The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

Ignatius vir Apostolicus & Martyr scribit audacter, elegit Dominus Apostoles qui super omnes homines peccatores erant: which words as they are not now in these Epistles, so as one observes if ever he wrote them as is pretended, he did it audacter indeed. But of these things our Doctor takes no notice.

The style of these Epistles doth not a little weaken the credit of them, being turgent, swelling with uncouth words, and phrases, affected manner and ways of expression, new compositions of words, multiplying Titles of honour to men, exceedingly remote and distant from the plainness and simplicity of the first writers among the Christians, as is evident by comparing these with the Epistles of Clement before mentioned, that of Polycarpus in Eusebius, The Churches of Vienna in that same Author, and others. Instances for the confirmation of this Observation are multiplied by Blondellus: my designed work will not allow me to insist on particulars. In many good words this charge is waved, by affirming that the Author of these Epistles was an Assyrian, and near to Martyrdom, and that in the Scriptures there are sundry words of as hard a composition, as these used by him: Ham: disser: 2. cap 3. And as he says, from this kind of writing an Argument of sufficient validity may be drawn to evince him to be the Author of these Epistles. Hierome was of an other mind speaking of Didymus. Imperitus (saith he) sermone est, & non scientia, Apostolicum virum ex ipso sermone exprimens, tam sensuum nomine, quam simplicitate verborum. But seeing Ignatius was a Syrian, and near to Martyrdom (though he writes his Epistles from Troas, and Smyrna, which without doubt were not in his way to Rome from Antioch: & yet every where he saith he is going to Rome: ad Ephes: [Greek or Hebrew] which in the close he affirms he wrote from Smyrna, whither he was had to his Martyrdom) what is it to any man, what style he used in his writings, what swelling titles he gave to any, or words he made use of. Who shall call those writings (especially Ignatius being a Syrian) into question.

The style of these Epistles doth not a little weaken the credit of them, being turgent, swelling with uncouth words, and phrases, affected manner and wayes of expression, new compositions of words, multiplying Titles of honour to men, exceedingly remote and distant from the plainness and simplicity of the first writers among the Christians, as is evident by comparing these with the Epistles of Clement before mentioned, that of Polycarpus in Eusebius, The Churches of Viena in that same Author, and others. Instances for the confirmation of this Observation are multiplied by Blondellus: my designed work will not allow me to insist on particulars. In many good words this charge is waved, by affirming that the Author of these Epistles was an Assyrian, and near to Martyrdome, and that in the Scriptures there are snndry words of as hard a composition, as these used by him: Ham: disser: 2. cap 3. And as he saies, from this kind of writing an Argument of sufficient validity may be drawne to evince him to be the Author of these Epistles. Hierome was of an other mind speaking of Didymus. Imperitus (saith he) sermone est, & non scientia, Apostolicum virum ex ipso sermone exprimens, tam sensuum nomine, quam simplicitate verborum. But seeing Ignatius was a Syrian, and near to Martyrdome (though he writes his Epistles from Troas, and Smyrna, which without doubt were not in his way to Rome from Antioch: & yet every where he saith he is going to Rome: ad Ephes: which in the close he affirmes he wrote from Smyrna, whither he was had to his Martyrdome) what is it to any man, what style he used in his writings, what swelling titles he gave to any, or words he made use of. Who shall call those writings (especially Ignatius being a Syrian) into question.