THE EPISTLE of PAUL the APOSTLE to the LAODI CEANS. (This Epistle has been highly esteemed by several learned men of the church of Rome and others. The Quakers have printed a translation, and plead for it, as the reader may see, by consulting Poole's Annotations on Col vi. 16. Sixtus Senensis mentions two MSS., the one in the Sorbonne Library at Paris, which is a very ancient copy, and the other in the Library of Joannes a Viridario, at Padua, which he transcribed and published, and which is the authority for the following translation. There is a very old translation of this Epistle in the British Museum, among the Harleian MSS., Cod. 1212.] 1 He salutes the brethren. 3 exorts them to persevere in good works, 4 and not to be moved by vain speaking. 6 Rejoices in his bonds, 10 desires them to live in the fear of the Lord. PAUL AUL an Apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, to the brethren which are at Laodicea. 2 Grace be to you, and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 Whether I live or die; (for) to me to live shall be a life to Christ, to die will be joy. 9 And our Lord will grant us his mercy, that ye may have likethe same love, and be minded. 10 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have heard of the coming of the Lord, so think and act in fear, 11 For it is God who worketh and it shall be to you life eternal; in you; every 3 I thank Christ in prayer of mine, that ye may conin good tinue and persevere works looking for that which is promised in the day of judg ment. any 4 Let not the vain speeches of trouble you who pervert the truth, that they may draw you aside from the truth of the Gospel which I have preached. 5 And now may God grant, that my converts may attain to a perfect knowledge of the truth of the Gospel, be beneficent, and doing good works which accompany salvation. 6 And now my bonds, which 7 For I know that this shall | 12 And do all things without sin. 13 And what is best, my beavoid all filthy loved, rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, and lucre. 14 Let all your requests be made known to God, and be steady in the doctrine of Christ. 15 And whatsoever things are sound and true, and of good report, and chaste, and just, and lovely, these things do. ye hav 16 Those things which heard, and received, think on these things, and peace shall be with you. 17 All the saints salute you. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. 19 Cause this Epistle to be read to the Colossians, and the Epistle of the Colossians to be read among you. The EPISTLES of PAUL the APOSTLE to SENECA, with SENECA'S to PAUL. (Several very learned writers have entertained a favourable opinion of these Epistles. They are undoubtedly of high antiquity. Salmeron cities them to prove that Seneca was one of Caesar's household, referred to by Paul, Philip iv. 22, as saluting the brethren at Philippi. In Jerome's enumeration of illustrious men, he places Seneca, on account of these Epistles, amongst the ecclesiastical and holy writers of the Christian Church. Sixtus Senensis has published them in his Bibliotheque, pp. 89, 90; and it is from thence that the present translation is made. Baronius, Bellarmine, Dr. Cave, Spanheim, and others, contend that they are not genuine.] I CHAP. I. ANNEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting. SUPPOSE, l'aul, you have been informed of that conversation, which passed yesterday between me and my Lucilius, concerning hypocrisy and other subjects; for there were some of your disciples in company with us; 2 For when we were retired into the Sallustian gardens, through which they were also passing, and would have gone another way, by our persuasion they joined company with us. 3 I desire you to believe, that we much wish for your conversation : + We were much delighted with your book of many Epistles, which you have wrote to some cities and chief towns of provinces, and contain wonderful instructions for moral conduct : an answer, had the young man been at home, whom I intended to have sent to you: 2 For you know when, and by whom, at what seasons, and to whom I must deliver every thing which I send. 3 I desire therefore you would not charge me with negligence, if I wait for a proper person. 4 I reckon myself very happy in having the judgment of so valuable a person, that you are de lighted with my Epistles: 5 For you would not be esteemed a censor, a philosopher, or be the tutor of so great a prince, and a master of every thing, if you were not sincere. I wish you a lasting prosperity. CHAP. III. ANNEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting. HAVE completed some VO Such sentiments, as I suppose I lames, and divided them into you were not the author of, but only the instrument of conveying, though sometimes both the author and the instrument. their proper parts. 21 am determined to read them to Cæsar, and if any favourable opportunity happens, you also shall be present, when they are read; 6 For such is the sublimity of those doctrines, and their granpeur, that I suppose the age of a 3 But if that cannot be, I will man is scarce sufficient to be in-appoint and give you notice of a structed and perfected in the day, when we will together read knowledge of them. I wish your over the performance. wellare, my brother. Farewell. CHAP. II. PAUL to SENECA Greeting. RECEIVED your letter yesterday with pleasure to which I could immediately have wrote 4 I had determined, if I could with safety, first to have your opinion of it, before I published it to Cæsar, that you might be convinced of my affection to you. Farewell, dearest Paul. CHAP. IV. PAUL TO SENECA. PAUL to SENECA Greeting. AI ingine you present with me; nor indeed do I think any 2 As soon therefore as you be gin to come, we shall presently I wish you all see each other. prosperity. CHAP. V. ANNEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting. WE from us. 2 What is it, or what affairs are they, which obstruct your coming? 3 If you fear the anger of Cæsar, because you have abandoned your former religion, and made proselytes also of others, you have this to plead, that your acting thus proceeded not from inconstancy, but judgment. Farewell. CHAP. VI. PAUL to CONE SENECA and LUCILIUS YONERNING those things, marks, and the other evidently declares things. 2 Especially since I know that there are near you, as well as me, those who will understand my meaning. 3 Deference is to be paid to all 4 And if we show a submissive CHAP. VII. ANNBUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting. PROFESS myself extremely pleased with the reading your letters to the Galatians, Corinthians, and people of Achaia. 2 For the Holy Ghost has in them by you delivered those senti- ́ ments which are very lofty, sublime, deserving of all respect, and beyond your own invention. 3 I could wish therefore, that when you are writing things so extraordinary, there might not be wanting an elegancy of speech agreeable to their majesty. 4 And I must own, my brother, that I may not at once dis honestly conceal anything from you, and be unfaithful to my own conscience, that the emperor is extremely pleased with the sentiments of your Epistles; 5 For when he heard the beginning of them read, he declared, That he was surprised to find such notions in a person, who had not had a regular education. 6 To which I replied, That the Gods sometimes made use of mean and him an instance of this (innocent) persons to speak by, A CHAP. VIII. PAUL to SENECA Greeting. LTHOUGH I know the emperor is both an admirer and favourer of our (religion), yet give me leave to advise you against your suffering any injury, (by shewing favour to us.) 2 I think indeed you ventured upon a very dangerous attempt, when you would declare (to the PAUL AND SENECA. emperor) that which is so very, yours, I do a thing both disagreecontrary to his religion, and way able to myself, and contrary to our of worship; seeing he is a wor- religion: shipper of the heathen gods. 3 I know not what you particularly had in view, when you told him of this; but I suppose you did it out of too great respect for me. 4 But I desire that for the future you would not do so; for you had need be careful, lest by shewing your affection for me, you should offend your master: 5 His anger indeed will do us uo harm, if he continue a heathen; nor will his not being angry be of any service to us : 6 And if the empress act worthy of her character, she will not be angry; but if she acts as a woman, she will be affronted. Farewell. I CHAP. IX. ANNEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting. KNOW that my letter, wherein I acquainted you, that I had read to the Emperor your Epistles, does not so much affect you as the nature of the things (contained in them), 2 Which do so powerfully divert men's minds from their former manners and practices, that I have always been surprised, and have been fully convinced of it by many arguments heretofore. 3 Let us therefore begin afresh ; and if any thing heretofore has been imprudently acted, do you forgive. 4 I have sent you a book de copia verborum. Farewell, dearest Paul. 2 For I ought, as I have often declared, to become all things to all men, and to have that regard to your quality, which the Roman law has honoured all senators with; namely, to put my name last in the (inscription of the) Epistle, that I may not at length with uneasiness and shame be obliged to do that which it was always my inclination to do. Farewell, most respected master. Dated the fifth of the calends of July, in the fourth consulship of Nero, ard Messala. CHAP. XI. ANNEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting. A LL happiness to you, my dearest Paul. 2 If a person so great, and every way agreeable as you are, become not only a common, but a most intimate friend to me, how happy will be the case of Seneca! 3 You therefore, who are so eminent, and so far exalted above all, even the greatest, do not think yourself unfit to be first named in the inscription of an Epistle; 4 Lest I should suspect you intend not so much to try me, as to banter me; for you know a Roman citiyourself to be zen. 5 And I could wish to be in that circumstance or station which you are, and that you were in the same that I am. Farewell, dearest Paul. Dated the xth of the calends of April, in the consulship of Aprianus and Capito. PAUL AND SENECA. CHAP. XII. ANNEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting. Α LL happiness to you, my 1 many, and he shall be devoted to be burnt with fire instead of all. 8 One hundred and thirty-two A dearest Paul. Do you not houses, and four whole squares suppose I am extremely concerned and grieved that your innocenco should bring you into suffer ings? (or islands) were burnt down in six days: the seventh put an end to the burning. I wish you all happiness. 9 Dated the fifth of the calends 2 And that all the people should suppose you (Christians) so cri- of April, in the consulship of Friminal, and imagine all the misfor-gius and Bassus. tunes that happen to the city, to be caused by you? CHAP. XIII. ANNEUS SENECA to PAUL Greeting. LL happiness to you, my dearest Paul. A 3 But let us bear the charge with a patient temper, appealing (for our innocence) to the court (above), which is the only one our hard fortune will allow us to address to, till at length our misfortunes shall end in unalterable hap-cal style, and therefore such mighty piness. 4 Former ages have produced (tyrants) Alexander the son of Philip, and Dionysius; ours also has produced Caius Caesar; whose inclinations were their only laws. 2 You have wrote many volumes in an allegorical and mysti matters and business being committed to you, require not to be set off with any rhetorical flourishes of speech, but only with some proper elegance. 3 I remember you often say, that many by affecting such a style do injury to their subjects, and lose the force of the matters they treat of. 4 But in this I desire you to 5 As to the frequent burnings of the city of Rome, the cause is manifest; and if a person in my anean circumstances might be allowed to speak, and one might de-regard me, namely, to have respect clare these dark things without to true Latin, and to choose just dlanger, every one should see the words, that so you may the better whole of the matter. manage the noble trust which is reposed in you. 6 The Christians and Jews are indeed commonly punished for the crime of burning the city; but that impious miscreant, who delights in murders and butcheries, and disguises his villanies with lies, is appointed to, or reserved till, his proper time. 7 And as the life of every excellent person is now sacrificed instead of that one person (who is the author of the mischief), so this one shall be sacrificed for 5 Farewell. Dated vth of the names of July, Leo and Savinus consuls. |