614 Trie Liberty, the Vol. T.1. fully fruftrate and difappoint, is like at laft to involve this Nation in great mifery and confufion. But the Lord reigned); therefore let the earth rejoice, and the multitude of the Iles' be glad thereof. He that fitteth in the Heavens laughs at them Lord fhall have them in derifion There are many Plots and Devices in the heart ofman: but the Counfel ofthe Lord that fhall ¡land. And if we would but live up to the light which we enjoy, and adorn our reformed Religion by an holy and unblamea- ble converfation ; ifwe would avoid thofe bloody and rebellious ways, which are fo natural and fuitable to their Religion, and fo contrary to ours, and fo fcanda. lous to all Religion; if we would break off our fins by repentance, and put anend to our foolifh differences and divifions, by returning to the ancient peace and unity of this oncehappy and firmly compa&ed Church, we have no reafon yet to defpair, but that God would return to us in mercyand loving-kindnefs, and think thoughts of peace towards us, and preferve the belt Religion in the world to us, and our pofterity after us. Now unto him that bath deliveredus fo often, and fo wonderfully, anddoth deli. ver us, and ove trufi willfill deliver us, to him be honour andglory, praife aud thankf- giving, for ever and ever. Amen. S M ON CXCIII. True Liberty, the Result of Chrifçianity. Sr. JoxN VIII. 36. If the Son therefore [ball make youfree, ye 'hall be free indeed. T H E meaning of there words will belt appear, by confdering the occafion -of them, which was this. Upon our Saviour'spreaching to the 'Jews, many believedon him; whereupon he tells them, that if they continued in his Dnlirine, did not only yield a prefent affent, but firmly embraced it, and framed their life and pra&ice according to it, then they would be his Difciples indeed, and they fhould know the truth ; they would come by degrees to a more perfe& knowledge and un- derftanding of it, and the truth would make them free. At this expreflion of being made free, they were fomewhat offended ; becaufe they took themfelves to be the freeft people in the World : and by virtue of God's Covenant with Abraham, from whom they weredefcended, to have many Privileges and Immunities conferredup- on them, above the reft ofMankind, ver. 33. They anfwered him, we beAbraham's Seed, and were never, in bondage to-any man: how fayefl thou, Te frail be madefree? They took this for a great affront to them, and an infinuation that they were in flavery and bondage. But they miftook our Saviour, who did not fpeak ofan odt- ward and civil fervitnde ; and yet, if their pride and conceit of themfelves would have fuffer'd them to confider it, it was true likewife in that fenfe that:they, had loft their liberty, being at that time in great bondage and fubje&ion to the ÌZopi(1ns. But that-was not the thing our Saviour meant ; he fpake of a fpieitual feryteude, which -if Men were truly fenfible of , is far more grievous than that of the body, and the outward man : ver. 34.35. Jefùs anfwered them, Verily verily l fay unto you, whofeever committed) fin, is the fervant offin. And thefervent.ahideth not in the boufefor ever : but the fon abidethfor ever that is, a fervant hash no righat to any thing, but is perfectly at the difpofal ofhis matter, being a part of his goods which he may ufe as he pleafeth ; but the Son bath a right to the inheritance, and is as 3 it
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