it is necessary for the churches to be preserved, and for those who from time to time administer the divine priesthood to be confident in the management of incidental expenses.

3 Concerning a priest not giving his resignation. But the letters of resignation not according to his own choice, but as from

necessity and fear and the threat of some persons he says he submitted. And otherwise, for any of the ministers to offer letters of resignation is a matter not pleasing to the regulations of the church; for if they are 281 worthy to minister, let them remain in this, but if unworthy, let them not depart by resignation, but rather be condemned for their deeds; against whom one might raise a great outcry, as running outside of all due order. Greet the brotherhood with you; the brotherhood with us greets you in the Lord

ἐκκλησίαις σῴζεσθαι χρή, θαρσεῖσθαι δὲ τοὺς κατὰ καιρὸν τὴν θείαν διέποντας ἱερωσύνην τῶν παραπιπτόντων ἀναλωμάτων τὴν οἰκονομίαν.

Γ Περὶ τοῦ μὴ διδόναι παραίτησιν ἱερέα. Τοὺς δὲ τῆς παραιτήσεως λιβέλλους οὐ κατὰ προαίρεσιν οἰκείαν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐξ

ἀνάγκης καὶ φόβου καὶ τῆς τινῶν ἀπειλῆς ἐπιδοῦναι φησί. Καὶ ἑτέρως δὲ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν οὔτε τοῖς τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀρέσκον θεσμοῖς τὸ λιβέλλους παραιτήσεως προσάγειν τινὰς τῶν ἱερουργῶν· εἰ γὰρ εἰσὶν 281 ἄξιοι τοῦ λειτουργεῖν, ἔστωσαν ἐν τούτῳ, εἰ δὲ ἀνάξιοι, μὴ ἀπὸ παραιτήσεως ἐξίτωσαν, κατεγνωσμένοι δὲ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ πράγμασιν· ὧν ἄν τις πολλὴν ποιήσαιτο τὴν καταβοήν, ὡς ἔξω τρεχόντων πάσης ἀκολουθίας. Πρόσειπε τὴν παρὰ σοὶ ἀδελφότητα· σὲ ἡ σὺν ἡμῖν ἐν κυρίῳ προσαγορεύει