Page:Ante-Nicene Fathers volume 1.djvu/274

This page has been validated.
260
THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS
God: the prize set before thee is immortality and eternal life, of which thou art also persuaded. In all things may my soul be for thine,[1] and my bonds also, which thou hast loved.

persuaded. In all things may my soul be for thine,[1] and my bonds also, which thou hast loved.

Chap. iii.Exhortations.

Let not those who seem worthy of credit, but teach strange doctrines,[2] fill thee with apprehension. Stand firm, as does an anvil which is beaten. It is the part of a noble[3] athlete to be wounded, and yet to conquer. And especially, we ought to bear all things for the sake of God, that He also may bear with us. Be ever becoming more zealous than what thou art. Weigh carefully the times. Look for Him who is above all time, eternal and invisible, yet who became visible for our sakes; impalpable and impassible, yet who became

Let not those who seem worthy of credit, but teach strange doctrines,[2] fill thee with apprehension. Stand firm, as does an anvil which is beaten. It is the part of a noble[3] athlete to be wounded, and yet to conquer. And especially we ought to bear all things for the sake of God, that He also may bear with us, and bring us into His kingdom. Add more and more to thy diligence; run thy race with increasing energy; weigh carefully the times. Whilst thou art here, be a conqueror; for here is the course, and there are the crowns. Look for Christ, the Son of God; who was before time, yet appeared in time; who was invisible by nature, yet visible in the flesh; who was impalpable, and could not be touched, as being without a body, but for our sakes became such, might be touched and handled in

  1. 1.0 1.1 Comp. Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, chap. xxi. etc.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Comp. 1 Tim. i. 3, vi. 3.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Literally, "great."