Roman citizen, who, as appears in
the sequel, has been separated in early life from his father, mother,
and two brothers, whom he supposes to be dead, is introduced as sending
to James, who presides over the church at Jerusalem, with an
accompanying letter, an account of his early education; his acquaintance
with the apostle Peter, who chooses him to be his companion in travel;
Peter's conversations with himself and the rest of the company; his
public addresses and acts; especially his famous encounters with Simon
Magus, whom he overthrows and puts to public shame. In the course of
their journeying they visit a certain island, where they meet with a
poor woman begging alms, who is found, upon the relation of her history,
to be the mother of Clement. Upon farther inquiry it appears that two of
Peter's company, Nicetus and Aquila, are her sons and the brothers of
Clement. Finally, Peter encounters on the sea-shore, whither he had gone
to perform for the newly discovered mother and sons the rite of baptism,
an old man who is found to be the long lost husband and father. From
these _recognitions_ the work receives its title. But this historic plot
is only the occasion of introducing the writer's theological and
philosophical opinions, with especial reference to the prevailing errors
of his day. Any page of the work is sufficient to show that Peter and
Clement had nothing to do with its composition. It cannot be placed
earlier than the close of the second or the beginning of the third
century. Prefixed to these Clementine writings, and having reference to
them, are two spurious epistles, one from Peter to James, president of
the church at Jerusalem, with the proceedings of James consequent upon
the reception of it, and one from Clement to James. These it is not
necessary to notice.

The so-called _Constitutions of Clement_ in eight books, embracing, as
their name indicates, a system of rules pertaining to church order and
discipline, were certainly not the work of Clement. It is not certain
that they had their origin as a whole in the same age; but the judgment
of learned men is that no part of them is older than the second half of
the third century. The eighty-five so-called _Apostolic Canons_ have
prefixed to them the spurious title: "Ecclesiastical Rules of the Holy
Apostles promulgated by Clement High Priest (Pontifex) of the Church of
Rome." The origin of these canons is uncertain. They first appear as a
collection with