Section 443
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412 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY High Priest of all, who alone has the right and power to search out the mysteries of every human and rational soul ? Next to him, however, the second place* immediately devolves on one alone of his equals, the presiding prelate and leader of this host, who has been honoured by the first and great High Priest himself with the second rank in this sanctuary, and has been appointed by him as his courtier and interpreter, and the shepherd of your spiritual (divine) flock, obtaining this people of yours as his por tion by the judgment and allotment of the Father ; a new Aaron or another Melchisedech assimilated to the Son of God, continu ing and always preserved by him in accordance with the com mon wishes and prayers of you all. To him, therefore, alone, let it be granted, if not in the first place, at least in the second, after the first and supreme High Priest, to inspect and superintend the observation and state of your inmost souls. As he by expe rience and length of time has diligently examined each one, and by his zeal and care has disposed all of you to cultivate the order and doctrine of piety ; capable, also, as he is above all, to give reasons adequate to the works which he himself with the divine assistance has framed. Our first and great High Priest, saith the Scripture, ' whatsoever He seeth the Father doing, these things also doeth the Son ;' and whatsoever hef seeth Him doing, using these things as archetypes and examples, their images and re semblances, he has as far as possible expressed, after the most perfect likeness in his own works. In no respect inferior to that Beseleel, whom the Spirit of God himself filled with wisdom, and understanding, and whatever other knowledge and skill might be A scholiast on this expression, makes the remark x< T*UTO »o-e&ts. Valesius videtur existimavisse scholiastem hie Eusebium quasi de Christo loquentem intellexisse. Sed vir doctus hoc errare videtur. Scholiastes Eusebium hie impietatis arguit quod, episcopo secundum gradum dignitatis a Christo attribuere ausus est, et Valesius ipse dicjt in loc. ; " fatendum est Eusebium nimis hie tribuisse Paulino, dum ei T* ««ra Ssvnpxi*, tanquam sequali et collegae Christi adscribit; dum Mclchisedecum vocat." Attamen si hsec excusanda sint, eo nomine fortassis excusari possint, quod Eusebius noster hie oratorem, (prope dixissem poetam) magis quam theologum egisse, videtur. Quis nescit orientalium ingenii ardorem qui siepe extra omnes rerum fines excunif? f He, refers to Paulinus, looking as it were to Christ