A compleat history of the canon and writers, of the books of the Old and New Testament, by way of dissertation, with useful remarks on that subject ... by L.E. Du Pin ... ; done into English from the French original.

CAP. I. Of the Authority and Canon of the Books of the N. Testament.

SECT. I. Of the Revelation made by Jesus Christ, and of the Manner of its publica∣tion throughout the World.

THE Revelation which God made to Men by Jesus Christ his Son, does as much surpass those that he made by the Prophets, as the Dignity of the Person of Jesus Christ excell'd that of the Patriarchs and Pro∣phets. In the first Revelations God made use of Angels or Men to make known those Truths to Mankind, that he would have them taught. In this he made use of his own Son, whom according to the words of St. Paul he hath appointed Heir of all things, and by whom he made the World. But it is not only the Dignity of the Person whom God hath made use of in this second Revelation, which renders it much more considerable than the first; it hath di∣vers other advantages besides. For, 1. Those Antient Revelations were obscure and vail'd over with Figures and Parables that conceal'd the Mysteries and Truths. This is evident, and discovers clearly the most sublime Truths and profound Mysteries. 2. The first were imperfect and defective in abundance of things; they contain'd only a small number of Truths, a great many being re∣serv'd to the time of the Messia. This is complete and perfect, there is nothing more to be hoped for in this World; it is the perfection and end of all Revela∣tions. As there was never any like it before, neither will there be any like it

in time to come. It will continue till the end of the World. 4. The first was only for the Jews, they were known to none but that Nation; they were al∣ways confin'd to Judea, and the rest of the World knew nothing of them till the Coming of Jesus Christ. This was made for all Nations. It was spread through all the Earth, and this Light did shine, and shines still for the Use of all Men.

The Son of God being come then into the World to declare unto Men the Truths which his Father was willing to reveal to 'em: He spent the last Years of his Life in Preaching them in Judea, from whence the Light of the Gospel was to be carried into all Nations. Whilst he continued upon Earth, there was no difficulty to learn what his Doctrine was; there was no more to do but to address our selves to him, to hearken to him, and to understand the meaning of his words. He equally Instructed all Men, he allow'd them to ask him Que∣stions, and answered with Meekness such as came with a design to inform them∣selves, but on the other hand confounded those who came to ask him Questions meerly to take advantage of what he said. But since he was to stay only a little while upon the Earth, he took care to Instruct his Apostles and Disciples more particularly in the Truths he had a mind they should Teach the World after his Death. He hid nothing from them of what his Father would have re∣veal'd to Man. He says to them, John 15.15. I will not henceforth call you Servants, for the Servant knoweth not what his Master does, but I have called you Friends, because I have revealed to you all that I have heard of my Father; And cap. 17.18. speaking to his Father, he says, I have given unto them the words that thou gavest to me. The Apostles and Disciples being thus Instructed by the Mouth of Jesus Christ, might also give Testimony to his Doctrine. But that they should know it fully, and be infallible after he ascended to Heaven, he confirm'd them, and gave them New Light, by sending them his Holy Spirit, who completely instructed them in all the Truths of the Religion which they were to know. This Dispensation is represented in the last words of our Sa∣viour Jesus Christ to his Apostles. He order'd them to go through all the World to Preach the Gospel, to Teach the People, and to Baptize them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Matth. 28.18. All power, (says he) is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, Bapti∣zing them in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you. He assures them that to the end they might be enabled to Preach the Gospel, he would send them the Holy Ghost, his Father had promised them, and order'd them to stay in the City of Jerusalem. and wait for it, Luke 24.49. And behold I send the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high. And eating with them, says St. Luke, Acts 1.4. He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the pro∣mise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me, for John truly baptized with Water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence, v. 8. Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the Earth. This is the Holy Ghost which he had promised them before his suffering, in the discourse he had with them at the last Supper in those Terms. John 15.16. I will pray my Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth, &c. v. 26. The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my Name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your Remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you, John 16.12, 13. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now; howbeit when he, the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all Truth, for he shall not speak of him∣self, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall be speak, and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorifie me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto

you. In fine, he promises his Apostles never to forsake them, Matth. 28. v. ult. Lo I am with you even unto the end of the World.

It results from those Promises of Jesus Christ; 1. That he chose and appoint∣ed his Apostles to Preach his Doctrine throughout the Earth, and to instruct those that would believe in him. 2. That he instructed them therein himself by his Word from the time he began to Preach, till the time of his Death. 3. That being raised again, he appeared to them several times during the forty days, to instruct them in, and to convince them of his Doctrine. 4. That he pro∣mised them his Holy Spirit, to make them remember the Doctrine he had taught them, to enlighten and confirm them in those Truths, and to enable them to maintain and Preach them. 5. That the descending of the Holy Ghost upon them, was so necessary to make them capable of acquitting themselves worthily of that Ministry, that he forbad them to depart from Jerusalem, or to Preach till such time as they had received it. 6. That after the Descent of the Holy Ghost, they were perfectly instructed in all the Truths of the Christian Reli∣gion, which they were to teach to those that would embrace it, and that Jesus Christ left behind him no other way for the World to be instructed in it than the Preaching of it by the Apostles throughout the Earth. This is the only way he left for Men to Learn those Truths that were necessary to Salvation, Mark 16 15. Go ye into all the World and Preach the Gospel unto every Creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned. It is sufficient for Salvation to believe what the Apostles taught, and if that be not believed, we shall be condemned. There's no having recourse to other Preachers, Jesus Christ hath appointed no other. It is in vain to seek for other means of Salvation, Jesus Christ hath left none. He hath promised no New Revelation after this that he hath made to Men. By his own Preaching, and the Mission of the Holy Ghost, he taught his Apostles all the Truths which he thought it needful Men should be instructed in. The Holy Ghost made them to remember all that he had taught them, and instructed them in all that they ought to know and teach unto Men.

When our Lord Jesus Christ was ascended into Heaven, the Apostles after having received the Holy Ghost in a visible manner, Preached the Gospel every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following, Mark 16.20. They taught Men what they had seen and learned. In a word, they executed the Order and Commission which they had received from Jesus Christ; and as he commanded them to Preach all the Truths that he had taught them, and instructed them in all those that were necessary for the safety of Men; It is not to be thought that in acquitting themselves faithfully, as they have done in their Ministry, they would conceal any of those Truths, which he had revealed to them to be taught unto Men; for if they had it, must either have been out of Ignorance, Malice, Policy, Fear or Neglect, because they were not instructed in all the Truths of Religion which they must teach unto Men, because they envied the knowledge of them to some of their acquaintance, or else because they were negligent in acquitting themselves of their Ministry. But we cannot suppose the Apostles to be guilty of any of those faults. We can∣not say they were ignorant of any of the Truths which Jesus Christ would have taught unto Men, for they could not be ignorant of them, but either because Jesus Christ had not revealed them to them, nor explained them clearly enough, which cannot be maintain'd without derogating from the Wisdom of Jesus Christ, or because they did not retain or understand the Truths that he taught them, of which there is not the least appearance, since they applied them∣selves wholly to understand him who taught them those things, whom they con∣sider'd as their Master, who had in his mouth, as St. Peter said, the words of Eternal Life, and whom the Heavenly Father had commanded them to hear by a Miraculous Voice. And tho' it should be said, that they did not retain nor per∣fectly understand all the Truths which Jesus Christ had taught them before the

descent of the Holy Ghost, it cannot be said so of the time that followed that descent, since the Gospel assures us in so many places that the Holy Ghost was sent on purpose to instruct them perfectly in all the Truths which Jesus Christ had taught them. Neither can we say that they maliciously conceal'd any of the Truths that Jesus Christ had taught them, they being uncapable of such a prevarication, nor could they do it from any Politick Reason, since Jesus Christ had commanded them to teach publickly all that he had taught them in private, Matth. 10.27. What I tell you in Darkness, that speak ye in Light; and what ye hear in the Ear, that Preach ye upon the House tops. And that when he com∣manded them to Preach the Gospel in all the Earth, he excepted no part nor person: Preach the Gospel to every Creature. He says not, make use of this Po∣licy and Precaution, do not Preach your Doctrine to all the World, keep some∣thing secret, which you are not to trust but to a small number of People, but Preach the Gospel to every Creature, Mark 16.15. To the great as well as to the small, to the poor as well as to the rich, to the ignorant as well as to the learned, to the simple as well as to those of the quickest apprehension. It is still less probable that they conceal'd any of those Truths out of fear, which they were immediately to teach after that Jesus Christ had order'd them to Preach upon the House tops that which they had heard in secret, and that he had fore∣warned them not to be diverted from it by the fear of Death: Do not fear those which kill the Body, but are not able to kill the Soul, Matth. 10.28. And the Event hath sufficiently verisied, that they well observ'd that Maxim, since there were no perils to which they did not expose themselves, no penalties they did not undergo, nor punishments which they did not suffer for Preaching the Gos∣pel, which most of them seal'd by their Death. They fear'd neither the perfi∣diousness of the Jews, nor the violence of the Gentiles; they Preached without fear, and in the publick places, they Preached Jesus Christ Crucified, a Doctrine which was a Stumbling-block to the Jews, and Foolishness to the Gentiles. Af∣ter this there was no need of being upon the Reserve as to other Truths; all the rest of the Articles were less odious than this, and would have made them less liable to Persecution. Who then in short can suspect as guilty of Negligence, persons of such Zeal and Fervency, and who applied themselves so much to ac∣complish their Ministry as the Apostles, who accounted that Office their chief happiness, who acted all things, suffered all things, and died every day that they might acquit themselves worthily. It must then remain uncontroverted, that the Apostles taught, discovered, Preached, and at last committed to writing the Truths of that Religion which Jesus Christ had taught them.

SECT II. Of the Manner how the Books of the New Testament were Composed.

OUR Saviour taught his Doctrine viva voce, without putting any thing in Writing. He left that to his Apostles and Disciples, and by a special Pro∣vidence order'd it so, that some of 'em after having taught by word of mouth the Doctrine they receiv'd from him, after having confirm'd it by Miracles, and spread it through the World, they did also faithfully write the History of his Life, to serve for a Pattern to Christians, and to be a perpetual Monument of the Doctrine which they taught in his Name, and wrote Epistles as occasion offer'd to instruct the Churches. St. Matthew and St. John Apostles and Eye∣witnesses of the Actions of Jesus Christ, wrote what they saw and heard, and St. Mark and St. Luke wrote what they learned from the Apostles themselves. The latter wrote also the History of the first Christians, and some circumstances

of the Sermons and Lives of the Apostles, particularly of St. Peter and St. Paul, of part of which he had been witness. St. Paul being instructed not by Men, but by Jesus Christ himself, having all the Churches of the Gentiles, whose Apostle he was, committed to his Charge, wrote several Epistles full of the Holy Spirit of the Lord which was in him. St. Peter, St. John, St. James, St. Jude, wrote likewise Epistles on different occasions. These are the Works which Compose what we call the New Testament, and contain the principal Points of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ.

Tho' our Saviour hath wrote nothing, it is no Argument why we should not believe what his Apostles and Disciples have wrote, both as to his Person and Doctrine. This St. Austin proves against the Gentiles, who call'd in question what was wrote of Jesus Christ, because he did not write it himself.

I ask them (says he) why they believe without any scruple what the Disciples of their most famous Philosophers write concerning them, tho' they wrote nothing themselves? Pythagoras for example, the best Philosopher that ever Greece produced as to the speculative part, hath wrote nothing of himself, nor upon any Subject. Socrates, who is preferr'd before all the rest of the Philosophers on the account of his Moral Doctrine, and whom the Oracle of Apollo declar'd to be the Wisest of Men, hath wrote nothing but Aesop's Fables, nor had he done that, if we may believe his Disciple Plato, had he not been forc'd to it by the Order of his Genius. This Book contains the Sentences of another Man, and not his Doctrine. What reason then have the Pagans to believe what the Disciples of those Philosophers have wrote concerning them, and not to believe what the Disciples of Jesus Christ have wrote concerning him, Lib. 1. de Doct. Chr. c. 7.

To prove beyond Contradiction the Authority of the Books of the New Testa∣ment, and the Truth of the Matters of fact there related: We must prove in the first place that those Books are really the Writings of those whose Names they bear, that is, of the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ, who were Eye-wit∣nesses of what they wrote.

Secondly, That those Books have not been corrupted.

Thirdly, That the Writers of them are persons worthy of Credit, that they have not stuffed them with Fictions and Fables, but design'd to write such things as they would have believed to be true.

Fourthly, That they could neither be deceived themselves, nor yet deceive others. That is to say, they could neither be ignorant of the Truth of the Mat∣ters of fact which they related, nor of their Masters Doctrine, and that they could not impose upon People in relating Facts that were not true, or advance in their Writings a Doctrine contrary to that of their Master, as having receiv'd the same from him. Those four things being certain, there's no room to dispute the Authority of the New Testament. For there is nothing more easie than to make it evident.

SECT. III. That the Boohs of the New Testament are certainly the Works of those Authors whose Names they bear.

IT is certain at first view, that there is no Reason to doubt but the Gospels, Acts and Epistles of the Apostles, are wrote by those whose Names they bear, and that there's no cause to doubt of the Authors of all the rest, for there is no∣thing, the truth of which can be established by more Ancient, and more Authen∣tick Monuments; to wit,

1. By the Testimony of Authors, who wrote a little time after, and who have quoted them, as being without doubt the Works of those whose Names they bear.

2. By the Testimony of the Christian Churches spread through the Earth, who did at all times unanimously own those Writings as Authentick and True.

3. By Inspecting into the Books themselves, which have no mark of being sup∣posititious or Counterfeit, but on the contrary have all the Marks of Truth and Antiquity that any Authentick Monuments can have. Here is nothing contrary to History. It is manifest that the Authors wrote whilst Jerusalem was in being, and whilst the Jews carried the face of a Republick: This evidently proves that those Books are of that time wherein it's agreed the Apostles liv'd. It appears that the Authors of those Books are plain-hearted upright Men, who had neither the Parts, nor the Malice to forge or impose those Works upon the World. Not one thing has escap'd them contrary to History, or to the Circumstances and Customs of the Time, which would have been hard for them to have avoided, had they been Impostors. They agree with one another as to the Matters of fact they relate, but so nevertheless as 'tis evident, that it is not one Author who wrote those different Works, and that those who wrote them did not agree together to say all one thing. Their Stile is different, which makes it plain they are different Authors, and there are betwixt them seeming Contradictions and Diversities, which demonstrate plainly that the Writers did not concert those Works together. In fine, there is in those Works a certain Character of Ge∣nuinesse and Truth, which make it evident that it is not the production of an Impostor, but an Authentick and True Work.

Where is there any profane Work of the Ancient Greeks and Latin Authors of whose Truth so many Authentick proofs can be brought? For the most part they satisfie themselves with the Testimony of an Author that liv'd some Years after the Work is thought to have been Compos'd: Many times they gave their Judgment upon the Conformity of the Stile alone, or by the Title found in some Manuscripts, which are for the most part not very Ancient. Nevertheless they tell us with Confidence and Moral Certainty, that those Works were wrote by those whose Names they bear. With how much more reason may we say so of the Gospels, the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles, which are supported by much stronger Evidence, and a far greater Certainty? Let it be considered that those Gospels and Epistles were published in the time of the Apostles, not only in the Churches for which the said Gospels were Compos'd, or to whom those Epistles were directed, but also in the Neighbouring Churches, and that those Writings were publish'd every where in a little time. It was easie then to know the Authors of 'em, nor could they be deceiv'd, the thing being publick and certain: That the Persons who wrote those Works, those for whom, and to whom they were wrote, and the Churches who had receiv'd and own'd them, who read them, and made use of them for their Instruction, gave 'em such an Authentick Testimony, that no body doubted but they were the Writings of the Apostles. That there were Copies of 'em in all the Churches; that all the most Ancient Orthodox Authors have quoted and own'd them to be true; that when the Hereticks did afterwards Counterfeit the Works of the Apostles, or falsifie those that were true, they were immediately convicted of it, by Authen∣tick Testimonies: That their Writings were disown'd and rejected by the Dis∣ciples of the Apostles, and by the Apostolical Churches; and that in fine, all the Churches have at all times unanimously receiv'd, the Body of the Books of the New Testament, which they considered as their Law and Infallible Rule; and that they Repealed the others, as false, or as not having the same Authority. If I say we give but a little heed to those things, we cannot but be convinc'd in common sense, that the Books of the New Testament are really the Works of those whose Names they bear. This is the first Truth we had to demonstrate.

SECT. IV. That the Books of the New Tectament have not been Corrupted.

THE second Truth that those Books were not corrupted, is establish'd upon the same Evidence. It is certain in the first place, that the Originals of the Gospels, and of the Epistles of the Apostles and of the Evangelists, wrote by their own Hands, or by those to whom they had dictated them, did remain for some time in the Churches for which those Gospels were wrote, or to whom those Letters were directed. Tertullian seems also to assure us, that in his time there were Churches which had this precious Pledge in their keeping; when he says, speaking of those Apostolical Churches, that there they repeat their Au∣thentick Letters, Apud quas Authenticae Literae eorum recitantur; Terms which seem to design the Originals themselves. But tho' those words should be other∣wise understood, the Respect which they had in the Churches for the Gospels and the Epistles of the Apostles, leaves us no Room to doubt, but they preser∣ved the Originals a long time, and that Copies of them were immediately wrote, which were spread in a little time through all the Churches, where they read them publickly. Had those Copies been False, it had been impossible but the Fraud must have been discovered immediately by comparing them with the Originals. The Apostolical Churches who still had them, would soon have con∣victed of Forgery those falsified and interpolated Copies, and not have suffered them to have been made use of. All the Christians who had seen and read the Originals, would have been so many Witnesses to depose against them: Other∣wise how could all the Copiers agree together to make the same Falsifications? How could those False Copies have been spread through the World in a little time, without any of the Churches having preserved the True Ones? It cannot then be said, That the Writings of the Apostles were falsified, either during their Lives, or speedily after their Death; nor is it to be doubted, that St. Cle∣ment the Roman, Hermas, St. Polycarp, St. Justin, St. Ireneus, and the most An∣cient Authors, had the Genuine Writings of the Apostles. The Apostolical Churches preserved them as they received them from the Apostles: They were the same in all Churches of the Earth. How was it possible they could be cor∣rupted and falsified throughout in an uniform Manner? Is it credible, that all the Churches, and that all Christians should agree to falsifie Them, and that they could have concealed this Imposture? Would not the Jews and Pagans have upbraided them with this Change? The Hereticks that came after, would they have spared the Christians in such a Case? When Valentine and Marcion falsified the Gospels, they were convicted of the Crime, by proving, That the Gospels kept by the Churches were more Ancient than theirs, and that their Falsifica∣tion was of a later Date. In short, Can it be imagined that all the Copies of the New Testament, could have been changed and corrupted? How could that Falsification have been effected? Who was the Author of it? In what time can they say it was done? It cannot be said to have been since the time that we had the Writings of Christian Authors; for all the Passages of the New Testa∣ment which they quote, are agreeable to the Books we have, and they quote so great a Number of them, that 'tis, morally speaking, impossible that they changed them in their Works. Nor can it be said, That this Corruption was effected before any Christian began to write, that is to say fifteen or twenty Years after the Death of the Apostles, in a time when there were many Wit∣nesses still remaining that had received them from the Apostles themselves. Could there be then any Person so impudent as to change those Books? And sup∣posing

there were; is it possible that all Christians would have believed them, contrary to the Universal Testimony of the Disciples. How was it possible to impose upon so many entire Societies, who had received those Books of the A∣postles, who read them continually in their Assemblies, upon so many Chri∣stians who read them in private, had the Contents of them by Heart, and respected them as Sacred Books? Would not they have universally risen up against this Change? Those whom they suppose to have corrupted or altered them, they did so either in the Essential Part, that is to say in the Doctrine, or in things of small Consequence, and without touching upon the Essentials of the Doctrine. The latter is not likely; for if they left the same Doctrine remaining, to what purpose was it to corrupt the Text? And the first was impossible, because the Christians, who knew the Doctrine of the Apostles, and died every one in Defence of it, would rather have lost their Lives, than suffered their Ancient Doctrine to be overturned. In a Word, How was this Change effected? Was it all at once? Was it insensibly? The Former is extra∣vagant; for how can we suppose, that all the Christians of the Earth should agree to falsifie the Sacred Books all at once, and in one and the same Man∣ner, and that they could effect that Design every where without Opposition? The Latter is no less difficult to believe; for to bring that to pass there must of necessity have been many Men, living in different Times and Places, that had the same Design and End to corrupt the Books of the Apostles; and they must al∣ways have found the Spirits of Christians disposed to receive their Fictions. Whereas, on the contrary, it is certain, by the Testimony of Christian Authors, That from the time of St. Clement and St. Polycarp till now, there was no con∣siderable Change made in the Books of the New Testament. The Text is E∣qual, Uniform, of the same Stile, and contains the same Doctrine; nor does there appear therein any Interposiation, Contradiction or Difference; so that there is more Ground to believe, that they are entirely Suppositious than falsified or corrupted. 'Tis not denied, but some Mistakes may have slip'd into them, as into all other Books, by the Neglect of the Copiers; but this cannot be called a Corruption or Falsification that changes neither the Historyn or the Doctrine of those Books.

SECT. V. That the Authors of the Books of the New Testament, had no design to write Fables.

IT is no less certain, That the Authors of the Books of the New Testament had no design to write Fictions and Fables, like those of Poems and Ro∣mances; but their Invention was to write Things that they would have believed to be true, and that they fell out in the same Manner as they reported them. We need only cast our Eye upon their Works to be convinced of this. They as∣sure us throughout, That the Matters of Fact they relate are true. They write them with the same Simplicity, and in the same Natural Manner as they fell out. Their Scope is not to divert the Reader with Fictions, but to instruct them in Matters of Fact which it was important for them to know. In short, their Works contain nothing which can occasion the least Suspicion, that they had a Mind to forge any Thing or make a fabulous Narrative.

They set down the Time, the Place, the Persons, the Matters of Fact are circumstantiated, and related in a Natural Manner, without the least Air of Forgery. It's plain, that those Authors speak every where serious and positively. It is impossible to read the four Evangelists without being convinced, that the

Authors had no design to forge; and that their only design was to write a Hi∣story which they would have looked upon to be true. The Acts of the Apostles have no less an Air of Sincerity and Truth. They are exact Memoirs, which contain nothing that looks like Fable. How is it possible for any Man to think, that the Epistles of the Apostles are nothing else but pleasant Fictions; that they had no design to instruct those they wrote to, nor to teach them a Doctrine that they would have them believe to be True; and that they wrote only to divert themselves and others? To maintain those things, or to think there's any shadow of Truth in them, were the most absurd thing in the World. There's no Man then of good Sense, who can doubt, that the Books of the New Testament were wrote by those to whom they are ascribed, that those Books are such as they wrote them; and that those who were the Au∣thors of them did intend at least to make People believe, that the History they wrote was True. This being granted, there remains no more to con∣vince us effectually, That it is so, but to prove, That they were neither imposed upon themselves, nor designed to impose upon others, that is to say, that they were neither ignorant of the Truth nor disguised it.

SECT. VI. That the Authors of the Books of the New Testament were neither de∣ceived nor Deceivers.

TO demonstrate, That the Apostles and Evangelists could not be imposed upon in the Things they related, 'tis sufficient to observe, That they them∣selves heard and saw what they wrote concerning Jesus Christ, or had it from those that conversed Familiarly with him. St. Matthew, St. John, St. Peter, St. James and St. Jude saw and heard what they wrote concerning the Doctrine of Jesus Christ. They lived a long time familiarly with him. He had instru∣cted them carefully in his Doctrine, with a design that they should teach it to others, and publish it throughout the Earth. They received his Instructions with a teacheable Temper, applied themselves to understand them, and desired him to explain such Things as they did not. They retained them carefully, be∣cause they looked upon them, as Things necessary for the Salvation of them∣selves and others. The Respect they had for their Master, and the extraordi∣nary Things they saw him perform, made them give special Attention to every Thing he said to them. He explained himself to them in clear Terms, and dis∣covered to them all the Secrets of his Doctrine. They could not then be de∣ceived on this Subject, nor be ignorant of the True Doctrine of their Master. Much less could they be mistaken in the Miracles and Matters of Fact, which they saw him perform. It had been impossible to make them believe that Jesus Christ had cured those that were Paralitick and Lame, that he raised the dead, and that after death he rose again himself, if those Matters of Fact had been false. VVe are to make the same Reflections upon the Evangelists; St. Luke and St. Mark wrote only what they had from Eye-witnesses, and Persons worthy of Credit, in a time when the Memory of those things was fresh and recent. Had they been false, it is impossible but they must have known the falshood of them. St. Paul, who was a Persecutor of the Christians, could he have been ignorant of it? and after having been convinced of the Imposture, whilst he was yet their Enemy, could he have afterwards perswaded himself of the Truth of that which he formerly knew to be a Fiction? It cannot then be said, that the Au∣thors of the Books of the New Testament were deceived either as to the Doctrine or Actions of Jesus Christ.

It only remains then for us to demonstrate, That they were not Impostors neither; That 'twas impossible for them to conceive or effect a Design of impo∣sing upon all the VVorld, to make them believe Matters of Fact to be True the Falshood of which was known to them, by publishing their own Fancies, as the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, and writing Books on purpose to give Credit to that Imposture. It is fit we should enlarge a little more upon this Subject.

In the first Place, to accuse several Authors of an Imposture, we must have some Evidence of their Dishonesty, and be able to prove their Character of their being Cheats and Impostors. But nothing can be more opposite to this Character, than that which appears in their VVritings, which plainly shew, That they were poor, simple Men, without Learning, full of Ingenuity and Sin∣cerity, who were not capable of feigning, or of disguising Truth.

Secondly, No Man ordinarily turns Impostor for nothing. 'Tis either some Motive of Interest or Ambition that inclines Men to impose upon others. But it does not appear, That the Apostles and their Disciples could hope for any Advantage from such a gross Impostor, as that of making the History of Jesus Christ, which they themselves feigned, pass for a Truth. They could gain no∣thing by such an Enterprize, but Labour, Persecution and Punishment. The Doctrine they taught neither flattered their Covetousness nor Ambition: They had no humane Success to expect from their Enterprize, which was contrary to all the Rules of humane Prudence. They drew upon themselves the hatred of their own Nation, and became the Reproach of all the Earth. Jesus Christ crucified whom they taught, was a Subject of Scandal to the Jews, and was looked upon as Foolishness amongst the Gentiles.

Thirdly, The Matters of Fact they relate are not of such a kind as to be for∣ged, without a possibility of discovering the Imposture: They were publickly acted, made a great Noise, were known to all the VVorld. A Prophet who preached publickly in Judea, for a considerable time, whom many Jews saw and heard. VVhose Reputation was established all over the Country, who worked great Miracles in the Presence of all the People; who boldly reproved the Priests and Doctors of the Law; who was accused, taken and delivered to the Governour of Judea, by the Envy of his own Countrymen; who was cru∣cified, raised again, seen by many after his Resurrection; and, in fine, ascended unto Heaven. All those Facts could never be forged, in a Place and Time, where∣in they are said to have been done, but they must immediately have been con∣victed of Forgery and Imposture. VVith what Forehead dared the Apostles to have preached and taught those Things as Truths, had they known them to be False, and that they could be contradicted by the Testimony of the Public? How could they possibly conceive a Design of making them pass for Truths amongst Persons who must have been convinced of their Falshood. By what means could they imagine if they had conceived such a Fantastical Design, to put it in Execution, without having the lie given them by one other.

Fourthly, Supposing we could imagine any particular Person capable of so much Extravagancy, can we believe, that such a Thing could enter into the Minds of so many; and that a great Number of Persons could invent by Concert, so many evident Falshoods, agree to teach them every where, and to deceive all the Earth in that manner, without being forced to acknowledge their Imposture, by Fatigue, Poverty, misery, Torments, and death it self? VVhat probability is there, that all of them should resolve to lay down their Lives for the maintenance of a Lie, and that neither Remorse of Conscience, Interest, Hopes nor the Rigor of Punishment should ever be able to extort this Truth from their Mouths.

Fifthly, If the Authors of the Books of the New Testament, had been Im∣postors, they would have wrote by Concert the same things; there would not have been any difference or seeming contradiction in their Narratives, they would have wrote nothing but great and singular things, and such as would have com∣manded

Admiration; They would have conceal'd all that part of our Saviour's History that seem'd Mean and Weak in the Eyes of Men: But this they have not done, they have wrote what they knew of Jesus Christ, and without affe∣ctation, or omitting the Circumstances that might have render'd him despicable in the Eyes of carnal Men. They have wrote his History in a different Manner, and related it with different Circumstances. They have explained their Senti∣ments with Liberty, without Copying one from another, or making use of the same Terms.

Sixthly, Nothing can be more opposite to a Spirit of Imposture, than the Doctrine of the Religion that they Teach in those Books, tho' our Enemies will have them to be full of it. Is it credible, that People who were persuaded that it is a Crime to Lye, who make it their profession to say nothing but the Truth, and to die for it, should be so wicked as to teach and write nothing but Impo∣stures? Their Books are full of a most pure and holy Morality. Their Practice was agreeable to their Maxims, that is to say, Regular, Holy, Innocent, full of Zeal for God, Truth and Religion; how then can all those things be reconcil'd with a continual Imposture, whereof they are suppos'd to be Culpable?

Seventhly, If the whole History of the New Testament were nothing but a Continuation of Impostures, how was it possible that it should be own'd as true both in Judea and throughout the whole Earth, that the Books which contain the same, should not only have been regarded as true, but lookd upon as Divine, and that the Doctrine which they teach should be established throughout the World, notwithstanding all the Opposition that hath been made thereunto?

Eighthly, The History of the Evangelists agrees perfectly with all that the Jew∣ish and Pagan Historians inform us of those Times. 'Tis not from them alone that we know there was in Judea a Person called Jesus Christ, the Author of a new Religion, whom the Jews put to death. Tacitus, Pliny, Suetonius, Lucian, Pa∣gan Authors have also made mention of it, and even those who wrote against the Christians don't contradict it. The Governours and Princes of Judea, spoke of in the New Testament, are also made known to us by the History of Jose∣phus, who speaks of Quirinius, Pontius Pilate, Festus, Felix, Caiaphas, Herod, Herodias and Agrippa. What he says of them, agrees with what the Evange∣lists have wrote, so that those are not Supposititious Names or a pure Fiction. In short, all the Circumstances of the Narrative of the Evangelists agree with what other Historians have left us of the History of that Time. There are neither Contradictions nor Anachronisms, into which Impostors must of neces∣sity have fallen. In a Word, there are no Authors that can less be suspected of Imposture, than those of the New Testament, nor any History that we can with more reason believe to be true, than that of the Evangelists and Apostles. If we question the Credit of those Witnesses, and of the Truth of the Facts, which they relate. We must call in question the Truth of all the Histories of the World, and by Consequence overthrow the Foundation of the greatest part of our Knowledge. We may doubt, whether there ever was such a Person as Julius Caesar, if he conquered the Gauls, defeated Pompey or was killed by Brutus, none of those Things being established upon Testimonies and Writings, so Authentick as the Birth, Death and Life of Jesus Christ. This is what may be said as to the Moral Certainty of the Truth of the Books of the New Testament, and of the Matters of Fact therein related. We shall now pro∣ceed further, and shew that those Books are Divine, and were composed by Men divinely inspired.

SECT. VII. That the Authors of the Books of the New Testament were divinely inspired, and that Their Writings are Divine.

IF the Apostles were not Impostors, but true and honest Men, as we have just now proved, It cannot be denied, but they received the Holy Ghost to confirm them in the Truths that they had learnt from Jesus Christ, that they might preach them, through the Earth, for that is one of the Signal and Pub∣lick Matters of Fact, as to that which the Apostles could not be deceived nor yet deceive others. Jesus Christ promised to send them the Spirit of Truth which should lead them into all Truth, and teach them what they should say, when they came before Kings, Governors and Judges, to give an Account of their Religion. This Promise was fulfiled on the Day of Pentecost, but in such a visible manner, and with so sensible Effects, that no Body could doubt the Truth of that Inspiration. The Holy Ghost descended upon them in form of Tongues of Fire, and they received the Gift of speaking all sorts of Lan∣guages. These were such Marks and Effects as Men could not be deceived in. The Standers by who were numerous, saw those Tongues of Fire, all the People heard the Apostles and Disciples speak different Languages. This was speedily followed by Miracles performed by the Apostles, to confirm the Doctrine they preached. The Apostles being endowed with those Gifts, and animated by the Holy Ghost, preached with boldness and zeal the Truths which the Holy Ghost put into their Mouths; so that it was not so much they as the Holy Ghost which spoke in them, declaring, That the Doctrine which they taught was not their Doctrine, but that of Jesus Christ which the Holy Ghost inspired them with, and that what they Preached unto Men was the pure Word of God. St. Paul him∣self says, that he was not instructed by Men, but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Gal. 1.12. All those things attested by the Apostles themselves, whom we cannot suspect of Trick or Imposture, leave no room to doubt that the Holy Ghost inspi∣red the Apostles in their Sermons. And if it was necessary they should be con∣ducted, inspired and directed in a particular manner to Preach the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, there was much more Reason they should be inspired with it to Compose those Writings which ought to subsist as Eternal Monuments of the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, and the Rule of Faith to all Christians; if they had not been so, they might have fallen into Errours as to the Matters of Religion; and if God had permitted it, he should have exposed his Church to almost an unavoidable danger of following those Errors, which would not have been con∣sistent with his Wisdom, and the Promise he made, that it should subsist until the End of Time.

The Testimony of the Ancient Church is a strong Argument to prove that the Books of the New Testament are divinely inspired, for all the Churches have at all times received them as Divine and Sacred Books, and made a great difference betwixt those Books and all others: They were receiv'd and quoted by all, as containing nothing but what is true, as the Rule of their Doctrine and Faith, as Books whose Authority could not be rejected, nor the least of those things that they teach or relate doubted of, whereas they had not the same respect nor veneration for other Books, whoever their Authors were, or however good they might be. Whence could this Difference come, but that the Ancient Christians were persuaded there were some Writings Inspired by God, and that the others were meerly of Humane Authority.

The Predictions of future Events, every where in the Books of the New Te∣stament, all of which were accomplish'd a long time after the Death of the

Authors of those Books, as the Ruine of Jerusalem, the unbelief of the Jews, the Persecutions of the Christians, the Establishment of the Gospel throughout the Earth, that Heresies should arise, are Authentick Proofs that those Books are divinely inspired; for those Events not having fallen out till after the time they were wrote, those that wrote them must of necessity have been Prophets divinely inspired.

In a word, those Books have a Character wholly Divine; whether we consi∣der the Things they relate, or the Doctrine they teach, there's nothing humane in it. In Wisdom they surpass the Books of the wisest Pagans: Yet they were composed by simple unlearned Men. There we find the most sublime Maxims of Moral Philosophy, and Precepts far above any thing that Nature can teach us. Those Books are likewise infinitely more excellent, than all those that have since been wrote by Christians. They are free of that humane Weakness, and of those Passions and Partialities, which Authors who have no other Con∣duct but that of their own Reason can scarcely avoid. In short, every Thing there is True, Great, Sublime and Divine. This is better perceiv'd in reading them, than can be express'd by Words or Examples. The Doctrines taught in those Books are above the reach of humane Wit. They are not then the In∣vention of Men. The Precepts they give are more perfect than those that meer Reason prescribes us: They are not therfore the Product of ordinary Medita∣tion and Reflexion. And, by consequence, it is God who hath revealed those Truths, and given those Commandments; whence it follows, that the Books which contain them are Divine.

SECT. VIII. That 'tis by the Testimony of the Church and Tradition that we know the di∣vinely inspired Books of the New Testament.

THree Things are necessary to establish the Divine Authority of a Book. 1. It must be wrote by a Person inspired by the Holy Ghost. 2. The Author must have been inspired when he wrote, and composed it by a Divine Inspiration, Inspiratione Divina, and not meerly with the Exactness of an Histo∣rian, Historica Diligentia. 3. That we be sure both of the one and the other. The Inspiration not having been continual in the Apostles, neither in their Discourses nor Actions. Nor can we be assured that all their Writings were di∣vinely inspired. There may have also been Authors divinely inspired, that are not known to be such. In short, we may be at an uncertainty, that an Apostle whom we knew to have been divinely inspired, is the Author of the Work ascrib'd to him. We must then find a certain and infallible Rule to assure us of those things.

But there is no other of that Nature, except the Tradition of the Church. For, 1. It is by her Testimony we know the Apostles to be the Authors of the Books which bear their Name. This we are sure of, as we have shew'd, be∣cause the most ancient Christian Authors ascrib'd them to them, and that all the Churches with an unanimous Consent, have own'd them as theirs. 2. We cannot be certain that those Works in particular are wrote by divine Inspiration, but because the Churches receiv'd them as such from those who compos'd them, and have always own'd and regarded them as Sacred and Divine. We can have no other undoubted Proof of their Inspiration, as that certainly is, because 'tis not possible that the Apostles and the first Guides of the Churches would have proposed to them for a Rule of Faith and Manners, Books as divinely in∣spired that really were not so: And 'tis no way credible that the Churches

would have own'd those Books as Divine and Sacred, had they not been as∣sur'd of it by credible Witnesses. It is then certain, That the Books of the New Testament, which the Churches receiv'd in the Primitive Times, as Genuine and Sacred, were deliver'd to them as such by the Apostles or their Disciples, who are unexceptionable Witnesses of those two Matters of Fact; and, by conse∣quence, there's no Reason to doubt but they are true and divinely inspired.

It, is also by this infallible Rule of Tradition, and the Testimony of the anci∣ent Churches, that the holy Fathers judged of the Truth and Canon of the Books of the New Testament.

St. Ireneus in his third Book against Heresies, Cap. 1, 2, 11. demonstrates against Hereticks, that the four Gospels are the only true ones, because the Church that was spread over all the Earth own'd them, and the Hereticks them∣selves bear Witness to them, because some of them receiv'd one Gospel and others another.

Tertullion alledges the Testimony of the Apostolical Churches, to prove the Authority of the Gospel of St. Luke, and the rejecting that of Marcion.

I maintain, says he, that our Gospel of St. Luke is receiv'd in all the Apostolical Churches, and even in all the Churches ever since it was published, and that that of Marcion was scarcely known to most part of them. This Authority of the Apostolical Churches will also serve to authorize the other Gospels. In another place, he says, That the Book of Pastor is not Canonical, because 'tis rejected by all the Churches. Ab omni Concilio Ecclesiarum vestrarum in∣ter Apocrypha Numerari. Lib. de Pud.

Serapio in a fragment related by Eusebius, Hist. lib. 6. cap. 12. proves the falshood of the Gospel ascrib'd to St. Peter, by the difference betwixt the Doctrine of that Gospel, and that which the Church receiv'd by the Apostles, and because it was not authoriz'd by Tradition.

We receive, says he, that which St. Peter and the other Apostles have said, as that which Jesus Christ himself hath said; but we reject the Writings which are falsly call'd by their Name, without suffering our selves to be imposed upon by them, because we know we did not receive them from the Ancients.

It is by the Testimony of the Ancients that Melito maintains his Catalogue of Sacred Books. It is also upon Tradition that St. Clement builds, when he rejects the Authority of the Gospel according to the Egyptians, because there are no more than four Gospels, that were given us by Tradition, Clemens Alex. Lib. 3. Stromat.

It is the Rule which Eusebius makes use of in imitation of Origen, to distin∣guish the Canonical from the Apocryphal Books, and those that are certainly suppositious from those that are doubtful. He examines which have been re∣ceiv'd at all Times and by all Churches, without having ever been called in question by any Man, which are those that have been doubted of by some few, and have fince been receiv'd by all the Churches; those which are not yet re∣ceiv'd but by part, and those, in fine, that are rejected by unanimous Consent. It is by those Differences that he distinguishes the different Classes of Canoni∣cal and Apocryphal Books. Hist. lib. 3. c. 13. l. 4. c. 24, 5. l. 6. c. 25.

St. Epiphanius says, That as those Persons are convicted who falsifie a Princes Letters by producing the Originals that are preserv'd in the Archives; the False∣hood of the Gospels composed by Hereticks is also discovered by producing the Gospel which is preserv'd in the Church, as the Archives of Law are in the Palaces of Princes. Epih. Haeres. 42.

St. Jerome reckons amongst the Canonical Books of the New Testament, all those that the Church Universal receives as such, and even those whereof some Churches doubted at first, as the Epistle to the Hebrews; of which the Church of Rome did sometimes doubt: The 2d Epistle of St. Peter, the Epistle of St. James, and the Epistle of St. Jude, of which he says, it acquir'd Authority by its Antiquity, and the use that was made of it: Auctoritatem jam vetustate

& usu meruit. In prologo Galeato. Praefat. in Judith & Tobiam. Lib. de Script-Eccl. in voce Juda.

But, of all the Fathers, there's none who more values the Authority and Testimony of the Synagogue and of the Church, for distinguishing the Canoni∣cal from the Apocryphal Books, than St. Augustin; insomuch, as he said,

That he would not have believ'd the Gospel, had he not been determin'd to give Credit to it by the Authority of the Church: Ego vero Evangelio non crederem nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae commoveret Auctoritas. Contr. Epist. Ma∣nich. cap. 5. Not that the Gospel in it self derives its Authority from the Church. It hath it from God himself, who hath reveal'd and inspir'd it: But we are not sure of that Revelation but by the Authority of the Church, which teaches us that 'tis the same Gospel which was wrote by the Apostles. Thus it is S. Augustin explains himself in his 11th Book against Faustus, Man. c. 2. It is one thing, says he, to say that we will not receive Books, and that we don't think our selves oblig'd to believe them, as the Pagans say of all our Books, the Jews of the New Testament, and the Catholicks of the Heretical and Apo∣cryphal Books, and another not to acknowledge the Authority, neither of those Books, nor of the Authors that compos'd them; it is one thing to say, that Man was a Saint, what he wrote is true; and that Letter is his, but another to say in that Letter, this is his, and that not. In this latter Case, when a Man is requir'd to prove what he advances, he must have recourse to Copies, either to the Truest, the most Ancient, the greatest Number, or the Original Text; for 'twould be ridiculous in him to say, I prove that that is his, be∣cause it makes for me; and that that is not his, because 'tis against me..... If another maintain the quite contrary, what will you do? you will produce to him another Book: But he will tell you, that 'tis utterly false. What will you do then? Where will you be? What Original can you shew for the Book you have produced? What Antiquity will you alledge? What Traditi∣on will you bring in Testimony? ..... You see of what value the Autho∣rity of the Catholick Church is in this Case, which hath been kept up since the time that the Sees were establish'd by the Apostles, by an uninterrupted suc∣cession of Bishops, and by the Consent of so many People. If the Contro∣versie then were only about the faithfulness of the Copies, as in some variety of Sentences, which are very few in Number, and well known to those that are vers'd in the Sacred Scripture; we might decide that Doubt by the Co∣pies of other Countries from whence that came; and if those Copies were also different, we would prefer the Ancient to the Modern, or the greatest Number to the least, and if still there remain'd an uncertainty, we should have recourse to the Original. Ibid. c. 5. He says, We distinguish the Excellence of the Canonical Authority of the Books of the Old and New Testament, which being establish'd from the Time of the Apostles, was preserv'd by the Succes∣sion of the Bishops and the Establishment of the Churches, and set as it were upon a Throne, to the End that all the Faithful should obey it. If we meet with any thing there that seems absur'd, it is not lawful for us to say, That the Author of that Book stray'd from the Truth; but we must say, that the Copy is faulty, the Translator is mistaken; or that we don't understand it. Ibid. Lib. 33. c. 6. He says further, of what Book can we be certain, that 'tis such an Authors; if it be uncertain, whether the Epistles which the Church says and believes are those of the Apostles, be theirs; and how can we be∣lieve it to be certain, that the Apostles have wrote those, which the Hereticks produce against the Church, and which bear the Name of their Heads and Leaders, who liv'd so long after the Apostles? As if even in Prophane Books we had not the undoubted Works of certain Authors, under whose Names others have been since produc'd that have been rejected, either because they did not agree with those that were certainly theirs, or because they did not appear in the time of their Lives, or were not publish'd and transmitted to

Posterity by them, or by their Friends. He proves this by the Instance of Books falsly ascrib'd to Hippocrates, which were rejected because they had not the Energy of his true Works, and were not during his Life-time known to be his; whereas one could not call in Question his true Works, without ex∣posing themselves to be mock'd by all Men, and accounted to be Persons void of Sense, because they were own'd to be his by constant Tradition from that, down to the present Time. It is the same as to those of Plato, Aristotle, Ci∣cero, Varro, &c. And, in fine, as to the Books of divers Ecclesiastical Authors, of which we cannot know the Author, but that he own'd it himself at the time of its Publication; and the knowledge of this was afterwards convey'd to Posterity, and so fix'd, that when we ask whose such a Book is, they tell it us without any hesitation.

In a word, St. Augustin was so much persuaded, that the only way to distin∣guish betwixt such Books as are Canonical and such as are not, was the Te∣stimony of the Churches, that he proposes it as a Rule in his Book of Christian Doctrine, where he says,

That upon this Subject we are to follow the Autho∣rity of the greatest Number of the Catholick Churches, and particularly that of the Apostolical Churches; and that an equitable Person should prefer the Scri∣ptures which are receiv'd by all the Churches, to those which some of them reject; and that amongst those which are not receiv'd by all the Churches, we must prefer those that are receiv'd by the greatest Number, and most con∣siderable of the Churches: And that, in fine, if there be some that are receiv'd by the greatest Number of the Churches, and others that are receiv'd by those that have most Authority, tho' they be not the greatest Number

(which, however, he thinks can scarce come to pass) that then the Books should be of equal Authority.

SECT. IX. Of the Canon of the Sacred Books of the New Testament; and in parti∣cular, of those whereof there hath been some Doubt, whether they were Canonical.

THE Principle which we have laid down beeing granted, it will not be dif∣ficult to distinguish the Canonical Books of the New Testament, from the Apocryphal or Doubtful Books, and to explain in what manner the Canon of the Sacred Books of the New Testament was made. We cannot say, that it was drawn up by any Assembly of Christians, or by any particular Person; but we must say, that it was formed by the unanimous Consent of all the Churches, who receiv'd it by Tradition, and always acknowledg'd certain Books to be wrote by Authors divinely inspired, and by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost. It is this Consent of all the Churches, which served as a Rule in the first Ages, to distin∣guish the Canonical from the Doubtful and Supposititious Books. It was by following this Rule that Eusebius, who is the first that made an exact Enquiry into those things, distinguishes three sorts of Books, appertaining in some Mea∣sure to the New Testament.

The first Class comprehends those that were always receiv'd by the unani∣mous Consent of all the Churches, which are the four Evangelists, & the fourteen Epistles of St. Paul, excepting that to the Hebrews, which some Authors did not put in the same Class with the others, because they did not believe it to be St. Paul's, and the first Epistles of St. Peter and St. John.

The second Class comprehends those which not having been receiv'd by all the Churches of the World, have always been considered by some as Canonical Books, and quoted as Books of the Scripture by Ecclesiastical Authors; but this Class is still divided into two; for some of those Books have been receiv'd since by all the Churches, and acknowledg'd as Genuine, such as the Epistle of St. James, the Epistle of St. Jude, and the 2d Epistle of St. Peter, the 2d and 3d Epistle of St. John. Others on the contrary have been rejected, either as counterfelt, or as unworthy to be put amongst the Canonical Books; tho' they might otherwise have been useful; such as the Book of Pastor, the Letter of St. Barnabas, the Gospel according to the Egyptians, another according to the Hebrews, the Acts of St. Paul, the Revelation of St. Peter.

The last Class contains the Books forged by Hereticks, which were always rejected by the Church; such as are the Gospels according to St. Thomas, and St. Peter, &c.

In regard of the Apocalypse, of which we have said nothing, Eusebius ob∣serves, that some plac'd it in the first Rank; that is to say, amongst Books that are undoubtedly Canonical; and others put it amongst those of the second Class, (a) 1.1.

This Observation of Eusebius, which is confirm'd by the Testimonies of the Ancients, and which he repeats in divers Places of the History, shews us, that the Canon of the Books of the New Testament hath almost constantly been the same; for tho' there were some of the Epistles wrote by the Apostles, that were not unanimously receiv'd at first by all the Churches, they were always considered as having great Authority; and in a little time obtain'd the same Authority with the rest. This is confirm'd by the ancient Catalogue of the sa∣cred Books of the New Testament, wherein are comprehended the Books that we receive at present. There all of 'em are to be found, excepting the Apo∣calypse, in the Canon of the Council of Laodicea, which St. Cyril of Jerusalem followed. They are all of 'em receiv'd by St. Athanasius, St. Jerome, St. Gre∣gory Nazianzen, by Amphilochius, in the Council of Carthage, in the Roman Council, by Pope Innocent, and by all the other Greek and Latin Authors since Eusebius. They are all quoted as Sacred Books by the Authors, who were nearest the Times of the Apostles, (b) 1.2. In short, it is without doubt, as we have

formerly made it appear, that they are theirs whose Names they bear. The Epistles themselves that were called in Question, contain nothing but what is agreeable to the Law and the Doctrine contained in the other Books that were received by all the Churches from the beginning.

The Epistle to the Hebrews was receiv'd as Canonical, with Consent almost of all the Churches. There were none but some Latins, such as Caius and Hyppolitus, who question'd its Authority, because they did not believe it to be wrote by St. Paul. But admitting it were not his, which is not at all proba∣ble, as we shall make it evident, it must always pass for Canonical, it being certain that 'twas wrote by some of his Disciples, if not by himself, and that it was receiv'd as Canonical almost by all the Churches of the World as soon as ever it appeared. It is quoted by St. Clement the Roman in his Epistle to the Corinthians, by St. Clement of Alexandria, and by Tertullian, who assures us that it was more receiv'd in the Churches than the Books of Pastor; by Origen, by St. Cyprian (c) 1.3, and by all those that have lived since, as a Writing undoubted∣ly Canonical. St. Jerome acknowledges, that all the Churches of the East, and part of those of the West, did always receive it as Canonical; and he himself is of that Opinion, tho' some Latins have doubted of it. Philaster accounts them Hereticks who call it in Question.

We find no particular Author that doubted of the Epistle to St. James; it was quoted by St. Clement of Alexandria, by all the Ancients, and put in the Number of the Canonical Books in all the Catalogues that we have.

The same may be said of the 2d Epistle of St. Peter, which is certainly that Apostles, as we shall make it appear. It is quoted by St. Justin, by St. Clement of Alexandria, by Origen, and divers others of the Ancients.

The Epistle of St. Jude was rejected by some, not that they had any law∣ful ground to doubt that St. Jude was not the Author of it, but only because of the Quotation of the Book of Enoch. This Reason did not prevent its being put in the ancient Catalogues of the Books of the New Testament, or being quoted by Tertullian, St. Clement of Alexandria, Origen, St. Cyprian, St. Gre∣gory Nazianzen, and divers others: St. Jerome says, That tho' several had reje∣cted it because of the Quotation of the Book of Enoch, yet it was received in his time because 'twas ancient and approv'd by the Custom of the Church. Auctoritatem, vetustate jam, & usu meruit.

The two last Epistles of St. John were very short, and containing nothing but what was like to the Contents of the first, could not occasion any difficulty. They are of the same Author with the first, as the resemblance of the Style makes it evident. The second is quoted by St. Ireneus in his first Book; cap. 12. and in his third Book, cap. 18. by Tertullian, by Origen, by St. Denys of Alexandria, and divers others. In short, they were both of them put in the

Number of the Canonical Books, in all the ancient Catalogues of the Books of the New Testament.

There remains nothing more to be spoken of, but the Revelation which some of the Ancients, according to the Testimony of Eusebius, have put amongst those that were not doubted of; and others have placed them amongst the Number of those that were doubtful or suppositious. It was rejected by Caius, an ancient Priest of Rome, who ascrib'd it to the Heretick Cerinthus, as Eusebius testifies in the third Book of his History, cap. 28. On the contrary, St. Justin, St. Irenaeus, Origen, St. Cyprian, St. Clement of Alexandria and Ter∣tullian quote it in divers places, and ascribe it to St. John the Evangelist. St. De∣nys of Alexandria observes, that divers before him had rejected and refuted the Apocalypse, as a Book full of Fictions and Falshoods, but that divers others ap∣prov'd it; as for himself, he dar'd not to reject it, that he believ'd it had a my∣sterious Sense, but that he was persuaded it was not wrote by St. John, as he endeavours to prove by several Reasons. St. Jerome says in his 129th Epistle, That in his time most of the Churches of Greece did not receive that Book, no more than the Latins did the Epistle to the Hebrews, but that he receiv'd both, as making no account of the Custom of his Time, but of the Authority of the Ancients. Amphilochius also observes, that in his time some receiv'd it, but that there were many more who rejected it. In effect it is not, as we have ob∣served, in the Catalogue of the Council of Laodicea, nor in that of St. Cyril. But it hath since been receiv'd by the Greek and Latin Churches, and quoted by St. Epiphany, St. Chrysostom, St. Ambrose, St. Hillary, St. Jerome, St. Austin, and by all those that have wrote since. In fine, it was put amongst the Canonical Books by the Council of Carthage, by the Council of Rome under Gelasius, and by Pope Innocent. The 4th Council of Toledo, held in 633, decided in their 17th Canon, that it was wrote by St. John, and ought to be placed amongst the Sacred Books. And the Council of Trent hath decreed, that it should be accounted Canonical.

These Observations make it evident, That it's only a small Number of the Books of the New Testament that ever was called in question, that there were but few Churches who doubted of them, and that their Doubt was not of any long duration.

This being once granted, it is no ways difficult to explain, how without a new Revelation, the Church might become more assured of the Genuiness of a Work than she was at first: The manner as follows. When St. Paul, for ex∣ample, wrote his Letter to the Romans, it was at first known only to those to whom 'twas wrote, to those who saw him write it, or had heard from himself that he had wrote it: There were none but those that could be assured of it: By degrees it was publish'd, many Copies of it were wrote, it became more common and known, and more People were assured of it. In a word, it became so publick that St. Paul had wrote it, that no Body could be ignorant of it. But there was some time required to bring it to this. Let's suppose that St. Paul did not set his Name to it, as he did not to the Epistle to the Hebrews, and that he would not have been known to any but those he wrote to; it is certain People would have been longer in doubt of it; and that, nevertheless, in the close they might have been certain of it, by the Testimony of those to whom it was wrote, and of those to whom he had entrusted the Secret. Let's suppose that the knowledge of this had not for some time reach'd a particular Church, but had at last come to them, should the Temporary Ignorance of that Church hinder the Things becoming certain at last. Let us further suppose, That a Letter be wrote to particular Persons, as the two last Epistles of St. John, they could neither be so famous, nor so speedily known, as those that were wrote to great Churches: There must be time to multiply the Copies; but when once they are publick, there's no further Doubt concerning them. In fine, let us suppose, That some Authors reject a Piece, because they find extra-ordinary

ordinary Things in it that they do not understand, as in the Revelations; or, be∣cause they meet with something that offends them, as in the Epistle of St. Jude. If afterwards those Difficulties be removed, and the Antiquity of those Monu∣ments demonstrated, ought not that to remove the Doubt? This may be ex∣plain'd by the Example of other Works which are not Canonical. Tho' some Cotemporary Authors have called in Question the Works of Writers of their Time, or raised Objections against 'em, yet afterwards they have receiv'd them, and been persuaded that they were wrote by those Authors, either by the Agree∣ment of Style, by new Testimonies they had of it, by Manuscripts they disco∣ver'd, or because the Objections which occasion'd their Doubt were remov'd. It was very possible then, as we have demonstrated, that some of the Apostles Writings, whereof some People doubted, and which some Churches did not at first receive, were afterwards receiv'd and acknowledg'd by all the Churches, and that subsequent Testimonies gave them a Canonical Authority, which they would not have had, if the Doubt had continued.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  Euseb. Hist. Lib. 3. cap. 25. It is proper here, says he, to make the Catalogues of the Books of the New Testament, of which we have spoken. We must in the first place put there the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of St. Paul, the first Epistle of St. John, and the first of St. Peter. In fine, we must add, if it be thought fit, the Revelation of St. John, reserving to our selves a Liberty to say in its Place, what the Ancients have thought of it. Those Books are receiv'd by common Consent: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. And those are they that were called in doubt by some Persons, and own'd by many, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The Letter ascrib'd to St. James, that of St. Jude, the 2d of St. Peter, the 2d and 3d of St. John. In fine, we must reckon amongst the Books that are altogether counterfeit or spuri∣ous, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Acts of St. Paul, the Book of Pastor, the Revelation of St. Peter, the Letter of St Barnabas, and the Institutions of the Apo∣stles. Add thereto, if you please, the Revela∣tion of St. John, which some reject, out of the Number of the Books of Scripture, and which others place amongst those that are not to be question'd, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. This Passage makes it plain, that there are two opposite Sen∣timents concerning the Revelations, that some own'd it for Canonical, and the rest put it a∣mongst the Number of Apocryphal Books.
• (b) 1.2

  They are all quoted as Sacred Books, by the Authors that were nearest the Times of the Apo∣stles.] The Gospel of St. Matthew is quoted in the Epistle of St. Clement the Roman to the Co∣rinthians, in the Epistle of St. Barnabas, by St. Ignatius, St. Polycarp, Papias, St. Justin, St. Irenaeus, &c. Papias makes mention of that of St. Mark; St. Justin, St. Irenaeus, St. Clement of Alexandria quote it. St. Clement the Roman, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, quotes Places taken from St. Luke: There are also in the E∣pistle of St. Barnabas, some Passages taken out of that Gospel. St. Ignatius in his Epistle to the Ephesians makes mention of it, and applies to him that Passage of the 2d Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians; We have also sent with him Luke, whose Praise is in the Gospel throughout all the Churches. The Gospel of St. Luke is also quoted by St. Justin and St. Irenaeus; St. John wrote his Gospel the last; and 'tis also quoted by those two last mentioned. In fine, in the Times of St. Irenaeus, Tertullian and St. Clement of Alexandria, those four Gospels were receiv'd by all the Churches as the only true ones. Nay, the ancient Heathens themselves own'd them; Cerinthus, who was Cotemporary with the Apostles, receiv'd that of St. Matthew; Cer∣don and Marcion receiv'd that of St. Luke, ex∣cept the two first Chapters; Amelius the Pla∣tonick Philosopher, quoted by Eusebius, quotes the Words of the beginning of St. John's Go∣spel, under the Name of a Barbarous Author. The Acts of the Apostles, compar'd with St. Luke, shew that they are the Work of one and the same Author. They are quoted by St. Justin, St. Irenaeus, and St. Clement of Alexandria. Men∣tion is made of the Epistles of St. Paul in the 2d Epistle of St. Peter. St. Clement the Roman makes use of several Passages of it in his Epi∣stle to the Corinthians; St. Polycarp quotes the Epistle to the Galatians, and to the Philippi∣pians; St. Justin, St. Irenaeus, Athenagoras, St. Cle∣ment of Alexandria often quote divers Passages of the Epistles of St. Paul. Papias hath taken Passages out of the first Epistle of St. John; it is quoted by St. Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, &c. The first Epistle of St. Peter is quoted by all the Ancients, according to the Testimony of Eusebius, as a Canonical Work; and, amongst others, by St. Polycarp, Papias and Irenaeus. In fine, the Testimony of Euse∣bius alone, who assures us, that all those Books were receiv'd by one common Consent, as Ca∣nonical; whereas he observes sincerely of o∣thers, that there were some who doubted of them, is sufficient to establish that Truth.
• (c) 1.3

  In the English Edition of St. Cyprian's Works, there are three Places observ'd, where∣in 'tis pretended that St. Cyprian quoted the Epistle to the Hebrews; but that is not alto∣gether certain.