«(D.)
That before about A.D. 180 there is no trace of FOUR
gospels among the Christians. ...As it is not pretended by any that there is any mention of
four Gospels before the time of
Irenaeus, excepting this "harmony", pleaded by some as dated about A.D. 170 and by others as between 170 and 180, it would be sheer waste of time and space to prove further a point admitted on all hands. This step of our argument is, then on solid and unassailable ground —
That before about A.D. 180 there is no trace of FOUR
gospels among the Christians. (E.)
That, before that date, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are not selected as the four evangelists. This position necessarily follows from the preceding one [D.], since four evangelists could not be selected until four Gospels were recognised. Here, again,
Dr. Giles supports the argument we are building up. He says : "
Justin Martyr never once mentions by name the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This circumstance is of great importance ; for those who assert that our four canonical Gospels are contemporary records of our Saviour's ministry, ascribe them to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and to no other writers." (Copia su
p. 261 Google Books)»
