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THE OLD DOCTRINE.
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guilty of any actual sin of their persons." Once more—"Every man that is damned, is damned for original, as well as actual sins, and many thousand infants only for original."[1]
Sir Edward Leigh, another distinguished member of the Assembly, and the learned author of Critica Sacra, writes thus:
"Arminians say, That there is neither election nor reprobation of infants, and that no infants can be condemned for original sin.
"Jacob was in a state of election in his mother's womb, Romans ix. 11. All men in the council of God are either elect or reprobate. But Infants are men, or part of mankind therefore they are either elect or reprobate,
"1. Infants are saved, therefore there is some election of infants, for salvation is a fruit of election, and proper to the elect, Romans xi. 7. There is a manifest difference among Infants, between those that are born in and out[2] of the Church. Children of unbelievers are unclean, and aliens from Christ and the Covenant of promise, Ephesians ii. 11, 12.
"2. That opinion, that no Infants are condemned for original sin, seems to be contrary to that place, Ephesians ii. 3.[3]- ↑ The Riches of God's Love unto the Vessels of Mercy, consistent with his Absolute Hatred or Reprobation of the Vessels of Wrath, &c., fol. Ed. 1658, pp. 39, 135, 136. Book II. pp. 149, 186.
- ↑ "The Apostle, 1 Cor. v. 12, forbids us to judge of them who are without. Wherefore we leave these infants to the free judgment of God; we dare not promise salvation to any one remaining without the covenant of Christ.—Molinaeus."—Leigh's marginal note.
- ↑ "The Arminians say that no one is damned for original sin: that is, the children of Turks, Saracens, Gentiles, who have died in infancy, enter the kingdom of heaven, and consequently are in a better condition
