1 The benefit of subjection.
4 The bishop not to be respected the less
because he is not forward in exacting it:
8 warns brethren against heretics; bidding
them cleave to Jesus, whose divine and human
mature is declared: commends them for their care
to keep themselves from false teachers:
and shews them the way to God.
FOR if I in this little time have
had such a familiarity with
your bishop, I mean not a carnal,
but spiritual acquaintance with
him; how much more must I think
you happy who are so joined to him,
as the church is to Jesus Christ,
and Jesus Christ to the Father;
so that all things may agree in
the same unity.
2 Let no man deceive himself;
if a man be not within the altar,
he is deprived of the bread of God.
For if the prayer of one or two
be of such force, as we are told;
how much more powerful shall
that of the bishop and the whole
church be?
3 He therefore that does not
come together in the same place
with it, is proud, and has already
condemned himself; for it is written,
God resisteth the proud. Let us take
heed therefore, that we do not set
ourselves against the bishop,
that we may be subject to God.
4 The more any one sees his
bishop silent, the more let him
revere him. For whomsoever the
master of the house sends to be
over his own household, we ought
in like manner to receive him, as
we do him that sent him. It is
therefore evident that we ought
to look upon the bishop, even as
we do upon the Lord himself.
5 And indeed Onesimus himself
does greatly commend your good
order in God: that you all live
according to the truth, and that
no heresy dwells among you. For
neither do ye hearken to anyone
more than to Jesus Christ
speaking to you in truth.
6 For some there are who
carry about the name of Christ
in deceitfulness, but do things
unworthy of God; whom ye must
flee, as ye would do so many
wild beasts. For they are raving
dogs, who bite secretly; against
whom ye must guard yourselves,
as men hardly to be cured.
7 There is one Physician, both
fleshy and spiritual; made and
not made; God incarnate; true
life in death; both of Mary and
of God: first passible, then
impassible; even Jesus Christ our
Lord.
8 Wherefore let no man deceive
you; as indeed neither are ye
deceived, being wholly the
servants of God. For inasmuch as
there is no contention nor strife
among you, to trouble you, ye
must needs live according to God's
will. My soul be for yours;
and I myself, the expiatory
offering for your church of Ephesus;
so famous throughout the world.
9 They that are of the flesh
cannot do the works of the spirit;
neither they that are of the spirit
the works of the flesh; as he
that has faith cannot be an infidel;
nor he that is an infidel have
faith. But even those things
which ye do according to the flesh
are spiritual; forasmuch as ye do
all things in Jesus Christ.
10 Nevertheless I have heard
of some who have passed by you,
having perverse doctrine; whom
ye did not suffer to sow among
you; but stopped your ears, that
ye might not receive those things
that were sown by them: because
being the stones of the temple of
the Father, prepared for his
building; and drawn up on high
by the Cross of Christ,
as by an engine;
11. Using the Holy Ghost as the
rope: your faith being your support;
and your charity the way that leads
unto God.
12 Ye are therefore, with all
your companions in the same
journey full of God; his spiritual
temples, full of Christ, and of
holiness: adorned in all things
with the commands of Christ.
13 In whom also I rejoice that
I have been thought worthy by
this present epistle to converse,
and joy together with you; that
with respect to the other life, ye
love nothing but God only.