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AN ANCIENT HOMILY, COMMONLY STYLED THE SECOND EPISTLE OF CLEMENT.

Ante-Nicene / Post-Nicene Fathers · 21 sections

  1. section1.chapter1

    Brethren, it is fitting that you should think of Jesus Christ as of God,—as the Judge of the living and the dead. And it does not become us12 to think lightly13 of our salvation; for if we think little14 of Him, we shall also hope but to obtain little from Him. And those of us15 who hear carelessly of these things, as if they were of small importance, commit sin, not knowing whence we have been called, and by whom, and to what place, and how much Jesus Christ submitted to suffer for our sakes. What return, then, shall we make to Him? or what fruit that shall be worthy of that which He has given to us? For,16 indeed, how great are the benefits17 which we owe to Him! He has graciously given us light; as a Father, He has called us sons; He has saved us when we were ready to perish. What praise, then, shall we give to Him, or what return shall we make for the things which we have received?18 We were deficient19 in understanding, worshipping stones and wood, and gold, and silver, and brass, the works of men’s hand;20 and our whole life was nothing else than death. Involved in blindness, and with such darkness21 before our eyes, we have received sight, and through His will have laid aside that cloud by which we were enveloped. For He had compassion on us, and mercifully saved us, observing the many errors in which we were entangled, as well as the destruction to which we were exposed,22 and that we had23 no hope of salvation except it came to us from Him. For He called us when we were not,24 and willed that out of nothing we should attain a real existence.25

  2. section1.chapter2

    “Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for she that is desolate hath many more children than she that hath an husband.”26 In that He said, “Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not,” He referred to us, for our Church was barren before that children were given to her. But when He said, “Cry out, thou that travailest not,” He means this, that we should sincerely offer up our prayers to God, and should not, like women in travail, show signs of weakness.27 And in that He said, “For she that is desolate hath many more children than she that hath an husband,” He means that28 our people seemed to be outcast from God, but now, through believing, have become more numerous than those who are reckoned to possess God.29 And another Scripture saith, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”30 This means that those who are perishing must be saved. For it is indeed a great and admirable thing to establish, not the things which are standing, but these that are falling. Thus also did Christ desire31 to save the things which were perish- ing,32 and has saved many by coming and calling us when hastening to destruction.33

  3. section1.chapter3

    Since, then, He has displayed so great mercy towards us, and especially in this respect, that we who are living should not offer sacrifices to gods that are dead, or pay them worship, but should attain through Him to the knowledge of the true Father,34 whereby shall we show that we do indeed know Him,35 but by not denying Him through whom this knowledge has been attained? For He Himself declares,36 “Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him will I confess before My Father.”37 This, then, is our reward if we shall confess Him by whom we have been saved. But in what way shall we confess Him? By doing what He says, and not transgressing His commandments, and by honouring Him not with our lips only, but with all our heart and all our mind.38 For he says39 in Isaiah, “This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.”40

  4. section1.chapter4

    Let us, then, not only call Him Lord, for that will not save us. For He saith, “Not every one that saith to Me, Lord, Lord, shall be saved, but he that worketh righteousness.”41 Wherefore, brethren, let us confess Him by42 our works, by loving one another, by not committing adultery, or speaking evil of one another, or cherishing envy; but being continent, compassionate, and good. We ought also to sympathize with one another, and not be avaricious. By such43 works let us confess Him,44 and not by those that are of an opposite kind. And it is not fitting that we should fear men, but rather God. For this reason, if we should do such wicked things, the Lord hath said, “Even though ye were gathered together to Me45 in My very bosom, yet if ye were not to keep My commandments, I would cast you off, and say unto you, Depart from Me; I know you not whence ye are, ye workers of iniquity.”46

  5. section1.chapter5

    Wherefore, brethren, leaving willingly our sojourn in this present world, let us do the will of Him that called us, and not fear to depart out of this world. For the Lord saith, “Ye shall be as lambs in the midst of wolves.”47 And Peter answered and said unto Him,48 “What, then, if the wolves shall tear in pieces the lambs?” Jesus said unto Peter, “The lambs have no cause after they are dead to fear49 the wolves; and in like manner, fear not ye them that kill you, and can do nothing more unto you; but fear Him who, after you are dead, has power over both soul and body to cast them into hell-fire.”50 And consider,51 brethren, that the sojourning in the flesh in this world is but brief and transient, but the promise of Christ is great and wonderful, even the rest of the kingdom to come, and of life everlasting.52 By what course of conduct, then, shall we attain these things, but by leading a holy and righteous life, and by deeming these worldly things as not belonging to us, and not fixing our desires upon them? For if we desire to possess them, we fall away from the path of righteousness.53

  6. section1.chapter6

    Now the Lord declares, “No servant can serve two masters.”54 If we desire, then, to Serve both God and mammon, it will be unprofitable for us. “For what will it profit if a man gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”55 This world and the next are two enemies. The one urges to56 adultery and corruption, avarice and deceit; the other bids farewell to these things. We cannot therefore be the friends of both; and it behoves us, by renouncing the one, to make sure57 of the other. Let us reckon58 that it is better to hate the things present, since they are trifling, and transient, and corruptible; and to love those which are to come, as being good and incorruptible. For if we do the will of Christ, we shall find rest; otherwise, nothing shall deliver us from eternal punishment, if we disobey His commandments. For thus also saith the Scripture in Ezekiel, “If Noah, Job, and Daniel should rise up, they should not deliver their children in captivity.”59 Now, if men so eminently righteous60 are not able by their righteousness to deliver their children, how can we hope to61 enter into the royal residence62 of God unless we keep our baptism holy and undefiled? Or who shall be our advocate, unless we be found possessed of works of holiness and righteousness?63

  7. section1.chapter7

    Wherefore, then, my brethren, let us struggle64 with all earnestness, knowing that the contest is in our case close at hand, and that many undertake long voyages to strive for a corruptible reward;65 yet all are not crowned, but those only that have laboured hard and striven gloriously. Let us therefore so strive, that we may all be crowned. Let us run the straight66 course, even the race that is incorruptible; and let us in great numbers set out67 for it, and strive that we may be crowned. And should we not all be able to obtain the crown, let us at least come near to it. We must remember68 that he who strives in the corruptible contest, if he be found acting unfairly,69 is taken away and scourged, and cast forth from the lists. What then think ye? If one does anything unseemly in the incorruptible contest, what shall he have to bear? For of those who do not preserve the seal70 unbroken, the Scripture saith,71 “Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be a spectacle to all flesh.”72

  8. section1.chapter8

    As long, therefore, as we are upon earth, let us practice repentance, for we are as clay in the hand of the artificer. For as the potter, if he make a vessel, and it be distorted or broken in his hands, fashions it over again; but if he have before this cast it into the furnace of fire, can no longer find any help for it: so let us also, while we are in this world, repent with our whole heart of the evil deeds we have done in the flesh, that we may be saved by the Lord, while we have yet an opportunity of repentance. For after we have gone out of the world, no further power of confessing or repenting will there belong to us. Wherefore, brethren, by doing the will of the Father, and keeping the flesh holy, and observing the commandments of the Lord, we shall obtain eternal life. For the Lord saith in the Gospel, “If ye have not kept that which was small, who will commit to you the great? For I say unto you, that he that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much.”73 This, then, is what He means: “Keep the flesh holy and the seal undefiled, that ye74 may receive eternal life.”75

  9. section1.chapter9

    And let no one of you say that this very flesh shall not be judged, nor rise again. Consider ye76 in what state ye were saved, in what ye received sight,77 if not while ye were in this flesh. We must therefore preserve the flesh as the temple of God. For as ye were called in the flesh, ye shall also come to be judged in the flesh. As Christ78 the Lord who saved us, though He was first a Spirit,79 became flesh, and thus called us, so shall we also receive the reward in this flesh. Let us therefore love one another, that we may all attain to the kingdom of God. While we have an opportunity of being healed, let us yield ourselves to God that healeth us, and give to Him a recompense. Of what sort? Repentance out of a sincere heart; for He knows all things beforehand, and is acquainted with what is in our hearts. Let us therefore give Him praise,80 not with the mouth only, but also with the heart, that He may accept us as sons. For the Lord has said, “Those are My brethren who do the will of My Father.”81

  10. section1.chapter10

    Wherefore, my brethren, let us do the will of the Father who called us, that we may live; and let us earnestly82 follow after virtue, but forsake every wicked tendency83 which would lead into transgression; and flee from ungodliness, lest evils overtake us. For if we are diligent in doing good, peace will follow us. On this account, such men cannot find it, i.e., peace, as are84 influenced by human terrors, and prefer rather present enjoyment to the promise which shall afterwards be fulfilled. For they know not what torment present enjoyment incurs, or what felicity is involved in the future promise. And if, indeed, they themselves only did such things, it would be the more tolerable; but now they persist in imbuing innocent souls with their pernicious doctrines,85 not knowing that they shall receive a double condemnation, both they and those that hear them.

  11. section1.chapter11

    Let us therefore serve God with a pure heart, and we shall be righteous; but if we do not serve Him, because we believe not the promise of God, we shall be miserable. For the prophetic word also declares, “Wretched are those of a double mind, and who doubt in their heart, who say, All these things have we heard even in the times of our fathers; but though we have waited day by day, we have seen none of them accomplished. Ye fools! compare yourselves to a tree; take, for instance, the vine. First of all it sheds its leaves, then the bud appears; after that the sour grape, and then the fully-ripened fruit. So, likewise, my people have borne disturbances and afflictions, but afterwards shall they receive their good things.”86 Wherefore, my brethren, let us not be of a double mind, but let us hope and endure, that we also may obtain the reward. For He is faithful who has promised that He will bestow on every one a reward according to his works. If, therefore, we shall do righteousness in the sight of God, we shall enter into His kingdom, and shall receive the promises, “which ear hath not heard, nor eye seen, neither have entered into the heart of man.”87

  12. section1.chapter12

    Let us expect, therefore, hour by hour, the kingdom of God in love and righteousness, since we know not the day of the appearing of God. For the Lord Himself, being asked by one when His kingdom would come, replied, “When two shall be one, and that which is without as that which is within, and the male with the female, neither male nor female.”88 Now, two are one when we speak the truth one to another, and there is unfeignedly one soul in two bodies. And “that which is without as that which is within” meaneth this: He calls the soul “that which is within,” and the body “that which is without.” As, then, thy body is visible to sight, so also let thy soul be manifest by good works. And “the male with the female, neither male nor female,” this89 [The newly recovered portion follows: ]90— … meaneth,91 that a brother seeing a sister should think nothing92 about her as of a female, nor she93 think anything about him as of a male. If ye do these things, saith He,94 the kingdom of my Father shall come.

  13. section1.chapter13

    Therefore, brethren,96 let us now at length repent; let us be sober unto what is good; for we are full of much folly and wickedness. Let us blot out from us our former sins, and repenting from the soul let us be saved; and let us not become97 men-pleasers, nor let us desire to please only one another,98 but also the men that are without, by our righteousness, that the Name99 be not blasphemed on account of us.100 For the Lord also saith “Continually101 My name is blasphemed among all the Gentiles,”102 and again, “Woe103 to him on account of whom My name is blasphemed.” Wherein is it blasphemed? In your not doing what I desire.104 For the Gentiles, when they hear from our mouth the oracles of God,105 marvel at them as beautiful and great; afterwards, when they have learned that our works are not worthy of the words we speak, they then turn themselves to blasphemy, saying that it is some fable and delusion. For when they hear from us that God saith,106 “There is no thank unto you, if ye love them that love you; but there is thank unto you, if ye love your enemies and them that hate you;”107 when they hear these things, they marvel at the excellency of the goodness; but when they see that we not only do not love them that hate us, but not even them that love us, they laugh us to scorn, and the Name is blasphemed.

  14. section1.chapter14

    Wherefore,108 brethren, if we do the will of God our father, we shall be of the first Church, that is, spiritual, that hath been created before the sun and moon;109 but if we do not the will of the Lord, we shall be of the scripture that saith, “My house was made a den of robbers.”110 So then let us choose to be of the Church of life,111 that we may be saved. I do not, however, suppose ye are ignorant that the living Church is the body of Christ;112 for the scripture saith, “God made man, male and female.”113 the male is Christ, the female is the Church. And the Books114 and the Apostles plainly declare115 that the Church is not of the present, but from the beginning.116 For she was spiritual, as our Jesus also was, but was manifested in the last days that He117 might save us. Now the Church, being spiritual, was manifested in the flesh of Christ, thus signifying to us that, if any of us keep118 her in the flesh and do not corrupt her, he shall receive her again119 in the Holy Spirit: for this flesh is the copy of the spirit. No one then who corrupts the copy, shall partake of the original. 120 This then is what He meaneth, “Keep the flesh,121 that ye may partake of the spirit.” But if we say that the flesh is the church and the spirit Christ,122 then he that hath shamefully used the flesh hath shamefully used the Church. Such a one then shall not partake of the spirit, which is Christ. Such life and incorruption this flesh123 can partake of, when the Holy Spirit is joined to it. No one can utter or speak “what the lord hath prepared” for his elect.124

  15. section1.chapter15

    Now I do not think I have given you any light counsel concerning self-control,125 which if any one do he will not repent of it, but will save both himself and me who counselled him. For it is no light reward to turn again a wandering and perishing soul that it may be saved.126 For this is the recompense127 we have to return to God who created us, if he that speaketh and heareth both speaketh and heareth with faith and love. Let us therefore abide in the things which we believed, righteous and holy, that with boldness we may ask of God who saith, “While thou art yet speaking, I will say, Lo, I am here.”128 For this saying is the sign of a great promise; for the Lord saith of Himself that He is more ready to give than he that asketh to ask.129130 Being therefore partakers of so great kindness, let us not be envious of one another131 in the obtaining of so many good things. For as great as is the pleasure which these sayings have for them that have done them, so great is the condemnation they have for them that have been disobedient.

  16. section1.chapter16

    Wherefore, brethren, having received no small occasion132 for repentance, while we have the opportunity,133134 let us turn unto God that called us, while we still have Him as One that receiveth us. For if we renounce135 these enjoyments and conquer our soul in not doing these its evil desires, we shall partake of the mercy of Jesus. But ye know that the day of judgment even now “cometh as a burning oven,”136137 and some “of the heavens shall melt,” and all the earth shall be as lead melting on the fire,138139 and then the hidden and open works of men shall appear. Almsgiving therefore is a good thing, as repentance from sin; fasting is better than prayer, but almsgiving than both;140141 “but love covereth a mul- titude of sins.”142143 But prayer out of a good conscience delivereth from death. Blessed is every one that is found full of these; for alms-giving lighteneth the burden of sin.144145

  17. section1.chapter17

    Let us therefore repent from the whole heart, that no one of us perish by the way. For if we have commandments that we should also practice this,146 to draw away men from idols and instruct them, how much more ought a soul already knowing God not to perish! Let us therefore assist one another that we may also lead up those weak as to what is good,147 in order that all may be saved; and let us convert and admonish one another.148149And let us not think to give heed and believe now only, while we are admonished by the presbyters, but also when we have returned home,150151remembering the commandments152 of the Lord; and let us not be dragged away by worldly lusts, but coming153 more frequently let us attempt to make advances in the commandments of the Lord, that all being of the same mind154 we may be gathered together unto life. For the Lord said, “I come to gather together all the nations, tribes, and tongues.”155 This He speaketh of the day of His appearing, when He shall come and redeem us, each one according to his works.156 And the unbelievers “shall see His glory,” and strength; and they shall think it strange when they see the sover- eignty157 of the world in Jesus, saying, Woe unto us, Thou wast He,158 and we did not know and did not believe, and we did not obey the presbyters when they declared unto us concerning our salvation. And “their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched, and they shall be for a spectacle unto all flesh.”159 He speaketh of that day of judgment, when they shall see those among us160 that have been ungodly and acted deceitfully with the commandments of Jesus Christ. But the righteous who have done well and endured torments and hated the enjoyments of the soul, when they shall behold those that have gone astray and denied Jesus through their words or through their works, how that they are punished with grievous torments in unquenchable fire, shall be giving glory to God, saying, There will be hope for him that hath served God with his whole heart.

  18. section1.chapter18

    Let us also become of the number of them that give thanks, that have served God, and not of the ungodly that are judged. For I myself also, being an utter sinner,161162 and not yet escaped from temptation, but still being in the midst of the engines163 of the devil, give diligence to follow after righteousness, that I may have strength to come even near it,164 fearing the judgment to come.

  19. section1.chapter19

    Wherefore, brethren and sisters,165 after the God of truth hath been heard,166 I read to you an entreaty167 that ye may give heed to the things that are written, in order that ye may save both yourselves and him that readeth among you. For as a reward I ask of you that ye repent with the whole heart, thus giving to yourselves salvation and life. For by doing this we shall set a goal168 for all the young who are minded to labour169 on behalf of piety and the goodness of God. And let us not, unwise ones that we are, be affronted and sore displeased, whenever some one admonisheth and turneth us from iniquity unto righteousness. For sometimes while we are practising evil things we do not perceive it on account of the double-mindedness and unbelief that is in our breasts, and we are “darkened in our understanding” 170 by our vain lusts. Let us then practice righteousness that we may be saved unto the end. Blessed are they that obey these ordinances. Even if for a little time they suffer evil in the world,171 they shall enjoy the immortal fruit of the resurrection. Let not then the godly man be grieved, if he be wretched in the times that now are; a blessed time waits for him. He, living again above with the fathers, shall be joyful for an eternity without grief.

  20. section1.chapter20

    But neither let it trouble your understanding, that we see the unrighteous having riches and the servants of God straitened. Let us therefore, brethren and sisters, be believing: we are striving in the contest172 of the living God, we are exercised by the present life, in order that we may be crowned by that to come. No one of the righteous received fruit speedily, but awaiteth it. For if God gave shortly the recompense of the righteous, straightway we would be exercising ourselves in business, not in godliness; for we would seem to be righteous, while pursuing not what is godly but what is gainful. And on this account Divine judgment surprised a spirit that was not righteous, and loaded it with chains.173 To the only God invisible,174 the Father of truth, who sent forth to us the Saviour and Prince of incorruption,175 through whom also He manifested to us the truth and the heavenly life, to Him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.176

  21. section2

    THE CREED As set forth at Nicoea,1715 a.d. 325. We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of all things, visible and invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, only begotten, that is, of the substance of the Father; God of God; Light of light; very God of very God; begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made, both things in heaven and things in earth: Who for us men and for our salvation came down, and was incarnate, and was made man: He suffered, and rose again the third day: And ascended into heaven: And shall come again to judge the quick and the dead. And in the Holy Ghost, etc.1716 THE RATIFICATION. And those who say There was a time when He was not, or that Before He was begotten He was not, or that He was made out of nothing; or who say that The Son of God is of any other substance, or that He is changeable or unstable,—these the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes. ADDENDA, As Authorized at Constantinople, a.d. 381. (a) Of heaven and earth. (b) Begotten of the Father before all worlds. (c) By the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary. (d) Was crucified also for us, under Pontius Pilate, (e) And was buried. (f) Sitteth on the right hand of the Father, (g) Whose kingdom shall have no end. (h) The Lord, the Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father;1717 Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the prophets: In one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen. This Nicæno-Constantinopolitan Creed was solemnly ratified by the Council of Ephesus (a.d. 431) with the decree1718 that “No one1719 shall be permitted to introduce, write, or compose any other faith,1720 besides that which was defined by the holy Fathers assembled in the city of Nice, with the presence of the Holy Ghost.”

Translated/edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D. and James Donaldson, LL.D. TEI XML digitization by the University of Leipzig (Gregory Crane, Matt Munson, Digital Divide Data), via github.com/gregorycrane/nicenefathers @ 4eb88bc1d116edee81b83eb71bfeda46ef973b47. Originally published by Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International).