This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
Additional proofing was done by Curtis A. Weyant
THE
SUPPRESSED
GOSPELS AND EPISTLES
OF THE ORIGINAL
NEW TESTAMENT
OF
JESUS THE CHRIST
AND OTHER PORTIONS OF THE ANCIENT HOLY SCRIPTURES.
NOW EXTANT, ATTRIBUTED TO
HIS APOSTLES, AND THEIR DISCIPLES,
AND VENERATED BY THE PRIMITIVE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES DURING
THE FIRST FOUR CENTURIES,
BUT SINCE, AFTER VIOLENT DISPUTATIONS
FORBIDDEN BY THE
BISHOPS OF THE NICENE COUNCIL,
IN THE REIGN OF THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE
AND OMITTED FROM THE CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANT
EDITIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, BY ITS COMPILERS
TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL TONGUES, WITH HISTORICAL
REFERENCES TO THEIR AUTHENTICITY,
BY
ARCHBISHOP WAKE
AND OTHER
LEARNED DIVINES
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF
CLEMENT TO THE CORINTHIANS.
CHAPTER I.
Clement commends them for their excellent order
and piety in Christ, before their schism broke out.
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.
2 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:
3 As also of that wicked and
detestable sedition, so unbecoming
the elect of God, which a few
headstrong 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.
4 For who that has ever been
among you has not experienced
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 you happy in your
perfect and certain knowledge of
the Gospel?
5 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 the aged
among you.
6 Ye commanded the young men
to think those things that were
modest and grave.
7 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.
8 Ye were all of you humble-
minded, not boasting of anything
desiring rather to be subject than
to govern; to give than to receive;
being a content with the portion
God hath dispensed to you:
9 And hearkening diligently to
his word, ye were enlarged in
your bowels, having his sufferings
always before your eyes.
10 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.
11 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 anything ye had
unwillingly sinned against him.
12 Ye contended day and night
for the whole brotherhood; that
with compassion and a good
conscience, the number of his
elect might be saved.
13 Ye were sincere, and without
offence towards each other; not
mindful of injuries; all sedition
and schism was an abomination
unto you.
14 Ye bewailed every one his
neighbours' sins, esteeming their
defects your own.
15 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 I commandments were
written upon the tables of your
heart.