Venning's remains, or, Christ's school consisting of four classes of Christians, I. babes, II.…

1. Think what a mercy 'tis that God hath put a stop to thine issue of blood, and to that fountain of uncleanness which did run over into thy conversation: Consider what thou wert doing, wert thou not committing iniquity with both hands greedily, drinking it down as water, and doing wickedly as thou couldest, to thy utmost? and hath God stopped thee in thy career? Oh think what mercy 'tis: How many thousand actual sins more mightest thou have been guilty of, if God had not put this hook into thy nostrils, and bit into thy J•ws, and so kept thee from rushing like the Horse into the battle. Had not God hedged thy way with these pricking thorns and grieving briars of conviction and Repentance; thou wouldst have followed thy Lovers to death and bell; and is it nothing that he hath prevented thee? Bless God (as David did for Abigail's coming) who kept thee from sinning this day. It may be thou wert resolved (like Saul, though 't were madness in thee as in him) to go on in being injurious, ⟨p. 102⟩a persecutor and blasphemer; to be as proud, covetous, unclean, &c. as thou couldst, to gratify the lust of the eye, the flesh and pride of life to the utmost; hath God diverted, yea converted thee? bless him for it. 'Tis a great thing to have a stop put to sin, though it be but newly done, or little else done: as the Apostle tells the Corinthian Babes, Such were some of you (viz. such as were incapable of Heaven, and fit for Hell) but ye are washed, &c. 1 Cor. 6.9,—11. and yet the work of grace was but very imperfect in them.

1. Think what a mercy 'tis that God hath put a stop to thine issue of blood, and to that sountain of uncleanness which did run over into thy conversation: Consider what thou wert doing, wert thou not committing iniquity with both hands greedily, drinking it down as water, and doing wickedly as thou couldest, to thy utmost? and hath God stopt thee in thy career? Oh think what mercy 'tis: How many thouland actual sins more mightest thou have been guilty of, if God had not put this hook into thy nostrils, and bit into thy J•ws, and so kept thee from rushing like the Horse into the battle. Had not God hedged thy way with these pricking thorns and grieving bryars of conviction and Repentance; thou wouldst have followed thy Lovers to death and bell; and is it nothing that he hath prevented thee? Bless God (as David did for Abigals coming) who kept thee from sinning this day. It may be thou wert resolved (like Saul, though 't were madness in thee as in him) to go on in being injurious,