Answer, Should it be affirmed that the inherent Sanctification of the parent is imputed to the Child that were a dangerous Assertion, and were in effect to make the Parent the Child's Christ, but if the meaning of the Objection be, only that the Parents profession and act of confederation, is so imputed to his Child as that he is there by reputed a Professor and Confederator, this is true but it toucheth not the Question; For Confutation then, we affirm, that the Holiness of Infants is real. Federal Holiness is real, but the Holiness of Infants is federal, 1 Cor. 7. 14. Deut. 29. 13. Besides, it is a marvellous mistake to think that persons Adult, or that Infants are said to be holy, only upon account of ⟨p. 64⟩Inherent or qualitati•• Holiness, for the Scripture acknowledgeth foederai Holiness. Thus the body of the Israelitish Nation was Holy. As to, Inherent Holiness or saving Sanctification, the greatest part of them were strangers to it, but they were all federally Holy, Deut. 7. 6. & 14. 2. & 26. 18, 19. Ezra. 9. 2. Dan. 8. 24. & 12. 7. therefore also the Covenant is called the Holy Covenant, Dan. 11. 28, 30. Luk. 2. 23. Because they that are within the Covenant are an Holy People, See Mr. Hooker of the Covenant, pag. 41. 1The Scripture speaketh of an Holiness which is transmitted from Father to Child, Rom. 11. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 14. which cannot be said of Inherent Holiness. Again, if the Child have a Membership of his own really distinct from the Parents Membership, this notion of a mere imputed Holiness, vanisheth, Bat so it is, as appears because the Membership of the Child may continue when the Membership of the Parent is utterly ceased, namely after the Parent is dead; the weight of this Argument hath so pressed the beloved Brother who layeth the stress of his cause upon this Notion or Imputation, as that he hath seriously made a Question of it, Whether Men do not remain Members of the visible Church after they are Dead? But can any man in good earnest think, that an Hypocrite when he is dead and gone to his own place is still a member of Gods Church? yet his Infant Child is so, therefore the membership of the Child doth exist after from the membership of the Parent is extinct, therefore it is really distinct from the Parents membership, therefore the Child hath a real, and not only an Imputed holiness appertaining to him.
Answer, Should it be affirmed that the inherent Sanctification of the parent is imputed to the Childe that were a dangerous Assertion, and were in effect to make the Parent the Childs Christ, but if the meaning of the Objection be, only that the Parents profession and act of confederation, is so imputed to his Childe as that he is there by reputed a Professour and Confederator, this is true but it toucheth not the Question; For Confutation then, we affirm, that the Holiness of Infants is real. Foederal Holiness is real, but the Holiness of Infants is foederal, 1 Cor. 7. 14. Deut. 29. 13. Besides, it is a marvellous mistake to think that persons Adult, or that Infants are said to be holy, only upon account of ⟨p. 64⟩Inherent or qualitati•• Holiness, for the Scripture acknowledgeth foederai Holiness. Thus the body of the Israelitish Nation was Holy. As to, Inherent Holiness or saving Sanctification, the greatest part of them were strangers to it, but they were all foederally Holy, Deut. 7. 6. & 14. 2. & 26. 18, 19. Ezra. 9. 2. Dan. 8. 24. & 12. 7. therefore also the Covenant is called the Holy Covenant, Dan. 11. 28, 30. Luk. 2. 23. Because they that are within the Covenant are an Holy People, See Mr. Hooker of the Covenant, pag. 41. 1The Scripture speaketh of an Holiness which is transmitted from Father to Childe, Rom. 11. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 14. which cannot be said of Inherent Holiness. Again, if the Childe have a Membership of his own really distinct from the Parents Membership, this notion of a meer imputed Holiness, vanisheth, Bat so it is, as appears because the Membership of the Childe may continue when the Membership of the Parent is utterly ceased, namely after the Parent is dead; the weight of this Argument hath so pressed the beloved Brother who layeth the stress of his cause upon this Notion or Imputation, as that he hath seriously made a Question of it, Whether Men do not remain Members of the visible Church after they are Dead? But can any man in good earnest think, that an Hypocrite when he is dead and gone to his own place is still a member of Gods Church? yet his Infant Child is so, therefore the membership of the Child doth exist after from the membership of the Parent is extinct, therefore it is really distinct from the Parents membership, therefore the Child hath a real, and not only an Imputed holiness appertaining to him.
- 1See •rake p. 7•.
