22. All these things the faith which is in Christ confirms. For he himself, by the Holy Ghost thus speaks to us: 7 “Come, ye children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and ensue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous; and his ears are open unto their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the ffmembrance of them from the earth. The righteous ■ See Pror. n. 27.
TO THE CORINTHIANS.
16 cried, and the Lord heard him; and delivered him out of all his troubles.” “ Many are the plagues of the wicked: but they that trust in the Lord, mercy shall compass them about.” * 23. Our all-merciful and beneficent Father hath bowels of compassion toward them that fear him; and kindly and lovingly bestows his graces upon such as come to him with a simple mind. Wherefore let us not be double-minded, neither let us have any doubt in our hearts, of his excellent and glorious gifts. Let that be f$r from us which is written, “ Miserable are the double- minded, and those who are doubtful in their hearts;*■ who say, These things have we heard, even from our fathers; and lo, wO are grown old, and nothing of them hath happened unto us. O fools! Compare yourselves unto a tree: take the vine, (as an example to you.) First it sheds its leaves; then comes forth the bud, then the leaf, then the flower; after that the unripe grape, and then the perfect fruit.” Ye see how, in a little time, the fruit of a tree comes to maturity. Of a truth, yet a little while, and his will shall suddenly be accomplished: the Scripture also bearing witness, “That He shall quickly come, and shall not tarry: and that the Lord shall suddenly come to his temple, even the Holy One, whom ye look for.” b 24. Let us consider, beloved, how the Lord doth continually show us, that there shall be a future resur- rection, of which he hath made our Lord Jesus Christ the first fruits, raising him from the dead. Let us con- template, beloved, the resurrection which is continually taking place. Day and night declare to us a resur- rection.® The night lies down, the day arises: again, ^ the day departs, and the night comes on. Let us j behold the fruits (of the earth). Every one sees how / the seed is sown. The sower goes forth, and casts it - upon the earth, and the seed which, when it was sown, fell upon the earth dry and naked, in time is dissolved; and from this dissolution the mighty power of the providence of the Lord raises it, and out of one seed many arise and bring forth fruit.
• See Tebtumjan, Apology, chap. 48.
16 THE EPISTLE OF CLEMENT [$25,26.
25. Let us consider that wonderful sign, which occurs in the regions of the East, in Arabia. There is a certain bird, called a Phcenix. d It is the only individual of its kind, and lives five hundred years. When the time of its dissolution draws near, that it must die, it makes itself a nest of frankincense, and myrrh, and other spices, into which, when its time is fulfilled, it enters, and dies. But as the body decays, a certain kind of worm is produced, which nourished by the juices of the dead bird, puts forth feathers. And when it is at length grown to a perfect state, it takes up the nest in which the bones of its parent lie, and carries it from Arabia into Egypt, to the city called Heliopolis; and, in open day, flying in the sight of all men, places them upon the altar of the sun, and, having done thi?, hastens back to his abode. The priests, then, search the records of the time, and find that it hath come at the completion of the five hundredth year.
26. Shall we then think it to be any very great and strange thing, for the Maker of all things to raise up those that religiously serve him in the assurance of a good faith, when even by a bird he shows us the great- ness of his (power to fulfil his) promise. For he saith in a certain place, “ Thou shah raise me up, and I shall confess unto thee.” And again, “ I laid me down and slept, and awaked, because thou art with me.” 4 And d Thp application, which Clement here makes of the supposed history of the Phoenix, has given rise to more discussion than the question deserves. He was not likely to be better informed upon a fact of natural history, than his contemporaries, Tacitos and Pliny; (Tacitos, Annal. vi. 28. Plinius, Hist. A at. x. 2.) Historians, from Herodotus, (ii. 73,) downward, have related particulars of this ima- ginary bird, with circumstances more or less fanciful: and Clement might, without impropriety, employ an illustration founded upon an alleged fact, which was generally credited in the age in which he lived s his object t>eing, not to prove the fact of the resurrection, but to show that it is possible. Tertolltan, Ambrose, ( De fide Resurrect, c. 8,) and many other Christian writers allude to the phoenix in the same manner. See Junius 1 note on Clem. Rom. It does not appear that <. Clement applied to the phoenix what is said of the palm-tree, . Ps. xcii.12. Job xxix. 18; — as Tertullian (De Resurrect. Camis, c. 13,) and others did, being misled by the circumstance that, in the Greek translation, the same word, fob if, expressed both. Compare Tertullian, Apol. c. 48. De Resurrect. Camis, c. 12. Theophilvh ad Autolycum, lib. i, p, 77, D. See Pearson on tfis Creed, Ait. XL •P».iiL5.
again Job saith, “Thou shall raise up this my flesh, which hath suffered all these things.” f 87. Having therefore thia hope, let us hold fast tt> him who is faithful in his promises, and righteous in his judgments. He who hath commanded us not to lie, much more will he not himself lie. For nothing is impossible with God, 9 but to lie. b Let his faith there- fore be stirred up again in us, and let us consider that all things are near unto him. By the word of his powe* he made all things; and by his word he is able to destroy them. Who shall say unto him, What hast thou done? or who shall resist the power of his might? 1 He hath done all things tfhen he pleased, and as he pleased; and nothing shall pass away of all that hath been determined by him. All things are open before him, and nothing is hid from his counsel. “ The heavens declare the glory of CfaD, and the firmament showeth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voices are not heard.” k 28. Since, then, all things are seen and heard (by* God), let us fear him, and lay aside the wicked works which proceed from impure desires, that through his mercy we may be delivered from the condemnation which is to come. For ^yhither can any of us escape from his mighty hand? Or what world shall receive any of those who flee from him? For thus saith the Scripture in a certain place: “ Whither shall I flee, or where shall I hide myself from thy presence? If I go up to heaven, thou art there; if I go to the uttermost parts of the earth, there is thy right hand. If I shall make my bed in the deep, there is thy spirit.” 1 Whither then shall any one go, or whither shall he flee from Hina who comprehends all things in himself.
29. Let us therefore come to him with holiness of mind, lifting up pure and undefiled hands unto him:* loving our gracious and merciful Father, who hath made us partakers of his election. For thus it is written, 8 18 M When the most High divided the nations, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the nations according to the number of his angels. His people Jacob became the portion of the Lord, and* Israel the lot of his inheritance.” And in another place he saith, 0 “Behold the Lord taketh unto himself e nation from the midst of the nations, as a man taketh the first-fruits of his flour; and the most Holy p shall come out of that nation.”
30., Wherefore we being a part of the Holy One, let us do all things which pertain unto holiness, fleeing all. evil-speaking against one another, all filthy and impure embraces, together with all drunkenness, youthful lusts* abominable concupiscence, detestable adultery, and execrable pride. “ For God,” saith he, “ resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” 9 Let us therefore cleave to those to whom God hath given his grace. And let us be clothed with concord, humble- minded, temperate, free from all whispering and de- traction, justified by our actions not by our words. For he saith, r “He that speaketh much, shall hear much in answer. Doth he who is of fair speech count himself righteous? Doth he that is born of woman and liveth but a few days think himself blessed t Be not a man of many words.” • Let our praise be of God, not of ourselves. For those that pYaise them- selves God hales. Let the testimony of our good works be given by others, as it was given to the holy men, our fathers. Boldness, and arrogance, and con- fidence belong to them who are accursed of God: but moderation, and humility and meekness to those who are blessed by him.
31. Let us then lay hold on his blessing, and con- sider by what means we may attain unto it. Let us revolve in our minds those things which have happened from the beginning. Wherefore was our father Abra- ham blessed? Was it not that through faith he wrought righteousness and truth? Isaac, being fully persuaded of that which he knew was to come, cheerfully yielded • Deut iv. 34. p Greek, ( the holy of holies.'
• Greek, 1 Be not much in words.'
$32, 33.] TO THB CORINTHIANS. 19 himself up for a sacrifice. 1 Jacob with humility de- parted out of his own country, fleeing from his brother, and went unto Laban, and served him: and so the sceptre of the twelve tribes of Israel wps given unto him.
32. Whoever will carefully consider each particular, will understand the greatness of the gifts, which were given through him. For from him came all the priests and Levites, who ministered at the altar of God. From him came our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the flesh. u From him came the kings and princes and rulers in Judah. And the rest of his tribes were in no small glory; since God had promised, “ Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven.”* They were all, therefore, glorified and magnified, not for their own sake or for their works, or for the righteous deeds which they had done, but through his will. And we also, being called by his will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by our- selves, neither by our own wisdom, or knowledge, or piety, or the works which we have done in holiness of heart; but by thtat faith by which Almighty God hath justified all men from the beginning: to whom be glory for ever and ever; Amen.
33. What shall we do, then, brethren? Shall we grow weary in well-doing, and lay aside charity? God forbid that any such thing should be done by us. Rather let us hasten with all earnestness and readiness of mind to perfect every good work. For even the Creator and Lord of all things himself rejoices in his own works. For by his almighty power he established the heavens; and by his incomprehensible wisdom he adorned them. He also divided the earth from the water which en- compasses it, and fixed it as a firm tower, upon the foundation of his ow r n will. Fy his appointment also he commanded all the living creatures, that are upon it, to exist. I|e created the sea and all the creatures that are therein, and by his power enclosed them within their proper bounds. Above all, with his holy and 1 This assertion may appear to disagree with Gen. xxii. 7. The faith of Isaac in blessing t( Jacob and Esau concerning things to come/’ is commemorated, Heb. xi. 20. — Chrysostom, m his 47th Homily on Genesis, notices the willing obedience of Isaac.
* Rom. ix. 5. * Gen. xv. 5; xxii. 17; xxviii. 14.
80 THl XPWTLE OF CLIMXNT [$ 84, 35.
pure hands, he formed man, the most excellent of his creatures, and the greatest, as endowed with reason; the impress of his own image. For thus God saith: “ Let us make man after our image and likeness.” 7 So God made man, male and female created he them. Having thus furnished all these things, he pronounced them good, and blessed them, and said, Be fruitful and multiply.* We see how all righteous men have been adorned with good works. Wherefore even the Loan himself, having adorned himself with his works, rejoiced. Having therefore such an example, let us diligently fulfil Ids will: and with all our strength work the work of righteousness.
34. The good workman receives with confidence the bread of his labor: the idle and negligent cannot look his employer in the face. We must therefore be ready and active in well-doing; for from him are all things. And thus he foretells us: “ Behold the Lord cometh, and his reward is before his face, to render to every man according to his work.”* He warns us therefore beforehand with all his heart to this en$, that we Should not be slothful and negligent in well-doing. b Let our boasting and our confidence be in God. Let us submit ourselves to his will. Let us consider the whole multitude of his angels, how ready they stand to min- ister unto his will. For the Scripture saith, “Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him, and thousands of thousands ministered unto him. And they cried, saying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Sabaoth; all creation is full of his glory.” 0 Wherefore let us also, being conscientiously gathered together in concord with one another, as with one mouth cry earnestly unto him, that we may be partakers of his great and glorious promises. For he saith; “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which he hath prepared for them that wait for him” d 35. How blessed and wonderful, beloved, are the gifts of God! Life in immortality! brightness in righte- * Isa. xl. 10; lxii. 11. Rev. xxii. 11. b Gal. vi. 9. 2 Thes. iii. 13. c Dan. vii. 10. Isa. vi. 3. d 1 Cor. ii. 9. Isa. lxiv. 4.
§36.] TO THl CORINTHIANS. 21 ousness! truth in full assurance! faith in confidence! temperance in holiness! And all these hath God sub- jected to our understandings. What therefore shall those things be which he hath prepared for them that wait for him? The Creator ana Father of the worlds,* the most Holy, He (only) knows both the greatness and ( beauty of them. Let us therefore strive with all earn- estness, that we may be found in the number of those that wait for him, that we may receive the gifts which he hath promised. And how shall this be, beloved? by fixing our minds through fgith toward God, and seeking the things which are pleasing and acceptable unto him: by acting conformably to his holy will; and following the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, covetousness, strife, evil manners, deceit, whispering, detraction; all hatred of God, pride and boasting, vain-glory and ambition/ For they that do these things are hateful to God; and not only they that do them, but also all such as have plea- sure in them that do them/ For the Scripture £aith, h “ But to the ungodly said God, Why dost thou preach my laws, and takest my covenant in thy mouth; whereas thou hatest to be reformed, and hast cast my words be- hind thee. If thou sawest a thief* thou didst run with him, and with the adulterers thou didst cast in thy lot. Thy mouth abounded in wickedness, and thy tongue contrived deceit Thou satest, and spakest against thy brother and hast slandered thine own mother’s son. These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue, and thou thoughtest wickedly that I should be like unto thee. But I will reprove thee, and set thyself before thee. Consider, then, this, ye that forget God, lest he tear thee in pieces, like a lion, and there be none to deliver you. The sacrifice of praise, that shall honor me; and there is the way, by which I will show to him the salvation of God.”
36. This is the way, beloved, in which we find the means of our salvation, Jesus Christ, the high-priest of all our offerings, the defender and helper of our weakness. By him we look up to the highest heavens.
33 and behold, as in a glass, bis spotless and mdst ex- cellent countenance. By him aTe the eyes of our hearts opened; by him our foolish and darkened understand- ing rejoices (to behold) his wonderful light. By him would God hare us to taste the knowledge of immor- tality, 44 Who being the brightness of his glory, is by so much greater than the angels, as he hath by in- heritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” * For so it is Written, “Who makcth his angel spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” k 44 But to his Son, thus saith the Lord, 'fhou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.” 1 And again he saith unto him, 44 Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” m And who then are his ene- mies? the wicked, and such as oppose their own will* to the will of God.
37. Let ns, therefore, wage (our heavenly) warfare, men apd brethren, with all earnestness according to hia holy commands. Lei us consider those who fight under our (earthly) governors, how orderly, how readily, how obediently they perform the commands which each receives. All are qpt captains of the host, all are hot commanders of a thousand, nor of a hundred, nor of fifty, nor the like. But each one, in his respective rank, performs what is commanded him by the King, and those who are in authority. They who are great cannot subsist without those who are small; nor the small without the great. There must be a mixture in all things, and hence arises their use. Let us take our body as an example. 0 The head without the feet is nothing: so neither the feet without the head: and the smallest members of our body are necessary, and useful to the whole body. But all conspire together, and are subject to one common use, the preservation of the whole body.
38. Let, therefore, our whole body be saved in Christ Jesus; and let each one be subject to his neighbor,* according to the order in which he is plaeed §39.] TO THE CORINTHIANS. 23 by the gift of God. Let not the strong man despise the weak; and let the weak reverence the strong. Let the rich naan distribute to the necessities of the poor; and let the poor bless Gob, that he hath given him one by whom his want may be supplied. Let the wise man show forth his wisdom, not in words, but in good works. Let him that is of humble mind not bear witness to himself, but leave it to another to bear witness of him. Let hi m* that is pure in the flesh, glory not therein, knowing that it was another who gave him the gift of continence. Let us consider, therefore, brethren, whereof we are made; who, and what manner of beings, we came into this world, as it were out of a sepulchre, and darkness. He, who made us and formed us, brought us into his own world.* He prepared his benefits for us, even before we were born. Having, therefore, received all these blessings from him, we ought in every thing to give thanks unto him: to whom be glory for ever and ever; Amen.
39. Foolish and unwise men, who have neither pru- dence nor learning, may mock and deride us, wishing to set up themselves in their own conceits. But what can mortal man do? or what strength is there in him that is made of the dust? For it is written, 1 * 44 There was no shape before mine eyes; only I heard a sound and a voice. For what? shall man be pure before the Lord? shall he be blameless in his works, if He trusteth not in his servants, and hath charged his angels with folly? Yea the heaven is not clean in his sight. How much less they that dwell in bouses of clay; of which also we ourselves were made. He smote them as a moth; and from morning even unto the evening they endure not. Because they were not able to help them- selves, they perished* He breathed upon them, and they died; because they had no-. wisdom. Call now, if there be any that will answer thee: and if thou wilt look to any of the angels. For wrath killeth the foolisji man; and envy slayeth him that is in error. I have seen the foolish taking root, but lo their habitation was presently consumed. Be their children far from safety; 24 THE EPISTLE OF CLEMENT may they perish at the gates of those who are less than themselves; and let there be no man to deliver them. For what was prepared for them, the righteous shall eat! and they shall not be delivered from evil.”
40. Seeing, then, that these things are manifest unto us, we ought to take heed, that, looking into the depths of divine knowledge, we do all things in order, whatsoever our Lord hath commanded us to do. That we perform our offerings q and service to God, at their appointed seasons; for these he hath commanded to be done not rashly and disorderly, but at certain deter- minate times and hours. He hath himself ordained by his supreme will both where and by what persons they are to be performed, that all things being piously done unto all well-pleasing, they may be acceptable unto his will. They therefore who make their oblations at the appointed seasons are accepted and happy: for they sin hot, inasmuch as they obey the commandments of the Lord. For to the chief-priest his peculiar offices are given, and to the priests their own place is ap- pointed, and to the Levites appertain their proper min* q In the early ages of the Church there was not only a pecuniary collection made every Lord’s day, for the benefit of the poor, in com- pliance with the command of St. Paul, L Cor. xvi. 1, 2, but certain offerings were placed upon the holy table by the minister. This was done, after the service of the Catechumens, and before the service of the faithful began. Jcstin Martyr speaks of them in his First Apology, Sect. 16 and 87. Irenes, Adv. Hearts, iv. 32, says, “The Lord gave his disciples command to offer unto God the first-fruits of his creatures, not as if he needed them, but that they themselves might be neither unfruitful nor ungrateful. He took that which by its created nature was bread, and gave thanks, saying, This is my body. In like manner also he declared that, which by its present created nature is the cup, to be his blood: and taught them to make a new offering cf the New Testament.” * Hence the term oblation, irpoccpopZ, is frequently uSed for the cele- bration of the Eucharist itself; and sometimes for the offerings thus made. Every one made these offerings, according to his ability, as the first-fruits of his increase. They were applied to the general uses of the Church, to the support of the ministry and of the poor. The common entertainment, or feast of love, in which the rich and the poor met together at the same table, either before^ or soon after the celebration of the I^oly Sacrament, was probably furnished from this source.
In reference to these offerings, bishops are described, in thita Epistle, c. 44, as those who “ offer the gifts.”
TO TH1 CORINTHIANS.
istries. And the layman 1 is confined within the bound* of what is commanded to laymen.
41. Let every one of you, brethren, bless God, in his proper station, with a good conscience, and with all gravity, not exceeding the rule of his service that is appointed to him. The daily sacrifices are not offered every where, nor the peace-offerings, nor the sacrifices appointed for sins and transgressions, but only in Je- rusalem. And even there, they are not offered in every place, but only at the altar before the temple: that which is offered being first diligently examined* by the high-priest, and the other ministers before mentioned. They, then, who do any thing which is not agreeable to his will, are punished with death. Consider, brethren, that the greater the knowledge is, which hath been vouchsafed to us, the greater is the danger to which we are exposed.
42. The apostles have preached to us from our Lord Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ from God. Christ there- fore was sent by God; and the apostles by Christ. Thus both were orderly sent according to the will of God. For having received their comftiand, and being thoroughly assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 and convinced by the word of God, with the fulness of the Holy Spirit, they went forth, proclaim- ing, that the kingdom of God was at hand. And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed r b Xabcbf foSpwiros.
There are no instances, among the few remains of the writings of the Hellenistic Jews, in which the priests and Levites are called cXi tyof and K\riptKot, as distinguished from the rest of the people, XaitcoL The word Xeuxbs is used, however, in Hellenistic Greek, to indicate that which is not consecrated; as 1 Sam. xxi. 4, tyroi Xabcoi implies “ common bread,” in contradistinction to “hallowed bread,” in Aquila, Symma- chus, and Theodotion. And in Ezek. xlviii. 15, Symmachus and Theodotion have Xahebv where Aquila has (MPpXov. Le Clerc men- tions these and several other instances, in which this won^ and even \aitc6u, are used in a corresponding sense.
Clement here uses the word Xabcds in a manner which shows that the distinction between the clergy and the laity was familiar to him.
* MupooKomfifv. This word was used to signify peculiarly the strict examination to which victims were subjected, both under the Jewish law and by the customs of the Gentiles. See Polycarp’s Epistle, Sect. 4.
Vol. IV.* 3 iOO^Ic 80 THE EPISTLE OV CLEMENT the first fruits (of their conversions) to be bishops aid ministers over such as should afterward believe, having first proved them by the Spirit. Nor was this any new thing: seeing that long before it was written concern- ing bishops and deacons. For thus saith the Scripture in a certain place, “I will appoint their overseers* in righteousness, and their ministers 2 in faith. 9 ’ 7 43. And what wonder, if they to whom such a work was committed by God in Christ, established siich an order of men, as hath been mentioned, since even Moses, that happy and faithful servant in all his house, 1 set down in the holy Scriptures all things that were commanded him. Whom also all the other prophets followed, bearing witness with one consent to what was written by him in the law. For when a strife arose concerning the priesthood, and the tribes contended which of them should be adorned with that glorious name, he commanded their twelve captains to bring him rods, inscribed each according to the name of its tribe. And he took and bound them, and sealed them with the seals of the twelve princes of the tribes, and laid them up in the taber- nacle of witness, upon the table of God. And when he had shut (the door of) the tabernacle, he sealed up the keys of it, in like manner as he had sealed the rods: and said unto them, Men and brethren; which- soever tribe shall have its rod blossom, that tribe hath God chosen, to be priests and ministers before him. And when the morning was come, he called together all Israel, six hundred thousand men, and he showed the seals to the princes of the tribes, and opened the tabernacle of witness, and brought forth the rods. And the rod of Aaron was found not only to have blossomed, but also to have brought forth fruit.* What think ye, beloved? Did not Moses know beforehand, that thus it would be? Yes, verily. But that there might be no division rfior tumult in Israel, he did in this manner, that the name of the true and only God might be glori- fied: to him be honor for ever and ever; Amen.
* Jiafflrovf.
•Heb. iii. 2. Num. xii. 7.
• }xick6to*(.
y See Isa. lx. 17.
* Num. xvii.
TO THE CORINTHIANS.
27 44. So likewise our apostles knew by our Lord Jfesto* Christ, that contentions should arise on account of the ministry. And therefore, having a perfect foreknow- ledge of this, they appointed persons as we have before said, and then gave a direction b, in what manner, when they should die, other chosen and approved men should succeed in their ministry. Wherefore, we cannot think that those may justly be thrown out of their ministry, who were appointed by them, or afterward chosen by other eminent men, with the consent of the whole Church,* and who have with all lowliness and innocency ministered to the flock of Christ in peace, and without self-inter- est, and have been for a long time commended by all. For it would be no small sin in us, should we cast of! those from the ministry, who holily and without blame » huvopj. Junius conceives this word to imply a description of the duties attached to each office; Salmasius renders it, “a precept;” Archbishop Usher, “a prescribed order;” Marca, “a form;” Ham- kond gives it the sense of “ a catalogue, or a series and order of suc- cession.” JLe Clerc imagines the meaning of Clement to be, that the apostles not only appointed the first bishops, but selected, from the whole body of the Church, those who should succeed them.
* A clear intimation is here given of the different parts which the clergy and people took in the ordination of a bishop. The first appoint- ment rested with the apostles and bishops, but the consent of the people was necessary. Cyprian, Evist. Ixviii. plainly shows that this was the case. “ In compliance with divine tradition and apostolical usage, the custom must diligently be observed and maintained, which is established among us and in almost all other provinces; that, for the due celebration of ordinations, the bishops of all the adjoining provinces are to repair to the people, over whom a bishop is to be ordained; and then a bishop shall be chosen, in the presence of the people, who have had the fullest knowledge of the life of each one, and been thoroughly acquainted with their manners and whole conversa- tion.” In his lvth Epistle he says also, “ (Cornelius) was ordained bishop by many of our colleagues who were there present in Rome: he was ordained bishop by the judgment of God and of Christ, by the testimony of almost all the clergy, with the assent of the people who were there present, and by the assembly of ancient priests and holy men.”