God I intreat you that he may tarry longer both for yours and your Bishops Honour And Crocus also worthy both of God and you whom I have received as the Pattern of your Love has in all things refresh'd Me as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ shall also refresh Him together with Onesimus and Burrhus and Euplus and Fronto in whom I have as to your Charity seen all of you And may I always have Joy of you if I shall be worthy of it It is therefore fitting that by all means you should Glorifie Jesus Christ who hath Glorified you That by a Uniform Obedience ye may be perfectly joyned together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment and may all speak the same things And that being subject to your Bishop and his Presbytery ye may be wholly and thoroughly Sanctified III. THESE things I prescribe to you not as if I were some body Extraordinary For tho' I am bound for His Name I am not yet perfect in Christ Jesus But now I begin to learn and I speak to you as Fellow-Disciples together with Me. For I ought to have been stirred up by you in Faith in Admonition in Patience in Long-suffering But forasmuch as Charity suffers me not to be silent towards you I have first taken upon me to exhort you that ye would all run together according to the Will of God For Jesus Christ our inseparable Life is the Mind of the Father as the Bishops appointed even unto the utmost Bounds of the Earth are the Mind of Jesus Christ. IV. WHEREFORE it will become you to Run together according to the Will of your Bishop as also ye do For your Famous Presbytery worthy of God is fitted as exactly to its Bishop as the Strings are to their Harp Therefore in your Concord and agreeing Charity Jesus Christ is Sung and every single Person among you makes up the Chorus That so being all Consonant in Love and taking up the Song of God ye may with one Voice and in a perfect Unity sing to the Father by Jesus Christ to the end that by this means he may both hear you and perceive by your Works that ye are indeed the Members of his Son Wherefore it is profitable for you to live in an Unblameable Unity that so ye may always have a Fellowship with God V. FOR if I in this little time have had such a Familiarity with your Bishop I mean not a Carnal but Spiritual Acquaintance with Him How much more must I think you Happy who are so joyn'd to Him as the Church is to Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ to the Father that so all things may agree in the same Unity Let no Man deceive Himself if a Man be not within the ALTAR He is Deprived of the BREAD of God For if the Prayer of One or Two be of such force as we are told How much more Powerful shall that of the Bishop and the whole Church be He therefore that does not come together into the same place with it is proud and has already condemned himself For it is written God resisteth the Proud Let us take heed therefore that we do not set our selves against the Bishop that we may be the Servants of God VI. THE more any one sees his Bishop silent the more let him Reverence him For whomsoever the Master of the House sends unto his own Houshold we ought in like manner to receive him as we would do Him that sent Him It is therefore evident that we ought to look upon the Bishop even as we would do upon the Lord Jesus And indeed Onesimus himself does greatly commend your good Order in God That you all live according to the Truth and that no Heresie dwells among you For neither do ye hearken to any one so much as to Jesus Christ speaking to you in Truth VII FOR some there are who carry about the name of Christ in Deceitfulness but do many things unworthy of God whom ye must flee as ye would do so many wild Beasts For they are ravening Wolves who devour secretly Against whom ye must guard your selves as Men hardly to be cured There is one Physician both Fleshly and Spiritual Made and not Made God incarnate True Life in Death Both of Mary and of God First Passible then Impassible even Jesus Christ our Lord. VIII WHEREFORE let no Man deceive you as indeed neither are ye deceived being wholly the Servants of God For inasmuch as there is no Contention nor Strife among you to trouble you ye must needs live according to Gods Will. My Soul be for yours and I my self the Expiatory Offering for your Church of Ephesus so Famous throughout the World They that are of the Flesh cannot do the Works of the Spirit neither they that are of the Spirit the Works of the Flesh. As he that has Faith cannot be an Infidel nor he that is an Infidel have Faith But even those things which ye do according to the Flesh are Spiritual forasmuch as ye do all things in Jesus Christ. IX NEVERTHELESS I have heard of some who have gone to you having perverse Doctrine Whom ye did not suffer to sow among you but stopp'd your Ears that ye might not receive those things that were sown by Them As being the Stones of the Temple of the Father prepared for his Building and drawn up on High by the Cross of Christ as by an Engine using the Holy Ghost as the Rope by which to ascend Your Faith being your Support and your Charity the way that leads unto God Ye are therefore with all your Companions in the same Journey full of God His Spiritual Temples full of Christ full of Holinss Adorn'd in all things with the Commands of Christ Through whom also I Triumph in that I have been thought worthy by this present Epistle to converse and rejoyce together with you that having regard to the other Life ye love nothing but God only X. YE do also Pray without ceasing for all Men For there is Hope of Repentance in them that they may attain unto God Let them therefore at least be instructed by your Works if they will be no other way Be ye Mild at their Anger Humble at their Boasting To their Blasphemies return your Payers To their Error your firmness in the Faith When they are Cruel be ye Gentle not endeavouring to imitate their ways Let us be their Brethren in all Kindness and Moderation but let us be Followers of the LORD If any one be more than other either injured or defrauded or despised That so no Herb of the Devil may be found in you but ye may remain in all Holiness and Sobriety both of Body and Spirit in Christ Jesus XI THE Last times
longer observing Sabbaths but living according to the Commands of the LORD in which also our Life is sprung up by Him and through his Death whom yet some deny By which Mystery we have been brought to Believe and therefore wait that we may be found the Disciples of Jesus Christ our only Master How shall we be able to live Different from Him whose Disciples the very Prophets themselves being did by the Spirit expect Him as their Master And therefore He whom they justly waited for being come raised them up from the Dead X. LET us not then be Insensible of his Goodness for should he have dealt with us according to our Works we had not now had a Being Wherefore being become his Disciples let us learn to live according to the Rules of Christianity For whosoever is called by any other name besides this He is not of God Lay aside therefore the Old and Sower and Evil Leaven and be ye changed into the New Leaven which is Jesus Christ. Be ye salted in Him lest any one among you should be Corrupted for by your smell ye shall be Judged It is Absurd to call your selves by the Name of Jesus Christ and to Judaize For the Christian Religion did not embrace the Jewish but the Jewish the Christian that so every Tongue that Believed might be gathered together unto God XI THESE things my Beloved I write unto you not that I know of any among you that lye under this Error But as one of the least among you I am desirous to forewarn you that ye fall not into the Snares of Vain Doctrine But that ye be fully instructed in the Birth and Suffering and Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Hope which was done in the Time of the Government of Pontius Pilate and that most truly and certainly and from which God forbid that any among you should be turn'd aside XII MAY I therefore have Joy of you in all things if I shall be worthy of it For though I am Bound yet am I not worthy to be compared to one of you that are at Liberty I know that ye are not puffed up for ye have Jesus Christ in your Hearts And especially when I commend you I know that ye are Ashamed as it is written The Just Man condemneth himself XIII STUDY therefore to be confirm'd in the Doctrine of our LORD and of his Apostles that so whatsoever ye do ye may prosper both in Body and Spirit in Faith and Charity in the Son and in the Father and in the Holy Spirit in the Beginning and in the End Together with your most worthy Bishop and the well-wrought Spiritual Crown of your Presbytery and your Deacons which are according to God Be subject to your Bishop and to one another as Jesus Christ to the Father according to the Flesh and the Apostles both to Christ and to the Father and to the Holy Ghost that so ye may be united both in Body and Spirit XIV KNOWING you to be full of God I have the more briefly exhorted you Be mindful of me in your Prayers that I may attain unto God And forget not the Church that is in Syria from which I am not worthy to be called For I stand in need of your Joynt-Prayers in God and of your Charity that the Church which is in Syria may be thought worthy to be nourish'd by your Church XV. THE Ephesians from Smyrna salute you from which place I write unto you Being present here to the Glory of God in like manner as you are who have in all things refresh'd me together with Polycarp the Bishop of the Smyrnaeans The rest of the Churches in the Honour of Jesus Christ salute you Farewel and be ye strengthned in the Concord of God enjoying his Inseparable Spirit which is Jesus Christ. To the MAGNESIANS THE EPISTLE OF St. IGNATIVS TO THE Trallians THE CONTENTS The Salutation Chap. I. HE acknowledges the Coming of their Bishop and his receit of their Charity by Him II. He commends them for their Orderly Subjection to their Bishop Priests and Deacons and exhorts them to continue in it III. He inforces the same Exhortation Commends their Bishop and excuses his not writing more fully to them of this Matter IV. Which he does not least he should seem to take too much upon Him And be too much exalted in his own Conceit which would be very Dangerous to Him Who is afraid even of his Over-great Desire to Suffer least it should be prejudicial to Him V. Another Reason why he did not write more largely to them is that at present they are not able to bear it VI. He warns them against Hereticks who poison the sound Word of Christ And VII Exhorts them by Humility of Mind and Unity with the Church to guard Themselves against Them VIII And this he does not that he knows of any present need they had of this Advice but to prevent any Mischief from falling upon them IX To which End he briefly sets before them the true Doctrine concerning Christ. X. And particularly exposes the Error of some who taught that he seemed only to Die but did not really Suffer XI From these he would have Them flee XII He returns again to his Exhortation of them to Unity And desires their Prayers of which he was much in need XIII Which also he begs for his Church at Antioch And having given them the Salutations of Those who were with Him and once more exhorted them to due Submission to their Bishop c. He Concludes THE EPISTLE OF St. IGNATIVS TO THE Trallians IGNATIUS who is also called THEOPHORUS to the Beloved of God the Father of JESUS CHRIST the Holy Church which is at TRALLES in Asia Elect and Worthy of God Having Peace through the Flesh and Bloud and Passion of Jesus Christ our Hope in the Resurrection which is by him Which also I salute in the Fullness of the Apostolical Character Wishing all Joy and Happiness unto it I. I HAVE heard of your Blameless and Constant Disposition through Patience which not only appears in your Outward Conversation but is habitually rooted and grounded in you In like manner as Polybius your Bishop has declared unto me Who came to me to Smyrna by the Will of God and Jesus Christ and so rejoyced together with me in my Bonds for Jesus Christ that in effect I saw your whole Church in Him Having therefore received the Testimony of your Good Will towards me for Gods sake by Him I rejoyced to find you as also I knew that ye were the Followers of God II. FOR whereas ye are subject to your Bishop as to Jesus Christ ye appear to me to live not after the manner of Men but according to Jesus Christ who died for us that so believing in his Death we might
a most perfect and comprehensive Knowledg of the Faith as it is in Jesus 4. HAD they been some ordinary and obscure Writers even of the Apostolical Times Men of no Note no Authority in the Church tho' still whilst we had a good Account of their Integrity the very Advantage of the Age wherein they lived would have rendered their Discourses justly Venerable to us yet should we not perhaps have been obliged to pay such a Deference to their Writings as not to make Allowance for some little Defects or Mistakes that might have happen'd to them But now having to do with Men not only instructed in common by the Apostles with the other Christians of those days but particularly bred up and instituted by them Having here the Writings of Men who had attained to such a perfect Knowledg in the Mystery of Godliness and were judg'd to have been so well grounded and setled in it as to deserve to be raised up by the Apostles themselves to the Government of such eminent Churches as those over which these Holy Men were Over-Seers It is plain that we cannot with any reason doubt of what they deliver to us as the Gospel of Christ but ought to receive it if not with equal Veneration yet but with a little less Respect than we do the Sacred Writings of those who were their Masters and Instructers 5. YET farther Thirdly The following Authors were not only such Eminent Men and bred up under such mighty Advantages and so well instructed in the Knowledg of the Gospel as I have now observed but they were moreover Persons of a Consummated Piety adorn'd with all those Christian Virtues they so affectionately recommend to us But especially they were zealous Watchmen over their Churches careful to instruct them in the true Faith and Doctrine of Christ and no less careful to preserve them against the Contagion of those Heresies which even in their days began to corrupt the Purity of it Hence we read with what Earnestness that Blessed Martyr Ignatius first and then his Fellow-Disciple St. Polycarp set themselves against those who would insinuate some Other Doctrines into the Minds of their People than what the Apostles had deliver'd unto them What wise Directions they gave them for the Discovery of such false Teachers and how earnestly they exhorted them by keeping firm to their respective Bishops and Presbyters and to the Apostolical Doctrine delivered by them to prevent their gaining any Advantage against them 6. WITH what Assurance do they deliver the Doctrine which they had received How confidently do they declare it to be the true Doctrine of Christ And exhort the Churches to whom they write not to give any heed to such as would insinuate any Other Doctrine into their Minds And how did they themselves shew them by their own Examples how they should avoid such Persons Insomuch that Irenaeus tells us that if St. Polycarp at any time chanced to hear any One deliver any Other Doctrine than what he had been taught he did not only not give any Countenance to such an One but was wont to stop his Ears at him and cry out with Astonishment and Grief Good God! To what Times hast thou reserved me that I should endure this Nay he would not tarry in the same place with such a Person but would leave the House if he knew that any Hereticks were in it 7. BUT of the Care which these Holy Men had to keep close in every the least Circumstance to the Doctrine and Practice of the Apostles we cannot I think desire a fairer Instance to convince us than what Eusebius has recorded of the same Blessed Martyr How that hearing of the Difference between the Eastern and Western Churches about the Time of keeping Easter he thought it worthy his Pains at an extreme old Age to take a Journey as far as Rome for the composing of it And notwithstanding all that Anicetus who was then Bishop of that Church could say to move him from his Practice yet having this Ground for it that St. John was wont to keep Easter as he did the good Man held close to it and would not hear of changing a Custom which that blessed Apostle had deliver'd to him 8. AND when such was the Care which these Holy Writers had of holding fast even to the least particular of what they received from the Apostles that they would not comply with the rest of the Church in such an indifferent matter only because by so doing they should depart from the Practice of One of them Surely we may with Confidence depend upon the Doctrine which they deliver as most pure and genuine What our Saviour taught his Apostles and his Apostles them And what Irenaeus once said of his Master Polycarp we may with equal Truth and Assurance apply to all the rest of those Fathers whose Treatises I have here put together That they taught evermore what they had received from the Apostles which also they deliver'd to the Church and which only is the true Doctrine of Christ. 9. TO this general Piety of their Lives and Care for the Truth and Purity of their Religion let me add Fourthly their Courage and Constancy in the maintaining of it How great this was I have already shewn in the particular Accounts which I have given of the several Fathers whose Writings are here subjoyn'd It shall suffice in this place to observe that the most of them after having spent their Lives in a careful administration of the great Charges to which they were called were at last made perfect by Martyrdom and underwent the most exquisite Cruelties with a Courage and Constancy worthy both of the Religion they profess'd and of the eminent Characters which they had obtained in the Church 10. NOW tho' this do's not immediately argue the Purity of their Doctrine yet being added to what I have before observed will give us a new Ground to rely upon the Truth of what they deliver For since we cannot reasonably doubt but that such Persons as these must needs have known what the Doctrine of the Apostles was and have been perfectly instructed in that Religion which they were esteem'd able and worthy to preach to others We have in this a clear Demonstration of their Integrity both in their Teaching and Writing of it and must conclude That they who liv'd such excellent Lives and took so much Pains in the Ministry of the Gospel that stuck with such Firmness to it notwithstanding all the Endeavours of their Enemies to the contrary and chose rather to undergo the most bitter Deaths than they would in any wise depart from it have doubtless dealt most uprightly in this matter and deliver'd nothing to us but what they took for the true Doctrine of Christ and what therefore we may conclude undoubtedly was so 11. SUCH good reason then have we upon all these Accounts to look upon the Writings of these Holy Men as containing the pure and uncorrupted Doctrine of
therefore become them to Guard themselves against such Persons VIII To this end He Exhorts them to follow their Bishop and Pastors But especially their Bishop IX He thanks them for their Kindness to Himself X. And to those that were with Him which God will reward XI He acquaints them with the Ceasing of the Persecution at Antioch And exhorts them to send a Messenger unto them to congratulate with them on this Occasion XII He concludes with his own Salutation and the Remembrances of those that were with Him to them all in General and to several in Particular THE EPISTLE OF St. IGNATIVS TO THE Smyrneans IGNATIUS who is also called THEOPHORUS to the Church of God the Father and of the Beloved Jesus Christ which God hath Blessed with every Good Gift being filled with Faith and Charity so that it is wanting in no Gift To the most Worthy of God and Fruitful in Saints the Church which is at SMYRNA in Asia All Joy through his Immaculate Spirit and through the Word of God I. I GLORIFIE God even Jesus Christ who has thus filled you with all Wisdom For I have understood how that you are settled in an Immoveable Faith as if you were Nailed to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ both in the Flesh and in the Spirit and are confirm'd in Love through the Bloud of Christ being fully perswaded of those things which relate unto our LORD Who truly was of the Race of David according to the Flesh but the Son of God according to the Will and Power of God Truly Born of the Virgin and Baptized of John that so all Righteousness might be fulfilled by him He was also truly Crucified by Pontius Pilate and Herod the Tetrarch for us in the Flesh by the Fruits of which we are saved even by his most Blessed Passion that he might set up a sure Token and Earnest of Hope for all following Ages through his Resurrection to all his Holy and Faithful Servants whether they be Jews or Gentiles in one Body of his Church II. NOW all these things he suffer'd for us that we might be saved And he suffer'd truly as He also truly Raised up himself And not as some Unbelievers say that he only seemed to suffer they themselves only seeming to be And as they Believe so shall it happen unto them when they shall become Spiritual and Incorporeal III. BUT I know that even after his Resurrection he was in the Flesh and I believe that he was so And when he came to those who were with Peter he said unto them Take Handle me and see that I am not an Incorporeal Daemon And straightway they felt Him and Believed being convinced both by his Flesh and Spirit For this cause they despised Death and were found to be above it But after his Resurrection he did Eat and Drink with them as he was Flesh although as to his Spirit he was united to the Father IV. NOW these things Beloved I put you in mind of not questioning but that you your selves also believe that they are so But I arm you before-hand against certain Beasts in the shape of Men whom you must not only not receive but if it be possible must not meet with Only you must pray for them that if it be the Will of God they may repent which yet will be very hard But of this our Lord Jesus Christ has the Power who is our true Life For if all these things were done only in shew by our LORD then do I also only seem to be Bound And why have I given up my self to Death to the Fire to the Sword to Wild Beasts But now the nearer I am to the Sword the nearer am I to God What is between me and the Beasts is between me and God Only in the Name of Jesus Christ who was a Perfect Man and by his Assistance am I ready to suffer All things together with Him V. WHOM some not knowing do deny or rather have been denied by him being the Advocates of Death rather than of the Truth Whom neither the Prophecies nor the Law of Moses have perswaded nor the Gospel it self even to this day nor all our Sufferings For they think also the same things of us For what does a Man profit me if he shall Praise me and Blaspheme my LORD not confessing that he was truly made Man Now he that says this does in effect deny him and is in Death But for the Names of such as do this they being Unbelievers I thought it not fitting to write them unto you Nay God forbid that I should make any mention of them till they shall repent to a true Belief of Christ's Passion which is our Resurrection VI. LET no Man deceive himself Both the things which are in Heaven and the Glory of Angels and Principalities whether Visible or Invisible if they believe not in the Bloud of Christ it shall be to them to Condemnation He that is able to receive this Let him receive it Let no Man's Place or State in the World puff him up That which is worth All is Faith and Charity to which nothing is to be preferred But then consider those who defend a different Opinion from us as to what concerns the Grace of God which is come unto us how contrary they are to the Mind of God They have no regard to Charity No Care of the Widow the Fatherless and the Oppressed Of the Bound or Free of the Hungry or Thirsty VII THEY abstain from the Publick Offices and from the Holy Eucharist because they confess it not to be the Flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ which suffered for our Sins and which the Father of his Goodness raised again from the Dead And for this cause contradicting the Gift of God they die in their Disputes But much better would it be for them to love it that they might one day rise through it It will therefore become you to abstain from such Persons and not to speak with them neither in Private nor in Publick But to hearken to the Prophets and especially to the Gospel in which both Christ's Passion is manifested unto us and his Resurrection perfectly declared But flee all Divisions as the beginning of Evils VIII FOLLOW your Bishop as Jesus Christ the Father And the Presbytery as the Apostles As for the Deacons reverence them as the Command of God Let no Man do any thing of what belongs to the Church without the Bishop Let that Eucharist be look'd upon as Firm and Just which is either offer'd by the Bishop or by Him to whom the Bishop has given his Consent Wheresoever the Bishop shall appear there let the People also be As where Jesus Christ is there is the Catholick Church It is not lawful without the Bishop neither to Baptise nor to celebrate the Holy Communion But whatsoever he shall approve of that is also
Power the Fourth Patience the rest which stand beneath these are Simplicity Innocence Chastity Chearfulness Truth Understanding Concord and Charity Whosoever therefore carry these Names and the Name of the Son God shall enter into the Kingdom of God Hear now said he the Names of those Women which were cloathed with the black Garment Of these Four are the principal the First is Perfidiousness the Second Intemperance the Third Infidelity the Fourth Pleasure And the rest which follow are called thus Sadness Malice Lust Anger Lying Foolishness Pride and Hatred The Servant of God which carries these Spirits shall see indeed the Kingdom of God but he shall not enter into it But Sir what are those Stones which were taken out of the Deep and fitted into the Building Then ten said he which were placed at the Foundation are the first Age the following five and twenty the second of Righteous Men. The next thirty five are the Prophets and Ministers of the LORD And the forty are the Apostles and Doctors of the Preaching of the Son of God And I said Sir Why did the Virgins carry even these Stones also through the Gate and so put them into the Building And he said Because these first Spirits carried them and they departed not one from the other neither the Men from the Spirits nor the Spirits from the Men but the Spirits were joyned to those Men even to the day of their Death who if they had not had these Spirits with them they could not have been useful to the Building of this Tower XVI AND I said Sir Shew me this farther He answer'd What do'st thou demand Why did these Stones come out of the Deep and were placed into the Building of this Tower seeing that they long ago carried their just Spirits It was necessary said he for them to ascend by Water and so to be at rest For they could not otherwise enter into the Kingdom of God but by laying aside the Mortality of their former Life They therefore being dead were nevertheless sealed with the Seal of the Son of God and so entred into the Kingdom of God For before a Man receives the Name of the Son of God he is ordained unto Death but when he receives the Seal he is freed from Death and delivered unto Life Now that Seal is Water into which Men go down under the Obligation unto Death but come up appointed unto Life Wherefore to those also was this Seal preached and they made use of it that they might enter into the Kingdom of God And I said Why then Sir did these forty Stones also ascend with them out of the Deep having already received that Seal He answered Because these Apostles and Teachers who preached the Name of the Son of God dying after they had received his Faith and Power preached to them who were dead before and they gave this Seal to them They went down therefore into the Water with them and again came up But these went down alive whereas those who were before dead went down dead but came up alive Through these therefore they received Life and knew the Son of God For which Cause they came up with them and agreed in the Building of the Tower and were not cut but put in intire because they dyed in great Purity being full of Righteousness only this Seal was wanting to them Thus you have the Explication of these things XVII I ANSWER'D Sir Tell me now what concerns those Mountains why they are so different some of one Form and some of another Hear said he These Twelve Mountains which thou seest are Twelve Nations which make up the whole World Wherefore the Son of God is preached to them by those whom he sent unto them But why said I are they different and every one of a several Figure He replied Hearken Those Twelve Nations which possess the whole World are Twelve Peoples And as thou hast beheld these Mountains different so are they I will therefore open to thee the Meaning and Actions of every Mountain But first Sir said I shew me this Seeing these Mountains are so different how have they agreed into the Building of this Tower and are no less bright than those which came out of the Deep Because reply'd he all the Nations under Heaven that have heard and believed have been called in the same one Name of the Son of God Wherefore having received his Seal they have all been made Partakers of the same Prudence and Knowledge and their Faith and Charity have been the same and they have carried the Spirits of these Virgins with his Name And therefore the Building of this Tower seemed of the same Colour and did shine like the Brightness of the Sun Howbeit after that they were thus perswaded and that there began to be one Body of them all some among them polluted themselves and were cast off from the Generation of the Righteous and again return'd to their former State and became even worse than they were before XVIII HOW said I Sir were they worse who knew the LORD He answer'd If he who knows not the LORD liveth wickedly the Punishment of his Wickedness attends him But he who has known the LORD ought to abstain altogether from all Wickedness and more and more be the Servant of Righteousness And do's not he then seem to thee to sin more who ought to follow Goodness if he shall prefer the part of Sin than he who offends without knowing the Vertue of God Wherefore these are indeed ordain'd unto Death But they who have known the LORD and have seen his wonderful Works if they shall live wickedly they shall be doubly punish'd and shall die for ever As therefore thou hast seen that after the Stones were cast out of the Tower which had been rejected they were deliver'd to wicked and cruel Spirits and thou beheldst the Tower so cleansed as if it had all been made of one Stone So the Church of God when it shall be purified the Wicked and Counterfeits the Mischeivous and Doubtful and all that have behaved themselves wickedly in it and committed divers kinds of Sin being cast out shall become one Body and there shall be one Understanding one Opinion one Faith and the same Charity Then shall the son of God rejoice among them and shall receive his People with a pure Will And I said Sir All these things are great and honourable But now shew unto me the Effect and Force of every Mountain that every Soul which trusteth in the LORD when it shall hear these things many honour his Great and Wonderful and Holy Name Hear said he the Variety of these Mountains that is of the twelve Nations XIX THEY who have believed of the first Mountain which is Black are those who have revolted from the Faith and spoken wicked things against the LORD and betray'd the Servants of God To these Death is proposed but there is no Repentance for them And
all that he is in great Honour and Renown with God and is a Prince of great Authority and Powerful in his Office To him only is the Power of Repentance committed throughout the whole World Do's he not seem to thee to be of great Authority But ye despise his Goodness and the Modesty which he shews towards you II. I SAID unto him Sir Ask him since the time that he came into my House whether I have done any thing disorderly or have offended him in any thing I know said he that thou hast done nothing disorderly neither wilt thou hereafter do any thing and therefore I speak these things with thee that thou mayst persevere for he has given me a good Account concerning thee But thou shalt speak these things to others that they who either have repented or shall repent may be of the same opinion with thee and he may give me as good an Account of them also and I may do the same unto the LORD I answer'd Sir I declare to all Men the wonderful Works of God And I hope that all who love them and have before sinned when they shall hear these things will willingly repent and so recover Life Continue therefore said he in this Ministry and perfect it And whosoever shall fulfil the Commands of this Shepherd shall live and shall have great Honour both here and with the LORD But they that shall not keep his Commands flee from their Life and are Adversaries unto it And they that follow not his Commands shall deliver themselves unto Death and every one shall be guilty of his own Bloud But I say unto thee keep these Commandments and thou shalt find a Cure for all thy Sins III. MOREOVER I have sent these Virgins to dwell with thee for I have seen that they are very kind to thee Thou shalt therefore have them for thy Helpers that thou mayst the better keep the Commands which have been given thee for these Commands cannot be kept without these Virgins And thou seest how they are willing to be with thee and I will also command them that they shall not at all depart from thy House Only do thou purifie thy House for they will readily dwell in a clean House For they are Clean and Chast and Industrious and all of them have Grace with the LORD If therefore thou shalt have thy House pure they will abide with thee But if it shall be never so little polluted they will immediately depart from thy House for these Virgins cannot endure any manner of Pollution I said unto him Sir I hope that I shall so please them that they shall always delight to dwell in my House And as he to whom you have committed me makes no Complaint of me so neither shall they complain Then he said to that Shepherd I see that the Servant of God will live and keep these Commandments and place these Virgins in a pure Habitation When he had said this he delivered me again to that Shepherd and called the Virgins and said unto them Forasmuch as I see that ye will readily dwell in this Mans House I commend him and his House to you that ye may not at all depart from his House And they willingly heard these Words IV. THEN he said unto me Go on Manfully in thy Ministry Declare to all Men the great things of God and thou shalt find Grace in this Ministry And whosoever shall walk in these Commands shall live and be happy in his Life But he that shall neglect them shall not live and shall be unhappy in his Life Say unto all that whosoever can do what is right cease not to exercise themselves in good Works For I would that all Men should be delivered from the Inconveniences they lie under For he that wants and suffers Inconveniences in his daily Life is in great Torment and Necessity Whosoever therefore delivers such a Soul from Necessity gets great Joy unto himself For he that is grieved with such Inconveniences is equally tormented as if he were in Chains And many upon the Account of such Calamities being not able to bear them have chosen even to destroy themselves He therefore that knows the Calamity of such a Man and do's not free him from it commits a great Sin and is guilty of his Bloud Wherefore exercise your selves in Good Works as many as have received Ability from the LORD least whilst ye delay to do them the Building of the Tower be finish'd because for your sakes the Building is stopp'd Except therefore ye shall make haste to do well the Tower shall be finish'd and ye shall have no place in it And after he had thus spoken with me he rose up from the Bed and departed taking the Shepherd and Virgins with him Howbeit he said unto me that he would send back the Shepherd and Virgins unto my House Amen The Second EPISTLE OF St. CLEMENT TO THE Corinthians THE CONTENTS Chap. I. THAT we ought to entertain a Worthy Opinion of our Salvation And to do the utmost of what in us lies to express the Value we put upon it by a sincere Obedience to our Saviour Christ and his Gospel II. That God had before prophecy'd by Isaiah that the Gentiles should be saved III IV. That this ought to engage such especially to be very careful to live well without which they will still miscarry V. That whilst we secure to our selves the Favour of God and the Reward of the other World we need not fear what can befal us in this VI. That we cannot serve God and Mammon Nor if we follow the Interests of this present World is it possible for us to escape the Punishment of the Other VII The Consideration of which ought to bring us to Repentance and Holiness VIII And that presently knowing that now whilst we are in this World is the only time for Repentance IX We shall rise and be Judged in those Bodies in which we now are therefore we must live well in them X. That we ought as we value our own Interests to live well however few seem to mind what really is for their Advantage XI And not deceive our selves with any vain Imaginations as if no Punishment should remain for us if we do Evil or Good happen to us hereafter if we behave our selves as we ought to do Seeing God will certainly judge us and render to all of us according to our Works and how soon this may be we can none of us tell The Second EPISTLE OF St. CLEMENT TO THE Corinthians I. BRETRHEN we ought so to think of Jesus Christ as of GOD as of the Judge of the Living and the Dead Nor should we think any less of our Salvation For if we think meanly of it we shall hope only to receive some small Benefit by it And if we shall do so we shall sin not considering from whence we have been called and by whom and to what place and how
so both Eusebius and S. Hierome teach us to understand his Expression They mention the Epistle to Polycarp as distinct from that to the Church of Smyrna And 2 dly The Ancient Fathers quote it as Ignatius's no less than the rest And from all which it seems to be very plain that this also has the same Evidence of being written by Ignatius that any of the rest have and therefore that he who allows it as sufficient for them ought not to refuse it for this 21. AS for that which seems to be the most difficult to account for in it namely his writing after such a manner to so great a Bishop and so old a Man as he do's to Polycarp Chap. V VI. it is rightly observed by Vossius in his Annotations on those Chapters that he speaks in them not to St. Polycarp but by a usual Change of Person shews what he would have Polycarp say to his Church And whosoever shall consider in what manner he brings in what he there delivers Say to my Sisters c. And again Exhort my Brethren c. will presently see how those Instructions are to be understood 22. AND now it remains only that I give some short Account of the following Translation of these Epistles The Copies from which I did it were those of Isaac Vossius and Bishop Usher comparing both as I had Occasion with the late Edition of Cotelerius In the Salutation of the Epistle to the Romans I have departed from all of them and follow'd the Correction of that Judicious Man whose Name I mention in the Margent of it I thought my self the more at liberty to do this because that this Epistle was not found in the Florentine Manuscript but made up in some measure from the Latin Versions by the Conjectures of Learned Men Among whom I think I shall offend none if in judging of these kind of things and especially of this Author I shall allow Bishop Pearson the first place For the rest I have kept as strictly to the Text of Vossius as the Sense would permit me to do Only where a place was manifestly imperfect I have sometimes taken the Liberty to express my own Conjectures though differing from those of others with whom nevertheless I pretend not to compare my self But then I seldome do this without taking notice of it and telling my Reader to whom he may recur for a somewhat different Opinion If after all there shall appear some Faults in my Translation though I may modestly say I have taken what Care my little Acquaintance in these Matters would enable me to do to avoid them I desire it may be consider'd that I had a difficult Author and an imperfect Copy to deal with And I shall be very ready thankfully to amend any Error that any more discerning Person shall think fit to advertise me of if ever this Collection should be thought worthy to come to a Second Edition CHAP. V. Of the Martyrdom of St. Ignatius and of the following Relation of it written by those who were present at his Sufferings Of the Life of St. Ignatius whence he was called Theophorus That he never saw Christ but was converted to Christianity by the Apostles And by them made Bishop of Antioch How he behaved himself in that Station Of his Death Why he was sent from Antioch to Rome in order to his suffering there Metaphrastes account of the Effect which his Death wrought upon the Emperour Trajan rejected How the Persecution of the Christians came to be mitigated about the time that he suffered An Enquiry into the Time of his Martyrdom 1. IN the foregoing Chapter I have given such an Account of the Epistles of St. Ignatius as seem'd necessary to vindicate the Authority of them and to remove those Prejudices which some had of late endeavour'd to raise against them I am now to pass from the Writings of this Holy Man to his truly Great and Heroical Sufferings An Account whereof is in the next place subjoyn'd in the Relation of those who accompanied him from Antioch to Rome and were there the Eye-Witnesses of his Martyrdom 2. BUT before I come to the Consideration of this last and noblest part of his Life I cannot but think it will be expected from me to give some Account of the foregoing Passages of it That so we may here have at once a full View of this Great Saint and perceive by what Steps he prepared himself for so Constant and Glorious a Death 3. AND here it will be necessary for me in the first place to consider the Character which he gives of himself in the Beginning of all his Epistles and which he constantly asserted before the Emperour at his Examination namely that of Theophôrus Now this according to the different Pronunciation of it may be expounded after a very different manner and signifie either a Person carried by God or else a Divine Person One who carries God in his Breast And in both these Significations we find this Name to have been given to this Holy Man 4. FOR 1st As to the former Signification we are told by some of the Writers of his Life that St. Ignatius was the Child whom our Blessed Saviour took in his Arms and set before his Disciples as a Pattern of Humility when he told them That unless they should be converted and become as little Children they should in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God And that from thence He took the Name of Theophorus One who was Born or Carried by God And thus not only Metaphrastes and Nicephorus among the Greeks but as our Learned Bishop Usher tells us some Syriac Writers more ancient than they both interpret this Name and give an Account of its being attributed to this Blessed Martyr 5. BUT as Stories of this kind seldom lose in the relation so we find the Latines making a farther Improvement of the present Fable For having Confirm'd the Truth of what these Men had before observed of St. Ignatius's being taken up by our Saviour into his Arms they add that for this Reason the Apostles when they made him Bishop of Antioch durst not lay their Hands upon him He having been before both commended by our Saviour Christ and sanctified by his touching of him 6. THERE is so much of Romance in all the latter part of this Story and so little Grounds for the former that I shall not need to spend any time in the confuting of either It is enough that St. Chrysostome has assured us that this Holy Man never saw the LORD and that all the other Ancient Writers are silent as to this particular Which makes me the rather wonder at the Endeavour of a late Learned Writer of our own Country to give Countenance to such a Fable and which if not destitute of all Probability yet at least wants any good Authority to support it And as our Learned Bishop Pearson very reasonably conjectures was first started about the time of
the VIII th General Council by the Party of that Ignatius who was then set up in Opposition to Photius and from thence derived both to Anastasius among the Latines and to Metaphrastes among the Greeks 7. TO pass then from this fabulous Account of this Title let us come to the consideration of the true Import of it Now for that as we cannot have any better so neither need we desire any other Account than what this Holy Man himself gave the Emperour of that Name When being asked by him Who was Theophorus He replied He who has Christ in his Breast And in this sense was this Name commonly used among the Ancients as has been shewn in a multitude of Examples by Bishop Pearson in his Elaborate Vindication of Ignatius's Epistles I shall offer only one of them that of St. Cyrill who Anathematizes those who should call our Saviour Christ Theophorus Lest says he he should thereby be understood to have been no other than one of the Saints 8. IT remains then that Ignatius was called Theophorus upon no other Account than as any other Divine or Excellent Person might have been so called namely upon the Account of his admirable Piety Because his Soul was full of the Love of God and sanctified with an extraordinary Portion of the Divine Grace as both his Life shewed and the earnest desire he had to be dissolved and to be with Christ and his Joy when he saw himself approaching towards it and to mention no more his Constancy in his last and most terrible Conflict with the Wild Beasts will not suffer us to doubt 9. BUT tho' the Story then of our Saviour's taking St. Ignatius into his Arms be of no Credit yet thus much St. Chrysostome tells us that he was intimately acquainted with the Holy Apostles and instructed by them in the full Knowledg of all the Mysteries of the Gospel What was the Country that gave Birth to this Blessed Saint or who his Parents we cannot tell Indeed as to the former of these his Country a late Author has endeavoured from a Passage in Abulfaragius set out by our Incomparable Dr. Pocock to fix it at Nora in Sardinia a place which still retains its anicent Name with very little Variation This is certain that growing eminent both in the Knowledg of the Doctrine of Christ and in a Life exactly framed according to the strictest Rules of it He was upon the Death of Evodius chosen by the Apostles that were still living to be Bishop of Antioch the Metropolis of Syria and whatever Anastasius pretends received Imposition of Hands from them 10. HOW he behaved himself in this great Station tho' we have no particular Account left to us yet may we easily conclude from that short hint that is given us of it in the Relation of his Martyrdom Where we are told that he was a Man in all things like unto the Apostles that as a good Governour by the Helm of Prayer and Fasting by the Constancy of his Doctrine and Spiritual Labour he opposed himself to the Floods of the Adversary That he was like a Divine Lamp illuminating the Hearts of the Faithful by his Exposition of the Holy Scriptures and lastly that to preserve his Church he doubted not freely and of his own accord to expose himself to the most bitter Death This is in general the Character of his Behaviour in his Church of Antioch and a greater than which can hardly be given to any Man Nor indeed can we doubt but that he who as Eusebius tells us and as his Epistles still remaining abundantly testifie was so careful of all the other Churches to confirm them in a sound Faith and in a constant Adherence to their Holy Religion was certainly much more vigilant to promote the Interests of Piety within his own Diocese which was bless'd with his Government above Forty Years 11. HENCE we may observe what a tender concern he expresses in all his Epistles for his Church at Antioch With what Affection he recommends it to the Prayers of those to whom he wrote And especially to the Care of his dear Friend and Fellow-Disciple St. Polycarp And when he heard at Troas of the ceasing of the Persecution there how did he rejoyce at it And require all the neighbouring Churches to rejoyce with him and to send their Messengers and Letters thither to congratulate with them upon that account 12. SUCH was his Affection towards his own Church and his Care of all the Others round about him And by which he became in such an extraordinary Favour with them that they thought nothing could be sufficient to express their Respect towards him And therefore we are told that when he was carried from Antioch to Rome in order to his Suffering there all the Churches every where sent Messengers on the way to attend him and to communicate to his Wants And what is yet more they were generally their Bishops themselves that came to meet him and thought it a singular Happiness to receive some Spiritual Exhortations from him And when he was Dead they paid such an Honour to his Memory as to account the few Bones that were left of him by the Wild Beasts more precious than the richest Jewels Insomuch that we are told they were several Ages after taken up from the place where they were first deposited as not Honourable enough for them to lie in and that being brought within the City where he once was Bishop there was instituted a Yearly Festival in Memory of him 13. AS for what concerns the Circumstances of his Death they are so particularly recounted in the Relation I have here subjoyn'd of it that there need nothing further to be added to what is there deliver'd of this matter Yet one Remark I cannot but make on that particular of his Story which has puzzled so many Learned Men to account for but may easily be resolved and I believe most truly too into the over-ruling Hand of the Divine Providence And that is of the sending of this Holy Man from Antioch as far as Rome to suffer For whatever the Design of the Emperour may have been in it Whether he intended to increase his Sufferings by a Journey so wearisom and attended with so many bitter Circumstances as that must needs have been to a Person very probably at that time Fourscore Years of Age Or whether he hoped by this means to have overcome his Constancy and have drawn him away from his Faith Or lastly Whether as Metaphrastes tells us upon his consulting with Those of the Senate who were with him he was advised not to let him suffer at Antioch least thereby he should raise his Esteem the more among the People there and render him the more dear and desirable to them We cannot but doubt that God hereby designed to present to all the Nations through which he was to pass a glorious Instance of the Power of his Religion that could enable this Blessed Martyr with so
much Constancy to despise all the Violence of his Enemies and to be impatient after those Tryals which they hoped should have affrighted him into a base and degenerous Complyance with their Desires 14. THIS was indeed a Triumph worthy of the Christian Religion Nor was it any small Advantage to the Churches at such a critical Time to have their Zeal awaken'd and their Courage confirm'd both by the Example and Exhortations of this great Man from Antioch even to Rome it self And we are accordingly told with what mighty Comfort and Satisfaction they received his Instructions and as the Authors of his Acts express it Rejoyced to partake in his Spiritual Gift 15. NAY but if we may believe Metaphrastes as to the Effect which the Sufferings of this Holy Man had upon the Mind of the Emperour the Church received yet greater Benefit by his Death For Trajan says he hearing of what had been done to Ignatius and how undauntedly he had undergone the Sentence that was pronounced against him and being inform'd that the Christians were a sort of Men that did nothing contrary to the Laws nor were guilty of any Impieties but worshipped Christ as the Son of God and exercised all Temperance both in Meat and Drink nor medled with any thing that was forbidden He began to repent of what he had done and commanded that the Christians should indeed be searched out but that being discover'd they should not be put to Death Only they should not be admitted into any Offices nor be suffer'd to meddle with any Publick Employs Thus was not only the Life of Ignatius of great Use to the Church but his very Death the means of procuring much Good to it And what Metaphrastes here tells us we find in effect deliver'd by another Author of his Acts not yet set forth and from whom he seems to have taken his Story only with the Addition of some farther Circumstances of his own to make it the more complete 16. BUT tho' I should be far from envying any thing that might make for the Honour of this Blessed Martyr yet are there many Circumstances in the Story which Metaphrastes has here put together that make me justly call in question the Truth of it For first it is evident beyond all doubt that the Persecution was abated at Antioch before Ignatius suffer'd nay before he was yet gone out of the Lesser Asia Insomuch that in his three last Epistles which he wrote from Troas to the Philadelphians the Smyrnaeans and to Polycarp himself he particularly takes notice of the Peace of the Church of Antioch and exhorts them to send Congratulatory Messages thither upon the account of it 17. NOR was this Suspension of the Persecution granted upon Ignatius's account but upon the Remonstances which his own Officers made to him both of the Numbers of those that died for the Christian Faith and of the Innocency of their Lives and lastly of the Readiness with which they not only suffer'd when taken but voluntarily came and presented themselves before them Two of these Epistles relating to this very Persecution we have still remaining the One written by Tiberianus President of Palaestina Prima the Other of Pliny the Younger Pro-Praetor of Bythinia And the Answer of Trajan to the latter of which we find to have been in the same Words that Jo. Malela tells us he replied to the Other viz. That the Christians should not be sought after but if they were brought before them and convicted should be punish'd unless they abjured 18. AND the same is the Account which not only Eusebius from Tertullian gives us of the Emperour's Order as to this matter but which Suidas after Both has left us of it Which makes it the more strange to find such a different Relation both in Bishop Ushers Manuscript Author and in Metaphrastes's Acts of Ignatius before mentioned It is true that notwithstanding these Rescripts of the Emperour the Persecution still continued nor was it so soon over in other Places as it was at Antioch This is plain not only from the History of this time left us by Eusebius but may in general be concluded from the Prayer which this Holy Saint made at his Martyrdom Where say our Acts He intreated the Son of God in behalf of the Churches that he would put a stop to the Persecution and restore Peace and Quiet to them But these were only Local Persecutions as Eusebius calls them and proceeded rather from the Fury of the People and the Perverseness of some particular Governours than from the Design or Command of the Emperour 19. AS for the Time of Ignatius's Suffering we are only told in his Acts that it was when Syria and Synecius were Consuls nor are Learned Men yet agreed in what Year to fix it Eusebius in his Chronicle places it in the Year of Christ CX Marianus Scotus CXII Bishop Usher yet sooner in the Year CVII And lastly to name no more our most exact Bishop Lloyd follow'd therein by the late Critick upon Baronius Antonius Pagi yet later than any to wit in the Year that the great Earthquake fell out at Antioch and from which Trajan himself hardly escaped Which as Jo. Malela accounts it and is follow'd therein by Bishop Usher in his Computation was in the Year CXVI 20. AND this may suffice to have been observed concerning the most eminent Passages that occur in the Acts of the Martyrdom of St. Ignatius I shall need say nothing of the Authority of the Relation its self which as it is written with all Sincerity and void of those Additions which latter Writers have made to these kind of Histories so we are told in the Close of it that it was compiled by Those who went with him from Antioch and were the Eye-Witnesses of his Encounters This Account was first publish'd from two very ancient Manuscripts by our most Reverend Arch-Bishop Usher in the Appendix to his Edition of Ignatius Ao 1647. and is now I suppose the first time translated into our own Language I cannot tell whether it be worth the observing that in the Collection made by the late Learned Cotelerius of the Writings of the Apostolical Fathers there is instead of these Genuine Acts inserted the Account which Metaphrastes put together of his Sufferings several Ages after It would perhaps have made a more agreeable History to the Vulgar Reader had I translated that Relation rather than this which is much shorter and wants many notable Passages that are to be found in that Other But as I should then have departed from my Design of setting out nothing but what I thought to be of an Apostolical Antiquity so to those who love the naked Truth these plain Acts will be much more satisfactory than a Relation filled up with the uncertain and too often fabulous Circumstances of latter Ages CHAP. VI. Of the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp and of the Epistle written by the Church of Smyrna concerning it That there were heretofore several
called by the Name of Polycarp Both the Country and Parentage of St. Polycarp uncertain What he was before his Conversion and by whom Converted He is made Bishop of Smyrna by the Apostles How he behaved himself in that Office The great Veneration which the Christians had for him Of his Journey to Rome and what he did there The Testimony of St. John concerning him Rev. ii 8 Of the Time of St. Polycarp's Martyrdom What Persecutions the Church then labour'd under Of the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna concerning his Sufferings and the Value which the Antients put upon it Of the Miracles that hapned at his Death What his Age was when he suffered What the Day of his Suffering In what Place he was put to Death Of the Authority of the present Epistle and its Translation into our own Language 1. THE Epistle of the Church of Smyrna the next Piece that follows in the present Collection however it makes mention of some Others that suffered at the same time with St. Polycarp for the Faith of Christ yet insisting chiefly upon the particulars of his Passion and being design'd by that Church to communicate to all the World the Glorious End of their beloved Bishop and most worthy and constant Martyr of Christ I shall observe the same Method in treating of this that I did in discoursing of the Acts of St. Ignatius before and speak somewhat of the Life of St. Polycarp first before I come to consider the Account that is here given us of his Death 2. THAT there were several of the Name of Polycarp heretofore and who must therefore carefully be distinguish'd from him of whom we are now to discourse has been evidently shewn by the late Learned Editor of his Epistle As for our Polycarp the Disciple of St. John and the great Subject of the present Martyrologie we have little account either what was his Country or who his Parents In general we are told that he was born somewhere in the East as le Moyne thinks not far from Antioch and perhaps in Smyrna its self says our Learned Dr. Cave Being sold in his Childhood he was bought by a certain Noble Matron whose Name was Calisto and bred up by her and at her Death made Heir to all her Estate which tho' very considerable he soon spent in Works of Charity and Mercy 3. HIS Christianity he received in his younger Years from Bucolus Bishop of Smyrna by whom being made Deacon and Catechist of that Church and discharging those Offices with great Approbation he was upon the Death of Bucolus made Bishop of Smyrna by the Apostles and particularly by St. John whose Disciple together with Ignatius he had before been 4. HOW considerable a Reputation he gain'd by his wise Administration of this great Office we may in some measure conclude from that Character which his very Enemies gave of him at his Death When crying out that he should be thrown to the Lyons they laid this to him as his Crime but which was indeed his chiefest Honour This say they is the Doctor of Asia the Father of the Christians and the Over-turner of our Gods And when he was burnt they persuaded the Governour not to suffer his Friends to carry away any of his Remains Least say they the Christians forsaking him that was crucified should begin to worship Polycarp 5. NOR was it any small Testimony of the Respect that was paid to him that as we are told in this Epistle the Christians would not suffer him to pull off his own Cloaths but strove who should be the most forward to do him Service thinking themselves happy if they could but come to touch his Flesh. For says the Epistle even before he had grey Hairs he was adorn'd with such a good Conversation as made all Men pay a more than ordinary Respect to him 6. HENCE St. Hierome calls him the Prince of all Asia Sophronius the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Chief Ruler perhaps says a Learned Man in opposition to the Asiarchae of the Heathens spoken of in this Epistle Signifying thereby that as they were among the Gentiles the Heads of their sacred Rites and presided in the common Assemblies and Spectacles of Asia So was Polycarp among the Christians a kind of Universal Bishop the Prince and Head of the Churches in those Parts 7. NOR was his Care of the Church confined within the Bounds of the Lesser Asia but extended even unto Rome its self Whither we are told he went upon the Occasion of the Quarto-deciman Controversie then on foot between the Eastern and Western Churches and which he hoped to have put a stop to by his timely interposition with those of Rome But tho' Anicetus and he could not agree upon that Point each pretending Apostolical Tradition to warrant them in their Practice Yet that did not hinder but that he was received with all possible Respect there and officiated in their Churches in presence of the Bishop and communicated with him in the most sacred Mysteries of Religion 8. WHILE he was at Rome he remitted nothing of his Concern for the Interests of the Church but employed his time partly in confirming those who were sound in the Faith but especially in drawing over those who were not from their Errours In which Work how successful he was his own Scholar Irenaeus particularly recounts to us 9. WHAT he did after his return and how he discharged his pastoral Office to the time of his Martyrdom we have little farther Account Nor shall I trouble my self with the Stories which Pionius without any good Grounds has recorded of the Life of this Holy Man But that he still continued with all diligence to watch over the Flock of Christ we have all the reason in the World to believe And that not only from what has been already observed but from one particular more which ought not to be omitted namely that when Ignatius was hurried away from his Church of Antioch to his Martyrdom he knew none so proper to commend the Care of it to as to this Excellent Man or to supply by his own Letters what the Other had not time to write to all the Other Churches round about 10. BUT I shall close up this part of the Life of this Holy Saint with the Testimony which St. John has given to him Revel ii 8 And which as it affords us a sufficient Evidence of the Excellency of his Life so do's it open the way to what we are next to consider viz. his Death and Passion Unto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna write These things saith the First and the Last which was dead and is alive I know thy Works and Tribulation and Poverty but thou art Rich and I know the Blasphemy of Them that say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be tried and
ye shall have Tribulation ten Days Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life 11. AND this brings me to that which I am chiefly to insist upon namely the Death of this Blessed Martyr the Subject of that Epistle which is here subjoyn'd from the Church of Smyrna concerning it And here I shall in the first place take for granted what our Learned Bishop Pearson seems to have proved beyond Contradiction that St. Polycarp suffer'd not as is commonly supposed about the Year of Christ CLXVII or as Bishop Usher has stated it yet later CLXIX much less as Petit still later CLXXV but under the Emperour Antoninus Pius in the Year of our LORD CXLVII Now that the Christians about that time and especially those of Asia lay under some severe Prosecutions is evident from the Apology which Justin Martyr about this very time presented to the Emperour in order to a Mitigation of it And which however Baronius and after him Valesius places two or three Years later yet is their Opinion much more probable who put it about the beginning of that Emperour's Reign As both Eusebius among the Ancients and his Learned Editor Scaliger not to mention any Others of latter Times have done 12. WHAT the Effect of this Apology was we cannot certainly tell but that the Persecution was not presently put to an end not only the Second Apology of the same Father but that which Eusebius tells us was afterwards presented to his Successor Marcus Aurelius by Melito Bishop of Sardis plainly makes appear In which he complains that the Christians were still informed against by wicked Men greedy of what they had and prosecuted notwithstanding the several Orders that his Father had given and the Letters he had written to the contrary It is true Eusebius tells us that the Emperour Antoninus Pius had set out an Effectual Edict in favour of the Christians and that particularly addressed to the Common Council of Asia not long before the time in which we affirm St. Polycarp to have suffered And this seems to leave it under some doubt how a Persecution could have been again revived against the Church within so short a time and after such a vigourous Edict of an Emperour still living to the contrary But it is evident Eusebius must have mistook the Emperour and have set down that for the Rescript of Antoninus Pius which was indeed set out by Marcus Aurelius immediately after his Death as both the Inscription shews and Valesius and Others have evidently made it appear to be 13. IT was then in One of these Topical Persecutions so frequent in the Lesser Asia that the Storm happening to fall in a particular manner upon the Church of Smyrna carried off this Holy Martyr among the rest What the particular Circumstances of his Passion were it would be impertinent for me to relate in this place seeing they are so fully and exactly described in the Epistle of which we are now discoursing A Piece so excellently composed that Eusebius thought it worthy to be almost intirely transcribed into his Ecclesiastical History And of which a very great Man of the present Age profess'd That he knew not any thing in all Ecclesiastical Antiquity that was more wont to affect his Mind insomuch that he seem'd to be no longer himself when he read it And believed that no good Christian could be satisfied with reading often enough this and the like Accounts of the Sufferings of those Blessed Martyrs who in the Primitive times laid down their Lives for the Faith 14. NOR did the Ancients put any less Value upon this Piece which as Gregory of Tours tells us was even to his time read publickly in the Gallican Churches and no doubt made a part of that Annual Remembrance which the Churches of Asia kept of his Martyrdome 15. BUT tho' I think it needless to mention here any thing of what the following Epistle relates concerning the Passion of this Holy Man yet one Circumstance there is which both Eusebius and Ruffinus having omitted is also pass'd by in the following Translation tho' found in the Acts as set out from the Barrochian Manuscript by Arch-Bishop Usher And that is this That the Souldier or Officer having struck his Launce into the Side of the Saint there came forth a Pigeon together with a great quantity of Blood as is express'd in the following Epistle Now tho' there may seem to have been something of a Foundation for such a Miracle in the Railery of Lucian upon the Death of Peregrinus the Philosopher who burnt himself about the same time that St. Polycarp suffered and from whose Funeral Pile he makes a Vulture to ascend in Opposition it may be to St. Polycarp's Pigeon if indeed he design'd as a Learned Man has conjectured under the Story of that Philosopher to ridicule the Life and Sufferings of Polycarp Yet I confess I am so little a Friend to such kind of Miracles that I thought it better with Eusebius to omit that Circumstance than to mention it from Bishop Usher's Manuscript And indeed besides the strangeness of such an Adventure I cannot think had any such thing truly happen'd at his Death that not only Eusebius should have been ignorant of it but that neither St. Hierome nor Ruffinus nor the Menaea of the Greek Church should have made the least mention of it Either therefore there must have been some Interpolation in the Manuscript set forth by that Learned Man Or because that does not appear perhaps it may be better accounted for by the Mistake of a single Letter in the Original and which will bring it to no more than what Eusebius has in effect said that there came out of his Left Side a great quantity of Blood 16. AS for what concerns the Time of his Martyrdome I have before shewn the different Computations which Learned Men have made of it Nor are they less at Variance about the Age of this Holy Martyr when he suffered than about the Year of his Suffering For tho' St. Polycarp expresly told the Pro-Consul as we read in the following Epistle that he had served Christ Eighty and Six Years Yet some interpret this of the Number of Years since his Conversion Others of those of his whole Life But however thus much is evident that which soever of the two be in the right they will either of them make good what Irenaeus has told us of him that he was very old when he died and from which therefore nothing can be concluded either for the former of these Opinions or against the latter 17. BUT the following Acts of his Martyrdome go yet farther They tell us that He not only suffer'd at so great an Age but upon the Great Sabbath the Second Day of the Month Xanticus before the Seventh Kalend of May about VIII a Clock What is meant by this Great Sabbath is another Point much debated but never like to be agreed among Learned Men Whose
the Greeks for pretending that neither Juno nor Minerva nor Jupiter were what those imagin'd who built Temples and Altars to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay so far went this last Author in his Allegories as to turn all the Trojan and Graecian Hero's into mere Fictions And to make Hector and Achilles and Agamemnon and even Helena her self nothing less than what one would think they were and what the common People ignorantly imagin'd them to be 33. AND for the Influence which this had upon the Ancient Fathers who from Philosophers became Christians the Writings both of Justin Martyr and Clemens Alexandrinus sufficiently shew And if we may believe Porphery an Enemy in the Case of Origen he tells us in the same place in which he complains of him For turning those things that were clearly deliver'd by Moses into Mystical Significations not only that he did this in Imitation of the Graecians but that it was his frequent Conversation with Numenius and Cronius Moderatus Nichomachus and Others among the Pythagoreans and with Chaeremon and Cornutus among the Stoics that he had learnt his Allegorical way of Expounding the Holy Scriptures and applied that to his Religion which they were wont to do to their Superstition 34. FROM all which it appears that this way of Writing in Matters of Religion was in those days generally used not only among the Jews but among the Wiser and more Philosophical of the Gentiles too And from both came to be almost universally practised among the Primitive Christians Which being so we ought to be far from censuring of St. Barnabas for his mystical Application of what God prescribed to the Jews in the Old Testament to the Spiritual Accomplishment of it in the New Much less should we ever the more call in question either the Truth or Credit of his Epistle upon this account 35. HAVING said thus much either in Vindication of the Allegorical Expositions of this Epistle or at least by way of Apology for them I shall add but little more concerning the Epistle it self I have before observed as to the Time of its Writing that it was somewhat after the Destruction of Jerusalem and as we may conjecture from the Subject of it for Title at present it has none nor do's it appear that ever it had any was address'd to the Jews to draw them off from the Letter of the Law to a Spiritual Understanding of it and by that means dispose them to embrace the Gospel Whether he had besides this a farther Design in it as Dr. Hammond supposes to confute the Errours of the Gnostick Hereticks and to prevent the Jewish Converts from falling into them it is not certain but may from the chief Points insisted upon by him be probably enough supposed If any one shall think it strange that disputing against the Jews for the Truth of the Gospel he should not have urged any of those Passages relating to the Messiah which seem to us the most apposite to such a purpose Such as the Oracle of Jacob concerning the Time that Shiloh was to come the LXX Weeks of Daniel the Prophecies of Haggai and Malachi of his coming while the Second Temple stood and which was now destroyed when he wrote this Epistle and the like Monsieur le Moyne will give him a ready Answer viz. that these Passages relate chiefly to the Time of Christ's appearing and that this was no Controversie in those days the Jews not only confessing it but being ready at every turn through this Persuasion to set up some or other for their Messiah to their Shame and Confusion It was therefore then but little necessary to use those Arguments against them which now appear to be the most proper and convincing since the State of the Question is alter'd and the Jews either deny that their Messiah is come or that it was necessary for him to have come about that time that our Saviour Christ appeared in the Flesh. 36. BUT tho' the chief Design of this Epistle was to convince the Jews of the Truth of our Religion yet are there not wanting in the latter part of it many excellent Rules to render it still very useful to the Pious Reader Indeed some have doubted whether this did originally belong to this Epistle or whether it has not since been added to it But seeing we find this part quoted by the Fathers as belonging to St. Barnabas no less than the other and that the Measure assign'd to it in the ancient Stichometries can hardly be well accounted for without it I do not see but that we ought to conclude that our Author did divide his Epistle into the two Parts in which we now have it and that this latter aswell as the former was written by him 37. AS for the Translation which I have here given of it I have made it up out of what remains of the Original Greek and of the Old Latin Version and of each of which tho' a Part be lost yet it has so fallen out that between them we not only have the whole Epistle but that too free of those Interpolations which Vossius tells us some had endeavour'd to make in this as well as in Ignatius's Epistles In both I have endeavour'd to attain to the Sense of my Author and to make him as plain and easie as I was able If in any thing I shall have chanced to mistake him I have only this to say for my self that he must be better acquainted with the Road than I pretend to be who will undertake to travel so long a Journey in the dark and never to miss his way CHAP. VIII Of the Shepherd of St. Hermas and of the Second Epistle of St. Clement to the Corinthians That the Hermas mention'd by St. Paul Rom. xvi 14 was the Author of that Book which is here subjoyn'd under his Name There is little remaining of his Life more than what is taken out of his own Book Of his Death Uncertain whether he died a Martyr The Ancient Fathers divided in their Opinions of this Book Nor are our later Criticks less That there are many useful things in it Of the Second Epistle of St. Clement That it is not of equal Reputation with the Former By some deny'd to be St. Clements It is most probable that it was written by St. Clement and has many excellent things and worthy of that Holy Man in it These two Pieces now the first time translated into our own Language 1. THERE is not a greater Difference between the Learned Men of the present Times concerning the Epistle of St. Barnabas than there was among the Ancient Fathers heretofore concerning the Authority of that Book which next follows under the Name of Hermas Who this Hermas was what he did and what he suffer'd for the Faiths sake is in great measure unknown to us That there was one of that Name at Rome when St. Paul wrote his Epistle to the Church there his Remembrance of him Rom.
xvi 14 will not suffer us to doubt Nor is it improbable but that it was the same Hermas who afterwards wrote this Book And who appears not only still to have continued his Relation to the Church of Rome but to have written at such a time as may well agree to one of St. Paul's Acquaintance The former of these may be collected from his Second Vision which he seems to have had at the same time that Clement was Bishop of Rome and to whom therefore he is commanded to carry a Copy of it And for the latter if the Conjectures of two of our Greatest Criticks may be allow'd in applying the Great Affliction of which he speaks in another of his Visions to the Destruction of Jerusalem then at hand it is evident that this Book must have been written within XL. Years after the Death of Christ and by consequence by some Author who lived at the very time that the Hermas of whom St. Paul speaks most certainly did 2. HENCE Origen in his Homily upon that place of St. Paul before mentioned delivers it as his Opinion that it was the Hermas there spoken of who wrote this Book But Eusebius do's more He tells us that it was the received Opinion in those days that it was composed by him And that it continued to be so in the Age after St. Hierome witnesses who speaks yet more positively than Eusebius to that purpose And from all which we may conclude what is to be judg'd of that Mistake which our latter Writers have fallen into by their too credulous following the Author of the Poem against Marcion under the Name of Tertullian viz. that it was written by Hermes Brother to Pope Pius and in which not only the Authors of the Pontifical ascribed to Pope Damascus and of the pretended Decretal Epistles of the ancient Bishops of Rome but the Martyrologists of the Middle Ages Bede Ado c. have generally been involved 3. IT is true Cardinal Baronius has endeavour'd to make up this Difference by supposing that the Hermes spoken of by St. Paul was Brother to Pope Pius and so all Parties may be in the right But besides that this Book was written by Hermas not the Hermes of whom St. Paul there speaks the difference of the Time renders it altogether incredible that a Person of some considerable Age at St. Paul's writing his Epistle should have lived so long as that Pope's Brother is said to have done Whom the Cardinal himself observes to have been living CLXIV Years after Christ that is to say CVII Years after the writing of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans And this his Epitomator Spondanus was aware of And therefore tho' he seems to have allow'd of the Conjecture yet could not chuse but add this Reflection of his own upon it that according to this reckoning Hermas must have been CXXX Years old when he died and in all probability a great deal more 4. WHAT the Condition of this Hermas was before his Conversion we cannot tell but that he was a Man of some Consideration we may conclude from what we read of him in his Third Vision Where he is said to have been formerly unprofitable to the LORD upon the account of those Riches which after he became a Christian he seems to have dispensed in Works of Charity and Beneficence 5. NOR have we any more knowledg how he was converted than what his Condition was before It is probable from several Passages in his Book that he was brought over to Christianity himself before his Family who continued yet in the practice of many and great Impieties During this while Hermas was not only very kind to them but seems to have been so indulgent towards them as to permit them rather to go on in their Sins than he would take any rough Measures with them to draw them off from them 6. BUT this was not all he not only patiently bore with them but was himself disturb'd with many anxious Cares to supply them in their Extravagances and often times did not behave himself so well as he ought upon that account But however being of an honest and upright Disposition and having a great Sincerity in his Religion it pleased God at last not only to convince him of his Faults in thus neglecting his Family but to give them Grace to hearken to his Admonitions and to embrace at once both the Christian Faith and a Practice also suitable thereunto 7. WHAT he did after this we have no account but that he lived a very strict Life we may reasonably conjecture in that it pleased God to vouchsafe such extraordinary Revelations to him and to employ him in several Messages to his Church both to correct their Manners and to warn them of the Tryals that were about to come upon them 8. THIS was so singular a Grace even in those Times of Miracles that we find some other Christians not so humble as they ought to be became Enemies to him upon the account of them However this did not hinder but that God still continu'd to make use of his Ministry in admonishing Sinners and he as readily and faithfully went on both in warning them of their danger and in exhorting them to repent and save their Souls 9. THIS then was the Business of this Holy Man in which he spent his Life and if we may believe the Roman Martyrologie his Death was not unsuitable to it Where we read that being illustrious for his Miracles he at last offer'd himself a worthy Sacrifice unto God But upon what Grounds this is establish'd Baronius himself could not tell us Insomuch that in his Annals he durst not once mention the manner of his Death but is content to say That having undergone many Labours and Troubles in the time of the Persecution under Aurelius and that too without any Authority he at last rested in the LORD July XXVI and which is therefore observed in Commemoration of him And here is indeed a pleasant Mistake and worthy the Roman Martyrologie For this Author from the Book of which we are now discoursing being sometimes called by the Title of Pastor or Shepherd the Martyrologist has very gravely divided the good Man into two Saints And they observe the Memorial of Hermas May IX th and of Pastor July XXVI th Unless we shall rather say that this was indeed the Cardinal's Blunder and the Martyrologie in the right to make two distinct Persons of St. Hermas rembembred by St. Paul and the Brother of Pope Pius to whom the Passages mention'd July XXVI do manifestly belong And erred only in applying the Character of Pastor to the latter which with the Treatise of which we are now discoursing ought as the Cardinal has truly observed to have been ascribed to the former 10. BUT not to insist any longer on the Author of this Book As for the Work it self we find both the Ancient Fathers and the Learned Men of our own Times not a little divided in
are come upon us Let us therefore be very Reverent and fear the Long-suffering of God that it be not to us unto Condemnation For let Us either fear the Wrath that is to come or let us love the Grace that we at present enjoy That by the one or other of these we may be found in Christ Jesus unto true Life Besides him let nothing be worthy of you for whom also I bear about these Bonds those Spiritual Jewels in which I would to God that through your Prayers I might arise Of which I intreat you to make me always partaker that I may be found in the Lot of the Christians of Ephesus who have always agreed with the Apostles through the Power of Jesus Christ. XII I KNOW both who I am and to whom I write I a Person condemn'd Ye such as have obtain'd Mercy I exposed to danger Ye confirm'd against Danger Ye are the Passage of those that are kill'd for God The Companions of Paul in the Mysteries of the Gospel the Holy the Martyr the deservedly most Happy Paul at whose Feet may I be found when I shall have attain'd unto God who throughout all his Epistle makes mention of you in Christ Jesus XIII LET it be your care therefore to come oftner together to the Praise and Glory of God For when ye meet often together in the same place the Powers of the Devil are destroy'd and his Mischief is dissolved by the Unity of your Faith And indeed nothing is better than Peace by which all War both Spiritual and Earthly is abolish'd XIV OF All which nothing is hid from you if ye have perfect Faith and Charity in Christ Jesus which are the Beginning and End of Life For the Beginning is Faith the End Charity And these two joyned together are of God But all other things are the Followers of Piety No Man professing a true Faith sinneth Neither does he who has Charity hate any The Tree is made manifest by its Fruit So they who profess themselves to be Christians are known by what they do For Christianity is not the Work of an outward Profession but shews it self in the Power of Faith if a Man be found Faithful unto the End XV. IT is better for a Man to hold his Peace and be than to say He is a Christian and not to be It is good to teach if what he says He does likewise There is therefore one Master who spake and it was done And even those things which he did without speaking are worthy of the Father He that possesses the Word of Jesus is truly able to hear his very Silence that he may be Perfect and both do according to what he speaks and be known by those things of which he is silent There is nothing hid from God but even our Secrets are nigh unto Him Let us therefore do all things as becomes those who have God dwelling in them that we may be his Temples and He may be our God As also He is and will manifest himself before our Faces by those things for which we justly love Him XVI BE not deceived Brethren Those that corrupt and defile themselves with others shall not inherit the Kingdom of God If therefore they who do this according to the Flesh have suffered Death How much more shall He dye who by his wicked Doctrine corrupts the Faith of God for which Christ was Crucified He that is thus defiled shall depart into unquenchable Fire and so also shall He that hearkens to him XVII FOR this cause did the LORD suffer the Oyntment to be poured on his Head that he might breath the Breath of Immortality unto his Church Be not ye therefore anointed with the evil Savour of the Doctrine of the Prince of this World Let him not take you Captive from the Life that is set before you And why are we not all Wise seeing we have received the Knowledge of God which is Jesus Christ Why do we suffer our selves foolishly to Perish not considering the Gift which the LORD has truly sent to Us XVIII MY Soul be the Surety of all such as trust in the Cross which is indeed a Scandal to the Unbelievers but to us is Salvation and Life Eternal Where is the Wise Man Where is the Disputer Where is the Boasting of those who are called Wise For our God Jesus Christ was according to the Dispensation of God conceived in the Womb of Mary of the Seed of David by the Holy Ghost Was born and baptized that through his Passion he might purifie Water to the washing away of Sin XIX NOW the Virginity of Mary and her Delivery was kept in secret from the Prince of this World as was also the Death of our Lord Three of the most notable Mysteries of the Gospel yet done in secret by God How then was our Saviour manifested to the World A Star shone in Heaven beyond all the other Stars and its Light was Inexpressible and its Novelty struck Terror into Mens Minds All the rest of the Stars together with the Sun and Moon were the Chorus to this Star But that sent out its Light exceedingly above them All. And Men began to be troubled to think whence this new Star came so unlike to all the Others Hence all the Power of Magick became dissolved and every Bond of Wickedness was destroy'd Mens Ignorance was taken away and the old Kingdom abolished God himself appearing in the Form of a Man for the Renewal of Eternal Life But the Authority which he received was what God had allotted to Him From thenceforth things were disturbed forasmuch as he design'd to abolish Death XX. BUT if Jesus Christ shall give me Grace through your Prayers and it be his Will I purpose in a second Epistle which I will suddenly write unto you to manifest to you more fully the Dispensation of which I have now begun to speak unto the new Man which is Jesus Christ Both in his Faith and Charity in his Suffering and in his Resurrection Especially if the Lord shall make known unto Me that ye all by Name come together in common in one Faith and in one Jesus Christ who was of the Race of David according to the Flesh the Son of Man and Son of God Obeying your Bishop and the Presbytery with an intire Affection breaking one and the same Bread which is the Medicine of Immortality our Antidote that we should not die but live for ever in Christ Jesus XXI MY Soul be for Yours and Theirs whom ye have sent to the Glory of God even unto Smyrna from whence also I write to you Giving Thanks unto the Lord and loving Polycarp even as I do you Remember me as Jesus Christ does remember you Pray for the Church which is in Syria
doth it shall prosper As for the Wicked it is not so with them but they are as the Dust which the Wind scattereth away from the face of the Earth Therefore the Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment neither the Sinners in the Council of the Righteous For the LORD knoweth the way of the Righteous and the Way of the Vngodly shall perish Consider how he has join'd both the Cross and the Water together For this he saith Blessed are they who putting their Trust in the Cross descend into the Water for they shall have their Reward in due time then saith he will I give it them But as concerning the present time he saith Their Leaves shall not fall Meaning thereby that every Word that shall go out of your Mouth shall through Faith and Charity be to the Conversion and Hope of many In like manner do's another Prophet speak And the Land of Jacob was the Praise of all the Earth that is the Vessel of his Spirit which he there magnifies And what follows And there was a River running on the Right hand and beautiful Trees grew up by it and he that shall eat of them shall live for ever The signification of which is this That we go down into the Water full of Sins and Pollutions but come up again bringing forth Fruit having in our Hearts the Fear and Hope which is in Jesus And whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever That is whosoever shall hearken to those who call them and shall believe shall live for ever XII IN like manner he determins concerning the Cross in another Prophet saying And when shall these things be fulfilled The LORD answers When the Tree that is fallen shall rise and when Bloud shall drop down from the Tree Here you have again mention made both of the Cross and of him that was to be crucified upon it And yet farther he saith in one of the Books of Moses where when Israel was beaten by a strange People to the End that God might remember them how that for their Sins they were deliver'd unto Death the Holy Spirit put it into the Heart of Moses to represent both the Sign of the Cross and of him that was to suffer That so they might know that if they did not believe in him they should be overcome for ever Moses therefore piled up Armour upon Armour in the middle of a rising Ground and standing up high above all of them stretched forth his Arms and so Israel again Conquer'd But no sooner did he let down his Hands but they were again slain And why so To the end they might know that except they trust in him they cannot be saved And in another Prophet he saith I have stretched out my Hands all the Day long to a People disobedient and speaking against my righteous Way And again Moses makes a Type of Jesus to shew that he was to die and then that he whom they thought to be dead was to give Life to others in the Sign of those that fell in Israel For God caused all sorts of Serpents to bite them and they died forasmuch as by a Serpent Transgression began in Eve that so he might convince them that for their Transgressions they shall be delivered into the Pain of Death Moses then himself who had commanded them saying Ye shall not make to your selves any graven or molten Image to be your God yet now did so himself that he might represent to them the Figure of the LORD Jesus For he made a brazen Serpent and set it up on high and called the People together to an Assembly Where being come they intreated Moses that he would make an Attonement for them and pray that they might be healed Then Moses spake unto them saying when any one among you shall be bitten let him come unto the Serpent that is set upon the Pole and let him assuredly trust in him that though he be dead yet he is able to give Life and presently he shall be saved and so they did See therefore how here also you have in this the Glory of Jesus and that in him and to him are all things Again What says Moses to Jesus the Son of Nun when he gave that Name unto him as being a Prophet that all the People might understand that the Father did manifest all things concerning his Son Jesus in Jesus the Son of Nun Moses therefore gave him that Name when he sent him to spy out the Land of Canaan and said Take a Book in thine Hands and write what the LORD saith forasmuch as Jesus the Son of God shall in the last Days cut off by the Roots all the House of Amaleck See here again Jesus not the Son of Man but the Son of God made manifest in a Type and in the Flesh. But because it might hereafter be said that Christ was the Son of David therefore David fearing and well-knowing the Errors of the Wicked saith The LORD said unto my LORD sit thou on my Right Hand until I make thine Enemies thy Footstool And again Isaiah speaketh on this wise The LORD said unto Christ my LORD I have laid hold on his right Hand that the Nations should obey before him and I will break the strength of Kings Behold how both David and Isaiah call him LORD and the Son of God XIII BUT let us go yet farther and enquire whether this People be the Heir or the former and whether the Covenant be with us or with them And first as concerning the People hear what the Scripture saith Isaac prayed for his Wife Rebeckah because she was barren and she conceived Afterwards Rebeckah went forth to enquire of the LORD And the LORD said unto her There are two Nations in thy Womb and two People shall come from thee and the one shall have power over the other and the Greater shall serve the Lesser Understand here who was Isaac who Rebeckah and of whom it was foretold that this People should be Greater than that And in another Prophecy Jacob speaketh more clearly to his Son Joseph saying Behold the LORD hath not taken me from thy Face bring me thy Sons that I may bless them And he brought unto his Father Manasseh and Ephraim desiring that he should bless Manasseh because he was the Elder Therefore Joseph brought him to the Right Hand of his Father Jacob. But Jacob by the Spirit foresaw the Figure of the People that was to come And what saith the Scripture And Jacob crossed his Hands and put his Right Hand upon Ephraim his second and the Younger Son and Blessed him And Joseph said unto Jacob Put thy Right Hand upon the Head of Manasseh for he is my First-born Son And Jacob said unto Joseph I know it my Son I know it but the Greater shall serve the Lesser though he also shall be Blessed Ye see of whom he appointed
Temple of the LORD shall be gloriously built in the Name of the LORD I find therefore that there is a Temple But how shall it be built in the Name of the LORD I will shew you Before that we belived in God the Habitation of our Heart was corruptible and feeble as a Temple truly built with Hands For it was a House full of Idolatry a House of Devils inasmuch as there was done in it whatsoever was contrary unto God But it shall be built in the Name of the LORD Consider how that the Temple of the LORD shall be very gloriously built And by what means that shall be learn Having received Remission of our Sins and trusting in the Name of the LORD we are become Renew'd being again created from the Beginning Wherefore God truly dwells in our House that is in us But how do's he dwell in us The Word of his Faith the Calling of his Promise the Wisdom of his Righteous Judgments the Commands of his Doctrine He himself prophecies within us he himself dwelleth in us and openeth to us who were in Bondage the Gate of Our Temple that is the Mouth of Wisdom having given Repentance to us and by this means has brought us into his incorruptible Temple He therefore that desires to be saved looketh not unto the Man but unto him that dwelleth in him and speaketh by him being struck with Wonder forasmuch as he never either heard him speaking such Words out of his Mouth nor ever desired to hear them This is that Spiritual Temple that is built unto the LORD XVII AND thus I trust I have declared to you as much and with as great Simplicity as I could those things which make for your Salvation so as not to have omitted any thing that might be requisite thereunto For should I speak farther of the Things that now are and of those that are to come you would not yet understand them seeing they lie in Parables This therefore shall suffice as to these things XVIII LET us now go on to the other kind of Knowledge and Doctrine There are two ways of Doctrine and Power The one of Light the other of Darkness But there is a great deal of difference between these two ways For over one are appointed the Angels of God the Leaders of the way of Light Over the others the Angels of Satan And the one is the LORD from Everlasting to Everlasting the other is the Prince of the Time of Unrighteousness XIX NOW the way of Light is this if any one desires to attain to the Place that is appointed for him and will hasten thither by his Works And the Knowledge that has been given to us of walking in it to this Effect * Thou shalt love him that made thee * Thou shalt glorifie him that hath redeemed thee from Death * Thou shalt be simple in Heart and * Rich in the Spirit * Thou shalt not cleave to those that walk in the Way of Death * Thou shalt hate to do any thing that is not pleasing unto God * Thou shalt abhor all Dissimulation * Thou shalt not neglect any of the Commands of the LORD * Thou shalt not exalt thy self but shalt be humble * Thou shalt not take Honour to thy self * Thou shalt not enter into any Wicked Counsel against thy Neighbour * Thou shalt not be confident in thy Heart * Thou shalt not commit * Fornication nor * Adultery Neither shalt thou * corrupt thy self with Mankind * Thou shalt not make use of the Speech which God has given thee to any Impurity * Thou shalt not accept any Mans Person when thou reprovest any ones Faults * Thou shalt be Gentle * Thou shalt be Quiet * Thou shalt tremble at the Words which thou hast heard * Thou shalt not keep any Hatred in thy Heart against thy Brother * Thou shalt not entertain any doubt whether it shall be or not * Thou shalt not take the Name of the LORD in vain * Thou shalt love thy Neighbour above thy own Soul * Thou shalt not destroy thy Conceptions before they are brought forth nor kill them after they are born * Thou shalt not take off thy Hand from thy Son or from thy Daughter but shalt teach them from their youth the Fear of the LORD * Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Goods neither shalt thou be an Extortioner * Neither shall thy Heart be joined to proud Men but thou shalt be numbred among the Righteous and the Lowly * Whatever Troubles shall happen unto thee thou shalt receive them as good * Thou shalt not be double-minded or double-tongu'd for a double Tongue is the Snare of Death * Thou shalt be subject unto the LORD and to inferior Masters as to the Images of God in Fear and Reverence * Thou shalt not be bitter in thy Commands towards any of thy Servants that trust in God least thou chance not to fear him who is over both because he came not to call any with respect of Persons but whomsoever his Spirit had prepared * Thou shalt communicate to thy Neighbour of all thou hast Thou shalt not call any thing thine own For if ye partake in such things as are incorruptible how much more should ye do it in those that are Corruptible * Thou shalt not be forward to speak for the Mouth is the Snare of Death * As far as thou art able keep thy self Pure * Reach not out thine Hand to receive and with-hold it not when thou shouldst give * Thou shalt love as the Apple of thine Eye every one that speaketh unto thee the Word of the LORD * Call to thy Remembrance Day and Night the future Judgment * Thou shalt seek out every Day the Persons of the Righteous * And both seek by thy Speech and go forth to exhort and meditate how thou maiest save thine own Soul * Thou shalt also labour with thy Hands that thy Sins may be forgiven thee * Thou shalt not deliberate whether thou shouldst give * Nor having given murmur at it * Give to every one that asks so shalt thou know who is the good Rewarder of thy Gifts * Keep what thou hast received thou shalt neither add to it or take from it * Let the Wicked be always thy Aversion * Thou shalt judge righteous Judgment * Thou shalt never cause Divisions but shalt make Peace between those that are at variance and bring them together * Thou shalt confess thy Sins * And not come to thy Prayer with an Evil-Conscience This is the Way of Light XX. BUT the Way of Darkness is crooked and full of Cursing For it is the Way of Eternal Death with Punishment in which they that walk meet those things that destroy their own Souls Such are Idolatry Confidence Pride of Power Hypocrisie Double-Mindedness Adultery Murder Rapine Pride Transgression Deceit Malice Arrogance Witchcraft Covetousness and the Want of the Fear of God In this walk those who
you shall find it empty as you stopp'd it up So those empty Prophets when they come among the Spirits of the Just are found to be such as they came Thus you see the Life of each of these kind of Prophets Wherefore prove that Man by his Life and Works who says that he hath the Holy Spirit And believe the Spirit which comes from God and has Power as such But believe not the Earthly Spirit in whom there is no Trust nor Vertue but he is empty because he is from the Devil Hear now the Similitude which I am about to speak unto thee Take a Stone and throw it up towards Heaven or take a Spout of Water and mount it up thither-ward and see if thou canst reach unto Heaven Sir said I How can this be done For neither of those things which you have mentioned are possible to be done And he answer'd Therefore as these things cannot be done so is the Earthly Spirit without Vertue and without Effect Understand yet farther the Power of the other in this Similitude The Grains of Hail that drop down are exceeding small and yet when they fall upon the Head of a Man how do they cause Pain to it And again consider the Droppings of a House how the little Drops falling upon the Earth work a Hollow in the Stones So in like manner the least things which come from above and fall upon the Earth have great force Wherefore join thy self to this Spirit which has Power and depart from the other which is empty The Twelfth COMMAND Of a two-fold Desire That the Commands of God are not impossible And that the Devil is not to be feared by them that Believe I. AGAIN he said unto me Remove from thee all Evil Desires and put on all Good and Holy Desires For having put on a good Desire thou shalt hate that which is Evil and bridle it as thou wilt But an Evil Desire is dreadful and hard to be appeas'd It is very horrible and wild and by its Wildness consumes Men. And especially if the Servant of God shall chance to fall into it except he be very Wise he shall be ruined by it For it destroys those who have not the Garment of a good Desire and engages them in the Affairs of this present World and delivers them unto Death Sir said I What are the Works of an evil Desire which shall bring Men unto Death Shew them to me that I may depart from them Hear said he in what Works an evil Desire shall bring the Servants of God unto Death The Spirit of all Men is Earthly and light and has no Vertue and speaks much I said How then shall a Man be able to discern them Consider what I am going to say concerning both kinds of Men and as I speak unto thee so shalt thou prove the Prophet of God and the False Prophet And first try the Man who hath the Spirit of God because the Spirit which is from above is humble and quiet and departs from all Wickedness and from the vain Desires of the present World and makes himself more humble than all Men and answers to none when he is ask'd nor to every one singly neither do's the Spirit of God speak to a Man when he will but speaks when God pleases When therefore a Man who has the Spirit of God shall come into the Church of the Righteous who have the Faith of God and they pray unto the LORD then the Holy Angel of God fills that Man with the Blessed Spirit and he speaks in the Congregation as he is moved by God Thus therefore is the Spirit of God known because whosoever speaks by the Spirit of God speaketh as the LORD will II. HEAR now concerning the Earthly Spirit which is empty and foolish and without Vertue And first of all the Man who may be supposed to have this Spirit exalteth himself and desires to have the first Seat and is wicked and full of Words and spends his time in Pleasure and in all manner of Voluptuousness and receives the Reward of his Divination Which if he receives not he do's not divine Although the Spirit of God may receive Reward and Divine But it becomes not the Prophet of God so to do But it is an evil Desire to covet another Mans Wife or for a Woman to covet anothers Husband as also to desire the Dainties of Riches and Multitude of superfluous Meats and Drunkenness and many Delights For in much Delicacy there is Folly and many Pleasures are needless to the Servants of God Such Lusting therefore is evil and pernicious which brings to Death the Servants of God For all such Lusting is from the Devil Whosoever therefore shall depart from all evil Desires shall live unto God But they that are subject unto them shall die for ever For this evil Lusting is deadly Do thou therefore put on the Desire of Righteousness and being armed with the Fear of the LORD resist all wicked Lusting For Fear dwelleth in good Desires and when evil Coveting shall see thee arm'd with the Fear of the LORD and resisting it it will flie far from thee and not appear before thee but be afraid of thy Armour and thou shalt have the Victory and be crown'd for it and shalt attain unto that Desire which is good and shalt give the Victory which thou hast obtain'd unto God and shalt serve him in doing what thou thy self wouldst do For if thou shalt be subject to good Desires and follow them thou shalt be able to get the Dominion over thy wicked Lustings and they shall be subject to thee as thou wilt III. AND I said Sir I would know how I ought to serve that Desire which is good Hearken said he Fear God and put thy Trust in him and love Truth and Righteousness and do that which is good If thou shalt do these things thou shalt be an approved Servant of God and shalt serve him And when he had fulfilled these Twelve Commands he said unto me Thou hast now these Commands walk in them and exhort those that hear them that they repent and that they keep their Repentance pure all the remaining Days of their Life And fulfil diligently this Service which I commit to thee and thou shalt receive great Advantage by it and shalt find Favour with all such as shall repent and shall believe thy Words For I am with thee and will force them to believe And I said unto him Sir These Commands are Great and Excellent and able to chear the Heart of that Man that shall be able to keep them But Sir I cannot tell whether they can be observed by any Man He answer'd Thou shalt easily keep these Commands and they shall not be hard Howbeit if thou shalt suffer it once to enter into thy Heart that they cannot be kept by any one thou shalt not fulfil them But now I say unto thee If thou shalt not observe these Commands but shalt
I said thus within my self I shall be happy if I shall walk according to these Commands and whosoever shall walk in them shall live unto God Whilst I was meditating on this wise I saw him whom I had before been wont to see sitting by me and he spake thus unto me What doubtest thou concerning the Commands which I have delivered unto thee Doubt not whether they are Good but trust in the LORD and thou shalt walk in them For I will give thee strength to fulfil them These Commands are profitable to those who shall repent of those sins which they have formerly committed if for the time to come they shall not continue in them Whosoever therefore ye be that Repent cast away from you the naughtiness of the present World And put on all Vertue and all Righteousness and so shall ye be able to keep these Commands neither sin from henceforth any more For if ye shall keep your selves from sin for the time to come ye shall cut off a great deal of your former sins Walk in my Commands and ye shall live unto God These things have I spoken unto you And when he had said this he added let us go into the Field and I will shew thee Shepherds of Sheep I reply'd Sir let us go And we came into a certain Field and there he shew'd me a young Shepherd finely array'd with his Garments of a Purple Colour And he fed large Flocks and his Sheep were full of Pleasure and in much Delight and Chearfulness and they ran here and there as it were rejoicing And the Shepherd took very great Satisfaction in his Flock and the Countenance of that Shepherd was Chearful running up and down among his Flock II. THEN the Angel said unto me See'st thou this Shepherd I answer'd Sir I see him He said unto me this is the Messenger of Delight and Pleasure He therefore corrupts the Minds of the Servants of God and turns them from the Truth delighting them with many Pleasures and they perish For they forget the Commands of the living God and live in luxury and in vain satisfactions and are corrupted by this Evil-Angel some of them unto Death and others even to a falling off from the truth I replied I understand not what you mean by being corrupted unto Death and so falling away Hear says he All those Sheep which thou sawest exceeding fair and joyful are such as have for ever departed from God and given themselves up to the desires of this present Time To these therefore there is no return by Repentance unto Life because that to their other Sins they have added this that they have Blasphemed the Name of the LORD These kind of Men are ordained unto Death But those Sheep which thou sawest not leaping for Joy but feeding in one place are such as have indeed given themselves up to Pleasures and Delights but have not spoken any thing wickedly against the LORD These have not departed from the Truth and therefore have yet Hope laid up for them in Repentance For such a Defection has some hope still left of a renewal But they that are dead are utterly gone for ever Again we went a little farther forward and he shew'd me a great Shepherd who had as it were a Wild Figure clad with a White Goats Skin having his Bag upon his Shoulder and in his Hand a Stick full of Knots and very hard and a Whip in his Other Hand And his Countenance was Stern and Sour enough to affright a Man such was his look He took from that young Shepherd such Sheep as lived in Pleasures but did not skip up and down and drove them into a certain Steep Craggy Place full of Thorns and Briars insomuch that they could not get themselves free from them but being entangled in them fed upon Thorns and Briars and were grievously tormented with his Whipping For he still drove them on nor afforded them any Place or Time to stand still III. WHEN therefore I saw them so cruelly whipp'd and afflicted I was grieved for them because they were greatly tormented nor had they any Rest afforded them And I said unto the Shepherd that was with me Sir Who is this cruel and implacable Shepherd who is moved with no Compassion towards these Sheep He answer'd This Shepherd is indeed the Messenger of the Righteous but is set over them for their Punishment To him therefore are deliver'd those who have erred from God and follow'd the Desires and Pleasures of this World and served them For this Cause he punishes them every one according to their Deserts with cruel and various kind of Pains Sir said I I would know what kind of Pains they are which every one undergoes Hearken said he The several Pains and Torments are those which Men every Day undergo in their present Lives For some suffer Losses others Poverty others divers Sicknesses Some are Unconstant Others suffer injuries from those that are Unworthy Others fall under many other Tryals and Inconveniences Many with an unsetled design aim at many things and it profiteth them not and they say that they have not Success in their Undertakings These things call to their Mind what they have done amiss and they complain of the LORD When therefore they shall have undergon all kind of Vexation and Inconveniencie then they are deliver'd over to me for good Instruction and are confirm'd in the Faith of the LORD and serve the LORD all the rest of their Life with a pure Mind And when they begin to repent of their Sins then they call to mind their Works which they have done amiss and give Honour to God saying That he is a just Judge and that they have deservedly suffer'd all things according to their Deeds And for what remains of their Lives they serve God with a pure Mind and have Success in all their Undertakings and receive from the LORD whatever they desire And then they give thanks unto the LORD that they were deliver'd unto me nor do they suffer any more Cruelty IV. I SAID unto him Sir I intreat you now to shew me one thing What said he dost thou desire I said unto him Are they who depart from the Fear of God tormented for the same time that they enjoy'd their false Delight and Pleasures He answer'd me They are tormented for the same Time And I said unto him they are then tormented but little whereas they who enjoy their Pleasures so as to forget God ought to endure seven times as much Punishment He answer'd me Thou art foolish neither understandest thou the Efficacy of this kind of Punishment I said unto him Sir If I understood it I would not desire you to tell me Hearken said he and learn what the force of both is both of the Pleasure and of the Punishment An hour of Pleasure is terminated within its own Space But one hour of Punishment has the Efficacy of thirty Days Whosoever therefore enjoys his
false Pleasure for one Day and is one Day tormented that one Day of Punishment is equivalent to a whole years space Thus look how many Days any one pursues his Pleasures so many Years is he punish'd for it You see therefore how that the Time of Worldly Enjoyments is but short but that of Pain and Torments a great deal more V. I REPLY'D Sir forasmuch as I do not understand all these Times of Pleasure and Pain I intreat you that you would explain your self more clearly concerning them He answer'd me saying Thy Foolishness still sticks inseparably unto thee Shouldst thou not rather purifie thy Mind and serve God Take heed least when thy Time is fulfill'd thou shalt be found still unwise Hear then as thou desirest that thou mayst the more easily understand He that gives himself up one Day to his Pleasures and Delights and do's whatsoever his Soul desires is full of great Folly nor understands what he do's but the Day following forgets what he did the Day before For Sweetness and Worldly Pleasure have no Memory by reason of the Folly that is rooted in them But when Pain and Torment befal a Man a Day he is in Effect troubled the whole Year after because his Punishment continues firm in his Memory Wherefore he remembers it with Sorrow the whole Year and then calls to mind his vain Pleasure and Delight and perceives that for the sake of that he was punished Whosoever therefore have deliver'd themselves over to such Pleasures are thus punished because that when they had Life they rendred themselves liable to Death I said unto him Sir And what Pleasures are hurtful He answer'd That is Pleasure to every Man which he do's willingly For the Angry Man gratifying his Passion perceives Pleasure in it and so the Adulterer and Drunkard the Detractor and Lyar and Covetous Man and the Deceiver and whosoever commits any thing like unto these because he gratifies his Infirmities he receives a Satisfaction in the doing of it All these Pleasures and Delights are hurtful to the Servants of God For these therefore they are tormented and suffer Punishment There are also Pleasures that bring Salvation unto Men. For many when they do what is good find Pleasure in it and are attracted by the Delights of it Now this Pleasure is profitable to the Servants of God and brings Life to such Men But those hurtful Pleasures which were before mention'd bring Torments and Punishment And whosoever shall continue in them and shall not repent of what they have done shall gain Death unto themselves The Seventh SIMILITUDE That they who Repent must bring forth Fruits worthy of Repentance AFTER a few Days I saw the same Person that before talked with me in the same Field in which I had before seen the Shepherds And he said unto me What seekest thou Sir said I I came to intreat you that you would command the Shepherd who is the Minister of Punishment to depart out of my House because he greatly afflicts me And he answer'd It is necessary for thee to endure Inconveniencies and Vexations for so that good Angel hath commanded concerning thee because he would try thee Sir said I What so great Offence have I committed that I should be deliver'd to this Messenger Hearken said he Thou art indeed guilty of many Sins yet not so many that thou shouldst be delivered to this Messenger But thy House hath committed many Sins and Offences and therefore that good Messenger being grieved at their Doings commanded that for some time thou shouldst suffer Affliction that they may both repent of what they have done and may wash themselves from all desires of this present World When therefore they shall have repented and be purified then that Messenger which is appointed over thy Punishment shall depart from thee I said unto him Sir If they have behaved themselves so as to anger that good Angel yet what have I done He answer'd They cannot otherwise be afflicted unless thou who art the Head of the Family suffer For whatsoever thou shalt suffer they must needs feel it But as long as thou shalt stand well establish'd they cannot experience any Vexation I replyed But Sir behold they also now repent with all their Hearts I know says he that they repent with all their Hearts but dost thou therefore think that their Offences who repent are immediately blotted out No they are not presently But he that repents must afflict his Soul and shew himself humble in all his Affairs and undergo many and divers Vexations And when he shall have suffer'd all things that were appointed for him then perhaps he that made him and all things besides will be moved with Compassion towards him and afford him some Remedy and especially if he shall perceive his Heart who repents to be pure from every Evil Work But at present it is expedient for thee and for thy House to be grieved and it is needful that thou shouldst endure much Vexation as the Angel of the LORD who committed thee unto me has commanded Rather give Thanks unto the LORD that knowing what was to come he thought thee worthy to whom he should foretel that Trouble was coming upon those that were able to bear it I said unto him Sir Be but thou also with me and I shall easily undergo any Trouble I will said he be with thee and I will ask the Messenger who is set over thy Punishment that he would moderate his Afflictions towards thee And moreover thou shalt suffer Adversity but for a little time and then thou shalt again be restored to thy former Place only continue on in the Humility of thy Mind Obey the LORD with a pure Heart thou and thy House and thy Children and walk in the Commands which I have delivered unto thee And then thy Repentance may be firm and pure And if thou shalt keep these things with thy House all Inconveniencies shall depart from thee And all Vexation shall in like manner depart from all those whosoever shall walk according to these Commands The Eighth SIMILITUDE That there are many kinds of Elect and of Repenting Sinners And how all of them shall receive a Reward proportionable to the Measure of their Repentance and Good Works I. AGAIN he shew'd me a Willow which covered the Fields and the Mountains under whose Shadow came all such as were called by the Name of the LORD And by that Willow stood the Angel of the LORD very excellent and lofty and did cut down Boughs from that Willow with a great Hook and reach'd out to the People that were under the Shadow of that Willow little Rods as it were about a Foot long And when all of them had taken them he laid aside his Hook and the Tree continued intire as I had before seen it At which I wondred and mused within my self Then that Shepherd said unto me Forbear to wonder that that Tree continues whole notwithstanding so many Boughs
unto me And first they deliver'd theirs whose Rods were Dry and Rotten And those whose Rods still continued so he commanded to stand apart Then they came whose Rods were Dry but not Rotten Some of these deliver'd in their Rods Green Others dry and rotten as if they had been touch'd by the Moth. Those who gave them up Green he commanded to stand apart But those whose Rods were dry and rotten he caused to stand with the first sort Then came they whose Rods were half dry and Cleft Many of these gave up their Rods Green but still Cleft Others delivered them up Green with Branches and Fruit upon the Branches like unto theirs who went Crown'd into the Tower Others deliver'd them up Dry and Rotten And some as they were before half dry and cleft Every one of these he order'd to stand apart some by themselves others in their respective Ranks V. THEN came they whose Rods were for the most part Green but cleft These deliver'd their Rods altogether Green and stood in their own Order And the Shepherd rejoiced at these because they were all even and free from their Clefts Then they gave in their Rods who had half Green and half Dry. Of these some were found wholly Green others half dry others green with young Shoots And all these were sent away every one to his proper Rank Then they gave up their Rods who had two parts Green and the rest Dry Many of these gave in their Rods Green many half dry the rest dry but not rotten So these were sent away each to his proper Place Then came they who had their Rods two parts Dry and the third Green many of these delivered up their Rods half dry others dry and rotten others half dry and cleft but few Green And all these were set every one in his own Rank Then they reach'd in their Rods who had them before a third part Green and the rest dry Their Rods were for the most part found Green having little Boughs with Fruit upon them and the rest altogether Green And the Shepherd upon sight of these rejoiced exceedingly because he had sound them thus And they also went to their proper Orders VI. NOW after he had examin'd all their Rods he said unto me I told thee that this Tree loved Life Thou seest how many have repented and attain'd unto Salvation Sir said I I see it That thou mightest know saith he that the Goodness and Mercy of the LORD is Great and to be had in Honour who gave his Spirit to them that were worthy of Repentance I answer'd Sir why then did not all of them repent He reply'd Those whose Minds the LORD foresaw would be Pure and that they would serve him with all their Hearts to them he gave Repentance But for those whose deceit and wickedness he beheld and perceived that they would not truly return unto him to them he deny'd any return unto Repentance least they should again blaspheme his Law with wicked Words I said unto him Now Sir make known unto me what is the place of every one of those who have given up their Rods and what their Portion that when they who have not kept their Seal entire but have cast away the Seal which they received shall hear and believe these things they may acknowledge their Evil-deeds and repent and receiving again their Seal from you may give Glory to God that he was moved with Compassion towards them and sent you to renew their Spirits Hearken said he They whose Rods have been found dry and rotten and as it were touch'd with the Moth are the Deserters and the Betrayers of the Church Who with the rest of their Crimes have also blasphemed the LORD and deny'd his Name which was called upon them Therefore all these are Dead unto God and thou seest that none of them have repented although they have heard my Commands which thou hast delivered unto them From these Men therefore Life is far distant And they also who have deliver'd up their Rods Dry but not Rotten have not been far from them For they have been Counterfeits and brought in Evil-Doctrines and have perverted the Servants of God and especially those who had sinn'd not suffering them to return unto Repentance but keeping them back by their False Doctrines These therefore have Hope and thou seest that many of them have repented since the time that thou hast laid my Commands before them and many more will yet Repent But they that shall not Repent both they have lost Patience and shall lose their Life But they that have repented their place is begun to be within the first Walls and some of them are even gone into the Tower Thou seest therefore said he that in the Repentance of sinners there is Life but that for them who Repent not Death is prepared VII HEAR now concerning those who gave in their Rods half dry and full of Clefts They whose Rods were only half-dry are the Doubtful for they are neither Living nor Dead But they who deliver'd in their Rods not only half-dry but also full of Clefts are both Doubtful and Evil-speakers who detract from those that are absent and have never peace among themselves and that envy one another Howbeit to these there is yet lest space for Repentance for thou seest that some of these also have repented Now all those of this kind who have quickly repented shall have a place in the Tower but they who have been more slow in their Repentance shall dwell within the Walls But they that shall not repent but shall continue on in their wicked Doings shall die the Death As for those who had their Rods Green but yet Cleft they are such as were always Faithful and Good but who had some Envy and Strife among themselves concerning Dignity and Preheminence Now all such are Vain and without Understanding as contend with one another about these things Nevertheless seeing they are otherwise Good if when they shall hear these Commands they shall amend themselves and shall at my Perswasion suddainly repent they shall forthwith begin to dwell in the Tower as they who have truly and worthily repented But if any one shall again return to his Dissention he shall be shut out from the Tower and shall lose his Life For the Life of those who keep the Commandments of the LORD consists in doing what they are commanded not in Principality or in any other Dignity For by Patience and Humility of Mind Men shall attain unto Life but by Seditions and Contempt of the Law they shall purchase Death unto themselves VIII THEY who in their Rods had half Green and half Dry are those who are engag'd in many Affairs nor are wholly applied to Holy things For which Cause half of them liveth and half is dead Wherefore many of these since the time that they have heard my Commands have repented and begun to live in the Tower But some of them have wholly fallen away to
of his Spirit XXV AS concerning the eighth Mountain in which were a great many Springs by which every kind of all the Creatures of God was watered they are such as have believed the Apostles which the LORD sent into all the World to preach and some Teachers who have preached and taught purely and sincerely and have not in the least yielded to any Evil Desires but have constantly walked in Righteousness and Truth These therefore have their Conversation among the Angels XXVI AGAIN as for what concerns the ninth Mountain which was desert and full of Serpents they are such as have believed but had many Stains These are such Ministers as discharge their Ministry amiss ravishing away the Goods of the Widows and Fatherless and serve themselves not others out of those things which they have received These if they continue in this Covetousness shall deliver themselves unto Death nor shall there be any hope of Life for them But if they shall be converted and shall discharge their Ministry sincerely they may live As for those which were found rough they are such as have deny'd the Name of the LORD and not return'd again to the LORD but have become savage and wild not applying themselves to the Servants of God but being separated from them have for the sake of a little Anxiety lost their Lives For as a Vine that is forsaken in a Hedge and never dress'd perishes and is choaked by the Weeds and in time becomes wild and ceases to be useful to its LORD So this kind of Men despairing of themselves and being made sour have begun to be unprofitable to their LORD Howbeit to these there is at last Repentance allow'd if they shall not be found from their Hearts to have denied Christ But if any of these shall be found to have denied him from his Heart I cannot tell whether such a one can attain unto Life And I say therefore that if in these Days any one has denied he should return unto Repentance for it cannot be that any one who now denies the LORD can afterwards attain unto Salvation Nevertheless Repentance is proposed unto them who have formerly deny'd But he who will repent must hasten on his Repentance before the Building of this Tower is finished Or if not he shall be delivered by those Women unto Death But they that are maimed are the Deceitful and those who mix one with another These are the Serpents that you saw in that Mountain For as the Poyson of Serpents is deadly unto Men So the Words of such Persons infect and destroy Men. They are therefore maimed in their Faith by reason of that kind of Life in which they lead Howbeit some of them having repented have been saved and so shall others of the same kind be saved if they shall repent but if not they shall die by those Women whose Power and Force they enjoy XXVII FOR what concerns the tenth Mountain in which were the Trees covering the Cattle they are such as have believed and some of them been Bishops that is Governours of the Churches Others are such Stones as have not feignedly but with a chearful Mind entertain'd the Servants of God Then such as have been set over inferior Ministries and have protected the Poor and the Widows and have always kept a chast Conversation therefore they also are protected by the LORD Whosoever shall do on this wise are honour'd with the LORD and their Place is among the Angels if they shall continue to obey the LORD even unto the End XXVIII AS to the eleventh Mountain in which were Trees loaded with several sorts of Fruits they are such as have believed and suffered Death for the Name of the LORD and have endured with a ready Mind and have given up their Lives with all their Hearts And I said Why then Sir have all these Fruit but some fairer than others Hearken said he Whosoever have suffered for the Name of the LORD are esteemed honourable by the LORD and all their Offences are blotted out because they have suffered Death for the Name of the Son of God Hear now why their Fruits are different and some of them excel others They who being brought before Magistrates and being ask'd deny'd not the LORD but suffered with a ready Mind these are more honourable with the LORD The Fruits therefore that are the most fair are these But they who were fearful and doubtful and have deliberated with themselves whether they should confess or deny Christ and yet have suffered their Fruits are smaller because that this Thought came into their Hearts For it is a wicked and evil Thought for a Servant to deliberate whether he should deny his Master Take heed therefore ye who have such Thoughts that this Mind continue not in you and ye die unto God But ye who suffer Death for his Name sake ought to honour the LORD that he has esteem'd you worthy to bear his Name and that you should be delivered from all your Sins And why therefore do you not rather esteem your selves happy Why do you not think that if any one among you suffer he performs a great Work For the LORD giveth you Life and ye understand it not For your Offences did oppress you and had you not suffer'd for his Names sake ye had now been dead unto the LORD Wherefore I speak this unto you who deliberate whether ye should confess or deny him Confess that ye have the LORD for your God least at any time denying him ye be delivered over into Bonds For if all Nations punish their Servants which deny their Masters What think you that the LORD will do unto you who has the Power of all things Remove therefore out of your Hearts these Doubts that ye may live for ever unto God XXIX AS for the twelfth Mountain which was white they are such as have believed like sincere Children into whose Thoughts there never came any Malice nor have they ever known what Sin was but have always continued in their Integrity Wherefore this kind of Men shall without all doubt inherit the Kingdom of God because they have never in any thing defiled the Commandments of God but have continued with Sincerity in the same Condition all the days of their Life Whosoever therefore said he shall continue as Children without Malice shall be more honourable than all those of whom I have yet spoken For all such Children are honour'd by the LORD and esteemed the first of all Happy therefore are ye who have removed all Malice from you and put on Innocence because ye shall first see the LORD And after he had thus ended his Explication of all the Mountains I said unto him Sir Shew me now also what concerns the Stones that were brought out of the Plain and put into the Tower in the room of those that were rejected as also concerning those round Stones which were added into the Building of the Tower and also of those who still continued
much Jesus Christ vouchsafed to suffer for our sakes What Recompense then shall we render unto him Or what Fruit that may be worthy of what he has given to us For indeed how great are those Advantages which we owe to him in Relation to our Holiness He has illuminated us as a Father he has called us his Children he has saved us who were lost and undone What Praise shall we ascribe to him Or what Reward that may be answerable to those things which we have received We were defective in our Understandings worshiping Stones and Wood Gold and Silver and Brass the Works of Mens Hands and our whole Life was nothing else but Death Wherefore being encompassed with Darkness and having such a Mist before our Eyes we have look'd up and through his Will have laid aside the Cloud wherewith we were surrounded For he had Compassion upon us and being moved in his Bowels towards us he saved us having beheld in us much Deceit and Destruction and seen that we had no hope of Salvation but only by him Therefore he called us who were not and was pleased from nothing to give us a Being II. REJOICE thou Barren that barest not break forth and cry thou that travailest not for she that is desolate hath many more Children than she that hath an Husband In that he said Rejoice thou Barren that bearest not He spake of us For our Church was barren before that Children were given unto it And again when he said Cry thou that travailest not He implied thus much That after the manner of Women in Travail we should not cease to put up our Prayers unto God only And for what remains Because she that is desolate hath more Children than she that hath an Husband It was therefore added because our People which seem'd to have been forsaken by God now believing in him are become more than they who seem'd to have God And another Scripture saith I came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance The Meaning of which is this that those who were lost must be saved For that is indeed truly great and wonderful not to confirm those things that are yet standing but those which are falling Even so did it seem good to Christ to save what was lost and when he came into the World he saved many and called us who were already perishing III. SEEING then he has shew'd so great Mercy towards us and chiefly for that we who are alive do now no longer sacrifice to dead Gods nor pay any Worship to them but have by him been brought to the Knowledge of the Father of Truth Whereby shall we shew that we do indeed know him but by not denying him by whom we have come to the Knowledge of him For even he himself saith Whosoever shall confess me before Men him will I confess before my Father This therefore is our Reward that if we confess him we shall be saved by him But wherein must we confess him Namely in doing those things which he saith and not disobeying his Commandments By worshiping him not with our Lips only but with all our Heart and with all our Mind For he saith in Isaiah This People honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me IV. LET us not then only call him LORD for that will not save us For he saith Not every one that saith unto me LORD LORD shall be saved but he that doth Righteousness Wherefore Brethren let us confess him by our Works by loving one another in not committing Adultery not speaking Evil against each other not envying one another but by being Temperate Merciful and Good Let us also have a mutual Sense of one anothers Sufferings and not be covetous of Mony But let us by our Good Works confess God and not by those that are otherwise Also let us not fear Men but rather God For this cause and to the End that we should do thus hath the LORD said Though ye should be joyn'd unto me even in my very Bosom and not keep my Commandments I would cast you off and say unto you Depart from me I know not whence you are ye Workers of Iniquity V. WHEREFORE Brethren laying aside our sojourning in this present World let us do the Will of him who has called us and not fear to depart out of this World For the LORD saith Ye shall be as Sheep in the midst of Wolves Peter answered and said What if the Wolves shall tear in pieces the Sheep Jesus said unto Peter Let not the Sheep fear the Wolves after Death And ye also fear not those that kill you and after that have no more that they can do unto you but fear him who after you are dead has power to cast both Soul and Body into Hell Fire For consider Brethren that the sojourning of this Flesh in the present World is but little and of a short Continuance but the Promise of Christ is Great and Wonderful even the rest of the Kingdom that is to come and of Eternal Life But what then must we do that we attain unto it We must be converted to a divine and just Course of Life and look upon all the things of this World as none of ours and not desire them For if we shall desire to possess them we are fallen from the Way of Righteousness VI. FOR thus saith the LORD No Servant can serve two Masters If therefore we shall desire to serve God and Mammon it will be without Profit to us For what will it profit us if we shall gain the whole World and lose our own Souls Now this World and that to come are two Enemies This calls us to Adultery and Corruption to Covetousness and to Deceit but that commands us to renounce these things We cannot therefore be the Friends of both but we must resolve by forsaking one to enjoy the other And we think that it is better to hate the present things as little short-lived and corruptible and to love those which are to come which are truly good and incorruptible For if we do the Will of Christ we shall find Rest But if not nothing shall deliver us from Eternal Punishment if we shall disobey his Commands For even thus saith the Scripture in the Prophet Ezekiel If Noah Job and Daniel should rise up they shall not deliver their Children in Captivity Wherefore if such Righteous Men are not able by their Righteousness to deliver their Children how can we hope to enter into the Kingdom of God except we keep our Baptism Holy and Undefiled Or who shall be our Advocate unless we shall be found to have done what is Holy and Just VII LET us therefore my Brethren contend with all Earnestness knowing that we are now called to the Combat and that many go long Voyages to corruptible Encounters in which all are not concern'd but they only that labour much and