6 Pharaoh and his host, and all the rulers of Egypt, their chariots also and their horsemen, were for no other cause drowned in the bottom of the Red Sea, and perished; but because they hardened their foolish hearts, after so many signs done in the land of Egypt, by Moses the servant of God.
7 Beloved, God is not indigent of anything; nor does he demand anything of us, but that we
should confess our sins unto him.
8 For so says the Holy David, I will confess unto the Lord, and it shall please him better than a young bullock that hath horns and hoof. Let the poor see it and be glad.
9 And again he saith, Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows unto the Most Highest. And call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit.
10 Ye know, beloved, ye know full well, the Holy Scriptures; and have thoroughly searched into the oracles of God: call them therefore to your remembrance.
11 For when Moses went up into the mount, and tarried there forty days and forty nights in fasting and humiliation; God said unto him, Arise, Moses, and get thee down quickly from hence, for thy people whom thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have
committed wickedness: they have soon transgressed the way that I commanded them, and have made to themselves graven images.
12 And the Lord said unto him, I have spoken unto thee several times, saying, I have seen this people, and behold it is a stiff- necked people: let me therefore destroy them, and put out their name from under heaven. And I will make unto thee a great and a wonderful nation, that shall be much larger than this.
13 But Moses said, Not so,
Lord: Forgive now this people
their sin; or if thou wilt not,
blot me also out of the book of
the living. O admirable charity!
O insuperable perfection! The servant speaks freely to his Lord: He beseeches him either to forgive the people, or to destroy him together with them.
14 Who is there among you
that is generous? Who that is compassionate? Who that has any charity? Let him say, if this sedition, this contention, and these schisms, be upon my account, I am ready to depart; to go away whithersoever you please; and do whatsoever ye shall command me: Only let the flock of Christ be in peace, with the elders that are set over it.
15 He that shall do this, shall get to himself a very great honour in the Lord; and there is no place but what will be ready to receive him: For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
16 These things, they who have their conversation towards God not to be repented of, both have done, and will always be ready to do.
17 Nay and even the Gentiles themselves have given us examples of this kind.
18 For we read, How many kings and princes, in times of pestilence, being warned by their oracles, have given up themselves unto death; that by their own blood, they might deliver their country from destruction.
19 Others have forsaken their cities, so that they might put an end to the seditions of them.
20 We know how many among ourselves, have given up
themselves unto bonds, that thereby they might free others from them.
21 Others have sold themselves into bondage, that they might feed their brethren with the price of themselves.
22 And even many women,
being strengthened by the grace of God, have done many glorious and manly things on such occasions.
23 The blessed Judith, when her city was besieged, desired the elders, that they would suffer her to go into the camp of their enemies; and she went out exposing herself to danger, for the love she bare to her country and her people that were besieged: and the
Lord delivered Holofernes into the hands of a woman.
24 Nor did Esther, being perfect in faith, expose herself to any less hazard, for the delivery of the twelve tribes of Israel, in danger of being destroyed. For by fasting and humbling herself, she entreated the Great Maker of all things, the God of spirits; so that beholding the humility of her soul, he
delivered the people, for whose sake she was in peril.
The benefit of mutual advice and correction.
He entreats them to follow that which is here given to them.
WHEREFORE let us also pray for such as are fallen into sin. That being endued with humility and moderation, they may submit not unto us, but to the wish of God.
2 For by this means they shall obtain a fruitful and perfect remembrance, with mercy, both in our prayers to God, and in our mention of them before his saints.
3 Let us receive correction, at which no man ought to repine.4 Beloved, the reproof and the correction which we exercise towards one another, is good, and exceeding profitable: for it unites us the more closely to the will of God.
5 For, so says the Holy Scripture, The Lord corrected me, but he did not deliver me over unto death. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
6 The righteous, saith he, shall instruct me in mercy and reprove me; but let not oil of sinners make fat my head.
7 And again he saith, Happy is the man whom God correcteth; therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.
8 For he maketh gore and bindeth up; he woundeth and his hands make whole.
9 He shall deliver thee in six troubles; yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee. In famine he shall redeem thee from death; and in war from the power of the sword.
10 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue; neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
11 Thou shalt laugh at the wicked and sinners; neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. The wild beast shall be at peace with thee.
12 Then shalt thou know that thy house shall be in peace; and the habitation of thy tabernacle shall not err. Then shalt know also that thy seed shall be great and thy offspring as the grass of the earth.
13 Thou shalt come to thy grave as the ripe corn, that is taken in due time: like as a shock of corn cometh in, in its season.
14 Ye see, beloved, how there shall be a defence to those that are corrected of the Lord. For being a good instructor, he is willing to admonish us by his holy discipline.
15 Do ye therefore who laid the first foundation of this sedition, submit yourselves unto your priests; and be instructed unto repentance, bending the knees of your hearts.
16 Learn to be subject, laying aside all proud and arrogant boasting of your tongues.
17 For it is better for you to be found little, and approved, in the sheepfold of Christ, than to seem to yourselves better than others, and be cast out of his fold.
18 For thus speaks the
excellent and all-virtuous wisdom, Behold I will pour out the word of my spirit upon you, I will make known my speech unto you.
19 Because I called and ye would not hear, I stretched out my hand and ye regarded not.
20 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof. I will also laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh.
21 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
22 Then shall ye call upon me but I will not hear you: the
wicked shall seek me but they shall not find me. For that they hated knowledge, and did not seek the fear of the Lord.
23 They would not hearken unto my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own ways; and be filled with their own wickedness.
CHAPTER XXIV.
1 Recommends them to God. Desires speedily to hear that this Epistle has had a good effect upon them.
4 Conclusion.
NOW God, the inspector of all things, the Father of Spirits, and the Lord of all flesh, who hath chosen our Lord Jesus Christ, and us by him, to be his peculiar people;
2 Grant to every soul of man
that calleth upon his glorious and holy name, faith, fear, peace,
long-suffering, patience, temperance, holiness and sobriety, unto all well-pleasing in his sight;
through our High-Priest and
Protector Jesus Christ, by whom be glory and majesty, and power, and honour unto him now and for ever more, Amen.
3 The messengers whom we have sent unto you, Claudius, Ephebus, and Valerios Bito, with Fortunatus, send back to us again with all speed, in peace and with joy, that they may the sooner acquaint us with your peace and concord, so much prayed for and desired by us: and that we may rejoice in your good order.
4 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, and with all that are any where called by God through him: To whom be honour and glory, and might and majesty, and eternal dominion, by Christ Jesus, from everlasting to
everlasting, Amen.
REFERENCES TO CLEMENT'S FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.
[Clement was a disciple of Peter, and afterwards Bishop of Rome. Clemens Alexandrinus calls him an apostle. Jerome says he was an apostolic man, and Rafinus 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 rich 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.]
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF CLEMENT TO THE CORINTHIANSCHAPTER I.
That we ought to value our salvation;
and to show that we do by a sincere obedience.
BRETHREN, we ought so to
think of Jesus Christ as of
God: as of the judge of the living, and the dead; nor should we think any less of our salvation.
2 For if we think meanly of him, we shall hope only to receive some small things from him. 3 And if we do so, we shall
sin; not considering from whence we have been called, and by whom, and to what place; and how much Jesus Christ vouchsafed to suffer for our sakes.
4 What recompense then shall we render unto him? Or what fruit that may be worthy of what he has given to us?
5 For indeed how great are
those advantages which we owe to him in relation to our holiness? He has illuminated us; as a father, he has called us his children; he has saved us who were lost and undone.
6 What praise shall we give to him? Or what reward that may be answerable to those things which we have received.
7 We were defective in our
understandings; worshipping stones, and wood; gold, and silver, and brass, the work of men's hands; and our whole life was nothing else but death.
8 Wherefore being encompassed with darkness, and having such a mist before our eyes, we have looked up, and through his will have laid aside the cloud wherewith we were surrounded.
9 For he had compassion upon us, and being moved in his bowels towards us, he saved us; having beheld in us much error, and destruction; and seeing that we had no hope of salvation, but only through him.
10 For he called us, who were not; and was pleased from nothing to give us being.
CHAPTER II.
1 That God had before prophesied by Isaiah, that the Gentiles should be saved;
8 And that this ought to engage, such especially to live well; without which they will still miscarry.
REJOICE, thou barren, that bearest not, break forth and cry thou that travailest not; for she that is desolate hath many more children than she that hath a husband.
2 In that saying, Rejoice thou barren that bearest not, he spake of us: for our church was barren before children were given unto it.
3 And again; when he said,
Cry thou that travailest not: he implied thus much: That after the manner of a woman in travail, we should not cease to put up our prayers unto God abundantly.
4 And for what follows, because she that is desolate hath more
children than she that hath a husband; it was therefore added, because our people which seemed to have been forsaken by God, now believing in him, are become more than they who seemed to have God.
5 And another Scripture saith, a I came not to call the righteous but sinners (to repentance). The meaning of which is this; that those who were lost must be saved:
6 For that is, indeed, truly great and wonderful, not to confirm those things that are yet standing, but those which are falling,
7 Even so did it seem good to Christ to save what was lost; and when he came into the world, he saved many, and called us who were already lost.
8 Seeing then he has showed so great mercy towards us; and chiefly for that we who are alive, do now no longer sacrifice to dead Gods, nor pay any worship to them, but have by him been brought to the knowledge of the Father of truth.
9 Whereby shall we show that we do indeed know him, and by not denying him by whom we have come to the knowledge of him.
10 For even he himself saith, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father. This therefore is our reward, if we shall confess him by whom we have been saved.
11 But, wherein must we confess him?--Namely, in doing those things which he saith, and not disobeying his commandments by worshipping him not with our lips only, but with all our heart, and with all our mind. For he saith in Isaiah; This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
12 Let us then not only call him Lord; for that will not save us. For he saith: Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall be saved, but he that doth righteousness.
13 Wherefore, brethren,
let us confess him by our works; by loving one another; in not committing adultery, not speaking evil against each other, not envying one another; but by being temperate, merciful, good.
14 Let us also have a mutual sense of one another's sufferings; and not be covetous of money; but let us, by our good works, confess God, and not by those that are otherwise.
15 Also let us not fear men: but
rather God. Wherefore, if we
should do such wicked things, the Lord hath said; Though ye should
be joined unto me, even in my very bosom, and not keep my commandments, I would cast you off, and say unto
you; Depart from me; I know not
whence you are, ye workers of iniquity.
1 That, whilst we secure the other world,
we need not fear what can befall its in this.
5 That, if we follow the interests of this present world, we cannot escape the punishment of the other.
10 Which ought to bring us to repentance and holiness,
14 and that presently: because in this world
is the only time for repentance.
THEREFORE brethren, leaving willingly for conscience sake our sojourning in this world, let us do the will of him who has called us, and not fear to depart out of this world.
2 For the Lord saith, Ye shall be as sheep in the midst of wolves. Peter answered and said, What if the wolves shall tear in pieces the sheep? Jesus said unto Peter, Let not the sheep fear the wolves after death: And ye also fear not those that kill you, and after that have no more than they can do unto you; but fear him who after you are dead, has power to cast both soul and body into hell-fire.
3 For consider, brethren, that the sojourning of this flesh in the present world, is but little, and of a short continuance, but the promise of Christ is great and wonderful, even the rest of the kingdom
that is to come, and of eternal life.
4 What then must we do that we may attain unto it?--We must order our conversation, holy and righteously, and look upon all the things of this world as none of ours, and not desire them. For, if we desire to possess them we fall from the way of righteousness.
5 For thus saith the Lord, No servant can serve two masters. If therefore we shall desire to serve God and Mammon, it will be without profit to us. For what will it profit, if one gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
6 Now this world and that
to come are two enemies. This speaketh of adultery and corruption, of covetousness and deceit; but that renounces these things.
7 We cannot, therefore, be the friends of both; but we must resolve by forsaking the one, to enjoy the other. And we think it is better to hate the present things, as little, short-lived, and corruptible; and to love those which are to come, which are truly good and incorruptible.
8 For, if we do the will of
Christ, we shall find rest:
but if not, nothing shall deliver us from eternal punishment if we shall disobey his commands. For even thus saith the Scripture in the prophet Ezekiel, If Noah, Job, and Daniel should rise up, they shall not deliver their children in captivity.
9 Wherefore, if such righteous men are not able by their
righteousness to deliver their children; how can we hope to enter into the kingdom of God, except we keep our baptism holy and undefiled? Or who shall be our advocate, unless we shall be found to have done what is holy and just?
10 Let us, therefore, my brethren, contend with all earnestness, knowing that our combat is at hand; and that many go long voyages to encounter for a
corruptible reward.
11 And yet all are not crowned, but they only that labour much, and strive gloriously. Let us, therefore, so contend, that we may all be crowned. Let us run in the straight road, the race that is incorruptible: and let us in great numbers pass unto it, and strive that we may receive the crown. But if we cannot all be crowned, let us come as near to it as we are able.
12 Moreover, we must consider, that he who contends in a corruptible combat; if he be found doing anything that is not fair, is taken away and scourged, and cast out of the lists. What think ye then that he shall suffer, who does anything that is not fitting in the combat of
immortality?
13 Thus speaks the prophet concerning those who keep not their seal; Their worm shall not die, and their, fire shall not be quenched; and they shall be for a spectacle unto all flesh.
14 Let us therefore repent, whilst we are yet upon the earth: for we are as clay in the hand of the artificer. For the potter if he make a vessel, and it be turned amiss in his hands, or broken, again forms it anew; but if he has gone so far as to throw it into the furnace of fire, he can no more bring any remedy to it.
15 So we, whilst we are in this world should repent with our whole heart for whatsoever evil we have done in the flesh; while we have yet the time of repentance, that we may be saved by the Lord.
16 For after we shall have departed out of this world, we shall no longer be able either to confess our sins or repent in the other.
17 Wherefore, brethren, let us, doing the will of the Father, and keeping our flesh pure, and observing the commandments of the Lord, lay hold on eternal life: for the Lord saith in the Gospel, If ye have not kept that which was little, who will give you that which is great?--
For I say unto you, he that is faithful in that which is
least, is faithful also in much.
18 This, therefore, is what he saith; keep your bodies pure, and your seal without spot, that ye may receive eternal life.
CHAPTER IV.We shall rise, and be judged, in our bodies; therefore we must live well in them; 6 that we ought, for our own interest, to live well; though few seem to
mind what, really is for their advantage; 10 and we should not deceive ourselves: seeing God will certainly judge us,
and render to all of us according to our works.
AND let not any one among you say, that this very flesh is
not judged, neither raised up. Consider, in what were you saved in what did you look up, if not whilst you were in the flesh?
2 We must, therefore, keep our flesh as the temple of God. For in like manner as ye were called in the flesh, ye shall also come to judgment in the flesh. Our one Lord Jesus Christ, who has saved us, being first a spirit, was made flesh, and so called us; even so we also shall in this flesh receive the reward.
3 Let us, therefore, love one another, that we may attain unto the kingdom of God. Whilst we have time to be healed, let us deliver up ourselves to God our physician, giving our reward unto him.
4 And what reward shall we give?--Repentance out of a pure heart. For he knows all things beforehand, and searches out our very hearts.
5 Let us, therefore, give praise unto him: not only with our
mouths, but with all our souls; that he may receive us as children. For so the Lord hath said; They are my brethren, who do the will of my father.
6 Wherefore, my brethren, let us do the will of the Father, who hath called us, that we may live. Let us pursue virtue, and forsake wickedness, which leadeth us into sins; and let us flee all ungodliness, that evils overtake us not.
7 For, if we shall do our diligence to live well, peace shall follow us. And yet how hard is it to find a man that does this? For almost all are led by human fears, choosing rather the present enjoyments, than the future promise.
8 For they know not how great a torment the present enjoyments bring with them; nor what delights the future promise.
9 And if they themselves only did this, it might the more easily be endured; but now they go on to infect innocent souls with their evil doctrines; not knowing that both themselves, and those that hear them, shall receive a double condemnation.
10 Let us, therefore, serve God with a pure heart, and we shall be righteous: but if we shall not serve him, because we do not believe the promise of God, we shall be miserable.
11 For thus saith the prophet; Miserable are the double-minded, who doubt in their heart, and say, these things we have heard, even. in the time of our fathers, but we have seen none of them, though we have expected them from day to day.
12 O ye fools! compare yourselves to a tree; take the vine for an example. First it sheds its leaves, then it buds, then come the sour grapes, then the ripe fruit;
even so my people has borne its disorders and afflictions, but shall hereafter receive good things.
13 Wherefore my brethren, let us not doubt in our minds, but let us expect with hope, that we may receive our reward; for he is faithful, who has promised that he will render to everyone a reward according to his works.
14 If, therefore, we shall do what is just in the sight of God we shall enter into his kingdom, and shall receive the promises; Which neither eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man.
15 Wherefore let us every
hour expect the kingdom of God in love and righteousness; because we know not the day of God's appearing.
A FRAGMENT.
Man's immortal nature a type of the Lord's kingdom.
1 * * * For the Lord
himself, being asked by a certain person, When his kingdom should come? answered, When two shall be one, and that which is without as that which is within; and the male with the female, neither male nor female.
2 Now two are one, when we speak the truth to each other, and there is (without hypocrisy) one seal in two bodies:
3 And that which is without as that which, is within;--He means this; he calls the soul that which is within, and the body that which is without. As therefore thy body appears, so let thy soul be seen by its good works.
4 And the male with, the female, neither Male nor female;--He means this; he calls our anger the male, our concupiscence the female.
5 When therefore a man is come to such a pass that he is subject neither to the one nor the other of these (both of which, through the prevalence of custom, and an evil education, cloud and darken the reason,)
6 But rather, having dispelled the mist arising from them, and being full of shame, shall by
repentance have united both his soul and spirit in the obedience of reason; then, as Paul says, there is in us neither male nor female.
[Archbishop Wake is the translator of this Second Epistle, which he says was not of so great reputation among the primitive Fathers as the first. He defends it notwithstanding; and in answer to those who objected to Clement's First Epistle, that it did not duly honour the Trinity; the Archbishop refers to this as containing proof of the writer's fulness of belief on that point.]
THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF BARNABAS.CHAPTER I.
Preface to the Epistle. ALL happiness to you my sons and daughters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us, in peace.
2 Having perceived abundance of knowledge of the great and excellent laws of God to be in you, I exceedingly rejoice in your blessed and admirable souls, because ye have so worthily received the grace which was grafted in you.
3 For which cause I am full of joy, hoping the rather to be saved; inasmuch as I truly see a spirit infused into you, from the pure fountain of God:
4 Having this persuasion, and being fully convinced thereof, because that since I have begun to speak unto you, I have had a more than ordinary good success in the way of the law of the Lord, which is in Christ,
5 For which cause brethren, I also think verily that I love you above my own soul; because that therein dwelleth the greatness of faith and charity, as also the hope of that life which is to come.
6 Wherefore considering this, that if I shall take care to
communicate to you a part of what I have received, it shall turn to my reward, that I have served such good souls. I gave diligence to write in a few words unto you; that together with your faith, your knowledge also may be perfect.
7 There are therefore three things ordained by the Lord; the hope of life, the beginning, and the completion of it.
8 For the Lord hath both declared unto us, by the prophets, those things that are past; and opened to us the beginnings of those that are to come.
9 Wherefore, it will behove us, as he has spoken, to come more holily, and nearer to his altar.
10 I therefore, not as a teacher but as one of you, will endeavour to lay before you a few things by which you may, on many accounts, become the more joyful.
CHAPTER II.That God has abolished the legal sacrifices, to introduce the spiritual righteousness of the Gospel.
SEEING then the days are
exceedingly evil, and the
adversary has got the power of this present world we ought to give the more diligence to inquire into the righteous judgments of the Lord.
2 Now the assistants of our faith are fear and patience; our fellow-combatants, long suffering and continence.
3 Whilst these remain pure in what relates unto the Lord, wisdom, and understanding, and science, and knowledge, rejoice together with them.
4 For God has manifested to us by all the prophets, that he has no occasion for our sacrifices, or burnt-offerings, or oblations: saying thus; To what purpose is the multitude of