CANONS OF DORT

1, ARTICLE 17

More than once people have asked me about this article of our Canons of Dort, as it seemed to them that all the children of believers are saved when dying in their infancy or childhood.

It is some years ago that I had correspondence with a minister of the Christian Reformed church on the doctrine of baptism. Article 17 of the Canons of Dort was then also brought forth to be discussed.

The minister wrote me the following: “Now in regard to the matter of baptism, I would take my stand on the Form of Baptism of infants and the Canons of Dort, 1, Art. 17. If the infants of belivers are to be regarded ‘as holy’ not by nature, but by virtue of the Convenant of Grace, in which they together with the parents are comprehended and therefore godly parents are not to doubt the election and salvation of children dying in infancy,’ then it seems to me to follow that we should regard those same children (and teach them to regard themselves!) as saved, elect children of God until they definitely show themselves not to be.”

I hope that every reader will at once notice what dangerous teaching this is and what it will lead to. It is not any wonder, then, that a Christian school teacher once told my children and all the others in the class when it was storming, “Children, do not fear, you are Christian children. You have a father on this earth, but also a Father in heaven. If you die you will go to him.”

In the above mentioned correspondence Article 17 was especially discussed, and it was shown that he had wrong conceptions of this article and by virtue thereof came to unbiblical consequences.

The article in question is as follows: “Since we are to judge of the will of God from His Word, which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature, but in virtue of the convenant of grace, in which they, together with the parents, are comprehended, godly parents have no reason to doubt of the election and salvation of their children, whom it pleaseth God to call out of this life in their infancy.”

The following was sent him: I heartily hope that you will come to a different opinion if I will quote what a certain divine in Holland has written about this article in answer to an interrogator. “We are concerned here over the words which are italicized. Therein is absolutely not taught that grace is an inheritance. He that asked me the question shall agree therein with me. This thought is entirely shut out if we are pointed in the article to election. No, our fathers have here fought against the Remonstrants. These enemies of the sovereignty of God, said: ‘Of the children, there is no election and no reprobation! They were very scornful of the Reformed men to their face, that they with their doctrine of election only ‘condemned’ the children which had died in infancy. It was at that occasion that those that were gathered at Dort made the reply: ‘No, we do not condemn those children that die in infancy. Far be it from this. We do not even doubt their election and salvation. But this does not say, as many conclude from these words, that our fathers have taught that every child which died in infancy went to heaven; but that God’s election, and besides that, the granting of salvation, also is bestowed upon little children as well as adults.’ The judgment of the brethren at Utrecht sounded very clear: ‘If election belongs to the young children, then also reprobation belongs to the young children. This is proven by the rejection of Esau being a young child, yea, not born. Which example the apostle brings forth to prove thereby the general doctrine of reprobation of God, taking his consequence of a particular example as an evidence of this truth in general; as he also in the same way confirms the doctrine of the election of God with the example of Jacob, who also was a young child and not yet born.’ ‘For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; It was said unto her, (Rebecca), The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. ‘etc., Romans 9:11–14.”

Let us then not read or understand the article in question as if every young dying child is an elected child, and thus saved. May we understand the statement of our fathers in a positive way to oppose the erroneous and wicked doctrine of the Remonstrants.

Another well known preacher has written about the article in question, as follows: “Relative to this was the conception of the Remonstrants which came up for discussion at the Synod of Dort about reprobation. As we know, our fathers have written in that chapter about election and reprobation. Let us hold fast to that; also to reprobation. We can now read in the act of Dort that there are amongst our young children the elect as well as the reprobate, (those that are chosen, as well as those that are rejected), because they are also partakers of the condemnation in Adam. Therefore this statement does not come to godly parents to be understood in this manner, that they can be assured that every child, which they lose by death, shall be saved. But in their fight with the Remonstrants, who directed the accusation to the fathers of Dort that they condemned the young children with their doctrine of election, they have laid strong stress on this, that there also are young children that have been chosen by God, and that those children even if they dia in their childhood, and who never could reveal the fruits of a spiritual birth or could excercise faith, yet by virtue of their election receive the salvation in Christ Jesus. The chief thought of our fathers, then, has been this one: We have no reason to doubt of the election of young children and neither about the salvation of children that have died when young. Not head for head; but God has His chosen ones amongst our children, of which more evidences have been given in the Word of God, and those elected children will surely be saved.”

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