Clement of Alexandria: EXHORTATION TO THE HEATHEN Complete

Translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson.

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But against the worshippers of idols he is exasperated, saying, "To whom will ye liken the Lord, or to what likeness will ye compare Him? Has not the artificer made the image, or the goldsmith melted the gold and plated it with gold?" [942] --and so on. Be not therefore idolaters, but even now beware of the threatenings; "for the graven images and the works of men's hands shall wail, or rather they that trust in them," [943] for matter is devoid of sensation. Once more he says, "The Lord will shake the cities that are inhabited, and grasp the world in His hand like a nest." [944] Why repeat to you the mysteries of wisdom, and sayings from the writings of the son of the Hebrews, the master of wisdom? "The Lord created me the beginning of His ways, in order to His works." [945] And, "The Lord giveth wisdom, and from His face proceed knowledge and understanding." [946] "How long wilt thou lie in bed, O sluggard; and when wilt thou be aroused from sleep?" [947] "but if thou show thyself no sluggard, as a fountain thy harvest shall come," [948] the "Word of the Father, the benign light, the Lord that bringeth light, faith to all, and salvation." [949] For "the Lord who created the earth by His power," as Jeremiah says, "has raised up the world by His wisdom;" [950] for wisdom, which is His word, raises us up to the truth, who have fallen prostrate before idols, and is itself the first resurrection from our fall. Whence Moses, the man of God, dissuading from all idolatry, beautifully exclaims, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is one Lord; and thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shall thou serve." [951]

[942] Isa. xl. 18, 19.

[943] Isa. x. 10, 11.

[944] Isa. x. 14.

[945] Prov. viii. 22.

[946] Prov. ii. 6.

[947] Prov. vi. 9.

[948] Prov. vi. 11.

[949] Prov. vi. 23.

[950] Jer. x. 12.

[951] Deut. vi. 4, 13, x. 20.

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