How to live, and that well in all estates and times, specially when helps…How to liue, and that well in all estates and times, specially when helps…

& thus they bring forth infants that are not so much their children as the children of God. And Infants are Gods children not by virtue of their birth, but by means of parents faith, which entitles them to all the blessings of the covenant. Children proportionally sustain a double person: If they be considered in and by them selves, they are conceived and borne in Original sin. If they be considered as they are holy and believe by the faith which is both theirs and their parents faith, and consequently have by this means title to Christ and his benefits; ⟨p. 93⟩original sin is covered, and remitted. If it be said, that by this means all children of believing parents are the children of God; I answer, that we must presume that they are all so; leaving secret judgements to God. To this third opinion I most incline: because we are to judge, that infants of believing parents in their infancy dying are justified, & I find no justification in Scripture without faith. And this hath been the judgement of ancient fathers. Aug. serm. 14. of the words of the Apostle. How (saith he) do infants believe? by the faith of the parents. If by the faith of parents they be purged, by parents sin they are polluted. The body of ⟨p. 94⟩sin in the first parents begot them sinners: and the spirit of life in their latter parents did regenerate them to be believers. Bernard, epist. 77. saith, Among the nations as many as were faithful, if they were of years, we believe that they were cleansed by faith and the sacrifices, and that the parents faith alone availeth for children, yea that it is sufficient for them. Again, It is meet and for the honour of God, that to whom age denies their own faith, ¹grace should grant to them a benefit by the faith of an other.

& thus they bring forth infants that are not so much their children as the children of God. And Infants are Gods children not by vertue of their birth, but by meanes of parents faith, which intitles them to all the blessings of the couenant. Children proportionally sustain a double person: If they be considered in and by thē selues, they are conceiued and borne in Originall sinne. If they be considered as they are holy and beleeue by the faith which is both theirs and their parents faith, and consequently haue by this means title to Christ and his benefits;