⚫and apostolic scriptures,' or, the words of the prophets, gospels, and apostles,' from which we are to learn the faith; and he takes little notice of any books, which are not in our present canon. Ch. XXVIII. Several writers of the second century, whose works are lost. Quadratus and Aristides, both supposed to be of the country of Greece, the latter particu larly styled an Athenian philosopher, who, about the year 126, presented Apologies for the Christian religion to the emperor Adrian; Soter, bishop of Rome, about the year 164; Pinytus, bishop of Gnossus, in Crete; Philip, bishop of Gortyna, in the same island; Palmas, bishop of Amastris, in Pontus, all about the year 170; Musanus, who, about 176, wrote against the Encratites; Modestus, who, about the same time, wrote an elaborate work against Marcion; Claudius Apollinaris, bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia, about the year 176, who wrote an apology addressed to Marcus Antoninus, and five books against the Gentiles; Rhodon and others, who by their learning and labours edified the churches of Christ, and defended the Christian religion against Jews and heathens, and asserted its purity against the innovations of error, then beginning to be introduced: here also is an account of Bardesanes the Syrian, and Symmachus an Ebionite, who made a new version of the Hebrew scriptures of the Old Testament into Greek.

Ch. XXIX. Here is an account of supposititious writings of the second century.

1. The Acts of Paul and Thecla ;' in which are divers allusions and references to the gospel of St. Matthew, the Acts of the apostles, and some of St. Paul's epistles.

2. The Sibylline Verses or Oracles, in eight books.' They may be justly reckoned a confirmation of our gospels, and satisfy us that they were the books used by Christian people, as containing an authentic history of Jesus Christ, his birth, preaching, miracles, death, and resurrection. The author has borrowed little from the epistles of the New Testament; but he may be supposed indebted to the Revelation for several things; and there seems to be a reference to the book of the Acts.

3. The Testaments of the twelve Patriarchs;' the author of which, in an indirect manner, and an assumed prophetical style, bears a large testimony to the Christian Religion, to the facts, principles, and books of the New Testament; particularly (though by allusion, and covertly) to the gospels of St. Matthew, St. Luke, St. John, the Acts of the apostles, and St. Paul's epistles. The writer was probably a Jewish believer, and may be supposed to be a Nazarene Christian.

4. The Recognitions, and Clementine Homilies,' now interpolated, especially the former, were originally, as it seems; composed by an Ebionite, here being some marks of ill-will to the apostle Paul. They appear to have borrowed divers things from the gospels and the Acts.

Here end the two first volumes of former editions, containing a history of the catholic writers, of the first two centuries, and a few others; some of them companions and disciples of the apostles, others in the next succession to them, and others afterwards. It cannot be thought that I have room to enlarge. Every one is able to recollect, that we have seen an ample testimony to most of the books of the New Testament now received by us; their antiquity and genuineness, as being written by those whose names they bear; and their authority, as written by inspired men, and containing an authentic account of Jesus Christ, and the doctrine taught by himself and his apostles; the rule of faith, worship, and manners, to Christian people, who hope for the salvation promised by their Lord and Master.

We have seen a plain and express testimony to the four gospels, and the several writers of them by name, to the Acts of the apostles written by Luke, one of the four evangelists, to St. Paul's epistles, all expressly mentioned, except the short epistle to Philemon, one epistle of Peter, and one epistle of John, and the book of the Revelation; and some notice of a second epistle of John, and the epistle of Jude.

Though many works of the primitive times of Christianity have not come down to us, we have seen and examined a large number of works of learned Christian writers, in Palestine, Syria, the countries of Asia Minor, Egypt, and that part of Africa that used the Latin tongue, and in Crete Greece, Italy, and Gaul; all in the space of about an hundred and fifty years after the writing of the first book of the New Testament. In the remaining works of Irenæus, Clement of Alexandria, and Tertullian (though some works of each of them are lost) there are perhaps,

a

It is generally supposed, that St. Paul's two epistles to the Thessalonians were written in the year of our Lord 52; and that they are the first written of all his epistles, which we have; and that they were written before the catholic epistles.

It appears to me also very probable, that none of the gospels were written until after St. Paul's two epistles to the Thessalonians.

a

more and larger quotations of the small volume of the New Testament, than of all the works of Cicero, though of so uncommon excellence for thought and style, in the writers of all characters for several ages; insomuch that we have reason to think a late learned and judicious d.vine did not exaggerate beyond the truth, when he said, that the facts upon which the Christian religion is founded have a stronger proof than any facts at such a distance of time; and that the books which convey them down to us may be proved to be uncorrupted and authentic, with greater strength than any other writings of equal antiquity.

Ch. XXX. Marcus Minucius Felix, by some thought a native of Africa, a pleader of good repute at Rome, has left us an excellent defence of the Christian religion, written in the form of a dialogue; a monument of the author's ingenuity, learning, and eloquence. There are in it references and allusions to several books of the New Testament; but no book is expressly named.

Ch. XXXI. Apollonius, whose station in life is not known, wrote a large work against the Montanists. By Eusebius we are assured, that he quoted the book of the Revelation. In the fragments of his work that remain, we perceive a reference or two to the gospel of St. Matthew: and it appears, that the apostles of Christ, and their writings, were in the highest esteem; and the books called by Christians scripture,' in a strict and peculiar sense, were well known among them, and were considered as the rule of their faith and practice.

Ch. XXXII. Caius, a learned man, generally supposed a presbyter of Rome, had a dispute or conference in that city with Proculus a Montanist, which he afterwards published. Of that work some fragments are preserved in Eusebius; .whereby we perceive, that Caius received but thirteen epistles of the apostle Paul, and rejected the book of the Revelation, and as some learned men think, ascribed it to Cerinthus.

In the same chapter is an account of a work ascribed by some to Caius, which we rather think to be anonymous: it was written against the heresy of Artemon. Here the divine scrip"tures,' of the New Testament, are manifestly distinguished by the author from the writings of 'the brethren,' or the most eminent and orthodox writers of the church after the apostles. It appears likewise, that the men whom he opposed appealed to the writings of the apostles for the truth of their opinions, and did not presume to assert any thing contrary to the doctrine of the apostles. Here likewise the followers of Artemon are vindicated from the charge of corrupting the scriptures.

Ch. XXXIII. Asterius Urbanus, author of a Treatise against the Montanists in three books. In the extracts of his work preserved in Eusebius there are marks of a peculiar respect for the scriptures, and divers incontestable references to the Acts of the apostles: not to mention other things.

Ch. XXXIV. Alexander, chosen bishop of Jerusalem in 212, made two confessions at least, before heathen magistrates, and died in prison at Cæsarea, in the time of the emperor Decius, in 250 or 252. He wrote several letters, one to the church of Antioch. He erected a library at Jerusalem, and was a man of singular meekness. His merit and usefulness were very conspicuous: and it is to his honour, that he was a friend and favourer of Origen.

Ch. XXXV. Hippolytus, by some said to have been bishop of Portus Romanus in Italy, though indeed the place of his episcopate is not certainly known. He was a very learned man, and published many books, and wrote some commentaries upon the scriptures. One of his books was Against all Heresies, to his own time: another was entitled, of the Revelation. He seems not to have received the epistle to the Hebrews as Paul's. In his few remaining works and fragments are quotations of the four gospels, the Acts, some of Paul's epistles, and the Revelation.

Ch. XXXVI. Ammonius of Alexandria, probably presbyter in that church, composed a Harmony of the four gospels, of which a particular account is given in this chapter.

Ch. XXXVII. Julius Africanus, an inhabitant of Palestine, author of a Chronological work in five books. He was a very learned man, and well acquainted with Origen: in a letter of his to Aristides is an uncommon attestation to the two gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke, and their several genealogies.

Ch. XXXVIII. Origen was born in Egypt in the year 184 or 185, and died in the sixtyninth or seventieth year of his age, in the year of Christ 253: for a while he was catechist at * Dr. Jeremiah Hunt. See the Sermon upon occasion of his death, at the latter part of the work.

Alexandria. In the year 228, Origen was sent into Achaia, upon some affair of the church, by Demetrius bishop of Alexandria. When he came to Cæsarea, in Palestine, he was ordained presbyter by Theoctistus bishop of that city and Alexander bishop of Jerusalem, when he was about 43 or 44 years of age: at which Demetrius, who before envied Origen, was greatly offended: so that Origen, after his return from Athens, being very uneasy at Alexandria, left that city, and went to reside at Cæsarea, in 230 or 231, as is supposed.

He received and often quotes the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John: or, as he expresseth it, p. 235, he had learned by tradition, that there are four gospels, which alone are • received without dispute by the whole church of God under heaven.' He likewise received and often quotes the Acts of the apostles written by the evangelist Luke: in like manner thirteen epistles of the apostle Paul. About the epistle to the Hebrews there appears to have been doubts in his time, but he quotes it frequently as Paul's: though in one place he delivers his opinion, that the sentiments of the epistle only were the apostle's, the phrase and composition of some one else, whose he did not certainly know. He also received the first epistle of Peter, and the first of John. We perceive from him, that the epistle of James, the second of Peter, the second and third of John, and the epistle of Jude, were then well known, but not universally received; nor is it evident, that Origen himself received them as sacred scripture. He owns the book of the Revelation for the writing of John the apostle and evangelist: he quotes it as his without hesitation; nor does it appear, that he had any doubt about its genuineness and authority. The respect of this great man for the scriptures is very conspicuous. The gospels,' he says, were written exactly according to truth, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit....The sacred books are not the writings of men, but have been written and delivered to us from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, by the will of the Father of all through Jesus Christ.' He does mightily recommend the reading of the scriptures of the Old and New Testament.

We have carefully examined his numerous quotations of ecclesiastical and apocryphal books; and I think it has appeared, that none of these were esteemed by him books of authority, from whence any doctrines may be proved, or scripture in the highest sense of that word. It is not evident, that Origen received, as sacred books of the New Testament, all that we now receive : but that he admitted no other, beside those in our present canon, may be reckoned certain and indubitable. The consideration of that has added to the length of this chapter, the longest in the work it is a material point; and, if it has been made out to satisfaction, it is worth all our labour and pains.

Besides, there are in this chapter many select passages conducive to promote virtue and piety, and proper to shew the character of Origen and of the age in which he lived.

Here likewise is an account of Ambrose, Origen's friend and patron, and of Beryllus bishop of Bostra in Arabia, who once held the unitarian doctrine, but is said to have been con vinced by Origen.

Ch. XXXIX. Firmilian was ordained bishop of Cæsarea in Cappadocia about the year 233. He was a man of great piety and zeal for truth, and at the same time distinguished by his prudence and moderation. Though he seems not to have made any great figure as an author, he was well known in the world, and highly esteemed by his contemporaries and following ages. The only piece of his remaining is a letter to St. Cyprian bishop of Carthage written in 256, or thereabouts; in which are references to the gospels of St. Matthew, St. Luke, and St. John (if not also to St. Mark,) to the Acts of the apostles, and divers of St. Paul's epistles, particularly that to the Romans, the Galatians, Ephesians, and Philippians, several of them as the apostle's. He quotes the first epistle of St. Peter, and probably refers to the first epistle of St John: whether he refers to the second epistle of Peter, is not clear. It cannot be doubted, but Firmilian's canon was much the same as ours: it is. plain, that our scriptures were then well known in Cappadocia. In particular, it should be observed, that the epistle of St. Paul to the churches of Galatia, and the first epistle of St. Peter, likewise addressed to Christians in that country and near it, were received as genuine and divine scriptures by this learned and discreet bishop, who had his residence in those parts, or soon after.

Ch. XL. Divers writers in the former part of the third century.

Judas, who published a Commentary upon Daniel's seventy weeks. A. D. 202. Anonymous Author of the Passion, or Acts of Perpetua and Felicitas, and others; which is an affecting account of them and some others who had the honour of martyrdom at Carthage, or some other place in Africa, during the persecution of the emperor Severus. A. D. 203.

Proculus, supposed a Montanist, wrote against the Valentinians. A. D. 212.

Geminianus, presbyter of the church of Antioch, author of divers books not now extant. A. D. 232.

Tryphon, a disciple of Origen, to whom several of his letters were written, published divers. works, shewing him to be very skilful in the scriptures, as we are assured by Jerom.

Ch. XLI. Noëtus, and others, called heretics, in the former part of the third century. Noëtus of Smyrna, of the same opinion, which is better known by the name of Sabellianism. Philaster and Augustine say, it was the same opinion with that which had been before taught by Praxeas and Hermogenes. Theodoret says, Noëtus revived the heresy of Epigonus and Cleomenes, and that afterwards it was maintained by Callistus. It appears plainly from passages alleged in this article, that Noëtus and his followers received the same scriptures that other Christians did, and had a like regard for them; though they did not understand them as some others did.

In this chapter follow brief accounts of divers people called Valesians, Angelics, Apostolics, Origenists concerning whom it is not needful to repeat any thing here.

Ch. XLII. Theodore, afterwards called Gregory, disciple of Origen, was ordained bishop of Neocæsarea in Pontus, his native city and country, about the year 243. In his few remaining writings there are references to the gospels, and divers other books of the New Testament. Considering his acquaintance with Origen, and his respect for him, we may be assured, he had much the same canon of scripture with him and indeed, in the little that remains of him, there are manifest proofs of his veneration for the scriptures of the Old and New Testament. There are several things in this chapter well worthy of observation. Gregory was five years with Origen at Cæsarea in Palestine: at parting with him, to return home, in 238 or 239, he composed a panegyrical oration, still extant, and recited it to a numerous audience. Near the beginning of the chapter is a brief abstract of that oration: which must be allowed to be a monument of the composer's eminent abilities, and demonstrates likewise Origen's excellent method of educating those who were under his care; which, indeed, is honourable to himself, and the Christian profession of that age. I omit other things.

Ch. XLIII. Upon the promotion of Heraclas, after the death of Demetrius, to the bishopric of Alexandria, in 231 or 232, Dionysius, a disciple of Origen, succeeded him in their chair of the catechetical school of that city. Heraclas having died in 246 or 247, Dionysius was chosen bishop in his room, in the year 247 or 248, and died in the twelfth of the emperor Gallienus, in the year of Christ 264, or at the utmost in 265, having been bishop seventeen years. He is reckoned the thirteenth bishop of Alexandria.

The sum of his testimony to the N. T. is this: He received, as sacred and divine scripture, the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, all expressly quoted by him, with the names of the several evangelists: the Acts of the apostles also expressly quoted: the epistles of Paul, and particularly the epistle to the Hebrews, as a writing of that apostle. Concerning the catholic epistles we do not certainly know his judgment; but he has mentioned expressly, several times, the three epistles of the apostle John; one as unquestionably genuine, the other two as well known: and it may be justly taken for granted, that he received the first epistle of the apostle Peter, it having been all along universally received by catholic Christians: as for the rest, we can say nothing positively of his opinion about them. The Revelation, upon which he has a long critical argument, he allowed to be the work of John, a holy and divinely inspired man; but he was not satisfied that it was written by John the son of Zebedee, apostle and evangelist: he was rather inclined to think it the writing of some other John, who also had his chief residence in Asia. However, from his argument concerning that book it appears, that it was then very generally received by Christians as written by the evangelist John. In Dionysius are evidences of the peculiar respect shewn by Christians in general to the sacred scriptures, which they looked upon as the rule of judgment in things of religion, by which all points in controversy were to be decided. What those scriptures were, he shews by these general titles and divisions, the law and the prophets, the gospels and epistles of apostles.' Nor have we perceived in the remaining works of this eminent bishop of Alexandria any marks of respect for Christian apocryphal writings.

Dionysius was a very learned man, distinguished likewise by an excellent temper, and much modération, and he was in great repute. In his time arose divers controversies, in which he had a large share. He wrote several letters on account of Novatianism, which arose about 251;

the baptism of heretics, about which there was a dispute between Stephen of Rome and Cyprian of Carthage, about 256. Sabellius, with whom likewise Dionysius was concerned, was of Africa, probably bishop of Ptolemais: his peculiar opinions were first known about 256. It appears, that he received the scriptures of the Old and New Testament as other Christians did, and argued from them for his opinions. Paul of Samosata was ordained bishop of Antioch in 260, deposed by a council in 269, but not removed before 272 or 273. He likewise, so far as we can perceive, agreed with other Christians in a respect for the scriptures: both these men embraced the unitarian doctrine concerning the Deity. The number of Millenarians in the province of Arsinoe, in Egypt, occasioned a public conference, and Dionysius's two books, Concerning the Promises,' from which large extracts have been made, containing the above argument upon the Revelation. In those books Of the Promises' he opposed a book of Nepos, an Egyptian Bishop, entitled a Confutation of the Allegorists,' in which he endeavoured to support his opinion concerning the Millennium from the Revelation. It may deserve our notice, that Nepos was dead when Dionysius wrote against him; which affords an argument, that the book of the Revelation had been for some time received in Egypt as a part of sacred scripture.

Ch. XLIV. St. Cyprian, or Thascius Cæcilius Cyprianus, a native of Africa, whether of Carthage is not certain, who in the former part of his life had taught rhetoric at Carthage with great applause; in 245 or 246 embraced the Christian religion, being convinced by the arguments proposed to him by Cæcilius presbyter of the church of Carthage, and at that time venerable for his age. After no long time Cyprian was made presbyter and bishop of Carthage, in 248 or 249: in September 258 he had the honour to die a martyr, at a place about six miles from Carthage, in the time of the emperor Valerian. The four gospels are frequently quoted by him he compares them to the four rivers of paradise. The Acts of the apostles likewise are frequently and expressly quoted by him, with that title; but I do not remember, that he has any where mentioned the name of the writer. He has quoted all the thirteen epistles of St. Paul, except the epistle to Philemon; which may have been omitted for no other reason but that he had no particular occasion to quote it. We find not in him any quotations of the epistle to the Hebrews; and it is probable, that it was not received by him. The first epistle of St. Peter, and the first epistle of St. John, are often and expressly quoted by him. It is reasonable to suppose, that the second epistle of the same apostle was received by him, because it is expressly cited by one of the bishops in the council of Carthage, held in 256, of which Cyprian was a principal part. There is no particular quotation in his works of the third epistle of St. John; but considering its shortness, and that the other two are expressly mentioned, there seems not to be any good reason for supposing it to have been unknown to him, or rejected by him. We find in him no quotations or allusions to the epistle of St. James, nor any notice taken by him of the second epistle of St. Peter, or the epistle of St. Jude. The book of the Revelation is frequently quoted by Cyprian as written by John, and as a book of authority; but he has no where expressly said, that he was John the apostle and evangelist; however he may be justly understood to mean him. Excepting those few above specified, all the books of the New Testament now received by us, have an ample testimony given to them in the works of St. Cyprian: they were publickly read and expounded in the assemblies of Christian people, and were esteemed the rule of their faith and practice. The books on which he relies for deciding controverted points are included in these general divisions: the evangelic and apostolic authority: the gospels and the epistles of the apostles.' Again, Whence is that tradition? Does it descend from the authority of the Lord and the gospels? or does it come from the commandments and epistles of the apostles? For those things ought to be done which are written.' Afterwards, the gospel, and the epistles, and Acts:' from whence we perceive, that all the books of the New Testament were then contained in two codes, or volumes; one called the gospels,' or scriptures of the Lord,' the other the apostle,' or the epistles of the apostles." In which latter division was usually placed the book of the Acts: nor is there in this celebrated African bishop of the third century, one quotation of any Christian spurious or apocryphal writings.

6

Ch. XLV. Writings ascribed to Cyprian, or joined with his works.

1. Cyprian's Life and Passion, written by his deacon Pontius: here Pontius has quoted the gospels of St. Matthew, St. Luke, and St. John, and several of St. Paul's epistles, and the