ent expression, γεννηθῆναι ἐκ Θεοῦ Οἱ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, “to be born [or begotten] of God," which occurs once in the Gospel (i. 13) and nine times in the First Epistle, so that the presumption is that, if he had wished to convey that meaning here, he would have used here also that unambiguous expression.

But what is decisive as to the main point is the fact that Justin's word avayevvnýŋ is actually substituted for yevvndÿ åvwdev in verse 3, or for the simple yεvv in verse 5, by a large number of Christian writers who unquestionably quote from John; so, besides the CLEMENTINE Homilies (xi. 26) and the CLEMENTINE EPITOME in both forms (c. 18), to which exception has been taken with no sufficient reason, IRENÆUS (Frag. 35, ed. Stieren, i. 846), EUSEBIUS (In Isa. i. 16, 17; Migne xxiv. 96), ATHANASIUS (De Incarn. c. 14), BASIL (Adv. Eunom. lib. v. Opp. i. 308 (437)), EPHRAEM SYRUS (De Pænit. Opp. iii. 183 (ȧvayevvný ávovεv)), CHRYSOSTOM (In 1 Ep. ad Cor. xv. 29, Opp. x. 378 (440)), CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA (In Foan. iii. 5, ¿şavayevvnʊñ dı' üdaтoç K.T.λ., so Pusey's critical ed., vol. i. p. 219; Aubert has yevundŋ ¿§ §.); and so, probably, ANASTASIUS SINAITA preserved in a Latin version (Anagog. Contemp. in Hexaëm. lib. iv., Migne lxxxix. 906, regeneratus; contra, col. 870 genitus, 916 generatus), and HESYCHIUS OF JERUSALEM in a Latin version (In Levit. xx. 9, Migne xciii. 1044, regeneratus; but col. 974, renatus). In the Old Latin version or versions and the Vulgate, the MSS. are divided in John iii. 3 between natus and renatus, and so in verse 4, 2d clause, between nasci and renasci; but in verse 5 renatus fuerit is the unquestionable reading of the Latin versions, presupposing, apparently, avayev in the Greek. (See Tischendorf's 8th critical edition of the Greek Test. in loc.) The Latin Fathers, with the exception of Tertullian and Cyprian, who have both readings, and of the author De Rebaptismate (c. 3), in quoting the passage, almost invariably have renatus.

We occasionally find ȧvayevviva, "to be born again," for yevvηoñvaι, "to be born," in the first clause of verse 4; so EPHRAEM SYRUS (De Pænit. Opp. iii. 183), and CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA (Glaph. in Exod. lib. iii. Opp. i. a. 341).

From all that has been said, it will be seen that the use of

ávayεvvηoñte here by Justin is easily explained. Whether ǎvwev in John really means "from above" or "anew is of little importance in its bearing on our question: there can be no doubt that Justin may have understood it in the latter sense; and, even if he did not, the use of the term ȧvayevvãobaι here was very natural, as is shown by the way in which the passage is quoted by Irenæus, Eusebius, and many other writers cited above.

4. The next variation, the change of "cannot see" or "enter into” (οὐ δύναται ἰδεῖν Οἱ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς, Lat. non potest videre, or intrare or introire in), into "shall not" or "shall in no wise see” or “enter into” (οὐ μὴ ἴδῃ, once ἴδοι, ΟΙ οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ ΟΙ εἰσέλθητε ɛiç, once ovê ɛiσɛhevoɛraι eis, Lat. non videbit, or intrabit or introibit in), is both so natural (comp. Matt. xviii. 3) and so trivial as hardly to deserve mention. It is perhaps enough to say that I have noted sixty-nine examples of it in the quotations of this passage by forty-two different writers among the Greek and Latin Fathers. It is to be observed that in most of the quotations of the passage by the Fathers, verses 3 and 5 are mixed in different ways, as might be expected.

5. The change of "kingdom of God" into "kingdom of heaven" is perfectly natural, as they are synonymous expressions, and as the phrase "kingdom of heaven" is used in the passage of Matthew already referred to, the language of which was likely to be more or less confounded in recollection with that of this passage in John. The change is actually made in several Greek MSS. in the 5th verse of John, including the Sinaitic, and is even received by Tischendorf into the text, though, I believe, on insufficient grounds. But a great number of Christian writers in quoting from John make just the same change; so the DOCETIST in HIPPOLYTUS (Ref. Hær. viii. 10, p. 267), the CLEMENTINE HOMILIES (xi. 26), the RECOGNITIONS (i. 69; vi. 9), the CLEMENTINE EPITOME (C. 18) in both forms, IRENEUS (Frag. 35, ed. Stieren), ORIGEN in a Latin version twice (Opp. iii. 948; iv. 483), the APOSTOLICAL CONSTITUTIONS (vi. 15), EUSEBIUS twice (In Isa. i. 16, 17; iii. 1, 2; Migne xxiv. 96, 109), PSEUD-ATHANASIUS (Quæst. ad Antioch. 101, Opp. ii. 291),

EPHRAEM SYRUS (De Pænit. Opp. iii. 183), CHRYSOSTOM five times (Opp. iv. 681 (789); viii. 143 de (165), 144d (165), 144b (166)), THEODORET (Quæst. in Num. 35, Migne lxxx. 385), BASIL OF SELEUCIA (Orat. xxviii. 3), AnastaSIUS SINAITA in a Latin version three times (Migne lxxxix. 870, 906, 916), HESYCHIUS OF JERUSALEM in a Latin version twice (Migne xciii. 974, 1044), THEODORUS ABUCARA (Opuscc. c. 17, Migne xcvii. 1541), TERTULLIAN (De Bapt. c. 13), ANON. De Rebaptismate (c. 3), PHILASTRIUS (Hær. 120 and 148, ed. Oehler), CHROMATIUS (In Matt. iii. 14, Migne xx. 329), JEROME twice (Ep. 69, al. 83, and In Isa. i. 16; Migne xxii. 660, xxv. 35), AUGUSTINE seven times (Opp. ii. 1360, 1361; v. 1745; vi. 327; vii. 528; ix. 630; x. 207, ed. Bened. 2da), and a host of other Latin Fathers.

It should be observed that many of the writers whom I have cited combine three or four of these variations from John. It may be well to give, further, some additional illustrations of the freedom with which this passage is sometimes quoted and combined with others. One example has already been given from Clement of Alexandria. (See No. 2.) TERTULLIAN (De Bapt. 12) quotes it thus: "The Lord says, Except a man shall be born of water, he hath not life,"— Nisi natus ex aqua quis erit, non habet vitam. Similarly ODO CLUNIACENSIS (Mor. in Fob. iii. 4, Migne cxxxiii. 135): "Veritas autem dicit, Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et Spiritu sancto, non habet vitam æternam." ANASTASIUS SINAITA, as preserved in a Latin version (Anagog. Contempl. in Hexaëm. lib. v., Migne lxxxix. 916), quotes the passage as follows: "dicens, Nisi quis fuerit generatus ex aqua et Spiritu qui fertur super aquam, non intrabit in regnum cælorum." The APOSTOLICAL CONSTITUTIONS (vi. 15) as edited by Cotelier and Ueltzen read: "For the Lord saith, Except a man be baptized with (Barrio ) water and the Spirit, he shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven." Here, indeed, Lagarde, with two MSS., edits yene for ẞation, but the more difficult reading may well be genuine. Compare EUTHYMIUS ZIGABENUS (Panopl. pars ii. tit. 23, Adv. Bogomilos, c 16, in the Latin version in Max. Bibl. Patrum, xix.

224), "Nisi quis baptizatus fuerit ex aqua et Spiritu sancto, non intrabit in regnum Dei," and see Jeremy Taylor, as quoted below. DIDYMUS OF ALEXANDRIA gives as the words of Christ (elev dé), "Ye must be born of water" (De Trin. ii. 12, p. 250, Migne xxxix. 672). It will be seen that all these examples purport to be express quotations.

My principal object in this long discussion has been to show how false is the assumption on which the author of Supernatural Religion proceeds in his treatment of Justin's quotations, and those of other early Christian writers. But the fallacy of his procedure may, perhaps, be made more striking by some illustrations of the way in which the very passage of John which we have been considering is quoted by a modern English writer. I have noted nine quotations of the passage by Jeremy Taylor, who is not generally supposed to have used many apocryphal Gospels. All of these differ from the common English version, and only two of them are alike. They exemplify all the peculiarities of variation from the common text upon which the writers of the Tübingen school and others have laid such stress as proving that Justin cannot have here quoted John. I will number these quotations, with a reference to the volume and page in which they occur in Heber's edition of Jeremy Taylor's Works, London, 1828, 15 vols. 8vo, giving also such specifications as may enable one to find the passages in any other edition of his complete Works; and, without copying them all in full, will state their peculiarities. No. 1. Life of Christ, Part I. Sect. IX. Disc. VI. Of Baptism, part i. § 12. Heber, vol. ii. p. 240.—No. 2. Ibid. Disc. VI. Of baptizing Infants, part ii. § 26. Heber, ii. 288.- No. 3. Ibid. § 32. Heber, ii. 292.— No. 4. Liberty of Prophesying, Sect. XVIII. § 7. Heber, viii. 153.—No. 5. Ibid. Ad 7. Heber, viii. 190.- No. 6. Ibid. Ad 18. Heber, viii. 191.- No. 7. Ibid. Ad 18. Heber, viii. 193.- No. 8. Disc. of Confirm. Sect. I. Heber, xi. 238.- No. 9. Ibid. Heber, xi. 244.

We may notice the following points:

1. He has "unless" for "except," uniformly. This is a trifling variation; but, reasoning after the fashion of Super

natural Religion, we should say that this uniformity of variation could not be referred to accident, but proved that he quoted from a different text from that of the authorized version.

2. He has "kingdom of heaven" for "kingdom of God" six times; viz., Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.

3. Heaven" simply for "kingdom of God" once; No. 6. "Shall not enter" for "cannot enter " four times; Nos. 4, 5, 7, 8; comp. also No. 6.

4.

5. The second person plural, ye, for the third person singular, twice; Nos. 3, 7.

6. "Baptized with water" for "born of water' No. 7.

once;

7. "Born again by water" for "born of water" once; No. 6.

8. "Both of water and the Spirit" for "of water and of the Spirit" once; No. 9.

9. "Of" is omitted before "the Spirit" six times; Nos. I, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8.

10. "Holy" is inserted before "Spirit" twice; Nos. 1, 8. No. I reads, for example, " Unless a man be born of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Supernatural Religion insists that, when Justin uses such an expression as "Christ said," we may expect a verbally accurate quotation.* Now nothing is more certain than that the Christian Fathers frequently use such a formula when they mean to give merely the substance of what Christ said, and not the exact words; but let us apply our author's principle to Jeremy Taylor. No. 3 of his quotations reads thus:

"Therefore our Lord hath defined it, Unless ye be born of water and the Spirit, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven,"

No. 6 reads, "Though Christ said, None but those that are born again by water and the Spirit shall enter into heaven." No. 7 reads, "For Christ never said, Unless ye be baptized

*“ Justin, in giving the words of Jesus, clearly professed to make an exact quotation.”—Su pernatural Religion, ii. 309, 7th ed.