Semi. r 4. How msft we Pray in Faith ? quit the Saint and condemn the Unbeliever, as a Judge may pafs Sen. tence againa one who bath paid ninety and nine pounds of an hundred,- , and acquit another who bath not paid a farthing, if his furery baths paid ir. 3. Though in matter of Julice we are not to refpe& perfons,Levit. 19.15. yet in matters of favour we may, GaI.6.to. This may be the firs meaning of the words, but not the only, nor as I conceive the chief.. Therefore, II. To akin Faith, is, to believe, that alb we fay in Prayer is arm, when we confefs our felves to be grievous fanners, we are to think our felves to be as great fanners as we fay we are ; when we call God Al- mighty our Father, we are to believe hire to be fo: Then the poor Soul will fay, Alas I cannot pray in Faith,for I cannot fajy our Father,fince I do not believe that I am his child, how then can I call him Father ? I Anfwer, i. Thou aiay(I call him Father, for he is thy Father ; if thou (houldll fee divers children playing fome unrowardnefs in the ftreet, and (hould fee a man that paffed by, go and fingle out one of them, and corre& him,and yet the child ( hould follow him, would you not fay he was the father of that child ? for a Orange child would flyc from him,or flye at him if lie fhould flrike him. Doti thou not follow God when he correas thee ? be of good comfort, God is thy Father, and thou art his child. Whcn that pretious -man Mr. Murcot was in great anguifh, fearing. that God was not his Father, thefe words were impreffed on his mind, If I am not thy Fat her, why do. thole follow after me ? Nay, not only God ù thy Father, but thou thinkeil fo alfc. When Naamsans fervants called him father, what did they mean, but to thew that they acknowledged that he carried himfelf rather as a Father than a Mailer. When the Prodigal returned, though he acknowledged that he was not worthy to be called his Son, yet he called him Father,lince he had failed of nothing that might be expedted from a loving tender Father. Maya thou not call God thy Father upon this account, hath he not dealt with thee in abundance of render Companion, nay more than the tenderell Parent in the World.Give God the glory due to his good - nefs, call him Father,for thou myti truly fay he bath dealt fo with thee. Thefame Mr. 11Itarcet being troubled upon the fame account, viz,. the fear that God was not his Father, had thefe words come into his mind, with power, via:. if I amq rot thy Eatber, am I thy Enemy ? God argues thus with the few!, Deur.3 2.6. III.We 329
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