Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

THE FIRST AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH.199speaks of them each collectively as of one person.In the year 116, as is supposed, Ignatius still afterforty-eight years bishop of one of the three greatmother churches, all of them Sees of Peter, andtypes and models of church government, whmissions went forth, and the layers of apostteaching were propagated, in his seven extantepistles conveys the same idea as that presentedby those divine words which S. John had heard invision, and was commanded to record, but withmuch greater detail. As he is being led to martyrdom,in the long transit between Antioch andRome, he pours forth the earnestness of one undersentence of death, glowing at the prospect of sheddinghis blood for Christ, and being for ever unitedwith Him. These letters remain as a sample ofnumberless conversations held with the deputationswhich came to meet him on his way, minglingtheir tears at his approaching passion withtheir exultation in his triumph. They are of onetissue throughout. Ignatius dwells with incessantrepetition upon union with God and with Christthrough obedience to the hierarchy of bishops,priests, and deacons, by maintenance of one faith,in one body of the Church, which is whereverChrist is.23 Let us take one instance from hisletter to the Ephesians. After saying that he had" received their whole multitude in the person ofOnesimus, their bishop," he continues : " It is23 B. Ign. ad Smyrn, 1 and 8.