Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries
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Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

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284 THE SECOND AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH.against her by Greek philosophy. They are herfirst champions in that contest with Hellenic culturewhich was a real combat of mind, not a meremassacre of unresisting victims, and which lastedfor five hundred years.2. Secondly, when the gnostic attack began,the canon of the New Testament was still unfixed.Nothing can be more certain than that the Apostlesdid not set forth any official collection oftheir writings, and that no such collection existedshortly after their death. This fact most plainlyshows that the Christian religion at their departuredid not rest for its maintenance upon writings.Not only had our Lord written no word Himself,but He left no command to His Apostles to write.His command was to propagate His Gospel andto found His kingdom by oral teaching ; and Hispromise was that the Holy Ghost should accompany,follow upon, and continue with, this theiraction. What we find is, that they did this, andthat the writings which besides they left, beingfrom the first kept and venerated by the severalchurches to which they were addressed, graduallybecame known through the whole body of theChurch. With the lapse of time they would becomemore and more valuable. Moreover, " / whenthe Gnostics set themselves to interpolate andcorrupt them, and to fabricate false writings, theneed of a genuine collection became more and moreurgent. It is from the three writers above men-

THE SECOND AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH.285tioned, 7 towards the end of the second century, «/ 'that we learn that such a collection existed, informing which these principles were followed :only to admit writings which tradition attested tospring from an Apostle or a witness of our Lord'slife,50 among whom Paul was specially counted:secondly, only such writings as were attested bysome church of apostolical foundation: and thirdly,only such writings the doctrine contained in whichdid not differ from the rule of faith orally handeddown in the churches of apostolic origin, or in theone Catholic Church, « excluding W^L^WJL l^V**-J-.I-JL.r all such as wereat variance with the doctrine hitherto received.Thus in the settlement of the Canon authority aswell as tradition intervened; an authority whichfelt itself in secure possession of the same HolySpirit who had inspired the Apostles, and of thesame doctrine which they had taught.5 iWith the reception of a book into the Canonof Scripture was joined a belief in its inspiration,which rested on what was a part of oral tradition,that is, / that the Apostles X as well in their oral asin their written teaching had enjoyed the infallibleguidance of the Holy Spirit. It is evident thatsuch a tradition reposes, in the last instance, uponthe authority of the Church.52If by means of the gnostic attacks the Canon50 S. Mark's Gospel would be referred to S. Peter, and S. Luke'swritings to S. Paul.51 See Schwane, p, 779-80. & Schwane, p. 783-4,

284 THE SECOND AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH.against her by Greek philosophy. <strong>The</strong>y are herfirst champions in that contest with Hellenic culturewhich was a real combat <strong>of</strong> mind, not a meremassacre <strong>of</strong> unresisting victims, and which lastedfor five hundred years.2. Secondly, when the gnostic attack began,the canon <strong>of</strong> the New Testament was still unfixed.Nothing can be more certain than that the Apostlesdid not set forth any <strong>of</strong>ficial collection <strong>of</strong>their writings, and that no such collection existedshortly after their death. This fact most plainlyshows that the Christian religion at their departuredid not rest for its maintenance upon writings.Not only had our Lord written no word Himself,but He left no command to His Apostles to write.His command was to propagate His Gospel andto found His kingdom by oral teaching ; and Hispromise was that the Holy Ghost should accompany,follow upon, and continue with, this theiraction. What we find is, that they did this, andthat the writings which besides they left, beingfrom the first kept and venerated by the severalchurches to which they were addressed, graduallybecame known through the whole body <strong>of</strong> theChurch. With the lapse <strong>of</strong> time they would becomemore and more valuable. Moreover, " / whenthe Gnostics set themselves to interpolate andcorrupt them, and to fabricate false writings, theneed <strong>of</strong> a genuine collection became more and moreurgent. It is from the three writers above men-

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