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Anonymous, Constitutions of the Holy Apostles
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Constitutions of the holy apostles via Clement.
[Sec. I.—General Commandments.]
[That We Ought Not to Return Injuries, Nor Revenge Ourselves on Him that Does Us Wrong.]
[What Books of Scripture We Ought to Read.]
[That We Ought to Abstain from All the Books of Those that are Out of the Church.]
[Concerning the Subjection of a Wife to Her Husband, and that She Must Be Loving and Modest.]
[That a Woman Must Not Bathe with Men.]
[Concerning a Contentious and Brawling Woman.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[That a Bishop Must Be Well Instructed and Experienced in the Word.]
[What Ought to Be the Characters of a Bishop and of the Rest of the Clergy.]
[In What Things a Bishop is to Be Examined Before He is Ordained.]
[That a Bishop Must Not Be Given to Filthy Lucre, Nor Be a Surety Nor an Advocate.]
[What Ought to Be the Character of the Initiated.]
[Concerning a Person Falsely Accused, or a Person Convicted.]
[That a Bishop Ought Not to Receive Bribes.]
[That a Bishop Who by Wrong Judgment Spares an Offender is Himself Guilty.]
[How a Bishop Ought to Judge Offenders.]
[Instruction as to How a Bishop Ought to Behave Himself to the Penitent.]
[That We Ought to Beware How We Make Trial of Any Sinful Course.]
[That a Priest Must Neither Overlook Offences, Nor Be Rash in Punishing Them.]
[Of Repentance, the Manner of It, and Rules About It.]
[That a Bishop Must Be Unblameable, and a Pattern for Those Who are Under His Charge.]
[How the Governed are to Obey the Bishops Who are Set Over Them.]
[Amon May be an Example to Such as Sin with an High Hand.]
[That Christ Jesus Our Lord Came to Save Sinners by Repentance.]
[According to What Patterns and Dignity Every Order of the Clergy is Appointed by God.]
[What is the Dignity of a Bishop and of a Deacon.]
[After What Manner the Laity are to Be Obedient to the Deacon.]
[That the Deacon Must Not Do Anything Without the Bishop.]
[After What Manner the Bishops are to Be Honoured, and to Be Reverenced as Our Spiritual Parents.]
[That Priests are to Be Preferred Before Rulers and Kings.]
[That Both the Law and the Gospel Prescribe Offerings.]
[The Recital of the Ten Commandments, and After What Manner They Do Here Prescribe to Us.]
[That We are Not to Be Implacable to Him Who Has Once or Twice Offended.]
[That a Judge Must Not Be a Respecter of Persons.]
[After What Manner False Accusers are to Be Punished.]
[That the Deacon is to Ease the Burden of the Bishops, and to Order the Smaller Matters Himself.]
[That Contentions and Quarrels are Unbecoming Christians.]
[That the Judicatures of Christians Ought to Be Held on the Second Day of the Week.]
[What are to Be the Characters of Accusers and Witnesses.]
[That Former Offences Do Sometimes Render After Accusations Credible.]
[Against Judging Without Hearing Both Sides.]
[That Christians Ought Not to Be Contentious One with Another.]
[That Every Christian Ought to Frequent the Church Diligently Both Morning and Evening.]
[That We Must Not Prefer the Affairs of This Life to Those Which Concern the Worship of God.]
[That Christians Must Abstain from All the Impious Practices of the Heathens.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[The Age at Which Widows Should Be Chosen.]
[That We Must Avoid the Choice of Younger Widows, Because of Suspicion.]
[What Character the Widows Ought to Be Of, and How They Ought to Be Supported by the Bishop.]
[That We Ought to Be Charitable to All Sorts of Persons in Want.]
[That the Widows are to Be Very Careful of Their Behavior.]
[That Women Ought Not to Teach, Because It is Unseemly And What Women Followed Our Lord.]
[What are the Characters of Widows Falsely So Called.]
[That Women Ought Not to Baptize, Because It is Impious, and Contrary to the Doctrine of Christ.]
[The Rejection of All Uncharitable Actions.]
[How the Widows are to Pray for Those that Supply Their Necessities.]
[That It Does Not Become Us to Revile Our Neighbours, Because Cursing is Contrary to Christianity.]
[Concerning the Sacred Initiation of Holy Baptism.]
[What is the Meaning of Baptism into Christ, and on What Account Everything is There Said or Done.]
[Of What Character He Ought to Be Who is Initiated.]
[What are the Characters of a Deacon.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[Those Who Have No Children Should Adopt Orphans, and Treat Them as Their Own Children.]
[How the Bishop Ought to Provide for the Orphans.]
[Who Ought to Be Supported According to the Lord’s Constitution.]
[With What Fear Men Ought to Partake of the Lord’s Oblations.]
[Whose Oblations are to Be Received, and Whose Not to Be Received.]
[In What Things We Ought to Be Subject to the Rulers of This World.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[That We are to Avoid Intercourse with False Brethren When They Continue in Their Wickedness.]
[That It is an Horrible and Destructive Thing to Deny Christ.]
[That We Ought to Imitate Christ in Suffering, and with Zeal to Follow His Patience.]
[Concerning James the Brother of the Lord, and Stephen the First Martyr.]
[An Admonition Instructing Men to Avoid the Abominable Sin of Idolatry.]
[Of the Great Week, and on What Account They Enjoin Us to Fast on Wednesday and Friday.]
[How the Passover Ought to Be Celebrated.]
[A Constitution Concerning the Great Passover Week.]
[A Prophetic Prediction Concerning Christ Jesus.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[Who They Were that Ventured to Make Schisms, and Did Not Escape Punishment.]
[That It is Not Lawful to Rise Up Either Against the Kingly or the Priestly Office.]
[That Even Among the Jews There Arose the Doctrine of Several Heresies Hateful to God.]
[Whence the Heresies Sprang, and Who Was the Ringleader of Their Impiety.]
[Who Were the Successors of Simon’s Impiety, and What Heresies They Set Up.]
[How the Heresies Differ from Each Other, and from the Truth.]
[An Exposition of the Preaching of the Apostles.]
[For Those that Confess Christ, But are Desirous to Judaize.]
[That We Must Separate from Heretics.]
[Who Were the Preachers of the Catholic Doctrine, and Which are the Commandments Given by Them.]
[Concerning Books with False Inscriptions.]
[Matrimonial Precepts Concerning Clergymen.]
[An Exhortation Commanding to Avoid the Communion of the Impious Heretics.]
[To Those that Speak Evil of the Law.]
[Which is the Law of Nature, and Which is that Afterwards Introduced, and Why It Was Introduced.]
[That We Who Believe in Christ are Under Grace, and Not Under the Servitude of that Additional Law.]
[That the Law for Sacrifices is Additional, Which Christ When He Came Took Away.]
[That It Pleased the Lord that the Law of Righteousness Should Be Demonstrated by the Romans.]
[That We Ought to Avoid the Heretics as the Corrupters of Souls.]
[Of Some Jewish and Gentile Observances.]
[Of the Love of Boys, Adultery, and Fornication.]
[How Wives Ought to Be Subject to Their Own Husbands, and Husbands Ought to Love Their Own Wives.]
constitutions of the holy apostles
[The Prohibition of Conjuring, Murder of Infants, Perjury, and False Witness.]
[The Prohibition of Malignity, Acceptation of Persons, Wrath, Malice, and Envy.]
[Concerning Augury and Enchantments.]
[The Prohibition of Murmuring, Insolence, Pride, and Arrogance.]
[Concerning Long-Suffering, Simplicity, Meekness, and Patience.]
[Concerning Him that is Double-Minded and Desponding.]
[How Masters Ought to Behave Themselves to Their Servants, and How Servants Ought to Be Subject.]
[Concerning Hypocrisy, and Obedience to the Laws, and Confession of Sins.]
[Concerning the Observance Due to Parents.]
[Concerning the Subjection Due to the King and to Rulers.]
[Concerning the Pure Conscience of Those that Pray.]
[That We Ought to Avoid the Eating of Things Offered to Idols.]
[A Constitution of Our Lord, How We Ought to Baptize, and into Whose Death.]
[Which Days of the Week We are to Fast, and Which Not, and for What Reasons.]
[What Sort of People Ought to Pray that Prayer that Was Given by the Lord.]
[A Thanksgiving at the Divine Participation.]
[A Thanksgiving About the Mystical Ointment.]
[That We Ought Not to Be Indifferent About Communicating.]
[A Constitution Concerning Oblations.]
[What Qualifications They Ought to Have Who are to Be Ordained.]
[A Prediction Concerning Futurities.]
[A Prayer Declarative of God’s Various Providence.]
[A Prayer Declarative of God’s Various Creation.]
[A Prayer, with Thanksgiving, Declarative of God’s Providence Over the Beings He Has Made.]
[A Prayer Commemorative of the Incarnation of Christ, and His Various Providence to the Saints.]
[A Prayer for the Assistance of the Righteous.]
[How the Catechumens are to Be Instructed in the Elements.]
[The Renunciation of the Adversary, and the Dedication to the Christ of God.]
[A Thanksgiving Concerning the Anointing with the Mystical Oil.]
[A Thanksgiving Concerning the Mystical Water.]
[A Thanksgiving Concerning the Mystical Ointment.]
[A Prayer for the New Fruits.]
[Who Were They that the Holy Apostles Sent and Ordained? ]
constitutions of the holy apostles.
[On Whose Account the Powers of Miracles are Performed.]
[Concerning Unworthy Bishops and Presbyters.]
[The Form of Prayer for the Ordination of a Bishop.]
[The Divine Liturgy, Wherein is the Bidding Prayer for the Catechumens.]
[Imposition of Hands Prayer for PenItents.]
[The Form of Prayer for the Faithful.]
[The Constitution of James the Brother of John, the Son of Zebedee.]
[The Bidding Prayer for the Faithful After the Divine Oblation.]
[The Bidding Prayer After the Participation.]
[The Form of Prayer After the Participation.]
[Concerning the Ordination of Presbyters—The Constitution of John, Who Was Beloved by the Lord.]
[Concerning the Ordination of Deacons—The Constitution of Philip.]
[The Form of Prayer for the Ordination of a Deacon.]
[Concerning the Deaconess—The Constitution of Bartholomew.]
[The Form of Prayer for the Ordination of a Deaconess.]
[Concerning the Sub-Deacons—The Constitution of Thomas. ]
[Concerning the Readers—The Constitution of Matthew.]
[Concerning the Confessors—The Constitution of James the Son of Alpheus.]
[The Same Apostle’s Constitution Concerning Virgins.]
[The Constitution of Lebbæus, Who Was Surnamed Thaddæus, Concerning Widows.]
[The Same Apostle Concerning the Exorcist.]
[Simon the Canaanite Concerning the Number Necessary for the Ordination of a Bishop.]
[The Same Apostle’s Canons Concerning Bishops, Presbyters, Deacons, and the Rest of the Clergy.]
[Concerning the Blessing of Water and Oil—The Constitution of Matthias.]
[The Same Apostle’s Constitution Concerning First-Fruits and Tithes.]
[The Same Apostle’s Constitutions Concerning the Remaining Oblations.]
[Upon Which Days Servants are Not to Work.]
[At What Hours, and Why, We are to Pray.]
[The Constitution of James the Brother of Christ Concerning Evening Prayer.]
[The Bidding Prayer for the Evening.]
[The Thanksgiving for the Evening.]
[The Thanksgiving for the Morning.]
[The Imposition of Hands for the Morning.]
[The Form of Prayer for the First-Fruits.]
[The Bidding Prayer for Those Departed.]
[That Memorials or Mandates Do Not at All Profit the Ungodly Who are Dead.]
[Concerning the Receiving Such as are Persecuted for Christ’s Sake.]
[An Enumeration of the Prophetical Predictions Which Declare Christ, Whose Completion Though the Jews Saw, Yet Out of the Evil Temper of Their Mind They Did Not Believe He Was the Christ of God, and Condemned the Lord of Glory to the Cross. ]
XVI. See how the people provoked the Lord by not believing in Him! Therefore He says: “They provoked the Holy Spirit, and He was turned to be their enemy.” 126 Isa. lxiii. 10. Isa. lxiii. 10. For blindness is cast upon them, by reason of the wickedness of their mind, because when they saw Jesus they did not believe Him to be the Christ of God, who was before all ages 127 One V. ms. omits “ages,” and the other “begotten of Him.” One V. ms. omits “ages,” and the other “begotten of Him.” begotten of Him, His only-begotten Son, God the Word, whom they did not own through their unbelief, neither on account of His mighty works, nor yet on account of the prophecies which were written concerning Him. For that He was to be born of a virgin, they read this prophecy: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emanuel.” 128 Isa. vii. 14; Matt. i. 23 Isa. vii. 14; Matt. i. 23 “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, whose government is upon His shoulders; and His name is called the Angel of His Great Council, the Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Potentate, the Prince of Peace, the Father of the Future Age.” 129 Isa. ix. 6 [Justin Martyr, p. 236, n. 8, vol. i., this series.] Isa. ix. 6 [Justin Martyr, p. 236, n. 8, vol. i., this series.] Now, that because of their exceeding great wickedness they would not believe in Him, the Lord shows in these words: “Who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 130 Isa. liii. 1 Isa. liii. 1 And afterward: “Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxed gross.” 131 Isa. vi. 9, 10 Isa. vi. 9, 10 Wherefore knowledge was taken from them, because seeing they overlooked, and hearing they heard not. But to you, the converted of the Gentiles, is the kingdom given, because you, who knew not God, have believed by preaching, and “have known Him, or rather are known of Him,” 132 Gal. iv. 9 Gal. iv. 9 through Jesus, the Saviour and Redeemer of those that hope in Him. For ye are translated from your former vain and tedious mode of life and have contemned the lifeless idols, and despised the demons, which are in darkness, and have run to the “true light,” 133 John i. 9. John i. 9. and by it have “known the one and only true God and Father,” 134 John xvii. 3. John xvii. 3. and so are owned to be heirs of His kingdom. For since ye have “been baptized into the Lord’s death,” 135 Rom. vi. 3. Rom. vi. 3. and into His resurrection, as “new-born babes,” 136 1 Pet. ii. 2. 1 Pet. ii. 2. ye ought to be wholly free from all sinful actions; “for you are not your own, but His that bought you” 137 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. with His own blood. For concerning the former Israel the Lord speaks thus, on account of their unbelief: “The kingdom of God shall be taken from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof;” 138 Matt. xxi. 43. Matt. xxi. 43. that is to say, that having given the kingdom to you, who were once far estranged from Him, He expects the fruits of your gratitude and probity. For ye are those that were once sent into the vineyard, and did not obey, but these they that did obey; 139 Matt. xxi. 28, etc. Matt. xxi. 28, etc. but you have repented of your denial, and you work therein now. But they, being uneasy on account of their own covenants, have not only left the vineyard uncultivated, but have also killed the stewards of the Lord of the vineyard, 140 Matt. xxi. 35 Matt. xxi. 35 —one with stones, another with the sword; one they sawed asunder, 141 Heb. xi. 37 Heb. xi. 37 another they slew in the holy place, “between the temple and the altar;” 142 Matt xxiii. 35 Matt xxiii. 35 nay, at last they “cast the Heir Himself out of the vineyard, and slew Him.” 143 Matt. xxi. 39 Matt. xxi. 39 And by them He was rejected as an unprofitable stone, 144 Matt. xxi. 42. Matt. xxi. 42. but by you was received as the corner-stone. Wherefore He says concerning you: “A people whom I knew not have served me, and at the hearing of the ear have they obeyed me.” 145 Ps. xviii. 43, 44. Ps. xviii. 43, 44.
[16] Βλέπετε οὖν, ὅπως παρώξυνεν ὁ λαὸς τὸν Κύριον, μὴ πιστεύσας αὐτῷ. Διὸ λέγει: «Παρώξυναν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ ἐστράφη αὐτοῖς εἰς ἔχθραν.» Ἀβλεψία γὰρ αὐτοῖς κατεχύθη διὰ τὴν κακόνοιαν αὐτῶν, ὅτι βλέποντες τὸν Ἰησοῦν οὐκ ἐπίστευον αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸν πρὸ πάντων αἰώνων ὑπ' αὐτοῦ γεγεννημένον, Υἱὸν μονογενῆ, Λόγον Θεόν, ὃν οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν δι' ἀπιστίαν, οὔτε διὰ τῶν ἐνεργειῶν αὐτοῦ, οὔτε μὴν διὰ τῶν περὶ αὐτοῦ γεγραμμένων προφητειῶν. Ὅτι γὰρ ἐκ παρθένου γεννηθήσεται, ἀνεγίνωσκον τὸ «Ἰδοὺ ἡ παρθένος ἐν γαστρὶ λήψεται καὶ τέξεται υἱόν, καὶ καλέσουσι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἐμμανουήλ: ὅτι παιδίον ἐγεννήθη, καὶ υἱὸς ἐδόθη ἡμῖν, οὗ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου αὐτοῦ, καὶ καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ μεγάλης βουλῆς ἄγγελος, θαυμαστὸς σύμβουλος, Θεὸς ἰσχυρὸς ἐξουσιαστής, ἄρχων εἰρήνης, πατὴρ τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος.» Ὅτι δὲ διὰ κακίαν ὑπερβάλλουσαν ἀπειθήσουσιν αὐτῷ, λέγει: «Κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν, καὶ ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη;» Καὶ ἑξῆς: «Ἀχοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε, καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε: ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου.» Διὸ ἤρθη ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἡ γνῶσις, ὅτι ἰδόντες παρεῖδον καὶ ἀκούσαντες οὐκ ἤκουσαν. Ὑμῖν δὲ τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἐδόθη ἡ βασιλεία, ὅτι μὴ γινώσκοντες Θεὸν διὰ τοῦ κηρύγματος πιστεύσαντες ἔγνωτε αὐτόν, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐγνώσθητε ὑπ' αὐτοῦ διὰ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ λυτρωτοῦ τῶν ἐλπιζόντων ἐπ' αὐτόν. Μεταβάντες γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς προτέρας ματαιοπόνου συνηθείας καὶ τῶν ἀψύχων εἰδώλων ὑπεριδόντες καὶ τῶν ἐν σκότει δαιμόνων καταφρονήσαντες, προσδραμόντες τε τῷ φωτὶ τῷ ἀληθινῷ καὶ ἐπιγνόντες δι' αὐτοῦ τὸν ἕνα καὶ μόνον ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα, κληρονόμοι τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας ἀνεφάνητε. Βαπτισθέντες γὰρ εἰς τὸν τοῦ Κυρίου θάνατον καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀνάστασιν αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἀρτιγέννητα βρέφη ἀνενέργητοι πρὸς πᾶσαν ἁμαρτίαν ὀφείλετε εἶναι: οὐ γάρ ἐστε ἑαυτῶν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἀγοράσαντος ὑμᾶς τῷ ἑαυτοῦ αἵματι. Περὶ γὰρ τοῦ ποτε Ἰσραὴλ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν, ὅτι: Ἀρθήσεται ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ δοθήσεται ἔθνει ποιοῦντι τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς, δηλαδὴ ὅτι ὑμῖν τοῖς ποτε οὖσιν ἀπεξενωμένοις αὐτοῦ μακρὰν δοὺς τὴν βασιλείαν, ἐκδέχεται τοὺς τῆς εὐγνωμοσύνης καρπούς. Ὑμεῖς γάρ ἐστε οἵ ποτε ἀποσταλέντες εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα καὶ μὴ ὑπακούσαντες, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ οἱ ὑπακούσαντες: ἀλλὰ ὑμεῖς μὲν μεταμεληθέντες ἐπὶ τῇ ἀντιλογίᾳ ἐργάζεσθε ἐν αὐτῷ νῦν, οἱ δὲ δυσχεράναντες ἐπὶ ταῖς ἑαυτῶν συνθήκαις οὐ μόνον ἀνέργαστον κατέλειψαν τὸν ἀμπελῶνα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐπιτρόπους τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος ἀπέκτειναν, ὃν μὲν λίθοις, ὃν δὲ ξίφει, καὶ τὸν μὲν ἔπρισαν, τὸν δὲ ἔνδον τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἀνεῖλον μεταξὺ τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου: ὕστερον δὲ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν κληρονόμον ἔξω τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος ἐκβαλόντες ἀπέκτειναν. Καὶ παρ' αὐτοῖς μὲν ὡς λίθος ἀχρεῖος ἀπεβλήθη, παρ' ὑμῶν δὲ ὡς ἀκρογωνιαῖος ἐδέχθη: διὸ λέγει περὶ ὑμῶν: «Λαός, ὃν οὐκ ἔγνων, ἐδούλευσέν μοι, εἰς ἀκοὴν ὠτίου ὑπήκουσέν μου.»