Didascalia Apostolorum

Historical source scan page 63

DIDASCALIA. 35 thou hast done thus ; so if thou neglectest it, a great danger will come upon thee. For the Lord hath said in Ezekiel about the Bishops who despise their people thus : " The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son Ezekiel of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Woe to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves, and the shepherds do not feed My flock. Ye eat the milk, 3 f. 23 a and clothe yourselves with the wool, and ye kill her that is fat, but ye feed not the flocks. Her that is sick have ye not cured ; her that 4 is weak have ye not strengthened ; her that was broken have ye not bound up ; her that had wandered have ye not brought back ; and her that was lost have ye not found ; but with violence and levity have ye ruled them ; and My flock is scattered without a 5 shepherd ; it has become meat to the beasts of the field. My own flocks e are wandering on all high mountains and on all the face of the earth." Matt. Thou shalt leave the ninety and nine on the mountain, and go to seek Ap ^ her that was lost ; and when thou findest her carry her upon thy n- xxb- shoulders, rejoicing, because thou hast found her that was lost ; bring her and mingle her with the flock. Thus obey thou also, O Bishop ; visit the one that is lost, and seek the one that has wandered, and restore the one that is far away, because thou hast power to forgive the sins of him that has fallen... for thou fillest the place of the Christ. Because of this also our Saviour said to him that had sinned, " Thy sins Matt. ix. 2 are forgiven thee ; thy faith hath made thee whole ; go in peace." Peace then is the Church of quiet and rest ; she in whom He established those whom He loosed from their sins whole and without spot, having a good hope, and being diligent in the cultivation of works and afflictions. As a wise and sympathetic physician He cures all men, and mostly those who have wandered in their sins, for "the whole have Mark 11.17 no need of a physician, but they that are sick." Thou also, O Bishop, art made the physician of His Church, therefore do not restrain the medicine that thou mayest heal those that are sick in their sins, but cure them by every means and make them whole and establish them safe in the Church ; f. 23 b that thou be not taken by this word which the Lord spake, "Ye have Ezekiel xxxiv. 4 ruled them with violence and levity." Lead not therefore with violence ; Ap. con. be not vehement, nor judge sharply, nor be merciless, nor deride the IL 3ad> people who are under thy hand, nor hide from them the word of repentance, for that would be to have ruled them with violence and levity. But if ye oversee my people harshly and punish them with violence, and drive them and expel them, and do not receive them that