The grounds and ends of the baptism of the children of the faithful. Opened…The grounds and ends of the baptisme of the children of the faithfull. Opened…

This kind of holiness which you speak of,¹ resting in the children by being begotten and borne in that lawful and honourable way of marriage, hath been refuted above. The Scripture acknowledgeth no such holiness, as proceedeth from lawful and honourable marriage. If there were such an holiness, the children of married infidels were holy as well, as the children of Christians. But the Apostle here speaketh of such an holiness, as would not be found in children, unless one of the Parents at least were a believer; to speak of holiness since the fall in children, whereof they are subjects by nature, is strange language in Christian ears; you might as well speak of profaneness of grace, as of holiness by nature. The holy Ghost is the proper subject of holiness: and the proper cause of all holiness in the creature: so that nothing ought to be called holy, but what he either maketh, or calleth holy. But it will never be found, that the holy Ghost ever imparted either the nature or name of holiness to any, because they were begotten in lawful marriage, and not in whoredom. Besides if this were the meaning of the Apostle, to prove that believers might lawfully keep their unbelieving yoke-fellows, because the children which they had by them were begotten in lawful marriage, the Apostle had not thereby cleared nor removed the scruple of the Corinthians, but rather aggravated it. For they might as justly doubt of their lawful cohabitation with their children, as with their infidel wives. The same grounds which puts them to scruple the one, did as justly move them to scruple the other: so that to expound the Apostle this way, doth not clear the scruple but rather double is.

This kinde of holinesse which you speake of,¹ resting in the children by being begotten and borne in that lawfull and honourable way of marriage, hath beene refuted above. The Scripture acknowledgeth no such holinesse, as proceedeth from lawfull and honourable marriage. If there were such an holnesse, the children of married infidels were holy as well, as the children of Christians. But the Apostle here speaketh of such an holinesse, as would not bee found in children, unlesse one of the Parents at least were a beleever; to speake of holinesse since the fall in children, whereof they are subjects by nature, is strange language in Christian eares; you might as well speak of prophanenes of grace, as of holinesse by nature. The holy Ghost is the proper subject of holinesse: and the proper cause of all holinesse in the creature: so that nothing ought to bee called holy, but what hee either maketh, or calleth holy. But it will never bee found, that the holy Ghost ever imparted either the nature or name of holinesse to any, because they were begotten in lawfull marriage, and not in whoredome. Besides if this were the meaning of the Apostle, to prove that beleevers might lawfully keepe their unbeleeving yoak-fellowes, because the children which they had by them were begotten in lawfull marriage, the Apostle had not thereby cleared nor removed the scruple of the Corinthians, but rather aggravated it. For they might as justly doubt of their lawfull cohabitation with their children, as with their infidell wives. The same grounds which puts them to scruple the one, did as justly move them to scruple the other: so that to expound the Apostle this way, doth not cleare the scruple but rather double is.