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Regrettably, I don't have my copy of the Institutes immediately at hand to give a specific citation. I gather from my recent reading that Calvin does not believe infants to be capable of saving faith. It's not the only place I've read such a belief (for instance, it's stated on the PRCA website).
Please correct me if I'm wrong in seeing this as a common assumption, but I'm interested to know how one arrives at this belief. Augustine in the Confessions speaks of the ability of infants to manifest hatred, jealousy, and greed from an early age. Why would they not also be capable, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, of exercising real saving faith?
Please correct me if I'm wrong in seeing this as a common assumption, but I'm interested to know how one arrives at this belief. Augustine in the Confessions speaks of the ability of infants to manifest hatred, jealousy, and greed from an early age. Why would they not also be capable, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, of exercising real saving faith?