II. For whereas ye are fubject to your Bishop as to Jefus Chrift,ye appear to me to live not after the manner of Men, but according to Jefus Chrift, who died for us, that fo believing in his Death, ye might efcape Death. It is therefore neceffary, that as ye do, fo without your Bishop, you fhou'd do nothing: Alfo be ye fubject to your Presbyters, as to the Apoftles of Jefus Chrift our Hope; in whom, if we walk, we shall be found in Him. The Deacons alfo, as being the Minifters of the Myfteries of Jefus Chrift, muft by all means please all. For they are not the Minifters of Meat and Drink, but of the Church of God. Wherefore they muft avoid all Offences, as they would do Fire.

III. In like manner, let all Reverence the Deacons as Jefus Chrift, and the Bishop as the Father; and the Presbyters as the Sanhedrim of God, and College of the Apoftles. Without these there is no Church. Concerning all which I am perfwaded that ye think after the very fame manner: For L have received, and even now have with me the Pattern of your Love, in your Bishop. Whofe very Look is Inftructive; and whofe Mildness Powerful: Whom I am perfwaded, the very Atheifts themfelves cannot but Reverence. But because I have a Love towards you, I will not write any more fharply unto you about this Matter, tho I very well might; but now I have done fo; left being a Condemn'd Man, I fhould feem to prefcribe to you as an Apoftle..

IV. I have great Knowledge in God; but I refrain myself, left I should perifh in my Boafting. For now I ought the more to fear; and not hearken to those that would puff me up. For they that fpeak to me in my praife, Chaften me. For I indeed defire to fuffer, but I cannot tell whether I am worthy fo to do. And this Defire, though to others it does not appear, yet to my felf it is for that very reafon the more Violent. I have therefore need of

I

Mode

Moderation, by which the Prince of this World is destroy'd.

ye

V. AM I not able to write to you of Heavenly things? But I fear left I fhould Harm you, who are yet but Babes in Chrift; (Excufe me this Care ;) And left perchance being not able to receive them, fhould be choaked with them. For even I my felf, although I am in Bonds, yet am not therefore able to understand Heavenly Things: As the Places of the Angels, and the feveral Companies of them, under their refpective Princes; Things Visible and Invisible; but in these I am yet a Learner. For many things are wanting to us, that we come not fhort of God.

VI. I Exhort you therefore, or rather not I,but the Love of Jefus Chrift, that ye ufe none but Chriftian nourishment abftaining from Pafture which is of another Kind, I mean Herefie. For they that are Hereticks, confound together the Doctrine of Jefus Chrift; with their owu Poifon, whilft they feem worthy of Belief: As Men give a deadly Poison mix'd with Sweet Wine; which He who is ignorant of, does with the treacherous Pleafure fweetly drink in his own Death.

VII. Wherefore guard your felves against fuch Perfons. And that you will do if you are not puffed up; but continue infeparable from Jefus Chrift our God, and from your Bishop, and from the Commands of the Apostles. He that is within the Altar is Pure: But he that is without, that is, that does any thing without the Bishop, and Presbyters, and Deacons, is not Pure in his Confcience.

VIII. NOT that I know there is any thing of this Nature among you; But I fore-arm you, as being greatly Beloved by me, forefeeing the Snares of the Devil. Wherefore putting on Meeknefs, renew your felves in Faith, that is the Flesh of the LORD; and in Charity, that is the Blood of Jefus Chrift. Let no Man have any Grudge aganft his Neigh

Neighbour. Give no Occafion to the Gentiles; left by means of a few Foolish Men, the whole Congregation of God be Evil fpoken of. For woe to that Man through whofe Vanity my Name is Blafphemed by any.

IX. Stop your Ears therefore, as often as any one shall speak contrary to Jefus Chrift; who was of the Race of David, of the Virgin Mary. Who was truly Born, and did Eat and Drink; Was truly Perfecuted under Pontius Pilate, Was truly Crucified and Dead, Both Thofe in Heaven, and on Earth, and under the Earth being Spectators of it. Who was alfo truly raised from the Dead by his Father, after the fame manner as he will alfo raise up us who believe in Him, by Chrift Jefus ; without whom we have no true Life.

X. BUT if as fome who are Atheifts, that is to fay Infidels, pretend, that he only feem'd to Suffer (They themfelves only feeming to exift) why then am I Bound? Why do I defire to fight with Beafts? Therefore do I die in vain: Therefore I will not speak falfely against the LORD.

XI. FLEE therefore thefe Evil Sprouts which bring forth deadly Fruit, of which if any one tafte, he fhall presently Dye. For these are not the Plants of the Father; Seeing if they were, they would appear to be the Branches of the Crofs, and their Fruit would be Inccorruptible: By which he invites you through his Paffion, who are Members of him. For the Head cannot be without its Members, God having promifed a Union, that is Himself.

XII. I Salute you from Smyrna, together with the Churches of God that are prefent with Me; who have refresh'd me in all things, both in the Flesh and in the Spirit. My Bonds, which I carry about me for the fake of Chrift, (befeeching him that I may attain unto God) exhort you, that you continue in Concord among your felves, and in Prayer with

one

one another. For it becomes every one of you, efpecially the Presbyters, to refresh the Bishop, to the Honour of the Father, of Jefus Chrift, and of the Apoftles. I befeech you that you hearken to me in Love, that I may not by thofe things which I write, rife up in Witnefs againft you. Pray alfo for Me, who through the Mercy of God ftand in need of your Prayers, that I may be worthy of the Portion which I am about to obtain, that I be not found a Reprobate.

XIII The Love of thefe who are at Smyrna and Ephefis falute you. Remember in your Prayers the Church of Syria, from which I am not worthy to be called, being one of the leaft of it. Fare ye well in Jefus Chrift; being fubject to your Bishop as to the Command of God; and fo likewife to the Presbytery. Love every one his Brother with an unfeigned Heart. My Soul be your Expiation, not only now, but when I fhall have attain d unto God: For I am yet under Danger. But the Father is Faithful in Jefus Chrift, to fulfil both mine and your Petition: In whom may ye be found ublameable.

To the TRALLIANS.

ST. Ignatius, the Author of this Epiftle, was a Companion of the Apoftles, and was taught the Faith of Chrift from their Mouths: +He wrote this Epiftle with many other as He was on his way to Rome,, where he feal'd the Truth (of what he had taught and written) with his Blood, being caft to the Wild Beafts: Thus dying a glorious Martyr of the ever bleffed Fefus.

His Martyrdom was but feven Yeas after the Death of St. John, who wrote the Revelations

Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift. Lib. 3. Cap. 36

FINIS.

SPEECH

OF

Mr. JOHN CHECkley,

UPON HIS

TRYAL,

At Bofton in NEW-ENGLAND,

For PUBLISHING

The Short and Eafy METHOD with the Deifts: To which was added, A Difcourfe concerning EPISCOPACY; In Defence of Christianity, and the CHURCH of ENGLAND, against the Deus and Billenters.

To which is ADDED,

The Jury's Verdict; His Plea in Arreft of Judgment; and the Sentence of Court.

The SECOND EDITION.

LONDON:

Printed by J. APPLEBEE, in Bolt-Court, Fleet-Street,

M,DCC,XXXVIII,