Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

4i What is méant by, Our Father, and fo w.: efteem them, then are not we the fonnes of God.Forif he be our Father,then his children are our brethren; If the fonnes of God be not brethren to us, then are not we his children. If therefore we Ihall hate the children of God, how can we call up- on him as our Father? ,. To teach Secondly, whereas all, as well poore as rich, are the rich,and commanded to call God Father,this ought to teach poore. ort the the rich,& comfort the poore. The rich ought from hence to learn humility and not to defpife the poor - eft Chriflian, feing they are our brethren by the law of nature, and of the fame bloud,A6ts 17 . the fame efh, Ifai. 5 8. and alfo by our redemption by Chrift they are our brethren in him,fonnes of the fame Fa- ther, and have as good part in Chrift, if they be- lieve, as the beft; for God is a Father that ref er/eth not perfons, As I o. 34, 3 5 I. Pet. I. 17. And in Chrift there is no difference of rich and Poore, bona or free; but we are all one in him, Ga1.3.2 8. To which purpofe Paul exhorteth Philemon to receive his fer vant Onefimus, being now converted, as a brother, v. t7.Let therefore the rich follow the advife,Rom. z 2. 16. Example,Job 31.13,14,1 5. that of the wife is Pet. 3. 7. which is to be extended to all Chri- hians, viz, that they be coheirs. Which dodrine doth not favour the Anabaptifts ; for although in refpea of our fpirituall eftate there ought to be no ref eCl of perfons, Jam. 2, t. neither is there difference of bond and free in Chrifi, yet in refpet of our out- ward eftate the Lord hath ordained fuperiours and inferiours, &c. and hath eftabli(hed orders and de- grees in the outward politic. The