baptism:

BAPTISM

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and bewildering night, and was tossed to andfro ou the billows of this troublesome world,ignorant of my true life, an outcast from lightand truth, I used to think that second birth,which divine mercy promised for my salvation,a hard saying according to the life I then led:as if a man could be so quickened to a new life•in the laver of healing water, as to put off hisnatural self, and keep his former tabernacle, yetbe changed in heart and soul! How is it pos-sible, said I, for so great a conversion to be ac-complished ?.Such were my frequent

musings. for whereas I was encumbered withthe many sins of my past life, which it seemedimpossible to be rid of, so I had used myself togive way to my clinging infirmities, and fromdespair of better things, to humour the evils of•my heart, as slaves born in my house, and myproper offspring. But after that life-givingwater succoured me, washing away the stain offormer years, and pouring into my cleansed andhallowed breast the light which comes fromheaven, after that I drank in the heavenlySpirit, and was created into a new man by asecond birth, then marvellously what was beforedoubtful became plain to me; what was hiddenwas revealed; what was dark began to shine;what was before difficult now had a way andmeans; what had seemed impossible could benow achieved; what was in me of the guiltyflesh now confessed that it was earthy; whatwas quickened in me by the Holy Ghost nowhad a growth according to God ” {De Grat. adDon. § 2, Oxford Tr.). This was his own case:but there were cases widely different from his.“ Plainly, the same spiritual grace which isequally received in baptism by believers, is after-wards diminished or increased by our act andconversation: just as the seed which the sowerwent out to sow in the gospel was equally sown:but according to the varieties of soil on which itfell, some came to nothing, some yielded fruitthat sprang up, and increased thirty, or sixty,or a hundred-fold,” as he says elsewhere ( Ep.76). “He who has not been baptised,” says St.Basil, “ has not been illuminated. Withoutlight the eye cannot discern the objects belong-ing to it, nor the soul attain to the contempla-tion of God.Singularly akin to baptism is

Easter-day: for on that day we commemoratethe resurrection, and in baptism, there is thepower of rising. Let us, therefore, on the day ofthe resurrection receive this power ” ( Horn . deDio, xiii. § 1). “ Whence are we Christians,” he

asks in another place {De Sp. S. c. 10, and comp,the five following), “ by faith, perchance some onewill reply. But in what way ? Having beenregenerated by the grace conferred in baptism ?

Assuredly: for how else ?.If, therefore,

baptism was to me the beginning of life, andthat day of regeneration the first of days, it isclear that word must be the dearest of all to mewhich I pronounced then,” viz. the profession hemade. St. Chrysostom, whom we might expectmore fervid, is even more practical. “ Having,then, been counted worthy of these mysteries,”as he says in one place, “ let us exhibit a lifeworthy of the gift—a blameless conversation ”{Horn, xxv. § 3). And again {De Comp, od Dem.i. 8): “You, when you were baptised, obtaineddivine grace, and were made partaker of theSpirit, it may be, not to the -extent of enabling

you to work' miracles, but amply sufficient, to.enable you to lead an upright and correct life:so that it is due to our own carelessness whenwe go . astray. Further, Christ is not goiug tobestow rewards ou those who have merely;worked miracles, but on those who have keptHis commandments. Those who. lead a virtuouslife, not those who work miracles, have placesassigned them amongst. His beatitudes.”

To the same effect, others who are less known—St. Chromatius {Tract, in St. Matth. i.), forinstance—“Christ’s baptism is the washing awayof our sins, and the renewal of a saving life.Hear the apostle proving this (Gal. iii. 27 andRom. vi. 4). By baptism, therefore, we aredead to sin, but live to Christ. We are buriedto our former life, but raised to our new life.We have put off the errors of the old man, andput on the garments of the new man.” And St.Gaudentius {Serm. viii.)—whose turn of mind onritual was almost medieval:—“ Let the homeof a Christian and baptised man be closed tothe devil: let it be thoroughly humanisedand hospitable. Let it be sanctified by con-tinual prayer. Let psalms, hymns, and spiritualsongs be in frequent use there. Let the word ofGod and the sign of Christ be in its heart, on itslips, and on its brow: in drinking, in conversa-tion, in ablutions, in bed; in going out, incoming in ; in joy and in sorrow: that accordingto the teaching of the blessed Paul, whether yeeat, drink, or do anything whatever, you maydo all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who hath called us unto grace.”.Finally,

Leidrad, bishop of Lyons at the end of the 8thcentury {De Bapt. c. 6): “A man is restored bybaptism to the pristine condition of the first,man before the fall: yet not so, that afterbaptism, he may consider himself secure whilehe lives. For he has a struggle to supportall his life, with the ruler of wickedness, thedevil”. . .

It was plainly no part of their teaching thatthe grace bestowed in baptism included im-munity from sin in future, or was irresistible orindefectible. According to St. Augustine, thewhole church was committed to a daily con-fession of sins in the Lord’s Prayer {Serin. 181,§ 6 et seq.).

It has been pointed out already, that our Lordin parting from His apostles commissioned themto baptise. Thus they, in strictness, receivedthe charge, though they performed it throughothers. This explains the theory that has beenmaintained ever since. “ Without the bishop,”says St. Ignatius {Ad Smyrn. § 8), “ it is neitherlawful to baptise, nor celebrate the love-feast.”And Tertullian—as if bent on expanding hismeaning {De Bapt. c. 17)—“The chief priest,who is the bishop, has the power of giving bap-tism : and after him, presbyters and deacons,yet not without his authority, for the honour ofthe church, which must be maintained, to main-tain peace. Otherwise laymen have the right

as well.The word of God,” he continues,

“ ought not to be hidden from any. Whereforebaptism, which is equally derived from God,may be administered by all. Only laymen shouldconsider themselves all the more bound to actwith moderation in this matter, seeing that theirsuperiors are similarly bound, lest they shouldusurp what has been-set apart to the bishop . ...