every one of you be baptized for the remission of sins, Acts ii. 39. It remits also the temporal punishment due to sin; because the merits of Christ are fully and entirely communicated to us in this sacrament, to satisfy God's justice for sin, and its punishment. Before baptism, we are infidels out of the state of grace, out of the church; by it we are made members of the church, and the habit of faith, with other virtues, are infused into our souls: by our first birth, we are born in sin, chils dren of wrath; by baptism we are born again, born of God, adopted children of God: by our first birth we are born to eternal misery; by our second birth in baptism, we are born to eternal life; for if sons of God, we are also heirs of heaven: for which reason baptism is called regeneration, because by it we are re-born of God, John iii. 5. As to the necessity of this sacrament, though it is essential to salvation, yet if it be received only in desire with faith, and a true contrition for sin, when it cannot be received actually, this suffices; or if a person, before baptism, be martyred for the faith; in these two cases he is saved without actual baptism: for since the baptism of water has its virtue from the death of Christ, and from the Holy Ghost, as the first cause, and the cause does not depend upon the effect, but far exceeds it; hence one may receive the effect of baptism, not only by the sacrament, but through the death of Christ, without the sacrament, in the case of martyrdom, by which we resemble him in his death, and are made partakers of it, by dying for him. In like manner one may receive the effect of baptism by the grace of the Holy Ghost, without the sacrament when it cannot be had, and the heart at the same time is moved by the Holy Ghost to a desire of it, with faith, contrition, and a pure love of God; so that neither this baptism of the Spirit, (baptismus Flaminis) nor the baptism of blood, (baptismus sanguinis) by martyrdom suffices, unless we have a Iso the baptism of water in heart and desire, (in voto.) Now, if baptism is so essentially necessary to life and salvation, pastors ought to be so much the more careful to administer this sacrament validly, and see there be no essential defect in the application of the matter and form as also parents, to bring their children to the font in time; mothers in particular, not to hurt or destroy the fruit of their womb; and lastly, all the faithful ought to be well instructed how to give laybaptism in case of necessity. INSTRUC- SECT. II. Of the Ceremonies of Baptism. THE HE water, and the words I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all that is essential to the sacrament of baptism; but the primitive church used many ceremonies in the administration of it, which the church at present has retained; the design whereof is more fully to express, and represent the grace we receive by this sacrament, and the obligations we then undertake. 1. The party to be baptized is brought to the church door, and there stopped; to signify that being born in original sin, and as yet a slave to the Devil, he is out of the church, and that baptism gives him entrance into it. 2. The priest having asked his name, (which ought not to be any profane or heathenish name, but the name of some saint, the more to excite him to a good life) he then says, What do you demand of the Church of God? The sureties answer for him, Faith; by which is meant the belief of the whole Christian religion, which if put in practice, brings life everlasting. 3. Then he breathes in his face three times (as our Saviour breathed on his apostles, when he imparted the Holy Ghost to them) and commands the Devil to depart, and give place to the Holy Ghost; signifying, by this ceremony, that he is by this sacrament made the temple of the Holy Ghost. 4. He then makes the sign of the cross on his forehead, to signify, that henceforward he must not be ashamed of the cross of Christ, but publicly profess himself a Christian; he signs him also on the breast, to signify that he is not only outwardly to profess, but inwardly to believe, the faith and law of Christ. 5. He blesses salt, and puts some of it into his mouth, to signify, that the words of a christian are seasoned with wisdom, of which salt is an emblem in holy scripture: Let your discourse be seasoned with the salt of wisdom. Col. iv. 6. 6. As our Saviour gave a power to his apostles, and in them to his church, over all devils, and over all the power of the enemy, that they might cast them forth, Mat. x. 1. the priest proceeds to read the exorcisms, commanding the wicked spirit to depart in the name of Him who is to come to judge the quick and the dead. This ceremony also signifies that we are born in original sin, children of wrath, under the power of the Devil. St. Cyp. ep. 76. Greg. Naz. ora. 40. St. Optat. Mil. 1. 4. St. Cyr. Hierosol. Cat. 1. Cœlestin. ep. ad Gal. St. Aug. I. 1. de Nup. g Con. c. 9. 1. 2. c. 29. 7. He then lays the stole upon the child, and leads him into the church to receive baptism; reciting together with the god-father and god-mother, the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer, to signify, that the church of God admits none to her communion who profess not that faith, and that none are worthy of baptism who are ignorant of that prayer. 8. The priest repeats the exorcisms as before. 9. He touches the ears and nostrils of the party to be baptized with spittle; which ceremony is mentioned by St. Ambrose, 1. 1. de Initi. c. 1. in imitation of our Saviour, who, with the like ceremony, opened the eyes of the blind man, John vi. 9. and cured the man deaf and dumb, Mark vii. 38. This ceremony signifies, that by the grace of this sacrament, his ears are open to the doctrine of Christ, and his mouth to confess his faith. 10. The party to be baptized being now brought to the font, the priest asketh three questions: Do you renounce Satan? To which is answered by the godfather and god-mother, I do renounce him. 2. And all his works? They answer, I DO RENOUNCE THEM. 3. And all his pomps? They answer, I do renounce them. Upon these conditions he is admitted to baptism. 11. Then he is admitted with the holy oils blessed by the Bishop, on the breast, and between the shoulders: as these unctions were used in all consecrations in the old law; and are in the new, this ceremony signifies that by baptism we are consecrated to God and his service. 12. Next he is examined as to his faith: Do you believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven, and earth, &c. The god-father and god-mother answer for him, if he is not of age himself, I do believe. Here he professes his faith of the blessed Trinity, of the Incarnation, of the holy Catholic Church, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. 13. The priest then says, Will you be baptized? Answer is made by the sureties, or by himself, if of age, I will: to signify that as our first parents wilfully transgressed, we, their children, must willingly return to our duty: yet as to infants, who have not the use of reason, God is pleased they should be brought to bap tism, by the will and by the faith of others; because it was not by any act of their own will, but by the will of others, they are born in original sin. Then the water is poured on the head of the party baptized three times, in form of a cross, by the priest, saying, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: and this is the bap tism itself. 14. After baptism the priest anoints the top of his head with chrism, to signify that he is now a member of the church, united to the head Christ Jesus. 15. Then a white linen is put on his head, which represents the innocence and purity he has received by baptism; which he must take care to preserve till death and judgment. St. Amb. de Init. c. 7. St. Aug. de Di. ver. Ser. 8. 16. A lighted candle is put into his hand, to signify that his soul is now espoused to Christ; that, as a burning lamp, he ought to shine by his faith and good works, in the church of God, and so to meet the Bridegroom, with the five prudent virgins, and all the saints, at his second coming. 17. Lastly, the priest says to the new-baptized, Go in peace, and our Lord be with thee. It is also very proper to admonish the god-father and god-mother of their duty to the child, and the spiritual affinity they contract with their god-children, and the parents, so far, that there can be no valid marriage between them, without a dispensation from the church: this is the reason why the church allows but one god-father and one god-mother to the same party, to prevent too great an extent of this spiritual affinity; even one suffices, either god-father or god-mother, Coun. Trent. Sess. 24. c. 2. but these ought to be such as are capable of instructing the child in the rudiments of the Catholick faith, if the parents neglect it, or are prevented by death; whence it must be concluded, that none but good Catholicks, persons of good morals, ought to be admitted to this charge. EXHOR-Consider well now, O christian, how excellent is this sacrament, whereby you are washed and purified from original sin, and from all sin; called to faith, and placed in the bosom of God's church. O what thanks are due from you to the Almighty, who, by a special grace and favour, has brought you to baptism, at the same time thousands are perishing in idolatry, and in their native misery; O there is none can enter heaven without it! Unless one be born again of water, and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. St. John iii. God himself has said it, and he only is truth itself. What does this blessing deserve at your hands, but to preserve with great care your baptismal innocence, by a just integrity in your life and manners? And if at any time it be stained with sin, to wipe out the foulest stain again with speed, by the sacrament of pe nance. Often reflect what you promised at the font; how far you have complied, how far you have been deficient therein. There you professed your faith in God .. |