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FOUNDATIONS*77**I* think* it* is* clear,* then,* that* the* Article* here* borrows* a* crisp* headline*from*the*Institutes.*Whether*it*might*also*at*some*level*therefore*encourage*Anglicans*to*look*to*Calvin’s*exposition*of*infant*baptism*as*a*model*biblical*defence*of*the*practice,*I*leave*to*the*judgment*of*the*reader. 45 *The*Article*itself*wisely*does*not*set*out*a*biblical*case*for*infant*baptism*per#se,*leaving*us*a*degree*of*latitude*to*argue*for*it*in*a*variety*of*different*ways,*without*being*confessionally*tied*to*any*particular*exegetical*or*theological*reason:ing. 46 *It* is* certainly* true* that* the* Articles* limit* the* options* theologically,*rightly* filtering* out* several* erroneous* views;* but* they* do* not* push* for* too*much*precision*in*between*the*extremes. 47 *They*also*make*no*comment*on*the* necessity* of* infant* baptism,* though* the* Roman* doctrine* of* absolute*necessity* is* certainly* rejected,* in* view* of* the* strong* emphasis* on* salvation*sola#fide*in*the*formularies. 48 **It* is* not* even* said* in* the* Articles* that* it* is* an* absolute* requirement* for*Christian*parents*to*baptise*their*children,*however*desirable*it*may*be.*It*is*clearly* expected* of* Anglicans* that* they* will* do* so,* of* course* (and* ministers*were*enjoined*by*the*1552*and*1604*Canons*to*seek*out*unbaptised*children*so* they* could* be* baptised). 49 *If* it* is* true* that* infant* baptism* “best* fits* with*Christ’s*institution”*of*the*sacrament,*as*the*Articles*say,*no:one*assenting*to*********************************************************************45*Calvin* was* widely* read* and* disseminated* in* Elizabethan* England.* One* Roman* Catholic*complained*that*“The*Institutions*of*Calvin*are*so*greatly*esteemed*in*England,*that*the*book*has*been*most*accurately*translated*into*English,*and*is*even*fixed*in*the*parish*churches*for*people* to* read,”* while* another* lamented* that* “English* bishops* enjoin* all* the* clergy* to* get* the*book*almost*by*heart,*never*to*have*it*out*of*their*hands,*to*lay*it*by*them*in*a*conspicuous*part*of* their* pulpits.”* See* A.* M.* Toplady,* The# Complete# Works# of# Augustus# Toplady# (Harrisburg,*Virginia:*Sprinkle*Publications,*1987),*258,*261.*46*Not*all*Anglicans*would*agree*with*Griffith*Thomas,*The#Principles#of#Theology,* 378* for*example,* when* he* claims* that* “the* great* spiritual* fact* at* the* root* of* the* practice* of* infant*baptism”* is* that* all* children* belong* to* Christ* already* by* virtue* of* a* (supposedly)* universal*atonement.* This* of* course* proves* far* too* much* and* would* justify* indiscriminate* baptism* of*everyone,*even*unbelievers,*if*Christ*truly*died*for*all*in*this*sense.*It*is*better*not*to*begin*a*case*about*the*proper*subjects*of*baptism*with*highly*contentious*assertions*about*the*atonement!*(This*is*also*done*by*William*Baker*in*his*1883*commentary,*A#Plain#Exposition#of#the#ThirtyDNine#Articles#of#the#Church#of#England).*47*On*this*point*see*William*Goode,*The#Doctrine#of#the#Church#of#England#as#to#the#Effects#of#Baptism#in#the#Case#of#Infants#(London:*Hatchard*and*Son,*1850),*1:2.*48*The*Council*of*Trent*declared*that,*“If*anyone*says*that*baptism*is*optional,*that*is,*not*necessary*for*salvation,*let*him*be*anathema.”*(Session*VII,*Canon*5*on*Baptism).*In*the*Book#of#Common#Prayer* Catechism,* it* is* said* that* baptism* is* generally* necessary* (i.e.* it* is* normal* and*obedient*to*be*baptised),*thus*utilising*a*standard*Protestant*distinction*which*repudiated*the*Roman*doctrine*of*absolute#necessity*but*did*not*altogether*reject*the*importance*of*baptism.*See*Francis*Turretin,*The#Institutes#of#Elenctic#Theology*(Phillipsburg:*Presbyterian*and*Reformed,*1997),*3:384:393,*who*goes*too*far*in*asserting*(387)*that*the*one*who*refuses*to*get*baptised*at*all*is*“guilty*of*a*heinous*crime*and*incurs*eternal*punishment.”*49*This*was*partly*for*political*reasons*perhaps,*as*Roman*Catholics*and*Anabaptists*(who*would*both*attempt*to*avoid*having*their*children*baptised)*were*considered*politically*danger:ous*at*this*time.*!