upgn the Epiflle of JAM B s. VERS.I7· in huwenlyp!Peces, becau[e thence was their original, and there is their accompli£hmenr. A~d defcendeth, or cometh down] Not fal!eth doWn, to lhew · (faithAquinas) that wehave not bleffings by chanc·e, bat in the wayof regular means. . From.the Father ofLights,] That is, from God: The word F~tther is often ufed for the Ailtho/r or firfr caufe, as Gm. 4· 20, 2 I. The fathn· ef fuch M dwell in tents; the father of thofe that han– dle the harp; That is, the Author and Founder: So God is elfe- - where calleq Father ofSpirits, Heb. 12. 9· becaufe they do not run · - in the material channel of a flelhly defcenr, but are immediately created by G_od. Well, but what is meant by Father ofLights? Some conceive that it intendeth no more but gloriom Father, as · ~cis ufual with the Hebrews to put the Cjenitive cafe for an Epi– .thete, and the Genitive plural for the Superlative degree : But I conceive rather God is here fpoken of in allufion eo the Sun, . who · deriveth and fireameth out his light to all the fiars, and fo God be– ing the A_uthor ofall perfeCtions, whkh are alfo lignified and ex- · prdfedby light, is called here The Father ofLights; . therefore 'cis ufual in the Scriptures to attribute light toGod, and dar~e.fs to · the devil, as Lukf 22. This u yoHr hour, the power ofdark..,nefs; that is, ofSatan. Moreofthis term in the Points. With Whom uno variablenefs,] ?rneJ-11.ll.rt)'l); 'Tis an Afirono~tnical word or term, taken from the heavenly bodies, which futfer many declinations and revolutions which they call Paral~ !axes, a word that bath great affinity with this ufed by the A– poPl:le ; the heavenlyLights have their Viciffitudes, Eclipfes and D(;creafes, but our Sun lhinethalways with a like brightnefs and glory. · · Neither.fhadow of turning.] Te9?Tn~ ~a-;r.Erto-p.rt, The alluGon · is continued; Stars, according to their different fight and pofiure, have divers obumbrations ; as the neerer the Sun is to us, the lefs ·· fbadows it cafrech , the farther off, the greater ; fo that we know -the various motions and turning of the Sun by the difference of the · fhadows : But the Father of fpiritual lights is not like the Father · or ~om~tain of bodily: With him u no fhadow of turning; That is, . he IS ~llhont any motion or change, any local acceifes and recetfes, retnameth always the fame; This is~ Sun that dothnotfot or rife~ · can~o.; ~~ ~'!-'_e~~aft or fclipfod. · - ·· - -- -----:- -- -- -·· . - 'Iht ··· 127
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