Summary Of Baptism In The Fifth Century.

Whenever then, any one denied original sin, the foundation of infant baptism, he denied infant baptism itself, yea utterly annihilated it. This did Hilarius of Syracuse, who denied original sin in newborn infants, and, consequently, infant baptism; wherefore he, according to Augustine, frankly said: “When an unbaptized child dies, it cannot justly be damned, since it was born without sin.”

A. D. 412.—Bapt. Hist., page 407. Theodoretus, in chap. 10, says: “In the law they used sprinklings, and frequently washed the body; but they who order their life according to the New Testament, purify the soul by holy baptism, and free the conscience from previous stains.”

Again, in Epist. Divin. Decret.: “But instead of those sprinklings, the gift of holy baptism is sufficient for those who believe; for it grants not only remission of old or previous sins, but it also implants (that is, into those who are thus baptized), the hope of promised good things; it makes us partakers of the death and resurrection of the Lord; it imparts the communion and gifts of the Holy Ghost; it makes us children of God, and not only children, but also heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.”

Again, quaest. 19 on Levit.: “He that believes in Christ the Savior, when he is sanctified by the water of holy baptism, is also cleansed from the stains of sin.”

Again, quaest. 1 on Jos.: “As the priests who bore the ark, went first into Jordan, whereupon all the people, with Joshua, the princes, and the prophets, passed through; even so, when John began to baptize, Jesus the Savior hallowed, as it were the nature of the water; and the believing people entered through holy baptism into the kingdom of God.”

Who does not see that Theodoretus who wrote A. D. 412, and afterwards, indicates with all the circumstances, that he recognized no baptism, than that which is accompanied with faith and repentance; for when, in the first place, he says: “Those who order their lives according to the New Testament, purify the soul by holy baptism,” and then says: “Instead of those sprinklings, the gift of holy baptism is sufficient for those who believe,” and finally adds: “The believing people entered, through 184 baptism, into the kingdom of God,” he certainly indicates that he does not in any wise speak of the baptism of infants, since they have neither the knowledge nor the ability, to order their lives in accordance with the New Testament, or to believe, which are here put down as absolute conditions in the candidates for baptism.

NOTE.—Theodoretus taught that the figures of the Supper, namely, the bread and the wine, in no wise change their nature, but remain as they are, after consecration. Dialog. 2, Sam. Velt., in Geslaght-register, pages 123, 124.

A. D. 413.—As those Christians greatly increased, who valued only the baptism which is administered upon faith, and, consequently rebaptized (as not having been baptized aright) those who had been baptized by unbelievers or in infancy, when they attained to the true faith, the Emperor Theodosius, A. D. 413, issued an edict, against the Anabaptists, commanding that they should be put to death. Introduction, page 47, col. 2, from Chron. Baron., num. 6.

But lest any one should think that the people who, under the name of Anabaptists, were threatened with death by the Emperor Theodosius, held, with regard to this point, views different from those maintained by the Baptists of the present day, who are likewise called Anabaptists, it is expedient to mention what was said about their views by the inquisitor of Leeuwærden, in opposition to one of our latest martyrs, namely, Jagues d’Auchi. When Jagues wanted the inquisitor, who appealed to the Emperor’s edict, to prove that said edict was just or founded on holy Scripture, the inquisitor made this reply to him: “I believe you think that all our fathers were deceived, and that your sect is saved: what do you say? It is now 1200 or 1300 years since the Emperor Theodosius issued an edict, that the heretics should be put to death, namely, those who were rebaptized like your sect.” See the year 1558, and, in the index, the name Jagues d’Auchi.

When, therefore, the inquisitor says that they “were rebaptized like your sect,” he certainly indicates thereby, that they were people like Jagues d’Auchi was, and, consequently, like the Anabaptists who at that time, namely, A. D. 1558, gave their lives for the truth.

A. D. 415.—Bapt. Hist., page 407, Prosperus, Resp. 2, ad Object. Gallorum, says: “Every one who, believing on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, is regenerated in baptism, is freed from his own, voluntary and actual, sins, as well as from original sin.”

Page 413. Prosperus, in his Epigrams, puts the martyrs and the candidates for baptism on an equal footing, when he says: