Christ.

2 When I heard of your well-
ordered love and charity in God,
being full of joy, I desired much
to speak unto you in the faith of
Jesus Christ.

3 For having been thought
worthy to obtain a most excellent
name, in the bonds which I carry
about, I salute the churches;
wishing in them a union both of
the body and spirit of Jesus Christ,
our eternal life: as also of faith
and charity, to which nothing is
preferred: but especially of Jesus
and the Father; in whom if we
undergo all the injuries of the
prince of this present world, and
escape, we shall enjoy God,

4 Seeing, then, I have been
judged worthy to see you, by
Damas your most excellent bishop;
and by your worthy presbyters,
Bassus and Apollonius; and by my
fellow-servant Sotio, the deacon;

5 In whom I rejoice, forasmuch
as he is subject unto his bishop as
to the grace of God; and to the
presbytery as to the law of Jesus
Christ; I determined to write
unto you.

6 Wherefore it will become you
also not to use your bishop too
familiarly upon the account of his
youth; but to yield all reverence
to him according to the power of
God the Father; as also I perceive
that your holy presbyters do: not
considering his age, which indeed
to appearance is young; but as
becomes those who are prudent in
God, submitting to him, or rather
not to him but to the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the bishop of
us all.

7 It will therefore behove you
with all sincerity, to obey your
bishop; in honour of him whose
pleasure it is that ye should do so.

8 Because he that does not do
so, deceives not the bishop whom
he sees, but affronts him that is
invisible. For whatsoever of this
kind is done, it reflects not upon
man, but upon God, who knows
the secrets of our hearts.

9 It is therefore fitting,
that we should not only be called
christians, but be so.

10 As some call indeed their
governor, bishop; but yet do all
things without him.

11 But I can never think
that such as these have a good
conscience, seeing that they are
not gathered together thoroughly
according to God's commandment.

CHAPTER II.

1 That as all must die,
4 he exhorts them to live orderly and in unity.

SEEING then all things have
an end, there are these two
indifferently set before us,
death and life: and everyone
shall depart unto his proper place.

2 For as there are two sorts of
coins, the one of God, the other of
the world, and each of th