er truth,
_until they have obtained proof of that which they believe from the
Scriptures themselves_." [448:1] Nor was there any dispute as to the
amount of confidence to be placed in the language of the Bible. The
doctrine of its plenary inspiration--a doctrine which many in modern
times either openly or virtually deny--was now received without
abatement or hesitation. Even Origen, who takes such liberties when
interpreting the sacred text, admits most fully that it is all of divine
dictation. "I believe," says he, "that, for those who know how to draw
virtue from the Scriptures, _every letter in the oracles of God has its
end and its work_, even to an iota and particle of a letter. And, as
among plants, there is not one but has its peculiar virtue, and as they
only who have a knowledge of botanical science can tell how each should
be prepared and applied to a useful purpose; so it is that he who is a
holy and spiritual botanist of the Word of God, by gathering up each
atom and element will find the virtue of that Word, and acknowledge that
there is nothing in all that is written that is superfluous." [448:3]

It has been already stated [448:3] that little difference of sentiment
existed in the early Church respecting the books to be included in the
canon of the New Testament. All, with the exception of the Gnostics and
some other heretics, recognized the claims of the four Gospels, [448:4]
of the Acts of the Apostles, of the Epistles of Paul, of the First
Epistle of Peter, and of the First Epistle of John. Though, for a time,
some Churches hesitated to acknowledge the remaining epistles, their
doubts seem to have been gradually dissipated. At first the genuineness
of the Apocalypse was undisputed; but, after the rise of the Montanists,
who were continually quoting it in proof of their theory of a
millennium, some of their antagonists foolishly questioned its
authority. At an early period two or three tracts [449:1] written by
uninspired men were received as Scripture by a number of Churches. They
were never, however, generally acknowledged; and at length, by common
consent, they were excluded from the canon. [449:2]

The code of heathen morality supplied a ready apology for falsehood,
[449:3] and its accommodating principles soon found too much
encouragement within the pale of the Church. Hence the pious frauds
which were now perpetrated. Various works made their appearance with the
name of some apostolic man appende