in the heading to Asaph, who, according to the usage of writers at this date, might be called a prophet, as he is in the Septuagint version of 2 Chron. xxix. 30.  The phrase [Greek:  ho prophaetaes legei] in quotations from the Psalms is not uncommon.  The received reading is that of by far the majority of the MSS. and versions:  the first hand of the Sinaitic, however, and the valuable cursives 1 and 33 with the Aethiopic (a version on which not much reliance can be placed) and m. of the Old Latin (Mai’s ‘Speculum,’ presenting a mixed African text) [Endnote 170:1], insert [Greek:  Haesaiou] before [Greek:  tou prophaetou].  It also appears that Porphyry alleged this as an instance of false ascription.  Eusebius admits that it was found in some, though not in the most accurate MSS., and Jerome says that in his day it was still the reading of ‘many.’

All this is very fully and fairly stated in ’Supernatural Religion’ [Endnote 170:2], where it is maintained that [Greek:  Haesaiou] is the original reading.  The critical question is one of great difficulty; because, though the evidence of the Fathers is naturally suspected on account of their desire to explain away the mistake, and though we can easily imagine that the correction would be made very early and would rapidly gain ground, still the very great preponderance of critical authority is hard to get over, and as a rule Eusebius seems to be trustworthy in his estimate of MSS.  Tischendorf (in his texts of 1864 and 1869) is, I believe, the only critic of late who has admitted [Greek:  Haesaiou] into the text.

The false ascription may be easily paralleled; as in Mark i. 2, Matt. xxvii. 9, Justin, Dial. c.  Tryph. 28 (where a passage of Jeremiah is quoted as Isaiah), &c.

The relation of the Clementine and of the canonical quotations to each other and to the Septuagint will be represented thus:-

Clem.  Hom. xviii. 15.

[Greek:  Kai ton Haesaian eipein; Anoixo to stoma mou en parabolais kai exereuxomai kekrummena apo katabolaes kosmou.]

Matt. xiii. 35.

[Greek:  Hopos plaerothe to rhaethen dia [Haesaiou?] tou prophaetou legontos; Anoixo en parabolais to stoma mou, ereuxomai kekrummena apo katabolaes kosmou] [om. [Greek:  kosmou] a few of the best MSS.]

LXX. Ps. lxxvii. 2.

[Greek:  Anoixo en parabolais to stoma mou, phthegxomai problaemata ap’ archaes.]

The author of ‘Supernatural Religion’ contends for the reading [Greek:  Haesaiou], and yet does not see in the Clementine passage a quotation from St. Matthew.  He argues, with a strange domination by modern ideas, that the quotation cannot be from St. Matthew because of the difference of context, and declares it to be ’very probable that the passage with its erroneous reference was derived by both from another and common source.’  Surely it is not necessary to go back to the second century to find parallels for the use of ‘proof texts’