This testimony would be very important, and would clearly
put the writing of our present Gospels in the age of the Apostles.
But unfortunately the genuineness of these epistles and frag-
ments has sometimes been called in question. We, therefore,
choose to throw them "out of court," and to see what con-
clusions are warranted by the examination so far made.
(i) Justin Martyr, before the middle of the second century,
had in his possession a collection of books substantially those of
the present New Testament, and containing the four Gospels in
their present form. These were accounted of apostolic authority.
(2) The Gospels in the hands of Justin Msntyr contained
in every essential particular the story of the birth, ministry,
death, and resurrection of Jesus, as it exists in our New Testa-
ment to-day. There is no reason to think that " legend making "
has added anything to the Gospel story since the manhood of
Justin Martyr, say, A.D. 120 or 125, and we are fully warranted
in moving "a" in our diagram back to the latter date.
