious
Compofure. Let their Attention be fixed upon.

the

of Baptifm and Cotifirmation. 45

the Service., the Prayers be offered up to God
with Fervour, and all the Refponfes made with
a becoming Gravity. The lame ferious De-
portment will become them in their Return
from the Church, and when they come Home
they wifl have great Reafon to rejoice that the
Infant is made a Chriftran ; but this Joy mull
be kept within decent Bounds, and not be fuf-
fered to degenerate into Ribaldry or Immo-
dcfty. They may exprefs their Satisfaction by
cheerfully entertaining their Friends, according
to their Station and Circumftances, but it be-
comes a Sin when theFeaft exceeds the Bounds
of Temperance and Sobriety. And the Pa-
rent, who for Joy that his Child is dedicated
to Christ, mall himfelf Sacrifice to the De-
vil in Rioting and Debauchery, will be far from
finding any Excufe for his Behaviour: For
what Concord hath Christ with Belial? What
Agreement hath Purity with Impurity ?

As to Confirmation, there are three Sorts
of Perfons to whom I mutt addrefs myfelf.

Firfttothofe who have not been Confirmed.
Young People of the Age thought mo ft proper
for Confirmation, are fubject to many and
great Dangers, when they are coming into the
World without Experience ; — when their Paf-
fions have a greater Power over them than their
Reafon i — when they are weak and defencelefs,
and not well able to refill the Temptations of
the World, the Flefh, and the Devil, which
offer themfelves to them in fo many various
Porms ; and therefore they have need of fome

fuperior

46 An Ejpofition on the Offices

fuperior Grace to enable them towithftand their
artful Allurements and Infinuations ; and this
God vouchfafes at Confirmation, and dif-
penfeth tothofe who folemnly renew their Co-
venant with him, and fubmit to this Rite which
the Church hath ordered and appointed.

Let them moreover confider, that none are,
according to the Rules of our Church, to be
cc admitted to the holy Communion, until
u they be Confirmed, or be ready anddefirous
Cf to be Confirmed." So that, if they have
any Value for the Commands of Christ, and
any Emulation to be admitted to his holy Ta-
ble, and to communicate in that higheft Act
of Chriflian Worfhip, let them offer up them-
felves to the Biiliop to be Confirmed ; fince
that is the only regular Introduction, and the
belt Preparation to thefe facred Myfteries.

Some are indeed admitted to the Sacrament
of the Lord's Supper before Confirmation,
but then it is on this Condition, that they (hall
the rlrft Opportunity that offers prefent them-
selves to be Confirmed. So that I muff ad-
mom fh all Perfons, of what Age lbever they
be, not to think their Confirmation hereby Su-
perceded or difpenfed with ; left' they mould
be found deceitful, or at lead negligent, in not
complying with that Condition, upon which
they have been admitted to iht holy Table.

When Perfons areperfuaded oftheNeceffity
of this Rite, let them make themfelves well
acquainted with our fhort Catechifm, (o as to
be able to render an Account of their Faith io

cording

» o/Baptifm and Confirmation* 47

cording to it. Let them read over diligently
and carefully the Office of Baptifm, that they
may there fee what their Sureties then promifed
for them, and what they are now to take upon
themfelves : And let them read over with the
fame Care th^ Order or Office of Confirmation,
that they may know beforehand what they are
going to do, and may eonfider how to behave
themfelves at it with Decency and Propriety.
Let them not look upon this folemn Rite only
as a matter of Form and Cuftom, or attend
upon it only to oblige their Friends, or fatisfy
their Importunity : But let them go to it with
a cue Senfe of the great Ufefulnefs and Ne-
ceiTity of it, and with a Defign to become bet-
ter Chridians after it. They fhould fully re-
iblve to let it have a right Effecl updn their
future Lives, and to live agreeable to the Will
of God, fo that they may be fully prepared to
receive the holy Sacrament on the firft Oppor-
tunity that oilers. And above all, let them
be conftant and earnen: in their Prayers to
God, for a Bleifing on thefe their Endea-
vours ; without whom we can neither will
nor do any Thing that is good, and who
alone can a/Tin: them in the Performance of
their pious Vows and Refolutions.

Secondly, I mud addrefs thofe who have
the Care of young Perfons, who have not yet
been Confirmed. Youth is too apt to be
giddy and thoughtlefs, and do not enough con-
fide r their own Advantage : And therefore
Parents, or thofe who are in their Stead, fhouj j

remind

48 An Ejpojition on the Offices

remind them of their Duty, inflrucl: them in
the Principles of their Religion, fit them for
Confirmation, and fee that they be Confirmed
the firft Opportunity that offers after they are
fit for it. it is the Duty of Parents, becaufe
they ought to take care of the Bodies and
Souls of their Children, and to provide Food
for the one as well as for the other.

But, befides the Parents, Godfathers and
Godmothers are particularly obliged to over-
look the Education of their God-children, and
to fee that they be brought up in Virtue and
Godiinefs. This was what they undertook,
when the Children were Baptized, and they
became fpi ritual Guardians of them. Then it
was that the Miniiler told them they were to
take Care, that the Children they were Sureties
fur mould be brought to the Biihop to be Con-
firmed, when they fhould come to Years of
Difcretion; and this they afiented to : So that
if they neglect to bring them, after fit Ex-
amination and Instruction, to this Apoftolical
Rite, Sin lieth at their Door : And to fuch I
lay, until Confirmation, the Care of bringing
them up in the Chriflian Religion is incumbent
on you; unlefs you iee it taken off from year
Hands by pious and careful Parents or Teach-
ers, But when they are Confirmed, they take
the Care of their Souls upon themielves, and
releafe you from your Obligation.

Laftly, 1 mull addrefs myfelf to thofe who
have already been Confirmed. For what hath
been faid,- highly concerns us all. Let us

therefore

tfBapiijm and Confirmation. 49

therefore look back on our own Confirmation <>
Let us reflect on the Solemnity with which it
was adminilired, and how great a Part we
bore in it. Let us confider the fblemn Vows
we then made to Cod before many Wrtnefles ; —
the Engagements we then laid ourfelves under
of living as becometh Chriftians ; — and that
what we then did, was done voluntarily and
knowingly, without any Force or Compulfion,
and when the Age we were of made us capa-
ble o^ undemanding what we did. When We
were Baptized in our Infancy, our Sponfors
promifed for us, that we mould enter into the
Terms of the Gofpel Covenant. Thole Pro-
mifes which were then made in our Names,
were, indeed, obligatory to us, and we were
bound to perform them when we came to Age.
But as, in our own Perfons, we have fince fo-
lemnly renewed this Vow, at a Time when we
were capable of understanding the Subflance
and Import of il : As at Confirmation we took
upon ourfelves to believe and do, what our
Sureties undertook and promifed in our Behalf
at our Baptifm j doth not this, think ye, highly
increafeour Obligation* and add to our Guilt,
-when we act contrary to this our facred Agree-
ment ?

Let us remember that as Perfons are but
once Baptized, lb they are never to be but once
Confirmed ; but that thefc Engagements once
entered into, bind m for the whole Courfe of
our Lives ; and therefore let us never forget
the Obligations we then laid ourfelves under
D Let

50 An Expofitwn on the Offices

Let the Remembrance of them always keep us
from giving way to the Enticements of Sin,
and preferve us immoveable and unbiamcable
in the Faith of Christ. Let us look upon
ChriiHanity, not barely as a Religion which
w7e have had the Chance to be Born and Edu-
cated in, but as a Religion which we freely
Chofe, willingly Embraced, and are refolved
to Perfevere in. Then may we reafonably
hope, that God will blefs with a large Portion
of his Spirit us who have been entered into
his Church by Baptifm, and afterwards fub-
mitted to this Apoftolical Ordinance ; — that he
will grant the Prayers we then made, and let
his Fatherly Hand be over us, and his holy
Spirit be ever with us, and fo lead us in the
Knowledge and Obedience of his Word, that
in the End we may obtain eternal Life, thro'
our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom, with the
Father and the Holy Ghost, be afcribed all
Honour, Praifc and Adoration, now and for
ever. Am ex.

A Prayer en Bapijm> to be added at any Time
to our Private Devotions j from Bifiop Jeremy
Taylor.

OHoly and eternal Jesus, who in thine
own Perfon wall pleafed to fanclify the
Waters of Baptifm, and by thy Inftkuticn and
Commandment didfl make them effectual to

excellent

•/ TSapiifm and Confirmation. 51

excellent Purpofes of Grace and Remedy; be
pleated to verify the holy Erfeis of Baprifm
to me and all thy Servants whole Names arc
dedicated to Thee in an early and timely Pre-
mutation ; and enable -us with thy Grace to
verify all our Promises, by which we were
bound, then when thou didtt firft make us thy
own Portion and Relatives, in the Confumma-
tionof a holy Covenant.

O be pleafed to pardon all thofe indecest
and wicked Interruptions of that State of Fa-
vour in which thou didft plant us by thy
Grace, and admit us by the Gates of Baptifm :
And let that Spirit, which moved upon thofe
holy Waters, never be abfcnt from us, but
call upon us and invite us by a perpetual Ar-
gument and daily Solicitations and Induce-
ments to Holincfs ; that we may never return
to the Fikhineis of Sin, but by the Anfwer of
a good Conscience may pleafe Thee, and glo-
rify thy Name, and do honour to thy Religion
and Inititution in this World, and may receive
the Ble flings and the Rewards of it in the
World to come, being prefented to Thee pure
and fpotlefs in the Day of thy Power, when
thou (halt lead thy Church to a Kingdom- and
endlefs Glories. Amen%

D 2 A P

52 AnEjpofdion on the Offices

A Prayer and Tbankf giving upon the Anniver-
Jary-day of cur Baptijm : From Bijhop Co-
iins.

OLor&j heavenly Father, Almighty
and everlaffing God, who of thine in-
finite Goodnefs towards me, when I was born
in Sin, and Was no other than an Heir of ever-
lading Wrath, didft vouchfafe that I fbould,
as upon this Day, be born again of Water and
the Holy Ghost in the bieffed Laver of Bap-
tifm, being thereby made a Member of Christ
and an Heir of eternal Life : For this thine
ineflimable Favour I do here gratefully com-
memorate that happy Day, and in moft hum-
ble and hearty wife I do extol the abundant
Riches of thy glorious Grace \ in thy Sight
renewing, that fa c red Vow which was then
made in my Name, to forTake this wicked
World, and to live as a Chriliian ought to dc5
in Obedience to thy holy Faith and Command-
ments : Moft humbly be leeching Thee of thy
great Mtrcy to pardon me all former Breaches
of my folemn Promife, and to endue me (o
with the AfTiftance of thy Holy Spirit, that
htneeforth I ■ may walk in Newness of Life,
worthy of that bieffed Eflate whereunto thou
hall called me; and keeping mykif ur.fpotted
from the World, the Flefh and the Devil, I
may daily die unto Sin, for which Caufe I was
Baptized into the Death of Christ ; and as I
foavje had my Fart this Day in the firft Rege-
neration,

o/Bapfi/m and C '071/1 'r mat ion. o3

neration, fo I may at the Lift Day have my
Part in the fecond and great Regeneration of
the World, to live and reign with Thee for
ever, through the Merits of Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen,

A Prayer before Confirmation, to be ufed by
thoje that are preparing for it : By Mr. Nel-
fon.

*T\ /TOST merciful God, by whofe gracious
.1? JL Providence I was born of Chriftian Pa-
rent?, and early dedicated to thee in holy Bap-
tifm ; make me thoroughly fenfi ble, I befeech
thee, of thy infinite Goodnefs in bellowing
upon me she Welled Privileges of being made
a Member of thy Church, a Child of God,
and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Grant, O Lord, that by the AffiihiLie of
thy Grace, I may carefully and zealoufiy per-
form all thofe Conditions, upon which thou.
wert pieafed to vouchfafe tome fuch ineltima-
ble Benefits : That I may conftantiy refift the
Devil, and all thole Temptations by which
he feeks to deftroy me : That 1 may renounce
all covetous Defires of Honour, Riches, and
Pleafure, and all thofe evil Cuitoms and [Max-
ims of the World, which alienate Mens Minds-
from the Love of God :. That I may mortify
the inordinate Appetites of my own corrupt-
Nature, of my own carnal Mind : That I may
believe all thy holy Revelations, and keep thy
D 3 bieiied;

-64 An Expofdion en the Offices

blefTed Will and Commandments all the Days
of my Life.

And now, O Lord, that I am about to
renew the folcmn Vow of my Baptifm, and
publickly in thy Prcfencc to ratify ail thole
Things I then promifed by my Sureties ; I
humbly befeech thee to enlighten my Mind
with the Knowledge and Underilanding of that
fclemn Engagement I then made, and am now
about to confirm j influence my Will, and all
the Faculties of my Soul, heartily and fi nee rely
to perform it. Let not the many and grievous
Sins that I have committed, deprive me of
inofe Affiliances of thy Holy Spirit which I
now expect to receive ; but on my true Re-
pentance, let the precious Blood of my Sa-
viour wafh away all my pail Sins, and grant
that 1 may be enabled to mortify and fubdue
them for the Time to come. And forafmuch
as without thee, I am not able to pleafe thee,
pour thy Holy Spirit into my Heart, that by
his holy Infpiration I may think thofe Things
which are good, and by his merciful Guidance
may perform the fame, through J ejus Cbriji
our Lcrds in whofe blefTed Name and Words
I continue to pray, faying,

Our Father, &c.

A Prayer

of Bdpfijm and Confirmation. 55

A Prayer after Confirmation ; which may be
Jaid while others are confirming^ and may be
added to the Evening Prayer by the Party con-
firmed: By Mr Nelibn.

BLESSED and praifed he thy Holy Name,
O Lord, for thofc frefh Supplies of
Grace, which thou halt been pleated co com-
municate to me.

Bleffed be thy Name for thofe comfortable •
A durances thou haft given me of thy Favour
and Goodnefs towards me. BleiTed be thy
Name for that Privilege thou haft now be-
llowed upon me of approaching thy holy Ta-
ble, and of flrengthening and refreihing my
Soul by partaking there of the Body and Blood
of Cbrift.

Increafe in me, O Lord, more and more
the Gifts of thy Holy Spirit, that I may be
wife for Eternitv, and make it the chief Bu-
finefs of my Life to pleafe thee in all my Ac-
tions y that I may love and fear thee above all
Things j that I may be juft and righteous in
all my Dealings, and ready to communicate to
the NecefTities of others ; that I may keep a
conftant Watch over myfelf, fo as not to ex-
ceed the Bounds of Temperance and Sobriety.

Grant, O Lord, that my corrupt Nature
may be daily renewed and purified by thy
Holy Spirit, that no Danger or Perfecution
may affright me from my Duty; that no Plea-
fure may make me carelefs and negligent in
D 4 the

56 An Hxpofition on the Offices, cfc.

the Performance of it ; and that under Afflic-
tions moil grievous to Fkfh and Blood, I may
be en.irely refigped, and fubmit to thy holy
Will and Pleaiure. Let thy Holy Spirit, O
Lord, fo guide and govern me through the
whole Courfe of my fhort Life in this World*
that I may not fail to obtain eternal Life in the
World to come, through Jefus CbriJZ our

THE

THE

RATIONAL COMMUNICANT,

i Cor. XIV. i«i,i#.

Elfe when Thoujhalt Blefs with the Spirit, how
fo all He that occupeth the Room of the Un-
learned, fay Amen at thy giving of Thanks,
feeing He underftandeth not what thou fay eft ?■
For Thou verity giveft Thanks well \ hit the*
other is not Edified.

SAINT Pml> in the 12th 'Chapter: of tbis-
Epiftle, difcourfeth of the Diveriicy of
thofe miraculous fpiritual Gifts which were
then diftributed by the Holy Ghost among.
the Faithful, and had each of them their pecu-
liar Ufe in the Church. The lyiterfretcticn of
Tongues i and fpeaking in Languages which ^
they had never learned, was at that Time con-
ferred on many of the Primitive Chriilia-ns 3
and • wa s , as we u n d e r u a n d b y t h is C h a |
fometimes ahufed and mi [applied. . The Gift
of Languages was given fop! the Licrsqfe g( zhz:

58 The Rational Communicant.

Church of Christ >, that thofe Nations which
fpake in ftrange Tongues, might be informed
in their own Languages of the Truth of the
Gofpcl, and be brought hereby -to receive it :
And being converted to the Faith of Chjust
by this miraculous Sign, might, by the fame
Means, be more fully inftructed in his Reli-
gion : Tongues then were not chiefly given
for the Edification of the Church , for, in
the Words of the Apoftle, He that fpeaketh in
an unknown Tongue may edify hiwfelf-, but «r-
cept he interpret, the Church can receive no
Edifying thereby.

Hence it is that St Paul here argues largely
againft Praying in the public Congregations in
a Tongue unknown to the People ; and refolves
for his own Part, though he fpake with Tongues
more than they ally fo to pray that the Brethren
might undentand him, and join with him in
his Petitions : ILlfe, faith he in the Text, when
thou jh alt blefs with the Spirit \ when thou, be-
ing a Miniiter in the Church, fhalt ufe fuch!
Forms of Prayer and Thankfgiving as the
Spirit hath. dictated to thee, or, as being com-
pofed by the Church, are agreeable to the
Mind of the Spirit, but fhalt ufe them in an
unknown Tongue, How jh all he that cccupieth
the Room of the Unlearned, how fhall any of
the Congregation who hath neither learned the
Language thou fpeakefr, nor hath the Gift of
interpreting Tongues j how fhall fuch an one
join with thee in thy Addrefs to God, and fay
Amen at thy giving of Thanks, feeing he under-

fiandetb

The Rational Communicant. 5§

ftavdetb not what thou Jay eft ? For thou verily
giveft Thanks well, but the ether is not Edified,

If then it be unlawful to life Prayers in the
Church in an unknown Tongue; we may
from thence conclude, that it is the Duty of
every one to underftand aright thofe Prayers
which are offered up in their Name as the Com-
mon Prayers of the Church, every time they;
meet together to ferve God. For it is equally
abfurd, whether the Minifter offers up Prayers
in a Tongue unknown to the People ; or in
Terms above their Comprehenfion.

But as our Service in general ihould be a
reafonable Service ; as whenever we pray with
the Spirit, we mould pray with the Under-
ftanding alio : My Text minds me of a 'parti*
cular Office which we fhoukl do our Diligence
throughly and clearly to underftand, left: we
offer the Sacrifice of Fools, initead of perform-
ing rightly the higheft Act of our Religion,
The Words of St Paul feem to relate to the
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which was ce-
lebrated with folemn BleJ/ing of the Elements,,
with moft folemn Actions of BleJ/ing, Praijer
and 7 ' hankjgiving ; and therefore in the Chris-
tian Church the whole Action very early re-
ceived the general Name of the Eucharift or
Thank/giving.: And what confirms this Expla-
nation of the Words is, what Juftin Martyr,.
who lived in the Age after the Apoftles, tells
us, fpeaking of the Prayer of Ccnjecration ;
when the Bijhop has finifioed the Prayers and the
Eucharij'iical Service, all the People prejent ecu-
D 6 elude

60 The Hational Communicant.

elude with an audible Voice, faying^ Amen. The
Meaning of Sc Paul then, fpcaking to him who
officiates in an unknown Tongue, is this : —
When thou (halt blijs the Sacramental Ele-
ments,- and blefs Gop, the Fountain of Good-
nefs, how fh all a private and unlearned Per ion
in the Congregation, be able to confent and
fay the Amen to thy giving of Thanks and Cele-
bration of the Eucharijl , feeing he under fiandeth
not what thou Jay eft ?

Our Church hath provided An Order for the
Adminiftration of the lira's Supper or Holy
Communicn ; an Office excellent for its Ufe and
Beauty; which on the one Hand avoids any
Puritanical Irreverence or Indecency in the
Participation of the Holy Myfteries ; and on,
the other^.fhuns with Caution the oppofite Ex-
treme of Pcfijh Swperftition. An Office which
acquaints us with the Nature and Ends of this
Sacrament; and is fitly contrived to excite us
to the aclual Exerc'fe of thofe fever al Graces
which are required in thofe who come to the
Lord's Supper.

But as this Care and Pains of our Church
in ull come to nought, unle(s this Office be un-
derftocd by her Members who make ufe of it :
As without this, they cannot fay Amen, or ra-
tionally aiTent to the Prayers which the Prielt
at the Altar offers up in their Name*: I cannot
but think that it will, through Gee's Blcffing,
be of great Service, if I fhoirlcl thoroughly ex-
amine and explain the Communicn Office, as ycu
kayc it in your Common Prayer Becks, ami point

out

The Rational Communicant. 6$

out to you the Excellency and Propriety of
every Part of it.

But firfl let us take Notice of what precedes
the Celebration. Becaufe the Church would
have none come to the Holy Communion but
fuch as are fitly prepared to receive the Holy.
Myfteries, and to partake of the Sacramental
Grace; fhe hath ordered Warning to be given
of its Celebration, on the Sunday, or feme Holi-
day immediately proceeding, to give them time
for a proper Preparation ; and hath compoied
an Exhortation to be read to this Purpofe ;—
That as this Sacrament is a- Remembrance of
Christ^s meritorious Crofs and Paliion ; we
fhould render Thanks to God, for that He hath
given his Son our Saviour Jcfus Chrift, not only
to die for us, but alfo to be cur Spiritual Food
And Suftenance in that. Holy Sacrament. — That
the Comfort of Receiving it worthily, and the
Danger of Receiving it unworthily, mould teach
us to conjider the Dignity of that Holy My fiery \
and Itridtly and fmcerely to fear ch our Consci-
ences, and examine our Lives and Conversations
by the Rule of God's Commandments ; to bewail
and confefs our Offences to God with full pur poje
of Amendment ; and to reconcile ourfelves, and
make Reftituticn. and Satisfaction to our Neigh-
bours, if we have injured or offended them;
being likewife ready to forgive others that have
offended us. — That without Repentance, the
Holy Sacrament will profit us nothing. — That
we muft ccme to it with a full Tmft in God's
Mercy, and a quiet Confcience. — And that he
4 who

6*2 The Rational Communicant.

3 by the former Method cannot eafe his
guilty and doubtful Mind, may open his Grief
to fime Minifiier of God's Word, That by the
Miniftr) of God's Holy Word he may recehe the
Benefit of \ • /. t hit ion, together with ghoftly Coun-
Jel and Advhe\ to the quieting of his Confidence^
and avoiding all Scruple and Doubtfulness.

From hence we may obferve the Do&rine of

cur Church concerning Confeffi 'on to the Priefi;

doth not hold it abfolutely necejfary, nor

think it criminal. She neither commands it, nor

ptfes it : But holds it in fome Cafes to be
very ujeful and expedient. Here fhe recom-
mends the Ufe of it: And in her office for the
Vifttation of the Sick, the Prieil is inftru&ed to
Zpove the Jick P erf on io make a fipecial Confiefjicn
of his Si;isy if he feel his Confident* troubled with
any -weighty matter ; and he is thereupon im-
powered to Abfolvehim if he humbly and heartily
deftre it.

Thefe are the plain Directions which the
Church gives her Members, that they may come
hoy and clean tofuch an heavenly Feafi, in the
Marriage Garment required by God in Holy Scrip-
ture, and be received as worthy Partakers of that
Holy Table ; all along fuppoiing, that they are
convinced it is their Duty to communicate; but
as me is fully fenfible that Men are too apt to
be backward in coming to the Holy Table ;
another Exhortation is provided to be ufed by
the Minifter, iniiead of the former, In Cafe he
p? all fee the Peotle negligent to come to the Holy-
Communion. He is, in Gcdys behalf to bejeech-

them.

The ~Ratwnal Communieant. ^ 65

them for the Sake of Chrift, not to refufe the In-
vitation which is made to them of being Guefis
at his Table, left their Unthankfulne/s draw
down the Wrath of God upon them. He
tells them, that Excufes are e after made, than
accepted and allswed before God : That worldly
BuMnefs mould not hinder them; and that Im-
penitence, and Want of Preparation will not
be any Plea. He profefTeth his readinefs to
adminifler this Sacrament, and bids, calls*, and
exhorts them in the moil moving Manner, to
come and commemorate the Death o{ Chrift \
thereby performing what hhnfelf hath com-
manded, and avoiding the fore Punifmnent which
hangeth over the Heads of thofe who wilfully
abftain from the Lord's Table, fetar ate them-
felves from their Brethren, and do Injury to God.
And finally, that they may return t& a better
Mind, he promifes to affift them with his
Prayers.

Thefe Exhortations are fo plain and eafy to
be underftood, that they ftand in need of no
Comment : And are of very great Ufe, in
that they remind Men of this n e cellar y Dutyy
and tell them bow to perform it aright-, in that
they fhew them not only the Necefjity, but
likewife the Nature of the Sacrament, and the
Qualifications requifitc in thofe who would par-
take of it. -

The

64 The Rational Communicant.

The COMMUNION SERVICE.

\ PASS we now to. the Communion Service it-,
felf, which is to be ufcd at the Altar, or Holy
Table s which we, in conformity to the Practice
of the Ancients generally place at the Eaft
End of the Church-; and encompafs it with
Rails to fence off Rudenefs and Irreverence.

The Habit of the officiating Prieit is plain.
enough to prevent any juft. Charge of Super-
ftiticn : and, at the fame time, iuch as may
prejerve an awful ReJpecJ to God's Holy Service
and Worfhip.

As this is in itfelf a dffinfiand entire Office,
fo it was the Cuftom of our Church at the Be-
ginning of the Reformation, to (jng a Pfalm
or a Portion of a Pfalm, to diftinguifh it from
the preceeding Service. This laudable and
ancient Practice is at prefent continued in moil:
Churches amqngft us, but with this Differ-
ence; that the Choice of the Pialm is now left
at the Difcretion of the Clerk; whereas in King..
Edward the Sixth's firft Liturgy, every Collect, .
Epiftle, and Gofpel had a proper Introite, as it,
was called, prefixed, to be fung fbon after the
Minifter had entered within the Railsof the
Altar.

The iMinifter fianding at the North Side \cf:
the Table, begins the Communion Office,- as
the Church of Christ, formerly began her
Services, with the divine Prayer of our Lord ;
which isinfertcd in every diftinct Office of our-

'Ghurdv

The Hatianal Communicant. 65

Church, that we may not difcbey his Com-
mand who faid, When ye pray Jay, Our Father,
£?r.-; and that we may pray for thofe Things
which are needful for us, and yet our Blind-
jnefs hath omitted in the other Prayers, in this
perfect and comprehenfiye Form. It was an-
ciently uied by the Primitive Church at the
Celebration of the Eucharift, as mofb of the
ancient Liturgies teftify : And that, amongfl
other Reafons, on account of the Petition,
Give us this Day our daily Bread ; which they
thought referred to this Holy Sacrament, and
therefore tran dated it omjuperfubftantiai Bread ;
becaufe it confirms the Subftance of the Soul, and
is dijtributed through our whole Perfon for the
Benefit of Body and Soul.

When this divine Form of Prayer is faid,
the People being humbly on their Knees, are
to accompany the Minifter not only in their
Hearts, but with their Lips : For though it be
not particularly ordered in this place; yet it is
in the Rubric after the Confejfion in the Order
for Morning Prayer ; where the Minifter is to
ufe the Lord's Prayer, The people alfo kneeling,
and repeating it with him, both here, and where-
Jo ever elfe it is ujed in Divine Service.

After this follows a Collect, in which we
beg of God to Cleanje the Thoughts of our
Hearts by . the Injpiration of his Holy Spirit,
For as David warned his Hands in Innocency, fo
fhould we purify our Hearts in Holinejs before
we approach the Altar of our God. The
Thoughts of our Hearts are for the Time of this

fac red

66 The Rational Communicant.

facred Office to be employed wholly upon hea-
venly Things, and to be dedicated entirely to
God : And if our Hearts be fo cleanfed, as
that we may perfectly love Him ; this perfect
Love will teach us a zealous and willing Obe-
dience lo all His Commandments , which are pre-
sently to be recited. And if God grants us
this Petition, we (hall then be able worthily to
magnify his holy Name in the Eucharifiical '
Service which we are entering upon.

When the Children of Ifrael were to receive
the Law from Mount Sinai, Ivlvjcs charged
them to wajh and fanclijy themielves : And
now, we, having prayed for Purity of Soul
and Cleannefs of Heart, are the better pre-
pared to attend to the Repetition of the .fame
Law by the Mouth of God's Minifter. To
have the Ten Commandments inferted in the
Communion Office is peculiar to the Church of
England, and an Excellency which^ all other
Liturgies, both Ancient and Modern, are defti-
tute of. Nov/ what can be more proper, than
to have the Commandments of God rehearfed,
at a Time when we are going- in the moil fo-
lemn Manner to renew (xir Vows of Obedience
to them ? If it be required of thofe who would
communicate worthily, to examine their Lives
and Converfaticns by the Rule of God's Com-
mandments, as one of the Exhortations I have
lately mentioned lays it is; then furely nothing
can be more feafonable than to have thefe Com-
.mandmenis, this Rule fct before us, that we
may judge and examine our Confciences there-
by,

The Rational Communicant. 67

by, before we p relume to receive that holy
Sacrament.

Here then, whilft the Minifter turning to the
People, rebearfes diftinftly all the Ten Command-
ments, let every one lay his Hand upon his
Heart, and ajk himfelf how he hath offended
againft each particular Law ; and with the
greateft Sincerity rejolve earneiily to endeavour
againft the Attempts and Allurements to that
Sin for the future : And left he (houid be at a
Lofs for & penitential Form to exprels his Sorrow
in, to afk Pardon of God for hhpafl Sins, and
to beg his afiifting and preventing Grace for
the Time to come-, the Church hath ordered,
thatafter each Gommmdmentthe People fliouid
fay, Lord have Mercy upon us, and incline our
Hearts to keep this Law ; and at the End of
the Tenth Commandment, that they mould hum-
bly befeech God to write all tbeje Laws in their
Hearts; fo to write them in their Hearts, that
they might have an influence on whatever they
fay, do, or think : that being always governed
and determined by them, all our Thoughts,
Words, and Aclions may tend to the Glory of
God.

This Part of the Service is followed by a
Prayer for the Kings Majefry, by whom we
are protected in the Exejcite of the true Reli-
gion, and by whofe Laws the Obfervauon of
God's Commandments is enforced with Temporal
Penalties. Herein the Church of 'England "mews
\\tx faithful Loyalty xo God's Vicegerent, that
fhe hath no ordinary Service of her Common

Prayer

C3 The Rational Communicant.

Prayer Book, in which his Authority is not
particularly recognized, and his ~PeiJon prayed
for.

And herein particularly fhe imitates the an-
cient Church of Chrtst, in which the Sove-
reign was always prayed for at iht Celebration
of the Holy Sacrament.

But here we muft obferve, that this Colleff
for the King is introduced by that primitive
Liturgical Form, Let us Pray. The Senfe of
which, as it is here ufed, feems to be as fol-
lowed^ We have been attending to the Word
of God, and hearkning to his- Law in the Ten
Commandments -, let us now pafs over from
Hearing unto Prayer. We have before prayed
in the lhort Refponfes after each Commandment^
let us now addrefs ourfelves to God in the fol-
lowing CollecJ. We have in thole brief Pe-
titions begged of God Grace and Pardon for
eurfehes ; let us now offer up our Supplications
for his Anointed. Let us lay afide all intruding
and improper Thoughts; let us not give way
to the fmaileji Interruptions; left they quench
the Spirit of our Zeal, or cauie the Lamp of
our Devotion to burn with an unjleady Flame,
Let us ferioufly attend to the Bufinefs we are.
about. Let us reverently approach the Throne
of Grace, and with a pious Earnefinejs gray to
God. .

After this Introduction^ the Church hath
propofed a double Form, either of which the
JMinifter may ufe at his difcretion. In the firft
we beg, that, as the King is the Minifter of

Go 3*

The Rational Communicant. 6Q

God, fo he may ?. ove all Ihings feek God's
Honour and Git \ . for the Good of his Church :
aad that we, on our Part, confidering from
whence he receives his Authority ', may fefvey
honour, and humbly obey him, notjmlyfcr Wrath ,
but alfo for Confcience Jake. The fecond ac-
knowledges the Hearts of Kings to be in the
Hand of God, and therefore befeeches him to
dtfpcje our gracious Sovereign, to feek the Ho-
nour of God and the Good of his Subjects.

After this comes the Collet for the Day, ap-
propriated to'the Epiftleand Gofpel which fol-
low it; and is, for the molt part, a Petition
for fome Grace which they fet forth as neceiTary
for us; or, on Saints-Days, that wTe may imi-
tate the laudable Example of thofe holy Perfons,
whole «:ood Deeds we on thofe Days com me-

&

rnorate and thank God for.

Hitherto the Minifter who officiates is en-
joined to jland, and the People to kneel ; be-
eaufe the Pofture of (landing is in him very be-
coming in Euchnriftical or Tbankfgiving Of-
fices; and it is efpecially proper when he deli-
vers the Commandments from God, as Mofes
from Mount Sinai, that he fhould do it in a
Gefture intimating his Authority ', and that he is
the Mejfenger of the Lord of Hefts . A rid Kneel-
ing is as proper for the Congregation, Whiift they
humbly implore Grace and Pardon of God,
and beg a Bleffing for thofe whom he hath fet
over them. And this I the rather uke Notice
of, becaufe I have feen that feveral, for want:
of obferving the Directions of the Rubric,

though

?0 The Rational Communicant.

though they kneel during the other Parts of the
Service, have, whilft the Communion Office was
reading, been wanting in the decent and hum-
ble Pofture here required of them. Whereas,
the very Nature of this folemn Of rice demands
of us as much penitential Humility and lowly
Reverence in our Geftures, as any one Part of
the Liturgy.

From Praying we arife to hear the JVord of
God in the Epijlles and Gcjpels, which are Por-
tions of Scripture appointed for the fevtral Sun-
day s> and fitted to the feveral Feftivals and Sea-
fins of the Year. We are gradually led on to
the mod facred Myfteries, by having firft the
Law of the Ten Commandments read to us ; that
Law which was firft giving to the Israelites, and
which our Lord and Saviour came afterwards
to Jill up, and to exalt the Duties of it to a
more heavenly Perfection. After this, from
the Old Tejlament we pafs to the New, the Law
having ferved to bring us to Chrijl : And fo
Lome Parages taken (for the mo ft Part) out of
the Epiftolary Writings of the Apoftles, the Ser-
vants of the Lord Jesus, are read to prepare
us for the Hearing of the Go/pel, which con-
tains the Words or Actions of their and our
Lord and M after ; and is ou t of R e fpe 61 re ferv-
ed to th< L'ifl Place: And for the fame Reaibn
it was a Cuftom amongft the Primitive Chrifti-
ans, and is pofitively enjoined by our Church,
that the People \hc\Mjtand whilft the Go/pel
is reading,

6 As

The Rational Communicant. 71

As the Jews read the Hiftory of their Belt"
verance out of Egypt, before they eat t\vd Pafs-
cver; fo in the Primitive Church t\\t Epiftles
and Go/pets were ordered to be read at the Cele-
bration of the Holy Communion ; though they
read larger Portions of them than v/e do at pre-
fent : But even tbofe very Eplfiles and Gofpels
which are now in our Liturgy, are fo far from
being but lately chofen, that moft of them have,
in the Service of the Catholic Church, been af-
fixed to thoje Sundays and Holidays on which
we now ufe them for above thefe Thou/and
Tears.

As Faith cometh by Hearing, and as the
pure and fincere IVor d of God hath been juft
read unto us; v/e pafs on in che next place to
rehearje the. Articles cf our Belief, as contained
in, and abdracled from tho \tfacred Writings
which we have been giving Attention to. And
as the Creed contains the Sum and Subffance of
the Go/pel, the People are to repeat it /landing,
in the fame Pofture as they did whilfc the Gof-
pel was reading. And that, I fuppofe fays the
late learned and pious Biihop Beveridge, is the
Reafon, why, although after the Reading of the
Epifile, the Minifier is to fay, Here endeth the
Epiftle; yet after the Reading of the Gofpel he
is not to fay, Here endeth the Gofpel, (as many,
who do not confider the Rubric, are wont to do)
becaufe the Gofpel doth not properly end there,
but continues to be declared and publi fried in the
following Creed: In which are briefly compre-
hended

72 The Tiational Communicant.

bended all the great Articles of that Holy Religion
which Chrift hath revealed in his Go/pel.

At our Baptifm, we, amongft other Things,
promife to believe all the Articles of the Chrifti-
an Faith y and therefore it is with the greateft
Propriety that we here make an open ConfeJJion
of our Failh, at a Time when we are going to
renew our Baptifmal Vow in this other Sacra-
went, And befides, it is but juft and reafoa-
rble, that thofe who eat of t\iz fame Bread, and
drink of thtfame Cup, mould profefs thefame
Faith, and own themfelves to be joined toge-
ther in Unity of Spirit, before they partake of
thofe [acred Myfteries.

Add to this, that every folemn ConfeJJion of
our Faith muft be looked upon as giving
Glory and Honour to God, in recognizing his
Effencc and Attributes, and the Bleffings which
flow from thole Sources upon Mankind: And
hence it, in a peculiar Manner, befits'//^ holy-
Service of Thanks and Praife. In this we imi-
tate the- mod ancient Liturgies of the Church;
which, when this holy Sacrament was celebrat-
ed, had an Euchariftical Form, in which God's
Power and Goodnefs was acknowledged in the
Creation, Preservation, and Redemption of the
World. Thus we, though in a fhorter Form

J o

of undoubted Authority, confefs to the holy
and undivided Trinityy and diftinctly own the
Divinity of each Perfon: We commemorate
the Creation of the World, by God the Father
Almighty : We acknowledge J ejus Chrift to be
our Lord, to have been begotten from all Eter-
nity,

The Rational Communictmt. 7&

nity, to be of one Subftance with the Father y
and with him Creator of all Things ; That for
our Salvation he came down from Heaven ; was
made Man, fuffered, and died for us. We
commemorate his RefurreVion, AfcenJion> and
Jit ting at Gods right Hand : Exprefs our Ex-
pectation of his fecend Coming, and declare,
That his Kingdom ft) all have no End. We con-
fefs to God, that he hath infpired the r'repbets ;
that he hath built a Church on the Foundation'
of the Apo/lles •, that he hath appoifn ted Bap-
tijm for the Rem'iflim of Sins ; and given us
Leave to look for the RefurreJlion of the Dead,
and an happy Eternity.

What more glorious Hymn than this can
we Ting to the Honour of God ? Is it polfible
to mention any thing elie that can fo much re-
dound to his Glory ? May not Ibis our Ser-
vice be well (tiled the Each arift, when we thus
give Praife and Glory to Almighty God for'
the wonderful ManifefUtion of his Attributes*
and the ineftimable Bleftings lie hath bellowed
upon us ? Let not any one therefore think,
that repeating the Creed is barely a Declaration
of his Faith to the reft of the Congregation ;
for betides' that, it is a moil fikmn Act of
Worfhio, in which we honour and magnify God
both for what he is in himiclf, and tor what
he hath done for us : And let us ail, f-n Ible of
this, repeat it with reverential Voice and Ge fu-
ture, and life up our Hearts with Faith > Thank*
fulnefj, and humble Devotion, whenever we la}-,
/ believe, &c.

F> In

74 The Hational Communicant.

In the LeffbnSy and reading of the Scripture,
the M in ift cri peaks to the People as from God.
In the Prayers, he is the Mouth of the People,
and fpeaks to God in their Behalf But when *
the Creeds are rehearfed, the Minifter anfwers
only for hi mf elf y and every one of the Congre-
gation like wife fays in his own Name, I believe.
We cannot dive into the Thoughts of others,
and fearch out their Opinions : But when each
one f erf on ally and exprefly joins in this Form
of found Words ; when each one for himfelf
fays, I believe •, then we difcover the Communion
of Saints, and the happy Confent and Agree-
ment of the whole Congregation, both with
one another, and wkh the Catholic Church of
Christ, in theie- fund a mental Doctrines of his
Religion.

The THREE CREEDS.

A?%TD here I think it will not be amifs, if
we lay hold on this Occafion to fpeak briefly
of the Rife of Creeds in the Church : They
had, probably, their Original from thofe Pro-
feffions which were made by Perfons to be bap-
tized. Philip demanded of the Eunuch, whe-
ther he believed with all his Heart , and when
tie. anfwercdandfiidy I believe that.Jefus Chrift
is the Son of God , immediately he baptized him.
This is what St. Peter calls the Anfwer of a good
Confcience; and what the Church hath ever
iince retained. In the Primitive Church, the
Questions which were put> and ,the Anfwers

whicj*

The Rational Communicant. 75

which were given to them, were but ihort.
But as Tares greiv up among the Wheat ; as
new Herefies daily fprang up in the Church,
the Baptifmal Interrogatories were extended,
and the Creed enlarged, fo as to oppofe thofc
grofs and fundamental Errors and Herefies
which had begun to infeft the Church. And
hence, the ancienter the Creeds are, they are
generally obferved to be cxprefTed in a more
plain and Jimple Manner, and to be lejs expla-
natory than thofe of after Ages,

I. That which we call the Apoftles Creed,
is therefore, probably, the rnofl ancient of anjr
which we publicly ufe. And though it is not
likely that the whole Creed in the prefent Form
of it was compiled by the Apoftles ; becaufe, if
it had been lb, St. Luke would fcarce have
omitted fuch a material Circumftance when he
wrote their Aofs : Yet it is agreeable to their
Doctrine, and might, in the main Branches ok
it, be compofed in or near their Time. Thus
much is certain, that it is to be found in the
Works of Authors of the fourth Century, In
the fame Terms as we ufe it in our Liturgy.
And it is faid in the fame Age to have been in-
troduced into the public Service, of the Church.

II* The next in Order of Time, is the
Creed ufed in our Communion Ojjice, vulgarly
called, the Nicene Creedy becaule it was chiefly
compofed in the fit -ft general Council of Nice,
which was called againft Arius in the Year
325 ; and therefore in this the Divinity of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, is more
E 2 fully

?6 The Rational Communicant.

fully and explicitly taught, in Oppofition t«
the Novel Opinions of Arius and his Follow-
ers, who denied it. But this Ccnfeffion of
Faith received afterwards more Enlargements,
when the fecond General Council was called at
Conftantinopk 56 Years after, to condemn the
heretical Tenets of thofe who refufed to own,
thai the Holy Ghcjl ivas God: And therefore
this Council made Additions to the Nicene
Creed \ which in more precife Terms exprefTed .
the Divinity of the Holy Ghoju So that the
Title of Lord and Giver of Life there applied
to him, ana the other Articles which follow it,
were all affixed to the Nicene Creed by this
Council : Excepting, that after it is faid of the
H 0 1 y .Spirit, that he prcceedeth frGm the Fa-
ther, the Latins, in the Middle of the film
Century, or later, added theft Words, And
from the Sou. becaufe forne of the Greek Wri-
ters had before that denied trie Procefjion of the
Holy Ghoft from tht Son.

HI. The other Cried which our Church
makes uie of is \ commonly called the Creed of St
Athanafius : Not that it is certain that he was
the Author of it ; but becaufe it captains his
Dbytrine of the Trinity, that fpund^and ortho-
dox Faith which the h< iy Athanafius with Cou- .
rage and Conftancy vindicated and defended ,
againft the moil powerful and numerous Part
of the World. In this Confeffidn, the Divi-
nity of the Three Perfcrs, and the Incarnation
of the Son* are fully afTerted againft the Here-
tics who had at that, Time broached contrary

Opinions.

The Rational Communicant. 77

Opinions. From hence the Time in which it
wascompofed is conjectured, which. muftneccf-
farily be later than" the Rife of thole ilercfies
which it oppofes. And it is thought, by the
Worthy and Learned Dr. IVateriand, to have
been drawn up about the Year of Chrifi 430,
by Hilary >> Abbot ot her ins , and then Bijhof of
Aries, for the Ufe of his Galilean Clergy.

Thefe are the three Barriers of the Faith- of
our Church, extracted from the Holy Scrip-
ture in the purer Ages of Chriftianity : Though
varioufly exprelTed, yet the fame \n Subftance ;
agreeable each to other ; and all agreeable to
the Word of God, and approved all along by
the Catholic Church. In thefe Forms fhe calls
upon her Members to declare their Belief to be
conlbnant to that of the Church Univerial.
The Apojlles Creed, as the plainest and flior it it
Form, is appointed for common And daily Uie.
The Athanafian for Fejlivals which relate more
immediately to our Saviour, or which are placed
at fuch convenient Dijlances from each other as
that none may be wholly igriorant of the Myi-
teries therein contained. And die NUene Creed
is to be repeated on everv FejHval\ a; d (as a
Creed wab ufrd in the Communion O the

Primitive Church) wh< evei :he Eu char tft is ad*-
minillred, accorciino; to ti>e InilitLition of our
Lord ; whofe eternal Generation, Godhead,
Incarnation, Sufferings aod Exaltation, are
therein fummarily contained and acknow-
ledged.

E 3 To

78 The Hational Communicant.

To proceed now in the farther Confidera-
tion of the Communion Service ; having fome-
thing gone off from my firft Ptirpofe to the
Confideration of the Three Creeds, in hopes
that the Ufefulnefs of what I have faid may
cxcufe the DigrefTion.

After the Creed is finifhed, Then Jh all fol-
low the Sermon, or one of the Homilies already
Jet forth, or hereafter to be Jet forth by Autho-
rity. For this, according as it is placed in
our Liturgy, muftbc reckoned a Part of the
Communion Service on thofe Days when the
Holy Sacrament is adminiftred. In the Pri-
mitive Church the Sermon followed the Read-
ing of the Gofpel. it was called the Homily,
Tofiily or Tratlate ; and was generally a Prac-
tical Explanation of the Epiftle or Gofpel, by
the Bifocf, if prefent, or elfe by fome fubordi-
nate Minifter commiffioned by him : And at
the End of this, the Catechumens, and all thofe
who were not admitted to the facred Myfteries,
were difmifTed.

The Homilies of our Church, which were fet
out in the Beginning of the Reformation, do
contain godly and wholejome Doclrine, and were
particularly necejfary for thofe Times in which
there was a Scarcity of Preachers.

I need fay nothing of the Sermons that are
now preached, fince they are known to be ufe-
ful Difcourfes, in which fome Text or Portion
of Scripture is explained, fome Doclrine illuf-
trated, or fome Duty inforced : But only fhall
obferve, that as they tend to make us wifer

and

The Rational Communicant. 79

and better, they cannot but be proper Prepa-
ratives for the Table of the Lord.

The OFFERTORY,

THE Sermon being ended7 Then Jhall the
Trieft return to the Lord' s 'Fable \ and begin the
Offertory. Offerings at the Time of the Com-
munion have been cuflomary ever fince the
Times of the Apftles > and have been thoughc
to have been pointed out by our Saviour, by
way of Anticipation, even before he inltituted
this Sacrament, when in the Sermon on the
Mount he fpeaks to his Difciples of bringing
their Gift to the Altar. The Primitive Chrifti-
ans were fenfible that it was their Duty at that
Time to offer unto God fome Part of thofe
good Things which he had beftowed upon
them. Thefc Gifts they brought partly in
Money, and partly in Bread and Wine, or in
fome other Things of Value. From hence
was taken the Bread and Wine for the Cele-
bration of the Euchariil \ and the Provifion
for their Love-Feafts ; and the Remainder
ferved for the Maintenance of the BiiTiop and
Clergy (this being at that time their chief, if
not only Dependence) for the Repairs and Or-
naments of their Churches, and for the Relief
of the Poor.

Wfnlit the Alms are collecting, the Mini-
He r is to read feveral Sentences of Scripture,
proper to excite the pec p!e to good Works of
Charity to the Poor, and Benevolence to thofe
E 4 who

SO The 'Rational Communicant.

who wait at the Altar. We are told that our
Light fhould fhine before Men, our Treafures
be laid up in Heaven, and that we fhould do ts
others, as we defire they would do to us ; and
fhould not only pfofefs, but practife Chrifti-
anity. By the Example of Zaccheus we arc
exhorted to Alms-giving and Reftuution ; and
are encouraged to diftri^ute cheerfully accord-
ing to our Power; to take all Opportunities of
doing Good ; to be ready to Give, and glad to
Ri (tribute ; becaufe God is pie a fed with juch
Sacrifices, bicriTes thofe who offer them, and
'himielf becomes our Debtor for what we thus
lay out.

And now the Bread and IVine, and the Alms
of the Congregation being humbly prefenfed md
placed upon the Holy Table"} the Prieft is to be-
gin the Prayer for the State of Chrijl's Church.
None of the Communion Offices of the Primi-
tive Church was without fuch a Form. It was
called the Catholic or General CvllecJ, or the
Prayer J cr Peace : And this Prayer of ours is,
as to the Subftance of what it contains, agree-
able to the moil ancient Liturgies.

V- e have already, in the Creed, teftified our
Faith, to be the fame with that of the univerfal
Church: We have (hewed our Compajfion in
Alms to the Poor : And here we declare the
Exttnt of our Charity, in praying for all Con-
ditions of Men in the Church, that they may
live agreeable to their Profeffion of Chriftiani-
ty j that thofe who govern the State, thofe
who prefide over the Church, and wait at the

Altar,

The Rational Communicant. 81

Altar, and the People in general, may, in
their feveral Stations, promote the Glory of
GoD,'and the Good of one another. Chriftianity
teacheth Men Loyalty and Obedience ; and
the Apoftle hath taught us to make Prayers,
and Supplications, and Thanksgivings, or Euc ha-
nds, for all Men, for Kings, and all in Autho-
rity ; which Words feem particularly to bind
it upon us as our efpecial Duty, when we cele-
brate this Sacrament.

In this Prayer, .the Pried folemnly offers to
God the Devotions of the People, and humbly
begs of him to accept their Alms and Oblations ;
— thofe Alms which, whilft the Sentences were
reading, have been collected for the Ufe of
the Poor, and are therefore, with great Pro-
priety, offered unto God, who is pleafed with
fuch Sacrifices :• — Thole Oblations of Bread
and Wine, which are co be ufcd in this Holy
Sacrament, and ought therefore to be humbly
dedicated to God, with a Petition for His Ac-
ceptance of them.

We make lbme Provifion for the Poor by
our Alms ; but there are, befides, many others
whom this Kind of Charity will not reach.
Money will neither cure the Grief of the Mind,
nor absolutely heal the Difteropers of the Body :
and the Alms which are at this Time beitowed,
cannot be fo diftributcd as to relieve all thofe
that are in Neceiiity ; bur/ our heart)? Prayers
we are allured will reach the;: , and God •••.ill-
have regard to the Petitions we faithfully offer
up in their Behalf: and therefore with exten-
E 5 five

83 The Rational Communicant.

five and umverfal Charity we befeech him of
his Goodnefs to comfort and fuccour all them who
are in Trouble, Sorrow, Need, Sicknefs, or any
ether Adverfity. To our Prayers we then join
our Thanks for all the Saints of God departed
this Life; bejeeching him that we may follow
their good Examples, and with them be Partakers
tf/'his heavenly Kingdom.

The EXHORTATION and
INVITATION.

THIS excellent Collect being concluded,
the Priefr. is to read an Exhortation fit to pre-
pare the Minds of the Communicants for re-
ceiving the Holy Sacrament. In it he reminds
them of the Qualifications neceiTary to a wor-
thy Reception, namely, a -penitent Heart and a
lively Faith : He fets before them the Advan-
tages of Partaking in fbch a Manner, that
then we Jpiritually eat the Flefh of Chrijl, and
drink his Blood ; then we dwell in Chrijl, and
Chrijl in us ; we are one with Chrift, and Chrijl
with us. But if, on the contrary, we come
without due Preparation, we are guilty of the
Body and Blood of Chrijl -, and by not difcern-
ing the Lord's Body* provoke God to fend the

Judgments

* This Part of the Exhortation is taken chiefly from
i Car, xi„ The Word Damnation h-re borrowed from
*v. 29. might with greater Propriety have been tranflated
Judgment i and in the Text plainly refers to the Tempo-
ral Funiiruaenju, Deaths, and SickueiTes, which were then

in-

The Rational Communicant. 83

Judgments of his Wrath upon us here, which,
if not averted by fincere Repentance, will at
lad end in final Damnation. Hence it is, that
He again prefies them to judge and examine
themfelves, to repent of their Sins paft, to
amend their Lives, to have a lively and ftedfajt
Faith in Chrift our Saviour, and to be in perfe5t
Charity with all Men, thaty^ they may be meet
Partakers of thoje Holy Myjteries.

What follows is partly Admonitory, and
partly Euchariftical : In which, whilft the Peo-
ple are exhorted to be thankful, the Minifter
recounts and acknowledges the Good nefs of
God in the Redemption of the World, by the
Death andPaffion of our Saviour Chrift both God
and Man, who did humble himfelf even to the
Death upon the Cro/s, for us miferable Sinners,
nxho lay in Darknejs and the Shadow of Death $

ir.flifted by God "on thofe who vilely profaned this Sacra-
ment. The Crimes of the Corinthians were, not difcerning
the Lord's Body, looking upon the Sacrament as a common
Meal, aud Eating and Drinking toexcefs at the Lord's
Table : And for thefe God inflicted remarkable Judg-
ments on them. So that Eating and Drinking unworthily,
in the Senfe of St. Paul, is receiving the Sacrament in a
carelefs and profane Manner, and abufing it to Intemper-
ance ; Sins that cannot at prefent be charged on any Com-
municants : But our Church here ufes it not fo much in
refpecl to the Manner of receiving, as to the Qualification?
of the Communicants,, and their fltnefs to receive. Let
then no pious Chriftians fright themfelves from the Sa-
crament by expounding thefe Word^ in too rigid a Man-
ner : Let them but bring with them fincere Repentance,
Faith, and Charity, and they will be mat Partakers of
thofe Holy Myfierics,

K 6 that

8i The Rational Communicant.

that H' might make us the Children of God, and
exalt us to everlafting Life , and moreover injli-
tuted thefe holy Myfieries to our great and end-
lefs Comfort, as Pledges of bis Love, and for a
continual Remembrance of his Death, and the in-
numerable Benefits He hath thereby obtained for
us.

After this, it ends with a folemn Dcxology
to the ever-biefTed Trinity, and a Tender of
Thanks, Submiffion, and Obedience to the
Divine Will : And this the whole Congrega-
tion is to afTent to, and Seal with an hearty
Amen.

Is not therefore our Communion Office
Eucharifiical? Do we not in it fhew ourfelves
grateful to our bleiTed Redeemer, when- even
iht preparatory Exhortation to it includes an
Hymn of praije for our Redemption, and
the Inftiturjon of the holy Sacrament ?

In the Primitive Church, before the Admi-
niftration of the Eucharift, the Deacon was
ordered to fay. Let n:ne of the Unbelievers,
vene (f the Heterodox pay. — Let no one have
g tight atainft <&y Man. Let no one come in
Lhpccrijy. Thus they dic-ve the Unworthy
from the Holy Table ; and though they fuffer-
cd them to hear God's Word read, and to join
in the preceding Prayers of the Church; yet
*hey charged none to communicate in the ho-
ly Mjfteries, but the Faithful and the Ortho-
dox, in.i rhefe who came with Charity and
£ tcenty of Heart. And thus our Church
endeavours to prevent any from incurring the

Danger

The Rational Communicant. 85

Danger of Receiving unworthily, by the fol-
lowing Invitation-, in which, whilft fhc en-
courages thofe who are qualified by Repentance
and Chanty, to draw near with Faith; fhe at
the fame time filently warns thofe who are not
fitly prepared to withdraw themfelves.

This then is a proper time to confult with
our Hearts, and ftriclly to afk ourlelves whe-
ther we have thefe Qualifications ; and if we
can fay, in the Sincerity of our Souls, that we
truly and earneftly repent us of our Sins, and
(ire in hove and Charity with our Neighbours,
and intend* to lead a new Life, following the
Commandments ef God, and walking from hence-
forth in his holy Ways-, we may then draw near
with Faith, and full Afflirance that the holy
Sacrament which we take will be to our
Comfort.

The CONFESSION and

ABSOLUTION.&c,

BUT as we cannot draw near with a true
Heart, in full Ajfurdnce of Faith, without
having our Hearts rirft fprinkled from an evil
Confcience : What more efficacious Means of
doing this, than to make our humble Confefjion
to Almighty Gcd, meekly kneeling upon our
Knees? The Form of Confeffion inicrted in
the Communion Office is excellent as to the
Place it bears, as to the Matter it contains/
and as to t he Form it is exprejfed in.

Firft, As to the Place it fianas in -, if we
1 refpedt

86 The Rational Communicant.

refpect the Exhortations going before, nothing
can be lore rcafonable, than, when we have
been convinced of the efpecial Neceffity at
this Time of a true and unfeigned Repentance,
we immediately fall down at the Throne of
Grace, and wich Shame and Sorrow acknow-
ledge our Sins. If we regard the moft hcly
Service which follows, we nuift allow, that as
the Priefts amongft the Jews were to purify
themfelves before they offered up their Sacri-
fices; as the Primitive Chriftians warned their
Hands before they confecrated the Holy Sacra-
ment: fo we mould wajh our Hands in Inno-
cence, before we go to God's Altar ; and purge
ourfelves from Guilt by confe fling cur Offences,
and craving Pardon for them, before we pre-
iiime to take thofe holy Myfteries. We are
unworthy through cur manifold Sins to offer un-
to God any Sacrifice \ penitent Confefijon is the
Condition of our- Pardon; and this we mult
feek for, before we commemorate in this our
Chriflian Sacrifice the Death and Paflion of our
Lord and Saviour.

Secondly, This Confefiion is excellent as to
the Matter it contains, and the Form it is ex-
prefTed in. It reprefents God as the Maker of
all Things, and fo we Sinners are the Work of
his Plands, and at his Difpofal : As the Judge
of all Men, and fo capable of knowing ail our
Words and Actions, and of difcerning the
Thoughts of our Hearts, and Juft to deal with
every Man according to his Deeds : As an Al-
mighty God, and fo able to punifh with utter

Ruin

The Rational Communicant. 87

Ruin thofe who tranfgrefs his Will : But then
it reprefents him as the Father of cur Lord
Jefus Chrift, and fo for his fake Gracious and
Merciful to Mankind, eafy to be intreated,
and ready to forgive. When the Sinner thus
fpeaks to God, the Words he ufeth teach him
to dread his Power and juftice, and to fly for
Safety to the Arms of his Mercy, and the
Merits of his Saviour.

After thefe Compellaiions, we come to ac-
knowledge, that our Sins are manifold -, that
we have tranfgrefTed, in Thought , I Ford, and
Deed -, that it is the Divine Majejty whom we
have offended -, and that hereby we are juftly
become obnoxious to his JVrath and Indignation.
"We then exprefs our Scrrc-zv, we cry for Mer-
cy, and beg to be delivered from the heavy
Burden of our pail Sins, for ChrijVs Sake, and
that ive may ever hereafter ferve and pleafe G c d
to the Glory and Honour of his Name. Here
then the penitent Sinner is taught to ccnfefs his
Faults in a Form fo ccmprehenf.ve as to include
all the Sins that he can pombly have been
guilty of; and yet not fo particularized as to
make any blame themfelves unjuftly for Sins
of which they are not confaous: and in the
mod pathetic Expreitions, to humble himfeif
before the Throne of Grace, and implore
God's Mercy on the mod prevailing Motives,

And as every cr.e of us are burdened with

Sins, the Church reauires that every one of us

mould, with his ozvn Mouth, make this his

Confefiion: That every one may accufe himfeif

4 before

88 The Rational Communicant.

before God; and whilft he makes this out-
ward Confeffion, he may privately in his own
Heart reflect on the Sins he hath committed
againit each Article, and fecretly confefs them
with Sorrow to God who knows all the Mo-
tions of his Soul.

When we do this, let us confider ourfelves
as guilty Criminals appearing before the Judge
of all the World, a powerful, a dreadful, an
avenging God; and let us behave ourfelves as
becometh thofe who have highly offended and
provoked him; abamed at our own Vilenefs,
and with fear and trembling meekly kneeling up-
on our Knees. If in all the Prayers we make,
we fhouid carry ourfelves with Reverence and
Submiflion; furely this muft, in an efpecial
manner, be attended with the mofl profound
Humility and Devotion. Finally, let our
Voice be as humble as our Gefture, not cla-
morous fo as to difturb any, but fober fo as to
excite and animate the Devotion of others.

The C.onfeJJiQn being ended, then jhall the
Prie,°i pronounce the Absolution, becaufe to himy
and not the Deaan, it is faid at Ordination,
Whojefoever Sins ye remit , tbty are remitted :
unlefs the BiJJoop be tirefent* and then for Ho-
nour fake, and in token of his fpiritual Supe-
riority, this A 61 of Authority is referved to
him. Here it is he, in a peculiar manner,
acts as the Meflenger of the Lord of Hods,
as the Ambaffador of Christ; and therefore
he is ordered to ft and whilft he pronounceth it;
and to turn him/elf to the People, becaufe the

good

The Hational Communicant. 8§

good News he brings, and the Pardon he opens,
directly concerns them.

Christ hath given Power and Commandment
to his Minifters to declare and pronounce to his
People, being penitent, the Absolution and Re-
miffion of their Sins : And when they make a
right Ufe of the Miniftry of Reconciliation
which is committed unto them ; whatfoever
they regularly declare on Earth, He who hath
impowered them to do this, will, In His fove-
reign Court in Heaven, make good ; and will
there ratify what his Minifters do according to
his own Rules and Orders.

Here then the Church, charitably fuppofing
that thofc who come to the Holy Communion,
come not without Faith and Repentance-, and
that the Profeffions thereof which they have
made in the Creed, and general Confeffion, arc
hearty and fincere ; (lie hath ordered the Prieft
to pronounce the Abfolution to the People, as fit-
ly qualified to receive the Benefit of it; and
grounding what he cloth on the Divine Pro-
mife, to wifh them, from Cod, Pardon of
their Sins, Confirmation in Goodnefs, and
cverlafting Lire, through the Merits of Jesus
Christ. This he wijhes them in the Name of
cur Lord, as impowered by His Authority;
and not after the manner of Men, as when we
wifh each other any kind of Happinefs.
Though the Church in her fcveral Offices va-
ries the Form of Abfolution, according to the
particular Circumftances of the Perfons to
whom it is pronounced, the Variety of Ex-

preflion

90 The Rational Communicant.

prefilon doth not render it lefs efficacious. The
Abfolution of the Prieji is not a meer Prayer for
Pardon, or a bare Declaration of God's Good-
will to repenting Sinners, but carries with it
fomething Authoritative and Judicial. As a
Judge on the Bench reprefents the Perfon of
the Prince, and pronounces thofe to be right in
Court, and exempt from Punifhment, who are
qualified to plead the Mercy of their Sove-
reign -, fo the Prieft, in God's Stead, judicially
pronouncces them to be Innocent, and allures
and conveys Remiflion of Sins, to thofe w,hofe
Faith and Repentance entitle them to Pardon,
according to the Promifes of God, and the
Conditions of the Gofpel: And therefore, when
a true Penitent hears his Pardon thus Jolemnly
pronounced by an Officer whom God has deputed
and ccmmiffioned for it, he may quiet his Heart,
as one whofe Cafe is judged, and firmly hope God
will pronounce the fame at the laft Judgment.

Let every one therefore, with a lowly De-
meanour andfober Joy, attend to the Absolution.
Let them by no means ufurp the peculiar
Office of the Prieft, and difturb the Congre-
gation, by repeating it after him. But let
them beg of God to confirm what he pro-
nounces, by adding to it a devout and hearty
Amen.

And now, that none may think the Minifter
hath gone beyond his CommhTicn, or that our
Lord himfelf will n%ot agree to what he hath
declared j he affixes thereto the Seal of his
Mailer, and fubjoins fome Sentences out of the

Word

The 'Rational Communicant. 91

Word of God, upon which the Declarations
of Mercy and Forgivenefs are founded. We
there hear what comfortable IV or ds our Saviour
Chrift faith unto all that truly turn to bin. Come
unto me, all that travel, and are heavy ladeny
and I will refrejh you. What an affectionate
Call is this to thofe who are Slaves to Vice,
who toil and labour in Iniquity, and are
grieved with the intolerable Burden of their
Sins ! What Affurance doth it give to contrite
Hearts, that Confeffing and Repenting they
fhall find Mercy! What Comfort doth that
which follows afford the Fathful, that God fe
loved the World, that he gave his only-begotten
Son, to the End that all that believe in himfhould
not peri fn, but have everlafting Life I

Thus in the Words of the Son of God, we
acknowledge the infinite Love of God the
Father towards fallen Man, in not with-
holding his Son, his only Son from us 3 and
with the Apoftle profefs, that this is a true
faying, and worthy of all Men to be received,
that Chrift Jejus came into the World to Jave
Sinners. The bare mention of the Goodnefs
and Love of God is an Act of Praife: Such
Goodnefs can never more properly be expreffed
than in the Terms of him who is Truth itfelf :
and, not to mention the other Forms of Thanks
in this Office, for the Redemption of Man,
thefe Sentences make our Service Euchariftical.
None truly Pious and Faithful can hear or ut-
ter them without Hearts full of Joy and reli-
gious Gratitude. And in the next Words, we

exprefs

$c2 The Jxational Communicant.

exprefs our Confidence and Truft in the Satis-
faction Christ once made for ail our Sins, and
in die Intcrceftion He daily makes for us; fay-
ing with St John, If any Man fin, we have an
Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the
Righteous, and He is the Propitiation for our
Sins.

The EUCHARISTICAL

SUFFRAGES,&c.

H AV I N G fpoken of thofe Sentences of
Scriptures, which are placed juft after the Abso-
lution, I fhall now proceed to confider what
immediately follows, which is ftri&ly Eucha-
riftical ; and as to the Subftance of it, is taken
from the ancient Liturgies, and by them chief-
ly from the Holy Scriptures. Of this St. Cyril
bears ..witnefs, who explains this Part of the
Office, and -mews the Propriety of it. The
Trie ft, faith he, calls out, Lift up your Hearts:
for truly at that tremendous Hour we ought to
have the Heart lifted up to God, and not Jet up-
tn the Earth, and worldly slffairs. By the Force
of thefe Words, the Fvieft requires all, that in
this Hour they lay afide all the Concerns of this
Life, and their demeftic Cares, and have their
Hearts in Heaven with the Lover of Mankind.
Then you anfwer, We lift them up unto the
Lord; acknowledging that you AJfent to what
be requires: But let no Man ft ay here, and Jay
with his Mouth, We lift them up unto the
Lord, whiift he lets his Mind reve upon the

Things

The Rational Communicant. 93

Things of tMs Life. We ought \ indeed, always
to think upon God; but if this cannot be done, by
reafon of the Infirmity of human Nature •, it is
in an ef pedal Manner to be endeavoured at this
Hour. Then the Priejl fays, Let us give
Thanks unto the Lord. We ought certriuly
to give Thanks that He hath called us Unworthy
to Jo great a Grace-, that He hath reconciled us
to Himfelf being his Enemies ; that He hath
given us the Spirit of Adoption, and the Privi-
lege of Feafting at hisHoly fab^e; and there-
fore, when he hath invited them to glorify
God in a foiemn and devout Form ; the Peo-
ple are taught to anfwer, It is meet and right f 9
to do.

We are commanded in every Thing to give
Thanhs i for this, fays the1 Apoitle, is the Will
ff God in Chrifv Jefus concerning you: And in
Obedience hereunto, the Priei:, who harh been
fpeaking to the People, now turning to the
Lord's Table, adcreiK :th himfelf to God, and
ack 'owledgeth it to be meet, right, and our
bounden Duty, at all Times , and in all Places to
pay this Debt of Praifc to Him : And accord-
ingly, as we are going to celebrate the fub-
limeft My lie ties of the Gofpel, which Thihgs
the Angels defire to look into, for which they
glorify God, and congratulate the Happinefs
of Man; to (hew that \\t worfhip the fame
Lord of Holts, and chat we hold Communion
with the Saints above; we in a full Chorus
join with Angels and Arch-angels, and all the
Company of Heaven, to laud and magnify the

Holy

94 The Rational Communicant.

Holy Trinity, in that Seraphic Hymn which
Ifaiah tells us he heard the facred Choir fing
to the Lord of Glory, Saying, Holy, holy, holy
Lord God of Hoftst Heaven and Earth are full
ef thy Glory.

PraifeisourboundenDuty at ^//Tirhes ; but
on thofe Holydays and Seafons, on which we
particularly commemorate lb me efpecialBlejfing,
it is meet and right that we mould make efpe-
cial mention of it, and in an efpecial manner
render rour Thanks to God for that his graci-
ous Goodnefs. And hence it is that our
Church hath added proper Prefaces, taken out
of the Service of the ancient Church, ro be
prefixed to this general Act of Praife on fome
of the grand Fefiivals.

On Chriftmcs-day, we are, in the Preface,
taught to thank God for the Incarnation of
the immn?ulate J £sus, who by the Operation
cf the Holy Ghoft, was, at that Time, made
Man, that He might make us clean from all
Sin.

Upon Eajler-day, becaule this our Pafchal
Lamb by his Death hath deftroyed Death, and
by his RefurretJion hath rcjlored to us ever-
lafiing Life. ,

Upon Afcenfion day^ becaufe Christ is af-
cended up into Heaven to prepare a Place
for us.

Thefe three firft proper Prefaces are to be
ufed for eight Days together; for, fo long the
Church, taking Pattern from thofe Laws
which God gave the Jews, intends that the

Comme-

The Rational Communicant. 95

Commemoration of thefe fignal and extraor-
dinary Mercies mould continue. If we think
it but juft and realbnable to fet apart one Day
to commemorate the Virtues of fome of God's
Holy Saints and Martyr s> and to thank Him (
for the Benefit the Church receives by their
Examples: Then, furely, the immenfe Bene-
fits the Church receives by thefe principal Acts
of our Saviour > which brought about and com-
pleated our Redemption, muft needs require
from us, that thefe Solemnities mould be
drawn out to a greater Length.

Hereby the Church fhews how agreeable it
would be to her Inclination, if the Number of
thofe who are willing and ready to Communi-
cate, did give occafion to the Adminiftration
of the Holy Eucharifl on each of thofe Days,
by having appointed a Preface proper to them :
And that fo thofe pious Chriftians, who have
Leifure equal to their Devotion, might meet
daily to exprefs the Fulnefs of their Joy and
Gratitude for the Bleflings which are then the
chief Subject of our Meditations 3 and thofe
who are unavoidably hindered from attending
the public Worfhip on thefirft of thofe Days,
might, at lead on fome of them, have Oppor-
tunity of alTembling themfelves in the Houfe
of God.

The Preface for Whit-Sunday acknowledges
the Truth of Christ's Promifes, fjlMlied in
fending down the Holy Ghoft> to enable the
Apoftles to preach to all Nations. And this
is to be repeated but fix Days after $ becaufe

the

§6 The Hational Communicant.

the Octave, or feventh Day after, is the Feaft
of Trinity, for which a particular Preface is,
appointed, confefllng the Unity in Trinity,
and the Trinity in Unity.

When thefe Prefaces are ufed, after each of
them follows the Seraphkal Hymn: And then
the Prieil, who hath hitherto been chiefly em-
ployed in exhorting the People, and in praifing
God, and (excepting in the Confefilon) hath
continued flanding, kneeling down at the Lord's
Table, fays the Prayer of humble Addrefs, in
the Name of all them that /hall receive the Com-
munion. Left the Joy which we haveexprefTed
in our Lauds and Thanks, fliould make us for-
get that we are yet in the Body, furrounded
with Iinperfeciions and Infirmities, and look;
upon ourfelvts as Members of the Church Tri-
umphant: Left we mould not Jerve the Lord
ivith Fear, and rejoice unto him with Reverence.
We are here taught to check all Vanity and
Confidence by an Act of Humility; not to ap-
proach the Altar, but with Fear and Trem-
bling; or dare to partake of his facred Myite
ries, without a becoming Reverence and religi-
ous Awe. We therefore lay afide all Pretence
to Merit, and truft only in the Mercies of
God ; and for his Mercies fake alone, we beg
that we may Jo eat the Flefh of his dear Son,
and drink his Blood in this holy Sacrament,
that our Body and Soul may be cleanfed there-
by, and we may evermore dwell in him} and be
in us.

The

, The^ Rational Communicant. 97

The CONSECRATION,

AND now we come to the mod folemn and
efTential Part of the Service -, the Confecration
of the Elements, in order to their being reli-
gioufly received by the Faithful. The Oblation
of the Bread and Wine hath been already-
made, and God hath been prayed to, to ac-
cept them. What remains is, that God's Blef-
fmg be craved upon them; and the Myftical
and Holy Ufe for which they are defigned be
declared in the Words which our Saviour ufed
when he inftituted this Holy Sacrament.

As it is the Privilege of the Priefthood to
blefs the Sacrifice ; as it belongs to that Order
to confecrate the Elements of Bread and Wine,
that from common Food they may become the
Body and Blood of Chrift: as this is an authori-
tative Act, it is to be performed by the -Pried
fianding. He doth not ftand before the Altar \
as the Romifn Priefls do; nor, like them, pro-
nounce the Words with a low Voice, to counte-
nance their pretended Miracle of Tranjubftan-
tiationy and to make the People gaze with Won-
der on thofe who are thought to perform it in
that fecret manner. ButthePrieft in the Church
of England fays the Prayer with an audible
Voice, as in the Primitive Church, that the
People may hear, and join with him ; and
{lands/fl as he may with the more Readinefs and
Decency break the Bread before the Peopley and
take the Cup into his Hands ; that they may ob-
F fervc

98 The Rational Communicant.

ferve and meditate on thofe Actions which
are figni Meant, and proper to this Rite.

The Prayer confifts of three Parts, of which
one is Euchariftical, another Petitionary, and
the lad Hiftorical. As our Saviour on takrng
the Elements gave Thanks : fo it begins with a
Form of Thank/giving, in which is acknow-
ledged God's Power and Goodnefs, and his
tender Mercy in giving his Son to Juffer Death
for our Redemption : We there remember the
full, perfect y and fufficient Sacrifice, Oblation y
and Satisfaction which the Son of God made
once for the Sins of the whole World ; and call-
ing to mind that perpetual Memory of his Death
whieh He hath commanded us to continue until
his coming again , we, in Obedience to our
blefled Lord, perform His Infiitution -, and
from returning Thanks,

Pafs in the fecond Place to petition God the
Father, that He would hear us of his Mercy,
and make the Bread and Wine lying before
Him the Body and Blood of his Son •— — .
not by the periling of their Subftance and
fubftitution of a new ; — not by a Change of
their Nature ; — not by any concomitancy or an-
nexing of the Subftance of Christ's natural
Flejh and Blood to the Bread and Wine ; — but
his Body and Blood in Virtue and EffecJ, his
Sacramental Body and Bloody endued with a
quickning and life-giving Power. But as this
mufl be the Work of £od ; as the Elements
cannot be changed, even as to their EffetJs,
but by the Operation of his Holy Spirit, it be-
9 comes

The Rational Communicant. QS

comes necefTary for us to make our AddrefTes
to God, that He would exert his Power to
make them the Body and Blood of Chrift: And
this we do when we beg that we, receiving the
Elements, may be Partakers of his Body ana
Blood.

To make the Confecration compleat, there
is added, in the third Place, the Hiftory of the
Inftitution, as related in the Holy Goipels.
And here the Prieft is ordered not only to Jay
what our Saviour /aid, but to do what He did;
and to imitate His Atlion, as well as the
Words He ufed at the Inftitution of this Sacra-
ment. Our blelTed Lord took Bread into his
Hand, as the Symbol of his Body, and the Cup,
as the fymbolical Reprefentation of his Blood:
He gave Thanks to God, and blejfed the Ele-
ments ; He diftributed them to his Difciples,
and commanded them to do this in Imitation
and Remembrance of Him. When v/e fee the
Prieft take the Elements into his Hand, and in
the Words of our Lord declare the Signifi-
cancy of that Rite ; let us with Hearts full or
Gratitude reflect on the infinite Goodnefs and
Compaflion of our blefled Saviour, who, on
the Night before he was betrayed, willingly
gave his Body to God, under the Reprefenta-
tion of Bread, for the Sins of the World :
and broke this Bread, which He dignified by-
calling it his Body, to (hew, that as no LVEan
could without His Confent have Power to lay
Hands on Him \ fo He freely, of his own
Good-will and Pleafure, offered His natural
F 2 Body

100 The Rational Communicant.

Body to be broken upon the Crofs : Who

made the Fruit of the Vine, poured into the
Cup, his Sacramental Blood, which He wil-
lingly offered up for the Re million of our
Sins ; in Token, that when His Blood fhould
be fhed out of His natural Body upon the
Crofs, it might not be thought to be done
without His Confent or Agreement. Here
Christ fuffered in Willy but on the Crofs in
Deed. The Sacrifice began when He inftituted
the Eucharift ; but was not finifhed till He
expired on the Crofs. Let us reverently, (but
filently) attend to the Words and Aclions of the
Pried ; and with the Eye of Faith, look upon
the one perfetl Sacrifice of our Saviour's natural
Body and Blood, of which the Sacrifice we
'now affift at is only a Reprefentation and Me-
morial: And let us conclude all with a fervent
Amen.

If it be here demanded, to what Words the
Conferral ion of the Elements ought to be aw
cribed ? I anfwer, to the Prayer of the Faith-
ful offered by the Prieft, and to the Words oiy
Inftitnticn repeated by him. This was the
Senfe of thcancient Church of Christ, which
ufed them both in their Euchariflical Offices;
and never held, that the Elements were chang-
ed from their common to a more fublime Ufe
and Efficacy, by the bare repeating of the.
Words, This is my Body, and This is my Bloody\
as the Papifts abfurdly hold. To bring about
this Change muft be the Work of the Holy
Ghoft : and therefore it is requifite that wd

mould

The Rational Communicant. 101

(ho\A<\pray to God to endue the Elements with
this life-giving Virtue. Now the Words of In-
ftitution can by no Means be called a Prayer:
They were addreffed by our Saviour to his Dif-
ciples, and not to God ; to them he faid, Take
and Eat. When we trie them, they are Hifto-
rical, recounting what our Lord faid and did
when He ordained this Sacrament. And,
though when He faid, This is my Bcdy, This is
my Bloody thefe Words effectually made them
fo; (hewing that it was his Will and Pleafure,
that they lhould be taken as His Sacramental
Body and Blood : Though the Virtue of thofe
Words once fpoken by Christ doth JIM ope-
rate towards making the Bread and Wine his'
Body and Blood : yet as now ufed and fpoken by
the Prieft, they do not contain in them any
fuch Power, unlefs they be joined with Prayer
to God

Our Lord himfelf did, befides pronouncing
theniy give Thanks, and blejs the Elements.
Thus our Church ufes Prayer, as well as the
Words z/i Inftitution • and doth not attribute
the Consecration to the one without the other.
If the conjee rated Bread or Wine be all /pent
before all have communicated, the Prieft, it is
true, is ordered by the Rubrics, to confecrate.
more, by repeating only the Words of Inftitu-
tion: But the Virtue of the Prayer which the
Church hath laft made, is to be underftood as
concurring therewith ; and this is only a parti-
cular Application to thefe particular Elements;
Hence comes the propriety of faying Amen at
F 3 the

102 The Rational Communicant.

the End of thofe Words ; which would not be
fo properly added, unlefs it referred back to
the preceding Petitions. And that this is
the Senfe of the Church of England \s farther
plain, in that fhe, in her Rubric, calls this the
Prayer of Conjuration* in which the Words of
Inftitution are contained -, and it is addreffed to
Almighty God, &c, whereas the Words of
Christ were not Jupplicatory to God, but de-
claratory to his Difciples.

After the fame Manner, in the Office of
Public Baptijm (in Imitation of the Cuftom of
the ancient Chriftians, who dedicated the Bap-
tifmal Water to the holy and fpiritual Ufe for
which it was defigned) our Church not only
repeats the Words of Inftitution of that other
Sacrament; but likewife adds afolemn Prayer •,
that God would Jancli/y the Water to the myfti-
cal i^aftjing away of Sin : And as in that Sa-
crament fhe joins the Prayer of the Faithful to
the Words ofChriJl, fo in the Sacrament of the
Altar, Abe thinks them both neceflary to corn-
pleat the Confecration.

The DISTRIBUTION and
RECEPTION.

AFTER the Confecration of the Elements,
immediately follow the Reception and Diftribu-
Uon of them ; which continue ftill in their na-
tural Subftances at Bread and IV me, though they
are changed, as to their Virtue and Efficacy ,
into the Sacramental Body and Blood of Chrift.

And

The Rational Communicant. 103

And here we may confider the Order in which,
and the Place where they are diftributed ; the
Pofture oi the Communicants; the Manner in
which they are delivered; and the Words ufed
at the Diftribution.

I. The Order in which the Elements are to
be adminiftred is taught by the Rubric ; which
fays, The Minifter fh all fir ft receive the Commu-
nion in both Kinds him/elf, and then proceed to
deliver the fame to the Biftoops, Priefls, and
Deacons in like manner {if any be prefent) and
after that, to the People alfo in order. — The
Church endeavours that every Thing fnould
be done with Decency and Regularity ; and
enjoins, that the Clergy mould receive firfl%
both out of refpecl to the Dignity of the Mi-
nifterial Function ; and likewife that they may
be ready to help the chief Minifter in the Diftri-
bution of the Elements to the People.

II. The Place where the Clergy communi-
cate is within the Rails of the Holy Table or
Altar -, and this, together with that of Receiv-
ing before the People, was the Practice of the
ancient Church. The Reft of the Congrega-
tion was to receive without the Rails : And
herein only conlifts the true Difference between
Ecclefiaftical and Lay Communion ; and not,
as the Papifts pretend, in the Clergy's receiv-
ing under both Kinds, and the Cup being de-
nied to the Laity.

III. The Church prefcribes, that the Sa-
crament (hall be received by all meekly kneel-
ing. Our Lord, when he inftituted this Holy,

F 4. Sacrament

104 The Rational Communicant,

Sacrament, enjoined us no particular Gefture;
and therefore the Church is at Liberty to pre-
fcribe herein, as fhe thinks fit. The Primitive
Chriftians took it in a Pofture of Adoration ;
and as Kneeling is the principal Gefture which
we ufe in the Worfhip of God, that is fixed
upon, as the Gefture which we are to ufe,
when we approach God's Altar to receive the
Holy Myfteries.

Nothing can be more proper than this Pof-
ture of Adoration, at this Time efpecially, be-
caufe the' Sacrament is a principal Part of
Chriftian Worfoip : — becaufe it is a fcederal
Rite, in which we mould, in the humbleft mam?

ner, dedicate curfelves to God : becaufe

meekly kneeling becomes fincere Penitents, who
confefs their Sins to God, and take this Bread
and /to Cup as a Means ofRemiilion of them :
— becaufe a lefs humble Behaviour would very
improperly befit a rebellious Subject, who ap-
pears before the Throne of his Prince, to re-
ceive his gracious Pardon :« and becaufe

the Minifter delivers the confecrated Elements
with a Prayer, with which he who receives
them joins in his Heart, and generally anfwers
Amen to it.

To prevent any Objection which might be
made hereunto, I need only repeat the Proteft
which is added at the End of the Communion
Office in Defence of this Order, IVhich, the
Church faith, is well meant, for a Signification.
§f our humble and grateful Acknowledgment of
the Benefits of Chrift therein given to all worthy

Receivers^

The 'Rational Communicant. 105

Receivers, and for the avoiding of fuch Profa-
nation and Diforder in the Holy Communion as
might otherwtfe enfue : Tet left the fame kneel-
ingfhould by any Perfons, either out of Ignorance
and Infirmity, or out of Malice and Obftinacy,
be mifconftrued and depraved -, // is declared,
that thereby no Adoration is intended cr ought to
be done, either unto the Sacramental Bread or
Wine there bodily received, or unto any corporal
Prefence of Chrift's natural Flefh and Blood.
For thefacr anient al Bread and Wine remain ft ill
in their very natural Subftances, and therefore
may not be adored; (for that were Idolatry to be
abhorred of all faithful Chriftians) and the na-
tural Body and Blood of our Saviour Chrijl are
in Heaven, and not here ; // being againft the
Truth of Chrift's natural Body, to be at one
Time in more Places than one..

IV. But Fourthly, As to the Manner ia
which the Elements are to be delivered to the
Communicants, namely , into theipfHnnds. This
was the mo ft ancient Practice, though after-
wards it was altered for no fignificant Reafons,
and put into their Mouths by the officiating
Priefts l But after the Reformation, the Church
of England reftoved the Primitive Ufagerwhich
is now in force.

V. Let us now, Fifthly, confider the Words
which are ufed by the Minifter, when he deli-
vers the Bread or the Cup :o any one..

The Promifes which God. hath given us in
the Gofpel are generally belonging to the whole-
Flock of Christ: But in the Sacraments Gcd
F 5 applies

106 The Rational Communicant.

applies his Bleffings in particular unto every
Man's Perfon. And therefore, both in Bap-
tifm and the Lord's Supper, the Minifter ad-
drefTeth himfelf particularly to every one who
receives either Sacrament. Whether Chrift at
his lafi Supper did /peak generally once to all, or
to every one in particular, is a Thing uncertain.
The Hiftory of the Inftitution is very fhort
and concife, and doth not acquaint us with
every minute Circumftance which is not effen-
tial to this Holy Ordinance. But certain it is,
that in regard the greateft Part of Mankind
are dull, and heavy, and almoft infenfible of
their Duty : that, in their Offices of Religion,
they want continually to be awakened, and re-
minded of the Duty they are about; it is ex-
ceeding proper and ufeful, at this Time efpe-
cially, that the Words at the Delivery of the
facred Elements fhould be fpoken to every
Communicant feverally -, and that they mould
hereby be admoniihed of the folemn Service
they are performing.

I. The Words themfelves confift of two
Parts : The firft is Precatory, and the fecond
Exhortatory: The Form begins with a folemn
Prayer or Wifh of the Minifter, in behalf of
the Perfon to whom he fpeaks, and delivers
the facred My fteries; <c that the Body and Blood
of Christ, which were given and Jhedfor him,
may preserve his Body and Soul unto everlajting
Life i * i. e. That he receiving with due Difpo-
fitions the Means of Grace now offered to him,
namely, the Sacramental Body and Blood of

Christ,

* The Rational Communicant. 107

Christ, may thereby have the Merits of
Christ applied to him, and partake of all the
Benefits of his Pafiion : That the confecrated
Bread and Wine may exert the life-giving
Virtue with which the Holy Ghost hath en-
dued them, and be to him the Principle or Seed
of an happy Immortality.

II. The other Part is Exhort at ory, when
the Minifter, at the Delivery of the Bread,
fays, Take and Eat this in Remembrance that
Chrifl died for thee, and feed on him in thy
Heart by Faith with Thanh/giving : The Com-
municant is reminded, that this Sacrament
was inftituted in Remembrance of the Death of
Christ, and to convey to us the Benefits of

his Paffion : That, as the Sacramental

Body of Christ is now given to him j fo the
natural Body of Christ was, on the Crofs,
offered wo for him ; and that he is one of thofe
whom Christ died for : — That whilft with
his Mouth he eats the Holy Bread, he mould
feed on Christ in his Heart by Faith j not fix-
ing his Attention folely upon the external Sign,
the Sacramental Body ; but lifting up his Soul
to Heaven, where alone Christ fit tech in his
glorious Body at the Right-hand of God, in
that Body which was crucified for him, the
Symbol and Type of which he is now to Take
and Eat, and, by Faith in Christ, to make
himfeif Partaker of the bleffed Effects of His
Sufferings.

The Direction at the Delivery of the Cup is

but little different from this : The Communi-

F 6 cant

108 The Rational Communicant.

cant is charged to drink this in Remembrance
that Chrrft's Blood was jhed for him, and be
thankful* A thankful Remembrance of Christ's
Death is abiblutely necefiary to a worthy Par-
ticipation of thefe facred Myfteries. Our fouls
mould at this Time be tuned to the higheft
Pitch of Gratitude, whilft we commemorate
the greater! Teftimony of Love that ever was
or could be mewn towards Mankind , whilft
we take the Bread of Life, and the Cup of
Salvation, by which we are made Partakers of
all the Benefits of Christ's Death and Paf-
fion ; which gives us an Earneft and Pledge of
art happy Eternity, and a Right and Title to
that exceeding Weight of Glory which He
hath purchafed for US'.

And here we may obferve, That the Church
of England defrauds none of her Members of
any Part of the Sacrament -, the Laity, as well
as the Clergy, partaking of it under both Kinds :
For thus our Saviour inftituted it, and thus the
Church adminiftred it for the flrft thoufand
Years after He left the World.

The POST COMMUNION.

I HAVE purfued my Defign as far as
that Part of the Service, in which the Elements
are delivered to, and received by the Congre-
gation. What follows is called t\\t P oft -Com-
munion. After we* have been Guefts at the
Table of the Lord, who hath fed us with
this heavenly Repair, it would not be icemly
8 for

The Rational Comiminicant. 109

for us hallily and abruptly to depart out of His
Houfe, without joining in fomc public Ac-
knowledgment. We do not finifh our common
and daily Meals, without giving Thanks to
God the Founder of them, although they tend
only to preferve this mortal Life : How much
more then are we bound to exprefs our Thank-
fulnefs to the Qovernor of this Feaft, who
hath entertained us with fuch celeflial Food, as
is able to preferve both Body and Soul unto
everlafiing Life ?

Now when we hare been Feaftin» at the
Table of the Lord, what Words can we more
properly ufe, than that Form which our Lord
Him/elf who inftituted this Sacrament, hath
compofed ? — A Form which, being corn-
pleat and perfect, may iupply whatfoever the
other Prayers have of Deficiency : — and which
may incline God to pardon us for the Failings
or Indevotions we have been guilty of in any
Part of the preceding Service , fince we are
fure, that Prayer mull be acceptable to the
Father, which was compofed by his beloved
Son. Thole who h&vcfpiritually eaten the Flejb
of Chrifty and drank his Blood, who dwell in
■Chrifty and Chrijt in them, who are one with
Chrifty and Chrift with them, may, after that,
be allowed the Privilege of calling- God their
Father ; fince the Regenerate have the Title
of the Sons of God.

In the Prayer that follows, we beg of God
to look favourably with an Eye of Mercy on
what we have been doing : — To accept the

Eucha-

110 The Rational Communicant.

Euchariftical Service, or Sacrifice of Praife
and Thank/giving we have been offering up :
— And to grant to His whole Church Remif-
fion of Sins, and all other Benefits of the Death
and Paffion of His Christ. And then, as
St. Paul hath taught and enjoined us, we offer
and prefent ourf elves, our Souls, and Bodies, to
be a reafonable, holy, and lively Sacrifice unto
God. This Holy Sacrament muft be looked
upon as a folemn Dedication of ourfelves to
God, and in thcfe Words we refign entirely
both our Souls and Bodies to Him, and fub-
mit ourfelves wholly to His holy Will a;;d P lea-
fur e. But as we are not fufficient of ourfelves
to do any thing as of ourfelves -, — as we cannot
keep God's Commandments without His con-
tinual Affiftance ; we beg that thofe who have
been Partakers of the Communion, and now de-
dicate themfelves to the Service of God, may
be fulfilled with His Grace and heavenly Bene-
diclion, which alone can enable them to per-
form what they here promife. As none of
our Services have any Merit inherent in them ;
—as our beft Works are full of Defects -, it
is fit we fhould own our Unworthinefs to offer
any Sacrifice to God ; that we fhould intreat
Him to accept that our bounden Duty and Ser-
vice, not weighing our Merits (who difclaim
all Pretenfions to defert) but pardoning our
Offences for Christ's fake ; and then we con-
clude this Prayer with giving all Honour and
Glory to the facred and undivided Trinity,

There

The Rational "Communicant . Ill

There follows, in our Common Prayer Book,
another Form, which the Minifter may, at his
Difcretion, make ufe of inftead of the former.
It is partly Eucharifiical and partly Petitionary.
It begins with an hearty Acknowledgment of
God's Goodnefs in feeding thofe with the
Spiritual Food of our Lord's moft precious Body
and Bloody u e. in making them Partakers of
the Benefits purchafed by His Death, who
have duly received the Sacramental Body and
Blood : In hereby alluring them of His Fa-
vour and Goodnefs towards them ; of their In-
corporation into the Myftical Body of Christ ;
and of their being, through His Death and
PaJJiun, Heirs of his Kingdom. And then we
humbly befeecb God through Christ; to keep
us by His ^race in the Fellow/hip and Union
of his Church -, and to enable us to do our
Duty : Ending this Prayer likewife with a
Doxology.

After this, in Imitation of our blerTed Lord
and His Apoftles, who fang an Hymn before
they concluded their Devotions, at the Time
when our Lord inftituted this Holy Sacra-
ment -, our Church hath fubjoined an Hymn to
be Jaid or Jung, which is taken principally
from the Holy Scriptures, and the Liturgies
of the Primitive Church ; and is very fit and
proper for us at that Time, to exprefs in it
the Overflowings of our Joy, the Greatnefs of
our Thankfulnefs, and the Zeal and Fervour
of our Devotion. It begins with what the
Angels faid, when they declared the Birth of

our

112 The Rational Communicant.

our blefled Saviour; in which we give Glory to
God on High, and congratulate Mankind for
the Happinefs they reap from His good-will
towards Man, which inclined Him to give
His Son for us on the Crofs, and now to give
Him to us in the Sacrament. The Sequel of
it confifls in an Acknowledgement of the Eter-
nal Glory of the Three Perfons of the Holy
Trinity; in Acts of Praife and Thanks, Ado-
ration and Worfhip, in the moil pathetic
Terms that can poffibly be conceived. Ic
would enervate this fublime Hymn to exprefs
the Senfe of it in other Words than thofe the
Church hath made ufe of: And therefore I
fhall only obferve from hence, that nothing
can be more ftrong for the Divinity of the Son
of God, or more evidently fhcw, that it is the
Doctrine of our Church; though fome who
communicate with us, and of confequence
join* in repeating it, have (to their Shame be
it fpoken) denied this grand Article of our ,
Holy Faith. Christ is here exprefsly called
Lord God-, and as lie who only is Holy, and
only is J be Lord, is invoked with a repeated
Fervency to have Mercy upon us, and to receive
our Praver. Let' us tiien pity either the Blind-
nefs or Obilinacy of thofe unhappy Men, and
do Thou, O Lord Chhistj who opened the
Eyes of the Blind, O Lamb of God, that takefi
away the Sins of the World, have Mercy upon
them!

And, now we draw to a Conclufion of the
whole Service, here are added feveral Collects

which

The Rational Communicant. 113

which may be ufed at the Difcretion of the
Minilter. One of which, begs Acceptance of
our Prayers, Defence of God in this Life,
and his Direction in order to attain Salvation.
Another for Sanclif cation and Direclion, in the
Laws of God, and Prefervation both in Body
and Soul. A Third, that what we hear may
bring forth the Fruit of good Living. The
next, that all our Works may tend to the
Glory of God, and the Salvation of our Souls.
Another, that God would pardon our Fail-
ings, and grant what He knows to be Good
for us. And the lad defires, that God,
through Christ, would hear our Petitions,
and anfwer them, fo that his Glory may be
promoted, and our Neceffities relieved. No-
thing can be more fit for the Conclufion of our
Devotions.

And then all is fhut up with a folemn
Bleffing: So was the Communion Service of
the Primitive Church. As the High Prieft
under the Law was commanded to blefs the
Congregation: As our Saviour, when on
Earth, blejfed His Difciples; fo before His^
Death He left His Peace with His Apoitles,
and they, and their Succeffors, were commif-
fioned to give it unto Men. When the Bifhopg
or Priefts, under the Gofpel, blefs the People,
if the Son of Peace be there, their Peace JJoall
reft upon him; i.e. the Blefling of God fhall
infallibly defcend on thofe who are fitly dii-
pofed to receive it. God will not be wanting
on His Part, but will confirm the Authoritative

and

1 14 The Rational Communicant.

and Minifterial Acts of His Priefts: He will
blefs thofe whom they blefs in His Name,
unlefs the Impediment be on the Side of Man.
And here we obferve the Impropriety and Ab-
furdity of that Cuftom which fome have of
repeating it after the Prieft: He here fpeaks as
from God} and the Duty of the People is only
to attend with Silence and fubmiflive Re-
verence.

That Part of this Form which relates to the
Peace of God, is taken from the 7th Verfe of
the ivth Chapter of the Epiltle to the Philippi-
ans. And the other Part is a folemn Benedic-
tion in the Name of the ever blefTed Trinity :
and fo very fitly adapted to the Chriftian
Church, to which this myfterious Doctrine is
more fully revealed, than it was formerly to
the Church of the Jews.

The APPLICATION.

AND thus I have gone through what I
firft propofed, which was to give you a Ratio-
nal Account of the Communion Office of the
Church of England : I have pointed out to
you the Excellency and Propriety of the feveral
Parts of it, and the Behaviour which they fe-
verally require from us : And cannot better
beftowthe Time that remains, than in obferv-
ing, by Way of Application;

I. Firft. The Excellency of this Office:
And,

II. Secondly .,

The Rational Communicant. 115

II. Secondly, What is due from us in return
for this Care of our Church.

The Excellency of our Communion-Office
confifts in the following Particulars.

I. Firjl, In that it retains all the EJfentials
of the Sacrament; it adminifters it with Be-
cency ; and is free from Superftition.

1. In it the Elements of Bread and Wine
(which were what our Lord made ufe of, and
the only ones fpecified intheGofpel) are blefTed
by a Prieft lawfully ordained, with Prayer and
Thank/giving) and rehearfing the Words of In-
ftitution; and are then taken and diftributed in
both Kinds to the whole Congregation. And
thus no one, who judges without Prejudice or
Partiality, can tax our Church with ufing an
Office that hath any ejfential Defects.

2. The Ornaments of our Altar or Holy
Table, and the Vejfels to be ufed at the Mi-
niftration, are fuch as Decency and the Dignity
of this Chriftian Sacrifice requires. Accord-
ing to the ancient Practice of the Church, the
Table is to have a fair white Linen Cloth upon
it ; than which nothing can be more Decent^
nothing freer from Exception.

3. We do not deck it with gorgeous and
gaudy Furniture, fuch as may ferve to delight
the wandring Eyes of the Vulgar; to pkafe
them with the gay Pomp; and turn afidc
their Minds from better Contemplation, more
befitting the Place and Prefence they are in,
and the Duty they come thither to perform.

Neither

116 The Rational Communicant.

Neither do we hold Images or Relics to be any
ways befitting that holy Place, (or indeed any
Part of thofe facred Buildings erected to the
Honour of God) when they are let up to en-
courage Superftition, and are apt to lead Men
into Idolatry.

Our Church fuffers not even the Holy Sacra-
went itfelf to be adored, though it be the typi-
cal and Jymbolical Body and Blood of Christ;
and therefore, as I have obferved, Pnt formal-
ly p rote (Is, that me intends no Adoration to
the Sacramental Bread and Wine, when the
Communicants, according to Her Order, re-
ceive them Kneeling.

To prevent the Abufe offolitary Majfes, in
which, amongft the Papifts, the Priejl con-
fecrates and receives by him/elf-, which is di-
rectly contrary to the Notion of a Communion ;
we have, at the End of this Office, a Rubric
which forbids the Celebration of the Lord's Sup-
per, except there be a convenient Number to com-
municate with the Priejl : And this is by the
fame Authority determined to be Three at
haft.

The Compilers of our Liturgy were ex-
ceedingly cautious, left they mould run into
thofe Faults for which they blamed our Ad-
verfaries ; and therefore, To take away allOc-
cafion of Dijfention and Superftition, which any
Perfon hath, or might have concerning the Bread
and Wine, they lay down this Rule, // Jhall
fuffice, that the Bread be fuch as is ufual to be
eaten-, but the beft and pur eft Wheat Bread that

may

The llational Communicant. 117

may be gotten. — The Beft, out of Reverence
to the Sacrament: and fuch as is ufually eaten,
becaufe the Silence of the Gofpel intimates to
us. that our Saviour Himfelf inflituted and
adminiftred it with fuch Bread as was then at
hand, and they had been eating of in the pre-
ceding Meal.

And then further, left what remains of the
confecrated Elements mould be abufed to Su-
perfliticn -, it is ordered, That it Jhall not be
carried, out of the Church, but the Prieft, and
fuch other of the Communicants as he Jhall then
call unto him, [fall, immediately after the Blef-
Jing, reverently Eat and Brink the fame. And
herein our Practice agrees with thofe Canons of
the ancient Church, which, under fevere Pe-
nalties, forbid private Perfons to referve the
Elements.

IL But, Secondly, the Care and Prudence of
our Church, and the Excellency of this Office,
appear likewife in that frequent Communion is
encouraged by it. Part of the Office is to be
read every Sunday and Holiday : And it is the
Indevotion of the People who neglect this Ho-
ly Myftery, which hinders the Service from
proceeding, and the Sacrament from being ad-
miniftred > and prevents the good Defire of
the Church, who cannot continue the Office
for want of Communicants.

In Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, the
Rubric enjoins a weekly Communion, every
Sunday at the leaft. Thereby alfo (hewing,
that the more frequently this Holy- Sacrament

is

118 The Hational Communicant,

is adminiftred, the Honour of God, and the
Good of Mankind is thereby the more promot-
ed ; and therefore where Men have, as in
thefe Seminaries of Religion, more Leifure
from worldly Affairs, it becomes their indif-
penfible Duty to be more conftant in this A£t
of Chriftian Worfhip.

And thus it is every one's Duty to communi-
cate as often as Opportunity will permit them.
They are frequently invited by the Minifter in
the Name of God. But as Men are too neg-
ligent in Affairs of this Nature ; the Church
abfolutely infills upon every Parifhioner's com-
municating at the leaft Three times in the Year,
of which Eajier to be\one. She would have
Men do it often, and mifs no Opportunities of
thus remembring their Saviour ; as may be feen
by thofe preffing Arguments made ufe of in
her Jecond Warning before the Sacrament.
But if they will not follow her Advice, ihe
exerts her Authority, and commands at the
leaft they mould do it thrice every Year.

And here I cannot but bewail the Decay of
that Spirit of Zeal and Devotion, which was
in thtftrft Chriftians, who made this Sacra-
ment an erTential and conftant Part of their
daily Worfhip; and that the Chriftians of this
Age fhould give Occafion forfuch an Order !
But yet there are, God be praifed, many Con-
gregations, (even in thefe loofe and degenerate
Times) in which a Zeal for this facred Ordi-
nance is apparent. May this their Devotion
continue and increafe ! And may their own Ex-
amples

The Rational Communicant. 119

amples inflame all thofe who live under their
Roofs! It is the Duty of thofe who are Heads
of Families to fee all their Bomeftics inftructed
in their Religion^ and to bring them to the
public Worihip in Prayers, Preaching, and
the Sacraments: And know this afluredly, that
as they are intruded to your Care -, you mud
anfwer to God for thofe Faults or Omiflions,
which through your Neglect or Connivance,
through want of Advice or Admonition, your
Bependants fall into. On this Account, I do,
in the Name of God, charge it upon the Con-
fciences of you whofe Servants they are, that
you oblige them to follow your own Chriftian
Pattern, and do your Endeavour to bring them
to the Lord's Table; that in fo doing, not
only you, but. your Houfe may ferve the Lord,
and be frequent in €ommemorating the Death
of Christ.

III. But, Thirdly, As this Office encourages
frequent Communion, fo it takes all poflible
Care that none mould rum haftily and unad-
vifedly to the Holy Table, without being duly
and worthily prepared to partake of the Lord's
Supper : And therefore the Minifter is im-
powered to repel all thofe who arc open and no-
torious Evil Livers, or thofe between whom he
per ceiveth Malice and "Hatred '-, fince while they
continue in an impenitent State, or in an un-
charitable Difpoiition of Mind, they are very
unfit Guefts for the Table of the Lord. The
Neceflity of preparing ourfelves for the Holy
Sacrament, and the Manner in which we are

to

120 The Kalional Communicant .

to do it, are taught fully in the Firft of thofc
Exhortations , which are to be read whea
Warning is given of its Adminiftration ; in
that which is to be read at the Time of the
Communion; and in the fhort Invitation that
immediately precedes the Confeffion-, and in this
loft are fummarily contained the Qualifications
of a worthy Communicant. I have already
explained them feverally and at large, and
only mention them now to (hew you, that as
much Care is taken to prepare thole who come
to the Sacrament, as Earneftnefs to invite them
to it.

IV. And then, Fourthly, Our Communion-
Office is an excellent Syftem of the Doctrine
of the Church relating to the Lord' s-S upper.
Be fides the T reparation required, it fets forth
the End of its Injlitution-, the Benefits which
flow from it; and with what Faith, what De-
votion^ what Thankfulnefs, we fhould receive
thofe Holy Myderies. Its Prayers are full of
the mod fervent Zeal, mingled with Humility
and a Senfe of our own Unworthinefs : Its
Thankfgivings of the mod grateful and pious
Joy: and all this couched under the moil pa-
thetic and moving Exprejfions. There is in
the whole Office, a noble Sublimity of Senti-
ments and Strength of Words; fuch as is
abundantly fufficient to ftir up the Affeclions of
the Congregation ; and yet, at the lame time,
a Plainnefs of Diction, a Simplicity and Pro-
priety of Stile, which is familiar and tajy to
the moft common Understandings.

II. If

The "Rational Communicant. 121

II. If then we have fo excellent a Communion
Office provided, let us conlider, Secondly y what
is due from us in return for this Care of our
Church.

If we would fhew our Efteem for it, let us
read it frequently, and ftudy it cfaoroug
Let it be our Companion at Home, as v/eli as
at Church ; in our Clofet, as well as an the
Lord's Table. So mail we come to a
Knowledge of the Holy Eucharul j — fo
we fee the Neceftity of frequently parr,
of it ; — fo fhall we approach God's Akar
with due Qualifications ; — fo (nail we know
how to behave ourfelves in every Part or
Office with becoming Reverence;; — fo
we relifh the Joy of this celefiml Ban
and attain the Benefits of this II >Iy S
ment : Whereas, if Men never look
this Office, but when they ufe h
Church, (which happens, perhaps,
feldomer than it fhoul4 be) thejr tb$ :.nd
themfelves about a Bufinefs they are hot teU
acquainted with; by the NoveJty of wnicn,
or the Scruples which may fuddeniy occur,,
they are apt to be diverted from that Injtenfe-
fiefs of Devotion, and Vehemence of Affec-
tions, with which this Holy Service mould be
attended.

There can be no better Rules laid down,
no better Help given for the devout and pro*
fitable Receiving of the Lord's Supper, th&iq
thofe we have been explaining : And there-
fore -when we once throughly underftand this
G Ounces

122 The Rational Communicant.

Office ; when at our Approach to the Lord's
Table it is ufed in the Church, let us conform
ourfelves, as much as poffible, to the Direc-
tions it gives us ; and refign up ourfelves to
thofe pious Motions it is lb fitly adapted to in-
fpire us with.

But as there are in this Service fome Inter-
vals, in which every particular Perfon is not
taken up in the 'public Service ; (fuch as the
Space in which the refl of the Congregation is
receiving ;) let us, at thofe Times, be com-
pofed and filent, and neither by Indecency of
Pofture offend others, or by an irregular Loud-
nefs interrupt their Devotion.

This is the Time to commune with our own
Hearts and be ft ill. And that we may not be
at a Lofs how to employ this Time in a pro-
fitable Manner, there are feveral Treat if es of
Devotion * ufeful t© affift Communicants, and

to

* The Catalogue of Books difperfed by the Socictj for
frc?noting Chriftian Knowledge, will direct the pious
Enquirer to Books and Traces on the Subjects here
treated of.

On Baptism.

Wall on Infant Baprifm. Price is.
Serious Addrefs to Godfathers and Godmothers. Price 2d.
Biihop Bradford on Baptifmal and Spiritual Regenera-
tion* Price 3d.

On Confirmation.

Paftoral Advices before Confirmation. Price 2d.
Palloral Advices after Confirmation. Price 2d.
Nelson's Inflections for them that come to be Con-
firmed. Price 2d.

O*

The Rational Communicant. 125

to furnifh them with proper Prayers and Me-
ditations. But whilft I recommend fuch
Books, and approve of the life of them; I
muft caution you againft the Abufe of them.
They are only as Handmaids to ferve, affift,
and wait upon the Liturgy of the Church;
and are to- take place only when that it
filent.

Let then this be laid down as a fixed Rule,
which is by no means to be deviated from ;
No private Devotions whatsoever muft at any
Time befuffered to interrupt the Public Service
$f the Church ; or to employ us, when we are

On the Holy Communion.

Doctor Stebb i ng on Prayer and the Lord's Supper.
Price is. 6d.

BifhopofSoD or and Mann (Dr. Wilson) on the Lord's
Supper. Price 2s.

Bifliop Fleetwood's Reafonable Communicant. Price
is.

Bifnop Gibson on the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper*
Price is. 3d.

Archbifiiep Ti llotson's Perfuafive to frequent Commu-
nion. Price 4d.

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper explained to the
meaneft Capacity, in a Dialogue between a Minifter
and his Pariihioner, with Prayers proper for the Occa.
fion, by Biftiop Greene. Price 4d.

An Anfwer to all Excufes and Pretences for not coming to
the Holy Communion. Price 4d.

A Companion to the Altar. Price 6<S.

A friendly Call to the Holy Communion, wherein is
ftiewn to the meaneft Capacity the Nature and End of
the Lord's Supper; with a particular Addrefs to Ser«
vants. To which are added, Prayers, Meditations,
&c. Price is.

G 2 called

124 The 'Rational Communicant.

called upon to join with the Congregation in Com-
ffion Prayers. If according to this Rule, you
ufe thefe private Euchariftical Offices only during
the Intervals of the Liturgy ; and ufe a Judg-
ment of Difcretion^ to accommodate the Pray-
ers they contain to your own particular Cir-
cumftances; then may your whole Time,
during the Adminiilration of this facred Or- „
dinance be employed to the Honour of God,
and your own Advancement in Goodnefs and
Piety.

Having thus, through God's Afliftance,
gone through the Tafk I undertook, nothing
remains, but that we humbly beieech the
Almighty, that all who have heard me, being
perfuaded of the Neceffity of frequent Commu-
nion, and the Excellency of our Communion
Office, may conftantly attend at His Holy
Table; and receiving this Holy Sacrament
with due Difpofitions of Mind, may partake
of all the ineftimable Benefits of it, the Pardon
of their Sins, Peace of Confcience, the Aflift-
ance of God's Grace, and the Salvation of
their Souls, through Jesus Christ our
Lord ;

To whom, with the Father^ "and the Holy
Ghoft, be ajcribed, as is moji due, all
Honour, Praife, and Adoration^ now and
for even

AN

AN •

EUCBARISTICAL OFFICE

FOR RECEIVING THE

HOLY SACRAMENT

*

OF THE

BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST.

©©LLECTED FROM THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, AND
THE LITURGIES OF THE CHURCH.

f Preparatory Devotions before the Offertory
begins,

C\ THOU that heareft the Prayer, unto
W Thee mall all Flefh come. My Nfifdeeds
prevail againft me : O be Thou merciful unto
our Sins. PJalmlxv. 2,3.

Thou fhalt open ny Lips, O Lord ; and
my Mouth fh'all ihew forth thy Praife, PJaim
li. 15.

G 3 We

126 An Eucharijtical Office for

We wait for thy Loving Kindnefs, O God,
in the midft of thy Tempie. Pfalm xlviii. 8.

Hear the Voice of my humble Petitions,
when I cry unto Thee ; when fyhold up my
Hands towards the Mercy Seatlof thy Holy
Temple. P/alm xxviii. 2.

O our Lord and God reltrain our Thoughts,
that they wander not upon the Vanities of this
World.

Now, my God, let, I befeech Thee, thine
Eyes be open, and let thine Ears be attent
unto the Prayer that is made in this Place.
2 Cbron. vi. 40.

And mercifully accept this our bounden
Duty and Service, this Sacrifice of Praife and
Thankfgiving wi are. about to offer up to thy
Divine Majefty, through J ejus Chrifi our Lord.
Amen.

% If you have Time before the Offertory be-
gins, or elfe at the Paufe between the
Reading of the Sentences, fay the following
Euchariftical Prayer.

Tif GST merciful God, the Father of our Lord
7efus thrift, having in Remembrace the
Paffion of thy dear Son, his Death, and Re-
furreclion from the Dead, his Return into
Heaven, and his future fecond Appearance,
when he mall come with Glory and Power
to judge the Quick and the Dead, and to
render to every Man according to his Works:

—We

receiving the Holy Sacrament. 127

—We give Thanks unto Thee, O God Al-
mighty, not as we ought, but as we are able,
and fulfil his Inftitution. — We befeech Thee
that Thou wilt look gracioufiy on the Gifts
now lying before Thee, O thou felf-fufficient
God ; and accept them to the Honour of thy
Christ : and fend down thy Holy Spirit/
the Witnefs of the Sufferings of the Lord
Jesus, on this Sacrifice, that he may make
the Bread the Body of thy Christ, and the
Cup the Blood "of thy Christ : that all who
partake of it may be confirmed in Godlinefs ;
may receive Remiffion of their Sins ; may
be delivered from the Devil and his Wiles j
may be filled with the Holy Ghost ; may
be worthy of thy Christ, and may obtain
everlafting Life ; Thou, O Lord Almighty,
being reconciled to them, through Je/us Chriji
our Lord. Amen.

fl At the Offertory.

RECEIVE, O God, unto thy holy Heaven
— the Euchariflical Praifes of thofe that
offer Sacrifices and Oblations to Thee; of
thofe who would offer much or little, privately
©r openly, but have it not to offer; of thofe
who have this Day brought their Offerings,
Receive them as Thou didft the Gifts of thy
righteous Abel, the Sacrifice of our Father
Abraham y the Incenfe of Zacbarias, the Alms
of Cornelius , and the Widow\ Mites, Receive
G 4 their

128 An Eucharl/tical Office for

their Offerings of Praife an3 Thankfgiving,
and for their Earthly Things give them Hea-
tc I >r their Temporal, Eternal j through

Jt .s Chiift our Lord, Amen.

<J At the Breaking of the Bread, Jay \

'TTIE Lamb cf God, the Son of the Father
is broken and divided 5 He is divided,
but not din iniihed ; he is always eaten, but
nor confumedj but fanciilies ail who arc Par-
takers of Him.

f As Join as the Confe oration Prayer is ended.
Jay aloud,
Amen.

% And then privately.

\y E flicw forth thy Death, O Lord ; we be-
lieve thy holy Refurrection, thy Afcen-
fion, and Second Coming. We befeech Thee,
O Lord our God to Jlrengthen our Faith : We
believe this to be true.

fl" Before the Elements are difiributed:

rvRAW near, O Lord Jesu Christ, our
God, from the Habitation of thy Dwell-
ing, and the Throne of Glory in thy King-
dom, and come and fanctify us : O Thou who
fitted on High at the Right Hand of the Fa-
ther, and at the fame Time art invifibly p re-
fen t with us here below.

O Holy

receiving the Holy Sacrament. If §

O Holy Lord who dwelled in the Seat of
Holinefs, fanctify us by the Word of thy
Grace, and the Defcent of thy Holy Spirit.

And vouchfafe to impart to us thine Im-
maculate Body, and moft precious Blood, for
the Remiflion of Sins, and Life Everlafting.

f Or this.

£\ God who art Great; Great in Name
and Counfel ; Powerful in thy Works ;
the God and Father of thy Holy Son Jesus
our Saviour, look upon the Flock which
Thou haft chofen through Him to the Glory
of thy Name ; fanctify us in Body and Soul;
and grant that we being purified from all Fil-
thinefsof Flefh and Spirit, may partake of the
myftic Bleffings now lying before Thee, and
judge none of us unworthy of them ; but be
Thou our Supporter, our Helper, and De-
fender, through thy Christ, with whom
Glory, Honour, Laud, Praife, Thankfgiving,
be to Thee and the Holy Ghost for ever.
Amen.

f Immediately before you receive, fay,

Q Lord our God, the Bread that came
down from Heaven is the Life of the
World. I have finned againft Heaven, and
before thee, and am not worthy to partake
oi cue immaculate Myfteries : But, O merci-
ful

130 An Euchariftica! Office for

ful God, forgive Thpu mine Offences, and make
me worthy by thy Grace, that I may receive
thy holy Body and precious Blood, not to my
Condemnation, but for the RemiiTion of my
Sins and Eternal Life.

And grant, Q Lord, that T may boldly and
without Blame prefume to call upon Thee our
God and Heavenly Father, faying,

Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.

^f When the Prieji apprcacheth with the Bread,

J^HOU haft /aid, He that eateth my Flefh,
and drinketh my Blood, hath Eternal Life :
Be it unto the Servant of the Lord according to
thy Word, John vi. 54.

^[ After receiving the Bread,

H^HIS hath touched my Lips, and fhall take
away mine Iniquities, and fhall purge me
from my Sins. Ifaiah vi. 7.

I have fworn, and am itedfaftly purpofed,
to keep thy righteous Judgments. Pfalm cxix.
106.

*[ When the Minifter appro acheth with the Cup,

WHAT Reward fnall I give unto the
Lord, for all the Benefits that he hath
done unco me ? I will take the Cup of Salva-
tion, and call upon the Name of the Lord.
Pfalm cxvi. 11, 12.

«f After

receiving the Holy Sacrament. 131

5f After receiving the Cup, fay.

Lord. now letted Thou thy Servant depart
in Peace, &V. Luke ii. 29 — 32.

Glory be to the Father, &V.
As it was in the Beginning, £sfV.

*[ When you are returned to your Tew, ufe thefe
following Acts of Prai/e.

gLESSED be the Lord God of Jjfrael, for
He hath vifited and redeemed his People;
and hath granted, that we being delivered out
of the Hand of our Enemies, might ferve Him
without Fear, in Holineis and Righteoufnefs
before Him, all the Days of our Life. Luke u

68, 74> 75-

What fhall we then fay to thefe Things ? If
God be for us, who can be againd us ? He
that fpared not his own Son, but delivered
Him up for us all : How fhall he not, with
Him alfo, freely give us all Things ? Who
fnall lay any Thing to the Charge of God's
Elect ? It is God that juftirieth : Who is he
that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea
rather, that is rifen again ; who is even at the
Right Hand of God ; who alfo maketh Inter-
ceffion for us. Romans viii. 3 1 — 34.

But of God are we in Christ Jesus, who of
God is made unto us Wifdom, and Righteouf-
nefs, and San<;lification and Redemption; that

according

132 An Eiichari/ikal Office for

according as it is written, He that glorieth
let him glory in the Lord, i Corinthians u

Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the Beginning, &c9

*fi Afterwards what follows, if you have Tims,

JESUS /aid, He that eateth my Flefh, and
drinketh my Blood hath Eternal Life, and
I will raife him up at the Laft Day : for my
Flefh is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink
indeed. He that eateth my Fiefri, and drinketh
my Blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. John
vi. 54, $$, 56.

For this Caufe, I bow my Knees unto the
Father of our Lord Jesus Chkist, of
whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth/
is named ; that He would grant us according to
the Riches of His Glory, to be ftrengthncd
with Might by his Spirit in the Inner Man ;
that Christ may dwell in our Hearts by
Faith ; that we being rooted and grounded in
Love, may be able to comprehend with all
Saints, what is the Breadth and Length, and
Depth, and Height ; and to know the Love
of Christ, which pafTeih Knowledge ; that
we might be filled with all the Fulnefs of God.
Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding
abundantly ab-veall that we afk or think, ac-
cording to the Power that worketh in us i un-
to

receiving the Holy Sacrament. 135

to Him be Glory in the Church of Christ
Jesus, throughout all Ages, World without
End. Amen. Ephefians iii. 14, fcfr.

f Then may he faid.

1i /TAY the God of our Lord Jesus
A.YJL Christ, the Father of Glory, give
unto us the Spirit of Wifdom and Revelation
in the Knowledge of Him ; The Eyes of our
Underftanding being enlightned; that we may-
know what is the Hope of His Calling, and
what the Riches of the Glory of His Inheri-
tance in the Saints; and what is the exceeding
Greatnefs of His Power to us-ward who be-
lieve, according to the working of His mighty
Power, which He wrought in Christ, when
He raifed Him from the Dead, and fet Him
at His own Right Hand in the Heavenly Pla-
ces, far above all Principality, and Power,
and Might, and Dominion, and every Name
that is named, not only in this World, but
alfo in that which is to come ; and hath put all
Things under His Feet, and gave Him to be
the Head, over all Things, to the Church,
which is His Body, the Fulnefs of Him that
filleth All in All. Ephefians i. 17, &V.

Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the Beginning, &V.

% lit

13i An Eacharijiical Office for

*L The remaining Time, whilft ethers are
Communicating, cannot be more -properly /pent
than in Jhezving our Charity, by interceding for
Chrift's Church, &c.

REmember, O Lord, all Orthodox Bifhops,
rightly dividing the Word of Truth. —
Remember, O Lord, all Prefbyters and Deacons
in Christ, — and put not thofe to Dishonour
who officiate at Thy Holy Altar. Look upon
us in Thy Loving Kindnefs, and manifeft
Thyfelf to us, O Lord, in thine abundant
Mercies. — Heal the Schifms in thy Church :
abate the Rage of its Enemy; and put a Stop
to growing Herefies by the Power of Thine
Holy Spirit. Receive us all into Thy King
dom and make us the Children of Light.
Grant us, O Lord our God, thy Peace and
Love, for it is Thou who beftoweft all Things
upon us: And grant that we may, with one
Mouth and Heart, praife and glorify Thy
Great and Glorious Name, Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost, now, henceforth, and for
evermore. Amen.

71/f 0 S T Merciful Father, unite all us who

partake of this One Bread and One Cup

in the Communion of One Holy Spirit -, and

fufTer none of us to partake of the Holy Body

and Blood of Thy Christ to our Judgment

and

receiving the Holy Sacrament. 135

and Condemnation ; but that we may find
Mercy and Grace, with aii Thy Saints who
have pleafed Thee from the Beginning of the
World, our Fore Fathers, Patriarchs, Pro-
phets, Apoftles, Preachers, Evangelifts, Mar-
tyrs, ConfefTors, Teachers, and every juft
Soul departed in the Faith.

Beieeching Thee, that it may pleafe Thee
of thy Gracious Goodnefs, fhortly to accom-
plifh the Number of Thine Elect, and to haften
Thy Kingdom; that we, with all Thofe that
are departed in the True Faith of Thy Holy
Name, may have our perfect Confummation
and Blifs, both in Body and Soul, in Thy
Eternal and Everlafting Glory, through Jessts
Christ our Lord. Amen.

WE commend unto Thy Mercy, O
LoiiDj all our Enemies; all who hate
us; and all who imagine Evil againft us: We
commend them to Thee, not for Judgment
and Vengeance, but for Pity and Salvation,
and the Remiflion of their Sins; becaufe Thou
willed that All mould be converted to the
Knowledge of Thy Truth and live: For
Thou haft taught us by both the Precept and
Example of thy beloved Son J esu^ Chr'St,
our Lord, that we mould pray for our Ene-
mies, for thofe that hate us, and thofe that
defpitefully ufe us, and perfecute us.

Have

136 An Eucharijtival Office for

Have Mercy upon all Jews, Turks, Infidels,
and Heretics, and take from them all Igno-
rance, Hardnefs of Heart, and contempt of
Thy Word; and fo fetch them home, Blefled
Lord, to thy Flock, that they may be faved
among the Remnant of the true IJraelites^ and
be made one Fold under one Shepherd, Jesus
Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth
with Thee, and the Holy Spirit, one Gob
World without End. Amen.

% Incitements to an holy and Chriftian Life,
proper for our Meditation at this Time.

KNOW ye not that ye are the Temple
of God; and that the Spirit- of God
dwelleth in you? If any Man defile the
Temple of God, him mall God deftory; For
the Temple of God is holy, which Temple
ye are. 1 Corinthians iii. 16, 17.

Ye are bought with a Price; therefore glo-
rify God in your Body and in your Spirit,
which are God's- 1 Corinthians vi. 10.

Be ye therefore Followers of God, as dear
Children; and walk in Love, as Christ alfo
hath loved us; and hath given Himfelf for us
as an Offering, and a Sacrifice to God for a
{meet fmeiling Savor. Ephefians v. 1, 2.

The

receiving the Holy Sacrament. 137

The Night is far fpent, the Day is at Hand;
let us therefore caft off the Works ofDarknefs,
and let us put on the Armour of Light. Ro-
mans xiii. 12.

Jefusjaid, Behold thou art made whole;
fin no more, left a worfe Thing come unto
thee. John v. 14.

If ye continue in my Word, then are ye my
Difciples indeed: And ye (hall know the
Truth, and the Truth mail make you free.
John viii. 31, 32.

While ye have Light, believe the Light,
that ye may be the Children of the Light.
John xii. 36.

He that hath my Commandments, and
keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he
that loveth me, mall be loved of my Father,
and I will love him, and will manifeft Myfelf
to him. John xiv. 21.

If ye abide in Me, and my Words abide in
you, ye fhall afk what you will, and it fhall be
done unto you. John xv. 7.

If any Man will come after Me, let him
deny himfelf, and take up his Crofs, and fol-
low Me. Matthew xvi. 24.

H ' The

158 An Eiichorijlical Office for

The Hour cometh, and now is, when the
true Worfhippers fhall worfhip the Father in
Spirit and in Truth; for the Father feeketh
uch to worfhip Him. John iv. 23.

He that fhall endure unto the End, the fame
fhall be faved. Matthew xxiv. 13.

Blefled is that Servant whom his Lord,
when he cometh, fhall find fo doing. But the
Lord of that Servant who is negligent and
wicked will come in a Day when he looketh
not for Him, and at an Hour when he is not
aware, and will cut him in funder, and will
appoint him his Portion with the Unbelievers.
And that Servant which knew his Lord's
Will, and prepared not himfelf, neither did
according to his Will, fhall be beaten with
many Stripes. Luke xii. 43, Cste

N 0 te, The preceeding Variety of "Devotions a fte r
the Receiving of the Hdy Elements, is put
here, that you may employ your Time devoutly
and "profitably, when there are large Numbers
of Communicants to receive after you. When
the Congregation is fmall, your own Discre-
tion muft tell yen which are mojt proper to be
ufed, and which omitted-, for no private D*-
vctions fhould exclude the Public, or take y on
up, whenyiu are to join in the Prayers of the
Church. If you fhould want fill larger
Forms , the following Pfalms may be ufeful.

BEFORE

receiving the Holy Sacrament. 139

KEFORE RECEIVING,

It will not he improper to ufefome of the
Penitential Pfalms, viz. vi, xxxii, xxxviii,
li, cii, exxx, cxliii. and,

AFTER RECEIVING,

Some of the following Pfalms, viz.

Pfalm xxxvii. Of Patience and Confidence
in God.

Pfalm xxiii. Expr effing our Confidence in
God's Grace and Goodnefs.

Pfalm cxvii. and cxlv. That God is to be
praifedfor his Fame, his Goodnefs, his Power >
and his Providence.

}'fa!m xxxiv. Of the Praifes of God, and
the Privileges of the Righteous.
To thefe may be added,
Pfalms ciii. cxi. exxxviii. Of God's

Praifes.

1T After the Communion is endedy and the
BUffing given by the Prieft, fay privately ^

OLord God of Hods, hear our Prayer;
give Ear, O God of Jacob. Pfalm
lxxxiv. 8.

The Good Lord pardon everyone that pre-
pareth his Heart to feck God, the Lord God
of his Fathers, though he be not cleanfcd ac-
cording to the Purification of the Sanctuary,
% Qoron* xxx. 18, i^

5 We

140 An Euchari/iical Office, #c.

We give Thanks to Thee, O Christ our
God, that Thou hail vouchfafed to make us
Partakers of thy Body and Blood for the Re-
mifllon of our Sins, and for Eternal Life.
Keep us, we befeech Thee, without Blame,
according to thy Great Goodnefs and Love of
Mankind.

Now to the King Eternal, Immortal, Invifi-
ble, the only Wife God, be Honour and
Glory, for ever and ever. Amen, i Tim*.
i. 17.

FINIS.

printed by Law and Gilbert, St. John's Square, LondoB,

PPKF*i