The Fathers
sometimes speak as if Baptism was primarily the Sacrament of remission
of sins, and upon that came the gift of the Spirit, which
notwithstanding was but begun in Baptism and completed in
Confirmation. Vid. Tertullian. de Bapt. 7, 8,
supr. i. 5 fin. Hence, as in the text,
Baptism may be said to be made up of two gifts, Water, which is
Christ’s blood, and the Spirit. There is no real difference
between this and the ordinary way of speaking on the
subject;—Water, which conveys both gifts, is considered as
a type of one especially,—conveys both remission of
sins through Christ’s blood and the grace of the Spirit, but is
the type of one, viz. the blood of Christ, as the Oil in
Confirmation is of the other. And again, remission of sins is a
complete gift given at once, sanctification an increasing one.
(R.W.C.) See Index,
“Baptism.”