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the Holy Ghost, I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of His bounteous goodness He will grant to these persons that which by nature they cannot have; that they may be baptized with Water and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ's holy Church, and be made lively members of the same."

Here it is stated by implication that the candidates are brought to Baptism because they were born in sin, and must be born anew and regenerate in order to enter into the kingdom of God, which will be effected by their being baptized with water and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ's Church, and made lively members of the same.

In the first prayer we find, "Almighty and everlasting God, who . . . didst sanctify the element of Water to the mystical washing away of sin, we beseech Thee for Thine infinite mercies that Thou wilt mercifully look upon these Thy servants; wash them and sanctify them with the Holy Ghost, that they being delivered from Thy wrath, may be received into the ark of Christ's Church, and . . . that finally they may come to the land of everlasting life."

Here the Congregation affirms that sin can be mystically washed away by water, and prays that by Baptism the candidates for the rite may be washed, sanctified by the Holy Ghost, delivered

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from God's wrath, received into Christ's Church, with the final result of their attaining everlasting life.

In the second prayer, supplication is made that the candidates "coming to Thy holy Baptism may receive remission of their sins by spiritual Regeneration."

By the selection of John iii. as the Gospel to be read on that occasion, the words, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God," are applied to Baptism, and this application is directly made in the Exhortation immediately following, and the benefits of Baptism to the penitent believer are declared to be remission of sins, bestowal of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of eternal life in God's everlasting kingdom. Whether those benefits are necessarily or contingently attached to Baptism is not here declared.

In the third prayer God is besought to give His Holy Spirit to the persons about to be baptized, "that they may be born again, and be made heirs of everlasting salvation."

Just before the act of Baptism, prayer is made that the old Adam may be so buried in the persons to be baptized, that the new man may be raised up in them, and that the water may be sanctified to the mystical washing away of sin. And immediately after the act of Baptism the baptized persons are acknowledged as "regenerate and

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THE BAPTISMAL OFFICES.

grafted into the body of Christ's Church," "now born again and made heirs of everlasting salvation," and as "having now by Baptism put on Christ."

From this review it appears that in the case of adults coming to Baptism with repentance and faith, the Church of England connects with their Baptism, in some sense or other, and in some way or other, their Regeneration, their new birth, their putting on Christ, their putting on the new man, their deliverance from God's wrath, their sanctification by the Holy Spirit, their admission into Christ's Church, the remission of their sins, and their heirship of everlasting salvation.

The office for The Ministration of Public Baptism of infants to be used in the Church, shows in like manner that the Church of England also associates with their Baptism, in some sense or other, and in some way or other, Regeneration, new birth, putting on the new man, deliverance from God's wrath, sanctification by the Holy Spirit, admission into Christ's Church, remission of sins, and heirship of everlasting salvation.

The office for The Ministration of Private Baptism of children in houses is still more explicit. Thanks are given to God, as in the previous office, "That it hath pleased Thee to regenerate this infant with Thy Holy Spirit, to receive him for Thine own child by adoption, and to incorporate him into Thy holy Church;" and it is declared that "This child, being born in original

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sin, and in the wrath of God, is now by the laver of Regeneration in Baptism received into the number of the children of God and heirs of everlasting life," "being born again and being made an heir of everlasting salvation," and "by Baptism regenerate."

Here Regeneration, adoption, incorporation, forgiveness of original sin, deliverance from God's wrath, sonship, heirship, the new birth, are said to be the effect of Baptism.

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In the Catechism, Baptism is said to make the baptized "a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven," and to place him in a state of salvation;" the spiritual gift bestowed in it being "a death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousness," whereby, having been "born in sin and the children of wrath," we are made "the children of grace.

In The Order of Confirmation of Laying on of Hands upon those that are baptized and come to years of discretion, thanks are given to God for having regenerated, by water and the Holy Ghost, all those presented, and for having given unto them forgiveness of all their sins. Here Regeneration and forgiveness of sins are declared to be the gifts of Baptism, as Strengthening by the Holy Ghost is the gift of Confirmation.

In the Collect for Christmas Day the whole congregation, consisting presumably of baptized persons, is declared to be "regenerate and made God's children by adoption and grace."

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In Article ix. it is laid down that "there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized," where the word "baptized" in the English copy answers to renatis, “born again,” in the Latin copy; and "the infection of nature is said to "remain in them that are regenerate,' that is, in them that have been baptized. In Article xv. "we," that is, all Christians, are spoken of as "baptized and born again in Christ"; and in Article xvi. as "having received the Holy Ghost" in Baptism. In Article xxvii. Baptism is pronounced "a sign" (that is, as we see from Article xxv, "an effectual sign") "of Regeneration ")" or new Birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly are grafted into the Church; the promises of the forgiveness of sin and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the Holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed; Faith is confirmed and Grace increased by virtue of prayer unto God," and at the same time the propriety of infant Baptism is affirmed.

Finally, in the Nicene Creed, in the words of the Church Catholic, the Church of England declares her belief in "one Baptism for the remission of sins."

In the Book of Homilies we find in the Homily on the Salvation of all Mankind: "Infants being baptized and dying in their infancy are by Christ's sacrifice washed from their sins, brought to God's favour, and made His children and inheritors of His kingdom of heaven" (p. 17, Oxford, 1844);