then a volume or collection of writings called the New Teftament. V. In the time of Clement of Alexandria, about fifteen years after the laft quoted testimony, it is apparent that the Christian scriptures were divided into two parts, under the general titles of the Gofpels and Apostles; and that both these were regarded as of the highest authority. One, out of many expreffions of Clement alluding to this diftribution, is the following:-" There is a consent and harmony between the law and the prophets, the apoftles and the gospel*." VI. The fame divifion, "Prophets, Gofpels, and Apoftles," appears in Tertulliant, the contemporary of Clement. The col lection of the gofpels is likewife called by this writer the "Evangelic Inftrument‡;" the whole volume, the "New Teftament;" and the two parts, the "Gospels and Apostles §." * Ib. vol. ii. p. 516. + Ib. p. 631. § Ib. p. 632. . VII. From many writers alfo of the third eentury, and especially from Cyprian, who lived in the middle of it, it is collected, that the Christian scriptures were divided into two codes or volumes, one called the "Gofpels or Scriptures of the Lord," the other, the "Apostles, or Epiftles of the Apostles*.' VIII. Eufebius, as we have already feen, takes fome pains to fhew, that the gospel of St. John had been juftly placed by the An cients "the fourth in order, and after the other threet." Thefe are the terms of his propofition: and the very introduction of such an argument proves incontestably, that the four Gospels had been collected into a volume, to the exclufion of every other; that their order in the volume had been adjusted with much confideration; and that this had been done by those who were called Ancients in the time of Eufebius. 303, the fcriptures were fought out and burnt*; many fuffered death rather than deliver them up; and thofe who betrayed them to the perfecutors were accounted as lapfed and apoftate. On the other hand, Conftantine, after his converfion, gave directions for multiplying copies of the divine oracles, and for magnificently adorning them at the expence of the imperial treasury†. What the Chriftians of that age fo richly -embellished in their profperity, and, which is more, fo tenaciously preferved under per.fecution, was the very volume of the New Teftament which we now read. Ib. vol. vii. p. 214 et feq. + Ib. p. 432. SECT. SECT. IV, Our prefent facred writings were foon diftinguished by appropriate names and titles of respect, 1. POLYCARP: "I trust that ye are well exercised in the holy Scriptures-as in these scriptures it is said, Be ye angry and fin not, and let not the fun go down upon your wrath." This paffage is extremely important; because it proves that, in the time of Polycarp, who had lived with the apoftles, there were Chriftian writings distinguished by the name of "holy fcriptures," or facred writings. Moreover the text quoted by Polycarp is a text found in the collection at this day. What alfo the fame Polycarp hath elsewhere quoted in the fame manner, may be confidered as proved to belong to the collection; and this comprehends St, . Lard. Cred. vol. i. p. 203. R 4 Matthew's, Matthew's, and, probably, St. Luke's gofpel, the Acts of the Apoftles, ten epiftles of Paul, the first epistle of Peter, and the first of John*. In another place Polycarp has these words: "Whoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lufts, and fays there is neither resurrection nor judgement, he is the firft-born of Satant." It does not appear what else Polycarp could mean by the "ora cles of the Lord," but those fame " holy fcriptures," or facred writings, of which he had spoken before. II. Juftin Martyr, whofe apology was written about thirty years after Polycarp's epiftle, exprefsly cites fome of our present hiftories under the title of GOSPEL, and that, not as a name by him first ascribed to them, but as the name by which they were generally known in his time. His words are thefe:"For the apoftles, in the memoirs compofed by them, which are called gospels, have thus delivered it, that Jefus commanded them to take bread, and give thanks‡." + Ib. p. 271. Ib. vol. i. p. 223. + Ib. p. 223. There |