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Cyprian of Caktiiaoe. A. D. 248. 31
(6.) I suppose it tlion to he hisilily probable, that our present
coiiuuoii reading- ol" this text is right; as 1 believe the
first christians understood it right, wlien they took it to contain
advice to abstain from eating the blood ot" annuals.
2. We are now to take into consideration the addition to
our common text: Acts xv. 20, and 29; ^>hieh is, " And
whatever things ye would uot should be done unto you,
neither do ye unto others." Of" this 1 have already taken
some notice in*' the chapter of Theophihis bishop of Antioch,
about the year 181, because Dr. Milh' had mentioned it as
a conjecture of his, that that ancient father had referred to
this reading- in the Acts. But 1 then intimated, that I thought
that conjecture to be entirely Avithout foundation ; and I
gave some reasons, which I suppose might be satisfactory.
I am now more fully confirmed in the same opinion, and
think there is not any the least ground to suppose that
Theophilus refeiTed to this additional reading in the Acts.
For, first, there is no reason to believe that this prohibition,
or precept, call it Avhat you please, was then in any copy of
the Acts, as shall be shown more distinctly by and by. Secondly,
allowing- this prohibition to have been then in the
Acts, yet Theophilus did not refer to it, but rather to some
text of the gospels Avhere this equitable rule is spoken of as
if indeed Theophilus referred
the doctrine of the prophets ;
at all to any part of the New Testament, and not solely to
the writings of the prophets. And, since the publication of
the forecited volume, I have observed that the learned Mr.
Wolff,^ in his edition of Theophilus, (which I had not then
seen,) puts in the marginal note upon the passage of his author
a reference to Luke vi. 31 ; which certainly is not improperly
done ; though I think it altogether as likely that Theophilus
referred to Matt. vii. 12, or xxii. 40 ; if indeed he
referred to any text of the New Testament. But, upon the
whole, it appears to me somewhat probable, that Theophilus
referred to the writings of the prophets themselves, and to
them only ; and I should think it must appear so to others
likewise, who are pleased to read and consider the context.
Though Mill had a conjecture that Theophilus referred to
this additional reading in the Acts, yet, with his Monted
critical skill, he supposed this reading not to be genuine,
but an interpolation, however ancient ; m hich opinion I
shall endeavour to support, except that I do not judge this
interpolation to be very ancient, but very modern : nevertheless,
that judicious critic has an observation upon this reading,
"^ See Vol. ii. chap. xx.