prayers, and it be His will, I purpose in a second Epistle, which I will shortly 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 in His love, in His suffering and in His resurrection, especially if the LORD shall make it known unto me: that ye may all and each of you, by grace, concur in professing the name of one faith, and one JESUS CHRIST, who was of the race of David according to the flesh; the Son of man, and Son of God; that ye may obey your Bishop and the Presbytery with an entire 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 for theirs whom ye have sent to Smyrna, to the glory of GoD; 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 doth remember you. 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; amongst whom I have been thought worthy to be found to the glory of GoD. Fare ye well in GOD the FATHER, and in JESUS CHRIST, our common Hope. Amen.

[THIRD EDITION.]

These Tracts are continued in Numbers, and sold at the price of 2d. for each sheet, or 7s. for 50 copies.

LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. G. F. & J. RIVINGTON,

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE.

1840.

GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London.

RECORDS OF THE CHURCH.

No. II.

THE HOLY CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD DOTH ACKNOWLEDGE THEE.

Epistle of Ignatius, the friend of St. Peter and St. John, and Bishop of Antioch, on his way to Martyrdom, to the Magnesians.

IGNATIUS, which is also Theophorus, to her that is blessed in grace of God the Father through JESUS CHRIST Our Saviour; in whom I salute the Church that is in Magnesia, nigh to Mæander, and pray that she may have all joy, in God the Father and in JESUS CHRIST.

I. BEING aware how excellently ordered is your love according to God, the gladness which I feel has induced me to address you in the faith of JESUS CHRIST. For, admitted as I am to the noblest of titles in the bonds which I bear about me, I chant the praise of the Churches, praying that they may possess a union of the Flesh and Spirit of JESUS CHRIST, (who is our life evermore,) and of Faith, and Charity which surpasseth all things, and, more than these, of JESUS and of the FATHER, in whom, when we have endured all harassing from the prince of this world, after we have escaped, we shall attain to God.

II. Seeing now I was allowed to behold you, in Damas your most holy Bishop, and your worthy Presbyters, Bassus and Apollonius, and your Deacon my fellow-labourer Sotion, whom may I be blessed with, because he is subject to his Bishop as to a gracious gift from GoD, and to the Presbytery as to a law of JESUS CHRIST, I determined to write unto you.

III. Your duty likewise it is not to make free with the youthfulness of your Bishop, but according to the power of God the Father, to concede to him all homage: as I am aware the holy Presbyters do, taking no occasion from his apparent youthful ordination, but as men wise in God, submitting themselves to him; yet not to him,

VOL. I.

A

but to the FATHER OF JESUS CHRIST, the Bishop of all. Meet therefore it is, that, for the honour of Him who favours us, ye should obey without any hypocrisy, since it is not that a man deceives this Bishop that is seen, but he trifles rather with the Bishop who is not seen, and so the question is not with flesh, but with God who seeth the secrets.

IV. It is men's duty, therefore, not merely to bear the name of Christians, but to be such likewise; whereas some there are, who profess to acknowledge the Bishop, yet do all apart from him. To me such persons appear to be void of a good conscience, since they are not congregated in strict conformity to the commandment.

V. Now, as all things have their end, two alternatives are laid before us, death, and life: and every man must go to his own place. For there are, as it were, two coins, one of God and one the world's and each of these has its proper mark upon it; unbelievers the mark of this world, and they who in love believe, the mark of God the Father through JESUS CHRIST; through whom if we are not disposed voluntarily to die after the likeness of His passion, neither have we His life in us.

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VI. Seeing now that, in the persons of the aforenamed, I have seen the whole people gathered together in faith, and have loved them, take good heed, I charge you, that you do all things in a godly concord: the Bishop holding presidency over you, in the place of GOD; and the Presbyters in the place of the Council of Apostles; and the Deacons, my dearest, entrusted with the service of JESUS CHRIST, who was with the FATHER before the worlds, and appeared in the end. Assuming therefore all of you this godly unity of feeling, give heed one to another, and let no man regard his neighbour according to the flesh, but love ye one another continually, in JESUS CHRIST. Let there be in you nothing which can divide you; but be ye made one, with the Bishop, and the Superiors, for an example and lesson of incorruption.

VII. As therefore our LORD, being united with the FATHER, did nothing without Him, neither by Himself, nor by His Apostles, so neither do you do anything, apart from the Bishop and the Presbyters. Neither attempt ye anything that appears good to your own judgment, but let there be in the same place, one prayer, one supplication, one Mind, one Hope, in love and joy reproachless. There is One JESUS CHRIST, who surpasseth all things; together therefore haste ye all, as to God's Temple, as to One Altar, as to

One JESUS CHRIST, who proceeded from One FATHER, and is in One, and to One returned.

VIII. Be not let astray by strange doctrines, nor by old fables, which are unprofitable. For if we still, according to the law, live in Judaism, we make confession that we have not received Grace. For according to JESUS CHRIST the holy Prophets lived; wherefore also they were persecuted, being inspired with His grace, that unbelievers might be fully assured, that there is One God, who manifests Himself through JESUS CHRIST His Son, who is His Eternal Word, (not proceeding from silence,) who in all things well pleased Him who sent Him.

IX. If then they, who lived under the old state of things, have come to a newness of hope, not longer keeping Sabbath, but living a life according to the LORD's Day, wherein our life has arisen through Him, and His death, which some deny; (from which mystery we received our faith, and thence take patience, that we may be found Disciples of JESUS CHRIST our only Master;) how shall we be able to live apart from Him? Whom the Prophets also, being His Disciples, expected in spirit as their Master; and therefore He for whom they justly waited, did when He came raise them from the dead.

X. Let us not then be insensible to His goodness; for, if He should imitate the way in which we act, we have already perished. Wherefore, having become His disciples, let us learn to live according to Christianity; for whosoever is called by any other name but this, is not of God. Put aside therefore the evil leaven, which hath grown old and waxed sour, and be ye changed into the new leaven which is JESUS CHRIST. Be ye salted in Him, that none among you may be corrupted, inasmuch as by your savour shall ye be judged. It is inconsistent to name CHRIST JESUS, and to Judaize. For Christianity has not believed on Judaism, but Judaism on Christianity; that every tongue may believe and be gathered to GOD

XI. These things, my beloved, it is my desire, not as knowing that any of you are so affected, but as setting myself below you, to guard you against, so that you fall not upon the hooks of vain doctrine, but be fully assured of the Birth, and Passion, and Resurrection, which took place in the time of the government of Pontius Pilate; which are things verily and surely done by JESUS CHRIST OUR Hope-and from that Hope may none of you be turned away.

XII. May you be my joy in all things, if I be worthy; and bound though I am, I am not to be compared with any of you who are loosed. I know that ye are not puffed up, for ye have JESUS CHRIST within you; and I know that from my praise ye gather caution; as it is written, the just man accuseth himself.

XIII. Study therefore to be confirmed in the doctrine of the LORD and the Apostles, that in all you do, you may be well advanced in flesh and spirit, in faith and love, through the Son, and FATHER, and in SPIRIT, in the Beginning and in the End; under your most reverend Bishop, and your Presbytery, a well twined spiritual garland, and the Deacons according to GOD. Be ye subject to the Bishop, and one another, as JESUS CHRIST according to the Flesh to the FATHER, and the Apostles to CHRIST, and to the FATHER, and to the SPIRIT, that your union may be of the flesh and of the spirit.

XIV. Knowing that ye are full of GOD, I have exhorted you in few words. Remember me in your prayers, that I may attain to GOD. Remember also the Church which is in Syria, whereby I am not worthy to be called; for I require your united prayer and love in God, that the Church in Syria may be counted worthy to be bedewed through your Church.

XV. Ephesians in Smyrna, (whence I write to you,) salute you; who now are here to the glory of Gon, like unto you, and have refreshed me in all things, together with Polycarp, Bishop of the Smyrnæans. Likewise the other Churches salute you in the honour of JESUS CHRIST. Be strong in concord of God, possessing the Spirit indivisible, which is JESUS CHRIST.

[NEW EDITION.]

These Tracts are continued in Numbers, and sold at the price of 2d. for each sheet, or 7s. for 50 copies.

LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. G. F. & J. RIVINGTON,

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE.

1840.

GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London.