The Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians

The Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians

Then Moses said: No, no, Lord! “Forgive this people their sin, or else also blot me out of the book of the living.”

O Great Love! O unsurpassed perfection!

A servant speaks boldly to the Lord; he asks forgiveness for the people, or else that he himself may be blotted out with them!

Now, then, who among you is noble, who compassionate, who full of charity? Let him say: “If I am the cause of sedition, strife and division in the church, then I will depart; I will go wherever you wish; I will do whatever the church as a whole commands: only let the flock of Christ have peace with the appointed elders.”

He who acts in this way will win great glory for himself in Christ, and every place will welcome him.

For “the earth and all that is in it are the Lord’s.” Those who live a life as citizens of God’s Kingdom that never brings regrets have acted in this way and will act in this way. But let us also give some examples from the heathens. Many kings and rulers have accepted the advice of oracles during a time of pestilence and given themselves up to death in order to rescue their fellow citizens by their own blood.

Many left their own cities, which they called home, in order to prevent the spread of divisions.

We know of many in our own midst who gave themselves up to imprisonment in order to ransom others. Many gave themselves up to slavery, and with the price they received for themselves, supplied food to others.

Many women, invested with power through the grace of God, have accomplished many a manly deed.

The blessed Judith, when the city was under siege, asked the elders for leave to go into the camp of the heathens.

Exposing herself to danger, therefore, she went out for love of her country and of her people that were in a state of siege.

And the Lord delivered Holofernes into the hands of a woman.

Nor did Esther, that woman of perfect faith, expose herself to less danger in order to rescue the twelve tribes of Israel from imminent destruction.

For by fasting and self-abasement she implored the all-seeing Master, the God of the ages.

And He, seeing her humility of soul, rescued the people for whose sake she had incurred danger. Let us, too, therefore, pray for those who are guilty of some fault, that meekness and humility may be granted to them, and incline them to submit, not to us, but to the will of God.

Our compassionate remembrance of them before God and the saints will bear perfect fruit for them.

Let us, beloved, accept correction, which no one must take in bad part.

A reproof which we administer to one another is honourable and extremely helpful, for it unites us to the will of God.

For Holy scripture says as follows: “The Lord has chastised me severely again and again, but He has not given me over to death.”

For him whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He always scourges the son whom He takes to His heart.

For, the righteous man, it says, “Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness; and let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it.” And again, it says: “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.”

Therefore, do not despise the chastening of the Almighty; for He bruises, but He binds up.

He wounds, but His hands make whole.

Six times He will rescue you from distress, and the seventh time evil shall not touch you.

In famine He will rescue you from death, and in war He will deliver you from the grip of the sword.

He will hide you from the scourge of the tongue, and you shall not fear when evil approaches; you will laugh at the wicked and lawless, and of wild beasts you shall not be afraid.

Wild beasts shall leave you in peace.

Then you will find that your house will be undisturbed, and the tent in which you dwell shall not fail; you will find that your posterity will be numerous, and your children will be like the herbs of the field; you will go down into the grave like ripened corn to be harvested at the right time, or like a heap on the threshing-floor that is gathered at the appointed time.

You see, beloved, what great protection awaits those who let themselves be disciplined by the Master.

For, being a kind Father, He disciplines us in order that we may obtain mercy through His holy discipline. You, therefore, the prime agents of the divisions, submit to the ministers of the church, and bend the knees of your hearts, accept correction and change your minds.

Learn to submit, laying aside the proud and arrogant stubbornness of your tongue. For it is better for you that you should occupy a humble flesh of Christ but take an honourable place in the flock of Christ, than having highly exalted thoughts and being cast out from his flock.

For thus the excellent Wisdom says: “Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention. You have ignored all my counsel and wanted none of my reproof. I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you, when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me, because they hated knowledge and didn’t choose the fear of the Lord. They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.

Therefore, they shall eat the fruits of their own way, and be glutted with their own impiousness.

For wronging the little ones will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them. But whoever listens to me will dwell in hope and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Let us, then, be subject to His most holy and glorious name, and escape the threats which Wisdom has uttered in advance against the disobedient. Then we will find shelter, securely resting on the most holy name of His majesty.

Accept our counsel, and you shall have nothing to regret.

For, as truly as God lives, as truly as the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit live, and the faith and the hope of the elect, so truly will he who, in a humble frame of mind, with eagerness to yield, who unregretfully carries out the commandments and precepts given by God, be enrolled and be in good standing among the number of those who are on the way to salvation through Jesus Christ.

But should any disobey what has been said by Him through us, let them understand that they will entangle themselves in transgression and no small danger.

But for our part we shall be innocent of this sin.

And will offer earnest prayer and supplication that the Creator of the universe may preserve the established number of His elect in all the world through His beloved Son Jesus Christ, through whom He has called us out of darkness into light, out of ignorance into the full knowledge of the splendour of His name, that we may hope in Your name which gave life to all creation. Open the eyes of our heart, that we may know You who alone are Highest among the highest and Holy, reposing among the holy; who humbles the pride of the haughty, destroys the designs of the peoples; who raises up the lowly and humbles the lofty, makes rich and makes poor, slays and brings to life; who alone is the Benefactor of spirits and the God of all flesh. You gaze upon the deep, You behold the works of men, the Helper in danger, the Saviour in despair, the Creator and shepherd of every spirit. You multiply the nations upon the earth, and from among all You have chosen those that love You through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, through whom You have instructed, sanctified, and honoured us. We beg You, O Master, to be our Helper and Protector.

For You have made known the everlasting constitution of the world through the forces at work in it.

You, O Lord, have created the world, You who are faithful in all generations, right in Your judgments, wonderful in strength and transcendent greatness, wise in creating, and judicious in establishing what has come into being, beneficent throughout the visible world and kind toward those that trust in You.

O merciful and compassionate one, forgive us our iniquities, misdemeanours, transgressions and shortcomings!

Do not consider every sin of Your servants and servant maids; but cleanse us as only Your truth can cleanse and direct our steps to walk in holiness of heart and to do the things which are good and pleasing in Your sight and in the sight of our rulers.

Yes, Master, let Your face shine upon us, that we may do good in peace and be sheltered under Your mighty hand and delivered from every sin by Your uplifted arm, and deliver us from those who hate us without cause.

Grant unity and peace to us as well as to all the inhabitants of the earth, just as You did grant it to our fathers when they called upon You in faith and truth; grant us to be obedient to Your almighty and glorious name.

As well as to our princes and rulers on earth. You, O Master, through Your transcendent and indescribable sovereignty have given them the power of royalty, so that we, acknowledging the honour and glory conferred upon them by You, may bow to them, without in the least opposing Your will.

Grant to them, O Lord, health, peace, unity, and firmness, so that they may, without hindrance, exercise the supreme leadership You have conferred on them.

For it is You, O Master, O heavenly King of all ages, that confer upon the sons of men glory and honour and authority over the things which are upon the earth.

Do You, O Lord, direct their counsels in accord with what is good and pleasing in Your sight, so that they may piously exercise in peace and gentleness the authority You have granted them, and thus experience Your graciousness. To You, who alone are able to bestow these and even greater blessings upon us, we render thanks and praise through the High Priest and Ruler of our souls, Jesus Christ, through whom be to You the glory and majesty now and for all generations and for ever more. Amen.

What we have written to you, brethren, sufficiently explains what concerns our worship and is most helpful for a virtuous life to those who wish to live in godly fear and righteousness.

For, concerning faith and repentance and genuine love and self-control and sobriety and patient endurance--we have touched upon every subject. And reminded you that you are in duty bound to please Almighty God through piety and truth and long-suffering: you are to live in unity, without bearing malice, in love and peace, joined to constant forbearance. In this manner our forebears, mentioned above, were acceptable, and cherished a humble frame of mind toward the Father and God and Creator and all mankind.

And we have all the more pleasure in recalling this to your memory because we are well aware that we are writing to persons who are believers and highly distinguished and deeply versed in the writings that contain God’s educative revelation.

It is right, therefore, that we should adhere to so many and such notable examples and bow the neck and discharge the duty of obedience, so that, ceasing from that futile dissension.

You certainly will give us the keenest pleasure if you prove obedient to what we have written through the Holy Spirit and eradicate the lawless passion of your jealousy in accordance with the pleasure we have made in this letter for peace and unity.

We are sending trustworthy and prudent men, who have led blameless lives among us from youth to old age, that they may be witnesses between you and us.

We do this to make you feel that our whole care has been, and is, directed toward establishing speedy peace in your midst.

And now may the all-seeing God and Master of spirits and Lord of all flesh, who chose the Lord Jesus Christ and us through Him to be a people set apart for Himself, grant to every soul that invokes His transcendent and holy name--faith, fear, peace, patient endurance and long-suffering, chastity and self-control, so that they may be well-pleasing to His Name through our High Priest and Protector Jesus Christ; to Him be the glory and majesty, power and honour, both now and for evermore. Amen.

As for our representatives Claudius Ephebus and Valerius Bito, accompanied by Fortunatus, please send them back to us at your earliest convenience, full of peace and joy, that they may bring tidings of peace and unity among you without delay, for which we have prayed and longed, so that we also may the sooner rejoice over your good condition.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and with all that have been called by God anywhere in the world through Him, through whom be to Him glory and honour and power and majesty and everlasting dominion, from eternity to eternity. Amen.