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Page:Ante-Nicene Fathers volume 1.djvu/244

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THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS.
union to Jesus Christ, being holy men, worthy of love and admiration, having had witness borne to them by Jesus Christ, and being reckoned along with [us] in the gospel of the common hope.

Testament, "one Mediator between God and men," for the creation of both intelligent and sensitive beings, and in order to exercise a beneficial and suitable providence [over them]. There is also one Comforter, who displayed[1] His power in Moses, and the prophets, and apostles. All the saints, therefore, were saved by Christ, hoping in Him, and waiting for Him; and they obtained through Him salvation, being holy ones, worthy of love and admiration, having testimony borne to them by Jesus Christ, in the gospel of our common hope.


Chap. vi.Do not accept Judaism.

But if any one preach the Jewish law[2] unto you, listen not to him. For it is better to hearken to Christian doctrine from a man who has been circumcised, than to Judaism from one uncircumcised. But if either of such persons do not speak concerning Jesus Christ, they are in my judgment but as monuments and sepulchres of the dead, upon which

If any one preaches the one God of the law and the prophets, but denies Christ to be the Son of God, he is a liar, even as also is his father the devil,[3] and is a Jew falsely-so-called, being possessed of[4] mere carnal circumcision. If any one confesses Christ Jesus the Lord, but denies the God of the law and of the prophets, saying that the Father of Christ is not the Maker of heaven and earth, he has not continued in the truth any more than his father the devil,[3] and is a disciple of Simon Magus, not of the Holy Spirit. If any

  1. Or, "wrought."
  2. Literally, "Judaism."
  3. 3.0 3.1 Comp. John viii. 44.
  4. Literally, "beneath."