Learning in Christ's School

In this unique account of growth in grace, 'babes', 'little children', 'young men' and 'fathers' are the stages through which the learners in Christ's school pass on their way to the 'academy of heaven.'

Ralph Venning was born in Devon around the year 1621 to Francis and Joanne Venning, and spent his childhood and early adult life in the vicinity of Tavistock, where his father was a yeoman farmer. There Venning encountered the Puritan preacher, George Hughes, under whose diligent pastoral ministry he was converted, along with two other young men who also went on to become gospel ministers. Venning later acknowledged the debt he owed to Hughes, whose devotion of time and energy both to Venning's conversion and early discipleship, led to him describing Hughes in affectionate terms as his spiritual 'father'.

His academic and, perhaps, ministerial potential having been recognised, Venning left Devon for Cambridge. He was ­admitted to Emmanuel College as a 'sizar' in April 1643 a category of student which would have required him to carry out menial jobs around the college in part payment of his fees. Despite these additional duties he also served as chaplain in the Tower of London, and found the time to write and publish two books Venning completed his BA and MA degrees before entering into the preaching ministry.

In addition to his ministry among the Reformed churches during the heady days of the 1650s, Venning also preached on occasions at Paul's Cross, an open air pulpit adjacent to St Paul's Cathedral, and described by historian Patrick Collinson as the seventeenth century equivalent of national broadcasting. Those who listened would have included the Aldermen and Mayor of London, as well as a broad spectrum of both Londoners and visitors to the capital. This was a platform to present to the widest possible audience sermons on matters of national importance. The Trust's Puritan Paperback The Way to True Happiness is a record of one such sermon.