A64811:398
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.
1. That this witness of the Spirit is not a thing common to all Saints (for Babes have it not, though they have the things which do assure, yet they have not assurance, because they have not the Spirit witnessing with their spirit) 'tis not a thing that runs parallel with saintship, as having the work of the Spirit doth: If we have not the Spirit of Christ we are none of his, that's true, Rom. 8.9. but 'tis as true, that we may be his, though we have not the witness of his Spirit in us; for we are his before we have the witness of it; and the witness doth not make us so, but the Spirit finding us to be his, doth witness and declare that we are his. The witness doth not make us but manifest us to be, and to us that we are the Children of God, as the Text (and thing it self) is clear, plain and full, Rom. 8.16. That which is witnessed to, must be before 'tis witnessed unto. I shall add but one Text more to confirm this, Ephes. 1.13, 14. where this is evident and apparent, that as they heard before they believed; so they believed before they were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance; and which we had a little before we had this seal and earnest. So that we were the Children of God by Faith, Gal. 3.26. before we have the witness of being Children. And though it be said, 1 Joh. 5.10. that he who believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in ⟨p. 269⟩himself, as if every Believer had it; yet I have two or three things to say hereunto, 1. That St. John perhaps writ not to Babes, but to all the higher Forms, (of Children, Young-men, and Fathers) and all these indeed have the witness (of the Spirit) in themselves: But 2. If we take in all (Babes among the rest) it may also be said of them that they have the thing which doth witness, and the witness of their own spirits; but it will not thence follow that they have the witness of the Spirit or assurance, which is the thing that I am speaking to. 'Tis as true that the three witnesses in earth (in us below) agree in one, as 'tis that the three witnesses in Heaven are one, Ver. 7, 8. Yet all three do not give out their witness all at once; the water and blood may and do witness before the Spirit doth. Yet again, 3.