His Cordial Reception by Peter.
104.
But Peter most kindly, when he heard my name, immediately ran to me and kissed me.
105.
Then, having made me sit down, he said,
You did well to receive as your guest Barnabas, preacher of the truth,
nothing fearing the rage of the insane people.
106.
You shall be blessed, for as you have deemed an ambassador of the truth worthy of all honour,
so the truth herself shall receive you a wanderer and a stranger,
and shall enroll you a citizen of her own city;
107.
and then there shall be great joy to you,
because, imparting a small favour, you shall be written heir of eternal blessings.
108.
Now, therefore, do not trouble yourself to explain your mind to me;
for Barnabas has with faithful speech informed me of all things about you and your dispositions, almost daily and without ceasing, recalling the memory of your good qualities.
109.
And to point out to you shortly,
as to a friend already of one mind with us, what is your best course;
if there is nothing to hinder you, come along with us, and hear the word of the truth, which we are going to speak in every place until we come even to the city of Rome;
and now, if you wish anything, speak.
Clements Account of his acts.
110.
Having detailed to him what purpose I had conceived from the beginning,
and how I had been distracted with vain inquiries, and all those things which at first I intimated to you, my lord James, so that I need not repeat the same things now,
111.
I willingly agreed to travel with him; for that, said I, is just what I was most eagerly desirous of.
112.
But first I should wish the scheme of truth to be expounded to me, that I may know whether the souls mortal or immortal;
and if immortal, whether it shall be brought into judgment for those things which it does here.
113.
Further, I desire to know what that righteousness is, which is pleasing to God;
144.
then, further, whether the world was created, and why it was created, and whether it is to be dissolved, and whether it is to be renovated and made better, or whether after this there shall be no world at all;
115.
and, not to mention everything, I should wish to be told what is the case with respect to these and such like things.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER FIVE
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Divisions 116-150
RECOGNITIONS 1
116.
To this Peter answered, I shall briefly impart to you the knowledge of these things, O Clement: therefore listen.
Peter's First Instruction: Causes of Ignorance.
117.
The will and counsel of God has for many reasons been concealed from men;
first, indeed, through bad instruction, wicked associations, evil habits, unprofitable conversation, and unrighteous presumptions.
118.
On account of all these, I say, first error, then contempt, then infidelity and malice, covetousness also, and vain boasting, and other such like evils,
119.
have filled the whole house of this world, like some enormous smoke, and preventing those who dwell in it from seeing its Founder aright, and from perceiving what things are pleasing to Him.
120.
What, then, is fitting for those who are within, excepting with a cry brought forth from their inmost hearts to invoke His aid, who alone is not shut up in the smoke-filled house,
that He would approach and open the door of the house, so that the smoke may be dissipated which is within, and the light of the sun which shines without may be admitted.
Instruction Continued: the True Prophet.
121.
He, therefore, whose aid is needed for the house filled with the darkness of ignorance and the smoke of vices, is He, we say, who is called the true Prophet, who alone can enlighten the souls of men, so that with their eyes they may plainly see the way of safety.
122.
For otherwise it is impossible to get knowledge of divine and eternal things, unless one learns of that true Prophet;
123.
because, as you yourself stated a little ago, the belief of things, and the opinions of causes, are estimated in proportion to the talents of their advocates:
124.
hence, also, one and the same causes now thought just, now unjust;
and what now seemed true, soon becomes false on the assertion of another.
125.
For this reason, the credit of religion and piety demanded the presence of the true Prophet, that He Himself might tell us respecting each particular, how the truth stands, and might teach us how we are to believe concerning each.
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126.
And therefore, before all else, the credentials of the prophet himself must be examined with all care;
127.
and when you have once ascertained that he is a prophet, it behooves you thenceforth to believe him in everything, and not further to discuss the particulars which he teaches,
128.
but to hold the things which he speaks as certain and sacred;
which things, although they seem to be received by faith, yet are believed on the ground of the probation previously instituted.
129.
For when once at the outset the truth of the prophet is established on examination, the rest is to be heard and held on the ground of the faith by which it is already established that he is a teacher of truth.
130.
And as it is certain that all things which pertain to divine knowledge ought to be held according to the rule of truth, so it is beyond doubt that from none but Himself alone can it be known what is true.
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