First Apology of Justin And, "Do not these things to be seen of men; otherwise ye have no reward from your Father which is in heaven."[26] Tertullian To His Wife Book II But since Scripture commands each of two things-namely, that we work for the Lord without the privity of any second person,[36]... [ Continue Reading ]
Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book IV "If thou doest alms," it is said, "let no one know it; and if thou fastest, anoint thyself, that God alone may know,"[208] Tertullian On the Veiling of Virgins Is it to please the brethren, or God Himself? If God Himself, He is as capable of beholding whateve... [ Continue Reading ]
Irenaeus Against Heresies Book IV And, "When thou doest thine alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth."[426] Theophilus to Autolycus Book III And those that do good it teaches not to boast, lest they become men-pleasers. For it says: "Let not your left hand know what your right... [ Continue Reading ]
Tertullian On Prayer Do the ears of God wait for sound? How, then, could Jonah's prayer find way out unto heaven from the depth of the whale's belly, through the entrails of so huge a beast; from the very abysses, through so huge a mass of sea? What superior advantage will they who pray too loudly... [ Continue Reading ]
Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book I Or go to the bee, and learn how laborious she is; for she, feeding on the whole meadow, produces one honey-comb. And if "thou prayest in the closet," as the Lord taught, "to worship in spirit,"[75] Archelaus Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes a... [ Continue Reading ]
Tertullian Of Patience of a discussion on the necessaries of faith is not idle, because it is not unfruitful. In edification no loquacity is base, if it be base at any time.[37]... [ Continue Reading ]
Tertullian On Prayer Since, however, the Lord, the Foreseer of human necessities,[65] Cyprian Treatise IV On the Lord's Prayer To those who seek God's kingdom and righteousness, He promises that all things shall be added.[57] Clementine Homily III To those who suppose that God does not foreknow... [ Continue Reading ]
Irenaeus Against Heresies Book II That God is the Creator of the world is accepted even by those very persons who in many ways speak against Him, and yet acknowledge Him, styling Him the Creator, and an angel, not to mention that all the Scriptures call out [to the same effect], and the Lord teache... [ Continue Reading ]
Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book IV And the earthly Church is the image of the heavenly, as we pray also "that the will of God may be done upon the earth as in heaven."[99] Cyprian Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews Also in the daily prayer: "Thy will be done, as in heave... [ Continue Reading ]
Tertullian On Fasting in our ordinary prayer likewise commanding us to request "bread,"[107] Didache Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us to-day our daily (needful) bread,[83]... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Clement For thus He spoke: "Be ye merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; forgive, that it may be forgiven to you; as ye do, so shall it be done unto you; as ye judge, so shall ye be judged; as ye are kind, so shall kindness be shown to you; with what measure ye mete, with the same it shall be measur... [ Continue Reading ]
Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians and persevering in fasting; beseeching in our supplications the all-seeing God "not to lead us into temptation,"[46] Tertullian De Fuga in Persecutione own power! But in the prayer prescribed to us, when we say to our Father, "Lead us not into temptation "[8... [ Continue Reading ]
Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallians Let no one of you, therefore, cherish any grudge against his neighbour. For says our Lord, "Forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you."[57] Shepherd of Hermas Similitude Ninth Will not the Lord, therefore, because of this conduct of yours regarding His Spirit... [ Continue Reading ]
Cyprian Treatise IV On the Lord's Prayer Thus, moreover, John also in his epistle warns us, and says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sins."[60]... [ Continue Reading ]
Shepherd of Hermas Commandment Tenth Cleanse yourself from this wicked grief, and you will live to God; and all will live to God who drive away grief from them, and put on all cheerfulness."[9] Tertullian On Prayer Whom does peace impede when rendering service to his Lord? What kind of sacrifice... [ Continue Reading ]
First Apology of Justin For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for it? Lay up treasure, therefore, in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt."[24] Irenaeus Against Heresies Book IV that is, consecrated [t... [ Continue Reading ]
First Apology of Justin For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for it? Lay up treasure, therefore, in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt."[24] Clement of Alexandria Exhortation to the Heathen For he t... [ Continue Reading ]
Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book VII commandments, preferring these things from believing them to exist. "For where any one's mind is, there also is his treasure."[118] Tertullian Ad Martyras The mind compasses the whole man about, and whither it wills it carries him. But where thy heart shall... [ Continue Reading ]
First Apology of Justin And let your good works shine before men, that they, seeing them, may glorify your Father which is in heaven."[27] The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs XII The good mind hath not two tongues, of blessing and of cursing, of insult and of honour, of sorrow and of joy, of... [ Continue Reading ]
Irenaeus Against Heresies Book III naming indeed Caesar as Caesar, but confessing God as God. In like manner also, that [text] which says, "Ye cannot serve two masters,"[58] Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book III Quae cum ita se habeant, vitii erat depulsio atque expurgatio, in medium apostoloru... [ Continue Reading ]
Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus that our nature was unable to attain to life, and having now revealed the Saviour who is able to save even those things which it was [formerly] impossible to save, by both these facts He desired to lead us to trust in His kindness, to esteem Him our Nourisher, Fathe... [ Continue Reading ]
Tertullian To His Wife Book I who, without any labour on their part, feeds the fowls of the heaven;[45] Cyprian Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews Also in the same place: "Behold the fowls of the heaven: for they sow not, nor reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Fa... [ Continue Reading ]
Tertullian De Spectaculis In the same way, with their high shoes, he has made the tragic actors taller, because "none can add a cubit to his stature."[20] Tertullian On the Apparel of Women Book II The wonder is, that there is no (open) contending against the Lord's prescripts! It has been pronou... [ Continue Reading ]
Tertullian On Idolatry and as an example of clothing we have the lilies.[81] Tertullian To His Wife Book I which you do not feel! Far be all this from believers, who have no care about maintenance, unless it be that we distrust the promises of God, and (His) care and providence, who clothes with... [ Continue Reading ]
Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book IV He does not term those men of little faith, but faithless and hypocrites,[60]... [ Continue Reading ]
Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book IV "Wherefore I say, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for your body, what ye shall put on. For your life is more than meat, and your body than raiment."[43] Tertullian To His Wife Book I who prohibits care to be taken about to-morrow's f... [ Continue Reading ]
Clement of Alexandria The Instructor Book II " Now pride and luxury make men waverers (or raise them aloft) from the truth; and the voluptuousness, which indulges in superfluities, leads away from the truth. Wherefore He says very beautifully, "And all these things do the nations of the world seek a... [ Continue Reading ]
Clement of Alexandria The Instructor Book II But you also oppose Scripture, seeing it expressly cries "Seek first the kingdom of heaven, and all these things shall be added unto you."[254] Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book I Of the kingly office one kind is divine,-that which is according to Go... [ Continue Reading ]
Clement of Alexandria The Instructor Book I Wherefore also in what follows He says: "Take no anxious thought for the morrow; sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."[36] Clement of Alexandria The Instructor Book I Besides, He makes preparation for a self-sufficing mode of life, for simplicit... [ Continue Reading ]
Tertullian Of Patience made patience her pre-eminent coadjutrix for amplifying and fulfilling the law, because that alone had been lacking unto the doctrine of righteousness. For men were of old wont to require "eye for eye, and tooth for tooth"[66]... [ Continue Reading ]