upon the same false analogy, this verse could then be claimed to teach tnarno child dying in infancy can be saved because' 'he that believeth not (and no infant can confess his faith) shall be damned."

These erroneous interpretations arise from applying this verse to infants of church families, instead of to heathen adults as the context requires.

10. The Christian church of all ages has circumcised or baptized its children upon the previous biblical grounds. Many proofs of infant baptism from early church history, from the first centuries after the time of the apostles, can be quoted. The following are some examples from the most famous apostolic and Latin church fathers.

• Justin Martyr (100-165 A.D.), when writing to a Jew on baptism and circumcision declares, "They are alike in their nature and use."

• Irenaeus (130-200 A.D.) writes the following:

• When examining the transition from Passover to Lord's Supper, this becomes more apparent. It appears that the Old Testament Passover was eaten by the entire Israelite household (Exodus 12:4,21). When God instituted the Lord's Supper, however, He altered this more objective presentation in the Passover to a subjective expression of personal, saving faith in Jesus Christ. When the Lord removed the outward, federal aspect of this sacrament, He did so with a clear and very powerful New Testament command "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the

  "Infants and little ones, and children, and youth, and the aged, are baptized (or regenerated) to God...Our Lord gave to His disciples the commission of baptizing (or regenerating.)" (The original word "renascuntur" used here can mean "regenerating" or "baptizing," and must be determined by its context.)

• Origen (185-254 A.D.) states:

  "Little children are baptized agreeably to the usage of the church; who received it from the apostles, that this ordinance should be administered to infants."

• The Council of Carthage (254 A.D.), consisting of sixty-six bishops (ministers) ruled that it was not necessary to defer baptism to the eighth day (the day set for Old Testament circumcision). No question was raised regarding the validity of baptizing infants, but the contention focused upon whether it should be performed precisely upon the eighth day or not.