=22.= If there be need to go farther back, we may note the testimony of Irenæus, distinguished in ecclesiastical history as Bishop of Lyons; he lived in the latter half of the second century, and is known as a disciple of Polycarp, who was personally associated with the Revelator, John. His voluminous writings affirm the authenticity of most of the books of the New Testament, and define their authorship as at present admitted. To these testimonies may be added those of the Saints in Gaul, who wrote to their fellow-sufferers in Asia, quoting freely from gospels, epistles, and the Apocalypse;[756] the declarations of Melito, Bishop of Sardis, who journeyed to the East to determine which were the canonical books, particularly of the Old Testament;[757] and the solemn attest of Justin Martyr, who embraced Christianity as a result of his earnest and learned investigations, and who suffered death for his convictions. In addition to individual testimony, we have that of ecclesiastical councils and official bodies, by whom the question of authenticity was tried and decided. In this connection may be mentioned the Council of Nice, 325 A. D.; the Council of Laodicea, 363 A. D.; the Council of Hippo, 393 A. D.; the third and the sixth Councils of Carthage, 397 and 419 A. D. [756] See Eusebius, book iv. [757] Eusebius iv, 26. =23.= Since the date last named, no dispute as to the authenticity of the New Testament has claimed much attention; surely the present is too late a time, and the separating distance today is too vast, to warrant the reopening of the question. The New Testament must be accepted for what it claims to be; and though, perhaps, many precious parts have been suppressed or lost, while some corruptions of the sacred texts may have crept in, and errors have been inadvertently introduced through the incapacity of translators, the volume as a whole must be admitted as authentic and credible, and as an essential part of the holy scriptures.[758] [758] Compare John v, 39. =24. Classification of the New Testament.=--The New Testament comprises twenty-seven books, conveniently classified as:-- (1.) Historical 5 (2.) Didactic 21 (3.) Prophetic 1 =25.= (1.) =The Historical Books= include the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The authors of these works are spoken of as the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; to Luke is ascribed the authorship of the Acts. =26.= (2.) =The Didactic Books= comprise the epistles; and these we may arrange thus: (_1._) _The Epistles of Paul_, comprising (_a_) his doctrinal letters addressed to Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Hebrews; (_b_) his pastoral communications to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. (_2._) _The General Epistles_ of James, Peter, John, and Jude. =27.= (3.) =The Prophetic Works=, consisting of the Revelation of John, commonly known as the Apocalypse. THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE.