THE

TRUTH

OF THE

SCRIPTURE HISTORY OF ST. PAUL EVINCED

CHAPTER I.

EXPOSITION OF THE ARGUMENT.

any accession of proof or authority, would necessarily produce the appearance of consistency and agreement; or,

THE volume of Christian Scriptures con- | been wholly, or in part, compiled from the tains thirteen letters purporting to be written letters: in which case it is manifest that the by St. Paul: it contains also a book, which, history adds nothing to the evidence already amongst other things, professes to deliver the afforded by the letters; or, history, or rather memoirs of the history, of 2. The letters may have been fabricated out this same person. By assuming the genuine- of the history; a species of imposture which ness of the letters, we may prove the substan-is certainly practicable; and which, without tial truth of the history: or, by assuming the truth of the history, we may argue strongly in support of the genuineness of the letters. But I assume neither one nor the other. The reader is at liberty to suppose these writings to have been lately discovered in the library of the Escurial, and to come to our hands destitute of any extrinsic or collateral evidence whatever; and the argument I am about to offer is calculated to show, that a comparison of the different writings would, even under these circumstances, afford good reason to believe the persons and transactions to have been real, the letters authentic, and the narration in the main to be true.

Agreement or conformity between letters bearing the name of an ancient author, and a received history of that author's life, does not necessarily establish the credit of either; because,

1. The history may, like Middleton's Life of Cicero, or Jortin's Life of Erasmus, have

3. The history and letters may have been founded upon some authority common to both; as upon reports and traditions which prevailed in the age in which they were composed, or upon some ancient record now lost, which both writers consulted; in which case also, the letters, without being genuine, may exhibit marks of conformity with the history; and the history, without being true, may agree with the letters.

Agreement therefore, or conformity, is only to be relied upon so far as we can exclude these several suppositions. Now the point to be noticed is, that in the three cases above enumerated, conformity must be the effect of design. Where the history is compiled from the letters, which is the first case, the design and composition of the work are in general so confessed, or made so evident by comparison,

as to leave us in no danger of confounding the | is undesignedness: and this test applies to eveproduction with original history, or of mistak-ry supposition; for, whether we suppose the ing it for an independent authority. The history to be true, but the letters spurious; agreement, it is probable, will be close and uni- or, the letters to be genuine but the history form, and will easily be perceived to result false; or, lastly, falsehood to belong to both from the intention of the author, and from the the history to be a fable, and the letters ficplan and conduct of his work.-Where the let-titious: the same inference will result-that ters are fabricated from the history, which is either there will be no agreement between the second case, it is always for the purpose of them, or the agreement will be the effect of imposing a forgery upon the public; and in design. Nor will it elude the principle of this order to give colour and probability to the rule, to suppose the same person to have been fraud, names, places, and circumstances, found the author of all the letters, or even the auin the history, may he studiously introduced thor both of the letters and the history; for into the letters, as well as a general consist- no less design is necessary to produce coinciency be endeavoured to be maintained. But dence between different parts of a man's own here it is manifest that whatever congruity ap- writings, especially when they are made to pears, is the consequence of meditation, ar- take the different forms of a history and of oritifice, and design. The third case is that ginal letters, than to adjust them to the cir. wherein the history and the letters, without cumstances found in any other writing. any direct privity or communication with each With respect to those writings of the New other, derive their materials from the same Testament which are to be the subject of our source; and, by reason of their common ori- present consideration, I think, that, as to the ginal, furnish instances of accordance and cor- authenticity of the epistles, this argument, respondency. This is a situation in which we where it is sufficiently sustained by instances, must allow it to be possible for ancient writ-is nearly conclusive; for I cannot assign a supings to be placed; and it is a situation in which position of forgery, in which coincidences of it is more difficult to distinguish spurious from the kind we inquire after are likely to appear. genuine writings, than in either of the cases As to the history, it extends to these points: described in the preceding suppositions; inas--It proves the general reality of the circummuch as the congruities observable are so far stances: it proves the historian's knowledge accidental, as that they are not produced by of these circumstances. In the present inthe immediate transplanting of names and cir- stance it confirms his pretensions of having cumstances out of one writing into the other. been a contemporary, and in the latter part of But although, with respect to each other, the his history, a companion, of St. Paul. In a agreement in these writings be mediate and word, it establishes the substantial truth of secondary, yet is it not properly or absolutely the narration; and substantial truth is that, undesigned: because, with respect to the com- which, in every historical inquiry, ought to mon original from which the information of be the first thing sought after and ascertainthe writers proceeds, it is studied and factiti-ed: it must be the groundwork of every other ous. The case of which we treat must, as to observation. the letters, be a case of forgery: and when the writer who is personating another, sits down to his composition-whether he have the history with which we now compare the letters, or some other record before him; or whether As to the proofs of undesignedness, I shall he have only loose tradition and reports to go in this place say little; for I had rather the by—he must adapt his imposture, as well as reader's persuasion should arise from the inhe can, to what he finds in these accounts; stances themselves, and the separate remarks and his adaptations will be the result of coun- with which they may be accompanied, than sel, scheme, and industry; art must be em- from any previous formulary or description of ployed; and vestiges will appear of manage-argument. In a great plurality of examples, ment and design. Add to this, that, in most of the following examples, the circumstances in which the coincidence is remarked, are of too particular and domestic a nature, to have floated down upon the stream of general tradition.

The reader then will please to remember this word undesignedness, as denoting that upon which the construction and validity of our argument chiefly depend.

I trust he will be perfectly convinced that no design or contrivance whatever has been exercised: and if some of the coincidences alleged appear to be minute, circuitous, or oblique, let him reflect that this very indirectness and subtility is that which gives force and propriOf the three cases which we have stated, ety to the example. Broad, obvious, and exthe difference between the first and the two plicit agreements prove little, because it may others is, that in the first the design may be be suggested that the insertion of such is the fair and honest, in the others it must be ac- ordinary expedient of every forgery and companied with the consciousness of fraud; though they may occur, and probably will ocbut in all there is design. In examining, cur in genuine writings, yet it cannot be protherefore, the agreement between ancient wri-ved that they are peculiar to these. Thus tings, the character of truth and originality what St. Paul declares in chap, xi. of 1 Cor

concerning the institution of the eucharist incidents of his private life, and the circum"For I have received of the Lord that which stances of his condition and history; and the I also delivered unto you, that the Lord connexion and parallelism of these with the Jesus, the same night in which he was be- same circumstances in the Acts of the Apostrayed, took bread; and when he had given tles, so as to enable us, for the most part, to tharks he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this confront them one with another; as well as is my body, which is broken for you; this do the relation which subsists between the circumin remembrance of me"-though it be in close stances, as mentioned or referred to in the difand verbal conformity with the account of the ferent epistles-afford no inconsiderable proof same transaction preserved by St. Luke, is yet of the genuineness of the writings, and the a conformity of which no use can be made in reality of the transactions. For as no adverour argument; for if it should be objected tency is sufficient to guard against slips and that this was a mere recital from the Gospel, contradictions, when circumstances are multiborrowed by the author of the epistle, for the plied, and when they are liable to be detected purpose of setting off his composition by an by contemporary accounts equally circumstanappearance of agreement with the received ac- tial, an impostor, I should expect, would either count of the Lord's supper, I should not know have avoided particulars entirely, contenting how to repel the insinuation. In like man- himself with doctrinal discussions, moral prener, the description which St. Paul gives of cepts, and general reflections; or if, for the himself in his epistle to the Philippians (iii. 5.) sake of imitating St. Paul's style, he should -"Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock have thought it necessary to intersperse his of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew composition with names and circumstances, he of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Phari- would have placed them out of the reach of see; concerning zeal, persecuting the Church; comparison with the history. And I am contouching the righteousness which is in the law, firmed in this opinion by the inspection of blameless" is made up of particulars so plain-two attempts to counterfeit St. Paul's epistles, ly delivered concerning him, in the Acts of which have come down to us; and the only the Apostles, the Epistle to the Romans, and attempts of which we have any knowledge, the Epistle to the Galatians, that I cannot de- that are at all deserving of regard. One of ny but that it would be easy for an impostor, these is an epistle to the Laodiceans, extant who was fabricating a letter in the name of in Latin, and preserved by Fabricius in his St. Paul, to collect these articles into one view. collection of apocryphal scriptures. The other This, therefore, is a conformity which we do purports to be an epistle of St. Paul to the not adduce. But when I read in the Acts of Corinthians, in answer to an epistle from the the Apostles, that when "Paul came to Derbe Corinthians to him. This was translated by and Lystra, behold a certain disciple was there, Scroderus from a copy in the Arminian lannamed Timotheus, the son of a certain wo- guage which had been sent to W. Whiston, man which was a Jewess ;" and when, in an and was afterwards, from a more perfect copy epistle addressed to Timothy, I find him re-procured at Aleppo, published by his sons, as minded of his "having known the Holy Scrip- an appendix to their edition of Moses Chorentures from a child," which implies that he eusis. No Greek copy exists of either: they must, on one side or both, have been brought are not only not supported by ancient testimoup by Jewish parents: I conceive that I re-ny, but they are negatived and excluded; as mark a coincidence which shows, by its very they have never found admission into any caobliquity, that scheme was not employed in talogue of apostolical writings, acknowledged its formation. In like manner, if a coinci- by, or known to, the early ages of Christianity. dence depend upon a comparison of dates, or In the first of these I found, as I expected, a rather of circumstances from which the dates total evitation of circumstances. It is simply are gathered the more intricate that compa- a collection of sentences from the canonical erison shall be; the more numerous the inter-pistles, strung together with very little skill. mediate steps through which the conclusion is The second, which is a more versute and spededuced; in a word, the more circuitous the cious forgery, is introduced with a list of names investigation is, the better, because the agree- of persons who wrote to St. Paul from Coment which finally results is thereby farther rinth; and is preceded by an account sufficientremoved from the suspicion of contrivance, This, however, must not be misunderstood. A per. affectation, or design. And it should be re-son writing to his friends, and upon a subject in which membered, concerning these coincidences, that the transactions of his own life were concerned, would it is one thing to be minute, and another to probably be led, in the course of his letter, especially if it was a long one, to refer to passages found in his hisbe precarious; one thing to be unobserved, tory. A person addressing an epistle to the public at and another to be obscure; one thing to be large, or under the form of an epistle delivering a discourse upon some speculative argument, would not, it is circuitous or oblique, and another to be forc-probable, meet with an occasion of alluding to the cired, dubious, or fanciful. And this distinction cumstances of his life at all; he might, or he might not; the chance on either side is nearly equal. This is the situa ought always to be retained in our thoughts. tion of the catholic epistle. Although, therefore, the preThe very particularity of St. Paul's epis-sence of these allusions and agreements be a valuable actles; the perpetual recurrence of names of per-letter is maintained, yet the want of them certainly forins sons and places; the frequent allusions to the no positive objection.

cession to the arguments by which the authenticity of a

ed by the person, whoever he was, that wrote them, to come forth or be read together: that they appeared at first separately, and have been collected since.

y particular of the manner in which the epis-ance of consistency amongst them. All which tle was sent from Corinth to St. Paul, and the observations show that they were not intendanswer returned. But they are names which no one ever heard of; and the account it is impossible to combine with any thing found in the Acts, or in the other epistles. It is not necessary for me to point out the internal marks of spuriousness and imposture which these compositions betray; but it was necessary to observe, that they do not afford those coincidences which we propose as proofs of authenticity in the epistles which we defend.

Having explained the general scheme and formation of the argument, I may be permitted to subjoin a brief account of the manner of conducting it.

The proper purpose of the following work is to bring together, from the Acts of the Apostles, and from the different epistles, such passages as furnish examples of undesigned coincidence; but I have so far enlarged upon this plan, as to take into it some circumstances found in the epistles, which contributed strength to the conclusion, though not strictly objects of comparison.

It appeared also a part of the same plan, to examine the difficulties which presented themselves in the course of our inquiry.

I do not know that the subject has been pro

I have disposed the several instances of agreement under separate numbers: as well to mark more sensibly the divisions of the subject, as for another purpose, viz. that the rea-posed or considered in this view before. Lu der may thereby be reminded that the instan- dovicus, Capellus, Bishop Pearson, Dr. Bences are independent of one another. I have son, and Dr. Lardner, have each given a conadvanced nothing which I did not think pro- tinued history of St. Paul's life, made up from bable; but the degree of probability by which the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles joindifferent instances are supported, is undoubted together. But this, it is manifest, is a difedly very different. If the reader, therefore, ferent undertaking from the present, and dimeets with a number which contains an in- rected to a different purpose. stance that appears to him unsatisfactory, or If what is here offered shall add one thread founded in mistake, he will dismiss that num-to that complication of probabilities by which ber from the argument, but without prejudice the Christian history is attested, the reader's to any other. He will have occasion also to attention will be repaid by the supreme importobserve, that the coincidences discoverable in ance of the subject; and my design will be some epistles are much fewer and weaker than fully answered. what are supplied by others. But he will add to his observation this important circumstance

CHAPTER II.

THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

No. 1.

that whatever ascertains the original of one epistle, in some measure establishes the authority of the rest. For, whether these epistles be genuine or spurious, every thing about them indicates that they come from the same hand. The diction, which it is extremely difficult toimitate, preserves its resemblance and peculiarity THE first passage I shall produce from this throughout all the epistles. Numerous expres- epistle, and upon which a good deal of obser sions and singularities of style, found in no vation will be founded, is the following :other part of the New Testament, are repeat- "But now I go unto Jerusalem, to minised in different epistles; and occur in their re-ter unto the saints; for it hath pleased them spective places, without the smallest appearance of Macedonia and Achaia, to make a certain of force or art. An involved argumentation, contribution for the poor saints which are at frequent obscurities, especially in the order and Jerusalem." Rom. xv. 25, 26. transition of thought, piety, vehemence, affec- In this quotation three distinct circumstantion, bursts of rapture, and of unparalleled ces are stated a contribution in Macedonia sublimity, are properties, all or most of them, for the relief of the Christians of Jerusalem, discernible in every letter of the collection. But a contribution in Achaia for the same purpose, although these epistles bear strong marks of and an intended journey of St. Paul to Jeru proceeding from the same hand, I think it is salem. These circumstances are stated as tak still more certain that they were originally se- ing place at the same time, and that to be the parate publications. They form no continued time when the epistle was written. Now let story; they compose no regular correspon-us inquire whether we can find these circumdence; they comprise not the transactions of stances elsewhere, and whether, if we do find any particular period; they carry on no con- them, they meet together in respect of date. nexion of argument; they depend not upon Turn to the Acts of the Apostles, chap. xx. one another; except in one or two instances, ver. 2, 3, and you read the following account: they refer not to one another. I will farther un-"When he had gone over those parts, (viz. dertake to say, that no study or care has been Macedonia,) and had given them much exhoremployed to produce or preserve an appear-tation, he came into Greece, and there abode

Corinth; for it refers throughout to what he had done and said amongst them whilst he was there. The expression, therefore," when I come," must relate to a second visit; against which visit the contribution spoken of was desired to be in readiness.

three months; and when the Jews laid wait | salem; and if it be meet, that I go also, they for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he shall go with me." In this passage we find proposed to return through Macedonia." From a contribution carrying on at Corinth, the ca this passage, compared with the account of St. pital of Achaia, for the Christians of JerusaPaul's travels given before, and from the se- lem; we find also a hint given of the possibiliquel of the chapter, it appears that upon St. ty of St. Paul going up to Jerusalem himself, Paul's second visit to the peninsula of Greece, after he had paid his visit into Achaia: but his intention was, when he should leave the this is spoken of rather as a possibility than as country, to proceed from Achaia directly by any settled intention; for his first thought sea to Syria; but that to avoid the Jews, who was, "Whomsoever you shall approve by your were lying in wait to intercept him in his letters, them will I send to bring your liberroute, he so far changed his purpose as to go ality to Jerusalem :" and in the sixth verse he back through Macedonia, embark at Philippi, adds, "That ye may bring me on my jour and pursue his voyage from thence towards Je-ney whithersoever I go." This epistle purrusalem. Here, therefore, is a journey to Jeru- ports to be written after St. Paul had been at salem; but not a syllable of any contribution. And as St. Paul had taken several journeys to Jerusalem before, and one also immediately after his first visit into the peninsula of Greece, (Acts xviii. 21.) it cannot from hence be collected in which of these visits the epistle was written, or with certainty, that it was written But though the contribution in Achaia be in either. The silence of the historian, who pro- expressly mentioned, nothing is here said confesses to have been with St. Paul at the time, (c. cerning any contribution in Macedonia. Turn xx. v. 6.) concerning any contribution, might therefore, in the third place, to the Second lead us to look out for some different journey, or Epistle to the Corinthians, chap. viii. ver. 1— might induce us, perhaps, to question the con- 4. and you will discover the particular which sistency of the two records, did not a very ac- remains to be sought for: "Moreover, brethcidental reference, in another part of the same ren, we do you to wit of the grace of God behistory, afford us sufficient ground to believe stowed on the churches of Macedonia; how that this silence was omission. When St. Paul that, in a great trial of affliction, the abunmade his reply before Felix, to the accusations dance of their joy and their deep poverty of Tertullus, he alleged, as was natural, that abounded unto the riches of their liberality: neither the errand which brought him to Je-for to their power, I bear record, yea and berusalem, nor his conduct whilst he remained yond their power, they were willing of themthere, merited the calumnies with which the selves; praying us with much entreaty, that Jews had aspersed him. "Now after many we would receive the gift, and take upon us years (i. e. of absence,) I came to bring alms the fellowship of the ministering to the saints." to my nation, and offerings; whereupon certain To which add, chap. ix. ver. 2: "I know the Jews from Asia found me parified in the tem- forwardness of your mind, for which I boast ple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult, of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was who ought to have been here before thee, and ready a year ago." In this epistle we find St. object, if they had aught against me." Acts Paul advanced as far as Macedonia, upon that xxiv. 17-19. This mention of alms and of-second visit to Corinth which he promised in ferings certainly brings the narrative in the Acts nearer to an accordancy with the epistle; yet no one, I am persuaded, will suspect that this clause was put into St. Paul's defence, either to supply the omission in the preceding narrative, or with any view to such accordancy.

his former epistle; we find also, in the passages now quoted from it, that a contribution was going on in Macedonia at the same time with, or soon however following, the contribution which was made in Achaia; but for whom the contribution was made does not appear in this espistle at all: that information must be supplied from the first epistle.

After all, nothing is yet said or hinted, concerning the place of the contribution; nothing Here, therefore, at length, but fetched from concerning Macedonia and Achaia. Turn there- three different writings, we have obtained the fore to the First Epistle to the Corinthians, several circumstances we inquired after, and chap. xvi. ver. 1-4. and you have St. Paul, which the Epistle to the Romans brings togedelivering the following directions: "Concern-ther, viz. a contribution in Achaia for the Chrising the collection for the saints, as I have tians of Jerusalem; a contribution in Macegiven orders to the churches of Galatia, even donia for the same; and an approaching jourso do ye; upon the first day of the week let ney of St. Paul to Jerusalem. We have these every one of you lay by him in store as God circumstances-each by some hint in the pashath prospered him, that there be no gather-sage in which it is mentioned, or by the date ings when I come. And when I come, whom- of the writing in which the passage occurssoever you shall approve by your letters, them fixed to a particular time; and we have that will I send to bring your liberality unto Jeru- time turning out upon examination to be in