Ethiopic Didascalia

Ethiopic Didascalia — Platt English translation page 102

in the seat of the scornful ; but the law of the Lord is his delight, and in His law will he meditate day and night. But behold, thou hast deserted the assembly of the faithful, and hast despised the Church of the Lord ; neither hast thou kept his law and his ordinance ; but hast followed the way of thieves, and hast accounted the polluted as the pure, and art become a companion of those who were separated from thee, and hast taken thy station with the adulterers and idolaters, and hast caused thine ear to hear the voice of the players, which is full of all impurity and vain words, wherein is no profit. And thou hast refused to hear the voice of Jeremiah, who saith. Lord, I have not sat on the judgment- seat of wickedness, but I fear before thy face. Why desirest thou to hear the words of the dead Gentiles, who are wounded through sin, even through the works of the devil, and slay the man who foUoweth them, and draw him away from the right faith, and make him to serve many gods ? Do not ye thus therefore, but keep the commandments of the Lord ; and choose for yourselves life, and especially seek after the law of the Church of the Lord, which Christ, his beloved Son, who was before the creation of the world, purchased with His precious blood. For the Church is the daughter of the Most High ; she it is that strengtheneth our hearts, and bringeth us near unto the Lord, that we may find a place before him; for we are His members, and His friends. Let us be 102