The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians

Let this Scripture be far from us in which he says Wretched are the double-minded, who doubt in their soul and say We have heard these things even in the days of our fathers, and behold we have grown old, and none of these things has happened to us.

Oh, foolish men, compare yourself to a tree: take a vine, first it sheds its leaves, then there comes a bud, then a leaf, then a flower, and after this the unripe grape, then the full bunch.[*](This quotation which is also found in II. Clem. 11, 2, cannot be identified. Some think it is from the lost apocalypse of Eldad and Modad. Cf. Hermas, Vis. 2, 3.) See how in a little time the fruit of the tree comes to ripeness.

Truly his will shall be quickly and suddenly accomplished, as the Scripture also bears witness that he shall come quickly and shall not tarry; and the Lord shall suddenly come to his temple, and the Holy One for whom ye look.

Let us consider, beloved, how the Master continually[*](The resurrection foreshadowed in Nature) proves to us that there will be a future resurrection, of which he has made the first-fruits, by raising the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead.

Let us look, beloved, at the resurrection which is taking place at its proper season.

Day and night show us a resurrection. The night sleeps, the day arises: the day departs, night comes on.

Let us take the crops: how and in what way does the

The sower went forth and cast each of the seeds into the ground,, and they fall on to the ground, parched and bare, and suffer decay; then from their decay the greatness of the providence of the Master raises them up, and from one grain more grow and bring forth fruit.

Let us consider the strange sign which takes[*](The Phoenix as a sign of the resurrection) place in the East, that is in the districts near Arabia.

There is a bird which is called the Phoenix. This is the only one of its kind, and lives 500 years; and when the time of its dissolution in death is at hand, it makes itself a sepulchre of frankincense and myrrh and other spices, and when the time is fulfilled it enters into it and dies.

Now, from the corruption of its flesh there springs a worm, which is nourished by the juices of the dead bird, and puts forth wings. Then, wrhen it has become strong, it takes up that sepulchre, in which are the bones of its predecessor, and carries them from the country of Arabia as far as Egypt until it reaches the city called Heliopolis,

and in the daylight in the sight of all it flies to the altar of the Sun, places them there, and then starts back to its former home.

Then the priests inspect the registers of dates, and they find that it has come at the fulfilment of the 500th year.[*](The same story, with variations, is found in Herodotus (ii. 73), Pliny (Nat. Hist. x. 2), etc. It was supposed by Christians to be sanctioned by the LXX version of Ps. xcii. 12, where there is a confusion between φοῖνιξ = phoenix, and φοῖνιξ = palm tree.)

Do we then consider it a great and wonderful[*](The resurrection promised in the Scriptures) thing that the creator of the universe will bring about the resurrection of those who served him in holiness, in the confidence of a good faith, when he shows us the greatness of his promise even through a bird?

For he says in one place And thou shalt raise me up, and I will praise thee, and I laid me down and slept, I rose up, for thou art with me.

And again Job says And thou shalt raise up this my flesh which has endured all these things.

In this hope then let our souls be bound to[*](The necessity of cleaving to God) him who is faithful in his promises and righteous in his judgments.