2. The Scripture testifieth that “known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world,” Acts xv. 18; not only all those which at first he wrought, but also all that ever he would so do. The idea and system of them was all in his holy mind from eternity. Now, though in their creation and production they are all singly suited and fitted to the time and season wherein they are brought forth and made; yet as they lie all together in the mind, will, and purpose of God, they have a relation, one to another, from the first to the last. There is a harmony and correspondency be- tween them all; they lie all in a blessed subserviency in themselves, and in their respect unto one another, unto the promotion of the glory of God. And therefore, though in the creation of all things that work was suited unto the state and condition wherein they were ereated,—that is, of innocency and holiness,—yet this hinders not but that God might and did so order them, that they might have a respect unto that future work of his in their restoration by Christ, which was then no less known unto him than that which was per- fectly wrought.
3. The most reasonable and best intelligible way of declaring the
84 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. I.
order of God’s decrees, is that which casts them under the two gene- ral heads which all rational agents respect in their purposes and operations,—namely, of the last end, and the means conducing thereunto. Now, the utmost end of God, im all his ways towards the sons of men, being the manifestation of his own glory by the way of justice and mercy, whatever tendeth thereunto is all jointly to be looked on as one entire means tending unto that end and purpose. The works, therefore, of the old and new creation being of this sort and nature, one joint and general means for the compassing of the forementioned end, nothing can hinder but that they may have that respect to each other which before we have declared.
VERSE 3.
The apostle, in the pursuit of his argument, proceeds in the de- scription of the person of Christ; partly to give a further account of what he had before affirmed concerning his divine power in mak- ing the worlds; and partly to instruct the Hebrews, from their own typical institutions, that it was the Messiah who was figured and re- presented formerly unto them, in those signs and pledges of God’s glorious presence which they enjoyed. And so by the whole he confirmeth the proposition he had in hand concerning the excellency and eminency of Him by whom the gospel was revealed, that their
faith in him and obedience unto him might not be shaken or hin- dered.
Ver. 8.—O¢ ay araiyaowa rs O6&ns nal xupuxrhp ris Lroordcews avTOu, Dépwv Te Th ThvTa TH phwari THs duvdmsws avrod, OF EavTOD naba- PlOLoY ToInodwevos Thy Amaprian hudyv, encbioev ev Occie TIS MEyYaAWOUINS éy unbyaors,
Ar éevrod is wanting in Ms. T.; but the sense requires the words, and all other ancient copies retain them. “Hway is wanting in some copies; and one or two for éxaéice have xodiCe, which hath nothing whereunto it should relate. Some also read, év r@ Spcvw rH peyearwovyys, taken from chap. xii. 2, where the word is used.
“Os dy, “ qui est,” © qui cum sit,” “ qui existens;”—‘ who is,” “ who when he is,” or “was;” “who existing:” as Phil. ii. 6,°Os é» wopQn Osod drapyav,— “ Who being in the form of God.”
“Who being dravyacwa ris d6Ens,”— splendor,” “ radius,” “ jubar,” “ efful- a ) Cy ba etal “ yelucentia;”—“ the splendour,” “r ay, ” “beam,” © efful- gency,” or “shining forth of glory.” Syr., S78, “ germen;” so Boderius;—“ the br. anes a et elites and De Dieu, “ splendor,” ieee Arabic concurring.
Airy is “ lux,” “light,” particularly the morning light: Acts xx. 11,“ Owagoas axpis apryis,—* He talked until the break of day,” or the beaming of the morn- ing light. Advyy griov, Gloss. Vet., “jubar solis,”—“the sun-beam.” And some- times it denotes the day itself. It is also sometimes used for the light that i is in burning iron. *Asevyzis of the same signification ; pr oper ly “ splendor lucis,’
“ the brightness, shining, beauty, glory, or lustre of light.” Hence is wiry, t0 to “shine forth,” to “shine into,” to “irradiate:” 2 Cor. iv. 4, Eis rd pom abycoos
VER. 3.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 85
airoic,— That the light of the gospel should not irradiate” (shine) “ into them.” *Aravyew is of the same importance; and from thence ératvyacue. The word is nowhere used in the New Testament save in this place only; nor doth it occur in the Old of the LXX. Only we have it, Wisd. vii. 26. Wisdom is said to be adravyacue Qurds cidiov,—* a beam of eternal light ;” to which place the margin of our translation refers. Andit is so used by Nazianzen: Meyéaov Quros minxpov aravyoowe,—* A little beam of a great light.” It answers exactly to the He- brew 722, or 732 “8; that is, “ The morning light:” Prov. iv. 18, “ The path of the righteous 732 *S2,”_“ ut lux splendoris,” Jerome; “as the light of bright- ness,’—that is, “of the morning,” «ivy, Acts xx. 11. And itis also applied to the light of fire, or fire in iron, Isa. iv. 5, YS 72,—* The light of fire ;” and the fiery streaming of lightning, Hab. iii. 11.