ПOTEL, Syr., by faith:' So all others, per fidem, by faith :' for being put absolutely, it denotes the instrumental cause.

Noovμev, intelligimus, we understand.' Now is principally in the first place, to consider,' 'to agitate any thing in the mind,' and consequently to understand,' which is the end of that consideration.

Karnorioai, Syr. pллNT,' were ordained, disposed, ordered. Vulg. Lat. aptata, which the Rhemists render by 'framed ;' but aptata is more significant. Others, ædificata, constructa, ornata, præparata, creata, condita, built,'' made,' ' adorned,' 'prepared,'' created: for the word signifies, so to make, or be made, as to be prepared,'' orderly disposed,' and adorned.' The active is to finish, to complete, to make a thing every way perfect. In the New Testament it is most generally used for 'to order, prepare, dispose, to set in order,' Matt. iv. 21, xxi. 16; Luke vi. 40; Rom. ix. 22; 1 Cor. i. 10; Gal. vi. 1; 1 Thess. iii. 10. And it is the word used by our apostle to express the providing, making, or preparation of the body of Christ, ch. x. 5. See the exposition of that place.

Tovç alvas, secula, seculum, mundum, 'the worlds, or world.'

Εις το μη εκ φαινομενων. The Syriac, by transposing the words of this latter clause of the verse, makes the sense more plain: that the things which are seen, were, or arose from things that are not seen.' Vulg. Lat. ut ex invisibilibus visibilia fierent, that of invisible things, visible things might be made,' Rhem. improperly; yeyoveva, is not 'might be made,' but 'were made;' and aç To is as much as wote, 'so that.' The Arabic and Ethiopic wholly forsake the text, or sense of the words. Some render the words as if they were, εç то εK μn paivouɛvwv, by a transposition of the negative particle un; and then the negative is to be referred unto φαινομένων, and not to γεγονεναι. In the latter way the sense is, as rendered in our translation, the things that are seen, were not made of the things that appear:' in the other it is, 'the things that are seen, were made of things that do not appear,' which may have an understanding coincident with the other.

Ta BλɛToμeva, quæ cernimus, quæ cernuntur,' which we see, which

are seen.'

VER. 3.-By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; so that things which are seen, were not made of things which do appear.

In this first instance of the power and efficacy of faith, the apostle hath respect unto the second clause of his general description of it, the evidence of things not seen. For although this world, and the things contained in it, are visible, and are here said to be seen; yet the original framing and making of them, hath a principal place among things not seen. And to prove that faith hath a respect unto all unseen things as unseen, he gives an instance in that which was so long past, as the creation of the world; all his other instances declare its efficacy in the prospect of unseen things that are future.

First. That which is here ascribed unto faith, is, that it is the instrumental cause of it; TOTE, 'by faith:' and where faith is spoken

of as the instrumental cause of any thing, it always takes in or includes its object as the principal cause of the same things. So, where it is said, that we are justified by faith, it includes Christ and his righteousness as the principal cause of our justification; faith being only the instrument whereby we apprehend it: and here where it is said, that 'by faith we understand that the worlds were framed,' it includes its object, namely, the divine revelation that is made thereof in the word of God. For there is no other way for faith to instruct us herein, or give us an understanding of it, but by its assent to divine revelation: the revelation of it being made, faith is the only way and means whereby we understand it, and assent unto it. By faith we understand;' that is, by faith we assent unto the divine revelation of it. The apostle lays here a good foundation of all his ensuing assertions. For if by faith we are assured of the creation of the world out of nothing, which is contrary to the most received principle of natural reason, ex nihilo nihil fit, 'nothing comes of nothing; it will bear us out in the belief of other things that seem impossible to reason, if so be they are revealed. In particular, faith well fixed on the original of all things as made out of nothing, will bear us out in the belief of the final restitution of our bodies at the resurrection, which the apostle instanceth in as unto some of his worthies.

Secondly. That which is ascribed unto faith subjectively, or unto its operations in our minds, is that by it we understand.' Upon a due consideration of what is proposed in divine revelation concerning this matter, we come not only to assent unto it as true, but to have a due comprehension of it in its causes, so as that we may be said to understand it. Wherefore, understanding here is not opposed only unto an utter nescience, or ignorance hereof, but also unto that dark and confused apprehension of the creation of the world, which some by the light of reason attained unto.

Obs. I. Those who firmly assent unto divine revelation, do understand the creation of the world as to its truth, its season, its cause, its manner, and end. Others do only think about it unsteadily and uncertainly. It was never determined among the ancient sages of the world, the pretended priests of the mysteries of reason. Some said one thing, and some another: some said it had a beginning, some said it had none; and some assigned such a beginning unto it, as it had been better it never had any. Nothing but an assent unto divine revelation can give us a clear understanding hereof. And,

Obs. II. Then doth faith put forth its power in our minds in a due manner, when it gives us clear and distinct apprehensions of the things we do believe. Fath that gives not understanding is but fancy.

Thirdly. The object of this faith materially considered, is the worlds;' and of them three things are affirmed. 1. That they were framed. 2. By what means: by the word of God.' 3. In what manner: so as that the things which are seen,' &c.

1. The object of this faith is Tovç alwvas, 'the worlds' for the exposition whereof, name and thing, I must refer the reader unto that of ch. i. 3.

2. Of these worlds, that which we understand by faith is, Karnorio

VOL. IV.

BB.

Jai, that they were framed.' The word here used doth no where signify the original production of any thing, but the ordering, disposing, fitting, perfecting, or adorning of that which is produced. Nor is it any where applied to express the creation or making of the world. Wherefore, although that be included herein, (for that which is framed, fashioned, or fitted, must be first made or created,) yet something more is intended; namely, the disposal of all created things into that beautiful order which we do behold. For the apostle hath especial respect unto the things that are seen as they are orderly, beautiful, and glorious, setting forth the glory of him by whom they are made, as Ps. viii. 2, 3, xix. 1, 2; Rom. i. 21. So it is said that God by his Spirit garnished the heavens,' Job xxvi. 13; that is, cast them into that curious, glorious frame which we behold; whence they are called 'the work of his fingers,' Ps. viii. from a curious application of power in their frame and order. Hence he is said to fashion this work, Job x. 8; Ps. cxix. 73; that is, to give it shape and order. And the apostle hath in this word respect unto Gen. ii. 1, . The heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, 'were finished,' perfected, completely framed. Being originally, as unto the matter of them, created out of nothing, in the six day's work they were completely finished and perfected: and,

Obs. III. As God's first work was, so all his works shall be perfect. He undertakes nothing but what he will finish and complete in beauty and order and not only the original production of all things out of nothing, but the framing of them into their present order, is a demonstration of the eternal power of God.

And because the apostle hath respect, not merely unto the work of creation, but unto the perfecting and finishing of it in and upon the sixth day's work, he ascribes the understanding of it unto faith alone : for although some few had notions of the original creation of all things by a divine power, yet none ever knew any thing of this framing of the world, or the reducing of the matter of it into perfect order, but by divine revelation only. So we understand it by faith.

Fourthly. The efficient cause of this framing the worlds, is pnuari Oɛov, 'the word of God;' that exertion of his almighty power which was expressed by his word, let it be so and so; which was the sign of it, and the indication of its exercise. And the apostle, treating of the gradual fashioning of the world into its perfection, hath respect unto the repetition of that word in every day's work, until the whole was accomplished. By this word of God, or by the divine power of God, whose gradual operation was signified by the repetition of that creating word, the worlds were made.'

And the ineffable facility of almighty power in the production of all things out of nothing, and the framing of them into their perfect state, is intimated in this expression, 'He spake the word, and it was made; he commanded, and it stood fast.' It is alike easy to him to dispose of all things that are made. And so faith as unto the disposal of all things by divine providence, in times of greatest difficulties and insuperable obstacles, is secured by the consideration of the easy production of all things out of nothing by the same power. And this is that which the apostle intends to fix on the minds of believers in this fundamental instance of the work and effects of faith. For whereas that which he

exhorts and encourages his Hebrews to, is a patient continuance in the profession of the gospel against all difficulties and oppositions, giving them assurance that faith will enable them thereunto; this of its assent unto the creation of the world, a thing so long since past, doth not seem to be of any use or force unto these ends. For although we may believe the creation of the worlds by an act of divine power, yet it doth not seem to follow thence, that faith will strengthen us, and make us victorious in our sufferings. But two things the apostle aims to evince herein, which are eminently suited unto this design. 1. That faith is the evidence of things not seen; thereby to call the Hebrews unto the consideration of its proper object, whereon, when it is duly fixed, it will carry them comfortably through all their difficulties. 2. That they might know how easy it is with God to help, relieve, and deliver them, by changing the nature of all things at his pleasure, who by his word, through an almighty facility, erected and perfected the worlds. And this consideration doth God himself frequently propose for the confirmation of the faith of the church in all their troubles, Isa. xl. 28, xliv. 24, xlv. 12, li. 13.

Fifthly. The way whereby the worlds were thus framed is declared in the latter part of the verse: so that things which are seen,' &c.

First. The subject spoken of is, rа Bλɛπoμeva, 'things that are seen.' This is not of the same extent with the rovę auwvac, 'the worlds' which were framed. For they comprise all things visible and invisible, in heaven and earth, Col. i. 16. But the apostle restrains the subject spoken of unto those things which are the objects of our senses, and our reason working by them. These aspectable heavens and the earth, with all their host and ornaments; for these are they that in the first place and immediately declare the glory of God, Ps. viii. xix; Rom. i. 21. All things that are seen, or that may be seen, the heavenly orbs, with all their glorious luminaries, the earth, with all that is on it and in it, the sea, with all its fulness; all these things that are seen by us, any of mankind, or that may be so; with these things, their greatness, their glory, their order, their use, the minds of men are and ought to be affected.

by

Secondly. Of these things it is affirmed, that they is to un yeyovevaι, 'were not made of the things that do appear.' Made they were, but not of the things that do appear, which seems to be a negation of any pre-existing material cause. Some, as was observed, by the transposition of the negative particle, read the words, were made of things that do not appear;' that is, they were made by the invisible power of God. So it answers unto that of the same apostle, Rom. i. 20, For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.' These visible things were made by them which are invisible, even the eternal power and wisdom of God. And this sense I would embrace, if the phrase EK pavouɛvwv would bear it, which seems rather to respect the material than the efficient cause. But we may observe,

1. That palvoμeva, are things that appear clearly,' illustriously, in their shape and order.

2. That the apostle doth not speak absolutely of the first original production of all things out of nothing, but of the forming, framing, and fashioning of all things into their proper state and order; called the finishing' of the heavens and the earth, with their hosts, or order and ornaments.

3. There is therefore in the words, 1. A negation of any pre-existing material cause unto the creation of these worlds. 2. An assignation of the only efficient cause of it, which is the power of God; which things are rather supposed than asserted in the words. 3. Respect unto the order of the creation of all things, in bringing them unto their perfection. Now this was, that all the things which we now behold, in their order, glory, and beauty, did arise or were made by the power of God, out of that chaos, or confused mass of substance, which was itself first made and produced out of nothing, having no cause but the efficiency of divine power. For hereof it is said, that it was without form and void, and darkness was upon it, Gen. i. 2. That is, though absolutely, as a material substance, it was visible, yet it did not appear conspicuously in any shape or form; it was void, and without form; no such things at all appeared as the things which we now behold, that were made out of it by the power of God. Wherefore, in these words, which have much of obscurity and difficulty in them, the apostle doth both intimate the original production of all things out of nothing by the efficacy of divine power, and the making or framing of all things as they are in beauty and order to be seen, out of that unaspectable, unappearing matter which was first made out of nothing, and covered with darkness until it was disposed into order.

The understanding hereof, we have by faith alone from divine revelation. Nothing of the order of the creation can be known or understood any other way. And this the apostle intimates in those particles aç TO, that is, worε, 'so that;' by faith alone we understand that the worlds were made; namely, so as that the things which are seen, were not made of the things that appear. And,

Obs. IV. The aids of reason, with the due consideration of the nature, use, and end of all things, ought to be admitted of to confirm our minds in the persuasion of the original creation of all things; yet are they not to be rested in, but we must be take ourselves unto faith fixed on divine revelation.-For, 1. If they are alone, they will be often shaken with a contrary rational maxim, namely, ex nihilo nihil fit. 2. They can give us no light into the way and manner of the creation of all things, which faith alone discovers.

VER. 4.-FROм the proposition of the nature of faith in general, and a declaration of its efficacy with respect unto things believed, the apostle proceeds to give instances of its power and efficacy in particular persons, whose example in believing, he proposeth unto the Hebrews for their encouragement: and he begins with Abel, suitably on all accounts unto his design. For, 1. He was the first whose faith is expressly recorded and commended in the Scripture, and so meet to be mentioned in the first place. He was the first in the first distribution of the ages of the church that he makes. 2. He was the first that