of the Lord;" whether his domestics do fear and reverence him, and are all obedient to him? For if those who are immediately about him for worldly concerns are seditious and disobedient, how will others that are not of his family, when they are under his management, become obedient to him?

CHAP. III. Let examination also be made whether he be blameable as to the concerns of this life; for it is written, "Search diligently for all the faults of him who is to be ordained for the priesthood." On which account let him also be void of anger; for wisdom says, 66 Anger destroys even the prudent." Let him also be merciful, of a generous and loving temper; for our Lord says, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another." Let him be also ready to give, and a lover of the widow and the stranger; ready to serve, and minister, and attend; resolute in his duty; and let him know who is the most worthy of his assistance.

CHAP. IV. For if there be a widow who is able to support herself, and another woman who is not a widow, but is needy by reason of sickness, or the bringing up many children, or infirmity of her hands, let him stretch out his hand in charity rather to this latter. But if any one be in want by gluttony, drunkenness, or idleness, he does not deserve any assistance, or to be esteemed a member of the church of God; for the scripture, speaking of such persons, says, "The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom, and is not able to bring it to his mouth again." And again: "The sluggard folds up his hands, and eats his own flesh." "For every drunkard and whoremonger shall come to poverty; and every drowsy person shall be clothed with tatters and rags.' And in another passage: "If thou give thine eyes to drinking and cups, thou shalt afterwards walk more naked than the house-top;" for certainly idleness is the mother of famine.

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CHAP. V. A bishop must be no accepter of persons: he must not fear any, nor basely flatter a rich man, neither overlook nor domineer over a poor man; for, says God to Moses, "Thou shalt not accept the person of the rich, neither shalt thou pity a poor man in his cause; for the judgment is the Lord's." And again: "Thou shalt with exact justice follow that which is right." Let a bishop be frugal, and contented with a little in his meat and drink, that he may be ever in a sober frame, and disposed to instruct and admonish the ignorant: and let him not be costly in his diet, a pamperer of himself, given to pleasure, or fond of delicacies. Let him be patient and gentle in his admonitions; well instructed himself, meditating in, and diligently studying the Lord's books and reading them frequently; that so he may be able carefully to interpret the scriptures, expounding the gospel in correspondence with the prophets and with the law: and let the expositions from the law and the prophets correspond to the gospel; for the Lord Jesus says, "Search the scriptures, for they are those which testify of me." And again: "For Moses wrote of me." But above all, let him carefully distinguish between the original law and the additional precepts, and shew which are the laws for believers, and which the

bonds for the unbelievers, lest any should fall under those bonds. Be careful, therefore, O bishop, to study the word, that thou mayest be able to explain everything exactly, and that thou mayest copiously nourish thy people with much doctrine, and enlighten them with the light of the law: for God says, "Enlighten yourselves with the light of knowledge, while ye have yet opportunity."

CHAP. VI. Let not a bishop be given to filthy lucre, especially before the Gentiles; rather suffering than offering injuries; not covetous nor rapacious; no purloiner, no admirer of the rich nor hater of the poor; no evil speaker nor false-witness; not given to anger; no brawler; not entangled with the affairs of this life; not a surety for any one, nor an accuser in suits about money; not ambitious, not double-minded nor double-tongued; not ready to hearken to calumny or evil speaking; not a dissembler; not addicted to the heathen festivals; not given to vain deceits; not eager after worldly things, nor a lover of money: for all these things are opposite to God, and pleasing to demons. Let the bishop earnestly give all these precepts in charge to the laity also, persuading them to imitate his conversation; for, says he, "Do ye make the children of Israel pious." Let him be prudent, humble, apt to admonish with the instructions of the Lord; well-disposed; one who has renounced all the wicked projects of this world, and all heathenish lusts. Let him be orderly, sharp in observing the wicked and taking heed of them; but yet a friend to all; just, discerning; and whatsoever qualities are commendable among men, let the bishop possess them in himself: for if the pastor be unblameable as to any wickedness, he will compel his disciples, and by his very conversion press them to become worthy imitators of his own actions. As the prophet somewhere says, "And it will be, as is the priest, so is the people;" for our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, the Son of God, began first to do, and then to teach; as Luke somewhere says, "which Jesus began to do and to teach." Wherefore he says, "Whosoever shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of God." For you bishops are to be guides and watchmen to the people, as you yourselves have Christ for your guide and watchman. Do you therefore become good guides and watchmen to the people of God; for the Lord says by Ezekiel, speaking to every one of you, "Son of man, I have given thee for a watchman to the house of Israel, and thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and shalt observe, and shalt declare it from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his wickedness, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, and his blood will I require at thine hands. But if thou warn the wicked from his way, that he may turn from it, and he does not turn from it, he shall die in his iniquity, and thou hast delivered thy soul." "In the same manner, if the sword of war be approaching, and the people set a watchman to watch, and he see the same approach, and does not forewarn them, and the sword come and take one of them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood shall be required at the watchman's hand, because he did not blow the trumpet. But if

he blew the trumpet, and he who heard it would not take warning, and the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon him, because he heard the trumpet and took not warning. But he who took warning has delivered his soul; and the watchman, because he gave warning, shall surely live." The sword here is the judgment; the trumpet is the holy gospel; the watchman is the bishop, who is set in the church, who is obliged by his preaching to testify and vehemently to forewarn concerning that judgment. If ye do not declare and testify this to the people, the sins of those who are ignorant of it will be found upon you. Wherefore do you warn and reprove the uninstructed with boldness, teach the ignorant, confirm those that go astray. If we repeat the very same things on the same occasions, brethren, we shall not do amiss. For by frequent hearing, it is to be hoped that some will be made ashamed, and at least do some good action, and avoid some wicked one; for, says God by the prophet, "Testify those things to them; perhaps they will hear thy voice." And again: "If perhaps they will hear, if perhaps they will submit." Moses also says to the people, "If hearing thou wilt hear the Lord God, and do that which is good and right in his eyes." And again: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord." And our Lord is often recorded in the gospel to have said, "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." And wise Solomon says, My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and reject not the laws of thy mother." And indeed to this day men have not heard; for while they seem to have heard, they have not heard aright; as appears by their having left the one and only true God, and their being drawn into destructive and dangerous heresies, concerning which we shall speak again afterwards.

CHAP. VII. Beloved, be it known to you that those who are baptized into the death of our Lord Christ are obliged to go on no longer in sin for as those who are dead cannot work wickedness any longer, so those who are dead with Christ cannot practise wickedness. We cannot therefore believe, brethren, that any one who has received the washing of life will venture to act the open wickednesses of transgressors. Now he who sins after his baptism, unless he repent and forsake his sins, shall be condemned to hell-fire.

CHAP. VIII. But if any one be maliciously prosecuted by the heathen, because he will not still go along with them to the same excess of riot, let him know that such an one is blessed of God, according as our Lord says in the gospel, "Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, or persecute you, or say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for your reward is great in heaven." If, therefore, any one be slandered and falsely accused, such an one is blessed; for the scripture says, "A man that is a reprobate is not tried by God." But if any one be convicted, as having done a wicked action, such an one not only hurts himself, but occasions the whole body of the church and its doctrine to be blasphemed, as if we Christians did not practise those things that we declare to be good and honest;

and we ourselves shall be reproached by the Lord, that "They say and do not." Wherefore the bishop must boldly reject such as these upon full conviction, unless they change their course of life.

CHAP. IX. For the bishop must not only himself give no offence, but must be no respecter of persons; in meekness instructing those that offend. But if he himself has not a good conscience, and is a respecter of persons for the sake of filthy lucre and receiving of bribes, and spares the open offender, and permits him to continue in the church, he disregards the voice of God, and of our Lord, which says, “Thou shalt exactly execute right judgment:" "thou shalt not accept persons in judgment:" "thou shalt not justify the wicked:" "thou shalt not receive gifts against any one's life; for gifts do blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous." And elsewhere he says, "Take away from among yourselves that wicked person." And Solomon says in his Proverbs," Cast out a pestilent fellow from the congregation, and strife will go out along with him.'

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CHAP. X. But he who does not consider these things will, contrary to justice, spare him who deserves punishment; as spared Agag, and Eli his sons, who knew not the Lord." Such an one profanes his own dignity, and that church of God which is in his parish. Such an one is esteemed unjust before God and good men, as affording occasion of scandal to many of the newly baptized, and to the catechumens; as also to the youth of both sexes, to whom a woe belongs, and " a millstone about his neck," and “drowning," on account of his guilt. For observing what a person their governor is, through his wickedness and neglect of justice they will grow sceptical, and, indulging the same disease, will be compelled to perish with him. As was the case of the people joining with Jeroboam, and those which were in the conspiracy with Corah. But if the offender sees that the bishop and deacons are innocent and unblameable, and the flock pure, he will either not venture to despise their authority, and to enter into the church of God at all, as one smitten by his own conscience; or if he values nothing, and ventures to enter in, either he will be convicted immediately, as Uzza at the ark, when he touched it to support it, and as Achan when he stole the accursed thing, and as Gehazi when he coveted the money of Naaman; and so will be immediately punished; or else he will be admonished by the pastor, and drawn to repentance. For when he looks round the whole church, one by one, and can spy no blemish, neither in the bishop, nor in the people who are under his care, he will be put to confusion, and pricked at the heart, and in a peaceable manner will go his way with shame and many tears, and the flock will remain pure. He will apply himself to God with tears, and will repent of his sins, and have hope. Nay, the whole flock at the sight of his tears will be instructed, because a sinner avoids destruction by repentance.

CHAP. XI. Upon this account, therefore, O bishop, endeavour to be pure in thy actions, and to adorn thy place and dignity,

which is that of one sustaining the character of God among men ; as being set over all men, over priests, kings, rulers, fathers, children, masters, and in general over all those who are subject to thee: and so do thou sit in the church when thou speakest as having authority to judge offenders. For to you, O bishops, it is said, "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

CHAP. XII. Do thou therefore, O bishop, judge with authority like God: yet receive the penitent: for God is a God of mercy. Rebuke those that sin; admonish those that are not converted; exhort those that stand to persevere in their goodness; receive the penitent: For the Lord God has promised with an oath to afford remission to the penitent, for what things they have done amiss. For he says by Ezekiel: " Speak unto them, As I live, saith the Lord, I would not the death of a sinner, but that the wicked turn from his evil way and live. Turn ye, therefore, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" Here the word affords hope to sinners, that if they will repent they shall have hope of salvation, lest otherwise out of despair they yield themselves up to their transgressions; but that having hope of salvation they may be converted, and may address God with tears, on account of their sins, and may repent from their hearts, and so appease his displeasure towards them; so shall they receive a pardon from hiin, as from a merciful father.

CHAP. XIII. Yet it is very necessary that those who are yet innocent should continue so, and not make an experiment what sin is, that they may not have occasion for trouble, sorrow, and those lamentations, which are in order to forgiveness. For how dost thou know, O man, when thou sinnest, whether thou shalt live any number of days in this present state, that thou mayest have time to repent? For the time of thy departure out of this world is uncertain; and if thou diest in sin, there will remain no repentance for thee; as God says by David, "In the grave who will confess to thee?" It behoves us therefore to be ready in the doing of our duty; that so we may await our passage into another world without sorrow. Wherefore also the sacred word speaks to thee by the wise Solomon," Prepare thy works against thy exit, and provide all beforehand in the field," lest some of the things necessary to thy journey be wanting; as the oil of piety was deficient in the "five foolish virgins" mentioned in the gospel, when they, on account of their having extinguished their lamps of divine knowledge, were shut out of the bride-chamber. Wherefore he who values the security of his soul will take care to be out of danger, by keeping free from sin, that so he may preserve the advantage of his former good works to himself. Do thou therefore so judge as executing judgment for God; for, as the scripture says, "the judgment is the Lord's." In the first place, therefore, condemn the guilty person with authority; afterwards try to bring him home with mercy and compassion, and readiness to receive him, promising him salvation if he will change his course of life, and become a penitent; and when he does repent, and has submitted to his chas