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
above-mentioned measures pointed out. There are body and soul, the
five senses, speech, the power of reproduction--the intellectual or
the spiritual faculty, or whatever you choose to call it. And we must,
in a word, ascending above all the others, stop at the mind; as also
certainly in the universe overleaping the nine divisions, the first
consisting of the four elements put in one place for equal interchange;
and then the seven wandering stars and the one that wanders not,
the ninth, to the perfect number, which is above the nine,[109] and
the tenth division, we must reach to the knowledge of God, to speak
briefly, desiring the Maker after the creation. Wherefore the tithes
both of the ephah and of the sacrifices were presented to God; and the
paschal feast began with the tenth day, being the transition from all
trouble, and from all objects of sense.
The Gnostic is therefore fixed by faith; but the man who thinks
himself wise touches not what pertains to the truth, moved as he is by
unstable and wavering impulses. It is therefore reasonably written,
“Cain went forth from the face of God, and dwelt in the land of Naid,
over against Eden.” Now Naid is interpreted _commotion_, and Eden
_delight_; and Faith, and Knowledge, and Peace are delight, from
which he that has disobeyed is cast out. But he that is wise in his
own eyes will not so much as listen to the beginning of the divine
commandments; but, as if his own teacher, throwing off the reins,
plunges voluntarily into a billowy commotion, sinking down to mortal
and created things from the uncreated knowledge, holding various
opinions at various times. “Those who have no guidance fall like
leaves.”[110]
Reason, the governing principle, remaining unmoved and guiding the
soul, is called its pilot. For access to the Immutable is obtained by
a truly immutable means. Thus Abraham was stationed before the Lord,
and approaching spoke.[111] And to Moses it is said, “But do thou
stand there with me.”[112] And the followers of Simon wish to be
assimilated in manners to the standing form which they adore. Faith,
therefore, and the knowledge of the truth, render the soul, which makes
them its choice, always uniform and equable. For congenial to the man
of falsehood is shifting, and change, and turning away, as to the
Gnostic are calmness, and rest, and peace. As, then, philosophy has
been brought into evil repute by pride and self-conceit, so also gnosis
by false gnosis called by the same name; of which the apostle writing
says, “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding
the profane and vain babblings and oppositions of science (gnosis)
falsely so called; which some professing, have erred concerning the
faith.”[113]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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