Page 190Again, quaest. 19 on Levit.: "He that believes in Christ the Saviour, when he is sanctified by the water of holy baptism, is also cleansed from the stains of sin."; Again, quaest. 1 on Jos.: "As the priests who bore the ark, went first into Jordan, whereupon all the people, with Joshua, the princes, and the prophets, passed through; even so, when John began to baptize, Jesus the Saviour hallowed, as it were the nature of the water; and the believing people entered through holy baptism into the kingdom of God."; Who does not see that Theodoretus who wrote A: D. 412, and afterwards, indicates with all the circumstances, that he recognized no baptism, than that which is accompanied with faith and repentance; for when, in the first place, he says"Those who order their lives according to the New Testament, purify the soul by holy baptism," and then says, "Instead of those sprinklings, the gift of holy baptism is sufficient for those who believe," and finally adds, "The believing people entered, through baptism, into the kingdom of God," he certainly indicates that he does not in any wise speak of the baptism of infants, since they have neither the knowledge nor the ability, to order their lives in accordance with the New Testament, or to believe," which are here put down as absolute conditions in the candidates for baptism. NOTE.-Theodoretus taught that the figures of the Supper, namely, the bread and the wine, in no wise change their nature, but remain as they are, after consecration. Dialog. 2, Sam. Velt., in Geslacht-register, pages 123, 124. A. D. 413.- As those Christians greatly increased, who valued only the baptism which is administered upon faith, and, consequently rebaptized (as not having been baptized aright) those who had been baptized by unbelievers or in infancy, when they attained to the true faith, the Emperor Theodosius, A. D. 413, issued an edict, against the Anabaptists, commanding that they should be put to death. Introduction, page 47, col. 2, from Chron. Baron., num. 6. But lest any one should think that the people who, under the name of Anabaptists, were threatened with death by the Emperor Theodosius, held, with regard to this point, views different from those maintained by the Baptists of the present day, who are likewise called Anabaptists, it is expedient to mention what was said about their views by the inquisitor of Leeuwaerden, in opposition to one of our latest martyrs, namely, Jagues d' Auchi. When Jagues wanted the inquisitor, who appealed to the Emperor's edict, to prove that said edict was just or founded on holy Scripture, the inquisitor made this reply to him, "I believe you think that all our fathers were received, and that your sect is saved what do you say? It is now 1200 or 1300 years since the Emperor Theodosius issued an edict, that the heretics should be put to death, namely, those who were rebaptized like your sect." See the year 1558, and, in the index, the name Jagues d' Auchi. When, therefore,.the inquisitor says that they"were rebaptized like your sect," he certainly indicates thereby, that they were people like Jagues d' Auchi was, and, consequently, like the Anabaptists who at that time, namely, A. D. 1558, gave their lives for the truth. A. D. 415. Bapt. Hist., page 407, Prosperus, ResQ. 2, ad Object. Gallorum, says, "Every one who, believing on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, is regenerated in baptism, is freed from his own, voluntary and actual, sins, as well as from original sin.";
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