fore, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do
such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance, sanctification of soul and body, lowliness of
heart and contrition, almsgiving, forgiveness of injuries,
loving-kindness, watchings, perfect repentance of all past offences,
tears of compunction, sorrow for our own sins and those of our
neighbours, and the like. These, even as steps and ladders that
support one another and are clinched together, conduct the soul to
heaven. Lo, to these we are commanded to cleave after baptism, and to
abstain from their contraries.

"But if, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, we again lay hold
on dead works, and, like a dog, return to our vomit, it shall happen
unto us according to the word of the Lord; 'for,' saith he, 'when the
unclean spirit is gone out of a man' (to wit, by the grace of baptism)
'he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none.' But
enduring not for long to wander homeless and hearthless, he saith, 'I
will return to my house whence I came out.' And, when he cometh, he
findeth it swept and garnished, but empty and unoccupied, not having
received the operation of grace, nor having filled itself with the
riches of the virtues. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other
spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in and dwell there:
and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first.' For
baptism burieth in the water and completely blotteth out the
hand-writing of all former sins, and is to us for the future a sure
fortress and tower of defence, and a strong weapon against the
marshalled host of the enemy; but it taketh not away free will, nor
alloweth the forgiving of sins after baptism, or immersion in the font
a second time. For it is one baptism that we confess, and need is that
we keep ourselves with all watchfulness that so we fall not into
defilement a second time, but hold fast to the commandments of the
Lord. For when he said to the Apostles, 'Go make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost,' he did not stop there, but added, 'teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.'

"Now he commanded men to be poor in spirit, and such he calleth blessed
and worthy of the kingdom of heaven. Again he chargeth us