apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

324 EPISTLES OF S. IGNATIUS.
the theory is
placed in a more advantageous position by
such a restatement,
and this is in effect what the Reviewer meant. Thus restated,
the theory has this prima fade ground, that a considerable
number of the mss in this Nitrian collection contain Monophysite
works or are derived from Monophysite sources. It is even possible
that one or other of the mss containing this abridgment may have been
transcribed by Monophysite hands. But the theory itself is sufficiently
refuted by these three considerations, (i)
The contents of the three
MSS in which the Curetonian Epistles are preserved do not betray
any special Monophysite leanings. They comprise various patristic
treatises, some doctrinal, some practical, some historical, mostly
by well-known writers, Basil, the two Gregorys, Cyril, etc. (see
Cureton C. I. p. xviii sq). (2) The great Monophysite leaders, Timotheus
of Alexandria (see above, p. 173 sq)
and Severus of Antioch
(p. 178 sq), not to mention other anonymous advocates of Monophysite
doctrine (p. 194 sq), persistently use the Middle Form of the Ignatian
Epistles ;
and there is no trace whatever in them of acquaintance with
the Curetonian Abridgment. They quote freely from all the seven
epistles; and even in the three epistles, wherever the two recensions
differ, their quotations are taken from the Middle, not the Short Form.
(3) So far from betraying Monophysite purposes, this abridgment is
much less serviceable to Monophysite interests than the Vossian letters.
By omitting altogether four out of seven epistles, it omits many passages
which were held to favour Alonophysitism (e.g. Smyrn. i. 2, 5, 6, Magn.
6, 8); but even in these three, which it it
preserves, strikes out some of the
texts which were most important from a Monophysite point of view; e.g.
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q yvwfjLT], Ephes. 7 €V dvOpuiTrw ©eos, EpJies. 180 yap ©€os 7^^v,
Rom. 3 d yap ©€os r\p.i^v 'Irycrous Xptcrro k.tX., Rom. 6 iiviTpixpaTi
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