1. Concerning Gods impartial respect,1 Christ here teacheth all, of what degree soever, to say to God, Our Father. God then is the Father of all: and as a father he carrieth himself towards all.2 He is good, and merciful, and of great kindness, to all that call upon him. He upholdeth all that fall. 3In this respect especially is he said to have no respect of persons. *That title therefore which noteth out an only son on whom all love is cast,5 and by a property is attributed to Christ the only begotten Son of God,b that very title is attributed to all the Saints, to show, that though they be many,7 yet so impartial is Gods affection to them all, and to every of them, as if they were all but one only child of God.8 On which ground they are all called First-borne, 9Heirs, 10Kings, and such other names as do set forth an equal respect of God unto them all.11 Yea they are all one Body, ⟨p. 19⟩and one Spouse of Christ the Son of God.12 If the ground of this impartial respect be well weighed, the truth of it will more clearly appear. For it wholly resteth in God himself, and proceedeth from his free grace, and mere mercy: and not from any gifts or parts that are in the Saints. If it did depend on any thing in the sons of men, then might it be partial, as the love of earthly parents is.
1. Concerning Gods impartiall respect,1 Christ here teacheth all, of what degree soeuer, to say to God, Our Father. God then is the Father of all: and as a father he carrieth himselfe towards all.2 He is good, and mercifull, and of great kindnesse, to all that call vpon him. He vpholdeth all that fall. 3In this respect especially is he said to haue no respect of persons. *That title therefore which noteth out an onely sonne on whom all loue is cast,5 and by a propertie is attributed to Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God,b that very title is attributed to all the Saints, to shew, that though they be many,7 yet so impartiall is Gods affection to them all, and to euery of them, as if they were all but one onely child of God.8 On which ground they are all called First-borne, 9Heirs, 10Kings, and such other names as do set forth an equall respect of God vnto them all.11 Yea they are all one Bodie, ⟨p. 19⟩and one Spouse of Christ the Sonne of God.12 If the ground of this impartiall respect be well weighed, the truth of it will more clearely appeare. For it wholly resteth in God himselfe, and proceedeth from his free grace, and meere mercie: and not from any gifts or parts that are in the Saints. If it did depend on any thing in the sonnes of men, then might it be partiall, as the loue of earthly parents is.
- 1God carieth an equal respect to all.God carieth an equall respect to all.
- 2Psal. 86. 5.—145. 14.
- 3Acts 10▪ 34.
- *[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- 5Math. 3. 17.
- b[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- 7Ephes. 5. 1.
- 8Heb. 12▪ 23.
- 9Rom. 8. 17.
- 10Reve. 1. 6.Reue. 1. 6.
- 111. Cor. 12. 12.
- 12Ephes. 5. 3•.
