Chapter 36

1_ Tou shalt give thanks thus: We gi thanks to Thee, Creator of all things, for the aucue -of this chrism, and for this oil of immortality,’ which ss hast agi to us by Jesus Christ Thy Son. For ine is the glory, and i for ever and ani ee cai ca ae And whosoever cometh to you, and gi thanks thus, receive him as a disciple * Cause a if there be anyone that teacheth contrary to the law which was given unto you by the Lord, receive him not, and let him not have fellowship with you in thanksgiving. Prove everyone that cometh unto you, and examine diligently his deeds, appoint as is fitting for ye have knowledge of those on the right hand and on the left. And judge between those who rule? justly and (those who) rule unjustly; and to your neighbour that judgeth justly do good according to his doings; to him also that judgeth unjustly render according to his doing; and pray not with him, lest ye be defiled together with him. And every prophet and teacher that cometh unto you and teacheth truly is worthy of his meat, as a good workman who serveth his lord. To the priests also give the first-fruits that they may bless your labours; and give all the tithes a eae Lit. oil that hath no death. Iated ‘‘judge ’? in’ the next to the widows, and to the orphans, and to travellers,” and to strangers. And on the Sabbath day, which is (the day of) the resurrection of our Lord, gather ye together in one place, and give thanks to God for all the good things that He hath done for you in Christ, that your sacrifice may be perfect and acceptable before God, for it is said concerning the Church that they shall assemble therein, and offer up incense and sacrifice, (for) ‘I, saith the Lord, am a great King upholding all the world, and my name is terrible in all the world, and (among) the Gentiles.” * Appoint for yourselves bishops, presbyters, and deacons, meek men and humble, who are chosen from the people, pure and tried in every good work; who desire not money, but rather teach the word of the Lord and the doctrine, and discern in uprightness the commandments of Christ * . . . as father and lord in love without anger and impatience, with a humble heart and in meekness. Observe all this that ye have been commanded of the Lord for the life of your souls. Let your loins be girt, and your lamps burning, and be ye ready as men who wait for their Lord when he cometh, whether at the first hour of the night, or at midnight, or at cock-crowing, or at break of day. The Lord will come at a time that thou expectest not. Blessed are those servants whom their Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Behold, He will gird Himself, and go about, and serve them. Pray then and work, lest death come upon you suddenly. [vii., 32-] And when the glory of the Son of Man shall appear in heaven, and the archangel shall blow the trumpet, and the dead shall be raised, and our Lord shall come with His Saints in the clouds of heaven, and all the angels of His power with Him, then shall He sit on the throne of His Kingdom, and destroy the devil, the deceiver, and shall render to every man “Cf. Maloy, ur. 14, two sentences in AC. according to his works; and then shall the sinners go into eternal condemnation, but the righteous into life eternal, and (these) shall rejoice in the Kingdom of heaven through our Lord Jesus Christ. © [vii., 33-] Be ye, then, ready that ye may receive His good things. Let us pray and make supplication unto Him, and say, O, our Saviour; Who art before the world (was), God of gods, the Almighty, One God, the Creator of every creature, the Lord of our holy fathers, who were without blame before Thee,® the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Who art) merciful, and ready to forgive sins, faithful and kind, plenteous in compassion and mercy, from whom nothing is hidden, (but) all is open before Thee: in Thee the souls of the righteous trust, and in Thee the saints hope ; (Thou art) the Father of them that are blameless, and hearest the prayer of the pure in heart, and hearkenest to the supplication of them that are silent. Make Thy favour, O Lord, to dwell on every creature, for Thou knowest that which the heart thinketh before the thought (cometh); and in all the ends of the world they offer up to Thee sacrifice and incense with prayer and thanksgiving; Who hast appointed days that men may do righteousness, and the gate of whose mercy is open to everyone that seeketh Thee, and hast appointed laws and ordinances, and caused us to understand that the riches of this world are transitory and that the ornament of beauty abideth not for ever, and that the might of the strong decayeth speedily. For our father Abraham was the first to walk’ in the way of righteousness, and Thou gavest him honour and riches, and in faith he accomplished his life; and Thou saidst unto him, “T will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand of the sea”; ® and Thou gavest Isaac unto him; Thou didst bless him and say unto him, “I will be with thy seed after thee.”® For we have known Christ in son instead of the second. etc. our father Jacob, whom Thou didst send to the land of Egypt,’® and didst say unto him, “ Behold I will be with thee, and will surely multiply thy seed exceedingly.”'* And in like manner Thou didst say unto Moses, Thy holy and faithful servant at the bush, “I am from before the world (was), and my name shall be for ever”; '? and Thy memorial also is for generations of generations; Who didst bless the seed of Abraham that they might be blessed for ever. ; }* Thou didst create man that he might be a rational (creature), and Thou didst say in Thy wisdom, ‘Let us make man in our image and in our likeness ”; and Thou didst set Adam to be ruler over all, and didst give him life eternal. And when he transgressed Thy commandment, Thou didst put him forth from the garden, and didst bring death on him. Then Thou didst send Thy only-begotten Son and didst raise him from his fall, and didst restore him to the garden of delight. {vii., 35-] Thou, O Lord, alone are great, and powerful, dnd terrible, merciful and kind, the Almighty who doest wonders, and withdrawest not ‘Thy compassion from any of Thy works or creatures, good and a lover of men, and dealing gently with sinners, and bringing them back in the multitude of Thy mercy, and though we are not worthy to look up unto Thee, nor raise our eyes to heaven, Thou in the greatness of Thy power regardest our humility. The heavens are supported '* by Thy commandment, and by Thy word the earth is established, for Thou, O Lord, art mighty, and the righteousness of Thy judgment hath filled the earth which Thou hast created.