ll of God, that
they (children) should enter the kingdom of heaven, and it therefore
becomes indispensably necessary for them to be regenerated. But this
_regeneration is brought about by no other means than by baptism_, which
we know to be the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy
Ghost," &c. [Note 9] The celebrated _Dr. Gerhard_ says, "The holy
Trinity is present with his grace (in baptism). The Father receives the
baptized person into favor; the Son bestows his righteousness upon him,
and the Holy Spirit _regenerates_ and _renews him_,--produces faith,
_regeneration_ and renovation, and seals the covenant of grace in the
hearts of the baptized." [Note 10]

Again, "Baptism is the first gateway of grace, the sacrament of
initiation: the Lord's Supper is the sacrament of confirmation; by
baptism we are _regenerated_, by the Holy Supper we are nourished and
strengthened to eternal life. As in nature so in grace, we are first
born and then fed, first generated and then we increase, (ix. 67.) _Dr.
Buddeus_, one of the most distinguished theologians of the School of
Halle, in his "Theologia Dogmatica, [sic on punctuation] p.
1127, says, "The design of the baptism of infants is their
_regeneration;_ in the case of adults, the confirmation and sealing of
that faith, which they should have before (the reception of the rite.")

Since therefore we have seen that the doctrine of baptismal
regeneration was taught not only by the symbolical books, but also by
Luther and Melancthon in their other writings, as well as by the
leading divines of the first two centuries after the Reformation, who
all received the symbolical books, and understood their import, we may
regard the charge of the Platform as established beyond contradiction,
that this tenet was a part of Symbolic Lutheranism.

_Influence of this Doctrine on the Pulpit_.

Now the influence of this doctrine on the ministrations of the pulpit,
is of the most deleterious nature. The word of God represents all
mankind as by nature dead in trespasses and sins. Paul tells us that
"there is none righteous, no not one, for all have sinned and come short
of the glory of God:" and affirms that the carnal mind is enmity against
God. The faithful ambassador of Christ must therefore announce the
command of God, "that all men every where should repent: and that unless
they do repent, they shall all likewise perish. He must divide his
congregation into two classes, the fri