Baptism and the cross of Christ
foretold in figures under the law.
LET us now inquire whether
the Lord took care to manifest
anything beforehand concerning water
and the cross.
2 Now for the former of these,
it is written to the people of
Israel how they shall not receive
that baptism which brings to
forgiveness of sins; but shall
institute another to themselves
that cannot.
3 For thus saith the prophet:
Be astonished, O Heaven! and
let the earth tremble at it, because
this people have done two great
and wicked things: they have left
me, the fountain of living water,
and have digged for themselves
broken cisterns, that can hold no
water.
4 Is my holy mountain of Zion,
a desolate wilderness? For ye
shall be as a young bird when its
nest is taken away.
5 And again the prophet saith,
I will go before thee, and will
make plain the mountains, and
will break the gates of brass, and
will snap in sunder the bars of
iron; and will give thee dark,
and hidden, and invisible
treasures, that they may know
that I am the Lord God.
6 And again: he shall dwell
in the high den of the strong
rock. And then, what follows in
the same prophet? His water is
faithful; ye shall see the king
with glory, and your soul shall
learn the fear of the Lord.
7 And again he saith in another
prophet: He that does these
things; I shall be like a tree
planted by the currents of water,
which shall give its fruit in its
season. Its leaf also shall not
wither, and whatsoever he doth
it shall prosper.
8 As for the wicked it is not
so with them; but they are as the
dust which the wind scattereth
away from the face of the earth.
9 Therefore the ungodly shall
not stand in the judgment, neither
the sinners in the council of the
righteous. For the Lord knoweth
the way of the righteous, and the
way of the ungodly shall perish.
10 Consider how he has joined
both the cross and the water
together.
11 For this he saith: Blessed
are they who put their trust in the
cross, and descend into the water;
for they shall have their reward in
due time: then, saith he, will I
give it them.
12 But as concerning the present
time, he saith, their leaves shall
not fall: meaning thereby, that
every word that shall go out of
your mouth, shall through faith
and charity be to the conversion
and hope of many.
13 In like manner doth another
prophet speak. And the land of
Jacob was the praise of all the
earth; magnifying thereby the
vessel of his spirit.
14 And what follows?--And
there was a river running on the
right hand, and beautiful trees
grew up by it; and he that shall
eat of them shall live for ever.
The signification of which is this
that we go down into the water
full of sins and pollutions, but
come up again, bringing forth
fruit; having in our hearts the
fear and hope which is in Jesus,
by the spirit. And whosoever
shall eat of them shall live for
ever.
15 That is, whosoever shall
hearken to those who call them, and
shall believe, shall live for ever.