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
But it is said we do not all philosophize. Do we not all, then, follow
after life? What sayest thou? How hast thou believed? How, pray, dost
thou love God and thy neighbour, if thou dost not philosophize? And how
dost thou love thyself, if thou dost not love life? It is said, I have
not learned letters; but if thou hast not learned to read, thou canst
not excuse thyself in the case of hearing, for it is not taught. And
faith is the possession not of the wise according to the world, but
of those according to God; and it is taught without letters; and its
handbook, at once rude and divine, is called love--a spiritual book.
It is in your power to listen to divine wisdom, ay, and to frame your
life in accordance with it. Nay, you are not prohibited from conducting
affairs in the world decorously according to God. Let not him who sells
or buys aught name two prices for what he buys or sells; but stating
the net price, and studying to speak the truth, if he get not his
price, he gets the truth, and is rich in the possession of rectitude.
But, above all, let an oath on account of what is sold be far from you;
and let swearing, too, on account of other things be banished.
And in this way let those who frequent the market-place and the shop
philosophize. “For thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in
vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in
vain.”[742]
But those who act contrary to these things--the avaricious, the liars,
the hypocrites, those who make merchandise of the truth--the Lord cast
out of His Father’s court,[743] not willing that the holy house of
God should be the house of unrighteous traffic either in words or in
material things.
_Going to Church._
Woman and man are to go to church decently attired, with natural step,
embracing silence, possessing unfeigned love, pure in body, pure in
heart, fit to pray to God. Let the woman observe this, further. Let her
be entirely covered, unless she happen to be at home. For that style of
dress is grave, and protects from being gazed at. And she will never
fall, who puts before her eyes modesty, and her shawl; nor will she
invite another to fall into sin by uncovering her face. For this is the
wish of the Word, since it is becoming for her to pray veiled.[744]
They say that the wife of Æneas, through excess of propriety, did not,
even in her terror at the capture of Troy, uncover herself; but, though
fleeing from the conflagration, remained veiled.
_Out of Church._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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