The child of the covenant, or, How Christian parents should train up their households

Front matter

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CHAPTER I. CHILDREN god's HERITAGE

In what sense, children are God's — God's claim to them recognized in the Old Testament — also in the New — the consecration enjoined, meets a natural wish of the parental pious heart — the parental relation divinely constituted — instinctive love common to the animal creation — its use — the hig'her principle in man — parental responsibility — relates to the physical wants first — soon to the moral wants — duties which grow out of the parental relation — physical education — its connection with mental development — intellectual training — developed at first under the parental eye — parents and teachers — their mutual responsibility — incentives to watchfulness.

Chapter II. In What Principles Should Children Be Educated?

Principle and practice — theories of the moral state — infant depravity — the papistical theorj", including baptismal regeneration — another theory-, viz., that which makes depravity to depend on circumstances — still another theory — these theories of depravity examined and refuted.

Chapter III. Children Born In Sin

The scriptural theory of depravity — a first principle, that we are born in sin — depravity to be referred to the soul, not the animal nature — sin the nativral state, and holiness the gracious state — some sanctified in infancy t CONTEXTS.

— declaration in regard to infant salvation, and on what grounds — all children indicate depravity in some form — when are children proper subjects of prayer ? — the relation of infant baptism to original sin — objection to infant baptism founded on the "cui bono" principle — this objection considered — repudiation of infant baptism on the ground, that it is mystical or superstitious — another otjection considered, viz., that it leads to neglect other means of grace — the practical effect of our theory — leading to earnest prayer for the child's regeneration — the idea repelled, that our \iews lead us to expect the child will grow up in sin — baptismal obligations an auxiliary influence in the discharge of parental duty.

Chapter IV. Duty Of Parents To Their Unconverted Children

Children generally indicate a sinful rather than a gracious state — manifest at a verj- early age — parental influence, when should it begin — first, restraint of the passions — the responsible season for moral culture — children taught their relation to God — the idea of God, and its influence — conscience, when operative — moral ideas, how inculcated — the object which a Christian parent should keep in view — natural aptitude in the young mind to receive religious impressions — the being of God a great lever in the hand of the parent — how far natural rehgion aids us — the Bible, the great thesaurus of instruction — proper views of the divine character to be inculcated.

Chapter V. The Relation Of Children To God As Sinners

Selfishness the great antagonistical principle to truth and \-irtue — the child to be apprised of its naturally evil heart — how it may be impressed \\ith the nature and turpitude of sin — by the law is the knowledge of sin — its use in comincing the child of his delinquencies — this course has been excepted to — the objections considered— oiu: ideas of youthful depravity stated — the effect of our inculcations on the child — comiction necessary to conversion — to the appreciation of redemption by Christ — children placed under the tutelage of the law — what is the duty of Orthodox Christians on this point — can children understand the doctrines .' — the great end of all these inculcations, viz., their conversion to God.

CONTENTS.

Chapter VI. Children Led To Christ

A sense of sin prepares for this — the family a type of the divine government— obedience to parents one form of obedience to God — these duties interlaced — Fourierism — the family state affords the occasion for illustrating- tlie duties we owe to God — a child's first idea of sin and retribution here obtained — scriptiural idea of forgiveness — the mediatorial idea developed in the family — the great doctrine of the atonement shadowed forth — Christ and his offices pointed out — Christ's example in regard to selfishness — Christ, the end of the law for righteousness — easy to be inculcated — childhood the season of confidence — convictions of chUdhood — under what circumstances developed — how to be treated — the new field of culture — the power of parental example — parental counsels — a liigher type of piety needed as the millennium drav.s near.

Chapter VII. The Abrahamic Covenant

Abraham's position as he stood related to succeeding believers — commendatorj- notices of the patriarch — his faithfulness in the religious training of his children and household— faithful, anterior to the covenant— the latter both strengthening and encouraging him — in like manner, is the operation of the covenant noic — divine wisdom and goodness to be recognized in the covenant — external ser\ices imply the weakness of our nature, and are helpful — the external formality not religion, only an aid to it — error of the papists — Quakers on the other extreme — stipulations of the Abrahamic covenant — perfecting of this covenant — whom it embraced— the seal of the covenant — its recognition in baptism — no new edict required in regard to children's membership of the church — no abridgment of their privileges under the new dispensation — reasoning of the Apostles on this point — the covenant had in view mainly spiritual privileges— bearings of the covenant on the increase of the church — sad and criminal neglect of Christian parents — exhortation to the discharge of duties connected with this covenant.

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Chapter VIII. Infant Baptism As Related To The Abrahamic Covenant

Object of Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians — an incidental argument thence for infant baptism— baptism (infant) not abrogated with the ceremonial law — reasoning of Paul to this effect — circumcision, its history and original import — Abraham, under a gospel dispensation prospectively— his faith, and the sign or seal of it, viz., the seal of circumcision— a seal of the righteousness of faith — the visible church in the patriarch's family — the seal or sign continued under the Levitical economy no nullification of its continuance or import — the seal being changed or modified as to what is external, to be applied as in the family of Abraham — not restricted to adults — reference to household baptism — additional arguments for infant baptism — identity of the church in all ages — illustrated in the vineyard and in the olive tree — no command for restricting it to adults — household baptism — condition of the primitive church — principles and practice of the Af)ostles — " believe and be baptized " — Lydia's baptism — the jailer's — Stephanus's — the import of the word oikos considered — children included in the idea — this illustrated — another argument — the unbelieving wife, &c. — children of such marriages, how related to the covenant — Dr. Doddridge's opinion.

Chapter IX. Relation Of Baptized Children To The Church

In what sense baptism makes children members of the church— Abraham's family a proper type — relation of children to the church under the Mosaic economy — under the Christian economy — put on the ground of the domestic " ecclesia" — St. Paul's example as to the treatment of households, such as that of Lydia and the jailer — children members of the church general rather than of any church in particular — the responsibiUty of training and discipline on the parent— the church has a duty— its nature and extent — watch and care, sympathy and instruction, rather than discipline — these views fortified by the late eminent Dr. Dwight— quotations f; om Dr. Dwight — the baptized child's right to the Lord's supper considered— the discipUne of refractory children, to whom is it referred— the church possesses an indirect control through the parent— the duties of the church stated.

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CHAPTER X. PRACTICAL QUESTIO>rS

Practical question — how young shall a child be admitted to membership in the church ? — the bearings of this question upon the child, and upon the church — inference from the preceding reasoning — ver}- young children sometimes admitted — peculiar cases justifying it — better in general to wait for more age and experience — possibility of deception in regard to a spiritual change — difference in intelligence and moral training — a church to be guided by circumstances — safe rule not to admit too young — from twelve and upwards a reasonable limit.

Chapter XI

HOUSEHOLD BAPTISM — A QUESTIO>' IN CO>>fECTIO>" WITH IT.

A question in connection with household baptism — to what number, and at what age shall baptism be administered, on the faith of the professing head ? — case of the jailer at Philippi considered — the example not definite— yet suflBcient to warrant the baptism of children under age — custom of the Hebrews in regard to proselytes — remarks of Calmet — the rule should embrace all from twelve or thirteen years and under — no coercion — re-baptism — the question considered — should be discountenanced— and on what grounds — especially its tendency to self-righteousness— objections to the principles and practices of the Baptists, principally on these grounds — spirit of the Apostle Paul in relation to this subject.

Chapter XII. Practical Duties

Questions as to parental indulgence — amusements — they must be innocent — differing views — a rule in regard to amusements — how to be interpreted— children and parents alike professors under the baptismal covenant— consequent obligations — books — literature of the present day — its tendency in many cases bad — parents aaust watch on this point — what kind of books to be admitted, and what to be excluded — the Sabbath — its obligation — how to be kept — worship — the duty of parents in regard to where his child shall worship— responsibility of parents — close.

THE CHILD OF THE COVEXA]ST.