A64811:437
Christ's school consisting of four classes of Christians
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 many years ago in Southwark / by Ralph Venning.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 preach'd many years ago in Southwark / by Ralph Venning.
London: printed for John Hancock, 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.
THE second thing I am obliged to discover and to treat of is, the glory and excellency of his privilege that the little Children can cry, Abba Father. And it lies much in two things,
THE second thing I am obliged to discover and to treat of is, the glory and excellency of his priviledge that the little Children can cry, Abba Father. And it lies much in two things,
1. That they have a great deal of freedom, boldness and assurance in their addresses to God and appearings before him at the Throne of Grace, and in the day of Judgement. That they have at the throne of Grace, is express upon the account of their Intercessor and High-Priest, Heb. 4.14,—16. And indeed the Spirit becomes a Spirit of Prayer (an Intercessor) in them, as it follows, Rom. 8.26, 27. The Spirits knowledge is more to their advantage and comfort, than their ignorance is to their detriment. They go to God as to a Father, as Children use to do to their Fathers, but with a much more assurance, Matth. 7.11. as the Prayers of Christ are heard always, Joh. 11.41, 42. and by his Prayers he can obtain and ⟨p. 297⟩do mighty things, Matth. 26.53. because they are adderest to his Father; so 'tis also with these that know the Father, 1 Joh. 3.21, 22. and 5, 14, 15. God always had his favourites, who had his ear and heart and hand (to command almost) for his Sons and Daughters, such were Noah, Daniel and Joh, Moses, Joshua and Samuel, Abraham, Jacob, &c. And now these little Children (the Johns that lie in his besom,