A Paraphrase on the New Testament, John · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
IN the beginning was the WORD and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God.
2. The ſame was in the beginning with God.
1, 2. The WORD (which hath been ſince incarnate) was in the Beginning before the world was made; And this WORD was with God, yea the WORD was God, Thus this ſame WORD was in the Beginning of Time, and cauſality with God, being God.
3 All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
3. He was a cauſal beginning to the whole Creation; for all things were made by him: nothing was made without him by the Father, in creating or forming the World.
4 In him was LIFE and the LIFE was the LIGHT of men.
4. Being GOD and one with the Father, he was eſpecially LIFE, even in and with the Father, the Infinite, Eternal, ſelf-living God; and ſo he was Radically and Communicatively LIFE to the World; even Intellectual Life, by which he is the LIGHT of man, as Intellectual, and as Taught by Revelation; Note, It is uſual with the Scripture and School Divines to aſcribe by ſome eminency of attribution, LIFE and POWER to the FATHER, LIGHT and WISDOME to the Son, and LOVE, JOY and PERFECTIONS to the Holy Ghoſt: yet ſo that the ſame alſo are attributed to each perſon in Common: And ſo the WORD is ſaid here to have LIFE as one with the Father, and yet eminently to be this LIFE by the way of Intellective LIGHT and Illumination.
5 And the LIGHT ſhineth in darkneſs, and the darkneſs comprehended it not.
5 And this LIGHT ſhineth communicatively unto this darkned World; which receiving it but according to the mode and diſpoſition of the receivers, through their wilfull reſiſtance, receiveth the Illumination and Teaching ſo defectively, as that moſt (in Judea and elſewhere) remain in darkneſs ſtill.
6, 7, 8. There was a man ſent from God, whoſe name was John: The ſame came for a witneſs to bear witneſs of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was ſent to bear witneſs of that Light.
6, 7, 8. God ſent John Baptiſt before us, as Elias, to Preach Repentance and Faith in the Meſſiah as ready to appear, and as a witneſs from God to prepare and call the Jews to receive him that was the true LIGHT of the World (which himſelf was not.)
9 That was the true LIGHT which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
9. He is the true LIGHT who giveth all the world that Light which they do enjoy: As the Lord and Spring of Nature, he giveth all men their Intellectual Natural Light, And as the Repriever and Reſtorer of blinded Intellects, he giveth all men that meaſure of moral and reſtored Light and Revelation which they have.
10 He was in the World, and the World was made by him, and the world knew him not.
10. He was in the World (in a more excellent manner than the Soul is in the Body, for) the world was made by him, and therefore maintained by him and he at laſt appear'd to the world incarnate: and yet the world knew him not in either of his apparances.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
11. He came in fleſh to his people the Jews, and they not believing him received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power, to become the ſons of God, even to them that believe on his Name:
12. But to as many as took him by unfeighed Conſent for their Lord and Saviour, even to them that believing him to be the Son of God, and true Meſſiah, did place all their truſt in him for reconciliation with God and for Salvation, to all theſe he gave Right to the State and dignity of Adoption which he purchaſed, even to be the Sons of God as united to him, and Heirs of the heavenly Glory.
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
13. Who (as Children have a like nature communicated from the Parents, ſo) have a nature Holy and Divine, by ſpiritual Life, Light, and Love inclined to do the will of God, and to deſire things Holy and Heavenly, which nature is not produc't of meer natural generation, nor of fleſhly appetite and ſenſes, nor of any meer humane Documents or Laws, but is the effect of Gods Grace by his ſanctifying Spirit.
14 And the WORD was made fleſh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.
14. And the word that made the World aſſumed humane nature in which he dwelt as a better Tabernacle than that of ſhadows; and we ſaw his Glory appearing in this Tabernacle in his Heavenly doctrine, Life, M…acles and Transfigurations, which ſhewed him to be the only begotten of the Father, Glorious in the fulneſs of Grace and Truth, which the ſhaddowy Tabernacle and Ceremonies did but prefigure.
15 John bare witneſs of him, and cried, ſaying, This is he of whom I ſpake, He that cometh after me, is preferred before me, for he was before me.
15. John pointed to him ſaying, This is he: even the King of Iſrael: Though I am before him in time in my Miniſtry, he is before me in Dignity, and was before me in time alſo.
16 And of his fullneſs have all we received, and grace for grace.
16. And as he is full of Wiſdom and love, of grace and ſpiritual life, he as our Head communicateth ſo much as is meet for us, and we receive greater meaſ…e, than were given under the Law; even meaſures anſwerable to his new appearance and Covenant.
17 For the Law was given by Moſes, but grace and truth came by Jeſus Chriſt.
17. For though Moſes delivered legal Precepts. Types and Ceremonies, it is by Jeſus Chriſt that we have G…ace both for holineſs and pardon▪ and by him are the Real ſ…bſtances which thoſe ſhado…s typified. The meaſ…e of Grace that the …aithful had under the Law was through him, the promiſed Meſſiah and the fuller meaſure under the Goſpel, is by his fuller acceſs and communication to us as the Image on the Wax anſwereth that on the S…gnet.
18 No man hath ſeen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the boſom of the Father, he hath declared him.
18. How little ſhould we have known of God whom no man ever ſaw, if his Son that is in the boſom of the Father had not declared him and his will to man.
Note, I know not whether theſe words were the words of John the Baptiſt or the Apoſtles
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews ſent Prieſts and Levites from Jeruſalem, to ask him, Who art thou? 20 And he confeſſed and denied not: but confeſſed, I am not the Chriſt. 21 And they aſked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he ſaith, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he anſwered, No.
19. John conſtantly affirmed that he was not Chriſt nor Elias perſonally, nor the Prophet mentioned Deut. 18.15. Qu. Doth not Chriſt ſay, that John was Elias. Anſ. Not the perſon of old Elias, but the perſon propheſted under that name.
22 Then ſaid they unto him, Who art thou that we may give an anſwer to them that ſent us? What ſayeſt thou of thy ſelf?
22. Tell us then what thou art, that we may give an account why thou undertakeſ… to Propheſie and Baptize.
23 He ſaid, I am the voyce of one crying in the wilderneſs; Make ſtraight the way of the Lord, as ſaid the Prophet Eſaias.
23. I am he that Iſaiah propheſied of in theſe words, Iſaiah 40.3.
24. And they which were ſent, were of the Phariſees. 25 And they asked him, and ſaid unto him, Why baptizeſt thou then, if thou be not that Chriſt, nor Elias, neither that Proph…t 26 John anſwered them, ſaying, I baptize you with water, but there ſtandeth one among you, whom ye know not, 27 He it is, who coming after me, is preferred before me, whoſe ſhooes latchet I am not worthy to unlooſe.
24, &c. The Phariſees profeſſed to reverence Prophets, and therefore were inquiſitive to know whether John was a Prophet or what he was, who preſumed to Baptize: But he told them, that it was his Office by baptizing with Water to prepare them to receive him that already was among them unknown, who will Baptize with the Holy Ghoſt, to whom he was unworthy to do the office of the loweſt Servant.
28 Theſe things were done in Berhabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John ſeeth Jeſus coming unto, him, and ſaith, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the ſin of the world.
28, 29. The next day after the Phariſees queſtions, John ſeeing Chriſt gave him perſonally this teſtimony: Behold this man is appointed to be Sacrificed to God as the Lambs were under the Law to make expiation for the ſins of the world, that all that believe on him may be pardoned.
30 This is he of whom I ſaid, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he ſhould be made manifeſt to Iſrael, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
30, 31. I knew that the Meſſiah was come, but I knew not that this was he, till God made it known to me, and I ſaw the Holy Ghoſt come on him afterward; But becauſe he is come, I baptize men to prepare them to receive him.
32 And John bare record, ſaying, I ſaw the Spirit deſcending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he that ſent me to baptize with water the ſame ſaid unto me, upon whom thou ſhalt ſee the Spirit deſcending, and remaining upon him, the ſame is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghoſt. 34 and I ſaw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
32. N. Johns teſtimony was both by Revelation and Viſion of the deſcent of the Spirit in ſome viſible appearance. And whether John only heard the voice from Heaven mentioned Mat. 3.17. … uncertain.
35 Again the next day after, John ſtood, and two of his Diſciples. 36 And looking on Jeſus as he walked, he ſaith, Behold the Lamb of God. 37 And the two Diſciples heard him ſpeak, and they followed Jeſus.
37. Not followed him yet as his Diſciples, but as enquirers after him, in order to a cloſer following him.
38 Then Jeſus turned and ſaw them following, and ſaith unto them, What ſeek ye? They ſaid unto him, Rabbi, (which is to ſay, being interpreted, Maſter) where dwelleſt thou? 39 He ſaith unto them, come and ſee. They came and ſaw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two which heard John ſpeak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peters brother. 41 He firſt findeth his own brother Simon, and ſaith unto him, We have found the Meſſias, which is being interpreted, the Chriſt. 42 And he brought him to Jeſus. And when Jeſus beheld him, he ſaid, Thou art Simon the ſon of Jona, thou ſhalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a ſtone.
38. Note, By all this it appeareth that when Peter and Andrew were after called, and ſuddenly left all and followed Chriſt, it was not without ſome previous notice of him and preparation thereto.
43 The day following, Jeſus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and ſaith unto him, Follow me. 44. Now Phi…ip was of Bethſaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathaneel, and ſaith unto him, We have found him of whom Moſes in the Law and the Prophets did write, Jeſus of Nazareth, the ſon of Joſeph.
43. The long expected Meſſias is now come and, we have found him, he is Jeſus of Nazareth, &c.
46 And Nathaneel ſaid unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip ſaith unto him, Come and ſee.
46. Do the Prophets tell us that the Meſſiah ſhall come out of Nazereth: Galilee produceth not Prophets. Philip ſaith, come and ſee him, and then judge.
47. Jeſus ſaw Nathaneel coming, to him, and ſaith of him, Behold an Iſraelite indeed, in whom is no guile.
47. A ſincere true hearted man. Qu. Were any unbelievers ſuch? Anſw. He was not an unbeliever though yet he knew not Chriſt: For he had that Belief which men were ſaved by before Chriſts coming.
48. Nathaneel ſaith unto him, Whence knoweſt thou me? Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou waſt under the fig-tree, I ſaw thee. 49 Nathaneel anſwered, and ſaith unto him Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Iſrael.
48. Note, He judged that none but God, or by God, could know what men ſaid and did at ſuch a diſtance. 2. It was well for Nathaneel that he came to ſee Chriſt experience convinced him: And yet no doubt but Gods ſpecial Grace did it: For the Phariſees ſaw more, and yet believed not.
50 Jeſus anſwered, and ſaid unto him, Becauſe I ſaid unto thee I ſaw thee under the fig-tree, beleiveſt thou? thou ſhalt ſee greater things then theſe.
50. Doth this much convince thee? I will do greater things then this to convince the world.
51 And he ſaith unto him, Verily, verily I ſay unto you, hereafter ye ſhall ſee heaven open, and the Angels of God aſcending, and deſcending upon the Son of man.
51. You ſhall ſee Heaven open, and the Angels owning me and miniſtring unto me, epecially at my Aſcenſion.