Ethiopic Didascalia

Platt 1834 historical front matter, source page 13

PREFACE. V Constitutions, nor appearing in the other Editions ; and because there were so many other Extracts and Branches of these Constitutions extant by themselves in those later Ages, when the Arabick Version must have been made, this Edition can hardly claim to be tlie uncorrupt exact Doctrine of the Apostles, nor the same with that conunon to the Ethiopick and Coptick Churches, but some other Work thereto relating. If I might guess, till we have testimonies to supersede guessing, I should think it a transcript of those parts of the Constitutions at large, of which the Original Doctrine of the Apostles was a short Extract or Epitome, and no other. Not to say that 'tis not impossible that it may be that Extract from the Clementines spoken of by the Author of the Synopsis Sacree Scripturee, in the words elsewhere set down : K?\j]iJ.evTta' i^ oiv fiETa(j)pdcrd)](rav iKXeyivra to dXrjdicrrepa Koi Seoirvevara. Unless the larger spurious Ethiopick Constitutions themselves, of which in my Essay on the Constitutions, be therein referred to. Wlien we have the Ethiopick or Coptick Edition of this Doctrine of the Apostles intirely published, wliich I hope will be done ere long by some learned Person who is skilled in those Languages, and has the opportunity of perusing it, we shall be better able to clear this matter. " As for the Objections that are made by Dr. Grabe in his late Book, they chiefly concern that Arabick Edition only ; and so are generally of no force against the other." pp. 12—14 One more passage only from Whiston shall be given. It is as follows : " But now having done with my Observations, I shall proceed to my History, or such a clear and honest Account of my Procedure about these MSS. as may free me in good mea- sure from the Imputation of Rashness, at least of such Rashness that can hardly be paral- leVd and other the like severe Reflections which the Doctor makes upon me and my Con- duct I shall here only give a true Account of my Procedure : and then leave it to the im- partial Reader to judge how far I have been too rash, or at all culpable in this matter. When I was examining the Authentickness of the Constitutions themselves, I perceived, that tho' Eusebius and tlie Antients did hardly ever mention them in express Terms, among • the Catalogues of Sacred Books, either undoubted, doubtful, or spurious ; according to those strict Rules of Secrecy which they then thought themselves under about them ; yet did they not only discover the exactest knowledge of, and greatest Veneration for them on other Occasions, but did expressly name a parallel Book call'd the Doctrine of the Apostles, which seems plainly to have been an Extract out of the former Six Books, therein contained; with these Differences only, that the Constitution Word for Doctrine was AiSatTKuKta, and the other AtSa'xr/, which yet seemed to me then of no very great conse- quence ; tho' I now own myself of another mind ; that the former contain'd many Doctrines and Accounts usually then conceal 'd from the Catechumens, while the latter was particularly fitted for their use ; and that the former appeared to be a much larger Book than the latter. I found also that the Ethiopick and Coptick Churches had such a Doctrine among them, only call'd AiSacrKa\la, and not AtSaj(rj, which they own'd for Sacred ; and that yet the Etliiopians had admitted no Books from the Greeks since tlie Fourth General Council, in the middle of the Fifth Century ; or since the Ages when we have the certain Accounts of such a Sacred Book among Christians. So that it seem'd highly probable that the Ethiopick and Coptick AtSa<TKa\ta might be the genuine Doctrine