doing he followed the example of those of an earlier period. Only the writings of the apostles and evangelists were admitted into this canon; and this epistle having no name attached to it, those who lived in Italy might reasonably doubt, when the Christians in the East, who had received it from their fathers as the work of St. Paul, did not hesitate; and Jerome, who was well acquainted with the East, and had studied the subject thoroughly, is to us far greater authority than the bishop of Brixia, or the inhabitants of Italy of that period.

Maria. But the book of Revelation is omitted in the catalogues of those who lived in the East, whilst it is admitted in the West.

Mr. B. The reason of its omission, in the first instance, I have before given: the reason of its appearing, in the second, probably arose from the authority of Irenæus, bishop of Lyons, who was the pupil of Polycarp, the disciple of St. John, and who expressly assigns it to him.

Edward. What are the books mentioned by Eusebius as having been only generally received for a time?

Mr. B. The Epistle of St. James, the 2d of St. Peter, and the 2d and 3d of St. John, and that of St. Jude. Maria. These form but a very small portion of the New Testament, as now received.

Mr. B. Were it necessary, we might establish the truth of Christianity without their aid: but the situation of the Christians, during the times of the persecutions, sufficiently accounts for the non-universality of the reception of these documents. The caution of the churches, in not receiving rashly any thing to which they gave supreme authority, is good security to us, in that they would not ultimately have received them, but from conviction.

Maria. It might naturally be expected, that when the Christians regarded these Scriptures as divinely inspir

57 How is this illustrated?-58 What does Mr. B. say of the book of Revelation, in reply to Maria?-59 What are the books named by Eusebius, as having been only generally received for a time?-60 What does Mr. B. say, as to the reason why these documents were not at first universally received?-61 What does Maria say to this?

ed, they would be very cautious what books, they put into the number.

Mr. B. Undoubtedly; for these Scriptures were to them the rule of life; and the third century was not a time for persons to be indifferent as to the writings on which their hopes were founded. Origen is not only remarkable for his superior learning; he suffered, as well as wrote in defence of Christianity—and his father had been put to death for it; so that there was every motive for the son to take the utmost care not to be imposed upon by records assuming the authority which these do. He also could hardly be deceived, on account of his superior attainments and peculiar advantages; and so far was he from implicitly following the opinions of others, that he was severely censured for the freedom in which he indulged. His authority, therefore, as well as that of Eusebius and Jerome, who were well qualified to determine the truth, extends not merely to his own time, but to that before it; and if we have not, in the second century, regular catalogues, like those we have already adduced, for the fourth and third, we are not thence to conclude that the collection was not formed-for their testimony implies more; we can only infer, that it was not then customary (most probably, because not necessary) to make out particular lists; for we find nearly all these books named, though not in formal catalogues, as having this high authority, by Tertullian, by Clement, who preceded Origen at Alexandria, and by Irenæus, bishop of Lyons, a man singularly well qualified to determine the question, from his connexion with Polycarp. Maria. And do these mention all the books?

Mr. B. Not all; for they only mention and quote them as their subjects required: but we have very little left to desire. Tertullian, the most ancient of the Latin fathers, names and quotes the Four Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles, as the work of Matthew, Mark, Luke,

62 What does Mr. B. say of Origen, and of his father?-63 What comparison is made between him, and Eusebius, and Jerome?-64 What does Mr. B. say of the testimony upon the point in question, as found in the second century?-65 What does Tertullian say of the books of the New Testament?

and John. Of the Epistles of St. Paul he expresses no doubt, except on the Epistle to the Hebrews, which he ascribes to Barnabas. He does not quote the short Epistle to Philemon, the 2d Epistle of St. Peter, and the 2d and 3d of John; and it is doubtful whether he quotes St. James. Clement of Alexandria had travelled through the countries in which the books of the New Testament are said to have been first published; and, living near to the apostolic times, there can be no doubt he had the amplest means of knowing the truth. He had also been educated in the Greek philosophy, and was little likely to have submitted himself to the authority of the New Testament, without full conviction of the justice of its pretensions. His character, his learning, the time and place of his birth, and the events of his life, add great weight to his testimony, which is singularly full. The fragments of his works which remain, contain numerous quotations from the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The Epistle to the Hebrews he expressly ascribes to St. Paul; and leaves only one of that apostle's epistles unquoted, viz. the Epistle to Philemon; which, from its brevity and private nature, was not at all likely to be quoted in the subjects on which he wrote. He quotes also the Epistle of St. James, the 1st of St. Peter, the 1st of St. John, the Epistle of St. Jude, and the book of Revelation.

Maria. He has only then left unquoted that to Philemon, the 2d of St. Peter, and the 2d and 3d of St. John.

Mr. B. The last writer necessary to be mentioned is Irenæus, who was of Greek origin, and probably born before the conclusion of the first century. We have his testimony to the four Gospels, to the Acts of the Apostles, to the Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, and Titus, duly ascribed to their reputed author. He has no quotations from the Epistle to Philemon, probably from the same cause which in other cases

66 Of the character of Clement of Alexandria, what is said?-67 What meation is made, in the fragments of his writings, of the books of the New Testament?-68 What books has he left unquoted?-69 Who was Irenæus?-70 What books has he left unquoted?

prevented it; and none from that to the Hebrews, for which we have a sufficient reason; for those against whom he wrote were members of the Latin church, which had not then admitted it, and he consequently could not adduce its authority against them. He also quotes the Epistle of St. James, both the Epistles of St. Peter, and the 1st and 2d of St. John. The last of St. John, and that of St. Jude, he does not quote, apparently from not requiring them in the controversies in which he was engaged. Lastly, as was before mentioned, he gives the fullest testimony to the book of Revelation, composed by St. John, the apostle and evangelist.

Edward. This brings us to the age succeeding that assigned to the writers themselves; so that little more testimony can be needed.

Mr. B. There is additional evidence, but it is not necessary for what I wish to establish. The writers who occupy the short remaining period, are called the apostolic fathers, from their having been contemporaries of the reputed writers of these books. Their works only enable us to prove the existence of material portions of the books in question; for they do not quote them as the writers already considered were in the habit of doing; so that there are but very few of the books whose authority can be established by them, as the Epistle to the Corinthians.

Edward. It seems, then, that we may divide the history of the New Testament into three periods: the first, that in which it was written and published; the second, that in which it was collected; and the third, that in which it was received as of authority in its collected form?

Mr. B. We may; and beginning with the last, we have seen that it was then universally received as of Divine authority, because the various parts had previously, in the second period, been generally so received: and the whole of the testimony adduced gives this reason only for its parts having been so received, viz. because they

71 Concerning which ones does he furnish testimony?-72 What is said by Mr. B. of the additional evidence which might be adduced?-73 How does Edward think that the history of the New Testament may be divided? -74 What does Mr. B. say of this division?

were genuine, i. e. really written by the persons whose names they bear.

Edward. This, however, is only their belief. It does not follow that it is genuine, because they believed it to be so.

Mr. B. It does not; but it is a great point gained towards it, that all Christians, in every age, have so regarded them up to the very age immediately succeeding that in which the writings first appeared.

Maria. But you have only established that books, bearing the same titles as those found in our New Testament, were thus regarded as of Divine authority, because believed to be genuine productions of the persons whose names they bear.

Mr. B. In our next conversation, then, we will consider the parts of those books, and endeavour to ascertain the integrity of the New Testament; a subj ct of such great importance, that not only the chapters, but even the verses demand the closest attention.

Maria. That I can easily conceive: for if the supposition of its being not only genuine, but inspired, be correct, too much importance cannot be attached to it.

CONVERSATION VII.

Maria. We have now to consider the arguments which are brought forward to establish the integrity of the Scriptures of the New Testament.

Mr. B. The means by which we are enabled to do this consist in the quotations of these writings, the versions.

75 What does he say of the fact, that all Christians have believed in the genuineness of the books of the New Testament?-76 What defect docs Maria think there is in the argument as thus presented?-77 How does Mr. B. answer her ou this point?

1 How are we enabled to establish the integrity of the New Testament Scriptures?