A39697:213
Vindiciæ legis & fœderis
Vindiciæ legis & fœderis: or, A reply to Mr. Philip Cary's Solemn call Wherein he pretends to answer all the arguments of Mr. Allen, Mr. Baxter, Mr. Sydenham, Mr. Sedgwick, Mr. Roberts, and Dr. Burthogge, for the right of believers infants to baptism, by proving the law at Sinai, and the covenant of circumcision with Abraham, were the very same with Adam's covenant of works, and that because the gospel-covenant is absolute. By John Flavel minister of the gospel in Dartmouth
London: printed for M. Wolton, 1690
A REPLY TO Mr. Philip Cary's Solemn Call. › Section 3 › Argument 5: Argument V.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Reply. If this be true, and the genuine Sense of this Text, then all the Children in the World, not immediately descended from one or both believing Parents, must of necessity be all Bastards, and their Parents, how solemnly soever married, ⟨p. 91⟩must live in uncleanness; and what mad Work (think you) will this Assertion make in the World? And how many Millions of Persons will it nearly touch, both in point of Honour, and Inheritance?
(2.) You say, Though the Holiness here spoken of should be allowed to be a Federal or Covenant Holiness, yet for want of an express Institution, it will not warrant our Practice.
(2.) You say, Though the Holiness here spoken of should be allow'd to be a Federal or Covenant Holiness, yet for want of an express Institution, it will not warrant our Practice.
Reply. The Holiness of the Children being granted to be a Covenant Holiness, none can deny them to be within the Covenant; how else come they to be holy by Covenant? and if within the Covenant, who can deny them the Initiating Sign, which is Baptism? Or how shall they ordinarily be visibly admitted into the Visible Church without it? The Connection betwixt their Federal Holiness and right to Baptism, will appear plain enough from Acts 2. 38. which you come next to speak to.