CREDIBILITY

OF THE

GOSPEL HISTORY.

PART II.

OR THE

PRINCIPAL FACTS

NEW

OF THE

TESTAMENT

Confirmed by Paffages of ancient Authors, who were
contemporary with our SAVIOUR, or his APO-
STLES, or lived near their Time.

VOL. IX.

Containing the Hiftory of Apollinarius, Bafil, Gregory
Nazianzen, and Nyffen, Ephraim the Syrian, Didymus
of Alexandria, Ambrofe Bishop of Milan, the Prifcil
lianifts, and others: With their Teftimony to the Books
of the NEW TESTAMENT.

To which are added

REMARKS upon Mr. BOWER'S Account of the MANICHEANS
in the fecond Volume of his Hiftory of the Popes.

By NATHANIEL LARDNER, D.D.

LONDON:

Sold by J. NOON in Cheapfide, J. WAUGH in Lombard-
Street, and J. BUCKLAND in Pater Nofter Row.

M DCC LIII.

PREFACE.

S

OME, it is likely, will take notice, that there are in this volume several writers, prior

in time to some in the preceding volume. The reafon is this: I was defirous, that Ephraim the Syrian fhould be in the former volume. And the chapter was compleated as far as could be from the Greek edition of his works at Oxford, and the first two volumes of the edition begun at Rome. But being informed, that the remaining volumes of the Roman edition might be expected in a fhort time, I determined to wait for them. Nor did they come to my hands, till feveral months

a 2

months after the publication of the eighth volume. Ephraim being laid afide, I took Epiphanius. The Apof tolical Conftitutions naturally follow4 ed. Which being a long chapter, some others were excluded. Moréover, concerning divers of the articles in this volume, which precede St. Bar fil, I was for awhile in fuspense, whether they should be inferted in this work at all. But at length I have judged it beft, to omit very few, or no writers, who flourished in the fourth centurie, and are in St. Je rome's Catalogue. This is the whole occafion of the tranfgreffion in the order of time. Which, I prefume, needeth not to be reckoned a thing of much consequence.

The tenth volume is almost finished, and will be fent to the preffe in a

fhort

fhort time. But I cannot fay, that it will be the laft. Indeed this part is now become fomewhat voluminous. Nevertheless I perfuade myself, that in the end my readers will be well pleased to see the teftimonie to the Scriptures in the principal Chriftian writers, in different parts of the world, in every age, as low as Oecumenius and Theophylact. It will be comprifed in a few volumes more. ore. And as I have now more leisure than I had, the work will be carried on with greater expedition than formerly, if Divine Providence shall vouchfafe the continuance of life and health.