CHAP. XX. 13. To Ur faithful to us, shrink from danger in his service?-especially when we look not for an empty name, but for an eternal inheritance, such as may be worthy of the only-begotten Son of God, with whom we are joint-heirs. Let us pray for one another, that God would perfect what he has begun in us, and so establish our hearts that we may never be wanting to his service and glory." I 13. In another letter to the same friend, ban Regius. 16 October, 1526, he makes some further remarks on the subject of election, and on the salvation of infants. Election. "The words of Mark xvi. 16. relate to those only to whom the gospel was sent. They that hear the gospel and believe it are blessed, they who hear it and believe it not are accursed. But this is no prejudice to election, for both they who come to Christ are drawn to him by the Father which is election: and they who come to the Father are chosen by him: but so that they may at length come to him by Christ.... Salvation of The (infant) children of Christians are the children of God by virtue of the covenant. Concerning the children of heathens we decide nothing though I confess that I incline to the sentiment which considers the death of Christ as available to the salvation of all who are free from actual sin.2 infants. 14. To Haller and Colbius. "Elenchus," &c. 14. But of several of these subjects he treats more fully in an epistle to Haller and Colbius of Berne, of the date of 28 April, 1527, and in his "Detection of the Artifices of the Anabaptists," published in July of the same year, and inserted in the collection of his Epistles.3 In the former he considers it as a great fault 2 1 Epist. fo. 54-61. Epist. fo. 17, 18. Zuing. Op. i. 382. 3 Fo. 81-113. Here tists. A. D. 1531. of the Anabaptists to excommunicate people for insufficient and improper causes. also he pointedly argues, "What would have Anabapbeen the feelings of the Jewish converts in the Infant bapprimitive times, had they found their children tism. excluded from the church-so contrary to all that they had ever known under a dispensation of acknowledged divine authority? Would they not have raised even a far greater controversy on this point, than in favour of circumcising gentile converts? But no such controversy ever was raised." Origen, he observes, says (early in the third century) that the practice of baptizing infants obtained in his time," having been delivered down from the apostles."-The third part of the Detection exhibits more of the writer's doctrinal views than those which precede. Here, as above, Baptism he maintains that it was not circumcision, and does not is not baptism, which "engrafts men into into Christ. Christ" it rather "recognises and seals them as already belonging to him." A great argument of the whole piece is, that the passages which require repentance and faith, in order to the admission into the church, do not apply to those who are incapable of any explicit exercise of these Christian graces: and that such passages no more exclude children from the Christian church, than the calls made upon the Israelites "to hear and obey," with the promises that if they did so they should be God's people, excluded their children because they were yet incapable of performing those duties.2 He shews that God's covenant with 1 See Jewel, Reply &c. p. 20, 21. 2 This is important as obviating the passages as Acts viii. 37. They no than Mark xvi. 16, condemns them. Hooker, ii. 252, 253. first graft CHAP. Election. Epistle to the Romans. his church has in all ages been one and the same-the differences under successive dispensations (which he discusses,) being only circumstantial. And here he is led to treat explicitly of election; 2 his views of which are decidedly what have been since termed Calvinistic, though his statement of them is, in the main, wise and practical. He understands by God's election such a choice of individuals secures their effectual calling and final salvation.... It is the cause and not the consequence of their faith; but faith and its fruits, in holy obedience, are the necessary proofs of the election of any individual; and by them alone can his election be known.3 "In reading the epistle to the Romans," our author says, "we do not sufficiently consider what leads the apostle to introduce the subject of election. He had previously proved that salvation is by faith but faith proceeds not from human resources but from the Spirit of God.... God gives it to those whom he hath called-understanding here, by called, truly sanctified: he calls those whom he hath destined to salvation: he destines to salvation those whom he hath chosen he chooses whom he will. The whole therefore is free, and belongs entirely to Godas the making of different vessels out of the same mass of clay does to the potter. This is the sum and substance of S. Paul's doctrine of election." Afterwards he says: "They that have faith are justified;.... there is no condemnation for them for they are not of those who say, Let us sin, that the glory of God may be the more illustriously displayed; but of those who as 1 Fo. 106-108. 2 Fo. 108 (b)-111. 3 Fo. 110. often as through frailty they have offended return to the Lord imploring, Forgive us our trespasses;.... who are more grieved at displeasing God than at offending all the world beside; and therefore bewail themselves, Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight."1 A. D. 1531. He fully believes that the children of Chris- Elect tians, dying in infancy, are to be numbered infants. among the elect: and he again condemns it, as presumptuous and unwarrantable, to pronounce unfavourably of any children, whether their parents be Christians or not. We have no right, he says, to decide against any except for their actual unbelief, or rejection of the gospel.2 Questions. 15. We find also inserted among the Epis- 15. Answer tles forty-six questions concerning baptism, to 46 the church, the Christian ministry, and other topics, proposed by one who considered infant baptism as "the basis of popery, and the source of all ignorance and errors in the church of God;" with Zwingle's answers to them. The composition is without date. He first lays down twenty axioms, which, he says, will serve "to untie the knots not only of the present questions, but of almost all questions that arise in theology." His axioms begin with election as the basis of every thing, Election and distinctly include reprobation! They and reprowho acknowledge divine providence must, by so doing, recognise election also.... Election is nothing else than the present and eternal 1 Fo. 109. 2 Fo. 110. In Op. i. 371-2, the question meets him, of those supposed elect in their infancy not apparently proving to be so afterwards: but he pronounces it "more curious than pious," and observes that "means are predestinated as well as ends." bation. CHAP. XX. appointment [of God] concerning those who shall enjoy everlasting happiness. Rejection is the contrary of this... All the children of God were elected before the foundation of the world. But they are chosen in Christ; that is, they are so chosen as to come to God through him. . . . Election therefore is that which secures salvation, but by Christ. God, who freely determines all things, blesses whom he will-but by Christ; that is by himself, by his own goodness and grace. For Christ is the pledge of [the divine] goodness, and the redemption of sins [paid] to the divine justicewhich must ever be preserved inviolate. But God blesses by an eternal appointment.... No one believes who has not been before destined and ordained to eternal life. But many are elect who have not yet received faith, or even existence.... Judas and Cain were as much rejected to eternal misery before the foundation of the world, as the blessed virgin and the crucified thief were chosen to eternal blessedness!" 1 To say the least, have we not here predestination, election, reprobation administered to us in the lump,2 in a way which the scriptures do not exemplify, and which is suited to produce an impression different from what they produce? 1 Fo. 70. 2 "Mr. Newton used to say, that Calvinism should be, in our general religious instructions, like a lump of sugar in a cup of tea; all should taste of it, but it should not be met with in a separate form." Rev. T. Scott's Life, p. 458.—It is admitted that the paper of Zwingle's which we are considering differs from a sermon to a popular audience. But his assertions are very unflinching. He says concerning Esau's dying in infancy: "Mori non potuit quem divina providentia creavit, ut viveret, atque impie viveret!!" fo. 110. (b). |