VIII.
Those, moreover, who have the care of the
emperor’s person should be in all things as prompt as possible;
always, as we have said, cheerful in countenance, sometimes merry, but
ever with such perfect modesty as that he may commend it above all else
in you all, and perceive that it is the true product of the religion of
Christ. You should also all be elegant and tidy in person and
attire, yet, at the same time, not in such wise as to attract notice by
extravagance or affectation, lest Christian modesty be
scandalised.
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Let every
thing be ready at its
proper time, and disposed as well as
possible in its own order. There should also be due arrangement
among you, and carefulness that no confusion appear in your work, nor
any loss of property in any way; and appropriate places should be
settled and suitably prepared, in accordance with the capacity
(
captu
) and importance of the places.
Besides this, your servants should be the most
thoroughly honest, and circumspect, and modest, and as serviceable to
you as possible. And see that you instruct and teach them in true
doctrine with all the patience and charity of Christ; but if they
despise and lightly esteem your instructions, then dismiss them, lest
their wickedness by any hap recoil upon yourselves. For sometimes
we have seen, and often we have heard, how masters have been held in
ill-repute in consequence of the wickedness of their servants.
If the emperor visits her imperial majesty, or she
him, then should ye also be most circumspect in eye and demeanour, and
in all your words. Let her mark your mastery of yourselves and
your modesty;
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and let her
followers and attendants mark
your demeanour
; let them mark it
and admire it, and by reason thereof praise Jesus Christ our Lord in
you. Let your conversation always be temperate and modest, and
seasoned with religion as with salt.
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And, further, let there be no
jealousy among you or contentiousness, which might bring you into all
manner of confusion and division, and thus also make you objects of
aversion to Christ and to the emperor, and lead you into the deepest
abomination, so that not one stone of your building could stand upon
another.
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[The
teachings of Clement had formed the minor morals of Christians.
See vol. ii. book ii. pp. 237, 284.]
1303
[Thus
is reflected the teaching of St. Paul,
1 Tim. v. 2
. All women to be
honoured
, and “all purity” to characterize society
with them.]
1304
Col. iv. 6
.