5. But yet obedience to God being necessary, many Parents hastened their children's Baptism, at two or three days old. Others staid till the eighth day: others longer; and multitudes had children that were in several degrees entered on the use of reason, when the Parents were converted, and it remained doubtful whether they were (as to the Covenant) at their Parents choice or their own: And to this day there want not those that think that Baptism was not instituted to be the ordinary initiating Sacrament of the children of Church-members, but only of Proselytes; And that Christians Infants took their places in the Church of course, but Proselytes from without only were to be Baptized. Though this be an error, it is probable that there were ⟨p. 309⟩some then, as well as now of that opinion. But nothing more occasioned (as far as I can find) the delay of Baptism, than the fear of the danger of sinning after it, especially of apostasy. All held that all sin past was pardoned in Baptism. And Heb. 6. and 10. and other texts, and the common doctrine of the Church made them think it a very perilous thing to sin wilfully after illumination and the acknowledgement of the truth. And therefore abundance delayed their own Baptism till age, and many were backward to Baptize their children, lest childish folly and youthful lusts, and worldly temptations, should draw them to trample upon the blood of the Covenant; And on such accounts, all were not Baptized at one age. And divers that were Baptized at age upon their own conversion from Heathenism, were not suddenly so knowing, as to be acquainted with all the cases about their children's rights, but must have a considerable time to learn. For it was (be it spoken without offence to stricter men) a General and Narrow sort of Knowledge which the Apostles and the Primitive Churches required in the adult as necessary to Baptism, yea when they had at last kept them long under Catechizing. For even in Augustine's time, though all used the same words of Baptism, so few had a clear understanding of the very Baptismal form or words, that (writing (ubi supra) de bapt. contr. Donat.) he saith that as to the Meaning of those words not only the Heretics, sed ipsi carnales parvuli Ecclesiae, si possent singuli diligenter interrogari, tot diversitates ⟨p. 310⟩opinionum fortassis, quot homines numerarentur: Animalis enim homo non percipit, &c.
5. But yet obedience to God being necessary, many Parents hastned their childrens Baptism, at two or three dayes old. Others staid till the eighth day: others longer; and multitudes had children that were in several degrees entred on the use of reason, when the Parents were converted, and it remained doubtful whether they were (as to the Covenant) at their Parents choice or their own: And to this day there want not those that think that Baptism was not instituted to be the ordinary initiating Sacrament of the children of Church-members, but only of Proselytes; And that Christians Infants took their places in the Church of course, but Proselytes from without only were to be Baptized. Though this be an error, it is probable that there were ⟨p. 309⟩some then, as well as now of that opinion. But nothing more occasioned (as far as I can find) the delay of Baptism, than the fear of the danger of sinning after it, especially of apostasie. All held that all sin past was pardoned in Baptism. And Heb. 6. and 10. and other texts, and the common doctrine of the Church made them think it a very perillous thing to sin wilfully after illumination and the acknowledgement of the truth. And therefore abundance delayed their own Baptism till age, and many were backward to Baptize their children, lest childish folly and youthful lusts, and worldly temptations, should draw them to trample upon the blood of the Covenant; And on such accounts, all were not Baptized at one age. And divers that were Baptized at age upon their own conversion from Heathenism, were not suddenly so knowing, as to be acquainted with all the cases about their childrens rights, but must have a considerable time to learn. For it was (be it spoken without offence to stricter men) a General and Narrow sort of Knowledge which the Apostles and the Primitive Churches required in the adult as necessary to Baptism, yea when they had at last kept them long under Catechizing. For even in Augustines time, though all used the same words of Baptism, so few had a clear understanding of the very Baptismal form or words, that (writing (ubi supra) de bapt. contr. Donat.) he saith that as to the Meaning of those words not only the Hereticks, sed ipsi carnales parvuli Ecclesiae, si possent singuli diligenter interrogari, tot diversitates ⟨p. 310⟩opinionum fortassis, quot homines numerarentur: Animalis enim homo non percipit, &c.
