He imprints

give place to the Holy Spirit. the sign of the Cross, both on the forehead and on the breast, that Christ, who was crucified for our sins, may take possession there: on the forehead, to signify that a Christian must never be ashamed to make open profession of the faith of his crucified Saviour; and on the breast, to signify that the love of Jesus Christ, and a readiness to obey all His divine commandments, and to share in His sufferings, ought constantly to reside in his heart. Then is put into his mouth a grain of blessed salt, as an emblem of true wisdom, which seeks God in all things, and at the same time signifies that by baptism the soul is seasoned with the grace of Christ, to keep it from the corruption of sin. After other exorcisms, commanding Satan to depart, and never attempt to retake possession of the soul which is now going to be consecrated to God, made His adopted child, and the temple of His Holy Spirit, the person is conducted into the Church, where he makes a solemn profession. of the Christian faith, which he hereby engages himself to believe, to profess, and adhere to all the days of his life. His ears and nostrils are then touched with spittle, the Priest saying Ephphetha, be opened, in imitation of Christ, who used this ceremony when He cured the man that was deaf and dumb; and this is done to signify the necessity of

having the senses of the soul open to the truth and grace of God.

After this, the person to be baptized is required to make a solemn renunciation of Satan, and of all his works and pomps: to signify that we cannot be received into the number of the children of God by baptism, so long as we take part with His enemy the devil, or follow his works of darkness and sin,

or his cheating pomps and vanities. By this solemn renunciation we promise a perpetual allegiance to our Lord, and declare an eternal war against His enemies, the devil, the world, and the flesh. And, therefore, as a champion of Christ, engaged in this spiritual warfare, he is anointed with the holy oil, denoting the spiritual unction of divine grace, first upon the breast, to signify that divine grace is given to him, to fortify his heart with heavenly courage to fight and conquer his spiritual enemies: and then between the shoulders, to signify that the like grace is given to him to enable him to support the crosses and troubles of this life with a patience truly Chris

tian.

After another solemn profession of the Christian faith, the sacrament of Baptism is administered with the consecrated water poured on the head, three times in the form of a cross, to correspond with the names of the Three Persons of the Divine Trinity, and with the words ordained by Christ, which are:

I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And then, to denote the royal dignity to which the Christian is raised by his baptism, and his fellowship with Christ, the great anointed of God, as also that by this sacrament he is solemnly dedicated and consecrated to God, and made a living Temple of the Holy Ghost, he is anointed on the top of the head in the form of a cross, with the sacred Chrism; which is a compound of oil and balsam, blessed by the Bishop, and which is never used but in the consecration of such persons and things as are in a peculiar manner appropriated to God, and cannot without sacrilege be alienated from His divine service.

After this, the person baptized is clothed with a white garment, denoting the robe of innocence with which we are clothed in baptism, with a solemn charge to preserve it undefiled, and to carry it without spot or stain, before the judgment-seat of Christ. Lastly, a lighted candle is put into the hands of the new Christian, to signify the Light of Faith, which he must always keep burning with the oil of charity and good works, for the glory of God and the edification of his neighbour, and with it be always ready to go forth to meet the heavenly bridegroom, and to be admitted by Him to that happy nuptial feast that knows no end.

Thus, my dear Brethren, you see that these

ceremonies are very expressive both of the admirable effects and graces conferred on the soul by this Sacrament, of the obligations we here contract, and of the Covenant we here make with God: a Covenant, by which He on His part receives us into the number of His children, through His only Son Jesus Christ, and promises us an everlasting kingdom for our inheritance: and we on our part give ourselves up entirely to Him for time and eternity; and engage ourselves to keep all His commandments: ever to renounce Satan and sin: always to adhere firmly to our Faith: and to lead both innocent and edifying lives.

I will now proceed to the administration of this Sacrament, in which you will be pleased to accompany me with attention and devotion.

AFTER BAPTISM.

LET us now return our most hearty thanks to God for the mercy He has shown to this child, whom by His grace He has washed from sin whom He has sanctified for Himself, and made a living member of His Church in order that he may obtain eternal life. And let us also earnestly beseech this same Father of mercies, to carry on and perfect this great work of grace which He has begun, and be Himself the keeper of this His Temple: and never suffer this child to be separated from

Him by sin, and so to fall a prey to Satan. You, who are the Godfather and Godmother, are from this time bound to use your utmost endeavours to prevent so dreadful an evil: by giving or procuring for this child, as soon as capable of it, all necessary instructions. in the Christian doctrine; by giving him (or her) early impressions both of the fear and love of God, and by keeping him out of evil company and all the dangerous occasions of sin. This obligation is first and chiefly incumbent on the Parents: but if they neglect it, it is then incumbent on you who are the Godfather and Godmother. You must also observe that by a Law of the Church a spiritual relationship is contracted in this sacrament, so that no man or woman can marry his or her Godchild, nor the Father or Mother of their Godchild. Lastly, the Church, like a tender mother, solicitous not only for the spiritual, but also for the corporal welfare of her children, requires of its Ministers, that they should on these occasions admonish the parents, not to suffer their child, during its infancy, to be laid in the same bed either with them, or with its nurse, for fear of its being overlaid, and thereby killed in its infancy. This then, in the name of the Church I admonish you, the parents of this child, diligently to observe.