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12*Water:Ordeals*of*the*Seventeenth*Century**(1) Children* of* believers* are* “within* the* covenant”* (Larger* Catechism*166).*(2) “The*seed*and*posterity*of*the*faithful,*born*within*the*church,*have,*by*their*birth,*interest*in*the*covenant,*and*right*to*the*seal*of*it,*and*to*the*outward*privileges*of*the*church”*(Directory).*(3) The* principle* of* “believers* and* their* seed”* as* having* collective*significance*in*both*old*covenant*and*new*covenant:*“the*promise*is*made*to*believers*and*their*seed…*under*the*gospel,*no*less*than*the*children*of*Abraham*in*the*time*of*the*Old*Testament”*(Directory).*(4) The* unity* of* the* administration* of* the* covenant* of* grace,* “for*substance,* being* the* same”* in* both* Old* and* New* Testaments.* The*consolations*of*the*new*covenant*cannot*therefore*be*viewed*as*less*than*those*of*the*old*covenant*in*which*Abraham’s*children*received*the*sign*and*seal*of*the*covenant*(Directory).*(5) Jesus* “admitted* little* children* into* his* presence,* embracing* and*blessing*them,*saying,*For%of%such%is%the%kingdom%of%God”*(Directory).*(6) The* Directory’s* viewing* as* significant* children* “born* within* the*church”*is*an%appeal*to*1*Cor*7:14,*that*the*children*of*one*believing*parent*is*“holy”*and*separate*from*the*world.*The*Confession*adds*the*sentence,*“the*infants*of*one,*or*both,*believing*parents,*are*to*be*baptized”*providing*as*proof*texts,*1*Cor*7:14*and*the*words*of*Peter*at*Pentecost*in*Acts*2:38:39,*“the*promise*is*to*you*and*to*your*chil:dren.”*Denying*the*view*that*the*children*of*believers*are*in*covenant*with*God*renders*Pentecost*as*the*greatest*act*of*excommunication*in*the*history*of*the*church.***As* we* have* already* seen,* the* shape* of* the* argument* in* favour* of* paedo:baptism*relies*significantly*on*the*contours*of*covenant*theology*as*expressed*in*seventeenth*century*understanding.*In*particular,*as*we*have*seen,*note*ought* to* be* taken* of* the* robust* expression* of* covenant* continuity* (rather*than* discontinuity)* that* pertains* to* the* administration* of* the* covenant* of*grace*in*both*the*Old*and*New*Testaments,*concluding*with*the*statement,*“There*are*not*therefore*two*covenants*of*grace,*differing*in*substance,*but*one*and*the*same,*under*various*dispensations”*(WCF*7:6).*This*statement,*missing* from* the* 1677/89* Baptist* Confession* in* its* briefer* chapter* on* the*covenant* (Chapter* 7),* leaves* credobaptist* logic* with* only* one* option:*baptism* can* only* be* applied* to* “those* who* actually* profess* repentance*towards* God,* faith* in,* and* obedience* to* our* Lord* Jesus* Christ.”* The* divide*stems* from* a* fundamental* disagreement* on* how* the* covenant* of* grace* is*viewed*within*Old*and*New*Testament*administrations.*For*Baptist*polemics,*a*radical*discontinuity*exists*at*the*point*where*the*new*order*of*things*is*seen* to* begin.* Consequently,* there* is* discontinuity* of* administrations* of*respective*signs*and*seals.**