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
thou shalt pass over another’s river,” that rushes along and sweeps
down to the sea; into which he is cast who, having diverged from the
stability which is according to truth, rushes back into the heathenish
and tumultuous waves of life.
CHAPTER XX.
IN WHAT RESPECT PHILOSOPHY CONTRIBUTES TO THE
COMPREHENSION OF DIVINE TRUTH.
As many men drawing down the ship, cannot be called many causes, but
one cause consisting of many;--for each individual by himself is
not the cause of the ship being drawn, but along with the rest;--so
also philosophy, being the search for truth, contributes to the
comprehension of truth; not as being the cause of comprehension, but
a cause along with other things, and co-operator; perhaps also a
joint cause. And as the several virtues are causes of the happiness
of one individual; and as both the sun, and the fire, and the bath,
and clothing are of one getting warm: so while truth is one, many
things contribute to its investigation. But its discovery is by the
Son. If then we consider, virtue is, in power, one. But it is the
case, that when exhibited in some things, it is called prudence, in
others temperance, and in others manliness or righteousness. By the
same analogy, while truth is one, in geometry there is the truth
of geometry; in music, that of music; and in the right philosophy,
there will be Hellenic truth. But that is the only authentic truth,
unassailable, in which we are instructed by the Son of God. In the
same way we say, that the drachma being one and the same, when given
to the shipmaster, is called the fare; to the tax-gatherer, tax; to
the landlord, rent; to the teacher, fees; to the seller, an earnest.
And each, whether it be virtue or truth, called by the same name, is
the cause of its own peculiar effect alone; and from the blending of
them arises a happy life. For we are not made happy by names alone,
when we say that a good life is happiness, and that the man who is
adorned in his soul with virtue is happy. But if philosophy contributes
remotely to the discovery of truth, by reaching, by diverse essays,
after the knowledge which touches close on the truth, the knowledge
possessed by us, it aids him who aims at grasping it, in accordance
with the Word, to apprehend knowledge. But the Hellenic truth is
distinct from that held by us (although it has got the same name),
both in respect of extent of knowledge, certainty of demonstration,
divine power, and the like. For we are taught of God, being instructed
in the truly “sacred letters”[987] by the Son of God. Whence those, to
whom we refer, influence souls not in the way we do, but by different
teaching. And if, for the sake of those who are fond of fault-finding,
we must draw a distinction, by saying that philosophy is a concurrent
and co-operating cause of true apprehension, being the search for
truth, then we shall avow it to be a preparatory training for the
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