ctly the same
as that which we now possess.

For this purpose I shall take the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius as
the starting-point. The reader is, of course, aware that he is the
earliest ecclesiastical writer whose history has come down to us, the
historians who wrote before his time being principally known to us
through fragments preserved in his book. He was born of Christian
parents about the year A.D. 270, and died about 340. He probably wrote
his history about or before the year 325.

The reader, though he may not have read his history, will be aware, from
the quotations from it in "Supernatural Religion," that Eusebius
carefully investigated the history of the Canon of Scripture, and also
the succession of ecclesiastical writers. His history is, in fact, to a
great extent, a sketch of early Church literature. In dealing with the
history of the Canon, he particularly notices whether a large number of
writers have quoted certain books of Scripture, of whose acceptance by
the whole Church doubts were entertained. This is important, as it shows
that not only himself, but the Church, during the three ages whose
history he has recorded, did not receive books of Scripture except upon
what they deemed to be sufficient evidence, and that evidence was the
reception of each book from Apostolic times by the whole Church. I will
now give the testimony of Eusebius to the authenticity of the Four
Gospels.

First of all he describes the origin of the Gospel of St. Mark in the
following words:--

"So greatly, however, did the splendour of piety enlighten the minds
of Peter's hearers, that it was not sufficient to hear but once, nor
to receive the unwritten doctrine of the Gospel of God, but they
persevered, in every variety of entreaties, to solicit Mark as the
companion of Peter, and whose Gospel we have, that he should leave
them a monument of the doctrine thus orally communicated, in
writing. Nor did they cease with their solicitations until they had
prevailed with the man, and thus become the means of that history
which is called the Gospel according to Mark. They say also, that
the Apostle (Peter), having ascertained what was done by the
revelation of the Spirit, was delighted with the zealous ardour
expressed by these men, and that the history obtained his authority
for the purpose of being read in the Churches. This account is given
by Clement in the Sixth B