This quotation is the more obfervable, because the connecting of things in earth with things in heaven is a very fingular fentiment, and found no where else but in these two epistles. The words also are introduced and followed by a train of thought nearly alike. They are introduced by defcribing the union, which Chrift had effected, and they are followed by telling the Gentile churches that they were incorporated into it.

Ephef. ch. iii. ver. 2. The difpenfa"tion of the grace of God, which is given "me to you ward *."

Colof, ch. i. ver. 25. "The difpenfation "of God which is given to me for you+."

Of these sentences it may likewife be obferved, that the accompanying ideas are fimilar. In both places they are immediately preceded by the mention of his prefent fufferings; in both places they are immediately followed by the mention of the

*Ephef. ch. iii. ver. 2. Ty oxovoμlar Ins xagitOS is της δοθείσης μοι εις υμάς.

+ Color. ch. i, ver. 25. Την οικονομιαν του Θεου την δοθείσαι μας εις ύμας,

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mystery

mystery which was the great fubject of his preaching.

Ephef. ch. v. ver. 19. "In pfalms and hymns and fpiritual fongs, finging and making melody in your heart to the "Lord *.

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Colof. ch. iii. ver. 16. "In pfalms and "hymns and spiritual fongs, finging with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

Ephef. ch. vi. ver. 22.

"Whom I have

"fent unto you for the fame purpose, that

ye might know our affairs, and that he

might comfort your hearts ."

Colof. ch. iv. ver. 8.

"Whom I have

❝fent unto you for the fame purpose, that "he might know your eftate, and comfort "your hearts §."

In thefe examples, we do not perceive a cento of phrafes gathered from one compo

* Ephef. chap. v. ver. 19. Ψαλμοις και ύμνοις και ώδαις πνευματικαίς αδονίες και ψαλλοντες εν τη καρδία υμων τῷ Κυρίῳ. + Colof. ch. iii. ver. 16. Tapos nat vμvois nat ωδαις πνευμαλίκαις, εν χαρίζι αδολες εν τη καρδία υμων τῷ Κυρίῳ.

Ephef. ch. vi. ver. 22. Οι επεμψα προς υμας εις αυτο σόλο, ινα γνώτε τα περί ημών, και παρακαλέση τας καρδίας υμών. § Colof. ch. iv. ver. 8. Οι επεμψα προς υμας εις αυλα τουλο, ινα γνῳ τα περι υμων, και παρακαλέση τας καρδίας υμών.

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fition,

fition, and ftrung together in the other; but the occafional occurrence of the fame expression to a mind a fecond time revolving the fame ideas.

2. Whoever writes two letters, or two difcourfes, nearly upon the fame fubject, and at no great distance of time, but with, out any express recollection of what he had written before, will find himself repeating fome fentences, in the very order of the words, in which he had already used them; but he will more frequently find himself employing fome principal terms, with the other inadvertently changed, or with the order disturbed by the intermixture of other words and phrases expreffive of ideas rifing up at the time; or in many inftances repeating not fingle words, nor yet whole fentences, but parts and fragments of fentences. Of all these varieties the examination of our two epiftles will furnish plain examples: and I fhould rely upon this clafs of instances more than upon the last; becaufe, although an impoftor might tranfcribe into a forgery entire fentences and phrases, yet the diflocation of words, the partial

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partial recollection of phrafes and fentences, the intermixture of new terms and new ideas with terms and ideas before used, which will appear in the examples that follow, and which are the natural properties of writings produced under the circumstances in which these epiftles are represented to have been compofed-would not, I think, have occurred to the invention of a forger; nor, if they had occurred, would they have been fo eafily executed. This ftudied variation was a refinement in forgery which I believe did not exift; or, if we can fuppose it to have been practised in the inftances adduced below, why, it may be asked, was not the fame art exercifed upon thofe which we have collected in the preceding class?

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Ephef.ch.i.ver. 19, ch. ii. yer. 5. "Towards "us who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Chrift, when he raised him from the dead (and fet him at his own right hand, in the heavenly places, far above all prin"cipality, and power, and might, and domi"nion, and every name that is named, not "only in this world, but in that which is

to come. And hath put all things under "his feet; and gave him to be the head "over all things, to the church, which is his

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body, the fulness of all things that filleth. "all in all): and you hath he quickened, "who were dead in trefpaffes and fins

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(wherein in time paft ye walked according "to the course of this world, according to "the prince of the power of the air, the

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spirit that now worketh in the children “of disobedience; among whom also we "had all our converfation, in times paft, in "the lufts of our flesh, fulfilling the defires ❝of the flesh and of the mind, and were by

nature the children of wrath, even as "others. But God, who is rich in mercy, "for his great love wherewith he loved us), " even when we were dead in fins, hath quickened us together with Chrift*."

Colof. ch. ii. ver. 12, 13. "Through the "faith of the operation of God, who hath

* Ephef. ch. i, ver. 19, 20; ii. 1. 5. Tous wisecontas xalx την ενέργειαν του κραίους της ισχύος αυτου, ην ενήργησεν εν τω Χρισώ, έγειρας αίλον εκ νεκρών και εκάθισεν εν δεξια αυτου εν τοις επουρανίοις και ύμας όλας νεκρους τους παραπλωμασι και ταις αμαρτίαις και φίλας ημας νεκρους τους παραπίωμασι, συνεζωοποίησε τον Χρισια