in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour ... I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; where the last words seem to refer to some disputes which had taken place on the subject. Thanksgiving is enjoined to be combined with prayer; thus (Phil. iv., 6), By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (So Col. ii., 7, and iv., 2; Eph. v., 20; Heb. xiii., 15). So also praises (Acts xvi., 25); Paul and Silas in prison prayed and sang praises unto God. (So Phil. i., 11; Heb. ii., 12, and xiii., 15; 1 Pet. iv., 11.)

783. Set forms of worship, or Liturgies, have been in use in the Christian Church from its origin, and have been transmitted, with various modifications, to the present times. Many of the expressions still used, were employed in very early ages of the Church; as the phrase, Sursum corda, Lift up your hearts, at the beginning of the service of the Communion: the questions asked of godfathers in the office of Baptism; the form of baptism, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, enjoined by Christ himself; the Doxology, borrowed from this, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; with the response afterwards added, As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. The Collects, Epistles, and Gospel, for the various festivals of the year, have been in use in England from the Saxon times; and many of the prayers of the present English Liturgy, are borrowed from the ancient ritual of the Church.

784. At the time of the English Reformation, changes were made in the forms of public worship. The services were made more suitable to that inward prayer, which we have spoken of as a Chris

tian duty, by presenting them to the worshipper in his own language, instead of the previous Latin Liturgy. All that was conceived to imply idolatry and false doctrine was removed. The Liturgy was put into a form in which a considerable portion of it was derived from the worship of the Catholic and Apostolic Church; while the remainder was composed with a careful regard to scripture precepts, and to the condition and feelings of English Christians, by the authority of the National Church.

Thus we are led to the conviction, that the use, both of a Liturgy in general, and of the English Liturgy in particular, is conformable to the condition of an English Christian. We see, also, that it is the duty of every Christian not to be satisfied with the mere form of the Liturgy; with lipworship and knee-worship; but to accompany the prayers, thanksgivings, and praises, with inward movements of his heart.

CHAPTER XIX.

BAPTISM.

785. BAPTISM is not only a Catholic and Apostolic usage, but is recommended to us by the dictates of natural piety, and the analogy of the Jewish Law. Not only Baptism, but Infant Baptism in particular, is agreeable to the dictates of natural piety and reaMen, living together in a Religious Society, into which they have been initiated by an especial and solemn Rite, and which they consider as the source of highly precious privileges, cannot but wish that their children, even from their earliest infancy, should be members of the same Religious Society.

son.

They are naturally led to admit them into the Religious Community, even before their religious feelings and convictions are unfolded; trusting that their education, under the influence of those who have thus admitted them, will bring them into a condition of sympathy with the community, such as their initiation presumes, or anticipates.

786. In the Jewish Church, children were admitted into the Covenant of God with the Nation, by Circumcision, at eight days old. Circumcision was abolished by the coming of Christ; and Baptism, the Rite of initiation into the New Covenant, superseded the former initiation. Baptism, that is, momentary immersion in water, had already been employed among the Jews, as a rite of purification: and hence, as a symbol of repentance; as it was employed by John the Baptist. But the Baptism of John was professedly only preparatory to that of Jesus Christ (Matth. iii., 11. Mark i., 8). Jesus Christ baptised through his Apostles (John iv., 2): and when he finally parted with his disciples (Matth. xxviii., 19), he commanded them to baptize all nations. We have abundant instances, in the history of the Acts of the Apostles, of the application of Baptism, as the Rite of initiation into the Christian Church. (Acts ii., 41; viii., 12 and 38; ix., 18; x., 48; xviii., 8; xix., 5; and numerous allusions in the Epistles. In several of these cases, we read of whole households being baptized; as that of Lydia (Acts xvi., 15); of the jailer at Philippi (Acts xvi., 33); of Stephanas (1 Cor. i., 16). In these cases, probably children were baptized; and we cannot doubt that, at any rate, the subordinate persons in the household were baptized on the responsibility of the principal convert.

787. In the Early Church, after the time of the Apostles, we have early indications of Infant Baptism having been practised, though it does not appear to have been universal. Justin Martyr, who lived

about forty years after the death of St, John, discourses "of Baptism being unto us instead of Circumcision." Irenæus, near forty years later, mentions infants as "by Christ born again unto God." This expression "born again," is used by Christian writers as equivalent to "baptized." Origen, about fifty years later still, speaks, in several places, of Infant Baptism, as a known and undoubted practice: and in one of these places, as having been according to a tradition ordered by the Apostles.* Augustin very frequently speaks of Infant Baptism; and says that he never heard of any Christian, Catholic, or Sectary, who taught any other doctrine than that infants are to be baptized for pardon of sin. The first Antipædobaptist who formed a congregation was Peter Bruis, about A. D. 1100. Thus the main stream of Catholic and Apostolic authority is strongly in favour of the baptism of infants, as the token of their admission into the Church of Christ. Soon after their natural birth, they are admitted to a new birth, as children of God through Christ, and heirs of eternal life.

788. The practice of Infant Baptism having thus prevailed in the Church, from the earliest times; we are further to take into account the strong expression of Christ and his Apostles, respecting the necessity of baptism as the first step to the benefits of Christ's coming. Christ's last command was (Matth. xxviii., 19), Go and teach all nations, baptizing them. In the next Evangelist, the assertion is stronger (Mark xvi., 16), He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned. In Ephes. iv., 5, Baptism is mentioned as one of the leading characters of the Church. There is one body and one spirit...one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism. And it is

* Wall, Infant Baptism, P. 1., chap v., § 3.

constantly referred to, as the necessary mode of introduction into the Christian Church (Acts ii., 28, &c.); and as a symbol and means of a death to sin and a new life to God (Rom. vi., 1). This introduction into the Christian Church, which was granted to the first Christians, in pursuance of their own belief, was, it appears, continued to their families, in the trust of the blessing of God; which, operating through a Christian education, was to prevent their becoming unfit members of the Church. Parents (Eph. vi., 4) are commanded to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, which appears as if the children were, from the first, contemplated as belonging to the Church. So Acts ii., 39, The promise is unto you, and to your children.

On these grounds we deem it a Christian Duty to accept Baptism in general, and Infant Baptism in particular, as a Catholic and Apostolic usage; and to promote its administration, under a due sense of its import, in all appropriate cases with which we have any concern.

CHAPTER XX.

THE LORD'S SUPPER.

789. Ar the last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples, he instituted an ordinance, which, in an especial manner, expresses the relation of Christians to him. He delivered to them Bread and Wine, saying, Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Drink ye all of this. This is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of me (Matth. xxvi., Mark xiv., Luke xxii., 1 Cor. xi). And we