's Gospel is but an Abridgment of the Gospel by Matthew that St. Luke in the first Verses of his Gospel commends the Gospels of Matthew and Mark that St. John approved the Gospels of these three former Evangelists and wrote his Gospel only by way of Supplement to theirs that St. Peter commends the Epistles of Paul and signifie at the same time that they were commonly read and a bad Use made of them by some that the Catholick Epistles by James Peter Jude and John the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Revelation being written either to whole Nations or to all Christians were certainly publish'd as soon as written 2. At least the Clergy and Churches were unacquainted with the Books of the New Testament till 130 years after Christ I have shown they were quoted by all the extant Writers of those Times by Barnabas Herinas Ignatius Polycarp Clemens Romanus and by some not Extant as Papias of Hierapolis in the year 110. Farther that the four Gospels the Acts Revelation Catholick Epistles and Epistle to the Hebrews being written for general Information or to whole Churches or Nations they were written to be publish'd and publish'd as soon as written and that 't is a very precarious and withal an unreasonable supposition that the Clergy and Churches were ignorant of the publish'd Books of their Religion That the contrary in truth is evident for as early as Justin Martyr's time the Churches entertained a Reader besides the Deacons Presbyters and Bishop who read the Old and New Testaments to the Assembly 3. It was impossible when the Books of the Canon first appeared to distinguish them from spurious Gospel Acts Epistles and Revelations which were also entitled to the Apostles I have replyed there was nothing more obvious or easy to the then Churches than to distinguish them with absolute certainty by their Agreement or Disagreement with the Doctrine and History of our Saviour which those Churches had but just before received by word of Mouth from the Apostles and other first miraculous Preachers 4. Different Copies were shown of all the Canonical Books from the very first the Nazarens and Ebionits had a Gospel of St. Matthew different from ours the Marcionits of St. Luke and of the Epistles of Paul I have answer'd Marcion was so ingenuous as to retract his vitiated Copies of St. Paul's Epistles and of St. Luke's Gospel the Copy of Matthew used by the Nazarens was say the Antients πληÏÎςατον most perfect the Ebionite Copy being probably St. Matthew's first or Hebrew Edition of his Gospel did indeed want the two first Chapters and in time they had added some Traditional Memoirs from the Witness of some Disciples that had seen the Facts and knew the Persons it were to be wish'd we had still this Copy 5. The Books of the Canon were imputed by some very considerable Sects of Christians not to the Apostles whose names they bear but either to Hereticks or to a set of Half-Jews and Half-Christians who had written them only from hearsay and flying Reports I have evinced that only the Gospel of John was ever mislayed and that the Alogians soon saw their Error in the Case not only receiving that Gospel but receiving it also with all other Sects and Churches as St. John ' s. That the Manichees the other considerable Sect of Christians intended in the Objection owned our four Gospels the Epistles of Paul all the Catholick Epistles and all other Books of our Canon in short that Amyntor certainly and inadvertently enough mistook the meaning of the Author Faustus the Manichee whom he alledged 6. The Philosopher Celsus complains that the Christians had alter'd their Gospel three or four or more times Celsus I have said meant this of the Copies of Marcion and of Valentinus and Lucanus which never were used in the Churches but at their first appearance were detected and rejected by all Churches Of the Books of the Catalogue he saith 1. MANY of 'em have rather been supprest by the strongest side in the Church than lost and that probably they were the genuin Works of the Apostles I have granted divers of 'em might be the real Works of those whose names they bore and that our loss of them is to be regretted but the whole body of Learning has suffer'd extremely by the loss of some of the best Books in every Science and Art Notwithstanding the Reasons alledged by the Antients against many of them are sufficient to convince us that there was just cause to slight and even to suppress them 2. The Epistles of Barnabas Ignatius Polycarp Clemens Romanus and the Pastor of Hermas were esteemed by the Antients to be a good Scripture as any part of the New Testament they were received by the soundest of the Antients who at the same time rejected divers Books of our present Canon namely the Revelation the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of Jude the second of Peter and the second and third of John But I have produced unquestionable Testimony of the Antients that these lesser pieces of the Canon were always received by the generality of Churches and Christians and that when they were owned in the Council of Laodicea 't was on very good grounds on the same Reasons which convinced 'em of the genuinness of the other Books of the New Testament As to Barnabas Ignatius Polycarp Hermas and Clemens Romanus they were considered indeed as pious and well-minded Compositions but were read no otherwise but as we now read in our Churches the Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament which for all that we directly deny to be Divine Scripture and many think them not very Edifying or Profitable especially some of them 3. The principal Ante-nicen Fathers quoted divers Gospels Epistles and Acts of the Catalogue as Scripture and Canonical and this is all that can be said for the Books of the Canon and more than can be truly said for some of them I have alledged the very words of those Fathers it appears they never cite the Books of the Catalogue as Divine Scripture and in reciting the Books of the true Scripture-Canon and of the Apostles they always omit all the Gospels and other Books of the Catalogue I grant however that the mere Terms Scripture and Canonical were at first applied to all Ecclesiastical Books that were judged Orthodox as also to the Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament to distinguish them from the Moral pieces of the Heathen Philosophers but the alledged Fathers have made us know the great difference they put between mere Scripture and Divine Scripture between Canonical and Inspired Nam pudet haec opprobria Nobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse Refelli FINIS Advertisement ALL the Works of the late Reverend and Learned William Bates D. D. and some Account of him in a Funeral Sermon by Mr. John How with an Alphabetical Table to the whole are proposed to be printed in a large Folio on an extraordinary Paper and Character at
against the whole Canon of the New Testament rout all the Authors of the Old Testament For he might have said from Epiphanius Haeres Ebion c. 13. p. 38. Some Jews called Nazarites rejected Sacrifices affirming that the Books of Moses which we now have are spurious the true Writings of Moses being altogether different from our Copies of them which true Writings are still preserved by their Party He repeats the same thing Anacep p. 134. Others who owned the five Books of Moses yet refused all the other Books of the Old Testament Epiphanius Haeres Sam. c. 2. To these last for so much as concerns the Old Testament were joined some Ebionits saving that they approved the Book of Joshua Epiphan Haeres Ebion c. 13. Let us examine all this it will be undeniable that almost all of it is false and that little of it that is true is of no weight As to the Manichees who 't is pretended denyed all the New Testament that is denyed it to be written by the Authors whose Names it carries or said that at least 't is so very much interpolated and corrupted that 't is now of no Authority I will reserve the Discussion of it till we come also to the Philosopher Celsus who says that the Christians had twice or thrice or more times altered their Gospel The Ebionits and Nazarens says our Author had a different Copy of Matthew's Gospel from ours Why does he confound the Ebionits and Nazarens as if they were one and used the same Copy of Matthew's Gospel They were no more the same Sect of Christians than the Church of England and the Quakers are and were so far from using the same Copy of St. Matthew that a common Enemy to both witnesses the Copy of the Nazarens was πληÏÎςατον most perfect but that of the Ebionits Adulteratum Mutilum corrupted by Interpolations and defaced by Omissions Epiphanius Haeres Nazar c. 9. Haeres Ebion c. 13. This Gospel of the Ebionits lacked the two first Chapters namely the Genealogy of Joseph from David and the History concerning the three wise men out of the East it began at the Baptism of John As for the Additions 't is not said expresly what they were likely the History of the Woman that was taken in Adultery related in many Copies of St. John's Gospel particularly in those from which our English Translation was made Also some Answers of our Saviour the Names also and Qualities of some of the Persons he healed All which might be added from common Report of the Disciples of our Saviour and of others who knew the Facts and Persons These things are said to be in the Hebrew Gospel either of the Nazarens or Ebionits by Eusebius Jerom Austin Photius and others It was a hard Censure by Epiphanius to call 'em Adulterations if no more can be objected to the Copy used by the Ebionits than these traditional Memoirs added in some places it were if extant to be highly valued The omission in their Copy of the two first Chapters was indeed the occasion of great Disputes and Heats among the Antients Not uncredibly the Ebionits might follow the first Edition of St. Matthew's Gospel or his Hebrew Gospel which might begin at Chap. 3. that is at the Baptism of John but when Matthew published his Gospel the second time Greek he might add the Genealogy and the History of the Wise men The Ebionits being all Jews and understanding only the Hebrew the Syro-Chaldaic they adhered to the first Edition rejecting the other which also not being published it may be in Judaea but from some other place they might doubt whether it were really St. Matthew's I can't see what can be inferred from this to the prejudice of Christianity or the Canon of Scripture except by Persons who having a great mind to be Infidels please themselves with Trifles But the Marcionites also had a different Copy of the Gospel of Luke I confess the Antients speak of Marcion's Copy of St. Luke as adulterated particularly Origen Irenaeus Justin Martyr Tertullian and lastly Epiphanius who has noted the particular Alterations and Substractions by Marcion they are these He omits the two first Chapters beginning his Gospel with the Preaching of John Baptist Praecursor to our Savior and where the Prophets were alledged or were spoken of he retrenches it The rest objected to Marcion's Copy is but ill-grounded for they are only various readings not designed Depravations Marcion intended by these changes to conform the Gospel to the Sentiments of his Party concerning the Prophets but he so did this that the substance of Christianity was still the same and that 't was easy to see on which side the Truth lay This last is proved by the event for the Marcionite Heresy soon became extinct of it self An attempt to cut off such large portions of this Gospel that were found in all the Copies used in the Churches was too extravagant to succeed or be long countenanced by any sober men unless supported by Interest Marcion had been excommunicated by his own Father who was a Bishop for Fornication hereupon he went to Rome but Letters from his Father following him they would not there receive him into Communion Enraged at this he set up a new Sect being a Learned Man he procured not a few Followers who made him their Bishop in this Station he wrote divers Books and publish'd a new Copy of the Gospel by St. Luke as also of St. Paul's Epistles making in both divers Alterations He repented however of these wicked endeavors against Truth and Peace he reconciled himself to the Church undeceived most of his Followers and would have reduced the rest but was prevented by Death We have this Information from the most Antient of the Latin Fathers Tertullian Praescript c. 30. He alledges farther John's Gospel was attributed by some to the Heretick Cerinthus all the Epistles of Paul were denyed by some and a different Copy shown of 'em by others This boasted different Copy is only the Copy of Marcion voluntarily and piously retraced by himself That any denyed St. Paul's Epistles meaning thereby denyed them to be his our Author will not prove from any of the Antients If by denying them he means rejected the Doctrine of 'em we grant they were denyed by the Ebionits the witness against 'em is Epiphanius Haeres Ebion c. 13. The Ebionits were those Jewish Christians who contended that the Law was to be observed together with the Gospel Paul obtained against 'em a Decree by the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem recorded Acts 15. from vers 24. and often argues against their Opinion in his Epistles This occasioned their rejecting those Epistles and a great many Calumnies against the Person of that Apostle among other things they devised that Paul was a Gentile of Tarsus and that missing an intended Marriage with the Daughter of a Priest at Jerusalem he set himself to destroy the Priesthood and the Law The ground on which St. Paul's Epistles
now proved by divers Examples for he refers to the several Examples he had just before given of Doctrines and Facts which as he supposed and supposed he had proved it were added to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke only he speaks of himself as Authors are commonly wont in the Plural number saying à Nobis for à me But from all this Amyntor infers and immediately subjoins since therefore the Manichaeans rejected the whole New Testament c. You are a great deal too hasty Son your Friends the Manichees received the whole Genuine Canon of the New Testament they rejected only the corrupt part of the Testament of the Son even the Gospels and other pieces of your Catalogue and some Passages which they pretended had been unduly inserted into the Epistles and Gospels of the Canon nor will you ever make more of your Citations from Faustus by whatsoever stretching and straining them By this it appears how much our Author is pleas'd with Hyperbolies he says A very considerable Sect of Christians themselves I mean the Manichees shewed other Scriptures and denied the Genuinness of the whole New Testament He should have said a small Party less Christians by much than the Mahometans denied the genuinness of those parts of the Gospels and Epistles where the Books of the Old Testament are cited as also where mention is made of the Genealogy Birth Temptation Baptism or Death of Christ because they supposed Christ was God only and Man not at all and that it was unworthy of God to be born tempted baptized or put to death The Objection however hath still some force 't is thus far true that some there were who said the Books of the Canon are not now altogether sincere they are corrupted by divers Additions Yes the Manichees said so and if our Author had pleased he could have told us by what Arguments they were convinced of their Impertinence and Folly it would very well have become him to have taken that little farther pains Of the pretended Interpolations and Additions in the Books of the Canon THE Manichees said The 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Truth promised to the Faithful by Christ even the blessed Manichaeus was sent by God to inform his Elect and all other his People concerning his farther Will and good-pleasure as also to instruct them what of the New Testament is genuine and to be received by all and what to be rejected as either mistaken by the Apostles yet unperfect or since added by others to the Writings of the Apostles and Evangelists Being asked What these Mistakes and Additions were They answered whatsoever is said of the Genealogy Birth Baptism Temptation and real Death of Christ all quotations out of and all honourable mention any where made concerning the Patriarchs Prophets and Writers of the Old Testament When demanded farther on what grounds they presumed to reject either the Old Testament or such large portions of the New They replyed Moses has blasphemed Christ in those words of his He that is hanged is accursed of God Deut. 21.23 The God of the Old Testament said the Manichees appears to have been a wicked and impotent Spirit chiefly by his commanding the slaughter of innocent Beasts for 〈◊〉 of guilty Men and by dealing so harshly with his Slaves the Jews Therefore his Prophets also are to be rejected as for the same reason we would and do reject the Priests and Prophets of the other evil Gods of the Nations It is not to be thought so they went on that Jesus Christ commended or his Apostles cited the writings of the Prophets and Servants of such an impure God no all such Citations and Commendations have been undoubtedly added by certain People that were half Jews and half Christians to the Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament So also was whatsoever is found in those Books concerning the Genealogy Birth Circumcision Temptation Baptism or Death of Christ Who being God underwent all these things only in appearance and by that Phantom which the Vulgar took to be real Christ that represented him even as Angels seem to have Bodies to be clothed to eat and drink when in truth they neither drink nor eat nor are clothed nor have real Bodies This was the Manichaean Doctrine with respect to the Christian Religion and Books of the New Testament to which they added the eight Articles before mentioned taught 'em by Manichaeus and his Second Adimantus and maintained by Faustus Says St. Austin One may easily make short work with this wild People For whereas all depends on the Authority of Manichaeus I desire to know how they prove he was that Paraclet that Spirit of Truth that was to lead us into all truth promised by our Saviour They answer indeed out of St. John's Gospel I will send the Comforter or Paraclet the Spirit of Truth who shall lead you into all Truth but they say withal the Gospels and other Books of the New Testament are so corrupted that there is no absolute trusting to ' em We demand a Witness on behalf of their Paraclet they alledg one out of our own New Testament which they say is a false and corrupted Witness Any Book or other Witness convict of Falshood and Corruption in bearing its Testimony especially of many Corruptions and Falsities is uncapable of standing again as a Witness merely on its own Credit in whatsoever Case Briefly by accusing the New Testament as a Book in so many places corrupted they deprive themselves of whatsoever benefit that might arise to them from its Testimony But to forgive to Fools an oversight that destroys their whole Cause St. John shall be a sincere Evangelist in speaking of the Spirit or Paraclet tho the other Books and Writers and he himself in other matters hath been mistaken or is corrupted by others But as this is the Evangelist who has foretold the sending of the Paraclet◠so he hath also foretold the time when he should come for he saith John 7.39 The Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified The reason it seems that the Spirit was not then given was because Jesus not being yet glorified that is not departed from his Disciples into Heaven 't was not necessary he should be yet given but when Jesus was dead raised and ascended into Heaven then was the time to send forthwith the Paraclet Accordingly we find in the Acts of the Apostles in the second Chapter of those Acts fifty days after our Savior's Resurrection and but ten days after his Ascension into Glory the Spirit the promised Paraclet descended on the Apostles What room now is here for Montanus or for Manichaeus The Spirit of Truth was to come so soon as Christ was gone from his Apostles and entred into the Glory designed for him but Montanus came not till 170 years after Christ was glorified and Manichaeus as if our Savior had utterly forgot his promise not till the year 275. The Father goes on I will take no Advantage