Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Pseudo-Clementine Literature/The Clementine Homilies/Homily III/Chapter 45

Chapter XLV.&#8212;Sacrifices.

&#8220;But that He is not pleased with sacrifices, is shown by this, that those who lusted after flesh were slain as soon as they tasted it, and were consigned to a tomb, so that it was called the grave of lusts. &#160; He then who at the first was displeased with the slaughtering of animals, not wishing them to be slain, did not ordain sacrifices as desiring them; nor from the beginning did He require them.&#160; For neither are sacrifices accomplished without the slaughter of animals, nor can the first-fruits be presented.&#160; But how is it possible for Him to abide in darkness, and smoke, and storm (for this also is written), who created a pure heaven, and created the sun to give light to all, and assigned the invariable order of their revolutions to innumerable stars?&#160; Thus, O Simon, the handwriting of God&#8212;I mean the heaven&#8212;shows the counsels of Him who made it to be pure and stable.