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CHAPTER II.

FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. CLEMENT TO THE CORINTHIANS.

value which the antients put upon this Epistle. Of St. Clehimself, who was the author of it; that it was the same ent of whom St. Paul speaks, Phil. iv. 3. Of his conversion ristianity: when he became Bishop of Rome, as also whether fered Martyrdom, uncertain. Of the occasion of his writis Epistle, and the two main parts of it, Of the time when s written." That there is no reason to doubt but that the Epise now have was written by St. Clement; the objection of zelius against it of no force. How this Epistle was first pubby Mr. Patrick Young; and translated by Mr. Burton into sh. Of the present edition of it.

THE first tract which begins this collection, and Os the most worthy too, is that admirable, or as of the antients have called it, that wonderful(a) e of St. Clement to the Corinthians; which he not in his own name, but in the name of the whole h of Rome, to them. An Epistle so highly esd by the primitime church, that we are told it Font to be publicly read in the assemblies(b) of it: we may credit one of the antient collections(c) canon of scripture, was placed among the sacred spired writings. Nor is it any small evidence e value which in those days was put upon this Le, that in the only copy which for ought we at this day remains of it, we find it to have been en in the same volume(d) with the, books of the Testament: which seems to confirm what was e observed concerning it; that it was heretofore to be read in the congregations, together with oly scriptures of the Apostles and Evangelists. But of the Epistle itself, I shall take occasion to more particularly by and by. It will now be

Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. cap. 16.
Idem. lib. iii. cap. 12.

Canon. Apostol. Can. ult. (d) MS. Alexan.

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more proper to inquire a little into the author of it; and consider when, and upon what occasion, it was written by him.

3. And first for what concerns the person who wrote this Epistle; it is no small commendation which the Holy Ghost by St. Paul has left us of him, Phil. iv. 3. where the Apostle mentions him not only as his fellow labourer in the work of the Gospel; but as one whose name was written in the book of life. A character which if we will allow our Saviour to be the judge, far exceeds that of the highest power and dignity; and who therefore when his disciples began to rejoice upon the account of that authority which he had bestowed upon them, insomuch that even the Devils were subject unto them, Luke x. 17. though he seemed to allow that there was a just matter of joy in such an extraordinary power, yet bade them not to rejoice so much in this, that those spirits were subject unto them; but rather, says he, rejoice that your names are written in the book of life.

4. It is indeed insinuated by a late very learned critic, (e) as if this were not that Clement of whom we are now discoursing, and whose Epistle to the Corinthians I have here subjoined: but besides that, he himself confesses, that the person of whom St. Paul there speaks was a Roman; both Eusebius(f) and Epiphanius, and St. Hierome, expressly tell us that the Clement there meant was the same that was afterwards Bishop of Rome; nor do we read of any other to whom either the character there mentioned, of being the fellow labourer of that Apostle, or the eulogy given of having his name written in the book of life, could so properly belong as to him; whom therefore the generality of learned men both of the antient and present times, without scruple, conclude to have been referred to in that passage.

(e) Grot. Annot. in Phil. iv. 3.

(f) Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. cap. 12. Epiph. lib. i. Adv. Carpocr. n. 6. Hieronym. de script. Eccles. et Comment. in loc. Item. Lib 1. adv. Jovin. Photii. Cod Tem. 113, &c.

shall not say any thing of what is reported by g) concerning his noble birth and family; of dies at Athens; and of the occasion and manhis conversion to Christianity; which they tell as wrought by St. Peter, whom he met with Das at Cæsarea; and who there first declared the doctrine of Christ, and inclined him to a Opinion of it. All which is very uncertain, stly doubted of by many. I shall choose rather rve that whatever his condition was before he e a Christian, he was held in no small reputation but merited such a character from the antient

as is hardly given to any besides the Apostles. some of them doubt not in plain terms to call Apostle; (h) and though St. Hierome durst not ar as that, yet he gives him another title but little of it; he(i) tells us that he was an Apostolical and as Ruffinus(k) adds almost an Apostle. Co declare more particularly how he spent the rt of his life, after his conversion, is neither neto the design I have now in hand, nor can any account be given of it. Only as we are told in neral, that he was St. Peter's disciple, so it may improbable that for some time he attended his is, and was subject to his direction.

But whatever he was, or wherever he laboured , in this I think antiquity is absolutely agreed, e at last came to be Bishop of Rome; and was in that See by the express direction of one, or he Apostles, St. Peter, and St. Paul. To whom ceeded, or at what time to fix his entrance on reat charge, is a point that I suppose will never eed upon among learned men. If any could ettled this matter beyond dispute, it had with

Vid. Eucher. Lugd. de contempt. Mundi, and Chron. Albert ter Testimonia a Junio citata. lem. Alex. Strom. lib. iv.

ieron. in Isaiam. c. 52.

De Adulterat. lib. Originis.

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learned Mr. Dodwell(r) has observed, the first it may have been owing to their confounding Clemens the Roman counsel, with Clement, of Rome: who did indeed(s) suffer martyrdom faith about the time of which they speak; and ther parts of whose character, such as his rela- the emperor, and banishment into Pontus, anifestly ascribe to him.

However, seeing Eusebius(t) refers hi death to d year of Trajan, famous for the persecution church, and may thereby seem to insinuate ement also then suffered among the rest; and meon Metaphrastes(14) has given a long and paraccount of his condemnation to the mines first en of his death following thereupon: as I shall Cermine any thing against it, so they who are as to know what is usually said concerning the as of this holy man, may abundantly satisfy uriosity in this particular, from the accurate col-, of Dr. Cave in the life of this Saint; too long ranscribed into the present discourse. And this may suffice to have been observed in Concerning St. Clement himself: as for the Episare now speaking of to the Corinthians, I have y taken notice how great a value was put upon ne most primitive ages of the church, and what hty commendation has been left us of it, by the s of those times. Nor indeed does it at all come of the highest praises which they have given to it; a piece composed with such an admirable spirit e and charity; of zeal towards God, and concern e church of Christ; of the most excellent exCions, delivered with the greatest plainness and city of speech, and yet pressed many times with

Dodwel. Addit. ad Cap. vi. Dissert. Posthum. Pearson, Num.

g. 215.

Vid. Euseb. Chro. Ano. xcvii. Et in Euseb. Annot. Scalig. p.

Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. iii. cap. 18.

Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. iii. cap. 34.

Apud Coreler. Patr. Apostol. Tom. 1.

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