to deny that some Churches were not yet compleatly formed when St. Paul wrote to them in which number seems to have been the Church of Rome But this of Thessalonica must be excepted as appears from Chap. v. 12 13. Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the Church of God and Christ The Jews often pleaded that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kehal o hedath Jehovah The Congregation of the Lord a phrase not unusual in Moses of which we have an example in Num. xvi 3 Now to distinguish the Christians from the Jews St. Paul calls them not only the Church or Congregation of God but of Christ The Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be in Christ is to be a Christian and being subjoined to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Christian Church or a Church of Christ See Note on Rom. xii 5 Vers 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Genitive Case here signifies the relation of a cause to its effect so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a work of which Faith is the cause or such a work as can proceed only from Faith Such was mens renouncing Heathenism and totally forsaking their old Customs and Practices in order to embrace the Christian Religion and regulate the remaining part of their Lives according to its Precepts which could not be done but by those who believed Jesus to be truly sent from God and gave the Apostles a Commission to preach what they did and so the whole Doctrin of the Gospel to be true About the ambiguous signification of a Genitive case see what I have said in my Ars Critica Part 2. Sect. 1. C. xii Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love or Charity creates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is labour to a degree of Fatigue when a Man loves his Neighbour so as to put himself to a great many Hardships and Troubles and resolves to spare no pains whereby he may benefit others Such was the Charity of St. Paul who patiently underwent incredible difficulties in those long Journeys to mention no more which he made that he might rescue multitudes of Men from eternal Destruction And that the Thessalonians followed his example as far as they could he himself teaches us in this place Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That patience of Adversities which Hope produces is never more remarkable than when Christians are persecuted for their Religion and submit to any Sufferings rather than comply with the demands of Heathens For the hope of eternal Happiness makes them most patiently undergo the cruellest Torments The Apostle therefore here teaches us that from the three great Vertues of Faith Charity and Hope proceed as all kind of good Works so particularly an officious Diligence which declines no Labour and submits to any Calamities whatsoever Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is God looking on as an Agonotheta or Overseer of the Games who confers a Crown on those that exercise themselves in Christian Vertues and persevere in them to their lives end The Arabick and Syriack seem to have omitted these Words because they could not connect them with the foregoing when other Copies have them But they might have been left out without disturbing or altering the Sense Vers 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is knowing and seeing that upon your embracing the Gospel God has actually distinguished you from other People See Note on Eph. 1.4 They who rejected the Gospel when preached to them were not discriminated from other people but lay buried still among the unbelieving multitude of Mankind as before Vers 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having received the Word which was in much affliction that is the Preachers of which were grievously afflicted with joy of the Holy Ghost that is with a pious chearfulness preferring a good Conscience and the hope of eternal Happiness to carnal Joy joined with a course of Sin and worldly Possessions Vers 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See what I have said on this Word on 1 Cor. x. 7 Vers 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza and Grotius think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be prefixed to the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the Sense should be For from you not only sounded forth the Word of the Lord in Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place your Faith is spread abroad But if we carefully consider these words we shall perceive that the opposition here is not between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sounding out of the Word and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Thessalonians Faith but between Macedonia and Achaia which were parts of Greece and every place that is all the places of the Roman Empire in which there were any Christians For the Discourse ascends in this manner The Gospel is become famous not only in some Countries of Greece by the means of your Faith whereof they have heard but also through all the Christian Churches your Faith is spread abroad The Word of God is said to have sounded out from the Thessalonians in Macedonia and Achaia that is to have been made famous by their Faith And this is what is meant by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the going out of their Faith for to go out is to be spread abroad See Psalm xix 4 and Interpreters Vers 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Alexandrian Copy here reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we had which is better than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 follows and the Discourse is about a thing past So that it must be read either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grotius thinks this is the Present tense for the Future but without any necessity for he at present frees us from the Wrath to come that sets us upon such a Course of Life which if we constantly follow we shall have no reason to fear that Wrath. Dr. Hammond thinks the Destruction of Jerusalem is also here intimated but I am not of his opinion CHAP. II. Vers 1. Note a. I had rather retain here the usual signification of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for vain or light For St. Paul shews in the following Verse that it was not any Rashness or Vanity that had put him upon preaching the Gospel which he himself did not believe to be true in Macedonia because notwithstanding the fierce opposition and despiteful usage which he met with from the Jews at Philippi he had constantly persisted in his Work For rash and vainglorious Men do indeed easily sometimes undertake difficult things but they as easily lay their Designs aside if they meet with any great difficulties in their way But those who have throughly considered things and think for very good reasons they ought to do that which they have undertaken cannot be deterred by any Difficulties from prosecuting their first Purpose They may apply to themselves that Saying of Aeneas to the Sybil in Virgil Aeneid
against small Offences as unpardonable Crimes But when Mistakes in men that have otherwise done great service to the World by their Learning are modestly censured only with this design that others may not follow them in an Error the Admirers of great Men are so far from having any reason to complain that if those great Men themselves were to live again they could not without the greatest ingratitude and being chargeable with intolerable Pride but thank those that had civilly shewn them their Error and set them in the right way Men are not so perfect in this World as to be liable to no Mistakes and those to whom we give the highest Commendations are not such as have never erred but whose Mistakes are but few or only in things of little moment Let us not therefore extol Men so as if the greatness of their Judgment or Learning had exempted them from the common danger of erring nor on the contrary think them excluded out of the number of great Men because they are convinced of some Error I have so high an opinion of Dr. Hammond upon reading over his Works that I think there have been few Interpreters ever in the World comparable to him tho I have often differ'd from him and shewn sometimes that he was mistaken So no man has a greater value for H. Grotius or is more forward to commend him or does it more frequently than I yet I have sometimes confuted him both in these Additions and elsewhere without any abatement of my esteem or veneration for him I am none of those who are always upon the extreams both in applauding men and reviling them I am for commending without envy what is praise-worthy and rejecting without malice what is opposite to Truth But you ought not they say to have mixed things of another kind with Dr. Hammond's Annotations Why not for it 's true he ought not to have any thing attributed to him that he did not say but in a Work published so long after his death and that in another language I don't see why I might not add what I thought wanting in him tho perhaps he himself would not have approved of my Additions if he had been alive For I did not publish this work for his use but of them who are now living or for posterity who may reasonably have a greater regard to Truth than to Dr. Hammond They who do not like my Additions may refuse to buy them They may get Dr. Hammond's Annotations in English by themselves But are there not great Volumes published both in England and Holland in which the Commentaries of learned men both Papists and Protestantes greatly differing in their opinions from one another are printed together And who even among the Papists was ever displeased upon that account or did not rather highly commend the design because by that means what is wanting in some is supplied by others But tho I am not always of Dr. Hammond's judgment yet the differences between us are much fewer than between the Critical Interpreters of the Old and New Testament and if they had not I would certainly never have undertaken to translate any thing of his But because I agreed with him as to the chief points of Religion and the manner of Interpreting therefore I translated his Annotations tho I differ'd from him in some things As I would have others bear with me whenever I disagree with them so I cannot only bear with but also love and respect others when they disagree with me I count it an honour as I said before to have my short Remarks published with his accurate Labours but if I may speak a little boldly without offence I do not think so meanly of my own performances as that their value if it be any can seem e're the less by their being joined with Dr. Hammond's If I had thought so I would never have published them either together or alone I might be mistaken indeed as all men are commonly dim-sighted in that which concerns themselves which whether it be true of me let learned and impartial Readers only judg but I could not but do what I thought fit to be done There is fallen lately into my hands an English Pamphlet intitled A Free but Modest Censure of some Controversial Books written in English and among the rest of my Ars Critica tho a Latin Treatise and quite of another nature from those Controversies To which there is also added the Authors judgment concerning my design in translating Dr. Hammond of which I shall here subjoin a few things That Modest but Free Writer whosoever he be will not take it amiss or at least cannot in reason if I modestly and freely vindicate my intention He says it is a harmful project to publish Dr. Hammond ' ' s Annotations on the New Testament and at the same time to mix my own Additional Notes with them This says he is a politick way to promote the Cause especially in England where the Works of that learned and pious Annotator are in so great esteem When his Criticisms and Interpretations are blended with the Socinian ones how easily will they be both imbibed together I thought fit to caution my Countrymen about this hazard that they may not be betrayed into Error even the worst of Errors whilst they are intent upon studying the Truth The Cause I have undertaken to defend both in all my other printed Works and my Additions to Dr. Hammond is no other than the Cause of Christ and his Apostles whose Authority alone in matters of Religion all Protestants think is to be regarded and followed if we may judg of their Opinion by the Confessions they subscribe of which mind I always was and ever shall be I value the Authority of Socinus or any other uninspired persons whatever destitute of reason no more than Dr. Hammond's or the Council of Trent's When I think they agree with Christ and his Apostles I assent to them and if not I differ from them I never read all Socinus his Works nor like his peculiar Opinions so far as I know them any more than other mens whom I judg to be in an Error Nay I have sometimes confuted them and as I see occasion shall confute more of them not with a design to make his Followers odious or to gain the favour of any Mortal but to vindicate Truth However I am not of their mind who because men err in some things that are otherwise obedient to the Precepts of the Gospel and look for the coming of Christ to judg the quick and the dead after the resurrection by the rule of the Gospel and reward the Good and punish the Wicked and think not that they can attain Salvation by any other means than the Faith they have in Christ as one sent from God which Faith alone they hope by the mercy of God to have imputed to them for righteousness I am not I say of their mind that sentence such men to
everlasting Flames into which they would if they were able immediately hurry them without the least mercy and in the mean time decree in a cruel manner to persecute them with Execrations and Ecclesiastical and Civil Punishments I have not so learned Christ I do not find the Apostles ever acted in that manner and whilst they are silent and do not lead the way by their Example I had rather incur the danger of being too merciful than expose my self to the Charge of the least Cruelty and Barbarity God will much sooner forgive them that heartily love him that is who keep his Commandments and especially that great and so often repeated one of loving our Neighbour their excessive Charity if any Charity can be excessive towards men fearing God and Christ tho in some things erroneous than that horrible inhumanity with which they are frequently defamed and persecuted and forced to endure all manner of Punishments only because they profess themselves not to believe what they think Christ or his Apostles never revealed I had infinitely rather stand in the number of the merciful before the tribunal of the great Judg than in the company of Persecutors whatever their Riches or Honours are in this World I had rather be in the mean while evil spoken of and suspected of Errors which I am as far from as can be than appear by any means to countenance such Barbarity Nor am I of their mind who oppose those that differ from them with any kind of Arguments after the example of bad Lawyers who deny all that their Adversaries affirm and affirm all they deny Truth in my judgment can never be well defended but by Truth Let others contend with Passion and affirm what it is the interest of their party should seem true or deny not that which they are sure is false but which they think it necessary should appear so that their side may prevail as for me I will always say what I think true and shall never fear any danger to the Christian Religion from Truth This was heretofore the mind of a great man for whom Dr. Hammond had always a very high value whom he often transcribed whom he defended against the Calumnies of his Adversaries and in whose praise he every where speaks All know very well that I describe Hugo Grotius who whenever he thought Socinus or Crellius truly interpreted any place of Scripture made no scruple to follow them tho he knew at the same time that some ill minded men reviled him for it Wherefore Dr. Hammond has justly more than once pleaded his Cause as every one that has read over the second Volume of his Works knows I am not at all for diminishing Dr. Hammond's Reputation as I have already sufficiently declared I do not deny but he was a pious and learned man nay if I had not those thoughts of him I would never have undertaken to translate one line of his Writings But my Animadversions neither need his Piety nor Learning to make them be read if they are valuable and if they are not the Learning and Piety of Dr. Hammond will not procure me the Reader 's favour on the contrary if I am any where mistaken the comparing them with Dr. Hammond will but render my Mistakes the more visible But Socinian Doctrins says my Censurer will be imbibed with the true I answer I have before denyed that I follow Socinus as my Guide but I don't understand why this Censurer should be so much afraid lest the true Doctrins asserted by Dr. Hammond should not be effectual to prevent the ill impressions that false and Socinian Interpretations may make upon Readers minds If I were to reason after his manner I should say that this Censurer is a close Socinian who by secret methods eâ—â—â—â—â—ours to advance the credit of Socinus his Opinions For it must needs be a very powerful Doctrine in his apprehension which if any tho never so little of it be mixed with the Writings of Orthodox Divines it so obscures all their Reasons that whether they will or no it is easily imbibed This way of arguing tends more to magnify and promote than to depress and extinguish Socinianism against which the most learned Annotations on the New Testament are not it seems a sufficient Preservative Besides this there is another thing which gives ground for suspicion and it is what my Censurer and other such as he generally stand by To wit If a person be any thing ingenious or more learned than ordinary and writes out of the common road he is presently a Socinian as if all men of sense must needs turn Socinians We have lately had a remarkable instance of this in the worthy and ingenious Mr. Lock who because he reasons more accurately about many things than any before him had done in his Excellent Treatise of Humane Vnderstanding is immediately cried down as a Socinian by this Censurer and others This is in earnest to favour the Socinians to make all good wits of their number Just such reports were formerly spread at Hug. Grotius and Ren. Cartesius which were no disgrace at all to those men but an honour to the Socinians So Erasmus was before charged with Arianism by the Monks of those times and others no better than they as if it had been impossible for a man of his capacity to be Orthodox I am conscious to my self how far I come short of those great men in learning and natural abilities but if my Censurer was in earnest in the commendations he bestows upon me he must needs own that those endowments of mind which he attributes to me were also the occasion of my falling into those Opinions which he calls the worst of errors But if he only flatter'd me that he might speak the more spitefully of me afterwards let me tell him that feigned Respect is an argument of very little candour to say no worse of it If he will say that Socinus was mistaken in a great many things I fully agree with him but I can reckon up a great many worse Errors than his whereof I shall mention but one out of respect to my Censurer that is of those who think men deserve eternal Torments whom Christ never condemned who by all means persecute those that differ from them tho they own themselves to be as liable to Error as the very men whom they persecute who in a word think they may upon very slight suspicions traduce men that are heartily devoted to Christianity and sober in their lives as a kind of Plagues to be carefully shunned He that does not ascribe to Christ what he thinks Christ never assumed to himself if otherwise he perform constant obedience to all his Precepts which he fully understands may obtain the forgiveness of his Ignorance from a most favourable and compassionate Judg but he that breaks the Command of loving his Neighbour which is as clear as the Sun at noon-day by Slandering and Bitterness and Cruelty and dies in
enough to shew the necessity of this Observation But these Lessons were written for the sake of such as love Truth not such as are ready to defend or oppose any thing for Reward In the viii th Chap. of the same Part I said that all Men had not the same Notion of God but some a larger and more noble one and others a meaner and more contracted one of which I alledged very plain examples which I thought were almost useless because no Man that had the least knowledg of Mankind could have any doubt of it But this Censurer neither understood what I said nor himself while he affirms that these are no very reverent thoughts of God They only think irreverently of God who either worship Idols or after they have endeavour'd without any regard to Truth Justice or Charity to defame Men that fear God think they have deserved well of Religion and their Country and that therefore those Revenues are due to them which the Piety of the Antient Christians instituted only in favour of good and learned Men not of Slanderers Afterwards my Censurer upbraids me for reciting in Part iii. several places of the New Testament wherein the Discourse is of Christ corrupted by bad Men in the antient Copies whether they thought well or ill of Christ which I did not enquire into nor did I deduce any Consectary relating to any Theological Doctrin from thence He does not shew that there was no alteration made in those Copies because he could not but he interprets all these things in a bad sense according to his custom What he himself thinks of these things I cannot tell nor am I concern'd to know but I must needs says he defends the Cause which he affirms to be the best both here and elsewhere just as the most desperate Causes use to be defended that is by concealing Truth and endeavouring to make those who declare it as odious as is possible Which whether it be for the honour of a Party I leave him to consider and those whose province that is At last he concludes his unjust Accusations with an Observation which effectually confutes almost all he had said before to wit that I have alledged nothing new in favour of the Socinians about those places nor endeavour'd to confute Bishop Pearson and Bishop Stillingfleet For thence he ought to have inferred that I had another design which I should not have executed otherwise than I have done if there had never been any Socinians in the World My intention having been only to shew the use of Criticks in things of the greatest moment and if I am not mistaken I have reached my end The rest of what my Censurer says has either been already confuted or does not deserve consideration This worthy Sir is what I thought fit to say of Dr. Hammond and my Ars Critica which I had a mind should be published that the World might have this Testimonial of my Intentions not to engage my self in a Quarrel with my Censurer who if he be not brought to righter Apprehensions by what I have here said no Arguments would ever convince him Let him now call himself to an account for his Accusations and not hope that God should be propitious to him unless he repent of his unchristian Behaviour which I speak with so hearty a good will to him that I earnestly pray God not to lay this thing to his charge but rather reduce him to a better Mind YOVRS J. LE CLERC Amsterdam Jan. 25. 1698 9. Errata P. 3. lin 8. r. their bold P. 48. l. 8. r. deep rooting or like weeds P. 95. l. 16. r. Vers 51. P. 214. l. 13. f. has not r. had P. 234. l. 14. f. Ibid. r. Vers 28. Note h. P. 473 and 475. run Tit. r. COLOSSIANS P. 545. l. 18. r. compared 〈…〉 former yet they ADDITIONS TO Dr. HAMMOND's ANNOTATIONS ON THE New Testament Addition to the Annotation on the Title of the whole Book T0 this which Dr. Hammond has observed of the word διαθήκη if we add what is said of the same word by Grotius there will remain but this one thing further to be noted whereby many places of Scripture yea the whole Christian Doctrin may be illustrated Namely that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whatever sense it be taken is metaphorical and borrowed from the Customs of Men for Covenants and Testaments properly so called are only made amongst Men. Now Metaphorical Terms are seldom grounded upon a perfect Similitude between those things to which they are indifferently applied and therefore they cannot always be scrued up to the whole Latitude of their natural signification It is sufficient if there be any Agreement tho but small between the thing of which any word is used in a metaphorical sense and that which it properly signifies So that all that can be inferred from the bare word is that the several things expressed by it have some affinity with one another And in order to determin wherein that similitude lies we must carefully consider both things themselves Which being done we may argue from the thing to the signification of the word but not from the word to the thing So that from the sacred Writers calling the Laws of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Covenant or Testament this only in the first place can be concluded that there is some likeness between the Laws of God and Covenants or Testaments But that we may distinctly know wherein that likeness consists we must first consider in what manner God deals with Men setting aside all metaphorical Notions and looking as narrowly as possible into things themselves then we must enquire what Men do when they enter into Covenants or make Testaments and lastly by a comparison of both we may gather the true sense of the metaphorical Word or Phrase So that they labour in vain who whilst things themselves remain obscure deduce as many Similitudes as they can from words Now if we consider the way in which God deals with Men under the Gospel and then think what is ordinarily done in Testaments we shall find that there is only this similitude between the Gospel and a Testament that in both there is something given and in both Death intervenes So that wherever the Gospel is called a Testament provided the Speaker can be thought to have a clear knowledg of things themselves only one or other of these will be signified For this is also to be carefully observed that the mind of the Speaker must be known before â—ny thing be affirmed of it for tho two things agree in many particulars yet we often think but of one or a few of them and would not always have them all urged To illustrate this by an example It appears from the place in Heb. ix 16 17. which Dr. Hammond here interprets that the Sacred Writer only compares the Gospel and a Testament so far as there is a Death and Gift in both And therefore the
to signify a divine Mind or God himself did never mean by it a Nature speaking in the Name of God but only understanding and disposing all things into order Timaeus Locrus a Pythagoraean who perhaps first used this word in his description of the Creation of the World speaks thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before therefore the Heaven was made there were in Reason the Idea and Matter and God the Creator of a better So Epicharmus the Comaedian in his Commonwealth as he is cited by Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. Lib. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Grotius interprets thus Est humana ratio hanc praeter est divina altera Ratio humana circa vitam victum semet occupat At divina Ratio est artis opifex comes omnibus Edocens ipsos quid usus maxime facto siet Quippe homo non reperit artem sed dat hanc auctor Deus Ipsaque illa humana ratio nata est ex ratione Dei Plato Timaeus's Interpreter and Epicharmus's Imitator in his Timaeus calls likewise the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasoning p. 528. Ed. Gen. of Ficinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All this true reasoning of God being reasoned c. But in his Epinomis he uses the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Stoicks who as Diogenes Laertius tells us in Lib. 7. Sect. 135 136. affirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it was the same thing which was called God and the Mind and Fate and Jupiter and by a great many other names said also that God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did in the beginning being the seminal Reason of the World dispose all things The same Author in Sect. 134. says it was the Doctrin of the Stoicks that there were two Principles of all things viz. an Active and a Passive the latter of which was Matter or Substance without any Quality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the former viz. the Active was REASON which was in it and which was GOD for this being eternal out of all that viz. Matter or Passive principle formed every thing And to this Doctrin of the Stoicks Tertullian in Apol. cap. 21. had a respect when he says Apud vestros quoque sapientes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Sermonem atque Rationem constant artificem videri Vniversitatis Hunc enim Zenon determinat factitatorem qui cuncta in dispositione formaverit eundem fatum vocari Deum animum Jovis necessitatem omnium rerum It is well known that also among your wise men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Speech and Reason was thought to have been the maker of the Vniverse For this Zeno affirms to have been the Creator who formed and disposed all things and was called Fate and God and the Mind of Jupiter and the Necessity of all things There was no need of joining the word Sermo to Ratio to render the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for what place could there be for Speech in the Creation and Disposition of the Universe But there was for Reason and therefore Seneca setting down the Opinion of Plato and the Stoicks makes frequent mention of that as in Ep. 65. Causa autem saith he id est Ratio materiam format quocunque vult versat Quaerimus quid sit causa Ratio faciens id est Deus c. The cause that is Reason formeth Matter and turns or diversities it how it pleases If you ask what is meant by Cause it is Reason creating that is God And in Lib. de Vita Beata cap. 8. he stiles it incorporalis Ratio ingentium operum artifex incorporeal Reason the Author of great Works Consult also Philo wherever he speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Creation of the World and we shall see that he never understands Speech by it but only Reason See his Book de mundi opificio where he says that it was the intelligible Pattern of the World and had no other place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than the divine Mind or Reason which disposed those things Other Passages out of him I shall produce afterwards I might alledg also the Testimonies of Modern Platonicks and Ecclesiastical Writers to this purpose but that I have determined to shew only how the Antients used this word The Jews who were more antient than Philo himself called Angels both good and bad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same as if they had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Powers endued with Reason not with Speech which Philo also imitated So the Author of the Book of Wisdom Chap. xviii 15 16. speaking of the revenging Angel that was sent against the Egyptians says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thine almighty Reason leapt down from Heaven out of thy Royal Throne as an inexorable Warrior into the midst of a land of destruction and brought thine unfeigned Commandment as a sharp Sword and standing up filled all things with Death and it touched the Heaven but it stood upon the Earth c. The Writer of this Book attributes a Throne to this Angel in agreement with the custom of the Eastern Nations who called Angels Thrones Otherwise he imitates Homer who Iliad Δ vers 443. speaking of Iris saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She fixes her head in the Heaven and walks upon the Earth I know indeed there are some Interpreters who would make St. John to have a respect to the Expression of Moses who represents God as creating the World by speaking or saying But tho Moses teaches us that God made all things as it were by a Command yet it is manifest he does not mean speech properly so called as I have shewn in my Notes on Gen. Ch. i. So that it would be but a dull Allusion to say upon that account that the Word was with God yea God himself nor are there any such Allusions observable in St. John's stile Ibid. And that Reason was with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is said here that Reason was with God by way of antithesis or opposition to what is afterwards said concerning the manifestation of the divine Reason among men Afterwards it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it dwelt in Jesus Christ nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forasmuch as Christ conversed with men and by the inspiration of the divine Reason called them to a better life I might produce out of Plotinus if he were not a late Author a like expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I shall alledg only the words of Ignatius in his genuin Epistle ad Magnesios concerning Jesus Christ pag. 33. Ed. Voss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who before all Ages was with the Father but in the end appeared Which words allude to this place in St. John and
the Vulgar by propellere to push forward or to carry along to Judgment for it did not belong to the Jews to question any man but only to the Judges So this word is taken in that excellent saying of Solon in Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That City is extremely well governed in which those that are not injured as well as those that are carry such as do any injury to judgment and punish them Vers 35. Note i. The title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is common in the Coins of the Cities of Asia but Ephesus gloried in it above the rest For there are some pieces of Ephesian Money to be seen at this day in which Ephesus is not only simply stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or twice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but there is also a piece coined under the reign of Caracalla inscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and another under Heliagabalus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which they boast that they only of all the Cities of Asia had been four times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See J. Foy-Vaillant in Num. Aer Impp. coined in Colonies and Corporations T. 2. pag. 171. CHAP. XX. Vers 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Alexandrian Copy the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is omitted as the Oxford Edition of the New Testament observes I wonder that Dr. Hammond who often sets down the various readings of that Copy should take no notice of this It is observable also that instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many Copies read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And such variations as these are common in the places heretofore controverted in the time of the Nicene Synod CHAP. XXI Vers 7. Note a. THE Vulgar reading is certainly right and ought not to be changed for no body besides the Doctor ever used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Greek phrase for sailing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very properly made use of to signify the finishing of a Voyage The meaning of St. Luke is clear Having finished our Navigation from Tyre we came to Ptolemais for they had first finished their Navigation before they came to Ptolemais from whence they went on foot to Caesarea Whether a Comma be put between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or whether it be omitted the thing is the same for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be connected with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having finished or made an end of our Navigation we arrived CHAP. XXII Vers 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God did sometimes shew himself to Persons encompassed with so dazling a light as even blinded the lookers on And hence that saying of Hagar in Gen. xvi 13 where see my Notes as also what I have written on Exod. xxxiv 18 20. Vers 25. Note e. lin 24. after the word such an one 1. Our Author's memory failed him when he said So saith Philo of Agrippa c. for what is there said is spoken by Agrippa of Caligula in Philo de Leg. ad Caium p. 798. Edit Genev. Philo produces a Letter of Agrippa to Caius in which Agrippa writes to him thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it is certain that could only be done by the Emperor at that time and not by Agrippa as every one knows He should have said therefore So saith Agrippa of Caligula in Philo. 2. It is strange our Author should produce a passage as out of the 47 th Book of Diodorus Siculus who wrote only 40 as Photius affirms Cod. 70. of which we have only half extant and some fragments But he meant Dion Cocceianus whose words those are in Lib. 47. p. 228. Edit Graec. Rob. Stephani Besides those words of Dion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought not to be translated that from his own name he call'd them Juliopolis but that they changed their name and called themselves from him Juliopolis For it was a piece of flattery in the Inhabitants of Tarsus who afterwards also out of flattery to other Emperors called their City Adriana Antoniniana and Severiana Of which see Luc. Holstenius on Stephanus Byzantinus The words of Dion are no proof at all that Tarsus had the freedom of the City of Rome given to it and it otherwise appears that after Augustus's time that was a free City which was govern'd not by the Roman Laws but by its own and therefore did not enjoy the privileges of the City of Rome Consult on this place H. Grotius whom the Doctor would have more safely followed as being not so well acquainted with antient History Perhaps St. Paul had been made a Roman Citizen because his Father tho a Jew had been made free of Rome such as Philo speaks of in the place quoted by the Doctor in the next Annotation CHAP. XXIII Vers 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul seems at that time to have looked another way so as not to have observed who it was that had commanded him to be smitten So that we must supply out of what goes before the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who had ordered him to be smitten on the mouth There is nothing more natural than this others seek a knot in a bulrush CHAP. XXIV Vers 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Doctor has hit the true sense of this word in his Paraphrase but only as he now and then does he borrows terms from the present custom to express it by which he should not have done because at that time those who had an accusation against any did not use to bring in the heads of it to the Proconsuls in writing but only to speak what they had to say However 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not comparere to appear or come before as it is rendered by Beza but to accuse to lay open a Crime as it is explained by Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with whom agrees Phavorinus who interprets it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shew it you manifestly It comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Pricaeus upon this place has well observed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Aristophanes's Scholiast on Equites is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an accuser and one that lays open causes and an informer And the Old Glosses have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 allego intimo to alledg to intimate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declarare to declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimatio an intimation Vers 25. Note a. We may apply those Verses of Juvenal Sat. 13. even to the Heathen Judges of that lewd and wicked Age. Prima est haec ultio quod se Judice nemo nocens absolvitur c. hos tu Evasisse putas quos diri conscia facti Mens habet attonitos surdo verbere caedit Occultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum Ver. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. To please or gratify the Jews lest they should send Informers to Rome and complain of his
whom he had banished Dyrrachium and Philippi and other Towns to inhabit By this it appears how a little before St. Paul's time Philippi came to be enlarged because that City had twice received a Colony of Romans We may consult Foy-Vaillant on Numismata aerea Coloniarum The same Author testifies that Philippi in pieces of Coin is stiled Metropolis But that there was any regard had in that to Ecclesiastical order or dignity of Bishops even from the very time of St. Paul Dr. Hammond has not proved nor will any other I believe prove tho the thing be undoubtedly more antient than many think The Passage alledged out of the Digest is in lib. 50. tit 15. de censibus leg 8. § 8. and is Paulus's not Vlpian's as is said by our Author who it seems cited him upon trust He might have added that of Celsus in leg 6. Colonia Philippensis juris Italici est II. Our Author affirms that after Vespasian had brought a Colony into Caesarea that City became immediately even in respect of Ecclesiastical Government a Metropolis under which Jerusalem it self was But at that time there was no Jerusalem because it had been razed to the ground and was not rebuilt till under Adrian who put into it a Roman Colony as we are told by Xiphilinus in the Life of Adrian and as appears by a great many Medals in which it is called COL AEL CAP. Colonia Aelia Capitolina And who told our Author there was a Bishop at Caesarea in the time of Vespasian From what marks of Antiquity did he gather that the Caesarean Bishops were reckoned superior in Dignity and Order to those of Jerusalem from the Age of Vespasian If what he says be true that a City which had a Roman Colony brought into it was made a Metropolis Jerusalem enjoyed that Privilege as well as Caesarea tho not quite so soon Vlpian in the foremention'd Tit. lib. 1. § 6. saith Palaestina duae fuerunt Coloniae Caesariensis Aelia Capitolina sed neutra jus Italicum habet But I look upon this also as improbable III. I am ready to think that the reason why the Antients place Philippi sometimes in Thrace and sometimes in Macedonia is not because those Provinces were variously divided which yet I do not deny but because when Cities stand upon the borders of any two Countries it is doubtful to which of them they belong The same I say of Nicopolis What our Author says besides about many Churches and those Episcopal depending upon the Metropolis of Philippi is nothing but Conjecture which I am not wholly for rejecting but which I do not easily believe Learned Men often partly prove things out of the Ancients and partly make up by Guess and Conjecture what they would have to be true then they equal their Conjectures to that which they have proved and from all put together they very easily infer what they please Because St. Paul preached the Gospel first at Philippi does it presently follow that that City was also accounted the Metropolis in respect of Ecclesiastical Order The rest also is very deceitful and uncertain Ibid. Note b. I. The Opinion of Grotius and others seems to be much plainer who think that as the words Presbyter and Bishop are promiscuously used tho' there was one Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called so also the word Bishop signifies both Orders first and second which is the reason why we meet with this word in the Plural Number where the Discourse is but of one Church There was a Communion of Names between Ministers of the first and second Rank so that those of the first Rank were sometimes stiled Presbyters and those of the second Bishops not because their Authority was the same and their Office in every respect alike but because there was little or no difference between them as to preaching the Gospel and administring the Sacraments But the particular Power of Ordination might belong to one Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called II. That which our Author says about Metropolitans and by the help of which alone he defends himself against his Adversaries as to those Apostolical Times is very uncertain nor can it be proved by the Authority of the Writers of the following Ages who speak of the Primitive Times according to the Customs of their own and not from any certain Knowledg not to say at present that Bishops or Presbyters aspiring to that Dignity cannot always safely be heard in their own cause It is not probable that there was any Episcopal Church in the Proconsular Asia besides Ephesus at the time spoken of in Acts xx or in Macedonia besides Philippi and Thessalonica But a little while after when the number of Christians was encreased there were other Episcopal Seats constituted in them Ibid. Note c. I. I also have spoken pretty largely of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on Luke viii 2 and I shall not repeat what I have there said Our Author in the beginning of this Note uses the word dimensum for demensum tho that it self was not proper to be used in this place because demensum signifies the Portion or Allowance of Servants not of Guests See Frid. Taubmannus on Plautus his Stich Acts i. Sc. ii vers 3. II. I think indeed with Dr. Hammond that the Original or Deacons must be fetched from the Jews and that Deacons were in the Christian Church what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hhazanim were in the Jewish Synagogue But I do not think we have any thing to do here with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 schoterim which was the Name only of the Officers that attended upon Magistrates or certain publick Criers See my Note on Exod. ver 8. III. Nor do I think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juniors ought to be confounded with the Charanitae especially in Acts v. 6 where any of the younger sort who were accidentally then present seem to be meant Tho the Disciples of Doctors are called Juniors in Maimonides it does not therefore follow that that word must be so taken where-ever we meet with it IV. The Saying of the Jews about the decay of Learning among them which our Author speaks of is in Sotae fol. 49.1 thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Since the second House was destroyed the wise Men began to be as the Scribes and the Scribes as the Minister of the Synagogue and lastly the Minister of the Synagogue as the People of the Earth Which Dr. Hammond mistranslates and inverts the Words themselves They may be found by those that may perhaps have a mind to turn to them in the Editions of Joan. Chr. Wagenseilius in Sotae Cap. ix S. 15. It appears that our Author did not look into this Saying himself but went upon trust for it and that made him render it so ill and not so much as refer to the Book in which it is set down Vers 13. Note e. Some years ago there arose a great Controversy about this place