Baptism by Fire (II)

II. BAPTISM by Fire. The words of S. Matth. iii. 11.John Baptist saying, that for his part he baptized only with Water, but that he who was to come after him would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire, give us an opportunity to examine what is meant by this Baptism by Fire. Many of the old Fathers¹ believed, that all the faithful, before they entred Paradise, would pass through a certain Fire, which would purify them from the pollutions that might still remain with them to be expiated. This opinion is proposed, but Gen. iii. 24.with some difference, by the generality of the Ancients: it is founded upon what is said in Genesis, concerning the Cherubims being placed at the entrance into Paradise with a flaming sword, and upon the following words 1 Cor iii. 12, 18.of S. Paul, Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man’s work, of what sort it is.

Other Fathers² explain this Fire by that of Hell; others³ by the fire of Tribulations and Temptations; others⁴ by an abundance of Graces; others suppose it to mean the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles in the form of fiery tongues; lastly, others have pretended, that the word Fire is an addition in this place, and that we are to read no more than this in S. Matthew, viz. I baptize you with Water, but he that shall come after me will baptize you with the Holy Ghost. It is certain that the word Fire is not to be met with in several manuscript copies of S. Matthew; but we read it in S. Luke, and in the oriental Versions of S. Matthew.

Some old Hereticks⁵, such as the Seleucians and Hermians, understood this literally, and maintained, that material Fire was necessary in the adminisration of Baptism; but they do not tell us either how, or to what part of the body they applied it, or whether they were satisfied with obliging the baptized to pass over or thro’ the flames. Valentinus rebaptized those who had received Baptism out of his Sect, and drew them thro’ the Fire⁶.

Bis docuit tingui, traducto corpore flammâ.

Heraclion, who is cited by Clemens Alexandrinus⁷, says, that some applied a red hot iron to the ears of the baptized as if they were to impress some mark upon them. We are told that the Ethiopians⁸ still at this day make prints with a hot iron on their newly baptized Children in three places, viz. the nose, eyes, and temples. Father Eugenius Roger says, that they use for this purpose a small twoedged hot iron. We are assured that the Jacobites, Christians in the East, print a hot iron upon their Childrens fore-head after having circumcised them.

But M. Renaudot⁹ affirms, that whatever is said of this pretended Baptism by Fire, and the practice of it among the Ethiopians, is all false: and M. Ludolf¹⁰ confesses, that neither Gregory the Ethiopian, whom he consulted, nor the Missionary Jesuits had said any thing of it; but he remarks, that the people of Africa, as well Heathens as Mahometans, have a custom of applying a caustick to the temples of their Children, in order to preserve them from Catarrhs; that some Ethiopians do the same, and that this probably is what gave occasion to believe, that this was an act of their Religion.

From all that has been said we may infer, that the Church never approved of those, who, understanding the words of the Gospel literally, asserted Fire to be necessarily used in the ceremony of Christian Baptism; but has left people at liberty to explain this Fire, as meaning either the abundance of Graces pour’d forth into our souls by Baptism, or the Fire which accompanied the descent of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles, or the fire of Tribulations, Grief, and Repentance, which ought always to go along with Baptism.

Read this article in its place on the printed pages