Ethiopic Didascalia

Ethiopic Didascalia — Platt English translation page 66

of the Lord. They are the mouth of the Lord, in like manner as Aaron spake to Pharaoh while he was a helper mito Moses. And for this cause he was called the God of Pharaoh, as a King and an High Priest ; as the Lord said to Moses, Behold I have made thee to be a God unto Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother to be a Minister and Prophet. And how is it, then, that ye do not trust in them, seeing that they intercede for you, and deliver the word ? Be subject to them ; for they are Prophets and the Servants of the Lord ; the Deacon after the simi- htude of Aaron, and the Bishop after the simihtude of Moses. If, then, Moses was called a God before the Lord, it is right that ye also should honour the Bishops as the Lord, and the Deacon as a Prophet. As Christ did not any thing but by the Father, so also let not the Deacon do any thing without the counsel of the Bishop. The Son does nothing but by the Father : and as the Son is subject to his Father, so let the Deacon be subject to the Bishop. VIL That it is not lawful for the Deacon to do any thing hut by authority of the Bishop. As the Son is the good pleasure of the Father, and his Messenger of Counsel, and his Prophet, so the Deacon also is the Messenger and Prophet of the Bishop: 66