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| Chapter IV.—Have but one Eucharist, etc.
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Chapter IV.—Have but one Eucharist,
etc.
Take ye heed, then, to have but one
Eucharist. For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup
to [show forth904
] the unity of His blood; one
altar; as there is one bishop, along with the presbytery and deacons, my
fellow-servants: that so, whatsoever ye do, ye may do it according to
[the will of] God.
I have
confidence of you in the Lord, that ye will be of no other mind. Wherefore I write boldly to your
love, which is worthy of God, and exhort you to have but one faith, and
one [kind of] preaching, and one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of the
Lord Jesus Christ; and His blood which was shed for us is one; one loaf
also is broken to all [the communicants], and one cup is distributed
among them all: there is but one altar for the whole Church, and one
bishop, with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants. Since, also,
there is but one unbegotten Being, God, even the Father; and one
only-begotten Son, God, the Word and man; and one Comforter, the Spirit
of truth; and also one preaching, and one faith, and one baptism;905
and one Church which the holy apostles
established from one end of the earth to the other by the blood of
Christ, and by their own sweat and toil; it behoves you also, therefore,
as “a peculiar people, and a holy nation,”906
to perform all things with
harmony in Christ. wives" title="81" id="v.vi.iv-p5.3"/>Wives, duties of" title="81" id="v.vi.iv-p5.4"/>Wives, be ye subject to your husbands in the
fear of God;907
and ye virgins, to Christ in
purity, not counting marriage an abomination, but desiring that which is
better, not for the reproach of wedlock, but for the sake of meditating
on the law. Children, obey your parents, and have an affection for them,
as workers together with God for your birth [into the world]. Servants,
be subject to your masters in God, that ye may be the freed-men of
Christ.908
Husbands, love your wives, as
fellow-servants of God, as your own body, as the partners of your life,
and your co-adjutors in the procreation of children. Virgins, have Christ alone before your eyes,
and His Father in your prayers, being enlightened by the Spirit. May I
have pleasure in your purity, as that of Elijah, or as of Joshua the son
of Nun, as of Melchizedek, or as of Elisha, as of Jeremiah, or as of John
the Baptist, as of the beloved disciple, as of Timothy, as of Titus, as
of Evodius, as of Clement, who departed this life in [perfect]
chastity,909
| 909 There was a
prevalent opinion among the ancient Christian writers, that all these
holy men lived a life of [chaste] celibacy. | Not, however, that I blame the other blessed
[saints] because they entered into the married state, of which I have
just spoken.910
| 910 Or,
“it is not because, etc., that I have mentioned these.”
| For I pray that, being found worthy of God, I may be found at
their feet in the kingdom, as at the feet of Abraham, and Isaac, and
Jacob; as of Joseph, and Isaiah, and the rest of the prophets; as of
Peter, and Paul, and the rest of the apostles, that were married men. For
they entered into these marriages not for the sake of appetite, but out
of regard for the propagation of mankind. Fathers, “bring up your children in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord;”911
and teach them the holy Scriptures, and also trades, that they
may not indulge in idleness. Now [the Scripture] says, “A righteous
father educates [his children] well; his heart shall rejoice in a wise
son.”912
Masters, be gentle
towards your servants, as holy Job has taught you;913
for there is one nature, and one family of
mankind. For “in Christ there is neither bond nor free.”914
Let governors be obedient to Cæsar;
soldiers to those that command them; deacons to the presbyters, as to
high-priests; the presbyters, and deacons, and the rest of the clergy,
together with all the people, and the soldiers, and the governors, and
Cæsar [himself], to the bishop; the bishop to Christ, even as Christ to
the Father. And thus unity is preserved throughout. Let not the widows be wanderers about, nor fond of
dainties, nor gadders from house to house; but let them be like Judith,
noted for her seriousness; and like Anna, eminent for her sobriety. I do
not ordain these things as an apostle: for “who am I, or what is my
father’s house,”915
that I should pretend to be equal in
honour to them? But as your “fellow-soldier,”916
I hold the position of one who [simply]
admonishes you.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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