The Conversion of Euvodius

In the 8th chapter of the 9th book of his Confessions, Augustine, after speaking of his own baptism, makes the following confession to the Lord, in regard to the baptism of Euvodius: "You, O Lord, who cause those who are of the same mind to dwell in one house, have joined to us a companion, a young nobleman named Euvodius, a native of our city. He, who, when following war, commanded the legions of the Empire, was converted to You before us, and baptized, and, having given up secular war, has taken himself to Your war. We were together; together we had one will to serve You, and we considered in what place we might best do this." These are his own words, which we read at the place indicated above, and from them we may see how the church increased at that time, not through the addition of infants, but through the conversion and baptism of adult and rational persons. With this we leave Augustine, and the baptism of his companion Euvodius.

About the year 397. About the year 397, it is stated that Epiphanius,* who later became bishop of Cyprus, was baptized, together with his sister, as it appears, in the presence of his friend and spiritual father Lucian. Of this, D. Vicecomes gives the following account, from Simon Metaphrastes, Bapt. Hist., page 578. Vicecom., book 1, chapter 30: "When the Gospel had been read, the bishop, after the baptism, went and commanded Epiphanius and his sister to go in, and with them also Lucian, who became Epiphanius' spiritual father in holy baptism.

In Bapt. Hist., page 580, book 5, chapter 34, Metaphrastes writes of Epiphanius that immediately upon receiving the doctrine and baptism, he, together with a hundred and eight other persons, received the holy Supper from Bishop Stephen.

NOTE. In the time of Arcadius and Honorius, about the year 397, it was resolved, at Toledo, among other things: "That if anyone, after baptism, engages in war, though he has committed nothing special in the war, he shall never be ordained a deacon." Seb. Franck, Chron. Rom. Concil., folio 73, column 1.

As to the person who baptized Epiphanius and his sister, as well as administered the Supper to them, we pass by; it is enough for us that this mode of baptism still prevailed at that time and in the church where this took place; and that persons were found who administered it, as well as such as were willing to have it administered to them. [n237-1] Although infant baptism had already made great inroads at that time into many places, this baptism was nevertheless administered to persons born of Christian parents, as has been sufficiently shown before.

In the year 400. About this time there flourished, as a writer, the previously mentioned Epiphanius, who by his writings has shed much light on the subject of baptism, it being sufficiently apparent from all the circumstances relating to him that he held sound views with regard to it. Of this, Jacob Mehrning and H. Montanus have given the following account: "Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamina, in Cyprus, in the year 400, or thereabouts, in speaking of baptism, which he frequently does in his writings, always speaks of it in such a manner that it does not include infants; and although occasion often presents itself to him to speak of infant baptism, yet he never does so; from which we may readily conclude that he did not esteem it much, or that in his time it was not yet customary in that island." In Ancoratus he says: "You must not admit everyone who is instructed in the faith and desires to come to holy baptism, to this ordinance, simply because he has told your children that he believes in the Lord; but he must also, with express words, even as the church, our common mother, ours as well as yours, has received it, learn and say: 'I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,' and so on."

Again, in another place (Contra Haereses, book 1, volume 1, Haeresi. 8): "This great circumcision, baptism, circumcises us from sin, and seals us in the name of God." Bapt. Hist., page 366. Nietigh., page 74.

When, therefore, Epiphanius, in the first passage, says: "You must not admit everyone who is instructed in the faith, and desires to come to baptism, to this ordinance," and then adds that he must also confess, saying: "I believe," he plainly indicates that such baptism certainly cannot be administered to infants, because they are not only unable to confess the faith, but do not even have the capability or qualification to believe, upon which faith and confession alone he admits baptism.

When, in the second passage, he says: "This great circumcision, baptism, circumcises us from sin," he does not mean to say by this, as our opponents today assert, that baptism has come in the place of circumcision, so that, just as in the time of the Old Testament the male infants were circumcised, so now, in the time of the New Testament, the infants must be baptized. Oh no! For this appears by no means. But he says that baptism is a great circumcision, which circumcises us from sin, which certainly does not apply to infants, who have never sinned, and who consequently cannot be circumcised from their sins by baptism. With this we leave the views of Epiphanius on the subject of baptism, and proceed to what is told of his reproving image worship, according to the account of P. J. Twisck. "Epiphanius," he says, "an ancient teacher, flourished in this time, who greatly opposed the worshiping of images, of Mary, or of any other creature. He said: 'Beloved children, be careful not to bring any images into the church, or to set them up over the graves of the saints; but bear God constantly in your hearts.'"

Once, when he went into a Christian church and saw a painted curtain at the door, bearing the picture of Christ or of some saint, he tore it down, because it was contrary to Scripture, and advised the sexton to bury the corpse of some poor person in it; and when he had sent another curtain in its place, he commanded that they should no longer hang up curtains like the former in the church, "Which," he said, "is contrary to our religion and faith." P. J. Twisck, Chron., 4th book, page 119, column 2, and page 120, column 1, from Socrat., book 6. Tripart., book 10. Leonh., book 2. Chron. Seb. Franck, 135. Tob. Fabr., folios 66, 67. Fransch. Ala., folio 22. Dani. Saut., book 1.

NOTE. In regard to his teaching against image worship, see Samuel Veltius, in Geslacht register, page 120. Epiphanius taught at this time that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are to be worshiped, but that no one should worship Mary, or any other woman, or human being, since this honor belongs to God alone, and must not be given even to angels. Again, that the women should not say

We honor the queen of heaven. Volume 2. Haeres., book 3. Haeres. 79, in Geslacht register, page 29.

Concluding the fourth century, as we also will do, P. J. Twisck says: "Baptism was administered twice a year, at Easter and at Pentecost, and this, to a great extent, is still done to adult believers and catechumens." Chron., page 134.

NOTE. Besides this, that the true order of the baptism of Jesus Christ was practiced in this century by the orthodox believers, many who belonged to the Roman church deferred (though erring in other matters) the baptism of their children until they came to adult years, as is evident, for instance, in the case of Constantine the Great, whom Helena, his Christian mother, kept from baptism, but afterwards urged to it; of Theodosius, who, being born of Christian parents, was baptized at Milan, upon his faith; of Valens, who was mentioned above. With regard to the baptism of Constantine, see Rom. Adelaer, edition 1642, page 211, from Eusebius and Socrat. Of the baptism of Theodosius, see tract van den loop der Wereldt, printed 1611, in the article on baptism; also De gantsch Klare en Grondige Bewijsinge, nopende het doopsel.