persecution, there were partial persecutions in the provinces, and many of the faithful endured martyrdoms of various kinds. We have taken the account from the Apology of Tertullian, in Latin, mentioned above, of which the translation is as follows: "And indeed," says he, "we have found that the inquisition against us is prohibited. For Plinius Secundus, who was governor of the province, having condemned certain Christians, and deprived them of their dignity, was confounded by the great number, and in doubt what course he should pursue. He communicated, therefore, the fact to Trajan the emperor, saying, that with the exception of their not being willing to sacrifice, he found nothing criminal in them. He stated also this, that the Christians arose with the sun, and sang to Christ as to a god; and that for the purpose of maintaining their discipline, they prohibited adultery, murder, over-reaching, fraud, and all crimes like them. To this Trajan wrote in reply, that the Christians should not be inquired after, but when they presented themselves they should be punished." And such were the circumstances attending these

events.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

EVARESTUS, THE FOURTH BISHOP OF THE CHURCH AT ROME.

In the third year of the above-mentioned reign, Clement, bishop of Rome, committed the episcopal charge to Evarestus, and departed this life, after superintending the preaching of the divine word nine years.

CHAPTER XXXV.

JUSTUS, THE THIRD BISHOP OF JERUSALEM.

SIMEON also having died in the manner shown above, a certain Jew named Justus succeeded him in the episcopate of Jerusalem; as there were great numbers from the circumcision, that came over to the Christian faith at that time, of whom Justus was one.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE EPISTLES OF IGNATIUS.

ABOUT this time flourished Polycarp in Asia, an intimate disciple of the apostles, who received the episcopate of the church at Smyrna, at the hands of the eye-witnesses and servants of the Lord. At this time, also, Papias was well known as bishop of the church at Hierapolis, a man well skilled in all manner of learning, and well acquainted with the Scriptures. Ignatius, also, who is celebrated by many even to this day, as the successor of Peter at Antioch, was the second that obtained the episcopal office there. Tradition says that he was sent away from Syria to Rome, and was cast as food to wild beasts, on account of his testimony to Christ; and that being carried through Asia under a most rigid custody, he fortified the different churches in the cities where he tarried, by his discourses and exhortations, particularly cautioning them against the heresies which even then were springing up and prevailing. He exhorted them to adhere firmly to the tradition of the apostles; which, for the sake of greater security, he deemed it necessary to attest by committing it to writing. When, therefore, he came to Smyrna, where Polycarp was, he wrote one epistle, viz. that to the church of Ephesus, in which he mentions its pastor Onesimus; another, also, to the church in Magnesia, which is situated on the Meander, in which again he makes mention of Damas the bishop; another, also, to the church of the Trallians, of which he states that Polybius was then bishop. To these must be added, the epistle to the church at Rome, which also contains an exhortation, not to disappoint him in his ardent hope, by refusing to endure martyrdom. Of these, it is worth while also to subjoin very short extracts, by way of specimen. He writes, therefore, in the following manner: "From Syria, to Rome, I am contending with wild beasts by land and sea, by night and day, being tied to ten leopards, the number of the military band, who, even when treated with kindness, only behave with greater ferocity. But in the midst of these iniquities, I am learning. Yet

I am not justified on this account. May I be benefited by those beasts that are in readiness for me, which I also pray may be quickly found for me, which also I shall entice and flatter to devour me quickly, and not to be afraid of me, as of some whom they did not touch. But should they perchance be unwilling, I will force them. Pardon me; know what advantage it will confer. Now I begin to be a disciple. Nothing, whether of things visible or invisible, excites my ambition, as long as I can gain Christ. Whether fire, or the cross, the assault of wild beasts, the tearing asunder of my bones, the breaking of my limbs, the bruising of my whole body, let the tortures of the devil all assail me, if I do but gain Christ Jesus." This he wrote from the above-mentioned city to the aforesaid churches. But after he had left Smyrna, he wrote an exhortation from Troas to those in Philadelphia, and particularly to Polycarp, who was bishop there; he designates him an apostolical man, and a good and faithful shepherd, and commends the flock of Antioch to him, requesting him to exercise a diligent oversight of the church. Writing to the Smyrnians, he has also employed words respecting Jesus (I know not whence they are taken), to the following effect. "But I know and believe that he was seen after the resurrection, and that he said to those that came to Peter, 'take, handle me, and see that I am not an incorporeal spirit;' and they immediately touched him and believed." Irenæus, also, knew his martyrdom, and makes mention of his epistles, as follows: "As some one of our faith has said, who was condemned to the wild beasts, 'I am the food of God, and am ground by the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread."" Polycarp also makes mention of these same epistles, in the Epistle to the Philippians that bears his name, in the following words: "I exhort you, therefore, all to yield obedience, and to exercise all the patience which you see with your own eyes, not only in the blessed martyrs Ignatius and Rufus, and Zosimus, but likewise in others of your fellow-citizens, as also in Paul and the other apostles, being persuaded that all these did not run in vain, but in faith and righteousness, and that they are gone to the place destined for them by

the Lord, for whom also they suffered. For they did not love the world that now is, but him that died for us, and that was raised again by God." And afterwards he writes: "You have also written to me, both you and Ignatius, that if any one is going to Syria, he should carry your letters thither, which shall be done if I find a suitable opportunity, either by me or the one that I send on this errand to you. The epistles of Ignatius that were sent to us by him, I have sent you at your request, and they are appended to this epistle, from which you will be able to derive great benefit for they contain faith, and patience, and all edification pertaining to our Lord." Thus much respecting Ignatius. But he was succeeded in the episcopal office at Antioch by Heros.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE PREACHING EVANGELISTS THAT WERE YET LIVING IN THAT AGE.

Or those that flourished in these times, Quadratus is said to have been distinguished for his prophetical gifts. There were many others, also, noted in these times, who held the first rank in the apostolic succession. These, as the holy disciples of such men, also built up the churches where foundations had been previously laid in every place by the apostles. They augmented the means of promulgating the gospel more and more, and spread the seeds of salvation and of the heavenly kingdom throughout the world far and wide. For the most of the disciples at that time, animated with a more ardent love of the divine word, had first fulfilled the Saviour's precept by distributing their substance to the needy: afterwards leaving their country, they performed the office of evangelists to those who had not yet heard the faith, whilst, with a noble ambition to proclaim Christ, they also delivered to them the books of the holy gospels. After laying the foundation of the faith in foreign parts as the particular object of their mission, and after appointing others as shepherds of the flocks, and committing to these the care of those

that had been recently introduced, they went again to other regions and nations, with the grace and co-operation of God. The Holy Spirit also still wrought many wonders through them, so that as soon as the gospel was heard, men voluntarily, in crowds, and eagerly, embraced the true faith with their whole minds. As it is impossible for us to give the numbers of the individuals that became pastors or evangelists, during the first immediate succession from the apostles in the churches throughout the world, we have only recorded those by name in our history, of whom we have received the traditional account, as it is delivered in the various comments on the apostolic doctrine still extant.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

THE EPISTLE OF CLEMENT, AND THOSE THAT ARE FALSELY ASCRIBED TO HIM.

WE may mention as an instance what Ignatius has said in the epistles we have cited, and Clement in that universally received by all, which he wrote in the name of the church at Rome to that of Corinth, in which, after giving many sentiments taken from the epistle to the Hebrews, and also literally quoting the words, he most clearly shows that this work is by no means a late production; whence it is probable that this was also numbered with the other writings of the apostles; for as Paul had addressed the Hebrews in the language of his country, some say that the evangelist Luke, others that Clement, translated the epistle: which also appears more like the truth, as the epistle of Clement and that to the Hebrews preserve the same features of style and phraseology, and because the sentiments in both these works are not very different. It should also be observed, that there is a second epistle ascribed to Clement: but we know not that this is as highly approved as the former, and know not that it has been in use with the ancients. There are also other writings reported to be his, verbose and of great length. Lately, and some time ago, those were produced that contain the dialogues of Peter and Apion, of which, however, not a syllable is