A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM. 411
aftersolong a seriesof so many ages. For not forany other
reason was Peter,who had alreadybeen baptizedand had
been asked what he thought of the Lord by the Lord Him
self,and the truthof the revelationof the Father in heaven
being bestowed on him had confessedthat Christwas not
only our Lord, but was the Son of the livingGod — was
shown subsequentlyto have withstoodthe same Christwhen
He made announcement of His passion,and thereforewas
set forthas being calledSatan,exceptbecauseitwould come
to pass thatsome, althoughvarying in theirown judgment,
and somewhat haltingin faithand doctrine,although they
were baptizedin the name of Jesus,yet,if they had been
able to rescindtheirerrorin some intervalof time,were not
on thataccount cut off from salvation; but at any time that
they had come to the rightmind, obtainedby repentancea
sonnd hope of salvation,especiallywhen they receivedthe
Holy Spirit,to be baptizedby Whom is the duty of every
man, they would have intended some such thing. Even as
-\vedo not apprehend that Peter in the Gospel sufferedthis
alone,but allthe disciples,towhom, though alreadybaptized,
the Lord afterwardssays,that" allye shallbe offendedin
me,"1 — allof whom, as we observe,having amended their
faith,were baptizedafterthe Lord's resurrectionwith the
Holy Spirit;so thatnot withoutreasonwe alsoin the present
day may believethat men amended from theirformer error
may be baptizedin the Holy Spirit,who, althoughthey were
baptized with water in the name of the Lord, might have
had a faith somewhat imperfect. Because it is of great
importance whether a man is not baptized at all in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ,or indeed whether in some
respect he haltswhen he is baptizedwith the baptism of
water, which is of lessaccount provided that afterwardsa
sincere faithin the truth is evidentin the baptism of the
Spirit,which undoubtedly isof greateraccount.
7. Neither must you esteem what our Lord saidas being
contrary to this treatment: " Go ye, teach the nations;
baptize them in the name of the Father,and of the Son,
1Mark xiv.27.