Page:Ante-Nicene Fathers volume 1.djvu/243

Rh as your "fellow-soldier," I hold the position of one who [simply] admonishes you.

 

My brethren, I am greatly enlarged in loving you; and rejoicing exceedingly [over you], I seek to secure your safety. Yet it is not I, but Jesus Christ, for whose sake being; bound I fear the more, inasmuch as I am not yet perfect. But your prayer to God shall make me perfect, that I may attain to that portion which through mercy has been allotted me, while I flee to the gospel as to the flesh of Jesus, and to the apostles as to the presbytery of the church. And let us also love the prophets, because they too have proclaimed the gospel, and placed their hope in Him, and waited for Him; in whom also believing, they were saved, through My brethren, I am greatly enlarged in loving you; and rejoicing exceedingly [over you], I seek to secure your safety. Yet it is not I, but the Lord Jesus through me; for whose sake being bound, I fear the more, for I am not yet perfect. But your prayer to God shall make me perfect, that I may attain that to which I have been called, while I flee to the gospel as to the flesh of Jesus Christ, and to the apostles as the presbytery of the church. I do also love the prophets as those who announced Christ, and as being partakers of the same Spirit with the apostles. For as the false prophets and the false apostles drew [to themselves] one and the same wicked, deceitful, and seducing spirit; so also did the prophets and the apostles receive from God, through Jesus Christ, one and the same Holy Spirit, who is good, and sovereign, and true, and the Author of [saving] knowledge. For there is one God of the Old and New