_A. D. 300._--Arnobius, an old teacher says (in _Psalms 146_): “You are not first baptized, and then apprehend the faith, and rejoice in it; but when you are about to be baptized, you state before the teacher your perfect willingness, and make your confession with your own mouth.” _P. J. Twisck, Chron., 3d book, page 82, col. 1, 2_, from _Grond. Bew., letter B_.
These words of Arnobius are very excellent, and show that at his time they did not first baptize, and then apprehend faith; but that the one to be baptized had to state his willingness before baptism, and then to make confession of faith with his own mouth. However, we shall speak more fully of Arnobius in the succeeding century.
_Same year as above._--It is recorded that at this time there were several persons who had separated from the catholic[99] (Roman) church, namely: Dadoes, Sabas, Adelphius, Hermas and Simeones, who were accused of heresy by the Roman church, and, among other things, were charged with holding erroneous views concerning the divine meat (that is, the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper), and of baptism (that is, infant baptism). As regards the divine meat they were charged with holding the opinion, that it neither profited nor injured; that is, that the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper had no intrinsic virtue or value; and of baptism it was said that they maintained, that those baptized were not benefited by baptism, but that fervent prayer alone must expel the indwelling Satan.
[99] Used in the sense of general.
Concerning these and other matters with which they were charged, whether justly or unjustly, see _Hist. Eccles. Tripart., lib. 7, cap. 11. S. Fr., Chron. Rom. Kett._, printed A. D. 1563, _fol. 96, letter E, under the name Eraclit. Epulius_.
Hence, when they said that those baptized were not benefited by baptism, they thereby sufficiently rejected infant-baptism, since the Roman church in general recognized no other than infant baptism. That this rejection of baptism, or deeming it useless, has respect to infant baptism, is clearly evident from what is added, namely, that they held that not baptism, but fervent prayer must expel the indwelling Satan; for those of the Roman church entertained the contrary view, namely, that Satan must certainly be expelled from the infants by baptism. However, we let every one judge for himself in this matter.
Jacob Mehrning in concluding the third century, says: “All these are beautiful reminders, which were administered to the catechumens before as well as after baptism, and which can certainly not have place with infants. And thus it has been shown in this, the third chapter, that in these three centuries infant baptism cannot be proven by a single consistent and authentic testimony from the fathers and church historians.” _Baptism. Hist., pp. 320 and 321._
But this is further elucidated by the remark of P. J. Twisck, who, quite at the close of the third century, says: “Although infant baptism had been originated by some individuals, or by the church (that is, the Roman), as they themselves state, there were, nevertheless, many who devoutly received baptism upon faith and with a penitent life.” _Chron., 3d book, conclusion, pages 83 and 84._
With this we close our account of baptism as practiced in the third century, and proceed to the martyrs who suffered during this same time for the truth and their upright faith.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE PIOUS MARTYRS AND WITNESSES OF JESUS CHRIST WHO SUFFERED IN THE THIRD CENTURY.