Observations, censures, and confutations of notorious errours in Mr. Hobbes his Leviathan and other his bookes to which are annexed occasionall anim-adversions on some writings of the Socinians and such hæreticks of the same opinion with him / by William Lucy ...

Sect. 11.

But I will leave this Comment of Socinus, although countenanced by his followers, and apply my self to Smalcius,* 1.1 in his 13 cap. refutationis libelli de divinâ verbi incarnati naturâ, pag. 75. upon these words, (The world was made by him) [We deny (saith he) that by the word (World) is signified the old world;* 1.2 that by the word (made) is signified creation; that by the phrase (by him) is signified a principal agent. I shall undertake these in their order, as he handle's them, but his greatest endea∣vour is about the first word (the world) which he and I both first meddle with. First, he saith, this word (World) hath divers significations▪ it signifie's onely men; it signifie's the future world; now (saith he) when Saint John saith, the world was made by him, may be under∣stood,

that we are reformed by him; in which sense it is said, that Christ enlighten's every man which cometh into the world, as it is said in the preceding verse; now as Christ is said to enlighten every man, because he used sufficient means, and endeavoured their enlightening, so he is said, to make the world, that is, the men in it, by endeavour∣ing to reform them.] This is a cruel thing, to impose upon a man such expositions,* 1.3 where making must be taken for reforming; for although they can shew the same root for these words in Hebrew, yet not in Greek, nor any place in the New Testament, where the word used for making is used for reforming; and then that reforming must be understood onely an endeavour, not an act, as I have shewed. His second way is, to take this word (World) for the future World, life eternal, this is pag. 76. as this Life eternall is revealed, and given by Christ; see againe the violence of this exposition; the world is taken for the future, in Heaven; this making of it, by the word, is the revealing of it by Christ; then which never were there heard greater falsifications of any Text; for illustration of which he bring's the 17. Verse of this Chapter, Grace and Truth is by Jesus Christ; when there is nothing in these words, which can give any light to any such sense in the other; for, how can it fol∣low, because Christ is the Agent, by which his Ser∣vants receive grace and truth, therefore his making the world, should be understood of his revealing or giving eternall Life; but Valkelius in his fifth Book, de verà religione, cap. 10. pag. 445. and 446. give's other illustrations: that this word (World) should signify the future World; Hebrewes 2.5. 2 Peter 3.13. these he put's in the Margin, to justify this acception of the World for the other, and in all which places it is

observable; there is no one, but the fourth to the Ro∣mans, which hath this word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.4 which we render World, in it, and sometimes the word new added, which might well expound his sense, as in St. Peter; and sometimes no such intent, as he would have it, to sig∣nify the future World so in those places to the Hebrews; but then, for this place to the Romans, although there is this very word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in it, as the H••ir of the world, yet Christ was Heir of this world, and the promise was made to Abraham, that all nations in the earth should be blessed in his seed, and so his Seed should be Heir, Lord of all the world, and have kingdom and rule over all nati∣ons, ever here on earth. These are the principall things I observe amongst them, to justifie their Comment upon that Text; and it appear's, that they have not shewed, that this word (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) which we render made, was ever used for regenerating, much lesse for the intention of it; again, we may marke, that this word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is never used for the world to come or heaven, without an additi∣on; when it is put absolutely, as here, it signifye's the present World. It will be now time to set down mine own conceipt, and vindicate it from such exceptions as they make against it [he was in the world] that is, the word, not the light, because, in the last Clause, where it is said, the World knew him not, him is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the Masculine gender, which agree's to the Word, not to the Light, which is the Neuter gender.

Well then, he was in the world, the great world, the universe, is what was mean't by the word was in the world; and this must be true, because the Word was God, and he is every where, he in the world, and the world in him; and this is something that a man learn's here for his Faith, that God is alwayes in the world, preserving and

looking to it; but, suppose a man should take the word in their Conceipt (for a man who preached and taught other men the will of God) were it not a strange need∣lesse speech, for a man to say, that he was in the world? Take the world how they will, for the great World which we inhabit, or for the company of men who live in it; (for onely in these two senses they understood World in this place) but to say that the Word, the Word God, was in the world; here is something delivered that men would listen to.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Smalcius's g••o••••e.
• * 1.2

  His various significations put upon the word [World.]
• * 1.3

  Wherein he imposeth fal∣lacies upon his Reader.
• * 1.4

  The Bishop's Animadver∣sions.