only sixteen years, and therefore may be said then, that with them, but not with them only to maintain the series of testimony in an uninterrupted continuation. which are apostolical, but with all who have fellowship with them in the same faith, is that Gospel of Luke received from its first publication, which we so zealously maintain :" and presently afterwards adds; "The same authority of the apostolical churches will support the other Gospels, which we have from them and according to them, I mean John's and Matthew's; although that likewise which Mark published may be said to be Peter's, whose interpreter Mark was." In another place Tertullian affirms, that the three other Gospels were in the hands of the churches from the beginning, as well as Luke's. This noble testimony fixes the universality with which the Gospels were received, and their antiquity; that they were in the hands of all, and had been so from the first. And this evidence appears not more than one hundred and fifty years after the publication of the books. The reader must be given to understand, that when Tertullian speaks of maintaining or defending (tuendi) the Gospel of Saint Luke, he only means maintaining or defending the integrity of the copies of Luke received by Christian churches, in opposition to certain curtailed copies used by Marcion against whom he writes. In certain of Clement's works, now lost, but of which various parts are recited by Eusebius, there is given a distinct account of the order in which the four Gospels were written. The Gospels which contain the genealogies, were (he says) written first; Mark's next, at the instance of Peter's followers; and John's the last and this account he tells us that he had received from presbyters of more ancient times. This testimony proves the following points; that these Gospels were the histories of Christ then publicly received, and relied upon; and that the dates, occasions, and circumstances of their publication, were at that time subjects of attention and inquiry amongst Christians. In the works of Clement which remain, the four Gospels are repeatedly quoted by the names of their authors, and the Acts of the Apostles is expressly ascribed to Luke. In one place, after mentioning a particular circumstance, he adds these remarkable words: "We have not this passage in the four Gos pels delivered to us, but in that according to the Egyptians;" which puts a marked distinction between the four Gospels and all other histories, or pretended histories, of Christ. In another part of his works, the perfect confidence, with which he received the Gospels, is signified by him in these words: "That this is true, appears from hence, that it is written in the Gospel according to Saint Luke;" and After this general evidence, it is unneces again, "I need not use many words, but only sary to add particular quotations. These, howto allege the evangelic voice of the Lord." His ever, are so numerous and ample, as to have quotations are numerous. The sayings of led Dr. Lardner to observe, "that there are Christ, of which he alleges many, are all taken more, and larger quotations of the small volume from our Gospels; the single exception to this of the New Testament in this one Christian observation appearing to be a loose quotation author, than there are of all the works of Ciof a passage in Saint Matthew's Gospel. cero in writers of all characters for several XII. In the age in which they lived,+ Ter- ages.' tullian joins on with Clement. The number Tertullian quotes no Christian writing as of the Gospels then received, the names of the of equal authority with the Scriptures, and no evangelists, and their proper descriptions, are spurious books at all; a broad line of distincexhibited by this writer in one short sentence:- tion, we may once more observe, between our "Among the apostles, John and Matthew teach sacred books and all others. us the faith; among apostolical men, Luke and We may again likewise remark the wide exMark refresh it." Thenext passage to be taken tent through which the reputation of the Gosfrom Tertullian, affords as complete an attes-pels, and of the Acts of the Apostles, had tation to the authenticity of our books, as can spread, and the perfect consent, in this point, be well imagined. After enumerating the of distant and independent societies. It is now churches which had been founded by Paul, at only about one hundred and fifty years since Corinth, in Galatia, at Philippi, Thessalonica, Christ was crucified; and within this period, and Ephesus; the church of Rome established by Peter and Paul, and other churches derived from John; he proceeds thus:" I say *" Ask great things, and the small shall be added unto you." Clement rather chose to expound the words of Matthew (chap. vi. 33.) than literally to cite them; and this is most undeniably proved by another place in the same Clement, where he both produces the text and these words as an exposition :-"Seek ye first the king dom of heaven and its righteousness, for these are the great things: but the small things, and things relating to this life, shall be added unto you." Jones's New and Full Method, vol. i. p. 553. ✦ Lardner, vol. ii, p. 56! This author frequently cites the Acts of the Apostles under that title, once calls it Luke s Commentary, and observes how Saint Paul's epistles confirm it. to say nothing of the apostolical fathers who have been noticed already, we have Justin Martyr at Neapolis, Theophilus at Antioch Irenæus in France, Clement at Alexandria, Tertullian at Carthage, quoting the same books of historical Scriptures, and, I may say, quoting these alone. XIII. An interval of only thirty years, and that occupied by no small number of Christian * Lardner, vol. ii. » 647, writers, whose works only remain in frag-" is watered, like Paradise, by four rivers, that ments and quotations, and in every one of is, by four Gospels." The Acts of the Aposwhich is some reference or other to the Gos-tles is also frequently quoted by Cyprian unpels, (and in one of them, Hippolytus, as pre-der that name, and under the name of the served in Theodoret, is an abstract of the "Divine Scriptures." In his various writings whole Gospel history,) brings us to a name of are such constant and copious citations of great celebrity in Christian antiquity, Origen+ Scripture, as to place this part of the testimoof Alexandria, who in the quantity of his ny beyond controversy. Nor is there, in the writings, exceeded the most laborious of the works of this eminent African bishop, one quoGreek and Latin authors. Nothing can be more tation of a spurious or apocryphal Christian peremptory upon the subject now under con-writing. sideration, and, from a writer of his learning XV. Passing over a crowd of writers foland information, more satisfactory, than the lowing Cyprian at different distances, but all declaration of Origen, preserved, in an extract within forty years of his time; and who all, from his works, by Eusebius; "That the four in the imperfect remains of their works, either Gospels alone are received without dispute by cite the historical Scriptures of the New Testhe whole church of God under heaven :" to tament, or speak of them in terms of profound which declaration is immediately subjoined a respect; I single out Victorin, bishop of Petbrief history of the respective authors, to whom taw in Germany, merely on account of the rethey were then, as they are now, ascribed. moteness of his situation from that of Origen The language holden concerning the Gospels, and Cyprian, who were Africans; by which cirthroughout the works of Origen which re- cumstance his testimony, taken in conjunction main, entirely corresponds with the testimony with theirs, proves that the Scripture histories. here cited. His attestation to the Acts of the and the same histories, were known and reApostles is no less positive: "And Luke also ceived from one side of the Christian world to once more sounds the trumpet, relating the the other. This bishop+ lived about the year acts of the apostles" The universality with 290: and in a commentary upon this text of which the Scriptures were then read, is well the Revelation, "The first was like a lion, the signified by this writer, in a passage in which second was like a calf, the third like a man, he has occasion to observe against Celsus, and the fourth like a flying eagle," he makes “That it is not in any private books, or such out that by the four creatures are intended as are read by a few only, and those studious the four Gospels; and to show the propriety versons, but in books read by every body, that of the symbols, he recites the subject with it is written, The invisible things of God, from which each evangelist opens his history. The the creation of the world, are clearly seen, be- explication is fanciful, but the testimony poing understood by things that are made." It sitive. He also expressly cites the Acts of the is to no purpose to single out quotations of Apostles. Scripture from such a writer as this. We might as well make a selection of the quotations of Scripture in Dr. Clarke's Sermons. They are so thickly sown in the works of Origen, that Dr. Mill says, "If we had all his works remaining, we should have before us almost the whole text of the Bible." XVI. Arnobius and Lactantius,‡ about the year 300, composed formal arguments upon the credibility of the Christian religion. As these arguments were addressed to Gentiles, the authors abstain from quoting Christian. books by name; one of them giving this very reason for his reserve; but when they come to state, for the information of their readers, the Origen notices, in order to censure, certain apocryphal Gospels. He also uses four writ-outlines of Christ's history, it is apparent that ings of this sort; that is, throughout his large works he once or twice, at the most, quotes each of the four; but always with some mark, either of direct reprobation or of caution to his readers, manifestly esteeming them of little or no authority. XIV. Gregory, bishop of Neocæsarea, and Dionysius of Alexandria, were scholars of Origen. Their testimony, therefore, though full and particular, may be reckoned a repetition only of his. The series, however, of evidence, is continued by Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, who flourished within twenty years after Origen. "The church,” says this father, they draw their accounts from our Gospels, and from no other sources; for these statements exhibit a summary of almost every thing which is related of Christ's actions and miracles by the four evangelists. Arnobius vindicates, without mentioning their names, the credit of these historians; observing, that they were eye-witnesses of the facts which they relate, and that their ignorance of the arts of composition was rather a confirmation of their testimony, than an objection to it. Lactantius also argues in defence of the religion, from the consistency, simplicity, disinterestedness, Novatus, Rome, A. D. 251; Dionysius, Rome, A Minucius Felix, Apollonius, Caius, Asterius, Urba-D. 259; Commodian, A. D. 270; Anatolius, Laodicea, nus, Alexander bishop of Jerusalem, Hippolytus, Am- A D. 270; Theognostus, A. D. 282; Methodius, Lycia nonius, Julius Africanus. + Lardner, vol. iñì. p. 234. 1 Mill, Proleg cap. vi. p. Ch A. D. 290; Phileas, Egypt, A. D. 296. + Lardner, vol. v. p. 214. Ib. vol. vii. 43 201 and sufferings of the Christian historians, meaning by that term our evangelists. XVII. We close the series of testimonies * SECTION II. they are quoted with peculiar respect, as books sui generis; as possessing an authority which belonged to no other books, and as conclusive in all questions and controversies amongst Christians. with that of Eusebius, bishop of Cæsarea, When the Scriptures are quoted, or alluded to, who flourished in the year 315, contemporary with, or posterior only by fifteen years to, the two authors last cited. This voluminous writer, and most diligent collector of the writings of others, beside a variety of large works, composed a history of the affairs of Christianity from its origin to his own time. His testimo. BESIDE the general strain of reference and ny to the Scriptures is the testimony of a man much conversant in the works of Christian quotation, which uniformly and strongly indicates this distinction, the following may be authors, written during the first three centuare now lost. In a passage of his Evangelical in succession from the apostles, and who flourries of its æra, and who had read many which regarded as specific testimonies: I. Theophilus,* bishop of Antioch, the sixth Demonstration, Eusebius remarks, with great ished little more than a century after the books nicety, the delicacy of two of the evangelists, of the New Testament were written, having in their manner of noticing any circumstance occasion to quote one of our Gospels, writes which regarded themselves; and of Mark, as writing under Peter's direction, in the circum- thus: "These things the Holy Scriptures teach stances which regarded him. The illustration us, and all who were moved by the Holy Spirit, of this remark leads him to bring together long the Word, and the Word was with God."among whom John says, In the beginning was quotations from each of the evangelists; and the whole passage is a proof, that Eusebius, Again: "Concerning the righteousness which and the Christians of those days, not only read the law teaches, the like things are to be found the Gospels, but studied them with attention in the Prophets and the Gospels, because that and exactness. In a passage of his Ecclesias- all, being inspired, spoke by one and the same tical History, he treats, in form, and at large, of the occasions of writing the four Gospels, and of the order in which they were written. The title of the chapter is, " Of the Order of the Gospels;" and it begins thus: "Let us observe the writings of this apostle John, which are not contradicted by any: and, first of all, must be mentioned, as acknowledged by all, the Gospel according to him, well known to all the churches under heaven; and that it has been justly placed by the ancients the fourth in order, and after the other three, may be Spirit of God.' + No words can testify more strongly than these do, the high and peculiar respect in which these books were holden II. A writer against Artemon, who may be supposed to come about one hundred and fifty-eight years after the publication of the Scripture, in a passage quoted by Eusebius, uses these expressions: "Possibly what they (our adversaries) say, might have been credi ed, if first of all the Divine Scriptures did not contradict them; and then the writings of certain brethren more ancient than the times of Victor." The brethren mentioned by name, proceeds to show that John wrote the last of are Justin, Miltiades, Tatian, Clement, Irethe four, and that his Gospel was intended to us, Melito, with a general appeal to many supply the omissions of the others; especially in the part of our Lord's ministry, which took place before the imprisonment of John the Baptist. He observes, “that the apostles of Christ were not studious of the ornaments of composition, nor indeed forward to write at all, being wholly occupied with their ministry." This learned author makes no use at all of Christian writings, forged with the names of Christ's apostles, or their companions. made evident in this manner."-Eusebius then that there was at that time a collection called more not named. This passage proves, first, Divine Scriptures; secondly, that these Scriptures were esteemed of higher authority than the writings of the most early and celebrated Christians. III. In a piece ascribed to Hippolytus,§ who lived near the same time, the author professes, in giving his correspondent instruction in the things about which he inquires, "to draw out We close this branch of our evidence here, from the Sacred Scriptures, what may afford of the sacred fountain, and to set before him because, after Eusebius, there is no room for him satisfaction." He then quotes immediately any question upon the subject; the works of Paul's epistles to Timothy, and afterwards Christian writers being as full of texts of Scripture, and of references to Scripture, as the dis-many books of the New Testament. This precourses of modern divines. Future testimo-face to the quotations carries in it a marked distinction between the Scriptures and other nies to the books of Scripture could only prove books. that they never lost their character or authority. * Lardner, vol. viii. p. 33. Lardner, Cred. part ii, vol. 1. p. 429. + lb. vol. i. p. 448 - lb. vol. iii. p. 112 Ib. vol. iii. P. 40. IV. "Our assertions and discourses," saith the fountain of salvation, that he who thirsts Origen," are unworthy of credit; we must may be satisfied with the oracles contained in receive the Scriptures as witnesses." After them. In these alone the doctrine of salvatreating of the duty of prayer, he proceeds with tion is proclaimed. Let no man add to them, his argument thus: "What we have said, or take any thing from them."* may be proved from the Divine Scriptures." IX. Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem,+ who wrote In his books against Celsus, we find this pas-about twenty years after the appearance of sage: "That our religion teaches us to seek Arianism, uses these remarkable words :— after wisdom, shall be shown, both out of the Concerning the divine and holy mysteries of ancient Jewish Scriptures, which we also use, faith, not the least article ought to be deliverand out of those written since Jesus, which ed without the Divine Scriptures." We are are believed in the churches to be divine." assured that Cyril's Scriptures were the same These expressions afford abundant evidence of as ours, for he has left us a catalogue of the the peculiar and exclusive authority which the books included under that name. X. Epiphanius, twenty years after Cyril, Scriptures possessed. V. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage,+ whose age challenges the Arians, and the followers of lies close to that of Origen, earnestly exhorts Origen, "to produce any passage of the Old Christian teachers, in all doubtful cases, to and New Testament, favouring their sentigo back to the fountain; and if the truth has ments." 66 ought to examine what is said by their teachers, and to embrace what is agreeable to the Scriptures, and to reject what is otherwise."" in any case been shaken, to recur to the Gos- XI. Pœbadius, a Gallic bishop, who lived pels and apostolic writings.""The precepts about thirty years after the council of Nice, of the Gospel," says he in another place, "are testifies, that "the bishops of that council nothing less than authoritative divine lessons, first consulted the sacred volumes, and then the foundations of our hope, the supports of declared their faith."§ our faith, the guides of our way, the safeguards XII. Basil, bishop of Cæsarea, in Cappa-, of our course to heaven." docia, contemporary with Epiphanius, says, VI. Novatus, a Roman, contemporary with" that hearers instructed in the Scriptures Cyprian, appeals to the Scriptures, as the authority by which all errors were to be repelled, and disputes decided. "That Christ is not only man, but God also, is proved by the sa- XIII. Ephraim, the Syrian, a celebrated cred authority of the Divine Writings."- writer of the same times, bears this conclusive The Divine Scripture easily detects and con- testimony to the proposition which forms the futes the frauds of heretics."—" it is not by subject of our present chapter: "The truth the fault of the heavenly Scriptures, which written in the Sacred Volume of the Gospel, never deceive." Stronger assertions than is a perfect rule. Nothing can be taken from it nor added to it, without great guilt."¶ VII. At the distance of twenty years from XIV. If we add Jerome to these, it is only the writer last cited, Anatolius,§ a learned for the evidence which he affords of the judgAlexandrian, and bishop of Laodicea, speaking ment of preceding ages. Jerome observes, conof the rule for keeping Easter, a question at cerning the quotations of ancient Christian that day agitated with much earnestness, says writers, that is, of writers who were ancient of those whom he opposed, "They can by no in the year 400, that they made a distinction means prove their point by the authority of between books; some they quoted as of authe Divine Scripture." thority, and others not: which observation re lates to the books of Sripture, compared with other writings, apocryphal or heathen.** these could not be used. SECTION III. VIII. The Arians, who sprung up about fifty years after this, argued strenuously against the use of the words consubstantial, and essence, and like phrases; "because they were not in Scripture. And in the same strain one of their advocates opens a conference with Augustine, after the following manner : you say what is reasonable, I must submit. If The Scriptures were in very early times colyou allege any thing from the Divine Scriptures, which are common to both, I must hear. But unscriptural expressions (quæ extra Scripturam sunt) deserve no regard." "If lected into a distinct volume. Ignatius, who was bishop of Antioch within forty years after the Ascension, and who had Athanasius, the great antagonist of Arian-lived and conversed with the apostles, speaks ism, after having enumerated the books of the Old and New Testament, adds, “These are of the Gospel and of the apostles in terms which * Lardner, Cred. vol. xii. p. 182. Lardner, p. 314. Ib. vol. ix. p. 121. ** Ib. vol. x. p. 123, 124 by the Apostles, the book or volume of their are now lost. It is reasonable, therefore, to Epistles. His words in one place are,* "Flee- believe, that he had good grounds for his asing to the Gospel as the flesh of Jesus, and to sertion. What is thus recorded of the Gosthe apostles as the presbytery of the church;" pels, took place within sixty, or, at the most, that is, as Le Clerc interprets them, "in or- seventy years after they were published: and der to understand the will of God, he fled to it is evident that they must, before this time the Gospels, which he believed no less than if (and, it is probable, long before this time,) Christ in the flesh had been speaking to him; have been in general use, and in high esteem and to the writings of the apostles, whom he in the churches planted by the apostles, inas-} esteemed as the presbytery of the whole Chris- much as they were now, we find, collected intian church." It must be observed, that about to a volume; and the immediate successors of eighty years after this, we have direct proof, the apostles, they who preached the religion of in the writings of Clement of Alexandria,+ Christ to those who had not already heard it, that these two names, 66 Gospel," and "Apos-carried the volume with them, and delivered tles," were the names by which the writings of it to their converts. the New Testament, and the division of these III. Irenæus, in the year 178, puts the writings, were usually expressed. evangelic and apostolic writings in connexion Another passage from Ignatius is the follow-with the Law and the Prophets, manifestly ing" But the Gospel has somewhat in it intending by the one a code or collection of more excellent, the appearance of our Lord | Christian sacred writings, as the other expresJesus Christ, his passion and resurrection."+sed the code or collection of Jewish sacred writAnd a third: "Ye ought to hearken to the ings. And, Prophets, but especially to the Gospel, in which the passion has been manifested to us, and the resurrection perfected." In this last passage, the Prophets and the Gospel are put in conjunction; and as Ignatius undoubtedly meant by the Prophets a collection of writings, it is probable that he meant the same by the Gospel, the two terms standing in evident paral-lume or collection of writings called the New lelism with each other. Testament. This interpretation of the word "Gospel," in the passages above quoted from Ignatius, is confirmed by a piece of nearly equal antiquity, the relation of the martyrdom of Polycarp by the church of Smyrna. "All things," say they, "that went before, were done, that the Lord might show us a martyrdom according to the Gospel, for he expected to be delivered up as the Lord also did."§ And in another place, "We do not commend those who offer themselves, forasmuch as the Gospel teaches us no such thing." In both these places, what is called the Gospels, seems to be the history of Jesus Christ, and of his doctrine. If this be the true sense of the passages, they are not only evidences of our proposition, but strong and very ancient proofs of the high esteem in which the books of the New Testa ment were holden. IV. Melito, at this time bishop of Sardis, writing to one Onesimus, tells his correspondent,† that he had procured an accurate account of the books of the Old Testament. The occurrence, in this passage, of the term Old Testament, has been brought to prove, and it certainly does prove, that there was then a vo V. In the time of Clement of Alexandria, about fifteen years after the last-quoted testimony, it is apparent that the Christian Scriptures were divided into two parts, under the general titles of the Gospels and Apostles; and that both these were regarded as of the high. est authority. One, out of many expressions of Clement, alluding to this distribution, is the following:-"There is a consent and harmony between the Law and the Prophets, the Apostles and the Gospel."+ VI. The same division, "Prophets, Gos-" pels, and Apostles," appears in Tertullian,§ the contemporary of Clement. The collection of the Gospels is likewise called by this writer the "Evangelic Instrument;"|| the whole volume, the New Testament;" and the two parts, the "Gospels and Apostles."¶ Christian Scriptures were divided into two codes, or volumes, one called the “Gospels or Scriptures of the Lord," the other, the "Apostles, or Epistles of the Apostles." VII. From many writers also of the third II. Eusebius relates, that Quadratus and century, and especially from Cyprian, who li some others, who were the immediate succes-ved in the middle of it, it is collected that the sors of the apostles, travelling abroad to preach Christ, carried the Gospels with them, and delivered them to their converts. The words of Eusebius are: "Then travelling abroad, they performed the work of evangelists, being amVIII. Eusebius, as we have already seen, bitious to preach Christ, and deliver the Scrip- takes some pains to show, that the Gospel of ture of the divine Gospels.”¶ Eusebius had be- Saint John had been justly placed by the an fore him the writings both of Quadratus him-cients" the fourth in order, and after the other self, and of many others of that age, which three."++ These are the terms of his proposi Lardner, Cred. part ii. vol. i. p. 180. f Ib. vol. ii. p. 315. Ib. p. 182. || Ib. c. iv. Lardner, Cred. part ii, vol. i. p. 236. Ignat. Ep c. I. *Lardner, Cred, vol. i. p. 383. Lardner, p. 381. Ib. p. 631. ** Ib. vol iv. p. 846 |