Статья 7. О взаимной должности хрістіанской

In the previous article, it was briefly suggested about the duties of a Christian friend to a common friend; what is the duty of a Christian to a Christian. In this, a discussion is offered about the position that superiors have to superiors, and subordination to superiors, parents to children, and children to parents, etc. Chapter 1. About the power of the Christian general and subjects Let every soul obey the ruling power. Because there is no power except from God: the powers that exist are from God. Likewise, if you resist authority, you resist God's commandment: those who resist themselves will receive sin 2390. § 453. We see that in the Christian society there is a twofold power: civil and spiritual. The civil power manages foreign affairs; the spiritual authority oversees what concerns the internal, mental state. Citizens are governed by civil laws; the spiritual word of God corrects. Civil inaction and temptations of subordinates are stopped by the sword, spiritual by God's word, fear and God's judgment, and by temporary excommunication from the Christian society, it humbles those who walk in a bad way. The end of both authorities, civil and spiritual, should be none other than the good condition of the subjects and the glory of God's name. § 454. All power, great or small, is God, according to what is written: there is no power, unless it is God. The power of God, as we can see, is done to a good end: 1) to the abhorrence of any misfortune that may occur in society. 2) To appease the lawlessness, insolence, and violence of impudent people; to the protection of the innocence and non-maleficence of good people, as the apostle Peter teaches that princes are sent from the king to avenge a thief, but to praise a benefactor 2391. And Saint Paul said: princes are not afraid of good deeds, but of evil ones. Do you want to not be afraid of power? do good, and you will have praise from him. God's servant is thee for good. If you do evil, be afraid: for he does not carry a sword in vain; For there is a servant of God, an avenger in the anger of the evil doer 2392. 3) To achieve and preserve all well-being, both physical and mental. "God, said Saint Chrysostom, did it for the common good of the superiors" 2393. § 455. For this reason, all power, like a head in a human body, in its society. Every society is like a living person. What is the head in a person, is the power in society. The head in a person, as the seat of the mind and reasoning, governs all bodies and cares for all of them: in the same way, the authorities must govern all their subordinates and care for them. And just as the head cares about the good condition of the entire body, so the authorities like to care and strive for the well-being of the society subordinate to them; since the same thing is done by God, as it was said above. Because every ruler is chosen and appointed not for his own sake, but for the benefit of his subordinates; for that reason, you should take care of them for their benefit. For this reason, every pious ruler, civil and spiritual, must be his subject, as a father is to his children. As a prudent father keeps his children in fear and loves them: so should the authorities treat their subjects. They must imitate the highest and beginningless Power, the Heavenly Father Himself, Who commands and loves us who sin, does not take away our sufferings and graces, hurts and heals, grieves and consoles. The authorities should follow a middle path, and they should act with their subordinates: not to let them live of their own free will, to punish those who sin, to restrain them with fear and lead them to good morals, and not to torture them. § 456. It is clear from the above: 1) There cannot be a true and useful ruler who is only conscientious and reasonable. Because an evil ruler, even though he is intelligent, will act unscrupulously with his subordinates, he will not advise them; He will be concerned about himself, not about them, he will seek his own benefits, not their benefits, and thus, instead of common well-being, he will cause harm to society. Also, if he is conscientious, but without reason, the ruler will not succeed. For although they will be concerned about the common good, but the poverty of the mind will often not do what should be done, and when it should be done, to whom and what should be done; and thus, although he will do his own work in the end, it is often to the detriment of his society. However, a good ruler without wisdom is more useful to society than an evil ruler with his wisdom and cunning. - 2) Those powers that care about their own interests, and not about the general well-being, are doing very badly. This is because they oppose God's establishment, which makes the authorities to preserve the general well-being. For every power is given not for its own benefit, but for the sake of the integrity of society, as it is said: the society must seek that for which it is given. But when, instead of common benefit, they seek their own, they bring harm to society, not benefit, and thus do not create, but destroy society and, instead of a benefactor, make it an enemy. - 3) How badly do those authorities do, who punish and torture their subordinates immoderately and not according to their deeds: so do those who leave lawbreakers unpunished. This is because they give them a reason for other sins and iniquities. The thief, not punished for his lawlessness, turns to the same lawless deed again. For iniquity, left without punishment, is nothing but a door to other iniquities. From there follows the habit of sin and hardening in sin, which is followed by clear destruction. It is not mercy that leaves the criminal with or without punishment, but inhumanity and madness, which leads even the one who shows mercy to destruction. Moderation is commendable everywhere: both punishment with mercy, and mercy with justice and punishment are required of a pious ruler. This is also shown by nature, in which both frost is immoderate and heat is extremely harmful; but heat dissolved by cooling and a bucket of rain dissolved is useful: this is how society is created and prospers through moderation. - 4) It is bad and unchristian to do those who rise to honor through all kinds of intrigues or petitions of others, or wages, or in some other way. In this way they show that they are sick either by the love of vain glory, which is indecent for Christians, or by the desire for filthy lucre, which is harmful to themselves and society: and by this same desire, they show themselves to be unworthy of power. For every power of a Christian is not peace and honor, but a greater one is a cross, burdened with great and numerous labors, care and eternal patience, which no one wishes. It is necessary for everyone first to make and prepare themselves worthy of honor, and wait for the titles of God, which is the election of the highest and dominant authorities. § 457. Duty to the authorities subordinate to them: 1) Those who are subordinate to their authorities must obey in everything, and obey for the sake of the Lord, as the apostle Peter teaches: obey every human authority for the sake of the Lord 2394! God made them: for God's sake they must obey. God commands them to listen: for the sake of God who commands, it is necessary to listen to them. He who obeys authority will obey God, just as he who resists authority resists God's command 2395. Even if they command according to God's law, God's command is not human, although men also command. - 2) They should be respected with love, as fathers and creators of their own. Because conscience itself convinces us to love and respect those who work and work for our benefit. But pious powers are nothing but the essence of what the seekers and guardians of the general well-being are. We love and honor our fathers according to the flesh, as they gave birth to us and care for us: even more than the pious authorities who care and care for us and our fathers, care for us, I say, for us, as for the society in which we also belong, care for us. For he who uses the whole body also uses all the limbs of which the body consists. They are God's servants, God's messengers and, as it were, God's governors, who send the office entrusted to them by God, who lives in heaven, to earth; for this reason, as God's messengers and servants, sent for our benefit, we should accept and honor them. - 3) We should pray for them to God, so that he would keep their lives whole and strengthen them, keep them from all the enemy's advice, enlighten them and make them wise for the common good, so that they can abhor everything that harms society, and do what creates and multiplies the common well-being. The general well-being depends on good and reasonable authorities. The house is in a good condition, in which there is a good and reasonable owner: so is the city in which a good and wise city dweller lives; happy are those people who have a good, wise and careful shepherd; prosperous is the army which is controlled by a good, skillful and thorough commander; prosperous is the state over which a good, wise and careful monarch reigns. For this reason, it is necessary for all subjects to earnestly pray to God for their rulers, so that they would be correct in their work, and thus, with their prosperity, they themselves would be prosperous. To this, the holy Christian apostle admonishes: I pray, above all, to make prayers, supplications, requests, thanksgivings, for all people, for the king and for everything that is in the power, that we may live a quiet and silent life, in all piety and purity. This is good and pleasant before our Savior God 2396. § 458. Christians who do not correct the above duties sin grievously. It can be seen that such people do not know what the authorities are and why they are made, and to what end they are made; and from where the general well-being, in which it consists, flows, we hardly feel. And even more shamelessly and lawlessly, those who create evil intentions and rebel against their authorities, lawfully made, are nothing but the sons of perdition and enemies of the fatherland and the general well-being. They should be afraid of that terrible judgment of God, which befell Kor, Dathan, and Aviron, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron, who were eaten alive by the earth 2397. § 459. What should be done to those authorities who do wrong? The answer 1) What is wrong with you? you do your thing, and act according to your duty. For their unrighteousness, they will give an answer to the righteous God, who will torture their deeds and test their thoughts: as servants of His kingdom, they did not judge justice, did not keep the law, followed the will of God, etc. 2398 2) Whatever is commanded that is not contrary to God's law, listen and do it: do not listen to what is contrary, as it pleases God to obey rather than man 2399 . This is what the martyrs of the saint did. The unholy authorities ordered them to dig the ground, they dug; kamenie wears, wore; they went to prison and exile; put the sword of the head bowed down, bowed down; their estates were taken away from them, given away, and others, not contrary to the law of God, were ordered to be done, they were done. They commanded to renounce Christ and do other things against God, they did not listen. That's how you do it. If your master orders you to do any work, do it: if he orders you to lie, insult, steal, lie, etc., do not listen. Threaten execution for that, do not be afraid: God is more to be feared, who has power to destroy both soul and body in hell, than man, who only kills the body, but cannot kill the soul 2400. Leave the stomach, do not resist: eat the stomach for the truth, and in the age to come you will find it. Chapter 2. About the duties of pious monarchs and their subjects And he approached David on the day of his death, and he commanded his son Solomon, saying: I am going the way of the whole earth: but you be strong, and be a perfect man. And keep the covenant of the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, and His justifications, and His destiny, and His testimonies written in the law of Moses 2401. § 460. 1) The monarch does not have an owner over him on earth, but he has one in heaven, Who rules the sky and the earth: he rules the human kingdom, and he can, if he wants, give it 2402. He does not have a ruler on earth, but he does in heaven; does not have an overseer and judge - a man, but has God, Who oversees all deeds, words and thoughts of man 2403; and he judges everyone according to his deeds 2404, he does not spare faces, he shames nobles below 2405. For this reason, a pious monarch has a duty to do what he commands his subjects to do first, and what he forbids them to do first, so that, for what he judges others, his conscience does not judge him before God. - 2) The king sits on a high place, and therefore is visible to everyone; everyone turns their eyes to him, not only those who are present, but also those who live far from him, notice his deeds and words, and everyone wants to know what he does in their chambers, and they adopt the image of their life from him, and they want to follow his example. For this reason, even all Christians, but especially those placed on the high priesthood, should take note of Christ's words: let your light be so enlightened before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven 2406. - 3) The royal throne is surrounded by many suitors, as we often see in the stories, some of whom steal into the mercy of the monarch, some of whom wish to commit malice against another, who are very powerful with their flattering and venomous tongue, praising the unworthy, ignoring or denigrating the worthy, and such a person who does not know the will heart-felt, they will deceive, and they will cause harm to society. For the sake of this, the pious crown is obtained not soon by such a believer, but by testing; and the slanderer will be driven out, following the example of the holy king of Israel, David: the slanderer but the sincere one, they will drive him out: with a proud eye and an unsatisfied heart, they will not eat with him 2407. – 4) The royal crown is decorated with wisdom, truth and mercy: with truth the throne of the authorities is prepared 2408 . Mercy and truth are the preservation of the king, and his throne will be surrounded by truth 2409. The truth demands that everyone should be given their due, good and faithful subjects should be rewarded for their loyalty, evil and defective ones should be punished, and others who want to dishonor should be feared. Mercy wants to warm everyone with its embrace, but because many recognize mercy as unworthy, wisdom dissolves it with truth, and teaches the good to pity, to punish the defective, but with mercy and the hope of correction, to cut off the hardened from the society of the good, so that they will not be harmed by their malice. This is how the righteous, merciful and wise Heavenly King, King of kings and Lord of lords, acts with us, resisting the proud, but giving grace to the humble 2410; he loves the good and enriches them with his blessing; He commands the wrongdoers, but he loves the punished and humbled ones; He rejects the hardened ones from His face and delivers them to eternal punishment. The kings of the earth will follow the example of this heavenly King, they have a duty to do and obey Him, and they will act with their subjects, and with the reigning prophet they will sing to the Lord: mercy and judgment I will sing to You, Lord 2411. Because excessive severity is harmful, and reckless mercy is not useful. She leads people to indignation, grief and despondency; the seed opens the door to relaxation, self-will, lawlessness, and corruption: the truth, coupled with mercy, repels all that. This is the wisdom of the ruler, this is the royal way - keep to the truth, and do not forget mercy. God shows mercy where punishment is required; it is difficult to forgive and spare the one who does not leave sin and does not repent. An unpunished sin gives rise to other sins; and one thief, forgiven by many, encourages similar theft. For the wicked, seeing an unpunished thief, resort to the same theft with such hope that they too will be forgiven in case of exposure. From this, the multiplication of thieves will follow, and this will be a considerable loss to the fatherland. On the contrary, it is not good to use the sword there, where a patch of mercy and obligation is required, where sin is weakness, to which even good people are subject, and not the intention and prejudice of the people; it is useless to punish someone who voluntarily punishes himself. This is the punishment that is removed from wisdom, which is imposed not according to the measure of the crime. Everywhere moderation, both in nature and in citizenship, is praiseworthy and useful, as mentioned above. Why is it necessary everywhere to have a sound judgment and a quick determination. - 5) True justice does not embarrass a human face: it deals with the rich and the poor equally, it does not feel ashamed of the honorable, and does not despise the lowly, does not look at their faces, but judges their deeds, and judges accordingly. He punishes the vile, the defective, and does not release the honorable, who has not taken his oath according to the honor of his rank and oath: but rather, the greater and the higher person commits a greater sin, and the sin that follows the greater punishment concludes, reasoning that if evil is to the vile, greater evil is to the honorable who is wronged, who is established for it, to root out untruth and plant truth. For this reason, the pious king, when he wants to preserve justice, preserves what is necessary, he does not accept the person of the office, but he looks at their deeds, and judges according to the example of the heavenly King, who does not embarrass the face of a man 2412, does not spare a person, lower than a noble will be ashamed 2413. Great and small, dignified and vile, the sons of the fatherland are equally the essence of the fatherland, they make up the fatherland equally, they demand equal or fatherly concern for themselves from the monarch, and they want to warm themselves and ask questions in the late fatherland's house. Rather, the smaller ones are more beneficial. What can a city do without a village? Where does bread and other things, which are necessary for the maintenance of life, come from? The village brings everything to the city; the peasant asks the citizen, and the farmer the mistress: the city will be deserted without the village, and the master will be poor without the owner. A commander without soldiers is like a body or a head without arms and legs. Just as the fatherland is created and used by all: so is the pious monarch, as the head of his fortunes, to all industries, he is fatherly bound; and just as the great and proud will be humbled, so will the small oppressed one be protected and delivered. - 6) Although the king sits in a high place, he must remember that he is the same person as other people, who dies and is given to the earth, as well as his subjects, where the king is a subject, and a mistress is a slave, and a nobleman is a commoner, there is no difference: death is for all equals He makes it, and returns it to the earth and returns it. For this reason, according to the Scriptures, if there is a great man, so much should he humble himself, and the grace of the Lord will come to him 2414. For Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, is not ashamed to call His faithful brothers 2415: it is more worthy to have men like Himself as brothers than a man. Christian virtues will flow from here, like streams from a spring; hence patience, Christian victory, which triumphs not over defeated enemies, but over one's own heart; hence the meekness and gentleness with which the heart is preserved in silence. Blessed is that crown, which is decorated with many precious and immeasurable stones. She will be more famous than by victories over external enemies: because she will be more famous than defeating people. She will save her cities more than military weapons: she will have God as her Protector. It is better to teach your people than laws and decrees: because we learn more by deed than by word, and by good example than by the command of superiors. - 7) It is the duty of pious kings to protect and multiply the holy church, according to the prophecy of the holy Prophet: and the kings will be your breadwinners, and the princesses will be your nursemaids 2416. For this reason, they should be protected from the persecutors and slanderers, and the good shepherds should be protected; useful teachings, by which it is strengthened, multiplied, expanded and prospered, expanded; schools in which the seeds of science are sown, planted, distributed, and properly maintained. - 8) Pious sovereigns seek the peace and well-being of their country: for this reason, they need to elect and send to power good and intelligent people, who would preserve justice, like the apple of the eye, and, being in power, seek the common and not their own benefit, and thus preserve and increase the integrity and well-being of their subjects. The integrity and well-being of society depends on good and reasonable authorities, as it weakens, ruins and falls on evil and defective ones. - 9) It is the duty of pious monarchs to protect their homeland from foreigners. For this reason, when they start a war, they must be extremely careful of the wrong war, and they do not start wars without a good reason; he keeps his own, and does not touch another's, and does not leave his own, and his subjects will shed their blood in vain, and they will sin grievously before God. A single person sheds blood in vain, it is terrible, even more so than many. The blood of one, killed in vain, will rise to heaven, and vengeance will be brought down, more than many. For all those killed in the wrong war, the answer must be given to God, who examines the hearts of men, and knows the plans and intentions, writes everything down in his book 2417. The kingdom is ruled not by human wisdom, but by God's wisdom, and is protected and preserved by not human but God's almighty power: for this reason, the pious king must pray to the heavenly King, that He himself will instruct and make him wise to rule the kingdom entrusted to him. - 11) Tsars carry a great burden of labor, burdened by the constant care for the integrity of the fatherland, and they find boredom, sadness and exhaustion in time. For this reason, the pious monarch's heart in this case can console itself with the hope of the future reward in the eternal life: as all labors, sorrows and sorrows will soon pass, and for many labors, in short, about Christ, there will be many and endless rewards. For the Lord is righteous: he will render to all according to their deeds. § 461. The duty of faithful subjects to their pious monarch: 1) They must love him with a pure heart, as the first father according to God, the provider and guardian, for the integrity of the fatherland and the general well-being of the one who tirelessly strives. 2) Honor him, as one sent by God, and give him loving respect. 3). 4) The tribute, which I demand, is to be given willingly and without delay. 5) For his health, as the fatherland needs, for a peaceful reign and a wise government, he fervently prays to God, as His counsel and confirmation, His reason, His fortress; They are kings who reign and the mighty write the truth; The nobles are glorified by them, and the lords hold the land 2418. 6) In case of his own health, he does not spare his health. The head in the natural body, when danger follows it, all the members protect and preserve it, even though they themselves suffer: for the head is in trouble, and the whole body is in trouble. In society, the head is the king, whose integrity and health must be preserved by everyone: since the integrity of the society depends on him, and his misfortune is the misfortune of the entire society. Chapter 3. About the positions of judges and those who come to court Hear among your brothers, and judge righteously among a man, and among his brother, and among his stranger. Do not recognize faces in judgment, judge the small and the great, and do not be ashamed of the face of a man, as God's judgment is 2419. § 462. True justice is necessary in a court of law, so that without it there cannot be a righteous court, but there is only a kind of court. It consists in what is the matter of truth. It demands that the righteous be justified, and the guilty be condemned; so that the oppressor is protected, the oppressor is humbled, the embittered one is satisfied, the embittered one is punished, and they have other fears. Therefore, the justice in the matter of judgment does not know faces, as God commands: do not recognize faces in judgment; but he only watches and listens to the affairs of one. The rich and the poor, the dignified and the vile, the native and the foreigner, the relative and the non-relative, friend and enemy, known and unknown, are equal to him in court. It means the rich and the poor, the dignified and the mean, the friend and the enemy, the relative and the stranger, to the guilty when it finds untruth in him; and he judges the same with justice when his case is justified. And this is a person not to be accepted in court. Whence the judge is not indecently likened to a man with closed eyes, because in court he does not look at faces, but listens to the cause of one; he is likened to one who has one ear open and the other closed, who listens to the informer with one ear, and protects the answerer with the other; It is likened to all, as it is a matter of reasoning, as in all, what is established, measures and examines, and to which side the truth will prevail, to that it also inclines, suits, and praises and justifies. § 463. There are four things in particular that do not allow justice to be done and turn a righteous judgment: the passion of wickedness, human fear, carnal love, and hatred of enemies. Evil attracts the hand of the judge to accept gifts, and for their sake he will justify the rich, even if he is guilty, and condemn the poor, even if he is right, he will teach. Human fear can change the judge's heart when the superior persons, to whom the judge himself is subordinate, fight against the guilty and threaten him with deprivation of rank, or something else, when he does it according to their wishes. Carnal love, e.g. the love of brothers, relatives, friends, and other loved ones, who either plead for the guilty, or are themselves found guilty in court, strikes the heart of the judge and wants to pervert the entire course of justice. The hatred of enemies who are with friends of the judge or other persons who are not his enemies, and in the court his enemies are recognized as his right, and his friends and others are guilty, tends to corrupt the judge, and acquit a friend as a loved one, and incites an enemy as a visitor to condemn. These are the enemies of justice! those who want to overthrow the truth from its throne and plant untruth! Pious judges should not face, but look to the cause, and they are not enticed by gifts, and they are not afraid of human fear. Even if the judge stretches out his hand to gifts, and he will judge according to it: in the place of justice he will put mammon, and instead of the place of judgment he will make a market. Even for the sake of the fear of man, they will do unrighteousness: they will fear man, and not God, Who commanded the truth to be preserved, and they will prefer the fear of God to the fear of man. Even with the love of a friend, he will bow down: he will leave and insult God, who loved him. Even for the sake of enmity, the enemy will be condemned: they will avenge, but not judge, and they will commit malice, and not judge. And so, when he does something like this, he will cease to be a righteous judge, a true and true Christian. Without truth and a good conscience, neither a righteous judge nor a true Christian can be. Even if a judge wants the truth and preserves piety, he must stand immovably on one side or the other, and strive against everything prescribed above, so that he works in truth to God, and not to mammon with untruth. Because no one can work as two mistresses: it is impossible to work for God and mammon 2420. Let the fear of man be driven away by the fear of God, and let him strengthen himself by trusting in God, to whose judgment both higher and lower authorities and judges are subject. Carnal love to be extinguished by the love of God, and hatred to be conquered by patience and meekness. And this is how justice will be preserved, and truth will triumph over falsehood. § 464. Judges are encouraged to preserve justice by the following: 1) God is the Eternal Truth, Who is pleased with truth and irritated by untruth, Who is invisibly present in court, and sees the judge's designs, intentions, and deeds, and hears words, and writes down in His book, and will bring to light the secret тмы, и обявить совѣты сердженныя 2421 , and to the judges through His prophet he says: do not do wrong in the court 2422 . - 2) Christian duty, which requires that the fruit of justification be shown, and the truth be done, and one's conscience be kept. All Christians must keep the truth if they want to be Christians; but rather to the judges who, as the best and wisest of all, are chosen and, like the light, are placed in a high place, and therefore must publish the world of truth, and lead others to the truth. - 3) The sworn promise that the judges made before God and His holy Gospel, and they promised to preserve the truth, protect it, and eradicate untruth, and in that they called their conscience as a witness to God. This is their very important oath to move them to preserve the truth, which cannot be broken without blasphemy and dishonor the name of God and their obvious destruction. There is no swearing at God, Who heard their promise and oath, and the invocation of His name as a testimony of their conscience. - 4) The integrity and well-being of the society, in which they themselves are included, which is created and prospers when the truth is preserved, and is destroyed and falls when it is not true. Where does robbery, violence, robbery and all untruths come from? That's a judge's lie. Judicial truth eradicates evil, but untruth teaches evil. One and the other evil family were paid by the treasury; with this hope, many will be taught evil, and thus evil will grow and multiply. Hence the wrath of God and terrible judgments are sent to the fatherland. Common falsehood is punished by common punishment. The present age sees this evil, in which truth is violated, and untruth has its place. We see this evil, and we mourn and sigh, so that the Lord may look upon the tears of poor widows and orphans, and abhor that evil. Let the judges move the general well-being towards the preservation of the truth, and let the general well-being turn away from untruth. - 5) We read in history that pagans, who did not know the true God and His written law, but were governed by natural law, kept the truth in court. Christians are ashamed to remain inferior to pagans in these matters. And those who are inferior to them show that they are becoming even worse than them. For this reason, even pagans are subject to the most terrible judgment of God. - 6) We see in the Holy Scriptures that there is a terrible judgment of God on unrighteous judges. Cursed be the judge who bows down to the beggar and the widow and the orphan! And again: cursed, who will take gifts to kill the soul of innocent blood 2423! Woe to those who write cunning! They write, they write cunning, bowing to the judgment of the poor, praising the judgment of the needy of My people, as if they were a widow to be robbed and an orphan to be plundered 2424 . My evil words will quieten, thicken and break; He does not judge a widow, he does not judge a father, and he does not judge a poor person. I will not eat for the sake of this, says the Lord, or my soul will not take revenge on the tongue of the sych 2425 . He (the Most High) will test your deeds and test your thoughts: as servants of His kingdom, you do not judge justice or keep the law, but you walk according to the will of God. It's scary and it will appear to you soon! as the most severe judgment prevails. For the little worthy is mercy: the strong will be severely tortured, according to another translation, they will be greatly tormented, says Solomon 2426. It is clear from this and other Scriptures of the holy place that the more unrighteousness a judge commits, the more he gathers himself to perish. From everywhere it will be difficult for an unrighteous judge when he stands at the judgment seat of Christ. Confront his conscience, the common rule and law of all men, that he acted against it; expose the promise made at baptism, but left behind; expose the word of God, heard so many times, but despised; the face of the oath, with the oath and invocation of the omniscient God as a witness of his created, but impoverished, justice; the tears of widows, orphans and other poor people are shed, but for the sake of charity they have not succeeded in anything; there will be deeds, words, and thoughts, unjustly, cunningly, and cunningly deliberate and created. As many witnesses of his untruth will appear as he did and decided unjustly and against his conscience. Hence the universal shame, and the righteous Judge will feel as much anger as the wrong he has done. Then he will realize that, although he gathered a lot in measure, but the measure will not bear anything, except for a great loss; although he was considered rich, famous and glorious here, he appeared poor, poor, vile and dishonorable, and more wretched than others. The strong will be greatly tormented, says God's word, true and unchangeable 2427. Consider this, judge, and beware of untruth rather than fire. § 465. It is often the case that witnesses are called to court in order to better find the truth and prove it. And because the whole case is established on the testimony of witnesses, and according to their words and testimonies, as those who heard or saw, the case is decided, and one is right, and the other is guilty among those who have been judged: for this reason, the witnesses in this case must be faithful, they will not bend to one side or the other, not they know neither companionship, nor enmity, nor love, nor malice of judgment, nor are they afraid of human fear, and they will abhor the hand of a friend of gifts. The only truth should be a friend who, seeing good in an enemy, praises, and seeing evil in a friend, testifies; and she, like the truth, does not know the human face, but shows what she sees and hears, and inclines to the side to which she finds righteousness, and turns away from that in which she sees untruth contrary to herself. For this reason, witnesses must keep to the truth and strive against lies, as the Lord commands: do not listen to your false testimony as a friend, 2428, lest by their false witness the innocent bring great trouble, the guilty of great impudence and arbitrariness, and those who judge will bring themselves into sin from the Christian community, consequently, Christ Himself will be excommunicated. Everything follows false witness. Because everything in a court case is based on witnesses. § 466. Look at the duties of subordinate judges in your own city. And the Christians, who want to bring judgment on both, and will abhor both of them by judgment, let them listen to the places written in the Holy Scriptures 2429. Chapter 4. About the duties of pastors and their subordinates Elders who are among you, I pray, as an elder who is a witness of Christ's passion, who also wants to appear as a commoner of the glory, feed the flock of God among you, who visit not by need, but by will and according to God; below unrighteous profits, but diligently, not as possessors of confession, but insults to the flock: and appearing to the Chief Shepherd, you will receive an unfading crown of glory 2430 . Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit will appoint bishops, to shepherd the church of the Lord and God, which he will cover with His blood 2431. § 467. Every Christian who has subordinates must be a shepherd for them: a master of his household, a father of his children and other household members, a master of his slaves and peasants, the abbot of his monastery brotherhood, the chief of his subordinates is a shepherd. For all of these, by their Christian duty, are obliged to guide their subordinates to the path of salvation, and to present themselves in the image of a pious life, and they have to answer for them on the day of Christ's judgment. However, according to the general Christian voice, bishops, especially presbyters, are called shepherds, and God's word attributes this title to them, and entrusts to their hands the flock of Christ's word sheep, bought with the blood of Christ. § 468. The very name of the shepherd shows that there is a shepherd, and the shepherds are called and their office is presented before their eyes, and it warns and proves that they are chosen from the people, who are called by the name of Christ, as the best, wisest and most perfect, and are appointed to shepherd the flock of Christ, purchased by His blood, as it teaches the apostle The shepherd of wordless animals is chosen to drive out the herd and drive the whole flock to pasture and protect the animals: so the shepherd of the verbal sheep of Christ is chosen to feed the flock and ask God's word, and to protect from the wolves, that is, the invisible demons that surround the flock of Christ, and who want to swallow someone from that herd 2432 . From this every shepherd can see what he should be. That is, he is more perfect than other Christians both in mind and in good life; he must show what Saint Paul wrote about himself to Christians: be imitators of me, just as I am of Christ 2433. § 469. Without calling and choosing the right one, no one should enter the pastoral ministry, as the apostle says: no one will accept the honor of himself, but he who is called by God, like Aaron: so also Christ did not glorify Himself to be the High Priest, but said to Him: You are my Son, I have given birth to You today 2434. And the holy Forerunner taught: a man cannot accept anything unless it is given to him from heaven 2435. Just as the prophets and apostles were directly chosen by the voice of God and called to the great ministry of their work, as we read in their books: so those who want to enter their work should wait for the rank and election of the church and church leaders, who are entrusted with church government: and without that, no one should interfere in that great work. Wise Sirach advises: do not seek your superiors 2436. Therefore, those who enter into that without such an election do badly; worse than that, those who obtain it through payment or petition of nobles and princes. Such people do not know what they are looking for, as you will see below. That is why they show that either they think they are satisfied with such a great and difficult task, that is, shepherding Christ's flock and keeping it from the devil's prey, which is high-minded, or they want to graze rather than shepherd. They need to beware, so that Christ's word does not befit them: do not enter the sheepfold by the door, but go elsewhere, that thief is also a robber: the thief does not come, unless he steals and kills and destroys 2437. § 470. Pastors are chosen according to the following: 1) Reasonable and teaching people, so that they can guide them on the path of salvation, instruct, correct and comfort the people subordinate to them. 2) Good people, what they teach people, they themselves demonstrate in their deeds. Thus their learning, confirmed by their virtuous life, will be strong, effective and useful to people. The following qualities are required by the apostle: it is desirable for a bishop to be chaste, one wife to a husband, sober, chaste, reverent, honest, hospitable, a teacher, not a drunkard, not a fighter, not quarrelsome, not a bee-eater, but meek, not envious, not a lover of money, one who rules her house well, having children in obedience with all honesty 2438 . And in the second place: it behooves a bishop to be without vice, like God's builder: not self-indulgent, not impudent, not conceited, not angry, not a drunkard, not a fighter, not a polluter; but the strange-loving, benevolent, chaste, righteous, reverent, self-tempered, holding true word according to doctrine, may he be strong and comfort in sound doctrine, and rebuke those who oppose him 2439. These pastoral properties are better known from the following article. Note here, reader, that at times apostolic bishops were called presbyters, and presbyters were called bishops. Bishop is a Greek name and means what in our dialect is an overseer, and presbyter is also a Greek name and means an elder or an elder. That's why you see that their name is common. Because a supervisor is over others, a supervisor is also a senior over other seniors. We see this general naming of them in the Apostolic Scriptures. St. Paul, writing to the Philippians, says: there are bishops and deacons in Philippi 2440. You see that here the presbyters are called bishops because the city of Philippi is the only city in which one bishop was usually appointed, and not many; and he writes to many, and not to one: because many presbyters in one city are called bishops. Again, we read in the Acts of the Apostles that the same apostle, namely Miletus, sent to Ephesus, calling the presbyters of the church, to whom, among other things, he said: pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit has appointed bishops to shepherd the church of the Lord and God 2441. This is where presbyters are called bishops. Again, when he commanded the holy Titus to appoint presbyters in the cities, he added: it behooves the bishop to be without vice 2442. And here the presbyter is called a bishop. Saint Chrysostom tells about this, that then presbyters were called bishops. "What sows! Is there a single city with many bishops? No way; but the presbyters are called so." And below: "And bishops were anciently called presbyters, and presbyters were ministers of Christ and bishops" 2443. We see that in the days of the apostolic bishop and presbyter the common name was; and in addition to other reasons, they were especially placed to shepherd the Church of Christ. But in modern times and now, bishops are called only bishops, and presbyters are also called presbyters, and what they are, and what is the name of both, is known to all Christians. But the shepherd's work is the care, care and attention of the flock of Christ's sheep, from their very names, as it is said, it is known to be equal: both those and others are equally obliged to shepherd the church of Christ. § 471. The duty of pastors is: 1) They themselves must listen to the reading of the sacred Scriptures, which can make them wise for salvation by faith, even about Christ Jesus 2444. To this, the shepherd apostle the saint exhorts in the person of Saint Timothy: pay attention to reading, consolation, teaching - and a little later: pay attention to yourself and the teaching, and abide in them: for sow, and you yourself will be saved, and those who listen to you will be saved 2445. For every scripture is God-inspired and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for punishment, which is in truth, that the man of God may be perfect, prepared for every good work 2446. The holy apostles and prophets were directly enlightened by the Holy Spirit 2447, and taught people, and wrote their holy teachings for the benefit of the church. Pastors, who have entered their office, need to keep their scriptures, read them, learn from them day and night, and they will learn from them, and they will offer them to their people, and then they will teach them, then they will rebuke them, then they will correct them, then they will comfort them, and they pray to Christ God to open their minds to understand the Scriptures 2448. Without that, the understanding and power of the Scriptures cannot be grasped, and there will be no benefit from reading them, even if someone knows all the Scriptures by heart. Therefore, those pastors who neglect reading and listening to the divine Scriptures, and spend their time in other matters, either do not belong to their calling, or, what is worse, are opposed to it, are doing badly. Such is the word of Christ: the leaders of the blind are the blind; the blind still lead the blind, both will fall into the pit 2449. - 2) They must carefully teach the people entrusted to them, as Saint Peter exhorts them: shepherd the flock of God among you 2450. God's flock is fed by God's word and His holy secrets. And St. Paul exhorts them to the same: pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit has appointed bishops to shepherd the church of the Lord and God, which he has covered with His blood 2451. And again he wrote to Timothy, and in his face to the holy shepherd: preach the word, insist in good time and in out of time, reprove, rebuke, beg with all longsuffering and learning 2452. Pastors have entered into the apostolic office, and must follow them without fail. They preached the word of God throughout the universe; and the shepherds in their towns, where they are established by shepherds, should reveal that spiritual treasure to people. Alas, the pastors who leave this position sin. Such shepherds are likened to dumb dogs: all dumb dogs cannot bark 2453. The Lord threatens them through the prophet: you eat milk, and you clothe yourself with wool, and you slaughter the fat, but you do not feed My sheep: you will not feed the weak, and you will not heal the sick, and you will not bind the broken, and you will not convert the lost, and you will not recover the lost, and so on. And the Lord spoke further: I am the shepherd, and I will raise up my sheep from their hands 2454. The Lord will seek out such shepherds of his sheep when he comes to judge the measure. The master asks and demands from the shepherd his sheep, when he does not drive them, and tortures him for them: this is how Christ, the Lord of words, will demand His sheep from the shepherds, the sheep, which He won not with silver or gold, but with His honest blood 2455. Woe then to the careless shepherd, the shepherd who destroyed Christ's sheep, which were bought at such a high price! For this reason, it is necessary for such shepherds to look around and correct themselves, lest even the sheep of Christ entrusted to them perish, and they themselves fall under His terrible judgment and torture. They need to remember that they are chosen to shepherd the flock of God, and not to graze. - 3) That is, a good shepherd who teaches, and what he teaches, he shows in his actions. For this reason, shepherds should not only teach, but also show the image of good deeds. In the name of the Chief Shepherd, Christ says: so that your world will be enlightened before men, so that they will see your good deeds and glorify your Father, who is in heaven 2456. And the holy apostle: be an image with faithful word, life, love, spirit, faith, purity 2457. And in the second place: in everything, give yourself the image of good deeds 2458. A shepherd must have a clean and unenvious conscience before God, and set an example of good deeds before people, so that his conscience does not condemn him for what he accuses people of, and justifies them for what he teaches others. Then the shepherd will teach freely when his conscience agrees with his teaching. Therefore, pastors who learn, but do not create, succeed in little: because what they teach with the word, they ruin their lives; the truth, which they preach with their words, they bring into doubt and suspicion with their example. Such shepherds will hear the word: doctor, heal yourself 2459. By teaching others, don't you teach yourself? preaching not to steal, stealing; verb - do not commit adultery, commit adultery; scorning an idol, stealing a saint; that you boast in the law, you dishonor God by transgressing the law 2460. God says to such shepherds: how do you tell my justifications, and accept my covenant with your mouth? You hated the punishment, and you rejected My words back. As soon as you saw your father, you went with him, and with adultery you laid your part. Your mouth will multiply malice, and your tongue will weave flattery. You slandered your brother while sitting, and you laid a temptation on your mother's son 2461. Rather, such shepherds are compared to pillars placed on the road, which point the way to the city, but do not move from the city themselves; they resemble bells that call people to church, but do not enter themselves. On the contrary, a good shepherd is like a leader who both shows the way to people and goes forward himself, as Saint Luke wrote about the chief shepherd, our Savior: Jesus began to create and teach 2462. He who teaches and lives piously teaches in two ways: he teaches with his words and his life, as he confirms his teaching with his deeds and his life. - 4) Pastors should not caress or please people, which is especially the case with nobles, princes, the famous and the rich, but they should testify to the truth and the truth everywhere. The apostle Christ is presented to them in the image of himself: never with words of caress to you, as you know 2463. And he did not want to please anyone: even if he had pleased another person, he would not have been a slave of Christ 2464. Pastors are obliged to imitate this example, when they want to be servants of Christ, and not to men, but to God, Whose servants they are, to please and please; that is vicious, unjust and lawless, everywhere and in front of every person they denounce; do not remain silent when it is necessary to speak; he does not praise what is not praiseworthy, and he does not reproach what is worthy of praise. Caressing does nothing but destroy the soul of both the person and the person being caressed. This is because they do not abhor sins, but insist on sins, which they should abhor, and not to God, but to please men: and therefore they do such things contrary to their calling. For this reason, pastors should always and everywhere bear witness to the truth, and, if necessary, suffer for the truth everything that they will invent and do to the peace that hates the truth. This is how the holy prophets, apostles and saints of Christ stood up for the truth, stood up to the blood - and Christ himself, preached by the prophets and apostles, who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate 2465. Today's pastors should look at this image and testify to the truth with all boldness, remembering the word of Christ: do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but those who cannot kill the soul, but rather fear the Mighty One who will destroy both soul and body in hell 2466. And again: everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. And whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father, who is in heaven 2467. - 5) Pastors have a duty to proceed sensibly in their teaching, look and reason, where the evangelical comforting, where the legal damning and frightening teaching is offered. It is bad and useless, even harmful, to offer a comforting word where fear is needed, and thunder where comfort is needed. There are two-minded people in the nation, careless and fearless living, and afraid of crushing and sadness. For the sake of the fearless, the fear of God is needed, yes, the sleep of the sinner has awakened, they repent: for the sake of the broken and sad plasters, the comfort of the gospel is needed, so that they may be established in the faith, and they will receive the consolation that is alive in their hearts. For this reason, the pastors offer such a worthy teaching, so that each of their disciples will find the appropriate medicine for himself, and, applying it to his wounds, will be healed, as we see in the writings of the prophets and apostles and their successors, the holy fathers, whom the present pastors are obliged to follow. - 6) Pastors should often repeat this teaching, so that the fear of God, faith and the true comfort of others will be planted and established in their hearts. St. Paul saw this benefit and wrote: I will write to you, if not relentlessly, but firmly to you 2468. In the book of Genesis, we read that God Himself repeated His gracious promise to Abraham many times. The same can be seen in the holy teachers of the church, who tirelessly taught, instructed, admonished, frightened and comforted the people entrusted to them. Because the human heart is fickle and easygoing, and soon turns away from the true path. For this reason, it is always necessary to remind, exhort, strengthen, instruct and encourage. - 7) Shepherds, because they cannot do anything without God's help, should earnestly pray to God both for themselves, to help them in this difficult task, and for the people entrusted to them, to enlighten their soul's eyes to the knowledge of the truth, and to direct their hearts to the creation of His will, and to protect them from temptations diabolical This was done by the holy apostles, as we read in their Epistles; were created by pastors, their successors and church teachers. Also, the current pastors do their due. - 8) Although all Christians are subject to all kinds of persecution, as according to the word of the Apostles, all who want to live piously for Christ Jesus will be persecuted 2469, but especially pastors are subject to it. The reason for this is that they destroy the kingdom of the devil by the preaching of the word of God, reveal its beauty and darkness, admire human souls from his hands and bring them into the kingdom of Christ: for this reason, the devil rages against them all the more and rises up, and restores all persecution through evil people as his own tool. For this reason, good shepherds need to prepare for patience, and always, like a ship on the sea of ​​storms, wait for those who find trouble, and bear what they find with a patient heart. Let them be in the image of the Shepherd-Chief Jesus Himself, Who suffered the cross for His people, - and the holy apostles, His followers, who were rebuked, persecuted, blasphemed, as the outcasts of the measure, were all offended 2470, - and the saints of Christ who were earlier, who were so much rebuked, slandered, embittered, persecuted and imprisoned, they suffered from ungrateful people, whom they taught the truth and tried to guide them to the path of salvation. May he move them to patience, and in this may he confirm the many rewards hidden in heaven. Rejoice, they say in the name of Christ, and rejoice, as your reward is many in heaven 2471. - 9) How to teach and what to do, and how to act with their people, they should learn from the books of the prophetic, apostolic and god-bearing fathers. And this shows how important it is to read the Holy Scriptures and other Christian books. - 10) How careful shepherds should be in their vocation, and how dangerous it is to keep the words of God, and those people will be instructed to pay attention to themselves and to the whole flock, Paul's admonition might note: pay attention, he says, to yourselves and to all the flock, in whom the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to shepherd the church of the Lord and God, even with His blood. 2472. As he would say: you are appointed not by man, but by God - the Holy Spirit, to shepherd not a wordless flock surrounded by visible beasts, but to shepherd a flock of Christ's sheep surrounded by invisible beasts, the devil, like a lion, and his evil spirits; and these sheep, which you feed, Christ, the Lord and God, bought, not with silver and gold, but with His blood: take care of yourselves and this flock, entrusted to you by God for preservation. Also, he wrote to Saint Timothy in two epistles, and he encouraged him, and in the face of him, every pastor to be diligent, zealous and diligent about himself and people: I testify before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and His chosen angels, that you keep this without hypocrisy, doing nothing out of reverence 2473. And again: I command you before God, who gives life to all things, and Christ Jesus, who testified to a good confession before Pontius Pilate: to keep the commandment undefiled and not shameful, even until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ 2474. And again he calls out: Oh Timothy! keep the tradition 2475. And again: I testify before God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who wants to judge the living and the dead in His manifestation and His kingdom: preach the word, insist timely and untimely, reprove, rebuke, beg with all longsuffering and learning 2476. We see here the words of the holy apostle written to Saint Timothy, with what desire, zeal and zeal that holy heart burned, so that Saint Timothy diligently and cheerfully shepherded the flock of Christ, and according to the teachings of his faithful followers; God Himself is called as a witness, Who knows everything, and examines the human heart, - and the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom he must appear at the judgment, - and the holy angels, with whom the Judge will come to judge everything. I testify, that is, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and His chosen angels. In what? Yes, that is, faithful commandments, keeping them without hypocrisy, doing nothing out of deference. And calls out: O Timothy! keep the tradition. The apostolic words spoken to St. Timothy also apply to all pastors, admonishing them to remain holy and blameless in their vocation to this saint, and to keep his faithfulness, to preach the word, to insist timely and untimely, to rebuke, forbid, implore with all patience and learning, and in the image to be faithful to the word, life, love, spirit, faith, purity. Follow them with all the sheep entrusted to Christ, they will appear at His judgment, and they will give Him an answer for all of them. Blessed is the one who will say then: this is me, and the children that you have given me, Lord 2477! Wretched and poor, who cannot say it then, but, seized with shame and fear, he will hear: cast the lockless slave into the darkness of the bottom: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth 2478. In the Apocalypse, we read that Christ said to every angel, (bishop) of the seven churches: "Have your affairs" 2479. What does this mean? It is nothing else than that Christ watches over every shepherd, and notices his deeds, plans and initiatives, and writes them down in His book, and rewards everyone according to his deeds, as we see there, even though He has the same omniscience about every person. Even if the shepherds want to be shameless on that day, let them reason that Christ watches over all their deeds; and because they turn before His eyes, and consider themselves and all their flock. Again, we read in John the Evangelist that Christ, when he rose from the dead, asked Peter three times: Simon Ioninus! do you love me and Peter answered: O Lord! You are all, as I love You: I said to him: feed My sheep 2480 . This is why we see that shepherds, when they want to show love to Christ, must show it in action - to shepherd His sheep. Christ loves His sheep, as He purchased them with His blood. Even if anyone who loves Christ wants to, as everyone must, must love His sheep, and shepherd them, and present them whole to Him, do not neglect them, as hired servants do. § 472. The duty of people to their pastors: 1) To obey them and to listen to their teachings, and accordingly they will correct their lives, as the apostle exhorts: obey your teachers, and repent; for they are watching over your souls, as the word is desiring to return: yes, they are doing this with joy, and not with sighing 2481 . The seed of that counsel is sown on the ground, so that it may bear fruit to the farmer: so the seed of God's word is sown in the field of the heart, so that it may sprout a decent fruit for itself - a Christian and pious life. Otherwise, it is sown in vain when it is fruitless. For this reason, people should listen to the teaching of the shepherd, and deepen it in their hearts, and show the fruit, so that the shepherd, seeing the fruit of his teaching, will rejoice and be more willing to his saving work. - 2) Whatever teaching the pastor offers, good or bad, should be accepted equally, and accepted with joy, as the word of God, and not human, if only his teaching was in accordance with the Holy Scriptures. Because the shepherd's duty is to teach and teach, and not to please the ears: so it is the duty of people to teach and learn, not to please and be barren. For this reason, Christians who wish to learn should equally accept simple and embellished learning. - 3) Even when a shepherd speaks a reproachful word, people should not be angry with him for that, much more his name is defamed. Because he fulfills his duty: face, call him an apostle, as it is said above. He accuses sins, not persons: as he does not name any person in his word, but only sins. A damning word is like a mirror, which shows us the vices on our face, so that we can cleanse them: so the word of damnation represents sins, and when we see them in our conscience, we will erase them with repentance. Leave sin and repent, and then you will be at peace. Even if you do not see in your conscience the sin that the shepherd exposes and reproaches, then his word does not concern you. Conscience and the incriminating word converge in one; and what the word exposes, that is the conscience; and what the word does not expose in you, the conscience does not. Just as if, looking into a mirror and not seeing vices on the face, we are calm and turn away from it: so, hearing a word of reproach and not finding in our conscience the sins of those who are being reproached, we should be calm. And just as we do not get angry at a mirror that shows our vices, so we should not get angry at a shepherd that exposes our sins. As a mirror shows what is on the face, and does not show what is not: so the word exposes what is created contrary to the law of God and conscience, and does not expose what is not done. You see, alas, that the accusatory word tends to sins, and not to persons: how cruel medicine is given to a sick person not for the sake of the sick person, but for the sake of his disease, so that the disease would be expelled from him, and not the sick person would suffer and suffer. Because a ferocious disease is a sin, and it requires cruel medicine for the sake of banishment. Just as you thank the doctor for the medicine, even if it is cruel, and you give him a wage that he wants to heal your weak and mortal body: how much more do you owe thanks to the shepherd who will heal your immortal soul from sin. Because the soul is more honest than the body, its diseases are more dangerous than those of the body, and its healing is more precious than those of the body. - 4) People must love their pastors and honor their love as their fathers, who give birth not to the temporal, but to the eternal womb with the word of the living God, and with a paternal heart they ache until Christ is imagined in the people 2482. – 5) Provide them with their own names. He is worthy because he is worthy of his wages 2483. - 6) Protect them from evil tongues that torment and darken their glory and name. Because no one is subject to slander and slander like a good shepherd. And this is satanic trickery and trickery! He tries to slander and slander their name through an evil tongue, so that people despise them and do not listen to their teachings and are not saved - and the malice of evil people, who accuse them of their iniquities, invents various slanders against them, which church history shows. Satan and the evil world do not like the truth, which the shepherds try to plant; clings to lies and untruths, which they will be happy to eradicate. What will follow them from there, if not the hatred and malice of peace-loving people? For this reason, pious people should not believe slander, they close the mouth of those who spread it, but also those who slander. - 7) If they themselves notice any weaknesses in them, then they must be forgiven, just as shepherds are people everywhere, like others, and they are besieged by weaknesses, like other people. - 8) To pray for them to God, that he may make them wise and strengthen them in their not-so-difficult and not-so-important work. The shepherd must pray for the people, and the people must pray for the shepherd, and so they will help each other in the cause of salvation. - 9) Although there will be defective shepherds in our lives, they should not be condemned. Because it is forbidden to condemn a simple person, let alone a shepherd. They will answer for themselves and for you, the Judge to whom they fall, and not you for them. Turn your eyes away from their defects, and pay attention to their teaching, when they teach according to faith, as Christ said about the Pharisees: on Moses' seat sit the scribes and the Pharisees. All things, even if they tell you to observe, observe and do: you do not do them according to their deeds, because they say they do not do them 2484. Chapter 5. About the duties of parents and their children Chad! listen to your parents, O Lord: for this is righteous. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment in the promise: may you be well, and may you live long on earth. And: Fathers! do not annoy your children, but bring them up in the discipline and teachings of the Lord 2485. § 473. Some parents raise and support their children so gently and weakly that they do not want to punish them for their crimes, and so fearlessly and arbitrarily let them live; the second use immeasurable severity, and inflict more anger and fury on them than they command them. Both, and those and others, sin. Everywhere excess is vicious; Reckless strictness and kindness in every act weakens. This leads young people to laxity, self-will, corruption and obvious destruction, this nature is prone to all kinds of evil: it instills sadness, irritation and despondency in them. Because moderation and the middle path are praised everywhere. For this reason, pious parents should stick to the middle path. § 474. Duty of parents to their children. 1) As soon as the children begin to understand and understand the doctrine, then they should be infused with the milk of piety and brought to the knowledge of God and Christ the Son of God: who is God, the One in whom we believe, and remember His name, and confess and pray to Him? And who is Christ, and how should one honor Him? Why are we all born and baptized into this world, and why do we die? As our current life is nothing but the path we are taking to eternity, good to good, bad to bad. We do not come to this world for the sake of honor, wealth, sweet food, red clothes, rich houses and so on: because we leave all this at death. But we are born in order to live a pious life here, and to please God, and after death to go to Him and stay in His eternal bliss. Otherwise, if we were born to this life, then we would have to stay here forever; but we see the opposite. Alas, we are born to another life, and we enter the path of this world in order to reach it. For this reason, we are baptized, and we believe in God and Christ the Son of God, and we call on His name, and we go to church and pray, so that we may receive that future bliss from Him. All these and other things need to be offered to young children at the beginning, yes, when they come of age, they also come to the knowledge of God, and Christian duties and hopes. From this, it is possible to have good hope in the young heart when it begins to be educated in this way. Just as evil, so also good is firmly rooted in a youthful heart; and what we learn in youth, we remain in that when we reach maturity: as a young tree, to which side it leans, so it stands to the end. For this reason, it is necessary to have such a pious upbringing of youth. And when the parents themselves either cannot or are not allowed to do so, they need to look for such mentors and teach their children. Many teach their children foreign languages ​​and arts, but do not teach them for the sake of piety; that's why it's obvious that they don't know it themselves, even though they call themselves Christians. It is useful for the sake of society and commerce and to teach foreign languages; but it is necessary to teach the mysteries of faith, and it is absolutely necessary, and there is only one that is needed 2486. What is in French, or any other language, when the tongue is taught, but the heart is not taught good? The tongue speaks well and beautifully, but the heart is empty of faith, and emits the stench of unbelief, which is bad for both negligent parents and children. - 2) Because, according to the Scriptures, the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord 2487 , that is why the fear of God must be instilled in the hearts of young people at the beginning, as youth, because of nature's inclination to evil, does not hurt anything like this fear, because it abhors it, like every person. And in order for the fear of God to be planted in their hearts, they need to be often reminded that God is everywhere and is present with every person and sees what a person does or thinks, and what we say, hears, and for every word, deed and thought the wicked is angry, and will judge, and deliver the sinner to eternal torment, as righteous and good people will be repaid for their good deeds, and the one who sins or does evil can be shown in actuality, as we read in history, and the same happens today. This must be rooted in them in the beginning, so that not only openly, but also secretly, they turn away from all evil; so that, like children before their parents, slaves before their masters, subjects before the authorities, they do nothing indecent, but act reverently, as if before God, who is all-seeing, they act and walk with fear, and think that God is with them, and sees all their actions, and can show them when they are bad to do Although it happens that a person does not see a bad deed; but God, the greatest of all the world and the Judge of all, sees everything. This kind of teaching and reasoning about God can instill in young people the fear of God, which both the elderly and the old need to remember. "How, says Saint Chrysostom, will the fear of God be? Let's think about how God is everywhere, who hears everything, who sees everything, not only what is done and said, but also everything that is in the heart and in the depths of the mind: for he judges the thoughts and thoughts of the heart. If we arrange ourselves, we will create nothing cunningly, speak nothing, think nothing" 2488. – 3) Defective children should be punished by their parents. Thus the word of God commands them: do not stop commanding the child: for even if you beat him with a rod, he will not die; you will beat him with a rod, save his soul from death 2489. We see that God Himself loves His children, but he commands their love: because the Lord loves him, he commands: woe to every son who accepts him 2490. In the same way, carnal parents should obey God, and chastise their children for love. A father's love is blind, alas, which leaves defective children unpunished: how true and wise is that love which humbles their self-will with punishment. He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves commands diligently 2491. - 4) One should not use immeasurable severity in punishment, as the apostle commands: fathers, do not provoke your children, and do not discourage them 2492, but take the middle way, as it is said above. - 5) In the image of good deeds, they present themselves to them. Because youth, and any age, is better instructed to virtue by a good life than by words: for young people, especially children, have as a rule the life of their parents; so that what they notice in them, they themselves do, whether it be good or bad that they see. For the sake of parents, who are facing temptations, it is their duty to set an example of a virtuous life to their children, when they want to teach them to virtue. Otherwise, nothing can be done. It is more painful for them to look at the life of their parents and imagine it in their young souls than to listen to their words. Every mentor's word, which is connected with life, is neat and strong, is the instruction: even more so is the instruction of a parent. - 6) The very nature of parents draws and persuades children to love: even the most speechless creatures love their own. For the sake of which it is not necessary to propose it, only if it were not reckless love, as stated above. - 7) Parents should pray to God for their children, so that He Himself will instruct them in His fear and make them wise for salvation. - 8) If neglecting the proper upbringing and discipline of children is harmful both to the parents themselves and to their children, everyone can see what is written above, and history shows about Elijah, the priest of Israel, who did not properly educate and punish his sons for their insolence, and he and his children were punished by God 2493 . What does Saint Chrysostom teach like this: "Parents will be punished not only for their sins, but also for their children, if they do not raise them in piety." And again: "Parents who neglect to raise their children in a Christian way are the most lawless child killers. Because child killers separate the body from the soul, and they throw both the soul and the body into hell fire. That death cannot be avoided by natural law; and this would have been possible if the disobedience of her parents had not been her fault. The death of a man will destroy this resurrected future: but no one can bring back the death of the soul" 2494. § 475. Children's duty to their parents. 1) Children must love their parents with a pure heart, and be grateful to them: because they were born and raised in the world. The natural law and conscience of everyone convinces this. 2) Obedience is due to them, as the apostle commanded them: children! listen to your parents, O Lord. 3) In word and deed, show love and respect for them. - 4) When they are punished by word or deed, accept their punishment for good, do not resent them, do not grumble at them, but, recognizing your crime, humbly, lovingly and regretfully ask for their forgiveness. 5) In times of need, even elders ask them, and with all diligence they serve them. 6) Lawless children who do not honor their parents are subject to terrible punishments in God's law. Let him suffer the death of his father, or his mother, and die 2495. A man who speaks evil of his father or his mother shall surely die 2496. Chapter 6. About the duties of husbands and wives Husband! love your wife, as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for her, etc. 2497 Wives! obey your husband as you see fit, O Lord 2498. § 476. Satan, the eternal enemy of Christians, as between other Christians, so between wives and husbands, love and peace is destroyed and enmity is sown. Surprises or rather regrets are a worthy thing! Where can we hope for greater love than between a husband and a wife? A man loves his father and mother with natural love; but the Holy Scripture says: A man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and both shall become one flesh 2499. According to the Scriptures, husband and wife are one flesh. There is a strong union in one flesh! And who fights against his own flesh? Because no one ever hates his flesh, but asks and forgives it 2500. But how much enmity there is between these persons, so closely connected, we see! You can hardly find a house in which these devilish weeds were not. Such is the cunning of the devil, that where he notices great love, there he takes greater care to tear it apart and lay down his enmity. It is impossible to explain how much this ulcer, which harms other Christians, especially those who are married to marriage, is impossible to explain! For this reason, one should arm himself with faith against this enemy, and listen to what God in His word commands one another to do. § 477. Duty of husbands to wives. 1) Husbands must love their wives, according to the apostolic exhortation: husband! love your wife. The reason is put forward: because a man and a woman are one flesh. Whence it is said below: it is the duty of a husband to love his wife as his own body: for no one ever hates his own flesh, but asks and forgives it. And in the image they represent Christ Himself, the Son of God, who loves His church: just as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for her. - 2) They should not be treated harshly, as the apostle teaches: men! love your wife, and do not be upset with her 2501; but as Saint Peter admonishes: those who live together with their wives according to reason, as honoring the weakest female vessel, as also heirs of blessed lives, in which your prayers should not cease 2502. - 3) They must be faithful to their wives, keep the conjugal bed immaculately, do not touch someone else's bed, as an honest marriage in everything, and the bed is undefiled: the fornicator and adulterer will be judged by God 2503. - 4) Although wives love and must obey their husbands, they are captivated by their love and must not please them without reason. We see how harmful it is to please women without reason. Adam was captivated by his wife's immeasurable love, and fell into a grievous sin, destroying himself and the human race 2504. Solomon was wise, captured by the love of too many wives, fell into the sin of apostasy and idolatry 2505. The wicked Jezebel taught her husband Ahab, the king of Jerusalem, to break the law. The lawless Herod was not afraid to decapitate the great Forerunner for the sake of women's love. We also read the same in church history. Similar troubles and misfortunes still happen to women today, when their husbands do not agree with them. An unreasonable and fearless wife does not respect her custom, caressing and seducing her husband. The husband, as the head of the wife, should not be seduced by her caressing, but rather on the authority of someone who has done so, lest he himself perish, and he will cause a lot of trouble to others. § 478. Duties of women to their husbands. 1) Also, wives should love their husbands and please them for good and according to the will of God. 2) Keeps the fidelity of the conjugal bed, and does not know anyone except her lawful husbands. 3) They must be reverent to their husbands, according to the apostolic commandment: a wife should fear her husband 2506. This fear must be coupled with love. Wives must obey their husbands, as the apostle commanded them: wives! obey your husband as it pleases the Lord 2507. And again: I do not command a woman to teach, nor to rule over her husband, but to be in obedience. The reason for this is given by the apostle: Adam was created first, then Eve. And Adam did not deceive himself: the wife, having deceived herself, was in transgression 2508. However, husbands should remember that the apostle wrote in another place: there is no male gender, nor female gender: for you are all one in Christ Jesus 2509; and he does not have his wives as slaves, but as assistants, and loves his own body, according to the apostolic exhortation, as stated above. Saint Sarah, who obeyed Abraham, the mistress of his name, may be an example to women in obedience to their husbands 2510. Let not the wife be ashamed even now to call her husband her master when she wants to be the daughter of Saint Sarah. § 479. The union of marriage must be firm and inviolable without blessed reasons. This is what God's word commands: everyone who divorces his wife because of the word of adultery causes her to commit adultery, and whoever catches the adulteress commits adultery 2511. Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and marries a woman divorced by her husband commits adultery 2512. Did he get attached to his wife? don't look for permission. And the wife is bound by law, while her husband lives 2513. Chapter 7. About the duties of masters and their slaves Slaves! obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, just like Christ, not working before the eyes of a man-pleaser, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the soul: with understanding, serving as the Lord, and not as a man, knowing as everyone else, whoever does good, this will be accepted by the Lord, whether he is a slave, whether he is free. And the Lord always works for them, weakening their prohibitions, guiding them, as the Lord is in heaven, and He has no guilty face 2514. § 480. In the Church of Christ or Christian society, there is no mistress and slave, but all are brothers in Christ, all are servants of the Most High Lord, and sons of the heavenly Father; and therefore all are one, according to the apostolic teaching: there is no Jew, no Greek: there is no slave, no freedom, no male sex, no female sex; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus 2515. That some are called masters, others slaves, this happens according to the image of this age, whose differences in society are not removed by God's word. It preaches freedom to Christians and commands them to stay in it. Stand by the freedom that Christ gives us freedom, and do not hold fast to the yoke of work 2516. But this freedom is understood as spiritual, that is, freedom from sin, legal oaths, the devil, hell, and old legal rites. Pious slaves also have this freedom. On the contrary, even masters, although they are free in body, but when they work with sin and passion, they do not have that freedom, but they are slaves, according to the words of Christ: everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin 2517. And this freedom, that is, spiritual, Christian, inner freedom, common to all, to pious masters and slaves; and as long as they have it, as long as they have in their hearts, I live faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Without faith, it is impossible for anyone to have this spiritual freedom: as without Christ, no one can be spiritually free. He alone gives us this freedom: if you are free, you will be truly free 2518. We see that all who are in the holy church are spiritually free, and there is no difference between slave and master, but all are brothers among themselves and slaves of Christ the Lord. For the one who is called by the Lord is a slave, the freedman of the Lord: also the called freedman, the slave is Christ's 2519. Externally, the measure of this kind, sometimes they are free, sometimes they are slaves, whose external difference the Lord does not take away, but commands everyone in whatever calling he has, to abide in it: everyone in the calling to which he was called, let him abide in that 2520. What is the duty of both, that is, masters and slaves, can be briefly presented. § 481. The duty of the master to his slaves. 1) Masters must remember that they themselves and their slaves are brothers in Christ, and they have one Lord in heaven. Although they command their slaves carefully, they are not obliged to despise them and hold them under their feet. Christ, the Lord of glory and the King of heaven and earth, is not ashamed to call Christians His brothers 2521: more than a simple man should have a man like Himself as a brother. Let them follow Christ as servants of their Lord, and treat their servants as their brothers. And although dutiful masters keep their slaves in passion, they still have them in their hearts and regard them as brothers, and think of themselves that they are no better than them. - 2) Although it will be necessary to punish the wrongdoers, they should do it in moderation, and they should act in a spirit of meekness, and weaken their prohibitions, knowing that both they themselves and those are the Lord in heaven, and there is no hypocrisy in Him, according to the apostolic teaching 2522. Let these masters reason that they themselves are subject to the Lord of the ruling, Who does not look at faces, who judges righteously between masters and their slaves, before Whose judgment even masters will not be defended by freedom, and slaves will not be ashamed of slavish meanness, but everyone will receive according to their deeds 2523. – 3) They will not be burdened with unnecessary work and rents. As, as masters, so slaves have the same flesh: they also ask, dress and rest with their wives and children wherever they want; also where, in order to have time for prayer, glorification of God, and listening to God's word, the holy people gather together with other Christians in churches. - 4) He loves them as his brothers in Christ, and protects them and cares for them fatherly. Every godly master must be the father of his servants. - 5) With words and exhortations, they will turn and instruct them on the path of truth, and with the fear of God they will restrain the idle. - 6) To present myself to them in the image of a pious Christian life, so that the slaves, seeing their pious and good-natured mistress, would also be good-natured themselves. Because nothing leads slaves to good behavior like the example of a good-natured master. The slave is persuaded to live a godly life of his master. A strong and effective encouragement to slaves to a sober and prosperous life is a sober and prosperous life of the mistress. Then the master rightly and strongly exhorts the slave not to offend, not to steal, not to curse, not to swear, not to commit adultery, not to get drunk, not to debauchery, when he himself does not do so. Otherwise, that word is appropriate for him: doctor, heal yourself 2524! § 482. Masters sin against Christian duty: 1) Those who despise their slaves and do not treat them leniently. They are transgressing evangelical teachings. Because our Savior obliges everyone to love 2525. And the holy Apostle Pavel exhorts to give them the truth and the equation 2526. – 2) Who oppress them and act mercilessly. To punish them is no other way than to make them correct, but to dissolve the punishment with anger, rage and revenge is a lawless deed. It must be remembered that they have the same Creator and the same humanity. They are obliged by rent and labor to earn the care that the master attaches to them; but they must leave him time to provide for himself and his household, and give him time to rest. Everyone should remember that we all have a Lord in heaven, Who looks at everything, and sees all deeds, and hears the sighs of the poor, and looks at the tears that are shed, and does not crush the human face, but equally judges the master and the slave, and rewards everyone according to their deeds. And they forgot about the Lord and the fact that they are Christians: they forgot that the Lord cares for everything equally, shines His sun equally, rains equally, gives food and clothing to everyone, equally shines the day for work, and determines the night for rest, equally pours out His bounties to everyone, and wants, so that all His goodness would be satisfied, and being satisfied, they would thank the Benefactor. But unsatisfied human delicacy prevents that; one devours everything with which many could be satisfied, and being satisfied praises the Lord, who opens His hand and fulfills every animal of good will 2527 . It is necessary to feel like this and change one's morals, and behave in a Christian way, when one believes that there is a Lord in heaven, Who does not respect the face of a man and judges everyone according to their deeds. And if they do not feel it now, then they will feel it, when they will all stand together before the righteous Judge, and many, whom they now have at their feet and like cattle, will see in a strange change, they will see them clothed in honor and eternal glory, but themselves covered with eternal shame and shame; and they wish to have participation with those whom they now despise, but they will not receive it; will hear the word spoken: child, remember how you conceived your good in your stomach, and Lazarus is also evil: now he is comforted here, but you suffer 2528. § 483. Duty of slaves to their masters. This is what God's word teaches them: Slaves, obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, like Christ; not before the eyes of those who work as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the soul, serving the Lord with wisdom, and not as a man, knowing that everyone who still does good will receive this from the Lord, still a slave, still free 2529. And again: Slaves, listen to your carnal masters in everything, not before the eyes of the working people, like human pleasers, but in the simplicity of the heart, fearing God. And whatever else you do, do it with all your heart, as for the Lord, and not for men, knowing that you will receive a reward from the Lord: for it is the Lord who works for Christ 2530. And again: Slaves, to obey our masters, to be pleasing in everything, not backbiting, not stealing, but showing all good; yes, the teachings of the Savior of our God are adorned in everything 2531. And again: Slaves, obey your masters in all fear, not just good and meek, but also stubborn ones. For this is acceptable before God, even if the conscience for the sake of God endures sorrows, suffering without truth. What praise is there, if you suffer the sinners with torments? But as long as you do good and endure suffering, this is pleasing to God. For this reason, call 2532 as soon as possible. § 484. Slaves of piety can console themselves in their vile and poor condition by the following: 1) Although they work for their masters, they are Christ's slaves in the same way: they work for the Lord, for Christ, according to the words of the apostle 2533. They are human slaves in body, but free in spirit. Because no one can enslave the spirit. And they are the Lord's freedmen, according to apostolic teaching 2534. The holy martyrs consoled themselves and boasted of this great title; and although they worked for ungodly kings and princes and masters, they nevertheless answered them: "We are Christ's servants; To Christ, the heavenly King, we work." May the pious servants draw from this the consolation that they are the servants of Christ the King of heaven, even though they work for men. On the contrary, the noble one who does not work for any man retains this sweet title when he lives impiously, that is, he works according to his whims. It is impossible to work for Christ even at will. - 2) Those who suffer unnecessarily from their masters, go and remain necessary for this life, and think that wealth and poverty, bitterness and patience, everything will pass, and it will pass soon. Because death will conclude everything, and then there will be a strange change. Now only rage and human pride are raging; but then that won't happen. Then humility and patience will rise, but self-will and fury will humble themselves and fall; and both patience and fury are sufficiently rewarded by God's truth. For it is righteous with God to repay the grief of those who offend you; and to you, offended, I will rejoice with us, in the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with the angels of His power, etc. 2535 – 3) Although the slaves of the dovlshtia remain, they spend their days in the same way as those who leave their masters. Yesterday was the same day for the slave as it was for their mistress, with the only difference that this one lived in luxury, indulgence, and the greatest sins, while the other lived in poverty, poverty, and lesser sins. And equally both, both the master and his slaves, are approaching the end, which will make both slaves and their masters equal, and will send them to the land from which man was taken, where there is no difference between slave and master. 1) What has been suggested about the positions briefly listed above, it should also be discussed in some way about others similar to them: about the positions of teachers who instruct the youth, and about their students, master people and those who learn from them, benefactors and recipients of benefactions, generous rich and poor, that is, they are provided for, and etc. - 2) The apostolic admonishing word, which is offered to all Christians, should have its place everywhere: work for one another with love 2536. Without love, no Christian duty can be carried out in any capacity, because every work without love is dead. Love is the essence of any work. As the body is enlivened by the soul, so every work is enlivened by love. A Christian without love is like a barren tree, or rather a withered tree. – 3) Any person, whoever and whatever he may be, e.g. parents of children, and children of parents, husband, wife and husband's wife, etc., should love as long as that love is compatible with the love of God. And in the opposite case, the love of man must give way to the love of God. Rather, the love of one's own body should not be preferred to the love of God: whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me 2537. And again: if anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and even his own soul, he cannot be My disciple, says Christ 2538. Because one must love God more than any creature, more than any person, and more than oneself. – 4) Because it happens that people often command contrary to the commandment of God, then every subordinate, e.g. The subject of his authority, the son and daughter of his parents, the wife of his husband, the slave of his mistress, the student of his teacher, etc., are obliged to listen as long as they command what is in accordance with the law of God or what is not against them; and in the opposite case, God's commandments should be preferred to human commandments, according to the apostolic teaching: it is more fitting for God to obey than for man 2539. - Although everyone gives temptation to their neighbor, but especially to those who are subject to power, but rather shepherds to people, parents to small and young children, teachers to their students: for this reason, they should be extremely careful not to give temptation. For as temptation is a measure of grief, so woe is to the man to whom temptation comes. Whoever tempts even one of these little ones who believe in Me, there is no way for him to hang a millstone on his neck, and he will drown in the sea of ​​waves. Woe in measure is temptation: it is necessary to come with temptation. However, woe to the man to whom temptation comes, says the Lord 2540. Temptation comes either with a rotten, corrupt word, contrary to the Holy Scriptures and heretical, or with a lawless deed. That is all that should be undertaken by the higher ones, so as not to tempt the lower ones. Rome. 13, 1, 2 et seq.; 1 Pet. 2, 13–19; Prem. 6, 1–8, etc. Conversation 6th on the 1st post. to Tim Ps. 32, 13–15; 138, 1–16. In. 20, 17; Eur. 2, 11; Ps. 21, 23. Exodus 20, 16; Mf. 5, 39, 40, 44 and following; 6, 14, 15; 7, 12–14; Mk. 8, 36, 38; Yak 5, 7–11; Rome. 12, 17 et seq.; 1 Cor. 6, 7, 8; Eur. 12 and others. Conversation 1 on post. to Phlp. on those words are apostolic: there are bishops and deacons in Philippians. 1 Pet. 1, 19; In. 10, 15. open 2, 2, 9, 13, 19; 3, 1, 8, 15. Conversation 8th on post. to Phlp. Proverbs 13, 25. See also: Proverbs. 29, 17; Cheese. 7, 25; 30, 1–13. The 3rd word is against the detractors of monastic life. Ps. 21, 23; Eur. 2, 12. Mf. 22, 39; Mf. 5, 44–47.