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

1. To Fathers, I entreat you, (for so I am commanded to do, 1 Tim. 5.1.) I entreat you to lay aside childish things, and let it not be said of any of you, that you were once a man but twice a child. 'Tis not comely for aged persons to play the child, or to play with children. Saith the Apostle, When I was a Child, then indeed I spake as a Child, I understood as a Child, I thought as a Child: but when I became a man I put away childish things, 1 Cor. 13.11. The aged men and women should be sober and grave, teaching and giving examples to the younger sort, Tit. 2.2-4. So Paul propounds himself, Phil. 3.17. with 20. Brethren, be followers of me, and mark them that walk so, as you have us for an example, for our conversation is in Heaven. Which (it seem• was written by him when he was Paul the age• it being when he was prisoner at Rome, and then he stiles himself Paul the aged as well as a prisoner, Philem. 9. Fathers and old men love to be telling stories, so do you read Lectures of your experiences to the younger sort, and tell ⟨p. 21⟩them (as David did his Children,) what God hath done for your soul. Tell them how God converted you, how God carried you on step by step, from Faith to Faith, and from one degree to another till you became Fathers in Israel. I might add also, disdain not to learn, for St. John writes to you Fathers also concerning brotherly love, and not loving of the world, as if you had not perfectly learnt these things. But,

2. To Young-men I say, Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and the Word that abideth in you; acquit your selves still like the good Soldiers of Jesus Christ, as Paul speaks to the young-man,