730 Chap. 2x. Expofition upon the _Eaoi¿ of Jos. Verí: 19. Thuswemay anrcer that Scripture, The Son jhallxat ktre the iniquitycf the Father, unleff_ iie doth it. 'Tis chi ldrens imi- tation o their fathers inignity, which brings the iniquity of their fathers upon them. We may fay ofTome children, that . they are of their fathers, not only naturally, but morally, they carry the moral l hkenefíe oftheir Fathers more then the naturall, and appeare not only in their bodily image, but in their foule - image too, together with the image of their aai- ons or coui fe o f life. Childrens imitation of their parents in life, is the image oftheir parents ar ions, as the corruption oftheir nature is the image oftheir naturali condition. So that while they imitate their parents fin, they. are their children formally.as well as lineally. And thus one oldie Ancients fpeaks excellentlyof that fatherhood or paternitie, ,which the Devil' bath its relation towicked men. (ycb.8.44.) rearecf Ira: efi lusd-im f ather the Devil ; The Devil beares the relation of a fa- partrnatau: ra- ther to all wicked men, and this fatherhood doth not proceed pain ncn tam Fates ip from the ac`s of the Father, but ofthe children : for the Devi! ronf3iuit gtga., clothnot make wicked men his children by begetting them,but ß'35 enim wicked men make the Devil--their father by imitating him iGrnn irritirdo here is the wayof that paternity. Now asall wicked men have pane" G'z the Devil for their father, not as being begotten ofhim, but tai i not g ando'hot. as imitating him : fo fome children maycall men their father, Auguft in not only becaufe they have begotten them, but alto becaufe Pal. G `., they imitate them : and when they doe fo, they muff look to fufferfor the fins of their fathers as well as they take delight and plea lure in their fns. For as we maygrant that Tome chil- dren fufferfnoutward things for their parents fins, who doenot imitate them, fo we mutt conclude, that they who doe imitate their fins (ball Purely fuffer. And therefore parents are hence admonifbed to take heed ? offinning againft God, leaft they be found unmerciful', unna- tural!, and hard -hearted to their children. VtTícked parents doe what they can to make their children miferable, even while they are proje&ing to make them great and happy° de. They intend toraife them, yet the way they take to doe ir,.. itlía ex ji;iit proves their ruine and undoing.. Tertullian (a learnedwriter) ex;gebatásri!ia treating of this poynr, fuppofeth that God aimed at this in pcolitáláa re- giving the Lawn when he,threatne.d to puni(II the,iniquity of the::
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