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compares the several accounts of the first three evangelists. Moreover, before he published this Comment upon St. Matthew, he had written an explication of St. Luke's gospel.

5. The book of the Acts of the Apostles is often cited in this work, and ascribed to Luke as the writer.

6. The author has quoted all or most of St. Paul's epistles, particularly that to the Hebrews.

Mr. Wetstein says, that" the author of this work was a Latin, and did not receive the epistle to the Hebrews; nevertheless he has plainly quoted it as the apostle's in one place, and referred or alluded to it in another.

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7. He has also quoted the epistle of James several times: he seems to have supposed him to be James, the son of Alpheus, and consequently an apostle of Christ.

8. It is needless to refer to quotations of the first epistle of Peter, which was always received; but it may be worth observing, that he quotes his second epistle.

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9. He has several times quoted the book of the Revelation. 10. This author therefore received all the same books of the New Testament which we do: and his respect for them is manifest.

11. Moreover he says, that as miracles are now ceased,

Jerusalem, tunc scitote, quia appropinquavit desolatio ejus.' Hom. 49. p. 202. B. Vid. et Hom. 50. p. 213. D. E.

Vid Hom. 9. p. 56. C. D.

$ Unde etiam Lucas testatur

de illo, dicens: Primum quidem sermonem feci de omnibus, O Theophile, quæ cœpit Jesus facere et docere.' [Act. i. 1.] Hom. 4. p. 41. C.

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De quo ait apostolus: Vivum est verbum Dei et efficax, &c. [Heb. iv. 12.] Hom. 26. p. 113. B. C. Vid. et Hom. 38. p. 159. D.

" Cæterum Latinus fuit, qui epistolam ad Hebræos non recepit. Prolegom. ad N. T. Tom. i. p. 81. ▾ See note.

Sicut ait Jacobus: Si omnem legem adimpleas, &c. [Cap. ii. 10.] Hom. 35. p. 151. D. Vid. et Hom. 4. p. 41. A. * Item Jacobum Alphæi lapidantes.

Propter quæ omnia Jerusalem

destructa est a Romanis. Hom. 41. p. 174. E.

y Propterea dicit Petrus in epistolâ suâ de scripturarum obscuritate, quia non sicut voluit homo, loquutus est Spiritus, sed sicut voluit Spiritus, ita loquutus est homo. Hom. 44. p. 186. D. Vid. 2 Pet. i. 19-21.

* Quoniam autem tribus annis et sex mensibus protendendum est antichristi regnum, multæ scripturæ significant, maxime tamen in Revelatione suà Joannes. Hom. 49. in Matth. xxiv. p. 203. D. Vid. et Hom. 13. p. 74. C. Hom. 19. p. 90. A. Hom. 52. p. 218. E.

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Et quare jubet in hoc tempore omnes christianos conferre se ad scripturas? Quia in tempore hoc, ex quo obtinuit hæresis illa ecclesias, nulla probatio potest esse veræ christianitatis, neque refugium potest esse christianorum aliud volentium cognoscere fidei veritatem, nisi scripturæ divinæ. Antea enim multis modis ostendebatur, quæ esset ecclesia Christi, et quæ Gentilitas. Nunc autem nullo modo cognoscitur, quæ sit vera ecclesia Christi, nisi tantummodo per scripturas. Volens ergo quis cognoscere, quæ sit vera ecclesia Christi, unde cognoscat in tantà confusione similitudinis, nisi tantummodo per scripturas ?

there is no other way of knowing the truth, but by the scriptures. I transcribe his words below at large.

V. His division of the books of scripture is that, which is common with all christians in general; apostles and prophets. However, he has quoted some christian writings not

in our canon.

1. He has quoted the Recognitions three or four times. 2. He likewise quotes the Constitutions or Canons of the apostles.

3. What regard the author had for these two books does not clearly appear: but I think, that if he had respected them, as of authority, he would have quoted them oftener.

4. He says, That Joseph was absent, when the angel appeared to Mary, as related by Luke i. 26-38; and that this is said in a history, that is not unreasonable, nor incredible; for that was a proper circumstance.' Possibly, he speaks more advantageously of that book than it deserved: nevertheless, he gives it no authority.

5. He intimates, that in some secret or apocryphal books it was written, that Christ baptized John, after he had been baptized of him which, we may suppose, had been collected from words of Matth. iii. 14, 15.

VI. I shall now allege, or refer to, some select passages.

Item antea et per signa cognoscebantur, qui erant veri christiani, et qui falsi. Quomodo? Falsi quidem aut non poterant facere, sicut veri christiani; aut talia non poterant facere, qualia veri christiani-omnem utilitatem habentia. Et per hoc cognoscebantur, qui erant veri christiani, qui falsi. Nunc autem signorum operatio omnino levata est: magis autem et apud eos invenitur, qui falsi sunt christiani, fieri ficta. Hom. 49. p. 204. D. E.

b Hæc est ecclesia-quæ legatos Jesu Christi, id est, apostolos et prophetas, hoc est, scripta eorum, recepit. Hom. 29. p. 204. C.

Sed audi mysterium, quod Petrus apud Clementem exposuit. Hom. 26. p. 115. A.-Hoc et Petrus apud Clementem exponit. Hom. 49. p. 202. B.— Sicut autem Petrus apud Clementem exponit, antichristo etiam plenorum signorum faciendorum est danda potestas. Hom. 49. p. 204. E.-Unde et sapienter Petrus dicit apud Clementem, quomodo debet quis incessanter, quæ Dei sunt, cogitare et loqui. Hom. 51. p. 214. C. D.

d Aliter certe, sicut apostoli interpretantur in libro Canonum qui est de episcopis. Hom. 13. p. 74. Vid. Const. Ap. 1. iii. c. 14.—Quomodo autem quidam sacerdotes ex hominibus ordinantur, manifeste in libro octavo canonum apostolorum dicitur. Hom. 53. p. 221. A. Conf. Const. Ap. 1. viii. cap. 2. Nam sicut historia quædam non incredibilis, neque irrationalis, docet quando gesta sunt quæ refert Lucas, Joseph absens erat. Nec enim conveniens est putare præsente Joseph introisse angelum ad Mariam, ei dixisse quæ dixit, et Mariam respondisse quæcumque respondit. Hom. i. p. 24. D. E. 'Dum autem dicenti Joanni, Ego a te debeo baptizari,' respondit, Modo interim sine,' ostendit, quia postea Christus baptizavit Joannem ; quamvis in secretioribus libris manifeste hoc scriptum sit. Et Joannes quidem baptizavit illum in aquâ, ille autem Joannem in Spiritu. Hom. 4. p. 41. E.

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1. The author well explains our Lord's prohibition, "not to do alms before men, to be seen of them." Matth. vi. 1-4.

2. He largely considers what is implied in loving God with all the heart.'

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3. He shows, what is to be understood by the wedding garment.'

4. He examines the reasons assigned by some, why Jesus Christ is called the Son of God.

5. The ten commandments are handsomely rehearsed by him.

6. He supposeth, thatm Paul was blamable for what he said to the high priest, Acts xxiii. 3.

7. He read 1 Thess. v. 21, as we do.

8. He quotes Josephus.

9. That miraculous powers had ceased in the author's time, may be seen in a passage transcribed above; where he speaks of studying the scriptures, as the only way of knowing which is the true church.

10. This writer has expressions concerning the eucharist, which cannot be reconciled with the modern popish doctrine of transubstantiation.

11. They who are curious, may consult R. Simon, who has an article upon this author, as a commentator.

8 Hom. 13. p. 72. A. B.

I Hom. 41. p. 175. A. B.

1 Hom. 49. p. 205. C. D.

h Hom. 42. p. 181.

* Hom. 40. p. 169. E.

m Item cum Paulus maledixisset sacer

dotem Ananiam, et audisset, quoniam erat sacerdos, pœnitentiâ ductus respondit: Nesciebam, fratres, quia Princeps erat sacerdotum.' Hom. 40. p. 164. C. n Dicit apostolus: Omnia probate. Et quod bonum est tenete. Hom. 44. p. 186. E. • Quales pestilentiæ, et quales fames, et terræ motus, præcesserunt Judæam, antequam Jerusalem caperetur, cognoscere potest, qui Josephum legit. Hom. 48. p. 201. A. P See p. 121. Si ergo hæc vasa sanctificata ad privatos usus transferre sic periculosum est, in quibus non est verum corpus Christi, sed mysterium corporis ejus continetur: quanto magis vasa corporis nostri, quæ sibi Deus ad habitaculum præparavit, non debemus locum dare Diabolo agendi in eis ut vult? Hom. 11. p. 63. C. D.

* See Hist. Crit. des Commentat. du N. T. Ch. xiii. p. 191–206.

CHAP. CLV.

VICTOR TUNUNENSIS.

1. VICTOR TUNUNENSIS, an African bishop, who flourished about the middle of the sixth century, and wrote a Chronicle, ending at the year 566, says: When Messala was consul, (that is, in the year of Christ 506,) at Constantinople, by order of the emperor Anastasius, the holy gospels being written by illiterate evangelists, are censured and corrected.'

2. Some have hence argued, that the copies of the New Testament, of the gospels at least, have not come down to us, as they were originally written, they having been altered in the time of the emperor Anastasius, who began his reign in the year 491, and died in 518.

3. I shall immediately transcribe below a part of Dr. Mill's observations upon this story, containing a brief, yet full confutation of it. And I add a few following observations.

(1.) It was impossible to attempt, in the sixth century, an alteration in the sense, or in the words of the gospels, or any other books of the New Testament, without great offence to christians in general: forasmuch as there were at that time in every part of the known world, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, numerous copies of the books of the New Testament, in the original Greek, and in the Syriac, Latin, and other languages, into which they had been translated.

He is placed by Cave at the year 555. Hist. Lit. T. i. p. 528. b Vid. Pagi Ann. 566. n. 2. c Messalà V. C. Cos. Constantinopoli, jubente Anastasio Imperatore, sancta evangelia, tanquam ab idiotis evangelistis composita, reprehenduntur, et emendantur. Vict. Tunun. Chr. p. 6. ap. Scalig. Thes. Temp. d Vid. Pagi Ann. 518. n. ii.

Unde hæc desumserit auctor iste, nescio. Verum hujusmodi evangelia nulla usquam in publicum prodiisse tam certum est, quam quod certissimum. Ipsum nomen sane novorum evangeliorum, dici haud potest, quantas per universum Orientem excitaturum fuisset tragoedias, quam graves tumultus, nec fortasse sine Imperatoris ipsius cæde sopiendos. Sed, ut prospere et ex voto successerit ipsi hoc facinus, certe, si evangelia hæc, eorumve particulæ aliquæ evolâssent in vulgus, fieri non potest, quin historici ad unum omnes, qui reliqua Anastasii flagitia enarrârunt, etiam hoc longe super alia memorabile, graphice, suisque omnino coloribus depingerent; cum tamen apud cos altum sit de hac re silentium; neque exstet, quod sciam, ex omni scriptorum turbâ, præter unum Victorem, quique verba ejus transcripsit, Isidorum Hispalensem, qui ῥᾳδιεργιας hujus aliquam faciat mentionem. Mill. Proleg. n. 1014, 1015.

(2.) That no alteration was made in the gospels, or other sacred books, is apparent hence, that our present copies agree with the quotations in ancient Greek and Latin authors, and with the translations made before the time of Anastasius.

(3.) This story of Victor deserves no regard, because he is singular; as is observed by Mill in the place above cited, and by others. There is no other writer mentions it, besides Isidore of Seville, who transcribed Victor: whereas, if ever such an attempt had been made by Anastasius, and any books had been published with alterations, it would have made a great noise in the world, and would have occasioned a general outcry. The emperor Anastasius was far from being popular in his government: and there are extant writings of contemporaries, as well as others, in which he is freely and grievously reproached; nevertheless there is no notice taken of this affair, which would have given greater and more general offence to christians, than any other.

(4.) These considerations, as seems to me, are sufficient to show, thath learned men have with good reason, generally, looked upon this story of Victor as fabulous: I therefore content myself with what has been already observed, without procceding farther.

(5.) However, some learned men have formed conjectures concerning the occasion of this account; particularly that great man Dr. Richard Bentley, in his Remarks upon a late Discourse of Free-thinking,' written by him in the borrowed name of Phileleutherus Lipsiensis: and likewisek Peter Wesselingius, in a Dissertation upon this article of Victor's Chronicle; whose conjectures, and reasonings in support of them, are referred to the curious reader.

Atque hic non dicam, Victorem unum omnium scriptorum esse. Nam Isidori, Tununensem exscribentis, nulla ratio haberi potest, qui Imperatori hoc crimen impegerit. Neque ostendam, æquales omnes, quorum aliqui professi inimici graves contumelias Augusto imposuerunt, horum nihil memoriâ prodidisse, &c. Petr. Wesseling. Dissert. ad Victor. Tun. cap. 1. p. 111. Ültr. 1738.

See note

and

h Fabula Victoris Tununensis, A. 506. scribentis, Messalâ Consule, jubente Anastasio Imperatore, sancta evangelia ab idiotis evangelistis composita, esse reprehensa ac emendata, nullam fidem meretur. Fr. Lampe Synops. H. E. 1. ii. c. 6. n. vii. p. 159. Vid. etiam Ja. Basnag. Hist. de l'Eglise. 1. viii. c. 2. n. viii. p. 424. See those Remarks. Numb. xxxiii. * Vid. Wesseling. ubi supra, cap. 2. p. 132, &c.

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