The Christian observer [afterw.] The Christian observer and advocate

Copics of the Scriptures issui.
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Society for promoting Christian Taris Society for elemeniary In-
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siruction Report: Adult
tion of Biirles, &c.; Supple.

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Hope; Extreme Distress; Debt
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838
Madras, Vipery, Ceylon, Quc-

London MissionarySociety-Oia.
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807 Meetings at Raiatea; Deal

Church Missionary Society-New

of Dr. Milne; Jufanticide in

Associaiious; Nissions ; West

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841

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Bible Society-Scriptures dis-
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Number of Vessels visited;

North-west America ; Siations,

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811 Hibernian Society-Report: In-

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846

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848

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849

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CHRISTIAN OBSERVER.

No. 241.]

JANUARY, 1822.

[No. 1. Vol. XXII.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

Tothe Editor of the Christian Observer, refutation ought to be equally ac

cessible ; and it occurs to me that TOUR readers cannot be igno- a few pages of your uniscellany modes of attack levelled against such a service. the authority of the sacred Scrip- The task proposed by the Quartures, in the late campaign of in- terly Reviewer had, it appears, been fidelity and blasphemy, great suc- anticipated by the Rev. T. H. cess was augured by the anti-Chris. Horne, in the second edition of tian party from the republication his valuable “ Introduction to the of certain uncanonical books, under critical Study of the Holy Scriptbe title of the Apocrypbal, or Itures" just published; and it has would rather call it the counterfeit, been so ably performed by him New Testament. The proverbially that I could earnestly wish to see polluted press from which the the greater part of his paper rework issued-for the publisher is printed in the Christian Observer, no other than the parodist Hone- where it would meet with immedi. it might have been hoped would ate and extensive circulation, and have checked its circulation, and be more accessible to general readI trust has done so in a great mea- ers, than in Mr. Horne's volumisure: it is however certain that a nous publication. The disquisivery considerable number of copies tion would be very curious and bave been disposed of, and their entertaining, were it not for the poison is no doubt actively at extreme pain which must accomwork. The Quarterly Reviewers pany its perusal, by every person bave thought the publication of who has a reverence for the sufficient importance to devote to genuine oracles of God, and who it a considerable article in one of reflects upon the awful woe detheir lase Numbers (No. 50, for nounced upon all who shall add to, Oct. 1821), in which they express or diminish from, the book of Divine a wish that some person competent inspiration. I have only to add, 10 the task would draw up a small that the author has courteously persupplement to Lårdver and Paley, mitted me to transcribe his paper "containing distinct evidence of for the present purpose. Earnestly the spuriousness of these compositions, and stating the principles • I say anticiputed; because, though by which their spuriousness is Mr. Horne's work did not appear till proved." This, they add, “ would two months after the publication of answer every objection.” Scholars No. 50. of the Quarterly Review, his may indeed tiod ample information chapter on the Apocryphal New Testaon ihe subject in Lardner, Paley, ment, which occurs in the first volume Jones on the Canon, and other off (indeed it must necessarily have

of his work, was, I understand, printed accredited works: but as this apo- been so many months before that Namcryphal book is now thrown on the ber of the Quarterly Review appeared. world in a cheap and portable form, It seems but just to Mr. Horue to menand in the vernacular tongue, the tion this circumstance.

CHRIST. ODServ. No. 241. B

excuse

THE

MENT.

do I wish that this brief refutation which (it is pretended) fell down were bound up with every copy of from heaven at Jerusalem, directed the Apocrypbal New Testament; to a priest named Leopas, in the but as the publisher of that work city of Eris ; the Constitutions of is not likely to do this measure the Apostles; the Apostles' Creed ; of justice, it only remains for the Apostolical Epistles of Bar. every individual to supply the nabas, Clemens or Clement, Ignaantidote where he finds the poison, tius and Polycarp; the Gospel of and in this view, if your readers the Infancy of our Saviour ; the will

the paronomasia- Gospel of ihe Birth of Mary; the Anglicé, pun,

Prot-evangelion of James; the vice FUNGAR COTIS. Gospel of Nicodemus ; the Mar

tyrdom of Thecla, or Acts of Paul; ON THE WRITINGS USUALLY Abdias's History of the Twelve CALLED

APOCRYPHAL A postles ; the Epistle of Paul to BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTA. the Laodiceans ; the six Epistles

of Paul to Seneca, &c. Of these 1. Enumeration of these apocryphal the titles are printed in Italies are

various productions, those of which writings.-11. External evidence, comprised in a late publication to shew that they were never considered as inspired or canonical. Testament, being all the Gospels,

entitled, “ The Apocryphal New III. Internal Evidence.-IV. These apocryphal books are so extant, attributed in the first four

Epistles, and other Pieces now far from affecting the credibility Centuries to Jesus Christ, his of the genuine books of the New Apostles, and their Companions, Testament, that the latter ure and not included in the New Testaconfirmed by them.

ment by its Compilers. Translated 1. The spurious and apocryphal and now collected into one Volume, books composed in the early days with Prefaces and Tables and va. of Christianity, which were pub- rious Notes and References. Lonlished under the pames of Jesus don, 1820."-Second edition, 1821, Christ and bis Apostles, their com- 8vo. The writings ascribed to panions, &c., and wbich are men. Barnabas, Ignatius (at least his tioned by the writers of the first genuine epistles), Polycarp, and four ceniuries under the names of Hermas, ought not in strictness to Gospels, Epistles, Acts, Revelations,

be considered as apocryphal, since &c., are very numerous. Most of their authors, who are usually dethese have long since perished; signated the Apostolical Faikers, though some few are still extant,

from their having been contempowhich have been collected (together rary for a longer or shorter time with notices of the lost pieces), and with the Apostles of Jesus Christ, published by John Albert Fabricius, were not divinely inspired apostles. in his Codex Apocryphus Novi The first epistle of Clement to the Testamenti, the best edition of Corinthians indeed was for a short which appeared at Hamburgh, in time received as canonical in some 1719–1743, in three parts, forming few Christian churches, but was soon two volumes 8vo. Of this work dismissed as an uninspired producthe Rev. and Learned Mr. Jones tion; the fragment of what is call. made great use, and in fact trans- ed the Second Epistle of Clement lated the greater part of it, in his to the Corinthians, Dr. Lardner “ New and Full Method of settling has proved not to have been written the Canonical Authority of the New by him. These productions of the Testament." The apocryphal books

. This is a misnomer; for all the extant are, An Epistle from Jesus apocryphal writings are not included in Christ to Abgarus ; his Epistle, the publication in question.

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