In the remaining works of Ignatius, the contemporary of Polycarp, larger than those of Polycarp, (yet, like those of Polycarp, treating of subjects in nowise leading to any recital of the Christian history,) the occasional allusions are proportionably more numerous.  The descent of Christ from David, his mother Mary, his miraculous conception, the star at his birth, his baptism by John, the reason assigned for it, his appeal to the prophets, the ointment poured on his head, his sufferings under Pontius Pilate and Herod the tetrarch, his resurrection, the Lord’s day called and kept in commemoration of it, and the Eucharist, in both its Parts,—­are unequivocally referred to.  Upon the resurrection, this writer is even circumstantial.  He mentions the apostles’ eating and drinking with Christ after he had risen, their feeling and their handling him; from which last circumstance Ignatius raises this just reflection;—­“They believed, being convinced both by his flesh and spirit; for this cause, they despised death, and were found to be above it.” (Ad Smyr. c. iii.)

Quadratus, of the same age with Ignatius, has left us the following noble testimony:—­“The works of our Saviour were always conspicuous, for they were real; both those that were healed, and those that were raised from the dead; who were seen not only when they were healed or raised, but for a long time afterwards; not only whilst he dwelled on this earth, but also after his departure, and for a good while after it, insomuch that some of them have reached to our times.” (Ap.  Euseb.  H. E. l. iv. c. 3.)

Justin Martyr came little more than thirty years after Quadratus.  From Justin’s works, which are still extant, might be collected a tolerably complete account of Christ’s life, in all points agreeing with that which is delivered in our Scriptures; taken indeed, in a great measure, from those Scriptures, but still proving that this account, and no other, was the account known and extant in that age.  The miracles in particular, which form the part of Christ’s history most material to be traced, stand fully and distinctly recognised in the following passage:—­“He healed those who had been blind, and deaf, and lame from their birth; causing, by his word, one to leap, another to hear, and a third to see:  and, by raising the dead, and making them to live, he induced, by his works, the men of that age to know him.” (Just.  Dial. cum Tryph. p. 288, ed.  Thirl.)

It is unnecessary to carry these citations lower, because the history, after this time, occurs in ancient Christian writings as familiarly as it is wont to do in modern sermons;—­occurs always the same in substance, and always that which our evangelists represent.