10

whose praise is in the Gospel, mentioned in one of his Epistles. But admitting that Luke is the per. son there intended, another meaning may, with greater plausibility, be put on the expression in the Gospel, which rather denotes in preaching the Gospel, than in writing the history of its Author. The name Evangelist was first applied to those extraordinary ministers, such as Philip and Timothy, both expressly called so ", who attended the Apostles, and assisted them in their work. Luke was doubtless an Evangelist in this sense, as well as in the current, but later, acceptation of the term. It may, indeed, be justly affirmed, that Paul appears to have been the first who has quoted this gospel, though he does not name Luke, and quoted it as of authority. In writing to Timothy ", he has these words, For the Scripture saith, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox "that treadeth out the corn." and " The labourer is "worthy of his reward." The former of these sayings is a quotation from the pentateuch 12. The latter is found no where else in these terms, but in Luke 13, whose very words the Apostle has adopted. Αξιος ο εργάτης το μισθό αυτό. Lardner has taken notice of allusions to some passages in this Gospel to be found in some of the apostolic fathers; and there are evident quotations from it, though without naming the author, in Justin Martyr, and the Epistle of the churches of Vienne and Lyons. Tatian, a

92 Cor. viii. 18.

* 1 Tim. v. 18.

12

little after the middle of the second century, composed a Harmony of the Gospels, the first of the kind that had been attempted, which he called DIATESSARON (Sia Teoσapor) of the four, and which demonstrates that, at that time, there were four Gospels, and no more, of established authority in the church. Irenæus, not long after, mentions all the Evangelists by name, arranging them according to the order wherein they wrote, which is the same with that universally given them, throughout the Christian world, to this day. When he speaks of Luke, he recites many particulars which are peculiar to that Gospel. And, though the reasons assigned by that ancient author, why the Gospels can be neither fewer, nor more, than four, we should justly consider as very whimsical; the attempt, though unsuccessful, to account for it, shows at least the certainty of the fact, that the four Gospels were then received by Christians of all denominations, and that beside them there was no gospel or history of Jesus, of any estimation in the church. From that time downwards, the four Evangelists are often mentioned; and whatever spurious narratives have, from time to time, appeared, they have not been able to bear a comparison with those, in respect either of antiquity or of intrinsic excellence. Early in the third century, Ammonius also wrote a Harmony of the four Gospels. As these were at that time, and had been from their first publication, so they continue to this day to be, regarded as the great foundations of the Christian faith. If Monsieur Freret had been so

lucky as to meet with Lardner's Credibility of the Gospel-history, and had taken the trouble to read it attentively before he wrote his Examen Critique, his natural penetration must have made him sensible, notwithstanding the artless simplicity of the English writer, how little his own much-laboured remarks can bear a comparison with the naked truth.

§ 10. THE Gospel by Luke has supplied us with many interesting particulars, which had been omitted by both his predecessors, Matthew and Mark. From him we learn whatever relates to the birth of John the Baptist; the annunciation; and other important circumstances concerning the nativity of the Messiah; the occasion of Joseph's being then in Bethlehem; the vision granted to the shepherds ; the early testimonies of Simeon and Anna; the wonderful manifestation of our Lord's proficiency in knowledge, when only twelve years old; his age at the commencement of his ministry, connected with the year of the reigning emperor. He has given us also an account of several memorable incidents and cures which had been overlooked by the rest; the conversion of Zaccheus the publican; the cure of the woman who had been bowed down for eighteen years; and of the dropsical man; the cleansing of the ten lepers; the repulse he met with when about to enter a Samaritan city; and the instructive rebuke he gave, on that occasion, to two apostles, for their intemperate zeal: also the affecting interview he had, after his resurrection, with two of his disciples, in

the way to Emmaus, and at that village. Luke has likewise added many edifying parables to those which had been recorded by the other Evangelists. Of this number are the parable of the creditor who had two debtors; of the rich fool who hoarded up his increase, and, when he had not one day to live, vainly exulted in the prospect of many happy years; of the rich man and Lazarus; of the reclaimed profligate; of the Pharisee and the publican praying in the temple; of the judge who was prevailed on by a widow's importunity, though he feared not God, nor regarded man; of the barren fig-tree; of the compassionate Samaritan; and several others; most of which, so early a writer as Irenæus has specified as peculiarly belonging to this Gospel; and has thereby shown to all after-ages, without intending it, that it is, in every thing material, the same book, which had ever been distinguished by the name of this Evangelist till his day, and remains so distinguished

to ours.

11. In regard to Luke's character as a writer, it is evident, that though the same general quality of style, an unaffected simplicity, predominates in all the Evangelists; they are, nevertheless, distinguishable from one another. Luke abounds in Hebraisms as much as any of them; yet it must be acknowledged, that there are also more Grecisms in his language than in that of any of the rest. The truth is, there is greater variety in his style, which is probably to be ascribed to this circumstance, his having

been more, and for a longer time, conversant among the Gentiles than any other Evangelist. His ordinary place of abode, if not the place of his birth, appears to have been Antioch, the capital of Syria, the seat of government, where people of the first distinction in the province had their residence, and to which there was great resort of strangers. Here the Greek language had long prevailed. Besides, Luke's occupation, as a physician, may very probably have occasioned his having greater intercourse with those of higher rank. Not that the profession itself was then in great esteem in that country; for it has been justly observed, that in Rome, as well as in Syria, slaves who gave early signs of quickness of parts and manual dexterity, were often instructed in physic, who, if they proved successful, were commonly rewarded with their freedom. That Luke himself, whatever may have been his early condition in life, was, when a Christian minister, a freeman and master of his time, is evident from his attendance on the Apostle Paul in his peregrinations for the advancement of the Gospel. But the profession of medicine and surgery (for these two were then commonly united) not only proved the occasion of a more general intercourse with society, but served as a strong inducement to employ some time in reading. This may sufficiently account for any superiority this Evangelist may be thought to possess above the rest, in point of language.