Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son verse 23. Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father 1 John 4. 15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God 1 John 5. 5. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God verse 11 12. And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life Nevertheless there is great difference about this appellation the Son of God whether it import Divine Nature distinct from Humane or Humane Nature yet by Divine operation not by the ordinary way of natural generation as other men are begotten but by the supernatural operation of the Holy Ghost according to that of the Angel to Mary Luke 1. 35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Whence the Samosatenians and Photinians of old so the Socinians in this last age deny that Jesus Christ had Being afore his conception by the Holy Ghost in the Virgins womb but the Arians granting him to have a Divine Nature say that he was created by God the first creature out of nothing and then that by him God the Father made all things else In opposition to whom the Creed of the first Nicene Councel as it is in Eusebius his Epistle to the Church of Caesarea set down by Arch-Bishop Usher in his Diatriba de Symbolis pag. 16. out of At hanasius operum tom 2. pag. 48. edit Commelinian Socrates lib. 1. Hist. c. 5. Theodoret. lib. 1. c. 12. and Gelasius Cyricenus in Act. Concil Nic. part 3. c. 35. is thus We believe also in one Lord Jesus Christ born the only begotten of the Father that is of the substance of the Father God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made of the same substance with the Father by whom all things were made both the things in heaven and the things in the earth In which there are these propositions included 1. That Jesus Christ was before any creature was made 2. That he was begotten of the substance of the Father not made of nothing as the Arians held 3. That he was very God of very God of the same substance with the Father 4. That by him all things were made whether in Heaven or in Earth which propositions are proved by these Texts of Scripture SECT 3. Christ's being the Son of God in the sense of the Nicene creâ—d is proved from John 1. 1 2 3 4 5 9 10 14 18. THe first Text of Holy Scripture which I shall produce to prove them is John 1. 1 2 3 4 5 9 10 14 15 18. where it is thus said In the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the begining with God All things were made by him and without him was not made any thing that was made in him was life and the life was the light of men And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not verse 9. He was the true light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the world vers 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not verse 14. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth verse 15. John bare witness of him and cried saying This is he of whom I spake He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me verse 18. No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him It is agreed on that by the word is meant Jesus Christ as appears from verse 17 29. and other passages in the Text and therefore thence I argue He who was in the beginning of the Creation with God was God by whom all things were made whose life was the light of men the true light inlightning every man that cometh into the world by whom the world was made who was made flesh was the only begotten of the Father in the bosom of the Father before John the Baptist was before any creature was made begotten of the substance of the Father not made of nothing very God of very God of the same substance with the Father by whom all things were made But such was Jesus Christ therefore he was before any creature was made begotten of the substance of the Father not made of nothing very God of very God of the same substance with the Father by whom all things were made The minor is almost the express words of the Text the major is evident from the equivolence of terms it being all one to be God in the beginning by whom all things were made the world was made the only begotten of the Father in his bosom before John Baptist as to be before any creature was made begotten of the substance of the father not made of nothing very God of very God of the same substance with the Father by whom all things were made SECT 4. The exceptions against the proof of Christs God-head from John 1. 1. c. are set down NEvertheless the major proposition of the argument is denied and for a reason of the denial it is said 1. That the scope of the Apostle is to set forth by whom the Gospel began as appeareth by the very appellation of the Word here given to Christ in regard of his Prophetical office in publishing the Gospel 2. That by in the beginning is not meant the creation of Heaven and earth at first but of the preaching the Gospel and the new creation as is meant Mark 1. 1. Luke 1. 2. John 6. 64. and 8. 25. and 15. 27. and 16. 4. Acts 11. 15. Heb. 2. 3. 1 John 1. 1. and 2. 13 14 24. 2 John 5. 6. which note a special term of beginning which was the time of Christs preaching in respect of which he is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beginning Luke 3. 23. to wit to preach the Gospel when he was about thirty years of age not as it is translated began to be about thirty years of age 3. That he was with God in Heaven about that time being taken up into the third Heaven as Paul was 2 Cor. 12. 2. and so was in the bosom of God as is gathered from Iohn 3. 13 31 32. and Iohn 6. 62. 4. That he was a God as Moses is said to be Exod. 7. 1. because of the power he had to work miracles and therefore Iohn 1. 1 the Word is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the article
contrary that ver 5. it is said and the light shineth in the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not For taking the shining by enallage of tense as it must be whether it be meant of shining by creation or Preaching for the time past and the sense be and the light shined in the darkness it may be meant of the beginning of the Creation allusively to Gen. 1. 1 2 3 4 5. and in the sense of the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 6. God spake to wit by the Word that the light should shine out of darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it or if the sense be Christ the true light when he came into the world shined among dark men and they did not comprehend him or his Doctrine which he taught it proves not that verse 4. is not meant of Christs life by nature and his life being the light of men by creation of them with understanding in the beginning For as ver 9 10 11. the stupidity and perversness of men is shewed that notwithstanding Christ made the world and enlightens all men yet when he was in the world and preached to them they knew not nor received him so in like manner v. 4. 5. to the same purpose with good congruity of sense and reason the Evangelist to shew the great alienation of men from their Creatour saith that though in the Word was life in the beginning and his life was the cause of mens natural light in the creation of Adam and Eve the Mother of all living yet when he the true light shined by his preaching among men who were by sin and ignorance in darkness and the shadow of death the dark Spirits of men did not comprehend understand and receive him and his Doctrine 8. That Flesh is as much as a man simply as man is obvious out of many passages in holy Scripture and particularly John 17. 2 c. and that it notes Christs humane nature or humane body as such is manifest from John 6. 51 52 53 54 55 56 c. and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be rendred was made as John 1. 3 10. and the sense as in Rom. 1. 3. Gal. 4. 4. Heb. 2. 14. and such places is that he was incarnate or made a man and that this was a voluntary act in taking a humane nature not a part of his sufferings is manifest from what is added he was made flesh and dwelt among us which notes an act of his will or choice and imports his assumption of a humane body that it might be an everlasting habitation for his Divine Majesty and therein converse with man And that he was made flesh not under the notion of weakness but humane nature is evident from the words following and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father which shews that in his flesh which he was made his glory that is his Divine Majesty was beheld in the great works he did in his humane body and that he dwelt in or among us full of grace truth which shew that he was made flesh notes not his weakness but humane Nature having Power and Excellency Adde hereto that the Being of the Word was expressed before John 1. 2 3 4 9 10. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 14. must be meant of his being made a man besides his being the Word And to say the Word who was a man was a man had been to trifle to say nothing but what might be said of every man yea and that which was discernable by sense and so needless to be testified by John who intended to express Divine Mysteries concerning Christ in things that were singular and excellent and could be known but by revelation from God and this reason overthrows this sense the Word that is the Interpreter of Gods Will was flesh that is a man of infirmities for then no more had been said of him than might have been said of John Baptist and other prophets The sense then must be this and no other The Word which was in the beginning was with God was God by whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made that was made in whom was life and the life was the light of men enlightning every man that someth into the world by whom the world was made was in the fulness of time made a man in a humane body having his Divine Majesty dwelling in him full of Grace and Truth so that we beheld his Glory in his Miracles his Grace and Truth in his Holy and Wise Doctrine such as manifested him to be the only begotten of the Father 9. The terms John 1. 15. the only begotten of the Father verse 18. the only begotten which is in the bosom of the Father must be understood of Generation before the World was made of the substance of the Father For the term notes Generation and so subsistence from his Substance not Creation out of nothing or created matter as Adam nor can he be said to be the only begotten Son of the Father from his peculiar forming as man expressed Luke 1. 35. for Adam who was formed without the help of man and called the Son of God Luke 3. 38. was so as much the only begotten Son of God as the Word or Jesus Christ. Nor is he said to be the only begotten of the Father by reason of his peculiar love for the peculiar love is from his peculiar Sonship not that the form or cause of it nor is he said to be the Son of God by regeneration as they that believe in Christ are the Sons of God John 1. 13. for so many are Sons of God nor from his peculiar mission resurrection or exaltation For though these proved him the only begotten of the Father as evidences thereof yet not as causes of his Son-ship But he is intituled the only begotten Son of the Father from his proper generation and Sonship whence he is stiled his Son Rom. 8. 3. his own proper Son verse 32. not adopted but natural otherwise Adam might be from his original as well stiled his own proper Son That Christ Jesus is in respect of his natural generation before the world was the only begotten Son of God may be evinced 1. From Mat. 16. 13 16 17. Christ asking whom do men say that I the Son of man am it being answered verse 14. Some say John the Baptist others Elias others Jeremias or one of the Prophets our Lord Christ further presseth them to tell him whom they said him to be verse 15. plainly intimating that these opinions of him were short of what they were to esteem him whereupon Simon Peter answered and said verse 16. Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God to whom Christ replies verse 17. Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee but my Father which is in the Heavens which plainly shews 1. that
and is used James 1. 15. as of the same sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringeth forth and so rendered And when Christ is said Col. 1. 18. to be the first-born from the dead or Revel 1. 5. the first-begotten of or from the dead the act of the Father in raising him from the dead is implied to which his resurrection is ascribed Acts 2. 30 32. and 3. 15. and 4. 10. and 5. 30. and 10. 40. Rom. 6. 4. 1 Cor. 6. 14. Ephes. 1. 20. Gal. 1. 1. and herein St. Paul doth in some sort place his â—egetting of Christ when he said Acts. 13. 32 33. God hath fulfilled the Promise made unto the Fathers unto us their Children in that he hath raised up Jesus again as it is also written in the second Psalm Thou arâ— my Son this day have I begotten thee And although the preposition from be in those places because of the change or translation from the dead yet the term first noting priority must needs include also the preposition before as it doth manifestly John 1. 15. so that it is easie to conceive this to be the meaning he was the first begotten before all the creation or every creature and therefore the Image of the invisible God and he by whom and for whom all things were created which cannot be meant of his rising from the dead sith that is mentioned ver 18. and this title is put before his creating of all things ver 16. and as the reason of it But must be meant of his generation before all times out of the substance of the Father by which eternity is given to him the precedency in being before all the creation being in Scripture language all one with Eternity And so Christ will not be put in the rank of creatures made out of nothing but the word is to be taken negatively as the word first applied to God Revel 1. 11. which is expounded Isa. 44. 6. I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God or Isa. 43. 10. Before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me And when the Law appointed the first-born male to be Gods Exod. 13. 2. Numb 8. 16. by the first-born was understood that which opened the womb though no other were born after as the Mother of Christ understood the Law Luke 2. 22 23. who is called her first-born notwithstanding she had-no other Mat. 1. 25. But if this exposition of the Title the first born of every Creature be not received but that it note only Christs dominion or inheritance of every creature yet will this sense prove his Generation before all Creatures and his being exempt from the rank of creatures sith the reason of his being the first-born of every creature and so Lord or Heir of them is ver 16. Because by him and for him they were all created which must needs prove that he is not one of the creatures sith he created all things therefore not himself created and he must needs have a being before every creature by whom all were created and confequently was begotten before all time Nor can this title be applied to Christ as man or incarnate as if it noted that he was first in the new Creation or in respect of his power over his Church For John Baptist Luke 1. 15. was before him in the New creation in time and it is noâ— said he was designed or appointed to be the first-born of every creature but that he is the first-born not made the first-born of them but he by whom all were created nor can the Church peculiarly be meant by every creature or the new Creation sith it is not said of the Creation or of the new Creation but of every Creature even those that are invisible as verse 16. shews And therefore he cannot be said to be the first-born of every creature as the first-born of man is because the Angels are some of the creatures verse 16. but not of the same kind with man 3. That by Thrones and Dominions and Principalities and Powers verse 16. are not meant several degrees of dignity among men and no more may appear not only as Dr. Hammond saith because they may also signifie the several degrees of Angels and because there follows mention of visible and invisible and the Angels may most probably be contained by the latter of them as this lower world of men by the former and because it is the creation that is here referred tâ— and the creating of Angels as well as men c. belongs truely to Christ as God therefore it will be most reasonable in this place to interpret it in the greater extent to comprehend Angels and Men too the highest and most eminent of both sorts But also because it is necessary for these Reasons 1. Because these terms do elsewhere signifie in the same Apostles writings invisible beings powers of the world to come Ephes. 1. 21. Principalâ—ties and Powers in Heavenly places Ephes. 3. 10. Spiritual beings in High or Heavenly places opposed to flesh and blood Ephes. 6. 12. Angels Principalities and Powers are reckoned among the most potent beings of most force to separate us from the love of God Rom. 8. 38. Angels and Authorities and Powers are said to be subject to Christ now on the right-hand of God 1 Pet. 3. 22. Nor can the spoiling of Principalities and Powers be understood otherwise than as Dr. Hammond's own Paraphrase of Col. 2. 15. explains it of devesting the evil Spirits of their power Grotius Annot. ad Eph. 1. 21. Intelligunt quidam de imperiis terrenis Sed locus Col. 1. 16. quod in his infra est 3. 10. evincit agi hic de eximiis Angelorum clasibus Similis ordinum distinctio etiam in Satanae Regnâ— infra 6. 12. 1 Cor. 15. 24. Rom. 8. 38. 2. If by them Angels were not meant there should be no invisible beings said to be created Col. 1. 16. whereas the distributive particle whether is put next after invisible to shew the Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers to be invisible beings 3. Several degrees of Dignity and Rule among men neither in this Epistle nor elsewhere are said to be things in Heaven or Invisible 4. Angels may be said to be reconciled Col. 1. 20. and gathered together into one with the Church Ephes. 1. 10. Christs blood reconciling the Gentiles to God by expiating their Idolatry and so reducing them to God and thereby to the good Angels who rejoyce at their conversion Luke 15. 7 10 observe their order in their Church meetings 1 Cor. 11. 10. are their Angels Mat. 18. 10. But it could not be said in S. Paul's time when he wrote to the Colossians that the Rulers on Earth were created by and for Christ that is reformed and made new creatures in Christ they were not brought to the obedience of the Gospel by Christ but were enemies to it Acts 4. 27. 1 Cor. 1. 26. James 2.
things he upholds Heb. 1. 3. comprehend not only the Church but the world 's made by him or all creatures as Heb. 2. 8 10. Col. 1. 16 17 must be understood It is true that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Prince nor will I deny that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Grotius Dr. Hammond Heinsius exercit sacr l. 16. c. 1. conceive signifies to rule or Govern Numb 11. 14. Deut. 1. 9. yet it signifies not only to Govern or Order them but also to sustain them by provision as both the occasion of the peoples desire of flesh and the words of Moses ver 11 12. Wherefore host thou afflâ—cted thy Servant And wherefore have I not fâ—und favour in thy sight that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me Have I conceived all this people Have I begotten or born as the Greek hath it them that thou shouldest say unto me Carry them in thy bosome as a nursing Father beareth the sucking Child unto the Land which thou swarest â—â—to their Fathers shew It is true Deut. 1. 9. bearing notes rule but not it only but also provision and sustentation as the words verse 12. shew How can I my self alone bear your â—â—mbrance or wearisom molestation trouble as Isa. 1. 14. and your burden Greek and your Hypostasis that is your subsistence or sustentation by provision and your â—trifâ— in Greek your antilogies gain-sayings or contradictions And v. 31. In the wilderness the Lord thy God bare thee as a man doth bear his Son in all the way that ye went until ye came to this place Where saith Ainsworth in his Annotation this word meaneth not the bearing of the body only but bearing of their infirmities and suffering the evils and troubles in the education of them as a Father doth in his children which the Greek explaineth by etrophophorese a word that Paul useth in Acts 13. 18. Where the Syriak expoundeth it nourished or as some copies have it Etropophorese he suffered their manners Dr. Hammond Annâ—t on Acts 13. 18. carried as a Nurse Whence I infer that if Heb. 1. 3. the word bearing be used as Numb 11. 14. Deut. 1. 9. yet it doth not signifie meer ruling or ordering the Church by wisdom and authority but up-holding sustaining maintaining the worlds or ages which he made or all things created by the Word of his Almighty Power by which they were framed at first Heb. 11. 3. which bearing or upholding all things is not limited to the time after Christs Resurrection but is antecedent to his death For so the words are He by whom God made the worlds being the brightness of his glory the character of his subsistence and bearing all things by the Word of his Power having by himself made purgation of our sins sate at the right â—and of the Majesty in the heights This order of words shews that he was the brightness of Glory and character of Gods subsistence and bare a 〈…〉 things by the Word of his Power and made purgation of our sins by himself afore â—e saâ—â— at the right hand of the Majesty or greatness in the heights 8. It is true that Heb. 1. 13. is spoken of Christ as man exalted yet as Christ argued against the Pharisees from the same passage of Psal. 110. 1. which the Chaldee renders the Lord said unto his Word meaning Christ saith Ainsworth Annot. Mat. 22. 42 43 44 45. that Christ must be a greater person than David's Son because David in spirit calls him Lord and therefore to have an higher nature than himself being then his Lord so we may argue from Heb. 1. 13. The Scripture proves Christ to be Lord of Angels because God said Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool therefore he had a nature above Angels and consequently Divine For Christ supposeth in that place that Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be David's Lord which was not denied and thereby pâ—oveth that he must be denied than David and of another nature than his â—orasmuch as he that was no more than his Son could not be his Lord the Father being Superiour to the Son in Nature who hath no other Nature than what he deriveâ— from himself SECT 13. Heb 7. 3. Is urged to prove the Eternal Son-ship of Christ. TO what is said Heb. 1. I shall add what is said Heb. 7. 3. concerning Meâ—chizedeâ— that he is mentioned without Father without Mother without Genealogy that is without speech of his descent or pedigree neither having beginning of daies nor end of life but made like unto the Son of God remaineth a Priest for ever Which intimates that the Son of God was without Father without Mother without Genealogy neither having beginning of daies nor end of life that is as he was the Son of God he was Father or Mother among meâ— in which respect there is no Genealogy of him that he is without beginning of daies or end of life therefore he was before any creature was made begotten of the substance of his Father not made of nothing very God of the same substance of the Father by whom all things were made For as the Son of man and according to his office he had beginning of daies and had a Mother Nor can the sense be right that the beginning of daies is meant of the Priest-hood of Melchizedec for the other part nor end of life is to be expounded of his Being not of his Priest-hood and therefore also his not having beginning of daies must be meant of his Being as the Son of God not of his Priesthood SECT 14. Christs Kingdom is the Kingdom of the Son of Man so termed according to his Excellency above all men THe Kingdom we are to seek is termed sometimes the Kingdom of the Son of man Mat. 16. 28. Verily I say unto you there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom which title Christ often takes to himself Mat. 16. 13. whom do men say that I the Son of man am and upon this consideration he hath the Kingdom given to him according to what our Lord Christ saith John 5. 27. That the Father hath given him authority and to do judgment because he is the Son of man Accordingly where Christ fore-tells his chief act of regâ—lity he useth this title Mat. 25. 31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the Holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory and ver 34. 40. terms this Son of man the King Whence it is apparent that this title of the Son of Man is to be considered that we may have right intelligence of this Kingdom Now this title of the Son of man may be understood 1. As noting him to be a man of the same kind with other men And in this sense â—he Son of man is no more than a man as Numb 23. 19. Psal. 4. 2. 144. 3.
without him do not note alwaies an instrument even Rom. 11. 36. It is said all things are of him and by him and for him who is the Lord to whom glory belongs for ever but shews the order and co-operation of the Father and the Word in the Creation As for the passage 2 Cor. 5. 17. it is granted to be meant of the new state of things by Christs reconciling the world to God verse 18. but it is not like the words Iohn 1. 3 10. where all things are said to be made not made new by him and old things past away and all things are said to be made by him in the beginning Whereas the making all things new by reconciling the World to God was by Christs being made sin for them ver 21. by his death and therefore not in the beginning of his preaching the Gospel and therefore cannot be meant of the same creation Ephes. 2. 10. The Ephesians are said to be created in Christ Iesus unto good works not by Christ Jesus but to be Gods Work The words Ephes. 3. 9. may be more rightly understood of the first Creation in which Christ was co-worker which the words from the beginning of the world seem to intimate however they are not like Iohn 1. 3. in expressions and therefore evince not that they are to be both understood of the same thing 6. The term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can signifie no other than either the frame of Heaven and Earth or the Inhabitants in it as Iohn 17. 5 17. Iohn 1. 9 29. and 3. 16. and many more places and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can have no other signification than was made by him at the first creation For the World was made by him afore he was in it and it knew him not it being put as an aggravation of their perverseness that the world that was made by him knew him not which can be verified of no time but the first creation which is confirmed by the two next verses For verse 9. Coming into the World is meant of appearing among men whether by birth or other manifestation and therefore the world must signifie verse 9. the Earth or Men and so verse 10. which is apparent in that when it is said the world knew him not it must be expounded men knew him not and the words following he came unto his own and his own received him not verse 11. must be understood of men whether his own be meant of men simply or men that he had special relation to as Country men or Kinsmen And for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate was made as here put it never signifies any other thing than was or was made or was begotten not revealing preaching or renewing Nor does the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the World signifie being put without any further addition or expression heaven or immortality or eternal life The place Rom. 4. 13. that Abraham should be heir of the World if meant of his own natural posterity inheriting is to be conceived meant of the Promised Land if of Christ of the Empire of the world as Psal. 2. 8. is foretold if of his seed by Faith to be co-heirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. if as it is most likely from the connexion with the 11th and 12th verse of the world of Believers Jews and Gentiles of whom he is Father still it is meant of mens persons not their meer state and condition Heb. 10. 5. the coming into the world is coming among men and that to offer himself in Sacrifice and the preparing of his body is not making it immortal but fitting it for death as verse 10 12. do plainly shew Neither of the places Heb. 2. 5. or 6. 5. have the word translated World John 1. 10. in the one the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desart in the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and notes the course of time place or generation future neither the state it self of eternal life which is distinct from the world to come Luke 18. 30. and cannot be meant of the world made by Christ John 1. 10. which is not future but was existent when Christ was in it For the same reasons by the world made by Christ cannot be meant the Church reformed by him For if by the world be elsewhere meant the Church of the Elect or world of Believers reconciled to God as is conceived to be meant Iohn 6. 51. 2 Cor. 5. 19. c. yet here it cannot be meant because it is said the world knew him not received him not even that world which was made by him but the Church of the Elect or Believers reconciled to God knew him and received him Nor doth any where the word was made put as here signifie was renewed enlightned reformed nor if it were so used could it be here sith the world knew him not nor received him which is said to be made by him And to say that the meaning is the world was made by him that is the world was so far as concerned his action as much as in him lay enlightned renewed reformed though not in the event so as to note Christs study and endeavour not the effect is without all example sith the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth note being and effect of the thing not intention or action of the agent and so the Church of Elect would be no more made by him than others and it would be clean contrary to the Apostles intention to shew the event of his being in the world that notwithstanding the world was made by him yet they were so averse from him as not to know him and so perverse as not to receive him understanding Synecdochically the greater part as 2 Pet. 2. 5. and elsewhere the world is put for the multitude or greatest part distinct from them that received him verse 12 13. 7. The life which is said was in the Word was in him in the beginning not restored to him at his Resurrection and it is said was in him not as John 11. 25. and 14. 6. he was the life causally and relatively to others but in him that is in himself and so notes what he had in respect of his Essence and natural Being not by his Office or communicated Power in that respect And when it is said the life was the light of men it is not said the life shall be the light of men but was so in the beginning Nor is it said it was the light of men as dead or fallen but of men simply as men and so cannot be understood of the light infused by regeneration or restored by raising from the dead but communicated by Creation and notes the natural light of reason and understanding wherewith Christ inlightens every man which cometh into the World verse 9. of which more may be seen in my Book of The true old Light exalted Serm. 1. on Joh. 1. 9. Nor is it to the