The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved

I Answer 1. Thou mayst call him Father, for he is thy Father; if thou shouldest see diverse children playing some untowardness in the street, and should see a man that passed by, go and single out one of them, and correct him and yet the child should follow him, would you not say he was the father of that child; for a strange child would fly from him, or fly at him if he should strike him. Dost thou not follow God when he corrects thee? be of good comfort, God is thy Father, and thou art his child.

I Answer 1. Thou mayst call him Father, for he is thy Father; if thou shouldest see diverse children playing some untowardnesse in the street, and should see a man that passed by, go and single out one of them, and correct him and yet the child should follow him, would you not say he was the father of that child; for a strange child would flye from him, or flye at him if he should strike him. Dost thou not follow God when he corrects thee? be of good comfort, God is thy Father, and thou art his child.

When that precious man Mr. Murcot was in great anguish, fearing that God was not his Father, these words were impressed on his mind, If I am not thy Father, why dost thou follow after me?

When that pretious man Mr. Murcot was in great anguish, fearing tht God was not his Father, these words were impressed on his mind, If I am not thy Father, why dost thou follow after me?

Nay not only God is thy Father, but thou thinkest so also. When Naamans servants called him father, what did they mean, but to show that they acknowledged that he carried himself rather as a Father than a Ma••er. When the Prodigal returned, though he acknowledged that he was not worthy to be called his son, yet he called him Father, since he had failed of nothing that might be expected from a loving tender Father. Mayst thou not call God thy Father upon this account, hath he not dealt with thee in abundance of tender Compassion, nay more than the tenderest Parent in the World. Give God the glory due to his goodness, call him Father, for thou mayst truly say he hath dealt so with thee. The same Mr. Murcot being troubled upon the same account, viz. the fear that God was not his Father, had these words come into his mind, with power, viz. If I am not thy Father, am I thy Enemy? God argues thus with the Jews,