We will not detain you, dear reader, with explanations on the above passages of Sedulius, since they, without explanation, are so clear, that even he that has but little understanding in divine things, can manifestly see, yea feel, that the baptism described by Sedulius savors not in the least of infant baptism, since the conditions he mentions in connection with it, as faith, regeneration, crucifying the old man, can not be comprehended, much less fulfilled by infants.
A. D. 411.—Bapt. Hist., page 444, ex Centuria 5. Magdeburgensis, fol. 664. Augustine writes that Hilarius, a teacher at Syracuse, wrote: “When an unbaptized child dies, it can not justly be damned, since it was born without sin.”
A person unacquainted with the condition of things at that time, may perhaps think that with these words Hilarius of Syracuse, contributed but little to the abolishment of infant baptism; but he that is familiar with it, will instantly see that thereby he utterly denied infant baptism, and stripped it of its virtues. It deserves mention, that in those times infant baptism was based upon original sin, so that it was thought that infants, for the removal of said original sin, must necessarily be baptized; from which the conclusion was derived, that infants that were not baptized, and, consequently (in their opinion), not cleansed from original sin, must necessarily be damned, as is still taught at the present day by the Papists.
Whenever then, any one denied original sin, the foundation of infant baptism, he denied infant baptism itself, yea utterly annihilated it. This did Hilarius of Syracuse, who denied original sin in newborn infants, and, consequently, infant baptism; wherefore he, according to Augustine, frankly said: “When an unbaptized child dies, it cannot justly be damned, since it was born without sin.”
A. D. 412.—Bapt. Hist., page 407. Theodoretus, in chap. 10, says: “In the law they used sprinklings, and frequently washed the body; but they who order their life according to the New Testament, purify the soul by holy baptism, and free the conscience from previous stains.”
Again, in Epist. Divin. Decret.: “But instead of those sprinklings, the gift of holy baptism is sufficient for those who believe; for it grants not only remission of old or previous sins, but it also implants (that is, into those who are thus baptized), the hope of promised good things; it makes us partakers of the death and resurrection of the Lord; it imparts the communion and gifts of the Holy Ghost; it makes us children of God, and not only children, but also heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.”
Again, quaest. 19 on Levit.: “He that believes in Christ the Savior, 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 Savior 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 Geslaght-register, pages 123, 124.