NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

Objection that some were baptized unto Moses and believed in him, and an answer to it;with remarks upon types.baptisms which have only the name in common, while the distinction between the thingsthemselves is as great as might be that of dream and reality, that of shadow and figures withsubstantial existence?33. But belief in Moses not only does not show our belief in the Spirit to be worthless,but, if we adopt our opponents’ line of argument, it rather weakens our confession in theGod of the universe. “The people,” it is written, “believed the Lord and his servantMoses.” 990 Moses then is joined with God, not with the Spirit; and he was a type not of theSpirit, but of Christ. For at that time in the ministry of the law, he by means of himselftypified “the Mediator between God and men.” 991 Moses, when mediating for the peoplein things pertaining to God, was not a minister of the Spirit; for the law was given, “ordainedby angels in the hand of a mediator,” 992 namely Moses, in accordance with the summonsof the people, “Speak thou with us,…but let not God speak with us.” 993 Thus faith in Mosesis referred to the Lord, the Mediator between God and men, who said, “Had ye believedMoses, ye would have believed me.” 994 Is then our faith in the Lord a trifle, because it wassignified beforehand through Moses? So then, even if men were baptized unto Moses, itdoes not follow that the grace given of the Spirit in baptism is small. I may point out, too,that it is usual in Scripture to say Moses and the law, 995 as in the passage, “They have Mosesand the prophets.” 996 When therefore it is meant to speak of the baptism of the law, thewords are, “They were baptized unto Moses.” 997 Why then do these calumniators of thetruth, by means of the shadow and the types, endeavour to bring contempt and ridicule onthe “rejoicing” of our “hope,” 998 and the rich gift of our God and Saviour, who through regenerationrenews our youth like the eagle’s? 999 Surely it is altogether childish, and like ababe who must needs be fed on milk, 1000 to be ignorant of the great mystery of our salvation;inasmuch as, in accordance with the gradual progress of our education, while being broughtto perfection in our training for godliness, 1001 we were first taught elementary and easier21990 Ex. xiv. 31.991 1 Tim. ii. 5.992 Gal. iii. 19.993 Ex. xx. 19.994 John v. 46.995 i.e., to mean by “Moses,” the law.996 Luke xvi. 29.997 1 Cor. x. 2.998 Heb. iii. 6.999 cf. Ps. ciii. 5.1000 cf. Heb. v. 12.1001 cf. 1 Tim. iv. 7.184