taker in his evil deeds. 12. I had many things to write, but would not with paper and ink, for I hope to come to you, and speak to you personally, in order that our joy may be perfect. 13. The children of thy elect, sister, send greeting unto you.

THE THIRD EPISTLE.

1. THE elder unto Caius, a beloved friend, whom I love in truth. 2. Dear friend, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3. It gave me great joy, when some brethren came, and informed me of thy truth, (and) how thou walkest in the truth. 4. I have no greater joy than this, when I hear of my children, that they walk in the truth. 5. My dear friend, thou doest a Christian action, in whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and particularly to strangers. 6. They have borne testimony to thy kindness before the congregation, and you will do well in further speeding them on their journey, after a manner that is worthy of God. 7. Because, for his name's sake, they set out on their journey, and they do receive nothing from the heathens. 8. Now, such men we ought to receive, that we may aid the propagation of the truth. 9. I have written unto the congregation; but Diotrephes, who wishes to be the chief among them, will not receive us (pay no attention to what we say). 10. Therefore, when I come, I shall reprimand him for the doings which he is carrying on, prating with wicked words against us. And not content with that,

pre

he (not only) doth not receive the brethren; but vents those also who wish to do so, and expells them from the congregation. 11. My dear friend, do not imitate the evil but the good. Whosoever does good is of God; and he who doeth evil hath learned nothing of God. 12. All men give a good report of Demetrius, nay, truth itself doth, and we too confirm it, and you know that our testimony is true. 13. I had much to write, but would not write to thee with pen and ink. 14. But I hope to see thee soon, and then we will converse face to face. 15. Peace be with thee! Our friends send thee greetings. Greet the friends by name!

APPENDIX.

OF THE ANCIENT GREEK AND LATIN INTERPRETERS OF ST. JOHN'S EPISTLES, SPECIALLY OF DIDYMUS AND ECUMENIUS.

A CONTRIBUTION TOWARD THE HISTORY OF THE NEW TESTAMENTAL EXEGESIS.

IN modern times, the worth and the use of the ancient Greek and Latin interpreters, has, even in the Protestant church, been more justly appreciated than formerly. It is admitted, that the more eminent amongst them, not unfrequently contain the most correct and the most authentic interpretations-that their exegetical talent and genius, as well as their method, are often admirable, and worthy to be considered as patterns, but that they always are instructive, nay that even in the worst case, the errors of the less distinguished may convey useful information. In short, it is ever more and more generally agreed upon, that a more careful study of the ancient interpreters is as indispensable to the learned exeget as that of the moderns. So much the more, the following attempt at displaying, in their pragmatic connection, the ancient interpretations of St. John's Epistles, and at characterizing them more accurately, may at least hope to be excused.

It is to be regretted, that not all the interpretations of the ancients, respecting which we have notices, have been preserved. Some have been entirely lost, and others partly.

Suidas1 states of the celebrated Antiochian exeget, Diodor. of Tarsus, that he left a commentary on the First Epistle of St. John. But it is not demonstrably certain, that so much as a fragment of it is preserved,3 a circumstance the more to be regretted, since the animadversion of Socrates, that he in his interpretations adhered too much to the bare letter of the sacred writings, can by us be considered only as his greatest commendation.

Not less to be regretted is the complete loss of Chrysostom's homilitical interpretations of the Catholic epistles. Suidas 5 and Cassiodor 6 state only in general terms, that Chrysostom did interpret the whole of the Old and New Testament. But as Ecumenius, as well as Theophylact, in their Commentaries on the Canonical Epistles, sometimes appeal to

1 Under the word Δίοδωρος.

? Perhaps a few fragments may have been preserved in the Scholia but none such can be pointed out with certainty.

3 The Catena contain a few fragments of the original of his Commentaries on the Historical Book of the New Testament, of which a part is still extant in the Chaldaic Church. See Assemanni, Bibl. Orient. III. p. 28.

4 Hist. Eccl. VI. 3. Ψιλόν γράμμα τῶν θείων γραφῶν.

5 Under Ιώαννης Χρυσ.

στιανικὴν ὑπεμνημάτισεν.

Απασαν Ἰουδαϊκὴν γραφὴν καὶ Χρι

6 De instit. div. litt. Praefat.: Ferunt scripturas divinas. V. et N. T. ab ipso principio usque ad finem Graeco sermone declarasse Ioannem Chrysostomum.