Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon
“For He came to save all through means of Himself–all, I say, who through Him are born again to God–infants, and children, and boys, and youths, and old men.”
Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 2,22:4 (A.D. 180), in ANF, I:391
Hippolytus, Bishop of Rome
“And they shall baptize the little children first. And if they can answer for themselves, let them answer. But if they cannot, let their parents answer or someone from their family.”
Hippolytus of Rome, Apostolic Tradition, 21(c. A.D. 215), in AT,33
Origin
“[T]herefore children are also baptized.”
Origen, Homily on Luke, XIV (A.D. 233), in JER, 65
“For this reason, moreover, the Church received from the apostles the tradition of baptizing infants too.”
Origen, Homily on Romans, V:9 (A.D. 244), in JER, 65
“Baptism is given for the remission of sins; and according to the usage of the Church, Baptism is given even to infants. And indeed if there were nothing in infants which required a remission of sins and nothing in them pertinent to forgiveness, the grace of baptism would seem superfluous.”
Origen, Homily on Leviticus, 8:3 (post A.D. 244), in JUR, I: 208
[After quoting Leviticus 12:8 and Psalm 51:5] For this also the church had a tradition from the apostles, to give baptism even to infants. For they to whom the secrets of the divine mysteries were given knew that there is in all persons the natural stains of sin which must be washed away by the water and the Spirit. On account of these stains the body itself is called the body of sin. Origin, Commentary on Romans 5:9 (from: http://www.orlutheran.com/html/baptevid.html)
Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage
“But in respect of the case of the infants, which you say ought not to be baptized within the second or third day after their birth, and that the law of ancient circumcision should be regarded, so that you think one who is just born should not be baptized and sanctified within the eighth day…And therefore, dearest brother, this was our opinion in council, that by us no one ought to be hindered from baptism…we think is to be even more observed in respect of infants and newly-born persons..” Cyprian, To Fidus, Epistle 58(64): 2,6 (A.D. 251), in ANF, 5:353-354
Optatus of Mileve
“It shows no crease when infants put it on [ie the baptismal garment], it is not too scanty for young men, it fits women without alteration.” Optatus of Mileve, Against Parmenium, 5:10 (A.D. 365), in JER, 94
Gregory Nazianzen, Archbishop of Constantinople
“Have you an infant child? Do not let sin get any opportunity, but let him be sanctified from his childhood; from his very tenderest age let him be consecrated by the Spirit. Fearest thou the Seal on account of the weakness of nature?” Gregory Nazianzen, Oration on Holy Baptism, 40:17 (A.D. 381), in NPNF2, 7:365
John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Antioch
“We do baptize infants, although they are not guilty of any sins.”
Chrysostom John, Ad Neophytos, (A.D. 388), in LCF, 169
“You see how many are the benefits of baptism, and some think its heavenly grace consists only in the remission of sins, but we have enumerated ten honors [it bestows]! For this reason we baptize even infants, though they are not defiled by [personal] sins, so that there may be given to them holiness, righteousness, adoption, inheritance, brotherhood with Christ, and that they may be his [Christ’s] members” (Baptismal Catecheses in Augustine, Against Julian 1:6:21 [A.D. 388]). (from: http://www.catholic.com/tracts/early-teachings-on-infant-baptism)
Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
” ‘Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’ No one is expected: not the infant, not the one prevented by necessity.”
Ambrose, Abraham, 2,11:79 (A.D. 387), in JUR, 2:169
The Apostolic Constitutions
Baptize your infants also and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of God. For He says, “Allow the little children to come unto me and do not forbid them.”
Apostolic Constitutions (compiled c. 390), 7.457
Council of Carthage V
“Item: It seemed good that whenever there were not found reliable witnesses who could testify that without any doubt they [abandoned children] were baptized and when the children themselves were not, on account of their tender age, able to answer concerning the giving of the sacraments to them, all such children should be baptized without scruple, lest a hesitation should deprive them of the cleansing of the sacraments. This was urged by the [North African] legates, our brethren, since they redeem many such [abandoned children] from the barbarians” (Canon 7 [A.D. 401]).
Jerome
But perhaps you imagine that, if they are not baptized, the children of Christians are liable for their own sins; and that no guilt attaches to parents who withhold from baptism those who by reason of their tender age can offer no objection to it. The truth is that, as baptism ensures the salvation of the child, this in turn brings advantage to the parents.
Jerome,To Laeta,Epistle 107:6 (A.D. 403), in NPNF2, VI:191
Augustine, Bishop of Hippo
“Now, seeing that they [Pelagians] admit the necessity of baptizing infants,–finding themselves unable to contravene that authority of the universal Church, which has been unquestionably handed down by the Lord and His apostles,–they cannot avoid the further concession, that infants require the same benefits of the Mediator, in order that, being washed by the sacrament and charity of the faithful, and thereby incorporated into the body of Christ, which is the Church, they may be reconciled to God, and so live in Him, and be saved, and delivered, and redeemed, and enlightened. But from what, if not from death, and the vices, and guilt, and thraldom, and darkness of sin? And, inasmuch as they do not commit any sin in the tender age of infancy by their actual transgression, original sin only is left.”
Augustine, On forgiveness of sin, and baptism, 39[26] (A.D. 412), in NPNF1,V:30
“The blessed Cyprian, indeed, said, in order to correct those who thought that an infant should not be baptized before the eighth day, that it was not the body but the soul which behooved to be saved from perdition — in which statement he was not inventing any new doctrine, but preserving the firmly established faith of the Church; and he, along with some of his colleagues in the Episcopal office, held that a child may be properly baptized immediately after its birth”. Augustine, Epistle 166:8:23 (A.D. 412), in NPNF1, I:531
“Likewise, whosoever says that those children who depart out of this life without partaking of that sacrament shall be made alive in Christ, certainly contradicts the apostolic declaration, and condemns the universal Church, in which it is the practice to lose no time and run in haste to administer baptism to infant children, because it is believed, as an indubitable truth, that otherwise they cannot be made alive in Christ.” Augustine, Epistle 167,7,21(A.D. 415), in NPNF1,I:530
Council of Carthage
“Canon 2. Likewise it has been decided that whoever says that infants fresh from their mothers’ wombs ought not to be baptized….let him be anathema.”
Council of Carthage, Canon 2, (A.D. 418), in Denzinger 101
Cyril of Alexandria
“Believest thou this?…when a newborn child is brought forward to receive the anointing of initiation, or rather of consummation through holy baptism.”
Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John,7 (A.D. 428), in JER,95
The Enchiridion (6th century)
For from the infant newly born to the old man bent with age, as there is none shut out from baptism, so there is none who in baptism does not die to sin.
Enchiridion; ch. 43) (from: http://www.orlutheran.com/html/baptevid.html)