The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-01-12

covenant between the baptized and Christ,
and in this sense forms a covenant be-
tween the two. Second: That in the
case of infants, parents stand and. engage
for their children, and so, In the sense
defined, form a covenant with the Lord
IN their behalf, so that henceforth bap-
tlzed children are personally in covenant
with Him. Baptism seals our migrating
into Christ'and orr engagement to be the
Lords The baptized engage to be the
Lords. The Lord pledges the fulflment
of His promise if the baptized keep their
engagements. Here is covenant. 1t
covenant in case of infants by which
they are engaged to be the Lords. Who
makes it? The parents in behalf of, in
the stead of. and not simply for the ben
eft of, the children. 1t enures to their
benefit because parents are authorised by
God to make the engagement for them
Again, | admit that the children oil
believers are the Lords before they are
baptized Baptism formally rati6es and
seals the engagement. 1t makes the en-
gagement In the same sense as Inaugural
ton makes a President of the United
States. The President was made such
by the free choice Of the electors. But
IN another and very important sense ne
is made President by the ceremony of in
auguration. Thenceferth he comes into
personal covenant relation with the ma
ton. So in baptism The child of be-
lleving parents is born within the cove
nant, born member of the Church he
has birthright claim to the covenanted
privileges. Baptism declares it formally
and officially. Moreover, baptism sets
to the seal of this covenant. In this seal
Ing the minister represents God, and the
parents represent the child. Thenceforth
the child is in personal covenant relation
with God, in a sense different from the
relation he stood to God before. The
analogy between presidential Inaugural
ton and baptism may not be pressed in
all respects. 1t illustrates the view
present. In many important respects the
relation of the President elect to the
United States is very different after his
Inauguration from what it is before that
event So in the case of baptized chill
dren. A covenant is formed in the sense
that it is formally assumed, ratified, sub
scribed, and sworn to. In it, children are
represented by their parents, who assume,
ratify, subscribe, and swear for, that is in
the stead Of their children In this sense
there is substitution, sponsorship.
These are good and necessary conse-
quenees from the doctrine of baptism as
set forth in our standards They are
abundantly confined by the Word of God
and the understanding of that word by
the Church since the days of Abraham
In his exposition Of the Confession of
Faith, revised and published by the Com
mittee of Publication years ago, Rev.
Robert Shaw says: Baptism is dedi-
eating ordinance, in which the party bap-
tized is solemnly given up to God to be
his and for him, now, wholly, forever, =
(p. 3l0)
When infants are dedicated who does
the dedication? The minister, in God s
name, receives the child and in response
to the dedication places Gods mark and
seal upon the child Does the child ded-
lcate itself, or does the parent do so?
In his Outlines of Theology, DIR. A. A.
Hodge, in answer to the question, "How
is the objection that faith is a prerequi-
tie to baptism, and that infants cannot
believe, to be answered." says: "The
truth is that faith is required, but it is
the faith of the parent acting for the
child Qtalics mine.) The covenant Of
which baptism is the seal is contracted
with the parent, but as it embraces the
child the seal Is properly applied to it
also, Up. 400, edition, 1860
Manitestly in view of this eminent the
ologian, there is in baptism covenant
contracted with the parent, and embrac-
ing the child. Since the child cannot
do so, the parent ratifes this covenant in
It's behalf. So complete is the substitu-
ton, that should the child die in infancy,
the benefits of Christ's atcnement are
mediated to it through this same cove
nant, in which the parents faith stands in
the place Of the child's faith, which in
the nature Of the case IS wanting.
In his Syllabus and Notes on The
oclogy, expounding and defending infant
baptism, DR.. R. L. Dabney says: 1.-THE
sacrament embraces the parent" In re-
ply to the objection that the infant can
not be party he answers: Parents are,
a. e., parties to the covenant, and the eff
ficacy Of the parental relation properly
sanctifed is regular enough to justify this
arrangement" First Edition, Part II,
page 230)
According to this eminent theologian
in infant baptism, parents are parties.
What do they? Do they engage them