Didascalia Apostolorum

Historical source scan page 85

DIDASCALIA. 57 and perverteth righteous words." And again it hath said, " Deliver the IB. i. 17 oppressed, judge the orphans, justify the widows " ; and judge righteous judgment in the gates. Take heed then that ye be not respecters of persons and be condemned by the word of the Lord, who hath spoken thus, "Woe unto those that make bitter sweet, and sweet bitter; and call light IB. v. 20 sic darkness, and darkness what is bright, and justify the wicked for his 23 reward, and pass over the righteousness of the righteous." But be watch- ful, that ye condemn not any one iniquitously, and help the wicked, because that in condemning others ye are condemning yourselves ; as the Lord hath said, that "with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged, Luke vi. 37 and as ye condemn, ye shall be condemned." Therefore remember * and apply to yourselves this word, " Forgive, and it shall be forgiven you; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned." If then, your judgment, O Bishops, be without respect of persons, look at him who is the accuser of his brother, if he be a false brother, if for the sake of envy or jealousy or calumny he have brought disturbance on the Church of God, and he should kill him who is calumniated by him, being put out f- 4° a of the Church and delivered to the destruction of fire; thou therefore judge him severely, because he has brought an evil thing against his brother, as it were from his own imagination ; if he had not found that it goes before to 1 his hearing x ; he would have killed his brother in the fire ; for it is written, that " every one who sheddeth man's blood, his blood shall be shed Gen. ix. 6 for the blood which he hath shed." When that one then is found out to be ^p. Con thus, put him out of the Church with a great reprimand as a murderer ; n- xliii- and after a time, if he promise to repent, admonish him, and lay a hard discipline upon him ; and thereafter put on [your] hand and receive him into the Church ; and take heed and observe him that is such, lest again it happen against some one else. And if ye see him after he has entered the Church, that again he quarrels and wishes to accuse others also, and chatters and fabricates, and casts blame upon many falsely : put him out, that he may never again disturb and trouble the Church ; for he that is such, even if he be within, because he is not suitable to the Church, is of no advantage to her. For we see that there are men who are born with superfluous things in their bodies, let us say fingers or any other superfluous flesh ; those people then that have such things according to the flesh, it is a disgrace and a shame to them, both to the flesh and to the man, because he has too much of them. When they are taken away by a practitioner, that man receives beauty 1 S. the hearing of the judge D, H