Anonymous Treatise on Re-baptism.

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 A Treatise on Re-Baptism by an Anonymous Writer. That They Who Have Once Been Washed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Ought Not to Be Re-Baptized

 1. I observe that it has been asked among the brethren what course ought specially to be adopted towards the persons of those who, although baptized i

 2. To such, then, as approach to a discussion of saving and modern, that is, of spiritual and evangelical baptism, there occurs first of all the annou

 3. And to these things thou perchance, who art bringing in some novelty, mayest immediately and impatiently reply, as thou art wont, that the Lord sai

 4. And this being found to be so, what thinkest thou, my brother? If a man be not baptized by a bishop, so as even at once to have the imposition of h

 5. And if this be so, and the occurrence of any of these things cannot deprive a man who believes, of salvation, thou thyself also affirmest that the

 6. And this also,—looking at it from the opposite side of this discussion,—those disciples of our Lord themselves attained, upon whom, being previousl

 7. Neither must you esteem what our Lord said as being contrary to this treatment: “Go ye, teach the nations baptize them in the name of the Father,

 8. But these things thou wilt, as thou art wont, contradict, by objecting to us, that when they baptized, the disciples were baptized perfectly, and r

 9. By which things, and by many deeds of this kind tending to His glory, it appeared to follow as a consequence, that in whatever manner the Jews thin

 10. Besides, what wilt thou say of those who are in many cases baptized by bishops of very bad character, who yet at length, when God so wills it, con

 11. And what wilt thou determine against the person of him who hears the word, and haply taken up in the name of Christ, has at once confessed, and ha

 12. Wherefore the whole of this discussion must be considered, that it may be made clearer. For the invocation of the name of Jesus can only be an adv

 13. For any one of us will hold it necessary, that whatever is the last thing to be found in a man in this respect, is that whereby he must be judged,

 14. And even to this point the whole of that heretical baptism may be amended, after the intervention of some space of time, if a man should survive a

 15. And since we seem to have divided all spiritual baptism in a threefold manner, let us come also to the proof of the statement proposed, that we ma

 16. But since the first part of this argument seems to be unfolded, we ought to touch on its subsequent part, on account of the heretics because it i

 17. Moreover, if a man of this sort should again return to thee, thou wilt assuredly hesitate whether he may have baptism or no and yet it will behov

 18. And the Spirit, indeed, continues to this day invisible to men, as the Lord says, “The Spirit breathes where He will and thou knowest not whence

 19. I think that we have fully followed out the announcement of John the Baptist, whence we began our discourse, when he said to the Jews, “I indeed b

14. And even to this point the whole of that heretical baptism may be amended, after the intervention of some space of time, if a man should survive and amend his faith, as our God, in the Gospel according to Luke, spoke to His disciples, saying, “But I have another baptism to be baptized with.”46    Luke xii. 50. Also according to Mark He said, with the same purpose, to the sons of Zebedee: “Are ye able to drink of the cup which I drink of, or to be baptized with the baptism wherewith I am baptized?”47    Mark x. 38.  Because He knew that those men had to be baptized not only with water, but also in their own blood; so that, as well baptized in this baptism only, they might attain the sound faith and the simple love of the laver, and, baptized in both ways, they might in like manner to the same extent attain the baptism of salvation and glory. For what was said by the Lord, “I have another baptism to be baptized with,” signifies in this place not a second baptism, as if there were two baptisms, but demonstrates that there is moreover a baptism of another kind given to us, concurring to the same salvation. And it was fitting that both these kinds should first of all be initiated and sanctified by our Lord Himself, so that either one of the two or both kinds might afford to us this one twofold saving and glorifying baptism; and certain ways of the one baptism might so be laid open to us, that at times some one of them might be wanting without mischief, even as in the case of martyrs that hear the word, the baptism of water is wanting without evil; and yet we are certain that these, if they had any indulgence, would also be used to be baptized with water. And also to those who are made lawful believers, the baptism of their own blood is wanting without mischief, because, being baptized in the name of Christ, they have been redeemed with the most precious blood of the Lord; since both of these rivers of the baptism of the Lord proceed out of one and the same fountain, that every one who thirsts may come and drink, as says the Scripture, “From his belly flowed rivers of living water;”48    John vii. 38. which rivers were manifested first of all in the Lord’s passion, when from His side, pierced by the soldier’s spear, flowed blood and water, so that the one side of the same person emitted two rivers of a different kind, that whosoever should believe and drink of both rivers might be filled with the Holy Spirit. For, speaking of these rivers, the Lord set this forth, signifying the Holy Spirit whom they should receive who should believe on Him: “But the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”49    John vii. 39. And when He thus said how baptism might be produced, which the apostle declares to be one, it is assuredly manifest on that principle that there are different kinds of one and the same baptism that flow from one wound into water and blood; since there are there two baptisms of water of which we have spoken, that is, of one and the same kind,50    Unius atque ejusdem species. although the baptism of each kind ought to be one, as we have more fully spoken.

XIV. Et usque adeo omne illud haereticorum baptisma intercedente aliquo intervallo temporis corrigi potest, si quis supervixerit et fidem correxerit, ut Deus noster in Evangelio secundum Lucam ad discipulos suos locutus est dicens: Habeo autem aliud baptisma baptizari (Luc. XII, 50). Item secundum Marcum ad filios Zebedaei eadem ratione dixerat: 1198DPotestis bibere calicem quem ego bibo; aut baptismate quo ego baptizor, baptizari (Marc. X, 38)? quod sciret homines non sulum aqua, verum, etiam sanguine suo proprio habere baptizari: ita ut et solo hoc Baptismate baptizati fidem integram et dignationem sinceram lavacri possint adipisci et utroque 1199A modo baptizari, aeque tamen unum baptisma salutis et honoris pariter et aequaliter consequi. Quod enim dictum est a Domino, Habeo aliud Baptisma baptizari, hoc in loco non ut secundum Baptisma, ac si sint duo Baptismata, significat, sed alterius quoque speciei Baptisma ad eamdem salutem concurrens donatum nobis esse demonstrat. Quas utrasque species ab ipso Domino nostro primum initiari et sanctificari oportebat, ut nobis quoque alterutra sive utraque species unum hoc duplex salutiferum atque honorificum Baptisma praestaret; et viae quaedam unius Baptismatis sic nobis patefierent, ut aliquando impune aliqua illarum deesset, sicut in verbum audientibus martyribus impune aquae Baptisma deest, quos tamen certi sumus, 1199B si quid laxamenti habeant, etiam aqua solitos baptizari: itemque illis qui legitimi sunt fideles effecti, impune deest Baptisma sanguinis proprii; quia baptizati in nomine Christi, redempti sunt protiosissimo sanguine Domini, cum utraque haec ex uno atque eodem fonte procedant flumina Baptismatis dominici, ut omnis qui sitit veniat et bibat, sicut Scriptura dicit: Flumina de ventre ejus currebant aquae vivae (Joan. VII, 38). Quae flumina primum apparuerunt in Domini passione, cujus de latere perforato lancea militari sanguis et aqua manavit, ut emitteret duo flumina diversae speciei, sed tamen ejusdem ac singulare latus, ita ut impleatur Spiritu sancto quicumque credens biberit ex utroque flumine. Haec enim de fluminibus his loquens 1199C ostendebat Dominus significans Spiritum sanctum quem accepturi essent qui credituri erant in illum. Nondum autem erat Spiritus, quia Jesus nondum erat clarificatus (Ibid., 39). Igitur dicens quemadmodum generari potest Baptismi quod Apostolus unum esse praedicat, utique manifestum est illa ratione, quia diversae sunt species unius atque ejusdem Baptismatis ex uno vulnere profluentis in aquam et sanguinem; cum illic duo sint de quibus locuti sumus Baptismata aquae, id est unius atque ejusdem species, cum unum esse debeat Baptisma uniuscujusque species, sicut plenius sumus locuti.