# Summary Of Baptism In The Thirteenth Century.

13th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: SUMMARY OF BAPTISM IN THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

[The thirteenth century is commenced with the
thirteenth and last Centuria, with which the Magdeburg
Centuriators have concluded their Ecclesiastical
History; which is, as it were, a mournful farewell
air, on account of the lamentable desolation caused
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by the Pope of Rome, in the worship of God. Several
Roman superstitions mentioned, which were
commanded as solemnly as the word of God, and
are called the baptism of necessity, the baptism by
women, heretics, etc.; also, how to baptize a child
that is in danger of death.

Some strange passages from Thomas Aquinas,
touching infant baptism; added decree of the bishops
of Nemansa, as to how to deal with a child, concerning
which there may be doubt of its having been
baptized aright; also the formula of words to be
used by the priest over the child. Explanation that
all this was done to gain respect for infant baptism,
among the common people.

Of the true baptism, and how God, in the midst
of these storms, preserved his church.

The followers of the doctrine of Peter Bruis and
Henry of Toulouse, who, in many respects, concurred
in the belief of the Anabaptists of the present
day, increase to such an extent, A. D. 1206, that
in the provinces of Languedoc, Narbonne, Gascony,
but few people were found who did not adhere
to their doctrine; also the three articles of their doctrine
against the Roman church.

The ancient Waldenses again appear, A. D.
1218, and, though excommunicated by the Pope in
the bull of the Lord’s Supper, declare against the
swearing of oaths, taking the life of evil-doers, the
faith of the Roman church, ungodly priests, the
Pope.

Circumstantial account, that these people, A. D.
1230, were so numerous, that one traveling from
his country to Milan, could lodge every night with
one of his persuasion.

The increase of the Waldenses in France and
Flanders, is again stated for, A. D. 1238.

Statement, for 1242, that they not only confessed
their belief with the mouth, but also suffered for it.

Thirty-eight years after, namely, A. D. 1280, it
is shown, that their doctrine had penetrated not only
into Lombardy, but even into Sicily; several articles
of their doctrine described in full.

Their increase in various countries of Christendom
is again shown, for the year 1284, as a proof that
notwithstanding the persecutions raised against
them, they did not diminish.

A certain doctrine of Alexander, namely: that
baptism must be administered on confession of faith;
whereupon the Waldenses and Albigenses are
introduced once more, for the last time, and it is
stated that they considered infant baptism of no
virtue.

Conclusion, being Jacob Mehrning’s reply to
Mellinus, respecting baptism.]

This is the century, writes Jacob Mehrning, with
which the Magdeburg Centuriators have closed
their church history, etc. Concerning this time
they write in the preface as follows: “This is the
calamitous time, in which the Roman Pope exalted
his might to the highest, in the occidental churches,
and the Turk his power, in the Orient; where, then,
the divine and pure doctrine became most abominably
adulterated in every respect.

Yea, the ground of doctrine, and all external
ceremonies, as well as all points of doctrine,—all
these, without reservation, the Pope of Rome would
have under his control; in consequence of which
such a blindness and darkness arose among men,
that almost all of them took upon them the yoke,
submitting whatever they spoke or wrote, with
more fear to the judgment of the Pope, than of God
himself, or of his church. Rules were established,
by which all controverted articles were to be decided
and judged; namely, the corrupted writings of the
fathers, and the decrees or resolutions of councils.
The word of God entirely lost its honor, dignity
and credit; yea, it was thenceforth accepted only as
far as the opinion of the fathers and councils allowed.
Moreover, the word of God was no longer expounded
from the Holy Scriptures, but according to
the apprehension of their own imagination, etc.
Besides, too much concession was made to the
heathen subtleties of Aristotle; yea, with such
folly, that the obscure writings of this heathen were
introduced into the schools, brought into the pulpit,
and mixed with the articles of faith, etc. Jac.
Mehrn. Bapt. Hist., p. 717, from Cent. Magd.
XIII, chap. 13.

As regards infant baptism, because the same was
much contradicted, yea, utterly rejected, at this
time, by the Waldenses and Albigenses, those of
the Roman church, in order to provide for this, and
to maintain it, ordained various things, called baptism
of necessity (private baptism), baptism by
women, baptism by heretics.

The Madgeburg Centuriators quote the following
(chap. 6, fol. 242) from a synodal book, written
jointly by some bishops, at Nemansa, A. D. 1251:
“We command, that an infant, just born and in
peril of death, so that it can not be brought to
the priest, be baptized by the men present, whether
in warm or in cold water, but with no other liquid,
and this in a wooden, stone or other vessel. But if
there be no men present, let the women who are
there baptize the child, or even the father or the
mother, in case there be no one else present, to
baptize the child.” Bapt. Hist., pp. 727, 728.

By these and similar means the Romanists at this
time, sought to maintain the credit of infant baptism,
which was greatly opposed; to which end tended
also the words of Aquinas, which are as follows:
“The proper administrator of baptism shall be
a priest, whose province it is by virtue of his office,
to baptize; but in cases of necessity, not only a
chaplain, but also a layman, or a woman, yea,
even a heathen or a heretic may baptize, if he only
observes the form of the church, and purposes to do
what the church does. But if a person, from necessity,
is baptized by such an one, he indeed
receives the sacrament, so that he need not be
baptized again; but he does not receive the grace of
baptism, because he is considered as not having
been baptized aright.” Thom. Aquin. de Art.,
Fid., chap. 14, in Bapt. Hist., p. 725.

In the same direction tends what is adduced
in Cent. Magd., XIII., chap. 6, fol. 242, from the
above mentioned synodal book of the bishops of
Nemansa: “But,” say they, “if a child, in case of
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necessity, has been baptized by a layman, according
to the form prescribed, we command, that said
child, if it survives, be brought as soon as possible
to the priest, who shall diligently examine how
it was baptized; and if he find that the form prescribed
was not observed aright, he shall baptize the
child (again), according to the form of the church.
But if he doubt whether it was rightly baptized,
or not, since perhaps the baptizer did not properly
consider the words which he spoke in baptism,
or because the bystanders were not agreed in this,
or because there is no certainty whether it was baptized
or not, the priest shall baptize it with these
words: ‘If thou art baptized, I baptize thee not
again; but if thou art not baptized, I baptize thee in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost.’ In such doubtful cases, however, one
witness is sufficient when more can not be had.”
Bapt. Hist., p. 728.

Who does not see that the Roman church, when
infant baptism was contradicted, endeavored by
these and similar absurdities, to make it appear
to the common people as though infant baptism
were absolutely necessary to salvation, yea, so
necessary that rather than neglect it for want of
a priest, even women, yea, heathen and heretics
whom they otherwise were accustomed to burn,
might baptize the infants if they only observed the
form of baptism employed by the church. Oh
strange theology! Merely to maintain the error
of infant baptism, many other errors were maintained.





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