THE ANCIENT LANDMARK:
BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS OF INFANT BAPTISM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
Chapter I THE TESTIMONY OF THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS 1
Chapter II THE TRIUNE GOD AND THE HOUSEHOLD COVENANT 24
Into the Triune Name 24
The Divine Economy and the Human Family 32
The New Testament Household 37
Chapter III THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE THREEFOLD WITNESS 43
The Importance of the Old Testament 43
Israel's Ancient Institutions 46
God's Redemptive Acts 53
Proselyte Baptism 57
Chapter IV THE GOD OF ABRAHAM AND THE COVENANT OF GRACE 62
The Seal of Covenantal Righteousness 62
Election and the Covenant 67
Promise of Blessed Offspring 74
Chapter V ABRAHAM'S SEED AND THE NEW COVENANT SIGN 78
The Mediator of a New Covenant 78
The New Sign of Baptism 80
Application of the New Sign 89
God of Abraham 106
Chapter VI INFANT BAPTISM AND MESSIAH'S THREEFOLD OFFICE 108
Christ Our Prophet 108
Melchizedek Priesthood 120
Israel's Shepherd-King 127
Chapter VII THE ATONEMENT AND INFANT FAITH 133
"Limited Atonement?" 133
Antipaedobaptistic Unbelief 138
Exposing a Rationalistic Mindset 145
Chapter VIII INFANT BAPTISM AND THE "RIGHT TO CHOOSE" 157
"Soul Competency" and Religious Proxy 157
Abortion and Infant Baptism 164
Infant Baptism and Original Sin 166
The Inversion of the Gospel 178
Chapter IX THE GREAT COMMISSION AND THE GENERATION GAP 183
Karl Barth and the Intergenerational Principle 183
Infant Baptism and the Discipleship Pattern 192
Child Education and the Covenant of Works 199
Chapter X THE SON OF DAVID AND THE SEED OF WOMAN 209
Eternal Generation and the Incarnation 209
King David and the Covenant of Grace 215
Christ and David's House 218
Jesse's Rod and the Rod of Correction 227
Chapter XI SIGN, SACRAMENT OR BAPTISMAL REGENERATION? 234
"Theological" or "Sacramental" Correlation? 234
"Instrumental Cause?" 239
"Sacramental" or "Salvific" Necessity? 244
Sacrament or Superstition? 250
Chapter XII INFANT BAPTISM AND THE CHURCH'S IDENTITY 257
The Church and Israel 257
Israel and the Church 264
Israel's Ethnicity and the Covenants 272
Chapter XIII INFANT BAPTISM AND THE CHURCH'S AMBIGUITY 279
The Visible Church 279
Baptism--An Act of Faith in Any Case 282
Ishmael--Kink in the Covenant 284
Public "Covenanting" and the Lord's Table 294
Chapter XIV DEFINING THE BAPTISMAL COVENANT 300
Covenantal Holiness and Roger Williams 300
Jonathan Edwards and Covenant Compliance 310
Promise or "Possibility"? 322
Chapter XV INFANT BAPTISM AND FAITH TRANSMISSION 334
Conviction and the Covenant 334
The "All-Comprehensive" Promise 339
Faith: Vicarious or Victorious? 347
Chapter XVI INFANT BAPTISM--A TRIVIAL MATTER? 358
Did Paul Trivialize Baptism? 358
God's Immutability 361
Violation of the Covenant Sign 363
Infant Baptism and the Congregation 378
CONCLUSION 390
REFERENCE LIST 395
INDEX