DOCTOR HERBERT WESTPHALING.

There fucceeded him a learned and famous Doctor indeed, Doctor Weftphaling, who after he had been a Bifhop divers yeeres, yet to fhowe that good Bishops doe not quite difcontinue their ftudies, but rather increase their knowledge with their dignity, came to Oxford at her Majefties laft being there, and made an eloquent and copious Oration before her, for conclufion of the Divinity difputations: among which one fpeciall queftion that bred much attention, was this, whether it be lawfull to diffemble in caufe of Religion? And one Argument more witty then pithy, produced by an opponent was this, it is lawful to difpute of Religion, therefore it is lawful to diffemble, and urging it further, he said thus, I my felf now do that which is lawfull, but I do now diffemble. Ergo, it is lawfull to diffemble; at which her Majefty and all the Auditory were very merry. I could make a rehçarfall of fome of the Bifhops oration concerning this question, how he allowed a secrecy, but without diffimulation, a policy but not without piety, leaft men taking too much of the Serpent, have too little of the Dove, but I am fure in all his fpeech he allowed no equivocation. Howbeit, if I fhould infift long hereon, I might commit the fame fault to your Highness, that the Queen at that time found in him, which was that the thought him too tedious. For the had fent twice to him to cut fhort his Oration, because her felf went to make a publique fpeech that evening, but he would not, or as fome told ́her, he could not put himself out of a fet methodicall speech, for fear he fhould have marr'd it all, and perhaps confounded his memory. Wherefore the forbade her fpeech that day, and more privately the next morning, fending for the heads of Houses, and a few others the spake to them in Latin, and among others the school'd Doctor Reynolds, for his preciseness, willing him to follow her Laws, and not run before them. But it seemed he had forgotten it when he came last to Hampton Court, fo as there he received a better schooling. I may not forget how the Queen in the midft of her oration, cafting her eye afide, and seeing the old Lord Treasurer Burleigh ftanding on his lame feet for want of a ftool, fhe call'd in all hafte for a fool for him, nor would the proceed in her speech till she saw him provided of one, then fell the to it again, as if there had been no interruption; upon which one that might be fo bold with her after, said that fhe did it of purpose to fhowe that the could interrupt her speech, and not be put out, although the Bishop durft not adventure to do a less matter the day before.

But this Bishop was every way a very fufficient man, and for fuch efteemed while he was of Chrift-Church. Trifling accidents fhowe as good proof of times, as the waightieft occafions. Such a one hapned to this Doctor while he was of the Univerfity, as a Scholar of that time hath told me, and it was this. There had been a very sharp froft (fuch as have been many this yeere, and a fudden rain or fleet falling with it from the South-Eaft) had as it were candied all that fide of the steeple at ChriftChurch, with an ice mixed with fnow, which with the warmth of the Sun foon after 10 of the clock began to refolve, and Doctor Weftphaling being in the middle of his Sermon, it fell down altogether upon the Leads of the Church, with fuch a noyfe, as if indeed it would have thrown down the whole Church. The people (as in fudden terrors is ufuall) fill'd all with tumult, and cach man hafted to be gone fo faft that they hindered

one

one another. He firft kneeled down, and recommending himself to God, as in the apprehenfion of a fodain danger, ftraight rofe again, and with fo chearfull both voice and countenance, encouraged them as they all returned, and he quietly finished his fermon. But his chief praise I reserve for the last, which was this; for all fuch benefices as either were in his own guift, or fell into his hand by lapfe, which were not few, and fome of great value, he neither refpected letters nor commendations of Lords nor Knights, nor wife nor friends in preferment of any man, but onely their fufficiency and their d converfation, fe as to fue for a benefice unto him, was rather a means to mifs

then to attain it.

DOCTOR ROBERT BENNET.

This Bishop was preferr'd to this place fince my Author wrote his Catalogue, fo as he is not therein specified; yet muft I not do him that wrong to omit him in this relation. This is he (if your Highneffe do remember it) of whom his Majefty faid, if he were to chufe a Bishop by the aspect, he would chufe him of all the men he had feen, for a grave, reverent, and pleafing countenance. Concurring herein in a fort, though by contraries with the judgment of Henry the fourth Emperour, who comming from hunting one day (as Malmesbury writeth went for devotion fake into a Church, where a very ill-favoured faced Prieft was at fervice. The Emperour thinking his virtues futed his visage, said to himself, how can God like of fo ugly a fellows fervice. But it fortuned at that Instant, the Priests boy mumbling of that verficle in the hundred Pfalm, Ipfe nos fecit & non ipfi nos, and because he pronounced it not plainly, the Priest reproved him, and repeated it again, aloud, Ipfe nos fecit & non ipfi nos, which the Emperour applying to his own Cogitation, thought the Priest to have some prophetical fpirit, and from that time forward esteemed him greatly, and made him a Bithop. Thus that Bishop, though he could not set so good a face on it, yet perhaps he got as good a Bishoprick. But, to come to our Bishop whom my felf knew in Cambridge, a Matter of Arts and a proper active man, and plaid well at tenis; and after that, when he came to be a Batchellor of Divinity, he would toffe an Argument in the Schools, better, then a Ball in the Tennis-court. A grave Doctor yet living, and his ancient, alluding to his name in their disputation, called him Erudite Benedicte, and gave him for his outward as well as inward ornament great commendation. He became after Chaplain to the Lord Treasurer Burleigh, who was very curious, and no leffe fortunate in the choyce of his Chaplains, and they no leffe happy in the choyce of their Patron, as Mr. Day after Bishop of Winchester, the Bifhop I now fpeak of, Doctor Neale now Dean of Wetiminfter, and divers others.

3-5,

SACRED CRITICISM, No. XII.
(Continued from page 267.)

A CRITIQUE ON PSALM XLV.

GIRD thy fword upon thy Thigh, O thou MIGHTY,

In thy glory and thy majefty.

Vol. III. Church. Mag. Dec. 1802,

Tt

And

And in thy majefty ride profperously,

For the cause of truth, meekness and righteousness:

And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible [exploits.]"

This is a magnificent description of the MESSIAH in his warlike charac ter; going forth in all his terrors, to punish the adverfaries of his kingdom, like "A man of war," as defcribed by Mofes, in the drowning of the Egyptians, Exod. 15, 3. and by Ethan, Pf. 89, 10. and moft fublimely, Wisdom of Solomon, 18, 14-18, on occafion of the destruction of the First born, that laft and foreft of the plagues, of Egypt :

Although the Egyptians difbelieved all [the plagues] by reafon of the enchantments; yet, on the deftruction of the First-born, they confeffed that the people [of Ifrael] were fons of Gov.

"For when the world was wrapt in ftill filence,

And night, in her proper fpeed, holding her middle course;
THY ALMIGHTY ORACLE,* leapt down from Heaven,
Out of the royal thrones, a fierce warrior,

Into the midft of a land [doomed to] deftruction,
Wielding a sharp fword (thine unfeigned command)—
And ftanding there, did fill the whole with death:

He touched the Heaven indeed, but trode upon the Earth.”

And the future destruction of the enemies of GoD and of HIS CHRIST, is alfo, moft fublimely defcribed, Rev. 19, 11-16, in a fimilar imagery, recording both his primitive and new NAMES:

“And I beheld the Heaven opened, and lo, a white horse;

And his Rider was called FAITHFUL and TRUE;

And in righteoufnefs doth He judge and war:

His eyes were as a flame of fire,

And on his head, many Diadems;

Having A NAME WRITTEN, which none but Himself

Knoweth; and clad in a vefture dyed in blood :

And his name is called THE ORACLE OF GOD.S

And the armies in Heaven attended him,

On white horfes, dreffed in lawn, white and clean:
And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp fword,

To ftrike therewith the Gentiles; For "He fhall rule them
With an iron fceptre," and Himself tread the wine press
Of the indignation and wrath of GOD OMNIPOTENT.
And on his vefture and on his thigh:

He hath THE NAME WRITTEN: KING OF KINGS
AND LORD OF LORDS."

After fuch fublime and unequivocal perfonifications of the facred term, LOGOS, before and after the coming of CHRIST, and from fuch high authorities in the Jewish and Chriftian churches;-(The Book of Wisdom, being conjectured by the best Critics, to have been written not later than the time of the Maccabees;-is it not " paffing ftrange," that even the MONTHLY REVIEW for laft June, p. 145-147. fhould entertain" a fufpicion that the term Logos has a Platonic Origin"; 2. fhould recom mend leaving the word untranflated, in the introduction of John's Gospel: § Ο ΛΟΓΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ,

* Ο παντοδυναμος Σε ΛΟΓΟΣ.

In the beginning was the Logos; &c. as being " doubtful of its proper fignification"; and 3. fhould exprefsly affert," that after the introductory verfes, it never occurs again either in the Gospel or the Epistles [of St. John]"-being "a term of speculative controverfy:"-for furely.

1. The term, was derived from the Hebrew Scriptures; in which Dabar, (as we have feen) is repeatedly rendered A., where it fignifies, Oracle," in the Septuagint Verfion; and Dubar Jahoh, by Aoy Kugio, in cafes of undoubted perfonality, as where THE ORACLE OF THE LORD, appeared to Nathan, 1. Chron. 17, 3, to Solomon, 1 Kings 6, 11, &c.

68

2. The Apostle Paul has afcertained its proper fignification in the latter cafes; rendering Dabar Jahoh, that divine perfon who appeared to Elijah on Mount Horeb, or Sinai, 1 Kings, 19, 9-18. by a technical term of Greek Mythology-o xenμatioμ, which fignifies "THE ORACLE." Rom. 11, 4. according to Macrobius, rendering it in Latin, "Oraculum," Somnium Scipionis 1. 3.)-whofe perfonality, the Apoftle has most unequivocally expreffed in his Epiftle to the Hebrews, 12, 25-29. rendering it, Ὁ Λαλων THE SPEAKER," who at first pake THE LAW, in Terrors as a God; and afterwards, THE GOSPEL, in "a ftill small voice" as a Man: but who, to disobedient Jews and Chriftians, is and will be “ a confuming fire. No Speculative term," furely. And the Evangelift John has well explained, the import of the title: 3, 34. Because "He Speaketh (ar) the fayings (or oracles) of GoD," and alfo in his Introduction: reprefenting, O Ay, "THE ORACLE" at the beginning, to be, Ὁ μονογενης THE ONLY GENUINE SON" at the clofe, verf. 18. who "expounded (nynoaro) GOD THE FATHER, invifible, to Mortals, or interpreted his Spiritual Nature and Worship to Mankind, John 4, 24. Compare Matt. 11, 27.-For the verb Enyoua, is forenfic or technical, in the beft Claffics; fignifying to expound, interpret, or deliver Oracularly. Thus in Xenophon, Oi Mayo sέnyero," The Magi interpreted" the Omens. And Themiftius thus defcribes Apollo, the fpurious God of Oracles, among the Greeks, p. 330. Exe depois adgoors. εν μέσω της γης απο το ομφαλό καθημενα, εξηγειται. "That [Apollo] fitting on the Navel in the middle of the Earth, delivers oracles to affembled peoples."

3. If the M. R. will more critically examine and compare the beginning of the firft Epiftle of John, with his Gospel throughout; the Preface of Luke's Gofpel; A&s, 10, 36–43. and 20, 32. Heb. 4, 12-14. i Pet. 1, 23. and 2 Pet. 3. they will perhaps be induced to think, with several first rate Critics, (who have convinced Infpector, after no fhort nor flight refearch) that the Logos in all these cafes, can be no other than THE SON OF GOD.* In perfect conformity with the foregoing fublime paffages of Holy

Writ,

*The foregoing remarks may tend alfo to folve the important queftion, on which the CHRISTIAN OBSERVER, for July, p. 436, perplexed between authorities and counter authorities "of great name,' modeftly withes for further information : Namely, "Whether the term 'p, [Mimra] in the Chaldee Paraphrafe, (of which, Ay, is the proper tranflation) is to be understood as a mere idiom; or a perfonal defignation For furely,

There can be no doubt of the latter, where it is used to express or represent the divine names, 1AHOH, or ALOHIM in the Hebrew Text:-Thus: Gen. 3. 8, They heard the voice of THE LORd of Gods, &c. is rendered by Onkelos, "They heard the voice of THE ORACLE OF THE LORD" &c. (MIMRA DA IAHOH) by Jonathan Ben Uzziel, more closely, "They heard the voice of THE ORACLE OF THE LORD OF GODS" (MIMRA DA IAHOH LOHIM), And the next verfe, 9, Tt2

"And

Writ, both in the Old and New Teftament, is St. Paul's moft magnificent defcription of that "MIGHTY GOD" (Ifa. 9, 6.) in his Epijile to the Hebrews, ftiling him by his primitive Title: Heb. 4, 12.

"For THE ORACLE OF GOD, is living, and energetic, and fharper than any two-edged fword, penetrating even to the feparation of foul and fpirit, of joints and marrow; and a Critical [difcerner] of the imaginations and intentions of the heart: And there is no creation unfeen before Him; for all things are bare and expofed to His Eyes, concerning whom, is our difcourfe."-To understand all this, merely of the Gospel, or written word, is to offer violence to every clause of the text; and alfo to the context both before and after: For 1. the term (w, is furely the adjunct rather of a Perfon than of a Thing: as in the parallel paffage of 1 Pet. 1, 25.ing regenerated, not of corruptible but of incorruptible feed, through THE ORACLE OF GOD, living and abiding for ever"—and the phrase, o λoy® (wv is equivalent to, ο λογο της ζωης THE ORACLE OF THE LIFE," which is clearly meant of OUR LORD, in the Introduction of John's firft Epiitle, in perfect conformity with the introduction of his Gofpel.-4. In him [THE ORACLE] was LIFE." and with Rev. 1, 18.-" And lo! I am LIVING for evermore, and I hold the keys of Hades and of Death."

"Be

2. "His eyes"-muft furely relate to a perfon; and if, GOD,- rather to the fearcher of hearts" JESUS CHRIST, rather to "THE SON," to whom THE FATHER Committed all judgment;" and made him judge both of quick and dead"-" concerning whom" was the entire subject of the Epifile to the Hebrews"--and to whom, the Apoftle directly proceeds again, in the next verf. 14. "Having then, A GREAT HIGH PRIEST, who hath paffed through the heavens, [to the throne of GOD] JESUS, THE SON OF GOD; let us hold faft our profeffion,"-thus referring, to the beginning of the argument, on this head, 3, 1.-" Holy Brethren, partakers of a heavenly call; confider THE APOSTLE and HIGH PRIEST of our profeffion, CHRIST JESUS. See an Analysis of the Apoftle's Argument, in my laft Communication, on Pf. cx.

3. The fame imagery is familiar to Philo; who reprefents "the flaming

"And GOD called Adam," &c. is rendered by the Jerufalem Targum, And THE ORACLE OF THE LORD OF GODS, called Adam, &c." And fo, Gen. 19, 24, "And THE LORD rained brimftone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah, &c. is rendered both by Jonathan and the ferufalem Targum, THE ORACLE OF THE LORD rained, upon Sodom and Gomorrah, &c. See feveral other inftances, Bulli Opera, p. 14. and Ben Mordecal, Letter III. p. 340 &c. 8vo. Edit.

Το

Nor is it a valid objection, that in feveral of the most obvious personal revelations of THE ORACLE OF THE LORD; as for inftance to Abraham, Gen. 15, 1. Samuel, 1 Sam. 3, 1—7—10. and in the cafes recited, to Nathan, Solomon, Elijah, &c. that the Chaldce paraphrafe of the fame Hebrew phrafe DABAR IAHOH is different; namely pan (PITHGAMA DA IAHOH) becaufe in all thefe cafes, it is also rendered by the Septuagint, Paua Kug8;--which is fynonymous with 'o Aoy Te Kugle, as appears from Pfalm 33, 6. where DABAR IAHOH, is rendered by Peter, 2 Pet. 3, 5.Ayre ; but by Paul, Heb. 11, 3. Phua Ose, and these phrafes are alfo ufed promiscuously by Philo; as we have feen in the Critique on the Introduc tion to the Hebrews. This perfonal defignation of MIMRA" in fuch cafes, is likewise the opinion of the most learned modern Rabbins: Thus, Rittangelius in his comment on the Rabbinical work Jezirah, concludes, that "the most ancient and most learned of the Hebrew Theologians, from the days of Abraham, have used the term MIMRA as a common term; and their Pofterity alfo, in their Synagogues, for feveral thousand years, as appears both from the Chaldee Paraphrafes of Onkelos, Jonathan B. Uzziel, ferufalem and alfo from the writings and fragments of other ancient Rabbins.”—See Ben Mordecai, P. 345.

fword,"