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Melchizedek.” If therefore Christ does not glorify himself without the Father, how is it possible for a man to thrust himself into the priesthood, not having received the dignity from a greater one, and to do those things which are permitted only to priests? Or were not the followers of Korah, although being of the tribe of Levi, consumed by fire when they rose up against Moses and Aaron and contended for things not belonging to them? And did not Dathan and Abiram go down alive into Hades, and did not a budding rod restrain the folly of the many and reveal the high priest ordained by God? It is fitting therefore for you also, brethren, to bring your sacrifices, that is, offerings, to the bishop as to a high priest, either by yourselves or through the deacons. But indeed also bring to him the first-fruits and the tithes and the voluntary offerings; for he clearly knows the afflicted and gives to each as is fitting, so that no one may receive twice on the same day or in the same week, while another receives nothing at all; for it is more just to assist those who are truly afflicted, than those who are thought to be afflicted. To those who choose to invite to an agape, or a reception as the Lord named it, elderly women whom the deacons know to be afflicted, let them send these most frequently. But let the customary portion for the shepherd be set aside in the reception, I mean that of the first-fruit, as for a priest, even if he is not present at the reception, in honor of God who entrusted the priesthood to him. And as it is given to each of the elderly women, let a double portion be given to the deacons as an honor to Christ. But to the presbyters, as they labor in the word of teaching, let a double portion also be set aside for them, for the sake of the apostles of Christ, whose place they also keep as counselors of the bishop and the crown of the Church; for they are the council and senate of the Church. And if there is also a reader, let him also receive one portion in honor of the prophets; likewise also a singer and a doorkeeper. Therefore, let the laity assign the fitting honor to each rank in their gifts and in the reverence of their life. And let them not readily trouble the ruler, but let them make known what they want through the ministers, that is through the deacons, with whom let them have greater confidence; for it is not possible to approach the almighty God, except through Christ. Thus, therefore, let the laity also make known to the bishop all that they want through the deacon, and so let them accomplish it according to his will. For neither

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Μελχισεδέκ.» Eἰ οὖν ἄνευ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὁ Χριστὸς οὐ δοξάζει ἑαυτόν, πῶς οἷόν τε ἄνθρωπον ἑαυτὸν εἰς ἱερωσύνην ἐπιρρίπτειν, μὴ λαβόντα τὸ ἀξίωμα παρὰ κρείττονος, καὶ ποιεῖν ἐκεῖνα, ἃ μόνοις τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἔξεστιν; Ἢ οὐχὶ οἱ Κορεῖται, καίτοι τῆς Λευὶ φυλῆς ὄντες, πυρίκαυστοι ἐγένοντο, ἐπαναστάντες Μωϋσῇ καὶ Ἀαρὼν καὶ περὶ τῶν μὴ καθηκόντων αὐτοῖς ἁμιλλώμενοι; Καὶ ∆αθὰν καὶ Ἀβειρὼν ζῶντες κατέβησαν εἰς ἅδου, καὶ ῥάβδος βλα στήσασα ἔστειλεν τῶν πολλῶν τὴν ἄνοιαν καὶ τὸν ὑπὸ Θεοῦ χειροτονηθέντα ἀρχιερέα ἀνέδειξεν; Προσήκει οὖν καὶ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, τὰς θυσίας ὑμῶν ἤτοι προσφορὰς τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ προσφέρειν ὡς ἀρχιερεῖ, ἢ δι' ἑαυτῶν ἢ διὰ τῶν διακόνων. Oὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς καὶ τὰς δεκάτας καὶ τὰ ἑκούσια αὐτῷ προσάγετε· αὐτὸς γὰρ σαφῶς γινώσκει τοὺς θλιβομένους καὶ ἑκάστῳ δίδωσι πρὸς τὸ ἁρμόζον, ὅπως μηδεὶς ἢ τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἢ τῇ αὐτῇ ἑβδομάδι λαμβάνῃ δίς, ἕτερος δὲ μηδὲ ὅλως· δίκαιον γάρ ἐστιν μᾶλλον τοῖς θλι βομένοις κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ἐπαρκεῖν, ἢ τοῖς νομιζομένοις θλίβεσθαι. Τοῖς εἰς ἀγάπην, ἤτοι δοχὴν ὡς ὁ Κύριος ὠνόμα σεν, προαιρουμένοις καλεῖν πρεσβυτέρας, ἃς ἐπίστανται οἱ διάκονοι θλιβομένας, ταύτας πλειστάκις πεμπέτωσαν. Ἀφοριζέσθω δὲ ἐν τῇ δοχῇ τὸ τῷ ποιμένι ἔθιμον, λέγω δὴ τὸ τῆς ἀπαρχῆς, ὡς ἱερεῖ, κἂν μὴ παρῇ τῇ δοχῇ, εἰς τιμὴν Θεοῦ τοῦ τὴν ἱερατείαν αὐτῷ ἐγχειρίσαντος. Ὡσεὶ δὲ ἑκάστῃ τῶν πρεσβυτίδων δίδοται, διπλοῦν διδόσθω τοῖς διακόνοις εἰς γέρας Χριστοῦ. Τοῖς δὲ πρεσβυτέροις, ὡς ἂν κάμνωσιν περὶ τὸν τῆς διδασκαλίας λόγον, διπλῆ καὶ αὐτοῖς ἀφοριζέσθω ἡ μοῖρα εἰς χάριν τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀποστόλων, ὧν καὶ τὸν τόπον φυλάσσουσιν ὡς σύνεδροι τοῦ ἐπισκόπου καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας στέφανος· εἰσὶν γὰρ συνέδριον καὶ βουλὴ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Eἰ δὲ καὶ ἀναγνώστης ἔστιν, λαμβανέτω καὶ αὐτὸς μοῖραν μίαν εἰς τιμὴν τῶν προφητῶν· ὡσαύτως καὶ ψαλτῳδὸς καὶ πυλωρός. Ἑκάστῳ οὖν ἀξιώματι οἱ λαϊκοὶ τὴν προσήκουσαν τιμὴν νεμέτωσαν ἐν τοῖς δόμασι καὶ τῇ κατὰ τὸν βίον ἐντροπῇ. Μὴ ·ᾳδίως δὲ ἐνοχλείτωσαν τῷ ἄρχοντι, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν ὑπηρετῶν ἃ βούλονται σημαινέτωσαν, τοῦτ' ἔστι διὰ τῶν διακόνων, πρὸς οὓς πλεῖον παρρησιαζέσθωσαν· οὐδὲ γὰρ τῷ παντοκράτορι Θεῷ προσελθεῖν ἔστιν, ἐὰν μὴ διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Oὕτως οὖν καὶ οἱ λαϊκοὶ πάντα ὅσα βούλονται διὰ τοῦ διακόνου φανερὰ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ ποιείτωσαν, καὶ οὕτω κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν ἐκείνῳ ἐπιτελείτωσαν. Oὐδὲ γὰρ