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2L. 
 
THE GENUINE'. 
 
 EFISTLES 
 
 APOSTOLICAL FATHERS, 
 
 ST. BARNABAS, § ST. CLEMENT, 
 ST. IGNATIUS, § ST. POLYCAKP, 
 
 SHEPHERD OF HERMAS, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 MARTYRDOMS 
 
 OF 
 
 ST. IGNATIUS AND ST. POLYCARP, 
 
 WRITTEN BY THOSE WHO WERE PRESENT AT THEIR 
 
 SUFFERINGS. 
 
 Being, together with the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, a 
 
 complete collection of the most primitive antiquity, for 
 
 about one hundred and fifty years after Christ. 
 
 — -g > wcdmo—- 
 
 TRANSLATED AND PUBLISHED WITH A LARGE 
 
 PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE 
 
 BELATING TO THE SEVERAL TREATISES HERE PUT TOGETHiiR. 
 
 By JVilliam^ Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. 
 
 First American from the Third London Edition. 
 NEW- YORK : 
 
 '. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY SOUTHWICK AND PELSUE, 
 
 Ab. 3, Mnv-Street. 
 
 1810. 
 
v.^\ J- v^ 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 HAVIKG, in the second edition of the Apostolical 
 Fathers, so far improved the translation I before pub- 
 lished of them, as to render it almost a new work ; 
 it will be necessary for me to give some account of the 
 changes that have been made in it, and what advan- 
 tages I have had for the making of them. 
 
 The Epistles of St. Clement had been so correctly 
 set forth from the Alexandrian manuscript, by the 
 learned Mr. Patrick Young, that having no other copy 
 to recur to, there are no considerable alterations to be 
 expected in the present edition of them. And yet 
 even in these, I have not only carefully reviewed my 
 translation, and compared it with the original Greek, 
 and corrected whatsoever I thought to be less exact in 
 it ; but by help of a new, and more accurate collation 
 of Mr. Young's copy, with that venerable manuscript 
 from which it was taken, I have amended some places 
 in the text itself, which had hitherto escaped all the 
 editors of these Epistles. For this I was beholden to 
 the friendly assistance of the very learned, and pious. 
 Dr. Grabe; to whose ready help these Apostolical 
 Fathers owe a great part of that exactness, with which, 
 I presume, they will appear in this edition of them. 
 
 The Epistles of St. Ignatius having been lately pub- 
 lished at Oxford, by our Reverend Dr. Smith, not 
 
IV THE PREFACE. 
 
 only with a much greater correctness in the text than 
 ever they were before, but with the advantage of his 
 own, and Bishop Pearson's observations upon the diffi- 
 cult places of them ; it cannot be thought, but that I 
 must have very much improved my translation of those 
 Epistles, from the learned labours of two such em- 
 inent masters of antiquity ; and who had taken such 
 great care, not only to restore those venerable pieces 
 to their primitive purity, but to render them clear, 
 and intelligible, to the meanest capacities. One of 
 those Epistles had never been set forth, from any 
 good manuscript in its original Greek, when I publish- 
 ed my first edition of them. This, together with the 
 martyrdom of that blessed Saint, has since been printed 
 by Monsieur Ruinard at Paris, and from thence by 
 Dr. Grabe at Oxford. I have compared my transla- 
 tion of both with their copy j and not only corrected it 
 where it disagreed with that, but have noted in the 
 margin, the chief variations of this last edition, from 
 those which had been published by Archbishop Usher, 
 and Isaac Vossius before. 
 
 Of the epistle and martyrdom of St. Polycarp, and 
 the epistle of Barnabas, I have little to say more than 
 that I have revised the translation of them, with all 
 the care I could, and rendered it much more correct 
 (especially the epistle of Barnabas) than it was before. 
 But as for the books of Hermas, I may without vanity 
 affirm that they are not only more exact in the trans- 
 lation than they were before, but that the very books 
 themselves will be found in greater purity in this, than 
 in any other edition that has ever yet been published 
 of them. The old Latin version has been entir^ 
 
THE PREFACE. V 
 
 collated with an antient manuscript of it in the Lam- 
 beth library; and from thence amended in more 
 places than could well have been imagined. And that 
 very version itself has been farther improved from a 
 multitude of new fragments of the original Greek, 
 never before observed ; and for the most part taken 
 out of the late magnificent edition of the works of St. 
 Athanasius ; though that piece be none of his, but the 
 work of the younger Athanasius, patriarch of the 
 same church, who lived about the 7th century. — 
 [See Tom. ii. p. 251. doctrin. ad Antioch Ducem.] — 
 Both these advantages I do likewise owe to the same 
 learned person (Dr. Grabe) I before mentioned, whe 
 not only purposely collated the one for me, but readily 
 communicated to me the extracts he had made for his 
 own use out of the other. 
 
 Having said thus much concerning the several 
 pieces themselves here set forth, and the translation of 
 them, I shall not trouble the reader with any long ac- 
 count of my own introductory discourse ; in which I 
 have added some things and corrected others. I hope 
 as it now stands,it may be of some use to those who have 
 not any better opportunities of being acquainted with 
 these matters, and convince them of the just regard 
 that is due to the discourses which follow it, upon this 
 double account, both that they were (for the most part) 
 truly written by those whose names they bear; and 
 that those writers lived so near the Apostolical times, 
 that it cannot be doubted, but that they do indeed re- 
 present to us the doctrine, government and discipline 
 of the church as they received it from the Apostles ;' 
 the Apostles from Christ, and that blessed Spirit, whe 
 
Vi THE PREFACE. 
 
 directed them both in what they tawght, and in what 
 they ordained. 
 
 What that doctrine, government and discipline is, 
 I have particularly shewn in the 1 1 th chapter of my dis- 
 course. 1 shall only observe here, that is it so exactly 
 agreeable to the present doctrine, government and 
 discipline of the church of England by law establish- 
 ed j that no one who allows of the one, can reasona- 
 bly make any exceptions against the other. So that 
 we must either say, that the immediate successors of 
 the Apostles had departed from the institution of those 
 holy men from whom they received their instruction 
 in the Gospel of Christ, and by whom they were con- 
 verted to the faith of it : or if that be too unreasona- 
 ble to be supposed of such excellent persons, who not 
 only lived in some of the highest stations of the Chris- 
 tian Church, but the most of them suffered martyrdom 
 for the sake of it : we must then conclude, what is 
 indeed the truth, that the church of England, where- 
 of we are members, is both in its doctrine, govern- 
 ment, discipline and worship, truly Apostolical ; and 
 in all respects comes the nearest up to the primitive 
 pattern of any Christian Church at this day in the 
 world. 
 
A 
 
 CATALOGUE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SEVERAL PIECES CONTAINED IN THIS BOOK, AND THE ORDER 
 
 OF THEM. 
 
 A discourse concerning the treatises here collected, 
 and the authors of them. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 The first Epistle of St. Clement to the Corinthians. 
 
 The Epistle of St. Polycarp to the Philippians. 
 
 The genuine Epistles of St. Ignatius. 
 
 A relation of the martyrdom of St. Ignatius, writ- 
 ten by those who were present at his sufferings. 
 
 The Epistle of the Church of Smyrna, concerning 
 the martyrdom of St. Polycarp. 
 
 PART 11. 
 
 The Catholick Epistle of St. Barnabas. 
 The Shepherd of Hernias, in three books. 
 The remains of St. Clement's second Epistle to the 
 Corinthians. 
 An index to both parts. 
 
A ■ 
 
 mSCOURSE 
 
 CONCERNING THE SEVERAL TREATISES CONTAINED IN THE 
 FOLLOWING COLLECTION, AND THE AUTHORS OF THEM. 
 
 THE INTRODUCTION. 
 
 1. HAD I designed the following collection either 
 for the benefit or perusal of the learned world, I should 
 have needed to say but very little by way of introduc- 
 tion to it : the editors of the several treatises here put 
 together, having already observed so much upon each 
 of them, that it w^ouldl believe be difficult to discover, 
 I am sure would be very needless to trouble the reader 
 with any more. 
 
 2. But as it wou]^ be ridiculous for me to pretend 
 to have designed a translation for those who are able 
 with much more profit and satisfaction to go to the 
 originals ; so, being now to address myself to those es- 
 pecially who w^ant that ability, I suppose it may not 
 be amiss before I lead them to the discourses them- 
 selves, to give them some account both of the authors 
 of the several pieces I have here collected ; and of the 
 tracts themselves ; and of that collection that is now 
 the first time made of them in our own tongue. — 
 Though as to the first of these, I shall say the less, 
 by reason of that excellent account that has been al- 
 ready given of the most of them by our pious and 
 learned Dr. Cave : whose lives of the Apostles and 
 Primitive Fathers, with his other admirable discourse 
 of Primitive Christianity, I could heartily wish 
 were in the hands of all the more judicious part of our 
 EngUsh readers. 
 
 [2] 
 
10 THE INTRODUCTION. 
 
 3. Nor may such an accountt, as I now propose to 
 myself to give of the following pieces, be altogether 
 useless to some even of the learned themselves ; who 
 wanting either the opportunity of collecting the seve- 
 ral authors necessary for such a search, or leisure to 
 examine them, may not be unwilhng to see that faith- 
 fully brought together under one short and general 
 view, which would have required some time and la- 
 bour to have searched out, as it lay diffused in a mul- 
 titude of wTiters, out of which they must otherwise 
 have gathered it. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 OF THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. CLEMENT TO THE CORINTHIANS. 
 
 Of the value which the antients put upon this Epistle. Of St. Cle- 
 ment himself, who was the author of it ; that it was the same 
 Clement of whom St. Paul speaks, Phil. iv. 3. Of his conversion 
 to Christianity : when^he became Bishop of Rome, as also whether 
 he suffered Martyrdom, uncertain. Of the occasion of his writ- 
 ing this Epistle, and the two main parts of it. Of the time when 
 it was written. That there is no reason to doubt but that the Epis- 
 tle we now have was written by St. Clement ; the objection of 
 Tentzelius against it of no force. How this Epistle was first pub- 
 lished by Mr. Patrick Young ; and translated by Mi\ Burton into 
 English. Of the present edition of it. 
 
 . 1. THE first tract which begins this collection, and 
 perhaps the most worthy too, is that admirable, or as 
 some of the antients have called it, that wonderful(a) 
 Epistle of St. Clement to the Corinthians ; which he 
 wrote,not in his own name, but in the name of the whole 
 church of Rome, to them. An Epistle so highly es- 
 teemed by the primitime church, that we are told it 
 was wont to be publicly read in the assemblies(/') of it: 
 and if we may credit one of the antient collections(c) 
 of the canon of scripture, was placed among the sacred 
 and inspired writings. Nor is it any small evidence 
 of the value which in those days was put upon this 
 Epistle, that in the only copy which for ought we 
 know at this day remains of it, we find it to have been 
 written in the same volume(rf) with the books of the 
 Kew Testament : which seems to confirm what was 
 before observed concerning it ; that it was heretofore 
 wont to be read in the congregaliions, together with 
 the holy scriptures of the Apostles and Evangelists. 
 
 2. But of the Epistle itself, I shall take occasion to 
 speak more particularly by and by. It will now b© 
 
 (aj Euseb Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. cap. 16. 
 
 ('bj Idem. lib. iii. cap. 12. 
 
 fcj Canon. Apostol. Can. ult. (~dj MS. AleiKin. 
 
12 OF ST. Clement's first epistle 
 
 more proper to inquire a little into the author of it; 
 and consider when, and upon what occasion, it was 
 written by him. 
 
 3. And first for what concerns the person who wrote 
 this Epistle ; it is no small commendation which the 
 Holy Ghost by St. Paul has left us of him, Phil. iv. 3. 
 where the Apostle mentions him not only as his fellow 
 labourer in the work of the Gospel; but as one whose 
 name was written in the book of life. A character 
 which if we will allow our Saviour to be the judge, far 
 exceeds that of the highest power and dignity; and 
 who therefore when his disciples began to rejoice 
 upon the account of that authority which he had be- 
 stowed upon them, insomuch that even the Devils 
 were subject unto them, Luke x. 1 7. though he seem- 
 ed to allow that there was a just matter of joy in such 
 an extraordinary power, yet bade them not to rejoice so 
 much in this, that those spirits were subject unto them ; 
 but r.ather, says he, rejoice that your names are writ- 
 ten in the book of life. 
 
 4. It is indeed insinuated by a late very learned 
 critic, (t') as if this were not that Clement of whom we 
 •are now discoursing, and whose Epistle to the Corin- 
 thians I have here subjoined:. but besides that, he him- 
 self confesses, that the person of whom St. Paul there 
 speaks was a Roman ; both Eusebius( f) and Epipha- 
 nius, and St. Hierome, expressly tell us that the Cle- 
 ment there meant was the same that was afterwards 
 Bishop of Rome ; nor do we read of any other to 
 whom either the character there mentioned, of being 
 the fellow labourer of that Apostle, or the eulogy given 
 of having his name written in the book of life, could 
 so properly belong as to him ; whom therefore the 
 generality of learned men both of the antient and pre- 
 sent times, without scruple, conclude to have been re- 
 ferred to in that passage. 
 
 (e) Grot Annot. in Phil. iv. 3. 
 
 CfJ EuseVi. Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. cap. 12. Epiph. lib. i. Adv. Carpocr. n. 
 6 Hieronym. de script. Eccles. et Comment, in loc. Item.. Lib 1. adv. Jo- 
 vin. Phoiii. Cod Tcm. 113, &c. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 13 
 
 5. I shall not say any thing of what is reported by 
 some(^) concerning his noble birth and family; of 
 his studies at Athens ; and of the occasion and man- 
 ner of his conversion to Christianity ; which they tell 
 us, was wrought by St. Peter, whom he met with 
 Barnabas atCoesarea; and who ^ere first declared 
 to him the doctrine of Christ, and inclined him to a 
 good opinion of it. All which is very uncertain, 
 and justly doubted of by many. I shall choose rather 
 to observe that whatever his condition was before he 
 became a Christian, he was held in no small reputation 
 after; but merited such a character from the antient 
 fathers, as is hardly given to any besides the Apostles. 
 Nay, some of them doubt not in plain terms to call 
 him an Apostle ;(^j and though St. Hierome durst not 
 go so far as that, yet he gives him another title but little 
 short of it ; he(?) tells us that he was an Apostolical 
 man, and as Rutfinus(/r) adds almost an Apostle. 
 
 6. To declare more particularly how he spent the 
 first part of his life, after his conversion, is neither ne- 
 cessary to the design I have now in hand, nor can any 
 certain account be given of it. Only as we are told in 
 the general, that he was St. Peter's disciple, so it may 
 not be improbable that for some time he attended his 
 motions, and was subject to his direction. 
 
 7. Eut whatever he was, or wherever he laboured 
 before, in this I think antiquity is* absolutely agreed, 
 that he at last came to be Bishop of Rome ; and was 
 placed in that See by the express direction of one, or 
 both the Apo^^^tles, St. Peter and St. Paul. To whom 
 he succeeded, or at v.hat time to fix his entrance on 
 that great charge, is a point that I suppose will never 
 be agreed upon among learned men. If any could 
 have settled this matter beyond dispute, it had with- 
 
 (g) Vid. Eucher. Lugd. dc contempt. Mundi, and Chron. Albert 
 Stad. inter 'I'estimooia a Jimio citata. 
 (A) Clem. Alex. Strom, lib. iv. 
 . (?) Hieron. in Isaiam. c. 52. 
 • (a) De Adiilterat. lib. Originis. 
 
14 OF ST. Clement's first epistle 
 
 ■out question been done by those(/) of our own nation 
 who as they have the latest searched with all possible 
 diligence into it, so never were there any better quali- 
 fied for the determination of it. But as their mutual 
 disagreement,(/;2) after all their endeavours to fix this 
 point, shews that one of them must have been mista- 
 ken; so I doubt not but it will sufficiently satisfy all 
 such as shall consider the high character they have so 
 justly obtained both by their learning and judgment 
 in these kind of disquisitions, and they are points not 
 to be determined ; and that he who shall do the best 
 upon them, may only be said to have made a good 
 guess, in a subject too hard for any at this distance- 
 clearly to decide.(«) 
 
 8. Nor is there any less controversy among learned 
 men concerning the death of St. Clement, than there 
 has been about the order and time of his sucession 
 to his Bishopric. That he lived in expectation of mar- 
 tyrdom, and was ready to have undergone it, should 
 it have pleased God to have called him to it, the Epis- 
 tle(o) we are now speaking of, sufficiently shews us. 
 But that he did glorify God by those particular suffer- 
 ings w^hich some have pretended, is I confess to me a 
 matter of some doubt. For first, it must be acknow- 
 ledged that Ruffinus(/)) is one of the first authors we 
 have that speaks of him as a martyr. Neither Euse- 
 bius(<7) (wiio is usually very exact in his observations 
 of such things) nor any of the fathers yet nearer his 
 time, as Iranseus, Clemens, Alexandrinus, Turtulli- 
 an, &c. take any notice of it. And for the account 
 which some others have yet more lately given us of 
 the manner of his death, besides that in some parts it 
 is altogether fabulous; it is not improbable, but that 
 
 {I) Pearson Dissert, de Success, prim. R R. P P. cum. Append- 
 Hen. Dodwelli. Pearson, dissert. Postlium. Cap v. Num. T. 
 (??j) Dodwelli. Dissert. singuL cap. xv. pag. 220. 
 (n) Dodwell. Dissert, singul, cap. xi. p. 151. 
 (o) Clem. Epistle to the Corinth. Num, vii. 
 l/i) De Adulterat. Lib. Orig. 
 Iq) Hist. Eccles. Lib. iii. c. 34. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 15 
 
 as our learned Mr. Dodvvell(r) has observed, the first 
 rise of it may have been owing to their confounding 
 Flavins Clemens the Roman counsel, with Clement, 
 Bishop of Rome : who did indeed(5) suffer martyrdom 
 for the faith about the time of which they speak ; and 
 some other parts of whose character, such as his rela- 
 tion to the emperor, and banishment into Pontus, 
 they manifestly ascribe to him. 
 
 9. However, seeing Eusebius(f) refers hi death to 
 the third year of Trajan, famous for the persecution 
 of the church, and may thereby seem to insinuate 
 that Clement also then suffered among the rest ; and 
 that Simeon Metaphrastes(//) has given a long and par- 
 ticular account of his condemnation to the mines first 
 and then of his death following thereupon : as I shall 
 not determine any thing against it, so they who are 
 desirous to know what is usually said concerning the 
 passions of this holy man, may abundantly satisfy 
 their curiosity in this particular, from the accurate col- 
 lection of Dr. Cave in the life of this Saint ; too long 
 to be transcribed into the present discourse. 
 
 10. And this may suffice to have been observed in 
 short concerning St. Clement himself: as for the Epis- 
 tle we are now speaking of to the Corinthians, I have 
 already taken notice how great a value was put upon 
 it in the most primitive ages of the church, and what 
 a mighty commendation has been left us of it, by the 
 writers of those times. Nor indeed does it at all come 
 short of the highest praises which they have given to it ; 
 being a piece composed with such an admirable spirit 
 of love and charity ; of zeal towards God, and concern 
 for the church of Christ ; of the most excellent ex- 
 hortations, delivered with the greatest plainness and 
 simplicity of speech, and yet pressed many times with 
 
 (r) Dodwel. Addit. ad Cap. vi. Dissert. Posthum. Pearson, Num. 
 22. pag. 215. 
 
 (s) Vid. Euseb. Chro. Ano. xcvii. Et in Euseb. Annot. Scalig. p. 
 205. b. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. iii. cap. 18. 
 
 (t) Euseb. Hist. Eecles. Lib. iii. cap. 34. 
 
 («) ApudCoreler. Patr. Apostol. Tom. 1. ■" 
 
16 OF ST. Clement's first epistle 
 
 such moving eloquence too, that I cannot imagine 
 what could have been desired in such an Epistle more 
 proper for the end for which it was composed : what 
 could have been written more becoming an Apostoli- 
 cal age, and the pen of one of the most eminent Bis- 
 hops of it. 
 
 But that it may be the better understood by those 
 who shall now think fit to peruse it; there are a few 
 things which it will be necessary for me in this place 
 to observe concerning it. 
 
 12. And the first is, the occasion that was given for 
 the writing of this Epistle. For however we have no 
 particular account what it was, yet may we from the 
 subject of it give a very probable guess at it. When 
 St. Paul wrote his first Epistle to the Corinthians, the 
 two great things that seemed to have especially called 
 for it," were, first, the divisions of that church upon 
 the account of their teachers, and through their vain 
 conceit of their own spiritual gifts : and, secondly, 
 the great mistake that was getting in among them con- 
 cerning the nature of tlie future resurrection. And 
 however the Apostle by his waiting and authority did 
 for the present put a stop to the one, and set them 
 right as to the other ; yet it seems after his death, they 
 began again to fall not only into the same contentions, 
 but into the same error too, that had caused them so 
 much trouble before. 
 
 1 3. Now this gave occasion to St. Clement to write 
 the present Epistle to them : in which having first ta- 
 ken notice of the rise of those new seditions that were 
 broke out among them, and exhorted them to a Chris- 
 tian composure of them, he in the next place goes on, 
 by many arguments to establish the undoubted truth 
 and certainty of the future resurrection; which was 
 the other thing in which St. Paul had before observed 
 them to have been greatly and dangerously mistaken. 
 
 1 4. This then w^as the occasion, and is the main 
 subject and design of the following Epistle. But now 
 about what time it was written, it ig not so easy 
 
TO THE CORINTHIAN^. 17 
 
 to determine. Junius(A) supposes it Avas written by 
 St. Clemenl. in the name or the Church of Home, about 
 two years before his martyrdom, and that from the 
 place of his banishment : which also seems to have 
 been the opinion of our learned Mr. Burton(y) hi his 
 notes upon this Epistle. 13aronius(s:) places it six or 
 seven years sooner, about the twelfth year of Domi- 
 tian. With him Cotelerius(«) agrees, only he supposes 
 the persecution was then drawing towards an end ; it 
 being otherwise unlikely that such an embassy could 
 have been sent from Rome with the.Kpistle, as by the 
 close of it we find there was. Eut Mr. Dodwell(Z') 
 with much greater probability, thinks it to have been 
 MTitten yet sooner, viz. immediately after the end of 
 Nero's persecution: and to that refers those troubles 
 complained of by St. Clement in the very beginning 
 of his Epistle ;(c) and in which he elsewhere(o!') speaks 
 of St. Peter and St. Paul, as some of the latest in- 
 stances of any that had died for the sake of their re- 
 ligion. 
 
 15. Now that which seems yet more to countenance 
 this opinion is, that St. Clement in another part ol his 
 Epistle(<') speaks of the temple service not only as still 
 continuing, but as being in such a state as necesh^^arily 
 supposes all things to have been yet in peace and 
 quiet at Jerusalem, from whence that learned man(/) 
 with great reason concludes, that this Epistle must 
 have been written somewhat before the rith year of 
 Nero, in which the Jewish wars first broke out. Let 
 us add to this, that in the close of this Epistle we find 
 mention made of Fortunatus(^) as the person whom 
 
 the Church of Corinth had probably sent to Rome 
 
 > 
 
 (,r) Vid. in Annot. in Epist. Clem, in princip. 
 (i/) Annot. 2. p. 41, 
 
 (2) Baron. Annal. ad Ann. xcv. Num. 1. 
 {a) Coteler. Not. in Clem. Epist. p. 82. 
 
 (d) Dodwell. Append, ad. cap. vi. Dissert. 2. Pearson, pag. 21§'. 
 Num. 24. 
 (c) Epistle, c. i. (r/) Ibid, c. v. (e) Chap. xii.. 
 (./') Dodwel. Inc. siipr. cit. 
 (-g-) Epist. c, lix. 
 
 [3] 
 
18 OF ST. Clement's first epistle 
 
 with an account of their disasters, and by whom to- 
 gether with the two delegates of their own, the Ro- 
 man Church returned this Epistle to the Corinthians. 
 Now Fortunatus is expressly said by St. Paul to have 
 been an old disciple in his time ; insomuch that he 
 places him with Stephanus who was the first fruits of 
 Achaia, 1 Cor. xvi. 15, 17. And therefore we must 
 conclude that this Epistle could not have been written 
 so late as some would have it, seeing this man was not 
 only still alive, but in a condition of undertaking so 
 great a journey as from Corinth to Rome : for from 
 thence it is most likely he was sent with the letter of 
 that Church to Rome ; and so became the bearer of 
 this Epistle, which was written in the name of the 
 Church of Rome in answer to it. 
 
 16. I conclude then that this Epistle was written 
 shortly after the end of the persecution under Nero, 
 between the 64th and 70th year of Christ :(g) and 
 that as the learned defender of this period supposes, 
 in the vacancy of the See of Rome ; before the pro- 
 motion of St. Clement to the government of it. But 
 of this last circumstance, as there is no certainty, so 
 the express authority of TertuHian,(//) that St. Clem- 
 ent was made Bishop of Rome by St. Peter ; and this 
 delivered as the tradition of the Roman Church in the 
 days that he lived, has inclined others(/) rather to 
 think that he must have been Bishop of that Church 
 when he wrote this Epistle ; though neither can this 
 be affirmed as certain and indubitable. 
 
 1 7. But this is not all : there is still a difficulty re- 
 maining, and that of much greater consequence than 
 any I have hitherto mentioned : namely, whether the 
 Epistle we now have, be, after all, the genuine Epis- 
 tle of St. Clement, so much applauded by the antients ; 
 so long looked upon as lost to us, and so lately discov- 
 
 (g) Dodwel loc. supr. cit. add. Cave Hist. Literal in Clement, p. 
 18. Coiivare Dr. Grabe Spicileg. Tom. i. pag. 255, &c. 
 (/j) De Prescript, adv. Hxres. cap. 32. 
 (i) Sec Dr. Grabe, loc. cit. p. 259. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 19 
 
 ered in the last age ? and this I mention, not that I 
 think there is any real occasion offered to incline us 
 to doubt it ; but because I find there are some(/tr) who 
 would seem still to make a question of it. 
 
 1 8. And here, I would in the first place ask these 
 wary men, what mark they can propose whereby to 
 distinguish the true work of any antient writer, from 
 a false and suppositious, that does not occur in the 
 present piece ? 
 
 19. That St. Clement(/) wrote an Epistle to the Co- 
 rinthians ; that he wrote it on the same occasion that 
 we find expressed in this we now have ; that this Epis- 
 tle was of great reputation, so as to be publickly read 
 in the churches heretofore ; all this the authority of 
 the antient Fatfiers will not suffer us to doubt. That 
 the copy we now have of this Epistle was taken from 
 the end of a manuscript of the New Testament, writ- 
 ten, as is supposed, not long after the first general 
 council of Nice, about three hundred years after St. 
 Clement's death, and at the very time that it was yet 
 wont to be so read in the Churches ; both the learned 
 editor(w) of it assures us, and the manuscript itself 
 sufficiently declares. Now how can it be supposed, 
 that an Epistle so famous in those days, so well known 
 to every Christian at that time, when the very copy 
 was written, which we at this day have of it ; should 
 have been alone concealed from the transcriber of this 
 Manuscript Bible, and a spurious piece introduced to 
 supply the place of it ? 
 
 • 20. Nor is this all : for if we have not now^ the true 
 copy of this Epistle, it is manifest that then neither 
 had the antient Fathers of those first ages, a true copy 
 of it, for the passages(//) which they have quoted are 
 the very same in our Epistle ; and so they too were 
 
 (k) Callovius Bibl. illustr. N. T. To. ii. Exam. prxf. Grot, in 1 
 Cor. p. 250. Voetius Paralip. p. lier, &c. Vid. Tentzel. Exeixit. 
 select. 2, de Phcenice. 
 
 (/) Vid. Collov. Opcr. Socin. To. ii. p. 487. 
 
 (m) Vid. Juii. Prajfat. in Epist. Clem. 
 
 (72 ) Vid. Baron. Annal. Anno. xcv. Num. iii. &c. 
 
20 OF ST. Clement's first epistle 
 
 imposed upon, no less than we are in this matter. — 
 And can this be rationably supposed ? can we think 
 tiiut those great men, and diligent searchers into an- 
 tiquity, were ignorant of an Epistle, not only in every 
 bodies hand, but almost in every bodies memory, 
 thi'ough their constant reading and hearing of it. 
 
 21. Yet fanher; let me a^k those who caU in ques- 
 tion the credit of this excellent piece ; what do they 
 find in it either unworthy of Si,. Clement, or disagree- 
 a ,4e to those times in which we suppose it to have been 
 v/ritten ? certainly, if this be a counterfeit piece, it 
 was not only exceedingly well done ; but without 
 any design to serve any party or interest by it ; there 
 being nothing in the whole Epistle that might not 
 have became as excellent an age, and as holy a 
 man as that age, and that man were, in which we 
 have all the reason in the world to beleive it was 
 composed. 
 
 22. But what then is it that^ makes these learned 
 men so imwilling to own this Epistle to be the gen- 
 uine work of that holy Bishop to whom we ascribe 
 it? it is in short this ;(o) that the author of this 
 Epistle, in proof of the possibility of a future re- 
 surrection, reports the story of the Phoenix's reviving 
 out of his own ashes; which is not only a thing 
 false in itself, but unu^orthy of such a person, as St. 
 Clement, to mention. 
 
 23. now not to say any thing as to this matter, 
 iirst, that Photius,(//) a severe critic of the antient 
 Fathers, who first started it as a fault in St. Clem.ent 
 that he made use of this as a true observation, which 
 it seems the other looked upon as a mere fable ; yet 
 did not think it any objection against the authority 
 of this Epistle, which he nevertheless acknowledged to 
 be St. ('lement's : to pass by, secondly, that the 
 generality of the antient Fathers have made use of 
 
 (a) Tentzelius Dissert, Select, de Phoenice, p. 33. Et Num. xVi. 
 pRg 45. 
 
 {/ij Phoiii. Biblioth. Tmem# cxxyi. p. 306. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIA^.^S. 21 
 
 the very same instance, in proof of the same point ; 
 as the learned Junius(<7) has particularly shewn in 
 his notes upon this passage ; and the authority of 
 whose works no one yet ever called in question upon 
 that account ; I w^ould only ask, thirdly, what if St. 
 Clement really believed the truth of what he here 
 wrote concerning this matter ? that there was such a 
 bird ; and that he did revive out of the cinders of the 
 body before burnt ? where was the great harm either 
 in giving credit to such a wonder : or believing it, 
 to make such a use as he here does of it ? 
 
 24. The truth is, whosoever shall consider both 
 the general credit which this story had in those days ; 
 and the particular accident which fell out, not long 
 before the time that this Epistle was written to con- 
 firm the belief of it, (of which one of the most ju- 
 dicious of all the Roman historians(r) has left us a large 
 account ;) I mean of the Phoenix that was said to hav« 
 come into Egypt a little after the death of Christ, and 
 to have given occasion of much discourse to the most 
 learned men both of the Greeks and Romans, con- 
 cerning the very miracle of which St Clement here 
 speaks ,-. will find it to have been no such strange 
 thing in this holy man to have suffered himself to be 
 led away with the common opinion ; and to have 
 believed what so many learned men did, among the 
 Jevvs(5) and Gentiles,(if) no less than among the 
 Christians, viz. that God was pleased to give the 
 world this great earnest and type of a future resur- 
 rection ; and to silence thereby the cavils of such 
 as should pretend, (what we know the generality 
 of the wise men of the world did) that it was im- 
 possible for God to effect such a restitution. 
 
 fgj TertuUian. Origin. Cyril, Hierosolym. Eusefe. Greg. Naz. 
 'Epiphanub, Synesius, Hieronym. Lactautius, Sec. Jun. Notai in Clera. 
 pag. 34. 
 
 frj Tacitus Annal. libr. vi. num. 28. 
 
 CsJ Vid. Annot. Edit. Oxon. in loc. Bochartus Hiefozoic, in Phce- 
 nice, &c. apud Tentzel. pag. 18, 19. 
 
 ft J Vid. Ed. Oxo. loc. cit. Adde. Annot. Schotti. in Photiuro, 
 Tmem. cxxvi. pag. 305. 
 
22 OF ST. CLEMENT^S FIRST EPISTLE 
 
 25. But I insist too long on so trifling an objec- 
 tion however magnified by some men : and may, I 
 think, from what I have said conclude, that if this 
 be indeed, as they(//) confess it is, the greatest ground 
 they have to call in question the credit of this 
 Epistle, there is then nothing that ought to move any 
 considering man to entertain the least doubt or scru- 
 ple concerning it. 
 
 26. There are indeed t^vo other exceptions which 
 Photius(A') has niade against St. Clement upon the ac- 
 count of the Epistle befoie us, which yet he looked 
 upon as unquestionably his : the one for that he speaks 
 in it of the worlds beyond the ocean ; the other, in 
 that he seems not to have written so honourably as 
 was fitting, of the divinity of our blessed Saviour. 
 But as the latter of these is but a mere cavil against 
 this holy man, who not only in his other Epistle ex- 
 pressly asserts the divine nature of Christ, but even 
 in this speaks * a such a manner of him, as shews him 
 to be much more than a mere creature ;(y) so in the 
 former he said nothing but what was agreeable both 
 to the notions and language of the times in which he 
 fived; Avhen it was common to call the British Isles 
 another world, or as St." Clement here styles them, 
 the worlds beyond the ocean. 
 
 27. And these I think are the chief exceptions that 
 have been raised against the following Epistle ; and 
 -which how^ever insisted upon in these latter times, 
 yet did not hinder the first and best ages of the church, 
 when men were less curious, but much more pious than 
 they now are, from putting a very great value upon it. 
 Nor will they I suppose have any more weight with 
 any serious and ingenuous person at this day : or hin- 
 der him from esteeming it a very great blessing to our 
 present times, that a work so highly esteemed among 
 
 (uj Aliis argumentis, turn HOC IMPERIMIS. Tentzel. Dissert. 
 cit. pag. 33. 
 
 fxj Photii Bibl. Cod. cxxvi. 
 
 CyJ Indeed to be God. See Bishop Bull, def. fid. Nic. Sect. ii. 
 eap. 3. and Dr. Grabe's learned Annot. on that CJiapttr. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 23 
 
 the antient Fathers, but so long, and as it was justly 
 feared, irrecoverably lost to these latter ages, was at 
 last so happily found out, for the increase and con- 
 firmation both of our faith and charity. 
 
 28. Now the manner of its discovery and publi- 
 cation was this. It hapenned about the beginning 
 of the liust age, that Cyril Patriarch of Alexandria 
 being removed from thence to Constantinople, brought 
 along with him a great treasure of books to that place. 
 Among the rest he had a very antient manuscript 
 copy both of the Septuagint old, and of the new 
 Greek Testament, written about four hundred years 
 after Christ.(2) This he sent, as the most valuable 
 present that he was master of, to our late royal sove- 
 reign king Charles the first, by Sir Thomas Roe, his 
 majesty's ambassador at that time at the Port. Being 
 thus brought into England, and placed in the royal 
 library at St. James's Mr. Patrick Young, the learned 
 keeper of the king's library at that time, discovered 
 this Epistle, with part of another, at the end of the 
 New Testament ; and was thereupon commanded by 
 his majesty to publish it for the benefit of the world- 
 This he accordingly did, with a Latin translation, and 
 notes at Oxford, Anno 1633. It was not long(o) after 
 that a very learned man, and a great master of the 
 Greek tongue, Mr. William Burton, translated it 
 into English ; and published it very accurately, and 
 with new annotations of his own upon it. This 
 I had not seen till the first sheets of the present edition 
 were sent to the press ; nor had I any other know- 
 ledge either of that, or of the author, than what I 
 found in the accounts given by our late Reverend Dr. 
 Cave,(^) and Monsieur Coloniesius(i') of the one, and 
 by our laborious antiquary Mr. A. Wood(c)ofthe 
 other ; in his useful collection of the lives and writings 
 
 (zj Vid. Prjefat. Jun. in Edit. 
 (a) Anno 1647. Lond. 4to 
 . (bj Edit. ColoiTiesii, Lectori. Cave. Hist. Literar. in Clem, 
 (c) Athene Oxon. 2, part. p. 137, 138. 
 
24 OF THE EPISTLE OF ST. POLYCARP 
 
 of our modern authors. And though I believe who- 
 soever shall take the pains to compare the two trans- 
 lations together, will iind Lhem generally agreeing as 
 to the sense ; yet there will otherwise aj.pear .such 
 manifest differences between them, as may abun- 
 dantly satisfy any impartial person, that I have truly 
 translated it from the original Greek, and not revised 
 only Mr. Burton's edition of it. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OF THE EPISTLE OF ST. POLYCARP TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 Of the time when St. Polycavp wrote this Epistle. The reason of 
 its being placed before the Epistles of Ignatius. That St. Poly- 
 carp wrote several other pieces; yet nothing of his now remaining 
 but only this Epistle. Whether' this Epistle has been interpolated^ 
 as those of Ignatius were .'' tlie latter part of it vindicated against 
 the exceptions of Monsieur Daille, and some others. Of the 
 translation of it into our own language by Dr. Cave ; and of the 
 present edition of it. ^ 
 
 1. THE next piece that follows in the present col- 
 lection, is the Epistle of St. Polycarp to the Phillip- 
 pians. In placing of which I have followed the ex- 
 am}>le, not so much of our most reverend Archbishop 
 Usher,(G(!) as of St. Polycarp himself; though in 
 the order of time the Epistles of Ignatius . ought to 
 have had the precedence ; St. Polycarp not writing 
 this letter to the Pillipians till about, or a little after, 
 the time that that glorious martyr suffered for the 
 faith of Christ ; as from several passages in the Epistle 
 itself may plainly be made appear. 
 
 2' For hrst, having in his ninth chapter exhorted 
 the Philippians to obey the word of righteousness,, 
 and to exercise all patience after the examples of those 
 holy men whom they had seen among them ; he par- 
 
 C'O Edit. Polycarp. 6c Ignat. Oxen. Annot. 1644.. 
 
TO THE PHILIPPIAM 25 
 
 ticularly instances in Ignatius(^) as one of them. Now 
 the acts(/) of the martyrdom of that holy Bishop tell 
 us, that the time when they beheld his patience set forth 
 before their eyes was, when he passed by them in chains 
 to Rome, in order to his being cast to the wild beasts 
 according to the sentence pronounced upon him by 
 the Emperor Trajan ; by consequence that this Epistle 
 must have been written some time after his condemna- 
 tion. 
 
 3. But St. Polycarp goes yet farther ; and in the 
 next words supposes, that Ignatius might have been 
 dead at the time he wrote to them for enforcing his 
 exhortation to them to follow the examples of Ignati- 
 us, and the rest of those excellent men whom he 
 there names he subjoins ; being confident of this, that 
 that all these have not run in vain, but in faith and 
 righteousness, and are gone to the place that was due 
 to them from the Lord, with whom also they suf- 
 fered. For they loved not this present world, but 
 him who died, and was raised again by God for us. 
 In which words he evidently implies that Ignatius too, 
 as well as the rest of those whom he there men- 
 tions, was by this time gone to the place that was due 
 to him from the Lord, upon the account of his suf- 
 ferings ; and by consequence had finished his martyr- 
 dom. 
 
 4. It was then about the time of Ignatius's death 
 that St. Polycarp wrote this Epistle to the Philippians. 
 And yet that if this holy man had suffered, it was but 
 a very little time that he had done so, is clear from 
 another passage of the same Epistle ;(^) where he 
 desires the Philippians to send him word what they had 
 heard with any certainty, concerning Ignatius, and 
 those that went to Rome with him. From whence it 
 appears, that though he supposed that Ignatius by thaC 
 
 (e) Epist. of Polycarp, Numb. ix. 
 (./■) Mart, of Ignat. Numb. x. 
 (,§•) Epist. of Polycarp, Numb. xiv. 
 
 [4] 
 
26 OF THE EPISTLE OF ST. POLYCARP 
 
 time might have suffered, yet he had not received 
 any certain account of it, but was still to learn the 
 manner and circumstances of his passion. 
 
 5. Now this will lead us to a yet more exact con- 
 jecture of the time of St. Polycarp's writing the 
 following Epistle, viz. tliat it must have been just 
 about tlie time of St. Ignatius's death, it being no way 
 probable that had Ignatius been any long time dead, 
 so great a Bishop, and so dear a friend of his as St. 
 Polycarp was, should have been still to learn the cer- 
 tainty of it. 
 
 6. And this may serve, by the way, not only to fix 
 the time when this Epistle was written, namely, at the 
 end of the year of our Lord 116, or in the beginning 
 of 117; but also to shew how groundless the excep- 
 tion of those men(/^) is against the authority of it, 
 who pretend to find out a contradiction between the 
 two passages I liave now mentioned : and would from 
 thence infer either the utter falseness of this wiiole 
 Epistle ; or at least conclude that this latter part of it 
 is none of Polycarp's, but added by some latter hand 
 to give the greater credit to the Epistles of St. Ignati- 
 Ms, which they are resolved by all means to reject as 
 none of his. For indeed, were not men willing to 
 be contentious, where is the contradiction they so 
 much boasted of between the two places I have before 
 alluded ? Is it that in the former of them he sets before 
 them the sufferings of St. Ignatius, and exhorts them 
 to follow the example of his patience .'* But it is evi- 
 dent the sufferings he there speaks of were those 
 which the Piiilippians had seen in him : the weight of 
 his chains : the hardships of his journey, the rude- 
 ness of the soldiers that guarded him, and of which 
 .the blessed martyr himself complains in one of his 
 Epistles ;(/) and to add no more, the expectation of 
 tliat cruel death he w^as suddenly to undergo. 
 
 {k) Daillxnus in Pseudepigr. cap. xxxii. pa. 428. Larroque Ob- 
 sei'vat. in I'eaison, p. 69. 
 (0 Ignat. Epist. to the Romans, cap. v. 
 
TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 27 
 
 7. But I suppose the contradiction lies in what fol- 
 lows : that in one place(/<r) he speaks of him as if he 
 had already suffered, and yet in the other desires the 
 Philippians to send him word what they had heard of 
 it. Now what is there in all this that does not very 
 well a^ree together ? St. Polycarp, either by the com- 
 putation of the arrival of Ignatius at Rome, or by the 
 consideration of the solemn festival that was wont at 
 that time to be held there, and at wiiich it was usual 
 to exhibit such kind of spectacles to the people ; or it 
 may be, lastly, from the accounts which he had receiv- 
 ed of Ihis holy martyr from some of those that were with 
 him ; did suppose, nay, if you will, did not doubt but 
 that Ignatius was dead when he wrote his Epistle to 
 the Philippians. Yet having not hitherto received any 
 certain account of it, and being not absolutely sure, 
 whether he had suffered or no, or if he had, how he 
 had been treated by his enemies, and haw he had be- 
 haved himself in his last encounter with the beasts ; 
 desires the Philippians, who were much nearer to 
 Rome than he was, and might therefore very proba- 
 bly have heard much later from thence than he had 
 done, to send him a certain account of what they 
 knew as to this matter. What is there in all this, I 
 do not say that looks like a contradiction, but that is 
 not very natural ; and particularly most becoming the 
 love and friendship of the blessed Polycarp towards 
 him concerning whom he so diligently inquired ? I 
 am sure Photius,(/) who had not only read this Epis- 
 tle, but transcribed this last passage out of it ; though 
 a severe critic as any that have ever perused it since, 
 saw no contradiction in it to any thing th^t went be- 
 fore ; for if he had, he was not of a humour to have 
 let it pass, without making some reflection or other 
 upon it. 
 
 8. Let me add yet more, that neither could those 
 see the contradiction here pretended, who in our pre- 
 
 (k) Vid. DaillKiim and Larroque loc. cit. 
 (/) Photius Bibl. Tmem cxxvi. pag. 305, 
 
28 OF THE EPISTLE OF ST. POLYCARP 
 
 sent times would have been as forward as any to have 
 made use of it to die disadvantage of this Epistle, had 
 they had but the least grounds so to do. I shall in- 
 stance only in two : the first, the late learned divine 
 of Ley den, Monsieur le Moyne :(w) who though he 
 judged the passage relating to St. Ignatius's Epistles, 
 which was wanting in his manuscript, to be abrupt, 
 and would from thence argue against the author- 
 ity of it ; yet has he made no reflection on the words 
 immediately following, in which those others will have 
 the contradiction to lie. 
 
 9. The other that I shall mention in opposition to 
 this pretence, is a yet later writer, Ernestus Tentzel- 
 iusj(//) who though no great friend to this Epistle, which 
 he supposes to have been corrupted, no less than those 
 of Ignatius were in the antient editions of them ; yet 
 utterly refuses to comply with this objection, as not 
 apprehending that there was the least ground tor it. 
 
 10. But to return from this digression, in answer to 
 the exception of two of the most learned adversaries 
 of this Epistle, against the credit of it : thougli, as I 
 have now shewn, St. Polycarp, w^'ote not to the Phil- 
 ippians till after the death of St. Ignatius, and conse- 
 quently this Epistle in order of time ought to have been 
 placed after those which the other wrote immediately 
 before it ; yet was it fit to give this the precedency in 
 the follovving collection, both as containing a most 
 proper introduction to the Epistles of Ignatius, and as 
 having in all probability been first sent in the same or- 
 der by St. Polycarp to the Philippians. 
 
 11. For thus- we find that holy man speaking to 
 them in the close of his letter :(o) the Epistles of Ig- 
 natius which he wrote unto us, together with what 
 others of his have come to our hands, we have sent 
 unto you according to your order ; which are sub- 
 joined to this Epistle. So both Eusebius(/>) transcribe 
 
 (;?/) Proleg. ad Var. Sacr. in Polycarp. 
 
 (7;^ 1> evcit. Select. Exevc iv. Num. 42, pag. 157. 
 
 (0) Polyc up. E ist N im ? i '. 
 
 {p) Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. cap. 36. 
 
TO THE PHILIPPIANS. „, 29 
 
 ed it out of the original Greek ; and so we find it in 
 our antient Latin Version,(<7) which is all that remains 
 of that part of this Epistle; from whence our learned 
 Archbi hop Usher(r) with great reason concludes, 
 that St. Folycarp caused the copies of St. Ignatius's 
 Epistles to be immediately added at the end of his 
 own, iind sent them to the Phihppians together with it. 
 
 12. And this perhaps may have been one great 
 means of preserving this Epistle. of St. Polycarp, from 
 the fate that has attended all the rest of his writings. 
 For being wont to be transcribed together with those 
 of Ignatius, and commonly placed at the front of 
 them, they mutually helped to secure one another : 
 whilst the rest of his writings, for want of being thus 
 collected together, have for a long time been so ut- 
 terly lost to the world, that neither Photius,(5) nor St. 
 Hierome,(^) nor JEuse bins, (^/) seem to have had any 
 particular catalogue of them ; nor hath Irenaeus, the 
 Disciple of St. Polycarp, given us such a one. 
 
 13. Indeed for what concerns the last of these, I 
 mean Irenaeus ;(w) he tells us that this great man did 
 write several Epistles, not only to the neighbouring 
 churches, to confirm them in the faith, but even to par- 
 ticular persons, for their instruction and admonition. 
 But what they were, or to whom they were sent, 
 neither does he say, nor does Eusebius, where he 
 speaks of the writings of St. Polycarp, mention any 
 more than that Epistle to the Phihppians, of which 
 we are now discoursing. And though a few later au- 
 thors(A^) pretend to give us the very titles of some 
 other of his works ; yet have we reason to doubt from 
 this silence of those who lived the nearest to his time, 
 
 ((/) Apud. Usser. p. 24. 
 
 (r) Dissert, de Ignat Fplst. cap. ii 
 
 (*) Photii Bibl. Tmem. cxxvi. p. 305. 
 
 {() De Script. Eccles. in Polycarp. 
 
 (m) Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iv. c. 15. 
 
 (iv) Iren. Epist. ad Florin, apud Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. v. c. 20. 
 
 (x) S. Maximus Pi-olo?;. in Dionys. Areop. Suidas in Polycarp. &c 
 Vid. Usserii Dissert, de Script. Ignat. p. 4, 5, Tentzel. Exerc. Select. 
 de Polycarp. num. xxxvi, xxxvii. 
 
30 OF THE EPISTLE OF ST. POLYCARP 
 
 that their authority is but small ; nor can we say that 
 even the pieces which they name, are any where to 
 be found at tliis day. 
 
 14. Nor shall I except here those fragments lately 
 published by Fevardentius(y) out of Victor Capuanus, 
 and reprinted by Bishop Usher(s) in his appendix to 
 Ignatius ; tn which as there are .tome things which 
 neither Father Halloix,(a) nor our learned Usher(^) 
 could approve of, as written by St. Polycarp, so the 
 distance of Yiim{b) who was the first collector of them 
 from the time of that blessed martyr, and the mani- 
 fest proofs he has on other occasions given of his lit- 
 tle care and judgment in distinguishing the w^orks of 
 the antient Fathers who lived any long time before 
 him ; not to say any thing of the passages themselves 
 ascribed to St. Polycarp,(6^) but little agreeable to the 
 Apostolical age: all these considerations have justly 
 restrained learned men from giving any great credit to 
 those fragments, or from receiving them as belonging 
 in any v/ise to so antient an author. 
 
 15. But whatever becomes of these fragments, cer- 
 tain it is that the Epistle which I have here subjoined 
 is the genuine work of this holy man, and w^orthy of 
 that great character which antiquity has given of it. 
 Even Monsieur Daille(6f) himself confesses, that ex- 
 cepting only the close of it, against which it was ne- 
 cessary for him to declare himself, there is nothing 
 In it that either ought to offend any, or that may be 
 thought unworthy of Polycarp. But Le Moyne(6') 
 goes yet farther ; he tells us that he does not see how 
 any one can entertain the least suspicion against it ; 
 that there is not perhaps any >vork extant that has more 
 
 (y) Ad lib. iii. c. 3. Irenxi. 
 
 (z) Lond. 1647. p. 31. 
 
 (a) Usscvius Annot. loc. cit. p. 72, 73. 
 
 (A) Victor ('apuanus /;." lived anno 545. 
 
 (c) Cave Hist, liter, in Polyc. p. 28. le Moyne Prol. ad Var. Sacr. 
 Tentzel. Exercit. Select, iv. de Polyc. n. xlix. Du Pin. Bibl. Eccl. in 
 Polycarj), &c. 
 
 (d) De Scriptis Ignatian. cap. xxxii. 
 
 (e) Px'ol. ad Var. Sacr. torn. 1. in Polycarp. 
 
TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 31 
 
 certain evidences of its being genuine, than this. la 
 short, that if it shall be lawful to doubt of this, there 
 will be no monument of antiquity Itft which we may 
 not as well call in question, and reject as spurious. 
 
 16. Indeed so general is the reception which learn- 
 ed men(/) on all sides have given to this Epistle, that 
 I might well omit any farther discourse in conlirma* 
 tion of the credit and authority of it. But yet seeing 
 there have been two things started by some of late, 
 if not utterly ito destroy, yet at least to lessen the re- 
 putation of this piece ; I will consider, in short, what 
 may fairly be replied to both their excep^ns. 
 
 17. Now the first is that of Tentzelius,(^) in his 
 £xercitation upon this Epistle : who, though he allows 
 it to be undoubtedly genuine, yet supposes it to have 
 been corrupted by the same hand that we confess did 
 corrupt the Epistles of Ignatius,(/^) about six hundred 
 years after Christ. But to this I reply, first, that it is 
 allowed that there is nothing in this Epistle that may 
 give any just grounds for the suspicion of any such 
 fraud as this : it being acknowledged even by Mon- 
 sieur Daille himself, one of the greatest adversaries 
 of it, to be an Epistle in all respects worthy of St. 
 Polycarp, excepting only in the close of it which I 
 shall more particularly consider by and by. So that 
 either we have this Epistle pure and uncorrupted as it 
 was first written ; or at least we have it so little pre- 
 judiced by any alterations that may have been made 
 in it, that there is nothing in the Epistle, as it now is, 
 dangerous in point either of faith or manners, or that 
 might not have well enough been written by St. Poly- 
 carp. But this was not the case with the Epistles of 
 St. Ignatius, (?•) which not only laboured ujider many 
 impertinencies unbecoming the character of that great 
 m.an, but w^re fraught with many things that were 
 
 {/) ^ id- ^pud Tentzel. de Polycarp. Dissert, iv. num. 41. p. \57. 
 
 (§•) Exei'cit. Select. Exerc. iv. num. 42, &c. 47. 
 
 (A) Usserius Dissert, de Epist. Igiiat. cap. vi. pag. oo. 
 
 (/) Vid. Dissert. Usser. c. x, xi. p. 63, 6vc. 
 
dZ OF THE EPISTLE OF ST. POLYCARP 
 
 altogether fabulous: nay, if we may credit Arch- 
 bishop Usher,(/t) had some passages in them that tend- 
 ed to corrupt the very faith of Christ, in one of the 
 most considerable points of it. 
 
 1 8. But secondly, that the Epistles of St. Ignatius 
 had been corrupted, was evident from disagreement 
 of the copies(/) which we usually had of them, from 
 the quotations of the antient Fathers of the first five 
 centuries out of them. Now this was a most un- 
 questionable demonstration of their having been 
 changed from what they were in those first ages in 
 which those J^athers lived ; and accordingly proved to 
 be so, when the old Latin version of Bishop Usher 
 first, and then the Florentine Greek edition of the 
 learned Isaac Vossius, came to be compared with 
 those editions that had before been extant of them. 
 But neither does this exception appear against the 
 present Epistle, which agrees with what is quoted both 
 by Eusebius(w) and others out of it, and thereby 
 clearly shews our present copy to be sincere and un- 
 corrupted. 
 
 19. Seeing then there is nothing but a mere conjec- 
 ture for the depravation of this Epistle, and such just 
 reason to conclude that there is no good foundation 
 for it ; to be sure none that may compare with the ar- 
 guments we have against it : I think we may conclude 
 that for any thing yet appears to the contrary, we not 
 only have the genuine Epistle of St. Polycarp, but 
 that Epistle free from any designed corruptions, or 
 depravations of it. 
 
 20. Nor is there any more, that I do not say there 
 is much less weight, in the other supposal of Monsieur 
 Daille,(;/) continued and abetted by his learned de- 
 
 (A-) Ibid. c. XV. p. 103. This Dr. Grabe has confirmed, proving 
 the interpolator of Ignatius's Epistles to have been an Arian. Spi- 
 cilcg. pp. Se^. ii. pag. ~25, 226. 
 
 (/) Usserius Dissert. Igaat. cap. iii. p. 12. 
 
 l»i) Euseb. hist. Ecces. lib. iii. c. 36. Photius Bibl. Tmem 
 cxxvi. ]). 305. 
 
 (72) Vid. Larroquq obscrv. in vind. Pears, p. 65, 66. 
 
TO THE PHIUPPIANS. 33 
 
 fender Monsieur Larroque, though without any other, 
 or greater proof, than what had been before fully, an- 
 swered by our most learned and judicious Bishop 
 Pearson ; namely, that this Epistle originally ended 
 at the Doxology which we meet with, chapter the 
 12th, and that what follows concerning the Kpistles 
 of St. Ignatius, has been apdded to it by some latter 
 hand. But now, what proof do they offer of this ? 
 what authority have they to support such a supposi- 
 tion ?-this they pretend not to. All they have to say is, 
 that the Doxology which we find there, seems to imply 
 that the Epistle originally went no farther : and that 
 in what follows there is a flat contradiction to what 
 went before -, the close of the Epistle speaking of Ig- 
 natius, as if he were still alive, whom the true Poly- 
 carp had before set forth to the Philippians as having 
 suffered, and been gone to the place that was prepared 
 for him. 
 
 21. As for what concerns the latter of these sug- 
 gestions, I have already shewn how vain and ground- 
 less it is. Nor can we reasonably suppose that any 
 one who designed to serve a turn by corrupting such 
 an Epistle as this, would have been either so negli- 
 gent as not once to read over the piece he was about 
 to make so considerable an addition to; or having 
 read it, w^ould have been so foolish as to have, with- 
 out any need, subjoined a request to the Philippians, 
 directly contrary to what the true Polycarp had told 
 them before, and which by consequence would be 
 sure to discover the fraud, and frustrate the design 
 of it. 
 
 22. So little appearance of reason is there in this 
 suggestion, which yet these learned men insist upon, 
 as their main argument against the latter part of this 
 Epistle. As for the other objection which they bring 
 against it, viz. that St. Polycarp must have concluded 
 at the 12th chapter, because of the vow which he 
 there makes for those to whom he wrote ; I reply, 
 first, that this is at the best but a very uncertain. 
 
34 OF Tlffi EPISTLE OF ST. I'OLYCARP 
 
 guess ; seeing it is notorious to all that havfe ever read 
 the Epistles, either of the Apostles, or those that fol- 
 lowed after, that nothing is more common than to 
 meet with such kind of conclusions, not only in the 
 end, but in the beginning,(o) and middle ;(/>) in short, 
 in all the parts of their Epistles. To look no farther 
 than the Epistle with which w^e have begun this col- 
 lection, of St. Clement to the Corinthians ; how ma- 
 ny of these sort of stops may we find in the progress 
 of it ? I am sure there are not less than seven or eight 
 of them. But I suppose he would be thought very 
 ridiculous, who should therefore reject all that fol- 
 low^ed the first of these, as none of St. Clements, but 
 pieced on to the end of his Epistle by some other hand, 
 merely because the Doxology seemed to imply his 
 having concluded there. 
 
 23. But to lay aside conjectures, and proceed to 
 that which will put a final end to this difficulty ; 1 ob- 
 serve, 2dly, that this passage which these men deny 
 to be St. Polycarp's, and suppose to have Hteen added 
 to it by some latter hand, is expressly quoted by Euse- 
 bius((/) in his Ecclesiastical History, as a part of this 
 Epistle. If therefore it be the addition of some other 
 hand, it is evident it was made to it before Eusebius's 
 time, that is to say, within two hundred years after 
 the time of St. Polycarp's writing of it; and whether 
 this be probable we will now more particularly in- 
 quire. 
 
 24. For the better clearing of which, I must ob- 
 serve, that this Epistle of St. Polycarp, like that of 
 St. Clement, foregoing, was for several hundreds of 
 years w^ont to be publicly read in the Churches of 
 Asia ; so St. Jerome(/-) informs us ; or as his interpre- 
 ter Sophronius renders him, in the Synod or Conven- 
 
 Co) See 1 Tim. j. 17. 
 
 fp) Ephes. iii. 20. Rom. xv. 33. Dr. Hammond Antiot. in 
 Rom. xiv. e. 
 
 (cj ) Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. c. 36. 
 (rj Hieron. de Script, in Pol}xarp. 
 
TO XHE PHILIPPIAN3. 35 
 
 tion of Asia : by which a learned man(s) supposes 
 we are to understand some common meetings of the 
 Christians in those parts, answerable to the hke as- 
 semblies of the Gentiles there ; and that in these, this 
 Epistle was wont to be read to them. 
 
 25. Hence Iren9eus(^) speaks of it as an Epistle 
 that was in every bodies' hand ; and obvious to be 
 read by any, for the benefit of their faith and man- 
 ners. Which being so, it can hardly be supposed but 
 that so inquisitive a searcher into antiquity as Euse- 
 bius w^as, must needs have been very well acquainted 
 with it ; and doubtless have had a true and genuine 
 copy of it. Seeing then he produces this passage as 
 a part of that Epistle which was generally received 
 as authentic in his days ; and that the Epistle itself 
 being spread into all hands, and publicly read in the 
 Eastern Churches immediately after the death of its 
 great author, could not have been corrupted or altered 
 but the cheat must needs' have been discovered ; (of 
 which yet we have not the least intimation in all antiqui- 
 ty :) Ithink it cannot bedoubted but that this, as well as 
 the rest of that Epistle, was written by St. Polycarp 
 himself; and not added to his Epistle by some latter 
 hand, as is suggested, not only without all ground, 
 but against such plain and unanswerable evidence to 
 the contrary. 
 
 26. Having said thus much in vindication of this 
 Epistle, and to clear it from those prejudices that have 
 of late been raised against it, it remains only for me 
 to observe, that though the following translation was 
 truly made from the Greek and Latin copies of it, set 
 out by Bishop Usher first, and since reprinted by Co- 
 telerius in his collection of the Apostolical Fathers ; 
 yet is not this the first time that this Epistle has ap- 
 peared in our language. For our most diligent and 
 learned countryman, Dr. Cave,(//) having a just res- 
 
 fs) Le Moyne Prolegom. ad var. Sacr. 
 
 (tj Apud Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iv. oap. 14. 
 ■ (uj Dr. Cave's lives of the Apostolical Fathers, in St. Poly- 
 carp. 
 
cJ6 OF THE EPISTLES 
 
 pect to the worth of a piece so highly applauded among 
 the antieiits, and so well deserving the esteem of all 
 good men, thought it would be no unuseful digression 
 to present to his reader so venerable a monument of 
 the Primitive Church ; and therefore subjoined it en- 
 tirely to his account of the life of St. Polycarp, in a 
 most accurate English translation of it. 
 
 27. It would no doubt have been more to the read- 
 ier's satisfaction, to have niet with that translation of 
 this Epistle here, than to find another, which he may 
 have jUst reason to suppose can never equal that which 
 was finished by so great a hand. And indeed I could 
 have been glad to have rendered the following collec- 
 tion more considerable, by the reputation of a trans- 
 lation made by so eminent an author. But however, 
 as it now is, I hope it may not be unacceptable to the 
 pious peruser of it, who, whatever other defects he 
 may find in it, may yet, I am pretty confident, de- 
 pend upon the exactness of the translation ; seeing I 
 perceive, by an after collation of it, that it does not 
 differ in any thing that is material, from that of the 
 judicious and worthy Dr. Cave. 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 OF THE EPISTLES OF ST. IGNATIUS,, 
 
 Of the different editions of St. Ignatins's Epistles, which are here 
 translated from that of Isaac Vossus, and according to the enu- 
 iTieration made by Eusebius of thim. The authority of these 
 Epistles vindicated, against the objections raised of late against 
 them. The Epii^le to St. Polycaip, one of those mentioned hy 
 Eusebius : the cxctption against it taken from the substance of 
 the E]nstle itself answered. A short account of the following 
 translation of all of them, 
 
 1. BEFORE I enter upon that account which I am 
 to give of the Epistles of St. Ignatius (the next that 
 follow in the present collection) it: will be necessary 
 
OF ST. IGNATiUS. 37 
 
 for me to observe, that there have, been considerable 
 differences in the editions of the Epistles of this holy 
 man, no less than in the judgment of om- latter cri- 
 tics concerning them. To pass by the first, and most 
 imperfect of them ; the best that tor a long time was 
 extant, contained not only a great number of Epis- 
 tles falsely ascribed to this author, but even those that 
 were genuine, so altered and corrupted, that it was 
 hard to find out the true Ignatius in them. 
 
 2. The first that began to remedy this confusion, 
 and to restore this great writer to his primitive simpli- 
 city, was our most reverend and learntd Archbishop 
 Usher, in his edition of them at Oxford, Anno 1644. 
 But still we wanted a correct copy of the original 
 Greek. The Epistles set out by him, though exceed- 
 ingly more sincere than any we had seen before, yet 
 consisting only of the old Latin translations of them. 
 Now this was in a great measure performed by the 
 learned Isaac Vossius, in the edition printed by him 
 at Amsterdam, Anno 1646; in which, from the Flo- 
 rentine manuscript, he published six of the Epistles 
 of this holy martyr mentioned by Eusebius, in their 
 antient and pure Greek ; and the seventh so happily 
 amended from the antient Latin version, that there 
 was but little doubt to be made of the integrity of that 
 too. But to remove all scruple concerning this one 
 Epistle, Mr. Ruinart has also published that from a 
 Greek uninterpolated copy,(,r) in the acts of the mar- 
 tyrdom of this holy man, set forth by him at Paris, 
 Anno 1689. And concerning these Epistles of St. 
 Ignatius, enumerated by Eusebius, and set out ac- 
 cording to their primitive purity by those learned men, 
 whom I have before mentioned, and from them trans- 
 lated into the following collection ; there are two 
 things to be considered, and proved by me in this 
 place : first,(y) that St. Ignatius did write such Epis- 
 
 (x) Acta martyr. Sincera & Select. Paris, 1689. 
 CyJ ^ i^^- Vossii Prjcfat. in Ignat, ad Lectorera. ' 
 
38 OF THE EPISTLES 
 
 ties as those I have here translated :' and secondly, 
 that those Epistles we here have, are the very Epis- 
 tles which he wrote. 
 
 3. That Ignatius did, in general, write such Epis- 
 tles to the Churches about him, however it has been 
 denied by some, is yet, I think, now universally allow- 
 ed even by those(s) who are the greatest opposers of 
 these Epistles which we aflfinn to be his. That he 
 wrote to those particular Churches to which the Epis- 
 tles here subjoined are addressed, we have both St. 
 Polycarp and Eusebius to assure us. For, first, St. 
 Polycarp,(«) in the close of his Epistle, (which I am 
 now to look upon as sufficiently proved to be his) 
 speaking to the Philippians of this holy man, tells 
 them, that he had sent them all sucli Epistles of his as 
 Ignatius had either written to himself, or to his Church 
 at Smyrna, or as had hitherto come to his hands. So 
 that here then we have a plain account of two of those 
 Epistles wliich we affirm Ignatius to have written — 
 one to St. Polycarp himself, another to the church of 
 Smyrna, of which he was Bishop. 
 
 4. But Eusebius will enable us to carry this testi- 
 mony yet farther : whilst assuring us, that he wrote 
 four Epistles from Smyrna ; namely, to the Churches 
 of Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles and Rome ; he giv^s 
 us just grounds to conclude that these also must have 
 been part of St. Polycarp's collection ; and have been 
 some of those others, besides the two before mention- 
 ed, which he tells us he sent to the Philippians, unless 
 we should suppose that either he knew not of Igna- 
 tius's writing, though every day, almost every hour, 
 with him at the time that he wrote them ; or else that 
 knowing of it, he took no care to preserve the copies 
 of his Epistles ; which yet we see he put the highest 
 value, that can well be imagined, upon. Seeing there- 
 fore we cannot W'ith any reason suppose, either that 
 
 fzj Vid. Vindic. Pearson, in I'rooenn. p. 20. 
 CaJ Poh Ccirp. Ej)ist. num. xiii. Annot, Cotcl. in loc. Polycarp. 
 p: 486. .B. " 
 
OF ST. IGNATIUS. 39 
 
 St. Pol3'carp did not know of Ignatius's writing to 
 these Cliurches ; nor is it probable, that being present 
 with liim at the writing of them, and acquainted with 
 it, he should not have kept any copies of his letters to 
 th<em. Seeing, lastly, he himself tells us that he had 
 copies of more of the Epistles of this great Saint, be- 
 sides those that were sent to Smyrna, and that what 
 he had, he sent to the Philippians ; neither can we 
 reasonably doubt but that these also were in his hands, 
 and sent by him to the Church at Philippi. 
 
 5. And thus have we, I think upon very good 
 grounds, concluded that six of the seven Epistles, 
 which we affirm to have been written by St. Ignatius, 
 w^ere collected by St. Polycarp ; and sent, together 
 with his own Epistle, to the Philippians. Let me add 
 yet farther, that neither can we reasonably question 
 but that the seventh too was at that time in the hands 
 of St. Polycarp ; and by consequence, that what w^e, 
 now have is no other collection tban what he made 
 (and by that means helped to preserve to after ages) 
 of the Epistles of this holy martyr. Now this I con- 
 clude not only from the nearness of the Church 
 of Philadelphia to which it was written, to that of 
 Smyrna, in which St. Polycarp resided ; and from the 
 great respect which all the neighbouring Churches 
 payed to him, as a kind of universal Bishop of the 
 whole Lesser Asia ; but from the conclusion of the 
 Epistle itself ; which tells us that it was sent by Igna- 
 tius to the Philadelphians, not only from the same 
 place, and at the same time that he wrote to St. Poly- 
 carp himself and to his Church at Smyrna, but also 
 by the same person that carried the other two, and that 
 person St. Polycarp's own Deacon, whom he had sent 
 with Ignatius to Troas, and by whom Ignatius wrote 
 back that Epistle. 
 
 . 6. St. Polycarp, therefore, certainly knew of Igna- 
 ' tius's writing to the Philadelphians ; and very proba- 
 bly sent on Burrhus.his Deacon, from Srnyrna to Phi- 
 ladelphia, vfith his letter. And then I think we may 
 
40 OF THE EPISTLES 
 
 very reasonably conclude, that he brought back with 
 hhn the copy of it : and that St. Pol3^carp had that 
 Epistle too in his hands, when he wrote to the Philip- 
 pians. 
 
 7. Such good grounds are there to believe, that the 
 collection we now have of St. Ignatius's Epistles, was 
 no other than what St. Polycarp himself made ; and 
 referred to in that passage of his own Epistle to the 
 Philippians, w^hich I have before shewn to be truly 
 his, and not the addition of any latter hand. And the 
 same is the account which Eusebius(Z') himself has gi- 
 ven us of this matter. He tells us that as Ignatius 
 was on his way to Rome, where he was to be cast to 
 the wild beasts, he not only confirmed the Churches 
 that were in the places through which he passed, by 
 his exhortations, but wTote to the chiefest of those 
 others that were near, such Epistles as these of which 
 we are now speaking. And that, as he goes on, in this 
 following order : first, from Smyrna,(c) where he tar- 
 ried somi? time with his old acquaintance and fellow 
 disciple St. Polycarp, he wrote to the Ephesians, Mag- 
 nesians, Trallians and Romans : and being gone far- 
 ther on his way to Troas, he from thence wrote to the 
 Philadelphians, and Smyrnaeans ; 'i^/e-s re t^ Tuvrm n^»- 
 ayt-^cfvoj Uoh'j.ia^.^7!-u>, aud a particular letter to Polycarp, 
 the Bishop of Smyrna. 
 
 8. I say nothing to the testimony of St. Hierome(Qf) 
 as to this matter, who as he exactly agrees with Eu- 
 sebius in all this, so I make no question but that he 
 transcribed his account out of him. It is sufficiently 
 evident from what has been already observed, not on- 
 ly that St. Ignatius did in general write some Epistles 
 (w^hich even Monsieur Daille(£') himself thinks ought 
 not to be any question) but that he wrote to those par- 
 ticular Churches to which the Epistles we now have 
 are directed, and of which I am persuaded there ought 
 to be as little doubt. 
 
 (6) Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. c. 36, (e) Vid. Chrys. Orat. ad Antiochen, 
 
 Cjj Libv. de :Script. Illustr cap. xvi 
 
 {e) Apud Pearson. VinUic Ignat. Prolegom. p. 20. 
 
OF ST, IGNATIUS. 41 
 
 9. As for the other point proposed, and by which the 
 foregoing also will be yet more fully conlirmed, namely, 
 that those Epistles we now have are the same that Ig- 
 natius wrote : two things there are that seem lo deter- 
 mine our behef of it. First, that there is nothing in 
 these Epistles, as we now have them, either unworthy 
 of the spirit of Ignatius, or the character that anliquity 
 has given us of them : nothing disagreeing to the 
 time in which he wrote, or that should seem to speak 
 them to have been the work of any latter author. — 
 Kow this, as it hardly ever fails to discover such pieces 
 as are falsely imposed upon antient authors ; so there 
 not appearing any thing of this kind in these Epistles, 
 mclines us the more readily to conclude, that they 
 were undoubtedly written by him whose they are 
 said to be. 
 
 10. But this is only a presumptive argument in fa- 
 vour of these Epistles ; which, though it may serve 
 to dispose us the more readily to receive them ah true 
 and genuine, yet is it not alone sufficient to prove them 
 so to be ? The other argument I have to offer is posi- 
 tive and convincing, namely, that we find these Epis- 
 tles, as they now are, exactly agreeing both with the 
 descriptions which St. Polycarp(/) and Eusebius(^) 
 have left us of those v*'hich they took to be the authen- 
 tic Epistles of this holy man ; and with the numerous^ 
 quotations which the antient father s(Ji) have made out 
 of them f and which all occur in the same words, in 
 our present copies of them, that they are cited in their 
 
 writmgs. 
 
 1 1 . This has been so fully shewn by our most learn- 
 ed Bishop Pearson, and indeed was so manifest of it- 
 self to any one that had ever made any comparisons 
 of this kind ; that Monsieur Diville(2) himself could 
 not deny but that we have the same Epistles now, that 
 
 (./■) Pearson. Vind. Ignat. par, i. cap. 3. pag. 27. 
 {g) Ibid. cap. ii. pag. 8. . - 
 
 {It) Pearson, ibid. p. ». ad 25. Conip. Testim. Cotelerii de Ignat. 
 Et Usser, Dissert. Ignat, 
 (/) Apiid PearsoH, ViHd. Ignat. Procem. p. 20. Et Viud. par. i. p^8, 
 
 [6] 
 
42 OF THE KPISTLES 
 
 ' Eusebiiis, Athanasius, St. Jerome, Theodoret, andGe- 
 lasius, had heretofore. So that the only question then 
 to be considered by us is, whether those Epistles 
 which Eusebius, &c. liad, were not counterfeit, but the 
 true Epistles of this great martyr. 
 
 12. And here, first, it is evident, that if those 
 Eijistles" which Eusebius first, and then the rest of 
 those antient writers whom I before mentioned, took 
 for the genuine Epistles of St. Ignatius, were none of 
 his; the true Epistles which I have just now shewn, 
 and which it is confessed were written by him, must 
 before that time have been utterly lost, or otherwise 
 destroyed, out of the world ; it being very improba- 
 ble that had the true Epistles been still remaining, nei- 
 ther so inquisitive a searcher into antiquity as Eusebi- 
 us should have heard of them, nor such great and 
 learned men as those that followed after, have had any 
 suspicion of any such deceit. But now whether this be 
 probable, whether it can be supposed that such Epis- 
 tles as these, directed to so many great and eminent 
 Churches, collected by so venerable man as St. Poly- 
 carp, and v.ritten by so glorious a martyr as St. Ig- 
 natius, should within so little time have been utterly 
 lost out of the Church ; I shall leave it to any one 
 who considers how great a reverence the primitive 
 Christians had for every thing that came from the 
 hands of such holy and excellent men, and such glo- 
 rious martyrs of Christ to determine. 
 
 1 3. We read in the acts of the martyrdom(^) of 
 this blessed Saiiit, with what a mighty care those who 
 went with him to Rome, and were the eye-witnesses 
 of his sufferings, gathered up a few hard bones of 
 his body wliich the lions had left, and how they 
 brought them back in a kind of triumph to his Church 
 at Antioch. And we are told with what pomp they 
 were many ages after taken up from (he place where 
 they were first buried, and carried by the command 
 
 (A-) See his martyrdom, num. xii. 
 
OF ST. IGNATIUS. 4B 
 
 of the younger Theodosius within the city; inso- 
 much, that as our historians(/) observe, there was a 
 festival solemnity estabUshed upon that occasion, and 
 annually observed to the very time in which they 
 wrote, in remembrance of it. But was the Church 
 then so careful of a few dead bones of such a Saint 
 as this, and did they esteem them as so great a trea- 
 sure, and yet had they so little regard to his writings, 
 (the last testimonies of his affection to the Churches 
 to which he w^'ote) as to suffer them within two hun- 
 dred years to be so utterly lost as not to be once 
 known or heard of, by the greatest and most curious 
 searchers into antiquity ? This is, I confess, to me so 
 very improbable, that I could almost as easily believe 
 the Holy Scriptures themselves to have been upon a 
 sudden changed into some other Epistles than what 
 St. Peter or St. Paul wTote, as that such Epistles as 
 these could be so totally defaced, as some pretend, 
 and new ones set out in the room of them, and yet 
 nobody know any thing of the doing of it. But sucjj 
 impossibilities as these must learned men be content 
 to please themselves, and to impose upon others 
 withal, who resolve to be wiser than any that went 
 before them ; and to be able to know better at fifteen 
 hundred years distance, what Ignatius wrote, than 
 those did who lived within two centuries of him. 
 
 14. For to press our argument yet more closely, 
 since it is allowed that Ignatius did write some Epis- 
 tles, and I think sufficiently evident that St. Polycarp 
 did make a collection of them, and send them, to- 
 gether with his own, to the Philippians ; I presume it 
 will not be questioned but that he most certainly had 
 the genuine writings of that holy martyr, his dear 
 friend and fellow disciple. Now St. Polycarp suffered 
 not according to the earliest computation of our accu- 
 rate Bishop Pearson(»2) until the year of our Saviour, 
 
 (I) Evagrius lib. i. cap, 16. Nicephor. lib. xiv. cap. 44. 
 . (w) Pearson Dissert. Chron. ii. cap. xiv. a^. xx. 
 
44 OF THE EPISTLES 
 
 147, and otliers(/^) suppose it to have been yet later. 
 Hitherto therefore it is certain that the true Epistles 
 of Ignatius continued in the Church : it being by no 
 means probable that they should have been changed, 
 whilst the men lived to whom Ignatius wrote ; while 
 Polycarp was living who collected them together; 
 and whilst those of the Church of Philippi remained, 
 to whom he sent them. 
 
 1 5. To St. Polycarp, let us add his scholar and ad- 
 mirer, Irenaeus, and as himself professes a most dili- 
 gent collector of whatever fell from that holy man. 
 That he had the Epistles of St. Ignatius, Eusebius(o) 
 assures us ; who particularly takes notice of his 
 quoting several passages out of them, and mentioneth 
 one of his quotations out of the Epistle to the Ro- 
 man3,(/>) which is still extant in the works of Irenae- 
 us,((7) and agrees with the copy published by Monsieur 
 Ruinart ; only that this hath «f/®-7,^/5«f whereas it 
 ought to be read »^<^<s>:ov as appears from the old in- 
 terpretation both of Irenoeus, and of Ignatius's Epis- 
 tles. Which however is no greater a difference than 
 that of Acts XX. 28, where some copies have 'Ex.K?,nT(uv 
 O;ov Others kv^ov others x^mv not to mention any 
 other places of the New Testament. And it must be 
 allowed that the other passages of which Eusebius(r) 
 speaks, were also to have been found in the Epistles 
 as he had them : because otherwise, the difference 
 between what the one quoted, and the other read in 
 his copy of those Epistles, would presently have dis- 
 covered the fraud, and shewn that his Epistles were 
 not the same with those which Irenaeus, mentioned. 
 
 1 6 And this puts the matter yet more out of doubt ; 
 for if Eusebius had the same Epistles that Irenaeus 
 
 (72) Usher Anno 169, Euseb. & in eum Vales 167. Petitus 175, 
 8ic. See b' low. 
 
 (o) Euseb Hist. Eccles. lib, v. cap. 8, 
 
 {/}) Ibid. lib. iii. cap. 36. 
 
 (y) Irenxiis, lib, v. cap. 28. 
 
 (;•) Comp. Euseb, loc. cit. with the Epistle to the Romans, and 
 t)thei' Epistles hei'e translated. 
 
OF ST. IGNATIUS. 45 
 
 had, we must allow one of these two things ; either 
 that he had a genuine copy of them, as we affirm ; 
 or that Irenaeus, the disciple and contemporary of 
 St. Polycarp had not ; which would be very unreason- 
 able to suppose. 
 
 1 7. For not to say any thing as to this matter, that 
 Irenaeus lived too near the time both in which Igna- 
 tius wrote, and St. Polycarp collected his Epistles, to 
 have been imposed upon in this particular : seeing he 
 himself tells us how careful he was to gather up what- 
 ever came from the hand of that holy man, and that 
 he not only had the Epistles of Ignatius, as appears 
 by his citing of them; but, as himself declares, (^) 
 had also the Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians, at 
 the end of which the Epistles of Ignatius were sub- 
 joined : what can we conclude, but that the copy he 
 had of both was taken from that of his master Poly- 
 carp ; which being to be sure, authentic, it must re- 
 main that Irenaeus's was so too ? 
 
 1 8. Were it needful to add any thing yet farther 
 to shew that Eusebius, who is confessed to have had 
 the same copy of St. Ignatius that we have now, 
 had no other than that of St. Polycarp so often men- 
 tioned ; I might to the testimony of Irenaeus, before 
 alleged, add that of Origen,(^) who began to live 
 some time before the other died ; for this Father has 
 not only spoken of these Epistles, but has left us two 
 quotations out of them ; and both to be found in our 
 copies which we afhrm to be true and authentic. 
 Now from him to Eusebius, was not above half a cen- 
 tury ; too little a while for so great an alteration to 
 have been made in writings spread up and down into 
 so many hands ; read by all the learned and pious 
 men of those days ; and upon all these accounts ut- 
 terly incapable of such a change, as is without the 
 authority of one single writer, only upon, I know not 
 
 (s) Apud Euseb. Epist. ad Florin. Hist. Eccles, lib. v. cap. 20, 
 (/) Orig. Homil. yI. in Luc. Et. in Cantic. Proleg. 
 
46 OF THE EPISTLES 
 
 ^\'hat conjectures, supposed to have been made in 
 them. 
 
 19. But I enlarge myself too much in so plain a 
 matter ; and which I should hardly have thought 
 worth the examining thus distinctly, had it not engag- 
 ed the pens of so many learned men of the leformed 
 religion, that it might have seemed too great an omis- 
 sion in such a discourse as this, not to have given 
 some account of it. As for what we find a late learn- 
 ed writer(?/) advancing in opposition to the authority 
 of these Epistles, that our copies though exceedingly 
 more perfect than any that were ever extant before 
 those great men Bishop Usher and Isaac Vossius set 
 out, the one the old Latin versions, the otlier, the ori- 
 ginal Greek, from the manuscript which he found of 
 it in the Florentine library : yet there may be reason 
 still to suspect that they are not so free from all cor- 
 ruptions as were to be wished : I reply, that if he 
 means that the same has happened to these Epistles as 
 has done to all other antient writings, that letters, or 
 words, have been mistaken, and perhaps even the 
 pieces of some sentences corrupted, either by the care< 
 lessness or ignorance of the transcribers ; I see no rea- 
 son why we sbopld deny that to have befallen these 
 Epistles, which' has been the misfortue of all other 
 pieces of the like antiquity. This, therefore, it has 
 been often declared, (.r) that neither do we contend a- 
 bout ; nor can any one, who reads the best copies we 
 have of them with any care or judgment, make any 
 doubt of it. But as for any larger interpolations, such 
 as w^ere those of the copies before extant ; for any 
 changes or mistakes that may call in question either 
 the credit or authority of these Epistles as we now 
 have them ;(y) we utterly deny that there are any 
 such in these last editions of them ; nor has that learn- 
 
 ers) Ernest. Tentzel. Exercit. select, iii. num. 11, 12. pag. 67. 
 (.^■) Vossii Annot. passim. Pearson. Vind. Ignat. Proleg. p. 20. 
 {{/) See the objections of Tentzelius fully answered by the learu- 
 ed Dr. Grabe. Spicileg. Sec. ii. pag. 227, &c. 
 
OF ST. IGNATIUS. 47 
 
 ed man offered any tjiiing to induce us to believe that 
 there are. 
 
 20. And here I should have concluded these reflec- 
 tions, but that there is yet one thing more to be taken 
 notice of, w^hich must by no means be passed by — 
 namely, that our most learned Archbishop Usher(i:;) 
 himself, tliough he agrees ^^'ith us as to the authority 
 of the other six Epistles here translated, yet doubts 
 whether the seventh, written to St. Polycarp, be genu- 
 ine or no. Nor does Isaac Vossiu3(«) himself deny 
 but that there are some things in it that may seem to 
 render it suspicious ; though more to prove it to be 
 authentic. For, first, St. Polycarp(Z») expressly assures 
 us that Ignatius had written to him ; so both Eusebi- 
 us(c) and St. Hierome(Gf) teach us to understand his 
 expression. They mention the Epistle to Polycarp, as 
 distinct from that to the Church of Smyrna : and se- 
 condly, the antient Fathers(6') quote it as Ignatius's no 
 less than the rest. From both which it seems to be 
 very plain, that this also has the same evidence of be- 
 ing written by Ignatius that any of the rest have ; and 
 therefore that he who allows it as sufficient for the one 
 ought not to refuse it for the other. 
 
 21. As for that which seems to be the most difficult 
 to account for in it, namely, his writing in the plural 
 7iutnber, and giving several instructions about the be- 
 haviour of the common people, particularly that, to 
 adhere to the Bishop, chap v. and vi. it is rightly ob- 
 served by Vossius in his annotations on those chapters, 
 that Ignatius in that place speaks not to St. Polycarp ; 
 but, by a usual change of person, intimates what he 
 would have Polycarp say to his Church : and whoso- 
 ever shall consider in what manner he brings in what 
 he there delivers ; say to my sisters, &c. And again, 
 
 (r) Dissert, de Ignat. cap. iii. 
 {ii) Annot. in Ignat. Epist. pag. 264, 265. 
 (A) Polycarp. Epist. num. xiii. (c) Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. c. 36. 
 (r/) Hieron\ m. de Viris Illustr. in Ignat. 
 • (f) Vid. Isaac. Voss. Annot. loc. supr. cit. 
 
48 'of the epistles, &c. 
 
 exhort my brethren^ &c. — will presently see how those 
 instructions are to be understood. 
 
 22. And now it remains only that I give some short 
 account of the following translation of these Epistles. 
 The copies from which I did it were those of Isaac 
 Vossius, and Bishop Usher ; comparing both as I had 
 occasion with the late edition of Cotelerius. In the 
 salutation of the Epistle to the Romans I have depart- 
 ed from all of them, and followed the correction of 
 that judicious man, whose name I mention in a note 
 to it. I thought myself the more at liberty to do this, 
 because that this Epistle was not found in the Floren- 
 tine manuscript ; but made up, in some measure, from 
 the Latin versions, by the conjectures of learned men : 
 and however it has since been published, together with 
 the acts of the martyrdom of St. Ignatius, in its ori- 
 ginal Greek, yet I have rather chosen to note the dif- 
 ferences between that and the copy I before folio vv'ed, 
 than to give a preference to either. And the reader 
 will have this advantage by it, that he will here see 
 both ; and may make use of his own judgment, if at 
 any time the copies disagree, to inform him which he 
 thinks to be the most correct. For the rest, I have kept 
 as strictly to the text of Vossius, as the sense would 
 permit me to do : only where a place was manifestly 
 imperfect I, have sometimes tak. n the liberty to ex- 
 press my o\Vn conjectures, though differing from those 
 of others, with whom nevertheless 1 pretend not to 
 compare myself. But then I seldom do this without 
 taking notice of it, and telling my reader to whom he 
 may recur for somewhat a ditferent opinion. If after 
 all there shall appear some faults in my translation ; 
 though I may modestly say I have taken what care my 
 little acquaintance in those matters would enaole me 
 to do, to avoid them ; I desire it may be considered, 
 that I had a difficult author to deal with ; and I shall 
 be very ready thankfully to amend any error, that 
 any more discerning person shall think fit to advertise 
 me of, if ever this collection should be thought wor- 
 thy to come to another edition. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 OF TIIE MARTYRDOM OF ST. IGNATIUS j AND OF THE FOL- 
 LOWING RELATION OF IT, WRITTEN BY THOSE WHO WERE 
 PRESENT AT HIS SUFFERINGS. 
 
 Of the Life of St. Ignatius ; whence he was called Theophorus ? 
 Th.it he never saw Christ ; but was converted to Christianity by 
 the Apostles; and by them made Eishop of Antioch. How he be- 
 haved himself in that statiou. Of his death. Why he was sent 
 from Antiuch to Rome, in order to his suffering there. Meta- 
 phrasies account of the effect which his death wrouglit ujjon the 
 limperor Trajan, rejected. How the persecution of the Christians 
 caine U) be mitigated about the time he sufiFered. An inquiry into 
 the time of his martyrdom. 
 
 1. IN the foregoing chapter I have given such an 
 account of the Epistles of St. Ignatius, as seemed ne- 
 cessary to vindicate the authority of them, and to re- 
 move those prejudices which some had of late endea- 
 voured to raise against them. I am now to pass from 
 the writings of this holy man, to his truly great and 
 heroical sufferings : an account whereof is in the next 
 place subjoined, in the relation of those who accom- 
 panied him from Antioch to Rome, and were there 
 the eye-witnesses of his martyrdom. 
 
 2. But before I come to the consideration of this 
 last and noblest part of his life, I cannot but think it 
 will be expected from me to give some account of the 
 foregoing passages of it : that so we may have at once 
 a full view of this great Saint, and perceive by what 
 steps he prepared himself for so constant and glorious 
 a death. 
 
 3. And here it will be necessary for me in the first 
 place to consider the character which he gives of him- 
 self in the beginning of all his Epistles, and which he 
 freely asserted before the Emperor(/^) himself at his 
 examination, namely, that of Theophorus. Now this, 
 according to the different pronunciation of it, may be 
 expounded after a different manner, and signifies ei- 
 
 (/;) Acts of Ignatius, numb, iv, v. 
 
 [7] 
 
50 OF THE MARTYRDOM 
 
 ther a person carried by God^ or else a divine person, 
 one who carries God in Ins breast. And in both these 
 significations we find this name to have been given to 
 this holy man. 
 
 4. For 1st. as to the former signification, we are 
 told by some of the writers of his life, that St. 
 Ignatius, was the child whom our blessed Saviour 
 took in his arms, and set before his disciples as 
 a pattern of humility, when he told them, " that unless 
 they should be converted, and become as little chil- 
 dren, they should in no wise enter into the kingdom 
 of God :" and that from thence he took the name of 
 Theophorus ; one wlio v>'as born, or carried by God. 
 And thus not only Metaphrastes(/) and >.'icephorus(^) 
 among the Greeks; but as our learned Bishop Ush- 
 er(/) tells us, some Syriac writers more antient than 
 they, both interpret this name, and give an account 
 of its being attributed to this blessed martyr. 
 
 5. But as stories of this kind seldom lose in the re- 
 lation, so we find the Latines(w) making a farther 
 improvement of the present fable. For having con- 
 firmed the truth of what these men had before ob- 
 served, of St. Ignatius's being taken up by our Savi- 
 our into his arms, they add, that for this reason, the 
 Apostles, when they made him Bishop of Antioch, 
 durst not lay their hands upon him, *' he having been 
 before both commended by our Saviour Christ, and 
 sanctified by his touching of him." 
 
 6. There is so much of romance in allthe latter 
 part of this story, and so little grounds for the former, 
 that I shall not need to spend any time in the confut- 
 ing of either. It is enough that St. Chrysostome(//) 
 has assured us, that this holy man never saw the 
 Lord, and that all the other antient writers are silent- 
 
 (/) Metaphvast. apud Coteler. p. 991. 
 (X.-) Niceph. Hist. Eccl. lib. ii. cap. So. 
 (/) I'shei'. Aiiiiot. in Act. Mart. Ignat. nvun. iv. 
 {}») ^ id. Annot. ia Concil. Oecum. viii. ConciJ. Lab. torn. viii. 
 p. 994. D. 
 
 («) Houiil. in St. Ignat. to. 1. Fevardcnt. p. 499, 506. B. C. 
 
OF ST. IGNATIUS. 61 
 
 as to this particular. Which makes me the rather 
 wonder at the endeavor of a late learned writer(o) of 
 our own country, to give countenance to such a fa- 
 ble ; which if not destitute of all probability, yet at 
 least wants any good authority to support it ; and as 
 our learned Bishop Pearson(/)) very reasonably con- 
 jectures, was first started about the time of the 8th 
 General Council, by the party of that Ignatius who 
 was then set up in opposition to Photius ; and from 
 thence derived*)Oth to Anastatius among the Latines, 
 and to Metaphrastes among the Greeks. 
 
 7. To pass then from this fabulous account of this 
 title, let us come to the consideration of the true im- 
 port of it. Now for that as we cannot have any bet- 
 ter, so neither need we desire any other account than 
 what this holy man(^) himself gave the Emperor of 
 that name. When being asked by him, who was 
 Theophorus? he replied, he who has Christ in his 
 breast. And in this sense was this name commonly 
 used among the antients, as has been shewn in a mul- 
 titude of examples by Bishop Pearson,(r) in his ela- 
 borate vindication of Ignatius's Epistles. I shall offer 
 only one of them, that of St. Cyrill, who anathema- 
 tizes those who should call our Saviour Christ, The- 
 ophorus ; lest, says he, he should thereby be under- 
 stood to have been no other than one of the Saints. 
 
 8. It remains then that Ignatius was called Theo- 
 phorus, for the same reason that any other divine, or 
 excellent person, might have been so called ; namely, 
 upon the account of his admirable piety : because his 
 soul was full of the love of God, and sanctified with 
 an extraordinary portion of the Divine Grace; as 
 both his life shewed, and the earnest desire he had to 
 be dissolved and to be with Christ, and his joy when 
 he saw himself approaching tovv^ards it ; and (to men- 
 
 foj Montac. Origin. Eccles. to. ii. p. 211, 212. 
 CfiJ Viiid. Ignat. Part. ii. c. xii. p. 149. 
 CgJ Acts of Ignat. num. v, 
 CrJ Vind. Ignat. Part. ii. p. 144. 
 
52 OF THE MARTYRIXJM 
 
 tion no more) his constancy in his last, and most ter- 
 rible conflict with the wild beasts, will not suffer us 
 to doubt. 
 
 y. But though the story of our Saviour's taking St. 
 Ignatius into ins his arms be of no credit, yet so much 
 St. Chrysostome tells us, (5) that he was intimately ac- 
 quainted with the holy Apostles, and instructed by 
 them in the full knowledge of all the mysteries of the 
 Gospel. What was the country that gave birth to 
 this blessed Saint, or who his parents#were, we can- 
 not tell. Indeed as to the former of these, his coun- 
 try, a late author(?) has endeavoured from a passage 
 in Abulfaragius, set out by our incomparable Dr. Po- 
 cock, to fix it at Nora in Sardinia, a place which still 
 retains its antient name with very little variation. 
 This is certain, that growing eminent both in the 
 knowledge of the doctrine of Christ, and in a life ex- 
 actly framed according to the strictest rules of it ; he 
 was upon the death of Kuodius, chosen by the Apos- 
 tles that were still living, to be Bishop of Antioch, 
 the metropolis of Syria ; and whatever Anastasius 
 pretends(//) received imposition of hands from them. 
 
 10. How he behaved himself in this great station, 
 though we have no particular account left to us, yet 
 we may easily conclude from that short hint that is 
 given us of it, in the relation of his martyrdom. (^) 
 Where we are told that he was " a man in all things 
 like unto the Apostles ; that as a good governor, by 
 the helm of prayer and fasting, by the constancy of 
 his doctrine and spiritual labour, he opposed himself 
 to the floods of the adversary : that he was like a di- 
 vine lamp illuminating the hearts of the faithful by 
 his exposition of the holy Scriptures ; and lastly, that 
 
 ('sj Homil. in Ignat. pag. 499. to. i. Fevardent. 
 
 ft J Ernest. Tentzel. Exercit. ,Select, iii. nu;.i. ii. p. 47. Comp. 
 Dr. Grabe Spicileg. torn. ii. p. 1. 
 
 fuj Vid. Chryst'St. Orat. in Laud. Ignat. Theodoret. to. iv. p. 
 33. Dial. 1. Comp. Usser. Annot. in Epist- ad Antioch. p. 107. 
 Pearson. Vind. Ignat. part. ii. p. 107. 
 
 fxj Acts of Ignat. num. i, ii, iij. 
 
OF ST. IGNATIUS. 53 
 
 to preserve his church, he doubted not freely, and of 
 his own accord, to expose himseh' to the most bitter 
 death." This is in general the character of his beha- 
 viour in his Church of Antioch ; a greater than which 
 can hardly be given to any man. IS' or indeed can we 
 doubt but that he who, as Eusebius(y) tells us, and 
 as his Epistles still remaining, abundantly testify, was 
 so careful of all the other Churches, to confirm them 
 in a sound faith, and in a constant adherence to their 
 holy religion ; was certainly much more vigilant to 
 promote the interests of piety within his own diocese, 
 which was blessed with his government above forty 
 years.(2) 
 
 1 1. Hence we may observe, what a tender concern 
 he expresses in all his Epistles ior his Church at Anti- 
 och : with what affection he recommends "it to the 
 prayers of those to whom he wrote ; and eyjDecially 
 to the care of his dear friend and fellow disciple, St. 
 Polycarp. And when he heard at Troas of the ceas- 
 ing of the persecution there, how did he rejoice at it ? 
 and require all the neighbouring Churches(<7) to re- 
 joice with him ; and to send their messengers and let- 
 ters thither, to congratulate with them upon that ac- 
 count ? 
 
 12. Such was his affection towards his own Church, 
 and his care of all the others round about him : by 
 both of which he became in such an extraordinary 
 favour with them, that they thought nothing could be 
 sufficient to express their respect towards him. And 
 therefore we are told, that when he was carried from 
 Antioch to Rome, in order to his suffering, all the 
 Churches every where, sent messengers(Z>) on the way 
 to attend him, and to communicate to his wants. And 
 what is yet more, they were generally their Bishops 
 
 (y ) Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. cap. S6. 
 
 ("zj Euseb. Chron. ab anno 69 ad 110. alii ad 116. Vid. infr. 
 
 CaJ See his Epistles to the Philadelph. Smyrn. and to St. Poly- 
 carp. 
 
 (b) Vid. Ignat. Epist. & speciatim ad Rom. num. ix. Add. Act. 
 Ignat. num. ix. 
 
54 OF THE MARTYRDOM 
 
 themselves that came to meet him, and thought it a 
 singular happiness to receive some spiritual exhorta- 
 tions from him. And when he w^as dead, they paid 
 such an honour to his meftiory, as to account the few 
 bones(c) that were left of him by the wild beasts, 
 more precious than the richest jewels : insomuch that 
 we are told they were several ages(Q') after taken up 
 from the place where they were tirst deposited, as not 
 honourable enough for them to lie in ; and that being 
 brought within the city where he once was Bishop, 
 there was instituted a yearly festival in memory of 
 him. 
 
 13. As for what concerns the circumstances of his 
 death, they are so particularly recounted in the rela- 
 tion I have here subjoined of it, that nothing more 
 needs to be added, to what is there delivered of this 
 matter. Yet one remark I cannot but make on that 
 particular of his story which has puzzled so many 
 learned men(f^) to account for, but may easily be re- 
 solved, and I believe most truly too, into the over- 
 ruling hand of the Divine Providence : and that is, 
 of the sending of this holy man from Antioch as far 
 as Rome to suffer. For whatever the design of the 
 Emperor(/) may have been in it ; whether he in- 
 tended to increase his sufferings by a journey so wea- 
 risome, and attended with so many bitter circumstan- 
 ces, as that must needs have been to a person, very 
 probably at that time, fourscore years of age : or 
 whether he hoped by this means to have overcome his 
 constancy, and to have drawn him away from his 
 faith : or lastly, whether, as Metaphrastes(^) tells us, 
 upon his consulting with those of the Senate who were 
 with him, he was advised " not to let him suffer at 
 Antioch, lest thereby he should raise his esteem the 
 
 fc) Vid- Act. Ignat. num. xiii. 
 
 fd) Vid. Usseiii Ann. in Act. Ignat. num. 37. 
 ((?) Vid, Scalig. in Euseb. ad Ann. HO. 
 
 (/) Vid. Usser. Not. in Act. Ignat. num. ix. p. 39, 40. Tentzel. 
 Exei'c. iii. p. 49. 
 
 ig) i\Iart. apud Coteler. 
 
' OF ST. IGNATIUS. 55 
 
 more among the people, and render him still more 
 dear and desirable to them :" we cannot doubt, but 
 that God hereby designed to present to all the nations 
 through which he was to pass, a glorious instance of 
 the power of his religion, that could enable this bless- 
 ed martyr with so much constancy to despise all the 
 violence of his enemies ; and to be impatient after 
 those trials which they hoped should have aftVighted 
 him into a base and degenerous compliance with their 
 desires. 
 
 14. This was indeed a triumph worthy of the Chris- 
 tian religion : Nor was it any small advantage to the 
 Churches at such a critical time, to have their zeal 
 awakened, and their courage confirmed, both by the 
 example and exhortations of this great man, from An- 
 tioch even to Rome itself. And we are accordingly 
 told with what mighty comfort and satisfaction they 
 received his instructions ; and as the authors(/^) of his 
 acts express it, rejoiced to partake in his spiritual gift. 
 
 15. Nay, but if we may believe Metaphrastes as to 
 the effect which the sufferings of this holy man had 
 upon the mind of the Emperor, the Church received 
 yet greater benefit by his death. " For Trajan,(/) says 
 he,- hearing of what had been done to Ignatius, and 
 how undauntedly he had undergone the sentence that 
 was pronounced against him, and being informed that 
 the Christians were a sort of men that did nothing 
 contrary to the laws, nor were guilty of any impieties, 
 but worshipped Christ as the Son of God, and exer- 
 cised all temperance both in meat and drink, nor med- 
 dled with any thing that was forbidden: he began to 
 repent of w^hat he had done, and commanded that the 
 Christians should indeed be searched out, but that be- 
 ing discovered they should not be put to death ; only 
 they should not be admitted into any offices, nor be 
 suffered to meddle with any public employs. Thus 
 was not only the life of Ignatius of great use to the 
 Church, but his very death the means of procuring 
 
 (/j) Acts of Tgnat. num. ix. (?) Mart.Ignat..apudCoteler.p.l002. 
 
56 OP THE MARTYRDOM 
 
 much good to it." And what Metaphrastes here tells 
 us, we find in effect dehvered by another author(A') of 
 his acts not yet set forth ; from whom he seems to 
 have taken his story, only with the addition of som& 
 farther circumstances of his own, to make it the more 
 complete. 
 
 16. But though I should be far from envying any 
 thing that might make for the honour of this blessed 
 martyr ; yet are there many circumstances in the story 
 which Metaphrastes has here put together, that make 
 me justly call in question the truth of it. For first, 
 it is evident beyond all doubt, that the persecution was 
 abated at Antioch before Ignatius suffered, nay before 
 he was yet gone out of the Lesser Asia. Insomuch 
 that in his three last Epistles which he wrote from 
 Troas, to the Philadelphians, the Smyrnaeans, and to 
 Polycarp himself, he particularly takes notice of the 
 peace of the Church of Antioch, and exhorts them to 
 send congratulatory messages thither upon the account 
 of it. 
 
 1 7. Nor was this suspension of the persecution 
 granted upon Ignatius's account, but upon the remon- 
 strances which the emperor'-s own officers made to 
 him, both of the numbers of those that died for the 
 Christian faith, and of the innocency of their lives ; 
 and lastly, of the readiness with which they not only 
 suffered when taken, but voluntarily came and pre- 
 sented themselves before those who were to condemn 
 them. Two of these Epistles relating to this very 
 persecution we have still remaining — the one written 
 by Tiberianus,(/) President of Palaestina prima — the 
 other of Pliny(w) the younger, Pro-Prcetor of Bithynia. 
 And the answer of Trajan(//) to the latter of which 
 we find to have been in the same words that Jo. Male- 
 la tells us he replied to the other, viz. " That the Chris- 
 tians should not be sought after ; but if they were 
 
 {k) Vid. Usser. Annot. in Act. Ignat. p. 55, 56. 
 (/) Apud Usser. Annot. in Epist. ad Philadelph. Not. 82. Et in 
 Append, p, 9. 
 
 (mj Plin. Secund. Epist. lib. x. Epist. 97. C"J ^l^id. Epist. 98. 
 
OF ST. IGNATIUS. S7 
 
 brought before them and convicted, should be punish- 
 ed unless they abjured." 
 
 18. The same is the account which not only Euse- 
 bius,(o) from Tertuliian,(/>) gives us of tlie Emperor's 
 order as to this matter; but which Suidas,(^) after both, 
 has left us of it. Which makes it the more strange to 
 find such a different relation both in Bishop Usher's 
 manuscript author, and in Metaphraste's acts of Igna- 
 tius before mentioned. It is true that notwithstanding 
 these rescripts of the Emperor, the persecution still 
 continued ; nor was it so soon over in other places as 
 it was at Antioch. This is not only evident from the 
 history of this time left us byEusebius,(r) but may in 
 general be concluded from the prayer(i) which this 
 holy Saint made at his martyrdom : where, say our 
 acts, *' He intreated the Son of God in behalf of the 
 Churches, that he would put a stop to the persecution, 
 and restore peace and quiet to them." But these were 
 only local persecutions, as Eusebius(if) calls them ; and 
 proceeded rather from the fury of the people, and the 
 perverseness of some particular Governors, than from 
 the design or command of the Emperor. 
 
 19. As for the time of Ignatius's suffering, we are 
 only told in his acts that it was when Syria (or Sura) 
 and Senecius were Co'nsuls ; nor are learned men yet 
 agreed in what year to fix it. Eusebius, in his Chro- 
 nicle, places it in the year of Christ 1 10. Marianus 
 Scotus 112. Bishop Usher(*^) yet sooner in the year 
 107. And lastly, to name no more, our most exact 
 Bishop Lloyd,(y) followed therein by the late critic up- 
 on Baronius, Antonius Pagi, yet later than any, to 
 wit, in the year that the great earthquake fell out at 
 Antioch, and from which Trajan himself hardly es- 
 
 (o) Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. c. 33. (/>) Apologeti cap. ii. 
 
 (ij) In voce. — Tf«'i«fcvo«. 
 (r) Lib. jii. c. 32. Hist. Eccles. 
 
 (s) Acta Mart. Ignat. num. xii, (t) Euseb. ibid. 
 
 Ix) Annct. in Act. Martyr. Ignat. not. 39. 
 . (u) Vid. Ant, Pagi Critic in Baron, ad Ann. 108. 
 
 [8] 
 
58 OF THE MARTYRDOM 
 
 caped : which, as Jo. Malela(s) accounts it, and is fol- 
 lowed therein by Bishop Usher in his computation, 
 was in the year 116. 
 
 20. And this may suffice to have been observed con- 
 cerning the most eminent passages that occur in the 
 acts of the martyrdom of St. Ignatius. I shall need 
 say nothing to the authority of the relation itself — 
 which as it is written with all sincerity, and void of 
 those additions which latter writers have made to these 
 kind of histories, so we are told in the close of it, that 
 it was compiled by those who went with him from 
 Antioch,. and w^ere the eye-witnesses of his encoun- 
 ters. That the latter part of these acts was added to 
 the original account of the martyrdom of this holy 
 man, the learned Dr. Grabe has proved to be at least 
 probable. But this does not at all affect the other parts 
 of them ; which the same judicious writer receives as 
 true and authentic. These acts were first published 
 from two very amtient manuscripts by our most reve- 
 rend Archbishop Usher, in the appendix to his edition 
 of Ignatius, anno 1647. They have since been print- 
 ed in their original Greek by a very learned man 
 abroad, and reprinted by Dr. Grabe in his Spicilegium 
 here in England. From this last edition they are now 
 translated into our own language. I cannot tell whe- 
 ther it be worth the observing, that in the collection 
 made by the late learned Cotelerius of the writings of 
 the Apostolical Fathers, instead of these genuine acts 
 there is inserted the account which Metaphrastes put 
 together of his sufferings, several ages after. It would 
 perhaps have made a more agreeable history to the 
 vulgar reader, had I translated that relation, rather than 
 this, which is much shorter, and wants many notable 
 passages that are to be found in that order. But as I 
 should then have departed from my design of setting 
 out nothing but what I thought to be indeed of Apos- 
 tolical antiquity ; so to those who love the naked truth* 
 
 (r) ApucI Usser. loc. supr. cit. Comp. the Dissert, of Bp. Pearson 
 in the late edit, of his Epistles ut Oxford. 
 
OF ST. POLYCARP. 59 
 
 these plain acts will be much more satisfactory than 
 a relation filled up with the uncertain, and too often 
 fabulous circumstances, of latter ages. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OF THE MARTYRDOM OF ST. POLYCARP, AND OF THE EPISTLE 
 WRITTEN BY THE CHURCH OF SMYR>fA CONCERNING IT. 
 
 That there were heretofore several called by the name of Polycarp. 
 Both the country and parentage of St. Polycarp uncertain. What 
 he was before his conversion ; and by whom converted. He is 
 made Bishop of Smyrna by the Ajiostles. How he behaved him- 
 self .in that office. The great veneration which the Christians had 
 for him. Of his jonrney to Rome, and what he did there. The 
 testimony of St. John concerning liim — Rev. ii. 8, Of the time of 
 St. Polycarp's martyrdom. What persecutions the Clmrch then 
 laboured under. Of the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna con- 
 cerning his sufferings ; and the value which the antients put upon 
 it. Of the miracle that is said to have happened at his death. 
 What his age was when he suffered. What the day of his suffei'- 
 ing. In what place he Avas put to death. Of the authority of the 
 present Epistle, and its translation into our own language. 
 
 1. THE Epistle of the Church of Smyrna, (the next 
 piece that follows in the present collection) however it 
 makes mention of some others that suffered, at the 
 same time with St. Polycarp, for the faith of Christ ; 
 yet insisting chiefly upon the particulars of his passion, 
 and being designed by that Church to communicate to 
 all the world the glorious end of their beloved Bishop, 
 and most worthy and constant martyr of Christ : I 
 shall observe the same method in treating of this, that 
 I did in discoursing of the acts of St. Ignatius before ; 
 and speak somewhat of the life of St. Polycarp first, 
 before I come to consider the account that is here gi- 
 ven us of his death. 
 
 2. That there were several of the name of Polycarp 
 heretofore, and who must therefore carefully be dis- 
 tinguished from him of whom we are now to discourse, 
 has been evidently shewn by the late learned editor(a) 
 
 (a) Le Moync Prol. ad Var. Sacr. 
 
60 OF THE MARTYRDOM 
 
 of his Epistle. As for our Poly carp, the disciple of 
 St. John, and the great subject of the present marty- 
 rology ; we have little account, either what was his 
 country, or who his parents. In general we are told 
 that he w^as born somewhere in the East; as Le 
 Moyne(Zi) thinks not far from Antioch ; and perhaps 
 in Smyrna itself, says our learned Dr. Cave.(r) Being 
 sold in his childhood, he was bought by a certain noble 
 matron whose name was Calisto ; and bred up by her, 
 and at her death made heir to all her estate ; which 
 though very considerable, he soon spent in works of 
 charity and mercy (r/) 
 
 3. His Christianity he received in his younger years 
 from Bucolus Bishop of Smyrna ; hr whom being 
 made Deacon(6') and Catechist of that Church, and 
 discharging those offices with great approbation, he 
 was, upon the death of Bucolus made Bishop of Smyr- 
 na by the Apostles;(/) and particularly by St. John(^) 
 whose disciple, together with Ignatius, he had before 
 been. 
 
 4. How considerable a reputation he gained by his 
 wise administration of this great office, we may in 
 some measure conclude from that character which his 
 very enemies gave of him at his death ; when cry- 
 ing out that he should be throw ft to the iJo/is, they 
 laid this to him as his crime, but which was indeed 
 his chiefest honour ;(//) this say they, is the Doctor of 
 Asia, the father of the Christians, and the overthrow- 
 er of our Gods : and when he was burnt, they per- 
 suaded the Governor not to suffer his friends to carry 
 away any of his remains, (/) lest, say they, the Chris- 
 tians foi>iaking him that was crucified, should begin 
 to worship Folycarp. 
 
 {b) Le Moyne Prol. ad. Var. Sacr. 
 
 (c) Life of St. Pclycarp, p. 112. So the Roman Martyrdogy. 
 
 ((/) Le Moyne, Cave, &c. (e) Ibid. 
 
 {j) Irenxus lib. iii. cap. 3. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iv. cap. 14, 
 Vid. Te: tzel. Exevc. select, de Polyc. iii. § 5. 
 
 (j;--) Tcrt»\l. de Pixscr. Hxret. c, 32. Hieron.de Script, in Polyc, 
 Vid. Many rol. Horn. Jan. xxvi. 
 
 (A) Epistle (if the Church of Smyrna, num. xii. 
 
 {i) Ibid. num. xvii. 
 
OF ,ST. POLYCARP. 61 
 
 .5. Nor was it any small testimony of the respect 
 which was paid to him, tliat (as we are told in this 
 Episile) the Christians would not suffer him to pull 
 off his own clothes, but strove who should be the 
 most forward to do him service ; thinking themselves 
 happy if they could but couie to touch his flesh. For, 
 says the Epistle, he was truly adorned with such a 
 good conversation, as made all men pay a more than 
 ordinary respect to him. 
 
 6. Hence St. Hierome(/r) calls him the prince of all 
 Asia; Sephronius, the 'A^;r.»jyo5, or chief ruler ;, per- 
 haps, says a learned man,(/) in opposition to the Asi- 
 archae oif the Heathen spoken of in this Epistle : sig- 
 nifying thereby, that as they were among the Gentiles, 
 the heads of their sacred rites, and presided in the 
 common assemblies and spectacles of Asia ; so was 
 Polycarp among the Christians a kind of universal 
 Bishop, or Primate; the prince and head of the 
 Churches in those parts. 
 
 7. Nor was his care of the Church confined within 
 the bounds of the Lesser Asia, but extended even un- 
 to Rome itself,(//2) whither we are told he went upon 
 the occasion of the Qjmrtodeciman Controversies then 
 on foot between the Eastern and Western Churches, 
 and which he hoped to have put a stop to, by his time- 
 ly interposition with those of Rome. But though 
 Anicetus and he could not agree upon that point, 
 each alleging Apostolical tradition to warrant them 
 in their practice : yet that did not hinder but that he 
 was received with all possible respect there ; and offi- 
 ciated in their Churches(7z) in presence of the Bishop, 
 and communicated with him in the most sacred mys- 
 teries of religion.(o) 
 
 )8. While he was at Rome, he remitted nothing of 
 
 (it) De Script, in Polycarp. Sophron. Interp. Grxc. 
 (/) Lemoyne Prol. ad Var. Sacr. 
 (^w^J Eus°b Hist. Eccles. lib. iv, cap. 14. 
 
 Cn) Vid. Vales. Annot. ad Euseb. Eccl. Hist. lib. ir. cap. 14. Tent- 
 zel. E^ercit. de Polycarp. §. ix. 
 
 fo)L,Q Moyne Prolegom. ad Var. Sacr. 
 
62 OF THE MARTYRDOM 
 
 his concern for the interests of the Church ; but em- 
 ployed his time partly in confirming those who were 
 sound in the faith, but especially in drawing over 
 those who w^re not, from their errors. In which 
 work how successful he was, his own scholar Irenoe- 
 iis(/>) particularly recounts to us. 
 
 9. What he did after his return, and how he discharg- 
 ed his pastoral office to the time of his martyrdom, we 
 have little farther account ; nor shall I trouble myself 
 with the stories which Pionius(<7) without any good 
 grounds has recorded of the life of this holy man. But 
 that he still continued with all diligence to watch over 
 the flock of Christ, we have all the reason in the world 
 to believe : and that not only from what has been al- 
 ready observed, but from one particular more w^hich 
 ought not to be omitted, namely, that when Ignatius 
 Avas hurried away from his Church of Antioch to his 
 martyrdom, he knew none so proper to commend the 
 care of it to, as to this excellent man j{r) or to supply 
 by his own letters, what the other had not time to 
 write, to ail the other Churches round about. 
 
 1 0. But I shall close up this part of the life of this 
 holy Saint, with the testimony which St. John has giv- 
 en to him, Revel, ii. 8. And wliich as it affords us a 
 sufficient evidence of the excellency of his life, so 
 does it open the way to what ^ve are next to consider, 
 viz. his death and passion, " Unto the Angel of the 
 Church in Smyrna, write : these things saith the first 
 and tiie last, which w^as dead, and is alive. I know 
 fhy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou 
 art rich :) and I know the blasphemy of them w'hich 
 say they are Jews, and are not, but are the Syna- 
 gogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which 
 Ihou shalt suffer ; behold the Devil shall cast some of 
 you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall 
 have tribulation ten days : be thou faithful unto death, 
 and I will give thee a crown of life." 
 
 fpj Apiul Euseb. loc cit. 
 
 fqj Apud. Tentzei Exercit. Select, iv. p. 76, 8cc. 
 
 frj See his Epistle to Polycarp n. viii. 
 
OF ST. POLYCARP. 65 
 
 11. And this brings me to that which I am chiefly^ 
 to insist upon, namely, the death of this blessed mar- 
 tyr ; the subject of that Epistle which is subjoined 
 from the Church of Smyrna concerning it. And 
 here I shall in the first place take for granted, what 
 our learned Bishop Pearson(5) seems to have proved 
 beyond contradiction ; that St. Pol^^carp suffered, not 
 as is commonly supposed(^) about the year of Christ 
 167 — or as Bishop UsherC//) has stated it yet later 
 159 — much less as Peti*t(i') still later 175 — but un- 
 der the Emperor Antonius Pius, in the year of our 
 Lord 147. Now that the Christians about that 
 time, and especially those of Asia, lay under some 
 severe prosecutions, is evident from the apology which 
 Justin Martyr about this very time presented to the 
 Emperor in order to a mitigation of them : which 
 however Baronius,(y) and after him Valesius,(s) place 
 two or three years later ; yet hath their opinion no 
 certain grounds ; nor does any thing hinder us from 
 reducing that apology(a) to the same time with Sl 
 Polycarp's martyrdom ; nay, and some have carried 
 it still higher, even to the beginning of that Emperor's 
 reign, as both Eusebius(Z)) among the antients, and 
 his learned editor, Scaliger5(c) not to mention any 
 others,(^) of latter times, have done. 
 
 12. What the effect of this apology was we cannot 
 certainly tell ; but that the persecution was not pre- 
 sently put to an end, not only the second apology of 
 the same Father (however the critics differ about the 
 same;) but that which Eusebius(^) tells us was after- 
 
 fsj Dissert. Chron. part. ii. a cap. 14, ad 20. {tj Eiiseb. Chron. 
 
 CuJ Not in Epist. Smyrn. 104, 105. Comp. Tentz.Exercit.de Poiy- 
 carp. §. xxi. 
 
 (~xj Vid. Cave Hist. Eccles. in Polycarp. 
 
 fyj Ad An. 150. Comp. Spond. Epitom. ibid. 
 
 fzj Annot- in Euseb. lib. iv. c. 8. 
 
 fa J See Dr. Grabe's Disser. de Justin. M. Spicileg. pp. Sec ii. pag. 
 150, &c. 
 
 fbj Enseb. Chron. ann* 142. CcJ Scalig-. Annot. in Euseb, p. 210. 
 
 fdj Perav. in Epiphan Haeres. xlvi. Anton. Pag'i. in Baron, ad ana, 
 150, num. 3. Herman. Contract Marian. Scot. &c. 
 
 (e) Hist. Eccies. lib. iv. cap. 26. 
 
64 OEf THE MARTYRDOM 
 
 wards presented to his successor Marcus Aurelius by 
 Melito(6') Bishop of Sardis, plainly makes appear. In 
 which he complains, that " the Christians were still in- 
 formed against by wicked men, greedy of what they 
 had ; and prosecuted notwithstanding the several or- 
 ders that his father had given, and the letters he had 
 himself written to the contrary." It is true, Eusebias 
 tells us that the Emperor Antonius Pius(/) had set out 
 an effectual edict in favour of the Christians ; and 
 that particularly addressed to the Common Council 
 of Asia, not long before the time in which we suppose 
 St. Polycarp to have suffered. And this seems to leave 
 it under some doubt how a persecution could have 
 been again revived against the Church within so short 
 a time, and after such a vigorous edict of an Emperor 
 still hving to the contrary. But it is evident Eusebius 
 must have mistook the Emperor, and have set down 
 that for the rescript of Antonius Pius, which was in- 
 deed set out by Marcus Aurelius immediately after his 
 death, as both the inscription shews, and Valesius(^) 
 and others have evidently made it appear to be. 
 
 13. It was then in one of these topical persecutions,(/^) 
 so frequent in the Lesser Asia ; that the storm happen- 
 ing to fall in a particular manner upon the Church of 
 Smyrna, carried off this holy martyr among the rest. 
 What the particular circumstances of his passion were, 
 it would be impertinent for me to relate in this place, 
 seeing they are so fully and exactly described in the 
 Epistle of which we are now discoursing. A piece so 
 excellently composed, that Eusebius thought it worthy 
 to be almost entirely transcribed into his Ecclesiastical 
 History. And of which a very great man(/) of the 
 last age professed, '' That he knew not any thing in 
 all ecclesiastical antiquity, that was more wont to af- 
 fect his mind ; insomuch that he seemed to be no lon- 
 
 Cf) Ibid, lib, iv. cap. 13. 
 
 (5-) Vales, in lib. iv. c. 13. Euseb. & infra, in c. 26. p. 73. Add. 
 Ant. Pagi Critic in Baron, ad ann. 154. num. iv. 
 (A) Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iv. cap. 15. p. 104. 
 (i) Scalig. Animadv. in Euseb. pag. 221. num. 2183. 
 
OF ST. POLYCARP. 6^ 
 
 ger himself when he read it : and believed that no 
 good Christian could be satisfied with reading often 
 enough this, and the like accounts, of the sufferings 
 of those blessed martyrs, who in the primitive times 
 laid down their lives for the faith." 
 
 14. Nor did the antients put any less value upon 
 this piece, which as Gregory(^) of Tours tells us was 
 even to his time read publicly in theGaliican Churches, 
 and no doubt made a part of that annual remembrance, 
 which the Churches of Asia kept of his martyrdom. 
 
 15. But though I think it needless to mention here 
 any thing of what the following Epistle relates con- 
 cerning the passion of this holy man ; yet one circum- 
 stance there is which both Eusebius(/) and Ruffinus(/) 
 having omitted, is also passed by in the following trans- 
 lation, though found in the acts as set out from the 
 Barroccian manuscript by Archbishop Usher. And 
 that is this : that the soldier or officer having struck 
 his launce into the side of the Saint, there came forth 
 a pigeon, together with a great quantity of blood, as 
 is expressed in the following Epistle, num. xvi. Now 
 though there may seem to have been something of a 
 foundation for such a miracle in the raillery of Lucl- 
 an,(;7) upon the death of Peregrinus the philosopher, 
 who burnt himself about the same time that St. Poly- 
 carp suffered, and from whose funeral pile he makes a 
 vulture to ascend, in opposition, it may be, to St. Po- 
 lycarp's pigeon ; if indeed he designed (as a learned 
 man(o) has conjectured) under the story of that philo- 
 sopher, to ridicule the life and sufferings of Polycarp : 
 yet I confess I am so little a friend to such kind of 
 miracles, that I thought it better with Eusebius tp 
 omit that circumstance, than to mention it from Bishop 
 Usher's manuscript. And indeed besides the strange- 
 
 {k) De Glor. Mart. cap. Ixxxvi. 
 
 (/) Vid. Usser. Annot. in Act. Polyc. num. 77. 
 
 (n) De Morte Peregrini, p. 1006. Aurel. Prudent, reports the 
 same of Eulalia ; but he made his pigeon to flee out of her mouth, 
 just as she expired. Hymn. iii. ver. 160. 
 • (o) Le Moyne var. sacr. Prol. ad torn. 1, 
 
 [9] 
 
66 OF THE MARTYRDOM 
 
 ness of such an adventure, I cannot think, had any such 
 thing truly happened at his death, that not only Eu- 
 sebius should have been ignorant of it, but that neither 
 St. Hierome, nor Ruffinus, nor the Menaea of the 
 Greek Church, should have made the least mention of 
 it. Either, therefore, there must have been some in- 
 terpolations in the manuscript set forth by that learned 
 man ; or, because that does not appear, perhaps it may 
 be better accounted for by the mistake of a single let- 
 ter in the original ; which will bring it to no moi"e 
 than what Eusebius has in effect said, that there came 
 out of his left side a great quantity of blood. 
 
 16. As for what concerns the time of his martyr- 
 dom, I have before shewn the different computations 
 which learned men have made of it. Nor are they 
 less at variance about the age(<7) of this holy martyr 
 when he suffered, than about the year of his suffer- 
 ing. For though St. Polycarp expressly told the Pro- 
 Consul, as we read in the following Epistle,(r) that he 
 had served Christ eighty and six years ; yet some (5) 
 interpret this of the number of years since his conver- 
 sion ; others(^) of those of his whole life. But how- 
 ever thus much is evident, that whichsoever of the 
 two be in the right, they will either of them make 
 good what Iren8eus(^/) has told us of hirri, that he was 
 very old when he died ; from which nothing can be 
 concluded either for the former of these opinions, or 
 against the latter. 
 
 1 7. But the following acts of his martyrdom go yet 
 farther. They tell us that he not only suffered at so 
 great an age^ but upon the great Sabbath, the second 
 day of the month ^anticus^ before the ser>enth Jcalend of 
 May, about 2 o^clock. What is meant by this great 
 aabbath is anotlier point much debated, but never like 
 to be agreed among learned men j whose opinions are 
 
 f(/J Vid. Tentzel. Exercit. seltct. de Polycarp. § xxxiv. 
 CrJ Nurr, ix. fsj Vid. Prxf. LJsser. ad Act. Ignat. & Poly • 
 
 cai-p. pag. ult. I omp. Tentzel. disp. iv. de Polycaip § iii, iv. 
 ft J Pearson Dissert. Cliron. part ii. c, 15. 
 fa J Iren. contr. lia;res. lib. iii. c. 3. 
 
OF ST. POLYCARP. Q7 
 
 examined at large by Bishop Usher,(AO Valesius,(y) Le 
 Moyne,(s) Bishop Pearson, (a) and others(Z>) upon this 
 occasion. But if we were right before in assigning 
 the year of his suffering, as I think we were ; then 
 we must conclude the great Sabbath to have been the 
 same here, that is usually called by that name among 
 ecclesiastical writers, namely, the Saturday in the holy 
 week ; to which all the other characters here assigned 
 are exactly correspondent. And then according to 
 this computation, St. Polycarp will have suffered in 
 the year of Christ 147, being March 26, the Saturday 
 before Easter, about the 8th hour. 
 
 18. The place in which he suffered was a large am- 
 phitheatre in which the common assemblies of Asia 
 were wont to be kept : and as we are told by those(c) 
 who have travelled into those parts, is in some measure 
 still remaining ; and shewn as the place of St. Poly- 
 carp's martyrdom. I say nothing to that which some 
 have observed upon this occasion of the calamities 
 which not long after fell upon the City of Smyrna ; 
 and which may seem to have been the effect of the 
 divine vengeance, j^ inishing them for their cruelty to- 
 wards this excellent man, and the rest of his compan- 
 ions who suffered together with him : because this i^ 
 without the bounds of my present design ; which leads 
 me only to consider what concerns the Epistle of the 
 Church of Smyrna, to which that which followed the 
 death of Polycarp has no relation, 
 
 19. Having now passed through the chief parts of 
 the following relation, and which seemed most to re- 
 quire our animadversion ; it is time for me to observe 
 concerning the Epistle itself, which is here subjoined, 
 that it is a pie'ce of most unquestionable credit and an- 
 
 CxJ In Act. Polyc. num. 104, 105. 
 
 CyJ Annot. in Euseb. p. 66. a. fzj Proleg. ad Var. sacr. 
 
 faj Dissert. Chron. par. ii. c. 18. 
 * fdj Ant. Pagi Critic, in Baron, ad ann. 169. Tentzel. Exerc. se- 
 lect, de Polyc. § xxv, xxxi, &c. 
 
 (c) Smith Epist, de vii. Asix Eccles. Tavemier ; Wheeler, &c. 
 Vid. Tentzd. Exercit. Select, iv. § xxxii, xxxiii. 
 
68 OF THE MARTYRDOM, &C. 
 
 tiquity. As for the main body of it, we find it pre- 
 served in the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius ;(</) 
 who lived not above an age and a half after the writ- 
 ing of it. And even the manuscript itself, made use 
 of by Bishop Usher, is so well attested, that we need 
 not any farther assurance of the truth of it. The sum 
 of the account which we have given us of it is this ; 
 " That Caius, an acquaintance of St. Irenaeus the dis- 
 ciple of Polycarp, transcribed it from the copy of that 
 Father ; and Socrates, the Corinthian from Caius — and 
 from Socrates's copy was transcribed that manuscript 
 which we still have of it. 
 
 20. Twice has this Epistle been put into our own 
 language, as far as the history of Eusebius has given 
 occasion for the translation of it. What those editions 
 are I cannot tell, having never perused either of them. 
 But I suppose it is now the first time joined in an en- 
 tire piece together, and so communicated to the Eng- 
 lish reader. In my translation of it I have strictly 
 followed the edition of our most reverend Primate, 
 from which Cotelerius's is but a copy : nor have I, that 
 I know of, departed in. the least circumstance from it, 
 except in that one for which I have before accounted. 
 So that I may venture to say, I have here truly set 
 forth the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna, as near as 
 our language would serve to express the sense, if not 
 to come up to tjie beauty and vigour of the original 
 
 (d) Lib. iv. c. 17. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 OF THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE OF ST. BARNABAS. 
 
 Why the pieces that follow are put hi a second part, separate from 
 the foregoing. The history of St. Barnabas, chiefly from the acts 
 of the Apostles. Of his name, education and travels ; especially 
 with St. Paul. How he came to be separated from that Apostle. 
 \A'hat he did afterwards. Of his death ; and the invention of his 
 relics ; and of the Cyprian privileges established on that account. 
 Of the present Epistle — that it was truly written by St. Barnabas, 
 The principal objections against it answered. An apology for its 
 allegorical interpretations of Scripture. The latter part of it, ori- 
 ginally belonging to this Epistle. That it was written after the 
 destruction of Jerusalem. The design and usefulness of it. 
 
 1 . WHEN I first entered upon the design of pub- 
 lishing the present collection, I intended to have here 
 put an end to it ; the following pieces under the names 
 of Barnabas and Hermas, together with the second 
 Epistle of St. Clement; however undoubtedly very 
 antient and confessed by all to come but little, if any 
 thing, short of the Apostolical times ; having yet nei- 
 ther been so highly esteemed among the antients, nor 
 so generally received by many of the present times, 
 as those I have already mentioned. But when I con- 
 sidered the deference which others among the Primi- 
 tive Fathers have paid to them, and the value which 
 is still put upon them by many, not inferior either in 
 learning or piety to those who speak against them ; I 
 thought I could not better satisfy all than by adding 
 them in a second part to the foregoing Epistles : that 
 so, both they who have a just esteem for them might 
 not complain of being defrauded of any part of what 
 remains of the Apostolical writings ; and those who 
 are otherwise minded might look upon them as stand- 
 ing in a second rank, and not taking place, (which 
 otherwise they must have done) of those undoubtedly 
 genuine and admirable discourses, that make up the 
 former part of this work. 
 
 2. And here the first piece that occurs, is the catho- 
 lic Epistle of St. Barnabas, the companion of St. Paul, 
 and disciple of our Savioui!' Christ ; being generally 
 
40 OF THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 esteen>ed to have been one of the seventy(/) that were 
 chose by him; however our countryman, Bede,(^) calls 
 the verdict of antiquity in question as to this matter, 
 upon this account, because St. Luke, Acts iv. seemeth 
 to intimate that he first came to the Apostles after the 
 ascension of our Lord, and then embraced the Chris- 
 tian faith. To this it may be added, that he is there 
 called a Levite of Cyprus^ not one of the seventy dis- 
 ciples, which would have been much more for his hon- 
 our to have been mentioned. The mistake of Clemens 
 Alexandrinus, &c. if it were one, seems to have arisen 
 from hence, that Joseph Barsabas, or as other manu- 
 scripts have it, Joses Barnabas, the competitor of St. 
 Matthias, Acts i. (as on the contrary some manuscripts 
 Acts iv. have Joseph Barsabas) who probably w'as of 
 the seventy as well as Matthias, was confounded by 
 them with our Barnabas ; of whom, whatever becomes 
 as to his discipleship, this we are sure, that the Holy 
 Ghost by St. Luke has left us this advantageous charac- 
 ter of him. Acts xi. 24. That he was a good ma/i, full 
 of faith, and of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 3. It is not my design to enter on any long account 
 of the life of a person so largely spoken of in the Ho- 
 ly Scriptures, and of whom little certain can be writ- 
 ten, besides what is there recorded. His country 
 was Cyprus, a famous island in the Mediterranean 
 sea, where there inhabited in those days so great a 
 number of Jews, that in the time of Trajan (^) they 
 conspired against the Gentiles, and slew of them two 
 hundred and forty thousand men.(/) Upon which be- 
 ing cast out of the Isle, they were never suffered up- 
 on any account to set foot again in it, upon pain of 
 death. 
 
 4. His name v/as at first Joses, but by the Apostles 
 changed into Barnabas, which being interpreted, says 
 St. Luke, is the son of consolation ; and, as we may 
 
 (/) Clem. Alex. Strom, lib. ii. p. 410. Euscb. Hist- Eccles. lib. i. 
 cap. 12. &: lib. ii. cap. 1. {g) In Act. iv. 
 
 (/i) Euseb. Chion. ad ami. 117. {i) Dion. lib. 68. Xiphilipe, &c. 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 71 
 
 conjecture from the plac^e wliere it is first mentioned, 
 (Acts iv. 36, 37.) was given him by the Apostles as an 
 honourable acknowledgment of his charity, in selling 
 his whole estate for the relief of the poor Christians ; 
 and upon the account of that consolation which they 
 received thereby. 
 
 5. His first education,(/) Metaphrastes tells us was 
 at the feet of Gamaliel ; by whom he w\as instructed, 
 together with St. Paul : wiiich perhaps moved that 
 great Apostle upon his conversion to apply himself to 
 him, as the properest person to introcluce him into the 
 acquaintance of the other Apostles, and afterwards 
 to embrace him as his chief friend and fellow labour- 
 er in the work of the Gospel. For they are both 
 mentioned. Acts xi. 26, to have taught much people 
 at Antioch ; and that for a whole year together : and 
 in the 1 3th chapter are numbered among the pro- 
 phets and teachers of the Christian Church there, 
 ver. 7, where we read that they did Milov^yti* r^ xt/^/.^, 
 which some in a special manner interpret of the cele- 
 bration of the holy Eucharist. Here then we find 
 them^both by teaching and administering that blessed 
 sacrament, discharging the work of a priest or presby- 
 ter, as we now understand that word. But they still 
 wanted the Apostolical or Episcopal character. By 
 virtue of which they might do that ordinarily, which 
 as prophets, they could only do in extraordinary 
 cases, and by an express direction of the Holy Spirit ; 
 namely, found Churches, and ordain Elders or Bishops 
 in every place. This dignity therefore we are fbld 
 they now received, by the laying on of the hands of 
 the other three prophets there mentioned ; namely 
 Simeon Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, Acts 
 xiii. 3. And from thenceforth not only their title 
 was changed, (they being afterwards called Apostles, 
 Acts xiv. 4, and 14) but they exercised another sort 
 of power ; ordaining Elders in every Church, ver. 23. 
 
 (/) Apud Baron. Annal. ad ann. .l-i. nnm. 262. Comp. Dr, Cave in 
 Jiis life, num. 2. 
 
72 OF THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 Thus was Barnabas, together with St. Paul, first a 
 teacher and a prophet, then consecrated to be a Bishop 
 or an Apostle ; according to the order which our 
 Lord himself had appointed, that there should be in 
 his Church, first. Apostles ; secondly, Prophets ; 
 thirdly, teachers, 1 Cor. xii. 29. Which those there- 
 fore would do well to consider who thrust themselves 
 at once into the highest station, and full power of the 
 Church; not allowing distinct degrees of the same, 
 nor by consequence successive ordinations, or conse- 
 crations to it. Whereas St. Paul, though he were 
 called to be an Apostle, not by man, but by Jesus 
 Christ himself, Galat. i. was yet consecrated to be an 
 Apostle by the ordinary form of imposition of hands ; 
 after he had preached in the Church for some time 
 before. 
 
 6. How these two Apostles travelled together, and 
 what they did in the discharge of their ministry, is at 
 larg? set down both by St. Luke in Acts (xiii, xiv, xv.) 
 of the Apostles, and by St. Paul himself in his Epistle 
 to the Galatians (c. ii.) in which we have the history of 
 men truly concerned for the propagation of the Gos- 
 pel ; and despising not only their ease, but their very 
 lives themselves in comparison of it. Many a weary 
 journey did they take, and danger did they run : they 
 preached in the day, and when they had so done, 
 they wrought with their own hands in the night for 
 their subsistence ; that so they might not be burthen- 
 some to any, nor seem to seek their own advantage, 
 but the profit of those to whom they tendered the 
 Gospel. 
 
 7. Among other countries to which they went, we 
 are told that one of the first was Cyprus, the native 
 island of St. Barnabas : and that not of their own mo- 
 tion, but by the express order and appointment of the 
 Holy Ghost. How they prevailed there, and by 
 what miracles they made way for the conversion of 
 it, first at Salamis, then at Paphos, we are at large 
 informed by St. Luke, Acts xiii. From thence they 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 73 
 
 fetched a pretty large compass through the Lesser Asia; 
 and having with various success preached to several 
 cities of it, after about three years travel(o) they 
 again returned to Antioch in Syria, the place from 
 which they first set out. 
 
 8. Here they tarried a considerable space, in a se- 
 dulous discharge of their ministry : till some contro- 
 versies arising between the Jewish and the Gentile 
 converts, they were obliged for the better composing 
 of them, to go up to Jerusalem ; where a final end 
 was put to them, by a Synodical decree(/)) of the 
 Apostles and Elders assembled together for that pur- 
 pose. 
 
 9. With joy they returned to their disciples at An- 
 tioch, and brought the determination of that divine 
 Synod unto them. But it was not long ere St. Peter 
 coming down after them, a little abated their satisfac- 
 tion, whilst to please the Jewish converts he dissem- 
 bled his Christian liberty, (Galat. ii. 11, 14,) and, as 
 St. Paul complains, led Barnabas also into the same 
 dissimulation with him. 
 
 10. And here St. Paul had occasion, first of all, to 
 reprove St. Barnabas ; which he did with great free- 
 dom, for his unseasonable compliance. But it was 
 not very long before he had another occasion oflfered 
 for a yet worse contention with him. For the next 
 year these two holy men(r) having agreed to take a 
 new progress together, and to visit the Churches which 
 they had planted in Asia some years before ; Barna- 
 bas was for taking his cousin Mark again with them, 
 but St. Paul w^ould not consent to it, because that in 
 their former travels he had too much consulted his own 
 ease and safety, and left them at Pamphylia, in the 
 midst of their journey. Acts xiii. 1 3* 
 
 11. Being both resolute in their opinions, the one 
 
 (o) Usher. Chronol. ann. 45, 46. Peai'son. Annal. Paulin, ad 
 ann. 48. 
 
 (pj Acts XV. Comp. Galat. ii. 
 
 (r) Acts XV. 36. Ann. Christi. L. Pearson, liii. UsseriuSi 
 
 [10] 
 
74 OF THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 to take Mark, his kinsman, with him, the other not to 
 yield to it ; they not only came to some sharp words 
 with one another about it, but went their several ways, 
 Barnabas with Mark to Cyprus, and Paul with Silas 
 into Syria and Cilicia, Acts xv. 36, 4 1 . Thus after 
 a joint labour in their ministry for almost fourteen 
 years, were these two excellent men, by a small 
 punctilio, separated from one another : the Holy Spi- 
 rit of God intending hereby to shew us, that the best 
 Christians are still subject to the same infirmities with 
 other men ; and therefore ought not to be either too 
 much exalted in the conceit of their own piety, or to 
 despise others whom they suppose to be less perfect 
 than themselves, 
 
 12. Nor was it a small benefit which from hence 
 accrued not only to the Churchy, which thereby en- 
 joyed the benefit of these two great men much more 
 in their separate labours, than if they had continued 
 still together, but particularly to St. Mark ; who be- 
 ijig by the severity of St. Paul brought to a deep 
 sense of his former indifference in the work of the 
 Gospel, and yet not left by St. Barnabas to give way 
 to any desparate resolutions thereupon; became after- 
 wards a most useful minister of Christ, and deserved 
 not only to be made again the companion of St. Paul, 
 Coloss. iv. 10, but to receive a very high testimony of 
 his zeal from him, 2 Tim. iv. 11. So well does the 
 wi.^dom of God know how to turn the infirmities of 
 men to his own glory, and to the good of those who 
 serve him with an honest and upright heart ! 
 
 1 . What became of St. Barnabas after this, and 
 whither he went, is very uncertain. Some tell us, 
 that from Cyprus he went on to Rome, and preached 
 theGospel there, even before St. Peter came thither.(y) 
 But thoiigli Baroiiius can by no means allow of thisi 
 yet is he content that Barnabas should be thought to 
 have come thither after him. At least this he pre- 
 
 (j/) Recognit, Clem. apud. Baron. Annal. ad ami. 51. num. 52, 
 54. Et not. ad Mart. Rom. Jun. xi. 
 
OF. ST. BARNABAS. 75 
 
 tends to be without clispute,(s) that St. Barnabas came 
 into Italy, and preached the Gospel in Liguria, where 
 he founded the famous Church of Milan, as from ma- 
 ny antient monuments and writers, says he, might 
 be made appear; though at the same time he produ- 
 ces not one testimony in proof of it. I shall there- 
 fore conclude, until I am better informed, that St. 
 Barnabas spent ""the remains of his life in converting 
 his own countrymen the Jews ; of which, as I have 
 before observed, there were such vast numbers in 
 that Island, and for whom we cannot but think he 
 must have had a very tender regard. Or if we shall 
 suppose him to have gone any farther, I presume it 
 was Only into the neighbouring parts of the Lesser 
 Asia and Judea, where he had before preached ; or 
 at farthest into Egypt,(fl') where some tell us he went, 
 and consecrated his nephew St. Mark, the first Bishop 
 of the Christian Church at Alexandria. 
 
 14. And in this opinion I am the rather confirmed 
 from the consideration of his Epistle which I have 
 here subjoined : which seems manifestly to have been 
 designed for the benefit of the Jews ; and to shew how 
 all the parts of their law had a farther spiritual mean- 
 ing than what at first sight appeared, and were de- 
 signed to lead them to the faith and piety of the Gos- 
 pel. 
 
 1 5. In this exercise therefore he most likely spent 
 his life ; and if we may credit the relation of the 
 Monk(Z)) in Surius, who writes the Acts of this holy 
 Evangelist, at last suffered martyrdom in the psosecu- 
 tion of it ; being at the instigation of certain Jews that 
 came from Syria to Salamis, shut up in a synagogue 
 where he was disputing with them, and at night ston- 
 ed by them. What truth there is in this story I can- 
 not tell ; but this I must observe, which even Baroni- 
 us(c) himself is forced to acknowledge, that there is 
 
 (z) Ibid. Annal. num. 54, 
 (a) Vid. n Vit. ejus. Edit. Oxon. Epist. p. 132. 
 ("bj Alexandr. Monach. Encom. Rarnabjc. 
 CcJ Baron. Annal. ann. 51. num. 54. 
 
76 OF THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 nothing of this kind to be met with in any antient au- 
 thor ; nor does either Eusebius or St. JeYome,(d) where 
 they treat expressly of this holy man, so much as once 
 give the title of martyr to him. 
 
 16. But whatever were the manner of St. Barnabas* 
 death, yet famous is the story of the invention of his 
 relics, delivered by the same Monk ; who, as Baroni- 
 iis(^) tells us, lived at the same time under Zeno the 
 Emperor ; and confirmed by the concurrent testimo- 
 nies(/) of Theodorus, Nicephorus, Cedrenus, Sigebert, 
 Marianus Scotus and others. With what ceremony 
 this was performed, and how this blessed Saint ap- 
 peared twice to Anthemius, then Bishop of Salamis, 
 in order to the discovery of his own relics ; and how 
 the Emperor commanded a stately Church to be built 
 over the place of his burial ; I shall leave it to those 
 who are fond of such stories, to read at large in Baro- 
 nius(^) and the Monk(//) whom I before mentioned. 
 It will be of more concern to take notice that Nilu3(/) 
 Poxapater tells us, that this very thing was the ground 
 of the Cyprian privileges : where, speaking of certain 
 provinces that depended not upon any of the greater 
 Patriarchats, he instances first of all in Cyprus ; which, 
 says he, continues free, and is subject to none of the 
 Patriarchs, because of the Apostle Barnabas being 
 found in it. And the same is the account which Nice- 
 phorus(/^) also gives us of it ; and which was assigned 
 before both in the Notitia(e) ascribed to Leo, as I find 
 it quoted by Monsieur Le Moyne, in his preface to his 
 late collection of several antient pieces relating to ec- 
 clesiastical antiquity. 
 
 17. Together with his body was found, says Alex- 
 ander,(«^) the Gospel of St. Matthew, written in the 
 
 fdj Hieron, de script, in Barnab, (e) Baron. Annal. anno. 485. 
 CfJ Id. Annot. a 1 Mavtyrol. Rom, Jun. xi. {g) Annal. ami. 485. 
 (A) Apud, Surlum. Jan xi. to. iii. 
 fij Vid. Le Moyne Var. Sacr. torn. i. p. 236., 
 {k) Hist. Eccles. lib. xvi. c. 37. 
 
 (/) See Le Mo\'ne Prolegom. ad Var. saci*. ' 
 
 (m) Alex. Monach. loc. ciiat. So Theodorus Lector Collect, lib. ii- 
 p. 184: 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 77 
 
 Hebrew tongue, lying upon his breast ; but Nilus(//) 
 says, that of his kinsman St. Mark. Which of the 
 two it was, or whether any thing of all this were more 
 than a mere story, contrived by Anthemius to get the 
 better of Peter, Patriarch of Antioch, I shall not un- 
 dertake to determine. It is enough that we are assur- 
 ed that by this means(o) he not only preserved his pri- 
 vileges against Peter, but got his See confirmed by the 
 Emperor as an independent See ; which was also af- 
 terwards again done by Justinian, at the instigation of 
 the Empress Theodora who was herself a Cyprian. 
 
 18. But to return to that which is more properly the 
 business of these reflections. It does not appear that 
 St. Barnabas left any more in writing than the Epistle 
 I have here siibjoined. Some indeed there were here- 
 tofore who thought that the Epistle to the Hebrews 
 was written by him. TertuHian(/)) confidently quotes 
 it as his. Nor does St. Hierome(5') censure him for it, 
 but leaves it as a doubt whether it should be ascribed 
 to him or to St. Luke, St. Clement or St. Paul ; though 
 he seems rather to incline to St. Paul. But that this 
 is a mistake, and that St. Paul was indeed the author 
 of the Epistle to the Hebrews has been very largely 
 and learnedly proved by Dr. Mills in his Prolegomena 
 to the New Testament, so as to put that matter beyond 
 all doubt. As for the present Epistle, it is certain that 
 several of the antient Fathers took it to be undoubt- 
 edly of St. Barnabas's writing. Clement Alexandri- 
 iius(r) quotes it as such both in hisStromata yet extant, 
 and in his lost books of Hypotyposes, as is remarked 
 by Eusebius(5) in his Ecclesiastical History. Origen(if) 
 calls it the Catholic Epistle of Barnabas, without the 
 least intimation of any doubt about it, as he uses to 
 give when he quoteth other Apocryphal books ; as 
 those of Hermas, of which more hereafter. Others 
 
 CnJ Nrus Doxap. inter Var. sacr, p. 236. 
 
 (o) Baron. Annal loc. supr. citat. 
 
 f /: ; lertuU de Pudicit. c. 20 (g) De Script. Eccl. in S. Paulo. 
 
 frjyid Coteler. Testim. v. pp. (s) Eccles. Hist. lib. vi. c. 13, 14. 
 
 (0 Lib. i. Contr. Celsum. 
 
78 OF THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 indeed of the Fathers seem, if not to have denied that 
 this Epistle was written by Barnabas the Apostle, yet 
 at least to have doubted of it. Eusebius(//) reckons it 
 among the Scriptures of the New Testament which 
 were received by some, and contradicted by others. 
 St. Jerome(.v) reckons it among the Apocryphal books, 
 which were not put into the Canon of the holy Scrip- 
 tures, upon the account of the uncertainty of their au- 
 thors, and consequently of their infallible authority. 
 
 1 9. Which being so, I cannot but wonder at some 
 in our own times, who, without any better grounds, 
 peremptorily pronounce it to be none of St. Barnabas': 
 whereas of the antient Ecclesiastical writers who lived 
 much nearer the age of our author, some positively 
 affirmed it ; and though some others doubted of it, 
 yet none plainly denied it ; at least it does not appear 
 that any did so. And of this Cotelerius(y) seems to 
 have been sensible ; who though he did not care to as- 
 cribe it to the Barnabas of whom v,'e are now discours- 
 ing, yet was forced to suppose that some other Barna- 
 bas wrote it ; without w^hich he saw there could be no 
 way of answering the concurrent verdict of all an- 
 tiquity, which has universally agreed in Barnabas as 
 the author of it. But now who this other Barnabas 
 was, or that in those times there was any such person, 
 he pretends not to tell us ; and they who ascribe it to 
 Barnabas, expressly speak of him as the same of whom 
 I have hitherto been discoursing (s) 
 V 20. But of all others, most unaccountable is the fancy 
 of Monsieur Le Moyne(a) concerning the author of 
 this Epistle. He had observed that in several Greek 
 manuscripts it was immediately continued on with 
 that of St. Polycarp ; and from this he concludes the 
 two Epistles to have been written by St. Polycarp : 
 whereas in truth, by some chance in the copy from 
 
 fiij Loc. Citat. 
 
 (.r) Catalog. Scriptor. Eccles. & lib. xiii. in Ezek. cap. 43. 
 
 (z/) Cotel. Not. in Barnab. p. 7. B. C. 
 
 (z) Vid. Clem. Alex. Hieron. &c. inter Testim. Coteler. 
 
 fa J Pr'oleg. in Var. Sacr. in Polycavpo. 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 79 
 
 ■which the rest were transcribed, a few leaves were 
 lost, containing the end of St. Polycarp's, and the 
 beginning of St. Barnabas's Epistles ; by which means 
 the Greek of both is imperfect. But all the Latin 
 copies constantly ascribing this letter to Barnabas, and 
 the antient Fathers all agreeing to the same, utterly 
 destroy this opinion ; in which, as he had none to go 
 before him, so I believe he will scarcely meet with any 
 to follow him.(i) 
 
 21. Nor are the arguments which they bring against 
 the authority of it, of such moment as to overthrow 
 the constant testimonies of the antients on its behalf. 
 They tell us(t:) first, that it is evident from the 16th 
 chapter of this Epistle, that it was written after the- 
 destruction of Jerusalem. But why may not Barnabas 
 have been then living, as well as we are sure St. John 
 and several others of the companions of the Apostles 
 were ? AiM if he may have been living after it, why 
 shall not we suppose that he was, as well as they that 
 he was not ? seeing it does not appear from the testi- 
 mony of any antient writers when he died. 
 . 22. But secondly,(Qf') they argue yet farther against 
 it : for if this, say they, be the genuine Epistle of St. 
 Barnabas, how comes it to pass that it is not received 
 as Canonical ? ' Certainly had the primitive Christians 
 believed it to have been written by such a man, they 
 would without controversy have placed it among the 
 sacred writings, and not have censured it as of doubt- 
 ful authority. This is indeed a very specious pretence, 
 but which being a little examined will be found to 
 have no strength in it : it being certain that the primi- 
 tive Fathers(£') did own this for St. Barnabas's Epistle, 
 and yet not receive it into their canon ; and therefore 
 
 (6) Vid. Tentzel. Exercit. Select, de Polyc. § 38, 39, Pracf, Ussei\ 
 in edit. Oxon. S. Barnab. p. v. 
 
 (c) Coteler. Not. in Barnab. p. 7. C. Natal. Alex. Hist- Eccles. tom, 
 i. §i. p. 100. Le Moyne Prolegom. ad Var. Sacr. 
 
 (</) Coteler. Not. in Barn.'p. 5, 6. Natal. Alex. ibid. Le Moyiie 
 Prolegom. ad Vai*. Sacr. 
 
 {e) Vid, Coteler. Not. in Barnab. p. 6. E. 7. A. 
 
80 OF THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 that it does not follow, that had they believed it to 
 have been his, they must have esteemed it canonical. 
 
 23. *What rules they had, or by what measure 
 they proceeded, in those first times, in judging of the 
 canonical scriptures of the New Testament, it is not 
 necessary for me here to inquire. It is enough that 
 we know what books the church did at last agree in 
 as coming under that character : and for the rest, as 
 we cannot doubt but that there was a due care taken 
 in examining into a matter of such importance, and 
 that those primitive Fathers did not without very good 
 reason distinguish those that were written by divine 
 inspiration, from those that were not ; so we are very 
 sure that all was not admitted by them into the rank 
 of canonical scripture that was written by any Apos- 
 tolical man; and therefore that it can be no good 
 argument, that Barnabas was not the author of this 
 Epistle, because it is not placed among the sacred 
 writings of the New Testament. 
 
 24- But there is yet one objection more, and that 
 much insisted upon by those who are enemies to this 
 Epistle.(/) They tell us it is full of a strange sort of 
 allegorical interpretations of holy Scripture, and there- 
 fore unworthy to be fathered upon so evangelical an 
 author. And yet notwithstanding this, we find Cle- 
 mens Alexandrinus and Origen, Eusebius and St. Je- 
 rome (some of the greatest and most learned critics 
 of those ages that were the nearest to the time in which 
 it was written) not doubting to ascribe it to St. Barna- 
 bas, and to think it worthy too of such an author. 
 
 25. I need not say how general a way this was of 
 interpreting scripture, in the time that St. Barnabas 
 lived. To omit Origen, who has been noted as exces- 
 sive in it ; and for whom yet a learned man(^) has 
 very lately made a reasonable apology : who has ever 
 
 * See this argument more fulh' handled by the learned Dr. Grabe, 
 Spicileg. sec. ii. pag. 6, 7. 
 
 (/) Coiel. Kot. ad Barnab. p. 5. D. Natal. Alex. Hist, Eccles. 
 Sxc i. to. i. p. 100. Le Moyne Prol. ad Var. Sacr. 
 
 {g) Huetius Origen. lib. ii. Qujcst. 13. p. 170, &c. 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 81 
 
 shewn a more diffusive knowledge than Clemens Al- 
 exandrinus has done in all his composures ? And yet 
 in his works we find the very same method taken of 
 interpreting the holy Scriptures, and that without any 
 reproach either to his learning or to his judgment. 
 What author has there been more generally applauded 
 for his admirable piety, than the other Clement, whos9 
 Epistle to the Corinthians I have here inserted ? And 
 yet even in that plain piece(^) we meet with more than 
 one instance of the same kind of interpretation, which 
 was nevertheless admired by the best and most primi- 
 tive Christians. 
 
 26. Even St. Paul(/) himself, in his Epistles received 
 by us as canonical, affords us not a few instances of 
 this which is so much found fault with in St. Barnabas, 
 as 1 might easily make appear from a multitude of 
 passages out of them, were it needful for me to en- 
 large myself on a point, which every one who has 
 read the Scriptures with any care, cannot but have 
 observed. 
 
 27. Now that w^hich makes it the less to be wonder- 
 ed at in St. Barnabas is, that the Jews,(/5r) of which 
 number he was himself originally one, and to whom 
 he wrote, had of a long time been wholly addicted to 
 this way of interpreting the law, and taught men to 
 search out a spiritual meaning for almost all the ritual 
 commands and ceremonies of it. This is plain from 
 the account which Aristeas(/) has left us of the rules 
 which Eleazer the high priest, to whom Ptolemy sent 
 for a copy of the Mosaical law, gave him for the under- 
 standing of it. When it being objected to him, " that; 
 their legislator seemed to be too curious in little mat- 
 ters, such as the prohibitions of meats and drinks, and 
 the like, for which there appeared no just reason; he 
 
 (A) Vid. Annot. Vossii in Barnab. p. 310. 
 
 (i) See 1 Cor. x. 1, 4. Gal. iv. 21. Ephes. v. 31. Hebr. ix. 8, 33, 24; 
 X. 1, &c. 
 
 (/c) See Hist. Crit. du V. T. Liv. iii. chap, vij. 
 
 (/) Apud Euseb. Prseparat. Evang. lib. viii. cap. 9. 
 
 [11] 
 
82 OP THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 shewed him at large, that there was a farther hidden 
 design in it, than what at first sight appeared ; and 
 that these outward ordinances were but as so many- 
 cautions to them against such vices as were principally 
 meant to be forbidden by them." And then goes on 
 to explain this part of the law, after the same manner 
 that Barnabas has done in the following Epistle. 
 
 28. JBut this is not all ; Eusebius(A//) gives us yet 
 another instance to confirm this to us, viz. of Aristo- 
 bulus, who lived at the same time, and delivered the 
 like spiritual meaning of the law that Eleazar had 
 done before. And that this was still continued among 
 the Hellenistical Jews, is evident from the account 
 that is left us by one of them, who was contemporary 
 with St. Barnabas, and than whom none has been more 
 famous for this way of writing ; I mean Philo,(7?) in 
 his description of the Therapeutse ; whether the same 
 whom in the beginning of his book((9) he calls by the 
 name of Essenes, as Scalliger(/)) supposes; or a par- 
 ticular sect of Jews, as ValesiusC^-) will have it ; or 
 lastly, a kind of Monkish converts from Judaism to 
 Christianity, as Eusebius(r) heretofore described them, 
 and as some other learned men(5) seem rather to con- 
 jecture. But whatever becomes of this, herein they 
 all agree, that they were originally Jews ; and there- 
 fore we may be sure they followed the same method 
 of interpreting scripture that the Alexandrian Jews 
 were wont to do. 
 
 29. Now the account which Eusebius(^) from Phi- 
 lo, gives us of them, is this. *' Their leaders, says 
 he, left them many antient writings of their notions, 
 clothed in Allegories." And again ;(;/) "they inter- 
 pret the Holy Scriptures, viz. of the Old Testament, 
 
 (m) Prxpar. Evang. lib. viii. c. 10. p. 376. 
 
 (u) Apud Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. ii. c. 17. 
 
 fs) De Vit. Contempl. p. 889. 
 
 (fi) Scalig. de Emend. Tempor. lib, v: 
 
 (• tjj Vales. Annot. in Euseb. lib. iu c. 17. p. 50, 31. 
 
 (rj Hist. Eccles. lib. ii c 17- p 43, A. B 8c p. 45, A. B. 
 
 («) Biuno de Therapeut. dissert, p 183, &c. 
 
 (tj Euseb. Hist. Eccles. loc. cit. p. 44» b. C^O I^i^- P- ^^' ^- c- 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 83 
 
 AHegorically." For you must know, continues he, 
 *< that they hken the law to an animal ; the words of 
 which make up the body, but the hidden sense which 
 lies under them, and is not seen, that they think to 
 be the soul of it." And this was that which a late 
 learned author(;i') supposes rendered their conversion 
 to Christianity the more easy. For being wont to 
 seek out the spiritual meaning of the law, they more 
 readily embraced the Gospel, than those who looked 
 no farther than the outward letter, and were there- 
 fore the harder to be persuaded to come over to so 
 spiritual an institution. 
 
 30. It was from hence, I suppose, that the most 
 early heretics were so wedded to their mystical inter- 
 pretations of Scripture, and so much valued them- 
 selves upon the account of them : against whose false 
 and impure doctrines, our late great critic. Dr. Ham- 
 mond,(t/) supposes St. Barnabas to have principally 
 designed his Epistle ; and therefore that being to deal 
 with men who valued nothing but such kind of expo- 
 sitions, he was forced to confute them in their own 
 way ; both as most suitable to their manners, and 
 most proper either to convince them of their errors, 
 or at least to prevent others, especially the Jewish 
 converts, from falling into them. 
 
 31. But whether this were so or no, thus much is 
 evident from what has been said ; that the Hellenisti- 
 cal Jews, to whom it is most probable St. Barnabas 
 addressed his Epistle, were altogether used to this way 
 of interpreting the holy Scriptures; and therefore 
 that howsoever it may appear to us, who are so utter- 
 ly unaccustomed \o it, yet we ought not to wonder 
 that St. Barnabas, who was himself a Jew, should at 
 such a time, and upon such an occasion as this, make 
 use of it ; or suppose it at all unworthy of him so to 
 do. 
 
 fxj Bruno de Therap. p, 193. 
 
 fyj Dissert, dc Antichristo, c. vii. Et Dissert, i. contr. Blondel. 
 c. vii. § 4, 5. 
 
84 OF THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 32. Nor indeed were they the Jews only that led 
 the holy men in those days into these mystical expo- 
 sitions of the sacred Scriptures. Even the Gentile 
 philosophers conduced towards it ; whilst the better to 
 cover over the fabulous stories of their Gods, which 
 they saw were too ridiculous to be maintained ; they 
 explained the whole system of their idolatry by alle- 
 gorical analogies, and shewed all the poetical accounts 
 of them to be only the outside shadows of a sort of 
 natural theology included under those fictions. Thus 
 Heraclides of Pontus wrote a whole book of the al- 
 legories of Homer :(s) and Metrodorus of Lampsa- 
 cuaiz) is fallen foul upon by Tatian, in his oration 
 against the Greeks, for pretending that neither Juno, 
 nor Minerva, nor Jupiter, Avere what those imagined 
 who built temples and altars to them, <p6<riui S'e iTroidina 
 KXi ioixiit^^ hciy.oT,A.^a-eii Nay, SO far went this last au- 
 thor in his allegories, as to turn all the Trojan and 
 Grecian heroes into mere fictions ; and to make Hec- 
 tor and Achilles, and Agamemnon, and even Helena 
 herself, nothing less than what one would think they 
 were, and what the common people ignorantly ima- 
 gined them to be. 
 
 33. And for the influence which this had upon the 
 antient Fathers,(o) who from philosophers became 
 Christians ; the writings both of Justin Martyr, and 
 Clemens Alexandrinus, sufficiently shew. And if 
 we may believe(Z)) Porphyry, an enemy in the case 
 of brigen; he tells us in the same place in which he 
 complains of him, " for turning those things that were 
 clearly delivered by Moses into mystical significa- 
 tions," not only that he did this in imitation of the 
 Grecians ; but that it was his frequent conversation 
 with Numenius and Cronius, Moderatus, Nicomachus, 
 and others among the Pythagoreans ;(c) and with 
 
 (z) Tatian. contr. Grec. p, 160. b. c. 
 
 (a J See Hist. Crit. du v. t. Liv. iii. chap. viii. 
 
 CO Apud. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. jib. vi. c. 19. p. 178. 
 
 (cj Ibid. p. 179. Vid. Annot. Vales, p. 108, 109. 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 85 
 
 Chseremon and Cornutus among the Stoics ; that he 
 had learned his allegorical way of expounding the 
 holy Scriptures ; and applied that to his religion, 
 which they were wont to do to their superstition. • 
 
 34. From all which it appears, that this way of 
 "writing in matters of religion, was in those days gen- 
 erally used not only among the Jews, but among the 
 wiser and more philosophical of the Gentiles too : 
 and from both came to be almost universally practised 
 among the primitive Christians. Which being so, we 
 ought to be far from censuring of St. Barnabas for 
 his mystical application of what God prescribed to the 
 Jews in the Old Testsment, to the spiritual accom- 
 plishment of it in the new. Much less should we ever 
 the more call in question either the truth or credit of 
 his Epistle upon this account. 
 
 35. Having said thus much either in vindication 
 of the allegorical expositions of this Epistle, or at 
 least by way of apology for them ; I shall add but 
 little more concerning the Epistle itself. I have before 
 observed as to the time of its writing, that it was 
 somewhat after the destruction of Jerusalem ; and as 
 we may conjecture from the subject of it, (for title at 
 present it has none, nor does it appear that ever it had 
 any) w^as addressed to the Jews, to draw them off 
 from the letter of the law, to a spiritual understand- 
 ing of it I and by that means dispose them to embrace 
 the Gospel. Whether he had besides this a farther 
 design, as Dr. Hammond supposes, (o?) to confute the 
 errors of the Gnostic Heretics, and to prevent the Jew- 
 ish converts from falling into them, it is not certain ; 
 but may from the chief points insisted upon by him 
 be probably enough supposed. If any one shall think 
 it strange, that disputing against the Jews for the 
 truth of the Gospel, he should not have urged any of 
 those passages relating to the Messiah, which seem to 
 us the most apposite to such a purpose; such as the 
 
 • fdj Dissert. Antichristo, cap. vii. 
 
86 OF THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 oracle of Jacob concerning the time that Shiloh was 
 to come ; the 70 weeks of Daniel ; the prophecies of 
 Haggai and Malachi, of his coming while the second 
 temple stood ; and which was now destroyed when 
 he wrote this Epistle, and the like : Monsieur le 
 Moyne(£') will give him a ready answer, viz. that 
 these passages relate chiefly to the time of Christ's 
 appearing, and that this was no controversy in those 
 days ; the Jews not only confessing it, but being rea- 
 dy at every turn through this persuasion to set up some 
 or other for their Messiah, fo their shame and confu- 
 sion. It was therefore then but little necessary to use 
 those arguments against them, which now appear to 
 be the most proper and convincing : since the state of 
 the question has been altered, and the Jev^^s deny ei- 
 ther that their Messiah is come, or that it was neces- 
 sary for him to have come about that time that our 
 Saviour Christ appeared in the flesh. 
 
 36. But though the chief design of this Epistle was 
 to convince the Jews of the truth of our religion, yet 
 are there not wanting in the latter part of it, many ex- 
 cellent rules, to render it still very useful to the pious 
 reader. Indeed some have doubted whether this did 
 originally belong to this Epistle ;(/) or whether it has 
 not since been added to it. But seeing we find this 
 part quoted by the Fathers, as belonging to St. Barna- 
 bas, no less than the other ; and that the measure as- 
 signed to it in the antient Stichometries, can hardly be 
 well accounted for without it : I do not see but that 
 we ought to conclude, that our author did divide his 
 Epistle into the two parts in which we now have it; 
 and that this letter, as well as the former, was writ- 
 ten by him. 
 
 37. As for the translation which I have here given 
 of it, I have made it up out of what remains of the 
 original Greek, and of the old Latin version ; and of 
 each of which, though a part be lost, yet it 
 
 (^ej Proleg. ad Var- Sncr. 
 
 (y ) Prsfat. Usser. ad Edit. Oxon- p. 11, 5cc. 
 
OP ST. BARNABAS. 87 
 
 has so fallen out, that between them we not only have 
 the whole Epistle, but that too free of those interpo- 
 lations which Vossius tells us some had endeavoured 
 to make in this, as well as in Ignatius's Epistles.(^) 
 The passages of holy Scripture which are here quoted 
 according to the Septuagint, I have chose rather to 
 set down as they are in our English Bible, than to 
 amuse the common reader with a new translation of 
 them. Upon the whole, I have endeavoured to attain 
 to the sense of my author, and to make him as plain 
 and easy as I was able. If in any thing I shall have 
 chanced to mistake him, I have only this to say for 
 myself, that he must be better acquainted with the 
 road than I pretend to be, who will undertake to tra- 
 vel so long a journey in the dark, and never to miss 
 his way. 
 
 CHAPTER Vm. 
 
 OF THE 8HEPHKRD OF ST. HERMAS ; AND OF THE SECOND 
 EPISTLE OF ST. CLEMENT TO THZ CORINTHIANS. 
 
 That the Hei-mas mentioned by St. Paul, Rom, xvi. 14. was proba- 
 bly the author of that book which is here subjoined under his 
 name. There is little remaining of his life, moi'e than what is 
 taken oiit of his cwii book. Of his death ; uncertain whether he 
 died a martyr. Tlie antient fathers divided in their opinions of 
 this book : nor are our later critics any less. That there are ma- 
 ny useful things in it. Of the second Epistle of St. Clement : 
 that it js not of equal reputation with the former : by some de- 
 nied to be St, Clemeufs. It is most probable that it was written. 
 by St, Clement, and has many excellent things, and worthy of 
 that holy man, in it. These two pieces ntw the first time trans- 
 lated into our own language. 
 
 1. THERE is not a greater difference between the 
 learned men of the present times concerning the Epis- 
 tle of St. Barnabas, than there was among the an- 
 tient Fathers heretofore, concerning the authority of 
 
 ( 5") Is. Vossius Aimot. in Barnab. p. 318. 
 
88 OF THE SHEPHERD 
 
 that book, which next follows, under the name of 
 Hermas. Who this Hermas was, what he did, and 
 what he suffered for the faith's sake, is in great mea- 
 sure unknown to us. That there was one of that 
 name at Rome when St. Paul wrote his Epistle to the 
 Church there, his remembrance of him, Rom. xvi. 
 14. will not suffer us to doubt. Nor is it improbable 
 but that it was the same Hermas(/^) who afterwards 
 wrote this book : and who appears not only still to 
 have continued his relation to the Church of Rome, 
 but to have written at such a time as may well enough 
 agree to one of St. Paul's acquaintance. The former of 
 these may be collected from his second vision,(/) which 
 he seems to have had at the same time that Clement 
 was Bishop of Rome, and to whom therefore he is 
 commanded to communicate a copy of it : and for 
 the latter, might the conjectures of two of our great- 
 est critics(^') be allowed, who apply the affliction of 
 which he speaks in another of his visions(/) to the de- 
 struction of Jerusalem then at hand, it would follow 
 that this book must have been written within twelve 
 years after the Epistle to the Romans, and so in all 
 probability by that Hermas, of whom St. Paul speaks 
 in that Epistle. But though I rather think that the 
 tribulation which Hermas foretold,(w) relates to the 
 persecution under Domitian, because it. is there said 
 to be the trial of the Christians, who should be tried 
 as gold in the fire, but yet should overcome it, and 
 not be hurt by it :{n) (a character that exactly agrees 
 with what Tertulian writes of that perscution ;)(o) yet 
 even this does not hinder but that the Hermas men- 
 tioned by St. Paul, might still be living, and be the 
 author of the book we here have under his nauie. 
 2. Hence Origen in his Homily(/>) upon that place 
 
 (//) Vid. Baron. Annot. ad Martyrol. Rom. Mail ix. 
 (z) Vis. ii. num. iv. 
 
 (A) Dr. Hammond and Mr. Dodwell : see Dr. Cave's Hist. Lite- 
 rar. in Herm. 
 
 (/) Vis. iv. § 3, (?«) Vis. iv. § 1. («) Vis. iv. § 2, 3. 
 
 (o) Apolog. c. 5. (/]) Horn, in Rom. lib. x. c. 16. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 89 
 
 of St. Paul before mentioned, delivers it as his opinion, 
 that it was the Hennas there spoken of, wlio wrote 
 this book. But Eusebius does more :(g) he tells us 
 that it was the. received opinion in those days, that it 
 was composed by him. And that it continued to ue 
 so in the age after, St. Hierome witnesses ;(r) who 
 speaks yet more positively than Eusebius to ihe same 
 purpose. From all which we may conclude what is 
 to be judged of that mistake which our latter writers 
 have fallen into, by their too credulous following the 
 author of the Poem against Marcion, under the name 
 of TertuUian,(5) viz. that it was written by Hermes, 
 brother to Pope Pius ; in which not only the authors 
 of the pontifical ascribed to Pope Damasus(/) and of 
 the pretended decretal Epistles of the antient Bishops 
 of Rome,(^/) but the martyrologists of the middle 
 ages, Bede, Ado, &c. have generally been involved. 
 
 3. It is true Cardinal Baronius has endeavoured to 
 make up this difference, by supposing that the Her- 
 mes spoken of by St. Paul, was brother to Pope Pius, 
 and so all parties may be in the right. But besidesj 
 that this book was written by Hermas, not the Her- 
 mes of whom St. Paul there speaks ; the difference 
 of the time renders it altogether incredible,(A) that a 
 person of some considerable age at St. Paul's writing 
 his Epistle, should have lived so long as that Pope's 
 brother is said to have done : whom the Cardinal him- 
 self observes to have been living 164 years after 
 Christ ;(t/) that is to say, 107 years after the writing 
 of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans. This his Epito- 
 mator Spondanus was aware of ;{z) and therefore 
 though he seems to have allowed of the conjecture, 
 yet he could not choose but add this reflection of hig 
 
 frjj Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. c. 3. frj Hieron. de Sci'ipt. in Herm. 
 
 ('sj Lib. iii. ft J In Vit. Pii Papae. 
 
 (u) Epist. i. attrib. Pio pp. p 194 edit Blondel. 
 
 fjcj Sec Bellarmin. de Script. § i. p. 45, in Herm, • 
 
 fyj Annal. Eccl. in fine anno. 164, 
 
 fz) Spondan, Epitom. Annal. Baron, add aim. 159. 
 
90 OF THE SHEPHERD 
 
 own upon it ; that according to this reckoning, Her- 
 nias must have been 130 years old when he died, and 
 in all probability a great deal more. 
 
 4. What the condition of this Hermas was before 
 his conversion, we cannot tell ; but that he was a man 
 of some consideration, we may conclude from what 
 we read of him in his third vision :(«) where he is said 
 to have been formerly unprofitable to the Lord upon 
 the account of those riches, which, after he became 
 a Christian, he seems to have dispensed in works of 
 charity and beneficence. 
 
 5. Kor have we any more knowledge how he was 
 converted, than what his condition was before : it is 
 probable from several passages in his book,(Z>) that he 
 was himself brought over to Christianity some time 
 before his family; who continued yet in the practice 
 of many^and great impieties. During this while Her- 
 mas was not only very kind to them, but seems to 
 have been so indulgent towards them, as to permit them 
 rather to go on in their sins, than he would take any 
 rough measures with them to draw them off from them. 
 
 6. But this was not all : he not only patiently bore 
 with them, but w^as himself disturbed with many 
 anxious cares,(<:') to supply them in their extravagan- 
 ces, and often times did not behave himself so well 
 as he ought to have done upon that account. But 
 however, being of an honest and upright disposition, 
 and liavir.g a great sincerity in his religion, it pleased 
 God at last not only to convince him of his faults, in 
 thus neglecting his family, but to give them grace to 
 hearken to his admonition'g, and to embrace at once 
 both the Christian failh, and a practice also suitable 
 thereunto. 
 
 7. What he did after this, we have no account ; 
 but that he lived a very strict life, we may reasonably 
 conjecture, in that it pleased God to vouchsafe such 
 
 fa J Vis. iii. num. 6. fbj Vis. i. n. 3, Vis. ii. n. 2, 3. 
 
 CcJ See below, Vis. i. n. 2, 3. 
 
OF ST. HERM.\S. 91 
 
 extraordinary revelations to him, and to employ liim 
 in several messages to his Church, both to correct 
 their manners, and to warn them of the trials that 
 were about to come upon them. 
 
 8. This was so singular a grace, even in those times 
 of miracles, that we find some other Christians, not 
 so humble as they ought to be, became enemies to 
 him upon the account of them. However this did 
 not hinder, but that God still continued to make use 
 of his ministry in admonishing sinners ; and he as 
 readily and faithfully went on, both in warning them 
 of their danger, and in exhorting them to repent and 
 save their souls. 
 
 9. This was the business of this holy man, in which 
 he spent his life ; and if we may believe the Roman 
 Martyrology, his death was not unsuitable to it : 
 where we read, that being illustrious for his miracles, 
 he at last offered himself a worthy sacrifice unto God. 
 But upon what grounds this is established Baronius 
 himself could not tell us ;(d) insomuch that in his an- 
 nals he durst not once mention the manner of his 
 death, but is content to say, " that having undergone 
 many labours and troubles in the time of the persecu- 
 tion under Aurelius, (and that too without any author- 
 ity) he at last rested in the Lord, July 26th, which 
 is therefore observed in commemoration of him.(e) 
 And here is indeed a pleasant mistake, and worthy 
 thefRoman Martyrology. For this author, from the 
 book of which we are now discoursing, being some- 
 times called by the title of Pastor, or Shepherd, the 
 Martyrologist has very gravely divided the good man 
 into two Saints ; and they observe the >nemorial of 
 Hermas, May 9th, and of Pastor, July 26th.(/) Un- 
 less we shall rather say that this was indeed the Car- 
 dinal's blunder, and the Martyrology in the right, to 
 make two distinct persons of St. Hermas mentioned 
 
 CdJ Annot. ad Mart. Rom. Maii ix. 
 
 (e) Baron. Annal. Eccles. ad ann. 164. 
 
 C/J Vid. Martyrol. Rom. ad Maii ix. & July xxvi. 
 
92 OP THE SHEPHERD 
 
 by St. Paul ; and the brother to Pope Pius, to whom 
 the })assages meniioned July 26th, do manifestly be- 
 long •,(g) and erred only in applying the character of 
 Pastor to the latter,(/>) which, with the treatise of 
 which we are now discoursing, ought (as the Cardinal 
 has truly observed,)(/) to have been ascribed to the 
 former. 
 
 10 But not to insist any longer upon the author of 
 this book : as for the work itself, we find both the an- 
 tient Fathers, and the learned of our own times, not 
 a little divided in their judgments concerning it. Some 
 there are, and those the nearest to the time when this 
 book was written, that treat almost with the same 
 respect that, they would do the Canonical Scripmres. 
 Irenius quotes it under .the very name of tiie Scrip- 
 turt'.{k) Origen,(/) though he sometimes moderates 
 his opinion of it, upon the account of some who did 
 not, it seems, pay the same respect with himself to it, 
 yet speaking of Hernias being the author of this book 
 in his C( mments on the Epistle to the Romans, gives 
 us this character of it, that he thought it to be a most 
 useful writing, and was, as he believed, divinely in- 
 spired. Usebius(w) tells us, that though being doubted 
 of by some, it was not esteemed Canonical, yet was 
 it by others judged a most necessary book, and as 
 such, read publicly in the Churches. And St. Hie- 
 rom(//) having in like manner observed that it was read 
 in some Churches, makes this remark upon it, that 
 it was indeed a very profitable book ; and whose tes- 
 timony was often quoted by the Greek Fathers. A- 
 thanasius cites this book,(o) together with the other 
 
 ig) Comp. rvlartyvol. Rom. Jul. 26, with Bavon. Annal. ann. 
 162, 164, 166. 
 
 (/O Martvrol. Rom. Jul. 26. 
 
 (i) Annot. b. ad. Mavtyrol. Rom. Mail 9. 
 
 {k) L;b. iv. advers. Ha:res. 6c apud Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. 
 iv. c. S. 
 
 (/) Origen Enarrat. in Epist. ad Rom. p. 411. d. 
 
 (;m) Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. c. 3. (n) Catal. Script, in Herntiy 
 
 (o) De Incarnat. Verb. torn. i. p. 55. d. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 93 
 
 books of Scripture, and calls it a most useful treatise ; 
 and in another place tells us,(/)) that though it was 
 not strictly Canonical, yet was it reckoned among 
 those books which the Fathers appointed to be read 
 to such as were to be instructed in the faith, and de- 
 sired to be directed in the way of piety. 
 
 11. Hence we may observe, as a farther evidence 
 of respect which was paid to this book heretofore, 
 that it was not only openly read in the Churches, but 
 in some of the most antient manuscripts of the New 
 Testament, is joined together with the other books of 
 the holy Scriptures. An instance of this Coteleri- 
 us{q) offers us in that of the monastery of St. Ger- 
 mans in France, in which it is continued on at the 
 end of St. Paul's Epistles. And in several of the old 
 Stichometries, it is put in the same catalogue with the 
 inspired writings ; as may be seen in that which the 
 same author(r) has published out of a manuscript in 
 the king's library, in his observations upon St. Bar- 
 nabas ; in which St. Barnabas's Epistle is placed im- 
 mediately before the Revelations, as the acts of the 
 Apostles, and Hermas's Shepherd, are immediately 
 after it. 
 
 12. And yet after all this, we find this same book 
 not only doubted of by others among the antient 
 Fathers, but slighted even by some of those, who on 
 other occasions have spoken thus highly in its favour. 
 Thus St. Jerome, (5) in his comment/, exposes the folly 
 of that Apocryphal book, as he calls it, which in his 
 catalogue of writers he had so highly applauded. Ter- 
 tullian,i^) who spake if not honourably, yet calmly of it 
 ■whilst aCatholic, being become a Montanist,(//) rejected 
 it even with scorn. And most of the other Fathers(w) 
 who have spoken the highest of it themselves, yet 
 
 /' fij Epist. Pasch. torn. ii. p. 39, 40. 
 
 (</) Aniiot. ad Herm. p. 41. ('rj Annot. in Barnab. p. 9, 10. 
 (&) Comment, in Habac. 1.14. fol. 83. D. {() De Qrat. cap. xii. 
 ■' C^J De Pudicitia, cap x. 
 • (7t') Vid. Testiraon. in Edit. Coteler. p. 2S, &c. 
 
64 OF THE SIlIiPHERD 
 
 plainly enough insinuate that there were those who 
 did not put the same value upon it. Thus Origen(.v) 
 mentions some who not only denied, but des}ftsed its 
 authority. And Cassian(y) having made use of it in 
 the point of free-will, PrQsper,(s) without more ado, 
 rejected it as a testimony of no value. And what 
 the judgment of the latter ages was as to this matter, 
 especially after Pope Gelasius(«) had ranked it among 
 the Apocryphal books, may be seen at large in the 
 observations of Antonius Augustinus(^) upon that 
 decree. 
 
 1 3. How far this has influenced the learned men of 
 our present times in their censures upon this work, is 
 evident from what many on all sides have freely 
 spoken concerning it, who not only deny(<:) it to have 
 been written by Hermas the companion of St. Paul, 
 but utterly cast it off as a piece of no worth, but 
 rather full of error and folly. Thus Baronius(«') him- 
 self, though he delivers not his own judgment con- 
 cerning it, yet plainly enough shews that he ran in 
 with the severest censures of the antients against it ; 
 and in effect charges it with favouring the Arians, 
 though upon a mistaken authority of St. Athanasius,((?) 
 ■which by no means proves any such error to be in it. 
 But Cardinal Be]larmine(/) is more free ; he tells us 
 that it has many hurtful things in it, and particularly 
 that it favours the Novatian heresy ; which yet I 
 think a very little equity in interpreting of some pas- 
 sages that look that v;ay, by others that are directly 
 contrary thereunto, would serve to acquit it of. Others 
 are yet more severe :(g) they censure it as being full 
 of heresies and fables : though this Labbe(-^) would 
 
 (x) Philocal. c. i. (y) Cassian. Collat. xiii. c. 12. 
 
 (z) C( ntr. Collator, c. 30. (a) Decret. Gi-atian. Dist. 15. 
 
 CbJ De Emend. Gratiani Dial. vi. p. 63, 64. 
 
 (c) Sea Fossev. Apparat. torn. ii. titul. Pastor. 
 
 CdJ Baron. Annal. ami. 159. numb. 5, 6 
 
 CeJ Epist. ad Afros apud Theodoret. Hist. Eccles. lib. i. cap. 8. 
 
 (./") Script. Eccles. Centar. 1. in Herni. 
 
 Ig) Jo. M. Brasichellan. apud Labbxum de Script, to, 1. p. 7'91. 
 
 {AJ De Script, in Herm. to. 1. p. 431. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 95 
 
 be thought to excuse, by telling us that they have 
 been foisted into it by some later interpolations ; and 
 ought not to be imputed to Hermas, the author of 
 this book. 
 
 14. Nor have many of those(/) of the reformed 
 churches have been any whit more favourable in their 
 censures of the present treatise. But then as the chief- 
 est of the antient Fathers heretofore, though they 
 admitted it not into the canon of holy Scripture, yet 
 otherwise paid a very great deference to it ; so the 
 more moderate part of the learned men of our pre- 
 sent times, esteem it as a piece worthy of all respect 
 ■and clear of those faults which are too lightly charged 
 by some persons upon it. Thus Petavius,(/c) none of 
 the most favourable critics upon the antient Fathers, 
 yet acknowledges, as to the present book, that it was 
 never censured by any of the antients as guilty of 
 any ^alse doctrine or heresy, but especially as to the 
 holy Trinity. Cotelerius,(/') one of the latest editors 
 of it, esteems it as an ecclesiastical work of good 
 note, and a great dtrfence of the Catholic faith against 
 the errors of Montanism : whose judgment is not only 
 followed by their late historian, Natalis Alexander,(/«) 
 but is made good too in the defence of it against those 
 objections which some have brought to lessen its re- 
 putation. And for those of our own communion, I 
 shall mention only two, but they such as will serve 
 instead of many to all judicious persons who have at 
 large justified it against the chief of those exceptions 
 that have been taken at it ; the one, the most excel- 
 lent Bishop Pearson, (/?) in his vindication of St. Ig- 
 natius ; the other, the learned Bishop Bull,(o) in his 
 
 (z) Rivet. Critic. Sacr. lib. i. c. 12. Hoernbeck Theol. pp. to. 1. 
 Miscellan. Sacv. p. 91. Scultet. Medulla pp. pag. 375. Daille de 
 Script, ignat. Larroque Observ. in Vind. Iguat. part 1. p. 19. Cave- 
 Hist, lit p. 21, &c. 
 
 (kj Prxfat. in to. ii. Dogm. Theol. c 2. § 6. 
 
 (/) Not. inHerm. p. 43. c. Cm) Alex. Natal. §1. torn, i p. 103, lOi. 
 
 fnj Vind. Ignat. part I.e. 4. 
 
 ('oj Defens. Fid. Nicxn. § 1. c. 2. p. 30. 
 
96 OF THE SHEPHERD 
 
 defence of the Nicene faith, in the point of our 
 blessed Saviour's divinity ; which he largely shew s 
 our present author to have been far from doing any 
 prejudice unto. 
 
 15. Such have been the different judgments of 
 learned men, both heretofore, and in our present 
 times, concerning this book. It would be too great a 
 presumption for me to pretend to determine any tiling 
 as to this matter ; and having subjoined the work it- 
 self in our own language, every lone may be able to 
 satisfy himself what value he ought to put upon it. 
 That there are many useful things to be found in it, 
 but especially in the second, and I think the best part 
 of it cannot be denied. And for the other two, it 
 must be considered, that though such visions as we 
 there read of, being no longer continued to these lat- 
 ter ages, may warrantably be despised in the pretend- 
 ers of the present days ; yet we cannot doubt but 
 that at the time when this book was written, the ex- 
 traordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were very fre- 
 quent : and we need not question but that such reve- 
 lations too among the rest, were communicated to holy 
 men for the benefit of the Church. 
 
 16. But I shall not pursue this subject any farther : 
 nor will I add very much to what I have before said 
 Avith relation to St. Clement and his first Epistle, con- 
 cerning that part which still remains of a second un- 
 der his name, and which concludes the following col- 
 lection. 
 
 17. That this second Epistle was not of so great a 
 reputation among the Primitive Fathers, as the fore- 
 going, Eusebius not only tells us,(/») but gives us this 
 testimony of it, that he could not find it quoted, as 
 the other was, by any of them. But St. Jerome is 
 more severe ;{q) he represents it to us as rejected by 
 them : and Photius after him, calls it a spurious 
 piece.(r) And not to mention any more, our most 
 
 (fij Hist. Eccles. lib. ill. c. 38. 
 
 ( (J J De Script, in Clemente. f^O Pliot. Cod, 112, 113. 
 
X)P ST^. HERMAS. 97 
 
 Reverend Bishop Usher not only concurs in the same 
 censure, but oilers several arguments too in proof of 
 it. (5) 
 
 18. And yet, when all is done, it does not appear 
 but that St. Clement was indeed the author of this, as 
 well as of the other Epistle before spoken of; though 
 it was not so much esteemed by, nor by consequence 
 so generally known to the anlients as that. In the ma- 
 nuscript of St. Thecla(/) we lind this set forth under 
 the same title with the other. And in all the other 
 catalogues of the antients, wherever one is spoken of, 
 the other is for the most part set together with it : as 
 may particularly be observed in the Apostolical Cx- 
 nons,(?-f) not to mention any other collections of this 
 kind. 
 
 19. Nor does Eusebius('y) deny this Epistle to be 
 St. Clement's, but only says that it was not so cele- 
 brated as the other. And true it is, w^e do not find 
 it either so often or so expressly mentioned as that. 
 But yet if the conjecture of VV'endeline,(w) approved 
 by a very learned maji(A') of our own country, may 
 be admitted ; Eusebius himself(y) will afford us an 
 instance of one who not only spake of it, but spake 
 of it as wont to be publicly read in the Church of 
 Corinth. For discoursing of the Epistles of Dionysius, 
 Bishop of that ^ee, he tells us, that in one of them 
 which he wrote to the Romans, he took notice of St. 
 Clement's Epistle in these words : to day have we 
 kept the Lord's day with all holiness ; in which we 
 have read your Epistle, as w^e shall always continue 
 to read it for our instruction, together with the former 
 written to us by Clement. What that Epistle was 
 of which Dionysius here speaks, as written by the 
 Church of Rome to that of Corinth, and publicly read 
 
 («) "Hissert. de Script. Ignat. cap. 10. 
 
 (t) Vid Catal. Bevereg. Codex canon, vindicat. 289. 
 
 CuJ Canon. 85. {v) Hist. Eccles. lib. 3. c 38, 
 
 C^vJ Uivinat. de Epist. Clem. 
 
 fxj Bevereg. Cod. Canon. Vindic. lib. ii. c. 9. § 10, p. 286- 
 
 fyj Euseb. Hiit. Eccles. lib. 'w c. 23. 
 
98 OF THE SECOND EPISTLfi 
 
 in the congregation there, does not appear. Bishop 
 Beveridge, after WendeUne, conceives it to have been 
 that vi^hich Clement wrote in the name of that Church 
 to them ; and so the former Epistle spoken of by Di- 
 onysius, will be this second, written in his own name 
 to the Corinthians, not by the authority of the Roman 
 Church. But this others(s) will by no means allow ; 
 they suppose the letter which Dionysius says was read 
 that day among them, to have been some other Epis- 
 tle, either of Soter, or of the Church of Rome ; and 
 make use of this very passage, to prove that they had 
 received but one Epistle from St. Clement, nor knew 
 of any other that had been written by him. 
 
 20. And yet Epiphanius(ff) expressly tells us, that 
 this Epistle, no less than the foregoing, was in his 
 time wont to be publicly read in the congregation. 
 And though St. Jerome and Photius speak indeed but 
 meanly of it in those places where they seem to deliv- 
 er the judgment of Eusebius rather than their own 
 opinion ; yet upon other occasions(Zj) they make no 
 exception against the authority of it, but equally as- 
 cribe it to St. Clement with the other, of which there 
 is no doubt. 
 
 21. Having said thus much concerning these two 
 last pieces, with which the present collection is con- 
 cluded ; I have but this to add, that they are both of 
 them now first of all put into our own language, and 
 presented to the perusal of the English reader : the 
 former from the old Latin version, which is by some(c) 
 much complained of, though by others(</) as stiffly 
 defended : the latter from the original Greek, as it 
 was published by Mr. Patrick Young from the Alex- 
 andrian manuscript, the only copy that, for aught ap- 
 pears, does at this day remain of it. 
 
 fzj See Dr. Grabe SpicUeg. torn. 1. page S65. 
 faj Haeres. 27. num 6. 
 
 fbj See Hieron. adv. Jovin. torn. iii. fol. 12. Photius Gcd. 126. in 
 Glem. 
 
 CcJ Bavtliius apud Cotelet. not. in Herm. p. 44. ^ 
 fdj Cotelerius ibid. 
 
OF ST. CLEMENT TO THE CORINTHIANS. 99 
 
 22. If any one shall ask how it came to pass that 
 our learned countryman, Mr. Burton, when he set out 
 the former Epistle of St. Clement in English, did not 
 su!)join this to it ; the answer which himself (f) war- 
 rants us to return, is this : that taking what has been 
 said by the antients before mentioned, in the strictest 
 sense, he looked upon this Epistle as a spurious piece, 
 which though it carried the name of St. Clement, was 
 yet truly na more his, than those constitutions and 
 recognitions, which are also published under the same 
 name, but are generally acknowledged to be none of 
 his, as in the prosecution of this discourse I shall take 
 occasion more fully to shew. 
 
 2:^. As for the Epistle itself, I have concluded it 
 somewhat sooner than the Greek, which yet remains 
 of it, does. But that which I have omitted being only 
 an imperfect piece of a sentence, which would have 
 made the conclusion much more abrupt than it is now ; 
 I chose rather to add what followed here, than to 
 continue it there. And to make the reader the better 
 amends for this liberty, I have not only subjoined what 
 remains of St. Clement, but have endeavoured to 
 make out the sense of what is wanting in our copy 
 from the other Clement, who seems to have followed 
 this original. 
 
 " For the Lord himself being asked by a certain 
 person,(/) when his kingdom should come, answer- 
 ed, when two shall be one, and that which is without 
 as that which is within ; and the male with the fe- 
 male, neither male nor female. Now two are one, 
 when we speak the truth to each other ; and there is, 
 (without hypocrisy,) one soul in two bodies. And 
 that which is without as that which is within ; he 
 means this ; he calls the soul that which is within, and 
 the body that which is without. As therefore thy bo- 
 dy appears, so let thy soul be seen by its good works. 
 And the male with the female, neither male nor fe- 
 
 CeJ Burton's Notes upon St. Clement, p. 94. 
 {/) Clem. Rom. ex. nis. Regie. 
 
100 OF SOME OTHER TREATISES 
 
 male ; He means :(g) he calls our anger the 
 
 male, our concupiscence the female. When there- 
 fore a man is come to such a pass, that he is subject 
 neither to the one nor the other of these ; both of 
 "which through the prevalence of custom, and an evil 
 education, cloud and darken the reason ; but rather 
 having dispelled the mist arising from them, and be- 
 ing full of shame, shall by repentance have united 
 both his soul and spirit in the obedience of reason ; 
 then, as Paul says, there is in us neither male nor fe- 
 male. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THAT THE PIECES HERE PUT TOGETHER ARE ALL THAT 
 REMAIN OF THE MOST PRIMITIVE AND APOSTOLICAL 
 ANTiaUITY. 
 
 That there are several other Treatises pretended to have been 
 ■written within the compass of this period, but none such as truly- 
 come up to it. Of the Epistle of our Saviour Chi'ist to Abgarus, 
 and the occasion of it ; that it is not probable that any such letter 
 was written by him The Epistles ascribed to the Virgin Mary, 
 spurious. So is the Epistle pretended to have been written by St. 
 Paul to the Laodiceans. Of the acts, the gospel, the preaching, 
 and revelations of St. Peter Of the liturgy attributed to St. Mat- 
 thew, and the discourse said to have been written by him con- 
 cerning the nativity of the blessed Virgin. Of the liturgies 
 ascribed to St. Peter, St. Mark, and St. lamps. Of the gospels 
 attributed to several of the Apostles Of the Apostles' creed, 
 and the canons called Apostolical. Of the olhei pieces under the 
 names of St. Clement and St. Ignatius, and particularly of the 
 recognitions and epitome of Clement. Of the History of the life, 
 miracles, and assumption of St John, pretended to have been 
 written by Prochorus, one of the seven Deacons. *.>f the histores 
 of St. Peter and St. Paul, ascribed to Linus, Bishop of Rome. Of 
 the lives of the Apostles, attributed to Abdins, Bishop of Baby- 
 lon. Of the Epistles of St. Martial. Of the Passion of St. An- 
 drew, writien by the Presbyters of Achaia. Of the works 
 ascribed to Dionysius the Areopagite. That, upon the whole, the 
 pieces here put together, are all that remain of the Apostolical 
 times, after tiie books of the holy Scripture. 
 
 1. HAVING said thus much concerning the several 
 pieces here put together, and the authors of them, it 
 
 (g) Ex. Clem. Alexandrin. 
 
FALSELY CALLED APOSTOLICAL. 101 
 
 is time to go on to the other part of this discourse, and 
 consider what may be fit to be observed concerning 
 them all together, as they are now set forth in our 
 own language, in the following collection. 
 
 2. Now the first thing that may be fit to be taken 
 notice of is, that the following collection is truly what 
 the title pretends it to be, a full and perfect collection 
 of all the genuine writings that remain to us of the 
 Apostolical Fathers ; and carries on the antiquity of 
 the church, from the time of the holy Scripture of the 
 New Testament, to about one hundred and fifty years 
 after Christ. 
 
 3. To make this the more evident, it will be neces- 
 sary, for me to consider, what those other writings are 
 which some have endeavoured to raise up into the rank 
 of Apostolical antiquity, and shew that they are indeed 
 writings either of no credit nor authority at all, or at 
 least not of such as they are falsely pretended to be. 
 And to the end I may proceed the more clearly in this 
 inquiry, I will divide the several now to be examined 
 into the three following ranks : the first, of those 
 which are antecedent to any I have here collected, as 
 being pretended to have been written either by our 
 Saviour Christ himself, or by the Virgin Mary, or by 
 the Apostles. The second, of such other tracts as are 
 ascribed to some of those Fathers whose genuine re- 
 mains I have here put together. And the third, of 
 such pieces as are said to liave been written by some 
 other authors who lived in the Apostolical times ; and 
 wrote, if we will believe some men, several books 
 much more considerable than any I have here collected. 
 
 4 Of the first of these kinds is that pretended letter 
 of our blessed Saviour to Abgarus, king of Edessa, a 
 little city of Arabia,(//) a part of which country vvas 
 subject to him. Now this may seem to be of so much 
 the better credit, in that Eusebius(/) tells us that he 
 had himself faithfully translated it out of the Syriac 
 
 (A) Vid. Annot. Valessii in Euseb. p. 18, 19. 
 (i) Hist. Eccles. lib. i. c. 1 3. 
 
102 OF SOME OTHER TREATISES 
 
 language, as he found it in the archives of Edessa. 
 Nor was it long after, that Ephi*9em,(/r) a deacon of 
 that church, made mention of this communication 
 between our Saviour and Abgarus, as the occasion of 
 the first conversion of that place ; and exhorted his 
 people upon that account, the rather to hold fast to 
 their holy profession, and to live worthy of it. Eva- 
 grius(/) who wrote about two hundred years after 
 this, not only confirmed all that had been said by 
 both these, but added, from Procopius, several other 
 circumstances, unknown, for aught appears to either 
 of them ; particularly, that of the impression which 
 our Saviour had made of his face upon a napkin, and 
 eent to that prince ; which he tells us, was of no small 
 advantage to them in the defence of their town against 
 Chosroes, king of Persia, who by this means was hin- 
 dered from taking of it. How this circumstance 
 came to be added to this relation, or by whom it was 
 first invented I cannot tell. But that both the inter- 
 course reported by Eusebius between our Saviour and 
 this prince, and the report of this picture being 
 brought to him, have been received as a matter of un- 
 questionable truth in those parts, the authority of 
 Gregorius Abulpharius(w) will not suffer us to doubt : 
 who in his history published by our learned Dr. Po- 
 cock, both recites the letters, and records the story in 
 terms very little different from what the Greek writers 
 before mentioned, have done. 
 
 5. And now, since the addition of this new circum- 
 stance, to the old account of this matter ; it is not to be 
 wondered if the patrons of images among the Greeks, 
 from henceforth contended with all earnestness for the 
 truth of both. Insom.uch that we find they ins^tituted 
 a particular festival in memory of it, August the 16th. 
 and transcribed at large the whole history of this ad- 
 venture into their Menaeon, and recited it upon it. 
 
 (k) Testam. S. Ephraem inter. Oper. p. 788. 
 (I) Evagrii Hist. Eccles. lib. iv. cap. 27. 
 (;u) Hist. Dynast. Lat. page 71, 72. 
 
FALSELY CALLED APOSTOLICAL. 103 
 
 6. It is, I suppose, upon the same account that 
 some of our late authors, though they do not care to 
 assert the truth of this story, are yet unwilling to de- 
 ny all credit to it. Baronius(o) reports both the rela- 
 tion and the Epistle from Eusebius, but will not an- 
 swer for the truth of either. Spondanus(/>) delivers 
 the same from the Cardinal, that he had done from 
 Eusebius, and passes no censure either one way or 
 other upon it : only in his margent he observes that 
 Gretser, the Jesuit, in his discourse of images, &c. had 
 vindicated the authority of our Saviour's Epistle to 
 Abgarus, from the exceptions of Casaubon in his ex- 
 ercitations upon Baronius against it. Gerard Vossi- 
 us(^) in his scholia upon the testament of St. Ephraem, 
 contents himself to refer us to the authority of the 
 antients for the truth of this relation ; who, he pre- 
 tends, did without controversy look upon it to be au- 
 thentic. And Valesius himself(r) though he plainly 
 enough shews that he was not out of all doubt con- 
 cerning the truth of this story, yet neither does he 
 utterly reject it ; but rather endeavours to rectify 
 those errors that seemed the most considerable in it. 
 
 7. But others, even of the Church of Rome, have 
 not observed so much caution in this particular. They 
 roundly stand by the censure of Pope Gelasius(5) 
 who pronounced this Epistle of our Saviour's to be 
 Apocryphal : and not only shew by many probable 
 arguments the falseness of it ; but what is yet more, 
 pass the same censtire upon the story of the image 
 too that Casau!jon(?) had done, notwithstanding all 
 that Gretser could say in favour of. Natalis Alexan- 
 der(//) delivers this conclusion concerning it : the 
 Epistle of Abgarus to our Saviour, and his answer to 
 
 (o) Annal Eccl. ann. 31. num. 60. 
 (//.) Epitom. Annal. Barnn. Annal. 31, num. 22. 
 (cj) Annot. ad Oper. Ephrxm. Syr. page 796. 
 (7') Annot. in Euseb. hist. Eccles. page 25. a. 
 (.?) Apud Gratian. Dist. 15. c. c. bimon hist. Crit. d^u n. t. chap, 
 •iii. page 23. 
 
 it) Exoeit. in Barpn. 13. §31, page 289. 
 in) ScecuL i. vpI. i. page 266. 
 
104 OP SOME OTHER TREATISES 
 
 it, are suppositious and apocriphal ; and at large an- 
 swers all that is usually urged in favour of them. And 
 Du Pin(.r) after him, yet more solidly convinces it of 
 such manifest errors, as may serve to satisfy all con- 
 sidering persons, that E use bins and Ephraem were 
 too easy of belief in this particular ; and did not suf- 
 ficiently examine into it, when they delivered that as 
 a certain truth, which from several circumstances ap- 
 pears to have been evidently otherwise. 
 
 8. I shall not need to say any thing of the opinions 
 of the learned men of the reformed reUgion(y) as to 
 this matter, who generally agree in the same censure. 
 But yet seeing both Eusebius and St. Ephrsem have 
 spoken with such confidence of this story, whose au- 
 thority ought not to be lightly esteemed ; I shall chuse 
 rather the middle sort,(2) to leave it to every one to 
 judge as he pleases, than determine any thing in this 
 case. And that they may the better do it, 1 will sub- 
 join at length the two Epistles, as they are rendered 
 by Eusebius from the original Syriac into Greek ; and 
 from him translated into our own tongue. 
 
 THE EPISTLE OF AEGARUS TO OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR. 
 
 9. " Abgarus Prince of Edessa, to Jesus the good 
 Saviour, who has appeared in the country about Je- 
 rusalem, Health. I have received an account of thee, 
 and thy cures, how without any medicines or herbs 
 they are done by thee. For report says, that thou 
 makest the blind to see, the lame to walk ; that thou 
 cleansest the lepers, and easiest out unclean spirits 
 and devils, and healest those who have laboured un- 
 der long diseases, and raisest up the dead. And hav- 
 ing heard all this concerning thee, I have concluded 
 
 r (.r) Nouvelle Bibl. vol. i. page 1. 
 
 (y) Vid apud Basnagium Exercit. hist. Crit. in Barori. ad ann 
 43, num. 18, page 430. 
 
 (r) Casaubon. Exerc, in Baron. 13, page 289. Montacutius Orig. 
 Eccles. torn. i. part. 2, page 63. Cav. hist. literaria, § i. p. 1, in 
 .Tesu Christo. 
 
FALSELY CALLED APOSTOLICAL. 105, 
 
 with myself one of these two things ; either that thou 
 art God, and that being come down from heaven, 
 thou doest all these mighty works ; or that thou art 
 the Son of God, seeing thou art able to perform such 
 things. Wherefore by this present letter I entreat 
 thee to come unto me, and to cure me of the infirmity 
 that lies upon me. For I have also heard that the 
 Jews murmur against thee, and seek to do thee mis- 
 chief. For I have a small but fair city, which may 
 be sufficient both for thee and me." 
 
 THE ANSWER OF OUR SAVIOUR TO AEGARUS. 
 
 10. Abgarus, thou art blessed, in that though thou 
 hast not seen me, thou hast yet believed in me. For 
 it is written concerning me, that those who have seen 
 me should not believe in me, that so they v^lio have 
 not seen me, might believe and live. As for what 
 thou hast written unto me, that I should come to thee, 
 it is necessary that all those things for which I was 
 sent, should be fulfilled by me in this place : and that 
 having fulfilled them, I should be received up to him 
 that sent me. When therefore I shall be received in- 
 to Heaven, I will send unto thee some one of my 
 disciples, who shall both heal thy distemper, and give 
 life to thee, and to those that are with thee." 
 
 11. Having said thus much concerning this pre- 
 tended intercourse between our Saviour Christ and 
 this Prince, I should in the next place mention the 
 letters ascribed to his mother, the blessed Virgin Ma- 
 ry, but that there is not the least shadow of truth to 
 give credit to them ; nor any arguments brought in 
 favour of them, that may deserve a refutation. I 
 shall therefore say nothing to these, but pass on with- 
 out any more ado, to those pieces which have been 
 attributed either to some particular Apostle or Evan- 
 gelist ; or else are pretended to have been composed 
 by the whole college of the Apostles together. 
 
 12. Of the former kind is the Epistle of St. Paul 
 
 1-1 
 
106 OF SOME OTHER TREATISES 
 
 to the Laodiceans, set out by Hutter in his Polyglott 
 New Testament, and inserted by Sixtus Senensis mto 
 his Bibliotheque,(a) together with the other Epistles 
 that are in like manner pretended, though without 
 any just ground, to have passed between the same 
 Apostle and Seneca the philosopher. Now that 
 which gave occasion to the forging of such an Epis- 
 tle was, that St. Paul himself seems to speak, Co- 
 loss, iv. 16, as if he had written an Epistle to that 
 Church. For having commanded the Colossians when 
 they should have read the Epistle which he wrote to 
 them, to cause it to be read in the Church of the Lao- 
 diceans ; he adds, that they likewise should read the 
 Epistle from Laodicea. But not to mention that St. 
 Paul's words may be understood of an Epistle writ- 
 ten from Laodicea, (Z*) (as Theophylact(c) thinks the 
 first Epistle to Timothy ; which nevertheless, I sup- 
 pose, was written after that to the Colossians ;) or of 
 an Epistle written by the Apostle to some other 
 Church, but ordered to be communicated to the Lao- 
 diceans ; as the second Epistle to the Corinthians was 
 directed, not only to that one place, but to all the 
 Churches of Achaia, 2 Cor. i. 4. and as in the very 
 passage under debate, the Epistle to the Colossians is 
 ordered to be sent to the Laodiceans, and to be read 
 in the Church there : I say, not to insist upon these 
 explications, there are reasons sufficient to induce 
 one to believe that the Epistle to the Ephesians, as it 
 now is, and was very early intituled, was originally 
 inscribed to the Laodiceans ; this at least is sure, that 
 it is so called by Marcion, who though a rank here- 
 tic, and reproved by Tertullian as a falsifier of the ti- 
 tle of an Apostolical Epistle, yet in a matter of this 
 nature, may be admitted to give his evidence ; espe- 
 cially considering that he lived within three-score years 
 after this Epistle was written. 
 
 fa J Bibl. Sanct. lib. ii, in Paulo. Add. Frassenium Disq. BibJic. 
 page, 731, &c. 
 fbj So Chrvsostom and Thedoret. 
 fcj Theophylact in loc. 
 
FALSELY CALLED APOSTOLICAL. 107 
 
 13. But to suppose that this Epistle was primarily 
 written to the Kphesians, yet this does not hinder but 
 that St. Paul might have ordered it to be communi- 
 cated, as to other Churches, so in particular to that 
 of Laodicea ; and from thence to be sent on to the 
 Colossi ans ; which as I have before observed, will suf- 
 ficiently answer all that can be collected from the pas- 
 sage produced out of his Epistle to them. Now that 
 which favours this conjecture is, that Ephesus was in 
 those days looked upon, even in the civil account of 
 the empire, as the chief city and metropolis of Lesser 
 Asia. Here it was that the Emperors(Gf) ordered their 
 edicts relating to that province, to be published ; in 
 like manner, as we rind in several laws of the Theo- 
 dosian Code,(f) that they were wont to be proposed at 
 Rome for Italy, and at Carthage for Africa. Here 
 the common councils of Asia assembled : and to 
 name no more, here the public sports, and sacred 
 rites, &c.(/) that concerned the whole community of 
 that province, were usually transacted. Hence St. 
 Chrystosome(^) calls it, in express terms, the metropolis 
 of Asia ; and in the order of the Metropolitan Church- 
 esj{k) it is accordingly stiled the first, and most honour- 
 able of Asia. 
 
 14. And much greater was the respect which it had 
 with relation to Ecclesiastical matters ; both as it was 
 a Church founded by St. Paul,(?) and as it was the 
 seat of the beloved disciple St John, who continued 
 there to the very time of Trajan, above 100 years 
 after Christ. Hence Tertullian(A-) directing those 
 who were desirous to know what the true faith of 
 Christ was, to inquire among the chiefest Churches 
 in every part, what had been delivered to them, and 
 was the faith received and taught amongst them ; 
 
 CdJ Vid. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. iv. c. 13. 
 
 (e) id. Annot. Vales, in Euseb. page 60. a. 
 
 (yj Vid. Obs. Menag. in Diog, Laert. page 23, b. Edit. 4. 
 
 (,§•) Arg. in Epist. ad Epiies. (A) Ad calcem Codini. 
 
 fij Acts xviii. 19. xix. 1, 10. 
 
 (&) TertuU. de Prxscript. cap. xxxvi. page iil5. 
 
108 OF SOME OTHER TREATISES 
 
 bids them if they were in Italy go to Rome ; if in 
 Achaia, to Corinth ; if in Macedonia, to PhiUppi ; if 
 in Asia, to Ephesus : insomuch that, as Evagrius tells 
 us,(/) the Bishop of Ephesus had a Patriarchal power 
 within the diocese of Asia, until the time of the fourth 
 general council. And long after that, Theodorus Bi- 
 shop of this See, subscribing to the acts of the sixth 
 general council, calls himself Bishop of Ephesus, the 
 metropolis of the province of Asia. And even in the 
 times of which we are now discoursing, St. John 
 writing to the seven Churches of Asia, (of which La- 
 odicea was one) places Ephesus(»2) at the head of them 
 as that which had the precedence of all the rest in 
 those parts. 
 
 1 5. Nor is it any small confirmation of this opinion, 
 that when St. Paul passed through Asia to Jerusalem, 
 we read, Acts 20. that having not time to go himself 
 to Ephesus, he ordered the Elders of that Church to 
 meet him at Miletus, and there gave his last charge to 
 them. Now who those Elders were we are plainly 
 told, V. 28. They were the Bishops of that Church. 
 But it is certain, that in those days there was but one 
 Bishop, properly so called, in a Church at one time : 
 and therefore these could not be the Bishops of that 
 city alone, (;z) but must have been rather the Bishop of 
 Ephesus, together with the Bishops of the other neigh- 
 bouring Churches within that district : and it was pro- 
 bably Timothy, who now came at the head of them. 
 And what kind of Bishop he was, St. Paul's Epistles 
 will not suffer u& to doubt : he was indeed a Bishop 
 over other Bishops ; the first, to say no more, of all 
 the Bishops in those parts. 
 
 16. Seeing then such was the prerogrative, which 
 the Church of Ephesus had from the beginning, over 
 all the other Churcl\es of the Asian diocese ; and that 
 St. Paul himself had first planted Christianity there : 
 and seeing it appears from the ppmmand which he 
 
 (/) Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. c. vi. page 339. 
 
 (jti) Rev. i. 11. ii. ^. ('71J IrenKus, lib. iii. c, 14. 
 
FALSELY CALLED APOSTOLICAL. 109 
 
 gave to the Colossians, chap. iv. 16. to cause the 
 Epistle which he had written to them, to be read in 
 the Church of the Laodiceans, that he was wont to 
 order the Epistles which he wrote to one Church, to 
 be sent to, and read in the others that were near unto 
 it : seeing, lastly, we are told both by Tertullian and 
 Epiphanius(o) that the Epistle to the Ephesians, was 
 antiently called by some the Epistle to the Laodiceans; 
 I think it may not be improbable, but that by the 
 Epistle from Laodicea, he may have meant the Epis- 
 tle which he wrote to the Ephesians,(/)) at the same 
 time, and by the same person that he wrote to the 
 Colossians ; and which being from them communi- 
 cated to the Laodiceans, might be ordered by St Paul 
 to be sent on to the Colossians, who were a neighbour 
 Church to Laodicea, and afterwards subject to it as 
 their Metropolitane. 
 
 17. But whatever becomes of this conjecture ; 
 whether by the Epistle from Laodicea we are to un- 
 derstand some Epistle written from that place, and 
 that either by St. Paul to some other Church or per- 
 son, or by the Laodiceans to him ;(q) or whether we 
 are to understand by it some Epistle that was to be 
 communicated from thence to the Colossians, which 
 seems to me the more probable, and particularly that 
 which he wrote by Tychicus to the Ephesians, at the 
 same time that he wrote by him to the Colossians : 
 certain it is that the Epistle now extant under that ti- 
 tle is none of St. Paul's writing ; but is made up of 
 several parcels of his genuine Epistles, and the ex- 
 pressions contained in them. 
 
 18. It would be endless to insist upon all the other 
 spurious pieces of the like kind that have been attri- 
 buted to this great Apostle. It is sufficient to observe, 
 
 Co ) TertuU. adv. Marcion. lib. v. c. xvii. page 481. Epiphaii. 
 Hajres. xlii. num. xii. 
 
 C/iJ Vid. L'Histoire Critique de Monsieur Simon sur le N. T. 
 c. XV. p. 116. See Dr. Mill's Prolegom. ad. N. T. p. ix. 
 
 CgJ Frasseiiius Disq. Bibiic. page 730, 731. 
 
no OP SOME OTHER TREATISES 
 
 that neither Eusebius,(r) nor St. Jerome(5) knew any 
 thing more of his writing than what we have in those 
 Epistles tliat are still extant in our Bibles under his 
 name, except it were the Kpistle to the Hebrews ; 
 which though doubted of by some in the primitive 
 Church, is yet ascribed to him by Eusebius, who ex- 
 pressly accounts 14 of his Epistles, and speaks of that 
 to the Hebrews as his ; though he adds, that being 
 not received by the Church of Rome, it was by some 
 suspected whether it were indeed the true Epistle of 
 St. Paul. 
 
 19. But much greater is the authority of those sup- 
 positious pieces which the same Eusebius tells us 
 ■were,(/) even in those days, attributed to that other 
 great Apostle, St. Peter, viz. the Acts, the Gospel, 
 the preaching, and the Revelations of St. Peter. Ne- 
 vertheless, seeing he at the same time declares that 
 they were not Catholic, nor universally received ; and 
 since from other Ecclesiastical writers it may be prov- 
 ed that some of them were wholly composed, and 
 others interpolated by heretics, the better to gain 
 thereby credit to their doctrine ; how antient soever 
 they may otherwise be, yet they will not fall within 
 the compass of the present collection : nor indeed is 
 there any thing of them remaining to us, except the 
 names ; and a few fragments, scattered up and down 
 in the quotations that have been made by Ecclesias- 
 tical writers out of them. 
 
 20. To these let me add in the third place, the dis- 
 courses ascribed to St. Matthew,(^/) the first of the 
 Evangelists. Two books there are still remaining 
 under his name ; a liturgy pretended to have been 
 composed by him, and a discourse concerning the na- 
 tivity of the blessed Virgin : but both rejected by 
 learned men, as the works of some impostor, many 
 
 (^7' J Euseb. Hist Ecc'es. Ecclcs. lib. iii c. 3. 
 
 ffij Hieioii (le Scvipt. Eccles. in S. Paulo 
 
 CO Euseb Hist. Eccles. lib. 3. c. 3 & 25. Com. Hieron. in Catal. 
 Sc!'ipt. Eccles. in S. Petro. 
 
 (ii) Vid. Cave Hist, literar. p. 9. Natal. Alex. S 1, vol. 1. page 85, 
 Du Pin. Bibl. vol. 1, page 21. 
 
FALSELY CALLED APOSTOLICAL. Ill 
 
 ages after the death of that holy Apostle. As for the 
 Liturgies ascribed, in like manner, to some others of 
 the Apostles, namely, to St. Peter, St. Mark, and St. 
 James ; there is not, I suppose, any learned man at 
 this day, who believes them to have been written by 
 those holy men, and set forth in the manner that they 
 are now pubHshed. They were indeed the antient 
 liturgies of the three, if not of the four Patriarchal 
 Churches, viz. the Roman (perhaps that of Antioch 
 too) the Alexandrian and Jerusalem Churches, first 
 founded, or at least governed by St. Peter, St. Mark, 
 and St. James. However, since it can hardly be 
 doubted but that those holy Apostles and Evangelists 
 did give some directions for the administration of the 
 blessed Eucharist in those Churches ; it may reason- 
 ably be presumed that some of those orders are still 
 remaining in those Liturgies which have been brought 
 down to us under their names ; and that those pray- 
 ers wherein they all agree, (in sense at least, if not in 
 words) were first prescribed in the same, or like terms, 
 by those Apostles and Evangelists ; nor would it be 
 difficult to make a farther proof of this conjecture 
 from the writings of the antient Fathers, if it were 
 needful, in this place, to insist upon it. 
 
 21. For what concerns the Gospels set out under 
 the names of several of the Apostles, though some of 
 them are very antient, yet is it generally agreed a- 
 mong the most judicious of all sides, that they were 
 not only not written by those holy persons, but were 
 for the most part set out by suspected authors, and 
 for ill ends after their deaths. 
 
 22. As for the writings of the whole college of 
 Apostles ; two pieces there are, besides the Sy nodical 
 letter spoken of by St. Luke, Acts xv. 23. which not 
 only go under their names, but have been by some as- 
 cribed to them, as the authors of them. And those 
 are, first the creed ; and secondly, the Canons of the 
 Apostles. 
 
 23. For the former of these, the Apostles' Creed, 
 
112 OP SOME OTHER TREATISES 
 
 it has been thought by many that it was so called, not 
 only as being a summary of the Apostles' doctrine, 
 but because it was really composed by them ; and that 
 either in their first assembly after our Lord's resurrec- 
 tion, Acts i. or else immediately before their disper- 
 sion, upon the breaking out of Herod's persecution. 
 Acts xii. which Baronius and others esteem the more 
 probable. It is not my intention to enter on any par- 
 ticular examuiation of this matter, which has been 
 so fully handled, not only by the late critics of the 
 Church of Rome, Natalis Alexander,(.r) Du Pin, &c.(/Q 
 but yet more especially by Archbishop Usher(s) Ger- 
 rard Vossius,(a) Suicer,(i!>) Spanhemius,(c) Tentzeli- 
 us,(rf) and Sam. Basnage,(£') among the Protestants. 
 It shall suffice to say, that as it is not likely, that had 
 any such thing as this been done by the Apostles, St. 
 Luke would have passed it by, without taking the least 
 notice of it ; so the diversity of creeds in the antient 
 Church ; and that not only in expression, but in some 
 whole articles too, sufficiently shews, that the creed 
 which we call by that name, was not composed by 
 the twelve Apostles, much less in the same form in 
 which it now is ; although the articles of it(/) may 
 for the most part have been delivered by the Apostles 
 to their first converts, much in the same order that 
 they now stand, and have been by them confessed at 
 their baptism and on other occasions. 
 
 26. But much less is it probable that the Canons yet 
 extant under their name, were truly compiled by them, 
 but rather as our late pious and learned Bp. Bever- 
 tge has shewn,(^) were a collection of the Canons 
 
 fxj Nat. Alex. § 1, vol. 1. page 490, &c, 
 CyJ Du Pin, Biblioth. Eccles. vol, 1, page 25, 8cc. 
 {z) Diatrib. de Symb. 
 (c'' Voss. Dissert de tribus Symbolis. 
 
 Ciij Suicer. Thesaur Eccles. to. ii. Voceo- t/ju-foAsv p. 1036, &c. 
 (c) Spanhem. In trod ad Hist. Eccles. § ii c. 3. 
 CdJ Erne^.t. Tentzel, exercit. select exercit, 1. 
 frj Sam. Basnage exercit. hist crit. ad ann, 44, num. 17, 18. 
 (/) See Dr. Grnbe Annot- to Bp. Bull's judic. Cath. Eccles. c vi- 
 Ig) Annot. in Pandect, (^anon, Oxon. to. ii. p. !■ id. Codex Canr 
 Vindicat. c. 11, 6cc. 
 
FALSELY CALLED APOSTOLICAL. 113 
 
 made by the councils of the first ages, put together at 
 several times, and finished as we now see them, with- 
 in 300 years after Christ, before the assembhng of 
 the general council of Nice. This is the earliest date 
 that is at present ascribed to them by the most judici- 
 ous writers of the Roman communion, (//) as well as of 
 the reformed religion ; and some there are(/) who 
 will by no means allow them to be so antient, as even 
 this opinion supposes them to be. 
 
 27. It is evident then, that except the holy Scrip- 
 tures, there is nothing remaining of the truly genuine 
 Christian antiquity, more early than those pieces I 
 have here put together. Nor have the authors, whose 
 tracts I have now set forth, any other pieces yet re- 
 maining, besides those that appear in the following 
 collection. Indeed for what concerns tw^o of the 
 Fathers here mentioned, St. Clement and St. Igna- 
 tius ; several treatises there are, and some that may 
 seem much more considerable than any I have sub- 
 joined, that have been sent abroad under the autho- 
 rity of their names, but which are at present univer- 
 sally acknowledged by all learned men not to have 
 been written by them. Such are the constitutions 
 and recognitions of St. Clement ; the collection 
 called from the same Father, the Clementines ; 
 the epitome of Clement ; and the other Epistles 
 ascribed to Ignatius, besides the seven here set 
 out ; which alone were either mentioned by Eusebius, 
 or knov^'n to the Church for some ages after.(A.) 
 
 28. I shall not here enter upon any particular in- 
 quiry when these several pieces were first sent abroad 
 into the world ; or how it came to pass that some even 
 
 (A) Vid. Albaspin. obs. lib. 1. c. 15, page 28 Dc. Marca apud 
 Bevereg. Annot. in Pandect, page 4, mini. xii. Cottier. Not. in PaU: 
 Apostol. page. 327, 328, Du Pin Bibl. Eccles. torn. 1, page 36. Na- 
 tal. Alex. § 1 vol. ii page 138. 
 
 (z) Daille de Pseudep. Apostol. lib. iii. Larroque Observat. in 
 Bevereg Hoornbeck Theolog. Patv. page 35, Sec. 
 
 CkJ See this discussed at large by Bishop Ui^her Dissert, ad Ig- 
 nat. cap. v, vi, xix. page 2. 
 
 [15] 
 
114 OF SOME OTHER TREAllSES 
 
 aiiiong the antients themselves(/) received several of 
 them tor the genuine writings of these holy men ; 
 only corrupted, as many others were, by the here- 
 tics, of those lirst times, the better to give some colour 
 to their errors. I will only observe, that the recogni- 
 tions of St. Clement, not only the most learned, but 
 the most antient too of any of these, as near as we 
 can guess, were not set forth until about the middle 
 of the second century, and are rejected by Eusebius(iw) 
 as none of his, but as one of those many impostures 
 "Which were even then published under his name. 
 And for the rest, though some of them have been an- 
 tient too, yet it is evident that none of them come up 
 to the period of which I am now speaking, nor even 
 to the age of the recognitions before mentioned.(;z) 
 
 29. As for the epitome of St. Clement, Cotelerius(o) 
 esteems it to have been yet later than any of the rest. 
 Perhaps it was collected by Metaphrastes, whom I 
 tiake to have been the author of the martyrdom of 
 that holy man, set out by Surius(/>) and Allatius(y) 
 and reprinted by Cotelerius at the end of the works 
 ascribed to St. Clement This is certain, that it was 
 composed in some of the latter ages, as was also the 
 account of the miracle pretended to have been wrought 
 at his martyrdom, which goes under the name of 
 Ephraem, Archbishop of Cherson ; where (if Du 
 Pin(r) be not mistaken) there never was any. And 
 this Cotelerius seems to have been aware of, and 
 therefore in his annotations upon this relation, calls 
 
 (0 Epiphan. Hxres. 30. Ruffinus de Ac'ul erat. libr. Origen. 
 Tract. 35, in Mai-tli<uum, Author Oper. Impeifect. in Marth. inter, 
 Oper. Chrysost, ad Mat, 10, 8c 24. 
 
 C!7iJ Vid Cotclcr. Not. in Script, pp. Apost. page 343. Natal. 
 Alex. § i. torn. i. page 126. Du Pin Bibl. vol. i page SO, 81. 
 
 fnj Coteler Annot. in Scrii:>t. pp. Apost. page 113. A, 115. D. 403. 
 A. 431. C. D. Sixt. Senens Biblioth. lib. ii. in Clement. Possevin. 
 Apparat. page 328. Bellarm. de Script. § i. in Clement. Natal.. 
 Alex § i. torn. i. page 129 Id. ibid. cap. de St. Ignut. page 139. Du. 
 Pin Biblioth. page 81» 83, 102, &c. 
 
 foj Not3E in bcript. pp. Apost. page 431. c. d. 
 
 (p) Surius ad Nov. xxiii. 
 
 (q) AUatius in Diatrib. de Symeonnm Scriptis. 
 
 (r) Du Pin Biblioth. torn. i. page 89, 1. 
 
FALSELY CALLED APOSTOLICAL. 1^5 
 
 3aim Archbishop, or Bishop of Cherson. Now that 
 there was such a Bishop, appears both from the an- 
 tieiit Notified of the province of Europe(5) under the 
 Patriarch of Constantmopte; and from the subscrip- 
 tion which Peter(/) Bishop of this place made to the 
 Council of Chalcedon, for Cyriacus Archbishop of 
 Heraclea, in whose province that See lay. And the 
 disposition of Leo the 6th(?y) made towards the latter 
 end of the yth century, mentions it among the Arcli- 
 bishoprics subject to the Patriarcli of Constantinople ; 
 to which def^ree therefore about that time, or not long 
 before, it seems to have been raised. 
 
 30. There is nothing then in any of tho~e pieces 
 which make up the rest of Cotelerius's collection, (and 
 are indeed all that still remain under the names of 
 those Fathers of which we are novv^ speaking) that 
 can' with any good grounds be relied upon, as the ge- 
 nuine products of those holy men. Let us see in the 
 last place, whether any of those discourses which 
 have been sent abroad under the names of some oth- 
 ers of the Apostolical Fathers, may deserve to be re- 
 ceived by us, as coming truly from them. 
 
 31. And here I shallin the first place take it for 
 granted, that what those Avho are usually the most 
 fond of such spurious pieces, (I mean the writers of 
 the Church of Rome) have yet almost unanimously re- 
 jected as talse and counterfeit, may securely be laid 
 aside by us, without any farther inquiry into the con- 
 dition of them. Such are the history of the life, mi- 
 racles, and assumption of St. John ; pretended to have 
 been written by Prochorus his disciple, and one of 
 the seven Deacons, chosen by the Church of Jerusa- 
 lem, Acts vi. the histories of St. Peter and St. Paul, 
 said to have been written by Linus, one of the first 
 
 ^Bishops of Rome : the lives of the Apostles, ascribed 
 to Abdias Bishop of Babylon, and supposed to have 
 
 (s) Vid. Geogr. Sacr. aS, Paulo, page 11, 43. 
 
 Ct) Ibid, page 233. in Chersonese. 
 
 (w) Vid. Jus Grjeco-Rom. Francofort. a. 1596, par. i. pag, 83, 
 
116 OF SOME OTHER TKEATISfcS 
 
 been written by him in the Hebrew tongue ; the Epis- 
 tles of St. Martial, who is said to have been one of 
 the 70 disciples appointed by our Saviour, and one 
 of the first preachers of the Gospel in France. These 
 are all so evidently spurious, that even Natalis Alex- 
 ander(;r) himself was ashamed to undertake the de- 
 fence of them ; and not only he but all the other 
 writers of the same Church, Baronius, Bellarmine, 
 Sixtus Senensis, Possevine, Espencaeus, Bisciola, Lab- 
 be, &c. have freely acknowledged the little credit that 
 is to be given to them. 
 
 32. But two pieces there are which Alexander is 
 still unwilling to part with ; though he cannot deny 
 but that the most learned men, even of his own com- 
 munion, have at last agreed in the rejecting of them. 
 And those are, the passion of St. Andrew, written (as 
 is pretended) by the Presbyters of Achaia ; and the 
 works set out under the name of Dionysius the Areo- 
 pagite. 
 
 33. As for the former of these, I confess there have 
 not been wanting many from the 8th century down- 
 wards, who have undertaken the defence of it. 
 Etherius(y) mentioned it about the year 788. Reme- 
 gius after : Peter Damian, Lanfranc, and St. Ber- 
 nard, still later. And in this last age Baronius, Bel- 
 larmine, Labbe, and a few others, have yet more en- 
 deavoured to establish its authority. But then, as 
 Du Pin(s) well observes, we do not find that the an- 
 tients knew of any acts of St. Andrew in particular ; 
 nor are the a.ts we now have, quoted by any before 
 the time of Etherius before mentioned. And yet 
 how they could have escaped the search of the pri>- 
 mitive Fathers, had they been extant in their days, 
 it is hard to imagine. 
 
 34. But much less is the credit that ought to be giv* 
 
 (x) Eccles. Hist. § i. torn. i. page 95, 115. 
 
 (u) Vid. Natal. Alex. § i. torn, i, page 109. Labbe de Script. 
 Eccles. torn. i. page 3, &c. 
 (2) Nouvelle Biblioth. torn, i. page 47, 48. 
 
FALSELY CALLED APOSTOLICAL. 117 
 
 efi to the pretended works of Dionysius the Areopa« 
 gite ; which as Alexander(a) confesses, two very great 
 critics(A) of his own communion, to have denied to 
 have been written by that holy man ; so has a third(c) 
 very lately given such reasons to shew that the writ- 
 higs, now extant under his name, could not have 
 been composed by him, as ought to satisfy every con- 
 sidering person of their imposture. For not to say 
 any thing of what occurs every where in those dis> 
 courses, utterly disagreeable to the state of the Church 
 in the time that Dionysius lived : can it be imagined 
 that if such considerable books as these had been 
 written by him, none of the antients of the first four 
 centuries should have heard any thing of them ? or 
 shall we say that they did know of them, as well as 
 the Fathers that lived after, and yet made no men- 
 tion of them, though they had so often occasion to 
 have done it, as Eusebius and St. Jerome, not to name 
 any others, had ? 
 
 35. In short, one of the first times that we hear of 
 them, is in the dispute between the Severians and Ca- 
 tholics about the year 532, when the former produced 
 them in favour of their errors, and the latter rejected 
 them as books utterly unknown to all antiquity, 
 and therefore not worthy to be received by them. 
 
 36. It is therefore much to be wondered, that after 
 so many arguments as have been brought to prove how 
 little right these treatises have to such a primitive an- 
 tiquity ; nevertheless, not only Natalis Alexander, 
 but a man of much better judgment, I mean Emanuel 
 Schelstrat,(rf) the late learned keeper of the Vatican 
 library, should still undertake the defence of them. 
 When they were written, or by what author, is very 
 
 fa J Natal. Alex. § i. vol. i. page 136. Labbe de Script, torn. i. 
 in Dionysio. 
 
 fbj He might have added several others; see Bellarrn. de Script, 
 page 56. - 
 
 ("cj Du Pin Novelle Biblioth torn. i. page 90. 
 • C<iJ Vid. Cave Hist. lit. § iv. page 177. 
 
118 OF SOME OTHER TREATISES, &C. 
 
 tincertain : but as Bishop Pearson(f^) supposes them 
 to have been tirst set forth about the latter end of Eu- 
 sebius's hfe , so Dr, Cave(/) conjectures, that the el- 
 der Apollinarius may very probably have been the au- 
 thor of them. Others there are(^) who place them 
 yet later, and suspect Pope Gregory the great to have 
 had a hand in the forgery. And indeed the argu- 
 ments which our very learned Mr. Dodwell(/z) brings 
 to prove that they were originally written by one of 
 the Roman Church, are not without their just weight. 
 But whatever becomes of this, thus much is certain, 
 that these books were not written before the middle of 
 the 4th century, and therefore are without the com- 
 pass of the present undertaking. 
 
 37. And now having taken such a view as was ne- 
 cessary for the present design, of all those other 
 pieces which have been obtruded upon the world for 
 Apostolical writings, besides what is either here col- 
 lected, or has been before published in the sacred 
 books of the New Testament ; I suppose I may w ith 
 good grounds conclude, that the little I have now put 
 together, is all that can with any certainty be depend- 
 ed upon, of the most primitive Fathers : and therefore 
 that from these, next to the holy Scriptures,' we must 
 be content to draw the best account we can of the 
 doctrine and discipline of the Church, for the first 
 hundred years after the death of Christ. 
 
 (e) Vindic Ignat, part i. c. 10. 
 
 ( /") Loc. supr. cit. 
 
 (g) Dai lie apud Pearson, loc. supr. cit. 
 
 \h) Dodwell de tSacerdot. Laicor. cap. viii. § iii. page 389. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 QW THE AUTHORITY GF THE FOLLOWING TREATISES, AN55^ 
 THli DEFERENCE THAT OUGHT TO BE PAID TO THEM UPON 
 THE ACCOUNT OF IT. 
 
 This is shewn from the following considerations : — 1. That the au- 
 Ihoi's of them were contemporary with the Apostles, and instruct- 
 ed by them. 2. They were men of an eminent character in the 
 Church ; and therefore to be su.e such as could not be ignorant of 
 what was taught in it. 3. They were very careful to preserve 
 the doctrine of Christ in its purity, and to oppose such as went 
 about to con-upt it. 4. They were men not only of a perfect pi- 
 ety, but of great courage and constancy ; and therefore such as 
 cannot be susj^ected to have had arty design to prevaricate in this 
 vnatter. 5. They were endued v/ith a large portion of the holy 
 Spirit, and as such, could hardly err in what they delivered as a 
 jiecessary part of the Gospel of Christ. And 6. Their writings 
 were approved by the Church ia those days, which could not be 
 mistaken in its approbation of them. 
 
 BUT secondly, and to proceed yet farther : the fol- 
 lowing collection pretends to a just esteem, not only 
 upon the account of its perfection, as it is an entire 
 collection of what remains to us of the Apostolical 
 Fathers, but yet much more from the respect that is 
 due to the authors themselves, whose writings are 
 here put together. 
 
 2. If first, we consider them as the contemporaries 
 of the holy Ai)ostles, some of them bred up under 
 our Saviour Christ himself, and the rest instructed by 
 those great men whom he commissioned to go forth 
 and preach to all the world, (?) and endued with an 
 extraordinary assistance of his blessed spirit for doing 
 of it:{k) we cannot doubt but that what they deliver 
 to us, must be, without controversy, the pure doc- 
 trine of the Gospel ; what Christ and his Apostles 
 taught, and what they had 'themselves received from 
 their own mouths. This is the last deference we can 
 pay to the authors here set forth, to look upon them 
 as the faithful deliverers of the doctrine and practice 
 
 (/) Mat. xxviii. 19. Mark xvi. 15. 
 U-) Luke xxiv. 49. Acts i. 8. Acts ri; > 
 
120 OF THE AYTHORITY 
 
 of the Church in those most early times ; when here- 
 sies were not as yet so openly broke out in it, nor the 
 true faith so dangerously corrupted with the mixture 
 of those erroneous opinions, which afterwards more 
 fatally infected the minds of men, and divided the 
 Church into so many opposite parties and factions. 
 So that here then we may read with security, and let 
 me add, with respect too : and not doubt but that 
 what these holy men deliver to us, in all the funda- 
 mental articles of it, is as certainly the true doctrine 
 of Christ, as if we had received it like them, from 
 our Saviour and his Apostles. 
 
 3. But secondly, the authors of the following pieces 
 had not only the advantage of living in the Apos- 
 tolical times, of hearing the holy Apostles, and con- 
 versing with them, but were most of them persons of 
 a very eminent character in the Church too; men 
 raised up to the highest pitch of dignity and authority, 
 in some of the most famous Churches of the world, 
 chosen by the Apostles to preside in their own proper 
 Sees ; at Rome, at Antioch, at Smyrna ; one of them 
 set apart by the express command of the holy Ghost, 
 to be the companion of St. Paul in his work of the 
 ministry ; and the rest for the most part commended 
 for their rare endowments, in the inspired writings of 
 the holy Scriptures delivered to us. And therefore we 
 may be sure that such men as these must needs have 
 been very carefully instructed in the mystery of the 
 Gospel, and have had a most perfect knowledge of 
 faith as it is in Jesus. 
 
 4. Had they been some ordinary and obscure writ- 
 ers, even of the Apostolical times, men of no note, 
 no authority in the Church ; though still whilst we had 
 a good account of their integrity, the very advantage 
 of the age wherein they lived, would have rendered 
 their discourses justly venerable to us, yet should we 
 not perhaps have been obliged to pay such a defer- 
 ence to their writings, as not to make allowance for 
 some lesser defects, or mistakes* that might have hap- 
 
OF THE FOLLOWING TREATISES. 121 
 
 pened to them. Bat having to do with men, not only 
 instructed in common by the Apostles, with the otiier 
 Christians of those days, but particularly bred up, and 
 instituted by them for the work of the ministry : hav- 
 ing here the writings of men who had attained to such 
 a perfect knowledge in the mystery of godliness, and 
 were judged to have been so well grounded and set- 
 tled in it, as to deserve to be raised up by the Apos- 
 tles themselves to the government of such eminent 
 Churches as those over which these holy men were 
 over seers ; it is plain that we cannot with any reason 
 doubt of what they deliver to us, as the Gospel of 
 Christ ; but ought to receive it, if not with equal ve- 
 neration, yet but with a little less respect than we do 
 the sacred, writings of those who v:ere their masters 
 and instructors. 
 
 5. Yet further, thirdly : the following authors were 
 not only such eminent men, and bred up under such 
 mighty advantages, and so well instructed in the 
 knowledge of the Gospel, as I have now observed; 
 but they were moreover persons of a consummated 
 piety, adorned with all those Christian virtues they 
 so alTectionately recommend to us. But especially, 
 they were zealous watchmen over their Cnuicaes; 
 careful to instruct them in the true faith and doctrine 
 of Christ, and no less careful to preserve them, against 
 the contagion of those heresies, which even in their 
 days began to corrupt- the purity of it. Hence we 
 read with what a holy zeal that blessed martyr Igna- 
 tius first, and then his fellow disciple ,St. Polycarp, set 
 themselves against those who v/ould instil some othex 
 doctrines into the minds of their people, than what 
 the Apostles had delivered unto them : what wise di- 
 rections they gave them for the discovery of such 
 false teachers ;(/) and how earnestly they exhorted 
 them by keeping firm to their respective Bishops and 
 Presbyters, and to the Apostolical doctrine delivered 
 
 (/) Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iii- c. 35, 
 
 , [16] 
 
122 OF THE AUTHORITV 
 
 by them, to prevent their gaining any advantage 
 against them. 
 
 6. With what assurance do they deliver the doc- 
 trine vi^hich they had received ? how confidently do 
 they declare it to be the true doctrine of Christ ? and 
 exhort the Churches to whom they write, nor give any 
 heed to such as would insinuate any other doctrine into 
 their minds ? and how did they themselves shew them 
 by their own examples, how they should avoid such 
 persons ? insomuch that Irenaeus(w) tells us, that if 
 St Polycarp at any time chanced to hear any one de- 
 liver any other doctrine than what he had been taught, 
 he did not only not give any countenance to such a 
 one ; but was wont to stop his ears at him, and cried 
 out with astonishment and grief, good God ! to what 
 times hast thou reserved me, that I shall etidure this ? 
 nay he would not tarry in the same place with such a 
 person, but would leave the house, if he knew that 
 any heretics were in it. 
 
 7. But of the care which these holy men had to 
 keep close in every the least circumstance to the doc- 
 trine and practice of the Apostles, we cannot, I think, 
 desire a fairer instance to convince us, than what JEu- 
 sebius(/2) has recorded of the same blessed martyr. 
 How that hearing of the difference between the 
 Eastern and Western Churches about the time of 
 keeping Easter, he thought it worthy his pains, at an 
 extreme old age, to take a journey as far as Rome 
 for the composing of it. And notwithstanding all 
 that Anicetus, wiio was then Bishop of that Church, 
 could say to move him from his practice ; yet having 
 this ground for it, that St. John was wont to keep 
 Easter as he did, the good man held close to it ; and 
 would not hear of changing a custom, which that 
 blessed Apostle had delivered to him. 
 
 8. And when such was the care which these holy 
 writers had of holding fast, even to the least particu- 
 
 (m) Epist. ad Florinum, apud Euseb. hist. Eccles. lib. v. c. 20. 
 (n) Euseb. hist. Eccles. lib. v. c. 26. 
 
OF THE FOLLOWING TREATISES. 123 
 
 lar of what they received from the Apostles, that 
 they would not comply with the rest of the Church in 
 such an indifferent matter, only because by so doing 
 they should depart from the practice of one of them ; 
 surely we may with confidence depend upon the doc- 
 trine which they deliver, as most pure and genuine ; 
 what our Saviour taught his Apottles, and his Apos- 
 les them. And what Irena3us(o) once said of his 
 master Polycarp, we may with t?qual truth and as- 
 surance apply to all the rest of those Fathers, whose 
 treatises I have here put together ; that they taught 
 evermore what they had received from the Apostles, 
 which also they delivered to the Church, and which 
 only is the true doctrine of Christ. 
 
 9. To this general piety of their lives, and care 
 for the truth and purity of their religion ; let me add 
 fourthly, their courage and constancy inthe maintain- 
 ing of it. How great this was I have already shewn, 
 in the particular accounts which I have given of the ^ 
 several Fathers whose writings are here subjoined. 
 
 It shall suffice in this place to observe, that the most 
 of them, after having spent their lives in a careful ad- 
 ministration of the great charges to which they were 
 called, were at last made perfect by martyrdom, and 
 underwent the most exquisite cruelties with a courage 
 and constancy, worthy both of the religion they pro- 
 fessed, and of the eminent characters which they had 
 obtained in the Church. 
 
 10. Now though this does not immediately argue 
 the purity of their doctrine, yet being added to what 
 I have before observed, it will give us a new ground 
 to rely upon the truth of what they deliver. For since 
 we cannot reasonably doubt but that such persons as 
 these, must needs have known what the doctrine of 
 the Apostles was, and have been perfectly instructed 
 in that religion which they were esteemed able and 
 worthy to preach to others ; we have in this a clear 
 
 . foj Iren. adv. Hares, lib. iii- c. 3. 
 
124 OF THE AUTHOaiTY 
 
 demonstration of their integrity both in their toaching 
 ana wriiing of it ; and must conclude that they who 
 lived oUch excellent lives, and took so much pains in 
 the minibtry of the Gospel; who stuck with such 
 firmness to it, notwirhstanuing all the endeavours of 
 their enemies to the contrary ; ana chose rather to 
 undergo the most bitter deaths than they would in 
 any wise depart from it ; have doubtless dealt most 
 upnghily in thi.^ matter, and delivered nothing to us 
 but vvtiat they took for the true doctrine of C hrist, 
 and what therefore we may conclude undoubtedly 
 was so. 
 
 1 1. Such good reason have we upon all these ac- 
 counts to look upon the writings of these holy men, 
 as containing the pure and uncorrupted doctrine of 
 our blessed baviour and his Apostles. But now, fifth- 
 ly, and to advance yet higher : these writers were not 
 only thus qualitied by these ordinary means, to deliver 
 ^the Gospel of Christ to us, but in all probability were 
 endued with the extraordinary assistance of the Holy 
 Spirit too. So that what they teach us, is not to be 
 looked upon as a mere traditionary relation of what 
 had been delivered to them, but rather as an authori- 
 tative declaration of the Gospel of Christ to us; 
 though indeed as much inferior to that of the Apos- 
 tles and Evangelists, as both their gifts and their com- 
 mission were inferior to theirs. 
 
 12. For first, that the extraordinary gifts of the 
 Holy SyAnt with which the Apostles were endued, and 
 which the holy Scriprures(/>) themselves tell us were 
 in those days distributed to other believers as well as 
 nnto them ; continued still in the Church after their 
 departure, we have the express testimony of Justin 
 M-irtyr,(.^) on..* of the most antient writers after those 
 I have here subjoined, to assure us. They were com- 
 
 rpj See 1 Cor. iv. 12. Ephes. i. 6, 2cc. Acts viii. 14, 17. xix 
 6, Sec. 
 
 fr/J Vid. Euseb. hist. Eccles. lib. iv, c. 15. Just- Mart. Dial. cum. 
 Try ph. p. 308. 
 
OF THE FOLLOWING TREATISES. 125 
 
 municated not only to men, but women.(r) And that 
 ■we may be sure he spake noihiiig in this matter bat 
 what he could undeniaoiy have made out, we find 
 him boasting of it against Trypho the Jew, and urg- 
 hig It as an unansweraoie argument in behalf of Chris- 
 tianity, and against the Jews, from whom these gifts 
 had a long time been departed. And even in the 
 Fathers, whose writings are here put together, there 
 appear sutficient indications of the continuance of 
 these extraordinary powers. 
 
 1 3. This St. Clement(5) manifestly declares in his 
 first Epistle to the Corinthians : he tells us that some 
 in that Church not only had such gifts, but were even 
 proud and conceited upon the account of them. Let 
 a man, says he, have taith, i, e. such a faith by which 
 he is able to work miracles ;(j^) let him be powerful to 
 utter mystical knowledge ; (for to that his expression 
 manifestly refers ;) let him be wise in discerning of 
 speeches ; another gift common in those times : but 
 still, says he, by how much the more he seems to ex- 
 cel otiiers, viz. upon the account of these extraordinary 
 endowments, by so much the more will it behove him 
 to be humble minded, and to seek what is profitable to 
 all men, and not to his own advantage. And St. Ig- 
 natius not only supposes(//) that such gifts might be 
 in others, but plainly intimates that he hiinself(.r) was 
 endued with a large portion of them. 
 
 14. Which being so, we cannot doubt (secondly) 
 but that, as it was most reasonable, both the Apostles 
 Were careful to set those in the chiefest places of hon- 
 our and authority in their several Churches, who were 
 the most eminent for these gifts ; and that God was 
 altio pleased to grant to such persons a more than or- 
 dinary portion of the holy Spirit, for the better dis- 
 charge of those eminent places to w hich they were 
 called. 
 
 CrJ Ibid, page 315. (.9) See below, c. xlviii. 
 
 {t . Clem. Alex birom. 1. vi. Hist. Ec'les lib. ii c. i. p. 30. 
 iu) See his ^>uhit^.tion to the Smyniicaiis. 
 (xj Epist. to the Philadelph. § vii. To the. Tralliaiis, § v. 
 
126 OF THE AUTHORITY 
 
 15. Concerning the former of these, we are told 
 by St. Paul, Acts vi. that when the Apostles thougiit 
 it necessary to establish a new order of ministers in 
 the Church, that might take care of those things which 
 they who were of a higlier rank could not iind leisure 
 to attend to, though their ministry were of the lowest 
 order, and which required much lesser capacities in 
 those who were to discharge it than theirs whose busi- 
 ness it was to govern and instruct the Church of Christ, 
 yet they particularly laid it down to the brethren, as 
 one of the qualifications that was to be required in 
 those whom they chose for that purpose, that they 
 should be men well approved of, full of the Holy 
 Spirit and of wisdom, v. 3. And of one of them, viz. 
 St.Stephen, it is particularly observed, v. 8. That he was 
 full of power, and did signs and great wonders among 
 the people. And when the Jews disputed against him, 
 we read, v. 1 0. That they were not able to stand 
 against the wisdom and spirit by which he spake. 
 
 16. Now if such were the care which they took in 
 the choice of those who were to be admitted into the 
 lowest ministry of the Church, w^e cannot doubt but 
 that they were certainly much more careful not to ad- 
 mit any into the highest ranks of honour and authority 
 in it, but what were in a yet more eminent manner 
 endued with the same gifts. Hence St. Clement(y) 
 tells us that the Apostles did prove by the Spirit the 
 first fruits of their conversions, and out of them set 
 Bishops and Pastors over such as should believe. By 
 which we must understand one of these two things, 
 and very probably they were both meant by it : either 
 that the Apostles made use of their own extraordinary 
 gift of the Spirit (one use(is) of which was to discern 
 and try the spirits of others) in choosing persons fitly 
 qualified for the w^ork of the ministry ; or else, that 
 by the extraordinary gifts of those whom they pitched 
 upon, they perceived that they were worthy of such 
 
 (t/) Clem. Epist. numb- xliii, xliv. (z) 1 Cor. xiL 10. Heb- iv. 12. 
 
OF THE FOLLOWING TREATISES. 127 
 
 an employ, and therefore chose them out for it. And 
 the otner Clement(rt) yet more plainly speaks the same 
 thing : that St. John being returned from his banish- 
 ment in Patmos, went about the country near unto 
 Ephesus, both to form and settle Churches where he 
 saw occasion, and to admit into t\\e order of the Clergy, 
 such as were marked out to him by the Spirit. 
 
 17. And then for the other thing observed, it is clear 
 that the very imposition of hands, did in those days 
 confer the holy Spirit in an extraordinary manner, 
 upon those who were ordained to the ministry of the 
 Gospel. This St. Paul intimates to Timothy, where 
 he exhorts him to stir up, ^9 ;t«?'e-/«'«» the gift, /. e. the 
 extraordinary power of the holy Spirit, which, says 
 he, is in thee by the imposition of my hands, 2 Tim. 
 i. 6. And would you know how this ceremony of 
 setting him apart for such a service came to endue him 
 with such an extraordinary power ? the same Apostle 
 will tell you, 1 Tim. iv. 14. that it was given unto him 
 by prophecy ; with, or through, the imposition of 
 hands upon him. That is to say ; God, who by his 
 Prophets had before designed and marked him out for 
 that great office, I Tim. i. 18. upon the actual admis- 
 sion of him into it by the outward rite of laying on of 
 hands, and upon the solemn prayers that were then 
 withal made for him, did bestow the gifts of his 
 blessed Spirit in an extraordinary manner upon him. 
 
 18. Now this as it will give us a good ground to 
 conclude that those holy men, whose w ritings we have 
 here collected, were endued with a large portion of 
 the. extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost ; whether 
 we consider the frequency of those endowments in 
 the age in which they lived, or the extraordinary 
 strictness and piety of their lives,, or the greatness of 
 those stations to which they were called in the Church; 
 or lastly, the judgment which the Apostles, who called 
 them to those high offices, were by the Spirit enabled 
 
 (a) Clem. Alex, c.e Divit. Salv Tium, xlii. Fuse*?- Hist. Ecc'efe, 
 Jib. iii. c. i23. - ' ' 
 
128 OF THK AUTHORITY 
 
 to make them. So (thirdly) if we look to those ac- 
 counts which still remain to us of them, ihey will 
 plainly shew us that they were endued, and that in a 
 very eminent manner, witti this power and gift of the 
 blessed Spirit. 
 
 19. Of Barnabas, the holy Scripture itself bears 
 ■witness, that he was a good man, full of the Holy 
 Ghost and of faith, Acts xi. 24. Herrnas is another 
 of whom St. Paul himself makes mention, Rom. xvi. 
 14. as an early convert to Christianity ; and what ex- 
 traordinary revelations he had, and how he foretold 
 the troubles that were to come upon the Churcti, his 
 following visions sutficiently declare. 
 
 20. Clement is not only spoken of by the same 
 Apostle, but with this advantageous ciiaracter too, 
 that he was the fellow labourer of that great man, and 
 had his name written in the book ol life, Phil. iv. 3. 
 And when we shall consider how much the lesser and 
 worser men of these gifts were usually communicated 
 at that time, we can hardly think that so excellent a 
 man, and the companion of so great an Apostle, em- 
 ployed first in the planting of the Gospel with him, 
 and then set to govern one of the most considerable 
 Churches in the world, should have been desticute 
 of it. 
 
 21. As for St. Ignatius, I have before observed that 
 he had this gift, and by the help of it, warned the 
 Philadelphians(3) i gainst falling into those divisions 
 which he foresaw were about to rise up among^;t thv^m. 
 
 22. Polycarp not only prophesied of his own death(c) 
 but spake oftentimes of things that were to come, and 
 has this witness from the whole Church of Smyrna^ 
 that nothing of all he foretold ever failed of coming 
 to pass according to his prediction. 
 
 23. It remains thv°n that the holy men whose writ- 
 ings are here subjoined, were not only instructed by 
 
 Cb) Epist. to the Philadelphians, c vii. Add. the martyrdom of 
 Ignatius, num. xii. 
 
 (cj Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. v. c. 20. p. 153. a. 
 
0P THE FOLLOWING TREATISES. 1 29 
 
 such as were inspired, but were themselves, in some 
 measure, inspired too : at least were endued with tJie 
 extraordmary gifts ot the Holy Ghost, for the better 
 fulliliing of those great offices to which God had 
 called them in his Church. And therefore we must 
 conclude, that they were not only not mistaken in 
 what they deliver to us as the Gospel of Christ, but, 
 in all the necessary parts of it, were so assisted by the 
 Holy Ghost as hardly to have been capable of being 
 mistaken in it. By consequence, that we ought to look 
 upon their writings, (<^) though not of equal authority 
 with those which we call in a singular maimer the 
 Holy Scriptures ; (because neither were the authors 
 of them CiJled in so extraordinary a way to the writ- 
 ing of them, nor endued with so eminent a portion of 
 the gifts of the blessed Spirit for the doing of it ; nor 
 have their writings been judged by the common con- 
 sent of the Church in those first ages of it, when they 
 were so much better qualified than we are now to 
 judge of the divine authority of these kind of wTit- 
 ings, to be of equal dignity with those of the Apostles 
 and Evangelists) yet worthy of a much greater res- 
 pect than any composures that have been made since, 
 however men seem to have afterwards written with 
 more art, and, to have shewn a much greater stock of 
 human learning than what is to be found not only in 
 the following pieces, but even in the sacred books of 
 the New Testament itself. 
 
 24. I shall add but one consideration more, the bet- 
 ter to shew the true deference that ought to be paid 
 to the treatises here collected, and that is, sixthly, v 
 that they were not only written by such men as I have 
 said, instructed by the Apostles, and judged worthy 
 by them both for their knowledge and their integrity, 
 to govern some of the mjsu eminent Churches in the 
 world ; and lastly, endued with the extraordinary 
 gift of the Holy Ghost ; and upon all these accounts 
 
 Cd) Vid. Tolwe 1. Dissert in Iren. Prafat. and Dissert* ?. Et 
 liencsum aj)ud Euseb. Ili.st. Eccles loc. cit. p. 153, ^ 
 
 [17] 
 
l^SO OF THE AUTHORITY 
 
 to be much respected by us ; but were moreover re- 
 ceived by the Churcli ui those hrst ages, as pieces that 
 contained notliing Out what was agreeable to sound 
 doctrine, which could scarcely be mistaken in its judg- 
 ment of them. 
 
 25. Tlie Kpistle of St. Clement was a long time 
 read puolicly with the other Scriptures in the congre- 
 gations of the faithful ; made a part of their Bible, 
 and was numbered among the sacred writings, how- 
 ever iinally separated from them. And not only the 
 Apostohcal canons, but our most antient Alexandrian 
 maimscript, gives tlie same place to the second that it 
 does to the lirst of them : and Epiphanius after both, 
 tells us, that they vvere both of them wont to be read 
 in the Church in his tirae.(t') 
 
 26. The Epistle of St. Polycarp, with that of the 
 Church of Smyrna, were not only very highly ap- 
 proved of by particular persons, but like those of St. 
 Clement, were read publicly too in the assemblies of 
 the faithful. And for those of Ignatius, be.sides that 
 we fmd a mighty value put upon them by the Chris- 
 tians of those times, they are sealed to us by this 
 character of St. Polycarp ; *' that they are such Epis- 
 tles, by which we may be greatly prolited : for, says 
 he, they treat of faith and patience, and of all things 
 that pertain to ediiication in the Lord." 
 
 27. The Epibtle of Barnabas is not only quoted 
 with great honour by those of the next age to him, 
 but in tiie antient stichometry of Cotelerius,(/) we 
 fmd it placed the very next to the Epistle of St. Jude» 
 and no difference put between the authority of the one 
 and the other. 
 
 28. And for the book of Hermas, both Eusebius 
 and St. Jerome tell us, that it was also wont to be 
 read in the Churches. In the same stichometry I be- 
 fore mentioned, it is placed in the very next rank to 
 the Acts of the holy Apostles : and in some of the 
 
 fej H])iphan. Hicres. xxx. num. 15. 
 
 {J) -Vauut. in Burnab. p. SJ, lo 
 
OF THE FOLLOWING TREATISES. \3l 
 
 most anticnt manuscripts of tlie New Testament, we 
 iiiid it written in tlie same volume vvitli the books of 
 the Aj)oslles and Evangehsts, as if it had been es- 
 teemed of the same value and authority with them. 
 
 2l<. So that now then we must either say, that the 
 Churcli in those da3^s was so Uttle careful of what was 
 taught in it, as to allow such books to be publicly rt?ad 
 in its congregations, the doctrine whereof it did not 
 a|)])rove ; or we must confess, that the following 
 pieces are delivered to us, not only by the learned 
 mm of the lirst ages of the Church, bui. by the whole 
 body of the faithful, as containing the pure doctrine 
 of Christ, and must be looked \i\)on to have nothing 
 in them but wiiat was then thougiit worthy of all ac- 
 cej)tation. 
 
 30. Now how^ much this adds to the authority of 
 those discourses, nmy easily be concluded from what 
 1 iKive before observed". For since it is certain that 
 in tliose times the extraordiiuiry gifts of the Holy 
 Ghost were bestowed, not only upon the Bisljoj)s and 
 Pastors of the Churcli, (I hough upon them in a more 
 eminent degree) but also upon a great many of the 
 comuiOLi Christians too ; since one particular design 
 of these gifts was for the discerning of proj)hecies ; 
 to judge of what was j)ro;)osed by any to the Church, 
 or written for the use and benefit of it : we cannot 
 doubt but tliat what was univer.i-illy approved of, and 
 allowed, not by a few learned men, but by the whole 
 Church in those days; what was permitted to be pub- 
 licly read to the faithful for their comfort and instruc- 
 tion, nmst by this means have received the highest hu- 
 man approbation, and ought to be looked upon by 
 us, though not of equal authority with those books 
 which the same Church has delivered to us as strictly 
 canonical, yet as standing in the first rtink of ecclesi- 
 astical writings, and containing the true and pure doc- 
 trine of Christ in all things necessary to our salvation, 
 without the mixture of any of those errors which have 
 
132 OF THE SUBJECT 
 
 since been so unhappily brought into the Church, and 
 have been won hily censured as dangerous too, if not 
 destructive of it. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 OP THE SUBJEr'T OF THE FOLLOWING DISCOURSES, AND OF 
 THE USE THAT IS TO BE MADE OF THEM. 
 
 That in the following treatises, there is delivered to us a good ac- 
 count both of the doctrine and discipline of the Church in the 
 Apostolical times. This shewn in several particulars. What 
 thev taught concerning God the Father, our Saviour Christ, and 
 the Holy Ghost Of Angeh and Spirits. Of the rest of the ar- 
 ticles of the Apostles' creed. Concerning the two Sacraments of 
 Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. Of the holy Scriptu .ts, and the 
 divine authority of them. What we meet with in these treatises 
 concerning the government of the Church. Of the necessity of 
 communicating with the Bishops and Pastors of it. Of Schisma- 
 tics, Heretics, and Apostates. Of their public assembling for the 
 service of God, and what was done by them in those meetings. 
 Of several other instances of their discipline ; particularly of 
 their fasting and confession of sins. Of the care which their Bi- 
 shops had of the whole Church. Of the respect that was paid to 
 them. Of their martyrs, and the veneration which they thought 
 due to them. Of their practical instructions, and how severe 
 their morality was ; shewn in several particulars. That upon 
 the whole, we may here see what the state of Christianity then 
 %vas, and still ought to be. 
 
 1. AND now having shewn, in the foregoing chap- 
 ter, what deference we ought to pay to the authority 
 of those holy men, whose writings I have here col- 
 lected, it may not be amiss in the third place, to in- 
 quire, what it is which they deliver to us ^ What ac- 
 count we lind in them of the doctrine and discipline 
 of the Church, in those times in which they lived ? 
 
 2. It would be endless for me to go about to make 
 a just catalogue of all the particulars of this kind that 
 occur in the following pieces ; I shall therefore here 
 consider only a few particulars, in such points as 
 
OF THE FOLLOWING TREAT ISES. 13'5 
 
 may seem most worthy to be remarked ; and by 
 them (as by a short spechnen) shew iiow the judi- 
 cious reader may hiaiseii improve it, into a more par- 
 ticular history of the faith and practice of the Church, 
 in this first and purest period of it. 
 
 3. And first, for what concerns the doctrines of 
 those times ; there is hardly any point that is neces- 
 sary to be believed, or known by us, that is not very 
 plainly delivered in some or other of the following 
 pieces. 
 
 4. Here we may read what we are to believe con- 
 cerning the first article of all of our creed, God the 
 Father. That he is one, almighty, invisible, the crea- 
 tor, and maker of all things. That he is omniscient, 
 immense ; neither to be comprehended v^ithin any 
 bounds, nor so much as to be perfectly conceived by 
 us. That his providence is over all things ; and that 
 we can none of us flee from him, or escape his know- 
 ledge. That we are to believe in him, to fear him, to 
 love him, and fearing him to abstain from all evil. 
 
 5. If from thence we go to the next person of the 
 blessed trinity, our Saviour Jesus Christ; here we 
 shall find all that either our creed teaches us to pro- 
 fess concerning him, or that any Christian need to 
 believe. That he existed not only before he came 
 into the world, but from all eternity. That he is not 
 only the Son of God, but is himself also God. That 
 in the fullness of time he took upon him our nature, 
 and became man : was born of the Virgin Mary, was 
 crucified under Pontius Pilate ; that he suffered for 
 our salvation, and was raised again from tl.e dead, 
 not only by the power of the Father, but by his own 
 also. That he is our High Priest, and protector now, 
 and shall come again at the end of the world, to 
 judge the whole race of mankind. That tliere is no 
 coming unto God but by him : insomuch thut even 
 the antient Fathers, who died before his appearing, 
 were yet saved by the same means that we are now. 
 
 6. As for what concerns the Holy Spirit, the third 
 person in tlie glorious Godhead; he is here set out to us 
 
134 OF THE SUBJECT- 
 
 as the Spirit of God, which is glorified, and worship- 
 ped together with the Father and tlie Son, altiiough 
 distinct from both ; and coinihunicated by Ihe bon lo 
 the Prophets ; who also sanctiiieth, and endueth tlic 
 faithful with many gifts, for the ediiication of the 
 Church.— See Mart. Ignat. ^ 14. Polyc. ^ 14. 22. 
 
 7. And now lam mentioning the Holy Spirit, let 
 me add, that we may here see what is needful to be 
 known, concerning all the other Spirits of an inferior 
 nature. How the holy Angels minister unto us ; but 
 especially then, when we have the most need of them, 
 at the time of our death. And though the Devil may 
 attack us, and use all his arts to draw us away from 
 our duty; yet it must be our own fault if we are 
 overcome by him; and that therefore we ought not 
 to be afraid of him. 
 
 8. But to return to our creed, and the articles of 
 it : here we may farther see, both what a great obli- 
 gation there lies u])on us to keep up a communion of 
 Saints in the unity of the Churcli here on earth, and 
 what is that true fellowship that we ought to have 
 with those who have gone before us to Heaven. That 
 it consists not in the worship of any, though never so 
 gloriously exalted by God ; but in Ijve and remem- 
 brance ; in thanksgiving to God for their excellencies, 
 and in our prayers to him, joined with liearty endea- 
 vours of our ovvii, to imitate their perfections. 
 
 9. And whilst we do this, we are here assured of 
 the forgiveness of our sins through the merits and 
 satisfaction of Jesus Christ. And that not only of 
 those which we committed before our baptism, but of 
 all such as we shall chance to fall into after, if we truly 
 repent of them, except only the great sin of wilfully 
 and maliciously blaspheming God and his Holy Spirit, 
 which was thought to be hardly, if at all remissible, 
 either in this world or in the other. 
 
 10. As for the next point, the resurrection of the 
 body ; it is not barely asserted, but it is at large proved 
 r>oo, in the following discourses. There w^ are told, 
 
OF THE FOLLOWING TREATISES. 1 35 
 
 not only that there shall be a future lesurrection, but 
 a resurrection of the liesh ; that we shall be raised in 
 the very same bodies in which we go down into the 
 grave ; and that being raised, we shall be judged by 
 Christ according to our works, and be either unspeak- 
 ably rewarded or exceedingly punished to all eternity. 
 
 11. it' from the articles of our creed, we go on to 
 the holy Sacrament of the Church : here we have set 
 out to us the great benefit of our baptism, and of what 
 a mighty concern it is to us in the business of our sal- 
 vation. And for the other Sacrament : here we are 
 tauglit, that the elements of bread and wine are the 
 same (as to their substance) after consecration that 
 they were before ; and are only, in a spiritual sense, 
 the flesh and blood of our Saviour Christ, by the par- 
 ticipation of which we shall be immortalized and live 
 forever. 
 
 12. And lastly, for that great comprehensive point 
 of our religion, the foundation of our faith, the Holy 
 Scriptures : here we may see what opinion these holy 
 men had of the divine inspiration of them ; what 
 deference they paid to them, and how the}'' looked 
 upon them to contain the true words of the Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 13. Such is the doctrine of faith that is here deliv- 
 ered to us. If from thence we pass (secondly) to what 
 concerns the public order and government of the 
 Church, in the iir:^t establishment of it : here we may 
 see by what persons it was xlirected, and hovv' exactly 
 our own Church does in this particular resemble the 
 }>rimitive, perhaps beyond any other at this day in the 
 world, in the Apostolical orders, of Bishops, of Priests, 
 and Deacons. 
 
 1 1. How nr?ces?anly they esteemed it their duty to 
 keep up a strict comuuniion with these governors, and 
 ho^v little they thought the very name of a Church 
 could belong to those. who separated from them, we 
 are iu.'re liivesvise taught. Anil how light soever some 
 may inak:,! of the business of i-;clii.'rm now, yet it is 
 
i 39 OF THE USEFULNESS 
 
 plain these holy men had a very different apprehension 
 of it, and hardly thought that such could be saved as 
 continued in it. 
 
 J 3. And the same, or rather much worse, was their 
 opinion of heretics and apostates: to the latter of which, 
 as they seem even to have deni 'd repentance, if their 
 apostacy was joined with blasphemy, so it is manifest 
 that without it they thought the others must pt- ri>h. 
 And in the mean time they declare that we ought not 
 to have any communication with them ; only we must 
 pray for them, that they may be converted, whicli 
 yet they supposed would be very hard. 
 
 16. As for those who continued in the doctrine and 
 communion of the Church : here we mav see how 
 zealous they were in attending all the public offices of 
 it; how constantly they assembled together for the 
 worship of God, notwithstanding all the malice and. 
 fury of their enemies against them upon the account 
 of it : here we may observe how, from the beginning, 
 they had their set times and j)laces of worship ; and 
 how they looked upon such offertories, both as more 
 acceptable unto God, and more prevalent with him, 
 than any private addresses that they could make to 
 him. 
 
 1 7. In these assemblies they not only put up their 
 prayers to God, but received also the holy Sacrament 
 of the Lord's Supper. And in that part of their ser- 
 vice, none officiated but either the Bishop himself, or 
 he who was appointed or allowed of by him. 
 
 1 8. For this purpose they had in every such place 
 of their assembling, one table or altar, upon which 
 their oblations were presented to God by the Bishops 
 and Priests. And they communicated after the same 
 manner that our Saviour Christ had set them the ex- 
 ample, that is to say, both of the consecrated bread 
 and wine, and the former taken from one common 
 loaf, which was broken and distributed to them, not 
 in little separate and unbroken wafers, as some now 
 do. 
 
OF THE FOLLOWING TREATISES. 137 
 
 19. Nor was this all ; in these assemblies the holy 
 Scriptures were read to them ; and (as 1 liuve bttore 
 shewn) some of the very treatises Ihave here subjom- 
 ed-, together with them. And the iJibhop liimselt in- 
 structed the people, and expounded the ductrmt of 
 Christ to them.— Ignat. mart. §. 2. 
 
 20. By the Bishop were (he Christians blessed, and 
 joined together in the holy state of matrimony; and 
 indeed withouc him was nothmg done of all that per- 
 tained unto religion. 
 
 21. In those times the clergy were married as well 
 as laity ; nor do we fiiid it esteemed the kast scandal 
 for tliem so to be. 
 
 22. Here we may sec what the antient manner of 
 fasting was, and what was thought requisite to render 
 such exercises acceptable to God, and protilaole to 
 our own souis. 
 
 23. In short, here we may perceive what their 
 opinion was of repentance for sins; and how hardiy 
 they thought of those wiio were still repenting, and 
 yet still continued to sin on, notwithstanding their 
 freqiient repentance. But especiuliy, here we are 
 told that we must finish our repentance beiore we 
 die, for that there is no place for repentance after. 
 
 24. And though they prescribe confession, as one 
 act of repentance, and necessary to be performed in 
 order to our forgivenebs ; yet w? (iiid no confession 
 mentioned to be made to any but to God only ; which 
 therefore seems to intimate ro us, that they accounted 
 that alone to have been sullicient. 
 
 25. But the care of their Bishops in those first times 
 was not coniined within the narrow bounds of their 
 own Churches, but extended to all the faitiiful, where- 
 soever they were. And they were still ready to look 
 to those who were at the greatest distance from them," 
 whenever they thought their advice or authority might 
 be either useful to them, or for the honour and bene- 
 fit of their religion. — See Ignatius's Epistles and mar- 
 tyrdom, &c. 
 
138 • OF THE USEFULNESS 
 
 26. From this» and from the general piety and ex- 
 cellence of their lives, joined to the greatness of their 
 character in the Church, came that mighty respect 
 that was paid to the Bishops in those days ; and which 
 how great it was, the following treatises abundantly 
 shew. 
 
 27. But much greater was their veneration for those, 
 who not only governed well and adorned their holy 
 profession oyan exemplary life, but confirmed the truth 
 of it witn their blood. They were indeed of an opin- 
 ion that no man ought causelessly to expose himself 
 unto suffering ; but if God called any one to it, they 
 douoted not out that our Saviour Christ w^ould both 
 support him in his conflicts, and most gloriously re- 
 ward him for the enduring of them. Hence was it 
 their opinion, that martyrdom blotted out all sins ; 
 that they who suffered for the faith, should have a 
 degree of glory peculiar to themselves, above all other 
 »*5amts in God's Kingdom. And when God shewed 
 such regai d for them, they concluded that they could 
 never almost do enough to testify their respect to them. 
 
 28. To this we must ascribe the care they took to 
 gather up their remains, the honour which they paid 
 to them, and the solemnities with which they deposit- 
 ed them into the earth. Hence came their custom, 
 which we here find, of writing down the particulars 
 of their conflicts, and sending them abroad to the 
 Churches round about. Hence their anniversary 
 meetings at their tombs and monuments, where they 
 recited the acts of their martyrdoms, and sometimes 
 made express discourses in praise of their martyrs, and 
 to exhort one another to the like constancy. 
 
 29. But not to insist any longer upon these particu- 
 lars, there is yet a third sort of matters contained 
 in these discourses, and those of no less use to us, 
 than either of the foregoing ; and that is, the practi- 
 cal rules of life that are here delivered to us. 
 
 30. Here we may see what care we are to take, 
 not only not to sin ourselves, but as far as in us hes, 
 
OF TIIE FOLLOWING TREATISES. 139 
 
 not to let any that belong to us continue in sin, lest 
 we also become partakers of tlieir evil doings. 
 
 31. Here we are taught not only to have a care of 
 our words and actions, but of our very thouglits and 
 desires ; which must not be indulged in any instances 
 of sin ; nor be suffered, if it be possible, to wander 
 on any thing that is in the least measure wanton or 
 irregular. — Herm. 1 Vis. 
 
 32. If we will hearken to these holy men, we must 
 karn not only to do the will of God, but, if it be his 
 pleasure must prepare our minds to endure patiently 
 whatever he siiall think fit to lay upon us. We muat 
 consider, that troubles and aiilictions are sent upon 
 us both'to punish us for our sins, and as monitors to 
 draw us off from them. 
 
 33. To convince us the more effectually of this, we 
 are here shewn the mighty danger of riches, especi- 
 ally where men's hearts are in any degree set Uj)on 
 them ; and how very hardly such persons shall be sav- 
 ed. We are taught what use we should make of our 
 abundance, that so it may not prove a snare to us. 
 But especially, we are shewn the great advantage of 
 giving alms to this end ; and what mighty engage- 
 ments there iie upon us to the practice of it. 
 
 34. And then, as for our lives; we are here told, 
 that a Christian must not only be good, but exempla- 
 ry ; he must shew the truth of his profession by a 
 suitable conversation; and be known by his actions, 
 rather than by his words. 
 
 35. He must pray for all men, even for his enemies ; 
 nay, for the very enemies of the Church ; for here- 
 tics and schismatics ; for those oi whom there is but 
 little hope that they will ever come to repentance, or 
 that God will give them grace so to do. 
 
 36. He must be kind and charitable to all men; 
 free from envy and contention : he must neither raise 
 any differences among his brethren, nor follow any 
 in the doing of it. To this end, he must carefully 
 observe those duties which relate to his neighbour, as 
 
140 OF THE MANNER AFTER WHICH 
 
 well as those he is to pay to God. He must obey ma- 
 gi?>traces, must respect the aged, must have a due re- 
 gard to all men. Is he a husuand, a parent, or a 
 cnild ? he must be sure to exercise hurisell in the se- 
 veral duties becoming those several relations. In 
 shott, in the ioilowiug writings we may see in ail the 
 parts of our duty towards God, our neighbour, and 
 ourselves, what we are to do, and what to avoid ; 
 and are assured, that God ooth sees all our actions 
 now, and will reward or punish us for them hereafter 
 to all eternity. 
 
 37. And thus have I given a short prospect of what 
 is more largely contained in the following collection. 
 I need not say either how useful a variety of matter 
 it is, or how worthy to be known by aU of us. But 
 sure I am, whosoever shall take the pains impartially 
 to compare what is here found with the sacred writ- 
 ings of the New Testament, he may be able both 
 with clearness and certainty to understand whatever 
 is requisite to his eternal salvation ; and that with 
 much more satisfaction and security too, than from 
 many volumes of our later writers, who for the most 
 part spend a great deal of time, and take much pains 
 to obscure rather than explain the most easy and Intel- 
 ligiole points of our religion. 
 
 CHAPTER Xn. 
 
 OF THE MANNfRR AFTRR WHICH THESE DISCOURSES ARE 
 WRITTEN, AND "iHE S1MP(.1C1TY OF STYLE USED IN THEM. 
 
 That the writers of those times used no affectation of human elo- 
 qiicnce, but delivered themselves with the" greatest plainness that 
 they were able, 'i'his manner of writing the best ainl most pro- 
 per fur instruction. A short account of the occasion of the pre- 
 sent collection, and tlie translation that is here made of the fol- 
 lowing Treatises. 
 
 1. THERE is yet one thing to be observed by me, 
 with reference to the discourses here subjoined ; and 
 
THESE DISCOURSES ARE WRITTtN. 141 
 
 that is, fourthly, concerning the manner after which 
 they are written, and that true primitive simphcity 
 which appears in all the parts of them. 
 
 2. It is one property of trurh, that as it does not 
 need any disguise, so neither does it seek by any 
 vain ornaments of human eloquence to recommend 
 itself to the approbation of those to whom it is ten- 
 dered. When the Apostles preached the Gospel to 
 the world, they did it not with excellency of speech, 
 nor with enticing words of man's wisdom ; but in the 
 demonstration of spirit and of power. They gave 
 such convincing proofs of their divine mission, as 
 forced all indift'erent persons to acknowledge their au- 
 thority ; and they thought it after that, too mean a 
 thing to endeavour to catch men's ears, when without 
 any such arts they had before captivated their reason^ 
 and forced them to confess the truth of what they 
 delivered. 
 
 3. And the same was the method of those holy Fa- 
 thers who succeeded them. They knew the excel- 
 lency of their doctrine, and the mighty influence 
 which the revelations it made of the future state would 
 be sure to have upon the minds of all considering 
 men : and therefore they contented themselves to lay 
 these things before them in a plain and simple manner, 
 and yet with such efficacy and power as surpassed all 
 the rhetoric in the world. For indeed the kingdom 
 of God is not m word, but in power — 1 Cor. iv. 20. 
 
 4. Let not then the reader be surprized, if in the 
 following discourses he meets with none of those or- 
 naments that are wont to recommend the writings of 
 others to his perusal; but rather let him consider that 
 he has here to do with men who were above such a 
 care. Their business was to instruct, not to please; 
 to speak to men's hearts and consciences, not to their 
 fancies; and they knew that this is evermore best 
 done by a plain and natural discourse, by solid rules 
 and substantial motives, not by vain words, which if 
 they satisfy a man at the present, yet seldom leave any 
 lasting impression behind them. 
 
1:42 OP THE MANNER AFTER WHICH 
 
 5. But of the authors of the following treatises, and 
 of the discourses themselves, I have said enough, per- 
 haps too much ; though yet I think no more than what 
 was necessary to prepare the English reader, for whom 
 I am now chiefly concerned, to a useful perusal of 
 them. As for the present collection I shiill only say 
 thus much ; that it is the first of this kind that has 
 been set forth in our own language : nor were the 
 greatest part of the following pieces ever (that I know 
 of) before translated into it. 
 
 6. I confess, when I consider the great usefulness 
 of such a work, and the high esteem which not only 
 the antient Fathers, but the most learned of all ages 
 have had of the treatises here collected together, I 
 have sometimes wondered, that among so many things 
 as have of late been set forth in the English tongue, 
 none has hitherto undertaken such a task as this. But 
 when I came to the trial, I soon found out what may 
 perhaps have been one reason of it ; for indeed could 
 I have foreseen the difficulty of the work, I must 
 question whether I should ever have been persuaded 
 to go about it. And this I say, not to m^^gnify any 
 thing that I have done, which I have too much reason 
 to fear will be far from deserving any great commend- 
 ation, but to suggest an apology for whatever defects 
 those of greater leisure, more health, and better abili- 
 ties shall chance to find in it, notwithstanding all the 
 care I have taken to guess aright at the intention of 
 my authors, and to deliver what, upon the best exam- 
 ination I could make, I took to be their meaning. 
 
 7. I need not say any thing to convince those who 
 are at all acquainted with these matters, and who are 
 alone the competent judges of the present perform- 
 ance, how hard oftentimes it is, with the help of the 
 best copies, to hit upon the true meaning of an author 
 that lived so many ages since, as those 1 have here 
 collected ; and what great defects, in many places 
 there are, in the copies I have here been forced to 
 make use of, is not unknown to them. But however. 
 
THESE DISCOURSES ARE WRITTEN. 143 
 
 * 
 
 I am not aware of any great errors that I have com- 
 mitted, and am in some hope that (in this edition of 
 these treatises) I have no where very much, nor at all 
 dangerously, mistaken the meaning of those holy men, 
 whose sense 1 have undertaken to represent. 
 
 8. This I am sure of, that my design in this whole 
 undertaking, was to minister the best I could, to the 
 interests of truth and piety ; and I thought myself, at 
 this time, tlie rather obliged to do it from the press, in 
 that it has pleased God, in some measure, to take me 
 off from the ability of doing it from the pulpit. 
 
 y. If it shall be asked how I came to choose the 
 drudgery of a translator, rather than the more ingenu- 
 ous part of publishing somewhat of my own compos- 
 ing ? it was 111 short this ; because I hoped that such 
 wnringH as these would lind a more general and un- 
 prejudiced acceptance with all sorts of men, than any 
 thing that could be written by any one now living : 
 who, if esteemed by some, is yet in danger of being 
 despised by more, whose prejudice to his person will 
 not suffer them to reap any benefit by anything,' 
 though never so useful, that can come from him; 
 whilst such tracts as these may possibly receive a gen- 
 eral respect from all sorts of persons, and meet not 
 only Vv'ith an entertainment, but an esteem too from 
 all. 
 
 10 These were the motives that first induced me to 
 set about this work ; in the reasonableness of which, 
 should i chance to be mistaken, yet I cannot but per- 
 suade myself, that the honesty of my intentions will 
 excuse me to all indifferent persons. Let others then, 
 to whom God has given better opportunities and 
 greater abilities, serve the Church in better and high- 
 er performances. It shall suffice me in any way to 
 minister to the souls of men. And if by this present 
 undertaking I shall but in any measure have contri- 
 buted to the reviving a true sense of piety and devo- 
 tion among us, but especially to the disposing of any 
 number of men to consider more seriously the fat-al 
 
144 THE MANNER, &C. 
 
 consequences of our present divisions, and to labour 
 what in them lies towards the composing of them, I 
 shall heartily bless God both that he first prompted 
 me to undertake this troublesome task, and has .since 
 enabled me, though amidst many ianrmities, to go 
 through with it. 
 
THE ^ y 
 
 EM STILE OF BT. CL.EMEWT 
 
 TO THE 
 
 CORINTHIANS- 
 
 THE Church of God v^hich is(a) at Rome, to the Church of God 
 'Which is at Corinth, elect, (fl) sanctHiecl,(r) by the will of God, 
 throuijli Jesus Christ our Lord : grace and peace frum the Al- 
 mighty God, by Jesus Christ, be multiplied unto yoii.(£i) 
 
 BRETHRKN, 
 
 THE sudden and unexpected dangers and calami* 
 ties that have fallen upon us, have, we fear, made us 
 the more slow in our consideration of those things 
 which you inquired of us; as(t^) also of that wicked 
 and detestable sedition, so unbecoming(/) the elecl of 
 God, which a few heady and self-willed men have 
 fomented to such a degree of madness, that your ven- 
 erable and renov^ned name, s>o worthy of all men to 
 be beloved is greatly blasphemed thereby. For who 
 that has ever been(^) among you, has not experimented 
 the firmness of your faith,(/i!) and its fruitfulness in all 
 good works, and admired the temper and moderation 
 of your religion in Christ, and published abroad the 
 magnificence of your hospitality, and thought you 
 happy in youi perfect and certain knowledge of the 
 Gospel ? For ye did all things without respect of per- 
 sons, and walked according^) to the laws of God, 
 
 (c) Sojourneth. (d) Called. See Dr. Hammond on Matt. xx. c. 
 (c) Gr. in. 
 
 ((/) See Bishop Pearson's note on this place. Ed. Colomessi, p. 2. 
 \,e) And. (/) Gr. strange to. (5-) Gr. lodged as a stranger.' 
 ^A) Adorned with all manner of virtues. (i) \vi. 
 
146 ST. CLEMENT*S EPISTLE 
 
 being subject to those who had the rule over you, and 
 giving the honour that was iitting to such as were the 
 aged(A:) among you. Ye commanded the young mtn 
 to think those things that were modest and grave : 
 the women ye exhorted to do all things wiih an un- 
 blameable, and seemly and pure conscience; lovmg 
 their own- husbands, as was iitting : and that keeping 
 themselves within the bounds(/) of a due obedience, 
 they should order(z«) their houses gravely, with all 
 discretion.(«) 
 
 2. Ye were all of you humble minded, not boast- 
 ing(o) of any thing, desiring rather to be subject than 
 to govern, to give than to receive ; being content with 
 the portion God had dispensed to you, and hearkening 
 diligently to his word, ye were(/') enlarged in your 
 bowels, having his suff"erings(</) always before your 
 eyes. Thus a firm and blessed(r) and profitable(r) 
 peace was given unto you, and an unsatiable desire 
 of doing good, and a plentiful effusion of the Holy 
 Ghost was upon all of you. And being full of good 
 designs,(5) ye did with great readiness of mind,(2'j and 
 with a religious confidence stretch forth your hands to 
 God Almighty, beseeching him to be merciful unto 
 you, if in any thing ye had unwillingly sinned against 
 him. Ye contended day and night for the whole 
 brotherhood, that with compassion, (^/) and a good 
 conscience, the number of his elect might be saved. 
 Ye were sincere, and without offence towards each 
 other, not mindful of injuries : all sedition and schism 
 was an abomination unto you : ye bewailed every one 
 his neighbour's sins, esteeming their defects your own : 
 ye were lvind(w) one to another without grudging, 
 
 (k) Presbyters. (/) Canon, rule. 
 
 (;h) Themselves do their own business. Vid. not. Junii iii Ice. 
 (n) Temperance, sobriety. 1 Pet. v. 5. 
 (o) Proud- Acts xx. 35. 1 Tim vi. 8. 
 (^pj Embraced it in your very bowels. 
 
 {(/) n<c6yt' iacRm,, see Dr. Grabe's Addit. taBr. Bull's Def. fid. Nic. 
 p. 60, 61. CxJ Gr. Xiirtt^et. 
 
 (s) Holy counsel, or purpose, or will. {t) Gr. good. 
 
 {u} With mercy ^nd conscience- 
 (wj Ye were without repentance in all well doing. Titus iii, I. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 147 
 
 being ready to every good work ; and being adorned 
 with a c .nve. ation altogether virtuous and leligious, 
 ye did ah th i.g^ in the teur ot God, whose " com- 
 inaiidinents were written upon the tables of your 
 hearty.'- — [Prov. vii. 3.] 
 
 3. All honour and enlargement was given unto 
 youj and so was fuliiiled that which is v^ritten; t7iy 
 beloved did eat and drinks ht was enlarged and waxed 
 faty and he kicked^ [Deut xxxii. If).] From hence 
 came emulation, and envy, and strife, and sedition ; 
 persecution and disorder,(T) war and captivity. So 
 they who were of no renown, lifted up themselves 
 against the honourable ; those of no reputation, 
 again.st those that were in res})ect ; the foolish against 
 the wise; the young men against the aged. There- 
 fore righteousness and peace are departed from you, 
 because every one hath forsaken the fear of God, and 
 is grown blind in his faith, nor wajketh by the rule 
 of God's commandments, nor liveth as is fitting in 
 Christ : but every rneCy) follows his own wicked 
 lusts ; having taken up an unjust and wicked envy, 
 by which death first entered into the world. 
 
 4. For thus it is written, [Gen. iv. 3, &c.] "and in 
 process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of 
 the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 
 And Abel he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, . 
 and of the fat thereof : and the Lord had respect unto 
 Abel and to his offering. But unto Cain and unto 
 his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very 
 sorrowful, and his countenance fell. And the Lord 
 said unto Cain, why art thou sorrowful, and why is 
 thy countenance fallen ? If thou shalt offer aright, 
 but not divided aright, hast thou not sinned ?(i3) Hold 
 thy peace ; unto thee shall be his desire, and thou 
 shalt rule over him. And Cain said unto Abel his 
 brother, let us go down into the field. And it came 
 to pass as they were in the field, that Cain rose up 
 
 (x) Cnnfuson, tumults, &c. (v) Walkeih after, 
 
 (.z) This is according to the Lxx. < 
 
i4S ST. Clement's epistl£ 
 
 against Abel his brother, and slew him." Ye see, 
 br^uifen, how envy and emulation wrought the 
 death(^) of a brother. For this(c) our father Jacob 
 fled from tlie face of his brother Esau, LGen. xxviii.] 
 It was this that caused Joseph [Gen. xxxvii.] to be 
 persecuted even unto death, and to come into bon- 
 dage. Envy forced Moses [Exod. li. 15,J to flee from 
 the face of Pharaoh king of Egypt, when he heard 
 his own countryman ask him, ivho made thee a judge 
 Kind a ruler over us ? wilt thou kill me as thou didst 
 the Egyptian yesterday? [Exod. ii. 14.] Through 
 envy Aaron and Miriam were shut out of the camp,(Qf) 
 from the rest of the congregation seven days. Emu- 
 !ation(^) sent Dathan and Abiram quick into the 
 grave,(/) because they raised up a sedition against 
 Moses the servant of God. For this David was not 
 only hated of strangers,(^) but was persecuted even 
 by Saul, the king of Israel. 
 
 5. But not to insist upon antient examples, (^) let us 
 come to those worthies(?) that have been nearest to 
 us, and take the brave examples of our own age. 
 Through zeal and envy, the most faithful and righte- 
 ous(^) pillars of the Church, have been persecuted 
 even to the most grievous deaths. Let us set before 
 our eyes the holy(/) Apostles : Peter by unjust envy, 
 underwent not one or two, but many suft'erings ;(m) 
 until(/z) at last being martyred, he went to the place 
 of '5l)ry that was due unto him. For the same cause(o) 
 did Paul in like manner receive the reward of his pa- 
 tience. Seven times he was in bonds ^{p) he was 
 whipped, was stoned ; he preached boih in the East 
 and in the West, leaving(7) behind him the glorious 
 
 'fbj Fratricide. (cj Envy. (d) Made to lodge out. 
 
 {e) Brought. CfJ Hades- 
 
 {g) Had, or underwent the hatred, not only, 8cc. 
 {h} To cease from (i) Combatants, wrestlers. 
 
 (k) The faithful and most righteous. (/) Good. 
 
 {m) Labours. (n) And so (o) By envy. 
 
 (/') Ha\ ing borne seven times Bonds, &c. 
 iq) He received the, &^. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIAKS. H9 
 
 report of his faith ; and so having taught the whole 
 World righteousness, and for that end travelled even 
 to the utmost bounds of the West ; he at last suffered 
 martyrdom by the command of the governors, (r) and 
 departed out of the world, and went unto his holy 
 place, being become a most eminent pattern of pa- 
 tience unto all ages. 
 
 6. To these holy Apostles were joined a very great 
 number of others,(5) who having through envy under- 
 gone in like manner many pains and torments, have 
 left a glorious example to us.(^) For this(w) not only 
 men, but women have been persecuted ; and(w) hav- 
 ing suffered very grievous and cruel punishments,(a.') 
 have finished the course of their faith with firmness-; 
 and though weak in body, yet received a glorious re- 
 ward. This(y) has alienated the minds even of wo- 
 men from their husbands, and changed what was 
 once said by our father Adam, this is now bone of my 
 bone^ and flesh of my flesh. In a word, envy and 
 strife have overturned wholeCz) cities, and rooted out 
 great nations from off the earth. 
 
 7. These things, beloved, we write(r/) unto you, 
 not only for your instructionCZ)) but also for your own 
 remembrance. For we are all in the same lists,(c) and 
 the same combat is prepared lor us all.(Q') Where- 
 fore let us lay aside all vain and empty cares, and let 
 us come up to the glorious and venerable rule of our 
 holy calling. Let us consider what is good and ac- 
 ceptable, [ I Tim. V. 4.] and well pleasing in the sight 
 of him that made us. Let us look stedfastly to the 
 blood of Christ, and see how precious his blood is in 
 the sight of God ; which being shed for our salvation, 
 
 (^r ' Vid, Pe^rR'~'n fie siicc.ps'; c. viii. § 9- 
 (s) Men who have lived Godly, is gathered together. 
 CtJ Become an excellent example among us. fuj Envy. 
 
 \w) The names of Uanae and Dirce I omit. See Junius Annot. 
 in loc. 
 
 CxJ Cursed afflictions or torments. fyj Envy or emulation. 
 {z) Great (a) Send. 
 
 ■{b) Instructing you, but also remembering, &c. 
 (c) Place of encounter. CdJ Impdsed lipdii us all. 
 
150 ST. Clement's epistle 
 
 has obtained(e) the grace of repentance for all the 
 world. Let us search(/) into all the ages that have 
 g jiie before us, and let us learn that our Lord has(^') 
 in every one of them still given place for repentance 
 to all such as would turn to him.(//) Noah preached 
 repentance, and as many as hearkened to him were 
 saved. — [2 Pet. ii. 5. — Gen. 7.J Jonah denounced 
 destruction against the Ninevites; — [Jon. iii.J How- 
 beit they repenting of their sins, a])peased God by 
 their prayers, and were saved, (/) though they were 
 strangers to the covenant of God. 
 
 8. Hence we find how all the ministers of the grace 
 of God have spoken by the holy spirit of repentance. 
 And even the Lord of all has himself declared(A'') 
 with an oath concerning it ; " as I live, saith the 
 Lord, I desire not the death of a sinner,(/) but that he 
 should repent." — [Ezek. xxxiii. ll.j Adding farther 
 this good sentence, saying ; " turn(;72) from your ini- 
 quity, O House of Israel. Say unto the children of 
 my people, though your sins should reach from earth 
 to Heaven, and though they should be redder than 
 scarlet, and blacker than sackcloth ; yet if ye shall 
 turn to me with all your heart, and shall call me 
 Father, I will hearken to you as to a holy people."* 
 And in another placet he saith on this wise ; " wash 
 ye, make you clean ; put away the evil of your do- 
 ings from before mine eyes ;(//) cease to do evil, learn 
 to do well ; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, 
 judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now 
 and let us reason together, saith the Lord ; though 
 your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as 
 snow; though they be red as crimson, they shall be 
 as wool.(o) If ye be willing and obedient ye shall 
 eat the good things of the land , but if ye refuse and 
 
 (e) Afforded or given to. (/) Look diligently ta 
 
 (g) From age to age. (A) Be turned (/) Received Salvation. 
 (k) Spoken. (/) So much as his repentance. 
 
 (m) Repent from. 
 
 ♦ Ezek. xviii. 30, 32 — Isai. i. — Jer. iii. 4, 19. — f Isai. i. 16. 
 C") Evil from your souls, (o) I will make ihem white as wod. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 151 
 
 rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword ; for the 
 mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." These things 
 has God established by his Almighty will, desiring 
 that all his beloved should come to repentance. 
 
 0. Wherefore let us obey his excellent and glorious 
 will, and imploring his mercy and goodness,(/>) let 
 us fall down upon our faces before him, and cast our- 
 selves upon his mercy :{q) laying aside all vanity(r) 
 and contention, and envy which leads unto death. 
 Let us look up to those who have the most perfectly 
 ministered to his excelleiat glory. Let us take Enoch 
 for our example ; who being found righteous in obe- 
 dience, was translated,* and his death was not 
 known. (5) Noah being proved(^) to be faithful, did 
 by his ministry preach regeneration to the world, and 
 the Lord saved by him all the living creatures that 
 went vvith(?/) one accord together into the Ark.f 
 
 10. Abraham who was called God's friend, J was 
 in like manner found faithful ; in as much as he obey- 
 ed the eomnKinds(w) of God. By obedience he(x) 
 went out of his own country, and from his own kin- 
 dred, and from his father^s house ; that so forsaking 
 a small country, and a weak affinity, and a little 
 house, he might inherit the promises of God. For 
 thus God said unto him ;§. " get thee out of thy 
 country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's 
 house, unto a land that I will shew thee. And I will 
 make thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and 
 make thy name great, and thou shalt be blessed. 
 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them 
 that curse thee ; and in thee shall all the families of 
 the earth be blessed." And again when he separated 
 himself from Lot, God said unto him,* "lift up now 
 thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art 
 
 (p.) Becoming suppliants of, &c. 
 
 (7) Turn ourselves to his mercy. (r) Vain labour. 
 
 • Gen. V. 24. («) Found. (0 Being foiuul. 
 
 t Gen. vi. vii. viii. (u) la unity, 
 
 ^ James ii. 23. — Isaiah xli. 8. (iv) Words. (x) This man. 
 ^ Gen. xii. 1. * Gen, xiii. * < 
 
152 ST. Clement's epistle 
 
 northward and southward, and eastward and west- 
 ward :(y) for all the land which thou seest, to thee 
 ■will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will 
 make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that it a 
 man can number the dust of the earth then shall thy 
 seed also be numbered." Andi.gain he baiih :* " and 
 God brought forth Abraham, and fcuitl unto him, look 
 now towards Heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be 
 able to number them ; so shall thy seed be. And 
 Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him 
 for righteousness." Through faith and hospitality he 
 had a son given(2J him m his old age ; and through 
 obedience he offered him up in sacrifice to God, upon 
 one of the mountains which God shewed unto hitn. 
 
 1 1. By hospitality and godliness was Lot saved out 
 of Sodom,t when all the country round about was des- 
 troyed(a) by fire and brimstone : the Lord thereby 
 making it manifest, that he will not forsake those that 
 trust in him, but will bring the disobedient to punish- 
 ment and correction :{b) for his wife who went out 
 with him, being of a different mind,(c) and not con- 
 tinuing in the same obedience, was for that reason set 
 forth for an example,(rf) being turned into a pillar of 
 salt unto this day. That so all men may know that 
 those who are double minded, and distrustful of the 
 power of God, are [become] prepared for condemna- 
 tion, and to be a sign to all succeeding ages. 
 
 12. By faith and hospitality was Rahab the harlot 
 saved. For when the spies were sent by Joshua the 
 son of Nun to search out Jericho, and the king of 
 Jericho knew that they were come to spy out hig 
 country, he sent men to take them,(/) that so they 
 might be put to death. Rahab(^) therefore, being 
 
 (j/) Towards the sea. * Gen. xv. 5. 
 
 (z) A son was given unto him. 
 ■J- Gen. xix.-:-2 Pet. ii. 6.— Jude 7. 
 
 (a) See not. Junii in loc. or punished with. 
 
 (b) But those that turn another way, he puts, &c. 
 
 (c) Not in concord. (d) Put for a sign. 
 
 (f) He sent men that should take them, that being taken, 89c. 
 
 (g) Therefore hospitable Rahab. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. I5'i 
 
 hospitable, received them, and hid them tinder the 
 stalks of flax on the top of her house. And when the 
 messengeis(/j) that were sent by the king came unto 
 her, saying, * there came men unto thee to spy out 
 the land, bring them forth, for so hath the king com- 
 manded :" she answered, * the two men whom ye 
 seek came unto me, but presently they departed and 
 are gone :' not discovering them unto them.(/) T hen 
 she said lo the spies,(A^) "I know that the Lord your God 
 has given(^/) this city into your hands ; for the fear of 
 you is Ml-Li upon all that dwell therein. When there- 
 fore ye shall have taken it, ye shall save me and my 
 fatiier's house.' And they answered her saying : ' It 
 shall be as thou hast spoken unto us. Thereto; e when 
 thou shalt know that we are near, thou shalt gather 
 all thy family together upon the house top, and they 
 shall be saved : but ail that shall be found without thy 
 house shall be destroyed.' And they gave her more- 
 over a sign, that she should hang out of her house a 
 scarlet rope."* Shewing thereby, that by the blood of 
 our Lord there should be redemption to all that believe 
 and hope in God.(?//) Ye see, beloved, how there was 
 not only fiiith, but prophecy too in this woman. 
 
 13. Let us therefore humble ourselves, brethren, 
 laying aside all pride, and boasting, and foolishness, 
 and anger, and let us do as it is written, for ih js 
 saith the Holy Spirit : " let not the wise man glory in 
 his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor 
 the rich man in his riches ; but let him that glorieth, 
 glory in the Lord, to seek him, and to do judgment 
 and justice."! Above all, remembering the words 
 of the Lord Jesus, which he spake concerning 
 equity and long sufiering, saying,(o) *' be ye mer- 
 ciful, and ye shall obtain mercy : forgive, and ye 
 
 fAJ Men being sent by the king, ahd saying. 
 (^ij Vid. Coujectur. Coteler. in loc C^J Men. 
 
 (/) G \ en you this city. * Josh. ii. 1, 2, 8cc. 
 
 O'O Many of the Fathers have applied this to the same purr 
 pose. See not. Coteler.' in loc. 
 I Jer. ix. 23. Comp. 1 Cor. ix 31. Co J For thus he saith. 
 
 # [201 t 
 
loi ST. CLEMKNl's EPISTLE 
 
 shall be forgiven : as ye do, so it shall be done unto 
 you : as ye give, so it shall be given unto you ': as ye 
 judge, so shall ye be judged : as ye are kind to others, 
 so shall God be kind to you : with what measure ye 
 meet, with the same shall it be measured to you 
 again."* By this command, and by these rules, let 
 us establish ourselves, that so we may always walk 
 obediently to his holy words, being humble minded : 
 for so says the holy Scripture :(/>) *' upon whom shall 
 I look, even upon him that is poor, and of a contrite 
 spirit, and that trembles at my vvord."t 
 
 14. It is therefore just and righteous,(</) men and 
 brethren, that we should become obedient unto God, 
 rather than follow such as through(r) pride and sedi- 
 tion, have made themselves the ringleaders of a de- 
 testaule emulation. For it is not an ordinary harm 
 that we shall do ourselves, but rather a very great dan- 
 ger that we shall run, if w^e rashly give up ourselves 
 to the wills of men, who promote(5) strife and sedi- 
 tions, to turn us aside from that which is fitting. But 
 let us be kind to one another, according to the com- 
 passion and sweetness of him that made us. For it is 
 "written, " the merciful shall inherit the earth, and 
 they that are without evil shall be left upon it ; but 
 the transgressors shall perish from off the face of it."t 
 And again he saith, "- 1 have seen the wicked in great 
 power, and spreading himself like the cedars of Liba- 
 nus. I passed by, and lo he was not ; I sought his 
 place, but it could not be found. Keep innocency, 
 and do the thing that is right, for there shall be a 
 remnant to the peaceable man." ^ 
 
 15. Let us therefore hold fast to those who reli- 
 giously(^) follow peace, and not to such as only 
 pretend to desire it. For he saith in a certain 
 place, " this people honoureth me with their lips, 
 
 * Luke vi. 36. C/iJ Holy word. f Isaiah Ixvi. 2. C'/J Hely. 
 {rj In. (^.vj Prick on to. See Junius Ann. 
 
 i Psalm xxxvii. 9. — Prov. ii. 20. § Paal. XMXvii. 6. 
 
 (t ) With religion or godliness. 
 
 tP' 
 
f TO THE COB INTHI ANS. 153 
 
 but their heart is f^r from me."* And again, 
 *' they bless with their mouth, but curse in their 
 heart."! And again he saith, " ihey loved him -with 
 their mouth, and wiih their tongue they lied to him : 
 for their heart was not right vviihhini, neither were 
 they faithful in their covenant. "J '* Let all deceitful 
 lips become dumb, and the tongue that speakerh proud 
 things. Who have said,(j,0 with our tongue will we 
 prevail : our lips are our own, who is Li)rd over us i 
 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the 
 needy, now will I arise, sailh the Lord ; 1 will set him 
 in safety, I will deal canlidently with him."^ 
 
 16. For Christ is their's who are humble, and not 
 who exalt themsf^lves over his flock. 1 he sceptre of 
 the majesty of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, came not 
 in the shevv(^) of pride and ■ arrogance, though he 
 could have done so ; but withhumilityi as the Holy 
 Ghost had before spoken concerning him. For thus 
 he saith : " Lord, who hath bilieved our report, and 
 to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ? For he 
 shall grow up before hian as a tender plant, and as a 
 root out of a dry ground. He hath no form nor 
 comeliness, and when ye shall see him, there is no 
 beauty that we should de"sire him. He is despised 
 and rejected of men ; a man of sorrows and acquaint- 
 ed with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces 
 from him : he was despised, and we esteemed him 
 not. Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our 
 sorrows : yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of 
 God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our 
 transgressions ; he was bruised for our iniquities ; the 
 chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with 
 his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have 
 gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own 
 way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of 
 us all. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he 
 opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the 
 
 * Isaiah xxix 13. f Psal. Ixii. 4. 
 
 t PsfJ- Ixxviii. 36, 37. § Psal. xii. 3. 
 
 ''i/VVVc will magnify our tongue, ■ (r) Boasting. 
 
'156 8T. Clement's epistle 
 
 slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, 
 so he opLiielh not his mouth. He was taken troni prison 
 and from judi^ment ; and who shall declare his gen- 
 eration ? For he was cut off out of the land of the 
 Uvin<; ; for the transgression of my people was he 
 strick«in. And he made his grave with the wicked, 
 and with the rich in his death ; because he had done 
 no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 
 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him 
 to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering 
 for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his 
 days ; and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in 
 his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and 
 shall be satisfied ; by his knowledge shall my righte- 
 ous servant justify many : for he shall bear their in- 
 iquities Therefore will I divide him a portion with 
 the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong ; 
 because he hath poured out his soul unto death : and 
 he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare 
 the sin of many, and made intercession for the trans- 
 gressors."* And again he himself saith: " I am a 
 worm and no man, a reproach of men, and despised 
 of the people. All they that see me laugh me to 
 scorn ; tliey shoot out their lips, they shake their head, 
 saying, he trusted in the Lord that he would deliver 
 him, let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him." 
 [Psal. xxii. 6.] Ye see, beloved, what the pattern 
 is that has been given to us. For if the Lord thus 
 humbled himself, what should we do who are brought 
 hy(b) him under the yoke of his grace ? 
 
 17. Let us be followers of those who went about in 
 goat-skins and sheep-skins, preaching the coming of 
 Christ. Such [we say] were Elias, and Klisaeus, and 
 Ezekiel the Prophets. And let us add to these such 
 others as have received the like testimony. Abraham 
 has been greatly witnessed of, having been called the 
 friend of God. And yet he, stedfastly beholding rhe 
 glory of God, says with all humiUty, *' I am dust and 
 
 W 
 
 Isai. liii. according to the Hebrew^ ib) ^i auiev 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 157 
 
 ashes." — [Gen. xviii. 27.] Again, of Job it is thus 
 written : " that he was just and without blame, true; 
 one that served God and abstained from all evil." — 
 [Job i. I.] Yet he, accusing himself, says, " no man 
 is free from pollution, no not though he should live 
 but one day." — [Job xiv. 4.] Moses was called faith- 
 ful in all God's house, and by his conduct(6^) the Lord 
 punished Israel by stripes and plagues. And even 
 this man, though thus greatly honoured, spake not 
 greatly of himself ; but when the oracle oi God was 
 delivered to him out of the bush, he said, " Who am 
 I that thou dost send me ? I am of a slender voice and 
 a slow tongue." — [Exod. iii. 1 1.] And again he saith, 
 ** I am as the smoke of the pot." — [Exod. iv. 10.] 
 
 18. And what shall we say of David, so highly 
 testified of in the holy Scriptures ? To whom God 
 said, ** I have found a man after my own heart, Da- 
 vid the son of Jesse, with my holy oil have I annointed 
 him." — [Psal. Ixxxix. 29.] But yet he himself saith 
 unto God, *' have mercy upon me, O God, according 
 to thy loving kindness, according unto the multitude 
 of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. 
 Wash me thoroughly from min? iniquity, and cleanse 
 me from my sin For I acknowledge my transgres- 
 sions, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee 
 only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, 
 that thou mightest be justified \\hen thou speakest, 
 and be clear when thou judgest. Behold I w as shapen 
 in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 
 Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts, and in 
 the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 
 Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean ; wash me 
 and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear 
 joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast 
 broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, 
 and blot out all mine iniquities. Cieate in me a clean 
 heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 
 
158 ST. Clement's epistle 
 
 Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not 
 .thy holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy 
 of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit- 
 Then wiU I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners 
 shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from blood- 
 guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my 
 tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, 
 open thou my lips, and my moutn shall shew forth 
 thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would 
 I give it ; thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. The 
 sacrifices of God are a broken spirit : a broken and a 
 contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."* 
 
 19. Thus has the humility and Godly fear of these 
 great and excellent men recorded in the Scriptures, 
 through obedience, made not only us, but also the ge- 
 nerations before us, better ; even as many as have 
 received his holy oracles with fear and truth. Hav- 
 ing therefore so many, and such great and glorious 
 examples, let us return to that peace which was the 
 mark that from the beginning was set before us : let 
 us look up to the Father and Creator of the whole 
 w^orld, and let us hold fast to his glorious and exceed- 
 ing gifts and benefit of peace. Let us consider and 
 behold with the eyes of our understanding his. long- 
 suffering will, and think how gentle and patient he is 
 towards his whole creation^ 
 
 20. The Heavens moving by his appointment, are 
 subject to him in peace. Day and night accomplish 
 the courses that he has allotted unto them, not dis- 
 turbing one another. The sun and moon, and all the 
 several companies and constellations of the stars, run 
 thQ courses that he has appointed to them in concord, 
 "without departing in the least from them. The fruit- 
 ful earth yields its food plentifully in due season both 
 to man and beast, and to all animals that are upon it, 
 according to his will ; not disputing nor altering any 
 thing of what was ordered by him. So also the un- 
 
 * Psal. li. to ver. 17. accordiag to the Hcbrevr. 
 
 ? . 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 150 
 
 fathomable and unsearchable floods of the deep, are 
 kept in by his command :(/) and the contiux of the 
 vast sea being brought together by his order into its 
 several collections, passes not the bounds that he has 
 set to it ; but as he appointed it, so it remains. For 
 he said, *' hitherto shalt thou come, and thy floods 
 shall be broken within thee," [Job xxxviii. | The 
 ocean, unpassable to mankind, and the worlds that 
 are beyond it, are governed by the same commands 
 of their great master. Spring and summer, autumn 
 and winter, givg place peaceably to each other. The 
 several quarters of the winds, fulfil their work in their 
 seasons without oflfending one another. The ever- 
 flowing fountains, made both for pleasure and healthy 
 never fail to reach out their breasts to support the life 
 of men. Even the smallest creatures live together in 
 peace and concord with each other. All these has the 
 great Creator and Lord of all, commanded to observe 
 peace and concord ; being good to all ; but especially 
 to us who flee to his mercy through our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, to whom be glory, and majesty, for ever and 
 ever. — Amen. 
 
 21. Take heed, beloved, that his many blessings 
 be not to us to condemnation, except we shall walk 
 worthy of Him, doing with one consent what is good 
 and pleasing m hi^ sigrit. "The spirit of the Lord is a 
 candle, searchuig out the inward parts of the belly," 
 [Prov. XX. 27.J Li t us therefore consider how near 
 he is to us; and how that none of our thoughts, or 
 reasonings which we frame within ourselves, are hid 
 from him. It is therefore just that we should not for- 
 sake our rank, by doing contrary to his will. Let us 
 choose to offend a few foolish and inconsiderate men, 
 lifted up and glorying in their own pride, rather than 
 God. Let us reverence our Lord Jesus Christ, whose 
 blood was given for us ; let us honour those who are 
 set over us ; let us respect the aged that are amongst 
 
 ■.(r) Vid. Edit. Colomes. p. 53, 
 
160 ST. Clement's epistle 
 
 us, and let us instruct the younger men in the disci- 
 pline and fear of the Lord. Our wives let us direct 
 to do that which is good. Let them shew forth a 
 lovely habit of purity in all their conversation, with 
 a sincere atfection of meekness : let the government 
 of their tongues be made manifest by their silence ; 
 let their charity be without respect to persons, afike 
 towards all such as religiously fear God. Let their 
 children be bred up in the instruction of Christ ; and 
 especially let them learn howgreat a power humility has 
 with God ; how much a pure and holy charity avails 
 with him ; how excellent and great his fear is ; and 
 how it will save all such as turn to him with holiness 
 in a pure mind For he is the searcher of the thoughts 
 and counsels of the heart ; whose breath is in us, and 
 when he pleases, he can take it from us. 
 
 22. But all these things must be confirmed by the 
 faith which is in Christ : for so he himself bespeaks 
 us by the Holy Ghost, [Psal. xxxiv. 11,17.] " Come 
 ye children and hearken unto me, and I will teach 
 you the fear of the Lord. What man is there that 
 desireth life, and loveth to see good days ? keep thy 
 tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no 
 guile. Depart from evil and do good ; seek peace and 
 ensue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righte- 
 ous, and his ears are open unto their prayers. But 
 the face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to 
 €ut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 
 The righteous cried, and the Lord heard him and de- 
 livered him out of all his troubles. Many are the 
 troubles of the wicked, but they that trust in the 
 Lord, mercy shall encompass them about." 
 
 23. Our all-merciful and beneficent Father hath 
 bowels of compassion towards them that fear him ; 
 and kindly and lovingly bestows his graces upon all 
 such as come to him with a simple mind. Wherefore 
 let us not waver, neither let us have any doubt in our 
 hearts of his excellent and glorious gifts. Let that be 
 far from us which is written, " miserable are the dou- 
 
TO THE eORINTHlANS. 161 
 
 ble-minded, and those who are doubtful in their 
 hearts. Who say, these things have we heard, and 
 our fathers have told us these thuigs. But behold we 
 are grown old, and none of them has happened unto 
 us. O ye fools ! consider the trees ; take the vine ior 
 an example ; iirst it sheds its leaves, then it buds ; af- 
 ter that it spreads its leaves : then it flowers ; then 
 come the sour grapes ; and after them follows me 
 ripe fruit," [Jiiuies i. 2.] Ye see how in a little time the 
 fruit of the trees comes to maturity. Of a truth, yet 
 a little while, and his will shall suddenly be accom* 
 plished. The holy Scripture itself bearing witness^ 
 *' that he(o) shall quickly come and not tarry, and that 
 the Lord shall suddenly come to his temple, even the 
 Holy One(p) whom ye look for," [Hab. ii. 3. — Malach* 
 iii. 1.] 
 
 24. Let U3 consider, beloved, how the I ord does 
 continually shew us, that there shall be a future resur- 
 rection, of which he has made our Lord Jesus Christ th^ 
 first fruits, raising him from the dead. Let us con- 
 template, beloved, the resurrection that is continually" 
 made before our eyes. Ddy and night manifest a re- 
 surrection to us. The night lies down, and the day 
 arises : again the day departs and the night comes on. 
 Let us behold the fruits of the earth. Jfivt^ry one sees 
 how the seed is sown. The sower goes forth and 
 casts it upon the earth, and the seed which when it 
 was sown fell upon the earth dry and naked, in time 
 dissolves ; and from the dissolution the great power 
 of the providence of the Lord raises it again ; and of 
 one seed many arise, and bring forth truit. 
 
 25. Let us consider that wonderful type of the re- 
 surrection, which is seen in the eastern countries; 
 that is to say in Arabia. There is a certain bird call- 
 ed a Phoenix ; of this there is never but one at a time, 
 and that lives five hundred years. And when the 
 time of its dissolution draws near that it must die, it 
 makes itself a nest of frankincense and myrrh, and 
 
 'n^ Ex IMS. omitted bv Junius. C/0 "Ayi"f A®* AngeJ. 
 
 [31] 
 
162 ST. Clement's epistle 
 
 other spices, into which when its time is fulfilled it en- 
 ters and dies. But its flesh putrifying breeds a cer- 
 tain worm, which being nourished with the juice of 
 the dead bird brings forth feathers ; and when it is 
 grown to a perfect state, it takes up the nest in which 
 the bones of its parent lie, and carries it from Arabia 
 into Egypt, to a city called Heliopolis ; and flying in 
 open day in the sight of all men, lays it upon the al- 
 tar of the Sun, and so returns from whence it came, 
 the priests then search into the records of the time, 
 and find that it returned precisely at the end of five 
 hundred years. 
 
 26. And shall we then think it to be any very great 
 and strange thing for the Lord of all to raise up those 
 that religiously serve him in the assurance of a good 
 faith, when even by a bird he shews us the greatness 
 of his power to fulfil his promise ? for he says in a cer- 
 tain place, " thou shalt raise me up and I shall con- 
 fess unto thee." And again, *' I laid me down and 
 slept, and awaked, because thou art with me," [Psal. 
 iii..5.] And again. Job says, "thou shalt raise up 
 this flesh of mine that\ has suffered all these things," 
 [Job xix. 26.J 
 
 27. Having therefore this hope, let us hold fast to 
 him who is faithful in all his promises, and righteous 
 in all his judgments ; v^'ho has commanded us not to 
 lie, how much more will he not- himself lie ? for noth- 
 ing is impossible with God but to lie. Let his faith 
 then be stirred up again in us ; and let us consider 
 Xhat all things are nigh unto him. By the word ot 
 his power he made all things, and by the same word 
 he is able, whenever he will, to des troy them. *' Who 
 shall say unto him, what doest thou ? or who shall re- 
 sist the power of his strength?" [Wisd. xii. 12.} 
 When, and as he pleased, he will do all things ; and 
 nothing shall pass away of all that has been determin- 
 ed by him. AH things are open before him, nor can 
 any thing be hid from his counsel. " The Heavens 
 declare the glory of God, and the fiimament sheweth 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 163 
 
 his handy work. Day unto day utterelh speech, and 
 night unto night shevveth knowledge. I'here is no 
 speech nor language where their voice is not heard," 
 iPsal. xix. 1.] 
 
 28. Seeing then all things are seen and heard by 
 God, let us fear him, and let us lay aside our wicked 
 works which proceed from ill desires, that through 
 his mercy we may be delivered from the condemnation 
 to come. For whither can any of us flee from his 
 mighty hand? or what world shall receive any of 
 those who run away from him ? For thus saith the 
 Scripture in a certain place, " whither shall I flee [from 
 thy Spirit] or where shall I hide myself from thy pre- 
 sence ? If I ascend up into heaven thou art tiiere : 
 if I shall go to the utmost parts of the earth, there is 
 thy right hand : if I shall make my bed in the deep, 
 thy Spirit is there." — [Psal. cxxxix. 7.] Whither then 
 sliall any one go, or whither shall he run from him 
 that comprehends all things ? 
 
 29. Let us therefore come to him with holiness of 
 heart, lifting up chaste and undefiled hands unto him : 
 loving our gracious and merciful Father, who has 
 made us to partake of his election. For so it is writ- 
 ten, " when the most high divided the nations, when 
 he separated the sons. of Adam, he set the bounds of 
 the nations, according to the number of his Angels : 
 his people Jacob became the portion of the Lord, and 
 Israel the lot of his inheritance."- — [Deut. xxxii. 8, 9.] 
 And in another place he saith, " behold the Lord 
 taketh to himself a nation out of the midst of nations, 
 as a man taketh the first fruits of his flour, and the 
 most holy shall come out of that nation." — [Deut. iv. 
 34. — Numb, xxvii.] 
 
 30. Wherefore we being the portion of the holy 
 one, let us do all those things that pertain unto holi- 
 ness, fleeing all evil speaking against one another, all 
 filthy and impure embraces, together with all drunken- 
 ness, youthful lusts, abominable concupiscences, de- 
 testable adultery, and execiable pride. For God, 
 
164 St, Clement's epistle 
 
 saith he, " resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the 
 humble." — [Jam. iv. 6. — I Pet. v. 6.] Let us therefore; 
 hold last to those to whom God has given his graces 
 And let us put on concord, bemg humble, temperate, 
 free from all whispering and detraction, and justified 
 by our actions, not our words. For he saith, *' doth 
 he that speaketh and heareth many things, and that 
 is of a ready tongue, suppose that he is righteous ? 
 blessed is he that is born of a woman, that liveth but 
 a few days : use not therefore much speech." — [Job 
 /Xi, 2, 3. Ixx.] Let our praise be of God, not of our- 
 selves, for God hateth those that commend themselves. 
 Let the witness of our good actions be given to us of 
 others, as it was given to the holy men who went be- 
 fore us. Rashness, and arrogance, and confidence, 
 belong to them who are accursed of God : but equity, 
 and humility, and mildness to such as are blessed by 
 him. 
 
 3 1 . Let us then lay hold of his blessing, and let us 
 consider what are the ways by which we may attain 
 unto it. Let us look back upon those things that 
 happened from the beginning. For what was our 
 Father Abraham blessed .? Was it not because that 
 through faith he wrought righteousness and truth ? 
 Lsuac being fully persuaded of what he knew was to 
 co-me, cheerfully yielded himself up for a sacrifice. 
 Ju,cob w ith humihty departed out of his own country, 
 iiecijig from his brother, and went unto Laban and 
 served him : and so the sceptre of the twelve tribes o( 
 Israel was gi'.en unto him. 
 
 32. Now what the greatness of this gift(r) was, will 
 plainly appear, if we shall take the pains distinctly to 
 consider all the parts of it. For from him came the 
 Priests and Levites, who all ministered at the altar of 
 God. From him came our Lonl Jesus Christ, accord- 
 ing to the fiesh. From him came the kings and 
 princes, and rulers in Judah. Nor were the rest of 
 
 (') Tlu gifts that were gi' en by him, were, he sjiall know whcso- 
 f^ver will, «.ne by one, carefully and distinctly conLirler thtm. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 165 
 
 his trlbes(5) in any small glory : God having promised 
 that " thy seed [says hej shall be as the stars of hea- 
 ven." — [Gen. xxvii. 17.] They were rll therefore 
 greatly gloritied, not for their own sake, or for their 
 own works, or for the righteousness that they them- 
 selves wrought, but through his will. And we also 
 being called by the same will in Christ Jesus, are not 
 justified by ourselves, neither by our own wisdom, or 
 knowledge, or piety, or the works which we have 
 done in the holiness of our hearts ; but by that faith 
 by which God Almighty has justified all men from the 
 beginning, to whom be glory forever and ever. Atnen. 
 33. What shall we do therefore, brethren ? shall 
 we be slothful in well-doing, and lay aside our chari- 
 ty ? God forbid that any such thing should be done 
 by us. But rather let us hasten with all earnestness 
 and readiness of mind, to perfect every good work. 
 For even the Creator and Lord of all things himself 
 rejoices in his own works. By his Almighty power 
 he fixed the Heavens, and by his incomprehensible 
 wisdom he adorned them. He also divided the earth 
 from the water, with which it is encompassed, and 
 fixed it as a secure tower, upon the foundation of his 
 own will. He also by his appointment commanded 
 all the living creatures that are upon it, to exist. So 
 likewise the sea, and all the creatures that are in it, 
 having fijst created them, he enclosed them therein 
 by his power. And above all, he with his holy and 
 pure hands, formed man, the most excellent, and as 
 to his understanding, truly the greatest of all other 
 creatures, the character of his own image. For so 
 God says, " let us make man in our image, after our 
 own likeness : so God created man, male and female 
 created he them," [Gen. i. 26, 27.] And having thus 
 finished all these things, he commended all that he 
 had made, and blessed them, and said, increase and 
 multiply^ [Gen i. 28.] we see how all rigliteous men 
 have been adorned with good works : wherefore even 
 
 ■\f>) Scrptr^s : oce Jun. Aniiot. 
 
16d - ST. Clement's epistle 
 
 .tlie Lord himself, having adorned himself with his 
 works', rejoiced. Having therefore sucli an example, 
 let us ^vitho"Jt delay iuliil his will; and with all our 
 stren^'th work the work of righteousness. 
 
 34. The good workman with confidence receives 
 the bread of his labour ; but the sluggish and lazy 
 cannot look him in tlie face that set him on work. 
 We must therefore be ready and forward in well do- 
 ing ; i'or from him are all things. And thus he fore- 
 tells us, " behold the Lord cometh, and his reward is 
 with him, even before his face, to render to every 
 one according to his work,'* [Isaiah xl. 10, Ixii. II.] 
 He warns us therefore beforehand, with all his heart, 
 to this end, that we should not be slothful and ne- 
 gligent in well-doing. Let our boasting therefore, and 
 our conlidence be in God; let us submit ourselves to 
 liis will. Let us consider the whole multitude of his 
 Angels, how ready they stand to minister unto his 
 will. As saith the scripture, " thousands of tlipusands 
 stood before him, and ten thousand times ten tlfousaiid 
 ministered unto him," [Dan. vii. 10.] ' And they cried, 
 saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Sabaoth ; 
 the whole earth is full of his glory," [Lsa. vi.3.] Where- 
 fore let us also, being conscientiously gathered together 
 in concord with one another, as it were with one 
 mouth, cry earnestly unto him, that he would make us 
 partakers of his great and glorious promises., For he 
 saith, " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither 
 have entered into the heart of man, the things which 
 God has prepared for them that wait for him," [lsa. 
 Ixiv. 4. — I Cor. ii. 9.] 
 
 35. How blessed and wonderful, beloved, are the 
 gifts of God ? life in immortality ! brightness in righ- 
 teousness ! truth in full assurance ! faith in confi- 
 dence ! temperance in holiness ! And all this has God 
 subjected to our understandings ; what therefore shall 
 those things be wiiich he has prepared for them that 
 wait for hnu ? the Creator and Father of spirits, the 
 most holy, he only knows both the greatness and 
 beauty of them. Let us therefore strive with all ear- 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. lo7 
 
 iiestiiess, that we may be found in the . number of 
 those that wait for him ; that so we may receive the 
 reward which he has promised. But how, beloved, 
 shall we do this ? we must fix our minds by faith to- 
 wards God, and seek those things that are pleasing 
 and acceptable unto him. We must act conformably 
 to his holy will, and follow the way of truth, casting 
 off from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, together 
 with all covetousness, stiife, evil manners, deceit, 
 whispering, detractions ; all hatred of (3rod, pride 
 and boasting ; vain glory and ambition ; for tiiey that 
 do these things, are odious to God ; and not only 
 they that do them, but also all such as approve of 
 those that do them, [Kom. i. 32.] I^or thus saith the 
 Scripture, " but unto the wicked God said, what ha.-5t 
 thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou iiluuki- 
 est take my covenant in thy mouth ? seeing thou 
 hatest instruction, and castest my v»ords behind thee. 
 When thou sayvest a thief, then thou consentedst with 
 him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou 
 givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth de- 
 ceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brclher ; 
 thou slanderest thine own mother's son. These things 
 hast thou done and I kept silence ; thou thoughtedst 
 that I was altogether such a one as thyself; but I will 
 reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eye^. 
 Now consider this ye that forget God, lest I tear you 
 in })ieces, and there be none to deliver. Whoso of- 
 -ferelh praise, glorifieth me ; and to hhn that disposetli 
 his way aright, will I shew the .alvatioirof God,." 
 [Psal. 1. 1 6, &c. according to i ho Hebr.] 
 
 cit). I'hls is the way, beloved, in which we may 
 find our Saviour,* even Jesurj Christ, the High 
 Priest of all our offerings, the defender and helper of 
 our weakness. By him we look up to the higher £ 
 Heavens ; and behold as \n a glass, his spotlccs a:al 
 most excelleit visage. By him are the eyes of our 
 hearts opened ; by him our fooIisU and durl;( 
 
 :cii' 
 
 That wliica has ihe vovrcr 'c<; iij.ve irs. 
 
168 ST. Clement's epistll . 
 
 derstanding rejoiceth to behold his wonderful light. 
 By him would God have us to taste the knowledge of 
 iiniiiJitality ; " who being the brightnebs of his glory, 
 is by so much greater than the Angels, as he lias by 
 inlieritance obtained a more excellent name than 
 they," [ Heb. i. 2, 3.] For so it is written, " who 
 maketh his Angels Spirits, arid his Ministers a flame 
 of fire," [Psal. civ. 4.— Heb. i. 7.] But to' his Son, 
 thus saith the Lord ; " thou art my Son, to day have 
 I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I will give thee the 
 heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of 
 the earth for thy possession," [Heb. i. 5. — Comp. Psal. 
 ii. 7, 8.] And agam he sailh unto him ; " sit thou on 
 my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy foot- 
 stool," [Heb. i. 13. — Psal. ex. l.J But who are his 
 enemies ? even the wicked," and such who oppose 
 their own wills to the will of God. 
 
 37. Let us therefore march on, men and brethren,- 
 with all earnestness in his holy laws. Let us consider 
 those who fight under our earthly governors ; how or- 
 derly, how readily, and with what exact obedience 
 they perform those things that are commanded them ? 
 all are not generals, nor colonels,* nor captains,! nor 
 inferior officers ;t but every one in his respective rank 
 does what is commanded him by the king, and those 
 who. have the authority over him. They who are 
 great cannot subsist without those that are little, nor 
 the little without the great. But there must be a mix- 
 ture in all things, and then there will be use and pro- 
 fit too. Let us for example take our body : [ I Cor. 
 xii. 1 3.] the head without the feet is nothing, neither 
 the feet without the head. And even the smallest 
 members of our body, are yet both necessary and 
 useful to the whole body But all conspire together 
 and are subject to one common life, namely, the pre- 
 servation of the whole body. 
 
 38, Let therefore our whole body be saved in Jesus 
 
 * Cqminanders of a thousand. f Centurions. 
 
 i Commanders of 50, aad so on. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 169 
 
 Christ ; and let every one be subject to his neighbour, 
 acuorcling to the order in which he is pUu t-d uy che 
 giA of Grod. Let not the strong man despise the weak, 
 and let the weak see that he reverence ihe strung. 
 Let the rieh man distribute to the necessity of the 
 poor; and let tiie poor bless God, that he has given 
 one unto liini., by whom his want may be supplied. 
 Let the wise man shew forth his wisdom, not in woids, 
 but in gOv)d works. Let him that is humble, not bear 
 witness to hiniself, but let him leave it to another tp 
 bear w^itiiess of him. Let him that is pure in tle^h, 
 not grow proud of it, knowing that it was from ano- 
 thi^r tiiut he received the gift of continence. Let us 
 consider therefore, brethren, whereof we are made ;(.r) 
 Avho, and what kind of men we came into the world, as 
 it' were out of a se])ulchre, and from outer darkness. 
 He that made us, and formed us, brought us into his 
 own ,world,. having prevented(3/) us with his benelits, 
 even before we were born. Wherefore, having re- 
 ceived all these things from him, we ougiit, in every 
 thing to give thanks unto him : to whom be glory for 
 ever and ever. — Amtru 
 
 39. Foolish and unwise men, who have neither pru- 
 dence nor learning, may mock and deride us ; heing 
 willing to set up themselves in their own conceits : 
 but what can a mortal man do ? or what strength is 
 there in him that is made out of the dust ? for it is 
 written, " there was no shape before mine eyes ; only 
 I heard a sound and a voice. For what ? shall man 
 be pure before the Lord ? shall he be blameless in his 
 works ? behold, he trusteth not in his servants ; and 
 his Angels he charged with folly. Yea, the Heaven 
 is not cl'^an in his sight, how much less they that 
 dwell in houses of clay ; of which also we ourselves 
 were made ? he smote them as a moth, and frorii 
 morning even unto the evening they endure not. Be- 
 cause they were not able to help themselves they per- 
 
 (.r) Of what mnttpr. {l^^ P'-eparcd f ii-us. 
 
 [22] 
 
170 ST. Clement's epistle 
 
 ished : he breathed upon them, and they died, be- 
 cause they had no wisdom. Call now it there be any 
 that will answer thee ; and to which of the Anvils 
 ^ ilt thju look ? for wrath killeth the foolish man, and 
 envy skyeth him that is in error. I have seen the 
 foolish talting root, but lo their habition was presently 
 consumed. Their children were far from safety, they 
 perished at the gates of those ^^ho were Ksser than 
 them df Ives ; and there was no man to help them. 
 For what was prepared for them, the righteous did 
 eat ; and they shall not be dehvered Irom evil.** 
 \_Jo^:). iv. 16, 6cc. — XV. 15 — iv. 19 — v. 1. &c.] 
 
 40. Seeing then these things are manifest unto us, 
 it will behove us to take care that looking into the 
 depths of the divine knowledge, we do all things in 
 order, whatsoever our Lord has commanded us to do. 
 And particularly, that we perform our offerings and 
 service to God, at their appointed seasons : for these 
 he has commanded to be done, not rashly and disor- 
 derly, but at certain determinate times, and hours. 
 And therefore he has ordained by his Supreme will 
 and authority, both where, and by what persons they 
 are to be performed : that so all things being piously 
 done unto all well-pleasing, they may be acceptable 
 unto him. They therefore who make their offerings 
 at the appointed seasons, are happy and accepted : 
 because that obeying the commandments of the Lord, 
 they are free from sin. " And the same care must be 
 
 ( had of the persons that minister unto him."* For the 
 chief Priest has his proper services ; and to the Priests 
 their proper place is appointed ; and to the Levites 
 appertain their proper ministries ; and the Layman is 
 confined within the bounds of what is commanded to 
 L.iynen. 
 
 4 1 . Let every one of you therefore, brethren, bless 
 God in his proper station, with a good conscience, 
 and with all gravity, not exceeding the rule of his 
 
 • See Coteler. in loc. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS, 1 7 1 
 
 service that is appointed to him. The daily sacrifices 
 are lut offered every where ; nor the peace-olierings, 
 nor the sacrihces appointed for sins and transgressions, 
 but only at Jerusalem ; nor in any place there, but 
 only at the altar before the Temple ; that whi';h is 
 offered, being first diligently examhied by the High 
 Priest and the other Minisfers we before menfioned. 
 Tliey therefore who do uny thing which is not agree- 
 able to his will, are punished with death. Consider, 
 brethren, that by how much the better knowledge 
 God has vouchsafed unto us, by so much the greater 
 danger are we exposed to. 
 
 42. The Apostles have preached to us from our 
 Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ from God. Christ 
 therefore was sent by God, the Apostles by Christ : j 
 so both were orderly sent, according to the will of : 
 God. For having received their command, and be- 
 ing thoroughly assured by the resurrection of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ ; [ I Thess. i. 5.] and convinced by the 
 word of God, with the fulness(^/) of the Holy Spirit, 
 they went abroad, publishing, " that the Kingdom of 
 God was at hand." And thus preaching through 
 countries and cities, they appointed the first fruits of 
 their conversions,* to be Bishops and Ministers over 
 such as should afterwards beUeve, having first proved 
 them by the Spirit. Nor was this any new thing : 
 seeing that long before it was written concerning Bi- 
 shops and Deacons For thus saith the Scripture, in 
 a certain place ; " I will appoint their overseers in 
 righteousness, and their Ministers in fsLith.'\m) [Isa. 
 H. 17.] 
 
 43. And what wonder if they, to whom such a 
 work was committed by God in Christ, established 
 such officers as we before mentioned ; when even that 
 blessed and faithful servant in all his house, Moses, 
 set down in the Holy Scriptures all things that were 
 commanded him. Whom also all the rest of the Pro» 
 
 . (/) With the i-u'l assurance. * Vid, Cottier in loc^ 
 
 (m) bishops, Deacons. 
 
172 *• ST. CLEMENT*S EWSTLE 
 
 phets followed, bearing witness with one consent to 
 tliose tilings that were appointed by him. For he, 
 perceiving an emulation to arise among tlie tribes con- 
 cerning the Priesthood, and that there was a strife 
 about it, which of the-m should be adorned with that 
 glorious name ; commanded their twelve captains to 
 bring to him twelve rods; every tribe being written 
 upon its rod, according to its name, [Numb, xvii.] 
 And he took them and bound them together, and 
 sealed them with the seals of the twelve princes of 
 the tribes, and laid them up in the t.ibernacle of 
 "witness, upon the table of God. And when he had 
 slrit the door of the tabernacle, he sealed up the 
 keys of it, in like manner as he had done the rods ; 
 and said unto them, men and brethren, which soever 
 tribe shall have its rod blossom, that tribe has God 
 chosen to perform the office of a Priest, and to minis- 
 ter unto him in holy things. (</) And when the morn- 
 ing was come, he called together all Israel, six hundred 
 thousand men, and shewed to their princes the seals, 
 and opened the tabernacle of witness, and brought 
 forth the rods. And the rod of Aaron was found not 
 only to have blossomed, but also to have fruit upon 
 it. What think you, beloved ? did not Moses before 
 know what should happen ? Yes verily : but to the 
 ^nd there might be no division, nor tumult in Israel, 
 he did in this manner, that the name of the true and 
 only God might be glorified : to him be honour for 
 ■ever and ever.— v^;72iv?. 
 
 44. So likewise our Apostles knew by our Lord Je- 
 sus Christ, that there should contentions arise upon 
 the account of the ministry.(s) And therefore hav- 
 ing a perfect foreknowledge of this, they appointed 
 persons, as we have before said, and then gave di- 
 rectibn, how when they should die, other chosen and 
 approved men should succeed in the ministry. (?) 
 
 ((/) To exercise the office of the Priesthood, and to minister, &c. 
 
 (s) About the name of the Bishoprick, 
 
 0) Left a list of other chosen and approved persons, who should 
 succectl them in their ministry. See Dr. Arden's disc, upon this 
 passage. Dr. Hammond's power of the keys, c. iii. p. 413. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS. 173 
 
 Wherefore we cannot think that those may justly bQ . 
 thrown out of their mini^-try, who were either ap- 
 pointed by them, or afterwards cliosen by other ejni- 
 nent men, with the consent of the whole Church ; 
 and who have with all lowliness and innocency min- 
 istered to the flock of Christ in peace, and without 
 self interest, and were for along time conimended by 
 all. For it would be no small sin in us, should we 
 cast off those from their ministry,(z;) wiio holily and 
 without blame, fidfil the duties of tt,{w) Blessed are- 
 those Priests, who having finished their course before 
 these times, have obtained a fruitful and perfect dis- 
 solution ; for they have no fear, lest any one should 
 turn them out of the place which is now appointed 
 for them. But w^e see how you have put out some, 
 who lived reputably among you, from the ministry, 
 which by their innocence they had adorned. 
 
 45. Ye are contentious, brethren, and zealous for 
 things that pertain not unto salvation. Look into the 
 holy Scriptures, which are the true words of the Ho- 
 ly Ghost. Ye know^ that there is nothing unjust or 
 counterfeit written in them. There you shall not find 
 that righteous men were ever cast oft' by such as wer0 
 good themselves. They were persecuted, it is true ; 
 but it was by the wicked and unjust. They were 
 cast into prison ; but they were cast in by those that 
 were unholy. They were stoned, but it was by trans- 
 gressors. They were killed, but by accursed men, 
 and such as had taken up an unjust envy against them. 
 And all these things they underwent gloriously. For 
 what shall we say, brethren? was Daniel cast into 
 the den of lions, by men fearing God ? [Dan. vi. 16.] 
 Ananias, Azarias and Misael, were they cast into the 
 fiery furnace by men professing the excellent and glo- 
 rious worship of the Most High ? [Dan. iii. 20.] God 
 forbid. What kind of persons then were the}?" that 
 did these things ? they were men abominable, full of 
 
 . '^f ) Bibhoprick. (lO) Offer the gift&. 
 
174 ST. CLEMEN! 'S EPISTLfi 
 
 all wickedness ; who were incensed to so great a de» 
 gree, as to bring those into sufferings, who with a 
 holy and unblamable purpose of mind wor-hipjitd 
 God : not knowing that tlie xVtost High is the protect- 
 or and defender of all such as with a pure conscience 
 serve his holy name : to whom be glory for ever and 
 ever. — Amen. But they who with a full persuasion 
 have enJured these things, are made partakt-rs of 
 glory and honour ; and are exalted and lifted up by 
 God in their memorial throughout all ages. — Amen. 
 
 46. Wherefore it will behove us also, brethren, to 
 follovv(^) such examples as these ; for it is written, 
 " hold fast to such as are holy ; for they that do so 
 shall be sanctified. And again in another place he 
 saith, " with the pure thou shalt be pure, [and with 
 the elect thou shalt be elect,] (^) but with the perverse 
 thou shalt be perverse," [Psal. xvii. 2.] Let us there- 
 fore join ourselves to the innocent and righteous, for 
 such are the elect of God. Wherefore are there 
 strifes, and anger, and divisions, and schisms, and 
 wars among us ? have we not all one God, and one 
 Christ ? is not one spirit of grace poured out upon us 
 all ? [Eph. iv. 4. 1 Cor. xii.l Have we not one calhng 
 in Christ ? why then do we rent and tear in pieces 
 the members of Christ ; and raise seditions against 
 our own body ? and are come to such a height of 
 madness, as to forget that we were members one of 
 another ? [Rom. xii. 5.] Remember the words of our 
 Lord Jesus, how he said, " wo to that man, [by whom 
 ': offences come](^) it were better for him that he had 
 never been born, than that he should have offended 
 one of my elect. It were better for him, that a mill- 
 stone should be tied about his neck, and he should be 
 cast into the sea, than that he should offend une of 
 my little ones." Your schism has perverted many, has 
 discouraged many : it has caused diffidence in many, 
 
 {g) To derive to. 
 
 (A) Omitte<l by Junius, and now restored fi'om the MS. 
 
 (yt) For he said, Luke xvii. 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANt. 175 
 
 and grief in us all. And yet your sedition continues 
 stili. 
 
 -i 7. Take tlie Epistle of the blessed Paul the Apos- 
 tle into your hands; what was it he wrote to you at! 
 his iirst preachnig [he Oon}>el among you ;\/) venly he 
 did oy the spirit admonish you concerning himself, 
 and Cephas, and Apolios,(w) because that even tiien 
 ye had begun to fall inio parties and factions among 
 yourselves^//) Nevertiieless your partiality then led 
 you into a much less sin ; forasmuch as ye placed 
 your affections upon Apostles, men of eminent re])u- 
 taiion in the Church; and upon another, who was. 
 greatly tried and approved of by them. But consider 
 we pray you, who were they that have now led you 
 astray, and lessened the reputation of that brotherly 
 love that was so eminent among you ? It is a shame, 
 my beloved, yea a very great shame, and unworthy 
 of your Christian profession, to hear that the most 
 firm and antient Church of the Corinthians should, by 
 one or two persons, be led into a sedition against its 
 Priests. (^) And this report is come not only to us, but 
 to those also that differ from us. Insomuch that the 
 name of the Lord is blasphemed through your folly ; 
 and even ye yourselves are brought into danger by it. 
 
 4S. Let us therefore with all haste put an end to this 
 sedition ; and let us fall down before the Lord, and 
 beseech him with tears that he would be favourably 
 reconciled to us, and restore us again to a seemly and 
 holy coarse of brotherly love. For this is the gate of 
 righteousness, opening unto life : as it is written, 
 •* open unto me the gates of righteousness ; I will 
 go in unto them and will praise the Lord. This is the 
 gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter into it," 
 [Psalm cxviii. 19, 20.] Although therefore many 
 gates are opened, yet this gate of righteousness is that 
 
 (I;. See Mr. Djd'vell's add. ad Pearson. Chrouol. ji. «.33. Dr. 
 GiMbe's S|)ici!eg. to. i. p. 256. 
 
 (m) Spit ituuUy sciid t': you, 1 Cor, i. 12. 
 ■ (n) Inclinations, [for one uuove aii(;'her.j. 
 
 (0 See Mr. Dodwell, 1. c.p. 222. 
 
17$ ST. CLEMEJ;t's EPISTLE. 
 
 gate in Christ, at which blessed are all they that enter 
 in, and dhect their way in hoiinebS arm iiji,h:euu.->iits&', 
 doing all things without disorder. Let a uian be iuitu- 
 ful, let him be powerful in the utterance of iaiow- 
 ledge ; let him ije wise in making an exact judgiiieiit 
 of words ; let inai be pure lu all liis cictions : but ttill 
 by how much tiie more he seems to be aoove odiers, 
 hy reason of these things^ by so much the more v.ili 
 it behove him to be humble minded, and io seek what 
 is prolitable to all men, and not his own advantage. 
 
 49. lie that has the love that is in Christ, let h'un 
 keep the commandments of Christ For who is able 
 to express the obligation of the love of God ? what 
 man is suiiicient to declare, as is fitting, the excellen- 
 cy of its beauty ? The height to which charity leads, 
 is inexpressible. Charity unites us to God, " chariiy 
 covers the multitude of sins," [1 Pet. iv. 8.] Chanty 
 endures all thrngs^^ is longsufFering in all things. 
 There is nothing base and sordid in charity : charity 
 lifts not itself up above others ; admits of no divisions ; 
 is not seditious, but does all things in peace and con- 
 cord. By charity were all the elect of God made per- 
 fect : without it nothing is pleasing and acceptable in 
 the sight of God. Through chariry did the Lord join 
 us unto himself ; whilst for the love that he bore to- 
 wards us, our Lord Jesus Christ gave hiS own blood 
 for us, by the will of God; his flesh for our flesh, 
 his soul for our souls. 
 
 50. Ye see, belo^ied, how great and wonderful a 
 thing charity is ; and how that no expressions are suf- 
 ficient to declare its perfection. But who is fit to be 
 found in it ? even such only as God shall vouchsafe 
 to make so. Let us therefore pray to him, and be- 
 seech him, that we may be worthy of it ; that so we 
 imay live in charity, being unblamable, without hu- 
 man propensities, without respect of persons. All 
 the ages of the world, from Adam, even unto this 
 day, are passed away : but they who have been made 
 perfect in love, have by the grace of God obtained a 
 
TO THE CORINTHIANS'. 177 
 
 place among the righteous ; and shall be made mani- 
 fest m the judgment ot the kingdom of Christ. For 
 it is written, '* enter into thy chambers for a little 
 space, until my anger and indignation shall pass away: 
 and I will remember the good day, and will raise you 
 up out of your graves." [Isa. xxvi. 20] Happy then 
 shall we be, beloved, if we shall have fuhilled the 
 commandments of God, in the unity ot love ; that 
 so, through love, our sins may be forgiven us. For 
 so it is written, " blessed are they whose iniquities are 
 forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the 
 man to whom the Lord imputeth no sin, and in whose 
 mouth there is no guile." [Psal. xxxii.] JSow this 
 blessing is fulfilled in those who are chosen by God, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory for 
 ever and ever. — Amtti. 
 
 5 1 . Let us therefore, as many as have transgressed 
 by any of the suggestions of the adversary, beg 
 God's forgiveness.(^) And as for those who have 
 been the heads of the sedition and faction among you, 
 let them look to the common end of our hope. For 
 as many as are endued with feur and charity,(A) 
 Would rather they themselves should fall into trials 
 than their neighbours : and choose to be themselves 
 condemned, rather than that the good and just chari- 
 ty delivered to us, should suffer. For it is seemly for 
 a man to confess wherein he has transgressed ; and 
 not to harden his heart, as the hearts of those were 
 hardened, who raised up sedition against Moses the 
 servant of God ; whose punishment was manifest un- 
 to all men, for they went down alive into the grave, 
 death swallowed them up, [Numb, xvi.] Pharaoh 
 and his host, and all the rulers of Egypt, their chari- 
 ots also and their horsemen, were for no other cause 
 drowned in the bottom of the red sea, and perished ; 
 but because they hardened their foolish hearts, after 
 so many signs done in the land of Egypt by Moses th« 
 servant of God. [Exod. iv.] 
 
 f^-) See Junius in loc. (X' vValk according to ; live ttt. 
 
 L23J 
 
178 ST. Clement's epistle 
 
 52. Beloved, God is not indigent, of any thing, nor 
 does he demand any thing of us, but thai we .-.houid 
 Confess our sins unto him. For so says the holy Da- 
 vid, " 1 will confess unto the Lord, and it shall please 
 hiLU belter than a young bullock that hath horns and 
 hoofs," [Psal. Ixix. 31. J " Let the poor see it and be 
 gLid," [Psal. 1. 14.] And again he saith, "offer unto 
 God the sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows unto 
 the most high. And call upon me in the day of trou- 
 ble, and 1 will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. 
 The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit," [Psal. li. 17.] 
 
 53. Ye know, beloved, ye know full well, the ho- 
 ly Scriptureh, and have thoroughly searched into the 
 oracles of God ; call them therefore to your remem- 
 brance. For wlien Moses went up into the mount, 
 and tarried there forty days and forty nights in fast- 
 ing and humiliation ; God said unto him, " arise Mo- 
 se-, get thee down quickly from hence, for thy people 
 wiiom thou broughtest out <^f the land of Egypt, have 
 committed wickedness ; they have soon transgressed 
 the way that I commanded them, and have made to 
 themselves graven image^," [Exod xxxii. — Deut. ix.] 
 And the Lord said unto him, " I have spoken unto 
 thee several times, Faying, I have seen tnis people, 
 and behold it is a stifi' necked people ; let me there- 
 fore destroy them, and put out their names from un- 
 der Heaven. And I will make unto thee a great and 
 a wondertul nation, tliat shall be much larger than 
 this. But Moses said, not so Lord : forgive now this 
 people their sin, or if thou wilt not, blot me also out 
 of the book of the living." O admirable charity ! O 
 insuperable perfection ! the servant speaks freely to 
 his Lord ; he beseeches him either to forgive the peo- 
 ple, or to destroy him together with them. 
 
 54. Who is there among you that is generous ? 
 who that is compassionate ? wlio that has any charity? 
 let him say, if this sedition, this contention, and those 
 schisms, be upon my account, I am ready to depart ; 
 to go away whithersoever ye please ; and do whatso- 
 
TO TIIE C0RINTHIAT4S. 179 
 
 ever ye shall command me : only let the flock of 
 Christ be in peace, with the elders that are set over it. 
 He tnat shall da this, shall get to him.seif a very ^reat 
 honour in tiie Ljrd ; and tnere is no ^jlace out vviiat 
 will be ready to receive him : for t ;e earth is the 
 LorWs, and the fulmss thtreof. [Psal. xsiv.j Tiiese 
 thui^s they w.io iiu,ve their conversation towards 
 God not to be repented of, both have done, and will 
 always be ready to do. 
 
 55. Nay and even the Gentiles themselves have giv- 
 en us examples of this kind.(r) For we read, liovv 
 many kings and princes, in tunes of pestilence, oi ing 
 ■warned by tlieir oracles, have given up themselves 
 unto death ; that by their own blood, tliey might de- 
 liver their country from destructioji. Others have for- 
 saken their cities, that so they might put an end to the 
 seditions of them. We know how iiumy among our- 
 selves, have given up themselves unto bonds, that 
 thereby they might ixae others from them. Others 
 have sold themselves into bondage, tiiat they might 
 feed their brethren, with the price of themselves. 
 And even many women, being strengthened by the 
 grace of God, have done many glorious and manly 
 things on such occasions. The blessed Judith, when 
 her city was besieged, desired the elders, that they 
 would suffer her to go into the camp of their enemies, 
 [Judith viil, ix, x, xiii.] and she went out exposing 
 herself to danger, for the love she bore to her coun- 
 try and her people that were besieged ; and the f .ord 
 delivered Holofernes into the hands of a woman. 
 Nor did Esther, being perfect in faith, expose her- 
 self to any less hazard, for the delivery of the twelve 
 tribes of Israel, in danger of being destroyed, [Est- 
 her vii. viii.J For by fasting and humbling herself,' 
 she entreated the great maker of all things, the G )d 
 of spirits ; so that beholding the humility of her soul, 
 he delivered the people, for whose sake she was in 
 peril. 
 
 (.9), But that we majr bring the examples of heathens. 
 
180 ST. Clement's epistle 
 
 5Q. Wherefore let us also pray for such as are fallen 
 into sin.(i2) That being endued with humiiity and 
 niovlv-raiion, they may huumi( not unto us, but to the 
 will of O'./d. Jhor ijy this means they shall obtain a 
 frui.tul and perfect reuit^mbrunce, with mercy, both in 
 our urayers to God, and in our mention of them be- 
 fo' c his saints.(/>J I et us receive correction, at which 
 no invvn ought to repine. Beloved, the reproof and 
 the correction which we exercise towards one another, 
 is g,Jod, and exceeding prolitable : for it unites us the 
 jnore closely to the will of God. For so says the ho- 
 ly Scripture, ** the Lord corrected me, but he did not 
 deliver me over unto death, [Psal. cxviii. 18.] For 
 whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgtth 
 every son whom he receiveth, [Prov. iii. 1 1 .] The righ- 
 teous, saith he, shall instruct me in mercy and reprove 
 me ; but let not oil of sinners make fat my head," tPsal. 
 qxli. 5.] And again he saith, " happy is the man 
 ^'hom God correcteth ; therefore despise not thou the 
 chastening of the Almighty. For he maketh sore and 
 bindeth up ; he woundeth and his hands make whole. 
 He shall deliver thee in six troubles ; yea in seven 
 there shall no evil touch thee. In famine he shall re- 
 deem thee from death ; and in war from the power of 
 the sword. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of 
 the tongue, neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction 
 when it cometh. Thou shalt laugh at the wicked and 
 sinners ; neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of 
 the earth. The wild beasts shall be at peace with 
 thee. Then shalt thou know that thy house sh^U be 
 in peace, and the habitation of thy tabernacle shal} 
 not err. Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be 
 great, and thy offspring as the grass of the earth. 
 Thou shalt come tp thy grave as the ripe corn, that is 
 taken in due time ; like as a shock of corn cometh in; 
 in its season" [Job v. 17, &c.] Ye see, beloved, how 
 Jhere shall be a defence to those that are corrected of 
 
 ^z) Vjz. that of schism. I^b) I e. Our fcilow cliristlans, 
 
TO THE CORINTHIAN^. 184 
 
 the Lord For being a good instructor, he is willing 
 to admonish us by his holy aiscipline. 
 
 57. Do ye therefore who laid the first foundation of 
 this sedition, submit yourselves unto your priests; 
 and be instiucted unto repentance, bending the knees 
 hf your hearts. Learn to be subject, laying aside all 
 proud and arrogant boasting of your tongues For it 
 is better for you to be found little, and approved, in 
 the sheepfold of Christ, than to seem to yourselves 
 better than others, and be cast out of his fold.* For 
 thus speaks the excellent and all virtuous wisdom, (oQ 
 ^* behold I will pour out the word of my Spirit upon 
 you, I will make known my speech unto you. Be- 
 cause I called and ye would not hear, I stretched out 
 my words and ye regarded not. But ye have set at 
 nought all my counsel, and would none of my re- 
 proof I will also laugh at your calamity, and mock 
 when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as 
 desolation, and your destruction as a whirlwind, when 
 distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shaB 
 ye call upon me, but I will not hear you ; the wicked 
 shall seek me, but they shall not find me. For that 
 they hated knowledge, and did not seek the fear of 
 the Lord. They would not hearken unto my coun- 
 sel : they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall 
 they eat of the fruit of their own ways, and be filled 
 
 with their own wickedness." [Prov. i. 23, &c.] 
 
 ' ' * * * * * * * * #. 
 
 sn ** * * * * * * 
 
 •" * * * * * * * * * 
 
 58. Now God, the inspector of all things, the 
 Father of Spirits, and the Lord of all flesh, who hath 
 chosen our Lord Jesus Christ, and us by him, to be 
 hi- peculiar people ; grant to every soul of man that 
 calleth upon his glorious and holy name, faith, fear,A 
 peace, long-suftering, patience, temperance, holines;; 
 and sobriety, unto all well-pleasing in his sight; 
 through our high priest and protector Jesus Christ, by 
 
 {*) See Junius in loe, {d) Sec Cotclcr. in Inc. 
 
182 ST. Clement's epistle, &c. 
 
 ■whom be glory and majesty, and power, and honour, 
 unto him now and forever more. — Amen. 
 
 dii. The messengers whoin we have sent unto you, 
 Claudius Kphebus, and Valerius Bito, with Fortuna- 
 tus, send oack to us again with all speed in peace and 
 with joy, that they may the sooner acquairit us with 
 your peace and concord, so much prayed for and de- 
 sired by us : and that we may rejoice in your good 
 order. 
 
 60. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with 
 you, and with all that are any where called by God 
 through him : to whom be honour and glory, and 
 might and majesty, and eternal dominion, by Christ 
 Jesus, from everlasting to everlasting. — Amen, 
 
THE 
 
 EFIBTIiE OF ST. FOILYCAHF 
 
 TO THE 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 Polycarp and the Pi-esbyters that are with him, to the Church of 
 God which is at Philippi ; mercy unto you, and peace fr ,ai God 
 Alniig,hty ; and ihc Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, be multiplied. 
 
 1 . I REJOICED greatly with you in our Lord Je- 
 sus Christ, that ye received the images of a true love, 
 and accompanied, as it behoved you, those who were 
 in bonds, becoming Saints ; which are the crowns of 
 such as are truly chosen by God and our Lord : as 
 also that the root of the faith which was preached from 
 antient times, remains firm in you to this day ; and 
 brings forth fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ, who suf- 
 fered himself to be brought even to the death for our 
 sins. Whom God hath raised up, hav ng loosed the 
 pains of .death. Whom having not seen, ye love ; in 
 whom chough now ye see him not, yet believing, ye 
 rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, [Acts 
 ii. 24 — 1 Pet. i 8.] Into whicli many de ,ire to enter, 
 knowing that by ,<rrace ye are savtc/, [Eph. ii. 8,] not 
 by work?, but by the will of God, through Jesus Chris^ 
 
 2. \\'herefore girding up the loins of your mind, 
 serve the Lord with fear, and in truth, [I Pet. i. 13 — 
 Psal. n. n.] laying a>ide all empty and vain speech, 
 and tlie error of many ; helieviiig in him that raised 
 up our Lord Jtsus Christ from the dead, and hath 
 given him glory and a tiirone at his right hand, [I Pet. 
 i. 21.J To v»hom all things are made subject, Loth that 
 
^84 Sy. POr.YCARP*S EPISTLE 
 
 are in HeaveTi^ ajid that are in earth ; whom every 
 living creature shall •worship, [Phil. ii. 1 0] who shall 
 come to be the judge of the quick and dead : whose 
 blood God shall require of them that believe not in 
 him. But he that raised up Christ from the dead, 
 shall also raise up us in like manner, if we do his will, 
 and walk according to his commandments ; and love 
 those things which he loved : abstaining from all urt' 
 righteousness, inordinate affection, and love of mo- 
 ney ;{g) from evil speaking ; false witness ; not ren- 
 dering evil for evil or railing for railing, or striking 
 for striking, or cursing for cursing ; but rememoer- 
 ingwhat the Lord has taught us, saying, *' judge not^ 
 and ye shall not be judged.; forgive and ye shall be 
 forgiven," [Luke vi. 37. — Matt. vii. 1.] be ye merci- 
 ful, and ye shall obtain mercy; *' for with the same 
 measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured ta 
 you again." And again, that " blessed are the poor, 
 and they that are persecuted for righteousness sake; 
 for theirs is the kingdom of God." [Matt. v. % 10. — 
 Luke vi. 10.] 
 
 3. These things, my brethren, I took not the liber- 
 ty of myself to write unto you concerning righteous- 
 ness, but you yourselves before encouraged me to it.. 
 For neither can I, nor any other such as I am, come 
 up to the wisdom of the blessed and renowned Paul f 
 who being himself in person with those who then liv- 
 ed, did with all exactness and soundness teach the 
 word of truth ;(i) and being gone from you, wrote an 
 Epistle to you ',{k) into which if you look, you will 
 be able to edify yourselves in the faith that has been 
 delivered unto you ; which is the mother of us all ; 
 being followed with hope, and led on by a general 
 love, both towards God and towards Christ, and to- 
 wards our neighbour. For if any man has thesa 
 
 (g) Eph. iv. 19. Coloss. iii, 5. 1 Pet. iii. 9. 
 
 {i) ve() iXithtcti, concern' ng truth. 
 
 (■*•) Epistles, Vid, Annot. Cotelcr. in loc. 
 
TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 185 
 
 things, he has fulfilled the law of righteousness ; for 
 he that has charity is far from all sin. 
 
 4. But the love of money is the root of all e\i].(m) 
 Knowing therefore that as we brought nothing into 
 this world, so neither may we carry any thing out ; 
 let us arm ourselves witii the armour of righteous- 
 ness : and teach ourselves first to walk according to 
 the commandments of the Lord ; and then your wives 
 to walk likewise according to the faith that is given 
 to them ; in charity, and in purity ; loving their own 
 husband.-: with all sincerity, and all others alike with 
 all temperance ; and to bring up their children in the 
 instruction and fear of the Lord. The widows like- 
 wise, teach that they be sober as to what concerns the 
 faith of the Lord : praying always for all men ; being 
 far from all detraction, evil speaking, false witness ; 
 from covetousness, and irom all evil : knowing that 
 they are the altars of God, who sees all blemishes, 
 and from whom nothing is hid : who searches out the 
 very reasonings and thoughts, and secrets of our 
 hearrs 
 
 0. Knowing therefore that God is not mocked, we 
 ou^ht to walk worthy borh of his command and of 
 his glory. Also the Deacons must be blameless before 
 him, as the ministers of God in Christ, and not of 
 men. Not false accusers, not double tongued, not 
 lovers of money ; but moderate in all things ; com- 
 passionate, careful ; walking according to the truth 
 of the Lord, who was the servant of all: whom if 
 we please in this present world, we shall also be made 
 partakers of that which is to come, according as he 
 has promised to us, that he will raise us from the dv ad, 
 and that if we shall walk w^onhy of him, we shall 
 also reign together with him, if we believe. In like 
 manner. the younger men must be unblamable in all 
 things : above all, taking care of their purity, and to 
 restrain themselves from all evil. For it is good to be 
 
 (jji) Beginning of all troubles, or difficulties. ;^j«AfJr«ii, 1 Tim. 
 
 [24] 
 
186 ST. POLYCARP*S EPISTLE 
 
 cut off from the lusts that are in the world ; because 
 every sucn lust warreth against the Spirit; and nei- 
 ther foi Jiicators^ nor effeminate^ fior abusers of them- 
 selves with mankind^ shall inherit the kingdom of God >• 
 [1 Pet. ii. 11 — I Cor. vi. 9, lO.J nor they who do such 
 things as are foolish and unreasonaole. Wherefore 
 ye must needs abstain Irom all these things ; being 
 subject to the priests and deacons, as unto God and 
 Christ. The virgins admonish to walk in a spotless 
 and pure conscience. 
 
 6. And let the elders be compassionate and merci- 
 ful towards all :(j/) turning them Irom their errors ; 
 seeknig out those that are weak ; not forgetting the 
 widows, the fatherless, and the poor; but always 
 providing what is good both in the sight of God and 
 man,, [Rom. xii. 17.j Abstaining from all wrath, re- 
 spect of persons, and unrighteous judgment : and es- 
 pecially being free from all covetousness. Not easy 
 to believe any thing against any ; not severe in judg- 
 ment, knowing that we are all debtors in point of 
 sin. If therefore we pray to the Lord that he would 
 forgive us, we ought also to forgive others ; for we 
 are all in the sight of our Lord and God, and *' must 
 all stand before the judgment seat of Christ," [Rom. 
 xiv. 10 — 2 Cor. V. 10] and shall every one give an 
 account of himself. Let us therei'ore serve him in 
 fear, and with all reverence as both himself hath com- 
 manded ; and as the Apostles who have preached the 
 Gospel unto us, and the prophets who huve foretold 
 the coming of our Lard, havt taught us : being zea- 
 lous c.f what is good ; abstuiaing from all offence, and 
 from false breihren; and from those who bear the 
 name of Christ in hypocrisy ; who deceive vain men. 
 7. For whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ 
 is come in the flesh, he is antichrist; [1 John iv. I.] 
 and whoever does not confess his suffering upon the 
 cross,(Z>) is from the devil. And whosoever perverts 
 
 (v) Ezek. xxxiv. 4, (3) The martyrdom of the cross. 
 
TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 1 87 
 
 the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that 
 there sliali neither be any resurrection, nor judgment, 
 . he is the first oorn of Satan. Wnerefore leaving tne 
 vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us re- 
 turn to the word tiiat was delivered to us from Uie ue- 
 ginning; watching unto prayer., [I Pet. iv. 7. i and 
 persevering in fasting : with jsuppiication bebetchiiig 
 the all seeing God ?iot to lead i/s into temptation ; 
 [Matt. vi. 13.] as the Lord hath said, " the spirit truly 
 is willing, but the flesh is weak," [Matt. xxvi. 41.] 
 
 8. Let us therefore without ceasing hold stedlasrly 
 to him who is our hope, and the earnest of our righ- 
 teousness, even Jesus Christ ; who his own self bare 
 GUI' sins in his own body on the tree ; who did no sin, 
 neither was guile found in his mouth, [I IVt. ii. 22, 
 24.] But suffered all for us that we might live through 
 him. Let us therefore imitate his patience ; and if 
 we suffer for his name let us glorify him ; for this ex- 
 ample he has given us by himself, and so have we be- 
 lieved. 
 
 9. Wherefore I exhort all of you that ye obey the 
 word of righteousness, and exercise all patience ; 
 which ye have seen set forth before your eyes, not 
 only in the blessed Ignatius, and Zozimus, and Ru- 
 fus, but in others among yourselves ; and in Paul 
 himself, and the rest of the Apostles : being confi- 
 dent of this, that all these have not run in vain, but 
 in faith and righteousness, and are gone to the place 
 that was due to them from the Lord ; with whom also 
 they suffered. For they loved not this present \a orld, 
 but him who died and was raised again by God for us. 
 
 10. Stand therefore in these things, and follow the 
 example of the Lord ; being firm and immutable in 
 the faith, lovers of the brotherhood, lovers of one 
 another : companions together in the truth, being 
 kind and gentle towards each other, despising none,(/) 
 When It is in your power to do good defer it not, for 
 
 {/) Yielding to each other the mildness of the Lord. 
 
188 ST. POLYCARP*S EPISTLE 
 
 charity delivereth from death. Be all of you subject 
 one to another, having your conversation honest 
 among the Gentiles ; ['1 ooit. xii. 9.-— I Fet ii. 12.J that 
 hy your good works, both ye yourselves may receive 
 praise, and the Lord may not be blasphemed through 
 you, [Rom. ii. 24. — Titus ii, 5.] But wo be to him 
 by whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed. There- 
 fore teach all men sobriety -, in which do ye also ex- 
 ercise yourselves. 
 
 11. I am greatly afflicted for Valens, who was 
 once a presbyter among you ; that he should so little 
 understand the place that was given to him in the 
 Church. Wherefore I admonish you that ye abstain 
 from covetousness ;{h) and that ye be chaste and true 
 of speech. Keep yourselves from all evil.* For he, 
 that in these things cannot govern himself, how shall 
 he be able to prescribe them to another ? if a man 
 does not keep himself from covetousness, (/) he* shall 
 be polluted with idolatry, and be judged as if he were 
 a Gentile. But who of you are ignorant of the judg- 
 ment of God ? do we not know that the Saints shall 
 judge the world, as Paul teaches, [1 Cor. vi. 2.] But 
 I have neither perceived nor heard any thing of this 
 kind in you, among whom the blessed Paul laboured; 
 [Phil, i.] and who are named in the beginning of this 
 Epistle. For he glories of you in all the Churches 
 who tiien only knew God ; for we did not then know 
 him. Wherefore, my brethren, I am exceedingly 
 sorry both for him, and for his wife; to whom God 
 grant a true repentance. And be ye also model ate 
 upon this occasiion ; and look not upon such as ene- 
 mies, but call them back as suffering and erring mem- 
 bers, that ye may save your whole body : for by so 
 doing, ye shall edify your own selves. 
 
 12. For I trust that ye are well exercised in the 
 
 (A) Concuinscence, or immoderate and filthy lusts. So Dr. Hani- 
 jnoiul on Horn. i. 29, 1. * 
 
 * Thess. V. 22. i^ph. v. 5. Coloss- ii. 5. 
 {i) x\s before JDv. iiiimmond on 1 Cor. v, 10, i. 
 
TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 189 
 
 holy Scriptures, and that nothing is hid from you : 
 *but at present it is not granted unto me to practice 
 that which is written, " be angry and sin not ;" and 
 again, '* let not the sun go down upon your wratlV* 
 [Psal. iv. 4 — Eph. iv. 26.] Blessed is he rhat remem- 
 bereth these things; which also I trust you do. Now 
 the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and he 
 himself who is our everlasting High Priest, the Son of 
 God, even Jesus Christ, build you up in faith and in 
 truth, and in all meekness and lenity; in patience 
 and long suffering, in forbearance and chastity : 
 and grant unto you a lot and portion among his 
 Saints ; and us with you, and to all that are under 
 the Heavens, who shall believe in our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and in his Father " who raised him from the 
 dead," [Gal. i. 1.] Pray for all the saints ; pray also 
 for " kings, and all that are in authority," [1 Tim. 
 ii. 1, 2.] and for those who persecute you and hate 
 you, and for the enemies of the cross : that your 
 fruit may be manifest in all ; and that ye may be per- 
 fect in Christ. 
 
 ' 1 3. Ye wrote to me, both ye and also Ignatius,* 
 that if any one went from hence into Syria, he 8hould 
 bring your letters with him ; which also I will take 
 care of, as soon as I shall have a convenient opportu- 
 nity ; either by myself, or him whom I shall send up- 
 on your account. The Epistles of Ignatius which he 
 wrote unto us,(/i) together with what others of his 
 have come to our hands, we have sent to you accor- 
 ding to your order ; which are subjoined to this Epis- 
 tle ; by which you may be greatly profited ; for they 
 treat of faith and patience, and of all things that per- 
 tain to edification in the Lord Jesus. 
 
 14. What you know certainly of Ignatius, and 
 those that are with him, signify unto us. 
 
 These things have I written unto you by Crescens, 
 
 * See Annnt. Us«cr in loc- 
 
 (tj) i. e. To hinibclf, and to the Church cf Smyrna. 
 
190 ST. POLYCARP'S EPISTLE 
 
 whom by this present Epistle 1 have recommended to 
 you, and do now aguin commend. For he has had 
 his conversation without blame among us ; unci I sup- 
 pose also with you. Ye will also have regard unto 
 his sister when she shall come unto you. Be ye 
 safe in the Lord Jesus Christ ; and in favour with all 
 yours.(/>) — Amen. 
 
 (fi) His grace be with you all — 'imcn. • 
 
THE 
 
 EFISTILE OF ST. IGNATIUS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 EPHESIANS. 
 
 Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church which is at- 
 Ephesus in Asia, most deservetily happy ; being blessed through 
 the greatness and fulness of God the Father, and predestinated 
 before the world began, that it should be always unto an endur- 
 ing and uachangeablc glory ; being united and chosen through his . 
 true passion, according to the will of the Father, and Jesus j - 
 Christ our God ; all happiness, by Jesus Christ, and his undefiled /, 
 grace. 
 
 1. I HAVE heard(^) of your name much beloved 
 in God, which ye have very justly attained(/) by a 
 habit of righteoiisn8ss,(^) according io the faith and 
 love which is in Jesus Ciiriist our baviour : how that 
 being followers of God, and stirring up yourselves 
 by the olood of Chnst, ye ha'^e perfectly accomi)lish- 
 ed the work that was connatural unto you. For hear- 
 ing that I came bound from Syria, for the common 
 name and hope, [viz. of Christ,] trusting through your 
 prayers to fight with bea&ts at Rome; that so by suf- 
 fering I may become indeed the disciple of him who 
 gave himself to God. an offering and sacritice for us, 
 [ye hastened to see me.]* I received therefore, in the 
 name of God, your whole multitude in Onesimus ; 
 who by inexpressible love is ours, but according to 
 
 (e) Received Vid. Epist. Interpol. 
 
 CJ'j V>il. Cotcier in loc. Conip Gal. iv. 8. 
 
 Cg'J Pearson. Vi.id jgn.it. Par. 2. Cap. 14. 
 
 * Eph. V. 2. — itee the old. Lat. Ed. of Bishop Ushei'. 
 
192 ST. IGNATIL'S*S EPISTLE 
 
 the flesh is your Bishop : whom I beseech you by Je- 
 sus Christ, to love ; ai»d that you would all strive to 
 be like unto him. And blessed ije God, who has grant- 
 ed unto you, v\ ho are so worthy of him, to enjoy such 
 an excellent Bishop. 
 
 2. For what concerns my fellow servant Burrhus* 
 and your most blessed deacon in things pertaining to 
 God ; I entreat you that he may tarry longer, both 
 for your's, and your Bishop's honour. And Crocus . 
 also worthy both our God and you, whom 1 have re- 
 ceived as the pattern of your love, has in all things 
 refreshed me, as ttie Father of our Lord Jesus i hrist 
 shall also refresh him ; together with Onesimus, and 
 Burrhus, and Euplus, and Fronto, in whom I have, 
 as to your ciiariiy, seen all ot you. And may I al- 
 ways harve joy of you, if 1 shall be worthy of it. It 
 is therefore iitting that you should by all meuns(/)) 
 glorify Jesus Christ who hath glorified you : tlmt by 
 a uniform obedience ye may be perfectly joined to- 
 gether in the same mind, and in the same judgment; 
 and may all speak the same things concerning e\ery 
 thing ;(r) and that being subject to your Bishop, and 
 the Presbytery, ye may be wholly and thoroughly 
 sanctified. 
 
 3. 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 Biit 
 now I begin to learn, and I speak to you as fellow- 
 disciples together with me. For I ought to have been 
 stirred up by you, in faith, in admonition, in patience, 
 in long sufiering : 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 God. For even Jesus Christ, 
 our insuperable 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. 
 
 Cfi) In all manrtcr of ways. (rj 1 Cor. i- 10- 
 
TO THE EPHESIANS. 1^3 
 
 4. Wherefore it will become you to run tog flier 
 according to the will of your Bishop, as ai»o ye d<3. 
 For your famous Presbyrery, worthy of God. is lif- 
 ted as exactly to the Bishop, as the strings are to the 
 harp. Therefore in your concord, and agreeing cha- 
 rity, Jesus Christ is sung ; and every snigle person 
 among you makes up the chorus : that so btmg all 
 consonant in love, ai.d taking up the song of Oou, ye 
 may in a perfect unity, with one voice, sing to the 
 Father oy Jesus Christ; lo the end that he may both 
 hear you, and perceive by your works, that ye are 
 indeed the members of his Son : wherefore it is pro* 
 fitable for you to live in an unblamaule unity, that so 
 ye may always have a fellowship with Gpfl. 
 
 5. For if I in this little time have had such a fami- 
 liarity with your Bishop, I mean not a carnal, but 
 spiritual acquaintance with him ; how much n ore 
 must I think you happy who are so joined to hini, as 
 the Church is to Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ to tue 
 Father ; that so all things may agree in the same uni- 
 ty ? 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 of one or two be of such force, as 
 we are told, [Matt, xviii. 19.] how much more pow- 
 erful shall that of the Bishop and the whole Church 
 be ? He therefore that does not come together' into the 
 same place with it, is proud, and has already con- 
 demned himself. For it is written, " God resisteth 
 the proud," [James iv. 6.] Let us take heed therefore, 
 that we do not set ourselves against the Bishop, that 
 we may be subject to God. 
 
 6. The more any one sees his Bishop silent, the 
 more let him revere him. For whomsoever the mas- 
 ter 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. And indeed Onesimus him- 
 self does greatly commend your good order in Gocl : 
 
194 ST. IGNATIUS'S BPISTLE 
 
 that you all live according to the truth, and that no 
 heresy dwells among you. For neither do ye heai Ktn 
 to any one more than to Jesus Christ speaking to you 
 in truth. 
 
 7. For some there are who czxry(h) about the name 
 of Christ in deceitfulness, but do things unworthy of 
 God ; whom ye must flee, as ye would do so many 
 wild beasts. For they are ravening dogs, who bite 
 secretly : against whom ye must guard yourselves, 
 as men hardly to be cured. There is one physician, 
 both fleshly and spiritual ; made and not made ; Ood 
 incarnate ; true life in death j both of Mary and of 
 God : first passable, then impassable ; even Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. 
 
 8. Wherefore let no man deceive you ; as indeed 
 neither are ye deceived, being wholly the servants of 
 God. For inasmuch as there is no contention, nor 
 strife among you, to trouble you, ye must needs live 
 according to God's will. My soul be for yours j(/z) 
 and I myself the expiatory oflfering for your Church 
 of Ephesus, so famous throughout the world. 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 ;(y&) 
 nor he that is an infidel have faith. But even those 
 things which ye do according to the flesh are spirit- 
 ual ; for as much as ye do all things in Jesus Christ. 
 
 9. Nevertheless I have heard of some who have 
 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 being the stones of the temple of 
 the Father,(^) prepared for his building ;(?/) and drawn 
 
 (A) Accustom themselves to carry. 
 
 (») Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. Pearson. Vind. Ign. par. 2. p. 20r, 
 208. 
 
 {ft) As neither is faith the things of infidelity, nor infidelity the 
 tilings of faith 
 
 it) Comp. Eph. ii. 20, 21, 22. 1 Pet. ii. 5. 
 
 (u) The building of God the Father. 
 
TO THE EPHESIANS, 195 
 
 ^ upon high by the cross of Christ, as by an engine ;(w) 
 Ubiiig tiie iloly Uliost as the rope : your faith being 
 your support ; and your chanty the way that leads 
 unto God. Ye are therefore, with all your compan- 
 ions in the same journey, full of God ; his spiritual 
 temples, full of Christ, full of holiness ; adorned in 
 all things with the commands of Christ : in whom al- 
 so 1 rejoice that 1 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 
 God only. 
 
 10. Pray also without ceasing for other men : for 
 there is ho])e of repentance in them, that they may 
 attain unto God. Let them therefore at least be in- 
 structed by your works, if they will be no other way. 
 Be ye mild at their anger ; humble at their boasting : 
 to their blasphemies, return your prayers : to their er- 
 
 .ror, your iirmness in the faith : when they are cruel, 
 be ye gentle; not endeavouring to imitate their ways : 
 (let us be their brethren in all kindness and modera- 
 tion, but let us be followers of the Lord ; for who was 
 ever more unjustly used ? more destitute ? more dis- 
 pised ?) 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.(^) 
 
 1 1. The last times are come upon us: let us there- 
 fore be very reverent, and fear the long suffering of 
 God, that it be not to us unto condemnation. Jh or 
 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,(t') we may be found in Christ: 
 Jesus, unto true life. Besides him, let nothing be 
 worthy of you ; for whom also I bear about these 
 bonds, those spiritual jewels, in which I would to God, 
 that I might arise through your prayers : of which I 
 entreat you to make nie always partaker, that I may 
 
 (iv) By ♦^he engine of the cross. &c. Pearson, ib. part 2, cap. 12. 
 , (6j In Jesus Christ both bodily and spiritually. 1 Cor, viJ. 3^. 
 ie) Une of the two, onlj' that we may be fcw,u<J, Sec 
 
196 ST. IGNATIUS'S EPISTLE 
 
 be found in the lot of the Christians of Ephesus, who 
 have always agreed with the. Apostles, through the 
 power of Jesus Christ. 
 
 12. 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. Ye are the passage of those that are killed 
 for (jrod ; the companions of Paul in the mysteries of 
 the Gospel ; the holy, the martyr, the deservedly 
 most happy Paul : at whose leet may I be found, 
 when I shall have attained unto God ; who through- 
 oui all his Epistle makes mention of you in Christ 
 Jesus.(/«) 
 
 1 3. 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 the devil are destroyed, and his mischief is dissolv- 
 ed by the unity of your faifh. And indeed, nothing 
 is better than peace ; by which all war both spiritual 
 and earthly, is abolished.(/>) 
 
 14. Of all which nothing is hid from you, if ye 
 have perfect faith and charity in Christ Jesus, which 
 are the beginning and end of hfe. For the beginning 
 is faith ; the end charity. And these two joined to- 
 gerher, are of God : but all other things which con- 
 cern a holy life are the consequences of these. No 
 man professing a true faith, sinneth ; neither does he 
 who has charity, hate auj. The tree is made manifest 
 by its fruity [Matt xii. 33.] So they who profess them- 
 selves to be Christians, are known by what they do.(r) 
 For Christianity is not the work of iin outward pro- 
 fession ; but shews itself in the pow^r of faith, if a 
 man be found faithful unto the end. 
 
 1 5. It is better for a man to hold his peace, and 
 be ;{s') than to say, he is a Christian, and not to be. 
 
 (m) i;t. Coteler in Iqc. Pears. Vind Ign. par. 2. cap. 10. 
 (/2) (f things in Heaven, and of chiugs on Eai'th. 
 (r) S ail .f, hceii or made mauifcst. 
 (s) bpeaking, not to be. 
 
TO THE EPHESIANS. 197 
 
 It is good to teach ; if what he says, he does likewise. 
 There is therefore one master who spake, and it was 
 done; and even those tilings whicli he did without 
 speaking are worthy of the Fatlier. He that pos- 
 sesses the word of Jesus, is truly able to hear his very 
 silence, that he may be perfect ; and both do accord- 
 ing to what he speaks, and be known by those things 
 of which he is silent. There is nothing hid from God, 
 but even our secrets are nigh unto him. Let us there- 
 fore do all things, as becomes those who have God 
 dwelling in them ; that we may be his temples, and 
 he may be our God : as also he is, and will manifest 
 himself before our faces, by those things for which we 
 justly love him. 
 
 16. Be not deceived, my brethren : those that cor- 
 rupt families by adultery, shall not inherit the king- 
 dom ot God.* if therefore they who do this accord- 
 ing to the flesh, have suffered death ;(y) how much 
 more shall he die, who by his wicked doctrine cor- 
 rupts the faith of God, for which Christ was crucifi- 
 ed? he that is thus defiled, (2) shall depart into un- 
 quenchable fire, and so also shall he that hearkens to 
 him. 
 
 17. For this cause did the Lord suffer the ointment 
 to be poured on his head,(/>) that he might breathe the 
 breath of immortality unto his Church. . Be not ye 
 therefore anointed with tlie evil savour of the doctrine 
 of th6 prince of this world : let him not take you cap- 
 tive from the life tnat is set before you. And why 
 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 consider- 
 ing the gift which the Lord has truly seat to us ? 
 
 18. Let my life be sacrificed for the doctrine of the 
 
 ^ Tiie corrupiers of houses. 1 Cov. vi. 9, 10. 
 
 (i/) 1 Cor. X. 8. 
 
 (r) Such a one being become defiled. 
 
 (d) Receive ointment. Psal. xUv. 8. cxxxii. 2, 
 
198 ST. IGNATIUS'S EPISTLE 
 
 cross 'y{e) which is indeed a scandal to the unbelievers, 
 but to us is salvation and life eternal. Where is the 
 •wise maji ? inhere is the disputer ? [I Cor. i. 20.] 
 where is the boasting of those who are called wise? 
 for our God Jesus ^^hrist, was according to the dis- 
 pensation of God, conceived in the womo of Mary, 
 of the seed of David by the Holy Ghost : he was 
 born, and baptized, that through his passion, he migbt 
 purity water, to the washing away of sin. 
 
 19. Now the virginity of Mary, and he who was 
 born of her, was kept in secret from the prince of 
 this world ; as was also the death of our Lord ; three 
 of the mysteries the most spoken of throughout the 
 world, yet done in secret by God.(/r) How then was 
 our Saviour manifested to the world ? a star shone in 
 Heaven beyond all the other stars, and its light was 
 inexpressible, and its novelty struck terror into men's 
 minds. All the rest of the stars, together with the 
 sun and moon, were the chorus to this star : but that 
 sent out its light exceedingly above them all. And 
 men began to be troubled to think whence this new 
 star came so unlike to all the others. Hence all the 
 power of magic became dissolved ; and every bond 
 of wickedness was destroyed ; men's ignorance was 
 taken away, and the old kingdom abolished ; God 
 
 . himself appearing in the form of a man, for the re- 
 newal of eternal life. From thence began what God 
 had prepared : from thenceforth things were disturb- 
 ed ; forasmuch as he designed to abolish death. 
 
 20. 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 suddenly write unto you to ma- 
 nifest to you more fully the dispensation of which I 
 have now begun to speak, unto the new man, which 
 is Jesus Christ ; both in his faith, and charity; in his 
 suffering, and in his resurrection : especially if the 
 Lord shall make known unto me, that ye all by name 
 
 (0 See Dr. Smith's note in loc 1 Cor. i. 18, 23, 24. 
 (/t). Silciice, or quietness. See Rom. xvi 25. 
 
TO THE EPHESIANS. 199 
 
 come together in common in one faith, and in one 
 Jesus Christ ; who was of the race of David accord- 
 ing to the flesh ; the son of man, and Sun of God, 
 obeying your Bishop and the Presbytery with an en- 
 tire atiection ; breaking one and the same bread, 
 ■which is the medicine of immortahty; our antidote 
 that we should not die, but hve forever in Christ 
 Jesus. 
 
 21. My soul be for yours, and theirs whom ye have 
 sent, to tile glory of God ; even unto Smyrna, from 
 whence also 1 write to you ; giving thanks unto the 
 Lord, and loving Polycarp even as I do you. Re- 
 mtmijer me, as Jesus Christ does remember you. 
 Pray for the Church which is in Syria, from whence 
 I am carried bound to Eome ; being the least of all 
 the faithful which are there, as 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 com- 
 mon hope. — Ameji. 
 
 TO THE EPHESIANS. 
 
THE 
 
 EFISTiLE OF BTdGHATlUB 
 
 TO THE 
 
 MAGNESIANS. 
 
 — ^ worm ^ 5» 
 
 Ignatius who is also called Thcophorus ; to the blessed [Church](a) 
 by the grace of God the Father in Jesus Christ out S.iviour : in 
 whom I salute the Church which is at Magnesia near the Mean- 
 der ; and wish it all joy, in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ. 
 
 I. WHEN I heard of your well ordered love and 
 charity in God, being full of joy, I desired much to 
 speak unto you in the faith of Jesus Christ. For hav- 
 ing been thought worthy to obtain a most excellent 
 name,(rf) in the bonds which I carry about,(e) I salute 
 the Churches ; wishing in them a union both of the 
 body and Spirit of Jesus Christ, our eternal life ; as 
 also of faith and charity, to which nothing is prefer- 
 red : but especially of Jesus and the Father ; in whom 
 if we undergo all the injuries of the prince of this 
 present world, and escape, we shall enjoy God. 
 
 II. Seeing then I have been judged worthy to see 
 I j you, by Damas your most excellent Bishop ; and by 
 ' ■ your very worthy Presbyters, Bassus, and ApoUoni- 
 
 us ; and by my fellow servant Sotio the deacon ; in 
 whom I rejoice, forasmuch as he is subject unto his 
 Bishop as to the grace of God, and to the Presbytery 
 
 (a) Vid Interpr. I-at. Epist. Interpol. 
 
 id ) Been vouchsafed a name carrying a great deal of divinity 
 in it. 
 
 (e) See Bishop Pearson. Vind. Ign- par. 2, cap. 12, page 146. 
 
ST. IGNATIUS'S EMSTLE, &C. 201 
 
 as to the law of Jesus Christ ; I determined to write 
 unto you.(^) 
 
 3. Wherefore it will become you also not to use 
 your Bishop too familiarly upon the account of his 
 youih ;[/) out to yield all reveience to him according 
 to the power of God the Father : as also I perceive 
 that your holy Presbyters do ; not considering his 
 age,(A«) which indeed to appearance is young ; but as 
 becomes those who are prudent in God, submitting 
 to him, or rather not to him, but to the Father of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ the Bishop of us all. It will there- 
 fore behove you, with all sincerity, to obey your Bi- 
 shop ; in honour of him whose pleasiu'e it is that ye 
 should do so, bec^vuse ho that does not do so, deceives 
 not the Bishop whom he sees,, but atnonts him that is 
 invisible. For whatsoever of this kind is done, it re- 
 flects not upon man, but upon God, wha 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 indeed 
 their governor, Bishop ; but yet do all things without 
 him. But I can never think ihat such as these have a 
 good conscience, seeing they are not gathered togeth- 
 er thoroughly according to God's commandment. 
 
 5. Seeing then all things have an end, there are 
 these two indifferently set before us, death and life ; 
 and every one shall depart unto his proper place. Fo^ 
 as there are two sorts of coins, the one of God, the 
 other of the world ; and each of these has its proper 
 inscription engraven upon it ; so also is it here. The 
 unbelievers are of this world ; but the faithful, through 
 charity, have the character of God the Father by 
 Jesus Christ : by whom if we are not readily disposed 
 to die after the likeness of his passion, his life is not 
 in us. 
 
 (k A;mu1 Vet. Lr.t. inter. Glorificato D.-U7n Patretn D. noatrl 
 Jr,--iU Chrisli- 
 
 (J) \'k\. Voss. Annot. in loc. Pearso.i. Prxf. ad Vind.Ignat, 
 (m) Seemini; yomhful stale. 
 *VVid. Epist. Int<?rp. ad loc. 
 
 [26] 
 
202 ST. IGNATIUS'S EPISTUi. 
 
 6. Forasmuch therefore as I have in the persons be- 
 fore mentioned, seen all of you in faith and charity ; 
 I exhort you that ye study to do all things in a divine 
 concord : your Bishop presiding in the place of God, 
 your Presbyters in the place of the council of the 
 Apostles ; and your Deacons most dear to me, being 
 
 .entrusted with the ministry of Jesus Christ ; who was 
 with the Father before all ages, and appeared in the 
 end. to us.(s) Wherefore taking the same holy course, 
 see that ye all reverence one another : and let no one 
 look upon his neighbour after the flesh, but do you all 
 mutually love each other in Jesus Christ. Let there 
 be nothing that may be able to make a division among 
 you ; but be ye united to your Bishop, and those who 
 preside over you, to be your pattern and direction in 
 the way to immortality. 
 
 7. As therefore the Lord did nothing without the 
 Father, being united to him ; neither by himself nor 
 yet by his Apostles ; so neither do ye do any thing 
 without your Bishop and Presbyters : neither endea- 
 vour to let any thing appear rational to yourselves 
 apart; but being come together into the same place, 
 have one common prayer ; one supplication ; one 
 mind ; one hope ; in charity 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 to one altar, as to one Jesus 
 Christ; who proceeded from one Father, and exists 
 in one, and is returned to one* 
 
 8. Be not deceived w ith strange doctrines ; nor with 
 old fables which are unprofitable. For if we still con- 
 tinue to live according to the Jewish law, we do con- 
 fess ourselves not to have received grace. For even 
 the most holy prophets lived according to Christ Jesus. 
 And for this cause were they persecuted, being in- 
 spired by his grace, to convince the unbelievers and 
 
 (r| Was made manifest. Hcbr. ix. 26. 
 
 * John X. SO—xiv. 11, 12— xvii. 21, 22.— Eph. iv; 3, 4, 5, 6'.— 
 JoHii xvi. 28. 
 
TO THE MAGNESIAN3. 203 
 
 • disobedient that there is one God who has manifested") 
 j liiin^elf by Jesus Christ his Son; who is his eternal ) 
 ! word, not coming forth from silence, who in aU things J 
 ; pleased him that L^ent him, [John i. 1.] 
 
 y. Wherefore if they who were brought up in these 
 antient laws came nevertheless to the newness of 
 hope ; no longer observing dabuaths, out keeping the 
 Lord's day, in which also our life is sprung up by him, 
 and through his death, whom yet some deny : (by 
 which mystery we have been brought to believe, and 
 therefore wait that we may be found the disciples of 
 Jesus Cnribt, our only master :) how shall we be able 
 to live different from him ; whose disciples the very 
 prophets themselves being, d d by the Spirit expect 
 him as their master. And tnerefore he whom they 
 justly waited for, being come, raised them up from 
 the dead, [Mat. xxvii. 52.] 
 
 10. Let us not then be insensible of his goodness ; 
 for should he have dealt with us according to our 
 works, we had not now had a being. (/) Wherefore 
 bemg become his disciples, let us learn to live accord- 
 ing to the rules of Christianity : for whosoever is call- 
 ed by any other name besides this, he is not of God. 
 Lay aside therefore the old, and sour, and evil lea- 
 ven ; and be changed into the new leaven, which is 
 Jesus Christ. I3e ye salted in him, lest any one among 
 you should be corrupted ; for by your Saviour ye 
 shall be judged. (;^) It is absurd to name Jesus Christ, 
 and to Jndaize. For the Christian religion did not 
 embrace the Jewish, but the Jewish the Christian i 
 that so every tongue that believed might be gathered 
 together unto God. 
 
 11. These things, my beloved, I write unto you ; 
 not that 1 know of any among you that lie under this 
 error : but as one of the least among you, I am desi- 
 rous to forewarn you that ye fall not into the snares 
 
 (I) Vid, Annot. Voss. in loc. Should he have imitated our ■work;^. 
 Gr. 
 (n) Convicted, overthrown. 
 
20-1 ST. IGNATIUS'S EPISTLE 
 
 of vain doctrine : but that ye be fully instructed in 
 the birth and suffering, and resurrection of Jesus 
 C hrist. our hope ; which was accomplished in the 
 time of the government of Pontius Pilate, and that 
 most truly and certainly ; and from which God foruid 
 that any among you should be turned aside. 
 
 1 2 May I therefore have joy of you in all things, 
 if I shall be worthy of it. For though 1 am bound, 
 ^et am I not worthy to be compared to one of you 
 that are at liberty. I know that ye are not puffed up ; 
 for ye have Jesus Christ in your hearts. And especi- 
 ally when I commend you, 1 know that ye are asham- 
 ed, as it is written, the just man condemneth himsdf^ 
 [Prov. xviiL' 17. Sept.] 
 
 1 3. Study therefore to be confirmed in the doctrine 
 of our Lord, and of his Apostles ; that so whatsoever 
 ye do, ye may prosper both in body and spirit ; in 
 faith and charity j in the Son, and in the Father, and 
 in the Holy Spirit ; in the beginning, and in the end : 
 together v, ith your most worthy Bishop, and the well- 
 wrought spiritual crown of your Presbytery ; and 
 your deacons which are according to God. Be sub- 
 ject to your Bishop, and to one another, as Jesus 
 Christ to the Father according to the flesh ; and the 
 Apostles both to Christ, and to the Father, and to 'he 
 Holy Ghost ; that so ye may be united both in body 
 and Spirit. 
 
 14. Knowing you to be full of God, I have the 
 more briefly exhorted you. Be mindful of me in your 
 prayers, that I may attain unto God ; and ot the 
 Church that is in Syria, from which I am not worthy 
 to be called. For I stand in need of your joint pray- 
 ers in God, and of your charity, that the Church 
 which is in Syria may be thought worthy to be nou- 
 rished by your Church-(s) 
 
 15. The Ephesians from Smyrna salute you,(^) 
 from which place I write unto you ; (being present 
 
 (z) F.tde ed Vid E '.st. Inttrool. in loc. 
 (a) Which came to Smjiiia upon ii)y account. 
 
TO THE MAGNESIANS. 205 
 
 here to the glory of God, in like manner as you are,) 
 who have in all things refreshed aie ; together with 
 Polycarp the Bishop of tke Smyrneans. The rest of 
 the Churches, in the honour of Jesus Christ, salute 
 you. Farewell, and be ye strengthed in the concord 
 of God ; enjoying his inseparable Spirit, which is Je- 
 sus Christ. 
 
 TO THE MAGNESIANS. 
 
THE 
 
 EFIBTJLE OF ST. IGNATIUS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 TRALLIANS. 
 
 — ^ tmrnce ^ ' 
 
 Ignatius, who is^also called Theophoi'us, to the holy Church which 
 is at Tralles in Asia ; beloved of God, the Father of Jesus ("hnst ; 
 elect, and worthy of (iod, having peace tli rough tlie Uesh, and 
 blood, and passion of Jesus Christ our ho])e ; in the resurrection 
 which is by him : Avhich also I salute in its fulness, continning in 
 the Apostolical character ; wishing all joy and happiness unto it. 
 
 1. I HAVE heard of your blameless and constaut 
 disposition through patience, which not only appears 
 in your outward conversation,(/) but is naturally 
 rooted, and grounded in you : in like manner as Poly- 
 bius your Bishop has declared unto me ; who came to 
 me to Smyrna, by the will of God and Jesus Christ ; 
 and so rejoiced together with me in my bonds for 
 Jesus Christ, that in effect I saw your whole Church 
 in him. Having therefore received the testimony of 
 your good will towards me for God's sake, by him ; 
 I seemed to find you,(/) as also I knew that ye were, 
 the followers of God. 
 
 2. For whereas ye are subject to your Bishop as to 
 Jesus Christ, ye appear to me to live not after the 
 manner of men, but according to Jesus Christ ; who 
 died for us, that so believing in his death, ye might 
 escape death. It is therefore necessary, that as ye do, 
 so without your Bishop you should do nothing : also 
 
 CfJ Which you have not according to use, but according to pas 
 session. 
 (/) Vid. Vossium in loc. 
 
TO THE TRALLIANS. 207 
 
 be ye subject to your Presbyters, as to the Apostles of 
 JesUs ■ hrist our hope ; in whom if we walk, we shall 
 be found in /ii?n.(o) The deacons also, as being the 
 ministers of the mysteries of Jesus Christ, must by 
 all means please all. For they are not the ministers 
 of meat and drink, but of the Church of God. 
 Wherefore tiiey must avoid all oifences, as they would 
 do tire. 
 
 3. In like manner, let all reverence the deacons as 
 Jesus Christ ;{q) and the Bishop as the Father, and 
 the Presbyters as the Sanhedrim of God, and college 
 of the Apostles. Without these there is no Church. 
 Concerning all which I am persuaded that ye think 
 after the very same manner : for I have received, and 
 even now have with me the pattern of your love, in 
 your Bishop. Whose very look is instructive ;(i^) and 
 whose mildness powerful ;{u) whom I ain persuaded 
 the very atheists themselves cannot but reverence. 
 But because I have a love towards you, I will not 
 write any more sharply unto you about this matter, 
 though I very well might ; but now I have done so ; 
 lest being a condemned man, I should seem to pre- 
 scribe to you as an Apostle. 
 
 4. I have great knowledge in God ; but I refrain 
 myself, lest I should perish in my boasting. For now 
 I ought the more to fear, and. not hearken to those 
 that .would pufi' me up. For they that speak to me, 
 in my praise^ chasten me. For I indeed desire to suf- 
 fer, but I cannot tell whether I am worthy so to do. 
 And this desire,(^) though to others it does not appear, 
 yet to myself it is for that very reason the more 
 violent. I have therefore need of moderation ; by 
 which the prince of this world is destroyed. 
 
 5. Am I not able to write to you of heavenly 
 
 (o) Vid. Vossium in Ice. 
 
 (y) As also the Bishop like Jesus Christ the Son of the Father 
 Vossiiis in loc. vid. aliier Coteierimn. 
 (tj Habit of Body is great instruction. 
 (uj Power. Vid. Vossium & Usserium in loc. 
 C~J Vid. Annot. Vo&sii in Ice, 
 
208 ST. IGNATIUS 'S EPISTLE 
 
 things ? but I fear lest I should harm you, who are 
 yet but babes in Christ : (excuse me this care,) and 
 lest perchance being not able to receive them, ye 
 should be choaked with them. For even I myself, 
 although I am in bonds, yet am not therefore able to 
 understand heavenly things : as the places of the An- 
 gels, and the several companies of them, under their 
 respective princes ; things visible and invisiule ; but 
 in these I am yet a learner ; for many things are 
 wanting to us, that we come not short of God. 
 
 6. I exhort you therefore, or rather not I, but the 
 love of Jesus Christ, that ye use none but Christian 
 nourishment ; abstaining from pasture which is of 
 another kind, I mean heresy. For they that are he- 
 reticsy{c) confound together the doctrine of Jesus 
 Christ, with their own poison ; whilst they seem wor- 
 thy of belief :(d) as men give a deadly potion mixed 
 with sweet wine ; which he who is ignorant of, does 
 with the treacherous pleasure sweetly drink in his 
 own death. 
 
 7. Wherefore guard yourselves against such per- 
 sons. And that you will do if you are not puffed up j 
 but continue inseparable from Jesus Christ our God, 
 and from your Bishop, and from the commands of the 
 Apostles.(t') He that is within the altar is pure ; but 
 he that is without, that is, that does any thing with- 
 out the Bishop, and Presbyters, and Deacons, is not 
 pure in his conscience. 
 
 8. Not that I know there is any thing of this na- 
 ture among you ; but I fore-arm you, as being 
 greatly beloved by me, foreseeing the snares of the 
 Devil. Wherefore putting on meekness, renew your- 
 selves in faith, that is the flesh of the Lord ; and in 
 charity, that is the blood of Jesus Christ. Let no man 
 
 fcj Vid. de hoc loco r,(>i jccturas Vossii, Cotelerii, & Junii -ipud 
 Usbeiium. Comp. Epist. interpoL in loc. Et Voss. Annot. in Epist,. 
 nd Phil. p. 281. 
 
 fdj Being believed for their dignity- 
 
 frj Vid. Usserii obs* Marg. Comp. Cotelcr. ib. 
 
'JO THE TRALLIANS. 20^ 
 
 have any gradge against his neighbour. Give no oc- 
 casion to the Gentiles ; lest by means of a tew foolish 
 men, the whole congregation or God be evil spoken 
 of. For woe to that man through whose vanity my 
 name is blasphemed by any.(/j 
 
 9. Sto]) your ears, therefore, as often as any one 
 shall Sj)eak contrary to Jesus Christ ; who was of the 
 race of David, pf the Virgin Mary. Who was truly 
 born, and did eat and drink ; vvas truly persecuted 
 under Pontius FiL:te; was truly crucilled and dead; 
 both those in Heaven, and on earth, and under ue 
 earth being spectators of it. Who was also truly 
 raided from the dead by his Fatlier, after the same 
 manner as he will also raise up us who believe in him, 
 by Christ Jesus; without whom we have no true life. 
 
 10. But if as some who are atiieitts, , that is to say 
 infidels, pretend, that he only seemed to suffer : (they 
 themselves only seeming to exist) why then am I 
 bound ? why do I de;?iie to light with beasts ? there- 
 fore do I die in vain : therefore I will not speak falsely 
 agtiinst the Lord 
 
 il. Flee therefore these evil sprouts which bring 
 forth deadly fruit ; of which if any one taste, he 
 shall presently die. For these are not the plants of 
 the Father ; seeing if they were, they would ap- 
 pear to be the brandies of the cross, and their fruit 
 would he incorruptible : by which he invites you 
 through his passion, who are members of him. For 
 the head cannot be without its members, God having 
 promised a union, that is himself. 
 
 12. I salute you from Smyrna, together with the 
 Churches(w) of God that are present with me ; who 
 have refreshed me in all things, both in the flesh and 
 in the spirit. My bonds, which I carry about me for 
 the sake of Christ, (beseeching him that I may attain 
 unto God) exhort you, that you continue in concord 
 
 Crj ThTOiJch whom in vanify. Isaiah lii. 5. 
 {'ill J i. e. The cltleLjatcs of tiie ("hurches. 
 
210 ST. IGNATIUS'S EPISTLE, &C. 
 
 among yourselves, and in prayer with one another. 
 For it becomes every one of you, especially the Pres- 
 byters, to refresh the Bishop, to the honour of the 
 Father, of Jesus Christ, and of the Apostles. I be- 
 seech you that you hearken to me in love ; that I may 
 not by those things which I write, rise up in witness 
 against you.(o) Pray also for me ; who through the 
 mercy of God stand in need of your prayers, that I 
 may be worthy of the portion which I am about to 
 obtain, that I be not found a reprobate. 
 
 1 3. The love of those who are at Smyrna and Fphe- 
 sus salute you. Remember in your prayers the Church 
 of Syria, from which I am not worthy to be called, 
 being one of the least of it. Fare ye well in Jesus 
 Christ ; being subject to your Bishop as to the com- 
 mand of God ; and so likewise to the Presbytery. 
 Love every one his brother with an unfeigned heart. 
 My soul be your expiation,(/>) not only now, but when 
 I shall have attained unto God : for I am yet under 
 danger. But the Father is faithful in Jesus Christ, to 
 fulfil both mine and your petition : in whom may ye 
 be found unblameable. 
 
 TO THE TRALLIANS. 
 
 ("o^ Be a testimony among you, writing. 
 (Ji) Vid. Annot. Vossii 8c Cctcler- in locv 
 
THE 
 
 EPlBTIiE OF BT. IG-HATIUS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 ROMANS- 
 
 Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus ;(a) to the Church which 
 has obtained mercy from the majesty of the Most High Father, 
 and his only begotten Son Jesus Christ ; beloved, and illuminated 
 through the will of him who willeth all things which are accor- 
 ding to the love of Jesus Christ our God,CcJ which also presides 
 in the place of the region of the Romans ;(c?) and which I salute in 
 the name of Jesus Christ, [as being] united both in flesh and spi- 
 rit to all his commands, fyj and filled with the grace of GGd;(^'') 
 [all joy] in Jesus Christ our God.f/iJ 
 
 1. FORASMUCH as I have at last obtained 
 through my prayers to God,(A') to see your faces, 
 which I much desired to do ;(m) being bound in Christ 
 Jesus, I hope ere long to salute you, if it shall be the 
 will of God to grant me to attain unto the end I long 
 for. For the beginning is well disposed, if I shall but 
 have grace, without hindrance, to receive what is iip- 
 pointed for me. But I fear your love, lest it do me 
 
 (a) Vid. Pearson. Viiid. fgnat. par 2, ch. 16, p. 5^4. 
 
 (cj God ; whi h alsi presides in the pl.ice of he region of the- 
 Romans, worthy of Cos; most-decent, most blessed, most praised,' 
 most worthy to obtain what it desires ; most pure, most charitable, 
 called by the name of Christ and the Father. Gr. 
 
 (f/ ) Type of the Chorus, i. e. The Church of the Romans. See 
 Vobs. Annot. in loc. 
 
 (f) The Son of the Father ; to those who are — Gr. 
 
 (S) Wholly filled Gr. 
 
 (A) [Being absolutely separated from any other colour ; much 
 pure, or immaculate joy.] 
 
 (^) Vid. Voss. Annot in loc. 
 
 (m) And have received even more than I asked, being bound. 
 
212 ST. IGNATIUS'S EPISTLE 
 
 an injury. For it is easy for you to do what you 
 please ; but it will be hani for me to attain unto Ood, 
 ii' you spare me. 
 
 2 But 1 would not that ye should please mei\,{q) 
 but God ; whom aUo ye do please. For neither shall 
 I ever hereafter have such an opportunity of going 
 iinioGod; nor will you, it ye shall now be silent, 
 ever be entitled to a better work. For it you shall be 
 silent in my behalf, I shall be made partaker of God. 
 But if you shall love my body, I shall have my course 
 again to run. Wherefore ye cannot do me a greater 
 kindness, than to suffer me to be sacrificed unto God, 
 now that the altar is already prepared : that when ye 
 shall be gathered together in love, ye may give thanks 
 to the Fatner througH Christ Jesus, that he has vouch- 
 safed to bring a Bishop of Syria 2/f?to you^ being(2r) 
 called from the east unto the west. For it is good for 
 me to set rrom the world, unto God ; tha^I may rise 
 again unto him. 
 
 3. Ye have never envied any one ; ye have taught 
 others. I would therefore that ye should jww do those 
 things yourselveSyia) which in your instructions you 
 have prescribed to others. (b) Only pray for me, that 
 God would give me both inward and outward strength, 
 that I may not only say, but will ; nor only called a 
 Christian, but be found one. For if I shall be found 
 a Christian^ I may then deservedly be called one : and 
 be thought faithful, when I shall no longer appear to 
 the world. Nothing is good, that is seen.(c) For 
 even our God, Jesus Christ, now that he is in the 
 Father, does so much the more appear. A Chri.^tian 
 is not a work of opinion ;((a(') but of greatness of mind 
 [especially when he is hated by the world.](6) 
 
 (q) I will not please you as mer. Gr. 
 (z) That a Bishop, of Syria sh( mI 1 *k' fonni. 
 (a) That these thini^s also shouicl .e iiim. 
 (6) Commanded. Vid. Annot. Usserii in loc. N. 26, 27. 
 (c ) Nothing that is sten i.s eternal : lor the things which are 
 seen are temporal, but the tliing.s that arc not seen are eternal. Gr 
 (^d ) l^er^viasion or silence. Gr. 
 (f) [Desunt. Gr..] 
 
TO TUS ROMAN'S. 213 
 
 4. I write to the Churches, and signify to tliem all, 
 that I iim willing to die for God,(/) unless you hinder 
 me. I beseech you that you shew not an unseason- 
 able good will towards me. Suffer me to be food to 
 the wild beasts by whom I shall attain unto God. 
 For I am the wheat of God; and I shall be ground 
 by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found 
 the pure bread of Chnst.(7) Rather encourage the 
 beasts, that they may become my sepulchre ; and may 
 leave nothmg of my body ; that being dead, 1 may 
 not be troublesome to any. Then shall I be truly the 
 dijciple of Jesus Christ, when the world shall not see 
 so much as my body. Pray therefore unto Christ for 
 me, that by these instruments I may be made the sa- 
 critice of God. I do not, as Peter and Paul, com- 
 mand you. They were Apostles, I a condemned 
 man; they were free, but I am even to this day a 
 servant : but if I shall suffer, I shall then become the 
 freeman of Jesus Christ, and shall rise free. And 
 now, being in bonds, I learn, not to desire any 
 thmg.{/f) 
 
 5. From Syria even unto Rome, I fight with bea-^ts 
 both by sea and land ; both night and day : being 
 bound to ten leopards, that is to say, to such a band 
 of soldiers ; who though treated with all manner of 
 kindness, are the worse for it. But I am the more in- 
 structed by their injuries ; " yet am I therefore not. 
 justified," [1 Cor. iv. 4.] May I enjoy the wild beast? 
 that are prepared for me ; which also I wish may ex- 
 ercise all their fierceness upon me :(o) and whom for 
 that end I will encourage, (/>) that they may be sure 
 to devour me, and not serve me as they have done 
 some, whom out of fear they have not touched. But, 
 
 CfJ V- '. U-ser. A-inot. n. 31. 
 
 CiJ Vid. La Vuv. inierpr. Kt Annot. Usser. n. 33. 
 (/?) Any wo id, or vain things. Gr. 
 
 CuJ Viil. Voss. in loc. Ussev. Annot. r- 43. May be ready f->r rr<;. 
 Gr. 
 
 (/') Ussev. Annot n. 48. 
 
214 S,T. IGNATIUS 'S EPISTLE 
 
 and if they will not do it willingly, I will provoke 
 them to it. Pardon me in this matter ; 1 know vvnat 
 is proiitaole for me. Novv I oegin to be a disciple : 
 [Luke xiv. 27.] nor shall any thing move me, whether 
 vibible or invisible, that 1 may attani to Lhrist .let)Us.(<2') 
 Let fire, and the cross; let the companies of wild 
 beasts, let breakings of bones, and ttanng of mem- 
 bers; let the shattering in pieces of the whole body,(^) 
 and all the wicked torments of the Devil come upon 
 me (u) oiily let me enjoy Jesus Christ. 
 
 6. All the ends of the world, and the kingdoms of 
 it, will profit me nothing : I would rather die lor Je- 
 sus Christ, than rule to the utmost ends of the earth. 
 Him I seek who died for us :(«) him 1 desire that rose 
 again for us. This is the gain that is laid up for me.(^) 
 Pardon me, my brethren, ye shall not hinder me 
 from living : [nor seeing I desire to go to God,(c) may 
 you separate me from him, for the sake of this world ; 
 nor seduce me by any of the desires of it.] Suffer 
 me to enter(f) into pure light ; where being come, I 
 shall be indeed the servant of God.(^) Permit me 
 to imitate the passion of my God. If any one has 
 him within himself, let him consider what I desire ; 
 and let him have compassion on me, as knowing how 
 I am streightened.(-^) 
 
 7. The prince of this world would fain carry me 
 away, and corrupt my resolution towards my God. 
 Let none of you(/t) therefore help him :(/) rather do 
 ye join with me, that is, with God. Do not speak 
 with Jesus Christ, and yet covet the world. Let not 
 any envy dwell with you : no not though I myself 
 
 CqJ Vid. Coteler. in loc Rom. viii. 3S, 39. 
 
 It) Vid. Usser. Annot. n. 56. (u) lb. n. 57. 
 
 fa J For what is a man profitted if he sliall gain the whole world 
 and loose his own soul. Gi*. add 
 
 (6) Usury. Gr. Vid Voss. correct, p. 301 
 
 (c) Nor desire that I should die, who seek to go to God, rejoice 
 not in the world. Gr. 
 
 (<?) Take : lay hold on. (g) Vid. Annot. Voss. in loc. 
 
 (/j) What things constrain met {k) Who are present. 
 
 (l) Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. 
 
TO THE ROMANS. 2l«9 
 
 when I shall be come unto you, should exhort you to 
 it, yet do not ye hearken to me ; but rather believe 
 what I now write to you. For though I am alive at 
 the writing this, yet my desire is to die. My love is 
 crucified ; [and the fire that is within me(;72) does not 
 desire any water ;(;/) but being alive and springing 
 within me,(o) says,] come to the Father. I take no 
 pleasure in the food of corruption, nor in the plea- 
 sures of this life. I desire the bread of God, which 
 is the flesh of Jesus Christ,(/)) [of the seed of David ;{,q) 
 and the drink that I long for] is his blood, which is 
 incorruptible love.(r) 
 
 8. I have no desire to live any longer after the 
 manner of men, neither shall l,{s) if you consent. 
 Be ye therefore willing, that ye yourselves also may 
 be pleasing to God. I exhort you in a few words ;{i/) 
 I pray you believe me. Jesus Christ will shew you 
 that I speak truly. My mouth is without deceit, and 
 the Father hath truly spoken by it. Pray therefore 
 for me, that I may accomplish what X desire. I have 
 not written to you after the flesh, but according to 
 the will of God. If I shall suffer, ye have loved me : 
 but if I shall be rejected, ye have hated me.(s) 
 
 9. Remember in your prayers the Church of Syria, 
 which now enjoys God for its shepherd instead of 
 me : let Jesus Christ only oversee \i-,{a) and your cha- 
 rity But I am even ashamed to be reckoned as one 
 of them : for neither am I worthy, being the least 
 among them, and as one born out of due season. 
 But through mercy I have obtained to be somebody^ 
 if I shall get unto God, [1 Cor. xv. 8.] My spirit sa- 
 
 (w) And there is not any fire within me that loves matter, but 
 iivhig and speaking water saying within me. Gr.] 
 
 (n) (.'ot.eierius aliter explicat. Annot. in loc. Usser. n. 79, 
 
 (c/) Vnss in loc. Contr. Coteler q-v. 
 
 (/;) Tlif he .venly bread which is. Gr. 
 
 (r/)' [The Son of God made in tliese last times of the seed of Da- 
 vid tiiul Abraham, and the drink of God that I long for. Gr] 
 
 (r) Gr. adds, and perpetual life 
 
 (^) And that shall be. (u) Vid. Annot. Voss. in loc. 
 
 (z) Viz. As unworthy to suffer. (a) Vid. Vet. Interpr. Lat. 
 
216 ST. IGNATIUS'S EPISTLE, &;C. 
 
 lutes you ; and the charity of the Churches that have 
 received ine in the name of Jesus Christ ; not as a. 
 passenc^jr ; for even they tiiat were not near to me in 
 the way, have gone before me to the next city to 
 meet me. 
 
 10. These thin^:? I write to you from Smyrna, by 
 the most worthy of the Clmrcii of Kphesus There is 
 now with me, together v\ith muny others, Crocus 
 most beloved of uie. x\s for those vvhicli are come 
 from Syria, and are gone before me to Rome,(c) to 
 the gloiy of God, I suppose you are not ignorunt of 
 diciu. Ye shall therefore signify to them that 1 draw 
 near, for they are all worthy both of God, and of 
 you : whom ic is lit that you refresii in all things. 
 Tiiis have i written lo you, the day bef:jre the ninth 
 of the Ciilends of Septeniber.(r/) Be strong unto tlici 
 Gild} in the patience of Jesus Christ.((.') 
 
 TO TKE liOAlANS. 
 
 *^r) Vid \'et I iterpr. L'lt. 
 
 i-Jj 'iiicii AS ilie ,3d of Au;itist. Or. (r;) .■lawn- Gr 
 
THE 
 
 EFIBTILE OF ST. I'&NATIUB 
 
 TO THE 
 
 PHILADELPinANS- 
 
 Ignatius, who is also called Theophoi'us, to the Church of God the. 
 Father, and our Lord Jesus (Jtirisv, wiiicli is at Fhiladelphia in 
 Asia ; whicli has obtained mercy, being fixed in the concord of 
 God, and rejoicing evermore in the passion of our Lord, and be- 
 ing fulfilled in all mercy thioiigh his resurrection : which also I 
 salute in the blood of Jesus Christ, which is ouf eternal and un- 
 defiied joy :(a) especially if they are at unity with the Bishop, 
 and i^resbyters who are with him, and the deacons appointed ac- 
 cordmg to the mind of Jesus Christ ; whom he has settled accord 
 ing Lo his own will in all firmness by his Holy Spirit. 
 
 1. WHICH Bishop I know obtained that great mi- 
 nistry among you, not of himself, neither by men, 
 nor out of vain glory, but by the love of God the 
 Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ : whose modera- 
 tion I admire ; who by his silence is able to do more, 
 than others with all their vain talk. For he is fitted 
 to the commands, as the harp to its strings. Where- 
 fore my soul esteems his mind towards God most hap- 
 py, knowing it to be fruitful in all virtue, and perfect ; 
 full of constancy ; free from passion, and according 
 to all the moderation of the living God. 
 
 2. Wherefore as becomes the children both of the 
 light and of truth ; flee divisions and false doctrines ; 
 but where your shepherd is, there do ye, as sheep, 
 follow^ after. For there are many wolves who seem, 
 worthy of belief,(Z?) that with a false pleasure lead 
 
 (a) Vid. Vet. In-^evp. Lat. 
 {bj Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. 
 
 [281 
 
2'lS ST. IGNATIUS*S EPISTLE 
 
 captive those that run in the course of God : but in 
 yoar concord, they shall tind no place. 
 
 3. A.bstain therefore from those evil herbs which Je- 
 sus Christ does not dress ; because such are not the 
 plantation of the Father. Not that I have found any 
 d/ vision among you, but rather all manner of purity. 
 For as many as are of God, and of Jesus Christ, are 
 also with their Bishop. And as many as shall with 
 repentance return into the unity of the Church, even 
 these shall also be the servants of God, that they may 
 live according to Jesus Christ, tie not deceived, 
 brethren : if any one follows him that makes a schism 
 in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of 
 God. If any one walks after any other opinion, he 
 agrees not with the passion of Christ. 
 
 4. Wherefore let it be your endeavour to partake 
 all of the same holy euchari-t. For there is but one 
 flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and one cup, in the 
 unity of his blood ; one altar j as also there is one 
 Bishop, together with his Presbytery, and the dea- 
 cons my fellow servants : that so whatsoever ye do, 
 ye may do it according to the will of God. 
 
 5. My brethren, the love I have tow^ards you makes 
 me the more large ; and having a great joy in you, I 
 endeavour to securp you against danger : or rather 
 not I, but Jesus Christ ; in vi^hom being bound I the 
 more fear, as being yet only on the way to suffering. (o) 
 But your prayer to God shall make me perfect, that 
 I may attain to that portion, which by God's mercy 
 is allotted to me : fleeing to the Gospel as to the flesh 
 of Christ ; and to the Apostles as to the Presbytery of 
 the Church. Let us also love the prq^hets, for as 
 much as they also have led us to the Gospel, and to 
 the hope in Christ,(<7) and to expect him. In whom 
 also believing they were saved, in the unity of Jesus 
 Christ \ being holy men, worthy to be loved, and had 
 in wonder ; who have received testimony from Jesus 
 
 .(o) Vid. Voss. in loc. Imjierfect , 
 (g) Vid. Voss. in loc. 
 
TO THE PHILADELPHIANS. 219 
 
 Christ, and are numbered in the Gospel of our com- 
 mon hope. 
 
 6. But if any one shall preach the Jewish law unto 
 you, hearken not unto him : for it is better to receive 
 the doctrine of Christ from one that has been circum- 
 cised, than Judaism from one that has not. But if 
 either the one or other, do not speak concerning 
 Christ Jesus ; they seem to be but as monuments and 
 sepulchres of the dead, upon which are written only 
 the naaies of men. Flee therefore the wicked arts 
 and snares of tlie prince of this world ; lest at any 
 time being oppressed oy iiis cunning, ye grow cold in 
 your charity. But come all together into the same 
 place, with an undivided heart. And, I bless my 
 God that I have a good coiiscience towards you, and 
 that no one among you has whereof to boast either 
 openly or privately, that I have been burthensome to 
 him in much or little. And I wish to all amongst 
 whom I have conversed, that it may not turn to a 
 witness against them. 
 
 7. For although some v^^ould have deceived me ac- 
 cording to the flesh ; yet the Spirit, being from God, 
 is not deceived : for it knows both v/hence it comes, 
 and whither it goes, and reproves the secrets of the 
 heart. I cried whilst I was among you ; I spake with 
 a loud voice ; attend to the Bishop and to the Pres- 
 bytery, and to the deacons. Now some supposed 
 that I spake this as foreseeing the division that stu ud 
 come among you. But he is my witness for whose 
 sake I am in bonds that I knew notliing from any 
 man. But the Spirit spake, saying on this wise ; do 
 nothing without the Bishop : keep your bodies as the 
 temples of God : love unity : flee divisions : be the 
 followers of Christ, as he was of his Father. 
 
 8. I therefore did as became me, as a man compos- 
 ed to unity. For where there is division and wrath, 
 God dvvelleth not. But the Lord forgives all that re- 
 pent, if they return to the unity of God, and to the 
 council of the Bishop. For I trust in ttie grace of 
 
220 ST. IGNATIUS'S EPISTLE 
 
 Jesus Christ that he will free you from every bond. 
 Nevertheless I exhort you that you do nothing out of 
 strife, but according to the instruction of Chnst. 
 Because I have heard of some who say ; unless 1 hnd 
 it written in the originals, (2) I will not believe it to be 
 •written in the Gos})el. ' And when I said, it is writ- 
 ten, they answered what lay berore them in their cor- 
 rupted copies. But to me Jesus Christ is instead of 
 all the uncorrupted monuments in the world : together 
 •with those undciiled monaraents, his cross, and death, 
 and resurrection, and the faith which is by him : by 
 ■wniuh 1 desire, through your prayers, to be justified. 
 
 y. The priests indeed are good ; but much better is 
 the High Priest to whom the holy of holies has been 
 committed, and who alone has been entrusted with 
 the secrets of God. He is the door of the Father ; 
 by vvnich Aoraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all 
 prophets, enter in ; as well as the Apostles and the 
 Church. And all these things tend to the unity which 
 is of God. How belt the Gospel has somewhat in it 
 far above all other dispensations ; namely, the appear- 
 ance of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, his passi- 
 on and resurrection. For the beloved prophets refer- 
 red to him : but the Gospel is the perfection of incor- 
 ruption. All therefore together are good, if ye be- 
 lieve with charity. 
 
 10. Now as concerning the Church of Antioch 
 which is in Syria, seeing I am told that through your 
 prayers, and the bow^els which ye have towards it in 
 Jesus Christ, it is in peace ; it will become-you, as 
 the Church of God, to ordain some deacon to go to 
 th( m thither as the ambassador of God ; that he may 
 rejoice with them when they meet together, and glo- 
 rify God's name. Blessed be that man in Jesus 
 Christ, who shall be found worthy of such a minis- 
 try ; and ye yourselves also shall be glorified. Now 
 if ye be willing, it is not impossible for you to do this 
 
 frj ii^rchives. Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. 
 
TO THE PHILADELPHIANS. 221 
 
 for the sake of God ; as also the other neighbouring 
 Churches have sent them, some Bishops, some priests 
 and deacons. 
 
 1 1 . As concerning Philo, the deacon of Cilicia, a 
 most worthy mun,(c) he still ministers unto me in the 
 word of God ; together witii Rheus of AgathopoUs,(fi') 
 a singular good ptrson, who has followed me even 
 from Syria, not regarding his life : these also bear 
 witiiess unto you. And i myself give thanks to God 
 for you, that ye receive them as the Lord shall re- 
 ceive you. But for those that dishonoured them, may 
 thvy oe forgiven through the grace of Jesus Christ. 
 The charity of the brethren that are at Troas salutes 
 you : fn)m whence also I now wrire by Burrhus, who 
 •was sent togv4her with me by those of Ephesus and 
 Smyrna, for respect sake. May our Lord Jesus Christ 
 honour them ; in whom they hope, both in flesh, and 
 soul, and spirit ; in faith, in love, in unity. Fare- 
 well in Christ Jesus our common nope. 
 
 fcj Vossius a martyr, or confessor. Vid Annot. inloc 
 "^'id. Vossius Aniv-*- in Vr- " '"vn. p, 261. 
 
THE 
 
 EPISTjLE of STe IC-NATIUS 
 
 TO THE 
 
 SMYRNEANS. 
 
 Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus ; to the Church of God the 
 Father, and of ihe beloved Jesus Christ ; which God hath mer- 
 cifully blessed with every good gift,(c) being filled with faith and 
 cliarity, so that it is wanting in no gift ; most worthy et God, and 
 fruicful in saints ; the Chui-ch which is at Smyrna in Asia ; all 
 joy, through his immaculate Spirit, and the woi'd of God. 
 
 1. I GLORIFY God, even Jesus Christ, who has 
 given you such wisdom. For I have observed that 
 you are settled in an immoveable faith, as if you 
 were nailed to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, both 
 in the flesh and in the spirit ; and are confirmed in 
 love through the blood of Christ ; being fully per- 
 suaded of those things which relate unto our Lord : 
 who truly was of the race of David according to the 
 flesh, but the Son of God according to the will and 
 power of God : truly born of the Virgin, and bap- 
 tized of John, that so all righteousness 7jiight be ful- 
 filled by Jum, [Mat. iii. 15.] He was also truly crucffied 
 by Pontius Pilateand Herod the Tetrarch, being nailed 
 for us in the flesh ; by the fruits of which we are, 
 even by his most blessed passion j that he might set up 
 a token for all ages through his resurrection, (c) to all 
 his holy and faithful servants, whether they be Jews 
 or Gentiles, in one body of his Church. 
 
 2. Now all these things he suffered for us, that we 
 
 (a) Corap. 1 Cor» vju 25. (cj Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. 
 
ST. IGNATIUS'S EPISTLE, &C. 223, 
 
 might be saved. And he suffered truly, as he also 
 truly raised up himself: and not, as some unbelievers 
 say, that he only seemed to suffer, they themselves 
 only seeming to be.(d) And as they believe so shall 
 it happen unto them ; when being divested of the bo- 
 dy they shall become mere spirits. 
 
 3. But I know that even after his resurrection he was 
 in the flesh ; and I believe that he is still so. And 
 when he came to those who were with Peter, he said, 
 unto them, take, handle me, and see thai I am not an 
 incorporeal dcemonif) And straightway they felt him 
 and believed ; being convinced both by his flesh and 
 spirit. For this cause they despised death, and were 
 found to be above it. But after his resurrection he 
 did eat and drink with them, as he was flesh ; al- 
 though as to his spirit he was united to the Father. 
 
 4. Now these things, beloved, I put you in mind of, 
 not questioning but that you yourselves also believe 
 that they are so. JBut I arm you before-hand against 
 certain beasts in the shape of men ; whom you must 
 not only not receive, but if it be possible must not 
 meet with. Only you must pray for them, that if i£ 
 be the will of God they may repent ; which yet wiS 
 be very hard. But of this our Lord Jesus Christ has 
 the power, who is our true life. For if all these 
 things were done only in shew by our Lord, then do 
 I also seem only to be bound : and why have I given 
 up myself to death, to the fire, to the sword, to wild 
 beasts ? but now the nearer I am to the sword, the 
 nearer am I to God : when I shall come among the^ 
 wild beasts, I shall come to God. Only in the name 
 of Jesus Christ, I undergo all, to suffer together with 
 him ; he who was mj^de a perfect man strengthening 
 me. 
 
 5. Whom some, not knowing, do deny ; or rather 
 have been denied by him, being the advocates of 
 
 (ri) i. e. Christians. 
 
 ( /*) Ex. Evung. •ec- Hcbr. See Dr Gvabo Spicilesr. l' : 
 p.' 25. 
 
224 ST. IGNATIUS'S EPISTLE 
 
 • 
 
 death, rather than of the truth. Whom neither th^ 
 prophecies, nur tiie law of Moses have persuaded ; 
 nor the Gospel itself even to this day, nor the suffer- 
 ings of every one of us. For they think also the 
 sa-ae things of us. For what does a man proiit me, 
 if he shall praise me, and blaspheme my Lord ; not 
 confessing that he was truly made man ? now he 
 that doth not say this, does in eft'ect deny him, and 
 is in death. But for the names of such as do this, 
 they being unbelievers, I thought it not hrtin^ to write 
 them unto you. Yea, God forbid that I should make 
 any mention of them, until they shall repent to a 
 true belief of Christ's passion, which is our resurrec- 
 tion. 
 
 6. Let no man deceive himself ; both the things 
 which are in Heaven, and the glorious Angels, and 
 princes, whether visible or invisible, if they believe 
 not in the blood of Christ, it shall be to them to con- 
 demnation. *' He that is able to receive this, let him 
 receive it," [Matt. xix. 12.] Let no man's place or 
 state in the world puff" him up '.{tn) that which is worth 
 all is faith and charity, to which nothing is to be pre- 
 ferred. But consider those who are of a different 
 opinion from us, as to what concerns the grace of 
 Jesus Christ which is come unto us, how contrary 
 they are to the design of God ? they have no regard 
 to charity; no care of the widow, the fatherless, and 
 the oppressed ; of the bound or free, of the hungry 
 or thirsty. 
 
 7. They abstain from the eucharist, and from the 
 public offices ;(/^) because they confess not the euchar- 
 ist to be the flesh of ourSaviour Jesus Christ; which suf- 
 fered for our sins, and which the Father of his good- 
 ness, raised again from the dead. And for this cause 
 contradicting the gift of God, they die in their dis- 
 putes : but much better would it be for them to re- 
 
 (m) Vid. Epist. Interpol. 
 
 (n) Vid. Annot. Coteler. in loc. Or, prayers. 
 
TO THE SMYRNEAT3S, 225 
 
 ceive it, that they might one day rise through it.(o) 
 It will therefore become you to ubstvaii from tsuidi j)er- 
 sons ; and not to speak with them neither in private, 
 nor in pubhc. But to hearken to the propiiets, and 
 especially to the Gospel, in which both Christ's pas- 
 sion is manifested unto us, and his Vesurrection per- 
 fectly declared. But liee all divisions, as the begin- 
 ning of evils. 
 
 8. See that ye all follow your Bishop, as Jesus 
 Christ, the Father : and the Presbytery, as the Apos- 
 tles. And reverence the deacons, as the command 
 of God. Let no man do any thing of what belongs 
 to the Church separately from the Bishop. Let that 
 eucharist be looked upon as well estabhshed, which is 
 either offered by the Bishop, or by him to whom th^ 
 Bishop has given his consent. Wheresoever the Bi- 
 shop shall appear, there let the people also be : as 
 where Jesus Christ is, there is the catholic Church. 
 It is not lawful vi'ithout the Bishop, neither to baptize, 
 nor to celebrate the holy communion : but whatsoever 
 he shall approve of, that is also pleasing unto God ; 
 that so whatever is done, may be sure and well done. 
 
 9. For what remains, it is very reasonable that we 
 should repent, whil-t there is yet time to return unto 
 God. It is a good thing to have a due regard both to 
 God and to the Bishop : he that honours the Bishop, 
 shall be honoured of God. But he that does any 
 thing without his knowledge, ministers unto the devil. 
 Let all things therefore abound to you in charity ; 
 seeing ye are w^orthy. Ye have refreshed me in all 
 things ; so shall Jesus Christ you. Ye have loved me 
 both when I was present with you, and now being ab- 
 sent, ye cease not to do so. May God be your re- 
 ward, for whom whilst ye undergo all things, ye shall 
 attain unto him. 
 
 10. Ye have done well in that ye have received 
 Philo, and Rheus Agathopus,(z/) who followed mp 
 
 (o) Vid. Coteler Annot. 
 (rO Vid.Voss. Annot. in loc 
 
 [29] 
 
226 §T. IGNA'ITUS'S EPlSTLh 
 
 for the word of God, as the deacons of Christ our 
 God. Who also give thanks unto tiie Lord lor you, 
 forasmuch as ye have refreshed them in all things. 
 Nor shall any thing that ye have done,(j/) be lost to 
 you. My soul be for yours, and my bonds which ye 
 have not despised, nor been ashamed of. Wherefore 
 neither shall Jesus Christ, our perfect faith, be asham- 
 ed of you. 
 
 1 1. Your prayer is come to the Church of Antioch 
 which is in Syria. From whence being sent bound 
 with chains becoming God, I salute the Churches ; 
 being not worthy to be called from thence, as being 
 the least among them.(Z') Nevertheless by the will of 
 God I have been thought worthy of this honour ; not 
 for that I think I have deserved it, but by the grace 
 of God : which I wish may be perfectly given unto 
 me, that through your prayers I may attain unto 
 God. And therefore that your work may be fully 
 accomplished both upon earth and in Heaven ; it 
 will be fitting, and for the honour of God, that your 
 Church appoint some worthy delegate(c) who being 
 come as far as Syria, may rejoice together with them 
 that they are in peace ; and that they are again re- 
 stored to their former state, and have again received 
 their proper body. Wherefore I should think it a 
 worthy action, to send some one from you with an 
 Epistle, to congratulate with them their peace in 
 God ; and that through your prayers they have now 
 gotten to their harbour. For inasmuch as ye are per- 
 fect yourselves, you ought to think those things that 
 are perfect. For when you are desirous to do well, 
 God is ready to enable you thereunto. 
 
 12 The love of the brethren that are at Troas sa- 
 liite you ; from whence I write to you by Burrhus 
 whom ye sent with me, together with the Ephesians 
 your brethren ; and who has in all things refreshed 
 
 ' {y) '\'id. El;)ist. Interpol. 
 Cb) i. e. The Bis;, p of that Church, 
 (c) Vid. Voss. Auiiot. in loc. 
 
TO THE SMYRNEANS. 227 
 
 me. And I would to God that all would imitate him, 
 as being a pattern of the ministry of God. May 
 his grace fully reward him. I salute your very wor- 
 thy Bishop, and your venerable presbytery ; and your 
 deacons, my fellow servants ; and all of you in gen- 
 eral, and every one in particular, in the name of Je- 
 sus Christ, and in his flesh and blood ; in his passion 
 and resurrection both fleshly and spiritually ; and in 
 the unity of God with you.(/) Grace be with you, 
 and mercy, and peace, and patience for ever more." 
 13. I salute the families of my brethren, with their 
 wives and children ; and the virgins that are called 
 widows///) Be strong in the power of the Holy 
 Ghost. Philo, who is present with me, salutes you. 
 I salute the house of Tavias, and pray that it may be 
 strengthened in faith and charity, both of flesh and 
 spirit. I salute Alee, my well beloved, together with 
 the incomparable Daphnus, and Eutechnus, and all 
 by name.(/) Farewell in the grace of God. 
 
 TO THE SMYRNEANS FROM TROAS. 
 
 (f) Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. 
 
 (/() i. e.' The Deaconesses. See for the reason of this name, 
 Voss. Annot. in loc. Add. Cotelev ib. 
 (i) See Voss. Annot. ex. Epist. intcrpoi, 
 
THE 
 
 EPI STILE OF ST. I&^ATIUS 
 
 TO 
 
 ST. POLYCARP. 
 
 •Igiialius, who is also called Theophorus, to Polycarp^ Bishop of 
 ' the vliurch which is -at bmyrna ;(a) their overseer, bui rather 
 hinnsi.lt overloviked by .God the Father, and the Lord Jesus 
 Christ ; all happiness. 
 
 1. HAVING known that thy mind towards God 
 is fixed as it were upon an immo\ eable rock, I ex- 
 ceedingly give thanks, that I have been thought wor- 
 thy to Ochoid tliy blessed face, in which may I always 
 rejoice in God. Wherefore I beseech thee by the 
 gi ace of God with which thou art clothed^ to press 
 forward in thy course, and to exhort all others that 
 thi-y may be saved. Maintain thy place with all care 
 both of flesh and spirit ;(c) make it thy endeavour to 
 preserve unity, than which nothing is better. Bear 
 \v'ith all men, even as the Lord with thee. Support 
 all in love, as also thou dost. (rf)Pray without ceasing; 
 a>k more understanding than what thou already hast. 
 jBe watchful, having thy spirit always awake. Speak 
 to every one according as God shall enable thee.(e) 
 Bear the infirmities of all, as a perfect combatant : 
 Wiiere the labour is gteat, the gain is the more. 
 
 2. If thou shalt love the good disciples, what thanks 
 is it ? vut rather do thou subject to thee those that 
 
 (a> t 1 Smyvneans (c) • id. 3 Cor. vii. 34. 
 
 (d ) Be at leisure to, ^'c. 
 
 (cj V m. Vuss. m loc. aliter Vct« Lat. laterpr. 
 
ST. IGNATIUS*S EPISTLE, &C. 229 
 
 are mischievous, in meekness. Every wound is not 
 healed \sith the same pluister : if the uccessions of 
 the disease be vehement, mollify them with soft re- 
 mt'dies : be in all things, wise as a serpent^ hut harm- 
 It ss as a dove. For this cau.-?e thou art com} jstd of 
 flesn and spirit ; that thou inayest QioUify those things 
 that appf ur before liiy face : and as for those that are 
 not seen, pray to God that he would reveal them un- 
 to thee, that so thou mayest be wanting in notiiing, 
 but niayest abound in every gift. The times demand 
 thte, as the pilots the wuids; and he that is tossed 
 in a tenipest, the haven where he would be j that thou 
 niayest attain unto God. Be sober, as the combatant 
 ol God : ihe crown proposed to thee is immortal- 
 ity n?) and eternal life ; concerning which thou art 
 ai.-o fully persuitded. I will be thy surety in all things, 
 anu \w^ ooiidb, which thou ha;^t loved. 
 
 3. Let not those that seem v.'orthy of credit, but 
 teach othei doctriiu^s, dipturb thee. Stand firm and 
 imun-veaule, us an anvil when it is beaten U]>on. It 
 is the part of a brave combatant, to be wounded, and 
 yet overcome But especially we ought to endure all 
 things for God's sake, that he may bear with us. Be 
 every day belter than other : conL<ider the times ; and 
 exjiect him who is above all time, eternal, invisible, 
 though for our sakes made visible : impalpable, and 
 impassible, yet for us subjected to sufferings ; endur- 
 ing ail manner of ways for our salvation. 
 
 4. Let not the vv'idows be neglected : be thou, after 
 God, their guardian. Let nothing be done without 
 thy knowledge and consent : neither do thou any 
 thing but according to the will of God ; as also lliou 
 dost with all constancy. Let your assemblies bo more 
 full : inquire into all by name. Overlook not the men 
 and maid servants ; neither let them be })ufied up \ 
 but rather let them be the more subject to the glory 
 
 (i) Vid. Vcss, Annot, in loc. Collat, i:u n Cotckr. i';l 
 
•2oO ST. IGNATIUS S EPISTLE • 
 
 of God, that they may obtain from him a better Hber- 
 ty. Let them not desire to be set free at the pubUc 
 cost, that thvy be not slaves to their own lusts. (o) 
 
 5. Viee evil arts, or rather make not any mention 
 of them. Say to my sisters, that they love the Lord ; 
 and be satisiied with their own husbands, both in the 
 flesh and spirit. In like manner, exhort my brethren 
 in the name of Jesus Christ, that they love their wives, 
 even as the Lord the Church. If any man can remain 
 in a virgin state, to the honour of the flesh of Christ, 
 let him remain without boasting :(q) but if he boast, 
 he is undone. And if he desire to be more taken no- 
 tice of than the Bishop, he is corrupted. But it be- 
 comes all such as are married, whether men or wo- 
 men, to come together with the consent of the Bishop, 
 that so their marriage may be according to godliness, 
 and not in lust. Let ail things be done to the honour 
 of God. 
 
 6. * Hearken unto the Bishop, that God also may 
 hearken unto you. My soul be security for them that 
 submit to their Bishop, with their presbyters and dea- 
 cons. And may my portion be together with theirs 
 in God. Labour with one^ another, contend together, 
 run together, suff'er together sleep together, and 
 rise together, as the stewards, and assessors, and mi- 
 nisters of God. Please him under whom ye war ; 
 and from whom ye receive your wages. Let none of 
 you be found a deserter ; but let your baptism remain 
 as your arms, your faith as your helmet, your chari- 
 ty as your spear, your patience as your whole armour. 
 Let your works be your charge, that so you may re- 
 ceive a suitable reward.(r) Be long-suffering there- 
 fore towards each other in meekness, as God is to- 
 wards you. Let me have joy of you in all things. 
 
 7. Now forasmuch as the Church of Antioch in 
 
 ('oj Vid. Annot. Cotelcr. in loc. 
 (y) ^ id. Annot. Vohsii & Coteler. in loc. 
 
 * Observe, from the foregoing section, that Ignatius here speaks 
 not to Polycarp, but through him to the Church of Smyrua. 
 (^rj That which is committed to your custody, to keep secure 
 
TO ST. POLYCARP. 23,1 
 
 Syria is, as I am told, in peace through your prayers ; 
 I also have been the more comforted and without care 
 in God ; if so be that by suiFering, 1 shall attain un- 
 to God ; that through your prayers I may be found a 
 disciple of Christ, it will be very fit, O most worthy 
 Polycarp, to call a select council, and choose some 
 one whom ye particularly love, and who is patient of 
 labour, that he may be the messenger of God : and 
 that going unto Syria, he may glorify your incessant 
 love, to the praise of Christ. A Christian has not the 
 power of himself; but must be always at leisure for 
 God's service. Now this work is both God's and 
 yours, when ye shall have perfected it. For 1 trust 
 through the grace of God that ye are ready to every 
 good woric that is fitting for you in the Lord. Know- 
 ing therefore your earnest afl'ection to the truth, I 
 have exhorted you by these short letters. (w) 
 
 8. But forasmuch as I have not been able to write 
 to all the Churches, because I must suddenly sail from 
 Troas to Neapolis ; (for so is tlie command of those 
 to whose pleasure I am subject ;) do you write to the 
 Churches that are near you, as being instructed in 
 the will of God, that they also may do in like man- 
 ner. Let those that are able send messengers ; and 
 let the rest send their letters by those wdio shall be 
 sent by you : that you may be glorified to all eternity, 
 of which you are w^orrhy.(/) I salute all by name; 
 particularly the wife of Ejjitropus, with all her hf>use, 
 and children. I salute Attains my well beloved i 
 salute him, who shall be thought worthy to be sent by 
 you into Syria. Let grace be ever with him, and witli 
 Polycarp who sends him.(i::) I wish you all happiness 
 in our God, Jesus Christ; in whom continue in ihe 
 unity, and protection of God. I salute Alee my 
 well beloved. Farewell in the Lord- 
 
 TO POLYCARP. 
 
 (7t').-^i2. to the Smyrncans, and this to himself. See Pearson i:. 
 ibc- (_v) ^ it- Voss. in loc. in the vt;:rn:i> work. 
 
 (z ) V.-K, Vet. intcrpr. Vid. Vt>'^';. Anu'^t. 
 
A RELATION 
 
 OF THH 
 
 / 
 
 V 
 
 MARTYRDOM OF ST. IGNATIUS. 
 
 Tranualed jron the or/f^inal Greek, and publidlied by Dr. Grabc,\ 
 in his Hjiccileg: Futruvi, t. 2. 
 
 1. WHEN Trajan not long since came to the Ro- 
 man empire, Ignatius, the disciple of St. John the 
 Apostle [and Evangelist,] a man in all things like un- 
 to the Apostles, governed the Church of Antioch with 
 all care. Who being scarcely able to escape the 
 storms of the many persecutions before under Domi- 
 tian, as a good governor, by tlie hehn of prayer 
 and fasting, by the constancy of his doctrine and spi- 
 ritual labour, withstood the raging floods ;(c) fearing 
 lest they should sink those who either wanted courage, 
 or were not well grounded in the faith.(Qf) 
 
 2. Wherefore the persecution being at present some- 
 what abated, he rejoiced greatly at the tranquillity of 
 his Church : yet was troubled as to himself, that he 
 had not attained to a true love of Christ, nor w^as 
 come up to the pitch of a perfect disciple. For he 
 thought that the confession which is made by martyr- 
 dom, would bring him to a yet more close and inti- 
 mate union with the Lord. Wherefore continuing a 
 few years longer with the Church, and after the man- 
 
 (c ) Compare the Cotton MS. 
 
 CdJ Magis Simplices. in MS. Cotton ; infirmum. Gr, akeraiote- 
 
A RELATION, &C. 133 
 
 ner of a divine lamp, illuTninating the hearts of the 
 faitiiful by the ex;-j(>sition of iiuiy Scriptures, he attain- 
 ed to whit ho had desired. 
 
 3. For Trajan, in the nineteenth year of his em- 
 pire, (/) being htted up with his victory over the bcy- 
 thians and jDacians, and many oiher nations ; and 
 thinking cLiat the rehgious company of Christians was 
 yet wanting to his absolute and universal dominion ; 
 and thereuj^on threatening them that tliey should be 
 persecuted, unless they would choose to worship the 
 devil, with all oiiier nations ; fear obliged all such as 
 lived religiously, eitner to sacrifice or to die. Where- 
 fore our brave soldier of Christ, being in fear for the 
 Church of Antioch, was voluntarily brought before 
 Trajan ; who was at that time there on his way to 
 Armenia, and the Parthians, against v/hom he was 
 hastening. 
 
 4. Being come into the presence of the emperor 
 Trajan ; the emperor asked him, saying : " what a 
 wicked wietch(/) art thou, thus to endeavour to trans 
 gress our commands, and to persuade others also to 
 do likewise to tneir destruction ?"(^0 Ig^a-tius answer- 
 ed, " no one ought to call Theophorus after such a 
 manner ; forasmuch as all wicked spirits are departed 
 far from the servants of God. But if because I am a 
 trouble to those evil spirits, you call me wicked, with 
 reference to them, I confess the charge : for having 
 within me Christ the heavenly King, i dissolve all the 
 snares of the devils.'* 
 
 5. Trajan replied ; " and who is Theophorus ?" 
 Ignat. " he who has Christ in his breast." Trajan, 
 " and do not we then seem to thee to have the Gods 
 within us,(r) who iight for us against our enemies ?*" 
 Ignat. " you err, in that you call the evil spirits of 
 
 (0 i-'K?e Ti;->. Pearson's Dissert, of the year of St. I,^natius's mar • 
 tyrdom p''ij. 61. 
 
 (/) De. il : Vtd. Pears. Viud. Ign, part. 2, cup. 12. ' 
 
 .(?0 That tliey may be misexably destroyed. Qr. 
 
 (/•) li\ oar laiiKl O;* (a our breast : so MS Cotton. To have 
 an und'- .Maiuling of the Gjds ; or, the Qods' according tu under- 
 
 mi ^ 
 
23^ A RELATION OF THE 
 
 the heathens, Gods. For there is but one God, who 
 made Heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that 
 are in them ; and one Jesus Christ his only begotten 
 son ; whose kingdom may I enjoy." 
 
 6. Trajan, * his kingdom you say who was cruci- 
 fied under Pontius Pilate." Ignat. " his who crucifi- 
 ed my sin, with the inventor of it ; and has put 
 all the deceit and malice of the devil under the feet of 
 those who carry him in their heart." Trajan, *' dost 
 thou then carry him who was crucified within thee ?" 
 Ignat. ** I do j for it is written, I will dwell in them 
 and walk in them," [2 Cor. vi. 16.] Then Trajan 
 pronounced this sentence against him ; for as much 
 as Ignatius has confessed that he carries about within 
 himself him that was crucified, we command that he 
 be carried bound by soldiers to the great Rome, tliere 
 to be thrown to the beasts, for the entertainment of 
 the people. 
 
 7. When the holy martyr heard this sentence he 
 cried out with joy, *' I thank thee, O Lord, that thou 
 hast vouchsafed to honour me with a perfect love to- 
 wards thee ; and hast made me to be put into iron 
 bonds with thy Apostle Paul." Having said this he 
 with joy put his bonds about him ; and having first 
 |auyed for the Church, and commended it with tears 
 unto the Lord, he was hurried away, like a choice 
 ram, the leader of a good flock, by the brutish sol- 
 diers, in order to his being carried to Rome, there to 
 be devoured by the blood-thirsty beasts. 
 
 8. Wherefore with much readiness and joy, out of 
 his desire to suffer, he left Antioch, and came to Se- 
 leucia ; from whence he was to sail. And after a 
 great deal of toil, being come to Smyrna, he left the 
 ship with great gladness, and hastened to see the holy 
 Poly carp his fellow scholar, who was Bishop there ; 
 for they had both of them been formerly the disciples 
 of St. John. 
 
 standing. So the other of A. B. Usher. Metaphrastcs joins bctji 
 together. Vid. Annot. Usser. N. 5. 
 
MARTYRDOM OF ST. IGNATIUS. 235 
 
 9, Being brought to him, and communicating to 
 him some spiritual gifts, and glorying in his bonds ; 
 he entreated first of all the whole Church i^for the 
 Churches and cities of Asia attended this holy man by 
 their Bishops and priests and deacons, all hastening 
 to him, if by any means they might receive(c-) 
 some part of his spiritual gift) but more particularly 
 Polycarp, to contend with God in his behalf ; that 
 being suddenly taken by the beasts from the world, he 
 migiit appear before the face of Christ. And this he 
 thus spake and testified, extending so much his love 
 for Christ, as one who was about to receive Heaven 
 through his own good confession, and the earnest con- 
 tention of those who prayed together with him : and 
 to return a recompence to the Churches, who came to 
 meet him by their governors, he sent letters of thanks 
 to them, which distilled spiritual grace, with prayer 
 and exhortation. Seeing therefore all men so kindly 
 affected towards him ; and fearing lest the love of 
 the brotherhood should prevent his hastening to the 
 Lord, now that a fair door of suffering was opened to 
 him ; he wrote the Epistle we here subjoin, to the 
 Romans. See the Epistle before. 
 
 10. And having thus strengthened such of the breth- 
 ren at Rome as were against his martyrdom, by this 
 Kpistle, as he desired ; setting sail from Smyrjia, 
 (for he was pressed by the soldiers to hasten to the 
 public spectacles at great Rome, that being delivered 
 to the wild beasts in sight of the people of the Romans, 
 he might receive the crown for which he strove,) he 
 came to Troas : from whence going on, being brought 
 to Neopolis, he passed by Phillippi through Mt cedo- 
 nia, and that part of Epirus which is next to Epidam- 
 nus : having found a ship in one of the sea-ports, he 
 sailed over the Adriatic Sea ; [and from thence enter- 
 ing into the Tyrrhene,] and passing by several islands 
 and cities, at length he saw Puteoli. Which being 
 
 (c) Pavt.ike of his spiritual blessing, MS. Cotton. Hear his dis- 
 courses : Metaphrastes. 
 
236 A RELATION OF THE ' 
 
 shewed to the holy man, he hastened to go forth, be- 
 ing desirous to walk from thence, in the way that 
 Paul the Apostle had gone, [Acts xxviii. ic5, 14.1 
 But a violent wind arising, and driving on tiie ship,(/^) 
 would not suffer hiin so to do : wherefore commend- 
 hig (he love of the brethren in that place he sailed for- 
 ward. 
 
 11. And the wind continuing favourable to us, in 
 one day and a night, we indeed were unwillingly hur- 
 ried on, a-i sortowing to think of being separated from 
 thi- h;>ly martyr : but to him it happened justly, ac- 
 cording (0 his wish, that he migiit go the sooner out' 
 of tne world, and attain unto tne Lord whom he lov- 
 ed. Wherefore sailing into the Roman port, and 
 those impure sports being almost at an end, the sol- 
 diers began to be offended at our slowness ; but the 
 Bisiiop With great joy comphed with their hastiness. 
 
 1 2. Being therefore soon forced away from the port 
 so called, we forthwith met the brethren ; (for the re- 
 port of wiiat concerned the holy martyr was spread 
 abroad) who were full of fear and joy: for they re- 
 joiced in that God had vouchsafed them the company 
 of Theophorus ; but were afraid, when they consid- 
 ered, that such a one was brought thither to die. 
 Now some of these he commanded to hold their peace, 
 who were the most zealous for his safety, and said, 
 that they would appease the people^ that they should not 
 desire the destructioji of the just.{m) Who presently 
 knowing this by the spirit, and saluting all of them, 
 he desired them that they would shew a true love to 
 him ; disputing yet more with them than he had done 
 in his Epistle, and persuaded them not to envy him 
 who was hasrening unfo the Lord. And so, all the 
 brethren kneeling down, he prayed to the son of God 
 in behalf of the Churches, that he would put a stop 
 to the persecution, and continue the love of the breth- 
 ren tQWiirds each other ; which being done, he was 
 
 (h) The ship bs-ing repelled from the fo'cp:ivt, would not pcrmi'f 
 ('") Quietare Picbem and non cxpetere pci:deic juslum. 
 
MARTYRDOM OF ST. IGNATIUS. 237 
 
 with all haste led into the amphitheatre, and speedily, 
 acojiaai^ to tiie ojniinand of Cyesar before given, 
 throwii in, tiie end of the spectacles being at Jiand. 
 For It vvas then a very solemn day, called in the Ko- 
 maa i-oague tin 1 3th of the Calends of January, upon 
 wnicn the people were ordmarily wont to be gathered 
 togeraer. i'hus was he delivered to the cruel beasts, 
 near the temple oy wicked men : that so the desire of 
 the holy rnurtyr Ignatius might be accomplished ; as 
 it IS written, '* aie desire of the righteous is accept- 
 aole ;" [P:ov. X. 24.] namely, that he might not be 
 buraiensome to any of the brethren, by the gatiiering 
 of his relics, Imt might be wholly devoured by them ; 
 accj-i duig as in hi^ Kpistle he had before wished, that 
 so i\u end mignt lye. For only the greater and harder 
 of liis holy ijones remained ; which were carried to 
 Antioch, and there pui up in a napkin, as an inesti- 
 msiiAe treasure left to the Church by the grace which 
 was in the martyr. 
 
 Iv3. iSow these things were done the loth of the 
 Calciids of January, that is the 20th day of Decem- 
 ber ; Sura and Synecius being the second time Con- 
 suls of the Romans ; of which we ourselves were eye 
 witnesses : and being the night following watching 
 with tears in the house, praying to God with our 
 bended knees, that he would give us weak men some 
 assurance of what had been before done ; it happen- 
 ed, that falling into a slumber, some of us on the 
 sudden saw the blessed Ignatius standing by us and 
 embrachig us : others beheld the blessed martyr pray- 
 ing for us : others as it were dropping with sweat, as 
 if he were just come from his great labour, and stand*- 
 ing by the Lord. 
 
 14. Which when we saw, being filled with joy; 
 and comparing the visions of our dreams with one- 
 another, we glorified God, the giver of al! good things, 
 and being assured of the blessedness of the saint ;(o) 
 
 ■ (c) Beatificantes nanctufn, P^c?ioi:nc'>:^ /uin dl -tis^'^. 
 
23& A RELATION, &C. 
 
 ■we have made known unto you both the day and time : 
 that being assembled together according to the time 
 of his martyrdom, we may communicate with the 
 combatant, and most vahant martyr of Christ ; who 
 trod under foot the devil, and perfected the course 
 he had piously desired, in Christ Jesus our Lord ; by 
 whom, and with whom, all glory and powder be to the 
 Father, with the blessed Spirit, for ever and ever. 
 Amen, 
 
THE 
 
 CIRCULAR EPISTLE 
 
 OP THE 
 
 CHURCH OF SMTM.KA, 
 
 CONCERNING THE 
 
 MARTYRDOM OF ST. POLYCARP 
 
 l"he Church of God which is at Smyrna, to the Ciiurch of Goc. 
 M'hich is at Phihidelphia ;{a) and to all the other assemblies oi' 
 the holy catholic Church, in every place ; mercy, peace, and 
 love from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Chris!;, be multi- 
 plied. 
 
 1. WE have written to you, brethren, both of 
 what concerns the other martyrs, but especially the 
 blessed Polycarp, who by his sufferings put an end 
 to the persecution ; setting as it were, his seal to it. 
 For almost all things that went before, were done, 
 that the Lord might shew us from above, a martyr- 
 dom truly such as became the Gospel. For he ex- 
 pected to be delivered up ; even as the Lord also did, 
 that we should become the followers of his example '. 
 considering not only what is profitable for ourselves, 
 but also for our neighbours* advantage. For it is the 
 part of a true and perfect charity, to desire, not only 
 that a man's self should be saved, but also ail thf^ 
 brethren. 
 
 (a) Pliilomelia V^id. Annot. Uss. n. I. CoiTip. V'^'; lat. into'TJr. ? 
 Euseb. lust. Eccles. ]. iv. c 15. 
 
240 A RELATIOJi OP THE 
 
 2. The sufferinss tlien of all the other martyrs., 
 were blessed and generous ; which they underwi'nt 
 according to the will ot God. For so it becomes us, 
 whj are more religious than others, to a^crioe the 
 povver and ordering of all things unto hiin.(^) And 
 indeed who can choose but admire the greatness of 
 their mind, and that admirable patience and love of 
 their master^ which then appeared in them ? Who 
 when they were so flayed with whipping, that the 
 frame and structure of their oodies were laid open to 
 their very inward veins and arteries, nevertheless en- 
 dured it. And when all that beheld them, pitied and 
 lamented them ; yet they shewed so great a generosi- 
 ty of mind, that not one of them let so much as a 
 sigh or a groan escape them ; plainly shewing, that 
 those holy martyrs of Christ, at the very same time 
 that they were thus tormented, were absent from the 
 body ; or rather, that the Lord stood by them, and 
 conversed with them. Wherefore being supported by 
 the grace of Christ, they despised all the torments of 
 the world ; by the sufferings of an hour, redeeming 
 themselves from everlasting punishment. For this 
 cause, even the fire of their cruel and barbarous ex- 
 ecutioners seemed cold to them ; whilst they hoped 
 thereby to escape that fire which is eternal, and shall 
 never be extinguished : and beheld with the eyes of 
 faith, those good things which are reserved for them 
 that endure to the end ; which neither ear has heard , 
 nor eye seen^ 7ior have they entered into the heart of 
 man, [I Cor. ii. 9.] But to them they were now re- 
 vealed by the Lord ; as being no longer men, but al- 
 ready become angels. In like manner, those who 
 were condemned to the beasts, and kept a long time 
 in prison, underwent many cruel torments ; being 
 forced to lie upon sharp spikes laid under their bo- 
 dies,(//) and tormented with divers other sorts of pun- 
 
 (g-) V.id. Correct. Coteler. & Vales, in Annot. ad Euseb. 1. iv. c. 
 15, p. Gl 
 
 (n) See Bishop Usher's Annot. n. 7. Euseb. 1. iv. c. 15, & in cutn. 
 .ATJQot. Valcijii p. G2. d. 
 
MARTYRDOM OF ST. POLYCARP. 241 
 
 ishments ; that so if it were possible, the tyrant, by 
 the ieiigth of their sufferings, might have brought 
 them to deny Christ. 
 
 3. For indeed^ the devil did invent many things 
 against them : but tlianks be to God, he was not able 
 to prevail over all. For the brave Germanicus 
 strengthened those that feared, by his patience ; and 
 fougiu gloriously with the beasts. For when the pro- 
 consul would have persuaded him, telling him that he 
 sh juid consider his age and spare himself; he pulled 
 the vv.id beait to iiim, and provoked him, being desi- 
 rous the more quickly to be delivered from a wicked 
 and uaju't world. Upon this, the whole mullitude 
 wondering at the courage of the holy and p'lau? race 
 of Christians, cried out, " take away those wicked 
 wretches ; let Polycarp be looked out." 
 
 4. Then one natned Q,uintus, a Phrygian, being 
 newly come Irom thence, seeing the beasts, was afraid. 
 This was he who forced iiimself and some others, to 
 present themselves of their own accord, to the trial. 
 Him therefore the pro-conjul persuaded with many 
 proinises, to swear and sacrilice. For which cause, 
 bretiiren, we do not comuiend those who offer them- 
 selves to persdcution ; seeing the Gospel teaches no 
 such thing. 
 
 5. But the most admirable Polycarp, when he first 
 heard that //^ was called for^ was not at all concerned 
 at ir ; but resolved to tarry in the city. Nevertheless, 
 he was at the last persuaded, at tne desire of many, 
 to go out of it. He departed therefore into a little 
 village, not far distant from the city, and there tarri- 
 ed with a few about him, doing nothing ni^ht nor 
 day, but praying for all men, and for the Churches 
 which were in all the world, according to his usual 
 custom. And as he was praying, he saw a vision 
 three days before he was taken ; and behold, the pil- 
 low under his head seemed to him on fire. Whereup- 
 on, turning to those that were with him, he said pro- 
 pheticallv, ^'•that he should he burnt alive'* 
 
 r3i] 
 
, 242 A RELATION OF THE 
 
 6. Now when those who were to take him drew 
 near, he departed into another village ; and immedi- 
 ately they who sought him, came thither. And when 
 they found him not, they seized upon two young men 
 tkdt w^re there ; one of which, being tormented, con- 
 fessed. For it was impossible he should be conceal- 
 ed, forasmuch as they who betrayed him were his 
 own domestics. So the officer, who is also called Cle- 
 ronomus,(5) Herod by name ; hastened to bring him 
 into the lists : that so Polycarp might receive his 
 proper portion, being made partaker of Christ ; and 
 they that betrayed him, undergo the punishment of 
 Judas. 
 
 7. The sergeants therefore and horsemen taking the 
 young lad along with them, departed about supper 
 time, oeing Friday, with their usual arms, as it were 
 against a thief or a robber. And being come to the 
 place where he was, about the close of the evening, 
 they found him lying down in a little upper room, 
 from whence he could easily have escaped into ano-_ 
 ther place, but he would not ; saying, the will of the 
 Lord be done. Wherefore when he heard that they 
 were come to the house, he went down and spake to 
 them. And as they that were present wondered at his 
 age and constancy, some of them began to say, " was 
 there need of all this care to take such an old man ?"(?) 
 Then presently he ordered, that the same hour there 
 should be somewhat got ready for them, that they 
 might eat and drink their fill ; desiring them withal, 
 that they would give him one hour's liberty the whiles 
 to pray without disturbance. And when they had 
 permitted him, he stood praying, being full of the 
 grace of God ; so that he ceased not for two whole 
 hours, to the admiration of all that heard him : inso- 
 much, that many of the soldiers began to repent, that 
 they were come out against so godly an old man. 
 
 (s) Justice of the pe;>ce Vid. Usser. in loc. num. 14, 15. Vales 
 in Euscb. p. 63. d. 
 (0 Why was all this diligence. Vid. Annot. 20. Usser in be 
 
MARTYRDOM OF ST. PQLYCARP. 243 
 
 8. As soon as he had done his prayer, in which he 
 remembered ail men, whether little or great, honour- 
 able or obscure, that had at any time been acquaint- 
 ed with him ;{w) and with them the whole catholic 
 Church, over all the world ; the time being come that 
 he was to depart, the guards set him upon an ass, and 
 so brought him into the city, being the day of the 
 great saobath. And Herod the chief officer, with his 
 father Nicetes, met him in a chariot. And having 
 taken him up to them, and set him in the chariot, 
 they began to persuade Iritn, saying, what harm is 
 there in it^ to say^ Lord Ccesar, and sacrifice (with 
 the rest that is usual on such occasions) and so be 
 safe ? But Polycurp, at first, answered them not : 
 whereupon they continuing to urge him, he said, " I 
 shall not do what you would persuade me to." So be- 
 ing out of all hope of prevailing with him ; they be- 
 gan first to rail at him, and then with violence threw 
 him out of the chariot ; insomuch that he hurt his 
 thigh with the fall. But he not turning back, went 
 on readily with all diligence, as if he had received no 
 harm at all ; and so was brought to the lists, where 
 there was so great a tumult, that nobody could be 
 heard. ^ 
 
 9. As he was going into the lists, tliere came a 
 voice from Heaven to him ; " be strong Polycarp, and 
 quit thyself like a man." Now no one saw who it 
 was that spake to him ; but for the voice, many of 
 our brethren who were present, heard it. And as he 
 was brought in, there was a great disturbance when 
 they heard how that Polycarp was taken. And when 
 he came near, the pro-consul asked him whether he 
 was Polycarp ? who confessing that he was ; he per- 
 suaded him to deny the faith, saying, reverence thy 
 old age^ with many other things of the like nature, 
 as their custom is ; concluding thus, swear by Ccesar^s 
 fortune. Repent and say, take away the wicked,. 
 
 ' (w) Comp. Euseb. 1. iv. c. 15, p. 10. B. Edit, Vales. 6c Annot. 
 V'ales. p. 62. c. 
 
244 A RELATION OF THE 
 
 Then Polycarp, looking with a stern countenance up- 
 on the whole multitude of wicked Gentiles tnat was 
 gathered together in the lists, and shaking his hand at 
 them, looked up to heaven, and groaning, said, take 
 away the wicked. But the pro conssul, insisting and 
 saying, *' swear, and 1 will set thee at liberty j re- 
 proach Christ." Polycarp replied, ** eighty and six 
 years have I now served Christ, and he has never done 
 me the least wrong : how then can I blaspheme my 
 King and my Saviour ?" 
 
 10. And when the pro-consul nevertheless still in- 
 sisted, saying, " swear by the genms ol Caesar." 
 He answered, *' seeing thou art so vainly urgent with 
 me that I should swear, as thou callest it, by the ge- 
 nius of Caesar, seeming as if thou didst not know 
 what I am ; hear me freely professing it to thee, that 
 I am a Christian But if thou farther desirest an ac- 
 count what Christianity is, appoint a day and thou 
 shalt hear it." The pro-consul replied, "persuade the 
 people." Polycarp answered, *' to thee have I ofter- 
 ed to give a reason of my faith : for so are we taught 
 to pay all due honour, (such only excepted as would 
 be hurtful to ourselves,) to the powers and authorities 
 which are ordained of God. But for the people, I 
 esteem them not worthy that I should give any ac- 
 count of my faith to them." 
 
 11. The pro-consul continued, and said unto him, 
 «' I have wild beasts ready, to those I will cast thee 
 except thou repent." He answered, " call for them 
 then ; for we Christians are fixed in our minds not to 
 change from good to evil : but for me it will be good 
 to be changed from evil to good "(A) The pro-consul 
 added ; *' seeing thou despisest the wild beasts, I will 
 cause thee to be devoured by fire, unless thou shalt 
 repent." Polycarp answered, " thou threatenest me 
 with fire which burns for an hour, and so is extin- 
 ct) The meaning is, to be translated from wlr=^t i^ cri.vous, and 
 
 hard lo suffer here, to the just reward of my suft'eriqgs in the other 
 world. 
 
MARTYRDOM OF ST. POLYCARP. 245 
 
 guished ; but knowest not the fire of the future judg- 
 ment, and of that eternal punishment, which is re- 
 served for the ungodly. But why tarriest thou ? bring 
 forth what thou wilt. 
 
 1 2. Having said this, and many other things of the 
 like nature, he was filled with confidence and joy, 
 insomuch that his very countenance was full of grace : 
 so that he did not only not let it f^l with any confu- 
 sion at what was spoken to him ; but on the contrary, 
 the pro-consul was struck with astonishment ; and sent 
 his crier into the middle of the lists, to proclaim three 
 several times ; Polycarp confessed himself to be a 
 Christian. Which being done by the crier, the w^hole 
 multitude both of the Gentiles and of the Jews which 
 dwelt at Smyrna, being full of fury, cried out with a 
 loud voice ; " this is the doctor of Asia ;(rf) the fa- 
 ther of the Christians, and the overthrower of our 
 Gods. He that has taught so many not to sacrifice, 
 nor pay any worship to the Gods." And saying this, 
 they cried out, and desired Philip the Asiarch,(6') that 
 he would let loose a lion against Polycarp. But Phi- 
 lip replied, that it was not lawful for him to do so, be- 
 cause that kind of spectacles was already over.(/) 
 Then it pleased them to cry out with one consent, 
 that Polycarp should be burnt alive. For so it was 
 necessary that the vision should be fulfilled which was 
 made manifest unto him by his pillow, when seeing it 
 on fire as he was praying, he turned about and said 
 prophetically to the faithful that were with him ; / 
 must be burnt alive. 
 
 12. This therefore was done with greater speed 
 than it was spoke ; the whole multitude instantly 
 gathering together wood and faggots, out of the shops 
 and baths ; the jews especially, according to their 
 custom, with all readiness assisting them in it. When 
 
 ((•/) So Eusebius Ruffin. ' et, Interpr. Lat. &c. Vid Usser. not. 44. 
 {e) Who was president of the spectacles ; the chief priest for 
 that year. See Usser Annot. namb. 46. Vales, in Euseb. p. 63, 64. 
 (/) He had already fulfilled, or finished, the baiting of dogs. 
 
246 A RELATION OF THE 
 
 the fuel was ready, Polycarp laying aside all his up- 
 per garments, and undoing his girdle, tried also to 
 pull oif his clotiies underneath, which aforetime he 
 was not wont to do ; forasmuch as always every one 
 of the Christians that was aoout him contended who* 
 should soonest touch his flesh. For he was truly adorn- 
 ed by his good conversation with all kind of piety,(^) 
 even before his martyrdom. This being done, they 
 presently put about him such things as were necessary 
 to prepare the lire.(>t) But when they would have 
 also nailed him to the stake, he said, *' let me alone 
 as I am : for he who has given me strength to endure 
 the fire, will also enable me, without your securing 
 me by nails, to stand without moving in the pile." 
 
 1 4. Wherefore they did not nail him, but only tied 
 him to it. But he having put his hands behind him, 
 and being bound as a ram chosen out of a great flock, 
 for an offering, and prepared to be burnt a sacrifice, 
 acceptable unto God, looked up to Heaven and said ; 
 " O Lord God Almighty, the Father of thy well be- 
 loved and blessed Son, Jesus Christ, 'by whom we 
 have received the knowledge of thee, the God of An- 
 gels and powers, and of every creature, and especially 
 of the whole race of just men who live in thy pre- 
 sence ! I give thee hearty thanks that thou hast vouch- 
 safed to bring me to this day, and to this hour; that 
 I should have a part in the number of thy martyrs, in 
 the cup of thy Christ, to the resurrection of eternal 
 life, both of soul and body, in the incorruption of the 
 Holy Ghost. Among which may I be accepted this 
 day before thee, as a fat and acceptable sacrifice ; as 
 thou the true God, with whom is no falsehood, hast 
 both. before ordained, and manifested unto me, and 
 also hast now fulfilled it. For this, and for all things 
 else I praise thee, I bless thee, I glorify thee by the 
 eternal,© and heavenly high priest, Jesus Christ thy 
 
 {g) Vid. aliter apucl Euseb. 1. iv. c. 15. Et in eum Vales. Annot. 
 p. 64. 
 
 (A) The pile that was to burn him. See Vales, in Euseb. p. 64. b- 
 \l) Euseb. & Vet. Lat. Interp. 
 
MARTYRDOM OF ST. POLYrARP. 247 
 
 beloved Son ; with whom to thee(»2) and the Holy 
 Ghost, be glory ooch ujvv, and to all succeeding ages. 
 Amen:' 
 
 15. He had no sooner pronounced aloud, Amen^ 
 and finished his prayer, but they who were appointed 
 to oe his executioners, lighted the lire. And when 
 the flame began to blaze to a very great height ; be- 
 hold a vvonderfal miracle appeared, to us who had the 
 happiness to see it, and who were reserved by Hea- 
 ven to report to others what had happened. For the 
 flame making a itmd of arch, like the sail of a ship 
 filled with the wind, encompassed, as in a circle, the 
 body of the holy martyr. Who stood in the midst of 
 it, not as if his flesh were burnt, but as bread that is 
 baked, or as gold or silver glowing in the furnace. 
 Moreover, so sweet a smell came from it, as if frank- 
 kiscense, or some rich spices had been smoking there, 
 
 16. At length when those wicked men saw that his 
 body could not be consumed by the fire, they com- 
 manded the executioner to go near to him and stick 
 his dagger in him ;(/^) which being accordingly done, 
 there came fortli so great a quantity of blood(o) as 
 even extinguished the fire, and raised an admiration 
 in all the people, to consider what a diflference there 
 was between the infidels and the elect. One of which 
 this great martyr, Polycarp, most certainly was ; be- 
 ing in our times a truly Apostolical and prophetical 
 teacher; and Bishop of the catholic Church which is 
 at Smyrna. For every word that went out of his 
 mouth either has been already fulfilled, or in its due 
 time will be accomplished. 
 
 17. But when the emulous, and envious, and wick- 
 ed adversary of the race of the just, saw the great- 
 
 (wj) In the H. G, Euseb. 
 
 \n) Kofc^Ule^x Vid. Annot. Usser. num. 75. Vales, under- 
 stands by K one of the Laiince men that were set to kill the beasts, 
 if the}'^ grew unruly, at these kind of spectacles. Vid. in. Euseb. 
 p. 64. c. 
 
 (n) So Eusebius. 
 
248 A RELATION OF THR 
 
 ness of his martyrdom ; and considered how irrepre- 
 hensible his conversation had been from the begin- 
 ning ; and how he was now crowned with the crowa 
 of immortality, having without all controversy re- 
 ceived his reward ; he took all possible care that not 
 the least remainder of his Oody siioald be taken away 
 by us, although many desired to do it, and to be made 
 partakers of his holy ilesh. And to that end he sug- 
 gested it to Nicetes, the father of Herod and brother 
 of Alee, to go to the governor, and hinder him from 
 giving us his body to be buried. Lest, says he, '' for- 
 saking him that was crucified, they should begin to 
 worship this Polycarp." And this he said at the sug- 
 gestion and instance of the Jews ; who also watched 
 Us, that we snoald not take him out of the fire : not 
 considering, that neither is it possible for us ever to 
 forsake Christ, who suffered for the salvation of all 
 such as shall be saved throughout the whole world, 
 the righteous for the ungodly '^ [1 Pet. iii. 18.] nor 
 worship any other besides him. For him indeed, as 
 being the Son of God, we do adore : but for the mar- 
 tyrs, we worthily love them, as the disciples and fol- 
 lowers of our Lord ; and upon the account of their 
 exceeding great affection towards their master and 
 their king. Of whom may we also be made compa- 
 nions, and fellow disciples. 
 
 18. The Centurion therefore seeing the contention 
 of the Jews, put his body into the midst of the fire, 
 and so consumed it. After which we taking up his 
 bones, more precious than the richest jewels, and tri- 
 ed above gold, deposited them where it was fitting. 
 Where being gathered together as we have opportuni- 
 ty, with joy and gladness, the Lord shall grant unto 
 us to celebrate the anniversary of his martyrdom, both 
 in memory of those who have suffered, and for the 
 exercise and preparation of those who may hereafter 
 suffer. 
 
 19. Such was the passion of the blessed Polycarp^ 
 who though he was the twelfth of those who, togeth- 
 
MARTYRDOIM OF ST. POLYCARP. 249 
 
 er with those of Philadelphia, suffered martyrdom isr 
 yet alone chiefly hud in memory of all men ; inso- 
 inwih ttiat lie is spoken of by the very Gentiles them- 
 selves in everyplace, as having been not only an -emi- 
 nent teacher, but also a glorious martyr. Who^e 
 death all desire to imitate, as having been every way 
 conformable to the Gospel of Christ. For having by 
 patience overcome the unjust governor, and so receiv- 
 ed the crown of iminortahty ; he now, together with 
 the Apostles, and all other righteous men,^\vho have 
 gone betore, vvirh great triumph, glorifies God even 
 the Father, and blesses our Lord tlie governor both of 
 our souls and bodies ;(/) and shepherd of the cathoUo 
 Church which is over all tlie earth. 
 
 20. Whereas therefore ye desired that w^e would at 
 large declare to you what was done ; we have for the 
 present given you a summary account of it by our 
 brother Marcus : having therefore yourselves read this 
 epistle, you may do well to send it forward to the 
 brethren that are farther off; that they may also glo- 
 rify God who makes such choice of his own servants, 
 and is able to bring all of us by his grace and help to 
 his eternal kingdom, through his only begotten' Son 
 Jesus Christ ; to whom be glory, and honour, and 
 power, and majesty, for ever and ever — Amen. Sa- 
 lute all the saints ; they that are with us salute you ; 
 and Evarestus, wlio wrote this epistle, with his whole 
 house. 
 
 21. Now the suffering of the blessed Polycarp was 
 the second day of the present month XantJucus^ viz. 
 the seventh of the Calends of May;'(^^) being the 
 great Sabbath about the 8th hour. He was taken by 
 Herod, Philip the Trallian being high priest; Statins 
 Q,aadratus proconsul ; but our Saviour Christ reigning 
 for evermore : to him be honour, glory, majesty, and 
 
 {{) X\i\. Coteler. in marg. ' & Vet. Lat. Intevpr. 
 {_u) llather of April: See Aiinot. Usser. n. 105, ii 
 
 Dbs. 11- '-. 18. n. -^i. 
 
 ^C Pearson Chron , 
 
250 ADVERTISEIVUNT, &C. 
 
 an eternal throne, from generation to generation. 
 Ameji, 
 
 22. We wish you, brethren, all happiness ; by 
 living according to the rule of the Gospel of Jesus 
 Christ : with whom, glory be to God the Father, and 
 the Holy Spirit, for the salvation of his chosen saints. 
 Mter whose example the blessed Polycarp suffered ; 
 at whose feet may we be found in the kingdom of 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 >(iCCHtC< 
 
 AN ADVERTISEMENT RELATING TO THE FOREGOING EPISTLE.. 
 
 THIS epistle was transcribed by Caius out of the 
 copy of Ireneus, the disciple of Polycarp ; who also 
 lived and conversed with Ireneus. And I Socrates 
 transcribed it at Corinth, out of the copy of the said 
 Caius. Grace be with all.* 
 
 After which I Pionius again wrote it from the copy 
 before mentioned ; having searched it out by the reve- 
 lation of Polycarp, who directed me to it ; as also I 
 shall declare in what follows : having gathered these 
 things together, now almost corrupted through process 
 of time ; that Jesus Christ our Lord may also- gather 
 me together with his elect : to whom with the Father, 
 and the Holy Ghost, be glory for ever and ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 * Ad finem Exempl. Usser. p. "0. 
 
THK 
 
 CATHOLIC EFISTIiE 
 
 OK 
 
 ST. BARNABAS. 
 
 -^LL HAPPINESS TO YOU MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, IN THE 
 NAME OF OUR i.ORU JESUS CHRIST, WHO LOVfiD US, IN 
 PEACE. 
 
 HAVING perceived abundance of knowledge of 
 the great and excellent laws of God to be m you, I 
 exceedingly rejoice in your blessed and admirable 
 souls, because ye have so worthily received the grace 
 which was grafted in you.(r/) For which cause I am 
 full of joy, hoping the rather to be saved ; inasmuch 
 as I truly see a spirit infused into you, from the pure 
 fountain of God : having this persuasion, and being 
 fully convinced thereof, because that since I have be- 
 gun to speak unto you, I have had a more than ordi- 
 nary good success in the way of the law of the Lord, 
 which is in Christ.(^) For which cause brethren,f/^) 
 I also think verily that I love you above my own soul : 
 because that therein dwelleth the greatness of faith 
 and charity, as also the hope of that life which is to 
 come. Wherefore considering this, that if I shall 
 
 fd) Natural : Gr. ff^-tpvlcv. See Chap. xix. {ft.<pu']ov ^o^e»v 
 h^x^a^: which the L u. inc. renders naturale doimm doctnns. 
 Co'iv). Jam. i. 21. 
 
 (g) Comp, Psil. 119, 33. viz. either by preaching, or fulfilling 
 the same. 
 
 (A) Vid. Annot. Vos. in loo. 
 
252 THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 take care to commuricate to you a part of what I 
 have received, it siiall turn to my reward, that I have^ 
 served such good souls ;(/) 1 gave diligence to WTiie in 
 a few words unto you ; that together with your faith, 
 your knowledge also may be perfect. There are 
 therefore three things ordained by the Lord ; the hope 
 of life ; the beginning and the completion of it. bor 
 the Lord hath both declared unto us, by the prophets, 
 those things that are past ; and opened to us the begin- 
 ning of those that are to come. Wherefore, it will be- 
 hove us, as he has spoken, to come more holily, and 
 nearer to his altar. I therefore, not as a teacher, but 
 as one of you, will endeavour to lay before you, a 
 few things by which you may on many accounts be- 
 come the more joyful. 
 
 2. Seeing then the days are exceeding evil, and the 
 adversary has got the power of this present world ; 
 we ought to give the more diligence to inquire into 
 the ngliteous judgments of the Lord. Now the as- 
 sistants of our faith are fear and patience : our fel- 
 low combatants, long suffering and continence. Whilst 
 these remain pure in what relates unto the Lord, wis- 
 dom, and understanding, and science, and knowledge 
 rejoice together with them. For God has manifested 
 to us by all the prophets, that he has no occasion for 
 our sacrifices, or burnt offerings, or oblations ; saying 
 thus, "to what purpose is the multitude of your sa^ 
 criiices unto me saith the Lord. 1 am full of the burnt 
 offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts ; and I 
 delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of he goats. 
 When ye come to appear before me ; who hath re- 
 quired this at your liands ? ye shall no more tread my 
 courts. Bring no more vain oblations, incense is an 
 abomination unto me : your new moons and Sabbaths, 
 th(' calling of assemblies I cannot away with, it is 
 iniquity, even the solemn meeting : your new moons 
 and your appointed feasts, my soul hateth," [Isaiah 
 1. U — 14.] These things therefore hath God abol- 
 
 r';) Talibiis Spiriti'jjs servW-rti. Uster 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 253 
 
 ished, that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 which is without th^ yoke of any such necessity-, 
 might have the spiritual offering of men themselves. 
 For so the Lord saith again to those heretofore; 
 *' did I at all command your fathers when they came 
 out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings 
 or sacriiices : but this I commanded them," saying, 
 " let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against 
 his neighbour, and love no false oath," [Jer. vii. 22, 
 23. — Zach viii. 17.] Forasmuch then as we are not 
 without understanding, we ought to apprehend the 
 design of our merciful Father. For he speaks to us, 
 being willing that we who have been in the same er- 
 ror about the sacrifices, should seek and find, how to 
 approach unto him. And therefore he thus bespeaks 
 us, " the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit, a broken 
 and contrite heart God will not dispise," [Psal, 1. !9.] 
 Wherefore, brethren, we ought the more diligently to 
 inquire after those things that belong to our salvation, 
 that the adversary may not have an entrance into us, 
 and deprive us of our spiritual life. 
 
 3. Wherefore he again speaketh to them, concern- 
 ing the things : " ye shall not fast as ye do this day, 
 to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a 
 fast that I have chosen ? a day for a man to afflict his 
 soul ? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and 
 to spread sackcloth and ashes under him ? wilt thuu 
 call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord ?" 
 But to us he saith on this wise. " Is not this the fast 
 that I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness, 
 to undo the heavy burthens, and to let the oppressed 
 go free ; and that ye break every yoke ? Is it not to 
 deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the 
 poor that are cast out, to thy housQ ? when thou seest 
 the naked that thou cover him, and that thou hide not 
 thyself from thine own flesh ? then shall thy light 
 break forth as the morning, and thy health shall 
 spring forth speedily ; and thy righteousness shall go 
 before thee, the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. 
 
254 THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer : thou 
 shalt cry and h^ shall say, here I am. If thou put 
 away trom the midst of thee the yoke, the putting 
 forth of the finger, and speaking vanity : and if thou 
 draw out thy soul to the hungry; and satisfy the af- 
 flicted soul," [Isaiah Iviii. 4 — 10.] In this therefore, 
 brethren, God has manifested his fore-knowledge and 
 mercy to us ; because the people which he has pur- 
 chased to his beloved Son were to believe in sincerity ; 
 and therefore he has shewn these things to all of us, 
 that we should not run as proselytes to the Jewish 
 law. 
 
 4. Wherefore it is necessary that searching dili- 
 gently into those things which are near to come to 
 pass, we should write to you what may serve to keep 
 you whole. To which end let us flee from every evil 
 work, and hate the errors of the present time, that 
 we may be happy in that which is to come : let us not 
 give ourselves the liberty of disputing with the wick- 
 ed and sinneps, least we should chance in time to be- 
 come like unto them. For the consummation of sin 
 is come, as it is written, as the prophet Daniel says, 
 [Dan. ix.'j And for this end the Lord hath shortened 
 the tijnes and the days, that his beloved might hasten 
 his coming to his inlieritance. For so the prophet 
 speaks ; " there shall ten kings reign in the earth, and 
 there shall rise last of all another little one and he 
 shall humble three kings," [Dan vii.] And again 
 Daniel speaks in like manner concerning the king- 
 doms ; " and I saw the fourth beast dreadful and ter- 
 rible, and strong exceedingly; and it had ten horns. 
 I considered the horns, and behold there came up 
 among them another little horn, before which were 
 three of the first horns plucked up by the roots," [Dan. 
 vii. 7, ^•] ^^^6 ought therefore to understand this al- 
 so : and I beseech you, as one of your own brethren, 
 loving you all beyond my own life, that you look 
 well to yourselves, and be not like to those who add 
 sin to sin, and say, that their covenant is ours also. 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. "^do 
 
 Nay, but it is ours only ; for they have for ever lost 
 that which Moses received, box tlius saith tiie Scrip- 
 ture ; " and Moses continued fasting ibrty days and 
 forty nights in the mount ; and he received the cove- 
 nant from the Lord, even two tables of stone written 
 by the hand of God," [Exod. xxxi. 34.] But having 
 turned themselves to idols they lost it; [Exod. xxxii. 
 7.] as the Lord also said to Moses ; " Moses, go down 
 quickly, for thy people which thou hast brought forth 
 out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves, and turned 
 aside from the way which I commanded them," [Deuf. 
 ix. 12, 19.] And Moses cast the two tables out of 
 his hands and their covenant was broken, that the 
 love of Jesus might be sealed in your hearts, unto tlie 
 hope of his faith. Wherefore let us give heed unto 
 the last times. For all the time past of our life, and 
 eur faith will profit us nothing, unless we continue to 
 hate what is evil, and to withstand the future tempta- 
 tions. So the Son of God tells us ; let t^s resist all 
 iniqinty^ and hate it. Wherefore consider the works 
 ef the evil way. Do not withdraw yourselves from 
 ethers, as if you w^ere already justified, [Hebr. x. 15. J 
 but coming all together into one place, inquire what 
 is agreeable to, and profitable for the beloved of God. 
 For the scripture saith ; " wo unto them that are wise 
 in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight."* 
 Let us become spiritual, a perfect temple to God. As 
 much as in us lies let us meditate upon the fear of 
 God ; and strive to the utmost of our power to keep 
 his commandments ; that we may rejoice in his righ- 
 teous judgments. For God will judge the world 
 without respect of persons, and every one shall re- 
 ceive according to his works. If a man shall be good, 
 his righteousness shall go before him : if v.'icked, the 
 reward of his wickedness shall follow him. Take 
 heed therefore, lest sitting still now that we are call- 
 ed, we fall ableep in our sins ; and the wicked orje- 
 
 *'Vid Gr. Clem. Alc-x. Ts-. v. €1-. 
 
256 THE CATHOLIC EPISTLL 
 
 getting the dominion over us, stir us up, and shut us 
 out ot the kingdom of the Lord, [Matt. xxv. 7, 10.] 
 Consider this also : altiiough you have seen so great 
 signs and wonders done among the people ot the 
 Jews, yet this notwithstanding the Lord hath forsaken 
 them. Jbevvare therefore, lest it happen to us, as it 
 is written, " there be many called, but few chosen." 
 [Mat. xii. 14.] 
 
 5. For this cause did our Lord vouchsafe to give up 
 his body to destruction, that through the forgiveness 
 of our sins we might be sanctitied ; tiiat is, by the 
 springling of his blood. Kow for what concerns the 
 things that are written about him, some bebng to the 
 people of the Jews, and some to us. For thus saith 
 the Scripture; " he wiis wounded for our tran.-gressi- 
 ons, he was bruised for our iniquities, and by his 
 blood we are healed. He was led as a lamb to the 
 slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, 
 so he opened not his mouth," [Isaiah liii. 5, 7.] \V here- 
 fore we ought the more to give thanks unto God, for 
 that he hath both declared unto us what is passed, and 
 not suffered us to be without understanding of those 
 things that are to come.(/) But to them he saith; 
 " the nets are not unjustly spread for the birds," [Frov. 
 i. 17.] This he spake, because a man will justly pe- 
 rish, if having the knowledge of the way of truth, 
 he shall nevertheless not refrain himself from the way 
 of darkness. And for this cause the Lord was con- 
 tent to suffer for our soul?, although he be the Lord 
 of the whole earth ; to whom God said before the 
 beginning of the world, " let us make nian after our 
 own image and likeness," [Gen. i. 26.] Now how he 
 suffered for us, seeing it was by men that he underwent 
 it ; I will shew you. The prophets having received 
 from him the gift of prophecy, spake before concern- 
 ing him : but he, that he might abolish death, and 
 make known the resurrection from the dead, was 
 
 (f) Vid. Edit. Oxon. p. 21. 
 
Qfesr. BARNABAS. 257 
 
 content, as it was necessary, to appear in the flesh, 
 that nd miglit make good the promise before given to 
 our fatiiers, and preparing himself a new people, 
 might demonstrate to them whilst he was upon earth, 
 'that after tiie resurrection he would judge the world. 
 And finally teaching the people of Israel, and doing 
 many wonders and signs among them, he preached 
 to them, and shewed the exceeding great love which 
 he bare towards them. And when he chose his Apos- 
 tles, which were afterwards to publish his Gospel, he 
 tbok men who had been very great sinners ; that there- 
 by he might plainly shew, " that he came not to call 
 the righteous but sinners to repentance," [Mat. ix. 13.] 
 Then he clearly manifested himself to be the Son of 
 God. For had he not come in the flesh, how should 
 men have been able to look upon him, that they 
 might be saved ? seeing if they behold only the sun, 
 v/hich w^as the work of his hands, and shall hereaf- 
 ter cease to be, they are not able to endure steadfastly 
 to look against the rays of it. Wherefore the Son of 
 God came in the flesh for this cause, that he might 
 iill up the measure of their iniquit}', who have per- 
 secuted his prophets unto death. And for the samp 
 reason also he suffered ; for God hath said, *' of the 
 stripes of his flesh, that they were from them."(/z) 
 And, " I will smite the shepherd, and the , sheep of 
 the flock shall be scattered," [Zach. xiii. 6, 7.] Thus 
 he would suffer, because it behoved him to sufi^er up- 
 on the cross. For thus one saith, prophesying con- 
 cerning him ; *' spare my soul from the sword."(/) 
 And again, " pierce my flesh with thy fear."(^) And 
 again, '•'• the congregation of wicked doers rose up 
 against me," ['• they have pierced my hands and my 
 
 fhj Namely, from the Jews. 
 
 (r)" According to the Ixx. 
 
 (At) These words were doubtless cited thus by Barnabas, because 
 that without them, those foregoing do not prove the crucifixion of 
 Christ- But through the repetition of the same preposition, thi.*? 
 latter part was so early oujitted, that it was not in the I*atin ia*,er « 
 |)reter's copy. 
 
 [331 
 
^3S THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 feet."] And again he sayeth, " I gave my back to 
 the smiters, and my cheeks to be buffeted, and my 
 face I set as an hard rock."* 
 
 6. And when he had fulfilled the commandment of 
 God, what says he ? " who will contend with me ? 
 let him stand against me ; or who is he that will im- 
 plead me ? let him draw near to the servant of the 
 Lord. Wo be to you ! because ye shall all wax old 
 as a garment, the moth shall eat you up," [Isa. 1. 8, 9.] 
 And again the prophet adds, " he is put for a stone 
 of stumbling " [Isa. viii. 14.] ** Behold I lay in Zion 
 for a foundation, a precious stone, a choice corner 
 stone; an honourable stone," [Isa. xxviii. 16.] And 
 what follows ? " and he that hopeth in him shall live 
 for ever." What then ? is our hope built upon a 
 stone ? God forbid. But because the Lord hath har- 
 dened his flesh against sufferings, he sayeth I have 
 put me as a firm rock, [Isa. 1. 7.] And again the pro- 
 phet adds ; ** the stone which the builders refused is 
 become the head of the corner," [Psal. cxvii. 22.] 
 And again he saith, " this is the great and wonderful 
 day which the Lord hath made," [ibid. 23.]t [I write 
 these things the more plainly to you that ye may un- 
 derstand :](?») for indeed I could be content even to 
 die for your sakes. But what saith the prophet again ; 
 <* the counsel of the wicked encompassed me about. 
 They came about me as bees about the honey comb :" 
 and " upon my vesture they cast lots," [Psal. xxi. 17. 
 — cxvii. 12 — -cxi. 19.] Forasmuch then as our Savi- 
 our was to appear in the flesh, and suffer ; his passion 
 ivas hereby foretold. For thus saith the prophet 
 against Israel, " wo be to their soul, because they 
 have taken wicked counsel against themselves, saying; 
 let us lay snares for the righteous, because he is un- 
 profitable to us," [Isai. iii. 9.] Moses also in like man 
 
 * Psal. xxii. 20— cxviii: (119, 120.)— xxii. 16, 1"— Isa. I. 6. 
 
 t Clem. Alex. Stem, v. 
 
 ("0 This is not in the old Lat. version. 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 25i9 
 
 ner speaketh to them : " behold thus saith the Lord 
 God ; enter ye mto the good land of which the Lord 
 hath sworn to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, that 
 he would givs it you^ and possess it ; a land flowing 
 with milk and honey," [Exod. xxxiii. 1.] Now what 
 the spiritual meaning of this is, learn ; it is as if it 
 had been said ;{o) put your trust in Jesus, who shall 
 be manifested to you in the flesh. For man is the 
 earth which suffers : forasmuch as out of the substance 
 of the earth Adam was formed. What therefore does 
 he mean when he says, itito a good land jiowing with 
 milk and honey ? Blessed be our Lord, who has giv- 
 en us wisdom, and a- heart to understand his secrets. 
 For so says the prophet, *' who shall understand the 
 hard sayings of the Lord ? but he that is wise, and intel- 
 ligent, and that loves his Lord," [Osee xiv. ult. — Prov. 
 i. 6. — Eccl. i. 1 0.] Seeing therefore he has renewed 
 us by the remission of our sins, he has put us into 
 another frame, that we should have souls like those 
 of children, (r) forming us again himself by the spi- 
 rit.(5) For thus the Scripture saith concerning us» 
 where it introduceth the Father speaking to the Son ; 
 *' let us make maji after our likeness and similitude -, 
 and let them have dominion over the beasts of the 
 earth, and over the fowls of the air, and over the fish of 
 the sea." And when the Lord saw the man which he 
 had formed, that behold he was very good, he said, 
 " increase and multiply, aiKl replenish the earth."(?) 
 And this he spake to his Son. I will now shew you how 
 he made us a new creature, in the latter days. The 
 Lord saith, " behold I will make the last as the first," 
 [Isai. xliii. 18, 19.— Mat. xx. 16.] Wherefore the pro- 
 phet thus spake, "enter into the land flowing with milk 
 and honey, and have dominion over it."('zy) Wherefore 
 
 (o)Vid. Coteler. Annot. Marg. ex Clem. Alex. 
 
 (r) Vid. Edit. Oxon. p 30. b. 
 
 (*) Vid. Vet. Lat. Interp. . 
 
 (0 Gen. i. 26, & 28. camp. CoIms. iii. 10. 
 
 (w) Comp. Hebx-. iii. 
 
260 THE CATOOtlC EPISTLE 
 
 ye see how we are again formed anew ; as also h^ 
 speaks by another prophet : *' behold, saith the Lord, 
 I will take from them," that is, from those whom tne 
 spirit of the Lord foresaw, *' their hearts of stone, 
 and I will put into them hearts of flesh," [Ezek. xi. 
 19— xxxvi. 26.] Because he was about to be made 
 manifest in the flesh, and to dwell in us. For, my 
 brethren, the habitation of our heart is a holy temple 
 tmto the Lord.U) For the Lord saith again ; " in 
 what place shall I appear before the Lord my God, 
 and be glorihed ?" he answers, " I will confess unto 
 thee in the congregation in the midst of my brethren, 
 and will sing unto thee in the Church of the saints," 
 [Psal. xli. 3. — xxi. 23. j Wherefore we are they whom 
 he has brought in? o that good land. But what signi- 
 fies the milk and honey ?(z/) Because as the child is 
 nourished first with milk, and then with honey ; so 
 "we bemg kept alive by the belief of his promises, and' 
 his word, shall live and have dominion over the land. 
 For he toretold above, saying, ^' increase and multi- 
 ply, and have dominion over the fishes," &c. But 
 who is there that is now able to have this dominion 
 over the wild beasts, or fishes, or fowls of the air ? 
 for yon know that to rule is to have power, that a 
 man should be set over what he rules. But forasmuch 
 as this we have not now, he tells us when we shall 
 have it ; namely, when we shall become perfect, that 
 we may be made inheritors of the covenant of the 
 Lord 
 
 7. Understand then, my beloved children, that the 
 good God hath b-^ fore manifested all things unto us, 
 that we might know to whom we ought always to 
 give thanks and praise. If therefore the Son of God, 
 "who is the Lord of all, and shall come to judge both 
 the quick and the dead, hath suffered, that bi/ his 
 it r? pes 'we might livd : let us believe that the Son of 
 
 (x) So St. P.uil, 1 Cor. ili 16, 17 —vi, 19. 
 
 iy) Conip. llier. in Jer. Kx:di. 22. iic. in Jer. xi. 5. Add. J Ppt 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 261 
 
 God could not have suffered but for us. But, being 
 crucified, they gave him vinegar and gall to drink. 
 Hear therefore how the priests of the temple did lore- 
 shew this also : the Lord by his command which was 
 \vritten,(i:r) declared that whosoever did not fast the 
 appointed fast he ?hould die the death, [Levit. xxiii. 
 2y.] because he also was himself one day to offer up 
 his body for our sins ; that so the type of what was 
 done in Isaac might be fulfilled, who was offered upon 
 the altar. What therefore is it that he says by the 
 prophet ? " and let them eat of the goat which is of- 
 fered in the day of the feast for all their sins."(QO 
 Hearken dilik,ently, [my brethren,] and all ihe priests 
 and they only shall eat the inwards, not washed, with 
 vinegar. Why so ? because I know that wiien I shall 
 hereafter offer my flesh for the sins of a new people, 
 ye will give me vinegar to drink mixed with gall ;(e) 
 therefore do ye only eat, the people fasting the while, 
 and lamenting in sackcloth and ashes. And that he 
 might foreshew, that he was to suffer for them, hear 
 then how he appointed it ? " Take," says he, " two 
 goats, fair and alike, and offer them ; and let the 
 high priest take one of them for a burnt offering."(/) 
 And what must be done with the other ? " let it," 
 says he, '* be accursed." Consider how exactly this 
 appears to have been a type of Jesus. " And let all 
 the congregation spit upon it, and prick it ; and put 
 the scarlet wool about its head : and thus let it be 
 carried forth into the wildernes,s."(^) And this being 
 done, he that was appointed to convey the goat, led 
 it into the wilderness, and took away the scarlet wool, 
 and put it upon a thorn bush,(/^) whose young sprouts 
 
 fzj See this applied after the same manner, Hebr. ix. 
 . (d ) Numb xxix, 8cc. Vid. Coteler. in Marg. Et Annot. in Loc. 
 Conrrp. Observ. Edit. Oxon. 
 
 (e) Vid. Annot. Coteler, in loc. 
 
 C/J Levit. xvi. Vid. Maimon. Tract, de Die Exp. Edit, du Veij^ 
 pag. 350. Add. Annot. Cotel. & Ed. Oxon. in loc 
 
 (g) Vid. Edit. Oxon. p. 40. a. 41. b- 
 
 [ft) Vid. Nairn, ibid. pag. 341. Comp. Annot. Edit. Oxon. in Ife 
 
2b2 THE eAiHouc epistle 
 
 when we find them in the field we are wont to eat :(i) 
 so the fruit of that thorn only is sweet. And to what 
 end was this ceremony ? Consider ; one was offered 
 upoti the altar^ the other was accursed. And why 
 was that which was accursed, crowned ? because they 
 shall see Christ in that day having a scarlet garment 
 about his body, and shall say ; is not this he whom 
 we crucified ; having despised him, pierced him, mock- 
 ed him ? certainly this is he, who then said, that he 
 was the Son of God. As therefore he shall be then 
 like to what he was on earth, so were the Jews here- 
 tofore commanded, to take two goats, fair and equal. 
 That when they shall see [our Saviour] hereafter com- 
 ing [in the clouds of Heaven,] they may be amazed 
 at the likeness of the goats. Wherefore ye here again 
 see a type of Jesus who was to suffer for us.(/) But 
 what then signifies this, that the wool was to be put in- 
 to the midst of the thorns ? This also is a figure of 
 Jesus, set out to the Church. For as he who would 
 take away the scarlet wool must undergo many diffi- 
 culties, because that thorn was very sharp, and with 
 difficulty get it : So they, says Christ, that will see me, 
 and come to my kingdom, must through many afflic- 
 tions and troubles attain unto me, (See Acts xiv. 22.) 
 
 8. But what type do ye suppose it to have been, 
 where it is commanded to the people of Israel, that 
 grown persons in whom sins are come to perfection, 
 should offer a heifer, and after they had killed it should 
 burn the same : (2) But then young men should take 
 up the ashes and put them in vessels ; and tie a piece 
 of scarlet wool and hyssop upon a stick, and so the 
 young men should sprinkle every one of the people, 
 and they should be clear from their sins? Consider 
 how all these are delivered in a figure to us. (d) This 
 
 Ci) Vid. Annnt. Isaac. Voff. in loc- 
 (/) Vid. Lat. Ver. 
 
 (z) Numb. xix. That this also was a type of Christ, see Ilcbr 
 ix. 13. 
 
 (a) Vid. Vet. Lat. Interpr. Simplicity. Gn 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 26?J 
 
 I 
 
 heifer is Jesus Christ ; the wicked men that were to 
 offer it, are those sinners who brought him to death : 
 Who afterwards have no more to do with it ; the sin- 
 ners have no more the honour of handling it : but tlie 
 young men tiiat performed the sprinitiing, signilied 
 those who preached to us the forgiveness of sins, and 
 the purification of the heart, to wnom the Lord gave 
 autiiority to preach iiis gospel : being at the beginning 
 twelve, to signify the tnoes, because there were twelve 
 tribes of Israel. But why were three young men ap- 
 pointed to sprinkle ? To denote Abraham, and Isaac, 
 and Jacob, because they were great before God. And 
 why was the wool put upon a stick ? Because the 
 kingdom of Jesus was founded upon the cross; and 
 therefore they that put their trust in him, shall live for 
 ever. But why was the wool and hyssop put toge- 
 ther ? To signify that in the kingdom of Christ there 
 shall be evil and filthy days, in which however we 
 shall be saved ; and (d) because he that has any dis- 
 ease in the flesh by some filthy humours, is cured by 
 hyssop. Wherefore these things being thus done, are 
 to us indeed evident, but to the Jews they are ob- 
 scure ; because they hearkened not unto the voice of 
 the Lord. 
 
 9. And therefore the Scripture again speaks con- 
 cerning our ears, that God has circumscised them, to- 
 gether with our hearts. For thus saith the Lord by the 
 holy prophet : " By the hearing of the ear they obey- 
 ed me." [Septuug. Psal. xvii. 45,] And again, " They 
 who are afar off, shall hear and understand what 
 things I have done." [Isa. xxxiii. 13.] And again, 
 "Circumcise your hearts saith the Lord." [Jer. iv. 4.] 
 And again he saith, " Hear O Israel! For thus saith 
 the Lord thy God." [Jer. vii. 2.] And again the spirit 
 of God prophesieth, saying : " Who is there that 
 would live for ever," [Psal. xxxiii. xxxiv.] " let him 
 hear the voice of my son." [Isaiah I. 10.]^ And again, 
 
 (d) Vjd Cotcler. in loc- 
 
264 TiiE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 '' Hear O Heaven, and give ear O Karth ! Because tht 
 Lord has spoken these things lor a wiuiess." And 
 again he saith, *' Hear tiie word of the Lord, ye 
 princes of the people." [Isaiah i .2 10.] And again, 
 -' Hear children ! The voice of one crying in the 
 wilderness." [Isa. xl. 3.] Wherefore lie has circum- 
 cised our ears, that we should hear his word, and be- 
 lieve, but as for that circumcision, m which tne Jews 
 trust, it is aboiislied. f'or tiie circumcision of which 
 God spake, was not of the flesh : JBut they have trans- 
 gressed his commands, because the evil one hath de- 
 ceived them. Jb or thus God bespeaks them ; " i hus 
 saith tiie Lord your Ood, [Here 1 find the new law] 
 sow not among thorns ; but circumcise yourselves to 
 the Lord your God." [Jer. iv. 3, 4.] And what doth he 
 mean oy this saying ? Hearken unto your Lord. And 
 again he saith, " Circumcise the hardness of your 
 heart, and harden not your neck." [Jer. iv. 4.] And 
 again, '' Behold saiiii the L^^rd, all the nations are un- 
 circumcised [they have not lost their fore-skin ;] but 
 this people is uncircumcised in heart." [Deut. x. 16.] 
 But you will say the Jews were uncircumcised for a 
 sign. (?) And so are all the Syrians, and Arabians, 
 and all the idolatrous priests : But are they therefore 
 of the covenant of Israel ? And even the Egyptians 
 themselves are uncircumcised. Understand therefore, 
 children these things more fully, than Abraham, who 
 was the first that brought in circumcision, looking for- 
 ward in the spirit to Jesus, circumcised, having receiv- 
 ed the mystery of three letters. For the Scripture 
 says that Abraham circumcised three hundred and 
 eighteen men of his house (k). But what therefore 
 w^as" the mystery that was made known to him ? 
 Mark first the eighteen, and next the three hundred. 
 
 CiJ Vul. Cottier, in loc. Confer. Orig ad Rom. cap. ii. 25. 
 
 CkJ Thiit many others of the ancient Fathers have concurred 
 with him in ihis : See Cotelcr. in loc. Add. Eund. pag. 34, 35. ibio3. 
 ,¥A. Oxon. in loc An instance of the like kind, see Rev. xiii. 17, 18. 
 Add. Annot. D. Bernard. Edit. Oxon .p. 125. 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS- 255 
 
 For the numeral letters of ten and eight, are I H» 
 And tnese denote Jedus. And oecause the cross was 
 that by vvhion we were to find grace ; therefore he 
 adds, three hundred ; the note of whicii is T. [the 
 figure of h:'s cross.] Wherefore by two letters, he^ 
 signified Jesus, and by the third his cross. He who 
 has put the engrafted gift of his doctrine within uSj 
 knows that I never taught to any one a more certain 
 truth : but I trust tliat ye are worthy of it. 
 
 10. But why did Moses say ^' ye shall not eat of 
 the swine, neither the • eagle, nor the hawk, nor the 
 crow, nor any fish that has not a scale upon him ?"(»?) 
 I answer that in the spiritual sense, he compreliended 
 three doctrines, that w^ere to be gathered from thence. 
 Besides which he says to them in the book of Deute- 
 ronomy, " and I will give my statutes unto this peor 
 pie." V/herefore it is not the command of God that 
 they should not eat these things ; but Moses in the 
 spirit spiike unto them. Now the sow he forbade 
 them to eatj meaning thus much : thou shalt not join 
 thyself to such persons as are like unto swine ; who 
 whilst they live in pleasure, forget their God; but 
 when any want pinches them, tiien they know^ the 
 Lord ; as the sow when she is fqll, knows not her mas- 
 ter, hut when she is hungry she makes a noise ; and 
 being again i\:d, is silent. Neither, says he, shalt thou 
 e'at the eagle. 710 r the haivJc^ nor the kite^ nor the crow ; 
 that is, thou shalt not keep company with such kind 
 of men as know not how by their labour and sweat 
 to get themselves food ; but injuriously ravish away 
 the things of others, and watch how to lay snares for 
 them ', when at the same time they appear to live in 
 perfect innocence. [So these birds alone seek not foofi 
 for themoelves,(o) butj sitting idle seek how they may 
 eat of the flesh which others have provided ; being 
 destructive through their wickedness. Neither, says 
 
 {m) That in this he goes on the received opinions of the R- R. 
 Vid. Annot. Coteier. 8c Ed. Oxoii. in loc. Levit. xi. Deut. xir 
 jjLdd. Ainsworth on Lev. xi. 1. And again on Deut. j»iv. 4, 
 
 fo"^ Vid. Antiq. Lat, Vers. 
 
 [34] 
 
266 THE eATHOLiC EPISTLE 
 
 he, shalt thou eat the lamprey,, nor the polypus^ nor the 
 cuttle-fish; that is, thou !?halt not be hke such men, 
 hj using to converse with them, who are altogether 
 •wicked and adjudged to death. For so those lishes 
 are alone accursed, and wallow in the mire, nor swim 
 as other hshes, but tumble in the dirt at the bottom of 
 the deep. But he adds, neither shalt thou eat of the 
 ha7'e,{q) To what end ? to signify this to us ; thou 
 shalt not be an adulterer ; nor liken thyself to such 
 persons. For the hare every year multiplies the places 
 of its conception ; and as many years as it lives, so 
 many it has. Neither shalt thou eat of the hyena: 
 that is, again, be an adulterer, nor a corrupter of 
 others ; neither be like to such. And wherefore so ? 
 because that creature every year changes its kind, and 
 is sometimes male, and sometimes female.(^/) For 
 "Which cause also he justly hated the weasel ; to the 
 end that they should not be like such persons who with 
 their mouths commit wickedness, by reason of their 
 uncleanness ; nor join themselves with those impure 
 \vomen, who with their mouths commit wickedness. 
 Because that animal conceives with its mouth. (w) 
 Moses therefore speaking as concerning meats, deliv- 
 ered indeed three great precepts to them in the spi- 
 ritual signification of those commands. But they ac- 
 cording to the desires of the flesh, understood him as 
 if he had only meant it of meats. And therefore 
 David took aright the knowledge of his threefold com- 
 mand, saying in like manner ; " blessed is the man 
 that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly," 
 [Psal. i. I.] as the fishes before mentioned in the bot- 
 tom of the deep in darkness : nor stood in the way 
 of sinners ; as they who seem to fear the Lord, but 
 yet sin, as the sow\ And hath not sat in the seat of 
 the scorriers, as those birds who sit and watch that 
 they may devour. Here you have the law concern^ 
 
 ((/) See Cotelei'. Annot. in loc. 
 
 (m) So several naturalists have affirmed, thougli others deny it : 
 See Annot. Coteler. in loc. 
 
 (w) Vid. Arist. apud Euseb. Praep. Evang. L. viii. cap. 9, Add 
 Coteler. in loc. 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 267 
 
 ing meat perfectly set forth, and according to the true 
 • knowledge of it. But says Moses, " ye sliaUeat all 
 thai divideth the hoof, and chevveth the cud."(;t') 
 Signifying thereby such a one as having taken his 
 food, knows him that nourisheth him ; and renting 
 upon him rejoiceth in him. And in this he spak^e well, 
 having respect to the commandment. What therefore 
 is it that he says ?(y) that we should hold fast to them 
 that fear the Lord, with those who meditate on the 
 command of the word which they ha\^ received, in 
 their heart, with those that declare the righteous 
 judgments of the Lord, and keep his commandments; 
 in short, with those who know that to meditate is a 
 work of pleasure, and therefore exercise themselves 
 in the word of the Lord. But why might they eat 
 those that clave the hoof? because the righteous liveth 
 in this present world, but his expectation is lixed up- 
 on the other. See brethren, how adtnirably Moses 
 commanded these things. But how should v.^e thus 
 know all this, and understand it ? We therefore un- 
 derstanding aright the commandments, speak as the 
 Lord would have us. . Wherefore he has circumcised 
 our ears and our hearts, that we might know these 
 tthings. 
 
 11. Let us now inquire whether the Lord took care 
 to manifest any thing beforehand concerning water, 
 and the cross. Now for the former of these, it is 
 written to the people of Israel how they should not 
 receive that baptism which brings to forgiveness of 
 sins ; but shall institute another to themselves, that 
 cannot. For thus saith the prophet, " be astonished 
 O Heaven ! and let the earth tremble at it, because 
 this people have done tw^o gre.,t and wicked things; 
 they left me, the fountain of living water, and have 
 digged for themselves broken cisterns that can hold 
 no water. Is my holy mountain Zion a desolate wil- 
 
 (^) Sec Edit Oxon. p. 64 a. So Iren. adv. Her. 1. v. c. 8, 
 (t/) Comp Clem. Alex. 1. iii. Pxdag. c. 11. Et simil. OrigT 
 Tlieod. 8ic. Cotelex*. Annot. in loc. 
 
268 THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 derness ?(a) for ye shall be as a young bird when i(:s 
 nest is taken away." And again the prophtt saith, 
 *» I will go before thee, and will make plain the moun- 
 tains, and will break the gates of brass, and will 
 snap in sunder the bars of iron; and will give thee 
 dark, and hidden, and invisible treasures, that they 
 may know that lam the Lord God," [Jer. ii. 12. — 
 Jsa. xvi. 1, 2. — xlv. 2.] And again, " He shall dwell 
 in ^he high den of the strong rock," [Isa. xxxiii. 16, 
 17.] And then, what follows in the same prophet? 
 *' Bis water is faithful : ye shall see the king with 
 glory, and your soul shall learn the fear of the Lord.'* 
 And again he saith in another prophet, he that does 
 these things " shall be like a tree planted by the cur- 
 rents of water, which shall give its fruit in its season. 
 Its leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doth 
 it shall prosper. As for the wicked it is not so with 
 fchem ; but they are as the dust which the wind scat- 
 tereth away from the face of the earth Therefore 
 the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, neither 
 the sinners in the council of the righteous. For the 
 Lord knovveth the way of the righteous, and the way 
 of the ungodly shall perish," [Psal. i.j Consider how 
 he has joined both the cross and the water together. 
 Foi' this he saith, blessed are they who putting their 
 trust in the cross, descend into the watery for they 
 shall have their reward in due time : then saith he, 
 will I give it them, but as concerning the present 
 time, he saith, their leaues shall ?iot fall : meaning 
 thereby, that every word that shall go out of your 
 mouth, shall through faith and charity be to the con- 
 version and hope of many. In like manner does 
 another prophet speak — " and the land of Jacob was 
 the praise of all the earth," [Zeph. iii. 19.] magnify- 
 ing thereby(/j) the vessel of his spirit,(c) and what 
 
 (a) V:d. Annot. C elcr & ^/l- (^xon in Inc. 
 
 (bj For TcvTo x'sftti md S The old interpi-eter did not i-ead : 
 and Clenieiis Alex ii J. iii. strom. p. 463, transeribing this passa^, 
 J)atli them not. 
 ■ (r) i. c. The body of Christ- 
 
OF ST. BARNABAJy, ;269 
 
 follows ? " and there was a nver running on the right 
 hand and toeautitui trees grew up by it; and he that 
 shull eat of them siiaii live for ever." 1 he signiiica- 
 tion of which is this; th^r we go down into the water 
 full of snia and pollutions ; but coaling uj again bring- 
 mg iorth fruit; iiaving in ournearts tuc fear and hope 
 which is in Jesus, by the spirit. " And whosoever 
 shall eat of them shall live for ever," — that is, who- 
 soever shall hearken to those who call clieai, and shall 
 believe, shall live for ever. 
 
 12. In lilce manner he determines concerning the 
 cross in another prophet, (c/) saying, a/id when shall 
 these things be fulfilled ? The Lord answers, 'when 
 the tree that is fallen shall rise, and when blood shall 
 drop down from the tree. Here you have again men- 
 tion made, both of the cross, and of him vsiiu was to 
 be crucified upon it. And yet farther he siiith by Mo- 
 ses ;(f) (when Israel was lighting v.itii, ana beaten by 
 a strange people ; to the end that God might put tneui 
 in mind how that for their sins they were delivered 
 nnto death) yea the Holy Spirit put it into the heart 
 of Moses, to represent both the sign of the cross, and 
 of him that was to suffer : that so they might know 
 that if they did not believe in him, tney should be 
 overcome for ever. Moses therefore piled up armour 
 upon armour in the middle ot a rialng ground, and 
 Standing up high above all of them streiched forth his 
 arms, and so Israel again conquered. But no sooner 
 did he let down his hands, but they were again rhiin. 
 And why so ? to the end they might knovv,. ili.ti ex- 
 cept they trust in him, they Ciinnot be saved. And 
 in another prophet he saith, '' I ha\^ stretched out 
 my hands all the day long to a people disobedient, and 
 speaking against my righteous way," [Isa. Ixv. 2.j And 
 
 (d) Vid Conjeci. Edit. Exon. Com iv. Esdr. v. 4 Et Ob?. Co- 
 tel. in Inc. 
 
 (€■) See St. Hier. in like manner, Annot, D. BeiTiard. p. 124, 
 Bdit. ():^on. Exod. xvii. 
 
270 THE CATHOLIC EPISTHj. 
 
 again Moses makes a type of Jesus,(/^) to shew that he 
 was to die, and then that lie, wliom they thouglit to be 
 dead, was to give hfe to others ; in the type of those 
 that fell in Israel. For God caused aU sorts of ser- 
 pents to bite them, and they died ; forasmuch as by a 
 serpent transgression began in Eve, that so he might 
 convince them that for tneir transgressions they shall 
 be delivered into the pain of death. Moses then him- 
 self, who had commanded them, saying, '* ye shall 
 not make to yourselves any graven, or molten image, 
 to be your God," [Deut. xxvii. 15.] yet now did so 
 himself, that he might represent to them the figure of 
 the Lord Jesus. For he made a brazen serpent, and 
 set it up on high, and called the people together by 
 a proclamation : where being come, they entreated 
 Moses that he would make an atonement for them, 
 and pray that they might be healed. Then Moses 
 spake unto them, saying ; when any one among you 
 shall be bitten, " let him come unto the serpent that 
 is set upon the pole ; and let him assuredly trust in 
 him, that though he be dead, yet he is able to give 
 life, and presently he shall be saved ;" and so they 
 did. See therefore how here also you have in this the 
 glory of Jesus ; and that in him and to him are all 
 things. Again, what says Moses to Jesus the Son of 
 Nun, when he gave that name unto him, as being a 
 prophet, that all the people might hear him alone, be- 
 cause the Father did manifest all things concerning 
 his Son Jesus, in Jesus the Son of Nun ;(;m) and gave 
 him that name when he sent him to spy out the land 
 of Canaan ; he said,(//) " take a book in thine hands, 
 and write what the Lord saith ; forasmuch as Jesus 
 the Son of God, shall in the last days cut off by the 
 roots all the house of Am:ilech." See here again Je- 
 sus, not the son of man, but the Son of God, made 
 
 (/O So Irenxus, Just. Mart. St. Chiyost. Sec. Vid. Edit. Oxon. 
 p. 77 a. 
 
 i»i) So the other fathers. Just. Mart. &c. Vid. Edit. Oxon. p- 79. 
 (?0 ^ id. Iiiteij). Vet. Lat. Exod. xvii. 14. 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. ^71 
 
 manifest in a type and in the fiesh. But because it 
 might hereafter be said, that Christ was the Son of 
 David ; therefore David fearing and well knowing the 
 errors of the vvicked,(o) saith, " the Lord said unto 
 my Lord, sit thou on my right hand until I make thine 
 enemies thy footstool," [Fsal. cix. 3.J And again 
 Isaiah speaketh on this wise, " the Lord said unto 
 Christ my Lord,(/)) 1 have laid hold on his right hand, 
 that the nations should obey before him, and I will 
 break the strength of kings." Behold, how both Da- 
 vid and Isaiah call iiim Lord, and the Son of God.(<7) 
 13 But let us QO yet farther, and inquire whether 
 this people be the heir, or the former ; and whether 
 the covenant be with us, or with them. And first, as 
 concerning the people, hear now what the Scripture 
 saith. Isaac prayed for his wife Rebeckah, because 
 she was barren ; and she conceived. Afterwards Re- 
 beckah went forth to inquire of the Lord.(r) And the- 
 Lord said unto her, " there are two nations in tliy 
 womb, and two people shall come from thy body; 
 and the one shall have power oVer the other, and the 
 greater shall serve the lesser." U^idi rstar d here who 
 was Isaac ; who was Rebeckah ; and of whom it was 
 foretold, that this people should be greater tlian that 
 .r\nd in another prophecy Jacob speaketh more clear- 
 ly to^his son Joseph, saying; *' behold the Lord hath 
 not deprived me of seeing thy face, bring me thy sons 
 that I may bless them," [Gen. xlviii.] And he brought 
 nnto his father Manasseh and Ephraim, desiring that 
 he should bless Manasseh, because he was the elder. 
 Therefore Joseph brought him to the riglitliand of his 
 Father Jacob. But Jacob by the Spirit foresaw the 
 figure of the people that w^as .to come. And what 
 saith the Scripture ? and Jacob crossed his hands, and 
 put his right hand upon Kphraim, liis second anr? 
 
 (oj ^'nrnp. Vet. Lat. lutcrp- 
 
 (fi) Vid. Annet. Coteler in loc. Edit. Oxon. p. 78. c. 
 ((/) Comp. V'et. Lat Interp, 
 
 ^'rj Gen. xxv. 21, Coixip, K^std, ix. Just. Mart. Tert. 8cc, ytr. 
 Krl. f>von. p. 81. a 
 
272 THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 the younger son, and blessed him. And Joseph' said 
 unto Jacoo ; put tiij ri^lit hand upon the ntad of 
 Manasseh, for he is my iirst born son. And Jacob 
 said unio Joseph; I kiiow it, my son, I know it; 
 but the greater shaU serve the lesser ; though he also 
 shall be blessed Ve see of whom he appointed it, 
 that they should be the first people, and heirs of the 
 covenant. If therefore God shall have yet farther 
 taken notice of this by Abraham too, our understand-, 
 ing of it will then be periectly established- What 
 then saith the Scripture to Abraham, when ''he be- 
 lieved, and it was imputed unto him for righteous- 
 ness ? behold I have made thee a father of the na- 
 tions, which without circumcision believe in the 
 Lord."(5) 
 
 14. Let us therefore now inquire, whether God has 
 fulfilled the covenant, which he sware to our fathers^ 
 ihat he w^ould give this people ? Yes verily, he gave 
 it; but they were not worthy to receive it by reasor* 
 of their sins. For thus saith the proj)het : " and Mo- 
 ses continued fasting in Mount Sinai, to receive the 
 covenant of the Lord with the people, forty days and 
 forty nights," [Exod.'xxiv. 18.] And he received of 
 the Lord two tables w^ritten with the hnger of the 
 Lord's hand in the Spirit. And Moses when he had 
 received them brought tliem dovrn that he might de- 
 liver them to the people. And the Lord said unto Mo- 
 ses ; Moses, Moses, " get thee down qufckly, for the 
 people which thou broughtest out of the land of 
 Eg3^pt have done wickedly," TDeuter. ix. 10, 12 — 
 Exod. xxxi. 1 2. — xxxu. 7.] And Moses understood 
 that they had again set up a molten image ; und he, 
 cast the two tables out of his hands"; and the tables of 
 the covenant of the Lord were broken. Moses there- 
 fore received them, but they were not worthy. Now- 
 then learn how we have received them. Moses, be- 
 ing a servant took them ; but the Lord himself ha^ 
 
 (s) Qen- XV. 17. Sa St. Paul himself applies this, Rom. iv. Z. 
 
-OF ST. BARNABAS. 27S 
 
 §iven them unto us, that we mi^ht be the people of 
 •hk- inh li.aiice, having sutierea ior us. He was 
 therefort, made manifest, that they should fill up th^ 
 measure of their siiis, and that \\e(f) being made 
 heirs oy iiiin, should receive the covenant oi liie Lord 
 Jesus. And again the f)rophet saiih, " oc hoid, Ihave 
 set thee for a light anto the Gentiles, to ue [he Saviou^: 
 of all the ends oi ihe earth, saitii the Lord the God 
 who hath redeemed thee," [Isa. xlix. 6.] Who for 
 that very end was prepared, ihac by his own appear- 
 ing he might redeem our he^rrs, already devoured by 
 death, and delivered over to the irregaiarity of error, 
 from daricness : and establish a covenant with us by 
 his word. For so it is written, that the Father com- 
 mandinl him, by delivering us from darkness, to pre- 
 pare unto himseh a holy people. Wherefore the pro- 
 phet saith ; " 1 the Lord thy God have called thee in 
 rigliteousness, and 1 will take thee by thy hand and 
 will strengrhen thee. And give thee for a covenant 
 of file people, for a light of the Gentiles. To open 
 the eyes ®f the blind, to bring out the prisoners from 
 the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the 
 prison house," [Isa. xlii. 6, 7.] Consider therefore 
 from whence we have been redeemed. And again 
 the prophet saith, " the spirit of the Lord is upon 
 me, because he hath anoinled me ; he hath sent me 
 to preach glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the broken 
 in heart, to preach remission to the captives, and 
 sight unto the blind : to proclaim the acceptable year 
 of the Lord, and the day of restitution, to comfort 
 all that mourn."* 
 
 15. Furthermore it is written concerning the sab- 
 bath, in the ten commandments, which God spake in 
 the iVIount Sinai to Moses, face to face : "sanctify 
 the sabbath of the Lord with pure hands, and with a 
 clem heart," [Esod. xx. 2.] And elsewhere he saith, 
 '-' if thy children shall keep my sabbaths, then will 
 
 (0 Vid. Lat- interp. Vet. 
 
 * Isa. Ixi. J, 2. Corop. Luke iv. 18. 
 
 [35] 
 
274 THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 I put my mercy upon them," [Jer. xvii. 24.] And 
 even in tiie begmning of the creation he makes men- 
 tion of the saobath. *' And God made in six days 
 the works ot his hands ; and he iinished them on tlie 
 seventh day, and he rested the seventh day and sanc- 
 tiiied \t.*\w) Consider, my children, what that sig- 
 nities, he Jinishtd them in six days. The meaning of 
 it IS this ; that in six thousand years the Lord God will 
 brin;^- ail things to an end. (a:) For with him one day 
 is a tliousaud years ; as himself testifieth, saying, 
 ** behold tliis day shall be as a thousand years." There- 
 fore, children, in six dav^, that is in six thousand 
 years, shall all things oe accomplished. (^y) And what 
 is that he bairli '' ami he rt -ted the seventh day." 
 He meaneth this ; that when his Son shall come, and 
 abolish the season of the wicked one, and judge the 
 ungodly ; and shall change the sun, and the moon, 
 and the stars, then he shall gloriously rest in that 
 seventh day. He adds lastly, " thou shalt sanctify it 
 with ck'an tkind-s and a pure heart." Wherefore we 
 are greatly deceived if we imagine that any one can 
 now sanctify that day which God has made holy, 
 without having a heart pure in all things. Behold 
 therefore, he will then truly sanctify it with blessed 
 rest, when we (having received the righteous pro- 
 mise, when iniquity shall be no more, all things be- 
 ing renewed by l^he Lord) shall be able to sanctify it, 
 being ourselves first made holy. Lastly, he saith unto 
 them, " your new moons and your sabbaths, I cannot 
 bear them " [Isa i. 1 3.] Consider what he means by 
 it ; the sabbaths, says he, which ye now keep are 
 not acceptable unto me, but those which I have made, 
 when resting from all things, I shall begin the eighth 
 
 (^y) Gen. ii. 2 — i^xo:. xx. 11. xxxi. 17. — Vid. Coteler. Annot. in 
 loc 
 
 (x Mow Erci't I'.s ■• ' -'Oil then was See Coteler. Annot. in 
 
 loc E '.i Oxon p. 90 a. Psal. Ixxxix. 4. 
 
 ((,') Thai lb vo .;:«.• uuie ot the Gospel, says Dr. Bernavc]. q. v. 
 Annot. p. 127. Ed. Oxen. 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 276 
 
 ,day, that is, the begiiniing of the other world.(«) For 
 which cause we observe the eigiith day with gladness, 
 in which Jesus rose from ttie dead ; and having mani- 
 fested himself to his disciples, ascended into heaven. 
 16. It remains yet that 1 speak to you concerning 
 the temple : how those miserable men being deceived 
 have put their trust in the house, (^) and not in God 
 himself who made them, as if it were the habitation 
 of God. For much after the same manner as the 
 Gentiles, they consecrated him in the temple. But 
 learn therefore how the Lord speaketh, rendering the 
 temple vain : '* who has measured the heaven with a 
 spaii, and the earth with his hand ? Is it not I ? 
 Thus satth the Lord ; heaven is my throne, and the 
 earth is my footstool. What is the house that ye will 
 build me ? or what is the place of my rest ?" [Isa. xL 
 12. — Ixvi. 1.] Know therefore that all their hope is 
 vain. And again he speaketh after this manner ; 
 *' behold they that destroy this temple, even they shall 
 again build it up," [Isa. xlix. 17.] And so it came to 
 pass ; for through their wars it is now destroyed by 
 their enemies ; and the servants of their enemies build 
 it up. Furthermore, it has been made manifest, how 
 both the city, and the temple, and the people of Is* 
 rael should be given up. For the scripture saith, 
 " and it shall come to pass in the last days, that the 
 Lord will deliver up the sheep of his pasture, and 
 their fold, and their tower unto destruction," [Zephan. 
 ii. 6, juxt. Hebr.] And it has come to pass, as the 
 Lord hath spoken. Let us inquire therefore, whether 
 there be any temple of God ? Yes there is ; and that 
 there, where himself declares that he would both 
 make and perfect it. For it is written ; " and it -hall 
 be that as soon as the week shall be completed, the 
 temple of the Lord shall be gloriously ouilt in the 
 name of the Lord," [Dan. ix. — Haggai ii.] I find 
 therefore that there is a temple. But how shall it be 
 
 (a) So the other fathers, q. v. Apiu^ Coteler. Annot. in loc. p. ^i- 
 
 (b) Vid. Edit. Oxon. & Vet. Lat. liuerp. 
 
376 THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 built in the name of the Lord ? I will shew you. Be- 
 fore that we believed in God, the habitation of our 
 heart, was corruptible and feeole, as a temple truly 
 budc with hands. For it was a house full of idolatry, 
 a house of devils ; inasmuch as there was done in it 
 whatsoever was contrary unto God. But it shall be 
 built in the name of the Lord. Consider, how that 
 the temple of the Lord shall be very gloriously built ; 
 and by what means that shall be, learn. Having re- 
 ceived remission of our sins, and trusting in the name 
 oi che Lord, we are become rentiwed, being aguin 
 created as it were from the beginning. Wheretbre 
 God truly dwells in our house, thut is, in us. But 
 how does he dwell in us ? The word of his faith, 
 the calling of his promise, the wisdom of his righteous 
 judgments, the commands of his doctrine ; he him- 
 self prophecies within us, he himself dwelleth in us, 
 and openeth to us who were in bondage of death the 
 grace of our temple, .that is, the mouih of wisdom, 
 having given repentance unto us ; and by this means 
 has brought us to be an incorruptible temple. He 
 therefore that desires to be saved looketh not unto the 
 man, but unto him that dwelleth in him, andspeaketh 
 by him ; being struck with wonder, forasmuch as he 
 never either heard him speaking such words out of 
 his mouth, nor ever desired to hear them. This is 
 that spiritual temple that is built unto the Lord. 
 
 17. And thus I trust, I have declared to you as 
 much, and with as great simplicity as I could, those 
 things which make for your salvation, so as not to 
 have omitted any thing that might be requisite there- 
 unto. For should I speak farther of the things that 
 now are, and of those that are to come, you would 
 not yet understand them, seeing they lie in parables. 
 This therefore shall suffice as to these things. 
 
 18. Let us now go on to the other kind of know- 
 ledge and doctrine. There are tuo ways of doctrine 
 and power ; the one of light, the other of darkness. 
 But there is a great deal of difference between these 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS, 277 
 
 two ways ; for over one are appointed the angels of 
 God,(t') the leaders of the way of light; over the 
 other the angels of satan. And the one is tlie Lord 
 from everlut>* uig to everlasting ; the other is the prince 
 of the time of unrighteousness. 
 
 19. Now the way of light is this, if any one de- 
 sires to attain to the place that is appointed for him, 
 and will hasten thither by his works. And tiie know- 
 ledge that has oeen given to us for walking in it, is 
 to this effect. *Thou shalt love him that made thee : 
 *thou shalt glorify him that hath redeemed thee from 
 death. *Hiou shalt be simple in heart, and *rich in 
 the spirit. *Thou shalt not cleave to those that walk 
 in the way of death. *Thou shalt hate to do any 
 thing that is not pleasing unto God. *Thou shalt ab- 
 hor all dissimulation. *Thou shalt not neglect any 
 of the commands of the Lord. *Thoushak not exalt 
 thyself, but shalt be humble. *Thou shalt not take 
 honour to thyself. '^Thou shalt not enter into any 
 wicked counsel against thy neighbour. *Thou shalt 
 not be over confident in tiiy heart. *Thou shalt not 
 commit *fornication ; nor *adultry. Neither shalt 
 thou *corrupt thyself with mankind. ^Thou shalt 
 not make use of the word of God, to any imj)urity. 
 ■*Thou shalt not accept any man's person, when thou 
 reprovest any ones faults. *Thou shalt be gentle. 
 *Thou shalt be quiet. *Thou shalt tremble at the 
 words which thou hast heard. *Thou shalt not keej) 
 any hatred in thy heart against thy brother. *Thou 
 shalt not entertain any tioubt whether it shall be or 
 not. *Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in 
 vain. *Thou shalt love thy neighbour above thy 
 own soul. ^Thou shalt not destroy thy conceptions 
 before they are broiight forth ; nor kill them after 
 they are born. *Thou shalt not vvithdrav/ tliy hand 
 from thy son, or from thy daughter; but shalt teach 
 them from their j'-outh the fear of the ],fOrd. ^Thsu 
 
 ^/-^ Viflf Cofflr- ,V Kt Basil, in P:^al. i. 
 
278 THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE 
 
 shalt not covet thy neighbours goods ; neither shalt 
 thou be an extortioner. *Neither shall thy heart be 
 joined to proud men ; but thou shalt be numbered 
 among the righteous and the lowly. *Wharever 
 events shall happen unto thee, thou shalt receive them 
 as good. * i'hou shalt not be douole minded, or dou- 
 ble tongued ; for a double tongue is the snare of 
 death. * i hou bhalt be subject unto the Lord and to 
 inferior masters as to the representatives of God, in 
 fear and reverence. *'rhou .>halt not be bitter in thy 
 commands towards any of thy servants that trust in 
 God, lest thou chance not to fear him who is over 
 both ; because he came not to call any with respect 
 of persons ; but whomsoever tiie spirit had prej)ared. 
 *Thou shalt communicate to thy neighbour of all thou 
 hast ; thou' shalt not call any thing thine own : for 
 if ye partake in such things as are incorrupiiijk-, how 
 much more shcmld ye do it in those that are corrupti- 
 ble ? * Thou shalt not be forward to speak, for the 
 mouth is the snare of death ('/) *Strive for thy soul 
 with all thy might.(/) *Reach not out thine hand to 
 receive, and withhold it not when thou shouldest 
 give.(/i:) *Thou shalt love as the apple of thine eye, 
 every one that speaketh unto thee the word of the 
 Lord. *Call to thy remembrance day and night, the 
 future judgment. (/) *Thou shalt seek out every day 
 the persons of the righteous : *and both consider, and 
 go about to exhort others by the word, and meditate 
 how thou mayest save a soul. *Thou shalt also la- 
 bour with thy hands to give to the poor, that thy sins 
 may be forgiven thee.(/?) *Thou shalt not deliberate 
 whether thou shouldest give ; *nor having g[iven, 
 
 (h) See Ecclus. iv. 34. 
 
 (/) Ibid. ver. 33. For so I chose to read it, i)irrf t"< ^f;^*? ca 
 ecfuvtvQ-nit according to the conjco'ure of Cotelerius. 
 
 {k) Ibid. ver. 36 
 
 (/) And remember him night and day. The wor^ls if^L^ai K^itreui, 
 seem to have been erroneously inserted, and pervert lac sens-.-. 
 
 (w) Gr. For the redemption of thy sins. Comp. Dan, iv. 24. See 
 LXX. 
 
OF ST. BARNABAS. 279 
 
 murmur at it. *Give to every one that asks ; so shalt 
 thou know who is the good rewarder of thy gifts. 
 *Keep what thou hast received ; thou shult neither 
 add io it, nor take from it. *Let the wicked be al- 
 Avays thy aversion, *Thou shalt judge righteous 
 judgment, *Tbou shalt never cause divisions, but 
 shalt make peace between those that are at variance, 
 and bring them together. *Thou shalt confess thy 
 sins ; *and not come to thy prayer with an evil con- 
 science. This is the way of light. 
 
 20. But the w^ay of darkness is crooked, and full 
 of cursing. For it is the way of eternal death, with 
 punishment ; in which they that walk meet those 
 things that destroy their own souls. Such are ; idola- 
 try, confidence, pride of powder, hypocrisy, double- 
 mindedness, adultery, murder, rapine, pride, trans- 
 gression, deceit, malice, arrogance, witchcraft, covet- 
 ousnes§, and the want of the fear of God. In this 
 walk those who are the persecutors of them that are 
 good, haters of truth, lovers of lies ; who know not 
 the reward ot righteousness, nor cleave to any thing 
 that is good. Who administer not righteous judgment 
 to the widow and orphan ; who watch for wickedness, 
 and not for the fear of the L ird : from whom gentle- 
 ness 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 : ready to evil speaking, not knowing 
 him that made them : murderers of children ; cor- 
 rupters of the creature of God ; that turn away 
 from the needy ; oppress the afflicted : are the advo- 
 cates of the rich, but unjust judges of the poor ; be- 
 ing altogether sinners. 
 
 21. It is therefore fitting that learning the just com- 
 mands 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. But 
 he that chooses the other part, shall be destroyed to- 
 gether with his works. For this cause there shall be 
 
280 THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE, &C. 
 
 both a resurrection, and a retribution. I beseech 
 those that are in high estate among you, (if so be you 
 will take the counsel which vvitn a goud intention 1 of- 
 fer to you,) you nave those with you towards whom 
 you may do good ; do not forsake them. For the 
 day is at hand in vviucti all things shall oe destroyed, 
 together witn the Wiciiv^d one. The Lord is near, 
 and nis reward is wiui nun. I beseech you therefore 
 aga.n and again, be as good law givers to one another ; 
 continue faithtul counsellors to each other: remove 
 from among you all hypocrisy. And may God, the 
 Lord of all tne world give you wisdom, knowledge, 
 counsel and understanding of his judgments in pa- 
 tience. 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 judgment. And if there be 
 among you any remetiiDrance 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. 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 ceas- 
 ing seek them, and fultil every command : for these 
 things are fitting and worthy to be done. Wherefore 
 I have, given the more diligence to wnre unto you, ac- 
 cording to my ability, that you might rejoice. Fare- 
 well, ciiiidten of love and peace. The Lord of glory 
 and of all grace, be with your spirit. — Amen, 
 
 The end of the Kpistle of Barnabas, the Apostle- 
 and fellow traveller of St. Paul the Apostle. 
 
THE 
 
 VISIONS OF STc HEUMAS, 
 
 BOOK I, 
 
 A(5\iMST FILTHY AND PROUD THOUGHTS 1 ALSO THE NE" 
 GLIiCT OF HiiRMAS IN CHASTISING HIS CHILDREN. 
 
 1. HE who bred me np sold a certain young maid 
 at Rome ; whom when I saw many years after, I re- 
 membered her, and begun to loye her as a sister. It 
 happened some time afterwards, that I saw her wash- 
 ing in the river "j'yber; and I reached out my hand 
 unto her, and brought her out of the river. And 
 when I saw her, I tiiought with myself, saying, how 
 happy should 1 be if I had such a wife, both for beau- 
 ty and manners. This I thought with myself ; nor 
 did I think any thing more. But not long after, as I 
 was walking and musing on these thoughts, I began 
 to honour this creature of God, thinking with myself 
 how noble and beautiful she was. And when I had 
 walked a little, I fell asleep. And the spirit caught 
 me away, and carried me through a certain place to- 
 wards the right hand, through which no man could 
 pass. It was a j)lace among rocks, very steep, and, 
 unpassable for water. When I was past this place, I 
 came into a plain, and there falling down upon my 
 knees, I began to pray unto the Lord, and to confess 
 my sins. And as I was praying, the Heaven was 
 opened, and I saw the woman which I had coveted, 
 saluting me from Hejven, and saying, Hermas, hail I 
 and I looking upon her, answered, lady, what dost 
 
282 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 thou do here ? she answered me, I am taken up hither 
 to accuse thee of sin before the Lovd.(a) Lady, said 
 I, wilt thou convince me ?(A) no, ■ said »he ; but hear 
 the words which I am about to speak unto thee. God 
 who dwelleth in Heaven, and hath made all things 
 out of nothing, and hath multiplied them for his holy 
 churches sake, is angry with thee, because thou hast 
 sinned against me. And I answering, said unto her, 
 lady, if 1 have sinned against thee, tell me where, or 
 in what place, or when did I ever speak an un- 
 seemly or dishonest word unto thee ? have I not 
 always esteemed thee as a lady ? have I not al- 
 ways reverenced thee as a sister ? why then dost 
 thou imagine these wicked things against me ? Then 
 she, smiling upon me, said ; the desire of naughtiness 
 has risen up in thy heart. Does it not seem to thee 
 to be an ill thing for a righteous man to have an evil 
 desire rise up in his heart ? it is indeed a sin, and that 
 a very great one, to such a one ; for a righteous man 
 thinketh that which is righteous. And whilst he does 
 so, and walketh uprightly, he shall have the Lord in 
 Heaven favourable unto him in all his business. But 
 as for those who think wickedly in their hearts, they 
 take to themselves death and captivity ; and especial- 
 ly those who love this present world, and glory in 
 their riches, and regard not the good things that are 
 to come ; their souls wonder up and down, and know 
 not where to fix. Now this is the case of such as are 
 double-minded, who trust not in the Lord, and dispise 
 and neglect their o.vn life. But do thou pray unto 
 the Lord, and he will heal thy sins, and the sins of 
 the whole house, and of all his saints. 
 
 2. As soon as she had spoken these words the Hea- 
 vens were shut, and I remained utterly swallowed up 
 with sadness and fear; and said within myself, if this 
 be laid against me for sin, how can I be saved ? or 
 
 (a) In MS. Lambclli. Prxce]jta fiiin u Doniio ut ]cccata ti;:i 
 arguum. lam commiuKled of die Lo)\l lu icpiovc tlicc for th, 
 sins. 
 
 (b) In MS. Wilt thou accuse mc. 
 
OF ST. HEllMAS. 283 
 
 iiow shall I ever be able to entreat the Lord for my 
 many and great sms ? with what words shall I beseech 
 him to be merciful unto me ? As I was thinking over 
 these things, and meditating in myself upon them, 
 behold a chair was set over against me of the whitest 
 wool, as bright as snow. And there came an old 
 w^oman in a bright garment, having a book in her 
 hand, and sat alone, and saluted me, saying, Her- 
 nias, hail. And I being full of sorrow, and weep- 
 ing, answered, hail, lady ! and she said unto me, 
 why art thou sad, Hernias, who wert wont to be pa- 
 tient, and modest, and always cheerful ? I answered 
 and Said to tier, lady, a reproach has been laid to my 
 charge by an excellent woman, who tells me that I 
 have sinned against her. She replied, far be any such 
 thing from the servant of God. But it may be the 
 desire of her has risen up in thy heart ? for indeed 
 such a thought malieth the servants of God guilty of 
 sin ; nar ought such a detestable thought to be in the 
 servant of God; nor should he v.ho is approved by 
 the Spirit, desire that which is evil ; but especially 
 Hennas, who contains himself from all wicked lusts, 
 and is full of all simplicity, and of great innocence. 
 
 3. Nevertheless the Lord is not so much angry with 
 thee for thine own sake, as upon the account of thy 
 house, which has committed wickedness against the 
 Lord, and against their parents. And for that out of 
 thy fondness towards thy sons; thou hast not admo- 
 nished thy house, but hast permitted them to live 
 wickedly ; for this cause the Lord is angry with thee : 
 but he will heal all the evils that are done in thy 
 house. For through their sins and iniquities, thou 
 art wholly consumed in secular affairs. But now the 
 mercy of God hath taken compassion upon thee, and 
 upon thine house, and hath greatly comforted thee.(c) 
 Only as for thee, do not wonder, but be of an even 
 mind, and comfort thy house. As the workman 
 
 ^ Vid. Hieron. in Hoseam. vii. 9. 
 
 (c) In glory. Edit. Oxon. Hath preserved thee in honour. 
 
284 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 bringing forth his work, otFers it to whomsoever he 
 pleases ; so shalt tiioa by teaching every day what is 
 just, cut otf a great sin. Whereiore cease not to ad- 
 monish tny :50ns, tor the Lord knows that they will 
 repent with all their heart, and they shall be written 
 in the book of lifeCo!') And wiien she had said this, 
 she added unto me ; wilt thou hear me read ? I an- 
 swered her, lady, I will. Hear then, said she ; and 
 opening the book, she read, gloriou:>ly, greatly, and 
 wonderfully, such things as I could not keep in my 
 memory. For they were terrible words, such as no 
 man could bear. Howbeit I committed her last words 
 to my remembrance ; for they were but few, and of 
 great use to us. " Behold the mighty Lord, who by 
 his invisible power, and with his excellent wisdom 
 made the world, and by his glorious counsel beautifi- 
 ed his creature, and with the word of his strength 
 fixed the Heaven, and founded the earth upon the 
 waters j and by his mighty power established his holy 
 Church, which he hath blessed ; behold, he will re- 
 move the heavens, and the mountains, the hills and 
 the seas ; and all things shall be made plain for his 
 elect ; that he may render unto them the promise 
 which he has promised, with much honour and joy, 
 if so be that they shall keep the commandments of 
 God, which they have received with great faith." 
 
 4. And when she had made an end of reading, 
 she rose out of the chair ; and behold four young 
 mt n came and carried the chair to the east. And she 
 called me unto her, and touched my breast, and said 
 unto me, did my reading please thee ? I answered, 
 lady, these last things please me, but what went be- 
 fore was severe and hard. She said unto me, these 
 last things are for the righteous, but the foregoing for 
 the revolters and heathen. And as she was talking 
 with me, two men appeared and took her upon their 
 shoulders, and went to the east, where the chair way. 
 
 (d) So MS. Lamb, Et desciibcntui- in libru VHa;, 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 285 
 
 And she went cheerfully away ; and as she was going 
 said unto me, Hermas, oe ol good cheer. 
 
 tccccccm 
 
 VISION II. 
 
 AGAINj OF HIS NEGLECT IN CORRKCTING HIS TALKATIVE 
 WIFE, AND OF HIS LEWD SONS. 
 
 1. AS I was on the way to Cumae, about the same 
 time that I went the year before, 1 began to call to 
 mind the vision 1 formerly had. And again th>^ ::)[m\t 
 carried me away, and brought me into Uie Sciiiie place 
 in which I had been the year before. And when I 
 was come into the place, 1 fell down upon my knees 
 and began to pray unto the Lord, and to glorify his 
 name, that he had esteemed me worthy, and had ma- 
 nifested unto me my former sins. And when 1 arose 
 from prayer, behold I saw over against me the old 
 woman whom I had seen the last year, walking and 
 reading in a certain book. And she said unto me, 
 canst thou teU these things to the elect of God ? I an- 
 swered and said unto her, lady, I cannot retain so 
 many things in my memory, but give me the book 
 and I will write them down. Take it, says she, and 
 see that thou restore it again to me. As soon as I 
 had received it, I went aside into a certain plrice of 
 the field, and transcribed every letter, for I foiuul no 
 syllables. And as soon as I had finished what was 
 written in the book, the book was suddenly caught 
 out of my hands, but by whom I saw not. 
 
 2. AfK^r fifteen days, when I had fasted, and en- 
 treated the Lord with all earnestness, tlie knowledge 
 of the writing was revealed unto me. Now the writ- 
 hig was this; thy seed, O Hennas! lutth sinned 
 against the Lord, and Jiave betrayed their parents, 
 
286 THE SHFPHERD 
 
 through their great wickedness. And they have been 
 called Uie betrayers of their parents, and have gone 
 on in tneir treachery. And now have they added 
 lewdness to iheir other sins, and the pollutions of 
 naughtiness : thus have they lilied up the measure of 
 their iniquities. But do thou upbraid thy sons with 
 all these words ; and thy wife, which shall be thy 
 sister; and let her learn to refrain her tongue, with 
 which she calumniates. For when she shall hear 
 these things, she will refrain herself, and shall obtain 
 mercy. And they also shall be instructed, (^) when 
 thou shalt have reproached them with these words, 
 which the Lord has commanded to be revealed unto 
 thee, Then shall their sins be forgiven which they 
 have heretofore committed, and the sins of all the 
 saints, who have sinned even unto this day ; if they 
 shall repent with all their hearts, and remove all 
 doubts out of their hearts. For the Lord hath sworn 
 by his glorv concerning his elect, f//) having determined 
 this very time, that if any one shall even now sin, he 
 shall not be saved. For the repentance of the righ- 
 teous has its end : the days of repentance are fulfilled 
 to all the saints ; but to the heathen, there is repen- 
 tance even unto the last day Thou shalt therefore 
 say to those who are over the Church, that they order 
 their ways in righteousness, that they may fully re- 
 ceive the promise with much glory. Stand fast there- 
 fore ye that work righteousness ; and continue to do 
 it, that your departure may be with the holy angels. 
 Happy are ye, as many as shall endure the great trial 
 that is at hand, and whosoever shall not deny his life. 
 For the Lord hath sworn by his son, that whoso deni- 
 eth his son and him, being afraid of his hfe, he will 
 also deny him in the world that is to come. But those 
 who shall never deny him, he will of his exceeding 
 great mercy be favourable unto them. 
 
 (5-) So one MS. in Coteler. Edit. Oxon. And she, 8cc 
 (A) Day. Prxfinita ista die etiam nunc si peccaverit Aliquis. 
 Lat. 
 
©F ST. HERMAS. 287 
 
 3. But thou, O Hermas ! remember not the evils 
 which thy sons have done, neither neglect thy sister, 
 but take care that they amend of their former sins. 
 For they will be instructed by this doctrine, if thou 
 shalt not be mindful of what they have done wicked- 
 ly. For the rememijrance of evils worketh death ; 
 but the forgetting of them, life eternal But thou, 
 O Hermas ! hast undergone a great many worldly 
 troubles for the offences of thy house, because thou 
 hast neglected them, as things that did not belong 
 unto thee ; and thou art wiioily taken up with thy 
 great business. Nevertheless, for this cause shalt thou 
 be saved, that thou hast not departed from the living- 
 God ; and thy simplicity and singular continency 
 shall preserve thee, if thou shalt continue in them. 
 Yea, they shall save all such as do such things, and 
 walk in innocence and simplicity. They who are of 
 this kind, shall prevail against all impiety, and con- 
 tinue unto life eternal. Happy are all rhey that do 
 righteousness, they shall not be consumed for ever. 
 But thou wilt say ; behold there is a great trial com- 
 ing. If it seems good to thee, deny him again. The 
 Lord is nigh to them that turn to him, as it is written 
 in the books of Heldam and Modiil,(w/) v/ho prophe- 
 sied to the people of Israel in the wilderness. 
 
 4. Moreover brethren, it was revealed to me, as I 
 was sleeping by a very goodly young man, saying 
 unt J me ; what thinkest thou of that old woman from 
 whom thou receivedst the book ; who is she? I an- 
 swered, a Sybil. Thou art mistaken, said he, she is 
 not. I replied, who is she then, sir ? He answered 
 me, it is the Church of God. And I said unto him, 
 why then does she appear old ? She is therefore, said 
 he, an old woman, because she Was the first of all 
 creation, and the world was made for her.(//!) After 
 this I saw a vision at home in my own house, and the 
 
 Cm) Eldad and Melad. 'Niimb. xi. 26, 27 
 
 (n) See Dr. Giabe's Annot. \.o Bii>I\op BulFs Def. Fid- Nio. piis^. 
 24. Fol. de S. Hcrma. 
 
288 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 old woman whom I had seen before, came to me, and 
 
 asked aid vviitLher 1 had yet delivered tit r book to the 
 elderti ot the Church ?(o) and.! answered, that 1 had 
 not yet. fehe replied, tiiou hast well done, for I have 
 certain words pioie to tell thee. But when I shall 
 have fmished all Uie words, they shall be clearly un- 
 derstood by the elect. And thou shalt write two- books, 
 and send one to Clement, and one Grapte. For Cle- 
 ment siiall send it to the foreign ciiie.s, because it is 
 permitted to him so to do : but Grapte shall admo- 
 nish (he widows and orphans. But thou shalt read i'n 
 this city with the elders of the Church. 
 
 '«7JiWi)< 
 
 VISION III. 
 
 OP THE BUILDING OF THI£ CHTrRCII-TRIUMPHAXT j AND OF 
 THii SEVERAL SORTS OF REPIKJBATES. 
 
 1. The vision which I saw, brethren, was this. 
 When I had often f^i^ted and prayed unto the Lord, 
 that he would manifest unto me the revelation, which 
 he had promised by the old woman to shew unto me ; 
 the same night k;he appeared unto me, and said unto 
 me : because thou dost thus afflict thyself, and art 
 so desirous to know all things, come into the field 
 where thou wilt, and about thci sixth hour I will ap- 
 pear unto thee, and shew thee what thou must see. 
 I asked her, saying ; lady, into what part of the field •? 
 She answered, wherever thou wilt, only choose a 
 good and a private place And before I began to 
 speak and to tell her the place, she said unto me, I 
 will come where thou wilt. I was therefore, brethren, 
 in the field, and I observed the hours, and came into 
 the place where I had appointed her to come. And f 
 
 /o) Siium is added in the Lambeth MS. 
 
OF ST. HER3VIAS. 289- 
 
 beheld a bench placed ; it was a linen pillow, and 
 over it spread a cover of fine linen. When I saw 
 these rliiugs ordered in this manner, and that there 
 was nouody in the place, I began to be astonished, 
 and iUf iiair stood on end, and a kind of horror seiz- 
 ed me, for I was alone. But being come to myself, 
 and calling to mind the glory of God, and taking 
 courage, 1 fell down upon my knees, and began again 
 to confess my sins as before. And whilst I was do- 
 ing this, the old woman came thither with the six 
 young men whom I had seen before, and stood behind 
 nie as J was praying, and heard me praying and con- 
 fessing my sins unto the Lord. And touching me,-^ 
 she said, leave off now to pray only for thy sins, 
 pray also for righteousness, that thou mayest receive 
 a part of her in thy house. And she lifted me up 
 from the place, and took me by the hand, and brought 
 me to the seat ; and said to the young men, go and 
 build. As soon as they were departed, and we were 
 alone, she said unto me, sit here. I answered her, 
 lady, let those who are elder sit first. She replied, 
 sit down as I bid you. And when I would have sat 
 on the right side, she suffered me not but made a 
 sign to me with her hand, that I should sit on the left. 
 As I was therefore musing, and full of sorrow, that 
 she would not suffer me to sit on the right side, she 
 said unto me, Hermas, why art thou sad ? the place 
 which is on the right hand is their's who have already 
 attained unto God, and have suffered for his name 
 sake. But there is yet a great deal remaining unto 
 thee, before thou canst sit with them. But continue 
 as thou dost, in thy sincerity, and thou shalt sit with 
 them ; as all others shall that do their works, and 
 shall bpar what they have borne. 
 
 2. I said unto her, lady, I would know what it is 
 that they have suffered ? Hear then, said she: w'ild 
 beasts, scourgings, imprisonments, and crosses for 
 his name sake. For this cause the right hand of ho- 
 liness belongs to them, and to all others as shall suffer 
 
 r,^71 
 
290 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 for the name of God ; but the left belongs to the res 5. 
 HovvOeit the gifts and thf J^iomi^^e^ belong to b6ih, to 
 them on the right, and to those on the left iiaiid ; only 
 that sitting on the riglu hand they have some glory 
 above the others. But thou art desirous to sit on the 
 rigiit hand with them ; yet thy defects are many. 
 But thou shalt be purged from thy defects : as also 
 all who doubt not, shall be cleansed from all the sins 
 which they have committed unto this day And when 
 she had said this, she would have departed ; wherefore 
 falling down before her feet, I began to entreat her, 
 for the Lord's sake, that she would shew me the vi- 
 sion which she had promised. Then she again look 
 me by the hand, and lifted me up, and made me sit 
 upon the seat on the left side, and holding up a cer- 
 tain bright wand, said unto me, seest thou that great 
 thing ? 1 replied, lady, I see nothing. She answered, 
 dost thou not see over against thee a great tower, 
 which is built upon the water with bright square 
 stones ? for the tower was built upon a square by those 
 six young men that came with her. But many thou- 
 sands of other men brought stones ; some drew them 
 out of the deep, others carried them from the ground 
 and gave them to the six young men And they took 
 them and built. As for those stones which were 
 drawn out of the deep, they put them all into the 
 building ; tor they were polished, and their squares 
 exactly answered one another, and so one was joined 
 in such wise to the other, that there was no pace to 
 be seen where they joined ; insomuch that the whole 
 tower appeared to be built as it were of one stone. 
 But as for the other stones that were taken off from 
 the ground, some of them they rejected, others they 
 fitted into the building. As for those which were re- 
 jected some they cut out, and cast them at a distance 
 from the tower: but many others of them lay round 
 about the tower, which they made no use of in the 
 building For some of these w^^re rough, othei"^ had 
 clefts in them ; others were white and round, not 
 
Off ST. HERMAS. 291 
 
 proper for the building of the tower. But I savy the 
 other sione:? cast afur oft' from the tower, and falHng 
 into the high way, and yet not c -ntinuing in the way, 
 but were rolled from tiie , way into a desert place. 
 Others I saw falling into the hre and burning ; others 
 fell nt^ar the water, yet could not roll themselves into 
 it, though very desirous to fall into the water. 
 
 3. And when she had shewed me these things, she 
 would have departed But I said unto her, lady, what 
 does it proht me to see these things, and notf under- 
 stand what they mean ? She answered and said unto 
 me, you are very cunning, in that you are desirous 
 to kiiv>vv those things which relate to the tower. Yea, 
 said 1, lady, that I may declare them unto the bieth- 
 ren ; and they may rejoice, and hearing these things 
 may glorify God with great glory. Then she t;aid, 
 many indeed shall hear them, and when they shall 
 have heard them, some shall rejoice and others weep. 
 And yet even these, if they shall repent, shall rejoice 
 too. Hear therefore what I shall say concerning the 
 parable of the tower, and after this be no longer im- 
 portunate with me about the revelation. For these 
 revelations have aai end, seeing they are fuUilled. 
 But thou dost not leave off to desire revelations ; for 
 thou art very urgent. As for the tower which thou 
 seest built, it is I myself, namely, the Church, which 
 have appeared to thee both now, and heretofore. 
 Wherefore ask what thou wilt concerning the tower, 
 and 1 will reveal it unto thee, that thou mayest rejoice 
 with the saints. I said unto her, lady, because thou 
 hast thought me once worthy to receive from thee the 
 revelation of all these things, declare them unto me. 
 She answered me, whatsoever is fit to be revealed un- 
 to thf e, shall be revealed : only let thy heart be with 
 the Lord,(o) and doubt not, whatsoever thou shalt see. 
 I asked her, lady, why is the tower built upon the 
 water ? She replied, I said before to thee that thou 
 
 (a) Clem. Alex. Stroip. xii. 
 
292 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 wert very wise, to inquire diligently concerning the , 
 building, therefore thou shalt ftnd the truth. Hear 
 therefore why the tower is built upon the water : be- 
 cause your life is and shall be saved by water. For 
 it is founded by the word of the Almighty an 
 honourable name ; and is supported by the invisible 
 power and virtue of God. 
 
 4. And I answering, said unto her, these thing? 
 are very admirable : but lady, who are those six 
 young men that build ? They are, said she, the angels 
 of God, which were first appointed, and to whom the 
 Lord has delivered all his creatures, to frame and 
 build them up, and rule over them. For by these the 
 building of the tower shall be finished. And who are 
 the rest who bring them stones ; they also are the holy 
 angels of the Lord ; but the other are more excellent 
 than these. Wherefore when the whole building of 
 the tower shall be finished, they shall all feast togeth- 
 er beside the tower, and shall glorify God, because 
 the structure of the tower is finished. I asked her, 
 saying, I would know the condition of the stones* 
 and meaning of them, what it is ? She answering said 
 unto me, art thou better than all others, that this 
 should be revealed unto thee ? For others are both be- 
 fore thee, and better than thou art, to whom these vi- 
 sions should be made manifest ; nevertheless that the 
 name of God may be glorified, it has been, and shall 
 be revealed unto thee, for the sake of those who are 
 doubtful, and think in their hearts whether these 
 things are so or not ? Tell them that all these things 
 are true ; and that there is nothing in them that is not 
 true ; but all are firm, and truly established. 
 
 5. Hear now then concerning the stones that are in 
 the buiiding. The square and white stones, which 
 ^gree exactly in their joints, are the apostles, and bi- 
 shops, and doctors, and ministers, who through the 
 mercy of God have come in, and governed, and 
 taught, and ministered holily and modestly to tjje elect 
 
OF ST. IIERMAS. "293 
 
 of God, both that are fallen asleep, and which yet 
 remain ; and have always agreed with them, and 
 have had peace witiiin themselves and have heard 
 each other. For which cause their joints exactly 
 meet together in the building of the tower. They 
 which are drawn out of the deep and put into the 
 building and whose joints agree with the other stones 
 which are already built, are those which are already 
 fallen asleep, and have suffered for the sake of the 
 Lord's name. And what are the other stones, lady, 
 that are brought from the earth; I would know whar 
 they are ? She answered, they which lie upon the 
 ground and are not polished, are those which God has 
 approved, because they have walked in the law of 
 the Lord,(?/) and directed their ways in his command- 
 ments. They which are brought and put in the build- 
 ing of the tower, are the young in faith, and the fiiith- 
 ful. And these are admonished by the angels to do 
 well, because that iniquity is not found in them. Uut 
 who are those whom they rejected, and laid beside 
 the tower ? They are such as have sinned, and are 
 willing to repent ; for which cause they are not cast: 
 far from the tower, because they will be useful for the 
 building, if they shall repent. They therefore thac 
 are yet to repent, if they shall repent shall become 
 strong in the faith ; that is, if they repent now, whilst 
 the tower is building. For if the building shall be 
 finished there will then be no place for them to be put; 
 in, but they shall be rejected : for he only has thia 
 privilege, who shall now be put into the tower. 
 
 6. But would you know who they are that were 
 cut out, and cast afar off from the tower ? Lady, said 
 I, I desire it. They are the children of iniquity, 
 who believed only in hypocrisy, but de])arted not it oni 
 their evil ways : for this cause they shall not be saved/, 
 because they are not of any use in the building by 
 
 ■u) In -.?:lquitatem Domini. Lat, 
 
2ii4 THE SHEPHliRD 
 
 reason of their sins. Wherefore they are cut out, 
 and cast afar off, because of the anger of the Lord, and 
 because they have provoked him to anger against them. 
 As for the great number of other stones winch thou 
 hast seen placed about the tower, but not put mto the 
 building ; those which are rugged are they wno have 
 known the truth, but have not continued in it, nor 
 been joined to the saints ; and therefore are unprofit- 
 able. Those that have clefts in them, are they who 
 keep up discord in their hearts against each other, and 
 live hot in peace ; that are friendly when present with 
 their brethren, but as soon as they are departed from 
 one another, their wickedness still continues in their 
 hearts : these are the clefts which are seen in those 
 stones. Those that are maimed and short, are they 
 who have believed indeed ; but still are in great mea- 
 sure full of wickedness ; for this cause are they maim- 
 ed and not whole. But what are the white and round 
 stones, lady, and wiiich are not pro}>er for the build- 
 ing of the tower ? She answering said unto me ; how 
 long wilt thou continue foolish and without under- 
 standing ; asking every thing and discerning no- 
 thing ? They are such as have faith indeed, but have 
 withal the riches of this present world. When there- 
 fore any troubles arise, for the sake of their riches 
 and tra^c, they deny the Lord. I answering, said 
 unto her, when therefore will they be profitable to 
 the Lord ? when their riches shall be cut away, says 
 she, in which they take delight, then they will be pro- 
 fitable unto the Lord for his building. For as a round 
 stone, unless it be cut away, and cast somewhat off 
 of its bulk, cannot be made square ; so they who are 
 rich in this world, unless their riches be pared off, 
 cannot be made profitable unto the Lord. Learn this 
 from thy own experience : when thou wert rich, thou 
 wast unprofitable ; but now thou art profitable, and 
 fit for the life which thou hast undertaken ; for thou 
 also once wast one of those stones. 
 
OF ST. I-IERMAS. '29 Cf 
 
 7. As for the rest of the stones which thou sawest 
 cast afar off from the tower, and running in the way ; 
 and tumbled out of the way into desert places ; they 
 are such as have believed indeed, but through their 
 douL>iing have forsaken the true way, tiiinkiiig that 
 they could find a better. But they wander and are 
 miserable, going into desolate ways. Then for those 
 stones which fell into the lire, and were ournt ; they 
 are those who have for ever departed from the living 
 God ; nor doth it ever coine into their hearts to repent, 
 by reason ol the affection which they bear to their 
 lusts and wickednesses which they commit. And 
 what are the rest which fell by the w-ater, and could 
 not roll into the water ? they are such as have heard 
 the word, and were willing to be baptized in the name 
 of the Lord; but considering the great holiness which 
 the truth requires, have withdrawn theinsclves, and 
 walked again after their wicked lusts. Thus she 
 finished the explication of the tower. But I being 
 still urgent, asked her: is there repentance allowed to 
 all those stones which are thus cast awav", and were 
 not suirdble to the building of the tower; and shall 
 they find place in this tower ? They may repent, said 
 she, but they cannot come into this tower ; but they 
 shall be placed in a much lower rank; and this after 
 that they shall have been afflicted, and fulfilled the 
 days of their sins. And for this cause they shall be 
 removed, because they have received the word of 
 rlghteoiiSness : and then they shall be translated from 
 their afflictions, if they shall have a true sense in their 
 hearts of what they have done amiss. But if they 
 shall not have this sense in their hearts, they shall not; 
 be saved, iy reason of the hardness of their hearts. 
 
 8. When therefore I had done asking her concern- 
 hig all these things, she said unto me : wilt thou see 
 somewhat else ? and being desirous of seeing it, I be 
 came very cheerful of countenance. She therefore 
 looking back upon me, and smiling a little, said unto 
 me : seest thou seven women about the tQw^r ^. Ladv. 
 
296 THE SHEPHERD' 
 
 said I, I see them. This tower, replied she, is sup- 
 parted by tiietn, ace irdiii^ to the ooinmand of the 
 Lord : hear therefore the ettects of them. The first 
 of them which holds last with her hand, is called 
 Faitn ; by her the elect shall be saved. The next 
 whiori 13 girt up, and looks manly, is named Absti 
 nence : she is the daughter of Faith. Whosoever 
 thereiore shall follow her, shall be happy in all his 
 Mfe. ; '>ecause he shall abstain from all evil works, be- 
 lieviug that if he shall contain himself from all con- 
 cupiscence, he shall be the heir of eternal life. And 
 M'hat, lady, said 1, are the other five ? They are, re- 
 phed she, the daughters of one another. The first ol 
 them is called Simplicity ; the next Innocence ; the 
 third Modesty ; tJien Discipline, and the last of all i;j 
 Charity. When therefore thou sludthave fulfilled the 
 Avorks of their mother, thou shult be able to do all 
 things. Lady, said I, I would know what particular 
 virtue every one of these has. Hear then, replied 
 ^he ; they have equal virtues, and their virtues are 
 knit together, and follow one another as they were 
 born. From faith proceeds abstinence ; from absti- 
 nence simplicity ; from simplicity, innocence ; from 
 innocence, modesty ; from modesty, discipline and 
 charity. Therefore the works of these are holy and 
 chaste, and right. Whosoever therefore shall serve 
 these, and hold fast to their works, he shall have hi? 
 dwelling in the tower with the saints ot God. Then 
 I asked her concerning the times, whether the end 
 were now at hand ? But she cried out with a loud 
 voi«e, saying ; O foolish man ! dost thou not see the 
 tower yet a building? When therefore the tower 
 shall be finished, and built, it shall have an end ; and 
 indeed it shall soon be accomplished. But do not ask 
 me any more questions. What has been said may suf- 
 fice thee and all the saints ; for the refreshment of 
 your spirits. For these things have not been revealed 
 to thee only, but that thou mayest make them mani- 
 fest unto all. For therefore, O Hermasj ' after three 
 
OF ST. IIERMAS. 297 
 
 days thou must understand these words which I begin 
 to speak unto thee, that thou mayest speak them in 
 the ears of the Saints; that when they shall have 
 heard and done them, they may be cleansed from their 
 iniquities, and thou together with them. 
 
 9. Hear ine therefore, O my sons! I have bred 
 you up in much simplicity, and innocency, and mo- 
 desty, for the mercy of God, which has dropped 
 down upon you in righteousness ; that you should be 
 sanctified and justified from all sin and wickedness : 
 But ye will not cease from your evil doings. Now 
 therefore hearken unto me, and have peace one with 
 another, and visit one another, and receive one an- 
 other, and do not enjoy the creatures of God alone. 
 Give freely to them that are in need. For some by 
 too free feeding contract an infirmity in their flesh, 
 and do injury to their bodies ; whilst the flesh of oth^ 
 ers, who have not food, wither away, because they 
 want sufficient nourishment, and their bodies are con- 
 sumed. Wherefore this intemperance is hurtful to 
 5^ou, wlio have and do not communicate to them that 
 want. Prejxue for the judgment that is about to come 
 upon you. - Ye that are the more eminent search out 
 tiiem that are hungary, whiL--t the tower is yet unfin- 
 ished ; for when the tower shall be finished ye shall 
 be willing to do good, and shall not find any place in 
 it. Beware therefore, ye that glory in your riches, 
 lest perhaps they groan who are in want, and their 
 sighing come up unto God, and. ye be shut out with 
 your goods without the gate of the tower. Behold I 
 now Warn you who are set over the Church, and love 
 the highest seats ; be not ye like unto those* that 
 work mischief ; and indeed carry about their poison 
 in boxes: but ye contain your poison and infection(2) 
 in your hearts; and will not purge them, and mix 
 your sense with a pure heart, that ye may find mercy 
 with the great king. Take heed, my children, that 
 
 • * Pciso!.pi-v fzj Medicaments. 
 
 [38] 
 
298 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 your dissentions deprive you not of your lives. How 
 will ye instruct the elect of God, when ye yourselves 
 want correction ? Wherefore admonish one another, 
 and be at peace among yourselves ; that I standing 
 before your father, may give an account for you unto 
 the Lord. 
 
 1 0. And when she had made an end of talking with 
 me, the six young men that built, came and carried 
 her to the tower ; and four others took up the seat on 
 which she sat, and they also went again to the tower. 
 I saw not the faces of these, for their backs were to- 
 wards me. As she was going away, I asked her that 
 she would reveal to me what concerned the three 
 forms in which she had appeared unto me. But she 
 answering said unto me, concerning these things 
 thou must ask some other, that they may be revealed 
 unto thee. Now, brethren, in the first vision the last 
 year, she appeared unto me exceeding old, and sit- 
 ting in a chair. In another vision, she had indeed a 
 'youthful face, but her flesh and hair were old ; and 
 she talked with me standing, and was more cheerful 
 than the first time. In the third vision, she was in 
 all respects much younger, and comely to the eye ; 
 only she had the hair of an aged person ; yet she 
 looked cheerful, and sat upon a seat. I was there- 
 fore very sad concerning these things, until I might 
 understand the vision. Wherefore I saw the same 
 old woman in a vision of the night saying unto me : 
 all prayer needeth humiliation ; fast, therefore, and 
 thou shalt learn from the Lord that which thou dost 
 ask. I fastened therefore one day. The same night 
 a young man appeared to me and said : why dost thou 
 thus often desire revelations in thy prayers ? take 
 heed that by asking many things, thou hurt not thy 
 body. Let these revelations suffice thee. Canst thou 
 see more notable revelations than those which thou 
 hast already received ? I answered and said unto him : 
 Sir, I only ask this one thing upon the account of the' 
 tJiiree figures of the old woman that appeared to me, 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 25^ 
 
 that the revelation may be complete. He answered 
 me ; you are not without understanding, but your 
 doubts make you so ; forasmuch as you have not 
 your heart with the Lord. I rephed and said, but 
 we shall learn these things more carefully from you. 
 
 1 1 . Hear then, says he, concerning the figures, 
 about which you inquire. And first, in the first vis- 
 ion she appeared to thee in the shape of an old woman 
 sitting in a chair ; because your old spirit was decay- 
 ed and without strength, by reason of your infirmi- 
 ties, and the doubtfulness of your heart. For as 
 they who are old have no hope of renewing them- 
 selves, nor expect any thing but their departure: So 
 you being weakened through your wordly affairs 
 gave yourself up to sloth, and cast not away your 
 solicitude from yourself upon the Lord ; and your" 
 sense was confused and you grew old in your sad- 
 ness. But sir, I would know why she sat upon a 
 chair ? He answered, because every one that is weak 
 sitteth upon a chair, by reason of his infirmit}', that 
 his weakness may be upheld : behold therefore the 
 figure of the first vision. 
 
 12. In the second vision you saw her standing, 
 and having a youthful face, and more cheerful than 
 her former ; but her flesh and her hair were antient. 
 Hear said he, this parable also. When any one grows 
 old, he despairs of himself by reason of his infirmity 
 and poverty j and expect^ nothing but the last day of 
 his life. But on a sudden an inheritance is left to 
 him ; and he hears of it, and rises ; and being be- 
 come cheerful, he puts on new strength : and now he 
 no longer sits down, but stands, and is delivered from 
 his former sorrow ; and sits not, but acts manfully. So 
 you, "having heard the revelation which God revealed 
 unto you ; because God had compassion upon you, 
 and renewed your spirit ; both laid aside your infirm- 
 ities, and strength came to you, and you grew strong 
 in the faith ; and God seeing your strength rejoiced. 
 For this cause he shewed you the building of the 
 
300 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 tower, and will shew other things unto you, if yon 
 shall have peace with all your heart among each 
 other. 
 
 13. But in the third vision you saw her yet younger, 
 fair and cheerful, and of a serene countenance ; for 
 as if some good news comes to one that is sad, be 
 straightway forgets his sadness, and regards nothing 
 else but the good news which he has heard, and for 
 the rest he is comforted, and his spirit ^^ is renewed 
 through the joy which he has received : even so you 
 have been refreshed in your spirit, by seeing these 
 good things. And for that you saw her sitting upon 
 a bench, it denotes a strong position ; because a bench 
 has four feet, and stands strongly. And even the 
 ■world itself is upheld by the four elements. They 
 therefore that repent perfectly, shall be young ; and 
 they that turn from their sins with their whole heart, 
 shall be established. And now you have the revela- 
 tion fully ; ask no more to have any thing farther re- 
 vealed unto you : but if any thing be to be revealed, 
 it shall be made manifest unto you. 
 
 mMxm* 
 
 VISION IV. 
 
 OF THE TRIAL AND TRIBULATION THAT IS ABOUT TO COMt 
 UPON MEN. 
 
 1 . I saw a vision, brethren, twenty days after the 
 former vision ; a representation of the tribulation that 
 is at hand. I was walking in the field way; (now 
 from the public way to the manor whither I went 
 is about ten furlongs : it is a way very little frequent- 
 ed j and as I was walking alone, I entreated the Lord 
 that he would confirm the revelation which he had 
 shewed unto me by his holy church, and would grant 
 
OF ST. HERMA?. COl 
 
 repentance to all his servants, who had been offended, 
 that his great and honourable name might be glorified, 
 and because he' thought me worthy to whom he might 
 shew his wonders, and that I might honour him, and 
 give fhanks unto him. And behold somewhat like a 
 voice answered me ; doubt not, Hermas. Wherefore 
 I began to think, and say within myself, why should 
 I doubt, seeing I am thus settled by the Lord, and 
 have seen such glorious things ? I had gone but a lit- 
 tle farther, brethren, when behold I saw dust rise up 
 to Heaven. I began to say within myself, is there a 
 drove of cattle coming, that rises such a dust ? It was 
 about a furlong off from me. And behold I saw the 
 dust rise more and more, insomuch that I began to 
 suspect that there was somewhat extraordinary in it. 
 And the sun shone a little, and behold I saw a great 
 beast, as it were a whale, and fiery locusts came out 
 of his mouth. The heighth of the beast was about 
 a hundred feet, and he had a head like a large ear- 
 then vessel. I began to weep and to pray unto the 
 Lord, that he would deliver me from it. Then I 
 called to my mind the word which I heard ; doubt not, 
 Hermas. Wherefore, brethren, putting on a divino 
 faith, and remembering who it was that had taught 
 me great things, I delivered myself boldly unto the 
 beast. Now the beast came on in such a manner, as 
 if it could at once have devoured a city. I came unto 
 it ; and the beast extended its whole bulk upon the 
 ground, and put forth nothing but its tongue, nor 
 once moved itself till I had quite passed by it. Now 
 the beast had upon its head four colours, first black, 
 then a red and bloody colour, then ti golden, and then 
 a white, 
 
 2. After that I had passed by it, and was gone for- 
 ward about thirty feet, behold there met me a certain 
 virgin well adorned, as if she had been just come our 
 of her bride chamber, all in white, having on white 
 shoes, and a veil down her face, and covered with 
 shining hair. Now I knew by my former visions that 
 
S02^ THE SHHI^l'KD 
 
 H was the church, and thereupon grew the moreclieer- 
 fuL She saluted me saying, hail O man ! I returned 
 the salutation, saying, lady, hail ! She answering, said 
 unto me, did nothing meet you, O man ! I replied, 
 }ady, there met me such a beast as seemed abl© to de- 
 vour a whole people ; but by tlie power of God, and 
 through his singular mercy, I escaped it. Thou didst 
 escape if well, said she ; because thou didst cast thy 
 whole care upon God, and openedst thy heart unto 
 him, believhig that thou couldst be safe by no other, 
 than by his great and honourable name. For this 
 Cituse the Lord sent his angel, who is over the beasts, 
 whose name is Hegria, and stopped liis mouth, that 
 lie should not devour thee. Thou hast escaped a great 
 trial through thy faith, and because thou didtt not 
 doubt for sjuch a terrible beast. Go therefore and re- 
 late to the elect of God, the great things that he hath 
 done for thee. And thou shalt say unto them, that 
 this beast is the figure of the trial that is about to 
 come. If therefore ye shall have prepared yourselves, 
 ye may escape it, if your heart be pure and without 
 spot ; and if ye shall serve God all the rest of your 
 days without complaint. Cast all your cares upon 
 the Lord, and he will direct them. Believe in God, 
 ye doubtful, because be can do all things ; he can 
 both turn away his wrath from you, and send you 
 health and security. Woe to the doubtful, to those 
 who shall hear these words, and shall despise thefai : 
 It had been better for them that they had not been 
 horn. • 
 
 3. Tlien I B.sked her concerning the four colours 
 which the beast had upon its head. But she answer- 
 ed me, saying, again thou art curious in that thou 
 askest concerning these things. And I said unto her, 
 lady, shew me what they are ? hear, said she : the 
 black which thou sawest, denotes the world in which 
 you dwell. The fiery and bloody colour, signifies, 
 that this age must be destroyed by fire and blood. — 
 The golden part are ye, who have escaped out of it ; 
 
OF ST, HERMAS. ^^Ol 
 
 for as gold is tried by the fire, and is made profitable, 
 so are ye also in like manner tried who dwell among 
 the men of this world; they therefore that shall en- 
 dure to the end, and be proved by them shall be pur- 
 ged, and as gold by this trial is cleansed and loses its 
 dross ; so shall ye also cast away all sorrow and trou- 
 ble, and be made pure for the building of the tower. 
 But the white colour, denotes the time of the world 
 which is to come, in which the elect of God shai? 
 dwell : because the elect of God shall be pure and 
 without spot unto life eternal. Wherefore do not thoo 
 cease to speak these things in the ears of {he saints. — 
 Here ye have the figure of the great tribulation thai 
 is about to come ; which, if you please, shall be lioih- 
 ing to you ; keep therefore in mind the things which 
 I have said unto you. When she had spoken thii> 
 much, she departed ; but I saw not whither she wenl. 
 But suddenly I heard a noise, and I turned back, bt 
 ing afraid ; for I thought that the beast was comirt?^ 
 foward me. 
 
THE 
 
 CO MM AN JDS. OF ST-HERMAS. 
 
 BOOK IL 
 
 THE INTRODUCTION. 
 
 WHEN I had prayed at home, and was sat down 
 upon the bed, a certain man came hi to me with a re- 
 verend look, in the habit of a shepherd, cloathed with 
 a white cloak, having his bag upon his back, and his 
 staff in his hand, and sahited me. I returned his sa- 
 lutation, and immediately he sat down by me, and 
 said unto me, I am sent by that venerable messenger, 
 that I should dwell with thee all the remaining days 
 of thy life. But I thought that he was come to try 
 me, and said unto him, who are you ? for I know 
 unto whom I am committed. He said unto me, do 
 you not know me ? I answered, no. I am, said he, 
 that shepherd to whose care you are delivered. Whilst 
 he was yet speaking, his shape was changed ; and 
 when I knew it was he to whom I was committed, I 
 was ashamed, and a sudden fear came upon me, and 
 I was utterly overcome with sadness, because I had 
 spoken so foolishly unto him. But he said unto me, 
 be not ashamed, but receive strength in thy mind, 
 through the commands which I am about to deliver 
 unto thee. For, said he, I am sent to shew unto thee 
 all those things again, whidi thou hast seen before ; 
 but especially such of them as may be of most use 
 unto thee. And first of all write my commands and 
 simihtudes, the rest thou shalt so write as I shall shew 
 
OF ST. IIERMAS. 305 
 
 unto thee. But I therefore bid thee first of all write 
 my commands and shnilitudes, that by often reading 
 of them, thou mayest the more easily keep them in 
 memory. Whereupon I wrote his commands and si- 
 militudes, as he bade me. Which things if when you 
 have heard, ye shall observe to do them, and shall 
 walk according to them, and exercise yourselves in 
 them with a pure mind ; ye shall receive from the 
 Lord those things which he has promised unto you. 
 But if having heard them ye shall not repent, but 
 shall still go on to add to your sins, ye shall be punished 
 by him. All these things that Shepherd, the angel of 
 repentance, commanded me to write. 
 
 COMMAND I. 
 
 OF BELIEVING IN ONE GOD. 
 
 FIRST of all believe that there is one God who 
 created and framed all things of nothing into a being.(e) 
 He comprehends all things, and is only immense, not 
 to be comprehended by any. Who can neither be de- 
 fined by any words, nor conceived by the mind. 
 Therefore believe in him, and fear him, and fearing 
 him abstain from all evil. Keep these things, and 
 cast all lust and iniquity far from thee, and put on 
 righteousness, and thou shalt live to God if thou shalt 
 keep this commandment.(/) 
 
 (f) Irenaeus lib. 1. c. 3. Origen. de Princ. 1. 1. c. 3. Euseb. 
 Hist. Ecclos. 1. V, c. 8. Athanas. de Incarn. Verb. &c, 
 
 (f) Omnem Concupiscentiam & Nequvtiam MSS. Lamb. Be 
 Oxon. 
 
 [39] 
 
306 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 COMMAND II. 
 
 THAT WE MUST AVOID DETRACTION, AND DO OUR ALMS • 
 DEEDS WITH SIMPLICITY. 
 
 HE said unto me, be innocent and without dis- 
 guise ; so shalt thou be like an intant who knows no 
 malice, which destroys the life of man Especially 
 see that thou speak evil of none, nor willingly hear 
 any one speak evil of any. For if thou observest not 
 this, thou also who hearest shalt be partaker of the 
 sin of him that speaketh evil by believing the slan- 
 der, and thou also shalt have sin,(?) because thou be- 
 lievedst him that spake evil of thy brother. Detrac- 
 tion is a pernicious thing,(>t) an inconstant evil spi- 
 rit, that never continues in peace, but is always in 
 discord. Wherefore refrain thyself from it, and keep 
 peace evermore with thy brother.(w) Put on a holy 
 constancy(7/) in which there are no sins, but all is full 
 of joy, and do good of thy labours. Give(/>) with- 
 out distinction to all that are in want, not doubting to 
 ■whom thou givest. But give to all, for God will have 
 lis give to all, of all his own gifts. They therefore 
 that receive, shall give an account to God, both 
 wherefore they received, and for what end. And 
 they that receive without a real need, shall give an 
 account for it ; but he that gives shall be innocent, 
 for he has fulfilled his duty as he received it from ' 
 Gud ; not making any choice to whom he should 
 give, and to whom not. And this service he did with 
 simplicity, and to the glory of God. Keep therefore 
 this command according as I have delivered it unto 
 
 (i So the Gr. and Lamb MS. Particeps eris peccati male lo- 
 qucn.is, credens : Et tu habebis Peccatum. 
 
 (A-; VicL Antioch- Hom_^xxix. 
 
 Om The Greek hath »v. 
 
 (m t Ra her siraphcity, according to the Greek i'eading;,preservcc*- 
 by A'h'11 isitis. 
 
 (/i) Vid. Antioch. Horn, xcviii. 
 
OP ST. HERMAS. 3Q7 
 
 thee, that thy repentance may be found to be sincere, 
 and iliat good may come to thy house, and have a 
 pure heart. 
 
 COMMAND in. 
 
 QF AVOIDING LYING, AND THE REPENTANCE O? HERMAS 
 FOR HIS DISSIMULATION. 
 
 MOREOVER he said unto me, love truth,(0 and 
 let all the speech oe true which proceeds out of thy 
 mouth ; tiiat the spirit which the Lord hath given to 
 dwell in thy flesh may be found true towards all men ; 
 ana Uie Lord ue glorified, who iiath given such a spi- 
 rit unto thee ; uecause God is true m all his words, 
 and in him there is no lie. They therefore that he, 
 deny the Lord, and become robbers of the Lord ; not 
 rendering to God what they received from him.i^w) 
 For they received the spirit free from lying : if there- 
 fore they make that a har, they defile what was 
 committed to them by the Lord, and become deceiv- 
 ers. When I heard this, I wept bitterly. And when 
 he saw me weeping, he said unto me, why weepest 
 thou ? And I said, because sir, I doubt whether I can 
 be saved ? He asked me, wherefore ? I replied^ be- 
 cause sir, I never spake a true word in my life, but 
 always lived in dissimulation, and affirmed a lie for 
 truth to all men ; and no man contradicted me, but 
 all gave credit to my words. How then can I hve, 
 seeing I have done in this manner ? And he said unto 
 me, thou thinkest well and truly. For thou oughtest, 
 as the servant of God, to have walked in the truth, 
 and not have joined an evil conscience with the spirit 
 
 (i) Antioch. Horn. Ixvi. 
 
 (w) Post, Book iii. Sim. ix. Chap. 52. 
 
308 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 of truth ; nor have grieved the holy and true spirit of 
 God. And I rephed unto him, sir, I never before 
 hearkened so dihgently to these things. He answer- 
 ed, now thou hearest them : take care from hence- 
 forth, that even those things which thou hast former- 
 ly spoken falsely for the sake of thy business, may, 
 by thy present truth, receive credit.(^) For even 
 those things may be credited, it for the time to come 
 thou shalt speak the truth ; and by so doing thou may- 
 est attain unto life. And whosoever shall hearken 
 unto his command, and do it, and shall depart from 
 all lying, he shall live unto God. 
 
 COMMAND IV. 
 
 OF PUTTING AWAY ONES WIFE FOR ADULTERY. 
 
 1. Furthermore, said he, I command thee, that 
 thou keep thyself chaste, and that thou suffer not any 
 thought of any other marriage, or of fornication to 
 enter into thy heart : for such a thought produces a 
 great sin. But be thou at all times mindful of the 
 Lord, and thou shalt n.ever sin ; for if such an evil 
 thought should arise in thy heart, thou shouldst be 
 guilty of a great sin ; and they who do such things 
 follow the W'ay of death ; look therefore to thy self, 
 and keep thyself from such a thought ; for where 
 chastity remains in the heart of a righteous man there 
 an evil thought ought never to arise. And I said unto 
 him, sir, suffer me to speak a little to you. He bade 
 me, say on. And I ans\yered, sir. if a man shall have a 
 wife that is faithful in the Lord, and shall catch her in 
 
 (.r) I'hiough tlicse words. Lat. His. Verbis. & ilia fideni v^c'i- 
 piaiit. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS* 309 
 
 aduUery, doth a man sin that continues to live still 
 With ner i Ana he said unto me, as long us he is ig- 
 norant of her sin, he commits no tank m Uvnig with 
 her : but if a man shall know his wife to have oftlnd- 
 ed, and she siiall not repent of her sin, but go on t.till 
 in her fornication, and a man shall continue neverthe- 
 less to live wiih her, he shall become guilty of her 
 sin, and partake with her in her adultery. And I said 
 unto him, what therefore is to oe done, if the wo- 
 man continues in her sin ? He answered, let her 
 husband put her away, and let him continue by him> 
 self. But if he shall put away his wife, and marry 
 another, he also doth commit adultery. And I said, 
 what if the woman that is so put away shall repent, 
 and be willing to return to her husband, shall she not 
 be received by him ? He said unto me, . yes ; and if 
 her husband shall not receive her, he will sin, and 
 commit a great offence against himself; but he ought 
 to receive the offender, if she repents, only not often ; 
 for to the servants of God there is but one repentance. 
 And for this cause a man that putteth away his wife 
 ought not to take another, because she may repent.— 
 This act is alike both in the man and in the woman. 
 Now they commit adultery, not only who pollute 
 their flesh, but who also make an image ; if therefore 
 a woman perseveres in any thing of this kind,(/?>) and 
 repents not, depart from her, and live not with her ; 
 otherwise thou also shalt be partaker of her sin. But 
 it is therefore commanded that both the man and the 
 woman should remain unmarried, because such per- 
 sons may repent. Nor do I in this administer any 
 occasion for the doing of these things ; but rather that 
 whoso has offended, should not offend any more, but 
 for their former sins ; God who has the power of heal- 
 ing- will give a remedy, for he has the power of all 
 things. 
 
 (i) See 1 Cor* vii 15. 
 
3.12 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 merits. And in like manner shall all others be for; 
 given, \Yho shall observe these my commandineuts. 
 
 COMMAND V. 
 
 OF THE SADNESS OF THE HEART ; AND OF PATIENCE. 
 
 1 . BE patient, says he, and long-suffering ; so shall 
 thou have dominion over all wicked works, and thalt 
 fullil all righteousness. For it thou shalt be patient, 
 the holy spirit which dvvelleth in thee shall be pure, 
 and not be darkened by any evil spirit; but being 
 full of joy shall be enlarged, and feast in the body in 
 which it dwells,(/>) and serve the Lord with joy, and 
 in great peace. But if any anger shall overtake thee, 
 presently the holy spirit which is in thee, will be 
 straightened, and seek to depart from thee. For he is 
 choaked by the evil spirit ; and has not the liberty of 
 serving the Lord as he would, for he is grieved by an- 
 ger. When therefore both these spirits dwell together, 
 it is destructive to a man.(/) As if one should take a 
 little wjrtnwood, and put it into a vessel of honey, the 
 whole honey would be corrupted ; and a great quan- 
 tity of honey is spoiled by a very little wormwood, 
 and loses the sweetness of honey, and is no longer 
 acceptable to its Lord ; because the whole honey is 
 made bitter, and loses its use. But if no wormwood 
 be put into the honey, it is sweet and profitable to 
 its Lord. Thus is forbearance sw^eeter than honey, 
 and profitable to the Lord who dvvelleth in it. But 
 anger is unprofitable. If therefore anger shall be 
 
 {fi) MS. Lamb, melius, Cum. Vase : Et Gr- with the body, ov 
 vessel. 
 
 (0 Both Athanasius and Antiochus add here these words, omit- 
 ted in nur copies : " for in forbearance [or long-suffenng] the Lord 
 riwclleth, but in bitterness the devil." 
 
OJr ST. HERMAS. 313 
 
 mixed with forbearance, the soul is distressed, and 
 its prayer is not profitable with God. And I said un- 
 to him, sir, I would know the sinfulness of anger, 
 that I may keep myself from it. And he said unto 
 me, thou shalt know it ; and if thou shalt not keep 
 thyself from it, thou shalt lose thy hope with all thy 
 house. Wherefore depart from it. For I the mes- 
 senger of righteousness am with thee ; and all that 
 depart from it, as many as shall repent with all their 
 hearts, shall live unto God ; and I will be with them, 
 and will keep them all. For all such as have repent- 
 ed, have been justified by the most Holy Messenger, 
 who is a minister of salvation. 
 
 2. And now, says he, hear the wickedness of an- 
 ger ; how evil and hurtful it is, and how it over- 
 throws the servants of God : for it cannot hurt those 
 that are full of fuith,(A') because the power of God is 
 with them ; but it overthrows the doubtful, and those 
 that are destitute of faith. For as often as it sees such 
 men, it casts itself into their hearts ; and so a man 
 or woman is in bitterness for nothing : for the things 
 of life, or for sustenance, or for a vain word, if any 
 should chance to fall in ; or by reason of any friend, 
 or for a debt ; or for any other superfluous things of 
 the like niture. For these things are foolish, and su- 
 perfluous, and vain to the servants of God. But equa- 
 nimity is strong, and forcible ; and of great power, 
 and sitteth in great enlargement ; is cheerful, rejoic- 
 ing in peace, and glorifying God at all times with 
 meekness. («) And this long-suffering dwells with 
 those that are full of faith. But anger is foolish, and 
 light, and empty. Now bitterness is bred through 
 foljy ; by bitterness, anger ; by anger, fury. And ' 
 this fury arising from so many evil principles, worketh 
 a great and uncurable sin. For when all these things 
 
 (x) Gr. Work upon, Et MS. Lamb, facere. 
 
 (a) In the Greek of Athanasius and Antiochus, the sense is fuller, 
 liaving nothing of bittcnicss in itself, and continuing always in meel^ 
 ncis and ouicnessi 
 
 [40] 
 
3il2| THE SHEPHERD 
 
 ments. And in like manner shall all others be for; 
 given, who shall observe these my commandments. 
 
 COMMAND V. 
 
 OF THE SADNESS OF THE HEART ; AND OF PATIENCE. 
 
 1. BE patient, says he, and long-suffering ; so shall 
 thou have dominjon over all wicked works, and shull 
 fuUil all righteousness. For it thou shalt be })atient, 
 the holy spirit which dwelleth in thee shall be pure, 
 and not be darkened by any evil spirit; but being 
 full of joy shall be enlarged, and feast in the body in 
 which it dvvells,(/>) and serve the Lord with joy, and 
 in great peace. But if any anger shall overtake thee, 
 presently the holy spirit which is in thee, will be 
 straightened, and seek to depart from thee. For he is 
 choaked by the evil spirit ; and has not the liberty of 
 serving the Lord as he would, for he is grieved by an- 
 ger. When therefore both these spirits dwell together, 
 it is destructive to a man.(^) As if one should take a 
 little wormwood, and put it into a vessel of honey, the 
 whole honey would be corrupted ; and a great quan- 
 tity of honey is spoiled by a very little wormwood, 
 and loses the sweetness of honey, and is no longer 
 acceptable to its Lord ; because the whole honey is 
 made bitter, and loses its use. But if no wormwood 
 be put into the honey, it is sweet and profitable to 
 its Lord. Thus is forbearance sweeter than honey, 
 and profitable to the Lord who dwelleth in it. But 
 anger is unprofitable. If therefore anger shall be 
 
 (fi) MS. Lamb, melius, Cum. Vase : Et Gr- with the body, ov 
 vessel. 
 
 (^) Both Athanasius and Antiochus add here these words, omit- 
 ted in our copies : " for in forbearance [or long-suffenng] the Lord 
 dwelleth, but in bitterness the devil." 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 313 
 
 mixed with forbearance* the soul is distressed, and 
 its prayer is not profitable with God. And I said un- 
 to him, sir, I would know the sinfulness of anger, 
 that I may keep myself from it. And he said unto 
 me, thou shalt know it ; and if thou shalt not keep 
 thyself from it, thou shalt lose thy hope with all thy 
 house. Wherefore depart from it. For I the mes- 
 senger of righteousness am with thee ; and all that 
 depart from it, as many as shall repent with all their 
 hearts, shall live unto God ; and I will be with them, 
 and will keep them all. For all such as have repent- 
 ed, have been justified by the most Holy Messenger, 
 who is a minister of salvation. 
 
 2. And now, says he, hear the wickedness of an- 
 ger ; how evil and hurtful it is, and how it over- 
 throws the servants of God : for it cannot hurt those 
 that are full of fuith,(A) because the power of God is 
 with them ; but it overthrows the doubtful, and those 
 that are destitute of faith. For as often as it sees such 
 men, it casts itself into their hearts ; and so a man 
 or woman is in bitterness for nothing : for the things 
 of life, or for sustenance, or for a vain word, if any 
 should chance to fall in ; or by reason of any friend, 
 or for a debt ; or for any other superfluous things of 
 the like nature. For these things are foolish, and su- 
 perfluous, and vain to the servants of God. But equa- 
 nimity is strong, and forcible ; and of great power, 
 and sitteth in great enlargement ; is cheerful, rejoic- 
 ing in peace, and glorifying God at all times with 
 meekness.(«) And this long-suflfering dwells with, 
 those that are full of faith. But anger is foolish, and 
 light, and empty. Now bitterness is bred through 
 folly ; by bitterness, anger ; by anger, fury. And 
 this fary arising from so many evil principles, w^orketh 
 a great and uncurable sin. For when all these things 
 
 (.r) Gr. Work upon, Et MS. Lamb, fticere. 
 
 (a) In the Greek of Athanasias and Antiochus, the sense is fuller, 
 haying nothing of bitterness in itself, and continuing ahvays in mce]^^ 
 nes-s and ouicnessi 
 
SI 4 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 are in the same man, in which the holy spirit dwells, 
 the vessel cannot contain them, but runs over ; and 
 because the spirit being tender cannot tarry with the 
 evil one ; it departs and dwells with him that is meek. 
 When therefore it is departed from the man in whom 
 it dwelt, that man becomes destitute of the holy spi- 
 rit, and is afterwards filled with wicked spirits,(c) and 
 is blmded with evil thoughts. Thus does it happen to 
 all axigry men. Wherefore depart thou from an- 
 ger, and put on equanimity, and resist wrath ; so 
 shiilt thou be found with modesty and chastity by 
 God.(G^) Take good heed therefore that thou ne- 
 glect not this commandment. For if thou shalt obey 
 this command, then shalt thou also be able to observe 
 the other commandments which I shall command thee. 
 Wherefore strengthen thyself now in these commands, 
 that thou mayest live unto God. And whosoever 
 shall observe these commandments shall live unto 
 God. 
 
 COMMAND VI. 
 
 THAT EVERY MAN HAS TWO ANGELS, (c) AND OF THE 
 SUGGESTIONS OF BOTH. 
 
 I. I COMMAND thee, said he, in my first com- 
 mandment, that thou shouldest keep faith, and fear, 
 and re|)entance.(/) Yes, sir, said I. He continued ; 
 
 (c) In the Gr. of Alhanasias follow these woi'ds, omitted in the 
 Latin verse of Hermas ; " and is unstable in all his doings, being 
 drawn hither and thither by wicked men." 
 
 (rf) In the Gr. of Athanasius it runs better thus, *' applauded 
 •with reverence, by those who are beloved of God." 
 
 (e) Vid. Coteler. Annot in loc. pag. 67, 68. Comp. Edit. Oxon. 
 p. 6i. Not. a. 
 
 CfJ Lat. Poenitentiam. It should rather be Abstinentiam ; as in 
 tJie Gr. of Athanasius ; as appears by the first commandment which 
 is hsix referred to. 
 
0? ST. HERMAS. 313 
 
 feut now I will shew thee the virtues of these com- 
 maiicls, tliat thou mayest know their eftects ; how they 
 are prescribed ahke to the just and unjust. Do thou 
 therefore beheve the righteous, but give no credit to 
 the unrighteous^ For righteousness keepeth the right 
 way, but unrighteousness the wicked way. Do thou 
 therefore keep the right way, and leave that which is 
 evil. For the evil way has not a good end, but hath 
 niitny stumbling blocks ; it is rugged and full of thorns, 
 and leads to destruction ; and is hurtful to all such as 
 wuIm in it. But they who go in the right way, walk 
 with evenness, and without offence ; because it is not 
 rough nor thorny. Thou seest therefore, how it is 
 best to walk in this way. Thou shalt therefore go, 
 says he, and all others, as many as believe in God 
 with all their heart, shall go through it. 
 
 2. And now, says he, understand first of all what 
 belongs to faith.(/^) There are two angels with man ; 
 one of righteousness, the other of iniquity. And I 
 said unto him, sir, how shall I know that there are 
 two such angels with man ? Hear, says he, and un- 
 derstand. The Angel of righteousness is mild, and 
 modest, and gentle, and quiet- When therefore he 
 gets into thy heart, immediately he talks with thee of 
 righteousness, of modesty, of chastity, of bountyful- 
 ness, of forgiveness, of charity, and piety. When 
 all these things come into thy heart, know then that 
 the angel of righteousness is with thee. Wherefore 
 hearken to this angel and to his works- Learn al- 
 so the works of the angel of iniquity. He is first of 
 all bitter, and angry, and foolish ; and his works are 
 pernicious, and overthrow the servants of God. When 
 therefore these things come into thy heart, thou shalt 
 know by his works, that this is the angel of iniquity. 
 And I said unto him, sir, how shall I understand these 
 things ? Hear, says he, and understand. When an- 
 ger overtakes thee, or bitterness, know that he is in 
 
 (h) Vid. Antioch. Horn. Ixi. Comp. Orig. L. iii. De Princip. Ef, 
 ifl Luc. Horn. XXXV. 
 
316 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 thee ; as also, when the desire of many things, and 
 of the best meats, and of drunkenness ; when the 
 love of what belongs to others, pride and much speak- 
 ing, and ambition, and the like things, come upon 
 thee. When therefore these things arise in thy heart, 
 know that the angel of iniquity is with thee. Seeing 
 therefore thou knowest his works, depart from them 
 all, and give no credit to him ; because his works are 
 evil, and become not the servants of God. Here 
 therefore thou hast the works of both these angels. 
 Understand now and believe the angel of righteous- 
 ness, because his instruction is good. For let a man 
 be never so happy, yet if the thoughts of the other 
 ^ngel rise in his heart, that man or woman must needs 
 sin. But let a man or woman be never so wicked, 
 if the works of the angel of righteousness come into 
 his heart, that man or woman must needs do some 
 good. Thou seest therefore how it is good to follow 
 the angel of righteousness. If therefore thou shalt 
 follow him, and submit to his works, thou shalt live 
 unto God. And as many as shall submit to his works, 
 shall live also unto Gi)d. 
 
 COMMAND Vn. 
 
 THAT WE MUST FEAR GOD, BUT NOT THE DEVIL. 
 
 FEAR God, says he, and keep his command- 
 ments ;(l) for if thou keepest his commandments thou 
 shalt be powerful in every work, and all thy work 
 shall be excellent ;(m) for by fearing God, thou shalt 
 do every thing well. This is that fear with which 
 
 (/) Vid. Antiocli. Hom. cxxvii. Eccles. xii. 13. 
 (/n) Without CoiT]panson, or without mixtutc. 
 
, OF ST. HERMAS. 317 
 
 thou must be affected that thou mayest be saved.—- 
 But fear not the devil ; for if thou fearest the Lord, 
 thou shalt have dominion over him ; because there is 
 no power in him : now if there be no power in him, 
 then neither is he to be feared ; but he in wliom there 
 is excellent power, is to be feared ; bat he that has 
 no power is despised by every one. Fear the works of 
 the devil, because they are evil : for by fearing the 
 Lord, thou wilt fear and not do the works of the de- 
 vil, but keep thyself from them. There is therefore 
 a two-fold fear ; if thou wilt not do evil, fear the 
 Lord and thou shalt not do it. But if thou wilt do 
 good, the fear of the Lord is strong, and great, and 
 glorious.(o) Wherefore, fear God and thou shalt live : 
 and whosoever shall fear him and keep his command- 
 ments, their life is with the Lord. But they who keep 
 them not, neither is life in them. 
 
 COMMAND VIII. 
 
 THAT WE MUST FLEE FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD. 
 
 I HAVE told thee, said he, that there are two 
 kinds of creatures of the Lord, and that there is a two- 
 fold abstinence,(/)) From some things therefore thou 
 must abstain, and from others not. 1 answered, de- 
 clare to me, sir, from what I must abstain, and from 
 what not. Hearken, said he, keep thyself from evil, 
 and do it not ; but abstain not from doing good, but 
 do it : for if thou shalt abstain from what is good, and 
 not do it, thou shalt sin. Abstain therefore from all 
 
 (o) In the Gr. of Antiochus these words follow, wliich ma'ie the 
 connexion more clear : " Fear also the Lord, and thou shalt be able 
 to do it, for." 
 
 f/O Antioch. Horn. IxxiXi 
 
3U THE SHEPHERD 
 
 evil, and thou shalt know all righteousness. I said, 
 what evil things are they from which 1 mu?;t abstain ? 
 Hearken, said he, from adultery, from drunkennt-ss, 
 from riots, from excess of eating, from daintiness and 
 dishonesty, from pride, from fraud, from lying, from 
 detraction, from hypocrisy, from rememurance of in- 
 juries, and from all evil speaking ; for these are the 
 works of iniquity, from which the servants of God 
 must abstain ; for he that cannot keep himself from 
 these things, cannot live unto God. But hear, said 
 he, what follows of tuese kind of things : for indeed 
 many more there are from which the servant of God 
 must abstain : from theft and cheating, irom false wit- 
 ness, from covetousness, from boasting, and all other 
 things of the like nature. Do these things seem to thee 
 to be evil or not ? Indeed they are very evil to the 
 servants of God. Wherefore the servants of God 
 must abstain from all these works.(r) Keep thyself 
 therefore from them, that thou mayest live unto God, 
 and be written among those that abstain from them : 
 and thus have I shewn thee what things thou must 
 avoid. Now learn from what thou must not abstain : 
 abstain not from any good works, but do them ; hear, 
 said he, what the virtue of those good works is which 
 thou must do, that thou mayest be saved : the first of 
 all is faith, the fear of the Lord, charity, concord, 
 equity, truth, patience, chastity; there is nothing bet- 
 ter than these things in the life of man ; who shall 
 kee'p and do these in their life. (5) Hear next what 
 follow these: to minister to the widows, not to des- 
 pise the fatherless and poor, to redeem the servants 
 of God from necessity, to be hospitable (for in hospi- 
 tality there is sometimes great fruit) not to be conten- 
 tious, but be quiet, to be humble above all men, to 
 
 (a) Vid. Cotelei*. in loc 
 
 (s) The sense here is defective, and may be thus restored from 
 the Greek of Athanasius, " whosoever keeps tliese things, and doth 
 not abstain from them, shall be happy in his life." And so i]fc 
 Liamb. MS. Hxc qui custodierit. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 319 
 
 reverence the agod, to labour to be righteous, to res- 
 pect brotherhood, to bear aiTroiits, to be long sufTer- 
 iiig, not to cast away those that have fallen irom the 
 faith,(w) but to convert them and make them be of 
 g(;od cheer, to admonish sin.ners, not to oppress those 
 that are our debtors, and all other things of a like 
 kind. Do these things seem to thee to be good or not ? 
 And I said, what can be better than these wo litis ? 
 Live then, said he, in these commandments, and do 
 not depart from them ; for if thou shalt keep all these 
 commandments, thou shalt live unto God. And all 
 they that shall keep these commandments shall live 
 unto God. 
 
 COMMAND IX. 
 
 THAT WE MUST ASK OF GOD DAILY, AND WITHOU i 
 DOUBTING. 
 
 AGAIN he said unto me, remove from thee all 
 doubting,(2/) and question nothing at all, when thou 
 askest any thing of the Lord, saying within thyself, 
 iow shall I be able to ask any thing of the Lord and 
 receive it, seeing I have so greatly sinned against hiai ? 
 Do not think thus, but turn unto the Lord with al' 
 thy heart, and ask of him without doubting, and thou 
 shalt know the mercy of the Loid, how that lie will 
 not forsake thee, but will fulfil the request of thy 
 soul; for God is not as men, mindful of the injuries 
 he has received, but he forgets injuries and has com 
 passion upon his creature. Wherefore purify tliy 
 
 (w) Add from the Gr. of Athanasius and Antiochus ; ** not to re- 
 member injuria, to comfort those who Uibour in their Ininds." 
 
 (y) Vid. Antioch. Honv Isjixiil Confer. Fragm. D. Grabe. Sp';- 
 ciieg- torn- i' 303. 
 
320 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 heart from all the vices of this present world, and ob- 
 serve the commands I have before delivered unto thee 
 from God ; and thou shalt receive whatsoever good 
 things thou shalt ask, and nothing shall be wanting 
 unco thee of all thy petitions, if thou shalt ask of the 
 Lord without doubting. But they that are not such, 
 sh.ill obtain none of those things which they ask ;{z) for 
 they that are full of faith, ask all things with confi- 
 dence, and receive from the Lord, because they ask 
 without doubting ; but he that doubts, shall hardly live 
 unto God, except he repent- Wherefore purify thy 
 heart from doubting, and put on faith, and trust in 
 God, and thou shalt receive all that thou shalt ask. — 
 But and if thou shouldst chance to ask somewhat and 
 not (immediatcly)(a) receive it, yet do not therefore 
 jioubt, because thou hast not presently received the 
 petition of thy soul. For it may be thou shalt not 
 presently receive it for thy trial, or else for some sin 
 which thou knowest not ; but do not thou leave off 
 to ask, and then thou shalt receive ;{b) else if thou shalt 
 cease to ask, thou must complain of thyself, and not 
 of God, that he has not given unto thee what thou 
 didst desire. Consider therefore this doubting how 
 cruel and pernicious it is, and how it utterly roots out 
 many from the faith, who are very faithful and firm ; 
 for this doubting is the daughter of the devil, and 
 deals very wickedly with the servants of God ; des- 
 pise it therefore, and thou shalt rule over it on every 
 occasion. Put on a firm and powerful faith ; for faith 
 promises all things, and perfects all things ; but doubt- 
 ing will not believe, that it shall obtain any thing, by 
 all that it can do, Thou seest therefore, says he, how 
 faith cometh from above, from God, and has great 
 
 (-) Add from the Gr. both of Athanasius and Antioch. " But 
 if thou doubtest in thy heart, thou shalt jreceive none of thy peti- 
 tions. For those who distrust (or doubt of) God, are like the dou- 
 ble minded, who shall obtain none of these things " 
 
 (a) So MS. Lamb. Tardius accipias : and so the Gr. 
 
 (b) Asking the petition of tjiy soul. 
 
©F ST. HERMAS, 521 
 
 power : but doubting is an earthly spirit, and pro- 
 ceedeth from the devii, and has no strength. Do thou 
 therefore keep the virtue of faith, and depart from 
 doubting, in which is no virtue, and thou shalt live 
 unto God ; and all shall live unto God, as many as 
 shall do these things. 
 
 COMMAND X. 
 
 OF THE SADNESS OF THE HEART; AND THAT WE MUST 
 TAKK HEitU NOT TO GRIEVE THE SPIRIT OF GOD THAT 
 IS IN US. 
 
 I. PUT all sadness fiir from thee, for it is the sis- 
 ter of doubting and of anger. How, sir, said I, is 
 it tha sister of these ? for sadness, and anger, and 
 doubting, seem tome to be very different from one 
 another. And he answered, art thou without sense 
 that thou dost not understand it ? for sadness is the 
 most mischievous of all spirits, and the worst to the 
 servants of God ; it destroys the spirits of all men,(rf) 
 and torments the h^iy spirit ; and again it saves. Sir, 
 said I, I am very foolish, and understand not these 
 things ; I cannot apprehend how it can torment, and 
 yet save ? Hear, said he, and understand ; they who 
 never sought oat the truth, nor enquired concerning 
 the majesty of God, but only believed, are involved 
 in the affairs of the heathen. And there is another 
 lying prophet,(/) that destroys the minds of the ser- 
 vants of God ; that is those that are doubtful, not of 
 those that fully trust in the Lard. Now those doubt- 
 fui persons come to him, as to a divine spirit, and in- 
 
 (rf) So the Lat. vers but the Gr. of Athanasius is better : " ainj 
 descroyeth man more than any other spirit '' 
 (/) Vid. Edit. Oxo!). p. 70. b. Conip. 2 Gov. vll. 10, 
 
 [411 
 
322 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 quire of him, what shall befall them : and this lying 
 prophet having no power in him of the divine spirit, 
 answers them according to their demands, and hlls 
 their souls with promises according as they desire. — 
 Howbeit that prophet is vain, and answers vain things 
 to those who are themselves vain ; and whatsoever is 
 asked of him by vain men, he answers thtm vainly : 
 nevertheless he speaketh some things truly, for the 
 devil fills hini with his spirit, that he may overthrow 
 some of the righteous. 
 
 2. Whosoever therefore are strong in the faith of 
 the Lord, and have put on the truth, they are not 
 joined to such spirits, but depart from them : but they 
 that are doubtful and often repenting, like the hea- 
 thens, consult them, and heap up to themselves great 
 sin, serving idols. As many therefore as are such, in- 
 quire of them upon every occasion, worship idols, and 
 are foolish and void of the truth ; for every spirit that 
 is given from God needs not to be asked, but having 
 the power of the divinity speaks all things of itself; 
 because he comes from above, from the power of the 
 spirit of God. But he that being asked ^eaks ac- 
 cording to men*s desires, and concerning many other 
 affairs of this present world, understands not the 
 things which relate unto God ; for these spirits are 
 darkened through such jfffairs, and corrupted, and 
 broken. As good vines, if they are neglected, are 
 oppressed with weeds and thorns, and at last killed 
 by them ; so are the men who believe such spirits ; 
 they fall into many actions and businesses, and are 
 void of sense, and when they think of things pertain- 
 ing unto God, they understand nothing at all : but if 
 at any time the^y chance to hear any thing concerning 
 the Lord, their thoughts are upon their business. But 
 they that have the fear of the Lord, and searc-li out 
 the truth concerning God, having all their thoughts 
 toward the Lord, apprehend whatsoever is said to 
 them, and forthwith understand it, because they have 
 the fear of the Lord in them : for where the spirit of 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 323 
 
 the Lord dwells, there is also much understanding 
 added. Wherefore join thyself to the Lord, and thou 
 shalt understand all things. 
 
 3. Learn now, O unwise man ! How sadness trou- 
 bleth the holy spirit, and how it saves. W hen a man 
 that is doubtful is engaged in any afikir, and does not 
 accomj)Iish it by reason of his doubting ; this sadness 
 enters into him and grieves the Holy Spirit, and makes 
 him sad. Again, anger when it overtakes any man 
 for any business, he is greatly moved ; and then again 
 sadness entereth into the heart of him,* who was mov- 
 ed with anger, and he is troubled for wliat he hath 
 done, and repenteth, because he hath done amiss. — 
 This sadness therefore seemeth to bring salvation, be- 
 cause he repenteth of his evil deed ; but both the 
 other tilings, namely, doubting and sadness, such as 
 before was mentioned, vex the spirit : doubting be- 
 cause his work did not succeed ; and sadness because 
 he angered the Holy Spirit. Remove therefore sad- 
 ness trom thyself,(r>) and afflict not the Holy Spirit 
 which dwelleth in thee ; lest he entreat God, and de- 
 part from thee ;t ^or the spirit of the Lord which is 
 
 * In tlie Greek of Athanasius, follows, ««/ ■zrs/jjVf ri xctKov, 
 And he doth something which is ill. Which betier agrees with 
 what follows, " Because he hath done amiss." The text in this 
 place being evidently corrupted, I have endeavoured to restore the 
 tvue sense of ir from the Greek of Athanasius, which is as follows. 
 ri^Aif >?' y\'j7r)} ili'uio^tvilcct eli rr.v xu^oicov Tov 'Av$ uttov t«u <5|f;j;«- 
 
 Sec. ' 
 
 (o) Antioch. Horn. xxv. 
 
 f When Hermas here saith of the Holy Spirit that he entreats 
 God; and before, that he is vexed and grieved, to prevent any 
 mistakes in a matter of such moment, the reader may please to ob- 
 serve, that he speaketh not of the Holy Ghost as hejs the spirit of 
 God,- and the third person in the sacred trinity; but of the spirit 
 given to christians, which dwelleth in their souls and bodies, being 
 an emanation, or gift fi'om the spirit of God ; and thovgh not an 
 essential part of man, yet a perfecting part of a christian; which 
 Hermas himself elsewhere declareth to be created in man, lib. iii. 
 cap. V. § 6. But then that he thought thi^ created spirit of regene- 
 
324 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 given to dwell in the flesh, endurethno such sadness; 
 "wherefpre clothe thyself with cheerfulness, which has 
 always favour with the Lord, and thou shalt rejoice in 
 it ; for every cheerful man does well, and relishes 
 those things that are good, and despises sadnt ss. But 
 the sad man does always wickedly : first, he doth 
 wickedly, because he grieveth the Holy Spirit, which 
 is given to man being of a cheerful nature. And 
 again he does ill, because he prays with sadness unto 
 the Lord, and maketh not first a thankful acknow- 
 ledgment unto him of former mercies, and obtains not 
 o^ God w hat he asks ; for the prayer of a sad man 
 has not efficacy to come up to the altar of God. And 
 I said unto him, sir, why has not the prayer of a sad 
 man virtue to come up to the altar of God ? because, 
 said he, that sadness remaineth in his heart. When 
 therefore a man's prayer shall be accompanied with 
 sadness, it will not suflfer his requests to ascend pure 
 to the altar of God; for as wine, when it is mingled with 
 vinegar, has not the sweetness it had before ; so sad- 
 ness, being mixed with the Holy Spirit, suffers not a 
 man's prayer to be the same that it would be otherwise. 
 Wherefore cleanse thyself from sadness, which is evil, 
 and thou shalt live unto God ; and all others shall live 
 unto God, as many as shall lay aside sadness, and 
 put on cheerfulness. 
 
 rate persons to be distinct from, though a par'ticipation of, the spirit 
 of God, is plain from what we before read in the second section 
 of this very command, where he diitinguisheth between the spirit 
 given from God, and the spirit of God. Every spirit, says he, that 
 is given from God, having the power of the divinity, speaketh all 
 things of itself, because he cometh from above, from the power of 
 the spirit of God. And indeed St. Paul himself in that remarkable 
 place 1 Cor iill- 12. mentioneth distinctly «rv£WjM,a to ik rav Qsev. and 
 and iz-vcZ/Ltx. ruv &10V ; and plainly teaches thai lixis i.i Gou, and the 
 otherui a)cn,aiiiiougti from God. Now when Hermas here speaketh of 
 the spiiits entreating God, he expressly speaketh of the spirit which 
 dwelleih in us, and the spirit Avhich is given to dwell in the fit sh ; 
 not of the spirit as he is in God, and consequently imcreated, and 
 God himself: for all that is in (Jod is such. 
 
GF ST. HERMAS. 325 
 
 COMMAND XI. 
 
 . THAT THE SPIRITS AND PROPHETS ARE TO BE TRIED BY 
 THEIR WORKS; AND OF A TWO-FOLD SIURIT. 
 
 1. HE shewed me certain men sitting upon bench- 
 es, and one sitting in a chair : and he said unto me, 
 seest tiiou those who sit upon the benclies ? Sir, said I, 
 I see them. He answered, they are the faithful ; 
 and he who sits in the chair, is an earthly spirit. For 
 he Cometh not into the assembly of the faithful, but 
 avoids it. But he joins himself to the doubtful and 
 empty ; and prophesies to them in corners and hidden 
 places ; and pleases them by speaking according to 
 all the desires of their hearts. For he, placing himself 
 among empty vessels, is not broken, but the one fit- 
 teth the other. But when he cometh into the compa- 
 ny of just men, who are full of the spirit of God, 
 and they pray unto the Lord ; that man is emjJtied, 
 because that earthly spirit flies from him, and he is 
 dumb, and cannot speak any thing. As if in a store- 
 house you shall stop up wine or oil, and among those 
 vessels shall place an empty jar, and shall afterwards 
 come to open it, you slmll lind it empty as you stop- 
 ped it up ; so those empty prophets, when they come 
 among the spirits of the just, are found to be such 
 as they came.* 
 
 * It is evident from the method of Hermas's cii'-ccurse in this 
 place, that somewhat is wanting to nrikc up tiie subjecc of it. He 
 had spoken hefove of tlie false prophets, and the emptiiiess of their 
 preaching, but no'Jiing of the true ones, nor an}' thing of the life 
 and works of either. How to supply this 1 have been adm:>nii->hcd 
 by my learned friend Dr. Grabe- What should have followed here, is 
 transposed into the next command ; and being brought l)Mck iiither, 
 not only supplies the defect of this, but makes way for the more 
 easy connexion of his discourse in that. And for this, Ijosides the 
 plain reason of the thing itself, we have the authority of Athiinasi- 
 ^is in that other command ; wiio leaves out what has been f<;ilseiy 
 inserted there ; as I shall shew when I come to it, from his own 
 words. For both these reasons I have reduced both places to what 
 I take to have been their- true order ; and sh;'.ll s^ubmit it to the 
 reader (to judge upon this advertisement) v.hcther'I had not good 
 reason, as well as suiFicient authority, so to do. 
 
326 rilE SHEPHERD 
 
 2. I said, how then shall a man be able to discern 
 theiii ? consider what I am going to say concerning 
 both kinds of men ; and as 1 speak unto thee, so shalt 
 thou prove the prophet of God, and the false prophet. 
 Ana tirst try tiie man who huth the spirit of God ; 
 because the spirit which is from above is humble, and 
 quiet, and departs from all wickedness, and from the 
 vain desires of the present world; and makes himself 
 more humble than all men ; and answers to none 
 when he is asked ; nor to every one singly ; for the 
 spirit of God doth not speak to a man when he will, 
 but when God pleases. When therefore a man v. ho 
 hath the spirit of God shall come into the Church of 
 the righteous, who have the faith of God, and they 
 pray unto the Lord ; then the holy angel of God fills 
 that man with the blessed spirit, and he speaks in the 
 congregation as he is moved of God. Thus therefore 
 is the spirit of God known, because wliosoever speak- 
 eth by the spirit of God, speaketh as the Lord will. 
 
 3. Hear now concerning the earthly spirit, which 
 is empty and foolish, and without virtue. And first 
 of all the man who is supposed to have the sjjirit, 
 (whereas he hath it not in reality,) exalteth himself, 
 and desires to have the first seat, and is wicked, and 
 full of words ; and spends his time in pleasure, and 
 in all manner of voluptuousness ; and receives the re- 
 ward of his divination ; which if he receives not, he 
 does not divine. Should the spirit of God receive 
 reward and divine ? It doth not become a pro- 
 phet of God so to do. Thus you see the life of each 
 of these kind of prophets. Wherefore jjrove that 
 man by his life and works, wiio says that he hath the 
 Holy Spirit. And beheve the spirit which comes from 
 God, and has power as such. But believe not the 
 earthly and empty spirit, which is from the devil, in 
 whom there is no faith nor virtue. Hear now the si- 
 militude which I am about to speak unto thee. Take 
 a stone and throw it up towards heaven, or take a 
 ^out of water, and mount it up thitherward, and see 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 327 
 
 if thou canst reach unto heaven. Sir, said I, how 
 can this be done i* for neither of tiiose things which 
 you have mentioned, are possible to be done. And 
 he answered, therefore as tliesfe things canmM be done, 
 so is the earthly spirit without virtue, and without ef- 
 fect. Understand yet farther the power which coni- 
 eth from above, in this similitude. The grains of 
 hail that drop down are exceeding small ; and yet 
 when they fall upon the head of a man, how do they 
 cause pain to it ? And again ; consider the droppings 
 of a house ; how the little drops falling upon the 
 earth, work a hollow in the stones. So in like manner 
 the least things which come from above, and fall upon 
 the earth, have great force. Wherefore join thyself 
 to this spirit, which has power ; and depart from the 
 other which is empty. 
 
 COMMAND XII. 
 
 OF A TWO-FOLD DESIRE : THAT THE COMMANDS OF GOD ARK 
 NO r IMPOSSIBLE : AND THAT THE DEVIL 13 NOT TO BK 
 FEARLD EV I'HEM THAT BELIEVE. 
 
 1. AGAIN he said unto me, remove from thee all 
 evil desires, and put on good and holy desires. (c/) For 
 having put on a good desire, thou shalt hate that vvhicii 
 is evil, and bridle it as thou wilt. But an evil desiro 
 is dreadful and hard to be tamed. It is very iionibl'rt 
 and wild; and by its wildness consumes men. And 
 ef{;'jcially if a servant of God shall chance to fall into 
 it, except he be very wise, he is ruined by it. Forir. 
 d(^rs.ti'oys those who have not the garment of a good 
 de.siie, and are engaged in the afluirs of tliis jucsent 
 
 ,'a^ '"-hi Anticch, IIoui,b:xiv, 
 
328 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 world, (c) and deliver them unto death. * Sh", said J, 
 what are the Vv'orks of an evil desire, which bring 
 men unto death ? Shew them to me, that I may de- 
 part from them.' Hear said he, uy wiiut works an 
 evil desire bringeth the servants ot God unto death. 
 First of all, it is an evil desire to covet anoth(ir man's 
 wile ; or for a woman to covet another's husband ; 
 as also to desire the dainties of riches, and multitude 
 of .sujx'niuous meats ; and drunkenness, and many 
 del 'gilts. For in niach delicacy there is folly ; and 
 nir.xiy pleasures are needless to the servants of God. 
 Such lusting therefore is evil and pernicious, which 
 brings to death the servants of God. For all such 
 lusting is frum the devil. Whosoever therefore shall 
 depart from all evil desires, siiall live unto God ; but 
 they that are subject unto tliem shall die for ever. 
 For this evil lusting is deadly. Do thou therefore 
 put on the desire of righteousness, and being armed 
 "v»'ith the fear of the Lord, resist all wicked lusting. 
 For this fear dwelleth in good desires ; and when evil 
 coveting shall see thee armed with the fear of the 
 Lord, and resisting it; it will flee far from thee, and. 
 not appear before thee, but be afraid of thy armour ; 
 ■and thou shalt have the victory, and be crowned for 
 it; and shalt attain unto that desire which is good; 
 and shalt give the victory which thou hast obtained 
 unto God, and shalt serve him ui doing what thou 
 thyself wouldest do. For if thou shalt serve good 
 desires, and be suuject to them ; thou shalt be able to 
 
 (c) ifJLiir^v^f^fjovi roi tctwvi rovTca. Gr. Athanas. Iiistca.1 of 
 implic u c ;. ic ., u:m evse ^jlm.u.i oe implicatos. 
 
 * That the vvords hcr« inserted, and nmoved by me into their 
 proper place in the ioiegoing "command, do not belong to this dis- 
 course, the Greek of Athanasius, clearly shewf. In \vhich t';.e)" 
 arc 'dl omittrd, :i;vl 'ht* 'fMii exion In-s as have now rci''esentefl 
 it Uolet. KUrif f*ri t«5 iTri^vf^ieti rtj^ Trovyi^u<; t« irx^u^iS'aviTtt 
 T Vft ' A(6g^Jf i t'li S-uteclov ; yvai^iiov /«>«/, tvec (pwyu ut ecirav . 
 "Ay.^fav n^cdTov zfonrojv i7ri^Bf*.ioi. yvvetucoi kxi ■groXv}iXeicc srXovrov, 
 xxt i^eo-^cura. tsraAA^v xc. .a,k: .-i' the Lamb. MS- Primam Om 
 niuui concupiscere Uxorem alienam : Not. Spiritus Omnium. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 329 
 
 get the dominion over thy wicked lustings ; and they 
 shall be subject to thee as thou wilt. 
 
 3. And I said, sir, I would know how to serve that 
 desire which is good ? Hearken, said he, fear God, 
 and put thy trust in him, and love truth and right- 
 eousness, and do that which is good. If thou shalt 
 do these things, thou shalt be an approved servant of 
 God, and shall serve him : and all others who shall in 
 like manner serve a good desire shall live unto God. 
 And when he had finished these twelve commands, 
 he said unto me, thou hast now these commands, walk 
 in them, and exhort those that hear them that they 
 repent, and that tMey keep their repentance pure all 
 the remaining days of their life : and fulfil diligently 
 this ministry which I commit to thee, and thou shalt 
 receive great advantage by it, and shalt find favour 
 with all such as shall repent, and shall believe thj^ 
 words ; for I am with thee, and will force them to 
 believe. And I said unlo him, sir, these commands 
 are great and excellent, and able to cheer the heart 
 of Chat man that shall be able to keep them. But, sir, 
 I cannot tell, wiielher they can be observed by any 
 man? He answered, thou shalt easily keep these com- 
 mands, and they shall not be hard : howbeit, if thou 
 shalt suffer it once to enter into thy heart that they 
 cannot be kept by any one, thou shalt not fulfil them. 
 Bat n^w I say unto thee, if thou shalt not observe 
 these commands, but shalt neglect them, thou shalt 
 not be saved, nor thy cliildren, nor thy house, because 
 thou hast judged that these commands cannot be kept 
 Ijy man. 
 
 4. These things he spalve very angrily unto me, in- 
 somuch that he greatly afirighted me, for he changed 
 his countenance, so that a man could not bear his 
 anger : and when he saw me altogether troubled and 
 confounded, he began to speak more moderately and 
 cheerfully, saying, O foolish and without understand- 
 ing ! Unconstant, not knowing the majesty of God, 
 how great and wonderful he is; who created the 
 
 142] 
 
330 TilE SHEPHERD 
 
 world for man, and hath made every creature subject 
 unto him ; and givenjiiin aU power, that he should be 
 able to luihl all these oommantls. He is able, said he, 
 to tullii all these commands, who has the Lord in his 
 heart : but they who iiave the Lord only in their 
 mouths, and their heart is hardened, and they are 
 far Irom the Lord; to such persons these commands 
 are hard and diihcult. Put therefore, ye that are 
 empty and light in the faith, the Lord your God in 
 your hearts, and ye shall perceive how that nothing 
 is more easy than these commands, nor more pleasant, 
 nor more gentle and holy ; and tuin yourselves to tho 
 Lord your God, and forsake the devil and his plea- 
 sures, because they are evil, and bitter, and impure ; 
 and fear not the devil, because he has no power over 
 you ; for I am with you, the messenger of repentance, 
 who have dominion over him. The devil does indeed 
 affright men, but his terror is vain ; wherefore fear 
 him not, and he will flee from you. 
 
 5. And I said unto him, sir, hear me speak a few 
 words unto you. He answered, say on : A man in- 
 deed desires to keep the commandments of God, and 
 there is no one but what prays unto God, that he may 
 be able to keep his commandments : but the devil is 
 hard, and by his power rules, over the servants of 
 God. And he said, he cannot rule over the ser- 
 vants of God, who trust in him with all their hearts; 
 the devil may strive, but he cannot overcome them ; 
 for if ye resist him, he will flee away with ponfusion 
 from you ; but they that are not full in the faith, fear 
 the devil, as if he had some great power ; for the 
 devil tries the servants of God, and if he finds them 
 empty, he destroys them : for as a man when he fills 
 up vessels with good wine, and among them puts a 
 few vessels half lull,(^) and comes to try and taste 
 of the vessels, does not try those that are full because 
 he knows that they are good, but tastes those that 
 
 (§•) Origcn. in Matth. xxiv. 43. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 331 
 
 are half full, least they should grow sour (for ves- 
 sels half full soon grow sour, and lose the taste of 
 WHie) so the devil comes to the servants of God to 
 try them ; they that are full of faith resist him stoutly, 
 and he departs from 'them, because he finds no place 
 where to enter into them ; then he goes to those that 
 are not full of faith, and because he has a place of 
 entrance, he goes into them, and does what he will 
 witn them, and they become his servants. 
 
 6. i3ut I, the messenger of repentance, say unto 
 you, fear not the devil: for I am sent unto you, that 
 I may be with you, as many as shall repent with your 
 whole hearts, and that 1 may confirm you in the faith. 
 Believe therefore ye who by reason of your trans- 
 g!essions(/) have torgot God and your own salvation,(/ir) 
 and addmg to your sins have made your life very 
 heavy ;(/) that if ye shall turn to the Lord with your 
 whole hearts, and shall serve him according to his 
 will, he will heal you of your former sins, and ye 
 shall have dominion over all the works of the devil ; 
 be not then afraid in the least of his threatenings, for 
 they are without force, as the nerves of a dead man ; 
 but hearken unto me, and fear the Lord Almighty, 
 wiio is able to save and to destroy you ; and keep 
 his commands, that ye may live unto God. And I said 
 unto him, sir, I am now confirmed in all the commands 
 of the Lord whilst that you are with me, and I know 
 that you will break all the power of the devil; and 
 we also shall overcome him if we shall be able through 
 the help of the Lord, to keep these commands which 
 you have delivered. Thou shalt keep them, said he, 
 if thou shalt purify thy heart towards the Lord : and 
 all they also shall keep them who shall clean?e their 
 hearts from the vain desires of the present world, and 
 shall live unto C>od. 
 
 (i) Vid. Antioch. Horn. Ixxvii. 
 
 (/t) MS. Lamlv Qui obliti estis Deura, and salutcn vestram. 
 (/) What folL \vs should be corrected thus: Et qui adjicientes pec- 
 catis vcstris gravatis vitan]^ vestram. 
 
THE 
 
 SIMILITUDES OF ST. HERMAS. 
 
 BOOK III. 
 
 SIMILITUDE I. 
 
 THAT SEEING WE HAVE NO ABIDING CITY IN THIS WORLD, 
 WE OUGHT TO JLOOK AFTER THAT WHICH IS TO COME. 
 
 AND he said unto me, ye know that ye who are 
 the servants of the Lord, live here as in a pilgrimage, 
 for your city is far off from this city.(o) If therefore 
 ye know your city in which ye are to dwell, why do 
 ye here buy estates, and provide yourselves with de- 
 licacies, and stately buildings, and superfluous hou- 
 ses ? for he that provides himself these things in this 
 city, does not think of returning into his own city. 
 O foolish, and doubtful, and wretched man ! who un- 
 derstandest not that all these things belong to other 
 tnen, and are under the power of another ! For the 
 Lord of this city saith unto thee, either obey my laws 
 or depart out of my city : what .therefore shalt thou 
 do whp art subject to a law in thine own city ? Canst 
 thou for thy estate, or for any of Ihose things which 
 thou hast provided, deny thy law ? But if thou shalt 
 deny it, and wilt afterwards return into thy own city 
 
 (a) Antioch. Horn. xv. 
 
THE SHFPHTaiD, &C. 333 
 
 thou shalt not be received, but shalt be excluded thence. 
 See rhereiore thai hke a man in another country, ihou 
 procure no more to tnyseh' than what is necessary, 
 and fiiutficient tor thee ; and be ready, that wlien the 
 God or Lord of this city shall drive thee out of it, 
 thou niayest oppose his law, and go into thnie own 
 city, where thou mayest with all cheertulnesLi live ac- 
 cording to thine own law without wrong. 1 akeheed 
 therefore ye that serve God, and have him in your 
 hearts ; work ye the works of God, being rniudfu! 
 both of his commands and of his promises, which he 
 has promised ; and be assured that he will make tlr m 
 good unto you, if ye shall keep his commi;ndments. 
 Instead therefore of the possessions that ye would 
 otherwise purchase, redeem thote that are in want 
 from their necessities, as every one is able ; justify the 
 ■widows, judge the cause of the fatherless, and spend 
 your riches and your wealth in such works as these ; 
 for, for this end has God enriched you, that ye might 
 fulfil these kind of services. It is much better to do 
 this than to buy lands or houses, because all such 
 things shall perish with this present time. But what 
 ye shall do for the name of the Lord, ye shall tind in 
 your city, and shall have joy without sadness or fear. 
 Wherefore covet not the riches of the heath; n, for 
 they are destructive to the servants of God ; but trade 
 with your own riches which you possess, by which ye 
 may attain unto everlasting joy. (c) And do not com- 
 mit adultery, nor touch any other riian'.s wif \ nor 
 desire her, but covet that which is thy own business, 
 and thou shalt be saved. 
 
 (c) MS. Lambeth. " Pvopi-ias autem nu?..s habctis agitc.'' 
 
33'A THE SHFPHERD 
 
 SIMILITUDE XL, 
 
 AS THE VINE IS SUPPORTED BY T«E ELM, SO IS THE RICH 
 MAN HELPED BV THE PRAYERS OF THE POOR. 
 
 AS I was walking into the field, and considered 
 the elm and the vine, and thought with m3'^self of 
 their fruits, an angel appeared unto me, and said unto 
 me, wliat is it that thou thinkest upon thus long with- 
 in thyself ? And I said unto him, sir, I think of this 
 vine, and this elm, because their fruits are fair. And 
 he said unco me, these two trees are set for a pattern 
 to the servants of God.(«f) And I said unto him, sir, 
 I would know in what the pattern of these two trees 
 wiiich thou mentionest does consist. Hearken, saith 
 he, seest thou this vine and this elm ? Sir, said I, I see 
 them. This vine, saith he, is fruitful, but the elm is 
 a tree without fruit. Nevertheless, this vine unless it 
 were set by this elm, and supported by it, would not 
 bear much fruit, but lying along upon the ground, 
 would bear but ill fruit, because it did not hang uj.»on 
 the elm ,• whereas, now being supported upon the elm 
 it bears fruit both for itself and for that. See there- 
 fore how the elm gives no less, but rather more fruit, 
 than the vine. How, sir, said I, does it bear more 
 fruit than the vine ? Because, said he, the vine being 
 suj)ported upon the elm gives both much and good 
 fruit ; whereas if it lay along upon the ground it would 
 bear but little, and that very ill too : this similitude 
 therefore is set forth to the servants of God ; and it 
 represents the rich and poor man. I answered, sir, 
 make this manifest unto me. Hear, said he, the rich 
 man has wealth ; howbeit towards the Lord he is poor, 
 for he is taken up about his riches, and prays but lit- 
 tle to the Lord, and the prayers which he makes are 
 lazy and without force. When therefore the rich man 
 
 (f/) Vid. Origcu. in Jos. Houi. x- 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 335 
 
 reaches out to the poor those thhigs which he wants, 
 the poor man prays unto the Lord tor the rich, and 
 God grants unto the rich man all good things, because 
 the poor man is rich in prayer, and his requests have 
 great power with the Lord. Then the rich man min- 
 isters all things to the poor, because he perceives that 
 he is heard by the Lord, and he the more willingly, 
 and without doubting, affords him what he wants, 
 and takes care ^hat nothing be lacking to him; and 
 the poor man gives thanks unto the Lord fqr the rich, 
 because they do both their works from the Lord. — 
 With men therefore the elm is not thought to give 
 any fruit, and they know not, neither understand 
 that its company being added to the vine, the vine 
 bears a double increase, both for itself and for the 
 elm. Even so the poor man praying unto the Lord 
 for the rich, are heard by him ; and their riches are 
 increased, because they minister to the poor oi liieir 
 wealth ; they are therefore both made partakers of 
 each other's good works. Whosoever therefore shall 
 do these things, he shall not be forsaken by the Lord, 
 but shall be written in the book of life. Happy are 
 they whoare rich, and perceive themselves to be in- 
 creased ; for he that is sensible of this, will be able to 
 minister somewhat to others. 
 
 SIMILITUDE III. 
 
 AS THE GREEN TREES IN THE WINTER CANNOT BE DW- 
 TINGCISHED FROM THE DRY; SO NEITHER CAN THE 
 RIGHTEOUS FROM THE WICKED IN THIS PRESENT 
 . WORLD. 
 
 AGAIN he shew-ed me many trees whose leave- 
 vvere shed, and which seemed to me to' be wither^-/ 
 
3'3t3 THE SlIiiPHERD 
 
 for they were all alike. And he said unto me, seest 
 thou these trees ? I said, sir, I see that they look like 
 dry trees. He answering, said unto me, these trees 
 are like unto the men who live in this present ^vorld. 
 I replied, sir, why are they like unto dried trees ? 
 because, said he, neither the righteous nor unright- 
 eous, are known from one another ; but are all alike 
 in this present world. For this world is as the winter 
 to the righteous men, because they are not known, 
 but dwell among sinners : as in the winter all the trees 
 having lost their leaves, are like dry trees j nor can 
 it be discerned which are dry, and which are green : 
 so in this present world, neither the righteous nor 
 wicked, are discerned from each other, but they are 
 all alike. 
 
 SIMILITUDE IV. 
 
 AS IN SUMMER THE LIVIN'G TREES ARE DISTINGUISIIEU 
 FROM THE DRY BY THEHl FRUIT ANt) GREEN LEAVES, 
 SO IN THE WORLD TO COME THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL 
 BE DISTINGUISHED FROM THE UNRIGHTEOUS BY THEIR 
 HAPPINESS. 
 
 AGAIN he shewed me many other trees, of which 
 some had leaves, and others appeared dry and wither- 
 ed. And he said unto me, seest thou these trees ? I 
 answered, sir, I see them ; and some are dry, and 
 others full of leaves. These trees, saith he, which 
 are green, are the righteous, who shall possess the 
 world to come. For the world to come, is the sum- 
 mer to the righteous; but "to sinners it is winter. 
 M^hen therefore the mercy of the Lord shall shine 
 forth, then they who serve God shall be made mani- 
 fest, and plain unto all. For as in the summer the 
 fruit of every tree is shewn and made manifest, so 
 
OP ST. HERMAS. 3'33f 
 
 also the works of the righteous shall be declared and 
 made manifest, and they shall all be restored in that 
 world merry and joyful. For the other kind of men, 
 namely, the wicked, like the trees which thou sawest 
 dry, shall as such be found dry and without fruit in 
 tliat other world, and like dry wood, shall be burnt, 
 and it shall be made manifest that they have done evil 
 all the time of their life ; and they shall be burnt be- 
 cause they have sinned and have not repented of their 
 sins. And also all the other nations shall be burnt, 
 because they have not acknowledged God their cre- 
 ator. Do thou therefore bring forth good fruit, that 
 in the summer thy fruit may be known ; and keep 
 thyself from much business, and thou shalt not offend. 
 For they who are involved in much business, sin 
 much ; because they are taken up with their affairs, 
 and serve not God. And how can a man that does 
 not serve God, ask any thing of God, and receive it ? 
 But they who serve him^ ask and receive what they 
 desire But if a man has only one thing to follow, 
 he may serve God, because his mind is not taken off 
 from God, but he serves him with a pure mind. If 
 therefore thou shalt do this, thou mayest have frwit in 
 the world to come ; and all, as many as shall do in 
 like manner, shall bring forth fruit. 
 
 SIMILITUDE V. 
 
 OF A TRUE FAST, AND THE REWARDS OP IT : ALSO OS 
 
 THE CLEANNESS OF THE BODY. 
 
 1 . AS I was fasting, and sitting down in a certain 
 mountain, and giving thanks unto God for all the 
 things that he has done unto me ; behold I saw the 
 shepherd, who was wont to converse with me, sitting 
 by me, and saying unto me ; what has brought thee 
 
 [43] 
 
338 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 hither thus early in the morning ? I answered, sir, 
 to day I iteep a station. (/) He answered, whdt is a 
 station ? I replied, it is a fast. He said, what is that 
 fast ? I answered, 1 iast, as I have been wont to do. 
 Ye know not said he, what it is to fast unto God ; 
 nor is this a fast wiiich ye fast, profiting nothing with 
 God. Sir, said 1, what makes you speak chus ? He 
 rephed, 1 speak it, because this is not the true fast 
 Wiiich you think that you fast ; but 1 will shew you 
 what that is wnich is a complete fast, (A-) and accept- 
 able unto God- Hearken, said he, the Lord does not 
 dj ire such a needless fast : for by fasting m this man- 
 ner, thou advancest nothing in righteousness, but 
 the true fast is this : du nothing wickedly in thy life, 
 but serve God with a pure mind ; and keep his com- 
 mandments, and walk according to his precepts, nor 
 surfer any wicked desire to enter into thy mind. But 
 trust in the Lord, that if thou dost these things, and 
 fearest him, and abstainest from every evil work, thou 
 shall live unto God. If thou shalt do this, thou shult 
 perfect a great fast, and an acceptable one unto the 
 Lord. 
 
 2. Hearken unto the similitude which I am about 
 to propose unto thee, as to this matter. A certain 
 man having a farm, and many servants, planted a 
 vineyard in a certain part of his estate for his posteri- 
 ty : and taking a journey into a far country, chose 
 one of his servants which he thought the most faith- 
 ful and approved, and delivered the vineyard into his 
 care ; commanding him that he should stake up his 
 vines. Which if he did, and fulfilled his command, 
 he promised to 2;ive him hi=; liberty. Nor did he com- 
 mand him to do any thing more ; and so went into a 
 far country. After then that servant had taken that 
 change upon him, he did whatsoever his Lord com- 
 manded him. And when he had staked the vineyard, 
 and found it to be full of weeds, he began to think 
 
 (?) Vid. Noi. Cot. lei', in loc. pag. 72, 7C>. 
 (k) Cotelcr, ibid. 
 
OP ST. HERMES. 339 
 
 with himself, saying, I have done what my lord cora- 
 muiicied me ; I will now dig this vineyard, and when 
 it IS digged, it vvill be more beautiful ; and tiie wteds 
 being pulled up, it will bring forth more fruit, and 
 not be choaked by the weeds. So setliiig aouut ids 
 work he digged it, and plucked up all the weedi: that 
 were in it ; and so the vineyard oecame very ocautifal 
 and prosperous, not being cnoaked witii weeds. Af- 
 ter some time the lord of [he vineyard comes aiid 
 goes into the vineyard, and when he saw that it was 
 hiind^JOiilely staked, and digged, and ihe W'eeds pluck- 
 ed up that were in it and tne vines flourishing, he re- 
 joiced greatly at the care of his servant. And calling 
 his sion whom he loved, and who was to be his heir, 
 and his friends with whom he was wont to consult ; 
 he tells them what he had commanded his servant to 
 do, and vvhat his servant had done more : and they 
 immediately congratulated that servant, that he had 
 received so full a, testimony from his lord. Then he said 
 unto them, 1 indeed promised this servant his liberty, 
 if he observed the command which I gave him ; and 
 he observed it, and besides' has done a good work to 
 my vineyard, which has exceedingly pleased me. 
 Wherefore for this work which he hath done, I will 
 make him my heir together with my son ; because 
 that when he saw what was good, he neglected it not, 
 but did it. This design of the lord both his son and 
 his friends approved, namely, that this servant should 
 be heir together with his son. Not long after this, 
 the master of the family calling together his friends, 
 sent from his supper several kinds of food to that ser- 
 vant. Which when he had received, he took so much 
 of them as was suihcient for himself, and divided the 
 rest among his fellow servants. Which when they 
 had received, they rejoiced ; and wished that he might 
 |ind yet gr^Hi ^r favour with his lord, for what he 
 had done to them. When his lord heard all these 
 things, he was again filled with great joy ; and call- 
 ing again his friends and his son together, he related 
 
Mo THE SHEPHERSI 
 
 to them what his servant had done with the meats^ 
 which he had sent unto him. They therefore so much 
 the more assented to the master of the household, 
 that he ought to make that servant his heir together 
 With his son. 
 
 d. i said unto him, sir, I know not these similitudes, 
 neither can I understand them, unless you expound 
 them unto me. I will, says he, expound all things 
 unto thee whatsoever I have talked with thee, or 
 shewn unto thee. Keep the commandments of the 
 Lord, and thou shalt be approved, and shalt be writ- 
 ten in the number of those that keep his command- 
 ments. But if besides those things which the Lord 
 hath commanded, thou shalt add some good thing ; 
 thou shalt purchase to thyself a greater dignity, and 
 be in more favour with the Lord than thou shouldest 
 otherwise have been. If therefore thou shalt keep 
 the commandments of the Lord, and shalt add to 
 them these stations, thou shalt rejoice ; but especially 
 if thou shalt keep them according to my commands. 
 I said unto him, sir, whatsoever thou shalt command 
 me, I will observe, fori know that thou wilt be with 
 me. I will, said he, be with thee, who hast taken 
 up such a resolution ; and I will be with all those who 
 purpose in like manner. This fast, saith he, whilst 
 thou dost also observe the commandments of the Lord, 
 is exceeding good. Thus therefore shalt thou keep 
 it. First of all, take heed to thyself, and keep thy- 
 self from every wicked act, and from every filthy 
 word, and from every hurtful desire ; and purify thy 
 mind from all the vanity of this present world. If 
 thou shalt observe these things, this fast shall be right. 
 Thus therefore do. Having performed what is before 
 written, that day on which thou fastest thou shalt taste 
 nothing at all but bread and water ;(o) and computing 
 the quantity of food which thou art wo'.c to eat upon 
 other days,(/)) thou shall lay aside the expense which; 
 
 (o) Vid Not. Coteler. ii. p. 74. A, B. C 
 Ip) Vid. Antioch. Horn. vii. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS4 341 
 
 thou shouldest have made that day, and give it unto the 
 widovv, the fatherless, and the poor. And thus thou 
 shalt perfect the humihation of thy soul, that he who 
 receives of it may satisfy his soul, and his prayer 
 come up to the Lord God for thee. If therefore thou 
 shalt thus accomplish thy fast, as I command thee^- 
 thy sacrilice shall be acceptable unto the Lord, and 
 thy fast shall be. written in his book. This station, 
 thus performed, is good and pleasing and acceptable 
 unto the Lord. These things if tiiou shalt observe 
 with thy children, and with all thy house, thou shalt 
 be happy. And whosoever, when they hear these 
 things, shall do them, they also shall be happy; 
 and whatsoever they shah ask of the Lord, they shall, 
 receive it. 
 
 4. And I prayed him that he would expound unto 
 me the similitude of the farm, and the Lord, and of 
 the vineyard, and of the servant that had staked the 
 vineyard, and of the weeds that were plucked out of 
 the vineyard, and of his son and his friends which 
 he took into counsel with him ; for I understood that 
 that was a similitude. He said unto me, thou art very 
 bold in asking ; for thou ought not to ask any thing, be- 
 cause if it be fitting to shew it unto thee, it shall be 
 shewed unto thee. I answered him, sir, whatsoever 
 thou shalt shew me, without Explaining it unto me, I 
 shall in v^in see it; if Ido not understand what it is; and 
 if thou shalt propose any similitudes, and not expound 
 them, I shall in vain hear them: he answered me again, 
 saying, whosoever is the servant of God, and has the 
 Lord in his heart, he desires understanding of him, and 
 receives it ; and he explains eveiy similitude, and un- 
 derstands the words of the Lord which need an inquiry; 
 but they that are lazy and slow to pray, doubt to seek 
 from the Lord, although the Lord be of such an ex 
 traordinary goodness, that without ceasing he giveth 
 all things to them that ask of him ; thou therefore 
 who art strengthened by that venerable messenger, 
 and hast received such a powerful gift of prayer, see 
 
342 'IHE SHEPHERD 
 
 ing thou art not slothful, why dost thou not ask im- 
 derstanding of the Lorci, ana receive it ? 1 saiU unto 
 him, seeing I have thee present, it is necessaiy that 
 I should seek it of thee, and ask thte, for thou shew- 
 est all things unto me, and speakest to me when thou 
 art present ; but if I should see or hear tiiese things 
 when thou wert not present, I would then ask the 
 Lord that he would shew them unto me. 
 
 5. And he replied, I said a little before that thou 
 wert subtle and bold, in that thou askest the meaning 
 of these simiUtudes : but because thou still persislest, 
 I will unfold to thee this parable which thou desirest, 
 that thou mayest make i!: known unto all men. Hear 
 therefore, said he, and understand ; the farm beiore 
 mentioned denotes the whole earth ; the Lord of the 
 farm is he who created and finished all things, and 
 gave virtue unto them ; his son is the Huly iSpirit ; 
 tiie servant is the son of God ; the vineyard is the 
 people w^hom he saves ; the stakes are the messengers 
 which are set over them by the Lord, to support his 
 people j the weeds that are plucked up out of the vine- 
 yard, are the sins which the servants of God had 
 committed ; the food which he sent him from his sup- 
 per, are the commands which he gave to his people by 
 his son; the friends whom he called to counsel with 
 him, are the holy angels whom he first created ; the 
 absence of the master of the household, is the time 
 that remains unto his coming. I said unto him, sir, 
 all these things are very excellent, and wonderful, and 
 good ; but, continued I, could I or any other man be- 
 sides, though never so wise, have understood these 
 things ? wherefore now, sir, tell we what I ask. He 
 replied, ask me what thou wilt. Why, said I, is the 
 son of God in this parable, put in the place of a ser- 
 vant ? 
 
 6. Hearken, said he, the son of God is not put in 
 the condition of a servant, but in great power and au- 
 thority. I said unto him, how sir ? I understand it 
 BOt : because, said he, the 3011 set his messengers over 
 
OP ST. HERRIAS. 343 
 
 those whom the father delivered unto him, to keep 
 every oae of them; but he himself laboured very 
 mach aad sutfered much, that he might blot out their 
 offences ; for no vineyard can be digged without much 
 laix)ur and pains. Wherefore having blotted out the 
 sins of his people, he shewed to them the paths of 
 life, giving them the law which he had received of the 
 fatner. You see, said he, that he is the Lord of his 
 people, having received all power from his father — 
 But, why the Lord did take his son into counsel, about 
 dividing the inheritance,^ and the good angels, hear 
 now : that Holy Spirit, which was created hrst of all 
 he placed in the body in which God should dwell ; 
 nam:ily, in a chosen body, as it seemed good to him'(5) 
 This oody ttierefore into which the Holy v'-pirit was 
 brought, served that spirit, walking rigatiy and purely 
 in modesty, nor ever defiled that spirit ; seeing there- 
 fore the body at all times obeyed the Holy Spirit, and 
 laboured rightly and chastely with him, nor faltered 
 at any time ; that body being wearied conversed in- 
 deed servily, but being mightily approved to God 
 with the Holy Spirit, was accepted by him : for such 
 a stout course pleased God, because he was not de- 
 filed in the earth, keeping the Holy Spirit. He called 
 therefore to counsel his son and the good angels, that 
 there might be some place of standhig giving to this 
 body which had served the Holy Spirit without blame, 
 lest it should seem to have lost the reward of its ser- 
 vice : for every pure body shall receive its reward, 
 that is found without spot, in which the Holy Spirit 
 has been appointed to dwell ; and thus you have now 
 the exposition of this parable also. 
 
 * Tli''^ place wlrch in uU the editions of Hermas is wretchedly 
 ccrrupted, by the coUaiion of editions and MSS. is thus correcied, 
 by our very leriiieti Dr. Grabe. Quare autem Dominus in consilio 
 adhibuerit, Filium de Hxrtdie itc, honestosque nuncios, Audi. Spir- 
 itum st.nctum, qui Crcatus est omnium Primus, in Corpore, in quo 
 habitaret Ueus, coUocavit ; in delecto scil. Corporequod ei vide- 
 baair. 
 
 is) Viz. The created spirit of Christ, as man ; not the Koli- 
 Ghost, the thii*d person of the sacred trinity. 
 
B44 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 7. Sir, said I, I now understand your meaning, 
 since I have heard this exposition- irieurken laitiier 
 said he : keep this thy body clean and pure, thut ihe 
 spirit which shall dwell in it may bear witness unto it, 
 and be judged to have been with thee. Also take 
 heed that it be not instilled into thy mind that this bo- 
 dy perishes, and thou abuse it to any lust. For if 
 thou Shalt defile thy body, thou shalt also at the same 
 time defile the Holy Spirit, thou bhalt not live. And 
 I said, what if through ignorance this should have 
 been already committed, before a man heard Uit se 
 words, how can he attain unto salvation, who has 
 thus defiled his body ? He replied, as for men's former 
 actions, which through ignorance they have commit- 
 ted, God only can afford a remedy unto them, for 
 all power belongeth unto him. But now guard thy- 
 self; and seeing God is almighty and merciful, he 
 will grant a remedy to what thou hast formerly done 
 amiss, if for the time to come thou shalt. not defile thy 
 body and spirit ; for they are companions together, 
 and the one cannot be defiled but the other will be so 
 too. Keep therefore both of them pure, and thou 
 Shalt live unto God. 
 
 SIMILITUDE VI. 
 
 OF TWO SORTS OF VOLUPTUOUS MEN, AND OF THEIR 
 DEATH DEFECTION, AND OF THE CONTINUANCE OF 
 THEIR PAINS. 
 
 1. AS I was sitting at home, and praising God for 
 all the things which I had seen ; and was thinking 
 concerning tho commands, that they were exceeding 
 good, and great, and honest, and pleasant ; and such a^i 
 were able to bring a man to salvation, I said thus 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 345 
 
 within myself; I shall be happy if I shall walk accord- 
 ing to these comaiands, and whosoever shah walk in 
 them shall live unto God. Whilst I was sjjeaking on 
 thia wise within myself, I saw him whom 1 had before 
 been wont to see, sitting by me ; and he spake thus 
 unto me, what doubtest thou concerning my com- 
 mands which I liave delivered unto thee ? they are. 
 good, doubt not, but trust in the Lord and thou shalt 
 walk in them. For 1 will give thee strength to fulfil 
 them. I'hese commands are profitable to those who 
 shall repent of those sins which they have formerly 
 committed, if for the time to come they shall not con- 
 tinue in them. Whosoever therefore ye be that re- 
 pent^ cast away from you the naughtiness of the pre- 
 sent world, and put on all virtue and righteousness, 
 and so shall ye be able to keep these pommands, and 
 not sin from henceforth any more. For if ye shall 
 keep yourselves from sin for the time to come, ye 
 shall cut off a great deal of your former sins. Walk 
 in my commands, and ye shaU live unto God : these 
 things have I spoken unto you. And when he had 
 said this, he added ; let us go into the field, and I 
 will shew thee shepherds of sheep. I replied, sir, let 
 us go- And we came into a certain field, and there 
 he shewed me a young shepherd, finely arrayed(tf) 
 with his garments of a purple colour. And he fed 
 large flocks, and his sheep were full of pleasure, and 
 in much delight and cheerfulness ; and they skip- 
 ping, ran here and there. And the shepherd took 
 very great satisfaction in his flock ; and the counte- 
 nance of that shepherd was cheerful, running up and 
 down among his flock. 
 
 2. Then the angel said unto me, seest thou this 
 shepherd ? I answered, sir, I see him. He said unto 
 me, this is the messenger of delight and pleasure. 
 He therefore corrupts the minds of the servants of 
 God, and turns them from the truth, delighting theirs 
 
 .(«) Vid- Annct. Coteler. in loc. 
 
 [44] 
 
546 THE bHEPHERO 
 
 with many pleasures, and they perish. For they for- 
 get the commands of the hving God, and live in lux- 
 ury and in vain pleasures, and are corrupted by this 
 evil angel, some of them even unto death, and others 
 to a falling away. I replied, I understand not what 
 you mean, by saying unto death, and to a falling 
 away. Hear, says he, all those sheep which thou 
 sawest exceeding joyful, are such as have for ever de- 
 parted from God, and given themselves up to the 
 lusts of this present time.(/';) To these therefore there 
 is no return, by repentance unto life ; because that to 
 their other sins they have added this, that they have 
 blasphemed the name of the Lord. These kind of 
 men are ordained unto death. But those sheep which 
 thou sawest not leaping, but feeding in one place, 
 are such as have indeed given themselves up to plea- 
 sures and delights, but have not spoken any thing 
 wickedly against the Lord. These therefore are only 
 fallen off from the truth, and so have yet hope laid 
 up for them in repentance. For such a falling off 
 hath some hope still left of a renewal ; but they that 
 are dead, are utterly gone for ever. Again we went 
 a little farther forward, and he shewed me a great 
 shepherd, who had as it were a rustic figure, clad 
 with a white goat's skin, having his bag upon his 
 shoulder, and in his hand a stick full of knot?, and 
 very hard, and a whip in his other hand ; and his 
 countenance was stern and sour ; enough to affright 
 a man ; such was his look. He took from that young 
 shepherd such sheep as lived in pleasures, but did not 
 skip up and down, and drove them into a certain steep 
 and craggy place, full of thorns and briars, insomuch 
 that they could not get themselves free from them ; 
 but being entangled in them, fed upon thorns and 
 briars, and were grievously tormented with his whip- 
 ping. For he still drove them on, and afforded them 
 not any place or time to stand still. 
 
 (fi) In Gr. Athanas. tTrtSvi^ixii t» 'A<*»®' t«i/t«. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 347 
 
 3. When therefore I saw them so cruelly whipped 
 and afflicted, I was grieved for them, because they 
 were greatly tormented, nor had they any rest afford- 
 ed them. And I said unto the shepherd that was with 
 me, sir, who is this cruel and implacable shepherd, 
 who is movL'd with no compassion towards ihese sheep ? 
 He answered, this shepherd is indeed one of the holy 
 angels-; (t) but is appointed for the punishment of sin- 
 ners. To him therefore are delivered tho,5e who have 
 erred from God, and served the lusts and pleasures of 
 this world. For this cause he punishes every one ac- 
 cording to their deserts, with cruel and various kiiid 
 of pahis. Sir, said I, I would know what kind of 
 pains they are which every one undergoes ? Hearken, 
 said he, the several pains and torments are those 
 which men every day undergo in their present lives. 
 For some suffer losses, others poverty, others divers 
 sicknesses. Some are unsettled, others suffer injuries 
 from those that are unworthy ; others fall under ma- 
 ny other tjials and inconveniences. For many with 
 an unsettled design aim at many things, and profiteth 
 them not ; and they say that they have not success in 
 their undertakings. They do not call to their mind 
 what they have done amiss, and they complain of the 
 Lord. When therefore they shall have undergone all 
 kind of vexation and inconvenience ; then they are 
 delivered over to me for good instruction, and are 
 confirmed in the faith of the Lord, and serve the Lord 
 all the rest of their days with a pure mind. And when 
 they begin to repent of their sins, then they call to 
 mind their works which they have done amiss, and 
 give honour to God, saying, that he is a just judge, 
 and they have deservedly suffered all things according 
 to their deeds. Then for what remains of their lives, 
 they serve God with a {jure mind, and have success 
 in all their vindertakings, and receive from the Lord 
 wl^atever they desire. And then they give thanks 
 
 {c) Vid. 0)'ip-en. in I'sal. xxxvil Horn. 1. 
 
3f 8 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 tinto the Lord that they were dehvered unto me ; nor 
 do tney suffer any more cruelty. 
 
 4. I said unto him, sir, I entreat you still to shew 
 me now ane thing. What said he dost thou ask ? I 
 said unto him, are they who depart from the fear of 
 God, tormented for the same time that they enjoyed 
 their false delight and pleasures ? He answered me, 
 they are tormented for the same time. And I said 
 unto him, they are then tormented but little ; whereas 
 they who enjoy their pleasures so as to forget God, 
 ought to endure seven times as much punishment. 
 He answered me, thou art foolish, neither under- 
 standest thou the efficacy of this punishment. I said 
 unto him, sir, if I understood it, I would not desire 
 you to tell me. Hearken, said he, and learn what 
 the force of both is, both of the pleasure and of the 
 punishment. An hour of pleasure is terminated with- 
 in its own space ; but one hour of punishment has 
 the efficacy of thirty days. Whosoever therefore en- 
 joys his false pleasure for one day,(^) and is one day 
 tormented ; that one day of punishment is equivalent 
 to a whole year's space. Thus look how many days 
 any one pursues his pleasures, so many years is he 
 punished for it. You see therefore, how that the time 
 of worldly enjoyments is but short ; but'that of pain 
 and torments a great deal more. 
 
 5. I replied, sir, forasmuch as I do not understand 
 at all these times of pleasure and pain, I entreat you 
 that you would explain yourself more clearly con- 
 cerning them. He answered me, saying, thy fool- 
 ishness still sticks unto thee. Shouldest thou not ra- 
 ther purify thy mind, and serve God ? Take heed, 
 lest when thy time is fulfilled, thou be found still un- 
 wise. Hear then, as thou desirest, that thou mayest 
 the more easily understand. He that gives himself 
 up one day to his pleasures and delights, and does 
 whatsoever his soul desires, is full of great folly, nor 
 
 '(§•) Origen. in Num. Horn. viji. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 549 
 
 understands what he does, but the day following for- 
 gets what he did the day before. For delight and 
 worldly pleasure are not kept in memory, by reason 
 of the folly that is rooted in them. But when pain 
 and torment befal a man a day, he is in eifect troubled 
 the whole year after, because his punishment conti- 
 nues firm in his memory. Wherefore he remembers 
 it with sorrow the whole year, and then calls to mind 
 his vain pleasure and delight, and perceives that for 
 the sake of that he was punished. Whosoever there- 
 fore have delivered themselves over to such pleasures* 
 •are thus punished ; because that when they had life, 
 they rendered themselves liable to death. I said unto 
 him, sir, what pleasures are hurtful ? He answered* 
 that is pleasure to every man which he does willing- 
 ly. For the angry man, gratifying his passion, per- 
 ceives pleasure in it ; and so the adulterer and drunk- 
 ard ; the slanderer and liar ; the covetous man and 
 the de-frauder ; and whosoever commits any thing 
 like unto these, because he followeth his evil disposi- 
 tion, he receives a satisfaction in the doing of it. All 
 these pleasures and delights are hurtful to the ser- 
 vants of God. For these therefore they are torment- 
 ed and suffer punishment. There are also pleasures 
 that bring salvation unto men. For mn!ny, when they 
 do what is good, find pleasure in it, and are attracted 
 by the delights of it. Now this pleasure is profiiable 
 to the servants of God, and brings life to such men: 
 but those hurtful pleasures which were before mention- 
 ed, bring torments and punishment. And whosoever 
 shall continue in them, and shall not repent of what 
 •they have done, shall bring death upon themselves. 
 
350 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 SIMILITUDE VII. 
 
 THAT THEY WHO REPENT, MUST BRING FORTH FRUITS 
 WORTH VT OF REPENTANCE. 
 
 AFTER a few days I saw the same person that be- 
 fore talked with me, in the same field in which I had 
 seen those shepherds. And he said unto me, what 
 seekest thou ? Sir, said I, I came to entreat you that 
 you would command the shepherd, who is the mini- 
 ster of punishment, to depart out of my house, be- 
 cause he greatly aliiicts me. And he answered, it is 
 necessary for thee to endure inconveniences and vex- 
 ations ; for so that good angel tiath commanded con- 
 cerning thee, because he would try thee. Sir, said I, 
 what so great offence have 1 committed, that I should 
 be delivered to this messenger ? Hearken, said he, 
 thou art indeed guilty of many sins, yet not so many 
 that thou shouldest be delivered to this messenger ; 
 but thy house hath committed many sins and offences, 
 and therefore that good messenger being grieved at 
 their doings commanded that for some time thou 
 shouldest suffer affliction, that they may both repent 
 of what they have done, and nmy wash themselves 
 from all the lusts of this present world. When there- 
 fore they shall have repented and be purified, then 
 that messenger which is appointed over thy punish- 
 ment, shall depart from thee. I said unto him, sir, 
 if they have behaved themselves so as to anger that 
 good angel, yet what have I done ? He answered, 
 they cannot otherwise be afflicted, unless thou, who 
 art the head of the family, suffer. For whatsoever 
 thou shalt suffer, they must needs feel it : but as long 
 as thou shalt stand well established, they cannot ex- 
 perience any vexation. I replied, but sir, behold 
 they also now repent with all their hearts. I know, 
 says he, that they repent with all their hearts ; but 
 dost thou therefore think that their offences who re 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 331 
 
 pent, are immediately blotted out ? No, they are 
 not presently ; but he that repents must afflict his 
 soul, and shew himself humble in all his affairs, and 
 undergo many and divers vexations. And when he 
 shall have suffered all things that were appointed for 
 him, then perhaps he that made him, and formed all 
 things besides, will be moved with compassion to- 
 wards him, and afford him some remedy ; and espe- 
 cially if he shall perceive his heart, who repents, to 
 be pure from every evil work. But at present it is 
 expedient for thee, and for thy house, to be grieved ; 
 and it is needful that thou shouldest endure much vex- 
 ation, as the angel of the Lord who committed thee 
 unto. me, has commanded. Rather give thanks unto 
 the Lord, that knowing what was to come, he thought 
 thee worthy to whom he should foretell that trouble 
 was coming upon thee, who art able to bear it. I 
 said unto him, sir, be but thou also with me, and I 
 shall easily undergo any trouble. I will, said he, be 
 with thee ; and I will entreat the messenger who is 
 set over thy punishment, that he would moderate his 
 afflictions towards thee. And moreover thou shalt 
 suffer adversity but for a little time ; and then thou 
 shalt again be restored to thy former state ; only con- 
 tinue on in the humility of thy mind. Obey the Lord 
 with a pure heart ; thou and thy house, and thy chil- 
 dren ; and walk in the commands which I have de- 
 livered unto thee, and then thy repentance may be 
 lirm and pure. And if thou shalt keep these things 
 with thy house, thy inconveniences shall depart from 
 thee. And all vexation shall in like manner depart 
 from all those, whosoever shall walk according tc 
 these commands. 
 
352 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 SIMILITUDE VIII. 
 
 THAT THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF ELECT, AND OF REPENT- 
 ING SINNERS : AND HOW ALL OF THiuM SHALL RE- 
 CEIVE A REWARD PROPO;<. no NiABLE PO THE MEASURES 
 OF THEIR REPENTANCE AND GOOD WORKS. 
 
 1. AGAIN he shewed me a willow which covered 
 the fields and the mountains, under whose shadow 
 came all such as were called by the name of the Lord. 
 And by that willow stood an angel of the Lord very 
 excellent and lofty, and did cut down houghs from 
 that willow with a great hook, and reached out to 
 the people that were under the shadow of that willow 
 little rodst as it were about a foot long. And when 
 all of them had taken them, he laid aside his hook, 
 and the tree continued entire, as I had before seen it. 
 At which I wondered, and mused within niytelf. * 
 Then that shepherd said unto me, forbear to wonder 
 that that tree continues whole, notwithstanding so ma- 
 ay boughs have been cut olf from it; but stay a little, 
 for now it shall be shewn thee what that angel m.^ans, 
 who gave those rods to the people. So he again de- 
 manded the rods of them, and in the same order that 
 every one had received them, was he called to him, 
 and restored his rod ; which when he had received, 
 he examined them. From some he received them dry 
 and rotten, and as it were, touched with the moch ; 
 those he commanded to be separated from the rest, 
 and placed by themselves. Others gave him their rods 
 dry indeed, but not touched with the moth ; these al- 
 so he ordered to be set by themselves. Others gave 
 in their rods half dry ; these also were set apart. 
 Others gave in their rods half dry, and cleft ; these 
 too were set by themselves. Others brought in their 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 353 
 
 iV)cIs,(A) one half dry and the other green, and these 
 were in Hke manner placed by themselves. Others 
 delivered up their rods two parts green, and the third 
 dry, and tiiey two were set apart. Others brought 
 their rods two parts dry, and the third green, and 
 were also placed by themselves. Others delivered 
 up their rods less dry, (for there was but a very little, 
 to wit, their tops dry) but they had clefts, and these 
 were set in like manner by themselves. In the rods 
 of others there was but a little green, and the rest 
 dry, and these w^ere set aside by themselves. Others 
 came and brought their rods green as they had receiv- 
 ed them, and the greatest part of the people brought 
 their rods thus ; and the messenger greatly rejoiced 
 at these, and they also were put apart by themselves^ 
 Others brought their rods not only green, but full of 
 branches; and these were set aside, being also receir- 
 ed by the angel with great joy. Others brought their 
 rods green with branches, and those also some fruit 
 upon them. 1 hey who had such rods were very 
 cheerful ; and the angel himself took great joy at 
 them ; nor was the shepherd that stood with me, less 
 pleased with them. 
 
 2. Then the angel of the Lord commanded crowns 
 to be brought ; and the crowns were brought made of 
 palms ; and the angel crowned those men in whose 
 rods he found the young branches with fruit ; and 
 commanded them to go into the tower. He also sent 
 those into the tower, in whose rods he found branch- 
 es without fruit, giving a seal unto them. For they 
 hud the same garnient, that is, one white as snow ; 
 with which he bade them go into the tower. And so 
 he did to those who returned their rods green as they 
 received them : giving them a white garment, and so 
 sent them away to go into the tower. Having done 
 
 {b) By I'eason of the repeated words others and cltift, those have 
 been oiinited, whose rods ivfre green but cleft , who are expressly 
 mentioned, § v. and vii. an.l therefore must likewise have been, 
 nAmed here. 
 
 L4S] 
 
^5^i THE SHF.PHP.RB 
 
 this, he said to the shepherd that was with me, I go 
 my way, uut do thou ^jead these within the walls, 
 every oau Imo the piace ui which he nas deserved to 
 dwell J exuminuig iirst Uieir rods, out examine them 
 dii^geaily that no oue deceive triee. Jbut and if any 
 one shall escape tnee, I will try them upon the altar. 
 Having said this to the 'ihepaerd, he departed. After 
 he wa? g.^ne, ihe shephtiu said unto me. let us take 
 the rod-; from them all and plant them ; if perchance 
 they may grow green agam 1 said unto him, sir, 
 how can those dry rods ever grow green again ? He 
 answered, that tree is a willow, and always loves to 
 live. If therefore these rods shall be planted, and 
 receive a little moisture, many of thim will recover 
 themselves. Wherefore I will try, and will pour 
 water upon them, and if any of them can live, I will 
 rejoice with him ; but if not, at least by this means I 
 shall be found not to have neglected my part. Then 
 he commanded me to call them, and they all came 
 unto hun, every one in the rank in which he stood, 
 and gave him their rods ; which having received, he 
 planted every one of them In their several orders. 
 And after he had planted ihem ah, he poured much 
 water upon them, insomuch that they were covered 
 with water, and did not appear aaove it. Then when 
 he had watered them, he said unto me, let us depart, 
 and after a little time we will return and visit them. 
 For he who created this tree, would have all those 
 live that received rods from it. And I hope, now that 
 these rods are thus watered, many of them, receiving 
 in the moisture, will recover. 
 
 3. I said unto him, sir, tell me what this tree de- 
 notes ? for I am greatly astonished, that after so ma- 
 ny branches ha^^e been cut off, it seems still to be 
 ■whole ; nor does ^here any thing th • less of it appear 
 to remain, which greatly amazes me. He answered, 
 hearken. This great tree which covers the plains 
 aii'i the mountains, and all the earth, is the law of 
 God, published throughout the whole world. ISow 
 
OP ST. HERMAS. ^ 355 
 
 I his law is the son of God (d) who is preached to all 
 the ends of the earth. The people that stand under 
 its shadow, are those which have heard his preaching, 
 and beheved. The great and venerable angel which 
 you saw, was Michael, who has the power over this 
 people, and governs them. For he has planted the 
 law in the hearts of those who have believed ; and 
 therefore he visits them to whom he has given the law, 
 to see if they have kept it. And he examines every 
 one's rod ; and of those, many that are weakened : 
 for those rods are the law of the Lord. Then he dis- 
 cerns all those that have not kept the law, knowing 
 the place of every one of them. I said unto him, sir, 
 why did he send away some to the tower, and left 
 others here to you ? He replied, those who have trans- 
 gressed the law which ihey received from him, are 
 left in my power, that they may repent of their sins; 
 but they who fulfilled the law and kept it, are under 
 his power. But who then, said I, are those who went 
 into the tower crowned ? He replied, all such as hav- 
 ing striven with the devil, have overcome him, are 
 crowned : and they are those who have suffered hard 
 things, that they might keep the law. But they who 
 gave up their rods green, and with young branches, 
 but without fruit, have indeed endured trouble for 
 the same law, but have not suffered death, neither 
 have they denied their holy law. They who delivered 
 up their rods green as they received them, are those 
 who were modest and just, and have lived with a very 
 pure mind, and kept the commandments of God. 
 The rest thou shalt know, when I shall have consider- 
 ed those rods which I have planted and watered. 
 
 4. After a few days we returned, and in the same 
 place stood that glorious angel, and I stood by him. 
 Then he said unto me, gird thyself with a toWel, and 
 serve me.(/) And I girded myself with a clean tow- 
 el, which was made of coarse cloth. And when he 
 
 (^d). MS. Lamb Haec autem lex filius Dei est, prxdicatus^ &c> 
 r/J Sebano, Vid, Edit. Oxon. p. 129, not. d. 
 
1^56 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 saw me girded and ready to minister unto him, he 
 said, call those men whose rods have been planted, 
 every one in his order as they gave them. And he 
 brought me into the field, and I called them all, and 
 they all stood ready in their several ranks. Then he 
 said unto them, let every one pluck up his rod and 
 bring it unto me. And first they delivered theirs 
 whose rods had been dry and rotten. And those 
 whose rods still continued so, he commanded to stand 
 apart. Then they came whose rods had been dry but 
 not rotten. Some of these delivered in their rods 
 green, others dry and rotten, as if they had been 
 touched by the moth. Those vvho gave them up green, 
 he commanded to stand apart j but those whose rods 
 were dry and rotten, he caused to stand with the first 
 sort. Then came they whose rods had been half dry, 
 and deft ; many of these gave up their rods green 
 and uncleft. Others delivered them up green with 
 branches, and fruit upon the branches, like unto theirs 
 who went crowned into the tower. Others delivered 
 them up dry, but not rotten j and some gave them as 
 they were before, half dry and cleft. Every one of 
 these he ordered to stand apart ; some by themselves, 
 others in their respective ranks. 
 
 6. Then came they whose rods had been green, but 
 cleft. These delivered their rods altogether green, 
 and stood in their own order. And the shepherd re- 
 joiced at these, because they were all changed, and 
 free from their clefts. Then they gave in their rods, 
 who had them half green and half dry. Of these, 
 some were found wholly green, others hall dry ; 
 others green, with young shoots. And all these were 
 sent away, every one to his proper rank. Then they 
 gave up their rods, who had them before two })urts 
 green, and the third dry. Many of tiiese gave in 
 their rods green ; many half dry ; the rest dry, but 
 not rotten. So these were sent away, each to his 
 proper place. Then came they who had before their 
 rods two parts dry and the third green ; many of these 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 357 
 
 delivered up their rods half -dry, others dry and rotten, 
 otiiers half dry and cleft ; but few green. And all 
 these were set every one in his own rank. Then they 
 reached in their rods,(^) in which there was before 
 but a little green, and the rest dry.(/^) Their rods 
 were for the most part found green, having little 
 boughs, with fruit upon them j and the rest altogether 
 green. And the shepherd upon sight of these rejoiced 
 exceedingly, because he had found them thus : and 
 they also went to their proper orders. 
 
 6. Now after he had examined all their rods, he 
 said unto me, I told thee that this tree loved life : thou 
 seest how many have repented and attained unto sal- 
 vation. Sir, said I, I see it. That thou mightest know, 
 saith he, that the goodness and mercy of the Lord is 
 great, and to be had in honour ; who gave his spirit 
 to them that were found worthy of repentance. I an- 
 swered, sir, why then did not all of them repent ? 
 He replied, those whose minds the Lord foresaw 
 would be pure, and that they would serve him with 
 all their hearts, to them he gave repentance. But for 
 those whose deceit and wickedness he beheld, and 
 perceived that they would not truly return unto him ; 
 to them he denied any return unto repentance, lest 
 they should again blaspheme his law with wicked 
 words. I said unto him, now sir, make known unto 
 me, what is the place of every one of those who have 
 given up their rods, and what their portion ; that when 
 they who have not kept their seal enth-e, but have 
 wasted the seal which they received, shall hear and 
 believe these things, they may acknowledge their evil 
 deeds and repent ; and receiving again their seal from 
 you, may give glory to God that he was moved with 
 compassion towards them, and sent you to renew their 
 spirits. Hearker , said he, they whose rods have been 
 
 (g) Here ag'ain by the carelessness of t!;e tra!iscri'>ers nre left out tliosc, 
 V* • : •: r"f!s weiebutfor a .M^^^;I1 p^rt fli:y, i...iTi(iy, tn ;li-; top, but h rl 
 clef • , which arc nunti.'i.c-d bef if- § 1. unci utrain at the btginuiiig of ll.e 
 •luti-. ^. 
 ■' fA) iviS. Lamb Miiiinium hubueranl vmde. 
 
358 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 found dry and rotten, and as it were, touched with 
 the motn, are; the deserters and the b^'trayers ot tne 
 Church ; who, with the rest of their crimes, have also 
 blaspiiemed the Lord, and denied his name which had 
 been called upon them, "^i'hereiore all these are dead 
 unto God, and thou seest that none of them have re- 
 pented, although they have heard my commands 
 which thou hast delivered unlo them, l^rorn ihese 
 men therefore life is far distant. They also who h.^ve 
 delivered up their rod.s dry. Out not rotten, nave not 
 been far from them. For they have been counter- 
 feits, and brought ui evil doctrines, and huve pervert- 
 ed the servants of God ; but especially .hoHt who had 
 sinned ; not suffering them to return unco repentance, 
 but kee])ing them back by their false doctrines. 1 hese 
 therefore have hope, and rhau see^t that many of thtm 
 have repented since the time that thou hast laid my 
 commands before them ; and many more will yet re- 
 pent. But they that shall not repe nt, shall lose both 
 repentance and life. But they th t have repented, 
 their place is begun to be within the hrst wails, and 
 some of them are even gone into the tower. Thou 
 seest therefore, said he, that in the repentance of sin- 
 ners there is life, but that for those who re})ent not, 
 death 18 prepared. 
 
 7. Hear now concerning those who gave in their 
 rods half dry, and full of c'efts. They whose rods 
 were only half dry, are th<^ <Jouu(ful ; for they are 
 neither living nor dead. But they who delivered in 
 their rods not only half dry, but also full of clefts, 
 are both doubtful and evil speakers, who detract from 
 those that are absent, and have never peace among 
 themselves, and that envy one another. Howbeit to 
 th'^se also repentance is offered, for thou see^t that 
 some of these have repented. Now all those of this 
 kind who have quickly repented, bhall have a place in 
 the tower ; but they who have been more slow in their 
 repent.:nce, shall dwell within th ' walls : but they 
 that shall not repent, but shall continue on in their 
 
OF ST. HERMAN. 359 
 
 Wicked doings, shall die the death. As for those who 
 had tiieir rods ^.eea, out yet cleft, they are such as 
 Were- always fair hi ui and gjod, but they had some en- 
 vy and strife among tiieaiselves concerning dignity 
 and jjreemiiience. Now ail such are vain and without 
 under.standing, as contend with one another about 
 these thing'.. Nevertheless, seeing they are otherwise 
 good, if when tney shall hear these commands they 
 shall amend themselves, und shall at my persuasion 
 suddenly repent, they shall at last dwell in the tower, 
 as they who have truly and worthily repented. But 
 it diiy one shall again return to his dissention, he shall 
 be shut our from me tower, and shall lose his life. 
 For the life of those who keep the commandments of 
 the Lord, consists in donig what they are command- 
 ed; not in principality, or in any other dignity. For 
 by forbearance and humility of mind, men shall at- 
 tain unto life ; but by seditions and contempt of the 
 law, they shall purchase death unro themselves. 
 
 8. They who in their rods had one half dry, and 
 the other green, are those who are engaged in many 
 affairs of the world, and are not joined to the saints. 
 For which cause half of them liveth, and half is 
 dead. Wherefore many of these since the time that 
 they have heard my commands, have repented, and 
 begun to dwell in the tower. But some of them have 
 wholly fallen away ; to these there is no more place 
 for repentance. For by reason of their present inter- 
 ests, they have blasphemed and denied God ; and 
 for this 'wickedness they have lost life. And of these 
 many are still in doubt; these may yet return; and 
 if they shall quickly repent, they shall have a place 
 in the tower ; but if they shall be more slow, they 
 shall dwell within the walls ; but if they shall not re- 
 pent, they shall die. As for those who had two parts 
 of their rods green, and the third dry, they have by 
 manifold ways denied the L9rd.(^) Of these manr 
 
 C^-) Lamb. MS. qiiatnplm-imis gene ribus inf,fiat:f. 
 
360 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 have repented, and found a place in the tower ; and 
 many have altjgetner departed from God. I'hty huve 
 utterly lost life. And some being in a doubtful stute, 
 have raised up distentions ; these may yet return, if 
 they shall suddenly repent, and not continue in riieir 
 lust ; but if they shall conunue in their evil doing 
 they shall die. 
 
 9. 'i ney who gave in their rods two parts dry, and 
 the other green, are those who have indeed been faith- 
 ful, but vvithul rich and full of good things ; and 
 thereupon have desired to be famous among the 
 heattien which are without, and have thereby faiicn 
 into great pride, and begun to aim at high matters, 
 and to forsake the truth : nor were they joined to the 
 saints, but lived with the heathen ; and this life set m- 
 ed the more pleasant to them. Howbeit they have 
 not departed from God, but continued in the faith ; 
 only they have not wrought the works of faith. Ma- 
 ny therefore of these have repented, and begun to 
 dwell in the tower. Yet others still living among the 
 heathen people, and being lifted up with their vani- 
 ties, have utterly fallen away from God, and followed 
 the works and wickednesses of the heathen. These 
 kind of men therefore are reckoned among the stran- 
 gers to the gospel Others of these began to be doubt- 
 ful in their minds, despairing by reason of their wick- 
 ed doings ever to attain unto salvation : others being 
 thus made doubtful, did moreover stir up dissentions. 
 To these therefore, and to those who by reason of 
 their doings are become doubtful, there is still hopes 
 of return ; but they must repent quickly, that tht'ir 
 place may be in the tower. But they that repent not, 
 but continue still in their pleasures, are nigh unto 
 death. 
 
 10. As for those who gave in their rods green, ex- 
 cepting their tops, which only were dry, and had 
 clefts; these were always good, and faithful, and up- 
 right before God : nevertheless they sinned a little, by 
 reason of their empty pleasures and trifling thoughts 
 
Of ST. HERMAN' 361 
 
 which they had within themselves. Wherefore many 
 of them when they heard my words, repented forth- 
 with, and began to dwell in the tower. Nevertheless 
 some grew doubtful, alid others to their doubtful 
 minds added dissentions. To these therefore there is 
 still hope of return, because they were always good ; 
 but they shall hardly be moved* As for those, lastly, 
 who gave in their rods dry, their tops only excepted, 
 which all were green ; they are such as have believed 
 indeed in God, but have lived in wickedness ; yet 
 without departing from God ; having always willing- 
 ly borne the name of the Lord, and readily received 
 mto their houses the servants of God. Wherefore 
 hearing these things, they returned, and without de- 
 lay repented, and lived in all righteousness. And 
 some of them suffered death, others readily under- 
 went niaiiy trials, being mindful of their evil doings. 
 1 1 . And when he had ended his ex|>lications of all 
 the rods, he said unto me, go and say unto all men 
 that ;they repent, and they shall live unto God ; be- 
 cause the Lord being moved with great clemency, 
 hath sent me to preach repentance unto all ; even un- 
 to those who by reason of their evil doings, deserve 
 not to attain unto salvation. But the Lord will be pa- 
 tient, and keep the invitation that was made by his 
 son. I said unto him, sir, I hope that all, when they 
 shall hear these things, will repent- For I trust that 
 every one acknowledging his crimes, and taking up 
 the fear of tlie Lord^ will return unto repentance. 
 He said unto me, whosoever shall repent with all 
 their hearts, and cleanse themselves from all the evils 
 that I have before mentioned, and not add any thing 
 more to their sins, siiall receive from the Lord the cure 
 of their former iniquities, if they shall not make any 
 doubt of these jcommands, and shaU live unto God, 
 .But they that shall continue t© add to their transgres- 
 sions, and shall still converse with the lusts of this 
 present world, shall condemn themselves unto deaths 
 But do thou walk in these commands» and thou shalt 
 
 Ci6] 
 
362 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 live unto God : and whosoever shall walk in these, 
 and exercise them rightly, shall live unto God. And 
 having shewed me all these things, he said, I will 
 shew thee the rest in a few days. 
 
 SIMILITUDE IX. 
 
 THE GREATEST MYSTERIES OF THE MILITANT AND TRI- 
 UMPHANT CHURCH WHICH IS TO BE BUILT. 
 
 1. AFTER I had written the commands and simi- 
 litudes of the shepherd, the angel of repentance, he 
 came unto me, and said to me, I will shew thee all 
 those things which the spirit spake with thee under 
 the figure of the Church.t For that spirit is the Son 
 of God. And because thou wert weak in body, it 
 was not declared unto thee by the angel, until thou 
 wert strengthened by the spirit, and increased in force, 
 that thou mightest also see the angel. For then in- 
 deed the building of the tower was very well and 
 gloriously shewn unto thee by the Church ; neverthe- 
 less thou sawest all things shewn unto thee as it were 
 by a virgin. But now thou art enlightened by the 
 ungel, but yet by the same spirit. But thou must 
 consider all things diligently ; for therefore am I sent 
 into thine house by that venerable messenger, that 
 when thou shalt have seen all things powerfully, thou 
 mayest not be afraid as before. And he led me to the 
 height of a mountain of Arcadia, and we sat upon 
 its top And he shewed me a great plain, and about 
 it twelve mountains in different figures. The first was 
 black as soot.: the second was smooth, without herbs : 
 the third was full of thorns and thistles : the fourth 
 had herbs half dried, of which the upper part was 
 
 t Ante, B.ok 1. 
 
OP ST. HERMAS. 363 
 
 green, but that next the root was dry ; and some of 
 the herbs, when the sun grew hot, were dry. The 
 fifch mountain was very rugged, but yet had green 
 herbs. The sixth mountain was full of clefts, some 
 lesser and some greater ; and. in those clefts grew 
 grass, not flourishing, but which seemed to be wither- 
 ing. The seventh mountain had delightful pasture, 
 and was wholly fruitful ; and all kinds of cattle, and 
 of the birds of heaven, fed upon it ; and the more 
 they fed of it, the more and better did the grass grow. 
 The eighth mountain was full of fountains, and from 
 those fountains were watered all kinds of the creatures 
 of God. The ninth mountain had no water at all, 
 but was wholly destitute of it, and nourished deadly 
 serpents and destructive to men. The tenth moun- 
 tain was full of tall trees, and altogether shady ; and 
 under the shade of them lay cattle resting and chew- 
 ing the cud. The eleventh mountain was full of the 
 thickest trees ; and those trees seemed to be loaded 
 with several sorts of fruits, that whosoever saw them 
 could not choose but desire to eat of their fruit. The 
 twelfth mountain was altogether white, and of a most 
 j)leasant aspect, and itself gave a most excellent beau- 
 ty to itself. 
 
 2. In the middle of the plain he shewed me a huge 
 white rock,t which rose out of the plain, and the 
 rock was higher than those mountains, and was square; 
 so that it seemed capable , of supporting the whole 
 world. It looked to me to be old, yet had in it a new 
 gate, which seemed to have been newly hewn out in 
 it. Now that gate was bright beyond the sun itself; 
 insomuch that I greatly admired at its light. About 
 that gate stood twelve virgins ; of which, four^that 
 stood at the corners of the gate, seemed to me to be 
 the chiefest, although the rest also were of worth : 
 and they stood in the four parts of the gate. It add- 
 ed also to the grace of those virgins, that they stood in 
 
 •{• Orig-cn. HjfT, iij. in Ezcch. 
 
3^% THE SHEPHERD 
 
 pairs, clothed with linen garments, and decently 
 girded, their right arms being at liberty, as if they 
 were about to lift up some burden ; for so they were 
 adorned, and were exceeding cheerful and ready. 
 When I saw this, I wondered with myself to see such 
 great and noble things. And again I admired upon 
 tiie account of those virgins, that they were so hand- 
 some and delicate ; and stood with such firmness and 
 constancy, as if they would carry the whole heaven, 
 and as I was thinking thus within myself, the shepherd 
 said unto me, what thinkest thou within thyself, and 
 art disquieted, and fillest thyself with care ? Do not 
 seem to consider, as if thou wert wise, what thou 
 dost not understand, but pray unto the Lord, that 
 thou mayest have ability to understand it : what is to 
 come thou canst not understand, but thou seest that 
 which is before thee. Be not therefore disquieted at 
 those things which thou canst not see ; but get the 
 understanding of those which thou seest. Forbear to 
 be curious, and I will shew thee all things that I 
 ought to declare unto thee : but first consider what 
 yet remains. 
 
 S. And when he had said this unto me I looked up, 
 and behold I saw six tall and venerable men coming ; 
 their countenances were all alike ; and they called a 
 certain multitude of men, and they who came at their 
 call were also tall and stout. And those six com- 
 manded them to build a certain tower over that gate. 
 And immediately there began to be a great noise of 
 those men running here and there about the gate, 
 who were come together to build the tower. But 
 those virgins which stood about the gate perceived that 
 the building Of the tower was to be hastened by 
 them, and they stretched out their hands, as if they 
 were to receive somev^hat from them to do. Then 
 those six men commanded, that they should lift up 
 stones out of a certain deep place, and prepare thern 
 for the building of the tower. And there were lifted 
 up ten white stones, square, and not cut round. 
 
OF ST. IIERMAS» t05 
 
 Then those six men called the virgins to them, and 
 commanded them to carry all the stones that \vc»e to 
 be put into the building; and having carried them 
 through the gate to deliver them to those that were 
 about to build that tower. Immediately the virgins 
 began all of them together to lift up those stones, that 
 were beiore taken out of the deep. 
 
 4. Aod they also who stood about the gate did car- 
 ry stones in such a maimer, that those stones which 
 seemed to be the strongest were laid at the corners, 
 the rest were put into the sides ; and thus they carri- 
 ed all the stones, and bringing them through the gate, 
 delivered them to the buildm-s, as they had been com- 
 manded ; who receiving them at their hands, built 
 with them. But this building was made upon that 
 great rock, and over the gate ; and by these the whole 
 tower wask supported. But the building of the ten 
 stones filled the whole gate, which began to be made 
 for the foundation of that tower. After tliose ten 
 stones did five and twenty others rise lip out of the 
 deep, and these were placed in the building of the 
 same tower, being lifted up by those virgins, as tlie 
 others iiad been before. After these did five and 
 thirty others rise up, and these were also in iike man 
 ner fitted into the same work. Then forty other 
 stones were brought up, and all these were added nu~ 
 to the building of that tower. So there began to be 
 four ranks in the foundation of that tower; and the 
 stones ceased to rise out of the deep ; and they also 
 which built rested a little. Again, those six men 
 commanded the multitude, that they should briuc; 
 stones out of those twelve mountains to the building 
 of the same tower. So they cut out of all the moun- 
 tains stones of divers colours, and brought them and 
 gave them to the virgins ; which when they had re- 
 ceived, they carried them and delivered them into the 
 building of the tower. In which when they were 
 built they became white, and different from what they 
 were before ; for they were all alike, and didrChang:? 
 
366 THE SHliPHERD 
 
 their former colours. And some were reached up by 
 the r4icni themselves, whicli when they came into the 
 buildmg, .continued sucli as they were put in. These 
 neither became white, nor ditierent from what they 
 were before; because they were not carried by the 
 virgins through the gate. Wherefore these stones 
 were disagreeable in the building ; which when those 
 six men perceived, they commanded them to be re- 
 moved, and put again in the place from which they 
 were brought. And they said to those who brought 
 those stones, do not yet reach up to us any stones for 
 this building, but lay them down by the tower, that 
 these virgins may carry tiiom and reach them to us ; 
 for unless they shall be carried by these virgins 
 through this gate, they cannot change their colours ; 
 therefore do not labour in vain. 
 
 3. So the building that day was done, howbeit the 
 tower was not finished, for it was afterwards to be 
 built, therefore now also there was some delay made 
 of it. And these six men commanded those that built 
 to depart, and as it were to rest for some time ; but 
 they ordered those virgins that they should not depart 
 from the tower : now they seemed to me to be left for 
 the guarding of it. When all were departed, I said 
 unto that shepherd, sir, why is not the building of the 
 tower finished ? Because it cannot, said he, be fitiish- 
 ed until its Lord comes, and approves of the building; 
 that if he shall find any stones in it that are not good 
 they may be changed; for this tower is built accord- 
 ing to his will. Sir, said I, I would know what the 
 building of this tower signifies ; as also I would be in- 
 foraied concerning this rock, and this gate, and con- 
 cerning the mountains and the virgins, and the stones 
 that did rise out of the deep, and were not cut, but 
 put into the building just as they came forth ; and why 
 fhe ten stones were first laid in the foundation ; then 
 the twenty five, then thirty five, then forty ? Also 
 concerning those stones that were put into the build- 
 ing, and again taken out and carried back to their 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 367 
 
 place ? Fulfil, I pray, the desire of my soul as to all 
 these things, and manifest all unto me. And he said 
 unto me, if thou shalt not be dull, thou shalt know 
 all, and shalt see all the other things that are about to 
 happen in this tower ; and shalt understand diligently 
 all these similitudes. And after a few days we came 
 into the same place where we had sat before ; and he 
 said unto me, let us go unto the tower, for'the Lord 
 of it will come and examine it. So we came thither, 
 and found none but those virgins there. And he ask- 
 ed them whether the Lord of that tower was come 
 thither ? And they replied, that he would be there 
 presently, to examine the building. 
 
 6* After a very little while I saw a great multitude 
 of men coming, and in the middle of them a man so 
 tall that he surpassed the tower in height. About him 
 were those six, who before commanded in the build- 
 ing, and all the rest of those who had built that tower, 
 and many others of great dignity ; and the virgins 
 that kept the tower ran to meet him, and kissed him, 
 and began to walk near unto him. But he examined 
 the building with so much care that he handled every 
 stone, and struck every one with a rod which he held 
 in his hand; of which some being struck turned black 
 as soot ; others were rough ; some looked as if they 
 had cracks in them ; others seemed maimed ; some 
 neither black nor white ; some looked sharp, and 
 agreed not with the other stones, and others were 
 full of spots. These were the several kinds of those 
 stones which were not found proper in the building ; 
 all which the Lord commanded to be taken out of the 
 tower, and laid near it, and other stones to be brought 
 and put in their places. And they that built, asked 
 him from which of the mountains he wo\ikl have 
 stones brought to put in the place of those that were 
 laid aside : but he forbade them to bring any from the 
 mountains, and commanded that they should take 
 ihem out of a certain field that was near ; so they 
 digged in that field, and found many bright square 
 
368 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 Stones, and some also that were round. Howbelt, all 
 that were found in that field were taken and carried 
 through the gate by those virgins ; and those of them 
 that were square were fitted and put into the places of 
 those that were pulled out. But the round ones were 
 not put into the bulling, because they were hard, and 
 it would have required too much time to cut them ; 
 but they were placed about the tower, as if they 
 should hereafter be cut square, and put into the build- 
 ing, for they were very white. 
 
 7. When he who was chief in dignity, and Lord 
 of the whole tower saw this, he called to him the 
 shepherd that was with me, and gave him the stones 
 that were rejected and laid about the tower, and said 
 unto him, cleanse these stones with all care, and fit 
 thv?m into the building of the tower, that they may 
 agree with the rest ; but those that will not suit with 
 the rest, cast away afar oflf from the tower. When 
 he had thus commanded him, he departed, with all 
 those that came with him to the tower ; but those vir- 
 gins still stood about the tower to keep it. And I said 
 unto that shepherd, how- can these stones, seeing they 
 have been rejected, return into the building of this 
 tower ? He replied, I will cut off the greatest part 
 from these stones, and will add them to the building, 
 and they will agree with the rest. And I said, sii> 
 how will they be able to fill the same place, when 
 they shall be so much cut away ? He answered, they 
 that shall be found too little shall be put into the mid- 
 dle of the building, and the greater shall be placed 
 without, and keep them in. When he had said thus 
 unto me, he added, let us go, and after three days 
 we will return, and I will put these stones, being 
 cleansed, into the tower. For all these that are about 
 the tower must be cleansed, lest the master of the 
 house chance to come upon the sudden, and find those 
 which are about the tower unclean, and be so exas- 
 perated that these stones should never be put into the 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 369 
 
 building of this tower,(?/) and I shall be looked upon 
 to have been unniindiul of my master's commands. (*•) 
 When therefore we came after three days to the tow- 
 er, he said unto me, let us examine all these stones, 
 and let us see which of them may go into the build- 
 ing. I answered, sir, let us see. 
 
 '6. And iirst of all we began to consider those which 
 had been black, for they were found just such as they 
 were when they were pulled out of the lower : where- 
 fore he commanded them to be removed from the tow- 
 er, and put by themselves. Then he examined those 
 which had been rough, and commanded many of 
 those to be cut round, and to be fitted by the virgins 
 into the building of the tower : so they took them 
 and fitted them into the middle of the building ; and 
 he commanded the rest to be laid by with the black 
 ones, for they also were become black. Next he 
 considered those which were full of cracks, and many 
 of those also he ordered to be pared away, and so to 
 be added to the rest of the building, by the same vir- 
 gins : these were placed without, because they were 
 found entire ; but the residue through the multitude 
 of their cracks could not be reformed, and therefore 
 were cast away from the building of the tower. Then 
 he considered those that had been maimed ; many of 
 these had cracks, and were become blacky others had 
 large clefts ; these he commanded to be placed with 
 those that were rejected ; but the rest being cleansed 
 and reformed, he commanded to be put into the builds 
 ing. These therefore those virgins took up and fitted 
 into the middle of the building, because they were 
 but weak. After these he examined those which 
 were found half white and half black ; and many of 
 those were now black : these also he ordered to be 
 laid among those that were cast away. The rest were 
 found altogether white ; those were taken up by the 
 virgins, and fitted into the same tow^r; and these 
 
 (a) MS. Lamb It:i Exasperetur, ut hi Lapides. 
 
 (x) MS. Lumb. Ncijiiger.s Palris familias. 
 
 r47i 
 
370 THE SHEPHER1>. 
 
 were put in the outside, because they were found en* 
 tire,(y) that so they might keep in those that were 
 placed in the middle, for nothing was cut off from 
 them. Next he looked upon those which had been 
 hard and sharp, (s) but few of these were made use 
 of, because they could not be cut, for they were found 
 very hard; but the rest were formed, and fitted by 
 the virgins into the middle of the building, because 
 they were more weak. Then he considered those 
 which; had spots; of these a few were found black, 
 and these were carried to their fellows. The rest 
 were white and entire ; and they were fitted by the 
 virgins into, the building, and placed in the outside,, 
 by reason of their strength. 
 
 9. After this he came to consider those stones which 
 were white and round, and he said unto me, what 
 shall we do with these stones ? I answered, sir, I can- 
 not tell. He replied, canst thou think of nothing 
 then for these ? Lanswered, sir, L understand not this 
 art, neither am I a stone-cutter, nor can I tell any 
 thing. And he said, seest thou not that they are very 
 round? now to make them square, I must cutoff a 
 great deal. from them ; howbeit it is necessary that 
 some of these should go into the building of the tower. 
 I answered, if it be necessary, why do you perplex 
 yourself, and not rather choose, if you have any 
 choice among them, and fit them into the building ? 
 upon this he chose out the largest and brightest, and 
 squared them; which when he had done, the virgins 
 took them up and placed them in the outside of the 
 building. And the rest that remained, were carried 
 back into the same field from which they were taken : 
 howbeit they were not cast away, because, said he, 
 there is yet a little wanting to this tower which is to be 
 built ; and perhaps the Lord will have these stones fit- 
 ted into this building, because they are exceeding 
 white. Then were there called twelve very stately 
 
 (y) Vid, MS. Lamb. Edit. Oxon. p. 157. 
 (zj MS, Lamb. Fuerant. 
 
OF ST. HKRMAS. 371 
 
 women, clothed with a black garment, girded, and 
 their shoulders free, and their hair loose. These 
 seemed to me to be country women. And the shep- 
 herd commanded them to take up those stones which 
 were cast out of the building, and carry them back 
 to the mountains out of which they were taken. And 
 they took them all up joyfully, and carried them back 
 to their places from whence they had been taken. 
 When not one stone remained about the tower, he 
 said unto me, let us go about this tower, and see 
 whether any thing be warning to it. We began there- 
 fore to go round about it, and when he saw that it 
 was handsomely built, he began to be very glad ; for 
 it was so beautifully framed, that any one that had 
 ^een it must have been. in love with the building; for 
 it seemed to be all but one stone, nor did any jomt any 
 where appear, but it looked as if it had all been cut 
 out of one rock. 
 
 10. And when I diligently considered what a tower 
 it was, I was extremely pleased ; and he said unto me, 
 bring hither some lime and little shells, that I may fill 
 up the spaces of those stones that were taken out of 
 the building, and put in again ; for all things about 
 the tower must be made even. And I did as he com- 
 manded me, and brought them unto him ; and he 
 said unto me, be ready to help me, and this work will 
 quickly be finished. He therefore filled up the spaces 
 of those stones, and commanded the place about the 
 tower to be cleansed. Then those virgins took besoms 
 -and cleansed all the place around, and took away all 
 the rubbish, and threw on water ; which being done, 
 the place became delightful, and the tower beauteous. 
 Then he said unto me, all is now clean ; if the Lord 
 should come to finish the tower, he will find nothing 
 whereby to complain of us. When he had said this, 
 he would have departed ; but I laid hold on his bag, 
 and began to entreat him for the Lord's sake, that he 
 would explain to me all things that he had shewn me. 
 Me said unto me, I have at present a little business. 
 
372 *r THE SHEPHERD 
 
 but I will suddenly explain all things unto thee. Tar- 
 ry here for me until I come. I said unto him, sir, 
 •what shall I do here alone ? He answered, thou art 
 not alone, seeing all these virgins are with thee. I 
 said, sir, deliver me then unto them. Then he called 
 them, and said unto them, I commend this man unto 
 you*until I shall come. So I remained with those vir- 
 gins : now they were cheerful and courteous unto me, 
 especially the four which seemed to be the chiefest 
 among them. 
 
 1 1. Then those virgins said unto me, that shepherd 
 will not return hither to day. I said unto them, what 
 then shall I do ? They answered, tarry for him until * 
 the evening, if perhaps he may come and speak with 
 thee, but if not, yet thou shalt continue with us un- 
 til he does come. I said unto them, I will tarry for 
 him until evening, but if he comes not by that time, 
 I will go home, and return hither again the next 
 morning. They answered me, thou art delivered 
 unto us, thou mayest not depart from us. I said, 
 where shall I tarry ? They replied, thou shalt sleep 
 with us as a brother, not as a husband ; for thou art 
 our brother, and we are ready from henceforth to 
 dwell with thee, for thou art very dear to us. How- 
 beit I was ashamed to continue with them. But she 
 that seemed to be the chiefest among them, embraced 
 me, and began to kiss me. And the rest, when they 
 saw that I was kissed by her, began also to kiss me 
 as a brother, and led me about the tower, and played 
 with me. Some of them also sung psalms, others 
 made -^.p the chorus with them. But I walked about 
 the tower with them, rejoicing silently, and seeming 
 to myself to be grown young again. When the even- 
 ing came on, I would forthwith have gone home, but 
 they Vvithheld me, and suffered me not to depart. 
 Wlierefore I continued with them that night near the 
 same tower. So they spread their linen garments up- 
 on the ground, and placed me in the middle, nor did 
 they any thing else, only they prayed. I also prayed 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 37 S 
 
 with them without ceasing, no less than they. Who 
 when they saw me pray in that manner, rejoiced 
 greatly; and I continued therewith them until the 
 next day. And when we had worshipped God, then 
 the shepherd came arid said unto them, you have done 
 no injury to this man. They answered, ask him. I 
 said unto him, sir, I have received a great deal of sa- 
 tisfaction in that I have remained with them. And he 
 said unto me, how didst thou sup ? I answered, sir, 
 I feasted the whole night upon the words of the Lord. 
 They received thee well then, said he ? I said, sir, 
 very well. He answered, wilt thou now learn what 
 thou didst desire ? I replied, sir, I will : and first I 
 pray thee that thou shouldest shew me all things in 
 the order that I asked them. He answered, I will do 
 all as thou wouldest have me, nor will I hide any thing 
 from thee. 
 
 1 2. First of all sir, said I, tell me what this rock 
 and this gate denote ? Hearken, said he ; this rock 
 and this gate, are the Son of God. I replied, sir, 
 how can that be, seeing the rock is old, but the gate 
 new ? Hear, said he, O foolish man ! and understand. 
 The Son of God is indeed more antient than any 
 creature; insomuch that he was in council with his 
 Father at the creation of all things. But the gate is 
 therefore new, because he appeared in the last days at V, 
 the fulness of time ; that they who shall attain unto^^ 
 salvation, may by it enter into the kingdom of God.^ml 
 You have seen, said he, those stones which were car-^ 
 ried through the gate, how they were placed in the 
 building of the tower; but that those which were 
 not carried through the gate, were sent away into 
 their own places ? I answered, sir, I saw it. Thus 
 said he, no man shall enter into the kingdom of God, 
 but he who shall take upon him the name of the Son 
 of God. For if you would enter into any city, and 
 that city should be encompassed with a wall, and had 
 only one gate, could you enter into that city except 
 by that gate ? I answered, sir, how could I do other- 
 
3-74 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 wise ? As therefore, said he, there would be no other 
 way of entering into that city but oy this gate, so 
 neither can any one enter into the kingdom of God, 
 but only by the name of his son, who is most dear 
 unto him. And he said unto me, didst thou see the 
 multitude of those that built that tower ? Sir, said I, 
 I saw it. He answered, all those are the angels, ven- 
 erable in their dignity. With these is the Lord en- 
 compassed as with a wa!ll ; but the gate is the Son of 
 God, who is the only way of coming unto God. For 
 no man shall go to God> but by his Son. Thou sawest 
 also, said he, the six men, and in the middle of them 
 that venerable great man, who walked about the tow- 
 er, and rejected the stones out of the tower ? Sir, said 
 I, I saw them. He answered, that tall man was the 
 Son of God, and those six were his angels of most 
 eminent dignity, which stand about him on the right 
 hand and on the left. Of these excellent angels none 
 comes in unto God without him. He added, whoso- 
 ever therefore shall not take upon him his name, he 
 shall not enter into the kingdom of God. 
 
 13. Then I said, what is this tower? This, said 
 he, is the Church. And what, sir, are these virgins ? 
 He said unto me, these are the Holy Spirits, for no 
 man can enter into the kingdom of God, except these 
 <jlothe him with their garment ; for it will avail thee 
 nothing to take up the name of the Son of God, un- 
 less thou shalt also receive their garment from them ; 
 for these virgins are the powers of the Son of God. 
 So shall a man in vain bear his name, unless he shall 
 ^Iso be endued with his powers. And he said unto 
 me, sawest thou those stones that were cast away ? 
 they bore indeed the name, but put not on their gar- 
 ment. I said, sir, what is their garment ? Their very 
 names, said he, are their garment.(rf) Therefore 
 whosoever beareth the name of the Son of God, ought 
 to bear their names also ; for the Son of God also him- 
 
 id) Vid, Annot. Edit. Oxon. p. U6. d. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 375' 
 
 seir beareth their names. As for those stones, con- 
 tinued he^ which being dehvered by their hands, thou 
 sawest remain in the building, they were clothed 
 with their power, for which cause thou seest the whole 
 tower of the same colour with the rock, and made as 
 it were of one stone.(e') So also those who have be- 
 lieved in God by his Son, have put on this spirit. Be- 
 hold there shall be one spirit, and one body, and one 
 colour of their garments ; and all they shall attain 
 this, who shall bear the names of these virgins. And 
 I saidi sir, why when were those stones cast away 
 which were rejected ? seeing they also were carried 
 through the gate, and delivered by the hands of these 
 virgins into the building. of this tower. Seeing, said 
 he, thou takest care to inquire diligently into all things, 
 hear also concerning those stones which were rejected. 
 All these received the name of the Son of God, and 
 with that the power of these virgins ; having there- 
 fore received these spirits they were perfected, and 
 brought into the number of the servants of God, and 
 they began to be one body, and to have one garment, 
 for they were endued with the same righteousness^ 
 which they alike exercised ;(/) but after that they be- 
 held these women which thou sawest clothed with a 
 black garment, with their shoulders at liberty and 
 their hair loose, they fixed their desires upon thenj^ 
 being tempted with their beauty ; and were clotheci 
 with their power and cast oft' the clothing of the vii 
 gins : therefore were they cast oflf from the liouse of 
 God, and delivered to those women ; but tney rhar 
 were not corrupted with their beauty, remained in the 
 house of God. This, said he, is the sigiiiiicarioii of 
 those stones which were rejected. 
 
 14. And I said, sir, what if any of these men shall 
 repent, and cast away their desire of those womeii, 
 and be converted, and return to these virgins, and piif 
 
 (e) Vid. Origen. PJiilocal. c. viii. 
 
 (/") Sfntieliant xqiiitatem. Lat.fron the Greece If^'aij'.vj : but the t;-.;^ 
 reiuling of Hprma* scenuth lo have b?en t^oanv^. 
 
376 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 on again their virtue, shall they not enter into the 
 house of God ? They shall enter, said lie, if they 
 shall lay aside all the works of those women, and 
 shall resume the power of these virgins, and shall 
 walk in their works. And for this cause there is a 
 stop in the building, that if they shall repent, they 
 may be added to the building of this tower; but if 
 they shall not repent, that others may be built in their 
 places, and so they may be utterly cast away. For 
 all these things I gave thanks unto the Lord, that being 
 moved with uiercy towards all those upon whom his 
 name is called, he sent to us the angel of repentance; 
 to preside over us who have sinned against him; and 
 that he has refreshed our spirits which were almost 
 gone, and who had no hope of salvation, but are now 
 refreshed to the renewal of life. Then I said, shew 
 me now, sir, why this tower is not built upon the 
 ground, but upon a rock, and upon the gate ? He re- 
 plied, thou art foolish and withaut understanding, 
 therefore thou askest this. And I said, sir, I must 
 needs ask all things of you, because I understand 
 nothing at all ; for all your answers are great and 
 excellent, and which a man can hardly understand. — 
 Hear, said he, the name of the Son of God is great 
 and without bounds, and the whole world is support- 
 ed by it. If therefore, said I, every creature of God 
 be sustained by his son, why should he not support 
 those also who have been invited by him, and who 
 carry his name and walk in his commandment ? Seest 
 thou not, "Said he, that he does support them, who 
 with all their heart bear his name ? he therefore is their 
 foundation, and gladly supports those who do not 
 deny his name, but willingly bear it. 
 
 15. And I said, sir, tell me the names of these vir- 
 gins, and of those women that were clothed with the 
 black garment. Hear, said he, the names of those 
 virgins which are the more powerful, and stand at the 
 corners of the gate ; these are their names : the first 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. • 377 
 
 .is called Faith; the second, Continence; the third, 
 Power; the fourth, Patience ; the rest which stand be- 
 neath these are, SimpUcity, Innocence, Chastity, 
 Cheerfulness, Truth, Understanding, Concord, Chari- 
 ty.(g) Whosoever therefore bear these names, and 
 the name of the Son of God, shall enter into the king- 
 dom of God. Hear now, said he, the names of those 
 women who were clothed with the black garment : of 
 these, four are the principal : the first is Perfidious- 
 ness; the second. Incontinence; the third, Infidelity; 
 the fourth, Pleasure; and the rest which follow are 
 called thus. Sadness, Malice, Lust, Anger, Lying, 
 Foolishness, Pride, and Hatred. The servant of God 
 which carries these spirits, shall see indeed the king- 
 dom of God, but he shall not enter into it. But, sir, 
 what are those stones which were taken out of the 
 deep, and fitted into the building ? The ten, said he, 
 which were placed at the foundation, are the first 
 age ; the following five and twenty, the second, of 
 righteous men ; the next thirty-five, are the prophets 
 and ministers of the Lord ; and the forty, are the apos- 
 tles and doctors of the preaching of the, Son of God. 
 And I said, sir, why did the virgins put even these 
 stones into the building after they were carried through 
 the gate ? And he said, because these first carried 
 those spirits, and they departed not one from the other, 
 neither the men from the spirits, nor the spirits from 
 the men, but the spirits were joined to thost^ men even 
 to the day of their death ; who if they had not had 
 these spirits with them, they could not have been use- 
 ful to the building of this tower. 
 
 16. And I said, sir, shew me tMs farther. He an- 
 swered, what dost thou ask ? Why did these stones 
 come out of the deep, and wpre placed into the build- 
 ing of this tower, seeing th^it they long ago carri- 
 ed those holy spirits ? It was necessary, said he, for 
 them to ascend by water, that they might be at rest.(r) 
 
 (i) Origen. Horn. 13, in Ezek, 
 (0 Vik. Edit. Oxon. j . 171, b. 
 
 [48] 
 
378 THE gHFPHFRD 
 
 For they could not otherwise enter into the kingdom of 
 God, but by laying aside the mortahty of their ior- 
 merlife; they therefore being dead, were neverthe- 
 less sealed with the seal of the Son of God, and so. 
 entered into the kingdom of God : for before a man 
 receives the name of the Son of God, he is ordained 
 unto death, but when he receives that seal, he is freed 
 from death, and assigned unto life : now that seal is 
 the water of baptism, into which men go down un- 
 der the obligation unto death, but come up appointed 
 unto life ; wherefore to those also was this seal preach- 
 ed, and they made use of it, that they might enter 
 into the kingdom of God.(/) And I said, why then, 
 sir, did these forty stones also ascend with them out 
 of the deep, having already received that seal ? He 
 answered, because these apostles and teachers, who 
 preached the name of the Son of God, dying after 
 they had received his faith and power, preached to 
 them who were dead before, and they gave this seal 
 to them :(m) they went down therefore into the water 
 with them, and again came up ; but these went down 
 whilst they were alive, and came up again alive ; 
 whereas those, who wei^ before dead, went down 
 dead, but came up alive. Through these therefore 
 tin^y received lite, and knew the Son of God ; for 
 which cause they came up with them, and were fit to 
 come into the building of the tower, and were not 
 cut, 'mt p'at in entire, because they died in righteous- 
 ne8!^, and in great purity; only this seal was want- 
 ing to them. Thus you have the explication of these 
 things. 
 
 1 7. I answered, sir, tell me now what concerns 
 those mountains, why they are so different, some of 
 one form, and some of another ? Hear, said he, these 
 twelve mountains whici\ thou seest, are twelve na- 
 tions, which make up the whole world; wherefore 
 
 (0 Vid. Coteler. Annot. in loc pag. 77^ 78, Corap. 1 Pet. iii. 19. 
 (m) Vld. Glen;. Alex. SU'om. ii. Et vK- 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 379 
 
 the Son of God is preached to them, by those whom 
 he sent unto them. ' But why, said I, are they diifer- 
 ent, and every one of a figure ? He replied, hearken : 
 those twelve nations which possess the whole world, 
 are twelve people ; and as thou hast beheld these 
 mountains different, so are they ; I will therefore open 
 to thee the meaning, and actions of every mountain. 
 But first, sir, said I, shew me this : seeing these moun- 
 tains are so different, how^ have they agreed into the 
 building of this tower, and been brought to one co- 
 lour, and are no less bright than those which came 
 out of the deep ? because, replied he, all the nations 
 which are under heaven, have heard and believed in 
 the same one name of the Son of God by whom they 
 are called ; wherefore having received his seal, they 
 have all been made partakers of the same understand- 
 ing and knowledge, and their faith and charity have 
 been the same, and they have carried the spirits of 
 these virgins together with his name ; and therefore 
 the building of this tower appeared to be of the same 
 colour, and did shine like the brightness of the sun. 
 But after that they had thus agreed in one mind, there 
 began to be one body of them all ; howbeit some of 
 them polluted themselves, and were cast off from the 
 kind of the righteous, and again retur^ied to their for- 
 mer state, and became even worse rAan they were be- 
 fore. 
 
 18. How% said I, sir, were ^^ley worse who knew 
 the Lord ? He answered, if he who knows not the 
 Lord liveth wickedly, thepunishment of his wicked- 
 ness attends him. But Ae who has known the Lord, 
 ought to abstain altog^^ther from all wickedness, and 
 more and more to be the servant of righteousness. 
 And does not he then seem to thee to sin more who 
 ought to folio 'V goodness, if he shall prefer the part 
 of sin, than he who offends without knowing the 
 power of God ? Wherefore these are indeed ordain- 
 ed unto death ; but they who have kno>vn the Lord, 
 and have seen his wonderful works, if they shall live 
 
3S0 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 wickedly, they shall be doubly punished, and shall 
 die for ever. As therefore thou hast seen that alter 
 the stones were cast out of the tower, which had been 
 rejected, they were delivered to wicked and cruel spi- 
 rits ; and thou beheldest the tower so cleansed, as if 
 it had all been made of one stone ; so the Church of 
 God,(^) when it shall be purified, (the wicked and 
 counterfeits, the mischievous and doubtful, and all 
 that have behaved themselves wickedly in it, and com- 
 mitted divers kinds of sin, being cast out,) shall be- 
 come one body, and there shall be one understand- 
 ing, one opinion, one faith, and the same charity ; 
 and then shall the Son of God rejoice among them, 
 and shall receive his people with a pure will. And I 
 said, sir, all these things are great and honourable : 
 but now shew unto me the effect and force of every 
 mountain, that every soul which trusteth in the Lord, 
 when it shall hear these things, may honour his great 
 and wonderful, and holy name. Hear, said he, the 
 variety of these mountains, that is, of the twelve na- 
 tions. 
 
 19. They who have jbelieved of the first mountain^ 
 which is bHck, are those who have revolted from the 
 faith, and spoken wicked things against the Lord, and 
 betrayed the servants of God. These are condemned 
 to death, there is ro repentance for them ; and there- 
 fore they are black, because their kind is wicked. 
 Of the second mounta«i which was smooth, are the 
 hypocrites, who have bt^ieved, and the teachers of 
 naughtiness ; and these aio next to the foregoing, 
 v/hich have not in them the fruit of righteousness. 
 For as their mountain is barren, and without fruit, 
 so also such kind of men have indeed the name of 
 Christians, but are empty of faith, nor is there any 
 fruit of the truth in them. Nevertheless there is room 
 left to them for repentence, if they shall suddenly 
 pursue it ; but if they shall delay, they also shall be 
 
 fq) Vid.Origen, Philocal. C. viii. 
 
OP ST. HERMAS. 381 
 
 partakers of death with the foregoing kind. I said, 
 sir, why is there room left to those for repentance, 
 and not to the foregoing kind, seeing their sins are 
 well nigh the same ? there is therefore, said he, to 
 these a return unto hfe by repentance, because they 
 have not blasphemed against their Lord, nor betrayed 
 the servants of God ; but by their desire of gain have 
 deceived men, leading them according to the lusts of 
 sinners ; wherefore they shall suffer for this thing. 
 Howbeit there is still left them room for repentance, 
 because they have not spoken any thing wickedly 
 against their Lord. 
 
 20. They who are of the third /nountain which had 
 thorns and brambles, are those who believed, but 
 were some of them rich, others taken up with many 
 affairs : the brambles are their riches, the thorns those 
 affairs in which they were engaged. Now they who 
 are entangled in much business, and in diversity of 
 affairs, join not themselves to the servants of God, 
 but wander, being called away by those affairs with 
 which they are choaked. And so they which are rich, 
 with difficulty yield themselves to the conversation of 
 the servants of God,{t) fearing lest any thing should 
 be asked of them. 1'hese therefore shall hardly enter 
 into the kingdom of God. For as men walk with 
 difficulty bare-foot over thorns, even so these kind of 
 men shall scarcely enter into the kingdom of God. 
 Nevertheless there is afforded to all these a return un- 
 to repentance ; if so be they shall quickly return to it ; 
 that because in their former days they have neglected 
 to work, in the time that is to come they muy do some 
 good. If therefore having repented, they shall do 
 the v/orks of righteousness, they shall live; but if 
 they shall continue in their evil courses, they shall be 
 delivered to those women that will take away (heir 
 life. 
 
 (0 Vid. Edit. Oxor. p. 178. Not b. 
 
382 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 21. As for the fourth mountain, which had many 
 herbs, the upper part of which is green, but the roots 
 dry, and some of which being touched with the iieat 
 of the sun, are withered ; it denotes the doubtful, 
 who have beheved, and some others who carr)- the 
 Lord in their tongues, but have them not in their 
 heart ; therefore their grass is dry, and without root, 
 because they Uve only in words, but their works are 
 dead. These therefore are neither dead nor living, 
 and withal are doubtful. For the doubtful are nei- 
 ther green nor dry ; that is, neither dead nor alive. 
 For as the herbs dry away at the sight of the sun, so 
 the doubtful, as soon as they hear of persecution, and 
 fear inconveniences, return to their idols, and again 
 serve them, and are ashamed to bear the name of their 
 Lord. This kind of men then is neither dead nor 
 alive ; nevertiieiess these also may live, if they shall 
 presently repent ; but if not, they shall be delivered 
 to those women, who shall take away their life. 
 
 22. As concerning the fifth mountain that is craggy, 
 and yet has green grass, they are of this kind who 
 have believed, and are faithful indeed, but believe 
 with difficulty; and are bold and self conceited ; 
 that would be thought to know all things, but really 
 know nothing. W herefore, by reason of this confi- 
 dence, knowledge is departed from them, and a rash 
 presumption is entered into them. But they carry 
 themselves high, and as prudent men ; and though 
 they are fools, yet would seem to be teachers. Now 
 by reason of this folly, many of them, whilst they 
 magnify themselves, are become vain and empty. 
 For boldness and vain confidence is a very evil spirit. 
 Wherefore many of these are cast away ; but others 
 acknowledging their error, have repented and sub- 
 mitted themselves to those who are knowing ; and to 
 all the rest of this kind there is repentance allowed ; 
 forasmuch as they were not so much wicked as foolish, 
 and void of understaning. If these therefore shall 
 repent, they shall live unto God ; but if not, they 
 
OF ST. HERMA5. 383 
 
 shall dwell with those women, who shall exercise their 
 wickedness upon them. 
 
 23. For what concerns the sixth mountain having 
 greater and lesser clefts, they are such as have be- 
 lieved ; but those in which were lesser clefts, are they 
 who have had controversies among themselves ; and 
 by reason of their quarrels languish in the faith : ne- 
 vertheless many of these have repented, and so will 
 the rest when they shall hear my commands ; for their 
 controversies are but small, and they will easily return 
 unto repentance. But those who have the greater 
 clefts, will be as stiff stones, mindful of grudges and 
 offences, and full of anger among themselves. These 
 therefore are cast from the tower, and refused to be 
 put into its building, for this kind of men shall hardly 
 live. Our God and Lord, who ruleth over all things, 
 and has power over all his creatures, will not remem- 
 ber our offences, but is easily appeased by those who 
 confess their sins : but man being languid, mortal, in^ 
 firm, and full of sins, perseveres in his ange^ against 
 man, as if it were in his po\yer to save or t^ destroy 
 him. But I, as the angel wiio am set over your re- 
 pentance, admonish you, that whosoever among you 
 has any such purpose, he should lay it aside and re- 
 turn unto repentance, and the Lord will heal your 
 former sins, if you shall purge yourselves from this 
 evil spirit ; but if you shall not do it, ye shall be de- 
 livered to him unto death. 
 
 24. As for the seventh mountain in which the grass 
 was green and flourishing, and the whole mountain 
 fruitful, and all kind of cattle fed upon the grass of 
 it ; and the more the grass was eaten, so much the 
 more it flourished ; they are such as believed, and 
 were always good and upright ; and without any dif- 
 ferences among themselves, but still rejoiced in the 
 servants of God, having put on the spirit of these 
 virgins, and been always forward to shew mercy to 
 all men, readily giving to all men of their labours 
 
 without upbraiding^and without deliberation. Where 
 
384 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 fore the Lord seeing their simpUcity and innocence, 
 has increased them in the works of their hands, and 
 given them grace in all their works. But I, who am 
 the angel appointed over your repentance, exhort you, 
 that as many as are of this kind, would continue in 
 the same purpose, that your seed may not be rooted 
 out for ever. For the Lord hath tried you, and writ- 
 ten you into our number, and all your seed shall dwell 
 with the Son of God, for ye are all of his spirit. 
 
 25. As concerning the eighth mountain in which 
 were a great many springs, by which every kind of 
 all the creatures of God was watered, they are such 
 as have believed the Apostles which the Lord sent in- 
 to all the world to preach, and some of them being 
 teachers(t/) have preached and taught purely and sin- 
 cerely, and have not in the least yielded to any evil 
 desires, but have constantly walked in righteous and 
 truth ; these therefore have their conversation among 
 the angels. 
 
 26. Again, as for what concerns the ninth moun- 
 tain which is desert and full of serpents, they ar? such 
 as have believed, but had many stains : these are such 
 ministers as discharge their ministry amiss, ravishing 
 away the goods of the widows and fatherless, and 
 serve themselves, not others, out of those things which 
 they have received ; these, if they continue in this 
 covetousness, have delivered themselves unto death, 
 nor shall there be any hope of life for them. But if 
 they shall be converted, and shall discharge their min- 
 istry sincerely, they may live. As for those which 
 were found rough, they are such as have denied the 
 name of Ihe Lord, and not returned again to the Lord, 
 but have become savage and wild, not applying them- 
 selves to the servants of God, but being separated 
 from them, have for a little carefulness lost their lives ; 
 for as a vine that is forsaken in a hedge, and never 
 dressed, perishes and is choaked by the weeds, and in 
 
 (^) MS. Lamb. Et quidam Doctores caste ; Omitting' qui. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 385 
 
 time becomes wild, and ceases to be useful to its Lord ; 
 so this kind of men despairing of themselves, and be- 
 ing soured, have begun to be unproiitable to their 
 Lord : hovvbeit to these there is, after all, repentance 
 allowed, if they shall not be found from their hearts 
 to have denied Christ ; but if any of these shall be 
 found to have denied him from his heart, I cannot tell 
 whether such a one can attain unto life ; I say there- 
 fore, that if any one hath denied, he should in those 
 days return unto repentance, for it cannot be that any 
 one who now denies the Lord, can attain unto salva- 
 tion; nevertheless repentance is proposed unto them, 
 who have formerly denied ; but he who will repent 
 must hasten on his repentance before the building of 
 this tower is finished ; otherwise, he shall be delivered 
 by those women unto death. But they that are maimed 
 are the deceitful, and those who mix with one ano- 
 ther, these are the serpents that you saw mingled in that 
 mountain ; for as the poison of serpents is deadly unto 
 men, so the words of such persons infect and destroy 
 men ; they are therefore maimed in their faith, by rea- 
 son of that kind of life which they lead : howbeic 
 some of them having repented, have been saved, and 
 so shall others of the same kind be also saved, if they 
 shall repent ; but if not they shall die by those women 
 whose power and force they possess. 
 
 27. For what concerns the tenth mountain, in which 
 were the trees covering the cattle, they are such as 
 have believed, and some of them been bishops, that is, 
 governors of the Churches : others, are such stones, as 
 have not feignedly, but with a cheerful mind enter- 
 tained the servants of God : then such as have been 
 set over inferior ministries, and have protected the 
 poor and the widows, and have always kept a chaste 
 conversation, therefore they also are protected by the 
 Lord. Whosoever shall do on this wise, are honour- 
 ed with the Lord, and their place is among the angels, 
 if they shall continue to obey the Lord even unto the 
 end. 
 
 r49i 
 
366 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 28. As to the eleventh mountain in which were trees 
 loaded with several sorts of fruits, they are such as 
 have oelievecl and suffered death for the name of the 
 L'j'rd, and have endured with a ready mind, anu have 
 given up their hves with all their hearts. And I said, 
 why then, sir, have all these fruit indeed, but yet 
 some fairer than others ? Hearken, said he, whoso» 
 ever have suffered for the name of the Lord, are es- 
 teemed honoiirable by the Lord, and ail tlieir ofiences 
 are blotted a at, because they have suffered death for 
 the name of the Son of God. Hear now, why their 
 fruits are different, and some of them excel others : 
 they who being brought before magistrates, and being 
 asked, denied not the Lord, but suffered with a ready 
 mind, these are more houourable with the Lord : the 
 fruits therefore that are the most fair are these. But 
 thv^y who were fearful and doubtful, and have delibe- 
 rated with themselves whether they should confess or 
 deny Christ, and have yet suffered, their fruits are 
 smaller, because that this thought came into their 
 hearts ; for it is a wicked and evd thought for a ser- 
 vant to deliberate whether he should deny his master ; 
 take heed therefore ye who have such thoughts, that 
 this mind continue not in you, and ye die unto God ; 
 but ye who suffer death for his name sake, ought to 
 honour the Lord thut he has esteemed you worthy to 
 bear his name, and that you should be delivered from 
 all your sins ; and why therefore do you not rather 
 esteem yourselves huppy ? yea think verily that if 
 any one among you suffer, he performs a great work ? 
 for the Lord giveth you life, and ye understand it 
 not ; for your offences did oppress you, and if you 
 had not suffered for his name's sake, ye had now been 
 dead unto the Loid; wherefore 1 speak this unto you 
 "Who deliberate whether ye should confess or deny 
 him : confess that ye have the Lord for your God, 
 lest at any time denying him, ye be delivered o^^er 
 into bonds ; for if all nations punish their servants 
 which deny their masters, what think you that the 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 387 
 
 Lord will do unto you, who has the power of all 
 things ? remove therefore out of vour hearts these 
 douots, that ye may live forever unto God. 
 
 29. As for the twelfth mountain, which was white, 
 there are such as have believed like sincere children, 
 into whose thoughts there never came any malice, nor 
 have they ever known what sin was, but have always 
 continued in their integrity ; wherefore this kind of 
 men shall without all doubt inherit the kingdom of 
 God, because thev have never in any thing defiled 
 the commandments of God, but have continued with 
 sincerity in the same condition all the days of their 
 life : whosoever therefore, said he, shall continue as 
 children without malice, shall be more honourable 
 than all those- of whom I have yet spoken ; for all such 
 children are honoured by the Lord and esteemed the 
 first of all : happy therefore are ye who shall remove 
 all malice from you, and put on innocence, because 
 ye shall lirst see the Lord. And after he had thus 
 ended his explication of all the mountains, I said unto 
 him, sir, shew me now also what concerns the stones 
 that were brought out of the plain, and put into the 
 tower in the room of those that were rejected; as also 
 concerning those round stones which were added into 
 the building of the tower; and also of those who still 
 ontinued round. 
 
 30. Hear now, says he, concerning those stones 
 which were brought out of the plain into the building 
 of the tower, and placed in the room of those that 
 were rejected : they are the roots of that white moun- 
 tain ; wherefore because those who have believed of 
 that mountain, were very innocent, the Lord of this 
 tower commanded that they which were of the roots 
 of this mountain should be placed into the building ; 
 for he knew that if they were put into this building 
 they would continue bright, nor would any of them 
 any more be made black : but if he had added on this 
 manner from the rest of the mountains, he would al- 
 most have needed again to visit this tower and to 
 
388 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 cleanse it.(s) Now all these white stones are the young 
 men who have believed, or shall believe, for they are 
 all of the same kind ; happy is this kind, because it 
 is innocent. Hear now also concerning those round 
 and bright stones ; all these are of this white moun- 
 tain, but they are therefore found round, because 
 their riches have a little darkened them from the truth 
 and dazzled their eyes ; howbeit they have never de- 
 parted from the Lord, nor has any wicked word pro- 
 ceeded out of their mouths, but all righteousness, and 
 virtue and truth : when therefore the Lord saw their 
 mind, and that they might adorn the truth, he com- 
 manded that they should continue good, and that 
 their riches should be pared away, for he would not 
 have them taken wholly away, to the end they might 
 do some good with that which was left, and live unto 
 God, because they also are of a good kind ; there- 
 fore was there a little cut off from them, and so they 
 were put into the building of this tower. 
 
 31. As for the rest which continued still round, and 
 were not found fit for the building of this tower,(«) 
 because they have not yet received the seal ; they 
 were carried back to their place, because they were 
 found very round ; but this present world must be cut 
 away from them, and the vanities of their riches, and 
 then they will be fit for the kingdom of God ; for 
 they must enter into the kingdom of God, because 
 God has blessed this innocent kind; of this kind there- 
 fore none shall fall away, for though any of them be- 
 ing tempted by the devil should offend, he shall soon 
 return to his Lord God. I the angel of repentance 
 esteem you happy, whosoever are innocent as little 
 children, because your portion is good and honoura- 
 ble with the Lord ; and I say unto all you who have 
 received this seal, keep simplicity, and remember not 
 the oflfences which are committed against you, nor 
 
 (2) MS, Lamb. Tantum non necesse habuisset. 
 (a) MS. Lamb, Structuram Turris hujus. 
 
OF ST. HERMAS. 389 
 
 continue in malice, or in bitterness, through the me- 
 mory of offences, but become one spirit, v^i.) and pro- 
 vide remedies for these evil rents, and remove them 
 from you, that the Lord of the sheep may rejoice at 
 \t,{c) for he will rejoice, if he shall hnd all whole ;(rf) 
 but if any of these sheep shall be found scattered 
 away, woe shall be to the shepherds ; but and if the 
 shepherds themselves shall be scattered, what will 
 they answer to the Lord of the sheepfold ? Will they 
 say they were troubled by the sheep ? but they shall 
 not be believed ; for it is an incredible thing that the 
 shepherd should suffer by his flock, and he shall be 
 the more punished for his lie. Now I am the shep- 
 herd, and I especially must give an account of you. 
 
 32. Wherefore take care of yourselves whilst the 
 tower is yet building ; the Lord dwells in those that 
 love peace, for peace is beloved, but he is far off from 
 the contentious, and those who are full of malice ; 
 wherefore restore unto him the spirit entire, as ye re- 
 ceived it ; for if thou shalt give unto a fuller a gar- 
 ment new and whole, thou wilt expect to receive it 
 whole again ;{g) if therefore the fuller shall restore it 
 unto thee torn, wouldst thou receive it ? wouldst thou 
 not presently be angry, and reproach him, sayhig, I 
 gave my garment to thee whole, why hast thou rent it 
 and made it useless to me ? now it is of no use to me 
 by reason of the rent which thou hast made in it.— 
 Wouldst thou not say all this to a fuller, for the rent 
 which he made in thy garment? if therefore thou 
 wouldst be concerned for thy garment, and complain 
 that thou hadst not received it whole, what thiiikest 
 thou the Lord will do, who gave his spirit to thee en- 
 tire, and thou hast rendered him altogether unprofita- 
 ble, so that he can be of no use unto his Lord ? for 
 
 (6) MS. Lamb. Et unum QjTemq, spiritum fieri : wliich appeai-s from 
 ihe Greek of Aiitiochusto be the ti-ue reading-, x.ui yivtccB-cti ev iFysif^a. 
 
 (c) MS. Lamb, gaudeat de His. and Gr, Anticch> ;(;«§»» fV ciCt^. 
 
 (d) Vid. Antioch. Horn, cxxii. 
 ^gj Antioch. Horn, xciv. 
 
390 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 being corrupted by thee, he is no longer profitable to 
 him ; will not therefore the Lord do the same concern- 
 ing his spirit, by reason of thy deed ? Undoubtedly, 
 said I, he will do the same to all those whom he shall 
 firid to continue in the remembrance of injuries j tread 
 not then under foot, said he, his mercy, but rather 
 honour him, because he is so patient with respect to 
 your offences, and not like one of you ; but repent, 
 for that will be profitable for you. 
 
 33. All these things which are above written, I the 
 shepherd, the angel of repentance, have shewn and 
 spoken to the servants of God : if therefore ye shall 
 believe and hearken to these words, and shall walk in 
 them, and shall correct your ways, ye shall live ; but 
 if ye shall continue in malice, and in the remembrance 
 of injuries, no such sinners shall live unto God ; all 
 these things which were to be spoken by me, I have 
 thus delivered unto you. Then the shepherd said unto 
 me, hast thou asked all things of me ? I answered, 
 sir, I have. Why then, said he, hast thou not asked 
 concerning the spaces of these stones, that were put 
 in the. building, that I may explain that also unto 
 thee ? I answered, sir, I forgot it. Hear then, said 
 he, concerning those also: they are those who have 
 now heard these commands, and have repented with 
 all their hearts ; and when the Lord saw that their re- 
 pentance was good and pure, and that they could con- 
 tinue in it, he commanded their former gins ^o be 
 blotted out ; for these spaces were their sins, and they 
 are therefore made even that they might not appear. 
 
. ^ OF ST. HERMAS. 391 
 
 SIMILITUDE X. 
 
 OF REPENTANCE AND ALMS-DEEDS. 
 
 1. AFTER that I had written this book, the an- 
 gel which had dehvered me to that shepherd, came 
 into the house where 1 was, and sat upon the bed, 
 and that shepherd stood at his right hand : then he 
 called me and said unto me, I delivered thee and thy 
 house to this shepherd, that thou mightest be protect- 
 ed by him. I said, yes. Lord, it therefore, said he, 
 thou wilt be protected from all vexations and from all 
 cruelty, and have success in every good word and work 
 and have all virtue and righteousness, walk in those 
 commands which he has given thee, and thou shalt 
 have dominion over all sin ; for if thou keepest those 
 commands, all the lust and pleasure of this present 
 world shall be subject to thee, and success shall follow 
 thee in every good undertaking; take therefore his 
 gravity and modesty towards thee, and say unto all, 
 that he is in great honour and renown with God, and 
 is a prince of great authority, and powerful in his 
 office ; to him only is the power of repentance com- 
 mitted throughout the whole world : does he not seem 
 to thee to be of great authority ? but ye despise his 
 goodness, and the modesty Avhich he shew's towards 
 you. 
 
 2. I said unto hiiTO, sir, a.sk him since the rime that 
 he came into my* house, whether I have done any thing 
 disorderly, or have offended him in any thing ? 1 
 know% said he, that thou hast done nothing diborderU'. 
 neither wilt thou hereafter do any such thing, and 
 therefore I speak these things with thee that thou 
 mayest persevere; for hehas'givenme a good accoun? 
 concerning thee. But thou shalt speak these thing^ 
 to others, that they who either have repented, 
 or shall repent, may be like-minded with thee, and he 
 may give me as good an account of them also? and I 
 
392 THE SHEPHERD 
 
 may do the same unto the Lord. I answered, sir, I 
 declare to all men the wonderful works of God, and I 
 hope that all who love them and have before sinned, 
 when they shall hear these tnings, will repent and re- 
 cover life. Continue, therefore, said he, in this minis- 
 try, and fulfil it ; and whosoever shall do according to 
 the commandments of this shepherd, he shall live, and 
 shall have great honour both here and with the Lord ; 
 but they that shall not keep his commands, flee from 
 their life, and are adversaries unto it ; and they that fol- 
 low not his commands, shall deliver themselves unto 
 death, and shall be every one guilty of his own blood. 
 But I say unto thee, keep these commandments, and 
 thou shalt find a cure for all thy sins. 
 
 3. Moreover I have sent these virgins to dwell with 
 thee ;(/) for I see that they are very kind to thee. 
 Thou shalt therefore have them for thy helpers, that 
 thou mayst the better keep the commands which he 
 hath given thee ; for these commands cannot be kept 
 without these virgins. And I see how it will be with 
 thee ',{tji) and I will also command them that they shall 
 not at all depart from thy house. Only do thou purify 
 thy house; for they will readily dwell in a clean 
 house ; for they are clean, and chaste, and industrious, 
 and all of them have grace with the Lord. If there- 
 fore, thou shalt have thy house pure, they will abide 
 with thee ,- but if it shall be never so little polluted, 
 they will immediately depart from thy house, for these 
 virgins cannot endure any manner of pollution. I said 
 unto him, sir, I hope that I shall so please them, that 
 they shall always delight to dwell in my house. And 
 as he to whom you have committed me, makes no 
 complaint of me, so neither shall they complain. Then 
 he said to that shepherd, I see that the servant of God 
 will live and keep these commandments, and place 
 these virgins in a pure habitation. When he had said 
 
 (/) What is meant by these virgins. Sec bef •'•e, Simil, ix. § 15. 
 (?»i) MS. Lamb. Video : Which appears from the close of this section t<» 
 be tlie true reading. 
 
OP ST. HERMAS. 393 
 
 this, he delivered me again to that shepherd, and call- 
 ed the virgins, and said unto them, forasmuch as I see 
 that ye will readily dwell in this man's house, I com- 
 mend him and his house to you, that ye may not at all 
 depart from his house ; and they willingly heard these 
 words. 
 
 4. Then he said unto me, go on manfully in thy 
 ministry ; declare to all men the great thmgs of God, 
 and thou shalt lind grace in this ministry : and whoso- 
 ever shall walk in these commands, shall live and be 
 happy in his life ; but he that shall neglect them, shall 
 not live, and shall be unhappy in his life. Say unto 
 all, that whosoever can do well, cease not to exercise 
 themselves in good works, for it is profitable unto 
 them ; for I would that all men should be delivered 
 from the inconveniences they lie under ; for he that 
 wants, and suffers inconveniences in his daily life, is 
 in great torment and necessity. Whosoever therefore 
 delivers such a soul from necessity, gets great joy unto 
 himself; for he that is grieved with such inconvenien- 
 ces, is equally tormented as if he were in chains. And 
 many upon the account of such calamities, being not 
 able to bear them, have chosen even to destroy them'- 
 selves. He therefore that knows the calamity of such 
 a man, and does not free him from it, commits a great 
 sin, and is guilty of his blood ; wherefore exercise 
 yourselves in good works, as many as have received 
 ability from the Lord, lest whilst ye delay to do them, 
 the building of the tower be finished, because for your 
 sakes the building is stopped. Except, therefore, ye 
 shall make haste to do well, the tower shall be* finish- 
 ed, and ye shall be shut out of it. And after he had 
 thus spoken with me, he rose up from the bed and de- 
 parted, taking the shepherd and virgins with him. 
 Howbeit he said unto me, that he would send back 
 the shepherd and virgins unto mine house, Amen. 
 
 1.50] 
 
THE y'^ 
 
 t 
 
 SECOND EPISTLE OF ST. CLEMENT, 
 
 TO THE 
 
 COBIHTHIANS. 
 
 I. BRETHREN, we ought so to think of Jesus 
 Christ as of God, as of the judge of the living and 
 the dead ; nor should we think any less of our salva- 
 tion ; for if we think meanly of him, we shall hope 
 only to receive some small things from him ; and if we 
 do so, we shall sin ; not considering from whence we 
 have been called, and by whom, and to what place, 
 and how much Jesus Christ vouchsafed to suffer for 
 our sakes ; what recompense then shall we render 
 unto him ? or what fruit that may be worthy of what 
 he has given to us ? for indeed how great are those 
 advantages which we owe to him in relation to our ho- 
 liness ? he has illuminated us ; as a father, he has 
 called us his children ; he has saved us who were lost 
 and undone : what praise shall we give to him ? or 
 what reward that may be answerable to those things 
 which we have received ? we were defective in our 
 understandings, worshipping stones and wood, gold 
 and silver and brass, and the works of men's hands ; 
 and our whole life was nothing else but death : where- 
 fore being encompassed with darkness, and having 
 such a mist before our eyes, we have looked up, and 
 through his will have laid aside the cloud wherewith 
 we were surrounded ; for he had compassion upon us, 
 
THE SCOND EPISTLE, &C. 395 
 
 and being moved in his bowels towards us, he saved 
 us, having beheld us in much error and destruction ; 
 and seen that we had no hope of salvation, but only 
 through him ; for he called us, who were not, and 
 was pleased from nothing to give us a being. 
 
 2. " Rejoice thou barren that bearest not, break 
 forth and cry that thou travailest not ; for she that is 
 desolate hath many more children, than she that hath 
 an husband." [Isai. liv. 1.] In that he said, " Rejoice 
 thou barren that bearest not," he spake of us; for our 
 Church was barren, before that children were given 
 unto it. And again, when he said, '* cry thou that 
 travailest not ;" he implied thus much : that after the 
 manner of women in travail, we should not cease to 
 put up our prayers unto God abundantly.(^) And for 
 what follows, " because she that is desolate hath more 
 children than she that hath a husband." It was there- 
 fore added, because our people which seemed to have 
 been forsaken by God, now believing in him, are be- 
 come more than they who seemed to have God. And 
 another scripture saith, " I came not to call the right- 
 eous, but sinners to repentance," [Mat. ix. 13.] The 
 meaning of which is this, that those who were lost, 
 must be saved ; for that is indeed truly great and won- 
 derful, not to confirm those things that are yet stand- 
 ing, but those which are falling ; even so did it seem 
 good to Christ to save what was lost, and when he 
 came into the world, he saved many, and called us 
 who were already lost. 
 
 3. Seeing then he had shewed so great mercy to- 
 wards us, and chiefly for that we who are alive, do 
 now no longer sacrifice to dead Gods, nor pay any 
 worship to them, but have by him been brought to the 
 knowledge of the father of the truth ; whereby shall 
 we shew that we do indeed know him, but by not de- 
 nying him by whom we have come to the knowledge 
 
 (e) AtA4I'(« See St. Jam. i. 5. compare Rom. xii. 8. 2 Cor. vili. ?. it 
 11. 13. 
 
396 THE SECOND EPISTLB 
 
 of him ? for even he himself saith, " whosoever shall 
 confess me before men, him will I confess before my. 
 father." [Mat. x. 32.j This therefore is our reward, if 
 we shall confess him by whom we have been saved ; 
 but wherein must we confess him .•' Namely, in doing 
 those things which he saith, and not disobeying his 
 commandments ; by worshipping him not with our 
 lips only, but with all our heart, and with all our 
 mind ; for he saith in Isaiah, " this people honoureth 
 me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." — 
 [Isai. xxix. 13.] 
 
 4. Let us then not only call him Lord, for that will 
 not save us ; for he saith, *' not every one that saith 
 unto me Lord, Lord, shall be saved, but he that doth 
 righteousness," [Mat. vii. 21.] Wherefore, brethren, 
 let us confess him by our works, by loving one another, 
 in not committing adultery, not speaking evil against 
 each other, not envying one another, but by being 
 temperate, merciful, good ; Let us also have a mutual 
 sense of one another's sufferings, and not be covetous 
 of money ; but let us by our good works confess God, 
 and not by those that are otherwise ; also let us not 
 fear men, but rather God. Wherefore if we should 
 do such wicked things, the Lord hath said, though ye 
 should be joined unto me, even in my very bosom, 
 and not keep my commandments, I would cast you off, 
 and say unto you, " depart from me, I know not 
 whence you are, ye workers of iniquity." [Mat. vil. 
 32. Luke xiii 67.] 
 
 5. Wherefore, brethren, leaving willingly for con- 
 science sake our sojourning in this world, let us do the 
 will of him who has called us, and not fear to depart 
 out of tiiis world ; for the Lord saith, " ye shall be as 
 sheep in the midst of wolves. Peter answered and 
 said, what if the wolves shall tear in pieces the sheep ? 
 Jesus said unto Peter, let not the sheep fear the wolves 
 after death," [Mat. x. 16.] " And ye also fear not those 
 that kill you, and after that have no more that they 
 can do unto you ; but fear him who after you are dead. 
 
OF ST. CLEMENT. 397 
 
 has power to cast both soul and body into hell-fire," — 
 [Mat. xh. 4, 5.] For consider, brethren, that the so- 
 journing of this flesh, in the present world, is but lit- 
 tle, and of a short continuance, but the promise of 
 Christ is great and wonderful, even the rest of the 
 kingdom that is to come, and of eternal life. What 
 then must we do that we may attain unto it ? We 
 must order our conversation holily and righteously and 
 look upon all the things of this world as none of ours, 
 and not desire them ; for if we desire to possess them 
 we fall from the way of righteousness. 
 
 6. For thus saith the Lord, " No servant can serve 
 two masters. If therefore we shall desire to serve God 
 and Mammon," [Luke xvi. 13.] it -will be without pro- 
 fit to us. *' For what will it profit if one gain the 
 whole world, and lose his own soul ?" [Mat. xvi. 26.] 
 Now this world, and that to come, are two enemies. 
 This speaketh of adultery and corruption, of covetous- 
 ness and deceit ; but that renounceth these things. We 
 cannot therefore be the friends of both, but we must 
 resolve by forsaking the one, to enjoy the other ; and 
 we think it is better to hate the present things, as little, 
 short-lived and corruptible, and to love those which 
 are to come, which are truly good and incorruptible. 
 For if we do the will of Christ we shall find rest, but 
 if not, nothing shall deliver us from eternal punish- 
 ment if we shall disobey his commands. For even thus 
 saith the Scripture in the Prophet Ezekiel, " If Noah, 
 Job and Daniel should rise up, they shall not deliver 
 their children in captivity," [Ezek. xiv. 14, 20.] 
 Wherefore if such righteous men are not able by their 
 righteousness to dehver their children, how can we 
 hope to enter into the kingdom of God, except we 
 keep our baptism holy and undeflled ? or who shall be 
 our advocate, unless we shall be found to have done 
 wliat is holy and just ? 
 
 7. Let us therefore, my brethren, contend with all 
 earnestness, knowing that our combat is at hand, and 
 that many go long voyages to encounter for a corrupt 
 
iJ98 THE SECOND EPI3TLL 
 
 ible reward, and yet all are not crowned, but they 
 only that labour much, and strive gloriously. Lei us 
 therefore so contend that we may all be crowned. Let 
 us run in the straight road the race that is incorrupti- 
 ble, and let us in great numbers pass unto it, and strive 
 that we may receive the crown. But and if we can- 
 not all be crowned, let us come as near to it as we are 
 able. Moreover, we must consider, that he who con- 
 tends in a corruptible combat, if he be found doing 
 any thing that is not fair, is taken away and scourged, 
 and cast out of the lists. What think ye then that he 
 shall suffer, who does any thing that is not fitting in 
 the combat of immortality ? Thus speaks the Prophet 
 concerning those who kee^ not their seal. " Their 
 worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quench- 
 ed ; and they shall be for a spectacle unto all flesh," 
 [Isa. Ixvi. 24. 
 
 8. Let us therefore repent whilst we are yet upon 
 the earth, for we are as clay in the hand of the artifi- 
 cer ; for as the potter if he make a vessel, and it be 
 turned amiss in his hands, or broken, again forms it 
 anew, but if he have gone so far as to throw it into 
 the furnace of fire, he can no more bring any remedy 
 to it ; so we, whilst we are in this world, should repent 
 with our whole heart for whatsoever evil we have 
 done in the flesh, while w^e have yet the time of 
 repentance, that we may be saved by the Lord ; for 
 after we shall have departed out of this world, we 
 shall no longer be able either to confess our sins, or 
 repent in the other. Wherefore, brethren, let us, do- 
 ing the will of the father, and keeping our flesh pure, 
 and observing the commandments of the Lord, lay 
 hold on eternal life ; for the Lord saith in the gospel, 
 *' If ye have not kept that which is little, who will give 
 you that which is great ? For I say unto you, he that 
 is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in 
 much," [Luke xvi. 10, 12.1 This therefore is what 
 he saith ; keep your bodies pure, and your seal with- 
 out spot, that ye may receive eternal life. 
 
OF ST. CLEMF.N'f. 399 
 
 9. And let not any one among you say, that this 
 very flesh is not judged, neither raised up. Consider, 
 in what were ye saved, in what did ye look up, if not 
 whilst ye were in this flesh ? We must therefore keep 
 our flesh as the temple of God ; for in like manner as 
 ye were called in the flesh, ye shall also come to judg- 
 ment in the flesh. Our one Lord Jesus Christ, who 
 has saved us, being first a spirit, was made flesh, and 
 so called us : even so we also shall in this flesh rtceive 
 the reward. Let us therefore love one another, that 
 we may attain unto the kingdom of Ood. Whilst wo 
 have time to be healed, let us deliver up ourselves to 
 God our physician, giving our reward unto him. And 
 what reward shall we give ? Repentance out of a 
 pure heart ; for he knows all things beforehand, and 
 searches out our very hearts. Let us therefore give 
 praise unto him, not only with our mouths, but with 
 all our souls, that he may receive us as children.(wj 
 For so the Lord hath said ; " they are my brethren, 
 who do the will of my father," [Mat. xii. 50.] 
 
 10. Wherefore, my brethren, let us do the will of 
 the father, w^ho hath called us, that we may live. Let 
 us pursue virtue, and forsake wickedness, which lead- 
 eth us into sins, and let us flee all ungodliness, that 
 evils overtake us not ; for if we shall do our diligence 
 to live well, peace shall follow us. And yet how hard 
 is it to find a man that does this ? For almost all are 
 led by human fears, chusing rather the present enjoy- 
 ments, than the futui-e promise; for they know not 
 how great a torment the present enjoyments bring; 
 with them, nor what delights the future promise ; and 
 if they themselves only did this, it might the more 
 easily be endured ; but now they go on to infect inno- 
 cent souls with their evil doctrines, not knowing that 
 both themselves, and those that hear them, shall re- 
 ceive a double condemnation. 
 
 1 1 . Let us therefore serve God with a pure heart. 
 
 ''?;;'' Vox ©f5 non «t In MS, 
 
400 THE SECOND EPISTLE, &C. 
 
 and we shall be righteous ; but if we shall not serve 
 him, because we do not believe the promise ol God, we 
 shall be miserable. For thus saith tlie prophet ; mise- 
 rable are the double minded, who doubt in their heart 
 and say, these things have we heard, even in the time 
 of our fathers, but we have seen none of them, though 
 we have expected them from day to day. O ye fools ! 
 Compare yourselves to a tree ; take the vine for an 
 example. First it sheds its leaves, then it buds, then 
 come the sour grapes, then the ripe fruit : even so my 
 people has borne its disorders and afflictions, but thall 
 hereafter receive good things Wherefore, my breth- 
 ren, let us not doubt in our minds, but let us expect 
 with hope, that we may receive our reward : for he is 
 faithful who has promised that he will render to every 
 one a reward at cording to his works. If therefore, 
 we shall do what is just in the sight of God, we shall 
 enter into his kingdom, and shall receive the promises, 
 " which neither eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor have 
 entered into the heart oi man," [1 Cor. ii. 9.] 
 
 12. Wherefore let us every hour expect the king- 
 dom of God in love and righteousness, because we 
 know not the day of God's appearing. 
 
 THE END. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PREFACE, - . . . pa^^ 3 
 
 Catalogue of the several pieces contained in this book 
 
 and the order of tHem, - - - . j 
 
 The Introduction, - - - . - 8 
 
 Of the First Epistle of St. Clement to the Corinthians, 1 1 
 
 Of the First Epistle of St. Polycarp to the Philipians, 24 
 
 Of the Epistles of St. Ignatius, - - - 36 
 Of the Martyrdoms of St. Ignatius : and of the fol- 
 lowing relation of it, written by those who were 
 
 present at his sufferings, - - - 49 
 Of the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp, and of the Epistle 
 
 written by the Church of Smyrna concerning it, - QQ 
 
 Of the Catholic Epistle of St. Barnabas, - . 69 
 •Of the Shepherd of St. Hermas, and of the Second 
 
 Epistle of St. Clement to the Corinthians, - 8? 
 That the pieces here put together are all that remain of 
 
 the most Primitive and Apostolical Antiquity, . 100 
 
 The Epistle of Abgarus to our blessed Saviour, - 104 
 
 The Answer of our Saviour to Abgarus, - . 105 
 Of the authority of the following treatises, and the 
 difference that ought to be paid to them upon the 
 
 account of it, - - . . . j2Q 
 Of the subject of the folk sving discourses, and of the 
 
 use that is to be made of them, - - . 132 
 Of the manner after which these discourses are writ- 
 ten, and the simplicity of style used in them, , 140 
 The Epistle of St. Clement to the Corinthians, - 145 
 The Epistle of St. Polycarp to the Philippians, - 183 
 The Epistle of St. Ignatius to the Ephesians, - 191 
 The Epistle of St. Ignatius to the Magnesians, - 200 
 The Epistle of St. Ignatius to the Trallians, - ^ 206 
 The Epi?il<^ of St. Ignatms to the Romans^ - - 212 
 
 [511 ' "' 
 
402 CONTENTS. 
 
 The Epistle of St. Egnatius to the Philadelphians, 217 
 
 The Epistle of St. Ignatius to the Smymeans, - 222 
 
 The Epistle of St. Ignatius to St. Polycarp, - 228 
 
 A relation of the Martyrdom of St. Ignatius, - 232 
 
 The Circular Epistle of the Church of Synirna, con- 
 cerning the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp, - 23^ 
 
 An Advertisement relating to the foregning Epistle, 250 
 
 The Catholic Epistle of St. Barnabas, - - 251 
 
 The Visions of St. Hermas, Book 1. — Against filthy 
 and proud thoughts, also the neglect of Hermas in 
 chastising his Children, . - . 282 
 
 Vision 2. — Again, of his neglect in correcting his talk- 
 ative Wife, and of his lewd Sons, - - 285 
 
 Vision 3. — Of the Building of the Church-triumphant, 
 
 and of the several sorts of Reprobates, - - 288 
 
 Vision 4 — Of the Trial and Tribulation that was about 
 
 to come upon Men, . - - 300 
 
 The Commands of St. Hermas, Book 2. — The Intro- 
 duction, _ . . - - 304 
 
 Command 1. — Of Believing in one God, - - 305 
 
 Command 2. — That we must avoid Detraction, and 
 
 do our Alms-deeds with Simplicity, - - 306 
 
 Command 3. — Of avoiding Lying, and the Repentance 
 
 of Hermas for his Dissimulation, - - 30^ 
 
 Command 3. — Of puttiag away ones Wife for Adul- 
 tery, - - - - - - 30& 
 
 Command 5. — Of the Sadness of the Heart, and of 
 
 Patience, - - - - - 312 
 
 Command 6. — That every Man has two Angels, and 
 
 of the suggestions of both, . . . 314 
 
 Command 7. — That we must fear God, but not the 
 
 Devil, ... - - 316 
 
 Command 8. — That we must flee from Evil and do 
 
 Good, ..-.-- 317 
 
 Command 9. — That we must ask of God dailj-, aiad 
 
 without doubting, - - - - 31& 
 
 Command 10. — Of the Sadness of the Heart, and that 
 we must take heed not to grieve the Spirit of God 
 that is in us, - - - - . - 321 
 
 Command 11. — That the Spirits and Prophets are to 
 
 be tried by their works, and of a two-fold Spirit 325 
 
 Command 12. — Of a two-fold Desire ; that the Com- 
 • mands of God are not impossible, and that the De- 
 vil is not to be feared by then) that believe, - 327 
 
 The Similitudes of St. Hermas, Bopk 3.--Similitude 1. 
 
CONTENTS. 403 
 
 That seeing we have no abiding city in this world, 
 
 we ought to look after that which is to come, - 332 
 
 Similitude 2. — As 4he Vine is supported by the Elm, so 
 
 is the Rich Man helped by the prayers of the Poor, 334 
 
 Similitude 3, — As the Green Trees in the Winter can- 
 not be distinguished from the Dry, so neither can 
 the Righteous from the Wicked in this present 
 World, - . - - . 335 
 
 SimiHtude 4. — As in Summer the Living Trees are dis- 
 tinguished from the Dry by their fruit and green 
 leaves, so in the World to come the Righteous shall 
 be distinguished from the Unrighteous by their hap- 
 piness, . - . - . 33g 
 
 Similitude 5. — Of a true Fast, and the rewards of it, 
 
 also of the Cleanness of the Body, - - 337 
 
 Similitude 6. — Of two sorts of Voluptuous Men, and 
 of their Death, Defection, and of the continuance of 
 their Pains, - . . . . 344 
 
 Similitude 7. — That they who Repent, must bring forth 
 
 Fruits worthy of Repentance, - - - 350 
 
 Similitude 8. — That there are many kinds qf Elect, and 
 of Repenting Sinners, and how all of them shall re- 
 ceive a reward proportionable to the measures of 
 their Repentance and Good Works - . 352 
 
 Similitude 9. — The greatest Mysteries of the Militant 
 
 Triumphant Church which is to be built, - 362 
 
 Similitude 10. — Of Repentance and Aims-Deeds, 391 
 
 The Second Epistle of St. Clement to the Corinthians, 394. 
 
SUBSRCIBERS' NAMES 
 
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 Isaac Ball, M. D. author of an 
 Analitical View of "the Ani- 
 mal Economy 
 
 Cyrus Bill 
 
 David Bentley 
 
 Rev. Mr. Bartow 
 
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 John Bunn 
 
 Abraham Beach 
 
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 L. A. Bleecker 
 
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 John Bowden 
 
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 John H. Brower 
 
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 Amos G. Baldwin 
 
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 John V. Bartow 
 
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 C. 
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 William Colfax 
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 D. 
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 Israel Dissowa}' 
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SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 
 Daniel Davis 
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 Lewis Davenport 
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 E. 
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 F. 
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 Michael Floy 
 Uzal W. Furman 
 John L. Fonda 
 Joseph C. Field 
 Jacobus Frear 
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 Nathan Fox 
 
 G. 
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 John Gassner 
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 Thomas Goodwin 
 
 H, 
 Rev. Mr. How 
 
 W. Harris 
 
 . U. H. Hobart 
 
 George Hubbard 
 Nathan Hernck 
 Stephen Hitchcock, 2 
 Edward Hitchcock, 2 
 Israel Horsfield 
 H. Hinsdale 
 John Howard 
 Rev. Elijah Hedden 
 John E. Hyde 
 James N. Hyde 
 Mrs, Catherine Haight 
 
 William Hamersley 
 Andrew Hamersley 
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 John Hopper, jun. 
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SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 
 Jonathan Lewis 
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 M. 
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 M^Carty & White 
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 N. 
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 Bartholomew Noxon 
 
 O. 
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 P. 
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 Mr. Pendleton 
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 Edward Powers 
 
 R- 
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 Clapp Raymond 
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 1^ • 
 Rev. Mr. Sayrc 
 Sarah Staitii^ 
 
oor)ov.KlJb£-Ua> MAMiio. 
 
 naniot Warren Sketchley 
 
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 Mrs. Sm3'th 
 
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 Peter Schuyler 
 
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 T. 
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 V. 
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Date Due 
 
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