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6**Water:Ordeals*of*the*Seventeenth*Century*Baptism%–%what%does%it%mean?%*Given* this* vitriolic* engagement,* it* might* come* as* a* surprise* to* find* that*seventeenth* century* Calvinists* were* of* the* same* mind* as* to* the* need%for,* and*meaning% of* Christian* baptism.* Presbyterians,* Congregationalists* and* Baptists*insisted*that*baptism*was*necessary*because*the*natural*man*inherits*original*sin* and* is* constitutionally* totally* depraved.* A* survey* of* the* Westminster* Con:fession,* the* Savoy* Declaration* of* the* Congregationalists,* and* the* 1677* Baptist*Confession, 5 *reveals*a*surprisingly*unanimous*opinion*as*to*its*meaning:***Westminster*Confession*(1646)**“Sacraments*are*holy*signs*and*seals*of*the*covenant*of*grace,*immediately*instit:uted*by*God,*to*represent*Christ*and*His*benefits;*and*to*confirm*our*interest*in*Him:*as*also,*to*put*a*visible*difference*between*those*that*belong*unto*the*Church*and*the*rest*of*the*world;*and*solemnly*to*engage*them*to*the*service*of*God*in*Christ,*according*to*His*Word”*(27:1)*“Baptism*is*a*sacrament*of*the*New*Testament,*ordain:ed*by*Jesus*Christ,*not*only*for*the*solemn*admission*of*the*party*baptized*into*the*visible*Church;*but*also*to*be*unto*him*a*sign*and*seal*of*the*covenant*of*grace,*of*his*ingrafting*into*Christ,*of*regeneration,*of*remission*of*sins,*and*of*his*giving*up*unto*God,*through*Jesus*Christ,*to*walk*in*the*newness*of*life.”*(28:1)**Directory*for*the*Publick*Worship*of*God*(1645)*“It*is*instituted*by*our*Lord*Jesus*Christ:*It*is*a*seal*of*the*covenant*of*grace,*of*our*ingrafting*into*Christ,*and*of*our*union*with*him,*of*re:mission*of*sins,*regen:eration,*adoption,*and*life*eternal:*That*the*water,*in*baptism,*represents*and*signifies*both*the*blood*of*Christ,*which*takes*away*all*guilt*of*sin,*original*and*actual;*and*the*sanctifying*virtue*of*the*Spirit*of*Christ*against*the*domin:ion*of*sin,*and*the*corrupt:tion*of*our*sinful*nature:*That*baptizing,*or*sprink:ling*and*washing*with*water,*signifies*the*cleans:ing*from*sin*by*the*blood*and*for*the*merit*of*Christ,*together*with*the*mortif:ication*of*sin,*and*rising*from*sin*to*newness*of*life,*by*virtue*of*the*death*and*resurrection*of*Christ.”***Savoy*Declaration*(1658)**“A*sign*and*seal*of*the*covenant*of*grace…*representing*Christ*and*his*benefits,*confirming*our*interest*in*him,*and*solemnly*engaging*us*to*the*service*of*God*in*Christ,*according*to*his*Word”*(28:1)***“a*sign*and*seal*of*the*covenant*of*grace,*of*his*ingrafting*into*Christ,*of*regeneration,*of*remission*of*sins,*and*of*his*giving*up*unto*God*through*Jesus*Christ*to*walk*in*newness*of*life”*(29:1)**Baptist*Confession*(1677/89)*“a*sign*of*fellowship*with*Christ*in*his*death*and*resurrection,*of*being*grafted*into*him,*of*remission*of*sins,*and*of*giving*up*oneself*to*God,*through*Jesus*Christ,*to*live*and*walk*in*newness*of*life”*(29:1)!***********************************************************************************************************************************************************changed.* See* further,* Kimberely* McWhorter,* “A* Seventeenth* Century* Stew:* Midwives,* Infant*Baptism*and*William*Harvey,”*in*The%Cornerstone%Historical%Journal,*No.*25,*June*2004.*5*Although*written*in*1677,*the*document*was*not*made*public*until*after*the*Restoration*and*the*Toleration*Act*of*1689*when*Baptists*were*given*equal*civil*tolerance*along*with*Established*churches*in*England*and*Wales.*
FOUNDATIONS*7**Among*the*points*of*agreement*are:**(1) Baptism*represents*Christ*and*the*privileges*of*fellowship*(communion)*with*him*(2) Baptism*represents*forgiveness*of*sins*(3) Baptism*engages*those*who*receive*it*to*serve*Christ*in*a*manner*that*is*in*accord*with*“newness*of*life”**However,* paedobaptist* and* credobaptist* agreement* on* these* particular*issues*hides*significant*disagreement*as*to*the*meaning*of*baptism.*Baptist*logic*argues*that*baptism*represents*these*agreed*aspects*because*the*one*receiving*baptism*is*already*a*believer.**Baptism*is*a*sign*and*seal*of*faith*and*therefore* signals* union* with* Christ,* forgiveness* of* sins,* and* the* need* for*sanctification*in*an*already*realised*sense.*Paedobaptists*view*it*differently.*Baptism*is*not*so*much*a*sign*of%faith,*but*a*sign*to%faith.*It*points*to*realities*that*are*actualised*when*faith*is*exercised*but*does*not*suggest*when*faith*becomes*a*reality*(or,*that*faith*may*never*occur).***For*infants,*as*much*as*for*professing*adult*believers,*baptism*both*signs*and* seals* union* with* Christ,* forgiveness* of* sins,* and* the* need* for* sanct:ification,* but* not%in* the* sense* that* these* are* already* in* possession.* Rather,*they*are*a*sign*and*seal*of*the*gospel*in*which*these*benefits*are*promised*to*the* one* who* believes.* Subjectively,* fellowship* with* Christ,* forgiveness* of*sins,* and* sanctification* are* benefits* only* the* regenerate* knows.* But*objectively,*baptism*points*to*the*gospel*that*elicits*the*response. 6 *Further*points*of*difference*relate*to*the*robust*covenant*theology*of*the*Westminster* Divines* and* to* the* hermeneutical* importance* of* a* unified*covenant* of* grace* that* spans* both* Testaments* and* includes,* by* way* of*implication,* a* unity* of* administration* to* those* considered* covenant*members.*Fundamental*to*the*Westminster*Divines*is*a*theological*premise*that* baptism* is* a* sign* and* seal* of* the* new* covenant,* which* carries* with* it*historical*precedence*of*previous*covenants*in*redemptive*history.*As*such,*there*is*already*an*expectation*of*inclusion*rather*than*exclusion*at*the*dawn*of*the*new*covenant*era.*This*issue*is*of*singular*importance*in*ascertaining*the*core*issue*that*divided*paedobaptists*and*credobaptists.*********************************************************************6*Note*the*words*of*Sinclair*Ferguson:*“To*be*baptized*is*to*be*baptized*into*Christ’s*death*(Rom*6:1:4).*This*is*the*inner*meaning*of*the*sign…*This*explanation*does*not*mean*that*the*sign*contains*what*is*signified*any*more*than*the*word*that*is*preached*contains*Christ.*Rather*both* are* means* by* which* the* Spirit* can* and* does* communicate* to* receptive* faith* the* divine*blessings*the*signs*signify.*Obversely,*when*met*with*stubborn*unbelief,*these*signs*will*confirm*the* judgment* they* imply.”* Baptism:% Three% Views,* ed.* David* F.* Wright* (Downers* Grove:* IVP*Academic,*2009),*92:93.***!
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*
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Page 22 and 23: 20*Infant*Baptism:*Putting*Old*Wine
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56* A*Covenantal*View*of*Baptism*an
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60**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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