brings in Celsus a Heathen p. 60. as a Witness against the Christians Who exclaims against the too great Liberty they took as if they were drunk of changing the first Writings of the Gospel three or four or more times that so they might deny whatever was urg'd against them as retracted before 7. To Celsus in the same Page he joyns the Manicheans fitly enough I confess who shew'd other Scriptures and deny'd the Genuineness of the whole new Testament 8. We are told p. 64. that the Ebionites or Nazarens who were the oldest Christians had a different Copy of St. Matthews Gospel the Marcionites had a very different one of St. Luke's St. John's was attributed to Cerinthus and all the Epistles of St. Paul were deny'd by some and a different Copy of them shew'd by others 9. He urges p. 53 54. that Eusebius rejects the Acts Gospel Preaching and Revelation of Peter from being Authentick for no other reason but because no Ancient or Modern VVriter says he has quoted proofs out of them But herein Eusebius was mistaken for the contrary appears by the Testimonies mark'd in the Catalogue which any Body may compare with the Originals In another place be says that the Gospels of Peter Thomas Matthias and such-like with the Acts of John and the other Apostles are Spurious because no Ecclesiastick VVriter from the Times of the Apostles down to his own has vouchsaf'd to quote them which is absolutely false of some of them as we have already shewn Had Eusebius found any of these Pieces cited by the precedent Orthodox Writers he would have own'd them as Genuine Productions of the Apostles and admitted them as we say into the Canon But having met no such Citations he presently concluded there were none which made him reject those Books And I say what I have already demonstrated that Proofs were quoted out of some of them long before so that they might still belong to the Canon for all Eusebius 10. He Produces p. 69 c. a long Passage out of Mr. Dodwell which if we 'll believe him Reflects more upon the Canon of the New Testament as to the certainty and Authority of it then any thing which had been before excepted against in the Life of Milton Now let any one lay all these Passages together and I fancy he 'll be of my mind and easily believe that our Author's Vindication of himself against Mr. Blackall was impertinent and such a presuming on the weakness of his Readers as is not usual since he presently after commits that fault though I doubt he 'll not call it so from which just before he attempted to clear himself and makes no scruple at all of exposing the Writings of the New Testament which we believe to be Canonical as doubtful and uncertain II. I suppose it will not be thought sufficient for me only to have proceeded thus far and in our Authors Language p. 8. to have shown the Enemy and given an account of his Forces except I endeavour to weaken them too and thereby hinder them from doing such Execution as they seem to threaten But because the Particulars above-alleg'd are Objections against the general Doctrin of the Church in the matter now before us I think it will be proper before I examine them to lay down the Grounds upon which the Canon of the New Testament has been fix'd and determin'd Which I shall do with all the Brevity the Subject will admit of as designing to enlarge upon and confirm several Particulars in the sequel of this Discourse where fit occasion will be offer'd The Word Canon is Originally Greek and in the Ordinary acceptation signifies a Rule and therefore when made use of in Divinity we understand by the Canon and Canonical Books those Books which were design'd by God to be the Rule of our Faith and Practice I shall not discourse any thing now concerning the Books of the Old Testament because they are no part of the present controversy †I think it pertain'd to the Apostles to approve the Sacred Books Neither have we any Canonical Books either of the Old or New Testament but those which the Apostles approv'd and deliver'd to the Church Melchior Canus in his Common Places l. 2. c. 7. p. 43. Edit Lov. 1569. Octavo The Church like a faithful Guardian hath preserved and conveyed to her Children as Writings received from the Apostles not only what they Penned themselves but also those Pieces too which being Wrote by Persons who were not Apostles yet were by the Apostles confirmed Publickly Approved and recommended to the Church Arch Bishop of Spalato in his Christian Common-Wealth l. 7. c. 1. S. 15. Edit Hanov. 1622. No other Books properly belonging to the Holy Scriptures but such as the Apostles of Christ left behind them Bp. Cosins Hist of the Canon of the Old Testament Sect. 73. p. 80. So likewise Episcopius in his Institutions l. 4. Sect. 1. c. 5. Remarks that those Books make up the Canon of the New Testament which were either Wrote by the Apostles or with their Approbation And again in his Treatise of the Rule of Faith c. 7. Whatever was Wrote or Approv'd by the Aposiles was without Controversy dictated by the Holy Ghost But in the New Testament those Books only are accounted Canonical which were Writ or however Authoriz'd by the Apostles For they being the Immediate Disciples of and Attendants upon our Lord and being Commission'd by him to instruct the World in the Doctrin which he taught them were without doubt * It is not my Business here to prove that the Apostles were Infallible but only to show the Necessity that they should be so infallible for else they might have led the World into Error and therefore their Teaching their Writings their Judgment ought to be receiv'd with all Veneration and Submission St. Paul is reckon'd justly of the same Authority with the rest because our Saviour was pleas'd to appear to him from Heaven reveal his Gospel to him in his own Person and appoint him an Apostle after an extraordinary manner for he Receiv'd his Commission not from Men as himself tells us Gal. 1.1 12. but from Jesus Christ and God the Father What the Apostles Wrote and what they Authoriz'd can be known no other way then by the Testimonies of those who liv'd at the same time with them and the Tradition of those who succeeded them And therefore whenever any Churches receiv'd any Writings to Instruct them in Religion from the Apostles they look'd upon those Writings as Canonical or a Rule of their Faith and Manners in the Particulars whereof they Treated And whenever any other Churches were assur'd either by the Testimony of those who knew it themselves or by certain Tradition that such and such were Apostolical Writings they too esteem'd them Canonical preserv'd them as such themselves and as such transmitted them to others III. Hence it appears that the Written Canon encreas'd gradually in
and has hundreds of Expressions more barbarous and improper then this and a complete Body of the Scripture preserv'd without either Forgery or Falsification without either Addition or Substraction c. Which Words are an express assertion that the Doctrine and Discipline and Scriptures which they then had were the same which the Apostles deliver'd and were then receiv'd in all Churches of the World with which Ireneus and the Gauls had any Communication Tertullian (u) l. 4. against Marcion c. 5. appeals to all the Apostolick Churches to the Galatians to the Thessalonians to the Romans to the Colossians to the Ephesians c. and in a word to all the Churches which joyn'd in Communion with them to prove the Copy of St. Luke which the Catholicks had and not that of Marcion to be Genuine and Sincere He adds too that the same Authority will justify the other three Gospels likewise since they were receiv'd (x) Per illas secundum illas from and according to the Copies of those Churches (y) Of Prescript c. 33 34. He produces in another place Testimonies from several Epistles of St. Paul from St. Peter and St. John and then for further confirmation of the Truth of what he urges (z) c. 36. exhorts those who had a mind to exercise their Curiosity in the business of their Salvation to run over the Churches planted by these and the other Apostles where they might find * Rigaltius and after him F. Simon will have no more meant here by Authentick Letters or Writings then that what the Apostles Wrote was still preserv'd in the Original Language in those Places But I would fain know what great matter there was in that The Epistles were first Wrote in Greek and were without question still Extant in Greek not only in the Apostolick but in all those Churches to which that Language remain'd still familiar if not in others too Tertullian certainly design'd something Singular and Peculiar to the Churches planted by the Apostles when he say'd their Authentick Letters or Writings were kept there and consequently must intend the very Originals of them And why these two Learned Men should judge otherwise since this is the most natural though not the only Sense of the Word I cannot guess For 't is certain Manuscripts have been preserv'd many hundred years longer then the time was which pass'd between the Apostles and the days of Tertullian their Authentick Writings or Letters still remaining (a) Authenticae literae expressing the Doctrine and representing the Piety of each of them A little after he brings in the Catholick Church thus arguing with the Hereticks concerning the Scripture (b) c. 37. p. 215. Who are you When and whence came you hither What do you in my ground since you belong not to me By what Right O Marcion do you cut down my Woods What Authority have you Valentinus to turn the Course of my Fountains Who gave you Power Apelles to overthrow my Fences What do you Sowing and Feeding here at your Pleasures The Possession is mine I have enjoy'd it for a long time I first enjoy'd it I derive a certain Original from the Authors themselves whose it was I am the Heir of the Apostles c. Thus Writ Ireneus and Tertullian concerning the Scriptures of the New Testament and what they thus Writ certainly concerns all those Pooks which they held for Genuine and Pure in opposition to the Hereticks of their Times These they tell us were deriv'd from the Apostles by the hands of those Churches which they founded all over the World them they produce for their Vouchers in the present case and appeal likewise to the Doctrine embrac'd in every one of them which was very consonant to the Books of the Catholicks but not to those of the Hereticks Thus much we may easily learn from Ireneus He tells us (c) l. 1. c. 17. That the several sorts of Hereticks with which he had to do had forg'd a great number of Apocryphal and Spurious Pieces These without question contain'd the Principles of their Doctrine and were sent abroad into the World as the chief Grounds and Foundations of what they taught But all was Cheat and Cousenage and the Fictions of their own Brains What they vented was Heretical and Erroneous as this father proves at large from hence (d) l. 3. c. 3 4. that it was contrary to the Faith which the Apostles had planted in all places and which had been larnt and might be learnt every day from the Churches founded by them And again in another Place l. 3. c. 11. p. 259. he rejects some Gospels of the Valentinians because they contain'd Blasphemies and Doctrines contrary to those which had been Publish'd by the Apostles So likewise Tertullian speaks of some of the same Hereticks (e) Of Prescript c. 32. p. 213. Let their Doctrine be compar'd with the Apostles and we shall quickly see by the contrariety thereof that it proceeds neither from any of them nor their Disciples The Apostles did not contradict one another neither did their Disciples contradict them The Churches which they founded agree in the same Doctrines and so do those too which being of a later Original deriv'd their Instruction from them which were planted before them and therefore may be call'd Apostolical as well as they because owning and embracing the same Faith Let the Hereticks show that they deserve that Title upon either of these accounts that these Churches acknowledge the same Doctrine which they do and receive them to Peace and Communion as Brethren But this they cannot do (f) c. 38. p. 216. They are Forreigners they are Enemies to the Apostles because they teach a different Faith And since their Faith is so different we may be sure they have adulterated the Scriptures For they who were resolv'd to teach perversly were under a necessity of corrupting those Books upon which their Doctrine was to be grounded Whereas we who preserve the Doctrine entire have preserv'd the Books so too without changing or adding or taking away We teach nothing but what was to be found in the Scriptures from the beginning before they were corrupted and interpolated Before Marcion had lay'd violent hands upon them employing a Knife and not a Style and cutting away whatever he thought convenient and was contrary to his Errors and Heresies (g) c. 19. †Vbi apparuerit esse veritatem disciplinae fidei Christianae illic erit veritas Scripturarum For where the Truth of the Christian Faith and Doctrine appears there the Genuine and true Copies of the Scripture are certainly to be found Having thus given a large account of the Testimony which these two very Ancient Writers of the Christian Church give to the Books of the New Testament I shall now pass on to remark before I conclude what Opinion an Eminent Heathen even Julian the Apostate that bitter and inveterate Enemy of
Opinion only and yet never design'd to advance Hermas into the Number of Canonical Books as I have observ'd in the following Discourse in Answer to the Second Objection p. 25 26 and 29 30. This I think I have there sufficiently shown but shall however add a Testimony or two more to the same purpose Thus then he speaks in his Eighth Homily on Numbers (b) F. 103. That one day of Sin is recompenc'd with a years Punishment we Read not only in this Book wherein there is nothing whose Truth can be in the least doubted but the same things also are taught in the Book of the Pastor if any one think good to admit the Testimony of that Scripture By which Words it is Evident that Origen puts a great difference between the Pastor of Hermas and the Book of Numbers which was one of the Christian as well as Jewish Canon In this he affirms every thing deliver'd was undoubtedly true but plainly intimates he did not judge so of the former by distinguishing it from and placing it in opposition to this and leaving it to the Readers Discretion whether he 'll be concluded by the Authority of it or no. He calls it indeed Scripture but that was a Title frequently given to any Books whose Subject was Religious of which I have produc'd several Instances in the following Treatise and shall only add here that the Author of whom we are now speaking even Origen in the Preface to his Books of Principles (c) F. 112. calls the Doctrine of Peter twice by that Name in the compass of a few Lines though he there expresly tells us That it was neither Wrote by St. Peter nor by any other Inspir'd Person Again we Read in his Fourteenth Homily on Genesis (d) F. 21. Isaac therefore dug Wells and the Followers of Isaac dug too The Followers of Isaac are Matthew Mark Luke John The Followers of Isaac are Peter James and Jude The Apostle Paul is a Follower of Isaac For all these dig the Wells of the New Testament Here we have all the Writers of the New Testament reckon'd up but not a Word of Hermas and his Pastor From these two Passages and those which I have alledg'd in the following Discourse it is apparent that * Perhaps it may be urged that these Passages are taken out of these Works of Origen which are extant only in Latine I grant it but then add that so is the Objection too and certainly a Translation ought to be admitted for an Answer when it is alledged for an Objection For according to our English Proverb Every Man ought to Buy and Sell by the same Measure But I Reply 2dly That I have shewn in the following Discourse p. 29 30. that Origen speaks after the same manner in those Works of his which are still extant in the Greek And therefore we have a great deal of Reason to suppose that the Translators have altered nothing in their Versions as to this matter since what is found in them is consonant to those Pieces of his which are preserved in the same Language wherein they were first Written Origen is every where consistent with himself in this matter and always rejects the Book of Hermas from being a part of the Canon It is probable he might have done the same too in his Explanations on the Epistle to the Romans from whence the present Objection is fetch'd and have told us in what Sense he judg'd this Piece to have been Divinely Inspir'd if the Translator of that Work had not contracted it so far (e) See the Preface to the Translation f. 132. as to leave out above half of what was Publish'd by Origen Perhaps we might have there Read that he thought Hermas to have been no otherwise Inspir'd then his Master (f) See Answer to the 2d Objection p. 29. Clemens and (g) l. 4. against Celsus p. 181. l. 6. p. 276. himself judg'd the Heathen Philosophers to have been when they taught things agreeable to the Truth and Sound Doctrine which both these Fathers thought were manifested and discover'd to them by God And so perhaps Origen judg'd this Book of Hermas inspir'd because he look'd upon it as containing useful Truths and suppos'd nothing of that nature could be Wrote without the Divine Assistance But be that as it will and let him mean by it what he can it is Evident he never admitted it into the Canon nor esteem'd it 〈◊〉 Equal Authority with the Books of the New Testament I proceed now to the Second Part of the Argument in the Passage above alledg'd which is urg'd against some Books of the Old Testament and is in these Words On the contrary Theodorus of Mopsuestia calls the Book of Job a Fable borrowed from Paganism the Books of Chronicles and Esdras a vain Rhapsody the Song of Solomon a Love Song c. This is produc'd to show the Church had no certain Canon of the Old Testament for three Hundred years but with what Ground or Reason will quickly appear I must confess this does not properly belong to the Province I have undertaken at present which is only to justify the Canon of the New Testament But because such as are little vers'd in Controversies of this Nature may possibly be stumbled at these Expressions and perhaps think them unanswerable if I say nothing to them when they ly thus directly in my way I hope I shall be excus'd if I spend a few lines in laying open the Weakness of this Objection First then that the Jews had a certain Canon which comprehended all the Books that we reckon as parts of the Old Testament and no more is evident and notorious These as we learn from (h) l. 1. against Apion p. 103 1036. Josephus and (i) l. 3. c. 10. Eusebius who transcribes his Testimony they reduc'd in their way of computation to the Number of Twenty Two After what manner they reckon'd them up (k) See it done by Origen in Eusebius l. 6. c. 25. does not belong to my present business to set down but only to remark that their Canon was receiv'd by our Saviour and his Apostles For certainly our Blessed Lord recommended the Books of the Jewish Canon and none others when he exhorted his Hearers (l) John 5.39 to Search the Scriptures He argued too we may be sure from them when he expounded to the two Disciples (m) Luke 24.27 in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Of them without doubt St. Paul spoke (n) 2 Tim. 3.15 when he tells Timothy That he had from a Child known the Scriptures which were able to make him Wise unto Salvation And again when he adds (o) v. 16. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God c. These Passages and several others of the same Nature must be understood of those Books which pass'd for Authentick among the Jews they can be understood of no other except he be supposed
St. John the Apostle in his time about the year 260 Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 7. c. 25. Eusebius says the same of this as of the Epistle of St. James The Third Epistle of St. John (n) See also his Seventh Homily on Joshua f. 156. Origen allowes that both it and the Second might be admitted as the Apostles and plainly acknowledges that many receiv'd both as Genuine when he says that all did not See Euseb l. 6. c. 25. Dionysius says the same of this that he does of the Second and Eusebius the same that he says of St. James's Epistle The Epistle of * That St Jude was an Apostle is evident from the first Verse of his Epistle for there he stiles himself the Brother of James And that there was a Jude or Judas for both are the same in the Original the Brother of James among the Apostles appears from St. Luke 6.16 and Acts 1.13 He is call'd Lebbeus whose Surname was Thaddeus by St. Matthew c. 10. v. 3. the reason of which see in Dr. Cave's History of his Life St. Jude own'd as his by Tertullian l. 1. Of the Ornament of Women c. 3. by Clemens of Alexandria in his Pedagogue l. 3. c. 8. p. 239. by Origen in his Comment on St. Matthew Tom. 11. p. 223. Eusebius says the same of this that he does of St. James The Revelation ascrib'd to St. John the Apostle by Justin M. in his Dialogue with Trypho p 308. by (o) See hereafter Sect. XXV Jreneus l. 4. c. 37. p. 373. by Clemens of Alexandria in his Stromata l. 6. p. 667. by Origen in his Commentary on St. Matthew Tom. 16. p. 417. by Tertullian l. 3. against Marcion c. 14 and 23. By St. Cyprian in his Treatise of the Benefit of Patience to John without any Epithet who quotes this Book I believe a hundred times St. Jerome in his Epistle to Dardanus f. 24. says that it was receiv'd by most of the Ancients as Canonical and that they cited Testimonies from it as such From what has been here alledg'd I suppose it is evident that there were those many of those and they very considerable Persons too who are now known to have own'd the Authority of the controverted Books †It must be here also remembred what was observed before Sect. IV. n. 1. that Athanasius and Rufinus appeal to the Ancients for these Pieces as well as for the rest of the New Testament and do it after such a manner as informs us that they found so many of their Predecessors citeing and owning them for Authentick and upon so good grounds as made them too without scruple acknowledge them all for the Genuine Writings of those to whom they are ascribed And this I mean the Testimonies of the Ancients both Particular Fathers and Churches was undoubtedly the ground upon which they were at length received every where even before they were generally receiv'd by the whole Church All the Reflection I intend to make upon it shall be only this that we may certainly expect a very accurate and impartial History of the Canon from our Author who takes not the least notice of all these Places but notwithstanding them and others of the same Nature had yet the confidence to say that these seven Pieces were rejected a long time even in that time wherein the Authors I have now quoted liv'd by all Christians almost with universal Consent Such as have a mind may take his word for it if they please But I believe few who shall consult the quotations produc'd above will admire him either for an exact or faithful Historian But however before I proceed any further I must observe that I find him here in a complying humour and because he is seldom so I think my self oblig'd to take notice of it For he acknowledges p. 57. that these seven Pieces are now receiv'd not without convincing Arguments by the Moderns Thus far is very well and I should have been glad to find our Author so frank in his concessions if what he grants had not been attended with a sting in the Tail For it follows Now I say by more then a parity of Reason that the Preaching and Revelation of Peter for Example were receiv'd by the Ancients and ought not to be rejected by the Moderns if the approbation of the Fathers be a proper recommendation of any Book The short of the Business is this that in our Authors Opinion there 's more reason to look upon the Revelation and Preaching of St. Peter as Canonical then the Seven Pieces above-mention'd which are now embrac'd by the whole Church as such We 'll try if you please and turning back to p. 22 consider what Testimonies are there brought to prove these Treatises which bear the Name of St. Peter to have been formerly esteem'd Genuine First for his Revelation we find that it 's quoted by Clemens of Alexandria mention'd by Eusebius St. Jerome and Sozomen All this I grant but then must beg leave to add that none of these Writers excepting the first will do our Authors cause any manner of Service For Eusebius and St. Jerome expresly declare this Piece as also the Preaching too to be Spurious and Sozomen assures us that though it was indeed Read in some Churches of Palestine once in the year yet the Ancients absolutely judg'd it a Forgery As for the Preaching of Peter Clemens of Alexandria I own quotes it several times and he 's the only Person I can allow that does as much as seem to favour our Author in the present controversy excepting only Damascen whom I have not at hand and therefore can't say what his Opinion might be Origen says not a word of it in the Preface to his Treatise of * The Doctrin indeed of St. Peter is mention'd there but rejected as an Apocryphal Book neither Wrote by him whose Name it bears nor by any Inspir'd Person Principles as is pretended He does indeed in his 14th Tome on St. John but then he considers the Passage there alledg'd as an Objection urg'd by Heracleon and is very far as any one may perceive from owning the Authority of the Book Lactantius (p) L. 4. c. 21. tells us in the place cited that the Apostles Peter and Paul Preach'd at Rome and deliver'd several Prophecies against the Jews which were kept in Writing and confirm'd by the Event But he does not say that the Book wherein they were preserv'd was call'd the Preaching of Peter neither does it any other ways appear that such Prophecies were contain'd in the Book now before us and therefore his Testimony signifies nothing to the question in hand As for the Discourse concerning the Baptism of Hereticks among the Works of St. Cyprian I grant the Preaching of Peter is there quoted if we 'll allow the conjecture of Rigaltius †I could not but smile here at the ingenuity of our Author in his contrivance to multiply Testimonies for Spurious
enquire in the next place what St. Augustine return'd by way of Answer First then to prove that the Writings of the New Testament were Genuine and that the Evangelists and Apostles were the real Authors of those Pieces which bear their Names he thus reasons with Faustus and his Followers (g) L. 33. c. 6. O unhappy and wretched Enemies of your own Souls Tell me I pray what Books can ever be judg'd Authentick if the Evangelical if the Apostolical Writings don 't deserve to be so esteem'd How can we be ever certain of the Author of any Treatise in the World if those Writings which the Church planted by the Apostles in all Nations affirms and maintains to be theirs may yet be rejected as false and Supposititious and instead thereof others be receiv'd as really Apostolical which were first brought to light by Hereticks whose very Masters from whom they take their donominations did not live till long after the Apostles and yet pretend to have known better then the Universal Church what Writings those first Preachers of our Religion left behind them Consider the case of several Pieces Publish'd about Secular and Human Learning There are many of this sort which appear under great Names that are yet justly rejected by the Judicious because they are by no means consistent with the Stile and Genius of them whose Names they assume or have never by such as were capable of knowing been declar'd and acknowledg'd to be the Genuine Works of those to whom they are ascrib'd by the Ignorant Do not Physicians for Examples sake reject the Authority of divers Treatises which fly abroad under the Name of Hippocrates And though there may perhaps be some resemblance in Thought and Expression yet notwithstanding that they condemn them as Spurious because they fall short of the real Performances of that great Man and have no sufficient Evidence to prove their being Genuine And for those which are indeed his Works Whence is it that the Learned conclude they belong to him whence is it that those who should question the same would be laugh'd at not refuted but only because a constant Tradition from his Age down to the present days has attested them And he that should pretend to doubt of a matter establish'd by the continued succession of so long a time would be accounted mad or distracted Whence do Men learn that the Books of Plato Aristotle Cicero Varro and other Authors are indeed of their composing but because they are so inform'd by the Testimonies of several Ages succeeding and following one another Many too have Wrote largely concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs not indeed with Canonical Authority but with a desire of profiting others or themselves How know we to whom any of these Discourses is to be assign'd but only from hence that their respective Authors acquainted others with what they Wrote at the time when they first Publish'd the same from whom it has been convey'd by several hands successively to the present time so that without any doubting or hesitation we can when examin'd concerning any particular Discourse tell presently what to answer But why do I insist upon things long since past Consider what is now before us Behold here the Treatise of Faustus behold my Answer If any should in future times enquire which way they might be assur'd that I Wrote the one and Faustus the other how could they be inform'd of the Truth but only by appealing to the Tradition which had from those who were our contemporaries and knew what we did been transmitted to Posterity Since then the case is plain and evident and esteem'd so by all the World in other Writings why should it not be so in those of the Apostles Who is there so blinded with Madness and Possess'd with the Malice of deceiving and lying Devils as to affirm that the Church has not the same security for the Books which she receives Can we imagine that so many Witnesses of the greatest Faithfulness and Integrity that such an unanimous Number of Brethren in all Places agreeing in the same assertions should conspire to impose upon the World with false Pieces Or that the Churches which derive their succession in a continued line from the Apostles should not have their Books likewise convey'd to them with as certain and steady a Tradition as is that upon which we admit Ecclesiastical or Prophane Writings And again in another Place You that raise so many scruples about the Authority of our Books How will you justify the Epistle of Manicheus (h) L. 32. c. 21. and prove that it was Wrote by him If any one should contradict you in this matter and boldly affirm that it was none of his but a down right Forgery what would you reply Would you not be ready to laugh at the confident Talker would you not tell him that it was Impudence and Dotage to move any doubts concerning that for which you had the successive Testimony of so many Persons from the days of your Paraclet And have not we the same too nay one of a much larger extent for the Books of the Apostles If it would be Ridiculous and Impertinent to question whether the Pieces of your Manicheus be Genuine is it not much more so to doubt of the Apostolical Writings And are not you to be derided or rather to be pitied who raise so many difficulties about them which are Establish'd upon the Authority of so large and diffusive a Testimony through the several Ages and places of the Church from the days of their first Authors Thus does the learned Father answer the first Objection by producing those grounds and reasons upon which the Catholicks embrac'd the Books of the New Testament as Authentick and Genuine We proceed now to the second Objection which was that whoever the Men were which drew up the Books of the New Testament they falsified and corrupted the pure Doctrins of Christianity by inserting several Errors and Contradictions among the Truth Now it having been already prov'd that these were really the Writings of the Apostles and Apostolick Men we have nothing else to do but represent the Reasons St. Augustine alledges to show that they neither were nor could be Corrupted nor yet had any Errors or Contradictions inserted in them That they were not falsified or corrupted he thus argues (i) L. 32. c. 16. You pretend to prove that Manicheus is the Paraclet or Comforter from some Passages in our Books which yet you say have been corrupted What would you reply if we should retort the charge upon you and affirm that you had falsifiyd them in those Particulars which concern your Paraclet I suppose you 'd tell us that we accus'd you of a thing impossible because the Books were in the hands of all Christians before and you might easily be convict of false dealing by numerous and more ancient Copies We say the same too and urge that those Arguments which are alledg'd to show you are