Venning contra White

“Ralph Venning (c.1622-1674) was an English nonconformist Christian. The son of Francis and Joan Venning, he was born in Devon, perhaps at Kingsteignton, about 1621. He was the first convert of George Hughes, the puritan vicar of Tavistock. He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was admitted as a sizar on 1 April 1643, graduated B.A. 1646, and proceeded M.A. 1650.” http://digitalpuritan.net/ralph-venning/

“Seeing there is nothing to be practiced, believed, or taught, which is not agree to the mind of God, Let us make the Word of God our Judge.

The Scriptures (as is granted by all that I write to) are the touchstone by which all religious Principles and Acts are to be tried. To the Law and to the Testimony, if they speak not according to this rule, ‘tis because there is no light in them, Isa. 8:20. Let nothing pass for current coin, which hath not this stamp upon it.

Certainly no Christian will refuse to make the truth of God contained in the Scriptures the judge of all he holds and practices, it being the basis of both, if they be laid on their true foundation; ‘tis the trial which tries all; and therefore bring your opinions to the light, to see whether they be of God or no.

If the Scriptures write jus divium, divine right upon any opinion, ‘tis then authentic; but all other authority is not sufficient to command wither faith or practice. The Bereans [Acts 17:11] were called more noble than they of Thessalonica, because they did not take things upon trust, and believe implicitly, but searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so. If any man of an Angel from heaven bring you any other doctrine, let him be accursed, Gal. 1:8.

Certainly these are the undoubted, perfect, and infallible rule, for all matters of faith and practice, or God could not judge the world by them at the last day.

Let us therefore as the wise men, when they saw the star, go up to Jerusalem, that is, the Law and to the testimony, and willingly acquiesce in the Answer we receive from the Oracles of God.”

Ralph Venning, Mysteries and Revelations (London: Printed by John Rothwell at the Sunne and Fountain in Pauls Church-yard, 1652), 31-32.

Published by Dr. Peter Van Kleeck, Sr.

Dr. Peter William Van Kleeck, Sr. : B.A., Grand Rapids Baptist College, 1986; M.A.R., Westminster Theological Seminary, 1990; Th.M., Calvin Theological Seminary, 1998; D. Min, Bob Jones University, 2013. Dr. Van Kleeck was formerly the Director of the Institute for Biblical Textual Studies, Grand Rapids, MI, (1990-1994) lecturing, researching and writing in the defense of the Masoretic Hebrew text, Greek Received Text and King James Bible. His published works include, "Fundamentalism’s Folly?: A Bible Version Debate Case Study" (Grand Rapids: Institute for Biblical Textual Studies, 1998); “We have seen the future and we are not in it,” Trinity Review, (Mar. 99); “Andrew Willet (1562-1621: Reformed Interpretation of Scripture,” The Banner of Truth, (Mar. 99); "A Primer for the Public Preaching of the Song of Songs" (Outskirts Press, 2015). Dr. Van Kleeck is the pastor of the Providence Baptist Church in Manassas, VA where he has ministered for the past twenty-one years. He is married to his wife of 43 years, Annette, and has three married sons, one daughter and eighteen grandchildren.

2 thoughts on “Venning contra White

    1. Brother Robert, Thanks for the comment. The pre-critical exegetical tradition wholly supports Dr. Van Kleeck’s argument yet White calls it idiosyncratic. I personally cannot see how White could engage in further debates until Dr. Van Kleeck’s apologetic is answered. Blessings! Peter

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