theirs, in bringing new members to Him, and so, believing that He anticipated a portion of His grace, to preserve them during the "hold! many are prepared to receive the gift of Baptism for the confession of "the precious Passion of our SAVIOUR, their soul in faith and love conformable "to Him, Who by regeneration renewed our nature, and remitted our sin, and “raised our fall, and they wait for the holy seal, and through the Baptism of "remission to become members, and conformed to Him who is the Head of the "Church, and first-born from the dead." Thanksgiving for Baptism and Intercessory, ib. i. 183. "Let us pray for these our sons and daughters, who are about to receive the "mark of life, renouncing Satan and all his works." Prayer for Infants, Eight Days Old. Greek, i. 121. Antioch, ib. i. 203. let the light of Thy countenance be marked upon this Thy servant, "and let the Cross of Thy Only-Begotten SoN be marked upon his heart and "thoughts, that he may flee the vanity of the world, &c." "Grant that Thy holy Name may abide upon him, that at the fitting hour "he may come to Thy Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, and be perfected "by the awful Sacraments of Thy CHRIST, and walk according to Thy precepts, " and preserve unhurt the seal, and obtain the blessedness of Thy chosen, "through the goodness, and loving-kindness towards man of Thy Only-Begot"ten Son, with Whom Blessed art Thou, with Thy All-Holy, Good, and Life"giving SPIRIT, now, &c." Apostolic Syriac from Greek, by James of Edessa. "Thou, LORD GOD, stretch forth the right hand of Thy mercy over this Thy "maid-servant, who is prepared for Holy Baptism, and sanctify, and cleanse, "and brighten her by Thy sin-remitting hyssop, and bless and keep Thy "people and Thy heritage; and as by Thy Baptism Thou hast clothed us with "the robe of glory, and the mark of the Holy Life-giving SPIRIT, &¿.” Antioch, by Severus. "O LORD God, Who entrustedst this spiritual ministry of Holy Baptism to "the godly Apostles, perfect now by us, Thy defiled and sinful servants, this "soul, which is prepared for Holy Baptism, that it may be adorned by the gifts "of the HOLY SPIRIT, Who is given to it from Thee, that by Him it may be "marked unto life, and written among the children of grace, and raise to Thee " befitting praise, and to Thy FATHER, and to Thy HOLY SPIRIT." Maronite, by James, Bishop of Sarug. Blessing, (ii. 316.) "GOD, Who hath called thee by His grace, and brought thee by His mercy "to receive the holy mark, He fit thee for the garment of redemption from the "waters of Baptism, that thou mayest be clothed with the robe of glory, through interval until they are fully prepared for Baptism, they ventured to affix His "seal" on the Catechumens'; or, after Baptism 2, "the descent of the HOLY SPIRIT, and be made meet for the adoption of sons "through Holy Baptism for ever." Chaldee-Malabar. Prayer on the Consecration of Oil to be mingled with the Water of Baptism. (ii. 196, 7.) "Now then also, O LORD, let that great and divine Sacrament be perfected "through Thy grace, and may grace from the gift of Thy HOLY SPIRIT come "and dwell and abide upon this oil, and bless it, and seal it, and sanctify it, in "the Name of the FATHER, and the Son, and the HOLY GHOST, and let this oil "of anointing be, by the power of Thy grace, such, that it may impart to those "who are anointed therewith in the life-giving impress, given in the Name of the FATHER, and of the SON, and of the HOLY GHOST, perfect and true holiness, "and the high participation in the kingdom of Heaven, in this Baptism, where"with he is baptized in the likeness of the Passion, and Death, and Resurrection "of our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST." On pouring the Oil into the Font. (ib. 201.) "These waters are signed and sanctified with the holy oil, that they may become a new womb, bearing a spiritual birth through sin-remitting Baptism "in the Name of the FATHER, and of the Son, and of the HOLY GHOST, for ever "and ever." Syriac Hymn in Liturgy of Severus. (ii. 299.) Jerusalem. (ii. 237. 243. 260.) 66 'Descend, our brother who art sealed." 1 Old Ambrosian. Signing with Cross, after Exorcism. (ii. 45. 50.) "Receive the sign of the cross, keep the Divine commands; to-day thou art "re-born by the word of GOD, and formed by heavenly light. Now, then, "look for the heavenly promises, and the coming of GOD ALMIGHTY, that thou " 'mayest hope for the coming of the WORD incarnate, born of a Virgin, an"nounced to believers, by invocation of Whom thou art illuminated, and by "whose seal thou art marked in the forehead by this mark which shall not be "effaced, in the Name of † GOD the FATHER ALMIGHTY, and in the Name of t "JESUS CHRIST, His SON, who shall come to judge quick and dead, and the "world by fire." Amen. "Grant that the inscription of the mark of the holy † cross of Thy Only-Begot"ten, may protect this little one, ignorant of ill, &c." See further, p. 60. Old Roman. Sacramentary of Gelasius (MS. of 7th cent. Ass. i. 4, 5). Gregorian (ib. p. 23). Tours (9th cent. ib. p. 44). Beauvais (10th cent. p. 47). Others, p. 49, 50. 1 See p. 149. they again visibly and formally affixed it, thereby representing to the mind what has just been worked invisibly by the HOLY 52. 53. Poictiers (9th cent. i. 61. ii. 59.) Roman Ordo Bapt. Parvul. (ii. 15.) Gellon (ii. 56.) Chelle (9th cent. ii. 61.) S. Germain (9th cent. ii. 64.) Moisac (9th cent. ii. 67.) Gladbach (ii. 73.) Lodi (ii. 77.) Old Limoges (ii. 84.) Prayer in making Catechumens. "Open to them the gate of Thy righteousness, that being endued with the "mark (signo) of Thy wisdom, they may be freed from the foulness of all evil "desires, and in the sweet savour of Thy commands, may serve Thee joyfully "in the Church, and profit from day to day, that they may be made meet to "approach to the grace of Thy Baptism, receiving the medicine." [Gregorian. The same till " day to day," then "signed (signati) by the promises of Thy 66 grace, through Jesus CHRIST, Thy Son, who will come to judge," &c. i. 23.] "LORD, we beseech Thee, mercifully hear our prayers, and keep these Thy "elect by the virtue of the Cross of the LORD, with whose impress we mark "them, that retaining the rudiments of the greatness of glory, by the keeping "of Thy commandments, they may be accounted worthy to come to the glory "of the regeneration." Exorcism. Tours (i. 45.) Beauvais (i. 46.) Sacram. of Gelasius (i. 6.) Gregorian (i. 24.) "By this holy mark of the Cross, which we place upon their foreheads, thou "accursed Devil, dare not to injure [them]" or, "This holy mark-dare not "to injure." (Liège, Limoges.) Gothic, and old Gallican. For an Infant. (Ass. i. 29.) "Let them, O LORD, before they know good or evil, be signed with the seal "of Thy Cross. "Receive the seal of CHRIST; take the words of GOD; be enlightened by the "word of the LORD; for this day hast thou been confessed by CHRIST. "I sign1 thee in the name of the FATHER, and of the SON, and of the HOLY 1 This form is found with variations in several of the Gallican forms:In MS. of Remiremont of 11th cent." Receive the seal of GOD the FATHER, "and of the SON, and of the HOLY SPIRIT. (Gladbach, ii. 72.) I sign thee in "the forehead in the Name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, that thou mayest trust "in Him; I bless thine eyes, that thou mayest see His brightness; ears, that VOL. II. P. II.-No. 67. L SPIRIT. And since this was done in the form of the SAVIOUR'S cross, and the term "seal" applied to that act of impressing the "GHOST, that thou mayest be a Christian; thine eyes, that thou mayest see the "brightness of GOD; ears, that thou mayest hear the voice of the LORD; nose, "that thou mayest smell the sweet savour of CHRIST; speech, that thou mayest "confess FATHER, SON, and HOLY GHOST; heart, that thou mayest believe the "indivisible Trinity. Peace be with thee, through JESUS CHRIST, &c." Collect. (ib. 35.) "—that the Enemy recognising the impress (character) of the Divine in66 scription, may confess that what has now begun to be Thine, is alien from him "through the sign of the cross." Greek. "Bless this child: driving from him every power of the enemy through the "thou mayest hear the word of His truth; nose, that thou mayest perceive the " savour of His sweetness; breast, that thou mayest believe in Him; shoulders, "that thou mayest take the yoke of His service; mouth, that thou mayest con"fess Him, Who with the FATHER, and the HOLY SPIRIT, liveth and reigneth "for ever and ever, Amen. (Ass. i. 47.) I sign thee with the seal of faith, in the "Name of, &c. I place the sign of the SAVIOUR, our LORD JESUS CHRIST, On "thy forehead, &c." (Soissons, ib. 51. and others, p. 49. 53.) "I sign thine eyes with the seal of GOD the FATHER, &c. (Jumiège, beg. of 11th cent. ii. 70.) "The seal of GOD the FATHER, and the SON, and the HOLY GHOST, keep "thee sound all thy life, that the Devil may have no power over thee, but the "Divine Trinity may reign in thee to life eternal, for ever and ever. Amen." (Jumiège, ii. 70.) "I give thee the seal of our LORD JESUS CHRIST in thy right hand, that "thou mayest sign thyself, and defend thee from the adversary, and remain in "the Catholic Faith, and have eternal life, and live with the LORD for ever, "world without end." (Jumiège, ii. 70.) " I sign thy forehead that thou mayest receive the Cross of the LORD; I "sign thine ears, that thou mayest hear the Divine commands; I sign thine eyes, "that thou mayest see the brightness of GOD; I sign thy mouth, that thou 66 mayest speak the words of life; I sign thy breast, that thou mayest believe in "GOD. I sign thee altogether in the Name of the FATHER, and of the Son, "and of the HOLY GHOST, that thou mayest have eternal life, and live for ever "and ever. Amen."-(Modern Roman, ii. 23.) "Receive the seal of GOD the "FATHER Almighty, as well in thy forehead as in thy heart, that thou mayest "be able to fulfil the precepts of His law." (Id. ii. 92.) cross, and it is in itself the more probable that the word "sealing" was connected with a corresponding outward act, and such an out "marking of the form of Thy Cross, for Thou art the guardian of children; "that, having Holy Baptism vouchsafed to him, he may obtain a share with the "Elect of Thy kingdom, being guarded with us, by the grace of the Holy, and "Consubstantial, and undivided Trinity." Apostolic by Severus. (ii. 278.) Revised Syriac. (i. 232.) Church of Before Abrenunciation. "He is sealed in the Name of the FATHER, Amen †, and of the Sox, Amen "†, and of the Living and HOLY SPIRIT, Amen †, to life everlasting, Amen." Shorter form by Severus, in case of Danger, ii. 301. "He is sealed † to the glory of GOD the FATHER, †, to the acknowledgment "of the Only-Begotten Sox, †, and to the worship of the All-holy SPIRIT." Maronite. "N. is sealed as a lamb in the flock of CHRIST, who hath come to Holy Bap"tism in the Name of the FATHER," &c. Revised Syriac. (i. 234.) Apost. by Severus. (ii. 279.) Exorcism. "We call on Thee, LORD GOD, Creator of all visible and invisible; and 68 placing our hands on this Thy creature, and sealing him in Thy Name, O "FATHER, and SON, and HOLY GHOST, &c." Prayer, Short form by Severus, ii. 301. "O GOD, lover of mankind, expel from this soul, which comes to approach to “Thy Holy Baptism, all spirits of wickedness by the mark of the Cross of Thy "Only-Begotten SoN." Maronite. After Exorcism. "Now then I seal him, and protect him from all power of demons, in the "Name of the FATHER, and of the Son, and of the HOLY SPIRIT." Maronite. (ii. 330.) Benediction of Oil. 66 Holy and Glorious, who by the anointing of His mysteries anointed to Him |