Biblical commentary on the New Testament - The Christian ...

xlii THE COLLECTION OF THE GOSPELS.
In order tliat the various writings and small collections might
be permanently united, the smaller divisions were entirely given
up in the fourth century, and henceforward there was hut one great
collection, containing all the- New Testament writings. A decisive
decree on this point was issued by a council held in the year 393,
at Hippo, no# Bona, in Africa. In itself considered, this union of
the smaller collections into a single large one is of no consequence,
and hence, too, it is of none that it took jolace at so late a period ;
for, as early as during the third century and the commencement of
the fourth, there was entire unanimity in regard to all essential
questions concerning the books of the, New Testament, as the fol-
lowing particular histoiy of them will evince. StiU there was this
advantage arising from the union of the apostolic writings into one
body, viz., that they were in a more safe and determinate form, and
might now be j)laced with the Old Testament as a complete second
part of holy writ.
CHAPTER II.
THE COLLECTION OF THE GOSPELS.
Of the three smaller collections of the writings of the New
Testament, which, as we have before stated, were in use in the
ancient church, none can be traced further back than that of the
Gospels. We find so many and so weighty testimonies in its be-
half, that it would seem as though Providence designed that this
palladium of the church should be in a special manner secure against
all attacks. Not only is it the case that some of the most ancient
fathers testify to its existence, as, e. g., Tertullian, Clement of
Alexandria, Irenaeus, Justin- Martyr (aU of whom lived in the
second century after Christ, and were preceded only by the so-called
apostolic fathers) ; but, moreover, the witnesses in its behalf be-
longed to all parts of the ancient church. Tertullian lived in Carthage
; Clement in Egypt ; Irenaeus was born in Asia Minor, and
became bishop of Lyons in France ; Justin Martyr was born in
Palestine (in Flavia Neapolis, otherwise called Sichem), but taught
in Rome. Thus the testimonies in favour of the collection of the
Gospels come from all the chief stations in the ancient church ; and
this circumstance, of course, supposes its very general diffusion.
The greatest number of testimonies, all proceeding from one pro-
vince, would not be of so much weight as these coincident declara-
tions from the most various parts of the world, as to the currency
of the Gospels. A circumstance, however, stiU more important than