thians, confirming them in peace, and renewing their faith and the doctrine they had lately received from the apostles. After a little, he subjoins: "But this Clement was succeeded by Euarestus, and Euarestus by Alexander. Xystus followed as the sixth from the apostles, after whom was Telesphorus, who also illustriously suffered martyrdom, then came Hyginus, and after him Pius. He was followed by Anicetus, and as he was succeeded by Soter, the twelfth from the apostles in the episcopate now is Eleutherus, in the same order and the same doctrine (or succession*) in which the tradition of the apostles in the church and the promulgation of the truth has descended to us."

CHAPTER VII.

Miracles were performed in those times by the believers.

THESE accounts are given by Irenæus in those five books of his, to which he gave the title of "Refutation and Overthrow of False Doctrine." In the second book of the same work, he also shows that even down to his times, instances of divine and miraculous power were remaining in some churches. "So far are they," says he, "from raising the dead, as the Lord raised, and as the apostles by means of prayer, for even among the brethren frequently in a case of necessity when a whole church united in much fasting and prayer, the spirit has returned to the ex-animated body, and the man was granted to the prayers of the saints." And again, he says, after other observations: "But if they say that our Lord also did these things only in appearance, we shall refer them back to the prophetic declarations, and shall show from them that all those things were strictly foretold, and were done by him, and that he alone is the Son of God. Wherefore, also, those that were truly his disciples, receiving grace from him, in his name performed these things for the benefit

* 'The word succession, in the parenthesis, is adopted by Valesius as the correct reading.

of the rest of men, as every one received the free gift from him. Some, indeed, most certainly and truly cast out dæmons, so that frequently those persons themselves that were cleansed from wicked spirits believed and were received into the church. Others have the knowledge of things to come, as also visions and prophetic communications; others heal the sick by the imposition of hands, and restore them to health. And, moreover,

as we said above, even the dead have been raised and continued with us many years. And why should we say more? It is impossible to tell the number of the gifts which the church throughout the world received from God, and the deeds performed in the name of Jesus Christ, that was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and this too every day for the benefit of the heathen, without deceiving any, or exacting their money. For as she has received freely from God, she also freely ministers." In another place the same author writes: "As we hear many of the brethren in the church who have prophetic gifts, and who speak in all tongues through the spirit, and who also, bring to light the secret things of men for their benefit, and who expound the mysteries of God." These gifts of different kinds also continued with those that were worthy until the times mentioned.

CHAPTER VIII.

The statement of Irenæus respecting the sacred Scriptures.

SINCE We have promised in the outset of our work to give extracts occasionally when we refer to the declarations of the ancient presbyters and historians of the church, in which they have transmitted the traditions that have descended to us respecting the sacred Scriptures, among these Irenæus was one. Let us now give his words, and first of all what he has said of the holy gospels: "Matthew, indeed," says he, "produced his gospel written among the Hebrews in their own dialect, whilst Peter and Paul proclaimed the gospel and founded the church at Rome.

After the departure of these, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also transmitted to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. And Luke, the companion of Paul, committed to writing the gospel preached by him, i. e. Paul. Afterwards John the disciple of our Lord, the same that lay upon his bosom, also published the gospel, whilst he was yet at Ephesus in Asia.” This is what this author says in the third book of the work already mentioned; and in the fifth, he thus descants on the Revelation of John and the calculation of antichrist's name: " As matters are thus, and the number is thus found in all the genuine and ancient copies, and as they who saw John attest, reason itself shows that the number of the name of the beast is indicated by the Greek letters which it contains." And a little further on he speaks of the same John: "We, therefore,” says he," do not venture to affirm any thing with certainty respecting the name of antichrist. For were it necessary that his name should be clearly announced to the present age, it would have been declared by him who saw the revelation. For it has not been long since it was seen, but almost in our own generation, about the end of Domitian's reign." These are what he states respecting the Revelation. He also mentions the First Epistle of John, extracting many testimonies from it: he also mentions the First Epistle of Peter. And he not only knew, but also admitted the book called Pastor, in these words: "Well is it said in that work which declares, first of all believe that there is one God, who created and arranged all things,'" &c.

He also quotes some expressions from the Wisdom of Solomon, almost in these words: "The vision of God is productive of immortality, but immortality makes us to be next to God." He also mentions the commentaries of a certain apostolical presbyter, whose name he has passed by in silence; he also adds his expositions of the sacred Scriptures. He moreover makes mention of Justin Martyr and Ignatius, taking some testimony also from the works written by these. He also promises in a separate work to refute some of the writings of Marcion. Hear also what he has written respecting the translation of the holy Scriptures by the seventy. "God," says he, "became man, and the Lord himself

saved us, giving us the sign of the Virgin. But not as some say, that now presume to interpret the Scriptures. 'Behold a young woman shall conceive and bear a son,' as Theodotian of Ephesus and Aquila of Pontus, have translated, both of them Jewish proselytes. Whom the Ebionites following, assert that Jesus was begotten of Joseph." After a little, he adds: "For before the Romans established their empire, whilst yet the Macedonians had possession of Asia, Ptolemy the son of Lagus being ambitious to adorn the library established by him in Alexandria, with the works of all men, as many as were worthy of being studied, requested of the inhabitants of Jerusalem to have their works translated into the Greek; but as they were yet subject to the Macedonians, they sent seventy of their elders that were best skilled in the Scriptures, and in both languages, to Ptolemy, and thus Providence favoured his design. But as he wished them to make the attempt separately, and apprehensive, lest by concert they might conceal the truth of the Scriptures by their interpretation, therefore separating them from one another, he commanded all to write the same translation. And this he did in all the books. Assembling therefore in the same place, in the presence of Ptolemy, and each of them comparing their respective versions, God was glorified, and the Scriptures were recognised as truly divine, as all of them rendered the same things, in the very same expressions, and the same words, from the beginning to the end. So that the Gentiles present knew that the Scriptures were translated by a divine inspiration. Neither was it any thing extraordinary that God should have done this, who, indeed, in the captivity of the people under Nebuchadnezzar, when the Scriptures had been destroyed, and the Jews returned to their country after seventy years, subsequently in the times of Artaxeres king of the Persians, he inspired Esdras the priest, of the tribe of Levi, to compose anew all the discourses of the ancient prophets, and to restore to the people the laws given by Moses." Thus far Irenæus.

CHAPTER IX.

The bishops under Commodus.

ANTONINUS having held the empire nineteen years, Commodus received the government. In his first year Julian undertook the superintendance of the churches of Alexandria, after Agrippinus had filled the office twelve years.

CHAPTER X.

Of Pantanus the philosopher.

ABOUT the same time, the school of the faithful was governed by a man most distinguished for his learning, whose name was Pantænus. As there had been a school of sacred learning established there from ancient times, which has continued down to our own times, and which we have understood was held by men able in eloquence, and the study of divine things. For the tradition is, that this philosopher was then in great eminence, as he had been first disciplined in the philosophical principles of those called stoics. But he is said to have displayed such ardour, and so zealous a disposition, respecting the divine word, that he was constituted a herald of the gospel of Christ to the nations of the east, and advanced even as far as India. There were even there yet many evangelists of the word, who were ardently striving to employ their inspired zeal after the apostolic example, to increase and build up the divine word. Of these Pantænus is said to have been one, and to have come as far as the Indies. And the report is, that he there found his own arrival anticipated by some who there were acquainted with the gospel of Matthew, to whom Bartholomew, one of the apostles, had preached, and had left them the gospel of Matthew in the Hebrew, which was also preserved until this time. Pantænus, after many praiseworthy deeds, was finally at the head of the Alexandrian school, commenting on the treasures of divine truth, both orally and in his writings.