net, that it was received by Bishop Burnet as a work of Lord Clarendon's, and also regarded by him as an authentic account of the transactions which it relates: and it will be a proof of these points a thousand years hence, or as long as the books exist. Quintilian having quoted as Cicero's *, that well-known trait of diffembled vanity,

"Si quid eft in me ingenii, Judices, quod fentio quàm fit exiguum-"

the quotation would be ftrong evidence were there any doubt, that the oration, which opens with this addrefs, actually came from Cicero's pen. These inftances, however fimple, may ferve to point out to a reader, who is little accuftomed to fuch researches, the nature and value of the argument.

The teftimonies which we have to bring forward under this propofition are the following:

Barnabas, the companion of Paul. It is quoted as the Epiftle of Barnabas by Clement of Alexandria, A. D. 194; by Origen, A. D. 230. It is mentioned by Eufebius, A. D. 315, and by Jerome, A. D. 392, as an ancient work in their time, bearing the name of Barnabas, and as well known and read amongst Christians, though not accounted a párt of Scripture. It purports to have been written foon after the deftruction of Jerufalem, during the calamities which followed that difafter; and it bears the character of the age to which it profeffes to belong.

In this epiftle appears the following remarkable paffage :-" Let us, therefore, beware left it come upon us, as it is written, There are many called, few chofen." From the expreffion," as it is written," we infer with certainty, that, at the time when the

*Lardner's Cred. ed. 1755, vol. i. p. 23 et feq. The reader will obferve from the references, that the materials of these fections are almost entirely extracted from Dr. Lardner's work-my office confifted in arrangement and selection.

author

author of this epiftle lived, there was a book extant, well known to Chriftians, and of authority amongst them, containing thefe words-"Many are called, few chofen." Such a book is our present Gospel of St. Matthew, in which this text is twice found*, and is found in no other book now known. There is a farther obfervation to be made upon the terms of the quotation. The writer of the epiftle was a Jew. The phrafe "it is written" was the very form in which the Jews quoted their fcriptures. It is not probable, therefore, that he would have used this phrase, and without qualification, of any books but what had acquired a kind of scriptural authority, If the paffage remarked in this ancient writing had been found in one of St. Paul's epistles, it would have been efteemed by every one a high teftimony to St. Matthew's gofpel. It ought, therefore, to be remembered, that the writing in which it is found was probably by very few pofterior to those of St. Paul,

Mat. xx. 16. xxii. 14.

years

Befide this paffage, there are alfo in the epiftle before us feveral others, in which the fentiment is the fame with what we meet with in St. Matthew's gospel, and two or three in which we recognize the fame words. In particular, the author of the epiftle repeats the precept, "Give to every one that afketh thee," and faith that Chrift chofe as his apostles, who were to preach the gofpel, men who were great finners, that he might thew that he came "not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance +."

II. We are in poffeffion of an epiftle written by Clement, Bifhop of Rome ‡, whom ancient writers, without any doubt or fcru ple, affert to have been the Clement whom St. Paul mentions, Phil. iv. 3. "with Clement alfo, and other my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life." This epiftle is spoken of by the ancients as an epiftle acknowledged by all; and, as Irenæus

*Mat. v. 42.

+ Ib. ix. 13.

1

Lardner's Cred, vol. i. p. 62 et feq.

well

well represents its value, "written by Clement, who had seen the bleffed apostles and converfed with them, who had the preaching of the apostles ftill founding in his ears, and their traditions before his eyes." It is addreffed to the church of Corinth; and what alone may feem almost decifive of its authenticity, Dionyfius, Bishop of Corinth, about the year 170, i. e. about eighty or ninety years after the epiftle was written, bears witnefs, "that it had been wont to be read in that church from ancient times."

This epiftle affords, amongst others, the following valuable paffages :-" Efpecially remembering the words of the Lord Jefus which he spake, teaching gentleness and long fuffering; for thus he faid*: Be ye

"Bleffed are the merciful, for they fhall obtain mercy." Mat. v. 7.-"Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven; give, and it shall be given unto you." Luke vi. 37, 38.—" Judge not, that ye be not judged; for with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye mete, it fhall be measured to you again." Mat. vii. 2.

merciful,