A64833:381
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.
SECT. 1.
I Have shown you the attainment of Little Children, which is a sensible assurance of the Love of God in the enjoyment of union and communion with him. The next thing is to show how they come by and unto this knowledge: and that is by the working and witnessing of the Spirit; I put both together, because though he may work where he doth not witness (as in Babes) yet he never witnesseth but where he hath wrought, as Rom. 8.13,—16. where 'tis observable, that mortification, ver. 13. being led by the Spirit, Vers. 14. and being in part a Spirit of Adoption and Prayer, Vers. 15. did proceed the witnessing with their (and so doth before witnessing with our) Spirits that they were, or we are the Children of God, Vers. 16. so 1 Cor. 2.12. which he speaks of the spiritual ones and not of Babes, as Vers. 13. which may be read, expounding or communicating spiritual things (either in spiritual words, opposed to words of mans wisdom, going before, or) to spiritual persons, in reference to what follows, in the latter e•d of this and the beginning of the next Chapter. ⟨p. 258⟩Again, 1 Joh. 3.24. where he speaks of the assurance or knowledge of these Saints dwelling in God, and Christ, and he in them, and that he abideth in them, by the Spirit which he hath given them; but before he mentions that, he doth characterize them by keeping his Commandments: so that the work precedes the word, as I may call it, or witness of the Spirit. In relation to this more things will be said anon, only at present I shall take occasion from what hath now been said to make some discoveries concerning the persons that God doth usually call, pick and single out (from among his Babes) to put them among the Children, and to give them assurance.