little to do with the purpose for which we adduce it. It is the age in which it was com pofed that gives the value to its teftimony.

IV. Ignatius, as it is teftified by ancient Christian writers, became Bishop of Antioch about thirty-feven years after Chrift's af cenfion; and therefore, from his time, and place, and ftation, it is probable that he had known and converfed with many of the apostles. Epiftles of Ignatius are referred to by Polycarp his contemporary. Paffages found in the epiftles now extant under his name are quoted by Irenæus, A. D. 178, by Origen, A. D. 230; and the occasion of writing the epistles is given at large by Eufebius and Jerome. What are called the fmaller epiftles of Ignatius are generally deemed to be those which were read by Irenæus, Origen, and Eufebius *.

In these epiftles are various undoubted alfufions to the gofpels of St. Matthew and St. John; yet fo far of the fame form with thofe in the preceding articles, that, like Lardner's Cred. vol. i. p. 147.

them, they are not accompanied with marks of quotation.

Of these allufions the following are clear fpecimens:

Matt.*

Johnt.

"Christ was baptifed of John, that all righteousness might be fulfilled by him."

"Beye wife as ferpents in all things, and harmless as a dove."

"Yet the spirit is not deceived, being from God; for it knows whence it comes, and whither it goes."

"He (Chrift) is the door of the Father, by which enter in Abraham and Ifaac and Jacob

and the Apostles and the Church."

As

*iii. 15. "For thus it becomes us to fulfil all righte oufnefs."

xi. 16. "Be ye therefore wife as ferpents, and harmlefs as doves."

iii. 8. "The wind bloweth where it lifteth, and thou heareft the found thereof, but canft not tell

whence

i

As to the manner of quotation this is obfervable:-Ignatius, in one place, speaks of St. Paul in terms of high respect, and quotes his epiftle to the Ephefians by name; yet in feveral other places he borrows words and fentiments from the fame epiftle without mentioning it: which fhews, that this was his general manner of ufing and applying writings then extant, and then of high authority.

V. Polycarp had been taught by the apostles; had conversed with many who had feen Chrift; was alfo by the apostles appointed Bishop of Smyrna. This teftimony concerning Polycarp is given by Irenæus, who in his youth had feen him. "I can tell the place," faith Irenæus," in which the bleffed Polycarp fat and taught, and his

go

ing out and coming in, and the manner of his life, and the form of his perfon, and whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; fo is every one that is born of the fpirit."

x. 9.

"I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he fhall be faved."

Lardner's Cred. vol. i. p. 192.

the difcourfes 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 fayings, and what he had heard concerning the Lord, both concerning his miracles and his doctrine, as he had received them from the eye-witneffes of the word of life: all which Polycarp related agreeable to the fcriptures."

Of Polycarp, whofe proximity to the age and country and perfons of the apostles is thus attefted, we have one undoubted epiftle remaining. And this, though a thort letter, contains nearly forty clear allusions to books of the New Teftament; which is ftrong evidence of the refpect which Chrif tians of that age bore for these books.

Amongst these, although the writings of St. Paul are more frequently used by Polycarp than other parts of fcripture, there are copious allufions to the gofpel of St. Matthew, fome to paffages found in the gospels both of Matthew and Luke, and fome which more nearly refemble the words in Luke. I felect

I felect the following, as fixing the autho rity of the Lord's prayer, and the use of it amongst the primitive Christians, "If therefore we pray the Lord that he will forgive us, we ought also to forgive."

"With fupplication befeeching the all-feeing God not to lead us into temptation."

And the following, for the fake of repeating an observation already made, that words of our Lord, found in our gofpels, were at this early day quoted as spoken by him; and not only fo, but quoted with fo little queftion or confcioufnefs of doubt, about their being really his words, as not even to mention, much less to canvass, the authority from which they were taken.

"But remembering what the Lord faid, teaching, Judge not, that ye be not judged ; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven; be ye mer. ciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what

measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again* "

* Mat. vii. 1, 2. v. 7. Luke vi, 37, 38.
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