vouchers, which he produces, "stands this testimony." [11:1]
From such a sample the judicious reader may form some idea of the
conclusiveness of the bishop's reasoning. Peregrinus begins life
as a parricide, and dies like a madman; and yet we are asked to
believe that Lucian has thus sketched the history of an apostolic
Father! When Lucian wrote, Ignatius had been dead about sixty
years; but the pagan satirist sought to amuse the public by
sketching the career of an individual whom he had himself heard
and seen, [11:2] and who must have been well known to many of his
readers. About the middle of the second century the Church was
sorely troubled by false teachers, especially of the Gnostic type;
and it may have been that some adventurer, of popular gifts and
professing great zeal in the Christian cause, contrived to gather
around him a number of deluded followers, who, for a time, adhered
to him with wonderful enthusiasm. It may be that it is this
charlatan to whom Lucian points, and whose history he perhaps
exaggerates. But there is nothing in the life of Peregrinus which
can fairly be recognised even as a caricature of the career of one
of the most distinguished of the early Christian martyrs. Were we
to maintain that the pagan satirist was referring to the Apostle
John, we might be able to show almost as many points of resemblance.
The beloved disciple travelled about through various countries;
acquired a high reputation among the Christians; was imprisoned
in the Isle of Patmos; wrote letters to the seven Churches of Asia;
and was visited in his place of exile by angels or messengers,
who probably did not repair to him empty-handed. John died only
a few years before Ignatius, and was connected with the same
quarter of the globe. We have, however, never yet heard that
Lucian was suspected of alluding to the author of the Apocalypse.
If Bishop Lightfoot thinks that he can convince sensible men of