Forbidden Gospels and Epistles, Volume 6, Clement

A >> Archbishop Wake >> Forbidden Gospels and Epistles, Volume 6, Clement

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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TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL TONGUES, WITH HISTORICAL
REFERENCES TO THEIR AUTHENTICITY,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.

CHAPTER II.

How their divisions began.

ALL honour and enlargement
was given unto you; and so
was fulfilled that which is written,
my beloved did eat and drink, he
was enlarged and waxed fat, and
he kicked.

2 From hence came emulation,
and envy, and strife, and sedition;
persecution and disorder, war and
captivity.

3 So they who were of no renown,
lifted up themselves against
the honourable; those of no
reputation against those who were
in respect; the foolish against the
wise; the young men against the
aged.

4 Therefore righteousness and
peace are departed from you,
because every one hath forsaken
the fear of God; and is grown blind
in his faith; nor walketh by the
rule of God's commandments nor
liveth as is fitting in Christ:

5 But every one follows his
own wicked lusts: having taken
up an unjust and wicked envy, by
which death first entered into the
world.

CHAPTER III.

Envy and emulation the original of all
strife and disorder. Examples of the
mischiefs they have occasioned.

FOR thus it is written,
And in process of time it came to
pass, that Cain brought of the fruit
of the ground an offering unto the
Lord. And Abel, he also brought
of the firstlings of his flock,
and of the fat thereof:

2 And the Lord had respect unto
Abel, and to his offering. But
unto Cain and unto his offering he
had not respect. And Cain was
very sorrowful, and his countenance
fell.

3 And the Lord said unto Cain,
Why art thou sorrowful? And
why is thy countenance fallen?
If thou shalt offer aright, but not
divide aright, hast thou not sinned?
Hold thy peace: unto thee shall
be his desire, and thou shalt rule
over him.

4 And Cain said unto Abel his
brother, Let us go down into the
field. And it came to pass, as
they were in the field, that Cain
rose up against Abel his brother,
and slew him.

5 Ye see, brethren, how envy
and emulation wrought the death
of a brother. For this, our father
Jacob fled from the face of his
brother Esau.

6 It was this that caused Joseph
to be persecuted even unto death,
and to come into bondage. Envy
forced "Moses to flee from the
face of Pharoah king of Egypt,
when he heard, his own countryman
ask him, "Who made thee a Judge,
and a ruler over us? Wilt thou
kill me as thou didst the
Egyptian yesterday?

7 Through envy Aaron and Miriam
were shut out of the camp, from
the rest of the congregation
seven days.

8 Emulation's sent Dathan and
Abiram quick into the grave because
they raised up a sedition against
Moses the servant of God.

9 For this, David was not
only hated of strangers, but was
persecuted even by Saul the king
of Israel.

10 But not to insist upon ancient
examples, let us come to those
worthies that have been nearest
to us; and take the brave
examples of our own age.

11 Through zeal and envy, the
most faithful and righteous pillars
of the church have been persecuted
even to the most grievovs deaths.

12 Let us set before our eyes,
the holy Apostles; Peter by unjust
envy underwent not one or two,
but many sufferings; till at last
being martyred, he went to the
place of glory that was due unto
him.

13 For the same cause did
Paul in like manner receive the
reward of his patience. Seven
times he was in bonds; he was
whipped, was stoned; he preached
both in the East and in the West;
leaving behind him the glorious
report of his faith:

14 And so having taught the
whole world righteousness, and
for that end travelled even to
the utmost bounds of the West;
he at last suffered martyrdom
by the command of the governors,

15 And departed out of the
world, and went unto his holy
place; having become a most
eminent pattern of patience
unto all ages.

16 To these Holy Apostles
were joined a very great number
of others, who having through
envy undergone in like manner
many pains and torments, have
left a glorious example to us.

17 For this, not only men but
women have been persecuted;
and having suffered very grievous
and cruel punishments, have
finished the course of their faith
with firmness; and though weak
in body, yet received a glorious
reward.

18 This has alienated the
minds even of women from their
husbands; and changed what was
once said by our father Adam;
This is now bone of my bones,
and flesh of my flesh.

19 In a word, envy and strife,
have overturned whole cities, and
rooted out great nations from off
the earth.

CHAPTER IV.

4 He exhorts them to live by holy rules, and repent
of their divisions, and they shall be forgiven.

THESE things, beloved, we
write unto you, not only for
your instruction, but also for our
own remembrance.

2 For we are all in the same
lists, and the same combat is
prepared for us all.

3 Wherefore let us lay aside all
vain and empty cares; and let us
come up to the glorious and
venerable rule of our holy calling.

4 Let us consider what is good,
and acceptable and well-pleasing
in the sight of him that made us.

5 Let us look steadfastly to the
blood of Christ, and see how
precious his blood is in the sight
of God: which being shed for our
salvation, has obtained the grace
of repentance for all the world.

6 Let us search into all the
ages that have gone before us;
and learn that our Lord has in
every one of them still given place
for repentance to all such as would
turn to him.

7 Noah preached repentance;
and as many as hearkened to him
were saved. Jonah denounced
destruction against the Ninevites.

8 Howbeit they repenting of
their sins, appeased God by their
prayers: and were saved, though
they were strangers to the covenant
of God.

9 Hence we find how all the
ministers of the grace of God
have spoken by the Holy Spirit of
repentance. And even the Lord of
all, has himself declared with an
oath concerning it;

10 As I live, saith the Lord,
I desire not the death of a sinner,
but that he should repent. Adding
farther this good sentence, saying
Turn from your iniquity, O house
of Israel.

11 Say unto the children of
my people, though your sins should
reach from earth to heaven; and
though they shall be redder than
scarlet, and blacker than sackcloth
yet if ye shall turn to me with all
your heart, and shall call me
father, I will hearken to you, as
to a holy people.

12 And in another place he saith
on this wise: wash ye, make you
clean; put away the evil of your
doings from before mine eyes;
cease to do evil, learn to do well;
seek judgment, relieve the
oppressed, judge the fatherless,
plead for the widow.

13 Come now and let us reason
together, saith the Lord: though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow; though they
be as red as crimson, they shall
be as wool.

14 If ye be willing and obedient
ye shall eat the good of the land
but, if ye refuse and rebel, ye
shall be devoured with the sword;
for the mouth of the Lord hath
spoken it.

15 These things has God
established by his Almighty will,
desiring that all his beloved
should come to repentance.

CHAPTER V.

1 He sets before them the examples of holy men,
whose piety is recorded in the Scripture.

WHEREFORE let us obey his
excellent and glorious will;
and imploring his mercy and
goodness, let us fall down upon
our faces before him, and cast
ourselves upon his mercy; laying
aside all vanity, and contention,
and envy which leads unto death.

2 Let us look up to those who
have the most perfectly ministered
to his excellent glory. Let us
take Enoch for our example;
who being found righteous in
obedience, was translated, and
his death was not known.

3 Noah being proved to be
faithful, did by his ministry,
preach regeneration to the world;
and the Lord saved by him all the
living creatures, that went with
one accord into the ark.

4 Abraham, who was called
God's friend, was in like manner
found faithful; inasmuch as he
obeyed the commands of God.

5 By obedience he went out of
his own country, and from his
own kindred, and from his father's
house; that so forsaking a small
country, and a weak affinity, and
a little house, he might inherit
the promises of God.

6 For thus God said unto him;
"get thee out of thy country, and
from thy kindred, and from thy
father's house, unto a land that
I will show thee."

7 "And, I will make thee a great
nation, and will bless thee, and
make thy name great, and thou
shalt be blessed. And I will
bless them that bless thee, and
curse them that curse thee; and
in thee shall all families of the
earth be blessed,"

8 And again when he separated
himself from Lot, God said unto
him; I Lift up now thine eves, and
look from the place where thou
art northward, and southward, and
eastward, and westward, for all
the land which thou seest, to thee
will I give it, and to thy seed for
ever.

9 And I will make thy seed as
the dust of the earth, so that if a
man can number the dust of the
earth, then shall thy seed also be
numbered.

10 And again he saith: and
God brought forth Abraham, and
said unto him; look now toward
heaven, and tell the stars, if thou
be able to number them: so shall
thy seed be.

11 And Abraham believed God,
and it was counted to him for
righteousness.

12 Through faith and hospitality
he had a son given him in his
old age; and through obedience
he offered him up in sacrifice to
God, upon one of the mountains
which God showed into him.

CHAPTER VI.

1 Redemption for such as have been eminent for their
faith, kindness, and charity to their neighbours.

BY hospitality and goodliness
was Lot saved out of Sodom,
when all the country round about
was destroyed by fire and brimstone.

2 The Lord thereby making it
manifest, that he will not forsake
those that trust in him; but will
bring the disobedient to punishment
and correction.

3 For his wife who went out
with him, being of a different
mind, and not continuing in the
same obedience, was for that reason
set forth for an example, being
turned into a pillow(sp.) of salt
unto this day.

4 That so all men may know,
that those who are double minded,
and distrustful of the power of
God, are prepared for condemnation,
and to be a sign to all succeeding
ages.

5 By faith and hospitality was
Rahab the harlot saved. For when
the spies were sent by Joshua the
son of Nun to search out Jericho,
and the king of Jericho knew that
they were come to spy out his
country, he sent men to take them,
so that they might be put to
death.

6 Rahab therefore, being hospitable,
received them, and hid them under
the stalks of flax, on the top of
her house.

7 And when the messengers that
were sent by the king came unto
her, and asked her, saying,
There came men unto thee to spy
out the land, bring them forth, for
so hath the king commanded: She
answered, The two men whom ye
seek came unto me, but presently
they departed, and are gone: Not
discovering them unto them.

8 Then she said to the spies,
I know that the Lord your God has
given this city into your hands;
for the fear of you is fallen upon
all that dwell therein. When,
therefore, ye shall have taken it,
ye shall save me and my father's
house.

9 And they answered her, saying,
It shall be as thou hast spoken
unto us, Therefore, when thou
shalt know that we are near, thou
shalt gather all thy family together,
upon the house-top and they shall
be saved: but all that shall be
found without thy house shall
be destroyed.

10 And they gave her moreover
a sign, that she should hang
out of her house a scarlet rope,
showing thereby, that by the
blood of our Lord, there should be
redemption to all that believe and
hope in God. Ye see, beloved,
how there was not only faith, but
prophesy too in this woman.

CHAPTER VII.

1 What rules are given for leading a holy life.

LET us, therefore, humble ourselves,
brethren, laying aside all pride,
and boasting, and foolishness,
and anger: And let us do as it
is written.

2 For thus saith the Holy Spirit;
Let not the wise man glory in his
wisdom, nor the strong man in
his strength, nor the rich man
in his riches; but let him that
glorieth, glory in the Lord, to seek
him, and to do judgment and justice.

3 Above all, remembering the
words of the Lord Jesus, which he
spake concerning equity and long
suffering, saying,

4 Be ye merciful, and ye shall
obtain mercy; forgive, and ye
shall be forgiven; as ye do, so
shall it be done unto you; as ye
give, so shall it be given unto
you; as ye judge, so shall ye be
judged; as ye are kind to others,
so shall God be kind to you; with
what measure ye mete, with the
same shall it be measured to you
again.

5 By this command, and by
these rules, let us establish
ourselves, that so we may always
walk obediently to his holy words;
being humble minded:

6 For so says the Holy Scripture;
upon whom shall I look, even upon
him that is poor and of a contrite
spirit, and that trembles at my word.

7 It is, therefore, just and
righteous, men and brethren, that
we should become obedient unto God,
rather than follow such as through
pride and sedition, have made
themselves the ring-leaders of
a detestable emulation.

8 For it is not an ordinary harm
that we shall do ourselves, but
rather a very great danger that we
shall run, if we shall rashly give
up ourselves to the wills of men,
who promote strife and seditions,
to turn us aside from that which is
fitting.

9 But let us be kind to one
another, according to the compassion
and sweetness of him that made us.

10 For it is written, The merciful
shall inherit the earth; and they
that are without evil shall be left
upon it: but the transgressors shall
perish from off the face of it.

11 And again be saith, I have
seen the wicked in great power
and spreading himself like the
cedar of Libanus. I passed by,
and lo! he was not; I sought his
place, but it could not be found.

12 Keep innocently, and do the
thing that is right, for there shall
be a remnant to the peaceable
man.

13 Let us, therefore, hold fast
to those who religiously follow
peace; and not to such as only
pretend to desire.

14 For he saith in a certain
place, This people honoureth me
with their lips, but their heart
is far from me.

15 And again, They bless with
their mouths, but curse in their
hearts.

16 And again he saith, They
loved him with their mouths, and
with their tongues they lied to
him. For their heart was not right
with him, neither were they
faithful in his covenant.

17 Let all deceitful lips become
dumb, and the tongue that speaketh
proud things. Who have said, with
our tongue will we prevail; our lips
are our own, who is Lord over us?

18 For the oppression of the
poor, for the sighing of the needy,
now will I arise saith the Lord;
I will set him in safety, I will
deal confidently with him.

CHAPTER VIII.

He advises then, to be humble, and, follow the
examples of Jesus, and of holy men in all ages.

FOR Christ is theirs who are
humble, and not who exalt
themselves over his flock. The
sceptre of the majesty of God, our
Lord Jesus Christ, came not in
the show of pride and arrogance,
though he could have done so;
but with humility as the Holy
Ghost had before spoken
concerning him.

2 For thus he saith, Lord, who
hath believed our report, and to
whom is the arm of the Lord
revealed; For he shall grow up
before him as a tender plant, and
as a root out of a dry ground;

3 He hath no form or comeliness,
and when we shall see him, there
is no beauty that we should desire
him.

4 He is despised and rejected of
men; a man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief.

5 And we hid, as it were, our
faces from him; he was despised,
and we esteemed him not.

6 Surely he hath borne our
griefs, and carried our sorrows
yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted.

7 But he was wounded for our
transgressions; he was bruised for
our iniquities; the chastisement
of our peace was upon him; and
with his stripes we are healed.

8 All we like sheep have gone
astray; we have turned every one
to his own way; and the Lord hath
laid on him the iniquity of us all.

9 He was oppressed, and he was
afflicted, yet he opened not his
mouth: he is brought as a lamb to
the slaughter; and as a sheep
before her shearers is dumb,
so he openeth not his mouth.

10 He was taken from prison
and from judgment; and who shall
declare this generation? For he
was cut off out of the land of the
living: for the transgression of my
people was he stricken.

11 And he made his grave with
the wicked, and with the rich in
his death; because he had done no
violence, neither was any deceit
in his mouth.

12 Yet it pleased the Lord to
bruise him; he hath put him to
grief: when thou shalt make his
soul an offering for sin, he shall
see his seed, he shall prolong his
days, and the pleasure of the Lord
shall prosper m his hand.

13 He shall see of the travail
of his soul, and shall be satisfied:
by his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many; for he shall
bear their iniquities.

14 Therefore will I divide him
a portion with the great, and he
shall divide the spoil with the
strong; because he hath poured
out his soul unto death; and he
was numbered with the transgressors,
and he bare the sin of many, and
made intercession for the
transgressors.

15 And again he himself saith,
I am a worm and no man, a reproach
of men, and despised of the people.
All they that see me laugh me to
scorn; they shoot out their lips,
they shake their heads, saying;
He trusted in the Lord that he
would deliver him, let him
deliver him seeing he delighted
in him.

16 Ye see, beloved, what the
pattern is that has been given to
us. For if the Lord thus humbled
himself, what should we do who
are brought by him under the
yoke of his grace?

17 Let us be followers of those
who went about in goat-skins, and
sheep-skins; preaching the coming
of Christ.

18 Such were Elias, and Eliaxus,
and Ezekiel, the prophets,
And let us add to these, such
others as have received the like
testimony.

19 Abraham has been greatly
witnessed of; having been called
the friend of God. And yet he
steadfastly beholding the glory of
God, says with all humility, I am
dust and ashes.

20 Again of Job, it is thus
written, That he was just, and
without blame, true; one that served
God, and abstained from all evil.
Yet he accusing himself, said, No
man is free from pollution, no,
not though he should live but one
day.

21 Moses was called faithful in
all God's House; and by his conduct
the Lord punished Israel by stripes
and plagues.

22 And even this man, though
thus greatly honoured, spake not
greatly of himself; but when the
oracle of God was delivered to him
out of the bush, he said, Who
am I, that thou dost send me? I
am of a slender voice, and a slow
tongue.

23 And again he saith, I am as
the smoke of the pot.

24 And what shall we say of
David, so highly testified of in the
Holy Scriptures? To whom God said,
I have found a man after my own
heart, David the son of Jesse,
with my holy oil have I anointed
him.

25 But yet he himself saith unto
God, Have mercy upon me, O God,
according to thy loving kindness;
according unto the multitude of
thy tender mercies, blot out my
transgressions.

26 Wash me thoroughly from
mine iniquity, and cleanse me
from my sin. For I acknowledge
my transgressions, and my sin is
ever before me.

27 Against Thee only have I
sinned, and done this evil in
thy sight; that thou mightest
be justified when thou speakest;
and be clear when thou judgest.

28 Behold I was shapen in
iniquity, and in sin did my mother
conceive me.

29 Behold, thou desirest truth
in the inward parts; and in the
hidden part thou shalt make me to
know wisdom.

30 Purge me with hyssop, and
I shall be clean: wash me, and I
shall be whiter than snow.

31 Make me to hear joy and
gladness, that the bones which
thou hast broken may rejoice.

32 Hide thy face from my sins,
and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart O God;
and renew a right spirit
within me.

34 Cast me not away from thy
presence, and take not thy holy
spirit from me.

35 Restore unto me the joy of
thy salvation, and uphold me with
thy free spirit.

36 Then will I teach transgressors
thy ways, and sinners shall be
converted unto thee.

37 Deliver me from blood-guiltiness,
O God, thou God of my salvation;
and my tongue shall sing aloud
of thy righteousness.

38 O Lord open thou my lips,
and my mouth shall. show forth
thy praise.

39 For thou desirest not sacrifice,
else would I give it; thou
delightest not in burnt-offerings.

40 The sacrifices of God are
a broken spirit; a broken and a
contrite heart, O God, thou wilt
not despise.

CHAPTER IX.

He again persuades them to compose their divisions.

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