held by a large portion of the Christian church. What, now, was the doctrine concerning the state of infants after death, as held and taught by this celebrated "Reformer"? If this can be ascertained with certainty, we may then form a pretty correct conclusion respecting the belief, on this subject, of that great multitude of Christians, who have embraced the doctrines taught by him, and consequently have taken the name of Calvinists. And Calvin's belief on the subject under consideration might easily be inferred from his doctrine concerning election and reprobation, or predestination, which, in his "Christian Institutes," he has thus explained:
"Predestination we call the eternal decree of God, by which He hath determined in Himself what He would have become of every individual of mankind. For they are not all created with a similar destiny; but eternal life is foreordained for some, and eternal damnation for others. Every man, therefore, being created for one or the other of these ends, we say he is predestinated either to life or to death."[1]
Now this, when viewed in connection with what he says in another place, that "election is not made from any foreseen faith, obedience of faith, holiness, or any other good quality or disposition, as a prerequisite cause or condition," were sufficient to convince us that Calvin, if consistent with himself, must have believed in the damnation of some at least, who die in infancy. But fortunately we are not left to
- ↑ Institutes, Book III. Ch. xxi. § 5.—Allen's Trans. Vol. II. pp. 404—5
