_________

* Novatus, Rome, A.D. 251; Dionysius, Rome, A.D. 259; Commodian, A.D.
270; Anatolius, Laodicea, A.D. 270; Theognostus A.D. 282; Methodius
Lycia, A.D. 290; Phileas, Egypt, A.D. 296.
_________

XVI. Arnobius and Lactantius (Lardner, vol. viii. p. 43, 201.), about
the year 300, composed formal arguments upon the credibility of the
Christian religion. As these arguments were addressed to Gentiles, the
authors abstain from quoting Christian books by name, one of them giving
this very reason for his reserve; but when they came to state, for the
information of their readers, the outlines of Christ's history, it is
apparent that they draw their accounts from our Gospels, and from no
other sources; for these statements exhibit a summary of almost
everything which is related of Christ's actions and miracles by the four
evangelists. Arnobius vindicates, without mentioning their names, the
credit of these historians; observing that they were eye-witnesses of
the facts which they relate, and that their ignorance of the arts of
composition was rather a confirmation of their testimony, than an
objection to it. Lactantius also argues in defence of the religion, from
the consistency, simplicity, disinterestedness, and sufferings of the
Christian historians, meaning by that term our evangelists.

XVII. We close the series of testimonies with that of Eusebius, (Lardner,
vol. viii. p. 33.) bishop of Caesarea who flourished in the year 315,
contemporary with, or posterior only by fifteen years to, the authors
last cited. This voluminous writer, and most diligent collector of the
writings of others, beside a variety of large works, composed a history
of the affairs of Christianity from its origin to his own time. His
testimony to the Scriptures is the testimony of a man much conversant in
the works of Christian authors, written during the first three centuries
of its era, and who had read many which are now lost. In a passage of
his Evangelical Demonstration, Eusebius remarks, with great nicety, the
delicacy of two of the evangelists, in their manner of noticing any
circumstance which regarded themselves; and of Mark, as writing under
Peter's direction, in the circumstances which regarded him. The
illustration of this remark leads him to bring together long quotations
from each of the evangelists: and the whole passage is a proof that
Eusebius, and the Christians of those days, not only read the Gospels,
but studied them