Wesley Corpus

“It is also the office of the Holy Ghost, to “assure us of the adoption of sons,’ to create in us a sense of the paternal love of God towards us, to give us an earnest of our everlasting inherit ance. ‘The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given untous.’ ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” “And because we are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.’ ‘For we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but we have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father; the Spirit itself bearing witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” (Verses 15, 16.) “As, therefore, we are born again by the Spirit, and receive from him our regeneration, so we are also by the same Spirit - assured of our adoption.” Because, being ‘sons, we are also heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, by the same ‘Spirit we have the pledge, or rather the ‘earnest, of our inherit ance.” For ‘he which establishethus in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and hath given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts:’ So that “we are sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inherit ance. The Spirit of God, as given unto us in this life, is to be looked upon as an earnest, being part of that reward which is promised, and, upon performance of the covenant which God hath made with us, certainly to be received.” Your Lordship observed, that “the interpretation of those passages which relate to the ‘unction from the Holy One,” depends on the sense of those other passages of Holy Scripture, particularly those in St. John’s Gospel.” Now, if so, then these words fix the sense of six out of the seven texts in question; and every one of them, in the judgment of this writer, describes the ordinary gifts bestowed on all Christians. It now rests with your Lordship to take your choice; either to condemn or to acquit both.