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* Heb. ii. 3.  “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which, at the first, began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him, God also be bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost?” I allege this epistle without hesitation; for, whatever doubts may have been raised about its author, there can be none concerning the age in which it was written.  No epistle in the collection carries about it more indubitable marks of antiquity than this does.  It speaks for instance, throughout, of the temple as then standing and of the worship of the temple as then subsisting.—­Heb. viii. 4:  “For, if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing there are priests that offer according to the law.”—­Again, Heb. xiii. 10:  “We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.”

+ Truly the signs of as apostle were wraught among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.’ 2 Cor. xii. 12. _________

In an epistle bearing the name of Barnabas, the companion of Paul, probably genuine, certainly belonging to that age, we have the sufferings of Christ, his choice of apostles and their number, his passion, the scarlet robe, the vinegar and gall, the mocking and piercing, the casting lots for his coat, (Ep.  Bar. c. vii.) his resurrection on the eighth, (i. e. the first day of the week,[Ep.  Bar. c. vi.]) and the commemorative distinction of that day, his manifestation after his resurrection, and, lastly, his ascension.  We have also his miracles generally but positively referred to in the following words:—­“Finally, teaching the people of Israel, and doing many wonders and signs among them, he preached to them, and showed the exceeding great love which he bare towards them.” (Ep.  Bar. c. v.)

In an epistle of Clement, a hearer of St. Paul, although written for a purpose remotely connected with the Christian history, we have the resurrection of Christ, and the subsequent mission of the apostles, recorded in these satisfactory terms:  “The apostles have preached to us from our Lord Jesus Christ from God:—­For, having received their command, and being thoroughly assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, they went abroad, publishing that the kingdom of God was at hand.” (Ep.  Clem.  Rom. c. xlii.) We find noticed, also, the humility, yet the power of Christ, (Ep.  Clem.  Rom. c. xvi.) his descent from Abraham—­his crucifixion.  We have Peter and Paul represented as faithful and righteous pillars of the church; the numerous sufferings of Peter; the bonds, stripes, and stoning of Paul, and more particularly his extensive and unwearied travels.

In an epistle of Polycarp, a disciple of St. John, though only a brief hortatory letter, we have the humility, patience, sufferings, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, together with the apostolic character of St. Paul, distinctly recognised. (Pol.  Ep.  Ad Phil.  C. v. viii. ii. iii.) Of this same father we are also assured, by Irenaeus, that he (Irenaeus) had heard him relate, “what he had received from eye-witnesses concerning the Lord, both concerning his miracles and his doctrine.” (Ir. ad Flor. 1 ap.  Euseb. l. v. c. 20.)