act of the will, in assenting to its solicitations. The same doctrine is taught by St. Gregory, when he says: "If there are any who assert that, in baptism, sin is but superficially effaced, what can savour more of infidelity than the assertion? By the Sacrament of Baptism sin is utterly eradicated, and the soul adheres entirely to God."[1] In proof of this doctrine he has recourse to the testimony of our Lord himself, who says in St. John: "He that is washed, needeth not but to wash his feet, but he is wholly clean."[2]
Figure of baptism illustrative of its first effect.But should illustration be desired, an express figure and image of the efficacy of baptism will be found in the history of the leprosy of Naaman the Syrian, of whom the Scriptures inform us, that when he had washed seven times in the waters of the Jordan, he was so cleansed from his leprosy, that his flesh became "like the flesh of a child."[3] The remission of all sin, original and actual, is therefore the peculiar effect of baptism. That this was the object of its institution by our Lord and Saviour, is a truth clearly deduced from the testimony of St. Peter, to say nothing of the array of evidence that might be adduced from other sources: "Do penance," says he, "and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins."[4]
Second effect of baptism.But in baptism, not only is sin forgiven, but with it all the punishment due to sin is remitted by a merciful God. To communicate the virtue of the passion of Christ is an effect common to all the Sacraments; but of baptism alone does the Apostle say, that "by it we die and are buried together with Christ."[5] Hence the Church has uniformly taught, that to impose those offices of piety, usually called by the Fathers works of satisfaction, on him, who is to be cleansed in the salutary waters of baptism, would be derogatory in the highest degree to the dignity of this Sacrament.[6] This doctrine not inconsistent with the practice of the primitive Church.Nor is there any discrpancy between the doctrine here delivered and the practice of the primitive Church, which of old commanded the Jews, when preparing for baptism, to observe a fast of forty days. The fast thus imposed was not enjoined as a work of satisfaction: it was a practical lesson of instruction to those who were to receive the Sacrament; and one well calculated to impress upon their minds a deeper sense of the august dignity of a rite, of which they were not admitted to be participators, without devoting some time to the uninterrupted exercise of fasting and prayer.
Baptism gives no exemption from the sentence of the civil law.But, although the remission by baptism of the punishments due to sin cannot be questioned, we are not hence to infer that
- ↑ L. 9. Reg. epist. 39.
- ↑ John xiii. 10.
- ↑ 4 Kings v. 14.
- ↑ Acts ii. 38. De concupiscentia remanente in baptizatis vide Aug. lib. 1. de pec. merit. et remiss. c. 39. item lib. 1. contra duas Epist. Pelag. c. 13. lib. 3. c. 3. in medio, et lib. 1. de nupt. et concup. c. 23. et 25. item lib. 6. contra Julian. q. 5. et de verb. Apost. serm. 6.
- ↑ Rom. vi. 3, 4. Col. ii. 12.
- ↑ Quod pœnæ peccatis debitæ remittantur in baptismo, vide Ambros. in c. 11. ad Rom. Aug. l. 1. de nupt. et concupis. c. 33. et in Ench. c. 4. D. Thom. p. 3. q. 69. art. 2. unde nec ulla est imponenda pœnitentia. Greg. l. 7. regist. Episc. 24. et habetur de consecrat. distinct. 4. cap. ne quod absit. D. Thom. 3 p q. 68. art. 5.
