NEW TESTAMent. Rom. iv. 3. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. V. 16. Therefore it is of faith-to the end, that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) etc. Rom. xi. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. 1. Cor. iii. 16. Know ye not, that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Cor. xi. 20. When ye come together unto one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. 2 Cor. v. 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old BARNABAS. cerning the people,what the Scripture says; Isaac prayed for his wife Rebekah, because she was barren, and she conceived. Afterwards Rebekah went forth to enquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, There are two nations in thy womb, and two people shall come from thy body. And the one people shall prevail above the other people, and the elder son shall serve the younger. (Gen. xxv. 23.) You ought to consider who is Isaac, and who Rebekah; and of whom it was declared that this people should be greater than that. You see of whom he appointed it, to be this first people, and him of the covenant. Afterwards, in the same chapter, what saith he to Abraham, when upon believing he was placed in righteousness? Behold, I have made thee a father of many nations, which, without circumcision, believe in the Lord. Gen. xvii. 4. 5. Ch. xii. Barnabas having spoken of the directions given by Moses to the Israelites in the wilderness, to look to the brazen serpent, says: "You have in this also the glory of Jesus; forasmuch as in him are all things, and to him." Ch. vi. For, my brethren, the habitation of our heart, is an holy temple to the Lord. Ch. iv. But coming together into one place, enquire what is fitting and profitable for the beloved in common. Ch. xvi. Having received the remission of our sins, and trust NEW TESTAMENT. things are passed away; behold all things are become new. 1 Peter ii. 5. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house. Eph. v. 16, 17. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding, what the mind of the Lord is. And Eph. ii. 2. The prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Phi. iv. 5. The Lord is at hand. 2 Peter iii. 10. The earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Rev. xxii. 12. Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me. 2 Tim. i. 10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who has abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light, through the Gospel. Rom. xv. 8. Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. Heb. iii. 5. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant. -6. But Christ as a son, over his own house, whose house are we. BARNABAS. ing in the name of the Lord, we are made new, again created afresh; therefore God truly dwells in our house, that is in us.-This is the spiritual temple built unto the Lord. Ch. ii. Seeing then the days are exceeding evil, and the adversary has the power of this present world, we ought to give diligent heed, to enquire into the righteous judgments of the Lord. Ch. xxi. The day is near, in which all things shall be destroyed, together with the wicked one. The Lord is near, and his reward. Ch. v. But he, that he might abolish death, and make manifest a resurrection from the dead, because it behoved him to appear in the flesh, suffered, that he might perform the promise made unto the fathers. Ch. xiv. Barnabas having observed, that Moses received from God, the two tables of the commandments, written by the finger of God but the people being fallen to idolatry, he cast them to the ground, and the tables of the covenant were broken, goes on: Moses, being a servant, received them (or it, meaning the Covenant or Testament.) But the Lord himself has given them to us, the people of his inheritance, he having suffered for us. NEW TESTAMENT. Heb. x. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. 1 Pet. i. 17. And if ye call on the Father, who, without respect of persons, judges according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. 66 BARNABAS. Ch. iv. Do not withdraw yourselves from others, like justified men. Ch. iv. As much as in us lies, let us meditate on the fear of God, and strive to keep his commandments, that we may rejoice in his judgments. For the Lord judg es the world without respect of persons, and every one shall receive according to what he does. "Thus," says Lardner, "I have put down the most material passages of Barnabas, which may be supposed to contain allusions to the books of the New Testament, that every one may be able to judge for himself. But, excepting some of the first, I do not allege them as express quotations, or allusions. In most of these places, Barnabas does not appear an imitator, or copier of others; but an original author, who had in his mind the same doctrine with Paul and the other apostles." * The epistle of Clement was written in the name of the whole church of Rome, of which he was the bishop; it was addressed to the church at Corinth, and was designed to compose certain dissensions which prevailed there. The style is clear and simple, and it contains several passages, which exhibit the words of Christ as they stand in the Gospels, but does not give them as quotations, because the usage did not, at that period, generally prevail. The archbishop of Canterbury places its date between A. D. 64. and 70. But the common opinion is that it was written about A. D. 96. Lardner has given a long list of quotations from this epistle, similar to the preceding, a few of which we here present, and from which the reader will perceive that in Clement's days the books of the New Testament must have been in existence. "In this epistle there is but one book of the New Testament expressly named, which is the first epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians." NEW TESTAMENT. 1 Cor. i. 12. Now this I say, that every one of you saith I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. CLEMENT. Ch. xlvii. Take into your hands the epistle of the blessed Paul the apostle. What did he at the first write to you in the beginning of the Gospel? Verily he did by the Spirit admonish you concern *Lardner, vol. ii. pp. 21—28. NEW TESTAMENT. CLEMENT. ing himself, and Cephas, and Apollos, because that even then you did form parties. "St. Clement here quotes this epistle to the Corinthians themselves; to whom, he says, it was written by the apostle Paul. I need not observe how strong an argument this is for the genuineness of the first epistle to the Corinthians, which we now have. And he says, Paul wrote, and admonished them, by the Spirit; or, as in the original, spiritually." NEW TESTAMENT. Jer. ix. 23, 24. Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, &c. Comp. 1 Cor. i. 31. Luke vi. 36. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. V. 37. Judge not and ye shall not be judged; condemn not and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. 38. Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again. Matt. vii. 1. Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Ver. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them. Matt. xxvi. 24. But wo to that man, by whom the Son of Man is betrayed; it had been good for that man, if he had not been born. Matt. xviii. 6. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me; it were better for him that a millstone were CLEMENT. Ch. xiii. And let us do as it is written. For thus saith the Holy Spirit, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom.-Especially remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, which he spake, teaching gentleness and long suffering. For thus he said, "Be ye merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; forgive, that it may be forgiven unto you. As you do, so shall it be done unto you; as you give, so shall it be given unto you; as ye judge, so shall ye be judged; as ye show kindness, so shall kindness be shown unto you; with what measure ye mete, with the same shall it be measured to you." By this command, and by these rules, let us establish ourselves, that we may always watch obediently to his holy words. Ch. xlvi. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus. For he said, Wo to that man (by whom offences come.) It were better for him that he had not been born, than that he should offend one of my elect. It were better for him, that a millstone should be tied about his neck, and that he should be NEW TESTAMENT, CLEMENT. hanged about his neck, and that drowned in the sea, than that he should offend one of my little he were cast into the sea. Mark ix. 42. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. Luke xvii. 2. It were better for him, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Acts xiii. 22. And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king, to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Comp. Ps. lxxxix. 20. I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him. And 1 Sam. xiii. 14. The Lord has sought him a man after his own heart. Acts xx. 35. How he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Rom. i. 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers. 30. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters; 32. Who knowing the judgment of God, (that they which do such things are worthy of death,) not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Gal. i. 4. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. ones. [I have put down on the other side the words of several evangelists, that every one may be the better judge; but it is generally supposed, that the latter part of this passage refers to Luke xvii. 2.] Ch. xviii. And what shall we say of David, so highly testified of? To whom God said, I have found a man after my own heart, David, the son of Jesse, with holy oil have I anointed him. [It is true, these words are also to be found in the O. T. But they are introduced by Clement with the same, or like form of quotation, with that in the Acts, and the words agree very much; which may dispose one to think, he had an eye to that place.] Ch. ii. Ye were all of you humble-minded; more willingly giving than receiving.. Ch. xxxv. Casting off from us all unrighteousness, and iniquity, covetousness, debates, malignities, deceits, whisperings, backbitings, hatred of God, pride, boasting, and vain glory, and ambition. For they that do these things are hateful to God; and not only they that do them, but they also who have pleasure in them. Ch. xlix. For the love which he had for us, Christ our Lord gave his blood for us by the will of God; his flesh for our flesh; his soul for our soul. |
