Original - The Coptic Orthodox Church

10
art not able for this, wherefore art thou loaded with this great
on account
judgeship? Is it for the sake of shameful gain? Truly
of this ;/ shameful gain many do become bishops, and many
presbyters also and deacons likewise. And on account of such
He saith, The priests which draw nigh unto God must keep
themselves holy, that God destroy not some of them .
47
Why
lookest thou upon the altar and the incense with irreverent
eye? Why bindest thou thyself by
these curses and these
f- 97 a tears, while there be in the world many trades *
whereby
thou mightest live and so be saved from this fearful punish
ment that befalleth them that devote themselves not worthily
unto the service of the altar./ Blessed is he that shall prove
worthy to attain unto honour at the hand of the mighty
and merciful Lord. Of such works (it is said) thus, q^ I fear
not to fall into the hand of the living God , and so again, 49
Blessed is he that receiveth from Him a blessing . Whoso
therefore would belong unto r the dread altar, let him be
diligent, as is worthy of the holy place. If He had no mercy
upon the sons of Eli the priest, because their father in his
highpriestship had not trained them up aright, so that they
should observe the priesthood, but rooted them out and
likewise destroyed the priests town Nob (Nowa 50
),
with
the edge of the sword, from man to woman and from young
to old, they and their cattle, and not that only but also
the men that bare the banners, 51 so that the number was
three hundred and fifty men of those that fell beneath the
feet of Saul, as it is said, 52 T went forth from my dwelling
in Shiloh, because of the sins of the priests and the iniquity
// M. such. / M. unto the altar.
q M. And so are these things (that it is said) thus.
r Mv. cleave unto.
41 Cf. Ex. XIX. 22. *8 2 Sam. XXIV. 14. Cf. Ps. XXIV. 5.
I Sam. XXII. 19 ((ft A. N<*/3, <0 B. Nc>0*).
51 /*. 1 8. M Cf. Ps. LXXVI1I. 60.