At one time they used to rebaptize those who asked to be transferred from other churches to our own, and such persons found no objection to this custom of rebaptizing. But when the Romans decreed armed warfare against the Bohemians in the cause of faith and religion, and when the leaders of both sides opposed one another with the Scriptures, and both charged the other with errors, and after they had thrown violent insults at one another, it was decided [by the Brethren] that they would cut themselves off first from the priesthood, then from the sacraments, and then entirely from all of Christendom. Then in places others began to repeat the baptisms of others and there was great hatred for those who persisted, since the majority of our profession, who were already cut off from them, had their own congregations and administered the sacraments, and wishing to add to their churches, they were rebaptizing. And they had many noteworthy reasons and passages to cite in support of this, not only form this time, but also from quotations provided by many persons of antiquity, men of great authority, piety, and erudition. Foremost among these was blessed Cyprian the martyr of Christ, but there were also not a few others, who on this issue defended the bishops who all rebaptized in Africa, since the Scriptures proved (as they thought) that those baptized by heretics should be rebaptized.

This way of rebaptizing continued in our church as long as more certain knowledge about this matter did not come forth. But afterward, by the blessing of God, with the progress of time, the light of truth shone more clearly upon us, and when they had investigated the Scripture more diligently, and aided by the work of certain learned persons, they concluded that rebaptism is not properly a work of the church. [underline added] Therefore they put it to a vote whether to continue or do away with this, and it was the unanimous consensus that repetition of baptism among us is now revoked.

“THE BOHEMIAN CONFESSION (1535)” IN REFORMED CONFESSIONS OF THE 16TH AND 17TH CENTURIES IN ENGLISH TRANSLATION, COMPILED WITH INTRODUCTIONS BY JAMES T. DENNISON, JR., LOC. 432-433.