XV. Paffing over a crowd of writers following Cyprian, at different distances, but all within forty years of his time; and who all, in the imperfect remains of their works, either cite the hiftorical fcriptures of the New Teftament, or speak of them in terms of profound respect; I fingle out Victorin, -bishop of Pettaw in Germany, merely on account of the remoteness of his fituation from that of Origen and Cyprian, who were Africans by which circumstance, his testimony taken in conjunction with theirs, proves that the scripture hiftories, and the same histories, were known and received from one fide of the Christian world to the other. This bishop † lived about the year 290; and in a commentary upon this text of the Revelations, "The first was like a lion, the fecond was like a calf, the third like a man, and the fourth like a flying eagle," he makes out

*Novatus, Rome, A. D. 251. Dionyfius, Rome, A. D. 259. Commodian, A. D. 270. Anatolius, Laodicea, A. D. 270. Theognoftus, A. D. 282. Methodius, Lycia, A.D. 290. Phileas, Egypt, 296.

† Lard. vol. v. p. 214.

VOL. I.

e

that

that by the four creatures are intended the four Gofpels; and, to fhew the propriety of the symbols, he recites the subject with which each evangelift opens his hiftory. The explication is fanciful, but the teftimony pofitive. Healfo exprefsly cites the Acts of the Apoftles.

about

XVI. Arnobius and Lactantius the year 300, compofed formal arguments upon the credibility of the Chriftian religion. As these arguments were addreffed to Gentiles, the authors abftain from quoting Chriftian books by name, one of them giving this very reason for his referve: but when they come to ftate, for the information of their readers, the outlines of Chrift's history, it is apparent that they draw their accounts from our gofpels, and fromno other fources; for thefe ftatements exhibit a fummary of almoft every thing which is related of Chrift's actions and miracles by the four evangelists. Arnobius vindicates, without mentioning. their names, the credit of thefe hiftorians,

* Ib. vol. vii. p. 43. 201.

obferving

obferving that they were eye-witneffes of the facts which they relate, and that their ignorance of the arts of compofition was rather a confirmation of their teftimony, than an objection to it. Lactantius also argues in defence of the religion, from the confiftency, fimplicity, difinterestedness, and fufferings of the Christian historians, meaning by that term our evangelists.

XVII. We close the series of teftimonies with that of Eufebius*, bishop of Cefarea, who flourished in the year 315, contemporary with, or pofterior only by fifteen years to, the two authors laft cited. This voluminous writer, and moft diligent collector of the writings of others, beside a variety of large works, compofed a history of the affairs of Christianity from its origin to his own time. His teftimony to the fcriptures is the teftimony of a man much conversant in the works of Chriftian authors written during the three first centuries of its æra; and

Ib. vol. viii. p. 33.

who

who had read many which are now loft. In a paffage of his evangelical demonstration, Eufebius remarks, with great nicety, the delicacy of two of the evangelifts, in their manner of noticing any circumftance which regarded themfelves, and of Mark, as writing under Peter's direction, in the circumftances which regarded him. The illuftration of this remark leads him to bring together long quotations from each of the evangelists; and the whole paffage is a proof, that Eufebius, and the Chriftians of thofe days, not only read the gospels, but ftudied them with attention and exactnefs. In a paffage of his ecclefiaftical hiftory, he treats, in form, and at large, of the occafions of writing the four gofpels, and of the order in which they were written. The title of the chapter is "Of the Order of the Gofpels;" and it begins thus: "Let us obferve the writings of this apoftle John, which are not contradicted by any; and, firft 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

juftly

juftly placed by the ancients the fourth in order, and after the other three, may be made evident in this manner." 'Eufebius then proceeds to fhew that John wrote the laft of the four, and that his gofpel was intended to supply the omiffions of the others; efpecially in the part of our Lord's ministry, which took place before the imprisonment of John the Baptift. He obferves, "that the apostles of Chrift were not ftudious of the ornaments of compofition, nor indeed forward to write at all, being wholly occupied with their ministry."

This learned author makes no use at all of Chriftian writings, forged with the names of Chrift's apoftles, or their companions.

We close this branch of our evidence here; becaufe, after Eufebius, there is no room for any queftion upon the subject; the works of Christian writers being as full of texts of fcripture, and of references to fcripture, as the difcourfes of modern divines. Future teftimonies to the books of fcripture could only prove

that they never loft their character or authority. SECT.

Q3