σίαν. Ανέρχεται ἀπὸ τοῦ βαπτίσματος λαμπρὸς ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, ἀπαστράπτων τὰς τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀκτίνας. Τὸ δὲ μέγιστον, ἄνεισιν υἱὸς Θεοῦ καὶ συγκληρονόμος Χριστοῦ.

In Latin:

SEC. VIII.

Sed mentem, quæso, mihi accurate intendite volo enim recurrere ad fontem vitæ et fontem medelas scaturientem contemplari. Pater immortalitatis immortalem Filium et Verbum in mundum misit, qui venit ad homines loturus eos aqua et Spiritu et regeneraturus ad animæ corporisque incorruptibilitatem, inspiravit in nos Spiritum vitæ, et incorruptibili armatura nos induit. Sic igitur homo factus immortalis est, Deus etiam erit [II Pet., i, 4]. Si vero per aquam et Spiritum sanctum a regeneratione ex lavacro Deus fit, comperitur etiam post resurrectionem e mortuis cohæres [Rom. viii, 17] Christi esse.

Igitur præconis voce proclamo, Venite omnes tribus gentium ad baptismatis immortalitatem. Vitam vobis qui in ignorantiæ caligine, versati adhuc estis, fausto significo nuntio. Venite ex servitute in libertatem, ex tyrannide ad regnum, ex corruptione ad incorruptibilitatem. Et quomodo, inquit, venicmus? Quomodo? per aquam et Spiritum sanctum. Hæc est aqua cum Spiritu conjuncta, qua paradisus rigatur, terra pinguescit, incrementum plantæ capiunt, generant animalia, atque, ut omnia compendio amplectar, per quam regeneratus homo vivificatur, qua Christus baptizatus est, in quam Spiritus sanctus columbæ specie descendit.

IX. Hic est Spiritus qui ab initio ferebatur super aquas, per quem mundus movetur, natura creata consistit, et omnia vitam accipiunt. Qui in prophetis

operatus est, in Christum devolavit. Hic est Spiritus specie linguarum ignearum datus Apostolis.

Hunc quærebat David quum dixit: Cor mundum crea in me, Deus, et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis. De hoc Gabriel ad Virginem: Spiritus sanctus superveniet in te, et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi. Per hunc Spiritum Petrus beatam illam vocem effatus est: Tu es Christus, filius Dei viventis. Per hunc Spiritum firmata Ecclesiæ Petra est. Hic est Spiritus Paracletus propter te missus, ut demonstraret filium te esse Dei.

X. Accede igitur et regenerare, O homo, ad adoptionem in filium Dei. Et quomodo? inquit. Si non adulterium nec cædem commiseris, nec idola colueris. Si non vincaris a voluptate, si non committas ut affectus superbiæ tibi dominetur. Si sordes impuritatis abstergas, et onus peccati a te abjicias. Si exuas armaturam Diaboli et induas fidei loricam, sicut Esaias," Lavamini," inquit, &c. [Is. I, 16-19.]

Vides, dilecte, quomodo Propheta baptismi vim purgativam prædixit. Qui enim cum fide in hoc regenerationis lavacrum descendit, renunciat diabolo, et Christo se addicit. Hostem abnegat, at Christum Deum esse confitetur. Servitutem exuit, induit adoptionem. Redit ex baptismo splendidus ut sol, radios justitiæ effulgurans. Quod vero maximum est, revertitur filius Dei et Christi cohæres.

In English:

VIII. But I beseech you, give me strict attention: for I wish to recur to the fount of life, and to contemplate the fount which sends up healing. The father of immortality sent the immortal son and the Word into the world, who came to men to wash them in water

and the Spirit, and to regenerate them to incorruption of soul and body, who breathed into us the Spirit of life, and clothed us with imperishable armour. Thus therefore was man made immortal; he will also be God [II Pet. i, 4]. But if he becomes God through water and the holy Spirit after his regeneration from the laver, he is also found, after his resurrection from the dead, to be a coheir of Christ.

Therefore I proclaim Come all ye tribes of the nations to the immortality of baptism. I announce the glad tidings of life to you who are still in the darkness of ignorance. Come from slavery to liberty, from tyranny to a kingdom, from corruption to incorruption.' 'And how,' says he, shall we come?' How? By water and the Holy Spirit. This is the water conjoined with the Spirit, by which Paradise is watered, the earth grows fat, plants grow, animals generate; and, in short, to sum up all briefly, by which regenerated man is restored to life, by which Christ was baptized, on which the Holy Spirit descended in the likeness of a dove.

IX. This is the Spirit which from the beginning was borne upon the waters, by which the world moves, created nature exists, and whereby all things receive life. That which worked in the Prophets descended on Christ. This is the Spirit given to the Apostles in the likeness of tongues of fire.

This David sought when he said, "Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me." Concerning this Gabriel said to the Virgin, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the virtue of the Most High shall overshadow thee." Through this Spirit Peter spoke those blessed words,

"Thou art Christ the Son of the living God." By this Spirit the rock of the Church is established. This is the Spirit, the Paraclete, sent on account of thee to prove that thou art the Son of God.

X. Approach, therefore, and be regenerated, O man, to adoption to the Son of God. And how? he says. If thou hast not committed adultery or murder, nor worshipped idols. If thou art not overcome by pleasure, if thou act not so that pride may govern thee. If thou washest away the filth of uncleanness, and castest from thee the burden of sin. If thou puttest off the armour of the Devil, and puttest on the mail of the faith, as Isaiah says, "Be washed, &c." [Is. i, 16-19].

Thou seest, well beloved, how the Prophet foretold the purifying power of baptism. For he, who descends with faith into this laver of Regeneration, renounces the devil and devotes himself to Christ. He denies the enemy but confesses Christ to be God. He puts off slavery and puts on adoption. He returns from baptism splendid as the sun, darting forth rays of righteousness. And what is greatest of all, he returns a son of God and co-heir of Christ.

XXXII.

ANONYMOUS AUTHOR

OF THE

RECOGNITIONS, CLEMENTINA, HOMILIES. &c.

The real author of these works is supposed to have lived in the third century; they are, therefore, briefly noticed here: but, as their reputed author is Clement of Rome, the reader is referred back to page 109 of this Synopsis, where the extracts from them will be found under the head of CLEMENS ROMANUS.

In the first volume of "Sacrosancta concilia, &c. Labbei et Cossartii, &c. 16 vols in 17, folio, Paris, 1671,-which volume contains matter "ab initiis æræ Christ. ad annum 324,"-are the lives of about 30 popes: and an account of about 50 councils, synods, &c.

There does not appear to be much mention of Baptism, except what follows.

In the books "Constitutionum quæ tribuuntur apostolis" some mention is made of Baptism, as has been already given in this Synopsis under the first century. See page 69.