drops of dew declare their having been begotten by him; but in a more eminent and exalted sense he is the Father of Man, having created him after his own image; whence Adam is called the Son of God, and Man may more efpecially fay with the Prophet, Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us?

Prefervation is another reason for our calling God Father, and the continuation of our existence a perpetual obligation on us to make use of that name. If the first giving of being is a proper foundation of Paternity, the prefervation of that Being, which is not improperly ftiled a Continued Creation, must be a foundation of Paternity likewife; fo that God, who is our Father in right of having graciously created us, is ftill farther fo, in right of having no lefs graciously preferved us.

Redemption

Redemption is another reafon for our calling God Father. The difobedience of our first parents brought themselves and their posterity into fo miferable an estate, their nature was fo corrupted, their understanding so darkened, and their will fo perverfe, that it was impoffible for them to fulfil the law of nature, and without fulfilling it, it was abfolutely certain, that they muft fall into condemnation. In this deplorable condition, the mercy of God regarded us; he made a covenant with his only begotten Son, that he fhould come into the world, and die for mähkind, and, upon the merit of that, cancel the handwriting of the law, which bore fo hard upon us; that he fhould afford us eafier conditions, greater affiftances, and more glorious promises, that he should deprive Sin of her strength, fwallow up Death in Victory, and lead Captivity captive; that

he

he fhould redeem us from the claim of

Hell, and reinstate us in our title to the joys of Heaven. For this reafon therefore it is alfo, that we confefs the Paternity of God, that we joyfully look upon our Creator and Preferver as amiably cloathed with the mercies of a Redeemer, and as thereby acquiring a fresh title to the name of Father, in that he hath begotten us from the death of Sin, unto the life of Righteousness.

Regeneration is another reafon for our calling God Father. In refpect of Crea tion, and Pervation, all things in general may call upon God by this name; in refpect of those many excellent endowments by which human nature is exalted above the inferior parts of the creation, and in which the bears the image of God, the whole race of men may with equal propriety make use of this appellation; and

the

the Paternity arifing from Redemption is as univerfal as the Satisfaction of Chrift, who died for all men; but in refpect of Regeneration, no one can call God Father, who is not actually entered into the Gospel Covenant, and become a member of Jesus: Christ, who hath not been fprinkled with the laver of Regeneration, and fanctified; by the Holy Ghoft; whofoever believeth: that Jefus is the Chrift, is born of God.: If we confider indeed the wonderful altera-` tion which is made in us by the gracious operations of God's holy Spirit in our Regeneration, how thoroughly we are purified when baptized with the Holy Ghoft. and with fire, upon what different principles we think, speak, and act, we shall: · readily fee that fuch an alteration may juftly 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

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 spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father. But the motives on which men adopt children, and thofe on which Godadopts us, are widely different. They fly to adoption as the laft refource and comfort of their folitary condition, as an artificial means of fupplying themselves with what Nature hath denied them, and in expecta