Ep 1e ofS. Patel toritt c. CHAPI. the roorne and place ofchildren : 4, but thole allo that are in the roome 59 offathers , either generally , as all fuperiotrs, in age,place, or gifts; or more fpecially fuch asby whole counfell,wifdome,tendernes, and care, we are direaed asby fathers; who in there offices and not in chemfelues ( for fometimes they be inferiours otherwife) become fathers vita vs. Thus was Iofeph an inferiour, called afather of Pharaoh:that is , a court- c_;, 45.5. feller: Iob for his tcnderncs and care,called afather ofthepoore :Schollcrs . 1".'9.". ofthe Prophets,called fennes ofthe Prophets: Elifha faith ofEliah, my ft- a.wng.a.ts. ther,myfather: and Iobal was the father ofall that plaie on harpes. But v d,;4 much more properly is the Minifier called thefather of fuck as hecon - netts voto the faith: becaufe they beget men vntoGod,as Patel did One- Philem;ro. fimos in his bonds:in which regeneration thefeede is that heavenly grace ,.rcc,r. =5. whereby a divine nature is framed:the infirm/lent by which it is contiei- cd,isthewordofGod iin the Miniflerieofit. The mother of there chil- dren ofGod is the Church,which cóceiuech them in her wombe,whieh tramellethof them,and bringeth them into this fpirituall world , which Gal.ga. bringeth them vp in her hofome,and nourilheth them at herbrefs , firg with the milke or the twoTefiaments, and after with fironger meate till Hcb5rz. they be front men in Chrill. Obielf. Matth.z3.9. Call no man father in earth :and God is the onely father offpirits,Hebr. t 3.9. Auf: The place doth not (imply and ablolutely forbid the calling of any man father,for then had the Apolile finned in calling hitnfelfe the fa- ther ofthe Corinths, and Timothieand Titus his foanes ; yea the Lord t,ca.ç.cl, hfmfelfe goethbefore vs in exampie,in giving this title not onely to the fathers of our bodies,but ail fuperiors betides in the firfi cómandemenr. But the (copeofthat place is, r. to condemne the ambitious feekingand boaliing in the titlesoffather,dotìor,&c. a.to teach that no man fhould depend vponany other,as the principal efficient caule ofhis birth,either naturall or fpirituall: for God is properly the father ofvs all , not accor- ding to our fpirituallbirth onely , but euen our naturall alfo: for he for- meth in the wombe, he bringeth out of thewombe, and in himwe line, Aa.)9.23. andmoone, andhaws ossrbeeing : and what Miuifters or fathers of our bodies ad herein,they do it as inflruments,by whom the Lord worketh. True it is that the Lord hideth his worke by inflituring loch meanes, as haue in themborne thewof inherent power,toproduce fucheffe6ls ; and for their further reuerence afcribeth tochele inliruments his own worke, and hisproper titles offathers,fauionrs; yet is no man for this to afcribe Obad At. theprincipali power of begettinghim whether in the ficus ,or in the faith,to anyman,ocherwifethen as a fubordinate means vnder God,rhat z cot 43 thewholepraifè ofthe work! and ofour lifenaturall and f irituall , may bee afcti-
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