Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Now it followeth that that God ¹in whom we rest, and unto whose tuition we do all commit our selves, is The Father Almighty. Our God is therefore called Father, because from before all beginning he begat the Son like to himself. For the Scripture calleth God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He, saith the Apostle, is the brightness of the glory of God, and the lively Image of the substance of the father: to whom he said, Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee. And again. I will be his father and he shall be my Son. Also God is called father in respect of the likeness that he hath with our earthly father, to wit because of our Creation, the favour, love, good will & carefulness, where with he is affected towards us. For God hath created us, God loveth us, God regardeth our affairs and is careful for us, yea and that more exceedingly too, then any earthly father is. For saith David. Even as the father pitieth his children, so doth the Lord pity them that fear him, for he knoweth our estate, remembering that we are but dust. Isaiah also in his 49. Cap. saith, Can a woman forget her own infant, and not pity and be fain over the Son of her own womb? But admit she do forget, yet will not I forget thee. In this is declared Gods good will to us ward: and we confessing that God is our father, do also profess that God to us is both gentle, liberal and merciful, who wisheth us all things that are available to our health, and purposeth nothing to us ward, but that which is good and wholesome: and last of all that at his hand we receive, what good soever we have, either bodily or ghostly.

Nowe it followeth that that God ¹in whom we rest, and vnto whose tuition wée do all commit oure selues, is The Father Almightye. Our God is therefore called Father, because from before all beginninge hee begatte the sonne like to himselfe. For the Scripture calleth God, the father of oure Lord Iesus Christe. He, sayth the Apostle, is the brightnesse of the glorie of God, and the liuely Image of the substaunce of the father: to whom he said, Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee. And againe. I will be his father and hee shalbe my sonne. Also God is called father in respecte of the likenesse that hee hath with oure earthly father, to witte because of our Creation, the fauour, loue, good will & carefulnesse, where with he is affected towards vs. For God hath created vs, God loueth vs, God regardeth our affayres and is careful for vs, yea and that more exceedinglye too, then any earthly father is. For saith Dauid. Euen as the father pitieth his childrē, so doth the Lord pitie them that feare him, for hee knoweth our estate, remembring that we are but duste. Esaias also in his 49. Cap. sayth, Can a woman forget her owne infante, and not pitie and be fayne ouer the sonne of hir owne wombe? But admit she do forget, yet will not I forget thee. In this is declared Gods good will to vs ward: and wée confessing that God is our father, do also professe that God to vs is both gentle, liberall and merciful, who wisheth vs all thinges that are auayleable to our health, and purposeth nothinge to vs warde, but that which is good and wholesome: and last of all that at his hande wée receiue, what good soeuer wée haue, either bodilye or ghostly.