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236 Credibility of the Gospel History.
that he might destroy all sin, and afford us helps for obtaining
eternal life: For he did not earnestly desire to appear
like God, but made himself of no reputation, taking
the form of a servant : and being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself unto death, even the death of the cross :"
Philip, ii. 6, 7. " Wherefore" also these martyrs, full of
Christ, " earnestly desiringP the greatest gifts," (1 Cor.
xii. 31.) endured not once only, but some of them often, all
kinds of pains and tortures that can be invented ; and,
though the officers did their utmost by words and deeds to
terrify them, they were not disheartened, " because perfect
love casteth out fear :" 1 John iv. 18.
I omit the rest which may be seen in Euscbius himself,
who, having finished his extracts, adds :
' These^ are the
' words of a true philosopher, and a martyr filled with the
' love of God : which, when in prison, before the final sen-
' tence of the judge, he sent to the people under his care;
' partly informing them what were his own circumstances,
' partly exhorting them to hold fast the faith of Christ, even
' after his death, which was then near at hand.'
Here are, I think, three references to books of the New
Testament; the first epistle to the Corinthians,
epistle to the Philippians, and the first of St. John.
and the
We see
by this short passage, what great regard the christians of
those times had for the holy scriptures : and how apt they
are to clothe their OM'n thoughts in expressions borrowed from
them.
I suppose likewise, that none will dispute my interpretation
of that phrase, which in our English translation is rendered,
' thought it not robbery to be equal with God ;' for it is
here evidently used and understood by Phileas, as expressive
of our Lord's humility, not of his dignity and greatness. In
the like manner have Me already observed that expression
understood by several " ancient christian writers.
I would just observe that, at the end of the passage cited
by Eusebius, Phileas quotes some precepts of the Old Testament,
as* sacred scripture.
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