Answ. You do mistake the Text; it is, As new Borns desire the sincere Milk, &c. it is the Milk, and the Babe; it is not as new born Babes, lay aside Malice, &c. If Infants have no malice, guile, &c. in semine, how should they lay aside what they have not? You will make Infants guilty by your Interpretation.
For the 1 Cor. 14.20. in wickedness 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, be ye Children: What do the Apostle mean, he would have them as Children, in your sence, with∣out the Seeds of Corruption, Unbelief, Impenitency, and so cross him∣self in the 7 Rom. and 2 Ephes. 3. and cross the Apostle John, 1 Joh. 1.8. cross to David, 51 Psal. 5. and to our Lord, 3 Joh. 6. nor is our Lord cross to himself, in that 18 Mat. 3. I resolved for brevity, else I would have spoken to these Texts more.
But what before I spake of the Thorn, I may apply it to this: Tho' the Thorn will prick, and shew itself at first, yet it is not so bad then, and apt to hurt, as it will do two years after, when it runs into a Man's flesh. So the sins of these little ones, tho' cross to the holiness of the Law, yet they have not that degree of evil and guilt, with the same acts in adult Persons.
I said Mr. Grantham is very unsound, or he must contradict him∣self: How to reconcile his former sayings, with what he writes page 13. I know not. If this be your sence, Children polluted by Ori∣ginal Sin, so under Condemnation, before they can come to Heaven, must be cleansed from these pollutions. I agree [then you are on my side, a∣ginst your own Sect, whom yet you justifie.]
But the question is, Whether they cannot be cleansed from Sin, with∣out they have Faith and Repentance?
You mistake Mr. Grantham, the question was, Whether God Re∣generates any Infants? which your Sect denied.
It was your Disciple that told me, That Faith and Repentance are the two parts of Regeneration. From his telling me thus, I ar∣gued.
They that are Regenerated, have Faith and Repentance [they that have the whole, have the parts] this is his Doctrine.
But all Infants saved, are Regenerated, say I, from Christ's words, 3 Joh. 3.5.
Therefore, all Children saved have Faith and Repentance [i. e. seminally].
To this you answer for him:
He that granted this, extends it only to the Adult, of whom these are required. So that this is but a meer Caption, unbecoming a grave Disputant.
It seems he wanted your Wit to express himself plainly. But as for you who thus help him, according to your Doctrine then, there are two Regenerations; one for Infants, another for Men when their