represented in the Sacramentary of
Gregory, the profession of faith occurs between the hallowing of the
water and the administration of the sacrament. This custom has long
been used in the Roman church; since the Sacramentary of Gelasius
(A.D. 494) appointed the confession of faith to be made immediately
before baptism, _though the renunciations were made some hours
before_. In primitive times the sign of the cross was not only made
on the forehead of the elect at the time of baptism, but was used very
often in other ways: this act is probably not more recent than the
apostolical age; and this sign was made in some part of almost every
Christian office. The administration of baptism was succeeded by
various rites in the primitive church; among other the newly-baptised
were clothed in white garments. Formerly also confirmation followed
immediately after baptism". I have extracted the preceding passages
from different sections of Palmer's 5th chapter, vol. 2: coming from a
clergyman of the church of England, they are important admissions, and
they dispense with the necessity of my proving the antiquity of these
various baptismal riles. The reader may see proofs of them collected
in Palmer (loc. cit.) Martene T. 1: cap. 2, etc.]

[Footnote 135: Palmer says, that in confirmation, to the rites of
prayer and imposition, of hands was added "that of anointing with an
unguent or chrism, made of oil and balsam, and hallowed by the prayers
of the bishop.--We learn from the writings of Tertullian and Origen,
that it was already customary both in the east and the west at the end
of the 2nd or beginning of the 3rd century. This chrism was intended
to signify the grace of the Holy Spirit then conferred". Palmer,
Or. Lit. vol. 2, p. 199. If this unction had not been of apostolic
origin, it would not have been customary in all churches at so early
a period.]

[Footnote 136: At S. John Lateran's, when the _Agnus Dei_ is said, the
ancient custom is preserved, which was originally established by Pope
Sergius, of saying _Miserere nobis_ three times, and not _Dona nobis
pacem_, which words were introduced into the liturgy, (according
to Innocent III, De Myst Missae) about the 10th century, in time of
schism.]

[Footnote 137: Orders are generally conferred on the saturday of each
ember-week, besides the saturday before passion and easter sundays.
A minute detail of the numerous ceremonies of ordination can not be
expected in a work on th