A64833:205
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.
5. Do what you do more out of ingenuity than fear, and more out of thankfulness and gratitude than custom or constraint. Many carnal ones come as the people cometh, company, custom, and the Bell, more than Conscience, tolls them to Ordinances; and too often Babes in Christ are in this as carnal, that sometimes they do not so properly come as are driven and forced to Ordinances and duties: There is a thing called Conscience which when 'tis awakened keeps a great deal of do; and when men are convinced of sin they will do almost any thing for case and quiets sake; and when they have been used to hear and pray and have found some relief by it, they are under a kind of bondage and dare not omit it (though perhaps it be not a season) for fear Conscience should fly in their face, they are afraid 'twill chide and whip them; and therefore to prevent this they will to hear and pray, &c. ⟨p. 147⟩Yea, but if thou wilt do any thing well, do it from a better nature, from ingenuity, and a child-like spirit, as one sensible what obligations lie upon thee not to sin and to be dutiful, though there were no threatenings nor terrors that attended the omission of good nor commission of evil.
5. Do what you do more out of ingenuity than fear, and more out of thankfulness and gratitude than custom or constraint. Many carnal ones come as the people cometh, company, custom, and the Bell, more than Conscience, tolls them to Ordinances; and too often Babes in Christ are in this as carnal, that sometimes they do not so properly come as are driven and forced to Ordinances and duties: There is a thing called Conscience which when 'tis awakened keeps a great deal of do; and when men are convinced of sin they will do almost any thing for case and quiets sake; and when they have been used to hear and pray and have found some relief by it, they are under a kind of bondage and dare not omit it (though perhaps it be not a season) for fear Conscience should flie in their face, they are afraid 'twill chide and whip them; and therefore to prevent this they will to hear and pray, &c. ⟨p. 147⟩Yea, but if thou wilt do any thing well, do it from a better nature, from ingenuity, and a child-like spirit, as one sensible what obligations lie upon thee not to sin and to be dutiful, though there were no threatnings nor terrors that attended the omission of good nor commission of evil.