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blessed if only its Father believe and pray for it; more
blessed if its Father and Mother Pray: more ble[o]st 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:
x. It is called heresy by the Bp. of Exeter to suppose But if None of them either Pray or believe: If neither
the Efficacy of the Sacrament dependent on the faith in Parents nor Sponsors nor Ministers nor Congregation be-
which it is received Is it so also in the other sacra- lieve in God: or expect or desire a blessing: If the
ment? and is that efficiently received by those who minister have come to baptise the child because he has
therein do not discern the Lord’s body. 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 it[n]s name, and the Congregatio[n]
have remained to see the Baptism in order to hear what
the name is to be: and the the act which they conjointly
perform is no Baptism; neither is any blessing: even the
smallest therewith conferred x.
If now it be asked what is the lowest measure of Blessing
which can be bestowed - I defer the answer till we en-
quire 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 there are consistent with each
other; where accidental circumstances render them
[Version 0.05: May 2008]