Original - The Coptic Orthodox Church

54
should give the first-fruits and the tithes of the first-fruits o
and tithes which they had taken of the people; and that
they should give them as a redemption for their souls, as
He said unto Aaron, 5
Give first thy gift and offer the
offering/ for thyself and for them of thy household and
afterward offer an offering for the people for their sins .
For God gave priests unto the people, that they should for
give men s sins s. Yet are they likewise men, clothed with
flesh, and they must needs bring offerings for their sins. For
he saith in Isaiah the prophet, G(;
If ye have made offering
for your sins, your souls shall see great length of life, in
the age whereof is no end .
But
Paul saith, r 7
There remaineth
no more sacrifice for.i sins , (whereby) he mcancth the great
sins which,r are deserving of death, such as those who oppress
the poor and compel them to pay that they have not.
( 87). z Those that oppress the poor and compel them
to pay that they have not and that afterward say, We will
give clothing unto the poor which be naked, that God may
forgive us , and those that, having but ceased from despoiling
the bodies of many poor, (then) say, We will build churches
R f. n6ti and will give offerings ;
*
yet is that which they give and
offer found (to be) from the goods of the poor;
such have
no offering for their sins. GS Rather God would that the
goods of the poor should be given unto them, more than
that they should be given unto the churches or that there
should be built many altars. God seeketh occasion of us
that we may be saved and hath not need of offerings. For
David saith, in the Paralipomena of the Kings, G0 Give I
o M. and the tithes of the tithes which. p R. >
.f M.
the sins of the penitent. x R. for the great sins which are.
z R. Contents: Of them that oppress the poor.
Lev. IX. 7, XVI. 6, n, 15.
Hebr. X. 26. 8 Hebr. X. 26.
i Chron. XXIX. 14.
co Is< LIII
.
. Io .