thy Children and with all thy House thou shalt be happy And whosoever when they hear these things shall do them they also shall be happy and whatsoever they shall ask of the LORD they shall receive it IV. AND I pray'd him that he would expound unto me the Similitude of the Farm and the Lord and of the Vineyard and of the Servant that had staked the Vine-yard and of the Weeds that were pluck'd out of the Vineyard and of his Son and his Friends which he took into Counsel with him For I understood that that was the Similitude He said unto me Thou art very ready in asking Howbeit thou oughst not to ask any thing for if it be fitting to shew it unto thee it shall be shewed I answer'd him Sir Whatsoever thou shalt shew without explaining it unto me I shall in vain see it And what Similitudes thou shalt propose and not expound them I shall in vain hear them He answered me again saying Whosoever is the Servant of God and has the LORD in his Heart desires Understanding of him and receives it and he explains every Similitude and understands the Words of the LORD which need an Enquiry But they that are lazy and slow to pray doubt to seek from the LORD although the LORD be of such an extraordinary Goodness that without ceasing he giveth all things to them that ask of him Thou therefore who art strengthened by that Venerable Messenger and hast received such a powerful Gift of Prayer seeing thou art not sloathful why dost thou not now ask Understanding of the LORD and receive it I said unto him seeing I have thee present it is necessary that I should seek it of thee and ask thee for thou shewest all things unto me and speakest to me when thou art present But if I should see or hear these things when thou wert not present I would then ask the LORD that he would shew them unto me V. AND he reply'd I said a little before that thou wert subtle and bold and that thou askest the meaning of these Similitudes But because thou still persistest I will unfold to thee the Parable which thou desirest that thou mayst make it known unto all Men. Hear therefore said he and understand The Farm before mention'd denotes the whole Earth The Lord of the Farm is he who created and finished all things and gave Vertue unto them His Son is the Holy Spirit The Servant is the Son of God The Vineyard is the People whom he saves The Stakes are the Messengers which are set over them by the LORD to support his People The Weeds that are pluckt up out of the Vineyard are the Sins which the Servants of God had committed The Food which he sent him from his Supper are the Commands which he gave to his People by his Son The Friends whom he call'd to Counsel with him are the Holy Angels whom he first created The Absence of the Master of the Houshold is the Time that remains unto his Coming I said unto him Sir All these things are very excellent and wonderful and good But continued I could I or any other Man besides though never so wise have understood these things Wherefore now Sir tell me what I ask He replied ask me what thou wilt Why said I is the Son of God in this Parable put in the place of a Servant VI. Hearken said he The Son of God is not put in the condition of a Servant but in great Power and Authority And I answer'd How Sir I understood it not Because said he The Son set his Messengers over those whom the Father deliver'd unto him to keep every one of them but he himself labour'd very much and suffer'd much that he might blot out their Offences For no Vineyard can be digg'd without much Labour and Pains Wherefore having blotted out the Sins of his People he shew'd to them the Paths of Life giving them the Law which he had received of the Father You see said he that he is the LORD of his People having received all Power from his Father But why did the LORD take into Counsel his Son concerning dividing the Inheritance and the Good Angels Hear Because that Messenger hearkned to the Holy Ghost which was first of all infused into the Body in which God should dwell For his Understanding placed him in the Body as it seem'd Good to him This Body therefore into which the Holy Spirit was brought served that Spirit walking rightly and purely in Modesty nor ever defiled that Spirit Seeing therefore the Body at all times obeyed the Holy Spirit and labour'd rightly and chastly with him nor falter'd at any time that Body being wearied conversed indeed Servily but being stoutly approved with the Holy Spirit was accepted by God For such a powerful Course pleased God because he was not defiled in the Earth keeping the Holy Spirit in Council with him He called therefore his Son and the Good Angels that there might be some place of standing given to this Body which had served the Holy Spirit without Complaint least it should seem to have lost the reward of its Service For every pure Body shall receive its reward that is found without Spot in which the Holy Spirit has been appointed to dwell And thus you have now the Exposition of this Parable also VII SIR said I I now understand your Meaning since I have heard this Exposition Hearken farther said he Keep this thy Body Clean and Pure that the Spirit which shall dwell in it may bear Witness unto it and be judged to have been with thee Also take heed that it be not instill'd into thy Mind that this Body perishes and thou abuse it to any Lust. For if thou shalt defile thy Body thou shalt also at the same time defile the Holy Spirit and if thou shalt defile the Holy Spirit thou shalt not live And I said What if through Ignorance this should have been already committed before a Man heard these Words How can he attain unto Salvation who has thus defiled his Body He reply'd As for Mens former Actions which through Ignorance they have committed God only can afford a remedy unto them For all power belongeth unto him But now Guard thy self and seeing God is Almighty and Merciful he will grant a remedy to what thou hast formerly done amiss if for the time to come thou shalt not defile thy Body and Spirit For they are Companions together and the One cannot be defiled but the other will be so too Keep therefore both of them Pure and thou shalt live unto God The Sixth SIMILITUDE Of two sorts of Voluptuous Men and of their Death Defection and of the Continuance of their Pains I. AS I was sitting at home and praising God for all the things which I had seen and was thinking concerning the Commands that they were exceeding Good and Great and Honest and Pleasant and such as would certainly bring a Man to Salvation
the whole Church in those days what was permitted to be publickly read to the Faithful for their Comfort and Instruction must by this means have received a more than Humane Approbation and ought to be look'd upon by us tho' not of Equal Authority with those Books which they have deliver'd to us as strictly Canonical yet as standing in the first Rank of Ecclesiastical Writings and as containing the true and pure Faith of Christ without the least Error intermix'd with it CHAP. XI Of the Subject of the following Discourses and of the Use that is to be made of Them That in the following Treatises there is deliver'd to us a good account both of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church in the Apostolical Times This shewn in several particulars What they taught concerning God the Father our Saviour Christ and the Holy Ghost Of Angels and Spirits Of the rest of the Articles of the Apostles Creed Concerning the two Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper Of the Holy Scriptures and the Divine Authority of them What we meet with in these Treatises concerning the Government of the Church Of the Necessity of Communicating with the Bishops and Pastors of it Of Schismaticks Hereticks and Apostates Of their publick Assembling for the Service of God and what was done by them in those Meetings Of several other Instances of their Discipline particularly of their Fasting and Confession of Sins Of the Care which their Bishops had of the whole Church Of the Respect that was paid to them Of their Martyrs and the Veneration which they thought due to them Of their Practical Instructions and how severe their Morality was shewn in several particulars That upon the whole we may here see what the State of Christianity then was and still ought to be 1. AND now having shewn in the foregoing Chapter what Deference we ought to pay to the Authority of those Holy Men whose Writings I have here collected it may not be amiss in the Third place to enquire What it is which they deliver to us what account we find in them of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church in those Times in which they lived 2. IT would be endless for me to go about to make a just Catalogue of all the Particulars of this kind that occur in the following Pieces and I have already in a great measure perform'd it in the Index which I have for that purpose subjoyn'd to them I shall therefore here consider only a few particulars in such Points as may seem most worthy to be remarked and by them as by a short Specimen shew How the Judicious Reader may himself improve it into a more particular History of the Faith and Practice of the Church in the best and most ancient State of it 3. AND 1 st for what concerns the Doctrines of those Times there is hardly any Point that is necessary to be believed or known by us that is not very plainly delivered in Some or Other of the following Pieces 4. HERE we may read what we are to believe concerning the first Article of all of our Creed God the Father That he is One Almighty Invisible the Creator and Maker of all things That he is Omniscient Immense Neither to be comprehended within any Bounds nor so much as to be perfectly conceived by us That his Providence is over all things And that we can none of us flee from him or escape his Knowledg That we are to believe in him to fear him to love him And fearing him to abstain from all Evil. 5. IF from thence we go on to the next Person of the Blessed Trinity Our Saviour Jesus Christ here we shall find all that either our Creed teaches us to profess concerning him or that any Christian need to believe That he Existed not only before he came into the World but from all Eternity That he is not only the Son of God but is himself also God That in the fulness of Time he took upon him our Nature and became Man Was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified under Pontius Pilate That he suffer'd for our Salvation and was raised again from the dead not only by the Power of the Father but by his Own also That he is our High-Priest and Protectour now and shall come again at the End of the World to judge the whole Race of Mankind That there is no coming unto God but by him Insomuch that even the Ancient Fathers who died before his Appearing are yet saved by the same means that we are now 6. AS for what concerns the Holy Spirit the Third Person in the Glorious Godhead he is here set out to us not only as a Person but as distinct from the Father and the Son And to shew what kind of Spirit he is We may here see him joyn'd together in the same Worship with the Father and our Saviour Jesus Christ. 7. AND now I am mentioning the Holy Spirit let me add that we may here see what is needful to be known concerning all the Other Spirits of an inferiour Nature How the Holy Angels minister unto us but especially then when we have most need of them at the time of our Death And that tho' the Devil may attacque us and use all his Arts to draw us away from our Duty yet it must be our own Faults if we are overcome by him and therefore that we ought not to be afraid of him 8. BUT to return to our Creed and the Articles of it Here we may farther see both what a great Obligation there lies upon us to keep up a Communion of Saints in the Unity of the Church on Earth and what is that true Fellowship that we ought to have with those who are gone before us to Heaven That it consists not in the Worship of any tho' never so gloriously exalted by God but in Love and Remembrance in Thanksgiving to God for their Excellencies and in our Prayers to him joyn'd with hearty Endeavours of our own to imitate their Perfections 9. AND whilst we do this we are here assured of the Forgiveness of our Sins too through the Merits and Satisfaction of Jesus Christ. And that not only of those which we committed before our Baptism but of all such as we shall chance to fall into after if we truly repent of them 10. AS for the next Point the Resurrection of the Body it is not only asserted but at large proved too in the following Discourses There we may see not only that there shall be a future Resurrection but that we shall be raised in the very same Bodies in which we go down into the Grave And that being raised we shall be judged by Christ according to our Works and be either unspeakably rewarded or exceedingly punished and that to all Eternity 11. IF from the Articles of our Creed we go on to the Sacraments of the Church Here we have set out to us the great Benefit of our Baptism and
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
pleasing unto God that so whatever is done may be secure and well done IX FOR what remains it is very reasonable that we should repent whilst there is yet time to return unto God It is a good thing to have a due regard both to God and to the Bishop He that Honours the Bishop shall be Honoured of God But he that does any thing without his Knowledge Ministers unto the Devil Let all things therefore abound to you in Charity seeing ye are Worthy Ye have refresh'd me in all things so shall Jesus Christ you Ye have loved me both when I was present with you and now being absent ye cease not to do so May God be your Reward for whom whilst ye undergo all things ye shall attain unto Him X. YE HAVE done well in that ye have received Philo and Rheus and Agathopus as the Deacons of Christ our Lord Who also give Thanks unto the Lord for you forasmuch as ye have refreshed them in all things Nor shall any thing that you have done be lost to you My Soul be for yours and my Bonds which ye have not despised nor been ashamed of Wherefore neither shall Jesus Christ our perfect Faith be ashamed of you XI YOUR Prayer is come to the Church of Antioch which is in Syria From whence being sent bound with Chains becoming God I salute the Churches being not worthy to be called from thence as being the least among them Nevertheless by the Will of God I have been thought worthy of this Honour not for that I think I have deserved it but by the Grace of God Which I wish may be perfect to the End that through your Prayers I may attain unto God And therefore that your Work may be fully accomplish'd both upon Earth and in Heaven it will be fitting that your Church appoint some One to the Honour of God who being come as far as Syria may rejoyce together with them that they are in Peace and that they are again restored to their former Greatness and have again received their proper Body Wherefore I should think it a worthy Action to send some one from you with an Epistle to congratulate with them their Peace in God and that through your Prayers they have now gotten to their Harbor For in as much as ye are perfect your selves you ought to think those things that are perfect For when you are desirous to do well God is ready to do well to you XII THE Love of the Brethren that are at Troas salutes you from whence I write to you by Burrhus whom ye sent with me together with the Ephesians your Brethren and who has in all things refresh'd me And I would to God that all would imitate Him as being an Exemplar of the Ministry of God May his Grace fully reward Him I salute your very worthy Bishop and your Venerable Presbytery and your Deacons my Fellow-Servants and all of you in General and every one in particular in the Name of Jesus Christ and in his Flesh and Blood in his Passion and Resurrection both Fleshly and Spiritually and in the Unity of God with you Grace be with you and Mercy and Peace and Patience for Ever-more XIII I SALUTE the Families of my Brethren with their Wives and Children and the Virgins that are called Widows Be strong in the Power of the Holy Ghost Philo who is present with me salutes you I salute the House of Tavias and pray that it may be strengthned in Faith and Charity both of Flesh and Spirit I salute Alcé my Well-beloved together with the very Excellent Daphnus and Eutychus and all by Name Farewel in the Grace of God To the SMYRNAEANS from TROAS THE EPISTLE OF St. IGNATIVS TO St. Polycarp THE CONTENTS The Salutation Chap. I. HE Blesses God for the Firm Establishment of Polycarp in all Piety And gives him many particular Directions for his Improvement in it II. But especially with Relation to the Church over which he was Bishop III. IV. He continues his Advice to Him And V. Then teaches Him what Advice he should give to Others VI. In which He continues and especially inforces Unity among Themselves and Subjection to their Bishop VII He accounts to Polycarp the Peace of His Church in Syria And directs Him to appoint some Messenger to go to Antioch to rejoyce with them on that Occasion VIII He desires Polycarp to write to the same Effect to the Neighbouring Churches which He had not Himself time to do And then concludes all with his Salutation both to Polycarp and to several of the Church of Smyrna by Name THE EPISTLE OF St. IGNATIVS TO St. Polycarp IGNATIUS who is also called THEOPHORUS to Polycarp Bishop of the Church which is at Smyrna Their Overseer but rather himself Overlook'd by God the Father and the LORD Jesus Christ All Happiness I. HAVING known that thy Will towards God is fix'd as it were upon an immoveable Rock I exceedingly give Thanks that I have been thought worthy to behold thy Blessed Face in which may I always rejoyce in God Wherefore I beseech thee by the Grace of God with which thou art cloathed to press forward in thy Course and to exhort all others that they may be saved Maintain thy Place with all care both of Flesh and Spirit Make it thy Endeavour to preserve Unity in thy Church than which nothing is better Bear with all Men even as the Lord with thee Support all in Love as also thou dost Pray without Ceasing Ask more Understanding than what thou already hast Be Watchful having thy Spirit always awake Speak to every one according as God shall enable Thee Bear the Infirmities of all as a perfect Combatant Where the Labour is Great the Gain is so too II. IF thou shalt love the Good Disciples what Thank is it But rather do thou subject to thee those that are infected in Meekness Every Wound is not healed with the same Plaister If the accessions of the Disease be vehement molifie them with soft Remedies Be in all things Wise as a Serpent but Harmless as a Dove For this cause thou art composed of Flesh and Spirit that thou mayst molifie those things that appear before thy Face But as for those that are not seen pray to God that he would reveal them unto thee that so thou mayst be wanting in nothing but may'st abound in every Gift The Times demand thee as the Mariner the Winds and he that is toss'd in a Tempest the Haven where he would be that thou may'st attain unto God Be Sober as the Combatant of God The Crown proposed to thee is Immortality and Life Eternal concerning which thou art fully perswaded I will be thy Surety in all things and my Bonds which thou hast loved III. LET not those that appear to be faithful but teach other Doctrines disturb thee Stand firm and immovable as
Tongues be made manifest by their Silence Let their Charity be without respect of Persons alike towards all such as truly fear God Let your Children be bred up in the Instruction of the Lord And especially let them learn how great a Power Humility has with God How much a Pure and Holy Charity avails with Him How Excellent and Great his Fear is and how it will save all such as turn to Him with Holiness in a Pure Mind For He is the Searcher of the Thoughts and Desires of the Heart whose Breath is in Us and when He pleases he can take it from Us. XXII BUT all these things must be confirm'd by the Faith which is in Christ for so He himself bespeaks us by the Holy Ghost Come ye Children and harken unto me and I will teach you the fear of the LORD What man is there that desireth Life and loveth to see Good days Keep thy Tongue from Evil and thy Lips that they speak no Guile Depart from Evil and do Good seek Peace and ensue it The Eyes of the LORD are upon the Righteous and his Ears are open unto their Prayers But the face of the LORD is against them that do Evil to cut off the Remembrance of them from the Earth The Righteous cried and the LORD heard Him and deliver'd him out of all his Troubles Many are the Troubles of the Wicked But they that trust in the LORD Mercy shall encompass them About XXIII OUR All-Merciful and Beneficent Father hath Bowels of Compassion towards Them that fear Him And Kindly and Lovingly bestows his Graces upon all such as come to Him with a simple Mind Wherefore let us not waver neither let us have any doubt in our Hearts of his Excellent and Glorious Gifts Let that be far from us which is written Miserable are the double-minded and those who are doubtful in their Hearts Who say These things have we heard and our Fathers have told us these things But behold we are grown old and none of them has happened unto Vs. O ye Fools Consider the Trees take the Vine for an Example First it sheds its Leaves then it Buds after that it spreads its Leaves then it flowers then come the sower Grapes and after them follows the Ripe Fruit. Ye see how in a little time the Fruit of the Trees comes to Maturity Of a truth yet a little while and his Will shall suddainly be accomplish'd The Holy Scripture it self bearing witness That the LORD shall suddainly come to his Temple even the Holy one whom ye look for XXIV LET us consider Beloved how the LORD does continually shew Us that there shall be a future Resurrection of which he has made our Lord Jesus Christ the First-fruits raising him from the Dead Let us contemplate Beloved the Resurrection that is continually made before our Eyes Day and Night manifest a Resurrection to Us. The night lies down and the day arises Again the day departs and the night comes on Let us behold the Fruits of the Earth Every one sees how the Seed is sown The Sower goes forth and casts it upon the Earth and the Seed which when it was sown fell upon the Earth dry and naked in time dissolves And from the Dissolution the great Power of the Providence of the Lord raises it again and of one Seed many arise and bring forth Fruit. XXV LET us consider that wonderful Type of the Resurrection which is seen in the Eastern Countries that is to say in Arabia There is a certain Bird called a Phaenix Of this there is never but one at a time and that lives five hundred Years And when the time of its Dissolution draws near that it must Die it makes it self a Nest of Frankincense and Myrrhe and other Spices into which when its time is fulfilled it enters and dies But its Flesh putrifying breeds a certain Worm which being nourished with the Juice of the dead Bird brings â—orth Feathers and when it is grown to a perfect State it takes up the Nest in which the Bones of its Parent lie and carries it from Arabia into Egypt to a City called Heliopolis And flying in open day in the sight of all Men lays it upon the Altar of the Sun and so returns from whence it came The Priests then search into the Records of the Time and find that it return'd precisely at the end of five hundred Years XXVI AND shall we then think it to be any very great and strange thing for the Lord of all to raise up those that religiously serve him in the Assurance of a good Faith when even by a Bird he shews us the greatness of his power to fulfil his Promise For he says in a certain place Thou shalt raise me up and I shall confess unto Thee And again I laid me down and slept and awaked because thou art with me And again Job says Thou shalt raise up this flesh of mine that has suffered all these things XXVII HAVING therefore this Hope let us hold fast to him who is Faithful in all his Promises and Righteous in all his Judgments Who has commanded us not to Lye how much more shall he not Himself Lye For nothing is impossible with God but to Lye Let his Faith then be stirred up again in us and let us consider that all things are nigh unto Him By the Word of his Power He made all things and by the same Word he is able when ever he will to destroy them Who shall say unto Him what dost Thou Or who shall resist the Power of his Strength When and As he pleased he made All things and nothing shall pass away of all that has been appointed by Him All things are Open before him nor can any thing be hid from his Counsell The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work Day unto Day uttereth Speech and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledge There is no Speech nor Language where their Voice is not heard XXVIII SEEING then all things are seen and heard by God let us fear him and let us lay aside our Corrupt Desires of Wicked Works that through his Mercy we may be delivered from the Condemnation to come For whither can any of us flee from his mighty Hand Or what World shall receive any of those who run away from him For thus saith the Scripture in a certain place Whither shall I flee from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there If I shall go to the utmost parts of the Earth there is thy right hand If I shall make my Bed in the deep thy Spirit is there Whither then shall any one go or whither shall he run from him that comprehends all things XXIX LET us therefore come to him with Holiness of Heart
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
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