Touching Some Other Points Of Cyril’S Faith, According To The Account Of P. J. Twisck, Chron., 5th Book, Page 152, Col. 1.

He says: “Felix III., the fiftieth Pope of Rome, ordained that the churches should be consecrated by the bishops, and that annual wakes or church-masses—real bacchanals—should be celebrated. In his time it was also decreed in a council, that persons baptized by heretics, or rebaptized, should not be received into any ecclesiastical order. Said council also had under consideration those who had been rebaptized in Africa, and desired to do penance; as well as, what should be done with the bishops, priests, monks, and nuns, who had been rebaptized.” From Platina, fol. 91. Fasc. Temp., fol. 112. Hist. Georg., lib. 3.

A. D. 494.—At this time flourished Primasius; he explains 1 Tim. 6:12, where the apostle says: “Thou hast professed a good profession before many witnesses,” as having reference to baptism. See Bapt. Hist., page 483, from Joseph Vicecomes, lib. 5, cap. 37.

But, beloved reader, how can this passage apply to baptism, or be interpreted with reference to it, unless we understand that the good profession of which the apostle speaks, is attributed to the candidates for baptism; so that, as Timothy (of whom he says this) professed a good profession before many witnesses, even so must yet at this day all who are to be baptized, profess a good profession before many witnesses. But new-born infants cannot do this; hence, the baptism of which Primasius here speaks, does not relate to infants.

Afterwards, in his first book on John’s Revelation, he says: “He is arrayed in a white robe, who is clothed with Christ, and is strong in the faith which worketh by love; but as many of you as have been baptized, have put on Christ.” Gal. 3:27. Bapt. Hist., page 408.

Nowhere in the holy Scriptures, are infants enjoined to put on Christ; but this is throughout and without exception said to believers. See Rom. 13:14; Gal 3:27; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10. These epistles were written and sent only to believers. But to remove all doubt, Primasius himself explains what he understands by this putting on of Christ, by adding: “and is strong in the faith.” This is certainly not anything that children can do; hence the baptism which he applies to such as he speaks of is not the baptism of infants.

NOTE.—At this time mention is made, in a certain African council, of certain people, as being agitators with regard to baptism, and how they should be suppressed. Compare Seb. Franck, Chron. Rom., Conc., fol. 48, col. 4, with our remarks in the account of the martyrs of the fifth century, on the year 497.

A. D. 498.—It is stated that at this time there lived and wrote, the excellent teacher, Fulgentius, who, writing, among other things on baptism says (lib. de fide, ad Petrum, cap. 30): “Rest assured of this, and doubt not in anywise.” Continuing he says: “That no man can receive eternal life, who has not previously been converted from his sins through repentance and faith, and through the sacrament of faith and repentance been redeemed, that is, through baptism; this is absolutely necessary for adults, namely that they repent of their sins, understand the common faith, according to the truth, and receive the sacrament of baptism (upon it).”

This is the only testimony of Fulgentius, respecting baptism, which we have been able to find; from which we can draw no other conclusion than that he esteemed baptism upon faith very highly, yea, that this, and no other, was considered true baptism by him; for when he speaks of baptism, he connects it with faith and repentance, and, hence, calls it a sacrament of faith and repentance, adding that it is necessary for adults. How could one speak more clearly and plainly of the true Christian and apostolical baptism, which is peculiar to believers and penitents. We will, therefore, let the matter rest, as having been sufficiently explained by Fulgentius.

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NOTE.—It appears that the doctrine of baptism upon faith had at this time, A. D. 498, made its way even to the papal chair, which, however, we do not recognize. Bapt. Hist., page 463, Pope Leo I., in his epistle, declaims with great warmth against the Bishops of Sicily, Campania, Samnia, and Picena, because they baptized not only on Easter and Whitsuntide, but also on Epiphany and other holidays. Observe: this is utterly opposed to infant baptism, as we have shown elsewhere. On page 464, Pope Leo (Serm. 1, de natia Dom., cap. 4) thus exhorts those who had been baptized: “Remain steadfast in the faith which you have confessed before many witnesses, and in which you are regenerated.” Again, Leo writes (Epist. 4, ad Episcob., in Sicilia, cap. 6): “You plainly see that two reasons must be observed, in which the elect (that is, believers) are to be baptized.”