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Clement is addressing the rich man's question about salvation, and has just described the services of true believers; now he turns to the highest rank of the faithful, the elect, who are God's seed in the world.
All the faithful, then, are beautiful and god-fearing, and worthy of the address they wear like a diadem.Yet there are already some who are more elect than the elect, and all the more so as they are less conspicuous.In a way, they haul themselves up out of the world's rough water and bring themselves to safety, not wishing to seem holy.And if someone speaks of them, they are ashamed, hiding the inexpressible mysteries in the depth of their mind.They scorn their own nobility being seen in the world.The Word calls these people "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14) and "the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13).This is the seed, the image and likeness of God, and His true child and heir, sent here as if to a foreign sojourn by the Father's great plan and proportion.For its sake both the visible and invisible things of the world have been created—some for service, some for training, some for its learning.And as long as the seed remains here, all things are held together; when it is gathered up, all things will very quickly be dissolved.