Clement of Alexandria — Stromata 12

Let these things, then, be so. And such being the attitude of the Gnostic towards the body and the soul — towards his neighbours, whether it be a domestic, or a lawful enemy, or whosoever — he is found equal and like. For he does not despise his brother, who, according to the divine law , is of the same father and mother. Certainly he relieves the afflicted, helping him with consolations, encouragements, and the necessaries of life; giving to all that need, though not similarly, but justly , according to desert; furthermore, to him who persecutes and hates , even if he need it; caring little for those who say to him that he has given out of fear , if it is not out of fear that he does so, but to give help.

For how much more are those, who towards their enemies are devoid of love of money , and are haters of evil , animated with love to those who belong to them? Such an one from this proceeds to the accurate knowledge of whom he ought chiefly to give to, and how much, and when, and how. And who could with any reason become the enemy of a man who gives no cause for enmity in any way? And is it not just as in the case of God? We say that God is the adversary of no one, and the enemy of no one (for He is the Creator of all, and nothing that exists is what He wills it not to be; but we assert that the disobedient, and those who walk not according to His commandments, are enemies to Him, as being those who are hostile to His covenant).

We shall find the very same to be the case with the Gnostic , for he can never in any way become an enemy to any one; but those may be regarded enemies to him who turn to the contrary path. In particular, the habit of liberality which prevails among us is called righteousness; but the power of discriminating according to desert, as to greater and less, with reference to those who am proper subjects of it, is a form of the very highest righteousness. There are things practiced in a vulgar style by some people, such as control over pleasures.

For as, among the heathen , there are those who, from the impossibility of obtaining what one sees, and from fear of men , and also for the sake of greater pleasures, abstain from the delights that are before them; so also, in the case of faith , some practice self-restraint, either out of regard to the promise or from fear of God . Well, such self-restraint is the basis of knowledge , and an approach to something better, and an effort after perfection. For the fear of the Lord, it is said, is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 But the perfect man, out of love , bears all things, endures all things, 1 Corinthians 13:7 as not pleasing man, but God. 1 Thessalonians 2:4 Although praise follows him as a consequence, it is not for his own advantage, but for the imitation and benefit of those who praise him.