the persecution, were brought together again, and the ardour of their faith was revived.' But it is disputed whether this be the same person with Quadratus the apologist. It is plain that Jerom supposed the apologist to have been bishop of Athens. But Valesius' supposing that the words of Dionysius imply, that Quadratus, bishop of Athens, was his contemporary; and observing that Eusebius has never called Quadratus, author of the Apology, bishop; nor Quadratus, bishop of Athens, disciple of the apostles,' concludes that they are different perin which he is followed by divers learned men, asm Du Pin, " Tillemont, Basnage. Nevertheless Cave P is of opinion that Quadratus, bishop of Athens after Publius, is the same with the apologist. Grabe approves of his arguments for that opinion, and has supported it with some additional considerations.

sons:

n

6

It may be best not to be positive on either side. If the words of Dionysius imply that Quadratus was then living, and lately made bishop of Athens, we must needs suppose them two different persons. But if he can be supposed to mean no more than that Quadratus had been some time bishop of Athens; and it could be allowed that Publius suffered martyrdom so early as the time of Trajan or Adrian (which is not improbable); Quadratus the apologist might then be his successor, but not otherwise; for the age of Quadratus the apologist is sufficiently settled by Eusebius. He was an eininent man in the time of Trajan, and probably did not outlive the reign of Adrian, or however not long.

6

II. Aristides is more than once mentioned, together with Quadratus, by Eusebius and Jerom. In his Ecclesiastical History Eusebius adds to his account of the forementioned apologist: And Aristides, a faithful man of our religion, left an Apology for our faith, as Quadratus did, addressed to Adrian:' which he says too was then extant. In his Chronicle he places this Apology in the same year with

* Quadratus, apostolorum discipulus, Publio Athenarum episcopo ob Christi fidem martyrio coronato, in locum ejus substituitur. Cumque Hadrianus Athenis exegisset hyemen-porrexit ei librum pro religione nostrâ compositum, valde utilem, plenumque rationis et fidei, et apostolicâ doctrinâ dignum. De V. I. cap. 19. Vid. supra ".

1 Annot. in Euseb. p. 81.

" As before, note vii.

P Hist. Lit. P. 1. p. 32.

m

Bibliotheque, Quadratus.

• Annal. 126. sect. 3.

Spic. T. ii. p. 120, 121.

* Και Αρισείδης δε, πιτος ανηρ, της καθ' ημας όρμωμενος ευσέβειας, τῳ Κοδράτῳ παραπλησίως ύπερ της πίςεως απολογίαν επιφωνησας Αδριανῳ, καταλέλοιπε. Η. Ε. l. iv. cap. 3. fin.

S

that of Quadratus; and informs us of one particular more concerning Aristides, that he was an Athenian philosopher. Jerom, in his book of Illustrious Men, confirms this account; with the addition of another circumstance; that after his conversion he continued to wear his former habit of a philosopher: Aristides,' says he, a most eloquent "Athenian philosopher, and in his former habit a disciple of Christ, presented to the emperor Adrian, at the same 'time with Quadratus, a book containing an account of our 'sect, that is, an Apology for the christians, which is still 'extant, a monument with the learned of his ingenuity.' In another place, after he had spoken of Quadratus, he commends the learning of this Apology; and says, that afterwards, Justin" imitated Aristides in the book which he presented to Antoninus Pius, and his sons, and the 'Roman senate.' This is all we have to say of Aristides; for, to our great regret, there is nothing of him remaining.

V

III. Agrippa Castor flourished, according to Cave, about the year 132. Eusebius speaks of him in his account of things near the end of the reign of Adrian. He wrote against Basilides, who, as Eusebius informs us, was an Alexandrian, and erected schools of his impious doctrines in Egypt.' That ecclesiastical historian says, there were at that time a great many ecclesiastical men, defenders of the apostolical doctrine against the heresies of Saturninus, and Basilides, and others. He adds: Of these there is come down to us an ample confutation of 'Basilides by Agrippa Castor, a most eminent writer of that time, where he discovers the subtilty of his imposture. Laying open his secret mysteries, he says that he compos'ed four and twenty books upon the gospel; and that he taught it to be an indifferent thing to eat meat offered to 'idols: and that, in time of persecution, men might with' out scruple abjure the faith.'

W

Τέτα και Αρισείδης Αθηναίος φιλόσοφος ὑπερ χρισιανων ακολεθα τῳ αυτοκράτορα προσεφώνησεν Αδριανω. Chr. p. 81.

Aristides, Atheniensis philosophus eloquentissimus, et sub pristino habitu discipulus Christi, volumen nostri dogmatis rationem continens, eodem tempore quo et Quadratus, Hadriano principi dedit, id est, Apologeticum pro christianis, &c. De V. I. c. 20. u Aristides philosophus,

vir eloquentissimus, eidem principi apologeticum pro christianis obtulit, contextum philosophorum sententiis; quem imitatus postea Justinus, et ipse philosophus, Antonino Pio, et filiis ejus senatuique, librum contra gentiles tradidit. Ad Magnum Or. ep. 84. ▾ H. E. 1. iv. c. 7. p. 119. C. D.

Ὧν εις ήμας κατήλθεν εν τοις το τε γνωριμωτατε συγγραφέως Αγρίππα Κάτορος ἱκανωτατος κατα Βασιλείδε έλεγχος, την δεινότητα της τ' ανδρος αποκαλυπτων γοητείας. Εκφαίνων δ' εν αυτε τα αποῤῥητα, φησιν αυτόν εις μεν το ευαγγέλιον τέσσαρα προς τοις είκοσι συντάξαι Βιβλια. Ib. p. 120. Α. Β.

X

I need not transcribe at length Jerom's account of Agrippa. He calls him a very learned man;' and places the rise of the heresy of Basilides at Alexandria in the time of Adrian; which is agreeable to what Eusebius writes in his Chronicle at the seventeenth year of Adrian, and 133d of our Lord, that y Basilides then dwelt at Alexandria. Agrippa must have written whilst Basilides was living. Theodoret says that Agrippa wrote likewise against Isidorus, son of Basilides: whether he means the fore-mentioned work, is uncertain. When Agrippa says that Basilides composed four and twenty books upon the gospel; it is doubtful whether he intends any of our gospels, or a gospel written by Basilides himself. We may have another opportunity to examine that point more particularly. There is nothing remaining of this learned man, except what was in the account given by Eusebius in the above-cited passage, of which I have transcribed a part.

C

b

a

IV. Aristo, of Pella in Palestine, is cited by Eusebius, as saying, that, after the conquest of Judea by Adrian, the Jews were prohibited by the edicts of that emperor to 'behold so much as afar off their native soil.' Aristo is generally supposed to be the author of a dialogue, entitled, A Dispute of Papiscus and Jason,' expressly mentioned by Celsus the Epicurean, in his books against the christian religion, written about the middle of the second century, or some time after. Celsus says it was a book not so much worthy of laughter, as of pity and aver'sion.' Origen says, in answer to this, that whoever will 'read that little book, without prejudice, will find it not 'worthy of either hatred or laughter; in which a chris'tian is introduced arguing with a Jew from the Jewish scriptures; and showing that the prophecies concerning the Messiah agree to Jesus, although the adversary stre nuously maintained his point against him.'

This dialogue is twice quoted by Jerom, but without mentioning the name of the author. It was translated by one Celsus into Latin; but his translation, as well as the original, is lost. The Latin preface only of Celsus to his

× Agrippo, cognomento Castor, vir valde doctus, &c. De V. I. c. 21. y Basilides hæresiarches in Alexandria commoratur, a quo Gnostici.

2 Hæret. Fab. 1. i. c. 4. sub fin.

a

Αριζων ὁ Πελλαιος ίσορεῖ. κ. λ. l. iv. c. 6. p. 118. D.

b This is taken chiefly upon the credit of Maximus, a writer of the seventh century. Vid. Cave, Hist. Lit. P. 1. p. 34.

• Οταν δε και Παπισκου τινος και Ιάσονος αντιλογιαν εγνων, κ. λ. Αγ. Orig. c. Cels. 1. iv. p. 199.

Quæstion. Hebr. in Genes.m. pr. et Comm. in Gal. iii. 13.

translation is remaining, and is published at the end of St. Cyprian's works. There was a Celsus, bishop of Iconium, in the third century, who is mentioned in Eusebius; but there is no proof that he is the author of this translation. All that we can be certain of, says Cave, concerning him is, that he wrote in times of persecution, and before the Roman emperors embraced the christian religion; as appears from several passages of the preface. Tillemont too thinks it very probable that he lived while the church was under persecution, at least before the council of Nice. Some place it about the time of St. Cyprian. But whenever the translator lived, we have sufficient assurance, from Celsus the Epicurean, that the dialogue itself was written before, or about, the year 140; or, as Cave says, 136. I shall only add, that the translator informs us, in his preface, that Jason was a Hebrew christian, Papiscus a Jew of Alexandria; that Papiscus was convinced by the arguments set before him, and desired of Jason to be baptized. They who desire to know more of this dispute may consult, beside, ↳ Cave, i Tillemont, Grabe, Fabricius, and the authors referred to by him.

k

m

h

V. Soter, successor of Anicetus in the see of Rome, flourished, according to Cave, about the year 164. Eusebius" has taken no notice of any writing of his, beside a letter to the Corinthians; written by him, as it seems, in the name of the church of Rome, as St. Clement's had been long before. He speaks of it in his account of the several letters of Dionysius, bishop of Corinth; one of which was to the church of Rome, addressed to Soter, their bishop at that time in which he informs them, that their late epistle had been read in the public assembly of the church of Corinth on the Lord's day, and that it should be so read often. The passage has been transcribed already. Dionysius not only commends the letter of the church of Rome, but the church itself, and Soter their bishop, for an excellent custom, which had long since obtained among them, of sending relief to foreign churches in necessity, and to their brethren in the mines. This passage too we shall have occasion to produce hereafter.

e H. E. 1. vi. c. 19. p. 222. B.

f Ubi supra.

Illud præclarum atque memorabile gloriosumque Iasonis Hebræi christiani, et Papisci Alexandri Judæi disputationis occurrit,

b Hist. Lit.

geliste, p. 248-251.

Bibl. Gr. T. v. p. 187. ■ Ibid. c. 23. p. 145. B.

-p. 31. B.

i Mem. Ecc. T. ii. P. 1. Saint Luc. Evan

* Spicil. Patr. T. ii. p. 127.

Eus. H. E. 1. iv. c. 22. p. 142. C.

• Ch. ii. p. 33.

VI. I have already P mentioned the letter of Dionysius of Corinth to the church of Gnossus in Crete, and his admonition to Pinytus their bishop. Eusebius 9 likewise informs us, that Pinytus wrote an answer to that letter, 'wherein he greatly commends Dionysius: but at the same 'time desires him to impart to them more solid food, and in 'some future letter to write more perfect instruction for the ' nourishment of the people under his care; lest, being ever ' accustomed to milky discourses, they grow old in a child'ish discipline.'

6

6

Jerom has likewise an article for Pinytus in his catalogue of Illustrious Men; and gives much the same account of this answer to Dionysius, calling it an elegant epistle.' He says, Pinytus flourished in the time of M. Antoninus and Commodus. As we have no account of any writing of bis, beside this epistle, I make no scruple of placing him at the same year with Dionysius, his contemporary. It may be considered whether here be any allusion to 1 Cor. iii. 2. or to Heb. v. 12, 13. Pinytus is mentioned by Eusebius, in another place, with Dionysius of Corinth, Philip, Apollinaris, Melito, Musanus, Modestus, and other eminent persons of that time.

8

VII. We formerly mentioned also a letter of the same Dionysius to the church of Gortyna in Crete, of which Philip was bishop. Of him Eusebius " soon after says, that he composed a most elaborate work against Marcion.' St. Jerom has an article for this writer, and commends his piece; and says he flourished in the times of Marcus Antoninus and Commodus.

VIII. One of the letters of Dionysius of Corinth was written to the church of Amastris, together with the other churches in Pontus. Eusebius informs us, that in that letter Dionysius mentions by name Palmas, their bishop. In another place, writing of the controversy about the time of keeping Easter, at the year 196, he says: 'There * P Ch. xii. p. 144-147.

4 Προς ἦν ὁ Πινυτος αντιγράφων, θαυμάζει μεν και αποδέχεται τον Διονυ στον αντιπαρακαλει δε σεῤῥότερας ηδη ποτε μεταδιδοναι τροφής, τελειοτέροις γραμμασιν εισαύθις τον παρ' αυτῳ λαον ὑποθρεψαντα, ὡς μη δια τέλες τους γαλακτώδεσιν ενδιατρίβοντες λόγοις τη νηπιώδει αγωγή λαθοιεν καταγηράσαντες. H. E. l. iv. c. 23. p. 144. D. r Valde elegantem epistolam.

De V. I. c. 28.

Ch. xii. p. 144.

s L. iv. c. 21.

- Φίλιππος γε μην, όν εκ των

Διονύσιο φωνων της εν Γορτυνῃ παροικίας επισκοπον εγνωμεν, πάνυ γε σπι δαιότατον πεποιηται και αυτός κατα Μαρκιωνος λογον. L. iv. c. 25.

▾ De Vir. Ill. c. 30.

* H. E. 1. iv. c. 23. p. 144. B.

Τωντε κατα Ποντον επισκόπων, ών Παλμας ως αρχαιότατος προτετακτο L. v. c. 23. p. 191. A.