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To the Magnesians.

Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus,TotheChurch which is bleffed by theGrace of God the Father,in Chrift Jefus our Saviour: In whom I falute the Church which is at Magnefia, near the Meander; and pray for you in God the Fa ther, and Chrift Jefus our Lord: In whom I wish you all Happiness.

Wacquainted with
Hen I was made

your well-order'd Love according to God, being full of Jay, I determined to addrefs my felf unto you in the Faith of Jefus Chrift. For having been thought worthy of a Divine and defirable Name, in thofe Bonds which I bear about me, I falute the Churches: In which I wish for an Union of the Flesh and Spirit of Jefus Chrift, who is the Saviour of all Men, but efpecially of thofe that believe; by whofe Blood ye were

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To the Magnefians.

Ignatius, who is al fo called Theophorus, Tothe Bleed [Church] by the Grace of God the Father in Jefus Christ our Saviour: In whom I falute the Church which is at Magnefia near the Mæander; and wish it all Joy, in God the Father, and in Jefu Chrift.

I. WHEN I

your well- order'd Love and Charity in God, being full of Joy, I defired much to fpeak unto you in the Faith of Jefus Chrift.For having been thought worthy to obtain a moft excellent Name, in the Bonds which I carry about, I falute the Churches; wifhing 'Tim.IV in them a Union 10. both of the Body

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redeemed; by whom you have known God, or rather are known of God; in whom if you perfevere you fhall efcape all the Violence of this World. For He is faith ful, who will not fuffer you to be tempted above that you are able:

II. Since then I have been vouchfaf'd the Honour of feeing you by Damas your Bishop, who is worthy of God; and your Deacon Sotio, my Companion, (whom may I long enjoy; forafmuch as he is fubject to his Bifhop and Presbytery, by the Grace of God; in the Law of Jesus Christ;)

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and Spirit of Jefus Chrift, our Eternal Gal.IV.9. Life: As alfo of Faith and Charity, to which nothing is preferred: But efpecially of Jefus 1 Cor. X. and the Father; in 13. whom if we undergo all the Injuries of the Prince of this prefent World, and escape, we shall enjoy God.

II. Seeing then I have been judged worthy to fee you, by Damas your moft excellent Bishop; and by your very worthy Presbyters Baffus and Apollonius; and by my Fellow Servant Sotio the Deacon in whom I rejoice, forafmuch as he is fubject unto his Bifhop as to the Grace of God, and to the Presbytery as to the Law of JefusChrift; I determined to write

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Καὶ ὑμῖν ἢ πρέπὶ μὴ συγχες πει τῇ ἡλικίᾳ τῇ ἐπισκόπε, ἀλλὰ καὶ δύο να μιν δεῖ παζός πάσας εντροπὴν αυτώ Σπονέμειν, καθὼς ἔγνων καὶ τὰς ἁγίες πρεσβυτέρες, ο προσειλη φότας των φαινομένων νεωτερικών τάξιν, ἀλλ ̓ ὡς φρονίμες ἐν θεῷ συς χωρόντας αυτῷ· ἔκ αυτῷ 5, ἀλλὰ τῷ πατεὶ Ιησέ Χρισε, τῷ πάντων ἔπισκοπῳ. Εἰς τιμὴν ἂν ἐκείνε το θελήσαντος ἡμᾶς παρές πον ἔξὶν ἐπακέειν και μηδεμίαν ὑπόκρισιν· ἐπεὶ ἐχ ̓ ὅτι ἢ ἐπίσκοπον τὸ τον ἢ βλεπόμθμον πλανα,

τις, ἀλλὰ ἢ ἀόρατον πα ραλογίζει. Τὸ ἢ τους του, ο πρὸς βάρκα ὁ λόγΘ, ἀλλὰ πρὸς θεὸν, * τα κρύφια εἰδότα.

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Καὶ ὑμῖν δὲ πρέπει μὴ καλα φρονῶν τ ἡλικίας τὰ ἐπισκοπε· αλλά και γνώμίω θεοδ παίς πᾶσαν ἐνδοπὴν αὐτῷ ἀπονέμειν, καθὼς ἔγνων καὶ τὰς ἁγίες πρεσ βυτέρες, ο προς των φαινομλύκαι ἀφορῶντας νεότητα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς αλλά τω ἐν θεῷ φρόνησιν· ἐπείπερ ἐχ οἱ πολυχρόνιοί εἰσι (οφοὶ, ἐδὲ οἱ γέροντες επίςαν σύνεσιν, ἀλλὰ πνεῦμά (*) ὅσιν ἐν βροτοῖς. Δανιήλ μ ν ὁ σοφός, δωδεκαετής γέγονε κάτοχο της (1) θείῳ πνεύματ, καὶ τὰς μάτω τω που λιαν φέροντας πρεσβύτας, Curoφάντας και επιθυμητές άλλοτε κάλλος, (||) ἀπήλεγξε". Σαμεήλ δὲ παιδάριον ἐν μικρὸν, τὸν ἐνε νηκονταετή (*) Ηλεί" διελέζ χα, το θεοδ προτετιμηκότα τὰς ἑαυτὸ παῖδας, ώσου πως και Ιερεμίας ἀκές πρὸς τὸ θεῖ, με λέγε ὅτι νεώτερος εἰμι Σολο μῶν ἢ, καὶ Ιωσίας, ὁ μ', δωδεκαε τῆς βασιλεύσας, τω φοβερον εκεί

και δυσερματον ἐπὶ ταῖς γωναιξὶ κρίσιν ἕνεκα Γ παιδίων ἐποιήσατο· ὁ δὲ ὀκταετής ἄρξας, τις βωμὸς καὶ τὰ τεμβύη (1) κα τέρριπλε", καὶ τὰ ἄλση κατεπμπαρα δαίμοσι γδ τω, ἀλλ' ἐ θεῷ

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(*) 8. Β. %. B. (*) Η. Τ.

(11) ἀπόδειξεν. Α.

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III. It will therefore be come you not to defpife the Age of your Bifhop, but to yield him all Reverence, according to the Will of God the Father as I have known holy Pref byters do not having regard to the apparent Youth of their Bishops, but to their Understanding in God. Seeing the Ancient are not the wife, neither do the Aged underftand Prudence: But there is a Spirit in Men. For Daniel the Wife at Twelve Years of Age received Infpirations from the Divine Spirit; and convicted the Elders, who vainly wore their Grey Hairs, that they bare falfe Witnefs, and lufted after the Beauty of another Man's Wife. Samuel alfo, when he was a little Child, reproved Eli, when he was Ninety Years old, for preferring his Sons before God. In like manner Jeremy has this Meffage from God, Say not, I am a Child. Solo mon alfo, and fofias [ap peared wonderful and wife in their doings, the for

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III. Wherefore it will become you alfo not to use your Bishop too familiarly upon the account of his Youth; but to yield all Reve

rence to him according to the Power of God the Father: As also I perceive that your Holy PrefJob byters do; not con- XXXII. fidering his Age, 8, 9. which indeed to appearance is young; Dan.XIII. but as becomes thofe who are prudent in God, fubmitting to him, or rather not to him, but to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Bifhop of us all. It will therefore be-`1Šam.III. hove you, with all Sincerity, to obey your Bishop; in Honour of him, whofe Pleasure it is that ye fhould do fo. Becaufe he that does not do fo, 1 Kings deceives not the Bi- III fhop whom he fees, but affronts him that M 2

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Jer. 1.7.