Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/67

Rh at Bethleliem, when Joseph and Mary were there, in which he follows the true Gospels rather than apocryphal stories. Again, Jesus is called the first-born son of Mary, which is also a return to the simple and unsuspecting style of the Evangelists: thus in Chap. ix. Jesus is said to be "alone conceived and born without sin," p. 96. The use made of the Latin Vulgate is satisfactory evidence that the book appeared considerably later than the time of Jerome.

is altogether of oriental origin, and comes to us through the Arabic. The introduction which I have thrown into a note, may be the work of the Arabic translator. It is supposed to have been first written in Coptic, in which language it is in great part, if not entirely, extant, both in the Sahidic and in the Memphitic dialects. Portions of the Coptic have been published by Zoega and Dulaurier. The date is uncertain. It has been referred to the fourth century, but may not be so ancient, as it is well known that what are viewed as early opinions existed longer in some places than in others. The author, whoever he was, wrote in an age of superstition, and when an exaggerated importance was attached to