Sermons Upon John 1, Sermon 7

Sermons Upon John 1 · Sermon 7

p. 305THE SEVENTH SERmon, vponupon the firſt Chapter of IOHN.

Verſe 9 10. 11.

That was the true light, that enlightens eueryevery man, &c.

THe conception, and birth of Iohn the Baptiſt were very extraordinarie, and ſtrange; his father, and mother being growne olde, ſhee all her life time, barren. And leaſt theſe circumſtances ſhould not worke with the people, an Angell, was ſent from GOD to Zacharias, to giuegive him knowledge of theſe things before hand. Hee beleeues not: and thereupon is ſtriken dumbe, till the time of circumciſing the childe came; when his ſpeech is reſtored to him againe: and he, inſpired by the holy Ghoſt, prophecyeth both of his owne ſonne, and the Meſſiah. But what ſtand I reciting all the particulars? Theſe matters together p. 306with the Conuerſation, Doctrine, and Baptiſme of Iohn draue the Iewes into an admiration of him; and not, into an admiration onelyonly, but into a ſtrong conceite, that hee ſhould be the Chriſt, the deliuerer, for whom they lookt. Neither were the common ſort onelyonly of this opinion, but the Rulers themſelues were drawne to the like perſwaſion; inſomuch …h… they ſent Prieſts and Leuites to inquire whether he were the Meſſiah, or no. Theſe things conſidered, it was not without cauſe, that our Euangeliſt directly affirmes He was not the light, but had an vnderunder office; To beare witnes of the light. Who then was the light? Euen he, of whom hee ſpake ſo much before; and to the deſcription of whom, by way of farder amplification, he returnes ſaying; That was the true light.

This amplificatiō is continued to the 14, ver: and may thus reaſonably be applied to the formerpoints deliuered cōcerning the Word. In the 5. ver. the creation of al things by him was affirmed: In the which it is ſaid, that Hee was in the world, & the world was made by him. The fourth teacheth vsus that he was the light of men. To that, the ninth anſwereth, That was the true light, which inlighteneth euerie man, that commeth into the world. And whereas the fiſt verſe tells vsus, that the light ſhineth in darkneſs; the tenth ſpeaketh of his being in the world, and the eleuenth of his comming to his owne. The ſucceſſe is alike in both places; The darkneſſe comprehended it not, verſe 5. The world knew him not, verſe 10. His owne receiued him not, verſe 11. Thus hath our Euangeliſt laboured to ſet out to all men, the bounty of the Lord, in ſending ſo glorious a light, to ſhine in the middeſt of darknes; and the vnkindnes, and blindnes of men, that refuſe to bee iulightened. For the diſtribution of theſe 5. verſes by themſelues, wee muſt obſerue, firſt, that the Euangeliſt proceedes to deſcribe the light, Verſe 9. Then he ſheweth the actions thereof, in the later part of the ſame verſe. & the other 4. In the deſcription, the title p. 307True is added to the light. The actions of the light, are ſet downe in generall, It lighteneth eueryevery man, that commeth into the world: And the manner of the inlightening followes. Where wee conſider, how the light offers it ſelfe. Hee was in the world; Hee came to his owne. How is hee entertained; The world knew him not. His owne receiued him not. In particular, the benefit that comes by the light is declared, verſe 12. 13.

Let vsus come now to expound the verſes ſeuerally: and in the 9. wee are firſt to inquire of the tranſlation: then of the diſtribution thereof: Secondly, of the Euangeliſts meaning, and the doctrine it ſelfe. The tranſlation in the former words, That was the light, hath two doubts; How wee muſt ſupply that, which in the originall is not expreſt: How the articles therein vſed are to bee tranſlated. The Greeke hath no more ſet downe but was a light: The queſtion is, what is heere to be vnderſtood, to make the ſentence perfect. One of theſe two things muſt needs bee intended by the Euangeliſt; either hee doth affirme, that there was a true light, though Iohn was not the light, or els hee ſhewes vsus, which was the true light. If the former pleaſe vsus, then wee muſt ſupply that which wants in this ſort, There was a true light. But this may well ſeeme needeleſs; becauſe both the Euangeliſt, had auoucht as much before, That life was the light of men: and if there had bin no light, or the matter had bin in queſtion, whether there were any light or no, it had bin in vaine for him to hauehave ſaid, that Iohn was not the light. For that ſpeech preſuppoſeth, that There was a light, though Iohn were not he. It is therfore more likely, or rather certaine, that the holy Ghoſt intends to ſhew vsus who was the light.

In this point, our Popiſh Rhemiſts agree with vsus, howſoeuer according to their cuſtome, they will needs differ from vsus, as far as they can, in tranſlation. Let vsus heare p. 308their conceit in tranſlating. It was the true light. Why It? For neither the originall Greeke, which is the authenticall record, nor the vulgar Latin, which they profeſſe to follow, hath any more It, then there. They had our tranſlation before their face, That was the true light; when they deuiſed, how they might diſagree from vsus in words at the leaſt, if not in matter. At laſt out comes this new nothing. It was the light… What is this ſame It? Who knowes not, that in plaine Engliſh, this worde It doth not ſo fitly, or fully expreſſe, which was the true light as that doth? Let me ſhew you that I ſay, by particular applying it to the matter, wee hauehave in hand. It is agreed vponupon, that in the former verſe the Euangeliſt tells vsus, Iohn was not the light, but was ſent to beare witneſſe of the light. Which then, or who was the light? It was the light, ſay our Rhemiſts: who can gheſſe almoſt what they meane? If hee had bin deſcribing of the light, and had affirmed it to bee ſuch, or ſuch, then might this fitly hauehave bin brought in; It was the true light. But nothing beeing in that ſort ſpoken of it, in this part of the Euangeliſts diſcourſe; ſurely it was not fit, to giuegive vsus knowledge of his true meaning, in this place.

This will better appeare by comparing our tranſlation with this affectation of theirs. That (ſay wee) was the true light. Would you know which that? That light, of which Iohn was ſent to beare witnes, was the true light. Who doth not eaſily conceiue this? Shall wee tranſlate as our Engliſh Papiſts doe; It was the true light? Expreſſe that you ſay, like a Grammarian. Muſt you not be driuen to this, It light, of which Iohn, &c. Make the beſt of it you poſſibly can, and you muſt bee forced to expound It, by That light. It was, that is, That light was. See, ſee, whither a contentious deſire of diſſenting from vsus, hath drawne you as it were by the neck, againſt learning, and common ſenſe. You will ſay perhaps; It is a p. 309ſmall matter, about which I make this a doe againſt them. Bee it ſo. And yet I diſcerne not, how it ſhould bee counted a thing of ſmall importance, to make the word of God without any good ſenſe, by a falſe tranſlation. But let it bee as ſmall a matter as you will. What is it to affect, and ſeeke out ſuch a manner of tranſlating, where the truth is manifeſt vntounto them, and wilfully reiected by them? It will not ſerue the turne to ſay, as ſome Papiſts doe without conſcience, or ciuill equitie; It is the tranſlation or expoſition of Heretikes; Maldon in Ioa. 1. 1therefore I will not like it; as if the men, and not the matter were to be regarded. I muſt needs confeſſe, that when I firſt lookt vponupon this Elephants calfe, that was ſo long a breeding, I wondred in my ſelfe, what ſo ſtrange a ſhape ſhould portend. But when I had taken a little better view of it, I perceiued the crafty purpoſe of the damme in ſo monſtrous a birth. It is a principle in Poperie, that the Scriptures are not to bee read of the common Lay people, as they call them. This being ouerthrowne by the force of the truth in the Goſpell, when they ſaw there was no remedy, but they muſt of neceſſitie affoord their poore ſeduced followers ſome tranſlation of the Bible, they thought, they would ſo handle the matter, that they ſhould bee little the better for it. Therefore hauehave they ſo tranſlated the new Teſtament, as Ariſtotle is ſaid to hauehave ſet out ſome of his bookes, as if hee had not ſet them out at all: Ariſt in opiſt. ad Alex.Becauſe they were ſo hard to bee vnderſtood of any, but his owne Schollers. Yet his dealing was farre honeſter, then theſe mens, who hauehave laboured for nothing more, then to make ſuch a tranſlation, as for the hardneſs, and vnpleaſantneſs thereof, might driue all men from the reading and ſtudying of it. If this cenſure ſeeme vncharitable, or vnciuill to any man, let mee intreate him to ſuſpend his iudgement, till he hauehave ſeene what I can, and will, if it pleaſe God, diſcouer in the expoſition p. 310of this Goſpell, touching their courſe in tranſlating.

Wee vnderſtand what ſupply is to be made by the expreſſing of that, which in the Originall might be concealed better, then in our Engliſh. Now to the Articles: Which are two, or rather, one twice repeated. For the Text lies thus; The light, the true. It is indeed very certaine; that the vſe of Articles in the Greek is very vncertaine; as I ſhewed at the firſt verſe. Yet hauehave wee two reaſons, why wee ſhoulde looke for ſome eſpeciall ſignification of it, in this place. Firſt wee ſee, that in the next verſe before, it is of neceſſarie vſe. Hee was not the light. Take away the Article, and reade it thus; Hee was not light, or a light. This were to Ioh. 5. 35.John 5:35affirme a direct vntruth, contrarie to the Scriptures. For Iohn (as our Sauiour himſelfe hath teſtified of him) was a burning and a ſhining candle. Therefore muſt wee ſo conceiue the Euangeliſt, that hee denies him to hauehave bin The light, not a light, or light. Secondly, the doubling of the Article, and applying it both to the Subſtantiue light, and the Adiectiue true (whereas vſually it belongs onelyonly to the former, in the nature of the tongue, and practiſe of the Scripture) notes vntounto vsus ſome thing more then ordinarie of that kinde, Mat. 3. 17. foreignMatt 3:17whereof there is ſpeech. This is that my Sonne, that belouedone. If the Article had bin left out in the later word, any ſonne might hauehave bin ſignified by that voice from heauen, for ought the words neceſſarily imported. But the repeating of it, ties it as it were to the Perſon of our Sauiour Chriſt, who was the onelyonly naturall ſonne of God his father. And this is ſo much the more to bee conſidered, becauſe it is very rare in the Scripture to find examples of it. Well then; How ſhall wee tranſlate it? That was the light, the true light. Theſe words expreſſe the Euangeliſts ſenſe to the full, & yet leaue the Greek text vnblemiſhed, by putting the firſt, and laſt words in a different p. 31letter from the reſt, as it is well obſerued in our common tranſlation, that eueryevery man may know what is in the Originall, and what is added to ſet forth the holy Ghoſts meaning, according to the propertie of the ſeuerall tongues, into which the Hebrew, and Greeke are turned, for the peoples vnderſtanding.

But of the tranſlation in this former part of the verſe, enough: that, which I hauehave to ſay concerning the later part, I thinke beſt to reſerue, till I hauehave ſpoken of the diſtribution of the whole, and come to the ſeuerall handling of that clauſe by it ſelfe. In ſeeking out the diſtribution, I doe not inquire, into how many parcels, or members, the matter of it is to bee diuided, which is commonly ſignified by that tearme diſtribution; but I am to ſearch firſt, whether the whole verſe be one propoſition, or ſentence: or els two. In the firſt verſe, to make that I ſay, plaine, we had three ſeuerall propoſitions. 1 The Worde was in the beginning: 2. the Worde was with GOD: 3. the Worde was GOD: The ſecond verſe contained but one, The ſame Worde was in the beginning with GOD. For although there bee, at the leaſt two diuers points in that ſentence: (The Worde was in the beginning; and the Worde was GOD) yet they are compriſed in one propoſition. So are they alſo in this verſe, which I now expound, That was the true light; the light inlighteneth eueryevery man, that cōmeth into the world. Yet perhaps theſe two make but one propoſition in the Euangeliſts writing. If any man bee deſirous to know, why I caſt this doubt here, rather then in any of the former verſes, all which in a manner hauehave more ſentences then one; hee is to vnderſtand, that none of them, afforded the like cauſe of doubting; eueryevery one hauing the ſeuerall propoſitions ſo diſtinct, that they could not well bee tied altogether in one. But heere the p. 312caſe is otherwiſe, as you ſhall preſently ſee. For thoſe wordes in the later part, which hauehave a full ſenſe in themſelues, may notwithſtanding reaſonably ſeeme to belong to the former part, and to make vp the Antecedent or Subiect of the ſentence: Beare with mee I pray you a little in theſe tearmes; I avoide them, all I can: and now I am forced to vſe them, I will doe my beſt to make you vnderſtand them. EueryEvery ſentence, or propoſition hath ſomething as the ground, and matter, ſome other thing as an appurtenance to that; which is eyther affirmed, or denied of it. As in the firſt verſe: The Words is the cheefe matter; that which is auoucht of the worde is, that hee was GOD. The worde therefore in that ſentence is the Antecedent, or Subiect; GOD is the Conſequent, Attribute or Predicate. Let me not trouble you too much with theſe words of Art; but rather apply them as ſhortly as I can to the matter I hauehave in hand.

How this verſe may well conſiſt of two diuers ſentences, and what they are, I ſignified before. Let mee ſhew now in what ſort they may bee ſhut vp, both in one: which may thus be done. That light which inlighteneth eueryevery man that commeth into the world, was the light, the true light. The Antecedent or Subiect is The light, which inlighteneth eueryevery man, &c. Of this light it is affirmed, that it was the true light. Both the words will beare this diſpoſing of the verſe, and the ſenſe will bee good, and fit; yea I may ſay more: The ſpeech of the Euangeliſt may ſeeme, more perfect in it ſelfe, and to hauehave leſſe neede of any ſupply, if wee ſo vnderſtand it. For both the Greeke, and the Engliſh may conueniently, and eaſily bee conceiued, if wee ſo reade, and expound the verſe, without the expreſſe adding of any oher worde, but That, in the Engliſh: The Greeke needes abſolutely none at all. Yet I rather chooſe to diuide the verſe into two diſtinct propoſitions; partly for p. 313the conſent of all interpreters of it, which I hauehave reade; but eſpecially, becauſe beeing ſo diuided, it ſeemes to depend better vponupon that, which went before. That light of which Iohn came to beare witneſſe was the true light: Which light alſo inlighteneth eueryevery man, that commeth into the world If any man liſt to take it the other way, he may ſhew the agreement of it, with the former, in this ſort. Iohn was not the light: That light which inlighteneth eueryevery man, &c. was the true light: Now this light is CHRIST, as the Euangeliſt had ſaid, verſe 4. That was the light of men. But the other interpretation ioines ſomewhat more cloſe to the later part of the verſe going immediately before; But was ſent to beare witnes of the light. That light was the true light, &c. The verſe then hath two ſeuerall propoſitions, or ſentences, to bee handled ſeuerally, each by it ſelfe. That was the light, the true light. Firſt of the words what is meant by True: What the Article being doubled imports. Then of the Euangeliſts meaning, and the Doctrine of the place. Truth in the Scripture is commonly taken, as the nature of the worde requires for that which is contrary to falſhood. Caſt off lying (ſaith the Apoſtle) and let eueryevery one Ephe. 4. 25.Eph 4:25ſpeake truth to his neighbour. Sometimes it is put for that, which is oppoſite to the ſhadowes of the Lawe. The Ioh 1 17.John 1:17lawe was giuen by Moſes, but grace, and truth came by IESVS CHRIST. And this ſenſe hath alſo warrant from the vſe of the worde, in common ſpeech; where the patterne, or a thing it ſelfe, that is inutated, or counterfetted is called the Truth. The truth Vritas vincit iantationem.excelleth the imitation. So the Lord is named the true God: This is euerlaſting life to know thee, the onelyonly true God. Ioh 17. 3.John 17:3Some thinke that by this truth, or trueneſs, the light is ſignified to bee ſuch by nature, and of it ſelfe, not by Ciril. in Ioa. lib. 1. cap. 9.grace, or participation. And ſo may the Lord bee called the true beeing: becauſe he is ſo naturally, and imparts to all things ſuch being, as they hauehave. But of this ſignification p. 314I thinke there is no example to bee found in Scrip…ure. The two former agree very well to our Sauiour, who is indeede the true light, without any darkneſs of error, or falſhood in him. Hee whom God hath ſent, ſpeaketh the words of God; for God giueth him not the ſpirit by meaſure. Ioh. 3. 34.John 3:34And of him were all the ceremonies of the lawe, ſhadowes, and figures; as the Apoſtle hath ſhewed at large in the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes; eſpecially in the ninth and tenth Chapters.

But the beſt way to vnderſtand the true ſenſe of the worde; is to compare it with other of the ſame kinde, in the Scripture. For which purpoſe what ſhall wee neede to goe any farder, then this Goſpell? Wherein wee hauehave two like ſpeeches, vttered by our Sauiour, of himſelfe. My father (ſaith hee) giueth you the true Ioh. 6. 32.John 6:32bread from Heauen. What true bread was this? It is euident, that hee ſpeaketh it of himſelfe, whom a little before hee had called the meate that indureth to euerlasting Verſe 27.life. Heere he compares himſelfe with that Manna, whereof the Iewes boaſted, and wherewith they ſay Moſes fed them, euen with bread from Heauen. To this our Sauiour anſwereth; that Moſes gaue them not bread from heauen: but my father giueth you (ſaith he) the true bread from Heauen. They had bread from heauen, by the miniſterie of Moſes, as they proued by the place Pſal. 78. 24.Ps 78:24of the Pſalme. He gaue them bread from heauen. How then ſaith our Sauiour, that Moſes gaue them not bread from heauen, and that his father giues them the true bread? Surely, that bread, which they had by the meanes of Moſes, was true bread, and did truely the office of bread, to feed their bodies. What then? Doth he meane, that it was but a figure of the heauenly bread which God was to giuegive, and now in, and by him, did giuegive them? This was true indeede; but not ſo much to purpoſe, as our Sauiours ſpeech was, beeing rightly vnderſtood. Hee Ver. 27.had perſwaded them before, to labour for the meat, that p. 315endureth to euerlaſting life. They would needes hauehave Ver. 30. Ver. 31.him ſhew them ſome ſigne, that is, worke ſome miracle, whereby they might be occaſioned to beleeue him, that there was better bread, then ſuch as their fathers had eaten in the Wildernes. To this our Lord anſweres, that Moſes gaue them not bread from heauen, namely no ſuch Ver. 32.bread, as could endure, to life eternall. That bread, that could ſo feede them, was the true bread, and was giuen by his father; in compariſon whereof, the other was not worthy the name of bread. The vſe of the bread is to nouriſn, and continue life: and that bread which can not worke ſuch an effect in him, that eates it, is not true bread. Your fathers (ſaith he afterward) dideate Manna in the Wildernes and are dead. How Ver. 49. Ver. 50.then was that true bread? This is the bread that came downe from heauen, that hee which eateth of it, ſhould not die. Loe: heere we hauehave the true bread, which performes that in truth to the ſoule, that the other doth but as it were offer to the body. Therefore alſo he tells them a little after, that his fleſh is truely meate, and his bloud truly Ver 55.drink. A like place we hauehave in the ſame Goſpell, where he tearmes himſelfe the true Vine. I am the true Vine. Why is Ioh. 15. 1.John 15:1he the true Vine? Becauſe hee doth indeede truely, and effectually nouriſh, comfort, & ſuſteine thoſe, that cleaue to him by faith; whereas the beſt Vine in the world, hath ſomtimes dead branches, and at the laſt dieth it ſelfe.

Now then if any man demaund in what ſenſe Chriſt is the true light; in the very ſame (ſay I) in which hee doth affirme, that he is the true bread, and the true Vine. The Sonne, which is the fountaine of this viſible light, doth not ſo truely ſhine, and giuegive light to the eyes of the body, as Ieſus Chriſt, doth inlighten the vnderſtanding; which is the eye of the Soule. Ieſus Chriſt? (may Ambroſ. de fide contra Arian. cap. 3.ſome man ſay.) Why not rather God the Father; or, at leaſt, the whole Trinitie? whoſe ioint action it is to inlighten, and not the Sonnes alone. Theſe obiections p. 316are eaſily anſwered. For it is more then plame, that our Euangeliſt ſpeakes only of the Sonne, in this whole deſcription. What reaſon is there then, to vnderſtand this one verſe of any other, but of him alone? How ſhould this point, applied either to the Father, or to the Trinitie, hauehave any due place in this diſcourſe? Is it not alſo apparent, that the light here ſpoken of, is the ſame, whereof Iohn bare witneſs; and which is ſaid, in the verſes following, to hauehave come vntounto his owne, and to hauehave giuen the priuiledge to men, of becomming the ſonnes of God? Conſider yet farder, how vnfit it had bin for Saint Iohn, hauing called the Worde by the name of the light, in the former verſes, here, vponupon a ſodaine, to giuegive the ſame title to any other of the perſons, or the Godhead. Will any man take the worde in ſuch diuers ſort, if hee bee not conſtrained to doe ſo, by cleere euidence of the Text? But ſo to vnderſtand it, were to couer the place with darkneſſe, not to make the ſenſe of it cleere, and euident. But the action of inlightening is common to all three Perſons. So are all actions of any perſon of the three which concerne any other, beſide the Perſons themſelues. To chooſe, to iuſtifie, to ſanctifie, to redeeme, to inſtruct, to inſpire, to comfort, &c. are all common workes of the Diuine nature: Yet are they appropriated, in the Scripture, ſeuerally to the ſeuerall perſons, as all men know, and as I muſt ſhew particularly, when I come to the 33. verſe

In the meane while, let vsus goe forward with the expoſition of this verſe; wherein we are next to conſider, what the doubling of the article may teach vsus. The light; the true light: was it not enough to hauehave ſaid The light? For ſurely that implies an eſpeciall excellencie of the light, wee meane. There bee perhaps many candles, torches, ſtarres, and moones: but the ſunne onelyonly is the light. They are lights, p. 317but not the light. If that would not ſerue the turne, hee might hauehave ſaid, The true light; then which, what can bee ſaid more? All this contented not the holy Ghoſt: but that he might rauiſh vsus with the louelove, and admiration of this light, hee calls it The light, the true light. Some apply it more particularly, and p…eciſely to our Sauiour, in theſe two conſiderations. The light (ſay they) with an Article. to note the excellencie of the Perſon; The true light, with the ſame Article repeated, to ſignifie the glorie and brightneſs of that knowledge, which flowes to men from that light. I deny not, but the Euangeliſt comprizeth both vnderunder theſe wordes. I doubt whether hee intended to giuegive vsus notice of them ſo diſtinctly, by the repetition of the Article, or no.

It remaines, that I deliuer the plaine meaning of the Euangeliſt, and declare the Doctrine conteyned in it. Wherein I may, and will bee the ſhorter, becauſe ſomwhat hath bin ſaid already of each, in examining the former points. What then meanes Saint Iohn by theſe wordes; That was the light; &c. Hee had told vsus in the laſt verſe, that Iohn the Baptiſt was not the light, but was ſent before, as a ſeruant, to giuegive notice, and to beare witneſs of the light. Now hee proceedes to ſhew vsus the excellencie of that light; in reſpect of whom, Iohn, though hee were of ſo rare giftes, and highe account was no body. Looke vponupon the Moone in the night time, when ſhee is at the full, and you would thinke, you had light enough. Surely hee, that had neuer ſeene the Sunne, would eaſily bee perſwaded, to take the Moone for the Well, or ſpring of light. But if hee ſhould once come to ſee the beauty, and brightneſs of the ſunne, hee would be aſhamed of his former childiſhneſs, and ignorance, p. 318that thought that to bee all, which in a manner, was nothing at all.

The Doctrine is as plaine, and was handled more largely, at the 4. and 5. verſes. CHRIST is the true light. There are candles and torches here on earth; men that hauehave diſcouered ſome truth concerning God. There are Starres, and Moones ſhining from heauen: Such as, by ſupernaturall illumination, hauehave reuealed many, and great myſteries, concerning our redemption, and ſaluation by IESVS CHRIST. But all theſe are nothing to him. If it were poſſible to ioine all the lights, I ſpake of, together; would they match the brightnes of the ſunne? How much leſſe can theſe torches, and ſtarres, which hauehave all their light, from the Sonne of God, equall the autor, and giuer of that light? Let the light, they giuegive, bee as great, as it can reaſonably bee imagined to bee, yet are they not the true light. what doe wee then gazing, and gaping vponupon Men, as if there were no light, but in them? If any man hauehave a little more knowledge, then others, that hee can teach vsus ſomewhat, which euerie one is not acquainted withall, wee wonder at him, as the onelyonly light: Yea, wee are oftentimes ſo carried away with a conceite of his brightneſs, that the light it ſelfe is either deſpiſed or forgotten in compariſon of him. It was ſomwhat more excuſable in the Iewes (though it were intollerable) to preferre Iohn before CHRIST; becauſe they had ſettled a reuerend opinion of him in their hearts, when they had no thought of any other Meſſiah: But how ſhall wee bee excuſed, that know who is the light, and yet dote vponupon other ſo much, that wee hardly thinke on him? Hee, that fits our humour, either with ſome point of Diuinitie, which wee knew not, or with ſome worde of exhortation, that wee deſired, is ſo admired, and followed, that wee are ready to receiue p. 319any thing, hee will deliuer vntounto vsus for truth, without viewing it by the true light. I ſpeake not this to diſgrace Iohn, but to magnifie Chriſt. Iohn was a light, but not the light. To ſpeake truely, and plainely, Iohn was no light at all; as our Euangeliſt affirmed in the former verſe. Hee was a candleſtick, or a torch-bearer, to holde out, and ſhew the light; but, the light hee was not. Hee gliſtered in the eyes of men, as a peece of glaſſe, or any burniſht metall doth, vponupon which the ſunne, or ſome other light beates, which is not ſeene of vsus, but by reflexion, at the ſecond hand. To conclude; that which the Euangeliſt ſaith here of our Sauiour, is the very ſame, that the Baptiſt woulde teach his diſciples, whome hee ſent to Ieſus, ſaying; Art thou he, that ſhould come, or ſhall we looke for an other? Iohn knew well enough, that Ieſus was the Sauiour, as hee teſtified at the time of his baptiſme, and Mat. 11. 2. 3.Matt 11:2Matt 11:3afterward: but his Schollers were not ſo perſwaded. Therefore hee ſends them on ſuch a meſſage, that they might themſelues diſcerne him to bee the light. This is that, which the Apoſtles auouched, after his death, that There is no other name vnderunder heauen, by which we Act. 4. 12.Acts 4:12can be ſaued.

Miſerable then, and damnable is the caſe of thoſe men, who for any benefit, and commoditie in this world, or for any paine, and torment, that can be here indured, for a time, renounce the Sauiour of their ſoules, and light of eternall life, Ieſus Chriſt. Doe you maruell brethren, what ſhould make me breake out into ſuch a ſpeech, in this Auditorie? All of vsus profeſſe beleefe in Chriſt; we hauehave all bin baptized; wee hauehave all bin taught. Put caſe wee did all beleeue indeede, for the perſwaſion of the truth, wee now maintaine, as wee hauehave bin taught; were it therefore needeleſs to vſe any word of exhortation, to confirme vsus in the truth? Is not our Faith nouriſht, and ſtrengthened in vsus, by p. 320the ſame meanes, by which it is begotten? I ſay nothing of our naturall ignorance, which had neede of much teaching. I let paſſe our ſhuttle memories, which eaſily forget that, wee hauehave learned. Let mee omitt our vnruly affections, which draw vsus away from the meditation of thoſe things, that concerne ſaluation.

Shall I tell you in one worde, why I hauehave entred into this courſe, vponupon a point ſo well knowne, and generally reſolued of? Did none of you euer heare of any Chriſtians, of any Eugliſhmen, that hauehave denied the faith of CHRIST, and become Renegados? I muſt needes confeſſe, I ſpeake vponupon report, not vponupon ſight, or experience; but yet vponupon ſuch report as I hauehave good cauſe to credit, both for the honeſtie, and the number of the reporters. It hath come to paſſe (my heart bleeds within mee to thinke, and vtter it) yea it doth fall out daily, a great deale too often, that men trained vp here amongſt vsus in the religion of IESVS CHRIST, for ſome worldly reſpects, without conſcience of their profeſſion, without care of their ſoules, without regard of their credits, without feare of damnation, hauehave blaſphemed the Lord IESVS CHRIST, that died for them, and turned Turkes. O the weakneſs of our faith! O the ſtrength of our corruption! O the hypocriſie of our hearts! That, which happeneth to one man, may happen to any man. Doeſt thou beleeue? So they ſaid, and (like enough) thought too. But thou art ſtrong in faith. Who (almoſt) thinkes himſelfe weake? The pride of our nature doth ſo puffe vsus vp, with a good conceite of our owne knowledge, and beliefe, that the eies of our mindes are cloſed, and our ſight dimmed, if not blinded, that wee are not able to giuegive any true iudgement (naturally) of our greateſt imperfections. Feare makes vsus wary, leaſt wee ſhoulde fall. Hope p. 321fils vsus with preſumption, that wee run headlong to our fall.

Be not high minded, but feare: Feare thine owne corruption: ſuſpect thine owne ſtrength. Thy ſtrength ſay d I? nay, thy weakenes rather. If thou wilt preſume vponupon Gods powerfull mercy to vphold thee; lay hold vponupon the meanes, hee hath appointed for the ſtaying of thee vp. Beleeue, remember, reſolue, that Chriſt onelyonly is the light. I am not to enter into any diſcourſe, whereby I may inſtruct, or direct thee how to confirme thy faith in this point; but onelyonly to exhort thee thereunto, according as this doctrine giues me iuſt occaſion.

It is not vnlikely, that there are ſome in this Aſſembly, perhappes (as in ſuch a ſmall company) not a few, whome theſe thinges may neerely concerne: Marchants; a good part of whoſe eſtate lyes abroade in Turkey or Barbarie. Maryners, whoſe courſe of life, and helpe of maintenance, requires imployment in thoſe parts. Trauaylers, whoſe deſire to ſee faſhions, and learne experience, will draw them into all Countries, and companies. Young impes, who becomming apprentices, ſhall bee tranſported out of this nuiſerie, where they hauehave beene bred, to bee planted in thoſe places for many yeeres, euen for the chief time of their growthe. Shall I craue leaue of you, to ſpeake a few wordes to the point in hand, with your fauour and attention? I will not aske you, whether you beleeue that the Scripture, contayned in the olde, and newe Teſtament, bee the worde of God or no. I knowe you beleeue it. As needleſſe is it, yea perhappes more needleſſe, to tell you, that this Scripture (being the worde of GOD) is of certaine, and vndoubted truth, both for the whole, and euerie part of it. Let vsus come more particularly to the matter, wee are now in handling. The holy Euangeliſt Saint Iohn, p. 322inſpired by the holy Ghoſt, affirmes, vponupon the warrant of that inſpiration, that our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, is the light. Of the trueth heereof thou profeſleſt, thou art reſolued. With this reſolution (as thou perſwadeſt thy ſelfe) thou ſayleſt, as thy occaſions call thee, into Heathen Countries, where Chriſt, and this truth, concerning him, is not onelyonly doubted of, but denyed, hated, impugned, perſecuted. It falles out, while thou art there, that either thine owne miſdemeanor, in the carriage of thy perſon, or managing of thy buſineſſe, caſts thee into ſome daunger: or the opportunitie of ſome pleaſure, profite, or honour bewitcheth thee with an earneſt deſire thereof. There is no meanes for thee to auoyde that daunger, or to enioy thoſe benefittes, but to diſclayme Ieſus Chriſt, and to embrace Mahomet. Now ſhewe thy faith; now make proofe of thy conſtancie: nowe it muſt, and will bee ſeene, whether thy profeſſion bee ſincere, or counterfaite. What ſtandeſt thou wauering, and tottering this way, and that way? If Mahomet bee the light, followe him; If Ieſus bee the inlightner of thy ſoule, goe after him. Doubting is not of faith. Thy feete treade one way, and thy face lookes another way. Thy tongue hardely forbeares to denie that, to bee true, which thy heart woulde fayne thinke to bee falſe. What meanes thy crauing reſpite to giuegive in thine aunſwere? A …orte beleagered, that offers parle, is halfe yeelded.

Thy heart is euen gone, and thou careſt not, that God ſees it, as long as men heare not thy tongue profeſſe it. If, at the laſt, with much a doe, thou reſolue to continue in thy Chriſtian profeſſion: yet remember, that hee which is long, ere hee doe that, hee knowes ought to bee done, a greate while would not doe it.

p. 323But thou haſt ſomewhat, perhappes, to ſay for thy ſelfe in this caſe. Let vsus giuegive thee the hearing: ſpeake thy minde freely, and ſpare not. Well; I ſee what thou wouldeſt ſay: that if thou perſeuer in acknowledging Chriſt to bee the light, thou ſhalt bee ſure to bee clapt in priſon, and to bee depriued of the light of this worlde: but if thou honour Mahomet, as the teacher of truth from God, thou ſhalt ſhine in the glory of this life. Is this all? Alas poore wretch; what ſhall it auayle thee, to eſcape a few yeeres impriſonment in this world, and to bee ſhutte vppe, for it, in the Dungeon of hell, world without ende? What art thou the better, for a little painted glorie, and traſh in this life, when thereby thou ſhalt loſe the glorie of God in the life to come? Art thou afrayde of a darke priſon; and dooſt not tremble at the horror of helliſh darkeneſſe? why dooſt thou not conſider, that Chriſt is the light? Can hee bee in darkeneſſe, that hath the light with him, and ſhining to him? Be not deceiued, nor diſcomforted. This light ſhall ſhewe the more, in that darke Iayle, thou feareſt, then the Sunne canne doe, at the noone day, in the open fieldes. As for the ſhadow of glorie, thou ſo doateſt vponupon, what is it to the light of truth? Say thou wert Emperour of Turkey, or didſt commaunde the whole Worlde; without this light thou wert couered with more then Aegyptian darkeneſſe. What canſt thou hope for by Mahomet, when all hee coulde deuiſe to promiſe, is nothing but a little ſenſuall, and beaſtly voluptuouſneſſe; the happineſſe of a Goate, a Swine, or a Dogge, and not of a man? They doe all they can to turne themſelues into Beaſts, that feede their brutiſh humour, with the conceit of ſuch filthy pleaſures.

How blind muſt they needes be, that embrace darkneſſe for light? There was ſom ſhew for the error of the Iewes. The Turkes hauehave not the leaſt colour for beleefe p. 324in Mahomet: except a fewe knackes of couſinage, which ſome fooles tooke for miracles. The Alcoran, wherin the light of his knowledge ſhould ſhine, is ſuch a diſorderly bundle of ſenſeleſſe dreames, and idle tales without head or foote, that a man of any reaſon cannot read, or heare it with patience. But the true light powreth foorth ſtreames of admirable knowledge, for the inlightning of all men, that they may, ſee the truth of God to ſaluation. So it followeth in my text: which inlightneth euerie man that commeth into the world. This is the other propoſition or ſentence, in which (as in the former) Firſt, of the words, then of the Euangeliſts meaning. In the words I finde ſome occaſion of doubt, concerning the tranſlation: of which I wonder that our Rhemiſts tooke not hold, hauing ſo faire an opportunitie. The Greeke worde, which wee tranſlate, That commeth, properly ſignifieth foreign venientem. comming.comming. And the Latine, which the Rhemiſts profeſſe to followe, with ſuperſtitious preciſeneſſe, hath expreſt it by a worde of the ſame kinde, and ſignification: How chance our newe Tranſlaters, hauing an Engliſh word ſo fit for the purpoſe, yea fitter for the Greeke then their Latine is, and fully expreſſing the Latine, did not remember to make their aduantage of it? Doubtleſſe, they neuer markt it; For if they had, it is apparant by their ordinarie practiſe, that they would hauehave vſed it; eſpecially, ſeeing it differs from our Tranſlation, & affords a double interpretation, as the Greek doth.

There are two thinges mentioned in this propoſition: that which inlightneth, and that, which is inlightned; the light, and man. The word comming, in the originall is ſuch, that it may well agree either with the light, or with man. To the light it may thus bee ioyned; which light comming into the worlde, inlightneth euerie man. If wee referre it to man, wee may tranſlate it p. 325thus, which inlightneth euerie man comming into the world, or that commeth into the world. I will not ſtriue much about ſo ſmall a matter; yet (to ſpeake my minde plainly) I hold that word for the better, which comes neerer to the originall, and hath alſo example from the Latin. OnelyOnly there ſeemes to bee this inconuenience, in following of the Greek, and tranſlation of the word comming, that wee ſhall bee thought to reſtrain this inlightning to the time of a mans birth, or comming into the world. For, ſo much the wordes ordinarily import. Which inlightneth euerie man comming into the world: that is, euerie man when hee comes into the world. And then cannot this bee vnderſtood of ſupernaturall grace, and teaching by reuelation: but of the light of nature; whereas the holy Ghoſt, in this place, ſpeakes onelyonly of the former: as I ſhewed at the fourth verſe. Yet the Greeke and Latine are both ſubiect to the like inconuenience, and the Engliſh may bee otherwiſe vnderſtood; to ſignifie no more, then the common tranſlation, that commeth. It is ſomewhat to hauehave warrant from the Greeke, and conſent of the Latine, though it bee not altogether ſo plaine, as perhappes otherwiſe it might bee. The Rhemiſts hauehave reiected both. But in the next words they hauehave followed the Latine, and left both vsus and the Greeke.

The world, ſayeth our tranſlation, according to the foreignGreeke. This world, ſayth the Latine, and the Rhemiſts after it. It is no great matter whether of the two wee read. For this world, and the world, in euerie mans vnderſtanding, ſignifie the ſame thing. But who had not rather drinke of the Fountaine, then of the Chanell, though the water bee pure, and ſweete in both?

But of the tranſlation enough: now a worde or two of the Euangeliſtes manner of ſpeech: Euerie man, that commeth into the world. Why did not Saint Iohn p. 326content himſelfe to ſay Euerie man, but addeth, that commeth into the world. Shall wee imagine, as ſome hauehave done very ſtrangely, that the ſoules of men were created at the firſt altogether by God, and are reſerued by him, to bee coupled to bodies, according to their Origen. de princip. lib. 1. cap. 3 & lib. 2. cap. 8.behauiour, good, or badde, in that world, where they were created? This idle fancy, and fonde error is vaniſht long ſince, that it were loſt labour to ſpend anic time in the refuting of it.

There is another opinion, in it ſelfe true, but not fitte for this text; that therefore men are thus deſcribed, becauſe the ſoules, though they hauehave not anie beeing with God, before the creation, or making of the bodies, to which they are to bee ioyned; yet they may bee ſayde to come into the worlde, becauſe they are not framed of any matter, as the bodies are; but hauehave their originall immediately, in regard of their ſubſtance, from God himſelfe: whereas the bodies ſo come into the world, that they are faſhioned, and formed heere belowe of an earthly matter. But this ſeemes to be ouer-curious, and nothing agreeable to the ſimplicitie of the Goſpell, which enters not into ſuch opinions, as little concerne our knowledge, in any point of Religion.

What is then the meaning of this ſpeech, That commeth into the world? Surely, nothing elſe, but that is borne; and ſo it is often vſed in the Scripture, as the contrarie, to goe out of the worlde, is to die. Naked came I out of my mothers womhe (ſayeth Iob) and naked Iob. 1. 21.Job 1:21ſhall I returne thither againe. To come out of the wombe, is to bee borne: toreturne, that is, to goe out of the world, or to leaue it, is to die. The ſame kinde of ſpeech, the wiſe King vſeth: As Hee came foorth of Eccleſ. 5. 14.Eccl 5:14his mothers belly, hee ſhall returne naked to goe as hee came.

To theſe, adde that of the Apoſtle; Wee brought p. 327nothing into this world, and it is certaine wee ſhall carrie 1. Tim. 6. 7.1 Tim 6:7nothing out. VVee brought nothing: namely, when by our birth wee came into the worlde; VVee ſhall carrie nothing out, when wee dye. This bringing, and carrying away, argues a comming, and a departing. But why woulde the Euangeliſt ſo deſcribe men? I am wholly of their opinion in this point, who thinke that hee followed the Hebrewe Rabbins herein, who doo oftentimes call a man by the like name; vnderunder which they comprehend infants too, none excepted.

This manner of ſpeech it is likely the common people had learned of their teachers; and therefore by it Saint Iohn would farther teach them, that CHRIST is hee, which inlightneth all men, one, and other, that no man may except himſelfe. Some expound this comming into the worlde, of regeneration by baptiſme. By what warrant? where is it euer ſo called in Scripture? Howe canne it bee ſo tearmed? Baptiſme rather carries out of the world, then brings vsus into it. For in, and by Baptiſme wee renounce the world, and dye vntounto it; ſo farre are wee from comming into it thereby. It is therefore beſt, and ſafeſt, to take the wordes in the playneſt ſenſe, and to vnderſtande by them, To bee borne, which is common to all men whatſoeuer: ſo much the rather, becauſe our Lorde in the Goſpell hath a like ſpeech, by which hee notes all men. Among them, (ſayeth hee) which are borne of VVoemen, aroſe Mat. 11. 11.Matt 11:11there not a greater then Iohn Baptiſt. Is this any more, then if hee had ſayd, Among men, there is not a greater then Iohn?

Hauing thus cleered thoſe doubtes, which, by reaſon of the wordes, might make the Euangeliſtes meaning more darke, and hard; Let vsus come now p. 328to the matter, that is heere deliuerd. In the former parte of the verſe, our Lorde was ſayde to bee the true light; in this later propoſition, hee is ſhewed to bee ſo, by an eſpeciall effect, which is inlightning eueryevery man. Is euerie man then inlightned? How elſe, if our Sauiour inlighten euerie man? But there are many, not men only, but nations, that neuer receiued any light of the Goſpell, or inlightning from Chriſt.

This doubt hath made diuers writers expound this place of the light of nature, which wee hauehave by creation. And this, it is apparant, wee hauehave of Chriſt, By whome all thinges were made, who is the life of men. But what reaſon ſhould leade vsus, to apply this to naturall light? ſeeing wee hauehave made it manifeſt, that in the former verſes, it is to bee vnderſtoode of that, which is ſupernaturall. Why ſhould wee giuegive the worde light, ſuch a ſignification heere, as it hath no where elſe, in all the Scripture? But it is no where vſed for the light of reaſon, which wee hauehave by nature; nor for that generall knowledge of GOD, which wee partly bring with vsus into the world, and partly attaine to, by the contemplation of the creatures.

Wherefore wee muſt needes conceiue, that the Euangeliſt ſpeakes of that lights which men receiue by Reuelation from GOD, concerning the meanes of euerlaſting life, by faith in Chriſt; of which the greateſt part of the worlde neuer had any notice. It behooues vsus then to conſider the poynt with good aduiſe, that wee may vnderſtande the Euangeliſts meaning aright; and neither deny, that our Sauiour inlightneth euerie man, nor confeſſe that euerie man is inlightned with the knowledge of him to ſaluation.

The auncient Diuines of former ages, ſeeing p. 329theſe inconveniences, and deſiring to prouide ſome rerredy for them; by their meditation, and learning, did find out, and leaue vntounto vsus 2 eſpſeciall anſwers, for the ſatiſfying of theſe doubts. Firſt they teach vsus, that Chriſt Aug. Enchirid ad Laurent. cap. 103 Depeccat. merit. 8 remiſſ …. 1. c. 25may truely be ſaid to enlighten eueryevery man, becauſe no man is inlightned, but by him. If there were but one Phyſician, or one Schoolemaſter in this Citty, of that one it might truly be affirmed, that he taught all, that he cured all. This is he (might we ſay) that cureth eueryevery man: This is he, that teacheth eueryevery one. Not meaning thereby, that eueryevery particular man, woman, and childe, in the Citty, is taught or healed; but ſignifying in generall, that there is no other Phyſician, no other teacher, by which any one receiues health, or inſtruction. So our Sauiour Chriſt may be conceiu'd to inlighten eueryevery mā; becauſe eueryevery one that is inlightned, hath that light from him; and not becauſe eueryevery one is inlightned. So that Saint Iohns meaning, according to this interpretation, muſt be thus vnderſtood; Ieſus, of whome Iohn bare witneſſe, was the true light: and whoſoeuer is inlightned, is inlightned by him. This expoſition, as eueryevery man may eaſily diſcerne, agreeth very fitly with the former part, and proueth it very ſtrongly. For indeed what ſounder proofe can we require, to aſſure vsus, that our Lorde was the true light, then that eueryevery man fetcheth all the light, he hath, from him? Either we muſt grant, that no man at all hath any light of grace; or elſe yeeld, that he, from whom he hath that light, is the true light. The former is not doubted of; How then ſhoulde the later bee in queſtion? The ſecond anſwere doth not ſo much reſpect the partyes inlightned, as him, that doth inlighten; who ſhineth to eueryevery man, that will open his eies to behold him. For as the naturall light, ſpreadeth the beames thereof abroad, in al places, and giueth light to eueryevery man, as much as lyes in it, though blinde men ſee neuer a whit, the better: So this true light, offereth p. 330himſelfe to al men, ſhineth vponupon eueryevery man, that who ſo wil may bee inlightned by him. It may ſeem perhaps to ſome man, that inlightning ſignifies a farder matter, then ſhining vponupon a man; and ſo, I remember, it was obſerued at verſe the fift, The light ſhineth in darkneſſe. Thoſe blind men, I named ere while, had the Sunne ſhining on them, but yet they were not inlightned: vnleſſe by inlightning we vnderſtand no more, but being made viſible, that we may be ſeene. And in that ſenſe indeed, a tree, or a ſtone, is inlightned by the Sunne, as wel as any liuing creature, that hath eies to ſee withal. This cannot bee the meaning of the Euangeliſt. For he ſpeakes not of any mans being made knowne, or apparant to other men; but of eueryevery mans knoweing, and ſeeing thoſe matters, which concerne his everlaſting ſaluation. That is to bee inlightned; to hauehave the doctrine of ſaluation declared to him; ſo that hee diſcerne, and acknowledge it for ſuch, the truth thereof being made manifeſt to his conſcience; or at the leaſt the ſenſe of that, which is deliuered, being euident, and cleere vntounto him. If this later point bee not performed; ſurely there is no inlightning, but at the moſt, ſhining.

The word, which our Euangeliſt vſeth in this place, ſignifieth in the Scripture, both the holding out of light, by which, things may be made viſible to men, and the giuing of them ſight, by which they may ſee. Candles are ſaid, to light vsus with their brightneſſe; that is, to afford Luk. 11. 36.Luke 11:36vsus light, by meanes whereof things may bee ſeene. And in this ſenſe, the things that are ſeene, to ſpeake truly, and properly are inlightned, and not wee, in whom there is no alteration, by the preſence of the light; but only the forme, or ſhape of that, which is to be ſeene, is preſented to our view by the light ſhining vponupon it, and bringing the proportion, and colours of it to our eies. This ſignification of the word is the more p. 331common of the 2: Iudge nothing before the time, vntill the Lorde come, who will lighten things, that are hid in darkneſſe. 1. Cor. 4. 5.1 Cor 4:5In this place of Scripture, as eueryevery one ſees, the lightning is referred to the things, that ſhall be ſeene; which being hidden ſhall be diſcoured, and made viſible, or rather layd open to all mens view. But the Scripture hath examples of the other ſignification alſo. I ceaſe not (ſaith the Apoſtle) to giuegive thanks for you, making mention Eph. 1. 16.Eph 1:16of you in my prayers, &c. that the eies of your vnderſtanding may bee inlightned, that you may knowe what the Verſe. 18.hope is of your calling &c. This inlightning of the eies of the vnderſtanding, is not onelyonly affording of light, by which the things themſelues, that are to bee ſeene, may become viſible (for that is done by the miniſtery of the worde, whereby the hidden myſteries of ſaluation are revealed to all, that will heare) but an opening of the heart, and an inward teaching of thoſe ſecrets; ſo that a man ſhall thereby bee perſwaded of the truth thereof. For, the Epheſians, to whom the Apoſtle writ this, had heard the Goſpell preached by Saint Paul himſelfe; and by that peaching of his, had the light vouchſaf't them, by which the knowledge of ſaluation might be had; and, in ſome meaſure alſo, had attained, to the vnderſtanding, and acknowledging of the truth, which the Apoſtles praye to hauehave farder reuealed to them, that they might beleeue, and embrace it. This, the ſame Apoſtle in an other place, calls the receiuing of light. Many hauehave light, and Heb. 10. 32.Heb 10:32knoweledge offered them, but they receiue it not: either becauſe it ſeemes not worth the receiuing, or for that they are drawne away by their worldly cares, or ſome other ſuch reſpects, from the due conſideration of that whereof there is offer made them. But the Hebrewes (as Saint Paul there writes) had receiued the light, that is, had giuen aſſent to the p. 332truth of that, which was taught them, and for the maintaining of it, had indured (as it is there witneſſes) greate fight in afflictions.

If we take the word in the former ſenſe, only for ſhining vponupon the things, that are needfull to bee ſeene, that they may ſhew themſelues vntounto vsus; it is out of doubt, that, in reſpect thereof, eueryevery man is inlightned, for ſo much as concernes the office of the light; which is to make manifeſt thoſe things that were not, without it, to be ſeene. For ſo our Lord hath revealed the will of his Father, concerning the meanes of ſaluation; which, Ioh. 1. 18.John 1:18but by him, had neuer beene publiſht, and proclaimed to al the world. But this is rather lightning, thē inlightning; as he, that carries a candle, or torch with him, inlightens not the party, before whom he goes, or to whō he comes, but only lights him: and in this ſenſe our Sauiour doth but ſhewe men, what is to bee beleeued. Whereon there growes more queſtion, how it may be ſaid, that eueryevery man is thus lighted. For it is very manifeſt, that there were many thouſands in the world, euen then, when our Sauiour himſelfe ſhone ſo brightly, by his glorious workes, and powerfull preaching, who neuer heard, or ſaw the one or other, nor, in any likelyhood of reaſon, poſſibly could do. What ſay I? There were many thouſandes. I may truly ſay, the thouſand man then liuing, neuer had, nor could hauehave any ſight of the light, that then ſhined among the Iewes. Yet I confeſſe, that the light ſtretcht, and ſpread his beames, to the vttermoſt of his nature, and ſtrength. Take example of the Sunne, which in the height of ſummer riſeth early, mounts highe, ſhines gloriouſly, ſets late; and yet there are diuers nations in the worlde, which hauehave not the leaſt glimſe of his light, all the while, he ſhewes himſelfe to vsus, in theſe parts of the Hemiſphere, moſt apparant and bright. Therefore when we read or heare, That our Sauiour, the true light, lighteth eueryevery man, as much as in p. 333him lies, we muſt not conſider him as God, but as the mediator of mankind become man. As he was God, he could hauehave giuen eueryevery one, then liuing in the worlde, certaine knowledge, that himſelfe was ordained for the Sauiour of the world. But he was heere to demeane him ſelfe as a perſon, who, by the diuine power of his Godhead, could do al things; but, by the conditiō of his mediatorſhip, was to doe no more, then his humane nature might be known to be imployed in, ſome way or other. He taught the admirable ſecrets of God, by his voice; he wrought wōderful miracles by his almighty power: but ſtill it appeared to all men, that by the word, and wil of him, whom they ſaw to be a man, all thoſe wonders weredon. So then, if we take this lightning of eueryevery man, for affording them the meanes of knowledge to ſaluation, we muſt thus conceiue the matter; that our Sauiour preacht, and ſhew'd his miracles by himſelfe, and his Apoſtles, and doth daily vouchſafe the knowledge of the truth to eueryevery man, without exception, not forbidding his miniſters to teach any man, nor barring any from learning of them.

Let vsus now ſee, how we are to vnderſtand the Euangeliſt, that the true light inlightneth eueryevery man. Inlightning cauſeth him to diſcerne the truth of that, which is deliuered: ſo that the doctrine of the Goſpell is alwaies effectuall to him, that is inlightned. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that ſhee attended to the things, that Paul Act. 16. 14.Acts 16:14ſpake. All, that heard him, were lighted; but they only inlightned, which beleeued the things, hee ſpake. How then may Chriſt be ſaid to inlighten eueryevery man, ſince it is apparant, many, yea the greateſt part, beleeue not? Surely the former anſwer ſatisfies this doubt very ſufficiently. Whoſoeuer is inlightned, hath this inlightning from the true light. And this interpretation (as I ſhewed before) agreeth very well with the Euangeliſts words, and meaning. But let vsus apply the common diſtinction p. 334to this purpoſe. Chriſt inlightneth eueryevery man as much as lies in him. If wee vnderſtand this of his abſolute power, wherby he is able, as God, to do al things, it is manifeſtly falſe. Elſe ſhould eueryevery man vndoubtedly beleeue. For he is able to beget faith in the heart of eueryevery man. Therfore the moſt, that can bee truly avoucht in this matter, is this, that hee is ready to inlightē eueryevery man. But this interpretation, as far as I can conceiue, doth not fully expreſſe the ſenſe of the place, if wee expound it of inlightning. For it is one thing to inlighten, an other thing to bee ready to inlighten.

What could the Euangeliſt ſay more of them, that are actually inlightned? I acknowledge the truth of the doctrine, that our Lord is ready to refreſh all, that come vntounto him, to teach all, that vſe the meanes to learne; but Mat. 11. 28.Matt 11:28me thinkes this is not all, that the holy Ghoſt in this place affirmes. Therefore I had rather interpret the text, either of lightning, that the true light ſhines to all, without exception, no man being ſhut out from the hearing, and reading of the Scriptures, by any commaundement, or reſtraint of the light it ſelfe; or of inlightning, that all, which are made partakers thereof attaine to it, only by this true light: and both theſe expoſitions, are true, and may agree with the words, & meaning of the Euangeliſt, to commend our Sauiour Chriſt, as the true light of all men.

Now whereas ſome men herevpon would conclude, that becauſe the true light inlightens eueryevery man, therefore God hath not made choiſe of any man, more then of all men, to be heires of his glory in heauen, they gather that, which growes not of the text. I will make it plaine by a ſhort examination of the matter, according to the former interpretations.

No man is barr'd the miniſtery of the worde. Therefore ſaluation is intended alike to all. If you adde, in p. 335regard of the miniſtery thereof, yet that you ſay will hardly proue true. For though no man, be abbridg'd of liberty to heare, by any charge to the contrary from God; yet many are not vouchſaf't the poſſibility of hearing. How ſhall wee affirme then, that in reſpect of the miniſtery of the worde, ſaluation was intended alike to all? I graunt, that the meanes is affoorded in generall; but I deny that therefore there is no difference in Gods purpoſe, touching lightning of one nation, more then of an other. It is as free (for any reſtraint made by God) for the Turkes to hauehave the Goſpell, as for vsus; For they are Gentiles, as well as wee. But yet it were too greate vnthankfulneſſe, and abſurdity, to ſay, that (concerning the miniſtery of the worde) God meant to light them to ſaluation, as well as vsus. Nomy brethren, let not ſuch a thought enter into your harts, as once to imagin, that the Lord meanes no more good to you, for your ſaluation, by vouchſafing you the miniſtery of the Goſpel, then to them, whom he ſuffers to continew in their ignorance, to their certaine deſtruction.

Let no man deceiue you, by ſaying, that the light, (as much as lies in it) lighteth eueryevery man. It denies no man light, it blinds no mans eies, it hides it ſelfe from no man that would ſee it: But it offers it ſelfe to ſome men, it ſhines into their eies, it ſeeks them out, where they are in darknes, & follows them, when they turne their backs, and flee from it. HaueHave not wee had experience of this bountifulnes? Call to mind thoſe daies of darknes, when our forefathers lay buried in blindnes, and ignorance. Did we run after the light, or did it come to vsus? Was it not ſcorn'd, reiected, hated? Did it not ſhine vpō our eylids, when wee ſhut them, becauſe wee would not ſee? What rip I vp matters of antiquity? I will ſay nothing of our returning into Aegypt, in Queene Maryes p. 336daies, of our perſecuting the truth, and murdering the Saints of God, for holding out the light to vsus, that wee might ſee. Behold, the light is come againe vntounto vsus, it ſhines in at our windows, it winds it ſelfe into our harts, it preſents it ſelfe to our ſight, which way ſoeuer wee turne. And is it poſſible, any man ſhould be found, that will not acknowledge an eſpeciall purpoſe, and deſire in the light, to make vsus ſee? What? no more, then to light the Turkes? For pure ſhame I will ſay no more of the matter: Cheefly becauſe I reſerue this point of vniuerſall grace for a fitter opportunity.

Yet I muſt needs ſpeake a word or two of the other expoſition. The true light is ready to inlighten eueryevery man. Let me graunt that interpretation, what then? Therefore is it not readier to inlighten ſome, then other ſome? How ſhall that be proued? It is ready to inlighten ſome: Some other it doth inlighten. The former anſwere may ſuffice. It is ready, ſo that it refuſeth not to giuegive light to any man; but ſome men it neuer lins ſhining vponupon, till it hauehave gotten paſſage to the vnderſtanding, and informed that fully of the truth. It is giuen to you (ſaith our Sauiour) Mat. 13. 11.Matt 13:11to knowe the ſecrets of the kingdome of heauen, but to them it is not giuen. The light ſhone, to the Scribes, Phariſes, and people, and as (theſe men ſay) was ready to inlighten them: but the Apoſtles were inlightned indeed. It was giuen them by him, that, according to his good pleaſure, reuealeth the Goſpell to babes, & men Luk. 10. 21.Luke 10:21of ſmall vnderſtanding, and hides it from the wiſe, and learned. Tel me not of the good vſe of Free-wil, or any other preparedneſſe, in the hearts of them, that are inlightned; as if the difference were from man, and not from God. I may not ſtand now to diſpute that matter, but wil take the firſt occaſion to handle it, that offers it ſelfe: I hope in my next Sermon to ſpeake ſomewhat of it. In the meane time, let it bee enough for vsus, touching the point in queſtion, to vnderſtand, that the light, as p. 337ready as it is (and it is moſt ready) neuer inlightens any man, whome it ſelfe doth not firſt fitte, and diſpoſe to receiue that light; as I will ſhewe, if it pleaſe God, hereafter.

It is Chriſt then, euen the true light, which inlightens eueryevery man. Of his fulneſſe (ſaith our Euangeliſt) Ioh. 1. 16.John 1:16hauehave wee all receiued. Yea, I. Baptiſt himſelfe, that ſhone with ſuch extraordinary brightneſſe, had his light Ioh. 3. 34.John 3:34from him, who had the ſpirit without meaſure. Therefore doth he truly, and freely profeſſe himſelfe, that hee was not worthy to carry his ſhooes after him. VVee heard at the fourth verſe, the teſtimonies of Zachary Luk. 1. 78. 79. & 2. 32.Luke 1:78Luke 1:79Luke 2:32and Simeon to this purpoſe; that hee was the light of the Gentiles. I will not ſpende time in repeating them: nor in vrging the exhortation, which then I preſſed, of truſting to Chriſt with confidence, how great ſoeuer our darkneſſe bee. Only giuegive mee leaue, I pray you, to apply the generality of this inlightning, to our particular inſtruction, and comfort.

Chriſt the true light, lightneth eueryevery man. VVho may then except himſelfe, or any other man? Yet there are two ſortes of people, that make queſtion of this doctrine: The poore ſoule, that is priuy to his owne ignorance, and the deſperate wretch, that woulde excuſe his wickedneſſe. The one diſcomfortes his heart, with too much care. The other deſtroies his ſoule, with prophane careleſneſſe. Theſe mens caſes, I confeſſe, are very diuers; yet thus much may be ſaid to them both in generall. The true light ſhines to eueryevery man in the miniſtery of the word. What warrāt, or reaſon hauehave either of you, to exempt your ſelues out of this number? Are not you, compriſed vnderunder theſe generall tearmes, eueryevery one? No Country, no age, no ſexe, no eſtate, is without the reach of them, Let mee come neerer.

No particular perſon whatſoeuer is excluded; but p. 338the light ſhewes his brightneſſe for all, and eueryevery one that will ſee it.

But the queſtion is now of none, but them, who liue in thoſe places, where this light doth ſhine; that is, where the Goſpell is knowne, and profeſt. Can any ſuch man truly ſay, the light is not for him? Who tells thee ſo? The holy Ghoſt heere affirmes the quite contrary, It lights eueryevery man.

VVell: let vsus examine the matter, ſomewhat more particularly. Stand foorth, thou, that deſperatly ſettſt all at ſix, and ſeauen; becauſe (forſooth) God will not hauehave eueryevery man to bee inlightned, or lighted. If hee woulde hauehave no man, there were ſome reaſon …n thy doing. For then, it were in vaine to looke after the light; neither would there hauehave beene any means afforded to that pupoſe. But ſince thou confeſſeſt, that ſome are to be inlightned, what excuſe can there bee for thy careleſſneſſe? All ſhall not be inlightned; why then ſhould I care to ſeeke the light? ſome ſhall be: why ſhouldſt thou not care then? If all ſhould, it would come vtterly without thy care; Then mighteſt thou reaſon in this ſort; All ſhall bee inlightned; and therefore I too: why ſhould I then trouble my ſelfe about it? But to diſp… as thou doſt; ſome ſhall not be inlightned; Therefore I will bee altogether careleſſe; argues a ſenſleſſe deſperatneſſe. I am ſure thou wilt grant, it is as cleere and certaine, that God will not hauehave all men to bee learned, or to bee of any one profeſſion, or trade, as that hee will not hauehave all men to bee inlightned. Anſwere mee then, why thou doſt apply thy ſelfe to ſtudy, or to any courſe of life whatſoeuer. For I preſume, thinke what thou wilt, thou wilt neuer bee ſo deſperate, as to ſaye, or ſo abſurde, as to imagine. that thou wilt bee of this, or that profeſſion, whether God will, or no. Let mee reaſon againſt thee, as thy ſelfe p. 339didſt ere while. God will not hauehave all men to bee Schollers; Therefore will I neuer beſtow any paines in ſtudy. I may ſay the like of Marchants. Marriners, Mercers, Grocers, and of eueryevery trade. So that, by this gay reaſon, no man ſhoulde euer betake himſelfe to any courſe of life, but wander idly vppe, and downe, or rather lye ſtill and ſterue.

And yet ſuch are the goodly argumentes, by which prophane men blaſpheame the vnſearchable counſails of God, and procure iuſt damnation to their own ſoules. That, which they may cleerely ſee, they will not looke vponupon; That, which they cannot poſſibly diſcerne, they wil be alwaies gaſing on. They are curious to ſearch out what God hath determined of them in himſelfe: Careleſs to vnderſtand what he hath appointed, for thē in his word. It is ſet downe in plaine words, and often, that God will hauehave all men to bee ſaued, and to come to the …. Tim. 2. 3. Tit. 2. 11.Titus 2:11knowledge of his truth; that the grace of God, which bringeth ſaluation to all men, hath appeared. The Scripture is full of ſuch ſpeeches. All theſe are paſt ouer, as many, an… as plaine as they are; and wretched men, to cloake their owne wickedneſſe, wil heare, and thinke of nothinge, but Gods ſecret predeſtination. I hauehave been too long in this point already, let me conclude in one worde: where the light ſhines, if any mā be not inlightned, it is becauſe he cares not for the light, not that the light hides it ſelfe from him.

Then maiſt thou conceiue good hope, that ſigheſt, & groneſt vnderunder the burden of thine ignorance, ſeeking by al meanes to come to knowledge. VVill hee (thinkſt thou) that offereth his light, where it is refus'd, & deſpiſed, withdraw it, where it is deſired, and ſought for? He came (as himſelfe profeſſeth) to ſeeke, and to ſaue Mat 18. 11. & 12. 28.Matt 18:11Matt 12:28that which was loſt. And wil he caſt away thoſe, that ſeek to him? Com to me al ye that labour, & are heauy laden. Doth he cal them to him, that he may beat them away when p. 340come? No, no, the promiſe followes; And I will refreſh you. Him, that comes to mee I caſt not away, ſaith hee in another I…h. 6. 37.place. But I cannot come to him (ſaiſt thou) for want of knowledge; Nay (ſay I) thou wouldſt not come to him, but that thou haſt knowledge: knoweledge that thou art a ſinner, knowledge that hee is a Sauiour. Art thou not inlightned? The darkneſſe doth not comprehend him. No man acknowledgeth him truly to be the Lorde of life, but hee, that hath learned of God, that hee is ſo. It fares with thee, as it did with Peter, when the Angell brought him out of priſon. Hee roſe, and followed the Angell and knewe not that it was true, Act. 12. 9.Acts 12:9which was done by the Angell, but thought it had beene a viſion. And it is ſaid of the Iewes in the Pſalme, that they Pſal. 126. 1.Ps 126:1were like men that dreamt, when the Lord brought againe the captiuity of Sion. Thy caſe is much like theſe mens. Thou haſt receiued light, and knowſt it not; But admit thou wert not inlightned. Surely thou maiſt bee, if thou wilt. The light, thou ſeeſt, ſhines all about thee: wherefor but to bee ſeene, and receiued? why not by th…, aſwell, as by an other? It lights, it inlightneth eueryevery man. Plucke vppe thy hearte, wipe the teares from thine eies, that dymme thy ſight. Doe not thinke thou haſt no light, becauſe a farre of, thou ſeeſt a greater, then thine is. If an other man hauehave a Torch, or a Creſſet to light him, and thou but a candle, to ſhewe thee the way; yet thou art not without light. Perhaps he hath farder to goe, perhaps his way is more daungerous. It may bee, if thy light were greater, thy care, and heedfulneſſe would be leſſe. God hath proportioned out thy light, according to thy need; thou haſt light, though not ſo much, as thou wouldſt hauehave: If thou hauehave none, thou ſhalt hauehave. He inlighttens Act. 12. 9. Pſal. 126. 1Acts 12:9Ps 126:1eueryevery man, that commeth into the world.

Such is the effect of the light, in its owne nature, ſuch would it be in the hearts of men, if it were receiued. p. 341as it deſires, and ought to bee. The Evangeliſt told vsus before, that the light ſhineth in darkneſſe, but without any good intertainement. The darkneſſe comprehended it not. Thoſe two points he amply fieth farder in theſe verſes; firſt the offer, which the light makes of it ſelfe. Hee was in the world; He came to his owne. Then the refuſall of that offer; the world knewe him not, His owne receiued him not. I will handle the verſes, as they ly, and ſpeak ſeuerally of His being in the world, and not being knowne; of his comming to his owne, and not being receiued by them. So that each verſe hath two partes; our Sauiour Chriſts kindneſſe in offering, and mens vnkindneſſe in refuſing. In the former verſe, the offer is in theſe wordes. Hee was in the world; the refuſall in the reſt. For the vnderſtanding of the offer; we muſt conſider theſe 2 things; what is meant by the world, what by being in the world is ſignified. The knowledge of theſe two points, will diſcouer the Euangeliſts meaning.

Firſt therefore of the world, which hath diuers ſignifications in the Scripture, as this oneverſe may teach vsus; where it is taken in two different ſenſes, at the leaſt, if not in 3. That I may ſpeake of it as orderly, and as plainly as I can; wee are to vnderſtand, that The world generally ſignifies the whole creature, or whatſoeuer was created. The inuiſible things of God (ſaith the Apoſtle) are ſeene by the creation of the world. This is that Rom. 1. 20.Rom 1:20world, which in this verſe is ſaid to hauehave beene made by Chriſt. The ſame, a little before, was called All things. By him were all things made. Only it may Verſe. 3.well be thought, that in the former place, the Angells are not ſignified; becauſe Saint Paul ſpeakes of the knowledge of God by the light of nature: which perhaps will not ſerue to ſhew vsus the Angels. In this ſenſe, alſo it is to be vnderſtood, whereſoeuer there is ſpeech of the beginning, or foundation of the world. As hee hath choſen vsus in him, before the foundation of the world; p. 342Eph. 1. 4.Eph 1:4that is, before any thing was created. All other ſignifications of the worde flowe from this one: which is the firſt, and principall, varyed as neceſſity required, or delight perſwaded.

The next moſt generall obſeruation is this, that the worde is put for ſome part, or member of the whole. Sometimes for the whole frame, & compaſſe of heauen, and earth; wherein the reſt of the creatures are contained; So ſpeakes the Apoſtle; God Act. 17. 24.Acts 17:24that made the worlde, and all things that are therein. If eueryevery thing that Ieſus did, ſhould bee written, I ſuppoſe (ſaith Saint Iohn) the world would not containe the books, Ioh. 21. 25.John 21:25that ſhould be written. VVhat worlde may bee ſaid to containe, or not to containe, but the ſpace of heauen, and earth? Sometimes it is taken, more particularly, for the earth, where men liue; and this Mat. 4. 8.Matt 4:8is very common. The Deuill ſhewed our Sauiour all the kingdomes of the world. As long as I am in the worlde (ſaith our Sauiour) I am the light of the worlde. Ioh. 9. 5.John 9:5In what worlde was our Lorde, when hee ſaid ſo? Heere on earth amonge men, whoſe light hee vvas. Into this worlde hee ſent his diſciples; Goe into all Mat. 28. 15.Matt 28:15the worlde; that is into all partes, and coaſtes of the earth. To this ſignification of the worde belonges that in the verſe next before, and ſuch other places. EueryEvery man that commeth into the world; that is, Verſe. 9. Ioh. 16. 21.John 16:21borne. In an other text it is more plaine; A woman when ſhee is deliuered of child, remembreth her anguiſh no more; for ioy that a man is borne into the world. Theſe ſignifications are common, and well knowne; as comming neere to the ordinary, and firſt vſe of the worde.

Beſides theſe, it is very often taken more eſpecially or Men, who are the principall parts of the world, and for whome the whole was made. VVhen the worlde 1. Cor. 1 21.1 Cor 1:21in the wiſedome of God, knewe not God by wiſedome. Knowledge is proper to men, and belongeth not to any p. 343other of theſe viſible creatures. God was in Chriſt 2. Cor. 5. 19.2 Cor 5:19reconciling the world to himſelfe, not imputing their ſinnes. To whome are ſinnes forgiuen, but to men? Who are reconciled vntounto God by Chriſt, but men? IIee tooke Heb. 2. 16.Heb 2:16not the Angells (who ſhall euer remaine vnreconciled) But hee tooke the ſeede of Abraham. Thus the world ſignifieth in generall all kinde of men whatſoeuer. But becauſe that naturally men are naught, and wickked, the worde is ſometimes put in particular for the wicked, and almoſt for wickedneſſe. You are of the world (ſaith our Sauiour to the Iewes that woulde Ioh, 8. 23. & 77.not beleeue) I am not of this worlde. The worlde cannot hate you, (ſaith hee in an other place) but mee it hateth. They are of the worlde (ſaith Saint Iohn, of t…e falſe teachers, that denyed Ieſus to bee come 1. Ioh. 4. 51 John 4:5in the fleſh) Therefore ſpeake they of the vvorlde, and the world heareth them. In this reſpect is the Deuill called the Prince of the worlde. Yea the world is as it Ioh 12. 31. 1. Ioh. 2. 16.John 12:311 John 2:16were the fountaine of naughtineſſe. All that is in the worlde (ſaith Iohn) as the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eies, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the worlde. I may adde in the laſt place, that the riches, honours, pleaſures, and ſuch like, that the worlde affordes, are tearmed ſometimes by the name of the worlde, though they bee not ſo much partes, as appurtenances thereof. VVhat ſhould it profit a man, though he ſhould winne the whole worlde, if hee loſe his owne Mar. 8. 36.Mark 8:36ſoule? VVhat is this whole worlde, but the honours, pleaſures, and riches of the world? But I hauehave ſtood too long vponupon this matter. Let vsus now apply it to our preſent purpoſe, for the vnderſtanding of the holy Ghoſts meaning.

But we cannot certainely determine, in what ſenſe the world is here ſpoken of, till we knowe of what being in the world, the Euangeliſt is to be vnderſtood. Now our Lord may be ſaid to hauehave beene in the worlde, in two p. 344reſpects; either as he was God, or as he was the Meſſiah. In the former ſenſe he was alwaies, and is ſtill, and euer ſhall bee, after the ſame ſort in the world. In the later, he was not in the world, till he tooke fleſh of the Virgin his mother; nor ſince his aſcenſion into heauen. As God, by his prouidence, power, and wiſdome, he maintaines, and gouernes al things. As the Meſſiah, he taught and informed the world, of his Fathers will, touching the ſaluation of mankind. His being in the world as God, was, and is, for the preſeruation of naturall life: His preſence, as Meſſiah, was to bring ſupernaturall life, by the light of grace. Whether of the two is it mo…e likely the holy Ghoſt meaneth in this place? If we vnderſtand it of the former, ſeeing hee ſpeakes not of the nature of the Godhead (which is the ſame in all three perſons) but of the perſon of the Sonne; how can the world be iuſtly condemned for not knowing him whē he was preſent? For it is a rul'd caſe in diuinity, that the myſtery of the Trinity cannot bee diſcerned by the light of nature, or gathered from any contemplation of the creatures. It is true indeed, that ſince it pleaſed God to reueale this incomprehenſible ſecret, many men hauehave labored, to ſet forth the point by ſimilitudes, and to apply ſomethings, in the creatures, to the manifeſting of the trinity in vnity.

But all the light, they bringe to this point, is ſuch, as rather ſhewes, that themſelues were perſwaded of that truth, then is of force to conuince their Iudgement, that will not beleeue. In one worde. they giuegive vsus to vnderſtand, that ſuch a thing, in likelyhood, maye bee; they doe not demonſtrate, that, of neceſſity, it muſt bee. As for thoſe ſhadowes of this myſtery, which ſeeme toly hid heere, and there, in the writinges of ſome Philoſophers; neither are they ſufficient to argue, that the penners of thoſe books p. 345acquainted with the doctrine of the Trinitie; and they are ſo ſparingly, and fearfully deliuered, that a man may eaſily ſee, they were altogether vncertaine of the truth, and almoſt of the meaning of that, they writ. And in what authors doe wee meete with any ſhewe of theſe matters? but onelyonly in thē, who profeſs they receiued their inſtruction from the Egyptians, and Chaldeans; who learned thoſe points by Tradition from Noah, and ſo from Adam; to whom God reuealed the knowledge thereof; or elſe are knowne to hauehave beene the Schollers of the Hebrewes from time to time.

Neither doth it ſuite well with the courſe of our Euangeliſts writing, to expound this being in the world, of ſuch naturall maintaining thereof. For, the whole diſcourſe, from the beginning of the fourth verſe (as I hauehave ſhewed) is a deſcription of the Meſſiah Such was the life, that wee hauehave in him; ſuch the light, wee receiue from him: wholly ſupernaturall. Of that, Iohn beares witneſſe; not of his creating, or preſeruing all thinges. That was it, which he laboured to hauehave all men beleeue. That is the thing, which our Euangeliſt denies of the Baptiſt. Hee was not the light. In regard of that, is our Sauiour called the true light. Who ſhall perſwade mee then, to apply this verſe to his diuine power of preſeruation, and not to the gratious worke of his med…ation? eſpecially conſidering the next verſe is generally (for the moſt part) ſo interpreted, and (as it is apparant by the verſe following) ought to be. Wherfore I willingly ſubſcribe to their opinion, who vnderſtand this place of Gaudentius in Euang. tract. 12our Lords being in the world, all the time, he liued here …pon earth, in the nature and ſhape of man. The reaſons, whereby ſome men would prooue the contrarie, are of no great force. They ſay, Saint Iohn would cleere our Sauiour, from being thought to hauehave beene in fault, that men did not beleeue, and from being ſuppoſed to bee a creature. But both theſe doubts were ſatisfied p. 346before more ſufficiently: and the later ariſeth onelyonly from that, which is heere affirmed; Hee was in the world; as if the Euangeliſt had made himſelfe more worke then needed. It was ſayde before, that the light ſhineth in darkeneſſe… that it lighteth, or inlightneth euerie man. Yea, the fault of not beleeuing was layde, where it is; The darkeneſſe comprehended it not. How then could the light bee ſuſpected? Or how ſhould hee bee taken to bee a creature? but in regard of his manhood; which is no error, nor inconuenience. Hee was auoucht before to be God, and to hauehave made all things, none excepted.

Now then ſeeing wee hauehave found, that This being in the world, is to bee vnderſtood of our Sauiours conuerſing with men, here in the fleſh: it is no hard matter to know, what is meant by the world, & from thence to gather the meaning of the Euangeliſt. What is the world? what elſe but the earth? Therefore when the Euangeliſt ſaith, He was in the world, his meaning is, that the Meſſiah of whom he hath ſpoken ſo much, was conuerſant here vponupon earth amongſt men. This he deliuereth here in this general deſcriptiō, before he come to the hiſtory it ſelf, which ſetteth out the courſe of his life, and carriage at large. It is needleſſe to ſay any thing in proofe of this matter. I ſhall hauehave neceſſarie occaſion to handle it at the foureteenth verſe, & the whole Goſpel is of nothing elſe. Yet I may not forget to note in a word, how gratiouſly it pleaſed the Son of God to deale with the world. He liued amongſt men, he kept company with men, he came (as himſelfe ſpeaketh) eating, and drinking. He was Luk. 7. 34.Luke 7:34familiar with men, hee applyed himſelfe to their cuſtomes, and faſhions in all thinges lawfull; and (as a worthy Scholler of ſo excellent a Maiſter ſayth of himſelfe) Hee became all things to all men, that hee might by 1. Cor. 9 191 Cor 9:19all meanes ſaue ſome. Iohn Baptiſt (as it was fitte for him) led an auſtere life; withdrawing himſelfe from p. 347the company of men, abſtayning from the lawfull vſe of that varietie, both in diet, and apparayle, which the Lord of his rich bountie, hath afforded to men. They that would in any thing vſe his miniſterie, either for inſtruction, or baptiſme, were fayne to come to him, and attend vponupon him Our Sauiour was ready (ordinarily) at eueryevery mans call. Who euer came with petition to him and went away vnſatisfied? Sometimes hee deferred Ioh. 4. 49.John 4:49the matter, and would make as if hee hearde not; yea, ſometimes hee ſeemed to aunſwere ſomewhat roughly, as to the woman of Canaan; but it was Mat. 15. 21.Matt 15:21not to deny their requeſts, but to encreaſe their faith. He meant not by ſuch delayes to continue their paine, or trouble, but to double his mercy, both vppon their bodies, and vponupon their ſoules. Where hee ſawe neede of helpe, and want of meanes to begge it, by reaſon of ignoraunce, or ſome other infirmitie, hee moſt kindly offred himſelfe and his ſeruice. Wilt thou be made whole? ſayth he to the man, that had lyen 38 yeares Ioh. 5. 6.John 5:6bed-red. To conclude, ſuch was the conuerſation of our Sauiour vponupon earth, that nothing wanted to ſhewe who hee was; nothing hindred men (commonly) from comming to him, but that, which, in all reaſon, ſhould hauehave allured them: ſo great maieſtie, with ſo great meekeneſſe; ſuch power to helpe, with ſuch readineſſe to bee imployed. O the blindneſſe of men! ſayth one: O the pride, and frowardneſſe! ſayth another. They worthily periſhed, that made themſelues vnworthie of ſuch vndeſerued kindneſſe. What would they hauehave had, more then was offered them? yea they could neuer hauehave deſired ſo much, as was afforded them. And could they bee ſo vnkinde ſhall I ſay, or vnwiſe and wilfull? as to make light account of: ſtay your ſentence a little; we are not come to that point. Take heede leaſt by reprouing of other, you condemne yourſelues. What want you, except the bodily preſence of Chriſt, that they had? No one man, p. 348ſauing thoſe Diſciples, that continually followed him heard ſo many of his Sermons, ſawe ſo many of his miracles knew ſo much of his kindneſſe, as wee all doe, or may doe.

That, which they might heare, in a long time, by peecemeale; wee may read, in a few howers, altogether before occaſions of manifold buſines diſtract the mind, and confound the memory. Wee ſee not the blind reſtored to ſight, the lame made to goe, the dead rayſed to life. What could wee hauehave ſeene? There was ſeldome a…y outwarde meanes vſed to theſe purpoſes, by which …he eyes of men might bee fed, If they heard him ſpeak to ſignifie that he would hauehave ſuch or ſuch a thing done and ſawe the effect enſue accordingly, it was all the aduantage they had of vsus, that now liue, and eueryevery day may heare, and read the hiſtorie of theſe thinges recorded. If hee were then amongſt men in his perſon, hee is now amongſt them in his word. I wil ſay nothing of the difference betwixt theſe two meanes of bringing men to beleefe. Let the euent ſpeake. It is manifeſt by the hiſtorie of the acts, that more were conuerted to the faith, in one yeare, after our Sauiours death, by the miniſtery of the word, in the mouthes of the Apoſtles; then in all the three yeares, and vpwarde of his preaching, and working miracles. The vſe of this later was but to credit the perſons, that their doctrine might bee receiued. Wee profeſſe, that wee are reſolued of the trueth of all things deliuered in the Scriptures. Then certainely our Lord is amongſt vsus in theſe dayes, though not in the ſame māner, yet in as great meaſure for means of knowledge, and beleeuing.

What intertainement had hee then by them; hath he now by vsus? The former wee muſt learne of the Euangeliſt, of the later wee ſhall heare more anone. Concercerning the people, that liued in our Sauiour Chriſts time and heard, and ſawe, what he ſpake, and did; what p. 349would any reaſonable man looke for, but that they ſhould acknowledge him, and honour him, as the Meſſiah, by truſting in him? So they ſhould hauehave done. And did they ſo? Read the record. The world knewe him not. Is it poſſible there ſhould bee ſuch blindneſſe, where there was ſo good light? Could the light bee vnſeene, that ſhone ſo brightly? It is woorth the doing, to conſider this point a little better. And firſt, let vsus examine the wordes, what is meant by the world, what by not knowing. The world in the firſt part of this verſe, ſignifies the earth, the place, where men ordinarily liue, & abide; ſo that by Chriſts being in the world (as I ſayd) his conuerſing, and liuing vponupon the earth among men was noted. In the ſecond part, The worlde was made by him (that I may diſpatch this point at once) the worde is taken in the moſt generall ſenſe, for all thinges created; heauen, and earth, and whatſoeuer is contained in them. This laſt clauſe affordes vsus a third ſignification of the worde, more particularly then either of the other. The world knewe him not. It was not required, nor could bee lookt for, that the frame of the heauens, or the Globe of the earth, that the Sunne, Moone, or Starres, that the beaſts of the fielde, the foules of the ayre, or the fiſhes of the Sea ſhuld take knowledge of the Meſſiah. None, but ſuch creatures, as were indued with reaſon, could bee capable thereof. The Angells it concerned not: neither are they at any time called the world. It remaines then, that by the world men onelyonly are ſignified.

And of them it is ſayd, that They knew not Chriſt. In what reſpecft did they not knowe him. As hee is God Almightie, the Creator, and preſeruer of all things, he was generally acknowledged, through the world. For there neuer was any people ſo rude, or barbarous, but they had a perſwaſion, that there was a God, and that hee was to bee worſhipt. But herein, as the Apoſtle p. 350ſayth, They are without excuſe, becauſe knowing God, they Rom. 1. 21.Rom 1:21do not glorifie him, as God, neither are thankefull: yea (as it followeth afterwards) they turne the truth of God into Ver. 25.a lye, and worſhippe, and ſerue the creature, rather then the Creator. By which it is manifeſt, that the Euangeliſt doth not ſpeake heere, of our Lords being in the world, by his continuall prouidence, and gouernment, as I noted before. Neither may wee vnderſtand it of the Perſon, which by no light of nature, either bred in the ſoule, or receiued from the creatures, could poſſibly be deſcryed.

Therefore wee muſt needes interpret this knowledge, of acknowledging our Sauiour for the Meſſiah, and reſting vpō him, accordingly, for ſpiritual deliuerance frō ſinne, death, and damnation.

It is further to bee obſerued, in this part of the verſe, that the Euangeliſt chaungeth his ſpeech, and whereas before hee had ſpoken the light, to which, It ſhould aunſwere; now in ſteede of that, hee ſayth him: The worlde knewe him not. Whome did not the worlde knowe? In the next verſe before, hee mentioned the light; Therefore he ſhould now hauehave ſayde; The worlde knewe it not. The Greeke expreſſeth neither It nor him, in the two former clauſes; but becauſe in this laſt, the Euangeliſt expoundes himſelfe, ſaying him, and not it, therefore wee ſupply that worde, in both the other. As for the reaſon, why Saint Iohn vſeth the vſeth the worde him, wee muſt remember, that hee ſpeakes of the perſon of the Meſſiah, howſoeuer hee deſcribe him, by calling him the life, and the light. Now to the perſon, Hee, and Him agree verie fitly. In the Originall, The Word is of the ſame gender, that hee is of; yet might wee not ſo ſpeake of it in Engliſh, but that wee hauehave reſpect in our ſpeech, rather to the perſon, then to any titles, by which he is deſcribed to vsus.

p. 351Thus then wee are to conceiue the Euangeliſts meaning, that to amplifie the kindneſſe of our Sauiour, in offering ſaluation to the worlde, hee ſets foorth the great, and incredible vnkindeneſſe of men: who would not, or (at the leaſt) did not acknowledge him, that they might bee ſaued. But you will ſay, This complaint is too generall againſt the world; ſeeing it is well knowne, euen by record in the Goſpell it ſelf, that, from time to time, many beleeued in him. This, ſome men diſcerning, reſtraine the worlde to the wicked of the Chryſoſt. hom. 7. in Ioan.world, who refuſed to beleeue.

But the accuſation in the Euangeliſt is all one, though wee ſo expound it. The worlde (ſayeth hee) knewe him not. And I thinke wee ſhall hardly finde the worlde, anye where in Scripture taken for the wicked, but where there is ſome oppoſition expreſt, or ſignified, betwixt them, and the godly. I pray not for the world, but for them that thou haſt giuen mee out of the world.Ioh, 17, 9,

Who ſees not, that in this ſentence, the world, or wicked are oppoſed to the godly, whome the Lord hath choſen out of the world? And yet euen in this, and the like examples, we may very well, by the world, vnderſtand men in generall. The worlde cannot hate Chap 7, 7.you, but mee it doth hate. What is that elſe, but as if our Lord ſhould hauehave ſayde, men cannot hate you, but they hate me? It is true indeede, that the reaſon of this hatred is the wickedneſſe of men; but this wickedneſſe is ſo generall, that it may truly be affirmed of the world, in ſuch generall tearmes. The fore although ſome few, whoſe hearts it pleaſed God extraordinarily to inlighten, and incline, did confeſſe him to bee the Meſſiah: yet generally, the world did not know him, as Saint Iohn, not without cauſe, complaynes.

For to whome may it not worthily ſeeme ſtrange; that a perſonage of ſuch worth, & excellency, ſhould make p. 352himſelfe knowne to men, in ſuch a wonderfull ſort, and yet not bee acknowledged to bee ſuch an one, as apparantly he was? The fame of his doctrine ſpred it ſelfe abroade in all places; in ſo much, that it was knowne in Rome. The light of his glorious miracles, ſhone farre and neere to all the Countries, that bordered vponupon Iewrie, or had any ordinarie traffick with the Iewes in thoſe parts. Paul, and Barnabas, hauing wrought a miracle vponupon a poore Cripple at Liſtra, the people lifted vp their voyces, ſaying in the Lycaonian tongue, Gods are Act. 14. 11.Acts 14:11come downe to vsus, in the likeneſſe of men. Yea this opinion reſted not among the common ſort, but ſtretched to the wiſe, and learned; in ſo much, that Iupiters Prieſt, Ver. 13.brought Bulles with Garlands, and would hauehave ſacrificed with the people. Behold I pray you, what effect one miracle was able to worke in the hearts of ſo great a multitude. The workers of it were taken for Gods; and thoſe none of the meaneſt; They called Barnabas, Iupiter: Ver. 12.and Paul, Mercurie. Iupiter was the chiefe of the Heathen Gods, and Mercurie his ſonne, of eſpeciall imployment, in all matters of importance. Neither ſtayed they here, but prepared their ſacrifices in the beſt manner; Bulles with Garlands, and brought them to bee offered vp. Compare our Lords manie and admirable miracles, with this one worke of the Apoſtles; ſuppoſing it had beene done by their owne power, and vertue. Looke not that I ſhould ſtand to reckon vppe the particulars; take a viewe of them in groſſe, as they are reheaiſed to Iohns Diſciples: The blind receiued ſight, the halt were made able to goe, the lepers Mat. 11 5.Matt 11:5were cleanſed, the deafe had their hearing, the dead were rayſed vp. Neither were theſe things done once onelyonly, but often, and ordinarily. Some, that were borne blinde, had eyes, and ſight giuen them, when Ioh 9 1.John 9:1they were growen to mans eſtate. Some, that had Chap. 11. 39. 44lyen in the graue, till they were thought to bee putrified, p. 353were quickned by his voyce, and made to liue againe vponupon the earth, to the amazement of al that knew them.

I appeale now to the iudgement of all indifferent men. What could the world imagine, in this caſe? To deme, that ſuch miracles were wrought, it was abſurd, and ſenſeleſſe. Their owne eyes refuted them. Should they hauehave excepted againſt the trueth of that, which ſeemed to bee done? Triall by ſenſe would hauehave conuinced them. Perhappes, they might aſcribe them to naturall cauſes. All reaſon, Phyſicke, and Phyloſophy diſclayme that power. Muſt wee not of neceſſitie confeſſe (vnleſſe we will bee altogether ſhameleſſe) that none but God, was able to doe ſuch wonders? was it poſſible then, hee ſhould not bee knowne? I ſee, wee are all readie to inueigh againſt their blindneſſe, if they could not; their peruerſneſſe, if they would not knowe him. And I confeſſe, they deſerue to bee infamous for it, to all poſteritie. But it is more honour to reſcue a friende, then to kill an enemie: More wiſedome to looke, that there bee nothing in our ſelues worthy or ſuch iuſt blame, then to reprooue the faults of othe… men.

It was the ſinne and ſhame of thoſe times, that the Meſſiah, liuing in that ſort amongſt men, was acknowledged, by fewe or none of them. Are men in theſe dayes excuſable? you will ſay I. They are perſwaded, that Ieſus is indeede the Sauiour of the world. Whence aryſeth this perſwaſion? It is rather ſuckt in with our nurſes milke, then receiued by the inſtruction of our teachers. Wee hould it, becauſe it is commonly beleeued, not becauſe it is certainely true. Wee heare not of any other meanes; and therefore wee are content to accept of theſe. They are not choſen by vsus, vppon our owne iudgement, but taken p. 354vponupon common credite. We follow the tyde, and ſtreame of the flood, being readie to turne with the water, whenſoeuer it ſhall ebbe. I would to God olde experience, did not cauſe new doubt. It is an imputation that lyes vponupon our Nation generally, as the writers of hiſtories record, that we cōquer eaſily, and looſe as eaſily; wee get many Townes, and Forts, yea ſometimes Kingdomes, but wee hold them not long. God forbid it ſhould bee ſo in religion. Our acknowledging of the truth is not ſo commendable, or bleſſed, as our deniall would bee ſhamefull, and curſed. But I muſt remember not ſo much to what purpoſe I ſpeake, as what our Euangeliſt directes mee to ſpeake: yet I could not but touch here by the way, though I bee bound for another place. Let it bee my fault, ſo it bee your benefitte.

I come now to the amplification of the worlds vnkindneſſe, and ignorance, that it was made by our Lord and yet would not know him. Wherein (ere we meddle with the matter, that is principally intended) wee muſt cleere this doubt, for the better vnderſtanding of …he text, How the creation of the world can bee applied to argue the ſinne of men, in not acknowledging Ieus Chriſt for the Meſſiah. This ſcruple hath made diuers writers expound this whole verſe, of the naturall knowledge, which is to bee had, by the conſideration of the Creatures. But there is no reaſon, to leaue …o many good proofes, as drawe vsus the other way, to follow this one likelyhood, in ſo vncertaine a path; I might ſay, ſo ſtraying from the truth, which is here propounded to all men. For out of queſtion (as it hath beene ſhewed) the world cannot iuſtly bee condemned, for not knowing GOD (becauſe indeede they did knowe him in the creatures) or for ignoraunce of the Meſſiah by thoſe meanes, which were neuer able, nor intended to giuegive knowledge of him. Therefore it p. 355is agreeable to reaſon, and diuinitie, rather to ſeeke, how wee may aunſwere this doubt; then, becauſe of it, to forſake a manifeſt truth in expoſition. Firſt them, wee ſay, Saint Iohn condemnes the world of ignorance, and vnkindneſſe, that they acknowledged not our Sauiour liuing amongſt them, & conuerſing with them, though hee were indeede the verie maker of them, and author of their being. But you will aske me how they ſhould diſcerne any ſuch matter, by his carriage, and behauiour in the world. Therefore I aunſwere ſecondly to that point, wherein the whole cauſe of doubting lyes; that the miracles, which our Sauiour wrought, from time to time, in the ſight of all the world, were euident proofes, that hee could bee no other, but the great Commaunder of heauen and earth. Did hee not ouer rule the courſe of nature? Did hee not giuegive ſight, hearing, health, and life, by his bare worde? Damſell, I ſay vntounto thee ariſe; and ſtraight way the Mat. 9. 41.Matt 9:41mayden, that was dead, aroſe, and walked; Hee cried with a loud voyce to Lazarus, Come forth. Not as if hee could Ioh. 11. 43.John 11:43make him, that had lyen foure dayes in the graue, heare without life; but that all men preſent might knowe, that hee vſed no other meanes, to put life into him, but his commandement onelyonly. Who could worke ſuch wonders, but hee that had power, aboue, and againſt the courſe of nature? How could he by any meanes better aſſure them, that it was he, that made the world, then by taking the ſame courſe in changing nature, that hee had followed before in creating nature? God ſayd, let Gen. 1. 3.Gen 1:3there be light, and there was light. Young man (ſayeth Chriſt) I ſay vntounto thee ariſe, and hee that was dead ſate vp, Luk. 7. 14. 15.Luke 7:14Luke 7:15and began to ſpeake. Might not theſe courſes hauehave taught, and aſſured the world, that hee, whom they ſawe, and heard commanding death it ſelf, and doing whatſoeuer it pleaſed him by his word, was the ſame, by whome all things were created?

p. 356Conſider then the ſlouthfull careleſneſſe, or the wonderfull blindneſſe of the worlde, that knewe not him that had made them. Why ſhould they be ſo carried away with the vaine pleaſures, or toyleſome buſineſſe of this life, as not to beſtowe ſome little time, in the conſideration of ſo ſtraunge, and admirable a perſonage? Say, they might bee this day, extraordinarily imployed in their worldly affayres, that they could not hauehave a minutes leaſure, to bethinke themſelues of the wonders wrought by him: They ſawe the like againe next day, day after day, for the ſpace of three yeares together, and vpwardes. It was hard, if in ſo long a time, they could not ſteale one hower or two to aduiſe with themſelues, and their friendes, of ſo extraordinarie a matter. Well, let vsus yeeld ſo much to their manifolde occaſions, in their ordinary imployments. What will they aunſwere for themſelues, cōcerning thoſe miracles, which our Sauiour wrought, vponupon their Sabbaths? Will they ſaye, they had no leaſure from their buſineſſe, on thoſe dayes? For very ſhame, they dare not. Were they not priuie to …hem? They were done in their open Synagogues oftentimes. But I knowe not how I am ſlipt, ere I was aware, into that, which particularly concernes the Iewes, with whom I muſt deale in the next verſe; to which I now come.

Hee came to his owne; and his owne receiued him not. Kindneſſe offered, requited with vnkindneſſe. Both ſo great, that the holy Ghoſt, hauing ſpoken of them in generall, in the very laſt verſe, repeates them heere in particular, and that with ſpeciall amplification. Hee had ſayde before, Hee was in the world. Therefore hee might hauehave beene knowne of men. He addes now; Hee came to his owne. Therefore hee ſhould hauehave beene intertained. But the world knewe him not. He was a ſtraunger to them, who lookt not for any ſuch gueſt. p. 357His owne could not plead ſuch ignorance. They had heard of him, they longed for him. For all this, They receiued him not. Is it credible? Is it poſſible? It is too true. Hee had very meane, or rather very bad intertainement at their hands. Wee may not paſſe ouer the matter ſo ſleightly.

Let vsus ſee the particulars: Firſt, his comming to his owne; then his reiecting by his owne. For the cleerer interpretation of the text, wee muſt examine what is meant by His owne; becauſe the vnderſtanding of that concernes both partes of the verſe. That being knowne, in the former parte, wee muſt conſider his comming; in the later, his reiecting.

Hee came to his owne. Our Rhemiſts, who account foreigntheir differing from vsus, a high poynt of their popiſh obedience, would not tranſlate as wee doe, To his owne, but muſt needes hauehave a farther tricke, Into his owne. By which tranſlation, firſt, they muſt, of neceſſitie, vnderſtand the place, to which he came, or elſe they ſpeake but ill fauoured Engliſh. For no man, that knowes what belonges to our Language, will ſay Into, if hee ſpake of perſons, but to them; vnleſſe hee meane to ſignifie ſuch a comming, as is ſpirituall, into the hearts of men, or into the midſt of a multitude; neither of which, in this place canne bee intended by the Euangeliſt. Secondly, though the place bee ſignified; yet may our tranſlation very well bee allowed. I appeale in this caſe as to all men, that canne ſpeake Engliſh; ſo to theſe Rhemiſts, who tranſlate ſo in other places. From that hower (ſay they) the Diſciple tooke her to his owne. Ioh. 19. 27.John 19:27Heere is the ſame word for into; and more reaſon, becauſe the ſpeech is of Saint Iohns receiuing the Virgin Marie into his houſe: yet they tranſlate, as we do here, to his owne.

p. 358The like example wee hauehave elſe where They returned vntounto their owne. The Diſciples at Tyre, hauing … …1. 6.brought Paul, and his company to the Sea ſide, and ſeene them ſhipt, returned to their owne houſes. To, or vntounto, which are all one, but not into: Therefore there was (in their iudgement) no neceſſitie of reiecting our Tranſlation in this text, and forging a new.

But let the Tranſlation paſſe: the ſenſe of the wordes is more worth our labour. The Originall Greeke, and the vulgar Latine make difference betwixt the wordes, His owne, in the former, and the ſame in the later part of the verſe. The Greeke keepes the ſame word in both, but alters the gender. The …Latine chaungeth the word too, aſwell as the gender: Both the one, and the other direct vsus to expound the firſt, of the place; and the laſt, of the perſons. Neither our tranſlation nor the Rhemiſts expreſſe this difference.

If they had added to their, into his owne, Countrey, or place, or ſome ſuch worde to make the Euangeliſts meaning more plaine, I would hauehave thought, they had rather indeauoured to bee vnderſtood, then ſtriuen to diſſent. Well, let vsus then by his owne in the former clauſe, conceiue, that Saint Iohn notes the place, whither our Sauiour came. Thus remaines a great doubt, whether this place, bee the worlde in generall, or the Land of Iudea in particular. Not to trouble you with any long diſcourſe of this point, it ſeemes moſt likely to mee (with reuerence of other mens iudgement) that the holy Ghoſt in this verſe ſpeakes particularly of the Iewes. Of the worlds ignorance, and careleſneſſe in not taking knowledge of ſo rare, and extraordinarie a perſonage, hee had ſpoken in the former verſe: and amplyfied their ſin, by nothing, that he, whom they did not know, was their Creator; as the miracles, he wrought p. 359in their ſight, manifeſtly teſtified. If this were a fault in the world (as it was a moſt greeuous fault) what was it for the Iewes to refuſe him? Should that bee obſerued by our Euangeliſt, and this paſt ouer without nothing? eſpecially ſince his whole ſtory ſhewes, that our Lordes Chryſo. hom. 7. in loa Cypr…n. ad Qu…rin. lib. 1. cap. Cyril in loa. …b. 1. ca. 11.life, and miracles, were as it were ſhutte vp within the Land of Iurie? Beſides the worde in this later verſe leades vsus to the Iewes. Hee came to his owne: Comming to them argues more, then Being in the worlde. Ignorance was iuſtly imputed to the world. Not receiuing, is a ſinne more fittely to bee charged vponupon the Iewes.

If wee conſider the wordes vſed by our Euangeliſt, I thinke wee ſhall finde ſmall reaſon, to call the worlde Chriſts owne. For although it bee true, that the earth is … 24 1.the Lords, &c. and that our Sauiour was the maker of it, and the whole worlde; yet who euer obſerued that the world was ſo appropriated to GOD, or to the ſecond perſon in Trinitie? The poſſeſsion, that God promiſed to giuegive him, is not in regard of Creation; but … …. 8. … …unc locum.of Mediation; whereas they, that expound this place, of all the world, make Chriſts right thereunto conſiſt in the title hee hath to it, as the authour of it. Now that is ordinarily ſayde to bee a mans owne, which is proper to him, after ſome ſpeciall manner, otherwiſe, then other thinges are. But what canne wee imagine, to which our Sauiour hath not as good clayme by his intereſt of Creation, as to the worlde? How then ſhould this bee tearmed His owne? and as ſome ſren. lib. cap. 11auncient writers hauehave expreſt the word His owne proper? But if wee apply it to the Iewes, eueryevery man knowes, that, whereas all the worlde was GODS Auguſt. in Ioa. tract. 2. Iu…ſua propra.hee tooke the Land of Iewry into his eſpecial protection. And howſoeuer all nations were his, by creation; yet hee choſe the Children of Iſraell to bee his peculiar people: ſo that they, and their Country were his owne p. 360not by nature, but by grace indeede; yet in ſuch ſort that hee made his aboade viſibly amongſt them, a… hee did not in any part of the world beſide. The examples I alledged before, wherein theſe wordes were vſed by the holy Ghoſt, ſhew plainely, that by His owne, his particular place of habitation and his Rendez-vous, as it were, is ſignified. This the Lord had in Iudea; and therefore I may ſafely conclude, that this verſe is particularly to bee interpreted of the Iewes. But the time is paſt: that which remaines, the next time of this exerciſe, if it pleaſe God. To whom, &c.