_About A. D. 548._--Or 550, it is related, that one Peter, as well as one Zoroaras defended Anabaptism; but as to how and in what manner it was done, whether they rejected infant baptism, or whether they recognized no other baptism than that upon faith and administered in their own church, or otherwise, of this I find no other account than that recorded in _Bapt. Hist., page 472_, from Nicephorus, where it is said: “Nicephorus writes (_lib. 17, cap. 9_): Peter, Bishop of Apamea in Spain, and Zoroaras, a Syrian monk, defended Anabaptism.”[120]
[120] P. J. Twisck, it appears, makes mention of this Peter, for the year 586, as we have also noted for that year.
But if these men have erred in other respects perhaps, which in that dark age could very easily have been the case, we would not justify it; it suffices us that they, as regards this article, dared oppose the common doctrine of the Roman church; which could not have been done without peril of life, or, at least, not without reaping calumny and obloquy.
_About A. D. 551._--That it was customary at this time, to baptize on Easter and Whitsuntide, is recorded from Gregory, who says that several Jews were baptized on Easter, and several on Whitsuntide. _Bapt. Hist., page 472_, from _Gregor., lib. 5, Hist. cap. 11_.
That this custom of baptizing on Easter and Whitsuntide, pertained only to believing penitents, and in no wise to children, we have previously sufficiently shown; to which we refer the reader. But to remove all doubt, mention is also made in the same place, in the _History of Holy Baptism_, of the preaching or doctrine of faith which it was then customary to present to the novices, who were to be baptized. As an example of this is adduced the wife of Sigibert, who, having been rightly instructed in the faith through such holy preaching, was ultimately baptized. _Bapt. Hist., page 472_, from _Greg. Turon., lib. 4, cap. 26_.
_About A. D. 553._--When, as it appears, the good old custom of renouncing and forsaking Satan, which was wont to be done publicly at baptism, in connection with the confession of faith, began to cease, or, at least, fall into neglect, it was revived and again brought to remembrance, by the teacher Vincent;[121] concerning which the following observation is found in _Bapt. Hist., page 473_, from _Vinc., lib. 21, cap. 6_: “It was the custom, to renounce (that is, forsake), before baptism, all pomp and the works of the devil, which can certainly not be done by children.”
[121] This Vincent is to be distinguished from Vincent Victor, who is spoken of in another place.
_About A. D. 556._--At this time white robes were put on the newly baptized, after baptism. Thus, Gregory Turon (_lib. 5, cap. 11_), says--that at Avernio five hundred Jews were baptized at once, and then went their way, clothed in white robes.
Gifts were also presented to the baptized; thus, Guentheramus gave presents to Clotharius, when the latter had been baptized. _Bapt. Hist., p. 484_, from _Gregor. Turon., lib. 10, cap. 27_.
This putting on of the white robes after baptism, signified that the newly-baptized, having put off the garment of sin, must henceforth be clothed in the clean white robe of true righteousness and holiness; to which applies Eccl. 9:8: “Let thy garments be always white;” and Rev. 3:4: “They shall walk in white;” also, Rev. 19:8: “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
As to the gifts presented to the newly-baptized, this indicated that God thus imparts his heavenly gifts and blessings to them; as Peter said to those whom he exhorted to be baptized: “And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,” Acts 2:38.