A64833:326
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.
The remembrance of these things will be of huge use to you to give God the glory of your higher attainments and all your advances from step to step: 'twill make you greatly useful to the instruction of Babes, which is one of your great works and duties: 'twill keep you low in your own eyes, when you see that you owe a beholdingness to God for bringing you hitherto, merely of and by his grace, not for any worth or merit of your own: 'twill help you to know that you were converted long ago, and not to think (as some are apt to do) that all the work was as nothing, till they came to such or such a pitch; which occasions a neglect of them below that pitch, and an ingratitude to God for what went before it and led to it. Thus will it be many ways advantageous to remember the work of old.
The remembrance of these things will be of huge use to you to give God the glory of your higher attainments and all your advances from step to step: 'twill make you greatly useful to the instruction of Babes, which is one of your great works and duties: 'twill keep you low in your own eyes, when you see that you owe a beholdingness to God for bringing you hitherto, meerly of and by his grace, not for any worth or merit of your own: 'twill help you to know that you were converted long ago, and not to think (as some are apt to do) that all the work was as nothing, till they came to such or such a pitch; which occasions a neglect of them below that pitch, and an ingratitude to God for what went before it and led to it. Thus will it be many waies advantageous to remember the work of old.
2. Be exhorted to bring forth fruit answerable to your state. Time was when fruits ⟨p. 226⟩worthy of Repentance were the fruits called for, but now you are to bring forth fruits worthy of assurance, victory, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 'Tis true, God had some little praise from you when but Babes, but now he expects much more: that you bring forth much fruit and be filled with it, that you be strong in Faith, that you abound in love, that ye be filled with all wisdom and knowledge, to walk worthy of God to all-well-pleasing, and to do all to his glory.