ANF01. The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

Chapter II.—Praise of the Corinthians continued.

Moreover, ye were all distinguished by humility, and were in no respect puffed up with pride, but yielded obedience rather than extorted it,⁶⁶    Eph. v. 21; 1 Pet. v. 5. and were more willing to give than to receive.⁷⁷    Acts xx. 35. Content with the provision which God had made for you, and carefully attending to His words, ye were inwardly filled⁸⁸    Literally, “ye embraced it in your bowels.” [Concerning the complaints of Photius (ninth century) against Clement, see Bull’s Defensio Fidei Nicænæ, Works, vol. v. p. 132.] with His doctrine, and His sufferings were before your eyes. Thus a profound and abundant peace was given to you all, and ye had an insatiable desire for doing good, while a full outpouring of the Holy Spirit was upon you all. Full of holy designs, ye did, with true earnestness of mind and a godly confidence, stretch forth your hands to God Almighty, beseeching Him to be merciful unto you, if ye had been guilty of any involuntary transgression. Day and night ye were anxious for the whole brotherhood,⁹⁹    1 Pet. ii. 17. that the number of God’s elect might be saved with mercy and a good conscience.¹⁰¹⁰    So, in the ms., but many have suspected that the text is here corrupt. Perhaps the best emendation is that which substitutes συναισθήσεως, “compassion,” for συνειδήσεως, “conscience.” Ye were sincere and uncorrupted, and forgetful of injuries between one another. Every kind of faction and schism was abominable in your sight. Ye mourned over the transgressions of your neighbours: their deficiencies you deemed your own. Ye never grudged any act of kindness, being “ready to every good work.”¹¹¹¹    Tit. iii. 1. Adorned by a thoroughly virtuous and religious life, ye did all things in the fear of God. The commandments and ordinances of the Lord were written upon the tablets of your hearts.¹²¹²    Prov. vii. 3.