A64811:422
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.
SECT. 1.
How upon having received the witness of the Spirit, they do triumph over the Law, Sin, the world and present enjoyments, I have declared long since in a little short Discourse in Print, called the Triumph of Assurance, being an Appendix to the first part of my Orthodox Paradoxes; to which I refer the Reader, and proceed to discover other the privileges and enjoyments of these assured ones. Which privileges must be more than ordinary or common, because to know the Father is more than common knowledge; and the more excellent the knowledge, the more excellent the enjoyment is, whether it be in kind or but only in degree. That which I shall chiefly instance in is the great privilege, dignity and honour of being able to cry, Abba Father, by the Spirit of Adoption received into and witnessing in our selves: not barely Adoption, nor only the Spirit of Adoption, but by it to cry, Abba Father, is the great thing I shall instance in, according to Rom. 8.14.15, 16. compared with Gal. 4.1,—7. Now, ⟨p. 287⟩whether the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry, Abba Father, be the same thing with the witness of the Spirit, whereby we know the Father, i. e. that we are his Children, or something precedaneous to it, or something succeeding it, and following thereupon, is a great question: in so critical and nice a thing we need be wary and cautious. Yet with all humble submission I shall speak what I think to be most clear and evident in this case; which I suppose to be this, viz. that the Spirit of Adoption may in part, and a little precede the witness of the Spirit, as the dawning of the day doth the Suns rising to our view; withal, that more of it may come and appear together with the witness; but especially and chiefly that most of all (as to exercise, use and comfort) doth flow from the witness after the receipt thereof; that is, the Children of God who are led by the Spirit, do act most in and by the Spirit of Adoption crying, Abba Father, after they have received the witness of the Spirit, whereby they know the Father and that they are his Children. For the better clearing hereof, I shall (from comparing,