proof of the difinterestedness of his views, that, to their knowledge, he had fupplied his own and the neceffities of his companions by perfonal labour*, we find the fame apoftle, in a letter written during his refidence at Ephefus, aff rting of himself, "that even to that hour he laboured, working with his own hands t." These coincidences, together with many relative to other parts of the apofile's history, and all drawn from independent fources, not only confirm the truth of the account, in the particular points as to which they are obferved, but add much to the credit of the narrative in all its parts; and fupport the author's profeffion of being a contemporary of the person whose hiftory he writes, and, throughout a material portion of his narrative, a companion. What the epiftles of the apoftles declare of the fuffering ftate of Chriftianity, the writ Acts xx. 34. † 1 Cor. iv. 11, 12. ings ings which remain of their companions, and immediate followers, exprefsly confirm. Clement, who is honourably mentioned by St. Paul in his Epiftle to the Philippians *, hath left us his atteftation to this point in the following words: "Let us take (fays he) the examples of our own age. Through zeal and envy the most faithful and righteous pillars of the church have been perfecuted even to the moft grievous deaths. Let us fet before our eyes the holy apofiles. Peter, by unjust envy, underwent, not one or two, but many fufferings; till at laft being martyred, he went to the place of glory that was due unto him. For the fame caufe did Paul, in like manner, receive the reward of his patience. Seven times he was in bonds; he was whipped, was ftoned; he preached both in the eaft and in the weft, leaving behind him the glorious report of his faith : and fo having taught the whole world righteoufnefs, and for that end travelled even *Acts iv. 3. unto unto the utmost bounds of the weft, he at laft fuffered martyrdom by the command of the governors, and departed out of the world, and went unto his holy place, being become a most eminent pattern of patience unto all ages. To these holy apostles were joined a very great number of others, who, having through envy undergone, in like manner, many pains and torments, have left a glorious example to us. For this, not only men, but women, have been perfecuted; and having fuffered very grievous and cruel punishments, have finished the course of their faith with firmness *." Hermas, faluted by St. Paul in his Epiftle to the Romans, in a piece very little connected with historical recitals, thus fpeaks"Such as have believed and fuffered death for the name of Chrift, and have endured with a ready mind, and have given up their lives with all their hearts †.". * Clem. ad Cor. c. v. vi. Abp. Wake's trans. Polycarp, Polycarp, the disciple of John, though all that remains of his works be a very short epi:lle, has not left this fubject unnoticed."I exhort (fays he) all of you, that ye obey the word of righteousness, and exercise all patience, which ye have seen set forth before your eyes, not only in the bleffed Ignatius, and Lorimus and Rufus, but in others among yourselves, and in Paul himself and the reft of the apoftles; being confident in this, that all these have not run in vain, but in faith and righteousness; and are gone to the place that was due to them from the Lord, with whom alfo they fuffered. For they loved not this present world, but him who died and was raised again by God for us Ignatius, the contemporary of Polycarp, recognizes the fame topic, briefly indeed, but pofitively and precifely. "For this caufe (i. e. for having felt and handled Christ's body after his resurrection, and being convinced, as Ignatius expreffes it, both by his *Pol. ad Phil. c. ix. flesh flesh and spirit), they (i. c. Peter, and those who were prefent with Peter at Chrift's appearance) defpifed death, and were found to be above it *." Would the reader know what a perfecution in these days was, I would refer him to a circular letter, written by the church of Smyrna foon after the death of Polycarp, who, it will be remembered, had lived with St. John; and which letter is entitled a relation of that bishop's martyrdom. "The fufferings (fay they) of all the other martyrs were blessed and generous, which they underwent according to the will of God. For fo it becomes us, who are more religious than others, to ascribe the power and ordering of all things unto him. And indeed who can choose but admire the greatness of their minds, and that admirable patience and love of their master, which then appeared in them? who, when they were fo flayed with whipping, that the frame and ftructure of *19 Ep. Smyr. c. iii. their |