Section 138
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 107 my life for thine. Stay ; believe Christ hath sent me.' Hearing this, he at first stopped with downcast looks. Then threw away his arms ; then trembling, lamented bitterly, and embracing the old man as he came up, attempted to plead for himself with his la mentations, as much as he was able ; as if baptized a second time with his own tears, and only concealing his right hand. But the apostle pledging himself, and solemnly assuring him, that he had found pardon for him in his prayers at the hands of Christ, pray ing, on his bended knees, and kissing his right hand as cleansed from all iniquity, conducted him back again to the church. Then supplicating with frequent prayers, contending with constant fastings, and softening down his mind with various consolatory declarations, he did not leave him as it is said, until he had re stored him to the church. Affording a powerful example of true repentance, and a great evidence of a regeneration, a trophy of a visible resurrection." CHAPTER XXIV. The order of the Gospels. * THESE extracts from Clement may here suffice, both for the sake of the history and the benefit of the readers.} Let us now also show the undisputed writings of the same apostle. And of these his gospel, so well known in the churches throughout the world, must first of all be acknowledged as genuine. That it is, however, with good reason, placed the fourth in order by the ancients, may be made evident in the following manner. Those inspired and truly pious men, the apostles of our Saviour, as they were most pure in their life, and adorned with every kind of vir tue in their minds, but common in their language, relying upon the divine and wonderful energy granted them, they neither knew how, nor attempted to propound the doctrines of their mas ter, with the art and refinement of composition. But employing only the demonstration of the divine Spirit, working with them, and the wonder-working power of Christ, displayed through 12