e know that I am he, and that I do nothing of my felf; but b as my Father hath taught me, I fpeak these things. 29 And he that fent me, is with me: d the Father hath not left me alone: for I do always those things that please him. 30. As he fpake these words, many believed on him. 31. Then faid Jefus to thofe Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my difciples indeed; 32. And ye fhall know the truth, and the truth fhall make you free. 33. They answered him, We be 'Abrahams feed, and were never in bondage to any man: how fayft thou, Ye fhall be made free? 34. Jefus answered them, Verily verily I fay unto you, Whofoever committeth fin, is the fervant of fin. 35. And the " fervant abideth not in the houfe for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36. If the Son therefore fhall make you free, Stones, to raise up Children unto Abraham. at Joh. 5. 19, 30. The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he feeth the Father do. I can of mine own felf do nothing: as I hear, I judge and my judgment is juft, becaufe I feek not mine own Will, but the Will of the Father which hath fent me. 5 m† Mat. 6. 24. No Man can ferve two Masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or elfe he will hold to the one, and defpife the other. Rom. 6. 16, 20. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield your felves Servants to obey, his Servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of Sin unto Joh. 14. 10. Believeft thou Death, or of Obedience unto not that I am in the Father, and Righteoufnefs. For when ye were the Father in me; The Father the Servants of Sin, ye were free that dwelleth in me, he doth the 15 from Righteousness. Works. Joh. 3. 11. We speak that we do know, and teftifie that we 10 have feen. dt Ver. 16. Joh. 16. 32. -Ye hall be fcattered, every Man to his own, and fhall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the 20 Father is with me. e Joh. 4. 34. My Meat is to do the Will of him that fent me, and to finish his Work. Rom. 6. 18. See on Ver. k + Ver. 39. 1 Mat. 3. 9. Think not to fay within your felves, we have Abraham to our Father: for I fay unto you, that God is able of thefe * 2 Pet. 2. 19. While they promise them Liberty, they themselves are the S vants of Corruption: for of whom a Man is overcome, of the fame is he brought in Bondage. Prov. 5. 22. His own Iniquities fhall take the Wicked himself, and he fhall be holden with the Cords of his Sins. 25 nt Gal. 4. 30. Nevertheless, 30 (1) free, ye fhall be free indeed. brahams feed; but ye feek to kill me, ye feek to kill me, because my word made free from Sin, and become Servants to God, ye have your Fruit unto Holiness, and the End everlafting Life. Rom. 8. 1, 2. There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the Flesh, but af ter the Spirit. For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Chrift Jefus hath made me free from the Law 10 of Sin and Death. I Cor. 7. 22. He that is called in the Lord, being a Servant, is the Lords free Man; likewife he that is called, being Free, is Chrifts Servant. 1 Cor. 8.15 9. Take heed, leaft by any means this Liberty of yours become a ftumbling Block to them that are Weak. I Cor. 9.21. -Being not without the Law to God, but 20 under the Law to Chrift. Gal. 2. 19. I through the Law am dead to the -Law, that I might live unto God. 37. I know that ye are A hath tangled again with the Yoke of Bondage. Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only ufe no liberty for an occafion to the Flesht 5 but by love ferve one another. Jam. 1. 25. Whofo looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the Work, this Man fhall be bleffed in his Deed. Jam. 2. 12. So speak ye, and fo do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 1Pet.2. 16. As free, and not using your Liberty for a Cloke of Maliciousness, but as the Servants of God. 2 Pet. 2. 19. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the Servants of Corruption: for of whom a Man is overcome, of the fame is he brought in Bondage. Jude ver. 4. There are certain Men crept in unawares, ungodly Men, turning the Grace of our God into lafci Gal. 5. 1, 13. Stand faft therefore in the Liberty wherewith Chrift 25 viousness.hath made us free, and be not en Joh. 7. 19, 25. (1) There being dangerous Miftakes concerning Chriftian Liberty, it may be proper to fay fomething of its Nature. Our Lord by his Coming did abrogate and fet afide the Mofaick Law, fo far as it confifted in the outward Rites and Ceremonies, and typical Obfervances, appointed by that Inftitution: but Chriftian Liberty cannot be faid to confift in this, because we were never under that Law. No, the most valuable Part of of our Liberty confifts in our being fet free from the Power and Dominion of Sin, and the Tyranny of the Devil; and in our being enabled to pra&tife the univerfal Laws of Righteoufnefs and Goodness, and becoming thereby the obedient Subjects of our heavenly Father. Hence the Defign of our Lord's Coming is reprefented to be, to deftroy the Works of the Devil; to turn us from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God; and that we being delivered out of the Hands of our Enemies, might Serve him without fear, in Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of our Life. Hence the Apoftle speaks of our being made free from Sin, and becoming the Servants of God. True Liberty therefore does not lie in having a Power to do what unbridled Luft and ungoverned Paffion prompts Men to, but in doing what right Reafon and the Laws of God make our Duty. God, who is abfolutely free, and acts without controul, is bounded by the intrinfick Goodnefs of his own Nature; fo that notwithstanding his infinite Power, He cannot commit Evil, or do any thing unworthy of Himfelf: How widely therefore are they Miftaken, who fancy that our Lord, с hath no place in you. 38. I fpeak that which I have feen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have feen. with your father. 39. They anfwered and faid unto him, Abraham is our father. Jefus faith unto them If ye were Abrahams children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40. But now ye feek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then faid they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42. Jefus faid unto them, f If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of my self, but he fent me. 43. Why do ye not underftand my fpeech? ven because ye cannot hear * Ye are of your d e i e my word. 2 + Joh. 5. 19, 30. The Words under Ver. 28. t Joh. 14. 10. The Words under Ver. 29. b Ver. 33. Mat. 3. 9. The Words under Ver. 33. Gal. 3. 7, 5 29. Know ye therefore, that they which are of Faith, the fame are the Children of Abraham. If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abrahams Seed, and Heirs according to the Pro- 10 mife. C + Rom. 2. 28. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly.- Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of Faith, that it might be by Grace; to the end I that the Promife might be fure to all the Seed, not to that only which is of the Law, but to that alfo which is of the Faith of Abraham, who is the Father of us all. 20 † Rom 9. 7. Neither because they are the Seed of Abraham are they all Children; but in Ifaac fhall thy Seed be called. d Gal. 4. 16. Am I therefore 25 become your Enemy because I 44. father tell you the Truth? Pfal. 109. 4. For my Love they are my Adver faries. et Ifa. 63. 16. Doubtless thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Ifaac acknow ledge us not.- + Ifa. 64. 8. Now, O Lord, thou art our Father: we are the Clay, and thou our Potter, and we all are the Work of thy Hand. Mal. 1. 6. A Son honour. eth his Father, and a Servant his Mafter; if I then be a Father, where is mine Honour ? f t1 Joh. 5. 1. Whofoever believ eth that Jefus is the Chrift, is born of God and every one that lov eth him that begat, loveth him alfo that is begotten of him. : t Joh. 5.43. I am come in my Fathers Name, and ye receive me Lord, by his Coming, has diffolved the Obligation Men were under to practife the Duties of the Moral Law? For a ferious Endeavour to con form our felves to the whole Will of God refpecting Moral Duties, by what Way foever he has difcovered it to us, is made a Condition of our having an intereft in his Merits and Death. The very Heathens had a juft Sense of this Truth, That no Man could be a free Man till he had gotten the Maftery over his fenfual Part, and lived agreeable to the Die tates of right Reason, and the Will of God. he devil, and the lufts of your father ye will do: he urderer from the beginning, and abode not in the because there is no truth in him. When he fpeaketh Speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the fait. 45. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe 46. Which of you convinceth me of Sin? And if he truth, why do ye not believe me? 47. He that God, heareth Gods words: ye therefore hear them ecause ye are not of God. 48. Then anfwered the and faid unto him, Say we not well, that thou art a tan, and "haft a devil. 49. Jefus anfwered, I have levil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dífhonour o. And I feek not mine own a glory: there is one eketh and judgeth. 51. Verily verily I fay unto you, nan keep my faying, he fhall never fee death. 52. faid the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou devil. Abraham is dead, and the Prophets; and ayft, If a man keep my faying, he fhall never tafte of 53. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, is dead? and the Prophets are dead: whom makest hy felf? 54. Jefus aufwered, IfI "honour my self, nour is nothing: it is my Father that a honoureth but I me, of whom ye fay, that he is your God: 55. Yet 2 ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I fhould fay, I know him not, I fhall be a liar like unto you, know him, and keep his faying. 56. (1) Your father Abraham rejoiced to fee my day: and he faw it, and was glad. 57. Then faid the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and haft thou feen Abraham? 58. Jefus faid unto them, Verily verily I fay unto you, d Before Abraham was, (2) I am. 59. Then took they up ftones to caft at was. in him. Joh. 17. 5. And now, O Joh. 1. 18. No Man hath Seen Gen. 12. 3. In thee fhall all Families of the Earth be bleffed. Gen. 15.6. He believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for Righ с 5 him: teousness. Luk. 1o. 24. Many Prophets and Kings have defired to fee thofe Things which ye fee, and have not feen them. Gal. 3. 8. The Scripture forefeeing that God would juftifie the Heathen thro' Faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, faying, in thee fhall all Nations be bleffed. Heb. 11.13. The Words under Ver. 52. Ifa. 43. 13. Before the Day was I am he. Joh. 16. 27, 28. —! came out from God. I came forth from the Father. Joh. 17. 2415-Thou lovedft me before the Foundation of the World. See the Note on Rev. 1. 8. e † Joh. 10. 31, 39. Then the Fews (1) This Verse should be rather thus rendered: Your Father Abraham earnestly defired and longed to fee my Day, and he saw it, [that is, by the Eye of Faith, as a Thing afar off, to be accomplished in future Ages] and was glad. (2) I fhall infert here a Paffage from Dr. Browne, Lord Bishop of Corke and Rofs, his Letter against Tuland's Book, intituled, Chriftianity not Myfte rious, concerning the Divinity of the Son of God. It is in the 3d Editi on, P, 62, &c. This Letter is defign'd not only as an Answer to To land's Book, but to all the Oppofers of Revelation and Mysteries, upon the like Principles of fetting up for Reafon and Evidence, and clear and di ftin&t Notions of every thing they give their affent to. I am convinc'd by the Completion of Prophecies, the Miracles he wrought, and the agreeableness of his Doctrine to the natural Sentiments of our Minds, that whatever Jesus Christ was, He came from God. I find him in many Places affuming to himself the Name, and Titles, and Wor Ship of God. In Difcourfing with the Jews,he ufeth this Form of Speech, Before Abraham was I AM, on purpose to fignifie to them, that he was that very Divine Being which was revealed to Mofes under that Name And fome time after, he tells them, that as he was the Son of God, fo He and the Father were one. That the Jews understood him in this Senfe, I |