CAP. XIII.
Clemens byshop of Alexandria of the Canonicall Scripture. Alexander byshop of Ierusalem, of Clemens and Pantaenus. Origen cometh to Rome in the time of Zephyrinus.
THe Epistle vnto the Hebrevves he affirmeth to be Pauls for vndoubted, and therefore writ∣ten in the Hebrewe tongue for the Hebrews sakes, but faithfully translated by Luke and preached vnto the Gentils, and therefore we finde there the like phrase and maner of speache vsed in the Actes of the Apostles, it is not to be misliked at all, that: Paul an Apostle is not prefixed to this Epistle. For (saith he) vvryting vnto the Hebrevves because of the ill opi∣nion they conceaued of him very vvisely he concealed his name, lest that at the first he shoulde dismay them. Againe he sayth: For euen as Macarius the elder sayd: for so much as the Lorde* 1.1 himself vvas the messenger of the almighty & sent vnto the Hebrevvs; Paul for modesty his sake being the Apostle of the Gentils, vvrote not himselfe the Apostle of the Hebrevves, partly for the honor due vnto Christ, and partly also for that he frely & boldly being the Apostle of the Gentils vvrote vnto the Ievves. Afterwardes of the order of the Euangelists according vnto the* 1.2 tradition of the elders he writeth thus: The gospels vvhich containe the genealogies are placed and counted the first. The Gospell after Marke, vvas vvritten vpon this occasion. VVhen Peter preached openly at Rome and published the Gospell by rote, many of the auditors intreated Marke being the hearer and follover of the Apostle a long vvhile, & one that vvell remembred his vvords: to deliuer them in vvryting such things as he had heard Peter preach before, vvhich thing vvhen he had signified to Peter he nether forbad him neither commaunded him to do it▪ Iohn last of all seing in the other Euangelists the humanitie of Christ set forth at large, being en∣treated* 1.3 of his friends and moued by the holy Ghost vvrote chiefly of his diuinitie. Thus farre Clemens byshop of Alexandria. Againe the aforesayd Alexander in a certaine epistle vnto Origen,* 1.4 writeth howe that Clemens & Pantaenus were become familiar friends after this manner: This as you knovve very vvell vvas the vvill of God that our frendship should continevve and remaine immoueable, begonne euen from our progenitors & become yea more feruent & stedfast. vve tak•• ••••em for our progenitors vvho going before, haue taught vs they vvaye to follovve after, vvith vvhome after a vvhile vve shalbe coopled, I meane blessed Pantaenus my Mayster, & holy Clemens my maister also, vvhich did me much good and if there be any other such, by vvhose meanes I haue knovven you throughly for my maister and brother. So farre Alexander. but A∣damantius (so was Origen called) writeth in a certaine place that he was at Rome when Zephyri∣nus* 1.5 was bishop there, for he was very destrous to see the most auncient churche of the Romains, where after he had continewed a litle while, he returned to Alexandria executing most diligētly y• accustomed office of Catechizing, when as Demetrius also bishop of Alexandria vsed all meanes possible together with him to thende he might profitt and further the brethren.