THE MARTYRDOM.

OF

IGNATIUS.

A RELATION OF THE MARTYRDOM OF IGNATIUS.

SOON after Trajan had succeeded to the Roman empire, Ignatius, the disciple of the apostle John, a man in all things like unto the Apostles, governed the Church of Antioch with all care. He had with difficulty escaped the former storms of the numerous persecutions, which happened under Domitian, like a skilful pilot, by the helm of prayer and fasting, by the constancy of his doctrine and spiritual labor, withstanding the raging floods, fearing lest he should lose any of those who wanted courage, or were not wellgrounded in the faith. Wherefore, when the persecution was for the present somewhat abated, he rejoiced greatly at the tranquillity of the Church. Howbeit for himself he was troubled, that he had not yet attained to the true love of CHRIST, nor to the perfect rank of a 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, having continued a few years longer with the Church, illuminating, like a divine lamp, the heart of every man by the exposition of the holy Scriptures, he attained the object of his wishes.

2. For, after this, in the ninth year of his empire, Trajan elated with his victory over the Scythians and

The Greek has évvár ere, [in the ninth year;] the old Latin version, "post quartum annum," [after the fourth year.] Bp. PEARSON, in his dissertation on the year in which Ignatius was condemned at Antioch by Trajan, shows that there is some error in this date. He places the event as late as the eighteenth year of Trajan, A. D. 116.

Dacians, and many other nations, conceived that the religious company of Christians was yet wanting to complete his universal dominion. He therefore threatened them with persecution, unless they chose to submit to the worship of devils, with all other nations; so that terror compelled all men of godly lives either to sacrifice or to die. Then, therefore, this noble soldier of CHRIST, apprehensive for the Church of Antioch, was voluntarily brought before Trajan, who was at that time passing through the city, as he was hastening against Armenia, and the Parthians. As soon then as he stood in the presence of the Emperor Trajan, the Emperor said, "Who art thou, unhappy and deluded man, who art so active in transgressing our commands, and beside persuadest others to their own destruction?" Ignatius replied, "No one ought to call (one who is properly. styled) Theophorus, unhappy and deluded; for the evil spirits (which delude men) are departed far from the servants of God. But if you so call me, because I am a trouble to those evil spirits, and an enemy to their delusions, I confess the justice of the appellation. For having (within me) CHRIST the heavenly King, I loosen all their snares." Trajan replied, "And who is Theophorus ?" Ignatius answered, 66 'He that hath CHRIST in his heart." Then said Trajan, "Thinkest thou, therefore, that we have not the gods within us, who also assist us in our battles against our enemies?" "Thou dost err," Ignatius replied, "in calling the evil spirits of the heathen, gods. For there is but one God, who made the heaven and the earth,` the sea and all that are in them: and one CHRIST JESUS the only-begotten Son of GOD, whose kingdom may I enjoy." Trajan said, "Speakest thou of him who was crucified under Pontius Pilate?" Ignatius answered, "(I speak of) him who hath crucified my sin, with the inventor of it; and hath put all the deceit and malice of the devil under the feet of those who carry him in their

» τίς εἶ, κακόδαιμον. The word κακοδαίμων signifes both a person who is unhappy, or ill-fated, and one who is under the influence of evil spirits. Trajan uses the word in the first sense. Ignatius replies by a reference to the second. See PEARSON, Vindicia Ignatiana, Part II. c. 12.

c

See note on the introduction to IGNATIUS' Epistle to the Ephesians.

hearts." Then asked Trajan, "Carriest thou, then, within thee him who was crucified?" "Yea," replied Ignatius, "for it is written, I will dwell in them, and walk in them." Then Trajan pronounced this sentence: "We decree that Ignatius, who hath confessed that he carries about within himself him that was crucified, shall be carried in bonds by soldiers to the great Rome, there to be thrown to the beasts for the gratification of the people." When the holy martyr heard this sentence, he cried out with joy, "I thank thee, O LORD, that thou hast vouchsafed thus to punish me, out of thy perfect love toward me, and hast made me to be put in iron bonds, with thine apostle Paul." Having thus spoken, he joyfully suffered his bonds to be put about him; and having first prayed for the Church, and commended it with tears unto the LORD, like a choice ram, the leader of a goodly flock, he was hurried away by the brutal and cruel soldiers, to be carried to Rome, and there to be devoured by blood-thirsty wild beasts.

3. Wherefore with much readiness and joy, out of his desire to suffer, he left Antioch, and came to Seleucia, whence he set sail. After (a voyage of) much labor he reached the city of Smyrna, and with great gladness left the ship, and hastened to see the holy Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, who had been his fellow disciple; for both of them had been instructed by St. John the apostle. Being hospitably received by him, and communicating to him spiritual gifts, and glorying in his bonds, he entreated first of all the whole Church, (for the cities and Churches of Asia attended this holy man by their Bishops, and Priests, and Dea

d2 Cor. vi. 16.

• It is highly probable that, at this time, certain preternatural powers subsisted in the Church, especially in those who had been ordained to any holy office by the imposition of the hands of the Apostles themselves. Although IGNATIUS expresses in his Epistles the greatest humility, and the fullest sense of his inferiority to the Apostles, (Ephesians, Sect. 3. Magnesians, Sect. 11. Romans, Sect. 4.) he yet plainly implies that some revelations were made to him, (Ephesians, Sect. 20.) and that he possessed some knowledge of spiritual things which he was not then at liberty to communicate to those who were less advanced in Christian knowledge. (Trallians, Sect. 4, 5,) The writer of this account probably refers to some communications of this nature. See 1 Pet. iv. 10, 11.

cons, all hasteniog to him, if by any means they might receive 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 might appear before the face of CHRIST.

4. Thus, then, he spake, and thus he 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 toward him, and fearing lest the love of the brotherhood should prevent his hastening to the LORD, now that a fair door of martyrdom was opened to him, he wrote to the Church of the Romans the Epistle following.'

5. Having then by this Epistle prepared, according to his wishes, such of the brethren at Rome as were against his martyrdom, he set sail from Smyrna and came to Troas. For this faithful follower of CHRIST was pressed by the soldiers to arrive at the great city of Rome before the public spectacle, that he might be delivered to the wild beasts in sight of the Roman people, aud so receive the crown for which he strove. From Troas, then, he proceeded and landed at Neapolis, and went (on foot) by Philippi through Macedonia, and that part of Epirus which is next to Epidamnus ; and having found a ship in one of the sea-ports, he sailed over the Adriatic sea, and passing out of that into the Tyrrhene sea, and sailing by many islands and cities, at length he came in sight of Puteoli. As soon as this holy man saw the place, he was very anxious to disembark, wishing to tread in the footsteps of the apostle Paul. But a violent wind arising and driving back the ship, suffered him not to do so. Wherefore, commending the love of the brethren in that place, he sailed forward. For one whole day and night, then, we were hurried on by a favorable wind. To us, this

Here was inserted the Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans, This abrupt and inartificial change from the third to the first person is a strong internal mark of genuineness. It is exactly similar