Page 221The faith, was baptized of his own accord. This occurred in France, at the time referred to, and it is also stated that the same year, in Spain, Herinigild, having attained to the faith through the instruction of Leander, was baptized; besides various other persons, both before and at that time, as the chronicles show. From this it clearly follows that the people who held this belief must have existed also in the beginning of this century, since a religion that has once obtained a footing, cannot well be abolished in a year or two, especially if it is spread over different countries, and is zealously advocated, which latter, as has been shown, the true believers did. Hence we shall proceed to the persons who held this belief and whose names are mentioned in this century. A. D. 716. Bapt. Hist., page 534. D. Vicecomes (lib. 3, cap. 5), quotes from Germanus, a father at Constantinople, who lived in the time of Leo Isauricus, that it was still customary then, to make confession of sins before baptism. He speaks here of a general custom observed at that time in the East, in the Greek churches; which custom consisted in this, that confession of sins was made before baptism; which, as everyone can judge, could not be done by infants, but only by adult persons. If any one should object here, that this related only to the intelligent, but that infants were baptized, though they did not make such confession, we reply that this does not appear at all, nay, that the contrary follows clearly, since the custom spoken of was a general one, binding for all who were to be baptized; and as infants could not follow this custom, it is incontrovertible, that they were not admitted to the baptism which required it. From A. D. 724 to 736.-At this time there was conspicuous in the kingdom of England, Bede,* surnamed the Presbyter, who, having at one time maintained the Roman superstitions, and among these, infant baptism, now openly declared to hold different views in many points. Touching baptism, he is stated to have declared the following (Bapt. Hist., paya 532, on Acts 19), "All who came to the apostts to be baptized, were first instructed and taught by them; and having been instructed and taught concerning baptism, they were baptized, by virtue of the apostolic office." Compare with Mark 16:16. Page 533, D. Vicecomes (lib. 1, cap: 5) quotes the following testimonies from Bede. He writes, "Bede says that the Angles were baptized in the Rhine and in the Swalbe." Regarding the manner, compare this with Matt. 3:6, "And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins." Again, "And John also was baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came and were baptized" (John 3:23). This mode of baptism, as we have shown elsewhere, * Venerable Bede.-Transl. was not administered to infants, but only to adult and intelligent persons; nay, it is shown there, that this could not be otherwise. Bede, in his exposition on the book of Esdras (D. vicecomes, lib. 2, cap. 3), writes,"To the hearers of the new life (that is, the catechumens) we deliver the confession of faith as laid down by the twelve apostles."; From the circumstance mentioned here, that the confession of faith was delivered to the_ catechumens, namely, that they might learn it, and be baptized thereupon, it appears that at the time and place of which he speaks, no such haste was made to have infants baptized, as had been done previously, and as was also done subsequently, by those of the Roman church. For these catechumens were certainly not baptized in their infancy, or presented for baptism by their parents; but, in order to be truly baptized, they first learned the catechism, which was the instruction in the faith of the Christians in those times; and in order that they might be perfectly instructed therein, the whole confession of faith was delivered to them, before they were baptized. Bede (lib. 3, cap. 3), on Heb. 6, 'further says, "The separation from the Egyptians signifies the separation from sin, which those who are to be baptized (must) profess... as Saint Peter has said, Acts 2: 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord;' as though he would say: Depart from Egypt; go through the Red Sea. Moreover, in the epistle to the Hebrews, there is mentioned before baptism, repentance from dead works; but what else is repentance from dead works, than a being slain unto sin, that we may live unto God in holiness?"; Here four things are mentioned which do not apply to the baptism of infants. 1. The separation from sin, which those who were to be baptized, must confess. 2. Peter's exhortation, Acts 2, "Repent," etc., which was not spoken to infants, but to intelligent, penitent sinners. 3. The passage of Paul, from the epistle to the Hebrews, chap. 6, verse 2, where before baptism repentance from dead works is mentioned. 4. Bede's exposition of said passage, "What is repentance from dead works, but a dying unto sin, that we may live unto God in holiness?"; I feel confident that even our opponents will concur with us in saying that the conditions which Bede here joins to baptism, do not relate to infants, and, hence, cannot be applied to the baptism of infants. Bede (in lib. 2, Hist. Anglic.) writes of Paulinus, the teacher at York: He preached the Word of God from that time on for six years, and there believed and were baptized as many as were ordained (or destined) to eternal life, etc.; among whom there were Offrid and Eadfrid, the sons of King Edwin, who were both born to him in the misery of his exile, and were both taken out of this life while yet in their white garments.";
|
