Page:A General Survey of the History of the Canon of the New Testament (7th edition, 1896).djvu/93

 I.]  peculiarities of language. Sometimes Clement uses words found only in St Peter's Epistles: more frequently those common to St Peter and St Paul; while his verbal coincidences with St Paul are both numerous and striking.

Again, the Epistle of Clement takes up a catholic position in the statement of doctrine, which shews that the supplementary views contained in the New Testament had in his time been placed in contrast, and now required to be combined. The theory of justification is stated in its antithetical fulness. The same examples are used as in the Canonical Epistles, and the teaching of St Paul and St James is coincidently affirmed. 'Through faith and hospitality a son was given to Abraham in old age, and by obedience he offered him a sacrifice to God.' 'Through faith and hospitality Rahab was saved .' 'We are not justified by ourselves …nor by works which we have wrought in holiness of heart, but by our faith, by which Almighty God justified all from the beginning of the world .' Shortly afterwards Clement adds in the spirit of St James 'Let us then work from our whole heart the work of righteousness .'