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Paley, William, 1743-1805

"Evidence of Christianity"

" (Lardner, Cred. vol. i. p. 271.)
There exists no doubt, but that, by the memoirs above-mentioned, Justin
meant our present historical Scriptures; for throughout his works he
quotes these and no others.
III. Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, who came thirty years after Justin,
in a passage preserved in Eusebius (for his works are lost), speaks "of
the Scriptures of the Lord." (Lardner, Cred. vol. i. p. 298.)
IV. And at the same time, or very nearly so, by Irenaeus, bishop of
Lyons in France, (The reader will observe the remoteness of these two
writers in country and situation) they are called "Divine
Scriptures,"--"Divine Oracles,"--"Scriptures of the Lord,"--"Evangelic
and Apostolic writings." (Lardner, Cred. vol. i. p. 343, et seq.) The
quotations of Irenaeus prove decidedly, that our present Gospels, and
these alone, together with the Acts of the Apostles, were the historical
books comprehended by him under these appellations.
V. Saint Matthew's Gospel is quoted by Theophilus, bishop of Antioch,
contemporary with Irenaeus, under the title of the "Evangelic voice;"
(Lardner, Cred.


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