10 Wherefore let us not waver,neither let us have any doubt inour hearts, of his excellent andglorious gifts.
11 Let that be far from uswhich is written, Miserable arethe double-minded, and those whoare doubtful in their hearts;
12 Who say these things havewe heard, and our fathers havetold us these things. But beholdwe are grown old, and none ofthem has happened unto us.
13 O ye fools consider the trees:take the vine for an example.First it sheds its leaves; then itbuds; after that it spreads itsleaves; then it flowers; then comethe sour grapes; and after themfollows the ripe fruit. See how ina little time the fruit of the treescomes to maturity.
14 Of a truth yet a little whileand his will shall suddenly beaccomplished.
15 The Holy Scripture itselfbearing witness, that He shallquickly come and not tardy, andthat the Lord shall suddenly cometo his temple, even the 3 holy oneswhom ye look for.
16 Let us consider, beloved,how the Lord does continuallyshow us, that there shall be afuture resurrection; of which hehas made our Lord Jesus Christthe first fruits, raising him fromthe dead.
17 Let us contemplate, beloved,the resurrection that is continuallymade before our eyes.
18 Day and night manifest aresurrection to us. The night liesdown, and the day arises: againthe day departs and the nightcomes on.
19 Let us behold the fruits ofthe earth. Every one sees how theseed is sown. The sower goesforth, and casts it upon the earth;and the seed which when it wassown fell upon the earth dry andnaked, in time dissolves.
20 And from the dissolution,the great power of the providenceof the Lord rises it again; and ofone seed many arise, and bringforth fruit.
CHAPTER XII.
The Resurrection further proved.
LET us consider that wonderfultype of the resurrection whichis seen in the Eastern countries:that is to say, in Arabia.
2 There is a certain bird calleda Phoenix; of this there is neverbut one at a time: and that livesfive hundred years. And whenthe time of its dissolution drawsnear, that it must die, it makesitself a nest of frankincense, andmyrrh, and other spices into whichwhen its time is fulfilled it entersand dies.
3 But its flesh putrefying, breedsa certain worm, which being nourishedwith the juice of the dead birdbrings forth feathers; and whenit is grown to a perfect state,it takes up the nest in whichthe bones of its parent lie, andcarries it from Arabia into Egypt,to a city called Heliopolis:
4 And flying in open day in thesight of all men, lays it upon thealtar of the sun, and so returnsfrom whence it came.
5 The priests then search intothe records of the time: and findthat it returned precisely at theend of five hundred years.
6 And shall we then think it tobe any very great and strangething for the Lord of all to raiseup those that religiously serve himin the assurance of a good faith,when even by a bird he shows usthe greatness of his power to fulfilhis promise?
7 For he says in a certain place,Thou shalt raise me up and I shallconfess unto thee.
8 And again, I laid me downand slept, and awaked, becausethou art with me.
9 And again, Job says, Thoushalt raise up this flesh of mine,that has suffered all thesethings.
10 Having therefore this hope,let us hold fast to him who isfaithful in all his promises, andrighteous in all his judgments;who has commanded us not to lie,how much more will he nothimself lie?
11 For nothing is impossiblewith God but to lie.
12 Let his faith then be stirredup again in us; and let us considerthat all things are nigh unto him.
13 By the word of his power hemade all things: and by the sameword he is able, (whenever hewill,) to destroy them.
14 Who shall say unto him,what dost thou? or who shallresist the power of his strength?
15 When, and as he pleased,he will do all things; and nothingshall pass away of all that has beendetermined by him.
16 All things are open beforehim; nor can anything be hidfrom his counsel.
17 The heavens declare theglory of God, and the firmamentshoweth his handy work. Dayunto day uttereth speech, andnight unto night showethknowledge. There is no speech norlanguage where their voice is notheard.
CHAPTER XIII.
It is impossible to escape the vengeance of God,if we continue in sin.
SEEING then all things are seenand heard by God, let us fearhim, and let us lay aside ourwicked works which proceed fromill desires; that through his mercywe may be delivered from thecondemnation to come.
2 For whither can any of us fleefrom his mighty hand? Or whatworld shall receive any of thosewho run away from him?
3 For thus saith the Scripturein a certain place. Whither shallI flee from thy spirit, or whereshall I hide myself from thypresence?
4 If I ascend up into heaven,thou art there; if I shall go to theuttermost parts of the earth, thereis thy right hand: if I shall makemy bed in the deep, thy Spirit isthere.
5 Whither then shall any onego; or whither shall he run fromhim that comprehends all things?
6 Let us therefore come to himwith holiness of heart, lifting upchaste and undefiled hands untohim; loving our gracious andmerciful Father, who has made usto partake of his election.
7 For so it is written, Whenthe Most High divided the nations;when he separated the sons ofAdam, he set the bounds of thenations, according to the numberof his angels; his people Jacobbecame the portion of the Lord,and Israel the lot of hisinheritance.
8 And in another place he saith,Behold the Lord taketh unto himselfa nation, out of the midst of thenations, as a man taketh the first-fruits of his flour; and the MostHoly shall come out of that nation.
CHAPTER XIV.
How we must live that we may please God.
WHEREFORE we being apartof the Holy One: let us doall those things that pertain untoholiness:
2 Fleeing all evil-speakingagainst one another; all filthyand impure embraces, together withall drunkenness, youthful lusts,abominable concupiscences,detestable adultery, andexecrable pride.
3 For God saith, he resisteththe proud, but giveth grace to thehumble.
4 Let us therefore hold fast tothose to whom God has given hisgrace.
5 And let us put on concord,being humble, temperate; freefrom all whispering and detraction;and justified by our actions,not our words.
6 For he saith, Doth he thatspeaketh and heareth many things,and is of a ready tongue, supposethat he is righteous? Blessed ishe that is born of a woman, thatliveth but a few days: use nottherefore much speech.
7 Let our praise be of God, notof ourselves; for God hateth thosethat commend themselves.
8 Let the witness of our goodactions be given to us by others,as it was given to the holy menthat went before us.
9 Rashness, and arrogance, andconfidence, belong to them whoare accursed of God: but equity,and humility, and mildness, tosuch as are blessed by him.
10 Let us then lay hold of hisblessing, and let as consider whatare the ways by which we mayattain unto it.
11 Let us look back upon thosethings that have happened fromthe beginning.
12 For what was our FatherAbraham blessed? Was it notbecause that through faith hewrought righteousness and truth?
13 Isaac being fully persuadedof what he knew was to come,cheerfully yielded himself up fora sacrifice. Jacob with humilitydeparted out of his own country,fleeing from his brother, and wentunto Laban and served him; andso the sceptre of the twelve tribesof Israel was given unto him.
14 Now what the greatness ofthis gift was, will plainly appear,if we shall take the pains distinctlyto consider all the parts of it.
15 For, from him came thepriests and Levites; who allministered at the altar of God.
16 From him came our LordJesus Christ, according to theflesh.
17 From him came the kings,and princes, and rulers in Judah.
18 Nor were the rest of histribes in any little glory: Godhaving promised that their seedshall be as the stars of heaven.
19 They were all thereforegreatly glorified, not for their ownsake, or for their own works, orfor the righteousness that theythemselves wrought, but throughhis will.
20 And we also being called bythe same will in Christ Jesus, arenot justified by ourselves, neitherby our own wisdom, or knowledge,or piety, or the works which wehave done in the holiness of ourhearts.
21 But by that faith, by whichGod Almighty has justified allmen from the beginning; to whombe glory for ever and ever, Amen.
CHAPTER XV.
We are justified by faith; yet this must notlessen our care to live a virtuous life,nor our pleasure in it.
WHAT shall we do therefore,brethren? Shall we be slothfulin well-doing, and lay asideour charity? God forbid that anysuch thing should be done by us.
2 But rather let us hasten withall earnestness and readiness ofmind, to perfect every good work.For even the Creator and Lord ofall things himself rejoices in hisown works.
3 By his Almighty power hefixed the heavens, and by hisincomprehensible wisdom headorned them.
4 He also divided the earthfrom the water, with which it isencompassed: and fixed it as asecure tower, upon the foundationof his own will.
5 He also by his appointment,commanded all the living creaturesthat are upon it, to exist.
6 So likewise the sea, and allthe creatures that are in it;having first created them, heenclosed them therein by his power.
7 And above all, he with hisholy and pure hands, formed man,the most excellent; and, as to hisunderstanding, truly the greatestof all other creatures; the characterof his own image.
8 For thus God says; Let usmake man in our image, after ourown likeness; so God created man,male and female created he them.
9 And having thus finished allthese things, he commended allthat he had made, and blessedthem, and said, increase andmultiply.
10 We see how all righteous menhave been adorned with good worksWherefore even the Lord himself,having adorned himself with hisworks, rejoiced.
11 Having therefore such anexample, let us without delay,fulfil his will; and with allour strength, work the work ofrighteousness.
CHAPTER XVI.
A virtuous life enforced from the examplesof the holy angels, and from the exceedinggreatness of that reward which God has prepared for us.
THE good workman withconfidence receives the bread ofhis labour; but the sluggish andlazy cannot look him in the facethat set him on work.
2 We must therefore be readyand forward in well-doing: forfrom him are all things.
3 And thus he foretells us,behold the Lord cometh, and hisreward is with him, even before hisface, to render to everyone accordingto his work.
4 He warns us therefore beforehand,with all his heart to this end,that we should not be slothful andnegligent in well-doing.
5 Let our boasting, therefore,and our confidence be in Godlet us submit ourselves to his will,Let us consider the whole multitudeof his angels, how ready theystand to minister unto his will.
6 As saith the Scripture,thousands of thousands stoodbefore him and ten thousandtimes ten thousand ministeredunto him. And they cried, saying,Holy, holy, holy is the Lord ofhosts; The whole earth is fullof his glory.
7 Wherefore let us also, beingconscientiously gathered togetherin concord with one another; asit were with one mouth, cry,earnestly unto him, that he wouldmake us partakers of his great andglorious promises.
8 For he saith, a Eye hath notseen, nor ear heard, neither haveentered into the heart of man, thethings which God has prepared forthem that wait for him,
CHAPTER XVII.
1 We must attain the gifts of God by faith and obedience,which we must carry on in an orderly pursuing of theduties of our several stations, without envy or contention.24 The necessity of different orders among men.33 We have none of us anything but what we received of God:whom therefore we ought in every condition thankfully to obey.
HOW blessed and wonderful,beloved, are the gifts of God.
2 Life in immortality! brightnessin righteousness! truth in fullassurance! faith in confidence!temperance in holiness!
3 And all this has God subjectedto our understandings:
4 What therefore shall thosethings be which he has preparedfor them that wait for him?
5 The Creator and Father ofspirits, the Most Holy; he onlyknows both the greatness andbeauty of them,
6 Let us therefore strive withall earnestness, that we may befound in the number of those thatwait for him, that so we mayreceive the reward which he haspromised.
7 But how, beloved, shall we dothis? We must fix our minds byfaith towards God, and seek thosethings that are pleasing andacceptable unto him.
8 We must act conformably tohis holy will; and follow the wayof truth, casting off from us allunrighteousness and iniquity,together with all covetousness,strife, evil manners, deceit,whispering, detractions; allhatred of God, pride and boasting;vain-glory and ambition;
9 For they that do these thingsare odious to God; and not onlythey that do them, but also allsuch as approve of those that dothem.
10 For thus saith the Scripture,But unto the wicked, God said,What hast thou to do to declaremy statute, or that thou shouldsttake my covenant in thy mouth?Seeing that thou hatest instruction,and castest my words behind thee.
11 When thou sawest a thief,then thou consentedst with him;thou hast been partaker withadulterers, Thou givest thy mouthto evil, and thy tongue framethdeceit. Thou sittest and speakestagainst thy brother; thou slanderestthine own mother's son.
12 These things hast thou doneand I kept silence; thou thoughtestthat I was altogether such a oneas thyself: but I will reprove thee,and set them in order before thineeyes.
13 Now consider this ye thatforget God, lest I tear you in pieces,and there be none to deliver.
14 Whose offereth praise,glorifieth me; And to him thatdisposeth his way aright, willI show the salvation of God.
15 This is the way, beloved, inwhich we may find our Saviour,even Jesus Christ, the high-priestof all our offerings, the defenderand helper of our weakness.
16 By him we look up to thehighest heavens; and behold, asin a glass, his spotless and mostexcellent visage.
17 By him are the eyes of ourhearts opened; by him our foolishand darkened understandingrejoiceth to behold his wonderfullight.
18 By him would God have usto taste the knowledge ofimmortality: who being thebrightness of his glory, is byso much greater than the angels,as he has by inheritance obtaineda more excellent name than they.
19 For so it is written, whomaketh his angels spirits, and hisministers a flame of fire:
20 But to his son, thus saith theLord, Thou art my Son, to-dayhave I begotten thee.
21 Ask of me and I will givethee the heathen for thy inheritance,and the utmost parts of the earthfor thy possession.
22 And again he saith unto him,Sit thou on my right hand untilI make thine enemies thyfoot-stool.
23 But who are his enemies?even the wicked, and such whooppose their own wills to thewill of God.
24 Let us therefore march-on,men and brethren, with allearnestness in his holy laws.
25 Let us consider those whofight under our, earthly governorsHow orderly, how readily, andwith what exact obedience theyperform those things that arecommanded them.
26 All are not generals, norcolonels, nor captains, norinferior officers:
27 But everyone in his respectiverank does what is commanded him bythe king, and those who have theauthority over him.
28 They who are great, cannotsubsist without those that are little;nor the little without the great;
29 But there must be a mixturein all things, and then there willbe use and profit too.
30 Let us, for example, takeour body: the head without thefeet is nothing, neither the feetwithout the head.
31 And even the smallest membersof our body are yet both necessaryand useful to the whole body.
32 But all conspire together,and are subject to one commonuse, namely, the preservation ofthe whole body.
33 Let therefore our whole bodyby saved in Christ Jesus; and leteveryone be subject to his neighbour,according to the order in whichhe is placed by the gift of God.
34 Let not the strong man despisethe weak; and let the weak see thathe reverence the strong.
35 Let the rich man distributeto the necessity of the poor; andlet the poor bless God, that he hasgiven one unto him, by whom hiswant may be supplied.
36 Let the wise man show forthhis wisdom, not in words, but ingood works.
37 Let him that is humble, notbear witness to himself, but lethim leave it to another to bearwitness of him.
38 Let him that is pure in theflesh, not grow proud of it, knowingthat it was from another that hereceived the gift of continence.
39 Let us consider therefore,brethren, whereof we are made;who, and what kind of men wecame into the world, as it wereout of a sepulchre, and from outerdarkness.
40 He hath made us, and formedus, brought us into his own world;having presented us with hisbenefits, even before we were born.
41 Wherefore, having receivedall these things from him, weought in everything to give thanksunto him, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Clement therefore exhorts them to do everythingorderly in the Church, as the only way to please God.
FOOLISH and unwise men, whohave neither prudence, norlearning, may mock and derideus; being willing to set upthemselves in their own conceits.
2 But what can a mortal mando? Or what strength is there inhim that is made out of the dust?
3 For it is written, there was noshape before mine eyes; only Iheard a sound and a voice.
4 For what? Shall man be purebefore the Lord? Shall he beblameless in his works?
5 Behold, he trusteth not inhis servants; and his angels hechargeth with folly.
6 Yes, the heaven is not cleanin his sight, how much less theythat dwell in houses of clay; ofwhich also we ourselves weremade?
7 He smote them as a moth:and from morning even unto theevening they endure not. Becausethey were not able to helpthemselves, they perished;he breathed upon them and theydied, because they had no wisdom.
8 Call now if there be any thatwill answer thee; and to which ofthe angels wilt thou look?
9 For wrath killeth the foolishman, and envy slayeth him that isin error.
10 I have seen the foolish takingroot, but lo, their habitation waspresently consumed.
11 Their children were far fromsafety, they perished at the gatesof those who were lesser thanthemselves: and there was no manto help them.
12 For what was prepared forthem, the righteous did eat; andthey shall not be delivered fromevil.
13 Seeing then these things aremanifest unto us, it will behoveus to take care that looking intothe depths of the divine knowledge,we do all things in order,whatsoever our Lord has commandedus to do.
14 And particularly that weperform our offerings and service toGod, at their appointed seasonsfor these he has commanded to bedone, not rashly and disorderly,but at certain determinate timesand hours.
15 And therefore he has ordainedby his supreme will and authority,both where, and by what persons,they are to be performed; thatso all things being piously doneunto all well-pleasing, theymay be acceptable unto him.
16 They therefore who maketheir offerings at the appointedseasons, are happy and accepted;because through obeying thecommandments of the Lord,they are free from sin.
17 And the same care must behad of the persons that ministerunto him.
18 For the chief-priest has hisproper services; and to the priesttheir proper place is appointed;and to the Levites appertain theirproper ministries; and the laymanis confined within the bounds ofwhat is commanded to laymen.
19 Let every one of you therefore,brethren, bless God in his properstation, with a good conscience,and with all gravity, not exceedingthe rule of his service that isappointed to him.
20 The daily sacrifices are notoffered everywhere; nor the peace-offerings, nor the sacrificesappointed for sins and transgressions;but only at Jerusalem: nor in anyplace there, but only at the altarbefore the temple; that which isoffered being first diligentlyexamined by the high-priest andthe other minister we beforementioned.
21 They therefore who do anything which is not agreeable to hiswill, are punished with death.
22 Consider, brethren, that byhow much the better knowledgeGod has vouchsafed unto us, by somuch the greater danger are weexposed to.
CHAPTER XIX.
The orders of Ministers in Christ's Church establishedby the Apostles, according to Christ's command,7 after the example of Moses.16 Therefore they who have been duly placed in theministry according to their order, cannot withoutgreat sin be put out of it.
THE Apostles have preached tous from the Lord Jesus ChristJesus Christ from God.
2 Christ therefore was sent byGod, the Apostles by Christ; soboth were orderly sent, accordingto the will of God.
3 For having received theircommand, and being thoroughlyassured by the resurrection of ourLord Jesus Christ, and convincedby the word of God, with thefulness of the Holy Spirit, theywent abroad, publishing, That thekingdom of God was at hand.
4 And thus preaching throughcountries and cities, they appointedthe first fruits of their conversionto be bishops and ministers oversuch as should afterwards believe,having first proved them by theSpirit.
5 Nor was this any new thing;seeing that long before it waswritten concerning bishops anddeacons.
6 For thus saith the Scripture,in a certain place; I will appointtheir overseers in righteousness,and their ministers in faith.
7 And what wonder if they, towhom such a work was committedby God in Christ, established suchofficers as we before mentioned;when even that blessed and faithfulservant in all his house, Moses,set down in the Holy Scripturesall things that were commandedhim.
8 Whom also all the rest of theprophets followed, bearing witnesswith one consent to those thingsthat were appointed by him.
9 For he, perceiving an emulationto arise among the tribes concerningthe priesthood, and that there wasa strife about it, which of themshould be adorned with that gloriousname; commanded their twelve captainsto bring to him twelve rods; everytribe being written upon its rod,according to its name,
10 And he took them and boundthem together, and sealed themwith the seals of the twelve princesof the tribes: and laid them up inthe tabernacle of witness, uponthe table of God.
11 And when he had shut thedoor of the tabernacle, he sealedup the keys of it, in like manneras he had done the rods; and saidunto them, Men and brethren,whichsoever tribe shall have itsrod blossom, that tribe has Godchosen to perform the office of apriest, and to minister unto himin holy things.
12 And when the morning wascome, he called together all Israel,six hundred thousand men; andshowed to the princes their sealsand opened the tabernacle ofwitness; and brought forth therods.
13 And the rod of Aaron wasfound not only to have blossomed,but also to have fruit upon it.
14 What think you, beloved?Did not Moses before know whatshould happen?
15 Yes verily: but to the endthere might be no division, nortumult in Israel, he did in thismanner, that the name of the trueand only God might be glorified;to whom be honour for ever andever, Amen.
16 So likewise our Apostlesknew by our Lord Jesus Christ,that there should contentions arise,upon account of the ministry.
17 And therefore having a perfectfore-knowledge of this, theyappointed persons, as we havebefore said, and then a gavedirection, how, when they shoulddie, other chosen and approved menshould succeed in their ministry.
18 Wherefore we cannot thinkthat those may justly be thrownout of their ministry, who wereeither appointed by them, orafterwards chosen by other eminentmen, with the consent of the wholechurch; and who have with alllowliness and innocency ministeredto the flock of Church, in peace,and without self-interest, andwere for a long time commendedby all.
19 For it would be no small sinin us, should we cast off thosefrom their ministry, who holilyand without blame fulfil theduties of it.
20 Blessed are those priests,who having finished their coursebefore these times, have obtaineda fruitful and perfect dissolutionfor they have no fear, lest any oneshould turn them out of the placewhich is now appointed for them.
21 But we see how you haveput out some, who lived reputablyamong you, from the ministry,which by their innocence they hadadorned.
CHAPTER XX.
He exerts them to peace from examples out ofthe Holy Scriptures,20 particularly from St. Paul's exhortation to them.
YE are contentious, brethren,and zealous for things thatpertain not unto salvation.
2 Look into the Holy Scriptures,which are the true words of theHoly Ghost. Ye know that thereis nothing unjust or counterfeitwritten in them.
3 There you shall not find thatrighteous men were ever cast offby such as were good themselves.
4 They were persecuted, but itwas by the wicked and unjust.
5 They were cast into prison,but they were cast in by those thatwere unholy.
6 They were stoned, but it wasby transgressors.
7 They were killed, but by accursedmen, and such as had taken up anunjust envy against them.
8 And all these things theyunderwent gloriously.
9 For what shall we say,brethren? Was Daniel cast into theden of lions, by men fearingGod? Shadrach, Meshach, andAbednego, were they cast into thefiery furnace by men, professingthe excellent and glorious worshipof the Most High? God forbid.
10 What kind of persons thenwere they that did these things?They were men abominable, fullof all wickedness; who wereincensed; to so great a degree,as to bring those into sufferings,who with a holy and unblameablepurpose of mind worshipped God:not knowing that the Most High isthe protector and defender of allsuch as with a pure conscienceserve his holy name: to whom beglory for ever and ever, Amen.
11 But they who with a fullpersuasion have endured thesethings, are made partakers of gloryand honour: and are exalted andlifted up by God for a memorialthroughout all ages, Amen.
12 Wherefore it will behoveus also, brethren, to follow suchexamples as these; for it iswritten, Hold fast to such as areholy; for they that do so shall besanctified.
13 And again in another placehe saith, With the pure, thou shaltbe pure (and with the elect thoushalt be elect,) but with, theperverse man thou shalt be perverse.
14 Let us therefore join ourselvesto the innocent and righteous; forsuch are the elect of God.
15 Wherefore are there strifes,and anger, and divisions, andschisms, and wars, among us?
16 Have we not all one God,and one Christ? Is not one spiritof grace poured out upon us all?Have we not one calling in Christ.
17 Why then do we rent andtear in pieces the members ofChrist; and raise seditious againstour own body? And are come to sucha height of madness, as to forgetthat we were members one of another?
18 Remember the words of ourLord Jesus, (how he said, Woe tothat man by whom offences come).It, were better for him that hehad never been born, than that heshould have offended one of myelect. It were better for him,that a mill-stone should be tiedabout his neck, and he should becast into the sea, than that heshould offend one of mylittle ones.
19 Your schism has pervertedmany, has discouraged many: ithas caused diffidence in many, andgrief in us all. And yet yoursedition continues still.
20 Take the Epistle of theblessed Paul the Apostle into yourhands; What was It that he wroteto you at his first preaching theGospel among you?
21 Verily he did by the spiritadmonish you concerning himself,and Cephas, and Apollos, becausethat even then ye had begun tofall into parties and factionsamong yourselves.
22 Nevertheless your partialitythen led you into a much less sinforasmuch as ye placed youraffections upon Apostles, menof eminent reputation in thechurch; and upon another, whowas greatly tried and approvedof by them.
23 But consider, we pray you,who are they that have now ledyou astray; and lessened thereputation of that brotherly lovethat was so eminent among you;
24 It is a shame, my beloved,yea, a very great shame, andunworthy of your Christianprofession, to hear that themost firm and ancient churchof the Corinthians should,by one or two persons, be ledinto a sedition against itspriests.
25 And this report is come notonly to us, but to those also thatdiffer from us.
26 Insomuch that the name ofthe Lord is blasphemed throughyour folly; and even ye yourselvesare brought into danger by it.
27 Let us therefore with allhaste put an end to this sedition;and let us fall down before theLord, and beseech him with tearsthat he would be favourablyreconciled to us, and restore usagain to a seemly and holy courseof brotherly love.
28 For this is the gate ofrighteousness, opening unto life:As it is written, I Open unto methe gates of righteousness; I willgo into them and will praise theLord. This is the gate of the Lord,the righteous shall enter into it.
29 Although therefore manygates are opened, yet this gate ofrighteousness is that gate in Christat which blessed are they thatenter in, and direct their way inholiness and righteousness; doingall things without disorder.
30 Let a man be faithful, lethim be powerful in the utteranceof knowledge; let him be wise inmaking an exact judgment ofwords; let him be pure in allhis actions.
31 But still by how much themore he seems to be above others,by reason of these things, by somuch the more will it behove himto be humble-minded; and to seekwhat is profitable to all men, andnot his own advantage.
CHAPTER XXI.
1 The value which God, puts upon love andunity: the effects of a true charity,8 which is the gift of God, and must be obtained by prayer.
HE that has the love that is inChrist, let him keep thecommandments of Christ.
2 For who is able to express theobligation of the love of God?What man is sufficient to declare,and is fitting, the excellency of itsbeauty?
3 The height to which charityleads, is inexpressible.
4 Charity unites us to God;charity covers the multitude ofsins: charity endures all things;is long-suffering in all things.
5 There is nothing base andsordid in charity: charity lifts notitself up above others; admits ofno divisions; is not seditious; butdoes all things in peace and concord.
6 By charity were all the elect ofGod made perfect: Without it nothingis pleasing and acceptable in thesight of God.
7 Through charity did the Lordjoin us into himself; whilst forthe love that he bore towards us,our Lord Jesus Christ gave hisown blood for us, by the will ofGod; his flesh for our flesh; hissoul for our souls.
8 Ye see, beloved, how greatand wonderful a thing charity is;and how that no expressions aresufficient to declare its perfection.
9 But who is fit to be found init? Even such only as God shallvouchsafe to make so.
10 Let us therefore pray to him,and beseech him, that we may beworthy of it; that so we may livein charity; being unblameable,without human propensities,without respect of persons.
11 All the ages of the world,from Adam, even unto this day,are passed away; but they whohave been made perfect in love,have by the grace of God obtaineda place among the righteous; andshall be made manifest in thejudgment of the kingdom of Christ.
12 For it is written, Enter intothy chambers for a little space, tillmy anger and indignation shallpass away: And I will rememberthe good day, and, will raise youup out of your graves.
13 Happy then shall we be,beloved, if we shall have fulfilledthe commandments of God, in theunity of love; that so, throughlove, our sins may be forgiven us.
14 For so it is written, Blessedare they whose iniquities areforgiven, and whose sins are covered.Blessed is the man to whom theLord imputeth no sin, and in whosemouth there is no guile.
15 Now this blessing is fulfilledin those who are chosen by Godthrough Jesus Christ our Lord, towhom be glory for ever and ever,Amen.
CHAPTER XXII.
1 He exhorts such as have been concerned in these divisions torepent, and return to their unity, confessing their sin to God,7 which he enforces from the example of Moses,10 and of many among the heathen,23 and of Judith and Esther among the Jews.
LET us therefore, as many ashave transgressed by any ofthe suggestions of the adversary,beg God's forgiveness.
2 And as for those who havebeen the heads of the sedition andfaction among you, let them lookto the common end of our hope.
3 For as many as are enduedwith fear and charity, would ratherthey themselves should fall intotrials than their neighbours: Andchoose to be themselves condemned,rather than that the good and justcharity delivered to us, shouldsuffer.
4 For it is seemly for a manto confess wherein he hastransgressed.
5 And not to harden his heart,as the hearts of those werehardened, who raised up seditionagainst Moses the servant of Godwhose punishment was manifestunto all men, for they went downalive into the grave; deathswallowed them up.
6 Pharaoh and his host, andall the rulers of Egypt, theirchariots also and their horsemen,were for no other cause drownedin the bottom of the Red Sea,and perished; but because theyhardened their foolish hearts,after so many signs done in theland of Egypt, by Moses theservant of God.
7 Beloved, God is not indigentof anything; nor does he demandanything of us, but that weshould confess our sins unto him.
8 For so says the Holy David,I will confess unto the Lord, andit shall please him better than ayoung bullock that hath horns andhoof. Let the poor see it and beglad.
9 And again he saith, Offerunto God the sacrifice of praise,and pay thy vows unto the MostHighest. And call upon me in theday of trouble, and I will deliverthee, and thou shalt glorify me.The sacrifice of God is a brokenspirit.
10 Ye know, beloved, ye knowfull well, the Holy Scriptures;and have thoroughly searched intothe oracles of God: call themtherefore to your remembrance.
11 For when Moses went up intothe mount, and tarried there fortydays and forty nights in fastingand humiliation; God said untohim, Arise, Moses, and get theedown quickly from hence, for thypeople whom thou broughtest outof the land of Egypt, havecommitted wickedness: they havesoon transgressed the way thatI commanded them, and have madeto themselves graven images.
12 And the Lord said unto him,I have spoken unto thee severaltimes, saying, I have seen thispeople, and behold it is a stiff-necked people: let me thereforedestroy them, and put out theirname from under heaven. And Iwill make unto thee a great and awonderful nation, that shall bemuch larger than this.
13 But Moses said, Not so,Lord: Forgive now this peopletheir sin; or if thou wilt not,blot me also out of the book ofthe living. O admirable charity!O insuperable perfection! The servantspeaks freely to his Lord: He beseecheshim either to forgive the people,or to destroy him together with them.
14 Who is there among youthat is generous? Who that iscompassionate? Who that hasany charity? Let him say, if thissedition, this contention, and theseschisms, be upon my account,I am ready to depart; to go awaywhithersoever you please; and dowhatsoever ye shall command me:Only let the flock of Christ be inpeace, with the elders that are setover it.
15 He that shall do this, shallget to himself a very great honourin the Lord; and there is no placebut what will be ready to receivehim: For the earth is the Lord's,and the fulness thereof.
16 These things, they who havetheir conversation towards Godnot to be repented of, both havedone, and will always be ready todo.
17 Nay and even the Gentilesthemselves have given us examplesof this kind.
18 For we read, How manykings and princes, in times ofpestilence, being warned by theiroracles, have given up themselvesunto death; that by their ownblood, they might deliver theircountry from destruction.
19 Others have forsaken theircities, so that they might put anend to the seditions of them.
20 We know how many amongourselves, have given upthemselves unto bonds, thatthereby they might free othersfrom them.
21 Others have sold themselvesinto bondage, that they might feedtheir brethren with the price ofthemselves.
22 And even many women,being strengthened by the graceof God, have done many gloriousand manly things on such occasions.
23 The blessed Judith, whenher city was besieged, desired theelders, that they would suffer herto go into the camp of their enemies;and she went out exposing herselfto danger, for the love she bareto her country and her peoplethat were besieged: and theLord delivered Holofernes intothe hands of a woman.
24 Nor did Esther, being perfectin faith, expose herself to anyless hazard, for the delivery of thetwelve tribes of Israel, in dangerof being destroyed. For by fastingand humbling herself, she entreatedthe Great Maker of all things, theGod of spirits; so that beholdingthe humility of her soul, hedelivered the people, for whosesake she was in peril.
CHAPTER XXIII.
The benefit of mutual advice and correction.He entreats them to follow that which is here given to them.
WHEREFORE let us also prayfor such as are fallen intosin. That being endued withhumility and moderation, theymay submit not unto us, but tothe wish of God.
2 For by this means they shallobtain a fruitful and perfectremembrance, with mercy, both inour prayers to God, and in ourmention of them before his saints.
3 Let us receive correction, atwhich no man ought to repine.
4 Beloved, the reproof and thecorrection which we exercisetowards one another, is good, andexceeding profitable: for it unitesus the more closely to the will ofGod.
5 For, so says the Holy Scripture,The Lord corrected me, but he didnot deliver me over unto death. Forwhom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,and scourgeth every son whom hereceiveth.
6 The righteous, saith he, shallinstruct me in mercy and reproveme; but let not oil of sinnersmake fat my head.
7 And again he saith, Happyis the man whom God correcteth;therefore despise not thou thechastening of the Almighty.
8 For he maketh gore and bindethup; he woundeth and his handsmake whole.
9 He shall deliver thee in sixtroubles; yea in seven there shallno evil touch thee. In famine heshall redeem thee from death; andin war from the power of the sword.
10 Thou shalt be hid from thescourge of the tongue; neithershalt thou be afraid of destructionwhen it cometh.
11 Thou shalt laugh at thewicked and sinners; neither shaltthou be afraid of the beasts of theearth. The wild beast shall be atpeace with thee.
12 Then shalt thou know thatthy house shall be in peace; andthe habitation of thy tabernacleshall not err. Then shalt knowalso that thy seed shall be greatand thy offspring as the grass ofthe earth.
13 Thou shalt come to thygrave as the ripe corn, that istaken in due time: like as a shockof corn cometh in, in its season.
14 Ye see, beloved, how thereshall be a defence to those that arecorrected of the Lord. For beinga good instructor, he is willing toadmonish us by his holy discipline.
15 Do ye therefore who laid thefirst foundation of this sedition,submit yourselves unto yourpriests; and be instructed untorepentance, bending the knees ofyour hearts.
16 Learn to be subject, layingaside all proud and arrogantboasting of your tongues.
17 For it is better for you to befound little, and approved, in thesheepfold of Christ, than to seemto yourselves better than others,and be cast out of his fold.
18 For thus speaks theexcellent and all-virtuous wisdom,Behold I will pour out the wordof my spirit upon you, I will makeknown my speech unto you.
19 Because I called and yewould not hear, I stretched outmy hand and ye regarded not.
20 But ye have set at nought allmy counsel, and would none ofmy reproof. I will also laugh atyour calamity, and mock whenyour fear cometh.
21 When your fear cometh asdesolation, and your destructionas a whirlwind, when distress andanguish cometh upon you.
22 Then shall ye call upon mebut I will not hear you: thewicked shall seek me but theyshall not find me. For that theyhated knowledge, and did not seekthe fear of the Lord.
23 They would not hearkenunto my counsel: they despisedall my reproof. Therefore shallthey eat of the fruit of their ownways; and be filled with theirown wickedness.
CHAPTER XXIV.
1 Recommends them to God. Desires speedily to hearthat this Epistle has had a good effect upon them.4 Conclusion.
NOW God, the inspector of allthings, the Father of Spirits,and the Lord of all flesh, whohath chosen our Lord Jesus Christ,and us by him, to be his peculiarpeople;
2 Grant to every soul of manthat calleth upon his glorious andholy name, faith, fear, peace,long-suffering, patience, temperance,holiness and sobriety, unto allwell-pleasing in his sight;through our High-Priest andProtector Jesus Christ, by whombe glory and majesty, and power,and honour unto him now and forever more, Amen.
3 The messengers whom wehave sent unto you, Claudius,Ephebus, and Valerios Bito, withFortunatus, send back to us againwith all speed, in peace and withjoy, that they may the sooneracquaint us with your peace andconcord, so much prayed for anddesired by us: and that we mayrejoice in your good order.
4 The grace of our Lord JesusChrist be with you, and with allthat are any where called by Godthrough him: To whom be honourand glory, and might and majesty,and eternal dominion, by ChristJesus, from everlasting toeverlasting, Amen.
REFERENCES TO CLEMENT'S FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS.