Having quoted this much, Jacob Mehrning says: “All this is utterly inapplicable to infant baptism.” Bapt. Hist., page 486.
Same year as above.—It is stated that about this time there also lived Theophilus Alexandrinus, who, it appears, held views entirely different from those of the Roman church, with regard to baptism as well as to the holy Supper; so that he wrote against the manifold adjurations which were wont to be connected with the consecrating of the baptismal water, as also against transubstantiation or the essential change of the bread into the body of Christ, as follows: “A false Christian (namely, one who deems adjurations over the baptismal water necessary), does not consider that the water, in holy baptism, is sanctified by the word of God (which was wont to be spoken to the candidates who confessed the faith), and the advent of the Holy Ghost; and that the bread of the Lord, by which the body of our Savior is signified, and which we break for our sanctification, is consecrated through invocation of the Lord.” Observe he does not say, transubstantiated, but consecrated.[122] See Bapt. Hist., page 486, from D. J. Vicecomes, lib. 1, cap. 14.
A. D. 586.—Long since, namely, for the year 317, we cited Donatus, and showed, according to Seb. Franck, Chron. Rom. Kill., letter D., that he was a very learned Bishop of Carthage, a native of Numidia, and that he taught that the Pope and his adherents did not have a Christian church, and, consequently, no true baptism; and hence held that those who had been baptized in the Roman church, needed to be rebaptized, saying that there was only one church, one baptism, one faith, one Gospel, and that no children should be baptized, but only believing adults who desired baptism. At first almost all Africa adhered to him. See the place indicated above.
This doctrine, however, did not die with him, seeing mention is made of his followers much later (namely A. D. 586), that they at that time, under the leadership of one Peter, Bishop of Apamia, rebaptized those who had been baptized by the orthodox (or Catholic) church. See concerning this, P. J. Twisck, Chron., 6th book, page 201, col. 1, from Greg. lib. 8, Merul., fol. 446. Also our account for the year 548.
NOTE.—-The followers of Donatus, of whom we speak here, have of old been severely accused by their opponents of gross errors, tyranny, &c., but are acquitted thereof by other celebrated authors. Nevertheless, we would not accept them in every respect, but only in those of their teachings which are good and true.
H. Bullinger compares them throughout to the Anabaptists, or as he calls them Baptists, saying: “Here our Baptists again disclose their ignorance, when they teach that no one should be compelled to that which is good, or to the faith;” and, continuing, he says: “They resemble the ancient Baptists, the Donatists, in every respect.” “These,” he writes further, “were of the opinion, that heretics should be allowed to live without restraint and with impunity in their faith;” that is, without persecution or blood shedding. They were opposed by Augustine. H. Bulling., lib. 5, fol. 216, 222.[123]
As to the accusations formerly brought against their faith as well as their life, these have been refuted by several prominent authors. “It would be desirable,” writes P. J. Twisck, “if we ourselves had their writings, doctrines, and deeds; for, if it is true, that they resemble the Baptists in every respect, and are not willing that any one should be compelled in matters of faith.” It is therefore sufficiently, as Bullinger says, evident, that they were unjustly accused. Chron., 5th book, page 147, col. 2. This is more fully spoken of in the account for the year 317.
About A. D. 600.—We will now bring the history of baptism in the sixth century to a close. We would adduce more writers in confirmation of said matter, but we fear that many authors of that time did not write faithfully and uprightly; besides, that many of their descendants, in order to give color to infant baptism and similar doctrines, appear to have corrupted their writings, of which many excellent men have complained.
Jacob Mehrning, in his Indachtigmaeckinge over het Doopsel, of the 6th century, says: “Thus the Centuriatores Magdeburgenses, also the two doctors, Calixtus and Brandanus Detrius, in their disputations about baptism, must themselves confess that in this century, and much longer, the Christian novices were divided into two classes, as in the primitive church, which observed a distinction between the catechumens and believing applicants for baptism, or the “elect,” as they were called by the ancients.
But continuing, he writes the following concerning the corruption of the writings of the true teachers: “Here must also be taken into consideration, that which the Centuriatores Magdeburgenses, Dr. Calixtus, Dr. Meysner, Dr. Johan Gerhard, Dr. Guil. Perkins, in Ementito Catholicismo, and many others so frequently complain of, namely, that the writings of the fathers and the primitive teachers of the church, have been so amazingly abused, in manifold ways, corrupted, interpolated and mutilated. Pray, who indeed will be our surety, that Augustine and others of the fathers have written and taught about infant baptism, all that is ascribed to them.