Didascalia Apostolorum

Historical source scan page 61

DIDASCALIA. 33 it is required of you to act towards those who promise to repent of their sins. Put them out of the Church as it is proper for their faults, and afterwards receive them as a merciful Father. If then the Bishop himself f. 21 b cause scandal, how can he rise and search for the sin of any one, or nf'xvii1' reprove for it, and command sentence by his hands ? by respect of persons or gifts that they receive? either he or his deacons, whose conscience is not clear. They cannot contend in the help of the Bishop, for they fear lest they should hear as from a courageous man, this word that is written in the Gospel, "Why seest thou the straw that is in thy brother's Matt.vii.3 eye, but observest not the beam that is in thine own eye ? Thou hypocrite, 5 take first the beam out of thine eye, and then shalt thou explore clearly to take out the straw from thy brother's eye." Because [of this] therefore the Bishop fears the Deacons, lest they hear the word of the Lord from him that sinneth as from a courageous man. For he does not know that it is dangerous for a man to speak against the Bishop, and in all that place there will be a scandal, for he that hath sinned is wanting in reason, and doth also not spare his soul. Because of this therefore for every reason for which the Bishop fears, he makes himself as one who does not know him that hath sinned, and he passes away from him, and does not reprove nor correct him ; and because of this, Satan, when he finds opportunity, will rule by means of one, also of others. God forbid that this should be ! and should happen thus, that the flock becomes so as it can never again be1, for many sinners being found, evil becomes a force, because sinners are not corrected and reproved so that they may repent. In every man there is an incitement to sin, and it is fulfilled that was said, "My house shall be called a house of Is- lyl- 1 prayer for all peoples, but ye have made it a den of thieves." If then the 13 Bishop does not keep silence before them that sin, but reproves and censures f- 22 a them, and corrects and admonishes and punishes him that hath sinned, he also throws fear on others ; for it is required of the Bishop that by means of his doctrine he should be a preventer of sins unto death, and an exhorter to righteousness, and by the admonition of his doctrine a guide to good works, a glorifier and exalter of good things to come, that are promised by God in the place of eternal life ; and a preacher also of future wrath by the judgment of God, by the threat of cruel fire, quenchless and unbearable. Let him know the effect of the will of God, that he may not despise any one, for our Saviour has said, " See that Matt. ye despise not any one, not one of these little ones who believe in Me." Therefore let the Bishop care for every one : for those who have not sinned Ap. con. II. xvlii. 1 S. + established. D. E