He makes mention, moreover, in many places, of various other circumstances and matters pertaining to baptism; of which we will present the following to the reader.

Basilius the Great writes (Contra Eunom., lib. 3), "Faith must precede, if the believer is to be sealed by baptism.";

D. Vicecomes adduces from Basilius, book 1, chap. 23, of his Exhortation to Baptism the following, "When wilt thou become a Christian? When shall we recognize thee as one of our number? Last year thou deferredst it till the present Easter; and now thou wilt wait till the next. Take heed, lest thou be deceived in thy expectation of a long life.";

Again, chap. 31, Basilius, in the 128th epistle, commends C. Posthumanius, and wishes that he had been his godfather, since the same had made such a glorious confession at his baptism; and this with great contrition, pain, and anguish of spirit; and had evinced in his life and conversation the moderation which the confession of the Christian name demands.

Again, chap. 33, Vicecomes writes, "Basilius is greatly astonished (in the 23d epistle to Boniface), at infant baptism and godfathership, saying 'Since you cannot promise anything certain, either with regard to the child's future faith, or its present thoughts, I pray thee, beloved, what then does it signify that, when the children are brought to

baptism, the parents, as sureties, answer in their stead, and say that the children do that which at that age they cannot even think, or, which if they can, is hid from us? But those who bring the child are asked: Does it believe in God? and, for this age, which knows not whether there is a God, the parents answer: It believes. Thus also the other questions are responded to. I am astonished that in such matters the parents answer so presumptuously for the child: " Bapt. Hist., pages 390, 391.