A64833:124
Venning's remains, or, Christ's school consisting of four classes of Christians, I. babes, II.…
Venning's remains, or, 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 by Ralph Venning and fitted by him for the press before his death.
London: printed for John Hancock senior and junior, 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 is the first Milk they eat: which will the better appear, by considering who have been and are accounted Babes (throughout the whole Scripture) as 1. The most and generality of the people of God under the old Testament: There were indeed some Fathers, as Abraham, &c. but as I may say there was but one of a sort, as Abraham the Father of the ⟨p. 78⟩faithful, Job of the patient, Moses of the meek, &c. There were also some young men, who were strong and overcame the evil one, as Joshua and Caleb, who followed God fully, the Word of God did abide in them; but there were Babes in abundance, as the Apostle tells us, Gal. 4.3, 4. When we were Children (the word is, Babes) i. e. Vers. 4. when we were under the Law, we were in a state of bondage, rather as servants, than Children, Vers. 7. And accordingly the milk given these to eat was the doctrine of Repentance (for Christ Jesus was under a veil, and represented to them mostly in types and shadows, and their Faith was but towards God and Christ.) 2. The people of God in John Baptist's time were but Babes generally, and therefore he also fed them with milk, the doctrine of Repentance, yet still directing their Faith to Christ who was to come after him: his doctrine and Baptism was that of Repentance. 3. In Christs time, while in the world, most of Disciples were but Babes (as was hinted heretofore.) And Christ himself gave them Milk for their first feeding, yet mixed with Faith, as Mark 1.15. Repent and believe the Gospel, which he (in Vers. 1.) calls the beginning of the Gospel of Christ, as 'tis called in the Text before us, Heb. 6.1. They did also believe in God; and our Saviour calls upon them to believe in him also, as an advance of their Faith, Joh. 14.1. Again, 4. All at first Conversion are Babes, and to all these is Repentance better known than Faith, for some time (more or less) and the first doctrine ⟨p. 79⟩Preached to the first Converts, was Repentance,