Exposition of John, Chapter 1 · Verse 8
Ver. 10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
The manifeſtations and ſhining of this true light, are here ſpoken of to aggravate the ſin of the world and viſible Church, giving him ill entertainment, as a clearer Commentary of what was ſaid, v. 5. As for the world, albeit Chriſt had made the world, and was ſtill preſent in it by his power and providence, yet the men of the world did not know him, nor take him up: As for the viſible Church of Iſrael, albeit, beſide his common manifeſtations in the world, he came yet nearer to them; yet the body of them did not receive nor embrace him. This challenge holds true of the world and of the viſible Church in all ages, to whom he draweth neer by his Word and Ordinances, though here it be ſpoken eſpecially with relation to the time before his incarnation, if not alſo to his coming in perſon to the Church of Iſrael, Luke 20.13, 14, 15. Doct. 1. Chriſt from the creation to his incarnation, was ever in the world as God, (as he alſo ſtill is) in his eſſence filling heaven and earth and in his providence preſerving and upholding all things, and manifeſting himſelf in variety of diſpenſations; ſo univerſal i… the providence of the beleevers head; for, he was in the world. 2. As Chriſts creating of the world is a manifeſtation of his glory to be ſeriouſly ſtudied, (and therefore is here again repeated) ſo his creating of it is ſufficient to prove his conſtant preſence in it; it being impoſſible for the creatures made by him to ſubſiſt without him; Therefore it is ſubjoyned to the former, he was in the world, and the world was made by him, as a proof that he behooved to be in it, becauſe he made it. 3. It is the ſin of the world, not to know or take notice of Chriſt in his manifeſtations; And particularly it is the ſin of men without the Church, that they do not acknowledge nor glorifie God, when he manifeſts his glory to them in the works of creation and providence; for, the world knew him not. 4. God may juſtly make uſe of very common favours and means, as ſufficient to aggravate the ſinne of ſuch as do not acknowledge him; for ſaith he, he was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not, which imports that his making of the world, and his preſence in it, was ſuch a manifeſtation, as might have led them to know, acknowledge, and glorifie him as God, and that they were without excuſe, who having theſe means, did it not, Rom. 1.20. And that the common favour of mens being, and Gods providence about them, doth heighten their ſin who do not acknowledge their Maker, Iſa 1 3. 5. Beſides Chriſts common intereſt in all mankind as their Creator, and his ſpecial intereſt in his own elect and converted people; he hath alſo an intereſt in a viſible Church, and they in him, which no other people have, and that by vertue of a viſible Covenant, and election to the external priviledges of the Church; for in this reſpect the body of Iſrael are his own, or his peculiar people. This intereſt may give ſelf-condemned ſinners a liberty to go to him, as born in his own houſe, when other priviledges are obſcured from them. 6. Chriſt even before his incarnation, was preſent in the Church of Iſrael, and beſide his common and general preſence, he drew neerer unto them, in his Word and Ordinances, and types pointing him out as Mediator, till at laſt he came to them in Perſon; for, even then, he came to his own. See Acts 7.38. 1 Cor. 10.9 7. All the favour and kindneſſe that is betwixt Chriſt and his people, begins at him, and he is at the pains to ſeek and come to them firſt, though he ſtand in no need of them; for, he came to his own. 8. Common relations betwixt Chriſt and a viſible Church are ſo farre from proving a peoples good condition, as to the particular ſtate of their ſoul, that ſuch may, and oftentimes do refuſe to make Chriſt and his offer welcome; for, his own received him not 9. The neerer the relation be betwixt Chriſt and his people, and the greater his offer be, the ſin of not making uſe of it is the greater in it ſelf, and he will take the refuſall the worſe at their hand, as being a deſpiſing of his love; for, whereas the world knew him not, v. 10. their ſin was greater, that they received him not, when they knew him, and ſo ſinned of contempt: And Chriſt takes this i…l, and accounts it a great aggravation of this ſin, that they did it, who were his own, and they to whom he came. 10. As the great ſin without the Church is ignorance, and not acknowledging, and glorifying of God; ſo the great ſin within the Church, is contempt of Chriſt, and not embracing of him, nor his offer; for, the world knew him not, but, his own received him not.