More proofs of infants church-membership and consequently their right to baptism, or, A second…

Reply. 1. That it is not only of temporal mercies, the words [Love and Hate] as the qualification of the Parents, seem to prove; and the joining the children to the Parents in the retribution: And all the terms seem above such a sense: It is the revenge of a jealous God on Idolaters, and mercy to his Lovers that is spoken of: ⟨p. 136⟩And the joining this Command to the first which settleth our relation to God, with the Laws annexed in Deut. for the cutting off whole Cities (Parents and Children) that turn from God to Idols, showeth that it reached to Church-Communion and Life.

Reply. 1. That it is not only of temporal mercies, the words [Love and Hate] as the qualification of the Parents, seem to prove; and the joyning the children to the Parents in the retribution: And all the terms seem above such a sense: It is the revenge of a jealous God on Idolaters, and mercy to his Lovers that is spoken of: ⟨p. 136⟩And the joyning this Command to the first which setleth our relation to God, with the Laws annexed in Deut. for the cutting off whole Cities (Parents and Children) that turn from God to Idols, sheweth that it reached to Church-Communion and Life.

2. And that it was not only to the Israelites (whatever you chiefly mean) is proved both in that it is in the Decalogue, and the proclaimed name of God, Exod. 34.5, 6. and exemplified throughout the Scripture and in the Gospel.

2. As to the extent, we can hardly expect that the world should endure a thousand Generations: Therefore it can mean but that God who boundeth the punishment to the third and fourth generation, will set no bounds to the succession of his mercies while our capacity continueth. And whatever the mercies be, the exposition of this continuance concerneth you as much as me.