All Things were made by him. ii. 25 without him was not the whole compass of nature were made by him, SECT. any thing made that even by his almighty word; and without him was made. was not any thing made, not so much as one John single being, whether among the noblest or the 1.4. meanest of God's various works. That fulness of power, wisdom, and benignity, which was in him, was the fountain of life to the whole creaand it si in particular our concern to remember 4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. tion other apostles thought it a doctrine of great importance in the gospel scheme, they would rather have waved than asserted and insisted upon it, considering the critical circumstances in which they wrote.” See Burnet on the Articles, page 40. • All things were made by him.] It would be the work of a treatise rather than a note to represent the Jewish doctrine of the creation of all things by the divine Logos; to which (rather than the platonic) there may be some reference here. They who have no opportunity of examining the original authors, may see what those learned men have said, to whom Dr. A. Taylor reters in his Treatise on the Trinity, p. 258; to which add Dr. Pearson on the Creed, p. 118; Dr. Scott's Christian Life, Vol. III. p. 565, &c. fol. and Dr. Watts's Dissertation on the Trinity, No. IV. § 3.-There is, however, a remarkable passage I shall mention to this purpose as a specimen of the rest; and the rather because it is omitted in most of the collections I have seen on this bead, and not fully cited and explained in what I take to be its exact sense in any. Philo Judzus (de Profug. p. 465.) speaking of the cherubims on the mercy seat as symbolical representations of what te calls the creating and governing porters, makes this additional refection : « The , divine Word (Logos) is above these, of whom we can have no idea by the sight or any other sense; he being himself the image of God, the eldest of all intelligent beings, sitting nearest to Him who is truly THE HOLY ONE, there being no distance between them :" (alluding, I suppose, to the form of those ancient chariots where, as in the chairs we use upon the road, the driver sat close to the person driven; which was not the case in all: compare Acts viii. 38. "And therefore he (that is, God) says, I will speak unto thee from the mercy seat between the two cherubims; thereby representing the Logos as the charioteer by whom the motion of these powers is directed; and himself who speaks to him as the rider (or person cared) who commands the charioteer how he is to manage the reins." Ο δι Unipa tour (scil. Juramows wesinimas nai fachin;) ΔΟΓΟΣ ΘΕΙΟΣ, εις ορατη ουκ ήλθεν Ιότων, ελε 64 μηδεν των κατ' αίσθησιν εμφερής ων, αλλ' αύλος εικών υπάρχων Θεό, των γοήτων απαξ απαλών pula, eyyulalos, panderos ovla, pestopis διατηματος, ΤΟΥ ΜΟΝΟΥ Ο εςιν αψευδώς αφιέρωμενος. Λεγεται γαρ, Λαλήσω σοι ανωθεν τα Ιλατήρια ανα μέσον των ενοιν περάσει με ωστό ηνίοχον μεν είναι των δυνάμεων του ΛΟΓΟΝ, εποχον δε τον λαλωνία, επικες ενομενον τω ηνιόχω τα προς ώρθην το πανίος ηνιοχησιν. I insert this as a key to a great many other passages in Philo; and shall only mention one more (De Agricult. p. 195) where he represents God as governing the whole course of nature, both in heaven and earth, as the great Shepherd and King, by wise and righteous laws; having constituted his unerring Word, his only begotten Son, to preside as his viceroy over his holy flock :" for the illustration of which he quotes those remarkable words, Exod. xxiii. 20, though in a form something different from our reading and version, "Behold I am; I will send my angel before thy face to keep thee in the way.” Γ' ην και υδωρ κ. τ. λ. μer Irla, Ta & Ja, (a remarkable distribution) ως ποιμήν και βασιλεύς ο Θεός άγει κατα δίκην και νόμον, προςησάμενος τον ορθον al AOFON fulayovon Div, of THY ETIKEREIXY της ιερας ταυλης αγέλης, για το μεγάλου βασίλεως υπαρχος, διαδέξεται. Και γαρ είρηται που, Ιδου εγω ειμι, αποτελώ αγγελον μου εἰς powmov σou puratal de EV Ty Odu. τα d Not so much as one single being.] There is an emphasis in the words ad, which I thought it proper to express in the version, than which nothing can be more literal. The e That which was in him was life.] most ancient fathers that quote this text so generally join the words o yeyey with this fourth verse, that I cannot but apprehend this to be the true reading. (See Dr. Mill's Proleg.) But if any think it improbable that yeyove should have different senses here and in the third verse, they will please to observe that the fuil sense of our version is expressed in the paraphrase, and that the alteration here made is of very small importance. That the Heathens sometimes speak of their deities and heroes as the light and life of mankind, Elsner has shewn on this text. 1 Did 26 John John came to testify of him as the true light. 5. And the light and the darkness com 6 There was a man name was John; SECT. remember that the life which was in him was the ii. light of men, as all the light of reason and revelation was the effect of his energy on the mind. 1. 5. And the light long shone in the heathen world, and under the dispensation of Moses; and it still shineth in darkness, shineth in darkness, even on the minds of the most prehended it not. ignorant and prejudiced part of mankind; and yet the darkness was so gross that it opposed its passage; and such was the prevailing degeneracy of their hearts, that they did not apprehend it, or regard its dictates in such a manner as to secure the blessings to which it would have led them. 6 As this was the case for many ages, the Divine Wisdom was pleased to interpose in these latter sent from God, whose days by a clearer and fuller discovery and for this purpose, a man, whose name was John, afterwards called the Baptist, was sent as a messenger from God; of whose miraculous conception and important ministry a more particular account is 7 elsewhere given: But here it may be sufficient to observe in general that though he was him- for a witness, to bear self, in an inferior sense," a burning and shining that all men through light," (compare John v. 35.) yet he came only lim might believe. under the character of a servant, and for a witness that he might testify concerning Christ the true light, that all who heard his discourses might by his means be engaged to believe and fol8 low that divine illumination. And accordingly he most readily confessed that he himself was not that light, but only [came] to bear witness con- light. 9 cerning it. The true light of which he spake 9 That was the true was Christ, even that Sun of righteousness and light which lighteth Source of truth which, coming into the world, en- eth into the world. lighteneth every man, dispersing his beams, as f Did not apprehend it, & xattkaftv.] It might not seem so strange that the world did not fully comprehend the spiritual, smce it certainly doth not fully comprehend the material light, nor indeed any of the most familiar objects it discovers: but the word is capable of other senses, and is sometimes used for apprehending or laying hold of a thing, 1 Cor. ix. 24. Phil. iii. 12, 13. and sometimes for perceiving it, Acts iv. 13. x. 34. Compare Acts xiv. 17. xvii. 25. Rom. i. 20. which all illustrate the evangelist's assertion. g The true light was Christ.] The original yet more clearly expresses the antithesis between this and the former verse: I have endeavoured to follow it in my version without supposing aures understood here it 7 The same came witness of the light, 8 He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that every man that com The world was made by him, yet knew him not. was made by him, him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. ii. 27 I. 10. it were from one end of the heavens to the other, SECT. to the Gentile world, which was in midnight darknesss, as well as to the Jews, who enjoyed but John 10 He was in the a kind of twilight. He was in the world in a world, and the would human form; and though the world was made by and the world knew him, yet the world knew and acknowledged him not. Yea, he came into his own [territories], 11 even to the Jewish nation, which was under such distinguished obligations to him, and to whom he had been so expressly promised as their great Messiah; yet his own [people] did not receive him* as they ought; but, on the contrary, treated him in the most contemptuous and ungrateful man12 But as many as ner. Nevertheless the detriment was theirs, and 12 received him, to them it was indeed unspeakably great to them; for gave he power to become the sons of God, to as many as received him, and by a firm and even to them that be- lively faith believed on his name, [even] to all of them, without any exception of even the poorest or the vilest, he granted the glorious privilege of becoming the sons of God; that is, he adopted them into God's family, so that they became entitled to the present immunities and the future eternal 13 Which were born, inheritance of his children. And they who thus 13 not of blood, nor of the believed on him were possessed of these privileges, not in consequence of their being born of blood, of their being descended from the loins of the holy patriarchs, or sharing in circumcision Leve on his name : will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Not to urge that the phrase of coming into and and their confidence to powder. The words iThe world was made by him.] Some have supposed this particularly levelled against the Gnostics, who inaintained that the world was made by an evil genius; and that the God of the Old Testament and the New were different and contrary persons. It is certain that Irenæus, and several others of the fathers, with great propriety have urged this text against that mad notion. Eusebius exposes these wretches in a very just and lively manner, and makes use of words which, if he had been our contemporary, might have seemed directly levelled at a late unhappy writer, who strangely took it into his head to call himself, The moral philosopher. But, alas! every succeeding age has had its moral philosophers, who have attempted to remove that burthen some stone the Bible, and have found it returning upon them, so as to grind them, and their schemes k He came into his own [territories], yet 28 ii. John The word was made flesh and dwelt among us. SECT. and the blood of the sacrifices; nor could they ascribe it merely to the will of the flesh, or to their own superior wisdom and goodness, as if, 1. 13. by the power of corrupted nature alone, they had made themselves to differ; nor to the will of man, or to the wisest advice and most powerful exhortations which their fellow-creatures might address to them; but most humbly acknowledge that they were born of God', and indebted to the efficacious influences of his regenerating grace for all their privileges and for all their hopes. Compare John iii. 1-8. Tit. iii. 3-7. and Jam. 1. 18. 14 And the word was made flesh and. 14 And in order to raise us sinful creatures to such illustrious dignity and happiness, the divine dwelt among us, (and and eternal word, that glorious person whom we we beheld his glory, mentioned above, by a most amazing condescen- the glory as of the sion was made flesh, that is, united himself to Only-begotten of the Father) full of grace our inferior and miserable nature with all its in- and truth. nocent infirmities; and he not only made us a transient visit for an hour or a day, but for a considerable time pitched his tabernacle among us" on earth; and we who are now recording these things contemplated his glory (compare 1 John i. 1.) with so strict an attention that, from our own personal knowledge, we can bear our testimony to it, that it was in every respect such a glory as became the Only-begotten of the Father; for it shone forth, not merely in that radiant appearance which invested him on the 1 Who were not born of blood, &c. but of God.] I am sensible this verse is liable to great difficulty and ambiguity. It is an amazing liberty the author of the New Translation, published 1727, has taken with it, in explaining it of a birth which they had not from circumcision, nor from the constitution of the body, nor from the institution of man, but from God. I readily allow that alur, of bloods, may include circumcision, but cannot confine it to that: patriarchat descent and the blood of sacrifices were so much depended upon by the Jews, that one would suppose them included. Dr. Whitby, with many others, takes the will of the flesh to signify carnal descent; and the will of man adoption; which I should prefer to the opinion of Mess. L'Enfant and Beausobre, who, without any reason assigned, understand by those born of the will of man, proselytes, as opposed to native Jews; a sense in which I never could find the phrase used. The mount paraphrase I have given, keeps the ideas distinct; answers the frequent signification of flesh elsewhere; (compare John iii. 6. Rom. vii. 25. viii. 3, 8, 12. and Gal. v. 17.) and conveys an important and edifying sense, very agreeable to the tenor of scripture. But I submit it to the reader, without pretending that it is the only interpretation the words will bear. I hope he will always carefully distinguish between the text and the paraphrase, and remeinber how very different a regard is owing to the one and the other. m Was made flesh.] Flesh often signifies man in this infirm and calamitous state. Compare Gen. vi. 12. Numb. xvi. 22. Deut. v. 26. Psal. cxlv. 21. Isa. xlix. 26. Acts ii. 17. 1 Cor. i. 29. and many other places. Pitched his tabernacle among us.] There is so visible a reference in the word wwa, to the dwelling of the Shechinah in the tabernacle of Moses, that it was very proper to render it by the word I have used. • Full Reflections on the deity and incarnation of Christ. ii. 29 mount of transfiguration, and in the splendor of SECT. IMPROVEMENT. Justly hath our Redeemer said, Blessed is the man that is not Ver. offended in me and we may peculiarly apply the words to that 1, 2 great and glorious doctrine of the deity of Christ, which is here before us. A thousand high and curious thoughts will naturally arise in our corrupt hearts on this view of it; but may Divine Grace subdue them all to the obedience of an humble faith; so that, with Thomas, we may each of us fall down at his feet, and cry out with sincere and unreserved devotion, My Lord and my God! Let us adore him as the Creator and Preserver of all, the over- 3,4 flowing Fountain of light and life. Let us with unutterable pleasure hail this Sun of Righteousness, whose rays, by the tender mercies of the Father, have visited our benighted world to guide our feet into the way of peace: and while we lament that the darkness 5 hath not apprehended and received him, let us earnestly pray that he may ere long penetrate every cloud of ignorance and mist of error, and may diffuse among all the nations knowledge and grace, purity and joy. Let us especially pray that he may penetrate our beclouded souls; and that they may, in holy correspondence to the purposes of his appearing, be turned as clay to the seal. Job 10 xxxviii. 14. The world knew him not; but may we know him, and give him that honourable and grateful reception which so great a favour may justly demand!-Yet what returns can be • Full of grace and truth.] It is plain that those words, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, are to be considered as a parenthesis; and these are to be joined with the preceding, thus, He drell among us-full of grace and truth. But the length of the paraphrase made it inconvenient to transpose them. P The most substantial blessings.] That truth is sometimes used, not so much in opposition to falsehood, as to hierogly. phicks, shadows and types, an attentive reader must often have observed. See VOL. VI. pro Heb. viii. 2. ix. 24. and Dan. vii. 16. 9 Turned as clay to the seal.] This beau |