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Hebrew verity. I refer below (y) to another place relating to the books of the New Testament.

The third Council of Carthage, about 397. ordains, "that (z) nothing "befide the canonical scriptures be read in the Church under the name "Divine Scriptures."

Auguftin, in 395. and afterwards, often (a) fpeaks of canonical feriptures, and the (b) whole canon of fcripture, that is, all the facred books of the Old and New Teftament. We "(c) read of fome, fays he, that they "fearched the fcriptures daily, whether those things were fo. Acts xvii. 11. "What fcriptures, I pray, except the canonical fcriptures of the Law and "the Prophets? To them have been fince added the Gospels, the Epiftles "of Apostles, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Revelation of John." Of the fuperior authority of the canonical fcriptures to all others, he speaks frequently in paffages afterwards alleged (d) in the fame chapter.

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Chryfoftom in a place already cited (e) fays: "They (f) fall into great abfurdities, who will not follow the rule (or canon) of the divine fcripture, but truft entirely to their own reafoning." I refer to another place (g) to the like purpose.

Says Ifidore of Pelufium, about 412. "that (i) these things are fo, we "fhall perceive, if we attend to the rule [canon] of truth, the divine "fcriptures."

And Leontius, of Conftantinople, about 610. having cited the whole catalogue of the books of fcripture from Genefis to the Revelation (k) concludes: "Thefe (1) are the ancient and new books, which are re"ceived in the Church as canonical."

By all which we difcern, how much the use of these words, canon and canonical, has obtained among Chriftians, denoting those books, which are of the highest authority, and the rule of faith: as opposed to all other whatever, particularly, to ecclefiaftical, or the writings of orthodox and learned catholics, and to apocryphal, the productions, chiefly, of heretics, which by a specious name and title made a pretenfion to be accounted among facred books.

IV. The most common and general divifion of the canonical books, is that of ancient and new, or the Old and New Teftament. The Hebrew word, berith, from which

(y) Vol. x. p. 86.

(R)... p. 193. (a)

...

p. 207.

Old and New

Teftament.

it

(6) Totus autem canon fcripturarum.. his libris continetur. Ib. not. (r)

p. 208.

(c) p. 252.

...

(e) Vol. xii. p. 126.

(d) See p. 253. 256. 259... 268.

() Ορᾶς, εἰς ὅσιν ατοπίαν ἐκπίπλεσιν οἱ μὴ βελόμενοι τῷ τῆς θείας γραφής και τακολυθεῖν κανόνι κ. λ. In Gen. cap. 33. hom. 58. T. 4. p. 566. B.

(g) Vid. hom. 33. in A&t. Ap. fub fin.

(1) Οτι δὲ ταῦτα ὕτως ἔχει, τὸν κανόνα τῆς ἀληθείας, τας θείας φημὶ γραφάς, nalanivo oper. Ifid. ep. 114. l. 4.

(k) See Vol. xi. p. 381.

(1) Ταῦτα ἐσι τὰ κανονιζόμενα βιβλία ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ παλαιά καὶ νέα; Ci tat. ibid. p. 380. not. (e).

*

it is tranflated, properly fignifies (m) covenant. St. Paul, 2 Cor. iii. 16. .... 18. fhewing the fuperior excellence of the gospel-covenant, or the difpenfation by Christ, above the legal covenant, or the difpenfation by Mofes, ufeth the word teftament, not only for the covenant itself, but likewife for the books, in which it is contained. At least he does fo, in fpeaking of the legal covenant. For, reprefenting the cafe of the unbelieving part of the Jewish People, he fays v. 14. Until this day remaineth the fame vail untaken away in reading the Old Teftament.

It is no wonder therefore, that this way of speaking has much prevailed among Chriftians. Melito, Bishop of Sardis, about the year 177. went into the East, to get an exact account of the books of the Law and the Prophets. In his letter to his friend Onefimus, giving an account of his journey, and reckoning up the books in their order, he calls them (1) the ancient books, and (0) the books of the Old Testament. Eufebe calls it (p) "a catalogue of the acknowledged fcriptures of the Old Testament." Our Ecclefiaftical Hiftorian elfewhere (q) fpeaks of the fcriptures of the New Teftament. I fhall remind my readers of but one instance more. Cyril of Jerufalem, introducing his catalogue of fcriptures received by the Chriftian Church, fays: "Thefe (r) things we are taught by the di"vinely inspired fcriptures of the Old and New Teftament." Many other like examples occur in the preceding volumes of this work.

V. Inftead of teftament Latin writers fometimes ufe the Inftrument. word inftrument, denoting writing, charter, record. We find it feveral times in Tertullian, reckoned the most ancient Latin writer of the Church now remaining. In a paffage already (s) cited he calls the Gospels, or the New Teftament in general, the Evangelic Inftrument. And fays: "How (t) large chaims. Marcion has made in the epiftle to the Romans, by leaving out what he pleafes, may appear from our entire Inftrument:" or our unaltered copies of the New Teftament, particularly of that epiftle. Speaking of the Shepherd of Hermas, he fays, it (u) was not reckoned a part of the Divine Inftrument: thereby meaning, as it seems, the New Teftament. Which paflage was quoted (x)

by

(m) Notandum, quod Brith, verbum Hebraicum, Aquila ovnen, id eft, patum, interpretatur: Lxx femper dia9xnv, id ett, teflamentum: et in plerifque fcripturarum locis teftamentum non voluntatem defunctorum fonare, fed pactum viventium. Hieron. in Malach. cap. ii. T. 3. p. 1816.

(») Ετι δὲ καὶ μαθεῖν τὴν τῶν παλαιῶν βιβλίων ἐβαλήθης ακρίβειαν. κ. λ. Αρ. Eufeb. 1. 4. c. 27. p. 148. D.

(0) Καὶ ἀκριβῶς μαθὼν τὰ τῆς παλαιας διαθήκης βιβλία. 16. β.

149. A.

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(p) Ibid. p. 148. D.

(r) The fame. p. 267.

(9) See vol. viii. p. 197.

(s) See Vol. ii. p. 577.

(t) Quantas autem foveas in ifta vel maxime epiftola [ad Romanos] Marcion fecerit, auferendo quæ voluit, de noftri Inftrumenti integritate patebit. Adv. Marcion. 1. 5. cap. 13. p. 601.

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(a) Sed cederem tibi, fi fcriptura Paftoris divino inftrumento meruiffet incidi... De Pudicit. cap. 10, p. 727, A.

(x) See Fol, ii. p. 638.

by us formerly. He calls (y) the Law and the Prophets the Jewish Inftruments: that is, writings, or fcriptures. He fpeaks of the antiquity (z) of the Jewish Inftruments, or Scriptures. He (a) feems in one place to use the word inftrument, as equivalent to fcriptures, containing the doctrine of revelation, or the revealed will of God.

VI. Digeft is another word ufed by Tertullian in fpeaking of Digeft. the fcriptures. "Luke's (b) Digeft, he fays, is often afcribed to Paul." He calls (c) the Gofpels, or the whole New Teftament, our Digeft, in allufion, as it feems, to fome collection of the Roman Laws digefted into order. Thofe two paffages were cited in the chapter of Tertullian. I now transcribe the later below (d) more at large, it having alfo the word inftrument, as equivalent to the New Teftament. He likewife calls the Jewifh Scriptures (e) Sacred Digefts. He feems to use the word digeft (f) elfewhere, as equivalent to writing, or work, in general.

I fhall not take notice of any other general denominations of the facred fcriptures.

VII. My chief concern is with the New Teftament, which, Gospel.

as is well known, confifts of Gofpels, the Acts, and Epiftles. The only word, that needs explanation is the firft.

Gospel is a tranflation of the Greek word tayyth, the Latin word, evangelium, which fignifies any good meffage or tidings. In the New Teftament the word denotes the doctrine of falvation, taught by Jefus Christ, and his Apoftles. Which indeed is gospel by way of eminence, as it is the best tidings that ever were published in this world. Says Theodoret upon Rom. i. 1. "He (g) calls it gospel, as it contains af“furance

effet,

(y) Aut nunquid non jufti Judæi, & quibus pœnitentia non opus habentes gubernacula difciplinæ, & timoris inftrumenta, Legem & Prophetas. De Pudicitia. cap. 7. p. 722. B.

(z) Primam inftrumentis iftis auctoritatem fumma antiquitas vindicat. Apol. cap. 19. p. 19. B.

Sed quoniam edidimus, antiquiffimis Judaeorum inftrumentis fectam iftam effe fuffultam. Apol. cap. 21. in. p. 20.

(a) Sed quo plenius et impreflius tam ipfum, quam difpofitiones ejus et voluntates adiremus, inftrumentum adjecit literaturæ, fi quis velit de Deo inquirere. Apol. cap. 18. p. 18. C.

(b) See Vol. ii. p. 581. or 579.

(c) The fame p. 629, or 630.

(d) Si vero Apoftoli quidam integrum evangelium contulerunt, de fola convictus inæqualitate reprehenfi, Pfeudapoftoli autem veritatem eorum interpolarunt, et inde funt noftra digefta: quod erit germanum illud Apoftolorum inftrumentum, quod adulteros paffum eft? Adver. Marc. l. 4. cap. 3. p. 504. B.

(e) Sed homines gloriæ, ut diximus, et eloquentiæ folius libidinofi, fi quid in fanctis offenderunt digeftis, exinde regeftum pro inftituto curiofitatis ad propria verterunt. Apol. cap. 47. p. 41. B.

Elegi ad compendium Varronis opera, qui rerum divinarum ex omnibus retro digeftis commentatus, idoneum se nobis fcopum expofuit. Ad Nation. 1. 2. cap. i. p. 64. C.

(3) Ευαγγέλιον δὲ τὸ κήρυγμα προσηγόρευσεν, ὡς πολλῶν ἀγαθῶν ὑπισχνύμενον χορηγίαν. Ευαγγελίζεται γὰρ τὰς τὰ θεῖ καταλλαγὰς, τὴν τῷ διαβόλο κατάλυ σιν, τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὴν ἄφεσιν, τὸ θανάτε τὴν παῦλαν, τῶν νεκρῶν τὴν ἀνάρας σιν, τὴν ζωὴν τὴν ἄιωνιον, τὴν βασιλέιαν τῶν ὐρανῶν. In ep. ad Rom. T.3.2.10.Β.

"furance of many good things. For it proclaims peace with God, the "overthrow of Satan, the remiffion of fins, the abolishing of death, the "refurrection of the dead, eternal life, and the kingdom of heaven."

Says St. Matthew iv. 23. And Jefus went about all Galilee, teaching in their fynagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. Kai xnguoow To εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας Mark xiii. 1o. And the gopel [τὸ εὐαγγέλιον] must first be preached to all nations. Ch. xvi. 15. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Kngugate to svayyériov. It is called the word of truth, the gospel of our falvation. Epi. i. 13. And in like manner, in other places.

But by gospel, when ufed by us concerning the writings of the Evangelifts, we mean the hiftorie of Chrift's preaching, and miracles. The word feems alfo to be fo ufed by St. Mark i. 1. The beginning of the gospel of Jefus Christ. Which may be understood, and paraphrafed thus: "Here (A) begins the Hiftorie of the life and doctrine of Jefus Chrift, "the Son of God, and Saviour of mankind." The

2.

St. Luke, referring to the book of his Gofpel, fays: Acts i. 1. former treatife have I made, o Theophilus, of all that Jefus began to do and teach, until the day in the which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghoft had given commandments unto the Apostles, whom he had chofen. But St. Luke, as it seems, there puts the principal part for the whole. For he has therein writ alfo the hiftorie of our Lord's miraculous birth, and divers extraordinarie events attending it: and likewise the historie of the birth of John the Baptift, and divers circumftances of it, and his preaching and death.

In this fenfe the word Gospel is frequently understood by us. A Gofpel is the hiftorie of Jefus Chrift, his doctrine, miracles, refurrection, and afcenfion: not excluding the hiftorie of his fore-runner, who (B) also is faid to have breached the gospel, that is, the doctrine of the gospel, or the kingdom of God.

ine Gofpel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, is the hiftorie of Jesus Christ, as writ by those several Evangelists.

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(A) That is Dr. Clarke's Paraphrafe. But I am fenfible, it will not be allowed by all. Oecumenius fays, that by gospel Mark does not intend his own writing, but Chrift's preaching. Μάρκο, ἀρχὴ, φησί, τῇ ἐυαγγέλιο ἰησᾶ χρισὲ ἀλλὰ ἐ τὴν ἑαυτὸ συγγραφὴν καλεῖ ἐυαγγέλιον, ἀλλὰ τὸ τῆ χρισε κήρυγ

μα,

Oecum. in Act. Ap. He proceeds to fay, that the faithful afterwards called the writings of the Evangelifts Gospels, as truly containing the gospel, that is, the doctrine of Chrift. See Vol. xi. p. 413.

(B) Matt. iii. 1. 2. In those days came John the Baptift, preaching in the wilderneffe of Judea, and Saying: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Compare Mark i. 4. Luke iii. 1. 2. And fays St. Luke iii. 18. And many ether things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. Πολλὰ μὲν ἦν καὶ ἕτερα παρακαλῶν, ἐιηγγελίζετο τὸν λαόν. Which may be literally rendered thus: -And exhorting many other like things, he evangelized [or preached the gospel to] the -people.

CHAP.

CHA P. II.

General Obfervations upon the Canon of the New Teftament.

1. ****HE canonical books of the New Teftament, received by Christians in this part of the world, are the Four Gospels, the

Acts of the Apoftles, Fourteen Epiftles of St. Paul, Seven
Catholic Epiftles, and the Revelation

II. There may be different canons of the New Testament among Christians.

Indeed, there have been in former times, and ftill are, different fentiments among Chriftians, concerning the number of books to be receiv ed as canonical. The (a) canon of the Syrian churches is not the same Jerome tells us, that (b) in his time fome of the Latins reject ed the epiftle to the Hebrews, and fome of the Greeks the book of the Revelation. From Chryfoftom's works we perceive, that (c) he did not receive the second epiftle of St. Peter, nor the fecond and third of St. John, nor the epiftle of St. Jude, nor the Revelation. And there is reason to think, that (d) Theodoret's canon likewife was much the fame with Chryfoftom's, and that of the churches in Syria. Nevertheless, we have obferved in the course of this work, that about the fame time the Egyptians, and the Chriftians in divers other parts of the world, had the fame number of canonical books, that we have.

But to come nearer our own time. Calvin (e) Grotius (f) Le Clerc (g) Philip Limborch (h) and some other learned moderns, have not admitted the epiftle to the Hebrews to have been writ by St. Paul: though (i) they were willing to allow it to be the work of an apoftolical man, and a valuable part of facred fcripture. But I cannot fay, that they were in the right in fo doing. For it appears to me to have been a maxim of the ancient Chriftians, not to receive any doctrinal or preceptive writing, as of authority, unless it were known to be the work of

(a) See Vol. ix. p. 221.
(b) Vol. x. p. 122. 123.
(d) Vol. xi. p. 88. 89. 91.

Vol. xi. p. 270... 275.
(c) The fame. p. 341.

an

(e) Ego ut Paulum agnofcam auctorem, adduci nequeo. Calvin. argum. in ep. ad Hebr.

(f) Facillima refutatu eft poftrema hæc opinio, ideo quod Paulinæ epistolæ inter fe fint germanæ, pari charactere ac dicendi modo: hæc vero manifefte ab iis difcrepet, felectiores habens voces Græcas, leniufque fluens, non autem fracta brevibus incifis, ac salebrofa..... Grot. Prooem. in ep. ad Hebr.

(g) Hift. Ec. Ann. 69. p. 455... 461.

(b) Prolegom. in ep. ad Hebr.

() Hifce argumentis utrinque attente expenfis dicendum videtur, Paulum epiftolæ hujus fcriptorem non videri., Quis vero illius fcriptor fit, incertum eft. Alii eam Lucæ, alii Barnabæ, alii Clementi adfcribunt. . . Interim divinam hujus epiftolæ autoritatem agnofcimus, multifque aliis, quas ab Apoftolis effe fcriptas, conftat, ob argumenti quod tractat præftantiam præferendam judicamus. Limb. ibid. Vid. et Calvin, ubi fupra.

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