THE CONCLUSIO:n\ 211 



has mentioned them, indeed; but how? Not Dy way of 

 approbation, but to show that they were of httle or no 

 value, and that they never were received by the sounder 

 part of Christians." Now, if with this, which is advanced 

 after the most minute and diUgent examination, we comparn 

 what the same cautious writer had before said of our re- 

 ceived Scriptures, "that in the works of three only of th»', 

 above-mentioned fathers, there are more and larger quota- 

 tions of the small volume of the New Testament than of 

 all the w^orks of Cicero in the writings of all characters for 

 several ages ;" and if with the marks of obscurity or con- 

 demnation which accompanied the mention of the several 

 apocryphal Christian writings, when they happened to be 

 mentioned at all, we contrast what Dr. Lardner's work com- 

 pletely and in detail makes out concernnig the writings 

 which we defend, and what, having so made out, he thought 

 himself authorized in his conclusion to asse^^., that these 

 books were not only received from the beginning, but re- 

 ceived with the greatest respect ; have been publicly and 

 solemnly read in the assemblies of Christian? throughout 

 the world, in every age from that time to this ; early trans- 

 lated into the languages of divers countries and people ; 

 commentaries written to explain and illustrate them ; quoted 

 by way of proof in all arguments of a religious nature ; rec 

 ommended to the perusal of unbelievers, as containing the 

 authentic account of the Christian doctrine : when we 

 attend, I say, to this representation, we perceive in it not 

 only full proof of the early notoriety of these books, but a 

 clear and sensible hne of discrimination, which separate.* 

 these from the pretensions of any others. 



The epistles of St. Paul stand particularly free of any 

 doubt or confusion that might arise from this source. Until 

 the conclusion of the fourth century, no intimation appears 

 of any attempt w^hatever being made to counterfeit these 

 writings ; and then it appears only of a single and obs(5uro 

 instance. Jerome, who flourished in the year 392, has this 



