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church; which is very true. And yet it does not follow that any epistles, or other writings, were composed by them for the general use of Christians, beside those which we have. And, secondly, that it is unlikely that all the apostles of Christ should have written no more letters than now remain: as it is also, that Paul should have written no more than fourteen epistles. These, and such like observations, though adopted by Witsius, as well as some others, I choose to dismiss without a particular discussion, as they contain not any real argument.

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A man who thinks of our Lord's great character, and the unparalleled existence of his dis courses, and the great number of his miraculous works, and that he had twelve apostles, and seventy other disciples, employed by him, all zealous for the honour of their Master, and the good of his people, might be disposed to say: certainly, there were many gospels, or authentic histories of his life, written before the destruction of Jerusalem. And yet, if there is any credit to be given to ecclesiastical history, when John was desired to write his gospel, about the time of that event, or after it, there were brought to him no more than three gospels, to be confirmed by him, or to have some additions made to them. One of which only had been written by an apostle, even Matthew's. And it is the concurrent testimony of all Christian antiquity, that there were but four gospels, written by apostles, and apostolical men. And yet we have no reason to say that the true interest of mankind has not been duly consulted.

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II. I observe, secondly: it is generally allowed by learned men, and by Mr. Ens, and Witsius, that the epistles to the Thessalonians are among the first of St. Paul's epistles that remain, or were written by him. And I think, that the conclusion of the first epistle to the Thessalonians suggests a very probable argument, that it is the first epistle which was written by him with divine and apostolical authority for the edification of Christians. The words intended by me, are those of 1 Thess. v. 27. "I charge you by the Lord, that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren." This, as was formerly observed, I take to be the first instance of enjoining the reading of a Christian writing in their religious assemblies, as a part of their worship. Christian people had before now, very probably, read in that manner the books of the Old Testament. St. Paul, who knew the fulness of the apostolical inspiration, asserts his authority, and requires that the same respect should be now shewn to his epistle, and that it should be publicly read among them for their general edification. If any such thing had been done before, there would not have been occasion for so much earnestness as is expressed in this direction. This epistle is supposed to have been written in the year 52, consequently not till near twenty years after our Lord's ascension. If this be the first epistle of Paul, written with apostolical authority, there were no sacred writings of his of a more ancient date to be lost. And his other remaining epistles are as many as could be reasonably expected.

III. There are many considerations, tending to satisfy us that no sacred writings of the apostles of Christ are lost.

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1. The four gospels, which we have, were written for the sake of those who certainly would receive them with respect, keep them with care, and recommend them to others. And if any other such authentic histories of Jesus Christ had been written by apostles, or apostolical men, they would have been received, and preserved in the like manner, and would not have been lost. 2. We can perceive from the testimony of divers ancient Christian writers, that the book of the Acts, which we still have, was the only authentic history of the preaching of the apostles after our Lord's ascension, which they had in their hands, or had heard of; consequently, there was no other such history to be lost.

Apostoli ad omnia conferenda, quæ usui et utilitati Ecclesiæ inservire poterant. Ens, ubi supr. sect. xx. p. 35.

Perro attendamus, secundo, quod quatuordecim habeamus epistolas a solo Paulo conscriptas: et judicet unusquisque, an sibi probabile videatur, Bartholomæum, Thomam, Jacobum Alphæi, Andream, Philippum, et Simonem Zelotem, quorum nulla habemus scripta, ne unicam quidem ad Ecclesiæ ædificationem epistolam scripsisse, atque Jacobum et Judam unicam tantum, Petrum duas, et Joannem tres exarasse; quum Paulus toties scripserit. Ens ib. sect. xxiii. p. 38.

Immo nec illud veritatis speciem habet, ipsum Paulum non plures quam quatuordecim epistolas scripsisse. Quod tertio observari velim. Id. sect. xxv. p. 41.

Nullus equidem dubito, quin Apostoli omnes pro singulari suâ diligentiâ frequentissimas literas ad ecclesias curæ

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suæ commissas dederint: quibus præsentes semper adesse non licebat, et quibus multa tamen identidem habebant inculcanda. Wits. De Vita Pauli. sect. 7. num. xi. p. 98.

Laudanda profecto Dei benignitas est, quod ex tot Paulinis epistolis, quae perierunt, hanc tamen [ad Philem.] mole exiguam, et de re domesticâ agentem, superare voluerit. Id. ib. sect. 12. num. xvi.

Ens ubi supra. sect. xxviii. p. 45.

"At nobis de Paulinis Epistolis nunc est agendum; quarum, quæ supersunt, primas esse constat utramque ad Thessalonícenses, Corinthi, ut initio dixi, scriptas. Ubi supra sect. 7. num. xii. p. 99. f See before, p. 286.

g See Vol. ii. p. 376.

h See particularly Vol. i. p. 367, 422; Vol. ii. p. 584, 585, 604, 605. and this Vol. p. 77.

3. The epistles of Paul, James, Peter, John, Jude, were sent to churches, people, or particular persons, who would shew them great regard, when received, and would carefully preserve them, and readily communicate them to others, that they might take copies of them, and make use of them, for their establishment in religion and virtue. If those apostles had written other epistles, and if other apostles had sent epistles to churches planted by them, or to particular persons, their disciples, or Christian friends, the case would have been much the same. Those epistles would have been esteemed, preserved, and frequently copied, and could not easily have been lost.

4. Moreover, the apostles and evangelists, who drew up any writings for the instruction, or confirmation of Christian people, must have been careful of them. The same principle of zeal for the doctrine taught by them, and for the welfare of Christian people, which induced them, amidst their many labours, fatigues, and difficulties, to compose any writings, would lead them to take due care that they should answer the ends for which they were composed. Proofs of such care we evidently discern in divers of the epistles of apostles, which we have. A like care, probably, was taken of the rest, and would be taken of epistles written by any other apostles. They would be sent by fit messengers, and be faithfully delivered. And they might be accompanied with some proper directions, such as we find in several of St. Paul's epistles: as that in the first epistle to the Thessalonians, requiring it to be read to all the brethren: and that in the 'epistle to the Colossians, iv. 16, that it should be read first among themselves, and then sent to the church of the Laodiceans: and that they likewise should read the epistle, that would be brought to them from Laodicea.

All which considerations must induce us to think, that no sacred writings of apostles, composed for the instruction and edification of Christian people, their friends and converts, could be easily lost.

IV. There are no sufficient reasons to believe, that any sacred writings of the New Testament have been lost. Let us however see what they are. For divers difficulties have been thought of.

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1. St. Paul says 2 Thess. ii. 1, 2. "Now we beseech you, brethren,that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand."

These words, as I apprehend, afford not any proof that St. Paul wrote more epistles to the Thessalonians, than those which we have. For a person, who had never written one letter before, might use such expressions, if he had any ground to suspect that some men were disposed to forge letters in his name.

2. 2 Thess. iii. 17. «The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write."

But I think he might say this though it were the very first epistle written by him: provided he thought that he should have occasion to write more, and had reason to suspect that there were some men who might be disposed to falsify his name. Nor does it follow that he afterwards wrote any more epistles to the Thessalonians. However, he could not be certain that he should not have occasion to write to them again. And he might judge it to be very likely that he should write more letters, either to them, or to others. This declaration, then, was a proper mark, which might be of use to the Thessalonians, and to others, and a security against all impositions of that kind.

3. 2 Cor. x. 9, 10, 11. “That I may not seem, as if I would terrify you by letters. For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. Let such an one think this, that such as we are in word by letters, when we are absent, such will we be also in deed, when we are present.

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Hence it is argued, that the apostle had before now written more than one, even several letters, to the Corinthians.

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Atqui hujus rei nullum fuisset periculum, nulla monendi necessitas, nisi varias acceperunt Thessalonicenses epistolas a Paulo missas. Qui enim unam ac alteram solummodo ad ecclesias scribebat epistolas, illius nomen falsa epistolæ ad ecclesias datæ non facile mentiri poterat. J. Ens, ubi supr. sect. xxix. p. 46.

Illud idem iterum agnoscit Apostolus, statim allegato cap. iii. 17, dato signo epistolis suis peculiari, quo nullæ

epistolæ a se missæ carent. -Se dicit paper, ́ scribere.” Quod paucis admodum epistolis vix congruum videtur; præsertim quando dicit, se rw ypapa, ut salutatio propriâ manu sit signum wan esan,in quâcumque epistolâ'Quid erat periculi, quod datis epistolis committeretur fallacia, si nullas, præter et post hasce duas, ad illos daret epistolas ? Id. ib. sect. xxx. p. 46, 47.

Cum duobus illis ex epist. ad Thessalonicenses locis con

To which I answer. It is very common to speak of one epistle in the plural number, as all know. And St. Paul might well write, as he here does, though he had as yet sent but one letter to those to whom he is writing. And from so long a letter, as is the first to the Corinthians, men might form a good judgment concerning his manner of writing letters, though they had seen no other.

4. 1 Cor. v. 9. "I wrote unto you in an epistle, not to company with fornicators."

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Hence it is argued, that St. Paul had written an epistle to the Corinthians, before he wrote the first of those two, which we have. Consequently, here is proof of the loss of a sacred writing, which would have been canonical, if extant.

text.

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And it must be acknowledged, that several learned men have concluded as much from this Others however see not here any such proof. And on this side have argued Whitby and others. others. And I think it is of no small weight, that several ancient writers understood the apostle to say: "I have written to you in this epistle." So Theodoret, Theophylact, and * Photius in Ecumenius. They suppose that the apostle here refers to somewhat before said by him in the same epistle, and in this very chapter, ver. 2, or 6, 7.

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And that hereby is meant this epistle, seems to me very evident. That interpretation suits the words. And there are divers other places, where the same phrase is, and must be rendered, Rom. xvi. 22. "I Tertius, who wrote this epistle," O padas y 50. 1 Thess. v. 27. I charge you by the Lord, that this epistle "be read unto all the holy brethren." avayabyai tyy επιτολήν πάσι τοις αγίοις. And 1 Thess. iv. 6. "That no man go beyond, and defraud his brother in any matter:” or “ in this matter.” μη υπερβαίνειν και πλεονεκτείν εν τῷ πραγματι τον αδελφόν αυτό. Fabricius says, the words, "I have written unto you," may be understood as equivalent to, "I do write." And it may be remembered, that some while ago I quoted an ancient writer, who gives this interpretation. "I have written unto you," that is, I write.' And intending, I think, somewhat to be afterwards said by the apostle in this epistle: which appears to me to be right. Many like instances might be alleged. I shall put in the margin some passages" from A. Gellius, where it is said: I have subjoined the words of Varro:' that is, I shall sub. join them. In another place. I have transcribed the words of Plutarch.' And in like manner often: when the words of an author had not yet been transcribed, but were to be transcribed soon after.

But

In John iv. 38, our Lord says to the disciples: "I sent you to reap that whereon ye have bestowed no labour." Nevertheless the disciples had not yet been sent forth by him. knowing what he designed to do, and also knowing beforehand what would be the circumstances

See him upon the place.

d Wolf. curæ in loc. Fabric. Cod. Apocr. N. T. p. 918. &c. • Ουκ εν άλλη, αλλ' εν ταύτη. Προ βραχέων γαρ εφη Ουκ οίδατε, ότι μικρα ζυμη ὅλον το φύραμα ζυμοι ; Theod in loc.

* Εν ποιᾳ επισολη; Εν αυτή ταύτη. Επειδή γαρ είπεν ανωτέρω, ότι εκκαθάρατε την παλαιαν ζύμην, τον πεπορνευκότα, ὡς δεδήλωται, αινιττομενος, δι' ο εδήλυτο το μη συναμιγνυσθαι πορνοις· ίσως ὑπενόησαν αν ότι πάντων των πορνων, και των παρ' Έλλησι χωρίζεσθαι δει. Ερμηνεύει τοινυν περι ποιων wagnyysins. Theoph. in loc.

6 13 εγραψεν; Εν οις λεγει, και όχι μαλλον επενθήσατε. -Και παλιν εκκαθάρατε την παλαιαν ζύμην. κ. λ.

ፈ. እ.

-Τοις πόρνοις το κόσμο τετε.] Ινα μη νομίσωσιν, οφείλειν και τοις των Ἑλληνων πόρνοις μη συναμιγνυσθαι, ὑπερ ην αδυνατον τοις πολιν οικεσι, διορίεται αυτο. Apud. Ecum. in loc. h I might refer to many other texts of scripture, and to passages of other writers, Matt. xxvii. 8. EWS TYS onμegor. xxviii. 15.– μεχρι της σήμερον. Apoc. i. 3. xai oi ακούντες της λογες της προφητειας. Id est, ταυτης προφητείας, quomodo accepit Latinus. Grot. in loc. So Liban. ep. 1174. p. 558. Εμελλε μεν, και μη δοντος με την επισολήν. κ. λ. Etiamsi ego has literas non scripsissem.- -Ep. 1177. p. 559. Και μην κακεινο δηλον, ότι μειζονος απολαύσει της παρα σε προνοιας, μετα την επισολήν. post traditas has literas.

i Possunt etiam verba, sypava iμv, reddi, scribo vobis.' &c. Bib. Gr. 1. 4. cap. v. tom. III. p. 154.

See this Vol. P. 32. See likewise, Vol. ii. p. 631. Scripsi vobis.'] Pro scribo. Vel ideo præteritum dicit, quia, cum legeretur, tempus scribendi præteritum esset. Sedul. Comm. in loc. Ap. PP. Lugd. T. VI. p. 540. C.

m Verba Varronis subjeci. A. Gell. Noct. Att. 1. 2. cap. 20. Propterea verba Atteii Capitonis ex quinto Librorum, quos de Pontificio Jure composuit, scripsi. Ib. 1. 4. cap. 6.

Verba ipsa Plutarchi, quoniam res inopinata est, subscripsi. Ib. cap. 12.

Ex quo libro plura verba adscripsimus, ut simul ibidem, quid ipse inter res gestas et annales esse dixerit, ostenderemus. Ib. 1. 5. сар. 18.

Ipsa autem verba Chrysippi, quantum valui, memoria adscripsi- -In libro enim wepi povoias quarto dicit. — Ib. 1. 6. cap. 2.

of their mission, he says to them: When I shall send you to preach the gospel, you will find the case to be as I now represent it.'

In like manner St. Paul having in his mind the whole plan of the epistle which he was writing, and considering some directions which he should give in the remaining part of the epistle, says: "I have written unto you." If it be asked, where are those directions? I answer: I think they are in the tenth chapter of this epistle, where the apostle cautions against idolatry, and dangerous temptations to it, and against doing what might be understood to be religious communion with idols and idolaters. These things I apprehend the apostle then had in

his mind.

What he says therefore here in ch. v. 9, 10. 11, is to this purpose: I shall in this epistle deliver some cautions against a dangerous and offensive intimacy with idolaters: but when I do so, it is not my intention to prohibit all civil commerce with Gentile people, "who are 'fornicators, or covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters." For at that rate you could not live in the world. But here I am speaking of such as are professed Christians. "And I have now written unto you," that is, I now charge you, and require it of you: "If any man called a brother," a professed Christian, "be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or an extortioner, 'with such an one, no not to eat:" that is, not to have any conversation with him.' Compare 2 Thess. iii. 14, 15.

That appears to me the most probable account of this text. But if any hesitate about the reference to a place that follows in the remaining part of the epistle, I still hope I may insist upon it, that T ET50, which we have rendered in an epistle,' does, and must signify, in this epistle.'

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5. 2 Pet. iii. 15, 16. "And account, that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation: even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, has written unto you." Hence it is argued, that St. Paul wrote several letters to the dispersed Jews, which are now lost. I answer, that this argument depends upon the supposition, that the epistles of St. Peter were sent to believing Jews: which is far from being certain. It is more probable, as was formerly shewn, that St. Peter's epistles were sent to believing Gentiles in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, or to all Christians in general in those countries. To which Christians Paul had indeed sent several letters. To them were sent his epistle to the Galatians, the Ephesians, the Colossians. To which might be added, his two epistles to Timothy, then residing at Ephesus, the chief city of Asia. To these, and other epistles of the apostle Paul, St. Peter might refer. Nor can I see any reason at all to doubt, whether the epistles of Paul, intended by St. Peter, are not still in being.

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6. 3 John ver. 9. "I wrote unto the church." Hence some have argued, that St. John wrote an epistle to the church, where Diotrephes affected to have pre-eminence which is now lost.

Indeed this text has exercised the thoughts of many critics, as may be seen in Wolfii Curæ. However the words may be translated thus: "I had written," or "I would have written to the church." This version has been approved by some. And to me it appears very right. If this interpretation be admitted, there is no reason to conclude, that any writing of St. John has

been lost.

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7. It is argued, that Polycarp, writing to the Philippians, expresseth himself, as if he thought St. Paul had written to them more epistles than one.

To which it is easy to answer, that though the word be in the plural number, one epistle only might be meant. Secondly, it is not improbable, that Polycarp intended the epistle to the Philippians, and also the two epistles of Paul to the Thessalonians, who were in the same

• Some would from hence gather, that St. John wrote an epistle which is now lost. But the primitive Chris'tians were not so careless about preserving the apostolic writings. There is not the least hint among the ancients, that there ever was such an epistle. And the apostle's words, in this place, are fairly capable of another interpre 'tation.'-Dr. Benson upon the place, p. 703.

f Memorat quoque Polycarpus in literis ad Philippenses, S. Paulum non unam sed plures ad eos &#150λas absentem scripsisse. Pfaff. ib. p. 47. Conf. Ens. p. 51-50.

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province of Macedonia, as was shewn formerly. Indeed this objection is so obviated by what was said, when we largely considered the testimony of Polycarp to the New Testament, that I think nothing more needs to be added here.

V. In treating this subject Mr. Ens could not help thinking of those passages of Origen and Eusebius, where they speak of the apostles not being solicitous to write many volumes. Which passages were taken notice of by us long ago. He endeavours to evade the

proper conclusion to be thence drawn. But he owns, that the ancients had no knowledge of those writings of the apostles, which he and some others have imagined to be lost. And he thinks it almost miraculous, or however a very wonderful dispensation of Providence that they should so soon perish, as to be unknown to the ancients, as well as to us.

But does not that shew, that this whole argument is frivolous and insignificant? For plausible speculations cannot be valid against fact and evidence. If the primitive Christians knew not of any apostolical writings, beside those which have been transmitted to us, it is very probable there were none.

a See Vol. i. P. 328.

See Vol. i. p. 532, and Vol. ii. p. 368, 369.

Fateor ingenue, vix concipi potest, unde tam cito tanta fuerit inter veteres ignorantia de eo, quod Apostoli multo plura scripserint, quam quidem illorum et nostra pervenit ad manus. Fateor, vix concipi potest, ubi tam profunde latere

potuerint scripta illa apostolica, ut omnium fugerint oculos. At divina hic mihi admiranda ac adoranda videtur providentia, quæ ad tempus data scripta, dum aliorum quæ permanerent in vitæ canonem perpetuum nondum esset in ecclesiis copia, deinde protinus e medio tolli voluerit. Ens, ibid. sect. li. p. 68.