Chapter 17

1For Satan seeketh an occasion whereby to ensnare, as he did of old in the case of Cain. For there are some who say, We are widows, but do not do the works that befit widows, even as Cain! did toward his brother that which befitted not. These then are they that 2 have no knowledge. For it is not by being called widows that they shall enter into? the Kingdom of heaven, but by a right faith and by good works. But she that taketh the name of a widow, and doeth the work of Satan,® belieth the name (? )® so that she shall find eternal condemnation.’ Behold we hear that there are among the widows some that are evil and envious and slanderers,® and that cause strife amongst the brethren. These are not of Christ, for they have not kept the word of admonition. If there be one of the sisters, and (others of them) see men give her alms, whether money, or raiment,® or food, or drink, and (if) she then rejoice and find rest, they ought to say thus: Blessed be the Lord our !°© God, Who hath granted rest and ¥ joy to the widow, our beloved sister, O Lord send blessing and honour ? on him who hath given to this widow, and increase his substance in righteousness and in purity, and remember him with Thy goodness, in the greatness of * Thy ¢ompassion and mercy. And to this bishop also give Thou a double honour, who hath taught and exhorted those that have given unto us: give him the crown of glory when he shall depart this life. And in like manner let this widow pray and entreat along with them for those that have shewn mercy towards her. And now’ also let her give to the destitute from that which she hath received; and for this cause shall her works be well-pleasing before God, as it is written, saying, ‘Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, and let thine alms be ™ P omits: rest and. secret.” '* Thus let '* the widow ra anes unto her and bestowed Hes eee ines bel Sr, bys thy Father, who seeth - reward thee openly. But wi Bae ane “ta begs - commandment of Gane oO hath given alms to their si ue fend) they ask, and say, Who is it that eee unde her? ai then when they underand » they go to him th Y gi their sister to iraukee: him, and i ne in, whe tae thou given first unto her, while we are far riGie sac than she? For they are foolish who say thus an ing it is a gift from man, whereas the gift of avour is from God. But if 2° she was manifestly in want, uiGy ought not to go to trouble?! him ‘that showed ? mercy, but rather is it right that they should remain * at home, and fall down on their faces, and repent and Pray to God. For God sheweth merc to them that Proclaim His goodness. Our Lord 24 saith eee ye enter into a house, say, Peace be to this sa and if a son of peace be there, your peace shall sores it; and, if not, your peace shall return to fiii., 15.] But if peace ”* find not (a plac (for her) where she may rest, she sean Roe but returneth to him that sent her. In like manner the unrighteous curse shall not come on him that hath not sinned, but shall rather return on him that uttered it He that hath cursed another without cause, hath cursed himself, as Solomon saith.?* In like manner ye also shall be requited even as ye have done unto others. For it is said, ‘“‘ He hath digged a pit, and hollowed it out, and he shall fall into the pit which he made. And his toil shall return on his own head, and his wickedness shall descend upon his own pate.” 7* For he that diggeth a pit for his neighbour shall fall,into it,*° and he that feareth a curse, let him not curse another; and what he hateth for himself let him not do to his neighbour. Wherefore, O bishop, do thou as a master *? admonish those women *? that despise widows, and bear patiently with the angry, and visit the sick, and rejoice with the elect who bless and curse not, and command them to do not that which is evil, but to make peace.** Whether it be a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, or whosoever it be of those set in authority, let there not proceed from his mouth cursing, lest he inherit a curse ** instead of a blessing. The bishop ought to admonish and teach ** and command the people that no word of cursing proceed from their mouths.** But let him show care for priests, and deacons, and virgins, and widows, and the people. Wherefore, O bishop, prove the deacons who do service with thee, and help them in doing good, that they may be ready to minister unto the people, and let a deaconess also be appointed to minister unto the women, an elect and pure woman who is blameless. For a deacon ought not to minister unto the women, lest there arise an evil report from those that believe not. Therefore let there be a deaconess as a minister to the women, and let her anoint them with oil, and clothe them after baptism. And do thou, O bishop, anoint the foreheads of them that are baptized, men and women, with holy oil according to the ordinance of holy baptism. And after this, O bishops and presbyters, Pp and admonish them . they do good and (make) peace. The oil of balsam is the strength of faith, for when a man cometh forth from the water,*’ he is in the likeness of Christ whom the Father raised from the dead. This is He who is over all;°* our Lord Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son the Lord of life, and the Paraclete is the Spirit of truth who was sent by the Father to teach all things. But let them that are baptized be far from transgression and be pure from sin, and let them be friends of God and enemies of the devil, and fellowheirs of Christ and + adversaries of t Satan ®* and his devices. And they shall be pure without stain, and shall be called the sons of Christ. Moreover let them pray and entreat the Father that they may be one congregation together with the faithful, and say thus, Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. And thy will be done, as in heaven so also on earth. Give us to-day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses and our iniquities, as we also forgive him that hath trespassed against us. And bring us not into temptation, but save us and deliver us from all evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. The deacons then must needs be pure and good, without blame, as the bishop; and serve continually in the Holy Church, and minister unto God with a good ministry, and fulfil their office in wisdom with one -heart and one spirit, and understand the reward of their service, and not be puffed up in ministering to the destitute. Even as our Lord Jesus Christ came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life « ransom for many. And moreover He refused not to give His life in place of His friends.*° And if the Lord of glory and the Lord of heaven and earth endured all this patiently for our sakes, how then are ye puffed up in ministering to the poor and needy? Ye ought in everything to be imitators of our Lord Jesus Christ, who endured to become a servant, and accepted poverty and want, and humbled Himself, and bore the sufferings of the Cross for our sakes. In like manner do ye also do service to the poor your brethren, and be imitators of Christ. But he among you that desireth to be chief, let him be your servant. So our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled in word and in deed all that was written, and became the servant of many. He took a towel,'' and poured water into a bason, and first washed the feet of His disciples and (then) wiped them with the towel wherewith His loins were girded. He did thus that we might love‘? one another, and taught us to love our neighbours as ourselves.‘? And if our Lord and Saviour humbled Himself, and did thus, how then are ye puffed up and slothful to do good to the destitute and afflicted? Do service, then, in perfect love without murmuring, or accepting of persons. Howbeit do not this for outward appearance, but for God’s sake, that ye may receive the reward of your toil from Him at the last day. The deacons ought to scek to satisfy the desires of the poor, before they ask them. Moreover let them do service unto the bishop, and be of one mind ‘** (with him), and account him as father and teacher and monitor. And behold we command that a bishop be ordained by three bishops, and if not, by two. But by Eth. Platt’s manuscript ends. one bishop it is not possible to give ‘* ordination: for by the testimony of three or two ‘* (witnesses) let ¢’ every word be established. Presbyters and deacons and others set in authority in the Church shall be ordained by one bishop. To presbyters and to deacons it is not given to ordain a layman; but let the presbyter teach, and baptize, and bless the people, and burn incense, and offer up the sacrifice. And as for the deacon there ‘is nothing that he may do except minister to the bishop and the presbyters;‘*® and let him fulfil aright his ministry.¢®