the history of the life, actions, death, resurrection, and ascension, and also of the doctrine, of Jesus Christ. The word is Saxon, and of the same import with the Latin term *evangelium*, which signifies glad tidings or good news. This history is contained in the writings of St Matthew, St Mark, St Luke, and St John, who are hence called Evangelists. The Christian church never acknowledged as canonical any more than these four gospels; notwithstanding which several apocryphal gospels are handed down to us, and others are entirely lost.