shop, who
put forth editions of the New Testament.

IX. The fourth century supplies a catalogue* of fourteen writers, who
expended their labours upon the books of the New Testament, and whose
works or names are come down to our times; amongst which number it may
be sufficient, for the purpose of showing the sentiments and studies of
learned Christians of that age, to notice the following:

_________

* Eusebius ...... A.D. 315
Juvencus, Spain ..... 330
Theodore, Thrace .... 334
Hilary, Poletiers .... 340
Fortunatus ..... 354
Apollinarius of Loadicea 362
Damasus, Rome ..... 366
Gregory, Nyssen .... 371
Didimus of Alex, . . . . 370
Ambrose of Milan ..... 374
Diodore of Tarsus ..... 378
Gaudent of Brescia .... 387
Theodore of Cilicia .... 395
Jerome ........ 392
Chrysostom ...... 398
_________

Eusebius, in the very beginning of the century, wrote expressly upon the
discrepancies observable in the Gospels, and likewise a treatise, in
which he pointed out what things are related by four, what by three,
what by two, and what by one evangelist. (Lardner, Cred. vol. viii. p.
46.) This author also testifies what is certainly a material piece of
evidence, "that the writings of the apostles had obtained such an esteem
as to be translated into every language both of Greeks and Barbarians,
and to be diligently studied by all nations." (Lardner, Cred. vol. viii.
p. 201.) This testimony was given about the year 300; how long before
that date these translations were made does not appear.

Damasus, bishop of Rome, corresponded with Saint Jerome upon the
exposition of difficult texts of Scripture; and, in a letter still
remaining, desires Jerome to give him a clear explanation of the word
Hosanna, found in the New Testament; "He (Damasus) having met with very
different interpretations of it in the Greek and Latin commentaries of
Catholic writers which he had read." (Lardner, Cred. vol. ix. P. 108)
This last clause shows the number and variety of commentaries then
extant.

Gregory of Nyssen, at one time, appeals to the most exact copies of
Saint Mark's Gospel; at another time, compares together, and proposes to
reconcile, the several accounts of the Resurrection given by the four
Evangelists; which limitation proves that there were no other histories
of Christ deemed authentic beside th