NOTE.-A. D. 455.-Montluck, Bishop of Valence said before the King of France, it should be borne in mind, that there were 380 bishops in the* This council, also called"Coacilium Arausione", is stated to have taken place, A.D. 441. In the same it was decreed, by com• mend of antichrist, that the Gospel should not be read to the cato chumena, and that they should not be admitted to the place of baptism. See P. J. Twisck, Chron., Sth book, page 155, Col. 1. council of Nice, 150 in the council of Constantinople, 200 in the council of Ephesus, and 300 in the council of Chalcedon, who would use no other weapons than the Word of God, against the Arians, Macedonians, Nestorians, and others. P. I. Twisck, Chron., 5th book, page 161, col. 1, from Den Stant der Religie, 200. A. D. 456.-Gelasius taught at this time, that in the Supper there are celebrated the figures of the body and blood of Christ, and that, through the Holy Ghost we become partakers of divine things, though the bread and wine continue what they are. In the Book of the two Natures. See Sam. Veltius, Geslacht-register, page 124. A. D. 458.-Salvian of Massilia (Marseilles) lib. 6, de Providentia (Bapt. Hist., page 448), says to the candidates, "You say: 'I renounce the devil, his pomp, his adherents, and his works.' And what else? You also say: 'I believe on God the Father, and on Jesus Christ His Son.' Thus, one first forsakes the devil, that he may believe on God; but whosoever does not forsake the devil, does not believe on God; and whosoever turns again to the devil, forsakes God." These things, says the annotator, can in no wise be said of infants. From this formula, which the candidates at that time were obliged to confess publicly, we certainly see without controversy, that it stood altogether differently with the matter of baptism, than is now the case among many so-called Christians; for then the candidates had to make confession themselves of their faith, before they were baptized; but now, in many places, when infants are baptized, no con- Fession is demanded, or, if demanded, is not made by the children themselves, since they cannot do it, but by their parents, or godfathers and godmothers, who bring them to baptism; however, if the confession is demanded from the children themselves, they do not make it before baptism (as is required by holy Scripture), but after baptism, so that twenty, thirty, sixty, or even more years, elapse, yea, that their baptism is forgotten by the time they make their confession; and some who are baptized, never make their confession. What is to be held of such a baptism, may easily be judged; but as it is not our purpose to refute this error, we let this matter rest; in the meantime it suffices us, that in the latter half of the fifth century there were people, yea, distinguished persons, who, notwithstanding the superstitions of popery, especially with regard to infant baptism, kept to the ordinance of Christ, baptizing only upon faith, or after previous instruction.
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