The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 2 (of 2)Clement, of Alexandria, Saint
Religion
The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Clement, of Alexandria, Saint
Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
are acquainted with the staves of the Ephori at Lacedæmon, inscribed
with the law on wood. But my law, as was said above, is both royal and
living; and it is right reason. “Law, which is king of all--of mortals
and immortals,” as the Bœotian Pindar sings. For Speusippus,[33] in the
first book against Cleophon, seems to write like Plato on this wise:
“For if royalty be a good thing, and the wise man the only king and
ruler, the law, which is right reason, is good;”[34] which is the case.
The Stoics teach what is in conformity with this, assigning kinghood,
priesthood, prophecy, legislation, riches, true beauty, noble birth,
freedom, to the wise man alone. But that he is exceedingly difficult to
find, is confessed even by them.
CHAPTER V.
HE PROVES BY SEVERAL EXAMPLES THAT THE GREEKS
DREW FROM THE SACRED WRITERS.
Accordingly all those above mentioned dogmas appear to have been
transmitted from Moses the great to the Greeks. That all things belong
to the wise man, is taught in these words: “And because God hath showed
me mercy, I have all things.”[35] And that he is beloved of God, God
intimates when He says, “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the
God of Jacob.”[36] For the first is found to have been expressly
called “friend;”[37] and the second is shown to have received a new
name, signifying “he that sees God;”[38] while Isaac, God in a figure
selected for Himself as a consecrated sacrifice, to be a type to us of
the economy of salvation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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