The grounds and ends of the baptism of the children of the faithful. Opened…The grounds and ends of the baptisme of the children of the faithfull. Opened…

Both these may be well proved, rightly understood;¹ rightly understood I say. For if by carnal seed of believers be meant the children of believers walking after the flesh, and carnally rejecting the Covenant of grace, as Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage; and the Jews rejected the righteousness of Christ, to establish their own righteousness, (which are properly called by the Apostle the carnal seed, and Israel after the flesh) then we willingly grant you, that the Covenant of grace is not extended to the carnal seed of believers. Or if by carnal and natural seed, be meant the children of believers begotten of their bodies, and considered as descending from them only by power of nature, and carnal generation, then we consent unto you herein also, that the Covenant of grace doth not extend to the children of believers considered as their natural and carnal seed. For the children of believers, though begotten of their bodies, yet are born under the Covenant, not by any power of nature, or any force of carnal generation: but, by the grace of Christ offering the Covenant to believers and to their seed, and by the faith of believers receiving the Covenant for themselves and for their seed. But that the Covenant of believers begotten of their bodies, are borne under the Covenant of grace, by the grace of Christ offering the Covenant to them, and by the faith of their parents receiving the Covenant ⟨p. 46⟩for them, and for their seed, may be proved from sundry testimonies of Scripture.

Both these may be well proved, rightly understood;¹ rightly understood I say. For if by carnall seed of believers be meant the children of beleevers walking after the flesh, and carnally rejecting the Covenant of grace, as Esau sold his birthright for a messe of pottage; and the Jews rejected the righteousnesse of Christ, to establish their own righteousnesse, (which are properly called by the Apostle the carnall seed, and Israel after the flesh) then we willingly grant you, that the Covenant of grace is not extended to the carnall seed of believe•s. Or if by carnall and naturall seed, be meant the children of believers begotten of their bodies, and considered as descending from them onely by power of nature, and carnall generation, then we consent unto you herein also, that the Covenant of grace doth not extend to the children of believers considered as their naturall and carnall seed. For the children of beleevers, though begotten of their bodies, yet are born under the Covenant, not by any power of nature, or any force of carnall generation: but, by the grace of Christ offering the Covenant to believers and to their seed, and by the faith of believers receiving the Covenant for themselves and for their seed. But that the Covenant of beleevers begotten of their bodies, are borne under the Covenant of grace, by the grace of Christ offering the Covenant to them, and by the faith of their parents receiving the Covenant