I think this reference would apply to mentally disabled people “who are outwardly incapable of being called by the ministry of the Word” as well as infants, which should properly be part of the discussion.
Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?
Yes, that was my inference on reading it; however, Houghton’s introduction in A Faith to Confess states:
(4) In the interests of clarity the word ‘elect’ has been inserted at the opening of paragraph 3 in Chapter 10.
This is based on three considerations: (a) Throughout the Confession it is axiomatic that none but ‘elect’ persons are saved or can be saved. (b) Except for the word ‘elect’, paragraph 3 Chapter 10 is taken from the Westminster Confession of 1648, and obviously the addition of the word ‘elect’ makes no change whatsoever to the meaning of the paragraph. (c) The use of the expression ‘all elect persons’ later in the paragraph simply carries further the meaning of the expression ‘elect infants’.
(bolding mine)
Which doesn’t seem to me to bear up to a plain reading.
Also, (4) seems to indicate that earlier versions of the confession state simply “Infants dying in infancy”.
Discussion
NewDavid, I think this reference
David,
I think this reference would apply to mentally disabled people “who are outwardly incapable of being called by the ministry of the Word” as well as infants, which should properly be part of the discussion.
Why is it that my voice always seems to be loudest when I am saying the dumbest things?
NewYes, that was my inference on
Yes, that was my inference on reading it; however, Houghton’s introduction in A Faith to Confess states:
(4) In the interests of clarity the word ‘elect’ has been inserted at the opening of paragraph 3 in Chapter 10.
(bolding mine)
Which doesn’t seem to me to bear up to a plain reading.
Also, (4) seems to indicate that earlier versions of the confession state simply “Infants dying in infancy”.