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 Apostolical antiquity; so to those who love the naked truth, these plain acts will be much more satisfactory than a relation filled up with the uncertain, and too often fabulous circumstances of latter ages. A RELATION OF THE MARTYRDOM OF ST. IGNATIUS. Translated from the original Greek, and published by Dr. 1. When Trajan not long since came to the Roman empire, Ignatius, the disciple of St. John the Apostle [and Evangelist,] a man in all things like unto the Apostles, governed the church of Antioch with all care. Who being scarcely able to escape the storms of the many persecutions before under Domitian, as a good governor, by the helm of prayer and fasting, by the constancy of his doctrine and spiritual labour, withstood Compare the raging floods; a fearing lest they should sink those MS. who either wanted courage, or who were not well the Cotton 6 Magis. Simplices. in infirmum. grounded in the faith, b MS. Cotton: 2. Wherefore the persecution being at present someGr. akeraio- what abated, he rejoiced greatly at the tranquillity of his teron. church: yet was troubled as to himself, that he had not attained to a true love of Christ, nor was come up to the pitch of a perfect disciple. For he thought that the confession which is made by martyrdom, would bring him to a yet more close and intimate union with the Lord. Wherefore continuing a few years longer with the church, and after the manner of a divine lamp, illu minating the hearts of the faithful by the exposition of holy Scriptures, he attained to what he had desired. Pearson's of the year tius's mar 61. 3. For Trajan, in the nineteenth year of his empire,ce See Bp. being lifted up with his victory over the Scythians and Dissert. Dacians, and many other nations; and thinking that of St. Ignathe religious company of Christians was yet wanting to tyrdom. pag. his absolute and universal dominion; and thereupon. threatening them that they should be persecuted, unless they would choose to worship the devil, with all other nations; fear obliged all such as lived religiously, either to sacrifice or to die. Wherefore 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 whom he was hastening. Pears. Vind. cap. 12. may be mis 4. Being come into the presence of the emperor Trajan; the emperor asked him, saying: "what a wicked wretch art thou, thus to endeavour to transgress our Devil: Vid commands, and to persuade others also to do likewise Ign. part 2, to their destruction ?" e Ignatius answered, no one That they ought to call Theophorus after such a manner; foras- erably demuch 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." stroyed. Gr. f In our mind. Gr breast: so MS. Cotton. To have an ing of the Gods; or, the Gods ac 5. Trajan replied; "and who is Theophorus ?" In our Ignat. "he who has Christ in his breast." Trajan, So "and do not we then seem to thee to have the Gods understandwithin us, who fight for us against our enemies?" Ignat. "you err, in that you call the evil spirits of the cording to heathens, Gods. For there is but one God, who made ing. So the heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that are in them; Usher. Me and one Jesus Christ his only begotten son; whose kingdom may I enjoy." understand other of A.B 1 taphrastes joins both together. Vid. Annot Usser. N. 5 16. 6. Trajan, "his kingdom you say who was crucified under Pontius Pilate." Ignat. "his who crucified 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; 2 Cor. vi. for it is written, I will dwell in them and walk in them."* 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 with soldiers to the great Rome, there 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 towards 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 prayed 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 soldiers, 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 Seleucia; 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 Polycarp his fellow scholar, who was Bishop there; for they had both of them been formerly the disciples of St. John. 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, (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 his spiritual Cotton. Hear es: Meta means they might receives some part of his spiritual Partake of gift) but more particularly Polycarp, to contend with God blessing, MS. in his behalf; that being suddenly taken by the beasts his discours from the world, he might appear before the face of phrastes. 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 contention of those who prayed together with him and to return a recompense 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 RoSee the Epistle before. mans. 10. And having thus strengthened such of the brethren at Rome as were against his martyrdom, by this Epistle, as he desired; setting sail from Smyrna, (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 Macedonia, and that part of Epirus which is next to Epidamnus: having found a ship in one of the sea-ports, he sailed over the Adriatic Sea; [and from thence entering into the Tyrrhene,] and passing by several islands and cities, at length he saw Puteoli. Which being shewed to the holy man, he hastened to go forth, being desirous to walk from thence, in the way that Paul the Apostle had gone, [Acts xxviii. 13, 14.] But a violent wind arising, and driving on the ship,h would not suffer him so to do: being repelwherefore commending the love of the brethren in that led from the place he sailed forward.. እ The ship forepart, would not permit. |