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 spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father.

But the motives on which men adopt children, and thofe 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 of supplying themselves with what Nature hath denied them, and in expectation of pleasure and bleffing to themfelves. Whereas God hath adopted us, not for his own, but for our fake; not that he may be a Father, but that we may be children; the love is all his, the advantage all our own.

Having thus feen in what refpects we call God Father, I proceed, Secondly, to fhew, Why we are taught in our prayers to make ufe 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 inspire us with them, as this of Fa

ther.

The idea of Omnipotence is great and terrible, and, abstractedly confidered, will indeed fufficiently 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

The idea of perfect Juftice will breed defpair, and the confideration of infinite Mercy create prefumption rather than confidence.

Eternity and immenfity ftrike us with admiration, but are above our comprehenfion; and perfect Holiness and Purity, though exceedingly 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 underflood, as centered in the fame person, as moving in the most perfect harmony, as being in fact the fame fimple effence difplaying 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 must in a much greater degree pay to him.

His adorable Majefty, his incomprehenfible greatness, and Almighty Power, demand this of us.

There is nothing which more powerfully works upon us to love any perfon, 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 fhould our love be to him.

Now, as there is no person who hath conferred upon us, in any comparison, so 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 bleffed Son; and confequently no name is fo proper to excite in us that ardent love and affection which God requires.

Upon

Upon coming into the prefence of a God, who declares himself of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, finners fhould naturally tremble and despair; but the name of Father conveys to us so tender an idea, as calms our terrors, and infpires hope and confidence, teaching us, that if our Fathers, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto their children, how much more fhall our Father which is in Heaven, give to thofe who call upon him?

But notwithstanding the name of Father gives us fo 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 also to be obeyed; and fo does God; we have no title to his mercy till we endeavour, by a fincere, though imperfect, obedience, to satisfy his juftice.