A64833:295
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.
3. As the occasions and means, so the manner of working is various and different; some he draws, others he drives in: Promises prevail with some, and threatenings with others: Boanerges works on this, and Barnabas on that. Terrors affect some most, but Love others. One is broken, another is melted. S me he keeps long under the pangs of the new-birth, and they have hard labour of it, others have a more quick delivery. Some pay but a little ⟨p. 206⟩fine, but a great deal of rent annually; and others pay a greater fine and less rent. Many such things are with him, these are but some of his wares; who can tell all the ways that God takes with man, to turn back his soul from the pit? Some he leads on by degrees, others start up on a sudden, and are men almost as soon as they are born, as Paul was. He frowns and smiles, speaks thunders or a still voice, dismal or joyful sounds, as pleaseth him; the Spirit bloweth where and how it listeth, sometime the blustering North, at other times a benign South wind blows; sometime there falls much rain, other times but a little dew, but all shall prosper. It cost Paul and the Jailer dear for the time, but 'twas soon over; as to Matthew and others, 'twas but follow me, and they follow immediately.
3. As the occasions and means, so the manner of working is various and different; some he draws, others he drives in: Promises prevail with some, and threatnings with others: B•anerges works on this, and Barnabas on that. Terrours affect some most, but Love others. One is broken, another is melted. S me he keeps long under the pangs of the new-birth, and they have hard labour of it, others have a more quick delivery. Some pay but a little ⟨p. 206⟩fine, but a great deal of rent annually; and others pay a greater fine and less rent. Many such things are with him, these are but some of his wares; who can tell all the waies that God takes with man, to turn back his soul from the pit? Some he leads on by degrees, others start up on a sudden, and are men almost as soon as they are born, as Paul was. He frowns and smiles, speaks thunders or a still voice, dismal or joyful sounds, as pleaseth him; the Spirit bloweth where and how it listeth, sometime the blustering North, at other times a benigne South wind blows; sometime there falls much rain, other times but a little dew, but all shall prosper. It cost Paul and the Jaylor dear for the time, but 'twas soon over; as to Matthew and others, 'twas but follow me, and they follow immediately.