THE FIRST EPISTLE OF CLEMENT TO THE CORINTHIANS



The Church of God which sojourneth in Rome to the Church of God which
sojourneth in Corinth, to them which are called and sanctified by the
will of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace
from Almighty God through Jesus Christ be multiplied.
   By reason of the sudden and repeated calamities and reverses which
are befalling us, brethren, we consider that we have been somewhat
tardy in giving heed to the matters of dispute that have arisen among
you, dearly beloved, and to the detestable and unholy sedition, so
alien and strange to the elect of God, which a few headstrong and
self-willed persons have kindled to such a pitch of madness that your
name, once revered and renowned and lovely in the sight of all men,
hath been greatly reviled.
For who that had sojourned among you did not approve your most
virtuous and steadfast faith? Who did not admire your sober and
forbearing piety in Christ? Who did not publish abroad your
magnificent disposition of hospitality? Who did not congratulate you
on your perfect and sound knowledge?
For ye did all things without respect of persons, and ye walked after
the ordinances of God, submitting yourselves to your rulers and
rendering to the older men among you the honor which is their due.
On the young too ye enjoined modest and seemly thoughts: and the
women ye charged to perform all their duties in a blameless and
seemly and pure conscience, cherishing their own husbands, as is
meet; and ye taught them to keep in the rule of obedience, and to
manage the affairs of their household in seemliness, with all
discretion.
   And ye were all lowly in mind and free from arrogance, yielding
rather than claiming submission, more glad to give than to
receive, and content with the provisions which God supplieth. And
giving heed unto His words, ye laid them up diligently in your
hearts, and His sufferings were before your eyes.
Thus a profound and rich peace was given to all, and an insatiable
desire of doing good. An abundant outpouring also of the Holy Spirit
fell upon all;
and, being full of holy counsel, in excellent zeal and with a pious
confidence ye stretched out your hands to Almighty God, supplicating
Him to be propitious, if unwillingly ye had committed any sin.
Ye had conflict day and night for all the brotherhood, that the
number of His elect might be saved with fearfulness and intentness of
mind.
Ye were sincere and simple and free from malice one towards another.
Every sedition and every schism was abominable to you. Ye mourned
over the transgressions of your neighbors: ye judged their
shortcomings to be your own.
Ye repented not of any well-doing, but were ready unto every good
work.
Being adorned with a most virtuous and honorable life, ye performed
all your duties in the fear of Him. The commandments and the
ordinances of the Lord were written on the tablets of your hearts.
   All glory and enlargement was given unto you, and that was fulfilled
which is written My beloved ate and drank and was enlarged and
waxed fat and kicked.
Hence come jealousy and envy, strife and sedition, persecution and
tumult, war and captivity.
So men were stirred up, the mean against the honorable, the ill
reputed against the highly reputed, the foolish against the wise, the
young against the elder.
For this cause righteousness and peace stand aloof, while each
man hath forsaken the fear of the Lord and become purblind in the
faith of Him, neither walketh in the ordinances of His commandments
nor liveth according to that which becometh Christ, but each goeth
after the lusts of his evil heart, seeing that they have conceived an
unrighteous and ungodly jealousy, through which also death entered
into the world.
   For so it is written, And it came to pass after certain days that
Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice unto God, and
Abel he also brought of the firstlings of the sheep and of their
fatness.
And God looked upon Abel and upon his gifts, but unto Cain and unto
his sacrifices He gave no heed.
And Cain sorrowed exceedingly, and his countenance fell.
And God said unto Cain, Wherefore art thou very sorrowful and
wherefore did thy countenance fall? If thou hast offered aright and
hast not divided aright, didst thou not sin? Hold thy peace.
Unto thee shall he turn, and thou shalt rule over him. {This last
phrase has also been translated: Be at peace: thine offering
returns to thyself, and thou shalt again possess it.}
And Cain said unto Abel his brother, Let us go over unto the plain.
And it came to pass, while they Were in the plain, that Cain rose up
against Abel his brother and slew him.
Ye see, brethren, jealousy and envy wrought a brother's murder.
By reason of jealousy our father Jacob ran away from the face of Esau
his brother.
Jealousy caused Joseph to be persecuted even unto death, and to come
even unto bondage.
Jealousy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh king of
Egypt while it was said to him by his own countryman, Who made thee
a judge or a decider over us, Wouldest thou slay me, even as
yesterday thou slewest the Egyptian?
By reason of jealousy Aaron and Miriam were lodged outside the camp.
Jealousy brought Dathan and Abiram down alive to hades, because they
made sedition against Moses the servant of God.
By reason of jealousy David was envied not only by the Philistines,
but was persecuted also by Saul [king of Israel].
   But, to pass from the examples of ancient days, let us come to those
champions who lived nearest to our time. Let us set before us the
noble examples which belong to our generation.
By reason of jealousy and envy the greatest and most righteous
pillars of the Church were persecuted, and contended even unto death.
Let us set before our eyes the good Apostles.
There was Peter who by reason of unrighteous jealousy endured not one
not one but many labors, and thus having borne his testimony went to
his appointed place of glory.
By reason of jealousy and strife Paul by his example pointed out the
prize of patient endurance. After that he had been seven times in
bonds, had been driven into exile, had been stoned, had preached in
the East and in the West, he won the noble renown which was the
reward of his faith,
having taught righteousness unto the whole world and having reached
the farthest bounds of the West; and when he had borne his testimony
before the rulers, so he departed from the world and went unto the
holy place, having been found a notable pattern of patient endurance.
   Unto these men of holy lives was gathered a vast multitude of the
elect, who through many indignities and tortures, being the victims
of jealousy, set a brave example among ourselves.
By reason of jealousy women being persecuted, after that they had
suffered cruel and unholy insults as Danaids and Dircae, safely
reached the goal in the race of faith, and received a noble reward,
feeble though they were in body.
Jealousy hath estranged wives from their husbands and changed the
saying of our father Adam, This now is bone of my bones and flesh
of my flesh.
Jealousy and strife have overthrown great cities and uprooted great
nations.
   These things, dearly beloved, we write, not only as admonishing you,
but also as putting ourselves in remembrance. For we are in the same
lists, and the same contest awaiteth us.
Wherefore let us forsake idle and vain thoughts; and let us conform
to the glorious and venerable rule which hath been handed down to us;
and let us see what is good and what is pleasant and what is
acceptable in the sight of Him that made us.
Let us fix our eyes on the blood of Christ and understand how
precious it is unto His Father, because being shed for our salvation
it won for the whole world the grace of repentance.
Let us review all the generations in turn, and learn how from
generation to generation the Master hath given a place for repentance
unto them that desire to turn to Him.
Noah preached repentance, and they that obeyed were saved.
Jonah preached destruction unto the men of Nineveh; but they,
repenting of their sins, obtained pardon of God by their
supplications and received salvation, albeit they were aliens from
God.
   The ministers of the grace of God through the Holy Spirit spake
concerning repentance.
Yea and the Master of the universe Himself spake concerning
repentance with an oath:
for, as I live saith the Lord, I desire not the death of the
sinner, so much as his repentance,
and He added also a merciful judgment: Repent ye, O house of
Israel, of your iniquity; say unto the sons of My people, Though
your sins reach from the earth even unto the heaven, and though
they be redder than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, and ye turn
unto Me with your whole heart and say Father, I will give ear unto
you as unto a holy people.
And in another place He saith on this wise, Wash, be ye clean. Put
away your iniquities from your souls out of My sight. Cease from
your iniquities; learn to do good; seek out judgment; defend him
that is wronged: give judgment for the orphan, and execute
righteousness for the widow; and come and let us reason together,
saith He; and though your sins be as crimson, I will make them
white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make them
white as wool. And if ye be willing and will hearken unto Me, ye
shall eat the good things of the earth; but if ye be not willing,
neither hearken unto Me, a sword shall devour you; for the mouth of
the Lord hath spoken these things.
Seeing then that He desireth all His beloved to be partakers of
repentance, He confirmed it by an act of His almighty will.
   Wherefore let us be obedient unto His excellent and glorious will;
and presenting ourselves as suppliants of His mercy and goodness, let
us fall down before Him and betake ourselves unto His compassions,
forsaking the vain toil and the strife and the jealousy which leadeth
unto death.
Let us fix our eyes on them that ministered perfectly unto His
excellent glory.
Let us set before us Enoch, who being found righteous in obedience
was translated, and his death was not found.
Noah, being found faithful, by his ministration preached regeneration
unto the world, and through him the Master saved the living creatures
that entered into the ark in concord.
   Abraham, who was called the 'friend,' was found faithful in that he
rendered obedience unto the words of God.
He through obedience went forth from his land and from his kindred
and from his father's house, that leaving a scanty land and a feeble
kindred and a mean house he might inherit the promises of God.
For He saith unto him Go forth from thy land and from thy kindred
and from thy father's house unto the land which I shall show thee,
and I will make thee into a great nation, and I will bless thee and
will magnify thy name, and thou shalt be blessed. And I will bless
them that bless thee, and I will curse them that curse thee; and in
thee shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed.
And again, when he was parted from Lot, God said unto him Look up
with thine eyes, and behold from the place where thou now art, unto
the north and the south and the sunrise and the sea; for all the
land which thou seest, I will give it unto thee and to thy seed for
ever;
and I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth. If any man can
count the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be counted.
And again He saith; God led Abraham forth and said unto him, Look
up unto the heaven and count the stars, and see whether thou canst
number them. So shall thy seed be. And Abraham believed God, and it
was reckoned unto him for righteousness.
For his faith and hospitality a son was given unto him in old age,
and by obedience he offered him a sacrifice unto God on one of the
mountains which He showed him.
   For his hospitality and godliness Lot was saved from Sodom, when all
the country round about was judged by fire and brimstone; the Master
having thus fore shown that He forsaketh not them which set their
hope on Him, but appointeth unto punishment and torment them which
swerve aside.
For when his wife had gone forth with him, being otherwise minded and
not in accord, she was appointed for a sign hereunto, so that she
became a pillar of salt unto this day, that it might be known unto
all men that they which are double-minded and they which doubt
concerning the power of God are set for a judgment and for a token
unto all the generations.
   For her faith and hospitality Rahab the harlot was saved.
For when the spies were sent forth unto Jericho by Joshua the son of
Nun, the king of the land perceived that they were come to spy out
his country, and sent forth men to seize them, that being seized they
might be put to death.
So the hospitable Rahab received them and hid them in the upper
chamber under the flax stalks.
And when the messengers of the king came near and said, The spies
of our land entered in unto thee: bring them forth, for the king so
ordereth: then she answered, The men truly, whom ye seek,
entered in unto me, but they departed forthwith and are sojourning
on the way; and she pointed out to them the opposite road.
And she said unto the men, Of a surety I perceive that the Lord
your God delivereth this city unto you; for the fear and the dread
of you is fallen upon the inhabitants thereof. When therefore it
shall come to pass that ye take it, save me and the house of my
father.
And they said unto her, It shall be even so as thou hast spoken
unto us. Whensoever therefore thou perceivest that we are coming,
thou shalt gather all thy folk beneath thy roof and they shall be
saved; for as many as shall be found without the house shall
perish.
And moreover they gave her a sign, that she should hang out from her
house a scarlet thread, thereby showing beforehand that through the
blood of the Lord there shall be redemption unto all them that
believe and hope on God.
Ye see, dearly beloved, not only faith, but prophecy, is found in the
woman.
   Let us therefore be lowly minded, brethren, laying aside all
arrogance and conceit and folly and anger, and let us do that which
is written. For the Holy Ghost saith, Let not the wise man boast in
his wisdom, nor the strong in his strength, neither the rich in his
riches; but he that boasteth let him boast in the Lord, that he may
seek Him out, and do judgment and righteousness most of all
remembering the words of the Lord Jesus which He spake, teaching
forbearance and long-suffering:
for thus He spake Have mercy, that ye may receive mercy: forgive,
that it may be forgiven to you. As ye do, so shall it be done to
you. As ye give, so shall it be given unto you. As ye judge, so
shall ye be judged. As ye show kindness, so shall kindness be
showed unto you. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured
withal to you.
With this commandment and these precepts let us confirm ourselves,
that we may walk in obedience to His hallowed words, with lowliness
of mind.
For the holy word saith, Upon whom shall I look, save upon him that
is gentle and quiet and feareth Mine oracles?
   Therefore it is right and proper, brethren, that we should be
obedient unto God, rather than follow those who in arrogance and
unruliness have set themselves up as leaders in abominable jealousy.
For we shall bring upon us no common harm, but rather great peril, if
we surrender ourselves recklessly to the purposes of men who launch
out into strife and seditions, so as to estrange us from that which
is right.
Let us be good one towards another according to the compassion and
sweetness of Him that made us. For it is written:
The good shall be dwellers in the land, and the innocent shall be
left on it but they that transgress shall be destroyed utterly from
it.
And again He saith I saw the ungodly lifted up on high and exalted
as the cedars of Lebanon. And I passed by, and behold he was not;
and sought out his place, and I found it not. Keep innocence and
behold uprightness; for there is a remnant for the peaceful man.
   Therefore let us cleave unto them that practice peace with
godliness, and not unto them that desire peace with dissimulation.
For He saith in a certain place This people honoreth Me with their
lips, but their heart is far from Me,
and again, they blessed with their mouth, but they cursed with
their heart.
And again He saith, They loved Him with their mouth, and with their
tongue they lied unto Him; and their heart was not upright with
Him, neither were they steadfast in His covenant.
For this cause let the deceitful lips be made dumb which speak
iniquity against the righteous. And again May the Lord utterly
destroy all the deceitful lips, the tongue that speaketh proud
things, even them that say, Let us magnify our tongue; our lips are
our own; who is lord over us?
For the misery of the needy and for the groaning of the poor I will
now arise, saith the Lord. I will set him in safety; I will deal
boldly by him.
   For Christ is with them that are lowly of mind, not with them that
exalt themselves over the flock.
The scepter of the majesty of God, even our Lord Jesus Christ, came
not in the pomp of arrogance or of pride, though He might have done
so, but in lowliness of mind, according as the Holy Spirit spake
concerning Him.
For He saith Lord, who believed our report? and to whom was the arm
of the Lord revealed? We announced Him in His presence. As a child
was He, as a root in a thirsty ground. There is no form in Him,
neither glory. And we beheld Him, and He had no form nor
comeliness, but His form was mean, lacking more than the form of
men. He was a man of stripes and of toil, and knowing how to bear
infirmity: for His face is turned away. He was dishonored and held
of no account.
He beareth our sins and suffereth pain for our sakes: and we
accounted Him to be in toil and in stripes and in affliction.
And He was wounded for our sins and hath been afflicted for our
iniquities. The chastisement of our peace is upon Him. With His
bruises we were healed.
We all went astray like sheep, each man went astray in his own
path:
and the Lord delivered Him over for our sins. And He openeth not
His mouth, because He is afflicted. As a sheep He was led to
slaughter; and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so openeth He
not His mouth. In His humiliation His judgment was taken away.
His generation who shall declare? For His life is taken away from
the earth.
For the iniquities of my people He is come to death.
And I will give the wicked for His burial, and the rich for His
death; for He wrought no iniquity, neither was guile found in His
mouth. And the Lord desireth to cleanse Him from His stripes.
If ye offer for sin, your soul shall see along lived seed.
And the Lord desireth to take away from the toil of His soul, to
show Him light and to mould Him with understanding, to justify a
Just One that is a good servant unto many. And He shall bear their
sins.
Therefore He shall inherit many, and shall divide the spoils of the
strong; because His soul was delivered unto death, and He was
reckoned unto the transgressors;
and He bare the sins of many, and for their sins was He delivered
up.
And again He Himself saith; But I am a worm and no man, a reproach
of men and an outcast of the people.
All they that beheld me mocked at me; they spake with their lips;
they wagged their heads, saying, He hoped on the Lord; let Him
deliver him, or let Him save him, for He desireth him.
Ye see, dearly beloved, what is the pattern that hath been given unto
us; for, if the Lord was thus lowly of mind, what should we do, who
through Him have been brought under the yoke of His grace?
   Let us be imitators also of them which went about in goatskins and
sheepskins, preaching the coming of Christ. We mean Elijah and Elisha
and likewise Ezekiel, the prophets, and besides them those men also
that obtained a good report.
Abraham obtained an exceeding good report and was called the friend
of God; and looking steadfastly on the glory of God, he saith in
lowliness of mind, But I am dust and ashes.
Moreover concerning Job also it is thus written; And Job was
righteous and unblamable, one that was true and honored God and
abstained from all evil.
Yet he himself accuseth himself saying, No man from filth; no, not
though his life be but for a day.
Moses was called faithful in all His house, and through his
ministration God judged Egypt with the plagues and the torments which
befell them. Howbeit he also, though greatly glorified, yet spake no
proud words, but said, when an oracle was given to him at the bush,
Who am I, that Thou sendest me?
Nay, I am feeble of speech and slow of tongue. And again he saith,
But I am smoke from the pot.
   But what must we say of David that obtained a good report? of whom
God said, I have found a man after My heart, David the son of
Jesse: with eternal mercy have I anointed him.
Yet he too saith unto God Have mercy upon me, O God, according to
Thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy compassions,
blot out mine iniquity.
Wash me yet more from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me.
Against Thee only did I sin, and I wrought evil in Thy sight; that
Thou mayest be justified in Thy words, and mayest conquer in Thy
pleading.
For behold, in iniquities was I conceived, and in sins did my
mother bear me. For behold Thou hast loved truth: the dark and
hidden things of Thy wisdom hast Thou showed unto me.
Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be made clean. Thou
shalt wash me, and I shall become whiter than snow.
Thou shalt make me to hear of joy and gladness. The bones which
have been humbled shall rejoice.
Turn away Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Make a clean heart within me, O God, and renew a right spirit in
mine inmost parts. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not
Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and strengthen me with a
princely spirit.
I will teach sinners Thy ways, and godless men shall be converted
unto Thee.
Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation.
My tongue shall rejoice in Thy righteousness.
Lord, Thou shalt open my mouth, and my lips shall declare Thy
praise.
For, if Thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would have given it: in
whole burnt offerings Thou wilt have no pleasure.
A sacrifice unto God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and humbled
heart God will not despise.
   The humility therefore and the submissiveness of so many and so
great men, who have thus obtained a good report, hath through
obedience made better not only us but also the generations which were
before us, even them that received His oracles in fear and truth.
Seeing then that we have been partakers of many great and glorious
doings, let us hasten to return unto the goal of peace which hath
been handed down to us from the beginning, and let us look
steadfastly unto the Father and Maker of the whole world, and cleave
unto His splendid and excellent gifts of peace and benefits.
Let us behold Him in our mind, and let us look with the eyes of our
soul unto His long-suffering will. Let us note how free from anger He
is towards all His creatures.
   The heavens are moved by His direction and obey Him in peace.
Day and night accomplish the course assigned to them by Him, without
hindrance one to another.
The sun and the moon and the dancing stars according to His
appointment circle in harmony within the bounds assigned to them,
without any swerving aside.
The earth, bearing fruit in fulfillment of His will at her proper
seasons, putteth forth the food that supplieth abundantly both men
and beasts and all living things which are thereupon, making no
dissension, neither altering anything which He hath decreed.
Moreover, the inscrutable depths of the abysses and the unutterable
statutes of the nether regions are constrained by the same
ordinances.
The basin of the boundless sea, gathered together by His workmanship
into it's reservoirs, passeth not the barriers wherewith it is
surrounded; but even as He ordered it, so it doeth.
For He said, So far shalt thou come, and thy waves shall be broken
within thee.
The ocean which is impassable for men, and the worlds beyond it, are
directed by the same ordinances of the Master.
The seasons of spring and summer and autumn and winter give way in
succession one to another in peace.
The winds in their several quarters at their proper season fulfill
their ministry without disturbance; and the ever flowing fountains,
created for enjoyment and health, without fail give their breasts
which sustain the life for men. Yea, the smallest of living things
come together in concord and peace.
All these things the great Creator and Master of the universe ordered
to be in peace and concord, doing good unto all things, but far
beyond the rest unto us who have taken refuge in His compassionate
mercies through our Lord Jesus Christ,
to whom be the glory and the majesty for ever and ever. Amen.
   Look ye, brethren, lest His benefits, which are many, turn unto
judgment to all of us, if we walk not worthily of Him, and do those
things which are good and well pleasing in His sight with concord.
For He saith in a certain place, The Spirit of the Lord is a lamp
searching the closets of the belly.
Let us see how near He is, and how that nothing escapeth Him of our
thoughts or our devices which we make.
It is right therefore that we should not be deserters from His will.
Let us rather give offense to foolish and senseless men who exalt
themselves and boast in the arrogance of their words, than to God.
Let us fear the Lord Jesus [Christ], whose blood was given for us.
Let us reverence our rulers; let us honor our elders; let us instruct
our young men in the lesson of the fear of God. Let us guide our
women toward that which is good:
let them show forth their lovely disposition of purity; let them
prove their sincere affection of gentleness; let them make manifest
the moderation of their tongue through their silence; let them show
their love, not in factious preferences but without partiality
towards all them that fear God, in holiness. Let our children be
partakers of the instruction which is in Christ:
let them learn how lowliness of mind prevaileth with God, what power
chaste love hath with God, how the fear of Him is good and great and
saveth all them that walk therein in a pure mind with holiness.
For He is the searcher out of the intents and desires; whose breath
is in us, and when He listeth, He shall take it away.
   Now all these things the faith which is in Christ confirmeth: for He
Himself through the Holy Spirit thus invite thus: Come, my
children, hearken unto Me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is he that desireth life and loveth to see good days?
Make thy tongue to cease from evil, and thy lips that they speak no
guile.
Turn aside from evil and do good.
Seek peace and ensue it.
The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are
turned to their prayers. But the face of the Lord is upon them that
do evil, to destroy their memorial from the earth.
The righteous cried out, and the Lord heard him, and delivered him
from all his troubles. Many are the troubles of the righteous, and
the Lord shall deliver him from them all.
And again Many are the stripes of the sinner, but them that set
their hope on the Lord mercy shall compass about.
   The Father, who is pitiful in all things, and ready to do good, hath
compassion on them that fear Him, and kindly and lovingly bestoweth
His favors on them that draw nigh unto Him with a single mind.
Therefore let us not be double-minded, neither let our soul indulge in
idle humors respecting His exceeding and glorious gifts.
Let this scripture be far from us where He saith Wretched are the
double-minded, Which doubt in their soul and say, These things we
did hear in the days of our fathers also, and behold we have grown
old, and none of these things hath befallen us.
Ye fools, compare yourselves unto a tree; take a vine. First it
sheddeth its leaves, then a shoot cometh, then a leaf, then a
flower, and after these a sour berry, then a full ripe grape. Ye
see that in a little time the fruit of the tree attaineth unto
mellowness.
Of a truth quickly and suddenly shall His will be accomplished, the
scripture also bearing witness to it, saying He shall come quickly
and shall not tarry; and the Lord shall come suddenly into His
temple, even the Holy One, whom ye expect.
   Let us understand, dearly beloved, how the Master continually
showeth unto us the resurrection that shall be hereafter; whereof He
made the Lord Jesus Christ the firstfruit, when He raised Him from
the dead.
Let us behold, dearly beloved, the resurrection which happeneth at
its proper season.
Day and night show unto us the resurrection. The night falleth
asleep, and day ariseth; the day departeth, and night cometh on.
Let us mark the fruits, how and in what manner the sowing taketh
place.
The sower goeth forth and casteth into the earth each of the
seeds; and these falling into the earth dry and bare decay: then out
of their decay the mightiness of the Master's providence raiseth them
up, and from being one they increase manifold and bear fruit.
   Let us consider the marvelous sign which is seen in the regions of
the east, that is, in the parts about Arabia.
There is a bird, which is named the phoenix. This, being the only
one of its kind, liveth for five hundred years; and when it hath now
reached the time of its dissolution that it should die, it maketh for
itself a coffin of frankincense and myrrh and the other spices, into
the which in the fullness of time it entereth, and so it dieth.
But, as the flesh rotteth, a certain worm is engendered, which is
nurtured from the moisture of the dead creature and putteth forth
wings. Then, when it is grown lusty, it taketh up that coffin where
are the bones of its parent, and carrying them journeyeth from the
country of Arabia even unto Egypt, to the place called the City of
the Sun;
and in the daytime in the sight of all, flying to the altar of the
Sun, it layeth them thereupon; and this done, it setteth forth to
return.
So the priests examine the registers of the times, and they find that
it hath come when the five hundredth year is completed.
   Do we then think it to be a great and marvelous thing, if the
Creator of the universe shall bring about the resurrection of them
that have served Him with holiness in the assurance of a good faith,
seeing that He showeth to us even by a bird the magnificence of His
promise?
For He saith in a certain place And Thou shalt raise me up, and I
will praise Thee; and; I went to rest and slept, I was awaked,
for Thou art with me.
And again Job saith And Thou shall raise this my flesh which hath
endured all these things.
   With this hope therefore let our souls be bound unto Him that is
faithful in His promises and that is righteous in His judgments.
He that commanded not to lie, much more shall He Himself not lie:
for nothing is impossible with God save to lie.
Therefore let our faith in Him be kindled within us, and let us
understand that all things are nigh unto Him.
By a word of His majesty He compacted the universe; and by a word He
can destroy it.
Who shall say unto Him, What hast thou done? or who shall resist
the might of His strength? When He listeth, and as He listeth, He
will do all things; and nothing shall pass away of those things that
He hath decreed.
All things are in His sight, and nothing escapeth His counsel,
seeing that The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament
proclaimeth His handiwork. Day uttereth word unto day, and night
proclaimeth knowledge unto night; and there are neither words nor
speeches, whose voices are not heard.
   Since therefore all things are seen and heard, let us fear Him and
forsake the abominable lusts of evil works, that we maybe shielded by
His mercy from the coming judgments.
For where can any of us escape from His strong hand? And what world
will receive any of them that desert from His service?
For the holy writing saith in a certain place Where shall I go, and
where shall I be hidden from Thy face? If I ascend into the heaven,
Thou art there; if I depart into the farthest parts of the earth,
there is Thy right hand; if I make my bed in the depths, there is
Thy Spirit.
Whither then shall one depart, or where shall one flee, from Him that
embraceth the universe?
   Let us therefore approach Him in holiness of soul, lifting up pure
and undefiled hands unto Him, with love towards our gentle and
compassionate Father who made us an elect portion unto Himself.
For
thus it is written: When the Most High divided the nations, when He
dispersed the sons of Adam, He fixed the boundaries of the nations
according to the number of the angels of God. His people Jacob
became the portion of the Lord, and Israel the measurement of His
inheritance.
And in another place He saith, Behold, the Lord taketh for Himself
a nation out of the midst of the nations, as a man taketh the first
fruits of his threshing floor; and the holy of holies shall come
forth from that nation.
   Seeing then that we are the special portion of a Holy God, let us do
all things that pertain unto holiness, forsaking evil speakings,
abominable and impure embraces, drunkennesses and tumults and hateful
lusts, abominable adultery, hateful pride.
For God, He saith, resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the
lowly.
Let us therefore cleave unto those to whom grace is given from God.
Let us clothe ourselves in concord, being lowlyminded and temperate,
holding ourselves aloof from all back biting and evil speaking, being
justified by works and not by words.
For He saith, He that saith much shall hear also again. Doth the
ready talker think to be righteous?
Blessed is the offspring of a woman that liveth but a short time.
Be not thou abundant in words.
Let our praise be with God, and not of ourselves: for God hateth
them that praise themselves.
Let the testimony to our well doing be given by others, as it was
given unto our fathers who were righteous.
Boldness and arrogance and daring are for them that are accursed of
God; but forbearance and humility and gentleness are with them that
are blessed of God.
   Let us therefore cleave unto His blessing, and let us see what are
the ways of blessing. Let us study the records of the things that
have happened from the beginning.
Wherefore was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because he
wrought righteousness and truth through faith?
Isaac with confidence, as knowing the future, was led a willing
sacrifice.
Jacob with humility departed from his land because of his brother,
and went unto Laban and served; and the twelve tribes of Israel were
given unto him.
   If any man will consider them one by one in sincerity, he shall
understand the magnificence of the gifts that are given by Him.
For of Jacob are all the priests and levites who minister unto the
altar of God; of him is the Lord Jesus as concerning the flesh; of
him are kings and rulers and governors in the line of Judah; yea and
the rest of his tribes are held in no small honor, seeing that God
promised saying, Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven.
They all therefore were glorified and magnified, not through
themselves or their own works or the righteous doing which they
wrought, but through His will.
And so we, having been called through His will in Christ Jesus, are
not justified through ourselves or through our own wisdom or
understanding or piety or works which we wrought in holiness of
heart, but through faith, whereby the Almighty God justified all men
that have been from the beginning; to whom be the glory for ever and
ever. Amen.
   What then must we do, brethren? Must we idly abstain from doing
good, and forsake love? May the Master never allow this to befall us
at least; but let us hasten with instancy and zeal to accomplish
every good work.
For the Creator and Master of the universe Himself rejoiceth in His
works.
For by His exceeding great might He established the heavens, and in
His incomprehensible wisdom He set them in order. And the earth He
separated from the water that surroundeth it, and He set it firm on
the sure foundation of His own will; and the living creatures which
walk upon it He commanded to exist by His ordinance. Having before
created the sea and the living creatures therein, He enclosed it by
His own power.
Above all, as the most excellent and exceeding great work of His
intelligence, with His sacred and faultless hands He formed man in
the impress of His own image.
For thus saith God Let us make man after our image and after our
likeness. And God made man; male and female made He them.
So having finished all these things, He praised them and blessed them
and said, Increase and multiply.
We have seen that all the righteous were adorned in good works. Yea,
and the Lord Himself having adorned Himself with worlds rejoiced.
Seeing then that we have this pattern, let us conform ourselves with
all diligence to His will; let us with all our strength work the work
of righteousness.
   The good workman receiveth the bread of his work with boldness, but
the slothful and careless dareth not look his employer in the face.
It is therefore needful that we should be zealous unto well doing,
for of Him are all things:
since He forewarneth us saying, Behold, the Lord, and His reward is
before His face, to recompense each man according to his work.
He exhorteth us therefore to believe on Him with our whole heart, and
to be not idle nor careless unto every good work.
Let our boast and our confidence be in Him: let us submit ourselves
to His will; let us mark the whole host of His angels, how they stand
by and minister unto His will.
For the scripture saith, Ten thousands of ten thousands stood by
Him, and thousands of thousands ministered unto Him: and they cried
aloud, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Sabaoth; all creation is
full of His glory.
Yea, and let us ourselves then, being gathered together in concord
with intentness of heart, cry unto Him as from one mouth earnestly
that we may be made partakers of His great and glorious promises.
For He saith, Eye hath not seen and ear hath not heard, and it hath
not entered into the heart of man what great things He hath
prepared for them that patiently await Him.

