' is also a letter of the bishops in Pontus, over whom Palmas presided, as being the most ancient.' It may be supposed that this letter was composed by him.

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IX. Eusebius having, in the forecited passage concerning Philip, said that he composed a most elaborate work against Marcion,' adds: As did also Irenæus and Mo'destus; which last did most excellently, and beyond the others, detect his frauds, setting them in the fullest light 'before all the world.' St. Jerom says, Modestus, who lived in the time of M. Antoninus and Commodus, wrote 'a book against Marcion, which is still extant. There are likewise other works under his name, but they are re'jected by the learned as supposititious.' We know nothing more of them: there are no such now.

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X. Soon after, Eusebius says, that there was extant in his time a very eloquent piece of Musanus, written to some brethren who were gone over to the heresy of the • Encratites.' Jerom speaks to the same purpose of this work, and says it was written in the time of M. Antouinus. Theodoret calls Musanus a defender of the truth,' and says he wrote against the Severeans, which were a branch of the Encratites. Both these writers are placed by Cave at the year 176.

XI. Claudius Apollinaris was bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia, of whom Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History writes to this purpose: At the same time flourished also Melito bishop of Sardis, and Apollinaris bishop of Hie'rapolis, men of great reputation: each of which severally 'presented apologetical discourses for the christian religion to the fore-mentioned emperor, [M. Antoninus,] who ' reigned at that time.' In the next chapter Eusebius speaks thus of his works: Although there are many books of Apollinaris still extant, and in the hands of 'many, I am acquainted with these following only: An Oration to the fore-mentioned emperor [this is his Apology]; Five books against the Gentiles; Two books of Truth; Two against the Jews; and the books which he afterwards wrote against the Phrygian heresy, which not long after gave great disturbance, but was then making as it were its first appearance, Montanus being as yet employed in laying the foundation of that error with his 'false prophetesses.' Serapion, not long after bishop of

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y L. iv. c. 25.

a Ibid. c. 28.

Hær. Fab. l. i. c. 21.

De V. I. c. 32.
Ibid. c. 31.

d L. iv. c. 26. in.

f

Antioch, styles him the blessed Claudius Apollinaris, 'who was bishop of Hierapolis in Asia.' And it may be argued, from his expressions, that what Apollinaris had written against the Montanists was in the epistolary way. Eusebius informs us, that Apollinaris had mentioned the extraordinary deliverance and victory which M. Antoninus obtained in the year 174. He does not say in which of his books this affair was mentioned, though his Apology may be reckoned as likely a place for it as any.

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Jerom in his Catalogue says, Apollinaris flourished in the time of M. Antoninus, to whom he presented an ex'cellent book for the christian faith.' He reckons his works as Eusebius does, except that he omits the two works against the Jews,' which are wanting likewise in some manuscripts of Eusebius. Apollinaris is mentioned again by Jerom, in another place, together with Irenæus, and other the most eminent christian writers: who,' he says, had shown in their works the origin of the several heresies, and from what sects of the philosophers they had sprung.'

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m

Theodoret has mentioned the writings of Apollinaris against the Montanists, and says, he was a man worthy of praise, and that he had added to the knowledge of religion the study of polite literature.' In another place he speaks of Apollinaris having written against those Encratites which were called Severians, from Severus, who, after Tatian, made some additions to the peculiar notions of that sect.

Photius speaks of three books of Apollinaris, which he had read; Against the Gentiles, Of Piety, and Of Truth; and commends his style. The second, Of Piety, is mentioned no where else that I know of. Photius says, likewise, that there were other writings of his which deserved to be taken notice of, but he had not seen them.

We have seen enough to satisfy us, that this author flourished in the reign of Marcus Antoninus, about the same time with Melito. And Eusebius in his Chronicle, at the

• Πεπομφα ύμιν και Κλαυδιο Απολλινάριο το μακαριώτατε γενομενε εν Ἱεραπόλει της Ασίας επίσκοπο γραμματα. Ap. Eus. H. E. I. v. c. 19. p. 187. A. L. v. c. 5. p. 169. C. D.

De V. I. c. 26.

christianorum dedit.

* Ad Magnum, ep. 83. al. 84.

b Cui et insigne volumen pro fide Vid. Vales. Annot. in loc Euseb.

1

Ανηρ αξιέπαινος,

και προς τη γνώσει των θείων και την εξωθεν παιδείαν προσειληφως. Har. Fab. 1. iii. cap. 2.

m Ibid. 1. i. cap. 2.

* Προς Έλληνας, και περί Ευσεβειας, και περι Αληθειας. Phot. C. 14.

eleventh year of Marcus, of Christ 171, says: Then flou• rished Apollinaris, bishop of Hierapolis:' which is the year next after that in which he had placed the flourishing of Melito. Cave places him at the year 170. As Apollinaris has spoken of the victory of Marcus, which happened in the year 174, and of the legion which he says was from thence called the Thundering Legion, and written against the Montanists, and, according to Theodoret, against those Encratites which were called Severians; I choose to place him with Melito at the year 176 or 177, though possibly he was then in the decline of life.

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Nothing remains of these writings of Apollinaris. It is easy to guess we suffer a great deal in the loss of the numerous works of so eminent a person.

There are however two fragments ascribed to Apollinaris in the preface to the Paschal, or, as it is often called, The Alexandrian Chronicle: which the author alleges to show, that at the time when our Lord suffered, he did not eat the typical passover.'

And Apollinaris,' says he, the most holy bishop of Hierapolis in Asia, who was near the times of the apos'tles, in his discourse Of Easter, teaches the same things, 'saying: "There are some, who through ignorance raise 'contentions about these things, which is a pardonable thing; for ignorance is not to be blamed, but rather needs. instruction: they say, that upon the fourteenth day the Lord eat the lamb with the disciples; and that on the 'great day of the feast of unleavened bread he himself 'suffered; and that Matthew says as much, as they understand him. Whence it is evident, that their interpretation is contrary to the law and, according to them, the gospels disagree.'

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Again the same person writes in the same book: "The fourteenth is the day of the true passover, the Lord, [who is] the great sacrifice, instead of the Lamb the Son of God, who was bound, who bound the strong man, who, though judged, is judge of the quick and the dead; and who was delivered into the hands of sinners, that he ' might be crucified: who was exalted upon the horns of the unicorn, and whose sacred" side was pierced; who

• P. 6, 7. Paris. 1668.

* Εν τω περί τε Πασχα λόγω. κ. λ. Ib. λογαρ γέγραφεν ούτως" Η ιδ' το αληθινε

4 Και παλιν ὁ αυτος εν τῷ αὐτῷ
το Κυριο πασχα, ή θυσία ἡ μεγάλη, κ. λ. Ib.

See Matt. xii. 29. Mark iii. 27. Luke xi. 21, 22.
Acts x. 42, and other places.

Mark xiv. 41, and other places.

Matt. xxvi. 45. "John xix. 34.

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also poured out of his side two cleansers, water and blood, the word and the Spirit; and who was buried on the day of the passover, a stone being laid upon the sepulchre."

999

I think it may be questioned, whether these passages be taken out of a book of Apollinaris, or of some other person.

W

It is indeed possible that he might write a book about Easter, though it is not expressly mentioned by Eusebius: for he says, there were extant many writings of Apollinaris, beside those he was acquainted with. But the single testimony of a writer of the seventh century can hardly afford full satisfaction in this point. Tillemont dares not rely upon their being taken out of any work of this father; he rather thinks they belong to Pierius, presbyter of Alexandria in the third century: which may be reckoned a probable conjecture, since Photius has mentioned a book of Pierius entitled, Ay Discourse on Easter.

Whoever is the author of this book, it appears, from these short passages, that he owned and respected St. Matthew's and the other gospels.

XII. I insist here chiefly on catholic authors. Nevertheless I am unwilling to omit Bardesanes the Syrian, who flourished, according to Cave, about the year of Christ 172, the twelfth of Marcus Antoninus. There can be no inconvenience in placing him a little lower, about 180, in which year Marcus died. Ι suppose we may here

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after see reason for so doing.

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Eusebius speaks favourably of Bardesanes, though most later writers call him an heresiarch. Moreover,' says that historian, in the reign of the same emperor, [Marcus Antoninus,] when there were many heresies in Meso'potamia, Bardesanes, a most eloquent writer in the Syriac language, and an excellent disputant, wrote several dialogues in his own language against Marcion, and other authors of different opinions; beside a great number of other pieces, which his disciples (for he had many 'followers, because he strenuously defended the faith)

C

▾ Matt. xxvii. 66, and all the other gospels.

Un auteur inconnu et assez nouveau cite deux passages tirés, dit il, d'un discours qu'il avoit fait sur la Paque. Mem. E. T. ii. P. 3. p. 91. ed Bruxelles. St. Apollinaire. * He is placed by Cave at the year

283. H. L. P. i. p. 101.

και τον Ωσηε λογω, κ. λ. Cod. cxix. p. 299.

b

Hist. Lit. P. i. p. 47.

y Εχει δε και εν τψ εις το πασχα

a H. E. l. iv. c. 30.

Πλειτοι δε ησαν αυτῳ δυνατως τῳ λόγῳ παριςαμενῳ. Ibid.

Some may choose to understand the original words, as expressive of the eloquence of Bardesanes.

translated out of Syriac into Greek; among which is his 'excellent dialogue Of Fate, inscribed to Antoninus. It is 'said that he wrote several other books upon occasion of the persecution of that time. He was at first a follower ' of Valentinus; but afterwards disliking his doctrine, and having discovered several parts of it to be fabulous and 'without foundation, he seemed to himself to have attained 'to the right faith: but he did not get entirely clear of his former errors.' In another work Eusebius says, that d Bardesanes was a Syrian, but a complete master of the Chaldaic learning.

e

Jerom in his Catalogue says: Bardesanes was famous ' in Mesopotamia, who, being first a follower of Valentinus, then a confuter of him, founded a new heresy.—He wrote a vast number of volumes against almost all the 'heresies that sprung up in his time; among all which his book about Fate, which he inscribed to Marcus Antoninus, is the most celebrated, and most excellent. He wrote many other books upon occasion of the persecution; which his disciples translated out of Syriac into Greek. But if there be such force and beauty in a translation, how much may we suppose there must be in the original?'

Jerom says, the dialogue about Fate was inscribed to Marcus Antoninus, meaning the emperor, in which he is followed by many learned moderns. But Valesius, and divers others, think this to be said without good ground: because Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History, does not call Antoninus, to whom the book of Fate was inscribed, emperor. And when he quotes that book, in another place, he calls itha Dialogue with his friends;' or, as Valesius understands it, inscribed to his friends. Nor is it very likely, they say, that this book, written in the Syriac Janguage, should be dedicated to the Roman emperor. But these arguments are not conclusive.

The abilities of Bardesanes, and his writings against heretics, are commended by Jerom in some of his other

i

4 Εξ ανδρος Σύρε μεν το γενος, επ' ακρον δε της Χαλδαϊκης επισημης AnaκOTOC. Præp. Evang. 1. vi. p. 273. B. e Cap. 33. f Annot. in Euseb. H. E. 1. iv. c. 30. 8 Tillemont, Mem. Ec. T. ii. Bardesane. Ernest. Sal. Cyprian. ad Hieron. De V. I. c. 33. Ος εν τοις προς τους έταιρους διαλογοις. Præp. Evan. l. vi. cap. 9. p. 273. A. Quid de Apollinario Hierapolitanæ ecclesiæ sacerdote, Dionysioque Corinthiorum episcopo, et Tatiano, et Bardesane, et Irenæo Photini martyris successore: qui origines hæreseon singularum, et ex quibus philosophorum fontibus emanârint, multis voluminibus explicârunt. Ad Magnum, ep. 83.