The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE CHILDREN OF BAPTIZED PARENTS
Have a COVENANT Right to BAPTISM.


THE SCRIPTURAL ARGUMENT CONTINUED
MEMBERSHIP BASED UPON A VISIBLE AND
NOT A CREDIBLE PROFESSION.
In Article No. 2, have proved that the
Covenant of Grace, upon which the visible
Church is established, has been the same un-
der all is DispensatiOns, and that it has al
ways included within it the children of par
ents, one or both of whom had received the
initiatory rite, which was the formal seal of
admission to the visible Church.
In Article No. 3. have proved that the
visible Church has been one and the same
under every Dispensation of God, and that
it has always included as members within it
the children, one or both of whose parents
had received the initiatory formal seal of
admission to it.
Our third proposition in proof that the
deliverance of the Assembly is unscriptural,
and that all children, one or both of whose
parents have been baptized, have a right to
baptism, is that the profession by which such
parents are recognized as members of the
visible Church, is a visible profession of the
true religion, and of personal faith in, and
obedience to Christ, and is not, as the As
sembly teaches, a personal credible profes
sion Of inward saving faith. And therefore
parents who have been baptized, but have
not become communicates in the Church, but
who continue to attend upon its services, and
profess their faith in the truth and impor-
tance of the Christian religion, and who de-
sire to have their children baptized, and
brought up under the education and training
of the Church are visible professors, and
have covenant right to have their children
baptized.
Between these two opinions there is all
the difference that there is between Presby-
terianism and Congregationalism. On this
point they are, and always have been antag-
onistic, and in the Westminster Assembly,
on this point, and others, they held long
written and printed debates, (see rare copy
of this, which is called the Grand Debate,
in vols. 4to. in the Smyth Library in The
illogical Seminary, Columbia, S. c. To
this day, this is one of the standing contro-
versies between Presbyterianism and Con.
gregationalism, and is argued at length by
DIR. Bannerman, vol. l, chaps. ?, 3, 4, 6, and
Z. On page 20 DR.. B. says: 1T is the
office of the Christian society Tor church, to
be witness, by means of an Out10ard and
public profession, for Christ on earth. =.
The outward ordinances of the Church are
so framed and devised as to be themselves
significant profession of faith, on the part of
those who join in them, so that the
very entrance into life, Or at all events, the
admission into the Christian society by the
rite of baptism, shall be itself public tes-
timony to Christ" On the two-fold charac-
ter of the Church as visible and invisible,
he shows ''that there are not two separate
and distinct Churches, but the same Church
under two different characters. The
Church invisible stands, with the respect toits
members, in an iaward and spiritual rela
tionship to Christ, whereas the Church visi-
bic stands to Him in an outward relation
ship only" at page 3O,) stands not in an
inward and saving relationship to Christ,
but in an outward relationship only, involv-
ing NO MORE than the promise and enjoy
ment of outward privileges. y "The mem
bers page 81 of the Church visible are
Joined in an outward connection with Christ,
in consequence of their having obeyed His
outward call by the Word, and being now
made partakers by Him in the external priv
ileges and ordinances of a Church state
This external relationship has been often
spoken of by theOlOgians under the name of
an external covenant or federal relationship. .
'There are two things plainly implied in it.
First of all, there is an external provision of
ordinances; ensuring both outward
privilege and blessing, not of savjRg kind,
to those ,oho use them Alright; and with this
there is the invitation addressed to all men,
to enter in and to partake of them; and
secondly, there is compliance with this
invitation, on the part of those who profess
their faith in Christ, and join themselves to
his Church, and the actual enjoyment and
experience of the privileges so promised, in
so far at least, as they are of an external or