Chapter V.
Christ is Himself present in Baptism, so that we need
not consider the person of His ministers. A brief explanation of
the confession of the Trinity as usually uttered by those about to be
baptized.
26.
Is
there, then,
here any room left for doubt, when the Father clearly calls from heaven
in the Gospel narrative, and says: “This is My beloved Son,
in Whom I am well pleased”?
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When the Son also speaks, upon Whom the Holy Spirit showed Himself in
the likeness of a dove? When the Holy Spirit also speaks, Who
came down in the likeness of a dove? When David, too,
speaks: “The voice of the Lord is above the waters, the God
of glory thundered, the Lord above many waters”?
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When Scripture testifies that at
the prayer of Jerubbaal, fire came down from heaven,
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and again, when Elijah prayed, fire was
sent forth and consecrated the sacrifice.
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27. Do not consider the merits of
individuals, but the office of the priests. Or, if you look at
the merits, consider the priest as Elijah. Look upon the merits
of Peter also, or of Paul, who handed down to us this mystery which
they had received of the Lord Jesus. To those [of old] a visible
fire was sent that they might believe; for us who believe, the Lord
works invisibly; for them that happened for a figure, for us for
warning. Believe, then, that the Lord Jesus is present at the
invocation of the priest, Who said: “Where two or three
are, there am I also.”
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How much where the Church is, and
where His Mysteries are, does He vouchsafe to impart His presence!
28. You went down, then (into the water), remember
what you replied to the questions, that you believe in the Father, that
you believe in the Son, that you believe in the Holy Spirit. The
statement there is not: I believe in a greater and in a less and
in a lowest person, but you are bound by the same guarantee of your own
voice, to believe in the Son in like manner as you believe in the
Father; and to believe in the Holy Spirit in like manner as you believe
in the Son, with this one exception, that you confess that you must
believe in the cross of the Lord Jesus alone.
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S.
Matt. iii. 17
.
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Ps. xxix.
[xxviii.] 3
.
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Judg. vi. 21
.
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1 [3] Kings
xviii. 38
.
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S.
Matt. xviii. 20
.