Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-10-23

fof all subsequent writers, that two of the
Gospels aud several ofthe Eplstles, were
written by the immediate disciples Of our
Savior, aud published in their lifetime
Celsius, an enemy of The Christian faith.
refers 10 the affairs Of Jesus as written BY
his disciples. He never thinks of diSpui.
ing the fact; and from the extracts which
he makes for The purpose of criticism,
there can be no doubt In the mind CT the
Reader that it Is Que or other of the four
Gospels to which he refers. The single
testimony of CELSIUS may be considered as
decisive of The fact, that the story of Jesus
and OF his life was actually written by his
disciples. CELSIUS writes about hundred
years after The alleged time ofthe pub!ica-
tlon OF this story; but that it was written
oy the companions of tins Jesus, is fact
which he never thinks of disputing. He
takes 1t upon the strength of its general
notorIety, and the whole history of that
period furnishes nothing that can attach
any doubt or suspicion to this circumstance.
referring to principle already taken no.
ice OIL had 1t been the history Of philos.
opher instead of Il prophet, its authenticity
would have been admitted without any
formal testimony 10 that effect. Ii would
have been admitted 50 to speak, upon the
mere existence OF the title age, combined
with this circumstance, that the whole
course OF history or tradition does not fur
nlsh US with single fact, leading US 10
believe that the correctness of this title
page was ever questioned. 1t wonld have
been admitted, not because it was asserted
by subsequent writer's, but because they
made no assertion upon the subj CT, be.
cause they never thought of converting
1t hto mater Of discussion, and because
| heir occasional references 10 the book in
question would be looked upon AS carry
ing III them a tacit acknowledgment that
u was the very same book which it pro-
leSsed TO be at the present day The dis
tinct assertion OF CELSIUS that tae pieces in
question were written b. the companions
OF Jesus, though even at the distance Of a
hundred years, IS an argument In favor
Of their authenticity. which canno, be al
legged for many of the most esteemed CON-
positions of niquity. 1t is The addition
OF formal testimony to that kind of gen
eral evidence. which is founded upon lh..
lacit or Implied concurrence OF SUBSEQUENT
Willis, and which is held to be perfectly
decisive in similar cases.
Had the pieces, which make up the
New Testament, been the only docu.
ments OF past times, the mere existence of
pfetenslon TO such an age, and 10 such
an author, resting on their own inforrna-
ton, would have been sustained as a Ger
tam degree Of evidence, that the real age
! and the real author had been assigned TO
them. But we have the testimony of sub.
| sequent authors TO the same effect; and il
! IS to Dc remarked. that il is by far the
/ most crowded, and the most closely sus-
tanned series of testimonies, Of which we
have any example in the whole field Of
ancient history. When we assigned The
testimony Of CELSIUS, it is not 10 be suppos.
ed that this is the very first which occurs
alter The days OF the apostles. The blank
i Of a hundred years betwixt the publica-
ton Of the original story and the pubiica-
ton OF CELSIUS. is filled up BY anlecedenl
testimonies, which, in all fairness, should
be counted more decisive Of the point in
question. Tney are the testimonies OF
/ Christian writers, and. ID as far as a near
\ ef opportunity OF Obtaining correct infor-
nation is concerned, they should be held
more valuable than the testimony of Gel
sas. These references are of three kinds !:
\ ftrSt, La some eases. their reference 10
the books of the New Testament is made
Ia the form OF an express quotation, and
; the autbor particularly named. SecondLH,
In other cases, the quotation is made with
out reference 10 the particular author, al d
ushered IN by the general words, as a.
as tofttten And, Thirdly, There ale
innunerable illusions 10 the different
parts of the New Testament, scattered
over all The writings of the earlier fathers.
IN this last case there Is no express cila-
ton: but we have the sentiuent, the turn
OF expression, the very words of the New
Testament. Repeated so often, and by such
a number Of different writer's, as 10 leave
no doubt upon the mind that they were
copied from one common original, which
was at that period held in high reverence
and estimation. Ia pursuing the train OF
references, We do not meet with a single
chasm from the DAYS Of the original wri.
tiers. Not TO repeat what we have al
: ready made some allusion 10, the tes,imo.
} MES oithe original writers 10 one another
L we proceed 10 assert, that some of the ia.
theirs whose writings have come down tc
us, were the companions of the apostles
+ and are even named in The books of tn,
! New Testament. ST. Clement bishop O
Rome, IS, with the concurrence of all an
Client authors, The same whom Paul men
q tons in his epste to the Philippians. Il
t his epistie to the church of Corinth, which