Didascalia Apostolorum

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DIDASCALIA. 53 this stewardship to his hands, and counted him worthy of the priesthood of all this office. In order, therefore, that thou observe not nor require an account from the Bishop, nor speak evil things against him, resisting God, nor offend the Lord, let there be put before thine eyes what was said to thee in Jeremiah, " Shall the clay say to the potter, Thou workest not, and is. xiv. 9 thou hast no hands ; " as he that saith to his father and his mother, " Hast 10 f. 36 b thou brought me forth?" but labour with a single mind and work in the house of God. Be it always written and established in thy heart, and remember Ap. Con. the saving voice of the renewal of the Law, as the Lord hath said, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, Deut. vL 5 and with all thy strength." Your strength then is the property of the world. Do not love the Lord with the lips only, like that people to whom reprov- ing He saith, "This people honoureth Me with its lips, but its heart is far IB. xxix. is from Me." But love thou the Lord and honour Him with all thy strength ; Markvii. 6 and bring thy gifts at all times, and keep not away from the Church. When thou receivest the Eucharist of the sacrifice, give whatever cometh to thy hand, as thou partakest, to the strangers ; for this is collected by the Bishop for the reception of all strangers. Therefore according as thou art able, put down, and keep thyself, because the Lord hath said in the Law, "Thou shalt not appear before Me empty." Therefore do good works, E*- xxiii- lay up for thyself a (S. + everlasting) treasure above in Heaven where Matt. vl. moth doth not destroy, nor thieves steal. When thou doest thus, do not judge the Bishop, nor the layman, because to you laymen it is said, "Judge Matt. vii.i not, that ye be not judged." For if thou judgest thy brother, and accusest him, thou considerest thy brother guilty, that is to say, thou accusest Rom. ii. i thyself; thou art then judged with the guilty ; for the Bishop has the power to judge, as it is said to them, "Be accurate discerners." It is, f-3?a therefore, required of the Bishop as a tester of silver that he should divide n. xxxvii. the evil from the good ; those that are completely evil he should reject and ^5 ' ' throw out ; but those who are hard and defective for any reason, like those who are not defective, he should leave them in the crucible. The layman then is not allowed to judge his neighbour, nor even to impose upon himself a burden which is not his ; for the weight of this burden belongs not to the layman, but to the Bishop. Therefore thou, being a layman, do not lay snares for thyself, but leave judgment in the hands of those who will have to answer for it to the Lord. But as for thee, strive to make peace with all men, and love thy limbs the children of thy people, JVl3,tu. XI X. because the Lord hath said, " Love thy neighbour as thyself." 19