Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol I:
IGNATIUS: Chapter XII.—Ye are superior to me.

Chapter XII.—Ye are superior to me.

May I enjoy you in all respects, if indeed I be worthy! For though I am bound, I am not worthy to be compared to any of you that are at liberty. I know that ye are not puffed up, for ye have Jesus Christ in yourselves. And all the more when I commend you, I know that ye cherish modesty 711 of spirit; as it is written, “The righteous man is his own accuser.” 712

May I enjoy you in all respects, if indeed I be worthy! For though I am bound, I am not worthy to be compared to one of you that are at liberty. I know that ye are not puffed up, for ye have Jesus in yourselves. And all the more when I commend you, I know that ye cherish modesty 713 of spirit; as it is written, “The righteous man is his own accuser;” 714 and again, “Declare thou first thine iniquities, that thou mayest be justified;” 715 and again, “When ye shall have done all things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants;” 716 “for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” 717 For says [the Scripture], “God be merciful to me a sinner.” 718 Therefore those great ones, Abraham and Job, 719 styled themselves “dust and ashes 720 before God. And David says, “Who am I before Thee, O Lord, that Thou hast glorified me hitherto?” 721 And Moses, who was “the meekest of all men,” 722 saith to God, “I am of a feeble voice, and of a slow tongue.” 723 Be ye therefore also of a humble spirit, that ye may be exalted; for “he that abaseth himself shall be exalted, and he that exalteth himself shall be abased.” 724

Footnotes

Literally, “are reverent.”

Prov. xviii. 17. (LXX).

Literally, “are reverent.”

Prov. xviii. 17. (LXX).

Isa. xliii. 26.

Luke xvii. 10.

Luke xvi. 15.

Luke xviii. 13.

Some read, “Jacob.”

Gen. xviii. 27; Job xxx. 19.

1 Chron. xvii. 16.

Num. xii. 3.

Ex. iv. 10.

Luke xiv. 11.