A Guide to Go to God, Preface · Section 7 – Section 11
§. 7. Of this title Father applyed to God.
Q. Father a title proper to God.IS this title Father proper to God?
A. Yea, moſt properly it appertaineth to him. For it is the true and proper title of him that giueth a being to that whereof he is called a Father. They therefore among men that vnderunder God are inſtruments of the being of others, who bring children forth into this world, are moſt vſually called Fathers. But it is God onelyonly that doth truly and properly giuegive a being to things:Math. 23. 9. whereupon Chriſt ſaith of him, There is but one your Father, 1. Cor. 8. 6.which is in heauen: and the Apoſtle to like purpoſe, There is but one God, Epheſ. 4. 6.the Father: and among other vnities hee reckons this, One God and Father.
Now God is ſtiled Father both in relation to his Sonne the ſecond perſon in Trinitie,Whoſe father God is. and alſo in relation to his creatures. In the former reſpect it can be applyed onelyonly to the firſt perſon in Trinitie,Iohn 3. 16. whoſe onelyonly begotten Sonne the ſecond perſon is: and that by reaſon of his eternall generation, Prou. 8. 24, 25.and of the hypoſtaticall vnion of his two natures in one perſon.Luke 1▪ 35. In the latter reſpect it may be applyed to all the three perſons in Trinitie.Iohn 1. 14. For not onelyonly the firſt, Math. 28. 19.but the ſecond perſon alſo is expreſly called Father: and we are ſaid to be borne of the Spirit, Iſa. 9. 6.which is a worke of paternitie. Iohn 3. 5.All the three perſons then are included vnderunder this title Father: And Prayer may be made to them all ioyntly as one in ſubſtance, and to any of them expreſly by name, yet ſo, as when one onelyonly is named neither of the other be excluded. For the Father is alwayes to be called vponupon in the name of the Sonne by the aſſiſtance of the Spirit.Rom. 8. 26. Elſe we know not what to pray as we ought.
This one God diſtinguiſhed into three perſons,Iob 38. 28. is ſaid to be the Father of his creatures, firſt generally, as he hath giuen a being to them all: ſecondly ſpecially as he hath ſet his image on ſome of them aboue others.
His Image is ſet on his creature two wayes.
1. By that excellencie wherein he created them.
2. By renewing an excellencie in ſome of them after their fall.
By reaſon of that primarie excellencie,Luke 3. 38. Adam and Angels are ſtiled ſonnes of God:Iob 1. 6. for in regard of thoſe diuine qualities, and that glorious eſtate wherewith he adorned them aboue other creatures at the beginning, they are ſaid to be made after the Image of God.
The Image of God, which is a kind of diuine excellencie, is renewed onelyonly in ſome of the ſonnes of men: and that in a ciuill and ſpiritu…ll reſpect.
In a ciuill respect, as they hauehave dignitie and dominion giuen to them ouer others: as all Magiſtrates & Gouernours, in whom there is a reſemblance of Gods Soueraigntie: in which reſpect they beare Gods Image,Pſal. 82. 6. and are ſtiled Gods, and Sonnes of the moſt High.
In a ſpirituall respect, Rom. 8. 15, 16.as God through his grace hath adopted ſome to be his ſonnes: and by his Spirit begotten them anew.Ioh. 1. 12, 13.
Though out of the fatherhood of God here meant, that relation which the firſt perſon in Trinitie hath to the ſecond, may not be excluded (for they who apprehend not God to be a Father of Ieſus Chriſt, cannot in faith, and with comfort call vponupon him) yet it hath eſpeciall relation to his creatures, who ſay, Our Father, and among them to ſonnes of men ſince their fall, who ſay,Deum patrem eſſe voce propria consitentes de conditione ſerui… in adoptionem fi…io…u… nos profitemur aſcitos. Forgiue vsus our trespaſſes: and among the ſonnes of men to ſuch as are adopted of God, and borne anew after his Image, who onelyonly in truth ſay to God, Hallowed be thy name, &c. Thus we who with our owne voyce confeſſe God to be our Father, do profeſſe our ſelues to be taken from ſeruile condition into the adoption of ſonnes.
Many other more magnificent titles might hauehave bene attributed to God,…. Iſa. de Orat. Cap. 18. but none more pertinent to Prayer then this title Father, Chriſt therefore vſually in his*Math. 11. 25. Iohn 12. 27. Iohn 17. 1. Math 26▪ 39. Luke 23. 34, 46. Prayer vſed it.
§. 8. Of the inſtructions which the title, Father, applied to God import.
Q. VVHat inſtructions may be gathered from this title Father, applyed to God in Prayer?
A. 1. God is to be called vponupon in the mediation of Chriſt. In Chriſt onelyonly is God a Father:Galat 4. 4. and in Chriſt onelyonly are we adopted, and borne againe.1. Pet. 1. 3. Out of Chriſt God is a terrible Iudge, and a conſuming fire▪ This title therefore includeth Chriſt, and faith in him.1. Pet. 1. 3. Thus Saint Peter firſt had an eye to Gods fatherhood in relation to Chriſt his onelyonly begotten Sonne, and then in relation to the Saints his adopted ſonnes.
2. They onelyonly hauehave this priuiledge to approach by Prayer into Gods preſence, who can in truth call him Father: which none can do but they that beleeue in Chriſt. For as many as receiued him, to them he gaue power to become the Sonnes of God, euen to them that beleeue in his Name. Ioh… 1. 12.To them onelyonly will God reach out his golden Scepter of Grace,Eſter 5. 2. as Ahaſhueroſh did to Heſter. 1▪ Cor. 1. 2.They therefore by a kind of propertie are ſaid to call vponupon God.Acts 9. 14.
3. Prayer muſt be made in confidence of Gods fatherly louelove. Attolle …culos ad patrem, qui te per lauacrum genuit, qui te per filium redemit, & dic Pater noſter. Aug. in Serm. 28 de verb. Dom.How ſhall they elſe call him Father? dGal. 4. 6.Becauſe ye are ſonnes (ſaith the Apoſtle) God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father. Now the ground of this confidence reſteth onelyonly in Gods Fatherhood. For here are no other motiues, either from our ſelues or from others. ButeMath. 7. 11. Paternitie promiſeth all bleſſings.
4. There is ground of returning to God after we hauehave gone from him. For a father is readie againe and againe to receiue.fLuk. 15. 18. &c. I will riſe and go to my FATHER, ſaith the Prodigall: and when that Father ſaw his ſonne yet a great way off, he had compaſſion. After that Dauid had iuſtly baniſhed his ſonne Abſolom, 2. Sam. 13. 39.he longed to goe forth vntounto him. As Fatherhood promiſeth all bleſſings, ſo all forbearance. It maketh one readie to giuegive, and forgiue. A fathers louelove is of all others moſt conſtant and immutable.Pſal. 103. 13▪ Though he be prouoked to correct,Heb. 12. 5, 6. yet will he not forget to louelove.
5. There is ſufficient encouragement againſt eueryevery thing, 1. King. 19. 12. 13.that may any way diſhearten vsus from approaching into Gods preſence: whether it be excellencie in God, or infirmitie in our ſelues. A father will lay aſide in his childes preſence,Quando patrem deum dicimu…, quaſi filij Dci agere debemus. Cypr. de Orat. Dom. §. 8. whatſoeuer may diſhearten him.
6. They who call on God muſt beare a child-like affection to him. For they who with their lips call God Father, and in their hearts reſpect him not as a Father, do apparently mocke him. On this ground ſaith God to his people:Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father where is mine honour? 1 Pet. 1. 17.and Saint Peter, If ye call him him Father, paſſe the time of your ſoiourning here in feare. Quum praeceperi… vt in oratione patrem tu…m dica…, nihil aliud quàm per diuinum vitae inſtitutum. te coeleſti patri ſi… lem eſſe iubet. Greg. Nyſ. lib. de Orat.This child-like affection will prouoke vsus to ſeeke both his fauour and his honour: how to be accepted of him, and how to pleaſe him. This anſwerable diſpoſition is a maine end of the relation betwixt God and vsus. And when he commandeth thee in prayer to call him Father, this he willeth thee, that by a diuine courſe of life thou ſhouldeſt be like thy Father.
Thus much of the title Father. The manner of expreſſing it followeth, in the vocatiue caſe and ſecond perſon.
§. 9. Of the prerogatiue of Gods children to ſpeake vntounto him face to face.
Q. VVHat doth the manner of expreſſing this title Father, in the vocatiue caſe and ſecond perſon import?
A. 1. A dignitie of Gods children.
2. A dutie of Gods children.
Q. What is that dignitie?
A. Such a familiaritie with God, as face to face to ſpeake to him. For this title, Father, is ſo ſet downe as directed to God himſelfe in his owne preſence. Dauid doth excellently ſet forth this priuiledge,Pſal. 38. 9. where he ſaith, Lord I powre my whole deſire before thee. All hauehave not this libertie: as an euidence where of they hauehave not abilitie thus to come into Gods preſence, They vponupon whom God powreth the Spirit of grace, Zach. 12. 10.he powreth alſo the Spirit of ſupplication: but vponupon no other. It is therefore a gift appropriated to the Saints, to call vponupon God in faith: by which*Acts 9. 14. ſtile they are deſcribed. Others may vſe this word,1. Cor. 1. 2. and with their lips ſay to God,2. Tim. 2. 19. ô Father: but their ſuppoſed prayers are but meere iip-labour. At the beſt their inward deſires are but wiſhes. Now there is a great difference betwixt wiſhing and praying. Differences betwixt wiſhing and praying.A wiſh may intimate ſome ſence of that which a man wants, and ſome deſire of hauing it: but ſmall care in vſing the meanes to get it, and leſſe faith in obtaining it. But the faithfull prayers of the Saints argue Sence, Deſire, Care, Faith and all. Balaam could with and ſay,Num. 23. 10. Let me die the death of the righteous. Like to whom were they that ſaid,Pſal. 4. 6. Who will ſhew vsus any good? But Dauid goeth directly to God, and thus expreſly prayeth to him, LORD life thou vp the light of thy countenance vponupon vsus. We know that any man may in any place wiſh and ſay, I would the King would grant me this or that ſute: but at all times to hauehave a free acceſſe to the Kings preſence, and to ſay vntounto him, O my Leige I beſeech thee grant me this ſute, is a great priuiledge, appertaining onelyonly to Kings fauourites: and ſo much the greater when there is aſſurance of preuailing by this free acceſſe: as there is aſſurance by that free acceſſe which Saints hauehave to Gods preſence.
This is little conſidered of them, who make all their prayers rather by exhortation vntounto Prayer, then by expreſſe Petition, in the third perſon, thus, Let vsus pray that God would do this or that: which argueth too light an eſteeme of the forenamed priuiledge: and is a declaration of what ought to be done, rather then an actuall performance thereof.
§. 10. Of their dutie who hauehave free acceſſe to God.
Q. VVHat is the Dutie that is expected of ſuch as hauehave the forenamed free acceſſe to God?
A. That in Prayer eſpecially their heart be ſtrucke with a due reſpect of Gods preſence.Reuetence in Prayer. For then they ſtand face to face before him. This followeth as a iuſt conſequence from the foreſaid dignitie. When dutifull children or loyall ſubiects ſtand in the preſence of their Father or Soueraigne, they will manifeſt all the due reſpect they can: eſpecially when they make a ſute to them. Should not we the children and ſubiects of God do it much more?
*§. 17.When we come to ſpeake of the glorie and greatneſſe of God, we ſhall hauehave further occaſion to preſſe this point.
Thus much of the relatiue title Father. The correlatiue is noted in this particle OVR. In handling whereof firſt we are to conſider in generall the parties which are compriſed vnderunder it: and then more particularly, the perſon, and number wherein it is expreſſed.
§. 11. Of the parties compriſed vnderunder this particle OVR.
Q. VVHom doth this correlatiue particle (OVR) ſet out?
A. Mortall men that liue on earth.
Q. What is hereby giuen to be vnderſtood?
A. The louelove of God, and honour of thoſe mortall men.
Q. How is Gods louelove ſet forth?
A. By vouchſafing to be a Father to ſuch baſe wretches.Gods louelove to man in vouchſafing to be called Father by them. There is an infinite diſparitie betwixt God and man. God is a Lord of incomprehenſible Maieſtie, and perfect puritie. Man in regard of the mould whence he came, and whither be muſt returne is but duſt:Quanta domini indulgetia, quan…a circa nos dignationis cius & bonitatis vbertas, qui ſic nos voluerit orationem celebrare, vt Deum patrem vocemus! Cypr. de Orat. Dom. §. 8▪ and in regard of the corruption of his nature is worſe then the bruteſt beaſt, and moſt vnreaſonable creature. May we not then on this ground with an holy admiration ſay, Behold what manner of louelove the Father hath beſtowed vponupon vsus, that we ſhould be called the ſonnes of God! Who durſt call God Father, if Chriſt had not warranted vsus ſo to do.
Q. What is the honour that is hereby done vntounto the ſonnes of men?
A. The greateſt that can be. For what greater honour then to be the Kings ſonne?1. Ioh. 3. 1. Dauid thought it a great matter to be Sauls ſonne in law (yet was Saul but a King on a ſmall part of the earth,An honour to call God father. and Dauid was then annointed to be his ſucceſſour.) What is it then to hauehave the King of heauen to be our Father?1. Sam. 18. 18. This is farre more then to be an Angell, who is but a meſſenger and ſeruant.Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them, who ſhall be heires of ſaluation?
Herewith may all they who hauehave this honour vouchſafed vntounto them,1. Cor. 4. 13. vphold themſelues againſt that vile eſteeme wherein the world hath them. What need they care for the worlds deſpiſing of them,1. Ioh. 3. 1. who hauehave God to be their Father? For this cauſe the world knoweth vsus not, becauſe it knoweth not our Father.
This of the parties whoſe Father God is. The manner of applying Gods fatherhood by the firſt perſon OVR followeth.