The first pastors of the Roman Church aspired to no rank above
their brethren. The labours in which they occupied themselves
were the same as those of the ordinary ministers of the gospel.
As pastors, they watched with affectionate fidelity over their
flock; and, when occasion offered, they added to the duties of
the pastorate the labours of the evangelist. All of them were
eminent for their piety; and some of them to the graces of the
Christian added the accomplishments of the scholar. Clemens of
Rome may be cited as an instance. He was the most distinguished
Christian writer, after the apostles, of the first century. Even
after the gospel had found entrance within the walls of Rome,
Paganism maintained its ground amongst the villages of the
Campagna. Accordingly, it became the first care of the pastors
of the metropolis to plant the faith and found churches in the
neighbouring towns. They were led to embark in this undertaking,
not from the worldly and ambitious views which began, in course
of time, to actu