A64833:84
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
Introduction › Part 3: III. A further continuation of the Praecognita, things to be premised.
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 Church of Ephesus, her love and works were more at first, than when our Saviour sent her that Epistle; and the Church of Thyatica her works more at last than at first; yet we cannot conclude from the partial decay of the former, or advance of the latter, which was best at last, for that might repent, and this not hold fast, which were the duties called for; that from Ephesus, and this from Thyatira; but this we may clearly see, that great beginnings of zeal may be intermitted and decay; and on the other hand that small beginnings may increase to more and more godliness. Some persons run without weariness, and walk without faintness, grow without intermission, they meet with no rubs nor lets, they are not nipped in the bud, and put back by an hard season, as some ⟨p. 49⟩others are. 'Tis said of the Colossians, that from the very day they heard of the Gospel and knew the grace of God in truth, that they brought forth fruit, Col. 1.6. there was no decay but a growth; but the Hebrews they (like the idle servant) stood still at a stay, 1and were but Babes for a long time; and indeed they met with many a stumbling block in their way, which the Apostle endeavoured to remove in that Epistle, that they (if yet at last) might go on to perfection. There is a great variety in these things, the first last, and the last first very often; the younger born is the elder grown in grace. No man can conclude infallibly as to particular persons, what their estate is at present, or shall be for the future: which brings me to a
The Church of Ephesus, her love and works were more at first, than when our Saviour sent her that Epistle; and the Church of Thyatica her works more at last than at first; yet we cannot conclude from the partial decay of the former, or advance of the latter, which was best at last, for that might repent, and this not hold fast, which were the duties called for; that from Ephesus, and this from Thyatira; but this we may clearly see, that great beginnings of zeal may be intermitted and decay; and on the other hand that small beginnings may increase to more and more godliness. Some persons run without weariness, and walk without faintness, grow without intermission, they meet with no rubs nor lets, they are not nipt in the bud, and put back by an hard season, as some