The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 1 (of 2)Clement, of Alexandria, Saint
Religion
The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Clement, of Alexandria, Saint
Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
man according to his works,”[314]--a good balance, even God having made
known to us the face of righteousness in the person of Jesus, by whom
also, as by even scales, we know God. Of this also the book of Wisdom
plainly says, “For mercy and wrath are with Him, for He alone is Lord
of both,” Lord of propitiations, and pouring forth wrath according to
the abundance of His mercy. “So also is His reproof.”[315] For the aim
of mercy and of reproof is the salvation of those who are reproved.
Now, that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus is good, the Word
Himself will again avouch: “For He is kind to the unthankful and the
evil;” and further, when He says, “Be merciful, as your Father is
merciful.”[316] Still further also He plainly says, “None is good, but
my Father, who is in heaven.”[317] In addition to these, again He
says, “My Father makes His sun to shine on all.”[318] Here it is to be
noted that He proclaims His Father to be good, and to be the Creator.
And that the Creator is just, is not disputed. And again he says, “My
Father sends rain on the just, and on the unjust.” In respect of His
sending rain, He is the Creator of the waters, and of the clouds. And
in respect of His doing so on all, He holds an even balance justly and
rightly. And as being good, He does so on just and unjust alike.
Very clearly, then, we conclude Him to be one and the same God, thus.
For the Holy Spirit has sung, “I will look to the heavens, the works
of Thy hands;”[319] and, “He who created the heavens dwells in the
heavens;” and, “Heaven is Thy throne.”[320] And the Lord says in His
prayer, “Our Father, who art in heaven.”[321] And the heavens belong
to Him, who created the world. It is indisputable, then, that the Lord
is the Son of the Creator. And if the Creator above all is confessed
to be just, and the Lord to be the Son of the Creator; then the Lord
is the Son of Him who is just. Wherefore also Paul says, “But now the
righteousness of God without the law is manifested;”[322] and again,
that you may better conceive of God, “even the righteousness of God
by the faith of Jesus Christ upon all that believe; for there is no
difference.”[323] And, witnessing further to the truth, he adds after
a little, “through the forbearance of God, in order to show that He is
just, and that Jesus is the justifier of him who is of faith.” And that
he knows that what is just is good, appears by his saying, “So that
the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good,”[324]
using both names to denote the same power. But “no one is good,” except
His Father. It is this same Father of His, then, who being one is
manifested by many powers. And this was the import of the utterance,
“No man knew the Father,”[325] who was Himself everything before the
coming of the Son. So that it is veritably clear that the God of all
is only one good, just Creator, and the Son in the Father, to whom be
glory for ever and ever, Amen. But it is not inconsistent with the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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