is truly possess'd of the word of Jesus can hear also his silence that he may be perfect that he may do according to what he speaks and be known according to those things wherein he is silent Nothing is hid from the Lord but our very secrets are nigh unto him Therefore let us do all things as having him dwelling in us that we may be his Temples and he may be our God in us for whatever is shall be made manifest to us and therefore do we justly love him Erre not my brethren They who are destroyers of houses shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Therefore if they are dead who act such things according to the flesh how much more is it death for any man by an evil doctrine to corrupt the faith of God for which Jesus Christ was crucified Such a one being defiled shall go into the unquenchable fire and so shall he who hears him For this cause the Lord received the unction upon his head that he might breathâ— into his Church incorruption Be not annoynted with the doctrine of the prince oâ— this world which hath an ill odour neitheâ— let him lead you captive from the life which is set before you Why are we not all wise having received the knowledge of God that is Jesus Christ Why are we foolishly destroyed being ignorant of that Grace which the Lord hath truly sent amongst us My spirit is the Off-scouring of the Cross which is a scandal to unbelievers but to us Salvation and Life eternal Where is the wise where is the disputer where is the boasting of wise men so called For our God Jesus Christ was conceived by Mary according to the Oeconomie of God of the seed of David by the holy Ghost who was born and baptized that he might through sufferings cleanse the water And the Virginity of Mary the Child born of her and the Death of the Lord were hid from the prince of this world being three crying Mysteries yet wrought up by God in silence How came he then to be manifested to ages A Star in Heaven appeared which out-shined all the other stars and the light of it was ineffable and the Nâ—veltie of it did contain a strangeness in it All the other stars together with the Sun and Moon were a Chorus to this â—tar which did carry in it a brightness and â—lendour above them all The world was â—â—oubled about it to find out how this New-Star should appear amongst the other â—â—ars so unlike unto them hereupon all Magick was dissolved and every bond of wickedness dis-appeared ignorance was taken away the old kingdom was destroyed when God appeared as man for the â—enewing of Life eternal But that which was perfect with God took a beginning and thereupon all things worked together to bring about the destruction of death If Jesus Christ through your Prayers shall make me worthy and it be his will in a second little Book which I am about to write unto you I will lay open unto you how I began my Oeconomie in the New man Jesus Christ both in his Faith Love Passion and Resurrection and I shall the rather do this if the Lord shall reveal it unto me Because all of you man by man through the grace of his Name concur together in Jesus Christ of the stock of David according to the flesh the son of man and the Son of God and ye are all obedient to the Bishop and to the Presbyterie with an undivided mind breaking one bread which is the Medicine of Immortalitie an Antidâ— against death preserving to Life eternal Jesus Christ I could give my life for yoâ— and for him whom ye have sent to Smyrâ—â— for the honour of God whence also I wriâ— unto you giving thanks unto the Lorâ— loving both Polycarp and you Remembeâ— me as Jesus Christ also remembers yoâ— Pray for the Church which is in Syria whence I am led away a Prisoner untâ— Rome being the last of the faithful there if I may be accounted worthy to bâ— found to the honour of God Fareweâ— in God the Father and in Jesus Christ ouâ— common hope To the Ephesians To the Magnesians Ignatius who is also Theophorus to the Church blessed in the Grace of God the Father through Jesus Christ our Saviour which is at Magnesia neer to Maeander which I salute in him and wish it very much joy in God the Father and in Jesus Christ. KNowing your most excellent Order of Love which is according to God I joyfully made it my choice to speak unto you in the faith of Jesus Christ For being accounted worthy of the Name most becoming God in these bonds wherein I carry it about I celebrate the Churches praying that they may be united in the flesh and spirit of Jesus Christ who is our endless life by Faith and Love before which nothing is preferred but chiefly of Jesus and the Father through whom having patiently endured every injury from the prince of this world and escaping them we shall enjoy God For I was accounted worthy to see you by Damas your Divine Bishop and the worthy Presbyters Bassus and Apollâ—nius and Sotion the Deacon my Felloâ— servant whom I would enjoy because he â—â— subject to the Bishop as to the Grace of Goâ— and to the Presbyterie as to the Law of Jâ—sus Christ And it becomes you not to makâ— any use to your selves of the age of the Bâ—shop but to give him all Reverence according to the power of God the Father as have known holy Presbyters not presuming upon that juvenile order which appears but as wise men in God concurring with him yet not with him but with the Father of Jesus Christ the Bishop of all Therefore for his honour who wills it it is meet we perform obedience without hypocrisie For a man doth not deceive this Bishop whom we see but puts a fallacie upon him who is invisible This is not spoken in reference to the flesh but to God who knoweth secrets Therefore it is meet not onely to be called Christians but to be so For some indeed there are who own the Bishop in name but do all things without him Such men appear to me to be men of no good Conscience because they hold meetings not established by commandment All works have some end two are propounded Death and Life and every man shall go to his proper place As there are two sorts of Coyn one of God another of the world and each Coyn hath its proper stamp set upon it Infidels have the stamp of this world Believers in love have the stamp of God the Father by Jesus Christ whose life cannot be in us unless we can through him voluntarily die into his Passion But seeing I have in the persons prescribed taken a view of your whole multitude in Faith and Love I admonish you to do all things in the unanimity of God your Bishop being President over you in the place of God and the Presbyters in place
of false brethren who carry the Name of the Lord in hypocrisie onely to seduce vain men into errour For every one who doth not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is Antichrist and he who doth not confess the Martyrdom of the Cross is of the devil and he who shall pervert the Oracles of the Lord to serve his own private lusts and shall say that there is no Resurrection nor judgement is the first-born of Satan Therefore let us decline the folly of many and their false doctrines and give heed to that word which was delivered to us from the beginning Let us attend unto Prayers with all sobrietie and unto Fastings with all perseverance and in our supplications let us pray unto the Al-seeing God that he would not lead us into temptation as the Lord hath taught for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Let us endure without fainting resting our selves upon our hope and pledge of righteousness which is Jesus Christ who did bear our sins in his own body upon the tree who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth but he patiently endured all things for us that we might live through him Therefore let us be the followers of his patience and if we suffer for his Name we glorifie him for he set us such an Example in himself as we believe Therefore I exhort you all to obey the word of Righteousness and to exercise all Patience as ye have seen it exemplified before your eyes not onely in the blessed Ignatius Zosimus and Rufus but in others among you in Paul himself and the rest of the Apostles For ye may be confident that all these have not run in vain but in Faith and Righteousness and having obtained the place due unto them are now with the Lord with whom also they suffered for they loved not this present world but him who died for us and was for us by God raised again from death to life Stand fast therefore in these things and follow the Pattern of the Lord Be stedfast in the Faith immutable Lovers of the brotherhood kind one to another united in Truth performing all meekness each to other and despising none When ye can do good do not deferre it for Alms delivereth from death Be subject one to another having your conversation unblameable among the Gentiles that your selves may receive praise from your good works and the Lord be not blasphemed by your means But wo to that man by whom the Name of the Lord is blasphemed Therefore teach all men sobriety and be your selves conversant in it I am very much troubled for Valens who was made a Presbyter among you because he is unmindful of his place which was committed unto him I therefore admonish you that ye abstain from Covetousness and that ye be chaste and true Keep your selves from all evil But how can he preach this to another who cannot govern himself in these matters If a man keep not himself from Covetousness he will be defiled with Idolatry and accounted an heathen But who knows not the judgement of the Lord Do we not know that the Saints shall judge the world as Paul teacheth But I have neither perceived nor heard of any such thing among you amongst whom blessed Paul laboured who are also in the beginning of his Epistle For he glories of you in all those Churches which onely knew God at that time for as yet we had not known him Therefore my Brethren I am grieved for him and for his wife to whom the Lord give true Repentance And be ye sober as to this very thing esteem not such as enemies but restore them as frail and erring members that the whole body of you may be saved for in so doing ye build up your selves I trust that ye are well exercised in the holy Scriptures and that nothing is hid from you which thing is not yet granted unto me As it is written Be angry and sin not let not the sun go down upon your wrath Blessed is he who shall believe which thing I believe to be in you Now the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ the eternal High-priest and Son of God build you up in faith and truth and in all meekness that ye may be without anger and in all patience longanimity long-sufferance and chastity and give you a lot and part amongst his Saints and to us together with you and to all who are under heaven that shall believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and in his Father who raised him from the dead Pray for all Saints Pray also for Kings and Potentates and Princes for those who persecute you and hate you and for the enemies of the Cross that your fruit may be manifested in all and ye may be perfect in him Ye and also Ignatius have written unto me that if any man go into Syria he may carry also your Letters which I will either do my self if I have a fit opportunity or he whom I shall send upon your message also According to your request we have sent unto you those Epistles of Ignatius which he wrote unto us and so many others of his as we had by us which are subjoyned to this Epistle and by which ye may be very much profited for they contain in them faith and patience and all that is necessary for the building of you up in our Lord. Signifie unto us what ye shall certainly know concerning Ignatius himself and those who are with him I have written unto you these things by Crescens whom I formerly commended to you and do now commend for he was conversant amongst us unblameably and I believe he was the same amongst you Ye shall also have his sister commended when she shall come unto you Be safe in the Lord Jesus Christ in grace with all yours Amen The Life and Death of Holy IGNATIUS Bishop of the Church of Antioch in Syria Holy Martyr and Disciple of Saint John the Evangelist Together with a true account of these following Epistles of his 1. To the Smyrneans 2. To Polycarp 3. To the Ephesians 4. To the Magnesians 5. To the Philadelphians 6. To the Trallians 7. To the Romans All faithfully translated out of the Original Greek into English according to the most genuine Copy found in the Library of Lawrence De Medicis by the Learned Isaac Vossius and by him published at Amsterdam in the year of our Lord. 1646. THis holy man Ignatius was a man of an extraordinary Zeal vast Charity most clear Apprehensions as to Divine things devout and religious even to a He was styled Theophorus as he Miracle calls himself in all his Epistles either as is supposed by some because he was that Little Child mentioned in the Gospel which Christ took up in his arms when he would teach his Disciples Humility by the low Character of Childhood or because he did constantly bear God about with him in his holy and pure
judgements who have discovered truth to be in those very interpolate Epistles Andrew Rivet an eminent man makes this out sufficiently However I now publish those Epistles which are genuine and in all respects agreeing with the testimony of the Antients so that they who will deny these must deny also that this Martyr ever wrote any Epistles But let them enjoy their own opinion for my part I am assured that they will meet with very few of the same and none that can be of it with reason But Courteous Reader thou art indebted to the Medicaean Library that thou hast these writings of Ignatius pure and not counterfeit and thou art indebted to the most Serene Prince Ferdinand the second the great Duke of Etruria through whose incomparable Love to Learning and Study I gained an opportunity of having the use of that famous Librarie and so of finding out this incomparable treasure of Ignatius which we now exhibit and publish to the world The Epistles of Saint Ignatius To the Smyrneans Ignatius who is also Theophorus to the Church of God the Father and of the beloved Jesus Christ which hath obtained mercy in all Grace replete with Faith and Love failing in no good gift most becoming God and fruitful in holiness which is at Smyrna in Asia be very much joy in the immaculate Spirit by the Word of God I Glorifie the God Jesus Christ who hath filled you with Wisdom For I understand that ye are perfected in an immoveable faith and are as persons fastened with nails to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ both in flesh and in spirit and well-grounded in love by the bloud of Christ having a full assurance in our Lord who was truly of the stock of David according to the flesh the Son of God according to the will and power of God truly born of a Virgin baptized by John that he might fulfil all righteousness and who truly suffered for us in the flesh under Pontius Pilate and Herod the Tetrarch From the fruit of whom we are even from his divinely blessed Passion that he might by his Resurrection lift up an ensign to all ages to the Saints and to all who do believe in him whether they be Jews or Gentiles in one body of his Church For he suffered all these things for us that we might be saved And he truly suffered as also he truly raised up himself neither did he suffer onely in appearance as some infidels affirm who themselves are onely in appearance and according to their wisdom shall it happen unto them being incorporeal and daemoniacks For I my self saw him in the flesh after his Resurrection and do believe that he is risen And when he came to those who were with Peter he said unto them Take hold of me handle me and see me for I am not an incorporeal spirit And straightway they touched him and believed in him being convinced by his flesh and by his spirit And hereupon they contemned death for they found themselves to be above it And after his Resurrection he eat and drank with them as one in the flesh though he was in spirit united to the Father Touching these things Beloved I admonish you however I know ye are already of this perswasion I do it to preserve you from beasts in the shape of men whom it is necessarie for you not to entertain but to avoid as much as possible Onely pray for them if happily they may repent which is a thing very difficult But Jesus Christ who is our true life hath the power of this But if these things were done by our Lord onely seemingly then am I also seemingly in bonds And why have I yielded up my self to be put to death why to the fire to the sword to the beasts but because to be nigh to the sword is to be nigh to God and to be inclosed with beasts is to be compassed about with God Only in the Name of Jesus Christ do I endure all things that I may suffer with him who is himself made a perfect man and now strengtheneth me Whom some ignorant men denie but they are rather denied by him being more the Preachers of death than of truth whom neither the Prophets have perswaded nor the Law of Moses nor yet the Gospel hitherto nor those suffrings of ours which are according to man For they are of the same mind concerning us But what would it advantage me should any man speak in my praise and yet blaspheme my Lord denying him to have taken flesh upon him For he who confesseth not this hath perfectly denied him and puts him to death But I am unwilling to write down their infidel names neither may I make any particular remembrance of them until they shall happily repent into a belief of the Passion which is our Resurrection Let no man be deceived For if things in heaven and the glory of Angels and Rulers visible and invisible believe not in the bloud of Christ it will be even unto them condemnation He who receiveth it may receive it Let place puff up no man for Faith and Charity is All and nothing is to be preferred before them But observe those who are otherwise opinioned of the grace of Jesus Christ which came unto us how contrary they are to the judgement of God They have no regard at all of Charity they neither care for the Widow nor Orphan nor any afflicted person be he bond or free hungry or thirstie They absent themselves from the Eucharist and Prayer because they will not confess the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ which suffered for our sins and which the Father by his goodness raised from death to life Therefore contradicting this gift of God and disputing about it they die but it would be better for them to Love it that they may rise again It is very convenient that ye abstain from such persons and that ye have no converse with them neither privately nor publikely But that ye give heed unto the Prophets and chiefly to the Gospel wherein the Passion is made manifest unto us and the Resurrection is completed But avoid Divisions as the beginning of evils And be all of you observant of the Bishop as Jesus Christ was observant of the Father and observe the Presbyterie as the Apostles and Reverence the Deacons as the command of God Let no man presume to do any thing belonging to the Church without the Bishop And let that Eucharist onely be accounted firm which is either performed by the Bishop himself or by his Licence Where the Bishop shall appear there let the multitude be for where Jesus Christ is there is the Catholique Church It is neither lawful to baptize nor to keep the Love-feast without the Bishop but whatever he shall approve of that is well-pleasing to God that so every thing which is done may be firm and established Furthermore it is a blessed thing to grow sober and whilst we have opportunity to
Imprimatur Tho. Tomkyns RRmo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino Gilberto Divinâ Providentiâ Archi-Episcopo Cantuariensi à sacris domesticis Apr. 29. THE FAMOUS EPISTLES OF Saint Polycarp and Saint Ignatius Disciples to the holy Evangelist and Apostle Saint JOHN With the EPISTLE of St BARNABAS And some remarks upon their Lives and Deaths Translated according to the best Copies out of the Original Greek into English By Thomas Elborowe Vicar of Chiswick in the County of Middlesex In the SAVOY Printed by Tho. Newcomb for William Grantham at the Sign of the Black Bear in Westminster-Hall 1668. TO THE REVEREND FATHER in GOD ROBERT Lord Bishop of Worcester My Lord I Have been your debter these many years and although I was perswaded formerly to appear in print in a short Exposition upon the Book of Common-Prayer yet that small and imperfect piece did seek protection from the wings of another It is my happiness now to make choice of a Subject most proper and fit for your Lordships Patronage wherein Christianity and the Fence about it the Vine and the Hedge are so delineated according to the Primitive Patterns that this present age wherein we live may blush and stand amazed to see how much short they are in the practise of that Religion which they profess and be ashamed of themselves that they of the first Age should be Christians indeed whilst too many of this are onely Christians in Name It hath been very well observed by the Antient Fathers and as much by these two as by any Holy Polycarp and Divine Ignatius who fly to the sacred wings of your Lordships protection to secure them from a second Martyrdom which the unkind world may threaten them withall That Religion consists more in practice than in speculation and is rather an Occupation than a meer Profession But I will detain your Lordship no longer from the reading of them in our plain English whom you have so often conversed with in their own Language Thus having discharged a small part of my debt which yet your Acceptance will double upon me I remain your Lordships debter still ever praying for your Lordships health and happiness Your dutiful and obedient Son Thomas Elborowe The Life and Death of Saint POLYCARP Martyr Bishop of the Church of Smyrna and Disciple to Saint John the Evangelist POlycarp was a man of an excellent Spirit an eminent Christian fruitful in every good work the Disciple of the blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John not onely instructed by the Apostles in the Doctrine of Christianity and continually conversant amongst them who had seen Christ in the flesh but he was by the Apostles themselves ordained Bishop of the Church of Smyrna in Asia He was that famous Angel so much commended for his Pietie Patience and Constancie Revel 2. 8 9 10. when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very great persecutions disturbed and vexed all Asia and fell very heavie upon that City where he was then Metropolitan Irenaeus who was Polycarps Disciple makes mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his conversation with John and gives him this Style that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. epist ad Florin That blessed and Apostolical Presbyter He further reports of him thus that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. lib. 3. advers haeres c. 3. made Bishop over the Church of Smyrna in Asia by the Apostles themselves Tertullian Tertul. in lib. de praescript advers haeres shewing how the Apostolical Churches derived their Successions mentioned Polycarp placed over the Church of Smyrna by John He is styled by Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Eccles hist lib 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a person very familiar with the Apostles and is said by the same author to have obtained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Episcopacie of the Church of Smyrna by the joynt suffrage of those who had seen the Lord and were Jerom. in Script eccles catalog his Ministers Jerom says he was a Disciple of John the Apostle and by him ordained Metropolitan Bishop of Smyrna for he was Totius Asiae Princeps the Prince of all Asia Gildas saith he was Egregius Pastor Christi Gildas in castig cler Britan. testis an excellent Pastour and Witness of Christ The very heathens thinking to disgrace him the more did give him this honourable Eulogie that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Doctor of Asia the Father of the Christians This godly Professor and great Prelate lived to a very great age and finishing his life by a glorious Martyrdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb l. 4. c. 12. did as it were seal up by his Martyrdom and put a Period to the persecution which then raged This happened under the reign of Marcus Aurelius Philosophus and Lucius Verus Roman Emperours Very memorable things are recorded of this great Saint and Martyr by Eusebius to Euseb eccles hist lib. 4. whom I refer my Reader This briefly touching Polycarp himself I come now to speak as briefly of his Works and Writings Divers are by divers attributed to him Some make mention of many Tracts Homilies and Epistles which he wrote and of Vid. Halloix vit Polycarp c. 16. One entire Book composed by him upon the Death of Saint John the Evangelist his Master Suidas mentions Epistles written by him to Dionysius the Areopagite and to Suidas in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 several Churches Irenaeus who was his Disciple mentions Epistles written by him Iren. epist ad Florin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To neighbour Churches and to certain of the Brethren But these shall not be a matter of my further enquirie whether so or not so I shall now give you a brief account out of some of the Ancients touching this Epistle of his written to the Philippians Photius reports it to be read publickly in Churches Photius in Bibliothec num 126. his word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gives it out to be an Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of many admirable Admonitions clear and plain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Ecclesiastical form of interpretation then used Jerom styles it Epistolam Jerom. in Scrip. Eccles catal valdè utilem a very useful Epistle and reports it to be read in the Churches of Asia to his very time Irenaeus saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most full and complete Epistle out of which all who are willing to learn and have any care or value for their Salvation may learn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. advers haeres lib. 3. c. 3. Euseb Eccles hist. lib. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exact form of Faith and Doctrine of Truth Eusebius says the very same out of Irenaeus Sophronius and Suidas style it an Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very admirable Maximus the Scholiast reports him to have written Epistles Suid. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Philippians but that is supposed a
is Vnitie ye shall with one voyce glorifie the Father by Jesus Christ that he may also hear you and acknowledge you by what you do to be the members of his Son So that it is profitable for you to continue in immaculate Unitie that ye may always be partakers of God If I in so short a time have gained so great a conformableness in manners with your Bishop which is spiritual and not after the manner of men how can I estimate of your happiness who are continually united to him as the Church to Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ to the Father that all things may be consonant in unity Let no man be deceived If any man is not within the Altar he is deprived of the bread of God For if the Prayer of one or two is so effectual how much more effectual is the Prayer of the Bishop and all the Church He therefore that will not come into one place or joyn with the Congregation is a proud man and hath separated himself and it is written That God resisteth the proud Therefore let us endeavour to be in subjection to the Bishop that so we may be God's Subjects And if any man take notice that the Bishop holds his peace let him fear and reverence him so much the more for we ought to receive him whom the Master of the Family hath sent to govern his House as we should receive the Master himself who sent him Therefore it is evident that we ought to respect the Bishop as the Lord himself But Onesimus doth himself very much commend your good Order which is according to God for ye all live according to truth and there is no heresie amongst you neither do ye hear any but Jesus Christ speaking according to truth Some indeed by an evil deceit have accustomed themselves to carry about his Name but they do things unworthy of God and these ye ought to shun as beasts For they are like mad dogs biting unawares whom ye ought to avoid and have a special eye upon being persons very hard to be cured There is one Physitian fleshly and spiritual begotten and unbegotten God made in the flesh and the true life in death both of Mary and of God first passible and then impassible Let no man seduce you as ye are not yet seduced being wholly of God For so long as there is no contention amongst you which may be hurtful to you ye live according to God I am made as an Off-scouring for you and as a Purgatorie expiation for you Ephesians famous to ages Carnal men cannot do spiritual things nor spiritual men do the things which are carnal neither can Faith do the things of Infidelitie nor Infidelitie the things of Faith But those very things which ye do as carnal men are spiritual so long as ye do all things according to Jesus Christ I have known some passing from those parts who held an evil doctrine but ye would not suffer them to sow their seeds amongst you but stopped your ears against them that ye might receive none of the doctrine sowed by them For ye are Stones of the Father's Temple prepared for the building of God the Father carried up on high by the Engine of Jesus Christ which is his Cross by the Cord of the holy Spirit But Faith is your Guide and Charity your Way which leads unto God Ye are all therefore Fellow-travellers carrying about with you God and the Temple Christ and Sanctitie being in all things beautified according to the commands of Jesus Christ in whom I am exceedingly rejoyced being vouchsafed so great a dignitie as to converse with you in writing and to joy together with you who live according to the other life and love nothing but onely God Pray also without ceasing for other men for there is hope of their repentance that they also may attain God Admonish them and let them be wrought upon by your works to become your Disciples Oppose your meekness to their anger and whilst they boast of great things do ye mind the things of humility Pray for them who speak evil of you keeping your selves firm in the faith against their errour Be mild how morose soever they are neither be hasty to requite them according to their own examples Let us be found their Brethren by our mild carriage towards them and endeavour to be the followers of the Lord. Though some among you may be injured defrauded despised yet let no one amongst you be found an Herb of the devil Keep your selves in all Puritie and Temperance both in flesh and spirit through Jesus Christ The last times are come Therefore let us reverence and fear the long-sufferance of God that it be not our condemnation For either let us fear the wrath to come or love the present grace One of the two is onely to be found in Jesus Christ that we may live indeed Nothing can become us without this for this I bear about my bonds which are as spiritual Pearls through which by your Prayers I may rise again And let me always be partaker of your Prayers that I may be found in the lot of those Ephesian Christians who were ever of the same mind with the Apostles through the power of Jesus Christ I know who I am and to whom I write I am a condemned person but ye have obtained mercy I am under danger but ye are established Ye are the Passover of those who are killed for God being the Fellow-ministers of sanctified Paul who was martyred worthily blessed under whose feet I would be found that I may enjoy God who in a whole Epistle makes mention of you in Jesus Christ. Make hast therefore to meet together more frequently to the Eucharist of God and to glorie For when ye often come together into one place the powers of Satan are rendred frustrate and his enmitie is destroyed through your Unity of Faith Nothing is better than peace by which all hostilitie of heavenly and earthly powers is made void None of these things are conceal'd from you if ye hold perfectly that Faith and Love in Jesus Christ which are the beginning and end of life For Faith is the beginning Love is the end these two united are of God and all other things tending to Honestie do wait upon these No man who hath covenanted into the faith committeth sin nor doth he hate another who is possess'd of Charitie The tree is known by its fruit and they who have solemnly engaged to be Christians shall be seen by the works they do For it is not now the work of an Engagement but it is through the power of Faith if a man be found to the end It is better to be silent and to be than to speak and not to be It is a good thing to teach if a man do as well as teach There is therefore one teacher who spake and it was done and the things also which he did in silence are worthy of the Father He who
of the Council of the Apostles and the Deacons most pleasant to me having the Diaconie of Jesus Christ committed to them who was with the Father before ages and in the end appeared Having therefore all received manners like unto God reverence one another and let no man defraud his neighbour according to the flesh but love one another always in Jesus Christ Let nothing be amongst you which may possibly divide you but be united to the Bishop and to those who are Presidents over you according to the Type and Doctrine of incorruption Therefore as the Lord being united to him did nothing without the Father neither by himself nor by the Apostles so neither do ye act any thing without thâ— Bishop and the Presbyters Neither attemp any thing upon your own account however reasonable it may appear unto you When ye come together into one place let there be One Prayer One Supplication one mind one hope in Love and in immaculate joy There is one Jesus Christ thaâ— whom nothing is better Therefore all concur together as into the Temple of God aâ— to one Altar to one Jesus Christ who came from one Father and being one is returned to him Be not deceived by strange opinions nor old fables which are unprofitable For if we still live according to the Law and Judaism we confess that Grace is not received For the most divine Prophets lived according to Jesus Christ and therefore they were persecuted being inspired by his Grace that they might work a perswasion in those who were not perswaded that there is one God who manifested himself by Jesus Christ his Son who is his eternal Word not coming forth from Silence who in all things pleased him that sent him Therefore if they who were conversant in the works of old time came to the Newness of Hope not Sabbatizing any longer but living according to the Dominical life of that day whereon our life did rise again through him and through his death whom some deny through which mysterie we have received both to Believe and also to endure with Patience that we may be found the Disciples of Jesus Christ our onely Master how shall we be able to live without him whom the Prophets being his Disciples looked for in Spirit as their Master and because they justly expected him he when he was come raised them from the dead Therefore let not us be insensible of his Goodness for if he should retribute to us according to what we do we should cease to be Therefore being made his Disciples let us learn to live like Christians For he who is called by any other name than this is not of God Therefore put away from you the evil leaven which is old and corrupt and be ye changed into the New Leaven which is Jesus Christ Be ye seasoned in him that none of you be corrupted for ye shall be disproved by your savour It is an absurd thing to profess Jesus Christ and yet to Judaize for Christianism hath not believed into Judaism but Judaism into Christianism that every tongue believing might be gathered unto God But these things my Beloved not because I have known any of you to be such but because though I am lesser then you I would have you to be preserved that ye may not fall into the snares of a vain opinion but may have a full assurance in the Nativity Passion and Resurrection effected in that season when Pontius Pilate was governour all truly and firmly accomplished by Jesus Christ our hope from which hope may none of you be perverted I would every way enjoy you if I may be worthy for though I am in bonds yet am I not to be compared to one of you who are at libertie I know ye are not puffed up for ye have Jesus Christ among you And I know the more I praise you it doth but shame you so much the more as it is written The just man is an accuser of himself Make it your endeavour to be confirmed in the determinations of the Lord and the Apostles that whatever ye do may be prosperous both in flesh and spirit Faith and Love in the Son and in the Father and in the Spirit in the beginning and the end together with your most venerable Bishop and your Presbyterie which is as a spiritual Crown decently plâ—tted and the Deacons who are according to God Be subject to the Bishop and one to another as Jesus Christ to the Father according to the flesh and the Apostles to Christ and to the Father and the Spirit that there may be unitie both carnal and spiritual Knowing that ye are full of God I have exhorted you but in few words Remember me in your Prayers that I may obtain God and that Church which is in Syria from whence I am not worthy to be called For I very much want your Prayer united in God and your Love that the Church which is in Syria may be accounted worthy to be watered by your Church The Ephesians from Smyrna salute you whence also I write unto you being present to the glorie of God as also ye are who have refreshed me in all things together with Polycarp the Bishop of the Smyrneans The other Churches also salute you in the honour of Jesus Christ Be strong in the concord of God being possessed with a discerning Spirit which is Jesus Christ To the Magnesians To the Philadelphians Ignatius who is also Theophorus to thâ— Church of God the Father and the Lorâ— Jesus Christ which is in Philadelphia of Asia which hath obtained mercy is settleâ— in â—he concord of God rejoycing in the Passion of our Lord indiscernably and fully assured of his Resurrection in all mercy which I salute in the bloud of Jesus Christ for she is my eternal and permanent joy chiefly if they continue united with the Bishop and the Presbytors with him and the Deacons manifested to be according to the Sentence of Jesus Christ whom he hath firmly established according to his own will by his holy Spirit WHich Bishop I have known to have obtained the Ministerie for the common good not by himself nor by men nor out of vain-glorie but by the love of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ whose mild temper I have been amazed at for by his silence he can do more than they who speak vain things For ye are as harmoniously agreeing in commands as the harp and the strings Therefore my Soul blesseth that sentence of his which is according to God knowing that it is vertuous and perfect and that he cannot be moved nor provoked to anger being in all the meekness of the Living God Being therefore the children of light and truth flie division evil doctrines Where the Pastour is do ye as sheep follow him for many wolves who seem worthy of credit do by an evil delectation lead captive persons running to God but through your unitie they shall have no place Depart from evil herbs which Jesus