latter, ascribed to Irenaeus, it has been
altered to suit some other context or to explain itself independently.
The reference to the author and the occasion of writing is omitted,
while the 'Evangelists' are introduced by the side of 'the Law and the
Prophets' for the sake of completeness. Melito, as we happen to know,
did make such a collection of extracts from the Law and the Prophets as
is here mentioned, and for the very purpose which is here stated; and
the correspondence of language in this opening passage with the
dedication of his collection to Onesimus, referred to above, is
sufficiently striking. To Melito therefore evidence, internal and
external alike, requires us to ascribe the passage. But, if so, how came
the name of Irenaeus to be attached to it? Was this mere accident? I
think not. Nothing would be more natural than that Irenaeus should
introduce a passage of Melito, as a famous Asiatic elder, either
anonymously or otherwise, into one of his own writings. I have already
had occasion to refer to the free use which the early fathers made of
their predecessors, frequently without any acknowledgement [237:1]. In
this particular case, Irenaeus may or may not have acknowledged his
obligation. I venture to think that this solution of the double
ascription will appear not only plausible, but probable, when I mention
another fact. In a second Armenian extract I find a passage headed, 'The
saying of Irenaeus' [237:2]. I turn to the passage, and I find that it
contains not the words of Irenaeus himself, but of Papias quoted by
Irenaeus. In the Armenian extract the name of the original author has
entirely disappeared, though in this case Irenaeus directly mentions
Papias as his authority.

The attitude of Melito towards the Apostle of the Gentiles appears
clearly enough from the title of one of his works, 'On the Obedience of
Faith,' which is a characteristic expression of St Paul [237:3], and
also from occasional coincidences of language, such as 'putting on the
form of a servant' [237:4].

CLAUDIUS APOLLINARIS, bishop of Hierapolis, was a contemporary of
Melito, but apparently a younger man, though only by a very few years.
His date is fixed approximately by the extant notices. He addressed an
Apology to the Emperor M. Aurelius, who reigned from A.D. 161-180; and
as in this work he mentioned the incident of the so-called Thundering
Legion, which happened between A.D. 172-174, it cannot have been written
befor