I see nothing there which is a fourth----nothing less than the Three. Yet that which the Trinity effected came to birth, although you were not there. If then it be not allowed to the Trinity to do anything without you, call back the fishes to their first beginning ; if in your absence the Trinity may not effect anything, drown in the waters the birds as they fly.
III. That Baptism is not to be repeated.
Since then you have said that there was only one Deluge and that Circumcision could not be repeated, whilst we have taught that the heavenly gift is bestowed upon every believer by the Trinity, not by man----why have you thought it right to repeat Baptism not after us, bat after the Trinity?
Concerning this Sacrament, no small contention has been engendered, and the question is discussed whether it be lawful to do this a second time after the Trinity, in the Name of the same Trinity. You say:
'It is lawful,'
whilst we say:
'It is not lawful.'
Between your
'It is lawful,' |211
and our
'It is not lawful,'
the souls of the multitude hesitate and sway backwards and forwards. Let no one believe either you or us. We are all like litigants in a suit. Judges must be sought for. If they are to be Christians, they cannot be provided by either side, because truth is impeded by party spirit. A judge must be sought for from outside. If he is to be a Pagan, he cannot know the Christian secrets. If he is to be a Jew, he is an enemy of Christian Baptism. Therefore, concerning this matter no judgement can be found on earth; we have to seek a Judge from heaven. But why need we knock at heaven's gate, when we have at hand in the Gospel a testament?
Here earthly things may with reason be compared with heavenly. For example, in the case of any man who has many sons, so long as the father is present, he himself gives his orders to each, nor is any testament necessary. Thus Christ, so long as He was present |212 on earth (although even now He is not absent), gave His orders to the Apostles with regard to whatever was necessary for the time. But just as an earthly father, who feels himself to be on the borderland of death, and fears lest his sons may break peace after his death, and go to law, calls in witnesses and transfers his will from his breast, so soon to pass away, to a record which will last for a long time ----and should any dispute arise amongst the brothers, they do not go to the grave, but the testament is looked for, and he who rests in the grave silently speaks from the record; in the same manner He, to whom the testament belongs, is in heaven----therefore let His Will be sought in the Gospel as in His testament.
For through His foreknowledge Christ had foreseen the things which you do now, but which were |213 then yet to come. Accordingly, when the Son of God washed the feet of His disciples, He spoke thus to Peter:
'That which I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know afterwards.'
By saying 'thou shalt know afterwards' He pointed out these present times. In this way amongst other prescriptions of His testament, He gave this prescription concerning the Water. If, when He washed the feet of His disciples, and the others were silent, Peter had also been silent, He would have set the example of humility only, and would have made no declaration respecting the Sacrament of Baptism. But when Peter refuses, and does not allow his feet to be washed, Christ refuses him the Kingdom, unless he should accept this service. But so soon as there is mention of the heavenly Kingdom----whereas part of his body was demanded to have service rendered unto it----he offered his whole body to be cleansed.
Now come, be present, ye crowds and all Christian peoples, and learn what is lawful. When Peter makes his appeal, Christ teaches. Let him who doubts learn. For it is the Voice of Christ:
'He, who has once been washed, has no need of being washed again, for he is altogether clean.' |214
And thus did He make His declaration concerning that washing which he had commanded to be done through the Trinity ----not concerning that of Jews or heretics, who, whilst they wash, defile, but concerning the holy water which flows from the fountains of the Three Names.
For thus the Lord Himself commanded, when He said:
'Go, baptise all nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.'
This was the washing of which He said:
'He that has been washed once has no need of being washed a second time.'
In saying once He forbade it to be done again, and spoke of the thing, not of the person. For if there had been a difference [to be considered between persons], He would have said:
'He that has been rightly washed once,'