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"by tradition, had Parthia for his lot, Andrew, Scythia, John Afia. Who having lived there a long time died at Ephefus, Peter, as it feems, "preached to the difperfed Jews in Pontus and Galatia, Bithyni, Cappadocia, and Afia. At length coming to Rome, he was crucified, with "his head downward, as he had defired. What need I to fpeak of Paul, "who fully preached the gofpel of Chrift from Jerufalem to Illyricum, "and at laft died a Martyr at Rome, in the time of Nero? So fays Origen "exprefsly in the third tome of his Expofitions of the book of Genefis."

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Thus writes our Ecclefiaftical Hiftorian. But, as Valefius obferves, it (d) is not eafie to determine exactly, where the quotation from Origen begins.

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However, from this paffage, as it feems, we may conclude, that at the begining of the fourth centurie, there were not any certain and well attefted accounts of the places, out of Judea, in which many of the Apostles of Chrift preached. For if there had, Eufebe must have been acquainted with them. In particular we may hence infer, as I apprehend, that there was no certain account, whither Matthew went, when he left Judea. For there is no notice taken of him in this paffage. Nor does Jerome in his article of St. Matthew, in his book of Illuftrious Men, formerly, (e) tranfcribed at large, take any notice of the countreys, in which he preached. Nor do I recollect, that in any other of his genuine works he has faid any thing of the travels of this Apoftle.

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Heracleon, a learned Valentinian, in the fecond centurie, as cited by Clement of Alexandria, reckons (ƒ) Matthew among thofe Apostles, who did not dye by martyrdom. Nor does Clement contradict him.:

It is alfo obfervable, that (g) Chryfoftom has a commendation of Matthew, confifting of divers articles: his humility, mercifulneffe or liberality, piety, general benevolence, writing a Gofpel, finally, fortitude, inasmuch as he came from the prefence of the Council rejoycing: referring, I fuppole, to Acts v. 41. But fays nothing of his martyrdom. Which may induce us to think, that there was not any tradition about it among Chriftians at that time, or that it was not much regarded.

II. Having thus given the hiftorie of this Apostle, I proTeftimonies to ceed to the confideration of his Gospel, one of the univerhis Gofpel. fally acknowledged books of the New Teftament. Two things principally are to be the fubjects of our inquirie, the time of writing it, and the language in which it was writ. And I propofe to recite here briefly all, or most of the authors, that have been largely quoted, in the former volumes, fo far as relates to those two particulars.

Papias, Bp. of Hierapolis, about A. D. 116. by fome fupposed to have been acquainted with John the Apoftle, by others with John the Elder only, in his five books, entitled 'Explications of the Oracles of the Lord,

which

(d) Cum Eufebius hic dicat, fuperiora ex libro tertio Explanationum Origenis in Genefim effe defumta, dubitari merito poteft, unde incipiant Origenis verba, &c. Valef. Annot. 3. cap. 1.

(c) Vol x. p. 89, 90.

સ્

(1) Οὐ γὰρ πάντες οι σωζόμενοι ωμολόγησαν τὴν διὰ τῆς φωνῆς ὁμολογίαν, και εξήλθον ἐξ ὧν ματθαῖο, Φίλλιππος, θωμαι, λευὶς, καὶ ἄλλοι πολλοί, Clem. Stre .. 4. 592. B.

In Mattb. bom. 48. al. 49. T. 7. p. 491.

which feem to have been collections of ancient ftories and traditions, makes (b) exprefs mention of Matthew's Gospel, and fays, that he wrote the Divine Oracles in the Hebrew tongue.

Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, about the year 178, who was born in Afia, and in his youth was acquainted with Polycarp, difciple of St. John, fays: "Matthew (i) then among the Jews wrote a gofpel in their own language, "while Peter and Paul were preaching the gofpel at Rome, and found"ing (or eftablifhing] the church there. And after their exit, [that is, "death, or departure,] Mark allo the disciple and interpreter of Peter, "delivered to us in writing, the things that had been preached by Peter. "And Luke, the companion of Paul, put down in a book the gospel "preached by him. Afterwards John, the difciple of the Lord, who "leaned upon his breaft, likewife publifhed a Gofpel, whilst he dwelt at "Ephefus, in Afa." In another place he fays," the (4) Gospel according to Matthew was delivered to the Jews.'

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Origen, about 230. fays, " that (?) according to the tradition received "by him, the firft Gofpel was written by Matthew, once a Publican, "afterwards a Difciple of Jefus Chrift; who delivered it to the Jewish "believers, compofed in the Hebrew language.' And in another place he fays, "that (m) Matthew wrote for the Hebrews."

Says Eufebe, about 315, "Matthew (n) having firft preached to the "Hebrews, when he was about to go to other people, delivered to them " in their own language the Gofpel according to him, by that writing "fupplying the want of his prefence with those whom he was leaving." Athanafius, in his Festal Epiftle (o) does not fay, where, or in what language, Matthew wrote. But in the Synopfis, afcribed to him, it is faid, that (p)Matthew wrote his Gofpel in Hebrew, and publifhed it at Jerufalem."

Cyril of Jerufalem fays, "that (q) Matthew wrote in Hebrew.”

Epiphanius likewife fays, " that (r) Matthew wrote in Hebrew." And afterwards. Matthew (s) wrote firft, and Mark foon after him, being a follower of Peter at Rome. If Mark did not write till after Peter came to Rome, and Matthew but a little before him; it follows, that Matthew's Gospel was not writ fo foon, as many later writers have fuppofed.

Gregorie Nazianzen, in his catalogue, fays, " that (t) Matthew wrote "for the Hebrews."

And Ebedjefu, "that (u) Matthew, the firft Evangelift, published his "Gofpel in Paleftine, writ in Hebrew."

(b) See of this work. Vol. i. p. 242. the fecond edition.

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Theodore

(1) Ὁ μὲν δὴ ματθαῖος ἐν τοῖς ἐβράνος τῇ αὐτῶν διαλέκτῳ καὶ γραφὴν ἐξήνεγκεν ἐναγγελία, τὸ πέτρα, καὶ τὸ πάυλα ἐν ῥώμῃ ευαγγελιζομένων καὶ θεμελιώντων τὴν ἐκκλη olar. n. λ. Adv. Haer, 1. 3. cap. i. Et ap. Eufeb. 1. 5. c. 8. And in this work Vol. i. p. 353.

(k) See Vol. i. p. 356.

(m) P. 278.

(0) Vol. viii. p. 227.

(9) P. 271.

(1) Vol. iii. p. 235.

(n) Vol. viii. p. 92. See also p. 177

(p) P. 249.

(r) P. 304. and 305.

(5) Ευθὺς δὲ μετὰ τὸν ματθαῖον ακόλεθος γενόμενος ὁ μάρκος τῷ ἁγίῳ πίτρῳ ἐν

guun. Citat. ib. p. 305..

() Vol. ix. p. 133. Comp. p. 134.

(4) P. 316.

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Theodore of Mopfueftia fays, "that (x) for a good while the Apostles "preached chiefly to Jews in Judea. Afterwards Providence made way "for conducting them to remote countreys. Peter went to Rome, the "reft elsewhere, John, in particular, took up his abode at Ephefus. "About this time the other Evangelifts, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, pub"lished their Gospels, which were foon spread all over the world." This fuppofeth a late date of the Gospels, as was argued vol. ix. p. 405, that is, after the beginning of Nero's reign, when Peter went to Rome, and not long before the war in Judea, which broke out in 66. about which time John left that countrey, and fettled at Ephefus.

Says Jerome in the prologue to his Commentarie upon St. Matthew: "The (y) firft Evangelift is Matthew, the Publican, furnamed Levi, who " wrote his Gospel in Judea, in the Hebrew language, chiefly for the "fake of the Jews that believed in Jefus, and did not joyn the fhadow of "the law with the truth of the gofpel." To the like purpose in the article of St. Matthew, in his book of Ecclefiaftical Writers: "Matthew "(z) called alfo Levi, of a Publican made an Apostle, first of all wrote a "Gofpel in Judea in the Hebrew language, for the fake of those of the "circumcifion, who believed," Who afterwards tranflated it into Greek, is uncertain.

Chryfoftom in the introduction to his homilies upon this Gofpel: "Mat"thew (a) is faid to have writ his Gofpel at the request of the Jewish be"lievers, who defired him to put down in writing what he had taught "them by word of mouth. And he is faid to have writ in Hebrew." He fpeaks with hesitation, and is not positive about the occafion of writing this Gofpel, or the language, in which it was writ. Afterwards he fays: "In (b) what place each one of the Evangelifts wrote, cannot be faid with "certainty."

Cofmas of Alexandria, about the year 535, fays: "Matthew (c) is the "firft Evangelift, that wrote a Gofpel. There being a perfecution, "when Stephen was ftoned, and he alfo being about to go from that place, "the believers entreated him to leave with them a written inftruction, "with which request he complied." And what follows.

The Author of the Imperfect Work upon St. Matthew, in the fixth centurie, about the year 560, obferves to this purpose: "The (d) occa"fion of Matthew's writing is faid to be this. There being a great Per"fecution in Palestine, so that there was danger, least all the faithful "fhould be difperfed: that they might not be without teaching, though "they should have no teachers, they requested Matthew to write for them ἐσ a historie of all Chrift's words and works, that wherever they should "be, they might have with them the ground of their faith." This writer does not lay, that this was the perfecution, that arose about the time of the death of Stephen. He feems to speak of a later, and more general perfecution and difperfion, fuch as may be well fuppofed to have been in Judea, near the war in 66. When moft, or all the Apostles, and many of the Jewish believers, removed, and were difperfed into other countreys.

(x) P. 403.
(z) P. 89.
(b) P. 316.

(d) P. 327. 328

() Vol. x. p. 83.
(a) P. 315.
(c) Vol. xi. p. 266.

In

In the Pafchal Chronicle, a work compofed in the feventh centurie, as formerly cited, it is intimated, that (e) St. Matthew published his Gofpel in Palestine, about fifteen Years after our Lord's afcenfion, and soon after the Council at Jerufalem, of which an account is given Acts xv.

And, to draw to a conclufion of this lift of writers. Theophylact, in the eleventh centurie, fays: "Matthew then (f) first wrote a Gospel in the "Hebrew language, for the fake of the Hebrew believers, eight years after CC our Saviour's afcenfion.”

Euthymius in the beginning of the twelfth centurie: "That (g) Mat"thew's Gospel was the firft, and writ in Judea, in Hebrew, for the Jewish "believers, eight years after our Lord's afcenfion."

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Nicephorus Callifti, in the fourteenth centurie, fays: " Matthew (b) having preached the faving word to the Jews, when he was about to go "abroad to the Gentils, thought it beft to write in his native language an "account of his preaching, to fupply the want of his prefence. Which "he did at about fifteen years after our Saviour's afcenfion."

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Remarks.

III. Who now of all these writers deferves the greatest regard? Irenaeus, I think, as being the most ancient. And with him agree Epiphanius, Theodore, of Mopfueftia, and the Author of the Imperfect Work, as it feems. Nor is he contradicted by Eufebius of Gefarea, so far as I can (i) perceive. He fays, "that when Matthew was about to go to other people, he delivered his Gospel to the Hebrews in their "own language. But he does not fay in his Ecclefiaftical Hiftorie, nor any where else, when this Apostle left Judea. Some (k) may have understood him to mean about eight years after our Saviour's afcenfion, and others about fifteen years after it, as Nicephorus, and perhaps the Pafchal Chronicle. But himself has not expressly mentioned the time. And he may have been undetermined in his mind about the time, when Matthew left Judea. Moreover, he has inserted (1) iu his Ecclefiaftical Hiftorie the paffage of Iranaeus above quoted, upon which we infist. And a late date of the Gofpels is agreeable to his own, and others observations, before taken notice of, that the Apostles of Chrift did not write many books, and were not very forward to write, but as they were compelled by a kind of neceffity.

There are divers learned moderns of good judgment in these matters, who pay a great regard to this teftimonie of Irenaeus, particularly, (m) Fabricius, (n) Mill, (0) S. Bafnage, and before them (p) Martin Chem

nitius.

(e) See Vol. viii. p. 178.

(g) P. 435.

(i) See Vol. viii. p. 177. · · 179. (k) See Vol. viii. p. 176. &c.

(m) De tempore, quando fcripferit, Irenaeo, temporibus illis proximo, qui

(ƒ) Vol. xi. p. 419. 420.
(b) P. 442.

Mill

(1) L. 5. cap. 8. p. 172. C.
cui potius fidem habeamus, quam S.
tradit eum edidiffe Evangelium, ra

πέτρα καὶ τὸ πάυλο ἐν ῥώμη ἀναγγελιζομένων καὶ θεμελιώντων τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. Bib. Gr.

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4. c. 5. T. 3. p. 126.

(n) Prolegom. num. 61.

(0) A. 64. n. xii.

(p) Examen Concil Trid. p. 16.

Mill fuppofed it to be highly probable, that (q) Irenaeus had this account from Papias. Le Clerc (r) likewife feems 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 fay, that Papias mentioned the time of writing his Gofpel. 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 several, one of whom was Papias.

Irenaeus fays, that "Matthew published his Gospel, when Peter and "Paul were preaching at Rome:" that is, fays (5) 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 suffered martyrdom there, about the fame time. That is the feafon, to which we fhould be led for fixing the writing of St. Matthew's Gofpel, 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. Whose opinions alfo, 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

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

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

(s) Atque hoc ipfo quidem anno LX1. prodiiffe videtur Evangelium Matthaci... Ego quidem de priori adventu intelligendum Irenaeum omnino ar, bitror. Ib. num. 61. 62.

(t) Quo tempore Petrus Paulufque Romae operam dabant evangelio, Matthaeus, fi creditur Irenaeo, 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.

(z) Scripfiffe Evangelium fuum viii. a Christi 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 Hierofolymitana, ad fuam quifque fortem abierunt, adeo ut paullo ante Mathaeus Evangelium fuum condidiffe videtur. H. L. in Matthaeo, p. 13.

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