2. Of adoption, through the grace, whereby he made us his heirs, and joint-heirs of his only-begotten Son. Oh, how justly we call him Father, who is so many times ready to receive us, when we sin, into the same favour as before, that he may at length admit us also to the glory, which is the inheritance of the sons of God! Dearly bought, indeed, was this relationship of Father by the Son of who only secured. it for us by the death of the cross, and with the price of his blood.
3. He is Father by his providence, in sustaining the body with so many creatures given us for food and medicine ; and in so lovingly providing for the soul by so many aids of grace and salvation ; so that, on this single account, he alone truly deserves to be called Father. Therefore he says, Call none your Father upon earth ; for One is your Father, who is in heaven. And rightly, for my father and my mother have forsaken me ; (since without God, what assistance can they afford to my soul, or even to my body?) but the Lord hath taken me up ; he never forsakes us but when we forsake him.
4. By discipline and correction. For a father reproves and chastises the son whom he loves.
5. He is Father by his indulgence and love. As a father has compassion on his children, so has the Lord compassion on them that fear him. So, then, if he is a Father, I am indeed a son. Oh, how great a dignity is this! Itis but just, then, that I should render him the duty of a true son, by love, obedience, and respect. How base would it be, if I, who have been thus promoted from the bondage of so vile a slavery, should become degenerate, and offend so good a Father !
He would have us, moreover, begin our prayer to him with this address, to assure us of obtaining what we ask, in approaching God as a Father; and because he glories in this name of Father, he delights in being so addressed. Let us, then, approach him with the affection of sons, endeavour to please him in all things, and ask those things which it becomes such a Father to give.
Our,
We say our, not my Father, 1st. Because, though he has one Son only by nature, he would have as many sons as possible by adoption, both angels and men; and this in such a way, that each may rejoice as much in the gift of sonship as if he had no fellow. For the gifts of Ged are not lessened by being communicated to many.
2d. Although he is not
