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| Chapter V.—The praise of unity.
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For if I in
this brief space of time, have enjoyed such fellowship with your bishop
—I mean not of a mere human, but of a spiritual nature—how
much more do I reckon you happy who are so joined to him as the Church is
to Jesus Christ, and as Jesus Christ is to the Father, that so all things
may agree in unity! Let no man deceive himself: if any one be not within
the altar, he is deprived of the bread of God. For if the prayer of one
or two possesses518
such power, how much
more that of the bishop and the whole Church! He, therefore, that does
not assemble with the Church, has even519
by this
manifested his pride, and condemned himself. For it is written,
“God resisteth the proud.”520
Let us be
careful, then, not to set ourselves in opposition to the bishop, in order
that we may be subject to God.
For if I, in
this brief space of time, have enjoyed such fellowship with your bishop
—I mean not of a mere human, but of a spiritual nature—how
much more do I reckon you happy, who so depend521
| 521 Some read, “mixed up
with.” | on him as the Church does on the Lord Jesus, and
the Lord does on God and His Father, that so all things may agree in
unity! Let no man deceive himself: if any one be not within the altar, he
is deprived of the bread of God. For if the prayer of one or two
possesses522
such power that Christ stands in the
midst of them, how much more will the prayer of the bishop and of the
whole Church, ascending up in harmony to God, prevail for the granting of
all their petitions in Christ! He, therefore, that separates himself from
such, and does not meet in the society where sacrifices523
| 523 Literally, “in the assembly of
sacrifices.” | are offered, and with “the Church of
the first-born whose names are written in heaven,” is a wolf in
sheep’s clothing,524
while he presents a mild
outward appearance. Do ye, beloved, be careful to be subject to the
bishop, and the presbyters and the deacons. For he that is subject to these is obedient to
Christ, who has appointed them; but he that is disobedient to these is
disobedient to Christ Jesus. And “he that obeyeth not525
the Son shall
not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.” For he that
yields not obedience to his superiors is self-confident, quarrelsome, and
proud. But “God,” says [the Scripture] “resisteth the
proud, but giveth grace to the humble;”526
and, “The proud have greatly transgressed.” The Lord
also says to the priests, “He that heareth you, heareth Me; and he
that heareth Me, heareth the Father that sent Me. He that despiseth you,
despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me, despiseth Him that sent
Me.”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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