The Child's Right to Baptism

http://www.churchsociety.org/issues_new/doctrine/heads/wright/iss_doctrine_heads_wright_prayerbook.asp

[Church Society] 23 Oct 2008--Baptism must have the same fundamental meaning whether it is applied to adults or to infants. It cannot fundamentally be one thing to an adult and another to an infant. Now baptism neccessarily has prior reference to an adult, since the children are only baptised after the adult has first believed. Therefore, the language of baptism is language normally applied to adults, and that is what we find in the Prayer Book.

In the Prayer Book the blessings of the Gospel are associated with Baptism, the right to these blessings being summed up by the word “Regenerate.” In this association the Prayer Book is perfectly scriptural. For example in the New Testament there are such statements as Acts 22.16, “Arise, and be baptised, and wash away thy sins.” Romans 6.4, “We are buried with Him by by baptism into death.” Gal. 3.27, “As many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ.” 1 Peter 3.21, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.” A number of verses speak of baptism as introducing the recipient into a new state, such as baptising into the name of the Trinity and into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then clearly there is an allusion - if not a reference - to Baptism in Titus 3.5, “He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”