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Mill fuppofed it to be highly probable, that (4) Irenaeus had this account from Papias. Le Clerc (r) likewise seems to have thought, that Irenaeus found this in the five books of Papias. But that is only conjecture. Eufebe quoting Papias obferves, that he faid, Matthew wrote in Hebrew. But he does not say, that Papias mentioned the time of writing his Gospel. However, it was the opinion of Irenaeus. And it may be reckoned not improbable, that he had a tradition to that purpose, which he relied upon as right. For he speaks of it without hesitation. It might be derived from feveral, one of whom was Papias.

Irenaeus fays, that "Matthew published his Gofpel, when Peter and "Paul were preaching at Rome:" that is, fays (s) Mill, in the year 61. "For, adds he, I understand him of the first time, that Paul was at Rome.” But if Irenaeus fays right, it must have been at the second time that Paul was at Rome. For we have no reason to believe, that Peter was at all in that city, when Paul was fent thither by Feftus. But, very probably, Peter and Paul were there together afterwards, and fuffered martyrdom there, about the fame time. That is the feafon, to which we should be led for fixing the writing of St. Matthew's Gospel, if Irenaeus may be relied upon. Accordingly Bafnage (t) in his Annals speaks of St. Matthew's Gospel at the year 64. And though, as he fays, he does not know the year, nor the place, where St. Matthew's Gofpel was published, yet he expreffeth himself, as if he was inclined to think, it was not writ, till Nero's reign was fomewhat advanced, in the year 64. or 65. the time of that Emperour's perfecution of the Chriftians.

Other learned men are for an earlier date. Whofe opinions also, undoubtedly, ought to be taken notice of, and confidered by us.

Cave thought, that (u) St. Matthew's Gofpel was writ about the fif

teenth

(2) Tamen Irenaeus 1. 3. c. i, expreffe dicit, ex auctoritate Papiae, nullus dubito, qui rapador hanc a Joanne Prefbytero, Apoftolorum familiari, acceperat, Mattheum Evangelium fuum edidiffe, cum Petrus et Paulus evangelizarent Romae, et fundarent ecclefiam. Prolog, num. 61.

(r) Vid. Diff de iv. Evan. fub init.

(s) Atque hoc ipfo quidem anno LXI. prodiiffe videtur Evangelium Matthaci... Ego quidem de priori adventu intelligendum Irenaeum omnino arbitror. Ib. num. 61. 62.

(t) Quo tempore Petrus Paulufque Romae operam dabant evangelio, Matthaeus, fi creditur Irenaco, Evangelium exaravit fuum... Annum tamen perinde atque locum, ubi a Matthaeo conditum eft, in incerto effe, facile patimur... Nos nonnifi Nerone rerum domino editum fuiffe, perfuafum habe. mus, etfi de anno locove divinare non poffumus. Nulla tamen fe magis veri fpecie commendat chronologia, quam illa Irenaei: quod nempe Paulo et Petro Romanos inftituentibus, fcribendo Matthaeus operam dederit: ut Ecclefiae aliquid monumenti effet, quo ob ortum ex perfecutione Neronis dolorem leniret, fanctorumque Apoftolorum eo fluctu opprefforum faciem in Evangelio videre fibi videtur Ecclefia. Bafn. Ann. 64. n. xii.

(u) Scripfiffe Evangelium fuum viii. a Chrifti refurrectione anno vulgo dicitur. Quod tamen ad annum a Chrifti affumtione 15. referunt auctor Chr. A. et Nicephorus. Et fane eum ante annum a paffione Chrifti 12. Apoftolis Judaeae finibus egredi non licuit, vix ante ann. 15. chr. 48. finita fynodo Hier folymitana, ad fuam quifque fortem abierunt, adeo ut paullo ante Matthaeus Evangelium fuum condidiffe videtur. H. L. in Matthaeo, p. 13.

teenth year after our Saviour's afcenfion, in the year 48. a fhort time before the council of Jerufalem, or foon after it.

Baronius was of opinion, that (x) this Gospel was published in the

41. foon after that Peter, had begun to preach to Gentils at the houfe of Cornelius in Cefarea.

Grotius (y) and G. I. Voffius (z) were likewife of opinion, that St. Matthew's Gofpel was writ about eight years after Chrift's afcenfion.

Tillemont argues, "That (a) St. Matthew wrote his Gospel about three years after the crucifixion of Chrift. For it must have been writ before the Apoftles left Judea. The time of their going abroad, as he owns, is uncertain. But it must have been about the year 36. forasmuch as it appears, that in the year 37. when Paul came to Jerufalem, there were no other Apoftles there, befide Peter, and James the Lefs." But that argument is of no value. For the Apostles might be all at Jerufalem, or in it's neighbourhood, though Paul faw none, beside the two juft mentioned.

Mr. Jones earneftly contends, that (b) this Gospel was writ about eight years after our Lord's afcenfion, in the year 41. But I do not think it needful to take any farther notice of his arguments, than has been done (c) already.

Mr. Wetstein has lately declared in favour of the fame opinion. "And "(d) hence, fays he, we difcern the reafon, why this Evangelift has in"ferted fo many difcourfes about the Jewish fuperftitions: which could "be of little or no ufe to other people, and among other nations, when "the temple was once deftroyed, or was near being deftroyed.' But I am not able to difcern any force in that way of reafoning, because I perceive not any fuperfluities in this, or any of the Evangelifts. Our Lord's reproofs of Jewifh fuperftitions, his declarations of the fuperiority of moral virtue, or righteoufneffe and true holineffe, above the righteoufneffe of the Scribes and Pharifees, his cenfures of the pride and covetoufneffe, falfe maxims, and hypocritical conduct

(x) Baron. Ann. 41. num. ix. xvi.

(y) Grot. Pr. ad Matth.

(2) Si quidem Matthaeus in Palestina fcribebat, idque intra proximum a paffione Chrifti octennium. Voff. de Gen. J. C. cap. 4. §. ii.

(a) Il femble mefme neceffaire de dire, que S. Matthieu a écrit trois ans feulement après la mort de J. C... Le temps de cette divifion des Apotres eft incertain. Il femble neanmoins, que ç'a été vers l'an 36. puifqu'il paroift, qu'il n'y avoit aucun Apoftre à Jerufalem, lorfque S. Paul vint en 37. hors S. Pierre, et S. Jacque le mineur. S. Matthieu. Mem. T. i.

(b) New and full Method. &c. Vol. iii. ch. v. p. 59. . . 64. (c) See Vol. viii. p. 176. . . 179.

(d) Magno confenfu perhibent Patres, Matthaeum in gratiam credentium ex Judaeis in Palaeftina Evangelium fuum exfcripfiffe, et quidem, ut multi addunt, Hierofolymis, octavo poft afcenfionem Chrifti anno, qui Claudii Imperatoris primus fuit. Cur illorum teftimonium in dubium vocetur, caufam non video: quin ifta hypothefi admiffa, plurima non infeliciter exiftimo explicari poffe, quorum aliter ratio vix invenitur. Hinc enim intelligimus, cur Matthaeus primum in ordine Evangeliftarum occupet locum, quia nimirum primus omnium fcripfit: cur item tam multas de Judaeorum fuperttitionibus referat difputationes, quibus apud alias nationes, vel templo jam everfo, vel paulo poft evertendo, locus vix fuiffet. Wetft. N. T. Tom. i. p. 223.

duct of the fame men, will be useful to all people, fo long as the world ftands. As our Lord was a Jew, and his ministrie was employed among thofe people in Judea; it is no wonder, that in his discourses, recorded by St. Matthew, whenever he wrote, there fhould be frequent allufions to their laws, cuftoms, and worship. The like (e) are in the other two firft Evangelists. And in St. John's Gofpel, the laft of the four, are as long difcourfes with the cavilling Jews, as in any of the rest.

I therefore readily affent to thofe, who think, that this Gospel was writ in the time of the Emperour Nero, not till about thirty years after our Saviour's afcenfion. I am not able to affign the year, in which it was writ. But I am fomewhat inclined to the year 63. 64. or 65. of the vulgar epoch. This is agreeable not only to the teftimonie of Irenaeus, and fome other ancients, but to the circumftances of things. At the year 64. or thereabout, the gospel had been propagated in many Gentil countreys, the times were troublefome in Judea, and the war was coming on: feveral of the Apostles were dead, others of them, who furvived, were gone, or going abroad, and many of the Jewish believers were about to feek fhelter elsewhere. Now was a proper time, to write a hiftorie of Chrift and his miracles. Moreover in this Gospel are recorded divers plain predictions of the miferies and defolations of Jerufalem, and the overthrow of the temple, and the Jewish ftate, befide many other figurative intimations of the fame things in many of our Lord's difcourfes and parables. Which could not be well published to all the world in writing, till about this time. The fuitableneffe of St. Matthew's Gofpel to the ftate of the Chriftian Religion, and of the Jewish people, about the year 64. or 65. leads to that time. And however unwillingly, from private apprehenfions and prejudices, we may admit the thought of protracting fo long the writing the hiftorie of our Lord's miniftrie; the circumstances of things will conftrain us to acquiefce in this feafon, as the most likely.

IV. This leads me now to obferve fome characters of time Marks of in the Gospel itself.

Time in this Gospel. It is well known, and allowed by all, that (f) for a while our Lord's difciples labored under Jewith prejudices and that they did not fully understand all his difcourfes, at the time when they were fpoken. They did not, they could not, clearly difcern the comprehenfive defign of the evangelical difpenfation, till after Peter had been at the houfe of Cornelius, and there received into the Church Gentil converts, without circumcifion; nor till after the Gofpcl had been preached abroad in foreign countreys by Paul, and other Apoftles, and minifters. Let

us

(e) When Mr. Wetstein speaks of the many difcourfes about Jewish Superstitions, which are in St. Matthew's Gofpel: I imagine, he may particularly refer to Matt. xxiii. 1. . . 30. Nevertheless divers of thofe things occur alfo in the Gofpels of St. Mark and St. Luke. See Mark xii. 38. 40. Luke xi. 42. .. 52. and xx. 46. 47. And both Mark viii. 14. . 21. and Luke xii. 1. 2. have recorded our Lord's injunctions, to beware of the leaven of the Pharifees, and Sadducees, or Herodians, as well as Matthew xvi. 6... 12. Not now to mention any other like things.

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(f) There are many proofs of this in the Gofpels. See particularly John xvi. 7... 14. and likewife the hiftorie in the Acts. ch. x,

us therefore now obferve the book itfelf of St. Matthew, and fee what knowledge he appears to have had of the scheme of the gospel.

1. His account of the commiffion, which our Lord gave to the twelve Apostles is in ch. xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore into all the world, and teach all nations. Matthew did not then think, that the Apoftles of Jefus were to teach Jews only, but that they were required to teach all people, and all nations in general.

2. I suppose, that he fully understood our Lord's doctrine, when he recorded that fummarie account of it, which is in the fifth, fixth, and seventh chapters of his Gofpel. The beatitudes, at the beginning, are a proof of it. And at the conclufion, they who heard and did thofe fayings, are compared to a man that built his house upon a rock: though there had been nothing faid to enforce the rituals of the Mofaic law.

3. And that he well understood the spirituality, and the freedom of the gofpel, appears from what he has recorded ch. xv. 10. . 20.

4. His clear difcernment of the defign of the gofpel-difpenfation appears even in his account of our Saviour's nativity, particularly, in what he fays ch. i. 21, of the meffage of the angel to Jofeph. And thou shalt call his name Jefus. For he shall fave his people from their fins.

5. If he had not known, that our Saviour was defigned to be, or was already become a bleffing to Gentils, he would scarcely have thought of inferting the hiftorie of the Magians coming from the Eaft to Jerufalem, to inquire after the birth of the King of the Jews. Chap. ii.

6. It is alfo very likely, that he understood those words of John the Baptift, recorded by him ch. iii. 9. God is able of thefe ftones to raise up children to Abraham.

7. St. Matthew's knowledge of the calling of the Gentils, and the rejection of the Jews, may be concluded from many things recorded by him. In the hiftorie of our Lord's healing the Centurion's fervant at Capernaum he inferts our Lord's commendation of his faith, and that declaration: Many fhall come from the Eaft and the Weft, and fit down with Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: but the children of the kingdom fhall be caft out. ch. viii. 10. . . 12,

8. The admiffion of the Gentils to equal privileges with the Jews muft be intimated in the parable of the laborers hired into the vineyard at feveral hours of the day. ch, xx. 1. . . 16.

9. The calling and acceptance of the Gentils, and the rejection of the Jewish People, and even their overthrow, are plainly declared in the parable of the vineyard, let out to husbandmen, and the difcourfe, which follows. xxi. 33... 46. The fame things are intimated in the parable of the King that made a wedding-feaft for his fon, which is at the beginning of the next chapter. xxii. 1. . . 14.

10. I might likewife take notice of the hiftorie of our Lord's curing the daughter of the woman of Canaan. ch. xv. 21. . . 28.

11. It is alfo very likely, that St. Matthew had fome good knowledge, and a diftinct apprehenfion of the extent of our Lord's kingdom, and the progreffe of his doctrine, when he recorded thofe parables in the thir teenth chapter of his Gofpel: where our Lord has compared the king dom of heaven, or the preaching his gofpel, to a grain of muftard-feed the leaft of all feeds, but becomes a tree: to leaven, by which a large

lump

hump is leavened: to a net, that was caft into the fea, and gathered of every kind. And, explaining the parable of the tares, our Lord fays, ver. 37. 38. He that foweth the good feed is the Son of Man. The field is the world. And what follows.

12. It is probable, that this Evangelift had fome knowledge of the gospel having been preached out of Judea, when he put down that declaration of our Lord concerning the woman, that poured the rich oint.. ment upon his head: Wherefoever the gospel fhall be preached in the whole world, there fhall this also, that this woman has done, be told for a memorial of her. ch. xxvi. 13.

13. In his account of the inftitution of the eucharift. ch. xxvi. 28. our Lord fays: This is my blood of the New Testament, which is fhed for many, that is, for all men, for the remiffion of their fins. And in ch. xx. 28. our Lord fays: The fon of man came... to give his life a ransom for

many.

14. There is alfo an expreffion ufed by him once or twice, intimating, that it was fome confiderable space, fince the time of the event and his writing about it. ch. xxviii. 8. Wherefore that field was called the field of blood to this day. Having related the affair of the foldiers, and the directions given to them by the Jewish Council to fay, that his difciples came by night, and ftole him away, he adds: And this faying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. ver. 15. Such an expreffion does not denote any certain period. But one would think, that, in this cafe, thereby muff be intended a confiderable space of time, more than eight, or ten, or fifteen years.

15. I formerly (g) fhewed divers advantages of the late publication of the Gofpels. The life of Jefus could not be forgotten in thirty, or forty years. His life and death were very public, as well as very extraordinarie. His refurrection and afcenfion were moft publicly attested by his Apostles, and others, as we know from the book of the Acts. And from that time forward there were many, who were continually speaking of the things faid and done by him, and of the evidences of his refurrection and exaltation. They were foon known to multitudes of people, finall and great, and men of all ranks and characters. As St. Paul fays to Feftus, in a very great affemblie. Acts xxvi. 36. For the King knoweth of these things, before whom alfo I speak freely. For I am perfuaded, that none of thefe things are hidden from him. For this thing was not done in a And was it not the cry at Theffalonica? Acts xvii. 6. These that have turned the world upside down, are come hither alf. The account of St. Paul's manner of living at Rome, about the years 61. and 62. is, that he dwelled two whole years in his own hired houfe, and received all that came in unto him, . . . teaching those things, which concern the Lord Jefus Chrift. Acts xxviii. 30. 31. Whilft there were men, who at the hazard of their lives taught, and others that embraced, the things concerning the Lord Jefus, they could not be forgotten. And if about thirty years after our Lord's afcenfion, his hiftorie was writ by eye-witnelles, or their companions, it was foon enough. Yea, it was the fittest time of all, At the year fixty of our Lord's nativity, according to the vulgar aera,

corner.

(g) See Vol. viii. p. 124... 137.

and

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