an be procured) with those who are present, call upon God, and say the Lord's prayer, and so many of the collects appointed to be said before in the form of public baptism, as the time and present exigence will suffer. And then the child being named by some one who is present, the minister shall pour water upon it, saying," &c.

Q. What do we learn from this permission in cases of necessity?

A. That the moderation of our church in this respect is conformable to the practice of the primitive Christians; who, though in ordinary cases they would not admit that baptism should be administered without the presence of the congregation, yet had so great a care that none should die unbaptized, that in danger of death they allowed such as had gone through all their baptismal preparations, to be baptized at home; but enjoined them to answer publicly more fully if God restored them to health. Q. Why does the rubric particularly mention “ any other lawful minister ?"

A. Because the church is assured that the person by whom baptism is to be administered, is plainly as positive a part of the institution as any thing relating to this ordinance; and, consequently, that the power of administering it must belong to one whom Christ has authorized by the institution; and therefore, it is a great presumption for any person to invade the ministerial office, without this divine

warrant.

Q. What constitutes a lawful minister for the administration of this ordinance?

A. Episcopal ordination ;* for, says our blessed

* As our blessed Saviour commissioned his Apostles, and only them and their successors, to the end of the world, to baptize all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; so we conclude, that none can at this time have any such authority to baptize, but those who are episcopally ordained. For giving a commission for a man to do that which he has no natural right to do, does, in the very nature of

Saviour, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." And St. Paul declares, that " no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." But all antiquity concurs in this assertion, that there ever were in the Christian church, by the appointment of Christ and his Apostles, three distinct orders of clergy; namely, bishops, priests, and deacons; and that the power of ordination belongs only to the first of these three orders; which shows, that persons ordained by either of the two inferior orders; namely, priests or deacons, or by the brotherhood, are not, nor can they, according to scripture and the usage of the church, be proper ministers of this sacred rite..

II. Of the Service to be performed at the Ministra tion of private Baptism.

Q. What prayers are to be used at the baptism of the child?

A. First, the Lord's prayer, which ought never to be omitted when we call upon God, as we profess ourselves to be the disciples of Christ: And, secondly, so many of the collects appointed to be said before in the form of public baptism, as the time and present exigence will permit; and then, after the child is baptized, it is farther ordered, that the minister shall give thanks to God, in the form appointed to be used after the administration of public baptism.

2. What ought to be observed concerning the prayer for the consecration of the water?

A. That it should never be omitted; for, besides the propriety of it to beg a blessing upon the administration in general, it is so necessary a part of

the thing, exclude all to whom the commission is not given. And no man can have a natural right to administer Christian baptism, because it is not a natural but a supernatural perform ance, for the conveyance of supernatural grace..

the office of baptism, that the primitive Christians thought the consecration of the water ought never, to be dispensed with.

Q. Why is the child to be baptized by affusion only?

A. Because baptism in private being never allowed but when the child is weak, it is justly supposed that it would not be able to endure dipping.

III. Of the Service to be performed when the Child is brought to Church.

Q. What does the church say of private baptism? A. That the "child so baptized," that is, in the manner above mentioned, is lawfully and sufficiently baptized, and ought not to be baptized again. Yet, nevertheless, if the child thus baptized shall live, it is expedient that it be brought into the church, to the intent that if the minister of the same parish did himself baptize that child, the congregation may be certified of the true form of baptism by him privately before used.

Q. But if the child was baptized by any other lawful minister, what does the rubric then direct ?

A. That the minister of the parish where the child was christened, shall examine whether the same has been lawfully done; and if the minister shall find, by the answers of such as bring the child, that it was duly baptized, then shall he not christen it, but receive it as a member of the true Christian church.

2. After the minister has certified the people that the child was lawfully baptized, and declared the be-nefits which it has received by virtue of its baptism, what is the next thing required?

A. The minister is directed to proceed in much the same manner or form as is appointed for public baptism. He is to read the gospel therein appointed, and the exhortation that follows it; and then to repeat the Lord's prayer. It is, however, to be

noted, that the gospel, exhortation, and the Lord's prayer may here be omitted; in which case the minister is to pass on to the questions addressed to the sponsors, after first making the necessary certification to the people. Then demanding the name of the child, he is to proceed to examine the godfathers and god-mothers, whether, in the name of the child, they renounce the devil and all his works, &c. whether they believe all the articles of the Christian faith, and whether they will obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, &c. For though the child was baptized without sponsors, it is reasonable there should now be some to give security that it shall be well educated and instructed. When this is done, the child is received into the congregation of Christ's flock, and is signed with the sign of the cross. After which the service concludes with the thanksgiving and exhortation, which also close the office for public baptism.

NOTE. "The same rule is to be observed here, as to the omission of the sign of the cross, as in the public baptism of infants;" and for the same

reason.

Q. What is the method of proceeding, if this baptism is doubtful?

A. The minister is to baptize the child in the form as before appointed for the public baptism of infants; saving, that at the dipping of the child in the font, he shall use this form of words: "If thou art not already baptized, N. I baptize thee in the name of the Father, &c.

CHAPTER IX.

Of the Ministration of Baptism to such as are of riper Years, and able to answer for themselves.

ACTS viii. 36, 37.

And the eunuch said, See, here is water: what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.

Q. WHAT is to be treated of in this chapter? A. Of such particulars in the form of adult baptism, as differ from the forms of infant baptism treated of in the next two preceding chapters.

Q. Why does the church require, when any such persons as are of riper years are to be baptized, that timely notice shall be given to the minister?

A." That so due care may be taken of their examination, whether they be sufficiently instructed in the principles of the Christian religion; and that they be exhorted to prepare themselves with prayer and fasting, for the receiving of this holy sacrament;" which were always strictly enjoined those who were baptized in the primitive church.

Q. And if the candidates for baptism shab be found fit, what follows?

A. The minister is to baptize them in the same manner and order as is appointed before for the baptism of infants; except that the gospel is concerning the necessity of baptism, which is followed by a suitable exhortation. And because the persons to be baptized are to make the profession that is requisite in their own persons, therefore the minister is ordered to put the questions to them. There are god-fathers and god-mothers, indeed, appointed to be present; but they are only designed as witnesses of the engagement, and undertake no more than to remind the baptized hereafter of the vow and pro