[ 991 P:4andattempted to do this, referving as much of the Antient Form as poflibly they could. The 4thd t were °fold Baptized before Infants,and never with, cut a moft folemnperfonal Profeffion of Faith and Repentance, and abfoiute dedication to Chrift. And that this might be done with the greaten weight and refolution they were uiùally taught 'as Catechumens till they came to underftanding and refolution, before theywere admitted to Baptifm.Their Infants famebrought to Baptifm, and forne delayed till they carne to Age, all being left at liberty, and neither Adult nor Infant driven to Baptifm,, nor accepted till it was defired. But as Prelacy grew up to Dominion, all were forced to be Baptized in Infancy; and at laft fuch growing up in ignorance, were all taken fär C'hriftians, while few knew what Chriílianity was, or what it was to be Baptized, or what was there protnifed on their part, or onChrifts And when thefe came to have Chil- dren they were Baptized and bred up as their Parents Were, and Chriflianity for the molt part turned into meer Name and Cere- mony, the Perlons being moftly ignorant of its Eí%ntials. This corruptionof theC.hurclz feemed to many to corne only from Infant Baptifrn NNihereupon they turned Anabaptifts, and taught that men fl:ould not beBaptized till they ferioufly and fa- lemnly profefled their ownFaith and Repentance. But wifer men faw that we muff not deny Infants their Church ftateand right becaufe of mens abufe, and their negle tof other Duties : Baptifrn is one thing, andPerfonal Confeflion and Cove- nanting is another. It is the Omiflion of thefe at Age, that bath corrupted the Church, and not Infant Baptifm, which entreth them but into a Church {late fuitable to their infancy. They need not repeat Baptifm which they had ; but to manifeft actual Faith and Repentance which in Infaancy they had not That which. !Mould be done, is to make their 'Tranfition into the Communion of Adult Chriítians to be afer uu , folernn thòrk, andnot a delufory Ceremony. That théfe Baptized in Infancy nay learn what they did,and what Chrittianity i as to our háith,Duty, & Hopes: And when they come to true retuiutiod , to own the Baptifmal Vow, and as folemnly renew it themfeives, as other =s made it for them The En lifhReforr ers tlierefore did retain the Ceremony of Impofition of Hands, and the a propriatiön Of Tit to the Biíbop, and the name ofConñr natro t and firetcht the ufe of the Sign
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=