Book II. GOD M E TAPHOR. that he miaht heal his fick Son at Capernaum l John i v. 46. A FATHER. PARAL LEL. Gives Meat to them that fear him, far he is ever mindful of his Covenant-He provides Phyjic for their Soul-Difeafes-Blefs the Lord, 0 my Soul, (fays D avid) who forgiveth all thine Iniquities, who bt<i!eth all thy Difeafes, Pfal. ciii. 2,3.. VIII. A Father takes Delight to VIII. The l .ord takts great Delight to hear IllS hear his young Children learn to lirde Children (his Babes i~ Chri[t) learn to pray, fpeak; and is better pleafcd at their and open their Wants tO him ; and though they endeavor ro exprcfs their Minds, ftammer nut a Rcqueft o• Sigh, or hfp out a Pw– (chough_ in lifping, ftammerin~, tion, he_is willing ro_ hear and attf'!!ler then;, _Prov. or inarticulate Language) than m xv. 8. XI. 20. and XtJ. 2 2. Ija. lxt. 1. Luke 1v. 18. rhe mol[ florid Rheroric, or quaint, !fa. xii. 3· His Spirit helps thtir fpjirmities, (jar D eliveries of others: and will anthey know not what th~y j!Jould pr~y for as thry f wer their Requefts, before the ougbt) and maketh Intercejfio11 for them with unut– moft perfuafiv<; Orarory of ::mantcrable Groans, R nm. viii. 26. 'I'hougb (like the gers. P roplret) they chatter like a Crane, yet he will not defptfe them, !fa. xxxviii. q. but racher lend his Ear to them, than to the vain Pomp and emp{.y Ceremonies of Formalifts, and the fpecious Performances of the Hypocrite, Prov. xv. 8. IX. A loving and dlfcrcet FaIX. God is prop ·fed by Chrift as a holy Pattern, ther propofes l:imfelf as a Pattern Le-v. xix. 2. xi. 44· and xx. 7· and E xample to and Exa,,ple of Good to hi> Chi!- his Saints, Be ye perfetl as your Father in Heaven dren, and exhorts them to imitate is perjeft, Matt. v. 48. And in another Place, him. Be ye merciful, as your Father alfo is merciful, Luke vi. 36. God is not foon angry, but patient and long-Juffering, fo fhould his Children be, &c. Col. i. r I. X. A Father loves thofe ChilX. The Lord God loves fuch of his fpiritual dren beft that are moft like him. Children belt, who walk rlofe.ft with him, who are holy as he is holy, pure as he is pure, I Pet. i. I 5· who are changed into his Lnage, 2 Cor. iii. I8. made Partakers of the Di'Vine Nature. Daniel wasgreatly oeloved, Dan. ix. 2. 2 Pet. i. 4· and David recorded to be a Man after God's owl! Heart, /lfts xtii. 22. by vVay of Emi11ency ; and John is called the beloved Difciple, after the fame Manner: For it i' agreeable to Reafon and Equity, that where there is the neare.ft Sirmlitude, tbere jhould be the dearejl Love and Union. XI. A J:<ather takes Care to eduXI. None teacherh like the heavenly Father, cate his Children, and inftr uft them I John iii. 2, 3· John i. 7· none u1ore careful to in all Points of Manaers and good train up and injlruEI his Ch1ldren in right W ays: Behavior in the various Circumhe hath given thembis holy Word, which is able to fiances of their Lives, at home and make them wife to Salvation, Pfal. xxv. 4· and abroad; towards Superiors, Infexxvii. rr. 2 'fim. iii. I5· Prophets, Evangelijls, riors, and Equals, towards Friends /lpoftles, Paftors, and 'I'eachers to inftrutl them. and Enemies, and towards each Rules to walk by, Precepts of Behaviour t9Wards other; giving them Precepts of Enemies and Friends, high and low, rich and poor: good Learning, and other ~aliI will teach you (faith the Lord) what ye jhall do. fications fuitable to their Rank and He teaches Sinners in the Way, Luke xii. 49· Eph. ~alities. iv. II . Neh ix. I4· !fa. xxviii. I O. He teacheth the Hand to war. It is he only that teacheth trf Profit, !fa. xlviii. I 7· In a Word, he harh given them the Lord ]'.fits, in who;n are hid all the 'I'reafures of Wifdom and Knowledge, I Cor. x. 12. XII. Fathers are very ready to Xll. The Ears of the Lord are ever open to the hear the humble Suit and Requefts Cries of his Children: /ljl<, andyejhall receive, &c. of their dear Children, for fuch whatfoever ye jhall ojk in Prayer, believing, ye jhall Things as they ftand in need of.- receive.- 'I'his is the CoPjidenct that we have in him, Ifaac cries to his ·Father, and he that if we aft any 'I'hing according to his Will, he anfwered, Here am I, my Son, Gen. heareth us; and if we know that he heareth us, xxii. 7· whatfoever we aft, we know that we have tbe Petitions that we have diftred of him. · 2 Cor. vi. 3· Col. i. 28: Exod. iv. 15. Pfal. xxv. 8, 9· 2 Sam. xxii. 35· Pfal. xviii, 34· Col. ii. 3• PJal. xxx1v. 15. 1 Pet. iii. I2 . 1 John v. 14, 15. Matt. XXI. 22. and v. 42. I John iii. 12. Matt. vii. 7· XIII.
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