Be not lovers of wine, nor drunkards, nor much puffed up, nor Ap. Con.
luxurious. Do not incur expense that is not proper from the gifts of ^vxxivto'
God, as if it were not your own, but as if you were making use of your
own ; as those who are appointed to be good stewards of God, of Him who
will in future require at your hands an account of the management
of the stewardship with which you are entrusted. Let your sufficiency f- 29 a
then be enough for you, food and raiment ; make use of what is necessary
and not beyond what is just from the things that come in, as from
strange things, but in moderation ; do not enjoy yourselves and be
luxurious from the income of the Church, for to a workman his raiment
and food are sufficient. Therefore as good stewards of God, do well in
dispensing the things that are given and come into the Church, according to
the commandment, to the orphans and widows and those who are in straits
and to strangers, like men who know that ye have a God who requires at
your hands an account of the stewardship which He has committed to you.
Therefore distribute and give to every one who is in want, also yourselves
provide and live from these things, from the things that come into the
Church. Do not consume them yourselves alone, but give a share with
yourselves to those who are in want. Be without offence before God ;
because God reproves Bishops who use the income of the Church avariciously
and for themselves alone, and do not give a share with them to the poor.
The Lord said thus, "Ye eat the milk of the flocks, and ye clothe Ezekiel
yourselves with the wool." For it is required of you Bishops that ye be
provided for out of the income of the Church, but not that ye swallow it
up ; for it is written, " Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that grinds." Thus Deut. xxv.