The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

548 Credibility of the Gospel History.
withstanding the reserv^edness which he imposed on himself
in that respect, there are in him many allusions and references
to them : which seems to show, that the christians of
that time were so habituated to the language of scripture,
that it was not easy for them to avoid the use of it, whenever
they discoursed upon things of a religious nature.
His quotations of Sibylline books, and other writings
ascribed to heathen vates or diviners, such as Hydaspes and
Hern»es Trismegistus, have been just now accounted for.
And it has been shown, that he was far from esteeming them
of canonical authority. Nor does it appear, that he placed
the Preaching of Peter and Paul in the rank of sacred scrip-
ture, though he has once quoted it.
IX. We come now to the author of the books of the Deaths
of Persecutors : in whom there are no quotations of scripture,
and but few references or allusions to it. I shall therefore
transcribe but little from him at present.
1. It is manifest that he refers to the Acts of the Apostles,
and perhaps to the gospels likewise, in the second chapter
of his work :
' Near> the end of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
as we find it written, our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by
the Jews. When he had risen again on the third day, he
assembled his disciples, whom the fright of his apprehension
had dispersed. And continuing with them forty days, he
opened their hearts, and explained to them the scriptures,
which to that time were obscure and difficult to them. He
also gave them instructions concerning the preaching his
doctrine.—When he had so done, he was surrounded by a
cloud, which, withdrawing him from human sight, carried
him up to heaven. Whereupon his disciples, who were
then eleven, taking into the room of Judas the traitor Matthias
and Paul, went abroad throughout the world, and
preached the gospel, as the Lord had commanded them.'
2. This M'riter speaks of the early success of the apostles
in preaching the gospel, and the swift progress of the chris-
y Extremis temporibus Tiberii Csesaris, ut scriptum legiraus, Dominus
noster Jesus Christus a Judaeis cruciatus est post diem decimum calendarum
April is, duobiis Geminis Consulibus. Cum resurrexisset die tertio, congre-
gavit discipulos, quos metus comprehensionis ejus in fugam verterat, et diebus
quadraginta cum his commoratus, aperuit corda eorum, et scripturas interpretatus
est, quae usque ad id tempus obscurae et involutae fuerant. Ordinavitque
eos, et instruxit ad praedicationem dogmatis ac doctrinae suae.—Quo officio
repleto, circumvolvit eum procella nubis, et subtractum oculis hominum rapuit
in ccelum. Et inde discipuli, qui tunc erant undecim, assumtis in locum
Judaei proditoris Matthia et Paulo, dispersi sunt per omnem terram ad evangelium
praedicandum, sicut illis magister Dominus imperaverat.—De M. P.
c. 2. in.