Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-01-15

n.
alist. or the divine. The evangelists
give as very chaste and perfect example
Of the pure narrative. They never ap-
pear in their own persons or arrest the
progress Of the history for a single mo-
nnent by interposing their own wisdom, or
,heir own pety. A gospel is bare rela-
ton of what has been said or done; and
it is evident that, after few good compo-
sitions Of this kind, any future attempts
would be superffuous and uncalled for.
But, in point Of fact, these attempts
were made. 1t is to be supposed, that, af-
ter the singular events OF our Savior's his
tory, the curiosity of the public would be
awakened ond there would be demand
for written accounts of such wonderful
transactions. These written accounts
were accordingly brought forward. Ev-
en- IN the interval of time between the as
cension of our Savior, and the pubica-
zion of the earliest Gospel, such written
histories seem to have been frequent
Many says st. Luke, (and in this he is
supported by the testimony of subsequent
writers,) have taken in hand to set forth
in order declaration Of these things.'-
Now what has been the fate of all these
performances Such as might have been
anticipated. They fell into disuse and OBJ
livion. There is no evil design ascribed
to the authors of them. They may have
been written with perfect integrity, and
been useful for short time, and within a
limited circle; but, as was natural, they
all gave way to the superior authority,
and more complete Information, of our
present narratives. The demand of the
christian world was withdrawn from the
less esteemed, to the more esteemed histo-
ries OF our Savior. The former ceased
TO be read, and copies of them would be
no longer transcribed or multiplied. We
cannot find the testimony we ere in quest
OF, not because il was never given, but be-
cause the early Christians, who were the
most competent judges of that testimony,
did not think it worthy of being transmit
ted 10 us.
But, though the number of narratives
be necessarily limited by the nature of the
subject, there is no such Limitation unon
works Of moral, didactic, or explanato
ry kind. Many such pieces have come
down to US. both from the apostles them
selves, and from the earliest fathers of the
church. Now, though the object of these
compositions is not to deliver any nara.
tive OF the Christian miracles, they NAV
perhaps give US some occasional intima-
ton OF them. They may proceed ur on
their reality. We may gather either
from incidental passages, or from the gen.
eral scope of the performance, that the
miracles Of Christ and his apostles were
recognized, and the divinity of our reli-
gion acknowledged, as founded upon
these miracles.
The tirst piece of the kind with which
we meet besides the writings of the New
Testament, IS an epistle ascribed to Barn.
Abas, and, at all events, the production of
man who lived in the days of the amos.
Ties. II consists of an exhortation to CON
stancy In the Christian profession. dis
suasiye from Judaism, and other moral in.
structions. We shall only give quota.
ton OF single clause from this work
And he Il. e. our Savior) making great
Signs and procigies to the people Of the
Jews. they neither believed nor loved
him.
The next piece in the succession Of
Christian writer's, is the undoubted epste
OF Clement, the bishop of Rome, to the
church of Corinth. and who, by the con
current voiceaof all antiquity, is the same
Clement who is mentioned in the epistIe
70 the Philippians, as the fellow-aborer OF
Paul II Is written in the name of The
church OF Rome, and the object of it is to
compose certain dissensions which had
arisen in the church of Corintb. II was
out OF his way TO enter into any thing
like formal narrative Of the miraculous
facts which are to be found in the evan.
gelical history. The subject of his epis.
tie did not lead him to this; and beside
the number and authority of the nara.
tives already published rendered an at.
tempt o. this kind altogether superhuous.
sui, however, though miracle NAV no,
De formally announced it may be brought
IN incidentally, or 1t may be proceeded IN.
on, or assumed as the basis of an aroI,
mcnt. We give one or two examples OF
this In one part Of his epistle, he illus.
trates the doctrine of our resurrection
from the dead, by the change and pro.
gresslon OF natural appearances. and he
ushers in this illustration with the follow.
ing sentence; Let US consider, nv below
eas how the Lord shows US our future
resurrection perpetuaIly. of which be
maoe the Lord Jesus Chris. the first fruits
by raising him from the dead This in.
cidental way OF bringing in the fact O
our Lords resurrection, appears to US the
strongest possible form in which the testi
mony Of Clement could have come dowr
20 as. II is brought forward in the mos
confident and unembarrcssed manner. He
does not ston 10 confirm this fact hu mr.