13.07.2015 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

Reply to the suggested objection that we are baptized “into water.” Also concerningbaptism.ere now there have been some who in their championship of true religion have undergonethe death for Christ’s sake, not in mere similitude, but in actual fact, <strong>and</strong> so have needednone of the outward signs of water for their salvation, because they were baptized in theirown blood. 1028 Thus I write not to disparage the baptism by water, but to overthrow thearguments 1029 of those who exalt themselves against the Spirit; who confound things thatare distinct from one another, <strong>and</strong> compare those which admit of no comparison.231028 On the martyrs’ baptism of blood, cf. Eus. vi. 4, on the martyrdom of the Catechumen Herais. So St.Cyril, of Jerusalem (Cat. Lect. iii. 10), “If a man receive not baptism, he has not salvation; excepting only themartyrs, even who without the water receive the kingdom. For when the Saviour was ransoming the worldthrough the cross, <strong>and</strong> was pierced in the side, He gave forth blood <strong>and</strong> water, that some in times of peace shouldbe baptized in water; others in time of persecution, in their own blood.” So Tertullian (In Valentin. ii.) of the<strong>Holy</strong> Innocents, “baptized in blood for Jesus’ sake” (Keble), “testimonium Christi sanguine litavere.”1029 Τοὺς λογισμοὺς καθαιρῶν. cf. 2 Cor. x. 4.189

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!