The writings of the Apostolic FathersClement I, Pope
General
The writings of the Apostolic Fathers
Clement I, Pope
Apostolic Fathers; Christian literature, Early
“I gave you,” he said, “directions in the first commandment to attend to
faith, and fear, and self-restraint.” “Even so, sir,” said I. And he
said, “Now I wish to show you the powers of these, that you may know
what power each possesses. For their powers are double, and have
relation alike to the righteous and the unrighteous. Trust you,
therefore, the righteous, but put no trust in the unrighteous. For the
path of righteousness is straight, but that of unrighteousness is
crooked. But walk in the straight and even way, and mind not the
crooked. For the crooked path has no roads, but has many pathless places
and stumbling-blocks in it, and it is rough and thorny. It is injurious
to those who walk therein. But they who walk in the straight road walk
evenly without stumbling, because it is neither rough nor thorny. You
see, then, that it is better to walk in this road.” “I wish to go by
this road,” said I. “You will go by it,” said he; “and whoever turns to
the Lord with all his heart will walk in it.”
CHAP. II.
“Hear now,” said he, “in regard to faith. There are two angels with a
man—one of righteousness, and the other of iniquity.” And I said to him,
“How, sir, am I to know the powers of these, for both angels dwell with
me?” “Hear,” said he, “and understand them. The angel of righteousness
is gentle and modest, meek and peaceful. When, therefore, he ascends
into your heart, forthwith he talks to you of righteousness, purity,
chastity, contentment, and of every righteous deed and glorious virtue.
When all these ascend into your heart,[1656] know that the angel of
righteousness is with you. These are the deeds of the angel of
righteousness. Trust him, then, and his works. Look now at the works of
the angel of iniquity. First, he is wrathful, and bitter, and foolish,
and his works are evil, and ruin the servants of God. When, then, he
ascends into your heart, know him by his works.” And I said to him,
“How, sir, I shall perceive him, I do not know.” “Hear and understand,”
said he. “When anger comes upon you, or harshness, know that he is in
you; and you will know this to be the case also, when you are attacked
by a longing after many transactions,[1657] and the richest delicacies,
and drunken revels, and divers luxuries, and things improper, and by a
hankering after women, and by overreaching, and pride, and blustering,
and by whatever is like to these. When these ascend into your heart,
know that the angel of iniquity is in you. Now that you know his works,
depart from him, and in no respect trust him, because his deeds are
evil, and unprofitable to the servants of God. These, then, are the
actions of both angels. Understand them, and trust the angel of
righteousness; but depart from the angel of iniquity, because his
instruction is bad in every deed.[1658] For though a man be most
faithful,[1659] and the thought of this angel ascend into his heart,
that man or woman must sin.
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