Horne, in his _Introduction_, vol. iv. p. 254., says that Irenæus was
the first to discover the analogy between the four animals mentioned
by Ezekiel (i. 5. 10.) and the four Evangelists, which gave rise to
the well-known paintings of these latter. He quotes from _Iren. adv.
Hoer._ lib. iii. cap. 11.:--
"The first living creature, which is like a lion, signifies
Christ's efficacy, principality, and regality, viz. John; the
second, like a calf, denotes His sacerdotal order, viz. Luke;
the third, having as it were, a man's face, describes His
coming in the flesh as man, viz. Matthew; and the fourth, like
a flying eagle, manifests the grace of the Spirit flying into
the Church, viz. Mark."
There is also an interesting passage in _Dionys Carthus. in Apocal.
Enarr._ iv. 7., from which the following is an extract:--
"Although the above exposition of Gregorius, in which by the
man in meant Matthew, by the calf Luke, &c., be the common
one, yet other holy men have held a different opinion, for as
Bede relates on this point, Augustine understood by the lion
Matthew, because in the beginning of his Gospel he describes
the _royal_ descent of Christ; by the calf he also understood
Luke, because he wrote of the _priestly_ descent of Our Lord;
by the man Mark, because he omits the question of Christ's
birth, and confines himself more especially to describing
His acts as a _man_; by the eagle, _all_ understand John, on
account of the sublimity to which his Gospel soars. Others
again understand by the lion Matthew; by the calf Mark,
on account of the simplicity of his style; and by the man
Luke, because he has more fully treated of Christ's _human_
generation."
Would "JARLZBERG" kindly favour me with a reference to his interesting
anecdote of the lion's whelps?