the eternal sonship of the lord jesus christ - Paradise Primitive ...

question as a mere controversy of words, and that it is an obscure and abstruse doctrine, which theyheartily wish had never been brought forward to divide churches, perplex inquirers, and separatechief friends. But such arguments are always at hand when truth begins to speak with decided voice.God’s servants are only His mouth as they "take forth the precious from the vile" Jer 15:19; and whenthey wield the sword of the Spirit it may well sever churches and wound individuals, for "it pierceseven to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow" Heb 4:12. The policy ofSatan has always been to cry out against the truth as causing confusion, disturbing the general peaceof the church, and filling the world with division and strife. It was so in the days of Athanasius, whenhe, almost single-handed, fought against Arianism. It was so in the days of Luther, when he began tooppose Popery; and it was so with our Puritan ancestors, when they testified against the variouscorruptions in doctrine and life which prevailed in their day. Those who from self-interest, love ofcarnal ease, entanglement in error, or cowardice of spirit, wished things to remain quiet as they were,all lifted up their voice against the disturbers of the general peace. We would say, then, to all who arezealous for the truth on earth, Do not think that this is a matter of little import, that we are plunginginto a controversy about mere words, and troubling the churches with tithes of mint, anise andcummin, and omitting the weightier matters of judgment, mercy and faith. Examine the Scriptures foryourselves, especially the First Epistle of John, and then say whether the true Sonship of Christ is amatter of little importance. And as we hope, with God’s help and blessing, to examine the subjectprayerfully and carefully, in the light of His teaching, and as revealed in the sacred Scripture, we callupon our spiritual readers, not merely to give a passing glance to the testimonies that we shall bringforward, but to weigh them well in the balance of the sanctuary, and see for themselves whether weare contending earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints, or, laying aside thecommandment of God, are holding the tradition of men.A few preliminary observations, however, may be desirable in order to lay down a clear track for usand our readers to walk in.1. Our first rule must be that the Scriptures shall be our only standard of appeal, and these taken intheir plain, literal meaning, without perverting or mystifying their evident signification.2. All appeals to natural reasoning, as distinct from Scripture, and all carnal conclusions opposed tothe word of truth must be discarded, and we must be content to receive the truth as little children inthe simplicity of faith, without attempting to comprehend what is necessarily to our finiteunderstanding incomprehensible.