1b-Sacraments Baptism
<http://www.cin.org/users/jgallegos/contents.htm>
Infant Baptism
"And when a child has been born to one of them[ie Christians], they give thanks to God[ie baptism]; and if moreover it happen to die in childhood, they give thanks to God the more, as for one who as passed through the world without sins." Aristides,Apology,15(A.D. 140),in ANF,X:277-278 The Letter of Barnabas
"Regarding [baptism], we have the evidence of Scripture that Israel would refuse to accept the washing which confers the remission of sins and would set up a substitution of their own instead [Jeremiah 22:13; Isaiah 16:1 Letter of Barnabas 11:1
Hermas
"’I have heard, sir,’ said I, ’from some teacher, that there is no other repentance except that which took place when we went down into the water and obtained the remission of our former sins.’ He said to me, ’You have heard rightly, for so it is’" (The Shepherd 4:3:1) Ignatius of Antioch
"Let none of you turn deserter. Let your baptism be your armor; your faith, your helmet; your love, your spear; your patient endurance, your panoply" (Letter to Polycarp 6 [A.D. 110]).
Second Clement
"For, if we do the will of Christ, we shall find rest; but if otherwise, then nothing shall deliver us from eternal punishment, if we should disobey His commandments. . . . [W]ith what confidence shall we, if we keep not our baptism pure and undefiled, enter into the kingdom of God? Or who shall be our advocate, unless we be found having holy and righteous works?’ (Second Clement 6:7
"And many,both men and women, who have been Christ’s disciples from childhood, remain pure and at the age of sixtey or seventy years..." Justin Martyr,First Apology,15:6(A.D. 110-165),in ANF,I:167
"For He came to save all through means of Himself--all, I say, who through Him are born again to God--infants, and children, and boys, and youths, and old men." Irenaeus, Against Heresies,2,22:4 (A.D. 180),in ANF,I:391
"I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixy-five years in the Lord." Polycrates,Fragment in Eusebius’ Church History, V:24:7(A.D. 190),in NPNF2,I:242 Here Tertullian comments on his preference of delaying baptism in deference to the traditional practice of baptizing infants writes: "And so, according to the circumstances and disposition, and even age,of each individual, the delay of baptism is preferable; principally,however, in the case of little childrem."
Tertullian,On Baptism,18(A.D. 200/206),in ANF,III:678
"And they shall baptise the little children first. And if they can answer for themselves, let them answer. But if they cannot, let their parents answer or someone from their family." Hippolytus of Rome, Apostolic Tradition,21(c. A.D. 215), in AT,33 "[T]herefore children are also baptized." Origen,Homily on Luke,XIV(A.D. 233),in Jeremiah, 65 "For this reason, moreover, the Church received from theapostles the tradition of baptizing infantstoo."
Origen, Homily on Romans, V:9(A.D. 244),in Jeremiah,65
"Baptism is given for the remission of sins; and according to the usage of the Church, Baptism is given even to infants. And indeed if there were nothing in infants which required a remission of sins and nothing in them pertinent to forgiveness, the grace of baptism would seem superfluous." Origen, Homily on Leviticus,8:3(post A.D. 244),in JUR,I:208
"But in respect of the case of the infants, which you say ought not to be baptized within the second or third day after their birth, and that the law of ancient circumcision should be regarded, so that you think one who is just born should not be baptized and sanctified within the eighth day...And therefore, dearest brother, this was our opinion in council, that by us no one ought to be hindered from baptism...we think is to be even more observed in respect of infants and newly-born persons.." Cyprian,To Fidus, Epistle 58(64):2,6(A.D. 251),in ANF,5:353-354
"It shows no crease when infants put it on[ie the baptismal garment], it is not too scanty for young men, it fits women without alteration." Optatus of Mileve,Against Parmenium,5:10(A.D. 365),in Jeremiah, 94
"Have you an infant child? Do not let sin get any opportunity, but let him be sanctified from his childhood; from his very tenderest age let him be consecrated by the Spirit. Fearest thou the Seal on account of the weakness of nature?" Gregory Nazianzen,Oration on Holy Baptism,Matthew:17(A.D. 381),in NPNF2,7:365
"Be it so, some will say, in the case of those who ask for Baptism; what have you to say about those who are still children, and conscious neither of the loss nor of the grace? Are we to baptize them too? Certainly, if any danger presses. For it is better that they should be unconsciously sanctified than that they should depart unsealed and uninitaited."Gregory Nazianzen,Oration on Holy Baptism,Matthew:28(A.D. 381),in NPNF2,7:370
"We do baptize infants, although they are not guilty of any sins." Chrysostom John,Ad Neophytos,(A.D. 388),in LCF,169
" ’Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’ No one is expected: not the infant, not the one prevented by necessity." Ambrose,Abraham,2,11:79(A.D. 387),in JUR,2:169
"And if any one seek for divine authority in this matter, though what is held by the whole Church, and that not as instituted by Councils, but as a matter of invariable custom, is rightly held to have been handed down by apostolical authority, still we can form a true conjecture of the value of the sacrament of baptism in the case of infants,from the parallel of circumcision, which was received by God’s earlier people, and before receiving which Abraham was justified, as Cornelius also was enriched with the gift of the Holy Spirit before he was baptized." Augustine,On Baptism against the Donatist,4:24:31(A.D. 400),in NPNF1,IV:461
"While the son is a child and thinks as a child and until he comes to years of discretion to choose between the two roads to which the letter of Pythagoras points, his parents are responsible for his actions whether these be good or bad. But perhaps you imagine that, if they are not baptized, the children of Christians are liable for their own sins; and that no guilt attaches to parents who withhold from baptism those who by reason of their tender age can offer no objection to it. The truth is that, as baptism ensures the salvation of the child, this in turn brings advantage to the parents. Whether you would offer your child or not lay within your choice, but now that you have offered her, you neglect her at your peril."br> Jerome,To Laeta,Epistle 107:6(A.D. 403),in NPNF2,VI:191 "Now, seeing that they [Pelagians] admit the necessity of baptizing infants,--finding themselves unable to contravene that authority of the universal Church, which has been unquestionably handed down by the Lord and His apostles,--they cannot avoid the further concession, that infants require the same benefits of the Mediator, in order that, being washed by the sacrament and charity of the faithful, and thereby incorporated into the body of Christ, which is the Church, they may be reconciled to God, and so live in Him, and be saved, and delivered, and redeemed, and enlightened. But from what, if not from death, and the vices, and guilt, and thraldom, and darkness of sin? And, inasmuch as they do not commit any sin in the tender age of infancy by their actual transgression, original sin only is left."Augustine,On forgiveness of sin, and baptism,39[26](A.D. 412),in NPNF1,V:30
"The blessed Cyprian, indeed, said, in order to correct those who thought that an infant should not be baptized before the eighth day, that it was not the body but the soul which behoved to be saved from perdition -- in which statement he was not inventing any new doctrine, but preserving the firmly established faith of the Church; and he, along with some of his colleagues in the episcopal office, held that a child may be properly baptized immediately after its birth" Augustine,Epistle 166:8:23(A.D. 412),in NPNF1,I:531
" ’C. Tell me, pray, and rid me of all doubts, why little children are baptized.? A. That their sins may be forgiven them in baptism." Jerome,Against the Pelagians,3:18(A.D. 415),in NPNF2,VI:482
"Likewise, whosoever says that those children who depart out of this life without partaking of that sacrament shall be made alive in Christ, certainly contradicts the apostolic declaration, and condemns the universal Church,in which it is the practice to lose no time and run in haste to administer baptism to infant children, because it is believed, as an indubitable truth, that otherwise they cannot be made alive in Christ."
Augustine,Epistle 167,7,21(A.D. 415),in NPNF1,I:530
"Canon 2. Likewise it has been decided that whoever says that infants fresh from their mothers’ wombs ought not to be baptized....let him be anathema."Council of Carthage,Canon 2,(A.D. 418),in Denzinger 101
"Concerning the Donatists it seemed good that we should hold counsel with our brethren and fellow priests Siricius and Simplician concerning those infants alone who are baptized by Donatists: lest what they did not do of their own will, when they should be converted to the Church of God with a salutary determination, the error of their parents might prevent their promotion to the ministry of the holy altar." African Code, Canon 47/51(A.D. 419), in NPNF2,XIV:463
"Believest thou this?...when a newborn child is brought forward to receive the anointing of initiation, or rather of consumation through holy baptism." Cyril of Alexandria,Commentary on John 7:1-53(A.D. 428),in Jeremiah,95 "QUESTION XIX. Concerning those who after being baptized in infancy were captured by the Gentiles, and lived with them after the manner of the Gentiles, when they come back to Roman territory as still young men, if they seek communion, what shall be done? REPLY. If they have only lived with Gentiles and eaten sacrificial food, they can be purged by fasting and laying on of hands, in order that for the future abstaining from things offered to idols, they may be partakers of Christ’s mysteries. But if they have either worshipped idols or been polluted with manslaughter or fornication, they must not be admitted to communion, except by public penance." Pope Leo the Great[regn A.D. 440-461],To Rusticus,Epistle 167(A.D. 459),in NPNF2,XII:112
"But with respect to triune immersion in baptism, no truer answer can be given than what you have yourself felt to be right; namely that, where there is one faith, a diversity of usage does no harm to holy Church. Now we, in immersing thrice, signify the sacraments of the three days’ sepulture; so that, when the infant is a third time lifted out of the water, the resurrection after a space of three days may be expressed." Gregory the Great[regn A.D. 590-604],To Leander,Epistle 43(A.D. 591),in NPNF2,XII:88 This text may downloaded and viewed for private reading only. This text may not be used by another Web site or published, electronically or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Joseph A. Gallegos © 1997-2001 All Rights Reserved.
Born Again
"For Christ also said, ’Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ Now, that it is impossible for those who have once been born to enter into their mothers’ wombs, is manifest to all. And how those who have sinned and repent shall escape their sins, is declared by Esaias the prophet, as I wrote above; he thus speaks: ’Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from your souls; learn to do well; judge the fatherless, and plead for the widow: and come and let us reason together, saith the Lord. And though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white like wool; and though they be as crimson, I will make them white as snow. But if ye refuse and rebel, the sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.’ And for this [rite] we have learned from the apostles this reason. Since at our birth we were born without our own knowledge or choice, by our parents coming together, and were brought up in bad habits and wicked training; in order that we not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed, there is pronounced over him who chooses to be born again, and has repented of his sins, the name of
God the Father and Lord of the universe; he who leads to the layer the person that is to be washed calling him by this name alone. For no one can utter the name of the ineffable God; and if any one dare to say that there is a name, he raves with a hopeless madness. And this washing is called illumination, because they who learn these things are illuminated in their understandings. And in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under
Pontius Pilate, and in the name of the Holy Ghost, who through the prophets foretold all things about Jesus, he who is illuminated is washed." Justin Martyr,First Apology,61(A.D. 110-165),in ANF,I:183
" ’And dipped himself,’ says [the Scripture], ’seven times in Jordan.’ It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but [it served] as an indication to us. For as we are lepers in sin, we are made clean, by means of the sacred water and the invocation of the Lord, from our old transgressions; being spiritually regenerated as new-born babes, even as the Lord has declared: ’Except a man be born again through water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ " Irenaeus,Fragment,34(A.D. 190),in ANF,I:574
"Moreover, the things proceeding from the waters were blessed by God, that this also might be a sign of men’s being destined to receive repentance and remission of sins, through the water and laver of regeneration,--as many as come to the truth, and are born again, and receive blessing from God."Theopilus of Antioch,To Autolycus,2:16(A.D. 181),in ANF,II:101
" When, however, the prescript is laid down that ’without baptism, salvation is attainable by none" (chiefly on the ground of that declaration of the Lord, who says, "Unless one be born of water, he hath not life’ "
Tertullian,On Baptism,12:1(A.D. 203),in ANF,III:674-675 "But give me now your best attention, I pray you, for I wish to go back to the fountain of life, and to view the fountain that gushes with healing. The Father of immortality sent the immortal Son and Word into the world, who came to man in order to wash him with water and the Spirit; and He, begetting us again to incorruption of soul and body, breathed into us the breath (spirit) of life, and endued us with an incorruptible panoply. If therefore, man has become immortal, he will also be God. And if he is made God by water and the Holy Spirit the regeneration of the layer he is found to be also joint-heir with Christ after the resurrection from the dead. Wherefore I preach to this effect: Come, all ye kindreds of the nations, to the immortality of the baptism." Hippolytus of Rome,Discourse on the Holy Theophany,8(A.D. 217),in ANF,V:237 "But you will perhaps say, What does the, baptism of water contribute towards the worship of God? In the first place, because that which hath pleased God is fulfilled. In the second place, because, when yon are regenerated born again of water and of God, the frailty of your former birth, which you have through men, is cut off, and so length you shall be able to attain salvation; hut otherwise it is impossible. For thus hath the true prophet testified to its with an oath: ’Verily I say to you, That unless a man is born again of water, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Therefore make haste; for there is in these waters a certain power of mercy which was borne upon them at the beginning, and acknowledges those who are baptized under the name of the threefold sacrament, and rescues them from future punishments, presenting as a gift to God the souls that are consecrated by baptism. Betake yourselves therefore to these waters, for they alone can quench the violence of the future fire; and he who delays to approach to them, it is evident that the idol of unbelief remains in him, and by it be is prevented from hastening to the waters which confer salvation. For whether you righteous or unrighteous, baptism is necessary for you in every respect: for the righteous, that perfection may be accomplished in him, and he may be born again to God; for the unrighteous, that pardon may he vouchsafed him of the sins which he has committed in ignorance. Therefore all should hasten to he born again to God without delay, because the end of every one’s life is uncertain." Recognitions of Clement,6:9(A.D. 221),in ANF,VIII:155
" ’But perhaps some one will say, What does it contribute to piety to be baptized with water? In the first place, because you do that which is pleasing to God; and in the second place, being born again to God of water, by reason of fear you change your first generation, which is of lust, and thus you are able to obtain salvation. But otherwise it is impossible. For thus the prophet has sworn to us, saying, ’Verily I say to you, Unless ye be regenerated living water into the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Wherefore approach. For there is there something that is merciful from the beginning, home upon the water, and rescues from the future punishment those who are baptized with the thrice blessed invocation, offering as gifts to God the good deeds of the baptized whenever they are done after their baptism. Wherefore flee to the waters, for this alone can quench the violence of fires. He who will not now come to it still bears the spirit of strife, on account of which he will not approach the living water for his own salvation."
Pseudo-Clementines,Homily 11:26(A.D. 221),in ANF,VIII:290
"The Church received from the Apostles the tradition of giving Baptism even to infants. For the Apostles, to whom were committed the secrets of divine mysteries,knew that there is in everyone the innate stains of sins, which must be washed away through water and the Spirit." Origen,Commentary on Romans,5:9(A.D. 244),in JUR,I:209
"[W]hen they come to us and to the Church which is one, ought to be baptized, for the reason that it is a small matter to ’lay hands on them that they may receive the Holy Ghost,’ unless they receive also the baptism of the Church. For then finally can they be fully sanctified, and be the sons of God, if they be born of each sacrament; since it is written, ’Except a man be born again of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’...[O]nly baptism of the holy Church, by divine regeneration, for the kingdom of God, may be born of both sacraments, because it is written, ’Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’ " Cyprian,To Stephen,71:72(A.D. 253),in ANF,V:378,385
"And in the Gospel our Lord Jesus Christ spoke with His divine voice, saying, "Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."[8] This is the Spirit which from the beginning was borne over the waters; for neither can the Spirit operate without the water, nor the water without the Spirit...Unless therefore they receive saving baptism in the Catholic Church, which is one, they cannot be saved, but will be condemned with the carnal in the judgment of the Lord Christ." Council of Carthage VII(A.D. 258),in ANF,V:566
" ’But you will perhaps say, What does the, baptism of water contribute towards the worship of God? In the first place, because that which hath pleased God is fulfilled. In the second place, because, when yon are regenerated and born again of water and of God, the frailty of your former birth, which you have through men, is cut off, and so at length you shall be able to attain salvation; hut otherwise it is impossible. For thus hath the true prophet testified to its with an oath: ’Verily I say to you, That unless a man is born again of water, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Therefore make haste; for there is in these waters a certain power of mercy which was borne upon them at the beginning, and acknowledges those who are baptized under the name of the threefold sacrament, and rescues them from future punishments, presenting as a gift to God the souls that are consecrated by baptism. Betake yourselves therefore to these waters, for they alone can quench the violence of the future fire; and he who delays to approach to them, it is evident that the idol of unbelief remains in him, and by it be is prevented from hastening to the waters which confer salvation. For whether you be righteous or unrighteous, baptism is necessary for you in every respect: for the righteous, that perfection may be accomplished in him, and he may be born again to God; for the unrighteous, that pardon may he vouchsafed him of the sins which he has committed in ignorance. Therefore all should hasten to he horn again to God without delay, because the end of every one’s life is uncertain." Lactantius,Divine Institutes,5:19(A.D. 310),in ANF,VII:155
"We are circumcised not with a fleshly circumcision but with the circumcision of Christ, that is, we are born again into a new man; for, being buried with Him in His baptism, we must die to the old man, because the regeneration of baptism has the force of resurrection." Hilary of Poitiers,Trinity,9:9(A.D. 359),in NPNF2,IX:158
"And with reason; for as we are all from earth and die in Adam, so being regenerated from above of water and Spirit, in the Christ we are all quickened" Athanasius,Discourse Against the Arians,III:33(A.D. 360),in NPNF2,IV:412 "The baptized when they come up are sanctified;--the sealed when they go down are pardoned.---They who come up have put on glory;--they who go down have cast off sin." Ephraim Syrus,Hymns for the Feast of the Epiphany,6:9(ante A.D. 373),in NPNF2,XIII:273-274
"And in what way are we saved? Plainly because we were regenerate through the grace given in our baptism." Basil,On the Spirit,10:26(A.D. 375),in NPNF2,VIII:17 "This then is what it is to be born again of water and of the Spirit, the being made dead being effected in the water, while our life is wrought in us through the Spirit. In three immersions, then, and with three invocations, the great mystery of baptism is performed, to the end that the type of death may be fully figured, and that by the tradition of the divine knowledge the baptized may have their souls enlightened. It follows that if there is any grace in the water, it is not of the nature of the water, but of the presence of the Spirit." Basil,On the Spirit,15:35(A.D. 375),in NPNF2,VIII:22
"[T]he birth by water and the Spirit, Himself led the way in this birth, drawing down upon the water, by His own baptism, the Holy Spirit; so that in all things He became the first-born of those who are spiritually born again, and gave the name of brethren to those who partook in a birth to His own by water and the Spirit."
Gregory of Nyssa,Against Eunomius,2:8(A.D. 382),in NPNF2,V:112
"For if no one can enter into the kingdom of Heaven except he be regenerate through water and the Spirit, and he who does not eat the flesh of the Lord and drink His blood is excluded from eternal life, and if all these things are accomplished only by means of those holy hands, I mean the hands of the priest, how will any one, without these, be able to escape the fire of hell, or to win those crowns which are reserved for the victorious? These verily are they who are entrusted with the pangs of spiritual travail and the birth which comes through baptism: by their means we put on Christ, and are buriedwith the Son of God, and become members of that blessed Head." John Chrysostom,On the Priesthood,3:5-6(A.D. 387),in ,IX:47 "The Word recognizes three Births for us; namely, the natural birth, that of Baptism, and that of the Resurrection...Gregory of Nazianzen,Oration on Holy Baptism,I(A.D. 388),in VII:360 "And that the writer was speaking of baptism is evident from the very words in which it is stated that it is impossible to renew unto repentance those who were fallen, inasmuch as we are renewed by means of the laver of baptism, whereby we are born again, as Paul says himself: ’For we are buried with Him through baptism into death, that, like as Christ rose from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we, too, should walk in newness of life.’ " Ambrose,Concerning Repentance,2:8(A.D. 390),in NPNF2,XI:346
"Therefore read that the three witnesses in baptism, the water, the blood, and the Spirit, are one, for if you take away one of these, the Sacrament of Baptism does not exist. For what is water without the cross of Christ? A common element, without any sacramental effect. Nor, again, is there the Sacrament of Regeneration without water: ’For except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’ " Ambrose,On the Mysteries,4:20(A.D. 391),in NPNF2,XI:319
"Baptism, then, is a purification from sins, a remission of trespasses, a cause of rennovation and regeneration...Let us however, if it seems well, persevere in enquiring more fully and more minutely concerning Baptism, starting, as from the fountain-head, from the Scriptural declaration, ’Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’ Why are both named, and why is not the Spirit alone accounted sufficient for the completion of Baptism? Man, as we know full well, is compound, not simple: and therefore the cognate and similar medicines are assigned for healing to him who is twofold and conglomerate:--for his visible body, water, the sensible element,--for his soul, which we cannot see, the Spirit invisible, invoked by faith, present unspeakably. For ’the Spirit breathes where He wills, and thou hearest His voice, but canst not tell whence He cometh or whither He goeth.’ He blesses the body that is baptized, and the water that baptizes. Despise not, therefore, the Divine laver, nor think lightly of it, as a common thing, on account of the use of water. For the power that operates is mighty, and wonderful are the things that are wrought thereby. For this holy altar, too, by which I stand, is stone, ordinary in its nature, nowise different from the other slabs of stone that build our houses and adorn our pavements; but seeing that it was consecrated to the service of God, and received the benediction, it is a holy table, an altar undefiled, no longer touched by the hands of all, but of the priests alone, and that with reverence. Gregory of Nyssa,On the Baptism of Christ(ante A.D. 394),in NPNF2,V:512 “Time would fail me were I to try to lay before you in order all the passages in the Holy Scriptures which relate to the efficacy of baptism or to explain the mysterious doctrine of that second birth which though it is our second is yet our first in Christ.” Jerome,To Oceanus,69:7(A.D. 397),in NPNF2,VI:140
“Be ye likewise contented with one baptism alone, that which is into the death of the Lord...For the Lord says: ‘Except a man be baptized of water and of the Spirit, he shall by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ And again: ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.’ “ Apostolic Constitutions, 6:3:15(A.D. 400),in ANF,VII:456-457
“Weep for the unbelievers; weep for those who differ in nowise from them, those who depart hence without the illumination[ie. baptism], without the seal! they indeed our wailing, they deserve our groans; they are outside the Palace, with the culprits, with the condemned: for, ‘Verily I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.’ Mourn for those who have died in wealth, and did not from their wealth think of any solace for their soul, had power to wash away their sins and would not.” John Chrysostom,Homily on Phillipians,3:24(A.D. 404),in NPNF1,XIII:197
“It is this one Spirit who makes it possible for an infant to regenerated through the agency of another’s will when that infant is brought to Baptism; and it is through this one Spirit that the infant so presented is reborn...’Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit.’ The water, therefore, manifesting exteriorly the sacrament of grace, and the Spirit effecting interiorly the benefit of grace, both regenerate in one Christ that man who was in one Adam.” Augustine,To Boniface,Epistle 98:2(A.D. 408),in JUR,III:4
“No sooner do they rise from the baptismal font, and by being born again and incorporated into our Lord and Saviour.” Jerome,Against the Pelagians,III:15(A.D. 415),in ,VI:480
“For whatever unbaptized persons die confessing Christ, this confession is of the same efficacy for the remission of sins as if they were washed in the sacred font of baptism. For He who said, ‘Except a man be born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,’ made also an exception in their favor, in that other sentence where He no less absolutely said, “Whosoever shall me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven;’ “ ,City of God,13:7(A.D. 419),in NPNF1,I:248 “But the sacrament of baptism is undoubtedly the sacrament of regenation: Wherefore, as the man who has never lived cannot die, and he who has never died cannot rise again, so he who has never been born cannot be born again. From which the conclusion arises, that no one who has not been born could possibly have been born again in his father. Born again, however, a man must be, after he has been born; because, ‘Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’ Even an infant, therefore, must be imbued with the sacrament of regeneration, lest without it his would be an unhappy exit out of this life; and this baptism is not administered except for the remission of sins. And so much does Christ show us in this very passage; for when asked, How could such things? He reminded His questioner of what Moses did when he lifted up the serpent. Inasmuch, then, as infants are by the sacrament of baptism conformed to the death of Christ, it must be admitted that they are also freed from theserpent’s poisonous bite, unless we wilfully wander from the rule of the Christian faith. This bite, however, they did not receive in their own actual life, but in him on whom the wound was primarily inflicted.” Augustine,On Forgiveness of sin, and baptism,43:27(A.D. 412),in NPNF1,V:62
“Moreover, from the time when He said, ‘Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven;’ and again, ‘He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it; ‘ no one becomes a member of Christ except it be either by baptism in Christ, or death for Christ.” Augustine,On the Soul and its Origin,1:10:9(A.D. 419),in NPNF1,V:319
“One generation and another generation; the generation by which we are made the faithful, and are born again by baptism; the generation by which we shall rise again from the dead, and shall live with the Angels for ever.”
Augustine,Psalms,135:11(A.D. 433),in NPNF1,VIII:626 “And each one is a partaker of this spiritual origin in regeneration; and to every one when he is re-born, the water of baptism is like the Virgin’s womb; for the sameHoly Spirit fills the font, Who filled the Virgin, that the sin, which that sacred conception overthrew, may be taken away by this mystical washing.” Leo the Great(regn. A.D. 440-461),Sermon 24:3(ante .D. 461),in NPNF2,XII:135
“From that time when the Saviour said to us: ‘If any man is not born again from water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God’,without the sacrament of baptism-apart from those who without baptism in the Catholic Church shd their blood for Christ-no one can receive the Kingdom of God or eternal life.” Fulgentius,On Faith,3(A.D. 524),in TCF,85
“The baptism then into Christ means that believers are baptized into Him...And He laid on us the command to be born again of water and of the Spirit, through prayer and invocation, the Holy Spirit drawing nigh unto the water. For since man’s nature is twofold, consisting of soul and body, He bestowed on us a twofold purification, of water and of the Spirit the Spirit renewing that part in us which is after His image and likeness, and the water by the grace of the Spirit cleansing the body from sin and delivering it from corruption, the water indeed expressing the image of death, but the Spirit affording the earnest of life.” John of Damascus,Orthodox Faith,9(A.D. 743),in NPNF2,X:73 This text may downloaded and viewed for private reading only. This text may not be used by another Web site or published, electronically or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Joseph A. Gallegos © 1999 All Rights Reserved.
Triune Baptism
“And concerning baptism, thus baptize ye: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living water. But if thou have not living water, baptize into other water; and if thou canst not in cold, in warm. But if thou have noteither, pour out water thrice upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. But before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whatever otherscan; but thou shalt order the baptized to fast one or two days before.”
Didache,7(c.A.D. 140),in ANF,VII:379 “ I will also relate the manner in which we dedicated ourselves to God when we had been made new through
Christ; lest, if we omit this, we seem to be unfair in the explanation we are making. As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their sins are past, we praying and fasting with them. Then they are brought by us where there is water, and areregenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Fatherand Lord of the universe, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. For Christ also said, ‘Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ Now, that it is impossible for those who have once been born to enteri nto their mothers’ wombs, is manifest to all. And how those who have sinned and repent shall escape their sins, is declared by Esaias the prophet, as I wrote above; he thus speaks: ‘Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from your souls; learn to do well; judge the fatherless, and plead for the widow: and come and let us reason together, saith the Lord. And though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white like wool; and though they be as crimson, I will make them white as snow. But if ye refuse and rebel, the sword shall devour you: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.’ And for this [rite] we have learned from the apostles this reason. Since at our birth we were born without our own knowledge or choice, by our parents coming together, and were brought up in bad habits and wicked training; in order that we may not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly , there is pronounced over him who chooses to be born again, and has repented of his sins, the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe; he who leads to the layer the person that is to be washed calling him by this name alone. For no one can utter the name of the ineffable God; and if any one dare to say that there is a name, he raves with a hopeless madness. And this washing is called illumination, because they who learn these things are illuminated in their understandings. And in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and in the name of the Holy Ghost, who through the prophets foretold all things about Jesus, he who is illuminated is washed.” Justin Martyr,First Apology,61(A.D. 155),in ANF,I:183
“Go now into all the world, and preach my gospel in all the creation; and teach all the peoples, and baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; and teach them to keep all whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you all the days, unto the end of the world. For whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but whosoever believeth not shall be rejected.”, The Diatessaron,55(A.D. 170),in ANF,X:128
“We have received baptism...for the remission of sins in the name of God the Father, and in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, Who was incarnate and died and rose again, and in the Holy Spirit of God.”
Irenaeus,Presentation of the Apostolic Preaching,41(A.D. 190),in ECD,195
“For the law of baptizing has been imposed, and the formula prescribed: ‘Go,’ He saith, ‘teach the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ The comparison with this law of that definition, ‘Unless a man have been reborn of water and Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens,’ has tied faith to thenecessity of baptism.” Tertullian,On Baptism,13(A.D. 200),in ANF,III:676
“To deal with this matter briefly, I shall begin with baptism. When we are going to enter the water, but a little, in the presence of the congregation and under the hand of the president, we solemnly profess that we disown the devil, and his pomp, and his angels. Hereupon we are thrice immersed, making a somewhat ampler than the Lord has appointed in the Gospel.” Tertullian,The Crown,3(A.D. 211),in ANF,III:94 “After His resurrection He promises in a pledge to His disciples that He will send them the promise of His
Father; and lastly, He commands them to baptize into the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, not into a unipersonal God. And indeed it is not once only, but three times, that we are immersed into the Three Persons, at each several mention of Their names.” Tertullian,Against Praxeas(Modalist/Oneness heretic),26(A.D. 216),in ANF,III:623
“And when he who is to be baptised goes down to the water, let him who baptised lay hand on him saying thus: Dost thou believe in God Almighty? And he who is being baptised shall say: I believe. Let him forthwith baptise him once ... Dost thou believe in Christ Jesus, the Son of God ... And when he says: I believe, let him baptise him the second time ... Dost thou believe in the Holy Spirit in the Holy Church ... And he who is being baptised shall say: I believe. And so let him baptise him the third time.” Hippolytus,Apostolic Tradition,21(A.D. 215),in
AT,36-37 “[W]hy, when the Lord Himself told His disciples that they should baptize all peoples in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, does this Apostle employ the name of Christ alone in Baptism, saying, ‘We who have been baptized in Christ;’ for indeed, legitimate Baptism is had only in the name of the Trinity.”
Origen, Commentary on Romans,5:8(A.D. 244),in JUR,I:209
“Then Probus arising from the ground fell again upon the couch, and arising early he came to Paul, and finding him baptising many in the name of the life-giving Trinity, he said, My lord Paul, if only I were worthy to receive baptism, behold the hour. Paul said to him, Son, behold the water is ready for the cleansing of those that come to Christ. Therefore immediately taking, off his garments, and Paul laying hold of him, he leapt into the water, saying, Jesus Christ, son of God, and everlasting God, let all my sins be taken away by this water. And Paul said, We baptise thee in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost.” The Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena,21(A.D. 250),in ANF,X:211
“Finally, when, after the resurrection, the apostles are sent by the Lord to the heathens, they are bidden to baptize the Gentiles “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” How, then, do some say, that a Gentile baptized without, outside the Church, yea, and in opposition to the Church, so that it be only in the name of Jesus Christ, everywhere, and in whatever manner, can obtain remission of sin, when Christ Himself commands the heathen to be baptized in the full and united Trinity?” Cyprian,To Jubaianus,Epistle 72(73):18(A.D. 256),in ANF,IV:383
“[T]he simple water having received the invocation of the Holy Ghost, and of Christ, and of the Father, acquires a new power of holiness” Cyril of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,3:3(A.D. 350),in NPNF2,VII:15
“After these things, ye were led to the holy pool of Divine Baptism, as Christ was carried from the Cross to the Sepulchre which is before our eyes And each of you was asked, whether he believed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and ye made that saving confession, and descended three times into the water, and ascended again; here also hinting by a symbol at the three days burial of Christ. For as our Saviour passed three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, so you also in your first ascent out of the water, represented the first day of Christ in the earth, and by your descent, the night; for as he who is in the night, no longer sees, but he who is in the day, remains in the light, so in the descent, as in the night, ye saw nothing, but in ascending again ye were as in the day. And at the self-same moment ye were both dying and being born; and that Water of salvation was at once your grave and your mother. And what Solomon spoke of others will suit you also; for he said, in that case, There is a time to bear and a time to die; but to you, in the reverse order, there was a time to die and a time to be born; and one and the same time effected both of these, and your birth went hand in hand with your death.” of Jerusalem,Catechetical Lectures,20:4(A.D. 350),in NPNF2,VII:147-148 “Thus, after the present first book, the second expounds the mystery of the Divine birth, that those who shall be baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost may know the true Names, and not be perplexed about their sense but accurately informed as to fact and meaning, and so receive full assurance that in the words which are used they have the true Names, and that those Names involve the truth.”
Hilary of Poitiers,The Trinity,1:21(A.D. 359),in NPNF2,IX:46
“For as the faith in the Triad, which has been delivered to us, joins us to God; and as he who takes anything away from the Triad, and is baptized in the name of the Father alone, or in the name of the Son alone, or in the Father and the Son without the Holy Spirit, receives nothing...for the rite of initiation is in the Triad...For as baptism, which is given in the Father, Son , and Holy Spirit, is one; and as there is one faith in the Triad.”Athanasius,To Serapion of Thmuis,1:30(A.D. 360),in SHA,139-140
“For if our Lord, when enjoining the baptism of salvation, charged His disciples to baptize all nations in the name ‘of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,’ not fellowship with Him, and these men allege that we must not rank Him with the Father and the Son, is it not clear that they openly withstand the commandment of God? If they deny that coordination of this kind is declaratory of any fellowship and conjunction, let them tell us why it behoves us to hold this opinion, and what more intimate mode of conjunction they have. If the Lord did not indeed conjoin the Spirit with the Father anti Himself in baptism, do not let them lay the blame of conjunction upon us, for we neither hold nor say anything different. If on the contrary the Spirit is there conjoined with the Father and the Son, and no one is so shameless as to say anything else, then let them not lay blame on us for following the words of Scripture.” Basil,On the Holy Spirit,10:24(A.D. 375),in NPNF2,VIII:16
“We have made profession of our faith in Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and we are baptized in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” Basil,Epistle 226:3(A.D. 375),in NPNF2,VIII:269
“That there is one Spirit, all holy, grace witnesseth, because there is one Baptism, in the Name of the Trinity.”
Ambrose,On the Christian Faith,1:4(A.D. 379),in NPNF2,X:205
“Notice, also, that the appearance of the mystery three times repeated expressed the operation of the Trinity. And so in the mysteries the threefold question is put, and the threefold answer made, and no one can be cleansed but by a threefold confession. For which reason, also, Peter in the Gospel is asked three times whether he loves the Lord, that by the threefold answer the bonds of the guilt he had contracted by denying the Lord might be loosed.”Ambrose,Of the Holy Spirit,2:105(A.D. 381),in NPNF2,X:128
“Now, even the catechumen believes in the cross of the Lord Jesus, where with he too is signed; but unless he be baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, he cannot receive remission of sins nor gain the gift of spiritual grace.” Ambrose,On the Mysteries,4:20(A.D. 391),in NPNF2,X:319
“Therefore, in the case of baptism also the Trinity is included. The Father is able to effect the whole, as is the
Son, and the Holy Ghost; yet, since concerning the Father no man doubts, but the doubt was concerning the Son, and the Holy Ghost, They are included in the rite, that by Their community in supplying those unspeakable blessings, we may also fully learn Their community in dignity.” John Chrysostom,Homilies on John,78:3(A.D. 391),in NPNF2,XIV:289 “I will baptize you and make you a disciple in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; and These Three have One common name, the Godhead.” Gregory of Nazianzen,Oration on Holy Baptism,Matthew:45(A.D. 380),in NPNF2,VII:376
“For seeing that a man, baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, becomes a temple of the Lord, and that while the old abode is destroyed a new shrine is built for the Trinity, how can you say that sins can be remitted among the Arians without the coming of the Holy Ghost?” Jerome,Against the Luciferians,6(A.D. 382),in NPNF2,VI:322 “[W]e are baptized only in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit and not in the names of archangels or angels...” Pope Damasus[regn A.D. 366-384],Council of Rome,24(A.D. 382),in DEN,32
“And we in receiving Baptism, in imitation of our Lord and Teacher and Guide, are not indeed buried in the earth (for this is the shelter of the body that is entirely dead, covering the infirmity and decay of our nature), but coming to the element akin to earth, to water, we conceal ourselves in that as the Saviour did in the earth: and by doing this thrice we represent for ourselves that grace of the Resurrection which was wrought in three days: and this we do, not receiving the sacrament in silence, but while there are spoken over us the Names of the Three Sacred Persons on Whom we believed, in Whom we also hope, from Whom comes to us both the fact of our present and the fact of our future existence. It may be thou art offended, thou who contendest boldly against the glory of the Spirit, and that thou grudgest to the Spirit that veneration wherewith He is reverenced by the godly. Leave off contending with me: resist, if thou canst, those words of the Lord which gave to men the rule of the Baptismal invocation. What says the Lord’s command? ‘Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.’ “ Gregory of Nyssa,On the Baptism of Christ(A.D. 383),in NPNF2,V:520
“He said, ‘teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.’ Since, then, in the case of those who are regenerate from death to eternal life, it is through the Holy Trinity that the life-giving power is bestowed on those who with faith are deemed worthy of the grace, and in like manner the grace is imperfect, if any one, whichever it be, of the names of the Holy Trinity be omitted in the saving baptism-for the sacrament of regeneration is not completed in the Son and the Father alone without the Spirit: nor is the perfect boon of life imparted to Baptism in the Father and the Spirit, if the name of the Son be suppressed: nor is the grace of that Resurrection accomplished in the Father and the Son, if the Spirit be left out.”
Gregory of Nyssa,To the City of Sebasteia,Epistle 2(ante A.D. 394),in NPNF2,V:528 “To this we answer, That all who are baptized with the baptism that is consecrated in the words of the gospel have the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost in the sacrament alone; but that in heart and in life neither do those have them who live an abandoned and accursed life within.” Augustine,On Baptism-Against the Donatists,6:29(A.D. 400),in NPNF1,IV:488
“Clearly, if the baptism is not consecrated in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, it should be considered to be of the heretics, and repudiated as unrighteous by us with all solemnity of witness; but if we discern this name in it, we do better to distinguish the words of the gospel from heretical error, and approve what is sound in them, correcting what is faulty.” Augustine,On Baptism-Against the Donatists,6:29(A.D. 400),in NPNF1,IV:495
“Augustin answered: Baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost has Christ for its authority, not any man, whoever he may be; and Christ is the truth, not any man.” Augustine,Letters of Petillian-The Donatist,2:57(A.D. 403),in NPNF1,IV:545 “AUGUSTIN answered: certainly you had proposed thoroughly to investigate the baptism in the name of the Trinity.” Augustine,Letters of Petillian-The Donatist,2:57(A.D. 403),in NPNF1,IV:550
“O Lord our God, we believe in Thee, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. For the Truth would not say, Go, baptize all nations in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, unless Thou wast a Trinity.” Augustine,On the Trinity,15:28/51(A.D. 408),in NPNF1,III:227
“[T]he Church that preaches that the Trinity is one and the same nature, because these three, who were signified in the three ways, are one. But the Church that preaches them is the body of Christ. Thus the three things by which they were signified came forth from the body of the Lord, just as we heard from the body of the Lord that the nations should be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. In hte name, not, ‘In the names’;for these three are one, and these three are one God. If the depth of this great mystery which we read in the Letter of John can be explained and understood in some other way in accord with the Catholic faith, that neither confuses nor divides the Trinity, neither denies the persons, nor believes they are different substances, we should on no account reject it.” Augustine,Answer to Maximinus the Arian,2:22:3(A.D. 412),in AAOH,308
“Paulianists do not at all baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and the Novatians do not baptize in the same tremendous and venerable names, and among them the question has not ever been raised concerning the unity of the divine power, that is of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Pope Innocent[regn 401-417],To Rufus, Epistle 17(A.D. 414),in DEN,42
“And what need is there of many words, when it is possible to refute falsehood in few? We provide that those who year by year come up for holy baptism should carefully learn the faith set forth at Nicaea by the holy and blessed Fathers; and initiating them as we have been bidden, we baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, pronouncing each name singly.” Theodoret of Cyrus,To the Monks of Constantinople,Epistle 145(A.D. 444),in NPNF2,III:313
“[T]he evangelical precept ... handed down warns us to give each one holy baptism in the name of the Trinity.” Pope Pelagius[regn A.D. 556-561],To Gaudentius(A.D. 560),in DEN,91 the Fathers that whosoever among heretics are baptized in the name of the Trinity, when they return to holy
Church, may be recalled to the bosom of mother Church either by unction of chrism, or by imposition of hands, or by prefession of the faith only.” Pope Gregory the Great[regn A.D. 590-604],To Quiricus,Epistle 67(A.D. 601),in NPNF2,XIII:83
“We confess one baptism for the remission of sins and for life eternal. For baptism declares the Lord’s death. We are indeed ‘buried with the Lord through baptism,’ as saith the divine Apostle. So then, as our Lord died once for all, we also must be baptized once for all, and baptized according to the Word of the Lord, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, being taught the confession in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” John Damascene,Orthodox Faith,9(A.D. 743),in NPNF2,IX:76 This text may downloaded and viewed for private reading only. This text may not be used by another Web site or published, electronically or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Joseph A. Gallegos © 1999 All Rights Reserved.