[M2.143L]                                                             [M2.143]								143
                                                                      
                                                                      		blessed if only its Father believe and pray for it;  more
                                                                      		blessed if its Father and Mother Pray:  more blest if
                                                                      		also its Sponsors pray:  more if the Minister who baptized
                                                                      		it Pray:  and more if any one - and more in proportion as
                                                                      		more, of the witnessing congregation, pray:
                                                                      		But if None of them either Pray or believe:  If neither
                                                                      		Parents nor Sponsors nor Ministers nor Congregation believe
                                                                      		in God:  or expect or desire a blessing:  If the
                                                                      		minister have come to baptise the child because he has
                                                                      		500 a year to baptise the children of the Parish:  and
                                                                      		the Parents have come to present their child because in
                                                                      		Baptism their Child is to get its name, and the Congregation
                                                                      		have remained to see the Baptism in order to hear what
                                                                      		the name is to be:  and the  the act which they conjointly
x.  It is called heresy by the Bp. of Exeter to suppose               		perform is no Baptism;  neither is any blessing:  even the
the Efficacy of the Sacrament dependent on the faith in               		smallest therewith conferred  x.
 which it is received Is it so also in the other sacrament?           		If now it be asked what is the lowest measure of Blessing
and is that efficiently received by those who                         		which can be bestowed - I defer the answer till we enquire
therein do not discern the Lord’s body.                               		whether nature, the Blessing promised really is.
                                                                      		So then, do I make the Rite itself, and the Obedience to
                                                                      		Christ’s command of no effect?
                                                                      		Not so:   Let us first note this general principle.  Every
                                                                      		command of God is to be obeyed both in the Letter
                                                                      		and in the Spirit;  where these are consistent with each
                                                                      		other;  where accidental circumstances render them

[Version 0.05: May 2008]