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.