Didascalia Apostolorum

Historical source scan page 93

DIDASCALIA. 65 thou art a disturber, and a scatterer of the flock, and an adversary of God. Be not therefore constantly prone to quarrel, either by fights or by calumnies, or by enmity or by lawsuits, that thou scatter not people from the Church, because that we, by the power of the Lord God, have collected from all peoples, and from all tongues, and have brought [them] to the Church by much labour and toil, and by daily danger, that we may do the will of God, and fill the chamber with guests, that is to say, the Catholic Church, that they should be glad and rejoice and confess and praise God, Him who has called them to salvation, and ye therefore, O ye laity ! be at peace with one another, and like wise doves, strive to fill the Church, and those who are without convert and reconcile and cause to enter her (the Church). This is a great reward which is promised by God, if ye save them from the fire and bring them into the Church, confirmed and believing. CHAPTER XII. Commands Bishops to be qtiiet and htimble, far removed from all harshness and anger, and teaches them about the Order of the House of God, and how the places in it should be distributed for standing and for sitting, to every rank as befits it. A nd if there come a man from another Church, let him have honour as befits him ; let him be honottred with the place that suits him, and let not the Christ, who loveth strangers, be despised in him. Ye then, O Bishops, be not harsh nor tyrannical nor irascible ; and Ap. Con. be not wroth with the people of God whom He has given into your hands ; do not destroy the House of God nor scatter His people ; but convert f. 45 a all men, that ye may be helpers with God. Assemble the believers with much humility and long suffering, and with patience without anger ; by doctrine and entreaty, as servants of the everlasting kingdom ; in your assemblies, in the holy Churches, after all good patterns form your gatherings, and arrange the places for the brethren carefully with all sobriety. Let a place be reserved for the Elders in the midst of the eastern part of the House, and let the throne of the Bishop be placed amongst them ; let the Elders sit with him ; but also at the other eastern side of the house let the laymen sit ; for thus it is required that the Elders should sit at the eastern side of the house with the Bishops, and after- wards the laymen, and next the women : that when ye stand to pray the rulers may stand first, afterwards the laymen, and then the women also, for towards the East it is required that ye should pray, as ye know that it is written, "Give praise to God, who rideth on the heavens of heavens *?• lxvlii 33 D. I