Calvin's Institutes 4.16.20 - 4.16.24

INSTITUTES
OF
THE CHRISTIAN
RELIGION
By
John Calvin

BOOK FOURTH.
OF THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH

CHAPTER 16.
PÆDOBAPTISM. ITS ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTITUTION OF CHRIST, AND THE NATURE OF THE SIGN.

4.16.20.

Calvin articulates the baptistic argument well: "In order to gain a stronger footing here, they add, that baptism is a sacrament of penitence and faith, and as neither of these is applicable to tender infancy, we must beware of rendering its meaning empty and vain, by admitting infants to the communion of baptism." Calvin responds from Jeremiah 4 and Romans 4 that circumcision was also a sign of repentance and faith so he calls us baptists to deal with God on the matter! So since circumcision was applied to children, Calvin says, "Though these are not yet formed in them, yet the seed of both lies hid in them by the secret operation of the Spirit . . . The command of God to circumcise infants was either legitimate and exempt from cavil, or deserved reprehension."

4.16.21. - 4.16.22.

What if a baby dies? "If those on whom the Lord has bestowed his election, after receiving the sign of regeneration, depart this life before they become adults, he, by the incomprehensible energy of his Spirit, renews them in the way which he alone sees to be expedient."

What if they continue to grow and come to apprehend the things of God? "They will thereby be animated to greater zeal for renovation, the badge of which they will learn that they received in earliest infancy, in order that they might aspire to it during their whole lives."

"If, by baptism, Christ intends to attest the ablution by which he cleanses his Church, it would seem not equitable to deny this attestation to infants, who are justly deemed part of the Church, seeing they are called heirs of the heavenly kingdom . . . that by baptism we are ingrafted into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 7:13), we infer, that infants, whom he enumerates among his members, are to be baptised, in order that they may not be dissevered from his body."

4.16.23. - 4.16.24.

Calvin argues that when we come to the New Testament and see proselyte baptism that this is different for someone born into the community of faith ... Israel. This he argues again from the Old asking, "Why does the sacrament come after faith in Abraham, and precede all intelligence in his son Isaac?" The practice is this: "Those who, in adult age, embrace the faith of Christ, having hitherto been aliens from the covenant, are not to receive the sign of baptism without previous faith and repentance . . . whereas children, deriving their origin from Christians, as they are immediately on their birth received by God as heirs of the covenant, are also to be admitted to baptism."

Summary

Paedobaptists and credobaptists differ on the nature of baptism. This is clear in Calvin's teaching. From a Covenantal position baptism is a sign pointing to the Gospel, namely repentance and faith in Christ - crucified, risen and reigning. Credobaptism typifies repentance and faith. The former summons the recipient to the Gospel, the latter signifies his or her reception of the Gospel. Contrary to Presbyterians, they do not mean the same thing.