Ante-Nicene Fathers • VOLUME 8
The Twelve Patriarchs, Apocrypha, Clementine Homilies & More
SECTION 201
Chapter XVI.--Man's Ways Opposite to God's.
Chapter XVI.--Man's Ways Opposite to God's. "As in the beginning God, who is one, like a right hand and a left, made the heavens first and then the earth, so also He constituted all the combinations in order; but upon men He no more does this, but varies all the combinations. For whereas from Him the greater things come first, …
838 wordsSECTION 202Chapter XX.--Divorced for the Faith.
Chapter XX.--Divorced for the Faith. "She, therefore, having taken up a manner of life according to the law, was, with the daughter who had been healed, driven out from her home by her husband, whose sentiments were opposed to ours. But she, being faithful to her engagements, and being in affluent circumstances, remained a wido…
755 wordsSECTION 203Chapter XXIV.--Electioneering Stratagems.
Chapter XXIV.--Electioneering Stratagems. "He being absent in Egypt for the practice of magic, and John being killed, Dositheus desiring the leadership, [937] falsely gave out that Simon was dead, and succeeded to the seat. But Simon, returning not long after, and strenuously holding by the place as his own, when he met with Do…
776 wordsSECTION 204Chapter XXVII.--His Promises.
Chapter XXVII.--His Promises. When Aquila had thus spoken, his brother Nicetas said: "It is necessary, O Clement our brother, for me to mention what has been left out by Aquila. For, in the first place, God is witness that we assisted him in no impious work, but that we looked on while he wrought; and as long as he did harmless…
795 wordsSECTION 205Chapter XXXI.--A Dilemma.
Chapter XXXI.--A Dilemma. Nicetas having thus spoken, Aquila himself in turn said: "This only should I wish to learn of you, Simon, whether it is the soul or whether it is a demon that is conjured: what is it afraid of, that it does not despise the conjuration? Then Simon said: It knows that it should suffer punishment if it we…
747 wordsSECTION 206Chapter XXXV.--Discussion Postponed.
Chapter XXXV.--Discussion Postponed. When Peter had thus spoken, towards dawn Zacchæus entered and saluted us, and said to Peter: "Simon puts off the inquiry till to-morrow; for to-day is his Sabbath, which occurs at intervals of eleven days." To him Peter answered: "Say to Simon, Whenever thou wishest; and know thou that we ar…
778 wordsSECTION 207Chapter XL.--Preliminary Instruction.
Chapter XL.--Preliminary Instruction. "Everything that is spoken or written against God is false. But that we say this truly, not only for the sake of reputation, but for the sake of truth, I shall convince you when my discourse has proceeded a little further. Whence you, my most beloved Clement, ought not to be sorry at Simon'…
870 wordsSECTION 208Chapter XLV.--How God is to Be Thought of.
Chapter XLV.--How God is to Be Thought of. "Wherefore, Clement, my son, beware of thinking otherwise of God, than that He is the only God, and Lord, and Father, good and righteous, the Creator, long-suffering, merciful, the sustainer, the benefactor, ordaining love of men, counselling purity, immortal and making immortal, incom…
858 wordsSECTION 209Chapter LII.--Sins of the Saints Denied.
Chapter LII.--Sins of the Saints Denied. Then Peter answered: "Assuredly, with good reason, I neither believe anything against God, nor against the just men recorded in the law, taking for granted that they are impious imaginations. For, as I am persuaded, neither was Adam a transgressor, who was fashioned by the hands of God; …
879 wordsSECTION 210Chapter V.--Use of Errors.
Chapter V.--Use of Errors. Then I Clement, hearing this, said: "How say you, my lord, that even the falsehoods of the Scriptures are set forth happily for the proof of men?" And he answered: "The falsehoods of the Scriptures have been permitted to be written for a certain righteous reason, at the demand of evil. And when I say …
761 wordsSECTION 211Chapter X.--Simon's Intention.
Chapter X.--Simon's Intention. "Therefore Simon, who is going to discuss in public with us to-morrow, is bold against the monarchy of God, wishing to produce many statements from these Scriptures, to the effect that there are many gods, and a certain one who is not He who made this world, but who is superior to Him; and, at the…
831 wordsSECTION 212Chapter XVI.--Doctrine of Conjunction.
Chapter XVI.--Doctrine of Conjunction. "However, there are many proclaimers of error, having one chief, even the chief of wickedness, just as the Prophet of truth, being one, and being also the chief of piety, shall in His own times have as His prophets all who are found pure. But the chief cause of men being deceived is this, …
744 wordsSECTION 213Chapter XX.--Christ the Only Prophet Has Appeared in Different Ages.
Chapter XX.--Christ the Only Prophet Has Appeared in Different Ages. "But give heed to my first discourse of the truth. If any one do not allow the man fashioned by the hands of God to have had the Holy Spirit of Christ, how is he not guilty of the greatest impiety in allowing another born of an impure stock to have it? But he …
751 wordsSECTION 214Chapter XXV.--Cain's Name and Nature.
Chapter XXV.--Cain's Name and Nature. "Hence the ambiguous name which she gave to her first-born son, calling him Cain, which has a capability of interpretation in two ways; [970] for it is interpreted both Possession and Envy, as signifying that in the future he was to envy either a woman, or possessions, or the love of the pa…
813 wordsSECTION 215Chapter XXX.--Apostolic Salutation.
Chapter XXX.--Apostolic Salutation. Therefore, standing and seeing all the people gazing upon him in profound silence, and Simon the magician standing in the midst, he began to speak thus: "Peace be to all you who are in readiness to give your right hands to the truth of God, [973] which, being His great and incomparable gift i…
769 wordsSECTION 216Chapter XXXV.--"These are a Part of His Ways."
Chapter XXXV.--"These are a Part of His Ways." "And how many things besides are unknown, having eluded the sagacity of men! And of those that are within our comprehension, who of mankind knows the limit? I mean, how the heaven rolls, how the stars are borne in their courses, and what forms they have, and the subsistence of thei…
752 wordsSECTION 217Chapter XXXIX.--Defects Ascribed to God.
Chapter XXXIX.--Defects Ascribed to God. "Therefore also Adam, being made at first after his likeness, is created blind, and is said not to have knowledge of good or evil, and is found a transgressor, and is driven out of paradise, and is punished with death. In like manner also, he who made him, because he sees not in all plac…
960 wordsSECTION 218Chapter XLIII.--God's Foreknowledge.
Chapter XLIII.--God's Foreknowledge. "But if Adam, being the work of God, had foreknowledge, much more the God who created him. And that is false which is written that God reflected, as if using reasoning on account of ignorance; and that the Lord tempted Abraham, that He might know if he would endure it; and that which is writ…
763 wordsSECTION 219Chapter XLVIII.--Test of Truth.
Chapter XLVIII.--Test of Truth. Then said Simon: "Since, as you say, we must understand the things concerning God by comparing them with the creation, how is it possible to recognise the other things in the law which are from the tradition of Moses, and are true, and are mixed up with these falsehoods?" Then Peter said: "A cert…
759 wordsSECTION 220Chapter LIII.--Other Sayings of Christ.
Chapter LIII.--Other Sayings of Christ. "But also a witnessing voice was heard from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear Him.' [1003] And in addition to this, willing to convict more fully of error the prophets from whom they asserted that they had learned, He proclaimed that they died desirin…
720 wordsSECTION 221Chapter LVIII.--Flight of Simon.
Chapter LVIII.--Flight of Simon. Therefore Simon, perceiving that Peter was driving him to use the Scriptures as Jesus taught, was unwilling that the discussion should go into the doctrine concerning God, even although Peter had changed the discussion into question and answer, as Simon himself asked. However, the discussion occ…
828 wordsSECTION 222Chapter LXIII.--Zacchæus Appointed.
Chapter LXIII.--Zacchæus Appointed. "But of those who are present, whom shall I choose but Zacchæus, [1024] to whom also the Lord went in [1025] and rested, judging him worthy to be saved?" And having said this, he laid his hand upon Zacchæus, who stood by, and forced him to sit down in his own chair. But Zacchæus, falling at h…
735 wordsSECTION 223Chapter LXVIII.--"Marriage Always Honourable."
Chapter LXVIII.--"Marriage Always Honourable." "And let them inculcate marriage not only upon the young, but also upon those advanced in years, lest burning lust bring a plague upon the Church by reason of whoredom or adultery. For, above every other sin, the wickedness of adultery is hated by God, because it not only destroys …
738 wordsSECTION 224Chapter LXXII.--Ordination.
Chapter LXXII.--Ordination. And having thus spoken, he placed his hand upon Zacchæus, saying, "O Thou Ruler and Lord of all, Father and God, do Thou guard the shepherd with the flock. Thou art the cause, Thou the power. We are that which is helped; Thou the helper, the physician, the saviour, the wall, the life, the hope, the r…
758 wordsSECTION 225Chapter IV.--Simon's Doings.
Chapter IV.--Simon's Doings. But Bernice, being asked, said: "These things are indeed as you have heard; and I will tell you other things respecting this same Simon, which perhaps you do not know. For he astonishes the whole city every day, by making spectres and ghosts appear in the midst of the market-place; and when he walks…
931 wordsSECTION 226Chapter IX.--Unworthy Ends of Philosophers.
Chapter IX.--Unworthy Ends of Philosophers. "Wherefore, before beginning our conversation, let us now withdraw into some quieter place, and there I shall converse with you. And the reason why I wish to speak privately is this, because neither the multitude, nor even all the philosophers, approach honestly to the judgment of thi…
753 wordsSECTION 227Chapter XIV.--"Doctrine According to Godliness."
Chapter XIV.--"Doctrine According to Godliness." "This doctrine, even if it also be mythical, being pious, would not be without advantage for this life. For every one, in expectation of being judged by the all-seeing God, receives the greater impulse towards virtue. But if the doctrine be also true, it withdraws him who has liv…
712 wordsSECTION 228Chapter XIX.--"Where Ignorance is Bliss."
Chapter XIX.--"Where Ignorance is Bliss." "Wherefore it behoves the young not to be satisfied with those corrupting lessons, and those who are in their prime should carefully avoid listening to the mythologies of the Greeks. For lessons about their gods are much worse than ignorance, as we have shown from the case of those dwel…
841 wordsSECTION 229Chapter XXIV.--Allegory.
Chapter XXIV.--Allegory. When Appion heard this, he said: "I knew, ever since I heard that you were consorting with Jews, that you had alienated your judgment. For it has been well said by some one, Evil communications corrupt good manners.'" Then said I: "Therefore good communications correct evil manners." And Appion said: "T…
725 wordsSECTION 230Chapter III.--Clement's Trick.
Chapter III.--Clement's Trick. "I knowing this before concerning Appion, as soon as he asked me the cause of my sickness, answered feignedly, that I was suffering and distressed in my mind after the manner of young men. And to this he said, My son, speak freely as to a father: what is your soul's ailment?' And when I again groa…
814 wordsSECTION 231Chapter VIII.--Flattery or Magic.
Chapter VIII.--Flattery or Magic. "Then Appion, being really puzzled, said: What am I to say to you? For at one time, as one perturbed with love, you pray to obtain her; and anon, as if you loved her not, you make more account of your fear than your desire: and you think that if you can persuade her you shall be blameless, as w…
860 wordsSECTION 232Chapter XII.--Jupiter's Amours.
Chapter XII.--Jupiter's Amours. "And not to spend the time to no purpose in giving more examples, I shall begin with mentioning some embraces of Zeus himself, the father of gods and men. [1049] For it is impossible to mention all, on account of their multitude. Hear, therefore, the amours of this great Jupiter, which he conceal…
716 wordsSECTION 233Chapter XVI.--Praise of Unchastity.
Chapter XVI.--Praise of Unchastity. "Thus have I in part set before you the amours of all the more noted gods, beloved, that you may know that fanaticism respecting this thing is confined to senseless men. Therefore they are mortal, and spend their lives sadly, because through their zeal they proclaim those things to be evil wh…
722 wordsSECTION 234Chapter XX.--The Use Made of It.
Chapter XX.--The Use Made of It. "I therefore, having received this billet from Appion, as though I were really going to send it to a beloved one, pretended as if she had written in answer to it; and the next day, when Appion came, I gave him the reply, as if from her, as follows:-- Chapter XXI.--Answer to Appion's Letter. "I…
829 wordsSECTION 235Chapter XXV.--Better to Marry Than to Burn.
Chapter XXV.--Better to Marry Than to Burn. "Since, therefore, the erotic desire occurs for the sake of continuation and legitimate increasing, as I have said, it behoves parents providing for the chastity of their children to anticipate the desire, by imbuing them with instruction by means of chaste books, and to accustom them…
857 wordsSECTION 236Chapter II.--The Myths are Not to Be Taken Literally.
Chapter II.--The Myths are Not to Be Taken Literally. "The wisest of the ancients, men who had by hard labour learned all truth, kept the path of knowledge hid from those who were unworthy and had no taste for lessons in divine things. [1054] For it is not really true that from Ouranos and his mother Ge were born twelve childre…
873 wordsSECTION 237Chapter IV.--Origin of Chaos.
Chapter IV.--Origin of Chaos. "This matter, of four kinds, and endowed with life, was an entire infinite abyss, so to speak, in eternal stream, borne about without order, and forming every now and then countless but ineffectual combinations (which therefore it dissolved again from want of order); ripe indeed, but not able to be…
866 wordsSECTION 238Chapter VIII.--Pallas and Hera.
Chapter VIII.--Pallas and Hera. "And this, when it had reached the summit of the æther, was devoured by it (moisture being mixed with heat, so to say); and causing in it that ceaseless palpitation, it begat intelligence, which they call Pallas from this palpitating (pallesthai). [1069] And this is artistic wisdom, by which the …
771 wordsSECTION 239Chapter XIII.--Kronos and Aphrodite.
Chapter XIII.--Kronos and Aphrodite. "And the bonds of Kronos are the binding together of heaven and earth, as I have heard others allegorizing; and his mutilation is the separation and parting of the elements; for they all were severed and separated, according to their respective natures, that each kind might be arranged by it…
796 wordsSECTION 240Chapter XVIII.--The Same.
Chapter XVIII.--The Same. "Wherefore do not suppose that they were wise men, but rather evil spirits, who could cover honourable actions with wicked stories, in order that they who wish to imitate their betters may emulate these deeds of so-called gods, which yesterday in my discourse I spoke so freely of,--namely, their parric…
743 wordsSource & rights
Historical text source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The downloaded text itself records Public Domain.