# Canons of Dort, Main Point I, Article 17 (Is Assurance Posited?)



## WAWICRUZ (Jan 17, 2010)

"_Since we must make judgments about God's will from his Word, which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature but by virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom God calls out of this life in infancy._" — *The Canons of Dort*, The First Main Point of Doctrine, Article 17

It is part of Reformed orthodoxy to hold that the sacrament of baptism is in no way regenerative. Regarding the above article, mention is made of "_holy not by nature_." Do we take this as alluding to the non-regenerative aspect of baptism, in that the nature of man is unaffected by sacramental administration? 

"_By virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included..._" seems to point to the external inclusion to the covenant, by which parents are exhorted not to doubt the internal dimension. In this act of deeming our children as members internally of the covenant, are we not presuming on the Lord's will regarding the matter since we as yet do not have the "_fruits of election_" apparent as stipulated in Article 12 of the same document?


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## A.J. (Jan 18, 2010)

There are answers and recommended resources on this topic in this thread:

http://www.puritanboard.com/f122/paedos-only-infants-believers-dying-infancy-52134/


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## WAWICRUZ (Jan 18, 2010)

Thanks, brother. This topic is old news, it seems.


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## Poimen (Jan 19, 2010)

The issue of baptism is not raised in this article but rather it is meant to be an application of one of the essential aspects of the covenant of grace which is that "believers and their seed" (HC, Q&A 74) are members of said covenant. So the authors of the Canons point Christian parents to God's promises concerning their children; this is not presumption but faith in what God has declared about them (i.e. "God's will from His Word")

Re: Article 12 - The fruits of election are for 'us' not for 'them', meaning they are for the individual's reflection and examination not so much for others to judge and determine. A child cannot, visibly, bear forth the fruits of their election but this does not mean that we cannot believe that they are elect according to God's promise to His covenant people.


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## R. Scott Clark (Jan 19, 2010)

This essay speaks to this.

Cornel Venema has published an essay (I don't remember where) that takes a slightly different approach:

http://www.cpjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/CPJ2-RSClark.pdf


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## WAWICRUZ (Jan 20, 2010)

R. Scott Clark said:


> This essay speaks to this.
> 
> Cornel Venema has published an essay (I don't remember where) that takes a slightly different approach:
> 
> http://www.cpjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/CPJ2-RSClark.pdf


 
Dr. Clark,

I've been carrying the printout of that essay around with me since yesterday.

I saw in a footnote that you had "_The Foolishness of the Gospel: Covenant and Justification_" in the works. When do you think this would be coming out?


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## R. Scott Clark (Jan 20, 2010)

Warren,

That volume became _Covenant, Justification, and Pastoral Ministry_. It's available at The Bookstore at WSC:

The Bookstore at WSC: Covenant, Justification and Pastoral Ministry by Clark, R. Scott


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## A.J. (Jan 20, 2010)

Brother Warren,

The book _Covenant, Justification and Pastoral Ministry_ is available in our church's library.


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## WAWICRUZ (Jan 20, 2010)

Thanks, Dr. Clark.

brother. AJ, but I want my own copy!


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## WAWICRUZ (Jan 23, 2010)

Dr. Clark,

I have gone through your essay, and I'd like to look into this particular passage:

"_The children of covenant members are not holy merely because their parents are outward members of the covenant of grace, but because at least one of their parents believes. The basis for the judgment that some covenant children dying in infancy are elect is the parents' profession of faith, not the baptism of the child._"

What does "_holiness_" in this instance mean? Is it unto salvation? A statement that the children of the elect (_not mere "professors" or "external" members of the covenant_) are themselves elect? Or is it a "_judgment of charity_"?

Thank you for your indulgence.


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