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far above every name that is named, not only in this world, but • also in that which is to come.' But is not this also the doctrine of Peter?" Jesus Christ, who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." 1 Epis. iii. 21, 22. We cannot be surprised that, in writing on subjects alike common and interesting to them, the writers of the New Testament should discover, to a considerable extent, an agreement in the sentiments and expressions respectively employed by them; especially when we remember the original sources of their instructions, and the peculiarities of their characters and associations. We might obtain presumptions, similar to those which Mr. Gurney urges, from a comparison of other books; and if the epistles of Peter were anonymous, might allege, from the coincidences, or the resemblances, that we detect in collating them with the epistles of Paul, that they are the productions of the same author. But so long as the complexion of the books should be found different, and their styles severally unlike each other, we should not be prepared to affirm an identity of authorship in respect to them.

In order that we may shew the bearings of this assumed ground on which Mr. Gurney rests his deductions, we shall compare the epistles of Peter with those of Paul; adducing, as we proceed, the parallel cases from the Dissertation before us.

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'Heb. x. 38, “ The just shall live by faith." The words are a quotation from the Old Testament, but they are cited and applied elsewhere only by Paul.' But, if this be regarded as a proof presumptive, it might be shewn that Peter's first epistle was written by Paul, since we find in chap. ii. 6, a passage from Isaiah xxviii. 16, which is cited, and applied elsewhere only by Paul. Vid. Rom. ix. 33. x. 11. In Heb. iv. 13, 14, the first principles of religion are figuratively represented as 'milk, and the more recondite doctrines of Christianity as strong 'meat: the same remarkable figures are adopted by Paul, in '1 Cor. iii. 2.' But the word yana, milk, is the only one which is common to both passages; and the figure thus employed is also used by the Apostle Peter, 1 Epis. ii. 2. The words, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. i. 3, are found in 2 Cor. i. 3, and no where else in the New Testament. "At the revelation of Jesus Christ," is a form of expression we find in 1 Pet. i. 7, 13; but it occurs in the writings of Paul, 1 Cor. i. 7, 2 Thess. i. 7. "Who believe in God that raised him up from the dead, τὸν ἐγείραντα αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν,” is used by Peter, 1 Epis. i. 21, and, besides, only by Paul, who frequently employs it, Rom. iv. 24, 2 Cor. iv. 14, Gal. i. 1, Coloss. ii. 12. " Wives be obedient to your own husbands," 1 Pet. iii. 1, is also read in Paul's epistles, Eph. v. 22, Coloss. iii. 18. In 1 Pet. iii. 3, we have directions given respecting the dress of

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women, as we have also in 1 Tim. ii. 9. The precept delivered by Peter, 1 Epis. iii. 9, Mn àπodidovтes xanov avтì xanoù, is contained in Rom. xii. 17, 1 Thess. v. 15. "-ready to judge the quick and the dead," are expressions peculiar to Peter, 1 Epis. iv. 5, and Paul, 2 Tim. iv. 1. partakers of Christ's sufferings," is another instance, v. 13, and 2 Cor. i. 5, 7. The coincidence of expression in the charge of Peter, 1 Epis. v. 1, 2, and in Paul's address to the elders at Miletus, Acts xx. 28, 29, is much more close and striking than in some of Mr. Gurney's examples. Now and renyogéw-these verbs are used in conjunction, 1 Pet. v. 8, and 1 Thess. v. 6, but only in those passages. Oμεow, applied to Christians, occurs only in 1 Pet. v. 10, and Ephes. iii. 17, Coloss. i. 23. "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night," is found only in 2 Pet. iii. 10, and 1 Thess. v. 2. With these examples, then, before us, and supposing the epistles of Peter to be without the name of the writer, might we not adopt the words with which Mr. Gurney concludes his collation of passages, and say?-On a close inspection, then, it appears, that the points of resemblance between the Greek style of our anonymous author and of Paul are numerous and highly characteristic.' We should then ascribe the epistles of Peter to the pen of Paul, exactly, and on the same grounds as Mr. G. attributes to him the epistle to the Hebrews.

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But some of Mr. Gurney's examples are of more than questionable propriety; as when he remarks, (p. 22,) that Пapinola, to denote boldness in approaching God, is peculiar to Paul and this epistle. Heb. x. 19. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness (appnriav) to enter into the holiest, &c." "In whom we have boldness (apinolav) and access with confidence."—Eph. iii. 12.' In each of these passages, there are additional words, which give the sense of access. In the former, we have παρρησίαν εἰς τὴν εἴσοδον; and in the latter, τὴν παῤῥησίαν καὶ τὴν προσαγωγήν. In the first epistle of John, the word is used precisely as in Heb. x. 19, and Ephes. iii. 12. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence (appnolav) toward God, and whatsoever we ask we receive of him."-1 Epis. iii. 21. "And this is the confidence (apinoiav) that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us." v. 14. In both these passages, the connexion shews, that boldness in approaching God, is the sense in which the word is used.

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But after all the array of examples of similar or identical usage, and the comparisons adduced, the difference of style is admitted by Mr. Gurney; and he endeavours to remove the difficulty which this marked diversity in the composition of the epistle opposes to the assumption that Paul was its author, by assigning, as the cause of the superiority of its style, the severer attention of the writer. The Greek style of this epistle be

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came more polished than that in which the Apostle usually ' wrote, for the simple reason, that it was more attended tomore studied.' We do more than hesitate to admit the ground on which this solution is offered. The character of a writer's style will not be essentially affected by his most elaborate attention to his subject. The Epistle to the Hebrews is not more studied than Paul's Epistle to the Romans; but the difference of style between these epistles, is not less remarkable than in any other instance which might be adduced. It is surprising that Mr. Gurney should not have taken the least notice of the objection to his hypothesis, founded upon Heb. ii. 3. ; which, in the opinion of some of the soundest critics, is alone decisive of the question. But on this point, and on the whole subject, we refer our readers to a former article. Eclec. R. May 1830, pp. 399, &c. The Eighth of these Dissertations is On the Chaldee Targums, and on the doctrine of their authors respecting the word of Jehovah.' Of the Targums, or Paraphrases of the Old Testament in the Chaldee language, the most valuable are, that of Onkelos on the Pentateuch, and that of Jonathan Ben Usziel on the Prophets, which are probably nearly of the same age. We have no means which can materially assist us in endeavouring to obtain a satisfactory determination of the period to which the date of their origin should be assigned, but they are generally considered as having been written about the commencement of the Christian era. Perhaps they are of later date. From some peculiarities of diction frequently occurring in these ancient works, they have been adduced by many controversial writers as exhibiting important testimony to prove the belief of the Jews, in very remote times, in the pre-existence and distinct personality of the Messiah. Mr. Gurney is to be classed with those writers who have deemed this species of evidence available in support of the doctrine of the divinity of Our Lord, and who have assigned it an important place in that connexion. For ourselves, we must confess that we are not prepared to admit the Targums to the honour which is claimed for them as unexceptionable witnesses to the points for which their testimony is produced. We do not perceive, on an examination of their evidence, that the readings of the Hebrew text are so elucidated as to receive another sense than that which a reader would ascribe to them, who had no means of using these auxiliaries in his endeavours to understand the meaning of the Old Testament. The manner, too, in which the Targums are employed by some Christian writers, cannot be described otherwise than as incautious and partial: their citations are frequently faulty and defective, and not calculated to lead an inquirer into a knowledge of the true bearings of the several terms and usages which are found in this secondary class of ancient Jewish authors. A more minute and extensive examination

of the whole evidence to be obtained from them, would be necessary to determine the merits of the question under discussion. We shall, however, just glance at the examples which Mr. Gurney has produced, and try the soundness of the inferences and conclusions which he is endeavouring to establish on their authority.

The Hebrews, it is well known, regarded with a reverence which degenerated into superstition, the name Jehovah, appropriated to the Divine Being; for which they substituted other names, as Elohim, Adonai, or terms of abbreviation. In the Targums, the terms, Jah, and Word of Jah, are used in the same manner. To the latter expression, in some examples of its use, a sense has been ascribed, implying, in the subject thus designated, distinct personal divinity. Several such examples are brought under our notice by the Author. As the following is one of the most important of the passages which he has selected, in illustration of the doctrine which he supposes to be thus conveyed by the language of the Chaldee Paraphrasts, we shall endeavour to ascertain its real import. This is the more desirable, as not a few writers, some of them of high respectability, have been very positive in asserting the authority of the Targums. Mr. Gurney refers to them, as maintaining a doctrine coincident with that of the Apostle John in the beginning of his gospel, and as assisting us to determine the import of the principal expressions employed by the Apostle in his description of his great subject. If the Targumists speak of the Word of Jah as a person distinct from Jehovah, their evidence is of the greatest moment; but the following passage contains no proof, nor even a presumption, that they entertained such a doctrine.

'On some occasions, the Word of Jah appears to be described by the Targumists as the person through whom Jah, or Jehovah, effects the redemption and salvation of his people. Isaiah xlv. 18-25, is paraphrased by Jonathan in the following striking language:-"These things saith Jah, who created the heavens: God himself who founded the earth and made it, &c. Look unto my Word, and be ye saved, all ye who are in the ends of the earth: by my Word I have sworn: the decree is gone forth from me in righteousness, and shall not be in vain : because, before me every knee shall bow and every tongue swear. Howbeit, he (God) said to me (the prophet), that by the Word of Jah he would bring righteousness and strength. By his Word shall be confounded and brought to confusion with their idols, all the nations who attacked his people. In the Word of Jah shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory." This passage of the Targum appears plainly to import, that God, even the Father, originates the redemption of his people; and that the Word of Jah is a divine Person, to whom he commands all men to look for their salvation, because it is through him that he promises to effect the great deliverance.' p. 137.

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Before we proceed to notice the passages thus produced by Mr. Gurney as vouchers for the doctrine of a distinct personal subsistence of the Word, we must take the liberty of giving from the Targum of Jonathan, the necessary quotation, without the partial arrangement and omissions which appear in the foregoing extract. Verse 18. These things, saith Jah, who created the 'heavens: God himself who founded the earth and made it-I am Jah, and there is no other. 21. Jah,-a just God, and a Saviour, there is none beside me. 22. Look unto my word and be ye saved, all ye who are in the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other. 23. By my word have I sworn, the de'claration is gone forth from before me in righteousness, and 'shall not be in vain, That before me every knee shall bow, every tongue confess. 24. Surely by the word of Jah he said upon me he would bring righteousness and strength, by his word they shall praise, and all the nations, with their idols, who 'were the enemies of his people, shall be confounded. 25. In 'the word of Jah shall all the seed of Israel be justified and 'shall glory. Throughout the whole of this quotation, there is only one principal subject: the undivided supremacy of Jehovah is asserted. No reader can mistake the import of the verses in the original, or in any version of them. The doctrine delivered by Mr. Gurney in the former part of the concluding sentence of the foregoing extract, is not to be questioned; but the Targumist Jonathan does not declare it, nor do his words import it. We can neither perceive in this passage any evidence to sustain the notion, attributed to it by Mr. Gurney, of a personal existence in the word apart from the being of the infinitely glorious Eternal One; nor recognize any such difference in the language of the Targumist here, compared with other and numerous specimens of his diction which might be given, as would lead us to regard his paraphrase as in this instance remarkably striking. In the expression, word of Jah, throughout the whole of the preceding verses, no other usage, we think, is to be discovered, than that which is so common in the Targums, of substituting a periphrasis for the ineffable Divine name. Mr. Gurney has, by the emphatics of the press, made a distinction which is not warranted in the phrase, and which we have been careful to exhibit throughout in a uniform manner.

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In the 23d verse occur these words: By my word I have sworn (),—the expression used in all the other passages. Now, as it will be easy to prove that the expression cannot in this instance be applied to a personal existence, in the sense assumed by Mr. Gurney, we shall find no difficulty in reading the passage as we find it in the Chaldee paraphrase, precisely in the same sense and application as we read it in the Hebrew text. "Men verily swear by the greater.”- "When God made pro

VOL. IX.-N.S.

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