John 8:41

The Jewes are not yet silenced, but do bring forth a new objection, in this verse about their parentage and original. Where, by fornication, I do not understand bodily filthinesse, but idolatry, which is frequently in the Prophets called fornication or adultery. And the scope of the verse is this; They perceiving now that Christ is not speaking of their carnal descent and pedigree, but of their spiritual original and descent, do assert that in this also they had enough to say for themselves; and that as Abraham was their father, in respect of carnal generation; so being considered in their spiritual state and being, they were the children of that one only true God. And this (without regarding his former reasons to the contrary) they labour to prove by this Argument, That they were not borne in an idolatrous state, but in the true Church, nor were idolaters themselves, but worshipped God according to his Word, and therefore were his children And though it may be objected, that their progenitours were idolaters, as may be seen in Abraham, Josh. 24.2. and frequently in their progenitours, throughout the history of the Bible; Yet that doth not render their ground untrue, (though it do not prove the conclusion as will be seen afterward) for even a Church infected with idolatry may bring forth children to God, in respect of outward Church-state, so long as she hath not got a bill of divorce, Ezek. 16.20. Doctrine, 1. Idolatry is indeed spiritual fornication, and a breach of that marriage Covenant that is betwixt God and his Church; and (whatever be Gods indulgence for a time, yet) it doth deserve that the Church should be rejected as not his wife, and that her children should be no more accounted his, then bastards are allowed to succeed to an inheritance; for, so much do they acknowledge that it is fornication, and that to be born of fornication, and to have one Father, even God, are not consistent. See Hos. 1.9. and 2.2. 2. Desperate and malicious hypocrites may not only presume to glory that they are the successours of religious Saints, but may be so impudent also, as to boast of their adoption and communion with God; for, so do they; after their glorying of Abraham, they adde, we have one Father, even God. See Matth. 7.22. Hos. 8.2. 3. Albeit it be a great mercy to be borne members of a true Church, and to worship God according to his own ordinances; yet that is not enough to prove any to be a true child of God; for, albeit their argument be true, we be not borne of fornication, yet it doth not hence follow that God is their Father, as Christs reply doth teach us.