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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.**
*FOUNDATIONS*“Dipping%is%not%necessary”%*A* key* issue* in* the* Westminster* debates* on* baptism* related* to* its* mode:*“Dipping*of*the*person*into*the*water*is*not*necessary;*but*Baptism*is*rightly*administered*by*pouring,*or*sprinkling*water*upon*the*person”*(WCF%28:3).*The*identical*statement*occurs*in*the*Savoy*Declaration*(SD*29:3).****Westminster*Confession*(1646)**Directory*for*the*Publick*Worship*of*God*(1645)*Savoy*Declaration*(1658)**Baptist*Confession*(1677/89)13*!Mode**“Dipping*of*the*person*into*the*water*is*not*necessary;*but*Baptism*is*rightly*administered*by*pouring,*or*sprinkling*water*upon*the*person”*(28:3).*“For*the*manner*of*doing*of*it,*is*not*only*lawful*but*sufficient,*and*most*expedient*to*be,*by*pouring*or*sprinkling*of*the*water*on*the*face*of*the*child,*without*adding*any*other*ceremony.”*!“Dipping*of*the*person*into*the*water*is*not*necessary;*but*baptism*is*rightly*administered*by*pouring*or*sprinkling*water*upon*the*person”*(29:3)*“Immersion,*or*dipping*the*person*in*water,*is*essential*for*the*proper*administration*of*this*ordinance”*(29:4)***“Dipping…*is*not*necessary”*has*been*viewed*as*a*concessionary*statement*along*the*lines*of*Calvin’s*view*of*the*mode*of*baptism. 17 *Thus,*the*statement*is*read*as*suggesting*that*baptism*means*“immersion”*but*it*is*not*necessary*to*immerse;*sprinkling*or*pouring*is*equally*valid.**Ecumenically* pleasing* as* such* a* view* might* prove* to* be,* had* the*Westminster*Confession*taught*such*a*view,*it*is*almost*certainly*not*what*the* Divines* intended,* and* that* for* at* least* two* reasons.* First,* the* minutes*reveal* that* to* the* fore* in* the* discussion* were* the* views* of* John* Lightfoot,*whose* expertise* on* matters* linguistic* and* theological* relating* to* baptism*were*second*to*none.*Lightfoot*was*insistent*that*baptism*meant*“effusion”*or* “sprinkling”* only.* What* the* Confession* intends* is* that* “dipping”* is* not*what*baptism*means.*Once*again,*the*Directory*must*be*allowed*to*interpret*the*Confession.*Its*advice*is*explicit:*“the*manner*of*doing*of*it,*is*not*only*lawful*but*sufficient,*and*most*expedient*to*be,*by*pouring*or*sprinkling*of*the*water*on*the*face*of*the*child.”**********************************************************************17*“Whether*the*person*baptised*is*to*be*wholly*immersed,*and*that*whether*once*or*thrice,*or* whether* he* is* only* to* be* sprinkled* with* water,* is* not* of* the* least* consequence:* churches*should*be*at*liberty*to*adopt*either,*according*to*the*diversity*of*climates,*although*it*is*evident*that* the* term* baptise* means* to* immerse,* and* that* this* was* the* form* used* by* the* primitive*Church.”* John* Calvin,* Institutes% of% the% Christian% Religion,* Trans.* Henry* Beveridge* (Peabody:*Hendricksen,*2008),*868*[4.15.19].*
Page 1 and 2: No 63AUTUMN 2012ContentsEditorial 1
Page 3 and 4: Foundations*63*(November*2012):*194
Page 5 and 6: FOUNDATIONS*3**Baptist* Confession*
Page 7 and 8: Foundations*63*(November*2012):*5:1
Page 9 and 10: FOUNDATIONS*7**Among*the*points*of*
Page 11 and 12: FOUNDATIONS*9**Infants”. 9 *The*s
Page 13: FOUNDATIONS*11**Baptists* and* paed
Page 17 and 18: FOUNDATIONS*15**Few* statements* ha
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Page 22 and 23: 20*Infant*Baptism:*Putting*Old*Wine
Page 46 and 47: 44* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*an
Page 50 and 51: 48**A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*an
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62* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*an
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64* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*an
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66*The*Anglican*Doctrine*of*Baptism
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92* “Let*the*little*children*come
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112**Baptism:*Three*Views**written*
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114**Baptism:*Three*Views**family)*
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116**Baptism:*Three*Views**“impas
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118**A*Christian’s*Pocket*Guide*t
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