Regeneration and Infant Baptism - A Reformed View.
Speaking of the Dutch Baptismal liturgy Dr Abraham Kuyper says "And if you should inquire into the meaning of these words 'are sanctified,' not of the weaker epigones, but of the energetic generation of heroes who have victoriously fought the Lord's battles against Arminius and his followers, then you would discover that these godly and learned theologians, such as Gysbrecht Voetius for instance, never for a moment hesitated to break with these half-way explanations, but spoke out plainly, saying: 'They are entitled to Baptism not because they are counted as members of the covenant, but because as a rule they actually already possess the first grace; and for this reason, and this reason alone, it reads: `That our children are sanctified in Christ, and therefore as members of His body ought to be baptized.`'"(Note 1)
He claims: "The grounds upon which the Church confesses that a large majority of men are born again before holy Baptism are many indeed; wherefore, in Baptism, it addresses the infants of believers as being regenerate."(Note 2) "With few exceptions, persons who afterward prove to belong to the regenerate do not begin life with riotous outbreaks of sin. It is rather the rule that children of Christian parents manifest from early childhood a desire and taste for holy things, warm zeal for the name of God and inward emotions that can not be attributed to an evil nature. ... Our people did not see in their children offshoots of the wild vine to be grafted perhaps later on, ... but they lived in quiet expectation and holy confidence that the child to be trained was already grafted, and therefore worthy to be nursed with tenderest care." (Note 3).
Calvin says: "To sum up, ... infants are to be baptized into future repentance and faith, and even though these have not been formed in them, the seed of both lies hidden within them by the secret working of the Spirit." (Note 4) Against Westphal he says "we give hopes that infants may obtain salvation without baptism, because we hold, that baptism, instead of regenerating or saving them only seals the salvation of which they were previously partakers." (Note 5).
In "The True Method of Reforming the Church" Calvin repeats "The Children of believers, before they were begotten, were adopted by the Lord when he said 'I will be your God, and the God of your seed' (Gen. 17.7). That in this promise the Baptism of Infants is included is absolutely certain ... the genuine children of Abraham, even before they are born, are heirs of eternal life" (Note 6). Then summarising the Institutes Calvin says "I then infer that Children have need of Regeneration. But I maintain that the gift comes to them by promise, and that Baptism follows as a seal. ... This explanation ought not to have been unknown ... I took it from Augustine."(Note 7).
Ursinus says "Faith is necessary to the use of baptism ... Faith is in infants [born of Godly parents] potentially and by inclination, ... [they] have the Holy Ghost, and are regenerated by him ... If infants now have the Holy Ghost, he certainly works in them regeneration, good inclinations, new desires and such other things that are necessary for their salvation ..." (Note 8).
Zwingli states "The children of Christians are no less sons of God than the parents, just as in the Old Testament. Hence, since they are sons of God, who will forbid their baptism?"
Hooper wrote "[baptism] is the mark and seal of acceptation into God's grace, received before by faith" "so that none is admitted unto the sacraments, but such as be God's friends first by faith. Abraham believed. The infant believed. Cornelius believed" "It is ill done to condemn the Infants of the Christians that die without baptism, of whose salvation by the Scriptures we be assured. 'I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.'" (Note 9) again Genesis17.7 is the key to their thinking.
Kuyper explains the Reformers sometimes used regeneration to refer to a spiritual conception that preceded conversion: "The word 'regeneration' is used in a limited sense and in a more extended sense. ... the limited sense ... denotes exclusively God's act of quickening ... God ... plants the principle of a new spiritual life in his soul. Hence he is born again."(Note 10). Speaking of regenerate infants and similar he says "However, they have no conscious faith, nor knowledge of the treasure possessed"(Note 11).
To understand the position of Calvin and other Reformers we must be willing to be shocked and pause and ask "Why did they say that? Do they really mean to say that? Could it be true?" Otherwise we will attempt to read our beliefs back into their writings distorting their meaning.
So can we affirm with the Synod of Dort "Since we are to judge the will of God from his Word, which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature, but in virtue of the covenant of grace, in which they together with the parents are comprehended, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom it pleases God to call out of this life in their infancy. (Gen. 17:7, Acts 2:39, I Cor. 7:14)" or do we say "Yea, hath God said?"
Notes.
(1)The Work of the Holy Spirit - Dr Abraham Kuyper, Eerdmans p300.
(2) ibid. p288.
(3) ibid.p 300.
(4) Institutes of the Christian Religion - John Calvin, Battles p1342 (Bk IV.16.20 ).
(5) Selected Works - John Calvin, Baker, Tracts 2, p319.
(6) Tracts 3 p 347.
(7) Tracts 3 p 349.
(8) Selected Works - Ulrich Zwingli Edited S.M. Jackson, Univ. of Pennsylvania 1972, p 139.
(9) The Oxford Reformers by G. F Bridges p192.
(10) Work of the Holy Spirit, A Kuyper, p293 (cf. also Ch XIX Old and New Terminology).
(11) ibid. p295.