partake of those legall performances and worship nor be admitted thereunto without being first circumcised in the flesh and so made legally holy Exod. 12.48 So now none are acceptable or ought to partake of the Gospel worship and ordinances without the Circumcision of Christ which is of the heart and spirit Col. 2.11 Rom. 2.28 29. And thiâ—â—â—ward spirituall truth was typified by that outward fleshly shadow Hence therefore I will conclude that the Apostle meant no such kinde of holinesse in this place for the beleevers children to have Nor is there any such kinde of holinesse now in the world amongst men nor is this or any other kinde of holinesse save onely that true holinesse that accompanies the new creature available to Baptisme To which I Answer All this which you have said here maketh nothing against the infants of beleeving parents forasmuch as they are declared to be holy now under the Gospel 1 Cor. 7.14 The cessation of the ceremonies of the old law pleadeth their divine right to whatsoever came in stead thereof considering that Christ came not to impoverish them but to inrich them If he tooke away any ordinance from them which was typicall he left them that which is substantiall And the like we may say concerning the outward holinesse ceremoniall which had still relation to the covenant and Church of God which if it were taken from them shall we thinke they were left so naked and bare that they had not as substantiall holinesse as they had before God doth not doe by holy men as theeves do by honest men even strip them of their ornaments and so leave them to shift for themselves and get other where they can But our heavenly Father careth for all his children in a speciall maner both for great and small for young as well as old He taketh nothing from them which he knoweth is profitable to them or beneficiall for them but giveth them as great if not greater in stead thereof If he know they have a necessitie of it it is his will and pleasure they should not be debarred from it And therefore seeing baptisme is come in stead of circumcision as holy infants then were to be circumcised so holy infants are now to be baptised And as God declared unto Abraham saying that such infants must needs * Gen. 17.13 be circumcised so we may know that baptisme being come in the roome of circumcision such infants must needs be baptised And therefore as holy infants then had need of a Saviour to come and therefore were circumcised in token that Christ was theirs so holy infants now have need of Christ come and therefore are to be baptised in token that Christ is theirs also And may the circumcised accompanie now with the uncircomcised yea surely and this is a great plea for holy infants being in covenant and doth really signifie that it is a visible spirituall holinesse which differenceth them now from heathen infants coÌ„sidering that God never taketh from his people any thing which differenceth them from other people but he leaveth them the substance of that type which substance doth difference them spiritually now Therefore the Lord calleth his people now under the Gospel to come out from among the Idolatrous heathens and to seperate themselves and not to touch the uncleane thing 2 Cor. 6.17 18. and promiseth that he will be a Father unto them and that they shall be his sons and daughters That is to say that as he was a father to the families of the Jewes who were seperated from strangers so likewise is he a Father to the families of the seperated Gentiles who obey his voyce and as God did gratiously accept of the infants of beleevers who were seperated from Idolaters then so doth he accept of the infants of beleevers who are seperated from Idollaters now I will saith he be a father unto you Now he that is a father * Isa 22.21 to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and the house of Judah he * Ver. 24. beareth the holy off-spring the blessed Issue even all the glorious vessels of small quantitie Despise not therefore the infants of beleevers for though in quantitie they are small yet in quality they are excellent therfore suffer the little infants to come unto Christ Luk 18.16 and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdome of Heaven And therefore considering that they have that holinesse which acompanieth faith and are in the state of the Gospel they have right to baptisme as the holy infants of the Jewes in the time of the law had right to circumcision And true it is that in the time of the Law there were some fiderally and outwardly holy * This is to be understood of a ceremoniall holines for the members of the visible Church now are outwardly holy that is to say in visibilitie without which wee ought not to esteem them holy inwardly But they were members of the Church And it doth not argue that because they had ceremoniall holinesse therefore they were not spirituall in visibilitie the contrary rather appeareth from what hath been before observed Againe you should consider * Lev. 5.3 4 5. that there were some who were spiritually cleane and yet in respect of bodily diseases were uncleane for we are not to thinke that every one that were defiled in their bodies by touching of dead folks or uncleane persons that had issues or leprosie or the like were therefore defiled in their soules or rent thereby out of the Covenant or that they ceased therefore to be visible members of the Church No surely * Lev. 4. 5. 6. But yet we are to know that those who did any of these things presumptuously were guilty so that nothing could purifie theÌ„ without repentance yea when any sinned but ignorantly knowing it neglected to bring their trespasse offering their sin was increased they were to beare their iniquitie for remission wherof more was required then before yea if a person were outwardly polluted accidentally though he did not defile himselfe by any act of his he was to be cleansed according to the law of God * Lev. 14. â— which thing if he did not endeavour to doe it was his sinne and surely it could not then be taken away by any outward washing without repentance See Lev. 17.16 and labouring to doe that which he should have done before which ceremoniall cleansings and purifications were to lead them to Christ who was then to be manifested in the flesh and a Saviour to save them from their sinnes which the bloud of bulls and goats and outward washings could not doe away * Heb. 10.4 no more then the outward Baptisme and the Lords Supper Gods holy and blessed Ordinances will take away our sinnes now for Christs bloud is onely effectuall for this purpose * Rev. 2.5 Heb. 10.5 8.14 he is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world
that what hath bin spoken already in answer to your severall objections and what hath been also gathered from the word of truâ—h in vindication of this truth of the baptisme of holy Infants may be observed It hath been declared how the promise is made to all beleevers Infants as really as to themselves or any of their children * See before in Pag. 3. to Pag. 15. It hath been proved that the generall institution of Jesus Christ is no maner of way lâ—sse generall * Pag. 15. to pag. 24. then circumcision but more generall in respect of the parties upon whom it is to be administred It hath been minded * Pag. 24. to pag. 64. how that the Infants of beleevers were holy members of the visible Church in the time of the Law and that neither the cessation of the ceremonies of the old Law nor any thing else which can be alledged doth argue that they have not still the tâ—ue â—â—linesse which giveth them visible right to Baptisme But seeing the dispensation of Gods gifts and the distribution of his graces are multipâ—yed under the Gâ—spel wee are still to esteem the young Olive plaâ—ts of beleeving parentâ— to be holy as well as the stock or branches upon which they grow And it being so we may conclude that they have right to holy Baptisme as their holy parents have And to debar the holy infants of beleevers from Baptisme is to reject them and so in a manner it is a rejection of their holy parents a means of their discouragement a weakning of their faith a discomforting of their hearts yea and discouragement to others But Truth overcommeth all things it is great and will prevaile against all that oppose it Thus having answered directly to what hath been set downe by you I proceed to the next Your next words are these But now to the Question A. R. Pag. 9. lin 21. What is meant by the holinesse which children are sayd to have 1 Cor. 7.14 In answer whereto I shall shew onely what I conceive it to be and then leave it to the judgement of the wise Answer If you mean the holy children of beleeving parents spoken of 1 Cor. 7.14 Let us heare what you say I say then it is onely such a holinesse A. R. Lin. 25. as is opposite to some kinde of uncleannesse which I take to be this as if when they are sayd to be holy it is no more then to say they are not uncleane to wit no Bastards To which I answer That you are greatly mistaken herein There is no such restriction in the Scripture as you conceive and would gather from thence for it is apparent that when the Apostle sayth to Beleevers 1 Cor. 7.14 Else were your children uncleane he meaneth here such an uncleannesse 2 Cor. 6. which he speaketh of in 2 Cor. 6.17 Which uncleannesse the Saints are bidden not to touch I will dwell in them and walke in them Ver. 16. Ver. 17. Ver. 18. The Apostle speaketh to the same people useth the same Scripture-phrase in applying the precious promises And doth in no way exclude but include their posteritie For confirmation whereof see the practise of Peter in Act. 2.39 and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from amongst them and be yee separated sayth the Lord and touch not the uncleane thing And I will be a father unto you and yee shall be my sonnes and daughters sayth the Lord God Almightie Observe here how that this uncleannesse is directly opposed to the holinesse which those have who are in covenant with God who alwayes did put a difference between the holy and prophane between the infants of the world and the infants of the Church And so the Apostle speaking in the Scripture language calleth the children of Beleevers holy Else were your children uncleane saith he but now are they holy 1 Cor. 7.14 Else were your children bastards say you but now are they no bastards This you conceive is the meaning of that Scripture But you should minde that the Proselytes in the time of the Law and the beleeving parents in the time of the Gospel who were formerly unbeleevers Heb. 13.4 were not all bastards and legittimacie is not a thing peculiar to beleevers but unbeleevers may have it But when the Apostle speaketh of a holinesse which the children of beleevers have it is that which is peculiar unto the Saints of God and not common to Infidells who are without God in the world and not to be communicated with You should minde that the Apostle speaketh in the heavenly language of Canaan in the Scriptures ordinary phrase giving the beleevers infants such a stile which the holy Spirit of God hath given them according as it is plentifully manifested in the Scriptures of God and which he hath not given and granted unto unbeleevers infants There is no place of Scripture which declareth them to be holy Wherefore wee may conclude that there is a great deale of difference between the infants of beleevers and the infants of unbeleevers and that the uncleannesse of the one Rev. 22.11 1 Cor 6.14 is opposed to the holines of the other as darknesse is opposed unto light As Idolaters are sayd to be opposed to those that are seperated from them * Ver. 15 16 17 18. And so the Jewes seperated from Idolaters were all holy both young and old and Gods seperated peculiar people * Deut 29.10 14.1 2. The Lord was their God and they were his people and he dwelt in the middest of them * Levit. 26.11 12. and sanctified them unto himselfe * Exod. 31.13 Psal 135.4 and gave unto them his blessed Oracles * Rom. 3.2 and holy Ordinances yea and the Gentiles also who had like precious faith with the Jewes were then made partakers of the like precious priviledges with them which extended unto their infants * Exod. 12.48 as well as to the infants of the Jewes Therefore as the infants of the Jewes were holy so were the infants of the Proselytes or beleeâ—ing Gentiles And forasmuch as the distribution of Gods gifts under the Gospel are larger then they were under the Law the infants of beleevers now Ephe. 3.5 6. have the same spirituall priviledges as the infants of beleevers had thâ—n and have the same precious holinesse which is available to Bâ—ptisme and therefore we may conclude that when Christ came to die for their sinnes he came not to destroy their soulâ—s and so to râ—b them to pâ—yle them to make them spirituall bankâ—outs to take from them his righteouâ—ness and leave them to be clothed with their own righteousnes But surely wee may rather conclude that Christ as he was once himselfe an infant of a beleeving parâ—nt according to the flesh so he loveth the infants of beleevers Luk. 2.7.16 18.17 because they are Subjects of his kingdome And as he suffered for
them so he doth not onely come unto them but cast his garment of righteousnesse over them and dwell with them and abide in them Isa 22.21 and is a father unto them as he was to the Inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem Our God is a God of truth and therefore he will not deceive his pâ—ople nor break his Covenant which he hath made with them which Covenant is to his Saints thus I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed * Gen. 17.7 I will be their God ** Ver. 8. So sayth the Spirit of Truth who will not nor cannot lye Who for strengthening of his peoples faith and encreasing of their comfort that their hearts in loving him might be enlarged and their joy in delighting in him might be full he did command a visible signe and seale of the rigâ—tâ—ousnesse of faith to be imposed upon them and upon their seed whose Gâ—d he had testified himselfe to be Now those persons to whom God is a God they are blessed in a speciall manner * Psal 33.12 and he is a father unto them * Esa 9.6 and those persons to whom God is a God and a Father are seperated from Idolaters and are a holy * 1 Cor. 7.14 2 Cor. 6.17 peculiar people unto him directly opposed to those who are uncleane * Rev. 22.11.15 Isa 52.11 Rev. 21.7 8. and out of the Covenant But God is a God and a Father to the infants of beleeving parents now as he was formerly for his holy Covenant is sure and therefore such infants even the holy off spring and blessed issue of the blessed are all the sonnes daughters of God and are to be accounted amongst the number of seperated Saints in covenant with him for he hath promised to be a God and a father unto the beleeving Gentiles 2 Cor. 6.18 as he was unto the beleeving Jewes Gen. 17.7 Jer. 31.1 Concerning whom the Lord sayth Their children shall be as aforetime Jer. 30.20 Jer. 30.20 whose holinesse is directly opposed to the Idolatry of those Idolaters which the Lord commandeth his blessed Saints to sepâ—rate from and is quite contrary to this uncleannesse which unbeleevers and their infants have who though they are not bastards yet they are unholy because they are out of the Covenant and God is not their God nor father to hallow theÌ„ as he is to the holy children of beleeving Gentiles and as he was to the holy children of the Jewes in covenant with him Thus the Contents of your exposition being not right wee may justly conceive that all the Scripture which you bring to confirme it will be wrong in the application and your grounds false But let us heare further what you say A. R. Lin. 29. A. R. Lin. 30. And I will shew my ground by my thus opening the Text. The believing Corinthians both men and women married and single do joyne in a Letter to the Apostle for resolution of many of their doubts touching their severall conditions this appeares in the first verse and thence to the 12 and their doubts in this particular and which he answers in the five verses following seemes to be this in effect as if they should thus write we being borne anew and made the Sonnes and Daughters of God â—y Faith in Jesus Christ and being made holy by his spirit and taken into Communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ and his Saints in light from an estate of darkenesse and death from being Idolaters and Children of thâ— Devill have very uncomfortable cohabitation and felloship with our wives and husbands remaining still in their naturall and blind condition so farre different from the estate into which we are now brought Surely our holy God that bids us touch no uncleane thing doth not allow us thus to do And wee fâ—are least wee have done very ill in continuing thus so long for our Marriage wee cannot thinke but it was dissolved when wee first beleeved And wee ought then to have put away our wives as the Jewes diâ— their strange wives and unto this the Apostle begins his answer in the 12. verse thus And unto the rest to wit of your doubts speak I not the Lord If any Brother have a wife that beleeveth not if she be content to dwell with him let him not put her away And the woman that hath a husband that beleeveth not if he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him for the unbeleeving husband is sanctified to the wife and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified to the beleeving husband else were your Children uncleane but now they are holy As if the Apostle should have said to them thus you Corinthians do doubt of your coâ—abitation with your unbeleeving married yoke-mates of â—hicâ— tâ—â—re is no cauâ—e for to the pure all things are pure that is all lâ—â—â—ull 〈…〉 namely whatsoever is lawfull in nature or civill use is 〈…〉 to the beleever and yet even those things are impure to the impâ—â—e or uâ—belâ—â—ving for even their mindes and consciences are defiled Tit. 1.15 But to the Belâ—ever all things are pure that is as I have alreaâ—y said all lawfull things for things that are unlawfull in themselves câ—â—â—â—t be sanctified by â—â—e faith of a truâ— Bâ—leeâ—er no not to his use but mâ—â—t be lâ—fâ— and 〈◊〉 as siâ—full and wiâ—kâ—d which if your cohabitation werâ— such as you iâ— wâ—akâ—â—sse iudge then â—as nâ—t your marriage lawfull at the first then it is not lawfull nor sanctified to yâ—u now as you judge it is not and then are your children uncleane But if your marriage were at fiâ—st lawfull then your Cohabitations now with your â—oke-mates is likewise lawfull and then also sanctified to you now by your beleeving else were your children uncleane that is unlawfully begotten and Bastards but now are they holy that is Legitimate and no Bastards Ans Here hath been many words to little purpose as appeareth by your own Conclusion for the Tenour of all is that which you have affirmed before * Paâ— 9. lin 26 27. which is your Conclusion now * Pâ—â— 10 lin 31 32. As if the Apostle should say Else were your Children unlawfully begotten and bastards but now are they legitimate and no bastards A very poore collection or rather restriction of the Apostles words But that this restriction is in the Text wee must take it upon your bare word for you have brought no Scripture which any way cleareth this your Affirmation But it hath been proved before that the Apostle meaneth a religious holinesse a holinesse in relation to faith and to the holy Covenant of God in which Câ—venant bâ—lâ—evers their infants are now under the Gospel And this may further appeare unto you by these Considerations First That the Apostle in this place of Scripture speaketh not of all infants but onely of the infants of beleeving parents in Coâ—enant for he doth not say to unbeleevers that their children are holy neither
hath said as he liveth that he desireth not the deâ—th of a sinner neither shall the sonne die for the fathers iniquitie but every one shall beare his own iniquitie q Ezek. 18. Shall every one beare his owne iniquitie Then the iniquitie of the righteous parents that is remitted is not visibly imputed to any of their children in their infancie Therefore those infants are to be accounted righteous For the m râ—y of Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him and his righteousnes unto childrens children to such as keep his Covenant c. Psal 103.17 18. For to say that the sinne of the parent that is remitted is imputed to his childe that never sinned actually is an arguing that the sonne shall die for the father yea and for the sinnes of the righteous father A flat contradiction both of the Scripture and Reason it selfe But it may be some will say that the best beleevers on earth doe sin daily yea and that in their best actions Shall all these sinnes be remitted and not be imputed considering that sinne is daily committed by them Ans If they sinne they have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Chrâ—st the righteous r 1 Ioh. 2.1 2. and through him the beleeving parents who die dâ—iâ—y unto sâ—nne have their sinnes so quelled and crushed that there is no power in the same whereby to condemne them for as the Brazen Serpent was lifted up in the Wildernes so is Jâ—sus Christ lifted up for them Å¿ Ioh. 3.14 15. so that the fiery Messengers of Sathan though they sting them yet cannot destroy their soules and this being remitted to the parâ—nts to all beleevers shall not be imputed to them because still upon the renewing of sinne they renew their repentance and so doe cut the cords of sinne by godly sorrow t 2 Cor 7.10 11. But a wicked person that is not penitent hath the iniquities of his fathers imputed unto him and his mothers sinne is not blotted out all this is remembred with the Lord continually u Psal 109 14 15. and laid upon the sinner that is not justified by Jesus Christ But the infants of beleevers as hath been observed before are from under the guilt of originall sinne their parents sinne is not imputed unto them but both the originall sinne and actuall sinne is fully remitted and the infants cannot be taxed with actuall sinne they are cleare they never acted sinne Wherefore by all this it appeareth that the Lord spake not in vaine when he bid the parents choose life that both they and their seed might live for though God visiteth the iniquities of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those that â—â—te him yet he sheweth mercy to thousands of those that love him and keep his Commandements * Exod. 20.5 6 Seeing then it is so apparent that the infants of beleevers are freely justified and saved by Jâ—sus Christ through his righteousnesse they are under this promise mentioned by Peter Act. 2.39 And therefore are to have Baptisme the seale of the same promise administred upon them And this conclusion is agreeable to your own position * A. R. second part pag. 6. lin 37 38 39. which is that that which availeth to justification doth according to the rule availe to Baptisme c. Whereas you further say * Pag. 2. lin â—0 that by children are meant sonnes and daughters which should prophecie This I denie not But that it is onely meant of them I doe deny for all are not Prophets x 1 Cor. 12.29 Jeremia was not a Prophet till God called him And though he was not set about the work till he was capable to understand and apprehend y Ier. 1.6.10 11 12 17 18. yet he was sanctified in the wombe and therefore the promise appertained unto him then before he could prophecie even so the promise is really made to the infants of the faithfull though they can neither prophecie nor speake with tongues Wherefore it appeareth by what hath been said in answer unto you that your argument is quite overthrowne and the drift thereof hath no weight in it to edifie the soule nor any strength to prove what you undertooke * Pag. 2. lin 21. namely that by children no infants are meant in this place of Acts 2.39 And although it be said that the promise is to their children yet you deny that the Text speaketh of their children in Covenant * Line 41. by saying that this objection that these children were in Covenant hath no colour of footing in the Text for proofe whereof you bring your own former speeches * Line 42. and adde for further demonstration saying * Pag. 3. lin 1.2 3 4 5. that first the promise is made equally to them and to their children and to them that are afar off But these which are afar off are not within the Covenant by the promise untill they beleeve the same To which I answer that if it be not meant of their children in Covenant then is it meant of their children out of Covenant But you should know that those who are out of Covenant are not within the promise of life and salvation None have right unto the tree of Life but those that are in Covenant with God z Rev. 21.7 8. 22.14 15. and those that abide not in Christ they have no part in him or his * Ioh. 15.6 But the infants of beleevers are in Christ and in the promise and God is faithfull a 1 Thes 5.24 and therefore will not breake his promise with those whom he hath effectually called to the fellowship of his Sonne Jesus Christ And it appeareth by the Apostle Peters words that these children mentioned in Act. 2.39 were such whom in visibilitie the Lord had so called in Christ Jesus for the Apostle speaketh of them in the time present The promise is to you sayth he and to your children but when he speaketh of those afar off he hath relation wholly to the future time saying and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call And so by this he shewed that God would be a God unto all those whom he so calleth Now this calling I doe not understand to be a bare publication of the Gospel or generall invitation which appertaineth unto all b Mar. 15.15 2 Tim. 1.9 but such a calling which is appropriated unto those whom the Lord accepteth in the Covenant of the Gospel and fellowship with his Sonne Jesus Christ That the infants of beleevers have fellowship with Jesus Christ is evident Suffer them sayth Christ to come unto mee and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of heaven c Luk. 18.15 16 17. Seeing then that they are declared to be in Jesus Christ who is made a d Isa 42 6 7. Covenant to the people they are not out of
Psal 103.5 Next you rehearse a question What holinesse it here meant to the Children To which you answer That it is not that holinesse that accompanieth faith and such holinesse onely is available to the admittance into the state of the Gospel and to have right to Baptisme To which I answer that it is to be taken for that holinesse that accompanieth faith and therefore it is available to admit them into the state of the Gospel and giveth them visible right to Baptisme and this may appeare unto you from the Apostles testimony which declareth that if one of the parents be a beleever the children are holy different from those uncleane children whose parents are neither holy nor sanctified to the holy to produce a holy seed and therefore I conclude that we are to account the Infants of beleevers to have that holines upon them which accompanieth faith and giveth them visible right to Baptisme they are to be judged to be of the number of Gods elect as really as those are to be judged who professe faith and manifest obedience in their owne persons And it is further to be minded that visible Saints who make a verball profession and walke holily in outward appearance though we cannot infallibly tell whether they have faith or no they are to be baptized And we are not to dreame that wee can discerne internally in men seeing God only knoweth the heart and no man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him yet where we see a holy verball profession and a life and conversation annexed thereunto and correspondent therewith outwardly though the inward qualifications be not according to the requiring of the Word yet wee are to judge them to have that internall true holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord and also that the Lord hath admitted them into the fellowship of his Son Jesus and into the state of his Gospel and that they are as lively precious stones as living fruitfull plants and therefore are to be accounted to have as much right to Baptisme as he that manifesteth more holinesse So it is said of Simon magus Acts 8.13 that he also beleeved and was baptized and yet afterwards when he manifested evill fruits Peter said unto him * Ver. 21.22.23 Note though Simon Magus was in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie yet he was sayd before to beleeve and was baptized And now since Peter biddeth him repent c. Which doth plainly shew that Peter knew not then but that he might be saved Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thine heart is not right in the sight of God Repent c. for I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie And therefore we are to baptize those whom we are to judg to have holines internally though in Gods sight they have it not That is to say Those that have holinesse outwardly are to be admitted into the outward visible state and are to have the outward Baptisme they being to be judged to have the inward graces as the holy children of beleevers have in visibilitie and so are to be esteemed in the judgement of charitie which thinketh no evill But what is the reason why you thinke that the holinesse ascribed by the Apostle to the children of beleevers is not that holines that accompanieth faith Is it because they cannot work Is it so indeed I tell you that the Scripture teacheth us that those that are of the faith though they cannot work the same are the children of Abraham a Gal. 3.7 and that the children of the promise are counted for the seed b Gal. 4.28 and that Isack was a childe of promise in his infancie c Ver. 28 29 30 31. And that faith and works are different things d Rom. 4.2.4 And therefore though the holy children of beleevers cannot work yet the Lord imputeth righteousnesse unto them e Psal 32.1 2. Rom. 4.6 Gen. 17.11 Rom. 4.11 without works And yet we are to minde f Phil. 2.12 that the Lord would not have his people to cease from working and to be idle so long as they are able to worke But when they have neither will skill nor abilitie as many a visible Saint that is in years may want and yet be no Covenant-breaker then the Lord accepteth of them and imputeth his righteousnesse unto them as if they had done all the holy workes which ever were done in the world by any who were imputed righteous God is a wise God and knoweth that his Saints can doe nothing without him nor act further then they have capabilitie therefore in his mercie he exacteth no more Good in his wisdome knew that the Infants of beleevers were capable of passive Ordinances and therefore he instituted the same to be imposed upon them and administred unto them But as for active ordinances which they could not performe nor had naturall capabilitie to doe God did not require it at their hands no more then he did require the Proselytes females to be circumcised who as you say were implyed in the males And this doth in no way eclipse the Glorie of Christs mediatorship but advanceth the free Grace of God and the righteousnesse of Christ far above all the works in the world But to affirme that the infants of beleevers have not the true holines which accompanieth faith is in a manner to darken the Glorious Sunne of Righteousnesse and the light of his Gospel with a meritorious smoake of corrupt doctrine arising out of the bottomlesse pit of sorie mans deceiptfull heart But let us heare what you say further for confirmation of your affirmation True it is that in the time of the Law and state of the Jewes A. R. Pag. 6. lin 5. and old Covenant there were some fiderally and outwardly holy and outwardly uncleane and then all men yea all things in the world were distinguished by this kinde of holinesse So the uncircumcised were then unholy and they of the Circumcision holy and might not accompanie with the other Act. 11.3 And accordingly had they their outward washings and purifications for these their outward pollutions all which were but typicall things and all these and such like distinctions are now abolished with that State and quite taken away out of the world by the comming of Christ and this is evident by Peters vision Act. 10.11 c. expounded by himselfe in the 28. verse where he sayth That God had shewed him that he should not call any man polluted or uncleane Whence it is cleare that now all men in the world are as cleane as the Circumcised and those as polluted in the Gospel-sense as any other for now all are as one and alike in Christ Jesus as may appeare by these Texts Rom. 10.11 Col. 3.11 Gal. 3.28 5.6 And as none then without this legall and outward holinesse ought to