obfervation in Eftius. So Secundinus, the Manichee, in his letter to Auguftine, by the epiftle of the Ephefians plainly means the epiftle to the Ephefians. For his words are thefe: Against whom the apostle in the epistle of the Ephefians, fays, be wrestled. For he fays: we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and powers. Eph. vi. 12.

It is not unlikely, that a good number of the Latins, by the epiftle of the Laodiceans, in Col. iv. 16. understood an epiftle written to the Laodiceans. And Marcion also, having before him the Latin verfion, and understanding the words in that fenfe, concluded, that St. Paul had written an epiftle to the Laodiceans. At length he was brought to think, that the epiftle, intended by St. Paul, was the epiftle infcribed to the Ephefians. Accordingly, he fometimes quoted it with that title. This will be the more readily admitted, when it is confidered, that Marcion made use of the Latin verfion of St. Paul's epiftles. So fay both Mill, and Wetstein. And now, I fuppofe, it may appear, what regard is due to the authority of Marcion in this matter.

Thus I have at large ftated, and confidered all the material objections against the common reading at the beginning of this epiftle, the epiftle to the Ephefians. And the folutions that have been offered, feem to me fatisfactory. And from the univerfal agreement of all copies in that reading, and the unanimous teftimony of all Chriftian writers for the first twelve centuries, it appears, that there is no more reafon to doubt of the genuineness of the infcription of the epifle to the Ephefians, than of any other of the acknowledged epiftles of St. Paul.

P Fefellit tamen hos omnes ambiguitas verborum hujus loci, prout Latine leguntur Quod enim dicitur, eam quæ Laodicenfum eft, intelligi potelt, vel ad quos, vel a quibus epiftola fcripta fit aut miffa. E quidem priori modo Latini fere intellexerunt. Sed hanc ambiguitatem diffolvit Græca lectio, que fic habet: Et eam que ex Laodicea eft, ut et vos legatis. Eft ad le.

4 Contra quos fe Apoftolus in Ephefiorum epiftola certamen fubile fatetur. Dicit enim, fe non

contra carnem et fanguinem habere certamen, fed adverfus principes et poteftates. Secundin. ep. ad Aug. §i. Ap. Aug. T. VIII.

Vid. Mill. Proleg. num. 378. et 605. Ac principio, quod a nemine adhuc animadverfum poto, (nifi a J. Millio Prol. 378. fuboluiffe putemus) comperimus, Marcionis codices N. T. non ex Græcis exemplaribus, fed ex verfione Latina veteri five Italica conflatos fuiffe, &c. Wetten. Prolegom. p. 79.

This difquifition has been of greater length, than might have been wifhed. But if any things have been fet in a truer light, than ufual, it will be acceptable to fome.

That the Churches of Coloffe and Laodicea were planted by the apostle Paul.

Ir has been of late a prevailing opinion, that the Chrif tians at Coloffe, and Laodicea, were not converted by St. Paul. But to me it feems, that there is no good ground for it.

<

Says Theodoret in his argument of the epiftle to the Coloffians, prefixed to his commentary, Some are of opinion, that when the divine apostle wrote this epistle, 'he had not feen the Coloffians. And they endeavour to support their opinion by these words, For I would that ye 'fhould know, what great conflict I have for you, and for them at 'Laodicea, and for as many as have not feen my face in the flesh, ch. ii. I. But they should confider, that the meaning of 'the words is this, I bave not only a concern for you, but I have alfo great concern for thofe that have not feen me. And if he be 'not fo understood, he expreffes no concern for thofe, who 'had seen him, and had been taught by him. Moreover 'the bleffed Luke fays in the A&ts, And after he had spent 'fome time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, ch. xviii. 23. Coloffe is a city of Phrygia. And Laodicea, the metropolis of the country, is not far from it. How was it poffible for him 'to be in Phrygia, and not carry the gospel to thofe places? And in another place the bleffed Luke fays, Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Afia, ch. xvi. 6.

C

So fays that very learned writer in the fifth century. And thofe obfervations have led me to divers confiderations, inducing me to think, that the churches of Coloffe and Laodicea had been planted by Paul, and that the Chriftians. there were his converts.

a Theod. tom. III. p. 342, 343.

1. The apoftle was twice in Phrygia, in which were Coloffe, Laodicea and Hierapolis. Says St. Luke in the places already cited by Theodoret, Acts xvi. 6. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Afia. And ch. xviii. 23. And after he had spent fome time there [at Antioch] be departed, and went over all the countries of Galatia and Phrygia in order, ftrengthening the brethren. To which St. Luke refers again, ch. xix. 1. Paul having paffed through the upper coafts, came to Ephefus. St. Luke does not mention any cities by name. But there is no reafon to fay, that he was not at Coloffe. It is much more reasonable to think, that in one, or rather, in both thofe journies, Paul was at Coloffe, Laodicea, and Hierapolis, chief cities of Phrygia. For, as Theodoret fays, how was it poffible, that he should be in that country, yea and go through it, and all over it, and not be in the chief places of it? St. Luke has not particularly named any places in Galatia, in which Paul was. But he must have been in feveral towns and cities in that country, where he planted divers churches. Gal. i. 1, 2. So was he, in like manner, in feveral cities of Phrygia: where alfo, in all probability, he planted divers churches.

This argument alone appears to me conclufive. The accounts, which St. Luke has given of St. Paul's journies in Phrygia, are fufficient to affure us, that he preached the gofpel there, and made converts, and planted churches in

the chief cities.

2. Ch. i. 6. Which bringeth forth fruit, as it does alfo in you, fince the day ye beard it, and knew the grace of God in truth. Of this St. Paul was affured. Which renders it probable, that he was their father, or first teacher. He speaks to the like purpose several times. Ch. ii. 6, 7. See likewise ch. i. 23. St. Paul knew, that they had been rightly taught the gofpel. Nothing more remained, but that they should perfevere in the faith, which they had received, and act according to it.

3. Epaphras was not their firft inftructor in the doctrine of the golpel. This may be concluded from ch. i. 7. the words following thofe quoted above from ver. 6. As ye have alfo learned of Epaphras, our dear fellow-fervant, who is for you a faithful minifter of Chrift. The Coloffians had been taught

- Καθώς και εμαθετε απο επαφρα,

by

by Epaphras. But he was not their first inftructor. However, he had faithfully taught them, agreeably to the inftructions, which they had received.

Theodoret upon ch. i. 7, 8. well obferves, that the apostle bestows many commendations upon Epaphras, call'ing him beloved, and fellow-fervant, and a faithful minister of Chrift, that the Coloffians might have the greater regard for him.' If Epaphras had first taught the Coloffians the Christian doctrine, I think, the apostle, when recommending him to ther esteem and regard, would have added, by whom ye believed, or by whom ye were brought to the fellowship of the gospel, or fomewhat elfe, to the like purpofe. That would have been a great addition to what is faid at ver. 7. before cited, and to what is faid of him, ch. iv. 12, 13. Epaphras, who is one of you, a fervant of Chrift, faluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may ftand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he has a great zeal for you, and for them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Epaphras, who is one of you. Would the apostle have used fuch an expreffion concerning Epaphras, if the church of Coloffe had been founded by him? Impoffible. He fays as much of Onefimus, who was but just converted, and was now firft going to appear among them as a Chriftian. His words at ver. 9. of the fame chapter are, Onefimus, a faithful, and beloved brother, who is one of you.

I imagine, that St. Paul does the more enlarge at ver. 12, 13. upon the affectionate concern, which Epaphras had for these Chriftians, being apprehenfive of fome prejudices taken up against him, that might obftruct his usefulness among them. For he had brought the apoftle an account of the ftate of this church. Which, though it was true and faithful, was not in all refpects agreeable: as is concluded by commentators from what St. Paul writes in the fecond chapter of this epiftle.

4. St. Paul does in effect, or even exprefsly say, that himself had difpenfed the gofpel to thefe Coloffians, ch. i. . 21—25. I shall recite here a large part of that context, ver. 23-25. If ye continue in the faith, grounded and fettled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard whereof I Paul am made a minifter. Who now

rejoice in my fufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Chrift in my flefh, for his body's fake, which is the church. Whereof I am made a minifter, according to the difpenfation of God, which is given to me for you, to fulfil, or fully to preach, the word of God. And what follows to ver. 29.

St. Paul therefore had been the minister of God to these Coloffians, as well as to other gentiles. Nor would they have been excluded, but included among other gentiles, to whom he had preached the word, if commentators had not been misled by a falfe interpretation of those words in ch. iv. 1, 2. of which we have already feen Theodoret's account, and fhall fay more presently. Thofe words having been misinterpreted, a wrong turn has been given to thefe likewife.

5. Chryfoftom in his preface to the epiftle to the Romans fpeaks to this purpose, I fee the apoftle writing to the Romans and the Coloffians, upon the fame things indeed, but not in the fame manner. To them he writes with 'much mildnefs, as when he fays.Rom. xiv. 1, 2. To the Coloffians he does not fo fpeak of the fame things, but with greater freedom. If therefore, fays he, ye be dead with Chrift from the rudiments of the world-and what follows, ch. ii. 20-23.' Does not this obfervation lead us to think, that the Coloffians were the apoftle's own converts, to whom a different addrefs from that used toward others might be very proper? And there are other paffages of this epiftle, befide that alleged by Chryfoftom, which might be taken notice of, as confirming the fame obser

vation.

6. Ch. ii. 6, 7. As ye have therefore received Chrift Jefus the Lord, fo walk ye in bim: grounded, and built up in him, and eftablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Certainly thefe exhortations of the apoftle are the more proper, and forcible, fuppofing the Coloffans to have been first taught and inftructed by him. Nor had he any occafion to be more particular. They knew, who had taught them. But I think that in this, or fome other of the places, where he reminds the Coloffians of what they had heard, and had been taught, if those instructions had

« Όταν rap ιδω βωμαίοις και κολοσσκευσιν υπέρ αυτών μεν επιτέλλοντα, ουχ ομοίως δε υπερ των αυτών, αλλ' εκείνοις μεν μετά πολλής της συγκατα

βάσεως.- Κολοσσαευσι δε ουχ' ετα περι των αυτών αλλά μετά πλειονος

παρρησίας. κ. λ. Procem. in ep. ad Rom. T. IX. p. 427.

been