Doctrine and Usage of the Reformed Churches.
The language of the Reformed Churches as the proper sub- jects of infant baptism is perfectly uniform. In the " Second Helvetic Confession " it is said,1 " Damnamus Anabaptistas, qui negant baptisandos esse infantulos recens natos a fidelibus. Nam juxta doctrinam evangelicam, horum est regnum Dei, et sunt in foedere Dei, cur itaque non daretur eis signum foederis Dei ? "
The " Gallic Confession " says : 2 " Quamvis baptismus sit fidei et resipiscentiae sacramentum, tamen cum una cum parenti- bus posteritatem etiam illorum in ecclesia Deus recenseat, affirm- amus, infantes Sanctis parentibus natos, esse ex Christi authoritate baptizandos."
The " Belgic Confession " says : 3 " (Infantes e fidelibus parent- ibus natos) baptizandos et signo foederis obsignandos esse credi- mus."
The " Westminster Confession" says :* " Now only those that do actually profess faith in, and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized."
The " Larger Catechism " says : 5 " Infants descending from parents, either both or but one of them, professing faith in Christ, and obedience to Him, are, in that respect, within the covenant, and are to be baptized."
The " Shorter Catechism " says : 6 " Baptism is not to be ad- ministered to any that are out of the visible Church, till they profess their faith in Christ and their obedience to Him ; but the children of such as are members of the visible Church, are to be baptized."
The " Directory for Worship " says : 7 " The seed of the faith- ful have no less right to this ordinance, under the Gospel, than the seed of Abraham to circumcision."
It is, therefore, plain that according to the standards of the Reformed Church, it is the children of the members of the visi- ble Church who are to be baptized. Agreeably to Scriptural usage such members are called " fcederati," saints, believers, faithful, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling. The Apostles in addressing professing Christians in the use of such
he thought the time would come when the Tamul people would be called upon to send mis- sionaries to America.
1 Cap. xx. ; Niemeyer, Collectio Confessionum, Leipzig, 1840, p. 518.
2 Art. xxxv. Ibid. p. 338. * Art. xxxiv. Ibid. p. 384. * Chap, xxviii. 4. 6 Quest- 166. 6 Quest. 95. * Chap. vii. 4.
674 PART HI. Ch. XX. — the means of grace.
terms did not express any judgment of their state in the sight of God. They designated them according to their profession. If they professed to be believers, they were called believers, and were treated as such ; unless they gave tangible evidence to the contrary, and in that case they were excommunicated. The Re- formed, as well as the Lutheran theologians, therefore, speak of the members of the visible Church as believers, and of their children as born of believing parents. All that is intended, therefore, by the language above cited is, that the sacraments of the Church are to be confined to members of the Church and to their children. It never entered the minds of the authors of those symbols that the visible Church consists exclusively of the regenerate, or of those who gave such evidence of their regenera- tion as to constrain a judgment in their favour.
It has already been stated that the common doctrine of Protes- tants on this whole subject is, —
1. That the visible Church has always consisted of those who professed the true religion, together with their children.
2. That the terms of church-membership under all dispensations have been the same, namely, profession of faith and promise of obedience.
3. The requirements for participation in the sacraments were the same. That is, any one entitled to the rite of circumcision, was entitled to partake of the passover ; those, under the Chris- tian dispensation, entitled to baptism, are entitled to the Lord's Supper. Those who, unbaptized, would be entitled to baptism for themselves, are entitled, and they only, to present their chil- dren for baptism. This is only saying that the privileges of the Church are confined to members of the Church.
4. The profession of faith required for admission to the Church or its ordinances is a profession of true faith ; and the promise of obedience is a promise of the obedience of the heart as well as of the outward life. When a man professed to be a Jew he professed to be truly a Jew. It is inconceivable that God required of him only an insincere, hypocritical, or formal faith. This point is strenuously urged by President Edwards. He argues that those who enter the Christian Church enter into covenant with God, because under the Mosaic economy all the people thus pledged themselves to be the sincere worshippers of God. He appeals to such passages as Deuteronomy vi. 13, x. 20, 4k Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God ; Him shalt thou serve, and to Him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name." " This insti-