only
four gospels, (Against Heresies, 3. 11,) does not invalidate his
statement of the fact that the churches had always received
four, and no more. We always distinguish between men's testimony
to facts of which they are competent witnesses, and their
philosophical explanations of these facts.

_Tertullian_ was born in Carthage about A.D. 160, and died
between A.D. 220 and 240. About A.D. 202 he joined the sect of
the Montanists; but this does not affect his testimony
respecting the origin and universal reception of the four
canonical gospels. His works are very numerous, and in them all
he insists with great earnestness that the gospel narratives, as
also the other apostolic writings, have been received without
corruption, as a sacred inheritance, from the apostolic
churches. His work against Marcion, whom he accuses of employing
a mutilated gospel of Luke, is particularly instructive as
showing how deep and settled was the conviction of the early
Christians that nothing could be a gospel which did not proceed
from apostles or apostolic men; and how watchful they were
against all attempts to mutilate or corrupt the primitive
apostolic records. In defending the true gospel of Luke against
the mutilated form of it employed by Marcion, he says: "I affirm
that not in the apostolic churches alone, but in all which are
joined with them in the bond of fellowship, that gospel of Luke
which we most firmly maintain, has been valid from its first
publication; but Marcion's gospel is unknown to most of them,
and known to none, except to be condemned." This testimony of
Tertullian is very important, as showing his full conviction
that Marcion could not deny the universal reception, from the
beginning, of the genuine gospel of Luke. And a little
afterwards he adds: "The same authority of the apostolic
churches will defend the other gospels also, which we have in
like manner through them, and according to them," (Against
Marcion, 4. 5.) Many more quotations of like purport might be
added.

_Clement of Alexandria_ was a pupil of Pantaenus, and his
successor as head of the catechetical school at Alexandria in
Egypt. He was of heathen origin, born probably about the middle
of the second century, and died about A.D. 220. He had a
philosophical turn of mind, and after his conversi