314 The Birth- Priviledge and Covenant-holineffe fe Ch, 39 he will have it to be from a future contingent ; but when this is no medium for proof of the Apoftles determination, as hath been e fufficiently ( hewen it is not, this fats with the other. Two arguments of his againft inftrumental fanaification I null take notice of, which feeme to have fome other bottome one is hinted in his Antipxdobapt., pag. 153, for indeed it is not hand- Comely framed; That the all of producing an holy feed is not from any fJiecial defagnation of God, and therefore cannot be meant of in- flrumental fan£li fication,feeing an infírument mull be the i Ftrument of the principal agent which can be no other then God ; I am fore they bring forth children unto God, Ezek. 16. 20. and this they do not independently of themfelves, fo Chrift would not have warned, Matth.23.ro.Call no man father upon earth, for one ie your bather which is in heaven. All natural parents are inftruments of God to produce a feed to people the world, according to that blefling.of Gen. 1.28, Gen. g._ r. Be fruitful and multiply, and re- plenifb the earth; All beleeving parents are inftruments of God for an holy feed, it being of his free grace that the promife is to them . and their feed. The fecond argument he hath in his Apology, pag, I23, where he faies that the Apoftles Propofition underftood of federal holi- neffe were -molt certaily falle , giving in his reafon for many a childe of both unbeleeving parents are federallly holy; he faith that I anfwer, they are no fo at their birth. My anfwer is, If after- wards by grace they are changed, this is no fruit of their birth (of which the queftion is in this place) but the work of the Gofpel through grace, Matter Tombes faies, This is nothing to the purpofe, Pith the Propofition bath not thofe words in it, nor the Apojile; the eilpoflles reafon fuppofeth it canna be at any time; It feemes then that the Apoftles Propofition hath this in it, that their children fo borne, cannot be cleane at any time, or elfe Matter Tombes his exception is leffe to purpofe, who does not fee that the Apoftle fpeaks of uncleannelfe or holineffe as a produft of their birth ? without confìderatiop of any thing which after by providence (through the omnipotence and free grace of God) might happen, as a meane woman given in marriage to a Senatour_ or Peere, the is ennobled bygher husbands, otherwife her iffue were plebeians, yet fo as they are capable of honour by the Princes munificence, or their own merit; It feemes that. Propofition of Chrifs, That which 1
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