Abstract
When Locke died in 1704, he had written paraphrases and notes on five of the epistles traditionally ascribed to Paul: Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans, and Ephesians. At the time of his death his work on Galatians was already in the hands of the printer, and both Galatians and the work on the other epistles appeared posthumously. Commentaries on books of the Bible in the form of paraphrases and notes were not new with Locke. It was already a popular fashion and continued to be so after Locke’s death. Three writers in particular carried on Locke’s work by writing paraphrases and notes on those New Testament epistles on which he had not commented. All three were dissenting ministers, and all three departed from orthodoxy in important points of doctrine. They were James Peirce, Joseph Hallett, who completed Peirce’s work on the Epistle to the Hebrews, and George Benson. All three of them were learned and scholarly writers, and all of them held pastoral office in dissenting congregations.
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Notes
- 1.
1 David L. Wykes, “Peirce, James (1674–1726),” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, ed. H. C. G. Matthew, Brian Harrison (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2004), 43: ad vocem; online ed., ed. Lawrence Goldman, January 2008, http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/21782 (accessed February 13, 2013).
- 2.
“I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). Biblical quotations are from the Authorised (King James) Version.
- 3.
James Peirce, The Case of the Ministers Ejected at Exon (London: John Clark, 1719), 11.
- 4.
James Peirce, Plain Christianity Defended: Being an Answer to a Pamphlet Lately Printed at Exon, Intitled, Arius Detected and Confuted, &c., Part I (London: J. Noon, 1719), 10.
- 5.
Peirce’s works on Colossians, Philippians, and Hebrews were also issued in one volume in 1727. They appeared together with Hallett’s supplement in a further edition, which consisted of five parts: second editions of Colossians (1729), Philippians (1733), Hebrews (1734) and Dissertations on six texts of scripture (1737). It also included Hallett’s Supplement to Hebrews (1733). In spite of the date given to the second edition of the Dissertations, the title page of this five-part collection indicates that it is a second edition printed for J. Noon in London in 1733. Peirce’s work on Hebrews together with Hallett’s Supplement was translated into Latin by the German scholar Johann D. Michaelis, who added comments of his own: Iacobi Peircii Paraphrasis et Notae Philologicae atque Exegeticae in Epistolam ad Hebraeos Latine Vertit, et Suas Ubique Observationes Addidit Ioannes Dauid Michaelis. (Iosephi Halleti Iunioris Conatus ad Detegendum Epistolae ad Hebraeos Scriptorem, etc.) (Halae Magdeburgicae: Sumtibus Bibliopolii Lüderwaldiani, 1747).
- 6.
James Peirce, A Paraphrase, and Notes on the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians. With an Appendix Upon Ephes. IV.8 (London: J. Noon and S. Chandler, 1725), v.
- 7.
Ibid.
- 8.
John Locke, A Paraphrase and Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul, to the Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, ed. Arthur W. Wainwright, 2 vols. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987), 1: 109–10.
- 9.
Ibid., 1: 111.
- 10.
E.g., Peirce, Colossians, 12, 13, 14, 19, 27, 28, 31, 33, 38, 40, 42, 45, 46, 48, 51, 58, 59.
- 11.
Locke, Paraphrase and Notes, 1: 114.
- 12.
Peirce, Colossians, vi.
- 13.
Ibid., 3–4; Locke, Paraphrase and Notes, 2: 610.
- 14.
Peirce, Colossians, 4–5; Locke, Paraphrase 2: 610–11.
- 15.
Peirce, Colossians, 7, 48–49, 54, 55.
- 16.
James Peirce, A Paraphrase, and Notes on the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians. To which are added, Two Dissertations. One on Gal. IV,21-V.1. The other on Matth. II.13,14,15. (London: J. Noon and S. Chandler, 1725), v.
- 17.
E.g., James Peirce, A Paraphrase and Notes, on the Epistle to the Hebrews (London: J. Noon and J. Chandler, 1727), 1, 3.
- 18.
E.g., Peirce, Hebrews, 35, 57, 181.
- 19.
Locke, Paraphrase and Notes, 1: 108.
- 20.
Peirce, Hebrews, 42.
- 21.
Peirce, Philippians, 80–82, 88. Peirce also claims on dubious grounds that Isaiah 64:1 is an allegorisation of the Sarah and Hagar story.
- 22.
Peirce, Colossians, 12.
- 23.
Peirce, Plain Christianity Defended, Part I, 10.
- 24.
Peirce, Colossians, 12.
- 25.
Ibid., 28.
- 26.
Ibid., 29.
- 27.
Peirce, Philippians, 25–26.
- 28.
Ibid., 26.
- 29.
Ibid., 31–33.
- 30.
Peirce, Hebrews, 22.
- 31.
Ibid, 23.
- 32.
Ibid., 5. See Tertullian, Apology, 21.
- 33.
John Edwards, Some Thoughts Concerning the Several Causes and Occasions of Atheism (London: J. Robinson, 1695), 105, 107, 111, 112; John Locke, A Letter to the Right Reverend Edward, Lord Bishop of Worcester, in The Works of John Locke, 9th ed., 9 vols. (London: T. Longman, B. Law and Son, J. Johnson, et al., 1794), 3: 4; Reply to the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Worcester’s Answer to his Second Letter, in Works, 3:195–208; A Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity, in Works, 6: 165–67, 169–72; A Second Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity, in Works, 6: 376; Robert Jenkin, Remarks on some Books Lately Published, viz. Mr. Basnage’s History of the Jews, Mr. Whiston’s Eight Sermons, Mr. Lock’s Paraphrase and Notes on St. Paul’s Epistles, Mr. Le Clerc’s Bibliothèque Choisie (London: Richard Sare, 1709), 163.
- 34.
David L. Wykes, “Hallett, Joseph III (bap. 1691, d. 1744),” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 24: ad vocem; online ed. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/12010 (accessed February 13, 2013).
- 35.
Joseph Hallett, jun., A Paraphrase, and Notes On the three last Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews: Being a Supplement to the Learned Mr. Peirce’s Paraphrase and Notes on this Epistle. With An Essay to discover the Author of the Epistle, and the Language in which it was originally written (London: J. Noon, 1733), xl.
- 36.
Ibid., “Preface.”
- 37.
Joseph Hallett, jun., A Third Volume of Notes on Several Texts of Scripture; and Discourses… (London: J. Noon, 1736), 290.
- 38.
Thomas Amory, “Memoirs of the Life, Character, and Writings of the Author,” in George Benson, The History Of the Life of Jesus Christ, Taken from the New Testament; with Observations and Reflections… (London: J. Waugh, J. Buckland. T. Longman, and S. Crowder, 1764), iii–xix; [Joseph Towers,] “Benson, George,” Biographia Britannica: or, The Lives of the Most Eminent Persons who have flourished in Great Britain and Ireland, from the earliest ages, to the present times …, ed. Andrew Kippis et al., 2nd ed., 5 vols. (London: C. Bathurst, W. Strahan, J. Rivington and Sons, L. Davis, G. Keith et al., 1778–93), 2: 201–8; R. K. Webb, “Benson, George (1699–1762),” in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 5: ad vocem; online ed. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/2140 (accessed February 13, 2013).
- 39.
George Benson, The Doctrine of Predestination Review’d; or God’s Counsels and Decrees Only a Comparison to what Men find in themselves. In a Letter to a Friend (London: J. Roberts, 1729).
- 40.
George Benson, Second Thoughts Concerning the Sufferings and Death of Christ, as A propitiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of the World, and a Satisfaction to Divine Justice (London: J. Waugh, J. Noon, and R. King, 1748).
- 41.
Johann D. Michaelis translated Benson’s work on James into Latin, and added his own comments; Siegmund J. Baumgarten made favorable remarks about it in a preface: Georgii Bensonii Paraphrasis et Notae Philologicae atque Exegeticae in Epistolam S. Iacobi: Latine Vertit, et Suas Ubique Observationes Addidit M. Ioannes Dauid Michaelis. Cum Præfatione D. Sigism. Iacobi Baumgarten. (Halae Magdeburgicae: Sumtibus Bibliopolii Lüderwaldiani, 1746). Another scholar, A. G. March, edited a Latin translation of Benson’s dissertation on 1 John 5:7–8, adding extensive notes that defended the genuineness of the text against Benson’s objections: Georgii Bensonii Magni apud Anglos Theologi Dissertatio de Loco I. Joh. V. Com. VII. Quam Latinam Edidit, Notasque Adiecit A.G.M. Cuius et De Sacrificiorum Fine et Natura Dissertatio Accedit… (Halae Magdeburgicae: Bauer, 1752). All Benson’s paraphrases and notes on the epistles appeared in a German translation entitled D. George Bensons Paraphrastische Erklärung und Anmerkungen über einige Bücher des Neuen Testaments…: nebst einigen critischen Abhandlungen…, 4 vols. (Leipzig: in der Weidmannischen Buchhandlung, 1761).
- 42.
George Benson, A Paraphrase and Notes On Six of the Epistles of St. Paul, viz. 1 Thessalonians, II Thessalonians, I Timothy, Philemon, Titus, II Timothy. Attempted In Imitation of Mr. Locke’s Manner. To which are annexed, Critical Dissertations on several Subjects, for the better Understanding of St. Paul’s Epistles, 2nd ed. (London: James Waugh, 1752), xxxv–xxxvi.
- 43.
Ibid., xvi–xviii.
- 44.
George Benson, The Reasonablenesse of the Christian Religion, As delivered in the Scriptures. In Four Parts, 3rd ed., 2 vols. (London: J. Waugh and W. Fenner, 1759), 1: 116–32.
- 45.
George Benson, A Paraphrase and Notes on the Seven (commonly called) Catholic Epistles. Viz. St. James , I St. Peter , II St. Peter, St. Jude . I, II, and III of St. John . Attempted in Imitation of Mr. Locke’s manner. To which are annexed Several critical dissertations, 2nd ed. (London: J. Waugh and W. Fenner, 1756), 7–13, 137–59, 323, 437–48, 489–510, 663–79.
- 46.
John Locke, The Reasonableness of Christianity, ed. John C. Higgins-Biddle (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999), 33.
- 47.
Ibid., 164; see Locke, Second Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity, in Works, 6: 341.
- 48.
Locke, Reasonableness, 168.
- 49.
Benson, Reasonablenesse, 1: 148.
- 50.
Benson, Catholic Epistles, 603.
- 51.
Ibid., 454.
- 52.
Ibid., 455.
- 53.
Benson, Epistles of St. Paul, 19.
- 54.
Ibid. See also Benson, Catholic Epistles, 629 (on 1 John 5:20).
- 55.
John Locke, An Essay concerning Human Understanding, ed. Peter H. Nidditch (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1975), 4.18.10 (Nidditch, 695).
- 56.
Benson, Epistles of St, Paul, 102.
- 57.
Locke, Paraphrase and Notes, 1: 115.
- 58.
Benson, Epistles of St. Paul, 102.
- 59.
Ibid., 272.
- 60.
Ibid., 273. Peirce, Philippians, 31–33, makes a similar point in identifying the preexistent Christ with the angel Michael.
- 61.
Locke, Paraphrase and Notes, 2: 508 (on Rom. 3:24).
- 62.
Benson, Catholic Epistles, 528.
- 63.
Ibid., 244.
- 64.
Locke, Paraphrase and Notes, 2: 588.
- 65.
Benson, Catholic Epistles, 223.
- 66.
Locke, Paraphrase and Notes, 2: 587 (on Rom. 13:1–7).
- 67.
Benson, “An Essay Concerning the Abolishing of the Ceremonial Law,” in Epistles of St. Paul, 455.
- 68.
Modern translations prefer “the man of lawlessness” or “the lawless one,” which is based on earlier manuscripts than “that man of sin.”
- 69.
Benson, Epistles of St. Paul, 179.
- 70.
George Benson, In commemoration of the happy accession of the illustrious house of Hanover to the throne of Great-Britain. A Sermon Preached at Little St. Helens, August 2, MDCCXLII.… (London: James Brackstone, Richard King, and M. Fenner, 1742); The glorious first of August; or, the blessing of the revolution completed, by the protestant succession, in the amiable and illustrious house of Hanover. A Sermon Preached, at Salter’s-Hall, August 1. 1758 (London: J. Waugh, J. Johnson, W. Fenner, and E. Gardiner, 1758).
- 71.
Benson, Epistles of St. Paul, 173–97.
- 72.
John Locke, Two Treatises of Government, ed. Peter Laslett, 2nd ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1970), 2.15.173 (Laslett, 401).
- 73.
Benson, Catholic Epistles, 219.
- 74.
Ibid., 518.
- 75.
Locke, Works, 5: 15.
- 76.
Benson, Catholic Epistles, 372.
- 77.
Locke, Works, 5: 239; Benson, Catholic Epistles, 297.
- 78.
Benson, Catholic Epistles, 61.
- 79.
Benson, “A Dissertation on James ii. 14,—20. Or, an Essay to Reconcile what St. Paul hath said, Concerning Men’s Being Justified by Faith; with what St. James hath said, Concerning their being Justified by Works,” in Catholic Epistles, 128.
- 80.
Locke, Reasonableness, 120.
- 81.
Locke, Paraphrase and Notes, 2: 536; see 2: 502 (on Rom. 2:26).
- 82.
Benson, Catholic Epistles, 136.
- 83.
Locke, Paraphrase and Notes, 2: 629.
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Wainwright, A.W. (2019). Locke’s Influence on the Exegesis of Peirce, Hallett, and Benson. In: Simonutti, L. (eds) Locke and Biblical Hermeneutics. International Archives of the History of Ideas Archives internationales d'histoire des idées, vol 226. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19903-6_10
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