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
nephew of Plato, says that happiness is a perfect state in those who
conduct themselves in accordance with nature, or the state of the good:
for which condition all men have a desire, but the good only attain
to quietude; consequently the virtues are the authors of happiness.
And Xenocrates the Chalcedonian defines happiness to be the possession
of virtue, strictly so called, and of the power subservient to it.
Then he clearly says, that the seat in which it resides is the soul;
that by which it is effected, the virtues; and that of these as parts
are formed praiseworthy actions, good habits and dispositions, and
motions, and relations; and that corporeal and external objects are
not without these. For Polemo, the disciple of Xenocrates, seems of
the opinion that happiness is sufficiency of all good things, or of
the most and greatest. He lays down the doctrine, then, that happiness
never exists without virtue; and that virtue, apart from corporeal
and external objects, is sufficient for happiness. Let these things
be so. The contradictions to the opinions specified shall be adduced
in due time. But on us it is incumbent to reach the unaccomplished
end, obeying the commands--that is, God--and living according to them,
irreproachably and intelligently, through knowledge of the divine will;
and assimilation as far as possible in accordance with right reason is
the end, and restoration to perfect adoption by the Son, which ever
glorifies the Father by the great High Priest who has deigned to call
us brethren and fellow-heirs. And the apostle, succinctly describing
the end, writes in the Epistle to the Romans: “But now, being made
free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto
holiness, and the end everlasting life.”[243] And viewing the hope as
twofold--that which is expected, and that which has been received--he
now teaches the end to be the restitution of the hope. “For patience,”
he says, “worketh experience, and experience hope: and hope maketh
not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by
the Holy Spirit that is given to us.”[244] On account of which love
and the restoration to hope, he says, in another place, “_which
rest_ is laid up for us.”[245] You will find in Ezekiel the like,
as follows: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. And the man who
shall be righteous, and shall do judgment and justice, who has not
eaten on the mountains, nor lifted his eyes to the idols of the house
of Israel, and hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife, and hath not
approached to a woman in the time of her uncleanness (for he does not
wish the seed of man to be dishonoured), and will not injure a man;
will restore the debtor’s pledge, and will not take usury; will turn
away his hand from wrong; will do true judgment between a man and his
neighbour; will walk in my ordinances, and keep my commandments, so as
to do the truth; he is righteous, he shall surely live, saith Adonai
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