his
benediction, most of which are sung in the tone of the _preface_ at
ferial mass, contain beautiful allusions to the mention of water in
the Old and New Testaments, as for instance: "O God, whose Spirit at
the very beginning of the world was borne upon the waters, that the
nature of water might even then conceive the power of sanctification;
O God, who washing with waters the crimes of a guilty world, didst
sign the figure of regeneration in the very out-pouring of the deluge;
may this font receive of the Holy Ghost the grace of thy only begotten
Son"[132].

[Sidenote: Baptism of adults.]

The Caeremoniale Episcoporum prescribes that infants, except in danger
of death, should not be baptised during the eight preceding days, that
they may be reserved for holy-Saturday. The beginning of the baptismal
service and the exorcisms are performed privately in the sacristy
by the parish-priest, while the prophecies are read in church[133].
After the font has been blessed, the catechumens wearing a long white
dress, and accompanied by their respective godfathers and godmothers,
approach the font, and in turn ascend. In answer to the questions of
the Cardinal (who is now vested in a white, and not a purple, cope,)
having renounced Satan and all his works and pomps, they profess
their belief in the articles of Christian faith, and their desire of
baptism[134]: then assisted by their sponsors they are baptised by
infusion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; they are
anointed with chrism, receive a white garment, with a charge to bear
it unspotted before the tribunal of Christ, and in fine a lighted
taper, that "when the Lord shall come to the nuptials, they may meet
him in the heavenly court unto life everlasting".

[Sidenote: Litanies and confirmation.]

The litanies are sung, while the procession returns to the church,
where the newly-baptised are confirmed in a side-chapel, and exhorted
to perseverance in virtue, by the Cardinal[135]; the litanies are
then continued, but cease while all kneeling venerate the heads of
SS. Peter and Paul shewn from above the high altar; the procession
afterwards returns to the tribune, where the mass of the day is sung,
and orders are conferred by the Cardinal-Vicar.

[Sidenote: Mass and ordination.]

The orders of priests and deacons are often mentioned in the N.
Testament: and the church, as S. Thomas observes, instituted the
inferior orders. Subdeacons are mentioned by Pope