viii. 17; Gal. ii. 20; Col. iii. 3; 2 Cor. i. 7; 1 S. Pet. i. 3, 4.) SPONSORIAL SUB-DIVISION. I. ADDRESS ON EDUCATIONAL DUTIES. (a) Child's Promise ;-To Renounce, Believe, Obey. (b) Sponsors' Promise ;-To do what they can towards helping the child at an early date, to— 1. Learn his Baptismal Vow. 2. Do. Church Catechism, both parts. 4. Grow up in a Godly and Christian way. (c) Sponsors "put in remembrance of their own profession made to God in their Baptism"; 1. To imitate Christ in His Life, as in His Death and Resurrection. 2. "Mortify" (Mors-Facio), i.e., "Crucify the Old Man." 3. Make daily progress, &c. (First Prelim. Rubric; Thanksgiving Suprà.) 2. ADDRESS ON CONFIRMATION. (a) "Brought to the Bishop"; not, "so soon as he is fourteen or fifteen," but, "so soon as he can say the Creed, &c." Heart-innocence rather than Head-Knowledge being the passport to God's favour and Spiritual Gifts. (3rd Rubric after Catechism; L Notes on Art. 25.) (b) Sponsorial obligations end here as to direct duties prescribed; though the spiritual relationship (God Sib) once entered into, must continue; and wili naturally prompt a continuance of kindly interest in the soul's health or spiritual welfare of the Godchild. FINAL RUBRICS. "It is certain, &c." (a) Peccatum Originis (Art. ix.) or Birth Sin, i.e., the stain of parental wrong-doing (Job. xiv. 4). having been removed by Baptism, the Infant, which had previously been a " Child of Wrath," i.e., in whom God could not take any pleasure, (Hab. i. 13), becomes a "Child of Grace," i.e,, upon whom He looks favourably as being pleased therewith. And accordingly, if it should die before being defiled by actual sin of its own doing, we may be sure of its unquestionable safety," as of a spirit that has returned to God, and is encirled by the Everlasting Arms of its loving Creator. (Eccles. xii. 7; Deut. xxxiii. 27; S. Matt. v. 8; Acts ii. 38; 1 Cor. xii. 13; 2 Cor. v. 17; Gal. iii. 27; Tit. iii. 5; 1 S. Peter iii. 21; iv. 19.) (b) Neither Scripture nor Prayer Book say anything whatever about Infants that die unbaptized; both being designed only for "The Faithful." (L. Notes Suprà. "Everlasting Punishment." 2. Sign of the Cross. (L. Notes. "Reception.") The Ministration of Private Baptism of Children in Houses. THREE PRELIMINARY RUBRICS. I. TIME. (a) The Eighth Day. (L. Notes, "Pub. Bapt.") (b) Curate, to "approve" of the cause of delay, which must be "great and reasonable." 2. PLACE. Not "at home," unless with "great cause and necessity." Because (a) The Rite is shorn of that “decent" solemnity and significance which attach to it when ministered in the House of God. (b) The idea of Admission into the Church is obscured. (c) The connection between Font and Altar, Alpha and Omega, is not seen. (d) The general Congregation lose the benefit of being "put in remembrance of their own profession." (e) The domestic surroundings in a Private House do not invest the Rite with dignity. (f) "Some things essential" are more likely to be "omitted" there. (g) Surplice, Water-vessel, and other "decent" accessories, more likely to be neglected. (h) "Sanctified" Water perhaps not carefully poured away afterwards. (i) Slovenly, hole-and-corner ministrations, diminish popular respect for Baptism as a Divine Ordinance. (k) Ditto, lower the popular estimate of its spiritual value. (7) Ditto, tempt private persons to intrude into the Priest's Office. (m) Ditto, furnish available facilities for the introduction of Sectarian Propagandists. 3. MANNER. (a) The Ministrant must be first provided. Not the Father, Doctor, Friend, Nurse, &c., being Church people-still less the Preacher of some Dissenting Club-is authorized to But the Priest Baptize, even in extremis. (b) Preliminary "Calling upon God." Pater noster and Water-sanctification not to be omitted; unless imminency of Death leaves time for no more than the Water and the Words. (c) Name, to be given by some one present." Water, to be "poured by the Minister." THE BAPTISM. (a) Same Form as in Public Baptism. (b)"Trine Affusion" only, as being the only mode possible under the exceptional circum stances. POST-BAPTISM. (a) THANKSGIVING. Same as in Public Baptism; except (1) the one passage relating to Life upon Earth, viz., "Being dead......... Body of Sin," which is omitted; and (2) "Residue of Thy Holy Church," which now is "Residue of Thy Saints." (b) RUBRIC. "Let them not doubt," &c. Assurance of Baptism being "lawful and suf ficient" by the conjunction of the Three Essentials, viz., Minister, Water, Words; though Sponsors, Sign of Cross, &c., are omitted. (c) "Ought not to be baptized again.” more Baptism, like Grafting, &c., is a single operation, and when complete is unrepeatable. The Baptized has been "Enlightened, has tasted of the Heavenly Gift, and been made partaker of the Holy Ghost" (Heb. vi.). Henceforward, there is no Baptism for the remission of his sins; and the "Sacrament of Penance," with its Confession and Absolution, must be his resource. To ascertain this completeness, therefore, “it is expedient that the child, if he do afterwards live, be brought into the Church," &c. "Half-Baptized :" a vulgar error. A Private Baptism which satisfies the requirements of Church law as to the Three Essentials is quite complete, and therefore amply "sufficient." The child has been made a "Member of Christ," and is therefore "Christ-ened" on the spot, nor can its being brought to the Church do anything more for it in this respect. What is really meant by the phrase is, that the Prayer-book Office has been only half said; and that the Enlistment of the Invalid Recruit in private, should be supplemented by the public appearance of the Convalescent on Parade. The Church Ceremony. (a) A Public Recognition of the new member. (c) At or near the Font; in case Conditional TWO CASES OF PRIVATE BAPTISM. Case 1. Baptism by Priest of same Parish. |