Now herein, by that wondrous sacrifice, Elijah clearly proclaimed to us the sacramental rite of Baptism that should afterwards be instituted. For the fire was kindled by water thrice poured upon it, so that it is clearly shown that where the mystic water is, there is the kindling, warm, and fiery Spirit, that burns up the ungodly, and illuminates the faithful. Yes, and yet again his disciple Elisha, when Naaman the Syrian, who was diseased with leprosy, had come to him as a suppliant, cleanses the sick man by washing him in Jordan28    See 2 Kings v, clearly indicating what should come, both by the use of water generally, and by the dipping in the river in particular. For Jordan alone of rivers, receiving in itself the first-fruits of sanctification and benediction, conveyed in its channel to the whole world, as it were from some fount in the type afforded by itself, the grace of Baptism. These then are indications in deed and act of regeneration by Baptism.

Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Ἠλίας σαφῶς τὴν ἐς ὕστερον μέλλουσαν τελεῖσθαι τοῦ βαπτίσματος μυσταγωγίαν διὰ τῆς θαυμαστῆς ἐκείνης ἱερουργίας ἡμῖν προανεφώνησεν: ὕδατι γὰρ ἀνήφθη τὸ πῦρ τρίτον ἐπαντληθέντι ὥστε δηλοῦσθαι ὅτι, ὅπου ὕδωρ τὸ μυστικόν, ἐκεῖ καὶ πνεῦμα τὸ ζωπυροῦν τὸ θερμόν, τὸ πυροειδές, τὸ τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς καῖον καὶ τοὺς πιστοὺς φωτίζον. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ τούτου μαθητὴς Ἐλισαῖος ἐλθόντος πρὸς αὐτὸν ἱκέτου Ναιμὰν τοῦ Σύρου τοῦ τὴν λέπραν νοσήσαντος λούσας ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ καθαίρει τὸν ἄρρωστον καὶ τῇ γενικῇ χρήσει τοῦ ὕδατος καὶ τῷ ἰδικῷ τοῦ ποταμοῦ βαπτίσματι σαφῶς προϋποφαίνων τὸ μέλλον: μόνος γὰρ Ἰορδάνης ποταμῶν ἐν ἑαυτῷ δεξάμενος τοῦ ἁγιασμοῦ καὶ τῆς εὐλογίας τὴν ἀπαρχὴν ὥσπερ ἔκ τινος πηγῆς τοῦ ἰδίου τύπου τῷ κόσμῳ παντὶ τὴν τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἐπωχέτευσε χάριν. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐνεργὰ καὶ πρακτικὰ μηνύματα τῆς διὰ τοῦ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας.