that this Peregrinus Proteus, a cynic philosopher, having been guilty of parricide and other crimes, found it convenient to leave his own country.  In the course of his travels he fell in with Christians and learnt their doctrines, and, according to Lucian, the Christians soon were mere children in his hands, so that he became in his own person “prophet, high-priest, and ruler of a synagogue,” and further “they spoke of him as a god, used him as a lawgiver, and elected him their chief man.” [102:2] After a time he was put in prison for his new faith, which Lucian says was a real service to him afterwards in his impostures.  During the time he was in prison he is said to have received those services from Christians which Dr. Lightfoot quotes.  Peregrinus was afterwards set at liberty by the Governor of Syria, who loved philosophy, [102:3] and travelled about, living in great comfort at the expense of the Christians, until at last they quarrelled in consequence, Lucian thinks, of his eating some forbidden food.  Finally, Peregrinus ended his career by throwing himself into the flames of a funeral pile during the Olympian games.  An earthquake is said to have taken place at the time; a vulture flew out from the pile crying out with a human voice; and, shortly after, Peregrinus rose again and appeared clothed in white raiment, unhurt by the fire.

Now this writing, of which I have given the barest sketch, is a direct satire upon Christians, or even, as Baur affirms, “a parody of the history of Jesus.” [102:4] There are no means of ascertaining that any of the events of the Christian career of Peregrinus were true, but it is obvious that Lucian’s policy was to exaggerate the facility of access to prisoners, as well as the assiduity and attention of the Christians to Peregrinus, the ease with which they were duped being the chief point of the satire.

There is another circumstance which must be mentioned.  Lucian’s account of Peregrinus is claimed by supporters of the Ignatian Epistles as evidence for them. [103:1] “The singular correspondence in this narrative with the account of Ignatius, combined with some striking coincidences of expression,” they argue, show “that Lucian was acquainted with the Ignatian history, if not with the Ignatian letters.”  These are the words of Dr. Lightfoot, although he guards himself, in referring to this argument, by the words “if it be true,” and does not express his own opinion; but he goes on to say:  “At all events it is conclusive for the matter in hand, as showing that Christian prisoners were treated in the very way described in these epistles.” [103:2] On the contrary, it is in no case conclusive of anything.  If it were true that Lucian employed, as the basis of his satire, the Ignatian Epistles and Martyrology, it is clear that his narrative cannot be used as independent testimony for the truth of the statements regarding the treatment of Christian prisoners.  On the other hand, as this cannot be