I. In the writings of Origen which remain, and in fome extracts preserved by Eufebius, from works of his which are now loft, there are enumerations of the books of fcripture, in which the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apoftles are diftinctly and ho pourably specified, and in which no books appear befide what are now received *. The reader, by this time, will eafily recollect that the date of Origen's works is A. D. 230.

II. Athanafius, about a century afterwards, delivered a catalogue of the books of the New Testament in form, containing our scriptures and no others; of which he says, “In these alone the doctrine of religion is taught; let no man add to them, or take any thing from them†."

III. About 20 years after Athanafius, Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, set forth a catalogue of the books of fcripture, publicly

*Lardner's Cred. vol. iii. p. 234 et feq. vol. viii. p. 196.

↑ Ib. vol. viii. p. 223. VOL. I.

X

read

read at that time in the church of Jerufalem, exactly the fame as ours, except that the "Revelation" is omitted *.

IV. And, fifteen years after Cyril, the Council of Laodicea delivered an authoritative catalogue of canonical scripture, like Cyril's, the fame as ours, with the omiffion of the "Revelation,"

V. Catalogues now become frequent. Within thirty years after the last date, that is, from the year 363 to near the conclufion of the fourth century, we have catalogues by Epiphanius †, by Gregory Nazianzen‡, by Philafter bishop of Brescia in Italy §, by Amphilochius bishop of Iconium, all, as they are fometimes called, clean catalogues (that is, they admit no books into the number befide what we now receive), and all, for every purpose of hiftoric evidence, the fame as ours.

VI. Within the fame period, Jerome, the moft learned Chriftian writer of his age, delivered a catalogue of the books of the New Teftament, recognizing every book now received, with the intimation of a doubt concerning the Epiftle to the Hebrews alone, and taking not the leaft notice of any book which is not now received *.

VII. Contemporary with Jerome, who lived in Palestine, was St. Auguftine in Africa, who published likewife a catalogue, without joining to the fcriptures, as books of authority, any other ecclefiaftical writing whatever, and without omitting one which we at this day acknowledge †.

VIII. And with these concurs another contemporary writer, Rufen, prefbyter of Aquileia, whofe catalogue, like theirs, is perfect and unmixed, and concludes with

must have been an accidental miflake, either in him, or in fome copyift of his work; for he elsewhere expressly refers to this book, and afcribes it to Luke.

*Ib. vol. x. p. 77.

+ Ib. p. 213.

X 2

thefe

these remarkable words: "These are the volumes which the Fathers have included in the canon, and out of which they would have us prove the doctrine of our faith,"

* Ib. vol. x. p. 187.

SECT

SECT. XI.

Thefe propofitions cannot be predicated of any of those books which are commonly called apocryphal books of the New Testa

ment.

I Do not know that the objection taken

from apocryphal writings is at present much relied upon by scholars. But there are many, who, hearing that various gospels exifted in ancient times under the names of the apostles, may have taken up a notion, that the selection of our present gospels from the reft, was rather an arbitrary or accidental choice, than founded in any clear and certain cause of preference. To these it may be very useful to know the truth of the cafe. I obferve therefore,

I. That, befide our Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, no Christian history, claimX 3

ing