64 Of Natural, Moral; and Civil Liberty. S E R M. When mankind were in a very degenerate III. condition, the ' generality of them in a `'J wretched fervitude to fin, even dead in it, it pleafed God to fend his Son into the world for their redemption, by his fpirit anointing him to preach the gofpel to the poor, deliverance to the captives, and liberty to them that were brufed. This is the account our Saviour himfelf giveth of the defign of his miffion, and of his do&rine, in the eighth chapter of St. yohn's gofpel and 3 r, 32 verfes; Then faid fefús to thofe yews that believed on him, if' ye continue in my word, then are ye my difciples indeed, and ye _hall know the truth, and the truth (hall make you free. And when they mifunderflood his words, appre- hending that he referred to an outward fer- vitude to men, which they had never been under, but had a right to the privileges of freemen, from their early anceflors, for they were the children of Abraham, he explain - eth himfelf in the 34th verfe, Verily I fey unto you, whofoever committeth fin is the fer- vant of .fin. The condition of a firmer who habitually trenfgrefíeth againfl the divine law, and the light of his own underfland- ing, is infinitely worfe, more ignominious, and more miferable, than that of a _lave to the mall cruel and tyrannical of mankind; for
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