Penitents. And this is not Chrysostom's opinion only, but that of the ancient Church, that one who shall have fallen grievously after Baptism, though he may "by God's grace arise again and amend his life," (Art. 16.) cannot be in the same condition, as if he had never so fallen. So also in Scripture. Two great branches of our Blessed Saviour's office are set forth to us. His death and His intercession—His death, the merits of which are applied to us in Baptism, as containing the remission of all past sin, the death of the old man, the imparting of a new nature, the quickening and renewing our souls, the placing us in a state of salvation, as saith St. Paul—"God hath set forth Christ Jesus to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of the sins that are past," the former sins[1] (τῶν προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτων) (Rom. iii. 25,) "the sins of the times of ignorance:" (Acts xvii. 30.) His intercession for sins into which through the infirmity of the flesh, though Christians, we may yet fall. "For these," St. John, who is manifestly speaking of the sins of true believers, saith, "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation for our sins:" but we have no account in Scripture of any second remission, obliteration, extinction of all sin, such as is bestowed upon us by "the one Baptism for the remission of sins." And that such was the view of the antient Church, appears the more from the very abuse which we find derived from it; that many, namely, delayed continually the
- ↑ Comp. 2 Pet. i. 9, "having fallen into a forgetfulness of the purification of his old sins" (τῶν πάλαι αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτιῶν). Œcumenius paraphrases, (comparing St, James i. 22.) "For such a man, having known that he was washed from a multitude of sins, in that he was cleansed by Holy Baptism, ought to have known, that having been cleansed he received holiness also, and so should watch always to preserve that 'holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.' But he forgat it." Justin Martyr, Apol. 1. § 61. p. 80. ed. St Maur. "That we may not remain subject to slavery of the will and ignorance, but may have free choice and knowledge, and may in the water obtain remission of the sins, which we have before committed, (ἀφέσεώς τε ἁμαρτιῶν ὑπὲρ ὢν προημάρτομεν τύχωμεν ἐν τῷ ὕδατι) the name of God is named over him who wishes to be regenerated, and hath repented (μετανοήσαντι) for his misdeeds."
