{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">Moreover, it is in accordance\r\nwith reason that we should return\r\nto soberness [of conduct], and,\r\nwhile yet we have opportunity,\r\nexercise repentance towards God.\r\nFor “in Hades there is no one\r\nwho can confess his sins.”<a id=\"r1290\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1290\"><sup>[1290]</sup></a> For\r\n“behold the man, and his work is\r\nbefore him.”<a id=\"r1291\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1291\"><sup>[1291]</sup></a> And [the Scripture\r\nsaith], “My son, honour thou God\r\nand the king.”<a id=\"r1292\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1292\"><sup>[1292]</sup></a> And say I, Honour\r\nthou God indeed, as the Author\r\nand Lord of all things, but the\r\nbishop as the high priest, who\r\nbears the image of God—of God,\r\ninasmuch as he is a ruler, and of\r\nChrist, in his capacity of a priest.\r\nAfter Him, we must also honour the\r\nking. For there is no one superior\r\nto God, or even like to Him, among\r\nall the beings that exist. Nor is\r\nthere any one in the church\r\ngreater than the bishop, who\r\nministers as a priest to God for\r\nthe salvation of the whole world.\r\nNor, again, is there any one among\r\nrulers to be compared with the\r\nking, who secures peace and good\r\norder to those over whom he rules.\r\nHe who honours the bishop shall\r\nbe honoured by God, even as he\r\nthat dishonours him shall be punished\r\nby God. For if he that\r\nrises up against kings is justly held\r\nworthy of punishment, inasmuch\r\nas he dissolves public order, of how\r\nmuch sorer punishment, suppose\r\nye, shall he be thought worthy,<a id=\"r1293\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1293\"><sup>[1293]</sup></a>\r\nwho presumes to do anything\r\nwithout the bishop, thus both destroying\r\nthe [church’s] unity, and\r\nthrowing its order into confusion?\r\nFor the priesthood is the very\r\nhighest point of all good things\r\namong men, against which whosoever\r\nis mad enough to strive, dishonours\r\nnot man, but God, and\r\nChrist Jesus, the First-born, and\r\nthe only High Priest, by nature,\r\nof the Father. Let all things\r\ntherefore be done by you with good\r\norder in Christ. Let the laity be\r\nsubject to the deacons; the deacons\r\nto the presbyters; the presbyters\r\nto the bishop; the bishop to Christ,\r\neven as He is to the Father.\r\nAs ye, brethren, have refreshed\r\nme, so will Jesus Christ refresh\r\nyou. Ye have loved me when\r\nabsent, as well as when present.\r\nGod will recompense you, for\r\nwhose sake ye have shown such\r\nkindness towards His prisoner.\r\nFor even if I am not worthy of it,\r\nyet your zeal [to help me] is an\r\nadmirable<a id=\"r1294\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1294\"><sup>[1294]</sup></a> thing. For “he who\r\nhonours a prophet in the name of\r\na prophet, shall receive a prophet’s\r\nreward.”<a id=\"r1295\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1295\"><sup>[1295]</sup></a> It is manifest also, that\r\nhe who honours a prisoner of Jesus\r\nChrist shall receive the reward of\r\nthe martyrs.</p>","headings":["The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers","THE EPISTLES OF IGNATIUS. (SHORTER AND LONGER.)","THE EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE SMYRNÆANS.","Chap. ix.—Honour the bishop."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg77576-paragraph-538"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"0e196ba39e14a3da496befc84d0bac14ff4a2b2aba2894381c687efe7afd177b","edition_title":"The writings of the Apostolic Fathers","edition_translators":["Alexander Roberts","James Donaldson","Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1870,"explicit_reference_candidates":[{"book":"PRO","chapter":24,"kind":"unreviewed","source_notation":"Prov. xxiv. 21","verse":21,"verse_end":21}],"headings":[],"id":"pg77576-f1292","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Historical 1870 English edition; electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f1292","source_ebook":77576,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f1292\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r1292\">1292</a>. </span><abbr title=\"Proverbs\">Prov.</abbr> <abbr title=\"twenty-four\">xxiv.</abbr> 21.</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"5cef11d737d7f5d65aa99f44ca2d8e967d725f3bed872960330e88c0905597a9","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/77576/pg77576-images.html#f1292","text_sha256":"7a69bdf9b93d7b08f73f18ca361f94acde8901de8174500e33f87eb09e24e750","verified":false,"work_id":null}