And we find, at this very time, the most learned and judicious of the Fathers received the Revelation without scruple, and annexed it to their catalogues of the books of the New Testament.

Thus, ATHANASIUS, after giving an account of the twentytwo Canonical books of the Old Testament, proceeds to enumerate the books of the New Testament, in the following manner, which he makes eight in number:-1. Matthew's Gospel; 2. Mark's; 3. Luke's; 4. John's; 5. The Acts; 6. The Catholic Epistles; 7. Paul's Fourteen Epistles; and 8. The Revelation, given to John the Evangelist and divine, in Pat

mos.

JEROME, in giving an account of the writings of John the Evangelist, speaks also of another John, called the Presbyter, to whom some ascribed the second and third Epistles, under the name of John. And we have already seen, that Dionysius of Alexandria ascribed the Revelation to another John. This opinion, we learn from Jerome, originated in the fact, that two monuments were found at Ephesus, each inscribed with the name, JOHN; but he says, "Some think that both the monuments are of John the Evangelist." Then he proceeds to give some account of the Revelation: "Domitian," says he, "in the fourteenth year of his reign, raising the second persecution after Nero, John was banished into the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Revelation, which Justin Martyr and Irenæus explain."

AUGUSTINE also received the book of Revelation, and quotes it very frequently.

He ascribes it to the same John who wrote the Gospel and the Epistles.

From the view which has been taken of the testimonies in favour of the book of Revelation, I think it must appear manifest to every candid reader, that few books in the New Testament have more complete evidence of Canonical authority than the book of Revelation. The only thing which requires explanation is, the omission of this book in so many of the catalogues of the Fathers, and of ancient councils. Owing to the mysterious nature of the contents of this book, and to the abuse of its prophecies, by the too literal construction of them by the Millennarians, it was judged expedient not to have this book read publicly in the churches. Now the end of forming these catalogues was, to guide the people in reading the Scriptures; and, as it seems not to have been desired that the people should read this mysterious book, it was omitted by many in their ca

talogues. Still, however, a majority of them have it; and some, who omitted it, are known to have received it as Canonical.

This also will account for the fact, that many of the manuscripts of the New Testament are without the Revelation, so that there are extant comparatively few copies of this book.

But the authenticity and authority of the Apocalypse, stand on ground which can never be shaken; and the internal evidence is strong in favour of a divine origin. There is a sublimity, purity, and consistency in it, which could not have proceeded from an impostor. In addition to all which, we observe, that the fulfilment of many of the predictions of this book is so remarkable, that to many learned men who have attended to this subject, the evidence from this source alone is demonstrative of its divine origin. And there is every reason to believe, that in the revolution of events, this book which is now, to many, sealed with seven seals, will be opened, and will be so explained, that all men will see and acknowledge, that it is indeed "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass and sent and signified it by his angel, to his servant John; who bare record of the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ."*

After having given a particular account of the several books of the New Testament, it may be useful to subjoin a few general remarks on the testimony exhibited.

1. The writings of the Apostles, from the time of their first publication, were distinguished by all Christians from all other books. They were spoken of by the Fathers as Scripture; as Divine Scripture; as inspired of the Lord; as, given by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. The only question ever agitated respecting any of these books, was, whether they were indeed the productions of the Apostles? When this was clear, no man disputed their divine authority; or considered it lawful to dissent from their dictates. They were considered as occupying the same place, in regard to inspiration and authority, as the Scriptures of the Old Testament; and in imitation of this denomination, they were called the New Testament. The other names by which they were distinguished, were such as these: The Gospel; the Apostles; the Divine Gospels; the Evangelical Instrument; the Scriptures of the Lord; Holy Scriptures; Evangelic Voice; Divine Scriptures; Oracles of

• Rev., 1, 2.

the Lord; Divine Fountains; Fountains of the Divine Ful

ness.

2. These books were not in obscurity, but were read with veneration and avidity by multitudes. They were read not only by the learned, but by the people; not only in private, but constantly in the public assemblies of Christians, as appears by the explicit testimonies of Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Eusebius, Cyprian, and Augustine. And no other books were thus venerated and read. If some other pieces were publicly read, yet the Fathers always made a wide distinction between them and the Sacred Scriptures.

3. In all the controversies which arose in the Church, these books were acknowledged by all to be decisive authority, unless by some few of the very worst heretics, who mutilated the Scriptures, and forged others for themselves, under the names of the Apostles. But most of the heretics endeavoured to support their opinions by an appeal to the writings of the New Testament. The Valentinians, the Montanists, the Sabelleians, the Artemonists, the Arians, received the Scriptures of the New Testament. The same was the case with the Priscillianists, and the Pelagians. In the Arian controversy, which occupied the church so long and so earnestly, the Scriptures were appealed to by both parties; and no controversy arose respecting the authenticity of the books of the New Testa

ment.

4. The avowed enemies of Christianity, who wrote against the truth, recognized the books which are now in the Canon, as those acknowledged by Christians in their times, for they refer to the matters contained in them, and some of them mention several books by name; so that it appears from the accounts which we have of their writings, that they were acquainted with the volume of the New Testament. CELSUS, who lived and wrote less than a hundred years after the Apostles, says, as is testified by Origen, who answered him:"I could say many things concerning the affairs of Jesus, and those, too, different from what is written by the Disciples of Jesus; but I purposely omit them." That Celsus here refers to the Gospels, there can be no doubt. In another place, he says, "These things, then, we have alleged to you, out of your own writings." And that the Gospels, to which he referred, were the same as those which we now possess, is evident from his references to matters contained in them.

PORPHYRY, in the third century, wrote largely and professedly against the Christian religion; and although his work

has shared the same fate as that of Celsus, yet, from some fragments which have been preserved, we can ascertain, that he was well acquainted with the four Gospels; for the things to which he objects are still contained in them.

But the Emperor JULIAN expressly mentions Matthew and Luke, and cites various things out of the Gospels. He speaks also of John, and alleges, that none of Christ's Disciples beside ascribed to him the creation of the world; and also, "That neither Paul, nor Matthew, nor Luke, nor Mark, have dared to call Jesus, God"—"That John wrote later than the other Evangelists, and at a time when a great number of men in the cities of Greece and Italy were converted." He alludes to the conversion of Cornelius and Sergius Paulus; to Peter's vision; and to the circular letter sent by the Apostles, at Jerusalem, to the churches; which things are recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.*

Now, if the genuineness of these books could have been impugned on any plausible grounds, or if any doubt had existed respecting this matter, surely such men as Celsus, Porphyry, and Julian, could not have been ignorant of the matter, and would not have failed to bring forward every thing of this kind which they knew; for their hostility to Christianity was unbounded. And it is certain, that Porphyry did avail himself of an objection of this kind, in regard to the book of Daniel. Since, then, not one of the early enemies of Christianity ever suggested a doubt of the genuineness of the books of the New Testament, we may rest assured, that no ground of doubt existed in their day; and that the fact of these being the genuine writings of the men whose names they bear, was too clearly established to admit any doubt. The genuineness of the books of the New Testament having been admitted by friends and enemies by the orthodox and heretics in those ages, when the fact could be ascertained easily-it is too late in the day, now, for infidels to call this matter in question.

5. But the testimony which we possess, is not only sufficient to prove that the books of the New Testament were written by the persons whose names they bear; but also, that these books, in the early ages of the church, contained the same things which are now read in them. Omitting any particular notice of about half a dozen passages, the genuineness of which is in dispute, I would remark, that when we compare the numerous and copious quotations from these books, which are found in the writings of the Fathers, with our own copies, the

See Lardner and Paley.

argument is most satisfactory. It is true, indeed, that the Fathers do sometimes apparently quote from memory; and, in that case, the words of the sacred writer, are a little changed or transposed, but the sense is accurately retained. In general, however, the quotations of Scripture, in the writings of the Fathers, are verbally exact; there being no other variations than what arises from the different idiom of the language which they use. I suppose, that almost every verse in some books of the New Testament, has been cited by one or another of the Fathers; so that if that book were lost, it might be restored, by means of the quotations from it in other books.

But, besides these quotations, we have the versions of the whole New Testament into various languages, some of which were made very early, probably not much later than the end of the first, or beginning of the second, century. Now, on a comparison, all these versions contain the same discourses, parables, miracles, doctrines, precepts, and divine institutions. Indeed, so literal have been most versions of the New Testament, that they answer to one another, and to the original, almost word for word.

Besides, there are in existence hundreds and thousands of Manuscripts of the New Testament, which were written in different ages of the church, from the fourth or fifth century, until the sixteenth. Most of these have been penned with great care, and in the finest style of caligraphy. The oldest are written on beautiful parchment, in what are called uncial, or capital letters. Some of these Manuscripts contain all the books of the New Testament; others only a part; and in some instances, a single book. Some are in a state of good preservation, while others are worn and mutilated, and the writing so obscure as to be scarcely legible. And what is very remarkable, some copies of the New Testament, on parchment, have been found written over again with other matter, after the original words had been as fully obliterated as could easily be done. This seems a very strange practice, considering that good copies of the Bible must have been always too few; but the scarcity of parchment was so great, that men who were anxious to communicate their own lucubrations to the public, would resort to any shift to procure the materials for writing. And this is not more culpable or more wonderful than what has been known to take place in our own land and times, where the leaves of Walton's Polyglot Bible have been torn and used for wrapping paper.

The exact age of the oldest MSS. of the New Testament