Knots Untied - Ryle - VII - Chapter 7

Required reading
Knots Untied by JC Ryle (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 7 (Prayer-book statements about regeneration).

My summary
Today's reading is basically an in-house disagreement among members of the Anglican church about declaring baptised children regenerate. 

Ryle affirms that ministers may say that a baptised child is regenerate but this does not mean that the child actually is regenerate.  The statement is made on the basis of the profession of the parents.

Ryle then shows that his view is consistent with the principles outlined by the rest of the prayer book, the thirty-nine articles and the church homilies.

What grabbed me
As a Baptist, my problem with this chapter is that Ryle wants to declare any living child as regenerate: 'The principle which the Church lays down as an abstract  principle is this, that baptism when rightly and worthily received, is a means whereby we may receive inward and spiritual grace, even a death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousness. That an infant may receive baptism "rightly" the Church of England unquestionably holds, though the way and manner of it may be a hidden thing to us; for as good Archbishop Usher beautifully remarks, "He that hath said of infants, to them belongs the kingdom of God, knows how to settle upon them the kingdom of heaven." Her ministers cannot see the book of God's election. They cannot see the hidden workings of the Holy Ghost. They cannot read the hearts of parents and sponsors. They can never say of any individual child, "This child is certainly receiving baptism unworthily." And this being the case, the Church most wisely leans to the side of charity, assumes hopefully of each child that it receives baptism worthily, and uses language accordingly. '

I am concerned that anyone would base the salvation of someone upon the faith of another as I don't see any evidence for it in Scripture.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 8 (The Lord's Supper).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.