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thofe words of Paul, 2 Tim. iv. 13. The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comeft, bring with thee, and the books, à Bienia. For he believed, that thereby the ancient Chriftians understood the facred code. But he afterwards acknowledgeth, that he had not found any inftance of that interpretation in ancient writers. It feems to me therefore, that this conjecture fhould be dropt, as deftitute of foundation: and that it should be better for us to adhere to the forementioned origin of this name, which appears to have in it a good deal of probability. III. Canon is originally a Greek word, fignifying a rule or ftandard, by which other things are to be examined and judged. As the writings of the Prophets and Apoftles and Evangelifts contain an authentic account of the revealed will of God, they are the rule of the belief and practice of those who receive them.

Canon

Sometimes canon feems equivalent to a lift or catalogue, in which are inferted those books, which contain the rule of faith.

Du Pin fays, "This (b) word fignifies not only a law or rule, but "likewife a table, catalogue, lift. Some have fuppofed, that the cano"nical books were so called, because they are the rule of the faith. But แ though it be true, that they are the rule of our faith; yet the reason of "their being called canonical, is, because they are placed in the cata"logue of facred books.”

Perhaps, there is no need to difpute about this. For there is no great difference in thofe two fenfes. And there may be paflages of ancient writers, where it would be difficult to determine, which of them is intended.

St. Paul has twice used the word canon, or rule. Gal. vi. 16. As many as walk according to this rule. Upon which verfe Theodoret's comment is to this purpose: "He (i) calls the forementioned doctrine a rule, "as being ftrait, and having nothing wanting, nor fuperfluous." Again, fays St. Paul, Philip. iii. 16. Whereunto we have already attained, let us walk according to the fame rule. Where he fpeaks of the doctrine of the gofpel in general, or of fome particular maxim of it: not of any books, containing the rule of faith. However, his ufe of the word may have been an occafion of affixing that denomination to the books of scripture. For it is of great antiquity among Chriftians.

Iraneus, fpeaking of the fcriptures, as the words of God, calls (k) them the rule, or canon of truth. Here canon is not a catalogue, but the books, or the doctrine contained in the books of fcripture.

Clement of Alexandria, referring to a quotation of the Gospel according

to

(b) Le mot fignifie non feulement une loi, une regle, mais auffi une table, un catalogue, une lifte.... Quelques-uns ont cru, que les livres canoniques étoient ainfi appellez, parcequ'ils font la regle de la foi. Mais quoique cela foit vrai, ce n'eft pas ce qui leur a fait donner le nom de canoniques, qu'ils n'ont que parceque l'on a nommé canon le catalogue des livres facrez. Diff Prelim. 1. 1. ch. 1. § ii.

(1) Κανόνα ἐκάλεσε τὴν προκειμένην διδασκαλίαν, ὡς εὐθύτης κοσμεμένην, και μήτε ἐλλείπων τὶ μήτε περιτὸν ἔχεσαν. Theod. in loc.

(4) Nos autem unum et folum verum Deum doctorem fequentes, et regulam veritatis habentes ejus fermones, de iifdem femper eadem dicimus omnes. Iren. l. 4. c. 35. al. 69. f. p. 277•

to the Egyptians, fays with indignation: "But (1) they who choose to follow any thing, rather than the true Evangelical Canon [or the canon of the Gofpel] infift upon what follows there as faid to Salome." In another place he fays: "The (m) ecclefiaftical canon is the confent "and agreement of the Law and the Prophets with the teftament deli❝vered by the Lord."

Eufebe, as (n) formerly quoted, fays of Origen: " But in the first book "of his Commentaries upon the Gofpel of Matthew, obferving (o) the "ecclefiaftical canon, he declares, that he knew of four Gofpels only." I fhall add a few more pafiages from later writers, chiefly fuch as have been already quoted in the foregoing volumes: to which paffages therefore the reader may eafily have recourse.

Athanafius (p) in his Feftal Epiftles fpeaks of three forts of books, the canonical, the fame which are now received by us, fuch as were allowed to be read, and then of fuch as are apocryphal : by which he means books forged by heretics.

In the Synopfis of Scripture, afcribed to him, but probably not writ till above a hundred years after his time, near the end of the fifth centurie, is frequent mention (q) of canonical and uncanonical books.

The council of Laodicea, about 363, ordains, that (q)" no books, not "canonical, fhould be read in the church, but only the canonical books "of the Old and New Teftament."

Rufin, enumerating the fcriptures of the Old and New Teftament, makes (r) three forts of books, fuch (s) as are included in the canon, fuch as are not canonical, but ecclefiaftical, allowed to be read, but not to be alleged for proof of any doctrine, and lastly, apocryphal books, which were not to be publicly read.

Jerome likewife often speaks of the canon of Scripture, as we saw in his chapter, where he fays: "Ecclefiafticus, (t) Judith, Tobit, and the "Shepherd, are not in the canon:" and " that (u) the Church reads, or "allows to be read, Judith, Tobit, and the Maccabees, but does not re"ceive them among the canonical fcriptures: and that they, and the "books of Wisdom and Ecclefiafticus, may be read for the edification of "the people, but not as of authority, for proving any doctrines." And for the Old Teftament he recommends (x) the true Jewish canon, or Hebrew

(1) See Vol.ii. p. 529. or 527.

(m) Κανὼν δὲ ἐκκλησιασικὸς ἡ συνωδία καὶ ἡ συμφωνία νόμω τε καὶ προφητῶν τῆ καλὰ τὴν τα κυρία παρεσίαν παραδιδομένη διαθήκη. Cl. Strom. l. 6. p. 676. C. (n) Ch. 38. Vol. iii. p. 235.

Ap.

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(α) . . . τὸν ἐκκλησιασικὸν φυλάττων κανόνα. Αρ. Eufeb. 1. 6. c. 25. p. 226. Β. (p) See Vol. iii. p. 228. 229. (g) The fame. p. 243. 245. (a) The fame. p. 291. (r) See Vol. x. p. 187. 188. ) Hæc funt, quæ patres intra canonem concluferunt, & ex quibus fidei noftræ affertiones conftare voluerunt.... Sciendum tamen eft, quod alii libri funt, qui non funt canonici, fed ecclefiaftici a majoribus appellati funt... Quæ omnia legi quidem in ecclefiis voluerunt, non tamen proferri ad auctoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam. Ceteras vero fcripturas apocryphas nominarunt, quas in ecclefiis legi noluerunt. Rufin. citat. ubi fupra p. 185. not. (g) (x)... 52.

(t) Vol. x. p. 41.

(u)...p. 43.

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

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 fcriptures, 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 thofe things were fo. Acts xvii. 11. "What fcriptures, I pray, except the canonical feriptures of the Law and "the Prophets? To them have been fince added the Gofpels, the Epiftles "of Apostles, the Acts of the Apoftles, and the Revelation of John." Of the fuperior authority of the canonical fcriptures to all others, he speaks frequently in paffages afterwards alledged (d) in the fame chapter.

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 reasoning." I refer to another place (g) to the like purpose.

Says Ifidore of Pelufium, about 412. "That (i) these things are so, 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

(z)... p. 193.

Old and New

(a)... p. 207.

Teftament.

it

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

f. 208.

(c)...p.252.

(e) Vol. xii. p. 126.

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

() Ορᾶς, εἰς ὅσιν ατοπίαν ἐκπίπλωσιν οἱ μὴ βαλόμενοι τῷ τῆς θείας γραφῆς και τακολυθείν κανόνι. κ. λ. In Gen. cap. 33. hom. 58. T. 4. p. 566, B.

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

(1) Οτι δὲ ταῦτα ἔτως ἔχει, τὸν κανόνα τῆς ἀληθείας, τας θείας φημὶ γραφάς, καταπλεύσομεν. Iid. ep. 114. l. 4.

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

(1) Ταῦτά ἐςι τὰ κανονιζόμενα βιβλία ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ παλαια και νέα,

tat, ibid. p. 380. not. (e)

Ci

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, representing 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 fpeaking has much prevailed among Chriftians. Melito, Bishop of Sardis, about the year 177. went into the Eaft, 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 (n) the ancient books, and (0) the books of the Old Testament. Eufebe calls it (p) "a catalogue of the acknowledged fcriptures of the Old Teftament." Our Ecclefiaftical Hiftorian elsewhere (9) fpeaks of the feriptures of the New Teftament. I fhall remind my readers of but one inftance 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 use 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 Instrument. And fays, "How (t) large chaims Marcion has made in the "epiftle to the Romans, by leaving out what he pleases, 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 paffage was quoted (x) by

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

(η) Ετι δὲ καὶ μαθεῖν τὴν τῶν παλαιῶν βιβλίων ἐβαλήθης ακριβειαν. κ. το Άρο Eufeb. l. 4. c. 27. p. 148. D.

(2)

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149. A.

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Καὶ ἀκριβῶς μαθὼν τὰ τῆς παλαιας διαθήκης βιβλία.

(p) Ibid. p. 148. D.

(r) The fame. p. 267.

(1) See Vol. viii. p. 197.

(s) See Vol. ii. p. 577

Ib. p.

() Quantas autem foveas in ifta vel maxime epiftola [ad Romanos] Mar'cion fecerit, auferendo que voluit, de noftri inftrumenti integritate patebit. Adv. Marcion. 1. 5. cap. 13. p. 6c1.

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

(x) See Vol. 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 used 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, sur Digeft, in allufion, as it feems, to fome collection of the Roman Laws digefted into order. Those two paffages were cited in the chapter of Tertullian. I now tranfcribe the latter below (d) more at large, it having alfo the word inftrument, as equivalent to the New Tefta ment. He likewife calls the Jewish Scriptures (e) Sacred Digefts. He seems to use the word digeft (f) elfewhere, as equivalent to writing, or work, in general.

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

VII. My chief concern is with the New Teftament, which, as is well known, confifts of Gofpels, the Acts, and Epiftles. The only word, that needs explanation, is the firít.

Gofpel

Gospel is a tranflation of the Greek word ayyiyov, 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 gofpel by way of eminence, as it is the beft tidings that ever were publifhed in this world. Says Theodoret upon Rom. i. 1. "He (g) calls it gospel, as it contains af

"furance

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

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

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

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

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(b) See Vol. i. 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. 1. 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.

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

(8) Ευαγίελιον δὲ τὸ κήρυγμα προσηγόρευσεν, ὥς πολλῶν ἀγαθῶν ὑπισχνόμενον χορηγίαν. Ευαγελίζεται γὰρ τὰς τὸ θεὸ καταλλαγὰς, τὴν τὸ διαβόλως κατάλυσιν, τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὴν ἄφεσιν, τῷ θανάτε τὴν παῦλαν, τῶν νεκρῶν τὴν ἀνάσασιν, τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αιώνιον, τὴν Smashiian Two Bearwy. In ep, ad Rom. T. 3. p. 10. B.

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