VirginiaHuguenot
Puritanboard Librarian
I'm not entering a baptism debate, but thought the following historical references might be of interest for some. The Westminster Divines had this to say about the sacrament of baptism in public worship:
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chap. 21:
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chap. 28:
Westminster Directory of Public Worship:
Commenting on the Directory of Public Worship, Rowland Ward says (Richard A. Muller & Rowland S. Ward, Scripture and Worship: Biblical Interpretation and The Directory For Worship, pp. 127-128:
Westminster Form of Presbyterian Church Government:
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chap. 21:
5. The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear;a the sound preaching;b and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God with understanding, faith, and reverence;c singing of psalms with grace in the heart;d as, also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ; are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God:e besides religious oaths,f vows,g solemn fastings,h and thanksgivings upon several occasions;i which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in an holy and religious manner.k
a. Acts 15:21; Rev 1:3. • b. 2 Tim 4:2. • c. Isa 66:2; Mat 13:19; Acts 10:33; Heb 4:2; James 1:22. • d. Eph 5:19; Col 3:16; James 5:13. • e. Mat 28:19; Acts 2:42; 1 Cor 11:23-29. • f. Deut 6:13 with Neh 10:29. • g. Isa 19:21 with Eccl 5:4-5. • h. Est 4:16; Joel 2:12; Mat 9:15; 1 Cor 7:5. • i. Est 9:22; Psa 107 throughout. • k. Heb 12:28.
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chap. 28:
2. The outward element to be used in this sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a minister of the gospel lawfully called thereunto.a
a. Mat 3:11; 28:19-20; John 1:33.
Westminster Directory of Public Worship:
Of the Administration of the Sacraments:
AND FIRST, OF BAPTISM.
BAPTISM, as it is not unnecessarily to be delayed, so it is not to be administered in any case by any private person, but by a minister of Christ, called to be the steward of the mysteries of God.
Nor is it to be administered in private places, or privately, but in the place of publick worship, and in the face of the congregation, where the people may most conveniently see and hear; and not in the places where fonts, in the time of Popery, were unfitly and superstitiously placed.
The child to be baptized after notice given to the minister the day before, is to be presented by the father, or (in case of his necessary absence) by some Christian friend in his place, professing his earnest desire that the child may be baptized.
Before baptism, the minister is to use some words of instruction, touching the institution, nature, use, and ends of this sacrament, shewing,
"That it is instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ: That it is a seal of the covenant of grace, of our ingrafting into Christ, and of our union with him, of remission of sins, regeneration, adoption, and life eternal: That the water, in baptism, representeth and signifieth both the blood of Christ, which taketh away all guilt of sin, original and actual; and the sanctifying virtue of the Spirit of Christ against the dominion of sin, and the corruption of our sinful nature: That baptizing, or sprinkling and washing with water, signifieth the cleansing from sin by the blood and for the merit of Christ, together with the mortification of sin, and rising from sin to newness of life, by virtue of the death and resurrection of Christ: That the promise is made to believers and their seed; and that the seed and posterity of the faithful, born within the church, have, by their birth, interest in the covenant, and right to the seal of it, and to the outward privileges of the church, under the gospel, no less than the children of Abraham in the time of the Old Testament; the covenant of grace, for substance, being the same; and the grace of God, and the consolation of believers, more plentiful than before: That the Son of God admitted little children into his presence, embracing and blessing them, saying, For of such is the kingdom of God: That children, by baptism, are solemnly received into the bosom of the visible church, distinguished from the world, and them that are without, and united with believers; and that all who are baptized in the name of Christ, do renounce, and by their baptism are bound to fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh: That they are Christians, and federally holy before baptism, and therefore are they baptized: That the inward grace and virtue of baptism is not tied to that very moment of time wherein it is administered; and that the fruit and power thereof reacheth to the whole course of our life; and that outward baptism is not so necessary, that, through the want thereof, the infant is in danger of damnation, or the parents guilty, if they do not contemn or neglect the ordinance of Christ, when and where it may be had."
In these or the like instructions, the minister is to use his own liberty and godly wisdom, as the ignorance or errors in the doctrine of baptism, and the edification of the people, shall require.
Commenting on the Directory of Public Worship, Rowland Ward says (Richard A. Muller & Rowland S. Ward, Scripture and Worship: Biblical Interpretation and The Directory For Worship, pp. 127-128:
The common practice in Scotland was for baptism to be administered on the second Lord's Day after the birth, and with rare and controverted exceptions,[32] the baptism was always in the presence of the congregation. In England, the large majority of baptisms were private, and it was common for the midwife to present the child for baptism;[33] so there was a definite acceptance of the Scots' position at these points. Fonts in older pre-Reformation churches were at the doors; this was discountenanced as unsuited for baptism in the face of the congregation.
[32] For examples see McMillan, Worship, 254ff.
[33] Leishman, Westminster Directory, 106, citing Robert Baillie.
Westminster Form of Presbyterian Church Government:
Pastors.
THe Pastor is an ordinary and perpetuall Officer in the Church, Jer. 3:15,16,17. Prophecying of the time of the Gospel, 1 Pet. 5:2,3,4; Ephes. 4:11,12,13.
First, It belongs to his office;
...
To administer the Sacraments, Matth. 28:19,20; Mark 16:15,16; 1 Corinth. 11:23,24,25, compared with 1 Cor:10.16.