Of E!eilion. w I _add but this as the Conclufion of all._ Obferve ho~ for the declaring end BoOK V. publt!htng thts ermnent Pnvrledge of !lehevers, and therr Children, the Holy ~ Ghofi warcheth the mofi lull; lie, and advantageous occafion, to make the moll of it 1 and fet it off, that could be taken: that not only when two Believersar6 joyned,but even then when an Unbeliever with a Believer, does this Privdcdge hold good; fo aboundrng rs the Grace of God, and fo prevailiog ngainfi his Curfe. This meaning will yet further be cfiabli!hed, by the tak'ng away aoc;l con– futing thofe fa! le Interpretations that have been put upon thefe words; which is the third Head to be fpoken to, 1 • Many of our own Orthodox Divines have thought the Apofiles Scope in this his R.efolution of the Cafe, to be, to !hew, That the marriage oftwo fuch continues law!ul by the Word, and fo that their conjugal communion is fan– dified, that is, lawful too, and their Children legitimate, not a Spurious Ba– fiardy, or V11cletm Ilfue: And that this is all that is meant by thole Expreili– ons, The Hw6mtd M ja11[fijied i11 the Wife, that it is a lawJul Marriage; aud the Childrm are holy, that is, Legitimate, not Bafiards or Unclean: And fo thefe Expreilions to be but an Allufion to that which in the Ceremonial Law was faid of fuch, viz. to exprefs the like, yea this very difference to be holdm now under the Gofpel between Bafiard• andChildren tobe efieemed legitimate that was then put between Bafe-begotten, and the rea of the Jews Children: 'Deut. "~· 2. ABaflardwas then forbcdden to enter into the Congregation even unto the tenth Generation ; and to be prohibited their Temple-commu~ nion, and to be reckoned U1Jciet111, were both for the thing it fdf, and alfo in phrafe of Speech with th€m, all one. And thefe Divines would have the ho– ti11efs of Children here, to be put to exprefs their legitimation ; and the oppo– fite unto it here, namely,V11clemmejs, to be put for Bafiardy. Now as touching this Interpretation, I !hall endeavour, 1. To confute it, and !hew that this was not the main Scope of the Apofile. 2. Remove that Appearance which feems to make for it. J. Yield how far the fenfe may be taken in; For the firft; That the Apofile's Scope lbould be by Holinefs to mean more than Legitimation, and more than Baltardy by Uncleannefs, " He kad otherwife attributed no more Priviledge to a Believer here, in his Marriage and Children, than to an Unbeliever; whereas, (as bath been abunda:1tly !hewn) a different Priviledge of Believers is herefor their comfort held forth , and not orlly a bare lawfulnefs granted them in their Marriage, which is common to others. A d1fferent Priviledge they have in the ufe of Mar– riage, and in their Ilfue by Marriag~. In the ufe ofMarriage_; it is fancftjied in, and by them: which of Unbclrevers (though therr Marnage be lawful) cannot be faid, their Perfons being defiled. In fpeaking likewife of the Ilfue of Marriage, Children, he mufi needs mean more than limply their being law– fully begotten, (which Unbelievers Children are) and not Bafiards: Aod this as a peculiar Privcledge of their Children,is exprelfed (as fome have obferved) in this word [yotJr] yours who are Behevers. And fecondly, By attributing this as a Priviledge to a Believer, he improves the Cafe; not to fettle their Confciences only, that both that Ad and Chil– dren begotten were legitimate; but further to comfort them , Ther are fa11fl,fied, and holy. Yea, and to anfwer the uttermofi Ground of their Scru– ple , whicln was about their Childrens Unclean~efs, in refped to their Efiates and the Ordinances; lince the ground o! rt was from that of the ftrange Children among the Jews, who were put forth from the Con– gregation as an unclean Seed. Thirdly,
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