The Ethiopic Didascalia

Section 6

V. That it is not lawful for us to enforce discipline against any man, unless testimony be established against him, that he hath sinned. For he that casteth out a man who hath not transgressed, is worse than a murderer. Neither perceiveth he the mercy of God; for he remembereth not the commandments of Christ, how he said. There is joy in heaven on account of one sinner that repenteth. And he that doeth thus shall not attain to the salvation of his soul: for he erreth, and falleth into great sin; seeing that he reproveth not, nor converteth those who commit many sins, but scattereth the flock of Christ; nay, even fighteth against it. For just is the Lord, and just is the judgment that he judgeth unto all, to the righteous man and to the sinner: he is merciful unto all them that turn unto him in righteousness and mercy and humility, in the love of God. It becometh the Bishop, therefore, to judge rightly, and to follow Christ, and do his will; even as the Lord judgeth the sinners that turn unto him. Dost thou not remember David, when he sinned, and Nathan said unto him. Wherefore hast thou done thus? and he said, I have sinned, and I repent thereof: when he confessed his transgression, he was saved from death; and Nathan said unto him. Be of good courage, and doubt not; thou shalt not die. And the prophet Jonas also, when he would not preach to the men of Nineveh, was cast into the sea, and the whale swallowed him up, yet aftei-wards he came forth from the belly of the whale, and was saved from death. And Hezekiah also, although, when he lifted up his heart, chastisement came upon him, yet, when he humbled himself, and departed from the exaltation of his heart, and wept before the Lord, then He had mercy upon him. Hear, O ye Bishops, that which is profitable in this matter: for it is written in the Fourth Book of Kings, And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead; twelve years old was Manasseh when he began to reign, and fifty and five years reigned he over Israel in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Haphsaba; and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. Moreover, it is written in the Second Book of Chronicles, saying. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, above all the abominations of the Gentiles whom the Lord rooted out before the Children of Israel. And he turned and built on the high places the altars which Hezekiah his father had pulled down, and raised pillars to Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven and served them, and built an altar in the House of the Lord at Jerusalem, of which He had said. My name shall be there for ever. And he built an altar to all the stars of heaven in the two courts of the House of the Lord; and himself made his son to serve in the fire, in the land of Benonim, and he used signs, and made himself like an ass, and used magic, and set up diviners and soothsayers, and wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to sin against him; and he set up the graven image and the molten image which he had made, in the House of the Lord; of which the Lord had said to David and to Solomon his son. In this House, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I set my name for ever. And I will no more move the foot of Israel out of the land which I gave unto their fathers: only let them observe all that I have commanded them in my Law and my covenant and my judgments, by the hand of Moses. And Manasseh corrupted Judah, and them that dwelt in Jerusalem, to do evil above all the nations that the Lord had removed from before the face of the Children of Israel: and the Lord spake against Manasseh and against his people, but they hearkened not unto him. And the Lord sent against them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria; and they took Manasseh in bonds, and bound him in fetters, and led him away to Babylon. And when he was afflicted, he sought the face of the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the face of the God of his fathers. And Manasseh the son of king Hezekiah prayed, and said thus: O Lord, Ruler of the whole world, God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of all their offspring that are righteous, who didst make heaven and earth with all the host of them, who didst rebuke the sea with the voice of thy commandment, who didst shut up the depths and seal them up fearfully, and that by thy glorious name; whom every thing feareth with trembling, quaking before the face of thy power, for there is no end of the greatness of thy glory; fearful is the chastisement of thy wrath against sinners, but there is no number nor measure of the mercy of thy commandments, for thou alone art the Lord Most High. Thou art merciful, slow to anger, and of great compassion, and repentest thee toward the sins of men. And now, O Lord God of the righteous! for it is not for the righteous man that thou hast appointed repentance; not for Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, who sinned not against thee; but turn thyself at the repentance of me a sinner, for my transgressions are more in number than the sand of the sea, and my sins are many! Neither am 1 worthy to look upward, and to behold the height of heaven, for the multitude of my transgressions. I have laboured in fetters of iron, that I might obtain for myself rest fi'om sin; and by this also I have not been refreshed: for I have stirred up thine anger, and have done evil before thee, while I observed vanities, and multiplied that which profited me not. And now I bow upon the knees of my heart, beseeching thy mercy. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned; and I confess my sin. I entreat and beseech thee, have mercy upon me, O Lord, have mercy upon me, and deliver me not up to my sin! And remember not my transgression against m for ever, neither take vengeance upon me in the depths of the earth! For thou, O Lord, art the God of them that repent, and thy goodness shall be shewed upon me; inasmuch as when there was no worthiness in me, thou didst save me in the multitude of thy mercy. I will praise thee at all times, and all the days of my life; for all the host of heaven praise thee; and unto thee be glory for And when the Lord saw that Manasseh repented of the evil of his doings that he had done in his foolishness, the Lord pardoned him, and heard his prayer, and answered the voice of his petition. And immediately a flame of fire shone round about him, and the bonds of his iron fetters were loosened. And afterward the Lord saved Manasseh from all his affliction, and brought him back to Jerusalem, into his kingdom. And Manasseh knew that the Lord was his God; and he served the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, all the days of his life; and he was numbered with the righteous. And afterward he put away the strange gods out of the House of the Lord, which were made with the hands of man. And he raised the wall very much, and appointed chiefs of the forces in all the provinces over the walls of Judah. And all the altars that he had built in the mountain of the House of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, he cast out of the city; and set up the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed sacrifices upon the altar of the Lord, and offered praise. And Manasseh spake unto Judah, to serve the Lord God of Israel. And Manasseh slept with his fathers in peace, and Amon his son reigned in his stead. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father did, and he provoked the Lord God to anger. Behold then, ye have heard, O our children! how he served and sacrificed unto idols, and slew many without law; and the Lord God afflicted him for a little space. • But when he repented, he forgave him his sin, and brought him back into his kingdom; for the Lord receiveth the repentance of them that turn unto him, even so that he bringeth them back into their former honour. For there is no greater sin than the worshipping of idols; for that is rebellion against the Lord; yet men are saved from it by true repentance. But if any man transgress and commit sin, and say in his heart. What will the Lord do unto me for this? such an one is rebellious before the Lord. For he doth not first try and examine himself, but walketh in his own will, and doeth the desire of his soul, and saith. This is good. He that doeth thus, and repenteth not, hath not forgiveness before the Lord. Now thus did Amon the son of Manasseh. For the Holy Scripture saith. And Amon conceived rebellion in his heart, and did evil before the Lord, as Manasseh his father did. And he multiplied proud words, and said. My father did much sin in his youth; but when he grew old he turned and repented. And I also will do likewise, and will walk in my own will, and follow the desire of my soul; and when I am old, I will turn and repent before the Lord. Then Amon did evil before the Lord, and did evil exceedingly, above them that were before him. Then the Lord brought judgment upon him, and destroyed him from off the good land, and his servants set upon him and slew him in his house; and the people of the land slew those that had set upon King Amon. And he reigned two years. Understand therefore, O ye people! and think not to do evil as Amon did, lest ye perish. And in like manner let the Bishop feed and convert the people, and teach and instruct them, and reprove them that have sinned, and heal them from their infirmities, and receive their repentance, as far as he can. But if he be without compassion, and receive not the repentance of sinners that turn unto the Lord, such an one is not worthy of esteem and honour, and shall be condemned before the Lord his God. But if he receive the repentance of them that turn unto the Lord, he shall find compassion and mercy with the Lord God, who sent his only Son into the world; who was pleased to be born of a woman, and became man for our sakes, and endured suffering upon the cross, his side being pierced unto death; who being God the Word, the Angel of the great and fearful counsel, took upon him our sicknesses and bare our sorrows, and by his wounds our wounds are healed: so let us also endure sorrow and affliction, and let us receive the repentance of those who have sinned. See now the mercy of the Lord toward Matthew, who was a publican; but when he turned unto Him, he made him an Evangelist. And Peter too, who denied him three times through fear, when he repented and wept bitterly. He received his repentance, and made him a shepherd of his sheep. And Paul our brother, who was before a persecutor, who blasphemed against the Holy Ghost, when he turned unto him. He made him an apostle. Unto the woman who was a sinner, who gave of her substance unto many, he said. Thy sins are forgiven thee. The other also, the adulteress, whom the priests placed before him, that they might try Jesus, He saved, and said unto her. Go, and henceforth sin not again. It is right that ye, O Bishops, should put your trust and hope in the Lord, our Lord and our Saviour, our God, and our King, even Jesus Christ, the Saviour of your souls. Draw near unto him in humility and gentleness; make peace without contention and anger; convert the sinners, raise the fallen; and return not evil for evil. And, moreover, be not railers, nor angry, nor blasphemous, nor boasters, nor acceptors of persons, nor drinkers of much wine or strong drink; nor dancers; nor thieves, nor murderers; nor receivers of bribes; neither seek glory from strange gods, but keep far from them; for ye have been called to this work, that ye should serve the Lord. Thus let the life of the Bishop be, let his garments and his food be in moderation and purity, as much as is sufficient for him, that he transgress not after any other law. For he that laboureth is worthy of his meat, even the tithes and first-fruits which they bring into the Church, according to the commandment of the Lord. The Bishop ought to give unto the afflicted, and the poor, and the widows and orphans, and to the needy and strangers who possess nothing, according to their wants. But if the Bishop give them not their due care, the Lord shall require it of him on their behalf; for he has power to appoint for every one, according as it is right. And ye who are ordained in the Church, if ye have need, take out of the store; but if ye have not poverty, it is not right that ye should take from it. And if ye do thus, ye shall be saved before the Lord. But if the Bishops take for themselves alone, and are insatiable to devour, and lay up for themselves and give not to the poor, for this cause the Lord shall call them to account, and they shall be clothed with reproach and dishonour. And therefore he saith. Ye have drunk milk, and have clothed yourselves with wool, and have killed bulls; ye have not raised that which was fallen, nor helped that which was lost. Must ye indeed live alone upon the earth? Therefore hath he commanded you in the Law, saying. Love your neighbour as yourselves. And moreover he saith. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox, while he treadeth out the corn. And seek not ye to take any thing but that which is in proportion to your labour and toil, as it is right. For the holy threshing-floor is the Church of the Lord. And eat ye in it, as the Levites, who serve in the tabernacle of the covenant, which is the image of the Holy Church. It is right, then, that the priests should eat the offerings, with their wives and their sons and their daughters, when men have brought their offering unto the Lord, whether a vow that they have vowed, or fruits, or tithes, or sacrifices or oblation; for they have no other occupation, nor any portion of land with the Children of Israel, but only to do the service of the tabernacle; for the offering that the people bring, that is the portion of the Levites. And now ye, O Bishops, are the simihtude of the Priests and Levites, as those who were from the beginning. It is right that ye should entreat and pray for the people; for ye are ordained for the service of this Holy and Blessed Church, who stand before the altars of the Lord our God, who offer up pure and reasonable sacrifices, without blood, unto Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest. For ye are prophets, and chiefs, and nilers, and kings, who have power over all the people that are under you. And you it becometh to preach and to speak, and to cause the people to hear the word of the Lord, and not to hide the keys of the teaching of wisdom and knowledge. And if ye hide them, ye shall find condemnation, which is prepared for you with the Lord. But if ye preach and teach the people, ye shall find recompence and glory and favour with the Lord, because ye have endured patiently, and borne all the burden. And therefore shall ye find your hope fulfilled in every thing; for ye are become like Jesus Christ, who took upon him our sicknesses, and bare our infirmities upon the cross. For, for our sake He was crucified who had no sin: in like manner should ye also bear the sins of his people. For the prophet Isaiah saith concerning our Saviour, He took upon him our sicknesses, and bare our sorrows, and for our sakes he was afflicted. And again he saith. He was crucified for our sins, and was afflicted for our transgressions. In like manner should ye also save the people, as Christ saved you. Think not that it is a light burden which the Bishops bear. As they bear a heavy burden, so shall they receive the first-fruits; and let them give thereof to the needy. For He will call you to account, with whom ye cannot strive nor contend. It is right, then, that they who serve the Holy Church should obtain their due care, and receive the offerings, even as the Priests and Levites, the ministers; as it is written in the Book of Numbers concerning the Priests: And the Lord said unto Aaron, Behold I have given unto you to keep all the first-fruits that they shall offer of all that is sanctified unto me by the Children of Israel; unto thee have I given it, until thou growest old; and after thee to thy children, by an ordinance for ever. And this shall be yours of their holy things which are sanctified, of the sacrifices, of all their offerings, and of all their sacrifices, and of their offerings of repentance, and of all their sin-offerings, and of all that they shall bring unto me of all their holy things, unto thee shall it be, and to thy children. In the most holy place eat ye it, let every male eat of it, thou and thy children; for it is holy unto thee. And this shall be yours of their first gifts, and of all that the Children of Israel shall offer; unto thee have I given it, and unto thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by an ordinance for ever. Every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it. And the first-fruits of oil, and all the first-fruits of wine and of wheat, all their first-fruits, and all that they shall offer unto the Lord, unto thee I have given it. And all the first-fruits that shall be in all their land, and all that they shall bring unto the Lord, unto thee have I given it; every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it. Every thing that they shall consecrate among the Children of Israel, shall be thine. And every thing that openeth the womb, of all flesh, every thing that they shall bring unto the Lord, from man even unto beast, shall be thine; save those that shall be ransomed with a ransom: even the first-born of men, and the firstling of unclean beasts, shall ye ransom. And the ransom shall be, for that which is a month old, the price of fifty shekels, according to the shekel of the holy things, which is twenty oboli. But the firstling of cows, and the firstling of sheep, and the firstling of goats, thou shalt not ransom, for they are holy; and thou shalt pour out their blood upon the altar, and their fat thou shalt make a sacrifice unto the I-ord, for a sweet savour. And their flesh shall be for thee, as the breast which they offer and as the right shoulder, so shall every holy offering be thine, every thing that the Children of Israel shall separate unto the Lord. I have given it unto thee, and to thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by an everlasting law, and a perpetual ordinance, which shall be for ever before the Lord, and unto thy seed after thee.