V. Intimations of the same custom may be traced in a great number of writers in the beginning and throughout the whole of the fourth century.  Of these testimonies I will only use one, as being, of itself, express and full.  Augustine, who appeared near the conclusion of the century, displays the benefit of the Christian religion on this very account, the public reading of the Scriptures in the churches, “where,” says he, “is a consequence of all sorts of people of both sexes; and where they hear how they ought to live well in this world, that they may deserve to live happily and eternally in another.”  And this custom he declares to be universal:  “The canonical books of Scripture being read every where, the miracles therein recorded are well known to all people.” (Lardner, Cred. vol. x. p. 276, et seq.)

It does not appear that any books, other than our present Scriptures were thus publicly read, except that the epistle of Clement was read in the church of Corinth, to which it had been addressed, and in some others; and that the Shepherd of Hennas was read in many churches.  Nor does it subtract much from the value of the argument, that these two writings partly come within it, because we allow them to be the genuine writings of apostolical men.  There is not the least evidence, that any other Gospel than the four which we receive was ever admitted to this distinction.

Section vi.

Commentaries were anciently written upon the Scriptures; harmonies formed out of them; different copies carefully collated; and versions made of them into different languages.

No greater proof can be given of the esteem in which these books were holden by the ancient Christians, or of the sense then entertained of their value and importance, than the industry bestowed upon them.  And it ought to be observed that the value and importance of these books consisted entirely in their genuineness and truth.  There was nothing in them, as works of taste or as compositions, which could have induced any one to have written a note upon them.  Moreover, it shows that they were even then considered as ancient books.  Men do not write comments upon publications of their own times:  therefore the testimonies cited under this head afford an evidence which carries up the evangelic writings much beyond the age of the testimonies themselves, and to that of their reputed authors.

I. Tatian, a follower of Justin Martyr, and who flourished about the year 170, composed a harmony, or collation of the Gospels, which he called Diatessaron, of the four.  The title, as well as the work, is remarkable; because it shows that then, as now, there were four, and only four, Gospels in general use with Christians.  And this was little more than a hundred years after the publication of some of them.  (Lardner, Cred. vol. i. p. 307.)

II.  Pantaenus, of the Alexandrian school, a man of great reputation and learning, who came twenty years after Tatian, wrote many commentaries upon the Holy Scriptures, which, as Jerome testifies, were extant in his time. (Lardner, Cred. vol. i. p. 455.)