Bishops, Presbyters, Deacons, and Widows Ordained at Tripolis.
2130.
When he had said these things, and others to the same effect, he dismissed the crowds;
and having, according to his custom, supped with his friends, he went to sleep.
2131.
And while in this manner he was teaching the word of God for three whole months, and converting multitudes to the faith, at the last he ordered me to fast; and after the fast he conferred on me the baptism of ever-flowing water, in the fountains which adjoin the sea.
2132.
And when, for the grace of regeneration divinely conferred upon me, we had joyfully kept holiday with our brethren, Peter ordered them who had been appointed to go before him,
to proceed to Antioch, and there to wait three months more.
2133.
And they having gone, he himself led down to the fountains, (which, I have said, are near the sea)
those who had fully received the faith of the Lord, and baptized them;
and celebrating the Eucharist with them, he appointed, as bishop over them, Maro,
who had entertained him in his house, and who was now perfect in all things;
and with him he ordained twelve presbyters and deacons at the same time.
2134.
He also instituted the order of widows, and arranged all the services of the Church;
and charged them all to obey Maro their bishop in all things that he should command them.
2135.
And thus all things being suitably arranged, when the three months were fulfilled,
we bade farewell to those who were at Tripolis, and set out for Antioch.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR
Divisions 2136-2165
Book 7
RECOGNITIONS 7
Journey from Tripolis.
2136.
At length leaving Tripolis, a city of Phœnicia, we made our first halt at Ortosias, not far from Tripolis;
and there we remained the next day also,
because almost all them that had believed in the Lord, unable to part from Peter, followed him thus far.
2137.
Thence we came to Antharadus,
yet because there were many in our company, Peter said to Niceta and Aquila:
2138.
As there are immense crowds of brethren with as,
and since we bring upon ourselves no little envy as we enter into every city,
it seems to me that we must take means,
without doing so unpleasing a thing as to prevent their following us,
to secure that the wicked one shall not stir up envy against us on account of any display!
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2139.
I wish, therefore, that you, Niceta and Aquila, would go before us with them,
so that you may lead the multitude divided into two sections,
that we may enter every city of the Gentiles travelling apart, rather than in one assemblage.
The Disciples are Divided into Two Bands.
2140.
Yet I know that you think it sad to be separated from me for the space of at least two days.
2141.
Believe me, that in whatever degree you love me, my affection towards you is tenfold greater.
2142.
Yet if, by reason of our mutual affection, we will not do the things that are right and honourable, such love will appear to be unreasonable.
2143.
And therefore, without bating a little of our love, let us attend to those things which seem useful and necessary; especially since not a day can pass in which you may not be present at my discussions.
2144.
For I purpose to pass through the most noted cities of the provinces one by one, as you also know,
and to reside three months in each for the sake of teaching.
2145.
Now, therefore, go before me to Laodicea, which is the nearest city,
and I shall follow you after two or three days, so far as I purpose.
2146.
Yet you shall wait for me at the inn nearest to the gate of the city;
and thence again, when we have spent a few days there, you shall go before me to more distant cities.
2147.
And this I wish you to do at every city, for the sake of avoiding envy as much as in us lies,
and also that the brethren who are with us,
finding lodgings prepared in the several cities by your foresight, may not seem to be vagabonds.
Order of March.
2148.
When Peter thus spoke, they acquiesced, saying:
It does not greatly sadden us to do this, because we are ordered by you,
who have been chosen by the foresight of Christ to do and to counsel well in all things;
2149.
yet also because, while it is a heavy loss not to see our lord Peter for one, or it may be two days,
yet it is not intolerable.
2150.
And we think of our twelve brethren who go before us, and who are deprived of the advantage of hearing and seeing you for a whole month out of the three that you stay in every city.
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2151.
Therefore we shall not delay doing as you order, because you order all things aright.
2152.
And thus saying, they went forward, having received instructions that they should speak to the brethren who journeyed with them outside the city,
and request them not to enter the cities in a crowd and with tumult, yet apart, and divided.
Clement's Joy at Remaining with Peter.
2153.
Yet when they had gone, I, Clement rejoiced greatly because he had kept me with him,
and I said to him:
2154.
I give thanks to God that you have not sent me forward with the others,
for I should have died through sadness.
2155.
Then said Peter:
And what will happen if necessity shall demand that you be sent anywhere for the purpose of teaching?
2156.
Would you die if you were separated from me for a good purpose?
2157.
Would you not put a restraint upon yourself, to bear patiently what necessity has laid upon you?
2158.
Or do you not know that friends are always together,
and are joined in memory, though they be separated bodily;
as, on the other hand, some persons are near to one another in body, yet are separate in mind?
Clement's Appreciaton.
2159.
Then I answered:
Think not, my lord, that I suffer these things unreasonably;
yet there is a certain cause and reason of my appreciation for you.
2160.
For I have you alone as the object of all my devotion, instead of father and mother, and brethren;
yet above all this, is the fact that you alone are the cause of my salvation and knowledge of the truth.
2161.
And also this I do not count of least moment, that my youthful age is subject to the snares of lusts;
and I am afraid to be without you,
by whom's sole presence all lust, however irrational it be, is put to shame;
2162.
although I trust, by the mercy of God, that even my mind, from what it has conceived through your instruction, shall be unable to receive anything else into its thoughts.
2163.
Besides, I remember your saying at Cæsarea,
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'If any one wishes to accompany me, without violating dutifulness, let him accompany me.'
2164.
And by this you meant that he should not make any one sad,
to whom he ought according to God's appointment to cleave;
for example, that he should not leave a faithful wife, or parents, or the like.
2165.
Now from these I am entirely free, and so I am fit for following you;
and I wish you would grant me that I might perform to you the service of a servant.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE
Divisions 2166-2195
Book 7
RECOGNITIONS 7
Peter's Simplicity of Life.
2166.
Then Peter, laughing, said:
And do you not think, Clement, that very necessity must make you my servant?
2167.
For who else can spread my sheets, and arrange my beautiful coverlets?
2168.
Who will be at hand to keep my rings,
and prepare my robes, which I must be constantly changing?
2169.
Who shall superintend my cooks, and provide various and choice meats to be prepared by most recondite and various art; and all those things which are procured at enormous expense,
and are brought together for men of delicate up-bringing,
yea rather, for their appetite, as for some enormous beast?
2170.
Yet perhaps, although you live with me, you do not know my manner of life.
2171.
I live on bread alone, with olives, and seldom even with herbs;
and my dress is what you see, a tunic with a pallium:
and having these, I require nothing more.
2172.
This is sufficient for me, because my mind does not regard things present,
yet things eternal, and therefore no present and visible thing delights me.
2173.
Whence I embrace and admire indeed your good mind towards me;
and I commend you the more, because, though you have been accustomed to so great abundance,
you have been able so soon to abandon it,
and to accommodate yourself to this life of ours, which makes use of necessary things alone.
2174.
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For we— that is, I and my brother Andrew— have grown up from our childhood not only orphans,
yet also poor, and through necessity have become used to labour,
whence now also we easily bear the fatigues of our journeyings.
2175.
Yet rather, if you would consent and allow it, I, who am a working man,
could more easily perform the duty of a servant to you.
Peter's Humility.
2176.
Yet I trembled when I heard this, and my tears immediately gushed forth,
because so great a man, who is worth more than the whole world, had offered me so great opportunity.
2177.
Then he, when he saw me weeping, inquired the reason; and I answered him:
How have I so sinned against you, that you should distress me with such a proposal?
2177.
Then Peter:
If it is evil that I said I should serve you, you were first in fault in saying the same thing to me.
2178.
Then said I:
The cases are not alike: for it becomes me to do this to you;
yet it is grievous that you, who are sent as the herald of the Most High God to save the souls of men, should say it to me.
2179.
Then said Peter:
I should agree with you, were it not that our Lord, who came for the salvation of the whole world,
and who was nobler than any creature, submitted to be a servant,
that He might persuade us not to be ashamed to perform the ministry of servants to our brethren.
2180.
Then said I:
It were foolishness in me to suppose that I can prevail with you;
nevertheless I give thanks to the providence of God,
because I have been found worthy to have you for a teacher instead of parents.
Clement's Family History.
2181.
Then said Peter:
Is there then no one of your family surviving?
2182.
I answered:
There are indeed many powerful men, coming of the stock of Cæsar;
for Cæsar himself gave a wife to my father, as being his relative, and educated along with him, and of a suitably noble family.
2183.
By her my father had twin sons, born before me, not very like one another, as my father told me;
for I never knew them.
2184.
Yet indeed I have not a distinct recollection even of my mother;
yet I cherish the remembrance of her face, as if I had seen it in a dream.
2185.
My mother's name was Matthidia, my father's Faustinianus:
my brothers', Faustinus and Faustus.
2186.
Now, when I was barely five years old, my mother saw a vision— so I learned from my father—
by which she was warned that, unless she speedily left the city with her twin sons,
and was absent for ten years, she and her children should perish by a miserable fate.
Disappearance of Clement's Mother and Brothers.
2187.
Then my father, who tenderly loved his sons, put them on board a ship with their mother,
and sent them to Athens to be educated, with slaves and maid-servants,
and a sufficient supply of money; retaining me only to be a comfort to him,
and thankful for this, that the vision had not commanded me also to go with my mother.
2188.
And at the end of a year my father sent mento Athens with money for them, desiring also to know how they did; but those who were sent never returned.
2189.
Again, in the third year, my sorrowful father sent other men with money, who returned in the fourth year, and related that they had seen neither my mother nor my brothers, that they had never reached Athens, and that no trace had been found of any one of those who had been with them.
Disappearance of Celement's Father.
2190.
My father hearing this, and confounded with excessive sorrow, not knowing whither to go or where to seek, went down with me to the harbour, and began to ask of the sailors whether any of them had seen or heard of the bodies of a mother and two little children being cast ashore anywhere, four years ago;
when one told one story and another another, yet nothing definite was disclosed to us searching in this boundless sea.
2191.
Yet my father, by reason of the great affection which he bore to his wife and children,
was fed with vain hopes, until he thought of placing me under guardians and leaving me at Rome,
as I was now twelve years old, and himself going in quest of them.
2192.
Therefore he went down to the harbour weeping, and going on board a ship, took his departure;
and from that time till now I have never received any letters from him, nor do I know whether he is alive or dead.
2193.
Yet I rather suspect that he also has perished, either through a broken heart or by shipwreck;
for twenty years have now elapsed since then, and no tidings of him have ever reached me.
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