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
Besides, in addition to these ten human parts, the law appears to give
its injunctions[1144] to sight, and hearing, and smell, and touch, and
taste, and to the organs subservient to these, which are double--the
hands and the feet. For such is the formation of man. And the soul is
introduced, and previous to it the ruling faculty, by which we reason,
not produced in procreation; so that without it there is made up the
number ten, of the faculties by which all the activity of man is
carried out. For in order, straightway on man’s entering existence, his
life begins with sensations. We accordingly assert that rational and
ruling power is the cause of the constitution of the living creature;
also that this, the irrational part, is animated, and is a part of it.
Now the vital force, in which is comprehended the power of nutrition
and growth, and generally of motion, is assigned to the carnal spirit,
which has great susceptibility of motion, and passes in all directions
through the senses and the rest of the body, and through the body is
the primary subject of sensations. But the power of choice, in which
investigation, and study, and knowledge, reside, belongs to the ruling
faculty. But all the faculties are placed in relation to one--the
ruling faculty: it is through that man lives, and lives in a certain
way.
Through the corporeal spirit, then, man perceives, desires, rejoices,
is angry, is nourished, grows. It is by it, too, that thoughts and
conceptions advance to actions. And when it masters the desires, the
ruling faculty reigns.
The commandment, then, “Thou shalt not lust,” says, thou shalt not
serve the carnal spirit, but shalt rule over it; “for the flesh lusteth
against the Spirit,”[1145] and excites to disorderly conduct against
nature; “and the Spirit against the flesh” exercises sway, in order
that the conduct of the man may be according to nature.
Is not man, then, rightly said “to have been made in the image of
God?”--not in the form of his [corporeal] structure; but inasmuch
as God creates all things by the Word (λόγῳ), and the man who has
become a Gnostic performs good actions by the faculty of reason (τῷ
λογικῷ), properly therefore the two tables are also said to mean
the commandments that were given to the twofold spirits,--those
communicated before the law to that which was created, and to the
ruling faculty; and the movements of the senses are both copied in the
mind, and manifested in the activity which proceeds from the body. For
apprehension results from both combined. Again, as sensation is related
to the world of sense, so is thought to that of intellect. And actions
are twofold--those of thought, those of act.
_The First Commandment._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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