Chapter IX.--Concluding salutations and instructions.
Salute Cassian, my host, and his most serious-minded partner in life, and their very dear children, to whom may "God grant that they find mercy of the Lord in that day," [1294] on account of their ministrations to us, whom also I commend to thee in Christ. Salute by name all the faithful in Christ that are at Laodicea. Do not neglect those at Tarsus, but look after them steadily, confirming them in the Gospel. I salute in the Lord, Maris the bishop of Neapolis, near Anazarbus. Salute thou also Mary my daughter, distinguished both for gravity and erudition, as also "the Church which is in her house." [1295] May my soul be in place of hers: she is the very pattern of pious women. May the Father of Christ, by His only-begotten Son, preserve thee in good health, and of high repute in all things, to a very old age, for the benefit of the Church of God! Farewell in the Lord, and pray thou that I may be perfected.
[1294] 2 Tim. i. 18.
[1295] Col. iv. 15.
[1265] Gal. i. 4.
The Epistle of Ignatius to the Philippians
Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church of God which is at Philippi, which has obtained mercy in faith, and patience, and love unfeigned: Mercy and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, "who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe." [1296]
Chapter I.--Reason for writing the epistle.
Being mindful of your love and of your zeal in Christ, which ye have manifested towards us, we thought it fitting to write to you, who display such a godly and spiritual love to the brethren, [1297] to put you in remembrance of your Christian course, [1298] "that ye all speak the same thing, being of one mind, thinking the same thing, and walking by the same rule of faith," [1299] as Paul admonished you. For if there is one God of the universe, the Father of Christ, "of whom are all things;" [1300] and one Lord Jesus Christ, our [Lord], "by whom are all things;" [1301] and also one Holy Spirit, who wrought [1302] in Moses, and in the prophets and apostles; and also one baptism, which is administered that we should have fellowship with the death of the Lord; [1303] and also one elect Church; there ought likewise to be but one faith in respect to Christ. For "there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is through all, and in all."
[1297] Literally, "to your brother-loving spiritual love according to God."
[1298] Literally, "course in Christ."
[1299] 1 Cor. i. 10; Phil. ii. 2, Phil. iii. 16.
[1300] 1 Cor. viii. 6.
[1301] 1 Cor. viii. 6.
[1302] 1 Cor. xii. 11.
[1303] Literally, "which is given unto the death of the Lord."
[1304] Eph. iv. 5.
Chapter II.--Unity of the three divine persons.
There is then one God and Father, and not two or three; One who is; and there is no other besides Him, the only true [God]. For "the Lord thy God," saith [the Scripture], "is one Lord." [1305] And again, "Hath not one God created us? Have we not all one Father? [1306] And there is also one Son, God the Word. For "the only-begotten Son," saith [the Scripture], "who is in the bosom of the Father." [1307] And again, "One Lord Jesus Christ." [1308] And in another place, "What is His name, or what His Son's name, that we may know?" [1309] And there is also one Paraclete. [1310] For "there is also," saith [the Scripture], "one Spirit," [1311] since "we have been called in one hope of our calling." [1312] And again, "We have drunk of one Spirit," [1313] with what follows. And it is manifest that all these gifts [possessed by believers] "worketh one and the self-same Spirit." [1314] There are not then either three Fathers, [1315] or three Sons, or three Paracletes, but one Father, and one Son, and one Paraclete. Wherefore also the Lord, when He sent forth the apostles to make disciples of all nations, commanded them to "baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," [1316] not unto one [person] having three names, nor into three [persons] who became incarnate, but into three possessed of equal honour.
[1305] Deut. vi. 4; Mark xii. 29.
[1306] Mal. ii. 10.
[1307] John i. 18.
[1308] 1 Cor. viii. 6.
[1309] Prov. xxx. 4.
[1310] i.e., "Advocate" or "Comforter;" comp. John xiv. 16.
[1311] Eph. iv. 4.
[1312] 1 Cor. xii. 13.
[1313] Eph. iv. 4.
[1314] 1 Cor. xii. 11.
[1315] Comp. Athanasian Creed.
[1316] Matt. xxviii. 19.