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seasoned with his salt, soon after my birth." Confess, lib. 1, cap. 2, h. 17.

St. Isidore of Seville (about the year 636), writes, "they are first exorcised, then they receive the salt, and are anointed..... Since infants cannot make the renunciation of Satan by themselves, it is performed by the hearts and mouths of their sponsors. The ceremony of giving salt to the Catechumens was instituted by our forefathers, that by the taste of the salt, they may be understood to be seasoned with heavenly wisdom," &c. Lib. 2, Offic. Eccles. c. 20.

The touching of the ears and nostrils. St. Ambrose (before the year 397) says, "what did we perform on Saturday? The opening.... when the priest touched your ears and nostrils," &c. Lib. I, de Sacram., c. i, n. 2, and n. 3.

The profession of faith. St. Augustin thus speaks to the Catechumens, whom he was preparing for baptism: "receive, my children, the rule of faith, which is called the symbol. When you have received it, write it in your hearts, and repeat it daily. No one commits the symbol to writing: but all learn it by heart.".... Sum. 1, de Symb. ad Catech. cap. i.

St. Basil (before the year 379), lib. de Spir. Sancto: "They professed that they believe in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, when renouncing the devil and his angels, they pronounced this language of salvation." Cap, 11." We consecrate the water of baptism, and the oil of unction, then him, who is baptised. What Scripture is there to prove this? Have we any other proof than that which is derived from tradition secretly transmitted to us? What part of Scripture teaches us this unction of oil?" &c. Cap. 27.

The Renunciation of Satan. Tertullian mentions this solemn rite, as practised in his time: " a little before we enter the water, being in the church, under the hand of the bishop, we protest that we renounce the devil, his pomps, and his angels." Tert. lib. de Corona mil. cap. 3.

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St. Chrysostom, in his 21st Homily to the people of Antioch, strongly urges the observance of this baptismal renunciation of Satan. "Be mindful," said he, " of the answer you gave, when you were initiated in the sacred mysteries. I renounce thee, Satan, and thy pomps, and thy service.' That madness for ornaments of dress and jewels, is a pomp of Satan. The gold you possess was not given you to form chains for your body, but to afford you means of releasing and feeding the poor. Say, therefore, continually, I renounce thee, Satan.' Nothing will give you greater security than this protestation, if you verify it by your actions. I intreat you, you who are preparing for baptism, to enter into the full meaning and force

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of this engagement. For by this, you make a treaty and compact with the Lord. As when we engage servants, we first ask those that have offered themselves to us, whether they are willing to serve us :-so does Christ, when he is going to take you into his service. He first asks you, whether you are determined to cast off that cruel and ferocious tyrant. On that condition he receives you. He does not force you into his service, and here see his goodness.... Christ paid down a price for us all, the price of his most precious blood, for, you. are bought, says he, (1 Cor. iv, 20) at a great price. And still, with this right that he has to you, he does not force you to serve him against your will. But, if you are not disposed to accept his offers of grace and happiness, if you have nothing of that generous feeling, which will prompt you most eagerly to devote yourself to his glorious service, he says, I do not force you, I do not compel you.'.. And after all this, he does not require witnesses of our engagement, nor a written bond; he is satisfied with our simple word.

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If you say, from heart, I renounce thee, Satan, and thy pomps,' Christ is satisfied. Let us therefore say, 'I renounce thee, Satan.' But, at the same time, let us reflect that the great day will come, when we shall have to give an account of our engagement. Let us be faithful in observing it, that we may then shew, that we have redeemed our pledge. The pomps of Satan are: theatres, circuses, and every thing that leads to sin."

The anointing of the Person baptised, on the crown of his head. Of this unction, by which the person baptised is anointed as a member of Christ, on whom the spiritual unction of the dignity of his head descends, early mention is made in the church.

To such St. Cyril of Jerusalem (before the year 387) says, "you have been anointed with the oil that has been blessed with exorcisms; and you have been made partakers of that fruitful olive Jesus Christ. (Rom. xi, 17.) For being cut out from the wild olive, you have been engrafted in the fruitful olive: and every one of you has been made to receive of the richness of that true olive. The sacred oil with which you have been anointed, is an outward sign of the rich graces of Christ, which have been communicated to you, and of the extinction of all the influence of Satan over you." St .Cyril of Jerusalem, Catech. 2, Mystag.

Pope Innocent I. (before the year 417), in his Epistle to Decentius, cap. 3, tom. 2, Concil, Lab., writes thus, concerning this unction. It is lawful for Priests, whether they administer baptism in the absence or in the presence of the Bishop, to anoint the person baptised with chrism, which shall have been consecrated by the Bishop. But they must not sign him on the forehead with the holy

oil: this is to be performed only by Bishops, when they give the Holy Ghost.

St. Ambrose, Lib. de Myster. cap. 6, n. 29, admonishes the person who has been baptised, of the unction he immediately received. "After this, you went up to the Priest. Consider what followed. Was it not that of which David spoke, when he said (Ps. 132, v. 2), Like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron. This is the ointment of which Solomon said (Cant. i, v. 2), Thy name is as oil poured out," n. 30. "Understand, why this was done. This unction flows upon you, that (1st Pet. ii, 19) you may become a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood. For we are all anointed by the spiritual grace, to be a kingdom and Priests to God."

The white Garment. St. Ambrose refers to this ceremony, when he says, "After this, you received a white garment, to remind you, that you had put off the habit of sin, and put on the pure robe of innocence." Lib. de Myster., cap. vii, n. 34.

St. Augustin says, "The souls of those infants, whom you see clothed in white, are purified from sin. The whiteness of this garment is an emblem of the purity of their souls." St. Aug. Serm. 223, alias de divers, 81. n. 1.

St. Victor, Bishop of Vita, in the province of Byzacena, in his history of the Vandalic persecution, written in 487, relates a striking instance of the impression, which the ceremony of clothing the baptised person with the white garment, was calculated to make on the minds of the faithful. Elpidophorus, an apostate from the Catholic faith, was appointed judge at Carthage, and he condemned the most zealous of the Catholic confessors to be tortured. Muritta, the Deacon, who had assisted, when Elpidophorus was baptised in the bosom of the Catholic Church, being brought before him, took with him the chrismale, or white garment, with which, at the time he received Elpidophorus coming out of the font, he had clothed him, as an emblem of that innocence, which he engaged himself to preserve always unspotted. And producing it before the whole assembly, he said, "this robe will accuse you, when the Judge shall appear in Majesty at the last day. It will bear testimony against you to your condemnation. Hæc sunt linteamina quæ te accusabunt, cum Mas jestas venerit judicantis." Victor. Vit. 1. 5, c. 78.

The authorities, cited above, attest what ceremonies were performed, in the primitive ages of Christianity, by the Eastern and Western Churches, in the solemn administration of baptism. They also explain the purpose and meaning of these ceremonies, and shew that whilst they excited respect for the sacred rite, they conveyed so many instructions to the Catechumens and faithful, con

of this engagement. For by this, you make a treaty and compact with the Lord. As when we engage servants, we first ask those that have offered themselves to us, whether they are willing to serve us; so does Christ, when he is going to take you into his service. He first asks you, whether you are determined to cast off that cruel and ferocious tyrant. On that condition he receives you. He does not force you into his service, and here see his goodness.... Christ paid down a price for us all, the price of his most precious blood, for, you are bought, says he, (1 Cor. iv, 20) at a great price. And stili with this right that he has to you, he does not force you to serv him against your will. But, if you are not disposed to accept hi offers of grace and happiness, if you have nothing of that generou feeling, which will prompt you most eagerly to devote yourself his glorious service, he says, I do not force you, I do not comp you... And after all this, he does not require witnesses of our enga ment, nor a written bond; he is satisfied with our simple wo If you say, from your heart, I renounce thee, Satan, and thy pom Christ is satisfied. Let us therefore say, 'I renounce thee, Sat But, at the same time, let us reflect that the great day will co when we shall have to give an account of our engagement. Le be faithful in observing it, that we may then shew, that we h redeemed our pledge. The pomps of Satan are: theatres, circu and every thing that leads to sin."

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The anointing of the Person baptised, on the crown of his head. this unction, by which the person baptised is anointed as a memb Christ, on whom the spiritual unction of the dignity of his descends, early mention is made in the church.t

To such St. Cyril of Jerusalem (before the year 387) says, have been anointed with the oil that has been blessed with exor and you have been made partakers of that fruitful olive Jesus (Rom. xi, 17.) For being cut out from the wild olive, yo been engrafted in the fruitful olive: and every one of you h made to receive of the richness of that true olive.

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with which you have been anointed, is an outward sign of graces of Christ, which have been communicated to you, and extinction of all the influence of Satan over you." Jerusalem, Catech. 2, Mystag.

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his Epistle t concerning administer l

Pope Innocent I. (before the year 417), in tius, cap. 3, tom. 2, Concil, Lab., writes thus, tion. It is lawful for Priests, whether they the absence or in the presence of the Bishop, to anoint t baptised with chrism, which shall have been consecrate

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The Priest makes the sign of the cross on the foreheads of all, and imposing his hand over their heads, he says the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and a Prayer. Page 263.

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Then he touches their nostrils and ears with his finger, wet with spittle. When he touches the right ear, he says, Ephphetha ." Then the left, which is, be opened. Then the nostrils, &c., page

264, as in the Roman Catholic Ritual.

After this, he anoints him with the holy oil, making the sign of the cross, with his thumb, on the breast and between the shoulders, saying, "I anoint thee with the sanctified oil, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Page 266.

Then follows the blessing of the baptismal font, with such prayers as are now used in the Catholic Church. In the course of the blessing, the Priest blows on the water, and mixes chrism, or blessed oil with the water. Page 268.

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Then the catechumen is baptised. "I baptise thee," &c. And the Priest makes the sign of the cross, with chrism, on the top of his head, saying, Almighty God," &c., as in the Roman Catholic Ritual. The child is clothed; the Priest says, "receive this white garment,"

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&c., as in the Roman Catholie Ritual.

Nearly the same order of rites and ceremonies is prescribed in the Sacramentary of Pope Gelasius, which was committed to writing about 492.

Hence it appears, that these ecclesiastical ceremonies, which are called superstitious by men, who do not understand their origin and import, are found to be the religious rites and observances of primitive Christianity.

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NOTE [I], page 99.

CONFIRMATION ADMINISTERED, NOT ONLY BY IMPOSITION OF HANDS AND PRAYER, BUT ALSO, BY THE UNCTION OF CHRISM, SOLEMNLY BLESSED BY THE BISHOPS OF THE CHURCH.

To this ancient rite ample testimony is borne by the Fathers of the Christian Church, in the earliest ages.

Tertullian writes, before the year 245, in his book on baptism: "Then, coming out from the font (of baptism), we are anointed with the holy unction, agreeably to the ancient discipline. next follows the imposition of hands, with the invocation of the Holy Ghost..." "The unction flows on the flesh, but it produces its effect in the spirit; as in baptism, the body is immersed in water, but the soul is washed from sin." Cap. 7.

"Then the hand is imposed, and by the blessing, the Holy Ghost is invoked and invited to descend." Cap. 8.

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