Question 72:
May not the infant children of believers under the Gospel be
baptized since the infant descendants of Abraham were
circumcised under the Law?
Answer:
No. Abraham had a command from God to circumcise his infant
descendants, but believers have no command to baptize their
infant children under the Gospel. (a)
(a) Gen. 17.9-12
Question 73:
If the infant children of believers are in the Covenant of Grace
with their parents, as some say, why may they not be baptized
under the Gospel, as well as Abraham's infant descendants were
circumcised under the Law?
Answer:
By the infant children of Believers being in the Covenant of
Grace, it must either be meant of the Covenant of Grace
absolutely considered, and if so, then there can be no total and
final falling away of any infant children of believers from the
Covenant, but all must be saved. (a)
(a) Jer. 32:38-40; John 10.28
Or, they must mean conditionally, on consideration that when
they come to an age of maturity, they by true faith, love, and
holiness of life, taking hold of God's Covenant of Grace, shall
An Orthodox Catechism
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have the privileges of it. This being their sense, I then ask what
real spiritual privilege the infant children of believers have more
than the infant children of unbelievers, if they live also to years
of maturity, and by true faith and love take hold God's
Covenant? I further demand, whether the Seal of the Covenant
does not belong as much to the children of unbelievers as to the
children of believers? and more too, since some infant children
of unbelievers take hold of God's Covenant, and some infant
children of believers do not2; as this often occurs to the sorrow
of many godly parents. |
