was crossing the _Alps_, on his Way to _Vienne_, where the Emperor then was, he received the melancholy News of his having been inhumanly murdered by some of his own Officers, at the Instigation of _Arbogastus_. His Death was greatly lamented by St. _Ambrose_, who, in the elegant Oration, which he pronounced on Occasion of his Obsequies, maintained, that the fervent Desire of Baptism had the same Effect as the Sacrament itself; and consequently, that the Sins of the deceased Prince being thereby cancelled, it was not to be doubted, but from this Life he had passed to eternal Bliss[654]. Innumerable Instances of the same Nature occur in History, which were, it seems, utterly unknown to the Author of the Acts of Pope _Sylvester_, upon whose sole Authority the Fable has been credited of _Constantine_’s receiving Baptism at the Hands of _Sylvester_, soon after his Conversion. That Impostor, whoever he was, is supposed to have lived in the Eighth Century, long after the Custom of deferring Baptism to the Point of Death had been utterly abolished. [Sidenote: _What gave Countenance to the Custom of deferring Baptism to the Point of Death._] What gave Countenance to such a Custom, was an Opinion then generally received, and still held by the Church of _Rome_; _viz._ That by the Waters of the sacred Font Men were washed clean, not only from the original, but from all other Sins. This proved a great Encouragement to Vice when Piety began (and it began but too early) to decay among Christians; and therefore the Fathers of the Church, especially _Basil_, his Brother _Gregory_ of _Nyssa_, and St. _Ambrose_[655], employed all the Oratory they were Masters of, in crying down such a pernicious and wicked Custom, as they style it; so that it was at last quite laid aside. Whether Confession ought not, on the same Account, to be put down, I shall leave the Reader to judge; and only observe here, by the way, that had the Virtue and Efficacy, ascribed now to Confession, been known in those Times, Sinners needed not have delayed Baptism to the Point of Death, since their Sins had been no less effectually cancelled by Confession, than by Baptism. [Sidenote: _Spurious Pieces ascribed to_ Sylvester.]