BAP
and 1 7 14. * VidAB/nj. Orig. Ecclef. 1. 4. c. 3. §. 1 2. 1. 1 7. c. S . «. 3. L 11. c. 4- §- '• See alfo '- z - c - 3- §• 20 - and
1. 2. c. 20. §. 9. >*»/ Ecclef. Law, an. 734. §. 5] In the conftitutions of archbifhop Langton, made in the nth century, we find lay-baptifm allowed, and authorized, and particular direaions given concerning the manner of confer- ring it, the difpofition of the water and vcffel wherein it was to be performed, lie. Vid. Jobnf. Ecclef. Law, an. 1223. §. 1. and an. rz36. §. 10.
The Remonftrants and Socinians reduce baptifm to a mere lign of divine grace'. The Romanifts, on the contrary, exalt its power ; holding, that all fin is entirely taken away by it ; that it abfolutely confers the grace of juftification, and confequent- ly grace ex opere operate. Some alfo fpeak of an indelible cha- ffer impreffed on the foul by it, called cbaracler dominicus, and •character regius ' ; but this is held, by others, a mere fpeflre ;
. for that the fpiritual chara3er, conferred in regeneration, may eafily be effaced by mortal fins.— [ » Pfaff. Inftit. Theol. p. 680, feq. « Bingb. I. 11. c. I. §.7-]
Dodwell maintained, that it is by baptifm the foul is made im- mortal ; Co that thofe who die without it, will not rife again. It mud be added, he reftrains this effea to epifcopal baptifm alone.
. From the effefts ordinarily afcribed to baptifm, even by antient writers, it fhould fecm, that the ceremony is as much of hea- then, as Jewifh origin ; fince chriftians do not reftrain the ufe of it, like the Jews, to the admiffion of new members into the
■ church, but hold, with the heathens, a virtue in it for remit- ting and wafhing away fins. Vid. Bingb. Orig. 1. 1 1, c. 3. §. 11. Item, I.4. c. 3.5. 10. See alfo King, Hift. Apoft. Creed, c. 7. p. 362, & 379.
The bramins are ftill faid to baptize with this latter view, at certain feafons, in the river Ganges ; to the waters whereof they have annexed a cleanfing, or fanclifying quality. And hence it is, they flock from all parts, even of Tartary, driven by the expeflatian of their being eafed of their load of fins. But, in this point, many chriftians feem to have gone beyond the folly of the heathens. It was only the fmaller fins of in- firmity, which thefe latter held to be expiable by wafhing ; for crimes of a blacker dye, they allowed no water could efface them, no purgation could discharge them. See Ablution. The chriftian doctrine of a total remiffion of fins by baptifm, could not fail, therefore, to fcandalize many among the hea- thens, and furnifhed Julian an occafion of fatyrizing chriftia- nity itfelf : Whoever, fays he, is guilty of rapes, murders, fa- crilege, or any abominable crime, let him be waihed with wa- ter, and he will become pure and holy. Phileleuth. Lipfienf. Rem. on Difc. of Freethink. P. 2. §. 43. The hiftorian Zozimus fcems to attribute Conftantine's being baptized, to no other motive : he was too deeply tinged with guilt, and crimes, to admit of any abfolution, except from the chriftian baptifm.
In the antient church, baptifm was frequently conferred on Jews by violence : but the church itfelf never feems to have allowed of force on this occafion. By a canon of the fourth council of Toledo, it is exprefsly forbid to baptize any againft their wills. That which looks moff. like force, in this cafe, allowed by law, were two orders of Juftinian ; one of which appoints the heathens, and the other, Samaritans, to be bap- tized, with their wives and children, and fervants, under pain of confifcation. Bingb. Orig. Ecclef. 1. 1 1 . c. 5. §. ;. By the antient laws, baptifm was not to be conferred on image- makers, ftage-players, gladiators, aiaigte or public drivers, magicians, or even ftrolling beggars, till they quitted fuch pro- feffions d . Slaves were not allowed the privilege of baptifm, without the teftimony and confent of their mafters • ; except- ing the Haves of Jews, heathens, and heretics, who were not only admitted to baptifm, but, in confequence thereof, had their
■ freedom f . — [ d Bingb. 1. 1 1 . c. 5 . §. 6, feq. c idem, ibid. §.4. r Idem, ibid. 1. 8. c. 1 1 . §. 1 7.] It has been difputed, whether baptifm is to be conferred on
- monff. rous and preternatural births, hermaphrodites, moles, &c. Vid. Teiehmey. Inft. Med. Leg. c. iz. qu. 5. p. 84. Idem,
. c. 13. qu. 2, & 5. p. 86, 95. Idem, c. 14. qu. 11. p. 108.
- Voflius has a learned and elaborate work, Ve Baptifmo,whei'c'm he accurately difcuffes all the queftions concerning baptifm, ac- cording to the dofirine of the antients. Bingb. Orig. Ecclef. 1. 1 1. c. I. §. I.
Baptism by Fire, fpoken of by St. John the Baptift s, has occa- iioned mjch conjecture. The generality of the fathers held, that believers, ere they enter paradife, are to pafs through a certain fire, which is to purify them from all pollutions re- maining on them unexpiated. Others, with St. Bafil, under- Hand it of the fire of hell ; others, of that of tribulation and temptation ; others, with St. Chryfoftom, will have it denote an abundance of graces ; others fuppofe it to mean the defcent of the Holy Ghoit on the apoftles, in form of fiery tongues ; laftly, others maintain, that the word_/7><?, here, is an inter-
' polation, and that we are only to read the text, He that Jltall come after me, will baptize you ivitb the Holy Ghojl. In reality, it is not found in divers manufcript copies of St. Matthew.—
- [s Matth. hi. 11.]
- The antient Seleucians and Hermians, underftanding the paf-
fafe literally, maintained, that material fire was neceflary in the
B A P
adminiftration of haptifm. But wc do not find hotoj or td what part of the body, they applied it, or whether they were fatisfied with obliging the perfon baptized, to pals through the fire. Valentinus rebaptized all who had received water bap- tifm, and conferred on them the baptifm of fire. Bts docuit t'mgi, traduSloqw; corpore jiamma,
TerialL Carm. contr. Marc. 1. r. Heraclcon, cited by Clemens Alexandrinus, fays, that fume ap- plied a red-hot iron to the ears of the perfon baptized, as if to imprefs fome mark upon him. It has been commonly faid, that the Ethiopians, to this day, make prints, with a hot iron, on their newly baptized children, in three places, viz. the nofe, eyes, and temples. But Ludolph, and Rcnaudot, maintain this to be a fable. Calmet, Diet. Bibl. T. I. p. 247, feq. lVatn--BAVT\SM was wholly rejected by the Valentinians, Mani- chees, Pauliclans, and many other ie&s. Vid. Bingb. 1. 1 0. c. 2. §. 1, feq.
It is alfo rejected by the modern Quakers. See Quakers, CycL
The Abyflinians are baptized afrem every year, at the feaft of Epiphany, in honour of the baptifm of Chriff. Certain ditches are dug for this purpofe, and the people, flocking in crouds, defcend naked into the water, where the prieft, laying hands on them, dips them three times under water, with the cufto- mary formula, / baptize thee in the r.ame cf the Father, &c. Fabric. LuxEvang. c. 45. p. 720, feq.
St. Ambrofe, and Urftnus a monk of Africa, maintained, that baptifm in the name of Chrift alone, without mention of the other perfons, was valid ; as, under this name, the whole Tri- nity was included.
The Tritheifts, and Prifc'illianifts, baptized in the name of three unbegotten principles. Lingh. Orig. Ecclef. 1. n. c, 3.
Menander baptized in his own name, in virtue whereof lie promifed his followers incorruptibility, and an Immediate re- furrection. Idem, ibid. §. 5.
The Elcefians conferred baptifm in the name of the elements of letters. Idem, ibid. §. 6.
The Montanifts baptized in the names of Prifcilla and Maxi- milla, their pretended prophetefTes. Idem, ibid. §. 7. The Sabcllians feem to have baptized in the name of the one, or fupreme God. Ibid.
The Marcofians, in the name of the unknown Father. Idem, ibid. §. 8.
The Eunomians ufed the form, I baptize thee into the death of Chrift, Idem, ibid. §. 10.
The Marcionites refufed baptifm to all married perfons, ad- mitting none but either virgins, widows, batchelors, or perfons divorced. Idem, ibid. c. 5. § 12.
Baptism of the Dead, a cuftom which antiently prevailed anions fome people in Africa, of giving baptifm to the dead. The third council of Carthage fpeaks of it, as a thine that ig- norant chriftians were fond of. Gregory Nazianzen alTb takes notice of the fame fu perftitious opinion prevailing among fome who delayed to be baptized. In his addrefs to this kind of men, he afks, whether they ftaid to be baptized after death ? Philaftrius alio notes it as the general error of the Montanifts or Cataphrygians, that they baptized men after death.
The practice feems to be grounded on a vain opinion, that when men had neglected to receive baptifm in their life-time, fome compensation might be made for this default, by receiv- ing it after death. Bingb. Orig. Ecclef. 1. 11. c . 4. §. •?.
Baptism of the Dead, was alfo a fort of vicarious baptifm, for- merly in ufe, where a perfon dying without baptifm, another was baptized in his ftead.
St. Chryfoftom tells us, this was pradtifed among the Marcio- nites with a great deal of ridiculous ceremony ; which he thus defcribes : After any catechumen was dead, they hid a living man under the bed of the deceafed ; then coming to the dead man, they afked him, whether he would receive baptifm f And he making no anfwer, the other anfwered for him, and faid, he would be baptized in his flead : and fo they baptized the living for the dead.
Epiphanius aftiires us, the like was alfo prafltfed amono- the Corinthians h . This practice they pretended to found on the apoftle's authority ; alleging that text of St. Paul for it, If the dead rife not at all, what Jhall they do zvho are baptized for the dead ' ? A text which has given occafion to a great variety of different fyftems and explications. Bofius enumerates no leis than nine different opinions, among learned divines concern- ing the fenfe cf the phrafe, being baptized for the dead k .
[ h Vid. Suic. Thef. Ecclef. T. 1. p. 64. Calm. Did. Bibl. T. 1. p. 250. * i Cor. xv. 29. k y. Exerc. Hift. de Clinic." Veter. Ecclef, c. 2.]
St. Ambrofe, and Walafred Strabo ', feem clearly of opinion, that the apoftle had refpeft to fuch a cuftom then in bcino-- and feveral moderns have given into the fame opinion, as Ba-
ronius m , Jof. Scaliger n , Juftellus , and Groiius p. [ 1 De
Reb. Ecclef. c. 26. * Baron. Annal. T. s. ad an. 56. n. 166. " iW.Epift. 236, feq. " Juflell. in Not. ad Can. '57.* p Grot. Annot. ad Confult. CafTand. Theol. 1. 1 r. c. 1 1. ] Several among the Roman catholics, as Bellarmin i, Salme- ron r , Menochius % and a number of fchoolmcn, under- hand
