(b) The Prayer, "Almighty and everlasting God." (c) The Exhortation, "Beloved, ye hear."

(d) The Thanksgiving, "Almighty and everlasting God, heavenly Father."

In 1552 the service was held entirely within the church, at the font. Exorcism, the chrisom, anointing, were all omitted. There was but one immersion. The changing of the water was dropped, as well as all direction as to the water, the prayers which had accompanied the change of water being placed elsewhere. There were the following additions and alterations in the prayers :

The four prayers beginning "O merciful God," previously standing in the service for changing the water, were placed where they now are.

"We receive this child," previously standing before the act of baptism, was placed after it as

now.

"Seeing now, dearly beloved," "Our Father," "We yield Thee hearty thanks," were all added.

The general effect of the ritual changes in 1549 and 1552 was to simplify the service, and concentrate attention on the sole act which the Lord commanded; whereas previously that single essential rite, mixed-up with so many others that were merely accompaniments, was in danger of being regarded only as one of them.

In 1662, "Of infants" was added to the title distinguishing this office from the new one for adult baptism. The second rubric, requiring three sponsors, was added. The rubric required the font to be "then filled with pure water." This was the first time any

injunction as to the water re-appeared since the one of 1552 was dropped.

"Hath this child been already baptized, or no?" The rubric had ever since 1549 directed this question to be asked. It was now placed in the text of the service itself.

In the address to sponsors, "Dearly beloved," the words "to sanctify him with the Holy Ghost," and the parenthesis, "until he come of age to take it upon himself," were added.

"Renounce the devil" was substituted for "forsake the devil."

In the minister's demand was inserted "in the name of this child," which had stood in the Office of Private Baptism since 1552. The entire fourth demand, "Wilt thou then obediently keep," was added.

In the prayer, "Almighty, everliving God," the words "sanctify this water to the mystical washing away of sin were inserted, and so restored, but without any manual act, the consecration of the water, which had been omitted since 1552. Thus the water was both renewed and sanctified at each celebration of the rite, instead of the earlier practice of leaving the water once consecrated in the font until it became unfit for use.

"Ye are to take care." The rubric had directed the sponsors to this effect. It was now made part of the text. The rubric "It is certain by God's Word," relating to the salvation of baptized infants, was now added. The statement originally appeared in the Articles about Religion, 1536, and again in the

Institution of a Christian Man, 1537, where after "saved thereby," stood the words "else not" (F.F. 7, 93), intimating that unbaptized infants dying were not saved. The sentence first entered the Prayer Book in 1549 as a rubric in the Confirmation Service, where see more (§ 112).

The final rubric (referring to the 30th canon), "To take away all scruple concerning the cross in baptism," was now added.

§ 104. The Present Office compared with the Unreformed one.

(a) Surviving ceremonies :-

Signing with the cross, simplified and re

duced to once.

Consecration of the water, simplified.

(b) Surviving prayers and addresses :—
The question, "Hath this child."

The prayer," Almighty and Immortal God.”
Three of the Minister's Demands.

The injunction to sponsors for the Christian
education of the child, but with the
Commandments substituted for the
Ave Maria.

CHAPTER XXIII.

PRIVATE BAPTISM OF INFANTS.

§ 105. History of the Service.-This history is important as showing how the Church of England has at various times treated the subject of lay baptism.

The service of 1549 was taken from the Sarum Manual and the Consultation of Hermann. The rubric directed that in case of great urgency those present should call upon God, and "one of them" baptize the child. The service contained a form for receiving the child into the Church; and there were appended prayers for the benediction of the water in the font.

In 1552 the investiture with the chrisom was omitted, as in the Office of Public Baptism. The questions to the sponsors, "Dost thou forsake," etc., became "Dost thou in the name of this child forsake," etc., although the corresponding change had not then been made in Public Baptism. The form of benediction of the water in the font, previously appended to this office, disappeared.

In 1604 the performance of baptism by a lay person was not alluded to, and the title represented the baptizer as "the minister of the parish, or any other lawful minister that can be procured." The questions on

receiving the child were altered from what they had been since 1549 to what they are now, but there was added the following one:— "Whether think you the child to be lawfully and perfectly baptized?"

In 1662 the minister of the parish, or any other lawful minister, was still recognised as the baptizer; but, instead of this being in the title as in 1604, it was placed in the rubric. The question, "Whether think you," was dropped.

§ 106. Validity of Lay Baptism.--This was affirmed by a judgment of the Arches Court in Mastin v. Escott, on May 8th, 1841, and was supported on appeal by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council on July 2nd, 1842. The result is, that the Church of England regards lay baptism as irregular, but not invalid.

On May 31st, 1844, the Arches Court, in the case of Titchmarsh v. Chapman, pronounced that Baptism administered by one in heresy and schism was valid (E.G. June 1844, p. 268; Feb. 1845, p. 170; Prid. 458). The rubric of 1662 as to burial (§ 121) has made these decisions of much practical importance.