The first and second of these I have already vindicated, in the consideration of them as they lay in their conjuncture Avith them going before in verse 1 ; proceed we therefore to the third, which is Col. i. 16, 17, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him : and he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
1. That these words are spoken of Jesus Christ is acknowledged. The verses foregoing prevent all question thereof : " He hath trans- lated us into the kingdom of his dear Son : in whom we have re- demption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the first-ljorn of every creature: for by him were all things," etc.
2. In what sense Christ is the " image of the invisible God," even the "express image of his Father's person," shall be afterward declared. The other part of the description of him belongs to that which we
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have in hand. He is '^puTorox.og Tdffyjg -/iTigiug, — " the first-born of every creature;" that is, before them all, above them all, heir of them all, and so none of them. It is not said he is -Trpuroxrisrog, first created, but irpuroroMg, the first-born. Now, the term " first" in the Scripture represents either y^hsii follows, and so denotes an order in the things spoken of, he that is the first being one of them, as Adam was the first wan; or it respects things going before, in which sense it denies all order or series of things in the same kind. So God is said to be the " first," Isa. xli. 4, because before him there was none, Isa. xliii. ] 0. And in this sense is Christ the " first-born," — so the first-born as to be the "only-begotten Son of God," John iii. 18. This the apostle proves and gives an account of in the following verses; for the clearing of his intendment wherein a few things may be pre- mised:—
1. Though he speaks of him who is Mediator, and describes him, yet he speaks not of him as Mediator; for that he enters upon verse 18, " And he is the head of the body, the church," etc.
2. That the things whose creation is here assigned unto Jesus Christ are evidently contradistinguished to the things of the church, or new creation, which are mentioned verse 18. Here he is said to be the " first-born of every creature;" there, the " first-born from the dead ;" — here, to make all things ; there, to be "the head of the body, the church."
S. The creation of all things simply and absolutely is most em- phatically expressed : — (1.) In general : " By him all things were created." (2.) A distribution is made of those " all things" into " all things that are in heaven and that are in earth ; " which is the com- mon expression of all things that were made at the beginning, Exod. XX. 11, Acts iv. 24. (3.) A description is given of the things so created according to two adjuncts which divide all creatures what- ever,— whether they are " visible or invisible." (4.) An enumeration is in particular made of one sort, of things invisible ; which being of greatest eminency and dignity, might seem, if any, to be exempted from the state and condition of being created by Jesus Christ : "Whether they be thrones," etc. (5.) This distribution and enume- ration being closed, the general assumption is again repeated, as having received confirmation from what was said before : "All things were created by him," of what sort soever, whether expressed in the enumeration foregoing or no ; all things were created by him. They were created for him iig auroc, as it is said of the Father, Rom. xi. 36; which, Rev. iv. 11, is said to be for his will and " pleasure." (6.) For a farther description of him, verse 1 7, his pre-existence before all things, and his providence in supporting them and continuing that being to them which he gave them by creation, are asserted : " And he is be- fore all things, and by him all things consist."
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Let us consider, then, wliat is excepted hereunto by them with Avhom we have to do. Thus they, —
Q. What dost thou answer to this place ?
A. Besides this, that this testimony speaks of Christ as of the mediate and second cause, it is manifest the words " were created" are used in Scripture, not only concerning the old, but also the new creation ; of which you have an example, Eph. ii. 10, 15, James i. 18. Moreover, that these words, "All things in heaven and in earth," are not used for all things altogether, appeareth, not only from the words subjoined a little after, verse 20, where the apostle saith, that " by him are all things reconciled in heaven and in earth," but also from those words them- selves, wherein the apostle said not that the heavens and eai'th were created, but " all things that are in heaven and in earth."