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The Clementine Homilies

Anonymous Pseudo-Clementine compiler

Chapter 33

About this work

Author: Anonymous Pseudo-Clementine compiler

Chapter XXXIII.—Doctrine of Pairs.

These things having been thus spoken, the excellent Peter himself also

‹ Chapter 32 Chapter 34 ›

proceeded

to

speak

:

“

You

must

perceive

,

brethren

,

the

truth

of

the

rule

of

conjunction

,

from

which

he

who

departs

not

cannot

be

misled

.

For

since

,

as

we

have

said

,

we

see

all

things

in

pairs

and

contraries

,

and

as

the

night

is

first

,

and

then

the

day

;

and

first

ignorance

,

then

knowledge

;

first

disease

,

then

healing

,

so

the

things

of

error

come

first

into

our

life

,

then

truth

supervenes

,

as

the

physician

upon

the

disease

.

Therefore

straightway

,

when

our

God

-

loved

nation

was

about

to

be

ransomed

from

the

oppression

of

the

Egyptians

,

first

diseases

were

produced

by

means

of

the

rod

turned

into

a

serpent

,

which

was

given

to

Aaron

,

and

then

remedies

were

superinduced

by

the

prayers

of

Moses

.

And

now

also

,

when

the

Gentiles

are

about

to

be

ransomed

from

the

superstition

with

respect

to

idols

,

wickedness

,

which

reigns

over

them

,

has

by

anticipation

sent

forth

her

ally

like

another

serpent

,

even

this

Simon

whom

you

see

,

who

works

wonders

to

astonish

and

deceive

,

not

signs

of

healing

to

convert

and

save

.

Wherefore

it

behoves

you

also

from

the

miracles

that

are

done

to

judge

the

doers

,

what

is

the

character

of

the

performer

,

and

what

that

of

the

deed

.

If

he

do

unprofitable

miracles

,

he

is

the

agent

of

wickedness

;

but

if

he

do

profitable

things

,

he

is

a

leader

of

goodness

.

Chapter XXXIII.—Works of Creation.

“He alone turned into the four contrary elements the one, first, simple substance. Thus combining them, He made of them myriads of compounds, that, being turned into opposite natures, and mingled, they might effect the pleasure of life from the combination of contraries. In like manner, He alone, having created races of angels and spirits by the Fiat of His will, peopled the heavens; as also He decked the visible firmament with stars, to which also He assigned their paths and arranged their courses. He compacted the earth for the production of fruits. He set bounds to the sea, marking out a dwelling-place on the dry land. He stores up the things in Hades, designating it as the place of souls; and He filled all places with air, that all living creatures might be able to breathe safely in order that they might live.

Chapter XXXIII.—The Queen of the South and the Men of Nineveh.

“But that indeed in the day of judgment the doings of those who have known the truth are compared with the good deeds of those who have been in error, the unlying One Himself has taught us, saying to those who neglected to come and listen to Him, ‘The queen of the south shall rise up with this generation, and shall condemn it; because she came from the extremities of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon: and behold, a greater than Solomon is here,’ and ye do not believe Him. And to those amongst the people who would not repent at His preaching He said, ‘The men of Nineveh shall rise up with this generation and shall condemn it, for they heard and repented on the preaching of Jonas: and behold, a greater is here, and no one believes.’ And thus, setting over against all their impiety those from among the Gentiles who have done well, in order to condemn those who, possessing the true religion, had not acted so well as those who were in error, he exhorted those having reason not only to do equally with the Gentiles whatsoever things are excellent, but more than they. And this speech has been suggested to me, taking occasion from the necessity of respecting the separation, and of washing after copulation, and of not denying such purity, though those who are in error do the same, since those who in error do well, without being saved, are for the condemnation of those who are in the worship of God, and do ill; because their respect for purity is through error, and not through the worship of the true Father and God of all.”

Chapter XXXIII.—Fear and Love.

But I, hearing this, said: “These things, indeed, it is impossible to do; but to do good to enemies, bearing all their insolences, I do not think can possibly be in human nature.” Then Peter answered: “You have said truly; for philanthropy, being the cause of immortality, is given for much.” Then I said, “How then is it possible to get it in the mind?” Then Peter answered: “O beloved Clement, the way to get it is this: if any one be persuaded that enemies, ill-using for a time those whom they hate, become the cause to them of deliverances from eternal punishment; and forthwith he will ardently love them as benefactors. But the way to get it, O dear Clement, is but one, which is the fear of God. For he who fears God cannot indeed from the first love his neighbour as himself; for such an order does not occur to the soul. But by the fear of God he is able to do the things of those who love; and thus, while he does the deeds of love, the bride Love is, as it were, brought to the bridegroom Fear. And thus this bride, bringing forth philanthropic thoughts, makes her possessor immortal, as an accurate image of God, which cannot be subject in its nature to corruption.” Thus while he expounded to us the doctrine of philanthropy, the evening having set in, we turned to sleep.

Notes

1
[Chaps. 32, 34, find a parallel in Recognitions, iii. 59, 60, at the close of the discussion with Simon.—R.]
1
This is rather a paraphrase than a strict translation.
2
Various reading, “assigned it the sea as a habitation for aquatic animals.”
1
Matt. xii. 42; [Luke xi. 31.—R.]
2
[Matt. xii. 41]; Luke xi. 32. [The order of the two citations suggests that they were taken from Luke.—R.]