Evil ministers convey grace, themselves not benefitted. 75

1.33.

2.3.

6.7.

saith, This is He Which baptizeth? But the ministers, say JOHN they, it behoves that they be righteous men, by whom baptism is administered. I likewise say, and we all say, that it behoves them to be righteous which are the ministers of so great a Judge: let the ministers be righteous if they will: but if they who sit in Moses' seat will not be righteous, my Master, whose Spirit said of Him, This is He Which baptizeth, sets my mind at rest. How at rest? The Scribes Mat. 23, and Pharisees, saith He, sit in Moses' seat: what they say, do; but what they do, that do not ye. For they say, and do not. If the minister happens to be righteous, I reckon him with Paul, I reckon him with Peter: with these I reckon righteous ministers. For they that are indeed righteous. ministers seek not their own glory: for they are ministers, they refuse to be accounted judges, they are shocked at the thought of men placing their hope in them. Therefore I reckon a righteous minister with Paul. For what saith Paul? I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the 1 Cor. 3, increase: neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that walereth; but God Who giveth the increase. The proud minister, on the other hand, is reckoned with the devil: howbeit, the gift of Christ is not contaminated. It flows through him pure, it passes through him liquid, and reaches the fertile soil. Suppose him to be of stone, one whom water cannot help to bear fruit; why, a stone conduit does transmit the water, the water does pass through it to the borders in the stone conduit the water does not make any thing grow, but to the gardens it brings abundant produce. For the spiritual efficacy of the sacrament is as the light. It is both received pure by those who are to be enlightened, and also, if it passes through the unclean, it is not polluted. Yes; let the ministers be righteous, and let them seek not their own glory, but His Whose ministers they are. Let them not say, It is my baptism; for it is not theirs. Let them hearken to John himself. Behold, John was full of the Holy Ghost; and he had a baptism from heaven, not of men. But for how long had he it? He said himself, Prepare John 1, ye the way for the Lord. But when the Lord was known,

* Zabulus, zabolus, i. e. diáẞoxos, occurs in Cypr., Ambros., Hilar., and

later writers: see Ducange Gloss.

in v.

23.

76

Baptism given after John; but not iterated

HOMIL. Himself became the way: there was no longer occasion for V. John's baptism to prepare the way for the Lord.

S. Aug. c. litt.

Petil.

ii. 85.

16. What, however, is their usual argument against us? "Observe, that after John, baptism was given." For before this question was well and properly handled in the Catholic Church, many, both great and good men', erred in it. Howbeit, because they were among the members of the Dove, they did not cut themselves off, and the Apostle's word was Phil. 3, fulfilled in them, If in any thing ye are otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Hence however it is, that they, who separated themselves, became unteachable. Well, what then is their usual argument? "Observe that after John baptism was given; and after heretics is not baptism to be given? For certain which had the baptism of John, were Acts 19, by Paul ordered to be baptized: because, namely, they had

15.

3-5.

not the baptism of Christ. Why then (say they) dost thou enlarge upon John's excellency, and yet, as it were, throw into the shade the miserable case of heretics?" I also grant you, that heretics are wicked miscreants; still however, the baptism which heretics have given is Christ's, whereas that which John gave was not Christ's.

17. I have recourse to John, and say, This is He which baptizeth. For John is better than a heretic, just as he is better than a drunkard, or a murderer. If, because the Apostles baptized after the better, we ought to baptize after the worse, then whosoever among them have been baptized by a man who is drunk, I say not by a murderer, I say not by the satellite of some miscreant, I say not by a plunderer of other men's goods, I say not by an oppressor of orphans, or a separater of married persons, I say nothing of these; I speak of what happens every year, every day"; I speak of what all are called to, in this city as well as elsewhere, when the word is given, “ Let us off with Reason!" "let us enjoy ourselves;" and "on such a festival as this of the

66

f Alluding particularly to S. Cyprian and the Council of Carthage. See' De Baptismo contra Donatistas,' 6 and 7.

BEN.

g Alluding to Optatus, bishop of Thamugada, who was called Gildo's satellite. See Epist. 87. ad Emeritum. BEN. Comp. c. litt. Petil. ii. 53, 82, 237.

h On the ebrietates' of the Donatists comp. c. litt. Petil. ii. 88. de Unit. Eccl. c. 19. Epist. 55, §. 34. Serm. 47, §. 17

iAlogiemus;' from ' alogia' (àλoyía) which Augustin. Ep. 36. ad Casulanum explains, " cum epulis indulgetur, ut a rationis tramite devietur." BFN.

k

after evil ministers, not even after a Judas.

77

J. 33.

calends of January it is not right to fast;" these are the JoHN things I speak of, these slight every-day trifles; well, when a drunken man baptizes, which is the better, John or the drunkard? Answer, if thou canst, that thy drunkard is better than John. Thou wilt never dare assert this. Do thou then, forasmuch as thou art sober, baptize after thy drunkard, For if the Apostles baptized after John, how much more ought a sober person to baptize after a drunken man? Dost thou say, The drunken man is in unity with me? And was not John, the friend of the Bridegroom, in unity with the Bridegroom?

18. But I put the question to thyself, be who thou may, Which is the better man, thou or John? Thou wilt not dare to say, I am better than John. Then let thine own friends baptize after thee, if they are better than thou. For if baptism was administered after John, blush that it is not administered after thee. Thou wilt say, But I have and teach Christ's baptism. At length then acknowledge the Judge, and cease to be a proud herald. Thou givest Christ's baptism; and that is why baptism is not administered after thee. After John baptism was administered, and the reason why was, because he gave not Christ's baptism, but his own; for he had in such wise received it that it was his own. It is not then that thou art better than John, but the baptism which is given through thy hands is better than John's. For that which thou givest is Christ's, John's is his own. And that which Paul gave, and which Peter gave, is Christ's. And if any were given by Judas, that was Christ's. Judas baptized, yet no second baptism after Judas: John baptized, and there was new baptism after John; because if baptism was given by Judas, the baptism was Christ's, whereas the baptism which John gave was his own. Not that we set Judas above John, but the baptism of Christ, even though administered by the hands of Judas, we rightly set above the baptism of John, even though administered by the hands of John. For it is said of the Lord before He suffered, that He baptized more disciples than John; and then it is added, Howbeit, Jesus Himself baptized not, but His John 4, disciples. He, and yet not He: He in the authority, they 1.2. * See Bingham, xx. 1, 3. August, Serm. ii. de Kalendis Januariis.

V.

78

Christ, "preached of envy," not thereby impaired: HOMIL. in the ministry. They, in the capacity of servants, put their hand to the work of baptizing: the authority of baptizing was in Christ, and there remained. So then His disciples baptized, and Judas was still there among His disciples. They then whom Judas baptized were not baptized again. And were those whom John baptized, baptized again? Clearly they were, but not with an iteration of the baptism. they had had before. For those whom John baptized, were baptized by John, but those whom Judas baptized, were baptized by Christ. In like manner therefore, they whom a drunkard hath baptized, or a homicide, or an adulterer, if the baptism was Christ's, it was Christ baptized them. I do not fear an adulterer, nor a drunkard, nor a murderer, for I hearken to the Dove, through whom it is said to me, This is He Which baptizeth.

11.

15-18.

19. But, my brethren, it is madness to say that (I do not say Judas, but) any man whatsoever was superior in Mat.11, merit to him of whom it is declared, that among those that are born of women, there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist. Consequently, it is not that any servant is preferred to John, but that the Baptism of the Lord, even when administered through a wicked servant, is preferred to the baptism even of one who is friend as well as servant. Hear what kind of persons the Apostle Paul makes mention of: false brethren, who did of envy preach the Phil. 1, word of God; and what he says of them, And I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For they proclaimed Christ, through envy indeed, but still Christ. Regard not the inducement whereof, but the person whom they preach. Is Christ preached to thee of envy? Look at Christ, eschew the envy. Do not copy the bad preacher, but copy the good Christ, Who is preached to thee. Well then; Christ was preached by some of envy. And what is envy? A frightful evil. By this very evil the devil was cast down; yea, it was this deeply malignant pestilence that cast him down and yet some who preached Christ were possessed of this, whom notwithstanding the Apostle suffers to preach. Why? Because they preached Christ. Now he who envieth, hateth. And he who hateth, what is said of him? Hear the 1 John Apostle John; He who hateth his brother is a murderer.

nor Christ's Baptism, though given by the worst of men. 79

Observe: after John, baptism was administered; after a JOHN murderer, it was not administered: because John gave his I. 33. own baptism; the murderer, Christ's. And that Sacrament is so sacred, that not even a murderer's administration pollutes it.

20. I do not reject John, but rather, I believe John's word. In what? In that which he learnt by the Dove. What was that? This is He Which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. Now therefore, brethren, hold this fast, and fix it in your hearts. For if I would to-day explain more fully, Wherefore by the Dove, the time does not suffice. That something which he needed to learn was intimated to John by the Dove, a something in Christ which he did not know, although he already knew Christ, this I have, methinks, explained to you, holy brethren: but why it behoved this same thing to be pointed out by the Dove, I would declare, if it could be declared briefly. Since however it would require a considerable time, and I am unwilling to load your minds, as I have been helped by your prayers to fulfil my promise, so your pious care and good wishes being again and again afforded to me, this likewise will be made clear to you; namely, why, as touching that thing in the Lord which John was taught, to wit, that it is even HE which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost, and that He hath not by delegation to any servant of His transferred from Himself the authority of baptizing-why it was not right that he should be taught the same otherwise than by the Dove.