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bly the Admiffion of the Child into Christ's Flock, to declare vifibly too by that beffed Sign, what that Shame is the Christian ought to defpife; how he is openly, always, and as it were on his Forehead, to bear the Profeffion of his Faith; what that Banner is under which he is now lifted, and in what Warfare he ftands engaged. The Sign of the Cross is no Part or Subftance of the Sacrament, nor does it any way add to the Virtue or the Perfection of it; the Infant is abfolutely received a Member of the Christian Faith without it; and that it might be impoffible for any Stander by, how weak foever, to fall into any Superftition himself, or to fufpect it in the Minifter, he never ufes this Action in a filent Manner, but proclaims the edifying Signification, and declares the direct Meaning in the most expreffive Words. But if this will not justifie this Ceremony from the Scandal of Popery; it is to be hop'd when the World is made acquainted with the Idolatry and Profaneness of the Roman, and with what Superstition he makes ufe of this Sign, upon a Comparifon, the Church of England will be free from the Guilt, and recover that Part of her Character in this, which her Enemies allow her to deferve in other Cafes, that' he is the exact Picture of the Primitive and Apoftolick Age. And that I may discharge

my

my

felf of this in the most effectual Manner, I fhall tranflate part of the Office for Bap tifm in the Church of Rome, into our own Language, and then fubmit the Caufe to any unprejudic'd Reader, even our Enemies themselves being Judges.

BUT before I begin, I defire it might be obferv'd, that wherever this is inferted, the Priest makes the Sign of the Cross upon the Infant.

To pafs by a long Account of preparatory Prefcriptions; the Prieft being drest in a Surplice and a Purple Robe, calls the Infant to be baptized by his Name, and fays, What askeft thou of the Church of God? The Godfather anfwers, Faith. The Prieft fays again, What shalt thou get by Faith? The God-father replies, Eternal Life. Then adds the Prieft, If therefore thou wilt enter into Life, keep the Commandments, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and thy Neighbour as thy felf.

NEXT the Prieft blows three gentle Putts upon the Infant's Face, and fays, Go out of him, O unclean Spirit, and give Place to the Holy Ghoft, the Comforter. Then with his Thumb he makes the Sign of the Cross upon the Infant's Forehead and Breast, saying, Receive the Sign of the Crofs, both in thy Forehead and in thy Heart, take the Faith of the heavenly Precepts, and be thy Manners fuch as may now become the Temple of God.

D 3

AFTER

AFTER this, follows a Prayer, that God would always protect this his Elect One (calling him by his Name) that is figned with the Sign of the Crofs; and the Prieft laying his Hand upon the Infant's Head, he bleffes him with the Benediction of Salt, which is done in this Form.

I exorcife (or conjure) thee, Creature of Salt, in the Name of God, the Father Almighty, + and in the Love of our Lord Jefus Chrift, + and in the Power of the Holy Ghoft, +1 conjure thee by the living God, by the true God, + by the holy God, by the God, which created thee for the Safeguard of Mankind; and hath ordained that thou fhould't be confecrated by his Servants, to the People entring into the Faith, that in the Name of the Holy Trinity, thou fhould't be made a Holy Sacrament for the driving away of the Enemy. Moreover we pray thee, O Lord our God, that in Sanctifying thou would't fanctifie+this Creature of Salt, and in Bleffing thou would'ft bless it, + that it may be to all that receive it a perfect Medicine, remaining in their Bowels in the Name of the fame Fefus Chrift our Lord, who is about to come to judge the Quick and the Dead, and the World, by Fire. Amen.

THIS idle and profane Form being recited, the Prieft proceeds in his Work with the poor Infant, and putting a little of this holy Salt into his Mouth, he calls him by

his Name,, and fays, Take thou the Salt of Wif dom; and adds molt impiously, be it thy Propitiation unto eternal Life, Amen; and then God Almighty is mock'd with a Prayer, That the Infant, who had tafted this first Food of Salt, may not be fuffer'd any more to hunger, but may be fill'd with Celestial Food.

Now follows another exorcifing of the Devil, wherein he is conjured as before, and most wofully becalled; and next the Priest figns the Infant again with his Thumb on the Forehead, faying, And this Sign of the Holy Cross, which we give to his Forehead, thou curfed Devil, never dare thou to violate, by the fame Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

AND as if there was not fooling enough, the Priest blows thrice in the Child's Face, which is always done Cross-ways, and then croffing his Forehead, fays, I fign thee in the Forehead in the Name of our Lord Jefus, + that thou mayeft trust in him; then he croffes his Eyes, faying, I blefs thy Eyes that thou mayeft fee his Brightness; then his Ears, faying, I blefs thy Ears that thou mayeft hear the Words of his Truth; then his Nftrils, faying, I blefs thy Noftrils that thou mayeft fmell his Sweetnefs; then his Breaft, faying, I blefs thy Breaft that thou mayeft believe in him; then his Shoulders, faying, I blefs thy Shoulders that thou mayest bear the Yoke of his Service; then his Mouth, faying, blefs thy Mouth that thou mayeft conD 4 fefs

fefs him who lives and reigns with God the Father; and then his Right-hand, faying, I deliver thee the Sign of our Lord Jefus + in thy Right hand, that thou mayeft fign thy felf, and drive away the Enemy on all Sides from thee, and majeft have eternal Life.

HERE alfo the Prieft lays his Robe upon the Child in the Figure of a Cross, and then pronounces over him this Benediction, The Bleffing of God the Father + Almighty, and of his Son and Holy Ghoft defcend and abide upon thee, and the Angel of the Lord keep thee.

THIS is a Specimen in what manner the Roman applies this Sign in Baptism; and now I defie the boldeft of our Adverfaries to lay Idolatry, Superftition or Popery upon us, as if we complied with the Papift, or borrowed this Ceremony from him: It was a Veneration for Antiquity that first introduced the Ufe of the Crofs into our Service, which the Church of England fo highly efteems, as not to give up the minuteft Branch of her Liturgy in Compliance with the new Upstart Enthufiaftic Notions of thofe, who by crying out Popery! Popery! take the readieft Method to bring it in; according to the old Maxim, that the Jefuit and the Diffenter go Hand in Hand.

AND now I am engag'd upon this Subject, I think my felf oblig'd to comply with my Correfpondent, who with a true Chri