Page 94
§. 139. Of Creatures waxing old.
TO make that Point of the mutability of creatures more clear, two resemblan∣ces are used; One taken from the waxing old of a garment, the other from the folding up of a vesture.
This particle ALL is added, to shew the extent of that relative THEY, in the beginning of this verse. Of this extent See §. 136.
The resemblance of waxing old is taken from such things as by continuance do use to waste. The Hebrew is attributed to an old person, Gen. 18. 12. To bones,* 1.1 Psa. 32. 3. to flesh and skin wasted, Lam. 3. 4. To mans form or beauty, Psa. 49. 14. To garments, shoes, sacks and bottles, Iosh. 9. 4, 5, 13. To a vintage, Isa. 32. 10.* 1.2
The Greek word is applied to money-bagges, Luk. 12. 33. and to the Cove∣nant vailed over with Legall rites, Heb. 8. 13. A Noun coming from the same root is attributed to garments and bottles, Mat. 9. 16, 17. and to leaven, 1 Cor. 5. 8.
All the fore-mentioned Instances by experience are known to consume by de∣grees; So do all things here below: As for the Heavens, they may be said to wax old as doth a garment, in that they are appointed to an end, to an end I say of what they are now, 2 Pet. 3. 10. The longer therefore they have continued, the nea∣rer they approach to that end; as a garment the longer it is worn, the nearer it is to its end.
The comparison betwixt heavens and garments is to be taken not simply of the manner of their coming to an end, by decaying and wasting more and more, but indefinitely in regard of the end it self, namely, that they shall have an end.
The other comparison ver. 12. is added to give further light to the point in hand;* 1.3 It is joyned with a copulative AND, And as a vesture, &c.
These two words garment, vesture, in generall intend one and the same thing. The former, garment, both in Hebrew and Greek signifieth any thing that one useth* 1.4 to put upon his body; So doth also the latter, vesture, It is put for a covering over* 1.5 a womans head, 1 Cor. 11. 15.
In reference to this latter it is said, Thou shalt fold them up; The Greek word here used is not elsewhere in the New Testament.
- 1. Some take it for such a folding up of a large broad vesture as bringeth it into a very small compasse, and maketh it appear very little in comparison of that which it seemed to be before. So the heavens which are now spread over the whole world, shall be brought to little or nothing; It is said that The Heavens shull be rolled together as a Scrole, Isa. 34. 4. A Scrole was a fair piece of paper or parchment, or rather many pieces stitched and pasted one to another, wherein such things as use now to be printed, were written, and then rolled up, as Inventories of wils are; and being rolled up they were compacted in a small volume; and nothing therein written could be discerned; Mention is made of such scroles or rolls, Ezra 6. 1, 2. Isa. 8. 1. Ier. 36. 2. Ezek. 2. 9.
- 2. Others take the word for turning a thing; as when a garment is some while worn on the one side, the other side is turned; To this they apply these words, We look for new Heavens, and a new earth, 2 Pet. 3. 13. New, not in the substance, but in the quality thereof, more glorious then before.
Thus this phrase of rolling up or turning the heavens doth not intend an utter* 1.6 abolition, but a clear renovation of them.
The Hebrew word gives proof hereunto; For it properly signifies as by our English it is translated, to change. Hereupon sundry Expositors suppose another Greek word, somewhat like this, to be used by the Apostle, a word that signifieth to change. But seeing the former word translated fold up, may include that sense, why should any think of altering the Text from the agreement of all the Greek Copies therein, and of the LXX whom the Apostle follows, and of sundry Greek Fathers?
This that hath been distinctly and largely set down by the holy Ghost of the al∣teration* 1.7 of creatures, and that both simply thus, They shall perish, and also symbo∣lically under the resemblances of a garment waxing old, and a vesture folded up, doth much amplifie the unchangeable constancy of Christ; For contraries laid to∣gether