Apocryphal New Testament — Historical English Collection

Apocryphal New Testament — Hone/Wake/Jones — Section 9

Dissertation on the Text at the end of his second volume. Archbishop Newcome omits the text, and the Bishop of Lincoln expresses his conviction that it is spurious. (Elem. of Theol. vol. ii. p. 90, note).* In a sumptuous Latin MS. of the Bible, written so late as the thirteenth century, formerly belonging to 'the Capuchin Convent at Montpelier, after- wards in the possession of Harley, Earl of Oxford, and now deposited in the British Museum, the verse of the three heavenly witnesses is wanting, as appears by the following literal extract from it : Wit e0t qui uenit per aqmrn (3 ganguinem. % xpT Hon in a(\ solum, sell in aqua ( HI -»* o O .J X u K n 8 h ^ X S u <I>• o o «) CO o IT •I" (- Z w u a h o s ^ ^1 u ^ I ~5i f- z I >Si b 111 o m o h -^ u (/I (/) « u T 8 O < ^ p. S o a K Christ typified BARNABAS. hy the red heifer. he who would take away the scarlet wool must undergo many- difficulties, because that thorn was very sharp, and with difficul- ty get it : ^ So they, says Christ, that will see me, and come to my kingdom, must through many afflictions and troubles attain unto me. CHAP. VII. The red heifer, another type of Christ. BUT what ^ type do ye suppose it to have been, where it is commanded ^ to the people of Is- rael, that grown persons in whom sins are come to perfection, should offer an heifer, and after they had killed it should burn the same. 2 But then young men should take up the ashes and put them in vessels ; and tie a piece of scarlet wool and hyssop upon a stick, and so the young men should sprinkle every one of the people, and they should be clear from their sins. 3 Consider how all these are delivered in a ^ figure to us. 4 This heifer is Jesus Christ; the wicked men that were to offer it are those sinners who brought him to death : who afterwards have no more to do with it ; the sinners have no more the honour of handling of it :