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ST. IGNATIUS.

FINDING nothing recorded concerning the country or parentage of this holy man, I shall not build upon mere fancy and conjecture. He is ordinarily styled, both by himself and others, Theophorus ; which, though like Justus, it be oft no more than a common epithet, yet is it sometimes used as a proper name. It is written according to the different nations, either Oɛopópos; and then it denotes a divine person, a man whose soul is full of God, and all holy and divine qualities, Ο τὸν Χρισὸν ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ περιφέρων, as Ignatius himself is said to explain it; or Oɛópopos, and so, in a passive signification it implies one that is borne or carried, by God. And in this latter sense he is said to have derived the title, from our Lord's taking him up into his arms. For thus we are told, that he was that very child whom our Saviour took into his arms, and set in the midst of his disciples, as the most lively instance of innocency and humility.' And this is affirmed (if number might carry it) not only by the Greeks in the public rituals; by McMark, ix. 36; Matt. xviii. 2-4.

2 Manon Græcor. Τῇ εἰκοσῇ τὸ Δεκεμβρ.

taphrastes, Nicephorus, and others, but (as the primate of Armagh3 observes from the manuscripts in his own possession) by two Syriac writers, more ancient than they. But how confidently or generally soever it be reported, the story at best is precarious and uncertain, not to say absolutely false and groundless. Sure I am St. Chrysostom (who had far better opportunities of knowing than they) expressly affirms of Ignatius, that he never saw our Saviour, or enjoyed any familiarity or converse with him.

2. In his younger years, he was brought up under apostolical institution: so Chrysostom tells us, that he was intimately conversant with the apostles, educated and nursed up by them, everywhere at hand, and made partaker, onrν ажоррýтπу, both

of their familiar discourses, and more secret and uncommon mysteries. Which, though it is probable he means of his particular conversation with St. Peter and Paul; yet some of the forementioned authors, and not they only, but the acts of his martyrdom," written as is supposed by some present at it, further assure us, that he was St. John's disciple. Being fully instructed in the doctrines of Christianity, he was, for his eminent parts, and the great piety of his life, chosen to be bishop of Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, and the most famous and renowned

991.

Metaphr. ad Decem. 20, Græc. et Lat. apud Coteler. p. 2 Niceph. H. Eccl. lib. ii. c. 35, p. 192. 3 Annot. in Ignat. Act. p. 37. Οντως φερωνύμως κέκλησαι Θεόφορος, πάτερ. Νήπιος γὰρ ἔτι κομιδῇ ὑπάρχων εἰς χεῖρας το Κυρίε φεβόμενος. ἵπασο ἀναφωνοῦντος πρὸς ἡμᾶς γινεσpoi, is to maidov Touro.-Men. Græc. loc. citat.

θέ

Homil. in S. Ignat. p. 506, tom. i.

5 Ibid. p. 499.

6 Act. Ignat. p. 1, et 5, edit. Usser.

city of the east; not more remarkable among foreign writers for being the oriental seat of the Roman emperors, and their viceroys and governors, than it is in ecclesiastics, for its eminent entertainment of the Christian faith, its giving the venerable title of Christians to the disciples of the holy Jesus, and St. Peter's first and peculiar residence in this place. Whence the synod of Constantinople,' assembled under Nectarius, in their synodical epistle to the western bishops, deservedly call it "the most ancient and truly apostolic church of Antioch, in which the honourable name of Christians did first commence.” In all which respects it is frequently in the writings of the church, by a proud kind of title, styled ɛéоlıç, or the City of God. That Ignatius was constituted bishop of this church, is allowed on all hands; though, as to the time and order of his coming to it, almost the same difficulties occur which before did in Clemens's succession to the see of Rome, possibly not readily to be removed but by the same method of solution, easily granted in this case by Baronius himself, and some other writers of note in that church. I shall not need to prove what is evident enough in itself, and plainly ac knowledged by the ancients; that Peter and Paul planted Christianity in this city, and both concurred to the foundation of this church; the one applying himself to the Jews, the other to the Gentiles. And large enough was the vineyard to admit the joint endeavours of these two great planters of the gospel; it being a vast populous city, containing at that time, according to St.

Ap. Theodoret. H. Eccl. lib. v. c. 9, p. 211.

2 Ad Ann. 45, n. 14, vid. Ad. Martyr. Rom. Feb. 1, p. 88.

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were generally more likely to understand him to suffer as a malefactor for some notorious crime, than as a martyr for religion; and this Metaphrastes assures us, was one particular end of his sending thither.' Not to say that beyond all this, the divine providence (which knows how to bring good out of evil, and to overrule the designs of bad men to wise and excellent purposes) might the rather permit it to be so, that the leading so great a man so far in triumph, might make the faith more remarkable and illustrious, that he might have the better opportunity to establish and confirm the Christians, who flocked to him from all parts as he came along; and by giving them the example of a generous virtue, arm them with the stronger resolution to die for their religion, and especially that he might seal the truth of his religion at Rome, where his death might be διδασκάλιος τῆς εὐσεβείας, (as Chrysostom speaks, ") "a tutor of piety," and teach κακείνην φιλοσοφείν, the city that was so famous for arts and wisdom, a new and better philosophy than they had learned before. To all which may be added, that this was done not by the provincial governor, who had indeed power of executing capital punishments within his own province, (which seems to have been the main ground of Scaliger's scruple,) but immediately by the emperor himself, whose pleasure and command it was that he should be sent to Rome; whither we must now follow him to his martyrdom: in the account whereof we shall, for the main, keep to the acts of it, written, in all probability, by Philo and Agathopus, the com

Martyr. ubi supr. 995.

2 Vid. Chrysost. Homil. cit. p. 505.

3 Ibid.

panions of his journey, and present at his passion; two ancient versions whereof the incomparable bishop Usher first recovered and published to the world.

6. Being consigned to a guard of ten soldiers,' he took his leave of his beloved Antioch, (and a sad parting no doubt there was between him and his people; who were to see his face no more,) and was conducted on foot to Seleucia, a port-town of Syria, about sixteen miles distant thence; the very place whence Paul and Barnabas set sail for Cyprus. Here, going aboard, after a tedious and difficult voyage, they arrived at Smyrna, a famous city of Ionia, where they were no sooner set on shore, but he went to salute St. Polycarp, bishop of the place, his old fellow-pupil under St. John the apostle.

Joyful was the meeting of these two holy men; St. Polycarp being so far from being discouraged, that he rejoiced in the other's chains, and earnestly pressed him to a firm and final perseverance. Hither came in the country round about, especially the bishops, presbyters, and deacons of Asian churches, to behold so venerable a sight, to partake of the holy martyr's prayers and blessing, and to encourage him to hold on to his consummation. To requite whose kindness, and for their further instruction and establishment in the faith, he wrote letters from hence to several churches; one to the Ephesians, wherein he commends Onesimus their bishop for his singular charity; another to the Magnesians, a city seated upon the river Meander, which he sent by Damas their bishop, Bassus and