f an absolute
independence, in respect to the composition of the three first Gospels,
is no longer tenable."

[457:3] "On opening the New Testament and comparing the impression
produced by the Gospel of Matthew or Mark with that by the Gospel of
John, the observant eye is at once struck with as salient a contrast as
that already indicated on turning from the _Macbeth_ or _Othello_ of
Shakespeare to the _Comus_ of Milton or to Spenser's _Faerie Queene_."
(Francis Tiffany.)

"To learn how far we may trust them (the Gospels) we must in the first
place compare them with each other. The moment we do so we notice that
the _fourth_ stands quite alone, while the _first three form a single
group_, not only following the same general course, but sometimes even
showing a verbal agreement which cannot possibly be accidental." (The
Bible for Learners, vol. ii. p. 27.)

[458:1] "Irenaeus is the first person who mentions the four Gospels by
name." (Bunsen: Keys of St. Peter, p. 328.)

"Irenaeus, in the second century, is the first of the fathers who, though
he has nowhere given us a professed catalogue of the books of the New
Testament, intimates that he had received four Gospels, as authentic
Scriptures, the authors of which he describes." (Rev. R. Taylor:
Syntagma, p. 109.)

"The authorship of the _fourth_ Gospel has been the subject of much
learned and anxious controversy among theologians. _The earliest, and
only very important external testimony we have is that of_ IRENAEUS (A.
D. 179.)" (W. R. Grey: _The Creed of Christendom_, p. 159.)

[458:2] Against Heresies, bk. ii. ch. xi. sec. 1.

[459:1] Against Heresies, bk. iii. ch. xi. sec. 8.

[459:2] Mosheim: vol. i. p. 109.

[459:3] Middleton's Works, vol. i. p. 59.

[460:1] Genuine Epist. Apost. Fathers, p. 98.

[460:2] See Chadwick's Bible of To-Day, pp. 191, 192.

[460:3] "Nec ab ipso scriptum constat, nec ab ejus apostolis sed longo
post tempore a quibusdam incerti nominis viris, qui ne sibi non
haberetur fides scribentibus quae nescirent, partim apostolorum, partim
eorum qui apostolos secuti viderentur nomina scriptorum suorum frontibus
indiderunt, asseverantes secundum eos, se scripsisse quae scripserunt."
(Faust, lib. 2. Quoted by Rev. R. Taylor: Diegesis, p. 114.)

[460:4] "Multa enim a majoribus vestris, eloquiis Domini nostri inserta
verba sunt; quae nomine signata ipsius, cum ejus fide non congruant,
praesertim, quia, ut jam saepe probatum a nobis est, nec