A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

QUADRATUS and ARISTIDES.

THese two Defenders of the Faith presented Apologies for Christians to the Emperor Adrian: The first was a Disciple of the Apostles a 1.1, and it is said, that he had the Gift of Pro∣phecy * 1.2 b 1.3. Eusebius assures us, that the Apology of this Author was extant in his 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and that it shewed the Genius of this Man, and the true Doctrine of the Apostles. But we have only a small Fragment produced by Eusebius in the fourth Book of his History, chap. 3. wherein the Author declares, that none could doubt of the Truth of the Miracles of Jesus Christ, because the Persons that were healed or raised from the Dead by him, had been seen, not only when he wrote his Miracles, or whilst he was upon Earth, but even a very great while after his Death: So that there are many (says he) who were yet living in our time c 1.4.

We have also lost the Apology of Aristides which was preserved till S. Jerom's time. This Aristides was a very Eloquent Athenian Philosopher, (says the same S. Jerom) who when he changed his Religion, did not alter his Profession, and presented unto the Emperor Adrian, at the same time as Qua∣dratus, a Volume in form of an Apology, wherein he produced the Proofs of our Religion, and being still ex∣tant, shews the Learned how excellent a Writer this Author was. The same S. Jerom observes in ano∣ther place, that this Work was full of Philosophical Notions, and that is was afterward imitated by S. Justin.

Notes

• a 1.1

  A Disciple of the Apostles.] Hieron. Ep. 84. ad Magnum. This appears from the Fragment that is set down afterward. We must not confound this Qua∣dratus with another of this Name who was Bishop of Athens, and the Successor of Publius mentioned by Eusebius, Lib. 4. cap. 23. S. Jerom makes no distin∣ction between them in his Catalogue, nor in his E∣pistle to Magnus; and they are likewise confounded in the Men••logium Graec••rum: But Vales••us clearly proves that they are different; for the first was not a Bishop, as appears from the Testimony of Eusebius, Lib. 3. c. 37. and Lib. 4. c. 3. Besides, the former Qua∣dratus was a Disciple of the Apostles, and lived in the time of the Emperor Adrian, whereas the other never saw the Apostles, as being Contemporary with Dionysius Corinthius under the Reign of Antoninus. And it cannot be doubted, but that it was the Elder who presented the Apology to Adrian.
• * 1.2

  Quadratus & Aristi∣des.
• b 1.3

  It is said, that he had the gift of Prophecy.] E••∣sebius, Lib. 3. cap. 37. assures us, that he was endued with the Gift of Prophecy, as were the Daughters of Philip the Deacon, and Miltiades in Euseb. Lib. 5. cap. 17. reckons him in the number of the Prophets of the New Testament.
• c 1.4

  In our time.] Eusebius Thessalenicensis cites this Author against Andreas Cretensis▪ apud Phot. Cod. 335. Bede, who hath confounded him with the Bishop of Athens, declares, that he determined that there was no Meat from which a Christian ought to Abstain, which is likewise Recorded in the Menologium Graecorum up∣on the 21st day of September.