and with fire, upon what different principles we think, speak, and act, we shall readily see that fuch an alteration may justly be ftiled a new birth, we who have undergone it new Creatures, and God who hath perfected it in us, and created us in good works unto Chrift Jefus, upon this account also a Father to us.

Adoption is another reason for our calling God Father. It hath been usual among men, for those who are childless to adopt the children of others, and to confer the fame obligations on, and expect the fame affection and obedience from them, as if they were their own offspring. Thus hath God dealt with us; he hath predeftinated us to the adoption of Children, by Jefus Chrift, to himself, and hath given us the fpirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father. But the motives on which men adopt children, and those on which God adopts us, are widely different. They fly to adoption as the last resource and comfort of their folitary condition, as an artificial

means

means of supplying themselves with what Nature hath denied them, and in expecta-· tion of pleasure and bleffing to themselves. Whereas God hath adopted us, not for his own, but for our fake; not that he may a Father, but that we may be children; the love is all his, the advantage all our

own.

be

Having thus feen in what refpects we call God Father, I proceed, Secondly, to fhew, Why we are taught in our prayers to make use of the name of Father, rather than any other.

If we confider with what affections of the mind our prayers ought always to be accompanied, with what humility and reverence, with what love and confidence, with what refolution of fubmiffion and obedience, we fhall find that no other name could fo naturally infpire us with them, as this of Father. The idea of Omnipotence is great and terrible, and, abftractedly confidered, will indeed fufficiently

I

ently excite our humility and reverence, but

by no means our love. The idea of infinite Goodness is truly amiable and lovely, but, confidered in itself, not at all calculated to raise in us humility and fear. The idea of perfect Justice will breed despair, and the confideration of infinite Mercy create presumption rather than confidence. `Eternity and Immensity strike us with admiration, but are above our comprehenfion; and perfect Holiness and Purity, though exceeding lovely in themselves, are too bright and dazzling for the eyes of finners. But in the name of Father all these perfections of the Deity are collectively understood, as centered in the fame person, as moving in the most perfect harmony, as being in fact the fame fimple effence displaying itself several ways, and demanding of us feveral affections.

Humility and reverence are expreffions of respect, which all good children pay to their earthly parents, and which, if they are fincere when they call God Father,

they

they must in a much greater degree pay to him. His adorable Majesty, his incomprehenfible greatness, and Almighty Power, demand this of us. There is nothing which more powerfully works upon us to love any person, than his having conferred favours on us, and given us expreffions of his good will and affection; and the greater his good will appears to be, the greater the favours are which we receive, the greater in proportion should our love be to him. Now, as there is no person who hath conferred upon us, in any comparison, fo great benefits as God, fo there is no name fo proper to remind us of them, as this of Father, which presents him to our thoughts at once as our Creator, Preferver, and Redeemer, as regenerating us by his holy Spirit, and adopting us in his blessed Son; and confequently no name is fo proper to excite in us that ardent love and affection which God requires.

Upon coming into the prefence of a God, who declares himself of purer eyes than

I 2

than to behold iniquity, finners should naturally tremble and defpair; but the name of Father conveys to us fo tender an idea, as calms our terrors, and inspires hope and confidence, teaching us, that if our Fathers, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto their children, how much more shall our Father which is in Heaven, give to those who call upon him? But notwithstanding the name of Father gives us so favourable an idea, yet there is in it fufficient awe and dignity to excite and claim our obedience. Parents after the flesh love their children, listen to their petitions, forgive their faults, and relieve their wants; but parents after the flesh expect alfo to be obeyed; and fo does God; we have no title to his mercy till we endeavour, by a fincere, though imperfect, obedience, to fatisfy his Justice,

When we ask any favours of our acquaintance, and meet with a denial, we are apt to harbour a resentment against them, and to impute their refusal to indifference, pride, ill-nature, or fuch like motives;

but