Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 2

All of you kept a humble mind and refused to be arrogant, choosing to submit rather than to command, and you found more joy in giving than in receiving. You were content with the teachings of Christ and attended to His words carefully, treasuring them deep in your hearts, while His sufferings remained constantly before your eyes. Because of this, a deep and rich peace was given to everyone, an insatiable desire for doing good took hold, and a full outpouring of the Holy Spirit came upon all. Filled with holy purpose, you stretched out your hands to the Almighty God with eager readiness and reverent confidence, begging Him to show mercy if you had sinned unwillingly. Day and night you struggled for the whole brotherhood, praying that the number of His elect would be saved with mercy and a clear conscience. You were sincere, uncorrupted, and unforgetting of wrongs toward one another; every uprising and every division was detestable to you. You mourned over the transgressions of your neighbors and judged their failings as your own. You never regretted any good deed and stood ready for every good work. Adorned with all virtue and reverent conduct, you carried out everything in the fear of Him, for the Lord's commandments and righteous decrees were written on the very tablets of your hearts.