down every particle of it unchanged, as to details of minor importance.

BEATRICE.

From the whole, then, we may safely conclude, that the New Testament has been transmitted to us in a state sufficiently perfect to enable us to judge of the truth of the religion it contains, as evidenced by its own statements ?

EDWARD.

Not yet; for we are not yet certain that the New Testament is indeed the production of the alleged authors: we have only ascertained that it has been handed down to us as such, and with such a degree of correctness as to enable us to decide upon the probabilities of its being really written by the apostles or not, and of its being true or false.

MR. B.

And there is yet another question to be considered before we can enter upon that part of the subject.

EDWARD.

There is indeed; for, admitting the possibility of these books being what they profess to be, there are other writings which have, if not equal, certainly some claims to examination, since they assume the name of the same authors, or of con

temporaries, equally able to decide upon the subject.

MR. B.

We will then, at our next conversation, consider whether any other books than these have a right to be regarded as canonical, and whether it is necessary to institute any further examination into their contents, as well as into those of the New Testament.

CONVERSATION VIII.

MR. B.

FROM the view of the subject we before took, it appeared that the books of the New Testament were canonical: we have now to ascertain whether any others besides these books ever were so.

EDWARD.

There has a work been published which professes to be a collection of books which, at an early period, had like regard with those of the New Testament.

MR. B.

The praise of ingenuity might have been allowed, if the idea had been original: but it was a wretched thing to attempt to deceive the public by means, the folly of which had long ago been exposed; and but a poor excuse to plead ignorance in extenuation of a crime, the very nature of which was connected with research.

EDWARD.

Is it then so certain, that no books have a just claim to be classed as the received canonical Scriptures of the first Christians, but those in our New Testament?

In some cases it is much easier to shew what is

false than to ascertain what is true: and in the whole range of literary history I hardly know of any thing which can be more fully established, than that no other books but those of the New Testament were admitted by the primitive church as canonical. I cannot conceive any man capable of investigating the matter who could rise from the inquiry with any other feeling than that of the books not contained in the New Testament, and of late brought forward as of equal authority, being destitute of the sanction of the church, and containing in themselves the proof of their own unsoundness.

BEATRICE.

What are the books to which you allude, and by whom do they profess to be composed?

MR. B.

As the Christian religion began to spread, several writings appeared, besides those of the New Testament, professing to be by Christ himself, his apostles, or others intimately connected with them. These writings most probably in a great measure owed their origin to the great interest which necessarily would be attached to every thing proceeding from such a source, and relating to the apostolical times. Some for a time attracted attention, and were read with a deference due to the subject, and not the composition; others were at once rejected; and the

greater number have long since perished. A few, however, have come down to us, and leave us no reason to regret the loss of the rest. Of these, you will find a full account in the admirable work of" Mr. Jeremiah Jones on the Canon," which was originally produced in consequence of Toland's attempt to destroy the authority of the New Testament; but I would recommend to you, Edward, also the careful examination of Fabricius on the same subject.

BEATRICE.

What is the method pursued by Mr. Jones to decide the question?

MR. B.

His proof is drawn up in distinct propositions, of which the following are the enunciations :

PROP. I.-Besides those books which are now commonly received into the canon of the New Testament, there have been many others under the names, either of our Saviour, his apostles, or their contemporaries, which may seem to claim the same authority.

PROP. II. The greatest part of Christians were very early agreed what books were canonical, and to be looked upon as the rule of faith and practice.

PROP. III. The main and principal method by which we are now able to determine the canonical authority of any book or books is, by searching into the most ancient and authentic records of Christianity, and finding out the testimony or tradition of those who lived nearest to the time in which the books were written concerning them.

PROP. IV.-Those books which are mentioned in the catalogues made by the most ancient Christian writers of the sacred