born of that Spirit, of Whom Christ being born, needed not to be reborn."

"Those who have been baptized with the Baptism of John were baptized by Paul on no other ground than that the baptism of John was not the Baptism of Christ, but given to John by Christ, so as properly to be called John's baptism. John received, by a certain dispensation, not to abide, but so far as was necessary, to prepare the way for the Lord, Whose precursor he was to be. To none of the Prophets, to no man do we read in the Divine Scriptures was it given to baptize with water of repentance to remission of sin, which was given to John, that from the wondrous grace, the hearts of the people hanging upon him, he might prepare in them a way for Him, Whom he declared to be so much greater than himself. But the Lord Jesus Christcleanses the Church' with a Baptism of such sort, as that after it has been received, no other should be required; but John fore-baptized with one of such sort, that after it had been received, the Baptism of the Lord was also necessary; not that it should be repeated, but that to those who had received the baptism of John should be given the Baptism of Christ also, for Whom he prepared the way. Except to show forth the humility of Christ [in receiving it,] the baptism of John had not been needed: again, had the end been in John, then after John's baptism had been no need of the Baptism of Christ. But because Christ is the end of the law to every one that believeth,' John pointed out to Whom they must go; there to abide, when arrived at Him. Had John baptized only Christ, John had been thought the dispenser of a better Baptism (in that Christ Himself alone was baptized with it) than Christ's wherewith Christians are baptized and again, must all be baptized first with the baptism of John and then with Christ's, the Baptism of Christ had of necessity appeared less full and perfect, as not sufficing alone to salvation."

"Knowt they that the grace and the ground of John's baptism was other [than the Christian,] nor did it appertain to that virtue, whereby, through the Holy Spirit, they are re-born, of whom it is said' who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. For as the Old Testament is an attestation of the New, and the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth were wrought by Jesus Christ,' as divers sacrifices prefigured One Victim, and the slaying of many lambs was ended by His immolation, of Whom it is said behold the Lamb of God, behold Him Who taketh away the sin of the world,' so also John being not Christ, but the precursor of Christ; not 'the Bridegroom,' but the

*Id. de Bapt. c. Donat. v. 9.

† Leo. Ep. 16. [al. 4.] ad Episc. Sic. c. 6.

friend of the Bridegroom,' was so faithful, 'seeking not his own, but the things of Jesus Christ,' as to profess himself unworthy to loose the shoes of His feet,' since he baptized in water to repentance,' but He should baptize in the Holy Ghost and fire, Who by a twofold power, should both restore life and consume sin."

"John baptizeth not with the Spirit, but with water; because, unable to remit sins, he washes the bodies of the baptized with water, but not their minds with forgiveness. Why then doth he baptize, who by baptism frees not from sin, except that maintaining the order of his precursorial office, he, who by his birth had gone before His Birth, should by baptizing also go before the Baptism of the Lord? And he who by preaching had been made the precursor of Christ, should by baptizing also be His precursor through the image of His Sacrament."

Itt is evident to all readers, that John not only preached the bap tism of repentance, but even gave it to some; yet could he not give his own baptism to the remission of sins.' For remission of sins is given us only in the Baptism of Christ. That then is to be observed which is said, 'preaching the baptism of repentance to the remission of sins,' because, being unable to give a baptism 'to the remission of sins,' he preached' it: that as he was the precursor of the Incarnate Word of the Father by the word of preaching, so by his baptism, whereby sins cannot be remitted, he might be the precursor of that Baptism of repentance, whereby sins are remitted; that so, inasmuch as his word went before the Presence of the Re deemer, his very baptism also might go before, and become a shadow of the truth."

2

"The fourth sort of baptism was that of John, being introductory, and leading to repentance those baptized, that they might believe in Christ. For I,' he saith, 'baptize you with water, but He Who cometh after me, He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.' John then by the water cleanses, preparatory for the Spirit."

Several points are observable in these passages; 1st, as to the relation of this teaching of the Fathers to the text of Scripture; 2nd, as to their sense of the dignity of their Lord's Baptism; 3rd, as to their agreement among themselves and the points whereon they differ.

1st, then, they keep close to the simple meaning of Holy Scripture. Their view is founded not on any conclusions of human

*Greg. Hom. 7. in Evang. § 3.

+ Id. Hom. 20. in Evang. § 2. The same division of Baptism, and sources, occurs in Barhebræus' work

Joh. Damascen. de Fide, L. 5. c. 9. the same distinction, derived from Greek on Christian doctrine. See the Author's analysis of it in Dr. Nicoll's Catal. MSS. Arab. Bibl. Bodl. ed Pusey, p. 460, n. b.

reasoning, but on the plain facts and words of Scripture. They dwell chiefly on the fact that those baptized with John's baptism were by St. Paul commanded to be baptized with that of Christ, therefore the two baptisms could not be the same, or of equal value,* -or on John's own words, that his baptism was with water, Christ's with the Spirit. They felt the difficulties which moderns have urged, as, "if John's baptism were imperfect, had the Apostles only an imperfect baptism?" "but they preferred to say, "they knew not, what they did not know," than to bend what was said plainly, in order to fit in with what was left obscure.

2. The high dignity of the Baptism of Christ, and its spiritual character follows, in that its very characteristic is that it is "with the Spirit." A "water-baptism" (as people now speak) is no other than the baptism of the forerunner; that which makes the Baptism of Christ to be what it is, is that it is "the Baptism of the Spirit." The unworthy recipient may, like Simon Magus, exclude the Spirit, or receive Him to destruction; but in Christianity there is no two-fold Baptism, no separation, except in thought, between the outward form and the inward substance; as if the body were washed at one time with water, the soul, at another, purified by the Spirit ; or as if the water-baptism were but an outward symbol of what had been previously, or might be subsequently, bestowed; "water-baptism" was but around the Saviour, was but a shadow of the substance which He had and gave, sent before his face to prepare the way before Him, a type and image of His gift. "Water-baptism" was indeed (as moderns speak) an emblem of the Baptism of the Spirit, but it is so no more; "the shadowst fled away when" the "day broke:" the baptism of John was an image of the Baptism of their Lord, of Him who was to come; but, now that He is côme, and hatlı left His Spirit with the Church, their Lord's Baptism is no empty unsubstantial shadow of something still future and distinct from it, as though He also baptized to One "who should come after," or as if the dispensation of the Spirit were different from His.

*"Paul gave the Baptism of Christ to men, because they had not the Baptism of Christ, but the baptism of John, (as themselves answered,) which does not pertain to the Baptism of Christ, nor is any part or degree of it; otherwise, either the water of Christ's Baptism was then repeated, or if the Baptism of Christ was then perfected by two baptizings in water, it is less perfect now, because that which was given by John is not given; either of which were impious and profane to think. Paul then gave the Baptism of Christ to those who had not the Baptism of Christ, but of John. But why the Baptism of John was then necessary, which now is not, does not belong to this question, except only that it appears that the Baptism of John was one, that of Christ another; as was that baptism another, in which the Apostle says, 'our fathers were baptized in the cloud and in the sea,' when by Moses they passed through the Red Sea."-Aug. in litt. Petil. L. 2. c. 37.

† Cant. 2. 17.

"This Baptism," says St. Chrysosteme,*" alone has the grace of the Spirit; that of John was void of the gift."

"The difference between the grace of the Spirit, and the baptism of water," says St. Basil,t" may be understood from this also, that John Baptized with water to repentance, but our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit; 'I indeed,' he saith, 'baptize you with water,'

&c."

John," says St. Ambrose,‡ "baptized with water, Christ with the Spirit."

And Origen," This also must be noted, that the baptism of John was inferior to the Baptism of Jesus given by His disciples. Thus they who in the Acts were baptized unto the baptism of John,' not having even heard whether there be any Holy Ghost,' are baptized a second time by the Apostle. For regeneration took place not with John, but with Jesus, through His disciples, and that which is called 'the bath of regeneration,' which takes place with renewal of the Spirit,' Who now also is 'borne above the water,' being from God, though He doth not enter into all after the water," [i. e. not upon such as come hypocritically.]

And St. Jerome," They who had received John's baptism, because they knew not the Holy Spirit, are baptized again, lest any should think that the water, without the Holy Spirit, could suffice to Jews and Gentiles to salvation."

This peculiar gift of the Spirit in Christian Baptism again was in their minds connected with their Lord's commission to baptize; and the baptism of John must needs be defective, because he had received no title to baptize in the Name of the Trinity. Thus St. Jerome, T "Whosoever saith that he believeth in Christ, not believing in the Holy Spirit, hath not the eyes of a perfect faith. Whence also in the Acts, they who had been baptized with the baptism of John to Him who was to come, i. e. in the Name of the Lord Jesus, because they answered Paul's inquiry, 'We do not even know whether there be any Holy Ghost,' are baptized again; rather, receive then the true Baptism, because, without the Holy Ghost, and the mystery of the Trinity, whatever is received into Either Person is imperfect." And Ammonius,**" So then the baptism of John contained an invitation to repentance only, not to remission of sin also-so that the difference of the baptism of John and that of believers is this, that that of believers gives remission of sins also. John when baptizing said, 'I baptize thee to Him who cometh after me, and require thee to believe in Him, that He is the Lamb of God,' but he who baptiz

* In Matt. Hom. 12. § 3. p. 164.

+ De Sp. S. c. 15.

In Joh. t. 6. § 17. p. 133-4.
Ep. 69. ad Ocean. 6.

In Luc. Lib. 10. § 141.

**In Cramer's Catena on Acts xix. 5.

In Joel, c. 2. v. 28.

eth according to the Faith says, 'I baptize thee into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, 'to believe in the Con substantial Trinity, both cleansing and stripping him of his former way of worship, and clothing him anew into Christ, and clearly enouncing the Faith."

3. This case illustrates how, amid subordinate difference of opinion there may be and is substantial agreement in the ancient Church. All agree in this, that the Baptism of their Lord was unut terably greater than that of St. John, and that, because Scripture had set the Baptism of the Lord so far above that of the servant; all agree that one was "in water," the other was "with the Spirit," because the letter of Scripture so testified; what further consequences this involved, was matter of human judgment, and each decided as he thought the tenor of Scripture led, yet without interfering with this first principle, which Scripture had clearly stated. Thus the one who thought that without the Spirit there could be no remission of sins, understood the words, "the Baptism of repentance to the remission of sins," of a future remission,* which they were to obtain in Him to whom this "Baptism of repentance" guided them, and so denied that the Baptism of John had any gift of grace: anothert thought that it gave remission, but suspended and "in hope" only, until the atoning Sacrifice was completed, and themselves made partakers of it: others, on the contrary, considering that the words, "to remission of sins," went more naturally to express

* See Turtullian above, p. 197, 8. Jerome, p. 248. Gregory, p. 257. So Theophylact also with great clearness, in Marc. 1. "The baptism of John had no remission of sins, but only brought in repentance to men; how then saith Mark here 'to the remission of sins? We say then that he 'preached the baptism of repentance; but this preaching of repentance, whither led it? to the 'remission of sins,' i. e. to Christ's Baptism; as when we say, 'There came an attendant on the king proclaiming the preparation of food for the benefit of those preparing them,' we do not mean that the attendant is to benefit those who prepare the royal food,' but that he proclaimed the preparation of the food, that they who had prepared it, having received the king, might be benefited by him. So then here also the precursor proclaimed the baptism of repentance, that they who repented, having received Christ, might obtain remission of sins."

† S. Aug. de Bapt. c. Donat. v. 10. "Wherefore though I believe that John in such wise baptized in water of repentance to remission of sins,' that sins were 'in hope' remitted to those baptized by him, in like manner as the resur rection which is looked for at the end is wrought in us in hope, as the Apostle saith, because He hath raised us together, and hath made us sit together in heavenly places,' and yet he also says, for in hope we have been saved.' For John himself also, when he saith, I indeed baptize you in water to repentance, to remission of sins,' seeing the Lord, saith, Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who taketh away the sins of the world.'

&

This way is taken by the author of the De Rebaptismate ap. Cypr. (above p. 202.) of the De Rebaptismo ap. Basil. (ab. p. 201.) S. Gregory Nyss. in laud. Basil. t. 3. p. 482, as well as St. Cyril below.