appearances and visitations of the Son of God (whether visible or merely spiritual) before his incarnation. But, even if we interpret these verses as connected with verse 14, and as forming a part of the apostle's account of the incarnation, it certainly appears most probable that the preceding doctrine, respecting Christ, relates to his operations only in that glorious and unchangeable character in which he was with God in the beginning, and in which he was God.

Accordingly, it is declared, first, that by him all things were made; and, secondly, that in him, (or by him) was life, and that the life was the light of men. Let us then inquire in what sense the eternal Word of God was thus described as the author or medium of life and light. Since all things were made by him, he is undoubtedly the origin of their natural life, and the bountiful giver of those intellectual faculties by which man is distinguished from the inferiour animals; but those who take a comprehensive view of the writings of the apostle John can scarcely suppose that he is here speaking only of the natural life and of the light of reason. The "life," of which in every part of his works he makes such frequent mention, is the life of which they only avail themselves who are the true children of God-that spiritual life, in the first place, by which the souls of men are quickened in this world, and that eternal life, in the second place, which is laid up for them in the world to come; see John iii, 15; v, 24. 40; vi, 33. 63; viii, 12; xiv, 6; &c. That such is here the apostle's meaning is confirmed by a comparison with the opening passage of his first epistle, in which Jesus Christ, in reference to his preexistence, is expressly denominated that "eternal life" (i. e. that source of eternal life) "which was with the Father." So, also, the word light is no where used by the apo

stle to designate the intellectual faculty or the light of reason. With him that substantive denotes spiritual light-the light which is enjoyed by those who come to a real knowledge of the truth-the light in which the children of God walk before their Father; see John iii, 19; viii, 12; ix, 5; I John i, 7; ii, 8; &c. I conceive, therefore, that the apostle's doctrine, declared in the fourth verse of his Gospel, is precisely thisthat the Son, or Word, of God, or the Messiah, in his original and divine character, was the giver of eternal life, and the spiritual quickener and illuminator of the children of men. And this inference is strengthened by the consideration that "the life" here mentioned was "the light;" for it is the peculiar characteristick of the Spirit of Christ that it quickens and enlightens at the same time. That very principle within us which illuminates our darkness raises our souls from the death of sin, and springs up within us unto everlasting life.

Since such appears to be the true meaning of verse 4, we cannot reasonably hesitate in our interpretation of verse 9. In the former, the light is said to be in or by the Word; in the latter, according to a very usual figure of rhetorick, the Word being the source of the light, is himself denominated "light." The light, in either case, must be of the same character; and if there be any correctness in the view we have now taken of the whole passage, it can be no other than the light of the Spirit of the Son of God. Hence, therefore, I conclude, on the authority of the apostle John, that a measure of the light of the Spirit of the Son of God "lighteth every man that cometh into the world."6

6 JOHN 1, 9. "Ην τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν Ἡ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. “ That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." It was observed by Augustine, (De Peccatorum Meritis et Remiss. lib. i, § 38.) and the

Such, according to my apprehension of scriptural truth, are the religious advantages which may be deemed the common allotment of mankind in general. God is their equal Judge and compassionate Father: the Son of God, when clothed with humanity, gave his life a ransom for them all and lastly, through the operation of his Holy Spirit, a moral sense of right and wrong, accompanied with a portion of quickening and redeeming power, is implanted in them universally. Here, then, we may perceive grounds of union and brotherly kindness coextensive with the whole world: and whilst we cultivate a sense of these animating truths,

It

suggestion has been adopted by many modern criticks, that the words ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον, in this passage, are capable of being construed in connexion with pãs, "the light," instead of with Távτα άvegwτov, "every man;" in which case the sentence must be rendered as follows: "That was the true light, which, coming into the world, lighteth every man." Now, it ought to be remarked that the term 6. every man" is in itself very strong and precise. It denotes every individual man ; and, since there is nothing in the context to limit its signification, it must be considered as signifying the whole of mankind. Were we, therefore, to adopt such a construction and translation of the passage, there would still be good reasons for interpreting it, not of that outward knowledge of Christianity which is enjoyed by a comparatively small number of human beings, but of an internal light bestowed universally on man. is, however, obvious that the commonly adopted construction of this sentence is more agreeable to the order of the apostle's words, and therefore more consistent than the other with the general simplicity and perspicuity of his style. That construction is, moreover, confirmed by the consideration that John has here adopted a phrase well known amongst the Jews, in its usual sense. With that people," to come into the world" was a common expression, signifying "to be born;" and "all men who come into the world" a customary description of " all mankind;" Vide Lightfoot Hor. Heb. in loc. The ancient fathers in general appear to have construed this passage in the same manner as the authors of our English version. See, for example, Tertullian, adv. Prax. cap. 12. Ed. Semler, ii, 214; Theodotus, Epitom. in Ed. Bened. Clement. Alex. p. 979; Origen, in lib. Judicum Homil. Ed. Bened. ii, 460. See also the two Syriac, Ethiopic, Persic, and Vulgate, versions.

we shall be disposed neither to think too highly of ourselves, nor to despise others. On the contrary, a feeling of true charity towards our neighbour, of whatever colour or country, will spread in our hearts; and a lively disposition will arise in us to labour for the happiness of that universal family who not only owe their existence to the same Creator, but are the common objects of his paternal regard and of his redeeming love.

While I am persuaded of the existence of these broad grounds of union; while I am well satisfied in the conviction that there is bestowed upon all men that moral sense and that measure of a quickening influence of which I have spoken; and while, lastly, I am convinced that such a sense and such an influence can be justly attributed only to the eternal Spirit of the Lord,—I am very far from forming a low estimate of the sinfulness and degradation of the heathen world. However universally visited by a moral light, it is a mournful and melancholy fact, that men have very generally yielded themselves a prey to the deceitfulness and depravity of their own hearts. Multitudes indeed there are amongst those who have not been made acquainted with the truths of Christianity, who, "when they knew God, glorified him not as God, neither were thankful;" but have "changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things;" Rom. i, 21. 23. Hence hath God given them over "to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts," and hence may be applied to them that awful description used by the apostle-"Gentiles in the flesh, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world;" Eph. ii, 11, 12. We are not to forget that the same apostle who