der the State its tool, it openly asserts its right to do so. One of the encyclical letters of the present pope so openly denied the liberty of conscience, the liberty of the press, and the lawfulness of tolerating any other religion than that of the Church of Rome, that the late Emperor of the French forbade its publication in France ; yet the Archbishop of New York read it in his cathedral to an immense and approving audience.
The Roman Church, therefore, believing that baptism is essen- tial to salvation, baptizes all children presented for that ordinance without regard to their immediate parentage or remote descent.
Theories on which many Protestants contend for the propriety of the baptism of children other than those of believing par- ents.
There are two principles on which the baptism of children whose parents are not members of the visible Church, is defended. The first is, that the promise is to parents and their children, and their children's children even to the thousandth generation. Children, therefore, whose immediate parents may have no con- nection with the Church, have not forfeited their privileges as children of the covenant. If the promise be to them, its sign and seal belongs to them. The second principle is, that of spir- itual adoption. Children who are orphans, or whose parents are unfit or unwilling to bring them up in a Christian manner, may be so far adopted by those willing and qualified to assume the responsibility of their religious education as to become proper subjects of baptism. This principle is sanctioned in the Scrip- tures. In Genesis xvii. 12, God said to Abraham, " He that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations ; he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not thy seed." Our Church on the same principle in 1787 enjoined with regard to apprentices that " Christian masters and mistresses, whose religious profes- sions and conduct are such as to give them a right to the ordi- nance of baptism for their own children, may and ought to dedi- cate the children of their household to God, in that ordinance, when they have no scruple of conscience to the contrary." In 1816, it was decided, " (1.) It is the duty of masters who are members of the Church to present the children of parents in servitude to the ordinance of baptism, provided they are in a situation to train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, thus securing to them the rich advantages which the Gos-
vol. in. 36
562 PART in. Ch. XX. — THE MEANS OF GRACE.
pel provides. (2.) It is the duty of Christ's ministers to incul- cate this doctrine, and to baptize all children of this description when presented by their masters." On the baptism of heathen children the Church in 1843 decided that such children are to be baptized, " who are so committed to the missions, or other Chris- tian tuition, as to secure effectually their entire religious educa- tion." *
It was on the authority of the two principles above mentioned that many of the most distinguished theologians of Holland con- tend that foundlings, whose parents were unknown, illegitimate children, and the children of excommunicated persons, should be admitted to baptism. The question whether heathen children, committed to the care of Christian missionaries, should be bap- tized was submitted to the Synod of Dort. There was a diversity of opinion on the subject among the members, but the majority decided against it ; not, as would appear, from the language em- ployed, because of either of the above principles being denied, but because of the uncertain tenure by which such children were held. It was feared that they might return to heathenism, and thus the scandal of baptized persons practising heathen rites be afforded.2
A second theory advanced on this subject was that of a two- fold covenant ; one external, the other internal ; answering to the distinction between the Church visible and invisible. God, under the old dispensation, entered into a covenant with the Hebrew nation constituting them his visible Church, which covenant was distinct from that in which eternal life was promised to those that truly believe in the Redeemer who was to come. The conditions of admission into this external, visible society, were outward pro- fession of the true religion, and external obedience. The condi- tion of admission into the invisible Church, was true and saving faith. The sacraments were attached to the external covenant. All who made this external profession and yielded this outward obedience to the Mosaic law, were of right entitled to circum- cision, to the passover, and to all the privileges of the theocracy. So it is now, according to the theory in hand. Christ designed
1 Baird's Digest of the Acts, Deliverances, and Testimonies of the Supreme Judicatory of the Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, pp. 106, 107 ; edit. 1856, pp. 82, 83.
2 Doctrina Christiance Religionis per Aphorismos summatim Descripta. Editio sexta. Cui nunc accedit Ywotuttohj-is Theologiae Elencticse in usum Scholarum Domesticarum Cam- pegii Vitringae. Curante Martino Vitringa, cap. xxiv. Lyons, 1779, vol. vii. p. 153, note i.
Bernhardini de Moor, Commentarius Perpetuus in Johannis Marckii Compendium The- ok>(ju£ Christiance. Pars v: cap. 30, § 19, y. ; Lyons, 1768, vol. v. pp. 500-502.