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Tertullian, On Baptism
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Chapter I.—Introduction. Origin of the Treatise.
Chapter II.—The Very Simplicity of God’s Means of Working, a Stumbling-Block to the Carnal Mind.
Chapter VI.—The Angel the Forerunner of the Holy Spirit. Meaning Contained in the Baptismal Formula.
Chapter VIII.—Of the Imposition of Hands. Types of the Deluge and the Dove.
Chapter IX.—Types of the Red Sea, and the Water from the Rock.
Chapter XI.—Answer to the Objection that “The Lord Did Not Baptize.”
Chapter XII.—Of the Necessity of Baptism to Salvation.
Chapter XIV.—Of Paul’s Assertion, that He Had Not Been Sent to Baptize.
Chapter XV.—Unity of Baptism. Remarks on Heretical And Jewish Baptism.
Chapter XVI.—Of the Second Baptism—With Blood.
Chapter XVII.—Of the Power of Conferring Baptism.
Chapter XVIII.—Of the Persons to Whom, and the Time When, Baptism is to Be Administered.
Chapter XIX.—Of the Times Most Suitable for Baptism.
Chapter XX.—Of Preparation For, and Conduct After, the Reception of Baptism.
Chapter VI.—The Angel the Forerunner of the Holy Spirit. Meaning Contained in the Baptismal Formula.
Not that in43 Compare c. viii., where Tertullian appears to regard the Holy Spirit as given after the baptized had come out of the waters and received the “unction.” the waters we obtain the Holy Spirit; but in the water, under (the witness of) the angel, we are cleansed, and prepared for the Holy Spirit. In this case also a type has preceded; for thus was John beforehand the Lord’s forerunner, “preparing His ways.”44 Luke i. 76. Thus, too, does the angel, the witness45 Arbiter. [Eccles. v. 6, and Acts xii. 15.] of baptism, “make the paths straight”46 Isa. xl. 3; Matt. iii. 3. for the Holy Spirit, who is about to come upon us, by the washing away of sins, which faith, sealed in (the name of) the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, obtains. For if “in the mouth of three witnesses every word shall stand:”47 Deut. xix. 15; Matt. xviii. 16; 2 Cor. xiii. 1.—while, through the benediction, we have the same (three) as witnesses of our faith whom we have as sureties48 Sponsores. of our salvation too—how much more does the number of the divine names suffice for the assurance of our hope likewise! Moreover, after the pledging both of the attestation of faith and the promise49 Sponsio. of salvation under “three witnesses,” there is added, of necessity, mention of the Church;50 Compare de Orat. c. ii. sub fin. inasmuch as, wherever there are three, (that is, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, ) there is the Church, which is a body of three.51 Compare the de Orat. quoted above, and de Patien. xxi.; and see Matt. xviii. 20.
CAPUT 6. Non quod in aqua spiritum sanctum consequimur, sed in aqua emundati sub angelo spiritui sancto praeparamur. hic quoque figura praecessit. sicut enim Ioannes antepraecursor domini fuit praeparans vias eius, ita et angelus baptismi arbiter superventuro spiritui sancto vias dirigit abolitione delictorum, quam fides impetrat obsignata in patre et filio et spiritu sancto. nam si in tribus testibus stabit omne verbum, dei quarto magis donum ? habemus benedictione eosdem arbitros fidei quos et sponsores salutis. sufficit ad fiduciam spei nostrae etiam numerus nominum divinorum. cum autem sub tribus et testatio fidei et sponsio salutis pigneretur, necessario adicitur ecclesiae mentio, quoniam ubi tres, id est pater et filius et spiritus sanctus; ibi ecclesia quae trium corpus est.