, utique credentes et fideles suos;
expositionem delictorum de lavacro repromittit. et si adhuc memini,
Mithras signat illic in frontibus milites suos, celebrat et panis
oblationem et imaginem resurrectionis inducit ... summum pontificem in
unius nuptiis statuit, habet et virgines, habet et continentes." The
ancient notion that matter has a mysterious influence on spirit, came
very early into vogue in connection with baptism. We see that from
Tertullian's treatise on baptism and his speculations about the power of
the water (c. 1 ff.). The water must, of course, have been first
consecrated for this purpose (that is, the demons must be driven out of
it). But then it is holy water with which the Holy Spirit is united, and
which is able really to cleanse the soul. See Hatch, "The influence of
Greek ideas, etc.," p. 19. The consecration of the water is certainly
very old: though we have no definite witnesses from the earliest period.
Even for the exorcism of the baptised before baptism I know of no
earlier witness than the Sentent. LXXXVII. episcoporum (Hartel. Opp.
Cypr. I. p. 450, No. 37: "primo per manus impositionem in exorcismo,
secundo per baptismi regenerationem").]

[Footnote 286: Justin is the first who does so (I. 61). The word comes
from the Greek mysteries. On Justin's theory of baptism, see also I. 62.
and Von Engelhardt, "Christenthum Justin's," p. 102 f.]

[Footnote 287: Paul unites baptism and the communication of the Spirit;
but they were very soon represented apart, see the accounts in the Acts
of the Apostles, which are certainly very obscure, because the author
has evidently never himself observed the descent of the Spirit, or
anything like it. The ceasing of special manifestations of the Spirit in
and after baptism, and the enforced renunciation of seeing baptism
accompanied by special shocks, must be regarded as the first stage in
the sobering of the churches.]

[Footnote 288: The idea of the whole transaction of the Supper as a
sacrifice, is plainly found in the Didache, (c. 14), in Ignatius, and,
above all, in Justin (I. 65 f.) But even Clement of Rome presupposes it,
when in (cc. 40-44) he draws a parallel between bishops and deacons and
the Priests and Levites of the Old Testament, describing as the chief
function of the former (44. 4) [Greek: prospherein ta dora]. This is not
the place to enquire whether the first celebration had, in the mind of
its founder, the character of a sacrificial meal;