Having been in a church that practiced PC I have to say that I disagree 100% with what you’ve said. I don’t doubt that there are parents who allow their views on presumptive regeneration, PC, to make them lax in the discipleship of their children, but the small church we were at had very rigorous expectations for their children and most of the children responded well to it and demonstrated good fruit. One couple had some 13 children from ages 23 to 2, most being in PC churches their whole lives and they were some of the godliest children I have met from youngest to oldest.
If anything the way they disciple their children seems to run parallel with the “trivium” and this would make sense given that many of these children are homeschooled, in a classical Christian school, or in classical conversations where some level of discipline in godliness is usually a part of the curriculum. The youngest are expected to memorize a great deal and sin is met quickly with discipline and a call to repentance and restoration. As they mature the children are expected to continue to exercise their faith in a tangible manner both inside and outside the church utilizing wisdom and with a greater level of freedom.
Perhaps we are coming into contact with two different groups of practicing paedocommunionists?
You’ve not addressed the first point. Grammar precedes rhetoric because it is a prerequisite.
Whereas there is apparently no grammar necessary for the rhetoric of declaring Christ through the supper in their view. It is in this way that there is no rigor. There is no course. There is no requirement except birth into a Christian home.
What spiritual development have you seen required prior to participation in the Lords supper? If there is none, then there is no rigor.
This does not imply no discipline exists. Nor does it deny spiritual development happens later. In fact, it is precisely the point. Spiritual development happens later. Babies require milk, not meat in physical development, grammar, not rhetoric in mental development, but are capable of discerning the body immediately, without spiritual development?
Regarding the idea that some have allowed their views of presumptive regeneration “to make them lax in the discipleship of their children,” that is not what was said. It was said that it betrays a cheapness to spiritual things, and that they cannot abide the idea of one of their children not being saved. I will grant that they connect, but they are not the same as the idea you responded to.
Supporting the cheapness claim is all the times I’ve personally had PC men be utterly shocked by—and some outright mocking—the idea that there is any danger in participation in the Lord’s Supper today.