Didascalia Apostolorum

Historical source scan page 97

DIDASCALIA. 69 the day of judgment ? who has left the Holy Church, and the words of the living God which live and give life, and can redeem and save from the fire and give life ? and hath gone to the assembly of the heathen, because he desired the spectacle of the theatre ? Therefore he will be considered as one of those who enter there because he desired to hear and receive the fables of their words, which are those of dead men, and of the spirit of Satan ; for they are dead and cause death, they cause people to turn from the faith, and bring near to everlasting fire. Yet ye care for the world, and f- 48 a occupy yourselves with domestic concerns, and ye disdain to hasten to the Catholic Church, the beloved daughter of the Lord God Most High, that ye may receive the doctrine of God which remaineth for ever and is able to give life to those who receive the Word of Life. Be, therefore, constant in assembling with the believers who are saved in your mother the Church, her who liveth and giveth life to her children. Be watchful not to assemble AP- Con- ii. ixii. yourselves as1 those who perish in the theatre, which is an assembly of the heathen of error and of perdition ; for he who enters into the assembly of the Gentiles shall be counted as one of them, and shall receive woe ; for the Lord saith by means of Isaiah the Prophet to those who are such, " Woe, woe, to [those who] come from the spectacle," and again He saith, " 2 Women who come from the spectacle, because this is a people who have is. xxvii. no understanding." Therefore He calls the Church3 women, those whom He has called, and brought out, and drawn from the spectacle of the theatre, and He holds and receives them, and He has taught us not to go there any more; for He saith in Jeremiah, "Learn not the way of the Jer. x. 2 nations," and again in the Gospel He hath said, " Go not in the way Matt. x. 5 of the Gentiles." Here, therefore, He teaches and warns, that we remove completely from all heresies, which are the cities of the Samaritans, and that we should not enter into strange synagogues, and4 from their pilgrimages which are on behalf of idols. Let a believer not approach their pilgrimage, excepting to buy provision for his body and his life. Remove yourselves far from all vain spectacles of idols, and from their feasts and pilgrimages. Let then those who are children in the Church serve AP- Con- II. IXlll. diligently without laziness, in all things that are required, with much f. 48 b modesty and chastity. All ye believers, therefore, at all times always when ye are not in the Church be constant at your labours ; and in all the course of your life either be constant in exhortation, or labour at your work and never be idle, because the Lord hath said, "Be like the ant, O sluggard, prov. vi. 6 1 S. with 2 S. + Thou wilt have mercy on 3 S. Churches 4 S. + let us flee also far from the theatre and