are we not all wise; seeing we have received the knowledge of GOD, which is JESUS CHRIST? Why do we suffer ourselves foolishly to perish; not considering the gift which the LORD has truly

sent to us?

XVIII. My life be an offering for the doctrine of the Cross; which is indeed a stumbling-block to the unbelievers, but to us salvation and life eternal. "Where is the wise man? Where is "the disputer?" Where is the boasting of those who are called wise? For JESUS CHRIST, our GOD, was according to the dispensation of GOD, conceived in the womb of Mary, of the seed of David, by the HOLY GHOST: was born, and baptized, that through His Passion He might purify water.

XIX. Now the virginity of Mary, and her delivery, was kept in secret from the prince of this world; as was also the death of our LORD; three most notable mysteries, yet done in secret by GOD. How then was our SAVIOUR manifested to the world? There shone a star in heaven above all other stars, and its light was unspeakable, and its strangeness wrought amazement. All the other stars, yea, the sun and moon also, were but its train; and And there was trouble to it sent forth its light beyond them all. think whence this unwonted strangeness might be. Hence all the power of magic was dissolved; and every bond of wickedness was destroyed; ignorance was taken away; the old kingdom was abolished; GOD Himself appearing in the form of a man, renewal of eternal life. Moreover the full dispensation of GOD then took its beginning. From thenceforth all things were disturbed; forasmuch as He designed to abolish death.

for the

XX. But if JESUS CHRIST shall give me grace through your 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, whic his 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.

These Tracts are to be had at Messrs. Rivingtons, Waterloo Place, London, at 2d. per sheet.

KING, PRINTER, ST. CLEMENT'S, OXFORD.

Nov. 16, 1833.]

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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 the Church that is in Magnesia, nigh to Meander, the blessed of God the Father through JESUS CHRIST our Saviour: in whom I salute it, and pray that it may have all joy, in God the Father and JESUS CHRIST.

I. BEING aware how righteously ordered is your love and charity in GOD, the gladness which I feel has induced me to address you in the spirit of JESUS CHRIST. For, admitted as I am to the noblest of titles in the bonds which I bear about me, I make my song to 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, through whom, when we have endured all assaults from the prince of this world, after we have escaped, we shall be with GOD.

II. Seeing now it is my privilege to behold you, in Damas your most holy Bishop, and your worthy Presbyters, Bassus and Apollonius, and your Deacon my fellow-labourer Sotion, toward whom I am tenderly affectioned, because he is subject to his Bishop as to a gracious gift from GOD, and to the Presbytery as to an institution of JESUS CHRIST, I determined to write unto you.

III. Your duty likewise is it, not to bear yourselves toward your Bishop with a freedom proportioned to his youth, 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 youthfulness for the station, but as men wise in a godly wisdom submitting themselves to him; yet not to him, but to the FATHER

of JESUS CHRIST, the Bishop of us all. Meet therefore it is, that for the honour of Him, who wills it, ye should present an obedience that is without guile; since in any delusion of your visible Bishop, you trifle rather with the Bishop invisible, and so the question is not with flesh, but with GOD who seeth the secrets.

IV. It is men's duty 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 without consideration of the office. To me such persons appear to be void of a good conscience, since they are a congregation of men not gathered together 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 readily disposed to die after the likeness of His passion, neither have we His life in us.

VI. Seeing now that, through the persons aforenamed, I have seen you all gathered together in faith and love, take good heed, I charge you, that you do all things in a spirit of 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 well-beloved, entrusted with the service of JESUS CHRIST, who was with the FATHER before the worlds, and appeared in the last days. Assuming therefore all of you this scheme of godly unity, give heed one to another, and let no man regard his neighbour in a fleshly spirit, but love ye one another continually, in JESUS CHRIST. Let there be in you nothing which can divide you; but be ye made one, in the Bishop, and in the Superiors, for an example and lesson of incorruption.

VII. As therefore our LORD, being united with the FATHER, did nothing without Him, neither of Himself, nor by His Apostles, so neither do you do any thing, apart from the Bishop and the Presbyters. Neither seek ye gratification in any thing to your own selfish judgment, but let there be in the same place, one Form of prayer, one topic of 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 One Temple of GOD,

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 led astray by strange doctrines, nor by old fables, which are unprofitable. For if we still live under the Judaic Law, we make confession that we have not received Grace. For in the faith of 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 manifested Himself in 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 dispensation, have come to a newness of hope, superseding the Sabbatical system, with that rule of life which is according to the LORD's Day, wherein our life has arisen through the LORD, and through 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 have life except through Him ? Whom the Prophets also, being His Disciples, expected in spirit as their Master; and therefore He for whom they justly waited, did by His advent 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 already have perished. Wherefore, becoming His disciples, let us live according to the religion of CHRIST; 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. The name of JESUS CHRIST cannot be joined with an adherence to Judaism. For the Christian faith goes not for its completion to the Jewish, but the Jewish goes to the Christian; that every tongue that believeth may be gathered to GOD.

XI. 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 these things, 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 verily and surely are things 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