The Apocryphal Gospels, and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ, Tr., with Notes, References and Prolegomena by B.H. Cowper - Softcover

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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1881 Excerpt: ... INTRODUCTION. I. GENERAL INTRODUCTION.--CHARACTER AND CLAIMS OE THE APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. Many books are included under the name of Christian Apocrypha, or New Testament Apocrypha, as some call them. Several of these books are still extant in one language or another, but of the larger part we only possess fragments, or the mere titles. I would thus describe in a few words the character of the books in question: They are all spurious; they all relate to Christ and those who were associated with him in his earthly career, or to the apostles and their associates; they all seek to supplement or develope the writings of the New Testament; and all that we have are of more recent date than any of the canonical books. The series commenced in the second century at latest, and continued for many centuries. The materials are drawn partly from the New Testament, b partly from traditions, and partly from the imagination of their authors. They are of no historical or doctrinal authority, and were never officially recognised in the Church. On many accounts they deserve nothing but' reproach, and that has been liberally heaped upon them in all ages. It has been;ery truly observed of the false Gospels in particular, by Bishop Ellicott, in the "Cambridge Essays" for 1856, that, "Their real demerits, their mendacities, their absurdities, their coarseness, the barbarities of their style, and the inconsequence of their narratives, have never been excused or condoned. It would be hard to find any competent writer, in any age of the Church, who has been beguiled into saying anything civil or commendatory." (p. 153.) And again:--"The torrent of abuse, condemnation, and invective, that issued from the fountains of early orthodoxy, and has never lacked an affluent in any gene ration s...

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