1

 2

 3

 4

 5

 6

 7

 8

 9

 10

 11

 12

 13

 14

 15

 16

 17

 18

 19

 20

 21

 22

 23

 24

 25

 26

 27

 28

 29

 30

 31

 32

 33

 34

 35

 36

 37

 38

 39

 40

 41

 42

 43

 44

 45

 46

 47

 48

 49

 50

 51

 52

 53

 54

 55

52

praise from the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God, an avenger for wrath upon him that doeth evil. That it is necessary to be subject to the higher powers in those things in which a command of God is not hindered. Chapter 2. TO THE ROMANS. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil, and what follows. ACTS. We ought to obey God rather than men. TO TITUS. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.

RULE 80. What manner of men the word wills Christians to be, as disciples

of Christ, formed according to those things alone, which they see in him, or hear from him. Chapter 1. MATTHEW. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me.

JOHN. Ye call me, Master, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. As sheep of Christ, hearing only the voice of their own shepherd, and following him. Chapter 2. JOHN. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And above: And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 31.861 As branches of Christ, rooted in him, and bearing fruit in him, and doing and having everything proper and worthy of him. Chapter 3. JOHN. I am the vine, ye are the branches. As members of Christ, prepared in every work of the Lord’s commandments, or of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, in a manner worthy of the head, which is Christ. Chapter 4. TO THE CORINTHIANS I. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? TO THE EPHESIANS. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. As a bride of Christ, keeping her chastity, by walking only in the will of the bridegroom. Chapter 5. JOHN. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom. TO THE CORINTHIANS II. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. As holy temples of God, pure, and filled only with those things for the worship of God. Chapter 6. JOHN. If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. TO THE CORINTHIANS II. For ye are the temple of the living God. For Scripture says, that I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God. As a sacrifice of God without blemish and without spot, preserving soundness in every member and part of godliness. Chapter 7. TO THE ROMANS. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. As children of God, formed according to the image of God, according to the measure graciously given to men. Chapter 8. JOHN. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. 31.864 TO THE GALATIANS. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. As a light in the world, so that they themselves are unreceptive of evil, and enlighten those who approach them to the knowledge of the truth, that they may become what they ought to be, or be convicted of what they are. Chapter 9.

52

ἔπαινον ἐξ αὐτῆς. Θεοῦ γὰρ διάκονός ἐστί σοι εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν. Ἐὰν δὲ τὸ κακὸν ποιῇς, φοβοῦ· οὐ γὰρ εἰκῆ τὴν μάχαιραν φορεῖ. Θεοῦ γὰρ διάκονός ἐστιν, ἔκδικος εἰς ὀργὴν τῷ τὸ κα κὸν πράσσοντι. Ὅτι δεῖ ἐξουσίαις ὑπερεχούσαις ὑποτάσσεσθαι ἐν αἷς ἂν ἐντολὴ Θεοῦ μὴ ἐμποδίζηται. Κεφάλ. βʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜ. Πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἐξουσίαις ὑπερεχού σαις ὑποτασσέσθω. Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐξουσία εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ Θεοῦ· αἱ δὲ οὖσαι ἐξουσίαι ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τεταγμέναι εἰσίν. Ὥστε ὁ ἀντιτασσόμενος τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ, τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ διαταγῇ ἀνθέστηκεν· οἱ δὲ ἀνθεστηκότες ἑαυτοῖς κρῖμα λήψονται. Οἱ γὰρ ἄρχοντες οὐκ εἰσὶ φόβος τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων, ἀλλὰ τῶν κακῶν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ΠΡΑΞΕΙΣ. Πειθαρ χεῖν δεῖ Θεῷ μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνθρώποις. ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΤ. Ὑπομίμνησκε αὐτοὺς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ἐξουσίαις ὑπο τάσσεσθαι, πειθαρχεῖν, πρὸς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγα θὸν ἑτοίμους εἶναι.

ΟΡΟΣ Πʹ. Ποταποὺς εἶναι βούλεται ὁ λόγος τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς, ὡς μαθητὰς

Χριστοῦ, πρὸς μόνα τυπουμένους, ἃ βλέπουσιν ἐν αὐτῷ, ἢ ἀκούουσι παρ' αὐτοῦ. Κεφάλ. αʹ. ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΣ. Ἄρατε τὸν ζυγόν μου ἐφ' ὑμᾶς, καὶ μάθετε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ.

ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ. Ὑμεῖς φωνεῖτέ με, ὁ διδάσκαλος, καὶ ὁ Κύριος· καὶ καλῶς λέ γετε· εἰμὶ γάρ. Εἰ οὖν ἐγὼ ἔνιψα ὑμῶν τοὺς πόδας ὁ Κύριος καὶ ὁ διδάσκαλος, καὶ ὑμεῖς ὀφείλετε ἀλλήλων νίπτειν τοὺς πόδας. Ὑπόδειγμα γὰρ δέδωκα ὑμῖν, ἵνα καθὼς ἐγὼ ἐποίησα ὑμῖν, καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιῆτε. Ὡς πρόβατα Χριστοῦ τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ ἰδίου ποιμένος ἀκούοντα μόνου, καὶ αὐτῷ ἀκολουθοῦντας. Κεφάλ. βʹ. ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ. Τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἐμὰ τῆς φωνῆς μου ἀκούει, κἀγὼ γινώσκω αὐτὰ, καὶ ἀκολου θοῦσί μοι. Καὶ ἀνωτέρω· Ἀλλοτρίῳ δὲ οὐ μὴ ἀκολουθήσωσιν, ἀλλὰ φεύξονται ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὐκ οἴδασι τῶν ἀλλοτρίων τὴν φωνήν. 31.861 Ὡς κλήματα Χριστοῦ, ἐν αὐτῷ ἐῤῥιζωμένους, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ καρποφοροῦντας, καὶ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν οἰκεῖον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄξιον ποιοῦντας καὶ ἔχοντας. Κεφάλ. γʹ. ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ. Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος, ὑμεῖς τὰ κλή ματα. Ὡς μέλη Χριστοῦ, ἐν πάσῃ ἐνεργείᾳ τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Κυρίου, ἢ τῶν χαρισμάτων τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος κατηρτισμένους πρὸς ἀξίαν τῆς κεφαλῆς, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστός. Κεφάλ. δʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΡ. αʹ. Οὐκ οἴδατε, ὅτι τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν μέλη Χριστοῦ ἐστιν; ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦ. Ἀλη θεύοντες δὲ ἐν ἀγάπῃ, αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ, Χριστός· ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα, συναρμολογούμενον καὶ συμβιβαζόμενον διὰ πάσης ἀφῆς τῆς ἐπιχορηγίας, κατ' ἐνέργειαν ἐν μέτρῳ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου μέρους τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ σώματος ποιεῖται εἰς οἰκοδομὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐν ἀγάπῃ. Ὡς νύμφην Χριστοῦ φυλάσσουσαν τὸ ἁγνὸν, ἐν τῷ μόνοις τοῖς θελήμασι τοῦ νυμφίου στοιχεῖν. Κεφάλ. εʹ. ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ. Ὁ ἔχων τὴν νύμφην νυμφίος ἐστίν. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΡ. βʹ. Ἡρμοσάμην γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἀνδρὶ, παρθένον ἁγνὴν παραστῆσαι τῷ Χριστῷ. Ὡς ναοὺς Θεοῦ ἁγίους, καθαροὺς, καὶ μόνων πεπληρωμένους τῶν πρὸς λατρείαν Θεοῦ. Κεφάλ. ʹ. ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ. Ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ με, τὸν λόγον μου τηρήσῃ, καὶ ὁ Πατήρ μου ἀγαπήσει αὐτόν· καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλευσόμεθα, καὶ μονὴν παρ' αὐτῷ ποιήσομεν. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΡ. βʹ. Ὑμεῖς γὰρ ναὸς Θεοῦ ἐστε ζῶντος. Λέγει γὰρ ἡ Γραφὴ, ὅτι Ἐνοικήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσω, καὶ ἔσομαι αὐτῶν Θεός. Ὡς θυσίαν Θεοῦ ἄμωμον καὶ ἀλώβητον, παντὶ μέλει καὶ μέρει τῆς θεοσεβείας τὸ ὑγιὲς διασώ ζοντας. Κεφάλ. ζʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜ. Παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοὶ, διὰ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, παραστῆσαι τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν θυσίαν ζῶσαν, ἁγίαν, εὐάρεστον τῷ Θεῷ, τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν ὑμῶν. Ὡς τέκνα Θεοῦ, μεμορφωμένους πρὸς τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τὸ ἀνθρώποις κεχαρι σμένον. Κεφάλ. ηʹ. ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ. Τεκνία, ἔτι μικρὸν μεθ' ὑμῶν 31.864 εἰμι. ΠΡΟΣ ΓΑΛ. Τεκνία μου, οὓς πάλιν ὠδίνω, ἄχρις οὗ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν. Ὡς φῶς ἐν κόσμῳ, ὥστε αὐτούς τε εἶναι ἀνεπι δέκτους κακίας, καὶ τοὺς πλησιάζοντας αὐτοῖς φω τίζειν εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας, πρὸς τὸ γενέ σθαι ὃ δεῖ, ἢ ἐλέγχειν ὅ εἰσιν. Κεφάλ. θʹ.