OF THE FIRST CANON — HISTORICAL BASIS OF ITS AUTHENTICITY.

107. THE perfect authenticity of the first canon is founded on such an assemblage of proofs that the literary history of ancient times cannot furnish a similar instance of complete and irresistible evidence. Accordingly, it was at first our intention to dispense with the formal demonstration of so manifest a truth. The homologoumena, we felt, are impregnable in point of testimony; and the only object we proposed to ourselves in the present work was to establish on a solid basis the authenticity of the antilegomena. Our labours are intended for the benefit of such earnest believers as, notwithstanding their faith in Divine revelation, are troubled with objections erroneously supposed to be derived from science, and, in consequence, require to have their views settled by the testimony of science itself more accurately consulted. We afterwards became convinced that a glance at the irresistible evidence in favour of the first canon would aid inquirers in perceiving the authenticity of the antilegomena also, and serve to strengthen our faith in the entire canon.

108. Our readers have already seen, in Book First, and will be pleased to keep in mind, in perusing Book Second, that nearly all the arguments in support of the first canon, so far as regards the first two centuries of the Church, equally apply to the two books of the second-first canon; that Eusebius himself had, accordingly, classed them among the homologoumena.

We shall begin with the proof so clearly flowing from the primitive, constant, and universal unanimity of all the Churches, in regard to these twenty-two books.