ad, would have been regarded by Irenaeus as
all-important. And the author of the Treatise against Heresies was not
slow to employ such evidence when it was in any way available. He plies
his antagonists with the testimony of Clement of Rome, [402:2] of
Polycarp [402:3] of Papias, [402:4] and of Justin Martyr. [402:5] But
throughout the five books of his discussion he never adduces any of the
words of the pastor of Antioch. He never throws out any hint from which
we can infer that he was aware of the existence of his Epistles. [402:6]
He never even mentions his name. Could we desire more convincing proof
that he had never heard of the Ignatian correspondence?

The only other witness now remaining to be examined is Polycarp. It has
often been affirmed that he distinctly acknowledges the authority of
these letters; and yet, when honestly interrogated, he will be found to
deliver quite a different deposition. But, before proceeding to consider
his testimony, let us inquire his _age_ when his epistle was written. It
bears the following superscription:--"Polycarp, _and the elders who are
with him_, to the Church of God which is at Philippi." At this time,
therefore, though the early Christians paid respect to hoary hairs, and
were not willing to permit persons without experience to take precedence
of their seniors, Polycarp must have been at the head of the presbytery.
But, at the death of Ignatius, when according to the current theory he
dictated this letter, he was a young man of six and twenty. [403:1] Such
a supposition is very much out of keeping with the tone of the document.
In it he admonishes the widows to be sober; [403:2] he gives advice to
the elders and deacons; [403:3] he expresses his great concern for
Valens, an erring brother, who had once been a presbyter among them;
[403:4] and he intimates that the epistle was written at the urgent
request of the Philippians themselves. [403:5] Is it at all probable
that Polycarp, at the age of six and twenty, was in a position to
warrant him to use such a style of address? Are we to believe he was
already so well known and so highly venerated that a Christian community
on the other side of the Aegean Sea, and the oldest Church in all
Greece, would apply to him for advice and direction? We must be prepared
to admit all this, before we can acknowledge that his epistle refers to
Ignatius of Antioch.

Let us attend now to that passage in the letter to the Philippians where
h