II. BUT, that in a concern of fo great importance to the authenticity, and genuine contents of the Gofpels, we may be properly aware of all the confiderations which will unite in proving the abfolute incredibility of the forgeries in question; let us, for the fake of enquiry, fuppofe it poffible, notwithstanding all these infuperable difficulties, that fome one, or more, moft extravagant enthu. fiafts might conceive this incredible defign; and actually proceed to the execution of it; by inventing all the particulars juft referred to, and foifting them into fome copy, or copies, of the Gospels of St. Matthew, and St. Luke, in the places where we now find them; and let us enquire, whether it would have been poffible for these forgeries, fo foifted in, to have escaped detection; and to have been tranfmitted to us as genuine parts of those Gospels, in the manner, in which they actually

have been.

THIS queftion will admit of a fatisfactory determination, by attending to some circumftances in the conduct of the Apoftles, during the period, in which, by means of their preaching, the religion of the Gofpel was firft established in the world.

THE particulars recorded by St. Luke, in the Acts of the Apoftles, give us abundant reason to believe, that the Apostles in general, if not all the Apoftles,

Apostles, continued to refide at Jerufalem, and in Judea; and to preach the Gospel, not only there, but likewife in the feveral countries round about; for the fpace of fixteen, or feventeen, years after the Afcenfion; that is, till after the council held by the Apostles and Elders at Jerufalem, upon the coming of Paul and Barnabas from Antioch, with a queftion for the decifion of the Apoftles, in the year 49, or 50*. *

Ir appears likewife, that during this period Peter and John, in particular, among the Apoftles; as well as fome chofen difciples, fuch as Philip and Barnabas, who were not Apoftles; made it their employment to preach the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Phenice, &c.; and that, whereever they established Congregations of believers, they appointed Elders to prefide over them, for their conftant regulation; and that they did not even then leave them to themselves, but from time to time went round to visit them; in order to correct whatever improprieties might have taken place among them; and to inftruct, and confirm, them in the faith t.

IT

* See Lardner's Works, Ed. 1788. Vol. VI. That is, the Supplement to the Credibility, &c. ch. vi. particularly from p. 67 to the end of the chapter.

For thefe particulars, which cannot be given here in de tail, fee the Supplement to Lardner's Credibility, ch. vi. on the

Ir further appears, that St. Paul; who, from being a violent perfecutor of the Christian faith, was miraculously converted to it, about the year 36, or three years after the Afcenfion; and who, three years after his converfion, that is about the year 39, commenced the most indefatigable, as well as able preacher of it; came feveral times, in the course of the first seventeen years, to Jerufalem, upon the bufinefs of preaching the Gofpel. And that about nine years after the Afcenfion, that is about the year 42, Paul and Barnabas established a very confiderable Chriftian Church at Antioch in Syria. That St. Paul likewise established churches in a great number of other places; and with unremitted diligence and care vifited, from time to time, all the churches, or congregations, which he had established *.

FROM the fame Acts of the Apostles it likewife appears, that very foon after the Afcenfion James, called the Juft, was appointed Head, or Bishop, of the church at Jerufalem, and in Judea; and that, from the time of his being fo appointed, he continued to refide at Jerufalem, fuperintending the Church; till at length, as is related by

time when the Apostles left Judea; ch. xviii., on St Peter; and ch. xvi. on James the Lord's Brother; in Vol. VI, of his Works.

See Lardner's Supplement, ch. xi. on St. Paul; particularly from fect. 7. in Vol. VI. of his Works.

ancient

ancient authors, he was put to death in a tumult there, in the year 62; that is about twenty nine, or thirty, years after the Afcenfion*.

SUCH was the manner in which the Apoftles proceeded in establishing the Gospel in Judea, and afterwards wherever they preached it. It is our business therefore to confider, what light thefe circumftances will throw upon the queftion before us; -Whether it is credible, that the particulars relating to the conceptions, and births, of John the Baptift, and Jefus, contained in the two first chapters of the Gospels of St. Matthew, and St. Luke, as we have them, could have been forged, and clandeftinely added to them; and yet have been delivered down to us as genuine parts of thofe Gospels, as they actually have been?

III. NONE of the Gofpels having any authoritative date affixed to them, either of the time when, or the place where, they were first delivered to the disciples by their respective Evangelifts; and it not being certainly known, therefore, at what particular time, or place, either of them was first made public; a variety of opinions have almost unavoidably been embraced, by different writers, upon these particulars.

* See Lardner's Supplement, as before, ch. xvi. on James the Lord's Brother: Vol. VI. of his Works.

WITH

WITH refpect to the country where St. Matthew wrote his Gospel, and firft delivered it to the disciples, there has indeed been but one prevailing opinion. The universal tradition is, that he wrote it for the ufe of the Jewish converts in particular, if not at their request; though, at the fame time, undoubtedly, for the use of all Christians in general.; and that he delivered it to them, fomewhere in, or near, Judea*.

WITH regard to the particular time at which St. Matthew made his Gospel public, there have been a great variety of opinions; founded upon the different circumftances which have happened to make the strongest impreffion upon different writers. One fingle author has fuppofed it to have been made public even so very early as about three years after the Afcenfion; fome, about five; others, eight or nine; fome, fifteen; and others still, about thirty years after that event; that is, about the years 63, 64, or 65 t.

SUPPOSING, therefore, agreeably to the univerfal tradition, which there is not any reafon whatSee Lardner's Supplement, ch. v. fect. 2, 3. Vol. VI. of his Works.

+ See these particulars treated at large in Lardner's Supplement, ch. v. on St. Matthew; Vol. VI. of his Works.Michaelis's Introductory Lectures to the New Teftament, English Tranflation of 1759, fect, 88.-Benfon's Hiftory of the Planting of the Chriftian Religion, B. II. ch. iv. fe&t. 1.