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evidence, that the Gospels were fo much difperfed abroad in the world, that no fuch confusion could happen to St. Matthew, as Mr. Whifton fuppofes. This will appear;

1. If we confider the defign and end, for which these facred books were written. They were not written for the use of any one private particular perfon, but for the benefit and inftruction of all mankind. They were books of a more large and extenfive importance, than any which had ever yet been published in the world; they were fuch in which the present and future happiness of all men was nearly concerned. And is it likely, fuch books fhould lie concealed in private chefts or coffers, fome for forty, others for fifty, fixty, feventy, or more years? The zeal of the Apoftles and firft Chriftians, for propagating Christianity, was not fuch as it is represented, if they would be fo negligent as this. If this be supposed, it follows, that they flighted one of the most likely means to make men converts to their new religion. Whatever others did, one would imagine the penmen of thefe facred books fhould themfelves have taken care to diftribute and disperse them. If they did not thus, it will follow, that they had not very juft regards to that holy Spirit, who influenced them to write. Befides Chriftianity, in its very infancy, made a very great noife in the world the doctrines of it were new and furprifing; vaft numbers continually embraced it: one would think therefore, that, had there been nothing elfe, men's curiofity would have influenced them to procure thofe authentick accounts, which the Gospels contain; that fo they might know the hiftory of a perfon's life and doctrines, who had been fo remarkable, and made fo great a figure in the world. I remember Jofephus tells us, that when he had finished his Hiftory of the War of the Jews, he immediately fold great numbers of his books to the Romans, Jews, and others, who underflood the Greek language. And can it be fuppofed that this,

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* Πολλοῖς μὲν Ρωμαίων τοῖς συμπεπολεμηκόσι, πολλοῖς δὲ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐπιπρασκον, ἀνδράσι καὶ

τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς σοφίας μετεχηκόσιν. Contra Appion. l. 1. §. 9.

the

the most useful and remarkable history that ever was in the world, should lie in private coffers, quite concealed and unknown, for fo long a time as has been mentioned.

2. It will appear, that copies of the Gofpels were dispersedin the Apostles' time, into diftant countries, and did not lie in the coffers or chefts of any private perfons; if we confider, that they are made ufe of, and referred to, by all thofe, who are reputed to be writers of the apoftolick age, except Hermas, whofe defign did not at all lead him to cite them. The writers I mean (which are indeed the only ones we have), are Clemens Romanus, Barnabas, Ignatius, and Polycarp; each of which (though they lived in very distant countries) had, and made ufe of, thofe Gofpels, which were publifhed when they wrote their Epiftles. I mean the Gofpels of St. Matthew, St. Mark, and St. Luke; for, as far as I have obferved, they do none of them cite, or fo much as refer to, any thing which is in St. John's Gospel; which, by the way, feems fomewhat like an argument, that thefe Epiftles were written before that Golpel.

Mr. Dodwell, in the Differtation juft now mentioned, would perfuade us, that the writers of the apoftolick age have made no use, in their books, of the Gofpels, or other writings of the New Teftament. This is moft apparently false, as any one may easily perceive, who will read those books with this view. It is fufficient to my prefent purpose, to fhew that St. Matthew's Gofpel is cited by thefe writers.

}

A Table of places, cited out of St. Matthew's Gospel by the
Apoftolick Fathers.

I. Clemens Romanus, in his Epistle to the Corinthians,

ch. xiii. advises them to remember feveral of our Lord's
fayings, which are recited by St. Matthew, chap. vi. 14.
and vii. 1, 2, 12.

II. Barnabas, ch. iv. cites Matth. ch. xx. 16. and xxii. 14.,
Ch. v, he refers to Matth, ix. 13.

1

Ch. v. he cites a prophecy out of Zechariah, ch. xiii. 7.
in words different both from the Hebrew, and the Sep-

tuagint,

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tuagint, but exactly the fame with our Saviour's words,

as related by St. Matthew, ch. xxvi. 31.

Ch. vii. he cites Matth. xxvii, 54.

Ch. xix. he refers to Matth. v. 42.

III. Polycarp, in his Epiftle to the Philippians, ch. ii. cites Matth. vii. 1. and v. 3, 10.

Ch. vi. he cites Matth. vi. 12, 14.

Ch. vii, he cites Matth. vi. 13. and xxvi. 41.

IV. Ignatius, in his Epiftle to the Smyrneans, ch. i. cites Matth. iii. 15.

In his Epiftle to Polycarp, ch. ii. he cites Matth. x. 16. In his Epiftle to the Ephefians, ch. xiv. he cites Matth. xii. 33. These are reckoned among his genuine Epiftles.

By a careful obferving of these writings with this view, per haps there may be found feveral other places of this Gospel referred to in them. Thofe now cited are fufficient to prove, that this Gofpel was widely difperfed in the Apostles' time, and made use of in very distant countries; for Clemens wrote his Epistle from Rome, Barnabas from Cyprus, Polycarp from Smyrna, Ignatius from Antioch; and these were places widely diftant from each other. If then thefe Gofpels were thus in the hands of all thofe of that age, whofe writings we now have, it is very reasonable to fuppofe, they were alfo in the hands of innumerable others.

I would only add, that in the Constitutions, which Mr. Whiston supposes to be the Apostles', and collected by Clemens, this Gospel is frequently cited, and recommended, among the other facred Gofpels, to the perufal of all Chrift ians; which would have been very abfurd, if the Gospels were not difperfed, and spread abroad in the world.

3. This matter will be further confirmed, if we confider, how much it was the practice of the firft Chriftians to read the Scriptures. St. Paul's Epiftles were wont to be publickly read in the churches, to which they were written, and other churches too, as is plain from thofe words, Col. iv. 16. And

when

when this Epiftle is read among you, caufe that it be read alfo in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewife read the Epiftle from Laodicea. Timothy has this character given him by St. Paul, that he from a child had made the Scriptures his study, 2 Tim. iii. 15. It feems to me very probable, that he means here both the Scriptures of the New and Old Testament; for he gives them this character, that they were able to make him wife unto falvation; which character at that time did moft properly belong to the books of the New Teftament, which were then written. Polycarp, in his Epiftle to the Philippians, tells them, he did not doubt but they were converfant with the facred Scriptures. The last Canon of the Apostles obliges all Laity and Clergy, to procure the facred books,both of the Old and New Testament; and b. i. c. 5. the Chriftians are required diligently to read the Gospels. This is authority, which Mr. Whifton will not difpute. If then the Christians did, and were obliged to read the Gofpels, they did not lie concealed and unknown till the times of Trajan or Hadrian.

I would only add here, that reading the Gofpels was one part of the public fervice of the primitive Chriftians, in their religious assemblies. It is certain that a great part of the Jewish worship in their fynagogues, confifted in reading of the Law. Jofephus tells us, that they did this in obedience to the command of Mofes. Now it is well known, that the Chriftians conformed themselves very much in their worship to the customs of the Jews. Juftin Martyr, who lived but a little while after the Apostles' time, tells us, "That on the day "which is called Sunday, there was an affembly of all, that "lived (near) in town or country, in the fame place; and

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"the historical memoirs of the Apoftles (i.e. the Gospels) and "the writings of the prophets were read."

Now from all this I think it is evident, à great number of copies of this Gofpel were fpread abroad in the world, in the Apoftles' time. Thefe, as has been proved, were in their right order, in which St. Matthew wrote; and fince it is impoffible, but fome of thofe copies that are in the world, muft be derived from fome of these, and fince all the copies that are in the world, are in the fame order with our present copies; it neceffarily follows, this part of St. Matthew's Gospel has not been misplaced or difordered fince the Apoftles' time..

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CHA P. XXIII.

St. Matthew's Gospel, in our prefent Copies, was not difordered and misplaced fince the Apostles Time because the Syriack Verfion, which was made in the Apostles' Time, is in the fame Order with our prefent Copies. An Attempt to prove, that the Syriack Verfion was made in that Time. Syriack was the Language of the Jews in the Apostles' Time. Great Numbers of Jews were converted to Christianity, and therefore needed a Verfion in that Language.

B

Y what has been faid in the foregoing Chapter, it is evident St. Matthew's Gospel was not mifplaced fince the Apoftles' time: the fame will be further proved, if we confider;

2. That the Syriack Verfion, which feems to have been made in the Apostles' time, is exactly in the fame order in this part of St. Matthew's Gospel, with our prefent copies. This is an argument, which undeniably proves the point I am contending for, if it can be made appear, that this Verfion was made in that time. It is not to be expected, we should have

as clear evidence of this, as we have of fome other matters of fact

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