this question to him, 'Are you a catechumen, or one of the faith?'
If he shall answer you, 'I am a catechumen;' he is anointed but not yet
baptized. But, whence anointed? ask him. And he replies. Ask of him in whom
he believes. From the fact that he is a catechumen, he says, in Christ."

This is the third lecture of St. Augustin on the ninth chapter of St.
John's gospel, where our Saviour is portrayed as healing the blind man, by
mixing earth with spittle and anointing his eyes therewith. And St.
Augustin adds, "Why have I spoken of {75} spittle and of mud? Because the
word is made flesh; this the catechumens hear; but it is not sufficient for
them as to what they were anointed; let them hasten to the font, if they
desire light."[86]

But still further to mark the distinction between these grades of Christian
secret instruction, St. Augustin, in the eleventh tract on the Gospel of
St. John, treating of the conversation between Nicodemus and our Saviour,
as to regeneration, says, "If, therefore, Nicodemus was of the multitude
who believed in his name, now in that Nicodemus we comprehend why Jesus did
not trust them. Jesus answered and said to him, 'Verily, verily I say unto
you, unless any one shall have been born again, he can not see the kingdom
of God.' Jesus placed faith, therefore, in those who were born again. Lo!
they believed in him, and Jesus did not trust in them. Such are all
catechumens: they now believe in the name of Christ, but Jesus does not
confide in them. Let your love comprehend and understand this. If we say to
a catechumen, 'Do you believe in Christ?' He answers, {76} 'I do,' and
signs himself with Christ's cross: he bears it on his forehead, and blushes
not at his Lord's cross. Lo! he believes in his name. Let us ask him, 'Do
you eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood?' He knows not
what we say, because Jesus has not trusted him."[87]

Now we are told in Holy Writ in reference to this matter. St. Paul,
alluding to this secret traditional instruction in the several degrees of
Christian learning, says to those advanced to a higher or more perfect
degree: "and I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but
as unto carnal, even as to babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and
not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now
are ye able."[88] Even their first lessons in the great mystery were
imperfect. Other and further instruction was to complete