Great Awakening - Tracy - IV - Chapter 3 (Whitefield in early life)

Required reading
The Great Awakening: A history of the revival of religion in the time of Edwards & Whitefield by Joseph Tracy (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 3 (Whitefield in early life).

My summary
Today we begin to learn about George Whitefield.

After some comments about the practice of infant baptism in the Church of England, we hear about Whitefield's:
(i) birth and childhood;
(ii) service at Oxford;
(iii) involvement with John Wesley;
(iv) spiritual awakening;
(v) early ministry;
(vi) preaching in England;
(vii) first experiences in North America, including the cold reception of some ministers.

What grabbed me
As a Baptist, I was thoroughly interested in the discussion at the beginning of the chapter about the dangers of infant baptism: 'In the "office for baptism" prescribed by the Church of England, the priest, after the application of water to the infant, is required to say : — " Seeing now that this child is regenerate, and grafted into the body of Christ's church, let us give thanks; — " and in giving thanks, after repeating the Lord's Prayer, he must say : — " We yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy Holy Spirit, to receive him for thine own child by adoption, and to incorporate him into thy holy church." When this child dies, if he has neither been excommunicated nor committed suicide, the priest must say at his funeral: — "Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God, of his great mercy, to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed, therefore we commit his body to the ground ; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust ; in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Whatever interpretation theologians may put upon this language, its practical influence, on a large scale, cannot be doubtful.* Unless counteracted by other instructions, it must teach the member of the English church to believe, that he was made a child of God and an heir of heaven by baptism ; that, if not excommunicated, he is in the road to heaven ; and that for the future, he has only to avoid excommunication and suicide, to secure his admission into heaven when he dies. And such has evidently been its influence. The unthinking members of the Church of England, who are numerous, if not an immense majority, actually suppose that all who die in the communion of their church, are saved of course, and never suspect that any regeneration can be needed, except that which they received in baptism.'

Then, amazingly, the footnote says: 'Theologians have strangely overlooked the true, original meaning of this formula, though it seems sufficiently obvious. Before the child can be baptized, it must promise to " renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly believe God's holy word, and obediently keep bis commandments ; " and must profess its faith in the principal doctrines of Christianity. The declaration that the child is regenerate, is based upon the supposition that this promise and profession has actually been made, understandingly and in good faith. But in fact, this has been done only by the child's sponsors, who act in its name, on account of its acknowledged inability to do these things for itself and it needs ratifying by the child, when old enough to ratify it. The regeneration stands in the same relation to reality, as do the promise and profession on which it is predicated. Both are antedated, on the presumption that they will become realities in due time. If this were generally understood, the doctrine of baptismal regeneration would be comparatively harmless. '

A lot of 'assumptions' made there, which I personally cannot see any evidence for in Scripture.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 4 (Whitefield's labors).

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