2.65.

P. 86.

μαρτύριον αυτό πολιορκίας ἱερυσαλήμ. And L. III. C. elsewhere, Tianaby popruciar, & + avs 11. ρ. 86. ring. ηλυομβύων ἅλωσιν ἢ ἱερεσαλήμ. I need not fay how well this account agrees with the foregoing Teftimony of Jofephus in Origen and Eufebius, and is therefore confirmed by it. And tho' fome of the circumftances in Eufebius's Copy of Hegefippus cannot well be true, yet fince in the main this account of his was confirm'd by Clemens Alexandrinus, as Eufebius also affures us, it ought to be by no means wholly rejected; efpecially if we confider, (7) That a famous piece of Church History depends upon it, viz. that presently after James's Death, and the taking of ferufalem, all the furviving Apoftles and their Companions, with the Kinsmen of our Saviour, affembled at Jerufalem to chufe a Succeffor to this fames in that Bishoprick. So that unless we suppose a long vacancy in the See of Jerufalem for about Nine Years together, contrary to all reafon and parallel examples, and this in the Mother Church of Chriftians it felf, we are oblig'd to fuppofe the Death of James to have happen'd much later than it usually is plac'd and fo are at full liberty to comply with the former Characters of the date of his Epiftle towards the conclufion of A. D. 66.

(7) The Epiftles to the Theffalonians A. D. 67. That these two Epiftles, com

monly

monly plac'd the first of all Paul's Writings, were not fent till a little before his Death, seems to me very probable, because they are so seldom referr'd to in the Conftitutions; because we find therein, that the Theffalonians Fame was then Spread over all Macedonia, and Achaia, and in every Theff. 1. place, becaufe Paul would have come to 7.8. them once and again, but had been hindred 2, 18, by Satan, because he was now under Perfecution, and many of the Theffalonians were3. 3, &c. Dead for their Religion, and they wanted comfort thereupon; because he exprefly men-4. 14.&. tions those Perfecutions and Afflictions which they endur'd, all probably under Nero, after A. D. 64. because he fpeaks of the myftery of iniquity, which did already work in 2 Theff. 1. the World, and was the prelude to the Man of Sin himself; and, laftly, because he therein mentions his own Hand-writing, 3. 17. as the token in every Epiftle; as if he had written not a few before that time: All which put together feem plain intimations of the very late date of these Epiftles to the Theffalonians.

(8) The Doctrine of the Apoftles A.D. 67. That this facred Extract out of the Apoftolical Catholick Doctrine, or former Five Books and a half of the Conftitutions was made fo early, we learn from the Apoftles own Preface thereto; wherein they exprefly inform us that all the Apoftles even Paul

the

2.7.9.co

the Apostle of the Gentiles, as well as James the Bishop of Jerufalem were prefent at that Council, when it was written, and fent by Clement to the rest of the Churches. And fince the Conftitutions, whence this Book is deriv'd, have Quotations till this time, but no later; and fince Paul was put to Death Anno Domini 68. and James about the fame time, 'tis plain that this and this only was the real time of its Compofure.

(9) The first Epiftle of John, A. D. 73. I have plac'd this Epiftle without any direct Evidence for the exact Time of its Writing: Only that it was fent confiderably before the other Two, feems probable, becaufe John does not here Stile himself the Antient Apo•file & apeobúries, as he does in the other and because it was ftill look'd on as Undoubted when the others were not fo; as being, tis likely, longer known in the Church than the other.

(10) Barnabas's Epiftle, A. D. 87. I have alfo plac'd this without any plain direct Evidence, only fince it was certainly Written after the Deftruction of Jerufalem; and is omnitted in the laft Apoftolical Canon, made I think about, A. D. 86; and contains in its latter Branch an Epitome of part of that : Seventh Book of the Conftitutions, which might then be added to the reft; I think 'tis not impoffible that this night be the Time of its Writing. (11) Her

P.77-78.

(11) Hermas's Paftor, A. D. 87. I have, I think, good Evidence for the placing this Sacred Bock exactly at this Time. For 'tis omitted in the laft Canon of the Apostles about A.D.86.and yet is I think not only cited in the Apocalypfe,of which hereafter; but was see Lem.6. certainly Written during the Life-time of infrà Glemens Romanus; as appears from a paffage Vif. 2. §.4. therein; who yet dyed the next Year, A. D. 88. as fhall be fhewn hereafter. I have omitted the Acts of Paul, and the Apocalypfe, and Preaching, and Gofpel, and Acts of Peter, tho' probably, in fome fenfe, Sacred Books, because they are now utterly loft to the Church, and fcarce a few Fragments remain- Eufeb Hift. ing at this Day. And concerning the Second Eccl. Lill. Book of Apocryphal Efdras Ishall speak more c. 25. 2.97 fully hereafter.

Ň. B. Altho' I have already, and fhall hereafter make use of feveral Teftimonies out of the Constitutions, even in these Lemmata, which are prior and preparatory to the Proof of their Sacred Authority; which to fome may look like the begging of the Que ftion; yet is this procedure far from any fuch unfair Method; fince 'tis moft certain, and undeniable, and put paft Question by the admirable Notes of Cotelerius, that whe ther they be really Sacred and Apoftolical or not, they are however a True, Faithful, and Authentick Account of the State of the Primitive Church in thefe Matters; and E there

c. 3. p. 72.

1

with Heb. 9. 20. &c.

therefore ought to have the first Place in all our Enquiries and Demonftrations thereto belonging; at the leaft after the Writings of the Apoftolical Fathers; even before we come to the Proof of their more Divine and Infallible Verity, as Infpired Books of the New Teftament.

IV. All the great Mercies granted to the People of Ifrael, whether as to the forgivenefs of their Sins, the averting of Gods Judgments, or the obtaining of his Favor, I mean those of a publick Nature, were under the Law of Mofes adminiftred, not by the Prayers and Repentance of the People only, but alfo, and that principally, by a Mediator, and by Atonements; either by Mofes himfelf, or by the High Priefts, and the Priests appointed on purpose by God for fuch facred Miniftrations. This is a Propofition of great remark under the Legal Difpenfation; and will hereafter afford no finall Light to that of the Gospel, as it was originally fetled by our Saviour and his Apoftles: And accordingly it fhall be fully prov'd by an Induction of fome of the principal Examples and Precepts in this place.

Exod 24. The firft of Mofes's Covenants is confirm'd with the Blood of a Sacrifice, fprinkled on the Book of the Covenant, and on all the People, and with the folemn Participation. of that Sacrifice between God and the Representatives of the People, in Mount Sinai.

The