Clement to the Corinthians

CHAPTER XXXI Let us cleave then to his blessing, and consider what are the means of possessing it. Let us think over the things which have taken place from the beginning. For what reason was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because he wrought righteousness and truth through faith? Isaac, with perfect confidence, as if knowing what was to happen, cheerfully yielded himself as a sacrifice. Jacob, through reason of his brother, went forth with humility, from his own land, and came to Laban, and served him. And there was given to him the sceptre of the twelve tribes of Israel. END OF CHAPTER XXXI CHAPTER XXXII Whosoever will candidly consider each particular, will recognize the greatness of the gifts which were given by him. For from him have sprung the priests, and all the Levites who minister at the altar of God. From him also was descended our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh. From him arose kings, princes, and rulers of the race of Judah. Nor are his other tribes in small glory, and as much as God had promised, your seed shall be as the stars of heaven. All these therefore were highly honored, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of his will. And we too, being called by his will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works, which we have wrought in holiness of heart, but by that faith through which from the beginning Almighty God has justified all men, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. End of chapter 32 Chapter 33 What shall we do, then, brethren? Shall we become slothful in well-doing, and cease from the practice of love? God forbid that any such course should be followed by us, but rather let us hasten with all energy and readiness of mind to perform every good work. For the Creator and Lord of all himself rejoices in his works. For by his infinitely great power he established the heavens, and by his incomprehensible wisdom he adorned them. He also divided the earth from the water which surrounds it, and fixed it upon the immovable foundation of his own will. The animals also which are upon it he commanded by his own word into existence. So likewise, when he had formed the sea and the living creatures which are in it, he enclosed them within their proper bounds by his own power. Above all, with his holy and undefiled hands, he formed man, the most excellent of his creatures, and truly great through the understanding given him, the express likeness of his own image. For thus says God, Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness. So God made man male and female he created them. Having thus finished all these things, he approved them and blessed them, and said, Increase and multiply. We see, then, how all righteous men have been adorned with good works, and how the Lord himself, adorning himself with his works, rejoiced. Having therefore such an example, let us without delay accede to his will, and let us work the work of righteousness with our whole strength. The good servant receives the bread of his labour with confidence. The lazy and slothful cannot look his employer in the face. It is requisite, therefore, that we be prompt in the practice of well-doing, for of him are all things. And thus he forewarns us, He exhorts us, therefore, with our whole heart, to attend to this, that we be not lazy or slothful in any good work. Let our boasting and our confidence be in him. Let us submit ourselves to his will. Let us consider the whole multitude of his angels, how they stand ever ready to minister to his will. For the Scripture says, And let us therefore, conscientiously gathering together in harmony, cry to him earnestly, as with one mouth, that we may be made partakers of his great and glorious promises. For the Scripture says, End of chapter 34 Chapter 35 Truth in perfect confidence. Faith in assurance. Self-control in holiness. And all these fall under the cognizance of our understandings now. The Creator and Father of all worlds, the Most Holy alone knows their amount and their beauty. Let us, therefore, earnestly strive to be found in the number of those who wait for him, in order that we may share in his promised gifts. But how, beloved, shall this be done? If our understanding be fixed, by faith rewards God. If we earnestly seek the things which are pleasing and acceptable to him, if we do the things which are in harmony with his blameless will, and if we follow the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, along with all covetousness, strife, evil practices, deceit, whispering, and evil speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vain glory and ambition. For they that do such things are hateful to God, and not only they that do them, but also those who take pleasure in those who do them. For the Scripture says, But to the sinner God said, But I will reprove you, and set yourself before you. Consider now these things, you who forget God, lest he tear you in pieces like a lion, and there be none to deliver. The sacrifice of praise will glorify me, and a way is there by which I will show him the salvation of God. End of chapter thirty-five Chapter thirty-six This is the way, beloved, in which we find our Saviour, even Jesus Christ, the High Priest of all our offerings, the Defender and Helper of our infirmity. By Him we look up to the heights of heaven. By Him we behold, as in a glass, His immaculate and most excellent visage. By Him are the eyes of our hearts opened. By Him our foolish and darkened understanding blossoms up anew towards His marvelous light. By Him the Lord has willed that we should taste of immortal knowledge, who, being the brightness of His majesty, is by so much greater than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For it is thus written, Who makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire. But concerning His Son the Lord spoke thus, You are my Son, today have I begotten you. Ask of me, and I will give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. And again He says to him, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. But who are his enemies? All the wicked, and those who set themselves to oppose the will of God. End of chapter 36 Chapter 37 Let us then, men and brethren, with all energy act the part of soldiers in accordance with His holy commandments. Let us consider those who serve under our generals, with what order, obedience, and submissiveness they perform the things which are commanded them. All are not prefects, nor commanders of a thousand, nor of a hundred, nor of fifty, nor the like, but each one in his own rank performs the things commanded by the king and the generals. The great cannot subsist without the small, nor the small without the great. There is a kind of mixture in all things, and thence arises mutual advantage. Let us take our body for an example. The head is nothing without the feet, and the feet are nothing without the head. Yea, the very smallest members of our body are necessary and useful to the whole body, but all work harmoniously together, and are under one common rule for the preservation of the whole body. Let our whole body, then, be preserved in Christ Jesus, and let every one be subject to his neighbor according to the special gift bestowed upon him. Let the strong not despise the weak, and let the weak show respect to the strong. Let the rich man provide for the wants of the poor, and let the poor man bless God because he has given him one by whom his need may be supplied. Let the wise man display his wisdom, not by mere words, but through good deeds. Let the humble not bear testimony to himself, but leave witness to be born to him by another. Let him that is pure in the flesh not grow proud of it, and boast, knowing that it was another who bestowed on him the gift of continence. Let us consider, then, brethren, of what matter we were made, who and what manner of beings we came into the world, as it were out of a sepulcher and from utter darkness. He who made us and fashioned us, having prepared his bountiful gifts for us before we were born, introduced us into his world. Since therefore we receive all these things from him, we ought for everything to give him thanks, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Foolish and inconsiderate men, who have neither wisdom nor instruction, mock and deride us, being eager to exalt themselves in their own conceits. For what can a mortal man do, or what strength is there in one made out of the dust? For it is written, There was no shape before mine eyes. Only I heard a sound and a voice saying, What then? Shall a man be pure before the Lord? Or shall such and one be counted blameless in his deeds, seeing he does not confide in his servants, and has charged even his angels with perversity? The heaven is not clean in his sight. How much less they that dwell in houses of clay, of which also we ourselves were made. He smote them as a moth, and from morning even until evening they endure not. Because they could furnish no assistance to themselves, they perished. He breathed upon them, and they died, because they had no wisdom. But call now, if any one will answer you, or if you will look to any of the holy angels. For wrath destroys the foolish man, and envy kills him that is in error. I have seen the foolish taking root, but their habitation was presently consumed. Let their sons be far from safety, let them be despised before the gates of those less than themselves, and there shall be none to deliver. For what was prepared for them, the righteous shall eat, and they shall not be delivered from evil. End of chapter 39 Chapter 40 These things therefore being manifest to us, and since we look into the depths of the divine knowledge, it behooves us to do all things in their proper order, which the Lord has commanded us to perform at stated times. He has enjoined offerings to be presented, and service to be performed to him, and that not thoughtlessly or irregularly, but at the appointed times and hours, where and by whom he desires these things to be done, he himself has fixed by his own supreme will, in order that all things being piously done according to his good pleasure, may be acceptable to him. Those therefore who present their offerings at the appointed times, are accepted and blessed, for inasmuch as they follow the laws of the Lord, they sin not. For his own peculiar services are assigned to the high priest, and their own proper place is prescribed to the priests, and their own special ministrations devolve on the Levites. The layman is bound by the laws that pertain to laymen.