First, Fatherly affection. This appears in what God has already done for his people: "God so loved the world that he gave his only

begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have eternal life. Here"in is love, not that we loved God, but that he "loved us, and gave his son to die for us: when "there was no other eye to pity, no other hand "that could help, then our God wrought deli"verance for us, and laid our help upon one that "is mighty to save."—When there was nothing in us to attract his love, when, in the language of the prophet, we were "cast out into the open "field,” like a helpless new born infant polluted in its own blood, then " he passed by and saw

us polluted in our blood," and his passing by was a time of love, and he said to us when in this deplorable condition, "Live." God's love to his children farther appears in what he is still doing for them, not only in bestowing upon them the common blessings of his providence, in " giving “them rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons,

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filling their hearts with food and gladness;" but in those peculiar communications of his favour and love, that peculiar light of his countenance, whereby they are cheered in the midst of worldly afflictions and distresses, whereby they are raised above the world, and the enjoyments

it affords; whereby they are assured that "God is, and that he will be the rewarder of them "that diligently seek him ;"-in a word, whereby they know that they are "at peace with God "through the Lord Jesus Christ," and consequently at peace with themselves, and with all around them. Farther, God's love to his children appears in what he assuredly will do for them; he has promised to "be their guide even “unto death, and through death;" has promised the assistance of his holy spirit, to enable them to perform every part of duty, to overcome every temptation, to surmount every danger, and every difficulty-he has prepared for them "an inhe"ritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fa"deth not away, eternal in the heavens," has laid up for them stores of glory and bliss, which “eye "hath not seen, ear hath not heard, which it "hath not entered into the heart of man to con"ceive," much less is the tongue of man able to describe. This promise implies in the

Second place, Fatherly care. When we come into this world, the care of our natural parents or re-\ lations is absolutely necessary for the preservation of our life, our condition then being most feeble and helpless-for this end, nature has implanted in parents a principle of the greatest ten

derness and concern for their offspring, which prompts them in the strongest manner to provide for their safety and happiness in every thingsuch, and infinitely greater, is the tender care which God exercises over all his children; he loves to exhibit himself to us under such characters as are expressive of it: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. The moun"tains shall depart, and the hills be removed, "but my kindness shall not depart from thee, "neither shall the covenant of my peace be re"moved, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. "He giveth his angels charge concerning them, "to keep them in all their ways," so that they are ever safe and happy; "the Almighty him"self is their refuge, underneath and round about "them continually are the everlasting arms. "The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that wait upon the Lord shall not want any good thing."

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In the third place, the promise of God's being a father to us, implies fatherly pity and compassion, which are exercised in general toward the whole human race, in providing for their recovery when lost and undone creatures,

in those tender expostulations he makes with them on account of their madness in choosing" death rather than life," misery rather than happiness; in those pathetic invitations to repentance, and those expressive and repeated declarations of his willingness to receive and forgive them. “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have "no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that "the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways, for why will

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ye die? let the wicked man forsake his way, "and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and "turn unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God for he will abun"dantly pardon."

But the fatherly pity of God is in a peculiar manner expressed toward his own children, and particularly, in the first place, when he calls them "from darkness to light, from the

power of Satan to himself," when all is dark and gloomy about the guilty creature; if he looks up, his eyes are presented with the most awful of objects, the dread tribunal of an incensed God, ready to take vengeance upon him; if he casts his eyes downward, behold the place of torment about to open its mouth and swallow him up: within, all is storm and tempest, an awakened conscience, raging " like the troubled sea which

"cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and

dirt," and all the terrors of the Lord are ready to break in upon the polluted soul. Then the Lord relents and pities; and, ere the avenger of blood overtakes, spreads wide open the gates of the city of refuge, receives the wretched criminal, and speaks words of peace, and comfort, and pardon unto him.

Secondly, God pities his children in their backslidings after conversion; he does not finally reject them, though they "fall from their first love." No, this is not the part of a father to a child," he "knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we "are dust;" he pities our ignorance, and instructeth us; he pities our weakness, and administereth strength; he pities us when fallen down, and raiseth us up; nay, he is not wearied out with our continued provocations against him, but still "waiteth that he may be gracious;" is ever more ready to receive his backslidden children than they are to return to him.

Thirdly, God pities his children when struggling with temptation: he knows the cunning, power, and malice of their enemies, and how unable they are to withstand them; he knows their own proneness to what is forbidden, their readiness to sink under a temptation; and there