This term Father is attributed to God both essentially and personally. Essentially, and so the term belongs to each Person in the Trinity, as being a term that follows the God-head, Mat. 23. 9. and thus God is said to be a Father divers ways: as, first, by Predestination, because he enrols the Elect as Sons from all eternity, Ephes. 1. 3. secondly, by Creation, because he made things to be of nothing by his own power, thus Adam is said to be the Son of God, Luke 3. 38. and and God is called the Father of spirits, Heb. 12. 9. thirdly, by temporal redemption, and so God is acknowledged for the Father of the Israelites, because he made them a people to himself, and brought them out of Egypt and gave them the outward privileges of his children, Isaiah 63. 16. 11. 12. fourthly, by regeneration, when he changeth our natures and makes them like his divine Nature, 2. Pet. 1. 4. and so we are sons so soon as we believe, John 1. 12. and so soon as he gives us the Spirit of Sanctification and Adoption, Rom. 8. 15. fifthly, by personal union, and so Christ in respect of his humane nature is the Son of God: because that nature doth subsist in the divine Nature, Luke 1. Now all these ways God is a Father by grace; and in respect of Regeneration, the second Person in the Trinity is called a Father aswell as the first, Isaiah 9. 6. 7. and is said to have an offspring and generation, Isaiah 53. 10. Lastly, God is said to be a Father by Nature, and by generation, as he begets a Son, consubstantial with himself, and so the first Person in the Trinity is called Father only, as he is the Natural Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This terme Father is attributed to God both essentially and personally. Essentially, and so the terme belongs to each Person in the Trinity, as being a terme that followes the God-head, Mat. 23. 9. and thus God is said to bee a Father diuers waies: as, first, by Predestination, because he inrolls the Elect as Sonnes from all eternity, Ephes. 1. 3. secondly, by Creation, because he made things to be of nothing by his owne power, thus Adam is said to be the Sonne of God, Luke 3. 38. and and God is called the Father of spirits, Heb. 12. 9. thirdly, by temporall redemption, and so God is acknowledged for the Father of the Israelites, because hee made them a people to himselfe, and brought them out of Egypt and gaue them the outward priuiledges of his children, Esay 63. 16. 11. 12. fourthly, by regeneration, when hee changeth our natures and makes them like his diuine Nature, 2. Pet. 1. 4. and so wee are sonnes so soone as we beleeue, Iohn 1. 12. and so soone as he giues vs the Spirit of Sanctification and Adoption, Rom. 8. 15. fifthly, by personall vnion, and so Christ in respect of his humane nature is the Sonne of God: because that nature doth subsist in the diuine Nature, Luke 1. Now all these waies God is a Father by grace; and in respect of Regeneration, the second Person in the Trinity is called a Father aswell as the first, Esay 9. 6. 7. and is said to haue an ofspring and generation, Esay 53. 10. Lastly, God is said to be a Father by Nature, and by generation, as he begets a Sonne, consubstantiall with himselfe, and so the first Person in the Trinity is called Father onely, as he is the Naturall Father of our Lord Iesus Christ.
