h Greek
philosophy was subjected in Neoplatonism, and the absurdities into which
the Christian dogmatic was led, arose from the fact that the tradition
of placing the ethical and religious feelings and the development of
character within the sphere of knowledge, as had been the case for
nearly a thousand years, could not be got rid of, though the incongruity
was no doubt felt. Contempt for empiricism, scepticism, the
extravagancies of religious metaphysics which finally become mythology,
have their origin here. Knowledge still continues to be viewed as the
highest possession; it is, however, no longer knowledge, but character
and feeling; and it must be nourished by the fancy in order to be able
to assert itself as knowledge.]

[Footnote 673: Clement was not a Neoplatonic mystic in the strict sense
of the word. When he describes the highest ethical ideal, ecstasy is
wanting; and the freshness with which he describes Quietism shows that
he himself was no Quietist. See on this point Bigg's third lecture,
l.c., particularly p. 98 f. "... The silent prayer of the Quietist is in
fact ecstasy, of which there is not a trace in Clement. For Clement
shrank from his own conclusions. Though the father of all the Mystics he
is no Mystic himself. He did not enter the 'enchanted garden,' which he
opened for others. If he talks of 'flaying the sacrifice,' of leaving
sense behind, of Epopteia, this is but the parlance of his school. The
instrument to which he looks for growth in knowledge is not trance, but
disciplined reason. Hence Gnosis, when once obtained, is indefectible,
not like the rapture which Plotinus enjoyed but four times during his
acquaintance with Porphyry, which in the experience of Theresa never
lasted more than half an hour. The Gnostic is no Visionary, no
Theurgist, no Antinomian."]

[Footnote 674: What a bold and joyous thinker Clement was is shown by
the almost audacious remark in Strom. IV. 22. 136: [Greek: ei goun tis
kath' hypothesin protheie to gnostiko poteron helesthai bouloito ten
gnosin tou Theou e ten soterian ten aionian, ein de tauta kechorismena
pantos mallon en tautotete onta, oude kath' otioun distasas heloit an
ten gnosin tou Theou.]]

[Footnote 675: Strom. VII. 1. 1. In several passages of his main work
Clement refers to those churchmen who viewed the practical and
speculative concentration of Church tradition as dangerous and
questioned the use of philosophy at all. See Strom. VI. 10. 80: [Gree