Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| On Baptism.
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
Lecture
III.
On Baptism.
Romans vi. 3, 4
Or know ye not that all we who were baptized into Christ
Jesus were baptized into His death? were buried therefore with Him by
our baptism into death, &c.
1. Rejoice, ye heavens, and let the earth
be glad566
, for those who are to
be sprinkled with hyssop, and cleansed with the spiritual567
hyssop, the power of Him to whom at His
Passion drink was offered on hyssop and a reed568
. And while the Heavenly Powers rejoice,
let the souls that are to be united to the spiritual Bridegroom make
themselves ready. For the voice is heard of one crying
in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord569
. For this is no light matter, no
ordinary and indiscriminate union according to the flesh570
, but the All-searching Spirit’s
election according to faith. For the inter-marriages and
contracts of the world are not made altogether with judgment: but
wherever there is wealth or beauty, there the bridegroom speedily
approves: but here it is not beauty of person, but the
soul’s clear conscience; not the condemned Mammon, but the wealth
of the soul in godliness.
2. Listen then, O ye children of
righteousness, to John’s exhortation when he says, Make
straight the way of the Lord. Take away all obstacles and
stumbling-blocks, that ye may walk straight onward to eternal
life. Make ready the vessels571
of the soul,
cleansed by unfeigned faith, for reception of the Holy Ghost.
Begin at once to wash your robes in repentance, that when called to the
bride-chamber ye may be found clean. For the Bridegroom invites
all without distinction, because His grace is bounteous; and the cry of
loud-voiced heralds assembles them all: but the same Bridegroom
afterwards separates those who have come in to the figurative
marriage. O may none of those whose names have now been enrolled
hear the words, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a
wedding garment572
? But may you
all hear, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou wast faithful
over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter thou
into the joy of thy lord573
.
For now meanwhile thou standest outside the
door: but God grant that you all may say, The King hath
brought me into His chamber574
. Let my soul
rejoice in the Lord: for He hath clothed me with a garment of
salvation, and a robe of gladness: He hath crowned me with a
garland as a bridegroom575
, and decked me
with ornaments as a bride: that the soul of every one of you
may be found not having spot or wrinkle or any such
thing576
; I do not mean before
you have received the grace, for how could that be? since it is for
remission of sins that ye have been called; but that, when the grace is
to be given, your conscience being found uncondemned may concur with
the grace.
3. This is in truth a serious matter,
brethren, and you must approach it with good heed. Each one of
you is about to be presented to God before tens of thousands of the
Angelic Hosts: the Holy Ghost is about to seal577
your souls: ye are to be enrolled in the army of the Great
King. Therefore make you ready, and equip yourselves, by putting
on I mean, not bright apparel578
, but piety of soul
with a good conscience. Regard not the Laver as simple water, but
rather regard the spiritual grace that is given with the water.
For just as the offerings brought to the heathen altars579
, though simple in their nature, become
defiled by the invocation of the idols580
| 580 Both here and in xix. 7,
Cyril speaks of things offered to idols just as S. Paul in 1 Cor. x. 20. The Benediction of the
water of Baptism is found in the Apostolic Constitutions, vii.
43: “Look down from heaven, and sanctify this water, and
give it grace and power, that so he that is to be baptized according to
the command of Thy Christ, may be crucified with Him, and may die with
Him, and be buried with Him, and may rise with him to the adoption
which is in him, that he may be dead to sin and live to
righteousness.” | , so
contrariwise the simple
water having received the invocation of the Holy Ghost, and of Christ,
and of the Father, acquires a new power of holiness.
4. For since man is of twofold nature, soul
and body, the purification also is twofold, the one incorporeal for the
incorporeal part, and the other bodily for the body: the water
cleanses the body, and the Spirit seals the soul; that we may draw near
unto God, having our heart sprinkled by the Spirit, and our
body washed with pure water581
. When going
down, therefore, into the water, think not of the bare element, but
look for salvation by the power of the Holy Ghost: for without
both thou canst not possibly be made perfect582
| 582 See the note on
“the twofold grace perfected by water and the Spirit,” at
the end of this Lecture. | . It is not I that say this, but the
Lord Jesus Christ, who has the power in this matter: for He
saith, Except a man be born anew (and He adds the words) of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God583
. Neither doth he that is baptized with
water, but not found worthy of the Spirit, receive the grace in
perfection; nor if a man be virtuous in his deeds, but receive not the
seal by water, shall he enter into the kingdom of heaven. A bold
saying, but not mine, for it is Jesus who hath declared it: and
here is the proof of the statement from Holy Scripture. Cornelius
was a just man, who was honoured with a vision of Angels, and had set
up his prayers and alms-deeds as a good memorial584
before God in heaven. Peter came, and the Spirit was poured out
upon them that believed, and they spake with other tongues, and
prophesied: and after the grace of the Spirit the Scripture saith
that Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ585
; in order that, the
soul having been born again by faith586
| 586 S. Cyril considers
that Cornelius and his friends were regenerated, as the Apostles were,
apart from Baptism; as August. Serm. 269, n. 2, and
Chrysost. in Act. Apost. Hom. 25, seem to do.
R.W.C. | , the body also
might by the water partake of the grace.
5. But if any one wishes to know why the
grace is given by water and not by a different element, let him take up
the Divine Scriptures and he shall learn. For water is a grand
thing, and the noblest of the four visible elements of the world.
Heaven is the dwelling-place of Angels, but the heavens are from the
waters587
: the earth is the place of men, but the
earth is from the waters: and before the whole six days’
formation of the things that were made, the Spirit of God moved upon
the face of the water588
. The water was
the beginning of the world, and Jordan the beginning of the Gospel
tidings: for Israel deliverance from Pharaoh was through the sea,
and for the world deliverance from sins by the washing of water with
the word589
of God. Where a
covenant is made with any, there is water also. After the flood,
a covenant was made with Noah: a covenant for Israel from Mount
Sinai, but with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop590
. Elias is taken up, but not apart from
water: for first he crosses the Jordan, then in a chariot mounts
the heaven. The high-priest is first washed, then offers incense;
for Aaron first washed, then was made high-priest: for how could
one who had not yet been purified by water pray for the rest?
Also as a symbol of Baptism there was a laver set apart within the
Tabernacle.
6. Baptism is the end of the Old Testament,
and beginning of the New. For its author was John, than whom was
none greater among them that are born of women. The end he
was of the Prophets: for all the Prophets and the law were
until John591
: but of the
Gospel history he was the first-fruit. For it saith, The
beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, &c.: John
came baptising in the wilderness592
. You may
mention Elias the Tishbite who was taken up into heaven, yet he is not
greater than John: Enoch was translated, but he is not greater
than John: Moses was a very great lawgiver, and all the Prophets
were admirable, but not greater than John. It is not I that dare
to compare Prophets with Prophets: but their Master and ours, the
Lord Jesus, declared it: Among them that are born of women
there hath not risen a greater than John593
: He saith not “among them that
are born of virgins,” but of women594
| 594 From the Clementine
Recognitions, I. 54 and 60, we learn that there were some who asserted
that John was the Christ, and not Jesus, inasmuch as Jesus Himself
declared that John was greater than all men, and all Prophets.
The answer is there given, that John was greater than all who are born
of women, yet not greater than the Son of Man. | . The comparison is between the great
servant and his fellow-servants: but the pre-eminence and the
grace of the Son is beyond comparison with servants. Seest thou
how great a man God chose as the first minister of this grace?—a
man possessing nothing, and a lover of the desert, yet no hater of
mankind: who ate locusts, and winged his soul for heaven595
: feeding upon honey, and speaking
things both sweeter and more salutary than honey: clothed with a
garment of camel’s hair, and shewing in himself the pattern of
the ascetic life; who also was sanctified by the Holy Ghost while yet
he was carried in his mother’s womb. Jeremiah was
sanctified, but did
not prophesy, in the womb596
: John alone
while carried in the womb leaped for joy597
, and
though he saw not with the eyes of flesh, knew his Master by the
Spirit: for since the grace of Baptism was great, it required
greatness in its founder also.
7. This man was baptizing in Jordan, and
there went out unto him all Jerusalem598
, to
enjoy the first-fruits of baptisms: for in Jerusalem is the
prerogative of all things good. But learn, O ye inhabitants of
Jerusalem, how they that came out were baptized by him:
confessing their sins, it is said599
. First they shewed their wounds, then
he applied the remedies, and to them that believed gave redemption from
eternal fire. And if thou wilt be convinced of this very point,
that the baptism of John is a redemption from the threat of the fire,
hear how he says, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to
flee from the wrath to come600
? Be not then
henceforth a viper, but as thou hast been formerly a viper’s
brood, put off, saith he, the slough601
| 601 The Greek word
(ὑπόστασις) is used
by Polybius (xxxiv. 9) for the deposit of silver from crushed ore, and
by Hippocrates for any sediment or deposit. Here it means, as the
context clearly shews, the old skin cast by a snake. Compare ii.
5. | of
thy former sinful life. For every serpent creeps into a hole and
casts its old slough, and having rubbed off the old skin, grows young
again in body. In like manner enter thou also through the strait
and narrow gate602
: rub off thy
former self by fasting, and drive out that which is destroying
thee. Put off the old man with his doings603
, and quote that saying in the Canticles, I
have put off my coat, how shall I put it on604
| 604 Cant. v.
3. In the Song, this
saying is an excuse for not rising from bed. S. Cyril applies it
in a different way. | ?
But there is perhaps among you some hypocrite, a
man-pleaser, and one who makes a pretence of piety, but believes not
from the heart; having the hypocrisy of Simon Magus; one who has come
hither not in order to receive of the grace, but to spy out what is
given: let him also learn from John: And now also the
axe is laid unto the root of the trees, Every tree therefore that
bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the
fire605
. The Judge is
inexorable; put away thine hypocrisy.
8. What then must you do? And what are
the fruits of repentance? Let him that hath two coats give to
him that hath none606
: the teacher
was worthy of credit, since he was also the first to practise what he
taught: he was not ashamed to speak, for conscience hindered not
his tongue: and he that hath meat, let him do
likewise. Wouldst thou enjoy the grace of the Holy Spirit,
yet judgest the poor not worthy of bodily food? Seekest thou the
great gifts, and impartest not of the small? Though thou be a
publican, or a fornicator, have hope of salvation: the
publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before
you607
. Paul also is witness, saying,
Neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor the rest, shall
inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but
ye were washed, but ye were sanctified608
. He said not, such are some of
you, but such were some of you. Sin committed in the
state of ignorance is pardoned, but persistent wickedness is
condemned.
9. Thou hast as the glory of Baptism the Son
Himself, the Only-begotten of God. For why should I speak any
more of man? John was great, but what is he to the Lord?
His was a loud-sounding voice, but what in comparison with the
Word? Very noble was the herald, but what in comparison with the
King? Noble was he that baptized with water, but what to Him that
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and with fire609
? The Saviour baptized the Apostles with
the Holy Ghost and with fire, when suddenly there came a sound from
heaven as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house
where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven
tongues like as of fire: and it sat upon each one of them, and
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost610
.
10. If any man receive not Baptism, he hath
not salvation; except only Martyrs, who even without the water receive
the kingdom. For when the Saviour, in redeeming the world by His
Cross, was pierced in the side, He shed forth blood and water; that
men, living in times of peace, might be baptized in water, and, in
times of persecution, in their own blood. For martyrdom also the
Saviour is wont to call a baptism, saying, Can ye drink the cup
which I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized
with611
? And the
Martyrs confess, by being made a spectacle unto the world, and to
Angels, and to men612
; and thou wilt soon
confess:—but it is not yet the time for thee to hear of
this.
11. Jesus sanctified Baptism by being
Himself baptized. If the Son of God was baptized, what godly man
is he that despiseth Baptism? But He was baptized not that He
might receive remission of sins, for He was sinless; but being sinless,
He was baptized, that He might give to them that are baptized a divine
and excellent grace. For since the children are partakers of
flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the
same613
, that having
been made partakers of
His presence in the flesh we might be made partakers also of His Divine
grace: thus Jesus was baptized, that thereby we again by our
participation might receive both salvation and honour. According
to Job, there was in the waters the dragon that draweth up Jordan
into his mouth614
. Since,
therefore, it was necessary to break the heads of the dragon in
pieces615
, He went down and bound the strong one in the
waters, that we might receive power to tread upon serpents and
scorpions616
. The beast was
great and terrible. No fishing-vessel was able to carry one
scale of his tail617
| 617 Job xl. 26, in the Sept. in place of xli.
7: Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons, or his head with
fish spears? (A.V. and R.V.) | : destruction
ran before him618
, ravaging all that
met him. The Life encountered him, that the mouth of Death might
henceforth be stopped, and all we that are saved might say, O death,
where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory619
? The sting of death is drawn by
Baptism.
12. For thou goest down into the water,
bearing thy sins, but the invocation of grace620
| 620 Compare III. 3, and see
Index, “Baptism.” | ,
having sealed thy soul, suffereth thee not afterwards to be swallowed
up by the terrible dragon. Having gone down dead in sins, thou
comest up quickened in righteousness. For if thou hast been
united with the likeness of the Saviour’s death621
, thou shalt also be deemed worthy of His
Resurrection. For as Jesus took upon Him the sins of the world,
and died, that by putting sin to death He might rise again in
righteousness; so thou by going down into the water, and being in a
manner buried in the waters, as He was in the rock, art raised again
walking in newness of life622
| 622 Rom. vi. 4. Instead of “might rise
again” (Roe, Casaub. Mon.), the older Editions have “might
raise thee up,” which is less appropriate in this part of the
sentence. | .
13. Moreover, when thou hast been deemed
worthy of the grace, He then giveth thee strength to wrestle against
the adverse powers. For as after His Baptism He was tempted forty
days (not that He was unable to gain the victory before, but because He
wished to do all things in due order and succession), so thou likewise,
though not daring before thy baptism to wrestle with the adversaries,
yet after thou hast received the grace and art henceforth confident in
the armour of righteousness623
, must then do
battle, and preach the Gospel, if thou wilt.
14. Jesus Christ was the Son of God, yet He
preached not the Gospel before His Baptism. If the Master Himself
followed the right time in due order, ought we, His servants, to
venture out of order? From that time Jesus began to
preach624
, when the Holy
Spirit had descended upon Him in a bodily shape, like a
dove625
; not that Jesus might
see Him first, for He knew Him even before He came in a bodily shape,
but that John, who was baptizing Him, might behold Him. For
I, saith he, knew Him not: but He that sent me to
baptize with water, He said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the
Spirit descending and abiding on Him, that is He626
. If thou too hast unfeigned piety, the
Holy Ghost cometh down on thee also, and a Father’s voice sounds
over thee from on high—not, “This is My Son,”
but, “This has now been made My son;” for the
“is” belongs to Him alone, because In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God627
. To Him belongs the
“is,” since He is always the Son of God: but
to thee “has now been made:” since thou hast not the
sonship by nature, but receivest it by adoption. He eternally
“is;” but thou receivest the grace by
advancement.
15. Make ready then the vessel of thy soul,
that thou mayest become a son of God, and an heir of God, and
joint-heir with Christ628
; if, indeed, thou art
preparing thyself that thou mayest receive; if thou art drawing nigh in
faith that thou mayest be made faithful; if of set purpose thou art
putting off the old man. For all things whatsoever thou hast done
shall be forgiven thee, whether it be fornication, or adultery, or any
other such form of licentiousness. What can be a greater sin than
to crucify Christ? Yet even of this Baptism can purify. For
so spake Peter to the three thousand who came to him, to those who had
crucified the Lord, when they asked him, saying, Men and brethren,
what shall we do629
? For the wound
is great. Thou hast made us think of our fall, O Peter, by
saying, Ye killed the Prince of Life630
. What salve is there for so great a
wound? What cleansing for such foulness? What is the
salvation for such perdition? Repent, saith he, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost631
. O unspeakable
loving-kindness of God! They have no hope of being saved, and yet
they are thought worthy of the Holy Ghost. Thou seest the power
of Baptism! If any of you has crucified the Christ by blasphemous
words; if any of you in ignorance has denied Him before men; if any by
wicked works has caused the doctrine to be blasphemed; let him repent
and be of good hope, for the same grace is present even now.
16.
Be of good courage, O Jerusalem; the Lord will take away all thine
iniquities632
. The Lord
will wash away the filth of His sons and of His daughters by the Spirit
of judgment, and by the Spirit of burning633
. He will sprinkle clean water upon
you, and ye shall be cleansed from all your sin634
. Angels shall dance around you, and
say, Who is this that cometh up in white array, leaning upon her
beloved635
? For the soul that was formerly a slave
has now adopted her Master Himself as her kinsman: and He
accepting the unfeigned purpose will answer: Behold, thou art
fair, my love; behold, thou art fair: thy teeth are like flocks
of sheep new shorn, (because of the confession of a good
conscience: and further) which have all of them
twins636
; because of the
twofold grace, I mean that which is perfected of water and of the
Spirit637
| 637 The Fathers
sometimes speak as if Baptism was primarily the Sacrament of remission
of sins, and upon that came the gift of the Spirit, which
notwithstanding was but begun in Baptism and completed in
Confirmation. Vid. Tertullian. de Bapt. 7, 8,
supr. i. 5 fin. Hence, as in the text,
Baptism may be said to be made up of two gifts, Water, which is
Christ’s blood, and the Spirit. There is no real difference
between this and the ordinary way of speaking on the
subject;—Water, which conveys both gifts, is considered as
a type of one especially,—conveys both remission of
sins through Christ’s blood and the grace of the Spirit, but is
the type of one, viz. the blood of Christ, as the Oil in
Confirmation is of the other. And again, remission of sins is a
complete gift given at once, sanctification an increasing one.
(R.W.C.) See Index,
“Baptism.” | , or that which is announced by the Old and by
the New Testament. And God grant that all of you when you have
finished the course of the fast, may remember what I say, and bringing
forth fruit in good works, may stand blameless beside the Spiritual
Bridegroom, and obtain the remission of your sins from God; to whom
with the Son and Holy Spirit be the glory for ever.
Amen.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
