concerning the institution of the eucharist incidents of his private life, and the circum"For I have received of the Lord that which stances of his condition and history; and the I also delivered unto you, that the Lord connexion and parallelism of these with the Jesus, the same night in which he was be- same circumstances in the Acts of the Apostrayed, took bread; and when he had given tles, so as to enable us, for the most part, to tharks he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this confront them one with another; as well as is my body, which is broken for you; this do the relation which subsists between the circumin remembrance of me"-though it be in close stances, as mentioned or referred to in the difand verbal conformity with the account of the ferent epistles afford no inconsiderable proof same transaction preserved by St. Luke, is yet of the genuineness of the writings, and the a conformity of which no use can be made in reality of the transactions. For as no adverour argument; for if it should be objected tency is sufficient to guard against slips and that this was a mere recital from the Gospel, contradictions, when circumstances are multiborrowed by the author of the epistle, for the plied, and when they are liable to be detected purpose of setting off his composition by an by contemporary accounts equally circumstanappearance of agreement with the received ac- tial, an impostor, I should expect, would either count of the Lord's supper, I should not know have avoided particulars entirely, contenting how to repel the insinuation. In like man- himself with doctrinal discussions, moral prener, the description which St. Paul gives of cepts, and general reflections; or if, for the himself in his epistle to the Philippians (iii. 5.) sake of imitating St. Paul's style, he should “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock have thought it necessary to intersperse his of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew composition with names and circumstances, he of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Phari- would have placed them out of the reach of see; concerning zeal, persecuting the Church; comparison with the history. And I am contouching the righteousness which is in the law, firmed in this opinion by the inspection of blameless”—is made up of particulars so plain- two attempts to counterfeit St. Paul's epistles, ly delivered concerning him, in the Acts of which have come down to us; and the only the Apostles, the Epistle to the Romans, and attempts of which we have any knowledge, the Epistle to the Galatians, that I cannot de- that are at all deserving of regard. One of ny but that it would be easy for an impostor, these is an epistle to the Laodiceans, extant who was fabricating a letter in the name of in Latin, and preserved by Fabricius in his St. Paul, to collect these articles into one view. collection of apocryphal scriptures. The other This, therefore, is a conformity which we do purports to be an epistle of St. Paul to the not adduce. But when I read in the Acts of Corinthians, in answer to an epistle from the the Apostles, that when "Paul came to Derbe Corinthians to him. This was translated by and Lystra, behold a certain disciple was there, Scroderus from a copy in the Arminian lannamed Timotheus, the son of a certain wo- guage which had been sent to W. Whiston, man which was a Jewess;" and when, in an and was afterwards, from a more perfect copy epistle addressed to Timothy, I find him re-procured at Aleppo, published by his sons, as minded of his "having known the Holy Scrip- an appendix to their edition of Moses Chorentures from a child;" which implies that he ensis. No Greek copy exists of either: they must, on one side or both, have been brought are not only not supported by ancient testimoup by Jewish parents: I conceive that I re-ny, but they are negatived and excluded; as mark a coincidence which shows, by its very they have never found admission into any caobliquity, that scheme was not employed in talogue of apostolical writings, acknowledged its formation. In like manner, if a coinci- by, or known to, the early ages of Christianity. dence depend upon a comparison of dates, or In the first of these I found, as I expected, a rather of circumstances from which the dates total evitation of circumstances. It is simply are gathered the more intricate that compa- a collection of sentences from the canonical erison shall be; the more numerous the inter- pistles, strung together with very little skill. mediate steps through which the conclusion is The second, which is a more versute and spededuced; in a word, the more circuitous the cious forgery, is introduced with a list of names investigation is, the better, because the agree- of persons who wrote to St. Paul from Coment which finally results is thereby farther rinth; and is preceded by an account sufficientremoved from the suspicion of contrivance, This, however, must not be misunderstood. affectation, or design. And it should be re-son writing to his friends, and upon a subject in which membered, concerning these coincidences, that the transactions of his own life were concerned, would it is one thing to be minute, and another to probably be led, in the course of his letter, especially if it was a long one, to refer to passages found in his hisbe precarious; one thing to be unobserved, tory. A person addressing an epistle to the public at and another to be obscure; one thing to be large, or under the form of an epistle delivering a discourse upon some speculative argument, would not, it is circuitous or oblique, and another to be forc-probable, meet with an occasion of alluding to the cir ed, dubious, or fanciful. And this distinction cumstances of his life at all; he might, or he might not; the chance on either side is nearly equal. This is the situa ought always to be retained in our thoughts. tion of the catholic epistle. Although, therefore, the preThe very particularity of St. Paul's epis-sence of these allusions and agreements be a valuable ac tles; the perpetual recurrence of names of per-letter is maintained, yet the want of them certainly forms cession to the arguments by which the authenticity of a sons and places; the frequent allusions to the no positive objection, A per ly particular of the manner in which the epis-ance of consistency amongst them. All which tle was sent from Corinth to St. Paul, and the observations show that they were not intendanswer returned. But they are names whiched by the person, whoever he was, that wrote no one ever heard of; and the account it is im- them, to come forth or be read together: that possible to combine with any thing found in they appeared at first separately, and have the Acts, or in the other epistles. It is not been collected since. necessary for me to point out the internal marks The proper purpose of the following work of spuriousness and imposture which these is to bring together, from the Acts of the compositions betray; but it was necessary to Apostles, and from the different epistles, such observe, that they do not afford those coinci- passages as furnish examples of undesigned codences which we propose as proofs of authen-incidence; but I have so far enlarged upon ticity in the epistles which we defend. Having explained the general scheme and formation of the argument, I may be permit. ted to subjoin a brief account of the manner of conducting it. this plan, as to take into it some circumstances found in the epistles, which contributed strength to the conclusion, though not strictly objects of comparison. It appeared also a part of the same plan, to examine the difficulties which presented them. selves in the course of our inquiry. If what is here offered shall add one thread to that complication of probabilities by which the Christian history is attested, the reader's attention will be repaid by the supreme importance of the subject; and my design will be fully answered. CHAPTER II. THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. No. 1. I have disposed the several instances of agreement under separate numbers: as well to mark more sensibly the divisions of the sub- I do not know that the subject has been project, as for another purpose, viz. that the rea-posed or considered in this view before. Luder may thereby be reminded that the instan- dovicus, Capellus, Bishop Pearson, Dr. Bences are independent of one another. I have son, and Dr. Lardner, have each given a conadvanced nothing which I did not think pro- tinued history of St. Paul's life, made up from bable; but the degree of probability by which the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles joindifferent instances are supported, is undoubt-ed together. But this, it is manifest, is a difedly very different. If the reader, therefore, ferent undertaking from the present, and dimeets with a number which contains an in-rected to a different purpose. stance that appears to him unsatisfactory, or founded in mistake, he will dismiss that number from the argument, but without prejudice to any other. He will have occasion also to observe, that the coincidences discoverable in some epistles are much fewer and weaker than what are supplied by others. But he will add to his observation this important circumstance --that whatever ascertains the original of one epistle, in some measure establishes the authority of the rest. For, whether these epistles be genuine or spurious, every thing about them indicates that they come from the same hand. The diction, which it is extremely difficult toimitate, preserves its resemblance and peculiarity THE first passage I shall produce from this throughout all the epistles. Numerous expres- epistle, and upon which a good deal of obsersions and singularities of style, found in novation will be founded, is the following:other part of the New Testament, are repeat- "But now I go unto Jerusalem, to minised in different epistles; and occur in their respective places, without the smallest appearance of force or art. An involved argumentation, frequent obscurities, especially in the order and transition of thought, piety, vehemence, affec- In this quotation three distinct circumstantion, bursts of rapture, and of unparalleled ces are stated a contribution in Macedonia sublimity, are properties, all or most of them, for the relief of the Christians of Jerusalem, discernible in every letter of the collection. But a contribution in Achaia for the same purpose, although these epistles bear strong marks of and an intended journey of St. Paul to Jeruproceeding from the same hand, I think it is salem. These circumstances are stated as takstill more certain that they were originally se- ing place at the same time, and that to be the parate publications. They form no continued time when the epistle was written. Now let story; they compose no regular correspon-us inquire whether we can find these circumdence; they comprise not the transactions of stances elsewhere, and whether, if we do find any particular period; they carry on no con-them, they meet together in respect of date. nexion of argument; they depend not upon Turn to the Acts of the Apostles, chap. xx. one another; except in one or two instances, ver. 2, 3, and you read the following account; they refer not to one another. I will farther un-"When he had gone over those parts, (viz. dertake to say, that no study or care has been Macedonia,) and had given them much exhoremployed to produce or preserve an appear-¡tation, he came into Greece, and there abode ter unto the saints; for it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia, to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem." Rom. xv. 25, 26. there. The expression, therefore," when I come," must relate to a second visit; against which visit the contribution spoken of was desired to be in readiness. three months; and when the Jews laid wait salem; and if it be meet, that I go also, they for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he shall go with me." In this passage we find proposed to return through Macedonia." From a contribution carrying on at Corinth, the cathis passage, compared with the account of St. pital of Achaia, for the Christians of Jerusa Paul's travels given before, and from the se- lem; we find also a hint given of the possibiliquel of the chapter, it appears that upon St. ty of St. Paul going up to Jerusalem himself, Paul's second visit to the peninsula of Greece, after he had paid his visit into Achaia: but his intention was, when he should leave the this is spoken of rather as a possibility than as country, to proceed from Achaia directly by any settled intention; for his first thought sea to Syria; but that to avoid the Jews, who was, "Whomsoever you shall approve by your were lying in wait to intercept him in his letters, them will I send to bring your liberroute, he so far changed his purpose as to go ality to Jerusalem :" and in the sixth verse he back through Macedonia, embark at Philippi, adds, "That ye may bring me on my jourand pursue his voyage from thence towards Je. ney whithersoever I go." This epistle purrusalem. Here, therefore, is a journey to Jeru- ports to be written after St. Paul had been at salem; but not a syllable of any contribution. Corinth; for it refers throughout to what he And as St. Paul had taken several journeys to had done and said amongst them whilst he was Jerusalem before, and one also immediately after his first visit into the peninsula of Greece, (Acts xviii. 21.) it cannot from hence be collected in which of these visits the epistle was written, or with certainty, that it was written But though the contribution in Achaia be in either. The silence of the historian, who pro expressly mentioned, nothing is here said confesses to have been with St. Paul at the time, (c. cerning any contribution in Macedonia. Turn xx. v. 6.) concerning any contribution, might therefore, in the third place, to the Second lead us to look out for some different journey, or Epistle to the Corinthians, chap. viii. ver. 1--might induce us, perhaps, to question the con- 4. and you will discover the particular which sistency of the two records, did not a very ac- remains to be sought for: "Moreover, brethcidental reference, in another part of the same ren, we do you to wit of the grace of God behistory, afford us sufficient ground to believe stowed on the churches of Macedonia; how that this silence was omission. When St. Paul that, in a great trial of affliction, the abunmade his reply before Felix, to the accusations dance of their joy and their deep poverty of Tertullus, he alleged, as was natural, that abounded unto the riches of their liberality: neither the errand which brought him to Je- for to their power, I bear record, yea and berusalem, nor his conduct whilst he remained yond their power, they were willing of themthere, merited the calumnies with which the selves; praying us with much entreaty, that Jews had aspersed him. "Now after many we would receive the gift, and take upon us years (i. e. of absence,) I came to bring alms the fellowship of the ministering to the saints." to my nation, and offerings; whereupon certain To which add, chap. ix. ver. 2: "I know the Jews from Asia found me parified in the tem- forwardness of your mind, for which I boast ple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult, of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was who ought to have been here before thee, and ready a year ago." In this epistle we find St. object, if they had aught against me." Acts Paul advanced as far as Macedonia, upon that xxiv. 17-19. This mention of alms and of- second visit to Corinth which he promised in ferings certainly brings the narrative in the his former epistle; we find also, in the pasActs nearer to an accordancy with the epistle; sages now quoted from it, that a contribution yet no one, I am persuaded, will suspect that was going on in Macedonia at the same time this clause was put into St. Paul's defence, ei-with, or soon however following, the contrither to supply the omission in the preceding bution which was made in Achaia; but for narrative, or with any view to such accordan-whom the contribution was made does not apcy. pear in this espistle at all: that information After all, nothing is yet said or hinted, con- must be supplied from the first epistle. cerning the place of the contribution; nothing Here, therefore, at length, but fetched from concerning Macedonia and Achaia. Turn there- three different writings, we have obtained the fore to the First Epistle to the Corinthians, several circumstances we inquired after, and chap. xvi. ver. 1-4. and you have St. Paul,' which the Epistle to the Romans brings togedelivering the following directions: "Concern- ther, viz. a contribution in Achaia for the Chrising the collection for the saints, as I have tians of Jerusalem; a contribution in Macegiven orders to the churches of Galatia, even donia for the same; and an approaching jourso do ye; upon the first day of the week let ney of St. Paul to Jerusalem. We have these every one of you lay by him in store as God circumstances-each by some hint in the pashath prospered him, that there be no gather-sage in which it is mentioned, or by the date ings when I come. And when I come, whom of the writing in which the passage occurs—— soever you shall approve by your letters, them fixed to a particular time; and we have that will I send to bring your liberality unto Jeru- time turning out upon examination to be in Could any upon real business can furnish? No. II. By means of the quotation which formed the all the same: namely, towards the close of St. Paul's second visit to the peninsula of Greece. This is an instance of conformity beyond the possibility, I will venture to say, of random writing to produce. I also assert, that it is in the highest degree improbable that it should have been the effect of contrivance and design. The imputation of design amounts to this: that the forger of the Epistle to the Romans inserted in it the passage upon which our observations are founded, for the purpose of giving co-subject of the preceding number, we collect lour to his forgery by the appearance of con- that the Epistle to the Romans was written at formity with other writings which were then the conclusion of St. Paul's second visit to the extant. I reply, in the first place, that, if he peninsula of Greece; but this we collect, not did this to countenance his forgery, he did it from the epistle itself, nor from any thing defor the purpose of an argument which would clared concerning the time and place in any not strike one reader in ten thousand. Coin- part of the epistle, but from a comparison of cidences so circuitous as this, answer not the circumstances referred to in the epistle, with ends of forgery; are seldom, I believe, attempt- the order of events recorded in the Acts, and ed by it. In the second place, I observe, that with references to the same circumstances, he must have had the Acts of the Apostles, though for quite different purposes, in the two and the two epistles to the Corinthians, before epistles to the Corinthians. Now would the him at the time. In the Acts of the Apostles author of a forgery, who sought to gain credit (I mean that part of the Acts which relates to to a spurious letter by congruities, depending this period,) he would have found the journey upon the time and place in which the letter to Jerusalem; but nothing about the contribu- was supposed to be written, have left that tion. In the First Epistle to the Corinthians time and place to be made out, in a manner so he would have found a contribution going on obscure and indirect as this is? If therefore in Achaia for the Christians of Jerusalem, and coincidences of circumstances can be pointed a distant hint of the possibility of the journey; out in this epistle, depending upon its date. but nothing concerning a contribution in Ma- or the place where it was written, whilst that cedonia. In the Second Epistle to the Co-date and place are only ascertained by other rinthians he would have found a contribution circumstances, such coincidences may fairly in Macedonia accompanying that in Achaia; be stated as undesigned. Under this head but no intimation for whom either was intended, and not a word about the journey. Chap. xvi. 21-23. "Timotheus, my workIt was only by a close and attentive collation fellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater. of the three writings, that he could have picked | my kinsmen, salute you. I, Tertius, who out the circumstances which he has united in wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. Gahis epistle; and by a still more nice examina- ius, mine host, and of the whole church, sation, that he could have determined them to luteth you; and Quartus, a brother." With belong to the same period. In the third place, this passage I compare, Acts xx. 4. "And I remark, what diminishes very much the sus-there accompanied him into Asia, Sopater of picion of fraud, how aptly and connectedly the Berea; and, of the Thessalonians, Aristarmention of the circumstances in question, viz. chus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and the journey to Jerusalem, and of the occasion of Timotheus; and, of Asia, Tychicus and Trothat journey, arises from the context, "When- phimus." The Epistle to the Romans, we "soever I take my journey into Spain, I will have seen, was written just before St. Paul's come to you; for I trust to see you in my jour- departure from Greece, after his second visit ney, and to be brought on my way thitherward to that peninsula: the persons mentioned in by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your the quotation from the Acts are those who company. But now I go unto Jerusalem, to mi-accompanied him in that departure. Of senister unto the saints; for it hath pleased them of ven whose names are joined in the salutation Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contri- of the church of Rome, three, viz. Sosipater, bution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily, and their debtors they are; for, if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed them to this fruit, I will come by you into Spain." Is the passage in Italics like a passage foisted in for an extraneous purpose? Does it not arise from what goes before, by a junction as easy as any example of writing adduce Gaius, and Timothy, are proved, by this pas sage in the Acts, to have been with St. Paul at the time. And this is perhaps as much coincidence as could be expected, from reality. though less, I am apt to think, than would have been produced by design. Four are mentioned in the Acts who are not joined in the salutation; and it is in the nature of the case probable that there should be many attending St. Paul in Greece, who knew nothing of the converts at Rome, nor were known by them n like manner, several are joined in the sa- I came acquainted with these persons at Corinth utation who are not mentioned in the pas- during his first return into Greece. They ac sage referred to in the Acts. This also was companied him upon his visit into Asia; were to be expected. The occasion of mentioning settled for some time at Ephesus, Acts xvii them in the Acts was their proceeding with 19-26, and appear to have been with St. Paul St. Paul upon his journey. But we may be when he wrote from that place his First Epistle sure that there were many eminent Chris-to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. xvi. 19. Not long tians with St. Paul in Greece, besides those after the writing of which epistle St. Paul went who accompanied him into Asia". from Ephesus into Macedonia, and, "after he But if any one shall still contend that a for- had gone over those parts," proceeded from ger of the epistle, with the Acts of the Apos- thence upon his second visit into Greece; durtles before him, and having settled this scheme ing which visit, or rather at the conclusion of of writing a letter as from St. Paul, upon his it, the Epistle to the Romans, as hath been second visit into Greece, would easily think shown, was written. We have therefore the of the expedient of putting in the names of time of St. Paul's residence at Ephesus after those persons who appeared to be with St. he had written to the Corinthians, the time Paul at the time as an obvious recommenda- taken up by his progress through Macedonia tion of the imposture: I then repeat my ob- (which is indefinite, and was probably consiservations; first, that he would have made derable,) and his three months' abode in Greece; the catalogue more complete; and, secondly, we have the sum of those three periods allowed that with this contrivance in his thoughts, it for Aquila and Priscilla going back to Rome. was certainly his business, in order to avail so as to be there when the epistle before us was himself of the artifice, to have stated in the written. Now what this quotation leads us to body of the epistle, that Paul was in Greece observe is, the danger of scattering names and when he wrote it, and that he was there up-circumstances in writings like the present, how on his second visit. Neither of which he has implicated they often are with dates and places, done, either directly, or even so as to be dis-and that nothing but truth can preserve concoverable by any circumstance found in the sistency. Had the notes of time in the Epistle to the Romans fixed the writing of it to any narrative delivered in the Acts. Under the same head, viz. of coincidences date prior to St. Paul's first residence at Codepending upon date, I cite from the epistle rinth, the salutation of Aquila and Priscilla the following salutation: "Greet Priscilla and would have contradicted the history, because Aquila, my helpers in Jesus Christ, who have, it would have been prior to his acquaintance for my life laid down their own necks; unto with these persons. whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles." Chap. xvi. 3.-It appears, from the Acts of the Apostles, that Priscilla and Aquila had originally been inhabitants of Rome; for we read, Acts xviii. 2. that Paul found a certain Jew, named Aquila, lately come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome." They were connected, therefore, with the place to which the salutations are sent. That is one coincidence; another is the following: St Paul be If the notes of time had fixed it to any period during that residence at Corinth, during his journey to Jerusalem when he first returned out of Greece, during his stay at Antioch, whither he went down to Jerusa lem, or during his second progress through the Lesser Asia, upon which he proceeded from Antioch, an equal contradiction would have been incurred; because from Acts, xviii. 2— 18, 19—26, it appears that during all this time Aquila and Priscilla were either along with St. Paul, or were abiding at Ephesus. Lastly, had the notes of time in this epistle, which we have seen to be perfectly incidental, compared with Of these Jason is one, whose presence upon this oc- the notes of time in the First Epistle to the casion is very naturally accounted for. Jason was an Corinthians, which are equally incidental, fixed inhabitant of Thessalonica in Macedonia, and entertained St. Paul in his house upon his first visit to that coun- this epistle to be either contemporary with that, try. Acts xvii. 7.-St. Paul, upon this his second visit, or prior to it, a similar contradiction would passed through Macedonia on his way to Greece, and, from the situation of Thessalonica, most likely through have ensued; because, first, when the Epistle that city. It appears, from various instances in the Acts, to the Corinthians was written, Aquila and to have been the practice of many converts, to attend Priscilla were along with St. Paul, as they join. St. Paul from place to place. It is therefore highly pro bable, I mean that it is highly consistent with the ac- ed in the salutation of that church, 1 Cor. xvi. count in the history, that Jason, according to that ac- 19; and because, secondly, the history does not fount a zealous disciple, the inhabitant of a city at no allow us to suppose, that between the time of great distance from Greece, and through which, as it should seem, St. Paul had lately passed, should have ac- their becoming acquainted with St. Paul and companied St. Paul into Greece, and have been with him there at this time. Lucius is another name in the the time of St. Paul's writing to the Corinthepistle. A very slight alteration would convert Aouxies (ians, Aquila and Priscilla could have gone to into Auza, Lucius into Luke, which would produce an Rome, so as to have been saluted in an epistle additional coincidence: for, if Luke was the author of the history, he was with St. Paul at the time; inasmuch to that city; and then come back to St. Paul as, describing the voyage which took place soon after the at Ephesus, so as to be joined with him in sawriting of this epistle, the historian uses the first per- luting the church of Corinth. As it is, al? son- We sailed away from Philippi." Acts xx. 6. |