uent experience of those taught by the Great Ones, for Their
presence stimulates and renders active powers which are normally latent,
and which the pupil, unassisted, cannot evoke. "There are also some
things which remained unnoted long, which have now escaped; and others
which are effaced, having faded away in the mind itself, since such a
task is not easy to those not experienced; these I revive in my
commentaries. Some things I purposely omit, in the exercise of a wise
selection, afraid to write what I guarded against speaking; not
grudging--for that were wrong--but fearing for my readers, lest they
should stumble by taking them in a wrong sense; and, as the proverb
says, we should be found 'reaching a sword to a child.' For it is
impossible that what has been written should not escape [become known],
although remaining unpublished by me. But being always revolved, using
the one only voice, that of writing, they answer nothing to him that
makes enquiries beyond what is written; for they require of necessity
the aid of some one, either of him who wrote, or of some one else who
has walked in his footsteps. Some things my treatise will hint; on some
it will linger; some it will merely mention. It will try to speak
imperceptibly, to exhibit secretly, and to demonstrate silently."[105]

This passage, if it stood alone, would suffice to establish the
existence of a secret teaching in the Early Church. But it stands by no
means alone. In Chapter xii. of this same Book I., headed, "The
Mysteries of the Faith not to be divulged to all," Clement declares
that, since others than the wise may see his work, "it is requisite,
therefore, to hide in a Mystery the wisdom spoken, which the Son of God
taught." Purified tongue of the speaker, purified ears of the hearer,
these were necessary. "Such were the impediments in the way of my
writing. And even now I fear, as it is said, 'to cast the pearls before
swine, lest they tread them under foot and turn and rend us.' For it is
difficult to exhibit the really pure and transparent words respecting
the true light, to swinish and untrained hearers. For scarcely could
anything which they could hear be more ludicrous than these to the
multitude; nor any subjects on the other hand more admirable or more
inspiring to those of noble nature. But the wise do not utter with their
mouth what they reason in council. 'But what ye hear in the ear,' said
the Lord, 'proclaim upon the houses'; bidding them