While it is in measure correct to say, as Westcott, that not even at this period do we meet with a New Testament corresponding to the Old, we have the testimony of Justin that the " Memoirs of the Apostles " were read in the Christian assemblies no less than " the writings of the Prophets." But several books to which we are accustomed had not yet established themselves in the Church.
MARCION.
It is curious that the first writer to prescribe which books are entitled to the reputation of inspired was the heretical Marcion, whose career belongs to the middle of the second century. He gives as the one Gospel his own revisal of Luke's; the rest of his New Testament is made up of Paul's Epistles, exclusive of First and Second Timothy, Titus, and the Epistle to the Hebrews, which, of course, results from his caprice, his desire to rid Christianity of every Jewish element. Tatian, another heretical writer, composed a Diatessaron, or Fourfold Gospel, one of so-called Harmonies. He died A.D. 176. Modern rationalism ventures to consign as well the composition as the appearance of John's Gospel to a date not much earlier than this.
BASILIDES.
But it is clear that Basilides, another Gnostic, some time about the year 130, used this Gospel. Westcott calls attention to the interesting fact, that the first quotation of the apostolic Epistles as divine scripture was due-to the same Basilides, who employed the formula, "the scripture saith." Such writers we might class with unwilling witnesses, whose testimony is of the highest. value, and not to be shaken by the " Tubingen school,"—represented in England by Dr. Davidsontwith the suggestion that " the expression was transferred from his followers to himself." Matthew Arnold well says of the testimony being that of Basilides himself, " No one who had not a theory to serve would ever dream of doubting