out a name. In the Latin Homilies upon Leviticus, Origen says: 'There is also another sort of religious fast, which is commended in the writings of some apostles; for I find in a certain book a saying of the apostles: "Blessed is he that fasts that he feed the poor." The fast of such a one must be very acceptable in the sight of God.' Certainly this manner of quoting affords no ground to think that Origen esteemed this piece of any authority, though he approved the saying.

may

Thus at length I have given a full and particular representation of the passages of Origen, concerning both ecclesiastical and apocryphal writings; and yet I flatter myself the reader will not complain of prolixity in this article.

XXV. I should now proceed to make remarks upon these citations: but I suppose this work will be more complete, and the sentiments of christians at that time concerning the scriptures be more distinctly understood, if I first take some brief notice likewise of Origen's citations of apocryphal books of the Old Testament.

1. Origen, in his explication of the first Psalm, or preface to his Commentaries upon the Psalms, in a passage preserved by Eusebius and others, gives a catalogue of the Old Testament received by the Jews: he says they are in number twenty-two. They are much the same with those commonly received by Protestants.

2. Having quoted a text from Tobit, Origen adds: But because the Jews reject the book of Tobit as not canonical, [or, no part of the Testament',] I shall take a passage out of the first book of the Kings."

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In another place he says, The Jews do not use Tobit nor Judith, nor have they them at all in Hebrew among their apocryphal books; but the churches made use of Tobit.'

* Hæc ergo christianis jejunandi ratio est. Sed est et alia adhuc religiosa, cujus laus quorundam apostolorum literis prædicatur. Invenimus enim in quodam libello ab apostolis dictum, Beatus est qui etiam jejunat pro eo, ut alat pauperem.' 'Hujus jejunium valde acceptum est apud Deum, et revera digne satis. In Levit. Hom. x. T. ii. p. 246. A. Bened.

y H. É. 1. vi. cap. 25.

Origenis Philocal. Suid. v. Opiyevns. Niceph. Hist. lib. v. cap. 16.

a See Cosin's Scholastical History of the Canon of Scripture, chap. 5. b Τη δε τε Τωβητ βιβλῳ αντιλεγεσιν οἱ εκ περιτομης, ὡς μη ενδιαθηκῳ, παραθήσομαι εκ της πρώτης των Βασιλείων. De Orat. p. 220. v. i. Bened.

• Ποθεν δε λαβων ελεγες το -η, όσον επ' εμη γνωσει, απο τε Τωβιμ; περι οὗ ἡμας εχρην εγνωκεναι, ότι Εβραιοι τῳ Τωβια 8 χρωνται, εδε τη Ιεδηθ. Ουδε γαρ εχεσιν αυτα και εν αποκρυφοις Εβραϊςι· ὡς απ' αυτων μαθόντες εγνωκαμεν. Αλλ' επει χρωνται τῳ Τωβιᾳ αἱ εκκλησιαι, ιτεον, κ λ. Ep. ad Afric. sect. 13. p. 26. D.

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He likewise speaks of Esther,d Tobit, Judith, the book of Wisdom, as books of scripture which pleased the common people, because they were easy, or free from obscurity.' But I think it reasonable to suppose, nevertheless, that an equal respect was not shown to those scriptures which the Jews rejected, as to those they received.

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3. In a Latin Homily he quotes Ecclesiasticus cautiously: In a book which among us uses to be joined with the writings of Solomon, and to be called Ecclesiasticus, but by the Greeks is called the Wisdom of Jesus the son of Sirach, it is written, "All wisdom cometh from the Lord." Though, therefore, this was placed, sometimes at least, with the other books of Solomon, it was not reckoned to be his.

And in the prologue to the Canticles, Origen says, that neither the Jews nor the christians reckoned any more than three books of Solomon in the canon, meaning the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Canticles. It is here said, likewise, that the oracles of God,' in the Old Testament, were derived to the christians from the Jews.

4. As for the history of Susanna, added to the book of Daniel, Africanus, in his letter to Origen, tells him he wondered he should not know it was spurious, and says it was a piece lately forged: he observes likewise that all the scriptures of the Old Testament generally received were translated from Hebrew. I think this is enough to satisfy us, that this story could not be a part of the christian canonical scriptures: and though Origen says all he can think of to prove this history true and genuine, and affirms that

d Apertior scilicet simpliciorque doctrina, ut de moralibus esse solet, quæ præberi consuevit iis qui initia habent in divinis studiis, et prima eruditionis rationabilis elementa suscipiunt. His ergo cum recitatur talis aliqua divinorum voluminum lectio, in quâ non videatur aliquid obscurum, libenter accipiunt; verbi causâ, ut est libellus Hester, aut Judith, vel etiam Tobiæ, aut mandata Sapientiæ. Si vero legatur ei liber Levitici, offenditur continuo animus, &c. In Num. Hom. xxvii. p. 374. F. A. T. ii. Bened.

e In libro qui apud nos quidem inter Salomonis volumina haberi solet, et Ecclesiasticus dici, apud Græcos vero Sapientia Jesu filii Sirach appellatur, scriptum est: Omnis sapientia a Deo est. In Num. Hom. xviii. p. 340. E.

f Sed nos, quomodo recipiemus hujusmodi intelligentiam, cum neque ecclesia Dei ulla extrinsecus Salomonis Cantica legenda susceperit; neque apud Hebræos, a quibus eloquia Dei ad nos videntur esse translata, aliquid præter hos tres libellos Salomonis, qui et apud nos sunt, amplius habent in canone? Prolog. in Cant. Cant. p. 591. T. i. Basil.

Afr. ad Orig. p. 10. A.

h

8 Θαυμάζω δε, πως έλαθε σε το μέρος τε βιβλιο τετο κιβδηλον ον: η γαρ του περικοπή αυτη χαριεν μεν αλλως συγγραμμα, νεωτερικον δε και πεπλασμένον δείκνυται. κ. λ. Εξ ̔Εβραίων δε τοις Ελλησι μετεβληθη πανθ' όσα της Παλαιάς Διαθήκης φερεται. Ibid. p. 11. Α. i Τι χρῃ ἡμας πραττειν 8 περι των κατα Σωσανναν μονον, εν μεν τῳ καθ'

it was made use of in Greek by all the churches of Christ among the Gentiles; yet he owns that it was not received by the Jews, nor to be found in their copies of the book of Daniel. They who desire to know more of this matter may consult Du Pin.

5. The books of the Maccabees are expressly said by Origen not to be a part of the Jewish canonical scriptures,1 in the passage cited at length by Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History.

6. I think it clear, that none of these books were canonical among the christians. It was well known among them that they were not extant in Hebrew, nor owned by the Jews, from whom the christians received the scriptures of the Old Testament. Nor does it appear that Origen wrote commentaries, or preached Homilies, upon any of these books.

7. Beside these, Origen has cited divers other books in use among the Jews, as he says, and called secret or apocryphal; such as the book of Enoch, the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, the Assumption and Ascension of Moses,

8. In the Commentaries upon St. John: As it is written in the book of Enoch, if any think fit to receive that as a sacred book."

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Origen remarks upon a passage of Celsus, in which were some things which he supposes might be taken from the book of Enoch: But he questions whether Celsus had read the book itself; and he adds, that Celsus seemed not to know that those books called Enoch's were not looked upon by the churches as divine.'

Again, soon after: Celsus, jumbling together and confounding every thing which he has heard or read, not caring whether the books he quotes are esteemed by christians divine or not, says, "that sixty or seventy of those sons of God, when they had descended, were bound under the earth to be punished for their sins:" and adds, as if taken out of Έλληνας Ελληνικω φερομένων εν παση εκκλησια Χρισε, παρα δε Εβραιοις un KELμEVOV. Orig. ad Afr. p. 13. A. k See Dissertation

Preliminaire sur la Bible, liv. i. ch. 1. sect. 5. p. 15. note (e).

1 Εξω δε τέτων εςιν τα Μακκαβαϊκα. Apud Eus. l. vi. cap. 25. p. 226. Β. m Ὡς εν τῳ Ενωχ γεγραπται, ει τῳ φιλον παραδεχεσθαι ὡς ἁγιον το βιβλίον. Com. in Joh. p. 132. C. Huet. * Ατινα εδ' αυτα φαίνεται αναγνες, εδε γνωρισας, ότι εν ταις εκκλησίαις 8 πανυ φέρεται ὡς θεια τα επιysypaμμeva тe Evwx Bißria. Contr. Cels. 1. v. p. 619. C. Bened.

Ειτα, φυρων και συγχέων ἁ όπως ποτε ήκεσε, και τα όπε ποτ' εν γεγραμμενα, ειτε δεδογμενα θεια ειναι παρα χρισιανοις, ειτε και μη, φησι.

και φέρει (ώς απο τ8 Ενωχ εκ ονομαζων αυτον) το, όθεν και τας θερμας πηγας ειναι τα εκείνων δακρυα πραγμα, ετε λεγομενον ετ' ακεομενον εν ταις εκκληGiang T8 088. Ibid. p. 620. B. C.

the book of Enoch, though without naming it, that "from their tears arose hot springs:" a thing neither said nor heard in the churches of God.'

In a Homily upon the book of Numbers, Origen having quoted Psalm cxlvii. 4, "He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names," adds: Ofp which names there are many secret and mysterious things said in the books called Enoch's; but since those books are not in authority with the Jews, I forbear to allege any thing from them at this time.' Which shows that the opinion of the Jews, concerning ancient books, supposed to have been derived from their ancestors, was not despised. The books of Enoch are quoted by Origen in some other places. But I have put down already more than enough to show that they were not canonical scriptures.

q

9. How he quotes the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, was shown formerly.

10. Origen has quoted a piece called the Ascension of Moses: we saw an instance, when we considered his citations of St. Jude's epistle. He is supposed to mean this book in another place, though he does not name it: he calls it a certain little book not in the canon.'

11. To proceed. Says Origen, We read (if indeed any one pleases to receive such a kind of writing) that the angels of righteousness and unrighteousness disputed about the salvation and damnation of Abraham, each side claiming him to themselves.' A strange dispute! The title " of this piece is not certainly known: it is plain it was not canonical, nor much valued.

12. As for the change of names, the Jews, I know not well upon what ground, but upon the authority, it is likely, of some secret books or traditions, have a tradition among them, that Phinehas the son of Eleazar, who undoubtedly lived out the time of many judges, as we learn from the

P De quibus quidem nominibus plurima in libellis, qui appellantur Enoch, secreta continentur et arcana: sed quia libelli ipsi non videntur apud Hebræos in auctoritate haberi, interim nunc ea quæ ibi nominantur ad exemplum vocare differamus; sed ex his quæ habemus in manibus, de quibus dubitari non potest, rerum prosequamur indaginem. In Num. Hom. xxviii. p. 384. E. T. ii. Bened. a De Prin. l. i. cap. 3. p. 61. C D. T. i. Bened. et ibid. lib. iv. p. 193. D. et E. See p. 352. Denique et in libello quodam, licet in canone non habetur, mysterii tamen hujus forma describitur. In libr. Jesu. Hom. ii. p. 400. E. Tom. ii. Bened. Legimus (si tamen cui placet hujuscemodi scripturam recipere) justitia et iniquitatis angelos super Abrahæ salute et interitu disceptantes, dum utræque turmæ suo eum volunt cœtui vindicare. In Lucam, Hom. xxxv. in. u Vid. Fabric. Cod. Pseud. ▾ In Johan. p. 108. A. Huet.

N. T. p. 401, 402.

book of Judges, is the same as Elias; and that immortality was promised him in the book of Numbers, by the covenant of peace, as it is called, as a reward of his zeal for God.' Origen therefore was not acquainted with the Jewish apocryphal book whence this tradition was taken, if indeed it was recorded at all.

W

13. I formerly cited a passage from Origen's letter to Africanus, where he supposes that the author of the epistle to the Hebrews refers to some apocryphal book or books of the Jews. There are some other places in Origen's works where he speaks in the like manner, and supposes that our Saviour and his apostles did refer to apocryphal writings.

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14. Upon Matt. xxvii. 9, "Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying ". says Origen, This prophecy is no where found in the books of the prophecies of Jeremiah, read in the churches, and received by the Jews: however, if any one knows where it is written, let him show it. But I suppose that here has been made a mistake in writing this text, and that Jeremiah' has been put for Zachariah;' or else that there is some apocryphal book of Jeremiah where this is written: but there is such a text in the prophet Zachariah, ch. xi. 12, 13. If any one does not like this supposition, [of an error in transcribing,] let him see whether this prophecy be in any secret book of Jeremiah ; forasmuch as the apostle also alleges some texts of apocryphal books, saying somewhere, that " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard," 1 Cor. ii. 9. For this is not found in any canonical book, but only in a secret book of the prophet Elias. Again the apostle says, 2 Tim. iii. 8, "As Jannes and Jambres withstood

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See chap. xxxvii. p. 466, 467.

Tunc impletum est quod dictum fuerat per Hieremiam prophetam, dicentem,' &c.] Inter ea quæ scripta sunt, non invenitur hoc Hieremias alicubi prophetâsse in libris suis, qui vel in ecclesiis leguntur, vel apud Judæos referuntur: si quis autem potest scire, ostendat ubi sit scriptum. Suspicor autem errorem esse scripturæ, et pro Zachariâ positum Hieremiam, aut esse aliquam secretam Hieremiæ scripturam in quâ scribitur. Talis est autem textus apud Zachariam: Et dicam ad eos,' &c. [Zach. cap. xi. 12, 13.] Si autem hæc dicens aliquis existimat se offendere, videat ne alicubi in secretis Hieremiæ hoc prophetatur; sciens quoniam et apostolus scripturas quasdam secretorum profert, sicut dicit alicubi, quod oculus non vidit, nec auris audivit :' in nullo enim regulari [in Græco procul dubio fuit kavoviny. Grabe, Spic. T. i. p. 136.] libro hoc positum invenitur, nisi in secretis Heliæ prophetæ. Item quod ait, sicut Jamnes et Mambres restiterunt Mosi,' non invenitur in publicis scripturis, sed in libro secreto qui suprascribitur Jamnes et Mambres. Unde ausi sunt quidam epistolam ad Timotheum repellere, quasi habentem in se textum alicujus secreti, sed non potuerunt. Primam autem epistolam ad Corinthios propter hoc aliquem refutâsse quasi adulterinam, ad aures meas nunquam pervenit. In Matth. Tract. 35. p. 193. Tom. ii. Basil.