ad of the Church of the Great City in the ninth year of the
reign of Trajan. But the same prudence does not prevail throughout the
Epistle. He here obviously speaks of the Church of Rome, not as she
existed a few years after the death of Clement, but of the same Church
as she was known after the death of Victor. In the beginning of the
second century the Church of the Syrian capital would not have
acknowledged the precedence of her Western sister. On the fall of
Jerusalem, the Church of Antioch was herself the first Christian
community in the Empire. She had a higher antiquity, a more
distinguished prestige, and perhaps a more numerous membership than any
other Church in existence. In the Syrian metropolis the disciples had
first been called Christians; there, Barnabas and Paul had been
separated to the work to which the Lord had called them; there, Peter
had preached; and there, prophets had laboured. But a century had
brought about a wonderful change. The Church of Rome had meanwhile
obtained the first place among Christian societies; and, before the
middle of the third century, "the See of Peter" was honoured as the
centre of catholic unity. Towards the close of the second century, many
persons of rank and power joined her communion, [419:1] and her
political influence was soon felt to be so formidable that even the
Roman Emperor began to be jealous of the Roman bishop. [419:2] But the
Ignatian forger did not take into account this ecclesiastical
revolution. Hence he here incautiously speaks in the language of his own
age, and writing "to her _who sitteth at the head_ in the place of the
country of the Romans," he says to her with all due humility--"I am not
commanding you like Peter and Paul" [419:3]--"Ye have taught
others"--"It is easy for you to do whatsoever you please."

IV. Various words in these Epistles have a meaning which they did not
acquire until long after the time of Ignatius. Thus, the term employed
in the days of the Apostles to denote _purity_, or _chastity_, here
signifies _celibacy_. [419:4] Even in the commencement of the third
century those who led a single life were beginning to be considered
Christians of a superior type, as contrasted with those who were
married; and clerical celibacy was becoming very fashionable. [420:1]
The Ignatian fabricator writes under the influence of the popular
sentiment. "The house of the Church" at Antioch, of which Paul of
Samosata kept possession after his depos