Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/33

Rh are involved in the preceding inquiry, but I now proceed to notice various unconnected facts, which, illustrate historically the purposes for which they have been employed, apart from the intention of their writers. The facts I allude to are equally apart from attempts to refute and throw discredit upon them.

We already know that Justin, Irenæus, Clement of Alexandria, and other early Christian authors, mention circumstances which appear to have been derived from the Apocryphal Gospels. Baronius quotes Nicephorus as saying that Hippolytus is one who mentions such circumstances, but I cannot discover any such passage in his extant remains. Origen certainly has allusions, but they appear to be for controversial purposes. Gregory of Nyssa and Epiphanius, and the writer of a discourse ascribed to Eusebius, make use of statements contained in the Apocryphal Gospels. But after all, very few genuine passages from Christian writers of the first four centuries can be confidently appealed to. At the same time, I am of opinion that a careful examination of the Fathers would very likely bring to light other passages corresponding in a remarkable manner with what we read in the false Gospels. Thus Athanasius,