teftimonies, we far exceed all other ancient books. For one, which the most celebrated work of the most celebrated Greek or Roman writer can alledge, we produce many. But then it is more requifite in our books, than in theirs, to feparate and distinguish them from fpurious competitors. The refult, I am convinced, will be fatisfactory to every fair enquirer; but this circumftance renders an enquiry neceffary.

In a work, however, like the prefent, there is a difficulty in finding a place for evidence of this kind. To pursue the detail of proofs throughout, would be to tranfcribe a great part of Dr. Lardner's eleven octavo volumes; to leave the argument without proofs, is to leave it without effect; for the perfuafion produced by this fpecies of evidence depends upon a view and induction of the particulars which compofe. it.

The method which I propofe to myself is, firft, to place before the reader, in one view, the propofitions which comprise the

feveral heads of our teftimony, and afterwards, to repeat the fame propofitions in fo many diftinct fections, with the neceffary authorities fubjoined to each *.

The following, then, are the allegations upon the subject, which are capable of being established by proof:

I. That the hiftorical books of the New Teftament, meaning thereby the four Gofpels and the Acts of the Apoftles, are quoted, or alluded to, by a series of Chriftian writers, beginning with those who were contemporary with the apoftles, or who immediately followed them, and proceeding in close and regular fucceffion from their time to the present.

II. That when they are quoted, or alluded to, they are quoted or alluded to with peculiar refpect, as books fui generis; as pof

* The reader, when he has the propofitions before him, will obferve that the argument, if he fhould omit the fections, proceeds connectedly from this point,

feffing

feffing an authority which belonged to no other books, and as conclufive in all queftions and controverfies amongst Christians.

III. That they were, in very early times, collected into a diftinct volume.

IV. That they were distinguished by appropriate names and titles of refpect.

V. That they were publicly read and expounded in the religious affemblies of the carly Christians.

VI. That commentaries were written upon them, harmonies formed out of them, different copies carefully collated, and verfions of them made into different languages.

VII. That they were received. by Chriftians of different fects, by many heretics as well as catholics, and usually appealed to by both fides in the controverfies which arose in those days.

VIII. That the four Gofpels, the Acts of the Apostles, thirteen Epiftles of St. Paul, the firft Epiftle of John, and the firft of Peter, were received, without doubt, by those who doubted concerning the other books which are included in our prefent canon.

IX. That the Gofpels were attacked by the early adverfaries of Chriftianity, as books containing the accounts upon which the religion was founded.

X. That formal catalogues of authentic fcriptures were published; in all which our prefent facred hiftories were included.

XI. That thefe propofitions cannot be affirmed of any other books, claiming to be books of scripture; by which are meant those books, which are commonly called apocryphal books of the New Teftament,

SECT.

SECT. I.

The biftorical books of the New Testament, meaning thereby the four Gofpels and the Acts of the Apostles, are quoted, or alluded to, by a series of Chriftian writers, beginning with those who were contemporary with the Apofiles, or who immediately followed them, and proceeding in clofe and regular fucceffion from their time to the prefent.

THE medium of proof ftated in this

pro

pofition is, of all others, the moft unquef tionable, the leaft liable to any practices of fraud, and is not diminished by the lapfe of ages. Bishop Burnet, in the Hiftory of his own Times, inferts various extracts from Lord Clarendon's Hiftory. One such infertion is a proof,that Lord Clarendon's History was extant at the time when Bishop Burnet wrote, that it had been read by Bishop Bur