The Christian life. Part II wherein that fundamental principle of Christian duty, the doctrine of our Saviours mediation, is explained and proved, volume II / by John Scott ...

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^c For as they affirm of their word that he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. always without time, and alone eter∣nal, vid. Porphyry quoted by S. Cyril, C. Iul. lib. 1. p. 32. that he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the most ancient Word of God, Phil. de somn. and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the most ancient of all things that are, 16. Leg. Allegor. lib. 2. So S. Iohn affirms of his Word that he was in the beginning, that is, according to the pluinest and most obvious sense at least, that he actually existed in the very beginning of the World, and that consequently he was before all time, and the most ancient of all things. Again, as they affirm of their word, that it is not separated from the first Good or Father, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. but of necessity is together with him▪ being separa∣tee from him only in personality, Plot. En. 5. l. 1. c. 6. So S. Iohn affirms of his Word, that it was with God from the beginning, ver. 2. that is, in an inseparable union and con∣junction, for otherwise all other things were as much with God as he. Again, as they affirm of their Word, that he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the cause or artificer of the World, for so all the Platonick Schools frequently stile him, and so Pla∣to himself, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. which World the Word, which of all things is the most divine, framed and set in order, Epinom. and Philo call him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Instrument by whom God made the World, Phil. lib. Chereb. So S. Iohn affirms of his word▪ that all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made, ver. 3. Again as they affirm of their word that he is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪ i. e. if I may coin a word, the Be-er, and that this Be-er, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. is not a dead Be-er, that is neither life nor mind, but that mind and life and Be-er, are the same thing, Plotin. Enn. 5. lib. 1. c. 2. So S. Iohn affirms of his word, that in him was life, ver. 4. As they affirm, that the life or being of their Word was knowledge or understanding, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. neither is this Mind or Word in Potentia; neither is it self one thing, and its knowledge ano∣ther, but its knowledge is it self, or its own being, ibid. lib. 3. c. 5. So S. Iohn affirms of his Word that his life was the light of men, i. e. that it consisted of knowledge, which is the light of human minds, ver. 4. as they affirm that the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. Intelligible light, proceeded 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from the word Phil. de Opif. mund. and that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. that all light is from this word or wisdom, Arist••b. apud Euseb. praepar. p. 324. So S. Iohn tells us of his Word, that he was the true light which lighteth eve∣ry man that cometh into the world, ver. 9. In short, as they stile their word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪ i. e. the Son of God, Plot. Enn. 5. l. 8 c 5 And again, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. the Son or Child of God, the full beautiful mind, even the mind that is full of God, as al∣so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. the most ancient Son of the Father of the Universe, Phil. lib. cui Tit. Deterius perf••ctiori semper infestum esse. And also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. the first born Son of God, Ibid. lib. 1. de Agricu••t. So S. Iohn stiles his Word the only begotten Son of the Father, ver. 14.18. Thus from first to last, S. Iohn discourses of his Word, and in the same Phrase and Language gives the same account of him as the Jewish and Gentile Divines did of theirs, so that he must be supposed either to mean the same thing by him, viz. a divine eternal Person, or to design to make the World believe he meant so, for he who speaks or writes, must either equivocate and dissemble his meaning, or mean according to the vulgar ac∣ceptation of the words and phrases he speaks or writes; so that supposing S. Iohn doth here sincerely express his own meaning; no man that understands the common use and acceptation of his phrases can reasonably understand them any otherwise than of a divine Person, and whether this were not his meaning, at least in all appearance, I appeal to a very indifferent Judge, viz. Amelius, a Pagan Philosopher, who very well understood the Language and Doctrine of the Gentile Schools concerning the divine Legos or Word so of∣ten mentioned in their Writings, and who casting his eyes upon this discourse of S. Iohn, doth with all confidence pro∣nounce this to be the sense of them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. this was that Word who, according to Hera∣clitus, existed from Eternity, and made all things, and whom, by Iupiter, the Barbarian places in the order and dignity of a Principal, declaring him to have been with God, and to be God, and that all things were made by him, and that in him all things that were had life and being. Vid. Eu∣seb. Praep. Evan. 540.