XXXII. A prediction concerning futurities. XXXIII. A prayer declarative of God's various providence. XXXV. A prayer with thanksgiving declarative of God's providence over the beings he has made. XXXVI. A prayer commemorative of the incarnation of Christ; and his various providence to the saints. XXXVII. A prayer containing the memorial of his providence, and enumeration of the various benefits afforded the saints by the providence of God, through Christ. XXXVIII. A prayer for the assistance of the righteous. XXXIX. How the catechumens are to be instructed in the elements. XL. A constitution how the catechumens are to be blessed by the priests in their initiation, and what things are to be taught them. XLI. The renunciation to the adversary, and the dedication to the Christ of God. XLII. A thanksgiving concerning the anointing with the mystical oil. XLIII. A thanksgiving concerning the mystical water. XLIV. A thanksgiving concerning the mystical ointment. XLV. A prayer for the new fruits. XLVI. Who were they that the holy apostles sent and ordained. XLVII. A morning prayer. XLVIII. An evening prayer. XLIX. A prayer at dinner. CONTENTS OF THE EIGHTH BOOK. CHAP. I. On whose account the powers of miracles are performed. II. Concerning unworthy bishops and presbyters. III. That to make constitutions about the divine offices to be performed in the churches is of great consequence. IV. Concerning ordinations. V. The form of prayer for the ordination of a bishop. VI. The divine liturgy, wherein is the bidding prayer for the catechumens. VII. For the energumens. VIII. For the baptized. IX. The imposition of hands and prayer for the penitents. X. The bidding prayer for the faithful. XI. The form of prayer for the faithful. XII. The constitution of James, the brother of John, the son of Zebedee. XIII. The bidding prayer for the faithful after the divine oblation. XIV. The bidding prayer after the participation. XV. The form of prayer after the participation. XVI. Concerning the ordination of presbyters, the constitution of John, who was beloved by the Lord. XVII. Concerning the ordination of deacons, the constitution of Philip. XVIII. The form of prayer for the ordination of a deacon. XIX. Concerning the deaconess, the constitution of Bartholomew. XX. The form of prayer for the ordination of a deaconess. XXI. Concerning the sub-deacons, the constitution of Thomas. XXII. Concerning the readers, the constitution of Matthew. XXIII. Concerning the confessors, the constitution of James, the son of Alphæus. XXIV. The same apostles constitution concerning virgins. XXV. The constitution of Libbæus, who was surnamed Thaddæus, concerning widows. XXVI. The same apostle concerning the exorcist. XXVII. Simon the Canaanite concerning the number necessary for the ordination of a bishop. XXVIII. The same apostles canons concerning bishops, priests, deacons, and the rest of the clergy. XXIX. Concerning the eulogy of water and oil, the constitution of Matthias. XXX. The same apostles constitution concerning first-fruits and tythes. XXXI. The same apostles constitution concerning the remaining oblations. XXXII. Various canons of Paul the apostle, concerning those that offer themselves to be baptized; whom we are to receive and whom to reject. XXXIII. Upon what days servants are not to work. XXXIV. At what hours, and why we are to pray. XXXV. The constitution of James, the brother of Christ, con cerning evening prayer. XXXVI. The bidding prayer for the evening, XXXVII. The thanksgiving for the evening. XXXVIII. The thanksgiving for the morning. XXXIX. The imposition of hands for the morning. XL. The form of prayer for the first-fruits. ALI. The bidding-prayer for those departed. XLII. How and when we ought to celebrate the memorials of the faithful departed, and that we ought then to give somewhat out of their goods to the poor. XLIII. That the memorials or mandates do not at all profit the wicked who are dead. XLIV. Concerning drunkards, XLV. Concerning the receiving such as are persecuted for Christ's sake. XLVI. That every one ought to remain in that rank wherein he is placed, but not snatch such offices to himself which are not entrusted with him. XLVII. The ecclesiastical canons. OF THE HOLY APOSTLES. BOOK I. CONCERNING THE LAITY. THE Apostles and Elders to all those who from among the Gentiles have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; grace and peace from Almighty God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, be multiplied unto you in the acknowledgment of him. The catholic church is the plantation of God, and his beloved vineyard, containing those who have believed in his unerring divine religion-who are the heirs by faith of his everlasting kingdomwho are partakers of his divine influence and of the communication of the Holy Spirit-who are armed and inwardly strengthened with his fear through Jesus-who enjoy the benefit of the sprinkling of the precious and innocent blood of Christ-who have free liberty to call Almighty God Father-being fellow-heirs and joint-partakers of his beloved Son. Hearken to this holy doctrine, you who enjoy his promises, as being delivered by the command of your Saviour and agreeable to his glorious words. Take care, ye children of God, to do all things in obedince to God; and in all things please Christ, who is our God. For if any man follows unrighteousness, and does those things that are contrary to the will of God, such an one will be esteemed by God as the disobedient heathen. For CHAP. I. Abstain, therefore, from all unlawful desires and injustice; for it is written in the law, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his field, nor his man-servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's;" for all coveting of these things is from the evil one. he that covets his neighbour's wife, or his man-servant, or his maidservant, is already in his mind an adulterer and a thief, and if he does not repent, is condemned by our Lord Jesus Christ: through whom glory be to God for ever, Amen. For he says in the gospel, recapitulating, and confirming, and fulfilling the ten commandments of the law-"It is written in the law, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you "—that is, I said in the law, by Moses, but now I say unto you myself" Whosoever shall look on his neighbour's wife, to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Such an one is condemned of adultery who covets his neighbour's wife in his mind. But he that covets an ox, or an ass, does not he design to steal them to his own use, and to lead them away? Or again-He that covets a field, and continues in such a disposition, does not he wickedly contrive how to remove the land-marks, and so compel the possessor to part with somewhat for nothing? For, as the prophet somewhere speaks, "Woe to those who join house to house, and lay field to field, that they may deprive their neigh D bour of somewhat which was his." Wherefore he says, "Must you alone inhabit the earth? for these things have been heard in the ears of the Lord of hosts." And elsewhere, "Cursed be who removeth his neighbour's landmarks; and all the people shall say Amen." Wherefore Moses says, "Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmarks, which thy fathers have set." Upon this account, therefore, terrors, death, tribunals, and condemnations follow such as these, from God. But as to those who are obedient to God, there is one law of God, simple, true, living, which is this, "Do not that to another which thou hatest another should do to thee." Thou wouldst not that any one should look upon thy wife with an evil design to corrupt her: do not thou, therefore, look upon thy neighbour's wife with a wicked intention. Thou wouldst not that thy garment should be taken away: do not thou, therefore, take away another's. Thou wouldst not be beaten, reproached, affronted do not thou, therefore, serve any other in the like manner. CHAP. II. But if any one curse thee, do thou bless him: for it is written in the book of Numbers, "He that blesseth thee is blessed, and he that curseth thee is cursed." In the same manner it is written in the gospel, "Bless them that curse you." Being injured, do not avenge yourselves, but bear it with patience; for the scripture speaks thus-"Say not thou, I will avenge myself on my enemy for what injuries he has offered me; but acquiesce under them, that the Lord may right thee, and bring vengeance upon him who has injured thee." For so says he again in the gospel, "Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them which despitefully use you; and ye shall be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and raineth on the just and unjust.' Let us, therefore, attend to these commandments, that we may be found to be the children of light by doing them. دو Bear, therefore, with one another, ye servants and sons of God. Let the husband not be insolent nor arrogant towards his wife, but compassionate, bountiful, willing to please his own wife alone, and treat her honourably and obligingly, endeavouring to be agreeable to her. CHAP. III. Do not adorn thyself in such a manner as may entice another woman to thee; for if thou art overcome by her, and sinnest with her, eternal death will overtake thee from God, and thou wilt be punished with sensible and bitter torments. Or if thou dost not perpetrate such a wicked act, but shakest her off, and refusest her, in this case thou art not wholly innocent, even though thou art not guilty of the crime itself, upon account of thy bare adorning thyself so that a woman was ensnared to desire thee; for thou art the cause that the woman was so affected, and by her lusting after thee was guilty of adultery with thee; yet art thou not so guilty, because thou didst not send to her who was ensnared by thee, nor didst thou desire her. Since, therefore, thou didst not deliver up thyself to her, thou shalt find mercy with the Lord thy God, who hath said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," and, "Thou shalt not covet." For if such a woman upon sight of thee, or unseasonable meeting with thee, was smitten in her mind and sent to thee, but thou, as a religious person, didst refuse her, if she was wounded in her heart by thy beauty, and youth, and adorning, and fell in love with thee, thou wilt be found guilty of her transgression, as having been the occasion of scandal to her, and shalt inherit a wo. Wherefore, pray thou to the Lord God that no mischief may befal thee upon this account for thou art not to please men so as to commit sin, but God, so as to attain holiness of life and be partaker of everlasting rest. That beauty which God and nature has bestowed on thee do not further beautify, but modestly diminish it before men. Thus, do not thou permit the hair of thy head to grow too long, but rather cut it short; lest by a nice combing thy hair, and wearing it long, and anointing thyself, thou draw upon thyself such ensnared or ensnaring women. Neither do thou wear over-fine garments to seduce any; neither do thou, with an evil subtlety, affect over-fine stockings or shoes for thy feet, but only such as suit the measures of decency and usefulness. Neither do thou put a gold ring upon thy fingers; for all these ornaments are the signs of lasciviousness, which if thou be solicitous about in an indecent manner, thou wilt not act as becomes a good man. For it is not lawful for a man, who is a believer, and belongs to God, to permit the hair of his head to grow long, and to bush it up together, nor to suffer it to spread abroad, nor to puff it up, nor by nice combing and plaiting to make it curl and shine, since that is contrary to the law, which says thus, in its additional precepts, "You shall not make to yourselves curls nor round rasures.' Nor may men destroy the hair of their beards, and unnaturally change the form of a man: for the law says, "Ye shall not mar your beards;" for God has made this decent for women, but has determined that 'tis unsuitable for men. But if thou do these things to please men in contradiction to the law, thou wilt be abominable with God, who created thee after his own image. If, therefore, thou wilt be acceptable to God, abstain from all those things which he hates, and do none of those things that are unpleasing to him. CHAP. IV. Thou shalt not be as a wanderer and gadder abroad, rambling about the streets without just cause, to spy out such as live wickedly; but by minding thy own trade and employment, endeavour to do what is acceptable to God: and keeping in mind the oracles of Christ, meditate in the same continually. For so the scripture says to thee, "Thou shalt meditate in his law day and night; when thou walkest in the field, and when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, that thou mayest have understanding in all things." Nay, although thou beest rich, and so dost not want a trade for thy maintenance, be not one that gads about and walks abroad at random. But either go to some that are believers and of the same religion, and confer and discourse with them about the lively oracles of God. CHAP. V. Or if thou stayest at home, read the books of the law, of the kings, with the prophets, sing the hymns of David, and peruse diligently the gospel, which is the completion of the other. |