MR. B.

The last writer necessary to be mentioned is Irenæus, who was of Greek origin, and probably born before the conclusion of the first century. We have his testimony to the four Gospels, to the Acts of the Apostles, to the Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, and Titus, duly ascribed to their reputed author. He has no quotations from the Epistle to Philemon, probably from the same cause which in other cases prevented it; and none from that to the Hebrews, for which we have a sufficient reason; for those against whom he wrote were members of the Latin church, which had not then admitted it, and he consequently could not adduce its authority against them. He also quotes the Epistle of St. James, both the Epistles of St. Peter, and the 1st and 2d of St. John. The last of St. John, and that of St. Jude, he does not quote, apparently from not requiring them in the controversies in which he was engaged. Lastly, as was before mentioned, he gives the fullest testimony to the book of Revelation, composed by St. John, the apostle and evangelist.

EDWARD.

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

MR. B.

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 Their works only enable us to prove the existence of material portions of the books in question; for they do not quote them as the writers already considered were in the habit of doing; so that there are but very few of the books whose authority can be established by them, as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

EDWARD.

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

MR. B.

We may; and beginning with the last, we have seen that it was then universally received as of Divine authority, because the various parts had previously, in the second period, been generally so received and the whole of the testimony adduced gives this reason only for its parts having been so received, viz. because they were genuine, i. e., really written by the persons whose names they bear.

H

EDWARD.

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

MR. B.

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

BEATRICE.

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

MR. B.

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

BEATRICE.

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

CONVERSATION VII.

BEATRICE.

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

MR. B.

The means by which we are enabled to do this consist in the quotations of these writings, the versions which have been made of them, and the numerous manuscripts which are yet extant.

EDWARD.

Is there so much of the New Testament in quotations as certainly to identify the books we have with those which we know were received as of authority?

MR. B.

Abundantly so. Speaking of Tertullian, Lardner

says,

"There are perhaps more and larger quotations of the small volume of the New Testament in this one Christian author than of all the works of Cicero, though of so uncommon excellence for thought and style, in the writers of all characters for several ages. And there is a like number of quotations of the New Testament in St. Irenæus and St. Clement of Alexandria, both writers of the second century."-Vol. iii. p. 435. 4to ed.

In later times, with the increase of Christian

writers, we have of course a corresponding increase of quotations from the sacred writings; and by all these, we are enabled fully to ascertain the fact, that the books we regard as sacred were, in all respects, the same as those which were then esteemed of divine authority.

BEATRICE.

But are there quotations in the apostolic fathers also?

MR. B.

There are. The names of the apostolic fathers are Barnabas, Clement of Rome, Hermas, Ignatius, and Polycarp; and though it is not certain that all the works usually ascribed to these are really genuine, of their great antiquity there can be no doubt; and the passages of the New Testament found in their writings are thus fully attested to have been at that early period received as of authority. Now out of these five, all of them quote the Gospel of St. Matthew, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistle to the Romans, both Epistles to the Corinthians, the Epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians, Hebrews, the Second Epistle to Timothy, and the First Epistle of St. Peter; four quote the Gospel of St. Luke, the Epistle to the Philippians, and the First Epistle to the Thessalonians; three quote the Gospel of St. Mark, the Epistle to the Colossians, the Second Epistle of St. Peter, and the First Epistle of St. John; two quote the Gospel of