A64811:187
Christ's school consisting of four classes of Christians
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 many years ago in Southwark / by Ralph Venning.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 preach'd many years ago in Southwark / by Ralph Venning.
London: printed for John Hancock, 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.
3. They are apt to place more in Ordinances and duties, and to look for more from them, than God hath placed and put in them. They go to them as Rachel to Jacob, Give me Children or I die; but they may Answer (as he did her) Am I in Gods stead? if God shut who can open? Poor Babes, if they have not what they have a mind to, they take pet, are sullen and discontented; what should I hear, pray and wait for? they did look for joy, but none came; they went to hear the joyful sound, but heard it not; they went to the Lords Feast, as to ⟨p. 136⟩a sealing ordinance, but found no impressions of its Seal: and therefore are apt to complain, why should I go any more? but let me tell you this is your Babishess: as that King said to the Woman who came to him for help, so may Ordinances say to you, how can we help if God do not help? God hath not called Ordinances and duties your comforters, but his holy Spirit is the comforter; the partaking of the Lords Feast doth not Seal, 'tis the Spirits office: God never intended that you should make Gods and Saviours of his Ordinances, but that you should look through them and above them, while you use them; grown Saints do so: they go to (and also go from) a duty and ordinance to God himself: They know 'tis not the man that speaks the word, nor the word that man speaks, but God that works. They go to them as to Gods Wells and Conduit pipes, which they know have no water but from the Fountain, in whom all their fresh Springs are, and from whom all their fruit and increase is, 1 Cor. 3.6, 7. Pauls planting, and Apollo's watering comes to nothing, if God do not give the increase by his blessing.
3. They are apt to place more in Ordinances and duties, and to look for more from them, than God hath placed and put in them. They go to them as Rachel to Jacob, Give me Children or I die; but they may Answer (as he did her) Am I in Gods stead? if God shut who can open? Poor Babes, if they have not what they have a mind to, they take pet, are sullen and discontented; what should I hear, pray and wait for? they did look for joy, but none came; they went to hear the joyful sound, but heard it not; they went to the Lords Feast, as to ⟨p. 136⟩a sealing ordinance, but found no impressions of its Seal: and therefore are apt to complain, why should I go any more? but let me tell you this is your Babishess: as that King said to the Woman who came to him for help, so may Ordinances say to you, how can we help if God do not help? God hath not called Ordinances and duties your comforters, but his holy Spirit is the comforter; the partaking of the Lords Feast doth not Seal, 'tis the Spirits office: God never intended that you should make Gods and Saviours of his Ordinances, but that you should look through them and above them, while you use them; grown Saints do so: they go to (and also go from) a duty and ordinance to God himself: They know 'tis not the man that speaks the word, nor the word that man speaks, but God that works. They go to them as to Gods Wells and Conduit pipes, which they know have no water but from the Fountain, in whom all their fresh Springs are, and from whom all their fruit and increase is,