The FIRST EPISTLE of CLEMENT to the CORINTHIANS.
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Clement was a disciple of Peter, and afterwards Bishop of Rome. Clemens Alexandrinus calls him an apostle. Jerome says he was an apostolical man, and Rufinus that he was almost an apostle. Eusebius calls this the wonderful Epistle of St. Clement, and says that it was publicly read in the assemblies of the primitive church. It is included in one of the ancient collections of the Canon Scripture. Its genuineness has been much questioned, particularly by Photius, patriarch of Constantinople in the ninth century, who objects that Clement speaks of worlds beyond the ocean; that he has not written worthily of the divinity of Christ; and that to prove the possibility of a future resurrection, he introduces the fabulous story of the phoenix's revival from its own ashes. To the latter objection, Archbishop Wake replies that the generality of the ancient Fathers have made use of the same instance in proof of the same point; and asks if St. Clement really believed that there was such a bird, and that it did revive out of the cinders of the body after burning, where was the great harm either in giving credit to such a wonder, or, believing it, to make such a use as he here does of it?--The present is the Archbishop's translation from the ancient Greek copy of the Epistle, which is at the end of the celebrated Alexandrine MS. of the Septuagint and New Testament, presented by Cyril, patriarch of Alexandria, to King Charles the First, now in the British Museum. The Archbishop, in prefacing his translation, esteems it a great blessing that this "Epistle" was at last so happily found out for the increase and confirmation both of our faith and our charity.


(William Wake and Solomon Caesar Malan version)


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THE Church of God which [*112:1] is at Rome, to the Church of God which is at Corinth, [*112:2] elect, sanctified [*112:3] by the will of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord: grace and peace from the Almighty God, by Jesus Christ be multiplied unto you. [*112:4]
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Brethren, the [*112:5] 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:
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[*112:6] As also of that wicked and detestable sedition, so [*112:7] unbecoming the elect of God, which a few heady and self-willed 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.
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For who that has [*112:8] ever been among you has not experimented the firmness of your faith, [*112:9] 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 you happy in your perfect and certain knowledge of the Gospel?
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For ye did all things without respect of persons and walked [*113:1] according to the laws of God; being subject to those who had the rule over you, and giving the honour that was fitting to the [*113:2] aged among you.
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Ye commanded the young men to think those things that were modest and grave.
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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 [*113:3] bounds of a due obedience, they should [*113:4] order their houses gravely, with all [*113:5] discretion.
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[*113:6] Ye were all of you humble minded, not [*113:7] boasting of any thing: desiring rather to be subject than to govern; to [*113:8] give than to receive; being [*113:9] content with the portion God hath dispensed to you;
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And hearkening diligently to his word, ye [*113:10] were enlarged in your bowels, having his [*113:11] suffering always before your eyes.
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Thus a firm, and [*113:12] 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.
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And being full of [*113:13] good designs, ye did with [*113:14] 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.
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Ye contended day and night for the whole brotherhood; that [*113:15] with compassion and a good conscience, the number of his elect might be saved.
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Ye were sincere, and without offence towards each other; not mindful of injuries; all sedition and schism was an abomination unto you.
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Ye bewailed every one his neighbour's sins, esteeming their defects your own.
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Ye [*113:16] 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 [*113:17] commandments were written upon the tables of your heart.
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Footnotes

^112:1 Sojourneth. ^112:2 Called. See Hammond on Matt. xx. ^112:3 Gr. in. See Bp. Pearson's note on this place. ^112:4 Ed. Colomesii. p. 2. ^112:5 Ibid. ^112:6 And. ^112:7 Gr. Strange to. ^112:8 Gr. Lodged as a stranger. ^112:9 Adorned with all manner of virtues. ^113:1 In. ^113:2 Presbyters. ^113:3 Canon, rule. ^113:4 Themselves do their own business. Vid. Not. Junii in loc. ^113:5 Temperance, sobriety. ^113:6 1 Pet. v. 5. ^113:7 Proud. ^113:8 Acts, xx. 35. ^113:9 1 Tim. vi. 8. ^113:10 Embraced it in your very bowels. ^113:11 pathemata. See Dr. Grabe's Addit. to Bp. Bull's Def. fid. Nic. p. 60, 61. ^113:12 Gr. lipara. ^113:13 Holy counsel, or purpose, or will. ^113:14 Gr. good. ^113:15 With mercy and conscience. ^113:16 Ye were without repentance in all well-doing. Titus iii. 1. ^113:17 Prov. vii. 3.


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