of expression and arrangement:  the Fathers are said to have quoted loosely, to have quoted from memory, to have combined, expanded, condensed, at pleasure.  To prove this general laxity of quotation, Christian apologists rely much on what they assert is a similar laxity shown in quoting from the Old Testament; and Mr. Sanday has used this argument with considerable skill.  But it does not follow that variations in quotations from the Old Testament spring from laxity and carelessness; they are generally quite as likely to spring from multiplicity of versions, for we find Mr. Sanday himself saying that “most of the quotations that we meet with are taken from the LXX.  Version; and the text of that version was, at this particular time especially, uncertain and fluctuating.  There is evidence to show that it must have existed in several forms, which differed more or less from that of the extant MSS.  It would be rash, therefore, to conclude at once, because we find a quotation differing from the present text of the LXX., that it differed from that which was used by the writer making the quotation” ("Gospels in the Second Century,” pp. 16, 17).  Besides, it must not be forgotten that the variation is sometimes too persistent to spring from looseness of quotation, and that the same variation is not always confined to one author.  The position for which we contend will be most clearly appreciated by giving, at full length, one of the passages most relied upon by Christian apologists; and we will take, as an example of supposed quotation, the long passage in Clement, chap. xiii.:—­

MATTHEW.  CLEMENT.  LUKE.

Especially remembering
the word of the Lord Jesus
when he spake, teaching
gentleness and
long-suffering. 
For this he said: 
v. 7.  Blessed are          Pity he, that he may be    vi. 36.  Be ye,
the pitiful, for they      pitied:  forgive, that it   therefore,
shall be pitied.           may be forgiven unto       merciful, as
vi. 14.  For if ye          you.                       your Father also
forgive men their          As ye do, so shall it      is merciful.
trespasses, your heavenly  be done unto you;          vi. 37.  Acquit,
Father will                as ye give, so shall it    and ye shall be
also forgive you.          be given unto you; as      acquitted.
vii. 12.  All things,       ye judge, so shall it      vi. 31.  And as ye
therefore, whatsoever      be judged unto you;        would that they
ye would that              as ye are kind, so         should do unto
men should do unto         shall kindness be          you, do ye also
you, even so do ye         shown unto you; with       unto them
unto them.                 that measure ye mete,      likewise.
vii. 2.  For with           with it shall it be        vi. 18.  Give, and
what judgment ye           measured unto you.         it shall be given
judge, ye shall be                                    unto you.
judged, and with                                      vi. 37.  And judge