The fragment of Melito is as follows: "Melito to his
1 On the Canon, p. 193. [In the fourth edition Dr. Westcott omits the last phrase, making a full stop at "Old." p. 218.]
2 It must be said, however, that Canon Westcott merely follows and exaggerates Lardner, here, who says: "From this passage I would conclude that there was then also a volume or collection of books called the New Testament, containing the writings of Apostles and Apostolical men, but we cannot from hence infer the names or the exact number of those books." Credibility, &c., Works, ii. p. 148.
brother Onesimus, greeting. As thou hast frequently desired in thy zeal for the word [------] to have extracts made for thee, both from the law and the prophets concerning the Saviour and our whole faith; nay, more, hast wished to learn the exact statement of the old books [------], how many they are and what is their order, I have earnestly endeavoured to accomplish this, knowing thy zeal concerning the faith, and thy desire to be informed concerning the word [------], and especially that thou preferrest these matters to all others from love towards God, striving to gain eternal salvation. Having, therefore, gone to the East, and reached the place where this was preached and done, and having accurately ascertained the books of the Old Testament [------], I have, subjoined, sent a list of them unto thee, of which these are the names"--then follows a list of the books of the Old Testament, omitting, however, Esther. He then concludes with the words: "Of these I have made the extracts dividing them into six books."(1)
Canon Westcott's assertion that the expression "Old Books," "Books of the Old Testament," involves here by antithesis a definite _written_ New Testament, requires us to say a few words as to the name of "Testament" as applied to both divisions of the Bible. It is of course well known that this word came into use originally from the translation of the Hebrew word "covenant" [------], or compact made between God and the Israelites,(2) in the Septuagint version, by the Greek word [------], which in a legal sense also means a will or Testament,(3) and that word is adopted throughout the New
2 The legal sense of [------] as a Will or Testament is distinctly intended in Heb. ix. 16. "For where a Testament [------] is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator" [------]. The same word [------] is employed throughout the whole passage. Heb. ix. 15--20.
