viously published, are fictitious;
and we shall endeavour to demonstrate, in the sequel of this chapter,
that the external evidence in their favour is most unsatisfactory.

When discussing the testimonies from the writers of antiquity in their
support, it is not necessary to examine any later witness than Eusebius.
The weight of his literary character influenced all succeeding fathers,
some of whom, who appear never to have seen these documents, refer to
them on the strength of his authority. [398:1] In his "Ecclesiastical
History," which was published as some think about A.D. 325, he asserts
that Ignatius wrote seven letters, and from these he makes a few
quotations. [398:2] But his admission of the genuineness of a
correspondence, bearing date upwards of two hundred years before his own
appearance as an author, is an attestation of very doubtful value. He
often makes mistakes respecting the character of ecclesiastical
memorials; and in one memorable case, of far more consequence than that
now under consideration, he has blundered most egregiously; for he has
published, as genuine, the spurious correspondence between Abgarus and
our Saviour. [399:1] He was under strong temptations to form an unduly
favourable judgment of the letters attributed to Ignatius, inasmuch as,
to use the words of Dr Cureton, "they seemed to afford evidence to the
apostolic succession in several churches, an account of which he
professes to be one of the chief objects of his history." [399:2] His
reference to them is decisive as to the fact of their _existence_ in the
early part of the fourth century; but those who adopt the views
propounded in the "Corpus Ignatianum," are not prepared to bow to his
critical decision; for, on this very occasion, he has given his sanction
to four letters which they pronounce apocryphal.

The only father who notices these letters before the fourth century, is
Origen. He quotes from them twice; [399:3] the citations which he gives
are to be found in the Syriac version of the three epistles; [399:4] and
it would appear from his writings that he was not acquainted with the
seven letters current in the days of Eusebius. [399:5] Those to which he
refers were, perhaps, brought under his notice when he went to Antioch
on the invitation of Julia Mammaea, the mother of the Emperor; as, for
reasons subsequently to be stated, it is probable that they were
manufactured in that neighbourhood not long before his visit. If
pre