Of the long line of Antiochian bishops it may be interesting to notice the most remarkable.
Ignatius. This eminent man was a Syrian by origin, and is reported to have been the child taken by our Saviour in his arms, and to have been named on this account Theophorus, which, pronounced in one way, signifies "carried or borne by God." But Chrysostom says, that Ignatius had never seen our Lord.[1] He was undoubtedly a disciple of the apostles. Baronius makes him appointed joint bishop with Evodius; one for the believing Jews, and the other for the Gentiles; and Ignatius to have ceded his authority to his colleague as the senior, and to have succeeded him. But Halloix thinks it probable that each maintained his distinct charge, till, on the death of Evodius, both offices fell to Ignatius. All this, however, is exceedingly uncertain; and meagre indeed will be the record upon this description of subjects, which the most diligent inquirer will ever be able to produce, while he shall steadfastly decline to draw upon the resources of the imaginative faculty, either in himself or those of any age before him. Not so, however, is it with regard to the death of Ignatius. Over the scene of his martyrdom in the Colisæum, there rests an unshadowed and eternal radiance.
Theophilus. He was the fifth from Evodius, a. d. 169. Originally a Pagan, and extensively acquainted with the Grecian science and literature, he was converted by the perusal of the Old-Testament prophets. The church was at that time grievously harassed by the contentions of the Gnostical heretics; and Theophilus devoted his whole powers to the defence of the truth. Yet of his various catechetics, commentaries, and other works, we have only one remaining,—a "Demonstration of revealed Religion," in three books, addressed to a learned
- ↑ Orat. xxiv. tom. 1.
