"be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be "faints *." That to the Philippians, "To all "the faints in Chrift Jefus which are at Philippi, "with the Bishops and Deacons t." And though thofe to Timothy, and Titus, are addreffed to them only; that to Philemon is addreffed not only to him, but likewise, "To the Church in his houfe ." And from the Second Epiftle of St. Peter, addreffed to all Chriftians, and written in the year 64, it appears, that the contents of St. Paul's Epiftles were then become well known to all Chriftians in general; and, confequently, that copies of them muft by degrees have been tranfcribed for the ufe of all Chriftian Congregations; and that the various Churches muft have adopted the cuftom of having thefe epiftles read publicly; either at their stated meetings for religious worship, which is on every account in the highest degree probable; or at particular meetings held for this purpose only; or poffibly at both.

AND when it is feen that the feveral Chriftian Congregations, in all places, certainly made it a practice to read St. Paul's Epiftles in this manner; as copies of them could be procured; no doubt can poffibly be entertained, but that as foon as

*Romans i. 7. + Philemon v. 2.

Philippians i. I.

§ 2d Peter iii. 16.

Either of the Evangelifts had presented any Congregation with the Original of his Gofpel; which was of a nature fo much more neceffary for, and fo much better adapted to, the instruction of all, in the very grounds and reafons of the faith in Jefus, than any of the Epiftles; they would certainly cause copies of that Gospel to be tranfcribed for other Congregations; as well as, by degrees, for private perfons likewife; and would all have them publicly read, in the fame manner, as foon as they could be obtained.

THE neceffity of this practice, in that early age of the Church, muft have been fo ftrongly felt, that it could not be omitted. For, as the Chriftians had not then any large buildings fet apart for the purpose of religious worship; but were obliged to meet at the private houfes of fome of the difciples, where but few could affemble together at one time; and there must therefore have been feveral of these fmall Congregations in the larger cities, wherever the difciples were numerous; till fo many copies of the Gofpels could be taken, that each Congregation might have one, either they muft have been under the ncceffity of carrying the Original, or rather fome copy, to the different houses of meeting; that each Congregation might hear it read; or elfe, all the different Congregations must have affembled, at different times, at

the fame houfe, for that purpofe; and the inconvenience, and even danger, attending both these expedients, and efpecially in the times of perfecution, muft have been fo fenfibly felt, that this circumftance alone muft certainly have set the Chriftians to work, to caufe copies to be transcribed, as faft as might be, for the ufe of all Congregations.

AND in addition to thefe confiderations it is of importance to observe, that all those persons who were thus continually employed in transcribing the Gospels, muft unavoidably have had the genuine contents of them fo accurately impreffed upon their minds, that no falfification of, or addition to them, of any confiderable length, or at all striking in its particulars, could poffibly have escaped their inftantaneous detection.

SUCH then being the circumftances of the cafe, Was it poffible for those particulars relating to the conception and birth of Jefus, which are recorded in the firft and fecond chapters of the Gofpel of St. Matthew, as it has been delivered down to us, to have been forged, and clandeftinely added to any copies of it; and then to have been produced as genuine parts of that Gofpel; without being immediately condemned as forgeries, and exploded; let this Gospel have been first made public by St. Matthew at whatever time, and place, it might?

IF St. Matthew firft delivered it to the difciples either very early; or at any time before the council held at Jerufalem, upon the deputation of Paul and Barnabas from Antioch, in the year 49, or 50; that is, at any time within fixteen, or seventeen years after the Afcenfion; while the Apoftles in general, as well as fome other chofen difciples, were engaged in preaching the Gospel, not only at Jerufalem, but throughout Judea, and in the neighbouring countries; any attempt to add the particulars in question, as they have been delivered down to us, must have been immediately detected; not only because it must have been perfectly well known to all in general, that the facts fo related were till then abfolutely unheard of, and therefore certainly falfe; as well as because the Original Gospel given to the difciples by St. Matthew himself, and many undoubtedly authentic copies of it, must have been extant, and well known, and would at once have proved the fuppofed addition to be a forgery; but likewife, because fome or other of the Apoftles; who were all at this time employed in preaching the Gospel throughout Judea, and in the countries round about it; muft very foon have been informed of these forged narrations, and appealed to upon them; and would immediately have fought out, and condemned, the copies in which they were inferted; and have made the most public declarations, that the particulars in

queftion were forged, and void of all foundation in truth.

AND whether the Gofpel of St. Matthew was made public by the Apoftle before, or after, the year 49, or 50; if the particulars in question were added to it at any time before the year 62; that is, not later than nine and twenty years after the Afcenfion; the forgery must have been no less certainly detected; not only because the greater number of authentic copies, which muft have been taken in this longer interval; as well as the Original itself, which must have been preferved to a much later time; would indifputably have proved it a forgery; but more especially, because James the Juft; who refided at Jerufalem, as Head, or Bifhop, of the Church in Judea, till he was put to death there, in the year 62; muft very foon have been informed of the remarkable addition in queftion, containing accounts of fuch astonishing miraculous tranfactions and would certainly, by his own authority, have condemned, in the most public and effectual manner, fo flagitious a falfification; as soon as the attempt to obtrude it upon the belief of the Church had come to his knowledge.

AND what, is it reasonable to believe, would have taken place; if, agreeably to the most ancient teftimony, and the judgment of fome of the moft refpectable Writers *, St. Matthew did not make

See Lardner's Supplement, ch. v. as before; and b. i. ch. xiii. p. 511-513, of Vol. VI. of his Works.

his