CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER I.
PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.
The critical spirit stimulated by the Reformation—The Ignatian Epistles
as regarded by Calvin, Ussher, Vossius, DaillÉ, Pearson, Wake, and
Cureton—Dr. Lightfoot as a scholar and a commentator—The valuable
information supplied in his recent work—His estimate of the parties who
have pronounced judgment on the question of the Ignatian Epistles—His
verdict unfair—His introduction of Lucian as a witness in his
favour—The story of Peregrinus—Dr. Lightfoot's cardinal mistake in his
treatment of this question.

CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II.
THE TESTIMONY OF POLYCARP TO THE IGNATIAN EPISTLES EXAMINED.
Dr. Lightfoot makes a most unguarded statement as to the Ignatian
Epistles—The letter of Polycarp better authenticated—The date assigned
for the martyrdom of Ignatius—The date of Polycarp's Epistle—Written
in the reign of Marcus Aurelius—Not written in the reign of Trajan—The
Epistle of Polycarp has no reference to Ignatius of Antioch—It refers
to another Ignatius of another age and country—It was written at a
time of persecution—The postscript to the letter of Polycarp quite
misunderstood—What is meant by letters being carried to Syria—Psyria
and Syria, two islands in the Aegaean Sea—The errors of transcribers of
the postscript—The true meaning of the postscript—What has led to
the mistake as to the claims of the Ignatian Epistles—The continued
popularity of these Epistles among High Churchmen.

CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
THE DATE OF THE MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP.
Dr. Lightfoot's strange reasoning on this subject—The testimony of
Eusebius, Jerome, and others—Eusebius and Jerome highly competent
witnesses—Dr. DÖllinger's estimate of Jerome—The basis on which
Dr. Lightfoot rests the whole weight of his chronological
argument—Aristides and his Sacred Discourses—Statius Quadratus, the
consuls and proconsuls—Ummidius Quadratus—Polycarp martyred in the
reign of Marcus Aurelius—His visit to Rome in the time of Anicetus—Put
to death when there was only one emperor—Age of Polycarp at the time of
his martyrdom—The importance of the chronological argument.

CHAPTER IV.

CHAPTER IV.
THE TESTIMONY OF IRENAEUS AND THE GENESIS OF PRELACY.
The testimony of Irenaeus quite misunderstood—Refers to the dying
words of one of the martyrs of Lyons—The internal evidence against the
genuineness of the Ignatian Epistles—The contrast between the Epistle
of Polycarp and the Ignatian Epistles as exhibited by Dr. Lightfoot
himself—Additional points of contrast—Dr. Lightfoot quite mistaken
as to the origin of Prelacy—It did not originate in the East, or Asia
Minor, but in Rome—The argument from the cases of Timothy and Titus
untenable—Jerome's account of the origin of Prelacy—James not the
first bishop of Jerusalem—In the early part of the second century
the Churches of Rome, Corinth, and Smyrna were Presbyterian—Irenaeus
conceals the origin of Prelacy—Coins the doctrine of the apostolical
succession—The succession cannot be determined even in Rome—Testimony
of Stillingfleet—In what sense Polycarp may have been constituted a
bishop by the apostles.

CHAPTER V.

CHAPTER V.
THE FORGERY OF THE IGNATIAN EPISTLES.
We have no positive historical information as to the origin of the
Ignatian Epistles—First saw the light in the early part of the third
century—Such forgeries then common—What was then thought by many as to
pious frauds—Callistus of Rome probably concerned in the fabrication of
the Ignatian Epistles—His remarkable history—The Epistle to the
Romans first forged—It embodies the credentials of the rest—Montanism
stimulated the desire for martyrdom—The prevalence of this mania early
in the third century—The Ignatian Epistles present it in its most
outrageous form—The Epistle to the Romans must have been very popular
at Rome—Doubtful whether Ignatius was martyred at Rome—The Ignatian
Epistles intended to advance the claims of Prelacy—Well fitted to do
so at the time of their appearance—The account of Callistus given
by Hippolytus—The Ignatian letters point to Callistus as their
author—Cannot have been written in the beginning of the second
century—Their doctrine that of the Papacy.
APPENDIX
I.—Letter of Dr. Cureton.
II.—The Ignatian Epistle to the Romans.
ENDNOTES

THE IGNATIAN EPISTLES ENTIRELY SPURIOUS.