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On Baptism

Tertullian

Chapter 6

About this work

An early Latin treatise defending Christian baptism, interpreting its biblical patterns, discussing preparation and administration, and warning against a teacher who rejected water baptism in the church.

Author: Tertullian
Date: c. AD 198–203
Origin: Carthage, North Africa
Genre: Theological Treatise

Chapter VI.—The Angel the Forerunner of the Holy Spirit. Meaning Contained in the Baptismal Formula.

Not that in the waters we obtain the Holy Spirit

‹ Chapter 5 Chapter 7 ›

;

but

in

the

water

,

under

(

the

witness

of

)

the

angel

,

we

are

cleansed

,

and

prepared

for

the

Holy

Spirit

.

In

this

case

also

a

type

has

preceded

;

for

thus

was

John

beforehand

the

Lord’s

forerunner

,

“

preparing

His

ways

.

”

Thus

,

too

,

does

the

angel

,

the

witness

of

baptism

,

“

make

the

paths

straight

”

for

the

Holy

Spirit

,

who

is

about

to

come

upon

us

,

by

the

washing

away

of

sins

,

which

faith

,

sealed

in

(

the

name

of

)

the

Father

,

and

the

Son

,

and

the

Holy

Spirit

,

obtains

.

For

if

“

in

the

mouth

of

three

witnesses

every

word

shall

stand

:

”

—

while

,

through

the

benediction

,

we

have

the

same

(

three

)

as

witnesses

of

our

faith

whom

we

have

as

sureties

of

our

salvation

too

—

how

much

more

does

the

number

of

the

divine

names

suffice

for

the

assurance

of

our

hope

likewise

!

Moreover

,

after

the

pledging

both

of

the

attestation

of

faith

and

the

promise

of

salvation

under

“

three

witnesses

,

”

there

is

added

,

of

necessity

,

mention

of

the

Church

;

inasmuch

as

,

wherever

there

are

three

,

(

that

is

,

the

Father

,

the

Son

,

and

the

Holy

Spirit

,

)

there

is

the

Church

,

which

is

a

body

of

three

.

Notes

1
Compare c. viii., where Tertullian appears to regard the Holy Spirit as given after the baptized had come out of the waters and received the “unction.”
2
Luke i. 76.
3
Arbiter. [Eccles. v. 6, and Acts xii. 15.]
4
Isa. xl. 3; Matt. iii. 3.
5
Deut. xix. 15; Matt. xviii. 16; 2 Cor. xiii. 1.
6
Sponsores.
7
Sponsio.
8
Compare de Orat. c. ii. sub fin.
9
Compare the de Orat. quoted above, and de Patien. xxi.; and see Matt. xviii. 20.