The law unsealed

2. Consider, that the Threatening against Children of such Parents, is here limited to the third or fourth generation; all their Posterity is not cursed thereby. 1▪ Because Gods kindness is such, as to leave a Door open for Penitents. All fell in Adam, yet Mercy opened a Door of Hope to sinful Man: And surely the Threatenings of this new Covenant, are not so peremptory, as to shut the Door of Mercy upon Sinners. 2. The third and fourth generation are especially threatened, because these are nearest the Parent, and have most of his Nature in them; he knoweth them best; and often he may live to see these: Therefore the Lord threateneth these, that it may most affect Parents▪ it being for the second, third, and fourth generation, that they most ordinarily travel.

2. Consider, that the Threatning against Children of such Parents, is here limited to the third or fourth generation; all their Posterity is not cursed thereby. 1▪ Because Gods kindness is such, as to leave a Door open for Penitents. All fell in Adam, yet Mercy opened a Door of Hope to sinful Man: And surely the Threatnings of this new Covenant, are not so peremptory, as to shut the Door of Mercy upon Sinners. 2. The third and fourth generation are especially threatned, because these are nearest the Parent, and have most of his Nature in them; he knoweth them best; and often he may live to see these: Therefore the Lord threatneth these, that it may most affect Parents▪ it being for the second, third, and fourth generation, that they most ordinarily travel.

3. Consider, that in this Threatening, (as also in the Promise following) God doth not give or lay down a constant Rule, to which he will be tied, as if he could not do otherwise at any time; For to say that, were Derogatory to his Election, and the Sovereignty of his Grace▪ and therefore that is not the Scope: But here he giveth a Declaration of what usually, and ordinarily he doth, and what men, if he deal with them in Justice, may expect from Him: Yet it is still so to be understood, as the Son of a wicked Person, may be found to be an Elect, and the Son of a Godly Person rejected: that he may continue his Plagues longer then the third or fourth Generation, or break them off sooner when he thinketh good: For though by this, He would restrain Parents from sin yet hath he a Door open to many such Children for mercy; even as the contrary promise hath many exceptions as to the Children of Godly Parents, that walk not in the paths of their Parents going before them, as many known instances of both, in Scripture, do make out