N. T. died without mercy, under two or three witnesses. 29, Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing?"

IGNATIUS.

these things according to the flesh have died, [or suffered death,] how much more shall he who by wicked doctrine corrupts the faith of God, for which Jesus Christ was crucified? Such a one being defiled, shall go into fire unquenchable, as shall he who hears him.'

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XLIV. Heb. xiii. 9. "Bet XLIV. Magnes, sect. viii. not carried about with divers Be" Be not deceived with and strange doctrines: for it heterodox opinions, nor with is a good thing, that the heart old fables, which are unprobe established with grace, fitable. For if we still connot with meats, which have tinue to live according to not profited them which the Jewish law, we confess have been occupied therein." we have not received grace.' The larger or interpolated epistles of Ignatius are in this place thus: Be not deceived with heterodox opinions, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, [1 Tim. i. 4,] and to the Jewish pride. Old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new.' [2 Cor. v. 17.] Whence I think it must be owned, that by old fables which are unprofitable,' the author was led to think of 1 Tim. i. 4, and was therefore induced to put down that place distinctly. Nevertheless, I think the whole passage of the smaller epistles contains a probable allusion to Heb. xiii. 9.

XLV. Ignatius, Ephes. sect. v. For it is written: God resisteth the proud.' Which words are indeed in James iv. 6, and 1 Pet. v. 5. But it is most probable, that Ignatius refers to Prov. iii. 34.

· Διδαχαις ποικιλαις και ξεναις μη περιφερεσθε καλον γαρ χαριτι βεβαίεσθαι

την καρδίαν, ο βρωμασιν, εν οις εκ ωφελήθησαν οι περιπατησαντες.

u

Μη πλανασθε ταις ἑτεροδοξίαις, μηδε μυθεύμασιν τοις παλαιοις ανωφελεσιν * Παντες δε αλληλοις ὑποτασσομενοι.

κσιν, κ. λ.

τη επισκοπη και αλληλοις. τελει εφάνη.

W

Υποταγήσε * Ος προ αιωνων παρα Πατρι ην, και εν

N. T. eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us."

IGNATIUS.

world was, and in the end appeared.'

This is the doctrine of the New Testament. But the same thing being said likewise in other texts, as Tit. i. 3; 1 Pet. i. 20. one can hardly say positively, that Ignatius refers to the epistle of John.

N. T.

XLVIII. 3 John 2. "Be

loved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper, and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."

IGNATIUS.

XLVIII. Magnes. sect. xiii. That whatever ye do, ye may prosper in flesh and spirit,' &c.

When Ignatius writes, Smyrn. sect. x. Ye have well done, that ye have received Philo, and Reus Agathopus, who followed me for the word of God, as the servants [or deacons] of Christ our God:' there is a great resemblance with ver. 5, 6, 7, 8. of this third epistle of John.

XLIX. Beside these allusions and references to particular books, or texts, of the New Testament; it has been observed byb some learned men, that this ancient writer has made mention of the scriptures of the N. T. under some general names and divisions.

L. Philadelph. sect. 5. Fleeing to the gospel, as the flesh of Jesus, and to the apostles, as the presbytery of the church. Let us also love the prophets, because that they also spoke of the gospel, and hoped in him, [or Christ,] and expected him.'

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In this place Grabe and Mill understand by the gospel,' the book or volume of the gospels; by the apostles,' the book or volume of their epistles: as by the prophets,' the volume, or whole canon of the Old Testament. And Le Clerc, who assents to the truth of the observation of these learned men, has farther commented upon this passage in this manner: Which words,' says he, as it seems, are to be understood of the evangelic and apostolic writings. So 'that what Ignatius intends is this: that in order to under'stand the will of God, he fled to the gospels, which he 'believed no less than if Christ himself, in the flesh, that is,

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Ευχομαι σε * Κατευοδώθητε

* Ήτις ην προς τον Πατέρα, και εφανερώθη ήμιν. ευδεσθαι και ύγιαινειν, καθώς και ευοδεται σε ἡ ψυχη. σαρκι και πνευματι. b Vid. Millii Prolegom. n. 198, 199.

d Vid. Histor.

• Προσφύγων τῳ ευαγγελιῳ ὡς σαρκι Ιησε, και τοις αποτόλοις, ὡς πρεσβυτεριψ εκκλησίας, και τις προφητας δε αγαπωμεν, κ. λ. Ec. An. D. 116. sect. 25.

were

in the condition he was in on earth, present and still living among men, delivered with his own mouth those discourses 'which are contained in the gospels. As, also, he fled to the 'writings of the apostles whom he esteemed as the presbytery of the whole christian church, under Christ the universal bishop, which [presbytery] taught all christian societies what they ought to believe. Whence it is sufficiently 'manifest, how much the sacred books of the N. T. ' esteemed at that time. He adds: "Let us also love the 'prophets." Which words intend the Old Testament as written for the prophets could not be otherwise known to Ignatius. Nor ought it to be passed by without ob'servation, that he in the first place mentions the writings of the N. T. by which we are christians, as his “ refuge:" and in the second place the books of the O. T. because the New may be confirmed out of them.'

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LI. Again: Philadelph. sect. ix. But the gospel has somewhat in it more excellent, the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, his passion and resurrection. For the beloved prophets referred to him, but the gospel is the perfection of incorruption.'

Smyrn. sect. vii. Yet ought to hearken to the prophets, but especially to the gospel, in which the passion has been manifested to us, and the resurrection perfected.'

In these two places Mill supposes to be meant the book of the gospels. And in the following passage by gospel ' he supposes to be meant the canon of the New Testament in general.

LIII. Smyrn. sect. v. Whom neither the prophecies, nor the law of Moses, have persuaded; nor yet the gospel even to this day, nor the sufferings of every one of us.'

LIV. Philadelph. sect. viii. Because I have heard of some who say, unless I find it in the ancients, [some are for archives], I do not believe in the gospel: and I said unto them, It is written they answered me, It is not mentioned. But to me instead of all ancients is Jesus Christ. And the

e

f

Εξαιρετον δε τι εχει το ευαγγελιον, την παρεσίαν τε Κυρίου ήμων Ιησε Χρις», το πάθος αυτό, και την ανατασιν οι γαρ αγαπητοι προφηται κατηγ γειλαν εις αυτόν το δε ευαγγελιον απαρτισμα εςιν αφθαρσίας. Προσέχειν δε τοις προφήταις, εξαιρέτως δε τῳ ευαγγελιμ εν η το παθος ἡμιν δεδηλωται, και ἡ ανατασις τετελειωται. 5. Ούς εκ έπεισαν αι προφητείαι, εδ' ὁ νόμος Μωσεως, αλλ' εδε μεχρι νυν το ευαγγελιον, εδε τα ήμετέρα των κατ' ανδρα παθήματα. Η Επει ήκεσα τινων λεγοντων ότι εαν μη εν τοις αρχαίοις εύρω, εν τῳ ευαγγελιῳ 8 πιςεύω· και λεγοντος με αυτοις, ότι γεγραπται, απεκρίθησαν μοι ότι προκειται. [al. 8 προκειται. Vid. Voss. in loc.] εμοι δε αρχεια εςιν Ιησες Χριτος, τα αθικτα αρχεια ὁ σαυρος αυτό, και ο θάνατος και ή ανάτασις αυτε, και ἡ πιτις ή δι' αυτό.

uncorrupted ancient [doctrines] are his cross, and his death, and his resurrection, and the faith which is by him.' This difficult text I have rendered as near as I could, according to the sense in which it is understood by Le Clerc,i which I think to be the most likely meaning. He supposes it to be an answer to the Jews, who refused to believe the gospel, for want of some clearer prophecies in the Old Testament. I have thought proper to take this notice of this passage, to prevent any wrong conclusions from it, as it stands in the Archbishop's translation.

k

LV. We are to observe one place more. Smyrn. sect. iii. And when he [Christ] came to those who were with Peter, he said unto them: Take, handle me, and see that I am not an incorporeal dæmon :' or, in other words, I am not a spirit.

Eusebius has quoted this passage of Ignatius, and says, he did not know whence Ignatius took these words of our Saviour. But Jeromm says it was taken out of the gospel according to the Hebrews. If these ancient writers, and some learned moderns, had not suspected these words to be taken out of some particular writing, I think one might have supposed, that Ignatius only quoted Luke's gospel in a loose manner, where is exactly the same sense. Chap. xxiv. 39, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see, for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." And if it had not been a disputed point, I should have inserted this passage above, as a quotation of the gospel of St. Luke, or a reference to it. I find Mr. Le Clerc so much of the same mind, that I shall place his words " in the margin. And I would also add, that it was the opinion of Isaac Casaubon, and bishop

Vid. Hist. E. 116. 26. et ad loc. Ignat. ap. Patr. A. ed. 1724.

k Εφη αυτοις, Λαβετε, ψηλαφήσετε με, και ίδετε, ότι εκ ειμι δαιμονιον H. E. 1. 3. c. 36. p. 108. A. ni De Vir. Ill.

ασώματον.

n. 16. in Ignatio. Vid. et Grabe Spicil. T. i. p. 25. " Quæ crediderim quidem Hieronymo fuisse in evangelio Hebræorum; sed videntur esse paraphrasis verborum, quæ sunt Lucæ, cap. xxiv. 39. quâ uti potuit Ignatius, pro more antiquissimorum patrum, qui persæpe scripturæ sensum potius quam verba laudant. Certe Ignatius ea verba Matthæo non tribuit: et Nazaræi etiam historiam, quæ apud Lucam exstabat, potuerunt suo exemplari Matthæi nonnihil immutatam inserere; ita ut utrique ex eodem fonte hauserint, non Ignatius ex Nazaræis Dissertat. iii. quæ est de iv. Evangeliis ad calcem Harmoniæ Evangelicæ. • Quin est fortasse verius, non ex evangelio Hebraïco Ignatium illa verba descripsisse, verum traditionem allegâsse, non scriptam quæ postea in literas fuerit relata, et Hebræorum evangelio, quod Matthæo tribuebant, inserta. Casaub. Exerc. ad Baron. xvi. Num. 126. Pearson having cited this passage approves it: Et hoc quidem multo mihi verisimilius videtur. Vindic. Ign. P. 2. Cap. 9.

Pearson, that Ignatius did not quote these words out of the gospel of the Hebrews, but that they were afterwards inserted in it.

Having shown the opinion of these learned men, I beg leave to detain the reader a little longer, while I set before him this passage with the context more at large. In opposition to some heretics, Ignatius says: Christ truly suffered, as he also truly raised up himself: not as some unbelievers say, that he only seemed to suffer, they themselves only seeming to be. And P as they think, so shall it happen to them, to be incorporeal and phantastical [in the original, literally, "incorporeal and dæmoniac."] But I know, that after the resurrection he was in the flesh, and I believe him to be so still. And when he came to those who were with Peter, he said to them: Take, handle me, and see that I am not an incorporeal phantom.' From whence I think it appears, Ignatius was wont to use the words dæmon and dæmoniac, as equivalent to phantom or spirit, and phantastical. This being his style, if he had not St. Luke before him, (as it is very likely, in his circumstances, he had not,) it was very natural for him to represent the sense of that text of St. Luke's gospel just as we see in this passage.

I shall now make two observations:

1. That this is the first place of the apostolical fathers in which we have a passage, I do not say quoted from, but found in, an apocryphal book of the New Testament. And this is the first in Grabe's collection of the fragments of the gospel according to the Hebrews. It will not be improper for me to confirm this observation by the judgment of Mr. Le Clerc, who has been so conversant with these writers. He says then expressly, that he has not observed in any of the apostolical fathers, (he means those already here quoted, and St. Polycarp, who will next follow,) any quotations of apocryphal books, concerning the doctrine or history of Christ, except only this one passage of Ignatius; in which he may seem to quote the gospel of the Naza

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And again afterwards: Quidni pariter et S. Ignatius, [inquit Pearsonus,] qui cum apostolis et eorum discipulis versatus est, præsertim eo tempore, quo scriptis evangeliis uti forte ei non licebat, eandem historiam quam narrat S. Lucas aliis verbis explicaret? Ibid. • Και καθώς φρονούσιν, και a Non ani

συμβήσεται αυτοις, ουσιν ασωματοις και δαιμονικοις. madverti ulla uspiam evangelia, aut scripta apocrypha ad historiam aut doctrinam Christi pertinentia, ab iis laudari; excepto uno illo Ignatii, in quo videri possit laudare evangelium Nazaræorum; sed quem ex Lucâ expressum potius existimaverim, ut jam dixi. Le Clerc, Harmon. Evangel. p. 542. b.