Formal catalogues of authentic Scriptures were published, in all which
our present sacred histories were included.
This species of evidence comes later than the rest; as it was not
natural that catalogues of any particular class of books should be put
forth until Christian writings became numerous; or until some writings
showed themselves, claiming titles which did not belong to them, and
thereby rendering it necessary to separate books of authority from
others. But, when it does appear, it is extremely satisfactory; the
catalogues, though numerous, and made in countries at a wide distance
from one another, differing very little, differing in nothing which is
material, and all containing the four Gospels. To this last article
there is no exception.
I. In the writings of Origen which remain, and in some extracts
preserved by Eusebius, from works of his which are now lost, there are
enumerations of the books of Scriptures, in which the Four Gospels and
the Acts of the Apostles are distinctly and honourably specified, and in
which no books appear beside what are now received. The reader, by this
time, will easily recollect that the date of Origen's works is A.D. 230.
(Lardner, Cred. vol. iii. p. 234, et seq.; vol. viii. p. 196.)
II. Athanasias, about a century afterwards, delivered a catalogue of the
books of the New Testament in form, containing our Scriptures and no
others; of which he says, "In these alone the doctrine of Religion is
taught; let no man add to them, or take anything from them." (Lardner,
Cred. vol. ii. p. 223.)
III. About twenty years after Athanasius, Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem,
set forth a catalogue of the books of Scripture, publicly read at that
time in the church of Jerusalem, exactly the same as ours, except that
the "Revelation" is omitted. (Lardner, Cred. vol. ii. p. 270.)
IV. And fifteen years after Cyril, the council of Laodicea delivered an
authoritative catalogue of canonical Scripture, like Cyril's, the same
as ours with the omission of the "Revelation."
V. Catalogues now became frequent. Within thirty years after the last
date, that is, from the year 363 to near the conclusion of the fourth
century, we have catalogues by Epiphanius, (Lardner, Cred. vol. ii. p.
368.) by Gregory Nazianzen, by Philaster, bishop of Breseia in Italy,
(Lardner, Cred. vol. ix. p. 132 & 373.) by Amphilochius, bishop of
Iconium; all, as they are sometimes called, clean catalogues (that is,
they admit no books into the number beside what we now receive); and
all, for every purpose of historic evidence, the same as
ours. (Epiphanius omits the Acts of the Apostles. This must have been an
accidental mistake, either in him or in some copyist of his work; for
he elsewhere expressly refers to this book, and ascribes it to Luke.)
VI. Within the same period Jerome, the most learned Christian writer of
his age, delivered a catalogue of the hooks of the New Testament,
recognising every book now received, with the intimation of a doubt
concerning the Epistle to the Hebrews alone, and taking not the least
notice of any book which is not now received. (Lardner, Cred. vol. x. p.
77.)
VII. Contemporary with Jerome, who lived in Palestine, was St.
Augustine, in Africa, who published likewise a catalogue, without
joining to the Scriptures, as books of authority, any other
ecclesiastical writing whatever, and without omitting one which we at
this day acknowledge. (Lardner, Cred. vol. x. p. 213.)
VIII. And with these concurs another contemporary writer, Rufen,
presbyter of Aquileia, whose catalogue, like theirs, is perfect and
unmixed, and concludes with these remarkable words: "These are the
volumes which the fathers have included in the canon, and out of which
they would have us prove the doctrine of our faith." (Lardner, Cred.
vol. x. p. 187.)