Hoadly - BX5136 H6

of CONFORMITY. left we Mould encourage a principle as Juperfitiousas their praaice ; and a prin- ciple that hath led fo many already to ne- glea ufeful things without any reafon ; than to take away the ufe of it wholy; becaufe they ufe it after an ill manner. In a word, We think that the reafon why it was ever ufedamongft Chriflians is not fo wholy ceafed, but that it may Bill be uf- ed once in this folemn aEt of Religione We think that we have always teflify'd our diflike of the Papifts, in every thing in which they aredeparted from the Gof- pel, as effeaually as any of our Brethren of whatfoever denomination ; and much more reafonably than thofe who have run from the extreme they are in, to an- other. We cannot anfwer to our felt/es the condemning of a thing merely becaufe the Papifts ufe it after another manner. We hope we have taken fuck care, that it is almoft impoffible that the ufe of this fign,as we retain it,thould minifler to ido- latry or SuperNotion; and, upon the whole, we fee not that any of thefe arguments Thew that it may not lawfuly be ufed. Having thus confider'd what [find of- fer'd againft the ufe of Godfathers ; aria the ufe ofthe Crofs in Baptifm and fire- xngç

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