to the whole gofpel history), his exalted náture, his circumcifion, transfiguration, his life of oppofition and fuffering, his patience and refignation, the appointment of the eucharist and the manner of it, his agony, his confeffion before Pontius Pilate, his ftripes, crucifixion, burial, refurrection, his appearance after it, firft to Peter, then to the reft of the apostles, his ascension into heaven, and his defignation to be the future judge of mankind: the stated refidence of the apoftles at Jerufalem, the working of miracles by the first preachers of the gospel, who were also the hearers of Chrift*: the success ful *Heb. ii. 3. "How fhall we escape if we neglect fo great falvation, which, at the firft, began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him, God alfo bearing them witness, both with figns and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghoft?" I alledge this epistle without hesitation; for whatever doubts may have been raised about its author, there can be none concerning the age in which it was written. No epiftle in the collection carries about it more indubitable marks of antiquity than this does. It fpeaks, for inftance, throughout, of the temple as then standing, and of the worship of the tem ple ful propagation of the religion, the perfecu tion of its followers, the miraculous conver fion of Paul, miracles wrought by himself, and alledged in his controverfies with his adverfaries, and in letters to the perfons amongst whom they were wrought; finally, that MIRACLES were the figns of an apostle*. In an epiftle bearing the name of Barnabas the companion of Paul, probably genuine, certainly belonging to that age, we have the fufferings of Chrift, his choice of apostles and their number, his paffion, the scarlet robe, the vinegar and gall, the mocking and piercing, the cafting lots for his coat †, his ple as then fubfifting.-Heb. viii. 4. "For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing there are priefts that offer according to the law."-Again, Heb. xiii. 10. "We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat which ferve the tabernacle." * Cor. xii. 12. “Truly the figns of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in figns and wonders, and mighty deeds." + Ep. Bar. c. vii. refurrection refurrection on the eighth (i. e. the first day of the week*), and the commemorative dif tinction of that day, his manifestation after his refurrection, and laftly, his afcenfion. We have also his miracles generally but pofitively referred to in the following words: finally teaching the people of Ifrael, and doing many wonders and figns among them, he preached to them, and fhewed the exceeding great love which he bare towards them †." In an epiftle of Clement, a hearer of St, Paul, although written for a purpose remotely connected with the Chriftian hiftory, we have the refurrection of Christ, and the fubfequent miffion of the apoftles, recorded in these fatisfactory terms: "The apoftles have preached to us from our Lord Jefus Chrift from God-For having received their command, and being thoroughly affured by the refurrection of our Lord Jefus Chrift, they went abroad, publifhing that the kingdom of God was at hand. We find noticed also, * Ep. Bar. c. vi. + Ibid. c. v. the the humility, yet the power of Christ*, his defcent from Abraham, his crucifixion. We have Peter and Paul reprefented as faithful and righteous pillars of the Church, the numerous fufferings of Peter, the bonds, ftripes, and ftoning of Paul, and more particularly his extensive and unwearied travels. In an epistle of Polycarp, a disciple of St. John, though only a brief hortatory letter, we have the humility, patience, fufferings, refurrection, and afcenfion of Christ, together with the apoftolic character of St. Paul, diftinctly recognized +. Of this fame father we are also affured by Irenæus, that he (Irenæus) had heard him relate, "what he had received from eye-witneffes concerning the Lord, both concerning his miracles and his doctrine ‡." In the remaining works of Ignatius, the contemporary of Polycarp, larger than those Ep. Clem. Rom. c. xvi." ↑ Pol. Ep. ad Phil. c. v. viii. ii. iii.' of of Polycarp (yet, like those of Polycarp, treating of fubjects in no wife leading to any recital of the Christian history), the occafional allufions are proportionably more numerous. The defcent of Chrift from David, his mother Mary, his miraculous conception, the ftar at his birth, his baptifm by John, the reafon affigned for it, his appeal to the prophets, the ointment poured on his head, his fufferings under Pontius Pilate and Herod the tetrarch, his refurrection, the Lord's day called and kept in commemoration of it, and the Eucharift, in both its parts, are unequivocally referred to. Upon the resurrection this writer is even circumftantial. He mentions the apoftles eating and drinking with Chrift after he was rifen, their feeling and their handling him; from which laft circumftance Ignatius raises this juft reflection "They believed, being convinced both by his flesh and spirit; for this cause they despised death, and were found to be above it *." * Ad Smyr. c. iii. VOL. I. K Quadratus, |