A69234:352
Lectures upon the four first chapters of the prophecy of Hosea Wherein the text…Lectures vpon the foure first chapters of the prophecie of Hosea Wherein the text…
Lectures upon the four first chapters of the prophecy of Hosea Wherein the text is expounded and cleared, and such profitable instructions observed, and applied, as naturally arise out of this holy Scripture, and are fit for these times. By John Downame Bachelor in Divinity, and preacher of Gods word.Lectures vpon the foure first chapters of the prophecie of Hosea Wherein the text is exponded and cleered, and such profitable instructions obserued, and applied, as naturally arise out of this holie Scripture, and are fit for these times. By Iohn Dovvname Bacheler in Diuinitie, and preacher of Gods word.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston and T. East for William Welby, 1608
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.
But what then shall we think of infants, who have not 1actual faith; are they therefore deferred from having Christ their head and Saviour? I answer no; for Christ blesseth and prayeth for them, affirming that the kingdom of heaven belongeth unto them. And the promises of God are made not only to the faithful, but unto their seed also: Gen. 17. 7. Act. 2. 39. in all which they could have no part, 2unless they were united unto Christ, in whom alone is salvation. What then, are they saved by the faith of the Church, or of their parents? I answer, no, for every man liveth by his own faith: unless we understand it thus; that the Church or their parents, grounding their faith upon the promises of God made to the faithful and to their seed, do by their prayers obtain faith, or the seed and spirit of faith, for their children, whereby they live. Neither must we imagine, that they have actual faith, before which goeth illumination, and knowledge of Gods promises made in Christ, which the believer applieth unto himself; seeing then they should lose it again before they come to age, which is not incident unto true faith, which once had is never lost. But we are to know, that the ordinary course of uniting them to Christ by faith, not agreeing to their age, which is not capable thereof, God useth extraordinary means, supplying all things needful for this work, by the inward operation of his holy Spirit, whereby he regenerateth and sanctifieth them, as he did Jeremiah and John the Baptist in their mothers womb, as appeareth Jere. 31. 5. Luk. 1. 15. and uniteth them unto Christ their head, it being the chief bond of this union, and so being members of his body, they have part in the righteousness and merits of Christ their head, whereby they are justified and saved.
But what then shall wee thinke of infants, who haue not