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

Early Church Fathers  Index     

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

64:711

Literally, “are reverent.”

64:712

Prov. xviii. 17. (LXX).

64:713

Literally, “are reverent.”

64:714

Prov. xviii. 17. (LXX).

64:715

Isa. xliii. 26.

64:716

Luke xvii. 10.

64:717

Luke xvi. 15.

64:718

Luke xviii. 13.

64:719

Some read, “Jacob.”

64:720

Gen. xviii. 27; Job xxx. 19.

64:721

1 Chron. xvii. 16.

64:722

Num. xii. 3.

64:723

Ex. iv. 10.

64:724

Luke xiv. 11.


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