Matthew said, Let three Deacons be appointed, for it is written that in the mouth of two or three every word of the Lord shall be established. Let them be those who are proved in all their service, that they may have witness from strangers and from the congregation, that they are [but once] married1, and that their children are chaste, gentle, peaceable, not grumblers, not double-tongued, not wrathful, for wrath destroyeth a wise man ; not respecters of the persons of the rich, nor oppressing the poor ; not using much wine, very laborious and inventive in works that are hidden and good; inciters, obliging and constraining those of the brethren who have aught to stretch out their hands to give, and let them also be good givers, and com- municators, that they may be honoured by the people with all possible honour and reverence, watching carefully for those who walk disorderly, dealing tenderly with some of them, and persuading others, inciting others with reproof, and others, who show complete contempt, excommunicating, knowing that those who are quarrelsome and contemptuous, and calumniators, are depraved, opposing themselves to the Christ.