by Sprinkling them with Water according to the Usage of our Country and not by Dipping them all over in it should they not be baptiz'd by a Lawfully Ordain'd Minister of the Church of England and that too in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost V. But now as to the Circumstances of Time and Place when and where this Sacrament ought to be Administred which is my Fifth Particular and comes now to be consider'd more at large Rubr. 1. before the Office for Publick Baptism Rubr. 2. before the Office for Private Baptism Most are so prejudic'd against them by a prevailing Custom to the contrary that notwithstanding our Rule tells us It ought not to be done but upon Sundays or Holy-days nor Out of the Church unless in Cases of great Necessity They think these Matters of no such Importance but that they may safely pass them by and Christen their Children at Home when there is no Cause for it without the least Contravention to my Text or any other place of Scripture To Persons of which Complexion I answer First That although this Text is not strictly producible for Publick Baptism as it means Baptism at the Font according to the particular Constitution of our Church which provides Can. Const Eccles Can. 81. That there shall be a Font of Stone in every Church or Chapel where Baptism is to be Administred and there in that Font only the Minister shall Baptize publickly Yet with their Leaves it may be urg'd for it as far as the Design of the Institution it self will warrant us and the early and constant Custom of the Church of Christ which is the best Expositor of such a Design Now that Baptism even from the Church's Infancy has been all along as publickly celebrated as the present State of that did permit may be fairly gather'd from the following Words of a great Searcher into the Records of the Primitive Times which shall serve instead of many Quotations that might be brought for the Proof of the Assertion Dr. Cave in his Prim. Christ part 1. c. 10. The Place where this solemn Action was perform'd was at first unlimited any Place where there was Water Ap. 2. p. 93. as Justin Martyr tells us In Ponds or Lakes in Springs or Rivers De Bap. adv Quintill cap 4. as Tertullian speaks But always as near as might be to the place of the Publick Assemblies for it was seldom done without the Presence of the Congregation And then Secondly I answer farther That though the Text before us should not be sufficient of it self to satisfie all the beweldring Doubts of the Scrupulous or Perverse but notwithstanding its Evidence they will think themselves still at liberty to baptize either in publick or private yet in Consort with some others that may be alledg'd it ought certainly to be thought of such Force as to conclude them without more a-do and immediately determine their Choice Such are these 3 Cor. 14.40 and the like Apostolical Canons Let all things be done decently 26. and in order Let all things be done to edifying From which and several other Places of Scripture of the same Nature Hor. Confess varias Aug. Sc. Helv. Basil Bohem Belg. Sax. c. it is on all Hands acknowledg'd among Protestants That hereby is given to the Church Power to make Decrees about such Matters as this and others design'd there where St. Paul tells the Corinthians That the rest he will set in order when he comes 1 Cor. 11.34 And we of this Church expresly assert Art 20. That she has Power to decree Rites and Ceremonies not repugnant to the Word of God And that the Bringing of Persons to be solemnly baptiz'd in God's House for the general Good of Christians there present has no such Contrariety must still be presum'd till better Topicks for Conviction be found out than what have hitherto been offer'd Now this Power being granted as lodg'd in the Church it will hence follow That what our Mother doth lawfully enjoin we are with Readiness and Submission to assent to lest by standing out against her obstinately we sin as much against Heaven who gave her this Commission as we do against the Authority of the Church it self However therefore some may stile themselves her Children and seem mightily pleas'd with the specious Appellation of True Sons of the Church of England whilst they are guilty of such an Irregularity as Private Baptism has been always reckon'd in it especially when required to the contrary they must pardon others who cannot but think them highly unworthy to be call'd so since by such stubborn undutiful Carriage were all Men as positive in their Refusals as they her Being must inevitably be destroy'd as a Church whence every one of us derive our own as Christians But to be more methodical and to press this Matter with greater Application let me crave your Patience whilst I tender to you the Four following Particulars 1. The express Orders of our Church with Relation to Publick Baptism and the Care she has taken in the Contrivance of her Form for it so that there can be no Intrenchment upon it without a great deal of Absurdity as well as Disobedience on their side 1 Cor. 11.22 who become Despisers of the Church of God by acting contrary to her Injunctions 2. That the Obedience of her Genuine Sons in this Affair may not be Nick-nam'd or term'd Implicit I shall shew that she hath done nothing herein but upon very extraordinary Motives in that her Constitutions about it do not only bear a sweet Harmony to the Practice of the Eastern and all the Western Churches But 3. That the Practice of all these Churches is grounded upon the earliest Antiquity And 4. That that Antiquity has no less solid a Basis than the firmest Reasons to support it But of each of these as briefly as possible And 1. Then As to the Orders of our Church besides the Canon just now mention'd Can. 81. where there is a Font enjoin'd to be set up in every Church or Chapel where Baptism is to be Administer'd and that in the Font only the Minister shall Baptize publickly Rubrick 1st of that Office the Office for Publick Baptism saith in one place That the People are to be admonish'd that it is most convenient that Baptism should not be Administer'd but upon Sundays and Holy-days when the most number of People come together Rubrick 2d In another place it enjoins That when there are Children to be baptiz'd the Parents shall give notice thereof over Night or in the Morning before the Beginning of Morning-Prayer to the Curate And then the Godfathers and Godmothers and the People with the Children must be ready at the Font either immediately after the Last Lesson at Morning-Prayer or else immediately after the Last Lesson at Evening-Prayer as the Curate by his Discretion shall appoint Again
proprius locus hujus Sacramenti sit Ecclesia Parochialis nullus extra eam nisi forte in casu necessitatis baptizet Nor doth She permit any but in Cases of Extream Necessity to be baptiz'd at Home and they upon Recovery are still brought to Church afterwards The French as well as the other Reform'd Churches abroad Il est a noter qu'un doit apporter les Enfans pour baptizer ou le Dimanche ou les autres jours au Sermon a fin que comme le Baptesme est une reception solennelle en Eglise il se fasse en la presence de l' Assemble v. La Forme d' Administrer le Baptesme conformable to which is their Practice as many of them as have Churches in this City not only order this Usage in their Service-Books but as we do give their Reasons for it there likewise Because * Baptism say they is a solemn Admission into the Church of Christ and therefore ought to be done in the Face of the Assembly who are to be Witnesses of the Matter Nay The English Congregation which was gather'd at Geneva in the Year 1558. upon an unjust Dislike of some Things in our Liturgy and Church-Government here in their Form of Prayer See The Order of Baptism Rubr. 1. and Administration of the Sacraments approv'd by J. Calvin himself tells us positively That it is evident from God's Word that the Sacraments are not Ordain'd of him to be us'd in Private Corners as Charms or Sorceries but left to the Congregation and necessarily annex'd to God's Word as Seals of the same Therefore the Infant which is to be baptiz'd shall be brought to Church on the Day appointed to Common Prayer and Preaching c. And which I hope will be for the Conviction of those among us who are very ready to charge every Person or Thing with Popery or Superstition at least that doth but look towards the Establishing or Retrieving any of the Solemnities in God's Worship Even the Presbyterian Directory in the late Times of Confusion expresly Ordains In the Chap. Entituled Of Baptism p. 19. That Baptism be not Administer'd in Private Places or Privately but in the Place of Publick Worship and in the Face of the Congregation where the People may most conveniently see and hear Which the Framers of it likewise tell us was resolv'd upon See the Preface to the Directory for the Publick Worship of God throughout England Scotland and Ireland Minist of Pub. Bap. p. 43. After earnest and frequent Calling upon the Name of God and after much Consultation not with Flesh and Blood but with his Holy Word Pursuant to which Resolutions as it should seem we are told that as for their Brethren in Scotland no Length of Way nor scarce any Indisposition can prevail with them to keep their Children from the Church but they carry them several Miles to be baptiz'd that it may be done in Publick And that they thought it an inexpressible Favour when a Toleration was granted them for Private Baptism in case of Great Necessity But 3. There is not only a Consent between ours and these Churches in this Particular but the Practice of all of them is grounded upon the earliest Antiquity For the Proof of which I shall not now trouble you with a pompous Ostentation of Authorities though I might quote to you Justin Martyr St. Athanasius Gregory Nazianzen Ambrose Chrysostom * Vid. Cocceii Thes Cathol Tom. 2. lib. 5. Art 11. de Baptisteriis c. with Councils †Pro caeteris notetur praecipuè Can. 59. antiq illius Conc. Constant 3. sic Stat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 General and Provincial but desire the * Pag. 11. from Cave 's Primitive Christianity Part 1. Chap. 10. Pag. 311. above-mention'd Citation may serve instead of many Where 't was said That the Place where this solemn Action was perform'd was at first unlimited any place where there was Water as a Pond Lake River or Spring serving turn But that always they chose a Place for Baptism as near as might be to that of the Publick Assembly for 't was seldom done even in the very Infancy of the Church without the Presence of the Congregation For which Reason it was that in Ancient Times as we are there likewise told Id. Ibid. p 312. their Baptisteria or Fonts as we call them were built at first near the Church then in the Church-Porch to represent Baptism's being the Entrance into the Mystical Church and afterwards in the Church it self At which Places Baptism was of Old Administer'd only on Easter and Whit-Sunday as many Councils formerly order'd because as one of them is express at those Solemn Times there were the most numerous Assemblies De Catechumenis Baptizandis id statutum est ut in Paschae vel Pentecostes solennitate quanto majoris celebritatis major est celebritas tanto magis ad Baptizandum veniant Conc. Gerund Can. 3. and by Consequence the Administration of this holy Rite would be then more for the Edification of the Church Where by the way we may observe the Rise of Private Baptism in the Primitive Church together with the Reasonableness of its Allowance then For they reserving the Baptization of all their Catechumens till those two great Festivals if any of them in the mean while happen'd to be in great danger of Persecution Qui enim in difcrimen naufragii hostilitatis incursum obsidionis ambguum cujuslibet corporalis aegritudinis desperationem inciderint sibi unico credulitatis auxilio poposcerint subveniri eodem quo poscunt momento temporis expetitae regenerationis praemia consequuntur Siricius Papa ad Himerium Tarraconensem as was probable in the first Ages of the Church Incursions of Barbarous Enemies no less frequent in the succeeding Times present Death by Sickness or any other Means they granted them the Liberty of being baptiz'd immediately fearful lest at any time they should go out of the World depriv'd of the Benefit of this Holy Laver. But God be thanked we are under no such Apprehensions at present though we were then when this Custom of Christning at Home first got Footing amongst us no such Practice being heard of in the Church of England till the late Times of our horrible Distractions Which bare Consideration viz. of the Means whereby this Usage was here introduc'd might one would think have long since render'd it odious and abominable to those especially who have the Conscience still left them to abhor the lewd Proceedings of those Days when Wild Enthusiasm and Blind Zeal justled all sober Religion almost with God's Solemn Worship out of these three Kingdoms But 4ly and Lastly The Constitutions of our Church which order Baptism to be Publickly Celebrated do not only bear a just Correspondence with the Practice of the Eastern and all the Western Churches now in the World as grounded upon the earliest Antiquity But that Antiquity has no
less solid a Basis than the firmest Reason to support it Three of which I shall for the present only hint at leaving the farther Consideration of them and others as obvious to your own more serious Reflections The 1. Concil Gerund bab Conc. Anno. 517. Of which is That Publick Baptism is more for Edisication This the Primitive Church was sensible of as you find from the Canon of the Council just now mention'd which with a great number besides orders Baptism to be perform'd on Easter and Whit-Sundays only because then the Congregations were fuller This our Church is very sensible of in like manner when She orders it to be administred ordinarily upon Sundays or Holy days when the greatest Number of People are met together that all there present may be put in mind of their own Profession made to God in their Baptism Rubr. 1. in the Office for Publick Baptism This the French Reformed Church is highly sensible of when in her last Rubrick in the Office for Publick Baptism She orders That the Minister Baptizing in the Church Le tout se dit a haute voix en langue vulgaire d'autant que le Peuple qui assiste la doit estre temoin de ce qui s'y fait a quoi est requise intelligence aussi asin que tous soient edifiez en reconnoissant c La Forme d' Administrer le Baptesme Rubr. 1. in the Office for Publick Baptism speak as loud as he can in the Vulgar Tongue that all may be edified En reconnoissant reduisant en memoire quel'est le fruit l'usage de leur Baptesme This in a Word all the Churches in the World are sensible of their Custom being principally founded upon this Motive But then 2. The very Nature and Design of Baptism bespeaks the Reasonableness of its being done in Publick It is as has been said our solemn Admission into the Christian Church and therefore ought to be done openly that as our own instructs us the Congregation then present may testifie the Receiving of them that are newly baptiz'd into the Number of Christ's Church And 3. We may consider that Baptism contains a Publick Profession of our Faith in Christ by our Godfathers and Godmothers Now the Profession of our Faith the more publick it is the more agreeable is it to the Nature of Baptism and the Constitution of the Christian Church which is a Visible Society professing the Faith of Christ And when can it possibly be more publick Psal 116.13 than in the Courts of the Lord's House The Publick Congregation for God's Worship held by Publick Authority in Places publickly set a-part for that purpose when the End of Assembling there is the more solemn Celebration of God's Honour that Devout Persons may with one Mind and one Mouth glorifie his Name together Thus have I gone through all the Particulars I design'd to speak to And have shewn I. Very briefly The Nature of Baptism in general II. Who were the Persons Commisson'd by our Saviour to baptize III. Who ought to be baptiz'd IV. After what Form And V. More at large at what Time and in what Place I should now put an End to this Discourse but that it may be expected since I have been so copious in the Defence of Publick Baptism that I should say somewhat by way of Obviating those Pretences which have been so powerful as to uphold the contrary Practice amongst too many of us for some Years last past And indeed were it not for this Reason notwithstanding their Prevalency I should have thought the best of them too weak and trifling such as deserv'd rather to be pass'd over in Silence or at most answer'd by a Minister in Whispers as they are commonly urg'd to him rather than mention'd by way of Confutation before such an Auditory as this But such as they are they may be reduc'd to Three chiefly either of the Richer Sort the Poorer or Both indifferently The Richer Sort usually preface their Resolutions about a Private Christning with an Intimation of their sincere Intentions towards the Church of England in which they were born and bred and resolve by the Grace of God to die in too But as for the Business in hand the Child is at present indispos'd and the Gossips are now in the Way who cannot so well attend another Time and therefore it is convenient it should be done immediately without making any farther Trouble on 't To such it may easily be answer'd If they are so well affected as they pretend to the Church of England or rather the Church of Christ let them shew their Affection by a ready Compliance to the wholsom Injunctions of this in general with relation to Publick Baptism and that in particular which has provided a Private Form purposely to be us'd in such Exigencies and satisfies them there Rubr. 5th in that Office That the Child so baptiz'd is lawfully and sufficiently baptiz'd and ought not to be baptiz'd again But only desires upon Recovery it be brought to Church afterwards for the Reasons just mention'd and there receive the high Honour of being orderly and solemnly admitted into Christ's Flock But to be plain 'T is not the Child 's real Indisposition but the unhappy Bent of the Parents too perverse Inclinations oftentimes that make them take these Measures since 't is notorious that of those who dar'd not venture their Infant two or three Doors to Church in the cold Air of this City many have speedily after sent it out some Miles in a much colder to be taken Care of in the Country And then as for the Excuse of wanting those that will stand Godfathers and Godmothers 't is well known that Persons of any Fashion are not without Numbers ambitious of paying that Complemental Piece of Respect to them for to our Shame be it spoken 't is too frequently look'd upon as no more On the other side Whilst we have gloss'd varnish'd Falshood from the Rich suitable to their Circumstances we meet with simple naked Truth from the Poor What was pretended Indisposition in the former is downright Shame in the latter Truly though they thank God they want nothing yet they are not so well to pass in the World as to make a Figure in 't and upon that Account being unable to provide things handsom enough for their Company and a Publick Appearance they don't care to be ridicul'd and laugh'd at by their Neighbours till they can To which 't may be reply'd in a Word That the Vanity of some in a higher Rank ought not to be a Rule for those in a meaner Condition much less should the Avoiding of it be objected to them then which nothing can more advance their Reputation among Persons of Prudence and Sobriety whose Censures in such Cases are alone to be regarded And indeed were those Extravagant Expences retrench'd which are every where too common on such Occasions and have been condemn'd in three