Chapter III. Of the Ceremonies of Baptism; And of the Manner of Administering This Sacrament in the Catholic Church

Q. Why does the Church make use of so many ceremonies in baptism?

A, First, to render thereby this mystery more venerable to the people. Secondly, to make them understand the effects of this sacrament, and what the obligations are, which they contract in this sacrament.

Q. Are the ceremonies of baptism very ancient

A, They are all of them very ancient, as may be demonstrated from the writings of the holy fathers; and as we know no beginning of them, we have reason to conclude that they come from apostolical tradition.

Q. In what places does the Church administer the sacrament of baptism?

A, Regularly speaking, and excepting the case of necessity, she does not allow baptism to be administered any where else but in the churches which have fonts: the water of which by apostolical traditions, is solemnly blessed every y«ar on the vigils of Easter and Whit-Sunday.

Q. What is the meaning of having godfathers and godmothers in baptism?

A. First, that they present to the Church the person that is to be baptized, and may be witnesses of his baptism; secondly, that they may answer in his name, and be sureties for his performance of the promises which they make for him.

,Q. What is the duty of godfathers and godmothers?

A, To see, as much as lies in them, that their godchildren may be brought up in the true faith, and in the fear of God; that they be timely instructed in the whole Christian doctrine, and that they make good those engagments which they have made in their name.

Q. May all sorts of persons be admitted for godfathers and godmothers?.

A, No: but only such as are duly qualified for discharging the obligations of a godfather or godmother. Upon which account none are to be admitted that are not members of the Catholic Church; none whose lives are publicly scandalous; none who are ignorant of the Christian doctrine, &c. E,it. Rom. •

Q. How many godfathers and godmothers may a person have in the Catholic Church?

4K) CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN INSTRUCTED.

A The council of Ti*ent, sess. 24. chap. 2. orders, that no one should have any more than one godfather and one godmother: that the spiritual kindred, which the child and its parents contract with the godfathers and godmothers, and which is an impediment of marriage, may not be extended to too many persons.

Q. In what order or manner does the Catholic Church proceed in the administration of baptism?

A First, the priest having asked the name of the person that is to be baptized, (which ought not to be any profane or heathenish name, but the name of some saint, by whose example he may be excited to a holy life, and by whose prayers he may be protected) inquires of him; ' N, what dost thou demand of the Church of God?' To which the person himself, if at age, or the godfather and godmother for him, answer, faith: by which is meant not the bare virtue, by which we believe what God teaches, but the whole body of Christianity, as comprehending both belief and practice; into which the faithful enter by the gate of baptism. The priest goes on and asks; 'what does faith give thee?' Answ. Life everlasting.

Priest, 'If then thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments; thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.'

After this, the priest blows three times upon the face of the person that is to be baptized, saying, ^depart out of him or her, O unclean spirit! and give place to the Holy Ghost the comforter.' This ceremony ^as practised by the universal Church, long before St. Augustine's days who calls it,¹ a most ancient tradition; and it is used in contempt of satan, and to drive him away by the Holy Ghost, who is called the Spirit or breath of God.

Then the priest makes the sign of the cross, on the forehead and on the breast of the person that is to be baptized, saying, 'Receive the sign of the cross, upon thy forehead, and in thy heart; receive the faith of the heavenly commandments, and let thy manners be such, that thou mayest now be the temple of GocJ,' This sign of the cross upon the forehead, is to give us to understand, that we are to make open profession of the faith of a crucified God, and never to be ashamed of his cross: and the sign of the cross upon the breast is to teach us, that we are always to have Christ crucified in our hearts.

After this, there follow some prayers for the person that is to be baptized, to beg of God to dispose his soul for the grace of baptism. Then the priest blesses some salt, and puts a grain of it in the mouth of the person that is to be baptized.

By which ancient ceremony we are admonished to procure and maintain in our souls true wisdom and prudence; of which salt is an emblem or figure, inasmuch as it seasons and gives a relish to all things. Upon which account it was commanded in the; law, Levit. ii. 13. that salt should be used in every sacrifice or oblation made to God; to whom no offering can be pleasing where the salt of discretion is wanting. We are also admonished by this ceremony so to season our souls with the grace of God, as to keep them from the corruption of sin, as we make use of salt to keep things from corrupting.

Then the priest proceeds to the solemn prayers and exorcisms, used of old by the Catholic Church in the administration of baptism, to call out the devil from the soul, under whose power we are born by original sin. 'I exorcise thee, says he, O unclean spirit! in the name of the Father ^, and of the Son ^, and of the Holy Ghost >i<, that thou mayest go out, and depart from this servant of trod, N. For he commands thee, O! thou accursed and condemned wretch, who with his feet walked upon the sea, and stretched forth his right hand to Peter that was sinking. Therefore, O accursed devil! remember thy sentence, and give honour to the living and true God. Give honour to Jesus Christ his Son, and to the Holy Ghost, and depart from this servant of God, N. For our God and Lord Jesus Christ has vouchsafed to call him to his holy grace and blessing and to the font of baptism.' Then he signs the forehead with the sign of the cross, saying, ^And this sign of the holy cross, which we imprint on his forehead, mayest thou, O cursed devil! never dare to violate, through the same Christ our Lord, Amen.'

All that has been hitherto set down of the prayers and ceremonies of baptism, is usually performed in the porch or entry of the church, to signify that the catechumen, or person that is to be baptized is not worthy to enter into the church, until the devil first be cast out of his soul. But after these prayers and exorcisms the priest reaches forth the extremity of his stole to the catechumen, or if it be an infant, lays it upon him, and so introduces him into the church, saying, ' N. come into the temple of God, that thou mayest have part with Christ, unto everlasting life, Amen.'

Being come into the church, the Priest, jointly with the party that is to be baptized, or if it be an infant, with the godfather and godmother, recites aloud the Apostles' creed and the Lord's prayer. Then he reads another exorcism over the catechumen, commanding the devil to depart in the name, and by the power of the most blessed Trinity. After which, in imitation of Christ, who cured with his spittle the man that was deaf and dumb, St. Mark vii. 32, &;c. he wets his finger with his spittle, and touches first the ears of the catechumen, saying, 'Ephphetha,' that is, be thou opened: then his nostrils, adding these words, 'unto the odour of sw^eetness.' 'But be thou put to fligth, O devil! for the judgment of God will be at hand,' by which ceremony the Church instructs her catechumens to have their ears open to God's truth, and to smell its sweetness; and begs this grace for them.

Then the priest asks the person that is to be baptized, ' N, dost thou renounce Satan?' To which the person himself, if at age, otherwise the godfather and godmother in his name, answer: 'I renounce him.' The priest goes on, 'and all his works?' Answ. 'I renounce them.' Priest. 'And all his pomps?' Answ. 'I renounce them.'

This solemn renouncing of Satan, and his works, and his pomps, in the receiving of baptism, is a practice as ancient as the Church itself, and in a particular manner requires our attention: because it is a promise and vow that we make to God, by which we engage ourselves to abandon the party of the devil, to have nothing to do with his works, that is, with the works of darkness and sin; and to cast away from us his pomps, that is, the maxims and vanities of the world. It is a covenant we make with God, by which we, on our part, promise him our allegiance, and to fight against his enemies; and he, on his part promises us life everlasting, if we are faithful to our engagements.

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But in the moment we break this solemn covenant by wilful sin, we lose both the grace of baptism, and all that title to an eternal inheritance which we' received in baptism, together with the dignity of children of God; and become immediately slaves to the devil, and children of hell.

After this renouncing Satan, and declaring war against him, to give us to understand what kind of arms we are to procure in this spiritual conflict, the priest anoints the catechumen upon the breast, and between the shoulders, with holy oil, which is solemnly blessed by the bishop every year on Maunday-Thursday; which outward unction is to represent the inward anointing of the soul by divine grace, which, like a sacred oil, penetrates our hearts, heals the wounds of our souls, and fortifies them against our passions and concupiscences. Where note, that the anointing of the breast is to signify the necessity of fortifying the heart with heavenly courage, to act manfully, and to do our duty in all things; and the anointing between the shoulders is to signify the necessity of the like grace to bear and support all the adversities and crosses of this mortal life. The words which the priest uses at this conjuncture are, 'I anoint thee with the oil of salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord, ^that thou mayest have eternal life. Amen.'

Then the priest asks the catechumen, 'N, dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?' Answ. 'I believe.' Priest *Dost thou believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born and who suffered for us?' Answ. 'I believe.' Priest. 'Dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?'

Answ. ' I believe.' Which answers are made, either by the catechumen himself, if able, or by the godfather and godmother; and imply another part of the covenant of baptism, viz. the covenant of faith; by which we oblige ourselves to a steady and sincere profession of. the great truths of Christianity, and that not by words alone, but by the constant practice of our lives.

After this the priest asks; 'iV. wilt thou be baptized?' Answ. 'I will.' Then the godfather and godmother both holding or touching their godchild, the priest pours the water upon his head three times in the form of a cross, or where the custom is to dip, dips him three times, saying at the same time these words; ' N. I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' Which words are pronounced in such manner, that the three pourings of the water concur with the pronouncing of the three names of the divine Persons. For the form is to be pronounced but once.

But if there be a doubt whether the person has been baptized before or not? then the priest makes use of tins form, ' N. if thou art not already baptized, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.'

Then the priest anoints the person baptized on the top of the head in form of a cross with holy chrism, which is a compound of oil and balm, solemnly consecrated by the bishop. Which ceremony comes from apostolical tradition, and gives us to understand, first, that in baptism we are made partakers with Christ, (whose name signifies anointed) and have a share in his unction and grace. Secondly, that we partake also in some manner in his dignity of king and priest, as all

Christians are called by St. Peter, 1 Pet. ii. 9. a royal or kingly priesthood, and therefore we are anointed, in this quality as kings and priests are anointed. Thirdly, that we are consecrated to God by baptism, and therefore are anointed with holy chrism, which the Church is accustomed to make use of in anointing all those things which she so solemnly consecrates to the service of God. L

The prayer which the priest recites on this occasion is as follows. ' May the Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has regenerated thee of water and the Holy Ghost, and who has given thee the remission of all thy sins ^, anoint thee with the chrism of salvation in the same Christ Jesus our Lord, unto life everlasting.** Amen. Then the priest says, 'Peace be to thee.' Answ. 'And with thy spirit.'

After which the priest puts upon the head of the person that has been baptized, a white linen cloth, commonly called the chrism, in place of the white garment with which the new Christians used formerly to be clothed in baptism, to signify the purity and innocence which we receive in baptism, and which we must take care to preserve until death. In putting on this white linen, the priest says, 'Receive this white garment, which thou mayest carry unstained, before the judgment-seat of our Lord Jesus Christ, that thou mayest have eternal life. Amen.'

Then he puts a lighted candle into the hand of the person baptized, or of the godfather, saying, 'Receive this burning light, and keep thy baptism without reproof; observe the commandments of God, that when our Lord shall come to his nuptials, thou mayest meet him together with all the saints, in the heavenly court, and mayest have life eternal, and mayest live for ever and ever, Amen.' Which ceremony alludes to the parable of the ten virgins, St. Matt. xxv. who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom, and admonishes us to keep the light of faith ever burning by the oil of good works; that whensoever our Lord shall come, we may be found with our lamps burning, and may go in with him into the eternal life of his heavenly kingdom.

Lastly, the priest addressing himself to the person baptized, says, ' N. go in peace, and the Lord be with thee, x\men.' Then he admonishes as well the parents, as the godfather and godmother, of their respective duty, with regard to the education and instruction of their child; and of the care which the Chuch requires of the parents, not to let the child lie in the same bed with them or with the nurse, for fear of its being overlaid. And lastly, informs them of the spiritual kindred which is contracted between the gossips and the child; which makes it unlawful for them afterwards to marry with those to whom they are thus spiritually allied.

Footnotes

1. L. de Nuptis, c. 18. and 29. ↩