same time and were personally acquainted with each other." [56:1]
He then proceeds to mention some of the points of contrast. Whilst
the so-called Ignatius lays stress on Episcopacy "as the key-stone
of the ecclesiastical order," Polycarp, in his Epistle, from first
to last makes "no mention of the Episcopate," and "the bishop is
entirely ignored." In regard to doctrinal statement the same
contrariety is apparent. Ignatius speaks of "the blood of God" and
"the passion of my God," whilst no such language is used by
Polycarp. Again, in the letter of the pastor of Smyrna, there is
"an entire absence of that sacramental language which confronts us
again and again in the most startling forms in Ignatius." [57:1]
"Though the seven Ignatian letters are many times longer than
Polycarp's Epistle, the quotations in the latter are incomparably
more numerous as well as more precise than in the former." In the
Ignatian letters, of "quotations from the New Testament, strictly
speaking, there is none." [57:2] "Of all the Fathers of the
Church, early or later, no one is more incisive or more persistent
in advocating the claims of the threefold ministry to allegiance
than Ignatius." [57:3] Polycarp, on the other hand, has written a
letter "which has proved a stronghold of Presbyterianism." [57:4]
And yet Dr. Lightfoot would have us to believe that these various
letters were written by two ministers living at the same time,
taught by the same instructors, holding the closest intercourse
with each other, professing the same doctrines, and adhering to
the same ecclesiastical arrangements!

The features of distinction between the teaching of the Ignatian
letters and the teaching of Polycarp, which have been pointed out
by Dr. Lightfoot himself, are sufficiently striking; but his
Lordship has not exhibited nearly the full amount of the contrast.