Early Church Writings — historically valuable Christian documents, presented as noncanonical writings rather than Scripture.

Additional and Disputed Ignatian Letters

Attributed to Ignatius

Chapter V.—Various relative duties

Flee from haughtiness, "for the Lord resisteth the proud." 1284 Abhor falsehood, for says [the Scripture], "Thou shalt destroy all them that speak lies." 1285 Guard against envy, for its author is the devil, and his successor Cain, who envied his brother, and out of envy committed murder. Exhort my sisters to love God, and be content with their own husbands only. In like manner, exhort my brethren also to be content with their own wives. Watch over the virgins, as the precious treasures of Christ. Be long-suffering, 1286 that thou mayest be great in wisdom. Do not neglect the poor, in so far as thou art prosperous. For "by alms and fidelity sins are purged away." 1287

Notes

  1. Jas. iv. 6; 1 Pet. v. 5. ↩
  2. Ps. v. 6. ↩
  3. Prov. xiv. 29. ↩
  4. Prov. xv. 27 (after LXX.: Prov. xvi. 6 in English version) ↩

Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume I, edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson; revised by A. Cleveland Coxe. Public domain. Electronic text courtesy of CCEL.