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
In another place he very earnestly admonishes some persons who deferred
their baptism, that they should have their names registered among the
catechumens, in order that, having been truly examined and instructed
in the faith, they might receive baptism. Concerning this, I find
the following annotation (_Bapt. Hist., page 376_, from _Vicecom.,
lib. 2, cap. 12_): “Gregory of Nyssa says in a sermon, to those who
had long deferred their baptism: ‘Come, ye who are burdened to your
sanctification; give me your names, that I may write them with ink in
earthly books; but may God record them on tablets that never perish.’”
Thus, also Gregory of Nyssa, as has been shown, wrote sound and correct
doctrine respecting baptism. Besides this we have not been able to find
any other testimony from him relative to this subject.
_A. D. 366._--Infant baptism, as it appears, beginning to gain
a foothold in some places, the teachers at Laodicea, in Phrygia
Pacatiana, declared themselves decidedly against it, in a public
convention or assembly, in which, among other things, it was resolved:
“That those whom it was the intention to baptize, should previously be
instructed in the faith, and be examined concerning it, on Thursday of
the last week of Lent.” Compare _Seb. Franck, Cons. Laod._, with _P. J.
Twisck, Chron., p. 112, col. 1, 2_.[104]
[104] P. J. Twisck fixes this council of Laodicea in the year 364,
while Seb. Franck states that it occurred in the year 368, but we
follow a middle course, and assign the year 366 as its date.
It is recorded that about this time, in another convention of
ministers, called the Elibertine Council, it was resolved among other
things: “That persons who embrace the Christian faith shall, if they
lead a pious life, be admitted to baptism, in eighteen months or
two years.” _Vicecom., lib. 2, cap. 8_, from the 42d Canon of the
Elibertine Council, as noted by _Jac. Mehrn., Bapt. Hist., page 372_.
Here we cannot but see the uprightness and carefulness of the
aforementioned ministers, who, so as not to act contrary to the
command of Christ, and baptize any without true faith and repentance,
deemed it preferable to defer for eighteen months or two years, the
baptism of even those catechumens, whose life was well spoken of; in
order that, having in the meantime well counted the cost, they might
erect a good building, and be built up by baptism as living stones in
the Christian temple of the church.
In the meantime, it appears that an abuse obtained in the
administration of baptism, namely, that a plate was presented to the
candidates, that they might put some money on it (either for the
minister, or for the poor). But this was also abolished at that time,
with these words: “It has also seemed proper to us, to ordain that
hereafter the candidates for baptism shall not put any money on the
plate, as has been the custom.” _Bapt. Hist., page 372, ex Concilio
Elibertino Vicecom., lib. 4, cap. 2._
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