The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-02-23
FOR rHE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE CHILDREN OF BAPTIZED PARENTS
Have a COVENANT Right to BAPTISM.
TESTIMONIES ADDUCED.


1t only remains, therefore, in conclusion,
that should request the patience of my
readers, while I turn their attention to a
mere outline of testimony, which may be
brought-althOugh am at. distance from
my chief hbrary-to show, that the view
which have maintained in this argument,
has historically, with some exceptions, been
the established doctrine and uniform prac-
tice of the Presbyterian Church since the
days of the Reformation.
To begin with Calvin and the Church of
Geneva, from which, with it's liturgy and
forms, Knox brought to Scotland the views
which he embodied in the First Book of Dis
cipline of the Church of Scotland. 1t is
unnecessary to occupy time in giving further
the views of Calvin. 1 will therefore pro-
ceed to give the testimony of Beza, who was
colleague of Calvin in the Church and Uni
versity Of Geneva, as expressing the senti-
ments of that fountain-head of Presbyteri-
anism. (See Epistle 10 quoted by Whitgift
in his reply to Cartwright Lon, 1874, page
623) In this Epistle Beza replies to the
question whether the infants of such as were
excommunicated may be baptized, and in
whose faith, whereas they, of whom they
are begotten are communicated. In re-
ply, he says, "God forbid, that we should
Judge one and alike of all who are not called
members of the Church" After arguing
the point at some length, he says, "God
forbid, that the parents being excOmmuni-
cated, we should conclude that their poster
.ity belongeth not to the kingdom of God. q.
J 1t were hard if we should judge the
childreD, whether they belonged to the cove
Inant of God, or not, by the profession of
Their lost parents. Therefore, by all
sthe arguments joined together we conclude,
gthat the children of persons excOmmuni-
Ecated . e. can by no right be debarred
from baptism, if in case mere surety be
had, who will make promise to the Church
thai they will be virtuOusly brought up"
1 will now quote from John Knox s
E"BOOk of Common Order" used in the
sChurch of Scotland at and after the Refor-
nation. This first book of Discipline speaks
of this book as ''our Book of Common Or
der" and the General Assembly of De
cember Goth, 1864, required that "every
minister shall use the order contained there
lin, in prayer, marriage and administration
of the Sacraments See Revised edition
lby Dr. Cumming, Lon. and Edin., 1840.)
'In the order of Baptism (see page 58,)
''the minister having first asked the parent
fif he presented his child to be baptized; "
Eproceedeth to say, "let US consider dearly
beloved, how Almighty God hath not only
made US his children by adoption, and re.
ceived US into the fellowship of his Church,
but also has promised that he will be our
sGod, and the God of our children unto
ithousandth generation, which thing has He
confrmed to His people in the Old Testa-
.ment by the sacrament of circumcision, to
wit: that our infants appertain to Him by
covenant, and therefore ought not to be de-
frauded of those holy signs and badges
WHEREBY His children are known from mt
dels and pqgans," (See also page co.,
In Stewart, of Pardovan Collections, Title
8 of Baptism, in S 4 it is provided that,
s"when parents are dead or necessarily ab-
gsent, or when they are scandalous and errO-
neous . in that case, to testify that it
doth not appear that the children have any
right to baptism by their immediate parents,
land that they may, Notwithstanding, have a
right thereto by their more remote parents,
lit is necessary that sponsor present the
children and engage for them"
In the compendium of the Laws of the
Church of Scotland as enacted by the Gen
eral Assemblies, page 49, ''0n Baptism. -
In 1712, it was declared that children born
within the verge Of the Visible Church of
parents one or both protesting the Christian
religion, have right to baptism" sc.
In Forbes Digest of the Rules and Pro-
ceedure of the Free Church of Scotland,
page 40. "Dispensation of Sealing Ordi-
nances. ''The session alone authorizes the
dispensation of baptism. Practically, in the
case of baptism, where the parent is in full
communion the matter is left to the Moder-
atOr, bit aohere the parent IS non-comnu-