Didascalia Apostolorum 10

1But if there be false brethren who, through envy or jealousy of the Enemy and Satan, who works in them, bring an accusation against any of the brethren falsely, or even truly, let them know that everyone who searches out such things for the purpose of accusing or slandering any man, is a son of [] wrath:? and where wrath is, God is not; for wrath is of Satan, and through these false brethren he never suffers peace to be in the Church. Wherefore, when you have known those who are thus void of understanding, first of all believe them not; and secondly, do you the bishops and deacons be wary of them; and when you hear them saying anything against one of the brethren, [ii. 38] take knowledge of him against whom they bring the accusation, and make inquiry prudently, and weigh his conduct; and if he is found blameworthy, do according to the teaching of our Lord which is written in the Gospel:? Reprove him between thyself and him; and save him when he repenteth and returneth. But if he be not persuaded, reprove him among two or three; that that may be fulfilled which is said:? At the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established [Mt 18.15-16 (cf. Lk 17.3); Dt 19.15] . Now why, brethren, is it required that a testimony be established at the mouth of two or three witnesses? Because the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit bear witness to the works of men. For where there is the admonition of doctrine, there also is correction and conversion of them that err. (p. 44) Wherefore, at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established. But if he obey not, reprove him before the whole church. But if he obey not even the church, let him be accounted by thee as the heathen and as the publican [Mt 18.16-17]. For the Lord has commanded you, O bishops, that you should not henceforth receive such a one into the Church as a Christian, nor communicate with him. For [] neither dost thou receive the evil heathen or publicans into the Church and communicate with them except they first repent, professing that they believe and henceforth will do no more evil works:? for to this end did our Lord and Saviour grant a place for repentance to those who have sinned. [ii. 39] For I Matthew also, who am one of the twelve Apostles who speak to you in this Didascalia, was formerly a publican; but now, because that I believed, I have obtained mercy, and have repented of my former deeds, and have been counted worthy also to be an apostle and preacher of the word. And the prophet John likewise preached in the Gospel to publicans; and he deprived them not of hope, but taught them how they should order themselves; and when they asked him for advice, he said to them:? Exact no more than that which is commanded and appointed you [Lk 3.13]. And Zacchaeus, too, the Lord received unto repentance when he besought Him [cf. Lk 19.1-10]. Nor do we withhold life even from the heathen, if they will repent and put away and reject their error. As a heathen, then, and as a publican let him be accounted by you [Mt 18.17] who has been convicted of evil deeds and falsehood; and afterwards, if he promise to repent -- even as when the heathen desire and promise to repent, and say 'We believe' we receive them into the congregation that they may hear the word, but do not communicate with them until they receive the seal and are fully initiated:? so neither do we communicate with these until they show the fruits of repentance. But let them by all means come in, if they desire to hear the word, that they may not wholly perish; but let them not communicate in prayer , but go forth without. For they also, when they have seen that they do not communicate with the Church, will submit themselves, and repent of their former works, and strive to be [] received into the Church for prayer; and they likewise who see and hear them go forth like the heathen and publicans, will fear and take warning to themselves not to sin, (p. 45) lest it so happen to them also, and being convicted of sin or falsehood they be put forth from the Church.? [ii. 40] But thou shalt by no means forbid them to enter the Church and hear the word, O bishop; for neither did our Lord and Saviour utterly thrust away and reject publicans and sinners, but did even eat with them. And for this cause the Pharisees murmured against Him, and said: He eateth with ?publicans and sinners. Then did our Saviour make answer against their thoughts and their murmuring, and say: They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick [Mk 2.16-17; Mt 9.11-12; Lk 5.30-31].? Do you therefore consort with those who have been convicted of sins and are sick, and attach them to you, and be careful of them, and speak to them and comfort them, and keep hold of them and convert them. [ii. 41]? And afterwards, as each one of them repents and shows the fruits of repentance, receive him to prayer after the manner of a heathen.? And as thou baptizest a heathen and then receivest him, so also lay hand upon this man, whilst all pray for him, and then bring him in and let him communicate with the Church. For the imposition of hand shall be to him in the place of baptism:? for whether by the imposition of hand, or by baptism, they receive the communication of the Holy Spirit. Wherefore, as a compassionate physician, heal all those who sin; and go about with all skill, and bring healing to bear for the succour of their lives. And thou shalt not be ready to cut off the members of the Church; but employ the bandages of the word, and the fomentations of admonition, and the [] compress of exhortation. But if the sore be sunken and lack flesh, nourish it and level it up with healing drugs; and if there be dirt in it, cleanse it with a pungent drug, that is with the word of rebuke. But if the flesh be over swollen, wear it down and level it with a violent drug, that is with the threat of judgement. But if gangrene should set in, cauterize it with burnings, that is, with incisions of much fasting cut away and clear out the rottenness of the sore. But if the gangrene assert itself and prevail even over the burnings, give judgement:? and then, whichever member it be that is putrified, with advice and much consultation with other physicians, cut off that putrefied member, that it may not corrupt the whole body. Yet be not ready to amputate straightway, and be not in haste to have recourse at once to the saw (p. 46) of many teeth; but use first the knife and cut the sore, that it may be clearly seen, and that it may be known what is the cause of the disease that is hidden within; so that the whole body may be kept uninjured. But if thou see that a man will not repent, but has altogether abandoned himself, then with grief and to sorrow cut him off and cast him out of the Church. [ii. 42] But if it be found that the hostile charge is false, and you the pastors, with the deacons, accept the falsehood as truth -- whether through respect of persons, or by reason of the presents which you receive -- and pervert judgement because you desire to do the will of the Evil One, and expel and cast out from the Church him that is accused, whereas he is innocent of this charge:? you shall render an account in the day of the Lord; for it is written: Thou shalt not respect persons in judgement [Dt 1.17]; and again the Scripture saith: A bribe [] blindeth the eyes of them that see, and perverteth right words [Ex 23.8 (cf. Dt 16.19)]; and again it hath said: Deliver ye the oppressed, and judge the fatherless, and acquit the widows [Isa 1.17]; and: Judge right judgement in the gates [Zech 8.16]. Give heed therefore that you be not respecters of persons and incur the judgement of the Lord's word, which He spoke thus:? Woe to them that make bitter sweet, and sweet bitter; and call light darkness, and darkness light; and acquit the wicked for his bribe, and turn away the innocency of the innocent [Isa 5.20, 23]. But beware that you condemn not a man wrongfully, nor abet them that are evil; for when you judge others, you judge your own selves, as the Lord said: With the judgement that ye judge, ye shall be judged; and as ye condemn, ye shall be condemned [Mt 7.2; cf. Lk 6.37]. Wherefore, remember and have ready by you this saying: Forgive, and it shall be forgiven you; and condemn not, that ye may not be condemned [Lk 6.37 (cf. Mt 6.14-15)]. But if your judgement be without respect of persons, O bishops, observe him that accuses his brother, whether he be not a false brother, and has brought the accusation out of envy or jealousy, that he may disturb the Church of God and? slay him who is accused by him through his expulsion from the Church and his delivery over to the sword of fire.? Judge him therefore, thou, sternly, because he has brought evil upon his brother. For as regards his own intent, if he had been able to catch beforehand the judge's ear, he would have slain his brother in fire. It is written: ?Whoso sheddeth man's blood, his own blood shall be shed for the blood which he hath shed [Gen 9.6]. (p. 47) [ii. 43] If then he is found to be such, [] expel him from the Church with great denunciation as a murderer; and after a time, if he promise to repent, warn him and correct him sternly; and then lay hand upon him and receive him into the Church. And be wary and guard such a one, that he no more disturb any other. But if, after he is come in, you see that he is still contentious and minded to accuse others also, and mischievous and designing, and making false complaints against many:? drive him out, that he may no further disturb and trouble the Church. For such a one, though he be within, yet because he is unseemly to the Church, he is superfluous to her, and there is no profit in him. For we see that there are some men born with superfluous members to their bodies, as fingers or other excessive flesh ; but these, though they pertain to the body, are a reproach and a disgrace both to the body and to the man, because they are superfluous to him. Yet when they are removed by the surgeon, that man recovers the comeliness and beauty of his body; and he suffers no defect by the removal from it of that which was superfluous, but is even the more conspicuous in his beauty. In like manner then do you also act, O pastors. For since the Church is a body, and the members are we who believe in God and abide in love in the fear of the Lord, even as we have received command to be perfect:? therefore, one who contrives evil against the Church, and troubles her members, and loves the complaints and fault-findings of the Enemy, to wit, disturbances, quarrels, slanders, murmurings, contentions, controversies, accusations, charges, vexations: he that loves and does these things -- rather it is the Enemy that works in him -- and remains within the Church, the same is alien to the Church and a domestic of the Enemy; for to him he ministers that he may be working through him and may thwart and harass the Church. Such a one therefore, if he remain within, [] is a disgrace to the Church by reason of his blasphemies and his manifold disorder; for through him the Church of God comes in danger of being scattered. Deal with him therefore as it is written in Wisdom:? Put forth an evil man from the assembly, and his contention will go out with him; and make an end of strife and ignominy:? lest, if (p. 48) he sit in the assembly, he dishonour you all [Prov 22.10].? For when he has gone forth twice from the Church, he is justly cut off ; and the Church is the more beautiful in her proper form, forasmuch as peace has been restored to her, which (before) was wanting to her:? for from that hour the Church remains free from blasphemy and disorder. But if your mind be not pure -- whether it be through respect of persons, or the gifts of filthy lucre which you receive -- and you endure that an evil person should remain among you; or again, (if) you thrust away and expel from the Church them that are of good conversation, and foster among you many that are evil, contentious persons and scatterers (of the flock) and riotous:? you will bring blasphemy upon the assembly of the Church, and will run the risk of scattering her through these persons; and you will have put yourselves in deadly peril of forfeiting eternal life -- because you have pleased men, and have turned back from the truth of God, through respect of persons and the habit of receiving empty gifts:? and you will have scattered the Catholic Church, the beloved daughter of the Lord God. []