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46 Credibililij oftJm Gospel llislory.
mand, writes in his epistle : " Hereby," says he, " we perceive
that we know him, if we keep his connnandments : He
that saith, 1 know him, and keepeth not his commandments,
is a liar, and the truth is not in him :" ' 1 John ii. 3.
4. 1 shall add one passage more * in the margin, where this
epistle is quoted as written by the blessed apostle John.
There are two passages, where Cyprian is supposed by some
to fjuote or refer to the disputed text, concerning the three
witnesses in heaven. The first is to this purpose :
' The "
Lord says, " I and the Father are one." And again, of the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit it is written : " And
these three are one :" ' 1 John v. 7. The other passage I shall
not translate. However, I put it^ in the margin, for the sake
of those who may choose to see it here., I do not enter into
the merits of the question, whether this clause be genuine,
or whether it was quoted or referred to by St. Cyprian.
The reader who is desirous of information concerning this
matter, may consult the" authors who have treated of it
largely; but in a following'^ chapter will be found an argument
of no small weight in favour of the supposition, that
this clause was wanting in St. Cyprian's copies of St. John's
epistle.
5. In a passage cited just now it is said, John writes in his
epistle, meaning- our first Epistle of St. John : and it must
be owned, that St. Cyprian has no where quoted any other
epistle of this Apostle. But this may be accounted for by
the brevity of the two other epistles. It is certain, that form
of quotation is no proof of his knowing or owning no other
epistle of St. John, the like form being also often used by him
in quoting an epistle of St. Paul. There are some instances of
Ep. 28. [al. 25.] p. 54. ' Item beatus Joannes apostolus nee
ipse ullam hseresin aut schisma discrevit, aut aliquos speciatira separates posuit;
sed universos qui de ecclesia exiissent, quique contra ecclesiam facerent, anti-
christos appellavit, dicens: Audistis quia autichristus venit. Nuncautem anti-
christimulti facti sunt, &c. [1 Joh. ii. 18. 19.] Ep. 69. [al. 76.] p. 180.
" Dicit Dominus : Ego
et Pater unum sumus. Et iterum de Patre et Filio
et Spiritu Sancto scriptum est : Et hi tres unum sunt. De Unitate Ec. p. 109.
" Nam si baptizari quis apud hsereticos potuit, utique et remissam peccatorura
consequi potuit. Si peccatorum remissam consecutus est, et sanctiticatas est,
et templum Dei factus est, queero cujus Dei? Si creatoris, non potuit qui in
eum non credidit. Si Christi, nee hujus fierit potuit templum, qui negat Deum
Christum. Si Spiritus Sancti, cum tres unum sint, quomodo Spintus Sanctus
placatus e-sse ei potest, qui aut Palris aut Fihi inimicus est ? ad Jubaianum Ep.
7.3. p. 203. There may be seen a large collection of such authors in
Mr. WoWs Curae Philolog. &c. in loc. Tom. iv. p. 293, &c. I therefore refer
only to a very few. Vid. Mill, in loc. Emlyn's Tracts. Ri. Simon. Hist. Crit.
du Texte du Nou. Test. ch. xvii. LeClerc. Bib. Univ.T. xii. p. 450 455,
et passim, and Mr. David Casley's Preface to the Catalogue of the manuscripts
of tlie king's library. " See below chap. xlv. numb, vi, 10, 11, 12.