Venning's remains, or, Christ's school consisting of four classes of Christians, I. babes, II.…

he takes notice of the kindness of thy Child-hood, of thy lispings and essays to speak and go, and he will perhaps take thee by the hand and teach thee to go from form to form, till thou come to be one of the uppermost in the School of Christ, and then he will remove and translate thee into the University (the holy Academy,) where the Spirits of just men made perfect will bid thee welcome and be glad of thy Company: then shalt thou be of the Society of true Christians, of them that are in Christ indeed, and shalt live with Christ for ever, which is best of all. At present, if thou be not worth thousands (rich in grace) yet bless him that thou art worth any thing, worthy of his calling, and made meet to partake of the inheritance of the Saints in light, Coloss. 1.12. by being delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son, Verse 13. Though he have not made thee a Father, yet bless him that he hath made thee a Son, though as yet but a Babe and under age: he that blesseth God for a little, is in the ready way to be blest with more. Therefore again,

4. Let every one (that is not) aim to be a Father, and every one that is (a Father) aim at being more so; for as there is a growth from one kind to another, so there is a growth from one degree to another: aim at and press forward to the highest state and utmost degree of perfection, as Saint Paul did, and thereby shows others the way, Philip. 3.12,—17. Be not content with being Babes, but grow ⟨p. 14⟩from thence to be little Children, and from thence to be Young-men; and from thence to be Fathers; and so to be perfect men in Christ Jesus, Ephes. 4.13,—16. Go from strength to strength till ye appear before God in Zion, which is above. Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,