the rites of the Jewish law. The second part contains moral instructions.

In order to judge of the antiquity and authority of this piece, and the value of the testimonies to be taken from it; I shall give some account of it from the most ancient christian writers. The same method will be observed with regard to other writings, which I now take with this epistle, the first piece quoted by me.

e

6

St. Clement of Alexandria has often quoted him, and sometimes calls him apostle. Rightly therefore says the 'apostle Barnabas. I need only allege the apostolical Barnabas, one of the seventy, and fellow-worker with 'Paul.' These quotations are from the first part of this epistle. He has also quoted a passage found in the last chapter of this epistle, which assures us, that the second part, containing the moral instructions, was supposed to be his, as well as the former.

Origen, in his answer to Celsus, quotes it with the title of The Catholic Epistle of Barnabas.' In another work" he has quoted from him a passage now found in the second part of this epistle, as the former was from the first part of it.

Eusebius says, That Clement [of Alexandria] in his Institutions [a book now lost] has written short commentaries upon the books of scripture, not omitting those that ' are contradicted: I mean the epistle of Jude, and the other 'Catholic epistles, and that of Barnabas, and the Revelation ' of Peter.' In another place Eusebius reckons this epistle among those books that are spurious, meaning, it is likely, contradicted.

St. Jerom, in his catalogue of illustrious men, says; 'Barnabas of Cyprus, called Joseph, a Levite, ordained an apostle of the Gentiles with Paul, wrote an epistle for the 'edification of the church, which is read among the 'apocryphal scriptures.'

These testimonies, without adding any more, let us see the opinions of the ancients concerning this epistle; the passages cited by them being still found in that epistle, which we now have under the name of Barnabas. The judgments of them moderns are various.

d Strom. 1. 2. p. 373. Paris, 1629. Lib. 1. p. 49. Cantab. 1677.

i Hist. Ec. 1. 6. c. 14. vid. et c. 13.

1 Cap. 6.

e Ibid. p. 410.

Pearson,

De Princip. 1. 3. c. 2.

k Ibid. l. 3. c. 25.

f p. 396.

m The sentiments of many moderns concerning this

epistle are collected by Mr. J. Jones: New and full method of settling the canonical authority of the New Testament, vol. 2. c. 38.

Cave, Du Pin, Wake, and many other learned men, suppose it to be a genuine epistle of Barnabas, the companion of Paul. Some are more doubtful, as" Cotelerius: who is rather inclined to think, it was not written by Barnabas. Others think, there are many things in it unworthy of him. The objections against the genuineness of it are strongly urged by Basnage. And the late Mr. Jeremiah Jones P has offered in our own language many objections to the same purpose. But the real difficulties may be reduced to a small number.

The epistle has no inscription, not being directed to the christians of any particular place: for which reason it has been sometimes called a Catholic epistle. Many learned men have supposed, as Wake does, that it was addressed to the Jews, to draw them off from the letter of the law to 'a spiritual understanding of it.'

It appears to me most probable, that this epistle was written by Barnabas, and not to Jews, but to Gentiles: or perhaps rather to christians in general, of whatever nation or people they were. The design of the epistle I think likewise to be the same with that, which is the main design of St. Paul in the epistle to the Galatians, and in part in other epistles; to abate in christians the respect for the peculiar rites and institutions of the Jewish laws, and to show, that they were not binding upon christians: which design may be also observed in the first epistle of St. Peter. It seems evident from a passage of the epistle itself, that the temple of Jerusalem was destroyed at the time of writing it. For,' says he, through their waging war it has been 'destroyed by their enemies.' In another place the author writes: Considers yet this also; that [or since] ye have 'seen so great signs and prodigies in the people of the Jews, ' and thus God forsakes them. From both which passages I conclude, that the temple was but just destroyed: and that the signs and prodigies preceding and attending the destruction of Jerusalem had happened in the time of the Eo magis inclino, ut censeam non esse apostoli. Coteler. Judicium de Epist. S. Barnab. • Ann. Pol. Eccles. A. D. 50. n. 52. et seq. PAs above, c. 39. See his Discourse prefixed to the Genuine Epistles of the Apostolical Fathers. Chap. vii. sect. 14. and 35. * Δια γαρ το πολεμειν αυτές, καθῃρεθε ύπο των εχθρων. c. 16.

• Adhuc et illud intelligite, cum videritis tanta signa et monstra in populo Judæorum, et sic illos derelinquit Dominus, cap. iv. The late archbishop of Canterbury translates it thus: Consider this also: although you have seen so great signs and wonders done among the people of the Jews, yet this notwithstanding the Lord has forsaken them.' But I humbly apprehend, that his lordship has misinterpreted this passage, the verb derelinquit being in the present tense.

persons to whom he writes: forasmuch as they had seen them. And since God was now only forsaking them, this epistle was written, whilst the Jewish people were under great afflictions; between the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the reduction of the remaining cities of Judea, of which Josephus has given an account, after the taking and burning of the temple. So that, whether this epistle be Barnabas's or not, it was written by some zealous christian of that" time. And he thought fit, I suppose, to improve that opportunity for abating the extreme veneration for the Jewish law, which was so prejudicial to true christianity.

Any one who reads this epistle, with but a small degree of attention, will perceive in it many Pauline phrases and reasonings. To give the character of the author of it in one word: he resembles St. Paul, as his fellow-labourer, without copying him.

I shall quote it as being probably Barnabas's, and certainly ancient, written soon after the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus; most likely in the year of our Lord 71, or 72. And, as it is not a part of the canon of the New Testament, I have a right to make the best use of it I am able for supporting the authority of these books, and the credit of the doctrine and facts delivered in them. We may be obliged, before we have done, to consider, what pretensions this epistle has to be a part of the canon of the New Testament: but there is no necessity for us to enter into that inquiry at present; and it may be done to better advantage hereafter.

This epistle was written in Greek. But the four first chapters or sections, and a part of the fifth, are wanting in the Greek copies. It is however entire in an ancient Latin version.

In the epistle of Barnabas there is not any express mention of any book of the New Testament.

But there is in it a text or two of the New Testament, with a mark of quotation prefixed: and the words of several other texts are applied by him; and to some others he may be supposed to allude.

Vid. Jos. de B. J. 1. vii. c. 6. et seq.

Dr. Mill, Prolegom. n.

144. says it was written about the year 70. and A. B. Wake, somewhat after the destruction of Jerusalem.

QUOTATIONS.

NEW TESTAMENT. I. Matt. xvi. 24. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."

BARNABAS.

I. Ch. vii. So they, saith he, who will see me, and obtain my kingdom, must receive me with many afflictions and sufferings.'

This is plainly a quotation, though perhaps not designed for an exact quotation of the words of any text, but only of the sense. It is impossible to say, what particular text of the New Testament he refers to: but it is probable he refers to some such as that I have set over against this passage. This seems to me more likely than the words of Paul and Barnabas, Acts xiv. 22. "And that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." See below n. xxii.

N. T.

II. Matt. xx. 16. “Soy the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."

Ch. xxii. 14. " For many are called, but few are chosen."

BARNABAS.

II. Ch. iv. 'Let us therefore beware, lest it should happen to us, as it is written : "There are many called, few chosen.",

This is generally allowed by learned men to be a reference to St. Matthew's Gospel. And it is a very remarkable one, being made in that form of quotation, which was used by the Jews, when they cited their sacred books: "It is written."

We meet with in this epistle the exact words of several texts, without any marks of quotation: and there may be thought to be allusions to some others.

Words of the New Testament, or allusions to them.

* Ουτώ, φησιν, οι θέλοντες με ιδειν, και αψαθαι με της βασιλειας, οφείλεσι

θλιβέντες και παθοντες λαβειν με.

δε εκλεκτοι.

• Πολλοι γαρ εισι κλητοι, ολιγοι Adtendamus ergo, ne forte, sicut scriptum est, multi

vocati, pauci electi inveniamur. αιτώντι σε δις.

a

Το αιτεντι σε διδε.

• Παντι αιτωντι δε διδε.

καλεσαι δίκαιες, αλλ' αμαρτωλες εις μετάνοιαν. δίκαιες, αλλ' αμαρτωλός εις μετανοιαν.

b

Παντι δε τῳ

* Ου γαρ ηλθον

• Οτι εκ ήλθε καλεσαι

99

show, that "he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' In St. Matthew's gospel, these words are spoken by Christ in answer to the reflections made on his eating with publicans and sinners at Matthew's house after he had called him to follow him, as one of his apostles. And Barnabas says here, That Christ chose for his apostles, who were to preach his gospel, men who were great sinners, that he 'might show that he came not to call,' &c.

It ought to be observed however, that the same thing is said, Mark ii. 17, and Luke v. 32, and upon the same occasion. This therefore renders it doubtful, which gospel he refers to and it may be questioned, whether he refers at all to any written gospel.

N. T.

V. Matt. xxii. 43, 44. "He saith unto them, how then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying: The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." See Psalm cx. 1.

VI. Matt. xxiv. 22. “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."

BARNABAS.

V. Ch. xii. But because they would say, that Christ is the son of David, therefore fearing and knowing the error of sinful men, he says: "Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool."--Behold how David calls him Lord.'

VI. Ch. iv. For this cause the Lord has shortened the times and days, that his beloved might hasten his coming to his inheritance.'

These two last passages I have put down, that it might not be thought I had overlooked them: but I do not think them very material. Barnabas, or whoever wrote this epistle, was able to make use of divers arguments from the Old Testament, found now in the gospels, without having his eye to any written gospel.

N. T.

VII. Matt. xxv. 5. "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept, 6. And at midnight there was a cry made: The bridegroom

BARNABAS.

VII. Ch. iv. Take heed, lest at any time sitting still now that we are called, we fall asleep in our sins, and the wicked one getting power

f See Jones's New and Full Method, &c. Part III. p. 21, 24. His arguments to prove, that in these two places Barnabas refers to St. Matthew's gospel.