A64833:298
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.
6. Though conversion be a mystery and wrought thus variously, yet still 'tis a conversion, and therefore is more or less knowable; 'tis a being translated from darkness to light, from death to life, from the power of Satan unto God, &c. and this cannot be done without making some considerable alteration in the persons, and working such good in the very ⟨p. 208⟩best, as was not there before: and though the time of conversion may not be known, yet that the person is converted may be known. There are some things, which the most refined nature if not renewed cannot do; some things which are proper to all convers and only to such, as to be new creatures, new-born, things which nature cannot ape: grace is an element above nature, and nature at the highest cannot rise so high as grace at the lowest: 'tis not show and appearance but reality that makes the difference. Brass though gilded over is no Gold, nature though reformed is not grace: a Dog may vomit, a Sow may be washed, but they retain the nature still; but grace makes a new man, a new nature.
6. Though conversion be a mysterie and wrought thus variously, yet still 'tis a conversion, and therefore is more or less knowable; 'tis a being translated from darkness to light, from death to life, from the power of Satan unto God, &c. and this cannot be done without making some considerable alteration in the persons, and working such good in the very ⟨p. 208⟩best, as was not there before: and though the time of conversion may not be known, yet that the person is converted may be known. There are some things, which the most refined nature if not renewed cannot do; some things which are proper to all convers and only to such, as to be new creatures, new-born, things which nature cannot ape: grace is an element above nature, and nature at the highest cannot rise so high as grace at the lowest: 'tis not shew and appearance but reality that makes the difference. Brass though gilded over is no Gold, nature though reformed is not grace: a Dog may vomit, a Sow may be washed, but they retain the nature still; but grace makes a new man, a new nature.