{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/003/0030740.htm","path":"chr/ecf/003/0030740.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/003/0030740.htm","text":"Chapter XVIII.\u2014Of the Persons to Whom, and the Time When, Baptism is to Be Administered.\nBut they whose office it is, know that baptism is not rashly to be administered. \u201cGive to every one who beggeth thee,\u201d 8722 has a reference of its own, appertaining especially to almsgiving. On the contrary, this precept is rather to be looked at carefully: \u201cGive not the holy thing to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine;\u201d 8723 and, \u201cLay not hands easily on any; share not other men\u2019s sins.\u201d 8724 If Philip so \u201ceasily\u201d baptized the chamberlain, let us reflect that a manifest and conspicuous 8725 evidence that the Lord deemed him worthy p. 678 had been interposed. 8726 The Spirit had enjoined Philip to proceed to that road: the eunuch himself, too, was not found idle, nor as one who was suddenly seized with an eager desire to be baptized; but, after going up to the temple for prayer\u2019s sake, being intently engaged on the divine Scripture, was thus suitably discovered\u2014to whom God had, unasked, sent an apostle, which one, again, the Spirit bade adjoin himself to the chamberlain\u2019s chariot. The Scripture which he was reading 8727 falls in opportunely with his faith: Philip, being requested, is taken to sit beside him; the Lord is pointed out; faith lingers not; water needs no waiting for; the work is completed, and the apostle snatched away. \u201cBut Paul too was, in fact, \u2018speedily\u2019 baptized:\u201d for Simon, 8728 his host, speedily recognized him to be \u201can appointed vessel of election.\u201d God\u2019s approbation sends sure premonitory tokens before it; every \u201cpetition\u201d 8729 may both deceive and be deceived. And so, according to the circumstances and disposition, and even age, of each individual, the delay of baptism is preferable; principally, however, in the case of little children. For why is it necessary\u2014if (baptism itself) is not so necessary 8730 \u2014that the sponsors likewise should be thrust into danger? Who both themselves, by reason of mortality, may fail to fulfil their promises, and may be disappointed by the development of an evil disposition, in those for whom they stood? The Lord does indeed say, \u201cForbid them not to come unto me.\u201d 8731 Let them \u201ccome,\u201d then, while they are growing up; let them \u201ccome\u201d while they are learning, while they are learning whither to come; 8732 let them become Christians 8733 when they have become able to know Christ. Why does the innocent period of life hasten to the \u201cremission of sins?\u201d More caution will be exercised in worldly 8734 matters: so that one who is not trusted with earthly substance is trusted with divine! Let them know how to \u201cask\u201d for salvation, that you may seem (at least) to have given \u201cto him that asketh.\u201d 8735 For no less cause must the unwedded also be deferred\u2014in whom the ground of temptation is prepared, alike in such as never were wedded 8736 by means of their maturity, and in the widowed by means of their freedom\u2014until they either marry, or else be more fully strengthened for continence. If any understand the weighty import of baptism, they will fear its reception more than its delay: sound faith is secure of salvation.\nLuke vi. 30. [See note 4, p. 676.]\n677:8723 677:8724\n1 Tim. v. 22; \u03bc\u03b7\u03b4\u03b5\u03bd\u1f76 omitted, \u03c4\u03b1\u03c7\u03ad\u03c9\u03c2 rendered by \u201cfacile,\u201d and \u03bc\u03b7\u03b4\u1f14 by \u201cne.\u201d\n677:8725\n\u201cExertam,\u201d as in c. xii.: \u201cprobatio exerta,\u201d \u201ca conspicuous proof.\u201d\n678:8726\nComp. Acts viii. 26-40.\n678:8727\nActs 8:28, 30, 32, 33, Isa. 53:7, 8, especially in LXX. The quotation, as given in Acts, agrees nearly verbatim with the Cod. Alex. there.\n678:8728\nTertullian seems to have confused the \u201cJudas\u201d with whom Saul stayed (Acts ix. 11) with the \u201cSimon\u201d with whom St. Peter stayed (Acts ix. 43); and it was Ananias, not Judas, to whom he was pointed out as \u201can appointed vessel,\u201d and by whom he was baptized. [So above, he seems to have confounded Philip, the deacon, with Philip the apostle.]\n678:8729\nSee note 24, [where Luke vi. 30 is shown to be abused].\n678:8730\nTertullian has already allowed (in c. xvi) that baptism is not indispensably necessary to salvation.\n678:8731\nMatt. 19:14, Mark 10:14, Luke 18:16.\n678:8732\nOr, \u201cwhither they are coming.\u201d\n678:8733 678:8734 678:8735\nSee beginning of chapter, [where Luke vi. 30, is shown to be abused].\n678:8736\nVirginibus; but he is speaking about men as well as women. Comp. de Orat. c. xxii. [I need not point out the bearings of the above chapter, nor do I desire to interpose any comments. The Editor\u2019s interpolations, where purely gratuitous, I have even stricken out, though I agree with them. See that work of genius, the Liberty of Prophesying, by Jer. Taylor, sect. xviii. and its candid admissions.]","title":"Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol III: Tertullian: Part III: Of th...","type":"page"}