The Radical Reformation Tradition: Anabaptists, English Separatists ...

118 Divergent RiversCommandments, cannot be regenerated, notwithstanding his having beenbaptized; and that being baptized, without Faith in the Lord, is of no Avail; forBaptism itself neither giveth Faith, nor Salvation, but is a Testimony to such asare baptized, that they may receive Faith, and that they may be saved, if they areregenerate.A prayer followed, in whieh God is asked to admit the infant into the fellowship andeommunion of 'thy New Church' and embrace hirn 'with the Arms of thy DivineMerey', a text improvised from the liturgical text ofthe 1662 Book ofCommon Prayer.A credal form was addressed to the parents:Minister. Dost thou believe, that God is One both in Essence and in Person, in whom there is a Divine Trinity, consisting of Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and that the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is He? Answer. I do. Minister. Dost thou believe, that in Order to Salvation Man must live a Life according to the Ten Commandments, by shunning Evils as Sins against God? Answer. I do. Minister. Art thou desirous to have this Child baptized into this Faith? Answer. I am. A prayer then followed, which included the wordsWe beseech thee to be present in this Assembly, and to sanctify this Water to theUse which thou hast ordained in thy Word, that this Child now to be baptized mayhereafter be cleansed from all his Impurities, and by a living Faith in thy DIVINEHUMANITY be prepared to dweil with thee in thy etemal Klngdom. Amen.The baptismal formula was 'I baptize thee in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, whois at onee the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.' A statement of reception into theChurch followed, an exhortation/charge to the parents, thanksgiving, Lord's Prayerand the Graee. Swedenborg's signing ofthe forehead and breast does not seem to havefound its way into the rubrics.The Manchester 1793 rite was entitled 'The Administration of Baptism to Infants ' .It commeneed wirh a reading from Matthew 28: 18-20 and Mark 10: 13-16. An addressto the parents emphasized that in God's Name or Person there is a divine trinity, andthat humanity must follow its commandments. The credal questions are the same asHindmarsh's, but the baptismal formula is 'I baptize thee into the Name of the Fatherand the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.' The declaration of reception was followedby the Aaronic blessing, and then eame the exhortation/charge to the parents, athanksgiving, Lord's Prayer and the Grace.The Red Cross Street Church, Barbican, London was pastored by the Revd ManoahSibly, who disagreed with Hindmarsh on compulsory rcbaptism. Thc baptismal riteof the 1794 liturgy was entitled 'The Order of the Administration of Baptism forChildren'. It began with the reading from Mark 10, followed by the Lord's Prayer.The credal questions had rather different wording:Q. Dost thou believe, that God is one in essence, person, and operation; in whomis contained the divine trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? That in essence he