Had not the plan of this series been so exclusively that of a mere revised reprint, the wTitings of Ignatius themselves would have made me diffident as to the undertaking. It seems impossible for any one to write upon the subject of these precious remains, without provoking controversy. This publication is designed as an Eirenicon, and hence " few words are best," from one who might be supposed incapable of an unbiassed opinion on most, of the points which have been raised in connection with these Epistles. I must content myself therefore, by referring the studi- ous reader to the originals as edited by Bishop Jacobson, Avith a Latin version and copious annota- tions. That revered and learned divine honoured me with his friendship ; and his precious edition has been my frequent study, with theological students, almost ever since it appeared in 1840. It is by no means superannuated by the vigorous Ignatian literature which has since spmng up, and to which reference will he made elsewhere. But I am content to leave the whole matter, without comment, to the minds of Christians of whatever school and to their independent conclusions. It is a great thing to present them in a single volume with the shorter and longer Epistles duly com- pared, and with the Curetonian version besides. One luxury only I may claim, to relieve the drudging task-work of a mere reviser. Surely I may point out some of the proverbial wisdom of this great disciple, which has often stirred my soul, as with the trumpet heard by St. John in Pat- mos. In him, indeed, the lions encountered a lion, one truly begotten of " the Lion of the tribe of Judah." Take, then, as a specimen, these thrilling injunctions from his letter to Polycarp, to whom he bequeathed his owai spirit, and in whom he well knew the Church would recognize a sort of survival of St. John himself. If the reader has any true perception of the rhythm and force of the Greek language, let him learn by heart the originals of the following aphorisms : —