Didascalia Apostolorum

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104 DIDASCALIA. Numbers xvl. 26 Numbers xvl. 34 Matt.xviii. 7 Matt.xviii. 7 f. 67 b Jer. xxiii. 15 taken for the service of transgression (S. + and for the irritation of God) should not obey them, but should cease from its work or be quenched, and should not consume anything that was put upon it ; for now it would not have done the will of the Lord, but would have obeyed schism. Therefore it was said, Pour out there also the strange fire, that is to say, that the Lord judged fire by fire ; (S. + if therefore this curse and judgment are appointed for these schisms that think they are praising God,) what will happen to these heresies which blaspheme against Him ? but ye from the Scriptures and with the eyes of faith, seeing the plates of brass that are encrusted on the altar, be careful not to make a schism, and not to fall into judgment, but therefore, as believing and intelligent people, keep far away from schisms, (S. -+ and come not near to them, not even in anything, as Moses said about them to the people, "Separate yourselves from among these cruel people, and come not near to anything that is theirs, that ye perish not with them in all their sins." Whilst the wrath of the Lord was burning about the schism, it is written that the people fled from them, saying "Lest the .earth swallow us also with them." Thus ye also, like people who make a struggle for your lives, flee from schisms, and reject those who wish to do thus, for ye know the place of their condemnation. But about heresies, do not even wish to hear their names, and do not defile your ears, for not only do they not verily praise God, but they even verily blaspheme Him, \marg. nor does the Lord have pleasure in the prayers of the heretics, nor their supplications, nor their praises.] Therefore the heathen will be judged because they knew not) *and offences and divisions, as our Lord said, "Woe to that man by whose means the offence cometh ; it were right for him and better for him that a millstone of an ass were hung about his neck and he were drowned in the sea1." But the heretics, because they oppose God, are guilty, (S. + as also our Lord and Saviour Jesus said, " There shall be heresies and schisms," and again, "Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences and schisms come, but woe to that man by whose means they come," then we verily heard) but now we verily see, as also the Scripture hands down by means of Jeremiah, that "profanity2 and heresies have gone out into all the land " (S. + as if to persuade our heart) and to confirm our faith that the prophecies are sure ; for behold they exist and have been accomplished ; because of all the work of the Lord our God, the Lord has turned it from the Nation to the Church by means 1 S. omits. S. impurity.