A Translation of the Epistles of Clement of Rome, Polycarp, and Ignatius ...

page 50

§ VII.

Whosoever confesses not that CHRIST is come in the

flesh, is antichrist,

VIII. IX. He exhorts them to patience by the imitation of CHRIST,

and of the Apostles and others,

XI.

XII.

Polycarp expresses his regret for the misconduct of

Valens and his wife,

Recommends the study of the Scriptures, and sends them

his blessing,

XIII. XIV. He refers to the Epistles of Ignatius, and desires to know

if they have received any certain intelligence respecting

him,

I.

II.

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE EPHESIANS.

IGNATIUS thanks the Ephesians for sending their Bishop

Onesimus to meet him, as he was passing bound from

Syria to Rome,

He congratulates them on the possession of other faithful
servants, and exhorts them to obedience,

III. IV. He disclaims all personal superiority, but in charity
recommends them to obey their Bishop and the Pres-
bytery,

V. VI.

He expatiates upon the character of Onesimus, and the

Episcopal authority generally,

XV.

X. XI.

Commends the integrity of their faith,

He exhorts to prayer and holiness, since the last times

are at hand,

And contrasts his own condition with theirs,

He recommends their frequent assembling,

And exhorts to faith and charity,

Unostentatious faith is better than unreal profession,

XVI. XVII. He warns them against false doctrine,

Expresses his willingness to die for the cross of CHRIST,

The Prince of this world knew not the virginity of Mary,

nor the birth of CHRIST, nor his death,

59

ib.

XX.

He purposes sending to them a second Epistle, declaring

the faith more fully,

Beseeches their prayers for the Church which is in

Syria, and bids thein farewell,

EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE MAGNESIANS.

IGNATIUS salates the Church at Magnesia,

Whose Bishop, Damas, he had seen,

III. IV. He exhorts them to reverence their Bishop, in obedience

to the ordinance of GOD,

The difference of the faithful and the unfaithful,

VI. VII. He exhorts them to be obedient to the Bishops, Presbyters,

and Deacons, and to preserve the unity of the Church,

§ VIII.-X. Warns them not to live according to the Jewish law; but
after CHRIST, who is our life,

XI.

XII.

XIII.

Ignatius disclaims any personal authority,

Commends their faith,

page 68,69

70

ib.

Exhorts them to be established in the doctrines of CHRIST
and the Apostles, in all obedience,

XIV. XV. And concludes with entreating their prayers, and with a
salutation,

1.

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE TRALLIANS.

IGNATIUS Commends the purity and godliness of the

Trallians, of which he has been assured by their Bishop,

Polybius,

II. III. Their obedience to their Bishops, the Presbytery, and
the Deacons, without whom there is no Church,

IV. V.

He refrains from boasting, and from speaking of heaven.
ly things,

VI.-VIII. Exhorts them to avoid unsound doctrine; and to continue

in the unity of the Church,

IX.-XI. To stop their ears if any spake to them against JESUS

CHRIST, or declared that he existed and suffered in

appearance only,

XII. XIII. He salutes them in his own name and that of the faithful
who are at Smyrna and Ephesus,

1.

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE ROMANS.

AFTER a salutation to the Church at Rome, he recom
mends them not to interfere to hinder his martyrdom,

II-IV. But to permit him to be offered up, as he was ready to be,

for the sake of CHRIST; and to strengthen him with

74,75

V.

He mentions the evil treatment which he endured from

the soldiers, on his passage from Syria to Rome,

But expresses his full determination to die for CHRIST,

And declares that the love of CHRIST in him had con-

quered all his earthly desires,

VIII.

He again urges them not to prevent the accomplishment

of his wishes,

IX.

X.

Entreats their prayers for the Church of Syria,

And mentions with honor those who were with him,

1.

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE PHILADELPHIANS.

IGNATIUS recommends Church unity, praises their

Bishop,

83

II-IV.

And exhorts them to flee divisions and false doctrines,

and to partake of one Eucharist,

Reminds them of his previous exhortations to obedience

to the Bishop, Presbytery, and Deacons,

ib.

VIII.

He warns them against those who preferred the writings
of the Old Testament to the Gospel,

ib.

And shows the excellence of the Gospel above the law, page 86

He advises the Philadelphians to send a Deacon to con-

gratulate the Church of Antioch, on the peace which they

enjoyed,

And concludes with a salutation,

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE SMYRNEANS.
IGNATIUS praises their immoveable faith in CHRIST
who truly lived and suffered for us,

As He also truly raised himself from the dead, and

appeared to Peter and to many,

He warns them against heretics, and commands them to

pray for them; although their conversion rests with

CHRIST,

Ignatius will not mention the names of those who hold
erroneous opinions,

VI. VII. But refers to their conduct, and refusal to partake of the

Eucharist; and exhorts the Smyrneans to abstain from

VIII. IX. And to follow their Bishop, Presbytery, and Deacons,

according to GOD's ordinance,

X.

XI.

He commends them for receiving Philo and Rheus,

Glories in that he is counted worthy to suffer; recom-

mends them to send to congratulate the Syrian Church,

for the peace which it enjoyed,

XII. XIII. And concludes with a salutation,

I.

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO POLYCARP.

HE exhorts Polycarp to persevere in the diligent dis-

charge of his Episcopal office,

ib.

94

96

Directs Polycarp to write to the Churches near him;

and concludes with a salutation,

99

THE MARTYRDOM OF IGNATIUS,

101-106

THE CIRCULAR EPISTLE OF THE CHURCH OF

SMYRNA, CONCERNING THE MARTYRDOM OF POLY-
CARP,

107-121

I..

THE APOLOGY OF JUSTIN MARTYR.

JUSTIN addresses the Emperor Antoninus Pius, Marcus

Aurelius, and Lucius Verus,

And represents that their names and station required

them to regard truth alone,

He demands that the charges against the Christians
should be examined: that the Christians should be

impartially treated, according as they deserved, and not

be punished for a mere name,

Christianity ought not to be judged of, from the mis-

conduct of some who only profess the name,

Justin attributes the injustice of the Heathens toward

the Christians, to the instigation of demons,

And declares that the Christians worshipped only GOD,

the FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT,

He requires that the actions of all those accused should

ib.

The Christians suffer only because they dare not deny

And will not pay honor to false gods and senseless idols,

Knowing that GOD requires not material offerings, but

purity and holiness of life; and will admit those who

obey his will, to immortality and glory,

133

ib.

XI.

The kingdom which Christians expect, is not of this

world,

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The worship of the Christians consists in prayer and

praise to GOD, the Creator, to his Son, JESUS CHRIST,

and to the HOLY SPIRIT,

ib.

XVII.

A most beneficial change had taken place in the lives of

those who had become Christians,

CHRIST declared that they who live not as he taught,

are not Christians indeed,

141

XXIII.

And commanded his followers to pay tribute, and honor

those in authority,

ib.

XXIV.

The superstitions of the Heathens themselves might

make them believe that the soul survives death,

142

XXV.

The resurrection of the body is not so incredible as its

first formation would be, to one who had no experience

of it,

144

XXVI.

CHRIST taught that things impossible with man are

possible with GOD,

145

XXVII. The punishment of hell reserved for the unrighteous, is

hinted at by some Heathens,

ib.

XXVIII.

XXIX.

It is, therefore, unreasonable that Christians alone should

be hated, while poets and philosophers, who entertain

less just and sublime notions, are honored,

Justin compares the opinions which the Heathen falsely

maintained respecting Jupiter and others, with the

more reasonable tenets of the Christians,

146

ib.

XXX.

And shows that their opinions respecting CHRIST might

well obtain credence from those who held notions of a

147

XXXI. The truths of Christianity are more ancient than the

fables of heathenism,

XXXII. Yet Christians alone are punished, while the most

absurd idolatries are permitted,

XXXIII. They have reformed their lives in embracing a purer

faith,

XXXIV.

XXXV.

Even after the ascension of CHRIST the evil spirits have

instigated men to call themselves gods: as in the

instance of SIMON MAGUS and Menander,

The heresy of Marcion,

XXXVI. Justin refutes the calumnies brought against the Chris-

tians, of devouring children, and incest: and retorts

the charges upon the Heathen,

XXXVII. The purity and continence of the Christians,

Lest the miracles of CHRIST should be ascribed to

magic, Justin appeals to prophecy,

page 148

XXXVIII. And relates the history of the translation of the Hebrew

Scriptures into Greek by the order of Ptolemy,

XXXIX.

In those prophecies, the miraculous birth of JESUS, his

being made man, his miracles, sufferings, death, resur-

rection and ascension, his Divine nature, and the exten-

sion of his religion over the whole world are expressly

predicted,

XL.-LII. This is shown by various quotations,

Justin explains why the Holy prophetic Spirit speaks of

future events as already past,

Christians consider not that events happen by fatal

necessity; which would be inconsistent with the free-

will of man,

But believe this only to be irreversibly determined, that

they who choose the good shall be rewarded, and they

who choose the evil shall be punished,

This is proved by quotations from Scripture,

And shown to agree with the opinion of Plato,

Prophecy, therefore, implies not a fatal necessity, but

shows the foreknowledge of GOD,

LVI.

LVII.

168

LVIII.

ib.

LIX.

The evil spirits endeavored to prevent the knowledge
of prophecy, but in vain,

ib.

LX.

David predicted that GOD the Father should receive

CHRIST into heaven,

169

LXI.

LXII.

Justin asserts that all men, in all ages, who lived agree-

ably to right reason, were Christians in spirit,

Various prophecies, showing that Jerusalem should be

That CHRIST should heal the sick and raise the

dead,

ib.

LXIV.

That He should be made man, and suffer many things,

and come again in glory,

172

LXV.

LXVI.

That He hath an origin which cannot be expressed,

The fulfilment of these prophecies is an earnest that

those yet unaccomplished will be fulfilled,

173

174

LXVII.

And, therefore, that CHRIST will come the second time

to judgment,

175

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