[A Constitution How the Catechumens are to Be Blessed by the Priests in Their Initiation, and What Things are to Be Taught Them. ]
XL. And when it remains that the catechumen is to be baptized, let him learn what concerns the renunciation of the devil, and the joining himself with Christ; for it is fit that he should first abstain from things contrary, and then be admitted to the mysteries. He must beforehand purify his heart from all wickedness of disposition, from all spot and wrinkle, and then partake of the holy things; for as the skilfullest husbandman does first purge his ground of the thorns which are grown up therein, and does then sow his wheat, so ought you also to take away all impiety from them, and then to sow the seeds of piety in them, and vouchsafe them baptism. For even our Lord did in this manner exhort us, saying first, “Make disciples of all nations;” 187 Matt. xxviii. 19. and then He adds this, “and baptize them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Let, therefore, the candidate for baptism declare thus in his renunciation: 188 [Compare Justin Martyr, vol. i. p. 183, this series.] —
[40] Καὶ ὅταν ᾖ πρὸς αὐτὸ λοιπὸν τὸ βαπτισθῆναι ὁ κατηχηθείς, μανθανέτω τὰ περὶ τῆς ἀποταγῆς τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς συνταγῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ: δεῖ γὰρ αὐτὸν πρῶτον μὲν ἀποσχέσθαι τῶν ἐναντίων καὶ τότε ἐντὸς γενέσθαι τῶν μυστηρίων, προκαθάραντα ἑαυτοῦ τὴν καρδίαν πάσης κακονοίας σπίλου τε καὶ ῥυτίδος καὶ τότε τῶν ἁγίων μεταλαχεῖν. Ὡς γὰρ γεωργὸς ἄριστος ἐκκαθαίρει τὴν ἄρουραν πρότερον τῶν ὑπερφυουσῶν ἐν αὐτῇ ἀκανθῶν καὶ τότε σπείρει τὸν πυρόν, οὕτως δεῖ καὶ ὑμᾶς, πρότερον πᾶσαν ἀσέβειαν ἐξελόντας ἀπ' αὐτῶν, τότε τὴν εὐσέβειαν αὐτοῖς ἐγκαταβάλλεσθαι καὶ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἀξιῶσαι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν οὕτως ἡμῖν παρῄνεσεν εἰπών: »Μαθητεύσατε πρότερον πάντα τὰ ἔθνη«, καὶ τότε ἐπήγαγεν τὸ »Καὶ βαπτίσατε αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος.«