XIV. What you know certainly of Ignatius, and those that are with him, signify unto us. These things have I written unto you by Crescens, whom by this present Epistle I have recommended to you, and do now again commend: for he has had his conversation without blame among us; and I supposé also with you. Ye will also have regard unto his sister when she shall come unto you. Be ye safe in the Lord Jesus Christ'; and in favour with all yours. Amen. 'His grace be with you all. Amen. 1. HE thanks them for sending Onesimus, their Bishop, to him: whom he greatly commends; and expresses his joy to receive from him so good a character of them. II. He mentions the rest of their Members who were sent with Onesimus to him and exhorts them to Unity, by a due subjection to their Bishop and Presbyters. III. He excuses the liberty he takes of Admonishing them, and so returns to his Advice to them; IV. Which is still the same; namely, By a due Subjection to their Bishop, to preserve Unity among themselves: V. The Benefit of which he particularly sets out to them. VI. That they ought not to respect their Bishop the less, because he is not forward in exacting it from them; but should rather honour him the more; which he also commends them for doing. VII. He warns them against Heretics; bidding them stick to their Master, Jesus Christ, whose Divine and Human Nature he declares to them. VIII, IX. He commends them for their Care to keep themselves from False Teachers; and shews them the Way to God. X. He exhorts them to Prayer; and to behave themselves unblamably towards those that are without: XI, XII. To be careful of their Salvation; to pray for himself, whose own worth he much lessens in comparison of theirs; especially,, XIII, XIV. To be frequent in Public Devotion: to live in Unity, in Faith, and in Charity: and, XV. To shew forth the Truth of their Profession, by their Works: XVI, XVII. To have a Care that the Gospel of Christ be not corrupted: XVIII. Upon which occasion, he treats particularly of the Three great Mysteries of Christianity; viz. the Virginity of Mary; and the Incarnation, and Death of Christ; which he says were hid from the Devil. XIX. How the Birth of Christ was, in a most extraordinary manner, revealed to the World. XX, XXI. Of all which he promises to write more largely in a Second Epistle; and then finally undertakes for their Salvation, if they continued, as he had exhorted them, to pursue it, by Unity among themselves, and Piety towards God. THE EPISTLE OF ST. IGNATIUS ΤΟ THE EPHESIANS. IGNATIUS, who is also called THEOPHORUS, to the Church which is at Ephesus in Asia, most deservedly happy; being blessed 'through the greatness and fullness of God the Father, and predestinated before the world began, that it should be always unto an enduring and unchangeable glory; being united and chosen through his true passion, according to the will of the Father and Jesus Christ our God; all happiness, by Jesus Christ, and his undefiled grace. 8 I. I HAVE heard of your name, much-beloved in God, which ye have very justly attained by a habit' of righteousness, according to the faith and love which is in Jesus Christ our Saviour; how that being followers of God, and stirring up yourselves by the blood of Christ, ye have perfectly accomplished the work that was connatural unto you. For hearing that I came bound from Syria, for the common name and hope, trusting through your prayers to fight with beasts at Rome; become indeed the that so, by suffering 10, may disciple of him who gave himself to God, an offering 1 In. I 2 See Eph. iii. 19. 3 In. 5 Received.-Vid. Epist. Interpol. 8 Imitators. |