over to Montanism, about the end of the second

century.

Tischendorf says, the opponents of Montanism rejected the Gospel of John.'

Epiphanius mentions the Pepuzians, a sect of Montanists, who permitted women to baptize.2

TATIAN.-A. D. 170.

Tatian was by birth an Assyrian. He was converted by Justin Martyr, but afterward became a Gnostic, a follower of Marcion. He joined the Encratites, and has been considered by some as the founder of that sect.

His Oration against the Greeks is still extant. It contains no mention of any of the canonical gospels. Some writers claim there are passages parallel with those gospels. They consist of the sayings of Christ, and the better opinion appears to be, that they were taken from the Gospel of the Hebrews.

THE GOSPEL OR HARMONY OF TATIAN.

There is a Harmony of the Gospels attributed to Tatian. It is sometimes called, "The Gospel of Tatian."

The work is first heard of in Eusebius, who says,

"Tatian, however, their former chief, having put together a certain amalgamation and collection, I know not how, of the Gospels, named this the Diatessaron; which even now is current with some." -[ Ecc. Hist. 4. 29.

(1.) Origin of the Four Gospels, p. 123.

(2.) Hæer. 49. 2.

The next reference to the Gospel of Tatian is by Epiphanius. He says:

"It is said that he (Tatian) composed the Gospel by Four, which is called by some the Gospel of the Hebrews."-[Hær. 46. 1.

It does not appear that either of these writers had seen any such gospel. They wrote from hearEpiphanius as to the

say; and the statement of

name of the gospel, is no doubt based upon the passage in Eusebius.

The third writer is Theodoret. He says:

"He (Tatian) also composed the gospel which is called the Diatessaron, excising the genealogies, and all the other parts which declare that the Lord was born of the seed of David, according to the flesh. This was used, not only by his own sect, but also by those who held the apostolic doctrines, who did not perceive the evil of the composition, but made use of the book in simplicity, on account of its conciseness. I found, myself, upwards of two hundred such books held in honor among your churches, and collecting them all together, I had them put aside, and instead, introduced the Gospels of the Four Evangelists." [Haeret. Fab. 1. 20.

The next century, Victor of Capua, referring to Tatian's Gospel, called it "Diapente;" "The Gospel by Five."

I

Such is the evidence concerning the Gospel or Harmony of Tatian. Let us attempt to analyze it:

Epiphanius only states, that it was then said that he (Tatian) composed the Gospel by Four; and immediately adds that it was called by some the Gospel of the Hebrews. This was about A. D. 385. Half a century later, Theodoret asserts that it was

(1.) Fabricius, Cod, N. T. 1, p. 378.

then called the Diatessaron, and states something about its composition.

Independently of Eusebius, then, it only appears that in the fourth and fifth centuries it was called the Diatessaron, and in the sixth, the Diapente.

But Eusebius says that Tatian himself called it the Diatessaron. This is not the first statement of Eusebius tending to give an early date to the canonical gospels, in which he is unsupported by earlier authorities.

The importance of the question renders it necessary to examine into the credibility of this witness, and to endeavor to ascertain whether his unsupported statement may be relied upon.

ject will be treated in the next chapter.

This sub

In the mean time, there is a circumstance disclosed, which in itself goes strongly to rebut the presumption that Tatian made use of the four gospels.

It appears from the testimony of Theodoret himself, that he felt under the necessity of suppressing this gospel, though it was held in high respect, and two hundred were in use in the churches which he visited.

The fact that Theodoret felt obliged to suppress it, is inconsistent with the theory that it was a harmony of the four gospels, and throws suspicion upon a statement made manifestly for the purpose of supporting such an inference.

(See Note III.)

СНАРТER

XXIII.

VALUE OF THE TESTIMONY OF EUSEBIUS.

THE ESTIMATE OF FRIENDLY WRITERS.

Those who are disposed to take the most favorable view of this historian, hold him in low repute as a chronicler of facts.

"The great fault of Eusebius," says canon Westcott, "is a want of independent judgment. He writes under the influence of the last informant, and consequently his narrative is often confused and inconsistent. This is the case, in some degree, with his statements on the canon."--[Canon, p. 283.] He believes it possible, however, to ascertain his real judgment on the question.

Jones charges him with being too credulous, and thinks he was imposed upon, in the correspondence between Christ and Abgarus, or else that the correspondence had been interpolated into the history of Eusebius. The historian affirms, that he found the letters written in the Syriac language, in the public records of the city of Edessa, and that he himself translated them into Greek. The letters are very generally discredited, as well as the statements of Eusebius concerning them.

(1.) Jones, vol. 2, p. 18.

"No one," says Scaliger, speaking of Eusebius, "has contributed more to Christian history, and no one is guilty of more mistakes.""

HIS FALSEHOODS AND FORGERIES.

The statements of this historian are made, not only carelessly and blunderingly, but in many instances, in falsification of the facts of history.

Not only the most unblushing falsehoods, but literary forgeries of the vilest character, darken the pages of his apologetic and historical writings.

His misstatements made for the purpose of bringing into disrepute the Gospel of Peter and other writings of the first century, have already been noticed.

As the greater includes the less, we will not stop to consider the countless other merely false statements to be found in his works, but will proceed at once to some of the forgeries of which he has been convicted.

FORGERIES ON JOSEPHUS.

One of the most notorious of these, is in the account of the death of Herod Agrippa.

In the 12th chapter of Acts, it is stated that Herod, while sitting upon his throne, arrayed in royal apparel, and as the people were shouting and calling him a god, was smitten by the angel of the

(1.) Elench. Trihær. c. 29. See also, Father Maimberg's Hist. of Arianism, in French, Tom. 1, 1. 1, p. 32; and Valesius' Life of Eusebius, prefixed to his Ecclesiastical History.