apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

QUOTATIONS AND REFERENCES. 151
21.
John the Monk [c.
a.d. 380— 390].
Epistula ad Eidropmin
Nova, etc.
et Eusebium de Comviunione Veritatis in Vita
'AH the saints who loved God, since their love towards him was
hidden in the power of their soul, proclaimed their love by the voice,
that is, by the death of the flesh which is the voice; because they were
not able in any other way to show their love, but by even going out of
voice, in being divested of the flesh, that they might become word and
not voice. For whilst they were in the world of the voice, they were
men of the voice; but after they are gone out of the world of the voice,
they will become men of the word and not of the voice....
'But that it
might be not supposed that I speak from opinion, and
not from grace, respecting the man of the voice and the word, we will
show you evidently by bringing, as testimony to our words, the authority
of one of the saints... the blessed Ignatius, the glorious martyr, who was
the second bishop after the Apostles in Antioch of Syria, who, when he
was going up to Rome in the testimony for Christ, wrote epistles to certain
cities; and in that to Rome, when he was persuading them not to hinder
him from the testimony of Christ, said. Ifye be silent from ne, I shall be
the word of God; but if ye love my flesh, again I am to myself a voice
(Rom. 2).
And he implored them to cease from intreating respecting
him, and begged them not to love his life of the flesh better than his life
in the spirit.
Were these things spoken in an ordinary way by this saint
What then is this, that after his departure from this world he is to himself
a word; but if he continue he is to himself a. voice... This man of
God deserves to be reckoned amongst the company of the Apostles, of
whom I had almost said, that whilst he was in the flesh in the world he
had immersed himself from the world with his Lord: as he also himself
said. Then am I faithful when I atn not seen in the world {Horn. 3) ;
and
// is good for me that I should set
from the world in God, that I may
rise in Him in life {Rom. 2).
And again he said. Let nothing envy me of
those that are seen and that are not seen {Rom. 5).
That there might be
no indignity therefore to the greatness of this man of God through what
I say, I honour him in silence, and approach to the saying which he
spake, Ifye are silent from me, a,nd leave me to die in sacrifice, / am to
myself the word of God; but if not, I am to myself a voice....
'And this again, If I shall continue, I am to tnyself a voice:
he desires
to teach that the temporary life here is of the flesh in a compound