but by not adding the word rightly, He points out that whatever has been done in the [Name of the] Trinity is done rightly. This is the reason why we receive without rebaptising those who come [to us] from you. When Christ says: |215
'He has no need of being washed a second time,'
this is a general, not a particular declaration, for if these things had been said to Peter [only], Christ would have said:
'Because thou hast been once washed, thou hast no need of being washed a second time.'
Wherefore, whenever anyone who has been baptised by you wishes to pass over to us, we, taught by this command and example, receive him with all simplicity. For far be it from us ever to exorcise one of the Faithful who has been made whole ; far be it from us to bring back to the font one who has been already washed, far from us to sin against the Holy Ghost----an offence for which forgiveness is denied in this world and in the world to come ; far from us to repeat that which is [to be done] only once, or to make twofold that which is one. For thus has it been written by the Apostle:
'One God, one Christ, one Faith, one Baptism. '
Do you then, who seem to take delight in striving |216 to make Baptism twofold, if you give a second Baptism, give a second Faith; if you give a second Faith, give also a second Christ; if you give a second Christ, give a second God?
You cannot deny that God is one----unless indeed you would fall into the traps of Marcion. God then is one. Of one God there is one Christ. He who is rebaptised had before been made a Christian. How can he be said to become a Christian a second time?
The one Faith is thus separated from the errors of the heretics, and the one only Faith from their varying faith. It has also a prescriptive right over against you, who reject that which is for once only, attributing everything to the [external] Endowments, nothing to the [hidden] Sacraments ; though this quality of Faith belongs to the. believer, not to the 'Minister.' For he who has believed in God at the interrogation |217 of any person whomsoever, has believed. Yet after his one Credo thou dost exact a second Credo.
It follows then that Baptism is one, and, as, through the very fact that it is one, it is holy, so also, through the very fact that it is one, not only that it should be separated from the profane and sacrilegious baptisms of heretics, but also that what is one should not be made twofold, and that what is for once only should not be repeated.
IV. That it is God, not the Minister, who cleanses in the Sacrament of Baptism.
It is clear that in the celebration of this Sacrament of Baptism there are three elements, which you will not be able either to decrease or diminish, or put on one side. The first is in the Trinity, the second in the believer, the third in him who operates. But they must not all be weighed by the same measure. For I perceive that two are necessary, and that one is quasi-necessary. The Trinity holds the chief place, without whom the work itself cannot be done. The faith of the believer follows next. Then comes the office of the 'Minister,' which cannot be of equal |218 authority. The first two remain always unchangeable and unmoved. For the Trinity is always Itself; and the Faith is the same in everyone. Both [the Trinity and Faith] always preserve their own efficacy. It will be seen, therefore, that the office of the minister cannot be equal to the other two elements [in the Sacrament of Baptism], because it alone is liable to change.
You will have it that between you and us there is a distinction, though the office is the same, and, judging yourselves to be more holy than we, you do not hesitate to place your pride higher than the Trinity, although the person of the 'Minister' can be changed, but the Trinity cannot be changed. And, whereas it is Baptism which should be longed for by those who receive it, you put yourselves forward as the persons to be eagerly sought after.
Since you are----amongst others----' Ministers' of the Sacrament, show what is the nature of the place that you occupy in this Mystery, and whether you can belong to its 'body'!
The Name of Baptism is but one. It possesses |219 its own body ----a body which has its own well-defined members, to which nothing can be added, in which nothing can be taken away. If the 'Minister' who has to be chosen is counted as one of these members, then the whole body belongs to the 'Minister.' All these members are both at all times and once for all with this 'body,' and cannot be changed, whereas the 'Ministers' are changed every day, both as to place and time, and in their own persons. For it is not one man only, who baptises always or everywhere. This work is now done by different men from those who did it of old. In the time to come it will be done by yet others. The 'Ministers' can be changed; the Sacraments cannot be changed. Since therefore you see that all who baptise are labourers, not lords, |220 and that the Sacraments are holy through themselves, not through men, why do you claim so much for yourselves? Why is it that you try to shut God out from His own gifts? Allow Him to bestow those things, which are His own. For that gift, which belongs to God, cannot be given by man. If you think otherwise, you are endeavouring to make of no effect the words of the Prophets and the promises of God, by which it is proved that it is God, not man, who cleanses. Here David the Prophet is against you, for he says in the fiftieth Psalm:
'Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be cleansed beyond the snow' ;
and again in the same Psalm:
'O God, wash me from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin.'
He said: 'Wash me.' He did not say:
'Choose for me one by whom I may be washed.'
And the Prophet Isaiah also has written that
'the Lord shall wash away the defilement of the sons and daughters of Sion.'
We have proved in our Third Book that Sion is the Church ; it follows that God washes the sons and daughters of the Church. He did not say:
'They shall wash who judge themselves to be holy.'
Admit then that the Prophets overcome you, or, with them, recognise that it is not man who washes, but God.