The Believer’s Espousals

Slight now His loving presence if they can;
No, no; His conquering kindness leads the van
When everlasting love exerts the sway,
They judge themselves most kindly bound to obey;
Bound by redeeming love in stricter sense,
Than ever Adam was in innocence."

Ralph Erskine (1685–1752) “The Believer’s Espousals.”

Erskine, quoted in C. H. Spurgeon, “Spiritual Liberty,” The New Park Street Pulpit, vol. 1, sermon no. 9 (February 18, 1855), on 2 Corinthians 3:17.

In modern English, Erskine is saying something like this:

Let people dismiss or resist Christ's loving presence if they wish, but when His love truly takes hold of a person, it overcomes their resistance. His kindness goes before them and wins their heart. When God's eternal love exercises its power, believers do not obey Him because they are forced to, but because they recognize the love that has redeemed them and willingly bind themselves to Him. In that sense, they are bound to obedience by a stronger motive than Adam ever possessed in his state of innocence. Adam obeyed as an unfallen creature; the believer obeys as one who has been loved, redeemed, forgiven, and rescued by Christ.

The key line is:

"Bound by redeeming love in stricter sense, Than ever Adam was in innocence."