were yet living. The testimony of the Valentinians,
then, is of the most decisive character.

Another prominent man among the heretical writers was _Tatian_,
a contemporary and pupil of Justin Martyr, who, according to the
testimony of Eusebius, Epiphanius, and Theodoret, composed a
_Diatessaron_, that is, a _four-fold gospel_; which can be
understood only as a harmony of the four gospels which, as has
been shown, were used by Justin; or of such parts of these
gospels as suited his purpose; for Tatian, like Marcion, omitted
all that relates to our Lord's human descent. With this
Diatessaron, Theodoret was well acquainted; for he found among
his churches more than two hundred copies, which he caused to be
removed, and their places supplied by the four canonical
gospels.

As to other gospels of the second century, which are
occasionally mentioned by later writers, as "The Gospel of
Truth," "The Gospel of Basilides," etc., there is no evidence
that they professed to be connected histories of our Lord's life
and teachings. They were rather, as Norton has shown,
Genuineness of the Gospels, vol. 3, chap. 4, doctrinal works
embodying the views of the sectaries that used them.

13. We have seen how full and satisfactory is the external evidence for
our four canonical gospels. Considering how scanty are the remains of
Christian writings that have come down to us from the first half of the
same century, we have all the external evidence for that period also
that could be reasonably demanded, and it is met by no rebutting
testimony that rests on historic grounds. The authorship of no ancient
classical work is sustained by a mass of evidence so great and varied,
and the candid mind can rest in it with entire satisfaction.

III. _Internal Evidences._ 14. Here we may begin with considering the
relation of the first three gospels to the last, in respect to both time
of composition and character.

And first, with respect to _time_. The first three gospels--frequently
called the _synoptical_ gospels, or the _synoptics_, because from the
general similarity of their plan and materials their contents are
capable of being summed up in a synopsis--record our Lord's prophecy of
the overthrow of Jerusalem. The three records of this prediction wear
throughout the costume of a true prophecy, not of a prophecy written
after the event. They are occupied, almost