'renes: but I rather think, says he, the place taken from 'St. Luke.'

2. I would observe concerning the gospel according to the Hebrews, that this passage of it affords an argument, that it was composed after our genuine gospels; because it appears to be taken out of St. Luke's gospel, only with a little alteration; in conformity, perhaps, to this very place of Ignatius. I think I could argue the same thing from some other passages of that gospel of the Hebrews. But we may have a better opportunity of showing more at large that the ground-work of that gospel is St. Matthew's gospel; to which have been made additions of things taken out of St. Luke's, (and perhaps other gospels,) and other matters that had been delivered by oral tradition.

LVI. Thus I have given an account of the testimony which Ignatius affords to the books of the New Testament, without any respect to the larger epistles, except in Numb. XLIV. where I have particularly mentioned them. The larger epistles would have supplied me with many more, and express quotations of the gospels and epistles, if we could allow them to be genuine. But beside the many other arguments against their genuineness, this may be one, that there are more quotations out of the Old and New Testament than could be well expected. The larger epistles were plainly composed by a man at leisure. Ignatius at his writing was very much straitened for time, being at once a traveller, and a prisoner under a strong guard; and, at the places where he rested, much engaged by the kind and respectful visits of the Christians there, and from the neighbouring cities, and in giving them exhortations by word of mouth. I have endeavoured to take nothing but what is genuine. The Greek edition, even of the smaller epistle to the Romans, as now published by Ruinart, would have afforded me two references or quotations more than I have taken one of Matthew xvi. 26, the other of 2 Cor. iv. 8, the words of which texts are there at length. But Graber has honestly and ingenuously owned, he suspects them to be additions, they being wanted in the ancient Latin version of that epistle.

LVII. We may now sum up the testimony of Ignatius. And in the first place, he has expressly ascribed the epistle to the Ephesians to St. Paul. In the next place, here are plain allusions to the gospels of St. Matthew and St. John.

Neque tamen dissimulare possum, et istud non omnino sincerum, sed loca scripturæ, 2 Cor. iv. et Matth. xvi. aliaque, addita videri, quæ a vetere versione absunt. Grabe, Spicil. Patr. T. 2. p. 8.

Whether he has alluded to the gospel of St. Luke, is doubtful, unless we allow him to refer to it in the passage at Numb. LV. The other allusions here taken from Iguatius relate to the Acts of the Apostles, the epistle to the Romans, first and second to the Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, first to the Thessalonians, second to Timothy, to Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, first epistle of Peter, first and third epistles of John. And most of these allusions, I apprehend, will be allowed manifest. The least considerable seem to be those to the Colossians, Titus, and the Hebrews. And if any think, likewise, the agreement between Ignatius and some of the other books not material, I shall not contend about it. Every one is now able to judge for himself. But I think, there are some references to the greatest part of these books, which will not be disputed.

And besides, here are terms used by him, importing a collection of the gospels, and of the epistles of the apostles, and of the books of the New Testament in general.

CHAP. VI.

ST. POLYCARP. HIS HISTORY.

THE character and age of Polycarp, and the genuineness of his remaining epistle to the Philippians, will appear from some passages of Irenæus, bishop of Lyons in Gaul. These passages will also serve to show at the same time the age, and consequently the authority, of Irenæus himself, and the value of his testimony, when we shall come to make use of it.

Irenæus says in his excellent work against all heresies: And Polycarp teaches the same things, who was not only taught by the apostles, and had conversed with many who had seen Christ, but was also by the apostles appointed bishop of the church of Smyrna in Asia. Whom also I saw in my early age; (for he lived long, and at a great age had a glorious and splendid martyrdom:) I say, Polycarp always taught these things, which he had learned from 'the apostles, which he delivered to the church, and which 'alone are true. To this bear witness all the churches in Asia, and they who to this time have succeeded Polycarp; L. 3. c. 3. sect. 4. Edit. Mass. et apud Euseb. H. E. 1. iv. cap. 14.

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' that he is a more credible and sure witness of the truth 'than Valentinus and Marcion, and other authors of corrupt opinions. Who also, when he came to Rome in the ' time of Anicetus, converted many of the before-mentioned 'heretics to the church of God, declaring that to be the one and only truth which had been received from the apostles, and was delivered by the church. And there are those who have heard him say, that John, the disciple of the 'Lord, going to bathe at Ephesus, and seeing Cerinthus already in the bath, came out again in haste without 'bathing, saying to those who were with him: "Let us flee hence, lest the bath should fall while Cerinthus the enemy of the truth is within." And Polycarp himself, • Marcion once coming in his way, and saying to him, “Do you own me?" he answered: I own you to be the firstborn of Satan." There is also a most excellent epistle of Polycarp, written to the Philippians; from which they 'who are willing, and are concerned for their own salva'tion, may learn both the character of his faith, and the 'doctrine of the truth.'

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This passage has been transcribed by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History, who immediately adds: Poly

but

b The occasion of Polycarp's journey to Rome is said to be some controversy about the time of keeping Easter. See Euseb. H. E. 1. 4. c. 14. Hieron. de Vir. Ill. c. 17. But learned men are not agreed about the time of it. It must be determined by that of Anicetus being bishop of Rome. Bishop Pearson, as he places the bishopric of Anicetus in the beginning of the reign of Antoninus the pious, places this journey accordingly about the year 142. Oper. Post. Diss. ii. c. 14. Others in 153. Basnage, Ann. 153. sect. 64. Others in 158, or 160. See Pagi Crit. 165. n. v. Du Pin, Bibl. Polycarpe. The same story is told with different circumstances by Epiphanius, H. 30. c. 24. But the truth of it has been sometimes called in question. It is observable, that Irenæus, though personally acquainted with Polycarp, does not say that he had it himself from him; that there were some who had heard him say as much: kat low oi aknкooτες αυτό. It is not at all likely that the apostle John should go to a public bath. Epiphanius, or whoever formed the story, as related by him, saw this impropriety; and therefore says, that John was moved by the Spirit to go •thither. Ηναγκασθη ύπο το άγιο πνευματος προελθειν έως το βαλανει8. And Theodoret says, that John went thither because of an indisposition he happened to labour under: συνεβη γαρ και αυτον δι' αῤῥωτιαν χρησθαι τη Baλave. Theod. H. F. 1. 2. c. 3. Irenæus and Theodoret say, it was Cerinthus: Epiphanius, that it was Ebion, who was in the bath. And there are other different circumstances in the relations of this matter, and also other objections against this whole story, which may be seen in Lampe, Prolegom. de Vit. Joann. Evang. lib. 1. cap. v. n. 1, 2. to whom I refer. And indeed some of the ancients who mention it speak of it only as an uncertain report, particularly Theodoret, before quoted. Τετον, ὡς φασιν, ὁ θεσπεσιος Ιωαννης ὁ ευαγγελισης λεομενον θεασαμενος. κ. λ. ubi supra.

d L. iv. cap. 14.

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carp, in the forementioned epistle to the Philippians, 'which is still extant, has made use of some testimonies 'from the first epistle of Peter.'

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e

Irenæus also, in a letter to Florinus, who had embraced the errors of Valentinus, has these words: Those opinions the presbyters before us, who also conversed with the apostles, have not delivered to you. For I saw you, when I was very young, in the lower Asia with PolycarpFor I better remember the affairs of that time, than those which have lately happened; the things which we learn in our childhood growing up with the soul, and uniting themselves to it. Insomuch that I can tell the place in ' which the blessed Polycarp sat and taught, and his going out and coming in, and the manner of his life, and the ⚫ form of his person, and the discourses he made to the people; and how he related his conversation with John, and others who had seen the Lord; and how he related their sayings, and what he had heard from them concerning the Lord; both concerning his miracles and his doctrine, as he had received them from the eye-witnesses of the Word of Life: all which Polycarp related agreeable to the scriptures. These things I then, through the mercy of 'God toward me, diligently heard and attended to, recording them not on paper, but upon my heart. And through 'the grace of God I continually renew the remembrance of them. And I can affirm, in the presence of God, that if this blessed and apostolical presbyter had heard any such thing, he would have cried out, and stopped his ears, and, according to his custom, would have said: Good God, to 'what times hast thou reserved me, that I should hear such things! And he would have fled from the place in which he was sitting or standing, when he heard such words. And as much may be perceived from his epistles, which he sent to neighbouring churches, establishing them; or 'to some of the brethren, instructing and admonishing ' them.'

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We have now seen in Irenæus Polycarp's age and character, particular mention of his letters to the Philippians and other churches, and to some of the brethren or particular persons.

Eusebius, speaking of those who flourished in the time of Trajan, as Ignatius and Papias, says: At that time flou'rished in Asia Polycarp, disciple of the apostles, who re

The letter itself is not extant. But Eusebius has preserved a fragment of it, L. v. c. 20.

H. E. 1. 3. c. 36.

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'ceived the bishopric of the church in Smyrna from the eye-witnesses and ministers of the Lord.'

St. Jerom in his books of Illustrious Men says: Polycarp, the disciple of John the apostle, and by him or dained bishop of Smyrna, was the prince of all Asia. Forasmuch as he had seen and been taught by some of 'the apostles, and those who had seen the Lord.-Afterwards, in the reign of Marcus Antoninus and L. Aurelius Commodus, in the fourth persecution after Nero, he was 'condemned to the flames at Smyrna, the proconsul being present, and all the people in the amphitheatre demanding his death. He wrote to the Philippians a very useful epistle, which to this day is read in the assembly of

Asia.

His martyrdom happened, according to bishop Pearson, who supposes he suffered under Antoninus the pious, in the year 148: according to Du Pin, Tillemont, and many other learned men, in the year 167, or thereabouts, in the seventh year of Marcus Antoninus the philosopher : according to Basnage, in the year 169, which was alsok archbishop Usher's opinion. These latter opinions seem to me much nearer the truth than bishop Pearson's, because Eusebius and Jerom place it in the time of Marcus Antoninus though to determine the exact year of this martyrdom is very difficult, as1 Pagi has observed.

So I said in the first edition. I must now add, thatm there is an ancient inscription, which very much favours Pearson's argument for the early date of St. Polycarp's martyrdom.

We have the relation of his martyrdom in a letter of the church of Smyrna, to the church of Philadelphia and other churches. In this relation Polycarp says to the proconsul: Eighty and six years have I now served Christ.' Understand this of his life; and, according to every calculation of the time of his death, he lived a good while in the first century. Understand it of his christianity, as" Tillemont does, and being martyred, as he says, in the year 166, his conversion to christianity happened in the year 80. Understand it of his serving Christ in the ministry; and he was bishop of Smyrna from the year 84, according to Basnage. He is thought by many to be the angel of the