A64811:460
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.
The Question is, Whether those that have assurance do always, to their dying day, lie in the enjoyment and powerful influences of this assurance? may not this Sun be Eclipsed? May not this Child of light walk in darkness, after the light and sight of God as a Father? May not the witness of the Spirit be suspended and withdrawn?
The Question is, Whether those that have assurance do alwaies, to their dying day, lie in the injoyment and powerful influences of this assurance? may not this Sun be Eclipsed? May not this Child of light walk in darkness, after the light and sight of God as a Father? May not the witness of the Spirit be suspended and withdrawn?
I Answer, 1. Some of them may and do live in a continual enjoyment of their assurance, as 1 Joh. 5.18, 19, 20. especially if they be grown up to be Fathers (after they have been Young-men conquerors) for the Fathers are spoken of as persons, who have without interruption, known him, that is, from the beginning; and these little Children (such as are to be kept in this state) may also (as John did) lie in the bosom to the very last: but if any of them be (and many of them are) designed to be young men, then indeed they are tempted to call their Son-ship into question, ⟨p. 309⟩but by the word and witness abiding in them (like Josephs bow in strength) they overcome and conquer, as Christ Jesus did; which will appear in treating of the next degree or Classis, viz. that of the Young-men.
I Answer, 1. Some of them may and do live in a continual injoyment of their assurance, as 1 Joh. 5.18, 19, 20. especially if they be grown up to be Fathers (after they have been Young-men conquerors) for the Fathers are spoken of as persons, who have without interruption, known him, that is, from the beginning; and these little Children (such as are to be kept in this state) may also (as John did) lie in the bosom to the very last: but if any of them be (and many of them are) design'd to be young men, then indeed they are tempted to call their Son-ship into question,