peal to many more not named. This pafsage proves, first, that there was at that time a collection called divine fcriptures; 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 Hippolitus *, who lived near the same time, the author professes, in giving his correspondent instruction in the things about which he en quires, “ to draw out of the Sacred fountain, and to fet before him from the sacred scriptures, what may afford him fatisfaction." He then quotes immediately Paul's epistles to Timothy, and afterwards many books of the New Testament. This preface to the quotations carries in it a marked distinction between the scriptures and other books. 66 IV. " Our assertions and discourses," faith Origen †, are unworthy of credit; we must receive the fcriptures as witnesses." * Ib. vol. iii. p. 112. † Ib. p. 287, 288, 289. After : After treating of the duty of prayer, he pro ceeds with his argument thus: "What we have faid may be proved from the divine scriptures." In his books against Celfus, we find this passage: "That our religion teaches us to feek after wisdom, shall be shewn, both out of the ancient Jewish scriptures, which we also use, and out of those written fince Jesus, which are believed in the churches to be divine." These expreffions afford abundant evidence of the peculiar and exclusive authority which the scriptures poffefsed. V. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage *, whose age lies close to that of Origen, earnestly exhorts Christian teachers, in all doubtful cafes, " to go back to the fountain; and if the truth has in any cafe been shaken, to recur to the gospels and apostolic writings." -" The precepts of the gospel," says he in another place, " are nothing less than authoritative divine lessons, the foundations of our hope, the supports of our faith, the guides of * Ib. vol. iv. p. 840, our our way, the safe-guards of our course to heaven." VI. Novatus *, a Roman, contemporary with 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 facred authority of the divine writings."---" The divine scripture easily detects and confutes the frauds of heretics.""It is not by the fault of the heavenly fcriptures, which never deceive." Stronger affertions than these could not be used. VII. At the distance of twenty years from the writer last cited, Anatolius †, a learned Alexandrian, and bishop of Laodicea, speaking of the rule for keeping Eafter, a question at that day agitated with much earnestness, says of those whom he opposed, "They can by no means prove their point by the authority of the divine fcripture." * Ib. vol. v. p. 102. † Ib. vol. v. p. 146. VIII. The 1 VIII. The Arians, who sprung up about fifty years after this, argued strenuoufly against the use of the words consubstantial and essence, and like phrases; "because they were not in fcripture *. And in the fame ftrain, one of their advocates opens a conference with Augustine, after the following manner: "If you say what is reafonable, I must submit. If you alledge any thing from the divine scriptures, which are common to both, I must hear. But unfcriptural expreffions (quæ extra scripturam funt) de serve no regard." Athanafius, the great antagonist of Arianism, after having enumerated the books of the Old and New Testament, adds, "These are the fountains of falvation, that he who thirsts may be fatisfied with the oracles contained in them. In these alone the doctrine of salvation is proclaimed. Let no man add to them, or take any thing from them †. *Ib. vol. vii. p. 283, 284. + Ib. vol. xii. p. 182. IX. Cyril, i IX. Cyril, bishop of Jerufalem*, who wrote about twenty years after the appearance of Arianism, uses these remarkable words: "Concerning the divine and holy mysteries of faith, not the least article ought to be delivered without the divine, scriptures." We are assured that Cyril's scriptures were the same as ours, for he has left us a catalogue of the books included under that name. X. Epiphanius †, twenty years after Cyril, challenges the Arians, and the followers of Origen, " to produce any passage of the Old or New Testament, favouring their fentiments." XI. Pœbadius, a Gallic bishop, who lived about thirty years after the council of Nice, teftifies, that "the bishops of that council first confulted the facred volumes, and then declared their faith ‡." * Ib. vol. viii. p. 276. † Ib. p. 314. ‡ lb. vol. ix. p. 52. XII. Bafil, |