Nov. 30, 1833.]
RECORDS OF THE CHURCH.
No. VII.
THE HOLY CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD DOTH ACKNOWLEDGE THEE.
Epistle of Ignatius, the friend of St. Peter, on his way to martyrdom, to the Church at Smyrna.
Ignatius, who is called also Theophorus to the Church of God the Father and the beloved Jesus Christ, which is at Smyrna in Asia, mercifully blessed with every gift of God, fulfilled in faith and love, most acceptable in His sight, and fruitful in Saints, deficient in no one of His Gifts; Hail, in the Holy Spirit and in the Word of God!
I. I glorify Jesus Christ, even God, who has made you thus wise unto salvation. For I have perceived that ye are perfected in immoveable faith, as though ye were nailed, both in body and soul, unto the cross of our Lord Jesus; and firmly stablished in love through the blood of Christ, most fully believing upon our Lord; who verily was of the race of David according to the flesh, but the Son of God according to the Will and the Power of God; truly born of a Virgin, baptized of John, in order that all righteousness might be fulfilled by Him, who for us was truly nailed to the cross in the flesh under Pontius Pilate and Herod the Tetrarch, of whose fruit are we, through His divine and blessed Passion; that He may by His resurrection raise a standard for ever for His faithful Saints, whether Jews or Gentiles, in one body of His Church.
II. For He suffered all these things for us, and for our salvation; and He verily suffered, as He in verity also raised Himself again; and not as some unbelievers say, that He suffered in appearance only, being themselves only an appearance; and according to their belief, so shall it be unto them, seing that they are Phantastics and Demoniacs.
III. For I know, that even after the Resurrection He was in the flesh, and believe that He still is; and, when He came unto Peter and his companions. He said "Take hold, handle me, and see, that I am not an incorporeal Spirit." And immediately they touched Him, and believed; being convinced both by His Flesh and His
