ark on the testimony of Irenaeus suggests itself before
closing. Irenaeus is the first extant writer in whom, from the nature of
his work, we have a right to expect explicit information on the subject
of the Canon. Earlier writings, which have been preserved entire, are
either epistolary, like the letters of the Apostolic Fathers, where any
references to the Canonical books must necessarily be precarious and
incidental (to say nothing of the continuance of the oral tradition at
this early date as a disturbing element); or devotional, like the
Shepherd of Hermas, which is equally devoid of quotations from the Old
Testament and from the New; or historical, like the account of the
martyrdoms at Vienne and Lyons, where any such allusion is gratuitous;
or apologetic, like the great mass of the extant Christian writings of
the second century, where the reserve of the writer naturally leads him
to be silent about authorities which would carry no weight with the
Jewish or heathen readers whom he addressed. But the work of Irenaeus is
the first controversial treatise addressed to Christians on questions of
Christian doctrine, where the appeal lies to Christian documents. And
here the testimony to our four Gospels is full and clear and precise.

If any reader is really in earnest on this matter, I will ask him to
read Irenaeus and judge for himself. He will find many things for which
perhaps he is not prepared, and which will jar with his preconceived
ideas; but on the one point at issue I have no fear that I shall be
accused of exaggeration. Indeed it is impossible to convey in a few
paragraphs the whole force of an impression which is deepened by each
successive page of a long and elaborate work.

IX. TATIAN'S DIATESSARON [272:1].

[MAY, 1877.]

All that is known of the life of Tatian can be soon told. He was an
Assyrian by birth, as he himself distinctly states. If other writers
call him a Syrian, the discrepancy may be explained by the common
confusion between the two nationalities; or possibly it should be
accounted for by his place of residence during the later years of his
life. As a heathen he exercised the profession of a sophist, and in this
capacity travelled far and wide. His mind was first turned towards
Christianity by reading the Scriptures, which impressed him greatly. As
a Christian he became the hearer--in some sense the disciple--of Justin
Martyr, doubtless at Rome; and when Crescens, the cynic, succ