Review of the Paraphrase of the New Testament, Philippians – Colossians
On the EPISTLE to the PHILIPPIANS.
IN the Preface, Read, the Gnoſtickes, the known enemies of the croſs of Chriſt, c. 3.18. (which are not for confeſſing a crucified Saviour, or a perſecuted faith) joyning with the Judaizing Chriſtians, were very ready to infuſe their diſcouragements, perſwading all to Judaize, ch. 3.2. as among the Galatians they had done.
Chap. I. Note a.foreign. Of Philippi being a Metropolis, Adde, So *Epiſt. 247.Photius, foreign, The city of Philippi being a metropolis of the Province of the Macedonians, and this expreſly ſpeaking of it, as it was in Saint Pauls time, Act. 16.21. where the inhabitants of it, as of a Romane Colony, call them ſelves Romans. So S. Chryſoſtome on Act. 16. foreign, S. Luke ſets down the places as writing an hiſtory, and ſhewing where the Apoſtle ſpent any time, he names onelyonly the greater cities, (ſuch are Metropoles) and paſſeth by the reſt, making Philippi, thus named, one of thoſe greater. And this is ſuppoſed by the antient writer, under Ignatius's name, in Epiſt. ad Tarſens. when he tells them to whom he writes, foreign, the Churches of the Philippians in the plural, ſalute you, i. e. the Churches under that Metropolis.
Ibid. Of the advance of this, by being a Colony of the Romans, Adde, (And being ſo, tis not imaginable, it ſhould be ſubject to Theſſalonica, a city in another Region, *Vid Anten. Auguſt. Itine…ar. p. 103.an hundred and ten miles off from it, which was no Colony) As when in Paleſtine, Caeſarea Stratonis became a Colony of the Romans, called Colonia Prima, Flavia by *Nat. Hiſt. l. 1. c. 13.Pliny, à Veſpaſiano deducta, the Prime Colony called Flavia, as being brought thither by Flavius Veſpaſianus, it became alſo, in reſpect of the Eccleſiaſtical Government, a Metropolis, under which Jeruſalem it ſelf was. For that many cities became Metropoles, &c. The truth is foreign, or foreign which was now changed and advanced into Philippi, and a Metropolis of Macedonia, by being a Colony of the Romans, was originally a city of Thrace, and ſo is affirmed to be by Stephanus foreign. And ſo *In Peripl. p. 26.Scylax Caryandeus, among the cities of Thrace hath foreign, next after Neapolis. And *p. 74.Euſtathius on Dionyſii foreign. to the ſame effect, foreign, ſeating it on the banke of Strymon, where *De ſitu Orb. l. 11 c. 2.Pomponius Mela in his deſcription of Thrace placeth Philippi, and ſo doth Plinie Nat. Hiſt. *c. 11.l. 4. in his Survey of Thrace; A Strymone— intus Philippi Colonia. And ſo Dio deſcribing Pangaum Montem in Thrace ſaith 'tis cloſe by Philippi. But granting all this of the former times, 'tis yet certain that at the time of S. Pauls converting this city, it was changed from the antient forme, firſt it was a Roman Colony, and the inhabitants thereof foreign Romans, Act. 16.21. and in that ſtate, made a Metropolis of the adjoyning part of Macedonia where the Roman Prefect kept his aſſiſes for all that foreign. According to this Diviſion ſaith *In L. in Luſitan.Ʋlpian, In provincia Macedonia Dyrracheni, Caſſandrenſes, Philippenſes Italici Juris ſunt. This may be illuſtrated à pari. Nicopolis is by *Tom 4. p. 406. l. 36.S. Chryſoſtome affirmed to be a city of Thrace, foreign, and ſo by Theodoret foreign, Nicopolis is a city of Thrace, but borders on Macedonia, (in like manner as Philippi did) and yet in the Subſcription of the Epiſtle to Titus we read foreign, from Nicopolis of Macedonia. This may ſerve to give account of the varieties which ſeem to be among writers about this city. And as in Civill, ſo in Eccleſiaſticall diviſions, &c. Thoſe cities were cheef and Metropoles, where the Goſpel was firſt planted, &c. In which reſpect of the foreign priority of converſion to the Faith, and being S. Pauls foreign firſt-fruits in that region, ſome privilege belongs to Philippi even before Theſſalonica, that cheef Metropolis of Macedonia, viz. that Philippi was the Elder ſiſter in the Faith, and ſo in that reſpect, though not in others, the Prime Metropolis of Macedonia. Hence it is, that the liberality, &c.
Ibid. Note b.foreign Of Epaphroditus affirmed by Theodoret to be Biſhop of Philippi, Adde, And ſo by *On ch. 2.25.Theophylact, foreign Doctor, which that it is the title of Biſhop, we have formerly ſhewed, Note on 1 Cor. 12. c. This Epaphroditus appears, ch. 4.18. to have been with Paul at this time, when he wrote the Epiſtle (ſo ſaith Theophylact, that the Clergy are mentioned in this, and in no other Epiſtle, becauſe they had ſent Epaphroditus with neceſſaries for the Apoſtles uſe) and to have carried the Epiſtle back to them, &c.
Ibid. ver. 15.
[Some indeeed preach Chriſt even of envy and ſtrife, and ſome alſo of good will.]
Some indeed envying the dignity which God hath beſtowed on me, by giving ſuch ſucceſs to my preaching, now that they ſee me under reſtraint preach the Goſpel of Chriſt by way of emulation, hoping and endeavouring to get that glory to themſelves; And ſome do it out of good liking of what I have done, and out of a pious intent, deſiring ſincerely to maintain what I have preached.
Verſ. 16.
[The one preach Chriſt of contention not ſincerely, ſuppoſing to adde affliction to my bonds.]
The former ſort of theſe do it out of unkindneſs to me not out of deſign ſeriouſly to advance the ſervice of Chriſt, but eſteeming of me by their own affections, they ſuppoſe they ſhall gall and greive me thereby, and ſo adde to my preſent ſufferings.
Verſ. 17.
[But the other of love.]
But others out of a ſincere kindneſs toward me, and the Goſpel.
Verſ. 23.
[Having a deſire *Go home, or returnto h depart.]
Having before mine eyes the benefit of death as of a return to my coeleſtial countrey.
Ibid. Note h.foreign. Of the notion of foreign Adde, foreign in Palladius (Hiſt. Lauſiac. p. 506. A.) to looſe from thence, or moſt properly reverti, to return, or retire homeward, alluding to Eccleſ. 12.7. where the body returnes to the earth as it was, to the place, from whence originally it came out, and ſo the ſpirit unto God, that gave, or firſt breathed it into the firſt man. And ſo ordinarily in Chriſtian Authors &c. taken from mariners who are ſaid foreign to looſe from the haven, when they go out, oram ſolvere, and abſolutely ſolvere, to looſe, and when they do this by way of return homewards, then tis properly foreign. So Lu. 12.6. foreign, is coming home, returning from the marriage feaſt. So 2 Mac. 8.1. foreign retiring diſorderly. So the method of reducing concluſions to their principles is by Ariſtotle ſtyled foreign, ſaith *In 2 Poſt…Phileponus, and again foreign a returning, or running back from the concluſions or effects to their Principles, adding that it is a metaphore foreign, from travailers returning to their homes, and foreign, a returne from ſtrangers to ones own home is thus ſtyled.
Ibid. Note g. Of the notion of,foreign. foreign for worth my labour, Adde, So Theophylact renders it, foreign not fruitleſs, foreign, ſaith he, for I bring forth fruit by this means.
Chap. II. ver. 15.
[*Or ſhine ye, for ſo Theophylact interprets foreign in the Imperative. foreign. Ye ſhine.]
Ibid. Note a. Of the notion of foreign for a reall forme not onelyonly an appearance, Adde, Thus doth Theophylact interpret it, foreign, the forme of God ſignifies his eſſence, foreign, as the forme of a ſervant is the nature of a ſervant.
Ibid. Note c. Of the notion of foreign with fear and trembling] for foreign with humility, Adde, And is confirmed by *H…m 31. de natals Dom.S. Chryſoſtome, uſing it of the Angels, foreign, the Angelical powers aſſiſt with fear and trembling, the Cherubims hide their faces, the Seraphims cry with trembling, holy, holy, holy Lord, &c.
Ibid. ver. 20.
[*No perfect friend. foreign.No man like ee minded.]
Note ee. The notion of foreign among Greek authors is clear all one with foreign, equal to my ſoul, a ſecond ſelf, moſt dear to me, ſuch as Patroclus to Achilles in Homer, whom, ſaith he, I love foreign equal to my head or life. Thus alſo the Greek interpreters of the Pſalmes uſe it Pſal. 54.14. foreign, thou my companion, my guide, and my known friend. This therefore in all reaſon is to be the meaning of it here alſo, not to expreſs what care Timothy had of the Philippians (for that is ſaid in the next words, foreign, who will ſincerely take care of your affaires) but how dearely valued he was by Paul, ſo that when he came to them, they ſhould think a ſecond Paul was come to them. If there were any difficulty in this rendring or place for conjecture, a man might gueſs S. Paul to have written either foreign or foreign, the firſt uſed by this Apoſtle in this Epiſtle, c. 4.3. foreign, true yokefellow, and the latter of the ſame ſignification, he that drawes in another yoke. So I ſuppoſe the Gloſs in Heſychius muſt be read, not foreign, but foreign, and ſo in Phavorinus alſo. But there is no reaſon to doubt the reading foreign] nor to fly to this, or any other uncertain conjecture.
Ibid. Note f. Blot out what is ſaid of the word [foreign] to the end.
Chap. III. ver. 2.
[Evill workers.]
That live themſelves in all villany, I mean the heretical Gnoſtickes, v. 18.
[Beware of the Conciſion.]
Others alſo there are to beware of, as with whom the Gnoſtickes combine, viz. The Jewiſh beleevers, which ſtill obſerve the Moſaicall Law, and require all to Judaize, and perſecute them that do not. Theſe take upon them to be the circumciſion, but are onelyonly the conciſion, thoſe that tear the Church in peeces, condemne and ſeparate from their brethren, Rom. 14.
Verſ. 5.
[*My circumciſion on— foreign Circumciſed the eighth day.]
Having been circumciſed at eight dayes old, as the Law preſcribes the native Jewes, and ſo no proſelyte, my parents, &c.
Verſ. 12.
[*In as much as, foreign That for which.]
foreign.Ibid. Note b. Of the notion of foreign for dividing or cutting aſunder the Church, Adde, ſo ſaith Theophylact, foreign, they endeavoured to cut aſunder the Church of Chriſt.
Chap. IV. ver. 15.
[Communicated.*Having received of me ſpiritual things communicated their carnal things.]
foreign.Ibid. Note a. Of names written in the book of life, Adde, foreign, in the knowledge and judgement of God, ſaith Theophylact, (or elſe, foreign, that from thence God had already adjudged life to them, as when it it ſaid, he that beleeveth not, it condemned already, and ſo inſcribed in the book of death.)
Ibid. Of Demas, Read (not that he Apoſtatized, ſee 1 Tim. 3. Note a. but) being one of them, Col. 4.14. and Phil. ver. 24. forſook the imployment, 2 Tim. 4.10.
foreign.Ibid. Note d. Of S. Chryſoſtomes notion of foreign, for wanting ability, Adde, And this ſaith he, and Theophylact, foreign, taken from common uſe of ſpeech, as when we ſay, foreign, ſome ſtreights have come on me, it is now an ill ſeaſon with me. foreign.So Pindar in Olymp. foreign foreign, Riches embroydered or ſprinkled variegated with virtues gives ability of many things.
On the EPISTLE to the COLOSSIANS.
CHap. II. Note d. Of foreign, Adde,foreign. Tis that which the Rabbins call foreign & foreign, cautio debitoris, an obligation, ſcriptura, vel literae quibus continetur poteſtas quam alius alii tradit, ſaith Thiſ…ip. 244.Elias Levita, a writing in which is contained a power which one gives another over him.
Ibid. foreign.Of foreign in the notion of doctrines of Chriſt, Adde, as (Theophylact acknowledgeth, rendring it by foreign by Faith, and foreign doctrines of Faith.
Ibid. Note h.foreign. Of the doctrines of the Angelitae concerning the interceſſion of Angels, Adde, And this of the Mediatorſhip of Angels was among the Platoniſts a ſpecial part of doctrine. foreign, ſaith Plato in Sympos. foreign, Every daemon or Angel is betwixt God and man, declaring and delivering to God the things of men, and to men the things of God, the prayers and ſacrifices of the one, and the commands and returnes to their ſacrifices from the other. And again, foreign, God converſeth not with man, but all the converſation and diſcourſe betwixt God and man is by Angels, both in time of waking and ſleep. And this and the like being the doctrine of thoſe philoſophers, foreign.may well be referred to v. 8. under the ſtile of Philoſophie and vain deceit.
Ibid. Note i. After the words of Clemens conſtit. foreign, &c.] Read, that being ſtreightned and collar'd up (foreign, ſaith Heſychius) they might keep from idolatry.
foreign.Ibid. To the Teſtimonies of the Antients concerning the Chriſtians performing ſome things more than is required, Adde Theophylact, foreign, many Chriſtians exceed many of the praecepts.
Chap. IV. ver. 6.
[With grace, ſeaſoned with ſalt.]
Gracious, pure Chriſtian, or cheerfull and merry, but then as it is ſuch on one ſide, ſo muſt it be alſo ſavory, diſcreet, &c.