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II. I now proceed without farther delay to take Augustine's testimony to the scriptures. I begin with citing a passage from a work of Augustine, entitled Of the Christian Doctrine, supposed to have been begun by him about the year 397, and to have been finished in 426. To be a little more particular concerning a work, which we shall have occasion to quote several times: it consists of four books; and it appears, from Augustine's Retractations, that the first two books, and a large part of the third, were written about 397; the remaining part of the third, and the whole fourth book, were composed afterwards, about 426. The passage to be now cited, is in the second book of that work.

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In receiving canonical scriptures let him who desires carefully to study them, follow the judgment of the greater number of catholic churches; among which they certainly ought to be reckoned, which are apostolical sees, and have had letters of apostles sent to them. This rule therefore he will observe, with regard to canonical scriptures; he will prefer such as are received by all catholic churches, to those which some do not receive and with regard to such as are not received by all, he will prefer those, which are received by many and eminent churches, to those which are received by few churches, and of less authority. But if he should find some received by the greatest number of churches, others by the more eminent (which however will scarce happen ;) I think such scriptures ought to be held by him as of equal authority.

And the entire canon of scripture is comprised in these books. There are five of Moses, that is, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; one book of Joshua, the son of Nun; one of the Judges; one small book called Ruth, which seems rather to belong to the beginning of the Kingdoms; then the four books of the Kingdoms, and two of the Remains; not following one another, but proceeding as it were parallel, on the side of each other. These are historical books, which contain a succession of times in the order of events. There are others which do not observe the order of tine, and are unconnected together: as Job, Tobit, Esther, and Judith, and the two books of the Maccabees, and the two books of Esdras; which [last] do more observe the order of a regular succession of things, after that contained in the Kingdoms and Remains. Next are the Prophets; among which is one book of the Psalms of • David, and three of Solomon, the Proverbs, the Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes. For those 'two books, Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus, are called Solomon's for no other reason but because they have a resemblance with his writings; for it is a very general opinion, that they were written by Jesus, the son of Sirach: which books, however, since they are admitted into authority, are to be reckoned among prophetical books. The rest are the books of those who are properly called prophets; as the several books of the twelve prophets, which being joined together, and never separated, are reckoned one book. The names of which prophets are these; Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. After them are the four prophets, of larger volumes; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel. Ezekiel. In these four-and-forty books is comprised all the authority of the Old Testament, Of the New there are the four books of the gospel, according to Matthew, according to Mark,

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The additional part begins with the words: Hujus igitur varietatis observatio duas habet formas. L. iii. cap. 24. n. xxxvi. In canonicis, autem scripturis ecclesiarum catholicarum quam plurimum auctoritatem sequatur: [' divinarum scripturarum solertissimus indagator:'] inter quas sane illæ sunt, quæ apostolicas sedes habere, et epistolas accipere meruerunt. Tenebit igitur hunc modum in scripturis canonicis, ut eas, quæ ab omnibus accipiuntur ecclesiis catholicis, præponat eis quas quædam non accipiunt. In eis vero, quæ non accipiuntur ab omnibus, præponat eas, quas plures gravioresque accipiunt, eis, quas pauciores minorisve auctoritatis ecclesiæ tenent. Si autem alias invenerit a pluribus, alias a gravioribus haberi, quamquam hoc facile invenire non possit, æqualis tamen auctoritatis eas habendas puto.-Totus autem canon scripturarum, in quo istam considerationem versandam dicimus, his libris continetur : quinque Moseos, id est, Genesi, Exodo, Levitico, Numeris, Deuteronomio: et uno libro Jesu Nave, uno Judicum, uno libello qui appellatur Ruth, qui magis ad Regnorum principium videtur pertinere: deinde quatuor Regnorum, et duobus Paralipomenôn non consequentibus, sed quasi a latere adjunctis, simulque pergentibus. Hæc est historia, quæ sibimet annexa tempora continet, atque ordinem rerum. Sunt

aliæ, tamquam ex diverso ordine, quæ neque huic ordini ne-
que inter
se connectuntur: sicut est Job, et Tobias, et
Esther, et Judith, et Macchabæorum libri duo, et Esdræ
duo, qui magis subsequi videntur ordinatam illam historiam
usque ad Regnorum et Paralipomenôn terminatam. Deinde
Prophetæ in quibus David unus liber Psalmorum, et Salo-
monis tres, Proverbiorum, Cantica Canticorum et Ecclesiastes:
Nam illi duo libri, unus qui Sapientia, et alius qui Ecclesiasti-
cus inscribitur, de quâdam similitudine Salomonis dicuntur :
nam Jesus Sirach eos conscripsisse constantissime perhibetur :
qui tamen quoniam in auctoritatem recipi meruerunt, inter
propheticos numerandi sunt. Reliqui sunt eorum libri, qui
proprie prophetæ appellantur: duodecim prophetarum libri
singuli, quoniam nunquam sejuncti sunt, pro uno habentur:
Quorum prophetarum nomina sunt hæc.... Deinde quatuor
prophetæ sunt majorum voluminum:... His quadraginta qua-
tuor libris Testamenti veteris terminatur auctoritas. Novi
autem, quatuor libris evangelii.... In his omnibus libris ti-
mentes Deum, et pietati mansueti, quærunt voluntatem Dei.
... De Doctr. Christ. I. 2. cap. 8. n. 12, 13, 14. Tom. iii. P. i.
Bened

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according to Luke, according to John; fourteen epistles of the apostle Paul; to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, two to the Thes⚫salonians, to the Colossians, two to Timothy, to Titus, to Philemon, to the Hebrews; two epistles of Peter, three of John, one of Jude, and one of James; the Acts of the apostles in one book; and the Revelation of John in one book. In these books they who fear God seek his will.' Upon this

passage we may make a few remarks;

1. There was not then any canon of scripture, settled by any authority, that was universally acknowledged by Christians: this, I think, is apparent from Augustine's preamble to his account of the books contained in the canon. There might be decrees of councils relating to this matter; but they were not esteemed decisive and of authority, every where, and by all. But still private and inquisitive Christians had a right to use their own judgment concerning this point.

2. In his Retractations, written in 426 or 427, Augustine, revising his books of Christian doctrine, says, he had understood, that it was probable, the book called by many the Wisdom of Solomon, was not written by Jesus, son of Sirach, author of the book of Ecclesiasticus.'

3. Augustine says, that Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus ought to be reckoned among prophetical books, because they had been received into authority.' But there is no force in that observation : the right observation, in such a case as this, is; Since they were not written by prophets, they ⚫ought not to be received into authority:' and it is generally, or universally allowed, and by Augus tine himself, that no writings, but those of prophets, ought to be esteemed a part of the sacred scriptures of the Old Testament. And, I suppose, it must have appeared from the works of ancient Christian writers, which we have hitherto examined, that though they sometimes quote other books by way of illustration, as they also do heathen writings, yet they had a supreme regard for the Jewish canon, or those books which were received by the Jewish people, as sacred and divine. I think likewise, that Rufinus and Jerom, who were a little older than Augustine, must be allowed to bear a right testimony, and to declare truly what was the sentiment of most Christian churches when they say, 'that' the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, Judith, and the Maccabees, were indeed allowed to be publicly read; but that nevertheless they were not canonical, and that no doctrine of religion may be proved by their authority.'

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4. None can forbear to observe, how clean a catalogue here is of the books of the New Testament. Here is no Shepherd, no Clement, no Constitutions, no Ignatius, no Doctrine of Apostles,' no Judgment of Peter,' no Preaching of Peter,' no Sibylline Oracles,' nor any other ecclesiastical, or apocryphal writing. Nothing of that kind is here mentioned among books of authority; but only the well known writings of apostles, and apostolical

men.

5. These general observations upon that passage may suffice for the present. I now proceed to take more particularly his testimony to the scriptures; first to the books of the Old, and then of the New Testament.

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III. 1. Augustine says, that in all the time after their return from Babylon, till the days ' of our Saviour, the Jews had no prophets after Malachi, Haggai, and Zechariah, who prophesied * at that time, and Ezra; except another Zacharias, father of John, and his wife Elizabeth, just before the birth of Christ; and after his birth old Simeon, and Anna, a widow of a great age; and John last of all. But the prophecy of these five, which is known from the gospel only, is not received by them: and Malachi, Haggai, Zechariah, and Ezra, are the last, which are • received into the canon by the unbelieving Jews.'

If that be so, which I think is universally acknowledged, they ought likewise to be the last Jewish sacred scriptures which are received by Christians: for to them, in ancient times, were committed the oracles of God; and they only could determine what writings should be received as sacred.

In secundo sane libro de auctore libri, quam plures vocant Sapientiam Salomonis, quod etiam ipsum sicut Ecclesias ticum Jesus Sirach scripserit, non ita constare, sicut a me dic tum est, postea didici: et omnino probabilius comperi, non esse hunc hujus libri auctorem. Retr. 1. ii. c. 4.

See this vol. p. 30. See also p. 541. 573.

< Toto autem illo tempore, ex quo redierunt de Babyloniâ, post Malachiam, Aggæum, et Zachariam, qui tunc prophetaverunt, et Esdram, non habuerunt prophetas, usque ad

Salvatoris adventum, nisi alium Zachariam, patrem Joannis, et Elisabet ejus uxorem, Christi nativitate jam proxima : et, eo jam nato, Simeonem senem, et Annam viduam, jamque grandavam... Sed istorum quinque prophetatio ex evangelio nobis nota est.... Sed hanc istorum prophetiam Judæi non recipiunt.... Malachiam vero, Aggæum, Zachariam, et Esdram etiam, Judæi reprobi in auctoritatem canonicam receptos novissimos habent. De Civ. Dei, 1. xvii. cap, 24.

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2. I shall add some other passages, where Augustine owns, that the Jews had no prophets after their settlement in Judea, upon their return from the Babylonish captivity: for which breason, as he also observes, the books of the Maccabees were not received in the Jewish canon, those books containing the history of things in later times.

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3. Again: From Samuel the prophet to the Babylonish captivity, and then to their return from it, and the rebuilding the temple, after seventy years, according to the prophecy of Jeremiah, is the whole time of the prophets.'

4. Some Christians alleged the Sibylline poems as prophetical of Christ. But, says Augustine, it is much better to insist only upon the prophecies of the Old Testament, which the Jews

⚫ our enemies receive: they are now dispersed all over the earth; and they bear witness, that the prophecies concerning Christ, therein contained, have not been forged by us.'

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5. Again, to the like purpose: It must be most prudent for us, to argue from those writings, which are received by the Jews. None can suspect, that they have been forged by us; whereas it may be pretended, that other predictions relating to the evangelical dispensa⚫tion have been forged by us.'

6. Augustine has several times owned, that there are but three books of Solomon really his; the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles: and that the Jews have no more of his writings in their canon. He observes likewise, that, on account of some resemblance of style and design, the books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus have been by some esteemed Solomon's: but the learned are satisfied they are not his. He also owns, that those two books were chiefly respected by the Christians who lived in the western part of the world.

7. Augustine owns particularly, that the book of Judith was not in the Jewish canon.

8. Undoubtedly there are in Augustine many quotations of those books of the Old Testament, which we now generally call apocryphal; as Wisdom, Tobit, Ecclesiasticus, and the Maccabees: but then he frequently uses some expressions which shew they were not esteemed the books of the prophets, or of equal authority with the books of the Jewish canon.

9. Having quoted the book of Ecclesiasticus, he adds: But if this be disputed, because 'that book is not in the Jewish canon; what shall we say to somewhat else found in Deuteronomy? Which shews, that the book of Ecclesiasticus was not of unquestioned authority, or sufficient to decide a point in dispute.

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10. In his Retractations he owns his mistake in quoting the book of Ecclesiasticus as prophetical; when it was not certain that it was written by a prophet.

d... usque ad hoc tempus prophetas habuit populus Israël ; qui cum multi fuerint, paucorum et apud Judæos, et apud nos, canonica scripta retinentur. De Civ. Dei. 1. xviii. c. 26. "Post hos tres prophetas, Aggæum, Zachariam, Malachiam, per idem tempus liberationis populi ex Babylonicâ servitute, scripsit etiam Esdras, qui magis rerum gestarum scriptor est, quam propheta: sicubi est et liber, qui appellatur Esther; cujus res gesta in laudem Dei non longe ab his temporibus invenitur... Ab hoc tempore apud Judæos restituto templo, non reges, sed principes fuerunt... quorum supputatio temporum non in scripturis sanctis, quæ canonicæ appellantur, sed in aliis inveniuntur. In quibus sunt et Macchabæorum libri, quos non Judæi, sed ecclesia pro canonicis habet, propter quorumdam martyrum passiones vehementes atque mirabiles.... De Civ. Dei. 1. xviii. c. 36.

Hoc itaque tempus, ex quo sanctus Samuel prophetare coepit, et deinceps, donec populus Israël captivus in Babyloniam duceretur, atque inde secundum sancti Jeremiæ, prophetiam post septuaginta annos reversis Israëlitis Dei domus instauraretur, totum tempus est prophetarum. De Civ. Dei. 1. xvii. c. 1.

Judæi autem, qui eum occiderunt, et in eum credere noluerunt,... eradicati, dispersique per terras, per scripturas testimonio sunt, prophetias nos non finxisse de Christo... Nobis quidem illæ sufficiunt, quæ de nostrorum inimicorum codicibus proferuntur. De Civ. Dei. 1. xviii. c. 46.

• Sed quæcumque aliorum prophetiæ de Dei per Christum gratiâ proferuntur, possunt putari a Christianis esse confictæ. Ideo nihil est firmius ad convincendos quoslibet alienos, si de hac re contenderint, nostrosque faciendos, si recte sapuerint, quam ut divina prædicta de Christo proferantur, quæ in

Judæorum scripta sunt codicibus; quibus avulsis de sedibus propriis, et propter hoc testimonium toto orbe dispersis, Christi usquequaque crevit ecclesia. De Civ. Dei. l. xviii.

C. 47.

Prophetâsse etiam ipse [Salomo] reperitur in suis libris, qui tres recepti sunt in auctoritatem canonicam, Proverbia, Ecclesiastes, et Canticum canticorum. Alii vero duo, quorum unus Sapientia, alter Ecclesiasticus, dicitur, propter eloquii similitudinem, ut Salomonis dicantur, obtinuit consuetudo: non autem esse ipsius, non dubitant doctiores. Eos tamen in auctoritatem maxime occidentalis antiquitus recepit ecclesia : quorum in uno, qui appellatur Sapientia Salomonis, passio Christi apertissime prophetatur. Impii quippe interfectores ejus commemorantur dicentes. Circumveniamus justum... [Sap. ii. 12 ... 20.] Et in Ecclesiastico autem fides gentium futura prædicitur isto modo: Miserere nostri, dominator Deus omnium... [Eccles. xxxvi. 1. 5.] Sed adversus contradictores non tantâ firmitate proferuntur, quæ scripta non sunt in canone Judæorum. In tribus vero illis, quos Salomonis esse constat, et Judæi canonicos habent, &c. De Civ. Dei. 1. xvii. cap. 20. Per idem tempus [Darii] etiam illa sunt gesta, quæ conscripta sunt in libro Judith; quem sane in canone scripturarum Judæi non recepisse dicuntur. De Ciy. Dei. l. xviii. c. 26.

Sed si huic libro, ex Hebræorum (quia in eorum non est) canone, contradicitur; quid de Möyse dicturi sumus...? De Curâ pro Mortuis. cap. XV. T. vi.

Item videor non recte appellâsse verba prophetica... quia non in ejus libro legitur, quem certi sumus appellandum esse prophetam. Retr. 1. i. cap. 20.

11. In another place of the same work he says of somewhat, which he had formerly advanced, that he had not any proof of it, but from the book of Wisdom, which the Jews did not receive as of canonical authority.

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12. In another work, written about the year 420, he says, The Jews do not receive the 'scripture of the Maccabees as they do the law, and the Prophets, and the Psalms, to which our Lord bears testimony. [Luke xxiv. 44.]...But it is received by the church not unprofitably, if it be read and heard soberly, especially for the sake of the history of the Maccabees, who suffered so much from the hand of persecutors for the sake of the law of God.' So that in the end Augustine I think differs not from Jerom and Rufinus; but is of the same opinion with. them; that these books are received as useful, but not as of authority, so that doctrine may be proved by them.

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IV. I shall now observe a passage or two relating to books, which by all Christians in general are allowed to be apocryphal.

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1. He quotes Numb. xxi. 13, 14...." wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the Lord:" and then says, that from such expressions in canonical books of scripture, men have taken 'occasion to forge books, called apocryphal.'

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2. In his books of the City of God, Augustine has a long observation upon fabulous ароcryphal books of the Old and the New Testament, of which he speaks with contempt: he says, they are called apocryphal,' because their real original is secret or uncertain. He thinks that Enoch must have written something, because he is quoted by the apostle Jude: but what goes under his name has been justly reckoned not to be his; as have also other writings ascribed to other prophets, and since to the apostles. All which, upon careful examination, were rejected from being a part of canonical scripture, and are called apocryphal.

V. That Augustine received our four gospels, and them only, is apparent from the passage alleged at the beginning of this chapter; nevertheless it is very fit for us to take notice of several things concerning them, which are to be found in his writings.

I. In one of his sermons he says, There are four evangelists, Matthew, John, Mark, and Luke. Of these Matthew and John were of the number of the twelve apostles. Mark and Luke were not apostles, but only companions of apostles: and he thinks, there was a fitness in this, that the history of Christ should be so written.'

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2. He says there are four gospels, because the world consists of four parts, and the whole world was called in the gospel.

3. In the Old Testament the five books of Moses have the highest authority; in the New Testament the four gospels.

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4. In another place he seems to say, that the book of the gospels is the most excellent part of all the divine scriptures.

5. In one of his sermons upon John xx.

To' day has been read the account of our Saviour's

In primo autem quod de manna dixi.... Non mihi occurrit, unde possit probari, nisi ex libro Sapientiæ, quem Judæi non recipiunt in auctoritatem canonicam. Retr. 1. ii. cap. 20.

Et hanc scripturam, quæ appellatur Macchabæorum, non habent Judæi, sicut Legem et Prophetas et Psalmos, quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet... Sed recepta est ab ecclesiâ non inutiliter, si sobrie legatur et audiatur, maxime propter illos Macchabæos, qui pro Dei lege, sicut veri martyres, a persecutoribus tam indigna atque horrenda perpessi sunt, &c. Contr. Gaudent. Denat. 1. i. cap. 31. n. 38. T. ix.

... In quo libro scriptum sit, non commemorant, neque ullus est in his, quos divinæ scripturæ canonicos appellamus. De talibus occasiones reperiunt, qui libros apocryphos incautorum auribus et curiosorum conantur inserere ad persuadendas fabulosas impietates, &c. Qu. in Numb. 42. libr. iv. T. iii.

Omittamus igitur earum scripturarum fabulas, quæ apocryphæ nuncupantur, eo quod earum occulta origo non claruit patribus, a quibus usque ad nos auctoritas veracium scripturarum certissimâ et notissima successione pervenit... Scripsisse quidem nonnulla divina Enoch illum septimum ab Adam, negare non possumus, cum hoc in epistolâ canonicâ Judas apostolus dicat. Sed non frustra non sunt in eo canone scripturarum, qui servabatur in templo Hebræi populi succeden. tium diligentiâ sacerdotum. . . . Unde illa, quæ sub ejus no

mine proferuntur-recte a prudentibus judicantur non ipsius. esse credenda; sicut multa sub nominibus et aliorum prophetarum, et recentiora sub nominibus apostolorum ab hæreticis proferuntur, quæ omnia nomine apocryphorum ab auctoritate canonicâ diligenti examinatione remota sunt. De Civ. Dei. 1. xv. cap. 23. T. 7.

• Nam cum sint quatuor evangelista, Matthæus, Johannes, Marcus, Lucas, duo sunt ex illis duodecim apostolis, id est, Matthæus et Johannes.... Marcus et Lucas apostolorum non pares, sed suppares fuerunt. Ideo namque voluit Spiritus Sanctus etiam ex his qui inter duodecim non fuerunt, eligere ad evangelium conscribendum duos, ne putaretur gratia evangelii usque ad apostolos pervenisse, et in illis fontem gratiæ defecisse. Serm. 239. n. 1. T. v.

Quia enim quatuor sunt orbis partes, et totus orbis in evangelio vocabatur, unde quatuor evangelia conscripta sunt. In Ps. ciii. Enarr. Serm. 3. n. 2. T. iv.

Vetus Testamentum in quinque libris Möysis excellit. Novum autem quatuor evangeliorum auctoritate præfulget. De Peccator. Merit. &c. l. ii. cap. 35. T. x.

Inter omnes divinas auctoritates, quæ sanctis literis continentur, evangelium merito excellit. De Consens. Evang. 1. i. in. Et hodie resurrectio Domini recitata est de sancto evan

• resurrection in John; and in that, we have heard what was omitted in the other gospels. It is 'all one history of the truth; they all drink from the same fountain; but, as we have often ⚫ observed to you, my brethren, some things are related by all, some by three, some by two, some by one only.'

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6. At the beginning of another sermon: At this season, according to custom, are read the accounts of our Lord's resurrection. None of the evangelists could omit to give the history of his passion and resurrection: and though there are some differences in their accounts, they are not contrary to each other. Our Lord's acts were very numerous, and could not be all related. • Some therefore are related by one, some by another; but all with complete harmony, agreeably 'to the truth. Those things were done, which were proper to be done then: so many were written, as are proper to be read now.'

7. In his books of the City of God he says: For, proving his divine authority, Christ wrought many miracles; some of which are recorded in the evangelical scripture, even so many as were judged sufficient to attest his authority to the world. The first of which is, that he was so wonderfully born; the last, that he ascended up to heaven, with his body raised from the

'dead.'

8. Augustine's introduction to his four books of the Consent of the Evangelists, written about the year 400, is very observable. I have not room for it all; and therefore refer my readers to it; however, I will transcribe a good part of it.

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The first preachers of the gospel, he says, were the apostles, who had conversed with the • Lord; who have related to the world not only what they themselves saw him do, or heard him say; but likewise divers other things, which happened before they were called to follow him, concerning his nativity, infancy, and youth; which things they might know from himself, or.

gelio. Lectum est autem evangelium secundum Johannem. Audivimus quæ in aliis libris evangelii non audieramus. Omnibus quidem communis est prædicatio veritatis, et de uno fonte omnes biberunt. Sed in prædicatione evangelii, sicut sæpe commonui Caritatem Vestram, alia omnes, alia tres, alia duo, alia singuli posuerunt. Serm. 245. in. T. v.

Per hos dies...sollemniter leguntur evangelicæ lectiones, ad resurrectionem Domini pertinentes. Omnes enim evangelistæ quatuor neque de passione, neque de resurrectione ejus tacere potuerunt. Nam quia multa fecit Dominus Jesus, non omnes omnia conscripserunt : Sed alius ista, alius illa: summa tamen concordia veritatis. Multa etiam commemorat Johannes evangelista facta esse a Domino... quæ a nullo eorum conscripta sunt. Tanta facta sunt, quanta tunc fieri debuerunt : tanta scripta sunt, quanta nunc legi debuerunt. Serm. 240. in. b Qui, ut in se commendaret Deum, miracula multa fecit; ex quibus quædam, quantum ad eum prædicandum satis esse visum est, scriptura evangelica continet. Quorum primum est, quod tam mirabiliter natus est. Ultimum autem, quod cum suo resuscitato a mortuis corpore adscendit in cœlum. De C. D. 1 xviii. c. 46. T. vii.

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Cujus primi prædicatores apostoli fuerunt, qui Dominum ipsum et Salvatorem nostrum Jesum Christum etiam præsentem in carne viderunt. Qui non solum ea, quæ ex ore ejus audita, vel ab illo sub oculis suis operata, dicta, & facta meininerant: verum etiam quæ, prius quam illi per discipulatum adhæserant, in ejus nativitate, vel infantiâ, vel pueritiâ, divinitus gesta et digna memoriâ, sive ab ipso, sive a parentibus ejus, sive a quibuslibet aliis, certissimis indiciis et fidelissimis testimoniis requirere et cognoscere potuerunt, imposito sibi evangelizandi munere generi humaño annuntiare curârunt. Quorum quidam, hoc est, Matthæus et Johannes, etiam scripta de illo, quæ scribenda visa sunt, libris singulis ediderunt.Ac, ne putaretur, quod adtinet ad percipiendum et prædicandum evangelium, interesse aliquid, utrum illi annuntient, qui. eumdem Dominum hic in carne apparentem discipulatu famulante secuti sint, an ii qui ex illis fideliter comperta crediderunt, divinâ providentiâ procuratum est par Spiritum Sanctum, ut quibusdam etiam ex illis, qui primos apostolos sequebantur non solum annuntiandi, verum etiam scribendi evangelium tribueretur auctoritas. Hi sunt Marcus et Lucas. Cæteri

autem homines, qui de Domini vel apostolorum actibus aliqua scribere conati vel ausi sunt, non tales suis temporibus exstiterunt, ut eis fidem haberet ecclesia, atque in auctoritatem canonicam sanctorum librorum eorum scripta reciperet— Isti igitur quatuor evangelistæ, universo terrarum orbe notissimi, et ob hoc fortasse quatuor, quoniam quatuor sunt partes' orbis terræ, per cujus universitatem Christi Ecclesiam dilatari, ipso sui numeri sacramento quodammodo declarârunt. Hoc ordine scripsisse perhibentur. Primum Matthæus, deinde Marcus, tertio Lucas, ultimo Johannes...-Horum sane quatuor solus Matthæus Hebræo scripsisse perhibetur eloquio, cæteri Græco. Et quamvis singuli suum quemdam narrandi ordinem tenuisse videantur, non tamen unusquisque eorum velut alterius præcedentis ignarus voluisse scribere reperitur, vel ignorata prætermisisse quæ scripsisse alius invenitur: sed,' sicut unicuique inspiratum est, non superfluam cooperationem sui laboris adjunxit. Nam Matthæus suscepisse intelligitur incarnationem Domini secundum stirpem regiam, et pleraque secundum hominum vitam facta et dicta ejus. Marcus, eum' subsecutus, tamquam pedissequus et breviator ejus videtur. Cum solo Johanne nihil dixit. Solus ipse perpauca: cum solo Lucâ pauciora: cum Matthæo vero plurima; et multa pene totidem atque ipsis verbis, sive cum solo, sive cum cæteris consonante.-Non autem habuit breviatorem conjunctum Lucas, sicut Marcum Matthæus.-Tres autem isti evangelista in his rebus maxime diversati sunt, quas Christus per humanam carnem temporaliter gessit. Porro autem Johannes ipsam maxime Divinitatem Domini, quâ Patri est æqualis, intendit... Itaque longe a tribus istis superius fertur, ita ut hos videas in terrâ cum Christo homine conversari: illum autem transcendisse nebulam, quâ tegitur omnis terra, et pervenisse ad liquidum cœlum, unde acie mentis acutissimâ atque firmissimâ videret. In principio Verbum apud Deum, per quem facta sunt omnia...Unde et mihi videntur, qui ex Apocalypsi illa quatuor animalia ad intelligendos quatuor evangelistas interpretati sunt, probabilius aliquid attendisse illi, qui leonem in Matthæo, hominem in Marco, vitulum in Lucâ, aquilam in Johanne intellexerunt, quam illi qui hominem Matthæo, aquilam Marco, leonem Johanni tribuerunt. De Cons. Evangelistarum, 1. i. c. i.... vi. T. iii. P, ii.

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