John 8:34–36

Followeth Christs answer to this exception consisting of two branches. In the first whereof (in these verses) he cleareth what is the great bondage of men, from which freedome is to be desired, and is promised to the true children of Abraham. And albeit he might have reprehended them for their impudent lie, yet he chooseth rather to informe them meekly. And, 1. That the sad bondage whereof he spake, was spiritual, wherein all they are held who give up themselves to a trade of sinne, verse 34. 2. That albeit such as were slaves, in this respect, might enjoy the external priviledges of the Church, for a season, (as a servant abides in his masters house for a time) yet they would be cast out at length, and separated from him who is the natural Sonne, and from all the adopted children, for ever. And therefore they ought to think seriously of the danger that they may be excited to seek after freedome, verse 35. 3. That the onely way to attain to true freedome, is by coming to him, verse 36. From verse 34. Learn, 1. Whatever advantage wicked men think to reap by opposing of the truth, yet Christ will disappoint them, and will take occasion thereby to make truth shine more clearly; for, whereas before he had spoken of their freedome but in a word, now, by reason of these debates, he explains that point of bondage and freedome more fully. 2. The matter of our spiritual bondage and freedome is a point of very great importance, and necessary that we should seriously study and be acquainted with it; And a point wherein we must submit to Christs verdict, how contrary soever it be to our sense and apprehension of our own condition: Therefore doth he prefix his ordinary asseveration, Verily, verily, to this doctrine. 3. Whatever be mens imaginations concerning their own condition; yet there is a more heavie bondage lying upon them, then any outward slavery that can befal them, even to be under the slavery and bondage of sin; for, so doth Christ assert, that there are servants of sinne, of whom he meant when he promised freedome. 4. Albeit all men by nature be borne slaves to sin; yet considering that there is freedome offered by Christ, and that they who embrace this remedy, are not in this life fully freed from sin; Therefore Christ will not reckon men slaves by their having of sin in them, nor yet by their daily failings and infirmities, or by their falling now and then in soul faults, through the violence of tentation; unlesse they make a constant trade of sinne, and be under the dominion thereof, without controlement; for, of these Christ speaks, when he saith, whosoever commiteth sinne, is the servant of sinne. See Rom. 6.16. 2. Pet. 2.19. And this is the condition of natural men, who being free from the yoke of righteousnesse, Rom 6.20. do voluntarily, and without any opposition, (unlesse it be some checks of a natural conscience, startling at some sinne, or some thoughts of fear and shame) live in a trade of all sinne, and under the slavish tyranny thereof, though this dominion appear more evidently in some sinnes then others. And some of these who are unrenewed, are judicially given up, to be more visible under the dominion of sinne, then others, not only as the just fruit of their voluntary living under that yoke, but that they may be beacons to the rest of their woful slavery. As for renewed men, albeit they not only have sinne in them, and do sinne daily, but even have some particular evils that may be called predominants, in comparison of others, (which may easily be discerned, by the great power and sway that they bear, even in commanding other evils to be committed or forborne, according as may contribute to advance them; by violent and frequent relapses of Saints into them; by their unwillingnesse to admit of admonition and reproofe for them; and, by their falling in them out of an inward propensitie, when outward tentations are weak, or none at all, or very few:) Yet since, as to the state of their person; they are set at freedome; and since the dominion is not universal, as to all sinnes, nor is it perpetual or compleat, even as to these prevailing evils; Therefore they cannot be called servants of sinne as unrenewed men are: Yea, albeit in respect of degrees of mortification in Saints, some sinnes are more predominant then others; some also are more strong in them, because they are the general evils of the time wherein they live, or because by natural inclination and constitution, or by education, (all which may be a bridle to some evils;) they are left more obnoxious and open to them; and some are left to be an exercise and daily matter of humiliation to them: Yet I would not deny, but all the sinnes of renewed men are their infirmities, not only in respect of Gods pitie, who will so account of them; but in respect of grace and the renewed parts suffering by them, which is greater under grosser evils against light, then under sinnes of ignorance and meer infirmity. However, this is to be so understood, that godly men are to watch especially over these predominants, yet so as they take heed, lest in watching over one of those, many other evils that make lesse noise, get liberty to grow up.

From ver. 35. Learn. 1. Such as will not be moved to consider the sinfulnesse of their spiritual bondage, that they may be rid of it, ought, at least, to consider of the danger that followeth upon it, to see how that will affect them. Therefore doth Christ subjoyne that consideration here, to excite them to employ him for their liberty. 2. The true difference betwixt spiritual slaves, and these who are made free, cannot be drawn from the enjoyment of external priviledges of the Church, which the one may partake of as well as the other; for, it is imported that servants, as well as sons may be in the house. As an housholder hath in his family, not only children, but servants for several uses, so hath the Lord also in the Church (which is his house, where he dwels and affords, his special presence, and layeth up his special furniture) vessels of dishonour, as well as vessels of honour, 2 Tim. 2.20. 3. Whatever external priviledges the slaves of sinne enjoy, yet at last they will be cast out of all, and a separation will be made betwixt them and the children who are made free; for, the servant abideth not in the house for ever, as the Sonne doth. He insists in the metaphor of a family, wherein servants have tearme-dayes, and may be thrust away for faults, and are laid aside when the heritage cometh to be divided, as Ishmael the son of the bond-woman was, after a long stay in Abrahams house, Gal. 4.30. 4, It is the great advantage of these who flee to Christ, to be freed from the slavery of sinne, that not only do they get their liberty, but are made sonnes and children also; Therefore is he who is not the servant, called the Sonne; whereby we are not only, or so much, to understand Christ, (though he be indeed the natural and only begotten Sonne, through whom all the rest are made sonnes) as the adopted children. 5. Such as are partakers of spiritual liberty, and of adoption, have not only the rich priviledge of special and intimate fellowship with God, and of being under his special protection and care, and provided for by him, as children in their fathers house; But this happy estate is ensured to them; so that though they offend, and may be corrected, yet they will not be turned out of doores, as servants are; the doores are patent to let them in, when, like the prodigal, they have run away: And when they have been bred a while in the Church, which is the lower roomes of this house, and have fed upon the hope and first fruits of their inheritance, they will be carried up to the upper roomes of the Church triumphant, there to get full possession, and to enjoy God and his presence immediatly and for ever; for, the Son abideth in the house for ever.

From ver. 36. Learn, 1. Albeit spiritual bondage be such as we cannot shake it off, though we would; Yet lost man hath this encouragement, that his freedome is not impossible; for, here it is held out as a thing possible, upon some conditions, ye shall be free. 2. Spiritual bondage is so great a misery, and deliverance from it so rich a mercy, that men would not dedelude themselves, either with a conceit of any thing that may compense the want of it, or with an imagination that they are free, when they are not; Therefore doth Christ excite them to use means that they may be free indeed, or, really, not contenting themselves with outward freedome, as if that were enough, nor with an imagination of spiritual freedome, while as they remain real slaves. 3. Christ is the heir of the family, having power to make free what servants he pleaseth, and none can ever partake of spiritual liberty, but they who flee to him, and receive it from him; for, if the Sonne shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed, otherwise not. Albeit all the freed men be made sonnes, yet Christ here gets the name by way of excellency, as being the only Sonne by eternal generation, and he by whom all the rest are made sonnes.