14 DIDASCALIA.
things arises murder. Philip said, My son, be not licentious, for lust
leadeth to fornication, and attracts men towards it, for lust is a feminine
demon. One with anger, the other with mirth, they destroy those into
whom they enter ; for the way of an evil spirit is a sin of the soul, and
when it has got a little entrance, it enlarges it as itself, and brings that soul
to all evil things, and does not allow the man to look and see the truth.
Let there be a measure for your wrath, rule it for a little time and repress
it, lest it throw you into an evil deed. For anger is an evil enjoyment,
[such as] when they remain with a man for a long season, become demons,
and when a man allows them, they swell up in his soul, and become
greater and lead him to the works of iniquity, also they laugh at him
and enjoy themselves in the destruction of the man. Simon the Zealot
said, My son, be not a necromancer, for this will lead thee to the worship
of idols ; nor an enchanter, nor one who teaches extraneous and heathenish
doctrine, nor an augur, nor even seek to know these things ; from all these
things comes the worship of idols. James said, My son, speak not foul
and silly words, for these take one far from God, and be not haughty
of eye, for every one that is haughty of eye falleth before God. Do not
covet the wife of thy friend ; do not love sodomy ; from these things come
adulteries and the wrath of God. Nathanael said, My son, be not false, for
falsehood leads to theft, nor be a lover of money, nor vainglorious ; from all
these things come thefts. My son, be not a murmurer, for murmuring
f. 10 b brings blasphemy, and be not proud1 nor arrogant, nor a contriver of evil
things, for from all these things come blasphemies. Therefore be meek
and humble, for the meek and humble shall inherit the kingdom of
Heaven; but be long suffering and merciful, a peace-maker, pure in heart
from all evil, innocent, quiet, and gentle ; it is good that thou shouldest
attend and tremble at the words which thou hast heard. Do not exalt2
thyself, nor set thyself with the proud, but with the righteous, and have
intercourse with the poor ; and the events that happen to thee receive
as good things, knowing that without God nothing happens. Thomas
said, My son, he who speaks the Word of God, and is the cause of life
to thee, and gives thee the seal that is in the Christ ; love him as the
apple of the eye ; remember him then by night and by day ; honour him
moreover as of God, for where the Godhead3 is spoken of, there is the
Lord. Thou shalt seek then his face daily ; also the other Saints, that thou
mayest be soothed by their words ; for thou being joined to the Saints, art
sanctified. Thou shalt honour him then as thou art able, by thy sweat
and by the labour of thy hands. For if through him the Lord has
1 C. rich. 2 C. love. 3 lit. Lordship.