BIBLICAL EVIDENCE OF AN EARLY, THOUGH PARTIAL, COLLECTION OF NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES.
THE first trace of any definite series in use of New Testament writings is in 2 Peter 3:15,15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; (2 Peter 3:15) seq. Mention is here made, in an essentially " Catholic " (general) Epistle of " all " Paul's Epistles, thus affording presumption of the general circulation of every one of them. With the reserve imposed by this passage, we may say, after Westcott, that " the Old Testament was the Bible of the Apostolic Church:" see 2 Tim. 3:1515And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15) and compare Acts 17:1111These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:11). If we would read the feelings cherished by early converts from Judaism as to the Old Testament writings, it would doubtless be to say that " there was no sense of incompleteness in their record, no desire for any permanent supplement to their contents." Moreover, the expectation of the Lord's second coming was so earnest and simple that the need can have been but little felt of any definite collection of Christian scriptures being made for the use of future times. It was long before any one could say, as Augustine, that the scriptures were "accessible to all." (Eph. 137.)
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EARLY TESTIMONY, MANY SIDED WITHIN THE CHURCH ITSELF.
The distinguishing traits of Christians of the circumcision who had their center in Jerusalem-of Jews jealous for the Law, " some of whom began by regarding the Lord as a Teacher "-and of " those who accepted the higher views of His Person and work which were unfolded by St. Paul and St. John,"* as well as the opposed systems of extremes on each side, represented respectively by the Nazarenes and Marcionites, must not here detain us. Without stopping to consider whether the ancient Catholic Church, from which have been transmitted to us the New Testament scriptures, was formed by the aggregation of these different elements, we may, in view of the trouble caused to the Church by Gnostics-in their attempt to impress oriental philosophy upon Christian doctrine take consolation in the fact that we find witnesses for Christian scripture amongst the upholders of such views.