A Body of Divinity, Vol. 2 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger CatechismRidgley, Thomas
Religion
A Body of Divinity, Vol. 2 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger Catechism
Others have concluded, that all the infants of believing parents, dying
in infancy, are saved, as supposing that they are interested in the
covenant of grace, in which God promises, that he will be a God to
believers, and their seed. This would be a very comfortable thought, to
those who have hope concerning their own state. But I cannot find that
this argument is sufficiently maintained; since it seems very evident,
that all such like promises rather respect the external, than the saving
blessings of the covenant of grace.
Others therefore conclude, (as many good and pious Christians have done,
that when they have been enabled, by an act of faith, in which they have
enjoyed some sensible experience of the powerful influence of the Holy
Spirit, to give up their infant-seed to Christ, whether it be in
baptism, or not) from the frame of their own spirit, and the evidence
they have had of the power of God, exciting this act of faith, that God
would own that grace which he hath enabled them to exercise, and
consequently that he has accepted of this solemn act of dedication of
them to him, which has given them comfortable and quieting thoughts
about the salvation of their infant-seed. This is not only an excellent
method, used by them, but it seems to be as just a way of reasoning
about the salvation of those who die in infancy, as any that is
generally made use of; and, it may be, David might infer the salvation
of his child, when he says, _I shall go to him; but he shall not return
to me_, 2 Sam. xii. 23. from some such method as this. But, since these
are uncommon instances of faith, and such as every sincere Christian has
not always been found in the exercise of, I would hope, that there are
multitudes of infants saved, concerning whom we have no certain ground
to determine who they are; and why may not we suppose, that there are
many of them, who belong to the election of grace, that are not the seed
of believing parents? However, notwithstanding all the pious and kind
thoughts, which the conjectures of men suggest, we must be content to
leave this, as a secret that belongs to God, and not unto us to know.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
A Body of Divinity, Vol. 2 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger Catechism — John Shaqi
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