appearance, but as men prudent in GoD, submitting to him; and not to him (indeed), but to the Father of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, the Bishop of us all. It becomes you therefore to be obedient with all sincerity, in honor of him whose pleasure it is (that ye should do so). For, otherwise, a man deceives not this Bishop whom he sees, but affronts him who is invisible. For whatsoever of this kind is done, it reflects not upon men, but upon GOD, who knows the secrets of our hearts. 4. It is therefore fitting that we should not only be called Christians, but be so: as some call a Bishop by the name (of his office), but do all things without him. But such men appear to me void of a good conscience, since they are not gathered together firmly, according to God's commandment. 5. Seeing then all things have an end, there are set before us at once these two things, death and life: and every one shall depart into his proper place. For as there are two sorts of coins, the one of GOD, the other of the world, each having its own stamp impressed upon it, so the unfaithful bear the mark of this world, and the faithful in charity that of GOD the Father through JESUS CHRIST, through whom unless we hold ourselves in readiness to die, after the likeness of his passion, his life is not in us. 6. Forasmuch, then, as I have seen in faith and love your whole multitude, in the persons of whom I have before written, I exhort you that ye study to do all things in a divine concord; your Bishop presiding in the place of GOD, and your Presbyters in the place of the council of the Apostles, and your Deacons, most dear to me, being intrusted with the ministry of JESUS CHRIST, who was with the Father before all ages, and in the end hath appeared. Do ye all, therefore, be in subjection one to another, following the same holy course. And let no man look upon his neighbor after the flesh, but in all things love ye one another in JESUS CHRIST. Let there be nothing among you which can cause a division; but be ye united to your Bishop, and ὰ τὴν φαινομένην νεωτερικὴν τάξιν-This may refer either to his youth, or to his recent ordination. Compare Rev. xiii. 16. a Heb. i. 2. ix. 26. Eph. v. 21. to those who preside over you, to be your pattern and direction' unto immortality. 7. As therefore the LORD did nothing without the Father, being united to Him; neither by himself nor yet by his Apostles, in like manner do ye nothing without the Bishop and the Presbyters. Neither endeavor that any thing may appear reasonable unto yourselves privately; but being come together into one place, have one prayer, one supplication, one mind, one hope, in love and in joy undefiled. There is one (Lord) JESUS CHRIST, than whom nothing is better. Wherefore come ye all together, as unto one temple of God, as unto one altar, as unto one JESUS CHRIST, who proceeded from one Father, and exists in One, and is returned (to One).' 8. Be not deceived with strange doctrines, nor with old fables which are unprofitable. For if we still continue to live according to the Jewish law, we acknowledge that we have not received grace. For even the most holy prophets lived according to CHRIST JESUS. For this cause they were persecuted also, being inspired by his grace, fully to convince the unbelievers that there is One GOD, who hath manifested himself by JESUS CHRIST his Son; who is his eternal word, not coming forth from silence," who in all things was wellpleasing to him that sent him. 9. If, therefore, they who were brought up in these ancient laws, have come to the newness of hope, no longer observing sabbaths, but keeping the Lord's day, • The error here pointed out is that of observing the Jewish Sabbath, to the neglect of the Lord's day. That the first day of the week was constantly observed by the early Christians is plain, as well from instances in the New Testament, in which the habitual assembling of Christians, and their celebration of the holy sacrament, on that day, are distinctly ascertained, (Acts xx. 7. 1 Cor. xvi. 2. compared with 1 Cor. xi. 20.) as from the testimony of JUSTIN MARTYR, (Apology, Sect. 89.) TERTULLIAN, (Apology, c. 16.) and others. It was kept so strictly as a festival, that fasting was forbidden on that day. "Die Dominico jejunium nefas ducimus," TERTULLIAN De Corona Militis, cap. 3. The seventh day of the week, which is always designated by the in which also our life is sprung up by him, and through his death which (yet) some deny:-By which mystery we have been brought to believe, and therefore wait, that we may be found the disciples of JESUS CHRIST our only teacher-How shall we be able to live without him, whose disciples the very prophets were, and whom by the Spirit they expected as their teacher? And therefore he, whom they righteously waited for, being come, raised them up from the dead. 10. Let us then not be insensible of his goodness. For if he had dealt with us according to our works, we should not now have had a being. Wherefore being become his disciples, let us learn to live a Christian life. For whosoever is called by any other name beside this, is not of GOD. Lay aside therefore the evil leaven, which is grown old and sour; and be changed into the new leaven, which is JESUS CHRIST. Be ye salted in him, lest any of you should be corrupted, for by your savor ye shall be judged. It is absurd to name CHRIST JESUs, and to be still a Jew. For Christianity embraced not the Jewish religion, but the Jewish the Christian that so every tongue that believed might be gathered together unto God. : word Sabbatum in the early Christian writers, was also observed as a religious festival. Even the Montanists, although very anxious to introduce severe discipline in the observance of fasts, abstained from fasting on Saturday and Sunday, when they kept their two weeks of Xerophagia. "Duas in anno hebdomadas Xerophagiarum, nec totas, exceptis scilicet Sabbatis et Dominicis, offerimus Deo." (TERTULLIAN de Jejuniis, c. 15.) The Saturday before Easter day was, however, observed as a fast. In the Apostolical Constitutions, which may be taken to represent the usage of the Church in the fourth century, sentence of suspension is denounced against any of the clergy who should fast on Saturday or Sunday. (Canon 64.) This observance, which probably arose from a desire of conciliating the Jewish converts, continued in the Eastern Church for many centuries. In the Western Church, Saturday was usually observed as a fast. The custom, however, was not general even in Italy. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, in the fourth century, when he was at Rome, observed the day as a fast, but at Milan made no distinction between Saturday and the rest of the week. His answer to Augustine, who consulted him upon the point, has become almost proverbial. "When I come to Rome, I fast on Saturday, as they do at Rome; when I am here I observe no fast. In like manner my advice is that you observe the custom of every Church, where you happen to be." (AUGUSTINI ad Januar. Epist. 118. CAVE'S Primitive Christianity, Part. I. ch. 7. Bp. KAYE's Tertullian, chap. vi. p. 409. 1st edit.) 11. These things, my beloved, (I write unto you,) not that I know of any among you who are thus disposed, but, as one less than yourselves, I would warn you, not to fall into the snares of vain-glory, but to be fully instructed in the birth, and sufferings, and resurrection (of CHRIST), which was accomplished in the time of the government of Pontius Pilate; all which was truly and surely performed by JESUS CHRIST, our hope, from which God forbid that any of you should ever be turned aside. 12. May I have joy of you in all things, if I shall be worthy of it. For although I am bound, I am not worthy to be compared to one of you who are at liberty. I know that ye are not puffed up. For ye have JESUS CHRIST in your hearts. And the rather when I commend you, I know that ye are ashamed, as it is written, The just man condemneth himself.P 13. Give diligence, therefore, to be established in the doctrines of our LORD and the Apostles, that so whatsoever ye do, ye may prosper both in body and spirit: in faith and charity, in the Son and in the Father, and in the Spirit, in the Beginning and in the End ; together with your most worthy Bishop, and the well-woven spiritual crown of your Presbytery, and your godly Deacons. Be subject to your Bishop, and to one another, as JESUS CHRIST to the Father, according to the flesh; and the Apostles to CHRIST and to the Father, and to the Spirit; that so there may be (among you) an union both in body and spirit." 14. Knowing you to be full of GOD, I have the more briefly exhorted you. Remember me in your prayers, that I may attain unto God; as also the Church which is in Syria, whence I am not worthy to be called. For I stand in need of your joint prayers in GoD, and of your charity, that the Church, which is in Syria, may be thought worthy to be nourished by your Church. 15. The Ephesians from Smyrna, whence also I write, salute you; being present here to the glory of > Prov. xviii. 17. Septuagint. 4 Rev. i. 8. Eph. iv. 4. Spooooñvai, to be bedewed. Compare Hos. xiv. 5. |