Page:Short illustration of the commission given by Jesus Christ to his apostles.pdf/11

 general, but the promise of the Spirit in particular, which he had before cited from Joel ii. 28—32, and which includes the extraordinary gifts which were peculiar to the first age of the gospel. This promise began to be accomplished on the day of Pentecost, as the Apostle shows, verse 16, 33, and was made in the first place to the Jews and their children. The to whom this promise is made must of necessity be the very same that are mentioned in the promise itself, and who are there termed "your sons and your daughters;" and therefore cannot signify infant children, for they are such as should  upon receiving the Spirit, as we see was actually the case.

The Apostle says, "For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean, but now are they holy." The argument from this is, That as the children even of one believing parent are holy, as being in covenant with God; therefore they ought to have the seal of that covenant in baptism.