rtnership," mean the same. 2, The believer in the Lord Jesus does
not only obtain forgiveness of all his sins (as he does through the
shedding of the blood of Jesus, by faith in His name;) does not only
become a righteous one before God (through the righteousness of the
Lord Jesus, by faith in His name;) is not only begotten again, born
of God, and partaker of the divine nature, and therefore a child of
God, and an heir of God; but he is also in fellowship or partnership
with God. Now, so far as it regards God, and our standing in the Lord
Jesus, we have this blessing once for all; nor does it allow of
either an increase or a decrease. Just as God's love to us believers,
His children, is unalterably the same (whatever may be the
manifestations of that love:) and as His peace with us is the same,
(however much our peace may be disturbed:) so it is also with regard
to our being in fellowship or partnership with Him: it remains
unalterably the same, so far as God is concerned. But then 3, there
is an experimental fellowship, or partnership, with the Father and
with His Son, which consists in this, that all which we possess in
God, as being the partners or fellows of God, is brought down into
our daily life, is enjoyed, experienced, and used. This experimental
fellowship, or partnership, allows of an increase or a decrease, in
the measure in which faith is in exercise, and in which we are
entering into what we have received in the Lord Jesus. The measure in
which we enjoy this experimental fellowship with the Father and with
the Son is without limit; for without limit we may make use of our
partnership with the Father and with the Son, and draw by prayer and
faith out of the inexhaustible fulness which there is in God.--Let us
now take a few instances in order to see the practical working of
this experimental fellowship (or partnership) with the Father and
with the Son. Suppose there are two believing parents who were not
brought to the knowledge of the truth until some years after the Lord
had given them several children. Their children were brought up in
sinful, evil ways, whilst the parents did not know the Lord. Now the
parents reap as they sowed. They suffer from having set an evil
example before their children; for their children are unruly and
behave most improperly. What is now to be done? Need such parents
despair? No. The first thing they have to do is, to make confession
of their sins to God, with regard to neglec