Most beloved men, your faith will be the firmer, if ye hear concerning
God's saints, how they earned the heavenly kingdom; and ye may the more
certainly call to them, if the course of their lives be known to you
through the preaching of teachers.
This holy man Clement, whom we honour on this present {559} festival, was a
disciple of the blessed apostle Peter. Then was he thriving in ghostly lore
and study so greatly, that the apostle Peter chose him for pope of the
Roman people after his day, and before his passion ordained him pope, and
placed him in his episcopal seat, that he might have care of christian men.
He had ordained two bishops previously, Linus and Clitus, but he did not
place them in his seat, as he did this holy man, whom to-day we honour.
Clement then after Peter's passion thrived in fairness of good morals, so
that he was acceptable to Jews, and heathens, and christians together. He
was liked by the heathen people, because he did not insult their gods with
contumely, but with bookly reasoning manifested to them what they were, and
where born whom they honoured as their gods, and showed to them, with
manifest proofs, their lives and ends; and said that they themselves might
easily attain to God's mercy, if they would wholly turn from their
erroneous worship. The favour of the Jewish people he got, because he truly
proved that their forefathers were called friends of God, and that God
appointed them a holy law for their lives' direction; and said, that they
would have been foremost in God's election, if with belief they had obeyed
his commandments. By the christians he was most beloved, because he had all
countries by name in his memory, and permitted not the indigent christians
of those countries to be reduced to public mendicity, but by daily
preaching he exhorted the rich and affluent to alleviate the poverty of the
christians with their affluence, lest by the gifts of heathen men they
should be corrupted.
And Dionysius, God's martyr, who through the lore and miracles of Paul the
Apostle had with holy life turned to the faith of Christ, returned at that
time from Greece to the holy pope Clement, Peter's successor, and he
received him with great honour, and in veneration expressly remitted to him
his {561} holy life, and with love retained him. Again, after a time, said
the blessed Clement to the holy man Dionysius, "Be to thee given might to
bind and to loose, so as there is to me; and go thou to the realm of the
Franks, and preach to them the gospel and the glory of heaven's kingdom."
Dionysius was then obedient to his commands, and with his companions went
to Frankland, preaching christianity with great miracles so effectually,
that the fierce heathen, as soon as they saw him, either falling sought his
feet, obeying him and God, or if any one of them was hostile, he was seized
with such great fear, that he straightways fled from his presence. Then was
all the realm of the Franks inclined to God's faith, through the preaching
and miracles of the blessed man Dionysius; and he also sent some of his
companions to Spain, to announce the word of life to that nation.
After this, Clement, the Romans' pope, was accused to the emperor Trajan,
for the great christianity which he had raised everywhere in his realm.
Then sent the emperor Trajan letters back, that the holy pope Clement
should bow to heathenism, or should be sent over sea in exile to a waste,
to which christian men condemned for belief were banished. The emperor's
command was then carried into effect, and the Almighty God had provided so
great grace for Clement, that the heathen judge bewailed his journey with
weeping, thus saying, "May the God whom thou worshipest comfort and support
thee in thy exile." And he then ordered him to be led to a ship, and all
his needs to be provided for, which he might have for sustenance. The ship
was then filled with christian men, who would not forsake the holy pope.
When he came to the waste, he found there more than two thousand christian
men, who by a longsome condemnation were set to the digging of marble, who
greatly rejoiced at his coming, with one voice saying, "Behold here is our
shepherd, behold here is the comforter of our tribulation and work." {563}
When he with persuasive words had confirmed and comforted their afflicted
minds, he was informed that they daily fetched water for themselves on
their shoulders more than six miles. Then said the blessed bishop, "Let us
with firm faith pray to the Lord Jesus, to open nearer at hand for us his
professors the veins of his wellsprings, that we may rejoice in his
benefits." When this prayer was ended, the bishop beheld on each side, and
saw on the right side a white lamb standing, which beckoned with his right
foot, as if it would show the water-vein. Then Clement understood the
lamb's beckoning, and said, "Open the earth in this place where the lamb
beckoned." His companions fulfilled his command, and straightways at the
first digging an immense wellspring sounded out, and ran forth in a great
stream. Whereupon they all greatly rejoiced, and thanked God for this
alleviation of their tribulation. Then was the saying fulfilled, which they
said at the bishop's coming, "Behold here is our shepherd, behold here is
the comforter of our tribulation."
This miracle then became known through the neighbouring provinces, and they
all visited the holy bishop with reverence, praying that he would confirm
them with his lore. He then inclined them all to God's faith, and within a
few days baptized there five hundred men; and many churches were raised
everywhere, and idols overthrown; so that within the space of one year
idolatry was not found over a neighbourhood of a hundred miles.
It happened then that certain heathens were stimulated by envy, and sent
their errand to the emperor, and announced to him that his folk were at
last all excited, and wholly turned from his worship, through Clement, the
christians' bishop. Then was the heathen emperor, Trajan, greatly excited,
and sent a cruel commander, his name was Aufidianus, who with divers
torments had killed many christian men, that he might destroy the holy
bishop with the {565} faithful folk. The impious murderer then, Aufidianus,
when he could not by any threats terrify the christians, for they all
rejoicing together hastened to martyrdom, left the folk and would compel
the bishop alone to idolatry; but when he saw that he could not in any way
incline him, he said to those under him, "Lead him to the middle of the
sea, and tie an anchor to his neck, and thrust him out into the middle of
the deep." It was then done by command of the cruel murderer, and a great
multitude of the christians stood on the sea strand, weeping and praying to
the Almighty, who created sea and earth, that they might attend his holy
body with their services.
Then said his two disciples Phoebus and Cornelius, "O ye brothers, let us
unanimously pray to our Lord, that he manifest to us the venerable presence
of his holy martyr." Whereupon the sea, at God's behest, flowing out,
cleared for them three miles of dry space, so that the christians boldly
went in, and found a new coffin of marble shaped in form of a church, and
the holy martyr's body placed therein through the ministry of angels, and
the anchor lying by his side. Then was manifested to them that they should
obtain from God, that in the course of every year, at the time of his
passion, the sea for seven days should prepare dry ground for the people,
that they within that time might seek his holy body. That happens to the
praise and honour of our Saviour, who prepared the honourable sepulchre for
his holy martyr. Then through this miracle all the unbelieving became
christians, so that there was not found in the country either heathen or
Jew that was not converted to the christian faith. But at the holy coffin
heavenly cures are permitted for diseased bodies, through the intercession
of the holy martyr. Whosoever sick seeks his sepulchre on his festival,
returns rejoicing and healthy. There are the blind enlightened, and {567}
the possessed with devils restored to reason, and all afflicted are there
made joyful; and all the faithful enjoy his benefits, and with reverence
God's mysteries are there fulfilled.
It happened in one year at his festival, that a woman with her tender child
among other persons visited the holy man. When the days of the festival
were ended, the sea came suddenly sounding, and the folk hastened away with
all speed, and the woman, through the sudden tumult, heeded not her child
before she came to land. She then passed the twelve months in sorrow, and
again after the expiration of the year, at the same festival, ran before
the folk, and approached the sepulchre with weeping, thus praying, "Thou
Lord Jesus, who didst raise the widow's only son to life, look on me in
mercy, that I, through the intercession of thy holy one who here resteth,
may obtain that for which I fervently pray." Then with this prayer she
looked to the place where she had before left the child, and found it so
sleeping as she had previously laid it. She then with great joy awakened
it, and weeping kissed it. Then she asked the child, between the kisses,
how it had fared in all the time of the year's course? The child answered
the mother, "My mother, I know not how this year's course has ended, for I
was resting in soft sleep, as thou didst leave me, until thou now again
hast awakened me." The believing folk then greatly rejoicing, praised and
blessed the Almighty Jesus, who honours his saints with signs and wonders,
and so manifests their merits.
Oft men of slight faith inquire with their foolish reason, why the Almighty
God would ever permit that the heathen should slay his saints with all
kinds of torments; but we will now relate to you some manifestation from
the old law, and also from the new, how mightily the Powerful Lord has
frequently saved his holy from the heathen host or from cruel persecutors,
and ignominiously confounded their adversaries.
{569} It happened in the fourteenth year of the reign of Hezekiah, the
Jewish king, that Sennacherib, king of Assyria, had bowed many nations with
great craft to his power, and so would he also the faithful king Hezekiah,
and sent his general Rabshakeh to the city of Jerusalem with a great host,
and by his letters contemned the power of the Almighty God, thus saying to
the beleaguered folk, "Let not Hezekiah deceive you with false hope, that
God will save you from me. I have conquered and overcome many nations, and
their gods could not shield them against my host. Who is the god that can
defend this city against my army?" Hereupon the king Hezekiah cast off his
purple robe, and put haircloth on his body, and bare the letter into God's
temple, and with outstretched limbs prayed, thus saying, "Lord, God of
hosts, thou who sittest above the company of angels, thou alone art God of
all nations; thou wroughtest heavens, and earth, and all creatures. Incline
thine ear and hear, open thine eyes and see these words, which Sennacherib
hath sent in scorn and reproach to thee and thy folk. Verily he overthrew
and burned the heathen gods, for they were not gods, but were the handiwork
of men, of wood and of stone, and he therefore brake them in pieces. Redeem
us now, Lord, from his threatening and might, that all nations may know
that thou alone art Almighty God."
Hezekiah also sent his counsellors clad in haircloth to the prophet Isaiah,
thus saying, "Raise thy prayers for the people of Israel, that the Almighty
God may hear the calumnies which the king of Assyria has sent in scorn and
reproach of his great majesty." Then answered the prophet Isaiah to the
messengers, "Say to your lord that he be fearless. God Almighty saith,
Sennacherib shall not shoot arrows into the city of Jerusalem, nor with his
shield overpower it; but I will cast a hook into his nose, and a bridle on
his lips, and I will lead him back to his people, and I will cause him to
fall under the sword's edge in his own country; and I will {571} shield the
city for myself and for my servant David." Then on that night God's angel
went, and slew of the Assyrian king's army a hundred and eighty-five
thousand men. On the morrow Sennacherib arose, and saw the dead bodies, and
turned with great shame back to the city of Nineveh. It happened then that
he was praying to his idol, and his two sons slew him with the sword, as
the prophet through the Spirit of God had prophesied.
After that Nebuchadnezzar, the Chaldean king, commanded the three believing
youths, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, to be bound hands and feet, and
cast into a burning oven; because they would not pray to his idol. But the
Almighty God, in whom they stedfastly believed, sent his angel into the
oven with the youths, and he scattered the flame from the oven, so that the
fire might not hurt them, but struck out of the oven nine and forty
fathoms, and burned the executioners who had kindled the fire. Then the
king beheld the hair and bodies of the three youths, thus saying, "Blessed
be your God, who hath sent his angel, and so mightily released his servants
from the burning oven."
Also afterwards, in the days of Cyrus the king, the Babylonians accused the
prophet Daniel, because he had cast down their idol, and said unanimously
to the beforesaid king Cyrus, "Deliver unto us Daniel, who hath cast down
our god Bel, and slain the dragon, in which we believed. If thou protectest
him, we will destroy thee and thine household." Then the king saw that they
were unanimous, and unwillingly delivered the prophet into their hands.
They then cast him into a pit, in which were seven lions, to which were
given daily two oxen and two sheep, but then all food had been withheld
from them for six days, that they might devour the man of God.
At that time there was another prophet in the land of Judah, his name was
Habakkuk, who bare for his reapers meat to the field. Then God's angel came
to him, and said, {573} "Habakkuk, bear the meat to Babylon, and give it to
Daniel, who sitteth in the lions' pit." Habakkuk answered the angel, "Sir,
I never saw the city, nor know I the pit." Then the angel seized him by the
hair, and bare him to Babylon, and set him above the pit. Then Habakkuk
cried, "Thou servant of God, Daniel, take this gift which God hath sent
thee." Daniel said, "My Lord Jesus, be to thee praise and honour, for that
thou hast remembered me." And he then ate of the dish. And the angel of the
Lord straightways brought the minister of food, Habakkuk, to the place
whence he had before taken him. Then the king Cyrus on the seventh day went
sad to the lions' pit, and looked in, and behold, there was Daniel sitting
unhurt in the midst of the lions. Then the king cried with a loud voice,
"Great is the God in whom Daniel believeth." And he then with that word
drew him from the den, and ordered those to be cast in who before would
fordo him. The king's command was quickly executed, and the prophet's
persecutors were thrust among the lions, and they straightways with greedy
jaws tore them all in pieces. Then said the king, "Let all dwellers on
earth fear and dread the God of Daniel, for he is the Redeemer and Saviour,
working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth."
In the New Testament, after Christ's passion, and his resurrection and
ascension to heaven, the Jews were filled with envy towards his apostles,
and brought them into prison. In the same night God's angel undid the locks
of the prison, and led them out, thus saying, "Go to the temple, and preach
to the folk the word of life." And they so did. Then the Jews on the morrow
deliberated concerning the destruction of the apostles, and sent to the
prison, that they might be fetched. The executioners then opened the
prison, and found no one. They then announced to their elders, "We have
found the prison fast closed, and the wards standing without, but we found
no one within."
{575} After that Herod, king of Judah, set the apostle Peter in prison
bound with two chains, and set wards within and without: but on the night
when the impious king would slay him on the morrow, God's angel came
shining from heaven, and led him out through the iron gates, and on the
morrow the prison again stood fast locked.
Domitian, the heathen emperor, commanded the evangelist John to be cast
into boiling oil, but he, through God's protection, went out as unhurt as
when he was cast in. To the same John an idolater gave poison to drink, but
he, after the draught, continued sound and uninjured.
Paul the apostle wrote concerning himself, and said, that he passed one day
and one night at the bottom of the sea. Again, on a time a serpent seized
him by the finger, but he shook it into the burning fire, and he felt
nothing of the poison.
No earthly man may by writings make known, nor with tongue relate how often
the Almighty Ruler has saved his chosen from divers perils, to the praise
and honour of his majesty. But he very often allows the impious greatly to
afflict his saints, sometimes with painful persecution, sometimes with
slaying, that fierce persecution may end for the righteous in eternal rest,
and for the murderers in eternal torment. The psalmist said, "Many are the
tribulations of the righteous, but the Lord from all these will release
them." In two ways God releases his chosen, openly and secretly. Openly
they are released, when in sight of men they are saved, as we have now
recounted to you. Secretly they are released, when through martyrdom they
come to heavenly honours. If they suffer for true faith or for
righteousness, they will then be martyrs. But if they are slain guiltless,
their innocence will lead them to the fellowship of God's saints; for
innocence ever continues secure. But if any one suffers persecution for
sins, and knows himself, so that he {577} inwardly pray for God's mercy,
then will the transient punishment prevent eternal damnation. For crimes
were the two thieves punished who were crucified with Christ, but one of
them with great faith prayed to Christ, thus saying, "Lord, think of me
when thou comest to thy kingdom." Christ answered him, "Verily I say unto
thee, now to-day thou shalt be with me in the joy of paradise." Against our
will we may lose the transitory good, but against our will we never lose
the eternal good. Though the cruel robber bereave us of our property, or
deprive us of life, he cannot take from us our faith or the eternal life,
if we do not of our own will pervert ourselves. May the true Lord save us
from all perils, and lead us to everlasting life, who liveth and reigneth
ever without end. Amen.
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