An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

Thirdly, If God own himself as a Father to all things, and to all men, in a general way of Nature, then much more doth he own himself a Father to all his people in a way of grace. What the Apostle saith of his Title Saviour (1 Tim. 4.10.) He is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe; so I may say of this ⟨p. 221⟩Relation Fat•er, God is the Father of all men, but especially of those that believe. The fatherhood which stands in grace is the highest and most excellent fatherhood which God beareth to any of his Creatures: As to this •he Apostle (Jam. 1.18.) saith, Of his own will begat he us by the Word of Truth; that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures; that is, as I conceive, that believers (they only are begotten with the word of truth) considered with all other creatures, to whom God is a Father in a common way, should have the honour to be called the chief of his creatures. The first fruits were chief among the fruits of the earth. The first born both of man and of beast were the Lords portion (Exod. 13.1.) therefore chief. This honour have all the Saints; the Birth-right is theirs, and theirs is the Blessing: They, as all holy things, are dedicated to God, and graciously accepted with him, as a chosen Generation, as a peculiar people. He who is Lord over all, and Father of all, both things and persons, as they stand in the whole compass of Nature, is eminently and with endeared affections, a Father to all them who believe and are actually in a state of grace.

Thirdly, If God own himself as a Father to all things, and to all men, in a general way of Nature, then much more doth he own himself a Father to all his people in a way of grace. What the Apostle saith of his Title Saviour (1 Tim. 4.10.) He is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe; so I may say of this ⟨p. 221⟩