Le Clerc speaks of the smaller epistles, the same we have made use of, without any regard to the larger or interpolated, which he utterly rejects. But he speaks modestly. For I think that Ignatius has alluded much oftener to the New Testament than to the Old.

5. Polycarp has alluded above twenty times to texts of the New Testament, or recited the very words of them, ' and scarce once refers to any passage of the Old Testa

'ment.'

These are Le Clerc's observations, which appear to me very much to our purpose.

X. I would observe farther, first, that all these are but short pieces. The largest is the Shepherd of Hermas, which is as large as several of the other, and almost as large as all the rest put together. But it was inconsistent with the nature of that work for the writer to quote books.

2. All these pieces, except the Shepherd of Hermas, are epistles written to christians; who, it is likely, needed not at that time to be particularly informed what books they ought to receive; but only to be admonished to attend to the things contained in them, and to maintain their respect for them, as is here often done.

3. Considering the shortness and the nature of these pieces, it is reasonable to suppose that most, or all of these writers, and those they write to, received more books or writings of the New Testament as sacred or canonical, than those expressly named, or clearly alluded to by them. For as these several pieces are short, so they never design to give a list or catalogue of the books, either of the Old or the New Testament, received by christians. All the mention made of either is only occasional. Beside that, we have lost divers letters written by St. Polycarp, both to churches and particular persons. It cannot therefore by any means be concluded that his one remaining epistle to the Philippians gives us full information of all the books received by him. It is most reasonable to suppose, it contains quotations or allusions to a part only of those books which he received and owned, as the rule of christian belief and practice.

4. In the writings of these apostolical fathers, there is all the notice taken of the books of the New Testament that could be expected. Barnabas, though so early a writer, appears to have been acquainted with the gospel of St. Matthew. Clement, writing in the name of the church of

Polycarpus pluries quam vigesies alludit ad loca Novi Testamenti, aut ea verbo tenus laudat: vix semel respicit ad locum Veteris. Ibid.

Rome to the church of Corinth, on occasion of some dissension there, desires them to take into their hands the 'epistle of the blessed apostle Paul,' written to them; and refers them particularly to a part of that epistle, in which he admonished them against strife and contention. He has likewise in his epistle divers clear and undeniable allusions to St. Paul's epistle written to the church over which he presided, and in whose name he wrote. Not to mention at present other things.

5. Quotations there could not be, as we have often observed, in the book of Hermas. But allusions there are to the books of the New Testament, such as were suitable to his design.

6. Ignatius, writing to the church of Ephesus, takes notice of the epistle of Paul written to them, in which he 'makes mention of them in Christ Jesus.'

7. Lastly, Polycarp, writing to the Philippians, refers them to the epistle of the blessed and renowned Paul,' written to them: if not also, as I imagine, to the epistles sent to the Thessalonians, christians of the same province. Not to mention now his express quotations of other books of the New Testament, or his numerous and manifest allusions to them.

8. From these particulars here mentioned, it is apparent that they have not omitted to take notice of any book of the New Testament which, as far as we are able to judge, their design led them to mention. Their silence therefore about any other books can be no prejudice to their genuineness, if we shall hereafter meet with credible testimonies to them. And we may have good reason to believe that these apostolical fathers were some of those persons from whom succeeding writers received that full and satisfactory evidence which they appear to have had concerning the several books of the New Testament.

9. And though I do not here design to sum up the whole evidence given by these writers, from their allusions, and other particulars, but only to mention some general observations; yet it ought to be here remembered that Ignatius has made use of terms denoting a code or collection of gospels' and 'epistles.'

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115

CHAP. VIII.

EVANGELISTS IN THE REIGN OF TRAJAN.

EUSEBIUS in the history of things in the reign of Trajan has this remarkable passage:

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Among those who were illustrious at that time was 'Quadratus, who, together with the daughters of Philip, is 'said to have enjoyed the gift of prophecy. And beside these there were at that time many other eminent persons, who had the first rank in the succession of the apostles : 'who, being the worthy disciples of such men, every where ' built up the churches, the foundations of which had been laid by the apostles; extending likewise their preaching yet farther, and scattering abroad the salutary seeds of the kingdom of heaven all over the world. For many of 'the disciples of that time, whose souls the Divine Word had inspired with an ardent love of philosophy, first ful'filled our Saviour's precept, distributing their substance to the necessitous. Then travelling abroad, they per'formed the work of evangelists, being ambitious to preach 'Christ, and deliver the scripture of the divine gospels.'

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I presume I have not improperly placed this passage here. Eusebius, as I just said, is writing the history of things under Trajan. In the foregoing chapter he had given an account of Ignatius and his writings, who died in the tenth of Trajan. And in the two following chapters he speaks of Clement of Rome, and Papias. Though therefore Eusebius does not always place things in his Ecclesiastical History in the exact order of time; yet I think it must be allowed, that he was fully persuaded, that before the end of the reign of Trajan, who died in 117, the gospels were well known, and collected together: and they who preached the doctrine of Christ to those who had not heard it, carried the gospels with them, and delivered them to their converts. They must therefore have been before this for some time in use, and in the highest esteem in the churches planted by the apostles. It must have been no difficult thing at that time to know the genuineness of writings which were of so great authority with them. And

H. E. 1. 3. c. 37. επέχοντες διαδοχης. γραφην.

b Την πρώτην ταξιν της των αποςόλων

• Και την των θείων ευαγγελιων παραδιδοναι

certainly they were well assured of it, or they had not so highly esteemed them. The persons of whom Eusebius here speaks were the immediate successors of the apostles, and had the first rank among them: and they lived a good part of their time in the very first century, as well as St. Ignatius and St. Clement.

There can be, I think, but one exception to my placing this passage here, in the reign of Trajan, at the year 112, which is, that this is not a passage of any ancient writer of this time, but of Eusebius, an author of the fourth century. To which I would answer, that it is reasonable to suppose, Eusebius had good ground, from ancient authors, for what he here says. And that the gospels were before now well known, and in great esteem, and collected together, appears probable from what we ourselves have seen in the apostolical fathers still remaining, particularly in Ignatius. If this does not satisfy, I would add, that I do not intend to bring forward many more passages of Eusebius, or any other writer, in this manner.

CHAP. IX.

PAPIAS.

PAPIAS is placed by Cave at the year 110. According to others, he fourished about the year 115, ore 116. How long he lived is uncertain. He is said by somed to have been a martyr. But as this is not mentioned by Eusebius. or Jerom, I think it need not be much regarded. Irenæuse speaks of him as a hearer of John, and companion of Polycarp; and by John seems to intend the apostle and evangelist.

Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History, has a whole chapter concerning him, beside what he says of him in other places. There is no part of that chapter which we shall not have occasion for at one time or other. I think therefore, though it be long, it will be the shortest course to take it all here at once.

a Hist. Lit. Papias.

Basnage, Ann. P. E. 115. n. 8.
d Vid. Cave, ibid.

Pagi, Crit. in Bar. A. D. 116. Cleric. H. E. e L. v. c. 33.

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There are,' says Eusebius, five books of Papias, en' titled, An Explication of the Oracles of the Lord. These Irenæus makes mention of as the only books written by ' him, after this manner: "These things Papias, who was a 'hearer of John, and a companion of Polycarp, an ancient inan, attests in his fourth book: for there are five books composed by him." Thus speaks Irenæus. But Papias ' in the preface of his books does by no means say, thath he heard or saw any of the holy apostles: but only, that ' he had received the things concerning the faith from those 'who were well acquainted with them, which he shows in these words: "I shall not think much to set down toge'ther with my interpretations, what I have learned from the elders, [or presbyters,] and do well remember, con'firming the truth by them. For I took no delight, as most ́ men do, in those that talk a great deal, but in those that teach the truth, nor in those that relate strange precepts, 'but in them that relate the precepts which the Lord has ' entrusted us with, and which proceed from the truth it'self. And if at any time I met with one who had con' versed with the elders, I enquired after the sayings of the ' elders: what Andrew or what Peter said; or what Philip, what Thomas, or James had said: what John or 'Matthew, or what any other of the disciples of the Lord 'were wont to say: and what Aristion, or John the presbyter, disciples of the Lord say: for I was of opinion, that I could not profit so much by books as by the 'living." Where it is proper to observe, that he twice mentions the name of John; the former of whom he ' reckons with Peter, James, Matthew, and the rest of the apostles, manifestly intending the evangelist. Then making a distinction in his discourse, he places the other John 'with the others who are not of the number of apostles, 'putting Aristion before him; and he expressly calls him 'presbyter. By which too is shown the truth of their account, who have said, that there were two in Asia of that 'name; and that there were two sepulchres at Ephesus, ' and that each of them are still said to be the sepulchre of

8 Αρχαίος ανηρ.

H. E. 1. 3. c. 39. It is therefore still a question, whether Papias was a hearer of John the apostle, as Irenæus seems to intimate, or only of John the elder. See this question considered by Grabe, Spic. T. 2. p. 26, &c. Tillem. Mem. Ec. T. 2. p. 2. St. Papias, Note i. Pagi, Crit. in Baron. 116. n. 5. Basnage, Ann. 115. n. ix. Beausobre, Hist. des Manich. liv. 2. ch. 2. p. 352. Note (2.) i Παρα των πρεσβυτερων. * Όσον τα παρα ζώσης φωνης

και μένεσης.