had these Apostles left us nothing in writing, must not we, in that case, have followed the rule of doctrine, which they delivered to those to whom they entrusted their Churches? To this rule many barbarous nations submit, who, deprived of the aid of letters, have the words of salvation written on their hearts, and carefully guard the doctrine which has been delivered.” Ibid. c. iv. p. 178.
In a letter preserved by Eusebius, he says: “Polycarp, (Bishop of Smyrna and the disciple of St. John) agreeing in all things with the holy Scripture, spoke of the miracles and the doctrine of our Lord, just as he had heard them related by those, who had themselves seen the Lord of life. Those same things, by the divine goodness, I also heard (from Polycarp) impressing them, not on paper, but on my heart; and I constantly revolve them in my mind.” Hist. Eccles. L. v. c. 20. p. 238.—“ This Polycarp,” Irenæus relates himself, “always taught what he had learnt from the Apostles, delivering it to the Church; and these things alone are true. To them all the Churches of Asia, and they who, down to this day, have succeeded to Polycarp, bear testimony. He was a man of much greater authority, and a witness of truth more faithful, than Valentinus, and Marcion, and such perverse thinkers. Coming to Rome, in the time of Anicetus, he converted many heretics to the Church of God, announcing the one and only truth, which he had received from the Apostles, and which he delivered to the Church.—There is an epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians, from which may be collected, what was the character of his Faith, and the Truth which he preached. Moreover, the Church of Ephesus, which Paul founded, and where John resided to the time of Trajan, is itself a witness to the doctrine delivered by the Apostles.” Adv. Hær. L. iii. c. 3. p. 176, 177.–See more on this subject, from this Father, under, The Marks of the Church. p. 32.
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, G. C.-" They, who preserved the true Tradition of blessed doctrine, receiving it
