our only understanding by faith, that they were produced by the word of GOD ; but that the creation of these things which are seen was thus effected, we best understand by faith alone ; — a fact which shows much more the wonderful power of faith. There is an amplification of rb nary pried at, were framed, by means of this clause. — ^r\ IK <pai\>o,uevuv ra fiXsKopeva ytyovtvat) The dis tinction of the words must be especially noticed. <J>a/vo//,a/, I appear, begin to be seen, with the idea of commencement : (3Xf<7To{Aat, lam seen, I am before the eyes. Ta (3Xz<7r6/Asva, the things which are seen, exist, and in our days are the light, the sky, the earth, the stars, etc. ; but the same things were appearing, or beginning to be seen (<patv6fj,eva), at the time when they were made e£, O-JK ovruv, out of things not existing, 2 Mace. vii. 28, and were ordered to come forth : and so indeed it might be said, SK <paivo{A£vuv ra fiXsnofAtva ysyovsvai, namely, as to (in) them selves ; that is, that the things which are seen to-day, were ap pearing (commencing to be seen) at the beginning ; they were not from eternity, but began to appear and to be conspicuous at some particular time, whereas they formerly did not exist ; comp. SK, from, Rom. vi. 13. But in respect of us, the apostle, by putting not before it, expresses a different meaning, and declares W SK (paivoftsvuv, K.r.X., that the things which are seen were not made of the things which do appear [of things beginning to be seen, viz. by us, in the act of their creation]. For it was when the world was already produced, that both the first man was created and we are born. We were not spectators of the creation. Let that Question of the Creator, Job xxxviii. 4, etc., be considered. By faith, therefore, we perceive the crea tion ; faith has, both backwards and forwards, scope for its exercise (materials on which it may be exercised). Hence it is evident, that the particles, ^ SK, not from, should be explained in their order ; although sometimes ou or w, not, with a prepo sition, is transposed for the sake of softening the expression [imparting ydog and courtesy to the language], without in ge neral affecting the sense, as 1 Chron. xv. 13, OVK sv r& nporepov vju,a$ eJvai, in your not being formerly employed for this service, i.e. before you were employed.
4. TiXsiova) a more excellent, preferable, and on that account more highly esteemed. Each of the brothers followed his own