Clement to the Corinthians

Chapters 11-20 of First Clement, Robert's Donaldson Version. On account of his hospitality and godliness, Lot was saved out of Sodom, when all the country around him was punished by means of fire and brimstone, the Lord thus making it manifest that he does not forsake those who hope in him, but gives up those who depart from him to punishment and torture. For Lot's wife who went forth with him, being of a different mind from himself, and not continuing in agreement with him, as to the command which had been given them, was made an example of, so as to be a pillar of salt to this day. This was done that all might know that those who are of a double mind, and who distrust the power of God, bring down judgment on themselves, and become a sign to all succeeding generations. On account of her faith and hospitality, Rahab the harlot was saved, for when spies were sent by Joshua the son of Nun to Jericho, the king of the country ascertained that they had come to spy out their land, and sent men to seize them, in order that, when taken, they might be put to death. But the hospitable Rahab received them, and hid them on the roof of her house under some stalks of flax. And when the men sent by the king arrived, and said, There came men to you who are to spy out our land, bring them forth, for so the king commands. She answered them, The two men whom you seek came to me, but quickly departed again, and are gone, thus not discovering the spies to them. Then she said to the men, I know assuredly that the Lord your God has given you this city, for the fear and dread of you have fallen on its inhabitants. When therefore you shall have taken it, keep me and the house of my father in safety. And they said to her, It shall be as you have spoken to us. As soon therefore as you know that we are at hand, you shall gather all your family under your roof, and they shall be preserved. But anyone found outside of your dwelling shall perish. Moreover they gave her a sign to this effect, that she should hang forth from her house a scarlet thread, and thus they made it manifest that redemption should flow through the blood of the Lord to all those who believe and hope in God. You see, beloved, that there was not only faith, but prophecy in this woman. Let us therefore, brethren, be of humble mind, laying aside all haughtiness, and pride, and foolishness, and angry feelings, and let us act according to that which is written. For the Holy Spirit says, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, neither let the rich man story in his riches, but let him that glories glory in the Lord, in his own glory, and in the glory of the Lord, and in the glory of the Lord, and diligently seeking him, and doing judgment and righteousness, being especially mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus, which he spoke, teaching us meekness and longsuffering. For thus he spoke, Be merciful, that you may obtain mercy. Forgive that it may be forgiven to you. As you do, so shall it be done to you. As you judge, so shall you be judged. As you are kind, so shall kindness be shown to you. With what measure you measure, with the same it shall be measured to you. By this precept, and by these rules, let us establish ourselves, that we walk with all humility, in obedience to his holy words. For the holy word says, On whom shall I look, but on him that is meek, and peaceable, and who trembles at my words. It is right and holy, therefore, men and brethren, to obey God rather than to follow those who, through pride and sedition, have become the leaders of a detestable emulation. For we shall incur no slight injury, but rather great danger, if we rashly yield ourselves to the inclinations of men, who aim at exciting strife and tumults, so as to draw us away from what is good. Let us be kind one to another after the pattern of the tender mercy and benignity of our creator. For it is written, The kind-hearted shall inhabit the land, and the guiltless shall be left upon it, but the transgressors shall be destroyed from off the face of it. And again the scripture says, I saw the ungodly highly exalted and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon. I passed by and behold, he was not, and I diligently sought his place and could not find it. Preserve innocence and look on equity, for there shall be a remnant to the peaceful man. Let us cleave, therefore, to those who cultivate peace with godliness, and not to those who hypocritically profess to desire it. For the scripture says in a certain place, This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And again, They bless with their mouth, but curse with their heart. And again it says, They loved him with their mouth and lied to him with their tongue, but their heart was not right with him, neither were they faithful in his covenant. Let the deceitful lips become silent, and let the Lord destroy all the lying lips, and the boastful tongue of those who have said, Let us magnify our tongue, our lips are our own, who is lord over us. For the oppression of the poor, and for the sighing of the needy, will I now arise, says the Lord. I will place him in safety, I will deal confidently with him. For Christ is of those who are humble-minded, and not of those who exalt themselves over his flock. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the scepter of the majesty of God, did not come in the pomp of pride or arrogance, although he might have done so, but in a lowly condition, as the Holy Spirit had declared regarding him. For he says, Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? We have declared our message in his presence. He is, as it were, a child, and like a root in thirsty ground. He has no form nor glory, yea, we saw him, and he had no form nor comeliness, but his form was without eminence, yea, deficient in comparison with the ordinary form of men. He is a man exposed to stripes and suffering, and acquainted with the endurance of grief, for his countenance was turned away, he was despised and not esteemed, he bears our iniquities, and is in sorrow for our sakes. Yet we suppose that, on his own account, he was exposed to labor and stripes and affliction, but he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we were healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray, every man has wandered in his own way, and the Lord has delivered him up for our sins, while he in the midst of his sufferings opens not his mouth. He was brought as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away, who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth, for the transgressions of my people was he brought down to death, and I will give the wicked for his sepulchre, and the rich for his death, because he did no iniquity, nor was guile found in his mouth, and the Lord is pleased to purify him by stripes. If you make an offering for sin, your soul shall see a long-lived seed, and the Lord is pleased to relieve him of the affliction of his soul, to show him light, and to form him with understanding, to justify the just one who ministers well to many, and he himself shall carry their sins. On this account he shall inherit many, and shall divide the spoil of the strong, because his soul was delivered to death, and he was reckoned among the transgressors, and he bared the sins of many, and for their sins was he delivered. And again he says, I am a worm and no man, a reproach of men and despised of the people. All who see me have derided me, they have spoken with their lips, they have wagged their head, saying, He helped in God, let him deliver him, let him save him, since he delights in him. You see, beloved, what is the example which has been given us. For if the Lord thus humbled himself, what shall we do, who have through him come under the yoke of his grace? Let us be imitators also of those who in goat-skins and sheep-skins went about proclaiming the coming of Christ, I mean, Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel among the prophets, with those others to whom a like testimony is borne in Scripture. Abraham was specially honoured, and was called the friend of God. Yet he earnestly regarding the glory of God, humbly declared, I am the Son of God, and I am but dust and ashes. Moreover, it is thus written of Job, Job was a righteous man and blameless, truthful, God-fearing, and one that kept himself from all evil. But bringing an accusation against himself, he said, No man is free from defilement, even if his life be but of one day. Moses was called faithful in all God's house, and through his instrumentality God punished Egypt with plagues and tortures. Yet he, though thus greatly honoured, did not adopt lofty language, but said when the divine oracle came to him out of the bush, Who am I that you send me? I am a man of a feeble voice and a slow tongue. And again he said, I am but as the smoke of a pot. But what shall we say concerning David, to whom such testimony was borne, and of whom God said, I have found a man after my own heart, David the son of Jesse, and in everlasting mercy have I anointed him? Yet this very man says to God, Have mercy on me, O Lord, according to your great mercy, and according to the multitude of your compassions. Blot out my transgressions. Wash me still more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. Against you only have I sinned, and done that which was evil in your sight, that you may be justified in your sayings, and may overcome when you are judged. For behold, I was conceived in transgressions, and in my sins did my mother conceive me. For behold, you have loved truth, the secret and hidden things of wisdom have you shown me. You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed. You shall wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. You shall make me to hear joy and gladness. My bones, which have been humbled, shall exalt. Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and establish me by your governing spirit. I will teach transgressors your ways, and the ungodly shall be converted to you. Deliver me from blood guiltiness. O God, the God of my salvation, my tongue shall exult in your righteousness. O Lord, you shall open my mouth, and my lips shall show forth your praise. For if you had desired sacrifice, I would have given it. You will not delight in burnt offerings. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a bruised spirit, a broken and a contrite heart. God will not despise. Thus the humility and godly submission of so great and illustrious men have rendered not only us, but also all the generations before us, better even as many as have received his oracles in fear and truth. So having so many great and glorious examples set before us, let us turn again to the practice of that peace, which from the beginning was the mark set before us, and let us look steadfastly to the Father and Creator of the universe, and cleave to his mighty and surpassingly great gifts and benefactions of peace. Let us contemplate him with our understanding, and look with the eyes of our soul to his long-suffering will. Let us reflect how free from wrath he is towards all his creation. The heavens revolving under his government are subject to him in peace. Day and night run the course appointed by him, in no way hindering each other. The sun and moon, with the companies of the stars, roll on in harmony according to his command, within their prescribed limits, and without any deviation. The fruitful earth, according to his will, brings forth food and abundant water, at the proper seasons for man and beast, and all the living beings upon it, never hesitating nor changing any of the ordinances which he has fixed. The unsearchable places of abysses, and the indescribable arrangements of the lower world, are restrained by the same laws. The vast, unmeasurable sea, gathered together by his working into various basins, never passes beyond the bounds placed around it, but does as he has commanded. For he said, Thus far shall you come, and your waves shall be broken within you. The ocean, impassable to man, and the worlds beyond it, are regulated by the same enactments of the Lord. The seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, peacefully give place to one another. The winds in their several quarters fulfill, at the proper time, their service without hindrance. The ever-flowing fountains, formed both for enjoyment and health, furnish without fail their breasts for the life of men. The very smallest of living beings meet together in peace and conquered. All these the great Creator and Lord of all has appointed to exist in peace and harmony, while he does good to all, but most abundantly to us, who have fled for refuge to his compassions, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory and majesty forever and ever. Amen. End of chapter 20