XXXI, XXXII. We are justified by Faith.

XXXIII. Yet this must not lessen our Care to live well, nor our Pleasure in it.

XXXIV. This enforced, from the Examples of the Holy Angels, and from the exceeding Greatness of that Reward which God has prepared for us.

XXXV, XXXVI. We must attain unto this Reward by Faith and Obedience.

XXXVII. Which we must carry on in an orderly pursuing of the Duties of our several Stations, without Envying or Contention. XXXVIII. The necessity of different Orders among Men. We have none of us any thing but what we received of God; whom, therefore, we ought in every Condition thankfully to obey.

XXXIX, &c. From whence he exhorts them to do every thing" orderly in the Church, as the only way to please God. XLII. The Orders of Ministers in Christ's Church established by the Apostles, according to Christ's Command. XLIII. And after the Example of Moses.

XLIV. Therefore they who have been duly placed in the Ministry, according to their Order, cannot, without great Sin, be put out of it.

XLV, &c. He exhorts them to Peace from Examples out of the Holy Scriptures..

XLVII, XLVIII. Particularly from St. Paul's Exhortation to them.

XLIX. The Value which God puts upon Love and Unity: The Effects of a true Charity.

L. Which is the Gift of God, and must be obtained by Prayer. LI, LII. He exhorts such as have been concerned in these Divisions to repent, and return to their Unity, confessing their Sin to God.

LIII, LIV. Which he enforces from the Example of Moses. LV. Nay, of many among the Heathen; and of Judith and Esther among the Jews.

LVI. The Benefit of mutual Advice and Correction.

LVII. He entreats them to follow that which is here given to them.

LVIII. Recommends them to God.

LIX. Desires speedily to hear that this Epistle has had a good Effect upon them.

LX. And so concludes.

THE

FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. CLEMENT

ΤΟ

THE CORINTHIANS.

3

1

The Church of God which is at Rome, to the Church of God which is at Corinth, elect', sanctified, by the will of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord: grace and peace from the Almighty God, by Jesus Christ, be multiplied unto you*.

Brethren,

THE sudden and unexpected dangers and calamities that have fallen upon us, have, we fear, made us the more slow in our consideration of those things which you inquired of us; 'as also of that wicked and detestable sedition, so unbecoming the elect of God, which a few heady and selfwilled men have fomented to such a degree of madness, that your venerable and renowned name, so worthy of all men to be beloved, is greatly blasphemed thereby. For who that has ever been among you, has not experimented the firmness of your faith, and its fruitfulness in all good works? And admired the temper and moderation of your religion in Christ? And published abroad the magnificence of your hospitality? And thought

1 Sojourneth.

2 Called.-See Dr. Hammond on Matt. xx. c.

3 Gr.-In.

* See Bishop Pearson's note on this place. ed. Colomesii, p. 2.

5 And.

6 Gr.-Strange to.

$ Adorned with all manner of virtues.

7 Gr.-Lodged as a stranger.

M

you happy in your perfect and certain knowledge of the gospel. For ye did all things without respect of persons; and walked according to the laws of God: being subject to those who had the rule over you, and giving the honour that was fitting to such as were the aged' among you. Ye commanded the young men to think those things that were modest and grave. The women, ye exhorted to do all things with an unblameable, and seemly, and pure conscience; loving their own husbands, as was fitting; and that, keeping themselves within the bounds' of a due obedience, they should order their houses gravely, with all discretion".

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II. Ye were all of you humble minded, not boasting of any thing: desiring rather to be subject than to govern, to give than to receive'; being content with the portion God had dispensed to you: and hearkening diligently to his word, ye were enlarged in your bowels, having his sufferings always before your eyes. Thus a firm, and blessed", and profitable" peace was given unto you; and an unsatiable desire of doing good, and a plentiful effusion of the Holy Ghost was upon all of you. And being full of good designs", ye did, with great" readiness of mind, and with a religious confidence, stretch forth your hands to God Almighty, beseeching him to be merciful unto you, if in any thing ye had unwillingly sinned against him. Ye contended day and night

! In.

2 Presbyters..

3 Canon, rule.

4 Themselves do their own business.-Vid. Not. Juni in loc.

5 Temperance, sobriety. 1 Pet. v. 5.

7 Acts xx. 35. 8 1 Tim. vi. 8.

9 Embraced it in your very bowels.

6 Proud.

10 Пaluara. See Dr. Grabe's Addit. to Bp. Bull's Def. fid. Nic. p. 60, 61.

12 Holy counsel, or purpose, or will.

11 Gr.--λιπαρά,
13 Gr.-Good.

for the whole brotherhood; that with 'compassion, and a good conscience, the number of his elect might be saved. Ye were sincere, and without offence towards each other; not mindful of injuries. All sedition and schism was an abomination unto you. Ye bewailed every one his neighbour's sins, esteeming their defects your own. Ye were kind one to another without grudging, being ready to every good work: and being adorned with a conversation altogether virtuous and religious, ye did all things in the fear of God, whose commandments were written upon the tables of your hearts".

III. All honour and enlargement was given unto you; and so was fulfilled that which is written, My beloved did eat and drink, he was enlarged and waved fat, and he kicked'. From hence came emulation, and envy, and strife, and sedition; persecution and disorder', war and captivity. So they who were of no renown, lifted up themselves against the honourable; those of no reputation, against those that were in respect; the foolish against the wise, the young men against the aged. Therefore righteousness and peace are departed from you, because every one hath forsaken the fear of God; and is grown blind in his faith; nor walketh by the rule of God's commandments, nor liveth as is fitting in Christ: but every one follows his own wicked lusts; having taken up an unjust and wicked envy, by which death first entered into the world.

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IV. For thus it is written: And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit

1 With mercy and conscience.

Ye were without repentance in all well-doing. Titus iii. 1.

3 Prov. vii. 3.

4 Deut. xxxii. 15.

• Walketh after.

5 Confusion, tumults, &c. 7 Gen. iv. 3, &c.

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of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof: and the LORD had respect unto Abel, and to his offering. But unto Cain and unto his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very sorrowful, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou sorrowful? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou shalt offer aright, but not divide aright, hast thou not sinned? Hold thy peace: unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain said unto Abel his brother, Let us go down into the field. And it came to pass as they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. Ye see, Brethren, how envy and emulation wrought the death of a brother. For this, our father Jacob fled from the face of his brother Esau. It was this that caused Joseph' to be persecuted even unto death, and to come into .bondage. Envy forced Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, when he heard his own countryman ask him, Who made thee a judge, and a ruler over us? Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday'? Through envy Aaron and Miriam were shut out of the camp, from the rest of the congregation seven days". Emulation sent 10 Dathan and Abiram quick into the grave", because they raised up a sedition against Moses, the servant of God. For this, David 12 was not only hated of strangers, but was persecuted even by Saul, the king of Israel.

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V. But, not to insist upon ancient examples,

1 This is according to the Lxx. 2 'Arrrgofn, conversion.

3 Fratricide.

6 Exod. ii. 15.

9 Num. xii. 14, 15.

+ Envy. Gen. xxviii.

7 Exod. ii. 14.

10 Brought.

12 Had, or underwent the hatred, not only, &c.

5 Gen. xxxvii.

8 Made to lodge out. 11 Hades.

13 To cease from.