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  A RESOLUTION
  by Clement of Rome
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Summary: Clement of Rome's sermon addresses the moral and spiritual
implications of seeking knowledge about the soul through necromancy.

Topics: "Soul Immortality", "Spiritual Consequences"
Scripture References: Deuteronomy 18:10

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DESCRIPTION
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Clement of Rome contemplates seeking a magician to call up a soul
through necromancy to inquire about the immortality of the soul.
However, after seeking advice from a philosopher friend, he is warned
against this plan due to the potential consequences of going against the
laws and disturbing souls after their release from the body. Despite the
warning, Clement is conflicted but hesitant to proceed with his original
plan.

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CONTENT
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What, then, am I to do, unless this? I shall go into Egypt, and I shall
become friendly with the hierophants of the shrines, and with the
prophets; and I shall seek and find a magician, and persuade him with
large bribes to effect the calling up of a soul, which is called
necromancy, as if I were going to inquire of it concerning some
business. And the inquiry shall be for the purpose of learning whether
the soul is immortal.

But the answer of the soul that it is immortal shall not give me the
knowledge from its speaking or my hearing, but only from its being seen;
so that, seeing it with my very eyes, I may have a self-sufficient and
fit assurance, from the very fact of its appearing, that it exists; and
never again shall the uncertain words of hearing be able to overturn the
things which the eyes have made their own.

However, I submitted this very plan to a certain companion who was a
philosopher; and he counselled me not to venture upon it, and that on
many accounts. For if, said he, the soul shall not listen to the
magician, you will live with an evil conscience, as having acted against
the laws which forbid the doing of these things.

But if it shall listen to him, then, besides your living with an evil
conscience, I think that matters of piety will not be promoted to you on
account of your making this attempt. For they say that the Deity is
angry with those who disturb souls after their release from the body.
And I, when I heard this, became indeed more backward to undertake such
a thing, but I did not abandon my original plan; but I was distressed,
as being hindered in the execution of it.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/clement-of-rome/a-resolution/
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