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. 14.

I therefore let them passe, and come to the 14. Verse, where we find opposition from them with much art, which we render thus [And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us] there are two propositions in this particle [And the Word was made fl••sh,* 1.1] that is the first: Here, by the Word, the Socinian understand's the same Word as before, Christ, as by preaching and Miracles, he manifested the will of God to men; but that this could not be made flesh, is evident, because it was flesh alwayes, and nothing can be made that which it is; but this Word was alwayes such; if it had been, that flesh was made the Word, there had been some sense in it, be∣cause then we had understood that that man, who at the first was not the Word, by preaching, &c. was made the Word; but, this sentence [the Word was made flesh]

abide's no such construction; to avoid this, therefore, they fly to that other Term [was made] of which I have treated before, when it came in my way,* 1.2 at the sixth Verse; this word, (say they with one consent) signi∣fye's (to be) and it should be read [the word was fl••sh] this I have examined before and shewed, that I can find no place in St. John, where [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] is so used,* 1.3 that ne∣cessarily men must understand it in their sense; so that that place, in the sixth Verse, was so read for the smoothnesse of the Latine or English Language, which would not abide the verball translation of the Greek; now I will adde thus much; in these 14. Verses, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is used for (was) or (being) at the least nine or ten times; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, five or six times for made; what reason can we imagine, that the style or language should be altered here? but then, let us consider what the sense would be, if the Text were read as they would make us believe [the Word was flesh] as much as if we should say, the preacher was a man, which were a most ridiculous speech; and therefore, to avoid this, they fly to this Term flesh, and say,* 1.4 that that Term doth not signify flesh its self, or a man cloathed with flesh, pars pro toto, which is often in Scripture; but the hum∣ble estate of a man; and here they bestow much Rhe∣torick, to shew, that the Evangelist, having spoken so great things of the Word, that it was with God, was God; that all things were made by him, &c. lest men should enter into this vain Conceipt, that he was the great God, he pluck's him down to consider, that he is but a weak man, flesh, subject to many miseries and misfor∣tunes, death and injuries, &c. observe here that this word Flesh in its naturall and proper meaning, signi∣fye's a part of man in a figurative manner, by a Sy∣nechdoche

it signifye's the whole; but, for any thing I can discerne,* 1.5 in Scripture it is not used for any base or miserable condition of man, but onely in generall Terms, to shew, that man, whilest he live's in flesh, is subject to the infirmities of it: the places pro∣duced by Socinus speak no more,* 1.6 the first is Psal. 78.39. he remembred that they were but flesh; here is a speech concerning the Israelites in their generall State, as men, and as frail and weak, but no particular dejectednesse of their Condition, but that they were no better then men. His second place is, Isaiah 40.6. All flesh is grasse, and all the goodlinesse thereof as the flower of the field; suppose I should yield, that here by flesh is repre∣presented a low and mean Condition; yet here is such a Comment joyned to this word fl••sh, as enforceth that conceipt; but in my Text there is no such thing; so that still I may say, that this Term flesh teacheth us no such thing, without an addition of such other language, as may render it of that sense; but then again, all the expression of any lownesse or dejectednesse of estate, that is here made, is nothing else but the generall con∣d••tion of mankind, no particular humiliation mean't by it; and that is evident out of that phrase [all flesh is grasse, &c.] this sign (all) shew's it to be mean't uni∣versally. So likewise Jeremiah 17.5. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arme. Here is no manner of unhappy condition taught by flesh, but that it is a Creature, and must not be confided in like God. These are the places u••ged by Socinus, and what∣soever I find any where of the same nature; so that I do not find fl••sh taken for the most unhappy sort of men, but for men in generall; and when it is said [the word was made flesh] it must, for ought appear's yet, be un∣derstood,

was made man, such a thing which was a creature, which creature was subject to infirmity; but, for a greater evidence to this truth, let us see what will be the result of their Comment, to wit this; that the word, which was the man Christ,* 1.7 who preached and taught the will of God to men, was in the beginning of the Gospell; was with God, that is, known onely to him; was God, that is, a man in Authority; all things were made by him, that is, all things were established concerning man's reformation in order to heaven, &c. he was in the World, a great strange thing, how could he be out? and the world was made by him, that is, intended to be reformed; but, be∣cause so great things were spoken of him, to pluck down mens over-weening conceipt, he is said to be flesh; could any man, that understand's these words, as they would have men, conceive he was other? is there any thing, that is delivered in their pretense of the import of these words, that should endanger a man to think otherwise? certainly no; and therefore, throughout all that they have said, is a monstrous violence to Gods word. Well, now our exposition, which is most natu∣rall to this Text, will appear in its self; the word, the inward word of God, which in its sense was eternall,* 1.8 was made flesh in time; I know nothing of moment object∣ed against this.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Socinians Word cou••d not be made Fl••sh.
• * 1.2

  Their evasion.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 how used in the beginning of St. John's Gospell.
• * 1.4

  Their hetero∣dox interpre∣tation of flesh.
• * 1.5

  Not evident in Scripture.
• * 1.6

  Cited by So∣cinus.
• * 1.7

  The result of their Com∣ment.
• * 1.8

  The summe of ours.