In the epistle to the Philadelphians are these expressions: Fleeing to the gospel as the flesh of Jesus, and to the 'apostles as the presbytery of the church. Let us also love 'the prophets.'

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Here by gospel' is meant the book, or code, or volume of the gospels: by the apostles' the volume or collection of their epistles: as by the prophets' are meant the volume or canon of the Old Testament.

Again to the church at Smyrna: Whom neither the 'prophecies, nor the law of Moses have persuaded; nor yet the gospel even to this day.'

Here the gospel' seems to be used for the volume of the New Testament in general, consisting of gospels and epistles.

These passages, especially that from the epistle to the Philadelphians, seem to show, that in the time of Ignatius, and probably some while before, there were two codes or collections, one of the four gospels, another of epistles: but how full this last code was, we cannot now determine with certainty.

It should be observed, that in one place of these epistles of Ignatius there has been supposed to be a reference to the gospel according to the Hebrews: nevertheless, we rather think, that the passage contains only a loose quotation of some words of St. Luke's gospel; as has been at large argued near the end of the chapter of Ignatius.

Ch. VI. The next writer is Polycarp, a disciple of St. John, and appointed bishop of the church of Smyrna by him, if not also by some other apostles joining with him: and it may be supposed, that he had conversed with several, who had seen the Lord. He had the honour to die a martyr for Christ at Smyrna, in the year 148, as some think, or in 166 or 169, as others think. But his epistle to the Philippians, the only thing remaining and certainly known to be his, seems to have been written in 108. In which he quotes to these Philippians themselves the epistle written by Paul to them, and, as I apprehend, the two epistles to the Thessalonians, in the same country of Macedonia, saying: For neither I, nor any one like me, can come up to etiam ex aliis Ignatii locis. Nonnunquam enim Evangelii vocem strictius sumere videtur pro Codice Evangelico. Vid. Epist. ad Smyrn. sect. 7. et Ep. ad Philad. sect. 9. Tum vero alias laxiori significatu Evangelium apud eum pro canone integro N. T. acceptum videmus: ubi simul memorat legem Mosis, prophetias, et evangelium. Vid. Ep. ad Smyrn. sect. 5. Quod si vero res ita se habet, Canon Epistolicus mediocri temporis intervallo præcesserit, necesse est, epistolas Ignatianas: ideoque et prodierit sub annum forte æræ vulgaris cx. sive etiam aliquanto ante. Mill. Proleg. n. 198, 199.

the wisdom of the blessed and renowned Paul, who, when 'absent, wrote to you letters: into which, if you look, you will be able to edify yourselves in the faith, which has 'been delivered unto you.' In another following chapter he speaks again as plainly as here of the apostle Paul's having written to them. No book of the New Testament is quoted by Polycarp expressly, and by name: however here are quotations of passages of the first epistle to the Corinthians, the epistle to the Ephesians, the epistle to the Philippians, and the two epistles to the Thessalonians. Words of our Lord found in St. Matthew's and St. Luke's gospels, are quoted as spoken by him and beside these, there are references, which may be reckoned undoubted, to the Acts of the Apostles, the epistle to the Romans, the first and second to the Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, first and second to Timothy, the first of St. Peter, the first of St. John, and a probable reference to the epistle to the Hebrews. And the many exhortations, delivered in the words of Christ, and his apostles, in a short letter, are a convincing evidence of the respect which christians then had for these books, and that they were deeply engraved in their memo

ries.

Ch. VII. The next chapter has the relation of Polycarp's martyrdom, and general observations upon the testimony of the apostolical fathers. Some of them I here recite again, and make some additions.

Obs. 1. Barnabas has many more passages out of the Old Testament than the New; which may be reckoned owing to the time and character of the writer. Moreover he argues chiefly with Jews.

Obs. 2. Clement has more passages out of the Old Testament, and oftener alludes to it, than to the New but yet he quotes this more than once, and often refers to it.

Obs. 3. Hermas quotes neither the Old nor the New Testament. The reason is, because he only relates his visions, and delivers precepts as received from angels.

Obs. 4. Ignatius has alluded much oftener to the New Testament than to the Old.

Obs. 5. Polycarp has alluded above twenty times to texts. of the New Testament, or recited the very words of them, and scarce once refers to any passage of the Old Testa

ment.

Obs. 6. In the writings of these apostolical fathers there is all the notice taken of the books of the New Testament, that could be expected. Barnabas, though so early a writer, appears to have been acquainted with the gospel of St.

Matthew. Clement, writing to the church of Corinth, on occasion of a dissension there, desires them to take into their hands the epistle of the blessed apostle Paul written to them' and particularly refers them to a part of that epistle, in which he had admonished them against strife and contention. He has likewise, in his epistle, divers clear and undeniable allusions to St. Paul's epistle, sent to the church over which he presided, and in whose name he wrote; not to repeat here other things lately taken notice of.

Quotations there could not be in Hermas, as has been observed again and again. But allusions there are to the books of the New Testament, such as were suitable to his design.

Ignatius, writing to the church of the Ephesians, takes notice of the epistles of Paul sent to them, in which he 'makes mention of them in Christ Jesus.'

Polycarp, writing to the Philippians, refers them to the epistle of the apostle Paul written to them: if not also, as I imagine he does, to the epistle sent to the Thessalonian christians in the same province. Not now to insist on his quotations of texts or passages of other books of the New Testament, or his numerous and manifest allusions to them.

Obs. 7. From all which it is apparent, that these early writers have not omitted to take notice of any book of the New Testament, which their design led them to mention : their silence therefore about any other books can be no prejudice to the supposition of their genuineness, if we shall hereafter meet with credible testimonies to them. And we have good reason to believe, that these apostolical fathers were some of the persons from whom succeeding writers received that full and satisfactory evidence, which they appear to have had concerning the several books of the New Testament.

Obs. 8. Ignatius has expressions, denoting two codes or collections, one of gospels, the other of epistles of apostles.

Obs. 9. There are not in any of these apostolical fathers any quotations of apocryphal books concerning the history, or the doctrine, of Christ and his apostles. There is indeed one passage of Ignatius, in which some have supposed to be a reference to the gospel according to the Hebrews: but we rather think it a quotation of the gospel of St. Luke. There is also at the end of the Fragment ascribed to Clement, a quotation, supposed to be taken from the gospel according to the Egyptians: but we have no reason to be Vid. Grabe, Spic. T. i. p. 35.

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much concerned about it; that not being a work of Clement, but, probably, of some writer of the third century.

Ch. VIII. In the history of things in the time of Trajan, whose reign began in 98, and ended in 117, Eusebius says: There were many eminent men, who had the first rank in the succession of the apostles; divers of whom travelling abroad performed the office of evangelists, being am'bitious to preach Christ, and to deliver the scripture of the divine gospels.' This affords an argument, that at that time and before, the gospels were well known and collected together. They who went forth to preach the salutary doctrine of the kingdom of heaven to those who were yet unacquainted with it, carried the gospels with them, and delivered them to their converts. The gospels therefore must have been collected together, and must have been for some while in use, and in the highest esteem among the disciples of the apostles, and in the churches planted by them. And I presume, that few or none will hesitate to allow, that Eusebius must be understood to speak here of the four gospels, so well known in his time.

Ch. IX. Papias was well acquainted with Polycarp, and John the elder, as is allowed, and by some is supposed to have been acquainted with John the apostle and evangelist. If it had been certain, that he was conversant with the lastmentioned John, he ought to be reckoned an apostolical man, and should have been placed with those of that character already spoken of. As that is not certain, we place him in the next rank after those who were disciples of apostles. He expressly bears testimony to the gospels of Matthew and Mark; and he quoted the first epistle of St. Peter, and the first epistle of St. John. He seems also to have a reference to the book of the Acts. There is reason to suppose he received the book of the Revelation.

Ch. X. Justin Martyr, a native of Palestine, a learned man, and a traveller, converted to christianity about the year 133, flourished chiefly from the year 140 and afterwards, and died a martyr, as is supposed, in 164 or 167. His remaining works are two Apologies, addressed, or inscribed, one to Titus Antoninus the Pious, the other to Marcus Antoninus the Philosopher, and the senate and people of Rome, (but this last is not now entire,) and a Dialogue with Trypho a Jew. In which works are many quotations of the four gospels, though he does not name the evange lists. There are also references to the book of the Acts, and to divers of the epistles of the New Testament. The Revelation is expressly quoted, as written by John, an

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apostle of Christ. The gospels he calls memoirs' or commentaries: Memoirs of the apostles: Christ's memoirs: 'memoirs of the apostles and their companions, who have written the history of all things concerning our Saviour 'Jesus Christ: plainly meaning Matthew and John, Mark and Luke. In his first Apology he says, the memoirs of the apostles, and the writings of the prophets,' were read in the assemblies of public worship, and a discourse was made upon them by the president: whence it appears, that the gospels were well known in the world, and not designedly concealed from any. Whether Justin has referred to any apocryphal scriptures, is considered at the end of the chapter.

Ch. XI. In the elegant epistle to Diognetus, sometimes called Justin's, but probably not his, there are no books or writers of the New Testament expressly named: but there are texts out of the gospels of Matthew and John, or allusions and references to them, and also to the epistle to the Romans, the first and second to the Corinthians, the epistle to the Philippians, the first and second to Timothy, the first epistle of Peter, and the first of John: all which allusions are so plain, that they must be reckoned undisputed. A text of the first epistle to the Corinthians is thus cited or introduced the apostle says,' meaning Paul. He also appears to have had a volume of gospels and apostolical epistles, which he joins with the law and the prophets, in this manner: The fear of the law is sung' or celebrated, 'the grace of the prophets is known, the faith of the gos'pels is established, and the tradition of the apostles is 'kept.'

Ch. XII. Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, as we learn from Eusebius, wrote seven letters to divers churches, and one to a christian woman; of which nothing remains, except some fragments; in which, however, we can trace references to the Acts, and some of the epistles. He speaks of the scriptures of the Lord,' which some had endeavoured to corrupt, probably meaning Marcion, whose heresy he designedly opposed in one of his letters.

Ch. XIII. Tatian, a man well skilled in human literature, composed a Harmony of the Gospels, called Diatessaron, or, Of the Four. Theodoret, of the fifth century, found two hundred copies of this work among the catholics, beside those in use among the people of his own sect. Tatian is also said to have corrected the composition of St. Paul's style; which, perhaps, may have been nothing more than some marginal notes and emendations. Jerom speaks likewise of Tatian's rejecting some of St. Paul's epistles, whilst