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of those days, not only read the Gospels, but studied them with attention and exactness. In a passage of his Ecclesiastical History, he treats in form, and at large, of the occasions of writing the four Gospels, and of the order in which they were writ ten. The title of the chapter is," Of the Order of the Gospels ;" and it begins thus; "Let us observe the writings of this apostle John, which are not contradicted by any; and first of all, must be mentioned as acknowledged by all, the Gospel according to him, well known to all the churches under heaven; and that it has been justly placed by the ancients, the fourth in order, and after the other three, may be made evident in this manner." Eusebius then proceeds to shew that John wrote the last of the four, and that his Gospel was intended to supply the omissions of the others, especially in the part of our Lord's ministry, which took place before the imprisonment of John the Baptist. He observes, "that the apostles of Christ were not studious of the ornaments of composition, nor indeed forward to write at all, being wholly occupied with their ministry."

This learned author makes no use at all of Christian writings, forged with the names of Christ's apostles, or their companions.

We close this branch of our evidence here, because, after Eusebius, there is no room for any question upon the subject; the works of Christian writers being as full of texts of Scripture, and of references to Scripture, as the discourses of modern divines. Future testimonies to the books of Scripture, could only prove that they never lost their character or authority,

SECTION SECOND.

When the Scriptures are quoted, or alluded to, they are quoted with peculiar respect, as books sui generis; as possessing an authority which belonged to no other books, and as conclusive in all questions and controversies amongst Christians,

BESIDE the general strain of reference and quotation, which uniformly and strongly indicates this distinction, the following may be regarded as specific testimonies :

I. Theophilus*, Bishop of Antioch, the sixth in succession from the apostles, and who flourished little more than a century after the books of the New Testament were written, having occasion to quote one of our Gospels, writes thus "These things

Lardner, Cred. part. ii, vol. i. p. 429,

the Holy Scriptures teach us, and all who were moved by the Holy Spirit, among whom John says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." Again: "Concerning the righteousness which the law teaches, the like things are to be found in the prophets and the Gospels, because that all, being inspired, spoke by one and the same Spirit of God *." No words can testify more strongly than these do, the high and peculiar respect in which these books were holden,

II. A writer against Artemont, who may be supposed to come about one hundred and fifty-eight years after the publication of the Scriptures, in a passage quoted by Eusebius, uses these expressions: 66 Possibly what they (our adversaries) say, might have been credited, if, first of all, the Divine Scriptures did not contradict them; and then the writings of certain brethren, more ancient than the times of Victor." The brethren mentioned by name are Justin, Miltiades, Tatian,

* Lardner, Cred. vol. i. p. 448.

+ Ib. vol. iii. p. 40.

Clement, Irenæus, Melito, with a general appeal to many more not named. This passage proves, first, that there was at that time a collection called Divine Scriptures; 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 Hippolytus*, who lived near the same time, the author professes, in giving his correspondent instruction in the things about which he inquires, "to draw out of the sacred fountain, and to set before him from the Sacred Scriptures, what may afford him satisfaction." 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.

IV. " Our assertions and discourses," saith Origen †," are unworthy of credit; we

• Lardner, Cred. vol, iii. p. 112. + Ib. p. 287, 288, 289,