Exhorts to reverence MAGNESIANS. the bishop. worthy to be found to the glory of God. 18 Pray for the church which is in Syria, from whence I am carried bound to Rome; being the least of all the faithful which are there, as I have been thought | common Hope. Te the Ephesians. 19 Fare ye well in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ, our Amen. The EPISTLE of IGNATIUS to the MAGNESIANS. CHAP. I. 4 Mentions the arrival of Damas, their bishop, and others, 6 whom he exhorts them to reverence, notwithstanding he was a young man. IGNATIUS who is also called to the blessed (church) by the grace of God the Father in Jesus Christ our Saviour: in whom I salute the church which is at Magnesia near the Mæander and wish it all joy in God the Father and in Jesus Christ. 2 When I heard of your well ordered love and charity in God, being full of joy, I desired much to speak unto you in the faith of Jesus Christ. 3 For having been thought worthy to obtain a most excellent name, 'in the bonds which I carry about, I salute the churches; wishing in them a union both of the body and spirit of Jesus Christ, our eternal life as also of faith and charity, to which nothing is preferred but especially of Jesus and the Father; in whom if we undergo all the injuries of the prince of this present world, and escape, we shall enjoy God. : 5 In whom I rejoice, forasmuch as he is the subject unto his bishop as to the grace of God, and to the presbytery as to the law of Jesus Christ; 10 I determined to write unto you. 6 Wherefore it will become you also not to use your bishop too familiarly upon the account of his youth; but to yield all reverence to him according to the power of God the Father; as also I perceive that your holy presbyters do: not considering his 12 age, which indeed to appearance is young; but as becomes those who are prudent in God, submitting to him, or rather not to him, but to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the bishop of us all. 7 It will therefore 13 behove you 14 with all sincerity, to obey your bishop; in honour of him 15 whose pleasure it is that ye should do so. 16 8 Because he that does not do so, deceives not the bishop whom 1 Vid. Interp. Lat. Epist. Interpol. 2 In. 3 According to. 4 Been vouchsafed a name carrying a great deal of divinity in it. 6 See Bishop Pearson. Vind. Ign. par. ii. cap. 12. p. 146. Sing, commend. 7 Undergoing, escaping. Worthy of God. Whom may I enjoy. 10 Apud. Vet. Lat. Interp. Glorificato Deum Patrem D. nostri Jesu Christi. 11 Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. Pearson Præf. ad Vind. Ignat. Seeming youthful state 18 It is becoming. 14 Without any hypocrisy. 15 Who willeth it. 6 12 2 For as there are two sorts of coins, the one of God, the other of the world; and each of these has its proper inscription engraven upon it; so also is it here. 6 3 The unbelievers are of this world; but the faithful, through charity, have the character of God the Father by Jesus Christ: by whom if we are not readily disposed to die after the likeness of his passion, his life is not in us. 4 Forasmuch, therefore, as I have in the persons before mentioned seen 7 all of you in faith and charity; I exhort you that ye study to do all things in a divine concord: 5 Your bishop presiding in the place of God; your presbyters in the place of the council of the Apostles; and your deacons most orderly and in unity. 9dear to me being entrusted with the ministry of Jesus Christ; who was the Father before all ages, and appeared in the 10 end to us. 6 Wherefore taking the same 11 holy course, see that ye all reverence one another: and let no one look upon his neighbour after the flesh; but do ye all mutually love each other in Jesus Christ. 7 Let there be nothing that may be able to make a division among you; but be ye united to your bishop, and those who preside over you, to be your pattern and direction in the way to immortality. 8 12 As therefore the Lord did nothing without the Father, being united to him; neither by himself nor yet by his Apostles, so neither bishop and presbyters: your 9 Neither endeavour to let any thing appear rational to yourselves apart; 13 10 But being come together into the same place have one common prayer; one supplication; one mind; one hope; one in charity, and in joy undefiled. 14 11 There is one Lord Jesus Christ, than whom nothing is better. Wherefore come ye all together as unto one temple of God; as to one altar, as to one Jesus Christ; who proceeded from one Father, and exists in one, and is returned to one. 15 Deludes. Vid. Epist. Interp. ad loc. Flesh. 4Firmly Together. Character set. 7 Your whole multitude. 8The concord of God. Sweet. 10 Was made manifest. Heb. ix. 26. 1 Habit of God. 12 John, x. 30. xiv. 11, 12, xvii. 21, 22. 13 Eph. iv. 3, 4, 5, 6. 14 Run. John, xvi. 28 par. 2, cap. 4. 17 Heterodox. 16 Pearson, Vind. Ign. 15 2 And for this cause were they persecuted, being inspired by his grace, to convince the unbelievers and disobedient that there is one God who has manifested himself by Jesus Christ his Son; who is his eternal word, not coming forth from silence, who in all things pleased him that sent him. 3 Wherefore if they who were brought up in these ancient laws came nevertheless to the newness of hope: no longer observing sabbaths, but keeping the Lord's day in which also our life is sprung up by him, and through his death, • whom yet some deny : 4 (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 :) 5 How shall we be able to live lifferent from him whose disciles the very prophets themselves being, did by the spirit expect him as their master. 6 "And therefore he whom they justly waited for, being come, raised them up from the dead. 7 Let us not then be insensible of his goodness; for should he 10 have dealt with us according to our works, we had not now had a being. 8 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. 11 false opinions 9 Lay aside therefore the old and sour and evil leaven; and ba ye changed into the new leaven, which is Jesus Christ. 10 Be ye salted in him, lest any one among you should be corrupted; for by your saviour ye shall be 12 judged. 13 11 It is absurd to name 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. .15 12 These things, my beloved, I write unto you; not that I know of any among you that 1lie 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 false doctrine. 16 13 But that ye be fully instructed in the birth, and suffering, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our hope; which was accomplished in the time of the government of Pontius Pilate, and that most truly and 17 certainly : and from which God forbid that any among you should be turned aside. 'Most divine. Fully to satisfy. John, 1, 1. 4 Things. Or, living according to. 6 Or. which. 7 Received. 8 Without. 9 Matt. xxvii. 52. Vid. Annot. Voss. in loc. should he have imitated our works, Gr. 11 More. than. 12 Convicted, overthrown. 13 Believe. 14 Have yourselves so Lesser than you. 16 Hooks. 17 Firmly. 18 In yourselves. mend you, to bishops, priests, 8 Be mindful of me in your prayers, that I may attain unto God, and of the Church that is in For I stand in need of your joint ayers in God, and of your charity, that the church which is in Syria may be thought worthy to be 'nourished by your church. from Smyr 4 Study therefore to be on- Syria, from which I am not firmed in the doctrine of our Lord, worthy to be called. and of his Apostles; that so whatever 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. 5 Together with your most worthy bishop, and the well-write unto you: (being present wrought spiritual crown of your here to the glory of God, in like presbytery, and your deacons, manner as you are,) who have in which are according to God. all things refreshed me, together with Polycarp, the bishop of the Smyrnæans. 6 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. 4 7 Knowing you to be full of God, I have the more briefly exhorted you. na salute from 10 The Ephesiach place I 11 The rest of the churches in the honour of Jesus Christ, salute you. 12 Farewell, and be ye strengthened in the concord of God 10 enjoying his inseparable spirit, which is Jesus Christ. To the Magnesians. The EPISTLE of IGNATIUS to the TRALLIANS. CHAP. I. I salute in its fulness, continuing in the apostolical character, wish 1 Acknowledges the coming of their bi-ing all joy and happiness unto it. shop. 5 Commends them for their subjection to their bishop, priests, and deacons; and exhorts them to continue in it: 15 is afraid even of his overgreat desire to suffer, lest it should be prejudicial to him. GNATIUS, who is also called Theophorus, to the holy church which is at Tralles in Asia: beloved of God the Father of Jesus Christ, elect and worthy of God, having peace through the flesh and blood, and passion of Jesus Christ our hope, in the resurrection which is 12 by him: which also 11. 2 I have 13 heard of your blameless and constant disposition through patience, which not only appears in your outward conversation, but is naturally rooted and grounded in you. 3 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 rejoiced together with me 16 in my bonds for Jesus Christ, that in effect I saw your whole 17 church in him. 1 Prov. xviii. 17 Sept. 2 Worthily complicated. There may be union both fleshly and spiritual. 4 Eph. iii. 4. Find, enjoy. Whence 'Bedewed. Vid. Epist. Interpol. in loc. 8 Which came to Smyrna upon my account. 9 Έρρωσθε. 10 Possessing. 11 In. 12 Unto. 13 Known. 14 Inseparable mind. 15 Which you have not according to use, but according to possession. 16 Who am bound. 17 Multitude. and deacons. TRALLIANS. Desires to suffer. 4 Пaving therefore received | suaded, the very Atheists themselves cannot but reverence. 1 testimony of your good will towards me 2 for God's sake, by him; I seemed to find you, as also I knew that ye were the followers of God. 5 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, ye might escape death. 6 It is therefore necessary, that as ye do, so without your bishop, you should do nothing: also be ye subject to your presbyters, as to the Apostles of Jesus Christ our hope; in whom if we walk, we shall be found in him. 7 7 The deacons also, as being the ministers of the mysteries of Jesus Christ, must by all means please ye. For they are not the 8 ministers of meat and drink, but of the church of God. Wherefore they must avoid all offences, as they would do fire. 9 8 In like manner let us reverence the deacons as Jesus Christ; and the bishop as the father; and the presbyters as the Sanhedrim of God, and college of the Apostles. 9 Without these there is no 10 church. Concerning all which I am persuaded that ye 11 think after the very same manner: for I have received, and even now have with me, the pattern of your love, in your bishop. 10 Whose very 12 look is instructive; and whose mildness 13 powerful: 14 whom I am per 11 But because I have a love towards you, I will not write any more sharply unto you about this matter, though I very well might; but now I have done so; lest being a condemned man, I should seem to prescribe to you as an Apostle. 12 I have 15 great knowledge in God; but I 16 refrain myself, lest I should perish in my boasting. 13 For now I ought the more to fear; and not to hearken to those that would puff me up. 14 For they that speak to me, in my praise, chasten ine. 15 For I indeed 17 desire to suffer, but I cannot tell whether I am worthy so to do. 16 18 And this desire, though to others it does not appear, yet to myself it is for that very reason the more violent. I have, therefore, need of 19 moderation; by which the prince of this world is destroyed. 17 Am I not able to write to you of heavenly things?—But I fear lest I should harm you, who are yet but babes in Christ: (excuse me this care;) and lest perchance being not able to receive them, ye should be choaken with them. 18 For even I myself, although I am in bonds, 20 yet am not therefore able to understand heavenly things: 19 As the places of the angels, and the several companies of them, under their respective princes; 1 Your benevolence. 2 According to God, 'Imitators. 6 When. • Flee from. Vid. Vossium in loc. 7 Vid Vossium in loc. 11 So • Deacons. As also the bishop like Jesus Christ the Son of the Father. Vossius in loc. vid. aliter Cotelerium. 10 A church is not called. 12 Habit of body, is great instruction. 13 Power. 14 Vid. Vossium et Usserium in loc. 16 I understand many things. 16 Measure. 18 Vid. Annot. Vossii in loc. 19 Mildness. 20 Orders. do. 17 Love. |