Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 2 of 2)
Pædobaptism Perfectly Consistent With The Institution Of Christ And The Nature Of The Sign - Reading 04
XII. In the mention of the children they find this variety;
that under the Old Testament, those were called the children
of Abraham, who derived their natural descent from him; but
that now this appellation is given to those who imitate his
faith; and that, therefore, that carnal infancy, which was
ingrafted into the fellowship of the Church by circumcision,
prefigured those spiritual infants of the New Testament, who
by the word of God are regenerated to an immortal life.
In this language we discover, indeed, a small spark of truth;
but it is a great error of these persons, that while they
lay hold of whatever first comes to their hands, when they
ought to pursue it much further, and to compare many things
together, they pertinaciously insist on a single word; hence
it necessarily happens that they are often deceived, because
they acquire no solid knowledge of any thing. We
confess that the natural seed of Abraham did for a time hold
the place of those spiritual children which are incorporated
with him by faith. For we are called his children, notwithstanding
there is no natural relationship between him and us.
But if they understand, as they certainly do, that no spiritual
blessing was ever promised by God to the carnal seed of
Abraham, they are greatly deceived. It behoves us to aim at
a more correct sentiment, to which we are directed by the certain
guidance of the Scripture. The Lord, therefore, promised
to Abraham, that he should have a Seed, in whom all the nations
of the earth were to be blessed, and accompanied this promise
with an assurance that he would be a God to him, and to his
seed. All those, who by faith receive Christ, the Author of
the blessing, are heirs of this promise, and are therefore denominated
“children of Abraham.”
XIII. Though, after the resurrection of Christ, the boundaries
of the kingdom of God began to be extended far and wide
into all nations, without any distinction, that, according to the
declaration of Christ, believers might be collected “from the east,
and from the west, and from the north, and from the south,” to
“sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,”[1173]
in the glory
of heaven, yet he had embraced the Jews with this great mercy
for many ages before; and because he had passed by all others,
and selected this one nation, to be for a season the exclusive objects
of his grace, he called them his “peculiar treasure” and
“special people.”[1174]
In attestation of this beneficence, the Lord
gave them circumcision, which was a sign to teach the Jews that
he would be their defence and salvation; and the knowledge of
this inspired their hearts with the hope of eternal life. For what
can be wanting to them whom God has taken into his charge?
Wherefore the apostle, with a view to prove that the Gentiles
are children of Abraham as well as the Jews, expresses himself
in the following manner: “Faith was reckoned to Abraham
for righteousness in uncircumcision. And he received the
sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith
which he had yet being uncircumcised; that he might be the
father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised;
that righteousness might be imputed unto them also; and the
father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision
only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father
Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.”[1175]
Do
not we see that equal dignity is attributed to Jews and Gentiles?
For during the time fixed by the decree of God, Abraham
was the father of circumcision. When the “middle wall
of partition between” them was “broken down,”[1176]
as the
apostle says in another place, to give the Gentiles an entrance
into the kingdom of God, he became also their father, and that
without the sign of circumcision; for instead of circumcision,
they have baptism. The express intimation, that Abraham
was not a father to them who were of the circumcision only,
was introduced by the apostle, to repress the vain confidence
of some who neglected all concern about piety, and prided
themselves in mere ceremonies. In the same manner, we may
now refute the vanity of those who in baptism never carry
their thoughts beyond the water.
XIV. But in objection to this, another passage is adduced
from the same apostle, in which he states, “that they which
are the children of the flesh” are not “the children of Abraham,”
but that only “the children of the promise are counted for the
seed.”[1177]
For this passage seems to imply, that carnal descent
from Abraham is nothing, though we attribute some importance
to it. But it is requisite to pay more particular attention
to the subject which the apostle is here discussing. For in
order to show to the Jews, that the goodness of God was not
confined to the seed of Abraham, and even that carnal descent
from him was of no value in itself, he alleges, in proof of it,
the cases of Ishmael and Esau; who, notwithstanding they
were the true offspring of Abraham according to the flesh,
were rejected as if they had been strangers, and the blessing
remained with Isaac and Jacob. Hence follows what he afterwards
affirms—that salvation depends on the mercy of God,
which he imparts to whom he pleases; but that the Jews
have no reason for satisfaction, or glorying in the name of
the covenant, unless they observe the law of the covenant;
that is, obey the Divine word. Yet, after having demolished
their vain confidence in their descent, knowing, on the other
hand, that the covenant which God had once made with the
posterity of Abraham could by no means be invalidated, he
argues, that the natural descendants are not to be deprived of
their dignity; by virtue of which he shows that the Jews
were the first and natural heirs of the gospel, only that they
had been rejected as unworthy, on account of their ingratitude,
yet that the heavenly benediction had not entirely departed
from their nation. For which reason, though they were rebels
and violators of the covenant, yet he calls them holy;
such high honours does he give to the holy generation, which
God honoured with his sacred covenant; but he considers us,
in comparison with them, as the posthumous, and even abortive
children of Abraham, and that not by nature, but by
adoption; as if a branch broken off from its native tree were
ingrafted on another stock. That they might not be defrauded
of their prerogative, therefore, it was necessary for the
gospel to be first announced to them; for they are, as it were,
the first-born in the family of God. Wherefore this honour
was to be given to them, till they rejected the offer of it, and
by their ingratitude caused it to be transferred to the Gentiles.
Nor, whatever be the obstinacy with which they persist in
opposing the gospel, ought they, on that account, to be despised
by us, if we consider that, for the sake of the promise,
the blessing of God still remains among them; as the apostle
clearly testifies that it will never entirely depart from them;
“for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”[1178]
