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man, Lord. And Jefus faid unto her, Neither do I condemn thee (d): go, and fin no more.

Then fpake Jefus again unto them, faying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, fhall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 13 The Pharifees therefore faid unto him, Thou bear14 eft record of thyfelf; thy record is not true. Jefus answered and faid unto them, Though I bear record of myfelf, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence 75 I come, and whither I go (e). Ye judge after the 16 fleth (f), I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my

judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the 17 Father that fent me. It is also written in your law, 18 that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that

bear witnefs (g) of myself, and the Father that fent 19 me, beareth witnefs of me. Then faid they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jefus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye 20 fhould have known my Father alfo. These words fpake Jefus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him, for his hour was not yet come (b).

21 Then faid Jefus again unto them, I go my way, and ye fhall feek me, and fhall die in your

(d) Our bleffed Lord was not a magiftrate, to order the law to be executed: but he was a judge of the heart, and knowing the fincerity of her repentance, he pronounced her pardon; warning her at the fame time against the heinousness of her fin, and charging her to amend her life.

(e) For I appeal to him from whom I came, and by whom I shall be received again, when I go away from hence.

(f) After the cuftom of the world, or according to your miftaken prejudices.

(g) God bore witnefs by the miracles he did: and if in ordinary cafes the witness of two men is fufficient, certainly the evidence here must be allowed to be infinitely ftronger and more decifive. If we receive the witness of men, the witnefs of God is greater. 1 John v. 9.

(h) See Chap. vii. 30.

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of life. Your fathers did cat manna in the w. hefs, and are dead. This is the bread w down from heaven, that a man may eat there f ot die. I am the living bread, which came or an om heaven: If any man eat of this bread. h ve for ever (g): and the brea that I w by flesh, which I will give for the life of the The Jews therefore ftrove amongst themes, ng, How can this man give us l. fich to ent

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There are two ways by which men are much of God an ud principles of the heart, and os divine reversat ho had a good difpofition, could not but reverence w ower; and if they confulted the friptures of the G. for they must have feen that he was there plainly defcribes 1, 198 h; the time and place of his birth, the family from within te and the manner of his life, being all exactly foretoME. To eat of the bread of life, is to receive and diget the bra. doctrine of Chrift, by obedience to which we fail se pree for everlafling life. See Matt! xvi. 12.

This figurative mode of fpeech was naturally fuggefted by the n. The multitude had followed Chrift for the fase of th expecting to be fed again, as they had been the day before; ng disappointed, affect to defpife the miracle, and exac Mcs ng wrought a greater in bringing bread from heaven. Our

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22 fins: whither I go, ye cannot come. the Jews, Will he kill himfelf (i) Whither I go, ye cannot come.

Then said becaufe he faith, And he faid unto them, Ye are from beneath, I am from above: ye 24 are of this world, I am not of this world. I faid

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therefore unto you, that ye fhall die in your fins for if ye believe not that I am he, ye fhall die in your 25 fins. Then faid they unto him, Who art thou? And Jefus faith unto them, Even the fame that I faid unto 26 you from the beginning (k). I have many things to fay, and to judge of you: but he that fent me is true; and I speak to the world thofe things which I have 27 heard of him (/). They understood not that he spake 28 to them of the Father. Then faid Jefus unto them, When ye have lift up the Son of man (m), then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myfelf; but as my Father hath taught me, I fpeak thefe 29 things. And he that fent me, is with me: the Father hath not left me alone: for I do always those 30 things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him.

3333

Then faid Jefus to thofe Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my difciples in32 deed; And ye fhall know the truth, and the truth shall 33 make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's feed, and were never in bondage to any man: how fayest 34 thou, Ye fhall be made free? Jefus answered them,Verily, verily I fay unto you, Whofoever committeth

(i) Surely if he be alive and in Judea, we can reach him.

(4) The fame that I faid from the beginning of my miniftry, and have juft now told you; the light and the life of the world; Verfe 12.

(4) But at prefent I fhall only infift upon this, that he who fent me is true; and as he cannot countenance any infincerity or deceit, the gofpel which I deliver in his name demands your most serious attention, and moft thankful affent.

(m) When ye fhall have lift up the Son of Man on the crofs. See Chap. iii. 14. xviii. 32.

35 fin,

35 fin, is the fervant of fin (n). And the fervant abideth not in the house for ever (0) but the Son abi-36 deth ever. If the Son therefore fhall make you free, 37 ye fhall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham's feed; but ye feek to kill me, because my word 38 hath no place in you. I fpeak that which I have feen with my Father: and ye do that which ́ye have seen 39 with your Father. They anfwered and faid unto him, Abraham is our Father (p). Jefus faith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do 40 the works of Abraham. But now ye feek to kill me,

a man that hath told you the truth, which I have 41 heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then faid they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even 42 God (q). Jefus faid unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth, and came from God: neither came I of myself, but 43 he fent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? 44 even becaufe (†) ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lufts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning,

(n) You misunderstand me: I speak not of bodily freedom, but of fpiritual freedom; freedom from the worst of all flavery, that of obflinacy, prejudice, and wilful fin.

(0) You think yourfelves free, as being defcended from Abraham, and living under the law of Mofes. But whilft you live in fin, that freedom cannot avail you. Befides that Abraham and Mofes were themfelves but fervants, whofe authority is now at an end; whereas the authority of the Son is for ever, and he only can give perfe&t freedom.

(p) Though you are descended from Abraham, you do not act as Abraham would have done; inftead of going about to kill me, he would reverence me. He forefaw the time of my coming, ard gave glory to God with great joy. Verse 56.

g) We are not defcended from a race of idolaters, but of trae believers in one God.

(r) Because your prejudices and lufts will not fuffer you to attend to my doctrine.

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