Ecclesiastical history epitomized containing a faithful account of ye birth life & doctrine, crucifixion & ascension of ye holy Iesus : with the lives of ye apostles evangelists & primitive fathers & other famous men in ye Christian Church both antient & modern who have couragiously confessed & suffered glorious martyrdomes & persecutions under several tyrannical governours both heathenish and Romish : faithfully continued to ye reformation and since deduced to this present age / carefully collected by J.S. ... ; in two parts.

The Life and Martyrdom of St. IGNATIUS.

HAving run through the Lives of the Blessed Apostles and Evangelists, I shall now pro∣ceed to give the Reader a view of such Worthies, who, next to them, fought successfully under the Victorious Banner of our great Captain, the Lord Jesus, and through him became more than Conquerors. And first I shall begin with St. Ignatius; but lest any at first view should think him to be the Popish Ignatius, which Founded the Order of the Jesuites, these are to satisfie, that this Ignatius was Born, nay suffered Martyrdom several hun∣dred years before Popery was known, and above a thousand years e're the destructive Order of Jesuits had Being. But to my purpose.

St. Ignatius, as himself testifies, was born 12 years before the Crucifixion of our Saviour, he having with his proper Eyes beheld him in the Flesh; he being, as many think, one of those little ones that our Saviour commanded his Disci∣ples to suffer for to come unto him, nay some go farther, and affirm, that it was he whom our bles∣sed Lord set in the midst of his Disciples, when they contended one with another about Superio∣rity, and Precedency. However he was indued with a more than ordinary Portion of the Divine Spirit, and succeeded St. Peter in the Pastorship or Government of the Church of Antioch, where he laboured diligently in the Ministry of the Gospel

Converting and Confirming many to and in the Christian Faith, being a great opposer of the Here∣sies or Erroneous Opinions that had sprung up in the Church. But the Devil, that Enemy of the Gospel soon plotted his destruction; for Trajan returning from the Parthian War, commanded a Gratulatory Sacrifice to be offered to his gods in every City, for the Victory he had obtained; and at his coming to Antioch, Ignatius was required to be present and assisting at the Sacrifice, by such as willed his destruction, they thinking they could not have a fairer opportunity to work his Ruin. But he utterly refusing such a detestable wicked∣ness, was brought before the Emperour, where to his Face he did not only deny so to do, but sharply reproved him for his Idolatry, worshipping false Gods, and Images made with hands: Upon which the Emperour in a Rage commanded that a Guard of Soudiers should carry him to Rome, and there to cast him in Prison till his Arrival.

Whereupon he was carried by short Journies through Asia, but in his way he was no whit un∣mindful of his Charge, for as he went, strictly Guarded, he Preached the Apostles Doctrine, and Confirmed a great number that were wavering; as likewise strictly charged them to beware of Heresie and endeavour to extirpate it, which else like Tares would greatly annoy the Churches wheat: sending several Epistles to the Churches, earnest∣ly desiring them to continue stedfast and put their trust in the Lord.

When he came to Smyrna, where Polycarp was Bishop, he wrote an Epistle to the Church of Ephesus, directing it to Onesimus their Pastor, de∣siring him to have a care of Christ's Flock, and

like a good Shepherd diligently feed them with the spiritual Food of the Everlasting Gospel, which is able to make men wise unto Salvation; as also another to the Church of Magnesia, which he directed to Dama their Bishop, another likewise he wrote to Polybius, Pastor of the Church of Trallis; with which he sent an Exhortation, de∣siring him to be Courageous, and not to decline the Crown of Martyrdom, if offered; putting him in mind of the Sufferings of our blessed Lord and Saviour, and of the Joy he was to receive if he continued faithful to the end: telling them of his cruel usage in his way to Rome, and how rea∣dy he was to suffer for Christ's sake; Concluding with these words, Let Fire, Cross, breaking of Bones, quartering my Members, crushing my Body, or all the torments that Men and Devils can invent, be∣fall me, so that I may but enjoy my Lord Jesus.

When he came to Rome he wrote to Policarp, a godly Pastor, to take into his Care and Charge the Church of Antioch, whilst he could Elect a fit Person to be Bishop in his Room; whereby he proved himself to be a just and sincere man, who even in death was mindful of his Flock.

When the day of his Martyrdom came, he chearfully said, I am God's Corn, when the wild Beasts have ground me to powder with their teeth I shall be his white bread. He suffered Martyrdom the 11th. year of Trajan, being, as many of the Antients affirm, Torn to pieces by wild Beasts in the The∣atre to make the Tyrant sport. And thus ended the Life of this good Man, who upon many occa∣sions was wont to say, Amor meus Crucifixus est; My Love is Crucified, meaning either Christ the Object of his Love, or that his darling Sins and

Affections to the World were Crucified; and in another place he declares that he beheld the Lord after his Resurrection before he Ascended.