may leave nothing of my body; that being dead, I may not be trou blesome to any. Then shall I be truly the disciple of Jesus Christ, when the world shall not see so much as my body. Pray therefore unto Christ for me, that by these instruments I may be made the sacrifice of God. I do not, as Peter and Paul, command you.They were Apostles, I a condemned man; they were free, but I am even to this day a servant: but if I suffer, I shall then become the freeman of Jesus Christ, and shall rise free. And now, being in bonds, I learn, not to desire any thing.

5. From Syria even unto Rome, I fight with beasts both by sea and land; both night and day: being bound to ten leopards, that is to say, to such a band of soldiers; who though treated with all manner of kindness, are the worse for it. But I am the more instructed by their injuries; "yet am I therefore not justified,”. [1. Cor. iv, 4.] May I enjoy the wild beasts that are prepared for me; which also I wish may exercise all their fierceness upon me: and whom for that end I will encourage, that they may be sure to devour me, and not serve me as they have done some, whom out of fear they have not touched. But, and if they will not do it willingly, I will provoke them to it. Pardon me in this matter; I know what is profitable for me. Now I begin to be a disciple: [Luke xiv. 27.] nor shall any thing move me, whether visible or invisible, that may attain to Christ Jesus. Let fire, and the cross; let the companies of wild beasts, let breakings of bones, and tearing of members; let the shattering in pieces of the whole body, and all the wicked torments of the Devil come upon me, only let me enjoy Jesus Christ.

6. All the ends of the world, and the kingdoms of it, will profit me nothing: I would rather die for Jesus Christ, than rule to the utmost ends of the earth. Him I seek who died for us: Him I desire that rose again for us. This is the gain that is laid up for me. Pardon me, my brethren, ye shall not hinder me from living: [nor seeing I desire to go to God, may you separate me from him, for the sake of this world; nor seduce me by any of the desires of it.] Suffer me to enter into pure light; where being come, I shall be indeed the servant of God. Permit me to imitate the passion of my God. If any one has Him within himself, let him consider what I desire; and let him have compassion on me, as knowing how I am straightened.

7. The prince of this world would fain carry me away, and corrupt my resolution towards my God. Let none of you therefore help him: rather do ye join with me, that is, with God. Do not speak with Jesus Christ, and yet covet the world. Let not any envy dwell with you: no not though I myself when I shall be come unto you, should exhort you to it, yet do not ye hearken to me; but rather believe what I now write to you. For though I am alive at the writing this, yet my desire is to die. My love is crucified; [and the fire that is within me does not desire any water; but being alive and springing within me, says,] come to the Father. I take no pleasure in the food of corruption, nor in the pleasures of this life. I desire the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ,

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of the seed of David; and the drink that I long for] is his blood, which is incorruptible love..

8. I have no desire to live any longer after the manner of men, neither shall I, if you consent. Be ye therefore willing, that ye yourselves also may be pleasing to God. I exhort you in a few words; I pray you believe me. Jesus Christ will shew you that I speak truly. My mouth is without deceit, and the Father hath truly spoken by it. Pray therefore for me, that I may accomplish what I desire. I have not written to you after the flesh, but according to the will of God. If I shall suffer, ye have loved me: but if I shall be rejected, ye have hated me.

9. Remember in your prayers the Church of Syria, which now enjoys God for its shepherd instead of me: let Jesus Christ only oversee it, and your charity. But I am even ashamed to he reckoned as one of them: for neither am I worthy, being the least among them, and as one born out of due season. But through mercy I have obtained to be somebody, if I shall get unto God, [I. Cor. xv. 8.] My spirit salutes you; and the charity of the Churches that have received me in the name of Jesus Christ; not as a passenger; for even they that were not near to me in the way, have gone before me to the next city to meet me.

10. These things I write to you from Smyrna, by the most worthy of the Church of Ephesus. There is now with me, together with many others, Crocus most beloved of me. As for those which are come from Syria, and are gone before me to Rome, to the glory of God, I suppose you are not ignorant of them. Ye shall therefore signify to them that I draw near, for they are all worthy both of God, and of you: whom it is fit that you refresh in all things. This have I written to you, the day before the ninth of the Calends of September. Be strong unto the end, in the patience of Jesus Christ.

TO THE ROMANS.

EPISTLE OF ST. IGNATIUS

TO THE PHILADELPHIANS.

Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, which is at Philadelphia in Asia; which has obtained mercy, being fixed in the concord of God, and rejoicing evermore in the passion of our Lord, and being fulfilled in all mercy through his resurrection; which also I salute in the blood of Jesus Christ, which is our eternal and undefiled joy; especially if they are at unity with the Bishop, and Presbyters who are with him, and the deacons appointed according to the mind of Jesus Christ; whom he has settled according to his own will in all firmness by his Holy Spirit.

1. WHICH Bishop I know obtained that great ministry among you, not of himself, neither by men, nor out of vain glory, but by the love of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ: whose

moderation I admire; who by his silence is able to do more, than others with all their vain talk. For he is fitted to the com mands, as the harp to its strings. Wherefore my soul esteems his mind towards God most happy, knowing it to be fruitful in all virtue, and perfect; full of constancy; free from passion, and according to all the moderation of the living God.

2. Wherefore as becomes the children both of the light and of truth; flee divisions and false doctrines: but where your shepherd is, there do ye, as sheep, follow after. For there are many wolves who seem worthy of belief, that with a false pleasure lead captive those that run in the course of God: but in your concord, they shall find no place.

3. Abstain therefore from those evil herbs which Jesus Christ does not dress; because such are not the plantation of the Father. Not that I have found any division among you, but rather all manner of purity. For as many as are of God, and of Jesus Christ, are also with their Bishop. And as many as shall with repentance return into the unity of the Church, even these shall also be the servants of God, that they may live according to Jesus Christ. Be not deceived, brethren: if any one follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If any one walks after any other opinion, he agress not with the passion of Christ.

4. Wherefore let it be your endeavour to partake all of the same holy eucharist. For there is but one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ; and one cup, in the unity of his blood; one altar; as also there is one Bishop, together with HIS Presbytery, and the deacons my fellow servants: that so whatsoever ye do, ye may do it according to the will of God.

5. My brethren, the love I have towards you makes me the more large; and having a great joy in you, I endeavour to secure you against danger: or rather not I, but Jesus Christ; in whom being bound I the more fear, as being yet only on the way to suffering. But your prayer to God shall make me perfect, that I may attain to that portion, which by God's mercy is allotted to me: fleeing to the Gospel as to the flesh of Christ; and to the Apostles as to the Presbytery of the Church. Let us also love the prophets, forasmuch as they also have led us to the Gospel, and to the hope in Christ, and to expect him. In whom also believing they were saved, in the unity of Jesus Christ; being holy men, worthy to be loved, and had in wonder; who have received testimony from Jesus Christ, and are numbered in the Gospel of our common hope.

6. But if any one shall preach the Jewish law unto you, hearken not unto him: for it is better to receive the doctrine of Christ from one that has been circumcised, than Judaism from one that has not. But if either the one or other, do not speak concerning Christ Jesus; they seem to be but as monuments and sepulchres of the dead, upon which are written only the names of men. Flee therefore the wicked arts and snares of the prince of this world; lest at any time being oppressed by his cunning, ye grow cold in your eharity. But come all together into the same place, with an undivided heart. And, I bless my God that I have a good conscience

towards you, and that no one among you has whereof to boast either openly or privately, that I have been burthensome to him in much or little. And I wish to all amongst whom I have conversed, that it may not turn to a witness against them.

7. For although some would have deceived me according to the flesh; yet the Spirit, being from God, is not deceived: for it knows both whence it comes, and whither it goes, and reproves the secrets of the heart. I cried whilst I was among you; I spake with a loud voice; attend to the Bishop and to the Presbytery, and to the deacons. Now some supposed that I spake this as foreseeing the division that should come among you. But He is my witness for whose sake I am in bonds that I knew nothing from any man. But the Spirit spake, saying on this wise; do nothing without the Bishop: keep your bodies as the temples of God: love unity: flec divisions: be the followers of Christ, as he was of his Father.

8. I therefore did as became me, as a man composed to unity. For where there is division and wrath, God dwelleth not. But the Lord forgives all that repent, if they return to the unity of God, and to the council of the Bishop. For I trust in the grace of Jesus Christ that he will free you from every bond. Nevertheless I exhort you that you do nothing out of strife, but according to the instruction of Christ. Because I have heard of some who say; unless I find it written in the originals, I will not believe it to be written in the Gospel. And when I said, it is written, they answered what lay before them in their corrupted copies. But to me Jesus Christ is instead of all the uncorrupted monuments in the world: together with those undefiled monuments, his cross, and death, and resurrection, and the faith which is by him: by which I desire, through your prayers, to be justified.

9. The priests indeed are good: but much better is the High Priest to whom the holy of holies has been committed, and who alone has been entrusted with the secrets of God. He is the door of the Father; by which Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all prophets enter in; as well as the Apostles and the Church. And all these things tend to the unity which is of God. Howbeit the Gospel has somewhat in it far above all other dispensations; namely, the appearance of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, his passion and resurrection. For the beloved prophets referred to him: but the Gospel is the perfection of incorruption. All therefore together are good, if ye believe with charity.

10. Now as concerning the Church of Antioch which is in Syria, seeing I am told that through your prayers, and the bowels which ye have towards it in Jesus Christ, it is in peace; it will become you, as the Church of God, to ordain some deacon to go to them thither as the ambassador of God; that he may rejoice with them when they meet together, and glorify God's name. Blessed be that man in Jesus Christ, who shall be found worthy of such a ministry; and ye yourselves also shall be glorified. Now if ye be willing, it is not impossible for you to do this for the sake of God; as also the other neighbouring Churches have sent them, some Bishops, some priests and deacons.

11. As concerning Philo, the deacon of Cilicia, a most worthy man, he still ministers unto me in the word of God; together with Rheus of Agathopolis, a singular good person, who has followed me even from Syria, not regarding his life: these also bear witness unto you. And I myself give thanks to God for you, that ye receive them as the Lord shall receive you. But for those that dishonoured them, may they be forgiven through the grace of Jesus Christ. The charity of the brethren that are at Troas salutes you: from whence also I now write by Burrhus, who was sent together with me by those of Ephesus and Smyrna, for respect sake. May our Lord Jesus Christ honour them; in whom they hope, both in flesh, and soul, and spirit; in faith, in love, in unity. Farewell in Christ Jesus our common hope.

EPISTLE OF ST. IGNATIUS

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 mercifully blessed with every good gift, being filled with faith and charity, so that it is wanting in no gift; most worthy of God, and fruitful in saints; the Church which is at Smyrna in Asia; all joy, through his immaculate Spirit, and the word of God.

1. I GLORIFY God, even Jesus Christ, who has given you such wisdom. For I have observed 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 confirmed in love through the blood of Christ; being fully persuaded 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, (Mat. iii. 15.] He was also truly crucified by Pontius Pilate and Herod the Tetrarch, being nailed for us in the flesh; by the fruits of which we are, even by his most blessed passion; that he might set up a token for all ages through his resurrection, to all his holy and faithful servants, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, in one body of his Church.

ed.

2. Now all these things he suffered for us, that we might be savAnd he suffered 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 being divested of the body they shall become mere spirits.

3. But I know that even after his resurrection he was in the flesh; and I believe that he is still so. And when he came to those who were with Peter, he said, unto them, take, handle me, and see that