during the middle ages, but abolished on account of the abuses to which it led. In the first age of the Church, it is probable that the celebration of the Eucharist was confined to Sundays and festivals; but from the time of Cyprian (A.D. 250) we read of daily communion, which became prevalent both in the East and in the West in the time of St Chrysostom and St Augustine (A.D. 400). There was, however, at the same time, a practice spreading, which St Ambrose reprehends, of receiving the communion only once a year. He says: "Si quotidianus est panis, cur post annum illum sumis, quemadmodum Græci facere consuerunt? Accipe quotidie, quod quotidie tibi prosit1." In consequence of this neglect, canons were made by several Councils, requiring all persons to receive at least three times a year—viz. at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide; and those who neglected to communicate at those times were censured and anathematized. We have a similar rubric, enjoining every parishioner to receive three times a year at least, of which Easter to be one. The order, that there shall be no communion, unless there be three at least to communicate with the priest, was intended to exclude the solitary masses of the Church of Rome, in which the priest says the Mass and receives the Sacrament alone. 'it shall suffice that the bread be such as is usual to be eaten.' This rubric discountenances the use of wafers of unleavened bread, which began to be introduced in the 11th century, and which in process of time it became usual to stamp with the crucifix. It is, however, stated by Bishop Cosin, that as wafer bread was not actually prohibited by 1 See this subject fully discussed by Bingham, Ant. XV. 9, and Freeman, Principles of Divine Service, 1. 186. the terms of this rubric (it shall suffice,' &c.), it was used ‘in diverse churches of the kingdom, and Westminster for one, till the 17th Charles I.' The ancient and primitive custom of mixing water with the wine was retained in the Prayer Book of 1549; in which it was ordered, by the rubric after the Offertory, that the minister should put to the wine 'a little pure and clean water.' This rubric having been omitted in 1552, the practice which it enjoined cannot now be considered lawful. In ancient times a part of the Eucharist was reserved to be sent to the sick and absent; and this custom is mentioned by Justin Martyr. But in the Apol. 1. 67. Romish Church the practice grew up of reserving the Sacrament for superstitious uses; keeping it in the pyx upon the altar, and worshipping it there as the presence of God; carrying it in processions, and making a charm of it. To prevent these abuses our Church has prudently enjoined that the remains of the consecrated elements shall be reverently consumed by the minister and communicants before they separate from the Church. CHAPTER X. The Occasional Offices. Antiquity of the rite of purifi water. SECT. I. BAPTISM. MONG the occasional offices of the Church, order of the Prayer Book, is the Sacrament of Baptism. Christianity. The washing of the body with water, as a symbol that the soul requires to be cleansed from sin, cation with is a rite of great antiquity, and not peculiar to The Greeks and Latins had lustrations for those who were guilty of certain offences, as murder; and it would seem, from the verses of Ovid, that the notion of the opus operatum was no less rife among the Romans in a state of paganism, than it has been in modern times: Ah nimium faciles, qui tristia crimina cædis Ablutions also were used by those who were about rather invested an old one with greater sanctity and deeper significance. infants an practice. We derive the practice of baptizing infants from Baptism of the primitive Church. Origen mentions it more ancient than once as an usual practice in his time (the middle of the third century), and he supposes it to be an apostolical tradition: 'Ecclesia ab apostolis traditionem suscepit etiam parvulis baptismum dari.' There is nothing in Scripture by which this opinion can be proved to demonstration: but there is much that makes it probable; especially the words of our Lord, 'Suffer the little children to come unto me,' &c.; and the circumstance, that the rite of circumcision, which baptism superseded, was administered to infants at a very tender age. The canons of the Anglo-Saxon Church required that infants should be baptized within thirty-seven days after birth'. place, During the first period of Christianity, converts The proper were baptized, wherever there was convenience of water, in private houses, or by the river-side. While the persecutions lasted, it was necessary to celebrate this and all other rites with as much secrecy as possible. But when the Church had rest, and places for public worship were opened, baptisteries were erected adjoining them, and it was forbidden to baptize in private houses. At a later period they baptized in the church-porch; and at last the font was placed within the church, but still near the door, to indicate that the sacrament there administered was as it were the door of entrance to the Christian Church. The season between Easter and Whitsuntide and time for Bapwas considered the most appropriate for baptism; tism. 1 Maskell, Mon. Rit. 1. ccv. Commencement of the Office. Duty of Sponsors. and until the eighth century none were baptized in the Western Church at any other time, except in cases of imminent danger. The direction of our rubric that baptisms should be solemnized only on Sundays or holy days, is from Hermann's Consulta tion. That work (see supra, p. 15) in the office of baptism follows exactly Luther's baptismal service (Taufbüchlein); and from it many parts of our offices of baptism are derived. The introductory part of the service is taken from the ancient office for admitting a convert to the order of catechumens. In the early Church, it was customary for adults, before they were baptized, to go through a preliminary course of instruction and probation. While this was in progress, they were called catechumens (katηxoúμevol, persons under instruction), and they were admitted into this probationary class with prayer, and with certain symbolical ceremonies, such as signing with the cross, giving salt as a token of divine wisdom and knowledge (sal sapientia), the exorcism of the evil spirit, and a benediction. In process of time this initiatory rite lost its significance, and was followed immediately by baptism, without any interval of probation: and though originally applicable only to adults, it was prefixed in later times to the office for the baptism of infants. Our Church, while abolishing the ceremony, has retained with some alteration the prayers which accompanied it. Sponsors are required in infant baptism, as an assurance to the Church, that the child will be brought up in the faith in which he is baptized. Their duty is to answer the interrogatories which are put to him at the font, and afterwards to see that he be duly instructed and admonished con |