On his "Scripture Testimony." "Being a, he deemed it not a thing to be grasped at to be a." (2.) On the meaning a e, it would be unreasonable to ask you to reprint the reasons and the authorities from Greek writers, especially the Septuagint, which are adduced in the Script. Test. (11. 385-402, 414, 415) to support the interpretation of the phrase which the evidence of the case appears Those who are to me to warrant. sufficiently interested in the question to take the trouble of the examination, will, perhaps, do me the favour to weigh my arguments before they reject my interpretation. (3.) To Dr. J.'s mode of supplying the ellipsis which he supposes the passage to require, I feel no objection: nor does it militate against the doctrine of the Deity of Christ, except upon the assumption of what we most earnestly protest against, that, in holding that doctrine, we suppose that the death of Jesus was the death of Jehovah. That doctrine attributes to the Lord and Redeemer of mankind, not only THE DIVINE NATURE with all its essential perfections, but also the human nature with all its proper qualities. (4.) I must likewise protest against Dr. J.'s seeming to impute to me the opinion "that God has any form, or that form and nature have here the same meaning." To which assumption he adds, "In this confusion, gross and palpable as it is, is founded the interpretation put upon this passage by the orthodox divines." What I had said concerning the use of pop in this passage was to this purport: that the word “ can be understood of the Divine Being only in the way of an imperfect analogy. As the visible and tangible figure of a sensible object is, in ordinary cases, the chief property, and frequently the only one, by which we know the object and distinguish it from others; so, that part of what may be known of God, (Rom. i. 19,) that which distinguishes him from all other objects of our mental apprehension, may thus, allusively and analogically, be called the form of God. Therefore, dropping the figure, the notion is evidently that of specific difference, or essential and distinguishing properties. It might, I conceive, be unexceptionably ex VOL. XVIS. X pressed by the phrase," The charac (5.) Of a passage of Josephus, ad- The passage in question is a part of We can neither conceive, nor is it lawful to imagine, any thing as a resemblance to him. We see his works; the light, the heaven, the earth, the sun and moon, the waters, the generations of animals, and the productions of vegetation. These hath God made, not with hands, not with labours, not needing any assistants; but, by the mere act of his will determining these good things, they instantly came into existence, good according to his design. Him we all ought to follow, and serve by the practice of virtue; for this is the holiest manner of serving God." reader will judge, whether it is the more probable that Josephus here uses poppy in the sense of those who formed corporal ideas of the Supreme Being, or to denote the characteristic and spiritual properties (the metaphysical form) of that Infinite Nature. Other and not contemptible evidence for this sense, may be seen in Elsner, (Obs, in N. T. II. 241,) and it is un The questionable that the Greek fathers, who were likely to understand their native language, took pop, as here used by the apostle, to signify puoi and ουσια. "As the form of a servant," says Chrysostom, "signifies no other than real and perfect man, so the form of God signifies no other than God." See Suiceri Thesaur. II. 377, 378. If there be any propriety in explaining the phraseology of the New Testament by the use of terms among the followers of Aristotle, "it is unquestionable," says the learned and pious Sir Richard Ellys, (Fortuita Sacra, p. 189,) "that with them poppy was used to signify To Eva Tivos, that which constitutes the essence of a subject. I venture, therefore, still to think that Schleusner, in giving this interpretation, had a little more reason on his side than that "he might as well have said that white may mean black." "The form of a slave," says my learned friend," means the death of a slave." That the apostle, in using the expression form of a servant or slave, had no reference at all to "the death of the cross" which he so soon after mentions, I by no means affirm but that this was the single circumstance comprised in the allusion, does not appear probable. The frequent use of ovλ in the New Testament, in various moral significations, suggests a more extensive application of the ideas of servitude to the circumstances of the Lord Jesus. See John xiii. 16, xv. 20, and the numerous passages in which the apostles and Christians in general are called servants of God, or of Christ; while, on the other hand, wicked men are represented as the servants or slaves of sin. In the whole view of the case, there appears to me most evidence that our Lord's "taking the form of a servant" denotes his submission, in his assumed human nature, to "the characteristics of that servitude and dishonour which sin has inflicted upon our nature, and upon all our circumstances in the present state; that which is called in Scripture (ý dovλua Tys poopas) the bondage, servitude, or slavery of corruption."" (Script. Test. II. 410.) Dr. Jones is equally confident that "a form of God can only mean a divine or splendid form :" and he has no hesitation in regarding the expression as an allusion to the transfiguration of Jesus, on the mountain, where "he assumed an appearance bright as the sun, and was seen to converse with Moses and Elias ;" and that, from this magnificent appearance, Peter eagerly conceived the hope of Christ's evading his predicted sufferings and death. The Doctor has depicted the scene with great ingenuity and pathos. On the opinion, I beg leave to remark: 1. That the allusion supposed rests only upon conjectural grounds. 2. That, had it been intended by Paul, it is reasonable to think that he would have made his allusion more definite, as Peter did in referring to the very transaction: 2 Pet. i. 18. 3. That the tense of vragywy does not well agree with the supposition of reference to a single past fact, while it properly comports with the idea of a state or habit. Had the former been the object of reference, the proper form of the participle would have been ύπαρξας. 4. That, if the allusion were admitted, a believer in the proper Deity of the Saviour might reasonably contend that the "form of God" most naturally and justly expresses some manifestation, by the symbol of a visible brightness exceeding that of the most magnificent objects in nature, and probably similar to the representations made to Moses and others of the prophets, of that Divine Nature and Perfection which he believes, on other and independent grounds, that the Scriptures ascribe to Christ. (6.) Dr. Jones, whose soul is filled with the enthusiasm imbibed from his familiarity with Grecian poetry and eloquence, declares his "unspeakable pleasure" in disclosing to the world his discovery that this passage of the Epistle to the Philippians contains allusions to Aristotle's Hymn to Virtue. I must, however, confess that my duller powers of perception cannot see clearly the evidence of this diseovery. The resemblances appear to me to be faint and precarious. Indeed, if I am not mistaken, much closer coincidences of both thought and expression often occur to men of reading, in authors of widely different ages and nations, and of whom it is certain that neither could have received the hint from the other. I am well aware of the "obscurity" which, as Mr. Locke remarks, has been " unavoidably brought upon the writings of men who have lived in remote ages and different countries,”—" wherein the speakers and writers had very different notions, tempers, customs, ornaments, and figures of speech, every one of which influenced the signification of their words then, though to us now they are lost and unknown," so that "it would become us to be cha ritable one to another, in our interpretation or misunderstanding of ancient writings." (Ess. Hum. Und. Book III. ch ix. § 10, 22.) I do not therefore take upon me absolutely to contradict the supposition of an infamous concealed meaning in this celebrated little poem; but I own that it appears to me altogether improbable, and that I am disposed to regard the revolting imputation upon the philosopher and the unfortunate ruler of Atarneus, as a calumny. The charge of impiety, brought by an obscure person against Aristotle, appears to have referred solely to his having been in the habit of singing this hymn, in honour of the memory of his murdered friend, patron and relative, though it was deemed a Pæan, and, consequently, was considered as an affront to Apollo: very unreasonably, for a Pæan was et hominum et deorum laudes, and was not restricted to its primary application. Athenæus, however, maintains that it is not a Pæan, but a Scolion. In no part of this little production is Hermeias said, or so far as I can perceive implied, to be "invested with a form splendid as the sun;" and adm is applied, not to him, but to Virtue. The supposed parallelism of οι άρπαγμος and θηραμα is not very close, and is at least too weak a cir. cumstance on which to build the belief of an allusion for more striking coincidences are often to be found, where no design of reference could have existed. As for the honour which the poet sings as conferred by the Muses upon the patron of letters and victim of Persian treachery, the idea is so common to the classic poets that I cannot see any propriety in taking it as the correlative of the apostle's doctrine of the exaltation of Jesus. The enumeration of persons or things "in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth," is, I conceive, nothing more than a Jewish idiomatical expression to denote the whole created universe. The same phraseology, with an unimportant variation, occurs in Rev. v. 3, 13; where surely no one will dream of an allusion to the Heathen gods, dæmons and heroes. We are, therefore, under no necessity of accepting Dr. Jones's alternative, either that the apostle is treading in the steps of Aristotle, or that his language "might be deemed the rant of a mystagogue." But, to form a proper judgment upon Dr. Jones's opinion, it is necessary to have the whole hymn in view. Your learned readers are probably well acquainted with this beautiful little poem. Those who are not, will find it in Stobæus, in Athenæus, in Diogenes Laertius, in the first volume of Brunck's Anthology, and in other collections. For the sake of readers who have not the opportunity of consulting any of those authorities, and as the poem is very short, I subjoin a literal transla tion. "Virtue, thou object of severe labour to our mortal race, fairest (Onpapa) acquisition in life! For thy (opp) beauty, O virgin, even to die, or to undergo glowing, unwearied toils, is in Greece an envied destiny. Such immortal fruit thou castest into the mind, nobler than riches or ancestors, or gentle sleep. For thy sake, Hercules the child of Jove, and the sons of Leda, bore their many toils, eagerly pursuing (aypevovtes, hunting, chasing, which accounts for the use of Onpau) thine excellence. From désire of thee, Achilles and Ajax went to the abodes of the dead. For the sake of thy friendly (μορφη) form, the favourite of Atarneus widowed the rays of the sun: thus, for his deeds, renowned in song. And the Muses, daughters of Memory, will advance him to immortality, as they celebrate the glory of Jove, the guardian of the hospitable, and [celebrate] the recompence of constant friendship." ["Widowed the rays of the sun." I follow Brunck, Buhle, and Schweighæuser in reading avyás. Dr. Jones prefers the genitive singular avyās, as was given by the older editors. But this requires a harsh ellipsis, and would convey the idea that Hermeias committed suicide, instead of the fact that he was most perfidiously betrayed and cruelly put to death. The former reading not only gives a more regular and natural construction, but it also preserves the consistency of the imagery. To be dear to Apollo and the Muses classical Clapton, February 10, 1822. learned author of "The pliment and in conformity with it, T Scripture Testimony" will, the murdered protector of science and its votaries is described as, by his untimely and disastrous death, causing "the rays," the offspring, "of the sun," to mourn as widows for him; while the Muses, the children of Memory, do their part to perpetuate his honour. Xnpow properly signifies, to reduce to the condition of widowhood.] I now submit it to the judgment of eandid and competent scholars, whether the interpretation of Phil. ii. 6-8, proposed in the Scripture Testimony, has been overthrown by the learned, ingenious and able, but I humbly think untenable, animadversions of Dr. Jones. A single observation more you will indulge me briefly to make. (7.) The Doctor, in his conclusion, says, "The above passage is justly regarded as one of the strongest in favour of this doctrine;" that is, the doctrine of a divine nature in the person of the Christ: and he represents it as "that fortress which he [Paul] is said to have erected in support of the orthodox faith." Now, I beg leave to rejoin that I have by no means represented this passage as supplying the strongest, or one of the strongest, arguments in favour of the doctrine which appears to me to be contained in the Scriptures. It appears to me to recognize that doctrine in a very sufficient and decided manner; but I should not hold it forth as ranking among the most cogent of detached evidences. Indeed the great strength of the proof in favour of that sentiment lies, to my apprehension, in the variety, frequency and constancy of the modes by which it is involved, implied and incidentally assumed, as well as directly asserted in the great and only rule of faith. It seems to me to be rather an idle inquiry whether this argument or that, in a given case, is separately the strongest. The question for a rational man is whether the arguments, whatever may be their I hope, excuse me if I hazard a remark on the representations in his letter (p. 37). Benevolus, to whom, so far as I know, I am an entire stranger, must, I think, have received more satisfaction, could it have been shewn that his "citations" would not merely be 66 painful and offensive" to a guarded polemic like Dr. Owen, (p. 38,) or to a modern liberal scholar, such as my justly-respected acquaintance, in whose hands a Trinity, as Burke profligately said of courtly vice, may at length become almost harmless," by losing all its grossness;" but that those "citations" had pained and offended the contemporaries and in other respects the admirers of the writers and preachers from whom Benevolus made his selections. A Protestant would not be contented to represent Transubstantiation as described by such a Roman Catho lic as the late Dr. Geddes. Thus my friend Mr. Belsham had, I conceive, a clear right to turn from the qualified language of cautious disputants, and to assume, as the orthodox doctrine," the popular representations; among which appears prominent "the incarceration of the Creator of the world, in the body of a helpless, puling infant." Proceeding downwards from the pious father, whose marvellous faith produced the exclamation, credo quia impossibile est, we find the infant-deity" (which, according to Watts, the reason, but, as I should say, the religion of Locke could not bear) adored for ages by the people, as a mystery, without such worship appearing to have excited any censure from their more learned instructors, whether Papal or Protestant, who would, indeed, have hazarded their own reputation for orthodoxy, had they ventured to teach the people that their mystery was an absurdity, and especially to be rejected as painful and offensive to a very high degree." The author of "the Scripture Tes" Jesus, we bless thy Father's name ; timony" has very justly characterized some of Dr. Watts's Hymns, with which, indeed, there is reason to believe, no one was, at length, less satisfied than the pious poet himself. Yet those hymns, connected with their repeated republication for general use, even down to the present day, form a host in support of Mr. Belsham's representation of "the orthodox doctrine." Nor should it be forgotten that the Psalms, a later composition of the pious author, and containing, comparatively, few passages offensive to any Christian, were, as is well known, slowly admitted to a competition with the Hymns, which in some orthodox congregations still maintain their ascendancy. Thy God and ours are both the same." In consistency with this method of early orthodox institution, when about 10 years of age, in a school exercise for turning English into Latin, which has escaped the accidents of half a century, I was taught, with my classfellows, in the manner of Lord Bacon's Christian Paradoxes, to regard these among the " unparalleled op posites" in the person of the Savi But the principal, though a very large use of those pious compositions, has not been, I apprehend, in public worship. With a most laudable design of worthily occupying intervals of leisure, and forming a devout Christian temper, the Hymn-book of Watts, always republished in an uncastigated form, has been recommended, as a daily manual, to children and servants, in the most unqualified terms. At least, the exemplary Christians by whom I had the unspeakable happiness of being led into life, and who were by no means ultra-orthodox, never directed me to pass over a page or even a line in the whole volume, as containing "language" calculated to "wound a thinking and pious mind," or in the least opposed to the language of the Assembly's Catechism, in which, like other infants, I had been taught to dogmatize on the nature of Deity, the supposed complex person of the Saviour, and the Divine decrees. No; I was left, with the thousands of my contemporaries, by parents little inclined to neglect the highest interests of their children, either to hymn an "infant of days" as "the mighty God Come to be suckled and ador'd;" or escaping this Christianized Paganism, only worthy to be compared with "the old Heathens' song Of great Diana and of Jove," our: "The eternal God once an infant of an hour old; "The immense God, once a child of a span long." My schoolmaster was a highly popular Calvinistic preacher, who riveted the attention of crowded congregations, as I have often witnessed. To his manners were attributed some innocent eccentricities, but his orthodoxy was never questioned. Such, then, are the authorities which occur to me, and they may be easily multiplied, for believing that Mr. Belsham has been inaccurately charged "with misrepresenting and stigmatizing the orthodox doctrine." My friend's language is, as he designed it, highly disgusting. The disgust, however, is chargeable on a system, by which, according to the general understanding of its professors, whatever may be the guarded representations of its more learned advocates, that language is authorized, and not on those who, regarding such a system as a misrepresentation of Christianity, will, if they are conscientious and consistent, seize every fair occasion to develope and to expose it. Such, I am persuaded, will be the conduct of the learned author of "the Scripture Testimony," should he ever discover that the faith for which he ably contends, is not "the faith once delivered to the saints." I scarcely need to add, that disapprobation of any system, and even contempt for some representations which it appears to authorize, are both perfectly consistent with a high respect for the virtues and talents of those by whom that system is maintained. Protestants, amidst all their differences, have agreed to assail, with to say in the words of truth and so- unsparing ridicule, the breaden deity berness, of the Romish Church. Yet they justly |