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| Chapter VII.—The Eclectic Philosophy Paves the Way for Divine Virtue.
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Chapter VII.—The Eclectic Philosophy Paves the Way for Divine Virtue.
The Greek preparatory culture, therefore, with
philosophy itself, is shown to have come down from God to men, not with
a definite direction but in the way in which showers fall down on the
good land, and on the dunghill, and on the houses. And similarly both
the grass and the wheat sprout; and the figs and any other reckless
trees grow on sepulchres. And things that grow, appear as a type of
truths. For they enjoy the same influence of the rain. But they have not
the same grace as those which spring up in rich soil, inasmuch as they are
withered or plucked up. And here we are aided by the parable of the sower,
which the Lord interpreted. For the husbandman of the soil which is among
men is one; He who from the beginning, from the foundation of the world,
sowed nutritious seeds; He who in each age rained down the Lord, the
Word. But the times and places which received [such gifts], created the
differences which exist. Further, the husbandman sows not only wheat
(of which there are many varieties), but also other seeds—barley,
and beans, and peas, and vetches, and vegetable and flower seeds. And to
the same husbandry belongs both planting and the operations necessary in
the nurseries, and gardens, and orchards, and the planning and rearing
of all sorts of trees.
In like manner, not only the care of sheep, but
the care of herds, and breeding of horses, and dogs, and bee-craft,
all arts, and to speak comprehensively, the care of flocks and the
rearing of animals, differ from each other more or less, but are
all useful for life. And philosophy—I do not mean the Stoic,
or the Platonic, or the Epicurean, or the Aristotelian, but whatever
has been well said by each of those sects, which teach righteousness
along with a science pervaded by piety,—this eclectic whole
I call philosophy.1876
| 1876
[Most important as defining Clement’s system, and his use of
this word, “philosophy.”] | But such conclusions
of human reasonings, as men have cut away and falsified, I would never
call divine.
And now we must look also at this, that if ever those
who know not how to do well, live well;1877
| 1877 Something seems wanting to complete the
sense. | for they have lighted on well-doing. Some, too, have
aimed well at the word of truth through understanding. “But
Abraham was not justified by works, but by faith.”1878
It
is therefore of no advantage to them after the end of life, even if
they do good works now, if they have not faith. Wherefore also the
Scriptures1879
| 1879 [Stillingfleet, Origines Sacræ, vol. i. p.55. Important
reference.] | were translated into the language of the Greeks,
in order that they might never be able to allege the excuse of ignorance,
inasmuch as they are able to hear also what we have in our hands,
if they only wish. One speaks in one way of the truth, in another
way the truth interprets itself. The guessing at truth is one thing,
and truth itself is another. Resemblance is one thing, the thing
itself is another. And the one results from learning and practice,
the other from power and faith. For the teaching of piety is a gift,
but faith is grace. “For by doing the will of God we know the
will of God.”1880
“Open, then,” says the Scripture,
“the gates of righteousness; and I will enter in, and confess
to the Lord.”1881
But
the paths to righteousness (since God saves in many ways, for He is good)
are many and various, and lead to the Lord’s way and gate. And
if you ask the royal and true entrance, you will hear, “This
is the gate of the Lord,
the righteous shall enter in by it.”1882
While there are many
gates open, that in righteousness is in Christ, by which all the blessed
enter, and direct their steps in the sanctity of knowledge. Now Clemens,
in his Epistle to the Corinthians, while expounding the differences
of those who are approved according to the Church, says expressly,
“One may be a believer; one may be powerful in uttering knowledge;
one may be wise in discriminating between words; one may be terrible
in deeds.”1883
| 1883 [See
vol. i. p. 18, First Epistle of Clement, chap. xlviii. S.] | E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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