God-Man, Exposition · Verse 10
Verſ. 10. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Let me give you firſt the Connection of theſe words, and then the Explication of them, and ſo come to ſome Obſervations.
Look back a little into the fourth and fifth Verſes, there ye ſhall find theſe three Aſſertions laid down by the Evangeliſt.
Firſt, That Light commeth from Chriſt, Light was the life of men.
Secondly, That this Light from Chriſt ſhineth in darkneſſe.
Thirdly, That the darkneſſe comprehendeth it not.
Now the Verſe that followeth, ſerveth to make good all theſe three Aſſertions.
Firſt, That light commeth from Chriſt. That is proved two waies.
Firſt, By the teſtimony of John the Baptiſt, who was a man ſent from God, to bear witneſſe of this light.
Secondly, By the effects of generall Illumination, That was the true light, which lighteth every man that commeth into the world.
Our Evangeliſt goeth on to prove the two other Aſſertions, namely theſe, Light ſhineth in darkreſſe, and it comprehended it not.
Firſt, in reference to the Gentiles.
Secondly, in reference to the Jewes.
In reference to the Gentiles, in this tenth verſe. He was in the World, and the World was made by Him; There is the light ſhining in the World. And the world knew Him not. There is the light, not comprehended of darkneſſe.
In reference to the Jewes. Light ſhined there in darkneſſe, but the darkneſſe comprehended it not, for his owne received him not.
For the meaning of the words, let us take them as they lye.
He was in the World, He was preſent in the World.
There is a threefold preſence of Chriſt.
1. A generall preſence
of Chriſt.
2. A ſpeciall preſence
3. And a ſingular preſence
Firſt, a generall preſence of Chriſt, by which he is with 1. A generall preſence of Chriſt in the world.all the Creatures, preſerving them, and upholding them; according to what is ſaid, Hebr. 1. 3. Who being the brightneſſe of his glory, and expreſſe Image of his perſon, hath upheld all things by the word of his power. Which is likewiſe ſpoken to, Col. 1. 17. He was before all things, and by Him all things conſiſt. He was in the World, which He himſelf made, as a Carpenter is in a houſe, which he himſelf hath built. A Carpenter buildeth an houſe to dwell in, and then keepeth it in repaire. Chriſt ſo made the World, not as to leave it, but ſo as to keep in it, and preſerve it, as well as to make it. As ſuppoſe a man, that were both a Ship-wright, and a Ship-maſter: He firſt maketh the ſhip, then goeth to Sea in it himſelfe. Chriſt hath ſo made the World, as to preſerve the World, which he made; as to look after it, and every thing in it. He was in the World, and the World was made by Him. Theſe words are added, to ſhew that he was not in the World, as part of the World, but as the Maker of it. He was not in the World, as a Creature, but as the Creator of all things. According to what the Evangeliſt hath taught us before, By Him were all things made, and without Him was nothing made, that was made. He was in the World, and the World was made by Him; and the World knew him not. Ye have here the World in another ſenſe. The world in the beginning of the verſe, is taken for the whole Fabrick of Heaven, and Earth, as Ariſtotle ſaith, The World is a Maſſe, made up of Heaven, and Earth. In this ſenſe it is ſaid, He was in the World, the World was made by Him. Now in the latter Clauſe of the verſe, The world knew Him not, The World there, is put for the Inhabitants of the earth, for the men of the World, Rom. 5. 12. The World, and Men, are all one. By one man's diſobedience, ſin entred into the World, and death by ſin, and ſo death paſſed over all-Men. Here is the World, and all men. The world was made by Him, and the world, that is, the men of the world, knew him not. It is a Rule in Divinity, Verba Cognitionis, affectiones important, &c. Words of knowledge, import affections, and operate ſuitably. So, to know, carrieth more then meer ſpeculation. When Chriſt is ſaid to know us; The Holy Ghoſt telleth us, It is more then barely to take notice of us: It is to take care for us, Joh. 10. 14. Chriſt knoweth his ſheep, that is, he taketh care of his Elect. And he is known of his, that is, He is ſerved, and obeyed, and worſhipped, and believed on by them. So the world knew him not, that is, the World worſhipped him not, as God; The world did not owne Him, and ſerve Him, as became their Creator. So as now, the words thus opened, The obſervation lieth clear before us, namely. That, notwithſtanding Chriſt's Obſerv. being in the world, and the world being made by Him, the men of the world knew him not. Take a place, or two, to clear up this, eſpecially in reference to the Gentiles, for to them properly it belongeth. I ſhould have told you, that the word, World, is ſometimes confined to them. If the fall of them be the diminiſhing of the world, and the fall of them the riches of the Gentiles. He came to his owne, and his owne received him not. That is, did not know him, 1 Joh. 2. 1. Therefore the world knoweth us not, becauſe it knew not him. There is yet a clearer place, 1 Cor. 1. 21. After that, in the wiſdome of God, the world by wiſdome knew not God. All the wiſdome the Heathens had, could not raiſe them to a due knowledge of God; The world by wiſdome knew not God. Chriſt was in the world, but the world knew him not. A threefold ignorance of Chriſt was found in all the Gentiles.
Firſt, They knew him not, as the ſecond perſon in the Trinity.
Secondly, They knew him not, as Mediator.
Thirdly, They knew him not, as Creator, which is properly here ſpoken to. He made the world, and the world knew him not.
Let me run over theſe briefly: firſt, They knew him not 1. The Gentiles knew not Chtiſt as the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity.as the ſecond perſon in the Trinity; ſo they are ſaid to have been without Chriſt, and without God in the world, Epheſ. 2. 12. ſpeaking there of the Gentiles, ſaith he; At that time ye were without Chriſt, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the Covenants of promiſe, having no hope, and without God in the World. They had the great book of the Creatures to read, but that did ſhew them nothing of Chriſt, as the ſecond perſon in the Trinity. Naturall reaſon could never find out that Myſtery in it ſelfe. Therefore men, when they go to find out this great myſtery of the Trinity, they are at their wit's end; They might find out a God, and that he was Good, and Great, and that he was One: but to find out a Trinity of Perſons, a Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, This they could not. Take a curious piece, a well drawn Picture, he that ſeeth it may be able to ſay, that he that drew it, was a skilfull, and exact Painter. But whether an Engliſh man, or a Spaniard, or a Dutch man, or an Italian, that he cannot tell by the Picture, why? becauſe he made this piece, as an Artiſt, but not as a German, or Engliſh man. Therefore he diſcovereth his Art by the piece, but not his Country. So God made the World, not as Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt. Three in one, and one in three; All the works towards the Creatures, works ad Extra, are common to all the perſons in the Trinity. God, as God, made the world. Therefore by the ſight of the world, men may be able to know, that it is a God that made it, and that this God is good, becauſe he made ſo many things uſeful in the world; & this God is wiſe, becauſe of the variety of the creatures; and this God is One, becauſe of the order of things: But to ſay, This God is Three in One, the Creation of the world doth not bear this. If the works be ad Intra, as Generation, theſe are the works of ſome one Perſon; but the works ad extra, they repreſent the Godhead, but not the Perſons.
Secondly, They did not know Chriſt as Mediator, therefore 2. They knew not Chriſt as Mediator.they raiſed up many Mediators: 1 Cor. 8. 5, 6. Though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, as there be gods many, and lords many: But to us, there is but one God; the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom are all things, and we by him. The Apoſtle doth here clearly allude to the cuſtom of the Heathens, who had two ſorts of gods, they had their dii Coeleſtes, their ſupream heavenly gods, which they worſhipt, as the Sun, Moon, and Stars: and then, beſides theſe, they had their dii Terreſtres, inferiour gods, gods on earth, who were men that lived upon the earth, which were afterwards canonized, and made gods. That is the true meaning of this, There be many that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth. So, there be gods many, and lords many; gods many, thoſe are their ſupream gods; lords many, thoſe are their inferiour gods, Baalim, as they called him, who was the firſt King of Babel, and the firſt that was made a god; and all thoſe kinds of gods therefore after him, were called Baalim; as Caeſar, being the firſt Emperour, all Emperours after him were called Caeſars. Now, ſaith the Apoſtle, To us is but one God, not many; but one Lord, not many; but one Mediator, Chriſt Jeſus.
Thirdly, They knew him not as Creator; therefore Paul, 3. They knew not Chriſt as Creator.when he came to Athens, found them ignorant of this. Greece was the Eye of the world, and Athens was the Eye of Greece; yet, even at Athens, Paul found an Altar, To an unknown God; and that ſame God was the God that made the world, God the Creator, Act. 17. 23, 24. ſaith Paul, For as I paſſed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an Altar, with this inſcription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD; Whom therefore ye ignorantly worſhip, him declare I unto you. God that made the world, and all things therein, ſeeing that he is Lord both of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with hands. No wonder if the Heathen did not know Chriſt as the Creator; for the Jews, after Chriſt was come in the fleſh, and began to put forth a creating power in their ſight, yet would not own him as Creator of the world. To make him ſee that was born blind, and to raiſe him that was dead, requireth no leſſe ſtrength, than the ſame power that made the world. This Chriſt putt forth to the Jews. Lazarus cometh out of the grave, even as the world came out of the Chaos at firſt, at the commandment of Chriſt. He then ſaid, Let there be light, and there was light; He now ſaith, Let there be life, and there is life: And Gen. 1. 3.yet he was not owned as the Creator. The world knew not him as the Second Perſon in the Trinity, neither as Mediator, nor as Creator.
I now proceed to the Application of this.
Firſt, By way of Admonition. It teacheth us all to take Vſe 1 heed of being ignorant of Chriſt. You ſee, it is laid to the To teach us to take heed of being ignorant of Chriſt.charge of the Gentiles here, that they knew him not; and how much more heavy will the charge be againſt us, that enjoy other kind of means than the Gentiles had: They, indeed, had he works of Creation and Providence; We have them too, and a greater light than ſo: we have the Word to be a light to our feet, and a lamp to our paths.
They had the Oracles of the Sybbils, we have the Writings of Moſes and the Prophets, of the Evangeliſts and Apoſtles. Therefore, ſuch as refuſe to uſe the means of knowing Chriſt as a Saviour, they muſt certainly expect to know him as an Avenger: For, He will come ere long, ſaith the Apoſtle, with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, to render vengeance, to whom? to them that know not God, and obey not the Goſpell of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Theſſ. 1. 8.
Indeed, God will not reckon with men for their Negative Ignorance, that is, for their bare not knowing, what they are not bound to know; but for their Privative knowledge, for not knowing what they ought to know, and what God giveth means to them to know; for that, he wil be ſure to reckon with them: And thoſe that continue wilfully ignorant in ſuch things, muſt be miſerable againſt their wills. Wherefore, to the end ye may all thirſt after the knowledge of Chriſt more and more, I ſhall propound to you two things.
The Excellency and
of this Knowledge.
The Neceſſity
Firſt, Conſider the Excellency of the knowledge of The Excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt.Chriſt, of which ye read, Phil. 3. 8. I eount all things but loſſe for the excellency of the knowledge of the Lord Jeſus, my Lord, for whom I have ſuffered the loſſe of all things, and account them dung, that I may win Chriſt. All is but droſs and dung to Paul, in compariſon of the knowledge of Chriſt. How is it, that amongſt us, men run after droſs and dung, and neglect the knowledge of Chriſt, as preferring that before him? For the excellency of the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt my Lord. Nothing in the world ſo excellent as knowledge, no knowledge ſo excellent as that of Chriſt. Other knowledge may, perhaps, make a man famous, this onelyonly can make him holy and happy; other knowledge can give him the eſteem of a learned man, this onelyonly can make him to be a Saint. Therefore an excellent knowledge.
Secondly, There is a neceſſity of this knowledge, whether The Neceſſity of the knowledg of Chriſt.you look to
Juſtification,
There is a neceſſity of the knowledg of Chriſt.
Sanctification, or
Salvation.
Firſt, If ye look to Juſtification: By his knowledge ſhall 1. As to Juſtification.my righteous ſervant juſtifie many, Iſa. 53. 11. His knowledge, that is, not cognitione ſuâ, but cognitione ſuî; not by that knowledge which is inherent in Chriſt, but by that knowledge which we have of him. By his knowledge, that is, by the knowledge of Him, ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many. Here knowledge is put for faith, which juſtifieth; becauſe there is ſuch a neceſſary connection between faith and knowledge. Amongſt men, ſome are better known than truſted; it is not ſo with God, for according to our knowledge of him, ſo there will be a proportionable truſting in him: Pſal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their truſt in thee. No knowledge, no faith; and according to the meaſure of our knowledg, ſo will the meaſure of our faith be. Thus, you ſee a neceſſity of knowledg, in point of Juſtification
Secondly, In point of Sanctification, which may be gathered from that of the Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 2. 3, 4. Hereby we 2. As to Sanctification.know him, if we keep his commandments. He that ſaith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a lyar, and the truth is not in him. Where there is a fatherly knowledge, there will be obedience; for this knowledge of an Object ſo amiable, will ingender love, and that love will be the fulfilling of the Law.
Thirdly, It is neceſſary in point of Salvation. Not to inſiſt long upon theſe things, Hence it is, that all theſe three 3. As to Salvation.things, namely, the ſtate of ſalvation, the miniſtry of the Goſpell, and the knowledge of Chriſt, come under one and the ſame notion in Scripture, under the notion and name of Eternall life. The everlaſting ſtare of Happineſs, that is called Eternal life, Matth. 25. ult. They ſhall go away into everlaſting puniſhment, but the righteous into life eternall. The Miniſtry of the Goſpell, that is called Eternall life; Act. 13. 46. It was neceſſary (ſaith Paul to Barnabas there) that the word ſhould firſt be ſpoken to you; but ſeeing you put it from you, and judg your ſelves unworthy of everlaſting life, we turn to the Gentiles. They that reject the Miniſtry of the Goſpell, are ſaid to account themſelves unworthy of everlaſting life. Thirdly, the knowledge of Chriſt is called ſo, Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternall, to know thee the onelyonly true God, and Chriſt Jeſus whom thou haſt ſent. What is the reaſon of this? Becauſe theſe make way for the other; the Miniſtry of the Goſpell, that maketh way for the knowledge of Chriſt; the knowledge of Chriſt maketh way for the ſtate of Bliſſe and Glory. Therefore all cometh under the notion of Eternal life.
We come to a ſecond thing. Notwithſtanding Chriſts being Chriſt in the world, not known by the world.in the world, and the world being made by him, the inhabitants of the world knew him not.
Secondly, This lets us ſee, by way of Information, the unthankfulneſſe of the world, the patience of Chriſt, the Vſe 2 happineſſe of Chriſtians.
Firſt, See the unthankfulneſſe of the world. If one 1. Of the world's unthankfulneſſe.ſhould build an houſe for a man, then furniſh it, and afterwards put the poor man, that was harbourleſſe before, into it, and put a ſtock into his hands to trade withall, and keep his houſe in repair for him, and require no other Rent, but ſome ſmall acknowledgment: Would not all the world cry ſhame of this man, if he ſhould not be thankfull? It is our caſe: God hath made a world for man, and furniſhed it before he brought man into it; Jeſus Chriſt, he hath been in the world ever ſince the Creation, upholding all things by the word of his power. And yet ſuch is the unthankfulneſſe of men, that they know not Chriſt: He was in the world, the world was made by him, and the world knew him not, therefore did not acknowledge him as their Creator and Preſerver. Such is the madneſſe of men, that they are over-apt to beſtow divine honour upon thoſe it belongeth not to, and to deny it to Chriſt, to whom it appertaineth. When Paul and Barnabas had cured the Creeple, Act. 14. 11. they had much ado to ſtave off the people from making gods of them; Now when the people ſaw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, ſaying in the ſpeech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeneſſe of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul Mercurius. The Prieſts of Jupiter offered ſacrifice to them. Chriſt doth a great deal more than this commeth to, and yet men own him not. Do ye thus requite the Lord, (as Moſes ſaid) O fooliſh people and unwiſe?
Secondly, It helpeth to clear God, and to magnifie the 2. Of the patience of Chriſt.patience of Chriſt. He made the world, the world knowes him not; and yet he letteth the world ſtand for all this. He hath let the world continue almoſt ſix thouſand years, notwithſtanding all this ingratitude of the world. We may well, upon this occaſion, call to mind that which the Prophet Hoſea recordeth, Hoſ. 11. 8, 9. How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? how ſhall I deliver thee, Iſrael? how ſhall I make thee as Admah? how ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceneſſe of mine anger, I will not return to deſtroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, the holy One in the midſt of thee, and I will not enter into the City. For I am God, and not man. Here is a great evidence, that Chriſt is God, and not man; otherwiſe, the world had been made as Admah and Zeboim, long ere this. Suppoſe Moſes himſelf, (the meekeſt man upon earth) to be indowed with that power, that Chriſt had in his hands from the beginning of the world; and ſuppoſe him to have hated ſin, as Chriſt doth: It would have been impoſſible, even for Moſes, to have held his hands. He that cryed out at the Rock, Ye rebells, ſhall I bring water out of this Rock to you? would certainly have cryed out, Ye rebells, I will ſend down fire Exod. 17. 2.upon you from heaven, to conſume you. What an high provocation is this, when Chriſt hath done ſo much, to have all ſleighted? Men take it ill, when there is any competency of worth in them, to be neglected. Not to ſpeak of the worth of Chriſt as Redeemer, look to his works of Creation; ſee what glorious Attributes ſhine in them; do but compare them with the works of men: If a workman doth many things, ſurely they are not great; for one great thing will take up a great deal of time: If he produceth a great piece, he doth not make many ſuch; if many and great, commonly they are but great Torraſſes, things of no worth, or, both botchingly and bunglingly done. Now here, in the work of Creation, is both Mercy and Greatneſſe; here is Comelineſſe and Uſefulneſſe kiſſing each other: And yet all this ſleighted by the ſons of men, and that for ſo many years together; and yet the earth ſtandeth. Oh! the Patience of God, notwithſtanding all this provocation.
Thirdly, Ye may ſee the happineſs of Chriſtians. Though the 3. See the happineſſe of Chriſtians.world knoweth not God, there is a certain ſort of Men in the world that do: 1 Tim. 3. 16. God manifeſted in the Fleſh, juſtified of the Spirit, ſeen of Angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world. Believed on in the world! This is the great priviledge of us Chriſtians. The poor Gentiles knew there was a God, and might come to the knowledge of ſome of his Attributes; but when their conſciences flew in their faces, they were then at a great ſtand: They had learned that God was, and was mercifull, and that he would pardon ſin; but they had not the knowledge of a Mediator, nor how to make a friend to God. This God hath made known to them, that live under the means of grace, and hold the Miniſtry of the Goſpell. He hath let them ſee what wayes they have, to make to God. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath held forth the wayes of Truth, and Life. Truth and life by Jeſus Chriſt.No man goeth to the Father, but by Him. Therefore, if that Philoſopher, of whom we read, thought he had ſo much cauſe to bleſſe God, that had made him not a Barbarian, but a Grecian, and amongſt Grecians, an Athenian; amongſt Athenians, a Philoſopher. Certainly, we have cauſe to magnifie the grace of God, that we are born not Pagans, but Chriſtians, in regard of an outward Covenant; and not Papiſts, but Proteſtants, and amongſt Proteſtants, Engliſh men. Becauſe this Iſland of ours, hath by the grace of God been the Goſhen, wherein this light of the Goſpell hath ſhined, more than in any Kingdome of Chriſtendome. I have done with that verſe, and proceed to the Eleventh, which concerneth the Jewes eſpecially.