Didascalia Apostolorum

Historical source scan page 86

58 DIDASCALIA. and loveliness of flesh, and nothing is wanting to it, on account of that superfluity that has been taken away from him, but he is even the more f. 40 b seen in his beauty for it. In like manner therefore, ye also, O pastors, conduct yourselves ; because the Church is a body, the members being we who believe in God, and are in love in the fear of the Lord according to the commandment of the tradition which we have received. Therefore he that devises evil things against the Church, and troubles its members, and loves the blames and accusations of enemies1, that is to say, turmoils and contentions and calumnies and murmurings and quarrels and questions and incrimination and afflictions and accusations ; he that loves these things and makes them, and moreover the Enemy is working in him, and he remains in the Church, is a stranger to the Church, and of the household of the Enemy, for it is him whom he serves, who works in him, and he offends and afflicts the Church ; that one then if he remains within, is a disgrace to the Church because of his blasphemies (S. + and his great agitation, and there is danger lest he destroy the Church of God). To that one Prov. xxii. therefore do as it is written in Wisdom, " Cast out the evil man from the congregation, and his contention shall go out with him"; on account of litigation and reproach, that he sit not in the congregation and disgrace them all. For that one, when he goes out for the second time from the Church, is justly cut off, and the Church -is the more beautified, for there is peace in it (S. + for it was wanting to her, because from that hour the Church will be free from blasphemy and trouble).... But if your mind be not pure, either on account of respect of persons, or on account of gifts of filthy lucre which ye have received, and ye put out of the Church those who walk correctly, and ye increase many evil, quarrelsome persons, and profligate rulers amongst you, ye bring blasphemy against the assembly of the Church, and ye bring danger of death upon yourselves, that ye be deprived of eternal life, because ye have pleased man, and turned from the truth of God, for the sake of respecting persons, and for the sake f. 41 a of accepting vain gifts ; and ye have scattered the Catholic Church, daughter and beloved of the Lord God. CHAPTER XI. Again, exhortation to Bishops and Deacons, that they govern justly ', and that they be with one another in concord and love ; that they do not receive testimony from the JieatJien against a believer, and that a Christian be not vexed and contend with his neighbour. If it happen that they have a lawsuit, let them not say their say before the heathen, but before the Church, and let 1 S. the Enemy.