Abraham Mellinus, writing of the belief of Arnald, says: “He also taught quite differently concerning the sacrament of the altar, and (notice), of infant baptism, from that which was taught in the Roman church at that time. He doubtless, in this respect, held the views of Peter de Bruis and Henry of Toulouse (of whom we shall speak afterwards), rejecting transubstantiation, and denying that the mass is a sacrifice for the living and the dead, and that (notice again) either baptism or the faith of others saves infants.” Thus far, _A. Mell., 2d book, page 425, col. 3_.
NOTE.--Abraham Mellinus, who states this concerning the belief of Arnald, was a preacher of the Calvinistic church, in St. Anthony’s Polder, and, consequently, himself an advocate of infant baptism. Nevertheless, he distinctly says of Arnald, whom he recognized as a pious martyr, that he taught quite differently concerning infant baptism, and also that this baptism and the faith of others do not save children, etc., the opposite of which the Romanists maintained.
_Further Observation._--As regards the manner in which he maintained, promulgated, and inculcated said doctrine, and himself kept it to the end, as well as what happened to him on this account; that is, all the circumstances, and also a summary of the matter, see _Otto Friesing, lib. 1, cap. 27, 28_, and _lib. 2, cap. 20, de Gest. Frid. L. Imp. Gunth. Ligur., lib. 3, de Gest. Frid. 1. Bernhard. Epist., 196, 189, 195. Sigon. de Regno Ital., lib. 11_, from _A. D._ 1139 until 1146. _Abent., lib. 6. Annal. Boio Gerhohus Reichersp., lib. 1, de Invest. Antichrist. apud Gretser in Proleg. Script. contra Walden., cap. 4, Tom. 4, Concil. edition 1612, p. 23_, compared with _Bapt. His., p. 686_.
PETER ABELARD, ON ACCOUNT OF THE ABOVEMENTIONED BELIEF, IS CONFINED, BY ORDER OF THE POPE OF ROME, IN THE DUNGEON OF A MONASTERY, AND DIES THERE, A. D. 1145.
H. Montanus states, from Cesar Baronius, that this Peter Abelard was the one from whom the aforementioned Arnald had obtained the doctrine against infant baptism, drawn, however, chiefly from the holy Scriptures; which is not contradicted, but sufficiently confirmed, by Mellinus, when he says: “That said Arnald was a disciple of Peter Abelard, from France, where he had pursued his studies.” _Second book, page 425, col. 3._
He then adds this account: “That Pope Innocent, after the great synod which he had held, at Rome, against the abettors of this doctrine, wrote letters to Samson, Archbishop of Rheims, Henry, Archbishop of Sens, and Bernhard, abbot of Clairvaux, against Arnald of Brescia, and his teacher Peter Abelard; charging the former, that wherever they should find these two, they should confine them each separately, in a monastery, as originators of a perverted doctrine, and antagonists of the Catholic faith, and burn their books or writings wherever they should discover them.”
“As to what was the belief of Peter Abelard,” says Mellinus, “and in what points he assailed popery, can be seen and read in all his works, which have just been published in print in France; where it will also be found, in his letters, how much he had to suffer for his belief.”
_Touching his belief and death._--Concerning Peter Abelard and his belief, especially how he opposed infant baptism, and instructed his disciple, Arnald, in this point, see _Jacob Mehrn., Bapt. Hist., page 598_. _Baron., A. D. 1139, num. 3_, and _A. D. 1145_. _H. Montan. Nietigh., page 84._ Also, _Introduction, fol. 49_.
Mellinus finally states, from ancient writers, that Peter Abelard, after much suffering, died in the monastery in which he had been confined, by order of the Pope, on account of his faith. This happened, according to our reckoning, about the year 1146, after the death of his disciple Arnald.
PETER BRUIS, BURNT AT ST. GILES; HENRY OF TOULOUSE APPREHENDED AND PUT OUT OF THE WAY, BY THE POPE’S LEGATE; AND MANY OTHER PERSONS PUT TO DEATH AT PARIS, FOR THE TRUE EVANGELICAL DOCTRINE; ABOUT THE YEARS 1145, 1147.