PG 1 · cols. 505–510
Pseudo-Clement, Decretal Letters I-V and Fragments (Epistolae decretales)
Letter V
Migne Reading Room
PG 1 · cols. 505–510
Letter V
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(10) · call in col 505
Siric. ep. 1, initio.
Siricius, Letter 1, at the beginning.
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(11) · call in col 505
Recogn. VI, c. 10.
Recognitions, Book VI, chapter 10.
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(12) ‹anchor: ducit lex Dei› · call in col 505
Levit. XVIII.
Leviticus 18.
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(13) ‹anchor: ut catuli› · call in col 505
cantharides, imo canthari, ut bene Turrianus ex Graeco codice lib. V, cap. 24.
"Cantharides" (beetles) — or rather "canthari" (dung-beetles), as Turrianus rightly reads from the Greek manuscript, Book V, chapter 24.
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(14) ‹anchor: volveremur in stercore› · call in col 505
Deest haec comparatio in c. Just.
This comparison is lacking in c. Just. [the canon cited as "Just."].
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(15) ‹anchor: conscientiam custodire.› · call in col 505
Recogn. VI, c. 11.
Recognitions, Book VI, chapter 11.
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(33) ‹anchor: Hierosolymitanisque directa› · call in col 505
Haec epistola encyclica est; sic dicta, quod omnibus Ecclesiis communis esset, et per manus singulis tradita, universum Christianum orbem circumiret. Diversa tamen est ab illa encyclica, in qua virginitas, teste Epiphan. haeresi 30, depraedicata fuit, quaeque suo tempore, quo integra exstabat, in sanctis Ecclesiis, ut ait, legebatur : sicut et illa quae ad Corinthios scripta fuit. Cujus autem fidei ac firmitatis sint hae quinque titulo Clementis notatae, vide Turrianum lib. II, adversus Magdeburgenses. Sev. BINIUS
This letter is encyclical, so called because it was common to all the Churches and, handed from hand to hand to each, went round the whole Christian world. It is, however, different from that encyclical in which virginity was proclaimed, as Epiphanius witnesses (Heresy 30), and which in his time, when it survived entire, was read, as he says, in the holy Churches, as was also the one written to the Corinthians. As to what credit and authority these five letters marked with Clement's name have, see Turrianus, Book II, Against the Magdeburgers. Severinus Binius.
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De communi vita et reliquis causis, suis discipulis scripta, Hierosolymitanisque directa (33).
Concerning the common life and other matters; written to his disciples, and directed to those of Jerusalem.
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(16) · call in col 506
Matth. 23, 25.
Matthew 23:25.
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(17) · call in col 506
Haec ab Hemerobaptistis Ebionitis inserta qq. videntur.
These words seem to have been inserted by the Hemerobaptist Ebionites.
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(18) ‹anchor: ut hominibus placeat.› · call in col 506
Recogn. VI, c. 12.
Recognitions, Book VI, chapter 12.
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(19) ‹anchor: placere valeatis› · call in col 506
I Cor. XIV.
1 Corinthians 14.
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(20) ‹anchor: Communis› · call in col 506
12, q. 1, Dilectiss. fratribus.
[Gratian, Decretum, Causa] 12, question 1, canon Dilectissimis fratribus.
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(21) ‹anchor: imitari volunt.› · call in col 506
Faustinianus haec dicit lib. XI Recogn., p. 138, quae refellit ipsemet Clemens.
Faustinianus says this in Book XI of the Recognitions, p. 138, and Clement himself refutes it.
(printed under page 250) (30-31) · call in col 505 De confirmatione loquitur.
He is speaking of confirmation.
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(32) ‹anchor: egent auxilio Dei› · call in col 506
Ergo omnes peccaverunt, etc. Haec conclusio calumniose reprehenditur ab haereticis : ita enim sanctus Clemens (aut qui sub ejus persona delitescit) argumentatur : Si ratio naturalis et lex colendi Deum non sufficit ad observandam hanc speciem castitatis, quam pecudes, sine ratione et lege naturae instinctu servant, et ita mutabiles sunt homines; sequitur omnes esse peccatores, et auxilio Dei egere, ad bene vivendum. Quo nihil verius, nihil subtilius, nec ad rem accommodatius dici potuit. Sev. BINIUS.
"Therefore all have sinned," etc. This conclusion is slanderously censured by the heretics; for Saint Clement (or whoever lies hidden under his person) argues thus: if natural reason and the law of worshipping God are not enough for keeping this kind of chastity, which cattle keep without reason or law by the instinct of nature, and men are thus changeable, it follows that all are sinners and need the help of God to live well. Nothing truer, nothing more subtle, nor more fitting to the matter could have been said. Severinus Binius.
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(22) ‹anchor: sapientissimus› · call in col 507
Platonem intelligit.
He means Plato.
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(23) ‹anchor: amicorum omnia› · call in col 507
In ms. atque editis Merlini et Crabbi pauca inseruntur, de quibus in notis. Ea Surius et post eum alii resecuerunt, cum tamen legantur l. X Recogn.
In the manuscript and in the editions of Merlin and Crabbe a few words are inserted, of which see the notes. Surius, and others after him, cut them out, although they are read in Book X of the Recognitions.
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(24) ‹anchor: fratres in unum› · call in col 507
Psal. CXXXII, 1.
Psalm 132:1 [133:1].
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(25) ‹anchor: pedes apostolorum› · call in col 507
Act. IV, 34.
Acts 4:34.
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(26) ‹anchor: et Sapphira› · call in col 507
Ms. Zaphira.
The manuscript reads "Zaphira".
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(27) ‹anchor: uxor ejus› · call in col 507
Act. V.
Acts 5.
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(28) ‹anchor: nobis praesentibus› · call in col 507
Non videtur tunc Hierosolymis exstitisse Clemens, natione Romanus, qui plures post annos fidem suscepit. Verba Latinii notis nostris inseremus
Clement, a Roman by birth, who received the faith many years later, does not seem to have been at Jerusalem then. We shall insert Latinius's words in our notes.
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(29) ‹anchor: de talibus› · call in col 507
Ms. caetera, quae talia.
The manuscript reads "the other things, which are such".
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(30) ‹anchor: Relatum est› · call in col 507
Dist. 37, Relatum est.
[Gratian, Decretum,] Distinction 37, canon Relatum est.
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(31) ‹anchor: traditionem Patris› · call in col 507
traditiones Patrum.
Variant: "the traditions of the Fathers".
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(32) ‹anchor: Multas enim› · call in col 507
Recognit. X, c. 42.
Recognitions, Book X, chapter 42.
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(33) · call in col 508
Recognit., ad suum. Haec quoque ex Harduino desumpta sunt.
Recognitions: "to his own". These too are taken from Hardouin.
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(34) · call in col 508
ut quoquomodo.
Variant: "that in whatever way".
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(35) · call in col 508
Recognit. X, c. 43.
Recognitions, Book X, chapter 43.
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(36) ‹anchor: et sat agere› · call in col 508
satisagere.
Variant: "satisagere" (to be busy, take pains).
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(37) ‹anchor: Unde, consilium dantes› · call in col 508
2, q. 1, Dilectiss. fratribus.
[Gratian, Decretum, Causa] 2, question 1, canon Dilectissimis fratribus.
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(38) ‹anchor: mali interitus› · call in col 508
inter vos.
Variant: "among you".
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