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FOUNDATIONS*75**This*makes*a*number*of*key*assertions.*First,*it*begins*with*another*“not*only,*but*also”*statement*(as*in*Articles*25*and*28),*thus*showing*that*certain*views,* while* not* entirely* inaccurate,* were* nevertheless* inadequate. 33 *Baptism* certainly* is* a* sign* of* our* confessing* the* faith,* and* a* sign* of* our*profession* in* the* sense* of* our* calling* to* die* to* sin* and* live* for* right:eousness. 34 *According* to* the* Article,* those* who* are* baptised* are* “Christian*men”* (if* modern* readers* will* forgive* the* lack* of* gender* neutrality),* while*those* who* are* not* thus* “christened”*are* not.*Baptism*helps* people* discern*the*difference*between*those*who*are*and*are*not*Christians.*This*takes*up*the*outward,*phenomenological*language*of*the*New*Testament,*which*also*gives*the*name*“Christian”*to*those*who*are*outwardly*identified*as*follow:ers*of*Christ. 35 *It*is*important*to*note,*however,*that*this*is*not*the*only*way*in* which* we* today* use* the* term.* The* way* we* use* it,* “Christian”* very* often*means*“true*believer”,*or*is*functionally*equivalent*to*“elect”*or*“saved.”*That*is* not* the* meaning* here.* The* Article* is* certainly* not* saying* that* everyone*who*is*baptised*is*a*true*believer*or*that*they*are*going*to*heaven*as*a*result*of*their*baptism!*The*formularies*are*everywhere*opposed*to*such*ex#opere#operato* theologising. 36 *Rather,* as* the* later* Westminster* Confession* says,*baptism*puts*“a*visible*difference*between*those*that*belong*unto*the*church,*and*the*rest*of*the*world.” 37 *That* being* said,* baptism* is* not* solely* an* outward* boundary* marker.*Anglicans*assert*that*it*is*more*than*that.*It*is*also*a*sign,*an*instrument,*and*a*seal.*As*a*sign*it*signifies*regeneration*(it*does*not,*note,*produce*that*new*birth!);*as*Gilbert*Burnet*wrote,*“this*is*not*to*be*believed,*to*be*of*the*nature*of* a* Charm,* as* if* the* very* act* of* Baptism* carried* always* with* it* an* inward*Regeneration.” 38 *As*an*instrument*it*grafts*into*the*church*those*who*rightly*********************************************************************33*Charles*Hardwick,*A#History#of#the#Articles#of#Religion*(Cambridge:*Deighton,*Bell*and*Co,*1859),*94:97*makes*it*clear*how,*in*the*historical*context,*this*Article*is*taking*a*stand*against*the*“mere*token”*view.*34*This* is* how* “our* profession”* is* understood* in* the* Book* of* Common* Prayer# baptism*service.*35*E.g.*Acts*11:26*and*1*Peter*4:16.*The*name*in*both*cases*appears*to*have*been*given*by*outsiders* to* those* they* identified* as* being* part* of* the* movement.* See* Charles* K.* Barrett,* A#Critical#and#Exegetical#Commentary#on#the#Acts#of#the#Apostles#(Edinburgh:*T*&*T*Clark,*1994),*555:557* who* argues* that* as* a* name* for* disciples* of* Jesus* it* was* unlikely* to* have* arisen*internally.*36*In* Scripture,* one* can* be* “bought”* and* even* “baptised”* without* being* finally* saved,*according* to* e.g.* 2* Pet* 2:1* and* 1* Cor* 10:1:10.* On* which,* see* Steve* Jeffery,* Mike* Ovey,* and*Andrew* Sach,* Pierced# for# our# Transgressions:# Rediscovering# the# Glory# of# Penal# Substitution*(Leicester:*IVP,*2007),*275*n78*and*my*For#Us#and#For#Our#Salvation:#‘Limited#Atonement’#in#the#Bible,# Doctrine,# History,# and# Ministry# (London:* Latimer* Trust,* 2012),* 52:57.* See* also* Paul’s*comments*about*circumcision*in*Romans*2:28:29.*37*Westminster* Confession* of* Faith,* 27:1.* Griffith* Thomas,* The#Principles#of#Theology,* 373*states*that*“This*idea*of*Baptism*as*the*Divine*mark*of*Christians*is*an*elementary*view*accepted*by*all.”*38*Burnet,*An#Exposition,*302.*!

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