the Ephefians, written about the fame time with that to the Coloffians; in which we are informed that it was not till God raised Jefus Chrift from the dead, that he fet him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but in the world to come.. See Fph. i. 20. Now had Jefus Chrift abfolutely created these thrones, and dominions, and principalities, and powers, this language would have been very improper, as he must then have been above them long before his refurrection, even from the beginning of time, when he firft formed them.

6. It may be farther observed, that as v. 16, all things that are in heaven, and that are in earth, are faid to have been created by Christ, so also v. 20, all things which are in heaven, and which are in earth, are faid to be reconciled by him; and Eph. i. 10, all things which are in heaven, and which are in earth, are faid to be gathered by him into one; from which it is natural to conclude, that the three expreffions are fynonomous. But the reconciliation is declared to be an event subsequent to our Lord's death. The creation therefore, if it be fynonomous to the reconciliation, must have been fubfequent to it also.

7. The whole of this creation is afcribed to a

man,

man, to one who had lately fuffered and died. v. 14. It cannot therefore refer to the creation of the heaven and the earth, which took place 4000 years before.

I will now proceed to give what appears to me to be the true interpretation of the paffage.

The apostle begins with calling Chrift the image of the invifible God, the first born of every creature, or of the whole creation. Thefe expreffions are certain proofs that he is not himself the invisible God, for if he were, fuch things could not be faid of him. By calling him the image of the invifible God, the apoftle no doubt means, that he bears as perfect a resemblance to the invifible God, as it is poffible for a created being to bear. The phrase, first born of every creature, may relate either to his being the head of the new creation of which he is treating, or to his being the first born, or first begotten from the dead, v, 18.

It follows, v. 16, For by him were all things created, or renewed, (n) that are in heaven, and that are in earth, vifible and invifible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. It is agreed by many learned men, that this highly figurative language is borrowed from the common no

tions

(n) This is the fignification of the greek word xr in other places, See particularly the LXX. Pfalm li, 10.

more.

tions the Jews entertained respecting the different orders of beings in the heavenly world, in order that the apoftle might thus magnify the gofpel the On account of the reafon mentioned in the fifth obfervation, all he intended by it seems to have been, that a change, had taken place in both worlds, in confequence of the refurrection and exaltation of Chrift. Men were reconciled to God, and both men and angels fubjected by God to the government of his Son. This interpretation is confirmed by a parallel paffage in the prophecy of Ifaiah. Ifai. lxv. 17. Behold I create new heavens and a new earth and the former fhall not be remembered. From this prophecy no one concludes, that the prefent fyftem of things was to be done away; but that the prophet, by images borrowed from the natural world, describes the changes which would take place in the moral world, in confequence of the introduction of christianity. Would men diveft themselves of their prejudices, and explain particular texts of scripture in agreement with its uniform declarations, they would fee this paffage in the fame light.

Ver. 16. 17-All things were created by him and for him. And he is before ail things, and by him all things confift. All things relating to this new creation were brought about by his means, and in order to be made fubject to his dominion. And in

it he is himself the chief, and by him the whole is holden together.

It follows, v. 18, That he is the head of the body, the church; as though the apoftle meant to include under this title all the foregoing particulars.

Eph. iii. 9. Who (God) created all things by Jefus Christ. It is highly probable that the words by Jefus Chrift are an interpolation. They are wanting in the Alexandrian, Ephrem, Cambridge Manuscripts, and four others; alfo in the Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic verfions, and in feveral of the Fathers. (0) On the fuppofition they abfolutely make a part of the original text, the connection, I think, would determine that they referred only to the new creation. Of this opinion was Mr. Locke. (p)

The explanation of the paffages, I have now given, will be confirmed, when we confider that they are but few, and that, if we fuppose them to refer to the proper creation of the world by Jefus Chrift, they contradict the general tenor of the Old and New Teftament, which uniformly afcribes it to God the Father. Mr. Hawker was aware of this difficulty, and in order to get over it, he has recourse to that mysterious union by which he fuppofes the Father

(0) Wetstein and Griefback in loc. (p) Locke in loc.

Father and the Son are one. (q) But he has brought no paffages from the New Teftament which prove this union. The declaration of our faviour John x. 30, I and my Father are one, has been confidered in the third chapter. His affertion, John v. 19. 20, Whatfoever things the Father doth, thefe alfo doth the Son likewife, and the Father will fhew him greater works than these that ye may marvel, refers only to the power which was given him by God to work miracles. This is evident from John xiv. 12; where he makes use of fimilar language with respect to his difciples. Verily, verily, I fay unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do, fhall he do alfo, and greater works than these fhall he do; because I go unto my Father. Neither can any thing be concluded, in favour of this union, from the phrases, the Father who dwelleth in me, I am in the Father, and the Father in me: for the fame is also said of Chriftians, John i. iv. 16. He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God and God in him,

(9) P. 79-81.

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