Fabricius fays, the (z) words, I have writ unto you, may be understood as equivalent to, I do write. And it may be remembred, that (a) fome while agoe I quoted an ancient writer, who gives this interpretation. "I (b) have writ unto you, that is, I write." And intending, I think, fomewhat to be afterwards faid by the Apoftle in this epiftle. Which appears to me to be right. Many like inftances might be alleged. I fhall put in the margin fome paffages (c) from A. Gellius, where it is faid: "I have fubjoyned the words of Varro: that is, I fhall subjoyn them. In another place. "I have tranfcribed 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 foon after. In John iv. 38. Our Lord fays to the difciples: I fent you to reap that, whereon ye have beftowed no labour. Nevertheless the difciples had not yet been fent forth by him. But knowing what he defigned to do, and alfo knowing beforehand what would be the circumftances of their miffion, he fays to them: "When I fhall fend you to preach the gofpel, you will find the cafe to be as I now represent it." In like manner St. Paul having in his mind the whole plan of the epiftle, which he was writing, and confidering fome directions, which he fhould give in the remaining part of the epiftle, fays: I have writ unto you. If it be asked, where are thofe directions? I anfwer: I think, they are in the tenth chapter of this epistle, where the Apostle cautions againít idolatrie, and dangerous temptations to it, and against doing what might be understood to be religious communion with idols, and ido laters. These things, I apprehend, the Apoftle then had in his mind. What he fays therefore here in ch. v. 9. 10. 11. is to this purpose: "I fhall in this epiftle deliver fome cautions against a dangerous and offenfive intimacie with idolaters. But when I do fo, it is not my inten tion, writers. Matth. xxνι 8. ἕως τῆς σήμερον. xxxiii. 15. ... μέχρι τῆς σήμερον. . . . Apoc. i. 3. καὶ οι άκοντες τες λόγες τῆς προφητείας, id eft, ταυλῆς προφητείας, quomodo accepit Latinus. Grot. in loc. So Liban. ep. 1174. P. 558. "Eμελλε μὲν καὶ μὴ δύντος με τὴν ἐπιτολὴν. κ. λ. Etiamfi ego has literas non fcripfiffem. . . . Ep. 1177. p. 559. Καὶ μὴν κακεῖνο δῆλον, ὅτι μείζονος ἀπολάυσει τῆς παρὰ σὲ πρόνοιας, μετὰ τὴν ἐπιςολήν. poft traditas has literas, (2) Poffunt etiam verba, kyçaya iμív, reddi, scribo vobis, &c. Bib. Gr. 1. 4. cap. v. Tom. 3. p. 154. (a) See Vol. xi. p. 182. See there likewife. p. 51. See Lardner's Edit. (b) Scripfi vobis.] Pro fcribo. Vel ideo præteritum dicit, quia cum legeretur, tempus fcribendi præteritum effet. Sedul. Comm, in loc. Ap. P. P. Lugd. T. 6. p. 540. C. (c) Verba Varronis fubjeci. A. Gell. Not. Att. 1. z. cap. zo. Propterea verba Atteii Capitonis ex quinto Librorum, quos de Pontificio Jure compofuit, fcripfi. Ib. 1. 4. cap. 6. Verba ipfa Plutarchi, quoniam res inopinata eft, fubfcripfi. Ib. cap. 12. Ex quo libro plura verba adfcripfimus, ut fimul ibidem quid ipfe inter res geftas et annales effe dixerit, oftenderimus. Ib 1. 5. cap. 18. Ipfa autem verba Chryfippi, quantum valui memoriâ adfcripfi.... In libro enim περί προνοιας quarto dicit. . Ib. 1. 6. cap. 2. tion, to prohibit all civil commerce with Gentil 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 fuch as are profeffed 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 profeffed Chriftian, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or an extortioner, with fuch an one, no not to eat: that is, not to have any converfation with him." Compare 2 Theff. iii. 14. 15. if That appears to me the most probable account of this text. But any hefitate about the reference to a place, that follows in the remaining part of the epiftle; I ftill hope, I may infift upon it, that This, which we have rendred in an epiftle, does, and must fignify, in this epiftle. 5. 2 Pet. iii. 15. 16. And account, that the longfuffering of God is falvation: even as our beloved brother Paul alfo, according to the wisdomn given unto him, has written unto you. Hence it is argued, that (d) St. Paul wrote feveral letters to the dif perfed Jews, which are now loft. I anfwer, that this argument depends upon the fuppofition, that the epiftles of St. Peter were fent to believing Jews. Which is far from being certain. It is more probable, as was (e) formerly fhewn, that St. Peter's epiftles were fent to believing Gentils in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Afia, and Bithynia, or to all Chriftians in general in those countreys. To which Chriftians Paul had indeed fent feveral letters. To them were fent his epiftle to the Galatians, the Ephefians, the Coloffians. To which might be added his Timothie, then refiding at Ephefus, the chief city of Afia. other epiftles of the Apoftle Paul, St. Peter might refer. any reafon at all to doubt, whether the epiftles of Paul, Peter, are not still in being. two epiftles to To thefe, and Nor can I fee intended by St. 6. 3 John ver. 9. I wrote unto the church. Hence (ƒ) fome have argued, that St. John wrote an epiftle to the church, where Diatrephes af fected to have pre-eminence, which is now loft. Indeed this text has exercised the thoughts of many critics, as may be feen in Wolfii Cura. However the words may be translated thus: I had writ, or I would have writ to the church. This verfion has been approved by (g) fome. And to me it appears very right. If this interpretation be admitted, there is no reafon to conclude, that (b) any writing of St. John has been loft. 7. It (d) S. Petrus 2. ep. iii. 15. 16. plures literas ad difperfos Hebræos allegat, quæ jam dudum periere. Neque enim, uti Millius putavit f. x. col. 2. heic citatur epiftola ad Hebræos, quæ exftat. &c. Pfajf. ubi supra. p. 47. Conf. Ens ubi fupra. §. xxxvi. xxxvii. p. 53. 54. (e) See before. p. 448. c. Eodem modo et literæ S. Joannis, ad Ecclefiam, in quâ Diotrephes & Pi Zongwriuw erat, fcriptæ, et 3. Joh. ver. 9. memoratæ, periere. Pfaff. ib. p. 47. (g) See Whitby upon the place, and Dr. Benfon. And fee before. p. 475. note (x). (b)Some would, from hence, gather, that St. John wrote an epiftle, which is now loft. But the primitive Chriftians were not fo careless about preferving the apoftolic writings. There is not the leaft hint among the an cients, 7. It is argued, that () Polycarp, writing to the Philippians, expreffeth himself, as if he thought, St. Paul had writ to them more epiftles than one. To which it is eafie to answer, that though the word be in the plural number, one epiftle only might be meant. Secondly, it is not improbable, that Polycarp intended the epiftle to the Philippians, and also the two epiftles of Paul to the Theffalonians, who were in the fame province of Macedonia, as was fhewn (k) formerly. Indeed this objection is so obviated by what was faid, when we largely confidered the teftimonie of Polycarp to the New Teftament, that I think nothing more needs to be added here. V. In treating this fubject Mr. Ens could not help thinking of those paffages of Origen, and Eufebius, where they speak of the Apoftles not being folicitous to write many volumes. Which paffages were taken notice of by us (1) long ago. He endeavors to evade the proper conclufion to be thence drawn. But he owns, that (m) the ancients had no knowledge of thofe writings of the Apoftles, which he and fome others have imagined to be loft. And he thinks it almost miraculous, or however a very wonderful difpenfation of Providence, that they fhould fo foon perifh, as to be unknown to the ancients, as well as to us. But does not that fhew, that this whole argument is frivolous and infignificant? For plaufible fpeculations cannot be valid against fact and evidence. If the primitive Chriftians knew not of any apoftolical writings, befide thofe, which have been transmitted to us; it is very probable, there were none. cients, that there ever was fuch an epiftle. And the Apoftle's words, in this place, are fairly capable of another interpretation. . . . » Dr. Benson upon the place, p. 703. (i) Memorat quoque Polycarpus in literis ad Philippenfes, S. Paulum nón unam fed plures ad eos izroλas abfentem fcripfiffe. Pfaff. ib. p. 47. Conf. ·Ens p. 51. . . . 56. (k) See Vol. i. p. 201.... 203. or p. 204. 205. See Lardner's Edit. (1) See Vol. iii. p. 235.236. and Vol. viii. p. 91. 92. ibid. (m) Fateor ingenue, vix concipi poteft, unde tam cito tanta fuerit inter veteres ignorantia de eo, quod Apoftoli multo plura fcripferint, quam quidem illorum, et noftras pervenit ad manus. Fateor, vix concipi poteft, ubi tam profunde latere potuerint fcripta illa apoftolica, ut omnium fugerint oculos. Aft divina hic mihi admiranda ac adoranda videtur providentia, quæ ad tempus data fcripta, dum aliorum quæ permanerent in vitæ canonem perpetuum nondum effet in ecclefiis copia, deinde protinus e medio tolli voluerit. Ens ibid. §. li. p. 68. A Plan of the Times and Places of writing the four Gofpels, and the GOSPELS, &c. St. Matthew's. St. Mark's. St. Luke's. Alts of the Apostles. PLACE. or near it. Rome. Greece. A Scheme of the Times, Places, and Occafions of writing the Gofpels, according to Dr. OWEN's Account. A Table of St. Paul's Epiftles, in the common Order, with the Places where, and the Times, when they were writ. A Table of St. Paul's Epiftles, in the Order of Time, with the Places where, and the Times, when they were writ. EPISTLES. I Theffalonians. 2 Theffalonians. Galatians. 1 Corinthians. I Timothie. Titus 2 Corinthians. Romans. PLACES. {Corinth, Corinth, or Ephefus. Macedonia,} or near it. Macedonia. A. D. } before the end of '56. about October 57. about February 58. Corinth. Rome. about April 61. before the end of 62. or Italie. A Table of the feven Catholic Epiftles, and the Revelation, with the Places where, and the Times, when they were writ. Tabula Chronologica Librorum N. T. juxta J. MILLIUM, ab J. ALBERTO FABRICIO concinnata; jam verò correctior. A. D. 52. A. D. 57. A. D. 58. Neronis 4. 1 & 2 Ep. ad Theffalonicenfes, Corinthi, Act. xviii. 5. cum Timotheus & Silas illuc reverfi effent, 1 Theff. iii. 6. Has refpicit Petrus 2 Ep. iii. 16. 1 Ep. ad Cor. ante feftum Pafchale, 1 Cor. v. 8. Act. xix. 21. cum Ephefum cogitaret antequam Hierofolymam afcendiffet, et ante iter in Macedoniam, I Cor. xvi. 3, 4, 5. 2 Ep. ad Cor. fub extremum anni, c. xii. 2. Act. xix. Initio Martii, Ep. ad Romanos, Act. xx. 2, 3. fcripta Ep. ad Galatas, c. ii. 1o. in itinere Hierofolymam ver- |