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Second Pseudo-Clement

Pseudo-Clementine writer

Chapter 6

About this work

Author: Pseudo-Clementine writer

Chapter VI.—How Christians Should Behave Themselves Among Heathens.

If, moreover, it chance that we go to a

‹ Chapter 5 Chapter 7 ›

place

in

which

there

are

no

Christians

,

and

it

be

important

for

us

to

stay

there

a

few

days

,

let

us

be

“

wise

as

serpents

,

and

harmless

as

doves

;

”

and

let

us

“

not

be

as

the

foolish

,

but

as

the

wise

,

”

in

all

the

self

-

restraint

of

the

fear

of

God

,

that

God

may

be

glorified

in

everything

through

our

Lord

Jesus

Christ

,

through

our

chaste

and

holy

behaviour

.

For

,

“

whether

we

eat

,

or

drink

,

or

do

anything

else

,

let

us

do

it

as

for

the

glory

of

God

.

”

Let

“

all

those

who

see

us

acknowledge

that

we

are

a

blessed

seed

,

”

“

sons

of

the

living

God

,

”

in

everything

—

in

all

our

words

in

shamefastness

,

in

purity

,

in

humility

,

forasmuch

as

we

do

not

copy

the

heathen

in

anything

,

nor

are

as

believers

like

other

men

,

but

in

everything

are

estranged

from

the

wicked

.

And

we

“

do

not

cast

that

which

is

holy

before

dogs

,

nor

pearls

before

swine

;

”

but

with

all

possible

self

-

restraint

,

and

with

all

discretion

,

and

with

all

fear

of

God

,

and

with

earnestness

of

mind

we

praise

God

.

For

we

do

not

minister

where

heathens

are

drinking

and

blaspheming

in

their

feasts

with

words

of

impurity

,

because

of

their

wickedness

.

Therefore

do

we

not

sing

psalms

to

the

heathens

,

nor

do

we

read

to

them

the

Scriptures

,

that

we

may

not

be

like

common

singers

,

either

those

who

play

on

the

lyre

,

or

those

who

sing

with

the

voice

,

or

like

soothsayers

,

as

many

are

,

who

follow

these

practices

and

do

these

things

,

that

they

may

sate

themselves

with

a

paltry

mouthful

of

bread

,

and

who

,

for

the

sake

of

a

sorry

cup

of

wine

,

go

about

“

singing

the

songs

of

the

Lord

in

the

strange

land

”

of

the

heathen

,

and

doing

what

is

not

right

.

Do

not

so

,

my

brethren

;

we

beseech

you

,

my

brethren

,

let

not

these

deeds

be

done

among

you

;

but

put

away

those

who

choose

thus

to

behave

themselves

with

infamy

and

disgrace

.

It

is

not

proper

,

my

brethren

,

that

these

things

should

be

so

.

But

we

beseech

you

,

brethren

in

righteousness

,

that

these

things

be

so

done

with

you

as

with

us

,

as

for

a

pattern

of

believers

,

and

of

those

who

shall

believe

.

Let

us

be

of

the

flock

of

Christ

,

in

all

righteousness

,

and

in

all

holy

and

unblemished

conduct

,

behaving

ourselves

with

uprightness

and

sanctity

,

as

is

right

for

believers

,

and

observing

those

things

which

are

praiseworthy

,

and

pure

,

and

holy

,

and

honourable

,

and

noble

;

and

do

ye

promote

all

those

things

which

are

profitable

.

For

ye

are

“

our

joy

,

and

our

crown

,

”

and

our

hope

,

and

our

life

,

“

if

so

be

that

ye

stand

in

the

Lord

.

”

So

be

it

!

Notes

1
Matt. x. 16.
2
Eph. v. 15.
3
1 Cor. x. 31.
4
Isa. lxi. 9.
5
Phil. ii. 15.
6
Matt. vii. 6.
7
Beelen joins “because of their wickedness” with the words that follow.
8
Or “cithara.”
9
Ps. cxxxvii. 4.
10
Or “set on foot.”
11
Phil. iv. 1.
12
Or “Amen.”