VII. JOHN CALVIN ON THE SALVATION OF - The Works of F. N. Lee

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"Turretine, regarding infants universally, says, ' Christian love commands us to hope well for their salvation.' Dr. Hodge says, ' All infants that die in infancy are elected.' Dr. Candlish says: ' On account of the atonement, the salvation of dying infants is sure. All dying in infancy are elect, and therefore saved.' "These are the great Calvinist Theologians. Yet Mr. Stewart, not content with misrepresenting horribly our Church' s creed, affirms now that no sound Calvinist would maintain that every heathen child who dies in infancy, is saved.... "If Mr. Stewart [at the time he assented to be ordained as an Elder] believed that our Confession teaches all these awful things - why did he, how could he, sign it? ... He signed that - [apparently, it would seem,] believing it taught all those things. Sooner than sign it, had I [at that time] believed that [which Stewart later stated] - I would have burnt off my right hand in the fire!" The 1882 Declaratory Statement of the Victorian Presbyterian Church The above turmoil was wisely countered by the following enactment of the 1882 Victorian Declaratory Act. That, in part, reads as follows: 446 "Questions have been raised as to...the salvation of children dying in infancy.... Whereas it is desirable...to declare the sense in which the Church understands these statements -- the General Assembly resolves to declare...that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.... He has provided a salvation sufficient for all, adapted to all, and offered to all in the Gospel.... None are saved, except through the mediation of Christ and by the grace of the Holy Spirit Who worketh where and when and how it pleases Him.... I n accepting the Standards [and in particular the Westminster Confession 10:3], it is not required to be held that any who die in infancy are lost." Thus the salvation of those that die during their infancy, rests where it has always been - viz. in the electing work of Almighty God in Christ, from all eternity. Summary of the Nineteenth-Century Church on infant salvation In this chapter, we first saw that American Presbyterianism' s prestigious Princeton Theological Seminary from the time of its first Professor onward (Rev. Dr. Archibald Alexander) - had always held to the salvation of all dying in infancy. Indeed, also Rev. Dr. William Harris wrote that all who die in infancy are saved - as too did Rev. Drs. David Russell, George Bethune, and J.H. Bockok. Rev. Professors Dr. Charles Hodge and A.A. Hodge insisted that all early-dying infants are saved. So too did Rev. Professors Dr. R.S. Candlish, Robert L. Dabney and W.G.T. Shedd. Indeed, not unfavourable views thereanent were offered also by Theologians such as: Rev. Dr. H.J. van Dyke; Rev. Professor Dr. Herman Bavinck Sr.; Rev. Professor Dr. Abraham Kuyper Sr.; and Rev. Professor Dr. J.L. Girardeau. - 155 -
After seeing the great usefulness of having a Declaratory Statement especially on the status of dying infants in the Westminster Confession, we canvassed the background of the very conservative Victorian Presbyterian Declaratory Statement. In the debates which led up to its formulation, we noted that Australia' s Rev. Professor Dr. J.L. Rentoul maintained (after citing Calvin & Twisse & Turretine & Candlish & Hodge) that all dying in infancy are saved. Finally, we looked at the text of the Declaratory Statement itself of the Victorian Presbyterian Church. We noted its conclusion that "in accepting the [Westminster] Standards, it is not required to be held that any who die in infancy are lost." - 156 -
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VII. JOHN CALVIN ON THE SALVATION O
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"It grew worse and worse, as time a
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asked from this passage, 'What had
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wonder if Christ declares that they
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"Inhumanity is here mitigated, sinc
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Here, the whole context not only se
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According to Calvin, ' the blood of
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"God' spromise comprehends not only
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grace of adoption but also newness
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Calvin comments 319 that John is he
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Calvin on Christ healing the daught
Page 23 and 24: is done to the covenant of God, as
Page 25 and 26: "Christ surpasses Adam.... Since Ch
Page 27 and 28: Here Calvin then concludes: "But if
Page 29 and 30: Calvin on the children of disobedie
Page 31 and 32: Never theless, the Apostle' s conte
Page 33 and 34: Calvin next remarks also Papists "g
Page 35 and 36: "Are we not, independently of bapti
Page 37 and 38: "I again ask how it is that the fal
Page 39 and 40: Calvin condemns the Anabaptist Serv
Page 41 and 42: Castellio would therefore also be q
Page 43 and 44: VII. CHURCH AFTER CALVIN ON SALVATI
Page 45 and 46: The Early Calvinist Confessions on
Page 47 and 48: fault is in the will, voluntarily a
Page 49 and 50: The above is also our own perceptio
Page 51 and 52: "I confess some among the orthodox
Page 53 and 54: Wigglesworth: early-dying infants o
Page 55 and 56: A fast was proclaimed by God to the
Page 57 and 58: Take heed [therefore] that you do n
Page 59 and 60: Explained Toplady: 407 "Christ died
Page 61 and 62: The maverick hypercalvinist Michael
Page 63 and 64: Thus, Rev. Professor Dr. Ashbel Gre
Page 65 and 66: Rev. Drs. Bethune and Bockok on the
Page 67 and 68: Rev. Professor Dr. R.S. Candlish: a
Page 69 and 70: whereby one could remain connected
Page 71 and 72: "If the ground be taken that justic
Page 73: "Who broke for ever, out of Christe
Page 77 and 78: Standard [namely the Westminster Co
Page 79 and 80: Also the noted Presbyterian Theolog
Page 81 and 82: the martyrdom of prophets and other
Page 83 and 84: "It was instrumentally the result o
Page 85 and 86: Rev. Professor Dr. Philip Schaff: t
Page 87 and 88: the salvation of all infants dying
Page 89 and 90: "Before pronouncing this judgment,"
Page 91 and 92: "' ChristJesus came into the World
Page 93 and 94: They also give very little hope tha
Page 95 and 96: XI. OUR OWN VIEW ON THE SALVATION O
Page 97 and 98: Church regards those whom it admits
Page 99 and 100: For example. The Declaratory Statem
Page 101 and 102: Article I of the Australian Declara
Page 103 and 104: In the book of Ecclesiastes (4:2f &
Page 105 and 106: critics) that Calvinists teach chil
Page 107: Zechariah 13:7; and Malachi 2:10-14
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VII. JOHN CALVIN ON THE SALVATION OF - The Works of F. N. Lee

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