840 THE DEATH OF DEATH. [BOOK IV.
ciling an unbelieving world unto himself, upon condition tliat it do believe;" that is, upon condition that it be not unbelieving; that is, that it be reconciled. Is this the mind of the Holy Spirit? Fourthly, If this reconciliation of the world consist (as it doth) in a non-impu- tation of sin, then this is either of all their sins, or only of some sins. If of some only, then Christ saves only from some sins. If of all, then of unbelief also, or it is no sin; then all the men in the world must needs be saved, as whose unbelief is pardoned. The luorld here, then, is only the world of blessed, pardoned believers, who are " made the righteousness of God in Christ."
That which Thomas More bringeth to enforce the opposite signifi- cation of the word is, in many words, very little. Much time he spends, with many uncouth expressions, to prove a twofold reconciliation inti- mated in the text, — the first of God to us by Christ, the other of us to God by the Sj^irit ; which we also grant, though we do not divide them, but make them several parts of the same reconciliation, the former being the rule of the latter : for look, to whomsoever God is reconciled in and by Christ, they shall certainly every one of them be reconciled to God by the Spirit; — God's reconciliation to them consisting in a non-imputation of their sins; their reconciliation unto him, in an acceptance of that non-imputation in Jesus Christ. And as it is the rule of, so is it the chief motive unto, the latter, being the subject or matter of the message in the gospel whereby it is effected. So that the assertion of this twofold reconciliation, or rather two branches of the same complete work of reconciliation, establisheth our persuasion that the world can be taken only for the elect therein.
But he brings farther light from the context to strengthen his interpretation. " For," saith he, "those of the world here are called 'men,' verse 11 ; men that must 'appear before the judgment-seat of Christ,' verse 10; that were ' dead,' verse 14; that ought to live unto Christ, verse 15: therefore, all men." Now, "homini homo quid interest?" How easy is it for some men to prove what they please! Only let me tell you, one thing more is to be done that the cause may be yours, — namely, a proving that the elect of God are not men; that they must not appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that they were not dead ; that they ought not to live to Christ. This do, or ye lose the reward.
But he adds, — First, " Of these, some are reconciled to God," verse 18. Ans. Most false, that there is any limitation or restriction of reconciliation to some of those concerning whom he treats; it is rather evidently extended to all of them. Secondl}"^, " But some are not reconciled," verse 11. Ans. Not a word of any such thing in the text, nor can the least colour be possibly wrested thence for any such assertion. " Many coiTupt the word of God."
A second place he urgeth is John i. 9, " That was the true Light,
OBJECTIONS AND TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE CONSIDERED. 341
which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." " This ivorld," saith he, " is the world of mankind, verse 4, made by Christ, verse 3 ; which was his own by creation, mercy, and purchase, yet 'received him not,' verses 5, 10, 11; therefore, it is manifest that there is life, and that Christ died for all."
Ans. That by the luorld here is meant, not men in the world, all or some, but the habitable part of the earth, is more apparent than can well admit of proof or illustration. The phrase of coming into the luorld cannot possibly be otherwise apprehended. It is as much as hoim, and coming to breathe the common air. Now, among the expositions of this place, that seems most consonant and agree- able to the discourse of the apostle, with other expressions here used, which refers the word Ipy^ofisvov, " coming," unto (jDwg, " light," and not to avQpwTrov, " man," with which it is vulgarly esteemed to agree; so that the words should be rendered, " That was the true Light, which, coming into the world, lighteth every man." So John iii 19, " Light is come into the world ;" and chap. xii. 46, "I am come a light into the world ;" — parallel expressions unto this. So that from the word ivorld nothing can hence be extorted for the universality of grace or ransom. The whole weight must lie on the words " every man," which yet Thomas More doth not at all insist upon ; and if any other should, the word, holding out actual illumination, can be extended in its subject to no more than indeed are illuminated.
Christ, then, coming into the world, is said to enlighten every man, partly because every one that hath any light hath it from him, partly because he is the only true light and fountain of illumination ; so that he doth enlighten every one that is enlightened : which is all the text avers, and is by none denied. But whether all and every one in the world, before and after his incarnation, were, are, and shall be actually enlightened with the knowledge of Christ by his coming into the world, let Scripture, experience, reason, and sense determine. And this, in brief, may suffice to manifest the weakness of the argument for universal redemption from this place ; waiving for the present, not denying or opposing, another interpretation of the words, renderingc the enlio^htening here mentioned to be that of reason and understanding, communicated to all, Christ being proposed as, in his divine nature, the light of all, even the eternal wisdom of his Father.