The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-09-22
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE CHILDREN OF BAPTIZED PARENTS
Have a COVENANT Right to BAPTISM.
NO. II.
THE sCRIPrURAL ARGUMENT.

THE sCRIPTURAL ARGUMENT.
This proposition the General Assembly
has denied, and has on the contrary affirmed
that it is only the children of parents one Of
whom has made credible profession of per-
sonal faith in Christ, who are to be baptized.
This decision l have proved in our first arti-
Gle to be unconstitutional and contrary to our
Standards, when fairly interpreted and full
ly quoted. l will now proceed in the second
place to show that this teaching of the
Assembly is unscripturaI, and that as, un-
der the Old Testament economy, the chill
dren of parents who had been by circum-
cision made members of the visible Church,
were eircumeised; so, under the New Testa-
ment economy, the children of parents, who
have been made members of the visible
Church by baptism-which is the Christian
circumcision-are to be baptized. Such pa
rents growing up within the bosom of the
visible Church as acknowledged members Of
it; attending upon its ordinances; observ-
ing all its rites; contributing to its support
cooperating in its schemes of home and
foseign efforts aA..s.isSs = tin acsstss Sab
bath School Al |' 4 - q u \,
Tossing to - chH'st'e4s anu rs m
Christ, in the Gospel, in the Bi ~ the
supreme Importance and necessity of reh-
giou; anxiously desiring to have their chill
dren brought up under the care and instruc-
ton of the Church; resenting as calumnies
the imputatiOn of not being personally be-
levers in Christ, in the Gospel, and in the
Bible; not regarding the communion in the
Lords Supper as essential to salvation; or
withheld from such commEnion by conscien-
tious scruples; believing that their children
have a right to be baptized, and desiring
that they should be baptized; living often
times more visibly and consistently chris
tianS than many who are commandments ;
and dying often-times in the full hope of
salvation through the Redeemer such per-
sons have always been regarded as making
"a public profession of the true religion,
and of their personal faith in Christ and
hope of being saved through Him. Such
persons have always been regarded by the
Church of God as within the covenant of
the visible Church, and as federally and &C.
Realistically "holy," in the sense of the
Apostle when he teaches that children of
parents, one of whom is within the covenant,
are 'holy," that is, are also within the
covenant, and entitled to baptism by their
very birthright; not because the faith of
their parents is saving, nor because the COW
enant of the visible Church is made with
their parents for them, or is valid, or invalid,
as the faith of their parents is saving. To
teach this, as is now generally done, is a
grievous and dangerous error. 1t is clean
contrary tc Scripture. 1t subverts the doc
trine of the visible Church; the formal ma
ture, and essential definition of which is,
Confession Of Faith, chap. 20, sec. 2. that
it "consists of all those throughout the
world who profess the true religion, togeth-
er with their children, and is the Kingdom
of the Lord Jesus Christ, unto
which Christ has given the ordinances of
God" &c. This doctrine is without any
foundation in our Standards, and is positive
ly and purpOsey ignored in its form a." of
the administration of baptism" (See Di-
rectOry for Worship, chap. 7, sec. 4 and 81
This doctrine is dangerous because it implies
the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. 1t
is dangerous also because, as "Out of the yisi-
bic Church there is no ordinary possibility
of salvation, Confession of Faith, as above,
it makes the salvation of children depend
upon the saving faith of their parents. Ii
is further dangerous because it leads to by
pocrisy on the part of the parent; because
it leads to indifference or hopelessness on
the part of children; and because it mutt
lates Gods covenant made through Abra,
ham with his visible Church, and limits it to
parents, while God most certainly extends
it equally Independently and sovereignty to
children. 81 will be God to thee, AND q
viii be God to thy seed, !. e, children.
"THE PROMISE, that is the promise or cove,
nant to Abraham, says the Apostle Peter,