question whether he underwent a second
imprisonment at Rome, concerning which learned men are not agreed. The
full discussion of this matter belongs to the introduction to the
pastoral epistles. It may be simply remarked, however, that the internal
arguments in favor of a late date are very strong, and that its
assumption accounts for the development of such a state of things at
Ephesus as appears in the two pastoral epistles to Timothy--a state very
different from that which existed when the epistle to the Ephesians was
written, between A.D. 60 and 64, and which makes it necessary to
separate the first epistle to Timothy from that to the Ephesians by a
considerable interval of time.

The _theme_ of the pastoral epistles is _peculiar_. It is the
affectionate counsel of an aged apostle to two young preachers and
rulers in the church respecting the duties of their office. From the
peculiarity of the subject-matter naturally arises, to some extent, a
peculiarity in the diction of these epistles; yet the style and costume
is throughout that of the apostle Paul.

8. The testimony of the ancient church to the first epistle of Peter and
the first of John is very ample. Besides that of the Peshito-Syriac
version, and of the church fathers Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Clement of
Alexandria, they have in addition that of Papias and the apostolic
father Polycarp. The first epistle of John is also included in the
Muratorian canon. It scarcely needs, however, any external testimony.
The identity of its author with that of the fourth gospel is so manifest
from its whole tone and style, that it has been always conceded that if
one of these writings came from the pen of the apostle John, the other
did also.

The testimony of Papias to these two epistles, though indirect,
is conclusive. Eusebius says, Hist. Eccl. 3. 39, "The same
Papias has employed testimonies from the first epistle of John,
and in like manner of Peter." Polycarp says, Epistle to the
Philippians, ch. 7, "For every one who confesseth not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh, is anti-Christ," with evident
reference to 1 John 4:3. Eusebius says also, Hist. Eccl. 4. 14,
that in the same epistle to the Philippians Polycarp "has
employed certain testimonies from the first epistle of Peter;"
and when we examine the epistle we find several certain
references to it, among which are the following: "In whom,
though ye see him not