[115] The pope and the councils had commenced making such efforts, it appears, already A. D. 470, seventeen years earlier; for at that time Anabaptism was condemned at Rome, as has been shown.
“1. If those that have been rebaptized are grievously sorry, and desire to do penance, they shall be received kindly, and, as usual, by the priests.
“2. The priests and ecclesiastics that have fallen, and been baptized with the baptism of heretics, shall do penance to the end of their life.
“3. Other ecclesiastics, as monks, nuns, and seculars, who have fallen, and been rebaptized, shall remain three years among the catechumens, and seven years among the penitents; shall not offer for the space of two years, but pray among the seculars; however, if they be overtaken by death during this time, the bishop, or a priest shall absolve them.
“4. Those who have been baptized or rebaptized by heretics, shall not be permitted to receive any ecclesiastical office, but must be content (that is, if they return) with being received into the number of the Catholics.”
All these articles--the fourth one we have passed over as irrelevant--sufficiently indicate that those who were then called Anabaptists must have increased greatly and commanded no small respect, since not only the common people, but also (as the second and third article declare) priests, ecclesiastics, and other clerical persons, as monks, nuns, etc., though baptized in youth, were rebaptized, that is, baptized upon faith; which is the more evident from the fact that the Pope considered the matter of sufficient importance, to convoke, in order to weaken the so-called Anabaptists and maintain the Roman church, a public synod or council, and publish laws and rules against them. Also P. J. Twisck makes mention of this, in his _Chron., 5th book, page 167, col. 2_, fixing, however, the date of this occurrence on the year 483, which is four years earlier than in _Bapt. History_.
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.