462 n Expof tion upon teachers, and to the poor in his name : I for thecquity of the Law is perpetual!, although the ceremony be ceafed. Se- condly, from hence we learn that the covenant graces of the parents, be- long to fuch children as are born of them. T i M. But hew may this :óe, fire the Patriarchs were holy, but marry of the Josses were rebellious ? and experience teacheth, that of the bell. parents come the worfe children ? In ore people force be called only, foome be elefi and bile versalfo? S r L. It is true, that the perfonall and inherent holineffe of the Parents (to wit)the godly habit of their minds, as faith and hope, do not paffe from the parents into the children, as ifvertuous and beleeving parents fhould alwaies bring forth fuch children ; for thefe qualities come not by generation, but by regeneration. Howbeit many out- ward priviledges and qualities do de- fcend from Fathers to children, as free- men beget free -men, Jewes beget Jewes, Chriftians, Chrifians, by the blearing of the covenant which is made both to parents and their children. T I M. éuf if we be all conceived in fin, how doth the holy root make the branches holy? S t L. The Jewes are fpoken of as they conic from Abraham, and not as they carne from God : howfoever natu- rall corruption be contradi&ory to the grace of regeneration, which doth qua - lifie and take it away, yet it may well agree and fland with the grace of the covenant. For as one may be born le- prous, and yet be a free man, when the i Parents be fuch ; fo one may be born a finner by Adam, and yet be born a Chriftlan and a member of the vifible Church too, becaufe he and his parents be within the covenant of grace; which covenant though it bring with it, for - giveneffe of that fin which we draw from our firfl Father Adam, yet when it ¡hall have force we are ignorant. And Scripture doth not teach us whether originali fin is forgiven to the infant in the womb, or at birth, or prefently after, or at Baptifine, orafterward ;for `tt is not given to all men at one time, Chap'. ' as they teach which tye grace and tor- giveneffie unto the Sacraments. But for that Infants belong to the covenant of mercy and forgivcneffe, we do verily beleeve that they are holy,. and (hall be pardoned ; fomany are ele &ed,howfo- ever they conic finuers from Adam. T r M. If only fach branches le holy as come from an holy root,whatie this unto us Gentiles,which are no branches of this root ? Sr L. The Gentiles be branches graffed in, though not naturall;there- fore the blef frig and virtue of the cove - nant reacheth unto us, though not by hereditary right,yet by free infition & planting in; which made the Apoftle fay of the Corinthians, that their chil- dren were holy, becaufe themfèlves were holy : holy by a covenant -hcli- neffe, fo as to be reckoned Gods peer - ple,and to have the Peal. T I M. Whit profit are we to make of ibis Dct#rine to our felver ? S i L. Firfi, it teacheth us what a great worthinefle it is to defcend from Chriflian parents, becaufe to Inch, all the prerogativesofthe covenant, all the immunities & priviledges of the Church belong unto them : even as the children of the Jewes had right by Gods cove- nant unto circumcilion and other facra- ments, to the facrifices and promifes. Likewife now fuch as be born of Chri- ftian parents, have title to Baptifine,the Lords Supper,to the word of Law and Gofpell,and all other priviledges ofthe Church; which isa favour wherein in no wife do partake either Turks, Pa- gans, or Jewes,as they fand at this pre- Pent. And in this confidence it is that we offer our children to be baptized, being branches of an holy root, by bleffing of the covenant. Secondly, this ferves.to confute the Anabaptifis, which deny unto Chriftian children the benefit ofbaptifine, as if our condition were worfe under the New Teftament, then the Jewes under the Old, or as though the fign mute be holden from them,to whom the covenant it felf ap- pertains. Thirdly, it affords matter of great comfort unto all fuch Chriftians as at any time fhalI be aflli&ed in minde for
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