On the Twelve Abuses of the World, with extracts from On the Soul and its Origin and On the Divination of Demons against the Pagans

If he does not hear them, tell it to the church. If he does not hear the church, let him be to you as a pagan and a publican. By such an order, whoever does not adhere to a doctor or a bishop is to be expelled; and he who has been expelled by such an order ought not be received by any other doctor or bishop. For it is written in the law concerning a priest: "He shall not take a widow or a repudiated woman as a wife." Therefore, he who joins to himself an excommunicated person by a catholic [rite] receives the rights of the holy priesthood, in which the chosen race of Christians is set apart. For this reason, it behooves the bishop to be [a guide] to those among whom he is placed in his watch. But what he ought to be in himself, the Apostle Paul sets forth: that one coming to the rank of bishop should be sober, prudent, chaste, wise, modest, hospitable, having obedient children, having a good testimony with all chastity from those who are outside, holding forth the faithful word of doctrine, not having more than one wife before his episcopate. Not proud, not double-tongued, not a drunkard, not a neophyte, so that he may show in work what he teaches others in the word of doctrine. Therefore, let negligent bishops beware, lest in the time of vengeance the Lord speak through the prophet: "Many pastors have destroyed my people and have not pastured my flock, but have pastured themselves." But rather, let those whom the Lord has established over His family strive to give them food in its time, namely, the measure of wheat and approved doctrine, so that when the Lord comes we may deserve to hear: "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many; enter into the joy of your Lord."

¶ The eleventh degree of abuse: A people without discipline.

The eleventh degree of abuse is a people without discipline, which, while it does not serve the exercises of discipline, binds itself with the snare of perdition. For the anger of the Lord is not evaded without the rigor of discipline, and therefore it is preached to the undisciplined people by the voices of the psalmist: "Take hold of discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry." Discipline, indeed, is the ordered correction of ways and the observation of the rules of preceding elders, of which discipline the Apostle Paul speaks thus, saying: "Persevere in discipline; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom the father does not discipline? If you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, you are all adulterers and not sons." Those who are adults without discipline do not [inherit] the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom.