Wollebius on infant faith and baptism

From

The Abridgment of Christian Divinity
So exactly and methodically compiled that it leads us, as it were by the hand to the:

–Reading of the Holy Scriptures
–Ordering of Common Places
–Understanding of Controversies
–Clearing of Some Cases of Conscience

By John Wollebius,
Doctor of Divinity & Ordinary Professor in the University of Basil

Faithfully translated into English,
and in some obscure places cleared and enlarged
By Alexander Ross

The Third Edition

London
Printed by T. Mabb, for Joseph Nevill, and are to be sold at his Shop at the signe of the plough in the New-Buildings in Paul’s Churchyard, 1660.

Chapter 23, pp. 194-196

XIII. the end of Baptism, besides those which are common to it, and the Lord’s Supper, is the sealing of our regeneration, and of our reception, or ingrafting into the family of God.

XIV. The Subjects of Baptism are all that be in the Covenant; even the children of those who are reckoned among the number of the Covenanters.

/p. 195/

XV. Infants have both Faith and Reason: although not in the fruit, yet in the seed and root; though not in the second act, yet in the first; though not by an outward demonstration of the work: yet by the inward virtue of the Holy Spirit.

XVI. But concerning the Infants of Infidels, the case is otherwise; who are not born of Parents, even so much as either of /p. 196/ them a Believer: for they are not to be baptized till they be of discretion, and are able to testify their faith.

3 thoughts on “Wollebius on infant faith and baptism

  1. David W. Ponter

    There is a sermon by Thomas Manton wherein he explicitly says infants of believers are born with the seed of faith and seed of regeneration. This was a fairly common way of describing the case by many of the Reformed of the day. Some would disagree, mostly the Scotts who denied infant regeneration for the most part: eg Rutherford.

    David

    Reply

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