248 To maintain mutual Love, Candor and Humility: Sect. 4. any affectionate Bond, by which you are ye be like-minded, having united to me, who have been by Divine the fame Love, being of one Phil. II. 2. Grace made your Spiritual Father, and by 3 whofe Miniftry you have been made ac- And in this View efpecially guard a- ་ more Accord, of one Mind. 3 Let nothing be done through Strife, or Vain-glory, but in Lowlinefs of Mind let each efteem other better than themselves. (a) Unanimous, &c.] It is difficult to tranflate, or paraphrafe thefe Words, fo as to avoid fome Appearance of Tautology. In my third Letter to the Author of Chriftianity not founded on Argument, pag. 43. I had given a Tranflation in the main the fame with this; but on further Examination, whereas I had there united the fecond and third Claufe, as an Explication of the firft, let your Souls be joined together in the fame Love, I here (as in my Sermon on Chriftian Candor, pag. 8.) join the two former and two latter Claufes, το άυλο φρονήκε, την αυλήν αγάπην εχονίες, be unanimous, maintaining the fame Love; our luxan, To su Opowsiles, having your Souls joined together, in attending to the one Thing An Improvement, for which I am obliged to my learned, accurate and worthy Friend Dr. Daniel Scott. 7 (b) Who And to imitate the Condefcenfion of Chrift, 4 Look not every Man on his own Things, but every Man alfo on the Things of others. 5 Let this Mind be in 249 more excellent than your felves; which on one Sect. 4. you, which was also in the fame Mind be in every one of Christ Jefus : 6 Who being in the Form of GOD, thought it not Robbery to be equal with GOD: In this Refpect and in every other, let 5 vine (b) Who being in the Form of GOD.] Few of my Readers can be ignorant of the Pains, learned Men have taken, to establish two very different Tranflations and Senfes of this important Text, and of the contrary Ufes, which have been made of it, in the Controverfy relating to the Deity of our ever-bleffed Redeemer. The Criticks, who would render ex пprayμov nynoɑalo, &c. did not eagerly catch at a Likeness to, or Equality with GOD, build a great deal of their Argument, on the Oppofition of the two Claufes, and the Force of the Particle aa. He did not affect this Equality, but humbled himself. I have often wondered at the Strefs laid on this, fince every one must know, that an often fignifies nevertheless, and accordingly, it is frequently rendered fo in our Verfion, particularly Mark xiv. 36. John xi. 15. 1 Cor. ix. 12. Gal. iv. 30. 2 Tim. i. 12. And, which is especially to the prefent Purpose, it is fometimes thus rendered, when preceded by the Particle oux; fee Rom. v. 13, 14. 2 Cor. xii. 16. I have given fuch an Interpretation of the Paffage, as appeared to me, on mature. Deliberation, moft agreeable to the Text itfelf, in Comparison with other Scriptures, and the learned Reader cannot be at a Lofs to find the Opinion of the most celebrated Writers, on each Side of the Queftion relating to it. I hardly recollect any that have difcuffed it with more Accuracy than Bos, in his Exercit. 2d Ed. pag. 196,-203. and Sir Richard Ellys, in his Fortuita Sacra, pag. 178,-228. Bishop Burnet well obferves, that the Socinian Interpretation is extreamly cold and infipid, as if it were a mighty Argument of Humility, that, though Chrift wrought Miracles, which they ftrangely think fignified by the Phrafe of being in the Form of GOD, yet he did not fet up for fupreme Deity. See Burnet on the Art. pag. 46. (To be and appear as GOD.] So as is moft exactly rendered, agreeable to VOL. V. e I i the 250 Sect. 4. Phil. II. 6. 7 But made himself of no Reputation, and took upon him the Form of a Servant, and was made in the Likeness of Men: Who, tho' in the Form of GOD, bumbled himself to Death, vine Names, Titles and Attributes, by which the fupream Being has made himself known, and receiving from his Servants divine Ho7 nours and Adorations : Nevertheless, in his infinite Condefcenfion and Compaffion to us miferable Sinners, emptied himself of all this Glory, taking [upon bim], instead of the Splendors, which he had been used to wear, as the Sovereign of Angels, the humble Form, not only of a common Man, but even of a Servant, when made in the Likeness of Men, which itself had been a most aftonishing Stoop, even though he had appeared in the Pomp of the greatest 8 Monarch. And yet even this Condefcenfion to the Rank of low Life among finful Mortals, wonderful as it was, did not content him: For being found in Fafhion and Appearance as a Man, and having put on all the innocent Infirmities of our Nature, be humbled himself ftill farther, becoming obedient even unto Death; and indeed to no common and gentle Form of Diffo-lution, but to the ignominious, as well as painful Death of the Crofs, on which he expired, as you well know, like one of the vileft and most accurfed of Mankind. 9 8 And being found in Fashion as a Man, he hum bled himself, and became obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Crofs. 9 Wherefore GOD alfo and Therefore GOD his Father, to whom fuch a Course of filial Obedience, proceed- hath highly exalted him, ing from fuch noble Principles of Piety and Charity, could not but be most acceptable, bath exalted him to the most eminent Dig nity the Force of in many Places in the Septuagint, which Dr. Whitby has collected' in his Note on this Place. The proper Greek Phrafe for equal to GOD is O TO, which is ufed John v. 18. Mr. Peirce thus paraphrafes the Claufe before us, "He was not eager in retaining that Likeness to GOD," of which he was before poffeffed; and he obferves, that had it referred to what was confidered as future, the Expreffion would have been todas, not as, and farther pleads that the Apostle's Defign here is not to caution the Philippians againft coveting what they had no Claim to, but to engage them, after the Example of Chrift, to give up their own Right for the Advantage of others. (d) GOD And is therefore exalted to univerfal Dominion. and given him a Name which is above every Name: 10 That at the Name of Jefus every Knee should bow, of Things in Heaven, and Things in Earth, and Things under the Earth; II And thatevery Tongue Thould confefs, that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the Glory of GOD the Father. 2 Wherefore my belov ed 251 nity (d), and granted him a Name, the Ho- Sect. 4. nours of which are fuperior to those of eve ry other Name, that can come in Compa- Phil. II. 9. Therefore, my beloved Chriftian Brethren, 12 (d) GOD hath exalted him to the most eminent Dignity.] This feems a more natural Tranflation of the Word Two, than what Mr. Peirce propofes, who would render it, exalted him higher than before. I think nothing can be more evident than that he who was exalted, was humbled, and confequently, that there was a proper Change made in the State and Condition of Chrift, by that emptying himself spoken of, ver. 7. But (e) Thefe upon and under the Earth.] There can be no Doubt but the former Claufe relates to Chrifl's being made Sovereign over the Angelick Spirits, Eph. i. 10. whether this latter Phrafe, Things upon, and under the Earth, may not relate to the Living and the Dead, rather than Men and Devils, fome have queried; compare Rev. i. 18. Rom. xxiv. 9. and it is certain that the Word narazona fometimes in the Greek Clafficks fignifies the Dead. But on the whole, as the Expreffion is ambigu'ous, I have, as I usually do in fuch Cafes, included both in the Paraphrase. I i2 (f) Much 252 Hence be exhorts them to work out their Salvation with Fear, Sect. 4. defcenfion, Humility, and Benevolence, ed, as ye have always obeywhich I have fo earnestly been recommended, not as in my Prefence only, but now much more Phil. II. 12. ing to you; let it be confidered by you, as in my Abfence; work out an Engagement to tread in his Steps, with your own Salvation with Diligence and Refolution, fo far as the feeble Fear and Trembling, Powers of human Nature may admit. And as Juftice requires me to acknowledge, that ye have always been obedient to my Inftructions and Exhortations, while I have had the Pleasure of being with you, be folicitous, that, not only in my Prefence, but now much more in my Abfence (f), (which tho' it deprives you of fome Advantages, yet; as it is owing to my Bonds in your Caufe, ought to encrease the Tenderness of your Concern for my Comfort), you may work out your own Salvation (g) with great Earneftnefs and Affiduity, yea, confidering its infinite Importance, with holy Fear and Trembling. I fay your own Salvation, for that will be most effectually fecured and promoted, by the Temper I have now 13 been recommending. Seize that happy Opportunity of doing it, which divine Grace affords; for GOD is he, who worketh in 13 For it is GOD which worketh (f) Much more in my Abfence.] Though there be an Ambiguity in the Connection of this Claufe, if the Grammar only be confidered; I think the Senfe obliges us to join it with the following, rather than with the preceding Words. The Paraphrafe fuggefts the Reafons, why his Abfence fhould make them more eagerly folicitous in working out their Salvation: But I know no Reafon to apprehend, that they were lefs obedient to Paul when he was with them, than to any Meffages, they might have received in his Abfence, and the Word now in this View feems decifive. (g) Work out your own Salvation.] Mr. Peirce has advanced a very peculiar Interpretation of this Text; for he would render it," promote the Welfare of each other," urging that a fometimes fignifies the fame with anλ, compare Eph. iv. 32. But not to infift on the Expreffion, with Fear and Trembling, as greatly favouring the common Interpretation, it is obvious, that alw is three Times in this Chapter put for our own Things, ver. 3, 4, 21. And whereas it is pleaded on the other Side, that the Senfe given above, is moft agreeable to the Connection, it feems to me, that this Turn in the Expreffion farther fuggefts, that, by following thofe generous Maxims, the Apoftle had been recommending, they would alfo moft effectually fecure their own Salvation; which, inftead of detracting any Thing from the Force of the Ar gument, as the Words are ufually understood, greatly increases it. (b) He |