It is only yea and amen; it is
so, "as God is true." 2 Cor. 17:20.
Sin, after that the Spirit of adoption has come, cannot dissolve the
relations of Father and son, of Father and child. And this the
church did rightly assert, and that when her heart was under great
hardness and when she had the guilt of erring from his ways; saith
she, "Doubtless thou art our Father:" doubtless thou art, though
this be our case, and though Israel should not acknowledge us for
such.
That sin dissolveth not the relation of Father and son, is further
evident: When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son
made of a woman, made under the law, that we might receive the
adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the
Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, "Father, Father!" Now
mark: "Wherefore, thou art no more a servant;" that is, no more
under the law of death and damnation, but a son; and if a son, then
an heir of God through Christ.
Suppose a child doth grievously transgress against and offend his
father; is the relation between them therefore dissolved? Again,
suppose the father should scourge and chasten the son for such
offences, is the relation between them therefore dissolved? Yea,
suppose the child should now, through ignorance, cry and say, "This
man is now no more my father;" is he therefore no more his father?
Doth not every body see the folly of arguings? Why, of the same
nature is the doctrine, the faith, that after we have received the
Spirit of adoption, the Spirit of bondage is sent to us again to put
us in fear of eternal damnation.
Pages:
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261