NOTE.--At this time mention is made, in a certain African council, of certain people, as being agitators with regard to baptism, and how they should be suppressed. Compare _Seb. Franck, Chron. Rom., Conc., fol. 48, col. 4_, with our remarks in the account of the martyrs of the fifth century, on the year 497.
_A. D. 498._--It is stated that at this time there lived and wrote, the excellent teacher, Fulgentius, who, writing, among other things on baptism says (_lib. de fide, ad Petrum, cap. 30_): “Rest assured of this, and doubt not in anywise.” Continuing he says: “That no man can receive eternal life, who has not previously been converted from his sins through repentance and faith, and through the sacrament of faith and repentance been redeemed, that is, through baptism; this is absolutely necessary for adults, namely that they repent of their sins, understand the common faith, according to the truth, and receive the sacrament of baptism (upon it).”
This is the only testimony of Fulgentius, respecting baptism, which we have been able to find; from which we can draw no other conclusion than that he esteemed baptism upon faith very highly, yea, that this, and no other, was considered true baptism by him; for when he speaks of baptism, he connects it with faith and repentance, and, hence, calls it a sacrament of faith and repentance, adding that it is necessary for adults. How could one speak more clearly and plainly of the true Christian and apostolical baptism, which is peculiar to believers and penitents. We will, therefore, let the matter rest, as having been sufficiently explained by Fulgentius.
NOTE.--It appears that the doctrine of baptism upon faith had at this time, A. D. 498, made its way even to the papal chair, which, however, we do not recognize. _Bapt. Hist., page 463_, Pope Leo I., in his epistle, declaims with great warmth against the Bishops of Sicily, Campania, Samnia, and Picena, because they baptized not only on Easter and Whitsuntide, but also on Epiphany and other holidays. Observe: this is utterly opposed to infant baptism, as we have shown elsewhere. On page 464, Pope Leo (_Serm. 1, de natia Dom., cap. 4_) thus exhorts those who had been baptized: “Remain steadfast in the faith which you have confessed before many witnesses, and in which you are regenerated.” Again, Leo writes (_Epist. 4, ad Episcob., in Sicilia, cap. 6_): “You plainly see that two reasons must be observed, in which the elect (that is, believers) are to be baptized.”
See, beloved reader, such is the power of truth, that even the mouth of the liar, yea, of antichrist, must confess it. But though Pope Leo confessed this, other popes declared those who confessed the same, heretics, yea, cursed, persecuted, and killed them, as shall be shown in the proper place.
At this time Fulgentius taught that the holy Scriptures contained all that was necessary for salvation--food for children, as well as for adults. _S. Veltius, Geschlacht-register, 1649, page 123._
_A. D. 500._--P. J. Twisck, in the conclusion of his account of the fifth century, complains of the desolation, both in civil and spiritual affairs, occasioned chiefly by the power of the Pope of Rome, saying: “In this time, and still longer, through the desolation caused in the lands by the invasion of many different armies, and by other destroyers, as well as through immorality and heresies, the best people and chiefest authors perished, piety and learning diminished, and whatever of good remained, became for the most part corrupted. For although the baptism of adults was still administered, and church history from the time of Christ up to about this period, does not in the least, as far as I know, mention infant baptism, the latter nevertheless, according to other writers, more and more lifts up its head, and this with papal pollution, is confirmed by a decree, and considered not necessary to salvation.” _Chron., 5th book, page 174._