And in Jesus Christ his only-begotten Son our Lord? And that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost; born of the Virgin Mary; that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; that he went down into hell, and also did rise again the third day: that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; and from thence shall come again at the end of the world, to judge the quick and the dead?

And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholick Church; the Communion of Saints; the Remission of sins; the Resurrection of the flesh; and everlasting life after death? Answer. All this I stedfastly believe. Question.

WILT thou be baptized in this faith? Answer. That is my desire.

Question.

WILT thou then obediently keep

God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life?

Answer. I will endeavour so to do, God being my helper.

Then shall the Priest say, MERCIFUL God, grant that the old Adam in these persons may be so buried, that the new man may be raised up in them. Amen.

Grant that all carnal affections may die in them, and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in them. Amen.

Grant that they may have power and strength to have victory, and to triumph, against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Amen.

Grant that they, being here dedicated to thee by our office and ministry, may also be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlastingly rewarded, through thy mercy, O blessed Lord God, who dost live, and govern all things, world without end. Amen.

ALMIGHTY, everliving God, whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus

Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his most precious side both water and blood, and gave commandment to his disciples, that they should go teach all nations, and baptize them In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; Regard, we beseech thee, the supplications of this congregation; sanctify this Water to the mystical washing away of sin; and grant that the persons now to be baptized therein may receive the fulness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the Priest take each person to be baptized by the right hand, and placing him conveniently by the Font, according to his discretion, shall ask the Godfathers and Godmo thers the Name; and then shall dip him in the water, or pour water upon him, saying,

N. Father, and of the Son, and of the I baptize thee In the Name of the

Holy Ghost. Amen.

WE

Then shall the Priest say.

Here the Priest shall make a Cross upon the person's forehead.

E receive this person into the congregation of Christ's flock; and do *sign him with the sign of the Cross, in token. that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner, against sin, the world, and the devil; and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end. Amen.

SE

Then shall the Priest say,

EEING now, dearly beloved brethren, that these persons are regenerate, and grafted into the body of Christ's Church, let us give thanks unto Almighty God for these benefits, and with one accord make our prayers unto him, that they may lead the rest of their life according to this beginning.

Then shall be said the Lord's Prayer, all kneeling.

OUR Father, which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. Amen.

WE yield thee humble thanks, O

heavenly Father, that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace, and faith in thee; Increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore. Give thy Holy Spirit to these persons; that, being now born again, and made heirs of everlasting salvation, through our Lord Jesus

(I.) EXPOSITION OF THE BAP

TISMAL COVENANT.

In this it is to be noted (a) that the whole starts not from abstract doctrine, but from the child's own individual consciousness of his Baptismal adoption in Christ, signified by the very existence of his Christian name; (b) that in accordance with the whole Scriptural idea of Covenants with God, it begins with God's blessings actually given to him, and, only after these have been fully explained, dwells on his corresponding duty to God; (c) that it teaches the child simply to accept with thankfulness his share in the Christian Covenant, as given him by the call of God, and to pray to continue therein.

The answer "N. or M." appears to be a corruption of the "N. or NN." (nomen or nomina) in the Latin.

66

The statement of the BAPTISMAL BLESSINGS begins with the personal relation of the child to Christ as a member of Him" (1 Cor. xii. 27); that is, as having that close individual unity with Him, which is again and again enforced by different metaphors in Holy Scripture (see John xv. 16; Gal. iii. 27-29; Eph. i. 23; ii. 20 -22, &c.), and which the teaching of the Baptismal Service brings out so plainly. Then from this are made to branch out the two consequent relations to God and Man-the "sonship to God" by adoption in His dear Son (Rom. viii. 14-17; Eph. v. 1, 2), and the "inheritance"-that is, participation both present and future

of the Kingdom of Heaven,' which implies the Communion of Saints in all who are made one in the Lord Jesus Christ (John xvii. 11, 21). In all there is appeal to the spirit of Lovelove to the Saviour, love to Our Father, love to all as brethren in His family--which is naturally characteristic of childhood; and this appeal rightly precedes all consideration of the detailed duties which arise from it.

On the BAPTISMAL Vow see the Baptismal Service. It may, however, be here noted that, while full exposition is given of

the principles of Faith and Obedience, there is no exposition of the various sins renounced as the works of "the devil, the world, and the flesh." For children there should be knowledge of evil, not as a positive and substantive thing, but simply as the negation of the good which has been positively taught, and brought home to their

of

consciences and hearts. It is sufficient for them to know that "the works of the devil" signify evil in itself the evil which Christ came to destroy (1 John iii. 8); that in" the pomps" (the outward show) and " the vanity (the empty transitoriness) the world," so far as it is "wicked," lies temptation from without to "idolatry," by substi tution of fear and love of men for fear and love of God; and that "the lusts of flesh" imply temptation from within to negative or positive evil.

The BAPTISMAL OBLIGATION is next accepted thankfully as a fact. Such obligation to vows, to which the child has given no consent, is justified, because the Vows simply embody his natural duty to God in Christ, and his highest spiritual interest in this world and the next. The Baptismal condition is a "state of salvation" a state (that is) carrying with it justification in the blood of Jesus Christ, and the gift of sanctification, to be realized by conscious acceptance, as soon as such acceptance is possible.

(II.) THE CREED AND ITS
EXPLANATION.

For the history and substance of the APOSTLES' CREED, see Morning Service. It is naturally used in the Catechism, as containing in the simplest and most easily intelligible form the rudiments of Christian faith; and it is for the child the key and guide to the study of Holy Scripture.

In the EXPLANATION we may again note (a) the personal individuality of view, impressed on the child, in relation to Creation, Redemption, and Sanctification; (b) the confidence with which, as

Christ, they may continue thy servants, and attain thy promises; through the same Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, everlastingly. Amen.

Then, all standing up, the Priest shall use this Exhortation following; speaking to the Godfathers and Godmothers first.

FORASMUCH as these persons have promised in your presence to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in God, and to serve him; ye must remember, that it is your part and duty to put them in mind, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession they have now made before this congregation, and especially before you their chosen witnesses. And ye are also to call upon them to use all diligence to be rightly instructed in God's holy Word that so they may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and live godly, righteously, and soberly in this present world.

(And then, speaking to the new baptized persons, he shall proceed, and say,)

ΑΝ

ND as for you, who have now by Baptism put on Christ, it is your

part and duty also, being made the children of God and of the light, by faith in Jesus Christ, to walk answerably to your Christian calling, and as becometh the children of light; remembering always that Baptism representeth unto us our profession; which is, to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto him; that as he died, and rose again for us; so should we, who are baptized, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness; continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living.

¶ It is expedient that every person, thus baptized, should be confirmed by the Bishop so soon after his Baptism as conveniently may be; that so he may be admitted to the holy Communion.

If any persons not baptized in their infancy shall be brought to be baptized before they come to years of discretion to answer for themselves; it may suffice to use the Office for Publick Baptism of Infants, or (in case of extreme danger) the Office for Private Baptism; only changing the word [Infant] for [Child or Person] as occasion requireth.

Question. What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you?

Answer. They did promise and vow three things in my name. First, that I should renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanity of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh. Secondly, that I should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith. And thirdly, that I should keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of my life.

Question. Dost thou not think that thou art bound to believe, and to do, as they have promised for thee?

Answer. Yes verily; and by God's help so I will And I heartily thank our heavenly Father, that he hath called me to this state of salvation, through Jesus

Christ our Saviour. And I pray unto
God to give me his grace, that I may
continue in the same unto my life's end.
Catechist.

Rehearse the Articles of thy Belief.
Answer.

I BELIEVE in God the Father Al

mighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried, He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead, He ascended into heaven, And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy Catholick Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body; And the Life everlasting. Amen.

Question. What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy Belief?

Answer. First, I learn to believe in God the Father, who hath made me, and all the world.

born again in Baptism, the child is taught to claim for himself Redemption, Election (to Christian privilege), and Sanctification this confidence of tone according exactly with the decla rations of the Baptismal Service; (c) the omission of all reference (unless it be implied in the words

elect people of God") to the last Articles on the Church and its privileges probably as involving subjects too abstract and general for childish comprehension.

(III.) THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND THEIR EXPLANATION.

The TEN COMMANDMENTS are given according to the version in the narrative of Exodus xx., with which may be compared the remarkable variations of the version of Deut. v. 6-21. It has been held by many authorities that the "Commandments written on the tables of stone" were the Commandments themselves, without the explanations and reasons given, as in the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Commandments. (In this shorter form they were quoted in 1549.)

By revelation in the Commandments God reveals Himself not in His Omnipotence, but in His essential Righteousness, binding together for ever Religion and Morality. By the preface claiming obedience in virtue of His deliverance of the people, He reveals Himself as a God of Love and Mercy.

The division made-of the first four and the last six Commandments-is the old Hebrew division, and the division, moreover, corresponding best to the true distinction of subject. In some ancient Christian writers a less accurate division is made, into three for the First table and seven for the Second-the 1st and 2nd Commandments being united in one, and the 10th Commandment divided.

In the EXPLANATION may be noted two principles amply sanctioned by Our Lord's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. v. 17-48)-(a) that the generally negative character of the original Commandments is

changed into the positive duty, based on love, which is "the fulfilling of the Law" (Rom. xiii. 9, 10); (b) that their scope is extended from actions to words and thoughts, which are identical with actions in essential principle.

Thus in the DUTY TOWARDS GOD, the First Commandment, which is the basis of all the rest, is expanded into the "FAITH IN GOD," and, as flowing from this, "the fear and love' "" of God, "with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength" (see Matt. xxii. 37, 38); the Second, from prohibition of Idolatry, is changed to positive injunction of WORSHIP ("to worship Him, to give Him thanks, to call upon Him"); the Third similarly to positive REVERENCE to "His Holy Name and His Word; " the Fourth (with remarkable breadth of interpretation) is explained as bidding us to true SERVICE "all the days of our life," both by work and by rest and worshipin this embodying the spirit of the Commandment as distinct from the letter.

Again, the DUTY TOWARDS MY NEIGHBOUR opens with a general declaration (preparatory to the special Commandments) of the GOLDEN RULE-" to love my neighbour as myself, and to do to all as I would they should do unto me.' Then the Fifth Commandment is extended from parents to all authorities, national, domestic, and spiritual, and made to enjoin the general duty of REVERENCE to all above us; the Sixth Commandment from the extreme act of murder to the LovE, which forbids all hurt in deed or in word, all malice and hatred in heart; the Seventh changed from prohibition of Adultery to command of TEMPERANCE, Soberness, and Chastity; the Eighth to prohibition of literal "picking" (pilfering) and stealing, adds the command of truth and JUSTICE in all dealings; the Ninth from the law against deliberate perjury, passes to the TRUTHFULNESS which forbids all "evil-speaking, lying, and slandering; the Tenth contrasts with the covet