13. His gospel, he says, was written at Rome, at the request of the believers there. At the beginning of his work he says, that many had written Commentaries upon the gospels of Matthew and John, a few only upon Luke's, none at all upon Mark's; which determined him to attempt it. Thus he bears testimony to the four gospels. He has also quotations of the Acts, several of St. Paul's epistles, particularly that to the Hebrews, the epistle of James, and the first of Peter. A. D. 401.

Ch. CXXIII. Innocent bishop of Rome has a catalogue of the books of the Old and New Testament, which were in the canon, and is exactly the same as ours. A. D. 402.

Ch. CXXIV. Paulinus was bishop of Nola in Italy. His works abound with quotations or allusions to texts of scripture. He says, John wrote the last of the four evangelists; and he extols the beginning of his gospel as confuting all heretics: he celebrates St. Luke as a physician for soul and body, and ascribes to him two books, unquestionably meaning his gospel, and the Acts. He has quoted all St. Paul's epistles, particularly that to the Hebrews: he likewise frequently quotes the epistle of St. James, the first of St. Peter, the first of St. John, and the Revelation. A. D. 403.

Ch. CXXV. Pelagius wrote a Commentary upon all St. Paul's epistles, excepting that to the Hebrews: he quotes also the Acts, the epistle of James, both the epistles of Peter, and the Revelation. He expresses the greatest regard for the authority of the scriptures, and recommends the reading them to all. A. D. 405.

Ch. CXXVI. Prudentius, an elegant Latin poet of an honourable family in Spain, refers to the gospels, the Acts, and other books of the New Testament, particularly the Revelation of John the apostle and evangelist. A. D. 405.

Ch. CXXVII. Palladius, friend of Chrysostom, and author of a dialogue concerning his life, freely quotes the gospels, the Acts, and St. Paul's epistles. He seems to have received all the catholic epistles; but whether he received the Revelation does not appear. A. D. 408.

Ch. CXXVIII. Nonnus, of Panopolis in Egypt, wrote in Greek verse a paraphrase of St. John's gospel, still extant. A. D. 410.

Ch. CXXIX. Isidorus, of Pelusium in Egypt, a man of good judgment, and exemplary virtue, and a polite and agreeable writer, often quotes with great respect the four gospels, the book of the Acts, which he ascribes to St. Luke, all St. Paul's epistles, divers of the catholic epistles; and seems to have had the same canon of the New Testament

with us. He justifies the plain and familiar style of the scriptures, as most conducive to the edification and salvation of men of all conditions. A. D. 412.

Ch. CXXX. Cyril, bishop of Alexandria, his native city, received all the books of the New Testament which we do, and no other as of authority. He commends all the evangelists but speaks of John as superior to the rest. He recommends the studying of the scriptures, and says, that from the holy prophets, apostles, and evangelists, we may learn how to attain to piety, and secure to ourselves true peace of mind.' A. D. 412.

Ch. CXXXI. Theodoret, native of Antioch, bishop of Cyrus in Syria, a man of extensive learning, and a fine writer, author of Commentaries upon most of the books of the Old Testament, and divers other works, received the four gospels, the Acts, which he ascribes to St. Luke, St. Paul's fourteen epistles, upon which he wrote Commentaries; the epistle of James, the first of Peter, and the first of John; but there is no clear proof that he received the other catholic epistles, or the Revelation; insomuch that there is reason to think that his canon of the New Testament was that of the Syrian christians. He has digested St. Paul's epistles according to the order of time in which they were written. The general titles and divisions of scripture used by him are these: gospels, prophets, and apostles; the books of the sacred gospels, the writings of 'the holy apostles, and the oracles of the thrice blessed prophets; evangelists and apostles, the prophets, and Moses the chief of the prophets.' He recommends the reading and studying them; and shows the benefit of so doing. This learned author vindicates the popular style of the scriptures, and admirably represents, and expatiates upon, the swift progress and wonderful success of the gospel, in converting men in great numbers, in almost every part of the world, from idolatry and vice; which had been effected, not by arms and legions of soldiers, but by the preaching of Christ's apostles, destitute of worldly supports, and undergoing many difficulties and discouragements. A. D. 423.

Ch. CXXXII. John Cassian quotes not only the four gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and other books of the New Testament universally received by catholic christians; but likewise the epistle to the Hebrews as Paul's, the epistle of James, the second of Peter, the epistle of Jude, and the Revelation: whence we may conclude, that he received all the books of the New Testament which we receive;

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which is worthy of observation. Cassian, who had been in Egypt and Palestine, and at Constantinople, as well as in the western part of the Roman empire, did not follow the peculiar opinion of any of those places, but received all those books of the New Testament which appeared to have been received upon good ground by christians. These he quotes as of authority, and with tokens of great respect. A. D. 424.

Ch. CXXXIII. Eutherius was bishop of Tyana, in Cappadocia. In the little that remains of him the books of the New Testament are often quoted, particularly the beginning of St. John's gospel, the Acts, and the epistle to the Hebrews, as St. Paul's. He has two remarkable arguments or discourses; one against such as judged of principles by the multitude of those who embraced them; the other against some who discouraged the reading the scriptures. Ă. D. 431.

Ch. CXXXIV. Prosper of Aquitain, by some said to have been a bishop, by others reckoned more probably a layman, quotes not only the gospels, and the Acts, and other books of the New Testament universally received; but likewise the epistle to the Hebrews, the epistle of James, the second of Peter, and the Revelation. He expressly rejects the book of Hermas as of no authority. A. D. 434.

Ch. CXXXV. Works ascribed to Prosper. All the books of the New Testament seem to have been received by the authors of these several works. In one of them, entitled, Of the Calling of the Gentiles, the epistles of St. Peter are quoted as written to Gentile christians; and in another, entitled, Of the Divine Promises and Predictions, written by an African, the second epistle of the same apostle is quoted as written to Gentiles. A. D. 434.

Ch. CXXXVI. Vincentius Lirinensis, or Vincent, monk and presbyter of the monastery of Lerins, an island on the south coast of France, wrote a Memoir or Commonitorium for the catholic faith, against the novelties of all heretics. He says, that he who would avoid the errors of heretics and be preserved in the right faith should secure himself by this twofold method; first, by the authority of the di'vine law, and then by the tradition of the catholic church;' upon which doctrine divers remarks have been made by us: and it appears from himself to have been a general opinion, that the scripture is perfect, and abundantly sufficient,' for all the purposes of a rule. He seems to have received all the books of the New Testament that we do, except the epistle to the Hebrews, which may be questioned. He lets

us know, that heretics received the same scriptures with the catholics; and that they quoted them much in their discourses and writings, even the law, the prophets, the gos'pels, and the apostles.' A. D. 434.

Ch. CXXXVII. Eucherius, bishop of Lyons in Gaul. It appears from the quotations of scripture in his remaining works, that he received all the books of the New Testament which are now received by us. A. D. 434.

Ch. CXXXVIII. Cæcilius Sedulius, presbyter, a man of great ingenuity, published two works, one in verse, the other in prose, both having the same design; and each exhibiting, in the former part, the most remarkable things of the Old Testament, and in the latter the history of our Saviour, taken from the four gospels. A. D. 434.

Ch. CXXXIX. In a later age, another Sedulius, of Ireland as it seems, a man well skilled in the Greek language, published in Latin a Commentary upon St. Paul's fourteen epistles, collected out of Origen, Jerom, and other ancient writers. That Commentary affords many useful observations, divers of which have been selected by us. The author received all the books of the New Testament, the Revelation in particular. A. D. 818.

Ch. CXL. Leo, bishop of Rome, received all the books of the New Testament which are now received by us. He says, This is the cause of errors and heresies, that men follow their own fancies, and attend not as they ought to the doctrine of the prophets, apostles, and evangelists.' Again: The Holy Ghost instructs us in the law, the prophets, the gospels, and the apostles.' Once more: 'What reason can there be, why we should receive what is not taught by the law or the prophets, the evangelists or 'apostles? Here we see it was then the prevailing sentiment of christians in general, that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the only rule of faith. For other things I refer to the chapter itself. A. D. 440.

Ch. CXLI. Salvian, presbyter of Marseilles, a very agreeable writer, seems to have received all the books of the New Testament; for beside the gospels and the book of the Acts, often and largely quoted by him, he quotes the epistle to the Hebrews, the epistle of James, the second of Peter, and the Revelation. His general divisions of the sacred scriptures are such as these: First the law, then the prophets, thirdly the gospel, fourthly the apostles; the Old and New Testament; the prophets, the apostles, the gospels' and the like: and he bears witness, that they who were called heretics received the same scriptures

that other christians did, the same prophets, the same apostles and evangelists. A. D. 440.

Ch. CXLII. Euthalius, at first deacon at Alexandria, afterwards bishop of Sulca in Egypt, published an edition of St. Paul's epistles, and afterwards an edition of the Acts of the Apostles, and the seven catholic epistles, having first compared them with the exact copies in the library of Cæsarea in Palestine. All the books of the New Testament were at first written by the apostles and evangelists in one continued tenor, without any sections or chapters. In the year 396, some learned christian, whose name is not known, divided St. Paul's epistles into chapters or lessons: these Euthalius made use of in his own edition of the same epistles, adding some other lesser sections or subdivisions. This he is supposed to have done about the year 458. Afterwards, in the year 490, he published an edition of the Acts of the Apostles, and the seven catholic epistles; now dividing these also into lessons, chapters, and verses, which had never been done before; and to the several parts of this work he prefixed a prologue. As Euthalius confined his labours to those parts of the New Testament, it may be argued that the Revelation was not publicly read in the churches at Alexandria; though it might be received as sacred scripture. There are divers other things observable in that chapter, but they cannot be repeated here.

Ch. CXLIII. Dionysius, falsely called the Areopagite, author of divers works, has a catalogue of the books of the Old and New Testament, very agreeable to what is the present canon. He received the Revelation: and it is probable, that he thought St. John's gospel to be the last written book of the New Testament; it being mentioned last, and next after the Revelation. A. D. 490.

Ch. CXLIV. Gennadius presbyter of Marseilles, beside the other scriptures, received the Revelation as a writing of John the apostle and evangelist. A. D. 494.

Ch. CXLV. Gelasius bishop of Rome has a catalogue of the books of the Old and New Testament; that of the New is exactly the same as ours. Having recited these catalogues, it is added, that upon the prophetical, evangelical, 'and apostolical scriptures, the catholic church is built by * the grace of God.' Afterwards follows an enumeration of many ecclesiastical writings, which are allowed to be read as conducive to edification; and then a long catalogue of apocryphal books, which are rejected. All which is of use to show, that the books now received by us as canonical, are of a superior character to all others; and that none beside