A64833:540
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
Class 3 › Chapter 6: What is meant by their overcoming the wicked one.
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.
But in the Military sense 'tis that we are most specially to understand the conquest and ⟨p. 356⟩overcoming spoken of these Young men in our Text; they have overcome by mere strength of the word and Faith, so that they not only overcome him as justified from his charge and indictment, but overcome his temptations by dint of Sword, i. e. by strength of Argument from the Word abiding in them. If the Devil plead sin and guilt, they plead Christ and his satisfaction; if the Devil witness against them that they are not, they produce the witness of the Spirit that they are the Children of God, and so overcome him. So that the Young-man is a double conqueror, by right and might; by Word and Sword; at the Bar and in the Field; they overcome by strength of Faith or believing in Christ, or rather by the strength of Christ believed in. But then,
But in the Military sense 'tis that we are most specially to understand the conquest and ⟨p. 356⟩overcoming spoken of these Young men in our Text; they have overcome by meer strength of the word and Faith, so that they not only overcome him as justified from his charge and indictment, but overcome his temptations by dint of Sword, i. e. by strength of Argument from the Word abiding in them. If the Devil plead sin and guilt, they plead Christ and his satisfaction; if the Devil witness against them that they are not, they produce the witness of the Spirit that they are the Children of God, and so overcome him. So that the Young-man is a double conqueror, by right and might; by Word and Sword; at the Bar and in the Field; they overcome by strength of Faith or believing in Christ, or rather by the strength of Christ believed in. But then,
How and how far have they overcome? the Devil is not slain, he is in being still, and hath a power of tempting still; how then is it said, that they have overcome the wicked one? may not the Devil rally and recruit again? may he make no more onsets on the Young men? To this some make Answer thus, that the Praeter Tense is put for the Future, q.d. you shall as certainly overcome as if you had overcome: while the Word of God abideth in you, you shall never be overcome, and so do overcome, and may be said to have overcome. So the called of God are said to be saved because they shall be saved,