Chapter 34 [XXIV.]—Baptism is Called Salvation, and the Eucharist, Life, by the Christians of Carthage.

The Christians of Carthage have an excellent name for the sacraments, when they say that baptism is nothing else than “salvation,” and the sacrament of the body of Christ nothing else than “life.” Whence, however, was this derived, but from that primitive, as I suppose, and apostolic tradition, by which the Churches of Christ maintain it to be an inherent principle, that without baptism and partaking of the supper of the Lord it is impossible for any man to attain either to the kingdom of God or to salvation and everlasting life? So much also does Scripture testify, according to the words which we already quoted. For wherein does their opinion, who designate baptism by the term salvation, differ from what is written: “He saved us by the washing of regeneration?”105    Tit. iii. 5. or from Peter’s statement: “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us?”106    1 Pet. iii. 21. And what else do they say who call the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper life, than that which is written: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven;”107    John vi. 51. and “The bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world;”108    John vi. 51. and “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye shall have no life in you?”109    John vi. 53. If, therefore, as so many and such divine witnesses agree, neither salvation nor eternal life can be hoped for by any man without baptism and the Lord’s body and blood, it is vain to promise these blessings to infants without them. Moreover, if it be only sins that separate man from salvation and eternal life, there is nothing else in infants which these sacraments can be the means of removing, but the guilt of sin,—respecting which guilty nature it is written, that “no one is clean, not even if his life be only that of a day.”110    Job xiv. 4. Whence also that exclamation of the Psalmist: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me!”111    Ps. li. 5. This is either said in the person of our common humanity, or if of himself only David speaks, it does not imply that he was born of fornication, but in lawful wedlock. We therefore ought not to doubt that even for infants yet to be baptized was that precious blood shed, which previous to its actual effusion was so given, and applied in the sacrament, that it was said, “This is my blood, which shall be shed for many for the remission of sins.”112    Matt. xxvi. 28. Now they who will not allow that they are under sin, deny that there is any liberation. For what is there that men are liberated from, if they are held to be bound by no bondage of sin?

CAPUT XXIV.

34. Baptismus salus, Eucharistia vita vocatur a Punicis Christianis. Optime Punici Christiani Baptismum ipsum nihil aliud quam salutem, et sacramentum corporis Christi, nihil aliud quam vitam vocant. Unde, nisi ex antiqua, ut existimo, et apostolica traditione, qua Ecclesiae Christi insitum tenent, praeter Baptismum et participationem mensae Dominicae, non solum ad regnum Dei , sed nec ad salutem et vitam aeternam posse quemquam hominum pervenire? Hoc enim et Scriptura testatur, secundum ea quae supra diximus. Nam quid aliud tenent, qui Baptismum nomine salutis appellant, nisi quod dictum est, Salvos nos fecit per lavacrum regenerationis (Tit. III, 5); et quod Petrus ait, Sic et vos simili forma Baptisma salvos facit (I Petr. III, 21)? Quid aliud etiam, qui sacramentum mensae Dominicae vitam 0129 vocant, nisi quod dictum est, Ego sum panis vivus, qui de coelo descendi; et, Panis quem ego dedero, caro mea est pro saeculi vita; et, Si non manducaveritis carnem Filii hominis et sanguinem biberitis, non habebitis vitam in vobis (Joan. VI, 51, 52, 54)? Si ergo ut tot et tanta divina testimonia concinunt, nec salus nec vita aeterna sine Baptismo et corpore et sanguine Domini cuiquam speranda est, frustra sine his promittitur parvulis. Porro si a salute ac vita aeterna hominem nisi peccata non separant, per haec Sacramenta nonnisi peccati reatus in parvulis solvitur: de quo reatu scriptum est, neminem esse mundum, nec si unius diei fuerit vita ejus (Job XIV, 4, sec. LXX). Unde est et illud in Psalmis: Ego enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, et in peccatis mater mea me in utero aluit (Psal. L, 7). Aut enim ex persona generali ipsius hominis dicitur, aut si proprie de se David hoc dicit, non utique de fornicatione, sed de legitimo connubio natus fuit. Non itaque dubitemus etiam pro infantibus baptizandis sanguinem fusum, qui priusquam funderetur, sic in Sacramento datus est et commendatus, ut diceretur, Hic est sanguis meus, qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum (Matth. XXVI, 28). Negant enim illos liberari, qui sub peccato esse nolunt fateri. Nam unde liberantur, si nulla servitute peccati tenentur obstricti?