A64833:161
Venning's remains, or, Christ's school consisting of four classes of Christians, I. babes, II.…
Venning's remains, or, Christ's school consisting of four classes of Christians, I. babes, II. little children, III. young men, IV. fathers : with their several characteristical differences and attainments, also the doctrines proper to be taught to each of them : being the substance of many sermons / preached by Ralph Venning and fitted by him for the press before his death.
London: printed for John Hancock senior and junior, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. The Faith of Babes acts toward Christ Jesus. And that 1. As the Son of the living God, to whom the Father hath given and committed all things, and this is one of the things which is revealed unto Babes, as is clear by comparing Mat. 16.16, 17. with Mat. 11.25, 27. When Peter confessed Christ to be the Son of the living God, our Saviour calls him blessed, and tells him that not flesh and blood but his Father had revealed it to him: and in the other place blesseth his Father who had hid this (as other things) from the wise and prudent, but had revealed them unto Babes. 2. Babes believe that God ⟨p. 114⟩sent his Son into the world to save sinners; and 'tis a degree of Faith that Jesus Christ accepts, and commends, Joh. 17.8. Christ tells his Father of it by way of commendation, that his Disciples (as yet but Babes) had believed that he had sent him, viz. to be the Messiah to restore and redeem Israel, which though some of them understood (for a while) but carnally, yet they had it seems now a better notion of it, and in Joh. 16.27. he tells them that his Father loved them, because they loved him and believed that he came out from God, viz. to repair the world. And though they have not yet such distinct notions of the Priest-hood of Christ, of his becoming sin for them that they might be made the righteousness of God in him (both which are by imputation) yet this general Faith carries them towards Christ Jesus: this assent leads them to an addressing Faith, as appears in these following discoveries of it.
2. The Faith of Babes acts toward Christ Jesus. And that 1. As the Son of the living God, to whom the Father hath given and committed all things, and this is one of the things which is revealed unto Babes, as is clear by comparing Mat. 16.16, 17. with Mat. 11.25, 27. When Peter confest Christ to be the Son of the living God, our Saviour calls him blessed, and tells him that not flesh and blood but his Father had revealed it to him: and in the other place blesseth his Father who had hid this (as other things) from the wise and prudent, but had revealed them unto Babes. 2. Babes believe that God