Didascalia Apostolorum

Historical source scan page 83

DIDASCALIA. 55 publicans dost thou receive into the Church, nor make thyself partaker with them, unless they first repent, promising so that they may believe, f. 38 a and never henceforth again do evil deeds ; for therefore our Lord and Saviour gave room for repentance to those who have sinned ; for even Ap. con. I Matthew, who am one of the twelve Apostles, who speak to you by this Didascalia, I was a publican of old, and because I believed, grace came upon me, and I repented from my former works, and I was thought worthy to become an Apostle and a preacher of the Word of God. Again also John Jthe Baptist1, that he might seek, preached in the Gospel to publicans, not to cut off their hope, but taught them how they should act in future. When they asked him for a reply he said to them, "Do not Luke m. is exact more than what is commanded and appointed for you." And also Zacchaeus in repentance the Lord received, making a request of him. We do not refuse salvation even to the heathen if they repent and renounce and remove from themselves their error. Therefore let him be accounted to you as a heathen and as a publican, he who is convicted of evil works and of falsehood ; and afterwards if he promise to repent as the heathen, when they wish and promise to repent and say, " We believe," we receive them into the congregation that they may hear the Word, but we do not communicate with them until they receive the seal and are confirmed. Thus also we do not communicate with these until they shew the fruits of repentance ; for they can certainly come in, if they wish to hear the Word, that they may not perish utterly, but in prayer they take no part, but go outside ; because that even they, when they see that they do f. 38 b not take part in the Church, restrain themselves, and repent of their former deeds, and become eager to be received into the Church in prayer. They also who see them and hear that they have gone out like publicans may fear, and take heed to themselves that they sin not, lest it happen thus to them also, and they go out of the Church, being reproved for sin or for falsehood. Do not utterly prevent them then from entering Ap. con. the Church, and hearing the discourse of the Bishop ; for even our Lord ' ' and Saviour did not completely reject and cast out the publicans and sinners, but even ate with them. Because of this also the Pharisees murmured against Him, saying, " He eateth and drinketh with publicans Markii. and sinners." Then our Saviour answered and said against their thoughts and murmurings, " They that are whole have no need of a n physician, but they that are sick." Therefore have intercourse with those who have been reproved for their sins, and are in a bad state, and 1 S. the prophet