Annotations upon the Holy Bible — Volume 2 — Section 1673

thin &y. But they diſ-claim the Philoſophical Notions about Flatonick 1deas, only conceive all to be made in Chrift, as the exemplary cauſe whom God had in his eternal Decree ſet up as the pattern of all perfettions being his Tmage according to which 'twas agreed .in the Council of the Trinity, Man ſhould be made, Gen. 1. 26. But the moit do according to our '1ran- {lation, render it (as an Hebrew Phraſe) by (being of the ſame import with that in the end of the verſe) or through which 15 eCx- xethve of the principal efficient , not the inftrumental cauie 3 for all the things made were produced out of nothing into being immediately by him, #2 1. 3, 10. Heb: 1. 8, 10. he might well be Lord over them all, who was the firſt Founder of them, Aits 10. 36. 1 Cor. 8, 6. And whatever the Adverſarics alledge, "tis plain in Scripture that by 1s uſed of the principal cauſe, v. 1. Rome 11+ 31,36. 1 Cor. I. 1. & 12. 8, 9. 2 COr. Is 1. Gal, 1. Ts 1 Theſſ. 4. 2. & 2 Theſ. 3. 12. 4 Creation is fimply, univerſally and abſolutely attributed to him, for whatever ſubtilities ſome would ſuggeſt, all things created by him is equivalent to he created all things. Compare 7ſal. 96. 5. & 102. 25. With 1/4. 44+ 24- & 48. 13. For. 10. 12. Affs 17. 24+ With Rom. Ll. 30- like 1 Cor. 1. 9. With 1 Thefſ. 2. 12. e The Apoſile ſpeaks exten- fively of all proceeding from not being into being, both gene- rally and diftributively agreeable to the common expretſion of all things that were made. at the beginning, Ads 4. 24. though in Scripture where mention is made of the Creation , Heaven and Earth be not always exprelled, Iſa. 40. 26. Mark 10. 6. & 13-19. Afts 17.24. Rom. 1. 20. 2 Pet. 3.4. Rev. 4+ 11. but here where all things in Heaven and Earth, vitible- and invilt- ble are expreſſed, *tis evident that Heaven and Farth-are to- gether comprehended. f Theſe two adjuntts of viſible and>/n- viſible to divide all Creatures whatſoever , there being nothing made that is not one or the other. An Enumeration 1s parti cularly made of the latter, which & their excellency (it any) might ſeem to be exempted (by thoſe in danger of being be- guiled do the worſhipping of Angels) from the ftate and condi- tion of being created by Jeſus Chrift, particularly. kh Thoje he here names as elſewhere, Rom. 8. 33. Eph. 1. 20, 21. & 3. 10. & 6. 12.) in the Abſtratts for the Concretes, the Invitble Inhabitants of the World, 1 know ſome would have dignities in humane policy to be meant, as 7it. 3. I. 2 P-t. 2. 10. Fule Ve 10. But *tis more rational with the generality of ancient and modern Interpreters, as c. 2. 15. to expound theſe "Titles of Incorporeal and Angelical Creatures, whether by an Emphatical Sy7monymte, Angels generally by a Metorymie being Minifters of the heavenly ftate, or more probably as thould ſeem trom the ſcope of the Place by ſuch a ſubdivition of Inviſibies as the Apoſtle did con- ceive there was according to the properties wherein thy were eminent, and the offices whercunto they were delegated of God, which he exprefſeth disjunctively by borrow'd Titles from the diftintions of Men in Digaities and Offices here below, as Dukes, Farls, Lords, and cther Magiſtrates, the <criptures elſewhere intimatinz, diſtinftions among. the ſpiritual *4inifters attending the commands of the heavenly Xajeſty-upon his Throne, repre- fented ſhadow'd by the Cherubims, G2#. 2. 24, Exod. 25.18, 22. 1 $M: fe 4o & 2 Sams Go 2+ I Chrome 25. 18. DTſal, $0. lo Iſa. 37» 16, 35. Ezzk. 1. 13. denominated Arch-Angel and Princes, Fude 7's 9. Dan. 10. 13, 21, I Theſſ. 4+ 16. Which imply ſome diftin- tions and orders among Angelical Beings, but what that is we know not (whatever is diſputed in the &»maz Schools from the fpurious Denys) and theretore having no ground from Scripture, account it no better than curioiity to enquire , and raſhneſs to determine. #Z After his enumeration and diftribution of things created, the Apoftle doth, for further confirmation, repeat the univerſal propotition or aſſumption with a prepolition exprefhive of the ſame abſolute efficiency of cauſality that is attributed to God the Father-and the Holy Ghoft, all created things being made by him, 7. e. by Chriſt, whoſe Works without are undi- vided from thoſe of the other Perſons in the Trinity z they were all brought out of nothing into being by him, not by Angels. k Which is more tully prov'd from his being the final (as well as efficient) -cauſ2 of them; they all had their being, in reſpea of him or for him, 7. e. his Glory, Rom. 11.36. to mani- feſt his divine power and infinite goodneſs, Fokn 5. 17, 23. & 17. 5. he is their end as well as founder, Kev. 5.12. the Apoſtle afirms the ſame of him that is athrmed of the Father, Fob 9. 8. Prove 16. 4+ ſa. 44+ 24+ he made them all for his own ſake. The: Socinizns in derogation to Chriſt's Divinity would reſtrain, limit and narrow what Chriſt ſaith here in ths verſe to the new creation or reparation, but againit manifeſt reaſon. _For 1. The words creature and creation 1n the foregoing verſe, and this, are uſed abſolutely as was before ſuggeſted , and ſo creared here re- peated twice and joined with the word all, and therefore to be underſtood as elſewhere abſolutely of the 014 or firſt Creation , Mark 10. 6. & 13+ 19. & 16. 15, ROM. I. 20, 25, I Cor. 11s 9. 1 Tim. 4. 2. Heb. 4. 13+ 2 Pet. 3. 4. Rev. 10. 6. for when it is uſed of the ſecond creation or reſtoration the reſtrictive addita- ment of zew is joined with it, Jfa. 65. 17, 18. 2 Cor.5.17- Gal. 6. 15. Eph. 2. 15. & 4+ 24+ not left indefinitely as here. 2. In parallel places, the making and founding of the old creation is alcrib'd to Chriſt, both negatively and potitively, Fon 1. 3. Hebs 1.3, 10, not one thing is excepted, and therefore ſhould not be Teftrained to men. 3. *'Tis moſt evident from the Context the Apoſtle doth in this verie diſcourſe of creation, in contradiſtin- &ion to what he ſpeaks of afterwards in the 1$th- and 20th verſes, when he comes to treat of Chriſt as Head of his Church, and we have no reaſon to charge the Apoſtle with a uſeleſs repeti- tron further. 4. The Apoſtle's ſignificant enumeration and di- ſtin&tion of things created doth evidence that he underſtood the ſub), the creation, in the moſt extentive and unlimited confide- ration of it. He reckors3 up mate: ialas well as immaterial things, and thoſe in Heaven which necded no reſtoration, as well as tive on earth which did, being polluted with iin. Thoſe An- gels who had not put of the honour of tie tit, did not belong 0 the New Creation z having not d-velted themiclves of their Vol. Jl.