Anonymous Treatise on Re-baptism.

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 A Treatise on Re-Baptism by an Anonymous Writer. That They Who Have Once Been Washed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Ought Not to Be Re-Baptized

 1. I observe that it has been asked among the brethren what course ought specially to be adopted towards the persons of those who, although baptized i

 2. To such, then, as approach to a discussion of saving and modern, that is, of spiritual and evangelical baptism, there occurs first of all the annou

 3. And to these things thou perchance, who art bringing in some novelty, mayest immediately and impatiently reply, as thou art wont, that the Lord sai

 4. And this being found to be so, what thinkest thou, my brother? If a man be not baptized by a bishop, so as even at once to have the imposition of h

 5. And if this be so, and the occurrence of any of these things cannot deprive a man who believes, of salvation, thou thyself also affirmest that the

 6. And this also,—looking at it from the opposite side of this discussion,—those disciples of our Lord themselves attained, upon whom, being previousl

 7. Neither must you esteem what our Lord said as being contrary to this treatment: “Go ye, teach the nations baptize them in the name of the Father,

 8. But these things thou wilt, as thou art wont, contradict, by objecting to us, that when they baptized, the disciples were baptized perfectly, and r

 9. By which things, and by many deeds of this kind tending to His glory, it appeared to follow as a consequence, that in whatever manner the Jews thin

 10. Besides, what wilt thou say of those who are in many cases baptized by bishops of very bad character, who yet at length, when God so wills it, con

 11. And what wilt thou determine against the person of him who hears the word, and haply taken up in the name of Christ, has at once confessed, and ha

 12. Wherefore the whole of this discussion must be considered, that it may be made clearer. For the invocation of the name of Jesus can only be an adv

 13. For any one of us will hold it necessary, that whatever is the last thing to be found in a man in this respect, is that whereby he must be judged,

 14. And even to this point the whole of that heretical baptism may be amended, after the intervention of some space of time, if a man should survive a

 15. And since we seem to have divided all spiritual baptism in a threefold manner, let us come also to the proof of the statement proposed, that we ma

 16. But since the first part of this argument seems to be unfolded, we ought to touch on its subsequent part, on account of the heretics because it i

 17. Moreover, if a man of this sort should again return to thee, thou wilt assuredly hesitate whether he may have baptism or no and yet it will behov

 18. And the Spirit, indeed, continues to this day invisible to men, as the Lord says, “The Spirit breathes where He will and thou knowest not whence

 19. I think that we have fully followed out the announcement of John the Baptist, whence we began our discourse, when he said to the Jews, “I indeed b

10. Besides, what wilt thou say of those who are in many cases baptized by bishops of very bad character, who yet at length, when God so wills it, convicted of their crimes, are even deprived of their office itself, or absolutely of communion? Or what wilt thou decide of those who may have been baptized by bishops, whose opinions are unsound, or who are very ignorant—when they may not have spoken clearly and honestly, or even have spoken otherwise than is fit in the tradition of the sacrament, or at least may have asked anything, or asking, have heard from those who answered what ought by no means to be so asked or answered? And still this does not greatly injure that true faith of ours, although, moreover, these more simple men may deliver the mystery of the faith without the elegance and order that thou wouldst use. And thou wilt assuredly say, with that marvellous carefulness of thine, that these too should be baptized again, since this is especially the thing which is wanting to them, or hinders their being able to receive, uncorrupted, that divine and inviolable mystery of the faith. And yet, O excellent man, let us attribute and allow to the heavenly agencies their power, and let us concede to the condescension of the divine majesty its appropriate operations; and understanding how great is the advantage therein, let us gladly acquiesce in it. And thus, as our salvation is founded in the baptism of the Spirit, which for the most part is associated with the baptism of water, if indeed baptism shall be given by us, let it be conferred in its integrity and with solemnity, and with all those means which are written; and let it be administered without any disconnection of anything. Or if, by the necessity of the case, it should be administered by an inferior cleric, let us wait for the result, that it may either be supplied by us,31    Scil. the bishop. [The plural of “solidarity.” See p. 128, note 5, supra, and Elucidation XI. p. 159.] or reserved to be supplied by the Lord. If, however, it should have been administered by strangers, let this matter be amended as it can and as it allows. Because outside the Church there is no Holy Spirit, sound faith moreover cannot exist, not alone among heretics, but even among those who are established in schism. And for that reason, they who repent and are amended by the doctrine of the truth, and by their own faith, which subsequently has been improved by the purification of their heart, ought to be aided only by spiritual baptism, that is, by the imposition of the bishop’s hands, and by the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, the perfect seal of faith has been rightly accustomed to be given in this manner and on this principle in the Church. So that the invocation of the name of Jesus, which cannot be done away, may not seem to be held in disesteem by us; which assuredly is not fitting; although such an invocation, if none of those things of which we have spoken should follow it, may fail and be deprived of the effect of salvation. For when the apostle said that there was “one baptism,”32    Eph. iv. 5. it must needs have been by the continued effect of the invocation of the name of Jesus, because, once invoked, it cannot be taken away by any man, even although we might venture, against the decision of the apostles, to repeat it by giving too much, yea, by the desire of superadding baptism. If he who returns to the Church be unwilling again to be baptized, the result will be that we may defraud him of the baptism of the Spirit, whom we think we must not defraud of the baptism of water.

X. Praeterea quid dicturus es de his qui plerumque 1194C ab episcopis pessimae conversationis baptizantur: qui tamen tandem, cum Deus voluerit, in sceleribus suis convicti, etiam ipso aut prorsus etiam communicatione privantur? Aut quid statues de eis qui ab episcopis prave sentientibus aut imperitioribus fuerint baptizati? quando non ad liquidum et integre vel etiam aliter quam oportet in traditione sacramenti fuerint locuti; certe aut interrogaverint quid, aut interrogantes a respondentibus audierint quod minime ita interrogari aut responderi debet: quod tamen non valde illam nostram rectam fidem laedat, sed non tam ornate ut tu et composite, isti quoque simpliciores homines mysterium fidei tradant. Dicturus es enim utique pro tua singulari diligentia, hos quoque denuo baptizandos esse, cum maxime eis res desit aut obstet quominus 1194D inviolabile illud divinum mysterium fidei intemeratum possint accipere. Sed enim virorum optime reddamus 1195A et permittamus virtutibus coelestibus vires suas, et dignationi divinae majestatis concedamus operationes proprias, et intelligentes quantum in ea sit emolumentum, libenter ei acquiescamus. Et ideo cum salus nostra in Baptismate spiritus, quod plerumque cum Baptismate aquae conjunctum est, sit constituta, siquidem per nos Baptisma tradetur, integre et solemniter et per omnia quae scripta sunt assignetur, atque sine ulla ullius rei separatione tradatur; aut si a minore clero per necessitatem traditum fuerit, eventum expectemus ut aut suppleatur a nobis aut a Domino supplendum reservetur; si vero ab alienis traditum fuerit, ut potest hoc negotium et ut admittit, corrigatur: quia Spiritus sanctus extra Ecclesiam non sit, fides quoque non solum apud 1195B haereticos, verum etiam apud eos qui in schismate constituti sunt sana esse non possit. Idcircoque poenitentiam agentibus correctisque per doctrinam veritatis et per fidem ipsorum, quae postea emendata est purificato corde eorum, tantummodo Baptismate spiritali, id est manus impositione episcopi et Spiritus sancti subministratione, subveniri debeat; signum quoque fidei integrum hoc modo et hac ratione tradi in Ecclesia merito consuevit; ne invocatio nominis Jesu quae aboleri non potest, contemptui a nobis videatur habita: quod utique non oportet; quamquam talis invocatio, si nihil eorum quae memoravimus secutum fuerit, ab operatione salutis cesset ac vacet. Dicente enim Apostolo unum esse Baptisma (Ephes. IV, 5), necesse est 1195C invocatione nominis Jesu perseverante; quia non potest a quoquam hominum quae semel invocata est auferri, si eam contra decretum Apostolorum geminare ausi fuerimus nimietate praestandi immo superaddendi Baptismatis studio: si ille qui ad Ecclesiam revertitur nolit denuo baptizari, futurum est ut defraudemus Baptismate spiritali eum quem putamus defraudandum non esse baptismate aquae.