mandment, or words of the Father, given to us by Christ, is our prefent rule, and an authority which, in the last day, will judge the world, and decide the eternal state of all men. -In this paffage an explanation is directly offered of this divine union and onenefs, the fame, in other words, with that noticed in chap. viii.-For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which fent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should fay, and what I fhould Speak. It is not eafy to conceive of words being put together to communicate more precifely the idea of the union by parental authority and filial duty, than what lies before us in the whole paffage.

If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father alfo; and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.-Philip faith unto him, Lord, fhew us the Father, and it fufficeth us. Jefus faith unto him, Have I been fo long time with you, and yet haft thou not known me, Philip? He that hath feen me hath feen the Father; and how fayeft thou then, fhew us the Father? Believeft thou not, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?-The words that I fpeak unto you, I speak not of myself, but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doth the works. John xiv.-Here again is an apparent explanation of the union of Chrift and the Father, the fame for fubftance with thofe already noticed.—Shew us the Father, fays Philip: He is anfwered: He that hath feen me hath feen the Father," The words that I speak unto you, I fpeak not of my.

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felf, but the Father that dwelleth in me, he

"doth the works;" both in word and deed, he expreffed the will of the Father, and was thus his express image.

Had it not been afferted, long and obstinately afferted by many, that no true explanation is offered, or can be offered, of the divine union of Father and Son, I should have thought that it could not be denied, that our Lord meant to explain the fenfe in which the Father was in him, in his reply to Philip, as being all comprised in the two ideas of his words, to which he was obedient, and the works of his power, which were expreffions of his glory; which explanation is fimply the truth of his generation, or of his being the Son of God, in the voluntary sense.

"Abide in me, and I in you."—As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the Same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.-If any man abide not in me, he is caft forth as a branch, and is with ered; and men gather them, and caft them into the fire, and they are burned.-If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall afk what ye will and it fhall be done unto you. -Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, fo fhall ye be my difciples. As the Father hath loved me, fo have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye thall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. John xv.-It may be

remarked of this paffage, that the word to abide, fo often ufed here to express the union of believers with Chrift, is the fame in the original which is ufed in the place laft quoted, to express his union with the Father, and tranflated to dwell, the Father that dwelleth in me. And not only is the fame word used, but the comparison and whole defcription represents the union to be in its nature the fame.-The Father's abiding or dwelling in Chrift is explained of his Father's words, &c. in like manner their abiding or dwelling in him, and he in them, is explained of his words; “Ye "abide in me, and my words abide in you."As the Father hath loved me, fo have I lov"ed you"-If ye keep my commandments, ye fhall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. Is this very obfcure? But these are among the paffages which have been fet down as pointing to an inexplicable doctrine,

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jefus Chrift whom thou haft fent. John xvii.-Our Lord had faid, that his Father's "commandment "is life everlafting;" and had often explained this to be the truth intended by his dwelling in him. This, emphatically he called his doctrine." My doctrine is not mine, but "his that fent me. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine, "whether "it be of God, or whether I fpeak of myfelf." John vii.-That the Father had committed his word to him, the fame which he fpake. and which he faid, Jobnxii. fhould judge the

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world in the laft day, is affigned as the reafon" that all men fhould honor the Son, even as they honor the Father." John v.And it is added, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that fent me, hath everlasting life."

If this relation, as has been fuppofed, be in its nature peculiar to the Divine Being, how is it thus brought forward in connexion with our obedience, abiding in Chrift, keeping his words or commandments, and enjoying his love and bleffedness, which is eternal life?-Taking the common hypothefes of myftery, all is inexplicable; the difcourfes of our Lord, appear without connexion, peacemeal; and his manner of speech broken, and very mysterious. In this track mystery crouds upon mystery, and the mind is enclosed with darkness. But, on the other hand, understanding this divine principle in the voluntary fenfe, we perceive at once that it is a doctrine, a rule or precept, which lays the foundation of a bleffed fociety; and that, in its nature, it is the eternal law of the gofpel

kingdom.

This word, or commandment, received from the Father, our Lord gave to his people, and they, receiving it, are faid to know the Father and Jefus Chrift; to be in the Father and Jefus Chrift; or, as it is fometimes expreffed, to have the Father and the Son.~ Whosoever tranfgreffeth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Chrift, hath not God.-He that abideth in the doctrine of Chrift, he hath both the Father and the Son. 2 Epist. John. G

And this doctrine abiding or remaining in them, they are faid to continue in the Son and in the Father. 1 John ii-This commandment was given him, to fpeak to us, before the world exifled; and thus eternal life was given us in Chrift Jefus before the world was; "and he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him.” 1 John iii. 24. Hence it is faid, 1 John i.-Our hands have handled the word of life; for the life was manifefted, and we have feen it, and bear witness, and fhew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifefted unto us. That which we have feen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift.

The scope of this firft epiftle of John may be comprised in three particulars, viz. What this doctrine or commandment confifts in; that it was in the beginning from the Father to the Son; and that, through him, it is given to us. This matter, together with its evidence, and a variety of plain inferences from the premifes, with an exhortation to keep the commandment, or to abide in the doctrine, and the reafons of his writing, which is all but the fame thing; this, I fay, appears to be all that is intended by this divine epiftle.And this, indeed, is the fum of the gofpel; it is the faith which was once delivered to the faints; and it is declared with light and evidence fufficient to confirm our fouls, and make us perfect, ftablished, ftrengthened, and fettled in the knowledge of him, whom to