Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 2.djvu/170

142 name. Moreover, with us it is not every one who desires it that can lay on hands, as was done in the days of the vile calves of Jeroboam when the priesthood was cut off, but he alone who is called thereto by Himself. Now if there were no law determining these things, and if there were not different functions to be performed, one name [or degree] would suffice for the execution of the whole; but since we have heard from the how all things should be disposed, we have committed to bishops the functions which appertain to the high-priesthood, to presbyters the functions of the priesthood, and to deacons the office of ministering to the above two, in order that every thing belonging to the ministry might be performed in righteousness. The deacon is not permitted to offer the oblation, or to baptize, or to bless with a great or lesser benediction; nor is the presbyter permitted to lay on hands, since it is unlawful to confound these ordinances; and God is not the author of confusion to allow those who are in an inferior degree to take unto themselves temerariously the functions peculiar to those who are in a higher degree, thus creating new laws of their own to their own soul's hurt, and not discerning that it is hard for them to kick against the pricks. Those who are guilty of such things do not war against us, or against the bishop, but against Him who is the Bishop over all, the great High-Priest, our. Moses, the friend of, appointed the high-priests, the priests, and the Levites, and we the thirteen apostles were appointed by our. And, by the Apostles, I Clement, and James, and all the others with us, whose names it is needless to enumerate. And by us all [were appointed] the presbyters, deacons, subdeacons, and readers." Canon XIX. of the Apostolical Constitutions as contained in the Sinhadòs.

§ 2. " the Only-begotten is before all, and pre-eminently the High-Priest; yet even He did not take this honour to Himself, but was appointed thereto by the . And He, having become man for us, and having offered to the  a spiritual sacrifice before His passion, gave a special commandment to us [the apostles] alone to perform the same, although there were with us others who truly believed on Him. From which it is clear, that not every one that believed became