The auncient ecclesiasticall histories of the first six hundred yeares after Christ, wrytten in the Greeke tongue by three learned historiographers, Eusebius, Socrates, and Euagrius. Eusebius Pamphilus Bishop of Cæsarea in Palæstina vvrote 10 bookes. Socrates Scholasticus of Constantinople vvrote 7 bookes. Euagrius Scholasticus of Antioch vvrote 6 bookes. VVhereunto is annexed Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus, of the liues of the prophetes, apostles and 70 disciples. All which authors are faithfully translated out of the Greeke tongue by Meredith Hanmer, Maister of Arte and student in diuinitie. Last of all herein is contayned a profitable chronographie collected by the sayd translator, the title whereof is to be seene in the ende of this volume, with a copious index of the principall matters throughout all the histories

CAP. XXII.* 1.1

The bookes of the newe Testament, canonicall, and Apocrypha.

IT shall seeme conuenient if in this place we collect briefely, the bookes of the newe Testa∣ment.* 1.2 In the first place we must sett the fourefolde vvritinges of the Euangelistes: next the Actes of the Apostles: then the Epistles of Paul are to be added: after these the first of Iohn: and that of Peter which is autenticke: lastly, if ye please the Reuelation of Iohn. of the which what is to be thought shall followe hereafter, all these are receaued for vndoubted. the bookes which are gaynesayde, thoughe well knowne vnto many, are these: the Epistle of Iames: the Epistle of Iude: the latter of Peter: the seconde and thirde of Iohn, whether they were Iohn the Euangelistes, or some others of the same name. take these which followe for forged workes: the Actes of Paul. the booke called Pastor. the Reuelation of Peter. moreouer the Epistle fathered vppon Barnabas, and the Doctrine called the Apostles, and the Reuelation of Iohn (if it so please you) which (as I haue sayde before) some disalowe, some other receaue as an vndoubted true doctrine. diuers doe number amonge these the Gospell vnto the Hebrevves, vsed specially of them, which receaued Christ of the Hebrevves. these writinges are they which commonly of all others are impugned. I suppose that necessaryly we made rehearsall hereof, to the ende we may discerne and seuer the vnfayned, the vndoubted, the true writinges, accor∣ding vnto the Ecclesiasticall tradition: from the vnlawfull wrytinges of the newe Testament, from such as are impugned, and yet dayly read of diuers Ecclesiasticall persones, that we may knowe them and such as vnder the name of the Apostles, as of Peter, of Thomas, or Matthias, & besides, the Gospells of others, as of Andrewe, of Iohn, contayning the Actes of the other Apo∣stles: are published by Heretickes, whereof not one Ecclesiasticall writer hath with reuerence alleadged in his Commentaries. moreouer the forme of the phrase, varieth from the manner of the Apostles: their sentence: their drifte in discourse disagreeth very much with the trueth of the tryed doctrine. for nowe being conuinced, they plainely expresse the fond sigments of hereticall persons. In fine they are not to be placed as forged, but altogether to be reiected as absurde and impious. but let vs proceede vnto that which followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 25. after the Greeke.
• * 1.2

  4. Euangelists The Actes of the Apostles. The epistles of Paule. The 1. epistle of Iohn. The 1. epistle of Peter. The reuelati¦on of S. Iohn The epistle of Iames. The epistle of Iude. The 2. of Pe∣ter. The 2. and 3. of Iohn. Acts of Paul. Pastor. Reuelation of Peter. epistle of Bar¦nabas. Doctrine of the Apostles The Gospell vnto the He∣brewes. Also of Pe∣ter, Thomas, Mathias, An∣drewe, &c. Cap. 26. after the greeke. Menāder the Sorcerer cal∣eth him self •• Sauiour.