the priest commences an address or preface to the congregation, inviting them to pray for the child. We can perhaps scarcely find any parallel to this amongst the primitive rituals of the church, except in those of the churches of Gaul. The Gothic and ancient Gallican liturgies or missals published by Thomasius and Mabillon, prescribe an address or preface of this kind at the very commencement of the office of baptism". It is true that the following address does not coincide exactly in expressions with that of the English ritual, but still there is a general resemblance: and indeed we find that a very different address was used even in the Gallican church at another time or place. The collect which follows the address in the Gothic missal, bears also some resemblance to the collect which immediately follows our address, as will be seen below. Holy Ghost; I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteous mercy he will grant to this child that thing which by nature he cannot have; that he may be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ's holy church, and be made a lively member of the same. Almighty and everlasting God, who of thy great mercy by the baptism of thy wellbeloved Son Jesus Christ, in the river Jordan, didst sanctify water to the mystical washing away of sin ; we beseech thee, for thine infinite mercies, that thou wilt mercifully look upon this child, wash him and sanc oremus: ut aquis his virtutem transfundat, et ad peragendum sacratissimæ regenerationis effectum præsentia trinæ majestatis adsistat : confringat et conterat super has aquas caput draconis: ut sub undis fecibus transactione secreta chirographum pristinum evacuetur, et debitoribus cum Christo per baptismum consepultis, ita hic agatur mortis imitatio, ut salvatis perditis sola se sentiat in terris perditione. Per Dominum i. Deus qui Jordanin fontem pro animarum salute sanctificasti: descendat super aquas has Angelus benedictionis tuæ : ut quibus perfusi famuli tui, accipiant remissionem peccatorum; ac renati ex aqua et Spiritu Sancto, devoti tibi serviant in æternum. Per Dominum j. tify him with the Holy Ghost: that he, being delivered from thy wrath, may be received into the ark of Christ's church; and being stedfast in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass the waves of this troublesome world, that finally he may come to the land of everlasting life, there to reign with thee world without end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The next collect has been very anciently used in the English churches, since we find it in the manuals of Salisbury and York: in these ritual books it occurs in the office for making a catechumen; which, as I have observed, formed the first part of the baptismal service. It is also found in many ancient MSS. some of which seem to have been used nine hundred years ago. Almighty and immortal God, the aid of all that need, the helper of all that flee to thee for succour, the life of them that believe, and the resurrection of the dead; We call upon thee for this infant, that he, coming to thy holy baptism, may receive remission of his inservire, quò tandem cum piis omnibus promissionem æternæ vitæ assequatur, per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen." "Ex duobus MSS. libris sacramentorum insignis eccle Deus, immortale præsidium omnium postulantium, liberatio supplicum, pax rogantium, vita credentium, resurrectio mortuorum; te invoco super hunc famulum tuum N. qui baptismi tui donum petens, æternam consequi gratiam spirituali regeneratione desiderat. siæ Turonensis ante annos octingentos (900) exaratis." Martene, de Antiq. Eccl. Rit. tom. i. p. 41. It also occurs in the Sacramentary of Gregory, Muratori, Liturgia Romana Vetus, tom.ii. sins by spiritual regeneration. Receive him, O Lord, as thou hast promised by thy well-beloved Son, saying, Ask, and ye shall have; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: So give now unto us that ask; let us that seek find; open the gate unto us that knock; that this infant may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord. Amen. Accipe eum Domine : et quia dignatus es dicere: Petite et accipietis: quærite et invenietis: pulsate et aperietur vobis, petenti præmium porrige et januam pande pulsanti: ut æternam cœlestis lavacri benedictionem consecutus; promissa tui muneris regna percipiat. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre, in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen1. The portion of St. Matthew's Gospel, which is appointed to be used immediately after the preceding prayer, is also found in the introductory office for making a catechumen, according to the rites of the English churches of Salisbury and York. How long it may have been used in this place it is hard to determine, but a manuscript ritual of the church of Beauvais in France, 800 years old, directs a gospel to be read in this place "; and in a ritual of the monastery of Remiremont, written 700 years ago, we may observe the same portion of St. Matthew's Gospel, which was used by the churches of Salisbury and York in ancient times, as it is by all the English churches at present. the tenth chapter at the thir- sancti evangelii secundum Matteenth verse. They brought young children to Christ that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. theum. Resp. Gloria tibi, Domine. In illo tempore, oblati sunt Jesu parvuli ut manus eis imponeret et oraret. Discipuli autem ejus increpabant eos. Jesus autem ait illis, Sinite parvulos et nolite prohibere eos venire ad me: talium est enim regnum cœloEt cum imposuisset eis manum, abiit indeo. rum. The address and collects which follow the gospel, and terminate the introduction of the baptismal office, do not occur in the ancient offices of the English church, as far as I can perceive. However, in annexing these forms to the office, the church only exercised that authority which had been delivered to her by the holy apostles; namely, the power of adding such rites and prayers to the essential matter and form of the sacraments, as she judged most suited to benefit and edify her children. The forms themselves are in part taken from the Ritual of Herman, archbishop of Cologne, published in 1545. Beloved, ye hear in this Gospel the words of our Saviour Christ. . . Doubt ye not His verbis et huic facto Domini nostri Jesu Christi super illos, fidem habete, nec dubitate, • Manuale Sarisb. fol. 36. Man. Ebor. ut supra. |