that he was the Lord's brother, and his apostle, and the first bishop of Jerusalem, and other things which need not now to be attended to.

15. He has several times quoted the two epistles of Peter.

16. He says, that' Peter was often in the countries of Pontus and Bithynia.

17. John's second epistle is quoted bym Epiphanius.

18. He cites very expressly the catholic epistle of Jude, the apostle, brother of James, and of the Lord, written by inspiration.

19. Speaking of these seven epistles, it is common for him to use the word catholic.' He quotes St. John's first epistle in this manner: Of whom the holy John says in the catholic epistle, "It is the last time. And ye have heard that Antichrist cometh." See 1 John ii. 18.

: 20. Epiphanius received the book of the Revelation : for he says, that P John imparted spiritual gifts by his gospel, his epistles, and the Revelation.

21. And in the preceding chapter he had said, that all John's books or writings, his gospel, and Revelation, and epistles, were harmonious.

22. He says, that' John prophesied, or had the Revelation, in the isle of Patmos, in the reign of Claudius, if that be not a fault of the transcriber.

23. The book of the Revelation was not universally res ceived in the time of Epiphanius. His account of the Alogians is, that they rejected all St. John's writings. And he says, that if they had rejected the Revelation only, it

* Καταταθέντος ευθυς Ιακωβ τε αδελφε Κυριο καλέμενς, και αποτολε, επισκοπα πρωτε, υἱε τε Ιωσηφ φύσει οντος, εν τάξει δε αδελφε το Κυριο κληθέντος δια την συνανατροφήν. H. 29. n. 3. p. 119. A. Vid. et n. 4.

1 Πετρος δε πολλακις Ποντον τε και Βιθυνίαν επεσκέψατο. Η. 27. n. 6. p. 107. D. m H. 34. n. 13. p. 248. A.

ὡς και περι τέτων οιμαι εκινήθη το άγιον πνευμα εν τω αποτολῳ Ιεδα, λεγω δε εν τη ὑπ' αυτε γραφεισῃ καθολική επιτολή. κ. λ. Η. 26. n. 11. p. 92. D. Περι ὧν εἶπεν ὁ ἅγιος Ιωαννης εν ταις καθολικαις

επιτολαις. Η. 51. n. 3. p. 428. Α.

• Εν οἷς και ὁ ἅγιος Ιωαννης δια το ευαγγέλιο, και των επιτολων, και της Αποκαλύψεως εκ το αυτό χαρισματος το άγιο πνευματος μεταδεδωκε. Η. 51. n. 35. p. 457. C.

στα το άγιο αποτολε βιβλια, φημι δε Ιωαννε το τε ευαγγελιον, και Αποκαλυψιν, ταχα δε και επιστολας. Συνάδεσι γαρ και αυται τῳ ευαγγελιῳ, και την Αποκαλυψει. Ib. n. 34. p. 456. C.

Αυτο δε προφητευσαντος εν χρόνοις Κλαύδιο Καισαρος ανωτάτω, ότε εις την Πατμον νήσον υπηρξεν. Ib. n. 33. p. 456. A. conf. n. 12. p. 434. Α.

Και

ει μεν εδέχοντο το ευαγγελιον, την δε Αποκαλυψιν απεβαλλοντο, ελεγομεν αν, μη πη αρα κατα ακριβολογίαν του το ποιόνται, απόκρυφον μη δεχόμενοι, δια τα εν τη Αποκαλύψει βαθέως και σκοτεινως ειρημενα. H. 51. n. 3. p. 423. D.

might have been imagined, that they had acted upon the ground of a nice and critical judgment; as being shy of an apocryphal and mysterious book: but to reject all John's writings, was a sign of an antichristian spirit.

24. In another place he says, the Revelation was generally received, or by the most.

V. We may now take some of the many passages of this writer, testifying the great respect shown by christians to the sacred scriptures, together with their general titles and divisions.

I. One" and the same God is preached to us in the law, and the prophets, and the gospels, and the apostles, in the Old and the New Testament.

2. He particularly examines the texts alleged by the

Arians from the apostle, and from the gospels.

W

3. The apostle, or rather the Holy Ghost speaking in the apostle.

X

4. A thing never said by any of the ancients, nor by any prophet, or apostle, or evangelist, or interpreter to this day.

5. Arguing against the followers of Origen, he says: They prophets and apostles are more to be relied upon than you,

or your master.

6. Against the Valentinians. Their fables and fancies have no countenance from scripture, nor from Moses, nor from any of the prophets after him, nor from our Saviour, nor from his evangelists, or apostles.

7. That, and other like passages plainly show, what writ ings were of authority in the church, and that there were no other to which that honour was allowed.

a

8. Again: Such a thing was never said by any of the

- παρα πλειςοῖς ἡ βιβλος πιπετευμενη. Η. 77. n. 26. p. 1031. B.

* Αλλ' ότι θεος εἷς ἡμιν εν νομῳ, και εν προφηταις, και εν ευαγγελίοις, και εν αποτόλοις, εν παλαια και καινη διαθηκη κεκηρυκται. De Fide, n. 13. p. 1101. Β. μετα πασών των απο το αποτολε, και των ευαγγελιων. Η. 69. n. 72.

* Φθεγγόμενος γεν ὁ αποςολος, μαλλον δε το πνεύμα το άγιον φθεγγομενον Ev aury. H. 76. n. 9. p. 922. C.

* Ουδενι γαρ πωποτε των παλαιων τετο είρηται, έτε προφητης ετε αποτέλε ετε ευαγγελιση, 8 τινι των εξηγητων ἑως τετῶν τῶν ἡμετέρων χρονων. Η.77. n. 24. p. 1018. B.

* Αληθεύεσι Yap οἱ αποςολοι και προφηται, ήπερ ύμεις και ύμων διδασκαλος. Ancor. n. 63. p. 66. C.

-ετε το γραφης ειπεσης, ετε το Μωύσεως νομε, ετε τινος προφητε των μετα Μωϋσεα, αλλ' ότε το Σωτηρος, ετε των αυτό ευαγγελίσων, αλλ' ετε μην των αποτολων. Η. 31. n. 34. p. 205. C.

-αδενος πώποτε των προφητων τετο ειρηκότος, εκ αυτό Μωϋσεως, 8 των προ αυτό, 8 των μετ' αυτόν, 8 των ευαγγελικών, 8 των αποςόλων. Η. 33. n. 8, p. 223. C.

prophets not by Moses, nor by any of the prophets before or after him, nor by the evangelists or apostles.

9. If web deny the authority of the divine scriptures, we are fallen from truth: if we reject the Old Testament, we are no longer of the catholic church.

10. Let these people, says he, produce any passage of the Old or the New Testament favouring their sentiments. 11. He complains, that some men, neglecting the truth of the prophets, evangelists, and apostles, have introduced false and fabulous notions.

e

12. He professeth to have delivered the true faith, taken from the law, and the prophets, and the gospels, and the apostles.

13. This they must allow, unless they admit fables, contrary to the doctrine of the prophets and the law, and the apostles and evangelists.

VI. I shall now put down a few remarkable observations in this writer.

1. He says, thats when Christ was baptized, he was of the age of twenty-nine years and ten months. This he supposeth to be the meaning of St. Luke's words, iii. 23. "And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age:" that is, thirty years not complete.

2. He thinks, ourh Lord was exactly thirty years of age, when he wrought the miracle at Cana in Galilee, recorded, John ii. 1-11.

3. He says, there are two passovers in our Lord's ministry, according to St. John's gospel; and that he suffered at the third passover in the thirty-third year of his life on earth.

• Εαν γαρ αρνησωμεθα τας θείας γραφας, αληθεις εκ εσμεν, και ευρισκόμεθα εκπιπτοντες της αληθείας, η την παλαιαν διαθήκην εκβάλλοντες, εκετι εσμεν της καθολικής εκκλησιας. Η. 70. n. 7. p. 817. D.

• Ει έχεσι μαρτυρίαν-εν παλαια και εν καινη διαθηκη.

p. 54. B.

Ancor. n. 1.

d Την γαρ θείων γραφων ακολυθίαν, και ευθύτητα, και ακακιας όμολογίαν, προφητικήν τε, και ευαγγελικήν, και αποτολικήν πισιν παρεντες, σοφισικὴν ἡμιν λεξιν, και μυθώδη παρεισηγαγον. Η. 77. n. 1. p. 996. Β.

• Και ούτω γεγραφα βεβαιον ὁμολογίαν την απο το νόμε, και των προφητών, και ευαγγελιων, και αποςόλων. Ancor. n. 83. p. 88.

- εκ προφητων τε, και νόμε, και αποτόλων, και ευαγγελιτων παραδόσεως. H. 70. n. 2. p. 813. C.

Β Ην γαρ τῳ μεν οντι εικοσιεννέα ετών, και μηνων δέκα, ότε επι το βαπτισμα ἧκε, τριακοντα μεν ετων, αλλ' ε πληρης. H. 51. n. 16. p. 439. Α. Conf. n. 28. p. 450. A.

h

Όπερ πρωτον σημείον και πλήρωμα τριακοντα έτων απο γενεσεως της ενσαρκες αυτο παρεσιας. κ. λ. Η. 51. n. 16. p. 439. C.

Όμως δυο πασχα μεν κατα την αρχην τε κηρυγματος ὁ Σωτὴρ ποιεῖται, και τῷ τρίτῳ πασχει. H. 51. n. 30. p. 452. C.

* Ευρίσκεται γαρ εν τῳ τριακοσῳ τρίτῳ έτει της αυτες ενσαρκώσεως παρεσίας

Therefore he did not think the "feast of the Jews," mentioned John v. 1, to be passover.

4. In another place he says, there1 were three passovers in our Lord's ministry: but he is to be understood in the same manner as above represented.

5. He thought that the two disciples, whom Jesus met in the way to Emmaus, as related Luke xxiv. were Nathanael and Cleophas.

6. Epiphanius says, that the apostles did not preach themselves, but Jesus Christ, Lord. Therefore there was no sect, or church, called after the apostles; for we never heard of Petrians, or Paulians, or Bartholomeans, or Thaddeans, but of christians only, as they were called at Antioch. We saw a like observation some while ago in° Athanasius. 7. He says, all things in the divine scripture are easy to those who inquire with a pious mind.

VII. The sum of his testimony will lie in a little room. His canon of the Old Testament was much the same with that of the Jews: for he acknowledges, that the book of Baruch was not received by them. The book of Wisdom, and the book of Ecclesiasticus, he considers as useful only, and not of authority, and therefore not admitted into the ark. Nor have the books of Maccabees, or Tobit, or Judith, any place in those catalogues. The books of the New Testament received by him, are the same as those which are now generally received by us. He quotes no others, as of authority, unless he has so quoted the Constitutions; which will be considered presently. For the sacred books of the Old and New Testament he has the highest regard. I scarce need to say, that he makes no use of christian apocryphal books, written in the name of apostles, and falsely ascribed to them. Epiphanius's aversion for such books must be well known to the readers of this work: it is a charge frequently brought by him against heretics, that they made use of apocryphal books: and he reckons it no small fault in them.

πάσχων 8 μονογενης. H. 51. n. 23. p. 446. Β.-Εν τῳ τριακοσῳ τριτη της αυτό ενσαρκες οικονομίας. Ib. n. 25. p. 448. A.

1 Και εκ διδασιν οἱ ιδιωται, ότι 8 μονον δυο πασχα ὁμολογει τα ευαγγελια, αλλα δυο μεν πρωτα λεγει, και αυτο δε εν ᾧ πεπονθεν ὁ Σωτηρ, τρια πασχα των εν τῳ κηρυγματι πεπραγματευμενων. Ib. n. 22. p. 444. Β.

m H. 23. n. 6. - Διο εκ ενι αίρεσις, εδε εκκλησία, εις όνομα αποτολων ανηγορευμενη εδέποτε γαρ ηκέσαμεν η Πετριάς, η Παυλιες, • P. 153. η Βαρθολομαίος, η Θαδδαίος. κ. λ. Η. 42. p. 366. D.

Ρ. Παντα γαρ σαφη εν τη θεια γραφη τοις βελόμενοις ευσεβει λογισμῳ προσερ χεσθαι τῳ θειῳ λόγῳ. Η. 76. n. 7. p. 920. Α.

This he imputes to Bardesanes. See Vol. ii. ch. xxviii. n. xii. and to several others, as may be seen, Vol. ii. ch. xli. Not to refer to other places.

VOL. IV.

CHAP. LXXXV.

THE APOSTOLICAL CONSTITUTIONS AND CANONS.

I. Epiphanius's quotations of a work called Apostolical Constitutions, with remarks upon them. II. The opinions of learned moderns concerning the Apostolical Constitutions now in being. III. An argument upon them proposed. IV. They are written in the name of the apostles of Christ: V. But are destitute of the external evidence necessary to support that claim; not being quoted by the christian writers of the first three centuries. VI. They are also destitute of internal evidence: 1. The quotations of the books of the New Testament not suiting the apostles. 2. Having in them many things later than the times of the apostles: 3. Some things unworthy of the apostles. 4. Inconsistencies, and false history. Expressions, betraying a later time than is pretended. VII. Consequently they are an imposture. VIII. The author's testimony to the books of the New Testament. IX. The Apostolical Canons.

I. AS a work called Apostolical Constitutions is cited by Epiphanius, and he is the first christian writer who has quoted any book with that title, I shall here put down hisa several citations, and sometimes with the connection.

I. In his forty-fifth heresy, that of the Severians, who were Encratites, and condemned the use of wine, he observes: The Lord says, "I am the true Vine." [John 'xv. 1.] If the vine had been evil, he would not have used that expression. Moreover the apostles, in the work called 'the Constitution, say, that the catholic church is the plantation and vineyard of the Lord. Yea, and the Lord himself has again in the gospel a parable of a vineyard.' See Luke xx. and Matt. xx.

2. In his seventieth heresy, that of the Audians, who were

All the passages of Epiphanius, with remarks, may be seen in Grabe's Spicil. T. i. p. 46-55, as well as elsewhere.

Αλλα και οἱ αποςολοι φασιν εν τη Διατάξει τη καλεμενῃ· ὅτι φυτεία Θε8 και αμπελων ή καθολικη εκκλησία. Αλλα και αυτος ὁ Κύριος παλιν εν τη ευαγγελιῳ ποιέμενος την τε αμπελωνος παραβολην. κ. λ. Epiph. Η. 45. p. 390. A. B. Vid. Const. Ap. 1. i. in.