t ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete,
it shall be measured to you again." "Blessed are the poor in
spirit, and those that suffer persecution for righteousness'
sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." "The spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh is weak." For the gospel of John,
Polycarp's testimony, though indirect, is decisive. In his
letter to the Philippians, he quotes from the First Epistle of
John, "For every one who does not confess that Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh, is antichrist." 1 John 4:3. But that the
gospel of John and this first epistle both proceeded from the
same author, is a conceded fact.

The recently discovered Sinai Codex, the oldest known codex in
the world, contains the entire _Epistle of Barnabas_ in the
original Greek. In this we find, among other references to the
first three gospels, one to the _written_ gospel of Matthew of
the most decisive character: "Let us be mindful, therefore, lest
perchance we be found as it is written, 'Many are called, but
few are chosen.'" Matt. 20:16; 22:14. The form of quotation, "as
it is written," is employed by the writers of the New Testament
only of citations from Scripture. In these words the writer
places the gospel of Matthew in the same rank as the Scriptures
of the Old Testament. That he was the Barnabas mentioned in the
New Testament as the companion of Paul cannot be maintained; but
the composition of the epistle is assigned, with probability, to
the beginning of the second century, though some place it as
late as its close.

The testimony of other apocryphal writings of early date might
be adduced, but for the sake of brevity it is here omitted. It
may be seen in the essay of Tischendorf, already referred to.

11. A different class of witnesses will next be considered--the ancient
Syriac version, the old Latin version, and the Muratorian fragment on
the canon of the New Testament--all of which bear testimony to our
canonical gospels.

The ancient _Syriac_ version, commonly called the
Peshito--_simple_, that is, expressing simply the meaning of the
original, without allegorical additions and explanations, after
the manner of the Jewish Targums--is admitted by all to be of
very high antiquity. Learned men are agreed that this version
cannot well be referred to a later date than the close of th