, seeing it is before
said that by the coming of the Spirit we are changed from servants to
sons: but here, as tho we could be sons before the coming of the Spirit,
he saith "because ye are sons," etc. To this question we must answer,
that Paul speaks here in the same manner that he did before, that is,
before the fulness of the time came, we were in bondage under the
rudiments of the world: all that shall become sons are counted in the
place of sons with God: therefore he saith rightly, "because ye are
sons," that is, because the state of sons is appointed to you from
everlasting, "God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son," to wit, that
He might finish it in you, and make you such as He hath long since of
His goodness determined that He would make you.
Now if the Father give unto us His Spirit, He will make us His true sons
and heirs, that we may with confidence cry with Christ, Abba, Father;
being His brethren and fellow heirs. The apostle has well set forth the
goodness of God which makes us partakers with Christ, and causes us to
have all things common with Him, so that we live and are led by the same
Spirit. These words of the apostle show that the Holy Ghost proceeds
from Christ, as he calls Him his Spirit.
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