The Forbidden Gospels and Epistles Part 58

THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE EPHESIANS.

CHAPTER I.

1 Ignatius commends the brethren for sending Onesimus and other members of the church to him.

8 Exhorts them to unity; 13 by a due subjection to their bishop;

IGNATIUS, who is also called Theophorus, to the church which is at Ephesus in Asia; most deservedly happy: being blessed through the greatness and fullness of G.o.d the Father, and predestinated before the world began; that it should be always unto an enduring and unchangeable glory; united and chosen through his true pa.s.sion, according to the will of the Father, and Jesus Christ our G.o.d; all happiness, by Jesus Christ, and his undefiled grace.

2 I have heard of your name much beloved in G.o.d; 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 G.o.d, 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 home; so that by suffering I may become indeed the disciple of him who gave himself to G.o.d, an offering and sacrifice for us; ye hastened to see me. I received, therefore, in the name of G.o.d, your whole mult.i.tude in Onesimus;

5 Who by: inexpressible love is ours, but according to the flesh is our bishop; whom I beseech you, pray Jesus Christ, to love: and that you would all strive to be like unto him. And blessed be G.o.d, who has granted unto you, who are so worthy of him, to enjoy such an excellent bishop.

6 For what concerns my fellow servant Burrhus, and your most blessed deacon in things pertaining to G.o.d; I entreat you that he may tarry longer, both for yours, and your bishop's honour.

7 And Crocus also worthy of both our G.o.d 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 Euplus, and Fronto, in whom I have, as to your charity, seen all of you, And may always, have joy of you, if I shall be worthy of it.

8 It is therefore fitting that you should 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 sanctified.

10 These things I prescribe to you, not as if I were somebody extraordinary: for though I am bound for his name, I am not yet perfect in Christ Jesus. But now I begin to learn, and I speak to you as fellow disciples together with me.

11 For I ought to have been stirred up by you, in faith: in admonition; in patience; in long- suffering; but forasmuch as charity suffers me not to be silent towards you, I have first taken upon me to exhort you, that ye would all run together, according to the will of G.o.d.

12 For even Jesus Christ, our inseparable life, is sent by the will of the Father; as the bishops, appointed unto the utmost bounds of the earth, are by the will of Jesus Christ.

13 Wherefore it will become you to run together according to the will of your bishop, as also ye do,

14 For your famous presbytery, worthy of G.o.d, 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 G.o.d, 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 have a fellowship with G.o.d.

CHAPTER 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 brethren against heretics; bidding them cleave to Jesus, whose divine and human mature is declared: commends them for their care to keep themselves from false teachers: and shews them the way to G.o.d.

FOR if I in this little time have had such a familiarity with 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 Father; so that all things may agree in the same unity.

2 Let no man deceive himself; if a man be not within the altar, he is deprived of the bread of G.o.d.

For if the prayer of 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 He therefore that does not come together in the same place with it, is proud, and has already condemned himself; for it is written, G.o.d resisteth the proud. Let us take heed therefore, that we do not set ourselves against the bishop, that we may be subject to G.o.d.

4 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 do him that sent him. It is therefore evident that we ought to look upon the bishop, even as we do upon the Lord himself.

5 And indeed Onesimus himself does greatly commend your good order in G.o.d: that you all live according to the truth, and that no heresy dwells among you. For neither do ye hearken to anyone more than to Jesus Christ speaking to you in truth.

6 For some there are who carry about the name of Christ in deceitfulness, but do things unworthy of G.o.d; whom ye must flee, as ye would do so many wild beasts. For they are raving dogs, who bite secretly; against whom ye must guard yourselves, as men hardly to be cured.

7 There is one Physician, both fleshy and spiritual; made and not made; G.o.d incarnate; true life in death; both of Mary and of G.o.d: first pa.s.sible, then impa.s.sible; even Jesus Christ our Lord.

8 Wherefore let no man deceive you; as indeed neither are ye deceived, being wholly the servants of G.o.d. For inasmuch as there is no contention nor strife among you, to trouble you, ye must needs live according to G.o.d's will. My soul be for yours; and I myself, the expiatory offering for your church of Ephesus; so famous throughout the world.

9 They that are of the flesh cannot do the works of the spirit; neither they that are of the spirit the works of the flesh; as he that has faith cannot be an infidel; nor he that is an infidel have faith. But even those things which ye do according to the flesh are spiritual; forasmuch as ye do all things in Jesus Christ.

10 Nevertheless I have heard of some who have pa.s.sed 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: because being the stones of the temple of the Father, prepared for his building; and drawn up on high by the Cross of Christ, as by an engine;

11. Using the Holy Ghost as the rope: your faith being your support; and your charity the way that leads unto G.o.d.

12 Ye are therefore, with all your companions in the same journey full of G.o.d; his spiritual temples, full of Christ, and of holiness: adorned in all things with the commands of Christ.

13 In whom also I rejoice that I have been thought worthy by this present epistle to converse, and joy together with you; that with respect to the other life, ye love nothing but G.o.d only.

CHAPTER III.

1 Exhorts them to prayer; to be unblamable.

5 To be careful of salvation; 11 frequent in public devotion; 13 and to live in charity.

PRAY also without ceasing for other men; for there is hope of repentance in them, that they may attain unto G.o.d. 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 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 dest.i.tute? 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.

5 The last times are come upon us: let us therefore be very reverent, and fear the long- suffering of G.o.d, that it be not to us unto condemnation.

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.

7 Besides him, let nothing be worthy of you; for whom also I bear about these bonds; those spiritual jewels, in which I would to G.o.d that I might arise through your prayers.