Who shall be BARNABAS. cast out. lies; who know not the rewarded, together with the wicked one. 11 I beseech you, therefore, 5 From whom gentleness and patience are far off; who love vanity, and follow after rewards; having no compassion upon the poor; nor take any pains for such as are heavy laden and oppressed. 6 Ready to evil speaking, not knowing him that made them; murderers of children; corrupters of the creatures of God; that turn away from the needy; oppress the afflicted; are the advocates of the rich, but unjust judges of the poor; being altogether sin ners. 7 It is therefore fitting that learning the just commands of the Lord, which we have before mentioned, we should walk in them. For he who does such things shall be glorified in the kingdom of God. 8 But he that chooses the other part, shall be destroyed, together For this cause with his works. there shall be both a resurrection, and a retribution. 9 I beseech those that are in high estate among you, (if so be you will take the counsel which with a good intention I offer to you,) you have those with you towards whom you may do good; do not forsake them. 10 For the day is at hand in which all things shall be destroy 12 And may God, the Lord of all the world give you wisdom, knowledge, counsel, and understanding of his judgments in patience. 13 Be ye taught of God; seeking what it is the Lord requires of you, and doing it; that ye may be saved in the day of judg ment. 14 And if there be among you any remembrance of what is good think of me; meditating upon these things, that both my desire and my watching for you may turn to a good account. 15 I beseech you; I ask it as a favour of you; whilst you are in this beautiful 'tabernacle of the body, be wanting in none of these things; but without ceasing seek them, and fulfil every command. For these things are fitting and worthy to be done. 16 Wherefore I have given the more diligence to write unto you, according to my ability, that you might rejoice. Farewell, children, of love and peace. 17 The Lord of glory and of all grace, be with your spirit, Amen. 1. Vessel. The end of the Epistle of Burnabas, the Apostle, and fellowtraveller of St. Paul the Apostle. The EPISTLE of IGNATIUS to the EPHESIANS. OF THE EPISTLES OF IGNATIUS. The Epistles of Ignatius are translated by Archbishop Wake from the text of Vossius. He says that there were considerable differences in the editions; the best for a long time extant containing fabrications, and the genuine being altered and corrupted. Archbishop Usher printed old Latin translations of them at Oxford, in 1644. At Amsterdam, two years afterwards, Vossius printed six of them in their ancient and pure Greek; and the seventh greatly amended from the ancient Latin version, was printed at Paris, by Ruinart, in 1689, in the Acts and Martyrdom of Ignatius, from a Greek uninterpolated copy. These are supposed to form the collection that Polycarp made of the Epistles of Ignatius, mentioned by Irences, Origen, Eusebius, Jerome, Athanasius, Theodoret, and other ancients; but many learned men have imagined all of them to be apocryphal. This supposition, the piety of Archbishop Wake, and his persuasion of their utility to the faith of the church, will not permit him to entertain; hence he has taken great pains to render the present translation acceptable, by adding numerous readings and references to the Canonical Books.] CHAP. I. 1 Commends them for sending Onesimus, and other members of the church to him. 8 Exhorts them to unity, 13 by a due subjection to their bishop. I 1 God, and stirring up yourselves by the blood of Christ ye have perfectly accomplished the work that was con-natural unto you. 4 For hearing that I came bound from Syria, for the common name and hope, trusting through your prayers to fight with beasts at Rome; so that by 10 suffering 1 may become indeed the disciple of him "who gave himself to God, an offering and sacrifice for us ; GNATIUS, who is also called Theophorus, to the church which is at Ephesus in Asia; most deservedly happy; being blessed through the greatness and fullness 2 of God the Father, and predestinated before the world be-19 (ye hastened to see me). I re gan, that it should be always unto an enduring and unchangeable glory; being united and chosen 3through his true passion, according to the will of the Father, and Jesus Christ our God; all happiness, by Jesus Christ, and his undefiled grace. 5 2 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. 3 How that being followers of ceived, therefore, in the name of God, your whole multitude in Onesimus. 5 Who by inexpressible love is ours, but according to the flesh is your bishop; whom I beseech you, by Jesus Christ, to love: and that you would all strive to be like unto him. And blessed be God, who has granted unto you, who are so worthy of him, to enjoy such an excellent bishop. 13 6 For what concerns my fellow servant Burrhus, and your 14 most blessed deacon in things 1 In. 2 See Eph. iii. 19. 3 In. ↑ Health, Joy. Interpol. Vid. Coteler. in loc. Comp. Gal. iv. 8. Par. 2, cap. 14. 8 Imitators. 9 Viz. of Christ. 2. 12 See the old Lat. Ed. of Bishop Usher. things. 10 Received. Vid. Epist. 7 Pearson. Vind. Ignat. Martyrdom 11 Eph. V. 14 Blessed in all 13 Possess. of unity EPHESIANS. and objection pertaining to God; I entreat you inseparable life, is sent by the that he may tarry longer, both will of the Father; as the bifor yours, and your bishop's hon-shops, appointed unto the utmost bounds of the earth, are by the will of Jesus Christ. our. 7 And Crocus also worthy both our God and you, whom I have received as the pattern of your love, has in all things refreshed me, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ shall also refresh him; together with Onesimus, and Burrhus, and Euclus, and Fronto, 'in whom I have, as to your charity, seen all of you. And may I always, 2 have joy of you, if I shall be worthy of it. 8 It is therefore fitting that you should 3 by all means glorify Jesus Christ who hath glorified you: that by a uniform obedience ye may be perfectly joined together, in the same mind, and in the same judgment: and may all speak the same things concerning everything. 9 And that being subject to your bishop, and the presbytery, ye may be wholly and thoroughly 12 13 Wherefore it will become you to run together according to the will of your bishop, as also ye do. 13 14 For your famous presbytery, worthy of God, is fitted as exactly to the bishop, as the strings are to the harp. 15 Therefore in your concord and agreeing charity, Jesus Christ is sung; and every single person among you makes up the chorus: 16 That so being all consonant in love, and taking up the song of God, ye may in a perfect unity with one voice, sing to the Father by Jesus Christ; to the end that he may both hear you, and perceive by your works, that ye are indeed the members of his son. 17 Wherefore it is profitable for you to live in an unblameable unity, that so ye may always 15 have a fellowship with God. CHAP. II. 1 The benefit of subjection. 4 The bishop not to be respected the less because he is not forward in exacting it: 8 warns them against heretics; bidding them cleare to Jesus, whose divine and human nature is declared; commends them for their care to keep themselves from false teachers; and shews them the way to God. NOR if I in this little time have 11 For I ought to have been stirred up by you, in faith, in admonition, in patience, in long-had such a familiarity with suffering; but forasmuch as chaity suffers me not to be silent 10 towards you, I have first taken upon me to exhort you, that ye would all run together according to the will of God. one. 12 For even Jesus Christ, our 61 Cor. i. 10. 6 The. your bishop, I mean not a carnal, but spiritual acquaintance with him; how much more must I think you happy who are so joined to him, as the church is to Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ to the 1 By. See Philem. 20. Wisd. xxx. 2. 3 In all manner of ways. In Command you. In. 9 For. 10 Concerning. 11 Mind, counsel, opinion, &c. 12 Whence. 13 Worthy to be named. 14 Concord. 15 Partake of. Love to the bishop. EPHESIANS. Exhorts against heresy. Father; that so all things may against whom ye must guard agree in the same unity? yourselves, as men hardly to be cured. 2 Let no man deceive himself; if a man be not within the altar, he is deprived of the bread of God. For if the prayer of1 one or two be of such force, as we are told; how much more powerful shall that of the bishop and the whole church be? 3 2 3 He therefore that does not come together in the same place with it, is proud, and has already condemned himself. For it is written, God resisteth the proud. Let us take heed therefore, that we do not set ourselves against the bishop, that we may be subject to God. 45 The more any one sees his bishop silent, the more let him revere him. For whomsoever the master of the house sends to be over his own household, we ought in like manner to receive him, as we would do him that sent him. It is therefore evident that we ought to look upon the bishop, even as we would do upon the Lord himself. 5 And indeed Onesimus himself does greatly commend your good order in God: that you all live according to the truth, and that no heresy dwells among you. For neither do ye hearken to any one more than to Jesus Christ speaking to you in truth. 10 Nevertheless I have 14 heard of some who have 15 passed by you, having perverse doctrine; whom ye did not suffer to sow among you; but stopped your ears, that ye might not receive those things that were sown by them: as 17 be 6 For some there are who 6 carry about the name of Christing the stones of the temple of the 7 in deceitfulness, but do things Father, prepared for 18 his buildunworthy of God; whom ye must ing; and drawn up on high by flee, as ye would do so many the Cross of Christ, 19 as by an wild beasts. For they are raven- engine. ing dogs, who bite secretly : 11 Using the Holy Ghost as the 1 Matt. xviii. 19. Is already proud and has, &c. 3 Judged, or separa* James, iv. 6. 5 And the. 6 Accustom themselves to carry. wicked deceit. 8 Avoid. 9 Which can. 10 Without doubt ye live. ted. 7 In 11 Vid. 12 To ages. Voss. Annot. in loc. Pearson, Vind. Ign. par. 2, pp. 207, 208. 13 As neither is faith the things of infidelity, nor infidelity the things of faith. 15 Passed thither. 16 Upon. 17 Comp. Eph. ii. 20, 21, 22. 14 Known. 1 Pet. ii. 5. eroзs, etc. 18 The building of God the Father. 19 By the engine of the PRAY RAY also without ceasing for other men for there is hope of repentance in them, that they may attain unto God. Let them therefore at least be instructed by your works, if they will be no other way. 2 Be ye mild at their anger; humble at their boasting; to their blasphemies return your prayers: to their error, your 4 firmness in the faith when they are cruel, be ye gentle; not endeavouring to imitate their ways. (3 Let us be their brethren in all kindness and moderation, but let us be followers of the Lord; for who was ever more unjustly used? More destitute? More despised?) 4 That so no herb of the devil may be found in you: but ye may remain in all holiness and sobriety both of body and spirit, in Christ Jesus. against sin 7 5 The last times are come upon us : let us therefore be very reverent, and fear the long-suffering of God, that it be not to us unto condemnation. 8 6 For let us either fear the wrath that is to come, or let us love the grace that we at present enjoy that by the one, or other, of these we may be found in Christ Jesus, unto true life. 11 9 7 10 Besides him, let nothing be worthy of you; 12 for whom also I bear about these bonds, those spiritual jewels, in which 1 would to God that I might arise through your prayers. 8 Of which I entreat you to make me always partaker, that I may be found in the lot of the Christians of Ephesus, who have always 13 agreed with the Apostles, through the power of Jesus Christ. 14 9 I know both who I am, and to whom I write; I, a person condemned: ye, such as have obtained mercy: I, exposed to danger; ye, confirmed against danger. 10 Ye are the passage of those that are killed for God; the companions of l'aul in the mysteries of the Gospel; the Holy, the 15 martyr, the deservedly most happy Paul: at whose feet may 1 be found, when I shall have attained unto God; who 16 throughout all his epistle, makes mention of you in Christ Jesus. 11 Let it be your care therefore to come more fully together, to the praise and glory of God. For when ye meet fully together in the same place, the powers of 1 Pearson, ib. part 2, cap. 12. 2 Carriers. These things I write. Be ye firm. 6 Who has been more, etc. In Jesus Christ both bodily and spiritually. 1 Cor. vii. 34. Remain or, for it remains. 8 Is present. One of the two, only that we may be found, etc. Without him. Become vou. 12 In. 13 Assented to. 14 4 In. 15 Witnessed of. Vid Coteler in loc. Pears. Vind. lgn. Par 2, cap. 10. |