Chapter 8

1Hear now also, ye people of the elect Church of God. For of old the Hebrews were called the people of God, a holy people; but now ye are priests, lows: let every one that is tion of A. clean, etc, "* P adds: to thee and. i y i h 1@ P adds: and sub-deacons. ceding words: according to the Wee ua ence Line children of the Most High.” '? Speak no evil word against the gods, that is, the bishops; but let the bishops have the first seat amongst you, for to them hath been given honour and glory from the Lord God, that they may feed His people in peace, as Christ the great High-priest."* But let the deacon minister in purity without blame, and let him do nothing without the permission of the bishop his father. And let the deaconess do nothing without the permission of the deacon. And Ict no other woman go to the deacon save only with the deaconess; and in like manner let no woman go to the bishop save with the deacon. Honour then the priests, for they admonish you and teach you the way of God; and ye shall receive from them the word in the right faith. For He sent them to preach, and teach, and admonish, and baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and to teach men to observe all that t Het ™ had commanded them. Honour widows and orphans as the Church; and virgins also as the altar and the offering of incense. For of old none was able to offer sacrifice except he were of the sons of Levi, and the people could not approach the altar except along with the priests." And in like manner do ye also do nothing without the counsel of the bishop. He who acteth thus without the permission of the bishop his work (?) is idle and vain and without profit. As Saul offered a sacrifice without Samuel the prophet, and heard a voice saying, “Thy sacrifice is vain”;'* in like manner, if a layman do (anything) without the priest, it is vain. Uzziah the King also, when he was not a priest, and yet did the office of a priest, became a leper. And if there be anyone of the people that usurpeth the priest’s office, and doeth not the commandments of God, he shall not escape judgment, for he hath taken an honour that was not given unto him, and hath resisted the priest- hood, and hath not imitated Christ, ‘‘who glorified not Himself to be made a great High-priest”;'7 but patiently endured until '® He heard the voice of the Father saying, ‘‘The Lord sware, and will not repent, thou art his priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” '® But if Christ glorified not Himself without the Father who is equal with Him, how then can a man by himself take ?° the priesthood to himself, unless he that hath authority over him have given it unto him? For the sons of Korah were of the tribe of Levi, yet when they strove against Moses and Aaron, the fire consumed them, because they sought to take that which belonged not to them. Dathan?! and Abiram ?? went down alive into Sheol. The rod that budded destroyed the counsel 2° of many foolish men, and He made manifest thereby the great High-priest who was ordained by God. Therefore, brethren, ye ought to bring your sacrifices and your incense to the bishop, for he is the High-priest. Bring unto him your first-fruits and tithes all your vows, that he may give to each one according to his need, even to the destitute who have nothing. Let him appoint unto them as is fitting, that none wrong his neighbour in receiving alms. The bishop ought to exercise due care concerning all the destitute, and to examine their lives and know well their condition. . at Moreover when the faithful desire to invite to a feast the destitute 7* and the widows,?* as ?* the Lord hath commanded, the deacons ought to minister. And let them, knowing well the lives (of all), invite them and set them each one in his place, as is fitting. And let them distribute unto them; and to the shepherd also let them give thereof in secret, for the honour of God, seeing that the priesthood hath been given unto ue ae 2 ** A reads: destitute women. 2" P adds: also, 25 P adds: and orphans. him. And after distribution hath been made unto the widows, let the deacons take thereof two portions; and in like manner the presbyters also, who watch, and teach the word of admonition, and let them receive double,?’ for they are apostles of our Lord,”* they being counsellors of the bishop, and the crown of the Church, who therein judge uprightly. And let the reader receive one portion, and in like manner the singers also, and let the doorkeepers get cach one according to the appointment of the Church; and to the people let them give such portions as befit them.?® And let them not neglect the bishop, nor delay to give unto him, but send speedily unto him along with the ministering deacons. The deacons ought to inform the bishop of every need of the people, that he may command them®*® to do as befitteth. For of old there was no man that entered into the temple, or did anything (therein) without the Priest. Malachi the prophet saith, “For the priest’s lips keep counsel and search out the law.” 3! For those who serve (false) gods, and do their will, and set themselves up. as righteous, though they are impure and their works evil, and (who) have no good works, and account themselves as the saints—men indeed seeing their works mock at, and detest,*? and despise them— yet is there none of these that can accomplish or do anything without the counsel of the idol-priests, but they look up to them and hearken to the voice of him that commandcth them, and do all that he saith unto them ; and they honour the idol-priests, and put their trust in them, and believe in their gods. Now if they believe in these that have no life, and (if they) serve unclean spirits in whom is no profit, and hope in vanity and set themselves up as righteous, how much more should we, who have received grace,** and have an enlightened faith and a perfect hope wherein is no 3" P adds: honour. °° P th 1 = P adds: Jesus Christ. *" Mal ca is ie naan ie people ive = P omits: and detest. uc onour as 5 "Pg : bean Ws e Spicie idds: of the Holy deceit,*! believe the message ** which is full of glory and without fear, that we may please the Lord our God. For know of a truth that the first fathers °* and the bishops are the mouth of God. For Aaron spake to Pharaoh, being a _helper to Moses, and therefore he was called the prophet, and Moses was ca as a king and high-priest. lled °7 the god of Pharaoh, Even as God said unto him,** “Behold, I have made thee to be a god unto Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother to be unto thee ** a prophet.” ‘° How then do ye not believe them, for they intercede for you, and deliver the word? for they are prophets and servants of God, the deacon like Aaron, and the bishop like Moses. And if Moses was called a god by the Lord, it is right that for you also to honour the bishops as God, and the deacon as a prophet. As Christ did vothing without the Father, in like manner let the Jeacon do nothing without the counsel of the bishop. Also there is nothing that Father, and as the Son is subject to His Father, in like manner let the deacon be subject to the bishop.