But this Letter had no Effect at all, as far as I could perceive; nor do I know that it was then fo much as fhewed to any of the other Heads of the Univerfity. However, I still went on to guide my own Faith and Practice by the Original Rules of the Gospel, and the Apoftolical Conftitutions, without concerning my felf with our later Guides, the Doctrines and Rules of the prefent Age. [I mean only in fuch Matters as were too facred to be chang'd; or too plainly enjoyn'd to be liable to Human Determination; while in all other Matters of Indifferency and Chriftian Liberty, I carefully conform'd my felf to the Rules and Appointments of the Church of England, as a peaceable Member of the fame.] Accordingly upon the Birth of a Child in June this Year 1710. I refolved, as exactly as poffible, to obferve the Laws of Chrift deliver'd in the New Teftament, and more fully in the Apoftolical Conftitutions, as to its Baptifm. And for that end I drew out of the fame Conftitutions as exact a Form for the Baptizing of Infants as I could, which I made ufe of Accordingly; and do here present it to the Pious and Chriftian Reader for his Instruction and Edification, and when he is fatisfy'd that the Use of it is his Duty, for his Imitation alfo.

A

A Form for the Baptifm of Infants,
agreeable to the Conftitutions of the Apostles.

[The Leffon, Rom. vi. ]
Explication.].

DEarly Beloved; Baptifm is a Sacred Ordi- conßit. L.

nance given by Chrift himself, as a folemn III. G,17. Representation of his own Death. The defcending into the Water reprefents his Burial. The holy Oyl, which ought to be firft us'd, reprefents the Effufion of the Holy Ghoft. The Holy Oyntment, ufed in the Sealing afterward, is for the Confirmation of the Profeffion of the Perfon baptiz'd. The mention of the Father in the Form of Baptifm, is to put us in Mind that God the Father is the Original Author of the Difpenfation by Chrift, and he that fent his Son into the World. The mention of the Holy Ghost after the Father and the Son, is to put us in Mind that he was the grand Witnefs to our Saviour's Miffion. The Immerfion of the Perfon under Water reprefents his dying together with Chrift. The Emerfion of the Perfon out of the Water, reprefents his rifing again with him. The Father, who is first named, is the fupreme God. Chrift, who is named in the fecond Place, is the only begotten God; the Beloved Son of God; and the Lord of Glory. The Holy Ghoft, who is named in the third Place, is the Comforter; who was fent by Chrift, and taught by Him, and who proclaim'd Him to the World.

Cap. 18.

[The Exhortation.]

Now every Baptiz'd Perfon is to remember, that he must repent of and forfake all forts of Wickedness; and muft no longer go on in Sin; but muft behave himself as one in Friendship with God, and at Enmity with the Devil; as the Heir of God the Father, and the Fellowheir with his Son; and as one that has renounc'd the Devil himself, with his Demons, and his Deceits. He must be chaft, pure and holy, as a Friend of God, and as a Son of God: One that prays to him as a Son prays to his Father, and accordingly uses the Lord's Prayer, as in the Name of the common Society of all the faithful.

Hear the Words of the Gospel written by Mark, in the Tenth Chapter, at the Thirteenth Verse.

They brought young Children to Christ that he fhould touch them; and his Disciples rebuked thofe that brought them. But when Jefus faw it, he was much difpleas'd, and faid unto them, fuffer the little Children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of fuch is the Kingdom of God. Verily I fay unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom as a little Child, he fhall not enter therein. And he took them up in his Arms, put his Hands upon them, and bleffed them.

Hear now what the Apoftolical Conftitutions and Canons fay farther concerning Baptism; and particu larly concerning the Baptizing of Infants; and concerning the Dipping three Times in Baptifm.

He

He that will not be baptiz'd, out of Con- L. VI. C. tempt of this Sacred Ordinance, fhall be con- 15. demn'd among the Unbelievers; and fhall be reproach'd as an ungrateful Perfon. For our Lord fays, Except a Man be born of Water and of Joh.III. s. the Spirit be cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And again, He that believeth and is baptized Jhall be Mar.XVI. faved; but he that believeth not fhall be damned. But 16. as to him that fays, "I will defer to be baptiz'd

'

till my Death; left I fhould fin afterward, and fo defile my Baptifm: he is ignorant of, God, and unacquainted with his own frail Nature. For the Scripture fays, Delay not to turn Ecclus. V. unto the Lord, for thou knoweft not what a Day may 7. bring forth. Do ye alfo Baptize your Infants, Prov and bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of God: For our Lord fays, Suffer the little Children to come unto me, and forbid them not.

XXVII.1.

Mat.XIX:

14.

Mar. X.

If any Bishop or Presbyter does not dip three 14. Times in the Celebration of this Sacred Ordi- can, 1. nance of Initiation into Christianity; but dips once only, and ufes the Form of Baptizing, Into the Death of the Lord, let him be depriv'd. For the Lord did not fay, Baptize them into my Death but he faid, Go ye and teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft.

Hear alfo what the fame Conftitutions fay of the Sufficiency of Baptifm by Water alone, without the Holy Oyl and Ointment; where no fuch Oyl and Ointment are to be bad,

Matth.

XXVIII.

19.

If there be neither Oyl nor Ointment, Wa- z. VII. G. ter is fufficient, both for the Anointing with the 12. Oyl, and Sealing with the Ointment; and for the Profeffion of his Faith who dies together with Christ.

[The

C.39.945.

[The Baptifmal Instruction.]

Those who at Years of Difcretion offer them felves to be Catechumens, are to be fully in ftructed before they are admitted to Baptifm: an the fame Things are to be taught thofe that ar Baptiz'd in their Infancy, before their Baptifn is compleated by Confirmation. The Heads o which Baptifmal Inftruction, as they are con tain'd in the Apoftolical Conftitutions, are a follows. A Catechumen must be taught the Knowledge of the unbegotten God the Father the Acknowledgment of his only begotten Son and that full Affurance which is deriv'd from the Holy Ghoft. He must learn in what order Go made the feveral Parts of the World; with the Series of his Providence towards it; and wha diftinct Laws he has given to Mankind. He must be inftructed why God made the World and in particular why he plac'd Man as the Prin cipal visible Creature therein: and what is his own proper Nature and Conftitution as a Man He must be inform'd how God punished the Wickedness of Men by the Flood, and by the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah; but rewarded and advanc'd the Godly in every Generation as Seth, and Enos, and Enoch, and Noah, and Abraham, with his Pofterity; and Melchifedech and Job, and Mofes, and Jofbua, and Caleb, and Phineas the Priest, and the rest of the Saints in their several Ages; and how God out of his pro vidential Care did not caft off Mankind; but *called Men in the feveral Ages of the World from Error and Vanity to the Acknowledgment of the Truth; in order to reduce them from Slavery and Impiety, unto Liberty and Piety; from Unrighteoufnefs to Righteoufnefs; from Eternal Death