The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-09-11

struments. These fundamental prin-
ciples are as applicable 10 this as to
any other discussion of ambiguity.
Accepting substantially the defni-
tions Just given, ambiguity is regard
ed as Of two kinds:
The first is that which arises from
the words of an instrument as looked
at in themselves. and before they are
attempted to lie applied to the object
or the subject which they describe"
This is called intrinsic. or patent. am
bipuitv. The second is that which
arises. mot upon the words as looked
at in themselves, but upon those
words when applied TO he object or
the subject which they describe"
/ (American and English Encyclopaedia
Of Law.)
The first arises upon the phrase
ologv: the second. from something
eytriusic preferred to but not fully
eXpressed"-or not described in such
a way as 10 prevent it from being con-
! founded with some other exterior OBJ
lect.
Is the propositions: Elect infants,
diving in infancy. are r~egenerated ana
f, saved by Christ through the Spirit:
1) a proposition Of patent ambigui-
ty? This deny.
". DIRECT ARGUMENT.
/. The words are all Of settled and
definite meaning. That n meaning
lies III the chapter, and, as one. IS sus-
tanned throughout the chapter and
the book. The chapters opening SEN
tence shows that the word Elect
means "predestinated INTO life The
word 'infants' is plainly defined in
the immediate context as meaning
those TOO Young to be a~pproachable
+I,0,,ol, ~, H ,J COLL of tho Cos
pei. The word "regenerated" is. in 4
| sense. technical. but of absolutely
clear and settled significance. There
is not an ambiguous WOrd-a word
| whose meaning the Confession itself
| does not settle-in the whole PROPOSE
ton.
,. The phrases are unambigu-
ous Elect Infants are infants pre-
destinated unto life Charge the
phrase with a thousand other things,
if YOU will: its meaning IS on its
face: and the face is not in any
shadow. You may wish it had said
something different: II something
more. or less: but whatever YOU may
think of its reserve and caution, YOU
cannot deny that it says plainly what
it does say. And if this is true, it
matters not one scintilla what Ian
guage in the Westminster Assembly
wa proposed antecedently or subse-
OuentIv. No man of amy time, no man
in all time. can lay upon the Confess
sion the weight OF feather more
than it has laid upon itself.
3. These phrases are unambiguous
in their INTERPRETATIONS, when form
ing clauses. Elect infants. dv-
interchangeable language in the same
T. rh1n+pr sInf9nt0 nJ.pdaStlnafpG nntO
life, dying in infancy'-is a clause
so definite and clear and single that
the man Who will try to find ever
synonymous language for it will be
puzzled: and he who will offer to
show any positive description that it
may be mistaken for, may be detied.
Professor Wartield. of all his strong
SAYINGS. never said anything stronger
in truth than this: Il think we may
characterize the Interpretation of
Chapter Y. Section 3 which finds a
body OF non-elect infants dying in in
fancy implied in its statements. as
one of the most astonishing pieces Of
misrepresentation in Literary Histo-
rN.
/. The whole proposition is I'M
ambiguous. It's distinctive affirma-
ton rings out in clarion plainness:
browns the d~issonance Of contempO-
rary error: and is the first of any and
all church, symbols to sound forth
the music of infant salvation-free
from the discord of ceremonial re-
strictions and from the false notes Of
ghostly negations and privations in
the world to come.
The proposition stands in a chapter
which ~expounds itself so plainly that
it positively precludes any construc-
ton but Self-cOnStructiOn.
This chapters leading purpose is
unmistakable and is pursued from be
ginning to end. This purpose is, to
tell how all those whom God hath
predestinated unto life'-the elect
are to De saved, capables and inca
pables.
The former are effectually called by
Gods word and Spirit: are drawn to
Christ irresistibly: but they come
freely, answering the call and en-
bracing the grace offered and convey
ed in it, as the Spirit enables. The
latter, the incapables. "Elect infants.
dying in infancy" and "all other elect
persons who are "%incapable of being
outwardly called by the ministry Of
! the word" are regenerated and say
ed by Christ through the Spirit the
mode of whose mysterious working is
left just where He has put tin the
inscrutable Holy Of holes with Him
self. in hidden glory. behind the veil.
Out of all surrounding darkness.
leaps in seraphic beauty, a sentences
that means salvation, clear as the
day and lovely as Heaven: Elect in
fants. dying in infancy, are regener-
ated and saved.
5. 1t would be easy to show that
this self-interpreting power both of
the proposition and of the chapter in
which it is environed is in the plain
est and strictest harmony with the
whole Confessions system. But this
will not be denied by any intelligent
student.
(2). There remains the question: is
the proposition vulnerable as one of
LATENT ambiguity? Again [ answer,
No.
Latent ambiguity can never be
urged against any writing unless the
writing makes specific or express ref
erence to something not clearly de-
scribed OF defined-and in this way