and received the seale thereof even so are Infants now in the Covenant and ought to receive the seale thereof Three things are to be cleared in this Argument First That the Covenant made with Abraham and his posteritie in the flesh before Christ and that now under Christ is the same Secondly As Infants were in that Covenant so are Infants now Thirdly as Infants were sealed then so they ought to be now Now for the proving of these aforesaid there are 3. other grounds laid down as follow First That Gospel is the doctrine of the Covenant but this being one was preached to Abraham as Gal. 3.8.17.18 Rom 4.11 and so to the end and to the Jewes in the Wildernesse Heb. 4.1.2 Heb. 3.7 and so in Davids time Heb. 4.7 c. Therefore the Covenant is the same Secondly If Abraham be the Father of the Jewes and Gentiles and equally as he beleeved the righteousnesse of faith and they his children equally as so beleeving and no otherwise then the Covenant is the same But Abraham is the father of the Jewes and Gentiles and equally as he beleeves as aforesaid Rom. 4.11 12.16 17.23 24. Gal. 3.3.9.26.29 Therefore the Covenant is the same Thirdly The standing of the Jewes in the Grace of God was the same with Abraham as is cleare from Gods often expressing of himselfe to be the God of Abraham and his seed and praying to God for to remember the Covenant he made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and acknowledging the accomplishing of the same to them as Luk. 1.73 74. Luk 1.54 55. and ours in the same with the Jewes as is cleare from Mat. 21.41.43 22.1 Therefore the Covenant is the same Thus lies the Argument Ans and the grounds to back it and all to prove the Covenant God made with Abraham and his seed to be the same now to the beleeving Gentiles and their seed and Infants to be in this now as they were in that then In answer to which I shall onely touch at the three last grounds briefly in a word as I come to the Covenant it selfe The first is because the Gospel is the doctrine of the Covenant and was preached to Abraham and to the Jewes c. therefore the Covenant is the same For the first if the preaching of the Gospel being the doctrine of the Covenant can prove the Covenant to be the same to them as to us then all to whom the Gospel was and is preached are in the same Covenant But I think it is the effectuall beleeving of that which the Gospel holds forth in the doctrine of it that proves persons in the Covenant and not the preaching of it because many may have the Gospel preached among them and yet not be in the Covenant And for the second that Abraham is the equall father both of the Jewes and Gentiles onely as he did beleeve and they his children onely so beleeving as their father Abraham did and not else In respect of which the covenant is the same to the one as it is to the other This in a sense I confesse is a truth that none are accounted children of Abraham but onely as they beleeve as their father Abraham did and iâ— this be true as the ground affirmes it is then let the Reader judge how Infants can be said to be the children of Abraham and in the Covenant and so to have right to Baptisme as the scale to confirme their saith and whether they doe beleeve as Abraham did But that Abraham may be said to be an equall father both of the Jewes and Gentiles I thinke not so in all respects the Jewes were the seed of Abraham as they descended from his loynes as well as from his faith But for the Gentiles they are called the seed or children of Abraham onely as they walke in the steppes of his faith and not else as 1 Pet. 3 6. And lastly Obj. that the standing of the Jewes in the grace of God was the same with Abrahams and ours the same with the Jewes therefore the Covenant is the same This doctrine so generally laid downe without distinction or exception holds forth a mans falling from grace Ans or out of Gods gracious Covenant of life eternall A doctrine to be testified against by all that truely feare the Lord. For Abrahams standing was true and firme in Gods gracious Covenant and if the Jewes was the same without exception then the Jewes that did oppose Christ and were cut off for the same fell out of this Covenant of grace But I shall further cleare this in that which follows and so I come to the Covenant it selfe and to see how that God made with Abraham and this under Christ will agree In the handling of which in the first place this must be well observed A double â—eed in Abraham that there was in Abraham a double secd when God made his covenant with him and his seed and confirmed the same by the seale of Circumcision There was in Abraham at that time a spirituall seed and a fleshly seed Between which seeds God ever distinguished through all their Generations And as there was a distinction thus made by God in Abrahams seed before they were circumcised and yet admitted to the seale of the Covenant by Gods speciall command For Ishmael and Esau were by God commanded to be circumcised as well as any of the rest of Abrahams seed Gen 17.10.13 Even so there must be the same respect observed also in the Covenant and that because the Covenant comprehends divers things and Circumcision was a seale unto them all Some of which were proper unto both the seeds and some not as may be gathered from the severall branches of the Covenant expressed by God Gen 17. As first for the multiplication of Abrahams seed Gen. 17.2 this was proper as well to his fieshly seed as his spirituall as Gen. 21.13 Deut. 10.22 Isa 48.19 Secondly The land of Canaan Gen. 17.8 This was proper also to both the seeds of Abraham And as it was onely a temporall inheritance the same was conditionall as Heb. 3. And so confirmed by circumcision upon both the seeds of Abraham as Gen. 21.9 10. Deut. 30.18 19 20. And as it pointed at a spirituall inheritance shadowed out under it Now thus considered it was absolute and confirmed onely upon the spirituall seed as Gen. 17.19.21 Gen. 21.12 Gal. 3.17 Thirdly That from Abrahams loynes should come a seed in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed as Gen. 17.16.19 18.10.18 21.2 This blessed branch of the Covenant was proper onely to the spirituall seed considered either in the cause or in the effect as Act. 3.25 26. Gal. 3.7 8.9 16. Fourthly Abrahams fatherhood of the faithfull as Gen. 17.4 5. This was onely proper to faithfull Abraham and his seed as they are found walking in the steppes of his faith as Rom. 4.11 12 13 16. Rom. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.6 7 9 29. 1 Pet. 3. Lastly To be a
God to Abraham and to his seed after him in their generations as Gen. 17.7 That was faithfully to performe all that he had promised either to Abraham in particular or his seed in generall as Neh. 9.8 Psal 105 9.10 11 12 13 14.42 Luke 1.72 73 74. In token of which God annexed Circumcision as a seale to confirme the same as Gen. 17.11 These are the severall parts and branches of the Covenant that God made with Abraham and his seed and Circumcision in the flesh as a seale to confirme every part to each seed as was proper to the same But if any shall say the Scriptures deny many seeds Obj. and approve onely of one seed in Abraham with whom the promise was made as Gal. 3.16 To this I answer and say that this place well considered will help forward the truth Ans for the Apostle here speaks of the Covenant so as comprehending Christ the substance of the same and the Elect in him for eternall life In which sense the covenant of grace was not made to Abraham and to all his seed without exception for then all his seed must either be saved or else such as are not but perish must fall out of the said covenant of Grace for I suppose no man will say that all the seed of Abraham without exception were saved And if not then there was some of Abrahams seed comprehended in the Covenant in one sense and admitted to the seale thereof whom God excepted against in another some of which was Ishmael and Esau signifying in Abrahams generation a fleshly seed as well as a spirituall between which seeds God ever held forth a distinction through all their generations from Abraham untill Christ who put an end to the type and the flesh and all priviledges of that nature thereunto belonging Col. 2. as 2 Cor. 5.16 Phil. 3.3 4 5. So that now all is laid up in Christ as Gods store-house and treasury and in him only for such as beleeve and therefore now first in Christ by faith and then to the Covenant and the priviledges thereof as Gal. 3.29 And none by the Gospel approved of now to be the children of Abraham but onely such as walke in the steps of his saith For as none invisible before God are by him at all approved to have right to any priviledge of grace but onely as he lookes upon them in his Sonne No more are there any visibly before men to be approved of so as to have right to the same but as they appeare to be in Christ by some effect of faith declaring the same And so much the more in that God excludes all from his holy Covenant is to have right in the outward dispensation thereof but onely such as beleeve Rom. 11.20 Heb. 3.18 19. Heb. 4.1 2 3. Heb. 11.5 6. Rom. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.22.26.29 Let all this be well considered and I doubt not but the difference between the Covenant God made with Abraham before Christ and this under Christ will appeare very great though in some respect for substance the same Yet in the outward profession of them the difference is great both in respect of persons and things Wherein our descent chiefly lyes that covenant admitted of a fleshly seed but this only of a spirituall Gen. 17. with Rom. 9. That in the flesh and this in the heart Gen. 17.13 with Jer. 31.33 Rom. 2.28 29. The seale and ordinances of that Covenant confirmed faith in things to come but the seale and ordinances of this confirme faith in things already done That Covenant was nationall and admitted all of the same to the seales thereof but this personall and admits of none but such as beleeve That Covenant begot children after the flesh as all Abrahams naturall posteritie But this onely begets children after the Spirit and onely approves of such as are begotten and borne from above in whose hearts God writes his Law Jer. 31. Ezek. 36. Heb. 8. Joh. 3.5 6. That covenant with Abraham and his posteritie before Christ comprehended a civill State and a worldly Government with the like carnall Subjects for the service of the same But this covenant now under Christ comprehends onely a spirituall State and a heavenly Government with the like spirituall Subjects for the service of this also That covenant held forth Christ in the flesh to a heart vailed this holds him forth after the Spirit to a face open 2 Cor. 3. In all understand the visible profession of the Covenant in the out ward dispensation of the priviledges thereof And now I come to the consequence gathered from the Covenants Obj. being one and the same as aforesaid That as Infants were in that covenant then and circumcised so are Infants in this now and to be baptized In answer to which Ans I shall commit in the first place to the Readers consideration these particulars for the further clearing of the aforesaid truth First What the Covenant is Secondly What is that which admits into the said Covenant Thirdly Who are the true approved Subjects of this Covenant And lastly Whether all have not one and the same way of entrance into the said Covenant and to each of these a word First the Covenant it selfe is a Covenant of grace and salvation by which God of his grace takes a person or a people to himselfe for his own above all others and to be their God and to manâ—â—est upon them the riches of his grace and glory and the manner of which is in effect but onely thus much Gods calling of a man to an agreement with himselfe in his Sonne wherein he promises to be his God and to give him life and happines and all things in Christ and that he shall beleeve and rest upon his faithfulnes and truth and so take him for his God c. And thus I say God and man come to an agreement in Christ upon something passing between them wherein they both agree and this is called a Coveannt and I call it a covenant of grace when the thing agreed upon is a subject of grace as Gods giving of man life and peace and all things in Jesus Christ and that he will be his God upon whom he shall relie and beleeve the accomplishment of all things in his due time and that he shall heare and know his will by his Sonne and obey him in the same and mans free consent to God againe that he likes of all this well and concludes with God that it shall be so For a Covenant presupposeth two persons at least and also something to agree or covenant upon thus did God with Abraham and so he doth with every beleever and chiefely when God takes any into a Church-fellowship So that the covenant consisteth of these essentials First the persons disposed to agree Secondly something to agree upon And lastly their mutuall consent which is the agreement it selfe And so much for the Covenant and what the same is Secondly What it is that gives right
faith in the same as Isaac was And therefore such are said to be as Isaac was children of the free-woman the true seed of Abraham after the Spirit so heires according to promise as Gal. 4.28 29 30 31. Gal. 3.29 Rom 9 8. Now the promise in the letter the land of Canaan an earthly possession answerable to the heire naturall and Circumcision in the flesh as a seale to confirme the same upon condition of the like faith and obedience and so to walke as such circumcised in heart So God would be their God to blesse increase and to bring them into their promised inheritance as Deut. 1. But in the substance the heavenly Canaan a spirituall inheritance answerable to the heire spirituall and Circumcision in the heart as the seale of the Spirit to confirme faith in the free and absolute promise of life and faith required not of man as a condition but in man as the work of the Spirit of grace in the heart by which the same is made capable to joyne in covenant with God by faith And though that Infants were in the first yet not at all in the last as visibly to appeare in the covenant aforesaid untill their faith so declares them And further 〈…〉 consider of it thus first that no beleever now can so stand to his seed as Abraham of old did unto his seed except he assumes the place of Abraham and also his fatherhood over all the faithfull But if any beleever should so farre presume as to assume Abrahams place and fatherhood upon him yet another cannot doe so Except we make may Abrahams and so all fathers and no children And if it be said that every beleever in his owne familie is an Abraham If it be so then he is the same unto his servants as well as to his children for so was Abraham But some will say that a beleever is an Abraham onely to his own personall seed as Abraham was Then a beleever would have a greater priviledge then ever Abraham had for the covenant was not founded upon Abrahams personall seed for had it been so then the priviledges thereof would have reached to all Abrahams personall seed as well as to Isaac But this it did not for Abraham begot many children of his own body besides Isaac who shared not with him neither in the covenant or priviledges thereof as Gen. 25.1 to 6. The like it is with the beleevers seed to which the covenant lyes not in any respect as to a particular seed but joyntly considered together as a body and so the Church of Christ and their off-spring seed or children as aforesaid considered are the generation of the righteous succeeding them in the faith not in the flesh And this is the seed that God so highly exalteth in Scripture and promises so many blessings unto And secondly 〈…〉 it was not Abrahams personall being in the covenaÌ„t nor yet his faith that brought in his seed or admitted the same to the seale thereof but onely Gods speciall commandement for both Abraham and many others were in the covenant of grace long before Circumcision was administred and the reason why such were not sealed with circumcision before that time was be cause that God no where had commanded the same No more can a beleevers being in the covenant now bring in his seed nor admit of the same to Baptisme without Gods speciall command for the same now as Abraham had then otherwise they proudly assume a priviledge above their father Abraham And though that beleevers are in some sense under the same covenant now as then yet in no sense under the same command for then they must circumcise and not baptize and that Males onely and not females also But as there is a new King so there must be a new Law and as a new covenant so a new subject a new Church must have a new state a new ordinance a new commandement so that as all things are become new even so must all be of God whose will is to be obeyed in whatsoever he commands which is the only ground of all mans obedience for no man can be said to obey God in doing that which he hath not commanded therefore seeing there is no command from the Lord for the Baptizing of Infants as was for the circumcising of Infants though by Abraham they were circumcised yet by Christ they shall not be baptized And so I come to the second Argument thus If in the whole body of Israel 〈…〉 as well Infants as mon of yâ—ares were baptized and with the same Baptisme as ours is then Infants are now to be baptized as then thy were But in the whole body of the IsrAelites Infants were baptized and that with the same baptisme spiritually that ours is therefore Infants are now to be baptized as then they were That it was the same baptisme with ours spiritually is evident the other Ordinances there mentioned were the same spiritually with ours for they eate the same spirituall meate and dranke the same spirituall drinke with us 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. Therefore they were baptized with the same spirituall baptisme Otherwise the Apostles argument were not of force against the Corinthians if they were not the same Sacraments with ours nor the conclusion contained that the Corinthians should be pun shed with the like punishment if they committed the like sins therfore the argument is firme In answer to this I shall endeavour to be briefe therefore let the Reader consider well these particulars First here God took unto himselfe the whole body of these people the Jewes who were his own people before by covenant for they were the seed of Abraham and the family of Jacob that came into Aegypt to sojourne there as Gen. 46. Act. 7. Now let the like be made to appeare that God ever took unto himselfe the whole body of the Gentiles as he did the Jewes and then it will be somewhat the same with the Gentils and their seed as it was with the Jews and their seed But if the one cannot be proved then the other will not be granted and so this argument falls already Secondly here was no ordinance of the new Testament much lesse Baptisme administred upon any of the Israelites at their departing out of Aegypt but onely Gods great power goodnesse declared by leading of his people through the maine Sea in and by the which God did preserve them and so delivered them up as it were to Moses and to his Government and direction as a people preserved in death As in and by Baptisme the partie being by the grace and power of God preserved he is delivered up to Christ to his Government and direction as one risen from death with a new life to God as Rom. 6. Col. 2. Gal. 3. The Israelites Baptisme in the Cloud and in the Sea was onely in the type or shadow and so in the Letter of the old Testament opposed to the Ministration of
begotten and brought forth in a way of uncleannesse as adultery fornication and the like And whereas it is said that if this were the meaning of the Apostle then he said nothing for the clearing of the scruple because this holinesse of the children might be questioned as well as their own c. To which I answer and say that to expound the Apostle this way makes onely forth clearing of the scruple which scruple befell the Corinthians by reason of an Epistle which the Apostle writ to them before as 1 Cor. 5 9. wherein he so presses them from having any communion or fellowship with any unclean person in the worship of God which they understood of civill commerce with the world upon which they questioned the lawfull retaining of their unbeleeving husband and wives and to have communion with them in that neer relation of husband and wife in their civill commerce and societie And so much the more having an example of the like nature in the Law Ezra 10.7 about which thing they wrote to the Apostle for information 1 Cor. 7.1 and questioned not their children Whereby it appears they held it lawfull for to retain their children To which the Apostle answers from a double ground thus 1. In that all things are sanctified to such as beleeve as Tit. 1.15 and so is the unbeleeving wife to the beleeving husband So that you may lawfully live together in that comfortable estate and societie of marriage which God hath ordained for man and wife to abide in 2. If you judge your selves to live in such a way of uncleannesse upon which you must now part then your children so begotten are unclean and to be put away also but in that you 〈◊〉 it lawfull to retain your children and not to put them away though you beleeve and they do not Then much more the unbeleeving parents as aforesaid that bear them for if the effect be holy then must the cause be also holy that produceth the same which is Gods holy ordinance of marriage and not his holy covenant of grace Now it had been in vain for the Apostle to have gone about to prove the lawfull restraining of the unbeleeving husband and wife from the holinesse of their children being in the Covenant for nothing was more clear then this that such children as are begotten in uncleannesse were not approved of in Gods holy Covenant of life not any way holy either by Law or Gospel How then could this tend to remove the Corinthians scruple to tell them they might lawfully continue together because their children were in the Covenant of grace and life and so were holy when as their scruple lay in matter of uncleannesse upon which they were to part Now this must first be cleared whether they were so or not in respect of themselves before ever they could beleeve the holinesse of their children or any such to be in Gods gracious Covenant for the children of adultery and fornication are debarred the holy Covenant both in the Law and Gospel But if it be said that the scruple was about the unlawfull commerce of the beleever with the unbeleever and not of their marriage as if they lived in adultery and fornication and so the uncleannesse of the flesh in that respect as if they were not married Now if this be true that they scruple not their marriage then it holds true also that they did not question the lawfull retaining of their children And so the Apostles argument from the same is of force to prove the lawfull continuing of their parents also though the one called to the faith and so a beleever and the other not In which respect they judged their children free from that uncleannesse the unbeleeving parent was or might be guiltie of to which the Apostle answers and affirms that the condition of the parents and the children is one and the same in the aforesaid respects If they put away the one as unclean upon the same ground the other is unclean and to be put away also And as the one is holy and to be retained upon the same ground the other is holy and to be retained likewise And I conclude as I began tht the holinesse here both of the unbeleeving parents and the children is the same for nature being opposed to one and the same uncleannesse which is onely the holinesse of the creature in a naturall respect not the holinesse of the gracious Covenant of life in a spirituall respect as it is affirmed And so this Scripture also hath nothing at all in it for the proving of Infants true subjects of Baptisme One thing more in the Proposition I cannot passe which is this 〈…〉 That by vertue of a beleevers state in grace all his fruit is holy and partakes with the same state of grace with him unlesse they do by some act of theirs deprive themselves of it as Esau and Ishmael A word briefly of this and so I leave it as answered already 〈…〉 1. If this be a truth then one may be saved by another mans faith for here by vertue of a beleevers state in grace all his fruit that is his children pertake of the same with him and so fare as he doth onely by vertue of his grace or state in grace which is the same And so by the fathers saith the children share together with him in that grace which his faith instates him in which is salvation it self 2. This doctrine takes away the being of originall sinne for here they are all holy and partakers of grace untill they commit some actuall sinne Which denies any originall sin for that would make them unholy though they never committed actuall sin in their own persons 3. It layes a ground of falling out of an estate of grace for by this doctrine Esau and Ishmael and all beleevers children are holy and partakers of the same grace with their parents untill they commit sin as Esau and Ishmael did and then to fall from the same as they did And lastly this is false doctrine for both Esau and Ishmael were excluded from being subjects of Gods saving grace before they committed actuall sin As Gen. 25.23 with Rom. 9.11.12 13. and so Gen. 17.20.21 Gen. 21 9.10 12. But as it tends to Poperie and Arminianisme so I shall leave it as an old Creed bare error not worth any further medling with And now to the fourth and last Argument thus If Baptisme succeeds circumcision 〈…〉 4. then as infants were to be circumcised so are infants to be baptized but Baptisme succeeds circumcision as Col. 2.11 12. Therefore as infants were circumcised so are infants to be baptized This Argument is somewhat weak 〈…〉 and therefore a weak answer shall serve What though Baptisme succeeds circumcision must it needs follow that as Infants were circumcised they must of necessitie be baptized The new Testament succeeds the old must it needs follow therefore that the same order be observed now as was then
received there as a true ordinance of God And for a more orderly proceeding in this discourse I shall first set down my dissent and the causes of it and then examine those grounds that are brought for the proving of the contrary And first for that ordinance of Baptisme which as aforesaid hath been administred and received in a false Antichristian estate and retained the true ordinance of God and such so baptized by the power of the man of sin to be admitted into the Church of Christ with the same baptisme as the Lords ordinance This I cannot assent unto because I see no such thing in all the Word of God by which I must be guided here and judged hereafter So that I dissent from that baptisme administred by the power of Antichrist and cannot own the same for Gods ordinance appointed by him and instituted by Christ in the new Testament and that for these and the like reasons First because in so doing I shall approve of Antichrists matter and form 〈…〉 and so of the state it self As an infant for his matter and the words with water applied his form I have alreadie proved that an infant is not the subject of baptisme appointed by God though it be the child of a beleever but how much lesse such who are the carnall seed of the wicked The covenant of grace and the parents faith is alledged to inright the former unto baptisme but what inrights these unto it and how came they by it Secondly the ordinance of baptisme instituted by Christ is so essentiall to the constitution of the Church under the new Testament that none can be true in her constitution without it Neither can that be a false Church where baptisme is truly the Lords ordinance in the administration thereof as 1 Cor. 12.13 with Gal. 3.27 So that to approve of Antichrists baptisme to be Gods ordinance is to approve of his Church to be also the Church of God For as the eaters of the sacrifice were of old partakers of the Alcar 1 Cor. 10.17 18. and to receive him that is sent is a receiving also of him that sent him Mat. 13.40 so it is with this essentiall ordinance of baptisme in the church of Antichrist that whosoever approves of the one by the same he approves of the other also For the ground and piller that bears up the truth and that truth so born up stands and falls together as 1 Tim. 3.15 So that where there is not a tâ—â—e constituted Church there is no true constituted Church ordinance and where there is a true Church ordinance in its constitution as baptisme is there is at least presupposed a true Church also And therefore to condemne a Church to be false and altogether Antichristian and yet baptisme there and by the same administred to be the ordinance of God this I can see no rule for in Scripture and therefore I dissent Thirdly 〈…〉 6. Christ hath disclaimed and denieth all communion with the man of sin both in respect of himself and his subjects and hath also proclaimed open warre against him in all his dominions and therefore he cals home his subjects as Jer. 51.6.45 Revel 18.4 Christ refuseth to be laid as a chief corner stone under Antichrists building as he must be if he in his holy ordinance of baptisme be granted to lie in his foundation For baptisme is no otherwise Christs ordinance but as it depends upon him the ordainer But Christ denies Antichrist any such priviledge and also forbids his people from taking a stone from Babylon to lay in the foundation of the I ords building as Jer. 51.26 But if Antichrists church be of himself and so false then all the parts thereof must be of his own devising and false also For if in opposition to a true Church of Christ there is a false church of Antichrists which thing cannot be if there be not in opposition to true ordinances of the one false ordinances of the other that are essentiall to the same as the ordinance of baptisme is And so the like ministery proportionable to the same as 1 Cor. 10.21 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. Revel 2.2 according to Matth. 24.24 with 2 Thes 2.9 10. Fourthly I cannot approve of that baptisme in the church of Antichrist to be Gods ordinance because in so doing I shall advance humane testimony above the Word of God For I have no way to satisfie my conscience whether I have that ordinance or no but onely by Antichrists Church-book or my godfathers godmothers which if the one be dead and the other lost then am I to seek my baptisme But at the best if any should demand of me whether I were baptized or not all that I can say is that men tell me so in all which Christ must have no voice and the Word of God put to silence as knowing no such thing and Antichrists Church-book come in the place as a ground of my faith in a truth so essentiall Which thing I dare not approve of Fifthly to justifie baptisme in the church of Antichrist to be Gods ordinance is to force men to sin against conscience for if any man comes unto such for fellowship in the truth he must either justifie the baptisme he received of the man of sin as Gods ordinance or else continue in that sinfull way in which he is and desires to leave I speak now in their sense whose practise it is which I cannot at all assent unto for a truth Sixtly I cannot justifie Antichrists baptisme for Gods ordinance because it makes against Christs baptisme in these two respects First for the power by which the same was constituted and so authorised in the hand of the Minister being the power of the man of sin rejected of God as an enemic to the crown and dignitie of Christ the King of Saints Secondly in respect of that body into which the partie was baptized and so by the same made a visible member and that was in the body of Antichrist In both which respects the baptisme administered en the false Antichristian state in my judgement cannot be the ordinance of God And lastly I dare not go from that rule and order which Christ left in his last Testament for the constituting of his Church and taking of members into the same which is by faith and baptisme All which grounds being well considered I cannot see by any rule of truth to approve of the baptisme administred in a false Antichristian church to be Gods ordinance instituted by Christ in his new Testament That being there administred under a false power by a â—â—se ministery upon a wrong subject in a false body and yet the same Gods ordinance this is more then I can find by the Word of God from which rule I dare not go Thus having shewed my judgement and some reasons why I so judge of the baptisme administred in a false Antichristian estate cannot be the ordinance of God instituted by Christ in the
was come to Ierusalem be assayed to joyne himselfe to the disciples Act. 9 26. And the whole body fitly joyned together c. Eph. 4 16. And a fitly framing of matter together for a house or habitation of God as Eph. 2.21 22. All which is the Saints entering covenant with God which covenant is their forme that gives them a being in such a relation or fellowship Isa 43.21 1 Pet. 2.9 And so much in briefe of the constitution of a Church or of the Saints entering into Church-fellowship and the causes producing the same And now being come into her own land as of old was signified Ezek. 36.24 25. which is into a visible covenant with God or union with Christ and so become his own shee is now to be washed with water in Baptisme as Ezek. 16.8 9. Mat. 28.19 Eph. 4 5. And thus being in covenant with God by faith in Jesus Christ in which their state consists and so the agreement made the covenant passed between them now the seale is see to which is the outward ordinance of Baptisme to confirme the same which being done she is then to enter upon her holy communion in all the rest of Gods holy ordinances thereunto belonging for her comfort and well-being And thus I have by Gods gracious assistance done with this subject charged upon me partly by such as feare the Lord in a far Countrey beyond the Seas and partly by my own conscience for the truths sake at home And good Reader confider well before you judge and what I see not teach thou me c. Job 34.31 But let not my unweary Readâ—â— be offended with me though I speake a word or two more It may be some will aske me if I condemne all Churches but onely such as I have here described To which I answer that I condemne no Church which God approves of in his word secondly I condemne no Church at all for I goe not about to shew who are false but what is true and it is enough for me if such a Church as hath been spoken of be granted to be true and let all others alone to stand and fall to their own Master and in regard of those reproachfull clamours cast upon all without exception that seem to be of my judgement about Baptisme I shall yet make bold with my Reader briefly to declare a word of my faith what I beleeve and hold to be truth and desire to practise the same and so leave all to God for the godly Reader to judge what difference there is between him and me in the maine that men should be so incensed against me as to seeke my life as some have done the Lord in mercy forgive them and lay it not to their charge And now for my faith First I doe beleeve that there is onely one God who is distinguished in three persons God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost yet but one in nature or essence without division and uncommunicable who made the world and all things therein by the word of his power and governes them all by his wise providence Secondly I beleeve that God made man in his own Image an upright and a perfect creature consisting of soule and body which body God framed of the earth and breathed a soul into the same To whom God gave a law upon his keeping of which depended all his happinesse and upon the contrary attended his misery which soon took effect for he breaking that Law he fell under the curse and the wrath of God lay upon him all his posterity By which fall Man lost the knowledge of God utterly disabled himself of all ability ever to recover the same againe Thirdly I beleeve God out of the counsell of his own will did before he made the world elect and choose some certain number of his foreseen fallen creatures and appointed them to eternall life in his Sonne for the glory of his grace which number so elected shall unavoydably be saved and come to glory and the rest left to themselves in their sinne to glorifie his justice Fourthly I beleeve that God in the fulnesse of his owne time did send his Sonne the second person who in the wombe of the Virgin Mary assumed mans nature and in the same he suffered death upon the Crosse onely as he was man to satisfie his Fathers justice for the sinnes of all his elect and them onely and that he lay three dayes three nights in his grave from whence he arose the third day by the power of his Godhead for the justification of all for whose sinnes be dyed and that in the same body Christ dyed be arose from tho dead and afterwards ascended into heaven the place of glory where he was before and there to remaine untill he comes at the last day to judge the world in righteousnesse Fifthly I beleeve that God of his grace in his own time effectually calls such as shall be saved to the knowledge sive as a childe in the parents begetting of it and so God by his Spirit works faith in the hearts of all such to beleeve in Christ and his righteousnes only for justification And thus they are made righteous before God in Christ and so conformable to the will of the Father through the Sonne and also made holy through the worke of regeneration and the holy Spirit of grace dwelling in them yet all such have still as long as they live here in the flesh remaining in them an old man that originall corruption the flesh that warres against the Spirit which hinders them in their obedience both to God and man and many times draws them to that which is evill and contrary to their intentions yet all of them shall through Christ overcome and safely be brought to glory at last Sixthly I beleeve the holy Scriptures to be the word of God and have the onely authoritie to binde the conscience to the obedience of all therein contained and are the allsufficient Rule by the Spirit of God to guide a man in all his obedience both to God and man Seventhly As for the absence of originall sin and power in the will to receive and refuse grace and salvation being generally offered by the Gospel and Christs dying for all persons universally to take away sinne that stood between them and salvation and so laid downe his life a ransome for all without exception and for such as have been once in Gods love so as approved of by him in Christ for salvation and in the covenant of grace and for such to fall so as to be damned eternally and all of the like nature I doe beleeve is a doctrine from beneath and not from above and the teachers of it from Satan and not from God and to be rejected as such that oppose Christ and his Gospel Eightly I doe beleeve the resurrection of the dead that all shall rise and come to judgement and every one give account of himselfe
would establish his covenant for an everlasting covenant and so he would be a God to his seed after him in doing for them all that he had promised to multiply them to give them that fruitfull Land of Canaan and so to blesse them with great prosperitie And also I will be their God that is their God whom they shall beleeve and obey upon whom they shall depend for the performance of all that I have promised unto them by which faith and obedience they shall acknowledge me to be their God Now these being the particular expressions of the covenant and as they lie barely in the letter they art figurative speeches and so considered onely as they were temporall for so was Canaan a temporall inheritance and so were the other outward blessings under which were figured our spirituall substances onely to the like Subjects And as they were outward or temporall so considered they were both generall and conditionall for as the people did then beleeve God and obey him so they did enjoy them and not else as Heb. 3. Unto which covenant circumcision was added as a token to put the people alwayes in minde of the said covenant as Gen. 17.11 and a seale to confirme the covenant on both the sides God to be a God unto them as aforesaid and they for his own people above all others and so to performe the same condition of faith and obedience as Abraham their father did And to walke as such circumcised in heart unto which they were ingaged by that Ordinance as Rom. 2.25 26 27 28 29. otherwise the covenant stood not in force for their outward prosper it is that was the glory of that people in generall In which respect onely the covenant the seale and the inheritance are all of a like extent as Gen. 17.7.8.13 and so ended in Christ in whom all stands firme onely to such as beleeve as Gal. 3. This covenant was accomplished by God upon the Jewes at three severall times as they were Abrahams seed First in bringing them from Aegypt to Canaan Secondly from Babylon to Jerusalem And lastly Christs coming in the flesh as the seed in whom all Nations should be blessed This blessed seed according to the covenant God made with Abraham was sent first to Abraham seed the Jews in generall as Mat. 10.5 6. Mat. 15.24 Joh. 11.11 To blesse them by calling them to repentance and so to turne them from their sins as Act. 2.38 39. Act. 3.25 26. Act. 13 23.26 32 33. Thus the King of heaven offered his Sonne first in marriage to the Jews as Mat. 22. and being refused by them he sought him a wife among the Gentiles as Act. 13.46 Act. 15.14 Rom. 11. And so much for the promise or covenant God made with Abraham and his seed which for the right understanding of it must be considered in a severall respect according to the seed but not so to the Gentiles and their seed the Covenant lies not to them in a figurative way not in any fleshly or temporall respect as it did to Abrahams seed in the flesh but to the Gentiles in substance onely as they are in Christ by faith and so upright as Abraham was when God made covenant with him and if otherwise that the Gentiles must be considered as the Jews then they must have a fleshly seed under the same conditionall respect as Abraham had have onely one publike head as Abrahams was to bring them in all stand in the same relation as children to a father to that one head as Abrahams seed did unto him and come in the same way both for covenant and command as Abraham and his seed did All which the Scriptures deny the Gentiles for coming in such a way And so I come now to the seed and first to begin in the fountaine and head-spring of all at Abraham and Sarah and see the Gospels discovery of heir seed compared with the Law by which it will appeare what the seed of Abraham is that God approves of to be in the covenant with him and so to have right to the seale there of There was under the old Testament a generall stated people in an outward forme of profession among whom God owned but a remnant to belong unto him in his gracious covenant of life as Isa 10.21 22. Rom. 9.27 Against some of which in the generall God excepted as not so approved of in his covenant and yet admit them lawfull members of that body and so to the priviledges thereof they being the seed of Abraham after the flesh 〈…〉 as Gen. 17.10.20 21.23 Gen. 21.12 13. Gen. 25.23 with Rom. 9.11 12 13. So likewise under the new Testament there is also a stated people 〈…〉 whom God approves of for his own chosen and true spirituall worshippers against whom he layes no exception but owns them as such whom he hath purchased with his own bloud and so approved Subjects in his gracious covenant of life as such who are called chosen and faithfull Joh. 4.23 1 Pet. 2.5.9 Eph. 2.19 20 21 22. 4.16 1 Cor. 12.12 13.25 26 27. Eph. 5.25 26 27. Act. 20.28 Rev. 17.14 Now unto these two stated or bodyed people there is in the Scriptures two typicall heads namely Hagar and Sarah as Gal. 4.22 23 24 25. Here Hagar and Sarah as the two Mothers type out the two Testaments even so their two sons IshmAel and Isaac type out the subjects of the same the one by the bond-woman born after the flesh but he of the free-woman was by promise v. 23. Now as Hagar the Mother signified the old state in generall so IshmAel her son signified the children of the same state borne after the flesh as he was for though that he was of the seed of Abraham yet he was no childe of promise Now for Sarah she was the lawfull wife of Abraham and so a free-woman with whom the Apostle compares the state of the Church of the new Testament the true spouse and wife of Christ who is free from all servitude and bondage stands onely in subjection to Christ her husband as Sarah did to Abraham And Isaac her son signifying the true holy and blessed seed Of this holy stocke according to the Spirit and so as Isaac was true heire according to promise for the Gospel approves of none as true heires of the blessing so the right seed and truely in the covenant but onely such as the promise produceth brings forth as it did Isaac for Isaac came not by an ordinary course of nature but by vertue of the promise of God and faith in the same which raised nature above it selfe to bring him forth as Gen. 18.10 11 12. Gen. 21.1 2. Rom. 9.9 Heb. 11.11 12. By this the wisdome of God in the Apostle holds forth as in a figure who are Abrahams seed approved of in the Gospel they are such as are brought forth by a power above nature which is by the promise of God
God did sanctifie all the rest of the same lump so beleeving parents sanctifie all their seed that proceeds from their loyns And so as the first fruits and the root being beleeving parents are holy even so the lump and branches being their Infants are holy also and so to be baptised as their parents are which is a meer fallacie and farre from the intent of the Apostle in those words And for our better understanding of the same let us a little examine the Scriptures alledged and first for Rom. 11.16 The generall scope of the Apostles discourse in this Chapter is concerning the Jews breaking off and the occasion of it as also their calling by the Gospel who were the people of God in a two fold consideration First as they were a nationall people according to the flesh with many outward priviledges sutable to the same by which God declared himself to be their God and they his people above all others in the world Secondly some of them God owned in a more speciall manner with reference to his gracious covenant made with Abraham and established with Isaac and his seed after him for an everlasting covenant As Gen. 17. which consideration cannot be of the Jews nationally considered as I have formerly proved For if so then all the whole nation must have been in a true and saving estate of grace and so all of them to have been saved or else to fall from an estate of grace So that as God had then a nationall Church and people even so had he for the same also nationall priviledges both for order ordinances and government Which order cannot now be expected for us Gentiles under the new Testament and though that God admitted them all alike to the outward priviledges in the type yet God had another consideration of them in respect of the substance as not to approve of them all in his holy Covenant of grace Yet of that whole body in generall Abraham according to the flesh was the stock or root from whom they sprong as naturall branches as Joh. 8. Which nationall people must be considered in a two-fold respect First a civill state or common-wealth under a civill government as Kings Judges and other the like Governers of that nature Secondly a Church consisting of an holy Assembly of worship and worshippers and so a spirituall state with the like government and governors as Priests prophets and the like of that nature All which held fellowship and communion together because God took into one body that whole Nation for his own people Or rather one head comprehending them all which was Abraham from whom they descended as children springing from the loyns of a father All which so springing out of his loyns did assume to themselves an equall right and priviledge in Gods gracious covenant made with Abraham and his seed supposing God had bound his covenant generally upon him and his seed in his naturall generation after the flesh But God respecting in the same onely his chosen in Christ with whom he confirmed his Covenant with Isaac in reference to Christ Gen. 17. Gal. 3. Who in Gods own time he cals them to the faith that they might appear to whom they belong Rom. 8 28.29 30. Gal. 4.4 6. These the Apostle ever defends against the generall rejection of that nation For though such were rejected as were not elected this made not the promise of God of none effect to those who stood firm in the covenant by grace in Christ Jesus as branches in their root Which grace the rest opposed and were cast off for their unbeleef and when the fulnesse of Gods time is come to call them to belief they shall be received again into their former estate as alive from the dead as Rom. 11.23 24. Luke 15.24 Therefore the Apostle after he hath proved the rejection of the Jews he labours to make good the faithfulnesse of God in his promise of grace and the effectuall power of the Gospel in the saving effects thereof in such as beleeved through grace though the Jews in their nationall respect were rejected and so few of them gained to the truth as Rom. 3.3 4. Rom. 9.6 Rom. 11. And he gives a reason of it thus though that the Jews were all under an outward form of profession of Gods name and truth and so his people in that respect yet there was but a remnant that he approved of in the Covenant according to his election of grace unto whom the promise of life did belong As Rom. 9.6 7 8. Rom. 11.5.7 Now to these Gods speciall care is to perform his Covenant and all that he promised to them in their father Abraham with reference to Christ in whom as the root God established his holy Covenant for these his holy branches Rom. 9.11.12.23 Rom. 11.1.2 Rom. 8.28 29 30. Rom. 11.26.2 Pet. 3.9 Now the lump generally considered comprehends all both the first fruits and the latter for except the first fruits were part of the lump it could not give testimonie that the lump was holy which lump so considered is Gods elect and chosen in Christ with reference to their beleeving in him and so the approved subjects of Gods gracious Covenant and heirs apparent to the kingdom of Christ In which sence God had one and the same respect unto all and every part of the same lump and that was as he considered the same in a conformitie to his Son as the end of his election Rom. 8.28.29 30. Ephes 1.8.4.5 6.1 Pet. 1.1 2. So that there is in the substance of truth one and the same consideration in the first fruits and the lump according to what is laid down in the proposition the lump being as aforesaid a remnant according to Gods election with reference to faith and so approved subiects in his holy covenant appearing in Abrahams Isaacs and Jacobs beleeving as the first fruits of the same Now as those first fruits of that blessed crop in Gods holy Covenant were holy onely so appearing for we speak of visible things so is the lump out of which these first appeared by faith as a part of the same also holy in the same consideration Again the lump which the Apostle spake of is to be understood of the Jews and not of the Gentiles as he here applies it For though he speaks to the Gentiles yet here he speaks of the Jews For in the Chapter before labours to provoke the Jews to receive the Gospel as vers 14. Therefore he intends the Jews by the first fruits of the lump The first fruits the beleeving fathers as aforesaid that first appeared in the Covenant of grace in such a way by faith and so holy was that remnant which God had still among them with reference to the same state the first fruits were in and so holy the same consideration is to be had of the lump with reference to that state which God in his time shall call them unto by his Gospel and so are
grafted in againe to their owne roote or Olive tree as at the first which is union and communion with God in his holy way of worship under the Gospel as of old under the Law And so much for the roote or Olive tree which must be understood of Christ mystically considered and not of beleeving parents as aforesaid Now a word of the branches which cannot be meant of Infants but beleevers onely in the Apostles sense being holy First They are branches onely in the same consideration as they subsist and grow in the roote or Vine and so beare the true nature of the same by which they appeare to be holy by the fruits thereof Christ as aforesaid being the roote or vine the branches can no way be said to subsist and to grow in him as their roote but onely by saith and he in them by his spirit without which there is no holines in the Apostles sence who speaks of such as holines as is produced in the branch by the holy roote in which ingrowes and so partakes of the nature of the roote by vertue of the union and communion it hath with the same all which is by saith as the Word reveales Secondly There is no branch that is alive in the Vine but partakes of the life and sap of the same by vertue of which the branch though never so young and small is discovered to be alive and inabled to bring forth in its season such fruit as by which the same may be discerned so it is here by these spirituall branches they cannot properly be called branches in the Apostles sence but as they partake of the life and grace of Christ their true vine and olive tree by which they appeare at the least to be alive in him by faith and inabled by the same to bring forth such fruits as may discover them to be in the Covenant of grace and so to be admitted unto the priviledges thereof as Joh. 15.1.7 Nature it selfe teaches as much for no man will admit of dead plants to be set in his vineyard or grafted into a stock but onely such as are capable to comply with the same in the sap and nourishment thereof to the end it may grow and bring forth fruit and so it is with Christ who comes not short of nature and therefore he admits not of any dead plants to be set in his spirituall vineyard or dead members to be joyned to his mysticall body but onely such as by faith capable to comply with the head Neither took he for himself a compounded body consisting of both living and dead members which all are that have not a living principle of grace faith in him which all beleevers Infants have not nor any at all untill they are borne againe of the Spirit as Job 3.5 6. The Church of God which is the mysticall body of Christ is not a mixt company but onely one substantiall and royall substance sutable to her head matter by which shee was produced being the immortall seed of the Word and therefore one holy spirituall uniforme compacted body both for nature and forme Cant. 6.9 Mal. 2.15 Eph. 2.14 to 22. Joh. 4.23 All which considered proves the body of Christ or Church of God under the new Testament not to consist of Infants neither in whole nor in part and so the branches aforesaid not to be understood of Infants but beleevers And if any object from the words of Christ Mat. 18.6 speaking there of some little ones that beleeved in him and from thence gather that Infants have faith c. The answer in a word is this That I am for all that beleeve and onely for them whether they be Infants or others so that their faith be visible as it may be discerned otherwise it concerns nothing the point in hand for we are upon visible things such as may be judged of by the Word of God Againe little children that beleeve in the Scripture sense are such as be little and weake in the faith and so babes in Christ as 1 Joh. 2.12 1 Cor. 3.1.3 Heb. 5.12 13. But it is said that the Church of the Jewes of old and the Church of the Gentiles now are one in nature as they are both the Church of God and so Infants in the one as they were in the other and the same priviledges to the one as to the other c. I have before shewed the large difference between the Jewes and the Gentiles in respect of their outward priviledges but a word or two more and so end The Church of God under the old Testament and that now under the new for nature are one in reference to the Elect of God called to the faith and by the spirit of grace united to Christ as the branches to their vine and so an holy plant of Gods planting of which indeed the true Church of Christ consists and therefore God did ever put a distinction in Abrahams seed even from Abraham to Christ as in Abraham between Isaac and Ishmael Gen. 17.20 21. Gen. 21.11 12 13. in Isaac between Jacob and Esau Gen. 25.23 Rom. 9.11 12. in Jacob between Ephraim and Manasse Gen. 48.13 14.16 17 18 19. And thus the holy Ghost figuratively pointed at a difference in Abrahams seed between the children of the flesh the children of God Rom. 9.6 7 8. and though God did thus distinguish in Abrahams posteritie yet there could not be the like dividing in the same they being nationall people consisting both of a Church and so spirituall and of a common wealth and so all under a civill worldly government Which nation God crowned with many outward priviledges as he never did any people in the earth they being the first people that God ever tooke into covenant with himselfe in such a way by whom he raised himselfe a name and same in all the world and so his peculiar treasure to whom he committed great matters of trust as Psal 135.4 Rom. 3.1 2. 9.4 Eph. 2.12 Of whom came Christ the Saviour of man and therefore salvation is said to be of the Jewes as Rom. 9.5 Joh. 4.22 In respect of which there was a blessed promise passed upon the Jews for the bringing forth of the Messias and the promised seed in whom all Nations should be blessed And therefore all of that nation were admitted to the outward priviledges as figures of him which that Nation was to bring forth so that a fruitfull wombe was counted a great blessing among the Jews not knowing who might be so honoured as to bring forth that blessed and all blessing seed And therefore God honoured the naturall birth among the Jews with such outward blessings and priviledges that belongs not to the Gentiles at all The Gentiles now are to look for their bringing forth of Christ according to the Spirit as the Jews did then according to the flesh and likewise their birth and their seed in all things sutable to the same As Joh. 3.3.5 6. Joh. 1.12
13. and therefore we are said now to know no man after the flesh no nor Christ himself as the Jews did not Christ himself after the flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 and Circumcision was one priviledge of the flesh as Phil. 3.4 5. Therefore though that the Jews infants were admitted to all those outward priviledges being a nationall people and so a nationall bodie with a naturall birth and the like seed in generall yet the Gentiles infants cannot be admitted to their spirituall priviledges they being a personall people called by the Word of grace and so a spirituall body with a spirituall birth and the like seed And so much for the meaning of the Apostle Rom. 11.16 which makes nothing for the baptising of Infants but altogether against the same the words not being well considered and therefore misapplied the first fruits being such as first so appeared of Gods elect by faith in such a way of grace by gods receiving and approving of them in his holy covenant under so many gracious promises The lump such a remnant in the election of grace chiefly of the Jews with reference to the same state of grace and faith in Christ as the first fruits were in when God so approved of them And so a second fruits following the first fruits of the same kind which first fruits did ever presuppose the same And so for the root and branches the root Christ mystically considered as aforesaid as the Scriptures hold him forth The branches such as grow in him by faith and he in them by his Spirit by which they are alive in their vine All which are understood of beleevers and not of Infants and so with respect to their calling and not to their infancy as Act. 2.39 which promise is in no other sence to the children then to the parents and that is either to turn them from their sins by calling them to repentance As Act. 3.19 20.25 26. or to comfort them so turned or repenting by tendring and applying to them the promised Saviour Christ Jesus as Act. 13.23.26 32 33.38 39. And as God hath not grounded his election of grace in the seed of beleevers but in the good pleasure of his will no more hath he the dispensation of the same in his gracious Covenant but in his free and effectuall call to beleeve in his Son in whom they were elected to the same which call to the faith makes the onely difference between them and others and not their being the seed of beleevers by a naturall birth For we are alike by nature children of wrath as well the seed of beleevers as any others considered in any personall respect as Rom. 3.9 Eph. 2 3. Whose happinesse depends upon that blessed change and spirituall birth by which they are born again and called to beleeve in the Lord of life and not their being the seed of a beleeving parent for so one may be and perish as soon as any others And now for the other Scriptures 1 Cor. 7.14 if this be of the same consideration with the former then the same is answered with that and so they are both void in respect of the end for which they are alledged namely to prove the holinesse of infants being in the Covenant of grace and life by vertue of their being the children of beleeving parents and so to have right to Baptisme But I do not understood this Scripture to be of the same consideration with the former and therefore a word or two of this also And for the understanding of the Apostle in the same its good first to consider what that holinesse is which inrights persons to the priviledges of grace and that is one of these two at the least Either the holinesse of Christ in whom God looks upon his children and approves of them holy in him and so to have right through his Son to all things both in grace and glory 〈…〉 generation appearing in the holy fruits and effects thereof by which such persons appear to to have right to the aforesaid priviledges before men who must judge of the tree by the fruit and of both by the Word of God Ephes 4.24 Tit. 3.5 1. Pet. 1.15 16. Hebr. 12.14 There is no other holinesse that proceeds from Gods holy Covenant or that can inright to any priviledge of grace now under the Gospel For whatsoever can truly inright any person to the priviledges of grace the same inrights to glory For no lesse can inright to grace then what inrights to glory So that if this be such a holinesse then look how many it inrights to Baptisme it also inrights to glory and so all that are baptised being children of beleevers and so holy must be saved or else fall from grace But neither of these d◠I beleeve for truth and therefore this holinesse must be some other holinesse then that which tends to life eternall It is said the unbeleeving wife is holy or sanctified which is all one by the husband and the unbeleeving husband by the wife and if it were not so your children would be unclean also but in that the unbeleeving husband and wife is holy by the beleevers so are your children by the same means holy likewise For the same way the children would be unclean by the same rule of contraries they are holy But if unbeleeving husband were not sanctified by the wife and the unbeleeving wife by the beleeving husband now if they were not thus sanctified the one to the other that so they might lawfully continue together as husband and wife their children would be unclean in that they were begotten in an unlawfull way for here the uncleannesse of the unbeleeving and unsanctified parents if in case they were so and the uncleannes of the children is the same even so on the contrary the unbeleeving husband being sanctified by the beleeving wife that so they may lawfully continue together in that honourable way of marriage and the bed undefiled hence your children are holy Which holinesse of the children and the sanctitie of the unbeleeving parents is the same opposed to the uncleannesse in opposition to the same So that as the one is uncleannesse of the flesh so is the other the holinesse of the flesh compared with these together Ezra 10.2.3 1. Sam. 21.4 5. 1 Cor. 6.18 and 7.1 2. 1 Thes 4.3 4. And for the two-fold holinesse that is noted in the Argument to be considered in the Apostles words the one not in the thing it self but to another use and the other of the thing it self and therefore sin to confound them This is in part true for the holinesse of the children is not onely such a relative holinesse as to another use as the unbeleever to the beleevers use and no more but the holinesse of the children rests in themselves as the subjects thereof by nature being begotten and born in that lawfull and honourable way of marriage by Gods appointment and so holy and clean in opposition to such as are