The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians: who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660Braght, Thieleman J. van (Thieleman Janszoon)
History
The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians: who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660
Braght, Thieleman J. van (Thieleman Janszoon)
Anabaptists -- Europe -- Biography; Christian martyrs -- Biography; Persecution
“Again (_Baptism. Hist., page 319, Cyril Catech. 1, Mijstag_): ‘Say to
those who are to be baptized: Hear the voice of the prophet that saith:
Wash ye, make you clean; put away from your souls the evils of your
doings before mine eyes; that the assembly of the angels may call unto
you: Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are
covered.’”
“Again _cap. 6_ (_Vicec._), Cyril admonishes the newly baptized: ‘As
you have put off the old garments, and put on those that are according
to the Spirit, you shall henceforth always walk in white garments.’
By this we do not mean to say that it is necessary for you always to
have on white garments, but that you are to clothe yourselves in such
garments as are white, bright, and spiritual before God. And in _cap.
10_, he says: ‘Would to God, that we could all of a truth say: My soul
is joyful in the Lord; for he hath clothed me with the garments of
salvation, and with the robe of gladness.’”
Then he shows how holy, divine, and blessed a thing it is, to have
joined one’s self by baptism to the nobility of Christ, that is, to
his church. It is truly wonderful, how affectionately, sweetly, and
comfortingly he addresses them, saying: “You have now given in your
names to the nobility of Christ, and have received the bridal torches,
the desire for the kingdom of heaven, the good purpose, hope, etc.”
And, _cap. 38_, he thus addresses the baptized: “Now the odor of
salvation is on you, O ye enlightened! Gather you heavenly flowers, to
make heavenly crowns of them. Now, now! the odor of the Holy Spirit
smells sweetly on you. You have been at the gate of the King’s palace.
Would to God, that you were already led before the King himself. The
blossoms have now appeared on the trees; but, oh! that the fruit also
were conceived!” _Jac. Mehrn. Baptism. Hist. on the third century, page
320._
How could it be possible that Cyril of Jerusalem should have taught
differently concerning baptism, than the Anabaptists to-day teach,
namely, that it must be accompanied by faith and repentance; seeing he,
as has been shown, employs throughout such manner of speech as cannot
be applied otherwise than to this baptism, and by no means to infant
baptism.
For instance, in the first passage he admonishes the catechumens who
had spent several years in voluptuousness, not to think it grievous, to
do penance before baptism for forty days; which well accords with what
was said to those who were not prepared for baptism. Matt. 3:7,8.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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