tinctly what is designed by each of these names; they must also confess that they believe in the Son of God; that he suffered and is risen again; and for proof of this faith they fast all Passion week; they repeat the creed, and confess among other articles, that the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary. On being interrogated if they renounce the Devil, the world, and sin, they answer that they renounce them. They make an oath to keep inviolate the faith they have professed of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Besides the baptism of water S. Hilary distinguishes three others, the baptism of the Spirit, the baptism of fire, and the baptism of blood, or martydom, founded on what St John says in his Gospel, "I baptize you with water to repentance; but he, that comes after me, will baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire :" and on the words of Jesus Christ "I have a baptism to be baptized with. By the baptism of fire, St Hilary means the fire which at the day of judgement shall purify all; and by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he seems to mean the sacrament of Confirmation, which he calls in another place the baptism of the Holy Spirit, distinguishing it expressly from baptism. XLI. PACIANUS. St Pacianus was born about A. D. 310 and died about 380. DUPIN states that He wrote strongly on the efficacy of Baptism, and composed a treatise expressly upon that subject. Also that from this treatise it appears that the righteousness of Christ was communicated to all men by baptism, and by the aid of the Holy Spirit, provided that Faith precede. That this regeneration cannot be perfected but by the Sacrament of baptism and unction, and by the ministry of the priest. "For (says he) baptism purifies from sin, and unction brings down the Holy Spirit-the whole man is born again and renewed in Jesus Christ, that we may lead a new life, which shall never end; because, though this body shall die, yet we shall always live in Jesus Christ, in a heavenly and eternal life." He observes that being delivered in baptism from the bands of sin, we renounce the devil and the world; and, if afterwards by forgetting the grace which we have received, we relapse into a crime, our relapse is almost irrecoverable; because that Jesus Christ suffered but once, and we cannot be washed and purified above once. He concludes with an exhortation to those that are newly baptised, to preserve the grace which they have received, to sin no more, to keep the purity and innocency of baptism till the day of judgement, and to endeavour to obtain treasures by their prayers and spiritual labours. There is hardly (Dupin says) any of the ancients that speaks more clearly of the efficacy of the Sacrament of Baptism, Confirmation, and Penance. He attributes to Chrysm the effect of Confirmation, which is an opinion very rare among the Latins, who attribute it to imposition of hands. Though he speaks advantageously of the efficacy of the sacraments, yet he requires very great dispositions, in order to their producing such effects as they ought to have. In the epistle of Pacianus "Contra tractatus Novationum," he writes: Si pœnitentibus remissio peccatorum dari potuit, eis baptismum non fuit necessarium. Insulsissima comparatio! Baptisma enim sacramentum est Dominicæ passionis, pœnitentium venia, meritum confitentis. Illud omnes adipisci possunt, quia gratiæ donum est, id est gratuita donatio. In English: If remission of sins could be given to penitents, baptism was not necessary for them. Most foolish comparison! For Baptism is the sacrament of our Lord's passion, the pardon of penitents, the merit of him who confesses. All may obtain it, because it is the gift of grace, i, e. a gratuitous gift. ADAM CLARKE, in his "Concise view &c." gives three pages on Pacianus; he writes as follows: He was no less pious than eloquent, and wrote several treatises, of which all are lost, except three letters addressed to Sempronianus, against the Novatians, an exhortation to repentance, and a Sermon on Baptism; the genuineness of which latter has been doubted. &c.....On Baptism he shews, in the first place, that "all men are born in sin, as partaking of Adam's sinful nature; in the second, that a restoration is purchased by Christ through baptism,-by which the whole man is re-born and renewed in Christ; for in the font all sins are purged away, and by Chrysm the Holy Spirit flows into the soul!" and warning those baptized to remain stedfast, he tells them not to destroy the efficacy of their baptism by again becoming servants to Satan and the world by an evil life; because, as Christ died but once, they can be purified but once, therefore a relapse is almost beyond cure. The Sermo de Baptismo' is too long for insertion here; but some passages of it are worthy of notice; for example the following: Aperire desidero qualiter in Baptismo nascamur, et qualiter innovemur.... I am anxious to unfold how we are born and renovated in Baptism.... Aperiam igitur quid fuerit ante gentilitas, quid fides præstet, quid Baptismus indulgeat. I will therefore declare, what gentileship was before, what faith effects, and what indulgence Baptism affords. Accipite ergo, dilectissimi, homo ante baptismum in qua morte sit positus. |