Translation
Hide
The Second Epistle of Clement
Chapter XV.--He Who Saves and He Who is Saved.
I think not that I counted trivial counsel concerning continence; following it, a man will not repent thereof, but will save both himself and me who counselled. 1 For it is no small reward to turn back a wandering and perishing soul for its salvation. 2 For this recompense we are able to render to the God who created us, if he who speaks and hears both speak and hear with faith and love. Let us, therefore, continue in that course in which we, righteous and holy, believed, that with confidence we may ask God who saith, "Whilst thou art still speaking, I will say, Here I am." 3 For these words are a token of a great promise, for the Lord saith that He is more ready to give than he who asks. So great, then, being the goodness of which we are partakers, let us not grudge one another the attainment of so great blessings. For in proportion to the pleasure with which these words are fraught to those who shall follow them, in that proportion is the condemnation with which they are fraught to those who shall refuse to hear.
Translation
Hide
An ancient Homily, commonly styled the second epistle of Clement
Chap. xv.--faith and love the proper return to god.
Now I do not think I have given you any light counsel concerning self-control, 1 which if any one do he will not repent of it, but will save both himself and me who counselled him. For it is no light reward to turn again a wandering and perishing soul that it may be saved. 2 For this is the recompense 3 we have to return to God who created us, if he that speaketh and heareth both speaketh and heareth with faith and love. Let us therefore abide in the things which we believed, righteous and holy, that with boldness we may ask of God who saith, "While thou art yet speaking, I will say, Lo, I am here." 4 For this saying is the sign of a great promise; for the Lord saith of Himself that He is more ready to give than he that asketh to ask. 5 6 Being therefore partakers of so great kindness, let us not be envious of one another 7 in the obtaining of so many good things. For as great as is the pleasure which these sayings have for them that have done them, so great is the condemnation they have for them that have been disobedient.
-
peri` enkratei'as, "temperance" in the wide New-Testament sense. Lightfoot, "continence;" in these days the prominent danger was from libidinous sins. ↩
-
Comp. Jas. v. 19, 20, with which our passage has many verbal correspondences. ↩
-
"A favorite word with our author, especially in this connection."--Lightfoot. ↩
-
Isa. lviii. 9, LXX. ↩
-
ei's to` dido'nai tou ai'tountos; the sense of the elliptical construction is obviously as above. ↩
-
heautois. Here again in the reciprocal sense; comp. chap. xiii. ↩