52 DIDASCALIA. work of your hands, that your firstfruits may be blessed. Give to him your tithes, and your vows, and your oblations ; from them he will require to be nourished, and to provide also for those who are in want, to every one as it is proper for him. Thus thy offering shall be acceptable to the Lord thy God, for a sweet savour in the height of heaven, before the Lord thy God, and He will bless thee, and multiply to thee the good things of His Prov.xi.26 promise. For it is written in Wisdom, that "every simple soul shall be blessed," and that "blessings shall be on the head of him who giveth." Because of this be constant in work, and labour, and bring a gift ; for the Lord hath lightened your burden, and loosened from you the chains of fetters, and lifted from you the heavy yoke ; and made Deuteronomy pass away from you, according to the greatness of God's mercy, as it is is. xiix. 9 written in Isaiah, " Say to those who are in chains, Go out," and again, is. xiu. 7 "to bring out the prisoners from the prisons." And in David He said, PS. ixix.33 that "He despiseth not His prisoners." And again in the Gospel He Matt.xi.28 said, " Come unto me, all ye that are weary and carry heavy burdens, and 29 I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am so meek and humble of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls ; for My f. 36 a yoke is easy, and My burden is light." If, therefore, the Lord, in the gift ii. xxxv. °f His goodness, hath loosed you and given you rest, and brought your souls to enlargement, that ye be not again bound by sacrifices and by sin-offerings, by purifications, by vows, and by gifts, by oblations, by burnt-offerings1, by shewbread, and by observations of purifications, again, by tithes, and by firstfruits, and by heave offerings, and by gifts, all these things were of necessity appointed for them to give ; ye then are not bound by these things, for it is required of you that ye know the Matt. v. 20 word of the Lord which said, that " unless your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven." Thus, therefore, your righteousness is more excellent than the tithes, and firstfruits, and heave offerings of these Mark x. 21 people, when ye act as it is written, " Sell all that ye have, and give to slc the poor." Therefore do thus, and keep the commandment by means of the Bishop and the priest, and thy mediator who is with the Lord God, for He has commanded thee to give. Take care that thou provide for these things, and do not exact an account from the Bishop ; do not watch him as to how he provides and fulfils his stewardship, or when he gives, or to whom or how, whether well or ill, or if he gives as is fitting, for it is the Lord God who is the exactor, who has committed 1 S. + by [Sabbath] rests (idleness).