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Churches, where the Apoftles had before laid the Foundation, and preaching the Faith of Chrift in Places, that had never heard of it before; who carried the Copies of the Gofpels to all the Churches, whither they went, and, not improbably, took along with them other Parts of the New Teftament befides, because they were own'd and admitted every where foon after. Tertullian, who flourish'd at the end of the fecond Century, tells us exprefsly, that the Law and the Prophets, the Gospels and apoftolick Writings, were the Books, from whence we were to learn our Faith ; and, that we may know what he meant by apoftolick Writings, he appeals, as occafion offers, not only to the four Gofpels, but to the Acts of the Apoftles, to all the Epiftles of St. Paul, (except that to the Hebrews,) to the first of St. Peter, and the firft of St. John, as the Writings of the Perfons, to whom they are ascribed. Nay, Irenæus, P who liv'd before him, and convers'd (as himfelf tells us) with Polycarp, and others, that had been inftructed by the Apoftles, and immediate Disciples of our Lord, mentions the Code of the New Teftament, as well as of the Old, and calls

De Præfcrip. Heret. c. 36. P Vid. Richardsen's Canon of the New Teftament vindicated.

calls the one, as well as the other, the Oracles of God, and Writings dictated by his Word and Spirit. And what wonder indeed, if the firft Fathers of the Church did fo, when we find the greateft Adverfaries of the Chriftian Name, even a Julian and Celfus, acknowledging their Genuineness, by quoting their Words, and referring us to them upon all Occafions.

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We readily grant indeed, that the Why Authority of the Epiftle to the Hebrews, fome the second of St. Peter, the second and were at third of St. John, and the Epiftles of first ques St. James, and St. Jude, and of the find. Book of the Revelation, were, at first, doubted of; but for this many good Reasons may be alledg'd. The Epiftle to the Hebrews had no Name prefix'd to it, which St. Paul, out of a Principle of Modefty, might do, as not seeming to affume the Office of an Apoftle to the Hebrews, which was St. Peter's immediate Province, but for this Reason it went under some Sufpicion of not being his. The second Epiftle of St. Peter was thought to differ in Stile from the first; that of St. James, to maintain the Doctrine of Faith and good Works, contrary to St. Paul to the Romans; and E 2

Vid. Cyril Alex. contra Juli. L. 10. Mart. Dial.

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that of St. Jude to quote a Paffage from an Apocryphal Book, (call'd the Apocalyps of Enoch,) for which Causes they might, for fome time, be rejected. The fecond and third Epiftles of St. John were too much levelled against the Hereticks of that Age, not to provoke their Endeavours to hinder their Reception; and the Book of Revelation contain'd fome Things, which aim'd fo directly at Rome and the Empire, that it might not be thought prudent, at firft, to admit it into the Canon.

Befides this, fome of thefe Books were fo fhort, and others fo obfcure, as made it improper for them to be read in publick Affemblies, which, together with their being omitted in the Syriack Verfion, in thofe Days, in great Vogue and Efteem, might give fome particular Perfons (for they were never call'd in Question by any Council) an Umbrage of Sufpicion; which the Distance of the Places, whereunto they were fent, making theirTranfmiffion to other Churches, (especially in times of Perfecution,) ex

tremely difficult, might be a means to Allow'd improve. But, even while they lay to be ge- under this Cenfure from particular Pernuine by fome Fa- fons, fome of the greatest Names in thers of Antiquity gave them their Sanction. greatest

Note.

Fenkin's Reasonableness, Vol. 2.

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St. Paul's Epiftles to the Hebrews is mention'd by Clemens Romanus, in his firft Epiftle, which was it felf of fuch Authority, as to be read in the Church. The fecond of St. Peter and that of St. James are cited by the fame Author, not verbatim indeed, but under the Title of a Prophefy, because both the Apoftles foretel what is to befal those, who live not according to their Exhortations. That of St. Jude is afcrib'd to him by Clemens Alexandrinus; the second and third of St. John by Irenæus and Tertullian; who, together with Juftin Martyr, acknowledges his Revelation to be genuine.

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Nor can it in the leaft diminish the And adCredit and Authority of the New Tefta- mitted ment, to alledge, that the firft Recog- Canon nition of its controverted Books, was fooner, by the Council of Laodicea, 330 Years pretendafter our Lord's Afcenfion; fince it is ed. plain, that the Bufinefs of that Council was, to declare, not fo much which were the authentick Books of Scripture, as which were not: The growth of heretical Books having made it neceffary then, though not before, for the better Information of the People, to distinguish the true from the falfe. For that the true were known long before this Council

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Council made their Declaration, manifeft from the 59th Canon, which appoints, that no Books, which were extra Canonem, i. c. none, but fuch as were Canonical, fhould be read Christian Affemblies; which title of Canonical they had, because they were inferted in the Apoftles Canons, and the Apoftles Canons, according to the Opinion of the beft Criticks, were the Canons of Councils, affembled before the Council of Nice, because we find them referr'd to in that Council; and were very probably ftiled Apoftolical, because they were made by Men, who liv'd next to the Apostles Days, and who declar'd, in thofe Canons, what they had received from them.

But allowing thefe difputed Books late Ad- to be of later Admittance, than we have given them,, yet the only juft Inference ment for that we can deduce from thence, is, That fince thefe Books were not every where admitted upon their firft appearing, this fhews that the Church did not proceed rafhly and carelessly in the Affair; and fince they were every where admitted afterward, this fhews, that upon Examination, clear Proof and Evidence was found of their Genuineness; and accordingly they have ever fince been join'd,

Jenkin's Reafonablenefs, Vol. 2.

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