246 



BAPTISM. 



Baptism. 1643, it was keenly debated, whether immersion or 

 "' sprinkling should be adopted ; 25 voted for sprink- 

 ling, and 24 for immersion ; and even this small ma- 

 jority was obtained at the earnest request of Dr 

 Lightfoot, who had acquired great influence in that 

 assembly. Sprinkling is therefore the general prac- 

 tice of this country. Many Christians, however, 

 especially the Baptists, reject it. The Greek church 

 universally adhere to immersion. 



It has been said, that as the form of words, record- 

 ed by Matthew, is never afterwards employed when 

 baptism is mentioned, an adherence to that form is 

 not necessary. But though the express words are 

 never copied, yet we ought not to conclude, that 

 they were not observed. It is probable that, to be 

 baptized into, or in the name of Christ, the words 

 which the inspired writers generally use, were ex- 

 pressions employed for the sake of conciseness. As 

 converts, in the apostolic age, were immediately ad- 

 mitted to baptism, a previous course of instruction 

 was not then judged necessary. But, in the second 

 century, Christians began to be divided into believers, 

 or such as were baptized ; and into catechumens, who 

 were receiving instruction to qualify them for baptism. 

 Ceremonies To answer for these persons, sponsors, or godfathers, 

 annexed were first instituted ; and were afterwards, in the 

 to baptism. f ourtn ce ntury, extended to infants. Then the sign 

 of the cross began to be employed, and was supposed 

 to have singular efficacy in baptism. It is, however, 

 foreign to our purpose to investigate the precise 

 period when the many ceremonies, annexed to bap- 

 tism, were first introduced. It will be sufficient to 

 observe, that the following rites were all authorised 

 by statutes or practice during the dark ages. At 

 the beginning of Lent, the names of such as desired 

 baptism, and were therefore called competents, were 

 The Scru- given in. During that season, the scrutiny was per- 

 tiny. formed with prayer and fasting, which consisted of 



certain questions proposed by the priest, and the pro- 

 per answers returned by adults, and by sponsors for 

 infants. The principal of these were, " What do you 

 ask ? l r aith. Do you renounce the devil and all his 

 works ? We do. Observe well what you say, that 

 you may never depart from it. We will remember 

 it." The priest, likewise, exorcised them, by laying 

 his hands on their heads, and breathing in their faces, 

 to expel the devil, and inspire them with the Holy 

 Spirit. On one of the days of the scrutiny, the de- 

 livery of the creed was thus performed. After 

 mass the bells were rung, and a deacon cried aloud ; 

 " If there be any catechumen, pagan, heretic, or Jew 

 here, let him depart." Upon this the catechumens 

 went out. Then the clergy retired to change their 

 habits, and, " Come, ye children, and I will teach 

 you the fear of the Lo:d," was sung. When this 

 was done, the inferior clergy, having obtained from 

 the priest permission to admit the children, solemnly 

 advanced to the door, and said, " Enter, children, the 

 house of the Lord ; listen to your father teaching 

 you wisdom." When the children were come in, the 

 priest said, " Cross yourselves and hear the creed;" 

 and immediately repeated it, sentence by sentence. 

 During the whole scrutiny, the master of the ceremo- 

 nies carried a branch of hazel and four ivory tablets, 

 . * like the leaves of a mass book, on which were depicted 



the actions of our Saviour. These, which were called 

 the pax, were given to the children to kiss while per- 

 forming their devotions. Those who had undergone 

 the scrutiny were called elect, or approved. On 

 Palm-Sunday, the heads of the catechumens were 

 solemnly washed, a ceremony called therefore the Ca- 

 pitilavium. When baptism itself was to be perform- 

 ed, they went in solemn procession, with lights and 

 incense, and the choir singing, " Up, Lord, why sleep- 

 est thou," to the vestibule of the baptistery; where 

 the priest commanded the catechumens to turn their 

 faces to the west, because Satan dwelt in darkness, to 

 stretch out their hands and say, " Satan, I renounce 

 thee, and all thy works, and all thy pomp, and all 

 thy worship :" then to turn their faces to the east 

 where light resides, and to repeat the creed, either 

 personally, or by their sponsors. The priest then 

 took a little of his own saliva, and rubbing it on their 

 ear3 and nostrils, said, Ephatha, be thou opened. Then 

 be blessed some salt, and putting a little of it into 

 their mouths, said, " Receive the salt of wisdom." 

 After the benediction of the water, the priest went in 

 and dipped them, one by one, once in the name of 

 the Father, a second time in the name of the Son, 

 and a third time in the name of the Holy Spirit. 

 W hen they cam: out, the priest anointed their fore- 

 heads in the form of a cross ; washed and wiped their 

 feet ; kissed them ; gave them milk, honey, and 

 wine; put wax tapers into their hands, a chris- 

 mal cap upon their heads, and clothed them with 

 a white garment, which being worn on Pentecost 

 gave that day the n?me of Whitsunday. This gar- 

 ment was deposited afterwards in the church, to be 

 an evidence against such as should violate their bap- 

 tismal engagements. Those who were baptized were 

 called enlightened, or instructed. 



By baptism, converts make a public profession of 

 their faith in Christ, and in his religion ; and are ad- 

 mitted into that family of which he is the head. 

 1 Cor. xii. 13. As water, likewise, in scripture is 

 an emblem of the spirit, the water of baptism, clear- 

 ly, though figuratively, informs them, that they ought, 

 through the spirit, to maintain that purity of heart 

 and rectitude of conduct, which are congenial to the 

 purity of their religion, and the rectitude of its au- 

 thor. Tit. iii. 5. Rom. vi. 4. But lest we should 

 imagine that this rite works like a charm, we arc 

 said to be saved, not by putting away the tilth of the 

 flesh, but by the answer of a good conscience ; 1 Pet. 

 iii. 21. The influence of baptism, therefore, in sanc- 

 tifying the heart, must be of a moral nature, and will 

 be easily understood, when we reflect, that every one 

 who dedicates himself to God must be induced, by 

 every motive of duty, of interest, and of honour, to 

 purify himself, even as Christ is pure. But soon af- 

 ter the age of the apostles, many began to imagine 

 that the mere performance of this ceremony procured 

 tegeneration and the pardon of sin. TertulJian taught 

 tli3t the holy spirit was always given in baptism ; 

 Chrysostom, that the water became unfit for drink- 

 ing, and drowned the devil ; and Augustin, that it 

 washed away original sin. Hence arose the opinion 

 that baptism was absolutely necessary to salvation, 

 and that all infants who died unbapti/.ed were inevi- 

 tably damned. This opinion, however, was so re- 



Baptism. 

 The Pax. 



The Capiti- 



lavium. 



End or de- 

 sign of 

 baptism. 



Superstiti- 

 ous opi- 

 nions re- 

 specting 

 the effects 

 of baptism. 



