Apostles

APOSTLES, supposed to be written by Abdias, the pretended Bishop of Babylon. The Impostor, who composed these Acts, gives himself out to be a Bishop ordain’d at Babylon by the Apostles themselves when they were upon their Journey into Persia. This work is neither antient nor authentick: It was not known either to Eusebius or St. Jerom, or to any of the other Fathers who lived before them. The Author says that he wrote in Greek, and that his Book was translated into Latin by Julius Africanus, who is himself a Greek Writer. He cites Hegesippus, who lived in the second age of the Church. In short, the lives of the Apostles which he gives us do so abound with Fables, that we can scarce look upon them as any thing better than a Romance very ill put together.

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