Chapter 3

1Further expresses his desire to suffer. THE prince of this world would fain carry me away, and corrupt my resolution towards my God. Let none of you therefore help him: Rather do ye join with me, that is, with God.
2Do not speak with Jesus Christ, and yet covet the world. Let not any envy dwell with you; No not though I myself when I shall be come unto you, should exhort you to it, yet do not ye hearken to me; but rather believe what I now write to you.
3For though I am alive, at the writing this, yet my desire is to die. My love is crucified; (and the fire that is within me does not desire any water; but being alive and springing within me, says,) Come to the Father.
4I take no pleasure in the food of corruption, nor in the pleasures of this life.
5I desire the bread of God which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, ( of the seed of David; and the drink that I long for) is his blood, which is incorruptible love.
6I have no desire to live any longer after the manner of men, neither shall I, if you consent. Be ye therefore willing, that ye yourselves also may be pleasing to God. I exhort you in a few words; I pray you believe me.
7Jesus Christ will shew you that I speak truly. My mouth is without deceit, and the Father hath truly spoken by it. Pray therefore for me, that I may accomplish what I desire.
8I have not written to you after the flesh, but according to the will of God. If I shall suffer, ye have loved me; but if I shall be rejected, ye have hated me.
9Remember in your prayers the church of Syria, which now enjoys God for its shepherd instead of me: Let Jesus Christ only oversee it, and your charity.
10But I am even ashamed to be reckoned as one of them: For neither am I worthy, being the least among them, and as one born out of due season. But through mercy I have obtained to be somebody, if I shall get unto God.
11My spirit salutes you; and the charity of the churches that have received me in the name of Jesus Christ; not as a passenger. For even they that were not near to me in the way, have gone before me to the next city to meet me.
12These things I write to you from Smyrna, by the most worthy of the church of Ephesus.
13There is now with me, together with many others, Crocus, most beloved of me. As for those which are come from Syria, and are gone before me to Rome, to the glory of God, I suppose you are not ignorant of them.
14Ye shall therefore signify to them, that I draw near, for they are all worthy both of God and of you: Whom it is fit that you refresh in all things.
15This have I written to you, the day before the ninth of the calends of September. Be strong unto the end, in the patience of Jesus Christ. To the Roman s. Footnotes 178:1 Plants. 178:2 I.e. The delegates of the church. 178:3 The concord of you. 178:4 Be a testimony among you, writing. 178:5 Them. 178:6 Undivided. 178:7 Vid. Annot. Vossii et Coteler. in loc. 178:8 Vid. Pearson. Vind. Ignat. par 2, ch. xvi. p. 214. 178:9 In. 178:10 Omitted, Gr. 179:1 In. 179:2 God; which also presides in the place of the region of the Romans, worthy of God; most decent, most blessed, most praised, most worthy to obtain what it desires; most pure, most charitable, called by the name of Christ and the Father; Gr. 179:3 Type of the chorus, i.e. , the church of the Romans. See Voss. Annot. in loc. 179:4 Also. 179:5 The Son of the Father; to those who are—Gr. 179:6 Wholly filled. Gr. 179:7 (Being absolutely separated from any other colour; much pure, or immaculate joy.) 179:8 Gr. 179:9 Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. 179:10 Worthy of God. 179:11 And have received even more than I asked, being bound. 179:12 Gr. 179:13 My lot. 179:14 Is. 179:15 I will not please you as men. Gr. 179:16 As. 179:17 Attaining unto. 179:18 From me. 179:19 Flesh. 179:20 Being become a chorus. 179:21 Sing. 179:22 That a bishop of Syria should be found. 179:23 That those things also should be firm. 179:24 Commanded. Vid. Annot. Userii in loc. N. 26, 27. 179:25 Nothing that is seen is eternal: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal. Gr. 180:1 Persuasion, or silence. Gr. 180:2 (Desunt, Gr.) 180:3 Vid. Usser. Annot. N. 31. 180:4 Forbid me. 180:5 Be not. 180:6 Vid Lat. Vet. Interps. et Annot. Usser. N. 32. 180:7 Flatter. 180:8 Desunt. Gr. 180:9 Free in him. Gr. 180:10 Any worldly or vain things. Gr. 180:11 Cor. iv. 4. 180:12 Vid. Voss. in loc. Usser. Annot. N. 48. May be ready for me. Gr. 180:13 Usser. Annot. N. 48. 180:14 Luke xiv. 27. 180:15 Vid. Coteler. in loc. Rom. viii. 38, 39. 180:16 Force, or rage. 180:17 Let tearings, and rendings. Gr. 180:18 Vid. Usser. Annot. N. 56. 180:19 Ib. N. 57. 180:20 That I may enjoy. 181:1 Gr. Pleasures. 181:2 Of this age. 181:3 Gr. unto. 181:4 For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul. Gr. Add. 181:5 Usury. Gr. Via. Voss. Correct. p. 301. 181:6 Nor desire that I should die, who seek to go to God, rejoice not in the world. Gr. 181:7 By matter. 181:8 Take: have hold on. 181:9 Man. 181:10 Vid. Annot. Voss. in loc. 181:11 What things constrain me. 181:12 Mind: will. 181:13 Who are present. 181:14 Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc. 181:15 (And there is not any fire within me that loves matter, but living and speaking water saying within me. Gr.) 181:16 Cotelerius aliter explicat. Annot. in loc. Usser. N. 79. 181:17 Voss. in loc. Contr. Coteler. q. y. 181:18 The heavenly bread which is. Gr. 181:19 (The Son of God made in these last times of the seed of David and Abraham, and the drink of God that I long for. Gr.). 181:20 Gr. Adds, and perpetual life. 181:21 And that, shall he. 181:22 Willed. 181:23 Vid. Annot. Voss. in loc. 181:24 By a short letter. 181:25 In. 181:26 Ye have willed it. 182:1 Viz. as unworthy to suffer. 182:2 Vid. Vet. Interp. Lat. 182:3 Shall oversee it. 182:4 1 Cor. xv. 8. 182:5 Vid Vet. Intern. Lat. 182:6 That is the xxxiiid of August. Gr. 182:7 Amen. Gr. Next: The Epistle of Ignatius to the Philadelphians