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F.  C.  Cooper,  Uth/- 
 
 IhTUed,  ii/CGra/;i,G^CastUSt: 
 
 MAR  SHIMOUN, 
 Pa.triarc}i  o£  tke  Nestor i sins . 
 
THE 
 
 J^estoriatt0  anb  i^tiv  3^ttuals: 
 
 WITH    THE    NARRATIVE    OF 
 
 A   MISSION   TO    MESOPOTAMIA   AND    COOEDISTAN 
 
 IN  1842-1844, 
 
 AND    OP   A 
 
 LATE  VISIT  TO  THOSE  COUNTRIES  IN  1850  ; 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 EESEAKCHES   INTO  THE  PRESENT  CONDITION  OF  THE  SYRIAN   JACOBITES, 
 
 PAPAL   SYRIANS,   AI>ID   CHALDEANS,   AND   AN   INQUIRY  INTO 
 
 THE   RELIGIOUS   TENETS   OP   THE   YEZEEDEES. 
 
 BY   THE  y 
 
 REV.  GEORGE  PERCY  BADGER, 
 
 ®ne  of  t!)c  ?^onouraiiIe  ®ast  InUfa  (ftowpans's  cttSaplatns  (n  tfie  Kocese  of  Bontfias. 
 
 YOLUME  11. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 JOSEPH    MASTERS,    ALDERSGATE    STREET, 
 AND    NEW    BOND    STREET. 
 
 MDCCCLII. 
 
LOMDON  : 
 
 JOSEPH    MASTERS   AND    CO.,   PRINTERS, 
 
 ALDERSGATE    STREET. 
 
PKEFICE  TO  YOLUME    THE   SECOND. 
 
 It  has  been  the  Author^s  aim  in  the  following  volume,  to  collect 
 from  their  standard  writings  all  that  refers  to  the  doctrine, 
 ecclesiastical  discipline,  and  ritual  observances  of  the  Nestorians ; 
 to  show  wherein  their  present  faith  and  practice  differ  from  their 
 own  recognized  authorities;  as  also  to  what  extent  the  ex- 
 Nestorian  body,  styling  themselves  "  Chaldeans,"  have  altered 
 their  ancient  formularies  so  as  to  be  in  accordance  with  the 
 new  tenets  which  they  have  adopted  since  their  submission  to 
 the  See  of  Rome.  In  carrying  out  this  design  he  has  endea- 
 voured to  secure  the  best  rituals  extant,  and  such  as  are  in 
 constant  use  among  the  two  communities  alluded  to,  and  has 
 availed  himself  of  the  facilities  which  he  possessed,  through  the 
 influence  of  Mr.  Christian  E-assam,  of  constantly  referring  not 
 only  to  Mar  Shimoon,  but  also  to  the  Chaldean  Patriarch,  for  the 
 solution  of  any  difficulty  which  arose  in  its  execution,  either 
 from  want  of  books,  or  from  his  own  ignorance.  His  not 
 having  taken  advantage  of  the  help  to  be  derived  in  an  investi- 
 gation of  this  kind  from  such  works  as   those  of  Renaudot  and 
 
IV  PREFACE. 
 
 Assemanni,  was  not  because  he  had  more  confidence  in  his  own 
 abilities,  but  because  he  deemed  it  more  satisfactory  to  draw 
 from  the  original  Syriac,  and  to  quote  from  the  manuscript 
 rituals  which  are  in  use  among  the  Nestorians  and  Chaldeans  at 
 the  present  day,  the  authority  of  which  is  not  liable  to  be  con- 
 tested. 
 
 In  the  work  of  translation  the  author  has  had  the  valuable 
 help  of  the  E,everend  Michael  Giamala,  whose  name  has  already 
 been  mentioned  in  the  preceding  volume,  and  who  is  considered 
 one  of  the  best  Syriac  scholars  in  Mesopotamia.  It  is  sincerely 
 to  be  hoped  that  the  Church  of  England  will  eventually  avail 
 herself  of  his  services  for  the  reformation  and  restoration  of  the 
 Nestorians,  by  whom,  as  well  as  by  their  Patriarch,  he  is  held 
 in  high  esteem. 
 
 An  apology  may  be  judged  necessary  for  the  publication  of 
 the  Nestorian  offices  entire,  especially  the  marriage  and  burial 
 services,  some  parts  of  which  consist  of  frequent  repetitions,  and 
 are  composed  in  a  very  loose  and  verbose  style.  Three  reasons 
 decided  the  author  to  give  them  un  mutilated :  First,  in  order 
 that  the  wary  might  not  suspect  any  reserve.  Secondly,  because 
 the  omission  of  a  part  would  in  many  instances  destroy  the 
 connexion  existing  between  the  whole.  And,  thirdly,  because 
 although  the  repetitions  complained  of  might  seemingly  be 
 rejected  without  affecting  the  essentials  of  the  offices  in  ques- 
 tion, yet  the  dogmas  therein  inculcated  are  not  without  their 
 use  in  contributing  to  the  principal  design  of  this  work,  viz., 
 the  exposition  of  the  theology  of  the  Nestorians. 
 
 On  the  plan  adopted  in  the  execution  of  this  object  more 
 will  be  said  in  the  body  of  this  volume ;  suffice  it  to  remark 
 here,  that  in  collating  the  doctrines  of  the  Nestorian  rituals 
 with  those. taught  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  it  has  been 
 the  author^s  aim  to  afford  an  easy  medium  of  comparing  the 
 agreement  or  difference  existing  between  the  two,  and  of  show- 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 ing  in  what  respects  their  spiritual  poverty  calls  for  the  ready- 
 aid  of  our  holy  Church  to  raise  up  among  them  what  is  fallen, 
 to  make  the  crooked  straight,  and  to  restore  them  to  the  full 
 enjoyment  of  all  the  pri\dleges  of  the  Catholic  faith  and  the 
 communion  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
 
CONTENTS    OF    VOLUME    11. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 Introductory.  Reasons  why  the  Nestorians  should  be  heard  in  self-defence. — 
 Nature  of  their  heresy,  2  ;  God's  disapprobation  manifested  towards  them,  3  ; 
 Supposed  by  some  to  hold  the  true  Catholic  doctrine,  4  ;  Progress  of  the  Church 
 retarded  by  their  estrangement,  ib. ;  Their  doctrines  hitherto  but  superficially 
 investigated,  5. 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 Writings  of  the  Nestorians. — Not  strictly  confined  to  divinity,  8  ;  Their  in- 
 tercourse with  Grecian,  Persian,  and  Arabian  authors,  9  ;  Their  Syriac  com- 
 positions, 10  ;  Cause  of  the  dearth  of  their  ancient  literature,  11;  Its  use  at  the 
 present  day,  14  ;  Character  of  Nestorian  and  Jacobite  alphabets,  i6. 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 Of  the  hours  of  prayer  and  of  the  rituals  and  liturgies  of  the  Nestorians. — 
 Ancient  order  of  the  hours  of  prayer,  16;  Cause  of  their  change,  17  ;  Reasons 
 for  their  observance,  18  ;  Service  books,  the  Euanghelion,  Shlieha,  Karyane,  and 
 Turgama,  19;  The  Daweedha,  or  Psalter,  21 ;  Its  use  at  difi"erent  seasons,  22;  The 
 Khudhra  and  Kash  kol,  ib. ;  The  Kdham  oo  d'Wathar,  Gezza,  Aboo  Haleem, 
 and  Baootha  d'Ninwaye,  23  ;  The  Taxa  d'Amadha,  24  ;  Liturgies  of  Nestorius, 
 Theodore  and  the  Apostles,  ib  ;  The  Kthawa  d'Burrakha,  or  Book  of  Matri- 
 mony, ib. ;  The  Kahneita  and  Anneedha,  Burial  Services,  ib. ;  The  Taxa  d'Sia- 
 meedha,  or  Ordination  Service,  ib.  ;  The  Khamees  and  Warda,  collections  of 
 hymns,  25  ;  The  Taxa  d'Hoosaya,  or  OflBice  of  Pardon,  ib. ;  Striking  uniformity 
 in  the  manuscript  rituals,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 Plan  of  the  following  inquiry  into  the  tenets  of  the  Nestorians. — Their  ex- 
 ternal forms  useful  in  preserving  essentials,  27  ;  Want  of  a  standard  confession 
 of  faith,  28. 
 
Vlll  CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 Of  faith  in  the  Holy  Trinity. — Quotations  from  the  Khudhra,  30  ;  and 
 from  the  Gezza,  31  ;  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  and  Sir  Isaac  Newton  on  the  attributes 
 of  God,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 Of  the  Word  of  God,  which  was  made  Very  Man. — Anthem  from  the  Khu- 
 dhra, 33  ;  Quotations  from  the  Gezza,  34  ;  From  the  Khudhra  and  Gezza,  35  ; 
 Hymn  from  the  Khamees,  38  ;  The  Creed  of  the  Nestorians  by  Abd  Yeshua, 
 49  ;  Quotation  from  the  Warda,  on  the  attributes  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  51; 
 Remarks,  Quotations,  and  notes  on  the  Incarnation,  57  ;  Mosheim  and  Nelson 
 on  the  title  "Qet^To/cos"  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  69;  How  understood  by  the 
 Nestorians,  70. 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 Of  the  going  down  of  Christ  into  hell. — Quotations  from  the  Khudhra,  72  ; 
 Remarks,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  VIII. 
 
 Of  the  Resurrection  of  Christ. — Quotations  from  the  Khudhra,  75  ;  Re- 
 marks, 76. 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 
 Of  the  Holy  Ghost. — Quotations  from  the  Nestorian  Nicene  Creed  and  the 
 Gezza,  78  ;  Remarks,  ib. ;  Quotations  from  the  Gezza  against  those  impugning 
 the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  80. 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 
 Of.  the  sufficiency  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  for  salvation. — Quotations  from  the 
 Gezza,  Warda,  and  Sinhados,  82  ;  the  books  received  by  the  Nestorians,  ib. ; 
 Hymn  from  the  Warda,  83  ;  Holy  Scripture,  the  proof  of  the  Nestorian  faith, 
 84  ;  Read  by  the  laity,  85  ;  The  Bibles  supplied  by  the  London  Bible  So- 
 ciety, ib. ;  The  divisions  of  the  Nestorian  Bible,  87. 
 
 CHAPTER  XI. 
 
 Of   the  Old  Testament. — Extracts  from   the  Warda,    Sinhados,  and  Aboo 
 Haleem,  89;   Remarks  and  quotations,  90. 
 
 CHAPTER  XII. 
 
 Of  the  three  Creeds. — The  Nicene  Creed,  the  only  one  used  by  the  Nesto- 
 rians, 92  ;  Their  ignorance  of  the  other  two,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIII. 
 
 Of  original  or  birth  sin. — Extracts  from  the  Gezza  and  Khudhra,  94  ;  and 
 from  the  Warda,  96  ;  Remarks  and  Quotations,  ib. 
 
CONTENTS.  ix 
 
 CHAPTER  XIV. 
 
 Of  free-will. — Quotations  from  the  Khudhra  and  Kdham  oo  d'Wathar,  98,  99  ; 
 the  doctrine  of  our  Article  held  by  the  Nestorians,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XV. 
 
 Of  the  justification  of  man. — Quotations  from  the  Warda,  Khudhra,  and 
 Khamees,  101. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVI. 
 
 Of  good  works. — Quotations  from  the  Khudhra,  Khamees,  and  Liturgies,  103  ; 
 Remarks  on  the  Nestorian  doctrine  of  justification  and  good  works,  104;  Ex- 
 tracts from  the  Homily  on  Aims-Deeds,  105  ;  and  from  the  Khudhra  and 
 Warda,  106. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVII. 
 
 Of  works  before  justification. — -The  doctrine  of  the  Nestorians,  109  ;  Cor- 
 roborative extracts  thereon,  110. 
 
 CHAPTER  XVIII. 
 
 Of  woi'ks  of  supererogation. — Quotation  from  Poem  on  the  Khamees,  111; 
 The  error  unknown  by  name  to  the  Nestorians,  112. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIX. 
 
 Of  Christ  alone  without  sin. — Quotations  from  the  Warda,  1 13  ;  remarks, 
 114. 
 
 CHAPTER  XX. 
 
 Of  sin  after  baptism. — Quotations  from  the  Khudhra  and  Kdham  oo  d' 
 Wathar,  115;  remarks,  116. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXI. 
 
 Of  predestination  and  election. — The  doctrine  not  noticed  in  the  Nestorian 
 writings,  117  ;  Prayer  from  the  Khudhra,  118. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXII. 
 
 Of  obtaining  Eternal  Salvation  only  by  the  name  of  Christ. — Quotations 
 from  the  Khamees,  Khudhra,  and  liturgy  of  Theodoras,  119^  Prayers  for  ven- 
 geance upon  unbelievers,  120. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIII. 
 
 Of  the  Church. — Import  of  the  term,  121  ;  Quotfitions  from  the  Khudhra,  ib. ; 
 ■Remarks,  122. 
 
X  CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIV. 
 
 Of  the  authority  of  the  Church. — Quotations  from  the  Khudhra,  Siahadbs, 
 and  Remarks,  124. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXV. 
 
 Of  the  authority  of  General  Councils. — Mar  Abd  Yeshua  on  the  Councils  of 
 Nice  and  Chalcedon,  ]  26  ;  That  of  Ephesus,  not  formally  condemned  in  the 
 Nestorian  Rituals,  ib.  ;  How  the  Easterns  came  to  be  styled  Nestorians,  127  ; 
 Quotations  from  the  Khudhra,  129. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVI. 
 
 Of  Purgatory. — The  Nestorian  Rituals  repugnant  to  the  doctrine,  but  teach 
 the  efficacy  of  prayers  for  the  dead,  130  ;  Extracts  from  the  Sinhadbs,  ib. ;  Par- 
 dons or  indulgences  repugnant  to  the  Nestorian  doctrines,  131;  Censure  of 
 Mar  Abd  Yeshua  thereon,  ib.  ;  Their  aversion  to  images,  132 ;  The  symbol  of 
 the  cross  highly  venerated  by  them,  iS.;  Their  festival  in  its  commemoration, 
 ib. ;  Quotations  from  the  Gezza,  Khudhra,  and  Sinhadbs,  133  ;  The  use  of  the 
 Cross  among  the  Nestorians,  135  ;  Extracts  showing  that  no  idolatry  is  held  by 
 them,  ib.  ;  Of  relics,  136;  Nestorian  belief  concerning  the  remains  of  martyrs 
 and  saints,  ib.  ;  Quotations  from  the  Kdham  oo  d'Wathar,  137  ;  Invocation  of 
 saints,  138  ;  Quotations  from  Kdham  oo  d'Wathar,  Khudhra  and  Gezza,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVII. 
 
 Of  ministering  in  the  congregation. — Quotations  from  the  Sinhadbs,  140  ; 
 Remarks,  144. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
 
 Of  speaking  in  the  congregation  in  such  a  tongue  as  the  people  understandeth. 
 — Language  of  the  ancient  Nestorian  Rituals,  146;  But  partially  understood  at 
 the  present  day,  ib. ;  The  ancient  Nestorians  anxious  for  the  progress  of  educa- 
 tion and  the  study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  147  ;  Canon  from  the  Sinhadbs,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXIX. 
 
 Of  the  Sacraments. — That  they  are  not  bare  signs,  148  ;  Quotations  from  the 
 Khudhra,  i6.  ;  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  on  the  subject,  149;  Number  of  the  Sacra- 
 ments not  determined  by  the  Nestorian  Rituals,  150  ;  Said  to  be  seven  by  some 
 of  their  authors,  i6.  ;  Examination  of  this  discrepancy,  ib.  ;  Tradition  tending  to 
 prove  their  belief  in  two  only,  151  ;  Confirmation,  how  regarded  by  the  Nes- 
 torians, 153;  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  on  the  subject,  i6.  ;  Of  penance,  154;  Con- 
 fession and  absolution,  ib.  ;  In  perfect  agreement  with  our  own  Rituals,  ib.  ; 
 Auricular  confession  unknown  to  the  Nestorians,  ib.  ;  General  practice  with 
 regard  to  confession,  ib.  ;  Form  of  absolution  still  in  use  among  them,  155  ;  Of 
 orders,  matrimony,  and  extreme  unction,  160;  Of  the  holy  kaven,  161  ;  Ingre- 
 dients of  the  sacramental  bread,  ib.  ;  Of  the  sign  of  the  life-giving  cross,  162. 
 
CONTENTS.  XI 
 
 CHAPTER  XXX. 
 
 Of  the  unworthiness  of  the  ministers,  which  hinders  not  the  eiFect  of  the  Sacra- 
 ments.— The  Nestorians  agree  with  the  above  doctrine,  1 63  ;  Mar  Abd  Yeshua 
 and  extract  from  ancient  MS.  on  the  subject,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXI. 
 
 Of  Baptism. — Quotations  from  the  Gezza  and  Khudhra,  165  ;  Remarks,  166. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXII. 
 
 Of  the  Lord's  Supper. — Quotations  from  the  Khudhra,  Warda  and  Khamees, 
 1 67  ;  Believed  by  the  Nestorians  to  be  a  real  partaking  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
 Christ,  169  ;  On  the  change  of  the  elements,  ib. ;  Transubstantiation  unknown 
 by  name  to  the  Nestorians,  170;  Additional  extracts  in  support  thereof,  ib.  ; 
 The  body  of  Christ  eaten  by  them  through  faith,  172;  Extracts  proving  the 
 same,  ib. ;  No  elevation  of  the  elements,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
 
 Of  the  wicked  who  eat  not  of  the  body  of  Christ  in  the  use  of  the  Lord's 
 Supper. — Agreement  of  the  Nestorians  with  the  teaching  of  this  article,  173; 
 Extracts  from  the  Khudhra,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
 
 Of  both  kinds. — Both  administered  to  the  Nestorians,  except  in  a  few  in- 
 stances, 174. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXV. 
 
 Of  the  one  oblation  of  Christ  finished  upon  the  cross. — Extracts  from  the 
 Khamees  and  Khudhra,  175  ;  Remarks,  176  ;  Quotation  from  Mar  Abd  Yeshua, 
 ib.'i  The  Eucharist  never  celebrated  without  communion,  177;  Of  prayers  for 
 the  dead,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
 
 Of  the  Marriage  of  Priests. — Marriage  lawful  for  Nestorian  Priests  and  Dea- 
 cons, 178 ;  Convents  of  the  ancient  Nestorians,  ib.  ;  None  existing  at  the  present 
 day,  ib.  ;  Of  Monks  and  Nuns  who  shall  fall  from  their  vows,  179  ;  No  such 
 establishment  as  nunneries  among  the  Nestorians,  ib. ;  Marriage  prohibited  to 
 their  Bishops,  Metropolitans,  and  Patriarchs,  180  ;  The  restriction  in  opposition 
 to  the  Canons  in  the  Sinhados,  ib. ;  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  on  "  Matrimony  and 
 Virginity,"  18  L 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXVII. 
 
 Of  Excommunicate  Persons,  how  they  are  to  be  avoided. — This  ecclesiastical 
 discipline  maintained  in  full  vigour  by  the  Nestorians,  182;  Instance  related 
 by  Dr.  Grant,  ib. ;  Extract  from  the  Sinhados,  ib. 
 
Xll  CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 
 
 Of  the  Traditions  of  the  Church. — Traditions  and  Ceremonies  not  permitted 
 to  be  changed  by  private  judgment,  185  ;  Synodal  decrees,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XXXIX. 
 
 Of  the  Homilies. — Their  doctrines  having  been  already  considered,  the  Fasts 
 of  the  Nestorians  are  treated  of  in  this  chapter,  187  ;  Canons  on  the  subject,  ib. ; 
 Days  of  fasting  and  abstinence,  ib.  ;  Strictly  observed  by  the  Nestorians,  188  ; 
 The  Fast  from  which  laymen  are  exempt,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XL. 
 
 Of  the  Consecration  of  Bishops  and  Ministers. — The  doctrine  of  the  Aposto- 
 lical Succession  maintained  by  the  Nestorians,  189  ;  Extract  from  the  Khudhra, 
 ib. ;  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  on  the  Orders  of  Ministers,  190  ;  The  Episcopate,  ib,  ; 
 Bishop  Onderdonk  of  America  on  the  subject,  ib.  ;  The  Patriarchate,  191 ;  Qua- 
 lifications for  the  office,  ib. ;  Formerly  not  of  the  same  family,  and  how  elected, 
 ib. ;  Election  of  Bishops,  192  ;  Quotations  from  the  Sinhados  and  remarks,  193. 
 
 CHAPTER  XLl. 
 
 Office  for  the  administration  of  Holy  Baptism  according  to  the  Nestorian 
 Ritual. 
 
 CHAPTER  XLII. 
 
 Liturgy  of  Nestorius. — Chaldsean  alterations  of  the  Nestorian  Liturgies,  and 
 the  periods  of  their  celebration,  241. 
 
 CHAPTER  XLIII. 
 
 Taxa  d'Burrakha  or  the  Form  of  the  Solemnization  of  Matrimony. — The 
 Espousals,  244  ;  The  Marriage,  245  ;  The  blessing  of  the  bridal  attire,  254  ; 
 The  benediction  of  the  colours  and  crowns,  258  ;  The  coronation,  ib. ;  The 
 setting  up  of  the  bridal  chamber,  271  ;  Persons  with  whom  it  is  unlawful  to 
 marry,  277  ;  Celebration  of  matrimony  without  a  priest,  280  ;  Prayer  over  the 
 bride  forty  days  after  marriage,  ib.  ;  The  churching  of  women,  ib. 
 
 CHAPTER  XLIV. 
 
 The  Kahneita,  or  the  Order  for  the  burial  of  the  Priests. — First  Moutwa  or 
 Cathisma,  283;  ThirdMoutwa,  289  ;  Processional  Chant,  297  ;  The  consolation, 
 316  ;  How  unbaptized  children  are  to  be  interred,  321. 
 
 CHAPTER  XLV. 
 
 The  Form  for  the  Ordination  of  the  Clergy  by  the  imposition  of  hands. — The 
 ordering  of  Readers,  322;  Of  Sub-deacons,  324;  Of  Deacons,  325;  Of  Pres- 
 byters,  330  ;  Of  an  Archdeacon,  336;  Of  the  Patriarch's  Archdeacon,  339  ;  Of 
 Bishops,  340  ;  Of  Metropolitans,  347  ;  Consecration  of  churches,  349  ;  Resto- 
 ration of  offending  Priests,  350. 
 
COXTEXTS.  Xlll 
 
 CHAPTER  XLVI. 
 
 Conclusion. — Character  of  the  Nestorian  Theology,  351  ;  Grounds  for  Nesto- 
 rian  claims  upon  our  sympathy,  ib. ;  Difficulties  in  the  way,  352  ;  Course  of 
 proceeding  recommended,  ib. ;  Roogb  sketch  of  proposal,  353  ;  Bene&ts  of 
 intercommunion  with  them,  357. 
 
 APPENDIX  A. 
 
 Index  of  Biblical  and  Ecclesiastical  writings  drawn  up  by  Mar  Abd  Yeshua. — 
 Old  Testament  Scriptures,  361  ;  New  Testament  Scriptures,  362  ;  Writings  of 
 the  Western  Fathers,  363  ;  Writings  of  the  Syrian  Fathers,  367. 
 
 APPENDIX  B. 
 
 A  Translation  of  The  Jewel  by  Mar  Abd  Yeshua.— Part  I.  Of  God.— That 
 there  is  a  God,  and  that  the  world  is  created,  made,  and  temporal,  382  ;  That 
 God  is  one  and  not  many,  383 ;  That  God  is  Eternal,  394  ;  That  God  is  incom- 
 prehensible, ib. ;  Of  the  Trinity,  385. 
 
 Part  II. — On  the  Creation. — On  the  Creation  of  the  Universe,  388  ;  On  man's 
 first  sin,  389  ;  On  the  Divine  Laws  and  Ordinances,  and  of  the  Prophets,  390  ; 
 Prophecies  concerning  Christ,  391. 
 
 Part  III.  On  the  Christian  Dispensation. — On  the  Advent  of  Christ,  and 
 of  His  onion  [of  the  divine  with  the  human  nature],  393  ;  On  the  life  and  actions 
 of  Christ,  394  ;  On  the  truth  of  Christianity,  395  ;  On  the  different  Sects,  397; 
 Refutation  of  the  foregoing  Creeds,  400  ;  On  the  title  "  Mother  of  God,"  401  ; 
 Of  four  Persons,  402  ;  Of  the  Church,  ib. 
 
 Part  IV.  Of  the  Church  Sacraments.  On  the  number  of  the  Church  Sacra- 
 ments, 404  ;  Of  the  Priesthood,  405  ;  Of  Baptism,  407  ;  Of  the  Oil  of  Unction, 
 ib. ;  Of  the  Oblation,  408  ;  Of  the  Holy  Leaven,  409  ;  Of  Absolution  and  Re- 
 pentance, 411;  Of  Matrimony  and  of  Virginity,  412. 
 
 Part  V.  On  the  theory  of  those  things  which  prefigure  the  world  to  come, 
 of  worshipping  towards  the  East,  413  ;  On  the  worship  of  the  Lord's  Cross, 
 414  ;  Of  the  holy  First  Day  of  the  Week,  and  of  the  Festivals  commemorative 
 of  our  Lord,  415  ;  Of  Friday,  416  ;  Of  Fasting,  Prayer,  and  Almsgiving,  417  ; 
 Of  the  Girdle,  418  j  Of  the  Resurrection,  the  Judgment  to  come,  and  Everlast- 
 ing Life,  419. 
 
ERRATA  IN  VOL.  II. 
 
 42,  line  10, /or  shall        read  shell 
 
 42     „    11     ,,    open         ,,  opened 
 
 50      ,,     18     ,,    hed  ,,  bedstead 
 
 S/      „    26     ,,    Moutive    ,,  Moutwe 
 
THE    NESTORIANS 
 
 Clbeir  3a(tual£f,  $^u 
 
 CHAPTEE   L 
 
 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 REASONS  WHY    THE    NESTORIANS    SHOULD    BE    HEARD    IN 
 SELE-DEFENCE. 
 
 In  a  matter  of  such  importance  as  that  which  it  is  now  pro- 
 posed to  investigate^  it  is  by  far  the  safer  and  more  satisfactory 
 way  for  all  parties^  to  allow  the  Nestorians  to  speak  for  them- 
 selves. As  in  the  former  ages  of  the  Church's  history,  so  now, 
 there  are  many  who  look  upon  this  sect  as  holding  doctrines^ 
 not  only  erroneousj  but  destructive  of  the  soul's  salvation, — 
 doctrines  vitally  affecting  the  atonement  of  our  Blessed  Saviour^ 
 that  great  corner-stone  of  the  Christian's  faith  and  hope,  and 
 without  which  Christianity  is  but  a  name.  With  so  serious  a 
 charge  laid  at  their  door,  it  is  no  more  than  common  justice  that 
 the  accused  should  have  a  patient  hearing,  and  be  permitted  to 
 state  fully  and  freely  what  their  belief  is.  It  is  said,  and  said 
 with  some  degree  of  truth,  that  Nestorius  himself  was  not 
 fairly  treated  in  this  respect ;  and  although  we  may  not  doubt 
 of  the  orthodoxy  of  the  doctrine  established  by  the  CEcumenical 
 council  of  Ephesus,  yet  it  would  have  been  better  had  Nestorius 
 
 VOL.    II.  B 
 
II  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 obeyed  the  summons^  calling  him  to  appear  before  the  Council, 
 and  had  the  sentence  against  him  been  pronounced  after  he  had 
 been  permitted  to  speak  for  and  to  defend  himself. 
 
 More  than  fourteen  centuries  have  elapsed  since  the  sentence 
 of  the  Church  cut  off  from  the  privileges  of  her  communion  all 
 those  who  followed  the  dangerous  error^  that  in  Jesus  Christ 
 our  Blessed  Saviour^  there  are  two  distinct  persons,  as  well  as 
 two  natures.  Nestorius  constantly  denied  that  he  held  this 
 doctrine ;  and  his  followers  in  modern  times  are  no  less  stead- 
 fast in  disclaiming  it.  That  the  question  herein  involved  is 
 trifling,  or  that  it  is  irrelevant  to  the  saving  faith,  none  will 
 pretend,  except  such  as  do  not  perceive  its  relation  to  the  great 
 doctrine  of  the  atonement,*  or  who  are  presumptuous  enough 
 to  condemn  the  united  piety,  learning,  and  godly  zeal  of  the 
 Church  in  the  early  ages  of  Christianity.  The  doctrine  estab- 
 lished by  the  Council  of  Ephesus  concerning  our  Blessed  Lord  is 
 this:  that  Christ  was  one  divine  person,  in  whom  two  natures  were 
 most  closely  and  intimately  united,  but  without  being  mixed  or 
 confounded  together.  And  this  is  the  faith  which  has  always  been 
 received  and  confessed  by  the  majority  of  Christians,  by  the  La- 
 tins, Greeks,  and  English,  that  is,  in  a  manner  by  all  the  churches 
 of  the  whole  world.  This  is  the  faith  which  God  has  blessed 
 with  increase,  which  has  gone  forth  and  converted  many  nations, 
 and  spread  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth,  and  which  is 
 still  subduing  the  heathen  to  the  sceptre  of  the  Crucified  One. 
 Now,  although  it  is  not  right  to  measure  truth  by  the  number 
 of  its  supporters,  still  if  our  Lord  sent  His  Apostles  to  teach 
 and  to  baptize  the  nations  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and  promised 
 always  to  be  with  them,  it  cannot  without  too  great  an  improba- 
 bility be  supposed,  that  He  suffered  almost  all   His  Church  to 
 
 *  An  Independent  Missionary  at  Mosul  was  once  asked  b)^  a  learned  though 
 rather  disputatious  Jacobite  deacon,  whether,  when  our  Blessed  Lord  hung  upon 
 the  Cross,  He  was  God  as  well  as  man,  and  whether  His  humanity  alone,  or  His 
 united  Divinity  and  humanity  suffered.  The  missionary  replied,  that  he  did  not 
 know.  Ignorance  on  so  important  a  subject,  sometimes  real,  but  often  affected 
 and  specious,  is,  to  say  the  least,  unbecoming  on  the  part  of  a  professing 
 teacher  of  religion,  and  very  ill-timed  when  expressed  towards  any  of  the 
 Eastern  sects,  who  are  suspected  of  heterodoxy  on  points  connected  with  this 
 important  question.  On  hearing  the  reply  of  the  Missionary,  the  deacon  said  to 
 him  :  "  Then  you  had  better  return  to  your  country  without  attempting  to 
 teach  us." 
 
APOLOGY  FOR  THE  NESTORIANS.  3 
 
 become  heretical  and  to  wander  from  the  true  faith  by  the 
 Council  of  Ephesus,  and  then  afterwards  blessed  them  as  they 
 have  been  blessed  from  that  time  down  to  the  present  moment. 
 The  hand  of  the  Almighty  must  be  seen  in  all  this  ;  and  to  us 
 it  is  a  proof  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  divine  declaration  :  "  Those 
 who  honour  Me,  I  will  honour  ;  and  those  who  despise  Me  shall 
 be  lightly  esteemed."  God,  in  His  providence,  towards  those 
 who  have  kept  the  faith  in  the  Person  of  His  Son  whole  and  un- 
 defiled,  and  those  who  either  deny  it  or  hold  it  wrongly,  as  do 
 the  Nestorians,  has  clearly  manifested  on  which  side  His  appro- 
 bation rests.  The  former  He  has  increased  and  exalted,  the 
 latter  He  has  suffered  to  dwindle  away,  to  be  oppressed  and  en- 
 slaved by  infidels,  and  to  be  reduced  to  a  most  pitiable  state  of 
 poverty  in  all  things  appertaining  to  this  world  and  the  next,  as 
 they  are  at  this  day. 
 
 We  may  not,  however,  so  fix  our  minds  upon  this  one  view  of 
 the  providential  dealings  of  the  Almighty,  as  to  overlook  the 
 important  and  most  interesting  fact  of  the  continued  preserva- 
 tion of  the  Nestorians.  Thrown  as  they  have  been  for  centuries 
 under  the  galling  yoke  of  Islam,  and  subjected  ever  and  anon 
 to  the  most  cruel  persecutions  on  account  of  their  faith  in 
 Christ,  rising  during  intervals  of  rest  and  bestirring  themselves 
 to  fulfil  the  last  injunction  of  the  Saviour  to  His  Apostles  by 
 preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen  beyond  them,  then  strug- 
 gling for  their  very  existence, — now  in  favour  with  the  infidels 
 who  rule  over  them,  then  ground  to  the  dust  by  tyranny  and 
 oppression, — the  wonderful  preservation  of  this  sect  for  1400 
 years,  and  their  own  preservation  too  of  so  much  of  the  pure 
 doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  comes  to  us  in  the  shape  of  an  assurance 
 from  the  Sovereign  Ruler  of  all  things,  that  He  has  not  utterly 
 cast  off  nor  rejected  them,  nor  suffered  them  absolutely  to  fall 
 away  into  any  fatal  heresy. 
 
 May  it  not  be,  then,  as  many  learned  men  have  concluded, 
 that  though  in  error  with  respect  to  the  language  in  which  they 
 declare  their  belief  in  the  Second  Person  of  the  Glorious  Trinity, 
 and  blameworthy  in  the  unseemly  comparisons  and  the  im- 
 proper expressions  by  which  they  attempt  to  explain  a  mystery 
 which  infinitely  surpasses  the  extent  of  man^s  imperfect  reason, 
 and  justly  to  be  condemned  for  their  refusal  to  submit  to  the 
 
 B   3 
 
4  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 authority  of  the  Church,  the  Nestorians,  nevertheless,  hold  in 
 effect,  the  true  Catholic  doctrine  as  it  is  revealed  to  us  in  Holy 
 Scripture  and  as  was  set  forth  and  established  by  the  Council  of 
 Ephesus  ? 
 
 Now,  however  just  we  may  believe  the  providence  of  the 
 Almighty  to  have  been  towards  this  sect,  for  their  wilful 
 estrangement  from  the  visible  Body  of  Christ;  yet,  there  can 
 be  no  doubt,  that  the  Church  also  has  suffered  by  this  unfor- 
 tunate division,  and  that  her  empire  over  the  heathen  has  been 
 retarded  thereby.  Had  the  Nestorians  continued  united  to  the 
 Church,  how  much  glory  might  have  redounded  to  the 
 Eedeemer's  Name,  through  the  labours  of  their  early  mis- 
 sionaries, whose  zeal  and  piety  are  worthy  of  our  close  imitation  ! 
 How  many  of  the  far-off  eastern  nations  in  Tartary,  India,  and 
 China  among  whom  they  preached  the  Gospel,  and  among  whom 
 their  efforts  were  sometime  blessed,  might  this  day  have  been 
 numbered  among  the  triumphs  of  the  Cross  ?  Placed  in  the 
 van  of  Christianity,  and  where  the  baneful  heresy  of  the  False 
 Prophet  made  its  first  conquests,  the  Nestorians,  had  they  not 
 been  cut  off  from  the  Church  Catholic,  might  through  the 
 Divine  blessing,  have  driven  back  the  impious  Invader,  and 
 saved  the  Church  from  this  devastating  scourge. 
 
 If,  then,  the  cutting  off  of  this  people  from  the  Communion 
 of  the  Church  has  been  a  grievous  loss  not  only  to  the  Nes- 
 torians themselves,  but  to  Christianity  at  large,  may  it  not 
 piously  be  hoped  that  their  restoration  would  prove  an  un- 
 speakable blessing  ?  This  cannot  be  doubted ;  and  it  is  my 
 earnest  prayer  to  Almighty  God,  that  the  Church  of  England 
 may  see  it  to  be,  not  only  her  duty,  but  her  privilege  to  under- 
 take this  charitable  work.  And  it  is  in  order  that  those  to 
 whom  authority  in  such  matters  is  committed  may  fairly  and 
 candidly  judge  wherein  the  Nestorians  are  wanting  in  the  true 
 faith,  or  erroneous  in  their  manner  of  holding  it,  that  the  follow- 
 ing exposition  of  their  doctrines  is  given,  that  they  may  either 
 be  absolved  from  the  charges  laid  against  them,  or  that  those 
 charges  may  be  fully  proved,  and  the  proper  means  of  correct- 
 ing and  restoring  them  be  adopted.  To  this  end  they  ought  to 
 be  allowed  to  speak  for  themselves,  and  in  the  following  extracts 
 from  their  recognized  authorities,  it  will  be  seen  that  no  attempt 
 
APOLOGY  FOR  THE  NESTORIANS.  5 
 
 has  been  made  to  withhold  anything  which  might  fairly  make 
 either  against  or  for  them. 
 
 Hitherto  we  have  had  principally  in  view  the  feelings  of  those 
 who  are  justly  sensitive  of  any  departure  from  the  orthodox 
 faith  in  the  Person  of  Christ,  and  who  would  hesitate  to  hold 
 communion  with  any  sect  upon  the  bare  ground  of  the  Church's 
 decree  pronounced  against  it.  Such  Christians  are  persuaded 
 that  there  can  be  no  real  union  unless  there  is  a  perfect  agree- 
 ment more  especially  in  the  confession  of  those  sacred  truths, 
 which  respect  the  humanity  and  Divinity  of  our  Blessed  Lord, 
 and  that  the  voice  of  the  Church,  as  it  has  confirmed  and  estab- 
 lished these,  is  an  authority  not  to  be  doubted  or  called  in 
 question. 
 
 There  is  another  class  of  Christians,  however,  who  hold  that 
 such  views  of  the  Church's  power  in  controversies  of  faith  are 
 extreme,  and  erroneous ;  and  who  deem  the  profession  of  some 
 modern  error,  such  as  the  doctrine  of  direct  invocation  of  saints 
 and  angels,  to  be  a  far  greater  obstacle  to  Christian  fellowship 
 than  any  avowed  disagreement  with  the  decree  of  a  General 
 Council,  on  whatever  subject  that  decree  may  have  been  passed. 
 Such  have  evidently  been  the  opinions  of  the  generality  of 
 travellers  and  missionaries  who  have  of  late  visited  the  Nes- 
 torians  in  their  own  country.  They  have  been  satisfied  that 
 they  hold  the  Nicene  Creed,  and  that  they  are  to  all  outward 
 appearances,  without  many  of  the  superstitions  and  errors  of 
 the  Church  of  Rome.  The  simplicity  of  their  worship  has  con- 
 trasted strikingly  with  the  burdensome  and  gaudy  ceremonial  of 
 the  Roman  ritual,  and  they  have  (too  hastily  perhaps)  come  to 
 the  conclusion  that  all  that  the  Nestorians  require  is  spiritual 
 life  to  perfect  them  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  Christian  truth 
 and  all  its  holy  privileges.  Few,  if  any,  have  looked  beyond  the 
 surface  of  things,  and  have  thus,  perchance,  deceived  themselves, 
 and  helped  to  deceive  others.  They  have  contributed  to  confer 
 or  to  impose  upon  the  Nestorians  the  title  of  "  Protestants  of 
 the  East,"  and  their  bare  denial  of  the  Supremacy  of  the  See  of 
 Rome  has  well  nigh  been  made  by  them  to  stand  in  the  place 
 of  the  One,  Catholic,  and  Orthodox  faith.  Far  be  it  from  the 
 writer  to  charge  this  community  with  errors  of  which  they  are 
 innocent,  or  in  any  way  to  damp  the  godly  zeal  of  such  as  are 
 
6  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 interested  in  their  welfare ;  but  the  truth  must  be  told  in  all 
 faithfulness,  and  the  following  extracts  carefully  translated  from 
 the  recognized  authorities  of  the  Nestorians  may  perhaps  tend 
 to  a  fuller  and  more  just  appreciation  of  their  tenets,  and 
 ultimately  lead  to  the  best  mode  of  correcting  in  them  what  is 
 erroneous,  and  of  perfecting  in  them  what  is  wanting.  To  this 
 end  the  present  work  was  undertaken,  and  to  this  end  the 
 blessing  of  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church  is  invoked  upon  it. 
 
CHAPTER     II. 
 
 WRITINGS    OF    THE    NESTORIANS. 
 
 Although  science  of  every  kind^  amoDg  the  Nestorians  of  the 
 present  day,  is  at  its  lowest  ebb,  yet  the  monuments  still  extant 
 of  the  learning  of  their  fathers  from  the  earliest  ages  of  Chris- 
 tianity down  to  the  thirteenth  century,  display  a  wonderful 
 ability  of  writing  combined  with  a  vast  amount  of  intellectual 
 energy.  The  famous  schools  of  Edessa  and  Nisibis,  whilst  they 
 lasted,  sent  forth  giants  in  literature,  who,  so  far  back  as  five 
 hundred  years  after  Christ,  had  scattered  the  seeds  of  their 
 own  acquirements  from  the  vast  plains  of  Mesopotamia  to  the 
 uttermost  limits  of  ancient  Persia.  These  seeds,  sown  in  a 
 grateful  soil,  and  nurtured  by  the  native  warmth  and  acumen  of 
 the  Oriental  mind,  like  indigenous  plants  sprang  up  at  once 
 with  an  almost  rank  and  inexpressible  fertility,  and  displayed,  in 
 their  varied  productions,  whatever  was  peculiar  and  excellent  in 
 their  nature,  on  a  scale  the  most  magnificent.  And  long  after 
 the  splendour  of  Edessa  had  grown  dim,  and  the  nursery  of 
 Nisibis  had  followed  the  downfall  of  her  elder  sister,  Nes- 
 torian  writers  continued  to  flourish,  and  to  bring  forth  fresh 
 fruits  of  intellectual  exertion,  until  the  dark  curse  of  Moham- 
 medan despotism  and  tyranny  hid  from  them  the  sun  which 
 enlightened  and  warmed  them,  and  doomed  them  to  wither  and 
 fade  almost  entirely  away. 
 
 In  order  to  convey  a  just  idea  of  the  number  and  extent  of 
 Nestorian  compositions,  I  have  in  Appendix  A.  given  the  trans- 
 lation of  a  literary  catalogue,  drawn  up  by  the  learned  Mar  Abd 
 Yeshua,  as  far  back  as  a.d.  1398.     From  this  list,  containing 
 
B  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 the  names  of  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  authors,  it  will 
 be  seen  over  how  wide  a  range  of  literature  their  researches  ex- 
 tended. Though  religion  was  evidently  the  main  spring  and 
 end  of  almost  all  their  writings,  still  they  do  not  appear  to  have 
 confined  themselves  to  what  is  strictly  called  Divinity,  but  to 
 have  carried  their  investigations  into  all  the  known  sciences. 
 The  catalogue  referred  to  makes  us  acquainted  with  at  least 
 twenty  commentators  on  the  whole  or  parts  of  the  Bible,  many 
 ritualists,  controversialists,  canonists,  ecclesiastical  and  profane 
 historians,  more  than  one  hundred  poets,  several  lexicographers 
 and  grammarians,  logicians,  writers  on  natural  philosophy,  me- 
 taphysics, geography,  and  astronomy,  besides  many  other  learned 
 essayists  on  miscellaneous  subjects. 
 
 Nor  did  the  Nestorians  confine  the  workings  of  their  vigorous 
 minds  to  compositions  in  their  own  language;  but  carried  their 
 investigations  into  the  wide  field  of  Greek  ecclesiastical  and  pro- 
 fane literature.  I  have  before  me  a  short  chronological  table, 
 written  some  centuries  ago,  in  which  the  following  notice  of  the 
 famous  siege  of  Troy  is  recorded.  "During  the  time  of  Elon, 
 of  Zabulon,  the  great  city  of  Ilion  was  destroyed,  after  a  siege  of 
 twelve  years.  This  war  arose  on  account  of  Helen  the  wife  of 
 king  Menelaus,  who  had  been  carried  away  by  Paris,  the  son  of 
 Priam,  king  of  Ilion.  Menelaus  slew  Paris,  and  took  back  his 
 wife  after  she  had  borne  three  children  to  Paris."  The  list  of 
 Mar  Abd  Yeshua  contains  the  names  of  forty  western  writers, 
 among  which  are  some  of  the  most  celebrated  theologians  of  the 
 Greek  or  Eastern  Church;  and  the  same  respectable  authority 
 mentions  several  Syriac  versions  and  expositions  of  Aristotle, 
 besides  the  translation  of  the  Septuagint,  the  voluminous  works 
 of  Theodore  of  Mopsuestia,  and  other  Greek  authors,  by  Nesto- 
 rian  scholars.* 
 
 That  the  learning  of  the  Greeks  was  eagerly  sought  after,  and 
 the  study  of  their  language  highly  cultivated  by  the  early  Nes- 
 torians, is  placed  beyond  dispute  by  the  fact  that  several  writers 
 from  among  them  are  mentioned  as  having  held  controversies 
 
 *  One  of  the  most  learned  ecclesiastics  at  Mosul  maintains,  that  the  entire 
 chain  of  western  writers  mentioned  by  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  existed  in  Syriac.  This 
 does  not  positively  appear  from  the  catalogue  itself,  although  there  is  some 
 gi'ound  for  believing  the  inference  to  be  correct. 
 
WRITINGS    OF    THE    NESTORIANS.  9 
 
 with  Grecian  divines,  and  as  having  themselves  written  elaborate 
 treatises  in  Greek.  The  effects  of  this  intercourse  upon  Syriac 
 literature  were  the  enrichment  of  the  language  by  a  great  variety 
 of  words  from  the  Grecian  classics,  especially  of  such  as  are  re- 
 quisite to  express  compound  and  abstract  ideas  not  represented 
 in  their  own  native  dialect,  and  which,  in  the  course  of  time, 
 became  embodied  with  their  own  vocabulary.  These  terms  and 
 phrases  are  of  constant  occurrence  in  the  metaphysical  and  theo- 
 logical writings  still  existing  among  the  Nestorians,  and  this 
 foreign,  but  now  naturalized,  idiom  is  met  with  in  every  page  of 
 their  latest  ritual  and  other  ecclesiastical  compositions,  and  thus 
 seems  to  have  formed  a  part  of  their  ordinary  literary  discourse. 
 Moreover  in  order  to  assist  beginners  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
 Greek  language,  and  to  inform  such  as  had  no  other  means 
 of  attaining  to  the  true  signification  of  these  exotic  additions, 
 several  Greco-Syriac  lexicons  were  compiled,  and  many  smaller 
 vocabularies  of  difficult  words  drawn  up,  some  of  which  are  still 
 extant,  in  which  such  terms  and  phrases  are  fully  and  clearly 
 expounded. 
 
 Besides  the  study  of  Greek  classical  authors,  the  Nestorians 
 appear  to  have  acquired  great  eminence  in  the  languages  of  their 
 Persian  and  Arabian  masters.  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  mentions  several 
 Bishops  who  wrote  learned  treatises  in  Persian  ;  and  it  is  certain 
 that  a  Nestorian  translated  the  works  of  Aristotle  into  that  lan- 
 guage for  Chosroes  the  then  ruling  prince.  Under  the  Caliphs  of 
 Baghdad  also,  the  native  literature  seems  to  have  been  highly  cul- 
 tivated among  them,  as  their  skill  and  learning  frequently  secured 
 their  appointment  to  the  most  important  offices  both  in  the  cabinet 
 and  in  the  provinces.  Some  few  ancient  Arabic  works  of  Nes- 
 torian authorship  are  still  occasionally  to  be  met  with,  one  of 
 which  is  a  poem  by  Mar  Elia  el-Hadeethy,  written  after  the 
 style  of  the  famous  Hariri,  and  which,  by  competent  judges,  is 
 deemed  to  rival  the  excellencies  of  his  model.  And  Mar  Abd 
 Yeshua  has  left  behind  a  Nestorian  creed  in  the  same  language, 
 a  translation  of  which  is  given  under  Chapter  VI.,  which  for 
 vigour  of  style,  purity  of  diction,  and  elegance  of  arrangement, 
 deserves  to  be  ranked  with  the  compositions  of  those  Arabian 
 classics  to  which  the  suffrages  of  the  learned  have  adjudged  the 
 first  place  of  genius  and  glory. 
 
10  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 The  familiar  acquaintance  of  the  Nestorians  with  Arabic  lite- 
 rature is  further  evinced  by  the  controversial  treatises  which 
 they  wrote  against  the  tenets  of  their  despotic  and  fanatical 
 rulers.  Unlike  their  abject  and  timid  representatives  of  the 
 present  day,  the  early  Nestorians  seem  to  have  dared  an  inva- 
 sion of  the  enemy's  camp,  and  to  have  fought  them  on  their 
 own  ground,  instigated  thereto,  doubtless,  by  the  desperate 
 attempts  made  to  proselyte  them  to  a  licentious  and  heretical 
 creed,  as  well,  perchance,  from  a  desire  to  wipe  out  the  stigma, 
 that  a  Nestorian  monk  was  the  preceptor  and  friend  of  the  arch 
 impostor.  The  list  of  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  records  the  names  of 
 three  authors  who  feared  not  to  impugn  the  authority  of  the 
 False  Prophet.  Timataos,  a  Metropolitan,  wrote  a  treatise 
 against  the  Mehdi;  Faulos  of  Ambar,  or  Piros-Shaboor,  the 
 seat  of  the  first  Abbaside  Caliphs,  wrote  a  dissertation  against  the 
 Epistle  of  Omar,  the  companion  of  Mohammed ;  and  Aboo 
 Nuah  drew  up  a  confutation  of  the  entire  Koran.  Polemics 
 such  as  these  could  only  spring  from  men  of  vigorous  minds, 
 who  possessed  intellect  equal  to  the  task  which  they  undertook, 
 and  sufficient  moral  courage  to  abide  the  probable  consequences 
 of  their  temerity  in  so  good  a  cause. 
 
 But  if  the  Nestorian  authors  acquired  great  distinction  in 
 these  foreign  languages,  they  did  not  neglect  their  own  native 
 Syriac,  but  cultivated  it  with  the  most  assiduous  care.  Many 
 of  their  v/ritings  which  have  been  preserved  to  us  display  great 
 originality,  acuteness,  and  erudition.  Their  metaphysics,  bor- 
 rowed from  the  Aristotelian  school,  are  remarkable  for  their 
 comparative  simplicity ;  their  histories  and  narratives  are  written 
 in  an  easy  and  flowing  style;  their  expositions  of  Holy  Scrip- 
 ture, though  often  learned  and  ingenious,  are  plain  and  suited  to 
 ordinary  capacities ;  and  the  services  of  their  ritual  breathe  great 
 spirituality  of  feeling  and  depth  of  devotion.  Most  of  these 
 latter,  as  well  as  many  of  their  other  literary  productions,  are 
 written  in  poetry  or  measured  verse,  for  which  style  of  writing 
 the  Syriac  seems  to  be  admirably  adapted.  Some  of  these 
 poems  display  a  degree  of  sentiment  and  spirit  combined  with 
 the  softest  tenderness,  a  command  of  phraseology,  and  a  fertility 
 of  imagination  frequently  rising  to  an  almost  sublime  enthusi- 
 asm, together  with  a  thrilling  and  varied  versification,  worthy  of 
 
WRITINGS    OF    THE    NESTORIANS.  11 
 
 the  most  exalted  genius.  And  even  their  polemical  essays,  ex- 
 cept when  directed  against  the  Monophysites,  towards  whom 
 they  harbour  an  innate  dislike,  are  devoid  of  that  rancour  so 
 common  among  the  ancient  and  modern  controversialists  of  the 
 west. 
 
 Enough  has  already  been  said  upon  this  subject ;  more  espe- 
 cially because  in  the  numerous  extracts  contained  in  this  volume, 
 the  reader  will  have  abundant  matter  from  which  to  form  a 
 correct  judgment  of  the  merit  of  Nestorian  compositions,  pro- 
 vided that  a  just  allowance  is  made  for  the  loss  which  they 
 have  necessarily  suffered  by  translation  into  a  language  differing 
 so  widely  from  the  original.  His  attention  is  more  particularly 
 called  to  the  treatise  contained  under  Appendix  B,  to  which 
 reference  will  hereafter  frequently  be  made,  but  Vv^hieh  is  given 
 entire  in  order  that  it  may  serve  as  a  specimen  of  Nestorian 
 literature  in  the  thirteenth  century. 
 
 Most  deeply  is  it  to  be  regretted  that  so  few  of  these  valuable 
 records  of  Nestorian  talent  and  learning  have  survived  the  vicis- 
 situdes of  the  times.  The  Church  books,  from  being  kept  con- 
 stantly in  use,  have  been  preserved,  and  not  any  of  those 
 required  for  the  celebration  of  divine  service  and  other  holy 
 rites  are  missing.  But  even  these  are  gradually  diminishing  in 
 number,  and  are  in  a  fair  way  of  disappearing  altogether,  espe- 
 cially in  the  villages  where  no  episcopal  supervision  is  exercised, 
 and  where  the  poor  inhabitants  are  left  to  shift  for  themselves, 
 and  to  perish  in  their  poverty  and  ignorance.  The  long  extinc- 
 tion of  parochial  schools,  once  a  matter  of  great  importance  with 
 the  Nestorians,  as  appears  from  the  decrees  of  many  provincial 
 synods  ordering  their  establishment  and  maintenance,  caused  a 
 dearth  of  transcribers,  and  ultimately  led  to  the  loss  of  many 
 useful  works,  from  the  simple  fact  that  there  were  few  or  none 
 capable  of  re-writing  them.  At  the  present  day  there  can 
 scarcely  be  found  twelve  individuals  among  the  Nestorians  able 
 to  copy  an  old  Syriac  manuscript  with  any  degree  of  correctness. 
 Unacquainted  with  grammar,  and  possessing  no  critical  know- 
 ledge of  the  language,  as  is  the  case  with  the  most  intelligent 
 among  them,  their  copies  are  generally  replete  with  inaccuracies, 
 and  require  to  be  thoroughly  revised  before  they  can  be  confi- 
 dently relied  on. 
 
12  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 The  cause  just  noticed  lias  doubtless  operated  largely  in 
 bringing  about  that  lack  of  knowledge  and  dearth  of  ancient 
 literature  which  exist  at  the  present  day.  But,  added  to  this, 
 there  have  been  other  measures  at  work  equally  deplorable  and 
 destructive.  It  is  still  witnessed  by  the  descendants  of  their 
 first  proselytes  that  the  Latin  missionaries,  after  they  had  suc- 
 ceeded in  obtaining  a  footing  in  these  parts,  made  use  of  every 
 possible  artifice  to  destroy  whatever  relics  of  Nestorianism,  in 
 the  shape  of  books,  were  to  be  found  within  the  circuit  of  their 
 newly  acquired  influence.  The  circumstances  under  which  they 
 had  secured  this  power  and  the  natural  zeal  of  their  first  con- 
 verts conspired  in  a  high  degree  to  favour  this  project,  and  it  is  a 
 common  tradition  among  the  people  of  the  town,  that  the  exten- 
 sive library  of  Mosul,  consisting  of  many  thousand  volumes,  was 
 at  the  instigation  of  the  Latin  monks  carried  in  baskets  to  the 
 Tigris  by  the  new  proselytes  and  by  them  thrown  into  that 
 river. 
 
 Nor  has  this  same  influence  been  confined  to  acts  of  such 
 summary  vandalism,  but  has  been  extended  to  the  patrimonial 
 relics  in  the  guise  of  books,  to  be  found  occasionally  in  the 
 dwellings  of  the  poorest  villagers.  And  not  satisfied  with 
 erasing  the  names  of  Nestorius  and  Theodorus,  and  whatever 
 had  any  refei'ence  to  their  persons  or  heresy  from  the  Church 
 rituals,  the  abettors  of  this  expurgation  caused  it  to  be  deemed 
 a  virtue  to  blot  out  the  memory  of  these  two  individuals  wher- 
 ever they  were  found ;  and  thus  many  manuscripts  are  now  to 
 be  met  with  sadly  mutilated  at  their  beginning  and-  end,  where 
 the  authors^  names  and  Nestorianism  were  generally  recorded. 
 With  such  fanaticism  did  they  carry  on  this  literary  crusade, 
 especially  with  regard  to  the  much  disputed  title  of  "  Theotokos," 
 that  many  valuable  books  are  known  to  have  been  destroyed, 
 simply  because  in  them  the  Blessed  Virgin  was  styled  "  Mother 
 of  Christ,"  and  such  as  were  not  destroyed  were  in  most  in- 
 stances mutilated  or  defaced.  I  have  before  me,  at  this  moment, 
 an  old  MS.,  one  page  of  which  has  been  well  nigh  obliterated, 
 evidently  because  it  contained  the  phrase,  "  Holy  Mary,  Mother 
 of  Christ  our  God,'^  an  approximation  to  the  title  sanctioned 
 by  the  council  of  Ephesus,  which  one  might  have  thought  would 
 have  been  suffered  to  remain  uninjured. 
 
WRITINGS    OP    THE    NESTORIANS.  13 
 
 But,  besides  the  above,  other  lamentable  events  have  contri- 
 buted their  full  share  in  bringing  about  this  literary  destitution. 
 It  is  traditionally  recorded,  that  on  more  than  one  occasion  the 
 Mohammedan  rulers  of  Baghdad  seized  the  books  of  the  Nes- 
 torian  patriarchate  there,  and  committed  them  to  the  flames 
 upon  the  same  ground  that  Omar  is  said  to  have  burnt  the 
 famous  library  of  Alexandria.  A  similar  auto-da-fe  is  said  to 
 have  been  perpetrated  at  Jezeerah ;  but  the  last  occurred  so  late 
 as  1832,  when  Mohammed  Pasha,  the  Coordish  chief  of  Eawan- 
 dooz,  entered  the  convent  of  Mar  E-abban  Hormuzd,  near  Mosul, 
 where  a  goodly  number  of  volumes  had  been  preserved,  and 
 after  pillaging  and  desecrating  the  church,  and  slaughtering 
 several  of  the  monks,  ordered  every  book  found  there  to  be 
 destroyed. 
 
 The  Nestorians  of  the  present  day  have  scarcely  any  other 
 books  beside  the  Church  Rituals,  all  the  remaining  MSS.  being 
 in  the  possession  of  the  so-called  Chaldeans.  At  the  patriarchate 
 in  Mosul  there  are  about  fifty  volumes,  several  of  which  are  im- 
 perfect, and  few  of  much  value.  At  Baghdad  and  Mardeen  there 
 are  also  small  collections,  and  report  says  that  a  good  library 
 still  exists  at  Sert  under  the  Chaldean  Bishop  of  that  diocese, 
 and  that  among  them  is  a  very  ancient  MS.  of  the  New  Testa- 
 ment written  on  vellum.  During  my  residence  in  the  country 
 I  succeeded  in  collecting  upwards  of  a  hundred  MSS.  for  the 
 Christian  Knowledge  Society,  among  which  was  an  entire  series 
 of  the  Church  Rituals,  one  or  two  copies  of  the  Syriac  New 
 Testament  written  about  the  tenth  century,  a  copy  of  the  Old 
 Testament  and  Apocrypha  in  separate  parts,  besides  some  other 
 valuable  and  rare  works.  The  Chaldeans  have  at  length  learned 
 to  lament  the  folly  of  their  fathers,  and  the  few  books  which 
 they  now  possess  are  guarded  with  such  jealous  care,  that  it  is 
 somewhat  difficult  to  obtain  them  even  on  loan. 
 
 Grateful,  as  we  should  be,  for  the  mass  of  learning  and  devo- 
 tion hitherto  preserved  to  this  ancient  community  in  their 
 Rituals  and  other  ecclesiastical  compositions,  still  one  cannot 
 forbear  deeply  regretting  the  irreparable  shipwreck  of  so  large 
 an  amount  of  Nestorian  science  and  genius.  For  although  it 
 cannot  be  fairly  presumed  that  any  important  truth,  or  any  use- 
 ful discovery  in  art  or  nature,  has  been  snatched  away  from  the 
 
14  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 curiosity  of  modern  ages,  still  how  many  interesting  occurrences 
 may  it  in  all  probability  be  conceived,  have  been  buried  in 
 oblivion  through  the  successive  catastrophes,  which  have  swept 
 away  so  much  of  the  labour  of  past  ages  from  the  knowledge  of 
 the  world.  How  many  facts  and  historical  traditions,  carefully 
 recorded  by  these  Fathers  of  old,  connected  with  the  downfall  of 
 the  ancient  Assyrian  dynasties,  and  the  fortunes  of  the  succes- 
 sive kingdoms  which  rose  upon  their  ruins,  and  respecting  which 
 our  information  is  so  very  scanty,  might  have  been  transmitted 
 to  our  day,  and  have  solved  several  of  those  difficult  points  in 
 the  history  of  that  period,  which  still  continue  to  baffle  the  skill 
 and  research  of  the  most  learned  men  of  Europe.  What  a  clue 
 might  not  these  traditions  have  afforded  us  to  the  real  history  of 
 those  astonishing  relics  of  antiquity,  which  are  being  dug  up  out 
 of  the  grave  of  many  centuries  from  the  mounds  of  Nineveh  and 
 Nimrood.  It  is  by  no  means  beyond  the  limits  of  probability, 
 that  such  records,  had  they  been  preserved,  would  not  only  have 
 thrown  light  upon  the  origin  of  these  monuments,  but  would 
 also  have  supplied  us  with  a  key  to  their  long  forgotten  lan- 
 guage. The  study  of  the  numerous  cuneiform  inscriptions 
 which  have  been  discovered  within  the  last  three  years  is  still  in 
 its  infancy ;  but  there  is  some  ground  for  believing  that  the 
 fragments  of  ancient  Nestorian  literature  still  extant,  will,  when 
 once  these  remote  annals  are  truly  decyphered,  tend  to  confirm 
 and  to  illustrate  their  at  present  hidden  import.  This  remark 
 is  not  intended  in  the  least  degree  to  detract  from  the  merit  of 
 those  enterprising  and  learned  men,  who  are  assiduously  pursu- 
 ing this  new  science,  and  whose  researches  have  already  been 
 crowned  with  some  degree  of  success ;  but  the  most  partial 
 estimate  of  the  progress  hitherto  made  will  leave  a  conviction 
 upon  the  mind,  that  much  has  yet  to  be  done  before  accuracy 
 and  certainty  can  be  predicated  of  the  result  of  their  labours. 
 
 All  the  Syriac  MSS.,  Nestorian  as  well  as  Jacobite,  up  to 
 about  the  twelfth  century,  are  written  in  the  Estrangheli  alpha- 
 bet, consisting  of  uncial  characters  which  are  now  used  only  for 
 the  heading  of  chapters,  ornamental  caligraphy,  and  monu- 
 mental inscriptions.  About  that  period  a  change  seems  to  have 
 taken  place  gradually,  and  the  characters  now  in  use  became 
 generally  adopted.      These  are  in   form   a   modification  of  the 
 
WRITINGS    OF    THE    NESTORIANS.  15 
 
 Estrangheli,  and  by  a  misnomer  are  called  by  Europeans  Syro- 
 Cbaldaic.  The  alphabet  used  by  the  Syrian  Jacobites  differs 
 from  that  of  the  Nestorians ;  but  its  shape  plainly  indicates  a  com- 
 mon origin  from  the  Estrangheli.  Gregory  bar  Hebrseus,  called 
 Abulpharaj,  the  greatest  of  the  Monophysite  doctors,  is  con- 
 sidered the  author  of  the  characters  still  in  use  among  the 
 Jacobites,  and  of  their  system  of  vowel  and  diacritical  points,  in 
 which  respect  also  it  differs  from  that  of  the  Nestorians. 
 
16  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    III. 
 
 OF     THE     HOURS      OF     PRAYER^      AND     OF     THE      RITUALS     AND 
 LITURGIES    OF    THE    NESTORIANS. 
 
 Before  enumerating  the  particular  formularies  used  by  the 
 Nestorians  in  the  celebration  of  divine  service^  I  shall  briefly 
 notice  the  canonical  hours  of  prayer,  or  those  seasons  of  every 
 day  which  were  appointed  for  the  worship  of  God,  and  the 
 changes  which  have  taken  place  in  these,  as  evinced  by  their 
 present  practice. 
 
 The  day  with  the  Nestorians,  as  with  all  other  Orientals,  be- 
 gins immediately  after  sunset,  and  the  service  appointed  for 
 that  hour  is  called  d'Ramsha,  or  Vespers.  After  this  the  con- 
 gregation dispersed,  and  returned  to  the  church  about  dusk  for 
 the  Soobaa,  or  Compline.  This  latter  service,  however,  has 
 altogether  ceased,  and  is  only  used  during  Lent,  the  three  days 
 commemorative  of  the  humiliation  of  the  Ninevites,  and  on  the 
 eve  of  certain  festivals,  when  it  is  joined  to  the  vespers  and  forms 
 with  that  one  service.  The  next  in  order  is  the  Slotha  di'Lilya^ 
 or  Nocturns,  for  which  the  particular  prayers  called  Moutw^ 
 [literally,  Thrones ;  during  the  reading  of  which  all  the  congrega- 
 tion sat,]  are  appointed.  After  this  followed  the  Shahra,  or 
 Lauds,  supposed  to  begin  with  day-break;  and  after  these  the 
 Slotha  d'Sapra,  or  Prime.  The  custom,  however,  of  rising  in 
 the  night  for  the  purpose  of  celebrating  public  worship  has  long 
 become  obsolete,  and  the  nocturns,  lauds,  and  prime,  at  the 
 present  day,  form  one  service,  generally  called  Slotha  d'Sapra, 
 or  Morning  Prayer. 
 
 The  following  extracts  from  the  synodal  collection  of  Mar 
 Abd  Yeshua  throw  some  light  upon  the  hours  of  prayer,  as  for- 
 
HOURS    OF    PRAYER.  17 
 
 merly  received  by  the  Nestorians,  and  the  cause  of  those  changes 
 which  took  place  in  after  times : — 
 
 "Jesus  ChrisTj  our  good  and  merciful  God  and  Lord,  Who 
 knoweth  the  frailty  of  our  mortal  nature,  in  His  Divinity  by  the 
 prophets,  and  in  His  united  Divinity  and  Humanity  by  the  Apos- 
 tles, enjoined  upon  us  seven  times  of  prayer,  suited  to  our  con- 
 dition. And  the  Catholic  Fathers,  vi^ho  themselves  followed  this 
 rule,  appointed  the  same  for  monks  and  anchorites,  and  their 
 successors  ordained  that  each  of  these  seven  services  should  con- 
 sist of  three  hooldle,  [a  hooldla  is  a  certain  number  of  psalms,^] 
 which  rule  is  still  observed  by  the  holy  priests  and  righteous 
 believers  who  are  much  given  to  prayer.  But  the  Fathers  who 
 rose  up  in  after  times,  perceiving  that  all  the  people  were  not 
 equally  well  disposed  to  divine  worship,  and  moi*eover  that  their 
 ordinary  occupations  did  not  always  allow  of  their  perfecting  it 
 according  to  the  Canons,  ordained  that  the  services  for  laymen 
 should  be  four  in  number,  viz.  Vespers,  Compline,  Nocturns, 
 and  Lauds,2  which  decree  they  sealed  with  the  words  of  our 
 Lord. 
 
 "  The  order  of  Vespers  and  Lauds  is  of  canonical  authority, 
 and  can  neither  be  added  to  nor  abridged.  The  order  of  Com- 
 pline and  Nocturns,  according  to  the  use  of  Deir  Alleita^  ^  is 
 as  follows  :  The  Compline  consists  of  one  hooldla,  an  anthem,  a 
 short  doxology,  a  collect,  and  a  litany.  The  Nocturns  consist 
 of  five  or  seven  hooldle,  an  anthem,  a  short  doxology,  a  collect, 
 and  a  litany.  On  account  of  the  necessary  worldly  occupations 
 of  laymen  it  was  permitted  that  they  should  observe  these  ser- 
 vices voluntarily ;  but  the  Lauds  and  Vespers  as  ordered  by  the 
 canons  without  intermission.^^ 
 
 *  Deir  Alleita,  literally  the  High  Convent  or  Church,  dedicated  to  Mar  Gaw- 
 riel  and  Mar  Auraham,  It  is  situated  at  the  north-west  part  of  Mosul,  just 
 within  the  city  wall,  where  its  ruins  are  to  be  seen  up  to  the  present  day.  From 
 several  notices,  of  frequent  occurrence  in  the  MSS.  still  extant,  it  appears  that 
 there  existed  here  a  famous  seminary  or  college,  and  that  here  the  last  revision 
 of  the  Nestorian  Ritual  was  made  under  the  superintendence  of  the  Patriarch, 
 and  a  conclave  of  Bishops.  When  the  unfortunate  Nestorians  were  driven  from 
 their  mountain  homes  by  the  barbarous  Coords,  many  of  them,  and  more  espe- 
 cially the  priests,  paid  devout  visits  to  this  spot,  and  it  is  still  a  common  practice 
 among  the  Chaldeans  who  seek  any  special  blessing,  to  resort  to  these  ruins, 
 where  after  lighting  a  taper,  near  where  the  altar  is  supposed  to  have  stood,  they 
 oflFer  up  their  prayers  to  Almighty  God. 
 VOL.  II.  C 
 
18  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 The  reasons  for  the  above  appointed  hours  of  prayer  are 
 thus  given  by  the  same  author : 
 
 "  The  first  service  is  that  of  the  Lauds^  which  is  offered  up 
 by  laymen  in  behalf  of  their  different  worldly  callings,  and  in 
 order  that  they  may  be  delivered  from  and  strengthened  against 
 those  hostile  spirits,  who  roam  about  at  noonday  seeking  to 
 ensnare  men  into  sin.  And  because  labour  precedes  rest,  the 
 labourer  should  pray  that  he  may  obtain  rest.  The  angels, 
 likewise,  at  the  beginning  of  time  sang  praises  as  soon  as 
 the  light  was  created.  For  these  reasons  the  Laud  prayers 
 rank  first. 
 
 "  The  second  service  is  that  of  Vespers,  and  its  proper  season 
 is  just  before  sun-set.  Herein  thanks  are  offered  to  God 
 for  our  preservation  during  the  day,  as  also  for  the  coming 
 night  ordained  for  our  repose.  In  it  we  likewise  implore 
 the  mercy  of  God  for  those  errors,  short-comings,  and  follies, 
 of  which  we  have  been  guilty  during  the  past  day,  and  that 
 we  may  be  preserved  from  ^  the  pestilence  that  walketh  in 
 darkness.' 
 
 "  The  third  service  is  called  Soohaa,  [literally  Satiety]  from  the 
 practice  of  those  holy  men  who  fasted  all  their  days,  [and  who 
 ate  only  at  night ;]  but  by  laymen  it  is  styled  '  the  prayer  before 
 sleep/  At  this  time  it  becomes  us  to  recal  to  mind  all  the  sins 
 which  we  have  committed,  and  to  supplicate  pardon  from  the 
 merciful  Lord  ;  and  moreover  to  think  of  death,  and  to  resolve, 
 before  God,  that  if  spared  we  will,  to  the  best  of  our  frail  nature, 
 endeavour  to  sin  no  more.  We  should  also,  at  this  time,  con- 
 sider the  coming  judgment  of  God,  that  whilst  buried  in  sleep 
 our  dreams  may  not  be  of  those  vain  acts  which  we  have  com- 
 mitted during  the  day. 
 
 "The  fourth  service  is  that  of  the  Nocturns,  and  its  time 
 every  believer  will  fix  according  as  he  is  zealously  affected  in  this 
 holy  exercise.  Some  pray  at  the  first,  others  at  the  second,  and 
 others  again  at  the  third  cock-crowing ;  but  the  coDimon  hour 
 now  observed  is  when  all  the  congregation  assemble  in  the 
 church  for  Divine  worship.^'* 
 
 I  shall  now  proceed  to  notice  the  books  in  which  all  the 
 Church  services  of  the  Nestorians  are  contained. 
 
 *  From  the  Sinhados,  or  Canons,  collected  by  Mar  Abd  Yeshtia,  a,d.  1298. 
 
SERVICE    BOOKS.  19 
 
 Firstj  the  Euanghelion,  which  consists  of  extracts  from  the 
 four  Gospelsj  and  is  read  during  the  celebration  of  the  Liturgy, 
 of  which  it  forms  a  part.  The  portions  appointed  for  Sundays 
 and  festivals  are  also  read  on  the  eve  of  these  days,  and  form 
 the  conclusion  of  the  Vesper  service. 
 
 Shlieha,  literally  the  Apostle,  consists  of  extracts  from  S. 
 Paul's  Epistles  only,  and  is  read  during  the  celebration  of  the 
 Communion  office.     These  two  form  separate  volumes. 
 
 Karyane,  Readings  or  Lessons/'  consists  of  extracts  from 
 the  Old  Testament  and  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  The  First 
 Karydna  is  always  from  the  Old  Testament,  and  in  a  few  cases 
 the  second  Lesson  also  ;  but  this  latter  is  more  generally  taken 
 from  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 
 
 The  above  three  rituals  form  a  part  of  the  Eucharistic  office, 
 or  Liturgy,  and  are  read  in  the  following  order :  the  Karydna 
 first,  then  the  Shlieha,  and  lastly,  the  Euanghelion.  The  Kary- 
 dna is  read  by  the  Karoya,  or  Reader,  one  of  the  minor  orders, 
 at  the  door  of  the  altar,  on  the  south  side ;  and  the  Shlieha  by 
 the  Hypodiakon  on  the  north  side.  The  Euanghelion  is  read  by 
 the  officiating  priest  in  front  of  the  altar ;  but  whilst  reading  all 
 these  three  turn  their  faces  to  the  congregation.  Should  a  Sham- 
 mdsha  Euanghelaya,^  or  one  who  has  attained  to  the  full  order 
 of  Deacon,  be  present,  it  is  customary  for  the  priest  to  direct 
 him  to  read  the  Gospel. 
 
 Unless  a  priest  has  a  Shammdsha,  i.  e.,  a  deacon  or  assistant 
 of  one  of  the  three  orders  above  mentioned  to  serve  with  him,  the 
 Liturgy  cannot  be  celebrated.  And  if  only  one  is  present,  be 
 he  of  either  of  these  orders,  it  is  usual  for  him  to  read  the 
 Lesson  and  Epistle. 
 
 Besides  the  Euanghelion,  Shlieha,  and  Karydne,  the  Nesto- 
 rians  have  another  book  called  Turqama,  literally  Interpretation, 
 consisting  of  a  collection  of  hymns,  calling  upon  the  faithful 
 to  give  ear  to  the  words  of  the  New  Testament,  with  other  pious 
 exhortations  bearing  upon  the  same  subject.  Portions  of  this 
 book  are  appointed  to  be  read  before  the  Epistle  and  Gospel.^ 
 The  Chaldeans  have  almost  discontinued  the  use  of  this  ritual, 
 as  it  is  only  used  by  them  on  great  festivals,  and  when  high 
 mass  is  celebrated.  The  Turgdme  are  chanted  responsively  by 
 the  officiating  deacons  around  the  altar. 
 
 c  2 
 
20  THE    NESTORIATsTS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Before  the  reading  of  the  Karydna  the  deacon  exclaims  aloud  : 
 "  Sit  down,  and  be  silent ;"  and^  when  it  is  ended,  the  people 
 rise  at  the  bidding  of  the  same  minister,  who  then  gives 
 notice  of  the  short  psalm  which  is  to  follow,  and  which  is 
 then  taken  np  and  sung  by  the  officiating  priest.  This  psalm 
 is  called  Shoordyaj^  and  generally  consists  of  two  verses 
 taken  from  the  Psalter,  to  which  the  Gloria  Patri  is  added. 
 The  Shoordya,'^  therefore,  appears  to  hold  the  same  place  in 
 the  Nestorian  liturgy,  as  the  tractus  does  in  the  Roman,  the 
 vpoKslfievov  in  the  Constantinopolitan,  and  the  psalmellus  in  the 
 Milan  liturgies. f 
 
 The  Shlieha,  or  Epistle,  as  we  have  already  observed,  is  now 
 recited  near  the  altar,  but  formerly  it  was  read  on  the  Ga- 
 golta,X  the  name  given  to  an  ambon  at  the  western  end  of  the 
 church,  consisting  of  two  raised  stone  platforms,  placed  opposite 
 to  each  other,  and  reached  by  several  steps  or  stairs.  The 
 Turgdma  being  ended,  the  deacon  proclaims  the  title  of  the 
 Epistle,  and  begins  the  lesson  with  the  invocation  :  "  Give  Thy 
 blessing,  0  Lord,"  and  the  apostolic  address  :  "^  My  brethren." 
 At  the  conclusion  of  the  Epistle,  the  deacon  says  :  "  Praise  be  to 
 Christ  our  Lord,"  after  which  the  Zoomdra,  literally  a  song  or 
 hymn,  consisting  like  the  Shoordya,  of  a  couplet  from  the 
 Psalms,  the  Alleluia,  and  the  Gloria  Patri,  is  chanted  alternately 
 by  the  officiating  priest  and  deacons.  This  anthem  seems  to  hold 
 the  place  of  the  Alleluia  sung  after  the  Epistle  in  the  Roman 
 Liturgy,  and  of  the  hymns  called  prosce  or  sequential  of 
 Notker,  abbot  of  S.  Gall  in  Switzerland,  and  w^hich  were  sung 
 after  the  Graduate.^ 
 
 *  Literally,  the  beginning  ;  so  called  perhaps  from  the  notice  which  the  deacon. 
 gives  of  the  first  words  of  the  appointed  psalm. 
 
 f  See  Palmer's  Origines  Liturgicse,  Vol.  I.  chap.  iv.  §  4. 
 
 X  Literally  Golgotha,  probably  so  called  on  account  of  the  steps  which  led  up 
 to  the  ambon.  The  Golgotha  of  the  New  Testament  is  supposed  to  have  been 
 a  mound  or  hill.  This  species  of  pulpit  has  fallen  into  disuse,  and  has  been 
 pulled  down  in  most  of  the  Chaldean  churches.  The  only  one  which  I  have  met 
 with,  is  that  in  the  Tdhara,  or  church  dedicated  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  in  Mosul, 
 two  views  of  which  are  hereto  annexed.  The  churches  of  the  mountain  Nes- 
 torians  are  generally  so  small,  and  of  comparatively  so  late  a  date,  that  \  doubt 
 whether  the  Gagolta  was  ever  erected  in  them. 
 
 §  See  Palmer  iibi  supra. 
 
FC  Coover  bth 
 
 EASTiBI,  JillD  0?  TdE  CHURlH  Of  ET  JAtlARA,  AT  MOJJL 
 
'M  /t 
 
 WESTERN  END  OF  THE   CHURCH   OE  ET-JAHARA,AT  MOSUL. 
 
 SHOWING    THE   GAGOLTA . 
 
SERVICE    BOOKS.  '  21 
 
 The  appointed  Turgdma  being  next  read,  the  deacon  Epistler 
 takes  the  censer  and  says  aloud  :  "  Stand  ready  to  hear  the  holy 
 Gospel ;"  and  another  adds  :  "  Let  all  keep  silence.-"  Where- 
 upon all  the  congregation  present  uncover  their  heads.  The 
 oiSciating  priest  then  begins  with  the  salutation :  "  Peace  be 
 with  you  j"  to  which  the  deacons  and  people  respond  :  "  With 
 thee^  and  with  thy  spirit."  After  which,  the  proclamation  of 
 the  Gospel  from  whence  the  lesson  is  taken  being  made,  the 
 deacon  adds  :  "  Glory  be  to  Chkist  our  Lord."  The  Gospel 
 ended,  the  deacon  again  exclaims  :  '^  Glory  be  to  Christ  our 
 Lord  ;  and  let  us  all  commit  ourselves  and  one  another  to  the 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost." 
 
 It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  selections  from  the  Gospels  and 
 Epistles,  read  during  the  celebration  of  the  Nestorian  liturgy, 
 are  strikingly  adapted  to  the  several  occasions  for  which  they 
 are  appointed,  and  are  generally  remarkable  for  their  devotional 
 and  practical  character. 
 
 The  Daweedha,  literally  David,  or  the  Psalter,  is  considered  as 
 the  principal  spiritual  food  for  all  devout  worshippers,  and  is  there- 
 fore largely  used  in  the  service  of  the  Nestorians.  As  in  the  or- 
 thodox Eastern  Church,  the  Psalms  appointed  to  be  read  in 
 the  Nestorian  ritual  are  divided  into  twenty  cathismata,  called 
 Hooldle,  and  a  twenty-first  hooldla  (always  bound  up  with  the 
 Psalter),  consists  of  the  two  songs  of  Moses  from  the  fifteenth 
 chapter  of  Exodus  and  the  thirty-second  of  Deuteronomy,  the 
 latter  being  divided  into  two. 
 
 After  the  angelic  hymn,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and 
 on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men,"  and  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
 with  which  every  service  commences,  the  Psalms  succeed  in  the 
 following  order  :  one  half  of  the  entire  Psalter  is  now  chanted 
 at  the  morning  service  of  every  Sunday,  viz.,  nine  hooldle 
 appointed  for  the  Nocturns,  and  one  for  the  Laud,9  to  which 
 are  added  the  psalms  for  Lauds.  These,  which  are  Ps.  xcv., 
 xci.,  civ.  to  V.  16,  cxiii.,  xciii.,  clxviii.,  li.  to  v.  18,  clxix.  and  cl., 
 are  invariable,  and  are  read  at  every  Matin  throughout  the  year. 
 For  the  week-day  Nocturns  the  Psalter  is  divided  into  six  por- 
 tions, consisting  alternately  of  three  and  four  hooldle.  For  the 
 Vesper  service  several  entire  psalms  are  appointed  to  be  read 
 consecutively.     These  are  selected  from  different  parts  of  the 
 
22  THE    NESTOEIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 9 
 
 Psalter,  but  the  same  portions  are  read  at  the  Vespers  week  by 
 week. 
 
 In  Lent,  however,  the  order  varies  considerably  from  the 
 above.  It  is  appointed  that  during  this  season  the  whole  Psalter 
 shall  be  read  over  twice  at  the  six  weekly  Nocturns,  i.e.,  one- 
 third  at  every  Nocturn.  Moreover  it  is  so  ordered  that  at  the 
 third,  sixth,  and  ninth  hours — services  occurring  between  the 
 Lauds  and  Vespers  during  Lent, — and  at  the  Vespers  and 
 Compline  of  this  season,  the  entire  Psalter  shall  be  read  over 
 twice  during  the  six  days  of  the  week. 
 
 During  the  Baootha  d'Ninwdye,  or  three  days'  fast  in  com- 
 memoration of  the  deliverance  of  the  Ninevites,  the  whole  Psalter 
 must  be  said  once  daily  between  the  Nocturn  and  Matin,  divided 
 into  several  portions  as  is  set  down  in  the  office  for  that  fast. 
 
 Besides  the  above  use  of  the  Psalter,  one  psalm,  or  the  por- 
 tion of  a  psalm,  is  appointed  to  be  recited  at  the  opening  of 
 every  office,  at  the  Baptismal,  Eucharistic,  Burial,  and  every 
 other  Church  service. 
 
 The  psalms  are  always  chanted  by  two  persons,  sometimes 
 by  the  officiating  priests  and  deacons,  and  sometimes  by  laymen. 
 The  priests  usually  recite  them  from  memory,  but  the  laymen 
 from  the  written  Psalter.  A  Psalter  is  placed  on  each  side  of 
 the  chancel,  and  after  one  verse  is  chanted  the  person  on  the 
 opposite  side  chants  the  second,  and  so  on  alternately  until  the 
 appointed  portion  is  ended.  At  the  conclusion  of  certain 
 psalms  the  Gloria  Patri  is  added. ^^ 
 
 The  Khudhra,  or  Cycle  of  services  for  all  the  Sundays 
 throughout  the  year,  for  Lent,  and  for  the  Baootha  d'Ninwdye, 
 is  a  collection  of  anthems,  responsories,  hymns,  and  collects, 
 comprised  in  a  large  folio  volume  containing  upwards  of  eight 
 hundred  pages.  Yeshua-yau  of  Hdeyyeb,  as  mentioned  by  Mar 
 Abd  Yeshua,  arranged  the  order  of  the  Khudhra,  but  in  what 
 year  does  not  appear.  It  "must  however  have  been  long  before 
 his  time,  as  his  name  is  given  among  the  first  recorded  in  his 
 catalogue  of  the  Nestorian  fathers.  The  last  revision,  according 
 to  the  historical  notices  found  in  the  prefaces  to  this  ritual,  was 
 made  in  the  Deir  Alleita,  cir.  a.d.  1250. 
 
 The  Kash  kol,  (literally  a  collection  from  all,  and  generally 
 written  as  one  word  and  pronounced  Keshkool,)  comprises  a  col- 
 
SERVICE    BOOKS.  23 
 
 lection  of  prayers  taken  from  the  Khudhra,  and  appointed  to  be 
 used  at  the  Nocturns  and  Vespers  of  all  the  week  days  through- 
 out the  year. 
 
 The  Kdham  go  d'Wathar,  literally  the  Before  and  After,  so 
 called  with  reference  to  the  two  divisions  of  the  congregation 
 separated  by  the  nave,  and  styled  severally  the  Gooda  alleita,  or 
 high  choir,  and  the  Gooda  tahteita,  or  under  choir.  The 
 Khudhra,  in  a  rubric  for  every  Sunday,  directs  whether  the 
 service  \&  d'kadhmdya,  or  d'ahrdya,  i.e.,  whether  it  is  to  be  said 
 Before  or  After.  If  Before,  then  the  high  choir,  or  the  portion 
 of  the  congregation  on  the  north  side  of  the  church,  begin  the 
 daily  prayers  during  the  ensuing  week ;  if  After,  then  the  under 
 choir,  or  the  congregation  on  the  south  side,  shall  open  the  ser- 
 vice for  the  same  appointed  period.  The  rubrical  order  of  the 
 Khudhra  directs  that  this  change  shall  take  place  on  alternate 
 Sundays.  The  Kdham  go  d'Wathar  contains  a  few  prayers, 
 extracts  from  the  Psalter,  and  the  whole  psalms  as  appointed  to 
 be  used  at  the  Matins  and  Vespers  of  week  days,  and  the  psalms 
 and  two  or  three  collects  appointed  for  the  Matins  of  every 
 Sunday. 
 
 The  Gezza,  or  Treasury,  contains  the  services  for  all  the  festi- 
 vals (Sundays  excepted)  throughout  the  year.  Like  the  Khudhra 
 it  comprises  anthems,  hymns,  and  collects ;  but  beside  these  it 
 includes  other  capitula  having  especial  reference  to  the  subject 
 commemorated.  It  is  a  large  folio  volume,  equal  in  size  to  the 
 Khudhra. 
 
 The  Aboo  Haleem  contains  a  collection  of  collects  appointed 
 to  be  read  at  the  conclusion  of  the  Nocturns  of  all  the  Sundays 
 throughout  the  yeai',  of  the  festivals,  and  the  three  days  of  the 
 Baootha  d'Ninwdye,  before  the  commencement  of  the  Matins. 
 Thus  after  the  Nocturn  is  ended,  instead  of  beginning  the 
 following  service  with  the  angelic  hymn,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the 
 highest,"  &c.,  two  collects  from  this  collection  are  said,  and  then 
 the  Matins  commence.  The  Ahoo  Haleem  contains  many  very 
 ancient  collects,  and  the  title  of  the  book  is  supposed  to  be  de- 
 rived from  the  patronymic  of  the  person  who  compiled  it,  the 
 Catholicos  Mar  Elia  III. 
 
 The  Bagotha  d^Ninwaye,  or  the  Prayer  of  the  Ninevites ;  a 
 collection  of  hymns  in  verse  ascribed  to  Saint  Ephraem  Syrus. 
 
24  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS, 
 
 These  poems  contain  an  historical  account  of  the  wickedness 
 and  subsequent  repentance  of  the  Ninevites,  with  many  exhorta- 
 tions and  injunctions  to  humihation  and  penitence  in  order  to 
 secure  forgiveness.  This  commemorative  service  begins  on  the 
 twentieth  day  preceding  the  first  of  Lent,  and  lasts  for  three 
 days,  viz.  Monday,  Tuesday,  and  Wednesday. 
 
 The  Taxa  d'Amadha,  or  Baptismal  office,  is  sometimes  met 
 with  in  a  separate  volume ;  but  it  is  more  frequently  bound  up 
 with  the  Liturgies. 
 
 Liturgies  ;  of  these  the  Nestorians  possess  three,  viz.  that 
 known  as  the  Apostles',  that  of  Theodore  the  Interpreter,  and 
 the  Liturgy  of  Nestorius. 
 
 The  Liturgy  of  Nestorius  is  directed  to  be  used  five  times 
 during  the  year,  viz.  on  the  festival  of  the  Greek  Doctors,  on 
 the  last  day  of  the  Baootha  d'Ninwdye,  on  the  feast  of  S. 
 John  the  Baptist,  on  the  Epiphany,  and  on  the  Thursday  before 
 Easter. 
 
 The  Liturgy  of  Theodore  is  appointed  to  be  used  from  the 
 first  Sunday  in  Advent  to  Palm  Sunday. 
 
 The  Liturgy  of  the  Apostles  is  used  throughout  the  remain- 
 ing portion  of  the  year. 
 
 The  Kthawa  d'Burrakha,  or  Book  of  Matrimony,  is 
 generally  bound  up  separately. 
 
 The  Kahneita  is  the  Burial  Service  appointed  to  be  read  over 
 persons  who  die  in  holy  orders. 
 
 The  Anneedha  is  the  Burial  Service  for  deceased  laymen. 
 These  two  offices,  beside  the  service  to  be  observed  in  the 
 church  and  at  the  grave,  contain  all  the  instructions  about  the 
 washing  of  the  dead  body,  and  the  other  solemn  rites  which  are 
 to  be  performed  before  the  corpse  is  borne  from  the  house,  the 
 processional  anthems,  and  the  prayers  appointed  for  the  com- 
 memoration of  the  dead  during  the  three  days  following  the 
 burial. 
 
 The  Taxa  d'Siameedha,  or  the  Office  of  the  Laying  on  of 
 hands,  contains  the  Ordination  services  for  conferring  all  the 
 clerical  and  ecclesiastical  orders  and  degrees. 
 
 The  Khamees,  a  collection  of  hymns  chiefly  in  exposition  of 
 the  Life,  Parables,  and  Miracles,  of  the  Saviour,  and  on  the 
 duty  of  repentance.     The   author  of  these   poems  lived  in  the 
 
SERVICE    BOOKS.  25 
 
 twelfth  or  thirteenth  century^  and  was  the  fifth  son  of  his 
 parents,  whose  cognomen  was  Karddhe,  blacksmiths.  Hence  he 
 is  called  Khdmees  bar  Karddhe. 
 
 The  Warda,  a  collection  of  hymns  similar  to  the  above, 
 written  and  compiled  by  Gheorghees  Warda,  a  famous  Nes- 
 torian  poet,  who  seems  to  have  been  a  cotemporary  of  Khamees 
 bar  Kardahe.  The  poems,  like  those  of  Keble,  were  evidently 
 written  in  adaptation  to  the  Church  festivals,  the  particular 
 occasions  and  services  for  which  they  are  fitted  being  noted  at 
 the  head  of  each.  That  they  were  written  before  the  last  re- 
 vision of  the  Khudhra  is  clear,  since  in  that  ritual  there  is  a 
 rubrical  direction  appointing  what  hymn  in  the  two  collections 
 is  to  be  used.  Some  are  chanted  immediately  after  the  read- 
 ing of  the  Gospel  in  the  Liturgy,  and  others  are  recited  whilst 
 the  communicants  are  partaking  of  the  holy  elements. ^^ 
 
 Taxa  d'Hogsaya,  or  the  Office  of  Pardon,  contains  the  ser- 
 vice used  in  the  restoration  of  offenders  to  the  Church,  and  the 
 prayers  read  over  penitents  before  they  are  admitted  to  the 
 holy  Communion.  There  are  several  short  offices  of  this  kind 
 in  use  among  the  Nestorians. 
 
 It  is  a  circumstance  worthy  of  note  with  regard  to  these 
 manuscript  Rituals,  that  notwithstanding  their  number,  and  the 
 extent  of  country  over  which  they  are  scattered,  there  is  a 
 striking  uniformity  in  all  the  copies  now  in  use  both  among  the 
 Nestorians  and  Chaldeans,  except  where  these  latter  have  either 
 omitted  parts  of  the  original  text,  or  altered  it  to  suit  their 
 present  conformity  to  Rome.  The  only  way  of  accounting  for 
 this  coincidence  is  afforded  by  the  operation  of  that  Canon, 
 which  made  it  obligatory  upon  all  the  Metropolitans  and  Bishops 
 to  appear  in  person  or  by  proxy,  once  in  six  years,  to  testify  of 
 their  faith  and  obedience  before  the  Catholicos.  It  was  on  these 
 occasions,  in  all  probability,  that  the  suffragans,  either  of  their 
 own  accord,  or  by  superior  order,  took  note  of  the  minor 
 alterations  which  were  made  in  the  rituals  at  the  patriarchate, 
 and  on  returning  to  their  different  sees  ordered  that  the  same 
 should  be  effected  throughout  the  churches  under  their  episcopal 
 supervision. 
 
26  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    IV. 
 
 PLAN    OF    THE   FOLLOWING   INQUIRY  INTO    THE  TENETS    OF    THE 
 NESTORIANS. 
 
 When  it  was  affirmed,  in  the  opening  of  this  volume,  that  in 
 order  to  arrive  at  a  correct  knowledge  and  estimate  of  Nes- 
 torianism,  it  was  but  just  that  its  followers  should  be  allowed 
 to  speak  in  self-defence,  the  idea  that  such  a  result  was  at- 
 tainable through  the  testimony  of  the  Nestorians  of  the  pre- 
 sent day,  never  presented  itself  to  my  mind.  Enough  has 
 already  been  said  to  convince  the  reader,  that  such  an  attempt 
 would  be  preposterous  and  vain;  inasmuch  as  among  the 
 Nestorians  now  existing  few  know  the  particular  points  on  which 
 they  differ  from  other  Christians,  and  fewer  still  are  to  be  found, 
 who  can  give  a  reason  for  the  faith  which  they  profess.  The 
 prey  of  adverse  circumstances,  and  subjected  to  wicked  and 
 unchristian  rulers,  they  owe  their  existence  as  a  community 
 professing  Christianity  through  centuries  of  ever-increasing 
 ignorance,  not  to  the  force  of  conviction  arising  out  of  a  well- 
 grounded  knowledge  of  the  faith  as  handed  down  to  them  by 
 tradition;  but,  under  God,  to  the  power  of  human  prejudice, 
 and  to  the  influence  of  those  ceremonial  and  ritual  observances, 
 whereby  they  continued  to  celebrate  the  most  glorious  mysteries, 
 and  to  practise  the  outward  show,  at  least,  of  the  most  exalted 
 virtues  of  the  Christian  religion.  That  these  externals,  as  they 
 are  often  disparagingly  called,  when  viewed  in  the  abstract,  or 
 observed  apart  from  the  truths  which  they  represent,  are  nothing 
 more  than  "  the  form  of  godliness,^'  and  if  rehed  upon  for  justi- 
 
PLAN    OF    THE    FOLLOWING    INQUIRY.  27 
 
 fication  at  the  last  would  be  little  better  than  a  refuge  of  lies, 
 we  readily  admit ;  yet  it  is  equally  indisputable  that  they  tend 
 to  keep  up  a  remembrance  of,  and  a  reverence  for,  the  substance 
 which  they  typify,  and  like  a  husk  or  shell  do  at  least  indicate 
 the  hidden  kernel,  if  they  do  not  preserve  it  from  rottenness 
 and  decay. 
 
 Had  the  Christian  faith  as  professed  by  the  Nestorians  been 
 devoid  of  the  outward  symbolism  of  solemn  rites,  stated  and 
 ever-recurring  commemorations,  appointed  seasons  of  public 
 humiliation  and  religious  festivity,  a  recognized  priesthood  con- 
 secrated to  the  especial  service  of  the  altar  with  a  solemnity  of 
 inauguration  calculated  to  affect  and  to  impress  the  minds  of  the 
 people  with  a  due  regard  for  their  sacerdotal  functions,  and  in 
 the  discharge  of  their  sacred  office  keeping  up  a  constant  re- 
 membrance of  the  claims  of  God  upon  the  obedience  and  worship 
 of  His  intelligent  creatures, — in  all  probability  they  would  have 
 mixed  with  the  infidels  among  whom  they  dwelt,  and  have  long 
 ceased  to  exist  as  a  body  of  professing  Christians.  The  truth 
 of  these  remarks  was  strikingly  illustrated  and  confirmed  by  the 
 conduct  of  many  Nestorian  children  taken  to  Jezeerah  by  the 
 Coords  after  the  massacre  of  1843.  On  being  released  from 
 slavery  many  of  these  fell  under  my  care  at  Mosul,  and  on  in- 
 quiry I  found  that  every  possible  attempt  both  by  threats  and 
 promises  had  been  made,  on  the  part  of  their  barbarous  masters 
 to  induce  them  to  embrace  Islamism.  With  some  few  the 
 Mohammedans  declared  that  they  had  succeeded,  and  on  this 
 plea  strove  to  detain  them  in  bondage;  but  the  little  creatures 
 protested  that  they  had  never  ceased  to  sign  themselves  with  the 
 sign  of  the  cross,  and  had  obstinately  refused  to  eat  flesh  on 
 Priday.  Whilst  they  continued  to  observe  these  duties  strictly, 
 (and,  poor  things  !  many  of  them  knew  little  more,)  they 
 felt  persuaded  that  they  had  not  abjured  the  faith  of  their 
 fathers. 
 
 The  ignorance,  therefore,  general  among  the  Nestorians,  of 
 the  essentials  of  their  religion,  precludes  the  propriety  of  adduc- 
 ing their  testimony  in  an  inquiry  like  the  present.  With 
 regard,  however,  to  traditional  opinions  and  observances,  so  far 
 as  their  belief  and  practice  are  conformable  to  the  declared  way 
 of  their  learned  and  devout  predecessors,  these  shall  be  adduced 
 
28  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 as  illustrative  and  confirmatory,  as  also  in  what  resjDects  they 
 appear  therein  to  have  swerved  from  the  faith  and  customs  of 
 their  ancestors. 
 
 The  task  undertaken  in  the  present  dissertation  would  have 
 been  rendered  much  easier  had  the  Nestorians  possessed  any 
 recognized  formula  of  their  creed;  but  nothing  of  this  kind 
 exists  among  them.  The  nearest  approach  to  a  confession  of 
 faith  is  the  treatise  of  Mar  Abd  Yeshua,  a  translation  of  which 
 is  given  in  Appendix  B ;  but  this  is  not  only  defective  on  many 
 important  points  respecting  which  certain  information  is  desira- 
 ble ;  but  it  does  not  possess,  as  far  as  I  know,  that  common  con- 
 sent of  the  Nestorians  requisite  to  entitle  it  to  be  considered 
 a  Symbol  of  the  doctrines  held  by  their  community.  As  the 
 production  of  an  eminent  ecclesiastic,  filling  an  exalted  office 
 in  their  Church,  it  is  doubtless  held  in  high  esteem  ;  but  unsup- 
 ported by  older  authority,  and  by  the  concurrent  testimony  of 
 their  standard  rituals,  its  evidence  is  liable  to  be  disregarded. 
 And  the  same  may  be  affirmed  of  the  private  opinions  of  any 
 other  individual  writer,  however  highly  renowned  for  learning 
 and  piety  he  may  chance  to  be- 
 But  the  want  of  any  standard  confession  of  faith  among  the 
 Nestorians,  is  amply  supplied  by  the  voluminous  matter  con- 
 tained in  their  Church  rituals,  and,  so  great  is  their  reverence  for 
 these  compositions,  that  virtually,  if  not  theoretically,  no  appeal  is 
 allowed  from  them  to  any  higher  authority.  Having  already 
 given  a  list  of  these,  it  is  proposed  to  quote  therefrom  such 
 extracts  as  may  bear  upon  the  different  points  of  Christian  faith 
 and  practice ;  and  as  the  present  work  is  undertaken  chiefly 
 with  a  view  to  stir  up  the  Church  of  England  to  labour  for  the 
 reformation  and  restoration  of  this  long  neglected  community, 
 I  shall  take  her  Articles  for  the  principal  heads  of  inquiry,  and 
 arrange  under  each  those  passages  from  the  recognized  autho- 
 rities of  the  Nestorians  which  shall  serve  either  to  show  their 
 agreement  with,  or  their  dissent  from,  the  doctrines  as  set  forth 
 in  those  Articles.  And  in  order  to  render  this  essay  more  satis- 
 factory, a  series  of  remarks  shall  be  added  to  each  chapter, 
 wherein  it  shall  be  attempted,  when  seemingly  called  for,  to 
 reconcile  conflicting  statements,  to  illustrate  and  confirm  by 
 existing  tradition  whatever   appears   doubtful,   and   to   subjoin 
 
PLAN    OP    THE    FOLLOWING    INQUIRY.  29 
 
 such  explanations  of  the  text  as  may  tend  to  convey  a  full 
 and  perfect  knowledge  of  the  Nestorian  creed.  And  as  the 
 quotations  have  been  translated  in  all  faithfulness,  so  in  their 
 selection  no  reserve  has  been  practised;  but  the  whole  done 
 to  the  best  of  the  author^s  ability^  and  as  he  hopes  may  redound 
 to  the  Glory  of  God,  and  meet  with  the  approbation  of  His 
 Church. 
 
30  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    V. 
 
 OF  FAITH  IN  THE  HOLY  TRINITY. 
 
 "  There  is  but  One  living  and  true  God,  everlasting,  without  body,  parts,  or 
 passions  ;  of  infinite  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  ;  the  Maker  and  Preserver  of 
 all  things,  both  visible  and  invisible.  And  in  unity  of  this  Godhead  there  be 
 three  Persons,  of  one  substance,  power,  and  eternity :  the  Father,  the  Son, 
 and  the  Holy  Ghost." — Article  I. 
 
 §  1.  "  God  the  Father^  and  God  the  Son,  the  Word,  and  God 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  one  substance,  one  God,  in  three  co-equal 
 persons,  of  whose  Being  there  is  no  beginning,  and  of  whose 
 Divinity  there  is  no  creation ;  He  is  hving  and  everlasting. 
 When  He  determined  to  make  known  the  mystery  of  His  Being, 
 He  created,^^  &c.  From  the  Kanoona  d^Brasheeth,  or  First 
 Canon,  contained  in  the  Khudhra,  and  appointed  to  be  read  in 
 the  Morning  Service  of  every  Sunday  throughout  the  year  with 
 the  exception  of  the  Sundays  of  the  Lenten  fast. 
 
 §  2.  "  The  glory  of  the  Lord  of  all  can  be  comprehended  by 
 none,  nor  can  His  greatness  be  conceived  by  reason,  neither  His 
 form  imagined.  He  hears  without  ears,  speaks  without  a  mouth, 
 works  without  hands,  and  sees  without  eyes,  ....  nor  can  He 
 be  confined  in  any  place  so  as  to  be  laid  hold  of  ...  .  who  can 
 search  Him  out  ?  " — From  the  Service  for  the  Holy  Nativity,  in 
 the  Khudhra. 
 
 §  3.  "0  Thou  living  and  everlasting  One,  by  Whose  decree 
 all  creatures  were  created,  visible  and  invisible,  our  Almighty 
 God,  Who  fillest  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  the  merciful  and 
 the  compassionate  One,  Who  carest  for  our  species,  and  re- 
 newest  our  frame.  Who  feedest  us  with  good  things,  ....  Who 
 
 art  long-suffering,  great  in  Thy  power,  just  in  Thy  wisdom 
 
 O  Thou  righteous  Father,  and  everlasting  Son,  and  Holy 
 Spirit,  of  invisible  substance,  incomprehensible,  wonderful  in 
 Thy  doings,  ....  incorruptible,  immoi'tal ;  near  to  all,  but  com- 
 
THE    HOLY    TRINITY.  31 
 
 prehended  by  none ;  worshipped  by  angels  and  men  in  spirit 
 and  in  truth;  God,  without  beginning  and  without  end." — 
 From  the  Litany  of  the  second  day  of  the  Baootha  d'Ninwaye,  in 
 the  Khudhra. 
 
 §4.  "And  He  [Christ]  manifestly  committed  unto  them 
 [the  Apostles]  the  whole  hidden  mystery  of  the  Godhead,  with- 
 out addition  or  reserve.  [That  there  is]  one  Essence  (ouo-i'a)  in 
 three  Persons.  The  word  ^  Essence^  He  applied  to  the  three 
 co-equal  Persons,  lest  it  should  be  thought  that  there  are  three 
 essences  having  the  same  name.  '  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
 disciple  all  nations  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
 and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ; '  the  Persons  co-equal,  one  distinct 
 Essence.  The  word  Name  proves  the  unity  of  the  Essence,  and 
 the  latter  part  of  the  sentence  points  out  the  coequality  of  the 
 Persons  in  this  one  and  self-same  Essence." — F7'om  the  Service 
 for  the  Holy  Nativity  in  the  Gezza. 
 
 See  also  Appendix  B.     Part  I.  passim. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 The  reasoning  of  Mar  Abd  Yeshua,  as  quoted  from  the 
 Appendix,  in  proof  of  the  existence,  unity,  eternity,  and  incom- 
 prehensibility of  God,  and  of  those  other  attributes  which 
 necessarily  spring  therefrom,  is  remarkable  as  well  for  its  logical 
 precision,  as  for  its  conciseness  and  comparative  simplicity.  It 
 also  shows  that  he  was  master  of  the  irresistible  a  posteriori 
 argument,  which  necessitates  one  great,  designing  Cause  from 
 the  innumerable  marks  of  design  with  which  all  created  nature 
 abounds.  But,  nevertheless,  what  this  cause  is  he  reverently 
 abstains  from  any  attempt  to  define.  He  concludes  his  fourth 
 chapter  with  this  sentence  :  "  Now  when  we  say  of  God  that 
 He  is  invisible,  incomprehensible,  impassible,  and  immutable, 
 we  do  not  describe  what  He  is,  but  what  He  is  not,^^  and  I 
 cannot  better  analyze  his  whole  train  of  argument  on  the  being 
 and  attributes  of  God,  than  by  quoting  an  admirable  passage 
 from  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  which  could  not  have  suited  better  had 
 it  been  drawn  up  with  this  especial  design.  "  God  is  eternal 
 and  infinite ;  omnipotent  and  omniscient ;  that  is.  He  endures 
 from  eternity,  and  is  present  from  infinity  to  infinity.  He  go- 
 verns all  things  that  exist,  and  knows  all  things  that  are  to  be 
 known ;  He  is  not  eternity  or  infinity^  but  eternal  and  infinite ; 
 
32  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 He  is  not  duration  or  space^  but  He  endures  and  is  present  j 
 He  endures  always^  and  is  present  everywhere ;  He  is  omnipre- 
 sent, not  only  virtually,  but  also  substantially,  for  power  without 
 substance  cannot  subsist.  All  things  are  contained  and  move 
 in  Him,  but  without  any  mutual  passion  ;  He  suffers  nothing 
 from  the  motions  of  bodies  ;  nor  do  they  undergo  any  resistance 
 from  His  omnipresence.  It  is  confessed  that  God  exists  neces- 
 sarily, and  by  the  same  necessity  He  exists  always  and  every- 
 where. Hence  also  He  must  be  perfectly  similar,  all  eye,  all 
 ear,  all  arm,  all  the  power  of  perceiving,  understanding,  and 
 acting,  but  after  a  manner  not  at  all  corporeal,  after  a  manner 
 not  like  that  of  men,  after  a  manner  wholly  to  us  unknown. 
 He  is  destitute  of  all  body,  and  all  bodily  shape ;  and  therefore 
 cannot  be  seen,  heard,  or  touched ;  nor  ought  to  be  worshipped 
 under  the  representation  of  anything  corporeal.  We  have  ideas 
 of  the  attributes  of  God,  but  do  not  know  the  substance  of  even 
 anything ;  we  see  only  the  figures  and  colours  of  bodies,  hear 
 only  sounds,  touch  only  the  outward  surfaces,  smell  only  odours, 
 and  taste  tastes ;  and  do  not,  cannot,  by  any  sense,  or  reflex  act, 
 know  their  inward  substances ;  and  much  less  can  we  have  any 
 notion  of  the  substance  of  God.  We  know  Him  by  His  proper- 
 ties and  attributes." 
 
 Further,  the  extracts  quoted  from  their  rituals,  at  the  begin- 
 ning of  this  chapter,  and  the  able  dissertation  referred  to  in  the 
 Appendix,  are  sufficient  proof  of  the  orthodoxy  of  the  Nestorians 
 on  the  important  article  now  under  consideration.  Mar  Abd 
 Yeshua  says  of  it,  that  "  in  the  confession  of  the  Trinity  all 
 Christians  agree,  for  all  receive  the  Ts^icene  Creed,  which  creed 
 confesses  that  the  Trinity  is  co-equal  in  essence,  dignity,  power, 
 and  will ;"  and  his  own  illustrations  of  this  mystery  will  amply 
 repay  a  careful  perusal.  He  does  not  attempt,  by  any  effort  of 
 human  reasoning,  to  prove  a  doctrine  which  he  admits  to  be 
 beyond  the  comprehension  of  all ;  but  he  so  opens  it  out  as  to 
 enable  the  mind  rightly  to  conceive  of  this  truth  so  clearly  re- 
 vealed to  us  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and  thus  to  prevent,  as 
 far  as  may  be,  that  mental  confusion  of  the  three  Di^dne  Persons, 
 which  is  apt  to  perplex  even  the  most  devout  whenever  they 
 contemplate  the  providence  of  the  Almighty  towards  the  world, 
 or  their  own  individual  dependance  on  Him. 
 
33 
 
 CHAPTER    VI. 
 
 OP    THE    WORD    OR    SON    OF   GOD,    WHICH    WAS    MADE    VERY 
 
 MAN. 
 
 "  The  Son,  which  is  the  Word  of  the  Father,  begotten  from  everlasting  of 
 the  Father,  the  very  and  eternal  God,  and  of  one  substance  with  the  Father, 
 took  man's  nature  in  the  womb  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  of  her  substance  :  so  that 
 two  whole  and  perfect  natures,  that  is  to  say,  the  Godhead  and  Manhood  were 
 joined  together  in  one  person,  never  to  be  divided,  whereof  is  one  Christ,  very 
 God,  and  very  Man  ;  who  truly  suffered,  was  crucified,  dead  and  buried,  to 
 reconcile  His  Father  to  us,  and  to  be  a  sacrifice,  not  only  for  original  guilt, 
 but  also  for  actual  sins  of  men." — Article  II. 
 
 §  1.  "Blessed  be  the  compassionate  One,  Who  has  graciously 
 sustained  our  hf'e  by  the  prophecies  ;  for  Isaiah  saw,  with  the 
 eye  of  his  mind,  the  wonderful  Virgin-born;  and  Mary 
 brought  forth  Emmanuel,  the  Son  of  God,  without  marriage. 
 He  being  formed  of  her  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  (as  it  is 
 written,)  to  be  an  adorable  abode  and  temple  for  the  rays  of  the 
 Father,  in  one  Filiation ;  which  [body,]  at  the  commencement 
 of  His  wonderful  conception,  He  united  to  Himself  in  one 
 honour,  therewith  to  fulfil  all  His  purposes  for  the  salvation 
 of  all,  according  as  it  pleased  Him.  Who  was  praised  at  His 
 birth  by  the  hallelujahs  of  angels  in  the  highest,  and  by  those 
 of  earth.  He  was  worshipped  through  their  gifts.  One  is  the 
 Messiah,  adored  by  all  in  two  Natures,  Who,  as  touching  His 
 Godhead,  is  begotten  of  the  Father,  without  beginning,  and 
 before  all  ages ;  and,  as  touching  His  Manhood,  was  born  of 
 Mary,  in  the  fulfilment  of  time,  a  body  of  union.  His  Godhead  is 
 not  from  the  substance  of  His  mother,  neither  His  Manhood 
 from  the  substance  of  His  Father;   but  the  Natures  and  Per- 
 
 VOL.    II.  D 
 
34 
 
 THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 sons  subsist  in  the  one  Parsopa  of  this  one  Filiation.  And  as 
 there  are  in  the  Godhead  three  Persons^  One  Self-existent,  so  the 
 Filiation  of  the  Son  is  of  two  natures  and  one  Parsopa.  Thus 
 doth  the  Holy  Church  teach  us  to  confess  of  the  Son,  Who  is 
 the  Messiah.  Therefore,  0  Lord,  we  worship  Thy  Divinity 
 and  Thy  Humanity,  without  dividing  them ;  for  the  power  of 
 the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  is  one,  the  sovereignty  is 
 one,  the  will  is  one,  and  the  glory  is  one.''  Anthem  taken  from 
 the  Khudhra,  and  appointed  to  he  used  from  the  first  Sunday  in 
 Advent  until  Epip)hany. 
 
 §  2.  "  Blessed  art  thou,  0  Virgin,  daughter  of  David,  since 
 in  thee  all  the  promises  made  to  the  righteous  have  been  ful- 
 filled, and  in  thee  the  race  of  prophecy  has  found  rest ;  for  after 
 a  wonderful  manner  thou  didst  conceive  as  a  virgin,  without 
 marriage,  and  in  a  wonderful  way  thou  didst  bring  forth  the 
 Messiah,  the  Son  of  God,  as  it  is  written.  The  Holy  Spirit 
 formed^  Him  in  thee,  and  the  Word  dwelt  in  Him  by  union, 
 without  conversion  or  confusion,  the  Natures  continuing  to 
 subsist  unchanged,  and  the  Persons  also,  by  their  essential 
 attributes, — the  Divinity  and  Humanity  subsisting  in  one 
 Parsopa  of  Filiation.  For  the  Lord  is  one,  the  power  is 
 one,  the  dominion  ruling  over  all  is  one,  and  He  is  the  ruler 
 and  disposer  of  all  by  the  mysterious  power  of  His  Divinity, 
 Whom  we  ought  ever  to  thank  and  worship,  saying  :  Blessed  is 
 the  righteous  One,  Who  clothed  Himself  with  Adam,  [hu- 
 manity] and  made  Him  Lord  in  heaven  and  in  earth."  From 
 the  Gezza,  in  the  service  for  the  Holy  Nativity. 
 
 §  3.  "  When  the  angel  assured  her  [the  Virgin]  that  her 
 wonderful  conception  should  be  of  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  she  believed  that  what  had  been  announced  to  her  would 
 take  place;  and  forthwith  the  Word  made  for  Himself  a  reason- 
 able abode,  and  made  it  His  temple.  Not  that  He  first  formed 
 it,  and  then  afterwards  dwelt  in  it ;  for  He  wove  a  temple  to  clothe 
 Himself  withal,  and  clothed  Himself  therewith  when  He  wove  it, 
 that  this  His  clothing  might  not  be  any  other  than  the  clothing 
 of  the  Word,  which  He  wrought  for  Himself.  But  the  descent 
 [of  the  Word]  is  inexplicable,  and  is  beyond  the  examination 
 of  all  inquirers  ;  and  the  union  so  exalted  that  no  words  can 
 express  it.     There  is  plurality  in  the  Natures,  but  these  subsist 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  35 
 
 in  One^  [literally  "numbered  natures^ — oneness,"] — that  which 
 is  proper  to  each  subsisting  [i.  e.  without  conversion  or  confu- 
 sion,] in  one  Parsopa  of  Filiation/^ — From  the  Gezza,  as  above. 
 
 §4.  "He  who  is,  by  His  self-existence,  perfect  God,  the 
 Word,  abounded  in  His  compassion  for  our  frailty,  and  took 
 upon  Him  our  similitude  to  be  an  abode  for  His  Divinity,  raised 
 and  nailed  it  to  the  cross,  and  yielded  it  up  unto  death,  thereby 
 to  give  us  life_,  then  raised  it  again  and  seated  it  in  the  heavens, 
 far  above  the  highest  dominions  and  powers.  And  as  we  were 
 all  under  condemnation  through  the  first  Adam,  so  by  the 
 second  Adam  we  are  justified. — Who  can  declare  His  glorious 
 generation  ?  So  we  praise,  so  we  reasonably  believe,  and  so  we 
 with  wonder  confess,  as  we  have  been  truly  taught ;  so  that  even 
 should  an  angel  from  heaven  come  and  teach  us  any  other  doc- 
 trine than  this  Gospel  preached  unto  us,  we  will  neither  deny 
 His  Manhood,  nor  that  His  Divinity  is  impassible.^^  From  the 
 Khudhra,  in  the  service  for  the  fifth  Monday  in  Lent." 
 
 §  5.  "  The  clear  truth  was  manifested  by  the  Son  of  God  to 
 His  affianced  Church,  when  it  pleased  Him,  in  His  love,  to  come 
 into  the  world  to  teach  and  to  preach  the  doctrine  of  His  Divi- 
 nity and  Humanity. 12 
 
 "  He  was  in  the  bosom  of  His  Father  before  the  worlds, 
 from  everlasting.  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  came  to  us  in  the  fulfilment  of  time,  took  our  body  upon 
 Him,  and  therewith  redeemed  us.  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  The  prophets  declared  Him  in  their  visions,  and  the  right- 
 eous typified  Him,  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  was  in  the  womb  for  nine  months,  and  was  born  as  a 
 man,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 ''  The  angels  praised  Him,  He  being  God. 
 
 "  He  was  laid  in  a  manger,  He  being  Man. 
 
 "  The  star  declared  Him,  He  being  God. 
 
 "He  was  suckled  at  the  breast,  He  being  Man. 
 
 "The  Persian  Magi  brought  Him  precious  gifts  and  offerings. 
 He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  submitted  to  be  circumcised,  and  offered  sacrifices  in  the 
 temple,  according  to  the  Law,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  Simeon  called  Him  '  the  Light  of  the  Gentiles,  and  the 
 Glory  of  His  people  Israel,'  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 D   2 
 
36  THE    NESTORTANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS, 
 
 "  He  fled  into  Egj^pt  from  the  hands  of  the  cruel  and  impious 
 Herod^  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  The  shepherds  hastened  to  worship  Him,  and  adored  Him 
 bending  over  their  staffs,  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  was  nurtured,  and  grew  in  stature,  and  in  wisdom,  and 
 in  the  Divine  grace.  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  turned  the  water  into  wine,  and  the  guests  drank  there- 
 of, and  praised  His  name.  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  was  baptized  in  Jordan,  He  being  Man. 
 
 "  The  heavens  were  opened  to  Him,  He  being  God. 
 
 "  The  Father  openly  declared  Him,  He  being  Man. 
 
 "  The  Spirit  descended  upon  Him,  He  being  God. 
 
 "  He  fasted  and  was  tempted.  He  being  Man. 
 
 "  He  confounded  the  wicked  one.  He  being  God. 
 
 "  He  entered  the  abode  of  Levi,  of  Zacchseas,  and  of  Simon, 
 and  ate  and  drank  at  the  feast  and  supper.  He  being  truly 
 Man. 
 
 '^  He  healed  the  sick  and  infirm,  cleansed  the  lepers,  and  gave 
 sight  to  the  blind.  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  went  out  to  a  mountain  to  pray,  and  continued  in  prayer 
 until  dawn.  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 ''  He  gave  the  power  of  walking  to  the  lame,  and  members  to 
 the  maimed.  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  slept  on  board  the  ship.  He  being  Man. 
 
 "  He  calmed  the  sea.  He  being  God. 
 
 "  He  ascended  the  mount,  He  being  Man. 
 
 "  He  there  enacted  laws,  He  being  God. 
 
 "  He  was  weary  from  walking,  sat  by  the  well,  and  asked 
 water  of  the  Samaritan,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  revealed  her  secrets,  and  told  her  of  all  her  hidden  and 
 open  actions,  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 '^  He  wept  and  shed  tears  for  Lazarus,  and  inquired  for  the 
 place  of  his  grave,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  called  and  raised  him  from  the  grave  by  the  power  of 
 His  Divinity,  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  rode  on  an  ass.  He  being  Man. 
 
 "  The  children  praised  Him,  He  being  God. 
 
 "  The  Pharisees  envied  Him,  He  being  Man. 
 
 "He  wrought  miracles,  He  being  God. 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  37 
 
 *'  The  priests  conspired  against  Him,  He  being  Man. 
 
 "  The  multitudes  glorified  Him,  He  being  God. 
 
 "  He  left  the  city  and  went  to  Bethany  with  His  disciples, 
 and  there  abode,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  cursed  the  fig-tree,  and  immediately  it  dried  up,  thus 
 showing  His  power  and  glory,  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  Mary  anointed  Him  with  spikenard,  and  wiped  His  feet 
 with  the  hair  of  her  head,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  remitted  her  sins,  forgave  her  iniquities,  and  wiped  out 
 her  transgressions  and  follies,  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  ate  the  legal  Passover  in  the  upper  chamber  with  His 
 disciples,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  At  the  Supper,  He  foretold  and  declared  the  treachery  of 
 the  Iscariot,  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  took  a  napkin,  girded  Himself  therewith,  and  washed  the 
 feet  of  His  disciples,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "He  approached  him  whose  ear  had  been  cat  off,  and  healed 
 it  by  His  great  power.  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  sweat,  and  prayed,  and  received  strength  from  the  angel 
 that  appeared  unto  Him,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  foretold  the  denial  of  Himself  by  Simon  Peter  the  head 
 of  the  disciples.  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  was  taken  to  His  passion,  spit  upon,  and  crowned  with 
 thorns.  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  repulsed  those  who  seized  Him,  and  those  who  hated 
 Him,  and  they  fell  with  their  faces  to  the  ground,  He  being 
 truly  God. 
 
 "  He  was  nailed  to  the  wood.  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  rent  the  rocks,  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  Nails  were  driven  through  Him,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  opened  the  graves,  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  They  gave  Him  vinegar  to  drink,  He  being  Man. 
 
 "  He  rent  the  Temple,  He  being  God. 
 
 "  He  cried  out  from  the  cross,  He  being  Man. 
 
 "  He  cast  darkness  over  the  sun.  He  being  God. 
 
 "  He  submitted  to  death.  His  body  was  embalmed  and  laid  in 
 a  sepulchre  hewn  out  of  a  rock,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  ate  and  drank  with  His  disciples  after  His  resurrection, 
 as  it  is  v/ritten.  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
38  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 "  He  passed  through  closed  doors^  and  saluted  the  Twelve 
 with  the  salutation  of  peace^  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  He  showed  them  the  prints  of  the  nails  on  His  hands 
 and  feet,  and  pointed  out  His  side  to  Thomas,  He  being  truly 
 Man. 
 
 "  He  ascended  up  in  glory  unto  Him  who  had  sent  Him,  and 
 will  return  again  at  the  last  to  judge  all,  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  Angels  foretold  of  Him  that  He  should  come  again  openly, 
 in  the  body,  even  as  He  had  ascended,  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  sent  the  Spirit,  the  Comforter,  upon  His  disciples,  Who 
 endued  them  with  wisdom.  He  being  truly  God. 
 
 "  Constantine  searched  out  and  found  the  wood  upon  which 
 He  was  crucified.  He  being  truly  Man. 
 
 "  He  chose  out  for  Himself,  from  among  all  people,  a  Church, 
 which  He  sanctified  by  the  glory  of  His  Divinity,  He  being 
 truly  God. 
 
 "Blessed  is  He  Who  hath  fulfilled  His  purposes  for  the 
 salvation  of  men ;  to  Him  be  glory,  and  on  us  His  mercy,  for 
 ever  and  ever.^^ — From  the  Gezza,  in  the  Service  for  the  Holy 
 Nativity. 
 
 §  5.  "  With  all  these  proofs  to  establish  the  humanity  of  the 
 Saviour,  I  am  astounded  at  the  tenets  of  the  erring  heretics. 
 Manes,  Marcion,  and  the  worthless  Simon  deny  [Christ^s] 
 body,  and  thereby  deprive  our  race  of  salvation.  Eutyches, 
 also,  who  falsely  asserted  that  the  [Christ's]  body  descended 
 from  above,  equally  denies  our  body,  [i.e.  that  Christ's  body 
 was  like  our  own.]  Eunomius  and  his  followers  denied  the  soul 
 [of  Christ]  ;  Apollinaris  denied  the  mind  [of  Christ]  ;  but 
 the  worst  of  all  was  Jacob  [Baradseus]  who  makes  the  self-existent 
 passible.  This  erring  man  maintains  that  there  is  but  one 
 nature  in  Christ,  and  says  that  the  self-existent  became  flesh, 
 thereby  destroying  the  co-equality  of  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity, 
 and  inflicting  a  serious  injury  on  mankind.  After  him  come  the 
 erroneous  Chalcedonians,  whose  creed  resembles  his,  since  they 
 believe  that  there  are  two  Natures  and  one  Person  in  Christ. 
 And  this  creed  is  maintained  by  all  the  West,  by  the  Romans, 
 the  Greeks,  the  Egyptians,  the  Copts,^^  the  Melchites,  and  by 
 most  of  the  Georgians.  This  wicked  party  excommunicated 
 Mar  Nestorius,  who  was  true,  and  who  taught  the  truth  in  the 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  39 
 
 Church.  He  confessed  two  Natures  and  two  Persons  in  Christ 
 even  as  the  disciples  declared  to  all  nations  in  their  preaching ; 
 and  all  nations  received  this  doctrine^  which  is  well  known  in  all 
 the  Churches  of  the  East  as  it  was  preached  and  manifested  by 
 Mar  Mari  the  Apostle."     From  the  Gezza^  ut  supra. 
 
 §  6.  {a)  "  Ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  glories  uttered  by 
 the  Churchj  and  never-ending  springs  of  the  pouring  forth  of 
 the  Spiritj  flow  towards  the  dust,  unto  Thee,  Thou  Ray  of  the 
 Mysterious  Orb,  the  Everlasting,  the  Son  of  the  essence  of  Self- 
 existence,  Who  from  virginity  took  a  garment  of  humanity,  and 
 hid  therewith  the  effulgence  of  His  Divinity  ! 
 
 {b)  ,  .  .  .  "  After  the  similitude  of  His  hidden  likeness  had 
 become  corrupt,  and  the  image  of  His  mysterious  self  had  been 
 defaced  and  defiled,  and  the  transcript  of  His  similitude  had  been 
 utterly  ruined,  and  after  the  model  of  Plis  own  creation  had  been 
 swallowed  up  in  the  gaping  bowels  of  the  insatiable  sheal,  the 
 good  God  deigned  to  renew  and  to  restore  it.  And  when  the 
 set  time  for  the  fulfilment  of  this  His  benevolent  purpose  to- 
 wards the  creation  had  arrived,  the  Lord  spread  abroad  His 
 mercy  as  the  sea,  and  His  pity  as  the  great  deep,  and  He  poured 
 forth  and  enlarged  the  goodness  and  the  grace  of  His  Divinity, 
 by  sending  His  consubstantial  Son, — the  Son  of  Self-existence. 
 In  a  befitting  way  His  Will  descended  towards  men ;  He  sent  His 
 Beloved,  the  Begotten  of  Himself,  that  is,  His  Express  Image, 
 Who  in  consummate  wisdom,  took  upon  Him,  from  us,  a  nature 
 and  a  person.  In  a  wonderful  manner  he  clothed  Himself  with 
 a  corruptible  garment,  covering  therewith  His  excellent  glory, 
 and  when  the  time  appointed  in  His  wisdom  had  come.  He 
 mended  and  repaired  it,  and  sewed  together  its  rents.  He  was 
 borne  in  the  womb  according  to  the  laws  and  peculiarities  of 
 nature,  and  was  brought  forth  by  His  mother." 
 
 (c)  "  The  Begotten,  the  Highest,  the  Ancient  of  days.  Who 
 has  set  us  free,  drew  milk  from  the  breast  as  do  sucklings  and 
 infants,  was  bound  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  was  placed  in  a 
 manger  like  a  child  of  the  poor  and  needy,  although  He  is  verily 
 and  indeed  the  King  of  kings,  to  Whom  the  highest  worship  is 
 due.  Crowds  of  simple  and  untutored  shepherds  surround  the 
 cave  where  He  lay,  and  bow  to  Him  in  adoration.  Legions  of 
 spiritual,  excellent,  and  adoring  Powers, — the  living  chariots  of 
 
40  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 the  wonderful  cherubim, — the  speaking  wheels,  with  open  eyes 
 and  replete  with  wisdom  and  intelligence,  now  stationary,  now 
 lifted  up, — myriads  of  Seraphim,  as  quick  as  light,  with  out- 
 stretched wings,  whose  it  is  to  sing  thrice  Holy, — the  glorious, 
 admirable,  and  awful  company  of  exalted  thrones, — the  com- 
 pany of  those  who  keep  watch  over  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord, 
 all  the  beautiful  armies,  lordships,  dominions,  invincible  powers, 
 archangels,  angels,  and  messengers,  surround  Ephratha  in  nine 
 circles,  fly  to  and  fro,  ascend  and  descend  as  eagles,  dance,  re- 
 joice, clap  their  hands  and  feet  like  children  of  freedom,  sing 
 and  sound  their  trumpets  on  the  day  of  the  Nativity,  and  on  their 
 lyres  praise  the  Child  Born, — sing  the  most  exalted  hallelujahs, 
 thrice  Holies,  psalms,  glories,  and  holy  songs,  unto  God  in  the 
 highest,  increase  of  security  and  peace  upon  the  earth,  and  the 
 descent  of  good-will  and  its  continuance  among  men.  The  un- 
 believing Magi,  the  worshippers  of  idols,  Chaldeans,  and  sor- 
 cerers, and  such  as  adore  the  great  lights, — men  well  versed  in 
 astronomy  and  astrology,  and  deeply  read  in  these  sciences, — 
 were  troubled  and  perplexed,  they  snorted  like  wild  beasts,  and 
 cried  out  and  demanded  one  of  another,  '  Who  is  this  before 
 whom  the  mountains  tremble,  and  the  images  are  moved,  and 
 the  idols  quake,  and  the  heathen  priests  are  confounded,  and 
 their  altars  fall  to  ruin,  and  the  high  places  are  annihilated  V 
 They  fled  to  the  treasuries  of  their  volumes,  opened  the  scrolls, 
 searched  them  diligently,  and  discovered  therein  that  what  had 
 been  foretold  generations  before  by  Zoroaster  the  highly  vene- 
 rated and  esteemed  was  now  fulfilled.  Then  the  lips  of  these 
 scribes  were  shut,  and  they  were  confounded;  and  they  chose 
 out  from  among  them  kings  of  high  renown  and  of  great  riches, 
 and  they  delivered  into  their  hands  gifts,  tithes,  and  vow-offer- 
 ings, and  sent  them  away  with  a  commission,  and  bade  them  to 
 be  watchful.  And  as  they  went  forth,  behold  a  star  of  great 
 brightness,  bearing  on  its  surface  the  image  of  a  woman  with  a 
 child  in  her  bosom,  guided  and  accompanied  them  into  the  laud 
 of  Judea,  In  all  haste,  like  men  in  earnest,  they  accomplished 
 their  journey,  and  entering  the  cave  they  offered  their  gifts,  and 
 bent  to  Him  the  knee.  After  this  they  returned  to  their  own 
 land  continually  glorifying  God.  The  spiritual  essences,  those 
 who  dwell  in  the  regions  of  the  Spirit,  were  enraptured,  and  the 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  41 
 
 earthly,  such  as  were  alive  and  such  as  were  in  the  grave,  re- 
 joiced, saying  :  '  He  is  One  to  all  generations/ 
 
 {d)  .  .  .  .  "  From  these  things,  then,  let  us  rest  assured  that 
 the  Messiah  is  One  in  two  Natures,  and  two  Persons  subsisting  in 
 one  Farsopa  of  Filiation,  since  the  Natures  did  not  commingle; 
 and  in  like  manner  we  believe  of  the  Persons.  The  Son  of  the 
 Father  clothed  Himself  with  Him  of  Mary,  and  was  conceived 
 in  the  womb.  But  let  no  man  filch  a  word  from  this,  and  wil- 
 fully pervert  it  by  specious  philosophy,  so  as  to  conclude  that 
 there  are  two  Sons.  For  there  is  one  Son  only,  not  a  Son  and 
 a  Son  making  two  ;  but  One  Son,  we  repeat,  as  it  is  most 
 proper  to  maintain,  even  as  a  man  by  clothing  himself  with  a 
 garment  is  not  called  two  men.^"*  The  Will  of  the  Creator  des- 
 cended and  united  Itself  to  the  will  of  the  creature  :  the  Divine 
 Nature  clothed  itself  with  the  human  nature,  which  thus  became 
 co-equal  in  everything,  in  reverence,  in  worship,  and  in  praise, 
 for  they  have  but  one   Parsopa  ;  in  essence,  however,  not  so, 
 
 for  this  were  impossible Now,  in  what  we  have  laid  down, 
 
 there  is  no  doubt,  double-meaning,  or  equivocation  whatever; 
 neither  in  what  we  have  declared  is  there  any  folly  or  ignorance  ; 
 but  as  it  is  written,  all  has  been  arranged  in  a  '  goodly  and  plea- 
 sant way,^  and  after  a  suitable  order; — all,  we  say,  has  been 
 set  forth  worthily,  rightly,  truly,  firmly,  and  on  a  solid 
 foundation 
 
 (e)  "Behold  Him,  Who  is  clothed  with  light,  wrapped  in 
 swaddling  bands  ;  what  a  mystery  is  here  !  No  less  wonderful 
 is  it  that  He  Who  is  seated  on  the  throne  of  heaven  should  have 
 been  laid  in  a  manger  !  The  Ancient  of  times  became  a  Son 
 of  Mary  in  the  latter  time,  and  appeared  as  the  Father,  Lord, 
 and  Master,  of  the  sons  of  Adam,  loosing  from  ofi"  their  nature 
 the  bands  of  the  curse  and  of  sin,  and  causing  a  light  to  shine 
 forth  through  the  shadows  of  death.  The  sun  of  His  love  chose 
 an  orb  from  the  firmament  of  humanity,  and  made  the  rays  of 
 His  moon  to  be  the  rational  confidence  of  man  ;  so  that  hence- 
 forth the  gi'ossness  of  the  dark  earth  cannot  hide  the  one  from 
 the  other,  He  having  destroyed  it  by  the  splendour  of  His 
 brightness.  He  brought  down  the  Spiritual,  and  guided 
 it  to  the  nature  of  the  dust,  wherefrom  He  chose  Him  out 
 an  abode  to  manifest  forth  the  mystery  of  perfect  and  great 
 
42  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 salvation,  and  to  exhibit  true  liberty  to  the  children  of  flesh, 
 who  had  become  the  slaves  of  falsehood  and  error 
 
 {f)  '^A  daughter  of  man,  the  chaste  Virgin,  became  as  a 
 haven  of  safety  to  the  rational  vessel,  tossed  about  in  the  tem- 
 pestuous sea,  so  that  henceforth  the  wmds  of  error  are  power- 
 less to  drive  it  hither  and  thither,  nor  can  the  tumultuous 
 waves,  raised  by  Satan,  cause  trouble  to  its  rowers,  now  that  the 
 true  Jewel  has  been  brought  up  by  the  power  of  the  Almighty 
 arm  of  God,  enclosed  in  the  shell  of  the  chaste  Virgin,  and 
 elect  bosom,  which  shall,  having  indeed  the  companionship  of 
 a  human  body,  but  without  any  [conjugal]  intercourse,  open 
 upon  the  shore  of  the  cave  of  Bethlehem,  the  rivulet  of  which 
 is  small.  Towards  this  Jewel  we  bow  the  neck  and  shoulders, 
 and  for  it  we  barter  our  souls ;  because  it  sheds  forth  light  in 
 darkness,  and  is  a  Pearl  which  all  the  merchants  extol.  Not  all 
 the  wealth  of  the  world  can  purchase  it,  therefore  let  us  cast 
 away  all  our  silver  and  gold,  and  all  that  we  possess,  and  hasten 
 and  gaze  on  its  pure  and  varied  beauty,  so  that  perchance  its 
 reflection  may  be  impressed  upon  our  minds,  and  it  may  become 
 to  us  a  treasure  of  life  in  earthen  vessels 
 
 {g)  "  Behold  Adam,  the  begetter  of  nations,  is  begotten  again, 
 and  the  Creator  of  men  has  become  a  little  child  !  He  [the 
 first  Adam]  who  would  have  arrogated  to  himself  the  sovereignty 
 unreasonably,  took  it  [in  Christ]  when  He  was  born  an  infant. 
 Hail  to  thee,  0  daughter,  whose  Son  caused  fatherhood  to  exist ! 
 Hail  to  Thee,  0  Infant,  Who  filledst  the  womb  of  Thy  mother 
 with  grace  !  Hail,  Mary,  who  honouredest  in  thy  bosom  a  united 
 Man  filled  with  purity,  the  reasonable  temple  of  the  Divinity  ! 
 The  Holy  Spirit  was  the  Master  Who  wove  in  thee  the  taber- 
 nacle of  the  Humanity,  and  the  words  of  the  Angel  messenger 
 were  as  His  threads  thereto.  Hail  to  the  Begotten,  the  Un- 
 speakable, the  Wonder  working  !  Hail  to  the  Begotten,  the 
 equal  with  His  Father  in  dominion  and  sovereignty.  Who 
 became  the  origin  of  reconciliation  and  peace  ! 
 
 {h)  "  The  Sceptre  has  sprung  out  of  the  root  of  Jesse,  accord- 
 ing to  the  prophecies,  and  the  branch  has  arisen  out  of  his  stock, 
 as  had  been  declared,  and  the  Star  of  Jacob  has  appeared  from 
 the  Virgin,  the  second  heaven  full  of  purity. 
 
 [i)  "Let  us  rejoice  and  sing  praises,  let  us  be  merry  and  joy- 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  43 
 
 ful,  because  the  King  is  born  at  Epbratha,  and  has  received  the 
 adoration  of  sovereigns  through  their  gifts.  Let  the  priests  who 
 surround  the  altar  clap  their  hands,  and  let  the  Church  dance 
 for  joy,  since  He  is  born  Who  will  instantly  destroy  all  those 
 that  hate  her.  Let  the  heavens  rejoice,  and  let  the  earth  be 
 glad,  because  the  Lord  has  been  sent  to  create  peace  above  and 
 below,  and  to  make  all  one.  Henceforth  the  Leader  of  the 
 weak,  Who  has  been  exalted,  shall  abolish  death;  and  the 
 Strength  of  the  fallen,  Who  has  been  raised  up,  shall  drive  the 
 oppressor  far  off.  On  this  day  the  Law  of  despised  nature 
 puts  to  silence  the  scribes,  and  the  Barrier  of  tradition.  Which 
 has  been  broken  through,  shall  from  this  time  forth  annul  their 
 scriptures.  The  time  has  come  for  the  Holy  Church  to  adorn 
 her  neck  with  glory,  because  the  body  of  her  truth  which  was 
 wounded  is  now  suddenly  healed,  and  the  shoulders  of  her 
 children  are  freed  from  the  yoke  of  death. 
 
 {j)  "  That  which  good  and  righteous  men,  who  declared  the 
 set  seasons,  waited  for,  has  at  length  appeared  and  come  to 
 pass,  and  has  dazzled  the  minds  of  men;  the  Essence,  in  Itself 
 simple,  has,  by  a  wonderful  •  operation,  made  Itself  compound 
 through  the  different  'kinds  of  flesh ^  [1  Corint.  xv.  39,]  and 
 the  accidents  of  colour,  and  thereby  manifested  the  hidden 
 mysteries  of  Itself. 
 
 {k)  "  The  hope  of  the  good,  and  the  parables  of  the  just,  are 
 now  brought  to  light,  and  the  sayings  of  the  prophets  are  ful- 
 filled in  the  birth  of  the  Highest.  The  Fire  and  the  Spirit, 
 whose  mysteriousness  Moses  the  Prophet  worshipped  on  the 
 mount,  have  manifested  their  excellence  in  vile  flesh.  The  stone 
 cut  out  without  hands,  as  prophesied  of  by  Daniel,  appears  in 
 the  Child  born  without  conjugal  intercourse  or  connexion. 
 Though  the  seals  of  virginity  are  unbroken,  behold  a  child  is 
 found  wrapped  in  swaddling  bands,  even  as  Isaiah  had  declared, 
 that  a  Virgin  should  bring  forth  Emmanuel.  A  Branch  from 
 the  root  of  Jesse  sprouts  out  where  there  is  no  water ;  and  the 
 daughter  of  David  inwardly  magnifies  and  praises  the  Lord's 
 Son.  The  emblem  of  Aaron's  rod  that  budded  speaks  from 
 afar  that  the  tree  of  virginity  bears  fruit  without  having  been 
 watered.  The  prophets  figured  forth  the  hidden  mystery  of 
 Him  in  divers  manners,   and  in    various  ways  the    righteous 
 
44  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 declared  His  beauteous  signs,  and  those  who  searched  diligently 
 prefigured  Him  in  proverbs ;  but  the  perfect  accomplishment  of 
 the  whole  has  appeared  to  us  in  a  wonderful  mystery,  and  in  an 
 astounding  way.  He  covered  and  hid  His  dazzling  brightness 
 with  a  corporeal;  corruptible  and  vile  garment,  for  had  He 
 appeared  to  the  children  of  the  dust  in  His  glory,  who  could 
 have  looked  upon  His  Divine  splendour,  who  would  have  been 
 so  rash  as  to  gaze  upon  His  exalted  Image,  or  who  could  dare  to 
 conceive  of  Him  Who  is  beyond  all  conception  ?  Did  He  not 
 say  to  the  son  of  Amram  :  '  Turn  back,  for  no  man  can  look 
 upon  Me  and  live  V  Great  is  He  Who  is  Born,  Who  strikes 
 all  creatures  with  awe  ! 
 
 (l)  "  Hitherto  the  law  of  nature  was  in  force,  but  in  the  ap> 
 pearance  of  the  Saviour  from  a  virgin,  the  law  of  birth  from 
 [conjugal]  union  was  abrogated;  and  the  mind  that  would 
 comprehend  how  this  was  must  lose  itself  in  the  inquiry. 
 
 (in)  "  On  the  exalted  throne  of  that  glorious  Temple  whose 
 two  gates  are  built  in  wisdom  on  the  confines  of  the  two  worlds, 
 [reference  here  is  made  to  the  Divinity  and  Humanity  of 
 Christ,]  there  the  Lord  of  all  creation  sat  as  Supreme  Ruler. 
 Like  kings  who  take  a  survey  of  all  their  dominions  in  order  to 
 manifest  the  greatness  of  their  afifection  towards  the  nations 
 under  their  sway,  and  to  cause  peace  and  safety  to  dwell  among 
 them; — for  a  similar  end  the  Messiah,  the  King,  took  upon 
 Him  a  human  body,  that  the  two  worlds,  the  visible  and  invisi- 
 ble, might  be  comprehended  in  Him,  and  that  by  a  gate  within 
 a  gate  [the  Divine  Nature  hidden  under  the  Human]  He  might 
 bring  both  togethei",  and  join  them  in  One.  This  is  the  mystery 
 contained  in  the  words  spoken  by  the  Spirit,  that  from  a  daughter 
 of  David  and  of  Abraham  the  Messiah  should  be  born.  David 
 says  of  Him,  that  '  His  throne  shall  stand  as  the  sun,  and  shall 
 endure  as  the  moon  to  order  and  to  establish  all  things,'  that  is, 
 by  His  manifested  Divinity,  and  by  the  life  and  wisdom  of  His 
 Humanity ;  for  in  the  motions  of  Himself  He  comprehends  all 
 the  angels  in  the  highest,  and,  in  the  members  of  His  Body, 
 He  comprehends  man  who  is  on  the  earth,  thereby  fulfilling,  as 
 in  a  rational  way,  that  the  two  worlds  are,  by  the  pow^er  of  His 
 Spirit,  but  One  body,  and  He  is  that  very  One  Who  through 
 these  sees  the  things  which  we  cannot  see.     He  is  the  very  One 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  45 
 
 Who  makes  all  visible  creatures  to  subsist^  Who  tries  and 
 judges  them.  Before  the  Union  these  offices  belonged  to  the 
 Person  of  the  Divinity  j  afterwards  it  was  given  to  the  Person 
 of  the  Humanity.  And  since  all  these  things  are  fulfilled 
 in  this  Begotten  One,  He  is  therefore  Man  and  Lord  most 
 truly,  certainly,  and  beyond  all  doubt.  Let  our  abject  race, 
 therefore,  rejoice,  exult,  and  leap  for  joy,  since  the  King  of  the 
 highest  and  of  the  deep  came  down  in  order  to  raise  it  from  its 
 fall,  and  through  Him  the  pure  in  heart  see  God.  Let  not 
 heretics,  with  perverse  minds,  dispute  this  truth;  but  hence- 
 forward let  angels  and  men  rejoice  together,  because  they  shall 
 abide  one  Church  for  ever  .... 
 
 [n]  "  By  His  birth  He  has  opened  the  gates  of  the  highest 
 which  were  shut,  and  by  His  nativity  He  found  again  the  lost 
 sheep  of  the  Father,  as  was  figured  in  the  shepherds  who 
 crowded  round  the  manger,  praising  Him  Who  is  the  Good 
 Shepherd.  These  did  not  indeed  comprehend  the  meaning  of 
 the  occurrence  ;  but  nevertheless  they  took  up  and  repeated  the 
 song  of  the  angels.  For  in  those  days  men  were  like  beasts  in 
 every  thing,  living  like  brutes  in  sensual  lusts,  and  they 
 stumbled  in  their  goings  over  the  stumbling-block  of  sin  through 
 the  obliquity  of  their  souls  :  they  were,  moreover,  vain-glorious, 
 and  walked  after  the  law  of  their  nature  without  any  discern- 
 ment. And  whilst  in  this  condition,  led  about  forcibly  by  this 
 law  of  their  nature,  they  took  medicine  for  their  souls  from  the 
 manger  of  His  Body,  and  thus  prefigured  to  us  the  mystery  of 
 His  sacraments,  their  actions  loudly  proclaiming  and  foreshadow- 
 ing His  Body  as  our  meat,  and  His  Blood  as  our  drink,  which 
 fulfil  in  us  the  mystery  of  life.  Whilst  these  were  thus 
 engaged  round  about  the  manger,  the  angels  in  heaven  were 
 singing  praises  unto  Him  ;  and  let  us,  in  the  renewal  of  that 
 life  which  was  decayed,  join  in  their  exultations. 
 
 ( o)  "  The  Invisible  Will  came  down,  took  a  parsopa,  and  ap- 
 peared openly,  and  thereby  renew-ed  that  which  was  broken  up. 
 And  the  rain  of  the  wicked  one  descended  furiously  upon  Him, 
 because  without  water  He  made  the  rod  of  the  wonderful  Virgin 
 Child  to  bud,  and  without  germinating  heat  He  made  it  to 
 blossom  anew,  and  thereby  consummated  all  by  restoring  our 
 nature. 
 
46  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 [p)  "  The  form  which  had  been  marred  [human  nature]  was 
 again  glorified;  the  piece  of  silver  which  had  been  lost  was 
 found;  the  sheep  that  had  wandered  was  brought  home  safe; 
 the  hungry  prodigal  ate,  and  left  of  that  which  was  placed  before 
 him ;  the  leaven  leavened  the  three  measures  of  meal ;  the 
 stranger  in  Jerusalem,  who  had  fallen  among  thieves  that  robbed 
 him  in  the  descent  to  Jericho,  and  who  was  found  plundered, 
 wounded,  and  stricken,  despised,  and  cast  out,  has  been  healed, 
 since  the  Heavenly  Physician  has  been  sent  to  the  earth  to  dis- 
 pense medicine  to  the  aiflicted,  to  heal  the  sick,  and  to  give 
 sight  to  the  blind;  and  not  to  this  end  only,  but  also  to  break 
 the  gates  of  steel,  and  to  raise  the  dead,  because  His  power  is 
 great,  and  His  medicine  healing,  and  whatever  pleaseth  Him 
 that  He  doeth.  Therefore,  O  Christ,  Thy  birth  is  worthy  of 
 all  worship  and  praise. 
 
 {q)  '^The  wicked  one  foresaw  the  shadow  of  salvation  in 
 Moses,  and  hence  it  was  that  he  stirred  up  the  deceitful  Pharaoh 
 not  to  suffer  a  Flebrew  child  to  live,  thereby  hoping  to  destroy 
 Moses  among  the  children.  And  when  Satan  could  not  compass 
 this  his  wicked  end,  he  made  use  of  Herod  as  a  cloak,  whom  he 
 incited  to  slay  all  the  children  of  Bethlehem,  the  fool  thinking 
 in  this  way  to  destroy  Him  Who  gives  life  to  all.  (Consider 
 these  ways  of  the  Creator,  thou  discriminating  one,  and  ob- 
 serve how  His  providence  is  ordered  by  rule,  and  preserves  the 
 middle  of  the  road.  Who  can  deny  His  wisdom  but  the  unbe- 
 lieving; and  who  can  refuse  coming  to  Him  to  be  sanctified  but 
 the  impure  ?)  When  the  vile  fox  discovered  that  he  could  not 
 approach  the  place  of  the  Lion,  he  was  confounded  and  put  to 
 shame,  both  he  and  his  mean  instrument  with  him.  Then  the 
 Father  brought  His  Son  out  of  Egypt,  even  as  the  prophet 
 David,  that  lyre  of  the  Spirit,  had  declared  when  he  said  :  '  Out 
 of  Egypt  have  I  called  My  Son.^  (Attend  now,  thou  prudent 
 one,  and  perceive  how  he  reminds  us  of  the  things  relating  to 
 Moses  in  Egypt,  who  was  saved  from  the  water  in  an  ark  of 
 bulrushes,  even  as  Pharaoh  was  afterwards  drowned  by  water.) 
 The  birth  of  the  Saviour  at  Bethlehem,  which  spot  had  been 
 purchased  by  a  good  and  accepted  man  for  seven  sheep,  and 
 called  by  him  Ephratha  on  account  of  its  spring,  typifies,  declares, 
 and  makes  known  to  us  that  He  destroys  the  power  of  the  seven 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  47 
 
 carnal  lusts  which  matter  generates^  and,  moreover,  that  from 
 Him  shall  flow  forth  rivers  of  the  knowledge  of  the  fear  of  God, 
 which  shall  destroy  the  wicked  one  as  by  a  flood.  The  material 
 water  drowned  in  its  depths  the  material  man  [Pharaoh],  and 
 the  immaterial  water  drowns  the  immaterial  one  [i.e.  Satan]. 
 Behold  a  great  mystery !  Hail,  then,  to  the  economy  which 
 surpasses  all  comprehension  !  Hail  to  that  Providence,  the  story 
 of  which  strikes  even  the  pure  in  heart  with  awe  !  Behold,  on 
 this  day,  drink  is  set  down  in  the  place  appointed  for  meat,  from 
 the  manger  issues  the  spring  of  life,  which  is  meat  and  drink, 
 spirit  and  power,  unto  all  such  as  believe  on  Him,  but  a  drown- 
 ing flood  to  all  those  who  resist  Him.  Such  is  the  property  of 
 water,  that  it  quenches  the  thirst  of  the  thirsty,  and  destroys  the 
 rash  and  froward.  Here,  then,  in  the  cave  of  a  flinty  rock,  is 
 set  up  the  beautiful  stone,  the  very  building  of  the  Born  One, 
 the  Temple  of  the  Lord,  figuring  to  us  that  faith  in  Him  can- 
 not be  moved  for  ever  and  ever,  because  it  is  founded  on  a  truth 
 which  frees  the  world  from  all  doubt  and  uncertainty. 
 
 (r)  "  The  life-giving  Spirit  was  the  agent  in  His  pure  concep- 
 tion, and  gave  a  body  and  members  to  the  Infant  by  the  power 
 of  God,  and  joined  it  to  Him  in  one  immutable  parsopal  dignity, 
 not  to  be  changed  for  ever  and  ever 
 
 [s]  "Abraham,  Moses,  and  David,  were  truly  the  beauty, 
 excellency,  and  dignity  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  in  their  won- 
 derful actions  and  lives  figured  forth  the  mystery  of  the  Son. 
 Abraham  through  the  lamb,  Moses  through  the  fire,  and  the 
 illustrious  David,  in  all  his  actions,  ministered  to  the  mystery 
 of  Him.  Saul  persecuted  wdth  all  his  might  the  injured  David; 
 even  so  did  the  wicked  and  deceitful  Herod  [persecute  the  Sa- 
 viour]. On  David^s  account  the  priests  were  slain  by  the 
 sword  of  the  proud,  just  as  the  innocent  children  were  slaugh- 
 tered on  Christ's  account.  From  among  the  priests  Abiathar 
 was  the  only  one  saved ;  so  John  the  son  of  the  barren  ones  was 
 the  only  child  preserved.  David  fled  and  dwelt  among  the  Gen- 
 tiles; and  the  Son  of  David  fled  into  Egypt  from  the  hand  of 
 the  infidel.  The  high-priesthood  was  cut  ofi'  from  the  house  of 
 Eli  in  Abiathar ;  and  in  John  prophecy  ceased  in  the  house  of 
 Jacob.  And  whereas  He  twisted  the  Old  and  New  Covenants 
 into  one,  we  believe  that  He  is  Lord  of  both.     At  the  annun- 
 
48  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 ciation  He  was  called  Jesus,  that  is,  a  Saviour,  because  he  was 
 destined  to  redeem  men  from  the  power  of  the  Hater.  He  was 
 also  called  Christ,  a  name  of  union  and  of  dignity,  because  in 
 Him  a  new  life  was  joined  to  the  mortality  of  dust.  The  legal 
 shadow  has  now  passed  away,  and  the  light  has  broken  forth  in 
 the  renewing  of  the  Spirit,  not  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter. 
 The  gi'ace  of  the  Father  has  appeared  in  the  A¥onderful^Begot- 
 ten  One,  teaching  us,  as  it  is  written,  to  deny  ungodliness  and 
 worldly  lusts.  On  this  day  the  bark  of  prophecy  has  reached 
 the  shore ;  in  This  Begotten  One  all  the  types  are  fulfilled. 
 Water  and  clay  have  become  like  the  subtler  elements  of  air  and 
 fire,  since  Jesus  took  from  them  a  body.  Whereto,  then,  serve 
 the  orders,  multitudes,  classes,  and  appointments,  of  the  hea- 
 venly hosts  who  magnify  the  Lord  within  the  veil  ?  Whereto 
 the  circuits  of  the  spheres,  the  sun,  and  the  moon  ?  Whereto 
 the  sea  and  the  dry  land,  the  mountains  and  plains?  Where- 
 fore dost  thou  thus  ask,  0  inquirer  ?  Wouldest  thou  say  that 
 their  creation  was  superfluous,  or  that  humanity  could  have  done 
 without  them,  or  that  they  cannot  hide  that  radiance  ?  If 
 thereby  thou  meanest  what  the  apostle  did  when  he  said,  '  that 
 God  may  be  all  in  all,^  thoii  dost  rightly  interpret  the  mystery 
 of  the  perfect  man  [Saint  Paul],  for  this  is  its  true  signification. 
 For  the  Parsopa  of  the  Word,  as  on  this  day,  appeared  in  the 
 body,  and  has  centred  in  His  own  beauty  the  sight  and  contem- 
 plation of  all  minds.  Henceforth  men  will  not  be  deluded  into 
 the  worship  of  bulls  and  calves,  nor  be  attracted  after  the  bright 
 shining  of  any  of  the  planets.  But,  thou,  keep  this  charge  of 
 mine  and  be  watchful. 
 
 [t)  "  The  Church  exults  in  Thy  adorable  birth.  Thou  Saviour 
 of  the  world,  since  thereby  the  nations  and  the  nations  [Jews 
 and  Gentiles]  are  made  one,  and  the  shepherds  of  earth  and  the 
 angels  in  the  heavens  above  unitedly  sing  and  praise  Thee. 
 
 [v)  "  Let  the  Church  rejoice  in  this  first-born  of  festivals,  and 
 on  this  chief  of  her  solemn  assemblies,  in  the  contemplation  of 
 this  glorious  and  wonderful  providence,  and  let  her  with  watch- 
 ful mind  keep  guard  over  its  mysteries,  and  let  her  show  herself 
 beauteous  and  perfect  by  being  ready  to  do  good  deeds,  and  in 
 nothing  coming  short  of  perfection.  Let  her  bring  up  her  chil- 
 dren in  every  good  work  little  by  little,  and  at  all  times  cause 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  49 
 
 the  idea  of  the  Saviour's  Image  to  be  conceived  in  the  bowels 
 of  their  spiritual  thoughts,  in  order  that  Christ  may  be  truly- 
 formed  in  their  hearts,  as  saith  the  Apostle  Paul  in  his  Epistle. 
 For  such  is  the  profit  to  be  derived  from  all  the  festivals  observed 
 by  the  Church ;  and  unless  this  is  the  result,  all  our  labour  will 
 be  in  vain,  and  in  vain  all  the  round  whereby  we  commemorate 
 the  life  and  actions  of  the  Saviour.  0  God,  make  us  to  be 
 blameless,  that  we  may  live  in  purity,  in  faith,  and  in  a  right 
 spirit,  and  that  we  may  apprehend  salvation  by  the  eye  of  our 
 minds,  close  our  sight  against  every  earthly  lust,  and  lift  up  our 
 eyes  towards  the  high  and  heavenly  kingdom,  and  there  behold 
 Him,  Who  is  clothed  in  a  bodily  garment  hiding  therewith  His 
 dazzling  Form,  seated  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Almighty,  in- 
 visible to  mortal  ken.  And  as  we  have  honoured  this  festival  of 
 the  Nativity  wath  the  voice  of  the  [Church]  services,  so  may  we 
 sing  to  the  Begotten  in  the  mystical  Sion.  And  now  with  an 
 equal  praise  we  magnify  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
 because  He  has  saved  His  people  in  a  wonderful  way,  and 
 redeemed  us  with  a  mighty  arm. 
 
 (w)  "  We  praise  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  one 
 Essence,  because  He  has  saved  those  of  earth  by  the  birth  of  Jesus 
 Christ  ;  to  Him  be  glory.  And  may  this  illustrious  festival  of 
 the  Nativity  be  blessed,  and  Satan  driven  far  off  from  the  bap- 
 tized, and  may  the  grace  of  the  Adorable  Spirit  descend  upon 
 us.  To  the  erring  author  [of  this  hymn]  stretch  forth  Thy 
 hand,  0  Lord." — From  the  Khamees,  and  appointed  in  the 
 Gezza  to  he  read  on  the  Feast  of  the  Holy  Nativity. 
 
 §  7.  "  In  the  Name  of  God  the  Most  Merciful.  The  orthodox 
 creed  of  the  Nestorians,  drav/n  up  by  the  undeserving  Abd 
 Yeshua,  Metropolitan  of  Nisibis  and  Armenia,  Abd  Yeshua, 
 Metropolitan  of  Nisibis  and  its  dependencies,  says:  That  the  most 
 glorious  and  exalted  Creator  is  the  Existent,  the  Self-Existent, 
 the  One,  the  Truth,  the  only  One,  Who  is  not  susceptive  of 
 plurality  in  any  way,  Whose  Essence  is  eternal,  the  Wise,  the 
 Living.  Christians  apply  to  Him,  whose  Essence  is  eternal,  the 
 name  of  Father,  because  He  is  the  Cause  and  Source,  and  the 
 Maker  of  all  created  beings,  and  pre-existent  to  them  in  Nature 
 and  Essence.  They  apply  to  the  Wise  the  name  of  Son,  because 
 wisdom  is  begotten  of  the  Essence  of  the  Wise,  without  time 
 
 VOL.  II.  E 
 
50  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 [i.e.,  eternally]  or  separation,  or  diminution.  They  apply  to 
 the  Living  the  name  of  Holy  Ghost,  because  He  is  the  Living, 
 the  Eternal,  the  very  Spirit,  the  Holy.  And  this  is  what  they 
 mean  by  the  declaration,  that  God  is  Three  Persons,  One  Es- 
 sence, One  God.  Unity  is  ascribed  to  Him  becau  se  of  the  Unity  of 
 His  Essence,  and  Trinity  because  of  His  essential  proprieties.  And 
 they  believe  of  Christ  that  the  eternal  Word,  Who  is  the  Wis- 
 dom of  the  exalted  Creator  and  called  the  Son,  and  Who  is  one 
 of  the  Three  Persons,  as  we  have  stated,  dwelt  in  the  human 
 nature  taken  from  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  united  therewith. 
 Hence  the  name  of  Christ  has  a  double  meaning  with  them,  the 
 Divinity  and  the  Humanity,  and  hence  they  say  that  Christ  is 
 perfect  God  and  perfect  Man,  One  Lord. 
 
 "Now  union  implies  two  or  more  things  becoming  one  thing: 
 either  by  mixture  and  confusion  as  the  union  of  water  with 
 wine^^  by  mingling,  or  of  honey  with  vinegar  in  [the  drink  called] 
 sekinjebeen ;  or  by  construction,  as  the  union  of  wood  with  iron 
 in  the  manufacture  of  a  door  or  a  bed  ;  or  [a  union]  of  the  will 
 and  affections,  as  saith  the  Scripture,  '  the  multitude  of  them 
 that  believed  were  of  one  heart  and  one  soul ;'  or  of  parsopeita 
 as  the  union  of  a  sovereign  with  his  lieutenant  in  what  is  com- 
 manded and  in  what  is  forbidden  [i.e.,  the  order  of  the  one  is 
 equivalent  to  the  order  of  the  other]  ;  or  of  connexion,  as  saith 
 the  Scripture, '  a  man  shall  leave  his  father  and  mother  and  shall 
 cleave  unto  his  wife,  and  they  two  shall  be  one  flesh  •'  or  of 
 attachment  and  regard,  as  the  union  between  the  word  of  God 
 and  the  written  word  [i.e.,  he  who  reveres  the  one  reveres  the 
 other] . 
 
 "  Christians  hold  the  doctrine  of  The  Union  in  three  different 
 ways.  The  Jacobites  believe  that  the  union  was  of  the  Person 
 and  the  Nature  by  mixture  and  confusion ;  so  that  the  Eternal 
 Word  and  the  human  nature  taken  from  Mary  became  One 
 Nature  and  one  Person.  The  Melchites  believe  that  the  union 
 was  of  the  Person  and  not  of  the  Nature, — a  union  of  construc- 
 tion and  fabrication, — so  that  God  the  Word  and  the  Man  taken 
 from  Mary  became  two  Natures  and  One  Person.  The  Nesto- 
 rians  believe  that  the  union  was  of  anointment  [the  becoming 
 Christ]  and  filiation,  of  dominion  and  power, — a  union  of  will, 
 design,  affection,  honour,  and  parsopeita, — so  that  the  Eternal 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  51 
 
 Word  and  the  Man  taken  from  Mary,  two  Natures,  one  eternal 
 and  the  other  temporal,  and  two  Persons,  one  Divine  and  the 
 other  Human,  became  One  Son,  One  Christ,  in  will,  honour, 
 design,  affection,  reverence,  and  parsopeita. 
 
 "  In  answer  to  the  Jacobites  who  hold  that  the  Lord  Christ 
 is  one  Nature  aad  one  Person,  we  say  that  this  One  must  either 
 be  God,  [and  if  so]  there  is  no  humanity  with  Him,  and  thus 
 the  declarations  of  Scripture  which  refer  to  Him  are  impugned ; 
 or  This  [one  must  be]  Man,  and  thus  the  Divinity  is  destroyed, 
 and  the  sentences  of  the  Gospel  which  declare  His  existence  in 
 Christ  are  contradicted.  But  and  if  He  is  made  up  of  both. 
 His  two-fold  nature  [literally.  His  two-foldeduess]  is  destroyed, 
 and  He  must  be  a  third  thing  which  is  neither  God  nor  Man. 
 All  which  three  conclusions  are  impious;  and  the  preamble  also, 
 from  which  they  are  deduced,  viz.,  their  saying  of  Christ  that 
 He  subsists  in  one  Nature  and  one  Person,  is  an  impiety  and 
 gross  error. 
 
 "  In  like  manner  the  way  of  the  Melchites,  who  say  that  in 
 Christ  there  are  two  Natures  and  one  Person,  is  erroneous ; 
 because  this  statement  of  one  Person  is  like  the  previous  state- 
 ment of  one  Nature,  since  if  this  one  Person  is  the  Divine 
 Person  the  humanity  is  abolished  and  destroyed,  and  if  it  be  the 
 human  Person,  the  Divinity  is  abolished,  because  the  Person  is 
 the  first  essence  [or  principle]  which  betokens  the  reality  of  the 
 existence  of  the  general  essence,  as  Aristotle  has  proved ;  and  if 
 this  is  compounded  of  two  the  two-foldedness  is  destroyed,  and 
 the  two  essences  are  destroyed  [or  corrupted],  and  a  third  thing 
 results  which  is  neither  humanity  nor  Divinity,  all  which  three 
 conclusions  are  impious.  Now  if  the  error  of  these  two  ways  is 
 proved,  the  truth  of  the  third,  i.e.  of  the  Nestorian,  appears. 
 God  confirm  us  therein,  and  aid  us  in  that  work  which  may 
 bring  us  nigh  unto  Himself. 
 
 "  Here  endeth  the  creed ;  written  by  the  hand  of  the  author 
 in  the  early  part  of  the  month  Rebiaa  el  Awwel,  a.h.  698." 
 [a.d.  1298.] 
 
 §  8.  "  Who  can  mentally  conceive,  or  speak  and  declare  with 
 his  mouth,  of  that  chaste,  pure,  holy,  sanctified,  unknown  [by 
 man,]  and  unmarried  one,  ever  Virgin,  who  was  sanctified  from 
 the  womb^  and  chosen  from  the  belly,  to  be  an  abode^  dwelling- 
 
 E  2 
 
53  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 placCj  habitation^  temple,  resting-place,  tower,  palace,  and  throne, 
 for  the  ever  living  God  !  The  mouths  of  men  are  insufficient  to 
 praise  the  Mother  of  the  Lord  of  angels  and  of  men.  Those 
 in  the  body  come  short,  nor  can  the  spiritual  ones  attain  unto  it. 
 If  she  be  so  great  and  so  exalted,  how  can  vile  lips  declare  her  ! 
 For,  if  they  speak,  they  cannot  add  to  her  glory,  and  if  they  are 
 silent  they  cannot  lessen  it.  Who  believes  that  clay  can  adorn 
 pure  gold,  or  that  ashes  can  add  beauty  to  the  pearl  ?  An  un- 
 pleasant scent  cannot  add  sweetness  to  the  fragrance  of  exquisite 
 odour,  neither  can  a  rotten  rag  ornament  a  costly  garment. 
 Such  things  as  bitumen,  pitch,  and  brimstone,  do  not  enter  into 
 the  kingdom,  nor  are  they  suffered  to  come  in  contact  with  clean 
 vessels,  neither  are  they  brought  before  honourable  persons. 
 What  can  I  do,  then,  who  am  full  of  these  things  ?  What  have 
 I  to  bestow  upon  her  ?  Nothing  that  I  possess  can  profit  her. 
 I  would  not  give,  but  I  wish  to  receive,  0  Lord.  Grant  to  me, 
 therefore,  that  I  may  magnify  Thy  Mother  before  Thy  Church 
 and  before  Thy  people.  Spit  upon  the  bhnd  eyes  of  my  mind  a 
 pure  spittle  from  Thy  life-giving  mouth,  that  like  Bartimseus,  I 
 may  be  enlightened  in  Thee,  receive  light  from  Thee,  and  speak 
 through  Thee.  Thou  who  hast  made  me  worthy  to  hear  of  her, 
 make  me  at  the  last  to  look  upon  the  beauty  of  her  countenance. 
 I  know  that  I  am  vile,  therefore  I  flee  to  Thy  holiness.  Give 
 me  of  Thy  water,  0  fountain  of  life,  that  I  may  delight  in  Thee, 
 Thou  Tree  of  life.  Thou  art  the  Fountain  of  life,  and  Thy  Mo- 
 ther is  a  pure  garden.  The  fruit  which  Eve  did  not  see,  Mary 
 bare  and  nourished.  Eve  died  in  her  lust  after  it ;  but  thereby 
 Mary  received  life  herself,  and  imparted  life  to  others.  That 
 female  thief  [Eve]  did  not  find  this  fruit ;  but  the  guarded  and 
 sealed  one  found  it  in  herself.  Eve  who  did  not  guard  herself 
 inherited  a  curse,  and  gave  it  as  an  inheritance  to  her  children ; 
 but  Mary  who  guarded  her  members  freed  herself  and  gave  free- 
 dom to  all.  In  infancy  she  learned  how  to  walk  between  the 
 porch  and  the  altar.  Her  eyes  looked  not  upon  a  man,  neither 
 did  she  listen  to  his  words.  Her  lips  did  not  utter  fond  words 
 either  to  boy  or  girl.  She  did  not  put  forth  her  hand  to  re- 
 ceive, but  it  was  ever  stretched  out  to  bestow.  Her  foot  did 
 not  go  forth  to  the  market-place,  neither  did  it  wander  from  the 
 house  of  her  Lord.     Her  pure  person  was  clothed  with  a  cloud 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  53 
 
 of  modesty  and  dignity.  From  without  the  angels  kept  her, 
 and  from  within  her  wisdom  and  discretion  directed  her. 
 Twenty-two  psalms  of  David  are  appropriate  to  her.  The  1st 
 declares  her  perfection  and  purity ;  the  3rd,  the  persecutions 
 which  she  underwent ;  the  4th,  her  quietness ;  the  5th,  the  ma- 
 lice which  was  borne  towards  her;  the  15th,  her  righteousness; 
 the  16th,  the  guard  which  was  kept  over  her  ;  the  17thj  her  in- 
 tegrity ;  the  23rd,  her  good  education ;  the  26th,  her  watchful- 
 ness against  slipping ;  the  24th  declares  how  the  Lord  blessed 
 and  supported  her  on  the  earth ;  the  46th,  how  she  became  an 
 abode  for  the  Lord  the  Sanctifier  of  all ;  the  48th  also  witnesses 
 that  she  became  a  temple  for  the  Son  of  the  Highest;  the  61st 
 typifies  her  retiredness,  and  the  psalm  following,  her  success ; 
 in  the  87th,  it  is  said  that  the  Son  of  the  Highest  dwelt  in  her  ; 
 and  in  the  91st,  that  the  angels  kept  watch  over  her  body;  in 
 the  101st,  that  through  her  alone  He  appeared  to  the  world ; 
 and  the  large  psalm  on  perfection,  containing  in  its  alphabetical 
 division  the  mystery  of  numerical  perfection,  is  throughout  ap- 
 plicable to  Mary.  Psalm  137th  declares  how  she  confessed 
 the  Lord  with  her  mouth  and  mind;  and  Psalm  138th  how 
 the  right  hand  of  the  Lord  rested  on  her.  If  what  is  said  in 
 these  psalms  was  said  of  the  righteous,  yet  they  are  included  as 
 through  her,  and  in  her,  and  by  her.  This  is  she  who  was 
 never  known  of  man ;  she  is  the  ground  which  the  Lord  only 
 sowed.  She  is  the  door  spoken  of  by  the  prophet  Barbozi 
 [Ezekiel]  by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  which  is  shut,  and  which 
 none  can  enter  but  the  Lord  only  Who  enters  and  goes  out  by 
 it.  She  is  the  sealed  fountain  from  which  the  whole  world  have 
 quenched  their  thirst.  She  is  the  untouched  treasure  by  which 
 all  men  have  been  enriched.  This  is  she  in  whom  God  dwelt, 
 and  from  whom  sprang  the  Son  of  God.  This  is  she,  the  be- 
 gotten of  Eve,  through  whom  the  curse  of  Eve  is  loosed.  This 
 is  she,  the  daughter  of  the  earthly,  who  was  saluted  by  the 
 prince  of  the  spiritual  ones.  This  is  she  who  bare  Him  Who  is 
 the  Upholder  of  the  height  and  depth,  and  in  Whom  both  are 
 comprehended.  This  is  she  who  in  a  natural  way  brought  forth 
 a  GoD-Man  supernaturally.  This  is  the  Virgin  from  whom 
 aged  matrons  may  learn  all  piety.  This  is  the  poor  girl  who 
 was  reverently  adored  by  kings.     From  her  infancy  she  did  not 
 
54  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 lust,  and  to  her  old  age  none  lusted  after  her.  Her  infancy  was 
 spotless,  and  her  youth  immaculate.  Her  purity  was  uncor- 
 rupted,  and  her  disposition  without  disorder.  Her  heart  was 
 full  of  fear,  and  her  mind  full  of  faith.  Her  mind  believed  on 
 the  Lord,  and  her  body  was  guarded  against  men.  She  is  the 
 eyry  in  whom  the  King  of  Eagles  truly  dwelt.  No  nail  ever 
 lasciviously  pinched  her,  and  the  spirit  that  walketh  at  noon- 
 day never  accosted  her.  She  ever  abode  with  her  Infant,  and 
 after  man  she  never  walked.  Her  body  was  pure,  and  her  mind 
 full  of  holiness.  She  was  not  luxurious  in  eating,  nor  intem- 
 perate in  desire.  She  did  not  put  on  costly  raiment,  neither  did 
 she  pride  herself  in  ornament.  What  she  possessed  was  nothing, 
 and  the  fear  of  the  Lord  was  her  teacher.  The  mourning  of 
 Elijah  was  little  compared  to  hers,  and  she  was  incomparably 
 more  excellent  than  Daniel  who  hated  lust.  The  furnace  of 
 contrition  did  not  burn  in  her,  and  the  hunter  of  men  did  not 
 hunt  for  her  body.  She  did  not  fall  into  his  snare,  neither  did 
 she  stumble  through  his  wiles.  Woe,  woe,  unto  me !  what 
 have  I  said  ?  Little  indeed  have  I  declared  and  spoken  !  She 
 who  delivered  our  race,  whom  did  she  worship  ?  She  who  loosed 
 our  bands,  who  could  bind  her  ?  She  who  became  the  Mother 
 of  the  Lord,  how  could  she  become  a  nurse  to  the  son  of  any 
 other  ?  She  who  suckled  Him  Who  nurtures  all,  who  can  say 
 that  she  is  in  need  of  any  one  ?  She  who  ran  after  her  Son, 
 after  whom  else  could  she  run  ?  She  whom  angels  ministered 
 unto,  what  were  any  earthly  ones  to  her  ?  She  whose  Son  is 
 in  the  heaven  of  heavens,  who  says  that  any  one  is  to  be  com- 
 pared to  her  ?  She  whom  the  prophets  praise,  the  apostles  also 
 honour  and  glorify  her.  Who  knows  the  praises  which  she  is 
 truly  worthy  of !  In  her  lifetime,  men  died,  and  I  wonder 
 at  this.  In  her  death,  men  lived,  and  I  wonder  at  this  far 
 more.  While  living  she  was  dead  to  the  world,  and  in 
 her  death  she  called  the  living  and  gave  them  life.  The  pro- 
 phets issued  out  of  their  graves,  and  the  fathers  came  forth  out 
 of  the  dust  j  the  Apostles,  of  whom  some  were  dead  and  others 
 were  living  and  afar  off,  of  these  the  dead  arose,  and  those  afar 
 off  came  to  follow  her,  and  worthily  did  they  revere  and  praise 
 her  as  was  most  fit.  Angels  from  above  came,  as  they  were 
 ordered,  to  do  her  honour,  and  the  spiritual  ones  ministered 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  55 
 
 unto  her.  The  chiefs  among  the  angels  lauded  her ;  and  the 
 powers  strengthened  her  strength.  The  archangels  spread  out 
 clouds  of  light  for  her,  and  the  dominions  rejoiced  over  her. 
 The  principalities  delighted  in  her,  and  the  thrones  joined  in  her 
 praises.  The  seraphim  declared  her  body  blessed,  and  the 
 cherubim,  when  they  beheld  her  enter  their  ranks,  chanted 
 hallelujahs  to  her.  The  firmament  and  the  expanse  above  wor- 
 shipped her,  and  the  lightning  and  thunder  magnified  her,  and 
 her  Son.  The  rain  and  dew  which  nourish  the  seed  that  is 
 sown  emulated  her  breasts ;  but  she  it  was  who  nourished  Him 
 Who  is  the  Lord  of  all  seed.  The  morning  stars  worshipped 
 her,  and  the  sun  and  moon  bowed  the  head  to  her.  The  heavens 
 called  her  blessed,  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  joined  in  the  beati- 
 tude. The  Apostles  bare  her  body,  and  the  prophets  and  priests 
 followed  her  bier.  Angels  wove  crowns  for  her,  and  the  mouths 
 of  fire  extolled  her.  The  sick  and  afflicted  called  upon  her  name 
 and  were  healed,  and  when  she  rested  [died]  her  prayers  were  a 
 tower  of  help  to  all  the  distressed.  The  Jews,  however,  that 
 generation  of  vipers,  wished  to  burn  her  body,  and  collected 
 heaps  of  fuel  around  the  abode  of  the  Virgin ;  but  ere  they 
 kindled  it  a  fire  issued  therefrom  and  consumed  them,  so  their 
 priests  and  scribes  were  burnt,  as  were  also  the  sons  of  Aaron. 
 The  hair  of  their  chiefs  was  burnt,  and  their  hanging  locks  were 
 singed.  But  the  Virgin  came  forth,  and  fled  away  in  a  cloud, 
 and  with  her  choirs  of  angels  playing  on  their  trumpets  and 
 horns,  saying :  '  Blessed  art  thou,  0  Mary,'  and  all  joined  in 
 this  beatitude.  '  Blessed  art  thou,  0  Virgin,  who  wert  affianced 
 but  never  married,  and  never  known  of  man.  Blessed  art  thou, 
 O  woman,  who  hadst  a  Son,  and  yet  whose  virginity  was  never 
 loosed  by  man.  Blessed  art  thou,  0  mother,  without  a  father, 
 and  to  whose  Son  no  man  was  father.  Blessed  art  thou, 
 O  earth,  from  which  was  moulded  the  Lord  of  Adam  Who 
 dwelt  in  thee  bodily.  Blessed  art  thou,  0  unploughed  gar- 
 den, in  which  no  man  cultivator  ever  entered.  Blessed  art 
 thou,  0  unsowed  ground,  which  wast  never  sowed  by  the  sower. 
 Blessed  art  thou,  0  wonderful  tree,  which  broughtest  forth  a  most 
 wondei'ful  fruit.  Blessed  art  thou,  0  wonderful  bush,  which 
 wast  not  burnt  by  the  flame.     Blessed  art  thou,  since  the  rod  of 
 
56  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 the  son  of  Amram  witnessetli  of  thy  bosom  that  it  is  above  all. 
 That  rod  bare  almonds  without  being  planted,  and  in  like  man- 
 ner in  thy  bosom,  0  Mary,  a  Man  was  brought  forth.  Blessed 
 art  thou,  since  Isaiah  praised  thee,  calling  thee  a  Virgin,  and 
 thy  Son,  God.  Blessed  art  thou,  O  fleece  which  was  seen  by 
 Gideon,  and  through  which  fleece  he  learnt  thy  mystery.  The 
 dew  which  descended  thereon  descended  upon  no  other  place, 
 and  the  rain  which  fell  on  every  place  did  not  let  fall  even  a 
 drop  upon  her.  Blessed  art  thou,  0  city  placed  on  high,  and 
 O  dwelling-place  for  the  Son  of  the  Highest.  Blessed  art  thou, 
 0  heaven,  which  art  of  the  earth,  and  which  the  waters  that  are 
 above  the  heavens  envied.  Blessed  art  thou,  0  bodily  throne, 
 which  wast  envied  by  the  throne  of  light,  and  on  which  exalted 
 throne  the  Invisible  One  was  hid  for  a  long  time  without  appear- 
 ing unto  men.  Blessed  art  thou,  since  through  thee  salvation 
 from  destruction  has  come  to  Adam  and  to  his  children.  Blessed 
 art  thou,  since  through  thee  the  curses  against  women  have  been 
 removed.  Blessed  art  thou,  since  through  thee  women  cursed 
 of  old  are  blessed.  Blessed  art  thou,  O  Virgin,  who  didst  attain 
 old  age  without  losing  thy  virginity.  Blessed  art  thou,  O 
 Child-bearing  Virgin,  who  didst  bring  forth  without  being  un- 
 loosed or  corrupted.  Blessed  art  thou,  0  Mother,  whose  Son  is 
 greater  than  Abraham  His  ancestor.'  With  words  and  praises 
 like  these  did  the  heavenly  choirs  magnify  her.  As  to  myself, 
 bowever,  I  have  not  spoken  as  they  spoke,  neither  have  I  heard 
 as  they  heard ;  but  according  to  my  ability  my  weak  mouth  has 
 declared  her  story, — the  story  of  her  who  is  full  of  holiness.  I 
 myself  am  altogether  vile,  even  as  a  fountain  full  of  mire.  Have 
 pity,  have  pity  upon  me,  Thou  Who  art  full  of  compassion  I 
 Have  pity  on  me,  who  have  made  known  the  story  of  Thy  Mo- 
 ther. Forgive  me,  forgive  me.  Thou  merciful  One, — me  who 
 have  offered  to  Thy  Mother  this  sacrifice.  Do  thou  bestow  upon 
 the  author  of  these  few  words  far  more  at  the  wedding  [i.e.  in 
 heaven]  of  Thy  super-excellent  Mother.  He  has  spoken  imper- 
 fectly, do  Thou,  in  Thy  mercy,  perfect  him  to  higher  and  nobler 
 tasks  ;  and  may  the  Virgin's  prayers  be  a  wall  of  defence  to  all 
 the  world  which  ever  commemorates  her  festival  with  great  re- 
 joicings.   And  to  Thee,  0  Christ,  with  Thy  Father,  and  the 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  57 
 
 Holy  Spirit,  be  praise  for  ever  and  ever." — From  the  Warda, 
 and  appointed  to  be  read  on  any  of  the  festivals  commemorative  of 
 the  Blessed  Virgin. 
 
 See  also  Appendix  B.  Part  III.  c.  iv. — vii. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 I  have  quoted  thus  largely  under  this  article,  because  it  com- 
 prises the  chief  doctrine  for  which  the  Nestorians  are  adjudged 
 to  be  heretical.  What  Nestorius  himself  believed,  it  boots  not 
 to  inquire,  our  object  being  to  arrive  at  a  clear  knowledge  of 
 what  his  so-called  followers  have  held,  and  still  hold,  respecting 
 the  Person  of  our  Blessed  Saviour. 
 
 That  they  believe  Nestorius  to  have  been  orthodox  on  this 
 important  article  of  faith,  and  are  persuaded  that  they  agree 
 therein  with  him,  is  perfectly  plain  from  several  passages  in  the 
 above  extracts.  But  it  is  equally  clear  that  they  may  be  as  wrong 
 in  one  of  these  respects  as  they  are  in  the  other  :  for  they  may 
 not  really  hold  what  Nestorius  held,  notwithstanding  their 
 assurance  to  the  contrary.  This  assurance,  however,  leads 
 them  to  cherish  a  regard  for  his  person  corresponding  with 
 their  estimate  of  his  merits  both  as  a  teacher  of  the  truth,  and 
 as  a  sufferer  in  its  behalf.  Yet  this  regard  has  not  exceeded 
 the  reverence  in  which  they  hold  Athanasius,  Chrysostom,  and 
 other  famous  saints  of  the  Church.  His  name,  it  is  true, 
 is  frequently  mentioned  in  their  rituals,  as  is  also  that  of 
 Theodoras ;  but  neither  is  specially  canonized,^ ^  and  both  are 
 commemorated  on  the  same  festival,  styled  the  "  festival  of  the 
 Greek  Doctors,"  in  the  service  for  which  most  of  the  eminent 
 fathers  of  the  primitive  Church  are  recorded.  And  although 
 their  reputed  followers  do  not  scruple  to  confess  themselves 
 Nestorians,  still  if  the  term  is  applied  to  them  by  way  of  re- 
 proach, as  if  they  had  left  Christ  to  follow  a  mere  man,  they 
 are  ever  ready  to  resent  the  imputation,  and  to  vindicate  them- 
 selves by  denying  that  they  are  Nestorians  in  any  such  accepta- 
 tion of  the  term.  The  apology  of  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  conveys 
 their  sentiments  on  this  head  most  fully  :  "  The  Easterns,  how- 
 ever, who  never  changed  their  faith,  but  kept  it  as  they  received 
 it  from  the  Apostles,  were  unjustly  styled  'Nestorians,'  since 
 Nestorius  was  not  their  Patriarch,  neither  did  they  understand 
 
58  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 his  language  ;  but  when  they  heard  that  he  taught  the  doctrine 
 of  the  two  Natures  and  two  Persons^  one  Son  of  God^  one 
 Christ,  and  that  he  confessed  the  orthodox  faith,  they  bore 
 witness  to  him,  because  they  themselves  held  the  same  faith. 
 Nestorius,  then,  followed  them,  and  not  they  him,  and  that  more 
 especially  in  the  matter  of  the  appellation  '  Mother  of  God.' 
 Therefore  when  called  upon  to  excommunicate  him  they  refused, 
 maintaining  that  their  excommunication  of  Nestorius  would  be 
 equivalent  to  their  excommunication  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures 
 from  which  they  received  what  they  professed,  and  for  which 
 they  are  censured  together  with  Nestorius." 
 
 The  decrees  of  the  Council  of  Ephesus  they  do  not,  of  course, 
 receive,  but  whether  this  arises  from  any  essential  difference  in 
 the  faith  as  held  by  them,  or  from  a  misapprehension  of  the  terms 
 in  which  those  decrees  were  expressed,^^  it  remains  for  com- 
 petent authority  to  determine  after  full  examination  had  of  the 
 doctrines  contained  in  their  rituals.  It  is  worthy  of  note,  how- 
 ever, that  although  the  Gezza,  as  quoted  in  §  5  denounces  the 
 Chalcedonians,  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  considers  the  decrees  of  that 
 synod  orthodox  and  valid,  and  that  the  doctrine  of  the  One 
 Person  in  our  Blessed  Lord  was  declared  because  the  Greek 
 language  had  not  a  word  to  convey  the  idea  which  they  express 
 by  Parsopa.  Speaking  of  Chalcedon  he  says :  "  This  council 
 confirmed  the  confession  that  there  are  two  Natures  in  Christ, 
 distinct  in  the  attributes  of  each,  and  also  two  wills,  and  anathe- 
 matized all  who  should  speak  of  mixture  which  destroys  the  two 
 Natures.  But  because  in  Greek  there  is  no  difference  betvreen 
 the  meaning  of  the  word  Person  and  Parsopa,  they  confessed 
 but  one  Person  in  Christ."  Besides  this  testimony  to  the 
 council  of  Chalcedon  there  are  several  extracts  from  its  decrees 
 embodied  in  the  various  synodal  collections  in  use  among  the 
 Nestorians. 
 
 Further,  the  Divinity  and  Humanity  of  Christ  are  most  fully 
 declared  in  the  extracts  above  adduced ;  no  language,  indeed, 
 could  convey  these  truths  more  explicitly.  What,  for  example, 
 can  be  clearer  on  this  point  than  the  clause  in  §  1.  "  One  is 
 the  Messiah  adored  by  all  in  two  Natures,  Who,  as  touching 
 His  Godhead  is  begotten  of  the  Father,  without  beginning, 
 and  before  all  ages ;  and,  as  touching  His  Manhood,  was  born 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  59 
 
 of  Mary,  in  the  fulfilment  of  time,  a  body  of  union/^*  And, 
 again,  in  §  4.  "  He  Who  is,  by  His  Self-existence,  perfect 
 God,  the  Word,  abounded  in  His  compassion  for  our  frailty,  and 
 took  upon  Him  our  similitude  to  be  an  abode  for  His  Divinity, 
 raised  and  nailed  it  to  the  Cross,  and  yielded  it  up  unto  death, 
 thereby  to  give  us  life,  then  raised  it  again,  and  seated  it  in  the 
 heavens,  far  above  the  highest  dominions  and  powers/^  And, 
 once  more,  in  §  6.  e.  "  Behold  Him,  Who  is  clothed  with  light 
 wrapped  in  swaddling  bauds  ;  what  a  mystery  is  here  !  No  less 
 wonderful  is  it  that  He  Who  is  seated  on  the  thi'one  of  heaven 
 should  have  been  laid  in  a  manger  !  The  Ancient  of  times  became 
 a  Son  of  Mary  in  the  latter  times,  and  appeared  as  the  Father, 
 Lord,  and  Master,  of  the  sons  of  Adam." 
 
 In  these  passages  the  Only-begotten,  Who  appeared  in  the 
 flesh,  and  Who  is  called  "  the  Son  of  God,"  is  exhibited,is  not  as 
 a  Being  distinct  from  the  One  Supreme  God,  or  as  a  companion, 
 attribute,  reflection,  or  emanation  of  Divinity ;  but  as  the  Very 
 and  Only  God,  as  incapable  of  being  separate  in  essence  from  the 
 Father,  as  it  is  impossible  that  reason  should  be  separate  from 
 the  mind,  or,  to  use  the  scriptural  simile  adduced  by  Mar  Abd 
 Yeshua  in  his  chapter  on  the  Trinity,  as  that  the  bright  shining 
 of  the  sun  should  be  separate  from  the  sun  itself.  His  words 
 are  these :  '^  As  the  reasonable  soul  has  a  threefold,  energy, 
 mind,  word,  and  life,  and  is  one  and  not  three;  even  so  should 
 we  conceive  of  the  three  in  one,  and  one  in  three.  The 
 sun,  also,  which  is  one  in  its  disk,  radiance,  and  heat,  is  another 
 simile  adduced  by  the  second  Theologus  Paul,  the  chosen  ves- 
 sel : — '  He  is  the  brightness  of  His  glory,  and  the  Express 
 Image  of  His  Person  ;'  and,  again  :  '  Christ  the  power  of  God, 
 and  the  wisdom  of  God.'  "  The  Sonship  of  the  Son  is  a  pro- 
 prietj/f  of  the  One  Infinite  Indivisible  Essence,i9  and  is  called  a 
 
 *  Or,  "  a  united  body."  This  term  frequently  occurs  in  Nestorian  theology, 
 and  is  designed  to  express  that  body  which  the  Son  of  God  took,  and  in  which 
 His  Divinity  and  Humanity  were  conjoined  or  united. 
 
 f  I  have  used  this  word  propriety  ,^°  in  order  to  express  the  meaning  of  the 
 Syriac  deeleita,  which  literally  signifies  a  thing  or  attribute  belonging  to  some  one. 
 The  term  in  the  original  is  doubtless  derived  from  the  possessive  case  of  the  third 
 personal  pronoun,  viz.  His,  and  designates  that  which  the  Latins  signify  by 
 proprium,  as  when  they  say,  "  Proprium  est  Spiritui  Sancto  procedere."  Thus 
 the  deeleita,   (or  as  I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  write,)  the  propriety  of  the 
 
60  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 "  Person  "  to  distinguish  it  from  every  thing  else  which  it  is 
 not,  and  which  it  cannot  be,  for  there  is  no  other  thing  Hke  it, 
 and  all  comparisons  used  to  express  it  are  therefore  necessarily 
 defective.  On  this  subject  also  the  language  of  the  author  just 
 quoted  is  remarkably  plain  :  "  The  Self-existent  can  in  no  wise 
 be  susceptible  of  accidents.  The  three  proprieties  in  the  Divinity 
 must  be  essential,  and  are  on  this  account  called  Persons,  and 
 not  accidental  powers,  and  do  not  cause  any  change  or  plurality 
 in  the  essence  of  the  Self-existent;  for  He  is  the  Mind,  the 
 Same  He,  [or,  as  in  the  original.  He  He,]  is  the  Wisdom,  the 
 Same  He  is  the  Life,  Who  ever  begets  without  cessation,  [i.e. 
 there  was  no  time  in  which  He  did  not  beget  the  Son,]  and  puts 
 forth,  [i.e.  makes  to  proceed,^  without  distance,  [i.e.  without  re- 
 moval from  Himself.^^] 
 
 Should  any  further  testimony  be  required  in  order  to  estab- 
 lish the  perfect  unity  of  the  Son  with  the  Father,  as  held  by 
 the  Nestorians,  it  is  supplied  by  the  following  clause  in  §  6.  c. 
 "  The  spiritual  essences,  those  who  dwell  in  the  regions  of  the 
 Spirit,  were  enraptured,  and  the  earthly,  such  as  were  alive, 
 and  such  as  were  in  the  grave,  rejoiced,  saying  :  '  He  is  One 
 to  all  generations/  ''  and,  again,  in  par.  o.  "Whilst  these  shep- 
 herds were  engaged  round  about  the  manger,  the  angels  in 
 heaven  were  singing  praises  unto  Him  ;"  which  declaration  is 
 equivalent  to  saying,  that  He  Who  was  worshipped  in  the  man- 
 ger at  Bethlehem  was  the  same  Who  was  being  praised  by  the 
 hosts  above,  and  is  of  like  import  with  our  Blessed  Lord's  own 
 
 Father  is  Fatherhood,  the  propriety  of  the  Son  is  Sonship,  or  Filiation,  and 
 the  propriety  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  Procession. 
 
 The  above  remarks  are  illustrated  by  a  doxology  contained  in  the  Gezza,  and 
 appointed  to  be  read  in  the  service  for  the  Epiphany  :  "  Come,  my  beloved,  and 
 
 let  us  together  ascribe  triple  glory  unto  Him  whose  from  everlasting  are  JLJ^^.xJ_(lO 
 Kianayatha,  |LJL>1^»  deelaydtha,  and  jLtsjUJiO  maranaydlha.  {Ey']Kianaydtha 
 [we  understand]  eternity  and  creation,  which  are  His  Who  is  the  Cause  of  all- 
 [By]  deelaydtha,  which  are  also  truly  His,  [we  understand]  Paternity,  Filia- 
 tion, and  Procession.  [By]  maranaydtha,  which  are  also  undoubtedly  His, 
 [we  understand]  immutability,  incomprehensibility,  and  infinity." 
 
 The  term  "  essential  attribute  "  might  have  been  used  to  express  the  Syriac 
 deeleita;  but  the  word  "  attribute  "  being  also  used  to  designate  other  properties 
 of  God  immeasurably  distinct  from  this  peculiar  thing,  would  have  been  some- 
 what equivocal ;  so  I  chose  to  adopt  another  less  liable  to  be  misunderstood. 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  61 
 
 words:  "No  man  hath  ascended  up  to  heaven,  but  He  that 
 came  down  from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of  Man  whieh  is  in 
 heaven." 
 
 It  is  proper  to  note,  however,  that  §  6.  o.  begins  with  the 
 words  l"»'fy^^  t'''~H  ^^^  Invisible  or  Hidden  Will,  apphed  to  the 
 Sox  of  God.  Exception  might  justly  be  made  against  this  ap- 
 pellative, which  is  of  frequent  occurrence  in  the  Ncstorian 
 rituals,  did  it  stand  alone,  for  alone  it  seems  to  teach  that  not 
 God  the  Word,  but  the  Will  of  God,  as  an  attribute  or  property 
 of  the  Godhead,  was  that  which  became  incarnate.  The  term 
 is  hardly  a  safe  one,  but  the  following  extract  from  a  hyum  in 
 the  Kluhnees,  and  appointed  to  be  read  on  the  Feast  of  the 
 Ascension,  is  sufficient  to  show  that  the  Nestorians  hold  no  such 
 heresy,  but  use  the  appellative  when  speaking  of  the  second 
 Person  of  the  glorious  Trinity  in  the  same  sense  as  in  Scripture 
 the  name,  "Word  of  God"  is  applied  to  llim. — "The  Invisi- 
 ble Will  has  returned  to  His  own,  and  has  ascended  up  to  the 
 heaven  of  heavens.     The  gates  of  the  sky  were  opened  unto 
 
 Him,  and  the  planets  were  confounded  in  their  courses 
 
 The  Son  of  the  Essence  of  the  glorious  Father  has  ascended." 
 In  this  quotation,  the  titles  "  Invisible  Will,"  and  the  "  Son  of 
 the  Essence  of  the  glorious  Father,"  are  evidently  cognate  or 
 commutable  terms  denoting  the  second  Person  incarnate,  and 
 not  a  mere  attribute  of  the  Divinity.  There  is  also  a  coinci- 
 dence between  the  extract  just  quoted  and  that  referred  to  in 
 §  6.  0.,  which  clearly  shows  that  the  two  appellatives  refer  to 
 the  Person  of  the  Son.  The  latter  begins  with  |->-£ao  tr'-^^ 
 •fc^^*-'  "the  Invisible  Will  descended,"  and  the  former  with 
 )^mo  t"^  cn»i>^)L^  )jj»  "  the  Invisible  Will  returned  to  His 
 own."  And  the  Warda,  in  a  poem  on  "  the  man  who  went 
 down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho,"  has  the  following  clear  decla- 
 ration bearing  on  the  same  subject :  "  If  the  Father  was  in 
 Him,  and  He  in  the  Father,  who  can  draw  a  distinction  between 
 Him  and  the  Father,  but  such  as  deny  the  Father,  and  have 
 Satan  for  their  teacher  V 
 
 The  doctrine  of  the  perfect  humanity  of  the  Son  is  so  firmly 
 held  by  the  Nestorians,  that  if  they  are  in  error,  it  arises  from 
 their  steadfast  resolution  to  hold  this  truth  whole  and  undefiled. 
 His  immaculate  conception  by  the   Holy  Ghost  of  the  Virgin 
 
62  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Mary  is  too  plainly  taught  in  the  above  extracts  to  need  any 
 comment.  The  author  of  the  Khdmees,  as  quoted  in  §  6.  b. 
 goes  so  far  as  to  say  that  "  He  was  borne  in  the  womb  accord- 
 ing to  the  laws  and  peculiarities  of  nature,  and  was  brought 
 forth  by  His  mother  through  the  ....  pangs  of  labour  ;"*  and 
 the  condemnation  contained  in  §  5.  is  directed  against  the  dif- 
 ferent heresies  which,  in  their  estimation,  go  to  destroy  the  per- 
 fect humanity  of  the  Saviour.  He  was  everything,  say  they, 
 that  man  is,t  sin  only  excepted,  and  therefore,  they  add,  He 
 must  have  a  Person  as  man  has,  otherwise  He  would  be  man 
 imperfectly.  Every  nature  must  have  a  person  in  order  to  sub- 
 sist, and  without  which  it  cannot  subsist ;  so  argues  Mar  Abd 
 Yeshua  after  Aristotle,  "  since  the  Person  is  the  first  essence  or 
 principle  which  betokens  the  reality  of  the  existence  of  the 
 general  essence."  And  the  same  author  in  Appendix  B.  part 
 iii.  c.  5,  reasons  thus  :  "  The  Divine  Nature  and  Person,'^^  before 
 and  after  the  union,  is  an  eternal,  uncompounded  Spirit.  But 
 the  human  nature  and  person  is  a  temporal  and  compound  body. 
 Now,  if  the  union  destroys  the  attributes  which  distinguish  the 
 Natures  and  Persons  in  Christ,  either  the  one  or  the  other  of 
 these  becomes  a  nonentity,  or  they  become  a  thing  which  is 
 neither  God  nor  man.  But  if  the  union  does  not  destroy  the 
 attributes  which  distinguish  the  Natures  and  Persons  in  Christ, 
 then  Christ  must  exist  in  two  Natures,  and  two  Persons,  which 
 are  united  in  the  ParsopaX  of  Filiation/'  This  human  Person, 
 however,  was  so  intimately,  and  after  a  manner  so  incomprehen- 
 
 *  The  idea  conveyed  in  the  latter  part  of  this  quotation  is  contradicted  by 
 many  eminent  Nestorian  writers,  and  especially  by  Yohanan  bar  Zoobi. 
 
 f  They  support  this  by  Heb.  ii.  24  :  "  Forasmuch  then  as  the  children  are 
 partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  He  also  Himself  took  part  of  the  same;''  and 
 verse  17  :  "  Wherefore  in  all  things  it  behoved  Him  to  be  made  like  unto  His 
 brethren." 
 
 X  This  term, 2^  peculiar  to  Nestorian  theology,  and  the  derivation  of  which  is 
 doubtful,  though  usually  derived  from  irpScranroj/,  is  often  understood  to  signify 
 "aspect,"  or  "appearance;"  but  such  a  rendering  is  far  from  expressing  the 
 idea  which  their  writers  thereby  design  to  convey.  The  unutterable  manner  in 
 which  the  Son  is  of  the  Father,  and  therefore  in  a  certain  sense,  distinct 
 from  the  First  Person  of  the  Trinity,  though  ever  One  with  Him,  and  which 
 manner  of  being  of  ^they  express,  as  we  have  already  shown,  by  the  word 
 deeleita,  appears  to  supply  a  clue  to  the  idea  which  they  intend  by  the  term 
 Parsopa.     They  wanted  a  word  \o  express  distinctly  that  Person  of  the  Trinity, 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  63 
 
 sible^  joined  to  the  Divine  Person  in  the  Parsopa  of  the  Word, 
 that  what  the  Humanity  did,  that  the  Divinity  did,  and  yet  in  no 
 such  way  or  sense  as  that  we  should  be  necessitated  to  ascribe 
 
 Who  is  the  Son  and  not  the  Father,  and  not  the  Holy  Spirit,  Which 
 Person  and  no  other,  took  man's  nature,  and  this  they  called  Parsopa. 
 
 The  following  creed  drawn  up  by  Yohanau  bar  Zoobi,  an  ancient  eminent 
 writer  among  the  Nestorians,  throws  some  light  on  this  difficult  subject : — "  I 
 believe  in  One  God,  Who  is  the  everlasting,  self-existent,  subsisting  in  three 
 Persons,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  The  Father  is  Father  from 
 eternity  ;  the  Son  is  the  Begotten  from  eternity  ;  and  the  Spirit  from  eternity 
 is  Proceeding. — One  Essence  co-equal  in  its  self-existence.  These  are  united 
 and  not  distinguishable  in  Essence  or  in  their  Persons  ;  but  the  Persons  are 
 distinguishable  the  One  from  the  other  by  their  names  and  proprieties.  There  is 
 no  distinction  in  Essence,  because  the  Essence  is  One,  neither  is  there  any  dis- 
 tinction by  or  through  the  Persons  because  of  infinity  ;  since  if  you  would  dis- 
 tinguish the  Person  of  the  Father  in  order  afterwards  to  adduce  the  Person  of 
 the  Son,  where  will  you  find  a  place  for  it  .'  And  if  there  is  no  place  which  can 
 contain  the  Persons  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  where  will  you  place  the  Holy 
 Spirit  in  order  to  distinguish  It  ?  Whereas  myriads  of  worlds  like  ours  would 
 not  su-ffice  to  contain  One  Person  of  the  Self- Existent.  The  Father  is  God 
 and  an  Essence  because  of  His  Person,  The  Son  also  is  God,  and  an 
 Essence  because  of  His  Person.  And  in  like  manner,  the  Holy  Ghost 
 is  God  and  an  Essence  because  of  His  Person.  By  this  name  of  '  God  '  and 
 '  Essence,'  each  is  all  and  the  whole,  and  they  are  not  three  Essences  or  three 
 Gods.  Hence  they  are  not  distinguishable  in  Essence  or  Person  -^^  but  by  the 
 proprieties  and  the  names  of  the  Parsopas.  The  propriety  of  the  Father  is  that 
 He  is  Begetter  and  not  Begotten,  the  Cause,  and  Paternity,  which  denote  the 
 name  of  His  Person.  The  propriety  of  the  Son  is  that  He  is  Begotten  and  not 
 Begetter,  Filiation,  and  the  Being  caused,  which  denote  the  name  of  His  Person. 
 Ihe  propriety  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  that  He  is  neither  Begetter  nor  Begotten, 
 but  Caused  and  Proceeding,  which  denote  the  name  of  His  Person.  The 
 Father  is  Father,  and  not  the  Son  or  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  is  distinguished 
 from  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit  by  the  parsopa  of  Fatherhood.  The 
 Son,  also,  is  Son,  and  not  the  Father  or  the  Spirit,  and  is  distinguished  from 
 the  Father  and  the  Spirit  by  the  parsopa  of  Filiation.  The  Holy  Spirit  is 
 the  Spirit,  and  not  the  Son  or  the  Father,  and  is  distinguished  from  the  Son 
 and  the  Father,  by  the  parsopa  of  Procession,  There  is  no  distinction  between 
 the  Persons  in  the  propriety  of  the  Essence,  for  they  are  co-equal  in  the  essential 
 propriety  general  [to  the  Three  Persons.]  The  propriety  of  the  general  Essence 
 is  spirit,  eternity,  nature,  Divinity,  Sovereignty,  judgment,  authority,  infinity, 
 creation,  immortality,  and  so  forth.  The  proprieties  of  the  Persons,  however,  are 
 those  which  are  peculiar  or  proper  to  each  of  them.  The  proprieties  of  the  Essence 
 are  general  to  all  the  Three  Persons,  and  the  equality  subsisting  in  the  Essence  is 
 of  these  proprieties  of  that  Essence ;  so  that  the  Father  is  not  before  the  Son, 
 nor  the  Son  before  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  neither  is  the  Father  greater  than 
 the  Son,  nor  the  Son  greater  than  the  Holy  Ghost.  Let  Arius  and  Sabellius, 
 therefore,  be  confounded.     A  notion  of  priority,  however,  may  arise  in  the  joro- 
 
64  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 to  the  GoDhead  any  of  the  frailties  of  the  Manhood.  The  im- 
 passibility of  the  Divinity  is  a  truth  acknowledged  by  all,  nor 
 does  it  appear  to  me  that  the  Nestorians,  by  their  theological 
 system,  make  the  mysterious  fact  one  whit  plainer,  that  the 
 Word,  Who  is  very  God  of  very  God,  was  born  of  Mary,  suJffered, 
 died,  was  buried,  rose  again  from  the  dead,  ascended  into  heaven, 
 from  whence  He  shall  come  at  the  end  of  the  world  to  judge  the 
 quick  and  the  dead.  The  Parsopa  does  indeed  indicate  the  Son 
 as  distinct  from  the  Father,  that  is,  that  it  was  the   Son  and 
 
 prieiies  of  the  Persons,  because  we  say  that  the  Father  is  the  Cause,  and  the  Son 
 and  Holy  Ghost  Caused  ;  as  also  from  our  enumerating  the  Son  and  Spirit 
 after  the  Father.  But  whoever  thus  thinks  is  in  error  ;  for  when  it  is  said  of 
 the  Father  that  He  is  the  Cause  it  is  meant  that  He  is  the  Cause  of  the 
 proprieties  of  the  Parsopas  and  not  the  Cause  of  the  Persons,  for  otherwise  co- 
 equality  would  be  destroyed.  Moreover  the  numbering  of  the  Father,  Son,  and 
 Holy  Ghost  does  not  beget  priority  or  inferiority  in  the  Persons,  for  it  is  the 
 orderly  enumeration  of  the  proprieties  of  the  Parsopas  ;  and  the  Holy  Trinity 
 is  not  a  subject  of  numbers,  for  numbers  we  ascribe  to  things  tangible,  and 
 everything  that  is  the  subject  of  numbers  is  subject  also  to  place,  time,  and  limit. 
 But  the  Holy  Trinity  is  without  time  or  place.  In  numbering,  the  second 
 follows  the  first,  and  the  fourth  the  third  ;  but  in  the  Adorable  Trinity  the 
 Second  does  not  come  after  the  First,  nor  the  Third  after  the  Second  ;  but  [we 
 say]  One  Father,  One  Son,  One  Spirit,  indivisible  Three  Persons,  One 
 Essence — One  Essence,  Three  Persons." 
 
 From  the  above  it  would  seem  that  by  the  "  Parsopa  of  Filiation,"  the  Nes- 
 torians  mean  that  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  Who  through  the  Infinite 
 Essence  is  the  Son,  in  His  special  office  of  Son,  and  for  which  our  theology 
 supplies  no  equivalent  term.  The  nearest  approach  to  it  with  us  is  when 
 we  asci'ibe,  often  in  a  very  lax  way,  different  offices  to  the  Three  Persons 
 of  the  Trinity  in  the  universal  Providence.  As,  e.g.  when  we  say  that  Crea- 
 tion is  the  peculiar  office  of  the  Father,  Redemption  of  the  Son,  and  Sanctifi- 
 cation  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Nestorians  would  not  ascribe  these  distinctions 
 to  the  Persons  of  the  Godhead,  which  being  infinite,  may  not  be  distinguished, 
 but  to  the  Parsopas  of  the  Three  Persons  of  Which  the  Self-Existent  is  the 
 Cause,  but  which  nevertheless  are  eternal,  since  the  Son  is  the  Begotten  from 
 eternity  :  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  Proceeding  from  eternity  ;  and  infinite,  also, 
 through  the  proprieties  of  the  Persons  appertaining  to  each,  and  through  which 
 all  partake  of  the  same  One  Divine  Essence,  and  are  One  in  It. 
 
 These  efforts  to  interpret  the  majestic  declarations  of  Holy  Writ,  I  hesitate  to 
 denounce  as  vain  and  curious,  or  to  judge  as  rash  and  erroneous,  since  they  bear 
 the  impress  of  deep  reflection  and  devout  reverence,  and  may  eventually  be 
 found  to  be  in  accordance  with  Catholic  truth  ;  still  the  more  one  pursues  such 
 inquiries  the  more  he  finds  cause  of  being  thankful  for  the  comparatively  simple 
 creed  which  the  primitive  Church  has  bequeathed  unto  us  as  a  sacred  deposit, 
 and  perpetual  gift. 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  65 
 
 not  the  Father  Who  thus  became  Man ;  but  this  Parsopa  they 
 admit  to  be  the  second  Person  of  the  Glorious  Trinity,  in  and 
 by  that  Person  equal  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 and  One  in  every  way  with  the  Infinite  Self-Existent ;  and  in 
 and  by  His  Parsopa  likewise  not  less  than  the  other  Two  Persons 
 of  the  Trinity  in  all  the  essential  attributes  of  the  Godhead, 
 (though  distinct  through  it)  but  ever  One  with  the  Father  and 
 the  Holy  Ghost  "in  dominion  and  power,  will,  design,  affec- 
 tion, honour  and  Parsopa"  as  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  declares  in  his 
 creed  given  in  §  7. 
 
 The  frequent  occurrence,  however,  of  the  words  "temple," 
 *'  abode,"  and  "  tabernacle,"  as  applied  in  the  Nestorian  rituals 
 to  the  body  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  seems  at  first  sight  to  convey 
 the  idea  that  the  Only-begotten  selected  some  particular  man,  and 
 then  dwelt  in  Him,  which  interpretation  in  no  way  answers  to 
 the  force  of  the  scriptural  declaration  *  the  Word  was  made  flesh." 
 But  a  passage  in  §  3  contradicts  such  an  opinion.  "  When  the 
 angel  assured  the  Virgin  that  her  wonderful  conception  should 
 be  of  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  she  believed  that  what 
 had  been  announced  to  her  would  take  place ;  andi  forthwith  the 
 Word  made  for  Himself  a  reasonable  abode,  and  made  it  His 
 temple.  Not  that  He  first  formed  it,  and  afterwards  dwelt  in 
 it ;  for  He  wove  a  temple  to  clothe  Himself  withal,  and  clothed 
 Himself  therewith  when  He  wove  it,  that  this  His  clothing  might 
 not  be  any  other  than  the  clothing  of  the  Word,  which  He  wrought 
 for  Himself," — that  is,  "  He  became  what  He  was  not  before. 
 He  took  into  His  own  Infinite  Essence  man's  nature  itself,  in  all 
 its  original  fulness,  creating  a  body  and  soul,  and,  at  the  moment 
 of  creation,  making  them  His  own,  so  that  they  were  never  other 
 than  His,  never  existed  by  themselves  or  except  as  in  Him,  being 
 properties  or  attributes  of  Him  (to  use  defective  words)  as  really 
 as  His  Divine  goodness,  or  His  Eternal  Sonship,  or  His  perfect 
 likeness  to  the  Father.  And  whilst  thus  adding  a  new  nature 
 to  Himself,  He  did  not  in  any  respect  cease  to  be  what  He  was 
 before.  How  was  that  possible?  All  the  while  He  was  on 
 earth,  when  He  was  conceived,  when  He  was  born,  when  He 
 was  tempted,  on  the  cross,  in  the  grave,  and  now  at  the  right 
 hand  of  God, — all  the  time  through  He  was  the  Eternal  and 
 
 vol.  ii.  p 
 
68 
 
 THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Unchangeable  Word,  the  Son  of  God."*  That  the  Nestorians 
 thus  believe  2*  of  the  Second  Person  of  the  Glorious  Trinity  made 
 man  is  clear  from  §  6,  par.  c.  "The  Begotten,  the  Highest, 
 the  Ancient  of  Days,  Who  has  set  us  free,  drew  milk  from  the 
 breast  as  do  sucklings  and  infants,  was  bound  in  swaddling 
 clothes,  and  was  placed  in  a  manger  like  a  child  of  the  poor  and 
 needy,  although  He  is  verily  and  indeed  the  King  of  kings  to 
 Whom  the  highest  worship  is  due."  And,  again,  in  par.  m. 
 "David  says  of  Him,  that  ^His  throne  shall  stand  as  the  sun, 
 and  shall  endure  as  the  moon  to  order  and  to  establish  all 
 things ;'  that  is,  by  His  manifested  Divinity,  and  by  the  life  and 
 wisdom  of  His  Humanity;  for  in  the  motions  of  Himself  He 
 comprehends  all  the  angels  in  the  highest,  and  in  the  members 
 of  His  body  He  comprehends  man  who  is  on  the  earth,  thereby 
 fulfilling,  as  in  a  rational  way,  that  the  two  worlds  are,  by  the 
 power  of  His  Spirit,  but  one  body,  and  He  is  that  very  One  Who 
 through  these  sees  the  things  which  we  cannot  see.  He  is  the 
 very  One  Who  makes  all  visible  creatures  to  subsist.  Who  tries 
 and  judges  them.  Before  the  Union  these  offices  belonged  to 
 the  Person  of  the  Divinity ;  afterwards  it  was  given  to  the 
 Person  of  the  Humanity.  And  since  all  these  things  are  ful- 
 filled in  this  Begotten  One,  He  is  therefore  Man  and  Lord, 
 most  truly,  certainly,  and  beyond  all  doubt."  And,  again,  in 
 par.  e.  "  Behold  Him,  Who  is  clothed  with  light,  wrapped  in 
 swaddling  bands  ;  what  a  mystery  is  here  !  No  less  wonderful 
 is  it  that  He  Who  is  seated  on  the  throne  of  heaven  should  have 
 been  laid  in  a  manger  !  The  Ancient  of  times  became  a  Son 
 of  Mary  in  the  latter  time,  and  appeared  as  the  Father,  Lord, 
 and  Master  of  the  sons  of  Adam." 
 
 But,  further;  any  notion  of  duality  on  account  of  their 
 confession  of  two  Persons  in  our  blessed  Lord  is  repudiated  in 
 the  strongest  language  by  the  Nestorians,  not  only  by  the  addi- 
 tion of  the  "  One  Parsopa,"  but  also  by  their  reiterated  declara- 
 tions. Thus  in  §  3  we  read,  "  there  is  plurality  in  the  Natures, 
 but  these  subsist  in  One,  their  proprieties  subsisting  in  One  Par- 
 sopa of  Filiation."  Again  in  §  6,  c.  "  The  spiritual  essences' 
 who  dwell  in  the  regions  of  the  Spirit  were  enraptured;  and  the 
 *  Newman's  Parochial  Sermons,  Vol.  III.,  Serm.  12. 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  67 
 
 earthly,  such  as  were  alive,  and  such  as  were  in  the  grave,  re- 
 joiced, saying :  '  He  is  One  to  all  generations/  "  And,  again, 
 in  par.  d.  "From  these  things  let  us  rest  assured  that  the 
 Messiah  is  One  in  two  Natures  and  two  Persons  subsisting  in 
 One  Parsopa  of  Filiation,  since  the  Natures  did  not  commingle ; 
 and  in  like  manner  we  believe  of  the  Persons.  The  Son  of  the 
 Father  clothed  Himself  with  Him  of  Mary,  and  was  conceived 
 in  the  womb.  But  let  no  man  filch  a  word  from  this,  and  wil- 
 fully pervert  it  by  specious  philosophy  so  as  to  conclude  that 
 there  are  two  Sons.  For  there  is  one  Son  only,  not  a  Son  and 
 a  Son  making  two ;  but  One  Son,  we  repeat,  as  is  most  proper 
 to  maintain." 
 
 That  the  Nestorians  believe  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of 
 God,  and  the  union  of  the  Divine  and  human  Natures  in  Him, 
 to  be  an  incomprehensible  mystery,  the  extracts  adduced  under 
 this  article  most  fully  testify.  What,  for  example,  can  be  ckarer 
 on  this  point  than  the  following  clause  from  §  3  ?  "  The  de- 
 scent of  the  Word  is  inexplicable,  and  is  beyond  the  examination 
 of  all  inquirers,  and  the  Union  so  exalted,  that  no  words  can 
 express  it."  And,  again,  in  §  6,  par.  /.  "  Hitherto  the  law  of 
 nature  was  in  force,  but  in  the  appearance  of  the  Saviour  from 
 a  Virgin,  the  law  of  birth  from  ||conjugal]  union  was  abrogated, 
 and  the  mind  that  would  comprehend  how  this  was  must  lose 
 itself  in  the  inquiry."     See  also  par.  h,  passim. 
 
 That  the  Nestorians  further  believe  the  union  of  the  Divine 
 and  Human  natures  in  the  Person,  or  Parsopa  of  the  Son  to  be 
 indissoluble  is  equally  plain.  Thus  in  §  1  we  read,  "  Therefore, 
 O  Lord,  we  worship  Thy  Divinity  and  Thy  Humanity  without 
 dividing  them ;  for  the  power  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost,  is  one,  the  sovereignty  is  one,  and  the  will  is  one." 
 And  in  §  6,  par.  s.  **  The  life-giving  Spirit  was  the  agent  in 
 His  pure  conception,  and  gave  a  body  and  members  to  the 
 Infant  by  the  power  of  God,  and  joined  it  to  Him  in  one  inimit- 
 able parsopal  dignity,  not  to  be  changed  for  ever  and  ever." 
 And  again  in  par.  v.  "  0  Lord,  make  us  blameless,  that  we 
 may  live  in  purity,  in  faith,  and  in  a  right  spirit,  and  that  we 
 may  apprehend  salvation  by  the  eye  of  our  minds,  close  our  sight 
 against  every  earthly  lust,  and  lift  up  our  eyes  towards  the  high 
 and  heavenly  kingdom,  and  there  behold  Him,  Who  is  clothed 
 
 F  2 
 
68 
 
 THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 in  a  bodily  garment  hiding  therewith  His  dazzling  form,  seated 
 on  the  right  hand  of  the  Almighty,  invisible  to  mortal  ken." 
 
 It  appears,  therefore,  that  the  Nestorians  adopted  the  symbol 
 of  two  Persons  and  One  Parsopa,  in  order  to  point  out  the  par- 
 ticular Person  of  the  Holy  Trinity  Who  became  Man,  and  at 
 the  same  time  to  maintain  the  doctrine  of  the  impassibility  of 
 God,  which  they  believed  to  be  impugned  by  the  Monophysite 
 doctrine  of  one  Nature  and  one  Person  in  our  Blessed  Lord. 
 Whether  they  have  succeeded  in  this  design,  or  made  the  truth 
 plainer  than  it  is  in  the  Catholic  confession  of  two  Natures  and 
 One  Person  is,  to  say  the  least,  very  doubtful;  but  whether  they 
 hereby  deny  or  controvert  the  teaching  of  the  Church,  it  is  for 
 the  Church  to  determine.  The  same  object,  doubtless,  has  led 
 them,  in  discoursing  of  His  works,  to  distinguish  between  the 
 Christ  Who  lived  on  earth  and  the  Son  of  God  Most  High,  an 
 example  of  which  is  given  in  the  beautiful  hymn  contained  in  §  5, 
 and  which,  amidst  the  numerous  alterations  made  by  the  Chaldeans 
 in  the  Nestorian  rituals,  has  been  allowed  to  remain,  and  is  still 
 used  by  them  in  its  original  form.  Many  of  our  own  orthodox 
 theologians  frequently  adopt,  as  a  matter  of  necessity,  the  same 
 style  of  speaking  and  writing  when  treating  of  the  Divine  and  Hu- 
 man Natures  in  Christ  ;  and  the  Nestorians  base  the  propriety 
 of  so  distinguishing  between  them  on  such  passages  of  the  Scrip- 
 ture as  the  following. — "  And  Jesus  increased  in  wisdom  and 
 in  stature,  and  in  favour  with  God  and  man.''  "  Jesus,  a  Man 
 approved  among  you  by  miracles,  and  wonders,  and  signs,  which 
 God  did  by  Him  in  the  midst  of  you."  "  There  is  One  God^ 
 and  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  the  Man  Christ 
 Jesus."  "  The  head  of  every  man  is  Christ;  and  the  head  of 
 the  woman  is  the  man;  and  the  head  of  Christ  is  God." 
 "  This  Jesus  Whom  ye  crucified,  God  has  made  Him  Lord 
 and  Christ.'     See  Appendix  B.     Part  iii.  c.  v. 
 
 But  another  cause,  which  I  conceive  to  have  influenced  the 
 Nestorians  to  adopt  the  confession  of  two  Persons  in  Christ, 
 is  referable  to  the  Syriac  rendering  of  several  passages  in  the 
 New  Testament.  Thus,  for  example,  the  passage  in  S.  John  v. 
 26.  "  For  as  the  Father  hath  life  in  Himself,  so  He  hath 
 given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  Himself,"  reads  thus  in  the 
 Syriac  version :  "  For  as  the  Father  hath  life  in  His  Person 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  69 
 
 [aknooma,']  so  hath  He  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  His  Per- 
 son "  [aknooma.']  If,  say  they,  it  is  maintained,  that  the  Father 
 gave  life  to  the  Person  of  the  Son,  i.e.  the  Divine  Person,  this 
 is  an  error,  since  in  His  Divine  Person  He  is  equally  Lord  of 
 life  with  the  Father  from  everlasting ;  therefore,  they  conclude, 
 it  was  given  to  the  human  Person  of  the  Son.  And  this  inter- 
 pretation ttey  support  by  the  verse  following :  "  and  hath 
 given  Him  authority  to  execute  judgment  also,  because  He  is  the 
 Son  of  Man.'' 
 
 The  third  verse  of  the  first  chapter  of  Hebrews,  which,  is 
 rendered  as  follows  in  the  Syriac,  is  also  adduced  to  the  same 
 end  :  "  Who  being  the  brightness  of  His  glory,  and  the  express 
 image  of  His  essence,  and  upholding  all  things  by  the  word  of 
 His  power,  when  He  had  by  His  Person  purged  our  sins,"*  &c. 
 The  argument  from  this  passage  is,  that  the  Person  here  men- 
 tioned must  be  that  of  the  human  nature,  since  the  Divine  Per- 
 son is  impassible.  Nevertheless,  as  we  have  seen,  they  do  not 
 separate  the  Divinity  from  the  humanity,  but  believe  them  to  be 
 united  indissolubly  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 It  now  remains  that  something  should  be  said  on  the  rejec- 
 tion by  the  Nestorians  of  the  title  Qsoroxog.  It  is  not  to  be 
 doubted  that  however  much  the  design  has  been  forgotten, 
 this  appellative  was  originally  meant  not  to  exalt  the  person 
 of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  but  to  declare  the  truth  of  Christ^s 
 Divinity  and  Humanity,  and  with  this  object,  I  conceive 
 the  council  of  Ephesus  adopted  it.  Even  the  learned  Lu- 
 theran divine  Doctor  Mosheim  calls  the  title  "  a  trite  and 
 innocent  term,"t  and  our  own  Nelson,  rightly  apprehending  its 
 true  import,  sanctions  and  approves  of  it.  His  answer  to  the 
 query,  "  Why  is  the  blessed  virgin  Mary  styled  the  mother  of 
 God  V  is  as  follows  :  "Because  the  second  Person  in  the  blessed 
 Trinity,  the   Son  of  God,  by  virtue  of  an  eternal  generation, 
 
 *  The  Nestorians  in  their  rituals  frequently  use  the  term  aknooma,  which  in 
 these  passages  of  the  Syriac  is  used,  to  express  the  "  Himself"  of  the  English 
 version.  Thus  in  the  service  appointed  in  the  KhudJira  for  Good  Friday  we 
 read:  "  Christ,  Who  by  the  sacrifice  of  Himself  [His  aknooma^  has  saved  us, 
 have  pity  upon  His  Church  redeemed  through  His  cross,"  According  to  their 
 theology  the  Human  Person  of  the  Saviour  which  was  joined  to  the  Divine 
 Person  in  the  Parsopa  of  the  Word  is  here  meant. 
 
 t  Ecclesiastical  History,  Cent.  V. ,  c.  v.  §  9. 
 
70  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 vouchsafed  to  descend  from  heaven,  and  to  stoop  so  low  as  to 
 enter  into  the  womb  of  the  virgin  ;  where  being  united  to  our 
 nature,  which  was  formed  and  conceived  there.  He  submitted  to 
 a  second  generation  according  to  the  flesh.  So  that  this  Son 
 of  God  was  truly  the  Son  of  the  virgin,  and  consequently,  she 
 that  brought  forth  the  man  was  really  the  mother  of  God,  and 
 by  her  cousin  Elizabeth  she  is  styled  the  mother  of  her  Lord  ; 
 which  word.  Lord,  was  accounted  equivalent  to  the  word  God."* 
 But  the  Nestorians  rendered,  so  to  speak,  immeasurably  more 
 jealous  of  the  doctrine  of  God's  impassibility  by  the  Eutychian 
 heresies  which,  by  confounding  the  human  and  Divine  Natures, 
 seemed  to  lead  to  the  monstrous  conclusion  that  the  Godhead 
 suffered,  shrunk  from  the  use  of  a  term  which  savoured  of  the 
 very  essence  of  Monophysitism,  and  finding  no  authority  for  it 
 in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  they  rejected  it,  as  they  do  at  this  day. 
 Their  reasons  for  so  doing  are  given  seriatim  in  Appendix  B. 
 Part  iii.  c.  vi.,  each  and  all  of  which  tend  to  confirm  what  has 
 been  suggested,  that  an  innate  horror  of  Eutychianism  led  them 
 to  denounce  the  title  as  verging  on  blasphemy.  They  flattered 
 themselves,  perhaps,  that  by  adopting  the  confession  of  two 
 Natures,  two  Persons  one  Parsopa,  they  avoided  the  semblance 
 of  ascribing  passibility  to  God,  and  fortified  their  theology 
 against  so  gross  an  error  far  better  than  it  could  be  secured  by 
 the  Catholic  doctrine  of  two  Natures  and  one  Person,  whereas, 
 so  far  as  I  may  judge,  they  can,  agreeably  with  its  teaching, 
 apply  the  title  of  QsoTOKog  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  in  the  true  Catholic 
 sense,  as  consistently  as  Nelson  could. 
 
 The  quotation  given  in  §  8  affords  decisive  proof  that  in  reject- 
 ing the  appellative  "  Mother  of  God,"  the  Nestorians  do  not 
 intend  to  detract  aught  from  the  blessedness  of  the  Virgin  Mary. 
 On  the  contrary,  the  whole  tenour  of  the  poem,  and  there  are 
 many  of  like  import  in  their  rituals,  goes  to  substantiate  the 
 fact,  that  if  they  have  erred  in  this  respect,  the  error  lies  in 
 their  tendency  to  Mariolatry,  of  which  they  can  hardly  be  pro- 
 nounced innocent  by  the  most  lenient  judgment.  However,  not 
 to  enlarge  on  this  point,  which  will  be  treated  of  more  fully 
 hereafter,  it  is  clear  from  several  passages  in  the  extract  referred 
 
 *  Festivals  and  Fasts  of  the  Church  of  England.     Art.  "  the  Annunciation  of 
 the  Blessed  Virgin.'' 
 
THE    INCARNATION.  71 
 
 to,  that  the  Nestorians  do  not  believe  the  Virgin  Mother  to  have 
 brought  forth  a  mere  man.  She  is  therein  styled  "  the  abode 
 and  temple  of  the  ever-living  God  ;"  "  this  is  she  in  whom  God 
 dwelt,  and  from  whom  sprang  the  Son  of  God  ;"  "  this  is  she 
 who  bare  Him  "Who  is  the  upholder  of  the  height  and  depth, 
 and  in  Whom  both  are  comprehended;  this  is  she  who  in  a 
 natural  way  brought  forth  a  God-man  supernaturally  ;  ^'Blessed 
 art  thou  since  Isaiah  praised  thee,  calling  thee  a  Virgin,  and  thy 
 Son,  God."  And  if  any  further  testimony  is  required  it  is 
 supplied  by  a  passage  in  the  Gezza  appointed  to  be  read  on  the 
 festival  of  the  Nativity,  where  the  following,  among  other 
 reasons,  is  given  why  Mary  continued  a  virgin  after  the  birth  of 
 the  Saviour, — "The  fourth  reason  was  in  order  that  Mary 
 might  prove  that  she  did  not  bring  forth  a  mere  man ;  but  that 
 she  brought  forth  the  Christ,  as  it  is  written.  Whose  power 
 kept  her,  so  that  her  virginity  was  not  lost." 
 
 The  design  of  the  Incarnation  of  our  Blessed  Saviour,  which 
 is  the  subject  of  the  latter  clause  in  the  Article  at  the  head  of 
 this  chapter,  is  so  clearly  and  so  fully  declared  in  the  extracts 
 adduced,  that  no  explanatory  remarks  seem  called  for,  more 
 especially  as  the  doctrine  of  the  Atonement  will  come  under  con- 
 sideration in  the  sequel. 
 
72  THE   NESTOEIANS   AND    THEIR   RITUALS, 
 
 CHAPTER    VIL 
 
 OP    THE    GOING    DOWN    OF    CHRIST    INTO   HELL, 
 
 "  As  Christ  died  for  ns,  and  was  buried,  so  also  it  is  to  be  believed^  that  He 
 went  down  into  Hell." — Article  III. 
 
 §  1 .  "0  Thou  Living  one  Who  descendedst  to  tie  abode  of  the 
 deadj  and  preaehedst  a  good  hope  to  the  souls  whieh  were  detained 
 in  sheol,  we  pray  Thee,  O  Lord_j  to  have  mercy  upon  us/'  From 
 a  litany  appointed  in  the  Khudhraybr  Easter  Mve. 
 
 §  2.  "  He  was  laid  in  the  grave  and  guarded  in  vain.  He 
 remained  three  days  in  skeol,  then  arose  and  shook  its  founda- 
 tions."    From  a  psalm  appointed  to  be  read  on  the  same  Eve. 
 
 In  the  same  service,  Ps.  v.,  vi.,  vii.,  and  bxxviii.,  are  applied 
 to  the  descent  of  Christ  into  hell. 
 
 §  3,  '^Blessed  is  the  King  Who  descended  into  sheol,  and 
 hath  raised  us  up,  and  Who  by  His  resurrection  hath  given  the 
 promise  of  regeneration  to  the  human  race."  From  a  canon  in 
 the  Khudhra  appointed  for  Easter  day. 
 
 §  4.  "  Let  us  give  thanks  to  our  King  and  Saviour  Who 
 came  in  His  love  to  renew  all  men.  ....  Who  after  His  death 
 descended  into  sheol,  where  for  the  space  of  three  days  He  over- 
 came the  wicked  one,  cast  him  down,  put  him  far  off,  and  took 
 possession  of  his  kingdom.  Who  came  forth  from  among  the 
 dead  as  a  Giant,  and  led  out  thence  the  captivity  of  His  people 
 who  were  imprisoned  in  the  pits  of  sheol,  and  were  the  food  of 
 death."     From  a  psalm  in  the  Khudhra  appointed  for  Easter  day, 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 According  to  the  Nestorian  theology  death  passed  upon  all 
 men,  before  the  Saviour  offered  up  His  atoning  sacrifice,  be- 
 
THE    DESCENT    INTO    HELL.  73 
 
 cause  of  the  transgression  of  Adam,  the  federal  head  of  the 
 human  race.  By  death,  however,  they  do  not  appear  to  mean 
 the  bare  separation  of  the  soul  from  the  body ;  but  a  certain 
 power  also  which  Satan  was  permitted  to  exercise  over  the 
 after-condition  of  such  as  died.  These  were  retained  in  sheol,  or 
 as  S.  Peter  affirms  hv  (pvXaxrj,  a  place  of  safe  keeping,  until  the 
 Saviour  had  satisfied  the  offended  law  of  God,  and  expiated 
 man's  guilt  upon  the  cross.  Afterwards  He  went  down  into  the 
 place  of  departed  spirits  to  preach  the  gospel  of  the  Atonement, 
 and  released  the  souls  of  the  righteous  which  were  detained 
 there,  rescued  the  captives  of  death  and  the  grave,  and  placed 
 them  in  Paradise,  that  place  of  ^^many  mansions,"  where  they 
 rest  in  peace,  joyfully  awaiting  the  time  of  their  resurrection 
 and  perfection  in  eternal  glory.  Hence  they  appear  to  believe 
 that  under  the  old  dispensation  death  prevailed  over  all  men  in 
 a  way  in  which  it  does  not  prevail  over  the  justified  since  the 
 offering  up  of  the  all-atoning  sacrifice,  i.e.,  that  death  was  then, 
 in  a  certain  sense,  more  penal  than  it  is  now, — that  then  all 
 died,  as  it  is  declared  of  Abraham  and  all  the  Fathers  before  the 
 death  of  Christ,  and  went  to  a  place  from  which  Christians  who 
 do  not  die  but  ^^fall  asleep,"  "sleep,"  and  "rest,"*  are  ex- 
 empted. Consequently  they  understand  the  words  of  our  Lord, 
 "  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  he  that  believeth  in  Me 
 though  he  were  dead  yet  shall  he  live,  and  whosoever  liveth  and 
 believeth  in  Me  shall  never  die,"  to  mean  that  those  who  believed 
 on  Him  before  He  had  finished  the  work  of  redemption  died 
 after  a  manner  in  which  those  do  not  die  who  depart  this  life  in 
 the  faith  of  His  glorious  Atonement ;  and  from  this,  they  say, 
 we  can  understand  what  the  Saviour  declared  of  John  the 
 Baptist,  when  He  said :  "  Among  them  that  are  born  of  women 
 there  hath  not  risen  a  greater  than  John  the  Baptist ;  notwith- 
 standing he  that  is  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater 
 than  he." 
 
 The  following  from  the  Khudhra,  appointed  for  the  Easter 
 service,  throws  additional  light  on  the  extracts  already  quoted. 
 "  Adam  in  the  beginning  trampled  upon  the  law  at  the  sug- 
 gestion of  the  wicked  one,  who  thereupon  claimed  the  recom- 
 pense of  unrighteousness  from  the  child  Adam  in  Paradise. 
 *  See  Acts  vii.  60?  1  Thess.  iv.  14  ;  Heb.  iv.  1—11 ;  Rev.  xiv.  13. 
 
74  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Adam  gave  him  his  body  in  pledge,  which  death  seized  upon, 
 took  into  sheol,  and  then  made  it  the  food  of  noisome  insects. 
 He  was  cast  into  sheol  devoid  of  all  help,  and  there  he  bewailed 
 his  lot ;  but  God  heard  the  voice  of  his  moaning,  and  visited  him 
 through  that  Just  One,  the  First-fruits  of  us,  Who  had  created 
 him  after  His  own  image,  lest  that  image  should  continue  to  be 
 despised.  The  Word  of  God  descended  from  on  high,  came 
 down  to  us,  took  our  body,  and  went  forth  against  sin  and  de- 
 stroyed it,  because  it  had  been  the  cause  of  the  destruction  of 
 the  hfe  of  Adam." 
 
75 
 
 CHAPTER   VIII. 
 
 or    IHB    RESURRECTION    OP    CHRIST. 
 
 "  Christ  did  truly  rise  again  from  death,  and  took  again  His  body,  with  flesh, 
 bones,  and  all  things  appertaining  to  the  perfection  of  man's  nature ;  wherewith 
 He  ascended  into  heaven,  and  there  sitteth,  until  He  return  to  judge  all  men  at 
 the  last  day." — Article  IV, 
 
 §  1.  "Christ,  Who  by  the  resurrection  of  His  holy  body, 
 gave  us  the  promise  of  a  general  resurrection,  that  we  should 
 arise  after  the  renewal  of  His  resurrection,  — ■■  have  mercy 
 upon  us. 
 
 "  Jesus,  Who  in  His  risen  body  appeared  ofttimes  to  His 
 disciples,  and  breathed  into  them  His  Spirit,  and  they  received 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  and  Who  by  His  resurrection  made  all  to 
 rejoice  and  exult, — have  mercy  upon  us."  From  a  Litany  ap- 
 pointed in  the  Khudhra  for  New  Sunday,  or  the  first  Sunday 
 after  Easter. 
 
 §  2.  "  Christ  Who  is  the  first-fruits  of  the  salvation  of  man- 
 kind, has,  by  His  rising  again,  certified  the  resurrection  of  our 
 corruptible  bodies.  After  His  resurrection  from  the  dead  He 
 appeared  to  the  disciples,  and  Thomas  saw  and  touched  the 
 mark  of  the  spear,  and  the  wounds  of  the  nails  wherewith  He 
 had  been  nailed  by  those  wicked  ones  who  pierced  Him,  and 
 who  are  destined  once  more  to  behold  that  same  One,  when  He 
 shall  come  again  in  His  great  glory .'^  From  the  service  ap- 
 pointed in  the  Khudhra /or  New  Sunday,  or  the  first  Sunday  after 
 Easter. 
 
 §  3.  "  On  the  triumphant  festival  of  the  King  Who  ascended 
 in  the  clouds,  and  went  to  the  holy  of  holies  in  heaven,  as  it  had 
 been  foretold,  He  was  glorified  by  the  spiritual  ranks  of  the  cheru- 
 
76  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 bim  and  seraphim  who  sing  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  and  was  welcomed 
 with  awe  by  the  thrones,  dominions,  and  powers  above.  The 
 evangelical  apostles  wondered  when  they  beheld  the  clay  of  the 
 corporeal  and  the  despised  nature  of  the  earthly  ones  thus 
 praised  and  extolled  by  the  heavenly  ones.  Let  us  also  who  are 
 of  the  earth  with  our  tongues  laud  and  magnify  Him  for  ever, 
 and  let  us  ceaselessly  celebrate  the  praises  of  Him  from  "Whom 
 all  help  doth  come.^^  From  the  service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra 
 for  Ascension  day. 
 
 §  4.  "  On  the  day  of  the  great  ascension  of  the  heavenly 
 King  of  kings  to  the  height  of  the  highest  heavens.  He  lifted 
 up  His  holy  hands  and  blessed  the  disciples,  then  separated 
 from  them,  and  ascended  up  in  glory  into  heaven.  A  cloud  of 
 light  received  Him,  and  hid  Him  from  the  eyes  of  the  disciples, 
 and  so  they  saw  Him  no  more.  Then  there  appeared  unto  them 
 two  angels  in  white  apparel  who  said  unto  them :  '  Ye  men, 
 why  are  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven  ?  This  same  Jesus  Who  is 
 taken  up,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner,  in  glory,  in  the  day  of 
 the  great  resurrection.'^     From  the  Khudhra,  ut  supra. 
 
 §  5.  "  He  who  is  by  His  Self-existence  perfect  God,  the 
 Word,  magnified  His  compassion  towards  our  weakness,  took 
 upon  Him  our  likeness  to  be  the  abode  of  His  Divinity,  lifted  it 
 up  and  nailed  it  to  the  cross,  and  surrendered  it  up  unto  death 
 thereby  to  give  us  life,  then  raised  it  up,  and  seated  it  in  the 
 heavens  far  above  all  principalities  and  powers.^'  From  the  ser- 
 vice appointed  in  the  Khudhra /or  the  day  after  the  festival  of  the 
 Ascension. 
 
 See  also  chap.  vi.  §  6,  par.  v. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 The  above  extracts  most  fully  declare  the  certainty  of  our 
 Blessed  Lord^s  resurrection  and  ascension  in  the  same  body  in 
 which  He  lived  and  suffered,  and  the  assurance  which  this  fact 
 affords  of  our  own  resurrection  to  eternal  life  in  endless  glory, 
 if  we  truly  trust  in  Him  who  tasted  death  for  every  man,  and 
 opened  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  believers. 
 
 Appendix  B.,  Part  V.  c.  vii.,  contains  an  excellent  exposition 
 of  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  and  the  nature  of  the  re- 
 wards which  shall  be  dispensed  by  the  Redeemer  in  His  glori- 
 
THE    RESURRECTION    OP    CHRIST.  '^ 
 
 fied  body  on  the  day  of  final  judgment.  That  day  shall  not 
 come  "until  the  tenth  circle  shall  be  made  up  from  among  men^ 
 then  shall  the  end  be,  and  the  cutting-off  of  time  shall  come, 
 and  shall  not  fail."  This  passage,  which  is  of  like  import  with 
 the  prayer  in  our  own  Burial  Service,  "  We  beseech  Thee,  that 
 it  may  please  Thee,  of  Thy  gracious  goodness,  shortly  to  accom- 
 plish the  number  of  Thine  elect,  and  to  hasten  Thy  kingdom," 
 suggests  the  beautiful  idea,  that  the  nine  circles  of  the  heavenly 
 hosts  are  imperfect,  until  another  shall  be  fully  formed  from 
 among  the  redeemed  of  earth,  who  shall  sing  the  song  of  Moses 
 and  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
78  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    IX. 
 
 OF    THE    HOLY    GHOST. 
 
 "  The  Holy  Ghost,  proceeding  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  is  of  one 
 substance,  majesty,  and  glory,  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  very  and  eternal 
 God."— Article  V. 
 
 §  1.  "And  I  believe  in  one  Holy  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  truth, 
 proceeding  from  the  Father, — the  life-giving  Spirit."  From 
 the  Nicene  Creed  as  used  in  the  three  Liturgies  of  the  Nestorians. 
 §  2.  "  He  went  out  with  them  unto  Bethany,  and  lifted  up 
 His  hands  and  blessed  them,  and  spake  to  them  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost  the  Paraclete,  the  Holy  Person,  and  made  known  to  them 
 that  He  is  co-existent  with  the  Father  from  eternity,  incom- 
 prehensible, and  not  to  be  contained  by  this  limited  world. 
 That  it  is  He  who  dispenses  gifts  and  discloses  the  mysteries  to 
 come,  and  who  interprets  the  hidden  things  of  God.  He  also 
 made  known  unto  them  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  not  a  mere 
 gift  but  a  Person,  co-equal  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and 
 that  it  is  He  who  judges,  teaches,  communicates,  and  who  speaks 
 in  the  place  of  the  speakers."  [S.  Luke  xii.  11,  13.]  From  the 
 service  appointed  in  the  Gezza/br  the  festival  of  the  holy  Nativity. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 From  the  above  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Nestorians  believe  the 
 Spirit  to  proceed  from  the  Father,  as  do  all  the  Churches  of 
 the  East  agreeably  with  the  creed  drawn  up  by  the  Council  of 
 Constantinople,  a.d.  381 ;  but  the  doctrine  of  the  Procession  is 
 hardly  ever  adverted  to  in  their  rituals  in  a  purely  doctrinal 
 form.     It  is  remarkable,  however,  that  in  the  so-called  Nicene 
 
THE    HOLY    GHOST.  79 
 
 Creed  as  in  use  among  them  they  do  not  add  the  doxology, 
 which  was  subjoined  by  the  Constantinopolitan  Council,  after 
 the  declaration  of  the  Spirit's  procession,  though  they  are  well 
 acquainted  with  it,  as  will  appear  in  the  sequel. 
 
 From  these  facts  it  would  appear  that  the  Nestorians  were 
 never  troubled  with  any  of  the  controversies  about  this  article 
 which  took  place,  especially  in  the  West,  after  the  fifth  century. 
 There  can  be  no  doubt,  however,  that,  if  dogmatically  asserted, 
 the  confession  that  the  Holy  Spirit  proceeds  from  the  Father 
 and  the  Son  would  by  them  be  considered  heterodox,  as  it  was 
 by  their  Patriarch  when  I  translated  to  him  the  Creed  as  used 
 in  our  Communion  office.  But  after  quoting  the  scriptural  ^^ 
 authorities  on  which  this  truth  rests,  and  upon  showing  him  how 
 positive  the  inference  was  that  the  Procession  was  also  from  the 
 Son,  his  objection  to  it  as  a  doctrine  seemed  to  be  removed, 
 though  he  did  not  appear  to  admit  that  the  Western  Church 
 possessed  the  right  of  adding  the  Filioque  to  the  creed  of  an 
 oecumenical  council. 
 
 There  is  strong  reason,  however,  for  believing  that  the  Pro- 
 cession, as  held  by  us,  was  virtually  held  by  the  compilers  of  the 
 Nestorian  rituals,  although  it  is  not  to  be  met  with  in  the  shape 
 of  a  dogma.  Thus  in  a  collect  appointed  in  the  Khudhra  to  be 
 used  on  the  fourth  of  the  Sundays  of  Moses,  and  read  after  the 
 Gospel  in  the  liturgy,  we  read  as  follows :  "  God  the  Self- 
 existent  is  one.  Who  is  beyond  all  comprehension,  in  Three 
 Eternal  Persons.  The  Father  who  from  eternity  had  no 
 father.  The  Son  of  Him,  without  a  son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
 proceeding  from  them.  He  is  the  Almighty  Essence,  to  Whom 
 be  glory  in  the  temple  of  our  humanity.^'  There  can  be  no 
 doubt  of  the  antiquity  and  authenticity  of  this  quotation,  which 
 is  still  to  be  found  in  all  the  Nestorian  Khudhras,  and  con- 
 stantly used  by  them.  The  literal  translation  of  the  original 
 is,  "  Who  proceeds  from  them ;"  the  plural  pronoun  here  can 
 only  refer  to  the  antecedent  "  Father  and  Son." 
 
 The  following  extract  from  the  Sinhados  "  On  the  faith  of  the 
 318,  with  a  short  exposition  by  the  Synod  convened  by  Mar 
 Yeshua-yau,"  is  equally  clear  on  this  point.  "  When  they  had 
 finished  their  deliberations  on  the  Divinity  and  Humanity  of 
 Christ,  they  condemned  the  impiety  of  Macedonius,  who  bias- 
 
80  THE    NESTORIANS   AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 phemed  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  they  declared  thus :  'and  in  one 
 Holy  Ghost,  the  life-giving  Lord,  proceeding  from  the  Father, 
 who  with  the  Son  is  worshipped,  who  spake  by  the  prophets/ 
 Hereby  the  fathers,  by  their  heavenly  doctrine,  magnified  the 
 Person  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  confessed  that  He  is  the  Off- 
 spring of  the  Self-existent,  the  Offspring  of  the  essence  of  the 
 Father  and  the  Son." 
 
 The  following,  from  the  service  in  the  Gezza  appointed  to  be 
 read  on  the  festival  of  the  "  Greek  Doctors,"  clearly  proves  that 
 the  Nestorians  have  no  sympathy  with  the  heresiarchs  whose 
 teaching  tended  in  any  way  to  impugn  the  orthodox  doctrine  of 
 the  Holy  Trinity. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  all  the  conclave  of  heretics. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  all  who  say  that  God  died.26 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  all  who  do  not  say  that  God  is  im- 
 mortal. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  all  who  say  that  Mary  is  the  Mother 
 of  G0D.27 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  all  who  do  not  say  that  Mary  is  the 
 Mother  of  Christ. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  all  who  do  not  confess  the  Father, 
 Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  all  who  do  not  confess  Three  Per- 
 sons in  one  Essence. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  all  who  do  not  confess  in  Christ 
 two  Natures,  two  Persons,  and  one  Parsopa  of  Filiation. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  Simon,  Arius,  and  Eunomius. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  Macedonius  and  Sabellius. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  Bar  Baryane  and  Mahedraye. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  Dumaritus  and  Pontinus. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  the  wicked  Eutyches  and  Dalmatis. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  Lotinus  and  Magnetis. 
 
 *'  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  Apollinaris  and  Origen. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  the  wicked  Cyril  ^s  and  Severus. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  the  cursed  Jacob  [Baraddseus]  and 
 Bardassenes. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  all  who  deny  the  only  true  God. 
 
 "  Woe,  and  woe  again,  to  all  who  have  been  expelled  the 
 Church  for  their  impiety. 
 
81 
 
 CHAPTER    X. 
 
 OF  THE  SUFFICIENCY  OF  THE  HOLT  SCRIPTURES  FOR  SALVATION. 
 
 Holy  Scripture  containeth  all  things  necessary  to  salvation :  so  that  whatso- 
 ever is  not  read  therein,  nor  may  be  proved  thereby,  is  not  to  be  required  of  any 
 man,  that  it  should  be  believed  as  an  article  of  the  Faith,  or  be  thought  requisite 
 or  necessary  to  salvation.  In  the  name  of  the  holy  Scripture  we  do  understand 
 those  canonical  Books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  of  whose  authority  was 
 never  any  doubt  in  the  Church. 
 
 Of  the  Names  and  Number  of  the  Canonical  Books. 
 
 Genesis, 
 
 Exodus, 
 
 Leviticus, 
 
 Numbers, 
 
 Deuteronomy, 
 
 Joshua, 
 
 Judges, 
 
 Ruth, 
 
 The  First  Book  of  Samuel, 
 
 The  Second  Book  of  Samuel, 
 
 The  First  Book  of  Kings, 
 
 The  Second  Book  of  Kings, 
 
 The  First  Book  of  Chronicles, 
 The  Second  Book  of  Chronicles, 
 The  First  Book  of  Esdras, 
 The  Second  Book  of  Esdras, 
 The  Book  of  Esther. 
 The  Book  of  Job, 
 The  Psalms, 
 The  Proverbs, 
 Ecclesiastes  or  Preacher, 
 Cantica,  or  Songs  of  Solomon, 
 Four  Prophets  the  greater, 
 Twelve  Prophets  the  less. 
 
 And  the  other  Books  (as  Hierome  saith)  the  Church  doth  read  for  example  of 
 life  and  instruction  of  manners  ;  but  yet  doth  it  not  apply  them  to  establish  any 
 doctrine  ;  such  are  these  following  : 
 
 The  Third  Book  of  Esdras, 
 
 The  Fourth  Book  of  Esdras, 
 
 The  Book  of  Tobias, 
 
 The  Book  of  Judith, 
 
 The  rest  of  the  Book  of  Esther, 
 
 The  Book  of  Wisdom, 
 
 Jesus  the  Son  of  Sirach, 
 
 Baruch  the  Prophet, 
 
 The  Song  of  the  Three  ChUdren, 
 
 The  Story  of  Susanna, 
 
 Of  Bell  and  the  Dragon, 
 
 The  Prayer  of  Manasses, 
 
 The  First  Book  of  Maccabees, 
 
 The  Second  Book  of  Maccabees, 
 
 All  the  Books  of  the  New  Testament,  as  they  are  commonly  received,  we  do 
 receive,  and  account  them  Canonical." — Article  VI. 
 
 §  1,  "Meditation  on  the  things  written  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
 tures is  good  and  profitable  to  such  as  rightly  study  them.  Ye 
 schoolmen   [literally^    scholastics  from  the    Greek,]    suffer  not 
 
 VOL.    II. 
 
82  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 your  miuds  to  wander  after  vanity  by  giving  up  the  reading  of  the 
 Sacred  Scriptures  ;  but  write  upon  your  hearts  the  true  doctrine 
 contained  in  them^  not  on  wooden  or  dumb  tables  which  cannot 
 speak.  Meditate  in  the  hidden  mystery  of  the  Bible^  and  do 
 not  regard  only  the  visible  blackness  of  the  ink  ;  but  seek  from 
 Christ,  the  Wise  Physician,  that  He  may  shed  abroad  His 
 mercy  and  compassion  in  the  souls  of  those  who  worship  and 
 serve  Him.'^  From  the  service  appointed  in  the  Gezza  for  the 
 commemoration  of  the  Syrian  Doctors. 
 
 §  2.  "My  brethren,  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  a  well-spring  of 
 life ;  every  soul  that  drinks  of  them  with  discernment  shall 
 never  die."  From  the  Warda,  on  the  Advantages  of  Learning ; 
 adapted  to  the  Lenten  season,  and  to  the  Baootha  d^Ninwaye. 
 
 §  3.  "  Let  all  the  clergy  and  laymen  possess  the  adorable  and 
 Sacred  Scriptures,  viz.  the  Old  Testament  containing  the  fol- 
 lowing :  of 
 
 Moses,  five  Books.  Maccabees,  three  books. 
 
 Joshua,  the  son  of  Nun,  one     Job,  one  book, 
 book.  Psalms,  one  book. 
 
 R.uth,  one  book.  Solomon,  five  books. 
 
 Kings,  four  books.  Twelve  Prophets,  one  book. 
 
 Chronicles,  two  books.  Isaiah,  one  book. 
 
 Ezra,  two  books.  Jeremiah,  one  book. 
 
 Esther,  one  book.  Ezekiel,  one  book. 
 
 Judith,  one  book.  Daniel,  one  book. 
 
 "  And  besides  the  above  let  your  children  be  instructed  in 
 the  Wisdom  of  the  very  wise  Sirach,  called  in  Syriac  Bar  Sira ; 
 but  particularly  in  the  New  Testament  which  is  ours  also,  and 
 which  contains 
 
 The  four  Gospels  of  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  and  John, 
 
 Fourteen  Epistles  of  Paul. 
 
 One  Epistle  of  James. 
 
 Three  Epistles  of  John. 
 
 One  Epistle  of  Jude. 
 
 Two  Epistles  of  Peter. 
 
 "  And  the  Ta.^^.ig  which  were  written  to  you,  0  Bishops,  by 
 me  Clemens,  containing  eight  epistles,  and  which  are  not  to  be 
 laid  open  to  all  on  account  of  the  mysteries  which  are  contained 
 in  them.     And  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  which  we  also  possess.'^ 
 
THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES. 
 
 83 
 
 Pentateuch. 
 Job. 
 
 Judges. 
 
 The  books  of  Samuel 
 and  the  Kings. 
 
 From  the  Sinliadosj  and  given  as   Can.  Ixxxiii.  of  the  Canons 
 ascribed  to  Clemens  the  disciple  of  the  Apostles. 
 
 §  4.  " .  .  .  ,  Not  only  have  I  heard  of  these  things  by  the 
 hearing  of  the  ear,  but  I  myself  have  also  read  of  these  things 
 and  despised  them.  I  have  read  the  books  of  the  Two  Covenants 
 of  Almighty  God,  and  have  not  ordered  my  goings  according  to 
 vv^hat  is  contained  therein.  I  have  read  the  Law  comprised  in 
 the  Five  books  of  Moses  ;  and  have  not 
 cleansed  my  five  inward  and  outward  senses. 
 I  have  read  the  book  of  the  righteous  Job, 
 that  man  of  suffering;  and  have  not  been 
 willing  to  endure  the  pain  of  the  soul  for  my 
 sins.  I  have  read  the  book  of  the  Judges,  who 
 judged  Israel  for  a  short  space;  but  I  have  not 
 considered  that  endless  judgment  which  shall 
 be  passed  upon  my  folly.  I  have  read  of 
 David  and  Jonathan  the  true ;  but  I  have  not 
 resembled  them  in  their  pure  attachment,  and 
 sincere  friendship.  I  have  read  of  the  foolish 
 Saul  who  hated  David,  but  I  have  not  cast 
 away  from  me  the  hatred  wherewith  I  wrongly 
 hate  my  neighbour.  I  have  read  of  Amnon, 
 the  incestuous,  who  ravished  his  sister ;  but  I 
 have  not  restrained  myself  from  adroitly  steal- 
 ing the  bread  which  did  not  belong  to  me. 
 I  have  read  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  Psalms 
 sung  by  David  ;  but  I  have  been  unwilling  to 
 sing  the  praises  of  the  Lord,  who  formed  me 
 and  created  me  out  of  the  dust.  I  have  read 
 in  the  books  of  Wisdom,*  the  Proverbs,  and 
 Leviticus  ;t  but  I  would  not  receive  correction 
 from  their  godly  w^ords.  I  have  read  of  Elijah 
 and  Elisha,  prophets  of  the  Spirit ;  but  I  have 
 not  wondered  at  my  actions  towards  the  living 
 
 *  Literally  "the    Wisdoms,"    comprising    most    probably  the    foUowing: 
 The  Wisdom  of  Solomon,  a  Collection,  i.e.  Ecclesiastes. 
 The  Oreat  Wisdom  of  Solomon,  i.e.  the  book  of  Wisdom. 
 The  Wisdom  of  Jesus  the  son  of  Sirach. 
 
 t  Mentioned  separate  from  the  Pentateuch  for  the  sake  of  the  rhyme  in  which 
 the  poem  is  written. 
 
 G   2 
 
 Ecclesiastes. 
 Wisdom. 
 Jesus  the  son  of 
 Sirach. 
 
84 
 
 THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Twelve  Prophets  the 
 less. 
 
 Jeremiah. 
 
 Ezekiel. 
 
 Daniel. 
 
 and  the  dead.  I  have  read  in  the  Twelve 
 Prophets  of  the  Lord,  Who  uttei'ed  mysterious 
 things ;  but  my  twelve  inward  and  outward 
 motions  have  not  been  joined  in  concord.  I 
 have  read  in  Jeremiah,  who  was  sanctified  from 
 the  womb ;  but  I  have  not  become  a  v^hit  holy 
 either  in  body  or  in  soul.  I  have  read  the 
 mysteries  and  visions  of  Ezekiel ;  but  I  have 
 not  humbled  my  soul  under  the  chariot  of  the 
 law  of  the  Lord  God  of  Sabaoth.  I  have  read 
 the  account  of  Daniel,  and  his  interpretation 
 of  dreams;  but  I  have  not  ceased  from  my 
 brutishness,  and  have  hated  confidence  and 
 peace.  I  have  read  of  Ananias,  Azarias,  and 
 Misael ;  but  the  vile  and  hidden  fire  of  lust  in 
 my  members  has  not  been  cooled.  I  have 
 read  in  Judith  and  Ezra  the  scribe,  in  Mor- 
 decai  and  Esther ;  but  I  have  not  received  the 
 least  reproof  from  their  excellent  narratives.  I 
 have  read  in  the  Chronicles,  and  in  the  Build- 
 ing of  the  House,  and  in  the  Maccabees ;  but 
 I  have  not  turned  back  from  those  evils  into 
 
 which  the  Wicked  one  has  cast    me."     From  a  hymn   in  the 
 
 Warda  adapted  to  the  season  of  Lent. 
 See  also  Appendix  A.     Part  I.  and  IL 
 
 Song  of  the  Three 
 Children. 
 
 Judith. 
 
 Ezra. 
 Esther 
 
 Chronicles. 
 Maccabees. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 I  have  not  been  able  to  find  a  passage  of  similar  import  with 
 the  opening  clause  of  our  sixth  Article ;  nevertheless,  theoreti- 
 cally at  least,  the  doctrine  is  maintained  by  the  Nestorians,  that 
 "  whatsoever  is  not  read  in  holy  Scripture,  nor  may  be  proved 
 thereby,  is  not  to  be  required  of  any  man,  that  it  should  be  be- 
 lieved in  as  an  article  of  faith,  or  be  thought  requisite  or  neces- 
 sary to  salvation."  Moreover,  their  reverence  for  the  supreme 
 authority  of  the  Bible  is  not  confined  to  the  support  which  the 
 ancient  writers  among  them  adduce  from  its  declarations  in  their 
 expositions  of  Christian  truth  ;  but  by  a  Canon  quoted  under 
 Article  XXIV.   it  is  made  incumbent   upon   all   pastors,  and 
 
THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURES.  85 
 
 fathers  of  families^  to  instruct  those  under  their  care  in  the  fear 
 of  the  Lord  as  contained  in  the  Word  of  God,  and  the  ordi- 
 nance ends  with  this  strong  sentence :  "  We  must  revere  the 
 teaching  of  our  Lord  above  our  hfe,  and  whosoever  is  neglectful 
 of  these  things  is  the  enemy  of  Christ,  and  is  under  the  inter- 
 diction of  our  LoRD^s  word,  and  let  such  an  one  be  held  in  no 
 esteem  in  the  Church." 
 
 The  Nestorian  clergy  of  the  present  day  make  no  objection 
 whatever  to  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures  by  their  people ;  on 
 the  contrary,  the  more  intelligent  evince  a  laudable  anxiety  that 
 the  word  of  God  may  have  free  course  among  them,  and  be 
 glorified.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted,  however,  that  so  few 
 among  them  can  read,  and  that  fewer  still  are  able  to  understand 
 what  they  read.  Manuscript  copies  of  the  Bible  are  very  rare, 
 but  the  stock  of  Syro-Chaldaic  (so-called)  Gospels  from  the  press 
 of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  which  I  brought  out 
 with  me  into  Mesopotamia  and  Coordistan  was  soon  distributed 
 among  importunate  applicants.  The  American  Independent 
 missionaries  at  Ooroomiah  have  lately  published  the  New  Tes- 
 tament entire,  but  the  Old  Testament  in  Syro-Chaldaic  has 
 never  yet  been  printed,  and  the  few  Nestorians  who  are  able  to 
 do  so  peruse  the  Law  and  the  Prophets  in  the  Syriac  version 
 used  by  the  Jacobites,  which  is  printed  in  a  character  difiering 
 considerably  from  their  own.  It  would  be  an  undertaking 
 worthy  of  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge  if 
 they  were  to  supply  this  desideratum,  and  further  aid  this  in- 
 teresting community  in  their  inquiries  after  the  truth,  by  pub- 
 lishing for  them  a  concordance  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  on 
 the  plan  of  Crudea,  a  work  much  needed,  and  which  many 
 Chaldeans  as  well  as  Nestorians  have  expressed  a  great  desire 
 to  possess. 
 
 It  is  to  be  hoped,  however,  that  if  this  venerable  Society  enter 
 upon  so  charitable  a  work,  they  will  avoid  the  error  and  incon- 
 sistency into  which  the  London  Bible  Society  have  fallen  in  their 
 edition  of  the  Syriac  Bible.  The  New  Testament  of  this  version 
 was  originally  printed  after  the  order  of  the  Jacobite  Lection- 
 aries,  in  which  each  lesson  is  headed  with  the  title  of  the  com- 
 memoration on  which  it  is  appointed  to  be  read  in  the  churches. 
 Finding,  as  it  appears,  that  some  of  these  headings  had  reference 
 
86  THE    NESTOaiANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 to  prayers  for  the  dead,  and  other  doctrines  deemed  erroneous, 
 slips  of  paper  bearing  different  readings  were  pasted  over  the 
 original  titles,  and  thus  the  edition  became  neither  the  plain 
 letter  of  Scripture  nor  the  scriptural  lectionary  of  the  Jacobites. 
 This  fact  was  brought  to  my  notice  by  many  of  the  Jacobites  at 
 Mosul,  who  were  very  indignant  at  the  liberty  taken  with  their 
 Church  books,  and  a  deacon  in  my  presence  tore  off  several  of 
 the  slips  from  one  of  these  patched  bibles.  To  give  an  instance 
 of  the  object  aimed  at  by  this  singular  proceeding  on  the  part  of 
 the  Bible  Society,  I  refer  to  page  34,  where  the  slip  bore  the 
 following :  ^'  For  the  second  service  of  the  Nocturn  of  Passion 
 Tuesday,  and  for  [the  festival  of]  Stephen.^'  Underneath  this 
 the  original  print  ran  thus  :  "  For  the  second  service  of  the 
 Nocturn  of  Passion  Tuesday,  and  for  [the  festival  of]  Mar 
 [i.e.,  Saint]  Stephen."  So  that  all  this  trouble,  in  this  instance 
 at  least,  was  taken  to  deny  to  the  disciple  Stephen  the  title  of 
 "Saint!" 
 
 It  is  further  to  be  hoped,  that  should  the  Society  for  Pro- 
 moting Christian  Knowledge  determine  to  confer  so  great  a 
 benefit  upon  the  Nestorians  as  to  print  an  entire  edition  of  the 
 sacred  Scriptures  for  their  use,  they  will  also  include  the  Apo- 
 crypha, or  publish  the  latter  in  a  separate  volume.  The  doc- 
 trine of  the  Church  of  England  regarding  the  uncanonical  books 
 therein  contained  may  easily  be  made  known  by  the  publication 
 of  the  sixth  Article  in  the  opening  of  the  volume,  or  on  the 
 cover.  It  is  a  matter  of  surprise,  and  in  many  instances  a 
 stumbling-block  to  the  Christians  of  the  East,  that  whereas  in 
 the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  many  lessons  from  the  Apocrypha 
 are  appointed  to  be  read,  in  those  copies  of  the  Bible  which 
 reach  them  from  England  none  of  the  Apocryphal  books  are  to 
 be  found. 
 
 With  respect  to  the  Canon  of  holy  Scripture,  it  will  be  seen 
 from  the  extracts  above  adduced  that  although  neither  of  the 
 three  lists  therein  contained  comprises  all  the  canonical  books, 
 when  taken  together  none  is  found  wanting  but  the  Revelation 
 of  S.  John.  It  is  a  matter  of  doubt  whether  any  ancient  manu- 
 scripts of  this  book  in  Syro-Chaldaic  exist  among  the  Nestorians, 
 though  the  Chaldeans  are  said  to  have  obtained  possession  of  a 
 few  since  their  submission  to  Rome,     Nevertheless  it  is  held  to 
 
THE    HOLY    SCllIPTUllES.  87 
 
 be  canonical  by  the  NestorianSj  who  now  read  it  in  the  edition 
 of  the  New  Testament  printed  at  Ooroomiah  by  the  American 
 missionaries. 
 
 I  have  not  been  able  to  find  a  Church  canon,  or  any  other 
 authoritative  decree,  determining  what  books  are  canonical  and 
 which  are  not.  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  speaks  of  all  as  having  been 
 written  under  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit,*  but  by  this 
 he  evidently  does  not  mean  inspiration  in  its  more  restricted 
 sense,  since  he  uses  the  same  expression  when  speaking  of  the 
 writings  of  the  primitive  Fathers ;  and  the  85th  of  the  Apostol- 
 ical Canons,  given  under  §  3,  (a  later  addition  to  the  original 
 which  consisted  of  83  only,)  draws  no  distinction  whatever  be- 
 tween the  Apocryphal  and  the  Inspired  books.  Such  a  dis- 
 tinction may  have  been  known  to  the  learned  Nestorians  of 
 former  ages ;  but  their  descendants  of  the  present  day  know 
 nothing  of  such  matters,  and  will  doubtless  continue  to  revere 
 the  one  as  they  revere  the  other,  until  they  are  taught  to  know 
 the  truth  more  fully.  Thus  much,  however,  is  certain,  that  the 
 lessons  in  the  Karydna  are  nearly  all  selected  from  the  canonical 
 Scriptures. 
 
 It  has  already  been  observed  that  very  few  copies  of  the  Bible, 
 in  manuscript,  are  to  be  found  either  among  the  Nestorians  or 
 Chaldeans,  and  in  no  instance  is  the  Bible  to  be  met  with  entire, 
 but  divided  into  separate  portions  forming  several  volumes. 
 Thus  the  Oreita,  containing  the  Pentateuch,  forms  one  volume. 
 The  Beith  Moutive,  containing  Judges,  the  two  books  of  Kings, 
 two  of  Chronicles,  two  of  Samuel,  Ruth,  Ezra,  Nehemiah,  and 
 Job,  besides  Judith  and  other  apocryphal  scriptures,  forms 
 another  volume.  The  Newiyye,  containing  the  four  greater  and 
 the  twelve  lesser  Prophets,  forms  a  third.  The  Mazmo7'e 
 d' Daweedh,  or  Psalms,  a  fourth.  And  the  Makwai,  comprising 
 the  three  books  of  Maccabees  t  and  the  Epistle  of  Baruch,  a 
 fifth  volume.     The  New  Testament  is  generally  met  with  in  one 
 
 *  In  the  Homilies  of  our  Church  extracts  from  the  Apocryphal  books  are 
 quoted  as  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 f  The  third  book  of  the  Maccabees,  which  was  never  inserted  into  the  vulgar 
 Latin  version  of  the  Bible,  nor,  consequently,  into  any  of  our  English  copies, 
 contains  the  history  of  the  persecution  of  Ptolemy  Philopater  against  the  Jews 
 in  Egypt,  and  their  sufferings  under  it. 
 
88  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 book,  with  the  exception  of  the  second  Epistle  of  S.  Peter,  the 
 second  and  third  of  S.  John,  and  the  Revelation,  copies  of  which 
 are  very  rare. 
 
 It  is  my  firm  opinion  that  in  matters  connected  with  the 
 Canon  of  holy  Scripture  the  Nestorians  are  convinced  of  their 
 own  ignorance,  and  are  ready  and  willing  to  receive  information 
 and  instruction. 
 
89 
 
 CHAPTER     XI. 
 
 OF      THE      OLD      TESTAMENT. 
 
 "  The  Old  Testament  is  not  contrary  to  the  New;  for  both  in  the  Old  and 
 New  Testament  everlasting  life  is  offered  to  mankind  by  Christ,  Who  is  the 
 only  Mediator  between  God  and  Man,  being  both  God  and  Man.  "Wherefore 
 they  are  not  to  be  heard,  which  feign  that  the  old  Fathers  did  look  only  for  tran- 
 sitory promises.  Although  the  Law  given  from  God  by  Moses,  as  touching 
 Ceremonies  and  Rites,  do  not  bind  Christian  men,  nor  the  civil  precepts  thereof 
 ought  of  necessity  to  be  received  in  any  commonwealth  ;  yet  notwithstanding, 
 no  Christian  man  whatsoever  is  free  from  the  obedience  of  the  commandments 
 which  are  called  Moral." — Article  VII. 
 
 §  1.  On  the  two  pieces  of  silver  given  by  the  Samaritan  in  be- 
 half of  the  man  who  was  plundered  between  Jerusalem  and 
 Jericho,  the  author  of  the  Warda  writes  :  "  One  denarius  is  the 
 Old  Testament,  and  the  other  the  New  Testament,  and  when  He 
 Cometh  in  His  glory,  He  will  reward  all  those  who  have  profited 
 thereby."  From  the  Warda,  on  "  the  man  who  went  down  from 
 Jerusalem  to  Jericho." 
 
 §  2.  "  ....  In  order  that  it  might  be  known,  that  Prophets 
 and  Apostles, — the  two  Testaments,  New  and  Old, — all  teach 
 one  truth,  and  that  one  Spirit  from  the  one  God  whom  they 
 worshipped,  and  whom  they  preached,  spake  in  and  through 
 them  all."  From  the  twenty-seventh  of  the  Apostolical  Canons 
 contained  in  the  Sinhados.  For  the  connection  in  which  this 
 extract  is  found  see  under  Article  XXXIV. 
 
 §  3.  "  Thou  didst  receive  the  inhabitants  of  Nineveh  when 
 they  knocked  at  Thy  door  with  fasting  and  prayer,  with  contri- 
 tion and  true  penitence,  and  Thou  didst  turn  away  Thine  anger 
 from  them,  and  didst  not  destroy  them.  Thou  didst  rescue 
 their  life  from  the  jaws  of  death,  and  in  pity  and  in  mercy  didst 
 
90  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 heal  their  rebellion ;  and  hereby  Tbou  didst  prefigure  to  coming 
 generations  the  restoration  of  the  Gentiles,  and  their  salvation 
 through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ."  Collect  for  the  fifth  Sunday 
 in  Lent,  from  the  Aboo  Haleem. 
 
 See  also  Appendix  B.,  Part  11.  chap.  3  and  4. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 The  above  declarations  clearly  prove  that  the  Nestoriaus  be- 
 lieve the  "  old  Fathers "  to  have  looked  for  other  than  mere 
 "  transitory  promises,"  and  to  have  been  saved  through  faith  in 
 Jesus  Christ;  and  the  extracts  adduced  under  Article  III.  are 
 corroborative  on  this  point.  These,  as  we  have  already  seen,  re- 
 present the  righteous  departed  before  the  advent  of  the  Saviour 
 as  abiding  under  the  dominion  of  the  grave  until,  after  His 
 death,  He  descended  into  hades,  and  gave  liberty  to  the  captives. 
 Moreover  it  is  clear  that  they  hold  the  ceremonies  and  rites  of 
 the  Mosaical  dispensation,  to  have  been  but  figures  of  that  great 
 salvation  which  was  promised  through  Him,  who  was  to  be  a 
 Light  unto  the  Gentiles,  and  the  Glory  of  His  people  Israel.  Thus 
 in  §  6,  par.  r,  t,  quoted  under  Art.  II.,  Abraham,  Moses,  and 
 David,  in  their  wonderful  actions  and  lives,  are  said  to  be  types  of 
 the  Great  Antitype,  the  Son  of  God.  "  Abraham  through  the 
 lamb,  Moses  through  the  fire,  and  the  illustrious  David  in  all 
 his  actions,  ministered  to  the  mystery  of  Him."  And,  again: 
 ''  The  legal  shadow  has  now  passed  away,  and  the  light  has 
 broken  forth  in  the  renewing  of  the  Spirit,  and  not  in  the  oldness 
 of  the  letter.  The  grace  of  the  Father  has  appeared  in  the 
 Wonderful  Begotten  One,  teaching  us,  as  it  is  written,  to  deny 
 ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts.  On  this  day  the  bark  of  pro- 
 phecy has  reached  the  shore  -,  in  this  Begotten  One  all  the 
 types  are  fulfilled." 
 
 "  The  disannulling  of  the  commandment  going  before  for  the 
 weakness  and  unprofitableness  thereof"  is  clearly  declared  by 
 Mar  Abd  Yeshua  in  Appendix  B.,  referred  to  in  the  quotations  : 
 "  And  in  Moses  began  the  Jewish  dispensation,  which  like  a 
 child  who  has  not  yet  attained  to  perfect  knowledge,  was  taught 
 to  read  in  the  Old  Law,  which  enjoined  that  good  should  be 
 done  towards  relations,  and  towards  the  good,  and  evil  to  evil 
 doers  and  enemies.      It  moi'eover  represented  God    after   the 
 
THE    OLD    TESTAMENT.  91 
 
 similitude  of  man,  with  bodily  members,  as  dwelling  at  Jerusa- 
 lem, as  abiding  on  Mount  Sion,  and  among  the  congregation  of 
 the  faithful.  It  makes  no  mention  of  hell,  or  of  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven  j  but  it  threatens  the  transgressors  of  its  laws  with  cor- 
 poral punishments,  such  as  submission  to  enemies,  the  being 
 scattered  among  the  heathen,  with  drought,  famine,  poverty, 
 and  barrenness ;  whilst,  on  the  other  hand,  the  good  are  re- 
 warded with  earthly  and  temporal  rewards.  All  the  prophets 
 who  succeeded  Moses  followed  and  confirmed  this  way,  and  for 
 it  they  submitted  to  every  species  of  trial  and  persecution.^' 
 
 The  same  writer  in  his  chapter  on  the  Priesthood  declares 
 the  imperfection  of  the  Old  Testament  in  this  respect  also.  His 
 words  are  as  follows :  "  The  priesthood  is  divided  into  imper- 
 fect, as  was  that  of  the  Law ;  and   perfect  as  is  that  of  the 
 
 Church The  old  Priesthood  was  one  of  generation,  was 
 
 not  irrespective  of  family,  and  did  not  depend  upon  the  will  of 
 those  who  succeeded  to  it.  But  the  new  Priesthood,  handed 
 down  from  the  Apostles,  and  imparted  in  the  Church  through 
 the  laying  on  of  hands,  is  committed  to  those  who  are  deemed 
 worthy  of  it Therefore  the  perfection  of  this  and  the  im- 
 perfection of  that   Priesthood  is    evident Moreover  the 
 
 former  Priesthood  was  conferred  by  material  oil ;  but  this  latter 
 by  the  immaterial  unction  of  the  Spirit,  through  the  laying  on 
 of  hands.'' 
 
 See  Appendix  B.  Part  IV.  chap.  ii. 
 
 The  ten  commandments  of  the  Moral  Law  are  judged  to  be 
 binding  upon  all  Christians  by  the  Nestorians,  and  their  strict 
 observance  of  the  fourth  is  remarkable.* 
 
 •  On  the  observauce  of  the  Lord's  Day,  see  some  excellent  remarks  in  Ap- 
 pendix B.  Part  V.  chap.  3. 
 
92  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER     XIL 
 
 OF     THE     THREE     CREEDS. 
 
 "The  Three  Creeds,  Nicene  Creed,  Athanasius's  Creed,  and  that  which  is 
 commonly  called  the  Apostles'  Creed,  ought  thoroughly  to  be  received  and  be- 
 lieved :  for  they  may  be  proved  by  most  certain  warrants  of  holy  Scripture." — 
 Article  VIII. 
 
 The  only  one  of  these  three  Creeds  in  use  among  the  Nes- 
 torians  is  the  Nicene.  This  differs  from  that  of  the  Western 
 Church  in  its  omission  of  the  Filioque,  and  the  part  added  by 
 the  council  of  Constantinople,  as  has  already  been  observed 
 under  Art.  V. 
 
 The  Creed  known  as  the  Athanasian,  is  found  in  none  of 
 the  Nestorian  rituals,  nor  have  I  heard  of  its  existence  in 
 any  of  their  theological  writings.  The  Patriarch  Mar  Shi- 
 moon  on  reading  it  said  that  the  only  objection  against  it 
 was  the  declaration  of  the  Spirit's  procession  from  the  Father 
 and  the  Son,  and  the  sentence  "  one  altogether ;  not  by 
 confusion  of  substance,  but  by  unity  of  Person )'  and  believ- 
 ing it  to  be  the  work  of  Athanasius  he  pointed  out  to  me 
 the  following  extract  from  the  Gezza,  appointed  for  the  com- 
 memoration of  the  Greek  Doctors,  in  which  that  saint  is 
 recorded  : — "  With  the  silver  of  the  Spirit  the  zealous  Fa- 
 thers became  teachers  in  the  ocean  of  the  world,  being  directed 
 in  the  right  way,  the  way  of  the  Star,  which  is  Christ, 
 and  attained  at  last  unto  that  blessedness  which  fadeth  not 
 away. — They  are  Saint  Ignatius,  Polycarp,  Athanasius,  Eusta- 
 thius,  Miletus,  Flavian,   Gregory,   Basil,  John    [Chrysostom,] 
 
THE    THREE    CREEDS.  93 
 
 Diodorus,  Theodoras,  and  Mar  Nestorius,  who  endured  suffer- 
 ing in  behalf  of  the  truth  " 
 
 The  Apostles^  Creed  is  equally  unknown  to  the  Nestorians. 
 It  is  occasionally  to  be  met  with  in  the  books  printed  at 
 Rome  for  the  Chaldeans,  but  even  these  scarcely  ever  made 
 use  of  it. 
 
94  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER     XIIL 
 
 OF    ORIGINAL    OR    BIRTH    SIN. 
 
 "  Original  sin  standeth  not  in  the  following  of  Adam,  (as  the  Pelagians  do 
 vainly  talk  :)  but  it  is  the  fault  and  corruption  of  the  nature  of  every  man,  that 
 naturally  is  ingendered  of  the  offspring  of  Adam  ;  whereby  man  is  very  far  gone 
 from  original  righteousness,  and  is  of  his  own  nature  inclined  to  evil,  so  that 
 the  flesh  lusteth  always  contrary  to  the  Spirit ;  and  therefore  in  every  person 
 born  into  this  world  it  deserveth  God's  wrath  and  damnation.  And  this  in- 
 flection of  nature  doth  remain,  yea  in  them  that  are  regenerated;  whereby  the 
 lust  of  the  flesh,  called  in  the  Greek,  phronema  sarkos,  which  some  do  expound 
 the  wisdom,  some  sensuality,  some  the  aff"ection,  some  the  desire,  of  the  flesh,  is 
 not  subject  to  the  Law  of  God.  And  although  there  is  no  condemnation ^or 
 them  that  believe  and  are  baptized,  yet  the  Apostle  doth  confess,  that  concu- 
 piscence and  lust  hath  of  itself  the  nature  of  sin." — Article  IX. 
 
 §  1.  "  The  poison  of  the  myrrh  of  death  which  Adam  ate  brought 
 death  to  all  his  descendants  to  all  generations/''  From  the  ser- 
 vice in  the  Gezza  appomted for  the  holy  Nativity. 
 
 §  3.  "  My  enemy  daily  casts  me  into  unprofitable  lusts  be- 
 cause he  perceives  that  my  mind  is  inclined  to  evil,  and  daily 
 he  wars  against  me  by  exciting  my  spirit  within  me,  and  by 
 causing  my  eyes  to  look  upon  iniquity.  Look  Thou,  therefore, 
 upon  me,  0  Lord,  tainted  as  I  am  with  every  kind  of  wicked- 
 ness through  the  instigation  of  the  Wicked  one,  who  in  his 
 malice  has  made  me  a  derision.  O  eternal  Lord,  exert  that 
 power  which  formed  me  from  the  dust  to  repel  the  Rebel  who 
 has  taken  me  captive,  and  have  mercy  upon  me."  Prayer  ap- 
 pointed in  the  Khudhra  for  the  third  Sunday  of  the  summer 
 season. 
 
 §  3.  "  In  mercy,  0  Lord,  set  up  Thy  peace  within  my  soul, 
 that  it  may  quench  the  fiery  arrows  of  lust  within  me,  where- 
 with mine  enemy  assaults  me  continually.  .  .  .  Set  it  up  in  my 
 
ORIGINAL    OR    BIRTH    SIN.  95 
 
 soul,    and   have   mercy  upon    me.''     Prayer  appointed  in   the 
 Khudhra/br  the  fourth  Friday  of  the  summer  season. 
 
 §  4.  "  All  tlie  works  of  sin  which  are  begotten  within  us  we 
 are  bound  to  avoid,  and  above  all  we  must  watch  against  the 
 words  of  the  tongue,  for  life  and  death  are  in  its  power,  and 
 therewith  every  one  of  us  must  give  account  unto  God  the 
 righteous  Judge  for  all  that  we  do  in  this  abode  of  our  pil- 
 grimage. .  .  .  When  I  would  open  my  lips  to  sing  praises 
 unto  Thee,  I  find  my  mind  accusing  me  and  opposing  to  me 
 day  by  day  that  my  inward  actions  do  not  correspond  to  the 
 words  of  my  lips.  I  beseech  Thee,  therefore,  to  enlighten  my 
 mind  through  my  tongue  that  I  may  sing  Halleluia  unto  Thee." 
 Prayer  appointed  in  the  Khudhra  for  the  fourth  Sunday  of  the 
 summer  season. 
 
 §  5.  "I  am  drawn  by  two  thoughts,  one  of  which  calls  me  to 
 repentance,  and  the  other  drives  me  to  works  of  vanity.  I  do 
 indeed  desire  to  be  worthy  of  forgiveness  ;  but  I  am  not  willing 
 to  give  up  the  works  of  iniquity.  I  would  be  set  up  in  the 
 eternal  kingdom ;  but  the  fruits  of  the  love  of  God  are  wanting 
 in  me.  I  wish  to  possess  the  perfect  reward ;  but  I  am  un- 
 willing to  plough  and  to  work  in  Thy  vineyard  even  at  the 
 eleventh  hour.  Therefore,  O  most  merciful  Lord,  and  Lover 
 of  mankind,  do  Thou  have  mercy  upon  me."  From  the  Mon- 
 day service  for  the  Baootha  d'Ninwaye,  in  the  Khudhra. 
 
 §  6.  "I  know  that  I  am  a  sinner,  and  that  of  myself  I  can- 
 not repent,  because  I  was  born  in  iniquity,  and  in  sin  was  I 
 conceived  ....  I  am  clothed  with  a  frail  nature,  and  endowed 
 with  an  evil  inclination.  How  can  I  be  made  clean  who 
 sin  every  hour  ?  How  can  I  free  myself  from  the  yoke  of 
 those  passions  whereto  I  am  bound  ?  These  passions  are 
 woven  in  my  veins,  and  these  lusts  abide  in  my  members.  If 
 Thou  dost  not  come  near  unto  me,  how  can  my  actions  be 
 acceptable,  for  I  am  full  of  uncleanness  ?  When  I  look  upon 
 a  thing  T  lust  after  it,  and  when  I  hear  I  am  captivated,  and  I 
 become  a  sinner  through  the  words  of  my  mouth.  I  know  how 
 to  do  good,  nevertheless  I  cannot  do  it.  I  moreover  understand 
 that  sin  is  vile,  yet  I  cannot  escape  from  it.  I  know  and  am 
 persuaded  that  I  am  far  removed  from  goodness,  and  that  sin  is 
 ever  present  with  me,  how  then  can   I  be  justified  ?     I  love 
 
96  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 goodness  and  abhor  sin,  yet  I  let  go  that  which  I  love,  and  do 
 that  which  I  hate.  I  do  not  accuse  Thee,  0  Lord,  for  having 
 created  me  with  this  inclination ;  but  I  confess  before  Thee  my 
 frailty,  and  open  unto  Thee  my  passions.  I  confess,  and  say, 
 and  cry  out,  and  declare,  that  the  man  of  dust  cannot  be  justi- 
 fied but  by  Thy  mercy,  and  through  Thy  compassion."  From 
 the  Warda  ''  on  Repentance." 
 
 §  7.  "  Thou  knowest  that  in  rae  there  is  no  good  thing,  and 
 that  I  do  not  merit  grace.  0  Thou  Righteous  one,  in  whom 
 there  is  no  sin,  bestow  upon  me  Thy  grace."  From  the  Warda, 
 as  above. 
 
 See  also  Appendix  B.     Part  II.  c.  3. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 There  is  one  passage  in  the  Appendix  referred  to  which  taken 
 alone  seems  to  militate  against  the  doctrine  contained  in  this 
 Article.  It  runs  as  follows  :  "  And  their  [Adam  and  Eve^s] 
 children,  also,  because  they  walked  in  the  self-same  way  of 
 transgression,  bound  more  tightly  the  yoke  of  the  devil,  and  of 
 death,  on  their  necks;  and  these  forgat  their  Creator,  and 
 walked  after  their  own  heart's  lusts,  and  the  desires  of  their  own 
 minds,  and  nourished  iniquity,  and  strengthened  rebellion,— 
 '  who,  being  past  feeling,  gave  themselves  over  unto  lascivious- 
 ness,  to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness.' "  The  phrase 
 "their  children,  also,  because  they  walked/'  &c.  savours  at  first 
 sight  of  Pelagianism,  inasmuch  as  it  represents  the  sin  of  the 
 ofi'spring  of  Adam  to  have  consisted  in  following  the  disobedi- 
 ence of  their  father,  not  that  they  were  born  with  a  vicious  in- 
 clination. But  the  whole  tenour  of  the  other  extracts,  (and 
 many  more  such-like  might  be  adduced,)  enables  us  to  put  a 
 very  different  construction  upon  the  passage,  and  to  understand 
 it  as  conveying  the  idea,  that  by  their  own  wilful  transgression 
 of  the  law  of  God  the  offspring  of  Adam  "  bound  the  yoke  of  the 
 devil,  and  of  death,  more  tightly  on  their  necks."  "^^ 
 
 No  language  can  more  forcibly  declare  the  utter  corrup- 
 tion of  human  nature  than  the  following,  quoted  under  Article 
 II.  §  6,  par.  b.  and  p.  ''After  the  similitude  of  His  hidden 
 likeness  had  become  corrupt,  and  the  image  of  His  mysterious 
 Self  had  been  utterly  ruined,  and  after  the  model  of  His  own 
 
ORIGINAL    OR    BIRTH    SIN.  97 
 
 Creation  had  been  swallowed  up  in  the  gaping  bowels  of  the  in- 
 satiable sheol,  the  Good  God  deigned  to  renew  and  to  restore 
 \i."  And  again  :  "  The  form  which  had  been  marred  was  again 
 glorified;  the  piece  of  silver  which  had  been  lost  was  found; 
 the  sheep  that  had  wandered  was  brought  home  safe;  the 
 hungry  prodigal  ate^  and  left  of  that  which  was  placed  before 
 him ;  the  leaven  leavened  the  three  measures  of  meal ;  the 
 stranger  in  Jerusalem,  who  had  fallen  among  thieves  that 
 robbed  him  in  the  descent  to  Jericho,  and  who  was  found 
 plundered,  wounded,  and  stricken,  despised,  and  cast  out,  has 
 been  healed/' 
 
 VOL.  II. 
 
98  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    XIV. 
 
 OF    FREE-WILL. 
 
 "  The  condition  of  Man  after  the  fall  of  Adam  is  such  that  he  cannot  turn  and 
 prepare  himself,  by  his  own  natural  strength  and  good  works,  to  faith,  and  calling 
 upon  God  :  wherefore  we  have  no  power  to  do  good  works  pleasant  and  accept- 
 able to  God,  without  the  grace  of  God  by  Christ  preventing  us,  that  we  may 
 have  a  goodwill,  and  working  with  us,  when  we  have  that  goodwill." — Article  X. 
 
 §  1.  "If  our  creation  is  hateful^  the  fault  is  the  Creator's;  but 
 if  our  free-will  is  evil,  we  alone  are  reprovable.  If  we  have  no 
 freedom,  why  is  our  will  accountable  ?  If  we  have  no  freedom, 
 the  will  is  unjustly  condemned ;  but  if  there  be  freedom,  the  will 
 is  justly  made  accountable.  Accountability  is  the  insepai'able 
 companion  of  freedom,  and  the  law  is  bound  up  with  the  two. 
 Freedom  is  accountable  for  this  reason,  because  it  has  trans- 
 gressed the  limits  fixed  by  the  Lawgiver.  What  profit  is  it  to 
 the  Creator,  who  is  the  Truth,  to  lie  unto  us  by  giving  us  the 
 law  without  giving  us  freedom  ?  [or  free-will.]  Let  truth  be 
 set  up,  let  it  question  and  be  questioned,  whether  our  Creator 
 gave  us  freedom  or  not.  Accountability  and  responsibility  are 
 the  ofi'springs  of  freedom,  and  searching  out  and  inquiry,  which 
 is  its  sister,  are  the  daughters  of  freedom.^'  From  the  service 
 apijointed  in  the  Khudhra  for  the  sixth  Sunday  in  Lent. 
 
 §  2.  "After  God  had  created  man  a  reasonable  image,  a  w^on- 
 derful  temple,  and  a  bond  of  the  universe,  in  short,  a  small 
 world  existing  in  the  great  world,  He  took  from  him  a  rib  and 
 made  therewith  woman,  and  placed  them  in  the  delectable  para- 
 dise of  Eden  which  He  had  prepared  for  them,  and  commanded 
 them  that  they  might  eat  of  all  the  trees  in  paradise,  but  of  the 
 tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  they  were  not  to  eat. 
 
FREE-WILL.  99 
 
 And  He  further  decreed^  that  in  the  day  they  should  eat  thereof 
 they  should  die  the  death.  Now,  hereby  God  declared  the 
 freedom  of  man^s  will ;  for,  had  they  not  been  free  to  act,  He 
 would  have  wronged  them  in  punishing  their  transgression  of  the 
 command;  whereas,  if  they  were  really  free  agents,  He  justly 
 condemned  them,  inasmuch  as  with  wicked  intent,  and  in  their 
 own  self-sufficiency,  they  trampled  upon  and  despised  the  divine 
 command,  in  order  that  they  might  become  gods,  and  be  re- 
 leased from  obedience  to  their  Creator."  See  Appendix  B. 
 Part  II.,  c.  2. 
 
 §  3.  "  Man  was  called  an  image  of  God Secondly  on 
 
 account  of  his  free-will."    Appendix  B,  Part  XL,  c.  1. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 The  above  quotations  clearly  teach  the  free  agency  of  man, 
 i.e.,  that  he  is  capable  of  considering  and  reflecting  upon  the 
 objects  which  are  presented  to  his  mind,  and  of  acting,  in  such 
 cases  as  are  possible,  according  to  the  determination  of  his  will. 
 The  free  agency  here  taught  is  evidently  that  without  which 
 actions  cannot  be  morally  good  or  bad,  and  without  which  agents 
 cannot  be  responsible  for  their  conduct.  But  that  the  corrup- 
 tion introduced  into  our  nature  by  the  fall  of  Adam  has  so 
 weakened  our  mental  powers,  and  has  given  such  force  to  our 
 passions,  and  such  perverseness  to  our  wills,  that  a  man  "  cannot 
 turn  and  prepare  himself,  by  his  own  nature  and  good  works,  to 
 faith  and  calling  upon  God,"  that  this  doctrine  of  our  Article  is 
 held  by  the  Nestorians  the  following  extracts  amply  testify. 
 
 "  I  would  repent  of  my  sins,  but  I  am  restrained  by  the  very 
 burden  of  my  sins ;  for  every  day  there  arises  a  fierce  conflict  of 
 lusts  against  me,  and  if  to-day  I  am  overcome  by  one  sin,  the 
 day  after  I  am  overcome  by  another,  and  this  conflict  is  unceas- 
 ing. From  this  condition  none  can  save  me  but  Thou,  0  Jesus, 
 who  aboundest  in  Thy  compassion  towards  sinners.  Therefore, 
 in  Thy  mercy  forgive  me  my  transgressions,  and  save  me  as 
 Thou  art  wont.  O  merciful  Lord,  turn  me  and  have  mercy 
 upon  me."  From  the  service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra  for  the 
 third  Sunday  of  the  Summer  season. 
 
 "  Without  Thy  help  we  are  very  weak  indeed  to  keep  Thy 
 commandments,  O  Lord  Jesus,  who  aidest  those  who  perfect 
 
 H  2 
 
100  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 His  will,  keep  those  wlio  worship  Thee.  From  a  collect  in  the 
 Kdham  oo  d'Wathar  appointed  to  he  read  every  week-day 
 morning. 
 
 "  0  Lord,  according  to  Thy  mercy,  pity  the  frailty  of  our 
 dead  species,  destroyed  and  ruined  through  the  malice  of  the 
 Tempter,  and  having  no  strength  left.  If  Thy  word  doth  not 
 loosen  its  power,  the  will  of  Thy  people  to  love  Thee  will  be  lost 
 altogether.  With  strong  crying  and  tears  we  beseech  Thee  to 
 save  us  from  the  hand  of  the  Evil  one,  for  our  nature  cannot 
 overcome  his  wickedness,  even  as  Thou  Thyself  hast  taught  us  in 
 Thy  Gospel  saying :  '  Without  Me  ye  can  do  no  good  thing/ 
 Save  us,  therefore,  from  the  Evil  one,  and  destroy  his  dominion.''^ 
 From  the  service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra  for  the  Wednesday  of 
 the  Baootha  d^Ninwaye. 
 
 ''Thou  knowest  perfectly  the  weakness  of  our  frail  nature 
 which  is  inclined  to  evil,  and  doeth  iniquity,  and  serveth  sin, 
 and  unless  Thy  grace  doth  assist  us  to  perfect  Thy  will  we  shall 
 be  unable  throughout  our  life-time  to  accomplish  it."  From  a 
 collection  of  collects  at  the  end  of  the  Khudhra. 
 
101 
 
 CHAPTER    XV. 
 
 OF    THE    JUSTIFICATION    OF    MAN. 
 
 "  We  are  accounted  righteous  before  God,  only  for  the  merit  of  our  Lord 
 smd  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  by  Faith,  and  not  for  our  own  works  or  deservings  ; 
 Wherefore,  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  only  is  a  most  wholesome  doctrine,  and 
 very  full  of  comfort,  as  more  largely  is  expressed  in  the  Homily  of  Justification." 
 — Article  XI. 
 
 §  1.  "Behold  I  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings:  if  the  thief 
 entered  into  paradise,  how  can  he  who  truly  believes  on  the  Son 
 be  prevented  from  entering  therein  V  From  the  Warda,  on  "  our 
 father  Adam." 
 
 §  2.  "  Two  thieves  were  crucified  with  Him  who  is  the  hea- 
 venly treasure :  the  one  on  the  right  hand  would  not  give  up 
 thievingj  and  in  his  last  theft  he  stole  the  paradise  of  Eden  when 
 he  cried  out  and  besought,  saying  :  '  Remember  me,  O  Lord 
 my  Saviour,  who  forgivest  sins, — remember  me  when  Thou 
 comest  in  Thy  kingdom  with  great  glory,  with  all  the  holy 
 angels,  since  I  confess  that  Thou  art  God.'  "  From  the  service 
 appointed  in  the  Khudhra /or  Easter  Eve. 
 
 §  3.  "  Bear  in  mind,  thou  prudent  one,  how  that  man  was 
 raised  from  frailty,  and  how  through  faith  in  Christ  he  has 
 become  an  inheritor  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  which  passeth 
 not  away."     From  the  Khamees,  "  on  Repentance." 
 
 §  4.  "  None  can  stand  at  Thy  door  and  return  away  empty 
 but  he  who  is  without  faith.  By  faith  Zaccheus  welcomed 
 Thee  into  his  house,  and  by  faith  the  thief  received  from  Thee 
 the  keys  of  the  kingdom.  And  behold  Thy  Church  now 
 standeth  at  Thy  door  and  supplicates  Thee  day  and  night; 
 accept  her,  0  Lord,  for  to  Thee  she  lifteth  up  her  voice,  and  be 
 
103  THE    NTSSTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 merciful  to  her."  From  the  collects  at  the  end  of  the  Khudhra 
 appointed  for  particular  occasions. 
 
 §  5.  "  It  is  our  reliance  upon  Thy  mercies,  O  Lord,  which 
 stirreth  us  up  to  pray  for  forgiveness  from  Thee.  Not  that  we 
 deserve  forgiveness,  O  Lord  ;  but  because,  in  Thy  overflowing 
 mercy.  Thou  dost  justify  freely  all  those  who  call  upon  Thee," 
 From  the  service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra /or  the  Tuesday  noc- 
 turns  of  the  Baootha  d'Ninwaye. 
 
 §  6.  "  Jesus  said  unto  her,  '  Go  in  peace,  thy  sins  be  forgiven 
 thee,  thy  faith  hath  saved  thee,  and  a  great  grace  has  had  com- 
 passion upon  thee,  and  made  thee  an  example  to  the  penitent.^ 
 Listen,  therefore,  0  thou  unbelieving  man,  and  acquire  to  thy- 
 self a  believing  mind  which  gives  life  and  forgiveness,  and 
 confess  that  He  is  God."  From  the  Warda,  on  "  Mary  the 
 Sinner" 
 
 §  7.  ^^  Repentant  in  my  thoughts  I  call  upon  Thee,  0  Thou 
 Physician  who  healest  gratuitously,  that  as  Thou  didst  create 
 me  out  of  nothing  ;  so,  in  Thy  grace,  heal  Thou  my  misdeeds, 
 since  I  cannot  attain  unto  salvation,  even  by  my  repentance,  un- 
 less Thou  dost  help  me."  From  the  service  appointed  in  the 
 Khudhra ybr  the  third  Wednesday  of  Lent. 
 
 §  8.  ''  O  Thou  just  Judge  who  dost  justify  freely,  unto  Thee 
 do  I  declare  all  my  short-comings.  Give  me,  therefore,  white- 
 ness of  face  on  the  day  of  judgment,  through  the  mercies  which 
 sent  Thee  to  our  race,  and  have  mercy  upon  me."  From  the 
 collects  at  the  end  of  the  Khudhra. 
 
 I  shall  withhold  any  remarks  on  the  doctrine  of  justification 
 by  faith  until  the  following  article  has  been  considered. 
 
103 
 
 CHAPTER    XVI. 
 
 OF    GOOD    WORKS. 
 
 "  Albeit  that  good  works  which  are  the  fruits  of  Faith,  and  follow  after  justifi- 
 cation, cannot  put  away  our  sin,  and  endure  the  severity  of  God's  Judgment ; 
 yet  are  they  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God  in  Christ,  and  do  spring  out  ne- 
 cessarily of  a  true  and  lively  faith  ;  insomuch  that  by  them  a  lively  faith  may  be 
 as  evidently  known  as  a  tree  discerned  by  the  fruit." — Article  XII. 
 
 §  1.  "  Physicians  heal  the  sick  with  medicines^  but  the  priests 
 cure  the  sinner  with  the  words  of  Scripture ;  and  by  tears,  fast- 
 ing, prayers,  and  almsgiving,  we  reconcile  Christ  to  us.  And 
 there  is  joy  in  heaven  among  the  angels  when  sinnex's  turn  away 
 from  their  sins.'^  From  the  service  in  the  Khudhra /or  the  eve 
 of  the  commemoration  of  the  Greek  Doctors. 
 
 §  2.  In  the  foregoing  part  of  the  poem  the  author  had  adduced 
 the  case  of  the  Ninevites,  and  therefrom  deduces  the  doctrine 
 that  all  affliction  is  sent  on  account  of  sin,  and  that  by  the  au- 
 sterities and  mortifications  which  they  imposed  upon  them- 
 selves, the  Ninevites  had  put  away  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty. 
 He  then  goes  on  to  say  :  "  Henceforth  our  condition  requires 
 that  by  fasting  and  prayer,  and  almsgiving,  by  contrition,  and 
 repentance,  and  sorrow,  and  tears,  and  earnestness,  for  sin,  we 
 should  reconcile  the  Lord,  and  say  all  of  us,  '  0  Lord,  accept 
 our  supplication.''  "     From  the  Khamees,  "  on  Repentance." 
 
 §  3.  "  Know  thou  assuredly,  0  my  soul,  that  there  is  no  sal- 
 vation from  the  hell  prepared,  but  through  the  labour  of  soul 
 and  body.  Therefore  multiply  and  increase  thy  labour  that 
 thou  mayest  inherit  the  blessedness  which  passeth  not  away." 
 From  the  Khamees,  _/rom  a  different  poem  "on  Repentance.''^ 
 
 §  4.  "  Let  us  'please'  [Heb.  xi.  6]  Christ  the  King  by  our 
 
104  THE    NESTOKIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 works,  for  He  is  the  Searcher  of  our  hidden  things,  and  the 
 Discerner  of  our  thoughts,  lest  He  find  us  sunk  in  the  laxity  of 
 lusts,  and  say  unto  us,  '  I  know  you  not,  depart  from  Me,  ye 
 workers  of  iniquity.'  "  From  the  service  in  the  Khudhra /or  the 
 Monday  of  the  Baootha  d^Ninwaye. 
 
 §  5.  "Whilst  we  continue  in  this  transitory  world,  and  whilst 
 the  door  of  mercy,  and  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  is  open,  let  us 
 reconcile  the  Righteous  one  by  our  conversion  from  doing  evil 
 to  doing  good  works,  that  we  may  escape  the  awful  judgment^ 
 the  sentence  of  which  is  severe,  and  the  punishment  of  which  is 
 long."     From  the  Khudhra,  ut  supra. 
 
 §  6.  "  Fasting,  and  prayer,  and  the  repentance  of  the  soul, 
 reconcile  Christ,  and  His  Father,  and  His  Spirit."  From 
 the  Liturgies,  and  appointed  to  he  said  whenever  the  Eucharist  is 
 offered. 
 
 §  7.  "  When  the  full  term  of  my  life  shall  have  arrived,  and 
 the  Law  shall  appear  to  call  my  soul  to  account  for  all  that  I 
 have  done,  what  property  or  what  wealth,  can  then  aid  me  there 
 where  Christ  shall  sit  upon  the  throne  of  His  glory  ?  The 
 abundance  of  riches  shall  not  profit  the  rich  man  if  he  be  devoid 
 of  good  works,  nor  shall  poverty  profit  the  poor  man  if  his  works 
 be  not  pleasing  to  God.  I  pray  Thee,  therefore,  0  Lord,  to 
 have  pity  upon  me  here,  and  there  to  forgive  me  my  sins,  and 
 to  have  mercy  upon  me."  From  the  Khudhra, /rom  the  Monday 
 of  the  Baootha. 
 
 §  8.  "  Let  us  prepare  ourselves  in  fear  and  in  love  to  partake 
 of  the  awful  gift  of  the  mysteries  of  Christ,  and  let  us  ornament 
 ourselves  with  [good]  works  wherewith  we  reconcile  the  Judge 
 of  all,  that  He  may  have  pity  upon  us  when  He  cometh  to  judge 
 all  the  nations  of  the  world,"  From  the  service  for  Tuesday  of 
 the  Baootha,  in  the  Khudhra. 
 
 remarks. 
 
 The  above  extracts,  taken  alone,  appear  at  first  sight  to  mili- 
 tate against  the  doctrine  of  our  Church  in  her  Twelfth  Article ; 
 but,  taken  together  with  the  declarations  contained  in  the  quo- 
 tations given  in  the  preceding  chapter,  they  seem  to  teach  the 
 scriptural  truth,  that  God's  grace  is  the  procuring  cause  of 
 man's  salvation,  (as  is  more  largely  set  forth  under  Chap.  VL) 
 
GOOD    WORKS.  105 
 
 that  it  is  God,  who,  without  any  merit  or  deserving  on  our  part, 
 calls  and  justifies,  and  that  if  we  are  obedient  to  this  call  He 
 will  justify  us  at  the  last.  This  obedience  may  be  the  simple 
 act  of  faith,  as  in  the  case  of  the  penitent  thief,  who  was  justi- 
 fied here  and  hereafter  because  he  believed,  (for  he  had  no  time 
 given  him  to  testify  further  the  sincerity  of  his  confession  ;)  or 
 it  may  be  faith  evinced  by  a  life  of  obedience.  Not,  however, 
 that  even  his  faith,  as  a  good  work,  or  faith  and  obedience  con- 
 joined, can  make  a  man  to  merit  the  favour  of  God  ;  for  any 
 such  doctrine  is  clearly  disproved  by  §  7  and  8,  given  under 
 Chap.  XV.  "  Repentant  in  my  thoughts  I  call  upon  Thee,  O 
 Thou  Physician  Who  healest  gratuitously,  that  as  Thou  didst 
 create  me  out  of  nothing,  so,  in  Thy  grace,  heal  Thou  my  mis- 
 deeds, since  I  cannot  attain  unto  salvation,  even  by  my  repentance, 
 unless  Thou  dost  help  me."  And  again,  "  0  Thou  just  Judge 
 Who  dost  justify  freely,  unto  Thee  do  I  declare  all  my  short- 
 comings. Give  me,  therefore,  whiteness  of  face  on  the  day  of 
 judgment,  through  the  mercies  which  sent  Thee  to  our  race,  and 
 have  mercy  upon  me." 
 
 Moreover  the  clauses  in  the  above  extracts,  which  speak  of 
 the  fruits  of  repentance  "  reconciling^'  the  Lord,  do  not  neces- 
 sarily teach  that  such  works,  or  that  any  other  ''  charitable  deeds 
 of  ours,  are  the  original  cause  of  our  being  accepted  before  God, 
 or  that  for  the  dignity  or  worthiness  thereof  our  sins  may  be 
 washed  away,  and  we  purged  and  cleansed  from  all  the  spots  of 
 our  iniquity ;  "  but  I  conceive  that  thereby  nothing  more  is 
 meant  than  is  conveyed  by  the  following  extract  from  the 
 second  part  of  the  Homily  on  Aims-Deeds :  "  When  He  and 
 His  disciples  were  grievously  accused  of  the  Pharisees,  to  have 
 defiled  their  souls  in  breaking  the  constitutions  of  the  Elders, 
 because  they  went  to  meat,  and  washed  not  their  hands  before, 
 according  to  the  custom  of  the  Jews ;  Christ  answering  their 
 superstitious  complaint,  teacheth  them  an  especial  remedy  how 
 to  keep  clean  their  souls,  notwithstanding  the  breach  of  such 
 superstitious  orders :  '  Give  alms,'  saith  He,  '  and  behold  all 
 things  are  clean  unto  you.'  He  teacheth  them,  that  to  be  mer- 
 ciful and  charitable  in  helping  the  poor,  is  the  means  to  keep 
 the  soul  pure  and  clean  in  the  sight  of  God.  We  are  taught, 
 therefore,  by  this,  that  merciful  alms-dealing  is  profitable  to 
 
106  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 purge  the  soul  from  the  infection  and  filthy  spots  of  sin.  The 
 same  lesson  doth  the  Holy  Ghost  also  teach  in  sundry  places 
 of  Scripture^  saying,  Mercifulness  and  alms-giving  purgeth  from 
 all  sins,  and  delivereth  from  death,  and  suffereth  not  the  soul  to 
 come  into  darkness.  A  great  confidence  may  they  have  before 
 the  high  God,  that  show  mercy  and  compassion  to  them  that 
 are  afflicted.  The  wise  preacher,  the  Son  of  Sirach,  confirmeth 
 the  same,  when  he  saith,  '  That  as  water  quencheth  burning  fire, 
 even  so  mercy  and  alms  resisteth  and  reconcileth  sins'  And  sure 
 it  is,  that  mercifulness  quaileth  the  heat  of  sins  so  much,  that 
 they  shall  not  take  hold  upon  man  to  hurt  him ;  or  if  ye  have 
 by  any  infirmity  or  weakness  been  touched  and  annoyed  with 
 them,  straightways  shall  mercifulness  wipe  and  wash  away,  as 
 salves  and  remedies  to  heal  their  sores  and  grievous  diseases. 
 And  thereupon  that  holy  father  Cyprian  taketh  good  occasion  to 
 exhort  earnestly  to  the  merciful  works  of  giving  alms  and  help- 
 ing the  poor,  and  then  he  admonisheth  to  consider  how  whole- 
 some and  profitable  it  is  to  relieve  the  needy,  and  help  the 
 afflicted,  by  the  which  we  may  purge  our  sins,  and  heal  our 
 wounded  souls." 
 
 The  following  additional  extracts  further  prove  the  Nestorians 
 to  believe,  1st,  That  God^s  mercy  in  Christ  is  the  procuring 
 cause  of  salvation  to  mankind.  2nd,  That  faith  in  Him  justi- 
 fies. 3rdj  That  lively  faith  is  inseparable  from  good  works. 
 4th,  That  God  is  pleased  with  our  good  works.  5th,  That 
 works  in  order  to  be  good  must  spring  from  a  lively  faith,  or,  in 
 other  words,  that  the  belief  of  the  heart  must  be  evinced  by  the 
 confession  of  the  life.  And,  lastly,  that  without  good  works  no 
 man  can  be  saved. 
 
 §  1.  "Let  us  all  bring  forth  the  pure  fruits  of  repentance 
 towards  Christ,  Who  is  God  over  all,  and  by  prayer,  fasting, 
 alms-giving,  and  mercy  to  the  poor,  let  us  seek  mercy  from  the 
 righteous  Judge,  through  whose  abundant  mercies  alone  we  be- 
 come worthy  to  ascribe  praise  unto  Him,  that  He  may  forgive 
 us  our  trespasses  and  sins."  From  the  service  appointed  in  the 
 Khudhra ybr  the  mid-Wednesday  in  Lent. 
 
 §  2.  '^The  poor  in  spirit  are  those  who  do  not  boast  of  their 
 riches,  nor  of  their  power,  nor  of  their  knowledge,  nor  of  their 
 good  works."     From  the  Warda,  "  on  the  Beatitudes." 
 
GOOD    WORKS.  107 
 
 §  3.  "  Not  that  He  did  not  kuow  them  when  He  said  unto 
 them,  '  I  kuow  you  not ;'  but  He  meant  that  they  could  not  be 
 acknowledged  as  those  who  should  enjoy  His  kingdom.  By 
 this  parable  He  terrifies  those  who  trust  in  their  virginity,  and 
 shows  how  that  they  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  unless  they 
 have  raercy/^  [i.  e.,  have  done  works  of  mercy.]  From  the 
 Warda,  "on  the  Ten  Virgins." 
 
 §  4.  "I  will  confide  in  this  first,  second  and  third  thing,  and 
 in  nothing  more,  although  those  who  have  speech  were  to  cry 
 aloud,  and  the  veiy  dumb  should  speak  and  declare  it, — I  con- 
 fide in  the  mouth  which  spake  and  said :  '  He  that  eateth  My 
 body,  and  drinketh  IMy  blood,  and  believeth  on  Me,  shall  never 
 die.'  On  these  three  things,  I  take  my  stand  ;  I  stand  although 
 I  am  fallen.  For  though  I  am  fallen  I  believe,  and  yet  believe, 
 that  I  shall  rise  again,  I  shall  rise  and  shall  not  fall  again,  for  I 
 know  in  w'hom  I  have  believed,  and  I  have  hope  that  I  shall  not 
 be  confounded.''     From  the  Warda,  "  on  Repentance.'^ 
 
 §  5.  "  Blessed  is  the  mouth  which  confesseth  Him,  for  though 
 it  be  dead  it  shall  live  through  Him.  Blessed  is  the  heart  which 
 believeth  on  Him,  for  though  it  be  sinful,  it  shall  be  justified 
 through  Him."  From  a  poem  in  the  Warda,  "  adapted  to  the 
 fourth  Sunday  in  Lent." 
 
 §  6.  Apostrophizing  his  soul  the  author  writes  :  ''  Love  right- 
 eousness, and  abhor  all  sin  and  anger,  ornament  thyself  with 
 virtue,  and  lay  fast  hold  of  faith,"  [or,  lean  on  faith.]  From 
 the  Khamees,  "  on  Repentance." 
 
 §  7.  "  Go  forth,  0  Church,  and  take  with  thee  thy  sous  and 
 daughters,  to  do  Him  honour,  and  cry  aloud  with  all  thy  heart : 
 '  Hosanna  to  the  Lord.'  Let  faith  and  love  be  to  thee  instead 
 of  branches,  and  cry  out  with  the  voice  of  thanksgiving,  Ho- 
 sanna."    From  the  Warda,  "for  Palm  Sunday." 
 
 §  8.  "0  my  unrighteous  soul,  who  shall  weep  bitterly  for 
 thee,  and  who  shall  plead  for  thee  with  the  righteous  Judge  ? 
 The  angels  of  heaven*  are  struck  with  awe,  and  tremble  at  the 
 severe  condemnation  which  shall  be  passed  upon  those  of  earth, 
 especially  upon  those  who  have  not  exercised  mercy.  The  wise 
 virgins  do  not  give  oil  to  the  foolish  ones,  because  they  do  not 
 take  with  them  pure  lamps  trimmed  with  mercy.  Vv^hither, 
 then,  wilt  thou  go  to  buy  oil  to  light  thy  lamp,  0  thou  unright- 
 
108  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS.  . 
 
 eons  one  ?  Perchance^  whilst  thou  art  gone  to  buy,  the  Bride- 
 groom will  come,  and  thou  shalt  knock,  but  the  door  will  not  be 
 opened  unto  thee ;  thou  shalt  cry  aloud,  '  Lord,  Lord  V  but  He 
 will  not  answer  thee.  Then  shall  He  command  thee  to  be  de- 
 livered over  to  eternal  punishment,  where  there  is  weeping  and 
 gnashing  of  teeth  for  all  evil-doers.  Then  thou  shalt  call  out, 
 as  did  the  Rich  Man,  from  the  midst  of  hell,  '  O  moisten  my 
 tongue  which  is  parched  with  the  flames.'  And  Abraham  shall 
 answer  thee  as  he  did  the  Rich  Man,  '  Remember  that  thou  hast 
 received  thy  good  things,  and  Lazarus  has  received  his  afflic- 
 tions, and  now  thou  shalt  have  thine  afflictions,  and  Lazarus 
 shall  have  his  good  things.'  Since  thou  didst  not  comfort  the 
 weary,  therefore  thou  shalt  not  rest  in  the  treasure-house  of 
 life.  Since  thou  didst  not  satisfy  a  hungry  soul,  thou  shalt  not 
 enjoy  the  blessings  to  come.  Since  thou  didst  not  give  away  a 
 cup  of  cold  water,  thy  poor  tongue  shall  not  be  moistened. 
 Therefore,  0  my  soul,  pray  and  beseech  the  merciful  Lord,  and 
 say,  '  Give  me  rest  in  Thy  kingdom  with  all  Thy  saints,  and  have 
 mercy  upon  me.' "  From  the  service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra 
 for  the  Baootha  d'Ninwaye. 
 
 See  also  Appendix  B.  Part  iv.  c.  7,  for  the  connection  in  which 
 Rom.  xiv.  23  referred  to  in  Art.  xiii.  is  found. 
 
109 
 
 CHAPTER     XVII. 
 
 OF    WORKS    BEFORE    JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 "  Works  done  before  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  the  Inspiration  of  His  Spirit, 
 are  not  pleasant  to  God,  forasmuch  as  they  spring  not  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ, 
 neither  do  they  make  men  meet  to  receive  grace,  or  (as  the  School-authors  say) 
 deserve  grace  of  congruity :  yea,  rather  for  that  they  are  not  done  as  God  hath 
 willed  and  commanded  them  to  be  done,  we  doubt  not  but  that  they  have  the 
 nature  of  sin." — Article  XIII. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  the  Nestorians  with  respect  to  works  done 
 before  Justification  may  be  summed  up  as  follows  :  Man  is  far 
 gone  from  original  righteousness,  and  is  of  himself  unable  to 
 attain  unto  salvation  by  any  efforts  of  his  own,  as  has  been 
 already  shown  under  Article  IX.  In  this  state  of  nature  he  is 
 under  the  curse,  and  consequently  nothing  which  he  can  do, 
 while  in  that  state,  is  pleasing  to  God,  "  for  in  those  days  men 
 were  like  beasts  in  everything,  living  like  brutes  in  sensual  lusts, 
 and  they  stumbled  in  their  goings  over  the  stumbling-block  of 
 sin  through  the  obliquity  of  their  souls ;  they  were,  moreover, 
 vain- glorious,  and  walked  after  the  law  of  their  nature  without 
 any  discernment."*  But  God  in  His  mercy  sent  His  Son  to 
 die  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  and  thereby  removed  the 
 curse,  and  opened  the  kingdom  of  heaven  which  before  had 
 been  shut  against  the  whole  race  of  Adam.  Into  this  kingdom 
 God  calls  whom  He  pleases,  and  in  calling  them.  He  bestows 
 upon  them  His  grace,  which  grace  is  communicated  in  the  first 
 instance,  and  wdthout  any  merit  whatever  on  the  part  of  those 
 who  receive  it,  in  holy  baptism,  whereby  w^e  become  "  members 
 of  Christ,  children  of  God,  and  inheritors  of  the  kingdom  of 
 Heaven  \"  in  which  new  state  of  Grace,  whatever  good  works 
 *  See  Chapter  VI.  §  6.  par.  n. 
 
110  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 we  do  are  pleasing  unto  God,  because  they  are  wrought  through 
 the  indvveUing  of  the  Holy  Spirit  Who  adopts  us  to  be  the 
 sons  of  God  in  the  holy  ordinance  of  baptism.  As  this  subject 
 however,  will  be  treated  more  at  length  under  Article  XXVII., 
 T  shall  at  present  restrict  myself  to  adducing  the  following  ex- 
 tract from  the  service  appointed  in  the  Gezza  for  the  feast  of  the 
 Epiphany  corroborative  of  the  above  remarks. 
 
 "  Ho,  all  ye  who  are  driven  without  the  holy  Church,  and  who 
 are  like  strangers  to  her  communion,  come,  enter  in,  and  receive 
 the  gift  of  baptism,  and  mingle  with  the  reasonable  sheep  of 
 Christ.  Behold  this  is  the  accepted  time  to  all  such  as  are 
 unbaptized.  Come,  enter  in,  and  take  rest,  and  delight  your- 
 selves in  the  hidden  mysteries  of  our  salvation,  lest  you  should 
 have  no  part  or  portioa  in  the  invitation  of  the  priest  who  cele- 
 brates. For  the  gates  are  watched  on  your  account,  lest  any 
 of  you  should  enter  in  not  having  on  the  wedding  garment. 
 Therefore,  come  all  of  you,  and  partake  freely  of  this  holy  gift." 
 
Ill 
 
 CHAPTER     XVIII. 
 
 OF    WORKS    OP    SUPEREROGATION. 
 
 "  Voluntary  Works  besides,  over  and  above,  God's  Commandments,  which 
 they  call  Works  of  Supererogation,  cannot  be  taught  without  arrogancy  and  im- 
 piety :  for  by  them  men  do  declare,  that  they  do  not  only  render  unto  God 
 as  much  as  they  are  bound  to  do,  but  that  they  do  more  for  His  sake,  than 
 of  bounden  duty  is  required :  whereas  Christ  saith  plainly.  When  ye  have 
 done  all  that  are  commanded  to  you,  say,  We  are  unprofitable  servants." — • 
 Ariicle  XIV. 
 
 *' Let  us  awake  from  the  sleep  of  idleness  ^  and  let  us  run  the 
 race  which  is  set  before  us.  Let  us  aim  to  do  good,  and  not  be 
 slothful,  and  as  much  as  in  us  lieth  let  us  imitate  the  perfect  in 
 their  perseverance.  Wherefore  do  we  reproach  the  Israelites  for 
 their  sins  ?  Is  not  the  road  straight  before  us,  why  then  should 
 we  go  astray  ?  We  must  account  ourselves  bound  to  do  the 
 things  which  are  commanded  us,  nevertheless  though  we  do 
 them  we  shall  not  thereby  profit  the  Holy  and  Rich  [God,] 
 and  on  the  other  hand,  if  we  omit  to  do  them,  we  cannot  injure 
 Him.  The  fruits  of  these  two  [the  doing  and  the  leaving  un- 
 done what  we  ought  to  do,]  are  our  own.  Let  us^  therefore, 
 fulfil  the  commands  of  the  righteous  Son,  and  worship  His 
 adorable  Cross,  confessing  both  inwardly  and  outwardly  that 
 it  is  through  Him  we  conquer,  through  Him  we  become 
 members  of  the  Household,  through  Him  we  are  justified,  and 
 through  Him  we  triumph  over  our  enemies."  From  a  poem  in 
 the  Khamees  written  hy  the  priest  Ishak  on  the  "  Adorable  Cross 
 and  the  life  of  Christ." 
 
112  THE    NESTORTANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 The  doctrine  condemned  in  this  article  has  no  existence 
 among  the  Nestorians.  So  little  do  they  know  of  any  such 
 error  that  they  have  not  even  a  name  for  it. 
 
113 
 
 CHAPTER     XIX. 
 
 OF    CHRIST    ALONE    WITHOUT    SIN. 
 
 "  Christ  in  the  truth  of  our  nature  was  made  like  unto  us  in  all  things,  sin 
 only  except,  from  which  He  was  clearly  void,  both  in  His  flesh,  and  in  His  spirit. 
 He  came  to  be  the  Lamb  without  spot,  who,  by  the  sacriiice  of  Himself  once 
 made,  should  take  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  and  sin,  as  Saint  John  saith,  was 
 not  in  Him.  But  all  we  the  rest,  although  baptized,  and  born  again  in  Christ, 
 yet  offend  in  many  things  ;  and  if  we  say  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves, 
 and  the  truth  is  not  in  us." — Article  XV, 
 
 §  1.  A  POEM  in  the  Warda  commences  with  some  remarks  on  the 
 scribe  who  addressed  Christ,  saying :  "  Good  Master,"  and  con- 
 tinues :  "  The  Good  Son,  He  who  is  good  even  as  His  Father 
 is  good,  repHed  and  said  unto  him  whose  thoughts  were  evil, '  Why 
 callest  thou  Me  good  ?  Thou  hast  called  Me  good  in  order  that 
 I  may  call  thee  a  good  Scribe,  whereas  there  is  none  good  among 
 men ;  thy  address,  therefore,  has  not  affected  Me.^  ....  There 
 is  none  good  among  men,  saith  the  mouth  of  the  Truth,  for 
 there  is  none  perfect  and  good  like  unto  God  among  all  those 
 who  are  created.  And  if  God  is  good,  is  not  His  Son  also 
 good  V  F7'om  the  Warda  "  on  the  Man  who  went  down  from  Jer'u- 
 salem  to  Jericho,"  adapted  to  the  third  Sunday/  of  the  Apostles. 
 
 §  3.  "I  have  sinned  against  Thee,  and  not  I  only,  but  all 
 Thy  creatures  also  have  sinned  against  Thee.  And  Thou  alone 
 art  He  who  hast  reconciled  Thyself  to  us."  From  the  Warda 
 "  on  repentance." 
 
 §  3.  "  He  who  is  more  righteous  than  all  men  became  sin, 
 [2  Cor.  v.  21,]  and  He  who  is  more  blessed  than  all  became  a 
 curse,  and  the  Alive  for  evermore  became  dead,  and  who  can 
 comprehend  this  grace  ?  .  .  .  When  our  Lord  was  called  ^  Sin,' 
 He  became  the  destroyer  of  sin  :  and  when  the  title  of  '  Curse ' 
 was  affixed  to    Him,  He  became  the  destroyer  of  all    curses. 
 
 VOL.   II.  I 
 
114  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Not  that  His  Person  became  sin,  or  His  Parsopa  a  curse ',  but 
 He  took  tbe  title  of  those  vile  things,  and  in  their  stead  gave  us 
 in  reality  glorious  things.  It  is  impossible  for  inherent  right- 
 eousness to  become  sin,  but  it  is  possible  for  righteousness  to 
 be  [called]  sin  in  behalf  of  grace.^'  From  the  Warda.  "  The 
 author  on  himself." 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 Besides  the  evidence  deducible  from  the  above,  the  reader 
 who  has  carefully  perused  the  extracts  quoted  under  the  fore- 
 going Articles  will  feel  fully  persuaded,  that  the  corruption  of 
 human  nature,  and  the  universal  sinfulness  of  all  who  are  born 
 of  Adam,  are  doctrines  maintained  and  taught  in  the  ancient 
 Nestorian  rituals.  And  I  doubt  not  that  if  propounded  to  any 
 modern  Nestorian  they  would  meet  with  a  cordial  assent. 
 
115 
 
 CHAPTER   XX. 
 
 OP    SIN    AFTER,    UAPTISM. 
 
 "Not  every  deadly  sia  willingly  committed  after  Baptism  is  sin  against  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  and  unpardonable.  Wherefore  the  grant  of  repentance  is  not 
 to  be  denied  to  such  as  fall  into  sin  after  Baptism,  After  we  have  received  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  we  may  depart  fi'om  grace  given,  and  fall  into  sin,  and  by  the 
 Grace  of  God,  we  may  rise  again  and  amend  our  lives.  And  therefore  they 
 are  to  be  condemned,  which  say,  they  can  no  more  sin  as  long  as  they  live  here, 
 or  deny  the  place  of  forgiveness  to  such  as  truly  repent." — Article  XVI. 
 
 §  1.  "0  Thou  King  of  kings,  if  thou  hast  imposed  upon  Thy 
 servants^  that  they  should  forgive  those  who  sin  against  them, 
 and  who  afterwards  repent,  to  the  extent  of  seventy  times  seven 
 times,  how  much  more  does  it  accord  with  Thy  justice  to  forgive 
 not  seventy  times  only,  but  seven  thousand  times  seventy  thou- 
 sand times,  those  who  come  to  Thine  House  in  order  to  receive 
 Thy  forgiveness,  and  who  cry  aloud  unto  Thee,  young  and  old, 
 and  in  every  tongue  ascribe  praise  unto  Thee,  both  now  and  for 
 ever  and  ever/'  From  the  service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra  for 
 the  fourth  Sunday  in  Lent. 
 
 §  2.  "  Our  help  is  from  God,  Who  in  mei'cy  chastises  us  all. 
 And  since  it  is  He  Who  gives  us  life,  let  us  never  despair  of  the 
 salvation  of  our  souls ;  but  let  us  cry  out  and  say,  Keep  us, 
 O  LoED,  in  Thy  mercy,  and  have  mercy  upon  us."  From  the 
 Kdham  oo  d'Wathar,  in  the  service  for  Thursday  evening. 
 
 §  3.  "  When  I  recalled  to  mind  and  thought  upon  the  sins 
 which  I  had  committed,  fear  and  trembling  took  possession  of 
 my  soul ;  and  when  I  had  well  nigh  fallen  into  despair,  I  re- 
 membered that  the  way  of  repentance  was  not  yet  cut  off,  nor 
 denied  me,  and  that  hope,  by  which  we  are  saved,  still  remained 
 unto  me.     Therefore,  0  Thou  righteous   Judge,  who  art  long- 
 
 I  2 
 
116  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 suffering  and  of  tender  compassion^  have  pity  upon  me."  From 
 the  service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra  for  the  third  Sunday  in 
 Lent. 
 
 §  4.  "  The  multitude  of  my  sins  had  driven  me  to  the  brink 
 of  despair,  and  I  was  bereft  of  all  consolation ;  but  I  called  to 
 mind  and  remembered  Him  who  promised  when  He  said,  '  Ask 
 and  pray  of  Him  who  giveth  freely,  for  He  can  heal  every  secret 
 disease.'  Therefore,  with  a  broken  spirit  I  beseech  Thee,  who 
 only  art  the  lover  of  mankind,  to  have  mercy  upon  me."  From 
 the  Khudhra  ut  supra. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 I  have  not  been  able  to  discover  any  passages  in  the  rituals 
 bearing  upon  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  but  enough  is 
 contained  in  the  quotations  already  adduced,  together  with  the 
 above  extracts,  to  show  that  according  to  the  Nestorian  doctrine, 
 repentance  is  to  be  denied  to  none,  i.  e.  to  no  Christian  men. 
 The  service  books  of  the  Nestorians,  like  our  own,  are  designed 
 for  the  use  of  such  as  are  baptized,  and  consequently  the  pardon 
 so  largely  offered  in  them  to  the  penitent  believers  in  Christ 
 can  only  have  reference  to  sin  after  Baptism.  If  any  further 
 proof  were  necessary  to  establish  this  point,  the  following  ex- 
 tract from  the  Sinhados  amply  supplies  the  deficiency  :  "  If  a 
 bishop,  priest,  or  deacon,  does  not  receive  back  one  who  turns 
 from  his  sin,  but  contemns  him,  let  such  an  one  be  excommuni- 
 cated, because  he  thereby  despises  Christ,  Who  has  said  '  that 
 there  is  joy  in  heaven  over  one  who  repents.' ''     Canon  L. 
 
117 
 
 CHAPTER   XXI. 
 
 OP    PREDESTINATION    AND    ELECTION. 
 
 "  Predestination  to  Life  is  the  everlasting  purpose  of  God,  whereby  (before 
 the  foundations  of  the  world  were  laid)  He  hath  constantly  decreed  by  His  coun- 
 sel secret  to  us,  to  deliver  from  curse  and  damnation  those  whom  He  hath 
 chosen  in  Christ  out  of  mankind,  and  to  bring  them  by  Christ  to  everlasting 
 salvation,  as  vessels  made  to  honour.  Wherefore,  they  which  be  endued  with 
 so  excellent  a  benefit  of  God  be  called  according  to  God's  purpose  by  His  Spirit 
 working  in  due  season  :  they  through  Grace  obey  the  calling  :  they  be  justified 
 freely  :  they  be  made  sons  of  God  by  adoption  :  they  be  made  like  the  image 
 of  His  only-begotten  Son  Jestts  Christ  :  they  walk  religiously,  in  good  works, 
 and  at  length,  by  God's  mercy,  they  attain  to  everlasting  felicity.  As  the  godly 
 consideration  of  Predestination,  and  our  Election  in  Christ,  is  full  of  sweet, 
 pleasant,  and  unspeakable  comfort  to  godly  persons,  and  such  as  feel  in  them- 
 selves the  working  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  mortifying  the  works  of  the  flesh, 
 and  their  earthly  members,  and  drawing  up  their  mind  to  high  and  heavenly 
 things,  as  well  because  it  doth  greatly  establish  and  confirm  their  faith  of  eternal 
 Salvation  to  be  enjoyed  through  Christ,  as  because  it  doth  fervently  kindle  their 
 love  towards  God  :  So,  for  curious  and  carnal  persons,  lacking  the  Spirit  of 
 Christ,  to  have  continually  before  their  eyes  the  sentence  of  God's  Predes- 
 tination, is  a  most  dangerous  downfall,  whereby  the  Devil  doth  thrust  them 
 either  into  desperation,  or  into  wretchlessness  of  most  unclean  living,  no  less 
 perilous  than  desperation.  -Furthermore,  we  must  receive  God's  promises  in 
 such  wise,  as  they  be  generally  set  forth  to  us  in  Holy  Scripture  :  and,  in  our 
 doings,  that  Will  of  God  is  to  be  followed,  which  we  have  expressly  declared 
 unto  us  in  the  Word  of  God." — Article  XVII. 
 
 On  the  difficult  theological  questions  involved  in  the  doctrine  of 
 Predestination  and  Election,  the  Nestorians  appear  not  to  have 
 been  troubled  in  any  period  of  their  history,  and  hence  scarcely 
 anything  directly  to  the  point  is  to  be  met  with  in  their  stand- 
 ard writings.  As  may  be  gathered  from  the  spirit  and  teaching 
 of  the  quotations  hitherto  adduced,  the  Nestorian  ritualists  seem 
 to  have  been  guided  by  the  less  theoretical  and  simpler  truth 
 
118  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 contained  in  the  concluding  paragraph  of  the  Article.  In  all 
 their  services  they  insist,  with  much  earnestness,  upon  the  vast 
 importance  of  practical  holiness;  exhibit  the  motives  which  ap- 
 peared to  them  best  calculated  to  secure  it,  and  represent  the 
 blessedness  which  awaits  good  men,  and  the  condemnation  re- 
 served for  the  wicked ;  but  they  do  not  attempt  to  determine 
 whether  the  sin  which  they  were  solicitous  to  remove  could  be 
 accounted  for  consistently  with  the  essential  holiness  and  the 
 ■unbounded  mercy  of  God.  In  short  they  take  that  view  of  this 
 subject  which  every  Christian  man  takes  when  he  is  not  seeking 
 to  enter  into  philosophical  disquisition  :  never  for  one  moment 
 doubting  that  whatever  is  wrong  was  ultimately  to  be  referred  to 
 man,  and  that  the  economy  of  grace  proceeding  from  God,  was 
 the  most  convincing  proof  of  His  tenderness  towards  mankind. 
 Hence,  they  teach  that  Christians  should  be  thankful  for  the 
 unmerited  love  of  God,  in  having  called  them  to  participate  in 
 His  grace ; — that  from  this  grace  they  may  fall  away  and  be 
 lost ; — but  that  if  they  repent  and  strive  to  continue  in  His 
 favour.  He  is  merciful,  and  will  finally  save  them.  In  this  spirit 
 the  following  prayer  from  the  collection  of  Collects  at  the  end 
 of  the  Khudhra  is  dictated  ;  "  From  Thy  treasures,  0  Thou  Self- 
 existent,  we  pray  for  mercy  and  pity  ;  shut  not  Thy  door  against 
 us,  for  we  have  no  other  hope  but  Thee.  Who  can  overcome 
 without  Thy  help,  who  can  persevere  without  Thee  ?  Vain  are 
 all  the  efforts  of  men  unless  Thy  salvation  accompanies  them, 
 and  vain  is  the  triumph  which  is  not  through  Thee.  The  bird 
 does  not  fall  into  the  snare  of  the  fowler  without  Thy  will ;  how 
 then  can  we  overcome  without  the  help  of  Thy  grace  ?  Turn 
 towards  us,  O  Thou  Compassionate  One,  and  hear  the  voice  of 
 our  supplications  whilst  we  pray  Thee,  in  Thy  mercy,  to  be 
 favourable  unto  Thy  servants." 
 
119 
 
 CHAPTER    XXII. 
 
 OF    OBTAINING    ETERNAL    SALVATION    ONLY    BY    THE    NAME 
 OF    CHRIST. 
 
 "  They  also  are  to  be  had  accursed  that  presume  to  say,  that  every  man  shall 
 be  saved  by  the  Law  or  sect  which  he  professeth,  so  that  he  be  diligent  to 
 frame  his  life  according  to  that  Law,  and  the  light  of  Nature.  For  Holy  Scrip- 
 ture doth  set  out  unto  us  only  the  Name  of  Jesus  Christ,  whereby  men  must 
 be  saved." — Article  XVIII. 
 
 §  I.  "I  AM  persuaded  that  there  is  no  salvation  for  man  or 
 woman,  but  through  the  Holy  and  adorable  Jesus  Christ  our 
 Lord  ;  He  Who  delivered  Himself  up  to  be  betrayed,  and  en- 
 dured pain,  and  crucifixion,  and  death,  and  the  grave  for  sin," 
 From  the  Kh^mees  "  on  Repentance." 
 
 §  3.  "  Christ  the  Son  of  the  Righteous,  the  Saviour  of  the 
 world,  has  in  His  pity  given  unto  all  a  baptism  for  the  remis- 
 sion of  sins,  and  such  as  by  repentance  attain  to  the  true  faith 
 are  born  of  God,  and  all  who  do  not  attain  unto  this,  are  with- 
 out the  gift  of  life  and  eternal  salvation."  From  the  service  in 
 the  Khudhra /or  the  seventh  Sunday  in  Lent. 
 
 §  3.  The  following,  quoted  under  Chap.  XI.,  proves  the  Nes- 
 torians  to  believe  that  even  before  His  coming,  mankind  was 
 saved  through  Christ  alone. — "  Thou  didst  receive  the  inhabi- 
 tants of  Nineveh  when  they  knocked  at  Thy  door  with  fasting 
 and  prayer,  with  contrition  and  true  penitence ;  and  Thou  didst 
 turn  away  Thine  anger  from  them,  and  didst  not  destroy  them. 
 Thou  didst  rescue  their  life  from  the  jaws  of  death,  and  in  pity 
 and  in  mercy  didst  heal  their  rebellion  ;  and  hereby  Thou  didst 
 prefigure  to  coming  generations  the  restoration  of  the  Gentiles, 
 and  their  salvation  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ." 
 
 §  4.  "  .  .  .  .  And  for  all  men  who  are  living  in  sin  and  error, 
 that  Thou,  O  Lord,  mayest  graciously  make  them  to  know  the 
 
120  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 truth,  and  to  worship  Thee,  and  that  they  may  know  that  Thou 
 only  art  the  true  and  righteous  Father,  who  desirest  that  all 
 should  be  saved,  and  come  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth ;  and 
 that  they  may  also  know  that  Thou  art  the  Lord  from  everlast- 
 ing to  everlasting,  a  Divine  and  uncreated  Essence,  the  Creator  of 
 all  things,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost;  and  that  for  us 
 men  and  for  our  salvation,  the  Son  of  God,  God  the  Word,  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ,  became  very  Man,  who  was  perfected  and 
 justified  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  He  is  the 
 Mediator  between  God  and  man,  and  the  giver  of  everlasting 
 life  to  all  those  who  through  Him  come  unto  God  the  Father, 
 to  Whom  be  praises  and  blessings  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen." 
 From  the  Liturgy  of  Theodorus. 
 
 The  following  prayers  for  vengeance  upon  unbelievers  clearly 
 teach,  that  according  to  the  Nestorian  doctrine  none  such  can 
 be  saved. 
 
 §  5.  "  Wherefore,  0  Lord,  dost  Thou  forget  us,  and  not 
 listen  to  the  voice  of  Thy  servants  who  call  upon  Thy  name  ? 
 Behold  the  rebellious  Gentiles  despise  us,  as  is  their  wont,  be- 
 lieving as  they  do  that  Thou  wilt  not  judge  them.  Let  Thy  fire 
 descend,  and  whet  Thy  sword,  and  take  vengeance  upon  them, 
 that  we  may  cry  out  unto  Thee  as  Jeremiah  did  when  we  behold 
 the  recompense  of  our  enemies.  0  Thou  Righteous  One,  whose 
 vengeance  is  heavy,  and  whose  judgment  is  severe  and  fearful; 
 command  that  they  be  punished  in  this  world,  until  the  day  of 
 Thy  appearance  shall  come,  and  Thou  shalt  order  them  to  go  into 
 everlasting  fire."     From  the  Collects  at  the  end  of  the  Khudhra. 
 
 §  6.  "  Rise  up,  0  Lord,  Thou  mighty  and  everlasting  One, 
 save  us  and  put  to  confusion  those  who  hate  us,  and  who  have 
 not  known  Thee  ;  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  may  know 
 that  Thou  art  powerful  and  to  be  feared,  and  that  Thou  doest 
 wonders.  Lift  up  Thy  right  hand  and  cast  down  the  rebellious, 
 raise  up  the  humble,  and  bring  low  the  proud,  and  give  Thy 
 help  to  those  who  worship  Thee."     From  the  Khudhra  ut  supra. 
 
 The  above  prayers,  (and  there  are  several  others  written  in 
 the  same  spirit,)  are  still  used  by  the  Chaldeans.  The  denun- 
 ciations and  prayers  for  vengeance  found  in  the  Psalms,  and  in 
 other  parts  of  Holy  Scripture  are  their  authority  for  thus  pray- 
 ing against  the  enemies  of  the  Church. 
 
131 
 
 CHAPTER    XXIII. 
 
 OP    THE    CHURCH. 
 
 "  The  visible  Church  of  Christ  is  a  congregation  of  faithful  men,  in  which 
 the  pure  Word  of  God  is  preached,  and  the  Sacraments  be  duly  ministered  ac- 
 cording to  Christ's  ordinance  in  aU  those  things  that  of  necessity  are  requisite 
 to  the  same. 
 
 "  As  the  Church  of  Jerusale.m,  Alexandria,  and  Antioch,  have  erred  ;  so  also 
 the  Church  oi Rome  hath  erred,  not  only  in  their  living  and  manner  of  ceremo- 
 nies, but  also  in  matters  of  faith." — Article  XIX. 
 
 §  1.  "The  term  ^ Church^  imports  a  congregation,  and  an 
 assembly  met  together  to  unite  in  acts  of  celebration.  .  .  .  The 
 name  '  Church/  as  we  have  said,  has  this  signification,  for 
 Christ  does  not  call  material  foundations  and  stones  a  '  Church,' 
 but  the  congregation  which  believe  on  Him.^^  See  Appendix  B., 
 Part  III.,  c.  8. 
 
 §  3.  "Blessed  art  thou,  O  Church,  for  behold  the  commemo- 
 ration of  thy  sanctification  has  been  celebrated  :  for  the  Father 
 has  had  pleasure  in  thy  sons  and  daughters,  and  the  Son  has 
 renewed  thy  foundations,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  the  Comforter 
 has  descended  and  sanctified  thee  by  His  grace,  and  set  up 
 within  thee  priests  to  preach  the  true  faith,  and  has  delivered 
 unto  thee  His  sacraments  as  a  pledge  of  the  forgiveness  of  thy 
 children.  Therefore  confess  and  worship  the  Messiah,  the 
 King,  who  has  magnified  thee.^'  From  the  service  for  the  first 
 Sunday  of  the  Sanctification  of  the  Church ;  from  the  Khudhra. 
 
 §  3.  "  Thy  Church  possesses  a  heavenly  treasure  and  great 
 wealth,  0  our  Saviour,  in  those  sacraments  and  ordinances 
 which  Thou  hast  given  us.  She  keeps  these,  and  preaches  the 
 great  Book  of  Thy  Gospel,  and  the  adorable  wood  of  Thy  cross, 
 the  emblem  of  Thy  humanity.     Great  are  the  sacraments  of  her 
 
123  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 salvation,"  From  the  Khudhra,  for  the  third  Friday  of  the 
 Sandification  of  the  Church. 
 
 §  4.  "To  Thy  Churcli,  0  our  Saviour^  which  through  faith 
 and  love,  the  fruits  of  Baptism,  followed  Thee  perfectly,  Thou 
 didst  first  disclose  the  Persons  of  Thy  glorious  Godhead,  and 
 through  her  has  been  made  known  to  the  spiritual  congrega- 
 tions a  perfect  teaching  of  the  mystery  of  Thy  Trinity.  May 
 that  faith,  0  Lord,  which  by  Thy  grace  was  committed  unto 
 her  through  Thy  Gospel  be  kept  undefiled."  From  the  service  for 
 the  first  Friday  of  the  same  commemoration. 
 
 §  5.  "  Great  and  unlimited  praise  do  the  spiritual  choirs  offer 
 up  on  the  feast  of  thy  sanctification,  0  glorious  and  holy  Church. 
 The  saintly  priests  cry  out  and  say  in  thee.  Holy,  Holy,  Holy, 
 art  Thou,  0  Lord,  whose  glory  rested  upon  thee,  and  who  gave 
 thee  in  pledge  His  sacraments."  From  the  fourth  Sunday  of  the 
 same  commemoration. 
 
 §  6.  "  Christ,  Who  affianced  His  Church  through  His  pre- 
 cious blood,  and  by  His  baptism  sanctified  and  saved  it  by 
 His  grace,  and  made  it  an  abode  and  place  of  refuge  for  all  who 
 believe  in  Him,  we  pray  Him  to  have  mercy  upon  us."  From 
 the  service  for  the  first  Sunday  of  the  same  festival. 
 
 §  7.  "  Come,  all  ye  of  the  household,  that  we  may  be  among 
 the  guests  at  the  sanctification  of  Thy  holy  Church,  the  affianced 
 Bride  of  Jesus  the  High  Priest,  the  heavenly  Bridegroom,  who 
 in  His  pity  gave  to  her  His  precious  body  and  blood,  and  spread 
 out  upon  her  the  beauty  of  His  celestial  glory,  and  committed 
 to  her  the  pledge  of  a  new  life  in  the  waters  of  baptism,  and  has 
 promised  her  a  delectable  abode  in  heaven  that  she  may  exult 
 therein  with  her  children  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  praise  Him  for 
 having  exalted  her  in  every  place,  and  humbled  before  her  all 
 names,  and  built  up  her  walls."     From  the  same. 
 
 §  8.  "  The  holy  Church  confesses  Thee,  0  Jesus  Christ,  Son 
 of  the  Lord,  and  perfects  Thy  sacraments,  and  exults  in  Thy 
 cross,  longs  for  Thee,  waits  for  Thee,  and  supplicates  Thy  great- 
 ness to  exalt  her  with  Thee  unto  heaven  when  Thou  shalt  come 
 at  the  last  day."     From  the  same. 
 
 remarks. 
 With  respect  to  the  last  paragraph  of  this  article  little  need  to 
 
THE    CHURCH.  123 
 
 be  said.  On  this  subject  see  Appendix  B,  Part  IV.,  c.  6,  which 
 concludes  with  the  foUowiug  declaration :  "Therefore  the  Westerns 
 have  changed  the  faith  and  the  canons,  and  not  the  Easterns." 
 
 I  quote  the  following  extract  on  the  perpetuity  of  the  Church 
 of  Christ,  on  account  of  its  singularity,  it  being  the  only  in- 
 stance in  which  the  testimony  of  the  Roman  patriarchate  is 
 adduced.  '^Rome  says  that  the  Church  shall  continue  from 
 generation  to  generation,  and  shall  not  be  overcome  by  kings  or 
 emperors.^^  F?'om  the  service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra  for  the 
 third  Sunday  of  the  "  Sanctification  of  the  Church." 
 
124  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXIV. 
 
 OF  THE  AUTHORITY  OF  THE  CHURCH. 
 
 "  The  Church  hath  power  to  decree  Rites  or  Ceremonies,  and  authority  in 
 Controversies  of  Faith :  and  yet  it  is  not  lawful  for  the  Church  to  ordain  any 
 thing  that  is  contrary  to  God's  Word  written,  neither  may  it  so  expound  one 
 place  of  Scripture  that  it  be  repugnant  to  another.  Wherefore,  although  the 
 Church  be  a  witness  and  a  keeper  of  holy  Writ,  yet,  as  it  ought  not  to  decree 
 any  thing  against  the  same,  so  besides  the  same  ought  it  not  to  enforce  any  thing 
 to  be  believed  for  necessity  of  salvation." — Article  XX. 
 
 §  1.  "0  THOU  Church  full  of  discretion,  possessor  of  treasures 
 and  varied  wisdom^  worship  and  confess  Christ  the  King,  thy 
 Saviour,  Who  has  raised  up  thy  children,  and  has  made  them 
 spiritual  treasures  in  the  creation,  and  has  committed  into  their 
 hands  the  keys  of  the  heavenly  treasure,  and  has  given  them 
 authority  that  whatsoever  they  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be 
 bound  in  heaven."  From  the  service  in  the  Khudhra /or  the  first 
 Sunday  of  the  "  Sanctification  of  the  Church." 
 
 §  2.  "  If  any  one  shall  introduce  into  the  Church  spurious 
 books  written  by  wicked  persons,  under  cover  of  their  being 
 Holy  Scriptures,  to  the  corruption  of  the  laity  and  clergy,  let 
 him  be  excommunicated."  From  Canon  LII.  of  the  Apostolical 
 Canons  contained  in  the  Sinhadbs. 
 
 §  3.  "  Twice  a  year  a  synod  of  Bishops  shall  be  convened,  and 
 they  shall  prove  [or  examine]  one  another  in  the  doctrines  of 
 piety,  and  shall  loose  [or  decide]  the  controversies  which  shall 
 arise  in  the  Church."     From  Canon  XXXVI.  as  above. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 The  alterations  and  additions  which  from  time  to  time  have 
 been  made  in  the  Nestorian  ritual  and  ceremonial  prove  that 
 
AUTHORITY  OF  THE  CHURCH.  125 
 
 they  agree  with  the  doctrine  taught  in  the  first  clause  of  this 
 article.  That  they  hold  the  Church  to  be  the  authoritative 
 keeper  of  holy  Writ  is  equally  plain  from  the  passages  quoted 
 under  this  and  the  preceding  article,  as  also  that  she  ought  not 
 to  enforce  any  thing  contrary  to  the  same  to  be  believed  as  neces- 
 sary to  salvation.  On  this  latter  subject  the  reader  is  referred 
 to  the  remarks  under  Chapter  X. 
 
126  THE  nestoriAns  and  their  rituals. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXV. 
 
 OF    THE    AUTHORITY    OF    GENERAL    COUNCILS. 
 
 "  General  councils  may  not  be  gathered  together  without  the  commandment 
 and  will  of  princes.  And  when  they  be  gathered  together,  (forasmuch  as  they 
 be  an  assembly  of  men,  whereof  all  be  not  governed  with  the  Spirit  and  Word  of 
 God,)  they  may  err,  and  sometimes  have  erred,  even  in  things  pertaining  unto 
 God.  Wherefore  things  ordained  by  them  as  necessary  to  salvation  have  neither 
 strength  nor  authority,  unless  it  may  be  declared  that  they  be  taken  out  of  holy 
 Scripture." — Article  XXI. 
 
 I  HAVE  not  been  able  to  find  any  authoritative  declaration  on 
 the  subject  contained  in  the  first  clause  of  this  article,  but  Mar 
 Abd  Yeshua  speaks  approvingly  of  the  convention  of  the  Coun- 
 cils of  Nice  and  Chalcedon  by  the  Eastern  Emperors.  With 
 respect  to  the  former  he  thus  writes :  "  The  oecumenical  council 
 of  the  318  was  convened  by  order  of  the  good  and  CnRisT-loving 
 Emperor  and  Saint  Constantine,  in  the  year  of  Alexander,  636, 
 and  hy  proofs  adduced  from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  they  decreed, 
 interpreted,  enlightened,  disclosed,  manifested,  and  confirmed, 
 the  orthodox  faith. '^  And  with  respect  to  the  latter  he  says : 
 "Tumult  and  confusion  went  on  increasing  until  the  zealous 
 and  CHRiST-loving  Marcion  undertook  to  convene  the  great 
 council  of  the  633  in  the  town  of  Chalcedon,  and  commanded 
 that  both  parties  should  be  examined  and  judged,  and  that  who- 
 soever should  not  follow  the  truth  and  faith  as  declared  by  this 
 Council  should  be  expelled  the  Church,"  See  Appendix  B,  Part 
 III.,  c.  4.  It  is  to  me  a  matter  of  great  surprise  that  the  Nes- 
 torian  rituals  contain  no  formal  condemnation  of  the  Council  of 
 Ephesus.  The  excommunication  of  Nestorius  is  frequently  re- 
 ferred to  and  censured,  but  no  mention  whatever  is  made  of  the 
 
AUTHORITY    OF    GENERAL    COUNCILS.  127 
 
 Council  which  expelled   him  from    the  Church.*     The  above 
 admission,  however,  that  the  Council  of  Chalcedon  was  rightly 
 
 *  The  following  is  the  fullest  Nestorian  account  of  the  Council  of  Ephesus 
 which  I  have  met  with.  It  is  taken  from  a  rare  Arabic  work,  written  in  Syriac 
 characters,  entitled  the  Epistle  of  Presbyter  Sleewa  ibn  Yohanan,  of  Mosul, 
 dated  a.d.  1332.     It  is  useless  to  point  out  its  numberless  mistakes  : — 
 
 "  How  the  Easterns  came  to  be  styled  Nestorians. 
 
 "  .  .  .  .  When  Nestorius  was  raised  to  the  patriarchate  of  Constantinople 
 the  Western  fathers  wrote  to  inform  us  of  his  election  and  orthodoxy,  and  how 
 that  the  Holy  Ghost  bare  witness  openly  to  his  sanctity,  and  they  requested  of 
 us  to  commemorate  him  as  we  had  commemorated  those  before  him,  and  they 
 also  sent  us  by  the  same  messenger  his  creed  and  liturgy  written  with  his  own 
 hand.  These  we  found  to  be  agreeable  to  the  truth,  and  therefore  according  to 
 their  request  and  testimony  we  confirmed  to  him  the  afore-mentioned  virtues. 
 About  this  time  Cyril,  Patriarch  of  Alexandria,  drew  up  a  creed  after  his  own 
 notions,  which  he  styled  the  Twelve  Sentences ;  these  he  sent  to  Nestorius  for 
 his  sanction,  in  order  that  they  might  have  free  course.  Nestorius,  however, 
 refused  to  confirm  them,  on  the  ground  that  their  contents  involved  several  con- 
 tradictions, which  made  it  impossible  for  him  to  receive  them.  This  refusal 
 greatly  incensed  CyrU,  who  from  fear  forbore  to  answer  ;  but  from  this  circum- 
 stance great  disagreement  rose  between  them,  and  Cyril  became  the  enemy  of 
 Nestorius,  being  abetted  in  his  enmity  by  the  Empress  Eudoxia,  whom  the  Patri- 
 arch of  Constantinople  had  expelled  the  Church,  and  had  prohibited  all  women 
 from  associating  with  her.  After  much  disputation  it  was  decided  that  a  council 
 should  be  assembled  at  Ephesus,  in  which  by  common  consent  John,  the  Patri- 
 arch of  Antioch,  was  called  to  preside,  and  a  summons  was  accordingly  sent  to 
 him  to  this  effect.  When  Cyril  reached  Ephesus  he  sent  to  Nestorius,  ordering 
 him  to  appear ;  but  Nestorius  replied  that  it  was  useless  for  him  to  be  present 
 before  the  arrival  of  the  president,  but  that  he  would  come  without  fail  as  soon 
 as  he  arrived.  About  this  time  a  letter  was  received  from  John  promising  to 
 attend,  he  having  written  to  certain  Eastern  Bishops  to  accompany  him  in  behalf 
 of  this  matter,  and  as  many  as  seventy  obeyed  his  summons,  and  took  their  de- 
 parture for  Ephesus.  On  their  arrival  they  found  that  Cyril  had  not  waited  for 
 them,  but  depending  upon  the  strength  of  his  party,  had  assembled  the  Bishops 
 who  were  with  him,  and  before  the  appearance  of  John  and  his  company  had  ex- 
 communicated Nestorius.  When  John  and  the  Bishops  who  were  with  him  heard 
 what  had  taken  place,  they  refused  to  give  their  assent  to  the  decision  passed, 
 maintaining  that  it  was  not  right  that  an  adversary  should  be  judge,  and  that  the 
 judgment  of  such  was  invalid  ;  he  moreover  wrote  to  the  Emperor,  stating  that 
 he  had  inquired  into  all  that  had  taken  place  between  Nestorius  and  his  adver- 
 sary, and  had  found  him  innocent  of  the  charges  preferred  against  him,  and  that 
 he  had  been  greatly  wronged,  not  being  in  fault.  He  then  excommunicated  Cyril 
 and  his  party,  and  wrote  an  epistle  to  the  Patriarch  of  the  East,  informing  him 
 of  all  that  had  occurred.  Accordingly  the  Church  in  these  parts  received  his 
 sayings,  which  were  thenceforth  confessed  among  them  ;  and  when  the  Eastern 
 Bishops  returned,  they  also  confirmed  to  the  Patriarch  all  these  things. 
 
 ' '  Some  time  afterwards  Cyril  wrote  to  the  Fathers  of  the  East,  calling  upon 
 them  to  excommunicate  and  anathematize  Nestorius  ;  but  they  refused,  and  sent 
 
128  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 convened;  and  by  its  constitution  could  justly  lay  claim  to  the 
 title  of  "  oecumenical/'  and  withal  their  rejection  of  some  of  its 
 
 an  answer  to  this  effect :  '  You  must  know  that  excommunication  and  cursing  are 
 deemed  unbecoming  by  us,  neither  are  they  allowed  in  our  Church,  since  they 
 contradict  the  declaration  of  our  Lord  in  His  holy  Gospel :  '  Love  your  enemies, 
 bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  who  despitefuUy  use  you,  and  pray 
 for  them  who  persecute  you,  that  you  may  be  the  children  of  your  Father  which 
 is  in  heaven.'  This  we  hold  to  be  an  irrevocable  decree,  which  it  does  not  be- 
 come any  believer  to  transgress  or  set  at  nought Hence  we  maintain  that 
 
 it  is  our  duty  to  follow  the  example  of  our  Lord  and  His  Apostles  rather  than 
 your  sayings.  As  to  your  demanding  of  us  to  receive  the  Sentences  which  you 
 have  drawn  up,  be  it  known  unto  you  that  these  must  either  be  in  accordance 
 with  the  Gospel,^  or  opposed  thereto.  If  the  former,  we  have  already  received, 
 and  do  revere  the  Gospel,  and  need  not  to  receive  it  a  second  time  from  another 
 quarter ;  if  the  latter,  it  is  not  right  that  we  should  receive  them,  for  what  is  not 
 of  the  Gospel,  or  not  conformable  to  the  words  spoken  by  the  Apostles,  ought 
 not  to  be  received,  and  we  cannot  receive  your  Sentences  for  the  following  rea- 
 sons :  I.  Because  what  you  have  written  therein  leads  to  monophysitism,  whereas 
 we  believe  in  two  natures  [in  Christ].  2.  These  Sentences  must  be  agreeable 
 to  the  faith  which  we  have  already  received,  or  contrary  to  it ;  if  the  former,  we 
 need  them  not ;  if  the  latter,  they  are  either  superfluous  or  defective.  If  super- 
 fluous, their  superfluity  destroys  their  truth  ;  if  defective,  their  deficiency  equally 
 corrupts  it.  3.  The  creed  which  we  hold  is  that  which  has  been  handed  down 
 to  us  from  the  holy  Apostles,  whose  disciples  we  are,  and  we  may  not  sub- 
 stitute any  other  for  that  which  we  have  received  from  them,  neither  may  we 
 change  their  language ;  hence  we  cannot  add  aught  to  this  Creed,  since  Paul  the 
 Apostle  has  said  :  '  If  an  angel  from  heaven,'  &c.,  and  this  sentence  he  repeated 
 twice,  and  it  contains  an  awful  anathema.' 
 
 *'  When  Cyril  received  this  epistle  he  was  greatly  vexed,  and  repented  of 
 having  written  to  them  at  all,  and  hastily  declared  that  the  reason  why  the 
 Easterns  were  opposed  to  him  was  on  account  of  their  attachment  to  Nestorius. 
 Had  he  judged  truly  he  would  not  have  come  to  so  vain  a  conclusion,  for  Nesto- 
 rius himself  was  not  an  Eastern,  his  language  moreover  was  diff"erent  to  theirs, 
 and  betwixt  him  and  them  there  was  a  wide  sea,  and  every  intelligent  person 
 must  know  that  Alexandria  is  nearer  to  Baghdad  than  Constantinople,  and  that 
 the  two  former  places  are  on  the  same  continent,  and  that  fellowship  and  agree- 
 ment are  more  likely  to  exist  betwixt  those  who  are  near  to  one  another  than 
 betwixt  those  who  are  at  a  great  remove  from  each  other. 
 
 ''  The  next  person  who  affixed  the  epithet  of  '  Nestorians'  upon  the  Easterns 
 was  Dioscorus,  Cyril's  nephew,  who  succeeded  him  in  the  patriarchate  of  Alex- 
 andria. Dioscorus  entered  into  a  compact  with  Eutyches,  an  abbot  of  Constan- 
 tinople, to  spread  abroad  the  doctrine  of  the  one  nature,  Eutyches  having  per- 
 suaded Theodosius  the  Younger  to  adopt  his  opinions,  and  to  convene  a  council 
 at  Ephesus.  At  this  were  present  Leo,  Patriarch  of  Rome ;  Damianus,  Patriarch 
 of  Antioch ;  Biblianus,  Patriarch  of  Jerusalem  ;  Dioscorus,  Patriarch  of  Alexan- 
 dria ;  and  other  Bishops.  Through  the  influence  of  the  Emperor  the  party  of 
 Dioscorus  prevailed,  for  he  abetted  Eutyches,  because  Eutyches  supported  the 
 views  of  his  uncle  and  his  own  opinions,  and  he  excommunicated  all  in  the  synod 
 
AUTHORITY  OF  GENERAL  COUNCILS.  129 
 
 decreeSj  is  sufficient  px'oof  that  the  Nestorians  believe  that  such 
 councils  "  may  err,  and  have  erred,  in  things  pertaining  to  God."^i 
 
 The  same  doctrine  may  be  inferred  from  the  following  ex- 
 tract :  "  0  thou  who  hast  been  affianced  to  Christ,  seek  not 
 after  another  bridegroom,  for  He  is  the  true  Bridegroom  who 
 has  been  from  everlasting,  and  shall  exist  for  ever.  He  has 
 given  thee  His  body  to  be  thy  food,  and  His  truth  for  thy  faith ; 
 exchange  it  not  with  any  other,  lest  He  become  thine  adversary. 
 The  jealousy  of  Him  Who  has  affianced  thee  is  great ;  prove  thou 
 faithful  to  His  love  lest  He  write  thy  bill  of  divorcement,  and 
 thou  become  a  derision  unto  all  those  who  are  called  to  thy 
 wedding.  The  wedding  of  a  mortal  bridegroom  comes  to  an 
 end  after  three  days ;  but  if  thou  wilt,  thy  wedding  shall  last 
 from  this  time  forth  and  for  ever."  From  the  service  appointed 
 in  the  Khudhra  for  the  first  Sunday  of  the  "  Sanctification  of  the 
 Church." 
 
 The  Nestorians,  however,  maintain  that  the  Church  founded 
 by  Christ  can  never  fail  from  off  the  earth.  On  this  subject 
 the  author  of  the  Warda,  in  a  poem  on  the  Resurrection,  writes  : 
 "  Let  the  believing  Church  rejoice,  because  He  Who  has  affianced 
 her  has  truly  risen,  and  has  so  raised  her  and  her  children  that 
 they  cannot  fall.^^  And  again :  "  Blessed  is  He  who  through 
 His  Name  founded  His  Church,  and  promised  and  confirmed  to 
 Peter,  that  the  bars  of  hell,  which  are  of  old,  shall  never  prevail 
 against  her.^^  From  the  service  in  the  Khudhra  for  the  first 
 Sunday  of  the  "  Sanctification  of  the  Church." 
 
 who  opposed  him,  and  took  from  them  their  dignity.  Moreover,  he  and  Eutyches 
 wrote  a  decree,  that  if  any  should  maintain  that  after  the  Union  there  was  other 
 than  one  Person  and  one  Nature,  he  should  be  excommunicated,  and  whosoever  did 
 not  receive  the  Twelve  Sentences  drawn  up  by  Cyril,  should  in  like  manner  be 
 expelled  the  Church.  Dioscorus  wrote  also  on  this  wise  to  Yeshua,  Patriarch  of 
 the  East,  and  attempted  to  force  his  acceptance  of  the  decree  ;  but  he  sent  him 
 an  answer  which  greatly  incensed  and  effectually  silenced  him.  And  because  he 
 could  not  reply  to  what  the  Patriarch  had  written,  he  spread  abroad  the  report 
 that  the  Easterns  were  one  with  Nestorius,  and  therefore  were  to  be  called  '  Nes- 
 torians.' And  this  name  has  been  applied  to  them  from  that  day  up  to  the 
 present  time,  and  they  find  it  difficult  to  cast  it  off,  and  cannot  get  rid  of  it, 
 although  they  dislike  it,  because  it  takes  its  rise  from  a  man  who  was  not  one  of 
 them,  whom  they  never  saw,  one  who  was  not  of  their  language,  neither  their 
 Patriarch,  who  was  young  and  they  old  in  the  faith." 
 
 VOL.   TI.  K 
 
130 
 
 THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXVI. 
 
 OF    PURGATORY. 
 
 "  The  Romish  doctrine  concerning  Purgatory,  Pardons,  Worshipping  and 
 Adoration,  as  well  of  Images  as  of  Reliques,  and  also  invocation  of  Saints,  is  a 
 fond  thing  vainly  invented,  and  grounded  upon  no  warranty  of  Scripture,  but 
 rather  repugnant  to  the  Word  of  God." — Article  XXII. 
 
 PURGATORY. 
 
 The  Nestorian  rituals  make  no  mention  of  Purgatory,  nor  have 
 they  a  name  for  it.  The  Chaldeans  who  are  in  communion 
 with  the  Church  of  Rome  call  it  J^aXajd^J^  j?aj  the  puri- 
 fying fire,  but  more  commonly,  by  the  Arabic  title  of  jA^^ 
 Matthar,  purgatory. 
 
 The  following  extracts,  however,  whilst  they  are  repugnant  to 
 the  doctrine  of  Purgatory,  clearly  teach  the  efficacy  of  prayers 
 and  alms-giving  for  the  dead. 
 
 "  The  service  of  the  third  day  of  the  dead  [i.  e.,  the  third  day 
 after  the  burial  of  any  member  of  the  Church]  is  kept  up, 
 because  Christ  rose  on  the  third  day,  and  is  celebrated  by  the 
 I'ecital  of  psalms  and  prayers.  On  the  ninth  day  also  there 
 should  be  a  commemoration  of  the  living  and  the  dead,  and 
 again  on  the  thirtieth  day,  after  the  example  of  the  Old  Tes- 
 tamentj  since  the  people  mourned  for  Moses  that  length  of 
 time.  A  year  after,  also,  there  should  be  a  particular  com- 
 memoration of  the  dead,  and  some  of  the  property  of  the  de- 
 ceased should  be  given  to  the  poor  in  remembrance  of  him. 
 We  say  this  of  believers,  for  as  to  unbelievers,  should  all  the 
 wealth  of  the  world  be  given  to  the  poor  in  their  behalf,  it  would 
 profit  them  nothing ;  for  he  who  was  an  enemy  of  God  during 
 his  life,  it  is  clear  that  he  will  continue  to  be  an  enemy  after  his 
 
PURGATORY.  131 
 
 departure  hence^  for  there  is  no  iniquity  with  God  ;  but  He  is 
 righteous  and  loveth  I'ighteousness/^  From  Canon  XVI.  of  the 
 Apostolical  Constitutions  contained  in  the  Sinhados. 
 
 The  authority  of  the  above  Canon  is  confirmed  by  the  follow- 
 ing decree  of  a  provincial  Synod  of  the  Nestorians,  contained 
 in  the  Sinhados. 
 
 "  Par.  XXVII.  The  early  method  of  commemorating  the  dead 
 according  to  the  constitutions  of  the  Apostles  was,  that  there 
 should  be  a  commemoration  on  the  third  and  on  the  ninth  day. 
 But  now  when  those  who  weep  are  as  though  they  wept  not ; 
 and  because  of  the  little  virtue,  peace,  and  love  existing,  the 
 ninth  day  has  been  given  up  and  the  seventh  substituted  in  its 
 stead.  But  in  the  Constitutions  of  the  Apostles  it  is  ordered 
 that  there  should  be  a  commemoration  of  the  dead  on  the  third 
 day  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  sci'iptural  rule  :  '  Mourn  for  men, 
 as  is  right,  a  day  or  two  days,  and  on  the  third  day  be  comforted 
 for  the  living;'  [Ecclus.  xxxviii.  17;]  and  because  our  Lord 
 rose  from  the  dead  on  the  third  day.  They  further  direct  that 
 there  should  be  a  commemoration  of  the  dead  on  the  ninth  day 
 also,  on  the  thirtieth  day,  and  at  the  expiration  of  a  year." 
 
 That  after  death  the  state  of  the  soul  is  unalterably  fixed  for 
 endless  happiness  or  eternal  misery,  see  also  under  Chap.  xvi. 
 §5.7. 
 
 The  reader  is  referred  to  the  burial  service  of  the  Nestorians, 
 given  under  Chap,  xliv.,  for  the  nature  of  the  prayers  which  are 
 offered  up  in  behalf  of  the  dead. 
 
 PARDONS. 
 
 Pardons  or  Indulgences,  such  as  are  fabricated  and  sold  by 
 the  Church  of  Rome,  are  utterly  repugnant  to  the  doctrines 
 maintained  by  Nestorians.  This  tenet,  in  its  grossest  form,  is 
 moreover  unknown  to  the  generality  of  the  Chaldeans,  many  of 
 whom  will  not  believe  that  Rome  has  ever  carried  on  so  infamous 
 a  traffic. 
 
 The  obtaining  of  Pardon  or  a  relaxation  from  any  positive 
 Christian  duty  for  money  is  thus  censured  by  Mar  Abd  Yeshua : 
 "  These  things  will  most  assuredly  result,  if  they  are  done  in 
 faith,  and  not  after  a  worldly  manner ;  for  *  whatsoever  is  not 
 of  faith  is  sin.'     Just  as  some,  for  lucre's  sake,  have  made  of 
 
 K  2 
 
132  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 this  sacred  thing  a  merchandize  and  a  source  of  temporal  profit." 
 See  Appendix  B.  Part  iv.  c.  7. 
 
 WORSHIPPING    or    IMAGES. 
 
 The  Nestorians  have  no  images  or  pictures  in  their  churches, 
 and  are  very  much  opposed  to  the  use  of  them,  even  as  orna- 
 ments, or  as  barely  representing  historical  facts  illustrative  of 
 sacred  Scripture.  They  will  not  even  allow  of  a  crucifix,  and 
 regard  the  mere  exhibition  of  such  an  emblem,  to  say  nothing 
 of  adoration,  as  a  monstrous  iniquity.  1  have  certain  knowledge 
 of  the  fate  of  several  crucifixes  which  were  introduced  among 
 them  by  Ptoman  missionaries:  the  cross,  if  possible,  was  spared; 
 but  the  image  was  treated  ignorainiously  and  broken  to  pieces. 
 The  only  symbol  in  use  among  them  is  the  plain  Greek  cross, 
 (so  called,)  and  the  reader  may  easily  infer  from  the  following 
 extracts  how  highly  they  venerate  it,  and  how  important  its  use 
 is  deemed  both  in  public  and  in  private  worship. 
 
 According  to  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  the  Cross  is  to  be  reckoned 
 as  one  of  the  sacraments  of  the  Church,  for  "the  sign  of  the 
 life-giving  Cross,^^  he  says,  "  is  that  by  which  Christians  are 
 ever  kept,  and  by  which  all  the  other  sacraments  are  sealed  and 
 perfected ;"  by  which  he  means  that  all  other  divine  services  are 
 sanctified  and  blessed  by  the  use  of  this  sign  in  the  invocation 
 of  the  Three  Persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity  which  always  accom- 
 panies it.  That  he  did  not  however  intend  that  the  Cross  was 
 a  sacrament  in  the  same  sense  in  which  Baptism  and  the  Supper 
 of  the  Lord  are  sacraments,  will  be  shown  under  Article  XXV.  j 
 as  also  because  after  having  named  it  as  a  sacrament,  he  does 
 not  subsequently  allude  to  it  as  such  in  the  chapter  wherein  he 
 specially  treats  of  the  "  worship  of  the  Lord's  Cross."  Or,  if 
 he  attributes  to  the  Cross  a  real  sacramental  efficacy,  he  does  so 
 not  as  a  bare  symbol,  but  in  the  sense  of  ^the  Crucified  One, 
 from  Whom  all  grace  springs,  and  from  Whom  alone  it  is  com- 
 municated to  all  who  are  in  need  of  it,  as  will  appear  in  the 
 sequel. 
 
 The  festival  commemorative  of  the  holy  Cross  is  observed  by 
 the  Nestorians  on  the  13th  of  September,  and  the  service  ap- 
 pointed for  this  day  is  very  long,  and  contains  many  prayers, 
 hymns,  and  anthems,  in  praise  of  the  Cross.     In  the  Khdmees 
 
PURGATORY.  133 
 
 and  Warda  also  there  are  several  poems,  adapted  to  this  festival, 
 eulogizing  the  Cross,  and  calling  upon  the  faithful  to  offer  their 
 adoration  to  it.  The  Old  Testament  is  ransacked  throughout 
 for  illustrations,  and  the  most  far-fetched  events  and  actions  are 
 adduced  as  symbolizing  the  figure  of  the  Cross.  Some  passages 
 seem  to  teach  that  the  Cross  itself  is  to  be  worshipped  with  the 
 highest  worship,  and  the  reader  is  distressed  at  the  doctrine  so 
 plainly  inculcated;  when  a  new  sentence  occurs  in  which  Christ 
 and  His  death,  and  not  His  material  Cross,  or  any  emblem 
 thereof,  is  as  plainly  declared  to  be  the  proper  subject  of  adora- 
 tion and  praise.  An  entire  volume  might  be  filled  with  extracts 
 on  this  subject  from  the  Nestorian  rituals ;  but  if  adduced  in 
 full,  one  would  still  be  at  a  loss  to  decide  positively  whether 
 their  writers  really  teach  that  the  material  emblem  of  Christ^s 
 passion  is  to  be  worshipped.  I  give  the  following  quotations  as 
 a  specimen  of  the  great  mass  of  matter  to  be  found  in  their 
 church  books  on  this  subject. 
 
 "Ho  !  all  ye  who  have  fled  to  the  Cross,  and  who  have  ob- 
 tained life  through  the  Cross,  kneel  and  worship  the  Cross 
 through  which  you  have  obtained  salvation. 
 
 "  Come,  and  let  us  all  bow  the  knee  in  prayer  before  the 
 Cross,  which  is  a  treasure  of  help,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy 
 and  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins.  When  all  the  ends  of  the 
 earth  shall  be  enlightened  by  its  rays ;  those  who  hate  it  shall  be 
 forced  to  worship  its  sovereignty. 
 
 ''  The  shining  Cross  which  appeared  in  the  heavens  to  Con- 
 stantine,  went  before  his  army  like  a  general  going  forth  to  war. 
 The  multitude  of  unbelievers  who  worshipped  the  creature  cast 
 away  from  them  the  error  of  unbelief,  and  worshipped  and 
 adored  the  Cross. 
 
 "  This  Cross  is  a  great  wonder  in  the  heights  and  depths. 
 Praise  be  to  its  name. 
 
 "  The  Cross  has  saved  us,  the  Cross  has  made  us  triumphant, 
 the  Cross  has  renewed  us,  the  Cross  has  made  us  at  peace,  the 
 living  Cross  went  out  to  seek  after  us,  and  saved  our  life  that 
 was  lost.^''  From  the  service  appointed  in  the  Gezza  for  "  Holy 
 Cross  Day." 
 
 "  Angels  and  men  worship  Thy  Cross,  0  Lord,  and  carry  it 
 in  procession  in  their  hands,  and  sing  praises,  since  it  created 
 
134  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 peace  in  the  world,  and  has  put  an  end  to  wars  and  contentions, 
 and  has  reconciled  the  nations,  so  that  they  may  now  pray  to  it 
 in  one  Church,  and  confess  and  worship  its  greatness,  and  cry 
 aloud  with  holy  voices,  saying :  '  Glory  to  the  Son  of  the  hea- 
 venly King,  who  in  His  great  mercy  has  forgiven  our  sins,  and 
 wiped  out  our  iniquities  by  His  baptism,  and  given  us  His 
 sacraments  as  a  pledge.'  " 
 
 "  Behold  throughout  the  world  the  living  Cross  of  Christ  is 
 worshipped  and  revered,  and  its  festival  is  commemorated  in  the 
 uttermost  parts  of  the  earth.  Its  help  affords  succour,  and  its 
 power  is  wonderful ;  since  through  it  we  are  saved  from  the 
 death  and  corruption  which  have  reigned  over  our  race,  and 
 through  it  the  dead  have  attained  a  new  and  incorruptible  life. 
 Henceforth,  0  ye  children  of  Adam,  who  through  it  are  justi- 
 fied, sing  praises,  pray,  supplicate,  and  implore,  that  in  the  day 
 when  its  sign  shall  appear,  we  may  go  forth  to  meet  it  with  joy 
 and  rejoicing,  that  it  roay  make  us  partakers  of  its  love.''^* 
 From  the  service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra  for  the  third  Sunday 
 after  Holy  Cross  Day. 
 
 The  following  quotation  shows  what  importance  is  attached 
 to  the  sign  of  the  Cross  in  private  worship,  and  how  frequent 
 its  use  is  among  the  Nestorians. 
 
 "  Par.  V.  Hoiu  the  aged,  husbandmen,  shepherds,  sailors,  and  the 
 illiterate  ought  to  pray.  Standing  up  they  should  turn  their  faces 
 to  the  east,  and  sign  themselves  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  (if 
 there  be  no  wall  on  which  they  can  draw  one,)  and  say  :  '  The 
 Cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;'  and  whilst  repeating  these 
 words,  they  must  kneel  upon  the  ground,  and  say  three  times : 
 '  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  0  God.''  Then,  if  there  be  one  or 
 many,  they  must  stand  up  again,  with  their  garments  drawn 
 around  them,  with  their  hands  stretched  out  in  a  supplicating  pos- 
 ture, and  with  their  minds  and  eyes  turned  up  to  heaven  towards 
 Christ  our  Lord,  and  they  shall  say  the  Lord's  prayer  fervently. 
 After  this,  they  shall  kneel  again  upon  the  ground,  and  shall  say 
 thrice :  '  Have  mercy  upon  me,  0  God,  according  to  Thy  mercy 
 
 *  It  must  be  observed  that  the  pronoun  in  the  original  of  the  above  para- 
 graphs which  has  been  translated  by  "  it  "  and  "  its,''  in  order  to  agree  with  the 
 antecedent  "  Cross,"  may  also  be  truly  rendered  by  "  He  "  and  "  His,"  and  in 
 several  instances  the  sense  of  the  passage  is  destroyed  unless  it  is  so  rendered. 
 
PURGATORY. 
 
 135 
 
 and  according  to  the  multitude  of  Thy  mercies,  wash  me 
 throughly  from  my  sins.'  Then  they  shall  stand  up  [again, 
 with  their  hands  crossed  upon  their  breasts,  and  with  their  eyes 
 turned  a  little  upwards,  and  shall  say  :  '  0  Holy  God,  0  Holy 
 Almighty,  0  Holy  Immortal,  have  mercy  upon  us/  Then,  with 
 their  backs  bent,  and  with  hands  stretched  out  to  heaven,  they 
 fervently  repeat  a  second  time  the  Lord's  Prayer.  When 
 this  is  done,  they  shall  fall  upon  the  ground  and  worship, 
 and  say  seven  times :  '  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us,'  with  a 
 broken  heart  as  did  the  Publican  in  the  temple.  Then  they 
 shall  beseech  the  mercy  of  God  to  absolve  them  from  their  sins, 
 and  to  free  them  from  the  afflictions  wherewith  they  are  afflicted. 
 After  this  they  shall  sign  themselves  three  times  with  the  sign 
 of  the  Cross,  once  over  their  faces,  once  over  their  hearts,  and 
 once  over  their  whole  body,  each  time  repeating  as  follows :  '  In 
 the  Name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 keep  me.'  Thus  have  the  learned  taught,  that  the  unlearned 
 should  pray  at  the  four  times  which  are  appointed  for  the  laity 
 to  pray.  But  if  they  are  near  to  a  church,  they  must  go  there 
 to  pray."  From  the  Canons  of  a  provincial  Synod  contained  in 
 the  Sinhados. 
 
 The  emblem  of  the  Cross  is  engraved  over  the  low  entrances 
 of  all  the  Nestorian  churches,  and  this  is  devoutly  kissed  by  all 
 who  enter.  In  some  churches  thei'e  is  a  Cross  upon  the  altar  ; 
 but  as  none  but  the  priests  and  deacons  are  allowed  to  enter  the 
 sacrarium,  this  is  never  kissed  by  the  people,  nor  is  any  worship 
 paid  to  it  by  them.  The  officiating  priest,  however,  and  the 
 priests  generally,  possess  a  small  silver  Cross,  which  is  laid  upon 
 the  book  of  the  Gospels,  with  a  clean  cloth  under  it,  and  this  is 
 kissed  by  all  who  enter  the  church  to  worship.  At  other  times 
 also,  the  priests  carry  this  Cross  about  with  them,  and  after 
 offering  up  prayers,  either  at  home,  or  in  the  houses  of  the 
 people,  they  take  it  from  their  bosom  and  offer  it  to  those 
 present  to  kiss,  which  is  done  with  the  left  hand  raised  the 
 meanwhile,  to  remove  their  head-dress  a  little  way  from  off  their 
 heads,  meaning  thereby,  that  they  worship  uncovered. 
 
 The  following  extracts,  however,  show,  that  doctrinally,  no 
 idolatry  is  held  or  taught  by  the  Nestorians. 
 
 "  Par.  IX.   On  the  origin  of  the  worship  of  the  Cross.     Tradi- 
 
136  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 tion  saySj  that  when  our  Lord  lifted  up  His  hands  to  bless  the 
 Disciples  on  Mount  Olivet,  He  stretched  them  out  in  the  form 
 of  a  Cross,  in  order  to  bring  to  their  recollection,  that  from  the 
 shame  of  the  Cross  on  which  they  had  seen  Him,  He  had  de- 
 rived that  glory  in  which  they  beheld  His  ascension,  according 
 to  the  declaration  of  S.  Paul  -,  'He  humbled  Himself  even  unto 
 the  death  of  the  Cross  ;  wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted 
 Him,'  &c.  When  the  Disciples,  as  we  have  said,  saw  the  Sa- 
 viour in  this  attitude,  they  fell  to  the  ground  and  worshipped 
 Him,  and  hence  arose  the  adoration  in  question.  The  worship 
 of  the  emblem  of  the  Cross  in  Churches  commenced  first  in  the 
 Church  of  the  '  upper  chamber,'  and  then  in  the  Church  of 
 Antioch.  Not  that  these  said  that  they  worshipped  the  wood, 
 or  the  gold,  or  any  other  material  [of  which  the  Cross  might 
 be  formed,]  but  Christ  Himself,  who  is  the  Cross  that  was 
 crucified.  And  hereto  the  heavenly  Apostle  Paul  bears  witness, 
 when  he  says  :  '  I  glory  not,  but  in  the  Cross  of  Christ  Jesus 
 my  Lord.'  Further,  what  led  to  the  veneration  and  worship 
 of  the  wood  and  Emblem  of  the  Cross,  was  the  signs,  wonders, 
 and  miracles  which  were  wrought  by  it,"  From  the  Canons  of 
 a  provincial  Synod  contained  in  the  Sinhados. 
 
 See  also  Appendix  B.,  Part  v.  c.  2,  where  Mar  Abd  Yeshua, 
 after  declaring  that  the  word  "  Cross  "  is  equivalent  in  meaning 
 to  what  we  understand  by  the  "  Crucified,"  and  that  it  is  to  be 
 understood  in  that  sense,  thus  writes  :  "  Hence  we  off"er  a  fervent 
 and  eucharistic  worship,  not  to  the  fashioned  ^natter  of  the  Cross ; 
 but  to  Him  Whom  we  figure  as  upon  it,  aud  above  all  to  God, 
 Who  gave  His  Son  to  be  a  Cross  for  us,  through  Whose  cruci- 
 fixion He  wrought  out  renewal  and  redemption  for  us,  and 
 through  Whom  He  gives  to  such  as  are  worthy  everlasting  life 
 in  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
 
 RELICS. 
 
 The  Nestoriaus  have  no  Relics  such  as  are  common  in  the 
 Church  of  Eome,  which  of  course  precludes  the  possibility  of 
 that  adoration  of  them  which  is  censured  in  the  Article ;  but 
 from  the  following  extracts  it  will  be  seen  that  they  believe  the 
 remains  of  martyrs  and  saints  to  be  endowed  with  supernatural 
 virtues. 
 
PURGATORY.  137 
 
 "  Thy  body,*  0  chaste  Virgin,  is  to  us  a  treasure  of  blessings, 
 and  its  abundant  help  enriches  our  world." 
 
 "  0  ye  martyrs,  pray  for  mercy  upon  the  world  which  flees  to 
 your  bones,  that  through  your  prayers  and  supplications  it  may 
 find  mercy  on  the  day  of  judgment." 
 
 "  0  ye  happy  ones,  blessed  is  He  Who  made  you  true  physi- 
 cians, and  caused  that  from  your  bones  aid  should  go  forth  to 
 him  who  fl.ees  to  them  for  succour." 
 
 "  The  bones  of  the  righteous  Joseph  were  a  rampart  against 
 the  assaults  of  the  Egyptians ;  but  your  bones,  O  ye  holy  mar- 
 tyrs, have  become  a  source  of  consolationf  to  all  the  world.^^ 
 From  the  Service  appointed  in  the  Kdham  oo  d' Wathar  for  the 
 vespers  of  Tuesday. 
 
 "  We  worship  before  your  [the  martyrs']  graves  the  hidden 
 power  contained  in  your  bones ;  and  as  we  have  looked  upon 
 your  death  upon  earth,  so  may  we  behold  your  coronation  in 
 heaven." 
 
 ''In  the  place  where  your  bones  lie,  there  peace  and  safety 
 dwell ;  and  a  company  of  the  heavenly  angels  keep  it  and  all 
 those  who  reside  in  it."  From  the  same  ritual ;  in  the  service 
 for  the  matins  of  Tuesday. 
 
 "  Blessed  is  the  place  where  your  bones  lie  as  a  treasure,  for 
 when  the  sun  sets  a  light  springs  up  from  your  bones."  From 
 the  same. 
 
 "  Blessed  is  the  hidden  virtue  which  dwells  in  the  bones  of 
 the  martyrs,  for  though  buried  in  their  graves  they  drive  away 
 devils  from  the  world."  From  the  same  in  the  matins  for 
 Friday. 
 
 There  are  in  different  parts  of  the  mountains  of  Coordistan, 
 and  also  about  Jezeerah,  Nestorian  churches  in  which  are  buried 
 the  bodies  of  hermits  and  others  renowned  for  sanctity.  The 
 graves  of  these  reputed  saints  are  held  in  high  veneration,  more 
 
 *  Two  or  three  passages  of  the  hymn  on  the  Virgin,  cited  under  Chap.  VI. 
 §  8,  seem  to  teach  the  doctrine  of  the  Assumption ;  but  the  above  extract 
 would  lead  us  to  conclude  that  the  ascension  of  her  spirit  is  intended,  and  that 
 the  body  of  the  blessed  Virgin  remained  on  earth. 
 
 f  The  original  word  is  hnana,  and  is  now  applied  to  the  clay  or  dust  taken 
 from  the  tombs  of  reputed  saints,  to  be  used  as  a  charm,  or  given  as  medicine  to 
 the  sick.  It  is  also  mixed  with  the  wine  which  is  given  to  bridegrooms  and 
 brides  when  me  See  Marriage  Service,  hereafter. 
 
138  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 especially  by  the  ignorant,  and  dust  or  clay  is  frequently  taken 
 from  them  and  preserved  as  an  antidote  against  evil,  and  not 
 unfrequently  dissolved  in  water  and  given  as  medicine  to  persons 
 afflicted  vv^ith  sickness. 
 
 It  is  just,  however,  to  add  that  some  of  the  more  learned 
 Nestorians  consider  the  extracts  above  given  from  the  Kdham  oo 
 d'Wathd?-  to  be  interpolations  of  a  modern  date,  and  conse- 
 quently to  possess  no  authority.  I  have  not  met  with  like  sen- 
 timents in  any  other  of  the  Church  rituals. 
 
 INVOCATION    OF    SAINTS. 
 
 The  following  extracts  are  sufficient  to  show  the  Nestorian 
 teaching  on  this  point. 
 
 Direct  Invocation  of  Saints. 
 
 "  0  Mary,  Mother  of  the  King  of  Kings,  offer  with  us  thy 
 prayers  to  thy  Son,  that  He  may  cause  His  peace  and  safety  to 
 dwell  in  the  world,  and  that  the  Church  and  her  children  may 
 be  kept  from  evil."  From  the  vespers  for  Tuesday  in  ^/ie  Kdham 
 00  d'Wathar. 
 
 "  0  thou  holy  Virgin,  through  v.'hom  our  race  corrupted  by 
 the  deceitfulness  of  sin  was  sanctified,  pray  with  us  to  thy  Sanc- 
 tifier  to  sanctify  ns,  and  that  through  the  shadow  of  thy  prayers 
 He  may  preserve  our  life,  spread  out  the  wings  of  His  pity  over 
 our  frailty,  and  deliver  us  from  evil.  0  mother  of  Him  Who 
 causes  us  to  live,  thou  handmaid  of  our  Creator,  be  to  us  a  wall 
 of  refuge  at  all  tiraes.^'  From  the  collection  of  Collects  at  the 
 end  of  the  Khudhra. 
 
 "  0  ye  saints,  prophets,  apostles,  doctors,  confessors,  martyrs, 
 priests,  and  hermits,  pray  to  Christ  your  strength  for  us  all, 
 that  through  your  prayers  we  may  receive  out  of  His  treasure 
 an  answer  to  all  our  prayers,  as  may  be  profitable  unto  us." 
 From  the  same. 
 
 "  May  thy  [the  Virgin's]  prayers  be  to  us  as  a  wall,  keep  us 
 from  the  wicked  one  and  his  agents,  drive  from  us  all  evil,  and 
 cause  peace  to  dwell  in  the  world  for  ever."  From  the  service 
 appointed  in  the  Gezza  for  the  festival  of  the  Blessing  of  the  Vir- 
 gin, one  week  after  the  holy  Nativity. 
 
 "  O  ye  holy  priests  and  saints  who  taught  the  truth,  pray  for 
 
PURGATORY.  139 
 
 pity  and  compassion  from  your  Lord  in  behalf  of  our  souls." 
 From  the  service  in  the  Gezza  for  the  commemoration  of  the 
 Syrian  Doctors. 
 
 Indirect  Invocation  of  Saints. 
 
 "  Through  the  prayers  of  the  prophets  who  made  known  Thy 
 mysteries,  and  through  the  prayers  of  the  Apostles  who  preached 
 Thy  Gospel,  and  through  the  prayers  of  the  martyrs,  priests 
 and  doctors,  0  Jesus,  keep  from  evil  all  those  who  worship 
 Thee.^'  From  the  Tuesday  vespers  as  contained  in  the  Kdham 
 00  d'Wathar. 
 
 "  0  Christ  our  Saviour,  keep  Thy  worshippers  from  all 
 evil,  through  the  prayers  of  Thy  mother,  and  grant  that  we  may 
 be  thankful  for  Thy  grace,  and  have  mercy  upon  us."  From  the 
 collects  at  the  end  of  the  Khudhra. 
 
 "  0  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  keep  through  the  prayers  of  Thy 
 saints  the  congregation  which  has  celebrated  their  commemo- 
 ration, and  in  Thy  mercy  make  Us  to  enter  with  them  into 
 paradise,  and  sing  praises  to  Thy  holy  name."  From  the  service 
 in  the  Gezza  for  the  festival  of  the  Four  Evangelists. 
 
 "  0  Lord  Jesus,  through  the  prayers  of  Thy  mother  cause 
 rest  to  reign  in  this  world  which  is  troubled  and  confused  by  its 
 sins,  make  all  wars  and  tumults  to  cease  in  the  earth,  so  that 
 priests  and  kings  may  live  in  unity,  and  that  in  unity  and  love 
 the  commemoration  of  Thy  Mother  may  be  celebrated  for  ever." 
 From  the  collects  in  the  Khudhra. 
 
 "  The  righteous  who  pleased  Thee,  0  Lord  Jesus,  the  pro- 
 phets, apostles,  martyrs,  and  doctors  in  every  place,  pray  to  Thee 
 for  us,  that  Thou  mayest  have  mercy  upon  us  all.  Do  Thou 
 make  us  worthy  to  confess  Thee  with  them  on  that  day  when 
 they  shall  receive  the  reward  of  their  works."     From  the  same. 
 
140  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXVII. 
 
 OF    MINISTERING    IN    THE    CONGREGATION. 
 
 "  It  is  not  lawful  for  any  man  to  take  upon  him  the  office  of  public  preaching, 
 or  ministering  the  Sacraments  in  the  congregation,  before  he  be  lawfully  called, 
 and  sent  to  execute  the  same.  And  those  we  ought  to  judge  lawfully  called  and 
 sent,  which  be  chosen  and  called  to  this  work  by  men  who  have  public  authority 
 given  unto  them  in  the  congregation,  to  call  and  send  ministers  into  the  Lord's 
 vineyard." — Article  XXIII. 
 
 §  1 .  "  That  the  bishops,  presbyters,  deacons,  subdeacons,  and 
 readers,  may  not  overstep  the  limits  appointed  them  by  Christ. 
 We  all  ordain  that  every  man  shall  abide  in  the  degree  conferred 
 upon  him,  and  not  overstep  the  limits  which  have  been  fixed 
 not  by  us  but  by  God,  since  our  Lord  has  said,  '  Whosoever 
 heareth  you  heareth  Me,  and  whosoever  heareth  Me  heareth 
 Him  that  sent  Me ;  and  whosoever  despiseth  you  despiseth  Me, 
 and  whosoever  despiseth  Me  despiseth  Him  that  sent  Me.'  Now, 
 if  each  of  the  different  inanimate  creatures  keeps  its  own  station 
 and  place,  and  if  the  night  and  day,  the  sun,  moon,  stars,  the 
 elements,  the  variations  of  the  atmosphere,  the  months,  weeks, 
 days,  and  hours,  are  obedient  to  the  limits  appointed  for  their 
 several  operations,  as  it  is  written  :  '  Thou  hast  fixed  his  bounds 
 so  that  he  cannot  pass  /  and  of  the  sea,  '  and  established  My 
 decree  upon  it,  and  set  bars  and  doors,  and  said :  Hitherto  shalt 
 thou  come  and  no  further ;' — how  much  more  is  it  your  duty 
 not  to  dare  to  disorder  the  least  of  those  things  which  by  the 
 will  of  God  have  been  ordered  and  settled  for  you  ?  But  many 
 have  been  guilty  of  this,  and  have  disturbed  the  ordinances, 
 and  the  laying-on  of  hands  given  severally  to  each,  and  have 
 dared  to  take  to  themselves  degrees  which  were  not  committed 
 
MINISTERING    IN    THE    CONGREGATION.  141 
 
 unto  them,  and  have  also,  with  temerity,  taken  to  themselves 
 the  things  which  they  ought  not  to  take,  and  have  thereby  pro- 
 voked God  to  anger,  as  did  Uzziah  and  the  children  of  Korah, 
 who,  against  the  ordinance,  and  without  God's  permission,  took 
 unto  themselves  the  high-priesthood,  and  the  latter  were  burned 
 with  fire,  and  Uzziah  was  smitten  with  leprosy.  And  we  know 
 that  those  who  do  the  like  provoke  Jesus  Christ,  whose  are  these 
 ordinances,  and  despise  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  making  His  wit- 
 ness void.  Hence  we  are  assured  of  the  severe  punishment  of 
 which  those  are  worthy  who  do  these  things,  and  the  contempt 
 which  is  cast  upon  the  Sacrifice  and  Eucharist  by  those  who  ofier 
 it  in  iniquity  and  unworthily,  and  who  count  the  reverence  due 
 to  the  high -priesthood  a  trifling  thing,  but  which  in  reality  is 
 an  emblem  of  the  high-priesthood  of  the  Great  High-Priest.  It 
 becomes  us,  therefore,  to  give  warning  of  these  things,  since  for 
 some  time  past  persons  have  been  going  after  such  vanities,  and 
 we  decree  as  did  Moses, — the  man  who  pleased  God,  and  with 
 whom  God  spake  face  to  face  as  a  man  speaks  with  his  friend, 
 and  of  whom  it  was  said  by  the  Lord,  '  I  know  thee  above  all 
 others,' — he  to  whom  the  Lord  Himself  spake,  but  not  in 
 dreams,  or  visions,  or  by  angels,  or  by  signs, — when  He  gave 
 directions  about  the  keeping  of  the  divine  Law,  He  declared 
 severally  what  things  should  be  performed  by  the  high-priests, 
 what  by  the  priests,  and  what  by  the  Levites,  thus  giving  to 
 each  a  proper  and  distinct  function  in  the  celebration  of  the  ser- 
 vice of  God.  And  if  any  one  dared  to  trespass  upon  that  which 
 was  not  committed  to  him,  he  was  punished  with  death,  which 
 sentence  was  carried  out  in  the  trial  of  Saul,  who  dared  to  off'er 
 sacrifice  without  the  prophet  and  high-priest  Samuel,  and 
 thereby  he  drew  down  upon  himself  a  sin  and  a  curse,  which  is 
 not  loosed  unto  this  day.  .  .  .  And  God  dealt  in  the  same  way 
 with  Uzziah,  for  He  does  not  stay  His  vengeance,  but  pours  it 
 out  upon  such  as  transgress  His  law ;  and  so  he  that  coveted  the 
 priesthood  was  made  a  stranger  to  the  sovereign  power  which 
 had  been  committed  to  him.  And  you  cannot  be  ignoi'ant  how 
 that  the  things  which  concern  us  are  ordered  after  the  same 
 manner,  since  you  must  know  that  those  constituted  by  us 
 bishops,  presbyters,  and  deacons,  by  prayer  and  the  laying-on  of 
 hands,  have  attained  unto  different  functions  by  this  change  of 
 
142  THE    NESTOKIAnS    and    THEia    RITUALS. 
 
 name.  Moreover,  with  us  it  is  not  everj'^  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  God  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  Lord  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  pres- 
 byter 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  them- 
 selves temerariously  the  functions  peculiar  to  those  who  are  in  a 
 higher  degree,  thus  creating  new  laws  of  their  own  to  their  own 
 souFs  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  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ.  Moses,  the  friend  of  God,  appointed  the  high-priests, 
 the  priests,  and  the  Levites,  and  we  the  thirteen  apostles 
 were  appointed  by  our  Saviour.  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  ap- 
 pointed] the  presbyters,  deacons,  subdeacons,  and  readers.^^ 
 Canon  XIX.  of  the  Apostolical  Constitutions  as  contained  in  the 
 Sinhados. 
 
 §  2.  "  Christ  the  Only-begotten  is  before  all,  and  pre-emi- 
 nently the  High-Priest ;  yet  even  He  did  not  take  this  honour 
 to  Himself,  but  was  appointed  thereto  by  the  Father.  And 
 He,  having  become  man  for  us,  and  having  offered  to  God  the 
 Father  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 
 
MINISTERING    IN    THE    CONGREGATION.  143 
 
 a  priest,  or  became  fit  to  exei'cise  the  authority  of  the  high- 
 priesthood.  After  His  ascension,  \¥e,  according  to  His  command- 
 ment, offered  up  a  pure  and  unbloody  oblation,  and  appointed 
 bishops,  presbyters,  and  seven  deacons,  of  whom  one  was  the 
 blessed  martyr  Stephen,  who  came  behind  none  of  us  in  his  love 
 to  God.  .  .  .  This  man,  who  was  full  of  the  Spirit,  and  who 
 saw  Christ  seated  on  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  the  doors  of 
 heaven  opened,  never  performed  any  functions  not  appertaining 
 to  the  diaconate,  for  he  did  not  offer  the  oblation,  neither  did 
 he  lay  hands  on  any,  but  he  kept  his  diaconate  to  the  end 
 according  to  the  will  of  Christ.  Should  any  persons,  however, 
 take  umbrage  from  the  act  of  Philip  the  deacon,  and  from  the 
 act  of  Ananias  the  believing  brother,  the  one  having  baptized 
 the  Eunuch,  and  the  other  me  Paul,  they  forget  what  we  have 
 already  said,  viz.,  that  no  man  can  take  the  authority  of  the 
 priesthood  unless  it  be  given  to  him  of  God,  as  it  was  to  Mel- 
 chizedek  and  to  Jacob,  or  unless  it  be  given  by  the  high-priest, 
 as  it  was  to  Aaron  by  Moses.  So  that  Philip  and  Ananias  did 
 not  take  this  [function]  to  themselves,  but  were  elected  thereto 
 by  Christ,  the  incomparable  High-Priest  of  God."  Canon 
 XX.  from  the  same. 
 
 §  3.  "  It  hath  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost  to  or- 
 dain, that  none  of  the  faithful  shall  be  permitted  to  give  orders 
 to  the  deacons  or  presbyters  in  the  Church,  or  to  give  any 
 directions  respecting  divine  service,  or  the  times  thereof,  or 
 to  enjoin  that  any  thing  should  be  added  thereto  or  taken 
 therefrom.  Nor  is  it  allowed  that  any  who  are  such  shall 
 direct  by  whom  this  or  that  portion  is  to  be  read,  or  by 
 whom  this  or  that  function  is  to  be  performed ;  but  every- 
 thing is  to  be  done  according  to  the  accustomed  and  proper 
 order,  drawn  up  and  appointed  in  the  Church  by  the  holy 
 Fathers.  It  belongs  to  the  archdeacon,  or  the  head  of  the 
 presbyters,  or  the  head  of  the  deacons,  appointed  by  the  Ordi- 
 nary, to  direct  what  all  the  deacons  are  to  do,  and  what  func- 
 tions they  are  to  exercise.  As  to  the  faithful,  they  have  no 
 permission  or  authority  whatever  to  meddle  with  that  vvhich  is 
 above  their  degree ;  therefore  let  every  one  keep  to  his  degree, 
 and  strictly  abide  in  the  lot  which  God  has  allotted  to  him.  It 
 is  not  for  a  presbyter  to  order  a  bishop,  nor  a  deacon  a  presby- 
 
144  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 ter,  nor  one  of  the  faithful  a  deacon^  or  any  other  of  the  priest- 
 hood. For  there  is  but  one  Head^  and  He  is  sufficient  for  all 
 the  members  of  the  body,  and  to  Him  belongs  sovereign  power. 
 And  these  things  we  have  ordained  by  the  canon  of  our  Lord^s 
 word."  Par.  VI.  entitled:  That  it  doth  not  belong  to  laymen 
 to  interfere  with  the  Divine  service ;  from  the  canons  of  a  pro- 
 vincial  synod  convened  by  Mar  Yohanan,  as  contained  in  the 
 Sinhados. 
 
 §  4.  "  None  is  to  be  made  a  chief-priest,  bishop,  presbyter, 
 or  deacon,  before  he  be  first  tried  and  examined  in  many  things. 
 He  must  be  strong  in  faith,  and  in  the  doctrine  of  our  Lord, 
 and  well  known  for  his  fear  towards  God,  and  noted  for  his 
 humility,  love,  good  conversation,  and  wisdom,  and  further  en- 
 dowed with  the  three  virtues  mentioned  in  the  canons,  viz.  a 
 sound  mind,  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  of 
 the  theory  of  the  orthodox  faith,  and  well  reported  of  for  good 
 works  pertaining  to  sanctification.  Let  those  who  are  such  be 
 first  examined,  and  then  be  permitted  to  minister,  being  found 
 blameless,  according  to  the  commandment  of  the  Apostle,  and 
 as  it  becometh  those  who  are  raised  up  to  be  lords  in  God's 
 house,  the  salt  of  the  earth,  and  the  light  of  the  world,  for  '  who- 
 soever shall  thus  do  and  teach,  the  same  shall  be  called  great  in 
 the  kingdom  of  heaven.'  For  history  and  experience  bear  wit- 
 ness how  much  confusion,  how  many  tumults,  and  how  many 
 doubts,  have  been  begotten  in  the  Church  of  Christ  through 
 the  election  of  such  as  are  unv/orthy,  and  the  consecration  of 
 such  as  are  without  good  works,  without  a  knowledge  of  the 
 
 truth,  and  without  competent  instruction Therefore 
 
 great  care  should  be  exercised  in  this  respect ;  a  care  corres- 
 ponding to  the  greatness  and  excellence  of  the  priesthood; 
 and  whosoever  shall  act  differently  let  him  be  under  the 
 sentence  of  our  Lord's  owm  word."  Canon  V.  entitled: 
 That  without  election  none  are  to  be  ordained  to  any  degree; 
 from  the  canons  of  a  provincial  synod  convened  by  Mar  Tima- 
 tceos,  [a.d.  1317,]  Patriarch  of  the  East,  as  contained  in  the 
 Sinhados. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 Amidst  the  many  errors  which  have  sprung  up  in  the  Eastern 
 
MINISTERING    IN    THE    CONGREGATION.  145 
 
 churches,  and  which  continue  to  exist  among  them,  the  priest- 
 hood has  ever  been  kept  sacred  from  unlawful  invasion  on 
 the  part  of  the  laity;  and  the  Nestorians,  though  greatly- 
 fallen  from  the  knowledge,  faith,  and  zeal,  possessed  by  their 
 ancestors,  still  maintain  pure  and  undefiled  the  apostolical 
 doctrine  as  contained  in  Article  XXIII.  of  the  Church  of 
 England. 
 
 VOL    II. 
 
146  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXVIII. 
 
 OF    SPEAKING    IN    THE    CONGREGATION    IN    SUCH    A    TONGUE 
 AS    THE    PEOPLE    UNDERSTANDETH. 
 
 "  It  is  a  thing  plainly  repugnant  to  the  Word  of  God,  and  the  custom  of  the 
 Primitive  Church  to  have  public  prayer  in  the  Church,  or  to  minister  the  Sacra- 
 ments in  a  tongue  not  understanded  of  the  people." — Article  XXIV. 
 
 All  tlie  ancient  rituals  of  the  Nestorians  are  written  in  clas- 
 sical Syriac^  which  has  long  ceased  to  be  spoken  in  its  purity 
 throughout  the  East.  The  vernacular  tongue  of  the  mountain 
 NestoriauSj  and  of  the  Chaldeans  of  the  plains,  is  a  dialect  of 
 the  Syriac,  called  Soorith  or  Fellehi,  and  differs  so  widely  from 
 the  written  language  of  the  rituals,  that  only  those  of  the  laity 
 who  are  tolerably  well  educated,  (and  of  such  there  are  but  a 
 very  few,)  can  understand  them ;  indeed  many  of  the  clergy 
 are  in  the  same  deplorable  case,  not  having  any  certain  know- 
 ledge of  what  they  read  in  the  churches. 
 
 This  practice,  however,  so  far  as  the  Nestorians  are  concerned, 
 is  opposed  to  the  principles  inculcated  by  their  standard  authors, 
 and  sanctioned  by  the  authority  of  their  provincial  synods ;  but 
 they  are  at  present  reduced  to  so  low  a  state  of  intelligence,  and 
 learning  has  for  so  long  a  time  heen  neglected  among  them,  that 
 they  seem  quite  unable  to  exert  that  energy  which  is  requi- 
 site to  bring  about  a  reformation  in  this  respect.  Even  the 
 Chaldeans  manifest  little  sympathy  with  the  custom  of  the 
 Church  of  Rome  censured  in  the  Article,  for  they  have  trans- 
 lated the  Epistles  and  Gospels  into  Arabic,  which  they  write 
 in  the  Syriac  character,  and  this  version  is  read  in  all  the 
 churches  at  Mosul,  and  wherever  the  people  are  better  ac- 
 quainted with  that  language  than  with  the   Syriac.     Different 
 
SPEAKING  IN  A  TONGUE  UNDERSTOOD  BY  THE  PEOPLE.       147 
 
 parts  of  some  of  the  other  offices^  such  as  the  office  of  Baptism 
 and  of  Matrimony,  have  also  been  translated  by  the  Chaldeans 
 into  Arabic  for  the  use  of  their  people.  The  Nestorians,  whose 
 only  vernacular  dialect  is  the  Soorith,  are  far  behind  the  Chal- 
 deans in  this  respect,  for  they  have  not  hitherto  made  any 
 attempt  to  reduce  that  dialect  to  writing;  but  if  the  officiating 
 priest  is  capable  of  the  task,  he  generally  reads  the  Gospels  and 
 Epistles  in  the  original,  then  translates  them  into  Soorith  viva 
 voce,  and  not  unfrequently  adds  a  comment  of  his  own. 
 
 The  following  canon  affords  the  clearest  proof  that  the  Nes- 
 torians  in  by-gone  days  were  very  anxious  that  education,  and 
 more  especially  the  study  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  should  flourish 
 among  them. 
 
 "  Above  all  things  it  is  the  duty  of  pastors  and  overseers  of 
 churches  to  be  very  zealous  in  establishing  the  teaching  of  the 
 Church,  and  in  appointing  learned  and  GoD-fearing  teachers  in 
 all  the  churches,  who  shall  use  all  diligence  to  bring  up  the 
 scholars  committed  to  their  care,  so  that  the  fruits  of  their  in- 
 struction may  appear  in  the  children  as  early  as  possible.  And 
 it  is  their  duty  to  oblige  the  faithful  to  send  their  children 
 to  be  instructed  in  the  fear  of  God,  which  is  the  foundation 
 of  Christianity,  and  to  recall  to  their  minds  the  words  of 
 the  heavenly  apostle :  '  Fathers,  provoke  not  your  children  to 
 wrath,  but  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 
 of  the  LoRD.^  For  these  [pastors]  must  know  that  the  church 
 which  is  without  scholars  is  like  a  barren  woman  who  has 
 no  children,  whose  inheritance  is  transferred  to  strangers, 
 and  that  according  as  education  is  promoted  faith  is  confirmed 
 and  increased,  and  that  in  the  degree  in  which  ignorance 
 increases  the  fear  of  God  decreases,  and  Christianity  languishes 
 and  fades  away.  Therefore  we  must  revere  the  teaching 
 of  our  Lord  above  our  life,  and  whosoever  is  neglectful  of 
 these  things  is  the  enemy  of  Christ,  and  is  under  the  inter- 
 diction of  our  LoRD^s  word,  and  let  such  an  one  be  held  in  no 
 esteem  in  the  holy  Church."  Canon  II.  of  a  provincial  synod 
 convened  by  Mar  Timataos,  as  contained  in  the  Sinhados. 
 
 L  2 
 
148  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER     XXIX. 
 
 OF    THE    SACRAMENTS. 
 
 "  Sacraments  ordained  of  Christ  be  not  only  badges  or  tokens  of  Christian 
 men's  profession,  but  rather  they  be  certain  sure  witnesses,  and  effectual  signs 
 of  grace,  and  God's  goodwill  towards  us,  by  the  which  He  doth  work  invisibly 
 in  us,  and  doth  not  only  quicken,  but  also  strengthen  and  confirm  our  Faith 
 in  Him. 
 
 "  There  are  two  sacraments  ordained  of  Christ  our  Lord  in  the  Gospel,  that 
 is  to  say,  Baptism,  and  the  Supper  of  the  Lord. 
 
 "  Those  five  commonly  called  Sacraments,  that  is  to  say.  Confirmation,  Pe- 
 nance, Orders,  Matrimony,  and  Extreme  Unction,  are  not  to  be  counted  for 
 Sacraments  of  the  Gospel,  being  such  as  have  grown  partly  of  the  corrupt  fol- 
 io .ving  of  the  Apostles,  partly  are  states  of  life  allowed  in  the  Scriptures  ;  but 
 yet  have  not  like  nature  of  Sacraments  with  Baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper, 
 for  that  they  have  not  any  visible  sign  or  ceremony  ordained  of  God. 
 
 "  The  Sacraments  were  not  ordained  of  Christ  to  be  gazed  upon,  or  to  be 
 carried  about,  but  that  we  should  duly  use  them.  And  in  such  only  as  worthily 
 receive  the  same  they  have  a  wholesome  effect  or  operation  ;  but  they  that  receive 
 them  unworthily  purchase  to  themselves  damnation,  as  Saint  Paul  saith." — 
 Article  XXV. 
 
 That  the  Sacraments  are  not  bare  signs. 
 
 §  1.  "Our  blessed  Lord  in  His  sacraments  has  given  us  the 
 medicine  of  hfe  for  our  death ;  and,  behold,  this  medicine  is 
 dispensed  in  the  Church.  Come,  therefore,  ye  who  are  dead, 
 draw  near,  partake  of  it,  and  live."  From  the  service  appointed 
 in  the  Khudhra/br  the  fourth  Friday  of  the  Sanctification  of  the 
 Church. 
 
 §  2.  "  Sing  praises,  0  holy  Church,  to  the  Bridegroom  Who 
 hath  affianced  thee,  Who  hath  taken  thee  into  His  wedding 
 chamber,  and  hath  given  thee  His  sacraments  as  pledges  of  the 
 pardon  of  Thy  children,   and  Who  hath  purified  and  sanctified 
 
THE    SACRAMENTS.  149 
 
 thee  by  His  grace  from  the  corruption  of  Satan. ^'     From  the 
 service  for  the  third  Sunday  of  the  same  festival. 
 
 §  3.  "  All  Thy  worshippers,  0  Lord,  flee  for  refuge  to  Thy 
 Church,  there  to  partake  of  Thy  sacraments  for  the  pardon  of 
 their  sins.^''  Fi-om  the  service  for  the  first  Friday  of  the  same 
 festival. 
 
 §  4,  "  We  were  sanctified  by  water  and  the  Spirit,  and  by 
 Thy  Body  and  Blood  we  attain  life."  From  the  service  appointed 
 in  the  Khudhra /or  the  Epiphany. 
 
 See  also  several  extracts  cited  under  Chap.  XXIII.  where  the 
 sacraments  are  called  "^^  pledges,"  "pledges  of  the  forgiveness 
 of  God's  children,"  and  "  the  sacraments  of  the  Church's 
 salvation." 
 
 See  further,  the  definition  of  a  sacrament  as  contained  in 
 Appendix  B.  Part  IV.  c.  1. 
 
 The  above  extracts  are  sufficient  to  prove  that,  according  to 
 the  doctrine  of  the  Nestorians,  God  doth  work  invisibly  in  us 
 through  the  sacraments  of  His  own  appointment,  and  that 
 through  these,  as  through  a  channel.  He  doth  not  only  quicken, 
 but  also  strengthen  and  confirm  our  faith  in  Him.  Not,  how- 
 ever, that  the  sacraments  are  to  be  regarded  as  a  mere  charm, 
 the  use  of  which  being  totally  disjoined  from  any  mental  exer- 
 cise, cannot  be  regarded  as  a  reasonable  service.  "  On  the 
 contrary,  the  doctrine  of  the  efficacy  of  the  sacraments,  ex 
 opere  operantis,  is  most  clearly  declared  throughout  their 
 standard  writings.  Thus  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  says  :  The  sacra- 
 ments in  order  to  convey  grace  require  "  right  intention  and 
 confirmed  faith  on  the  part  of  those  who  partake  thereof,  be- 
 lieving that  the  effect  of  the  sacraments  takes  place  by  a  hea- 
 venly power,"  And,  again  :  "  they  impart  to  all  who  receive 
 them  in  faith,  and  without  doubting,  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
 purification,  enlightenment,  pardon,  the  great  hope  of  the 
 resurrection  from  the  dead,  the  inheritance  of  heaven,  and 
 the  new  life."  In  this  respect,  therefore,  the  Nestorians  coin- 
 cide with  the  doctrine  declared  in  the  concluding  paragraph  of 
 the  article  at  the  head  of  this  chapter.  The  effect  of  the 
 sacraments  upon  unworthy  recipients  will  be  given  under 
 Article  XXIX. 
 
150  THE    NESTOllIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Number  of  the  Sacraments. 
 
 The  Nestorian  rituals  do  not  determine  the  number  of  the 
 Church  sacraments;  but  several  of  their  best  authors  reckon 
 them  as  seven^  and  so  many  are  generally  allowed  by  the  Nes- 
 torians  of  the  present  day,  viz.  Orders^  Baptism,  the  Oil  of 
 Unction,  the  Oblation  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ, 
 Absolution,  the  Holy  Leaven,  and  the  sign  of  the  Cross. 
 This  discrepancy,  however,  which  seems  to  remove  the  Nes- 
 torians  as  far  from  the  teaching  of  the  Church  of  England 
 as  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome  on  this  article,  is 
 by  no  means  so  great  as  may  appear  at  first  sight.  Accord- 
 ing to  the  more  perfect  definition  contained  in  the  Church 
 Catechism,  a  sacrament  consists  of  two  parts,  "  the  outward 
 visible  sign,  and  the  inward  spiritual  grace;"  and  further, 
 must  be  "ordained  by  Christ  Himself  as  a  means  whereby 
 we  receive  the  same,  and  a  pledge  to  assure  us  thereof."  Now 
 if  the  seven  sacraments  of  the  Nestorians  be  tried  by  this 
 rule,  only  two,  viz.  Baptism  and  the  Supper  of  the  Lord,  will 
 be  found  to  comprise  all  these  essential  properties,  as  shall  be 
 shown  presently  when  each  comes  under  separate  consideration. 
 Hence  from  the  bare  fact  of  their  being  classed  together  we  are 
 not  obliged  to  infer  that  the  Nestorians  regard  the  entire  seven 
 as  of  equal  authority,  efficacy,  or  necessity,  or  to  conclude  that 
 they  differ,  in  any  essential  point,  from  the  doctrine  of  our 
 Church  on  the  sacraments.  On  the  contrary,  there  is  every 
 reason  to  believe  that  they  use  the  term  "sacrament,"  of  the 
 five  ordinances  over  and  above  those  which  are  so  called  by  us, 
 in  the  same  sense  in  which  marriage  is  styled  a  sacrament  in  the 
 book  of  Homilies,  and  in  which  many  of  the  primitive  Christian 
 authors  applied  it  to  other  institutions  of  the  New  Testament, 
 besides  Baptism  and  the  holy  Eucharist.  Thus  Palmer,  in  his 
 Origines  Liturgic<2  says,  that  "the  Fathers  gave  the  name  of 
 sacrament  or  mystery  to  every  thing  which  conveyed  one 
 signification  or  property  to  unassisted  reason,  and  another  to 
 faith." 
 
 Further,  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  Nestorians  frequently 
 speak  of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  in  the  plural  number, 
 as  if  each  was  made  up  of  several  mystical  significations  addressed 
 to  faith.     Accordingly  we  find  more  than  once  in  the  Baptismal 
 
THE    SACRAMENTS.  151 
 
 office  sentences  like  the  following :  "  We  thank  Thee,  0  Lord, 
 that  Thou  hast  made  us  partakers  of  Thy  sacraments  ;"  and  the 
 same  mode  of  expression  is  adopted  in  the  Liturgies,  and  in 
 other  parts  of  the  Nestorian  Ritual,  where  from  the  context  it  is 
 clear  that  the  reference  is  made  to  one  individual  sacrament,  and 
 not  to  the  sacraments  generally. 
 
 Moreover,  that  the  two  sacraments  of  our  Church  are  consi- 
 dered to  be  such  pre-eminently  by  the  Nestorians,  is  clear  from 
 their  being  in  almost  every  instance  found  together  in  their 
 rituals,  and  separate  from  the  other  rites  which  "  are  commonly 
 called  sacraments ;"  but  which  are  seldom  or  never  so  styled  in 
 the  authorized  service-books.  Thus  in  §  4,  quoted  under  this 
 article,  we  read  :  "  We  were  sanctified  by  water  and  the  Spirit, 
 and  by  Thy  Body  and  Blood  we  attain  life  j"  and  §  6  and  7,  cited 
 in  Chap.  XXIIL  are  two  examples  of  like  import  from  numerous 
 others  which  might  be  adduced. 
 
 The  following  tradition,  apart  from  the  obvious  fictions  which 
 it  contains,  tends  to  confirm  the  above  remarks,  and  affords  an 
 additional  proof  that  the  Nestorians  believe  Baptism  and  the 
 Lord's  Supper  to  be  the  only  sacraments  necessary  to  salva- 
 tion, and  that  these  two  alone  fulfil  in  every  respect  our  Churches 
 definition  of  a  sacrament. 
 
 "  On  the  foundation  of  the  two  holy  sacraments  of  the  Church, 
 vis.  Baptism  and  the  Body  and  Blood  of  our  Lord. 
 
 "I  confess  two  sacraments  in  the  holy  Church, — one  the 
 sacrament  of  Baptism,  and  the  other  the  sacrament  of  the  Body 
 and  Blood.  The  foundation  of  these  two  is  laid  in  the  flesh  of 
 our  Lord,  and  it  is  fit  that  I  should  explain  this  for  the  edifica- 
 tion of  the  sons  of  the  Church.  Peter  the  Apostle  wrote  this 
 account,  and  I  am  therefore  bound  to  record  it  without  any 
 alteration.  When  our  Saviour  was  baptized  of  John  in  the 
 river  Jordan,  John  beheld  His  gi-eatness,  i.e..  His  Divinity  and 
 humanity,  and  understood  that  He  did  not  submit  to  be  baptized 
 on  His  own  account,  but  in  order  to  set  us  an  example  that  we 
 should  be  baptized  even  as  He  was.  And  this  blessed  John  was 
 graciously  inspired  to  take  fi*om  Christ's  baptism  a  little  leaven 
 for  our  baptism.  So  when  our  Lord  went  up  out  of  the  water 
 whilst  the  water  was  yet  dripping  from  His  body,  John  ap- 
 proached our  Lord  and  collected  these  drops  in  a  phial ;  and 
 
152  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 when  the  day  of  his  martyrdom  arrived  he  committed  it  to  his 
 disciple,  and  commanded  him  to  preserve  it  with  great  care  until 
 the  time  should  come  when  it  would  be  required.  This  disciple- 
 was  John  the  son  of  Zebedee,  who  he  knew  would  become  our 
 Lord's  steward.  Accordingly,  after  His  baptism,  our  Lord 
 called  John,  and  made  him  His  beloved  disciple;  and  when 
 He  was  about  to  close  His  dispensation,  and  His  passion  and 
 death  drew  nigh,  on  the  evening  preceding  the  Friday  He  com- 
 mitted His  passover  to  His  disciples  in  the  bread  and  wine,  as  it 
 is  written,  and  gave  to  each  a  loaf ;  but  to  John  He  gave  two 
 loaves,  and  put  it  into  his  heart  to  eat  one  and  to  preserve  the 
 other,  that  it  might  serve  as  leaven  to  be  retained  in  the  Church 
 for  perpetual  commemoration.  After  this,  when  our  Lord  was 
 seized  by  the  Jews,  and  the  disciples  through  fear  hid  them- 
 selves, John  was  the  only  one  who  remained.  And  when  they 
 crucified  the  Lord  in  much  ignominy  with  the  thieves,  John 
 alone  was  present,  determined  to  see  what  would  become  of 
 Him.  Then  the  chief  priests  ordered  that  the  crucified  ones 
 should  be  taken  down  from  the  cross,  and  that  their  legs  should 
 be  broken,  in  order  that  if  yet  alive  they  might  die  outright. 
 The  soldiers  did  this  to  the  thieves,  but  when  they  came  to  our 
 Lord  and  found  that  He  was  dead  already,  they  brake  not  His 
 legs,  but  one  of  them  with  a  spear  pierced  His  side,  and  straight- 
 way there  came  out  blood  and  water,  of  which  John  was  witness. 
 Now  this  blood  is  a  token  of  the  sacrament  of  the  Body  and 
 Blood  in  the  Church,  and  the  water  is  a  token  of  the  new  birth 
 in  believers.  John  was  the  only  one  who  perceived  this  sepa- 
 rateness  of  the  water  and  the  blood,  and  he  bare  true  witness 
 thereof,  as  he  says,  that  we  might  believe.  He  declares  that  he 
 saw  them  unmixed,  and  that  he  did  not  take  of  them  together, 
 but  of  each  separately.  He  took  of  the  blood  upon  the  loaf 
 which  he  had  reserved  from  the  paschal  feast,  and  he  took  of 
 the  water  in  that  same  vessel  which  had  been  committed  to  him 
 by  John  the  Baptist.  The  very  blood  of  His  body,  therefore, 
 mixed  with  the  bread  which  He  had  called  His  body,  and  the 
 water  from  His  side  mingled  with  the  water  of  His  baptism. 
 After  He  rose  from  the  grave  and  ascended  up  in  glory  to  His 
 Father,  and  sent  the  grace  of  His  Spirit  upon  His  disciples  to 
 endow  them  with  wisdom,  He  commanded  His  apostles  to  ordain 
 
THE    SACRAMENTS.  153 
 
 in  His  Churcli  that  same  leaven  which  they  had  taken  from  His 
 body  to  be  for  the  sacrament  of  His  Body,  and  also  for  the 
 sacrament  of  Baptism.  And  when  the  disciples  went  forth  to 
 convert  the  nations,  they  divided  this  leaven  amongst  themselves, 
 and  they  took  oil  of  unction  and  mixed  it  with  the  water  which 
 was  kept  in  the  vessel,  and  they  divided  this  also  amongst  them- 
 selves to  be  a  leaven  for  Baptism.  The  loaf  which  John  had, 
 and  which  was  mixed  with  the  blood  which  flowed  from  His 
 side,  they  bruised  into  powder,  then  mixed  it  with  flour  and 
 salt,  and  divided  it  among  them,  each  portion  being  put  into  a 
 separate  vessel  to  serve  as  leaven  for  the  Body  and  Blood  of 
 Christ  in  the  Church.  This  is  the  account  which  I  have  read, 
 which  bore  the  sign  of  Peter,  and  I  have  written  it  as  I  found  it 
 for  the  benefit  of  such  as  may  read  this  our  Epistle.  The  pres- 
 byter Rabban  Shimoon,  who  first  related  the  narrative  to  me, 
 and  then  afterwards  showed  me  the  written  account,  can  witness 
 to  the  truth."     From  an  ancient  work  by  Yohanan  Bar  Zoobi. 
 
 CONFIRMATION. 
 
 For  the  doctrine  of  the  Nestorians  respecting  Confirmation 
 the  reader  is  referred  to  Appendix  B,  Part  IV.  c.  1  and  4,  and 
 to  the  Baptismal  office  given  under  Chapter  XLI.,  from  which 
 it  would  seem  tbat  they  regard  this  rite  rather  as  an  appendix 
 to  baptism  than  as  a  separate  sacrament.  Mar  Abd  Yeshua 
 says,  that  "  the  oil  of  unction  is  used  in  the  birth  which  is  by 
 baptism,"  clearly  intimating  that  it  is  a  subsidiary  part  of  that 
 holy  ordinance;  and  in  the  solemn  invocation  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  (which  together  with  the  imposition  of  hands,  appears  to 
 form  the  only  essentials  of  confirmation  according  to  their  ritual, 
 since  the  oil  of  unction  is  not  used  then,  but  before  the  person  is 
 baptized,)  grace  is  declared  to  be  conveyed  '^  through  the  holy 
 sacrament  of  baptism,"  and  no  mention  whatever  is  made  of  any 
 distinct  grace  being  imparted  through  the  oil  of  unction. 
 
 Moreover,  that  Confirmation,  as  held  by  the  Nestorians,  is  not 
 a  sacrament  according  to  the  definition  of  our  Church,  is  clear 
 from  this,  that  they  do  not  claim  either  for  the  matter  or  form 
 of  the  rite  the  authority  of  "  Christ  Himself,"  which  is  deemed 
 an  essential  according  to  the  teaching  of  the  Catechism.  Mar 
 Abd  Yeshua  says,  that  "^  the  oil  of  unction  is  an  apostolical  tra- 
 
154  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 dition ;"  and  again^  "  the  matter  of  the  oil  of  unction  is  pure 
 olive  oil ;  the  form^  the  apostolical  benediction." 
 
 It  is  further  apparent  that  the  Nestorians  deem  Confirmation 
 necessary  to  salvation  only  from  its  being  a  subsidiary  part  of 
 the  sacrament  of  baptism,  since  with  them  every  one  who  is  bap- 
 tized must  also  be  confirmed  at  the  same  time,  as  is  the  case  in 
 all  other  Eastern  Churches. 
 
 PENANCE. 
 
 Absolution,  or  Pardon,  is  that  which,  with  the  Nestorians, 
 corresponds  the  nearest  to  the  "Penance"  mentioned  in  the 
 Article,  and  the  sacramental  character  of  which  is  denied  by 
 the  Church  of  England.  This  "state  of  life,"  which  is  not 
 only  "allowed"  but  also  commanded  "in  Scripture,"  is  never 
 styled  a  sacrament  in  any  of  the  standard  rituals  of  the  Nesto- 
 rians; and  Mar  Abd  Yeshua,  after  naming  it  as  such  in  his  list 
 given  in  Appendix  B,  Part  IV.  c.  1,  afterwards  in  Chapter  VII., 
 heads  his  exposition  thereof  with  the  title,  "  Of  Absolution  and 
 Repentance."  It  is  further  to  be  noticed,  that  in  these  remarks 
 he  gives  no  "  visible  sign,"  nor  any  words  of  institution  to  what 
 he  had  before  denominated  a  sacramiCnt,  but  simply  treats  of  the 
 duty  of  repentance,  the  hope  of  pardon  held  out  by  Christ  to 
 the  true  penitent  in  the  New  Testament,  the  proper  minister  to 
 whom  the  sinner  should  "  open  his  grief,"  and  the  authority  of 
 the  priest  to  absolve  him,  "  if  all  this  is  done  in  faith  and  not 
 after  a  worldly  manner."  Hence  it  is  clear  that  absolution, 
 called  sometimes  a  sacrament  by  the  Nestorians,  is  not  deemed 
 to  be  such  by  them  in  the  sense  in  which  the  Church  of  England 
 holds  that  there  are  only  two  sacraments  ordained  by  Christ 
 Himself. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  confession  and  absolution  as  held  by  the 
 Nestorians  seems  to  be  in  perfect  agreement  with  the  teaching 
 of  our  own  rituals.  Auricular  confession  is  unknown  to  them,^^ 
 and  the  advice  to  penitents,  as  given  by  Mar  Abd  Yeshua,  and 
 which  is  also  contained  in  the  Khudhra,  "  to  go  and  show  their 
 wounds  to  the  disciples  of  the  Wise  Physician,  who  will  heal 
 them  with  spiritual  medicine,"  corresponds  in  substance  with 
 the  first  exhortation  contained  in  our  Communion  office.  Their 
 general  practice  with  regard  to  confession  is  as  follows :   such  as 
 
THE    SACRAMENTS.  155 
 
 wish  to  communicate  of  the  holy  Eucharist  assemble  together, 
 or  individuals  consult  the  priest  privately,  and  then  meet  together 
 in  the  porch  or  entry  to  the  church,  and  whilst  kneeling  upon 
 their  knees,  or  sitting  in  a  humble  posture,  the  priest  reads  over 
 them  one  or  more  absolutions  in  the  form  of  petitions  from  the 
 Kthawa  dfHoosdya,  or  Book  of  Pardon,  consisting  chiefly  of 
 supplications  to  God  that  He  would  mercifully  pardon  His  peni- 
 tent children,  and  receive  them  back  into  His  favour.  This 
 service  is  generally  performed  before  the  commencement  of 
 morning  prayers  on  the  day  of  communion. 
 
 In  order  to  convey  a  more  correct  idea  on  this  subject,  I 
 subjoin  a  translation  of  one  of  the  forms  of  absolution  still  in 
 use  among  the  Nestorians,  and  ascribed  to  the  Catholicos  Mar 
 Yeshua-yau.  From  the  substance  of  it  I  conclude  that  this 
 particular  office  is  only  used  over  such  as  have  been  grievous 
 offenders. 
 
 TAXA    d'hOOSAYA. 
 
 Priest.  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good 
 will  toward  men. 
 
 Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  &c. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 May  the  adorable  Name  of  Thy  glorious  Trinity  be  ever  wor- 
 shipped, glorified,  honoured,  praised,  blessed,  and  magnified,  in 
 heaven  and  in  earth,  O  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 %   [Then  shall  follow']  Ps.  xxv.  and  cxxx. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Behold  the  eyes  of  our  minds  are  fixed  upon  Thee,  0  Lord 
 our  God,  for  our  hope  and  trust  is  in  Thee,  and  from  Thee  we 
 beg  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins  and  iniquities.  Grant  this,  in 
 Thy  grace  and  mercy,  as  is  Thy  wont  at  all  times. 
 
 Anthem. 
 
 Antiphon.  Bow  down  Thine  ear,  0  Lord,  and  hearken  unto 
 me,  and  sinners  shall  be  converted  unto  Thee. 
 
156  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Thou,  0  Lord,  didst  not  despise  publicans  and  sinners, 
 neither  didst  Thou  cast  them  out  of  Thy  presence,  for  Thou 
 Thyself  hast  said,  that  the  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  such 
 as  are  sick.  Therefore  we  who  have  done  evil  in  Thy  sight,  and 
 whose  souls  are  diseased,  beseech  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 Ant.  0  Lord,  Thou  hast  known. 
 
 0  Lord,  Thou  good  Physician  of  souls.  Thou  knowest  such 
 as  are  in  need  of  cure.  Thou  didst  call  and  restore  the  sick  and 
 diseased,  or  ever  Thou  didst  call  the  whole ;  not  that  Thou  dost 
 not  regard  the  righteous,  but  because  Thou  wouldst  show  Thy 
 compassion  towards  sinners.  Therefore  I,  who  am  the  chief  of 
 sinners,  beseech  Thee,  0  Thou  lover  of  mankind,  to  make  me 
 as  one  of  those  whom  Thou  didst  call  into  Thy  vineyard  at  the 
 eleventh  hour,  and  make  me  fit  to  receive  Thy  gift. 
 
 Ant.  So  foolish  was  I  and  ignorant. 
 
 The  wicked  one  laid  a  snare  for  me,  and  took  me,  and  I  in 
 my  frailty  slipped  and  fell  into  his  net ;  but  now,  whilst  there 
 is  yet  strength  left  in  my  members,  send  and  cut  my  bonds, 
 that  I  may  arise  and  give  thanks  unto  Thy  grace,  and  with  the 
 voice  of  the  souPs  repentance  cry  out  and  say.  Glory  be  to  Thee, 
 0  Lord  of  all. 
 
 Ant.  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the 
 Holy  Ghost. 
 
 0  Lord,  upon  the  foundation  of  the  rock  of  Simon  Peter's  faith 
 Thou  hast  set  me  up,  and  in  baptism  Thou  didst  promise  me  the 
 gift  of  adoption ;  but  by  my  life  I  have  likened  myself  to  the 
 heir  who  squandered  away  all  his  living,  and  now  like  him  I 
 pray  and  say :  I  have  sinned  against  heaven  and  before  Thee, 
 and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  Thy  son.  0  merciful  Lord, 
 have  mercy  upon  me. 
 
 Ant.  As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall  be, 
 world  without  end.     Amen. 
 
 The  sinner  who  repents  and  comes  unto  Thee,  0  Lord  God, 
 Thou  wilt  not  cast  out  from  Thy  presence,  and  from  Thine  ever- 
 lasting benefits,  but  wilt  stretch  forth  to  him  Thy  helping  hand, 
 and  address  him  in  Thy  love,  saying :  This  is  he  who  was  dead 
 and  is  alive  again,  was  lost  and  is  found.  Therefore,  0  Thou 
 lover  of  mankind,  in  Thy  compassion  have  pity  upon  me  also, 
 and  have  mercy  upon  me. 
 
THE    SACRAMENTS.  157 
 
 [^  If  the  'penitent  he  a  female  the  following  anthem  shall  be  used. 
 
 Ant.  My  wounds  stink  and  have  become  corrupt.  What 
 physician  can  heal  my  secret  wounds,  or  can  visit  and  cure  me, 
 or  who  can  save  me  from  the  fire,  exclaimed  the  adulteress  ?  I 
 will  arise  and  cast  off  the  bands  of  sin,  and  will  betake  me  to 
 the  Saviour,  for  He  did  not  cast  out  the  publican;  and  He,  by 
 His  words,  converted  the  woman  of  Samaria;  and  by  His  words 
 He  gave  life  to  the  Canaanitish  mother ;  and  through  the  hem 
 of  His  garment  He  gave  health  to  her  who  had  an  issue  of 
 blood ;  and  with  words  full  of  mercy  He  loosed  the  adulteress 
 from  her  sins,  and  inscribed  her  name  in  the  book  of  life  with 
 those  of  the  virgins ; — With  all  these  my  soul  saith  at  all  times  : 
 Blessed  is  Christ  our  Saviour. 
 
 Ant.  And  sinners  shall  be  converted  unto  Thee. 
 
 0  our  Saviour,  Thou  wast  favourable  unto  publicans  and  sin- 
 ners, and  in  Thy  pity  Thou  didst  absolve  them  from  their  sins. 
 In  like  manner  have  pity  upon  me,  and  in  Thy  compassion 
 extend  Thy  mercy  towards  me. 
 
 Ant.  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the 
 Holy  Ghost. 
 
 (I  have  not  been  able  to  find  the  verse  which  is  wanting  here, 
 only  the  first  sentence  of  which  is  contained  in  the  Hoosdya.) 
 
 Ant.  As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall  be, 
 world  without  end.     Amen. 
 
 Let  us  with  contrite  hearts  beseech  and  supplicate  the  All- 
 merciful,  and  pray  for  pardon  from  the  compassionate  God, 
 whose  door  is  ever  open  unto  all  who  repent  and  turn  unto 
 Him.] 
 
 Prayer. 
 0  Thou  compassionate  God,  have  pity  upon  us ;  0  Thou  who 
 art  full  of  mercy,  look  upon  us,  and  do  not  turn  away  Thine 
 eyes  or  Thy  care  from  us,  for  our  help  and  trust  is  in  Thee  at 
 all  times,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 Ant.  Have  pity  upon  me,  0  Lord,  according  to  Thy  great 
 mercy. 
 
158  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 O  our  Father,  who  sufferest  not  Thy  erring  children  to 
 perish  in  their  sins,  raise  me  up  from  my  death  in  sin,  0  Christ 
 my  Saviour,  for  to  this  end  the  heavenly  mercies  sent  Thee,  O 
 Son  of  God,  have  pity  upon  me. 
 
 O  Thou  lover  of  mankind,  I  am  unclean  through  the  multi- 
 tude of  my  sins  and  iniquities,  and  I  dare  not  look  up  to  the 
 height  of  heaven  ;  nevertheless  unto  Thee  1  cry  as  did  the  pub- 
 lican, and  say :  Have  pity  upon  me,  in  Thy  mercy,  and  make 
 me  Thine. 
 
 Doxology. 
 
 We  praise  Thee,  we  give  thanks  unto  Thee,  0  Christ  our 
 Saviour,  for  Thou  only  art  our  refuge  and  our  hope. 
 
 Of  Thy  mercy  and  peace  we  beg  Thee  not  to  shut  the  door  of 
 Thy  compassion  against  us. 
 
 0  holy  God,  0  holy  Mighty,  0  holy  Immortal,  have  mercy 
 upon  us. 
 
 \  Then  shall  follow  the  Litany  beginning  with  :  "  O  Thou  who  didst  open  the 
 door  of  repentance  to  all  sinners,  have  mercy  upon  us,  &c."  After  which 
 the  Priest  shall  say  this 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 0  Thou  who  dost  open  Thy  door  to  those  who  knock ;  O 
 Thou  who  dost  answer  the  prayers  of  such  as  call  upon  Thee, 
 open,  O  Lord  our  God,  the  door  of  mercy  to  our  prayers,  and 
 in  Thy  mercy  answer  our  petitions  out  of  Thy  overflowing  trea- 
 sury, and  accept  our  supplications,  0  Thou  righteous  God,  who 
 dost  not  withhold  Thy  mercies  and  gifts  from  such  as  worship 
 Thee,  and  who  call  upon  and  beseech  Thee  at  all  times. 
 
 Let  the  everlasting  mercies  of  Thy  holy  Trinity  be  upon  Thy 
 sinful  and  frail  worshippers,  who  at  all  times  call  upon  Thee 
 and  supplicate  Thee,  0  Lord. 
 
 %  Then  the  Priest  shall  say  this  prayer  over  the  head  of  him  who  is  being  absolved. 
 
 0  our  righteous  God,  whose  abundant  mercies  are  over  all, 
 pour  out  Thy  loving  compassion  upon  this  Thy  servant,  \_or 
 servants]  change  him  through  the  hope  of  a  fresh  renovation, 
 and  renew  in  him  Thy  Holy  Spirit,  whereby  he  was  sealed  unto 
 the  day  of  redemption.  Confirm  the  hope  of  his  faith  by  the 
 help  of  Thy  grace,  direct  the  steps  of  his  going  in  the  way  of 
 
THE    SACRAMENTS.  ]  59 
 
 righteousness,  and  make  him  finally  to  rejoice  with  the  saints 
 in  Thy  kingdom,  by  establishing  in  him  the  confidence  of  his 
 faith  in  his  adoption  through  the  participation  of  Thy  sin- 
 forgiving  sacraments;  and  so  strengthen  him  with  the  help  of 
 Thy  mercy,  that  he  may  ever  thank,  worship,  and  praise  Thy 
 holy  name,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 %  Whilst  saying  the  above  the  Priest  shall  sign  over  the  head  of  the  penitent  with 
 
 the  sign  of  the  cross. 
 Then  the  Priest  shall    inquire   of  him  whether  he  denied  the  faith  willingly, 
 
 and  if  so,  he  shall  sign  him  with  oil,  and  shall  say, 
 
 Let  A.  B.  be  signed,  renewed,  sealed,  and  sauctified,  in  the 
 name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 ^  If  the  person  denied  the  faith  against  his  will  no  oil  is  required.     And  these 
 penitents  shall  be  admitted  to  the  Holy  Communion  on  Easter  Eve. 
 
 It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  whilst  the  sacerdotal  authority  of 
 the  priest  to  absolve  is  most  unquestionably  maintained  by  the 
 Nestorians,  the  direct  form  of  absolution  is  not  to  be  met  with 
 in  any  of  their  rituals.  "  With  regard  to  these  varieties  of 
 form,'"'  says  Palmer,  ^'^  it  does  not  appear  that  they  were  formerly 
 considered  of  any  importance.  A  benediction  seems  to  have 
 been  regarded  as  equally  valid,  whether  it  was  conveyed  in  the 
 form  of  a  petition  or  a  declaration,  whether  in  the  optative  or 
 the  indicative  mood,  whether  in  the  active  or  passive  voice,  whe- 
 ther in  the  first  or  third  person.  It  is  true  that  a  direct  prayer 
 to  God  is  a  most  ancient  form  of  blessing ;  but  the  use  of  a 
 precatory,  or  an  optative  form,  by  no  means  warrants  the  infer- 
 ence, that  the  person  who  uses  it  is  devoid  of  any  divinely  insti- 
 tuted authority  to  bless  and  absolve  in  the  congregation  of  God. 
 Neither  does  the  use  of  a  direct  indicative  form  of  blessing  or 
 absolution  imply  anything  but  the  exercise  of  an  authority 
 which  God  has  given  to  such  an  extent,  and  under  such  limita- 
 tions, as  Divine  Revelation  has  declared."* 
 
 The  only  penance  imposed  upon  penitents  by  the  Nestorian 
 priesthood  is  the  increased  exercise  of  godliness,  in  prayer,  re- 
 conciliation with  those  with  whom  they  have  been  at  variance, 
 *  Origines  Liturgicse,  Vol.  II.  chap.  i.  part  i.  §  5. 
 
160  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 fasting,  alms-giving,  and  frequent   attendance  upon   the  Holy 
 Eucharist,  in  token  of  the  sincerity  of  their  repentance. 
 
 ORDERS. 
 
 The  Priesthood  is  by  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  reckoned  as  one  of 
 the  seven  sacraments  of  the  Church ;  but  the  same  remarks  are 
 applicable  here  as  were  made  under  the  head  of  "  Penance,"  viz. 
 that  it  is  not  regarded  by  the  Nestorians  as  a  sacrament  in  the 
 same  sense  in  which  both  we  and  they  regard  Baptism  and  the 
 Lord's  Supper  to  be  sacraments  of  the  New  Covenant.  In  the 
 first  place,  though  it  is  admitted  on  all  hands,  that  the  Priest- 
 hood was  "  ordained  by  Christ  Himself,"  yet  it  has  no  "  out- 
 ward and  visible  sign"  so  ordained  to  represent  it,  and  the  grace 
 conferred  by  the  imposition  of  hands  is  one  of  ministration  and 
 sacerdotal  authority  in  respect  of  those  over  whom  the  Spirit  of 
 God  constitutes  thetn  overseers,  not  a  gift  conferring  personal 
 sanctification  of  the  soul  in  such  as  are  called  thereto. 
 
 The  statements  from  which  the  above  inferences  are  drawn, 
 as  well  as  some  excellent  remarks  upon  the  necessity  of  the 
 sacraments,  and  of  a  validly  ordained  minister  to  administer 
 them,  are  to  be  found  in  Appendix  B.  Part  IV.  c.  1,  2,  where 
 the  institution,  authority,  and  perfection,  of  the  Christian  priest- 
 hood are  thus  declared  and  supported  :  "  The  foundation  of  the 
 priesthood  in  the  Church  is  laid  in  that  declaration  of  the  Lord 
 of  the  priesthood  to  Peter,  in  the  town  of  Csesarea  Philippi : 
 To  thee  I  give  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven:  whatsoever 
 thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven,  and  whatso- 
 ever thou  shalt  loose  on  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."  Its 
 superstructure  is  derived  from  that  other  injunction  :  "  Feed  My 
 lambs.  Feed  My  sheep.  Feed  My  sheep."  Its  ornament  and 
 perfection  from  Christ's  breathing  on  the  Apostles  when  He 
 said  :  "  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost  :  whosesoever  sins  ye  remit, 
 they  are  remitted;  and  whosesoever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are 
 retained.'  " 
 
 matrimony  and  extreme  unction. 
 
 Matrimony  is  not  reckoned  a  sacrament  by  the  Nestorians, 
 "  but  some  Christians,"  writes  Mar  Abd  Yeshua,  "  who  possess 
 not  the  Leaven,  reckon   Marriage  according  to  Christ's  ordi- 
 
THE    SACRAMENTS.  161 
 
 nance,  (whereby  in  the  place  of  a  mortal  deceased,  another  is 
 raised  up,)  the  seventh  sacrament."  See  Appendix  B.  Part 
 IV.  c.  1.  Extreme  unction  is  unknown  to  the  Nestorians ;  but 
 the  Chaldeans  have  adopted  it  from  the  teaching  of  Rome. 
 
 THE    HOLY    LEAVEN. 
 
 It  appears  to  me,  that  the  later  Nestorian  theologians,  for 
 want  of  a  better  reason,  and  in  order  not  to  be  behind  the 
 Eastern  and  Western  Churches  in  this  respect,  thought  proper  to 
 make  their  sacraments  amount  to  the  sacred  number  of  seven, 
 and  in  order  to  effect  this,  chose  out  such  doctrines  and  practices 
 current  among  them  as  they  deemed  best  suited  for  this  nomen- 
 clature. Little  indeed  can  be  said  in  favour  of  the  selection  of 
 the  Holy  Leaven,  and  the  sign  of  the  life-giving  Cross,  wherewith 
 they  have  replaced  Matrimony  and  Extreme  Unction.  The  tra- 
 dition whereon  their  use  of  a  peculiar  Leaven  in  the  composition 
 of  the  bread  of  the  Eucharist  is  based,  has  already  been  given 
 under  Chapter  XXIX.  and  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  in  Appendix  B. 
 Part  IV.  c.  6.  confirms  the  same;  but  in  the  remarks  of  this 
 author  thereon,  he  neither  attributes  to  it  the  form  nor  the  effi- 
 cacy of  a  sacrament.  Moreover  it  is  not  mentioned  as  such  in 
 any  of  the  Nestorian  rituals,  neither  indeed  have  I  found  in 
 these  any  allusion  to  a  particular  Leaven  to  be  used  in  the 
 bread  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  except  in  the  "  office  for  the  re- 
 newal of  the  holy  Leaven,  which  is  called  Malka,"  a  work  re- 
 ferable to  the  twelfth  or  thirteenth  century. 
 
 However  this  may  be,  it  is  certain,  (as  might  be  expected  in 
 a  people  among  whom  ignorance  has  been  gradually  increasing 
 for  so  long  a  period,)  that  this  tradition  is  now  very  strictly  ob- 
 served by  the  Nestorians,  and  the  renewal  of  the  Leaven  takes 
 place  yearly  with  great  solemnity.  It  is  hardly  worth  while  to 
 give  a  translation  of  the  entire  office,  which  consists  chiefly  of 
 psalms  and  prayers  to  God  for  His  blessing  upon  the  partakers 
 of  the  Holy  Communion ;  but  I  give  the  following  opening- 
 rubric  entire  because  it  contains  a  list  of  the  ingredients  of 
 which  the  sacramental  bread  is  compounded.  When  the  leaven 
 in  a  church  is  nearly  expended,  "  on  the  Thursday  before  Easter, 
 two  parts  of  pure  and  well  sifted  flour  called  Smeeda,  and  two 
 parts  of  the  finest  and  best  salt,  shall  be  brought  and  laid  upon 
 
 VOL.    II.  M 
 
162  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 the  slab ;  and  upon  these  shall  be  dropped  a  little  of  the  purest 
 olive  oilj  and  three  drops  of  water,  and  these  shall  be  mixed 
 together.  Then  the  rector,  and  another  priest  or  more,  and 
 the  deacons,  shall  bring  the  Gospel  and  the  Cross,  and  shall 
 place  them  near  the  slab,  with  the  censer  and  lights,  and  they 
 shall  open  the  service  with  :  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God  of 
 hosts,"  &c. 
 
 THE    SIGN    OF    THE    LIFE-GIVING    CROSS. 
 
 Mar  Abd  Yeshua  reckons  this  the  seventh  sacrament,  but  the 
 same  observation  as  has  been  made  respecting  other  sacred  rites 
 of  the  Nestorians  is  applicable  also  here,  viz.,  that  it  is  not  so 
 styled  in  any  of  their  standard  rituals,  and  this  author  himself 
 in  his  exposition  thereof,  as  contained  in  Appendix  B.  Part  V. 
 c.  2.,  does  not  again  refer  to  it  as  such.  It  is  further  to  be 
 noticed,  that  he  separates  his  remarks  thereon  from  his  treatise 
 on  the  other  sacraments,  and  disposes  it  under  a  different  part 
 of  his  work,  under  the  head  ''  Of  things  which  prefigure  the 
 world  to  come,"  In  the  chapter  wherein  he  treats  of  this  par- 
 ticular subject,  he  does  no  more  than  explain  in  what  sense  the 
 Cross  is  to  be  M^orshipped,  which  has  already  been  discussed 
 under  Chapter  XXVI.,  from  which  we  may  gather,  that  accord- 
 ing to  the  doctrine  of  the  Nestorians,  the  power  of  the  Father, 
 Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  is  necessary  to  the  consecration  of  evky 
 sacred  service,  and  that  the  use  of  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  (with 
 which  the  invocation  of  the  Holy  Trinity  is  ever  associated,) 
 in  the  prayer  of  consecration,  is  an  apostolical  tradition  most  fit 
 to  be  retained,  as  having  descended  from  the  Apostles  of  our 
 Lord,  and  as  having  been  always  blessed  in  His  Church.  Such 
 appears  to  me  to  be  the  meaning  of  Mar  Abd  Yeshua,  when  he 
 says  :  "  The  sign  of  the  life-giving  Cross  is  that  by  which 
 Christians  are  ever  kept,  and  by  it  all  the  other  sacraments  are 
 sealed  and  perfected." 
 
163 
 
 CHAPTER    XXX. 
 
 OF    THE    UNWORTHINESS    OF    THE     MINISTERS    WHICH    HINDERS 
 NOT    THE    EFFECT    OF    THE    SACRAMENT. 
 
 "  Although  in  the  visible  Church  the  evil  be  ever  mingled  with  the  good,  and 
 sometimes  the  evil  have  chief  authority  in  the  Ministration  of  the  Word  and 
 Sacraments,  yet  forasmuch  as  they  do  not  the  same  in  their  own  name,  but 
 in  Christ's,  and  do  minister  by  His  commission  and  authority,  we  may  use 
 their  Ministry,  both  in  hearing  the  Word  of  God,  and  in  receiving  of  the  Sacra- 
 ments. Neither  is  the  effect  of  Christ's  ordinance  taken  away  by  their  wicked- 
 ness, nor  the  grace  of  God's  gifts  diminished  from  such  as  by  faith  and 
 rightly  do  receive  the  Sacraments  ministered  unto  them  ;  which  be  effectual, 
 because  of  Christ's  institution  and  promise,  although  they  be  ministered  by 
 evil  men. 
 
 "  Nevertheless,  it  appertaineth  to  the  discipline  of  the  Church,  that  inquiry 
 be  made  of  evil  Ministers,  and  that  they  be  accused  by  those  that  have  know- 
 ledge of  their  offences  ;  and  finally  being  found  guilty,  by  just  judgment  be 
 deposed." — Article  XXVI. 
 
 I  HAVE  not  been  able  to  find  in  the  Nestorian  rituals  any  au- 
 thoritative declaration  corresponding  with  the  doctrine  expressed 
 in  this  Article ;  but  the  confession  of  the  officiating  priest  of  his 
 own  unworthiness,  and  notwithstanding  this,  the  efficacy  of  the 
 sacraments,  which  he  administers,  in  such  as  partake  of  them 
 aright,  as  contained  in  the  offices  of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
 Supper,  proves  their  agreement  with  the  teaching  of  our  own 
 Church  in  this  respect.  The  same  inference  may  be  drawn 
 from  Mar  Abd  Yeshua's  statement  of  what  is  necessary  to  the 
 validity  of  a  sacrament :  "  First,  a  true  priest  who  has  attained 
 the  priesthood  rightly,  according  to  the  requirements  of  the 
 Church.  Secondly,  the  Word  and  Commandment  of  the  Lord 
 of  sacraments,  whereby  He  ordained  each  of  them.  Thirdly, 
 right  intention   and  confirmed  faith  on  the  part  of  those  who 
 
 m2 
 
164  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 partake  of  them,  believing  that  the  effect  of  the  sacrament  takes 
 place  by  a  heavenly  power."* 
 
 With  respect  to  the  latter  clause  of  the  Article,  the  Nestorian 
 Synods  have  decreed  numerous  canons,  directing  that  the 
 Bishops,  and  others  in  authority,  should  from  time  to  time  ex- 
 amine into  the  life,  conversation  and  doctrine  of  the  clergy 
 placed  under  their  jurisdiction,  and  such  as  are  found  to  be 
 blameworthy  are  to  be  admonished,  suspended,  or  deposed, 
 according  to  the  gravity  of  their  offence. 
 
 *  Since  writing  the  above,  I  have  met  with  the  following  in  an  ancient  manu- 
 script in  the  possession  of  Kasha  Mendu  of  Amedia.  The  book  appears  to  be 
 a  sort  of  general  catechism,  but  is  so  much  mutilated  that  I  was  unable  to  dis-' 
 cover  the  title  of  the  work  or  the  author's  name.  ' 
 
 "  Query.  There  be  many  who  contend  that  the  Holy  Ghost  does  not 
 descend  upon  the  oblation  oiFered  in  the  Church  by  wicked  priests.  Some  of 
 these,  it  is  said,  steal,  commit  adultery,  swear  falsely,  injure  and  defraud  their 
 neighbours ;  how,  then,  can  the  Holy  Ghost  listen  to  those  who  do  such 
 things  ? 
 
 "  Answer.  Though  there  be  really  found  in  the  Church  wicked  and  lying 
 priests,  nevertheless  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord  which  was  placed  upon  their 
 heads  is  true,  and  the  oblation  which  ihey  offer  is  pure,  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
 listens  [to  their  invocation,]  and  descends  upon  the  oblation,  which  commu- 
 nicates to  such  as  partake  thereof  a  true  pardon  ;  for  these  eflfects  depend  not 
 upon  the  conversation  of  the  priest.  In  like  manner  also,  baptism  conferred  by 
 such  is  true  and  efficacious,  because  of  the  right  hand.  If  the  priest  is  a  liar, 
 and  a  man  of  wicked  works,  the  oblations  which  he  offers  are  acceptaole  through 
 the  Holy  Ghost  ;  for  his  sins  are  no  reason  why  because  of  him  the  people 
 are  to  be  unjustly  dealt  with,  since  his  sins  can  in  no  wise  restrain  the  mercies  of 
 God  towards  His  people.  For  as  the  righteous  do  not  bring  down  the  Spirit 
 through  their  righteousness,  neither  can  sinners  prevent  His  descent  by  their 
 sins.  This  is  a  gift  of  grace  given  for  the  pardon  of  mankind,  which  a  wicked 
 priest  may  invoke,  and  which  descends  upon  such  as  are  not  wicked  ;  which  an 
 adulterer  may  invoke,  and  which  invocation  He  listens  to  in  behalf  of  the 
 saints  ;  the  gluttonous  may  invoke  Him,  and  He  hearkens  in  behalf  of  those  who 
 hunger  after  Him  ;  the  drunkard  may  invoke  Him,  and  He  bows  and  comes 
 down  to  such  as  thirst  after  Him.  He  does  not  regard  the  actions  of  him  who 
 invokes,  but  the  supplications  of  those  who  stand  behind  the  priest,  and  who 
 are  looking  up  to  Him.  If  the  priest  is  a  sinner,  his  sin  is  his  own,  and  his 
 righteousness  can  only  benefit  himself,  for  every  man  shall  die  for  his  own  sin. 
 Hence,  those  who  say  that  the  oblation  is  not  consecrated  by  a  wicked  priest  are 
 in  error :  but  I  say  unto  thee,  O  my  son,  and  I  swear,  that  were  it  possible  for 
 the  Devil  to  attain  the  priesthood,  and  with  his  hand  to  break  the  oblation  and 
 to  communicate  thereof  to  me,  I  would  receive  it  from  him,  and  hold  it  as 
 though  it  had  been  broken  by  Simon  Peter.  Therefore,  my  son,  be  not  like 
 unto  those  who  are  of  a  doubtful  mind.'' 
 
165 
 
 CHAPTER    XXXI. 
 
 OF    BAPTISM. 
 
 "  Baptism  is  not  only  a  sign  of  profession,  and  mark  of  difference,  whereby 
 Christian  men  are  discerned  from  others  that  be  not  christened,  but  it  is  also  a 
 sign  of  Regeneration  or  new  Birth,  whereby,  as  by  an  instrument,  they  that 
 receive  Baptism  rightly  are  grafted  into  the  Church  ;  the  promises  of  forgiveness 
 of  sin,  and  of  our  adoption  to  be  the  sons  of  God  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  are 
 visibly  signed  and  sealed  ;  Faith  is  confirmed,  and  Grace  increased  by  virtue  of 
 prayer  unto  God.  The  Baptism  of  young  children  is  in  any  wise  to  be  retained 
 in  the  Church,  as  most  agreeable  with  the  institution  of  Christ." — Article 
 XXVII. 
 
 §  1.  "All  ye  who  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on 
 Christ,  through  the  water  and  the  Spirit,  that  ye  may  reign 
 with  Him  in  the  heavenly  abode. 
 
 "  Ye  have  been  baptized  into  one  Spirit,  and  have  put  on  one 
 Spirit,  and  have  known  one  Lord  on  whose  name  ye  call,  and 
 with  Him  ye  shall  rejoice  in  the  abode  of  blessedness. 
 
 "The  circumcised  among  the  children  of  the  Highest,  who 
 are  born  of  the  Spirit,  were  born  in  the  water,  and  became 
 forthwith  perfect  and  spiritual  first-fruits  in  heaven. 
 
 "  Ye  who  have  risen  up  out  of  the  water,  have  risen  from 
 death,  and  have  put  on  Christ,  and  have  put  on  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  through  whose  enlightenment  ye  shall  put  on  eternal 
 life.^^     From  the  service  appointed  in  the  Gezzaybr  the  Epiphany. 
 
 §  2.  "  Blessed  is  He  Who  was  baptized  in  order  that  He 
 might  baptize,  and  that  ye  might  obtain  the  forgiveness  of 
 sins.  The  Spirit  descended  from  on  high,  and  by  brooding 
 over  it  sanctified  the  water,  and  in  the  baptism  [of  Christ,]  left 
 all  and  descended  upon  John.  But  now  He  has  descended  and 
 dwells  with  all  those  who  are  born  of  water.     Of  all  those  whom 
 
166  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 John   baptized  He  descended  on  One  alone ;  but  now  He  flows 
 forth  and  descends  on  the  many. 
 
 "  The  righteous  God  who  formed  us  out  of  the  dust  has  re- 
 newed our  likeness  by  water  and  the  Spirit."  From  the  service 
 appointed  in  the  Khudhra/or  the  Epiphany. 
 
 remarks. 
 
 The  Catholic  doctrine  of  regeneration  in  holy  baptism  is  so 
 unequivocally  expressed  in  the  above  extracts,  that  no  further 
 remarks  thereon  seem  called  for,  more  especially  as  the  same 
 truth  is  fully  declared  in  the  Nestorian  Baptismal  office  given 
 under  Chapter  XLI.  I  shall  therefore  conclude  this  brief 
 section  with  the  following  exposition  of  the  sacrament  as  con- 
 tained in  Appendix  B,  Part  IV.  c.  3.  First,  that  Baptism  is  a 
 sign ;  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  writes :  "  As  the  circumcision  of  the 
 flesh  was  given  for  a  sign,  denoting  those  who  were  of  the  family 
 of  Israel  of  old  according  to  the  flesh  ;  so  the  baptism  of  Christ 
 is  a  sign  of  spiritual  relationship  to  the  true  Israel,  viz.,  those 
 who  are  the  called,  and  the  children  of  God  ; — for  ^  those  who 
 received  Him,  to  them  gave  He  power  to  become  the  children 
 of  GoD.^ "  That  a  mysterious  and  spiritual  efficacy  accompa- 
 nies the  right  administration  of  this  sacrament,  the  same  author 
 thus  declares  :  "'The  Baptism  of  our  Saviour  [or  Christian  bap- 
 tism] is  received  through  the  Holy  Spirit  for  the  gift  of  adop- 
 tion, for  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  for  everlasting  life, 
 and  is  the  '  circumcision  made  without  hands  in  putting  off  the 
 sins  of  the  flesh  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ.^  " 
 
 According  to  the  Nestorians  all  children  are  fit  subjects  for 
 baptism,  and  are  generally  baptized  on  the  eighth  day  after 
 birth.  Such  an  anomaly  as  a  child  born  of  Christian  parents 
 remaining  unbaptized  even  for  three  months  is  happily  unknown 
 amons:  them. 
 
167 
 
 CHAPTER    XXXII. 
 
 OF    THE    lord's    SUPPER. 
 
 "  The  Supper  of  the  Lord  is  not  only  a  sign  of  the  love  that  Christians  ought 
 to  have  among  themselves  one  to  another  ;  but  rather  is  a  Sacrament  of  our  Re- 
 demption by  Christ's  death  :  insomuch  that  to  such  as  rightly,  vporthily,  and 
 with  faith  receive  the  same,  the  Bread  which  we  break  is  a  partaking  of  the  Body 
 of  Christ  ;  and  likewise  the  Cup  of  Blessing  is  a  partaking  of  the  Blood  of 
 Christ. 
 
 "  Transubstantiation  (or  the  change  of  the  substance  of  Bread  and  Wine)  in 
 the  Supper  of  the  Lord,  cannot  be  proved  by  Holy  Writ;  but  is  repugnant  to 
 the  plain  words  of  Scripture,  overthroweth  the  nature  of  a  Sacrament,  and  hath 
 given  occasion  to  many  superstitions. 
 
 "The  body  of  Christ  is  given,  taken,  and  eaten,  in  the  Supper,  only  after 
 an  heavenly  and  spiritual  manner.  And  the  mean  whereby  the  Body  of  Christ 
 is  received  and  eaten  in  the  Supper  is  Faith. 
 
 "The  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  not  by  Christ's  ordinance  re- 
 served, carried  about,  lifted  up,  or  worshipped." — Article  XXVIII. 
 
 §  1.  "  The  precious  body  and  blood  of  Christ  are  distributed 
 for  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  as  the  pledge  of  a  new  life. 
 Thereby  sin  and  death  are  loosed,  and  such  as  partake  thereof 
 put  on  an  undying  life.  Therefore  let  us  approach  and  take  it, 
 having  our  minds  free  from  all  doubtfulness ;  for  it  is  a  search- 
 ing fire,  and  a  trying  furnace,  which  cleanses  and  purifies  us 
 from  the  pollution  of  sin."  From  the  service  appointed  in  the 
 Khudhra /or  the  second  Sunday  of  the  Summer  season. 
 
 §  2.  "Behold,  the  medicine  of  life,  which  descended  from  on 
 high,  is  dispensed  in  the  Church,  and  is  hidden  in  the  Saci-a- 
 ments,  in  the  bread  and  wine.  Put  forth  now  your  hands,  0 
 ye  who  are  dying,  and  have  taken  up  your  abode  in  sheol  on 
 account  of  our  sins,  take  and  be  forgiven,  and  attain  unto  life, 
 and  reign   with  Christ,   and  sing  and  say  :  Alleluia,  this   is 
 
168  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 the  Bread,  of  which  if  any  man  shall  eat  he  shall  escape  hell." 
 From  the  Khudhra/or  the  fourth  Sunday  of  the  same  season. 
 
 §  3.  "The  great  and  awful  sacrament  of  the  Body  and  Blood 
 of  Christ  is  dispensed  in  the  Church  for  the  forgiveness  of 
 sins,  and  for  the  salvation  of  our  souls."  From  the  service  for 
 the  seventh  Sunday  of  the  same  season. 
 
 §  4.  "  Let  us  approach  and  take  from  the  spiritual  table  the 
 Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  for  this 
 is  a  great  sacrament,  full  of  blessings,  and  a  pledge  of  endless 
 life ;  whosoever  shall  partake  thereof  in  love  shall  thereby  be 
 forgiven,  and  shall  thereby  become  an  inheritor  of  the  kingdom, 
 according  to  our  Lord^s  words.  Come,  ye  sinners,  and  partake 
 of  this  sacrament,  that  thereby  ye  may  attain  unto  life,  and  the 
 forgiveness  of  sins ;  for  it  is  a  great  sacrament,  comprising 
 every  good  thing,  and  communicating  the  same  to  such  as  are 
 worthy  of  it.  Let  us  approach  it,  therefore,  with  a  pure  heart, 
 that  thereby  we  may  be  pardoned,  and  thereby  our  thoughts 
 may  be  cleansed,  and  our  stains  washed  out."  From  the  service 
 appointed  in  the  Khudhra  for  the  first  Sunday  of  the  weeks  of 
 Elijah. 
 
 §  5.  "  .  .  .  .  This  is  the  true  Bread,  not  like  the  manna  in  the 
 wilderness,  which  may  be  likened  to  rays,  for  this  is  the  very 
 light.  Those  who  ate  of  that  manna  died;  but  this  gives  life 
 to  those  who  eat  of  it,  even  as  our  Lord  Himself  has  said. 
 This  Bread,  as  saith  David  the  great,  supports  the  heart,  and 
 whosoever  eateth  of  it  living,  the  fire  shall  not  approach  his 
 body.  This  is  the  living  Bread  which  nourishes  the  body,  en- 
 lightens the  soul,  and  exalts  both.  This  is  the  Bread,  of  which 
 those  who  eat  shall  never  die,  or  become  corrupt,  but  shall  live 
 for  ever,  even  as  the  living  Mouth  testifieth,  ...  0  ye  hungry 
 ones,  come  and  eat  of  this,  for  hereby  your  bodies  shall  arise, 
 and  the  anguish  of  your  sins  shall  be  taken  away.  Take  and 
 eat  of  it  in  faith,  for  it  destroyeth  sin  ;  and  drink  of  His  Blood 
 with  joy,  for  it  causeth  us  to  live.  By  this  Blood,  the  stains  of 
 iniquity  are  washed  out ;  by  this  Blood  sins  are  blotted  out,  and 
 those  who  drink  thereof  shall  ascend  up  on  high."  From  a 
 hymn  in  the  Warda  adapted  to  the  service  of  Easter  Eve. 
 
 §  6.  "  .  .  .  .  Whosoever  shall  eat  of  this  pure  Body  in  faith, 
 sin  shall  not  come  nigh  unto  his  body,  and  his  spirit  shall  be 
 
THE  lord's  supper.  169 
 
 enligbtened  in  the  kingdom This  saveth  from  the  fire, 
 
 this  giveth  light,  and  by  this  both  body  and  soul  are  beautified." 
 From  a  hymn  in  the  Khamees  adapted  to  the  service  of  Easter, 
 
 §  7.  "  Stretch  out  your  hands  and  take  the  medicine  of  life, 
 the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  a  complete  pardon,  through  the 
 bread  and  wine.''  From  the  service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra 
 for  the  seventh  Wednesday  in  Lent. 
 
 See  also  the  Liturgy  of  Nestorius  given  under  Chapter  XLII. 
 and  Appendix  B,  Part  IV.  c.  5.  on  the  sacrament  "of  the 
 Oblation.'' 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 The  above  extracts  most  unequivocally  prove  that  the  Nes- 
 torians  believe  the  Supper  of  the  Lord  to  be  a  real  partaking  of 
 the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,  and  not  a  bare  sign  of  Christian 
 discipleship.  According  to  them,  the  sacrament  of  the  holy 
 Eucharist  is  the  sign,  not  of  an  absent  thing,  but  of  the  real 
 Presence  of  the  Saviour,  who,  through  the  consecrated  ele- 
 ments, vouchsafes  to  impart  Himself  to  the  worthy  recipient, 
 and  thereby  to  seal  to  him  the  forgiveness  of  his  sins,  and  to 
 strengthen  and  refresh  in  him  the  great  gift  of  the  grace  of  God 
 first  imparted  in  Baptism,  "  wherein  he  was  made  a  member  of 
 Christ,  a  child  of  God,  and  an  inheritor  of  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven." 
 
 Hence  (as  the  above  quotations  most  fully  testify)  they  believe 
 that  the  elements  are  changed,  not  by  the  power  of  the  officiating 
 priest,  or  by  the  bare  repetition  of  the  words  of  institution,  but 
 by  the  mysterious  and  all-sanctifying  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 who  is  thus  solemnly  invoked  in  the  liturgical  office  :  "  With 
 one  accord  we  make  our  supplications  to  Thy  adorable  Godhead, 
 that  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit  may  abide  and  rest  upon 
 this  oblation  which  we  have  offered  before  Thee,  bless  it,  sanctify 
 it,  and  make  this  bread  and  this  cup  the  Body  and  Blood  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Change  Thou  them  by  the  operation  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  that  these  glorious  and  holy  sacraments  may 
 be  effectual  in  all  such  as  shall  partake  of  them  unto  everlasting 
 life,  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  the  forgiveness  of  body  and 
 soul,  the  light  of  wisdom,  &c."  And  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  thus 
 declares  the  change  which  is  eff'ected  in  the  elements  :  "  Through 
 
170  THE    NESTORIAiVS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 this  divine  institution  the  bread  is  changed  into  His  holy  Body, 
 and  the  wine  into  His  precious  Blood,  and  they  impart  to  all 
 who  receive  them  in  faith  and  without  doubting,  the  forgiveness 
 of  sins,  purification,  enlightenment,  pardon,  the  great  hope  of 
 the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  the  inheritance  of  heaven,  and 
 the  new  life.  Whenever  we  approach  these  sacraments  we  meet 
 with  Christ  Himself,  and  His  very  Self  we  take  into  our  hands 
 and  kiss,  and  thereby  we  are  joined  with  Christ,  His  holy  Body 
 mixing  with  our  bodies,  and  His  pure  Blood  mingling  with  our 
 blood,  and  by  faith  we  know  Him  that  is  in  heaven,  and  Him 
 that  is  on  earth,  to  be  but  one  Body.^' 
 
 It  is  to  be  observed,  however,  that  this  change  does  not 
 necessarily  involve  the  doctrine  of  Transubstantiation ;  such  a 
 word  is  unknown  to  the  Nestorians. 
 
 The  following  additional  extracts  tend  to  establish  the  truth 
 of  the  above  remarks  on  this  subject. 
 
 ".  .  .  .  This  bread  is  both  spiritual  and  material;  but  its 
 materiality  is  supernatural,  since  it  imparts  life  to  the  dead." 
 From  a  hymn  in  the  Khamees  adapted  to  Easter  Eve. 
 
 "Angels  and  men  give  thanks  unto  Thee,  0  Christ,  Who  art 
 the  sacrifice  for  us,  and  in  the  sacrament  of  Thy  Church  hast 
 made  known  to  us  Thy  greatness.  Eor  as  the  bread  and  wine 
 are  by  nature  distinct  from  Thee,  but  in  power  and  efficacy  are 
 one  with  what  is  Thine,  [i.e..  Thy  body,]  so  also  our  body,  [i.e., 
 our  body  assumed  by  Christ,]  is  distinct  from  the  essence  of 
 the  Word,  but  equal  with  It  in  dignity  and  authority.  Thus  we 
 believe  without  fear  of  being  guilty  of  error,  for  we  believe  in 
 One  Son,  and  not  in  two  Sons,  as  do  the  wicked ;  and  therefore, 
 even  in  the  celebration  of  the  Sacrifice,  we  do  not  break  [divide] 
 body  from  body,  but  maintain  one  body,  even  as  Thou  Thyself 
 hast  taught  us  in  Thy  Gospel."  From  the  service  appointed  in 
 the  Kbudhra ybr  the  seventh  Sunday  in  Lent. 
 
 "Angels  and  men  worship  Thee,  0  Thou  High-Priest,  who 
 in  the  sacrifice  of  the  altar  hast  established  [the  truth  of]  Thy 
 incarnation.  For  as  this,  in  its  matter,  is  of  the  nature  of  wheat 
 and  v/ine,  so  the  temple  of  our  nature  [i.e.,  the  body  which 
 Christ  took  of  us,]  is  in  its  person  a  man,  but  by  its  union 
 with  the  Word  is  called  a  true  Son.  Thus  we  teach  without 
 fear  of  blasphemy,  for  we  know  that  Christ  is  one  who  is  in 
 
THE    lord's    supper.  171 
 
 heaven  and  in  the  Churchy  and  therefore  we  do  not  say  of  the 
 Body  which  is  on  the  altar  that  it  is  a  two-fold  body,  but  that  it 
 is  one  Body  beyond  all  doubt/'     From  the  same. 
 
 According  to  the  doctrine  contained  in  these  extracts,  the 
 elements  of  the  holy  Eucharist  are  supernaturally  endued  with 
 a  divine  efficacy,  so  that  the  partaking  thereof  is  a  real  partaking 
 of  the  body  of  Christ,  nevertheless  the  substance  of  the  bread 
 and  wine  are  no  more  changed  than  was  the  Divinity  into  the 
 humanity,  or  the  humanity  into  the  Divinity,  in  the  Incarnation 
 of  the  second  Person  of  the  glorious  Trinity.  The  change 
 taught,  therefore,  according  to  the  Nestorians,  is,  as  to  the 
 manner  in  which  it  is  effected,  a  sacramental  or  mystical  change; 
 and,  as  to  its  nature,  it  is  a  change  of  use,  virtue,  and  efficacy, 
 whereby  the  bread  and  wine  become  the  channels  through  which 
 Christ  vouchsafes  to  impart  Himself  to  the  soul  of  the  believer, 
 to  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in  Him. 
 
 From  this  it  results,  that  as  the  elements  are  not  transubstan- 
 tiated, according  to  the  doctrine  held  by  the  Nestorians,  they 
 believe  with  us  that  ^'the  Body  of  Christ  is  given,  taken,  and 
 eaten,  in  the  Supper,  only  after  an  heavenly  and  spiritual 
 manner,"  but  not  the  less  really,  because  spiritually  given  and 
 partaken  of.  This  it  is  v/hich  constitutes  the  glory  and  ex- 
 cellency of  the  Christian  covenant,  that  the  shadows  are  past, 
 and  the  true  light  now  shineth.  "The  old  oblations,"  writes 
 Mar  Abd  Yeshua,  "  consisted  of  irrational  animals,  and  of  the 
 blood  of  bodies ;  but  with  us  the  Only-begotten  of  God,  who 
 took  upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant.  He  offered  His  own  body 
 a  sacrifice  to  His  Father  for  the  life  of  the  world,  and  hence 
 He  is  called  by  John,  '  the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away  the 
 sins  of  the  world.' "  The  Paschal  lamb  was  a  carnal,  material, 
 and  visible  type,  and  received  all  the  dignity  which  it  possessed 
 from  the  Substance,  which  it  distantly  typified  and  represented ; 
 but  in  the  sacrament  of  the  holy  Eucharist  we  thankfully  re- 
 ceive the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  for  the  preservation  of 
 body  and  soul  unto  everlasting  life.  "  This  is  the  true  bread," 
 writes  the  author  of  the  Warda,  as  quoted  in  §  5,  "not  like  the 
 manna  in  the  wilderness  which  may  be  likened  to  rays,  for  this 
 is  the  very  light.     Those  who  ate  of  that  manna  died,  but  this 
 
172  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 gives  life  to  those  who  eat  of  it^  even  as  our  Lord  Himself  has 
 said/^ 
 
 That  "  the  mean  whereby  the  Body  of  Christ  is  received  and 
 eaten  in  the  Supper  is  Faith/^  is  amply  declared  throughout  the 
 Nestorian  rituals  and  liturgies.  Thus  in  §  6  we  read  :^^  "  who- 
 soever shall  eat  of  this  pure  body  in  faith,  sin  shall  not  come 
 nigh  unto  his  body,  and  his  spirit  shall  be  enlightened  in  the 
 kingdom ;"  in  §  5,  "  Take  and  eat  of  it  in  faith,  for  it  destroyeth 
 sin,  and  drink  His  blood  with  joy,  for  it  causes  us  to  live ;"  and 
 Mar  Abd  Yeshua  writes  :  "  all  who  receive  them  in  faith  obtain 
 the  forgiveness  of  sins,  &c."  The  following  additional  extracts 
 go  to  establish  the  same  doctrine. 
 
 ''  Our  Saviour  Christ  has  given  us  the  gift  of  this  life- 
 giving  treasure  of  His  Body  and  Blood ;  let  us  therefore 
 approach  Him  in  fear  and  in  faith,  for  He  is  the  Priest  and  the 
 High-Priest.  He  it  is  who  offers  and  who  sanctifies."  From  the 
 service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra  for  the  third  Sunday  of  the 
 summer  season. 
 
 "  My  brethren,  receive  the  Body  of  the  Son,  and  drink  His 
 Blood  by  faith"  From  the  Khudhra  for  the  seventh  Tuesday  in 
 Lent. 
 
 In  the  three  liturgies  of  the  Nestorians,  before  the  faithful 
 approach  to  communicate,  the  deacon  is  directed  to  say  this  ex- 
 hortation :  "  My  brethren,  receive  the  Body  of  the  Son,  saith  the 
 Church,  and  in  faith  drink  of  the  cup  in  the  kingdom." 
 
 From  the  liturgy  of  Nestorius,  a  translation  of  which  is  given 
 under  Chapter  XLII.  it  will  be  seen  that  there  is  no  elevation  of 
 the  elements  in  the  Lord^s  Supper. 
 
173 
 
 CHAPTER    XXXIII. 
 
 OF    THE    WICKED    WHO     EAT    NOT    OF    THE    BODY    OF    CHRIST    IN 
 THE    USE    OF    THE    LORD's    SUPPER. 
 
 *'  The  wicked,  and  such  as  be  void  of  a  lively  faith,  although  they  do  carnally 
 and  visibly  press  with  their  teeth  (as  S.  Augustine  saith)  the  Sacrament  of  the 
 Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,  yet  in  no  wise  are  they  partakers  of  Christ  :  but 
 rather,  to  their  condemnation,  do  eat  and  drink  the  sign  or  Sacrament  of  so 
 great  a  thing." — Article  XXIX. 
 
 The  agreement  of  the  Nestorians  with  the  teaching  of  this 
 Article  may  be  inferred  :  first,  from  the  frequent  and  reiterated 
 admonitions  given  to  such  as  are  about  to  communicate,  to  ap- 
 proach the  "  spiritual  table  "  with  humble  and  contrite  heart, 
 "  with  right  intention  and  confirmed  faith/'  with  "  self-renuncia- 
 tion and  with  love  unfeigned ; "  and,  secondly,  from  such  pas- 
 sages as  this  which  is  taken  from  the  prayer  of  Invocation  con- 
 tained in  the  liturgy  of  Nestorius  :  "  May  no  one  eat  and 
 drink  hereof  to  the  damnation  of  his  soul  and  body,  or  to  sick- 
 ness and  disease,  through  eating  this  body  and  drinking  this 
 blood  unworthily .^^  And  in  the  following  extract  from  the 
 Khudhra  the  awful  case  of  Judas  is  adduced  in  proof  of  the 
 condemnation  which  those  inherit  who  are  unworthy  partakers 
 of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 "  Our  Saviour  brake  the  bread,  and  gave  it  to  the  deceitful 
 Apostle,  and  forthwith  the  devil  entered  into  him,  and  he  be- 
 came a  worthless  vessel,  and  because  he  did  not  change  his  pur- 
 pose, and  would  not  drive  away  guile  from  his  heart,  therefore 
 he  became  a  stranger  to  Christ's  elect,  and  received  no  help 
 from  His  blessing."    From  the  service  for  the  eve  of  Good  Friday. 
 
174  THE    NESTORIANS    AXD    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER     XXXIV. 
 
 OF    BOTH    KINDS. 
 
 "  The  cup  of  the  Loud  is  not  to  be  denied  to  the  lay-people  :  for  both  the 
 parts  of  the  Lord's  Sacrament,  by  Christ's  ordinance  and  commandment, 
 ought  to  be  ministered  to  all  Christian  men  alike." — Article  XXX. 
 
 It  will  be  seen  from  the  liturgy  that  both  the  wine  and  the 
 bread  are  directed  to  be  given  to  laymen  as  well  as  clergy,  and 
 this  is  the  common  practice  among  the  Nestorians  of  the  present 
 day,  each  being  administered  separately,  the  body  by  the  offici- 
 ating priest,  and  the  blood  by  the  deacon.  Nevertheless  I  have 
 sometimes  observed  that  a  few,  especially  females,  after  having 
 partaken  of  the  former  do  not  approach  to  communicate  of  the 
 latter.  The  more  ignorant  among  the  clergy  allow  of  this  non- 
 participation  of  the  cup  under  the  plea  that  Christ  is  wholly 
 imparted  through  the  element  of  the  bread,  which  error  they  have 
 doubtless  learned  from  the  E-oman  missionaries.  Some,  equally 
 unlearned,  say  that  it  is  above  the  dignity  of  their  sex  for 
 women  to  partake  of  the  cup ;  but  whatever  arguments  or 
 excuses  may  be  adduced  in  support  of  this  unwarrantable  licence, 
 it  is  clearly  a  departure  from  the  plain  letter  of  the  Nestorian 
 rituals,  and  is  disallowed  and  condemned  by  those  who  are  well 
 versed  in  the  teaching  of  their  own  fathers. 
 
175 
 
 CHAPTEE     XXXV. 
 
 OF     THE     ONE     OBLATION     OF     CHRIST      FINISHED     UPON 
 THE    CROSS. 
 
 "  The  offering  of  Christ  once  made  is  that  perfect  redemption,  propitiation, 
 and  satisfaction,  for  ail  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  both  original  and  actual ;  and 
 there  is  none  other  satisfaction  for  sin,  but  that  alone.  Wherefore  the  sacrifices 
 of  Masses,  in  the  which  it  was  commonly  said,  that  the  priest  did  offer  Christ 
 for  the  quick  and  the  dead,  to  have  remission  of  pain  or  guilt,  were  blasphemous 
 fables,  and  dangerous  deceits." — Article  XXXI. 
 
 §  1,  "I  CONFESS  before  all  that  I  am  a  sinner,  but  henceforward 
 I  am  determined  to  repent,  and  decided  to  sin  no  more,  neither 
 to  walk  any  longer  in  the  way  of  iniquity ;  since  the  grace  of 
 the  Spirit  has  compassionated  me,  and  I  have  begun  anew  to 
 perceive  the  truth,  and  I  am  persuaded  that  there  is  no  salva- 
 tion for  man  or  woman,  but  through  the  holy  and  adorable 
 Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  He  Who  delivered  Himself  up  to  be 
 betrayed,  and  endured  pain  and  crucifixion,  death  and  the  grave, 
 for  sin.  And  I  am  further  persuaded  that  after  man  has  at- 
 tained to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth,  he  knows  assuredly  that 
 there  remaineth  no  other  vital  sacrifice  for  his  sins.^^  From  the 
 Khamees,  "  On  RepentanceJ" 
 
 §  2.  "  All  we  who  are  called  to  enjoy  the  glorious  and  divine 
 sacraments,  let  us  in  fear  and  love  praise  and  worship  the  Lord 
 of  all,  and  in  love  and  faith  take  the  Body  of  Christ  the  Son, 
 Who  was  sacrificed  that  we  might  live,  and  who  pardoned 
 our  sins  and  reconciled  the  Father  to  us  through  the  shed- 
 ding of  His  blood,  and  who  is  now  commemorated  on  the 
 altar  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  God.  And  since  He  is  One 
 and  indivisible,  above  and   in   the    Church,  He  is  daily  sacri- 
 
176  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 ficed  for  our  sins,  but  without  enduriDg  pain.  Come,  then, 
 and  let  us  in  purity  approach  the  sacrifice  of  His  all-hallow- 
 ing body,  and  let  us  with  one  accord  cry  out  and  say :  Glory 
 be  to  Thee/' 
 
 §  3.  "  Come,  all  ye  who  believe,  and  whilst  beholding  the 
 Lamb  of  God  upon  the  altar  who  is  sacramentally  sacrificed 
 every  day,  let  us  with  renewed  hearts  confess  Him  without 
 doubtfulness.  And  since  He  is  alive  for  evermore.  He  is  dis- 
 tributed to  all  without  being  exhausted  and  without  sufifering 
 diminution.  Let  us,  therefore,  in  fear  and  awe  cry  out  and  say  : 
 Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  art  Thou,  0  God,  vv'ho  fillest  heaven  and 
 earth  with  Thy  glory."  From  the  service  appointed  in  the 
 Khudhra/or  Holy  Thursday. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 The  first  of  the  above  extracts  clearly  declares  the  all-suffici- 
 ency of  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  moreover  that  it  is 
 not  only  unnecessary  but  impossible  that  this  identical  sacrifice 
 should  be  repeated.  In  §  3,  this  sacrifice  is  said  to  be 
 "  commemorated  on  the  altar  "  through  the  glorious  and  divine 
 sacraments;  and  in  §3,  that  Christ  is  sacrificed  everyday 
 "  sacramentally .''  From  which  it  would  appear  that  the  Nesto- 
 rian  rituals  teach  no  other  than  a  commemorative  sacrifice  in  the 
 holy  Eucharist,  just  as  the  passover  which  was  kept  by  our 
 blessed  Lord  and  His  apostles  was,  not  the  paschal  lamb  which 
 was  slain  by  the  Israelites  on  their  deliverance  out  of  the  hands 
 of  the  Egyptians,  but  a  link  in  the  continued  commemoration  of 
 that  sacrifice  emblematical  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  whose  death 
 our  Lord  Himself  ordained  should  be  figured  forth  in  the 
 Church  until  His  coming  again. 
 
 This  inference  receives  support  from  the  following  quotation 
 from  the  work  of  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  :  "Now,  seeing  that  it  was 
 impossible  that  His  identical  sacrifice  upon  the  cross  for  the 
 salvation  of  all  could  be  showed  forth,  in  every  place,  throughout 
 all  ages,  and  to  all  men,  just  as  it  was,  without  any  altei"ation, 
 He  beheld  with  an  eye  of  mercy,  and  in  wisdom  and  compassion 
 thus   ordained,"  *   &c.      After  which   follows  the  account  of 
 
 *  See  Appendix  B.  Part  IV.  c.  5. 
 
THE    ONE    OBLATION    OF    CHRIST.  177 
 
 the  institution  of  the  Lord^s  Supper  which  was  to  be  "  done  " 
 to  all  ages  "  in  remembrance  "  of  His  death  and  passion. 
 
 The  Eucharist  is  never  celebrated  among  the  Nestorians  with- 
 out communion,  i.e.  the  priest  never  offers  the  commemorative 
 sacrifice  unless  there  be  present  some  to  partake  with  him. 
 Hence,  solitaiy  masses,  such  as  are  offered  up  in  the  Church  of 
 Rome,  "  in  the  which  it  is  commonly  said,  that  the  priest  doth 
 offer  Christ  for  the  quick  and  the  dead,  to  have  remission  of 
 pain  and  guilt,''  are  unknown  among  them,  and  the  plain  teach- 
 ing of  their  rituals  is  to  the  effect,  that  in  order  to  a  participation 
 in  the  benefit  conveyed  through  the  sacraments,  the  sinner  must 
 himself  be  a  worthy  partaker  of  those  sacx-aments.  It  is  true 
 that  in  the  prayer  of  commemoration  contained  in  their  liturgies 
 there  is  a  remembrance  of  the  dead,  and  supplications  are  offered 
 up  that  "through  the  oblation  God  would  pardon  and  forgive 
 them  in  whatsoever  they  may  have  sinned  and  transgressed 
 against  Him,"  and  that  similar  prayers  are  contained  in  their 
 burial  and  other  services  ;  yet  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  such 
 prayers  are  offered  up  in  behalf  of  those  only  who  have  died  at 
 peace  with  Goo,  whose  supplications  God  is  also  entreated  to 
 hear  and  to  accept  in  behalf  of  the  living.  This  union  and 
 communion  between  the  members  of  Christ's  body  here  and  in 
 paradise  they  support  by  S.  Paul's  exposition  of  the  Church  as 
 contained  in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corin- 
 thians, where  he  not  only  defines  the  relationship  of  one  Chris- 
 tian to  another,  and  the  sympathy  which  ought  to  exist  between 
 all  the  members  of  Christ's  mystical  body  ;  but  he  also  declares 
 their  mutual  dependance  one  upon  the  other,  and  that  generally 
 and  without  restriction,  in  these  words  :  "  The  eye  cannot  say 
 to  the  hand,  I  have  no  need  of  thee  ;  nor,  again,  the  head  to 
 the  feet,  I  have  no  need  of  you."  With  arguments  such  as 
 these  the  Nestorians  defend  the  practice  of  praying  to  God  for 
 the  righteous  departed,  that  they  may  rest  in  peace  and  not 
 come  into  condemnation  in  that  day  of  final  retribution  when 
 God  shall  render  unto  every  man  according  as  his  works  shall 
 be ;  and  they  offer  these  prayers  particularly  at  the  celebration 
 of  the  holy  Eucharist,  as  being  the  most  solemn  of  all  the  ser- 
 vices of  the  Church,  in  which  is  commemorated  that  atoning 
 sacrifice  through  which  alone  salvation  is  attainable  by  sinful  man. 
 
 VOL.  II.  N 
 
178  THE    NESTOBIANS   AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXXVI. 
 
 OF    THE    MARRIAGE    OF    PRIESTS. 
 
 "  Bishops,  Priests,  and  Deacons,  are  not  commanded  by  God's  Law,  either 
 to  vow  the  estate  of  single  life,  or  to  abstain  from  marriage  :  therefore  it  is  law- 
 ful for  them,  as  for  all  other  Christian  men,  to  marry  at  their  own  discretion,  as 
 they  shall  judge  the  same  to  serve  better  to  godliness." — Article  XXXII. 
 
 It  is  lawful  for  all  priests  and  deacons  among  the  Nestorians 
 to  marry  after  having  been  admitted  to  holy  orders  as  well  as 
 before.  They  may  also  marry  a  second  or  third  time,  being 
 widowers,  "  as  they  shall  judge  the  same  to  serve  better  to  god- 
 liness." In  former  times  they  possessed  many  convents,  and 
 Such  of  the  laity  as  well  as  clergy,  who  desired  to  live  a  stricter 
 and  more  devotional  life  than  they  deemed  possible  whilst  en- 
 gaged in  the  ordinary  pursuits  of  the  world,  took  upon  them 
 certain  vows  of  which  celibacy  formed  a  part.  These  generally 
 dwelt  in  a  church  or  convent  at  some  distance  from  the  towns 
 and  villages,  and  whilst  the  lay  brethren  devoted  themselves  to 
 agricultural  and  other  useful  pursuits,  the  clergy  among  them, 
 (who  were  always  subject  to  the  bishop  in  whose  diocese  they 
 resided,)  employed  themselves  in  literary  labours,  in  transcribing 
 books,  in  the  education  of  youth,  and  in  ministering  to  the 
 wants  of  such  as  applied  to  them  for  temporal  or  spiritual  relief. 
 The  Nestorians  of  the  present  day  have  no  such  convents,  nor 
 do  I  believe  that  such  establishments  ever  existed  among  those 
 who  inhabit  the  mountains  of  Coordistan,  though  it  is  not 
 uncommon  to  meet  with  a  church  at  a  short  distance  from  a 
 town  or  village,  and  called  Deira  (i.  e.  convent,)  where  a  single 
 priest  who  has  taken  the  vow  of  celibacy  resides  and  acts  in  the 
 
THE    MARRIAGE    OF    PRIESTS.  179 
 
 capacity  of  rector  or  curate  to  the  adjoining  parish.  Many  of 
 the  old  Nestoi'ian  convents  in  the  plains  about  Mosul  have 
 fallen  into  decay,  whilst  one  has  been  kept  up  by  the  Chaldeans, 
 who  have  adopted  in  many  respects  the  conventual  discipline 
 of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  impose  perpetual  celibacy  on  all 
 who  once  enter  the  monastic  life.  On  the  contrary,  the  celibate 
 professed  by  the  Nestorian  clergy  and  laity  is  binding  no  longer 
 than  it  is  found  to  be  conducive  to  godliness,  and  on  showing 
 just  cause,  the  bishop  is  empowered  to  release  them  from  their 
 vow,  and  to  permit  them  to  marry,  with  this  simple  restriction, 
 that  their  marriage  shall  be  celebrated  privately  as  being  the 
 most  proper  under  the  circumstances.  The  following  extract 
 from  the  synodal  decrees  collated  by  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  is  de- 
 cisive on  this  point : — 
 
 "Par.  XI.  On  the  monks  and  nuns  who  shall  fall  from  their 
 voios.  When  a  monk  or  nun  shall  fall  from  their  manner  of  life, 
 and  shall  desire  to  marry  because  of  infirmity,  be  it  known  that 
 such  are  not  allowed  to  marry  without  the  consent  of  the  bishop, 
 and  their  marriage  may  not  be  celebrated  in  the  church,  or  in 
 the  presence  of  the  congregation,  but  in  a  private  house.  But 
 if  two,  being  in  the  conventual  state,  shall  give  a  promise  of 
 marriage  to  one  another,  these  shall  not  be  allowed  to  marry 
 until  they  have  openly  repented  in  sackcloth  and  ashes,  the  man 
 among  men,  and  the  woman  among  women,  as  the  ordinary 
 shall  direct.  And  if  one  being  a  priest  shall  thus  fall  from  his 
 vow  by  marrying,  such  an  one  is  not  to  lead  in  the  prayers,  or 
 to  celebrate  the  liturgy,  without  the  express  permission  of  the 
 bishop.'^ 
 
 There  are  no  such  establishments  as  nunneries  among  the 
 Nestorians ;  those  styled  nuns  take  indeed  the  vow  of  celibacy, 
 but  remain  in  their  own  homes,  and  are  expected,  until  loosed 
 from  their  vow,  to  employ  themselves  in  works  of  Christian 
 benevolence  for  the  good  of  others,  in  the  same  way  as  the 
 Sisters  of  Charity  in  France,  or  the  Sisters  of  Mercy  in 
 England.* 
 
 Priests  among  the  Chaldeans  are  not  allowed  to  marry  after 
 receiving  priest's  orders,  and  a  deacon  who  marries  twice,  or 
 
 *  The  only  exception  is  the  case  of  the  nun  residing  in  the  Church  of  Mar 
 Abd  Yeshua  at  Goonduk,  as  has  been  mentioned  in  Vol.  I. 
 
 N    2 
 
180  THE    NESTORIANS   AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 who  marries  a  widow,  is   not   permitted  to   attain   unto   the 
 priesthood. 
 
 In  like  manner  marriage  is  prohibited  to  Nestorian  bishops, 
 metropolitans,  and  patriarchs,  and  not  even  a  widower  can  be 
 invested  with  the  episcopal  office.  This  restriction,  however,  is 
 in  direct  opposition  to  the  two  following  decrees,  taken  from  the 
 Apostolical  Canons  as  contained  in  the  Sinhadbs,  which  plainly 
 suppose  the  bishops  to  be,  or  to  have  been,  married  men. 
 
 "  Canon  XXXIX.  The  private  property  of  a  bishop  should 
 be  known,  because  whatever  known  private  property  he  has  is 
 his  own,  and  at  his  death  he  can  dispose  of  the  same  to  whom- 
 soever he  pleases.  From  ignorance  of  what  belonged  by  right 
 to  the  bishop,  the  Church  property  may  be  seized  upon  ;  and 
 from  ignorance  of  what  belonged  to  the  Church,  the  property 
 of  the  bishop  may  be  appropriated  wrongfully ;  since  he  may 
 have  a  wife,  or  children,  or  relations,  or  connexions,  and  it  is 
 just  before  God  and  man  that  the  Church  should  not  suffer 
 damage  through  ignorance  of  what  appertained  to  the  bishop, 
 neither  that  they  should  become  losers  through  ignorance  of 
 what  strictly  belonged  to  the  Church,  and  should  thereby  fall 
 into  distress,  and  should  curse  his  death. '^ 
 
 "  Canon  LXXIV.  It  is  not  right  that  a  bishop  should  impart 
 the  dignity  of  his  episcopacy  to  his  brother,  or  to  his  son,  or  to 
 any  of  his  relations,  by  ordaining  them  in  order  that  they  may 
 inherit  his  office ;  since  it  is  not  just  that  the  things  which  are 
 consecrated  to  God  should  be  handled  as  a  mere  human  affair, 
 or  that  he  should  make  what  belongs  to  the  Chm'ch  a  matter  of 
 inheritance.  Whosoever  shall  thus  act  let  it  be  known  that  his 
 ordination  is  invalid,  and  that  the  bishop  shall  be  subject  to 
 punishment.^^ 
 
 It  is  difficult  to  determine  the  precise  time  when  marriage 
 began  to  be  prohibited  to  the  higher  orders  of  the  clergy  among 
 the  Nestorians.  In  a  work  entitled  Debboreetha  (chap,  li.) 
 written  by  Shlemon,  Metropolitan  of  Basra,  he  records  the  fact 
 of  two  patriarchs.  Mar  Babai^*  and  Mar  Sheela,  having  taken  to 
 themselves  wives,  and  another  history  which  I  have  heard  of, 
 but  not  seen,  gives  an  account  of  a  metropolitan  of  Nisibis  about 
 the  twelfth  century,  who  himself  married,  and  convened  a  pro- 
 vincial   synod  where   it  was  decreed   that   bishops  should   be 
 
THE    MARRIAGE    OF    PRIESTS.  181 
 
 allowed  to  marry;  in  accordance  with  which  licence,  many 
 bishops  entered  the  married  state.  Mar  Abd  Yeshua  in  an 
 excellent  chapter  on  "  Matrimony  and  Virginity,"  given  in 
 Appendix  B.  Part  IV.  c.  8,  does  not  restrict  the  freedom  of 
 marrying  to  any  particular  classes  of  Christians,  but  affirms 
 with  the  Apostle,  that  "  marriage  is  honourable  in  all,  and 
 the  bed  undefiled." 
 
182  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    XXXVII. 
 
 OF    EXCOMMUNICATE    PERSONS,    HOW    THEY    ARE    TO    BE 
 AVOIDED. 
 
 "  That  person  which  by  open  denunciation  of  the  Church  is  rightly  cut  oflf 
 from  the  unity  of  the  Church,  and  excommunicated,  ought  to  be  taken  of  the 
 whole  multitude  of  the  faithful,  as  an  Heathen  and  Publican,  until  he  be  openly 
 reconciled  by  penance,  and  received  into  the  Church  by  a  Judge  that  hath  au- 
 thority thereunto." — Article   XXXIII. 
 
 The  ecclesiastical  discipline  sanctioned  by  this  Article,  but  so 
 little  practised  by  otir  Church,  is  maintained  in  full  vigour 
 among  the  Nestorians.  Dr.  Grant  thus  writes  of  an  instance 
 which  came  under  his  own  observation  during  his  residence  in 
 the  Tyari  mountains  :  "  Excision,  not  only  from  the  privileges 
 of  the  Church,  but  even  from  society,  is  a  common  form  of 
 severe  punishment  inflicted  by  the  patriarch,  and  his  ban  is 
 greatly  dreaded  by  the  people.  A  man  of  high  influence,  living 
 near  the  river  on  the  more  direct  road  from  Leezan,  is  now  rest- 
 ing under  such  a  malediction,  in  consequence  of  which  the 
 people  hold  very  little  intercourse  with  him;  for  this  reason 
 I  was  desired  to  take  the  more  circuitous  route  by  way  of 
 Asheetha."* 
 
 The  following  extract  from  the  Sinhadbs  will  serve  to  show 
 how  particular  the  Nestorian  ritualists  were,  that  ecclesiastical 
 discipline  should  be  duly  maintained  among  them. 
 
 "  Par.  XXVII.  On  the  punishment  hy  the  Church  of  such  as 
 defile  themselves  hy  incestuous  marriages,  and  who  continue  in  their 
 sins  until  death,  without  repentance.  In  all  the  synodal  councils, 
 excommunications  and  anathemas  are  decreed  against  such  as 
 contract  illegal  marriages  ;  but  in  order  to  be  brief,  we  shall 
 *  The  Nestorians,  or  the  Lost  Tribes,  Chapter  VI. 
 
EXCOMMUNICATE    PERSONS,    HOW    AVOIDED.  183 
 
 only  adduce  what  was  ordained  in  the  great  and  holy  synod  con- 
 v^ened  by  Mar  Awa.  The  Divine  Scriptures,  and  our  own 
 writings  also,  clearly  make  known,  declare  and  manifest,  on  the 
 anion  of  the  man  with  the  woman,  how  many  sins  do  proceed 
 therefrom  when  such  union  is  entered  into  illegally.  Therefore, 
 if  a  man  who  has  taken  a  vow,  or  a  layman,  shall  of  his  own 
 will  dare  to  commit  this  sin  in  spite  of  the  punishment  which 
 we  have  affixed  thereto,  and  shall  contract  an  illegal  marriage 
 such  as  we  have  named,  be  it  known  that,  by  the  living,  and 
 divine,  and  almighty  word,  the  guide  of  all  creatures,  such  an 
 one  is  bound  and  excommunicated  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  and 
 prohibited  from  entering  the  church,  and  from  partaking  of  the 
 holy  sacraments,  and  from  keeping  company  with  believers, 
 until  he  shall  repent  of  his  folly  by  turning  from  his  sin,  i.  e., 
 from  his  incestuous  marriage.  And  if,  after  he  is  bound  and 
 excommunicated  the  people  do  not  contemn  him,  and  keep  aloof 
 from  him  openly  and  secretly,  but  willingly  associate  with  him, 
 let  them  also  be  excommunicated  with  the  same  excommunica- 
 tion as  was  passed  upon  him ;  and  the  anger  of  God  from 
 heaven  be  upon  him  who  is  censured  and  does  not  return,  and 
 upon  all  such  as  dare  to  associate  with  him,  with  the  Amen  of 
 the  whole  Church.  No  one  of  the  believers  is  permitted  to  go 
 near  to  such  in  the  day  of  their  death,  or  to  accompany  their 
 bier,  or  otherwise  to  minister  unto  them  openly  or  secretly; 
 for  since  through  their  actions  they  separated  themselves  from 
 the  good  conversation  of  Christians,  and  defiled  their  souls  with 
 the  unclean  mire  of  illegal  marriage  like  brute  beasts  who  have 
 no  understanding,  so  let  them  be  separate  in  their  death,  and 
 let  them  be  far  removed  from  all  communion  with  the  faithful, 
 and  let  them  receive  the  burial  of  an  ass,  and  of  all  other 
 animals,  to  which  they  have  likened  themselves  by  their  actions. 
 And  if  any  of  the  heads  of  the  Church  shall  receive  or  counte- 
 nance such  persons  with  a  view  to  the  profit  of  unrighteousness 
 which  they  may  derive  from  them,  and  shall  have  respect  unto 
 man  more  than  unto  the  truth  of  God,  let  such  also  be  par- 
 takers in  the  punishment  and  curse  pronounced  against  them. 
 
 "  These  things  have  been  confirmed  and  sealed  in  this  holy 
 synod  with  the  power  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
 the  one  glorious  Trinity,  believing  that  Jesus  Christ  is  with 
 
184  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 US  and  amongst  us,  according  to  His  certain  promise  which  He 
 promised  to  us  in  His  Church,  saying :  '  Where  two  or  three 
 are  met  together  in  My  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them  / 
 and  the  mercy  and  compassion  of  our  adorable  God  and  Lord 
 be  upon  all  such  as  keep  His  life-giving  commandments,  and 
 who  preserve  their  bodies  pure  from  the  defilement  of  illegal 
 marriage,  and  may  His  Holy  Spirit  dwell  in  them  as  in  sanc- 
 tified temples,  and  His  will  be  perfected  in  them.  Amen." 
 
 The  same  severe  discipline  is  still  enforced  with  regard  to  all 
 obstinate  offenders;  such  as  are  guilty  of  lighter  offences, 
 causing  scandal  among  the  brethren,  are  simply  prohibited  from 
 partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper  for  a  longer  or  a  shorter  period. 
 
185 
 
 CHAPTER     XXXVIII. 
 
 OP    THE    TRADITIONS    OF    THE    CHURCH. 
 
 "  It  is  not  necessary  that  traditions  and  ceremonies  be  in  all  places  one,  and 
 utterly  like ;  for  at  all  times  they  have  been  divers,  and  may  be  changed  accord- 
 ing to  the  diversities  of  countries,  times,  and  men's  manners,  so  that  nothing  be 
 ordained  against  God's  Word,  Whosoever  through  his  private  judgment,  will- 
 ingly and  purposely,  doth  openly  break  the  traditions  and  ceremonies  of  the 
 Church,  which  be  not  repugnant  to  the  V/ord  of  God,  and  be  ordained  and  ap- 
 proved by  common  authority,  ought  to  be  rebuked  openly,  (that  others  may  fear 
 to  do  the  like,)  as  he  that  offendeth  against  the  common  order  of  the  Church, 
 and  hurteth  the  authority  of  the  magistrate,  and  woundeth  the  consciences  of  the 
 weak  brethren. 
 
 '*  Every  particular  or  national  Church  hath  authority  to  ordain,  change,  and 
 abolish,  ceremonies  or  rites  of  the  Church  ordained  only  by  man's  authority,  so 
 that  all  things  be  done  to  edifying." — Article  XXXIV. 
 
 The  different  changes  which  have  been  made  in  their  rituals 
 from  time  to  time,  the  occasional  offices  of  later  date  which  have 
 been  generally  sanctioned  and  added  thereto,  as  well  as  the  dif- 
 ferent revisions  which  their  service  books  have  undergone,  are 
 sufficient  proof,  in  the  absence  of  any  special  declaration  to  that 
 effect,  that  the  Nestorians  as  a  Church  claim  the  right  of  suiting 
 changeable  traditions  and  ceremonies  to  the  exigencies  of  the 
 times,  and  the  diversities  of  men's  manners. 
 
 That  such  alteration,  however,  is  not  permitted  to  be  effected 
 by  the  private  judgment  of  any  individual  members  of  the 
 Church,  is  plainly  set  forth  in  the  following  synodal  decrees : 
 
 "  Canon  I.  The  Canons  of  the  Apostles,  and  of  the  early 
 Fathers,  which  were  drawn  up  by  the  Eastern  and  Western 
 synods,  should  be  preserved  as  the  apple  of  the  eye ;  for  it  is 
 not  given  to  any  one  to  transgress  them.  And  let  all  the  reve- 
 rend fathers  who  rule  over  the  Church  read  diligently  therein, 
 
186 
 
 THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 SO  that  they  may  become  well  versed  in  them,  and  learn,  and 
 keep  them ;  and  more  especially  those  two  books,  in  one  of 
 which  is  contained  a  synopsis  of  all  the  synodal  canons,  and  in 
 the  other  the  order  of  the  Church's  ceremonies  and  rites,  col- 
 lated by  Abd  Yeshua,  bishop  of  Nisibis.  Moreover  it  is  meet 
 that  the  fathers  should  rule  in  righteousness,  celebrate  marriages 
 in  a  proper  manner,  divide  inheritances  with  justice,  dispense 
 the  order  of  the  priesthood  according  to  the  canons,  and  super- 
 intend the  Churches  in  uprightness ;  since  it  is  necessary  that 
 he  who  is  set  up  as  a  director  and  guide  should  himself  know 
 the  way  in  which  he  ought  to  walk,  and  that  he  who  is  appointed 
 to  be  a  teacher  of  others  should  himself  be  well  versed  and 
 learned  in  knowledge,  in  order  that  he  may  be  as  salt  unto  those 
 who  are  unsalted,  and  a  light  to  those  who  are  in  darkness, 
 according  to  the  teaching  of  the  Gospel.  And  if  any  of  the 
 pastors  of  the  Church  shall  despise  these  canons,  treating  them 
 as  superfluous  matters,  and  shall  walk  after  the  carnal  maxims 
 of  this  world,  being  devoid  of  discretion,  or  shall  rule  for  lucre^s 
 sake,  let  such  an  one  be  under  the  canon  of  our  Lord^s  word, 
 and  be  degraded  from  the  office  of  his  degree,  as  one  who  has 
 made  light  of  the  dignity  appertaining  thereto."  From  the  de- 
 crees of  the  Synod  convened  by  Mar  Timataos,  a.d.  1317. 
 
 "  Canon  IX.  . .  They  [the  bishops  and  others]  shall  not  do 
 anything  contrary  to  the  customs  and  canons,  and  all  that  they 
 do  should  be  done  to  the  building  up  of  all,  in  the  fear  of  God, 
 and  with  love  unfeigned.  .  .  .  They  shall  not  leave  the  ancient 
 customs,  nor  the  boundaries  which  were  fixed  of  old,  that  they 
 may  not  become  stumbling-blocks  to  Christ's  flock  ;  and  who- 
 soever shall  break  any  of  these  shall  be  under  the  canon  of  our 
 Lord's  word."     From  the  same. 
 
187 
 
 CHAPTER     XXXIX. 
 
 OF    THE    HOMILIES. 
 
 As  most  of  the  doctrinal  points  treated  of  in  the  Homilies  are 
 contained  in  the  Articles,  and  have  already  been  compared  with 
 the  tenets  of  the  Nestorians,  it  is  unnecessary  to  reconsider  them 
 in  this  place ;  I  shall  therefore  confine  myself  to  giving  some 
 account  of  the 
 
 Fasts  of  the  Nestorians. 
 
 The  Sinhados  contains  the  following  canons  on  this  subject : 
 
 "Christians  should  fast  forty  days  before  the  Passion  and 
 Resurrection,  because  our  blessed  Lord  fasted  for  that  period, 
 as  did  also  Moses  and  Elijah  before  they  were  transformed  into 
 light."     Canon  VII.  of  the  Apostolical  Constitutions. 
 
 "  If  a  bishop,  priest,  or  deacon,  shall  object  to  eat  meat  or  to 
 drink  wine  on  festivals,  let  him  be  excommunicated  as  one  whose 
 conscience  is  seared  as  with  a  red-hot  iron,  and  as  one  who  is 
 a  stumbling-block  to  many."  Canon  LI.  of  the  Apostolical 
 Canons. 
 
 "  If  one  of  the  clergy,  or  a  layman,  shall  fast  on  Saturday  or 
 Sunday,  except  on  the  Saturday  before  Easter,- let  him  be  excom- 
 municated."    Canon  LXII.  of  the  same. 
 
 "  If  a  bishop,  priest,  deacon,  reader,  singer,  or  layman,  refuses 
 to  fast  during  the  forty  days  of  Lent,  and  on  all  Wednesdays 
 and  Fridays  (sickness  not  requiring  that  he  should  break  the 
 fast,)  let  him  be  excommunicated."  Canon  LXVII.  of  the 
 same. 
 
 The  days  of  fasting  and  abstinence  with  the  Nestorians  are  : 
 
 1.  The  fast  of  Lent,  fifty  days. 
 
188  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 2.  The  fast  of  the  Apostles,  beginning  from  Whit-Monday 
 to  the  29th  of  June. 
 
 3.  The  fast  of  the  Virgin,  fifteen  days. 
 
 4.  The  Advent  fast,  twenty-five  days. 
 
 5.  The  fast  of  the  Ninevites,  three  days. 
 
 6.  The  fast  of  Mar  Zeyya,  three  days. 
 
 7.  The  fast  of  the  Virgins,  three  days. 
 
 8.  The  fast  of  Mar  Elia,  seven  weeks. 
 
 9.  The  fast  of  Moses,  from  one  to  four  weeks. 
 
 10.  All  Wednesdays  and  Fridays  throughout  the  year. 
 
 The  Nestorians  observe  the  duty  of  fasting  with  the  greatest 
 strictness,  and  look  upon  the  least  violation  of  the  ordinances  of 
 the  Church  in  this  matter  as  a  grievous  sin.  During  Lent  they 
 fast  from  all  food  until  the  afternoon,  except  on  Sundays,  and 
 Sabbaths,  when  they  eat  after  having  attended  morning  prayers  ; 
 but  restrict  themselves  to  the  simplest  diet,  all  such  things  as 
 flesh,  eggs,  milk,  &c.,  being  prohibited  to  them,  which  seems  an 
 infraction  of  one  of  the  canons  above  quoted.  In  like  manner 
 Wednesday  and  Friday  are  simply  days  of  abstinence.  The  fast 
 of  the  Ninevites  is  generally  observed  in  the  most  solemn  manner 
 by  all  classes  of  the  Nestorians,  and  very  few  take  food  during 
 the  three  days  which  it  lasts  until  near  sunset.  Kash'  Auraha, 
 whose  name  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  first  volume  of  this 
 work,  kept  this  fast  whilst  residing  with  me  at  Mosul,  and  did 
 not  taste  food  or  water  for  seventy-two  hours. 
 
 The  following  canon,  however,  proves  that  laymen  at  least  are 
 not  bound  to  observe  the  other  fasts  prescribed  by  their  rituals. 
 
 "  Is  there  any  canon  obliging  laymen  to  keep  the  fasts  of  the 
 Apostles,  of  Mar  Elia,  and  of  Advent  ?  No  ;  neither  laymen  nor 
 anchorites  are  bound  to  keep  these  as  they  are  to  keep  the  fasts 
 of  the  Lord.  Anchorites,  however,  are  advised  to  observe  the 
 fast  of  Elia  and  of  the  Apostles,  and  to  keep  the  Advent  fast 
 instead  of  that  of  Moses.  To  laymen,  however,  there  is  no  such 
 advice  given,  and  they  are  free  to  act  as  they  please  in  this  mat- 
 ter.^' Par.  XIX.  of  the  Canons  of  Mar  Gawriel,  collated  by 
 Mar  Abd  Yeshua. 
 
 For  some  excellent  remarks  on  the  duty  of  Fasting,  see  Ap- 
 pendix B.  Part  V.  c.  5. 
 
189 
 
 CHAPTER    XL. 
 
 OF    THE    CONSECRATION    OF    BISHOPS    AND    MINISTERS. 
 
 See  the  three  offices  for  the  making,  ordaining,  and  consecrating  of  Bishops, 
 Priests,  and  Deacons,  and  Article  XXXVI.  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 
 
 In  the  first  place  it  is  clear  that  the  Nestorians  maintain  the 
 doctrine  of  the  Apostolical  Succession^  or^  in  other  words_,  that 
 the  bishops  who  rule  their  churches  were  validly  ordained  by 
 others^  who  by  means  of  an  unbroken  spiritual  descent  of  ordi- 
 nations derived  their  mission  from  the  Apostles,  and  through 
 them  from  our  blessed  Lord.  This  continual  descent  they 
 pi'ove  from  the  catalogues  of  their  patriarchs^  which  ascend  from 
 the  present  occupant  to  the  apostolic  age^  and  descend  in  an 
 unbroken  line  from  Mar  Mari  and  Mar  Addai  of  the  Seventy 
 to  every  ordained  bishop,  priest,  and  deacon,  now  exercising 
 spiritual  authority  and  functions  among  them.  Nay,  further, 
 the  following  extract  from  the  Khudhra  plainly  teaches  that  the 
 Nestorians  refer  the  origin  of  their  priesthood  to  a  much  higher 
 antiquity,  and  that  they  regard  the  Christian  priesthood  to  be  a 
 continuation,  through  Christ,  of  that  same  ordination  which 
 was  first  given  to  man  by  God  Himself  in  the  beginning  of  the 
 world. 
 
 "  Blessed  is  He  Who  hath  given  to  the  priesthood  a  degree 
 ascending  up  to  heaven.  0  glorious  priesthood,  open  to  me  the 
 store  of  your  riches,  that  from  your  wealth  I  may  fill  the  treasury 
 of  my  thoughts.  Thou  wast  highly  exalted,  but  didst  stoop 
 low,  and  wast  given  to  those  of  dust,  0  Thou  mirror  which  hast 
 been  handed  down  to  all  generations  !  To  the  former  people 
 [the  Jews]  the  horn  of  oil ;  but  to  us  the  priesthood  of  Christ. 
 
 "  The  Most  High  descended  upon  Mount  Sinai  and  laid  His 
 
190  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 hand  upon  Moses,  and  Moses  laid  it  upon  Aaron,  and  it  was 
 extended  to  John  [the  Baptist];  hence  it  was  that  our  Lord  said 
 unto  him  :  It  is  fit  that  I  should  be  baptized  of  thee,  lest  the 
 succession  should  be  lost.  Our  Lord  carried  it  on  to  His 
 Apostles,  and  behold  the  succession  of  the  same  is  kept  up  in 
 the  Church.  Blessed  is  He  who  committed  to  us  His  ordi- 
 nations. 
 
 "  It  descended  from  Adam  to  Noah,  and  was  extended  from 
 Noah  to  Abraham,  from  Abraham  to  Moses,  from  Moaes  to 
 David,  from  David  to  the  Captivity,  and  from  Babylon  to  our 
 Saviour.  Then  when  the  people  [the  Jews]  were  scattered 
 and  cut  off,  and  aU  its  orders  were  abrogated,  the  hands  of  the 
 Apostles  were  stretched  out.  Blessed  is  the  Lord  who  ordained 
 them  to  carry  on  the  succession."  From  the  service  for  the 
 fourth  Sunday  of  the  Sanctifcation  of  the  Church. 
 
 Mar  Abd  Yeshua*  reckons  nine  orders  of  ministers  in  the 
 Church,  viz.,  Patriarch,  Metropolitan,  Bishop,  Archimandrite, 
 Protopope,  Presbyter,  Deacon,  Sub-Deacon,  and  Reader,  which 
 he  divides  into  three  degrees  after  "  the  model  of  things  above." 
 But  it  is  clear  from  the  following  canons,  as  well  as  from  the  or- 
 dination offices  given  under  Chapter  XLV.,  that  the  Nestorians 
 consider  no  other  than  the  three  orders  of  Bishop,  Priest,  and 
 Deacon,  to  be  of  Christ's  appointment,  the  other  six  being 
 merely  ecclesiastical  functions,  or  dignities  given  for  the  sake  of 
 order  and  discipline,  and  hence  are  conferred  without  the  invo- 
 cation of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 The  Episcopate,  according  to  the  Nestorians,  is  the  succession 
 of  the  apostolic  order  and  dignity  in  the  Church,  as  is  plainly 
 declared  in  the  following  preface  to  the  Canons  of  the  Apostles, 
 wherein  the  same  ground  is  taken  for  the  authority  of  the 
 episcopal  office,  as  is  so  ably  handled  by  Bishop  Onderdonk,  of 
 America,  in  his  valuable  treatise  entitled,  "  Episcopacy  tested  by 
 Scripture,"  a  work  which  deserves  to  be  better  known  than  it  is 
 in  England. 
 
 "  For  a  long  time  after  the  ascension  of  our  Lord  into  heaven, 
 
 and  the  removal  of  the  blessed  Apostles  from  this  world  to  the 
 
 city  of  life  and  light,  the  Bishops  of  the  Household  were  styled 
 
 'Apostles'  as  were  the  Twelve,  and  not  'Bishops*  as  they  are 
 
 *  See  Appendix  B.  Part  III.  c.  8. 
 
THE    CONSECRATION    OF    BISHOPS    AND    MINISTERS.        191 
 
 now.  Then  also  Presbyters  were  called  'Bishops'  by  those  of 
 the  Household.  But  the  Fathers^  being  dazzled  as  it  were  by 
 the  splendour  of  this  title,  abandoned  it,  and  gave  it  up  out  of 
 reverence  for  the  Twelve,  and  took  to  themselves  the  name  of 
 '  Bishops,'  and  the  Presbyters  that  of  '  Presbyters,'  as  they  are 
 now  called.  It  was  whilst  the  Bishops  were  still  styled  '  Apos- 
 tles' that  they  met  together  and  decreed  these  canons." 
 
 The  patriarchate  of  the  Nestorians  at  the  present  day  is  re- 
 stricted to  one  family,  and  the  general  rule  is  that  it  should 
 descend  from  uncle  to  nephew.  A  younger  brother  with  the 
 necessary  qualifications  may  succeed  an  elder  in  the  dignity  in 
 case  there  should  be  no  nephew  available  who  has  been  duly 
 brought  up  to  fill  the  office.  These  qualifications  are,  that  the 
 mother  shall  not  have  eaten  flesh  during  the  whole  period  of  her 
 pregnancy,  and  that  her  child  shall  not  have  tasted  animal  food 
 from  his  infancy  up  to  the  period  of  his  accession  to  the 
 patriarchate. 
 
 It  is  difficult  to  decide  upon  the  precise  time  when  these 
 enactments  were  made,  but  it  is  no  less  certain  that  they  are 
 innovations  of  comparatively  modern  date.  The  existing  cata- 
 logues, which  give  the  order  of  their  succession  from  the  apos- 
 tolic age,  show  that  the  Nestorian  patriarchs  were  natives  of 
 divers  countries,  and  consequently  could  not  be  of  the  same 
 family,  and  the  following  preface  to  the  acts  of  a  synod  convened 
 by  Mar  Timataos,  as  contained  in  the  Sinhadbs,  proves  that  in 
 former  times  the  patriarch  of  the  Nestorians  was  elected  by  the 
 majority  of  the  Metropolitans  and  Bishops  of  their  community. 
 
 "  In  the  first  year  of  our  sovereign  lord,  the  king  of  the  kings 
 of  the  world,  Aboo  Saeed,  (may  he  ever  be  victorious,)  in  the 
 year  1629  of  the  Grecian  era,  [a.d.  1317,]  in  the  month  of 
 February,  we  the  undersigned  Metropolitans  and  Bishops  met 
 together  for  the  election  and  consecration  of  the  saintly  father, 
 the  blessed  and  CnRisT-loving  Mar  Timataos,  Catholicos  and 
 Patriarch  of  the  East,  (may  he  be  confirmed  and  strengthened 
 in  God,)  and  with  one  concord  of  love  and  peace,  willingly  and 
 by  the  grace  of  God  consummated  his  divine  election,  after  we 
 had  known  that  there  was  none  like  him  in  his  generation  either 
 in  theory  or  in  practice,  or  in  knowledge  and  firmness  of  mind, 
 he  being  endued  with  perfect  wisdom  for  guiding,  and  being 
 
193  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 well  versed  in  divers  languages^  and  conversant  with  the  changes 
 of  the  times,  and  enjoying  the  help  of  His  grace  Who  visits  all 
 after  His  own  will.  And  his  blessed  consecration  was  perfected 
 in  the  great  church  of  Kokhe  appertaining  to  Seleucia  and 
 Ctesiphon,  in  conformity  with  the  ordinance  and  custom  main- 
 tained from  the  beginning  of  Christianity,  and  he  accordingly 
 sat  on  the  apostolical  throne  of  Mar  Mari  the  Apostle, 
 "  Signed  by  me, 
 
 "  Josep,  Metropolitan  of  Elam. 
 
 Abd-Yeshua,  Metropolitan  of  Nisibis. 
 
 Shimoon,  Metropolitan  of  Mosul. 
 
 Shimoon,  Metropolitan  of  Beth  Garme. 
 
 Shimoon,  Bishop  of  Teirahan. 
 
 Shimoon,  Bishop  of  Beled. 
 
 Yohanan,  Bishop  of  Beth  Wazeek. 
 
 Yohanan,  Bishop  of  Shigar. 
 
 Abd-Yeshua,  Bishop  of  Haneetha. 
 
 Ishak,  Bishop  of  Beth  Daron. 
 
 Yeshua-yau,  Bishop  of  Tilla  and  Barbell.^' 
 The  same  innovation  which  has  led  to  the  restriction  of  the 
 patriarchate  to  a  particular  family  prevails  to  a  great  extent 
 among  the  Nestorians  of  the  present  day  with  regard  to  Bishops, 
 although  the  rules  respecting  the  mother^s  abstinence  from  flesh 
 are  not  exacted  in  the  case  of  the  latter.  On  the  death  of  a 
 Bishop  the  clergy  and  other  principal  residents  in  the  diocese 
 (for  there  seems  to  be  a  general  desire  among  all  classes  to 
 maintain  the  dignity  of  the  episcopal  families,)  look  out  for  a 
 suitable  successor  from  among  the  near  relatives  of  the  deceased, 
 some  of  whom  are  educated  for  the  priesthood  with  this  object. 
 Should  no  proper  representative  be  found  amongst  these,  then 
 the  clergy  and  laity  by  common  consent  choose  one  of  the  pres- 
 byters of  the  diocese,  and  present  him  to  the  patriarch  to  be 
 consecrated. 
 
 An  extract  from  the  Sinhados,  which  has  already  been  given 
 under  Chapter  XXXVI.,  Canon  74,  is  in  direct  opposition  to 
 this  modern  custom,  and  Mar  Abd  Yeshua,  in  Appendix  B, 
 Part  IV.  c.  2,  gives  this  as  one  principal  reason  why  the  Chris- 
 tian priesthood  is  superior  to  the  Jewish,  that  it  is  "  irrespective 
 of  family  .^^ 
 
THE    CONSECRATION    OF    BISHOPS    AND    MINISTERS.         193 
 
 The  following-  quotations  from  the  Sinhados  limit  the  spiritual 
 powers  of  the  different  orders  of  the  clergy.  These  rules  are 
 strictly  observed  by  the  Nestorians. 
 
 "  Canon  I.  A  Bishop  must  be  consecrated  by  two  or  by  three 
 Bishops. 
 
 "  Canon  II.  A  Presbyter,  Deacon,  and  the  other  clerical 
 orders,  [may  be  ordained]  by  one  Bishop.^^  F7-om  the  Apostoli- 
 cal Canons. 
 
 "  Canon  II.  A  Bishop  can  bless,  but  not  receive  a  blessing. 
 He  may  lay  on  hands  for  conferring  the  priesthood  and  for 
 blessing,  he  may  give  a  benediction  to  a  Bishop  and  receive  the 
 same  from  him,  but  not  from  a  Presbyter  in  any  case. 
 
 "  Canon  III.  A  Bishop  may  excommunicate  all  orders  of  the 
 clergy  who  may  deserve  it,  but  not  a  Bishop. 
 
 "  Canon  IV.  A  Presbyter  may  bless,  but  not  receive  a  blessing. 
 He  may  receive  a  blessing  from  a  Bishop  or  from  a  Presbyter 
 his  fellow,  as  he  may  also  give  a  blessing  to  a  Presbyter.  He 
 may  lay  on  hands  for  benediction,  but  not  for  the  priesthood, 
 neither  can  he  deprive  any  of  the  priesthood.  He  may  how- 
 ever suspend  such  as  are  under  him  if  they  deserve  to  be 
 censured. 
 
 "  Canon  V.  A  Deacon  cannot  give  a  blessing,  but  he  receives 
 it  from  a  Bishop  or  Presbyter.  He  may  not  baptize,  neither 
 may  he  offer  the  oblation,  but  it  is  his  office  to  distribute  to  the 
 people  when  a  Bishop  or  Presbyter  shall  offer,  not  however  as  a 
 Priest,  but  as  a  minister  to  the  Priests. 
 
 "  Canon  VI.  The  remainder  of  the  clergy  [i.e.,  the  minor 
 orders,]  are  not  even  permitted  to  exercise  the  functions  of  a 
 Deacon.'^  From  a  collection  of  Canons  ascribed  to  individual 
 Apostles  [Bishops'].  The  above  are  referred  to  Simon  the 
 Canaanite. 
 
 For  the  qualifications  required  in  those  who  come  to  be  or- 
 dained, see  Chapter  XXVII.   §  4,  and  Appendix  B,  Part  IV.  c.  2. 
 
 Each  order  is  required  not  to  transgress  its  proper  functions. 
 See  Chapter  XXVII.  §  1,  3,  3. 
 
 For  other  particulars  see  the  Ordination  offices  given  under 
 Chapter  XLV. 
 
 REMARKS. 
 
 On  the  three  remaining  Articles  little  needs  to  be  said.    With 
 
 VOL.    II.  o 
 
194  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 regard  to  Article  XXXVII.  it  may  be  remarked^  that  ruled  as 
 the  Nestorians  have  ever  been  by  a  foreign  power,  and  subject 
 as  they  have  been  for  the  last  twelve  centuries  to  the  yoke  of 
 Mohammedan  dominion,  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  their 
 rituals  should  contain  any  canons  respecting  the  authority  of 
 the  "  civil  magistrate.^'  As  a  community  they  never  appear  to 
 have  been  troubled  with  those  Anabaptist  errors  which  are  cen- 
 sured in  Article  XXXVIII.,  and  as  to  swearing  before  a  magis- 
 trate, the  ruling  Pvlussulman  powers  do  not  admit  the  oath  of 
 any  Christian. 
 
195 
 
 CHAPTER    XLI. 
 
 OFFICE    FOR    THE    ADMINISTRATION    OF    HOLY    BAPTISM, 
 ACCORDING    TO    THE    NESTORIAN    RITUAL. 
 
 Priest.  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,   good 
 will  toward  men. 
 
 Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven,  ^c. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 In  Thy  compassion,  0  Lord,  strengthen  our  weakness,  that 
 we  may  administer  the  holy  sacraments  of  sin-forgiving  baptism 
 which  were  given  for  the  salvation  of  our  race,  through  the 
 grace  of  Thy  overflowing  mercies,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son, 
 and  Holy  Ghost.  Amen. 
 
 Psalm  Ixxxiv. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 In  Thy  compassion  restore  us  to  Thyself,  and  make  us  of  Thy 
 household,  0  Thou  righteous  Shepherd,  Who  didst  go  forth  to 
 seek  after  us,  and  didst  find  us  out  in  our  wanderings,  and  de- 
 sirest,  in  Thy  grace  and  mercy,  our  return,  0  Lord  of  all. 
 Father,  Son,  and  FIoly  Ghost.  Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  priest  shall  pronounce  this  laying  on  of  hands  over  those  who  are  to 
 be  baptized.     Laying  his  hands  on  each,  he  shall  say  with  a  loud  voice : 
 
 The  promise  of  Thy  mercy  which  Thou  didst  promise  ns  is 
 fulfilled — \to  he  repeated^  ask  and  ye  shall  receive,  knock  and 
 it  shall  be  opened  unto  you.  The  effect  surpasses  the  word 
 spoken,  and  the  fulfilment  surpasses  the  promise ;  since  Thy 
 gift  is  not  bestowed  upon  the  wise  and  prudent  only,  and  the 
 door  of  Thy  mercy  is  not  open  to  them  alone,  but  also  unto  this 
 Thy  servant  whose  infancy  nature  ranks  with  such  as  have  no 
 
 o2 
 
196  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 understanding,  but  whom  Thy  grace  has  dragged  into  the  life- 
 giving  netj  and  east  into  the  holy  vessel  of  sin-forgiving  bap- 
 tism, that  he  may  thence  be  born  again  spiritually,  and  grow  in 
 faith,  and  that  his  body  being  undefiled  by  the  filth  of  sin,  he 
 may  receive  an  unchanging  purification,  and  become  a  member 
 of  Christ,  and  be  nourished  at  the  table  of  His  sacraments, 
 and  that  in  him  bodily  stature  and  spiritual  advancement  may 
 grow  together,  and  that  Thy  grace  may  teach  him  the  power  of 
 the  world  to  come  of  which  Thou  dost  now  give  him  the  figure 
 without  his  asking  it,  as  Thou  hast  also  opened  the  door  unto 
 him  without  his  requesting  it,  that  with  all  the  true  children  of 
 Thy  sacraments  he  may  thank  Thee  for  the  gift  which  Thou 
 hast  imparted  to  us,  and  ascribe  unto  Thee  honour,  dominion, 
 and  worship,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  he  shall  sign  every  one  of  them  with  the  sign  of  the  cross  between  the 
 eyes  with  the  oil  of  unction,  with  his  forefinger,  signing  them  from  the  bottom 
 of  the  face  upwards,  and  from  right  to  left,  saying  : 
 
 A.  B.  or  B.  A.,  be  thou  signed  with  the  oil  of  unction  in  the 
 name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 \  And  as  he  signs  them,  all  shall  enter  into  the  baptistery  with  censer,  lights, 
 cross,  Gospel,  and  all  the  other  utensils,  and  they  shall  commence  with  this 
 hymn  .- 
 
 Antiphon.  Open  unto  me  the  gates  of  righteousness. — The 
 gates  of  heaven  are  opened. 
 
 The  gates  of  the  spiritual  chamber  of  the  Bridegroom  are 
 opened  for  the  forgiveness  of  the  sins  of  men,  and  through  the 
 gift  of  the  Spirit  from  on  high  mercy  and  peace  are  now  vouch- 
 safed to  all  mankind.  Enter  in,  therefore,  0  ye  who  are  called ; 
 enter  into  the  joy  which  is  prepared  for  you,  and  with  pure  and 
 sanctified  hearts,  and  true  faith,  give  thanks  unto  Christ  our 
 Saviour.     Glory  be  to  the  Father,  ^c. 
 
 0  Thou  true  Door,  open  to  the  lost,  and  call  us  to  enter  Thy 
 treasury  on  high. 
 
 ^  Then  shall  be  said  the  following 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Gather  us,  0  Lord,  unto  Thyself,  and  make  us  to  enter  into 
 Thy  fold,  and  seal  us  with  Thy  sign,  and  endue  our  infancy  with 
 
OFFICE    FOR    THE    ADMINISTRATION    OF    HOLY    BAPTISM.      197 
 
 wisdom  through  Thy  truth,  that  we  may  ever  praise  Thy  holy 
 name,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  they  shall  chant  Psalm  xlv.     My  heart  is  inditing  of  a  good  matter, 
 S^c.  after  which  the  deacon  shall  say  the  following  .- 
 
 In  the  depth  of  contrition  and  humiliation  we  offer  this 
 prayer  to  the  Divine  essence  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost,  the  author  and  Creator  of  all  things  visible  and  invisible. 
 Who  from  the  beginning  made  men  mortal  and  corruptible  for 
 the  trial  of  their  free  will,  and  now  in  these  latter  days  has 
 promised  them  a  resarrection  from  the  dead  through  the  advent 
 of  the  Saviour  of  all.  Who,  being  in  the  likeness  of  God,  took 
 upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  opened  unto  us  a  new  life 
 through  spiritual  signs,  having  submitted  the  primogeniture 
 which  He  took  from  our  race  to  be  baptized  by  John  the 
 preacher  in  the  river  Jordan,  figuring  and  disclosing  to  us  by 
 His  own  holy  baptism  a  real  resurrection  which  shall  be  given 
 to  us  in  reality  at  the  end  of  the  world.  And  He  gave  to  the 
 holy  apostles  the  holy  sacrament  of  baptism  when  He  sent  them 
 to  call  the  Gentiles  and  to  restore  mankind,  and  He  commanded 
 them  to  hold  it  as  the  beginning  of  faith,  and  as  a  schoolmaster 
 in  the  fear  of  God,  and  as  the  sign  of  those  who  should  return 
 out  of  darkness  into  a  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  the  apostles 
 handed  down  this  ordinance  to  the  priests,  and  to  the  pastors  of 
 Christ's  flock,  to  be  to  them  a  sign  wherewith  to  make  dis- 
 ciples to  all  generations.  And  now  behold  Thy  servants  are 
 ready  to  receive  the  gift  of  baptism  as  a  token  of  their  confes- 
 sion of  the  adorable  passion  of  our  Saviour,  and  that  their 
 spirits  embrace  in  faith  and  love  Him,  Who  in  the  new  birth, 
 renews  our  frame,  pardons  our  sins,  and  restores  us  from  our 
 fall,  and  that  they  wait  to  become,  through  the  holy  sign  of  sin- 
 forgiving  baptism,  members  and  likenesses  of  Him,  Who  is  the 
 Head  of  the  Church,  and  the  first  fruits  of  the  dead.  And  we 
 also  supplicate  with  them,  and  beseech  the  compassionate  God 
 on  their  behalf,  to  make  them  fit  to  become  incorruptible  crea- 
 tions after  the  likeness  of  Christ,  Who  is  the  first-fruits  of  the 
 resurrection  of  life,  and  that  He  may  send  down  upon  them  the 
 gift  of  the  Spirit  to  strengthen  the  infirmity  of  their  nature,  lest 
 they  should  in  any  way  doubt  the  visible  sacraments  whereby 
 
198  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 they  receive  the  unfading  benefits  to  come^  and  that  lie  may 
 through  the  grace  of  Christ,  pour  out  the  efficacy  of  His  gift 
 upon  the  oil  and  v/ater  wherewith  the  figure  of  death  and  re- 
 surrection, and  of  the  heavenly  pledge,  is  consummated. 
 
 Prayer. 
 Elect  us,  in  Thy  compassion,  with  a  good  election,  that  we 
 may  labour  before  Thee  with  a  spiritual  labour,  0  Thou  ^Vho 
 didst  discover  our  wanderings,  gather  together  our  dispersion, 
 and  bring  near  to  Thy  house  our  goings  astray,  0  Lord  of  all. 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  they  shall  chant  Psalm  ex.  The  Lord  said  unto  My  Lord,  ^c. 
 [the  sentence :  therefore  shall  He  lift  up  his  head,  to  be  repeated  three  times.'] 
 After  which  the  deacon  shall  say  : 
 
 Let  us  pray.    Kneel. 
 
 Let  us  humbly  thank,  and  meekly  supplicate,  and  in  faith 
 beseech,  God  the  Father,  Who  in  His  great  love  toward  us  sent 
 His  only-begotten  Son  into  the  world,  and  by  the  light  of  His 
 advent  saved  us  from  the  errors  of  darkness  in  which  we 
 stumbled  through  the  works  of  the  devil  who  led  us  away 
 captive. 
 
 With  all  our  heart  and  mind  let  us  give  thanks  to  the  very 
 Son  of  the  essence  of  the  Father,  Who,  of  His  own  will, 
 humbled  Himself,  and  in  His  mercy  took  upon  Him  our  body, 
 and  thereby  brought  us  near  unto  Himself,  and  renewed  us  by 
 the  truth  of  His  doctrine,  and  opened  unto  us  the  way  of  light, 
 and  the  path  of  life. 
 
 With  tears  of  penitence,  and  with  the  voice  of  pure  thoughts, 
 let  us  supplicate  Jesus  Christ  the  Physician  of  souls,  Who  did 
 not  despise  our  pitiable  estate,  neither  was  He  offended  with  our 
 putrefying  soves ;  but  in  His  compassion  was  long-sufi"ering 
 towards  us,  and  in  His  gracious  mercy  waited  patiently  over 
 our  obstinate  diseases,  and  with  the  medicine  of  His  Word 
 cured  our  stripes,  healed  our  sicknesses,  and  raised  us  from  our 
 fallings.  Whilst  our  knees  are  bent  in  prayer,  let  us  give 
 thanks  unto  Him  Who  humbled  Himself  to  be  baptized  of  John, 
 — the  Voice  calling  to  repentance, — not  that  His  purity  and 
 holiness  needed  to  be  baptized  with  water,  but  that  He  might, 
 through   His   own  holy  baptism,   sanctify  us  who   are  polluted 
 
OFFICE  FOR  THE  ADMINISTRATION  OF  HOLY  BAPTISM.       199 
 
 with  sin,  and  that  He  might  sanctify  the  water,  in  order  that 
 by  the  hidden  power  and  the  weapons  of  the  Spirit,  wherewith 
 those  are  endued  who  are  baptized  in  faith,  Satan  our  enemy 
 may  be  overcome. 
 
 Let  us  give  thanks  to  our  righteous  King,  Who  desireth  not 
 the  death  of  a  sinner,  but  rather  that  he  should  repent  of  his 
 sin  and  live,  and  Who  in  His  Gospel  calls  upon  the  penitent, 
 saying  :  Ask,  and  a  treasure  of  mercy  shall  be  given  you.  Let 
 us,  therefore,  all  we  who  are  the  beloved  sons  of  holy  baptism, 
 pray  for  tliis  our  son,  who  is  about  to  receive  the  sign  of  life  by 
 renouncing  the  devil  and  all  his  works,  that  he  may  be  perfected 
 in  the  faith  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  that 
 he  may  be  made  fit  to  receive  this  great  and  wonderful  gift  of 
 grace,  and  that  he  may  throw  off,  through  sin-forgiving  bap- 
 tism, the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful 
 lusts,  and  that  he  may  put  on,  through  the  washing  of  the  holy 
 water,  the  new  man  which  is  renewed  of  God  in  righteousness 
 and  true  holiness,  that  he  may  be  made  fit  to  receive  from  the 
 holy  Altar  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,  a  pledge  of  the  re- 
 surrection to  a  new  life,  and  that  on  his  account  there  may  be 
 joy  among  the  holy  Angels  in  heaven,  and  throughout  the  holy 
 Church,  because  he  has  become  one  of  Christ's  flock,  and  that 
 he  may  in  righteousness  and  holiness  of  life  keep  the  gift  of 
 the  unspeakable  mercy  which  he  receives  through  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  which  shall  guide  him  from  this  world  to  the  abode  of 
 light  and  life,  and  that  he  may  become  an  inheritor  of  Christ. 
 
 And  let  us  also  pray  for  our  holy  fathers   Mar Catho- 
 
 licos  and  Patriarch,  and  for  Mar ,  Bishop  and  Metropolitan, 
 
 who  are  the  medium  of  this  great,  and  wonderful,  and  incom- 
 prehensible gift ;  to  whom  God  has  been  pleased  to  commit 
 this  fountain  of  life,  given  in  mercy  for  the  forgiveness  of  the 
 children  of  men,  and  through  whom  it  is  opened ;  which  gift 
 was  given  to  them  by  Him  that  they  might  rule  over  their 
 flocks  and  the  sheep  redeemed  by  the  precious  Blood  [of  Christ] 
 committed  to  their  guidance,  to  be  nourished  and  to  be  in- 
 creased by  adding  to  them  such  as  repent,  in  the  rest  of  the 
 Church,  and  in  peace  throughout  the  world;  so  that  by  keeping 
 them  entire,  and  by  overseeing  them  as  is  meet,  they  may  be 
 fit  to  say  unto  our  Lord  with  a  shining  face  :  Behold,  here  are 
 
200  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 we  and  the  children  which  Thou  hast  given  us ;  we  have  been 
 kept  through  Thy  compassion.  And  to  hear  the  voice  of  our 
 Lord  saying  unto  them  :  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servants, 
 ye  have  been  faithful  in  a  little  thing,  therefore  great  things 
 shall  be  given  unto  you.  And  now  let  us  together  ascribe  praise 
 to  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  that  we  may  be  worthy 
 of  the  new  and  never-fading  life  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
 through  the  grace  of  Christ. 
 Rise  up  by  the  power  of  God. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Praise  be  unto  Thee,  Who  hast  healed  the  diseases  of  our 
 bodies  with  the  oil  and  water  which  Thou  hast  poured  into  our 
 wounds,  and  by  Thy  Spirit,  as  with  a  sponge,  hast  wiped  off 
 the  filth  of  sin  from  our  souls,  that  Thou  mightest  make  us 
 pure  temples  to  Thy  glory,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and 
 Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 Antiphon.  Lord,  remember  David  and  all  his  trouble ;  how 
 he  sware  unto  the  Lord,  and  vowed  a  vow  unto  the  Almighty 
 God  of  Jacob. 
 
 Blessed  is  He  Who  has  set  up  His  Church  after  a  heavenly 
 figure,  filled  it  with  glory,  and  committed  unto  it  a  sin -forgiving 
 baptism  for  sinners.  0  Thou  Holy  One,  Who  didst  descend 
 upon  Mount  Sinai,  and  didst  bless  it  after  a  fearful  manner,  let 
 Thy  peace  descend  upon  Thy  Church  to  sanctify  it. 
 
 Deacon.  Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 We  thank  and  praise  Thee  unceasingly  in  Thy  holy  Church, 
 which  Thou  hast  filled  with  all  aid  and  blessing,  for  all  Thy 
 unrequitable  benefits  and  grace  towards  us,  for  Thou  art  the 
 Lord  and  Creator  of  all,  0  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Gh  ost. 
 Amen. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 %  Then  shall  they  [the  Priest  and  Deacon']  say  as  follows : 
 
 Unto  Thee,  0  Lord  of  all,  we  give  thanks ;  unto  Thee,  O 
 Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  we  offer  praise;  because  Thou  art  He 
 Who  quickenest  our  bodies,  and  savest  our  souls. 
 
OFFICE  FOR  THE  ADMINISTRATION  OF  HOLY  BAPTISM.     201 
 
 ^  Then  they  shall  pour  water  into  the  font  sufficient  to  rise  above  the  head  of 
 the  person  about  to  be  baptized,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 The  voice  of  the  Lord  is  upon  the  waters ;  the  glorious  God 
 hath  thundered. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Thou,  0  LoRDj  art  in  truth  the  Quickener  of  our  bodies,  and 
 Thou  art  the  righteous  Saviour  of  our  souls,  and  the  Preserver 
 of  our  frames  continually.  Unto  Thee,  0  Lord,  we  are  bound 
 at  all  times  to  offer  thanksgiving,  worship,  and  praise,  0  Lord 
 of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  they  shall  say  : 
 
 0  Holy  God,  O  Holy  Mighty,  0  Holy  Immortal,  have  mercy 
 upon  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Enlighten,  0  Lord  our  God,  the  motions  of  our  thoughts, 
 that  we  may  attend  to  and  understand  the  sweet  sound  of  Thy 
 life-giving  and  divine  commandments ;  and  in  Thy  grace  and 
 mercy  vouchsafe  that  we  may  derive  therefrom  the  fruits  of  love, 
 hope,  and  salvation,  as  may  be  profitable  to  our  souls  and  bodies, 
 and  we  will  ever  and  unceasingly  sing  praises  unto  Thee,  O 
 Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  TJien  the  Epistle  shall  be  read  [by  the  Deacon  saying']  : 
 
 The  Epistle  of  Paul  the  Apostle  to  the  Corinthians. 
 
 1  Cor.  ix.  1,  to  the  end. 
 
 ^  Then  shall  be  said  the  following  anthem. 
 
 Antiphon.  Let  the  height  and  depth  join  with  us,  and  let  us 
 together  give  thanks  unto  the  Essence  which  created  us,  and 
 which  shall  renew  us. 
 
 The  friend  of  the  Bridegroom  saw  among  the  multitude  the 
 living  Lamb  coming  to  be  baptized,  and  he  cried  out  in  fear 
 and  trembling  :  I  have  need  to  be  baptized  of  Thee ;  whilst  the 
 multitude  regarded  with  awe  the  living  Sacrament  of  Baptism. 
 As  he  was  baptizing  in  Jordan,  John  beheld  a  great  wonder ; 
 he  beheld  the  cherubim    singing  alleluia,   and   the    seraphim 
 
202  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIK    RITUALS. 
 
 chanting  Holy^  Holy,  Holy,  and  the  Spirit  descending,  and 
 the  Son  being  baptized,  and  the  Father  declaring  :  This  is  My 
 beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased. 
 
 Deacon.  Be  silent.     Peace  be  with  you. 
 
 R.  With  thee  and  with  thy  spirit. 
 
 Priest.  The  holy  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  from  the 
 Gospel  of  S.  John. 
 
 S.  John  ii.  23  to  the  end,  and  iii.  1 — 9. 
 
 R.  Praise  be  unto  Christ  our  Lord. 
 
 ^  Then  shall  follow  two  litanies  [used  also  in  other  offices'] . 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 We  pray  and  beseech  Thee,  O  Lord  the  mighty  God,  to  per- 
 fect in  us  Thy  grace,  and  to  pour  out  through  our  hands  Thy 
 gift,  and  that  Thy  pity  and  compassion  may  pardon  and  absolve 
 the  iniquities  of  Thy  people,  and  of  all  the  sheep  of  Thy  flock 
 which  in  Thy  gi'ace  and  mercy  Thou  hast  chosen  for  Thyself,  O 
 Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Deacon.  Bow  your  heads  for  the  laying  on  of  hands,  and 
 receive  ye  the  blessing. 
 
 %  Then  the  Priest  shall  say  this  laying-on  of  hands  silently. 
 
 O  Thou  treasurer.  Which  dost  enrich  those  who  possess  Thee, 
 — the  rich  One  whose  gifts  are  not  denied  to  the  needy, — the 
 righteous  One  who  doth  not  deal  unjustly  with  His  servants, — 
 the  Lord  Who  doth  not  neglect  those  who  serve  Him, — in  Thy 
 compassion,  O  Lord,  listen  to  the  prayer  of  Thy  servant,  and 
 accept,  in  Thy  mercy,  the  supplication  of  Thy  worshippers,  and 
 answer,  in  Thy  pity,  the  petitions  which  we  offer,  out  of  Thy 
 rich  and  overflowing  treasury,  and  by  Thy  grace,  keep  from  all 
 evil  the  flock  of  Thy  beloved  people,  and  cause  Thy  peace  and 
 safety  to  dwell  among  them  for  ever.  \Then  with  a  loud  voice 
 he  shall  say  ;]  Whilst  our  souls  agree  in  the  one  and  perfect 
 faith  of  the  glorious  Trinity,  we  all,  in  one  concord  of  love, 
 are  meet  to  ascribe  unto  Thee  praise,  honour,  glory,  and 
 worship,  0  Thou  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 Deacon.  He  who  is  not  baptized  let  him  depart. 
 
OFFICE  FOR  THE  ADMINISTRATION  OF  HOLY  BAPTISM.     203 
 
 ^  Then  shall  be  said  the  following  anthem. 
 
 Ant.  Holy  and  reverend  is  His  Name;  there  is  no  end  of 
 His  greatness. 
 
 Thy  baptism  of  water  sanctifieth  our  souls,  and  preacheth 
 our  resurrection.  The  spiritual  ones  who  were  with  John  looked 
 on  with  wonder  when  they  beheld  Him,  Who  sanctifieth  the 
 nations  by  His  own  baptism,  receiving  baptism  at  the  hands 
 of  His  servant,  in  order  to  free  the  race  of  the  dying.  [To  be 
 repeated.']      Glory  be  to  the  Father,  &c. 
 
 In  the  river  Jordan  John  baptized  the  Lamb  of  God,  and  as 
 He  came  up  out  of  the  water  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Truth,  in 
 the  form  of  a  dove,  descended  upon  the  head  of  our  Saviour 
 after  His  baptism, 
 
 ^  Then  the  Priests  and  Deacons  shall  stand,  some  on  the  right  and  some  on  the 
 left,  and  one  of  the  former  shall  take  the  horn  in  his  hand,  and  shall  take  his 
 place  on  the  right  side  of  the  Altar,  which  is  set  u]}  in  the  baptistery ;  but  if 
 there  he  no  other  than  the  officiating  Priest  present,  then  the  Proto-Deacon 
 shall  take  the  horn  in  his  hand,  and  shall  stand  by  the  altar,  which  shall  have 
 lights  upon  it,  and  shall  say  ;  I  believe  in  one  God,  the  Father  Almighty,  &c. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Priest  shall  prepare  to  bless  the  oil,  and  shall  kneel  before  the  altar. 
 And  the  Deacon  shall  repeat  the  prayer  of  Commemoration  [taken  from  the 
 liturgy] .     After  which,  the  Priest  shall  say  with  a  loud  voice  as  follows  -. 
 
 0  our  righteous  God,  Who  in  the  time  appointed  by  Thy 
 wisdom  didst  conceive  a  good  end  to  Thy  creatures,  and  accord- 
 ing to  the  desire  of  Thy  mercy  didst  save  them  from  death, 
 make  me  a  worthy  channel  of  this  ministry, — me  whom  Thou 
 hast  appointed  a  minister  to  administer  Thy  gift.  Not  because 
 I  am  blameless,  neither  because  my  life  maketh  me  worthy  to 
 be  sent  by  Thee,  hast  Thou  chosen  me  to  offer  unto  Thee  the 
 creatures  of  Thine  own  formation  ;  but  through  Thy  unbounded 
 riches,  and  through  Thy  unspeakable  mercies,  Thou  hast  or- 
 dained that  Thy  riches  should  be  dispensed  by  my  hands  to 
 those  who  need  the  gift  of  Thy  grace,  that  they  may  receive 
 Thy  perfect  gift. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 We  ascribe  unto  Thee  glory,  honour,  praise,  and  worship, 
 now  and  for  ever  and  ever,  and  world  without  end.  {Whilst 
 saying  this  the  Priest  shall  sign  himself  with  the  sign  of  the 
 cross.) 
 
204  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Priest.  Peace  be  with  you. 
 
 R.  With  thee  and  with  thy  spirit. 
 
 ^  Then  he  shall  raise  the  cloth  from  the  vessel  \_containing  the  oil]  ^^  and 
 
 shall  say  : 
 
 The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God, 
 and  the  fellov/ship  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with  us  all,  now  and 
 for  ever  and  ever.  Amen.  {Whilst  repeating  this  he  shall  make 
 the  sign  of  the  Cross  over  the  vessel,  and  shall  say,) 
 
 Lift  up  your  hearts. 
 
 a.  Unto  Thee,  0  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  the 
 King  of  glory. 
 
 Priest.  Let  us  give  thanks,  worship,  and  praise,  to  God  the 
 Lord  of  all. 
 
 R.  It  is  meet  and  right  so  to  do. 
 
 Deacon.  Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Priest.  (In  a  low  voice)  We  pray  and  beseech  Thee  Who  art 
 rich  in  love,  liberal  in  compassion,  benevolent  in  goodness,  and 
 whose  glory  is  unspeakable,  our  Lord  and  Creator,  and  Bene- 
 factor, that  by  Thy  will,  0  God  the  Father,  and  by  the  will  of 
 Thy  holy  Son  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  grace  from  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  who  is  perfect  in  essence,  of  Thee,  and  one  with  Thee 
 in  substance  and  in  the  work  of  creation,  may  descend  and 
 mingle  with  this  oil,  and  bestow  upon  all  who  shall  be  anointed 
 therewith,  the  pledge  of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  perfect 
 adoption,  salvation  from  the  pangs  of  sin,  and  joy  in  the  rest  of 
 heaven.  In  Thy  wise  providence  Thou  hast  raised  the  minds  of 
 men,  by  the  advent  of  Thine  Anointed,  to  know  Thy  Trinity, 
 and  hast  given  them  spiritual  gifts  enabling  them  to  attain  to 
 the  knowledge  of  faith  in  Thee.  The  holy  oil  which  Thou  didst 
 give  in  former  days  for  the  ordination  of  a  temporal  priesthood, 
 and  a  transitory  sovereignty,  Thou  hast  now  committed  to  the 
 priests  of  the  Church  to  be  a  sign  and  emblem  of  those  who  are 
 translated  from  earthly  things  to  heavenly  in  an  immortal  body 
 and  an  unchanging  spirit,  being  circumcised  thereby  with  a  cir- 
 cumcision without  hands,  by  the  throwing  off  of  the  body  of  sin, 
 through  the  circumcision  of  Christ,  and  are  thereby  made 
 worthy  to  praise,  with  fear  and  trembling,  the  mighty  and  sove- 
 reign Lord  of  all  with  all  the  holy  and  heavenly  powers. 
 
OFFICE  FOR  THE  ADMINISTRATION  OF  HOLY  BAPTISM.       205 
 
 Canon. 
 
 Who  with  a  loud  voice  cry  out  one  to  another,  saying,  {Here 
 the  people  join  with  the  priest,']  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God  of 
 Hosts,  heaven  and  earth  are  full  of  Thy  glory.  Hosaiina  in 
 the  highest.  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David.  Blessed  is  He 
 Who  came  and  Who  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Hosanna 
 in  the  highest. 
 
 ^  Then  the  priest  shall  say  tvith  a  low  voice  : 
 
 And  now,  0  Lord,  let  this  great  and  divine  sacrament  be 
 administered  by  Thy  grace,  and  let  the  grace  of  the  gift  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost  descend  upon  this  oil,  bless  it,  seal  it,  and  sanctify 
 it,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  that  by  the  power  of  Thy  grace  this  oil  may  be  for 
 unction,  and  convey  true  and  perfect  sanctification  and  exalted 
 communion  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  such  as  shall  be 
 anointed  therewith,  with  the  life-giving  sign,  in  the  name  of  the 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  through  this  baptism  which 
 is  consummated  after  the  image  of  the  passion,  death,  and  re- 
 surrection of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 To  whom  with  Thee  and  the  Holy  Ghost  we  ascribe  glory, 
 honour,    thanks,    and    worship,    now    and   for    ever  and   ever. 
 
 Amen. 
 
 1[  Here  the  priest  shall  sign  the  oil  with  the  sign  of  the  cross.  Then  he  shall 
 take  the  horn  of  unction  from  the  hands  of  him  who  holds  it,  and  shall  sign 
 with  oil  therefrom  the  vessel  containing  the  oil  on  the  altar,  with  the  sign  of 
 the  cross,  from  east  to  west  and  from  right  to  left,  and  shall  sag  : 
 
 Let  this  oil  be  signed,  consecrated,  and  mixed,  with  this  holy 
 oil,  that  it  may  be  an  incorruptible  emblem  in  sin-forgiving 
 baptism,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  priest  shall  return  the  horn  to  him  who  before  had  held  it  and 
 
 shall  say  : 
 
 Fit  us  ever,  0  Lord  our  God,  to  stand  before  Thee  with  a 
 pure  heart,  without  blame,  with  open  face,  and  in  that  favour 
 
206  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 which  was   mercifully  given   to  us   by  Thee,   and  that  we   may 
 unitedly  call  upon  Thee  and  say  : 
 
 R.  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven^,  ^c. 
 
 ^  Then  they  shall  draw  near  to  the  font,  and  shall  stand  on  the  right  and  left 
 of  it,  with  one  carrying  the  censer ;  and  they  shall  place  the  cross  and  Gospel 
 upon  the  font  towards  the  east  until  the  water  is  blessed ;  and  they  shall  re- 
 move the  cloth  ivhich  covered  the  font,  and  the  priest  shall  kneel.  Then  shall 
 the  deacon  say  ; 
 
 Let  us  pray.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 \Canon,  said  hy  the  priest. '\ 
 
 The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God, 
 and  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with  us  all  ever- 
 more. Amen.  [Here  he  shall  sign  the  water  with  the  sign  of 
 the  cross.'\ 
 
 Deacon.  Mentally  pray  that  peace  may  be  with  us. 
 
 Priest.  (In  a  low  voice)  May  the  necessities  of  Thy  creatures 
 be  supplied,  0  our  Creator,  through  Thy  grace  which  is  a  foun- 
 tain of  the  water  of  life,  and  may  petitions,  such  as  are  meet, 
 be  offered  up  unto  Thee  that  they  may  bring  down  liberal  gifts, 
 and  that  from  the  riches  of  Thy  great  mercy  we  may  obtain 
 help  to  the  rest  and  confirmation  of  our  nature.  In  Thy  inscru- 
 table wisdom  Thou  didst  brina;  us  into  this  world  with  a  cor- 
 ruptible  origin,  and  when  it  pleased  Thee  Thou  didst  make 
 known  to  us  the  doctrine  of  our  renewal  and  regeneration 
 through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Who  in  His  baptism  figured 
 forth  our  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  commanded  us  to 
 impart,  in  the  sacrament  of  baptism,  a  new  and  spiritual  life  to 
 those  who  believe.  The  Holy  Ghost,  of  Thy  glorious  essence, 
 — He  Who  descended  and  rested  upon  our  Saviour  when  He 
 prefigured  this  baptism, — through  the  visible  water,  and  accord- 
 ing to  His  will,  renews  our  old  creation,  and  in  His  grace 
 communicates  to  us  an  incorruptible  pledge.  May  that  same 
 Spirit  descend,  0  Lord,  upon  this  water  that  it  may  be  effica- 
 cious for  the  help  and  salvation  of  him  who  is  to  be  baptized 
 therein. 
 
 Deacon.  In  fear  and  silence  stand  and  pray :  Peace  be  witli 
 us. 
 
OFFICE  FOR  THE  ADMINISTRATION  OF  HOLY   BAPTISM.       207 
 
 Canon,  (by  the  priest  in  a  loud  voice.)  That  becoming  per- 
 fect in  body  and  in  soul  he  may  ascribe  unto  Thee  glory, 
 honour,  praise,  and  worship,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever, 
 
 IT  Here  the  priest  shall  sign  the  water,  and  he  shall  then  take  the  horn  of  the 
 holy  oil  of  unction  and  shall  sign  the  water  with  the  sign  of  the  cross  ivith 
 the  oil  therein  contained,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 May  this  water  be  signed  and  blessed  with  the  holy  oil,  that 
 it  may  become  a  new  and  spiritually  regenerating  bosom  through 
 sin-forgiving  baptism,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
 Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 Priest.  This  holy  thing  is  meet  for  the  One  and  Divine 
 Essence. 
 
 R.  The  one  Father  is  holy,  the  one  Son  is  holy,  the  one 
 Holy  Ghost  is  holy.  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  to  the  Son, 
 and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  He  who  is  holy  for  ever  and  ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 Deacon.  Praise  the  living  God. 
 
 ^  Then  shall  be  said  one  of  the  hymns  appointed  for  Epiphany,  lest  the  con- 
 gregation should  be  unemployed ;  and  the  2}riest  who  consecrates  is  to  standby 
 the  vessel  containing  the  oil,  and  another  by  the  font,  with  their  faces  towards 
 the  east.  And  the  deacons  shall  bring  the  children  into  the  baptistery  undressed, 
 their  ear-rings,  rings,  and  bracelets  having  been  taken  off,  and  they  shall  in- 
 quire the  names  to  be  given  to  the  children,  and  shall  communicate  the  same  to 
 the  priest.  The  deacons  shall  then  bind  up  their  loins,  and  shall  place  their 
 stoles  under  the  vessel  containing  the  oil.  And  every  child  who  is  admitted 
 shall  be  provided  with  a  napkin  to  be  wrapped  in  after  baptism,  which  shall 
 be  carried  by  the  deacon  on  his  shoulder.  And  when  the  children  are  brought 
 in,  the  priest  shall  sign  every  one  of  them  with  the  sign  of  the  cross  upon  the 
 breast,  with  his  three  fingers,  from  below  upivards,  and  from  right  to  left, 
 and  shall  say  : 
 
 A.  B.,  Be  thou  anointed  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
 the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Amen,  \To  signify  that 
 the  knowledge  of  the  Trinity  is  sealed  to  him  from  on  high.'] 
 
 ^  Then  those  present  shall  carefully  and  properly  anoint  all  over  the  person  of 
 him,  whom  the  priest  anointed,  and  they  shall  turn  him  so  that  all  his  back 
 may  be  anoitited,  and  they  shall  not  leave  any  part  of  him  unanointed.  Then 
 they  shall  take  him  to  the  priest  standing  by  the  font,  who  shall  place  him  there- 
 in with  his  face  to  the  east,  and  he  shall  dip  him  therein  three  times,  saying  at 
 
208  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 the  first  time  ;  A.  B.  be  thou  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father.  R.  Amen. 
 The  second  time  :  In  the  name  of  tlie  Son.  R.  Amen.  And  at  the  third  time : 
 In  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  R.  Amen.  In  dipping  him  he  shall  dip 
 him  up  to  the  neck,  and  then  put  his  hand  upon  him  so  that  his  head  may  le 
 submerged.  Then  the  priest  shall  take  him  out  of  the  font,  and  give  him  to 
 the  deacon,  who  shall  wrap  him  in  a  white  napkin,  and  commit  him  to  his 
 godfathers.  Then  his  clean  clothes  shall  ie  put  on,  but  his  head  must  be  left 
 bare  until  the  priest  shall  bind  on  his  head-dress  after  the  last  signing.  And 
 the  same  shall  be  done  with  all  the  infants  one  after  the  other.  But  take 
 heed,  my  brethren,  and  be  very  careful,  that  you  do  not  take  the  infants  into 
 the  bema,  as  some  do  who  have  no  understanding ;  for  this  is  highly  improper. 
 And,  note,  that  great  circumspection  and  chastity  must  be  exercised  in  the 
 anointing  of  female  children. 
 After  those  who  have  been  baptized  are  dressed,  the  priest  shall  come  forth 
 through  the  great  door  of  the  bema,  and  with  him  the  deacons,  cross.  Gospel, 
 censer,  lights,  and  the  horn  of  unction,  and  he  shall  cause  the  baptized  to  be 
 brought  near  to  the  door  of  the  bema,  and  shall  say  this 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Glory  be  to  Thee^  0  Lord,  Who  bast  cbosen  Thy  Church  in 
 Thy  Christ,  and  bast  adorned  her  with  a  heavenly  adornment, 
 and  bast  made  of  her  children  treasures  to  distribute  Thy  riches 
 to  such  as  are  in  need  of  them,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son, 
 and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Glory  be  to  the  Most  Highest,  Who  descended  and  took 
 the  body  of  our  humiliation,  and  made  it  His  in  everything 
 appertaining  to  His  Divinity,  and  promised  that  thereby  we  all 
 should  become  heirs  of  His  glory,  and  conformed  to  the  image 
 of  His  honour,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 Ant.  0  come,  let  us  sing  unto  the  Lord,  let  us  heartily  re- 
 joice in  the  strength  of  our  salvation.  Let  us  come  before  His 
 presence  with  thanksgiving,  and  show  ourselves  glad  in  Him 
 with  psalms.  For  the  Lord  is  a  great  God,  and  a  great  King 
 above  all  gods.  In  His  hands  are  all  the  corners  of  the  earth, 
 and  the  strength  of  the  hills  is  His  also.  The  sea  is  His  and 
 He  made  it,  and  His  hands  prepared  the  dry  land.  O  come,  let 
 us  worship  and  fall  down ;  and  kneel  before  the  Lord  our 
 Maker.  For  He  is  the  Lord  our  God,  and  we  are  the  people 
 of  His  pasture  and  the  sheep  of  His  hand. 
 
 The  Lord,  by  His  baptism,  has  mercifully  delivered  us  from 
 
OFFICE  FOB  THE  ADMINISTRATION  OF  HOLY  BAPTISM.       209 
 
 error,  sin,  and  death;  let  us  therefore  worship  and  praise  Him. 
 0  Thou  Who  didst  say  in  Thy  Gospel :  Knock  and  I  will  open  ; 
 open  the  door  to  our  prayers. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Accept,  0  Lord,  in  Thy  mercy,  the  sheep  and  lambs  which 
 have  been  signed  with  Thy  holy  sign,  and  write  their  names 
 among  the  church  of  the  Eirst-begotten  in  heaven,  that  they 
 may  ever  praise  and  worship  Thy  holy  Trinity,  0  Lord  of  all, 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  priest  shall  say  this  confirmation  in  a  loud  voice,  moving  his  hand 
 the  meanwhile  from  one  to  another. 
 
 O  Lord,  great  are  the  wonderful  works  of  Thy  providence, 
 our  nature  is  incapable  of  uttering  them.  In  the  beginning  of 
 our  creation  we  contemned  the  honour  of  our  free-will  through 
 the  temptation  of  Satan  who  led  us  away  captive,  and  we  have 
 done  despite  to  the  confession  of  Thy  divinity  by  worshipping 
 that  which  was  not  God  ;  but  Thy  mercy  did  not  leave  us  to 
 the  destruction  which  we  deserved  through  our  wickedness,  but 
 by  the  appearance  of  Thy  only-begotten  Son,  Thou  didst  restore 
 us  to  Thyself,  and  didst  make  us  worthy  to  know  Thee,  and 
 hast  raised  up  our  fallen  nature  by  taking  a  primogeniture  from 
 us,  and  hast  made  us  inheritors  of  unfading  blessings  to  come. 
 And  when  the  time  arrived  when  we  looked  for  Him  to  give  us 
 the  gift  of  adoption  for  the  salvation  of  our  bodies.  Thou  didst 
 impart  to  us  the  pledge  of  comfort  in  the  grace  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  which  is  conveyed  to  us  through  the  holy  sacraments  of 
 spiritual  baptism,  even  as  this  Thy  servant  has  to-day  come  for- 
 ward and  taken  Thy  gift,  and  thereby  has  been  loosed  from  the 
 torment  of  sin,  and  has  become  a  pure  member  of  the  body  of 
 Christ,  Who  is  the  Origin  of  our  life,  and  has  obtained  the 
 hope  that  Thy  grace  will  keep  him  in  chastity  of  living,  and 
 purity  of  conversation,  so  that  being  filled  with  faith  and 
 righteousness,  he  shall  finally  attain  unto  the  glorious  appear- 
 ance of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  exult  in  a  new  and  un- 
 fading life,  and  ascribe  unto  Thee  glory,  honour,  praise,  and 
 worship,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 vol.  II.  p 
 
210  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 1[  This  prayer  of  confirmation  shall  be  said  over  one  or  over  many.     Then  he 
 shall  sign  every  one  ivith  the  sign  of  the  cross,  saying  : 
 
 The  pledge  of  the  Holy  Ghost  which  thou  hast  received 
 [or,  which  ye  have  received,]  and  the  sacrament  of  Christ,  of 
 which  thou  hast  partaken  [or,  of  which  ye  have  partaken,]  and 
 His  life-giving  sign  which  thou  hast  received  [or,  which  ye 
 have  received,]  and  the  new  life  unto  which  thou  hast  attained, 
 [or,  unto  which  ye  have  attained,]  and  the  weapons  of  right- 
 eousness which  thou  hast  put  on,  [or,  which  ye  have  put  on,] 
 keep  thee  [or,  you,]  from  all  evil,  and  from  the  powers  thereof, 
 and  sanctify  thee  [or,  you,]  in  holiness ;  and  may  this  sign 
 w^hich  thou  hast  [or,  which  ye  have,]  taken,  be  unto  thee  [or, 
 you,]  for  unfading  benefits  to  come  at  the  appearance  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ  from  heaven;  and  in  the  new  world  may 
 He  place  thee,  [or,  you,]  on  His  right  hand,  where  thou  shalt 
 [or,  ye  shall,]  ascribe  unto  Him  glory,  honour,  praise,  and 
 worship,  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  he  shall  sign  them  tetwixt  their  eyes  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  with 
 the  thumb  of  his  right  hand,  from  above  downwards,  and  from  right  to  left 
 saying  .- 
 
 A.  B.  is  baptized  and  confirmed  [or,  perfected]  in  the  name 
 of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Amen. 
 
 H  Then  they  shall  re-enter  the  baptistery  and  begin  with  the  following  anthem  : 
 
 Ant.  Holy  and  reverend  is  His  name. 
 
 Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be  Thy  Name, 
 Thy  kingdom  come,  Thy  will  be  done. 
 
 Ant.    He  is  the  Lord  our  God. 
 
 There  is  one  Lord,  one  Father,  and  one  baptism  for  the 
 remission  of  sins. 
 
 Ant.  Thou  art  God  above  all  gods. 
 
 Our  King  is  with  us ;  our  God  is  with  us ;  our  help  is  in  the 
 God  of  Jacob. 
 
 Ant.  Blessed  are  the  people  who  are  in  such  a  state. 
 
 Blessed  are  the  people  who  have  the  Lord  for  their  God. 
 
 Ant.  For  He  is  one  God. 
 
 0  Christ,  Who  wast  baptized,  and  Who  appearedst  and  gavest 
 light  to  all,  let  Thy  peace  dwell  with  Thy  elect  people. 
 
 Ant.  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  0  God. 
 
OFFICE  FOE  THE  ADMINISTRATION  OF  HOLY   BAPTISM.        211 
 
 O  ChrisTj  grant  that  with  a  clean  heart,  and  with  good 
 works,  we  may  perfect  Thy  will. 
 
 Ant.  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the 
 Holy  Ghost. 
 
 In  the  Jerusalem  above,  before  the  seat  of  Christ,  there  may 
 the  names  of  Thy  servants  be  written. 
 
 Ant.  As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now  and  ever  shall  be, 
 world  without  end. 
 
 Thy  Epiphany,  0  Lord,  has  given  joy  to  the  creation,  the 
 pledge  of  blessings,  and  life  everlasting. 
 
 %  Then  the  priest  shall  lake  the  horn  and,  standing  over  the  font,  he  shall  pour 
 back  the  oil  that  was  in  the  vessel  into  the  horn ;  and  should  any  oil  remain 
 attached  to  the  vessel,  he  shall  throw  it  into  the  font,  saying : 
 
 It  is  meet,  0  Lord,  that  we  should  ever  offer  praise,  honour, 
 glory  and  worship  to  Thy  adorable  Trinity,  for  the  gift  of  Thy 
 holy  sacraments,  which  in  Thy  mercy  Thou  hast  given  us  for 
 the  forgiveness  of  sins,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.  Amen. 
 
 Or  this, 
 
 Blessed  is  that  Majesty  which  is  worshipped  in  the  highest,  0 
 Thou  Who  forgivest  our  iniquities  and  our  sins,  and  Who 
 wipest  out  our  transgressions  through  Thy  glorious,  holy,  life- 
 giving,  and  divine  sacraments,  0  Christ,  the  hope  of  our  race 
 now  and  for  ever.  Amen. 
 
 Concluding  Prayer. 
 
 Let  us  offer  unto  Thee  glory,  honour,  praise  and  worship,  O 
 Thou  Highest,  Who  descendedst  and  tookest  the  body  of  our 
 humiliation,  and  raadest  us  one  with  Thee  in  every  thing,  and 
 promisedst  that  Thou  wouldest  make  us  inheritors  of  Thy  glory 
 and  heirs  of  Thy  inheritance,  by  making  us  partakers  of  Thy 
 excellency.  Let  Thy  mercy  and  peace  ever  dwell  with  us  all ; 
 and  now  unto  Thee,  through  Thee  v;ith  the  Father,  and  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  be  praise  for  ever  and  ever.    Amen. 
 
 Prayer  for  loosing  the  water  \_from  its  previous  sanctification.'] 
 
 Thou,  0  Lord,  art  blessed,  holy,  and  immortal,  and  Thy 
 depth  is  past  finding  out.     In  Thy  own  will  Thou  didst  create 
 
 p  2 
 
212  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 us^  and  when  we  called  upon  Thee,  Thou  didst  not  deny  unto 
 US  Thy  gift,  but  didst  send  to  us  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  this 
 water  was  sanctified  by  Amen,  and  by  the  same  Amen  it  is 
 loosed  from  its  sanctity  and  returns  to  its  former  nature.  For 
 all  these  Thy  mercies  towards  us,  we  would  ascribe  unto  Thee 
 glory,  honour,  praise,  and  worship,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 ^  He  shall  not  sign  the  water  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  but  shall  insert  his 
 hand  into  it,  and  shall  wash  the  vessel  ivith  the  water  of  the  Jordan  \J^ont,'] 
 then  stir  the  water  about,  and  quickly  withdraw  Ms  hand  as  if  he  was  taking 
 something  therefrom.  Then  he  shall  pour  a  little  plain  water  into  the  font, 
 and  the  jjriests  who  had  administered  the  rite  of  baptism,  and  those  who  had 
 anointed,  and  all  who  had  taken  any  part  therein,  shall  wash  the  vessel,  and 
 their  hands  and  face  also  in  the  font.  Then  the  water  shall  be  poured  out  into 
 a  clean  place  which  is  not  trod  upon.  If  there  be  an  outlet  in  the  font,  the 
 water  shall  be  let  out  therefrom,  in  order  that  it  may  not  be  trampled  on,  as 
 it  is  when  it  is  poured  over  the  body  of  the  church  by  those  who  lack  know- 
 ledge. And  if  any  other  person  should  come  to  be  baptized,  this  same  water 
 is  not  to  be  used ,-  but  fresh  water  is  to  be  brought.  And  be  it  known  that 
 without  consecration  \of  the  water, '\  no  baptism  is  to  be  administered  except 
 in  the  case  of  one  in  the  article  of  death. 
 
 The  Chaldeans,  who  are  in  communion  with  the  Church  of 
 Rome,  have  made  several  alterations  in  the  above  office,  the 
 principal  of  which  are  :  first,  the  addition  of  the  renunciations, 
 profession  of  faith,  and  the  concluding  answers  made  by  the 
 sponsors  on  the  part  of  the  person  about  to  be  baptized,  which 
 have  been  taken  chiefly  from  the  Roman  Ritual ;  and,  secondly, 
 the  use  of  meiroon  or  chrism  after  the  prayer  of  confirmation.  It 
 has  been  seen  that  the  oil  of  unction  is  only  used  by  the  Nes- 
 torians  before  baptism,  and  that  the  invocation  for  grace  with 
 imposition  of  hands,  and  the  sign  of  the  cross,  without  oil,  from 
 the  principal  rites  of  confirmation  with  them.  The  Chaldeans 
 have  preserved  the  former  anointing  entire,  but  after  the  impo- 
 sition of  hands,  the  ofiiciating  priest  is  directed  to  anoint  the 
 baptized  person  a  second  time,  as  follows : 
 
 ^  "  Then  the  Priest  shall  sign  the  infant  with  the  ointment  of  the  holy  chrism, 
 with  the  thumb  of  his  right  hand,  between  the  eyes,  from  the  chin  upwards, 
 and  from  right  to  left,  saying  : 
 
 I  anoint  thee  with  the  sacrament  of  confirmation,  and  with 
 the  chrism  of  salvation,  in  the  Name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son, 
 and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
OFFICE   FOR  THE  ADMINISTRATION  OP  HOLY  BAPTISM.       213 
 
 ^  Then  he  shall  bind  a  crown  on  his  head,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 May  the  crown  of  A.  B.  be  bound  for  joy  and  exultation, 
 and  for  days  of  rejoicing,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever.    Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Priest  shall  pray  as  follows,  with  his  hand  laid  upon  the  baptized 
 person  ;''    The  pledge,  H^c.  as  in  the  Nestorian  office. 
 
 Every  sacred  anointing  is  performed  by  the  Nestorians  with 
 pure  olive  oil,  and  no  other  is  allowed  by  their  canons.  Chrism, 
 such  as  is  used  in  the  Roman  and  other  churches,  is  strongly 
 censured  by  them,  as  will  appear  by  the  following  extract  from 
 the  writings  of  Yohanan  bar  Zoobi. 
 
 "■  The  apostles  committed  unto  us  that  the  horn  of  baptism 
 should  consist  of  olive  oil,  and  not  of  precious  Meiroon  [Chrism,] 
 such  as  is  used  in  the  western  church.  They  ordained  that  this 
 should  be  the  unguent  used  for  four  reasons  : 
 
 "First,  in  order  that  herein  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 
 might  coincide;  for  when  Moses  was  directed  to  prepare  an 
 ointment  for  such  as  w^ere  to  be  anointed,  he  received  orders  to 
 make  it  of  olive  oil,  wherewith  priests  and  kings  were  to  be 
 anointed.  In  like  manner,  the  apostles  directed  that  the  horn 
 of  baptism  should  consist  of  olive  oil,  and  they  ordered  that  the 
 kings  of  the  world  should  be  anointed  therewith. 
 
 "  Secondly,  because  olive  oil  is  easily  procurable  both  by  rich 
 and  poor,  which  is  not  the  case  with  the  precious  unction  of  the 
 Meiroon;  and  hence  the  poor  may  be  prevented  from  being 
 anointed. 
 
 "  Thirdly,  olive  oil  is  an  emblem  of  salvation  to  the  human 
 race,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  leaf  of  the  olive  tree  which  the 
 dove  brought  to  Noah.  In  like  manner,  baptism,  also,  wherein 
 we  receive  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the  gift  of  adoption,  becomes 
 thereby  a  sign  of  peace  to  mankind. 
 
 "  Fourthly,  because  of  the  effects  of  this  oil.  We  see  that  the 
 leaves  of  the  olive  tree  do  not  wither,  neither  do  they  fall  off. 
 In  like  manner,  such  as  are  anointed  at  their  baptism  with  the 
 oil  of  the  horn  shall  live  for  ever,  they  shall  not  wither  at  the 
 day  of  judgment,  neither  shall  they  fall  away  into  hell.  And, 
 as  olive  oil  is  fat  and  possesses  a  good  odour,  and  affords  support 
 to  the  bodies  of  men,  and  is  useful  in  most  things ;  so  every 
 one,  who  is  baptized  and  anointed  with  the  oil  of  the  horn,  shall 
 
214  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 be  fat  with  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  his  odour  in  Christ 
 shall  be  good,  he  shall  nourish  others  by  his  wisdom,  and.  he 
 shall  be  useful  in  the  Church  in  every  way. 
 
 "  Now,  if  the  heretics  should  say  it  is  necessary  that  baptism 
 in  the  Church  should  be  performed  with  Chrism,  the  precious 
 ointment,  and  not  with  olive  oil,  let  such  know  that  Goi)  does 
 not  generally  manifest  His  power  to  mankind  through  the 
 medium  of  great  and  honourable  things ;  for  by  the  ashes  of  an 
 heifer  He  cleansed  the  Israelites  from  their  un cleanness,  and 
 through  vile  blood  He  forgave  their  iniquities  and  their  sins. 
 
 "  And,  lastly,  we  maintain  that  the  apostles  gave  us  olive  oil 
 in  the  horn,  and  whosoever  is  not  baptized  therewith  does  not 
 receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Chrism  of  the  heretics  is  a  tra- 
 dition of  modern  date,  and  was  originated  after  that  kings  had 
 taken  away  from  their  churches  the  horn  of  olive  oil.  And 
 whosoever  would  know  the  truth  of  these  things  let  him  peruse 
 the  histories  of  the  western  doctors,  and  from  them  he  will  learn 
 that  a  heretic  does  not  receive  the  Holy  Ghost  in  baptism,  as 
 Rabban  Hormuzd  and  Josep  surnamed  Hazzaza  testify." 
 
 The  same  baptismal  office  is  used  by  the  Nestorians  and  Chal- 
 deans for  infants  and  adults.  The  former  do  not  allow  of  lay 
 baptism,  neither  may  a  deacon,  according  to  their  canons,  qiioted 
 under  Chapter  XXVII.  §  1,  administer  this  sacrament.  The 
 Chaldeans,  however,  have  adopted  the  practice  of  the  Western 
 Church  in  this  respect,  and  permit  midwives  and  others  to  baptize 
 in  cases  of  extreme  danger. 
 
215 
 
 CHAPTER    XLII. 
 
 LITURGY    OF    NESTORIUS.* 
 
 Priest.  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace, 
 good  will  toward  men. 
 
 Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  &c. 
 
 Prayer.-^ 
 In  Thy  compassion,  O  Lord,  our  God,  strengthen  our  weak- 
 ness, that  we  may  administer  the  holy  sacraments  which  were 
 given  for  the  salvation  of  our  race,  through  the  mercies  of  Thy 
 well-beloved  Son,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 1[  Then  shall  folloiv  [a  portion  of  one  of  the  cathistna  called']  a  marmeetha, 
 {^consisting  of  tivo  or  more  psalms,  as  appointed  in  the  Khudhra ybr  Sundays 
 and  for  all  the  greater  festivals.  On  all  other  days  Ps.  xv.  cl.  and  cxvii.  are 
 used.] 
 
 Canon. 
 Make  me  to  stand  before  Thy  altar,  0  Lord,  with  a  pure  heart. 
 Deacon.  Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer.'\ 
 Before  the  habitation  of  Thy  Majesty,   and  the  high   and 
 
 *  I  have  chosen  this  of  the  three  liturgies  in  use  among  the  Nestorians,  be- 
 cause it  is  more  likely  to  comprise  the  peculiar  views  attributed  to  their  reputed 
 head.  It  has  been  translated  by  Renaudot  and  Asseman  ;  but  not  with  perfect 
 correctness.  For  the  great  age  of  the  normal  form,  see  Neale's  Introduction, 
 Vol.  i.  p.  320. 
 
 A  part  of  the  ante-communion  and  the  post- communion  office  in  the  liturgies 
 of  Nestorius  and  Theodorus  are  taken  from  that  styled  the  "  Liturgy  of  the 
 Apostles,''  and  ascribed  to  Mar  Addai  and  Mar  Mari  of  the  Seventy. 
 
 t  Two  different  collects  are  substituted  in  the  place  of  these  on  the  lesser 
 festivals  and  on  ordinary  occasions. 
 
216  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 exalted  throne  of  Thy  Excellency,  and  the  awful  seat  of  the 
 power  of  Thy  love,  and  the  altar  of  forgiveness  raised  by  Thy 
 will,  and  the  place  of  the  abode  of  Thy  glory,  we  Thy  people 
 and  sheep  of  Thy  pasture,  with  thousands  of  cherubim  who 
 sing  hallelujahs,  and  with  myriads  of  seraphim  and  archangels 
 who  celebrate  Thee  with  their  song  of  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  kneel, 
 worship,  give  thanks,  and  praise  at  all  times,  0  Lord  of  all. 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  shall  follow  the  Oneetha  d'Kanke  [or  the  anthem  of  the  altar,  as 
 appointed  in  the  Khudhra  for  Sundays  and  the  principal  holidays.  This 
 anthem  is  sung  by  the  Deacons  at  the  door  of  the  bema.'] 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 When  the  sweet  odour  of  Thy  love,  0  Lord  our  God,  pene- 
 trates our  minds,  and  our  souls  are  enlightened  by  the  know- 
 ledge of  Thy  truth,  we  thereby  become  fit  to  meet  Thy  well- 
 beloved  when  He  shall  appear  from  heaven,  and  there  to  give 
 thanks  unto  Thee,  and  to  praise  Thee  unceasingly,  in  Thy 
 Church  triumphant  endowed  with  all  aid  and  blessing ;  for 
 Thou  art  the  sovereign  Creator  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Deacon.  Unto  Thee,  0  Lord,  we  give  thanks ;  unto  Thee,  0 
 Christ  Jesus,  we  offer  praise;  because  Thou  art  He  Who 
 quickeneth  our  bodies,  and  saveth  our  souls. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Thou,  0  Lord,  art  in  truth  the  Quickener  of  our  bodies,  and 
 Thou  art  the  Saviour  of  our  souls,  and  the  Preserver  of  our 
 frames  continually.  Unto  Thee,  O  Lord,  we  are  bound  at  all 
 times  to  offer  thanksgiving,  worship,  and  praise,  0  Lord  of  all, 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Deacon.  0  Holy  God,  O  Holy  Mighty,  O  Holy  Immortal, 
 have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 Priest.  O  Thou  Holy  and  Adorable,  Thou  Strong  and  Im- 
 mortal One,  Who  dwellest  in  the  saints  who  perform  Thy  will, 
 we  pray  that  Thou  wouldest  regard,  pity,  and  have  mercy  upon 
 us,  as  is  ever  Thy  wont,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and 
 Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
LITURGY    OF    NESTORIUS.  217 
 
 ^  Then  shall  follow  the  two  lessons  as  appointed  in  the  Karyana,     Before  the 
 deacon  begins  to  read  the  priest  shall  say : 
 
 Blessed  is  God,  Who  endueth  us  with  wisdom  through  His 
 holy  teaching,  and  Who  poureth  out  His  mercy  upon  the  reader 
 and  hearers,  at  all  times.     Amen. 
 
 ^  The  lessons  ended,  the  irpoKeifiepoy  shall  follow,  after  which  the  priest  shall 
 
 say  this 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Enlighten,  0  Lord  God,  the  motions  of  our  thoughts  that 
 we  may  attend  to  and  understand  the  sweet  sound  of  Thy  life- 
 giving  and  divine  commandments  :  and  in  Thy  grace  and  mercy 
 vouchsafe  that  we  may  derive  therefrom  the  fruits  of  love,  hope, 
 and  salvation,  which  may  be  profitable  to  our  souls  and  bodies, 
 and  we  will  ever  and  unceasingly  sing  praises  unto  Thee,  O 
 Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Before  he  begins  the  reading  of  the  Epistle,  the  deacon  shall  say  :  Give  Thy 
 blessing,  O  Lord.  To  which  the  priest  shall  answer .-  The  Lord  endue 
 thee  with  wisdom  by  His  holy  teaching,  and  make  thee  profitable  to  all  who 
 shall  listen  to  thee.  The  epistle  ended  the  deacon  shall  say :  Glory  be  to 
 Christ  our  Lord.     After  which  the  priest  shall  silently  pray  as  follows  : 
 
 Unto  Thee,  0  ray  of  the  glory  of  the  Father,  Thou  Image 
 of  the  person  of  the  Father,  Who  appearedst  in  the  body  of  our 
 humanity,  and  enlightenedst  the  darkness  of  our  minds  through 
 the  light  of  Thy  Gospel,  unto  Thee  we  give  thanks,  worship,  and 
 praise,  at  all  times,  O  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 f   Whilst  the  priest  is  opening  the  Gospel,  he  shall  say  silently : 
 
 Glory  be  to  the  everlasting  mercies  which  sent  Thee  unto  us, 
 O  Christ,  the  Light  of  the  world,  and  the  life  of  all,  for  ever 
 and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 ^  As  he  bears  the  Gospel  from  the  altar  to  the  door  of  the  bema  the  priest  shall 
 
 say  silently : 
 
 Make  us  wise  through  Thy  law,  enlighten  the  motions  of  our 
 hearts  through  Thy  wisdom,  sanctify  our  souls  by  Thy  truth, 
 and  grant  that  we  may  be  obedient  to  Thy  words,  and  that  we 
 may  fulfil  Thy  commandments  at  all  times,  0  Lord  of  all. 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
218  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 ^  Whilst  incense  is  being  put  into  the  censer  the  priest  shall  say  the  following : 
 
 0  Lord,  let  that  same  sweet  odour,  which  came  forth  from 
 Thee  when  Mary  the  sinner  poured  upon  Thy  head  the  precious 
 ointment,  mingle  with  this  incense  which  we  offer  before  Thy 
 Majesty  for  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins  and  transgressions,  O 
 Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Deacon.  Stand  prepared  to  bear  the  holy  Gospel. 
 
 T[  Then  the  priest  shall  read  the  Gospel  for  the  day,  beginning  with  the  salu- 
 tation :  Peace  be  with  you.  To  which  all  shall  respond :  With  thee,  and 
 with  thy  spirit.  After  the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel  from  which  the  les- 
 son is  taken,  the  deacon  shall  say :  Glory  be  to  Christ  our  Lord.  The 
 Gospel  ended,  the  deacon  shall  add:  Glory  be  to  Christ  our  Lord  ;  and  let 
 us  all  commit  ourselves  and  one  another  to  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 ^  Here  follow  eth  the  ectene,  which  whilst  the  deacon  is  reciting  the  priest  shall 
 take  the  paten  and  chalice  from  the  prothesis,  and  shall  say  this  anthem  : 
 
 Ant.  The  poor  shall  eat  and  be  satisfied. 
 
 The  body  of  Christ  and  His  precious  blood  are  upon  the 
 holy  altar ;  let  us  all  therefore  come  before  Him  in  fear  and  love, 
 and  with  the  angels  sing  unto  Him,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  is  the 
 Lord  of  hosts.      [To  he  repeated.'] 
 
 \  Then  the  priest  shall  take  the  chalice  in  his  right  hand  and  the  paten  in  the 
 left,  and  crossing  his  arms  he  shall  say  : 
 
 Let  us  ever  and  at  all  times  offer  praise  to  Thy  glorious 
 Trinity,  0  Christ,  Who  wast  sacrificed  for  our  sins,  and  Who 
 commandedst  us  to  keep  up  a  remembrance  of  Thy  death  and 
 resurrection.  In  Thy  grace  and  mercy  accept  this  oblation  at 
 our  hands.     Amen. 
 
 %  Then  he  shall  strike  the  chalice  and  paten  together  three  times,  saying: 
 
 According  to  Thy  commandment,  0  Lord  our  God,  let  these 
 adorable,  holy,  life-giving,  and  divine  sacraments,  be  placed  and 
 ordered  upon  the  sin-forgiving  altar  until  the  second  coming  of 
 our  Lord  from  heaven,  to  whom  be  glory  at  all  times  and  for 
 ever.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Having  placed  the  chalice  and  paten  upon  the  altar  the  priest  shall  cover 
 them  carefully  with  a  napkin,  and  shall  say  .- 
 
 Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
LITURGY    OF    NBSTORIUS.  219 
 
 On  the  holy  altar  let  there  be  a  remembrance  of  Mary  the 
 Mother  of  Christ. 
 
 Deacon.  As  it  was  in  the  beginnings  is  noWj  and  ever  shall  be, 
 world  without  end. 
 
 0  ye  apostles  of  the  Son,  and  lovers  of  the  Only-begotten, 
 pray  for  peace  in  all  the  world. 
 
 Priest.  And  let  all  the  people  say  Amen,  Amen. 
 
 Let  thy  memorial,   0 [Here  the  name  of  the  saint  to 
 
 whom  the  Church  is  dedicated  is  to  be  inserted]  be  upon  the  holy 
 altar,  together  with  that  of  the  just  who  have  overcome,  and 
 with  that  of  the  martyrs  who  have  received  their  crowns. 
 
 Deacon.  All  the  dead  have  slept  in  the  hope  of  Thee,  that  by 
 Thy  glorious  resurrection  Thou  wouldest  raise  them  up  in 
 glory. 
 
 K  Then  the  Priest  shall  give  the  Cross  and  Gospel  into  the  hands  of  the  Deacons, 
 who  shall  go  out  therewith  into  the  chancel,  and  shall  say : 
 
 Christ  our  Lord  make  you  fit  to  meet  Him  with  open  face. 
 Amen. 
 
 ^  The  ectene  ended,  the  Priest  shall  say. 
 
 We  pray  and  beseech  Thee,  0  Lord  God  Almighty,  to 
 perfect  in  us  Thy  will,  and  to  pour  out  through  us  Thy  gift,  and 
 the  mercies  and  compassion  of  Thy  godhead,  and  grant  that 
 they  may  convey  to  Thy  people  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins,  and 
 to  the  sheep  of  Thy  pasture  which  Thou  hast  chosen  to  Thyself 
 the  pardon  of  their  iniquities,  through  Thy  grace  and  mercy,  0 
 Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Deacon  shall  say  with  a  loud  voice.  Bow  your  heads  for  the  impo- 
 sition of  hands,  and  receive  the  blessing.  At  this  the  Deacons  and  people 
 shall  bow  their  heads,  and  the  Priest  shall  say  the  following  in  a  low  voice: 
 
 0  Lord,  the  mighty  God,  [to  be  repeated^  Thine  is  the 
 holy  Catholic  Church,  which  was  purchased  by  the  passion  of 
 Thy  Christ,  and  Thine  are  the  sheep  of  Thy  pasture,  and 
 through  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost  of  Thine  own  glorious 
 Essence  are  given  the  different  degrees  of  the  imposition  of 
 hands  appertaining  to  the  office  of  the  true  priesthood.  In  Thy 
 mercy,  0  Lord,  Thou  hast  made  our  frail  nature  meet  to  become 
 very  members  in  the  great  body  of  the  holy  Catholic  Church, 
 and  to  adoiinister  spiritual  benefits  to  the  souls  of  believers.     0 
 
220  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Lord,  perfect  Thy  grace  in  us,  and  pour  it  out  through  our 
 hands,  and  suffer  Thy  mercies  and  Thy  divine  compassion  to 
 rest  upon  us,  and  upon  this  people  which  Thou  hast  chosen  for 
 Thyself.  [Then  luith  a  loud  voice.']  And  grant,  0  Lord,  in  Thy 
 mercy,  that  throughout  the  days  of  our  life  we  all  may  approve 
 ourselves  before  Thy  Godhead  in  such  good  works  of  righteous- 
 ness as  Thy  adorable  will  shall  be  pleased  with  and  accept,  that 
 through  the  help  of  Thy  grace  we  may  be  fit  to  offer  unto  Thee 
 glory,  honour,  praise,  and  worship,  at  all  times,  0  Lord  of  all, 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 \  Then  the  Deacons  shall  enter  the  berna,  and  shall  proclaim  as  follows : 
 
 Let  every  one  who  is  unbaptized  depart.  Whosoever  has  not 
 received  the  sign  of  life,  let  him  depart.  And  whosoever  is  un- 
 willing to  receive  the  same,  let  him  depart.  Go,  ye  hearers,  and 
 watch  the  doors. 
 
 1]  The  veil  shall  then  be  draivn  aside;  after  which  the  appointed  anthem  shall 
 be  sung  by  the  Deacons  and  people,  and  the  Priest  shall  repeat  the  same, 
 singing  himself  the  meanwhile,  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  And  as  he 
 descends  from  the  steps  of  the  altar,  the  Deacons  shall  bow  before  him,  and 
 he  shall  say : 
 
 The  Lord  God  accept  your  ministrations,  adorn  you  with  all 
 beauty,  and  enrich  you  with  every  good  gift,  for  ever  and  ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  approaching  the  door  of  the  bema  he  shall  bow  and  say  : 
 
 With  our  hearts  sprinkled  and  cleansed  from  all  evil  thoughts, 
 we  are  fit  to  enter  into  the  holy  of  holies  above,  and  to  appear 
 before  Thine  altar  in  purity  and  holiness,  and  in  true  faith  to 
 offer  unto  Thee  spiritual  and  reasonable  sacrifices. 
 
 ^  Then  he  shall  stand  in  front  of  the  altar  with  uplifted  hands  and  shall  say 
 in  a  loud  voice  the  Nicene  Creed.  After  which  the  Deacon  shall  approach 
 the  altar  with  three  genuflexions,  and  whilst  the  Priest  is  worshipping  before 
 the  altar  the  latter  shall  say  : 
 
 God,  the  Lord  of  all,  be  with  us,  in  His  grace  and  mercy, 
 now  and  for  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Deacon.  Let  us  pray.  Peace  be  with  us.  Let  us  offer  the 
 prayer  of  commemoration. 
 
 Priest.  [To  the  deacon.]  God,  the  Lord  of  all,  strengthen 
 thee  to  sing  His  praise. 
 
LITURGY    OF    NESTORIUS.  221 
 
 If  Then  the  Priest  shall  turn  his  face  to  the  altar,  and  shall  worship  thrice, 
 approaching  nearer  at  each  genuflexion.  \_Here  follows  a  long  rubric  direct- 
 ing how  the  genuflexions  are  to  be  performed.}  Whilst  worshipping  he  shall 
 sag  the  following  prayer  in  a  low  voice  :  * 
 
 0  Lord  our  God,  we  give  thanks  to  the  overflowing  riches  of 
 Thy  grace  towards  us,  [to  he  repeated,']  inasmuch  as  that  whilst 
 we  were  yet  sinners  and  imperfect,  in  the  abundance  of  Thy 
 mercy  Thou  didst  fit  us  to  administer  the  holy  sacraments  of  the 
 body  and  blood  of  Thy  Christ.  "VYe  pray  Thee  to  strengthen 
 our  souls  with  Thy  help,  that  in  perfect  love,  and  true  faith,  we 
 may  now  administer  Thy  gift  towards  us.  Look  not,  0  Lord, 
 look  not  upon  the  multitude  of  our  sins,  neither  let  Thy  ma- 
 jesty despise  us  on  account  of  the  burden  of  our  iniquities  ;  but 
 in  Thy  unutterable  grace  receive  this  oblation  at  our  hands,  and 
 endue  it  with  virtue  and  efficacy  that  thereby  our  sins  may  be 
 blotted  out,  so  that  when  Thou  shalt  appear  at  the  last  day  in 
 the  humanity  which  Thou  didst  take  from  us,  we  may  find  grace 
 and  mercy  with  Thee,  and  be  meet  to  praise  Thee  with  all  the 
 spiritual  company  above,  saying  :  [Here  the  priest  shall  say  the 
 prayer  of  Mar  Barsoma,  still  bending  before  the  altar. ~\  Glory 
 be  to  Thee  Who  dost  find  the  lost ;  glory  be  to  Thee,  0  Thou, 
 Who  dost  gather  together  the  dispersed :  glory  be  to  Thee,  O 
 Thou  Who  dost  bring  near  those  who  are  afar  ofi";  glory  be  to 
 Thee,  0  Thou  Who  dost  restoi-e  those  who  err  to  a  knowledge  of 
 the  truth  ;  glory  be  to  Thee,  0  Lord,  for  having  called  my  frail 
 self,  by  Thy  grace,  and  for  having  caused  me  to  draw  near  unto 
 Thee  in  Thy  pity,  and  made  me  a  very  member  in  the  great 
 body  of  the  holy  Church,  to  offer  up  unto  Thee  this  lively,  holy, 
 and  acceptable  sacrifice,  in  remembrance  of  the  passion,  death, 
 and  resurrection,  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
 through  whom  Thou  art  well  pleased  to  forgive  the  sins  of  all 
 mankind  ; 
 
 Canon. 
 
 That  unto  Thee,  0  God  the  very  Father,  and  to  Thy  Only- 
 begotten  Son,  and  to  Thy  Holy  and  life-giving  Spirit,  we  may 
 
 *  The  service  thus  far  is  taken  from  the  "  Liturgy  of  the  Apostles;"  what 
 follows  is  the  part  attributed  to  Nestorius. 
 
222  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 ascribe  glory,  honour,  praise^  and  worship,  now  and  for  ever 
 and  ever.  [  Whilst  saying  this  the  priest  shall  sign  himself,  and 
 the  people  shall  answer.^   Amen. 
 
 Priest.  Peace  be  with  you  all. 
 
 R.  With  thee,  and  with  thy  spirit. 
 
 Deacon.  Salute  one  another  in  the  love  of  Christ. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Deacon  shall  read  the  prayer  of  commemoration  styled  diopatkeen  ;* 
 after  which  he  shall  say  as  follows : 
 
 Let  us  all  in  purity  and  in  contrition  give  thanks  unto  the 
 Lord,  and  offer  up  our  prayers  and  supplications  unto  Him. 
 With  reverence  stand  and  behold  the  things  which  are  about  to 
 be  performed, — the  awful  sacraments  which  ai'e  about  to  be 
 consecrated, — for  the  priest  hath  drawn  near  to  pray  that 
 through  him  peace  may  be  multiplied  unto  you.  Cast  your 
 eyes  downwards^  and  lift  up  your  hearts  in  watchfulness,  and 
 earnestly  pray  and  supplicate  at  this  time.  Let  none  dare  to 
 speak,  and  whosoever  prays  let  him  pray  mentally,  and  let  all 
 in  fear  and  silence  stand  and  pray.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 ^  Whilst  the  Deacon  is  repeating  the  above  the  Priest  shall  say  silently  the 
 
 following  : 
 
 0  Lord,  the  mighty  God,  [to  be  repeated,']  Who  in  Thy 
 mercy  art  the  support  of  our  weakness,  by  the  aid  of  Thy  grace 
 make  me  fit  to  offer  before  Thee  this  oblation,  that  it  may  be  for 
 the  help  of  all  this  congregation,  and  to  the  praise  of  Thy  glo- 
 rious Trinity,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 the  anaphora. 
 
 The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God, 
 and  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with  us  all.  [Whilst 
 saying  this  he  shall  sign  the  elements.] 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 Priest.  Above  in  the  height  of  the  highest,  and  in  the  awful 
 place  of  praise,  where  the  fluttering  of  the  wings  of  the  cheru- 
 bims  ceases  not,  neither  is  there  any  intermission  to  their 
 hallelujahs,  or  to  the  song  of  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  of  the  seraphim, 
 thither  lift  up  your  hearts. 
 
 •  i.  e.  The  Diptychs. 
 
LITURGY    OF    NESTORIUS.  223 
 
 R,  Unto  Thee,  0  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  the 
 King  of  glory. 
 
 Priest.  The  living  and  reasonable  oblation  of  the  First- 
 begotten  of  us,  and  the  un sacrificed  and  acceptable  sacrifice  of 
 the  Son  of  our  race,  which  the  prophets  prefigured  mystically, 
 and  which  the  Apostles  preached  openly,  and  which  martyrs 
 purchased  with  their  blood,  and  which  wise  men  have  expounded 
 in  the  churches,  and  which  priests  have  sacrificed  upon  the  holy 
 altar,  and  which  the  Levites  have  borne  in  their  hands,  and 
 which  the  people  have  received  for  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins, 
 — be  this  offered  unto  God,  the  Lord  of  all,  for  all  mankind. 
 
 R.  It  is  meet  and  right. 
 
 Deacon.  Call  to  mind  the  wonderful  providence  of  Christ 
 our  Saviour,  which  He  perfected  for  us,  how  by  His  body  He 
 hath  turned  our  mourning  into  joy,  and  by  His  living  blood  He 
 hath  sprinkled  our  hearts.  Be  watchful,  and  pray  in  purity, 
 Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 ly  Then  the  priest  shall  say  the  two  following  prayers  silently. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 0  Lord,  I  adore  Thy  grace,  \to  he  repeated,']  and  give  thanks 
 unto  Thy  mercy,  because  in  Thy  compassion  Thou  hast  made 
 me,  who  am  unworthy,  fit  to  offer  unto  Thee  adorable  and 
 divine  sacraments.  X  beseech  Thee,  0  Lord,  and  supplicate 
 that  Thy  grace  may  cause  them  to  be  for  the  quiet  of  the  world, 
 the  peace  of  the  creation,  the  resurrection  of  Thy  believing 
 Church,  the  prosperity  of  Thy  priests,  the  edification  of  all  those 
 who  believe  on  Thee,  the  preservation  of  those  who  are  justified 
 by  Thee,  the  pardon  and  forgiveness  of  the  sins  of  the  penitent, 
 the  reclaiming  of  the  wandering,  the  salvation  of  all  mankind, 
 and,  in  Thy  grace  and  mercy,  for  the  blotting  out  of  the  ignor- 
 ances of  all  Thy  people  and  servants  who  now  stand  before  Thee, 
 for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Unto  Thee,  0  Lord,  the  mighty  God,  whose  essence  is 
 eternal,  the  Father  Almighty,  \to  be  repeated,']  He  who  for  ever 
 was,  is,  and  shall  be,  the  same ;  it  is  meet  and  right  that  we 
 should  ever  and  at  all  times  offer  praise,  worship,  honour,  and 
 
224  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 glory.  Thou  art  the  true  God,  incomprehensible,  infinite,  inex- 
 plicable, invisible,  uncompounded,  impassible,  immortal,  and 
 far  above  the  thoughts  and  understandings  of  all  creatures,  every 
 M'here  present,  and  yet  not  to  be  contained  in  any  place, — the 
 Father,  the  Only-Begotten  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  Put  a 
 good  vi'ord  in  our  mouth,  0  Lord,  that  with  a  contrite  heart, 
 and  humble  spirit,  we  may  offer  unto  Thee  the  spiritual  fruits 
 of  our  lips,  a  reasonable  service  ;  for  Thou  art  the  one  only  God, 
 the  Father  of  our  King,  and  Lord,  and  Saviour,  Jesus 
 Christ  our  hope,  in  whom  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
 and  knowledge,  and  from  whom  we  have  received  the  knowledge 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  who  proceedeth  forth 
 from  Thee,  0  Father,  and  who  is  of  the  hidden  essence  of  Thy 
 Godhead,  and  through  whom  all  rational  creatures,  visible  and 
 invisible,  are  strengthened,  sanctified,  and  perfected.  We  offer 
 up  unto  Thee  unceasingly,  and  at  all  times,  and  to  Thy  Only- 
 Begotten  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  endless  praise  and 
 thanksgiving,  for  all  the  work  of  Thy  hands  ;  for  that  Thou 
 from  nothing  didst  bring  us  into  existence,  and  didst  form  us  ; 
 and  when  we  stumbled  and  fell  and  became  corrupt.  Thou  didst 
 renew  us,  and  raise  us  up,  and  make  us  Thine  own  again,  and 
 didst  not  cease  to  visit  us,  and  constantly  to  care  for  us,  until 
 Thou  didst  exalt  us  to  heaven,  and  in  Thy  pity  didst  give  us 
 the  kingdom  to  come.  For  all  these  Thy  benefits  we  thank 
 Thee,  0  God  the  Father  of  truth,  and  Thy  Only-Begotten  Son 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  Thy  living  Spirit  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  and  we  worship  Thee  also  for  all  Thy  benefits  towards 
 us,  such  as  are  known  to  us  and  such  as  we  do  not  know,  both 
 hidden  and  open.  And  we  also  thank  Thee  for  this  service, 
 and  beseech  Thee  to  accept  it  at  our  hands.  Who  can  utter  Thy 
 wondrous  power,  or  declare  all  Thy  praise  ?  for  even  if  all 
 created  beings  should  join  in  one  mouth  and  in  one  tongue  they 
 could  not  publish  Thy  greatness. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 For  before  Thy  Trinity,  0  Lord,  thousands  of  thousands, 
 and  myriads  of  myriads,  of  angels  and  archangels  stand  and  fly, 
 and  with  a  loud  voice  cry  out  to  one  another  without  ceasing, 
 saying  : — 
 
LITUKGY    OF    NESTORIUS.  225 
 
 R.  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  of  hosts,  heaven  and  earth 
 are  full  of  Thy  glory.  Hosanna  in  the  highest.  Hosanna  to 
 the  Son  of  David.  Blessed  is  He  who  cometh  in  the  name  of 
 the  Lord.     Hosanna  in  the  highest. 
 
 Prayer  [in  a  low  voice.] 
 
 I,  Thy  weak  and  sinful  servant  beseech  Thee,  0  Lord  the 
 mighty  God,  and  supplicate  Thy  abundant  mercy  in  behalf  of 
 my  weak  and  sinful  estate,  that  Thou  wouldest  forgive  my  sins 
 and  iniquities,  and  accept  at  my  frail  hands  this  lively  and  holy 
 sacrifice  in  my  own  behalf,  and  in  behalf  of  this  Thy  people  who 
 wait  for  Thy  salvation,  that  it  may  be  effectual  for  the  forgive- 
 ness of  sins,  and  for  health,  help,  and  mercy.  And  grant  that 
 when  Thy  holy  Body  and  Blood  shall  mingle  with  the  bodies 
 and  souls  of  Thy  servants,  they  may  cleanse  us  from  all  the 
 pollution  of  sin,  deliver  us  from  all  evil,  and  from  the  crafts  of 
 the  enemy  of  our  race,  and  fill  us  with  true  faith,  with  the  light 
 of  the  knowledge  of  Thy  providence,  with  the  perfect  love  of 
 Thy  Majesty,  and  with  the  good  hope  of  Thy  grace.  And  now 
 accept  this  pure  service  which  is  spread  out  before  Thee,  that 
 in  one  place  and  with  one  heart  and  soul  we  may  be  fitted  to 
 fulfil  Thy  will  in  true  faith  and  perfect  love,  and  to  ascribe  glory 
 to  Thy  Majesty  for  all  Thy  unspeakable  benefits  towards  us. 
 
 And  we,  with  the  heavenly  hosts,  [to  be  repeated,]  0  Thou 
 righteous  Lord,  God  the  merciful  Father,  will  cry  out  and  say : 
 Holy  art  Thou  in  truth,  and  praised  art  Thou  in  very  deed, 
 because  Thou  hast  made  Thy  earthly  worshippers  fit  to  be 
 likened  unto  those  who  worship  Thee  in  heaven.  Holy  is  Thine 
 Only-Begotten  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  who  is  with  Thee  from  eternity,  the  Son  of  Thine 
 essence,  the  Creator  of  all.  We  bless,  0  Lord,  God  the  Word, 
 the  hidden  Begotten  One  of  Thy  bosom,  who  is  Thine  Image, 
 Bay,  and  the  Likeness  of  Thy  Self-existence;  who,  being  Thy 
 Likeness,  Ray,  and  the  Image  of  Thy  Self-existence,  thought  it 
 no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  Thee,  but  emptied  Himself,  and  took 
 upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant  in  a  perfect  man,  of  a  reason- 
 able, intelligent,  and  immortal  soul,  and  of  a  human  and  mortal 
 body  subsisting,  having  joined  and  united  with  Himself  in  one 
 honour,  dominion,  and  glory,  the  offspring  of  a  passible  body 
 
 vol.   II.  Q 
 
226  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 formed  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  for  the  salvation  of 
 all,  and  was  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  that  He 
 might  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law,  and  that  He  might 
 quicken  all  those  who  had  died  in  Adam,  having  abolished  in 
 His  flesh  the  law  of  commandments  contained  in  ordinances, 
 opened  the  blind  eyes  of  our  minds,  made  known  to  us  the  way 
 of  salvation,  and  enlightened  us  with  the  light  of  the  knowledge 
 of  divine  truth  :  and  such  as  received  Him  to  them  gave  He 
 power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  and  purified  and  cleansed  us 
 by  the  holy  baptism  of  water,  and  sanctified  us,  in  His  grace,  by 
 the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ;  and  them  that  have  been  buried 
 with  Him  in  baptism  unto  death  He  hath  raised  up  and  exalted 
 and  hath  made  them  to  sit  down  with  Him  in  heaven,  according 
 to  His  promise,  and  having  loved  His  own  which  are  in  this 
 world,  He  loved  them  unto  the  end,  and  became  the  propitiation 
 for  the  sins  of  our  race  and  for  the  life  of  all,  and  yielded 
 Himself  up  unto  death  for  every  man,  under  whose  sentence 
 they  were,  to  whose  power  all  were  subject,  and  to  whom  we 
 were  sold  through  our  sins.  And  He  descended  into  sheol  and 
 loosed  the  bands  of  death ;  and  because  it  was  not  possible  that 
 the  First-begotten  of  our  salvation  should  be  holden  of  sheol, 
 He  arose  from  the  dead  on  the  third  day,  and  became  the  first- 
 fruits  of  them  that  slept,  that  in  everything  He  might  have  the 
 pre-eminence,  and  ascended  into  heaven,  and  sat  down  at  the 
 right  hand  of  Thy  Majesty,  0  God,  and  committed  to  us  the 
 memorial  of  our  salvation  in  this  sacrament  which  we  now  ofi'er 
 up  before  Thee.  For  when  the  time  came  when  He  was  about 
 to  sufi"er,  and  to  offer  Himself  up  unto  death,  in  that  same  night 
 in  which  He  was  to  be  betrayed  for  the  life  of  the  world,  after 
 the  Paschal  supper  of  Moses,  He  took  bread  in  His  holy,  im- 
 maculate, and  pure  hands,  and  blessed,  and  brake,  and  ate,  and 
 gave  it  to  His  disciples,  saying  :  Take,  eat  ye  all  of  this.  This 
 is  My  body,  which  is  broken  for  you  for  the  remission  of  sins. 
 And  also  the  cup,  after  He  had  mixed  it  with  wine  and  water. 
 He  blessed,  gave  thanks,  and  drank,  and  gave  it  to  His  disciples, 
 saying :  Drink  ye  all  of  this,  for  this  is  My  blood  of  the  New 
 Testament  which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins. 
 Do  this  in  remembrance  of  Me  until  My  coming  again ;  for  as 
 often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show  My 
 
LITURGY    OF    NESTORIUS.  327 
 
 death  till  I  come.  Whosoever  shall  approach  and  partake  of 
 these  in  true  faith,  they  shall  be  effectual  for  the  forgiveness  of 
 his  sins,  for  the  pardon  of  his  iniquities,  for  the'  resurrection 
 from  the  dead,  and  for  a  new  life  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 We  offer  glory,  honour,  praise,  and  worship,  unto  Thee,  0 
 Thou  adorable  Father,  and  to  Thy  glorious  Son,  and  to  Thy 
 living  and  life-giving  Spirit,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 
 [Here  the  Priest  shall  sign  the  sacraments.'] 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 Deacon.  With  the  enlightened  eyes  of  the  mind  behold  the 
 meekness,  humility,  and  lowliness  of  Christ  our  Saviour,  and 
 with  the  thought  of  pure  intention  let  us  discern  and  see 
 the  Son,  the  Only-begotten  of  the  Father,  led  away  to  the 
 passion  of  the  cross,  and  let  us  pray.  Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Priest  [silently],  0  Lord  God,  the  compassionate,  the  mer- 
 ciful, the  pitiful,  now  that  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak,  which 
 am  but  dust  and  ashes, — I  Thy  sinful  and  weak  servant,  who 
 am  Thy  debtor  from  the  womb,  a  stranger  to  Thee  from  the 
 belly,  and  poor  with  respect  unto  Thee  from  the  bowels  of  my 
 mother,  in  Thy  mercy  have  pity  upon  me,  save  me  from  the 
 ocean  of  my  sins,  and  draw  me  and  lift  me  out  of  the  depth  of 
 my  iniquities,  and  in  Thy  goodness  heal  the  wounds  and  sores 
 of  my  ignorances  with  Thy  all-healing  medicine,  and  grant  that 
 I  may  open  my  mouth  before  Thee,  and  move  my  lips  unto 
 Thee,  and  suffer  me  to  plead  with  Thee  for  my  ignorances,  and 
 for  the  pardon  of  my  sins  and  iniquities,  and  for  the  washing 
 out  of  my  stains,  and  also  for  those  of  these  sinners  my  com- 
 panions, and  make  me  fit  to  ask  from  Thee  such  things  as  we 
 ought  to  ask  of  Thy  Godhead ;  for  unto  Thee,  O  Thou  whose 
 riches  cannot  be  impoverished.  Thou  inexhaustible  Treasure,  are 
 ever  offered  up  right  prayers,  and  from  Thee  proceed  answers  of 
 liberal  gifts,  and  Thou  upbraidest  not.  Be  not  angry  with  me, 
 0  Thou  righteous  and  long-suffering  God,  because  I  am  not 
 innocent  before  Thee.  With  confidence  I  address  Thy  majesty, 
 and  with  boldness  I  beseech  Thee  to  accept  my  person,  for  I  am 
 called  by  Thy  name.  Receive  this  sacrifice  at  my  frail  hands  in 
 behalf  of  Thy  people  and  the  sheep  of  Thy  pasture,  and  I  will 
 
 Q  2 
 
228  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 give  thanks  unto  Thy  name^  and  adore  Thy  majesty,  now  and 
 for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 And  we  also,  0  Thou  mighty  Lord,  God  the  Father,  [To 
 he  repeated,^  in  commemorating  this  which  was  given  for  our 
 salvation,  and  in  bringing  to  mind  all  those  things  which  have 
 been  done  for  us,  would  before  all  believe  and  confess  Thee, 
 God  the  very  Father,  and  the  divinity  of  the  eternal  birth  of 
 the  Only-begotten  of  Thee,  with  whom,  in  the  co-equality  of 
 His  essence  with  Thee,  Thou  art  joined  in  His  wonderful  provi- 
 dence towards  us,  which  took  place  in  our  humanity  [which  He 
 assumed,]  in  His  cross  and  passion,  in  His  death  and  in  the  grave, 
 in  His  resurrection  after  three  days  and  ascension  into  hea- 
 ven, in  His  session  on  the  right  hand,  and  in  the  glorious  advent 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  us  a  second  time,  in  and 
 through  whom  Thou  wilt  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead,  and 
 reward  every  man  according  to  his  works.  And  we  also  confess 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  of  the  glorious  essence  of  Thy  Godhead,  who 
 proceeds  forth  from  Thee,  0  Father,  and  with  Thee,  and  with 
 Thine  Only-begotten  Son,  is  praised,  worshipped,  and  revered 
 by  all.  We  offer  unto  Thee  this  lively,  holj^,  acceptable,  glorious, 
 awful,  and  great  and  immaculate  sacrament,  for  all  men ;  for 
 the  holy,  apostolic,  and  Catholic  Church  throughout  the  earth, 
 that  Thou  wouldest  vouchsafe  to  keep  it  from  all  doubtfulness, 
 immoveable,  and  indefectible,  [Repeat  from  for  the  holy,  &c.,] 
 without  spot,  blemish,  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing,  even  as  Thy 
 well-beloved  Son  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  said^  that  the 
 gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.  And  for  all  our 
 fathers,  the  bishops  who  in  every  place  preach  the  word  of  truth 
 of  the  orthodox  faith,  and  for  all  the  priests  who  exercise  Thy 
 priesthood  before  Thee  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness,  in 
 the  mystery  of  the  faith,  and  in  a  pure  conscience.  And  for  all 
 congregations  of  Thy  sanctified  people  here  and  every  where ; 
 and  for  all  who  have  sinned  and  transgressed  against  Thee 
 knowingly  and  ignorantly,  and  for  me.  Thy  frail  servant,  whom 
 Thou  hast,  in  Thy  grace,  made  meet  to  offer  before  Thee  this 
 oblation.  And  for  all  those  who  sei've  Thy  Church  in  works  of 
 righteousness,  for  all  who  give  alms  to  the  poor,  for  all  believing 
 
LITURGY    OF    NESTORIUS.  229 
 
 kings,  and  for  the  establishment  of  their  kingdoms,  and  for  all 
 the  heads  and  sovereigns  of  the  world.  And  we  beseech  Thee 
 to  confirm  all  these  in  Thy  fear,  and  to  pour  out  upon  them 
 Thy  truth,  and  to  put  all  barbarous  nations  in  subjection  unto 
 them.  And  we  pray  of  Thy  Godhead,  0  Lord,  to  cause  violence 
 to  cease  in  all  the  earth,  and  to  scatter  the  people  that  delight 
 in  war,  that  we  may  lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all  godli- 
 ness and  honesty.  And  for  all  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  and  for 
 the  seasons,  that  the  year  may  be  crowned  with  Thy  goodness. 
 [The  last  period  to  he  repeated  thrice.]  And  for  this  city  and 
 those  who  dwell  therein,  and  for  all  who  reside  round  about  it ; 
 and  for  all  places  and  the  inhabitants  thereof,  that  Thou  mayest 
 have  mercy  upon  them,  bless,  keep,  and  preserve  them  in  Thy 
 compassion.  And  for  all  who  travel  afar  off  by  sea  or  land,  for 
 all  who  are  in  trouble  or  adversity,  for  the  outcast,  and  for  such 
 as  suffer  persecution  for  Thy  name^s  sake.  And  for  all  prisoners 
 and  captives  in  tribulation,  for  all  who  in  distant  islands  are 
 made  to  serve  in  hard  slavery,  and  for  all  our  believing  brethren 
 in  bondage.  And  we  beseech  Thee,  0  Lord,  that  Thou 
 wouldest  succour  all  such  as  are  sick  and  distressed.  And  we 
 supplicate  Thy  mercy,  0  Lord,  in  behalf  of  our  enemies,  and 
 those  who  hate  us,  and  those  who  think  evil  of  us ;  enter  not 
 into  judgment  with  them,  0  Lord,  neither  take  vengeance  upon 
 them,  0  Thou  mighty  God  ;  but  fit  them  for  mercy  and  salva- 
 tion, and  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  since  Thou  desirest  that  all 
 men  should  be  saved,  and  come  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
 and  by  Thy  only-begotten  Son  our  Lord  Jesits  Christ  Thou 
 hast  commanded  us  to  pray  for  our  enemies,  and  for  all  those 
 who  hate  us,  and  who  despitefully  use  us. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 And  now,  O  Lord,  forgive,  pardon,  absolve,  and  pass  by, 
 whereinsoever  we  have  sinned  and  transgressed,  0  Thou  Good 
 One,  Who  dost  govern  all  in  Thy  mercy,  that  with  one  accord  we 
 may  offer  unto  Thee  glory,  honour,  praise,  and  worship,  now  and 
 for  ever  and  ever.     Amen.     [Here  the  priest  shall  sign  himself.] 
 
 R,  Amen. 
 
 Deacon.  Lift  up  your  sight  to  the  height  of  the  highest  above, 
 and  behold  with  the  eyes  of  your  minds,  and  contemplate  that 
 
230  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 whicli  is  being  done  at  this  time.  The  Seraphim  stand  in  awe 
 before  the  throne  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  and  with  one  loud  voice 
 sing  unceasing  alleluias  and  praises  to  the  Body  which  is  laid 
 out,  and  to  the  Cup  which  is  mingled,  whilst  the  people  pray, 
 and  the  priest  intercedes  for  mercy  for  all  the  world ;  and  men- 
 tally say  :  Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Praise  be  unto  Thee,  O  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Who  in 
 Thy  mercy  hast  numbered  me  among  the  number  of  Thy  high 
 priests.     [Repeat.^     Praise  be  unto  Thee,  0  Lord,  for  having 
 mingled  me  with   the  choirs   of  Thy  priests.     Praise  be  unto 
 Thee,   0  Lord,  for  having  made  me  of  the  congregation  of 
 Thy  saints.     Praise  be  unto  Thee,  0  Lord,  for  having  raised 
 me  up  at  this  time  to  pray  for  Thy  people.     Praise  be  unto 
 Thee,  O  Lord,  for  having  made  me  meet  to  intercede  with  con- 
 fidence in  behalf  of  Thy  people,  and  to  lay  hold  of  the  robes 
 of  Thy  mercy.     Have  mercy  upon  Thy  people  who  now  stand 
 awaiting  Thy  compassion.     Turn  towards  the  wanderers  which 
 have  been  lost  from  the  sheep  of  Thy  fold ;  pardon  the  sinners 
 who  have  trodden  upon  the  ordinances  of  Thy  laws ;  and  in 
 Thy  overflowing  mercy  be  merciful  to  every  creature.     In  Thy 
 pity  forgive  the  sinful,  and  in  Thy  compassion  be  favourable 
 unto  the  transgressors ;    restore   the   wandering  to  Thy  fold, 
 gather  together  the  dispersed,  and  make  them  of  Thine  own 
 household.     In  Thy  grace  solace  all  such  as  are  in  trouble,  give 
 rest  to  the  weary  in   Thy  rest,  perfect  the  alms  which  are  be- 
 stowed for  Thy  Name's  sake,  and  succour  all  those  who  live  in 
 the  way  of  truth  trusting  in  Thee.     Quicken  the   dead  who 
 have  slept  in  Thy  hope,  and  in  Thy  grace  make  them  to  stand 
 at  Thy  right  hand,  and  finally  to  exult  in  the  heavenly  bliss  of 
 Thy  kingdom  with  all  the  righteous  and   good  who   have  been 
 approved  before  Thee  from  the  beginning.     And  now  behold 
 this  Thy  people  met  together  in  Thy  Name,  pardon   their  sins, 
 blot  out  their  ignorances,  cleanse  them  from  their  faults,  pass 
 over  their  transgressions,  heal   their   sicknesses,  cure  their  dis- 
 eases, put  far  off  all    their   enemies,   destroy  those   who  hate 
 them,  forgive  their  shortcomings,  wash  their  wounds  and  their 
 sores,   perfect  what   is  wanting   in    them,    bring    them    back 
 
LITUEGY    OP    NESTOaiUS.  231 
 
 from  their  wanderings,  quicken  their  mortality,  comfort  their 
 mourning,  quiet  their  anxiety,  enlighten  their  darkness,  support 
 their  weakness,  enrich  their  poverty,  give  them  rest  in  ad- 
 versity, and  humble  Thyself  to  listen  to  my  intercessions  in 
 their  behalf.  Look  also  upon  me,  me  Thy  frail  and  sinful  ser- 
 vant, whom  Thou  hast  this  day  moved  by  Thy  grace  to  pray 
 before  Thee  at  this  time ;  come  to  my  help,  turn  Thee  unto 
 me  for  my  salvation,  raise  me  up  from  my  dejection,  set  me  up 
 above  my  imperfections,  pardon  my  sins,  blot  out  my  follies, 
 and  hear  my  prayer,  and  hearken  unto  my  supplication,  and 
 make  me  to  walk  in  Thy  path,  to  attain  unto  Thy  promise,  and 
 to  be  a  partaker  of  Thy  sacraments,  and  finally  number  me  with 
 those  who  shall  be  on  Thy  right  hand  in  the  world  of  happiness, 
 and  cause  me  to  sit  down  in  the  abode  of  bliss,  with  all  the 
 members  of  Thy  household,  and  fit  me  to  stand  in  confidence 
 before  the  throne  of  Thy  glory  with  all  Thy  saints ;  and  pour 
 out  upon  my  sinful  estate  the  gift  of  Thy  mercy  through  the 
 prayers  of  such  as  are  still  in  the  body,  those  of  earth  who 
 honour  Thee,  and  through  the  prayers  of  the  spirits  who  praise 
 Thee  above  the  firmament,  the  Cherubim,  and  Seraphim,  and  the 
 angels  of  light,  who  sing  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  before  Thee.  Amen. 
 
 ^  After  which  the  Priest  shall  say  the  following,  bending  his  body  the  mean- 
 while. 
 
 0  Lord  God  the  Father,  strong  and  mighty,  we  beseech 
 Thee,  [Repeat^  and  we  kneel  and  worship  before  Thee,  that 
 Thou  wouldest  restore  the  wandering,  enlighten  those  who  are 
 in  darkness,  support  the  weak,  raise  up  the  fallen,  confirm  such 
 as  stand,  and  in  Thy  mercy  do  unto  every  one  according  as  his 
 wants  may  be.  And  we  beseech  Thee,  0  Lord,  and  supplicate 
 before  Thee,  to  remember  through  this  oblation  the  fathers,  the 
 patriarchs,  prophets,  apostles,  martyrs,  confessors,  bishops, 
 doctors,  priests,  and  deacons,  and  all  those  of  our  ministry  who 
 have  departed  this  life,  and  all  our  brethren  in  Christ,  and  all 
 who  have  departed  from  this  world  in  the  true  faith,  whose  names 
 are  known  unto  Thee.  Pardon  and  forgive  them  in  whatsoever 
 they  have  sinned  or  transgressed  against  Thee,  seeing  that  they 
 were  by  nature  inclined  to  evil,  and,  as  men,  clothed  with  ini- 
 quity. And  through  the  prayers  and  supplications  of  all  who 
 have  been  approved  before  Thee  turn  Thee  unto  us,^^  and  have 
 
232  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 mercy  upon  us,  and  upon  Thy  servants  and  people  who  are  now 
 standing  before  Thy  holy  altar,  and  make  us  all  meet  to  be  par- 
 takers in  that  portion  and  inheritance  unto  which  the  saints  in 
 light  have  attained.  And  grant,  0  Lord,  that  we  may  live 
 before  Thee  in  this  abode  of  our  pilgrimage  in  pure  love,  in 
 clean  thoughts,  and  that  with  a  right  knowledge  of  the  true 
 faith  of  Thee  we  may  partake  of  Thy  holy,  awful,  and  divine 
 sacraments,  so  that  when  we  shall  appear  before  the  dreadful 
 seat  of  Thy  majesty  we  may  not  be  ashamed  or  [confounded. 
 And  as  in  this  world  Thou  hast  made  us  meet  to  administer 
 Thy  holy  and  awful  sacraments,  so  in  the  world  to  come  make 
 us  meet  with  open  face  to  partake  of  all  those  blessings  which 
 do  not  decay  or  fade  away.  And  when  Thou  shalt  bring  to  an 
 end  all  those  things  which  we  now  see  as  in  a  glass  ^or  figure, 
 may  we  then  take  sure  hold  of  the  heavenly  holy  of  holies. 
 And  now,  0  Lord,  we  Thy  frail  and  sinful  servants,  [Here  the 
 Priest  shall  fall  with  his  face  to  the  ground,  and  repeat  from  the 
 words,  And  now,  ^"c]  who  were  once  afar  off  from  Thee,  but 
 whom  in  Thine  abundant  mercy  Thou  hast  made  to  stand  and  to 
 administer  before  Thee  this  awful  and  holy  service,  and  with  one 
 accord  to  make  our  supplications  to  Thy   adorable  Godhead, 
 
 Which  reneweth  all  creation, 
 *  [Here  the  Deacon  shall  *  beseech  Thee  that  the  grace  of 
 <sa?/,]37  How  awful  is  this  mo-  the  Holy  Spirit  may  descend 
 ment,  and  how  dreadful  is  this  and  abide  and  rest  upon  this 
 hour,  in  which  the  Priest  in-  oblation  which  we  have  offered 
 vokes  the  Spirit,  Who  de-  before  Thee,  bless  it,  sanctify 
 scends  from  on  high  to  per-  it,  and  make  this  Bread  and 
 form  His  will,  and  Who  sancti-  this  Cup  the  Body  and  Blood 
 fies  this  heavenly  Eucharist  of  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 the  Body  and  Blood  of  our  Change  Thou  themes  by  the 
 Saviour  for  the  forgiveness  of  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 sins,  and  the  pardon  of  the  that  these  glorious  and  holy 
 transgressions  of  all  those  who  sacraments  may  be  effectual  in 
 partake  thereof.  In  stillness  all  such  as  shall  partake  of 
 and  in  fear,  and  with  trembling  them  unto  everlasting  life,  the 
 and  amazement,  stand  and  resurrection  from  the  dead, 
 pray.  Peace  be  with  us.  the  forgiveness   of    body  and 
 
 soul,  the  light  of  wisdom,  open- 
 ness of  face  before  Thee,  and  eternal  salvation  which  Thou  hast 
 
LITURGY    OF    NESTORIUS.  233 
 
 promised  us  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  we  may  all 
 agree  together  in  one  concord,  in  one  bond  of  love  and  peace, 
 and  become  one  body  and  one  spirit,  even  as  we  are  called  in 
 one  hope  of  our  calling.  May  no  one  eat  and  drink  hereof  to 
 the  damnation  of  his  body  and  soul,  or  to  sickness  and  disease ; 
 through  eating  this  Body  and  drinking  this  Blood  unworthily ; 
 but  may  it  be  to  our  strengthening  and  refreshing  in  all  those 
 things  which  are  approved  before  Thee,  so  that  with  a  good 
 conscience  we  all  may  be  made  meet  to  partake  of  the  Body 
 and  Blood  of  Thine  Anointed ; — 
 
 Canon. 
 
 That  when  we  shall  stand  in  Thy  presence  in  the  glorious 
 and  awful  day  of  judgment,  we  may  find  mercy  and  compassion 
 before  the  throne  of  Thy  majesty,  and  rejoice  with  all  those 
 who  through  the  grace  and  mercy  of  Thy  Only  Begotten  have 
 pleased  Thee  from  the  beginning,  to  Whom  with  Thee  and  the 
 holy,  living,  and  life-giving  Spirit,  we  ascribe  glory,  honour, 
 dominion  and  power,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen.  [Here 
 the  Priest  shall  sign  the  sacraments.^ 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 %   Then  the  priest  shall  bow  before  the  altar  without  suffering  his  knee  to  touch 
 the  ground,  and  shall  say  ;* 
 
 I  thank  Thee,  O  my  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  because  that  in  the  abundance 
 of  Thy  mercy  Thou  hast  by  Thy  grace  fitted  me,  who  am  a 
 sinner  and  imperfect,  to  offer  unto  Thee  these  awful,  holy,  life- 
 giving,  and  divine  sacraments  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Thine 
 Anointed,  and  through  them  to  administer  to  Thy  people  and 
 the  sheep  of  Thy  pasture  the  pardon  of  their  sins,  the  forgive- 
 ness of  their  transgressions,  and  the  salvation  of  their  souls,  the 
 reconciliation  of  the  whole  world,  and  peace  and  safety  to  all 
 creatures. 
 
 0  Christ,  the  Peace  of  those  above,  and  the  great  safety  of 
 those  below,  let  Thy  peace  and  safety,  O  Lord,  rest  upon  the 
 four  corners  of  the  earth,  and  especially  upon  Thy  holy  Catholic 
 Church.     Make  Thy  priests  and  kings  to  dwell  in  unity,  cause 
 
 *  Here  ends  the  part  of  the  Liturgy  ascribed  to  Nestorius  ;  what  follows  is 
 from  the  "  Liturgy  of  the  Apostles." 
 
234  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 violence  to  cease  in  all  the  world,  scatter  the  nations  that  delight 
 in  war,  that  we  may  lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all  godli- 
 ness and  honesty. 
 
 If  Then  shall  he  sung  Ps.  li.  1 — 14 ;  cxxiii.  1 — 4.    After  which  shall  follow  this 
 prayer  over  the  incense. 
 
 Be  pleased  with  our  prayers  and  supplications,  0  Lord  our 
 God,  and  let  this  sweet  odour  of  our  censer  be  acceptable  unto 
 Thee  as  was  the  censer  of  Aaron  in  the  tabernacle.  Renew  our 
 bodies  and  souls,  and  in  the  multitude  of  Thy  mercies  be  Thou 
 favourable  to  Thy  creatures,  0  Thou  Creator  of  all  fragrant 
 spices  and  delicious  odours,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and 
 Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  priest  shall  prepare  to  sign  and  break.  He  shall  draw  near  with 
 his  hands  stretched  out,  and  not  folded  after  the  manner  of  some  who  lack 
 understanding.  And  he  shall  incense  his  hands  and  face  with  the  cloud  of 
 the  incense,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 0  Lord  our  God,  sweeten  the  offensive  odour  of  our  pollu- 
 tion with  the  fragrance  of  Thy  love,  and  wash  us  therewith  from 
 the  defilement  of  sin,  0  Thou  good  Shepherd  Who  didst  go  forth 
 to  seek  after  us,  and  didst  find  out  our  wanderings,  and  Who 
 desirest  that  we  should  return  unto  Thee.  Pardon  my  known 
 and  unknown  iniquities,  through  Thy  grace  and  mercy.  [_To  be 
 repeated  thrice.^  Give  Thy  blessing,  give  Thy  blessing,  0  Lord  ; 
 and  0  Lord  our  God,  cause  the  mercies  of  Thy  grace  to  make 
 us  to  approach  these  adorable,  holy,  life-giving,  and  divine  sacra- 
 ments, though  we  be  unworthy.  [7b  be  repeated  thrice  from  the 
 words  :  0  Lord,  our  God,  cause,  ^c.  And  at  each  repetition  of 
 the  last  sentence  the  priest  shall  fold  his  hands  upon  his  breast  in 
 the  form  of  a  cross,  and  shall  kiss  the  centre  and  the  two  horns  of 
 the  altar.  After  which  he  shall  take  the  uppermost  loaf  [or, 
 cakel  from  the  paten  with  both  hands,  and  lifting  his  eyes  upwards 
 he  shall  say .-] 
 
 Praise  be  to  Thy  holy  name,  0  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  and 
 praise  be  to  Thy  majesty  at  all  times. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 Priest.  0  Thou  living  and  life-giving  Bread  which  camest  down 
 from  heaven,  and  which  givest  life  unto  the  world,  so  that  who- 
 soever eateth  thereof  shall  never  die,  and  whosoever  partaketh 
 
LITURGY    OF    NESTORIUS.  235 
 
 thereof  shall  thereby  obtain  pardon  and  salvation,  and  shall  live 
 for  ever.     Amen. 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 ^  Here  the  priest  shall  kiss  towards  the  bread  in  the  form  of  a  cross  from  above 
 downwards,  and  from  right  to  left,  without  touching  it  with  his  lips,  and 
 shall  say  : 
 
 Glory  be  to  Thee,  0  Lord,  \_To  be  repeated  thrice,']  for  Thy 
 unspeakable  gift  towards  us  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 R.  xlraen. 
 
 IT   Then  he  shall  proceed  to  break  the  bread  with  both  hands,  and  shall  say : 
 
 We  now  approach  in  the  true  faith  of  Thy  name,  0  Lord, 
 and  through  Thy  compassion  we  break,  and  through  Thy  mercy 
 we  sign,  the  Body  and  Blood  of  our  Quickener,  the  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost. 
 
 jR.  Amen.  \Whilst  naming  the  Trinity  he  shall  break  the 
 bread  which  is  in  his  hands  into  two  pieces,  and  shall  put  the 
 piece  which  is  in  his  left  hand  back  into  its  place,  yet  not  as  it 
 was  before,  but  in  such  wise  as  that  the  broken  part  shall  face  the 
 cup.  With  the  piece  in  his  right  hand  he  shall  sign  the  Blood 
 which  is  in  the  cup  from  east  to  west,  and  from  right  to  left,  and 
 shall  dip  a  third  part  thereof  into  the  cup  in  such  a  way  as  that 
 the  broken  part  may  be  wetted,  and  shall  say  ;] 
 
 May  the  precious  blood  be  signed  with  the  life-giving  Body 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
 the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  He  shall  then  sign  the  body  which  is  upon  the  paten  in  the  same  way,  viz., 
 with  the  body  which  is  in  his  hand,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 May  the  holy  body  be  signed  with  the  sin-forgiving  blood  of 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
 the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 %  Then  he  shall  take  the  two  parts  into  his  hands,  and  shall  join  them  together, 
 as  if  they  had  not  been  broken,  and  shall  say: 
 
 These  glorious,  holy,  life-giving,  and  divine  sacraments,  have 
 been  set  apart,  consecrated,  perfected,  joined  together,  and  com- 
 
236  THE    NESTOKIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 mingled,  in  the  glorious  name  of  the  adorable  Trinity,  the 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  to  be  unto  us,  0  Lord,  for 
 the  forgiveness  of  our  sins,  the  washing  out  of  our  iniquities, 
 the  great  hope  of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  a  new  life 
 in  the  kingdom,  unto  us,  and  unto  the  Church  of  Christ  our 
 Lord,  here  and  every  where,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 *S  As  he  repeats  the  word  Now,  he  shall  separate  the  two  pieces  at  the  part 
 where  the  one  piece  was  steeped  in  the  Blood,  and  he  shall  lay  them  on  the 
 paten  in  the  form  of  a  cross  with  the  broken  part  of  the  under  piece  facing  the 
 chalice,  and  the  broken  part  of  the  upper  piece  facing  the  priest,  in  such  a 
 way  as  that  the  broken  part  facing  the  cup  may  serve  for  a  representation  of 
 the  wound  which  was  opened  in  our  Lord's  side  by  the  spear.  After  which 
 he  shall  wipe  his  hands  thoroughly,  and  shall  cross  himself  between  the  eyes 
 with  his  thumb,  and  shall  sign  towards  the  deacons  in  like  manner,  saying  : 
 
 Christ  accept  your  ministry  j  Christ  shed  His  light  upon 
 your  countenance ;  Christ  preserve  your  life ;  Christ  nourish 
 your  youth. 
 
 \   Then  the  priest  shall  remove  the  napkin  from  around  the  paten,  and  shall  say : 
 
 Glory  be  to  Thee,  0  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  having  made 
 me,  who  am  unworthy,  a  minister  and  channel  of  Thy  glorious, 
 holy,  life-giving,  and  divine  sacraments.  Fit  me,  by  Thy  grace, 
 to  receive  the  forgiveness  of  my  sins,  and  the  pardon  of  my 
 iniquities. 
 
 Glory  be  to  Thee,  0  God  the  Father.  Glory  be  to  Thee,  0 
 everlasting  Son.  Glory  be  to  Thee,  0  Thou  all-sanctifying 
 Spirit.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  he  shall  kiss  the  centre  of  the  altar,  and  shall  say  this 
 Canon. 
 
 The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God, 
 and  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with  us  all  ever- 
 more.    Amen. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 ^  In  saying  this  he  shall  sign  himself  from  above  the  head,  and  from  behind 
 each  shoulder  in  such  way  as  that  the  congregation  may  see  the  end  of  his 
 fingers.  [After  which  a  long  exhortation,  beginning  with  :  Let  us  all  with 
 awe  and  reverence  draw  near,  &c.,  is  read  by  the  deacon.  As  this  is  never 
 found  bound  up  with  the  liturgies   I  omit  it.]      The  priest  shall  then  say 
 
LITURGY    OF    NESTORIUS.  237 
 
 Blessed  art  Thou,  0  Lord,  the  God  of  our  fathers,  and  mag- 
 nified and  glorified  be  Thy  Name  for  ever,  because  Thou  hast 
 not  dealt  with  us  after  our  sins,  but  in  the  abundance  of  Thy 
 mercy,  hast  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness,  and  hast 
 called  us  to  the  kingdom  of  Thy  well-beloved  Son,  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ. 
 
 %  Here  the  priest  shall  divide  the  body,  and  shall  dye  one  of  the  calces  with  a 
 few  drops  \of  the  blood}  for  the  children.     After  which  the  deacon  shall  say : 
 
 Let  US  pray.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Priest.  [^Silentli/.l  Let  Thy  peace,  0  Lord,  rest  among  us ; 
 let  Thy  peace  dwell  in  our  hearts,  that  our  tongues  may  declare 
 Thy  truth,  and  keep  Thou  us  by  Thy  cross  whilst  with  enlight- 
 ened hearts  we  frame  our  lips  into  new  harps.  Fit  us,  0  Lord, 
 with  that  confidence  which  cometh  from  Thee,  to  ofi^er  before 
 Thee  this  pure  and  holy  prayer  which  Thy  life-giving  lips 
 taught  to  Thy  true  disciples,  the  children  of  Thy  sacraments, 
 saying  :  When  ye  pray,  give  thanks  and  say  : 
 
 Our  Father,  &c.  [Here  all  join  in  repeating  the  Lord's 
 prayer.'] 
 
 Priest.  \_With  a  loud  voice.]  Yea,  0  Lord  our  God,  we  pray 
 and  beseech  the  mercy  of  Thy  grace,  lead  us  not,  lead  us  not 
 into  temptation,  0  Lord,  but  deliver  us  from  evil  and  the 
 power  thereof,  for  Thine  is  the  kingdom,  the  power,  the  glory, 
 the  dominion,  and  majesty,  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  now  and  for 
 ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Priest.  [Signing  himself. ]   Peace  be  with  you  all. 
 
 jR.  With  thee,  and  with  thy  spirit. 
 
 Priest.  Holy  things  for  holy  persons. 
 
 R.  The  one  Father  is  holy,  the  one  Son  is  holy,  the  one 
 Holy  Spirit  is  holy.  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the 
 Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost.  As  it  was  in  the  beginning, 
 is  now  and  ever  shall  be,  world  without  end.     Amen.* 
 
 ^  Then  the  deacon  who  read  the  litany  shall  approach  unto  the  priest,  and  shall 
 
 say: 
 
 Let  us  pray.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 *  On  the  greater  festivals,  different  Prefaces  are  inserted  after  this  Doxology. 
 
238  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 H  Then  the  Priest  shall  take  the  hand  of  the  deacon,  and  lay  it  upon  the  chalice, 
 
 and  shall  say : 
 
 The  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost  be  with  thee,  and  us,  and 
 with  all  who  shall  partake  of  this,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
 for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Deacon.  With  thee,  with  us,  and  with  all  who  shall  partake 
 thereof,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
 
 ^  Then  the  deacon  shall  proclaim  aloud :  Praise  the  living  God.  After  which 
 followeth  the  anthem  of  the  Bema,  to  be  chanted  by  the  deacons  at  the  en- 
 trance of  the  Bema ;  a  different  anthem  being  appointed  for  the  different 
 
 ^  Then  the  deacon  who  read  the  Epistle  shall  approach  unto  the  Priest,  and 
 shall  say :  Let  us  pray.  Peace  be  with  us.  And  the  deacon  shall  throw  the 
 napkin  over  his  shoulders  and  arms,  and  the  Priest  shall  place  the  paten  in  his 
 hands  above  the  napkin,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 The  grace  of  God  be  with  thee^  and  with  us,  and  with  all 
 who  shall  partake  of  this,  for  ever.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  deacon  who  had  given  the  salutation  of  peace  to  the  people,  shall 
 draw  near  unto  the  priest,  and  say  :  Let  us  pray.  Peace  be  with  us.  After 
 which  the  Priest  shall  put  the  chalice  into  his  hands,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 The  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost  be  with  thee,  and  us,  and  with 
 all  those  who  shall  partake  of  this,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
 for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Deacon.   \_With  a  loud  voice."]   Give  Thy  blessing,  0  Lord.39 
 
 ^  Then  the  Priest  shall  sign  over  the  people  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and 
 shall  say  in  an  audible  voice  : 
 
 The  gift  of  the  grace  of  Him  Who  quickeneth  us,  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  be  perfected  in  us  all  through  mercy. 
 
 R.  For  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Deacon.  My  brethren,  receive  the  body  of  the  Son,  saith  the 
 Church,  and  in  faith  drink  of  the  cup  in  the  kingdom. 
 
 ^  When  the  Priest  gives  the  body  to  a  Priest,  he  shall  say  :  The  body  of 
 our  Lord  to  the  chaste  Priest  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  If  to  a  deacon, 
 he  shall  say  :  The  body  of  our  Lord  to  the  minister  of  God  for  the  forgive- 
 ness of  sins.  If  to  a  layman :  The  body  of  our  Lord  to  the  pure  believer 
 for  the  forgiveness  of  sins. 
 
 ^  When  the  deacon  gives  to  drink  of  the  cup,  he  shall  say  :  The  precious  blood 
 to  the  chaste  priest,  \_or,  to  the  minister  of  God  ;  or,  to  the  pure  believer,] 
 for  the  forgiveness  of  sins  ;  a  spiritual  feast  unto  life  everlasting. 
 
LITURGY    OF    NESTORIUS.  239 
 
 %  Whilst  the  people  are  communicating,  the  deacons  shall  chant  an  anthem,-^'' 
 and  after  all  have  communicated,  the  Priest  shall  put  the  table  of  the  sacra- 
 ments [the  patenj  back  into  its  ptlace,  and  the  deacon  shall  say  : 
 
 Let  us  all  who  through  the  gift  of  the  grace  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost  have  drawn  nigh,  and  were  made  meet  to  partake  in  the 
 communion  of  these  glorious,  holy,  life-giving,  and  divine  sacra- 
 ments, unitedly  give  thanks,  and  praise  unto  God  Who  gave 
 them. 
 
 R.   Praise  be  unto  Him  for  His  unspeakable  gift. 
 
 Priest.  [Audibly.^  It  is  meet,  0  Lord,  that  we  should  every 
 day,  [Repeatjl  it  is  fit  that  we  should  at  all  times,  it  is  right 
 that  we  should  every  hour,  thank,  worship,  and  praise,  the 
 awful  name  of  Thy  majesty,  because  in  Thy  grace  Thou  hast 
 vouchsafed  unto  the  frail  and  mortal  nature  of  man,  that  he 
 should  glorify  Thy  Name  with  all  the  spiritual  essences,  be 
 partaker  in  the  sacraments  of  Thy  gift,  take  delight  in  Thy 
 gracious  words,  and  send  up  the  voice  of  praise  and  thanks- 
 giving to  Thy  great  Majesty  at  all  times,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father, 
 Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 R.  Amen.     Give  Thy  blessing,  0  Lord. 
 
 Priest.  Christ,  our  God  and  Lord,  our  King,  and  Saviour, 
 and  Quickener,  who  in  His  grace  has  made  us  meet  to  take  of 
 His  precious  and  all-sanctifying  body  and  blood,  may  He  vouch- 
 safe to  make  us  please  Him  in  all  our  words,  actions,  and 
 thoughts.  And  may  this  pledge,  0  Lord,  which  we  have  re- 
 ceived, and  which  we  are  yet  to  receive,  be  efi"ectual  in  us  for  the 
 forgiveness  of  our  sins,  for  the  pardon  of  our  iniquities,  for  the 
 great  hope  of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  for  newness 
 of  life  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  with  all  those  who  approved 
 themselves  before  Him,  through  His  grace  and  mercy,  for  ever 
 and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 ^  As  the  priest  is  saying  this  one  of  the  deacons  shall  draw  the  veil  of  the  bema, 
 and  the  priests  shall  salute  each  other,  and  shall  chant  together  Ps.  cxlviii.  and 
 cl.  and  the  Lord's  Prayer.  Then  the  Priest  shall  go  beyond  the  screen,  and 
 shall  stand  on  the  right  side  of  the  door  of  the  bema,  and  shall  bless  the  people 
 in  an  audible  voice,  saying  : 
 
 0  Thou  Who  hast  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in 
 heavenly  places  through  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  Who  hath 
 called  us  unto  His  kingdom  and  glory,  and  hath  advanced  us  to 
 
240  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 those  desirable  blessings  which  pass  not  away,  and  which  never 
 fade,  even  as  He  promised  to  His  disciples,  saying :  Verily, 
 verily,  I  say  unto  you,  whosoever  eateth  My  body,  and  drinketh 
 My  blood,  dwelleth  in  Me  and  I  in  him,  and  I  will  raise  him 
 up  at  the  last  day,  and  he  shall  not  come  into  condemnation, 
 but  is  passed  from  death  unto  eternal  life ;  bless,  keep,  and 
 sanctify  this  congregation  which  has  now  feasted  on  the  power 
 of  His  glorious,  holy,  life-giving,  and  divine  sacraments;  and 
 be  ye  sealed  and  kept  through  the  sign  of  the  vivifying  and 
 glorious  cross  from  all  evil  seen  and  unseen,  now  and  for  ever 
 and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 ^  The  following  prayers  are  to  be  said  at  the  consumption  of  the  elements  that 
 remain,  and  at  the  washing  of  the  vessels  : 
 
 Sanctify  our  bodies  by  Thy  holy  body,  and  pardon  our  sins 
 through  Thy  precious  blood,  and  purify  our  consciences  with 
 the  hyssop  of  Thy  compassion,  0  Christ,  the  hope  of  our 
 nature. 
 
 Another. 
 
 0  Lord,  let  not  Thy  living  body  which  we  have  eaten,  and 
 Thy  precious  blood  which  we  have  drunk,  be  to  our  judgment 
 and  condemnation ;  but  to  the  pardoning  of  our  sins,  the  for- 
 giveness of  our  iniquities,  the  great  hope  of  the  resurrection 
 from  the  dead,  and  for  a  new  life  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
 with  all  the  righteous  and  just  who  have  approved  themselves 
 before  Thee,  0  Christ,  the  hope  of  our  nature. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Having  openly  partaken  of  Thy  body,  0  Christ,  the  hope 
 of  our  nature,  let  Thy  hidden  power  dwell  in  us,  that  we  may  go 
 forth  to  meet  Thee  with  joy,  and  to  sing  to  Thee  the  triple  song 
 of  praise  with  the  righteous  who  have  perfected  Thy  will. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Having  taken  of  Thy  body  from  the  paten,  and  drunk  of  Thy 
 blood  from  the  chalice,  make  us  fit  to  sing  praises  unto  Thee  in 
 paradise  with  the  thief,  and  with  all  the  righteous  who  have 
 perfected  Thy  Will,  in  the  Jerusalem  above,  0  Lord  of  all. 
 
LITURGY    OF    NESTORIUS.  241 
 
 Concluding  Prayer. 
 
 Having  made  us  meet,  0  Lord,  to  feast  on  Thy  holy  body 
 and  blood,  fit  us  in  like  manner  to  feast  in  Thy  kingdom  which 
 passeth  not  away,  and  whicli  fadetli  not,  with  all  Thy  saints, 
 now  and  for  ever. 
 
 The  Chaldeans  still  use  the  three  liturgies  of  the  Nestorians 
 with  some  alterations,  the  principal  of  which  are  the  following : 
 
 1.  They  use  unleavened  bread  in  the  form  of  hosts  or  wafers, 
 instead  of  the  leavened  cakes  used  by  the  Nestorians. 
 
 2.  After  the  invocation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  bless  and 
 change  the  elements,  and  to  make  the  bread  and  the  cup  the 
 body  and  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  (which  invocation 
 is  called  Gahanta,  or  the  Prayer  of  Bending,  corresponding  with, 
 the  l^jxAjjcTif  of  the  Eastern  Church,)  and  just  before  the  priest 
 is  directed  in  the  liturgy  of  Nestorius  to  "  take  the  uppermost 
 cake  in  the  paten  with  both  hands,  and  to  lift  up  his  eyes,^^  the 
 Chaldeans  have  introduced  the  commemoration  of  the  Institu- 
 tion of  the  body  of  Christ,  which  they  believe,  after  the  Western 
 Church,  to  be  the  formula  by  which  the  bread  is  transubstan- 
 tiated ;  and  after  signing  the  host,  without  having  broken  it  at 
 the  words,  "  whicli  is  broken  for  you,"  the  priest  is  ordered  to 
 elevate  it  above  his  head,  and  to  say,  whilst  the  people  worship, 
 "  Praise  be  to  Thy  holy  name,  0  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  and 
 praise  be  to  Thy  Majesty  at  all  times,"  as  in  the  liturgy  of 
 Nestorius. 
 
 Then  the  priest  proceeds  to  break  and  sign  the  bread,  and  to 
 consecrate  therewith  the  wine  which  is  in  tlie  cup,  as  is  directed 
 in  the  Nestorian  liturgy ;  after  which  he  repeats  the  commemo- 
 ration of  the  Institution  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  in  a  low  voice  j 
 and  lifting  the  chalice,  whilst  the  people  worship,  he  repeats  the 
 prayer  from  the  liturgy  :  "  These  glorious,  holy,  life-giving,  and 
 divine  sacraments,  have  been  separated,  consecrated,"  &c. 
 
 It  is  worthy  of  observation  that  the  words  of  Institution  pre- 
 cede the  Invocation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  liturgies  of 
 Nestorius  and  Theodorus,  whilst  in  that  of  the  Apostles  they 
 are  entirely  omitted.^^  From  which  we  may  gather  that  the 
 Nestorians  believe  the  consecration  and  change  of  the  elements  to 
 take  place  through  the  mysterious  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
 
 VOL.  II.  r 
 
242  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 3.  The  Chaldeans  are  communicatecl  with  the  host  dipped  in 
 the  wine  j  whereas  the  Nestorians,  laymen,  and  clergy,  partake 
 of  the  body  and  of  the  blood  separately. 
 
 The  practice  of  the  present  day  is  for  the  officiating  priest  to 
 put  the  bread  into  the  mouths  of  the  communicants ;  but  this 
 is  evidently  a  departure  from  the  ancient  practice  among  the 
 Nestorians,  as  from  one  of  the  prefaces  appointed  for  the  greater 
 festivals,  we  learn  that  formerly  it  was  put  into  their  hands. 
 The  preface  is  as  follows,  and  is  still  chanted  by  the  deacons 
 whilst  the  people  are  communicating  : 
 
 "  Strengthen,  0  Lord,  the  hands  which  are  stretched  out, 
 and  those  which  have  taken  this  holy  thing  for  the  forgiveness 
 of  sins,  and  enable  them  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  Thee.  0 
 Lord,  fit  the  mouths  which  have  praised  Thee  in  Thy  holy 
 house  to  sing  and  to  glorify  Thee.  Let  not  the  ears  which  have 
 listened  to  the  sound  of  Thy  praises  hear  the  voice  of  terror. 
 The  eyes  which  have  beheld  Thy  great  compassion,  grant  that 
 they  may  look  upon  the  hope  of  Thy  glory.  So  order  the 
 tongues  which  have  sung  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  unto  Thee,  that 
 they  may  ever  declare  Thy  truth.  Guide  the  feet  which  have 
 trodden  in  the  church  to  the  city  of  light.  Renew  the  bodies 
 of  them  who  have  eaten  of  Thy  holy  body  with  a  new  life.  In- 
 crease to  this  our  congregation  which  worships  Thee  all  needful 
 succour ;  and  so  confirm  Thy  love  in  us  that  we  may  grow 
 thereby,  and  ever  glorify  Thee.  Open  the  door  to  these  our 
 prayers,  and  let  our  service  be  acceptable  unto  Thee.'" 
 
 4.  The  Chaldeans  reserve  what  is  left  of  the  consecrated 
 elements ;  whereas  the  Nestorian  liturgies  direct  that  the  offi- 
 ciating priest  shall  consume  what  is  over  and  above  after  the 
 communicants  have  partaken. 
 
 5.  According  to  the  order  of  the  Nestorian  rituals  there 
 should  be  a  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  every  Sunday  and 
 Friday,  and  on  every  Church  festival  throughout  the  year ;  but 
 the  Lectionaries  do  not  provide  Gospels  and  Epistles  for  the 
 Fridays.  It  is  also  directed  that  there  should  be  a  celebration 
 every  day  of  the  first,  middle,  and  last  week  in  Lent,  with  the 
 exception  of  Good  Friday,  also  on  every  day  of  the  week  follow- 
 ing the  feast  of  Easter.  At  the  present  day,  however,  the 
 celebration  of  the  Holy  Eucharist  is  restricted  to  Sundays  and 
 
LITURGY    OF    NESTORTUS.  243 
 
 the  principal  holidays,  and  in  some  churches  it  is  not  offered 
 for  weeks  together, — a  departure  from  the  rules  laid  down  by 
 their  canons  which  the  more  intelligent  among  them  deplore 
 and  censure.  On  such  occasions  it  is  usual  for  the  priest  to 
 read  the  liturgy,  omitting  the  prayer  of  consecration  and  other 
 parts  of  the  office,  and  this  is  called  d'Sh-heeme  or  Simple,  and 
 approaches  very  nearly  to  the  Dry  office,  as  enjoined  by  the  Church 
 of  England  when  there  is  no  communion.  The  Chaldeans,  how- 
 ever, who  have  adopted  the  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Rome  on 
 this  sacrament,  offer  masses  every  day. 
 
 6.  The  canons  of  the  Nestorians  forbid  the  priests  to  celebrate 
 the  liturgy  more  than  once  in  the  day,  except  in  cases  of  urgent 
 necessity ;  and  although  there  be  two  or  more  priests  attached 
 to  a  church,  not  more  than  one  can  celebrate  on  the  same  day.'*^ 
 On  the  contrary,  whatever  number  of  Chaldean  priests  may 
 belong  to  a  single  church,  every  one  of  them  offers  up  a  solitary 
 mass,  for  which  he  is  paid  by  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  in 
 whose  behalf  this  service  is  performed.  The  receiving  of  money 
 for  the  celebration  of  the  liturgy,  though  T  have  heard  of  a  few 
 instances  of  the  kind,  is  very  strongly  censured  by  the  Nestoriau 
 clergy  generally. 
 
 r2 
 
244  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER    XLIII. 
 
 TAXA    d'bURRAKHA,  OR  THE    FORM    OF   THE  SOLEMNIZATION   OF 
 MATRIMONY. 
 
 THE    ESPOUSALS. 
 
 yi  AH  shall  assemble  in  the  house  of  the  damsel's  father,  or,  if  she  have  no 
 father,  in  that  of  her  brother,  or  uncle,  or  of  one  whom  she  will,  where  meat 
 shall  be  set  before  the  company ;  and  the  Priest  shall  inquire  about  the  settle- 
 ment of  the  dowry  in  the  presence  of  all ;  and  after  this  is  decided  by  the 
 father,  brother,  or  by  one  of  the  kindred  of  the  bride,  before  the  Priests, 
 Deacons,  and  true  believers,  then  the  Priest  shall  lift  up  his  voice,  and  shall 
 call  upon  all  present  to  bear  witness  to  the  same,  and  laying  hold  of  the  right 
 hand  of  the  steward*  of  the  bridegroom  he  shall  address  him  as  follows : 
 
 Thou  hast  come  forward,  dearly  beloved  brother,  with  a  pure 
 and  free  will,  and  with  an  undoubting  heart,  to  espouse  A.  B., 
 the  daughter  of  the  believer  C.  B.,  to  be  unto  D.  E.  a  wife  and 
 helpmate  according  to  the  law  of  Christ,  and  the  ordinance  of 
 the  Church.  Dost  thou  engage  to  weigh  out  as  her  dowry  four 
 hundred  pieces  of  silver,  and  one  denarius  as  the  due  of  the 
 Church  ? 
 R.  I  do. 
 
 1[  And  all  present  shall  bear  witness.  Then  the  Priest  shall  turn  to  the  steward 
 of  the  bride,   and  laying  hold  of  his  right  hand  he  shall  address  him  as 
 
 Dost  thou  give  the  damsel  A.  B.,  the  daughter  of  the  be- 
 liever C.  B.,  to  D.  E.  the  son  of  the  believer  F.  E.,  to  be  unto 
 him  a  wife  and  helpmate,  according  to  the  ordinance  of  the 
 Church,  and  the  law  of  Christ;  and  dost  thou  accept  her  ap- 
 portioned dowry ;  and  doth  there  remain  no  further  let  or  hin- 
 drance in  this  matter  ?     Is  this  damsel  sound  in  her  mind, 
 
 *  The  original  word  is  'Ettitp^ttos,  from  the  Greek. 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  245 
 
 senses,  and  members ;  is  her  body  whole  and  free  from  open 
 and  hidden  defect ;  and  does  she  willingly  come  forward  to  this 
 blessed  act,  not  forcibly,  but  with  a  free  will  ?  And  does  there 
 exist  no  pre-contract,  or  any  other  cause  of  dissolution,  separa- 
 tion, or  divorce  whatever  ? 
 
 ^  ^  he  shall  answer  Yea,  then  the  Priest  shall  join  their  hands  in  the  form 
 of  a  cross,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 The  Living  God  and  His  holy  Angels,  His  blessed  Prophets 
 and  Apostles,  and  this  sanctified  assembly  of  pure  Priests  and 
 sacred  Deacons,  of  honourable  elders  and  orthodox  and  elect 
 brethren,  bear  witness,  that  this  bridegroom  has  engaged  to 
 hold  this  bride  as  his  own  self  in  every  thing  meet  and  proper 
 appertaining  to  the  nurture  of  body  and  soul,  in  youth  and  in 
 old  age,  in  health  and  in  sickness,  in  joy  and  in  sorrow,  that 
 the  saying  of  the  Gospel  may  be  fulfilled :  A  man  shall  leave 
 his  father  and  mother,  and  shall  be  joined  to  his  wife,  and  they 
 two  shall  be  one  flesh ;  therefore  they  are  not  twain  but  one 
 flesh;  and  whatsoever  God  hath  joined  together  let  no  man  put 
 asunder.  And  also  that  the  saying  of  S.  Paul  may  be  fulfilled: 
 Husbands,  love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ  loved  His  Church 
 and  gave  Himself  for  it.  Do  ye,  therefore,  consent  to  this 
 promise  which  has  been  made  ? 
 
 1[  If  they  Khali  answer  Yea,  the  Priest  shall  bless  them,  and  say  : 
 
 The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  perfect  your  deed  and  bring  it  to 
 pass,  and  make  you  to  rejoice  in  pure  and  undivided  love,  that 
 you  may  be  fruitful  in  the  procreation  of  sons  and  daughters, 
 and  that  He  may  save  you  from  the  malice  of  wicked  men,  and 
 from  the  rebellious  devils.     Amen. 
 
 Here  endeth  the  service  of  the  Taking  of  Hands,  and  the 
 Espousals. 
 
 the  marriage. 
 
 ^  The  Cup,  Ring,  Cross,  and  Hnana,*  being  set  in  order,  the  Priest  shall  begin 
 
 with 
 
 Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward 
 men. 
 
 Our  Father,  ^c. 
 
 *  For  the  meaning  of  this  see  note  under  chap.  xxvi.  p.  137. 
 
346  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Send  down,  0  Lord,  Thy  peace  among  us,  and  let  Thy  safety 
 dwell  with  this  company :  let  Thy  help  ever  be  with  us,  Thy 
 right  hand  rest  upon  us,  and  Thy  Cross  be  to  us  a  wall  of  de- 
 fence and  a  strong  refuge,  that  we  may  hide  under  its  wings 
 from  the  face  of  the  wicked  one  and  his  hosts,  now  and  at  all 
 times,  O  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 
 
 Psalm  xlv. 
 
 ^  Then  shall  be  said  : 
 
 O  household  of  the  bridegroom,  trust  in  the  Lord,  He  is 
 their  help  and  their  shield. 
 
 O  household  of  the  bride,  trust  in  the  Lord,  He  is  their  help 
 and  their  shield. 
 
 0  household  of  the  brideman,  trust  in  the  Lord,  He  is  their 
 help  and  their  shield. 
 
 0  household  of  the  bridemaid,  trust  in  the  Lord,  He  is  their 
 help  and  their  shield. 
 
 The  Lord  hath  been  mindful  of  us.  Bless  the  household  of 
 the  bridegroom,  and  bless  the  household  of  the  bride  ;  bless  the 
 household  of  the  brideman,  both  small  and  great.  The  Lord 
 increase  you  more  and  more,  you  and  your  children.  Ye  are 
 the  blessed  of  the  Lord  Who  made  heaven  and  earth  ;  for  hea- 
 ven, even  the  heavens  are  the  Lord's.  We  will  bless  the  Lord 
 from  this  time  forth  for  evermore. 
 
 Change.  Speak,  speak,  0  Church  of  our  Saviour,  thou  bride 
 of  the  King,  for  thy  beauty  is  excellent  and  to  be  desired.  The 
 Eternal  Lord  in  His  love  hath  espoused  thee  as  His  bride. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Build  up,  0  Lord,  through  Thy  Word,  and  adorn  with  Thy 
 hope,  and  establish  in  Thy  mercy,  this  work  which  Thy  servants 
 have  entered  upon,  that  they  may  ascribe  unto  Thee  glory, 
 honour,  praise,  and  worship,  at  all  times,  0  Lord  of  all.  Fa- 
 ther, Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  shall  be  said  this  Anthem  : 
 
 Show  yourselves  joyful  unto  the  Lord,  sing,  rejoice  and  give 
 thanks.     Rejoice  and  exult,  0  believing  Church,  thou  daughter 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  247 
 
 of  the  King  of  the  universe,  in  the  Bridegvoom  Who  has  es- 
 poused thee,  and  caused  thee  to  enter  into  His  bridal  chamber, 
 and  Who  for  a  dowry  has  given  thee  His  precious  Body  and 
 Blood,  and  by  the  sacrifice  of  Himself  hath  cleansed  and  sancti- 
 fied thee,  and  made  thee  His  adorned  bride,  and  hath  mingled 
 in  thee  a  spiritual  drink  for  all  thy  children,  [Here  the  Priest 
 shall  mingle  water  and  wine  in  the  cup,']  and  behold  they  joy  in 
 the  sanctuary,  and  we  also  with  them  cry  out  and  say  :  Glory  be 
 to  Thee,  0  Lord.     [Repeat.] 
 
 The  Lord  ivill  give  His  people  the  blessing  of  peace.  Bless, 
 0  Lord,  through  Thy  grace  this  bridegroom  and  bride  by  Thy 
 Cross,  and  adorn  the  brideman  aad  bridemaid  with  chastity. 
 
 Hall/  and  reverend  is  His  Name.  0  Thou  Holy  One  Who 
 sanctifiest  all.  Who  art  praised  of  all  the  saints,  bless  this  cup 
 of  Thy  worshippers,  and  cause  Thy  grace  to  rest  upon  it. 
 
 At  all  times.  0  Lord,  make  this  bridegroom  and  this  bride 
 to  be  of  one  accord,  and  bind  them  together  in  peace  and  love, 
 and  us  with  them. 
 
 He  blessed  them  so  that  they  multiplied  exceedingly.  Pour 
 forth  Thy  blessing,  0  Christ,  and  bless  this  ring  and  this  cup, 
 that  the  bridegroom  and  the  bi'ide  may  be  drunk  with  love  and 
 concord. 
 
 O  Lord,  until  the  end  of  time.  Keep,  0  Lord,  in  Thy  com- 
 passion, this  bridegroom,  and  save  through  Thy  Cross  this 
 bride,  and  help  them  by  Thy  grace,  that  they  may  ever  ascribe 
 glory  to  Thy  majesty. 
 
 Lift  upon  us  the  light  of  Thy  countenance,  and  we  shall  be 
 saved.  O  Thou  merciful  and  compassionate  One,  turn  not  away 
 Thine  eyes  from  us ;  but  send  us  pity,  mercy,  and  salvation  out 
 of  Thy  treasury. 
 
 Our  help  is  in  the  Name  of  the  Lord.  Let  the  help  of  Thy 
 mercies,  0  Lord,  be  the  support  of  our  weakness,  and  en- 
 lighten the  motions  of  our  thoughts,  that  we  may  ever  give 
 thanks  unto  Thee  for  Thy  grace. 
 
 In  His  holy  Name  we  have  put  our  trust.  Christ,  in  Whose 
 Name  we  are  met  together,  and  on  Whose  grace  we  depend, 
 keep  us  all  by  His  Cross,  and  perfect  His  will  in  us. 
 
 Open  unto  me  the  gates  of  righteousness.  At  whose  door  shall 
 we  knock  but  at  Thy  door,  0  Thou  Compassionate  One  ?     And 
 
248  THE    NESTOBIANS   AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 from  whom  shall  we  derive  help  but  from  Thee,  0  Thou  Who 
 art  full  of  pity  ? 
 
 Turn  us,  O  God  our  Saviour.  As  the  dove  returned  to 
 Noah  bearing  an  olive  branch,  so  may  our  prayers  return  unto 
 us  bearing  pity  and  mercy. 
 
 The  Lord  is  King  for  evermore.  O  Thou  Who  sittest  at  the 
 right  hand  of  the  Father,  bless  this  our  assembly  with  Thy 
 right  hand,  and  by  the  arm  of  Thy  mighty  power  keep  all  those 
 who  are  purchased  with  Thy  blood. 
 
 He  shall  speak  peace  to  His  servants  and  to  His  people.  The 
 peace  which  our  Saviour  gave  to  His  disciples  in  the  upper 
 chamber  rest  upon  this  cup,  that  those  who  drink  thereof  may 
 receive  a  blessing. 
 
 Ansiver  us,  0  God  our  Saviour.  0  God,  Who  didst  answer 
 Jonas  when  he  prayed  unto  Thee  from  the  depths  of  the  sea, 
 answer  Thy  people  who  call  upon  Thee  in  these  troublous  times. 
 
 As  the  axe  which  cleaveth  the  earth.  May  that  prayer,  0 
 Lord,  which  went  up  from  the  sea,  from  the  den,  and  from  the 
 fiery  furnace,  open  a  door  to  our  prayers  and  supplications. 
 
 Those  who  stand  in  the  house  of  the  Lord.  Thy  worshippers 
 stand  in  Thy  courts,  and  flee  for  refuge  to  Thy  Cross  -,  multiply 
 blessings  unto  them  out  of  Thy  house  full  of  help. 
 
 Hear,  0  Lord,  and  have  mercy  upon  us.  0  Thou  Who  hearest 
 the  prayers  of  Thy  servants,  and  Who  answerest  the  petitions 
 of  Thy  worshippers,  hear  our  prayers  and  the  voice  of  our  sup- 
 plications, and  in  Thy  mercy  answer  our  requests. 
 
 And  He  delivered  them  out  of  all  their  troubles.  All  those  in 
 trouble  call  upon  Thee,  and  all  who  are  distressed  flee  unto 
 Thee  for  refuge ;  preserve  Thou  their  lives,  and  deliver  them 
 from  the  evil  one. 
 
 He  blessed  them  so  that  they  multiplied  exceedingly.  Abraham 
 blessed  Isaac,  and  Isaac  blessed  Jacob ;  let  the  blessing  of  these 
 three  rest  upon  all  this  people. 
 
 The  Lord  shall  dwell  there  for  ever.  Bless,  0  Lord,  this 
 cup,  and  let  Thy  grace  rest  upon  it,  and  give  us  safety  and  peace 
 that  we  may  ever  praise  Thy  Trinity. 
 
 /  will  bless  the  Lord  at  all  times.  Blessed  is  Thy  setting 
 which  shall  gather  us  to  Thy  house  full  of  all  aid,  and  blessed 
 is  Thy  pity  which  preserves  us  by  night  and  by  day. 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  349 
 
 By  day  and  by  night.  The  prayers  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  the 
 Mother  of  Jesus  our  Saviour,  be  to  us  at  all  times  a  wall  of 
 defence  by  day  and  by  night. 
 
 Seek  the  Lord  and  His  strength.  0  ye  prophets,  pray  for 
 safety,  and  ye  Apostles  for  peace,  and  ye  martyrs,  priests,  and 
 doctors,  may  your  prayers  be  to  us  a  wall  of  defence. 
 
 Seek  the  Lord,  and  pray  before  Him.     Pray  and  supplicate 
 
 Christ,  0  our  pure  Father ,  whose  love  thou  didst  love, 
 
 that  the  people  who  honour  thy  memory  may  be  aided  by  thy 
 prayers. 
 
 Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost.  Rejoice  and  exult,  0  thou  who  art  full  of  grace,  the 
 holy  and  chaste  Virgin,  Mary,  the  mother  of  Christ,  because 
 the  archangel  became  a  heavenly  messenger  unto  thee,  0  thou 
 Mother,  who  in  virginity  didst  bring  forth  the  Wonderful, 
 Counsellor,  and  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  We  also  bless  thy 
 virginity  and  say :  Blessed  art  thou  since  thou  didst  merit  to  be 
 a  mother  and  handmaid  to  our  Lord. 
 
 As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall  be,  world 
 without  end.  He  who  blessed  Abraham  the  righteous,  and  who 
 saved  Isaac,  be  with  us  and  amongst  us.  The  EL  whom  the 
 chaste  Jacob  saw,  may  He  with  His  right  hand  bless  our  assem- 
 bly. The  Lord  who  was  with  Joseph  preserve  our  goings. 
 The  mighty  God  whom  Moses  saw  be  with  us  at  all  times.  He 
 who  redeemed  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun  cause  His  right  hand  to 
 rest  upon  us.  The  Shepherd  of  all  who  cleanses  us  keep  us 
 from  the  evil  one  and  his  power.  The  Lord  who  enriched 
 Solomon  increase  the  fruits  of  our  earth.  The  High  and  Exalted 
 One  whom  Isaiah  saw  cause  His  safety  to  dwell  among  us. 
 May  our  prayers  be  accepted  as  were  the  prayers  of  Elijah  and 
 Elisha,  and  may  our  petitions  be  answered  as  was  the  petition 
 of  Daniel  the  just.  And  may  Jesus,  the  Lord  of  the  prophets, 
 and  the  Crown  of  the  Apostles,  in  whose  name  we  have  believed, 
 keep  us,  and  the  glorious  Trinity  be  with  us  from  this  time 
 forth  for  evermore. 
 
 And  let  all  the  people  say,  Amen,  Amen.  0  Christ,  the 
 Hope  of  His  faithful  ones,  the  Deliverer  of  those  of  His  house- 
 hold, the  Doer  of  the  will  of  those  who  fear  Him,  and  who 
 layeth  hold  of  the  hand  of  His  suppliants,  who  promised  to  His 
 
250  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 twelve,  and  through  them  to  all  nations,  that  whatsoever  ye 
 shall  ask,  believing,  ye  shall  forthwith  receive, — Behold,  now, 
 these  Thy  servants  who  are  met  together  in  Thy  Name  to 
 celebrate  the  rite  of  espousals  through  Thy  servants,  (of  which 
 the  ring  which  the  bridegroom  has  given  is  a  pledge  and  token  of 
 love,  and  the  sign  of  the  living  cross  is  a  witness  between  them, 
 lest  there  should  be  any  change  in  the  covenant  betwixt  them 
 made,)  behold  they  knock  at  the  door  of  Thy  grace,  and  pray 
 for  mercy  and  compassion.  Stretch  forth  the  right  hand  of 
 Thy  Majest}',  full  of  every  blessing,  and  pour  it  forth  upon  the 
 heads  of  Thy  v/orshippers  ;  bless  them  inwardly,  and  make 
 them  fruitful  in  every  blessing,  and  multiply  to  them  every  good 
 thing,  as  Thou  didst  to  Abraham  and  the  chaste  Sarah  his  wife, 
 in  the  beginning,  that  they  may  be  strong  in  faith  and  in  vir- 
 tuous living ;  that  like  Isaac  and  Hebecca  his  wife,  they  may  be 
 saved  by  the  doing  of  good  deeds ;  that  like  Jacob  the  father  of 
 the  tribes  they  may  be  fruitful  in  procreation ;  that  like  Zech- 
 ariah  and  Elizabeth  they  may  be  rich  in  good  works,  and  be  a 
 godly  example  to  those  who  are  near  and  to  those  afar  off;  and 
 perfect  and  seal  the  act  which  they  have  entered  upon  agreeably 
 with  Thy  will,  and  lay  the  foundation  of  their  building  upon  the 
 rock  of  faith.  Bless,  0  Lord,  in  body  and  in  soul,  this  bride- 
 groom and  his  bride,  increase  their  progeny,  and  make  them  fat 
 with  all  good  things.  Bless  and  keep  their  sponsors  who  stand 
 in  the  place  of  Thy  messenger,  [John  the  Baptist,]  and  make 
 them  co-partners  in  the  joy  of  their  brother,  and  in  that  of  all 
 those  who  participate  in  this  mystery.  Bless  the  ring  which  is 
 a  sign  of  the  covenant  and  contract  betwixt  them  made :  bless 
 the  dowry  which  typifies  the  purity  of  their  intentions ;  bless 
 the  wine  in  the  cup  which  is  a  token  that  they  are  purchased 
 with  Thy  blood ;  and  bless  us  all  that  we  may  praise  Thee  with 
 them,  and  cry  out,  and  say  :  Praise  be  to  Thee,  and  to  the 
 Father,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  ever. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Have  compassion  upon  us,  0  Lord,  in  Thy  grace,  and  turn 
 unto  us,  O  Thou  who  art  full  of  mercy,  and  do  not  deprive  us 
 of  Thy  sight  and  care,  for  our  hope  is  in  Thee,  and  upon  Thee 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  251 
 
 we  do  call  day  and  night,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and 
 Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Canon.     Psalm  xxxvii.  23 — 29. 
 
 0  Lord,  Who  didst  direct  the  way  of  the  servant  to  Laban 
 the  Aramean  to  take  a  wife  unto  Isaac  his  master,  the  son  of 
 Abraham,  order  this  undertaking  of  Thy  servants,  and  keep 
 Thy  worshippers,  0  Lord,  through  the  prayers  of  Mary  the 
 blessed  Mother,  and  of  John  who  baptized  his  Lord,  and  of 
 the  Apostles  who  discipled  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  of  the  doctors 
 who  preached  the  truth,  and  of  the  martyrs  who  endured  every 
 kind  of  trial  for  the  love  of  Jesus  their  King. 
 
 The  celebration  of  espousals  among  Christian  people  is 
 comely,  in  which  service  the  priest  acts  as  mediator,  and  the 
 ring  is  in  confirmation  of  the  promise  made,  and  the  cup  of  wine 
 a  symbol  of  the  blood  and  water,  and  the  living  cross  is  a 
 witness  thereto,  and  the  hndna  stands  for  the  blessing  of  for- 
 giveness which  the  people  receive.  Blessed  is  He  Who  ordained 
 the  rite  in  the  beginning,  and  hath  handed  it  down  to  us. 
 
 O  Thou  Bridegroom  Whose  crown  fadeth  not,  and  Whose 
 marriage  endeth  not,  give  this  bridegroom  joy  with  his  bride, 
 and  this  bride  with  her  bridegroom,  and  their  sponsors.  Make 
 them  CO -partakers  of  Thy  blessing,  and  gladden  all  now  assem- 
 bled to  praise  Thee,  0  Thou  Whose  Eternity  is  glorious. 
 
 Doxology.  0  Thou  Exalted  One  Who  dwellest  on  high,  and 
 Whose  praises  are  known  to  the  lowest  depths,  let  Thy  gi'ace 
 rest  upon  this  cup  of  Thy  worshippers,  and  perfect  the  new 
 work  upon  which  they  have  entered.   [Repeat.'] 
 
 The  prayer  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  the  Mother  of  Jesus  our 
 Saviour,  be  to  us  ever  a  wall  of  defence  by  day  and  by  night. 
 
 Holy  God,  Holy  and  Mighty,  Holy  and  Immortal,  have 
 mercy  upon  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 0  Thou  Who  openest  Thy  door  to  those  who  knock,  and  Who 
 answerest  the  petitions  of  such  as  call  upon  Thee,  open,  0 
 Lord  our  God,  the  door  of  mercy  to  our  prayers,  accept  our 
 supplications,  and  in  Thy  mercy  grant  our  requests  out  of  Thy 
 rich  and  overflowing  treasure-house,  O  Thou  righteous  One 
 Who  withholdest  not  Thy  gifts  from  Thy  poor  and  needy  wor- 
 
253  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 shippers,  and  from  Thy  servants  who  call  upon  and  supplicate 
 Thee  at  all  times,  and  in  every  place,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father, 
 Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  priest  shall  taJce  the  cup  in  Ms  hand,  and  say  : 
 
 We  flee  to  Thy  name,  O  Lord,  \repeat,'\  and  to  the  name  of 
 Christ,  the  hope  of  the  just  and  righteous,  Who  ordereth  the 
 way  of  His  servants,  and  accomplisheth  the  desire  of  those  who 
 fear  Him,  who  is  the  nourisher  of  youth,  and  the  supporter  of 
 old  age.  Bless,  0  Lord,  these  Thy  servants  who  have  espoused 
 and  who  have  been  espoused,  and  bless  the  beloved  ones  who 
 have  been  parties  to  the  taking  of  hands  on  both  sides,  bless, 
 keep,  aid,  and  gladden  them  by  Thy  grace  in  that  deed  which 
 they  have  undertaken,  that  they  may  ascribe  unto  Thee  glory, 
 honour,  praise,  and  worship,  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 ^  Here  the  priest  shall  sign  himself,  and  taking  the  ring  into  his  hands  shall 
 
 say: 
 
 0  Christ,  the  true  Bridegroom,  Who  manifestedst  Thy  truth 
 unto  Thy  worshippers  through  a  ring,  bless,  0  Lord,  this  ring 
 which  we  give  by  Thy  grace  j  and  gladden  in  Thy  mercy  the 
 bride  who  shall  receive  it.  For  as  by  a  ring  the  truth  of  Judah 
 towards  Taniar  was  brought  to  light,  and  by  a  ring  the  rule 
 over  Egypt  was  given  to  Joseph,  and  by  a  ring  of  the  king  and 
 his  great  men  the  integrity  of  Daniel  was  established  with  the 
 monarch  of  Babel ;  so  also  by  this  ring,  which  the  merchants 
 have  extolled,  the  uprightness  of  the  just  has  been  made  ap- 
 parent, Joseph  was  honoured  in  the  chariot,  Daniel  conquered 
 in  his  truthfulness,  and  was  introduced  before  kings.  This  is 
 the  ring  wherewith  the  holy  Church  is  espoused  to  the  heavenly 
 Bridegroom,  and  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is  received  for 
 the  forgiveness  of  sins.  This  is  the  ring  wherewith  Sarah  was 
 espoused  to  believing  Abraham,  the  father  of  the  faithful.  This 
 is  the  ring  wherewith  Rebecca  was  espoused  unto  Isaac  through 
 the  means  of  Eliezer  of  Damascus.  This  is  the  ring  where- 
 with Rachel  was  espoused  unto  Jacob,  whose  name  was  also 
 called  Israel.  This  is  the  ring  through  which  Tamar  escaped 
 death.  This  is  the  ring  which  is  constituted  a  sign  of  confir- 
 mation throughout  all  generations  of  the   world.     This  is  the 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  253 
 
 ring  wherewith  all  the  treasuries  of  kings  are  sealed  and  opened. 
 This  is  the  ring  wherewith  brides  are  espoused,  and  whereby 
 they  are  adorned  in  all  wonderful  things.  How  marvellous  art 
 thou,  0  ring,  wherewith  wives  are  espoused  to  husbands,  and 
 bridegrooms  to  brides.  Blessed  is  Christ  Who  hath  mani- 
 fested His  truth  to  His  worshippers  through  a  ring.  And  now, 
 O  Lord,  bless  this  ring  through  the  prayers  of  Thy  priests  and 
 saints,  and  may  Thy  name  be  magnified  by  Thy  servants,  and 
 let  them  be  blessed  with  all  the  blessings  of  the  Father,  Son, 
 and  Holy  Ghost,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 %  Then  the  priest  shall  sign  the  cup  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  with  the  ring, 
 and  shall  then  throw  the  ring  into  the  cup  discreetly.  After  which  he  shall 
 take  the  cross  into  his  hand,  and  sag  : 
 
 We  worship,  0  Lord,  Thy  holy  cross,  0  our  Saviour, 
 [repeat,]  whereby  salvation  was  brought  unto  mankind,  whereat 
 devils  tremble,  whereby  many  wonderful  works  have  been 
 wrought,  and  whereby  the  Holy  Church  is  saved  and  espoused 
 to  the  heavenly  Bridegroom.  This  is  the  holy  cross  which 
 appeared  in  the  heavens  to  Constantine,  and  through  which  he 
 conquered  his  enemies.  This  is  the  holy  cross  the  sign  of 
 which  Moses  betokened  on  the  mountain  top,  and  by  which  he 
 slew  Amalek.  This  is  the  holy  cross  of  which  Melchizedek  was 
 a  sign.  This  is  the  holy  cross  for  which  the  holy  martyrs  shed 
 their  blood.  This  is  the  holy  cross  which  the  sons  of  Ananias 
 saw  in  the  furnace,  and  by  which  they  were  saved  from  burn- 
 ing. This  is  the  holy  cross  by  which  Daniel  was  saved  from 
 the  wild  beasts.  This  is  the  holy  cross  by  which  the  troth  of 
 bridegroom  and  bride  is  confirmed.  This  is  the  holy  cross 
 which  we  revere  with  love  and  concord ;  by  it  may  the  faithful- 
 ness of  thy  servants  be  established,  that  they  may  be  glad  and 
 rejoice  now  and  ever. 
 
 ^  Here  the  Priest  shall  sign  the  cup  as  in  the  sacraments,  and  he  shall  throw 
 the  cross  and  the  hnana  into  the  cup,  and  shall  sag : 
 
 This  cup  of  the  espousals  of  our  brother  has  been  set  apart, 
 consecrated,  and  perfected,  through  the  glorious  priesthood,  the 
 LoRD^s  Cross,  and  the  hncina  of  the  relics  of  the  saints,  in  the 
 Name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
254  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 %  Then  the  Priest  shall  make  bare  his  head,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ^  and  the  love  of  God,  &,*c. 
 
 ^  Here  the  Priest  shall  sign  the  cup  thrice,  and  shall  give  it  to  the  bridegroom, 
 who  shall  drink  two-thirds  of  it;  and  he  shall  sign  the  brideman  therewith 
 betiveen  the  eyes.  Then  the  Deacon  shall  take  the  cup  to  the  bride,  who  shall 
 drink  ivhat  remains  therein,  and  he  shall  sign  the  bridemaid  betwixt  the  eyes. 
 
 THE    BLESSING    OF    THE    BRIDAL    ATTIRE. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Unto  Thee,  0  Thou  Who  art  worshipped  and  adored.  Who 
 art  of  surpassing  beauty  and  excellence,  and  lifted  up  above  all 
 by  Thy  eternity,  the  great  King  of  glory,  Whose  existence  is 
 from  everlasting,  we  offer  praise,  thanksgiving,  and  honour,  at 
 all  times,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 Psalm  xciii. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Let  our  prayers  be  acceptable  unto  Thee,  0  Lord,  and  let 
 our  supplications  come  up  before  Thee,  and  pour  out  Thy  bene- 
 fits upon  our  necessities  out  of  the  treasury  of  Thy  great  com- 
 passion, 0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  Amen. 
 
 %  Then  shall  follow  this  anthem : 
 
 The  Lord  hath  reigned  and  put  on  glorious  apparel. — The 
 children  which  shall  he  born  and  come  after.  Believers  have  put 
 on  incorruption  and  renewal  through  water  and  the  Spirit,  and 
 since  the  Baptism  of  our  Saviour  in  Jordan  the  springs  have 
 teemed  with  holiness,  and  creation  shall  not  be  destroyed  again 
 with  a  flood,  because  in  Jordan  He  appeared  Who  destroys  trans- 
 gression; and  sinners  shall  no  more  be  drowned  in  the  sea, 
 because  in  the  font  they  are  baptized  and  saved.  Put  on,  there- 
 fore, 0  believers,  incorruption  and  renewal  through  water  and 
 the  Spirit,  and  cry  aloud  and  say  :  0  Christ,  Who  enrichest 
 our  souls,  glory  be  to  Thee. 
 
 Those  who  love  the  Lord  hate  evil.  The  Apostles  who  loved 
 Christ,  and  preached  Jesus  our  Saviour,  held  the  Cross  in 
 their  hands  as  a  spade,  and  weeded  the  earth,  which  was  sunk 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY,  255 
 
 in  the  darkness  of  heathenism,  tilled  it  in  faith^  and  sowed  it 
 with  the  word  of  life.     Let  us  therefore  honour  them. 
 
 Glory  he  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost.  0  Church,  the  adorned  bride,  the  spouse  of  Jesus  our 
 Saviour,  may  thy  children  shout  with  praise  like  thunder  from 
 every  quarter,  and  give  thanks  unto  Christ  the  King,  Who  in 
 His  grace  has  highly  adorned  thee,  and  beautified  thee  with  all 
 heavenly  beauty,  through  the  Spirit  which  He  hath  imparted 
 to  thee.     Therefore  give  thanks  to  Him  and  to  His  ministers. 
 
 As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall  be,  world 
 without  end.  Amen.  Through  the  power  of  Thy  right  hand 
 Thou  hast  appeared  and  saved  us,  0  Christ,  our  Saviour, 
 therefore  establish  Thy  Church,  in  Thy  pity,  and  make  all  the 
 dwellers  therein  to  be  of  one  accord,  and  bless  and  keep  them. 
 Let  Thy  great  power,  0  our  Saviour,  rest  upon  all  the  churches, 
 and  make  all  the  Priests  thereof  to  serve  Thee  in  fear  and  with 
 thanksgiving.  And  grant  that  with  one  accord,  in  faith  and 
 perfect  love,  we  m.ay  ever  supplicate  and  praise  Thee^  and  say 
 together :  O  Lord  of  all,  answer  us,  in  Thy  pity,  and  have 
 mercy  upon  us. 
 
 And  let  all  the  'people  say,  Amen,  Amen.  Let  the  right  hand 
 of  Thy  mercy,  0  Jesus  our  Lord,  rest  upon  this  bridegroom 
 and  bride  in  Thy  grace,  and  in  Thy  pity  make  them  a  blessed 
 pair,  and  enrich  their  dwellings  with  wealth  and  all  manner  of 
 possessions.  Bless,  0  Lord,  this  bridegroom  and  bride,  as 
 Thou  didst  Abraham  and  Sarah  his  wife.  Bless,  0  Lord,  this 
 bridegroom  and  bride,  as  Thou  didst  Isaac  and  Bebecca  his  wife. 
 Bless,  0  Lord,  this  bridegroom  and  bride,  as  Thou  didst  Jacob 
 and  his  wife  Bachel.  Bless,  O  Lord,  this  brideman,  as  Thou 
 didst  John  the  preacher  of  the  Spirit.  Bless,  0  Lord,  this 
 bridemaid,  as  Thou  didst  Elizabeth  the  cousin  of  Mary.  Bless, 
 O  Lord,  this  cup,  as  Thou  didst  that  in  the  upper  room.  Bless, 
 O  Lord,  i\x\i  hndna,  as  Thou  didst  that  which  Thine  own  hands 
 made.  Bless,  0  Lord,  this  cross,  as  Thou  didst  the  cross  of 
 Constantine.  Bless,  0  Lord,  this  ring,  as  Thou  didst  the  ring 
 of  Solomon.  Bless,  0  Lord,  these  ornaments,  as  Thou  didst 
 the  ornaments  of  Sarah  and  Rebecca.  Bless,  0  Lord,  our  pure 
 pastor,  as  Thou  didst  Simon  the  chief  of  the  Apostles.  Bless^ 
 O  Lord,  the  choir  of  Priests,  as  Thou  didst  the  company  of 
 
356  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Aaron.  Bless,  0  Lord,  the  Deacons,  as  Thou  didst  the  order 
 of  Stephen.  Bless,  O  Lord,  our  master,  who  ministereth  to 
 our  weakness.  Bless,  0  Lord,  those  who  are  taught,  and  make 
 them  wise  through  the  Scriptures  of  the  Spirit.  Bless,  O 
 Lord,  this  place,  and  cause  Thy  peace  to  rest  upon  it.  Bless, 
 O  Lord,  this  village,  and  surround  it  with  a  wall  of  defence. 
 Bless,  0  Lord,  the  elders  therein,  as  Thou  didst  Thy  chosen 
 servant  Job.  Bless,  O  Lord,  the  young,  and  adorn  them  in 
 their  youth.  Bless,  0  Lord,  the  children,  and  keep  them  with 
 the  right  hand  of  Thy  mercy.  Bless,  0  Lord,  all  our  com- 
 panions, as  Thou  didst  Thy  Twelve.  Bless,  0  Lord,  this  house, 
 as  Thou  didst  the  house  of  Zaccheus,  which  Thou  enteredst. 
 Bless,  0  Lord,  the  provisions  thereof,  as  Thou  didst  the  few 
 loaves.  Bless,  0  Lord,  this  attire,  as  Thou  didst  the  mantle  of 
 Elijah.  Bless,  0  Lord,  this  table,  as  Thou  didst  the  table  of 
 righteous  Abraham.  Bless,  0  Lord,  these  vessels,  as  Thou 
 didst  the  vessels  at  Cana.  Bless,  0  Lord,  all  the  world,  and 
 surround  it  with  a  wall  of  defence.  Bless,  0  Lord,  all  in  all, 
 for  Thou  art  the  Blessed,  the  Son  of  the  Blessed.  And  let  us  to- 
 gether give  thanks  to  Thy  holy  Name,  and  through  Thee  to  the 
 Father,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 We  pray  Thee,  0  Thou  Wise  Ruler  over  all.  Who  carest  for 
 those  of  Thy  household.  Thou  boundless  Treasury  overflovring 
 with  all  help  and  benefits, — we  pray  Thee,  0  Lord,  to  turn  and 
 have  pity  upon  us,  as  is  Thy  wont  at  all  times,  0  Lord  of  all. 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 The  bridegroom  shall  joy  in  Thy  strength,  0  Lord,  and  in 
 Thy  salvation  how  greatly  shall  the  bride  rejoice.  Ps.  xxi.  1 — 8. 
 
 Let  this  attire  of  Thy  worshippers  be  blessed  by  the  power  of 
 Thy  grace,  and  let  the  help  of  Thine  aid  rest  upon  them,  that 
 they  may  give  joy  and  gladness. 
 
 May  that  blessing  which  was  poured  out  upon  the  vestments 
 of  the  first  tabernacle,  rest  upon  this  attire  and  these  garments 
 of  Thy  worshippers. 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  257 
 
 Another  Canon. 
 
 May  this  rite  of  espousals,  which  was  drawn  up  by  the  fathers 
 and  spiritual  doctors,  and  ordained  to  be  celebrated  after  this 
 manner  by  a  synodal  decree,  be  consummated  in  the  name  of 
 the  Trinity,  and  by  the  sign  of  the  Cross ;  and  may  their 
 prayers  be  effectual  in  behalf  of  this  bridegroom  and  bride,  and 
 in  behalf  of  us  all,  that  we  may  rejoice  and  be  glad. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 With  Thy  blessing,  0  Lord,  may  Thy  servants  be  blessed, 
 and  with  the  care  of  Thy  will  may  Thy  worshippers  be  kept, 
 and  may  the  enduring  safety  of  Thy  Divinity,  and  the  lasting 
 peace  of  Thy  Sovereignty,  govern  Thy  people  and  Church 
 throughout  all  ages  of  the  world,  O  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son, 
 and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 The  blessing  of  Him  Who  blesses  all,  the  pity  of  Him  Who 
 has  pity  upon  all,  and  the  keeping  of  the  adorable  God  be  with 
 us,  amongst  us,  and  round  about  us  at  all  times,  to  keep  us 
 from  the  evil  one  and  his  powers,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son, 
 and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Deacons  shall  take  up  the  bridal  attire,  and  the  Priest  shall  lay  his 
 hands  thereon,  and  say : 
 
 God,  Who  formed  the  body  and  created  the  soul,  [Repeat,'] 
 Who  made  man  in  His  own  image  and  likeness,  and  Who  hath 
 beautified  clothing  for  his  use,  bless  these  garments,  that  they 
 may  give  joy  and  gladness  to  such  as  shall  wear  them.  And 
 as  garments  cling  to  the  members  of  man,  so  may  these  Thy 
 servants  cling  to  one  another  in  love  and  affection,  and  continue 
 in  peace  together,  in  Thy  fear,  through  the  mercy  and  grace  of 
 Christ,  to  Whom  be  glory,  and  upon  us  His  mercy,  now  and 
 for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 1[  Here  the  Priest  shall  sign  thi  robes  with  the  sign  of  the  cross. 
 VOL.    II.  S 
 
258  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 THE    BENEDICTION    OF    THE    COLOURS.* 
 
 0  GoDj  Who  hast  clothed  blossoms  and  flowers  with  all  glo- 
 rious and  resplendent  colours,  and  hast  given  clothing  for  chastity 
 to  mankind,  and  Who  wilt  hereafter  endue  them  with  incor- 
 ruptible garments  of  joy  in  another  world,  bless,  0  Lord,  this 
 attire  of  Thy  servants,  who  are  now  joined  together  for  the  pro- 
 creation of  children,  that  they  may  wear  them  in  joy  and  glad- 
 ness, and  ascribe  unto  Thee  glory,  honour,  praise,  and  worship, 
 now  and  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen.  [Here  the  Priest  shall  again 
 sign  the  attire.~\ 
 
 THE    BENEDICTION    OF    THE    CROWNS. 
 
 The  Lord,  Who  hath  crowned  the  heavens  with  stars,  [i?e- 
 peat,']  and  the  earth  with  flowers,  and  Who  upholds  all  that  He 
 has  created  by  His  will,  may  He,  through  His  blessing,  adorn 
 your  heads  with  temporal  crowns,  and  fit  you  to  be  crowned  with 
 unfading  crowns ;  may  He  support  your  lives  with  all  needful 
 benefits,  increase  His  peace  and  safety  among  you,  give  you  the 
 blessing  of  sons  and  daughters,  enrich  you  with  wealth,  and  all 
 manner  of  possessions,  and  fill  your  hearts  with  joy,  and  your 
 tongues  with  thankfulness,  that  ye  may  ascribe  glory  to  the 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 %  Here  the  priest  shall  again  sign  the  attire.  Then  they  shall  take  away  the 
 attire,  and  having  put  it  upon  the  bride  they  shall  bring  her  forth,  and  place 
 her  on  the  right  hand  of  the  bridegroom. 
 
 THE    CORONATION. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Unto  Thee,  0  Lord,  Who  art  good  and  gracious,  long-suffer- 
 ing and  plenteous  in  mercy,  the  great  King  of  glory.  Whose 
 existence  is  from  eternity,  we  ofier  glory,  honour,  praise,  and 
 worship,  at  all  times,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 *  This  refers  to  the  principal  outer  dress  of  the   bride,  which  is  generally 
 of  velvet  or  cloth  richly  embroidered. 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  259 
 
 1[  Then  shall  follotv  Psalm  cxxiii.  1 — 4  ;  and  if  the  bridegroom  is  a  priest. 
 Psalm  cxi.  shall  be  added  thereto ;  and  if  a  deacon,  Psalm  ciii. 
 
 Change.  Who  has  beheld  a  bridal  chamber  set  up  in  the 
 midst  of  the  sea,  and  Hebrew  damsels,  the  daughters  of  Aaron, 
 walking  therein? 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Perfect  Thy  will,  0  Lord,  in  these  Thy  servants,  and  direct 
 their  undertaking  through  Thy  mercy,  that  in  their  union  they 
 may  ascribe  unto  Thee  glory,  honour,  praise,  and  worship,  at  all 
 times,  O  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 
 
 %  Then  shall  follow  this  anthem. 
 
 He  is  thy  Lord,  worship  thou  Him.  Take  timbrels  and  harps. 
 Give  thanks,  O  Church,  the  queen,  to  the  Son  of  the  King  who 
 hath  affianced  thee,  and  introduced  thee  into  His  palace,  and 
 given  thee  as  a  dowry  the  blood  which  flowed  from  His  side, 
 and  hath  clothed  thee  with  a  splendid  mantle  of  light  which 
 fadeth  not  away,  and  hath  set  on  thy  head  a  beautiful  and 
 glorious  crown,  \here  they  shall  place  the  crowns  upon  the  heads 
 of  the  hidegroom  and  bride,1  and  hath  caused  thine  odour  like 
 that  of  a  pure  censer  to  go  forth  unto  all  people,  and  hath 
 beautified  thee  with  blossoms  and  flowers  and  with  the  lilies  of 
 August,  and  hath  freed  thee  from  heathenism  on  Golgotha, — 
 worship  His  cross  whereby  He  suffered  for  thee,  and  raised  thee 
 up  from  thy  fall,  and  honour  the  priests  who  labour  in  singing 
 within  thee,  and  cry  aloud.  Glory  be  to  Thee,  0  Lord.   [_Repeat.] 
 
 The  king  shall  rejoice  in  Thy  strength,  0  Lord.  Through 
 Thy  great  strength,  O  our  Saviour,  Thou  hast  perfected  Thy 
 holy  Temple,  and  by  Thy  grace  Thou  hast  laid  the  foundations 
 of  the  Church  which  Thou  hast  chosen  to  Thy  glory.  Behold, 
 the  hosts  of  heaven  and  earth  rejoice  on  this  day  of  her  sancti- 
 fication,  and  supplicate  in  love  that  Thy  safety  may  rule  over 
 her  children,  and  that  she  may  be  a  place  of  refuge  to  all  gene- 
 rations and  to  all  people,  and  that  in  Thee  they  may  praise  and 
 thank  Thee,  0  our  Saviour,  and  say.  Glory  be  to  Thee. 
 
 The  king's  daughter  has  risen  up  in  glory.  0  Church,  the 
 spouse  of  Christ,  whom  He  redeemed  from  error  by  His  blood, 
 and  gave  unto  thee  His  body  as  living  food,  (whom  the  wicked 
 
 s  2 
 
260  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 slew  on  Golgotha,)  and  hath  placed  in  thy  hands  the  cup  of  salva- 
 tion in  the  precious  blood  which  flowed  from  His  side  through 
 the  wound  of  the  spear, — give  ear  and  hearken  to  the  voice  of 
 the  Bridegroom,  cease  to  wonder,  and  cry  aloud  to  thy  Saviour 
 with  the  voice  of  thanksgiving.  Glory  be  to  Thee,  0  Lord. 
 
 And  they  shall  praise  Thy  name,  for  it  is  great.  Great  and 
 unlimited  praise  do  the  spiritual  choirs  offer  up  on  the  feast  of 
 thy  sanctification,  O  glorious  and  holy  Church.  The  saintly 
 priests  cry  out  and  say  in  thee,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  art  Thou,  O 
 Lord,  Whose  glory  rested  upon  thee,  and  Who  gave  thee  in 
 pledge  His  sacraments.  Come  and  let  us  all  praise,  give  thanks, 
 and  say :  Keep,  0  Lord,  the  Church  and  her  children,  by  Thy 
 grace,  and  have  compassion  upon  her. 
 
 Magnify  the  Lord  our  God.  O  Church,  magnify,  praise, 
 and  honour,  the  heavenly  Bridegroom  ^Tio  descended  and 
 dwelt  in  our  humanity,  and  raised  up  salvation  for  thee,  and 
 hath  set  up  within  thee  priests  and  the  order  of  the  Levites,  to 
 minister  reverently  at  thy  pure  altar,  and  thy  children,  with 
 the  assemblies  on  high,  cry  aloud  in  thee  and  say.  Holy,  Holy, 
 Holy,  art  Thou,  from  above,  and  glorified  art  Thou  from  below, 
 the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  three  Persons,  one  Essence, 
 to  Him  be  glory. 
 
 I  will  magnify  my  Lord  the  King.  0  Christ  the  King,  our 
 Saviour,  let  Thy  safety  dwell  in  Thy  Church,  and  let  the  angels 
 in  heaven  rejoice  before  the  throne  of  Thy  Majesty.  Pit  us,  O 
 Lord,  to  minister  in  purity  in  Thy  holy  Church,  the  place  of 
 Thine  abode,  that  before  Thy  pure  altar  we  may  be  meet  to 
 sing  glory  with  the  assemblies  on  high  to  the  Essence  of  Thy 
 Majesty,  and  to  say :  Keep,  0  Lord,  this  bridegroom  and 
 bride  through  Thy  grace,  and  have  mercy  upon  them. 
 
 He  who  is  from  Everlasting.  0  God,  the  Lord  of  the  righ- 
 teous. Who  blessed  the  first  righteous  men,  Adam,  Seth,  Enoch, 
 Noah,  Shem,  and  Abraham,  bless  through  Thy  grace  this  house 
 and  all  who  dwell  therein,  and  keep  in  Thy  pity  this  bride- 
 groom and  bride,  increase  Thy  peace  in  their  days,  and  bless 
 their  lives  through  Thy  mercy,  that  they  may  be  Thy  children 
 fulfilling  Thy  will,  and  that  they  may  leave  an  inheritance  of 
 wealth  and  all  manner  of  possessions  to  their  children,  and 
 unceasingly  ascribe  endless  glory  unto  Thee  at  all  times. 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.      '  261 
 
 Keep  us  as  the  apple  of  the  eye.  Keep  in  Thy  pity,  O  Lord, 
 this  bridegroom  and  bride  from  the  evil  one,  and  increase 
 toward  them  Thy  compassion,  that  they  may  praise  Thy  Divinity 
 in  gladness  of  soul  and  in  health  of  body,  and  be  blessed  in 
 their  union  as  were  Abraham  and  Sarah,  Isaac  and  Rebecca, 
 Jacob  and  Leah,  and  be  fruitful  in  procreation,  so  that  they 
 may  ascribe  unto  Thee  endless  praise  at  all  times. 
 
 The  Lord  is  true  in  His  sayings.  When  our  Lord  willed 
 to  manifest  His  glory  to  His  disciples  in  Cana,  He  turned  the 
 water  into  wine,  and  by  His  decree  it  became  excellent  wine. 
 May  the  power  which  descended  and  rested  upon  those  vessels 
 rest  upon  this  house  in  which  we  are  met  together,  and  the 
 guests  which  have  come  from  every  place.  0  Lord,  preserve 
 their  lives,  and  bless  and  keep  all  our  company,  that  they  may 
 offer  endless  praises  unto  Thee  at  all  times. 
 
 Who  is  like  unto  Thee,  O  Lord  ?  0  our  Saviour,  as  Thou 
 didst  turn  the  water  into  wine  in  Cana,  and  the  guests  drank 
 thereof  and  rejoiced,  and  glorified  Thy  name,  even  so  gladden 
 this  our  assembly  that  they  may  praise  Thee ;  sanctify  with 
 Thy  sanctification  this  bridegroom  and  bride,  and  gladden  this 
 brideman  and  bridemaid  with  Thy  grace,  that  they  may  offer 
 unto  Thee  praise  and  thanksgiving  for  Thy  benefits  towards  us 
 at  all  times. 
 
 The  Lord  preserveth  all  such  as  fear  Him.  Preserve,  O 
 Lord,  in  Thy  pity, — bless,  0  Lord,  through  Thy  grace, — 0 
 Lord,  O  Lord,  help  in  Thy  mercy,  this  bridegroom  and  bride, 
 and  keep  them  from  the  evil  one ;  let  Thy  right  hand  ever  rest 
 upon  them,  increase  to  them  the  overflowing  of  Thy  assistance, 
 pour  out  upon  them  Thy  benefits,  and  give  them  blessed  sons 
 and  righteous  daughters  out  of  Thy  treasury^  that  they  may 
 praise  Thy  holy  name  at  all  times. 
 
 ^  If  the  bridegroom  be  a  priest  the  following  shall  be  said: 
 
 Clap  your  hands,  all  ye  nations.  Clap  thy  hands  and  give 
 praise,  O  Church  the  queen,  rejoice  and  exult,  thou  daughter  of 
 light, — all  whose  glory  is  from  thy  Father's  house,  and  thou 
 art  adorned  with  chastity  and  with  spiritual  beauty,  and  mercy  is 
 poured  out  upon  the  lips  of  the  Bridegroom  Who  has  espoused 
 thee,  and  through  His  beauty  and  glory  He  has  triumphed  over 
 
262  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 the  rebels  who  hate  thee,  and  has  beautified  thy  crown  of  glory 
 with  precious  stones,  and  set  it  upon  thy  head,  and  has  made 
 thy  walls  of  beryl,  and  thy  gate  of  crystal,  and  has  adorned  thee 
 with  jasper,  and  made  thy  garments  of  pure  gold,  even  as  the 
 prophet  prophesied  by  the  Spirit,  that  all  kings  and  their  crowns 
 should  bow  their  heads  and  worship  before  Him  Who  maketh 
 sovereigns  to  huaible  themselves,  and  Who  anointeth  priests,- — 
 the  glorious  Bridegroom  Who  has  espoused  thee. — Repay  Him 
 praise  in  the  place  of  the  daughter  of  Sion  who  darkened  His 
 glory,  and  adored  the  calf:  worship,  praise,  give  thanks,  and 
 say  :  Glory  be  to  Thee. 
 
 In  Thy  majesty  and  truth  ride  on  and  prosper.  The  Son  of 
 God  hath  crowned  the  Church  which  He  hath  espoused  with 
 beauty  and  glory,  and  hath  called  to  her  wedding  the  heavenly 
 and  earthly  assemblies  that  they  may  dance  in  her  courts.  He 
 hath  made  her  crown  of  the  glorious  rays  of  the  light  of  His 
 hidden  Father,  and  hath  set  it  upon  her  head,  and  adorned 
 her  therewith.  And  He  hath  sent  out  His  decree  into  the 
 streets,  and  doth  call  and  invite  all  nations  to  come  and  make 
 their  ofierings  at  the  marriage  of  the  Church  the  spouse  of  the 
 King,  whom  the  Son  of  the  Highest  has  espoused  in  His  love. 
 The  priests  then  came  and  presented  their  orders,  the  prophets 
 presented  their  visions,  the  Apostles  their  preaching,  the  mar- 
 tyrs their  blood,  the  hosts  above  their  songs  of  Holy,  Holy, 
 Holy,  and  all  the  nations  their  worship.  Blessed  is  He  Who 
 hath  set  up  His  throne  in  His  Church,  and  hath  filled  her 
 palaces  with  glory  and  excellency ;  and  let  us  praise  Him  to- 
 gether and  say  :  Glory  be  to  Thee. 
 
 All  wait  upon  Thee.  Thy  servants,  0  our  Saviour,  wait  for 
 life  and  endless  benefits,  and  flee  in  faith,  and  take  refuge  under 
 the  wings  of  Thy  cross.  Keep,  in  Thy  pity,  this  assembly  of 
 Thy  worshippers,  perfect  toward  them  Thy  promises  which  Thou 
 didst  promise  in  Thy  Gospel  to  those  who  love  Thee,  saying : 
 all  who  believe  in  Me  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  and  life  ever- 
 lasting. Fit  us,  0  Lord,  with  all  Thy  saints  to  sing  praise 
 unto  Thee  in  Thy  kingdom. 
 
 For  Thy  mercies  are  better  than  life.  By  Thy  mercies  which 
 are  better  than  life  have  pity  upon  Thy  servants  who  cry  unto 
 Thee,  and  flee  unto  Thee,  and  in  Thy  compassion  and  love  come 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  263 
 
 down  and  help  them.  Behold  from  heaven  and  look  upon 
 our  worship,  inclme  Thine  ear  and  accept  our  supplications, 
 and  stretch  out  the  hand  of  Thy  help  and  give  health  to  Thy 
 servants,  for  we  have  sinned  against  Thee  exceedingly,  and  Thou 
 in  mercy  hast  chastised  us  as  a  Father  and  not  as  our  follies 
 deserved.     We  pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 For  Thou,  0  Lord,  art  good.  0  Thou  good  God  Who 
 createdst  us  by  Thy  grace,  and  calledst  us  Thine  own  image  and 
 likeness,  by  Thy  grace  pardon  our  sins,  cleanse  our  wounds 
 with  Thy  hyssop,  cause  the  assaults  of  the  deceiver  to  cease 
 from  amongst  us,  grant  that  we  may  perfect  the  will  of  Thy 
 Majesty,  and  sanctify  our  souls  by  Thy  truth  that  we  may 
 praise  Thy  name  at  all  times,  so  that  in  the  day  of  Thy  coming 
 we  may  rise  to  thank  Thee  with  the  just  who  were  approved 
 before  Thee,  and  who  believed  and  confessed  Thy  Majesty. 
 Glory  be  to  Thee. 
 
 Heary  0  Lord,  my  supplication,  and  accept  my  prayers.  Hear 
 in  Thy  mei'cy,  0  Lord,  the  prayers  and  supplications  of  Thy 
 worshippers.  0  Lord,  open  to  us  the  door  of  Thy  Divine 
 treasury  at  all  times.  0  Lord,  show  us  the  light  of  Thy 
 countenance,  and  save  us  from  the  waves  and  torments  of  sin. 
 0  Lord,  send  help  to  all  who  are  in  trouble  and  adversity.  0 
 Lord,  let  Thy  peace  dwell  in  the  world.  0  Lord,  keep  Thy 
 Church  in  Thy  mercy,  hide  her  under  the  wings  of  Thy  cross, 
 and  have  mercy  upon  her. 
 
 Hear  my  voice,  and  attend  to  my  prayer.  O  Lord,  accept  our 
 prayers.  0  Lord,  answer  our  petitions.  0  Lord,  open  to  us 
 the  door  of  Thy  treasury  that  we  may  enter  in  and  take  the  for- 
 giveness of  our  sins.  O  Lord,  fit  us  to  perfect  Thy  will.  0 
 Lord,  grant  that  we  may  approve  ourselves  before  Thy  Majesty. 
 0  Lord,  pardon  our  iniquities.  0  Lord,  heal  our  wounds.  O 
 Lord,  help  us.  O  Lord,  pour  out  Thy  mercies  upon  us  sinners 
 and  Thy  frail  servants  who  calj  upon  Thee  and  say.  Have  mercy 
 upon  us. 
 
 Let  Thy  mercies  overtake  us  quickly.  0  Lord,  we  call  upon 
 Thy  mercies  to  come  to  our  help.  0  Lord,  let  Thy  kingdom 
 which  passeth  not  away  come.  O  Lord,  pardon  our  sins  and 
 transgressions.  0  Lord,  let  Thy  will  be  perfected  in  Thy  ser- 
 vants.    O  Lord,  lead  us  not  into  the  temptation  of  the  devil. 
 
264  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 O  Lord,  keep  us ;  0  Lord,  help  us,  for  Thine  is  the  kingdom, 
 the  power,  and  the  glory.     To  Thee  be  glory. 
 
 Answer  us,  O  God  our  Saviour.  Answer  us,  0  God  our 
 Saviour,  as  Thou  didst  answer  Moses  on  Mount  Sinai.  Answer 
 us,  0  God,  as  Thou  didst  answer  Elijah  and  Elisha,  the  prophets 
 of  the  Spirit.  Answer  us,  0  God,  as  Thou  didst  answer  Daniel 
 in  the  den  of  wild  beasts.  Answer  us,  0  God,  as  Thou  didst 
 answer  Ananias  in  the  fiery  furnace ;  sprinkle  our  faces  with  the 
 dew  of  Thy  mercy,  cleanse  our  wounds  with  Thy  hyssop,  and 
 have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 God  hath  sent  forth  His  mercy  and  truth.  Gabriel  was  sent 
 from  among  the  angelic  ranks,  and  descended  and  made  known 
 to  the  daughter  of  mortality  glad  tidings,  and  gave  her  a  bond 
 of  peace  and  safety,  and  informed  her  of  her  most  wonderful 
 conception ;  and  as  he  saluted  the  Virgin,  behold  she  conceived. 
 Hail !  blessed  art  thou,  0  mother  without  marriage,  for  from 
 thee  sprang  forth  the  King,  Who  is  adored  by  the  heights  and 
 depths  and  by  all  therein  :  to  Him  be  glory. 
 
 Sweeter  than  honey  and  the  honey-comb.  Sweet  is  the  memory 
 of  the  saints :  of  the  fathers  who  are  heirs,  the  prophets,  the 
 twelve  and  the  seventy  apostles,  pastors  and  preachers,  holy 
 priests  and  persecuted  hermits,  those  who  are  tried  with  fasting 
 and  prayer,  those  in  the  country  and  in  convents,  teachers  and 
 learners,  the  upright  just,  and  the  perfect  penitent,  who  have 
 been  before,  are  now,  and  who  shall  yet  be,  together  with  the 
 nine  circles  of  angels.  Praise  be  to  Him  who  strengthened 
 them,  and  upon  us  be  His  mercy. 
 
 Entreat  the  Lord  and  pray  before  Him.  0  our  pure  and 
 holy  father,*  who  didst  fight  manfully,  entreat  of  God  who  chose 
 thee,  that  His  peace  and  safety  may  rest  in  the  four  quarters  of 
 the  world ;  that  wars  may  cease  therein  ;  that  kings  and  priests 
 may  live  together  in  love  and  unity ;  and  that  the  Church  may 
 be  established  and  her  children  kept ;  and  may  thy  prayers  be  a 
 wall  of  defence  at  all  times  to  this  assembly  which  has  celebrated 
 thy  remembrance. 
 
 Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost.  A  great  marriage  has  the  Son  of  God  made  for  His 
 Church  which  He  espoused :  He  set  up  her  bridal  chamber  on 
 
 *  I.  e.  Nestorius. 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  S65 
 
 Mount  Sinai  by  the  hands  of  the  son  of  Amram  with  great 
 honour ;  He  invited  to  the  feast  prophets  and  apostles,  doctors 
 and  pastors,  and  the  angels  prepared  the  dishes  and  brought 
 manna,  flesh,  and  quails,  to  be  her  food  during  her  youth.  He 
 espoused  her  through  Moses  ;  through  John  he  wrote  down  her 
 dowry  in  the  river  Jordan;  David  also  served  thereto  by  his 
 music  and  harmony,  and  by  his  words  :  The  King's  daughter  is 
 all  glorious  within ;  she  is  adorned  with  pure  gold.  Give  thanks, 
 0  Church,  and  worship  the  Lord  our  God  who  hath  perfected  thy 
 beauty,  and  with  thy  children  call  out  and  say.  Glory  be  to  Thee. 
 
 As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall  be,  world 
 without  end.  The  enemy  strove  to  hinder  the  ascent  of  thy 
 spirit  to  heaven,  0  Mar  Nestorius,  but  he  could  not  prevail 
 against  thy  fervour  and  perseverance ;  and  when  the  persecutors 
 laid  snares  for  thy  holy  feet,  thou  didst  flee  to  thy  Saviour  in- 
 stantly. And,  now,  pray  to  Him  that  in  His  pity  He  may  send 
 the  greatness  of  His  mercy  to  our  aid. 
 
 And  let  all  the  people  say,  Amen,  Amen.  Let  the  right  hand 
 of  Thy  mercy,  0  Lord  Jesus,  rest  upon  Thy  people,  and  the 
 sheep  of  Thy  pasture.  0  Lord,  Thy  mercy  is  for  ever  towards 
 Thy  worshippers ;  do  not  leave  the  work  of  Thy  hands  in  the 
 power  of  the  devil.  0  Lord,  fulfil  Thy  promise  which  Thou 
 didst  promise  to  Thy  Twelve :  Behold  I  am  with  you  always 
 even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.  Be  with  us  as  Thou  wert  with 
 Thine  apostles  by  the  help  of  Thy  grace,  and  deliver  us  out  of 
 temptation,  and  give  us  peaceful  times,  that  we  may  ascribe 
 praise,  honour,  and  worship  to  Thy  holy  name  at  all  times. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Thy  blessing,  0  Lord,  thunders  throughout  the  earth.  Thy 
 praise  ascends  up  on  high,  sets  crowns  on  the  heads  of  Thy  ser- 
 vants, and  perfects  their  undertakings.  Perfect,  0  Lord,  these 
 Thy  servants,  and  bless  them  in  Thy  pity,  that  they  may  ofi'er 
 up  unto  Thee,  glory,  honour,  praise,  and  worship,  at  all  times, 
 O  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Canon. 
 Psalm  cxxviii. 
 
 Bless,  0  Lord,  this  bridegroom  in  Thy  mercy,  and  this  bride 
 in  Thy  grace,  that  they  may  praise  Thy  Sovereignty. 
 
 Through  the  prayers  of  Mary  who  bare  Thee,  and  of  the 
 
266  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 righteous  who  kept  Thy  commandments,  may  Thy  worshippers 
 be  preserved  from  the  evil  one  at  all  times. 
 
 Another. 
 Pour  out  Thy  grace  and  mercy,  0  Lord,  upon  this  youthful 
 bridegroom  and  bride,  put  far  from  them  all  danger,  and  make 
 them  meet  for  unfading  happiness,  that  in  the  Eden  above  tbey 
 may  offer  Thee  perfect  sacrifices  of  heart  and  moutb,  and  live 
 blameless  before  Thee  for  ever. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Christ,  the  glorious  Bridegroom,  Who  in  His  espousals  is 
 an  example  to  us,  perfect  the  foundation  and  building  of  this 
 work  of  His  servants  and  their  marriage,  pardon  their  sins,  and 
 make  their  odour  to  be  like  that  of  a  rose  in  paradise,  and  of 
 myrtle  and  basil  in  a  garden,  and  be  to  this  orthodox  assembly 
 a  wall  and  refuge.     [Repeat.'] 
 
 O  Christ  our  Saviour,  the  heavenly  Bridegroom,  let  Thy 
 grace  rest  upon  the  attire  of  Thy  worshippers,  that  in  putting  it 
 on  as  bridegroom  and  bride  they  may  ever  give  thanks  to  Thy 
 Majesty,  and  praise  to  Thy  holy  name. 
 
 Litany. 
 
 Let  us  all  stand  up  in  joy  and  gladness,  cry  aloud  and  say, 
 0  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 0  Thou  heavenly  Bridegroom,  Who  espousedst  Thy  Church 
 through  the  priest,  the  son  of  the  priests,  John  Thy  brideman 
 and  messenger  ',  we  pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 0  Thou  heavenly  Bridegroom,  Who  as  a  dowry  and  offering 
 didst  shed  Thy  precious  blood  for  Thy  Spouse ;  we  pray  Thee 
 to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 O  Thou  heavenly  Bridegroom,  Who  hast  called  those  above 
 and  those  below  to  Thy  wedding  feast, — the  Gospel  of  Thy 
 kingdom, — we  pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 O  Thou  heavenly  Bridegroom,  Who  hast  mingled  Thy  own 
 Blood  a  spiritual  wine  for  Thy  Church  to  drink,  and  caused  the 
 water  of  life  to  flow  for  the  happiness  of  Thy  adorned  Spouse ; 
 we  pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 0  Thou  heavenly  Bridegroom,  Who  gavest  all  nations  rest  in 
 calling  them  to  partake  of  the  blessings  of  Thy  marriage  table ; 
 we  pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  267 
 
 0  Thou  heavenly  Bridegroom,  Whose  espousals  abide  for  ever, 
 give  concord  to  these  Thy  worshippers  who  in  Thy  hope  are 
 joined  together  by  law,  and  give  them  joy  in  the  work  upon 
 which  they  have  entered,  and  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 O  Thou  heavenly  Bridegroom,  Who  turnedst  the  water  into 
 wine  in  Cana,  and  thereby  gladdenedst  the  guests,  gladden  this 
 our  assembly  by  Thy  grace,  and  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 For  the  weal  of  our  sainted  father ,  Catholicos  and  Patri- 
 arch, and  Mar ,  Metropolitan  and  Bishop,  and  for  all  who 
 
 minister  under  them  ;  we  pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 0  merciful  God,  who  orderest  all  in  Thy  mercy;  we  pray 
 Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 0  Thou  who  art  praised  in  heaven,  and  worshipped  on  earth ; 
 we  pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 Save  us,  0  Lord,  and  pardon  Thy  worshippers,  this  bride- 
 groom and  bride,  the  sponsors  and  the  guests,  and  all  the  com- 
 pany met  together  to  celebrate  this  marriage ;  and  Thou,  0 
 Christ,  the  true  Bridegroom,  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Let  Thy  grace,  0  Lord,  bless  this  marriage,  and  let  Thy 
 peace  and  safety  rule  in  the  hearts  of  these  Thy  servants,  and 
 keep  and  help  all  those  who  have  taken  part  in  the  espousals  of 
 our  dearly  beloved,  O  Thou  who  dost  gladden  with  Thy  benefits 
 the  hearts  of  Thy  servants,  O  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and 
 Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Blessed  is  Thy  mercy,  to  be  desired  are  Thy  benefits,  adorable 
 is  Thy  grace,  glorious  are  Thy  sacraments,  sweet  is  Thy  justice, 
 lovely  is  Thy  providence,  worthy  is  Thy  glory,  and  happy  are 
 those  who  fear  Thee,  0  Thou  Good  God  Who  dost  rain  blessings 
 upon  the  thirsty  souls  of  Thy  servants,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father, 
 Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  priest  shall  lay  his  right  hand  upon  the  head  of  the  bridegroom,  and 
 shall  bless  him  and  say  ;* 
 
 Thou  bridegroom,  who  hast  humbly  bent  thy  head  before  the 
 
 *  This  and  the  following  benediction  are  ascribed  to  S.  Ephrem  Syrus. 
 
268  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 priests,  Christ  our  Lord  lift  up  thy  head,  and  make  thee  to 
 prosper  in  the  two  worlds. 
 
 The  blessing  of  the  Lord  be  upon  thee.  And  now  I  will 
 begin  to  bless  thee  from  the  Scriptures.  May  the  heat  of  the 
 sun,  and  the  changes  of  the  moon,  do  thee  no  harm. 
 
 Be  thy  head  ever  lifted  up,  so  that  thine  enemies  may  be  sub- 
 dued unto  thee;  be  thou  always  a  judge  and  never  thyself 
 liable  to  be  judged. 
 
 Christ  order  all  thy  doings :  may  He  be  thy  keeper,  and 
 bless  thee  in  thy  going  out  and  coming  in,  and  enrich  thy 
 merchandize. 
 
 Be  thou  victorious  over  thine  enemies,  that  they  may  be  like 
 dust  under  thy  feet;  and  be  thou  prosperous  both  openly  and 
 secretly,  and  have  thou  ever  a  good  and  gracious  name. 
 
 May  thy  cup  be  always  full  like  the  pearly  Pison ;  and  may 
 thy  children  abound  like  the  overflowing  Gihon. 
 
 May  thy  seed  increase  exceedingly,  like  the  swelling  Hidde- 
 kel ;  and  multiply  throughout  every  quarter  like  the  Euphrates 
 among  the  nations. 
 
 The  health  of  thy  body  and  soul  together  be  doubled ;  and 
 thy  riches  be  two-fold,  heavenly  and  earthly. 
 
 The  shadow  of  the  lightsome  cross  keep  thee  by  night  and  by 
 day :  and  may  thy  house  prosper  and  advance  so  that  thou 
 mayest  rejoice  therein  at  all  times. 
 
 Thy  knowledge  be  like  glittering  gold  in  the  presence  of  thy 
 fellows ;  and  the  care  of  the  Lord  guide  thy  steps  in  light. 
 
 May  the  crown  upon  thy  head  and  the  goodly  attire  upon  thy 
 body  be  blessed  :  blessed  also  be  thy  bed  and  thy  bridal  chamber, 
 and  blessed  be  thy  household  and  wealth. 
 
 Thy  sleep  be  perfected  in  rest,  so  that  thou  mayest  wake  up 
 in  the  morning  with  joy ;  at  mid-day  may  blessings  gather 
 around  thee,  and  mayest  thou  find  peace  at  all  times. 
 
 Mayest  thou  go  from  strength  to  strength  and  from  glory  to 
 glory ;  rise  up  from  one  degree  to  another,  and  advance  from 
 virtue  to  virtue. 
 
 Mayest  thou  ever  possess  exalted  rank,  and  a  good  and  lovely 
 name ;  and  may  God  increase  thy  honour  like  that  of  David 
 and  Constantine. 
 
 May  the  lovely  branches  of  thy  loins  stand  before  thee  in 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATBIMONY.  269 
 
 joy;  and  surround  thy  table  like  the  goodly  plants  of  the 
 olive. 
 
 When  thou  puttest  forth  thy  right  hand  may  the  right  hand 
 of  the  Lord  be  with  thee  :  and  when  thou  stretchest  out  thy 
 left  hand  may  His  help  accouipany  thee. 
 
 May  thy  doings  in  the  world  be  wrought  in  life  and  peace ; 
 and  may  the  evil  one  never  come  nigh  unto  thee  by  night  or  by 
 day. 
 
 May  our  prayers  be  accepted  and  our  petitions  granted  on  your 
 behalf;  be  thou  a  father  to  great  men^  and  let  priests  come 
 forth  from  thy  loins. 
 
 May  thy  root  be  established  before  all  men  as  was  Abraham ; 
 and  the  Lord  make  thee  as  Ephraim  and  Manasseh  whose 
 father  was  Joseph. 
 
 Have  thou  pre-eminence  and  wealth  in  righteousness,  and  let 
 the  Divine  care  ever  encompass  thee  with  a  high  wall. 
 
 May  thy  name  go  forth  among  kings,  and  thy  report  among 
 nobles ;  and  may  the  fruits  of  thy  love  increase  and  be  kept 
 evermore  from  evil. 
 
 The  glorious  Trinity  grant  us  every  blessing;  and  may  God 
 be  glorified  in  thee,  and  let  us  all  say,  Amen,  Amen. 
 
 ^  Theii  the  Priest  shall  lay  his  right  hand  on  the  head  of  the  bride,  and  bless  her 
 
 on  this  wise  : 
 
 0  God,  Who  dost  bless  the  righteous,  bless  this  our  bride 
 who  has  been  crowned,  adorn  her  inwardly  with  loveliness,  and. 
 beautify  her  outwardly  with  excellency. 
 
 Bless  the  house  which  she  shall  enter  as  Thou  didst  the 
 Empress  Helena,  and  sanctify  the  bridal  chamber  allotted  to  her 
 after  the  custom  of  believers. 
 
 Multiply  the  treasure  of  her  jewels  and  ornaments ;  and  give 
 to  her  husband  when  he  goes  in  to  her  the  blessings  which  he 
 awaits. 
 
 Let  her  house  be  free  from  strife  and  debate  with  her  hus- 
 band ;  and  let  the  excellency  of  her  honour  and  report  in- 
 crease among  her  companions. 
 
 Give  her  joy  of  heart  and  enlighten  her  eyes ;  heal  all  the 
 pains  of  her  body,  and  pardon  the  sins  of  her  soul. 
 
 May  she  be  held  up  as  a  good  example  to  brides ;  and  may 
 
270  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 she  be  blessed  with  the  words  of  the  Priests  and  the  sayings  of 
 the  deacons. 
 
 Purify  her  body  with  health,  and  adorn  her  face  with  modesty ; 
 may  her  name  be  good,  and  may  she  ever  live  in  rest. 
 
 Look  down  from  heaven,  0  Thou  highest,  and  bless  Thine 
 handmaid  and  her  husband.  By  Thy  right  hand  she  was  created, 
 may  she  be  kept  evermore  by  Thy  gi-ace. 
 
 Make  ready  for  her  righteousness,  life,  and  health,  out  of  Thy 
 treasury ;  and  in  Thy  mercy  grant  her  requests  with  full  and 
 overflowing  measures. 
 
 Let  Thy  right  hand  rest  upon  her,  that  she  may  hide  her 
 under  Thy  wings ;  and  deliver  her  from  the  evil  one  and  his 
 powers,  that  she  may  be  an  abode  for  Thine  honour. 
 
 Let  all  the  righteous  women  among  Jews  and  Gentiles  be  as  a 
 mirror  unto  her ;  and  may  she  ever  be  remembered  with  them. 
 
 Make  her,  in  Thy  mercy,  a  follower  of  Sarah,  and  bless  her 
 children  as  Thou  didst  Isaac.  Bless  her  as  Thou  didst  bless 
 Bebecca,  and  keep  her  children  as  Thou  didst  Jacob. 
 
 Make  her  as  lovely  as  was  Rachel,  and  her  seed  as  Joseph ; 
 bless  her  womb  as  that  of  Leah,  that  she  may  be  a  mother  unto 
 many. 
 
 May  Thy  grace  bless  her  as  Asenath,  and  may  she  bring  forth 
 and  multiply  like  Ephraim ;  may  she  be  like  Jochabed,  and  her 
 children  like  Moses. 
 
 Fill  her  soul  with  a  righteous  hope  like  unto  Elizabeth  and 
 Aaron ;  and  may  her  children  be  like  Eliezer  and  Ithamar. 
 
 Help  her  as  Thou  didst  Zipporah,  and  may  her  children  live 
 like  Gershom  ;  and  like  Mary  may  her  mouth  sing  hymns  and 
 praise. 
 
 Divide  her  an  inheritance  in  the  earth  like  Mahlah,  Noah, 
 Hoglah,  Milcah,  and  Tirzah,  who  possessed  the  heritage  of  their 
 father. 
 
 Let  safety  dwell  in  her  house,  and  increase  of  peace  in  her 
 borders  ;  let  priests  come  of  her  children,  and  deacons  of  her  seed. 
 
 May  her  offspring  inherit  wealth,  houses  and  fields ;  may  her 
 sons  recline  on  pillows  and  her  daughters  on  carpets. 
 
 May  her  husband  be  glad,  and  her  parents  rejoice  greatly ; 
 and  on  her  knees  let  goodly  sons  and  daughters  be  nurtured 
 who  shall  perfect  Thy  will. 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  271 
 
 Multiply  her  seed  as  the  sand,  and  as  the  stars  of  heaven  ^ 
 and  enrich  her  greatly  with  wealth  like  the  Jordan  in  the  month 
 of  August. 
 
 Let  Thy  handmaid,  0  Lord,  be  blessed  with  the  words  of 
 benediction,  and  by  the  prayers  of  Thy  saints,  all  the  days  of 
 her  life,  that  she  may  ascribe  praise  and  glory  to  the  Father, 
 Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 Upon  thee,  O  glorious  bridegroom,  thou  delectable  rose 
 wreathed  in  the  crown  of  the  heavenly  Bridegroom  ;  and  upon 
 thee,  0  beauteous,  pure,  and  virgin  bride,  who  art  adorned  with 
 the  graces  of  the  Church,  and  upon  thee,  thou  honoured  bride- 
 man,  who  art  likened  unto  John  the  Baptist ;  and  upon  thee,  thou 
 lovely  and  revered  bridemaid ;  and  upon  all  this  our  assembly, 
 may  the  peace,  mercy,  blessing  and  grace  of  our  adorable  God 
 rest  and  overflow  at  all  times,  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 ^  Here  the  Priest  shall  sign  the  assembly  with  the  sign  of  the  cross. 
 THE    SETTING    UP    OF    THE    BRIDAL    CHAMBER.* 
 
 Prayer.  Glory  be  to  God  in  the  highest,  Sfc. 
 Our  Father,  ^c. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 May  the  adorable  name  of  Thy  glorious  Trinity  be  ever  wor- 
 shipped, glorified,  honoured,  praised,  blessed,  and  magnified,  in 
 heaven  and  in  earth,  O  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Psalm  cxxi. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Unto  Thee,  0  Thou  Who  art  the  great  and  excellent,  the 
 strong  and  glorious,  the  mighty  Man  of  war,  the  powerful,  the 
 full  of  mercy,  the  King  of  glory,  the  Existent  from  eternity  ; 
 
 *  Literally,  The  Knotting  of  the  Bridal  Chamber.  This  latter  part  of  the 
 marriage  service  is  usually  said  in  the  evening  before  the  bridegroom  and  bride 
 retire  to  rest  for  the  night.  As  it  is  common  for  families  in  the  East  to  sleep 
 together  in  one  room,  there  is  generally  a  temporary  division  raised  to  separate 
 the  newly  married  couple  from  the  rest  of  the  household.  This  custom  has 
 doubtless  given  the  title  to  the  above  service. 
 
372^  THE    NESTORIANS   AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 we  give  thanks,  worship,  and  praise,  at  all  times,  0  Lord  of  all, 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 
 
 Anthem. 
 
 Let  Thy  grace  be  upon  us,  O  Lord.  In  Thy  grace,  0  merci- 
 ful Father,  keep  this  house  and  those  who  dwell  therein  from 
 devils  and  wicked  men,  and  increase  in  it  all  manner  of  stores, 
 love,  peace,  and  concord,  and  health  of  body  and  soul. 
 
 He  shall  he  blessed  in  the  generation  of  the  just.  By  angels 
 the  house  of  our  father  Abraham  was  blessed,  and  by  the  Lord 
 of  angels  the  house  of  Zacchseus  was  blessed ;  may  Thy  Trinity 
 dwell  in  this  house  also  which  Thy  worshippers  have  entered, 
 and  may  it  be  blessed  in  the  generation  of  the  just. 
 
 The  Lord  is  true  in  His  sayings.  0  our  Lord  Christ,  Who 
 in  Thy  Gospel  spakest  to  the  assembly  of  Thy  disciples,  saying : 
 Into  whatsoever  house  ye  enter,  and  they  receive  you,  I  will 
 bless  them ;  bless,  in  Thy  grace,  this  house  of  Thy  worshippers, 
 and  let  Thy  security  and  peace  dwell  therein. 
 
 Let  not  the  desire  of  the  wicked  come  to  pass.  Drive  far  off 
 the  devil  who  is  the  enemy  of  all  righteousness  from  this  house, 
 lest  he  enter  and  rule  therein  ;  confirm  the  foundations  thereof 
 on  the  rock  of  faith,  and  increase  in  it  life  everlasting. 
 
 Our  God  is  a  strong  refuge.  0  Christ,  the  refuge  and  true 
 hope  of  the  distressed,  be  Thou,  0  Lord,  a  wall  of  defence  to 
 Thy  worshippers,  keep  them  from  the  evil  one,  and  heal  and 
 cure  their  wounds  in  Thy  divine  compassion,  O  Thou  merciful 
 Forgiver  of  sins. 
 
 Thou  that  art  the  hope  of  all  the  ends  of  the  earth.  0  Christ, 
 our  hope  in  whom  we  have  trusted,  have  mercy  upon  us,  drive 
 away  from  us  the  evil  one  who  hates  us  without  a  cause,  and  let 
 Thy  all-merciful  right  hand  be  a  defence  to  our  souls,  for  our 
 eyes  are  fixed  on  Thee  at  all  times. 
 
 In  the  sea  and  in  all  deeps.  At  sea  and  on  land  they  call 
 upon  Thee  to  come  to  their  help ;  him  who  calleth  unto  Thee 
 from  the  sea  Thou  hearest,  and  him  who  calleth  unto  Thee  from 
 the  dry  land  Thou  dost  not  overlook.  We  also  call  upon  Thee, 
 0  Lord  :  come  Thou  therefore  to  our  help,  and  save  us  from 
 the  power  of  the  evil  one. 
 
 It  is  He  who  maketh  wars  to  cease  in  all  the  world.    0  Christ, 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  273 
 
 Who  by  Thy  blood  hast  reconciled  the  heights  with  the  depths^ 
 make  all  kings  and  priests  to  be  of  one  accord  ;  in  Thy  pity 
 establish  Thy  Church,  that  through  Thy  grace,  0  Thou  Merci- 
 ful, one  symbol  of  faith  may  rule  over  the  universe. 
 
 The  Lord  preserveth  such  as  trust  in  Him.  May  Thy  wor- 
 shippers be  kept  evermore  from  the  wiles  of  the  deceiver  through 
 the  prayers  of  the  Virgin  Mary  the  blessed  Mother,  and  give  us 
 to  perfect  Thy  will  in  word  and  deed,  and  to  sing  praises  unto 
 Thee  at  all  times. 
 
 Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost.  May  this  house  be  blessed  by  the  Trinity  wherewith 
 the  righteous  believers,  the  fathers  of  old,  were  blessed, — may  it 
 be  blessed  from  this  time  forth  for  evermore.  Keep  it,  0  Lord, 
 and  all  who  dwell  therein  from  all  evil  and  adversity,  and  may 
 it  be  filled  with  good  things  as  was  the  house  of  Abraham  ;  may 
 its  wealth  inci*ease  and  multiply  as  that  of  the  house  of  Job ; 
 and  may  it  continue  from  this  time  forth  and  for  evermore, 
 through  the  prayers  of  the  sainted  Virgin  Mary, 
 
 As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall  be,  world 
 without  end.  Bless,  0  Lord,  this  house,  and  may  it  be  blessed 
 from  this  time  forth  for  evermore.  Bless,  0  Lord,  those  who 
 dwell  therein  wdth  all  the  blessings  of  Thy  living  and  holy 
 mouth.  Bless,  O  Lord,  their  labour,  their  wealth,  and  their 
 possessions.  Bless,  0  Lord,  their  seed,  their  fields,  and  their 
 corn.  Bless,  0  Lord,  their  meeting  together.  Bless,  O  Lord, 
 their  concord.  Bless,  0  Lord,  their  childi'en,  and  pardon  and 
 forgive  their  transgressions  that  they  may  be  made  meet  for  Thy 
 bridal  chamber. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 The  blessing  of  Him  Who  blesses  all,  the  pity  of  Him  Who 
 has  pity  upon  all,  and  the  keeping  of  the  adorable  God  be  with 
 us,  amongst  us,  and  round  about  us,  at  all  times,  to  keep  us 
 from  the  evil  one  and  his  powers,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son, 
 and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Canon.  Psalm  Ixvii. 
 
 Bless,  0  Lord,  the  bridal  chamber  of  Thy  servants,  and  keep 
 the  bridegroom  and  the  bride  who  dwell  therein  from  the  evil 
 one. 
 
 VOL.  II.  T 
 
274  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Send  help  and  salvation^  0  Lord,  to  our  souls,  which  flee  to 
 Thy  cross. 
 
 0  Thou,  Who  hast  set  up  a  glorious  bridal  chamber  for  the 
 Bridegroom  who  espoused  through  the  Spirit,  crown  with  a 
 crown  of  light,  O  Christ,  Thy  worshippers,  and  make  ready  a 
 time  of  rest  for  this  our  assembly,  that  we  may  thank  Thee 
 with  a  joyful  heart,  and  let  Thy  grace  rest  upon  us  all. 
 
 Doxology.  With  the  blessing  which  rested  upon  the  marriage 
 of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  may  this  bridegroom  and  bride, 
 and  this  brideman  and  bridemaid  be  blessed. 
 
 Mary  rejoiced  when  she  bare  Him,  and  John  when  he  bap- 
 tized Him,  and  the  heavens  and  earth  were  glad  because  He  is 
 the  Star  Which  arose  out  of  Jacob. 
 
 Holy  God,  Holy  and  mighty,  &c. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Thy  name,  0  Lord  our  God,  be  praised.  Thy  divinity  be 
 adored.  Thy  sovereignty  be  revered,  Thy  self-existence  be  mag- 
 nified, and  the  eternal  mercies  of  Thy  adorable  Trinity  be  with 
 Thy  people  and  the  sheep  of  Thy  pasture,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father, 
 Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,     Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 In  heaven  and  on  earth,  0  Lord,  Thy  divinity  is  blessed,  Thy 
 sovereignty  is  worshipped,  and  the  adorable  name  of  Thy  glori- 
 ous Trinity  is  sanctified,  glorified,  praised,  and  exalted  at  all 
 times,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 May  the  prayers  of  the  holy  Virgin,  and  the  supplications  of 
 the  blessed  Mother,  and  the  petitions  of  her  who  is  full  of  grace, 
 — Mary  the  blessed, — and  the  great  power  of  the  victorious 
 Cross,  and  the  Divine  help,  and  the  prayers  of  S.  John  the 
 Baptist,  be  with  us  evermore,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and 
 Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 0  Lord,  Who  didst  bless  the  righteous  of  old,  Abraham,  Isaac, 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  275 
 
 and  Jacob,  and  didst  increase,  multiply,  exalt,  and  pardon 
 them, — bless  Thou  these  Thy  servants,  and  bless  their  pure 
 marriage  bed,  that  they  may  live  together  in  love  and  concord, 
 and  that  their  children  may  be  meet  to  attain  the  ornament  of 
 this  day,  and  that  they  may  be  worthy  to  ascribe  glory  unto 
 Him  Who  has  given  them  to  be  partakers  of  one  another, — may 
 He  perfect  you  and  all  this  our  assembly,  and  may  His  mercies 
 abound  towards  us  for  ever  through  the  prayers  of  Mary  the 
 mother  of  life  and  light,  and  through  the  prayers  of  all  the 
 saints  and  martyrs  of  the  Lord,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 Hymn. 
 
 May  Thy  joy  be  with  us,  and  Thy  peace  dwell  among  us,  and 
 may  Thy  Church  dwell  in  this  bridal  chamber  for  ever. 
 
 The  bridegroom  in  his  chamber  is  like  the  sun  that  riseth  out 
 of  the  East,  his  rays  run  through  the  firmament,  and  his  light 
 giveth  joy  to  the  world. 
 
 The  bridegroom  in  his  chamber  is  like  the  tree  of  life  in  the 
 Church,  whose  fruit  is  good  for  food,  and  the  leaves  thereof  for 
 medicine. 
 
 The  bridegroom  in  his  chamber  is  like  the  spring  which  runs 
 through  Eden,  of  which  the  wise  have  drunk,  and  by  which  the 
 foolish  have  obtained  knowledge. 
 
 The  bridegroom  in  his  chamber  is  like  an  unblemished  pearl, 
 which  the  chief  among  the  merchants  bought,  and  through 
 which  they  were  enriched  and  ennobled. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Solomon  undertook  to  build  a  house  for  the  Lord  of  his  Lord, 
 as  he  was  commanded  by  God  and  by  David.  In  the  second 
 month  he  laid  the  foundations  thereof,  and  in  the  seventh  he 
 perfected  the  building;  and  the  king  placed  therein  a  large 
 brazen  sea  and  twelve  oxen  supporting  it.  The  horse  neighs, 
 the  lion  roars,  the  ox  bellows,  and  the  swallow  twitters  therein 
 in  the  morning  tide. 
 
 He  set  up  the  sea  on  the  southern  side  because  all  springs 
 and  rivers   flow  towards  the  south  ;  the   twelve  oxen  are  the 
 
 t2 
 
276  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 twelve  months^  three  at  eacli  angle  for  spring,  summer,  autumn, 
 and  winter. 
 
 He  built  a  wonderful  house  for  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh  :  six 
 hundred  slaves  come  and  go,  and  worship  before  her. 
 
 Who  is  this  like  a  golden  cup  full  of  milk  in  which  are 
 dropped  drops  of  blood  ? 
 
 Who  is  this  from  betwixt  whose  eyes  the  sun  riseth,  and  when 
 she  openeth  her  lips  spices  flow  out  of  her  mouth  ? 
 
 Who  is  this  clad  in  embroidered  garments,  and  whose  Lord 
 the  kings  and  princes  of  the  earth  do  worship  ? 
 
 It  is  the  Church  whose  report  is  goodly,  whose  spouse  is 
 great,  and  He  is  the  King  of  the  universe.  Praise  be  to  His 
 name,  and  worship  be  to  His  honour. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Blessed  is  He  Who  hath  built  for  His  Church  a  house  not 
 made  with  hands,  and  hath  raised  and  set  her  up  on  high 
 according  to  His  promise. 
 
 The  elect  Church  saith  to  Christ  in  her  supplications  :  Show 
 me  from  the  Scriptures  what  dowry  Thou  wilt  give  unto  me? 
 
 0  lovely  Spouse,  incline  thine  ear  and  hearken  to  My  voice ; 
 leave  thy  father  and  mother,  and  come  follow  Me,  for  I  am  thy 
 Bridegroom. 
 
 Behold,  I  flee  to  Thy  love,  and  I  contemn  all  the  idols  of  the 
 heathen,  and  leave  off  worshipping  them,  and  flee  to  Thy  cross. 
 
 1  have  espoused  thee  through  water  and  the  Spirit,  and  have 
 saved  thee  from  Satan  and  from  death  :  beware  that  thou 
 become  not  another's,  for  there  is  none  other  that  can  help  thee 
 as  I  can. 
 
 If  thou  art  faithful  unto  Me,  0  thou  daughter  of  the  poor, 
 I  will  make  ready  for  thee  a  bridal  chamber  above,  and  will  call 
 prophets,  apostles,  and  martyrs  to  thy  wedding. 
 
 Thy  commandments  are  dearer  unto  me  than  gold  or  pearls ; 
 and  the  words  of  Thy  mouth  are  sweeter  unto  me  than  honey 
 and  the  honey-comb. 
 
 The  principal  changes  made  in  this  service  by  the  Chaldeans 
 are  the  omission  of  the  cup  of  salvation  or  blessing,  and  the  part 
 which  refers  to  the  marriage  of  priests. 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY. 
 
 277 
 
 The  following,  taken  from  the  canons  collated  by  Mar  Abd 
 Yeshua,  a.d.  1298,  prescribes  the  degrees  of  kindred  and  affinity 
 within  which  matrimony  is  lawful  among  the  Nestorians. 
 
 Part  II.  par.  1.  The  persons  with  whom  it  is  unlawful  to 
 contract  marriage  are  sixty-five  on  the  man^s  side,  and  sixty-five 
 on  the  woman's  side. 
 
 A  MAN  MAY  NOT  MARRY  HIS 
 
 1.  Mother. 
 
 2.  Grandmother  on  the  father's  side. 
 
 3.  Grandmother  on  the  mother's  side. 
 
 4.  Step-Mother. 
 
 5.  Step-Mother's  mother. 
 
 6.  Step -Father's  mother. 
 
 7.  Step-Father's  mother's  daughter. 
 
 8.  Step-Father's  father's  daughter. 
 
 9.  Step-Mother's  sister. 
 
 10.  Father's  father's  wife. 
 
 11.  Father's  wife's  mother. 
 
 12.  Father's  father's  wife's  mother. 
 
 13.  Father's  father's  wife's  daughter. 
 
 14.  Step-Mother's  daughter. 
 
 15.  Father's  sister. 
 
 16.  Father's  father's  wife's  sister. 
 
 17.  Father's  brother's  wife. 
 
 18.  Father's  brother's  wife's  mother. 
 
 19.  Father's  brother's  wife's  sister. 
 
 20.  Mother's  sister. 
 
 21.  Mother's  brother's  wife. 
 
 22.  Mother's  brother's  wife's  mother. 
 
 23.  Sister's    mother's   husband's  mo- 
 
 ther. 
 
 24.  Mother's  brother's  wife's  sister. 
 
 25.  Mother's  sister's  husband's  sister. 
 
 26.  Sister. 
 
 27.  Sister — his  father's  daughter. 
 
 28.  Sister — his  mother's  daughter. 
 
 29.  Brother's  daughter. 
 
 30.  Sister's  daughter. 
 
 31.  Brother's  wife,  whether  the  bro- 
 
 ther be  dead  or  alive. 
 
 32.  Brother's  wife's  mother. 
 
 33.  Sister's  husband's  mother. 
 
 34.  Brother's  wife's  daughter. 
 
 35.  Sister's  husband's  daughter. 
 
 36.  Brother's  wife's  sister. 
 
 37.  Sister's  husband's  sister. 
 
 38.  Brother's  wife's  brother's  daughter 
 
 39.  Brother's  wife's  sister's  daughter. 
 
 40.  Daughter. 
 
 41.  Son's  daughter. 
 
 42.  Daughter's  daughter. 
 
 43.  Son's  wife. 
 
 44.  Wife's  mother. 
 
 45.  Son's  wife's  mother. 
 
 46.  Daughter's  husband's  mother. 
 
 47.  Son's  wife's  daughter. 
 
 48.  Daughter's  husband's  daughter. 
 
 49.  Son's  wife's  brother's  daughter. 
 
 50.  Son's  wife's  sister's  daughter. 
 
 51.  Daughter's    husband's     brother's 
 
 daughter. 
 
 52.  Daughter's     husband's     sister's 
 
 daughter. 
 
 53.  Son's  son's  wife. 
 
 54.  Daughter's  son's  wife. 
 
 55.  Son's  son's  wife's  mother. 
 
 56.  Daughter's  son's  wife's  mother. 
 
 57.  Son's  son's  wife's  sister. 
 
 58.  Son's  son's  wife's  daughter. 
 
 59.  Daughter's  son's  wife's  daughter. 
 
 60.  Brother's   daughter's  son's  wife's 
 
 daughter. 
 
 61.  Sister's     daughter's    son's    wife's 
 
 daughter. 
 
 62.  Brother's  son's  son's  wife's  daugh- 
 
 ter. 
 
 63 .  Her  that  is  legally  divorced. 
 
 64.  Two  wives  or  more  at  one  time. 
 
 65.  He  may  leave  his  wife  and  marry 
 
 again,  if  she  deny  the  faith. 
 
 The  same  degrees  are  prohibited  to   the  woman,   the  only 
 
378  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 difference  in  the  table  affecting  her  is,  that  "  she  may  not  marry 
 a  man  who  is  not  a  Christian ;"  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  lawful 
 for  the  man  to  marry  even  a  heathen  if  he  pleases,  according  to 
 the  following  canon  quoted  from  the  same  collection  : 
 
 "  Par.  xiv.  Is  it  lawful  for  believers  to  take  to  them  wives  from 
 every  sect  ?  It  is,  with  the  hope  of  converting  them  or  their 
 children,  or  both ;  in  proof  of  which  we  quote  the  Canon  of  a 
 general  council :  '  It  hath  seemed  good  to  this  oecumenical  synod 
 to  allow  Christians  to  take  to  them  wives  from  every  sect,  whom 
 they  must  strive  to  disciple  with  all  earnestness  and  care.  The 
 daughters  of  such,  however,  they  may  not  give  to  unbelievers, 
 lest  through  weakness  they  should  incline  to  the  opinions  of 
 their  husbands,  and  reject  Christianity,  or  become  Jews  or  hea- 
 thens. And  whosoever  shall  transgi'ess  this  law,  let  him  be 
 excommunicated.'  " 
 
 The  Chaldeans  have  relaxed  the  enactments  of  the  above  table, 
 and  have  learned  how  to  obtain  dispensations  for  unhallowed 
 matrimonial  connexions  from  Rome.  The  severe  laws  against 
 incestuous  marriages  given  under  Chap,  xxxvii.  are  still  in  force 
 among  the  Nestorians. 
 
 Separation  and  divorce  are  allowed  to  the  espoused  and  mar- 
 ried, according  to  the  authority  of  the  Sinhadbs,  for  the  following 
 causes  : 
 
 "1.  If  a  man  and  woman  shall  make  a  vow  of  chastity  with- 
 out having  come  together ;  in  which  case  the  man  may  not  take 
 another  to  wife,  nor  the  woman  another  husband. 
 
 "2.  For  bodily  adultery. 
 
 "  3.  For  spiritual  adultery,  such  as  sorcery,  and  the  denial  of 
 Christ. 
 
 "  4.  For  murder. 
 
 ''5.  If  there  shall  appear  in  the  espoused  or  married  man  or 
 woman  any  sickness,  disease,  or  bodily  imperfection,  such  as 
 insanity,  leprosy,  or  any  defect  in  the  natural  parts  of  the  man,  or 
 should  the  woman  be  an  hermaphrodite.  If  such  was  known 
 unto  them  before  marriage,  they  shall  not  be  permitted  to  sepa- 
 rate ;  but  if  they  knew  not  of  these  defects  before  marriage,  and 
 the  physicians  shall  decide  that  they  are  curable,  then  they  must 
 wait  patiently  until  cure  is  effected ;  but  if,  on  the  other  hand, 
 the  diseases  be  pronounced  incurable,  then  they  are  allowed  to 
 
THE    SOLEMNI25ATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  279 
 
 separate,  since  it  is  clear  that  deceit  has  been  practised,  and  each 
 party  shall  take  what  belongs  to  him  and  to  her.  If,  how- 
 ever, any  such  disease  shall  appear  after  they  have  had  in- 
 tercourse with  one  another  for  a  time,  which  disease  did  not 
 exist  previous  to  their  marriage,  then  they  shall  not  be  separated 
 for  ever.^^ 
 
 The  following  is  a  summary  of  several  other  canons  from  the 
 same  collection  touching  the  bond  of  marriage  : 
 
 If  a  man  and  wife,  being  childless,  shall  not  live  together  in 
 love  and  peace,  but  shall  quarrel  incessantly,  notwithstanding  all 
 the  exhortations  and  reproofs  which  shall  be  administered  to 
 them,  they  may  separate  and  marry  again  after  having  lived 
 together  for  the  space  of  ten  years,  more  or  less.  But  if  they 
 have  children,  they  shall  not  be  allowed  to  separate  on  any 
 account. 
 
 If  a  husband  or  wife  shall  be  taken  into  slavery,  they  should 
 not  despair  at  once  of  coming  together  again,  and  the  party 
 which  holds  out  the  longest  manifests  the  greater  love  and  at- 
 tachment. Notwithstanding,  if  they  cannot  contain,  they  may 
 marry  again  after  the  lapse  of  three  years. 
 
 If  a  man  leaves  his  wife  and  goes  abroad,  and  continues  to 
 supply  her  with  the  means  of  support,  if  she  be  chaste  she  will 
 be  content  to  remain  in  that  state  all  her  life ;  if  otherwise,  she 
 must  wait  for  ten  years  before  she  can  marry  another.  If  the 
 husband  does  not  send  his  wife  the  means  of  subsistence,  she 
 may  marry  after  he  has  been  absent  for  seven  years.  And  if  it 
 be  known  where  the  husband  is,  he  shall  be  threatened  with  ex- 
 communication to  induce  him  to  return.  And  if  he  have  child- 
 ren and  will  not  return,  then  the  agent  of  the  wife  shall  apply 
 to  the  governor  of  the  place  where  the  husband  resides  to  oblige 
 him  to  return,  or  to  send  the  means  of  support  to  his  wife  and 
 children.  If  he  have  no  children,  and  will  not  consent  to  return 
 to  his  wife,  then  let  such  an  one  be  excommunicated  and  ex- 
 pelled the  Church ;  after  which  the  woman  is  at  liberty  to  marry 
 whom  she  will. 
 
 If  a  man  wishes  to  marry  his  slave,  he  must  first  set  her  free, 
 and  then  he  may  take  her  to  wife  as  he  would  a  woman  who  is 
 a  believer. 
 
 Slaves  may  not  marry  together   without  the  permission  of 
 
380  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 their  masters,  and  the  Priest  is  not  permitted  to  interfere  in 
 such  cases. 
 
 The  following  extract  from  the  Sinhados  prescribes  how  mar- 
 riage is  to  be  celebrated  where  no  Priest  is  to  be  had : 
 
 "  Par.  iii.  In  a  place  where  there  is  no  priest,  four  or  five  of 
 the  faithful  shall  meet  together  as  witnesses,  and  they  shall  take 
 the  cross,  the  ring,  and  the  hndna,  and  shall  say  the  Lord's 
 Prayer  and  the  hymn  Trisagion ;  and  thus  shall  the  espousals 
 be  consummated.  They  shall  then  wait  to  be  married  until  a 
 Priest  shall  come  to  perform  the  rite ;  but  should  the  appointed 
 time  between  the  espousals  and  marriage  elapse  before  a  Priest 
 can  be  procured,  then  they  shall  go  through  the  same  service 
 before  witnesses,  and  the  marriage  shall  be  perfected." 
 
 The  following  prayer  is  directed  to  be  said  over  a  bride  in  the 
 church  forty  days  after  marriage : 
 
 0  Thou  pitiful  and  compassionate  Christ,  our  God,  Whose 
 goodness  overfloweth  towards  all,  pour  out  Thy  grace  and  help 
 upon  this  bride,  bless  her  in  Thy  mercy,  and  make  her  to  cleave  to 
 that  which  is  good,  to  eschew  evil,  and  to  do  such  things  as  Thou 
 shalt  approve  of,  that  from  her  bosom  may  come  forth  fruits  of 
 joy  to  be  brought  up  in  Thy  Holy  Church.  And  grant  that 
 she  may  live  according  to  Thy  will  before  her  spouse,  that  he 
 may  ever  appear  comely  in  her  eyes ;  with  her  ears  may  she 
 always  hearken  to  his  commands  and  approve  of  them ;  with 
 her  mouth  may  she  speak  of  him  with  reverence ;  with  her  heart 
 truly  love  him  ;  with  her  hands  perform  his  will ;  and  with  her 
 feet  walk  evermore  in  holiness  and  righteousness.  And  grant 
 that  this  bride  and  her  bridegroom,  and  their  brideman  and 
 bridemaid,  may  be  preserved  from  all  evil  through  the  prayers 
 of  Th)'^  mother,  the  second  heaven,  the  blessed  saint  Mary,  and 
 through  the  prayers  of  all  Thy  saints,  now  and  for  ever  and 
 ever.  Amen.  [Then  the  Priest  shall  sign  her  head  with  tlie 
 sign  of  the  cross^^ 
 
 THE    CHURCHING    OF   WOMEN. 
 
 %  Benediction  to  be  said  over  an  infant  and  his  mother  forty  days  after  child- 
 birth, when  his  mother  shall  bring  him  to  the  church. 
 
 0  Lord  God  Almighty,  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth, 
 and  all  that  therein  is,  Who  didst  ordain  a  law  to  the  fathers  of 
 
THE    SOLEMNIZATION    OF    MATRIMONY.  281 
 
 oldj  commanding  that  every  male  child  of  forty  days  old  should 
 be  brought  to  Thy  holy  temple,  and  there  offer  an  offering  to 
 the  Priest,  who  should  pray  over  him  that  he  might  be  clean ; — 
 Thou,  0  Lord,  didst  perfect  this  thing  by  causing  Thy  well- 
 beloved  Son  to  be  taken  to  the  temple.  He  being  forty  days  old, 
 when  Simeon  took  Him  in  his  arms,  and  confessed,  and  gave 
 thanks,  and  asked  of  Him  the  dissolution  of  his  days ; — now, 
 0  Lord  God,  bless  and  sanctify  this  infant,  N.  who  has  come 
 to  Thy  holy  Church,  which  is  the  abode  of  righteousness,  to  ask 
 of  Thee  graciously  to  increase  the  milk  of  his  nurse,  and  that 
 he  may  be  kept  from  the  evil  one  and  bis  powers,  and  be  brought 
 up  in  holiness  and  in  the  true  faith  all  the  days  of  his  life. 
 Amen. 
 
 Benediction  to  he  said  over  the  mother. 
 
 And  thou,  O  mother  of  this  infant,  be  thou  stirred  up  in  the 
 inner  man  of  the  heart  by  doing  good  works,  that  from  thy 
 loins  may  come  forth  sons  and  daughters  who  shall  approve 
 themselves  before  God  in  righteousness,  that  thou  mayest  feast 
 upon  the  blessings  of  the  Lord,  and  be  kept  thou  and  thy  child 
 from  all  evil,  through  the  prayers  of  the  Virgin,  who  is  clothed 
 with  light,  the  second  heaven,  Saint  Mary  the  mother  of  Christ, 
 our  God,  and  through  the  prayers  of  all  the  saints,  now  and 
 for  ever  and  ever.  Amen,  [Here  the  Priest  shall  sign  over  their 
 heads  with  the  sign  of  the  cross.^ 
 
382  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER     XLIV. 
 
 THE  KAHNEITAj  OR  THE  ORDER  FOR  THE  BURIAL  OP  PRIESTS.* 
 
 ^  On  the  death  of  one  of  the  Church  they  shall  wash  him,  and  put  on  his 
 clothes,  and  shall  say  over  him  this  first  Moutwa,t  [or  Cathism.a~]  of  the  Wash- 
 ing when  the  corpse  is  laid  out. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Let  us  thankj  worship^  and  praise^  the  hidden  and  adorable 
 power  of  Thy  glorious  Trinity,  for  Thou  art  the  Lord  of  the 
 two  worlds  which  Thou  hast  created,  0  Lord  of  our  death  and 
 life,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Prokimenon.     Psalm  xx.  i — 5. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 0  Thou  Who  didst  form  Adam  out  of  clay,  Who  didst  raise 
 his  children  from  the  dust,  and  didst  restore  him  from  his  fall 
 after  he  had  become  corrupt ; — unto  Thee  we  give  thanks,  wor- 
 ship, and  praise,  in  the  two  worlds  which  Thou  hast  created,  O 
 Lord  of  our  death  and  life.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 Prokimenon.     Psalm  xliii. 
 
 Prayer  to  he  said  over  the  incense. 
 
 0  Christ,  Who  when  Thou  enteredst  into  sheolihe,  dead  smelled 
 Thy  savour  and  returned  unto  life,  accept,  0  Lord,  this  incense 
 
 *  As  has  been  remarked  elsewhere,  there  is  a  separate  burial  service  for 
 deacons  and  laymen,  for  women  and  for  children  under  seven  years  of  age ;  but 
 1  have  chosen  this  as  being  more  of  a  doctrinal  character,  and  because  the 
 greater  part  of  the  other  offices  is  contained  in  it. 
 
 t  The  introductory  part  consists  of  five  Cathismata,  of  which  I  have  selected 
 two  for  the  sake  of  brevity. 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OP    PRIESTS.  283 
 
 which  is  presented  before  the  throne  of  Thy  Majesty,  and  be 
 favourable  to  the  dead  for  whom  it  is  offered  up,  and  bestow 
 upon  them  the  pardon  of  their  sins,  and  the  forgiveness  of  their 
 follies,  and  in  Thy  righteousness,  0  Lord,  cause  them  to  dwell 
 in  Thy  glorious  bridal  chamber  of  light  in  that  day  when  every 
 man  shall  be  rewarded  according  to  his  works ;  for  to  Thee 
 praise  is  due  from  all,  and  unto  Thee  it  is  meet  and  right  that 
 thanks  should  be  oifered  up  by  every  creature,  0  Lord  of  our 
 death  and  life.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 0  Thou  Who  formedst  us  in  Thy  grace,  and  causedst  the 
 sentence  of  death  to  be  passed  upon  us  in  Thy  justice,  and 
 shalt  make  us  to  rise  again  in  the  abundance  of  Thy  mercies, — 
 unto  Thee  we  give  thanks,  worship,  and  praise,  for  Thou  art  the 
 Lord  of  the  two  worlds  which  Thou  hast  created,  0  Lord  of 
 our  death  and  life,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 first  moutwa  [or  cathisma.j 
 
 Ant.  O  Lord  Thou  God  of  my  salvation.  Thou  hast  clothed 
 us  with  a  mortal  nature  which  is  ever  tormented  by  sin  and 
 pain,  and  if  we  cast  off  this  abode  of  misery  in  a  grievous  death, 
 the  garment  of  our  actions  still  defiles  us ;  therefore  have  mercy 
 upon  us. 
 
 Thou  hast  brought  us  into  the  dust  of  death.  [Repeat  the 
 foregoing  sentence.] 
 
 His  breath  goeth  forth,  and  he  returneth  to  his  earth.  Thou 
 hast  clothed  us  with  a  mortal  nature  which  is  ever  subject  to 
 pain  and  trouble,  and  when  we  depart  out  of  this  world  in 
 awful  death.  Thy  righteous  judgment  terrifies  us  ;  therefore 
 have  pity  upon  us. 
 
 It  has  become  the  head-stone  of  the  corner.  Thy  advent  to 
 our  race,  0  Lord,  has  been  the  restoration  of  sinners  through, 
 repentance ;  and  nov/  grant  that  Thy  grace  may  pardon  me 
 who  am  their  chief,  and  be  unto  me  a  defence  in  the  day  of 
 judgment. 
 
 Lord,  Thou  hast  been  our  refuge  from  one  generation  to  another. 
 Or  ever  Thou  didst  bring  us  into  this  world  Thou  didst  know 
 
284  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 our  frame,  and  that  we  are  perversely  inclined  to  evil,  and  Thou 
 didst  appoint  us  an  abode  full  of  temptation,  that  therein  our 
 pride  might  be  humbled  through  the  troubles  and  pains  vi^hich 
 befal  us  every  day,  and  that  we  might  fear  and  hate  sin  through 
 those  very  trials  which  afflict  our  mortal  nature.  And  after 
 Thou  hast  chastised  us  as  a  Father,  Thou  wilt  make  us  meet 
 for  that  place  which  Thou  hast  prepared  for  Thy  children,  that 
 we  may  ever  give  thanks  unto  Thee. 
 
 Thou  hast  fashioned  and  laid  Thy  hand  upon  me.  0  Lord, 
 before  Thou  didst  bring  us  into  this  state  it  was  known  to  Thy 
 wisdom  that  our  vile  race  loved  evil,  and  Thou  didst  set  us  in  a 
 world  of  stumbling-blocks  in  order  that  our  free-will  might  be 
 tried  through  the  miseries  and  lusts  which  come  upon  us  every 
 day,  and  that  we  might  dread  and  hate  sin  through  the  afflic- 
 tions which  vex  our  life,  and  when  Thou  hast  proved  us  Thou 
 wilt  make  us  to  enjoy  that  bliss  which  Thou  hast  prepared  for 
 Thy  children,  that  we  may  ever  give  thanks  unto  Thee. 
 
 O  Lord,  rebuke  me  not  in  Thine  anger.  0  Lord,  because 
 I  have  angered  Thee  by  my  actions,  therefore  would  I  appease 
 Thee  with  a  voice  full  of  thanksgivings;  and  because  I  have 
 vexed  Thee  by  my  misdeeds  every  day,  therefore  would  I  cause 
 Thee  joy  with  alleluias  and  songs  of  praise.  And  like  as  the 
 woman  who  was  a  sinner  drew  near  unto  Thee,  and  Thou  didst 
 forgive  her  her  sins,  even  so  do  I  now  call  upon  Thee  with  a 
 contrite  heart ;  answer  me,  0  Lord,  in  Thy  pity,  and  in  Thy 
 grace  forgive  me  my  sins,  and  through  the  abundance  of  Thy 
 mercies  justify  me,  for  in  my  affliction  I  cry  unto  Thee  and 
 say :  O  Lord,  compassionate  me,  and  have  mercy  upon  me. 
 
 Have  mercy  upon  me,  0  Lord,  after  Thy  great  goodness. 
 Have  mercy  upon  me,  0  Lord,  for  I  have  sinned  against  Thee, 
 and  have  not  done  the  thing  that  1  would,  but  the  evil  that  I 
 hate  that  have  I  done;  for  I  love  repentance,  but  lusts  wage 
 war  against  me;  and  I  rejoice  in  Thy  commandments,  but 
 sin  prevails  against  me.  Therefore  have  pity  upon  my  soul,  0 
 Thou  Lover  of  mankind,  and  draw  me  out  of  the  sea  of  trans- 
 gressions which  will  not  suffer  me  to  take  rest. 
 
 Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  Lord,  for  I  am  weak.  Have  mercy 
 upon  me,  0  Lord,  for  I  am  weak.  With  a  broken  heart  I  cry 
 unto  Thee,  0  my  Saviour,  save  me  from  the  rebel  who  ever 
 
THE    ORDER    EOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.  285 
 
 setteth  himself  in  bitter  array  against  me,  and  entangleth  me 
 in  his  net  j  for  I  admire  Thy  commandments,  nevertheless  the 
 wicked  one  overcometh  me  with  his  snares.  Be  grieved  for  me, 
 O  Thou  Lover  of  mankind,  and  save  me  from  the  hand  of  the 
 desti'oyer  who  ceases  not  to  threaten  me. 
 
 Help,  Lord,  for  the  godly  man  ceaseth.  Since  it  behoveth  us 
 to  eschew  all  sins  which  are  begotten  of  us,  and  above  all  to  guard 
 against  the  words  of  the  tongue  because  life  and  death  are  in 
 the  power  thereof,  and  therewith  every  man  shall  give  an 
 account  of  what  he  has  done  in  this  abode  of  our  pilgrimage ; 
 therefore  let  us  first  of  all  supplicate  the  righteous  Judge 
 before  Whom  everything  is  naked  and  open,  and  say  with  the 
 prophet :  Let  the  grace  of  Thy  help  set  a  watch  over  our  lips, 
 and  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 By  thy  words  thou  shall  he  justified.  Seeing  that  it  behoveth 
 us  to  eschew  all  sin  which  is  done  of  us,  and  to  put  away  from  us 
 a  deceitful  heart,  because  judgment  and  punishment  are  set  be- 
 fore uSj  which  the  righteous  Judge  Who  knoweth  our  secrets 
 will  pass  upon  us ;  therefore  let  us  cry  unto  Him  as  did  the 
 thief  on  the  cross,  and  beseech  Him  to  pardon  our  short- 
 comings, to  bless  us  through  His  body,  and  to  have  mercy 
 upon  us. 
 
 Shall  dust  praise  Thee,  or  shall  it  declare  Thy  truth  ?  The 
 mind  cannot  comprehend,  neither  can  any  heart  understand. 
 Thy  power  and  might  in  the  creation ;  for  all  the  hosts  of 
 heaven  and  earth,  and  all  creatures  conjoined  cannot  fathom 
 Thee.  Let  such,  therefore,  as  vex  Thee  be  confounded,  for 
 Thou  art  very  gracious,  even  as  every  creature  created  by  Thy 
 power  doth  testify.  In  Thy  mercy  we  pray  Thee  to  compas- 
 sionate us,  and  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 Open  unto  me  the  gates  of  righteousness.  The  gates  of  the 
 chamber  of  the  Bridegroom  are  opened  for  the  pardon  of  man- 
 kind, and  through  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  from  on  high  mercy 
 and  forgiveness  are  given  unto  every  man.  Enter  therefore,  O 
 ye  who  are  called,  into  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you,  and  with 
 a  pure  and  sanctified  heart,  and  in  true  faith,  give  thanks  unto 
 Christ  our  Saviour. 
 
 With  gladness  and  rejoicing  shall  they  he  brought.  The  women 
 who  came  unto  the  sepulchre  were  astonished  and  perplexed  be- 
 
286  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS, 
 
 cause  they  had  seen  the  grave  in  which  Christ  was  laidj  and 
 the  guards  who  were  set  to  watch  His  tomb;  but  they  were 
 glad  when  they  saw  the  angel  who  had  come  down  and  rolled 
 the  stone  away  from  the  sepulchre^  having  clothed  the  watch- 
 men with  a  deep  sleep.  Again  they  wept  because  they  knew 
 not  what  had  become  of  Him ;  but  then  Jesus  accosted  them, 
 and  they,  thinking  that  He  was  the  gardener,  said  unto  Him  : 
 Sir,  if  thou  hast  taken  Him  away,  tell  us  where  we  may  find 
 Him.     We  pray  Thee,  therefore,  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 God  is  gone  up  with  a  shout,  the  Lord  with  the  sound  of  a 
 trumpet.  All  creation  was  moved  and  amazed  when  they  saw 
 the  Saviour  hanging  upon  the  cross  to  set  us  free,  and  beheld 
 His  shame.  The  glorious  sun  darkened  the  light  of  his  rays, 
 and  veiled  his  splendour,  when  he  saw  his  Lord  suspended  on 
 the  tree,  sufi"ering  at  the  hands  of  the  daring ;  and  the  moon 
 turned  into  blood  to  rebuke  the  temerity  of  His  people  who 
 rashly  slew  her  Lord.  But  who  is  this  who  in  His  death  rent 
 the  Temple,  at  whose  voice  the  dead  were  raised,  and  who  pro- 
 mised the  kingdom  to  the  malefactor  ?  Perchance  it  is  the 
 Messiah,  He  who  giveth  life  to  our  mortality  ?  Come  then,  my 
 brethren,  let  us  hasten  to  worship  Him  because  He  hath  tasted 
 death  for  all  our  race.  Come,  and  let  us  praise  Him  and  say  : 
 Glory  be  to  Thee. 
 
 All  my  delight  is  in  them.  With  my  own  will  I  have  suffered 
 the  lust  of  transitory  riches,  and  the  love  of  worldly  glory,  to 
 separate  me  from  my  obedience  unto  Thee,  and  I  fear  lest  I 
 shall  be  judged  like  the  barren  fig  tree;  therefore  I  beseech 
 Thee  to  set  me  up,  and  to  establish  me  upon  the  branches  of 
 Thy  cross,  that  humility  of  mind  and  penitence  of  soul  may 
 spring  up  and  bear  fruit  in  me,  in  hope,  in  faith,  and  in  perfect 
 love,  and  have  Thou  mercy  upon  me. 
 
 Let  Thy  priests  be  clothed  with  righteousness,  and  let  Thy  saints 
 shout  for  joy.  The  priests  of  the  holy  Son  obtain  crowns  by 
 righteously  persevering  in  preaching  the  truth,  and  now  they 
 rejoice  and  praise  God  with  the  angels  in  heaven,  and  are  con- 
 stituted supplicants  in  our  behalf. 
 
 Good  and  upright  is  the  Lord.  Recount  to  us,  O  Daniel,  thou 
 child  of  God  greatly  beloved,  the  semblance  of  the  Son  when 
 thou  sawest  Him.     Thou  didst  behold  Him  flying  in  the  clouds 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OP    PRIESTS.  287 
 
 of  heaven  like  unto  the  Ancient  of  Days^  Whose  power  is  supreme 
 in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
 
 Grace  is  poured  into  thy  lips.  Tell  us,  0  thief,  what  is  the 
 beauty  of  paradise,  and  show  us  the  tree  of  Hfe,  that  we  may 
 derive  profit  therefrom,  and  learn  to  love,  fast,  and  pray,  as  a 
 sacrifice  to  the  King  of  kings. 
 
 They  looked  upon  Him  and  were  lightened.  0  ye  priests,  when 
 ye  saw  the  Anointed  bearing  the  cross  upon  His  shoulders,  ye 
 also  took  up  the  cross  and  went  forth  to  the  four  quarters  of  the 
 world,  and  discipled  all  nations  in  the  name  of  the  Trinity. 
 
 Behold  how  good  and  pleasant  a  thing  it  is.  How  good  and 
 pleasant  is  this  holy  house,  wherein  are  prophets  and  apostles, 
 martyrs,  priests,  and  doctors,  and  wherein  is  set  up  a  holy  table 
 for  the  forgiveness  of  the  sins  of  Adam. 
 
 All  wait  upon  Thee.  All  who  sleep  in  Christ  shall  in  the 
 day  of  the  great  resurrection  ofibr  up  praise  and  thanksgiving  to 
 the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  who  raiseth  us  from  the 
 dead,  and  clotheth  our  bodies  with  glory. 
 
 Come  and  hearken,  and  I  will  declare  unto  you.  Mary  saw  the 
 Lord  after  He  had  arisen  in  glory  from  the  grave,  and  she 
 spake  and  said  unto  Him :  Show  me  my  God  and  Lord,  for  my 
 soul  hath  gone  forth  to  seek  Him,  that  I  may  rejoice  in  once 
 more  beholding  Him. 
 
 Behold  how  good  and  pleasant  a  thing  it  is.  How  sweet  is  the 
 voice  of  the  priests  who  love  Christ  when  they  sing  unto  our 
 Saviour,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  art  Thou,  0  Lord,  who  magnifiest 
 Thy  servants  in  heaven  and  on  earth. 
 
 Blessed  is  the  man  whom  Thou  choosest.  Blessed  are  ye,  0  ye 
 blessed  ones,  when  ye  shall  stretch  forth  your  hands,  and  shall 
 say  unto  the  Saviour,  Who  is  the  Lord  of  those  who  watch  and 
 labour :  Give  us  the  recompense  of  the  service  wherewith  we 
 have  served  Thee,  and  make  us  to  enter  with  Thee  into  the 
 chamber  of  the  Bridegroom. 
 
 /  will  make  the  horn  of  David  to  bud.  The  Creator  chose 
 Him  out  a  Virgin  from  the  house  of  David  and  Abraham,  and 
 in  her  He  caused  His  hidden  power  to  dwell,  and  by  the  power 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost  she  conceived  and  brought  forth  the 
 Messiah,  Who  is  the  Judge  in  the  heights  above  and  in  the 
 lowest  depths. 
 
288  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Praise  the  Lord^  O  ije  righteous.  0  ye  priests,  why  did  you 
 not  spare  your  bodies  ?  All  men  fear  death,  why  then  did  you 
 love  it?  We  saw  the  unsheathed  swords,  and  the  wreathed 
 crowns,  and  heard  the  voice  of  Christ  calling  out  and  saying  : 
 Suffer  and  ye  shall  live. 
 
 Sing  unto  the  Lord  with  the  voice  of  a  psalm.  The  priests 
 say  unto  the  Lord  :  What  wilt  Thou  give  us  for  having  for- 
 saken the  world  and  its  possessions,  and  for  having  followed 
 Thee  ?  1  will  give  you  the  chamber  of  the  Bridegroom 
 above,  a  kingdom  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  withal  eternal 
 life. 
 
 They  are  but  as  yesterday  when  it  is  past.  When  the  priests 
 saw  that  this  world  passeth  away,  and  that  every  created  thing 
 endureth  not,  they  chose  the  fear  of  the  Lord  which  abideth  for 
 ever ;  and  now  their  remembrance  is  recorded  in  the  earth  below 
 and  in  heaven  above.  May  their  prayers  be  to  us  a  wall  in  this 
 world,  and  in  that  which  is  to  come. 
 
 Come,  ye  children,  hearken  unto  me.  The  priests  listened  to 
 the  voice  of  our  Lord  which  saith  :  O  thou  faithful  one,  be  not 
 afraid  of  those  who  kill  the  body ;  and  they  despised  and  con- 
 temned the  world  and  its  lusts,  and  gave  their  bodies  to  torture, 
 and  submitted  to  every  species  of  persecution. 
 
 They  looked  upon  Him  and  were  lightened.  With  the  eye  of 
 their  minds  the  priests  beheld  Christ  the  King,  and  with  one 
 accord  they  cried  out  unto  Him,  saying  :  Glory  be  to  Thee,  0 
 Lord  ;  we  have  believed  on  Thee,  and  have  fled  unto  Thee  for 
 refuge ;  therefore  leave  us  not  in  the  hands  of  the  unbelieving 
 who  hate  the  truth. 
 
 The  Lord  will  give  strength  unto  His  people.  The  blessed 
 priests  were  strengthened  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
 confounded  and  overcame  the  Rebel,  and  triumphed  over  him  j 
 and  behold  they  are  [now]  as  springs  to  the  whole  world,  and 
 from  their  bones  go  forth  life  and  help. 
 
 Let  the  hearts  of  them  rejoice  that  fear  the  Lord.  Like  the 
 odour  of  spikenard,  myrtle,  and  jasmine,  like  the  tulip  and  the 
 kingly  lily,  like  the  lemon  and  citron,  like  the  rose  and  sweet 
 basil,  so  is  the  all-rejoicing  savour  of  your  bones,  and  such  as 
 smell  thereof  shall  wreathe  for  you  crowns  of  praise. 
 
 Glory  he  to  the  Father,  ^c.  0  Christ  our  King  and  Saviour, 
 
THE    OEDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.  289 
 
 vouchsafe  to  raise  me  up  in  the  day  of  Thy  coming,  and  to  place 
 me  on  Thy  right  hand  with  all  the  righteous  who  were  approved 
 before  Thee,  and  who  believed  and  confessed  Thy  cross,  that 
 with  them  I  may  inherit  everlasting  life. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 0  Lord,  let  the  infinite  mercies,  which  had  pity  upon  the 
 thief  on  the  cross,  and  gave  him  the  promise  of  the  kingdom, 
 plead  with  Thy  justice  in  our  behalf  in  the  great  and  glorious 
 day  wheu  Thy  judgment  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven,  0  Thou 
 righteous  Judge  Who  art  full  of  mercy,  and  Who  forgivest  our 
 sins,  the  Lord  of  our  death  and  life,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Doxology.  Psalm  cxvi.  1 — 6. 
 
 Akkapta,  [or  Connection.']  Thy  good  Spirit  shall  lead  me  in 
 the  way  of  life.  O  Thou  Who  quickenest  the  dead,  glory  be  to 
 Thee. 
 
 Concluding  Prayer. 
 
 Glory  to  Thy  sweet-sounding  voice,  and  to  Thy  sovereign 
 word,  which  in  Thy  grace  and  mercy  shall  summon  us  from  the 
 grave,  and  gather  together  our  dust  from  every  quarter,  and 
 shall  make  us  a  new  creation,  0  Lord  of  our  death  and  life. 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Blessed  art  Thou  upon  earth,  and  praised  art  Thou  in  heaven, 
 0  Thou  Who  art  the  Cause  of  our  life,  and  the  righteous  Hope 
 of  our  souls,  0  Lord  of  our  death  and  life,  Father,  Son,  and 
 Holy  Ghost.     Amen, 
 
 ^  Then  shall  follow  three  hymns.* 
 
 THIRD    MOUTWA. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 We  worship,  adore,  and    praise.  Thy  hidden  Divinity,  Thy 
 creative  mercy,  and  Thy  glorious    Trinity,  in  the  two  worlds 
 *  The  hymns  will  be  found  at  the  conclusion  of  the  office. 
 VOL.  II.  V 
 
290  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 which  Thou  hast  created^  0  Lord  of  our  death  and  life.  Father, 
 Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 Prokimenon.     Psalm  cxxxix.  1 — 15. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 O  Lord,  Thou  didst  create  us  by  Thy  grace,  and  in  Thy 
 wisdom  Thou  dost  bring  us  to  nothing ;  raise  Thou  us  up  in 
 Thy  mercy,  that  we  may  arise  and  sing  befitting  praises  to  the 
 reverence  of  Thy  Majesty,  0  Lord  of  our  death  and  life, 
 Father,  Son.  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Anthem. 
 
 Whither  shall  I  go  from  Thy  presence  P  When  the  trumpet 
 of  Thy  sudden  coming  shall  sound  with  great  terror,  and  the 
 circles  of  angels  shall  fly  from  heaven  and  shall  descend  in 
 haste,  and  when  all  men  shall  rise  out  of  their  graves,  in  fear,  to 
 give  an  account  of  themselves,  then  shall  the  powers  above  be 
 shaken  because  of  the  severity  of  that  judgment  wherewith 
 those  of  earth  shall  be  judged,  and  the  cherubim  who  shall  hear 
 Thy  voice  shall  praise  Thee,  0  Thou  righteous  Judge.  In  that 
 awful  judgment  when  Thou  shalt  judge  every  one  according  to 
 his  works,  have  mercy  upon  me,  0  Thou  Lover  of  mankind. 
 
 Where  shall  I  hide  me  from  Thy  Presence  ?  In  that  hour 
 when  the  angelic  hosts  shall  surround  Thy  Majesty,  and  shall 
 with  one  accord,  and  with  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  praise  and 
 glorify  Thee,  then  shall  severe  pangs  seize  upon  the  earth  and 
 cause  it  to  bring  forth  the  dead,  and  the  mortal  children  of 
 Adam  shall  rise  to  meet  Thee,  0  Lord,  with  loud  hosannas,  and 
 the  righteous  shall  be  exalted,  and  the  wicked  shall  be  left  upon 
 the  earth.  Have  mercy  upon  me,  0  Lord,  in  that  great  day  of 
 Thine  when  Thou  shalt  come  to  judgment.  Have  mercy  upon 
 me,  0  Thou  Lover  of  mankind. 
 
 And  they  shall  praise  Thy  name  for  ever.  When  Jesus  our 
 King  shall  appear,  and  shall  set  His  throne  in  the  highest,  and 
 shall  command  all  the  good  and  the  bad  together  to  come  to  the 
 trial  of  His  judgment,  and  shall  separate  the  good  to  the  hght 
 of  His  kingdom,  and  the  bad  to  everlasting  fire,  then  shall  the 
 angelic  hosts  praise  and  magnify  Thee.     In  that  hour,  0  Lord, 
 
THE    ORDEE    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS,  291 
 
 make  all  those  wlio  have  met  Thee  in  Thy  sacraments  meet  for 
 Thy  glory. 
 
 With  trumpets  we  praise  before  the  Lord  the  King.  In  the 
 great  day  of  Thy  coming,  the  trumpets  and  shawms  shall  be 
 sounded,  and  the  angels  shall  come  down  out  of  their  place,  and 
 shall  sing  praises  to  Thy  Divinity ;  and  thereupon  those  who 
 sleep  shall  awake  suddenly,  and  shall  join  in  the  song  with  their 
 glorified  voices,  and  such  as  have  done  righteously  shall  enter 
 with  Him  into  the  bridal  chamber,  and  the  door  shall  be  shut  in 
 the  face  of  sinners.  Shut  not,  0  Lord,  the  wide  door  of  Thy 
 pity  against  Thy  worshippers,  but  have  Thou  compassion 
 upon  us. 
 
 The  earth  is  moved  and  is  shaken.  In  the  great  day  of  Thy 
 appearance  the  earth  and  the  inhabitants  thereof  shall  be  shaken, 
 and  the  unbelieving  who  denied  the  due  glory  of  Thy  Divinity 
 shall  tremble,  and  the  profane  shall  be  terrified,  but  all  those 
 who  have  persevered  shall  joy  and  rejoice.  Then  shall  the  hosts 
 above  and  below  cry  out  exultingly,  and  shall  say :  Glorious  is 
 Thy  revival  and  resurrection,  0  Christ  our  King,  who  by  Thy 
 grace  hast  raised  up  the  race  of  the  dying.  Unto  Thee  be 
 praise. 
 
 Thou  sendest  forth  Thy  Spirit,  and  they  are  created,  0  Lord, 
 when  Thou  shalt  raise  our  bodies  from  corruption,  and  when  all 
 those  who  sleep  shall  rise  up  out  of  their  graves,  and  shall  come 
 to  Thy  righteous  judgment,  and  when  the  actions  of  all  men 
 shall  be  tried  as  by  fire,  and  those  who  have  wrought  righteous- 
 ness shall  attain  unto  bliss  at  Thy  right  hand  in  the  dew  of 
 light,  then  have  pity  upon  me,  and  give  rest  unto  my  soul  in 
 Thy  kingdom  with  all  Thy  saints,  and  have  mercy  upon  me. 
 
 Who  shall  declare  the  vjonders  of  the  Lord  ?  The  grace  which 
 Thy  love  hath  manifested  toward  our  race  is  unutterable  :  in  the 
 beginning  Thou  didst  create  us  in  Thine  own  illustrious  image, 
 and  when  this  had  become  corrupt  through  the  sin  of  Adam,  the 
 head  of  human  kind,  who  transgressed  the  law.  Thou  didst 
 humble  Thyself  in  Thy  love,  and  by  Thy  coming  didst  raise  us 
 up  from  the  dust  through  Thy  blessed  appearance.  Glory  be 
 unto  Thee,  0  Thou  righteous  One,  Who  of  old  didst  redeem  us 
 by  the  first-fruits  which  Thou  didst  assume  from  our  race. 
 In  the  days  of  old.     When  the  Lord  of  all  created  Adam  He 
 
 u  3 
 
292  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 called  him  His  own  image  and  likeness,  and  introduced  him  into 
 an  Eden  full  of  blessed  fruits  and  all  good  things,  and  there  He 
 placed  him  ;  but  the  evil  one  envied  him,  and  cast  him  down 
 from  his  exalted  estate,  and  stripped  him  of  his  goodly  glory. 
 But  the  Creator  would  not  that  the  wicked  one  should  despise 
 His  image,  therefore  He  sent  His  Son  and  restored  him  to  His 
 paradise,  and  made  Him  Lord  in  the  heights  above  and  in  the 
 depths  beneath.  We  therefore  praise  our  King  Who  has  raised 
 us  up  by  His  resurrection. 
 
 Praise  the  Lord  all  the  whole  earth.  The  congregations  of 
 the  heavenly  and  earthly  ones  stand  in  amazement  and  joy  whilst 
 the  sacrifice  for  the  life  of  the  world  is  offered  up.  With  wings 
 stretched  out  before  their  eyes,  lest  they  should  look  upon  the 
 awful  and  incomprehensible  sight,  they  tune  their  voices,  and 
 cry  out  with  their  tongues,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  art  Thou,  0  Lord, 
 for  this  tremendous  gift  which  Thou  hast  given  that  thereby  we 
 may  obtain  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins.  Vouchsafe  unto  us,  0 
 Lord,  in  Thy  pity,  and  fit  us  by  Thy  grace,  that  we  may  give 
 thanks  unto  Thee  for  the  same,  and  say :  Glory  be  to  Thee. 
 
 Those  who  stand  in  the  house  of  the  Lord.  Let  us  all  who 
 have  been  called  to  feast  upon  the  glorious  and  divine  sacra- 
 ments, in  fear  and  love  praise  and  worship  the  Lord  of  all,  and 
 in  love  and  faith  receive  the  body  of  the  Anointed  Son,  who  was 
 put  to  death  that  we  might  live,  who  atoned  for  our  sins,  and 
 reconciled  the  Father  unto  us  through  the  shedding  of  His 
 blood,  and  now,  behold,  He  is  praised  and  magnified  sitting  on 
 the  right  hand  of  the  Father  who  sent  Him;  and  since  He  is 
 one  and  indivisible,  above  and  in  the  Church,  He  is  offered  up 
 every  day  without  suffering  pain.  Come,  therefore,  and  let  us 
 in  purity  approach  the  sacrifice  of  His  all-sanctifying  Body,  and 
 cry  out  with  one  accord,  and  say :  Glory  be  to  Thee. 
 
 The  Lord  preserveth  all  such  as  trust  in  Him.  Let  us  all  who 
 believe  in  Him  through  the  renewing  of  the  Spirit,  thankfully 
 and  undoubtingly  approach  when  we  see  the  Lamb  of  God  Who 
 is  daily  sacrificed  sacramentally  upon  the  altar,  and  Who,  seeing 
 that  He  is  alive  for  evermore,  is  imparted  unto  every  man  vnth- 
 out  becoming  less,  and  without  being  consumed.  Therefore 
 with  fear  and  trembling  let  us  cry  out  and  say  :  Holy,  holy, 
 holy,  art  Thou,  O  God,  heaven  and  earth  are  full  of  Thy  glory. 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIA.L    OF    PRIESTS.  293 
 
 The  King's  daughter  is  all  glorious.  0  Churchy  the  Bride  of 
 Christ^  Him  Whom  the  wicked  slew  on  Golgotha,  Who  re- 
 deemed her  with  His  precious  blood,  and  gave  her  the  living 
 food  of  His  body,  and  into  whose  hands  He  put  the  cup  of  sal- 
 vation in  the  precious  blood  which  flowed  from  His  spear-riven 
 side, — incline  thine  ear,  and  hearken  to  the  voice  of  the  Bride- 
 groom, cease  to  wander  after  vanities,  and  cry  out  to  Thy 
 Saviour  with  the  voice  of  thanksgiving,  and  say  :  Glory  be  to 
 Thee. 
 
 Let  us  magnify  the  Lord  our  God.  0  Church,  magnify, 
 honour,  and  praise,  the  heavenly  Bridegroom  Who  descended 
 and  dwelt  in  our  humanity  to  work  out  salvation  for  thee,  and 
 Who  hath  set  up  priests  in  thee,  and  the  order  of  Levites,  to 
 minister  before  thine  altar  with  all  reverence.  Thy  children 
 with  all  the  hosts  above  cry  aloud  with  a  glorious  voice,  and 
 say :  Holy  is  He  in  the  heights  above,  and  praised  is  He  in  the 
 depths  beneath,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  One 
 Essence,  unto  Him  be  glory. 
 
 They  shall  praise  Thy  name  for  ever.  The  spiritual  choirs 
 cry  aloud  with  unbounded  praise  on  the  great  festival  of  Thy 
 celebration,  0  thou  glorious  and  holy  Church,  and  the  sacred 
 priests  lift  up  their  voices  in  thee  and  say :  Holy,  holy,  holy, 
 is  the  Lord,  who  caused  His  glory  to  rest  upon  thee,  and 
 gave  thee  the  pledge  of  His  sacraments.  Come,  therefore,  and 
 let  us  also  sing  and  give  praise,  and  let  us  say :  0  Lord,  keep 
 the  Church,  and  her  children  through  Thy  grace,  and  have 
 mercy  upon  her. 
 
 Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost.  The  rebellious  devils  and  the  wicked  shall  stand  with 
 fear  and  trembling  in  that  day  when  the  sign  of  the  Saviour 
 shall  appear,  when  all  the  spiritual  hosts  shall  run  before  Him, 
 singing  praises  unto  Him,  and  when  all  the  archangels  shall 
 precede  Him  in  great  glory  to  confound  the  unbelieving.  All 
 these  shall  sound  their  trumpets,  and  shall  play  upon  their 
 harps  j  then  the  earth  shall  quake  under  the  inhabitants  thereof, 
 and  severe  pangs  shall  seize  upon  it,  and  it  shall  bring  forth 
 the  dead  which  are  buried  in  it.  Then  the  last  trump  shall 
 sound,  and  the  graves  shall  be  rent,  and  the  dead  shall  rise  out 
 of  them,  and  greedy  Death,  that  devouring  lion,  shall  look  on  in 
 
294  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 sorrow,  for  his  kingdom  shall  be  dissolved  and  destroyed.  Then 
 all  the  dead  shall  cry  out  unto  him,  saying  :  Where  is  thy  sting, 
 0  thou  swallower  up  of  all  ?  behold,  the  hard  yoke  whereby 
 thou  didst  rule  over  us  without  pity  is  broken.  Then,  under 
 the  mandate  of  Christ  the  King,  he  shall  summon  all  the  chil- 
 dren of  the  earthly  Adam  together,  and  the  angels  shall  run 
 with  loud  songs  to  the  door  of  the  King  Christ,  Who  it  is  that 
 quickeneth  them  and  raiseth  them  up.  And  He  shall  command 
 that  the  righteous  be  separated  unto  light,  and  the  wicked  to 
 the  darkness  of  hell,  and  all  the  devils  shall  tremble  when  they 
 seethe  glory  which  the  just  shall  put  on.  There  shall  they  see 
 Adam,  the  head  of  the  nations,  standing  in  front  of  his  children 
 in  glory  and  great  majesty .^^  There  they  shall  also  see  Abel, 
 Seth,  Noah,  and  Shem,  clothed  in  incorruptible  garments,  there 
 they  shall  see  Moses  bearing  the  tables  of  the  law  which  he  re- 
 ceived by  revelation  on  Mount  Sinai ;  there  they  shall  see  Aaron, 
 Eliezer,  Melchizedek,  Zechariah,  and  John  the  tried  priest,  who 
 were  not  defiled ;  there  they  shall  see  Joshua,  the  son  of  Nun, 
 who  made  the  sun  to  stand  still  in  the  valley  of  Elon  ;  there 
 they  shall  see  Enoch  and  Elijah  exulting  above  the  clouds ; 
 there  they  shall  see  Abraham  and  Isaac  his  heir,  Jacob  and  Jo- 
 seph, and  all  the  believers  who  became  inheritors  of  the  king- 
 dom ;  there  they  shall  see  David,  the  harp  of  the  soul,  who  sang 
 psalms  and  alleluias  :  there  they  shall  see  all  the  prophets  stand- 
 ing on  the  right  hand  of  God  ;  there  they  shall  see  the  choirs 
 of  chaste  priests  exulting  in  the  spiritual  feast ;  there  they  shall 
 see  the  twelve  Apostles  clothed  in  light  which  no  darkness  can 
 approach  unto ;  and  they  shall  see  there  the  delectable  crowns 
 which  shall  be  placed  upon  the  heads  of  martyrs  and  confessors 
 in  the  majesty  of  great  glory ;  and  they  shall  see  there  all  the 
 righteous  and  just,  doctors  and  pastors,  and  the  wonderful  ranks 
 of  holy  men  rejoicing  in  the  bridal  chamber  of  light ;  and  they 
 shall  see  there  all  who  have  ministered  and  laboured  in  the  vine- 
 yard of  Christ,  Who  shall  give  them  the  denarius  of  an  end- 
 less life.  And  such  as  have  wrought  iniquity  and  sin,  and  have 
 not  kept  His  words,  neither  obeyed  His  commandments,  shall 
 be  left  in  the  lower  gulf  where  the  wicked  and  the  devils  who 
 rebelled  shall  be  tormented,  and  from  whence  there  is  no  road 
 unto  the  righteous.      And  there  those  who  have   sinned  and 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.  295 
 
 wrought  iniquity  in  this  world  shall  be  punished  in  darkness 
 and  in  fire^  and  they  shall  call  upon  the  Merciful,  but  He  shall 
 not  turn  His  face  unto  them.  And  they  shall  weep  bitterly, 
 and  shall  have  no  respite  from  their  tortures,  because  they  did 
 not  exercise  mercy  towards  their  fellow  creatures.  In  that  day, 
 0  Lord,  fit  all  those  who  have  partaken  of  Thy  Body  and  Blood, 
 and  who  have  lighted  their  lamps  with  the  oil  of  mercy  and  pity, 
 to  go  forth  to  meet  Thee,  and  to  praise  Thee  with  one  accord, 
 saying  :  True  is  Thy  judgment,  and  righteous  Thy  summons,  0 
 Thou  just  Judge  ;  and  to  glorify  Thee  together,  saying  :  Glory 
 be  to  Thee. 
 
 As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall  be,  world 
 without  end.  The  hosts  above,  and  the  spiritual  ranks  shall 
 stand  in  awe  and  amazement  when  the  hour  of  the  last  sun- 
 setting  shall  arrive,  when  light  shall  flee  away,  and  darkness 
 shall  prevail,  and  the  earth  return  to  its  primeval  state.  When 
 the  sun  shall  be  blotted  out,  and  the  moon  shall  be  annihilated, 
 and  the  bright  shining  of  the  stars  shall  for  ever  set,  and  the 
 race  of  the  lights  shall  come  to  an  end,  and  the  air  shall  no 
 longer  be,  and  the  winds  shall  cease  to  blow,  and  the  pillars 
 which  support  this  world  shall  quake  and  fall,  and  the  excellency 
 of  the  firmament  and  the  waters  thereof  shall  be  dissolved,  and 
 the  glory  of  the  planets  shall  be  abolished,  and  the  flow  of  the 
 springs  shall  be  stopped,  and  the  rivers  and  seas  shall  be  dried 
 up,  and  the  palaces  and  cities  shall  pass  away,  and  all  places 
 shall  be  uninhabited  by  man  or  beast.  Then  there  shall  be  a 
 great  rebuke,  and  the  angelic  hosts  above  shall  be  shaken  with 
 the  awe,  and  power,  and  fear,  of  His  coming.  Then  shall  appear 
 the  Divine  Sign  of  the  King,  and  the  King  Himself  shall  be 
 revealed  amidst  the  rejoicings  and  alleluias  of  the  heavenly 
 hosts,  and  the  veil  shall  be  lifted  up,  and  darkness  shall  be  cast 
 over  the  universe,  and  all  the  ends  thereof  shall  tremble ;  and 
 the  trumpet  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  shall  sound  in  the 
 midst  of  its  streets,  and  through  the  strong  palaces  of  sheol,  the 
 mother  of  the  dead,  and  they  shall  rejoice  in  the  dust,  and  shall 
 lift  up  their  heads  above  the  strong  one  who  had  reduced  them 
 to  his  sway,  and  the  slain  shall  exult  over  those  who  slew  them, 
 and  they  shall  throw  off  and  cast  away  from  them  the  garments 
 of  mortality,  and  shall  put  on  the  garments  of  the  resurrection. 
 
296  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Then  the  throne  of  death  shall  be  overturned,  and  the  arm  of 
 the  adversary  shall  be  broken,  and  death  shall  be  trodden  down 
 at  the  gate  of  sheol,  as  was  the  great  man  at  the  entrance  into 
 Samaria,  by  the  crowds  of  the  dead  who  shall  come  forth  thereat, 
 and  the  mouth  of  all-devouring  sheol  shall  be  stopped,  and  the 
 graves  shall  vomit  out  the  bodies  of  men,  and  the  tombs  shall 
 give  birth  to  goodly  bodies  of  the  children  of  Adam  which  had 
 become  corrupt.      And  Adam  himself  shall  stand  up  in  the 
 midst  of  his  offspring,  like  a  king  in  the  midst  of  his  armies, 
 and  he  shall  lift  up  his  eyes  and  behold  all  his  children  gathered 
 together  in  ranks  round  about  him,  myriads  upon  myriads  shall 
 there  be,  and  he  shall  rejoice  and  be  glad,  and  shall  put  on  glory, 
 when  he  shall  see  his  descendants  of  every  degree  surrounding 
 him  on  every  side  :  tried,  chaste,  and  undefiled  prophets,  apos- 
 tles, priests,  martyrs  and  fathers ;  and  he  shall  praise  and  wor- 
 ship the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  Who  raised  them  up 
 from  the  dust.     Then  shall  the  throne  of  judgment  be  set,  and 
 the  King  shall  sit  to  judge  the  world  and  the  inhabitants  thereof 
 in  righteousness.     Then  all  hearts  shall  be  confounded,  and  all 
 imagination  shall  disappear,  and  every  mouth  and  tongue  shall 
 be  stopped,  and  every  vile  sin  shall  be  brought  to  light ;  and 
 truth  shall  stand  as  a  balance,  and  shall  weigh  and  apportion  to 
 every  man  according  to  his  works.     Then  the  righteous  shall 
 rejoice,  but  the  wicked  shall  weep ;  then  the  just  shall  exult, 
 but  the  evil-doers  shall  inherit  blackness  j  then  the  children  of 
 Israel  who  persecuted  the  children  of  the  kingdom  shall  weep 
 and  lament,  with  bitter  grief  and  with  a  desolate  cry  shall  they 
 lament,  when  the  King  shall  enter  into  His  palace,  and  the  door 
 shall  be  shut,  and  the  veil  of  the  holy  of  holies  shall  be  drawn, 
 and  the  righteous  shall  inherit   eternal  happiness.     Fit  us,  O 
 Lord,  in  that  day  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  bliss  which  is  at  Thy 
 right  hand,  that  with  all  the  saints,  the  children  of  the  kingdom, 
 we  may  praise  Thee,  and  say  :  Glory  be  to  Thee. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Praise  be  to  Thy  sweet  voice,  and  to  Thy  sovereign  command, 
 wherewith  in  Thy  mercy  Thou  shalt  call  us  out  of  our  graves, 
 and   gather  our  dust  from  every  quarter,   and  make  us  a  new 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.    '  297 
 
 creation,  0  Lord  of  our  death  and  life.  Father,  Son,  and 
 Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Doxology.  Psalm  cxxx.  1 — 8. 
 
 Connection.  Bring  my  soul  out  of  prison,  that  I  may  give 
 thanks  unto  Thy  name.  Praise  be  to  Thy  Name,  0  Thou  Who 
 quickenest  the  dead. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Raise  up  our  dead,  O  Lord,  and  make  them  to  stand  at  Thy 
 right  hand,  and  clothe  them  with  a  goodly  glory  in  Thy  kingdom 
 with  all  the  just  and  righteous  who  approved  themselves  before 
 Thee,  0  Thou  merciful  One,  Who  forgivest  iniquities  and  sins. 
 Thou  Lord  of  our  death  and  life,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.    Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Blessed  is  He  Who  made  us,  our  adorable  Creator ;  and  mag- 
 nified and  praised  is  He  Who  raised  us  up,  and  Who  saved  us 
 from  death  when  we  fell,  the  Lord  of  our  death  and  life, 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  shall  follow  two  hymns. 
 
 ^  These  five  Cathismata  are  to  be  said  in  the  house  where  the  corpse  is  laid  out, 
 after  ivhich  they  shall  take  up  the  bier,  and  shall  proceed  to  the  church,* 
 singing  the  following 
 
 PROCESSIONAL    CHANT. 
 
 From  this  time  forth  and  for  ever.  My  harp  is  turned  into 
 mourning,  and  my  lute  into  the  voice  of  them  that  weep.  Abide 
 in  peace,  0  temporary  dwelling  place,  which  canst  not  deliver 
 those  who  possess  thee ;  I  am  now  going  to  a  region  of  light, 
 the  abode  of  the  righteous,  who  have  ceased  from  their  labours. 
 
 Ye  are  the  blessed  of  the  Lord.  Once  have  I  spoken,  hut  I 
 will  not  answer ;  yea,  twice,  hut  I  will  proceed  no  further.  Abide 
 in  peace,  0  my  brethren  and  friends,  the  Lord  requite  your 
 labour  of  love,  and  when  you  stand  in  the  holy  place  remember 
 me  in  your  prayers. 
 
 *  The  bodies  of  laymen  are  not  carried  into  the  church  as  a  general  rule  ;  ex- 
 ceptions, however,  are  sometimes  made. 
 
298  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 The  blessing  of  the  Lord  he  upon  you.  I  will  speak  in  the 
 anguish  of  my  spirit ;  I  will  complain  in  the  bitterness  of  my  soul. 
 Abide  in  peace,  0  my  companions :  the  Lord  comfort  your 
 hearts  with  a  sure  and  certain  hope,  and  put  far  from  you  sorrow 
 and  pain. 
 
 You  and  your  children.  Weep  sore  for  him  that  goeth  away, 
 for  he  shall  no  more  return,  nor  see  his  native  country.  Abide  in 
 peace,  0  temporary  dwelling  place ;  I  go  forth  from  thee  mourn- 
 ing, but  the  Good  [God]  Who  formed  me  out  of  the  dust  shall 
 give  me  joy  in  the  bridal  chamber  of  light. 
 
 TVe  did  eat  in  the  house  of  God  in  company.  Remember  me, 
 0  my  friends,  for  I  am  now  going  the  way  of  death,  and  pray 
 that  I  may  deserve  mercy  in  that  day  when  Christ  the  King 
 shall  appear. 
 
 All  ye  servants  of  the  Lord.  By  that  sacramental  service, 
 wherein  I  ministered  with  you  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  pray 
 for  me  that  I  may  deserve  mercy  when  the  Son  of  God  shall  be 
 revealed. 
 
 Thy  blessing  is  upon  Thy  people  for  ever.  Stretch  forth  thy 
 right  hand,  0  thou  pure  priest,  and  bless  the  assembly  which 
 celebrates  thy  death,  and  entreat  of  thy  Lord  that  we  may  enter 
 with  thee  into  the  bridal  chamber  of  light. 
 
 Seek  the  Lord  and  His  strength.  Pray  for  me  that  I  may 
 deserve  mercy  in  the  day  when  Christ  the  King  shall  appear ; 
 and  when  the  throne  of  glory  shall  be  set  for  the  trial  of  all, 
 then  have  thou  mercy  upon  me. 
 
 Salvation  is  from  the  Lord.  Mourn  not,  neither  be  grieved, 
 0  thou  pure  priest,  because  death  has  dissolved  thee  and  re- 
 duced thee  to  nothing ;  but  hearken  unto  the  preachers  who 
 preach  unto  thee  of  the  renewal  through  the  resurrection  of  the 
 dead. 
 
 Seek  the  Lord  and  call  upon  Him.  O  thou  pure  priest, 
 pray  of  thy  Lord,  that  mercy  and  peace  may  dwell  with  thy 
 flock,  and  that  in  the  day  when  His  mercy  shall  appear,  we  all 
 may  be  counted  worthy  to  enter  into  the  chamber  of  the  supper. 
 
 From  this  time  forth  for  evermore.  Abide  in  peace,  O  ye  my 
 friends,  for  I  am  going  the  way  of  death.  The  Lord  bestow 
 upon  you  a  good  reward  for  the  tears  which  you  have  shed  over 
 my  unworthy  self. 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OP    PRIESTS.  299 
 
 Seek  His  face  evermore.  Supplicate  for  me  in  your  prayers 
 when  ye  stand  in  the  holy  place,  that  the  Body  and  Blood  of 
 the  Lord  Jesus  may  plead  for  me. 
 
 Now  and  ever.  May  thy  prayers,  0  priest,  be  a  wall  around 
 the  congregation  which  celebrates  the  day  of  thy  death,  and 
 through  thy  supplications,  may  the  Lord  cause  peace  and 
 mercy  to  dwell  with  our  souls. 
 
 Give  me  a  token  for  good.  Have  mercy  upon  me,  0  Lord, 
 when  those  who  sleep  in  the  dust  shall  rise,  and  when  the 
 heights  and  depths  shall  pass  away,  that  I  may  meet  thee  with 
 open  face. 
 
 From  the  rising  up  of  the  sun  unto  the  going  down  of  the  same. 
 The  glorious  rays  of  the  Lord's  Son  have  shined  throughout 
 the  world  like  lightning,  giving  life  to  the  dead,  and  raising 
 them  up  from  the  grave,  that  they  may  sing  praises  unto  Him 
 Who  raised  them  up. 
 
 Unto  those  who  are  true  of  heart  a  light  has  arisen  in  darkness. 
 The  light  of  the  Lord,  like  lightning,  has  arisen  upon  and 
 lightened  the  whole  world,  and  the  incomparable  radiance 
 thereof  has  rent  the  graves,  and  the  dead  have  gone  forth  out 
 of  them. 
 
 Out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings.  Unto  Thee,  O 
 Messiah  the  King,  shall  all  the  dead  give  praise  in  that  great 
 day,  when  Thou  shalt  come  to  reward  every  man  according  to 
 his  works. 
 
 The  Lord  grant  all  thy  requests.  Depart  in  peace,  0  our 
 pure  brother ;  Enoch  and  Elijah  shall  come  forth  to  meet  thee, 
 and  shall  receive  thee  into  their  tabernacle  to  dwell  with  them 
 in  that  life  which  is  there. 
 
 From  this  time  forth  and  for  evermore.  Abide  in  peace,  O 
 holy  Church,  the  Lord  be  a  defence  to  thy  children  ;  and  pray 
 thou  and  thy  children  that  I  may  deserve  mercy  on  the  day 
 of  the  resurrection. 
 
 This  is  the  gate  of  the  Lord,  the  righteous  shall  enter  in  by  it. 
 Go  in  peace,  0  our  pure  brother,  for  the  gates  of  the  highest 
 are  open  before  thee,  and  the  Father  invites  thee,  saying : 
 Come  in,  thou  righteous  one,  since  the  will  of  My  Majesty  is 
 satisfied  with  thee. 
 
 Wash  me  with  hyssop  and  I  shall  be  clean.      Sprinkle  our 
 
300  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 faces,  0  Lord,  with  the  dew  of  Thy  mercies,  for  we  are  drowned 
 in  the  gulf  of  death,  and  draw  us  up  out  of  its  waves  lest  we 
 be  swallowed  up  through  the  weight  of  our  sins. 
 
 Wash  me  throughly  from  my  sins.  Sprinkle  my  face,  0  Lord, 
 with  the  dew  of  Thy  mercies,  for  I  am  faded  away  and  withered, 
 I  am  destroyed  and  ruined ;  and  in  the  abundance  of  Thy  grace 
 pity  me,  and  have  mercy  upon  me. 
 
 He  bowed  the  heavens  and  came  down.  The  Lord  of  Angels 
 flew  and  came  down  to  the  sainted  daughter  of  David,  and  gave 
 her  a  writing  of  peace  and  salvation  for  the  children  of  men. 
 
 Their  words  have  gone  out  into  all  the  world.  0  ye  chosen 
 Apostles  who  went  forth  and  preached  a  new  Gospel  in  the  four 
 quarters  of  the  globe,  supplicate  Christ  your  Saviour  on  our 
 behalf  that  He  may  have  mercy  upon  us  in  the  day  of  His 
 coming.* 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Have  mercy  upon  us,  0  Lord,  pardon,  blot  out,  and  pass  by, 
 our  transgressions,  and  in  Thy  overflowing  mercies  and  pity 
 cleanse  us  from  all  our  sins,  0  Lord  of  our  death  and  life. 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 ^  Then  the  following  Scripture  shall  be  read  : 
 
 First  Lesson.     Numbers  xx.  22,  to  the  end  of  the  chapter. 
 Second  Lesson.     Acts  xx.  17 — 38. 
 Epistle.     1  Cor.  xv.  34—38. 
 Gospel.     S.  John  v.  19—30. 
 
 1[  Then  the  deacon  shall  say  the  following  Litany: 
 
 Let  us  all  stand  in  sorrow  and  sadness,  and  let  us  say :  Lord, 
 have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 0  God,  the  Father  of  Spirits,  and  the  Lord  of  all  those  who 
 are  in  the  body  ;  we  pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 0  Thou,  Who  in  Thy  wisdom  createdst  us  mortal,  and  by  Thy 
 will  bringest  us  to  nothing  in  hope  of  the  resurrection ;  we  pray 
 Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 *  Should  the  procession  have  reached  the  church,  no  more  than  this  part  of 
 the  chant  need  be  said ;  but  if  not,  there  is  a  second  part  of  like  import  which 
 is  omitted  here  for  the  sake  of  brevity. 
 
THE    OEDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.  301 
 
 O  Thou,  Who  in  Thy  inscrutable  wisdom  causedst  the  threat- 
 ened sentence  to  be  passed  upon  us  all ;  we  pray  Thee  to  have 
 mercy  upon  us. 
 
 0  Thou,  Who  hast  prepared  an  abode  in  the  Jerusalem  above 
 for  all  such  as  perfect  Thy  Will ;  we  pray  Thee  to  have  mercy 
 upon  us. 
 
 0  Thou,  Who  in  Thy  grace  madest  ready  a  Church  for  the 
 righteous  first-begotten  who  call  upon  Thee,  that  their  names 
 may  be  written  in  heaven ;  we  pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 We  pray  for  the  welfare  of  our  saintly  fathers  Mar , 
 
 Catholicos  and  Patriarch,  and  Mar ,  Bishop  and  Metro- 
 politan, and  for  all  who  serve  under  their  ministry;  and  we 
 beseech  Thee,  0  Lord,  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 0  Thou  merciful  God,  Who  upholdest  all  in  Thy  mercy;  we 
 pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 0  Thoa  Who  art  praised  in  heaven,  and  adored  on  earth ;  we 
 pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 Save  us  all,  0  Christ,  at  Thy  coming,  and  restore  to  us  in 
 glory  the  garment  of  the  soul  which  has  been  separated  from 
 us,  that  it  may  mingle  with  the  souls  of  the  just  made  perfect, 
 and  have  mercy  upon  us. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Let  us  pray.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Let  us  at  this  sorrowful  time  beseech  God  the  Lord  of  all, 
 the  Creator  of  our  nature,  and  the  Former  of  it  out  of  clay. 
 Who  in  the  beginning  made  man  mortal  and  corruptible  for 
 the  trial  of  his  free-will,  and  now  in  these  last  times  has  pro- 
 mised the  resurrection  from  the  dead  by  the  advent  of  God  the 
 Word,  the  Saviour  of  all.  Who  destroyed  death  in  His  human 
 person,  in  a  wonderful  and  ineffable  manner,  and  hath  set  up  in 
 its  place,  in  the  city  of  this  world,  a  living  and  reasonable 
 image*  for  freedom  from  corruption  and  from  inclination  to 
 evil. — Let  us,  therefore,  my  brethren,  strive  to  attain  newness 
 of  life  and  purity  of  conversation,  such  as  befits  the  growth  of 
 faith,  and  let  us  prepare  a  viaticum  for  this  long  journey  to  the 
 abode  of  light,  and  the  place  of  life.  And  let  us  also  pray  for 
 this  our  brother,  the  associate  and  companion  of  our  ministry 
 *  This  seems  to  refer  to  the  elements  in  the  Holy  Eucharist. 
 
302  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 and  faith^  the  priest ,  who  is  dead  and  has  departed  out 
 
 of  this  worlds  that  God  Who  approved  of  his  sincere  faith  and 
 took  him  away,  may  guide  him  to  the  haven  of  all  the  righteous, 
 so  that  when  Christ  our  King  shall  come  in  the  glory  of  His 
 angels  to  restore  us  from  our  fall,  to  raise  up  our  mortality,  to 
 set  us  free  from  our  captivity,  and  to  gather  together  our  dust, 
 He  may  call  him  and  set  him  on  His  own  right  hand,  write  his 
 name  in  the  book  of  life,  number  him  with  His  elect,  and  join 
 him  to  the  assembly  of  those  who  praise  Him  with  all  the 
 righteous  and  just  who  were  approved  before  Him,  and  who 
 lived  according  to  His  will,  through  the  grace  of  Christ,  for 
 ever  and  ever.     Amen, 
 
 ^  After  which  the  deacon  shall  say  : 
 
 Let  us  pray.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 When  this  one  world  shall  be  dissolved,  and  the  two  lights 
 shall  be  extinguished,  and  the  three  trumpets  shall  sound,  and 
 the  four  winds  shall  cease  to  blow,  and  the  five  senses  shall  fail, 
 and  the  six  days  shall  flow  into  one  day,  and  the  seven  thousand 
 years  shall  come  to  an  end,  and  the  eight  tones  of  music  shall 
 sound  and  shout  aloud,  and  the  nine  circles  of  the  angels  shall 
 be  amazed,  and  the  ten  commandments  shall  be  inquired  of,  and 
 the  eleven  Apostles  with  him  to  whom  the  ministry  fell  by  lot 
 shall  sit  upon  thrones,  and  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel  shall  be 
 judged,  and  the  righteous  shall  inherit  light,  but  the  wicked 
 shall  be  confounded, — in  that  bitter  and  awful  hour,  fit  this  Thy 
 servant,  O  Lord,  to  hear  the  welcome  voice  :  Come,  thou  good 
 and  faithful  servant,  enter  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord  ;  0  Lord 
 of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Blessed,  adorable,  magnified,  and  exalted,  are  the  eternal 
 mercies  of  Thy  glorious  Trinity,  whereby  Thou  dost  freely  pardon 
 sinners,  0  our  righteous  Hope,  and  our  all-merciful  Refuge,  O 
 Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Deacon.     Praise  the  living  God, 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OB    PRIESTS.  303 
 
 If  The  following  anthem  of  the  Bema  is  to  be  said  whilst  the  people  are  com- 
 
 .* 
 
 O  Lord,  Who  hast  exalted  the  memory  of  the  pure  and 
 sainted  priests,  accept  the  memorial  of  this  our  brother  who 
 ministered  before  Thee  in  righteousness. 
 
 O  God,  give  us  a  good  hope  of  him  who  worshipped  Thee, 
 and  make  him  to  rejoice  at  Thy  right  hand  in  Thy  kingdom. 
 
 Since  Thy  decree  has  cut  me  off  from  the  ministry  of  Thy 
 sanctuary,  grant  that  I  may  glorify  Thy  name  in  the  Church  of 
 Thy  First-Begotten  above. 
 
 Doxology. 
 May  these  sacraments  of  which  we  have  partaken,  0  Lord, 
 in  faith  be  effectual  to  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins ;  for  Thou,  O 
 Christ,  Who  art  in  the  form  of  a  servant  and  the  Image  of  the 
 Lord,  art  the  Sovereign  of  the  two  worlds,  and  by  Thy  Body 
 and  Blood  Thou  hast  pardoned  and  passed  by  the  transgressions 
 of  all  those  who  believe  in  Thee.  Fit  us,  0  Lord,  to  stand 
 before  Thee  and  to  go  forth  to  meet  Thee  with  confidence,  in  the 
 day  of  Thy  appearance,  that  with  the  heavenly  hosts  we  may 
 glorify  Thee.     Amen  and  Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  deacon  shall  say : 
 All  we  who  through  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost   have 
 drawn  nigh,  and  were  made  meet  to  partake  in  the  communion 
 of  these  glorious,  holy,  life-giving,  and  divine  sacraments,  let  us 
 all  heartily  give  thanks  and  praise  unto  God  Who  gave  them. 
 
 ^  The  communion  ended,  the  priest  shall  lift  up  the  bier,  and  shall  carry  it  in 
 procession  on  this  wise :  Whilst  the  precentor  intones  the  following  anthem, 
 the  procession  shall  stop,  and  the  bier  is  to  be  borne  only  whilst  the  response  is 
 being  chanted.  The  first  verse  is  to  be  said  at  the  step  of  the  chancel;  the 
 second,  at  the  door  of  the  bema  where  the  priest  received  ordination ;  the 
 third,  at  the  north  side  of  the  nave :  the  fourth,  at  the  south  side  of  the 
 nave;  and  the  fifth,  at  the  entrance  to  the  church. 
 
 If  the  deceased  be  a  priest,  he  shall  be  borne  by  priests ;  if  a  deacon,  by  deacons. 
 
 Anthem. 
 Abide  in  peace,  0  Church,  for  I  am  going  away,  and  let 
 those  who  dwell  in  thee  in  righteousness  pray  for  me. 
 
 *  The  celebration  of  the  Holy  Eucharist  still  forms  a  part  of  the  Burial  Ser- 
 vice of  priests  among  the  Nestorians. 
 
304  THE    NE§TORIANS    A.ND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 0  my  brethren^  companions,  and  clearly  beloved,  keep  me  in 
 remembrance,  for  I  am  now  separated  from  you  for  ever,  and 
 pray  for  me. 
 
 1  am  going  av^^ay  and  yet  I  am  not  afraid,  for  my  Lord  call- 
 eth  for  me;  a  crown  of  joy  and  glory  will  He  place  upon  my 
 head. 
 
 The  angel  who  came  and  took  thee  away,  may  he  guide  thee 
 to  paradise,  and  present  thee  as  an  offering  unto  the  King. 
 Depart  in  peace. 
 
 0  my  brethren,  companions,  and  dearly  beloved,  with  those 
 of  my  ministry,  forget  not  to  remember  me  in  the  holy 
 Church. 
 
 Mourn  not  because  the  sound  of  thy  harp  is  silenced ;  for, 
 behold,  with  the  angels  thou  dost  now  sing  glory  to  Jesus  thy 
 Lord. 
 
 Depart  in  peace,  thou  pure  priest  who  didst  minister  well ; 
 the  Lord  Whose  service  thou  lovedst.  He  will  repay  thee. 
 
 The  angel  who  came  and  took  thee  away,  may  he  guide 
 thee  to  paradise,  and  set  a  crown  of  joy  and  glory  upon  thy 
 head. 
 
 Rejoice,  0  priest  who  didst  minister  well  in  the  church 
 below;  for,  behold,  thou  shalt  put  on  glory  in  the  Church 
 above. 
 
 Depart  in  peace,  0  pure  priest  of  the  household  of  God,  for, 
 behold,  thy  companions  Moses  and  Aaron  come  forth  to  meet 
 thee. 
 
 Thy  hire,  and  thy  labour  and  worship  before  the  altar,  they 
 shall  plead  for  thee  with  thy  Lord  Who  elected  thee.  Depart 
 in  peace. 
 
 The  Spirit  Which  thou  didst  call  down  over  the  font  of  bap- 
 tism. He  shall  make  thee  to  fly  with  spiritual  wings  to  the 
 heights  above. 
 
 O  ye  fathers  and  pastors,  remember  me  what  time  the  sacra- 
 ment of  the  Body  and  Blood  is  offered  up. 
 
 The  Church  deplores  thee,  0  priest,  the  altar  has  put  on 
 mourning,  and  the  veil  of  the  sanctuary  weeps  for  thee  with  a 
 broken  heart. 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.  305 
 
 ^  Then  all  shall  go  forth  into  the  court  of  the  church,*  where  the  following 
 chantsf  shall  be  said : 
 
 Chant  the  tenth. 
 
 0  Lord,  Thou  God  of  my  salvation.  0  Lord  God,  the 
 Lord  of  life  aud  death,  let  Thy  good  Spii'it  lead  me  in  the  way 
 of  life  when  Thou  shalt  come  in  Thy  Kingdom. 
 
 And  his  memorial  endureth  throughout  all  generations.  Blessed 
 is  the  Anointed  who  humbled  Himself  and  tasted  death,  and 
 gave  us  His  Body  and  Blood,  and  quickened  Adam,  and  saved 
 his  children  by  His  cross. 
 
 All  ye  servants  of  the  Lord.  Pray  for  me,  all  ye  my  friends 
 and  dearly  beloved,  that  I  may  be  meet  for  the  bosom  of  Abra- 
 ham, and  rejoice  with  Lazarus  in  the  kingdom. 
 
 TVe  did  eat  in  the  House  of  God  in  company.  Remember  to 
 pray  for  me  in  the  holy  temple,  for  death  hath  suddenly  snatched 
 away 'my  life,  wiped  out  my  image,  dissolved  me,  and  cast  me 
 into  the  grave. 
 
 The  Lord  is  faithful  in  His  sayings.  Be  not  cast  down,  0 
 ye  who  love  the  heavenly  Bridegroom,  because  death  has  re- 
 duced your  bodies  to  corruption ;  for,  behold,  ye  are  called  to 
 the  kingdom  to  receive  the  reward  of  your  labours. 
 
 There  the  Lord  commanded  a  blessing  and  life  for  evermore. 
 Behold  all  the  just  and  righteous  dwell  and  walk  in  the  light  of 
 paradise,  and  await  the  appearance  of  the  Bi'idegroom  from  on 
 high. 
 
 There  shall  thy  abode  and  rest  be.  The  Lord  will  give  thee 
 rest,  0  thou  happy  one,  with  all  the  saints  in  the  kingdom,  and 
 will  reward  thy  labours  in  the  bridal  chamber  of  light  with  all 
 the  righteous  who  have  approved  themselves  before  Him. 
 
 There  is  no  end  of  His  greatness.  How  glorious  and  terrible 
 is  the  day  of  Thy  appearing,  0  our  Saviour;  for  by  Thy  voice 
 the  graves  shall  be  rent,  the  gates  of  sheol  shall  be  broken,  and 
 all  those  who  sleep  in  the  dust  shall  awake. 
 
 *  In  many  parts  of  the  East,  the  prayers,  and  more  especially  the  vespers, 
 are  frequently  said  in  the  yard  before  the  church,  particularly  during  the  summer 
 season.  A  rude  lectern  is  raised  to  support  the  requisite  rituals,  and  the  con- 
 gregation assembles  around  this  in  the  open  air. 
 
 f  The  chants  are  ten  in  number  ;  but  I  have  selected  one  only  for  translation 
 on  account  of  their  great  length. 
 
 VOL.  II.  X 
 
306 
 
 THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 They  shall  hear  thee  up  in  their  hands.  The  living  cross  of 
 Christ  is  borne  by  the  priests  of  the  Highest^  who  shall  go 
 forth  to  meet  Him  with  hosannas^  and  He  shall  receive  them 
 into  glorious  habitations^  far  above  all  danger,  in  the  lightsome 
 bridal  chamber  of  His  kingdom,  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 For  Thy  mercy  and  for  Thy  truth's  sake.  All  the  heathen  shall 
 praise  Thee,  and  all  creatures  shall  worship  Thee,  O  Thou  Son 
 of  the  Highest,  Who  endured  the  cross,  and  by  Thy  death  hast 
 destroyed  death,  and  redeemed  us  out  of  the  captivity  thereof. 
 Praised  art  Thou  of  all  tongues,  0  Jesus  our  Saviour  and  King. 
 
 Bless  the  Lord,  all  ye  His  angels.  The  holy  Church  doth 
 glorify  Christ  by  her  priests  as  do  the  cherubim ;  she  bears 
 the  living  cross  and  sings  praises  unto  Him,  that  He  may  turn 
 towards  her,  help  her,  and  give  her  joy  in  the  bridal  chamber 
 of  light. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 He  will  be  merciful  to  His  land  and  to  His  people.  Pardon 
 and  save  all  sinners,  for  Thou  art  the  merciful  One,  and  canst 
 forgive  sins,  and  blot  out  the  iniquities  of  such  as  repent  and 
 come  unto  Thee. 
 
 Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  0  God.  Give  us,  0  Christ,  to 
 praise  Thee  at  all  times,  and  fit  us  at  all  times,  O  Lord,  to  keep 
 Thy  commandments,  and  to  thank  and  worship  Thee,  0  our 
 Saviour,  with  all  Thy  saints  in  heaven. 
 
 0  Lord,  Thou  knowest.  Thou  knowest,  0  Lord,  better 
 than  any  what  is  profitable  for  us.  In  Thy  grace  direct  us  how 
 to  live,  and  let  Thy  mercies  pardon  our  sins,  Thy  pity  be  our 
 physician,  and  Thy  great  love  our  teacher.  Unto  Thee  be  glory, 
 and  upon  us  be  Thy  mercy. 
 
 For  Thou,  0  Lord,  art  good.  Thou,  O  Lord,  at  all  times  art 
 just  and  compassionate,  and  a  well-spring  of  help,  and  a  depth 
 of  tenderness  toward*s  our  nature.  O  Thou  Who  didst  create  us 
 in  Thy  grace,  have  pity  upon  us,  and  pardon  our  sins,  that  we 
 may  praise  and  give  thanks  to  Thy  holy  name. 
 
 One  generation  to  another  declareth  His  works.  Throughout 
 every  generation  we  have  moved  Thee  to  anger,  yet  throughout 
 every  generation  Thou  hast  forgiven  our  sins,  and  hast  not 
 restrained  Thyself  from  doing  us  good.     The  earth  bringeth 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.  307 
 
 forth  food,  and  the  heavens  produce  clouds  and  rain,  and  Thou 
 dost  visit  everything  by  Thy  motions.  Therefore  in  Thy  grace 
 make  us  to  be  thankful. 
 
 0  Lord,  Thy  mercies  are  from  everlasting.  We  beseech  the 
 overflowing  mercies  of  Thy  grace,  0  Christ  our  King,  to  give 
 help  to  our  weakness,  and  because  the  times  are  troublous,  and 
 the  world  is  confused  and  tossed  about  with  sin,  give  us  fixed 
 rest  that  we  may  ever  praise  Thee. 
 
 Rich  and  poor  together.  Body  and  soul  together  cry  out  for 
 mercy  and  salvation  from  the  treasury  of  Thy  compassion ;  par- 
 don the  sins  of  both  as  Thy  grace  is  wont,  0  Thou  Who  art 
 the  Lord  of  both,  that  they  may  ever  be  the  abode  of  Thy  will. 
 
 Our  help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Send  forth  help,  0 
 Lord,  to  the  congregation  of  Thy  blessed  worshippers  through 
 the  great  power  of  the  cross ;  save  them,  by  Thy  grace,  and  sow 
 Thy  peace  among  them,  that  they  may  give  thanks  to  Thy  holy 
 name,  0  Thou  glorious  One  Who  dwellest  in  the  heavens. 
 
 He  is  thy  Lord,  worship  thou  Him.  O  Mary,  the  sainted 
 Virgin,  the  Mother  of  Jesus  our  Saviour,  plead  and  supplicate 
 for  mercy  upon  the  sinners  who  flee  to  thy  prayers,  that  they 
 may  not  be  lost.  Let  thy  prayers  be  to  us  a  wall  of  defence  in 
 this  world,  and  in  that  which  is  to  come. 
 
 Let  Thy  mercy  keep  those  who  draw  nigh  unto  Thee.  May 
 the  prayers  of  the  righteous  who  appeased  Thee,  and  of  the  just 
 who  approved  themselves  before  Thee,  of  the  prophets,  apostles, 
 doctors,  martyrs,  priests,  and  hermits,  keep  all  Thy  worshippers, 
 that  they  may  offer  unto  Thee  a  new  song  of  praise,  0  Father, 
 Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 And  let  their  prayers  he  upon  us  all.  May  the  prayers  of  Mar 
 Sawr-Yeshua  the  saint.  Mar  Hnan-Yeshua  the  conqueror,  John 
 bar  Hazzaye,  Maran  Amme  of  Zeena,  Mar  Shooha  '1  Maran, 
 (peace  be  to  him,)  Rabban  Franse,  Mar  Yosep,  Mar  Kuoobaya, 
 and  of  Jeshua  Sawran,  be  to  us  a  wall  of  defence. 
 
 ^  The  following  chant  shall  be   sung  whilst  the  bier  is  being  borne  from  the 
 church  to  the  grave : 
 
 1  was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me,  Let  us  go  up  to  the  house  of 
 the  Lord.  The  Lord  shall  come  to  raise  up  the  departed,  and 
 to  fulfil  the  hope  of  the  dead. 
 
 X  3 
 
308  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 His  name  endureth  for  ever.  Blessed  is  He  Who  hatli  made 
 death  incapable  of  being  bribed,  for  it  taketh  away  the  righteous 
 and  the  wicked  together. 
 
 My  feet  stand  in  thy  gates,  0  Jerusalem.  At  the  opening 
 of  their  graves  shall  all  the  souls  stand  looking  for  the  Son  Who 
 shall  appear  from  heaven. 
 
 From  this  time  forth  and  for  evermore.  Thy  will  has  been 
 perfected,  and  Thy  decree  has  taken  me  away;  quicken  me,  in 
 Thy  mei'cy,  that  I  may  rise  and  praise  Thee. 
 
 Both  small  and  great.  Cease  to  weep,  all  ye  my  friends,  for 
 Christ  shall  awaken  us  from  our  sleep. 
 
 Thou  hast  fashioned  me  and  laid  Thine  hand  upon  me.  0  Ea- 
 ther,  Who  in  the  beginning  didst  form  us  out  of  the  dust,  in 
 Thy  pity  have  mercy  upon  us,  that  we  may  give  thanks  to  Thy 
 grace. 
 
 Prese7've  me,  0  Lord,  for  in  Thee  have  I  put  my  trust.  0 
 our  Lord,  make  the  mourning  of  Thy  servants  to  cease,  and 
 raise  up  the  dead  who  confessed  Thee. 
 
 For  His  merciful  kindness  is  great  towards  us.  Come  and  let 
 us  give  thanks  unto  the  Son,  Who  hath  redeemed  us  from  sub- 
 jection to  all-destroying  death. 
 
 He  lifted  up  His  voice  and  the  earth  shook.  He  called  Lazarus 
 and  raised  him  up  from  the  grave.  Thee  also  will  He  call  and 
 raise  thee  up  with  him. 
 
 Come  and  I  will  declare  unto  you.  The  voice  of  the  Son  will 
 cause  death  to  tremble,  and  will  demand  the  children  of  Adam 
 from  him. 
 
 Joy  in  the  whole  earth.  Death  shall  be  annihilated  when  the 
 resurrection  shall  be,  and  when  the  hope  of  all  the  dead  shall 
 be  perfected. 
 
 Both  small  and  great.  The  companions  of  thy  ministry  no 
 longer  hear  thy  harmony,  nevertheless  they  rejoice,  because  thy 
 bark  has  reached  its  haven. 
 
 There  shall  thy  abode  and  thy  rest  be.  Amidst  the  de- 
 lectable trees  of  paradise,  there  shall  thy  abode  and  thy 
 rest  be. 
 
 They  shall  bear  thee  up  in  their  hands.  Moses  and  Elijah  shall 
 come  forth  to  meet  thee,  and  shall  receive  thee  into  tabernacles 
 of  light. 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OP    PRIESTS.  309 
 
 All  ye  servants  of  the  Lord.  By  the  prayers  which  ye  offer, 
 remember  me  in  the  holy  Church. 
 
 /  sought  him  hut  did  not  find  him.  I  looked  among  the  con- 
 gregation assembled  on  a  solemn  festival,  but  the  Priest  was  not 
 there,  because  he  had  been  removed  to  his  Lord. 
 
 The  sun  knoweth  his  going  down.  The  sun  has  set,  the  sha- 
 dows have  declined,  but  the  priest  has  not  come  to  his  ministry. 
 
 The  people  which  He  chose  for  an  heritage.  0  all  ye  priests 
 with  whom  I  ministered  in  the  sanctuary,  remember  me  at  all 
 times  in  your  prayers. 
 
 The  blessing  of  the  Lord  he  upon  you.  Stretch  out  thy  right 
 hand,  0  holy  priest,  and  bless  the  assembly  which  hath  done 
 honour  to  thy  members. 
 
 As  far  as  the  house  of  God.  Behold,  thy  bark  has  reached  its 
 haven.  Blessed  art  thou,  for  the  reward  of  thy  labours  is  laid 
 up  for  thee. 
 
 From  this  time  forth  for  evermore.  The  altar  mourns,  the 
 Church  also  mourns,  and  the  place  of  thy  worship  awaits  thy 
 prayers. 
 
 Come,  ye  children,  hearken  unto  me.  The  Church  weeps,  the 
 Church  is  sorrowful,  and  all  thy  disciples  are  clothed  with  deep 
 mourning. 
 
 The  Lord  preserve  thy  soul.  Depart  in  peace,  0  our  happy 
 brother;  Christ,  Who  hath  taken  thee  away,  receive  thee  into 
 His  bridal  chamber. 
 
 O  Thou  Who  art  the  hope  of  all  the  ends  of  the  earth.  The 
 hope  of  life  which  thou  didst  wait  for,  now  awaits  thee  at  the 
 door  of  the  kingdom. 
 
 There  shall  thy  abode  and  rest  he.  Give  rest,  0  Lord,  to  the 
 soul  of  Thy  servant,  who  has  slept  in  Thy  hope,  in  the  bridal 
 chamber  of  light. 
 
 Thou  hast  set  a  crown  of  glory  upon  my  head.  Thy  crown 
 shines  among  the  saints,  O  Thou  pure  Priest  and  lover  of 
 Christ. 
 
 We  did  eat  in  the  house  of  God  in  company.  When  ye  enter 
 the  holy  temple,  then  remember  me  in  your  prayers. 
 
 Glory  he  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
 Ghost.  Glory  be  unto  the  Father,  and  thanks  be  unto  the 
 Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  Who  raiseth  us  up. 
 
310  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever  shall  he,  world 
 without  end.  Unto  Thee  be  glory,  0  Jesus  our  Saviour,  for 
 death  is  in  Thine  hands,  and  life  in  Thy  will. 
 
 ^  After  the  bier  is  placed  beside  the  grave,  the  deacon  shall  say  the  following 
 
 litany  : 
 
 Let  us  pray.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Pray  for  our  brother,  the  Priest,  the  son  of  our  faith,  who  has 
 departed  out  of  this  world,  that  God,  Who  approved  of  him  and 
 took  him  away  in  the  true  faith,  may  guide  him  to  the  haven 
 of  all  the  righteous,  so  that  when  he  shall  awaken  and  raise  up 
 all  those  who  sleep  in  the  dust,  and  when  the  righteous  and 
 just  shall  attain  a  good  end.  He  may  call  him  and  exalt  him  to 
 His  own  right  hand. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 And  write  his  name  in  the  book  of  life. 
 
 jR.  Amen. 
 
 And  number  him  with  His  elect. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 And  mingle  him,  through  the  grace  of  Christ,  with  the 
 assembly  of  those  who  praise  Him,  and  with  all  the  just  and 
 righteous,  who  were  approved  before  Him,  for  ever  and  ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 Prayer, 
 
 In  Thy  compassion,  0  Lord,  visit  our  life  ]  and  through  the 
 overflowing  mercies  of  Thy  grace  forgive  and  blot  out  all  our 
 follies ;  and  give  a  good  resurrection  to  the  dead  who  have  slept 
 in  the  hope  of  Thy  resurrection,  0  Lord  of  our  death  and  life, 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Blessed  is  the  mighty  decree  of  Thy  Majesty  which  killeth 
 and  maketh  alive,  which  bringeth  down  to  sheol  and  raiseth 
 up,  and  which  clotheth  our  bodies  with  glory  in  the  resurrec- 
 tion, 0  Lord  of  our  death  and  life.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.     Amen. 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.  311 
 
 f   Whilst  the  following  anthem  is  being  said,  all  present  shall  take  leave  of  the 
 
 Priest.* 
 
 Give  me  your  peace^  O  my  bi-ethren,  and  ye  also  abide  in 
 peace,  for  this  is  your  last  salutation  for  ever.      [^Repeat.] 
 
 I  give  peace  and  have  peace, — a  peace  which  shall  not  be 
 taken  from  me  for  ever. 
 
 The  peace  which  Christ  gave  to  His  disciples,  that  peace  be 
 with  you  until  the  day  of  resurrection. 
 
 Abide  in  peace,  my  brethren  and  associates,  the  Lord  in  His 
 grace  comfort  you  in  your  sorrow. 
 
 Depart  in  peace,  0  happy  brother,  for  the  Lord  will  give 
 thee  eternal  life. 
 
 Abide  in  peace,  0  Church,  and  her  children,  the  Lord  in  His 
 grace  keep  all  thy  flocks. 
 
 Depart  in  peace  to  the  abode  of  bliss :  the  Lord  Whom  thou 
 lovedst  mingle  thee  with  the  angels. 
 
 Abide  in  peace,  0  ye  pi'iests  and  believers,  the  Lord  grant 
 you  the  reward  of  your  labours. 
 
 O  my  brethren  and  dearly  beloved,  pray  and  beseech  Christ 
 in  my  behalf. 
 
 Depart  in  peace,  thou  busy  workman :  the  Lord  Whom  thou 
 served st,  give  thee  bliss  in  His  kingdom. 
 
 Abide  in  peace,  all  ye  of  the  Church  :  the  Lord  in  His  grace 
 preserve  your  ranks. 
 
 Depart  in  peace,  thou  victorious  priest :  the  Lord,  Whom  thou 
 lovedst  give  thee  joy  in  His  kingdom. 
 
 Abide  in  peace,  my  brethren  and  dearly  beloved ;  for  I  am 
 now  separated  from  you  henceforth  and  for  ever. 
 
 Abide  in  peace,  0  world  full  of  trouble ;  how  tried  and  vexed 
 is  he  who  labours  in  thee. 
 
 Abide  in  peace,  my  country,  town  and  its  inhabitants :  may 
 peace  increase  in  thee  henceforth  and  for  ever. 
 
 Thou  art  separated  from  our  company,  O  our  brother  j  but 
 W3  shall  see  thee  again  in  the  assembly  of  the  saints  in  the 
 kingdom. 
 
 *  This  is  done  by  touching  his  hands  with  both  hands,  and  raising  them  to 
 the  lips,  as  the  salutation  of  peace  is  still  given  and  received  in  the  Nestorian 
 congregations.  The  anthem  may  profitably  be  compared  with  that  of  the  last  kiss 
 in  the  Constantinopolitan  Church. 
 
312  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 1[   Whilst  the  Priests    are  putting  the  corpse  info  the   grave,   the  following 
 anthem  fhall  be  said. 
 
 Peace  be  with  you,  my  brethren  and  friends  who  sleep ;  open 
 the  gate  to  me,  that  I  may  enter  in  and  rest  among  you. 
 
 Come,  enter  in,  and  see  how  many  giants  sleep  here,  and  are 
 become  as  dust  for  the  moths  and  worms  in  the  pits  of  sheol. 
 
 Come,  enter  in,  and  see  how  the  spoils  of  death  have  become 
 like  miry  clay  in  the  heart  of  sheol. 
 
 Come,  enter  in,  thou  child  of  the  earthly  race  of  Adam,  be- 
 hold and  consider  what  mortality  is  reduced  to. 
 
 Come,  enter  in,  and  see  our  mournful  state,  and  give  glory  to 
 Him,  Who  shall  raise  up  the  children  of  Adam. 
 
 Come,  enter  in,  and  see  the  ranks  of  human  kind,  how  their 
 mouths  are  stopped  up  with  dust  in  the  bosom  of  sheol. 
 
 Come,  enter  in,  and  see  how  goodly  bodies  have  here  become 
 as  chaff,  and  have  turned  into  putrefying  clay,  in  the  heart  of 
 sheol. 
 
 Come,  enter  in,  0  our  brother;  bid  farewell  to  thy  dearly  be- 
 loved, and  ask  them  to  pray  for  thee. 
 
 I  conjure  you  in  love,  0  my  brethren,  to  remember  me,  and 
 to  pray  for  me,  and  for  the  brethren  deceased. 
 
 In  Thy  mercy,  0  our  Lord,  raise  up  all  the  dead,  and  give 
 them  bliss  at  Thy  right  hand  in  Thy  kingdom. 
 
 And  thou,  0  our  beloved,  who  art  separated  from  us  to-day, 
 may  the  Lord  mingle  thee  in  the  ranks  of  the  assemblies 
 above. 
 
 ^  The  following  shall  then  be  said. 
 
 O  Lord  of  Priests,  keep  the  Priests,  the  Church,  and  her 
 childi'en,  and  may  they  ever  be  kept  in  Thy  mercy.  And  the 
 soul  of  this  our  brother,  who  has  this  day  separated  from  us, 
 may  it  be  numbered  with  the  assembly  of  the  just. 
 
 0  my  brethren,  companions,  and  associates,  abide  in  peace, 
 for  death  hath  separated  me  from  your  company.  Pray 
 for  me. 
 
 O  ye  children  of  the  Church  with  whom  I  ministered,  abide  in 
 peace,  for  I  am  separated  from  you  for  ever.     Pray  for  me. 
 
 0  ye  children  of  the  town  from  which  I  have  gone  forth,  abide 
 in  peace ;  the  peace  of  the  Lord  be  with  you.     Pray  for  me. 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    Of    PRIESTS.  313 
 
 0  ye  pure  Priests  and  Deacons  with  whom  I  ministex-ed,  when 
 ye  stand  in  the  sanctuary  then  pray  for  me. 
 
 Remember  me  in  the  ministry  in  which  I  ministered  with  you, 
 and  in  the  divine  oblation.     Pray  for  me. 
 
 When  the  table  of  the  awful  sacraments  shall  be  spread^  then, 
 0  my  beloved,  do  not  forget  me,  but  pray  for  me. 
 
 When  ye  give  the  salutation  of  peace  one  to  another  in  the 
 sanctuary,  let  not  my  name  be  forgotten,  and  pray  for  me. 
 
 We  offered  the  pure  sacrifice  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of 
 the  Son  of  God  upon  the  same  holy  altar,  therefore  pray 
 for  me. 
 
 We  ministered  together  in  the  same  sanctuary,  and  there  we 
 sang  the  praises  of  God  in  company,  therefore  pray  for  me. 
 
 Behold,  my  feet  are  restrained  from  walking  to  the  sanctuary, 
 and  my  tongue  has  ceased  to  sing  with  the  voice  of  praise, 
 therefore  pray  for  me. 
 
 Behold,  I  am  now  far  removed  from  the  ministry  of  the  awful 
 sacraments,  and  have  become  an  alien  to  your  company,  there- 
 fore pray  for  me. 
 
 1  have  begun  to  walk  in  the  fearful  way  of  death,  therefore, 
 0  my  companions  and  associates,  pray  for  me. 
 
 My  days  and  the  years  of  my  life  have  been  spent  in  vanity, 
 and  who  shall  have  pity  upon  me  in  the  judgment  ?  Pray 
 for  me. 
 
 The  degree  which  I  received  I  did  not  exercise  as  I  ought, 
 and  who  will  plead  for  me  in  the  judgment  ?     Pray  for  me. 
 
 In  the  day  when  the  living  sign  of  the  Son  of  God  shall 
 appear,  lest  I  should  meet  Him  with  confusion  of  face,  pray 
 for  me. 
 
 In  that  day  when  He  shall  reward  those  who  have  served 
 Him,  lest  I  should  not  meet  Him  with  open  face,  pray  for  me. 
 
 The  weight  of  my  sins  keepeth  me  from  the  reward  which 
 those  shall  receive  who  laboured  well  for  Him,  therefore  pray 
 for  me. 
 
 The  number  of  my  iniquities  preventeth  me  from  having  the 
 open  face  of  those  who  served  Him,  therefore  pray  for  me. 
 
 In  the  hour  when  the  judgment  shall  be  set,  who  shall  mediate 
 for  me  ?  therefore  pray  for  me. 
 
 When  my  stains   shall   be  disclosed  before  the   Searcher  of 
 
314  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 all,  whom  shall  I  then  ask  to  intreat  for  me  ?  therefore  pray 
 for  me. 
 
 When  the  righteous  shall  be  sent  into  light,  and  the  wicked 
 into  darkness,  who  shall  save  me  from  hell  ?  therefore  pray 
 for  me. 
 
 I  conjure  you,  my  beloved,  by  the  one  only  God,  to  plead  for 
 me  in  sorrow  and  tears.     Pray  for  me. 
 
 Most  dreadful  is  the  judgment  of  God,  upright  is  His  search- 
 ing out,  and  blessed  is  he  upon  whom  He  shall  have  mercy. 
 Pray  for  me. 
 
 All  of  you  entreat  Him  for  my  unworthy  self,  perchance 
 He  may  have  pity  upon  me,  and  fit  me  for  mercy.  Pray 
 for  me. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 Praise  be  unto  Thee,  0  Thou  Son,  for  there  is  none  like  unto 
 Thee.     The  righteous  wait  for  Thy  appearing.  [Repeat.'] 
 
 R.  May  Christ  bless  the  reader  and  hearers,  through  the 
 grace  of  His  mercy,  for  ever.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  priest  shall  take  earth  in  his  right  hand,  and  shall  say  this 
 Prayer. 
 
 God,  the  Lord  of  all.  Who  passed  this  sentence  upon  mortal 
 man :  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt  return,  may  He 
 raise  thee  up  therefrom  rejoicing  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead ; 
 and  the  holy  sacraments  of  which  thou  hast  been  a  partaker, 
 may  they  stand  up  for  thee  and  be  to  thee  for  the  forgiveness 
 of  sins  ;  and  in  that  fearful  judgment  of  righteousness  when  the 
 righteous  shall  receive  the  reward  of  their  labours,  and  the  just 
 their  recompense,  mayest  thou  meet  Jesus  with  them  with  open 
 face,  and  ascribe  thanksgiving  and  praise  to  the  Father,  Son, 
 and  Holy  Ghost,  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Whilst  naming  the  Trinity  the  priest  shall  cast  the  earth  into  the  grave  in  the 
 form  of  a  cross,  and  the  people  shall  respond  : 
 
 Give  rest  to  the  soul  of  this  Thy  servant  in  the  place  where 
 the  righteous  dwell.     [Tb  be  repeated  thrice.] 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.  315 
 
 *|f  Whilst  the  grave  is  being  covered  in  the  following  two  anthems*  shall  be 
 said.     After  which  the  priest  shall  say  this 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Thy  living  and  life-giving  voice.,  0  Lord,  which  called  and 
 raised  up  Lazarus  to  a  temporary  resurrection,  may  it  call  and 
 exalt  this  Thy  servant  to  Thy  right  hand  in  that  great  and 
 glorious  day  when  Thy  Majesty  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven, 
 O  Thou  just,  all-merciful,  and  forgiving  Judge,  the  Lord  of 
 our  death  and  life,  Pather,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 In  Thy  pity  raise  up  the  dead,  and  in  the  abundance  of  Thy 
 mercy  keep  the  living,  and  give  a  good  resurrection  to  the  dead 
 who  have  slept  in  hope  of  Thy  resurrection,  0  Lord  of  our 
 death  and  life.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 "We  supplicate  Him  Who  through  His  Cross  hath  redeemed 
 us  from  death  and  corruption,  and  by  His  own  resurrection  hath 
 promised  us  life  and  resurrection ; — we  pray  the  depth  of  His 
 mercies  in  behalf  of  this  believer,  who  has  been  loosed  from  this 
 fleeting  life,  and  put  in  the  road  in  which  all  generations  must 
 walk,  that  He  would  number  him  with  all  the  true  children  of 
 His  sacraments ;  and  comfort  those  who  mourn  and  weep  for 
 him  with  the  hope  of  His  heavenly  promises ;  and  sprinkle  their 
 hearts  with  the  cooling  dew  of  His  mercies ;  and  that  the  right 
 hand  of  His  mercies  may  rest  upon  all  this  assembly  which  has 
 honoured  his  burial,  both  here  and  there,  so  that  we  all  may  be 
 meet  to  ascribe  praise  to  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
 for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Hymns.f 
 
 1.  Antiphon.  The  Lord,  Whose  cross  thou  hast  confessed. 
 He   give  rest   to   thy    soul,   0    our   brother;    and   when    He 
 
 *  These  anthems  differ  but  little  from  the  preceding,  and  are  omitted  on 
 account  of  their  length. 
 
 f  Appointed  to  be  read  at  the  end  of  the  five  Cathismata.  They  are  twenty-two 
 in  number,  of  which  only  four  are  given  above  to  serve  as  a  specimen  of  the  whole. 
 
316  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 shall  come  in  His  great  glory^  may  He  give  thee  bliss  in  His 
 kingdom,      [Repeat.'] 
 
 Depart  in  peace^  0  our  brother,  the  Lord  accompany  thee, 
 and  the  cherub  who  keepeth  the  door  of  paradise  open  the  gate 
 thereof  before  thee. 
 
 By  the  ministry  in  which  I  served  with  you,  let  not  my  re- 
 membrance be  forgotten  from  among  you,  and  when  you  stand 
 in  the  sanctuary  think  of  me  in  your  prayers. 
 
 2.  Ant.  Go,  thou  true  priest,  thou  corporeal  angel,  go  and 
 possess  glorious  happiness  in  the  bosom  of  Abraham.    [Repeat.] 
 
 The  kingdom  which  passeth  not  away,  and  spiritual  bliss,  are 
 reserved  for  thee  in  the  heavenly  abode  with  all  the  tried  and 
 elect  priests. 
 
 The  company  of  the  household  of  Ananias,  of  Aaron  the 
 priest,  and  of  Zecharias,  receive  thee  forthwith  in  the  city  not 
 made  with  hands. 
 
 3.  Ant.  Show  me,  show  me,  0  Jerusalem,  the  way  in  which 
 the  righteous  do  walk. 
 
 The  road  in  which  the  righteous  walk,  and  whereby  they  enter 
 into  bliss,  is  like  the  King's  highway. 
 
 The  seraph  calleth,  and  stretcheth  out  his  wings  for  thee, 
 [saying,]  Come  now,  for  thou  hast  passed  over  the  place  of  fear. 
 
 4.  Ant.  0  Thou  Living  Voice,  which  callest  the  righteous 
 to  the  kingdom,  grant  me,  0  Lord,  Thy  pity  when  Thy  Majesty 
 shall  be  revealed.      [Repeat.] 
 
 Thou,  0  Lord,  Who  art  full  of  mercy  and  compassion  towards 
 sinners,  in  Thy  great  love  guide  me  to  the  city  of  bliss. 
 
 O  Jesus  our  King,  in  the  day  of  Thy  appearance  quicken 
 and  raise  me  up  that  I  may  give  thanks  to  Thy  Majesty. 
 
 THE    CONSOLATION,* 
 
 to  be  said  over  priests  and  deacons  on  the  morrow  after  their 
 
 burial. 
 
 1[  All  the  church  shall  assemble  at  the  grave,  and  dividing  themselves  into  two 
 choirs,  the  priest  shall  first  say  this 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 We  praise  Thy  grace,  O  Thou  Good  God  Who  doest  good, 
 
 .  *  A  similar  service  is  appointed  to  be  said  over  the  graves  of  laymen,  and 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.  317 
 
 and  doest  not  injustice;  and  we  praise  Thy  mercy,  0  Thou 
 Who  art  merciful  and  upbraidest  not ;  and  we  praise  Thy 
 adorable  Trinity,  0  Thou  glorious  One,  whose  glory  passeth 
 not  away,  and  endeth  not,  0  Lord  of  our  death  and  life. 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  Amen. 
 Prokimenon.     Psalm  xxvi. 
 
 %  Then  shall  be  said  the  following . 
 
 From  the  beginning  of  his  formation  love  dwelt  in  him,  and 
 did  not  depart  from  him,  neither  shall  it  leave  him  for  ever  or 
 pass  away. 
 
 From  his  childhood  he  hired  himself  in  the  vineyard  of  his 
 Lord,  and  actively  bore  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day. 
 
 From  his  youth  the  Lord  chose  him  as  His  portion,  for  He 
 knew  him  before  he  had  any  being  that  he  was  a  child  of  His 
 right  hand. 
 
 From  his  youth  he  laid  hold  of  the  way  of  holiness,  and  did 
 not  grow  weary  in  well-doing. 
 
 From  his  youth  he  was  separated  from  his  father's  house  by  a 
 token  which  showed  him  the  good  way  of  eternal  life. 
 
 How  long  wilt  thou  sleep,  thou  greedy  one,  who  lovest  sleep  ? 
 Listen  to  the  voice  of  the  birds  rebuking  the  idle. 
 
 How  long  wilt  Thou  forget  me,  0  Lord,  like  the  wicked  ? 
 How  long  wilt  Thou  turn  away  Thy  face  from  the  child  of  Thy 
 household  ? 
 
 The  idle  love  the  sleep  of  iniquity  overmuch,  and  love  not  to 
 hear  the  voice  of  the  morning. 
 
 Our  good  deeds  have  been  short  like  the  days  in  the  month 
 of  December,  and  our  iniquities  have  increased  as  the  length  of 
 its  nights. 
 
 How  long  wilt  thou  sleep,  thou  sluggard  ?  Rise  up,  and 
 pray,  and  listen  to  the  notes  of  the  birds  reproving  the  idle. 
 
 The  circles  of  the  spiritual  ones  pray  for  mercy  upon  sin- 
 ners, and  truth  is  gone  far  from  us  through  the  weight  of  our 
 iniquities. 
 
 another  on  the  day  following,  which  I  have  omitted.  Should  the  relations  of 
 the  deceased  desire  any  further  commemoration,  the  priest  generally  selects  some 
 portion  of  the  burial  service  which  he  thinks  best  adapted  to  the  occasion. 
 
318  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 The  troubled  call  upon  Thee,  0  Thou  compassionate  One  : 
 and  the  aiBicted  flee  to  Thee  for  mercy,  O  Thou  merciful  One ; 
 and  the  mourners  seek  comfort  from  Thee_,  0  Thou  Comforter. 
 Comfort  Thy  servants  with  the  hope  of  Thy  righteous  promises, 
 for  Thou  art  the  Lord  of  the  two  worlds  which  Thou  hast 
 createdj  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Have  mercy  upon  us,  0  Lord  our  God,  and  forgive  and  blot 
 out  all  our  follies,  through  the  overflowing  mercies  of  Thy  grace, 
 0  Thou  merciful  One,  Who  forgivest  iniquities  and  sins,  the 
 Lord  of  our  death  and  life.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 Canon.  Psalm  Ixvii. 
 
 ^  After  which  shall  be  said  the  following . 
 
 When  Thou  shalt  appear  to  judge  the  works  of  all  men,  cast 
 me  not  out  of  Thy  presence,  0  Lord. 
 
 Let  the  soul  of  Thy  servant,  0  Lord,  mix  with  the  ranks  of 
 the  assemblies  clothed  in  light. 
 
 When  Thou  shalt  appear  to  rev/ard  Thy  labourers,  give  Thy 
 servant  joy  in  the  kingdom  which  passeth  not  away. 
 
 In  that  hour  when  Thy  great  day  shall  appeal',  then  have 
 pity  upon  us,  0  Lord,  that  through  Thy  grace  we  may  find 
 mercy. 
 
 Fit  me,  0  Lord,  to  meet  Thee  with  the  thief,  and  to  enter 
 into  Thy  bridal  chamber  of  light. 
 
 Judgment  draweth  nigh,  and  I  have  no  answer  to  give  before 
 Thy  seat.  May  the  loving-kindness  which  formed  me  have 
 mercy  upon  me. 
 
 Have  compassion,  0  Lord,  upon  Thy  servant  who  hath  slept 
 in  Thy  hope :  give  him  to  enjoy  bliss  in  the  kingdom  which 
 passeth  not  away. 
 
 0  Thou  Chief  of  the  high  priests,  through  Whose  blood  we 
 are  cleansed  and  sanctified,  receive,  0  Lord,  the  soul  of  Thy 
 servant  departed. 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.  319 
 
 \{  Then  shall  follow  a  doxology,  after  which  this  Anthem. 
 
 Bitter,  0  our  brother,  is  thy  death,  and  sad  is  the  day  of  thy 
 separation  from  us ;  for  death  took  thee  suddenly  away,  and 
 hath  shut  thee  up  in  the  darkness  of  the  grave. 
 
 Christ  give  thee  bhss  with  all  the  priests  thy  associates,  and 
 to  all  who  have  assembled  at  thy  funeral  may  bliss  be  given 
 with  thee  in  the  kingdom. 
 
 How  fatal  is  greedy  Death,  which  like  a  hungry  lion  hastened 
 and  carried  away  the  pure  priest,  and  snatched  him  from  tem- 
 porary life  ! 
 
 Christ  shall  give  him  bliss  in  His  bridal  chamber  with  the 
 sheep  at  His  right  hand,  and  to  those  who  have  bewailed  his 
 death  He  will  give  joy  through  His  compassion  and  mercy. 
 
 1[  Then  shall  be  said  the  Trisagion.   After  which  shall  follow  two  prayers,  and 
 
 then  this 
 
 Anthem. 
 
 Mourn  not,  ye  children  of  Adam,  for  Christ  the  King  has 
 lifted  up  your  heads. 
 
 Mourn  not  in  the  day  of  your  death,  0  ye  prudent  ones,  for 
 death  is  but  a  sleep  in  which  the  righteous  and  wicked  rest. 
 
 It  is  a  cup  which  justice  has  mingled  for  the  children  of  Adam, 
 and  all  his  children  must  drink  of  it. 
 
 It  is  a  bridge  over  which  all  generations  must  pass  from  this 
 world  to  the  next  where  no  fear  is. 
 
 Behold  how  every  man  tastes  the  cup  of  death,  and  not  one 
 is  free  from  its  power  and  sovereignty. 
 
 Where  is  Adam  whom  the  Lord  formed  out  of  the  dust,  and 
 called  him  His  image,  and  made  heaven  and  earth  subject  to 
 him  ? 
 
 Where  is  Abel  the  first -begotten,  the  righteous  and  just, 
 whose  righteous  blood  crieth  unto  God  ? 
 
 Where  is  the  goodly  Seth,  the  likeness  of  Adam,  who  became 
 the  father  of  all  the  righteous  after  him  ? 
 
 Where  is  the  meek  Noah,  the  new  world ;  and  where  is  the 
 righteous  Shem  and  his  two  brothers  ? 
 
 Where  is  Abraham  who  offered  up  his  only  son  in  sacrifice  > 
 and  where  is  Isaac  in  whose  stead  God  sent  a  lamb  ? 
 
320  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Where  is  Moses  who  saw  his  Maker  on  mount  Sinai,  Who 
 strengthened  him  by  His  Spirit,  and  spake  with  him  face  to 
 face? 
 
 Where  is  the  son  of  Nun  who  stayed  the  sun,  and  stopped 
 the  moon,  and  who  slew  thirty-one  kings  by  his  might  ? 
 
 Wliere  is  David  who  was  called  the  Heart  of  the  Lord  :  and 
 where  is  the  learned  Solomon  the  first  among  the  wise  ? 
 
 Where  is  Goliath  the  giant,  the  captain  of  the  Philistines; 
 and  where  is  Samson  who  slew  the  Philistines  ? 
 
 Where  are  the  wise  who  made  proverbs,  and  who  filled  the 
 earth  with  the  narratives  of  their  writings  ? 
 
 Where  are  the  kings  who  have  ruled  the  world,  and  laid  up 
 their  possessions  in  treasure-houses  ? 
 
 Where  are  those  whose  mandates  were  terrible,  and  whose 
 majesty  reduced  the  earth  to  their  sway  ? 
 
 Where  are  those  who  were  clothed  with  sumptuous  garments, 
 and  who  revelled  in  beds  of  silk  ? 
 
 Where  are  the  necks  on  which  hung  wrought  gold,  and  the 
 hands  which  were  adorned  with  pearls  ? 
 
 Where  are  the  generations  which  have  been  since  the  begin- 
 ning, and  the  nations  from  Adam  until  now  ? 
 
 Behold  all  these,  0  ye  prudent  ones,  and  see  to  what  the 
 beauty  of  their  persons  is  reduced. 
 
 Ask  of  Sheol  and  she  will  tell  you  where  they  are :  ask  of  the 
 earth  and  she  will  show  you  the  place  of  their  burial. 
 
 They  all  are  embosomed  in  the  ground,  and  there  shall  they 
 remain  till  the  resurrection- day. 
 
 One  decree  shall  go  forth  to  the  four  quarters  of  the  world, 
 and  shall  gather  together  and  separate  the  dust  of  man  from  the 
 dust  of  earth. 
 
 One  decree  shall  shake  the  earth,  the  mother  of  the  dead,  and 
 they  shall  rise  from  the  dead  and  sing  praises. 
 
 Whilst  there  is  space  for  repentance  let  us  labour  a  little,  and 
 now  that  the  door  of  mercy  is  open  let  us  pray  for  mercy ; 
 
 That  in  the  day  when  the  Son  of  God  shall  appear  in  His 
 glory,  we  may  meet  Him  at  His  right-hand  in  the  kingdom. 
 
 And  to  Thee,  with  the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be 
 glory  and  worship,  and  upon  us  Thy  mercy,  for  ever  and  ever. 
 Amen. 
 
THE    ORDER    FOR    THE    BURIAL    OF    PRIESTS.  331 
 
 Some  of  the  Chaldeans  use  an  abridgment  of  this  service, 
 whilst  others  have  introduced  into  it  prayers  and  intercessions 
 for  the  souls  in  purgatory. 
 
 The  following  rubric  from  the  Anneedha  of  the  Nestorians 
 directs  how  unbaptized  children  are  to  be  interred  : 
 
 "  Unbaptized  children  from  one  to  seven  or  ten  days  old  are 
 to  be  buried  by  women ;  but  if  a  child  shall  live  to  be  six 
 months  old  without  receiving  baptism,  and  his  mother  the  mean- 
 while shall  have  partaken  of  the  sin-forgiving  body  and  blood, 
 which  shall  have  mingled  with  the  milk  which  he  has  sucked, 
 one  Moutwa  shall  be  said  over  him,  and  in  consideration  of  his 
 parents  one  priest  shall  attend  his  funeral.''^ 
 
 VOL.  II. 
 
322  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    IIITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER     XLV. 
 
 THE     FORM     FOR    THE     ORDINATION    OF     THE     CLERGY    BY    THE 
 IMPOSITION    OF    HANDS. 
 
 PART  THE  FIRST. 
 
 The  ordering  of  Readers,  Sub-deacons,  Deacons,  and  Presbyters, 
 drawn  up  by  Mar  Kiprianos  Metropolitan  of  Nisibis,  by  Mar 
 Yeshua-yau  Catholicos  and  Patriarch,  and  by  the  learned  Mar 
 Israel. 
 
 If  Be  it  known  unto  thee,  our  irother,  that  the  imposition  of  hands  may  take 
 place  on  any  day  of  the  week,  either  before  the  commencement  of  the  liturgy 
 or  after,  either  before  the  Nicene  Creed  or  after,  either  before  communion  or 
 after  the  conclusion  of  the  liturgy,  or  on  any  day  when  there  is  no  liturgy. 
 
 ^  Ordination  may  be  conferred  on  a  day  when  no  liturgy  is  celebrated  only  up 
 to  the  order  of  Priest.  The  ordination  of  the  heads  of  the  Priests  [Bishops, 
 SfcJ  may  only  take  place,  on  festivals,  Sundays,  and  on  days  of  commemora- 
 tion. 
 
 H  If  only  one  is  to  be  ordained  the  singular  number  is  to  be  used  throughout,  if 
 more,  the  plural. 
 
 %  Know  also,  that  at  the  beginning  of  every  doxology,  of  every  prayer,  and  of 
 every  canon,  those  about  to  he  ordained  shall  botv  themselves  to  the  ground. 
 
 ^  Those  to  be  ordained  shall  be  brought  to  the  Bishop,  ivho  shall  cut  off  some 
 of  their  hair,  and  shall  gird  their  loins  with  a  girdle  whilst  they  stand  by 
 the  step  leading  into  the  hema.  Then  the  Bishop,  Archdeacon,  and  other 
 clergy,  shall  enter  the  bema,  the  curtain  of  which  shall  be  drawn  aside, 
 and  they  shall  take  their  projjer  places  in  the  choir.  Then  the  Archdeacon 
 shall  present  those  to  be  ordained  before  the  steps  of  the  bema  divested  of 
 their  upper  garments,  with  their  hands  crossed  upon  their  breasts,  whilst 
 one  of  the  Deacons  standing  by  shall  hold  the  stoles  and  parts  of  the  Karyane 
 in  his  hands.     Then  the  Bishop,  standing  in  the  bema^  shall  begin  with 
 
 Glory  to  God  in  the  highest^  &c. 
 Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  &c. 
 Archdeacon.  Peace  be  with  us. 
 
FOBM    rOR    THE    ORDINATION    OF    THE    CLERGY,  323 
 
 Prayer.^ 
 
 Let  Thy  power,  0  Lord  our  God,  perfect  through  our  weak 
 hands  this  spiritual  service,  the  gift  of  the  priesthood,  of  which 
 by  grace  we  have  been  made  stewards,  0  Thou  Giver  of  all 
 spiritual  gifts,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 jR.  Amen. 
 
 If  Then  the  Bishop  shall  precent  Psalm  cv.  1 — 8,  whilst  those  within  and  without 
 the  Choir  shall  respond  as  follows : 
 
 He  sent  a  messenger  of  peace  to  make  known  the  glad  tidings 
 of  His  conception ;  and  by  the  gate  through  which  death  came 
 in,  life  hath  entered,  and  death  hath  passed  away. 
 
 ^  Whilst  this  psalm  is  being  said,  the  Bisho])  shall  kneel  before  the  altar,  and 
 when  it  is  ended  he  shall  salute  the  altar,  and  shall  go  forth  out  of  the  sacra- 
 Hum  holding  his  staff  in  his  hand,  and  shall  stand  on  the  lowest  step  of  the 
 bema,  and  shall  give  his  staff  to  the  Archdeacon,  who  shall  say : 
 
 Peace  be  with  us, 
 
 %  Then  the  Bishop  shall  rehearse  this  prayer,  ivhich  is  to  be  said  before  all 
 ordinations.  With  his  hands  stretched  out  in  a  supplicating  posture  he  shall 
 say: 
 
 The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  perfects  at  all 
 times  that  which  is  wanting,  by  the  will  of  God  the  Father, 
 and  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with  us  evermore,  and 
 perfect  through  our  feeble  hands  this  high  and  awful  service  for 
 the  salvation  of  our  life,  [then  with  a  loud  voice  he  shall  add^ 
 now  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 ^  Here  the  Bishop  shall  sign  himself,  but  not  those  about  to  be  ordained;  for  in 
 the  above  prayer  he  prays  for  himself.  After  this  the  office  for  the  ordina- 
 tion of  Readers  shall  commence,  the  Archdeacon  proclaiming  a^follotvs  .• 
 
 The  Readers  are  about  to  be  ordained ;  pray  for  them. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Archdeacon  shall  assist  them  to  ascend  the  first  step  leading  into 
 the  bema;  after  which  the  Bishop  shall  say  this  benediction  over  the 
 Readers,  in  a  low  voice,  with  his  hand  laid  upon  their  heads. 
 
 0  Lord  God,  the  strong,  the  almighty,  bless  these  Thy  ser- 
 vants, and  in  the  abundance  of  Thy  grace  elect  them  with  a 
 
 *  All  the  Prayers  in  the  following  offices  are  to  be  said  by  the  ordaining  Bishop 
 or  Patriarch. 
 
 y  2 
 
334  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 good  election,  and  in  Thy  mercy  make  them  fit  stewards  to  read 
 the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  Divine  words,  before  Thy  chosen  people 
 in  Thy  holy  Church.  Keep  them  blameless  all  the  days  of  their 
 life,  through  the  grace  and  compassion  of  Thy  Only-begotten,  to 
 whom  with  Thee,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  ascribe  glory, 
 honour,  praise,  and  worship,  [with  a  loud  voice,^  now  and  for 
 ever  and  ever. 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 \  Here  the  Bishop  shall  sign  each  of  the  ordained  from  the  centre  of  the  face  to 
 
 the  back  of  the  head,  and  from  right  to  left. 
 Then  the  Archdeacon  shall  bring  the  stoles  to  the  Bishop,  ivho  shall  lay  them 
 
 over  the  outstretched  arms  of  the  ordained,  and  he  shall  give  into    their 
 
 hands  a  part  of  the  Lectionary,  or  a  portion  of  the  tvritings  of  the  Prophets, 
 
 or  one  of  the  two  parts  of  the  Book  of  Life* 
 
 THE    ORDERING    OF    SUB-DEACONS. f 
 
 Archdeacon.  The  Sub-deacons  are  about  to  be  ordained ;  pray 
 for  them. 
 
 ^  Here  those  who  are  already  in  orders  shall  assist  those  about  to  be  ordained 
 to  ascend  as  far  as  the  middle  step  leading  to  the  bema.  Then  the 
 Bishop,  standing  upon  the  upper  step,  shall  say  this  prayer  in  a  low  voice 
 over  the  sub-deacons,  with  his  right  hand  laid  upon  them,  and  his  left 
 stretched  out  as  in  supplication. 
 
 0  Lord  God,  the  strong,  the  almighty,  look  upon  these  Thy 
 servants,  and  in  the  abundance  of  Thy  grace  elect  them  with  a 
 holy  election.  In  Thy  mercy  fit  them  to  perfect  that  which  is 
 wanting  in  Thy  holy  Church,  and  in  Thy  pity,  O  Lord,  grant 
 that  they  may  minister  before  Thee  without  blame,  with  a  pure 
 heart,  and  upright  conscience.  And  grant  that  Thy  wisdom 
 may  perfect  in  them  every  virtue,  through  the  grace  and  com- 
 passion of  Thy  Only-begotten,  to  whom  with  Thee  and  the 
 Holy  Ghost  we  ascribe  glory,  honour,  praise,  and  worship, 
 [with  a  loud  voice,']  now  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 *  The  Books  of  the  Living  and  Dead  are  two  lists  containing  the  names  of 
 such  as  desire  the  prayers  of  the  Church.  These  are  generally  read  by  a 
 Deacon  during  the  celebration  of  the  liturgy. 
 
 \  Persons  admitted  to  holy  orders  are  generally  made  Readers  and  Sub- 
 deacons  on  the  same  day. 
 
FORM  FOR  THE  ORDINATION  OF  THE  CLERGY.      325 
 
 i[  Then  the  Bishop  shall  sign  over  their  heads,  and  shall  take  the  books  from 
 the  hands  of  those  being  ordained,  and  shall  give  them  to  the  Archdeacon. 
 Then  he  shall  kiss  them  on  the  head,  and  shall  ivind  the  stoles  round  their 
 necks. 
 
 %  The  Readers  and  sub-deacons  are  not  to  be  signed  betwixt  the  eyes,  neither 
 is  the  prayer  for  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  said  over  them;  but 
 only  the  prayer  which  distinguishes  them  from  laymen,  for  their  office  is 
 merely  to  keep  the  doors,  to  serve  before  the  Levites,  and  to  read  the  pro- 
 phetical books.  The  sub-deacons  are  to  be  admitted  as  far  as  the  lamp  hung 
 in  the  centre  of  the  bema ;  beyond  this  they  are  not  permitted  to  enter. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Bishop  shall  conduct  the  newly  ordained  up  the  steps  of  the  bema 
 in  this  order :  the  first  shall  lay  hold  of  the  Bisho2)'s  vestments,  and  the 
 rest  shall  lay  hold  of  one  another,  and  the  Bishop  shall  direct  them  to 
 proclaim  : 
 
 Let  US  pray.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 THE  ORDERING  OF  DEACONS, 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 O  Lord  of  all  purity,  who  lovest  those  who  are  pure,  pour  out 
 Thy  purifying  light  upon  these  Thy  servants,  and  vouchsafe  unto 
 them  the  companionship  of  Thy  power  and  help,  that  they  may 
 minister  to  Thy  sacraments  in  all  purity,  and  fulfil  Thy  holy 
 commandments  to  the  sanctification  of  their  members,  for  Thou 
 art  the  high  and  holy  One  Who  didst  humble  Thyself  from  the 
 height  of  Thy  greatness  to  descend  to  this  our  world,  and  didst 
 minister  to  the  salvation  of  all  mankind.  0  Lord,  make  these 
 Thy  servants  meet  to  enter  Thy  holy  sanctuary,  and  to  minister 
 before  Thy  high  altar  which  is  set  up  on  earth  after  the  pattern 
 of  that  which  is  in  heaven,  Thou  Who  art  the  giver  of  all 
 spiritual  gifts,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 %  Here  the  Bishop  shall  take  them  by  the  hand,  and  shall  conduct  them  as  far 
 as  the  lamp  hung  in  the  centre  of  the  bema ;  after  which  he  shall  precent  the 
 following 
 
 Canon. 
 
 Lord,  who  shall  abide  in  Thy  tabernacle  ?  who  shall  dwell  in 
 Thy  holy  hill  ? 
 
 O  Lord,  cause  me  to  stand  before  Thine  altar  with  pure 
 thoughts.      [Ps.  XV.  to  the  end.'] 
 
326  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 1[  Then  the  Bishop  shall  stand  on  the  step  of  the  altar,  and  those  alout  to  he 
 ordained  shall  how  their  heads  under  the  lamp,  and  the  Archdeacon  shall  say  .- 
 
 Let  us  pray.     Peace  he  with  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 0  Lord,  may  the  desirable  help  of  Thy  mercies,  which  is 
 given  from  Thy  holy  altar  to  all  such  as  worship  Thee  in  every 
 generation  of  the  world,  surround  these  Thy  servants,  who  now 
 worship  before  Thee  seeking  to  obtain  the  same,  on  the  right 
 hand  and  on  the  left,  before  and  behind,  Thou  Who  art  the  Giver 
 of  all  spiritual  gifts,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Bishop  shall  throtv  incense  into  the  censer,  and  shall  intone  the 
 following  anthem  : 
 
 Teach  me,  O  Lord,  the  way  of  Thy  commandments,  that  I 
 may  keep  them,  Shoiv  me  Thy  way,  0  Lord,  that  I  may  walk 
 uprightly.  Teach  me,  0  Lord,  to  walk  in  the  way  of  Thy 
 commandments,  to  keep  Thy  words,  and  to  do  Thy  will.  Set 
 a  watch  over  the  doors  of  my  members,  lest  the  treasure  of  Thy 
 gift  be  stolen  from  me. 
 
 Glory  be  to  the  Father,  &c.  Be  watchful  at  all  times,  hav- 
 ing your  loins  girt  about,  with  your  lamps  always  burning,  that 
 ye  may  be  worthy  of  that  bliss  which  He  has  promised  to  those 
 faithful  servants  whom  when  He  cometh  He  shall  find  watching. 
 
 Archd.  Let  us  pray.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer, 
 
 We  pray  and  beseech  Thee,  O  Christ,  Who  being  ministered 
 unto  wast  yet  pleased  to  minister  to  the  salvation  of  all,  to  admit 
 and  number  these  Thy  servants  among  the  Stephanite  seven 
 chosen  by  Thy  holy  Apostles,  Thou  Good  [God]  Who  lovest 
 the  service  which  is  performed  heartily.  Thou  Giver  of  all 
 spiritual  gifts,  O  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Bishop  shall  precent  the  following  Canon,  a.nd  whilst  it  is  being 
 said,  those  to  be  ordained  shall  bow  themselves. 
 
 Psalm  xxi.  2 — 8. 
 
 O  our  Saviour,  let  the  power  of  Thy  grace  rest  upon  these 
 
FORM    FOR    THE    ORDINATION    OP    THE    CLERGY.  327 
 
 Thy  servants,  tliat  they  may  minister  within  Thine  altar  in  all 
 purity,  even  as  do  Thy  Angels. 
 
 O  Lord,  Who  art  praised  by  those  who  are  nigh  unto  Thee, 
 and  magnified  by  Thy  chosen  ones,  vouchsafe  the  companionship 
 of  Thy  help  to  Thy  worshippers  who  have  partaken  of  Thy  gift. 
 
 [In  the  original  a  number  of  supplementary  Canons  are 
 added  at  the  end  of  this  office,  having  special  reference  to  the 
 Christian  names  of  those  who  are  to  be  ordained.  Such  as  are 
 applicable  are  directed  to  be  inserted  here.] 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 O  Lord  our  God,  Thou  vast  and  immeasurable  Ocean  of 
 mercy  and  pity.  Thou  unfathomable  Depth  of  tenderness  and 
 compassion,  we  pray,  supplicate,  and  beseech,  that  Thou  wouldest 
 increase  Thy  help  to  these  Thy  servants,  and  so  strengthen 
 them  that  they  may  approve  themselves  unto  Thee  in  their 
 ministry,  reconcile  Thy  Majesty  by  their  works,  live  in  the 
 straight  way  of  Thy  commandments,  and  evermore  meditate 
 in  Thy  life-giving  and  divine  Scriptures,  Thou  Giver  of  spiritual 
 gifts,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 
 
 Canon. 
 Psalm  cxxiii.  1 — 3. 
 0  Lord,  pour  out  Thy  grace  upon  these  Thy  servants. 
 
 ^  Whilst  this  Canon  is  being  said  the  first  time,  the  Bishop  shall  kneel  iefore 
 the  altar,  and  give  thanks  unto  God  from  his  heart  for  having  raised  him  to 
 so  high  a  degree.  When  it  is  repeated  he  shall  rise,  and  shall  approach  those 
 about  to  be  ordained,  whom  the  Archdeacon  shall  cause  to  kneel  upon  the 
 right  knee,  the  left  being  bent  upwards  to  signify  that  they  have  already  re- 
 ceived one  talent ;  and  they  shall  place  their  closed  hands  upon  their  ears,  the 
 forefingers  being  pointed  upwards,  and  their  faces  bent  downwards.  (This 
 posture  is  to  indicate  that  they  are  crucified  to  their  ministry,  and  are  become 
 servants  to  the  Priests  and  to  the  heads  of  the  Priests.J  Then  the  ordainer 
 shall  give  his  staff  to  the  Archdeacon,  who  shall  say : 
 
 Let  us  pray.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 %  Then  the  Bishop  shall  lay  his  right  hand  upon  the  heads  of  those  to  be  or- 
 dained, and  extending  his  left  in  a  supplicating  posture,  he  shall  say  in  a  low 
 voice  : 
 
 0  our  righteous  God  and  all-merciful  King,  Who  art  rich  in 
 mercy,  and  Whose  pity  is  overflowing,  in  Thy  unspeakable  grace 
 
328  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR   RITUALS. 
 
 Thou  hast  made  me,  0  Lord,  a  chaniiel  of  Thy  gift  to  Thy 
 holy  Church,  that  in  Thy  name  I  may  impart  the  talents  of  the 
 ministry  of  the  Spirit  to  the  ministers  of  Thy  holy  sacraments. 
 And  now,  behold,  according  to  the  apostolical  tradition  which 
 has  descended  in  a  chain  to  us  by  the  laying  on  of  hands  of 
 the  ministration  of  the  Church,  we  present  unto  Thee  these 
 Thy  servants,  that  they  may  be  elect  Deacons  in  Thy  holy 
 Church  ;  and  we  all  pray  in  their  behalf  [Repeat,]  that  the 
 grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost  may  descend  upon  them  to  perfect 
 them  for  the  performance  of  this  ministry  to  which  they  have 
 offered  themselves  through  Thy  grace,  and  through  the  mercies 
 of  Thy  Only  Begotten,  to  whom  with  Thee  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  we  ascribe  glory,  honour,  praise,  and  worship,  [With  a 
 loud  voice,]  now  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 %  Here  the  Bishop  shall  sign  over  their  heads.     Then  the  Archdeacon  shall  say 
 in  an  audible  voice  : 
 
 Lift  up  your  eyes  to  the  heights  of  the  highest,  and  pray  for 
 mercy  from  the  compassionate  God  in  behalf  of  the  sub-deacons 
 A.  B.,  B.  A.  and  D.  C,  who  are  being  ordained  Deacons  to  the 
 
 Church  of  God  dedicated  to  Mar ,  in  the  town  (or  village) 
 
 of ,  to  which  they  are  appointed.     Pray  for  them. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Bishop  shall  place  his  right  hand  upon  their  heads,  and  shall  stretch 
 out  his  left  hand  as  in  supplication,  and  shall  say  in  a  low  voice : 
 
 0  Lord  God,  the  strong,  the  Almighty,  [Repeat,]  the  holy 
 and  glorified  One,  Who  keepest  Thy  covenant  of  grace  and 
 truth  with  such  as  fear  Thee  and  keep  Thy  commandments,  in 
 Thy  grace  Thou  hast  given  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  to  all 
 mankind  through  the  appearance  of  Thy  Only  Begotten,  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  flesh,  and  hast  elected  Thy  holy 
 Church,  and  set  up  in  her  Prophets,  Apostles,  Priests,  and  doc- 
 tors, for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  and  hast  also  set  up  in  her 
 righteous  Deacons  for  the  ministry  of  Thy  glorious  and  holy 
 sacraments.  And  as  Thou  didst  choose  Stephen  and  his  com- 
 panions, so  give  now,  in  Thy  mercy,  to  these  Thy  servants,  O 
 Lord,  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  they  may  be  elect 
 Deacons  in  Thy  holy  Church,  and  serve  Thy  pure  altar  with  a 
 
TORM    FOR    THE    ORDINATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  329 
 
 pure  heart  and  upright  conscience,  shine  forth  in  works  of 
 righteousness  for  the  ministry  of  Thy  life-giving  and  divine 
 sacramentSj  and  be  made  meet  to  receive  from  Thee  the  heavenly 
 reward  in  the  day  of  recompense  for  the  pure  and  holy  ministry 
 which  they  serve  before  Thee^  through  the  grace  and  compassion 
 of  Thy  Only  Begotten^  to  Whom  with  Thee  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost  we  ascribe  glory_,  honour,  praise,  and  worship  [_with  a 
 loud  voice,]  now  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 R,  Amen. 
 
 %  Here  the  Bishop  shall  sign  their  heads,  and  shall  direct  them  to  bow  them- 
 selves to  the  ground  and  to  rise  again.  After  which  he  shall  take  the  stoles 
 from  off  their  necks,  and  shall  place  them  over  their  left  shoulder.  Then  the 
 Archdeacon  shall  give  the  book  of  the  Epistles  to  the  Bishop,  who  shall  place 
 it  in  the  hands  of  each  of  them,  and  he  shall  sign  them  betwixt  the  eyes  with  his 
 forefinger  from  below  upwards,  and  from  right  to  left,  saying  in  a  loud  voice  : 
 
 A.  B.  has  been  set  apart,  consecrated,  and  perfected,  to  the 
 work  of  the  ministry  of  the  Church,  and  to  the  Levitical  and 
 Stephanite  office,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
 and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Here  the  Bishop  shall  kiss  their  heads,  and  shall  take  from  them  the  book  of 
 the  Epistles,  and  shall  give  it  to  the  Archdeacon.  Then  the  Bishop  shall 
 take  his  staff  in  his  hand,  and  shall  ascend  the  steps  of  the  altar,  and  after 
 having  bowed  and  risen  again,  he  shall  turn  towards  the  south  and  begin  this 
 
 Canon.  , 
 
 The  Lord  is  nigh  unto  all  such  as  call  upon  Him  in  truth.  O 
 Christ,  who  gavest  to  Thy  servants  the  spiritual  talents  of  silver, 
 give  Thy  help  to  these  Thy  worshippers  who  have  received  Thy  gift. 
 
 It  is  not  in  us,  0  Jesus  our  Saviour,  to  make  our  way  pro- 
 sperous ;  for  Thou  art  the  disposer  of  our  affairs  by  Thy  power 
 and  wisdom. 
 
 We  call  upon  Thee,  0  Lord,  and  we  pray  for  pity  and  com- 
 passion out  of  Thy  treasure,  for  we  know  that  Thou  art  the 
 compassionate  and  merciful  One  who  forgiveth  our  sins. 
 
 ^  Whilst  this  Canon  is  being  said  the  Archdeacon  shall  conduct  the  Deacon 
 from  the  right  to  the  left  of  the  altar,  and  they  shall  salute  the  right  and  left 
 of  the  altar,  and  shall  bow  to  the  Bishop  and  kiss  his  hand.  And  the  Bishop 
 shall  bless  each  of  them  separately ,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 Christ,  Who  has  advanced  thee  to  His  ministry,  perfect  in 
 thee  the  work  of  righteousness  for  ever. 
 
330  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Deacons  shall  salute  those  who  stand  on  the  right  and  left  of  the 
 altar,  and  these  shall  kiss  their  heads  and  invoke  a  blessing  upon  them.  And 
 when  the  Canon  is  ended,  if  the  Liturgy  is  to  be  celebrated,  the  Bishop  shall 
 say  the  prayer  from  the  Communion  office  beginning  with :  O  Lord,  before 
 the  glorious  throne  of  Thy  Majesty,  &c.  Then  they  shall  come  forth  into  the 
 nave  of  the  church  bearing  the  cross,  censer,  and  lights.  But  if  there  be  no 
 Liturgy,  the  Lord's  Prayer  shall  be  repeated,  after  which  the  Bishop  shall 
 say  this 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Unto  Thee  be  praise  from  those  above,  and  thanks  from  those 
 below,  and  glory  and  worship  from  all  Thy  creatures  in  heaven 
 and  in  earth,  0  Thou  Who  art  the  cause  of  our  life,  and  the 
 righteous  hope  of  our  souls,  and  the  enricher  of  our  race  by  Thy 
 gifts,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
 
 R.  Amen.     Give  Thy  blessing,  0  Lord. 
 
 Another. 
 
 Bless  and  sanctify  our  souls,  purify  our  consciences,  and 
 strengthen  our  weakness,  that  we  may  minister  before  Thee  in 
 holiness  and  righteousness  all  the  days  of  our  life,  0  Lord  of 
 all.  Father^  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 Concluding  Prayer. 
 
 0  Thou  adorable  and  glorious  One,  Whose  ministers  are  light 
 and  spirit,  in  Thine  unspeakable  grace  and  unlimited  goodness, 
 set  apart  and  oflFer  to  the  ministry  of  Thy  holy  will  these  Thy 
 servants,  that  in  all  humility  and  devoid  of  all  glorying  they 
 may  approve  themselves  before  Thee  as  did  Stephen  and  his 
 companions,  all  the  days  of  their  life,  now  and  for  ever.  Amen. 
 
 the  ordering  of  presbyters. 
 
 ^  TTie  Bishop  shall  frst  cut  off  some  of  the  hair  of  those  to  be  ordained,  and 
 shall  gird  their  loins  with  a  girdle,  and  shall  place  the  surplice  on  their  left 
 shoulder.  And  they  shall  stand  in  the  centre  of  the  bema,  according  to  the 
 order  of  their  diaconate,  and  the  Bishop  shall  begin  with 
 
 Glory  he  to  God  in  the  highest,  &c. 
 Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  &c. 
 
 Prayer. 
 Let  Thy  power,  0  Lord  our  God,  perfect  through  our  weak- 
 
FORM    FOR    THE    ORDINATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  331 
 
 ness  and  imperfection  this  spiritual  service,  the  gift  of  the  priest- 
 hood, of  which  Thy  grace  has  made  us  stewards,  0  Thou  giver 
 of  spiritual  gifts,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Psalm  Ixxxiv. 
 
 O  ye  priests,  how  exalted  is  the  order  of  your  ministry  !  The 
 ministers  of  light  and  spirit,  the  glorious  Gabriel  and  the  great 
 Michael,  whose  names  proclaim  their  excellency,  stand  in  awe  of 
 it,  and  if  we  compare  them  with  the  priesthood  they  are  much 
 inferior  to  it. 
 
 %  Then  the  Doxology  shall  he  said,  and  the  first  verse  of  the  above  psalm  shall 
 be  repeated ;  after  which  the  following : 
 
 Come  and  let  us  draw  near  to  the  priesthood,  which  is  the 
 salt  of  the  earth,  and  which  by  the  might  of  the  Spirit  gives  a 
 savour  to  the  unsavoury. 
 
 Archdeacon.  Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 0  Lord,  clothe  these  Thy  worshippers  whose  hands  are 
 stretched  out  before  the  throne  of  Thy  Majesty,  with  the  mantle 
 of  the  priesthood  wherewith  Thou  didst  endue  Thy  faithful  ones 
 under  the  old  and  new  covenant,  and  strengthen  them  that  they 
 may  be  blameless,  and  that  they  may  offer  up  unto  Thee  by  day 
 and  by  night  the  sacrifices  of  reconciliation,  0  Thou  giver  of 
 spiritual  gifts,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 1[  Then  the  Bishop  shall  put  incense   into  the  censer,   and  shall  precent  this 
 
 anthem  : 
 
 He  that  is  of  clean  hands  and  a  pure  heart.  For  the  Lord 
 holdeth  him  hy  the  hand.  When  the  Priest  comes  before  the 
 holy  altar  he  stretcheth  forth  his  hands  unto  heaven  in  purity, 
 and  he  invokes  the  Spirit  which  descends  from  on  high,  and 
 consecrates  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ.     [Repeat.'] 
 
 Glory  he  to  the  Father,  &c.  The  Priest  secretly  invokes  the 
 Spirit,  Who  descends  from  on  high  to  do  his  will,  and  conse- 
 crates the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  which  the  people  partake 
 of,  and  thereby  live  for  ever. 
 
332  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 ^  If  more  than  one  are  to  be  ordained  the  following  shall  be  said : 
 
 Thy  priests,  0  Lord,  are  clothed  with  righteousness,  and  Thine 
 upright  ones  with  glory.  Stand  in  awe  and  sin  not.  0  ye  holy 
 Priests,  wash  your  consciences  from  the  pollution  of  sin. 
 [Repeat.~\ 
 
 Glory  be  to  the  Pather,  &c.  O  ye  Priests,  who  are  made 
 meet  to  be  angels,  keep  yourselves  from  iniquity. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 0  Lord,  anoint  these  Thy  servants  with  a  holy  anointing, 
 and  let  Thy  hand  help  them,  and  Thy  arm  strengthen  them, 
 that  they  may  exercise  their  priesthood  in  Thy  Holy  Church, 
 and  perfect  the  ministry  of  Thy  sin-forgiving  sacraments  to  the 
 edification  of  the  souls  of  Thy  worshippers.  Thou  giver  of  spiri- 
 tual gifts,  0  Lord  of  all,  Pather,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 Canon. 
 Psalm  Ixxxix.  15 — 22. 
 
 ^  If  only  one  is  to  be  ordained,  the  following  Canon  shall  be  said: 
 
 Psalm  xxi.  2 — 8. 
 
 0  Thou  King,  the  Maker  and  the  Made,  the  one  Lord  and 
 united  Son,  present  these  Thy  servants  to  the  work  of  the  con- 
 secration of  the  sacraments  and  of  baptism,  and  strengthen  them 
 by  Thy  adorable  command  that  they  may  be  priests  unto  Thee 
 in  all  chastity,  both  secretly  and  openly,  according  to  the  re- 
 quirements of  the  law,  and  be  adorned  and  furnished  [with 
 good  works]  here  and  in  the  world  to  come. 
 
 0  Christ,  the  true  Priest,  Whose  priesthood  never  faileth, 
 vouchsafe  to  these  Thy  servants  what  they  stand  in  need  of,  and 
 clothe  them  with  beauty  and  comeliness,  that  they  may  exercise 
 their  priesthood  before  Thee,  diligently — -a  priesthood  which 
 Thou  shalt  approve  of.  And  grant  that  at  the  last  they  may 
 lay  down  the  talents  which  they  have  received  in  hope  of  pro- 
 fiting the  soul  together  with  what  they  have  gained  thereby,  and 
 be  worthy  to  hear  the  joyful  invitation  :  Enter  into  the  joy 
 which  passeth  not  away. 
 
 [Here  follow  the  supplementary  Canons  adapted  to  the  Chris- 
 
POBM    FOR    THE    ORDINATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  333 
 
 tian  names  of  those  about  to  be  ordained,  as  in  the  oflSce  for  the 
 ordering  of  Deacons.] 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Pour  out  Thy  grace,  0  Lord  our  God,  upon  these  Thy  ser- 
 vants, and  perfect  their  hands  in  purity,  that  they  may  approach 
 the  ministry  of  Thy  sin-forgiving  sacraments,  and  consecrate 
 the  bosom  of  holy  and  sin-forgiving  baptism,  the  spring  in 
 which  mortal  children  are  begotten  to  immortalit)'^,  through 
 Thy  grace  and  mercy.  Thou  giver  of  spiritual  gifts,  0  Lord  of 
 all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 Do  good,  O  Lord,  to  Thy  servants,  according  to  Thy  word. 
 O  Thou  righteous  One,  Who  committedst  to  Thy  Apostles  power 
 and  authority  over  the  heights  and  depths,  grant,  0  Lord,  to 
 these  Thy  worshippers  the  power  of  Thy  grace. 
 
 Vouchsafe,  0  Lord,  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Comforter, 
 Which  descended  and  rested  upon  the  disciples,  may  rest  upon 
 the  heads  of  these  Thy  worshippers. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Pour  out,  0  Lord,  Thy  overflowing  grace,  and  Thine  abun- 
 dant gift  upon  the  heads  of  these  Thy  worshippers,  who  seek 
 Thy  Divine  gift ;  strengthen  them  to  minister  at  Thy  holy  altar, 
 and  to  declare  the  tidings  of  Thy  glory  to  the  people  who  are 
 redeemed  by  Thy  Cross,  and  to  make  known  Thy  wonders  to  the 
 flock,  sealed  by  Thy  living  and  life-giving  sign,  0  Thou  giver 
 of  all  spiritual  gifts,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 Unto  Thee  lift  I  up  mine  eyes,  0  Thou  Who  dwellest  in  the 
 heavens.  O  Lord  our  God,  pour  out  Thy  grace  upon  these 
 Thy  worshippers. 
 
 1[  Then  the  Archdeacon  shall  cause  those  to  be  ordained  to  kneel  on  both  knees, 
 .with  their  hands  lifted  up  above  their  eyes,  their  heads  bent  downwards,  and 
 with  the  surplice  still  on  their  shoulders  like  deacons. 
 Note.   The  kneeling  of  the  presbyter  on  both  knees  shows,  that  he  has  received 
 
334  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 two  talents,  and  his  hands  outstretched  above  his  eyes  is  intended  to  denote 
 that  he  has  received  permission,  authority,  and  grace,  to  invoke  the   Spirit 
 and  to  bless,  to  beget  sons  of  the  Spirit,  and  to  feed  them  with  spiritual  food. 
 ^   Then  the  Bishop  shall  give  his  staff  to  the  Archdeacon,  who  shall  proclaim : 
 
 Let  us  pray.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 [In  a  low  voice!]  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 which  perfects  at  all  times  that  which  is  wanting,  by  the  will  of 
 God  the  Father,  and  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with 
 us  evermore,  and  perfect  through  our  hands  this  high  and  awful 
 service  for  the  salvation  of  our  lives,  [m  a  loud  voice]  now  and 
 for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 Archdeacon.  Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 %  Then  the  Bishop  shall  lay  his  right  hand  upon  those  to  be  ordained,  and  shall 
 say  in  a  low  voice : 
 
 0  our  righteous  God,  ^c.  \as  in  the  office  for  the  ordering  of 
 Deacons,  with  the  substitution  of  the  word  "  Presbyter  ^'  for  that 
 of  "  Deacon."] 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Archdeacon  shall  proclaim  :  Lift  up  your  eyes,  Sfc.  [as  in  the  order- 
 ing of  Deacons,  with  the  change  just  noted.'\ 
 
 ^  Then  the  Bishop  shall  lay  his  right  hand  upon  their  heads,  and  with  his  left 
 stretched  out,  he  shall  say  in  a  low  voice : 
 
 O  Lord  God,  the  strong,  the  Almighty,  [Repeat,]  Maker  of 
 heaven  and  earth,  and  all  that  therein  is.  Who  hast  chosen  Thy 
 holy  Church,  and  set  up  in  it  prophets,  apostles,  doctors,  and 
 priests,  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the 
 ministry,  and  for  the  edification  of  the  body  of  the  Church; — 
 look  how,  0  God,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  Sovereign  ruler  of  all 
 the  world,  upon  these  Thy  servants,  elect  them  with  a  holy 
 election  by  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  give  them  the  word 
 of  truth  in  the  opening  of  their  mouth,  and  choose  them  to  the 
 priesthood,  0  Lord,  the  mighty  God,  \_Here  the  Bishop  shall 
 take  hold  of  their  right  hand,]  that  they  may  lay  their  hands 
 upon  the  sick  that  they  may  be  healed  ;  and  may  minister  at 
 Thy  holy  altar,  with  a  pure  heart  and  upright  conscience,  oflfer- 
 
FOKM    FOR    THE    ORDINATION    OP    THE    CLERGY.  335 
 
 ing  up  unto  Thee  oblations  of  prayer  and  sacrifices  of  thanks- 
 giving in  Thy  holy  Church,  and  consecrating,  through  the  power 
 of  Thy  gift,  the  sin-forgiving  bosom  of  mystical  birth  towards 
 such  as  shall  be  called  by  Thy  grace  to  the  communion  of  the 
 adoption  of  Thy  Majesty,  and  adorn  with  works  of  righteous- 
 ness the  children  of  the  holy  Catholic  Church,  to  the  glory  of 
 Thy  name,  so  that  in  the  new  world  they  may  be  approved  for 
 this  pure  ministry  which  they  shall  serve,  and  stand  with  con- 
 fidence before  the  awful  seat  of  Thy  Majesty,  through  the  grace 
 and  mercy  of  Thy  Only  Begotten,  to  Whom  with  Thee  and  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  we  ascribe  glory,  honour,  praise,  and  worship, 
 now  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 ^  Here  the  Bishop  shall  sign  the  heads  of  the  ordained,  after  which  he  shall 
 direct  them  to  bow  themselves  and  to  stand  up  again.  Then  the  Bishop  shall 
 take  the  surplice  from,  off  their  shoulders,  and  shall  invest  them  therewith, 
 and  he  shall  take  the  stole  from  off  their  left  shoulders,  and  shall  hang  it 
 round  their  neclcs.  This  done,  the  Bishop  shall  take  the  adorable  Gospel,  and 
 shall  place  it  in  the  hands  of  the  ordained,  and  shall  sign  them  betwixt  the 
 eyes  with  the  thumb  of  his  right  hand,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 A.  B.  has  been  set  apart,  consecrated,  and  perfected,  for  the 
 work  of  the  presbyterate  of  the  Church,  and  for  the  office  of  the 
 Aaronic  priesthood,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
 and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Bishop  shall  kiss  their  heads;  and  the  above  shall  be  done  to  each 
 in  rotation. 
 
 After  signing  them,  the  Bishop  shall  take  from  them  the  Gospel,  and  shall  give 
 it  to  the  Archdeacon,  and  the  ordained  shall  bow  and  rise  up  again.  Then  the 
 Bishop  shall  take  his  staff  in  his  hand,  and  shall  ascend  the  step  of  the  altar 
 and  do  obeisance,  and  turning  towards  the  south,  he  shall  begin  this 
 
 Canon. 
 
 The  Lord  is  nigh  unto  all  such  as  call  upon  Him  in  truth,  &c. 
 [_As  in  the  office  for  the  ordering  of  Deacons.'] 
 
 Concluding  Prayer. 
 
 0  Lord,  the  mighty  God,  [Repeat,]  let  the  right  hand  of 
 Thy  mercy  rest,  and  pour  out  the  power  of  Thy  grace  upon 
 these  Thy  servants,  and  sanctify  them,  that  they  may  perfect 
 the  great  work  of  the  priesthood  of  the  Church  which  is  the 
 
336  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 possessor  of  the  sacraments,  and  the  giver  of  divine  gifts. 
 Crown  them  with  the  crown  of  the  Aavonic  priesthood,  that  they 
 may  exercise  the  office  of  priests  to  Thy  holy  altar  in  all  chastity; 
 beautify  them  with  the  ornament  of  righteousness ;  endue  them 
 with  power  to  perfect  Thy  ministry  gladly  and  joyfully;  and 
 brood  over  their  heads,  that  through  the  power  of  Thy  gift,  they 
 may  receive  the  gift  of  the  spiritual  priesthood,  and  in  purity 
 serve  Thy  holy  and  pure  altar  ;  make  known  to  all  the  churches 
 of  the  East  the  glad  tidings  of  life ;  consecrate  the  sin-forgiv- 
 ing bosom  of  holy  baptism  in  which  mortal  children  are  begot- 
 ten to  immortality ;  grant  pardon  to  Thy  people,  through  the 
 oblation  of  Thy  body  and  blood ;  and  take  from  Thy  holy  altar 
 a  heavenly  power  from  Thy  holiness,  that  they  may  perfect  Thy 
 commandments,  and  be  made  worthy  to  stand  before  Thee  at 
 the  last  day,  when  Thou  shalt  come  with  Thy  holy  angels,  and 
 for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 PART  THE  SECOND. 
 
 THE  ORDERING  OF  AN  ARCHDEACON,  TO  BE  HEAD  OVER  THE 
 PRIESTS  AND  DEACONS,  AND  OVER  ALL  THE  FLOCK  TO 
 WHICH    HE    SHALL    BE    APPOINTED. 
 
 ^  At  morning  tide,  the  Bishop  shall  enter  the  henna  with  the  clergy,  he  being 
 V)ith  them  who  is  to  be  ordained,  and  they  shall  begin  the  service  with, 
 
 Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven,  &c. 
 One  of  the  Priests.  Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Unto  Thee,  0  Thou  Who  dost  bestow  Thy  talents  upon  the 
 merchants  of  the  Spirit,  and  vouchsafe  Thy  gifts  to  such  as  per- 
 fect Thy  will,  we  ascribe  thanksgiving,  worship,  and  praise,  at 
 all  times,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 Psalm  cl. 
 
 Psalm  cxvii. 
 
 Gloria  Patri,  ^c. 
 
 Priest.  Peace  be  with  us. 
 
rORM  FOR  THE  ORDINATION  OF  THE  CLERGY.     337 
 
 %  Then  the  Bishop  shall  put  incense  into  the  censer,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 He  is  great  in  all  the  earth.  Thy  altar^  0  mighty  Lord, 
 Thou  hast  exalted  with  glory,  and  the  faithful  ones  of  Thy 
 Church  Thou  hast  crowned  with  honour;  let  security  and  long 
 peace  be  increased  to  Thy  people. 
 
 Glory  be  to  the  Father,  &c.  The  angelic  hosts  kneel  and 
 worship,  and  unceasingly  praise  the  one  Trinity,  the  adorable 
 Essence,  and  with  holy  voices,  sing  alleluias  to  the  one  hidden 
 power  of  the  Self-existent. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Strengthen,  0  Lord,  in  Thy  compassion,  this  Thy  servant, 
 and  in  Thy  grace  help  this  Thy  worshipper,  and  in  the  abun- 
 dance of  Thine  overflowing  mercy  enable  him  to  perfect  the  will 
 of  Thy  Majesty  all  the  days  of  his  life,  0  Lord  of  all.  Father, 
 Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 Psalm  XXV. 
 
 Unto  Thee,  0  Lord,  lift  I  up  mine  eyes,  that  in  the  multi- 
 tude of  Thy  mercies  Thou  wouldest  strengthen  my  weakness, 
 and  for  Thy  name's  sake,  fill  me  with  the  power  of  the  help  of 
 Thy  grace. 
 
 Do  Thou,  0  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  strengthen 
 this  Priest  who  was  anointed  by  Thy  right  hand,  that  he  may 
 order  Thy  flocks. 
 
 All.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Bishop.  Glory  be  to  Thy  name,  and  praise  be  to  Thy  Ma- 
 jesty, because  Thou  hast  adorned  this  Thy  servant  with  the  gift 
 of  the  Archidiaconate.  0  Lord,  make  him  a  chosen  vessel  to 
 Thine  honour,  0  Lord  of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Amen. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 Psalm  cxix.  65 — 73. 
 
 0  Thou  good  [God,]  Who  gavest  to  Thy  Apostles  authority 
 over  the  heights  and  depths,  give,  0  Lord,  the  power  of  Thy 
 grace  to  this  Thy  worshipper. 
 
 Vouchsafe,  0  Lord,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  the  Comforter, 
 
 VOL.    II.  z 
 
338  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Whicli  descended  and  rested  upon  the  Disciples^  may  rest  upon 
 the  head  of  this  Thy  worshipper. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Pour  out^  0  Lord,  Thy  grace  and  salvation,  and  the  help  of 
 Thy  mercies,  upon  this  Thy  chosen  priest,  that  he  may  be  an 
 Archdeacon  in  Thy  holy  Church  all  the  days  of  his  life,  O  Lord 
 of  all,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Psalm  cxxiii. 
 
 O  Lord,  pour  out  Thy  grace  upon  this  Thy  servant. 
 
 ^  After  which  the  Gloria  Patri  shall  be  said.     Then  he  who  is  to  be  made  Arch- 
 deacon shall  kneel  be/ore  the  Bishop,  and  they  shall  say  : 
 
 Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 0  Lord,  the  mighty  God,  [Repeat,']  Thine  is  the  holy  Catholic 
 Church,  which  was  purchased,  ^c.  [^As  in  the  Liturgy,  with  the 
 following  ending .-]  Perfect,  0  Lord,  towards  this  Thy  servant 
 Thy  grace,  mercy,  and  compassion,  all  the  days  of  his  Hfe,  and 
 for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Bishop  shall  sign  his  head,  and  one  of  the  Priests  shall  say  : 
 
 Lift  up  your  eyes  to  the  heights  of  the  highest,  and  pray  for 
 
 mercy  from  the  compassionate  God  in  behalf  of  Presbyter 
 
 who  is  being  made  Archdeacon  to  the  Church  of  the  Lord  in 
 the  town  of to  which  he  is  appointed.     Pray  for  him. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 0  Thou  Treasure,  that  enrichest  all  who  possess  Thee,  from  the 
 great  riches  of  Whose  meekness  and  wisdom  all  rational  creatures 
 visible  and  invisible  are  enriched, — the  Holy  One  by  Whose 
 holiness  all  Thy  saints  are  sanctified, — sanctify,  O  Lord,  this 
 Thy  servant  who  has  been  set  apart  to  the  office  of  Archdeacon, 
 
 to  behead  over  the  priests  in  the  flock  of  — ,  and  to  oversee 
 
 and  perfect  the  things  which  are  ordered  by  us,  that  he  may 
 minister  before  Thee  in  chastity  and  holiness;  and  pour  out 
 Thy  grace  upon  him,  and  upon  Thy  people  here  and  everywhere, 
 both  now  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
FORM  FOR  THE  ORDINATION  OF  THE  CLERGY.     339 
 
 If  Here  the  Bishop  shall  sign  his  head.     Then  he  shall  sign  him  betwixt  the 
 eyes,  and  shall  say : 
 
 A.  B.  has  been  set  apart^  consecrated,  and  ordained,  to  the 
 office  of  Archdeacon  to  the  Church  of  God  over  the  flock  of 
 
 ,  in  the  Name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
 
 Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Bishop  shall  give  him  his  staff  to  carry,  and  they  shall  go  forth 
 taking  with  them  the  cross,  after  having  done  all  according  to  order. 
 
 Note. — An  Archdeacon  has  permission  to  consecrate  an  altar  without  oil  when 
 no  Bishop  is  present,  and  to  open  and  close  the  services,  and  to  carry  the 
 
 's . 
 
 THE    ORDERING    OF    THE    PATRIARCH  S    ARCHDEACON, 
 
 To  he  head  over  the  priests  and  deacons,  to  hear  the  Patriarchs 
 crazier,  and  to  carry  out  the  orders  of  the  Patriarch. 
 
 ^  At  morning  tide  the  Patriarch  shall  enter  the  bema,  and  one  of  the  Priests 
 
 shall  say : 
 
 Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  6fc. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Brood,  0  Lord,  with  the  hidden  broodings  of  Thy  grace  upon 
 this  Thy  worshipper,  whom  Thou  hast  called  and  brought  near 
 to  stand  at  the  head  of  the  hema  of  Thy  Church ;  fill  his  soul 
 and  mind  with  the  overflowings  of  the  operation  of  Thy  Spirit ; 
 and  strengthen  him  in  those  things  which  are  necessary  for  the 
 edification  of  such  as  believe  on  Thy  name,  0  Lord  of  all, 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 Psalm  cl. 
 
 If   Then  shall  be  said  the  canons  as  appointed  in  the  foregoing  office ;  after  which 
 one  of  the  Priests  shall  say  .- 
 
 Lift  up  your  minds  towards  the  heights,  and  pray  for  mercy 
 
 from  the  compassionate  God  in  behalf  of  Presbyter ,  who 
 
 is  being  made  Archdeacon  to  the  great  church  of  Kokhe*  in 
 
 *  This  was  the  name  of  the  cathedral  church  whilst  the  seat  of  the  Nestorian 
 Patriarch  was  at  Seleucia. 
 
 z3 
 
340  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Seleucia  and   Ctesiphon,  to  which   he    is  appointed.     Pray  for 
 him. 
 
 Patriarch.     OT\io\xlLved.%ViXQ,^c.  \As  in  the ^jreceding office. 1 
 
 ^  After  which  the  Patriarch  shall  sign  his  head.     Then  he  shall  sign  him 
 betwixt  the  eyes,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 A.  B.  has  been  set  apart,  consecrated,  and  ordained  to  the 
 office  of  Archdeacon  to  the  great  church  of  Kokhe  in  Seleucia 
 and  Ctesiphon,  in  the  Name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
 and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Amen. 
 
 If  Then  the  Catholicos  shall  begin  the  anthem  of  the  Kanke.  After  which  they 
 shall  approach  the  bema,  where  authority  shall  be  given  to  the  Archdeacon 
 to  stand  at  the  head  of  the  Priests  and  Beacons,  and  to  order  them. 
 
 THE    ORDERING    OP    BISHOPS. 
 
 Note. — Bishops  and  Metropolitans  are  not  to  be  ordained  except  on  Sunday,  or 
 on  one  of  the  greater  festivals,  or  on  a  day  of  commemoration. 
 
 1[  The  Bishops,  Priests,  and  Deacons,  together  with  the  faithful,  shall  meet  the 
 Patriarch  carrying  the  cross,  gospel,  lights,  and  censer,  and  he  who  is  to  be 
 ordained  shall  stand  and  read  the  symbol  of  his  faith  before  the  believers. 
 Then  the  fathers  shall  enter  the  vestry  and  shall  put  on  their  robes,  and  he 
 who  is  to  be  ordained  shall  stand  with  them  in  the  order  of  his  presbyterate. 
 After  which  they  shall  go  forth  bearing  the  cross,  gospel,  censer,  and  lights, 
 and  shall  pass  through  the  nave  of  the  church  into  the  bema. 
 
 Note. — If  a  Patriarch  be  the  ordainer,  the  Bishops  and  Metropolitans  shall  not 
 carry  their  staves  in  their  hands,  neither  shall  they  put  on  their  robes  with- 
 out his  permission.  If  a  Metropolitan,  they  shall  take  their  staves.  And 
 they  shall  cause  him  who  is  to  be  ordained  to  come  into  the  centre  of  the 
 bema,  where  he  shall  worsJiip,  and  the  Head  shall  begin  with — 
 
 Our  Father,  which  art  in  heaven,  ^c. 
 Archdeacon.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 The  adorable  and  glorious  name  of  Thy  great  Godhead  is 
 worshipped,  praised,  and  blessed,  by  those  above  and  those 
 below,  0  Thou  giver  of  divine  Gifts,  0  Lord  of  all,  ^c. 
 
 Psalm  cxxxii. 
 
 Ai'chdeacon.     Peace  be  with  us. 
 
FORM  FOR  THE  ORDINATION  OF  THE  CLERGY,     341 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 We  pray  and  beseech  Thee,  0  Thou  living  and  life-giving 
 Spiritj  the  Spring  of  divine  sanctification,  the  overflowing 
 Treasure  of  all  wisdom,  the  Source  of  all  spiritual  gifts, — Thee 
 Who  shinest  and  art  resplendent  with  theholy  radiance  of  glory, 
 and  Who  in  the  motions  of  Thyself,  and  without  time,  being  of 
 the  substance  of  the  propriety  of  the  Father,  ever  proceedest  and 
 pervadest,  and  doest  everything  in  heaven  and  in  earth  by  Thine 
 own  command,  from  the  overflowing  of  Whose  eternal  gifts  the 
 streams  of  prophecy  overflow,  and  from  whose  atlantic  ocean 
 the  apostolical  gifts  are  rained  down, — we  pray  and  beseech 
 Thee  to  pour  forth  the  gifts  of  Thine  apostolic  priesthood  into 
 the  heart  of  this  Thy  servant,  and  to  crown  his  head  with  the 
 honourable  crown  of  the  high-priesthood  of  the  Church,  that 
 by  the  rays  of  the  light  of  his  doctrine  the  souls  of  his  children 
 may  be  enlightened,  and  the  armies  of  darkness  be  destroyed 
 from  among  his  flock ;  0  Thou  who  art  the  Offspring  of  the 
 glorious  essence  of  the  Father,  the  Offspring  of  the  Council  of 
 the  adorable  Godhead,  Thou  Giver  of  spiritual  gifts,  O  Lord  of 
 all,  &c. 
 
 Anthem. 
 
 Let  Thy  priests  he  clothed  with  righteousness,  and  Thy  saints 
 with  glory.  Clothe  her  high  priests  with  righteousness  and  her 
 saints  with  glory.  Those  who  served  unto  the  example  and  shadow 
 of  heavenly  things.  The  priesthood  of  the  house  of  Aaron 
 ministered  to  the  mystery,  figure,  and  shadow  of  the  law : 
 but  the  apostleship  of  Simon  has  received  the  substance,  per- 
 fection, and  the  truth,  wherewith  the  Heir  of  the  Father  was 
 pleased  to  fish  the  earth,  and  through  fishermen  He  fished  the 
 whole  world,  which  now  offers  up  glory,  and  is  baptized  in  the 
 perfection  of  the  Persons  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 
 Glory  be  to  Thee.   [Repeat^ 
 
 The  Lord  our  God  doeth  whatever  pleaseth  Him  in  heaven  and 
 in  earth.  It  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth, 
 hut  of  God  that  showeth  mercy.  The  Holy  Ghost  doeth  all 
 things  by  the  power  of  His  gifts  :  He  causeth  the  race  of  pro- 
 phecy to  run,  and  by  His  grace  maketh  the  priests  perfect  j  it 
 
342  THE    NESTOBIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 is  He  Who  giveth  wisdom  to  the  simple,  Who  revealed  to  the 
 fishermen  the  Persons  of  His  Godhead,  and  Who  in  His  power 
 holdeth  all  wonderful  the  ordinances  of  the  Church.  He  is  the 
 Offspring  of  the  essence  of  the  Father,  the  Offspring  of  the 
 Council  of  the  Adorable  Father  and  His  Only-begotten  Son, 
 — the  Holy  Ghost.     Glory  be  to  Thee. 
 
 I  will  magnify  Thee,  0  Lord,  my  King.  He  received  from 
 the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  this  is  the 
 promise  that  He  hath  promised  us,  even  eternal  life.  0  Jesus, 
 our  Lord,  Thou  didst  perfect  and  confirm,  by  the  hands  of  Thy 
 holy  disciples,  the  promise  of  the  Father  which  He  promised, 
 and  they  received  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  went  forth 
 discipling  by  baptizing  the  nations  and  the  people,  and  through 
 divers  tongues  converted  them  to  the  truth. 
 
 Glory  be  to  the  Father,  ^c.  Blessed  is  He  Who  exalteth 
 you,  0  ye  holy  priests.  Blessed  is  He  Who  maketh  you  pros- 
 perous, 0  ye  soldiers  of  the  truth.  Adorable  is  the  Holy 
 Ghost  by  Whose  power  ye  have  weakened  all  heresies,  and  have 
 brought  together  the  rational  sheep  of  Jesus  our  Saviour, 
 which  He  purchased  with  His  precious  blood  on  Golgotha,  O 
 Mar  Ignatius,  Polycarp,  Athanasius,  Eustathius,  Meletius, 
 Gregory,*  Basil,  Gregory,*  Ambrose,  Diodorus,  John  [Chrysos- 
 tom,]  Theodorus  the  sea  of  wisdom.  Mar  Nestorius  the  perse- 
 cuted martyr,  and  Alexander  the  conqueror,  the  builders-up  of 
 the  Holy  Church,  the  stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  God,  and  the 
 teachers  of  the  true  worship.     Their  prayers  be  to  us  a  wall. 
 
 Archdeacon.  Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Brood,  0  Lord,  with  the  broodings  of  Thy  Spirit,  and  spread 
 the  light  of  Thy  countenance,  upon  this  Thy  servant  who  stands 
 before  Thee,  that  he  may  be  a  shepherd  to  Thy  flock.  Cause 
 the  rays  of  Thy  brightness  to  shine  upon  him,  clothe  him  with 
 the  garment  of  Thy  glory,  and  give  into  his  hand  Thy  power, 
 and  the  sword  of  the  word  of  Thy  command,  that  he  may  feed 
 the  sheep  of  Thy  pasture  according  to  the  will  of  Thy  Majesty. 
 And  give  him  authority  from  Thy  power,  and  strength  from  Thy 
 
 *  Gregory  Thaumaturgus,  and  Gregory  the  Enlightener. 
 
FORM    FOR    THE    ORDINATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  343 
 
 right  hand,  that  he  may  approve  himself  before  Thee  agreeably 
 to  Thy  will,  and  be  a  temple  of  Thine  honour,  0  Lord  of 
 all,  &c. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 Psalm  cxix.  65 — 73. 
 
 0  Thou  righteous  [God,]  Who  committedst  to  Thy  Apostles 
 power  and  authority  over  the  heights  and  depths,  give,  0  Lord, 
 the  power  of  Thy  grace  to  this  Thy  worshipper. 
 
 O  Thou  good  [God,]  Who  eni-ichedst  Thy  Apostles  through 
 the  descent  of  the  Comforter,  gladden  this  Thy  servant  with  the 
 gift  which  Thou  shalt  give  unto  him. 
 
 ^  Then  every  Bishop  present,  according  to  the  order  of  precedence,  shall  say 
 one  of  the  supplementary  canons :  after  which  the  Head,  [the  Patriarch  or 
 Metropolitan,']  shall  say  this 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Pour  out,  0  Lord,  the  power  of  Thy  grace  upon  this  Thy 
 servant,  and  set  on  his  head  the  beautiful  and  glorious  crown 
 of  the  high  priesthood,  and  give  into  his  hand  the  shepherd's 
 staff,  that  he  may  guide,  feed,  and  nourish  the  flocks  of  Thy 
 pasture  all  the  days  of  bis  life,  and  finally  be  of  the  number  of 
 those  who  shall  stand  at  Thy  right  hand,  0  Lord  of  all,  &c. 
 
 Canon. 
 
 Psalm  cxxiii.  or  Psalm  Ixvii. 
 
 0  Lord,  pour  out  Thy  grace  upon  this  Thy  servant. 
 
 ^  Af^er  which  the  Gloria  Patri  shall  be  said.  The  canon  ended,  the  Arch- 
 deacon shall  spread  the  cover  of  the  Gospel  upon  the  back  of  him  who  is  to 
 be  ordained,  and  the  Head  shall  place  the  Gospel  upon  the  cover,  in  such  wise 
 as  that  the  book  shall  face  him  who  is  to  read  therefrom.  Then  the  Arch- 
 deacon shall  say  : 
 
 Let  us  stand  prepared  to  hear  the  holy  Gospel. 
 
 The  holy  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  from  the  preach- 
 ing of  S.  Matthew. 
 
 S.  Matt.  xvi.  13—19.  S.  John  xxi.  15—18.  S.  Matt. 
 xvi.  19. 
 
 ^  Then  the  following  shall  be  read  upon  the  backs  of  two  Bishops  or  more. 
 
 The  holy  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  from  the  preach- 
 ing of  S.  Luke. 
 
344  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS, 
 
 S.  Luke  X.  1,  2,  and, 
 
 Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  crea- 
 ture. Behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  lambs  among  wolves ;  be  ye 
 therefore  wise  as  serpents  and  harmless  as  doves.  Beware  of 
 men.  Behold,  I  give  you  a  new  commandment,  that  ye  should 
 love  one  another.  Heal  the  sick,  cleanse  the  lepers,  cast  out 
 devils ;  freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give.  Verily  I  say  unto 
 you,  that  if  two  of  you  shall  agree  together  on  earth,  as  touch- 
 ing anything  that  they  shall  ask  in  My  name,  it  shall  be  done 
 for  them  of  My  Father  which  is  in  heaven ;  for  where  two  or 
 three  are  gathered  together  in  My  name,  there  am  I  in  the 
 midst  of  them.  Behold,  I  give  unto  you  power  to  tread  on 
 serpents  and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the  power  of  the  enemy  ; 
 and  nothing  shall  by  any  means  hurt  you.  Notwithstanding 
 in  this  rejoice  not,  that  the  spirits  are  subject  unto  you ;  but 
 rather  rejoice,  because  your  names  are  written  in  heaven.  Blessed 
 are  the  eyes  which  see  the  things  which  ye  see :  for  I  tell  you 
 that  many  prophets  and  kings  have  desired  to  see  those  things 
 which  ye  see,  and  have  not  seen  them  ;  and  to  hear  those  things 
 which  ye  hear,  and  have  not  heard  them.  And  vvhen  He  had 
 said  this.  He  breathed  on  them,  and  saith  unto  them :  Receive 
 ye  the  Holy  Ghost  :  whosesoever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  re- 
 mitted unto  them  ;  and  whosesoever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are 
 retained.  And  whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be 
 bound  in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on  earth  shall 
 be  loosed  in  heaven.  As  My  Father  hath  sent  Me,  even  so 
 send  I  you.  Go  ye  therefore,  and  disciple  all  nations,  baptizing 
 them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost  :  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever 
 I  have  commanded  you :  and,  lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even 
 unto  the  end  of  the  world. 
 
 People.  Glory  be  to  Christ  our  Lord. 
 
 If  Then  the  Bishop  shall  close  the  Gospel,  and  shall  leave  it  upon  the  lack  of 
 Mm  who  is  being  ordained.  After  which  the  Bishops  shall  place  their  right 
 hands  upon  his  sides  until  the  ordination  is  pronounced,  and  the  Archdeacon 
 shall  sag  : 
 
 Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 Prayer. 
 The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  perfects  at  all 
 
FORM    FOR    THE    ORDINATION    OF    THE    CLERGY,  345 
 
 times  that  which  is  wanting,  by  the  will  of  God  the  Father, 
 and  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with  us  evermore,  and 
 perfect  through  our  feeble  hands  this  high  and  awful  service, 
 for  the  salvation  of  our  life,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Here  the  Head  shall  sign  himself,  and  the  Archdeacon  shall  say  • 
 
 Peace  be  with  us. 
 
 ^   Then  the  Head  shall  say  this  prayer  with  his  right  hand  laid  upon  the 
 head  of  him  that  is  being  ordained,  and  his  left  stretched  out : 
 
 0  our  good  God  and  all-merciful  King,  [Repeat,']  Who  art 
 rich  in  mercy,  and  whose  pity  is  overflowing, — Thou,  0  Lord, 
 in  Thine  unspeakable  mercy  hast  made  me  a  channel  of  Thy 
 divine  gifts  to  Thy  holy  Church,  to  give  the  talents  of  the 
 ministry  of  the  Spirit  to  the  ministers  of  Thy  holy  sacraments  ; 
 and  now,  according  to  the  apostolical  tradition  which  has  de- 
 scended to  us  by  the  laying-on  of  hands,  of  the  ministration  of 
 the  Church,  behold,  I  offer  before  Thee  this  Thy  servant  to  be 
 an  elect   Bishop  in  the   holy  Church  in  the   town  [or  city]  of 
 
 .     And  let  us  all   pray  on  his  behalf,   [Repeat^   that  the 
 
 grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost  may  descend  upon  him  to  perfect 
 him  to  the  work  of  this  ministry  unto  which  he  is  advanced, 
 through  the  grace  and  pity  of  Thy  Only-begotten,  to  Whom 
 with  Thee,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  ascribe  glory,  honour, 
 praise  and  worship,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 1[  Here  he  shall  sign  the  head  of  him  who  is  being  ordained. 
 
 Archdeacon.  Lift  up  your  hearts  to  the  heights  of  the  highest, 
 and  supplicate  the  mercy  of  the  compassionate  God  in  behalf  of 
 
 Presbyter ,  [or,  the  Monk ,]  who  is   being  ordained 
 
 Bishop  over  the  town  of [or,  over  the  church  of  God  in 
 
 the  city  of ,]  to  which  he  is  appointed.     Pray  for  him. 
 
 R.  It  is  meet  and  right  so  to  do. 
 
 ^  Then  the  Head  shall  lay  his  right  hand  upon  the  head  of  him  who  is  being  cr- 
 dained,  having  his  left  stretched  out  as  in  supplication,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 O  Thou  great  and  everlasting  God,  Who  knowest  all  mys- 
 teries, who  createdst  all  things  by  the  power  of  Thy  word,  and 
 upholdest  and  governest  all  by  the  meek  command  of  Thy  will, 
 and  who  doest  for  us  at  all  times  far  more  than  we  can  ask  or 
 
348  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 think,  according  to  Thy  might  which  worketh  in  us ; — Thou, 
 Who  hast  redeemed  Thy  holy  Church  by  the  precious  blood  of 
 Thy  well-beloved  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  hast  set 
 up  in  her  apostles,  prophets,  doctors,  and  priests,  that  through 
 them  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  which  Thy  Only-begotten 
 Son  gave  to  mankind  might  be  multiplied ; — Lift  up,  now,  the 
 light  of  Thy  countenance  upon  this  Thy  servant,  and  elect  him 
 with  a  holy  election,  through  the  unction  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 that  he  may  be  a  perfect  priest  unto  Thee,  and  a  follower  of  the 
 true  High  Priest,  Who  gave  Himself  for  us,  and  through  the 
 same  Holy  Spirit,  confirm  to  this  Thy  servant,  that  unto 
 which  he  is  advanced.  Vouchsafe,  0  God,  the  Father  of  truth, 
 the  holy  and  glorious  One,  that  he  may  feed  Thy  flock  in  up- 
 rightness of  heart ;  that  with  his  tongue  he  may  preach  the 
 right  word  of  the  truth ;  be  a  light  to  those  who  sit  in  darkness  ; 
 an  instructor  of  such  as  lack  knowledge ;  and  a  teacher  of  babes 
 and  children. — Clothe  him,  0  Lord,  with  power  from  on  high, 
 that  he  may  bind  and  loose  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth ;  that 
 by  the  laying  on  of  his  hands,  the  sick  may  be  healed,  and 
 miracles  be  wrought  by  him  in  Thy  holy  name,  and  to  the  glory 
 of  Thy  great  Godhead ;  and  that  through  the  power  of  Thy  gift 
 he  may  make  priests  and  deacons,  sub-deacons,  and  deaconesses, 
 for  the  ministry  of  Thy  holy  Church ;  and  gather  together  Thy 
 people,  and  the  sheep  of  Thy  pasture,  and  perfect  the  souls  over 
 which  he  is  made  overseer,  in  the  fear  of  God  and  in  all  purity ; 
 and  at  the  last,  stand  before  Thy  awful  throne  with  confidence, 
 and  be  worthy  to  receive  from  Thee  the  reward  promised  to  the 
 faithful  stewards  of  the  household,  through  the  grace  and  pity 
 of  Thy  Only-begotten,  to  Whom  with  Thee,  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  we  ascribe  glory,  honour,  praise  and  worship,  [with  a 
 loud  voice,']  now  and  for  ever  and  ever. 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 ^  Here  he  shall  sign  the  head  of  the  ordained ;  after  which  the  Bishops  shall 
 remove  their  hands  from  his  sides,  and  the  Gospel  from  his  back,  and  he  shall 
 worship,  and  then  stand  up.  Then  the  Archdeacon  shall  ta/ce  the  Maapra  and 
 Verona.*  from  off  the  altar,  and  shall  give  them  to  the  Head,  who  shall  invest 
 therewith  the  ordained,  and  shall  sag : 
 
 The  Lord  clothe  thee  with  the  garment  of  heavenly  glory ; 
 
 *  Episcopal  vestmeuts. 
 
FORM    FOR    THE    ORDINATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  347 
 
 arm  thee  with  hidden  and  spiritual  weapons ;  adorn  thee  with 
 the  works  of  righteousness  ;  and  beautify  thee  with  the  gifts  of 
 chastity ;  that  without  spot  or  blemish^  thou  mayest  feed  the 
 sheep  committed  to  thy  reverence,  in  the  fear  of  God  and  in  all 
 holiness,  now  and  for  ever.     Amen. 
 
 %   Then  the  Head  shall  give  the  staff  into  his  right  hand,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 The  rod  of  power  which  Jesus  Christ  the  Lord  sent  out  of 
 Zion.  May  He  feed  thee,  and  through  thee  guide  those  whom 
 thou  shalt  feed.     Amen. 
 
 ^   Then  he  shall  sign  him  betwixt  the  eyes  with  his  thumb  from  below  upwards, 
 and  from  right  to  left,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 A.  B.  is  set  apart,  consecrated  and  perfected,  to  the  great 
 
 work  of  the  Episcopate  in  the  city   [or  town]  of ,   in 
 
 the  Name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 R.  Amen. 
 
 %  Then  he  shall  kiss  his  head,  and  shall  say  : 
 
 Christ,  Who  has  elected  thee  to  feed  His  sheep,  strengthen 
 thee  to  approve  thyself  to  the  will  of  His  Majesty,  even  unto  the 
 end.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Then  the  ordained  shall  bow  before  the  Head,  and  kiss  his  right  hand,  and 
 the  Head  shall  make  him  stand  in  his  proper  place  where  all  present  shall 
 salute  him.  After  which  the  prayer  of  the  Kanke  shall  be  said ;  and  then 
 all  shall  go  forth  into  the  choir,  and  the  newly  ordained  shall  read  the  Gos- 
 pel, preach  and  offer  the  oblation.  If  two  are  ordained  at  the  same  time,  one 
 shall  read  the  Gospel  and  the  other  shall  offer.     If  three,  the  third  shall  preach. 
 
 ORDERING    OP    METROPOLITANS. 
 
 Note. — Two  hours  after  sunrise,  the  Patriarch,  Metropolitans,  and  Bishops, 
 shall  put  on  their  robes,  and  shall  enter  the  bema,  and  the  Patriarch  shall 
 stand  on  the  step  of  the  altar  holding  his  crazier  in  his  hand. 
 
 ^  If  he  who  is  to  be  made  Metropolitan  be  a  Presbyter,  or  a  Monk  who  minis- 
 ters to  the  Church,  the  office  for  the  ordering  of  Bishops  shall  be  read  over 
 him,  and  he  shall  rise  from  the  presbyterate  to  the  degree  of  Metropolitan, 
 except  that  in  the  ordination  prayers,  O  our  good  God,  ^c.  and,  O  Thou 
 great  and  everlasting  God,  ^c,  the  word  Metropolita.n  shall  be  substituted  for 
 that  of  Bishop.  If  he  be  a  Bishop,  he  shall  enter  the  bema,  not  as  a  high- 
 priest,  but  dressed  in  the  surplice  of  a  Presbyter,  though  he  be  a  Bishop,  and 
 the  Patriarch  shall  say  : 
 
348  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 We  give  thanks  to  Thy  superabundant  holiness^  0  Lord,  and 
 we  worship  the  throne  of  Thy  Majesty,  and  we  praise  the  per- 
 fect power  of  Thy  adorable  Trinity,  O  Thou,  Who  art  the 
 Cause  of  every  beginning,  the  Giver  of  every  gift,  the  Being 
 without  beginning  and  without  end,  0  Lord  of  all,  &c. 
 
 Psalm  cxxxii. 
 
 They  divided  the  nations  and  cities  to  their  work,  that  each 
 might  approve  himself  through  his  labours.  They  went  forth 
 depending  upon  the  word  which  He  spake :  Lo,  I  am  with  you 
 always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world. 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 We  pray  and  beseech  Thee,  0  Thou  Exalted  King  and  adora- 
 ble Lord,  Who  doest  whatsoever  pleaseth  Thee  by  Thy  own 
 authority,  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  and  upholdest  and 
 rulest  over  all  by  the  meek  power  of  Thy  will,  that  Thou  wouldst 
 send  down  the  right  hand  of  Thy  mercies,  and  brood  over  this 
 Thy  servant  whom  Thy  grace  hath  chosen,  that  he  may  be  per- 
 fected to  the  mysterious  work  of  the  high  priesthood,  0  Thou 
 Giver  of  all  spiritual  gifts,  O  Lord  of  all,  &c. 
 
 ^  Then  shall  follow  the  canon  :  The  Lord  our  God  doeth  whatsoever  pleaseth 
 Him,  8fc.,  as  in  the  office  for  the  ordering  of  Bishops  to  the  end  of  the  doxo- 
 logy.  After  which  each  of  the  Metropolitans  and  Bishops  shall  say  one  of  the 
 supplementary  canons.     Then  the  Patriarch  shall  pray  as  follows: 
 
 0  Lord,  clothe  this  Thy  worshipper  with  the  garment  of  the 
 high-priesthood,  and  endue  him  with  the  high-priesthood,  and 
 give  into  his  hand  the  pastoral  staflF,  and  make  him  a  wise  stew- 
 ard over  Thy  household,  to  dispense  the  portion  of  meat  in  due 
 season,  0  Lord  of  all,  ^c. 
 
 Psalm  cxxiii. 
 
 0  Lord,  give  to  this  Thy  servant  the  gift  of  the  authority  of 
 the  high-priesthood. 
 
 1[  Then  shall  be  read  the  Gospel  appointed  for  the  feast  of  Peter  and  Paul; 
 after  which  the  Archdeacon  shall  say  :  Peace  be  with  us.  Then  the  Head 
 shall  say :  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  which  perfects  at  all  times, 
 8fc.  as  far  as  the  response  :  It  is  meet  and  right  so  to  do,  as  in  the  office  for 
 the  ordering  of  Bishops,  the  word  Metropolitan  being  substituted  for  that  of 
 Bishop.  After  which  shall  follow  the  prayer  :  O  Thou  great  and  everlasting 
 God,  Who  knowest  all  mysteries,  &c.  with  this  addition  after  the  word 
 "  Deaconesses  :"  and  that  after  our  departure  from  this  world,  according  to 
 
FORM    FOR    THE    ORDINATION    OF    THE    CLERGY.  349 
 
 the  will  of  Thy  Godhead,  the  office  of  the  Patriarchate  may  be  perfected 
 through  him  to  all  the  people  in  the  Church  of  God.  This  prayer  ended,  the 
 Head  shall  invest  the  Metropolitan  with  the  pall  and  vestment ,  and  shall  give 
 into  his  hand  a  crozier,  and  shall  sign  him  betwixt  the  eyes  and  say  : 
 
 A.  B.  has  been  set  apart,  ^c.  to  the  office  of  Metropolitan,  <Sfc. 
 [as  in  the  preceding  service.'] 
 
 ^  Then  he  shall  kiss  his  head  and  say  : 
 
 Christ  Who  hath  raised  Thy  degree,  and  magnified  the  gift 
 which  He  hath  given  unto  thee  from  His  compassion,  may  He 
 in  His  grace  and  mercy  perfect  thee  in  all  virtuous  and  godly 
 living  now  and  for  ever.     Amen. 
 
 %  Then  the  Head,  shall  take  him  iy  the  hand  and  set  him,  in  his  proper  place. 
 After  which,  all  the  Priests  and  Deacons  shall  salute  him,  and  he  shall  go 
 forth  with  the  Patriarch  into  the  choir,  and  shall  read,  and,  if  he  can,  he 
 shall  preach. 
 
 CONSECRATION    OF    CHURCHES. 
 
 There  is  a  long  office  for  the  "  Consecration  of  the  Bema,^^ 
 answering  to  our  Consecration  of  Churches,  which  consists 
 chiefly  of  extracts  taken  from  the  Khudhra.  In  this  service 
 it  is  directed  that  the  four  corners  of  the  Altar  shall  be  anointed 
 with  oil,  but  not  with  the  oil  used  in  'Baptism. — "  It  is  not 
 meet  that  the  Bema  should  be  signed  with  the  Oil  of  Unction 
 used  in  Baptism,  which  has  descended  to  us  fi'om  the  holy 
 Apostles ;  but  with  oil  consecrated  by  the  Head  of  the  Priests." 
 Rubric. 
 
 An  Archdeacon  may  consecrate  a  church  without  oil,  but 
 consecration  by  anointing  can  only  be  performed  by  a  Bishop. 
 The  following  rubric  declares  what  are  the  accidents  which  de- 
 file a  church,  and  render  it  necessary  that  it  should  be  re-con- 
 secrated without  oil. 
 
 "  If  one  of  the  cakes,  [used  in  the  holy  Eucharist,]  should  be 
 left  in  the  oven,  or  should  fall  from  the  hands  of  the  Priest  in 
 the  bema^  or  a  beetle  or  any  other  insect  should  fall  into 
 the  chalice,  or  the  Priest  should  consecrate  without  [mingling 
 the  wine  with]  water,  or  water  without  wine,  or  a  child  should 
 enter  the  bema,  or  the  girdle  [of  a  Priest  or  Deacon]  should 
 become  loose  in  the  Bema." 
 
350  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 "  If  water  should  be  spilt  in  the  bema^  or  the  chalice  should 
 be  overturned^  or  there  should  be  found  a  dead  mouse  in  the 
 chalice^  or  a  beetle  or  mouse  should  eat  of  the  body,  or  the 
 chalice  should  be  broken  in  the  beraa,  or  a  thief  should  break 
 into  the  bema,  or  any  of  the  utensils  thereof  should  be  stolen, 
 or  one  of  the  cakes  should  be  stolen,  the  bema  must  be  re- 
 consecrated with  oil." 
 
 aESTORATION    OF    OFFENDING    PRIESTS. 
 
 '^  If  an  offending  Priest  shall  have  been  suspended  from  his  priesthood,  the 
 Bishop  or  Metropolitan  who  restores  him  shall  say  over  him  this  prayer. 
 
 O  our  good  God,  and  all-merciful  King,  Whose  grace  and 
 mercy  abound  towards  all,  pour  out,  0  Lord,  the  pity  of  Thy 
 love  upon  this  Thy  servant,  and  renew  in  him  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 that  he  may  administer  Thy  life-giving  and  holy  sacraments  ; 
 purify  him  from  all  uncleanness  of  body  and  soul,  confirm  in 
 him  Thy  hope,  order  his  steps  in  the  way  of  righteousness,  fit 
 him  in  Thy  mercy  to  ofi'er  unto  Thee  pure  oblations,  upon  Thy 
 holy  altar  in  behalf  of  Thy  chosen  people,  and  to  consecrate  the 
 sin-forgiving  bosom  of  spiritual  birth  towards  such  as  shall  be 
 called  by  Thy  grace  to  the  communion  of  the  adoption  of  Thy 
 Majesty;  make  him  a  companion  of  the  pure  priests  in  Thy 
 holy  Church,  and  strengthen  him  by  Thy  grace,  that  he  may 
 keep  Thy  commandments,  perfect  Thy  will,  and  minister  before 
 Thee  with  a  pure  heart  and  a  good  conscience,  so  that  he  may 
 be  worthy  to  receive  the  heavenly  inheritance  at  the  appearing 
 of  Thy  well-beloved  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  from  heaven, 
 to  whom  with  Thee  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  ascribe  glory, 
 honour,  praise  and  worship,  now  and  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 ^  Here  the  Bishop  shall  sign  his  head  with  the  sign  of  the  cross. 
 
351 
 
 CHAPTER    XLVI. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 Enough  has  been  advanced  in  the  foregoing  pages  to  show  that 
 the  Nestorian  Church  abounds  in  noble  gifts  and  rightful  titles, 
 and  as  such  possesses  a  strong  claim  upon  the  sympathy  and 
 ready  help  of  all  Catholic  Christians.  Most  things  in  her  theology 
 are  absolutely  good,  some  things  are  just  tainted  and  sullied, 
 and  some  things  are  decidedly  erroneous.  These  latter  however 
 are  few  in  number,  and  of  minor  import,  if  we  except  the  doctrine 
 of  the  Two  Persons  in  our  Blessed  Lord,  for  which  the  followers 
 of  Nestorius  were  first  cut  off  from  the  communion  of  the 
 Catholic  Church.  Viewed,  then,  on  the  one  hand,  it  cannot  be 
 doubted  that  this  people  in  their  great  reverence  for  the  Word 
 of  God,  in  their  respect  for  antiquity,  in  the  undoubted  apos- 
 tolicity  of  their  orders,  in  their  agreement  with  us  in  almost 
 all  the  essential  articles  of  the  faith,  as  well  as  in  their  eccle- 
 siastical rule  and  discipline,  and  in  their  expressed  good- will 
 towards  us,  and  their  disposition  to  be  admitted  to  closer  union 
 with  us, — it  cannot  be  doubted,  I  say,  that  with  these  qualifica- 
 tions the  Nestorians  form  a  desirable  and  promising  field  for 
 the  exercise  of  our  zealous  labour  and  support.  And,  on  the 
 other  hand,  if  we  regard  the  state  of  spiritual  destitution  into 
 which  they  have  fallen,  the  ignorance  of  their  clergy  and  laity, 
 their  lack  of  energy  as  well  as  of  the  means  to  bring  about  a 
 reformation  of  their  community,  their  want  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
 tures and  other  useful  books,  the  entire  extinction  of  schools 
 and  other  nurseries  of  knowledge  among  them,  their  late  dis- 
 asters, their  continued  oppression  by  the  infidels,  who  rule  over 
 
352  THE    NESTOFlIANS    and    THEIK    JIITUALS. 
 
 them  with  a  rod  of  iron^  and  the  efforts  which  are  being  made 
 on  the  one  hand  by  independent  missionaries  to  induce 
 them  to  embrace  latitudinarianism  or  a  negative  creed,  and 
 on  the  other  by  agents  from  Rome  to  bring  them  into  subjec- 
 tion to  the  Papal  See, — if  we  look  upon  this  side  of  the  picture, 
 surely  the  Nestorians  have  a  double  claim  upon  our  sympathy, 
 which  we  may  not  disregard  without  being  guilty  of  hardness  of 
 heart,  and  contempt  for  our  suffering  brethren  in  Christ. 
 
 But  the  great  difficulty  hei'e  presents  itself:  How  is  the 
 Church  of  England  to  enter  upon  this  charitable  work,  and 
 what  plan  is  she  to  pursue  in  endeavouring  to  restore  the 
 Nestorians  to  all  the  privileges  of  the  Catholic  faith,  and  to  the 
 Communion  of  the  Catholic  Church  ?  The  way  of  the  Ro- 
 manists is  a  plain  way,  as  says  the  French  Jesuit  M.  Eugene 
 Bore  :  "  Les  missionaires  Catholiques  n^ont  qu'une  chose  k  dire 
 aux  Nestoriens :  Croyez  a  I'Eglise,"  which  coming  from  him, 
 meant  nothing  less  than  this  :  Submit  yourselves  to  the  Supreme 
 Pontiff,  and  receive  all  his  decrees  as  infallible.  The  way  of  the 
 Independents  is  equally  plain  :  disregarding  the  high  authority 
 which  committed  to  the  Nestorians  the  Apostolical  succession, 
 and  gave  them  in  deposit  those  holy  doctrines,  sacred  rights, 
 and  ecclesiastical  discipline,  which  they  hold  by  tradition  from 
 the  fathers,  and  deeming  most  of  these  things  as  relics  of  su- 
 perstition or  subversive  of  vital  godliness,  they  lend  all  their  en- 
 ergies to  the  dissemination  of  what  they  call  "  spiritual  religion,'^ 
 i.e.  in  reality,  religion  without  a  creed,  or  a  creed  which  every 
 one  is  at  liberty  to  form  by  his  own  private  judgment  from  the 
 written  Word,  and  to  take  to  himself  the  honour  of  acting  as  a 
 Priest  therein  to  others  just  as  he  may  choose. 
 
 Instead  of  seeking  to  make  proselytes  from  among  them, — a 
 course  of  proceeding,  which  by  exciting  the  just  anger  of  the 
 existing  ecclesiastical  autharities,  and  by  creating  never-ending 
 schisms,  insubordination,  rivalry,  covetousuess,  and  other  bad 
 passions  among  their  people,  has  never  proved  successful  in  any 
 mission  to  the  Christian  Chui'ches  of  the  East, — it  appears  to  me, 
 that  the  Church  should  in  the  first  instance  strive  to  act  upon 
 the  heads  of  the  Nestorian  community,  and  to  induce  them  by 
 every  available  and  lawful  means  to  receive  such  truths,  and  to 
 abandon  such  errors,  as  may  warrant  her  in  holding  out  to  them 
 
CONCLUSION.  353 
 
 every  available  and  lawful  means  to  receive  such  truths,  and  to 
 abandon  such  errors,  as  may  warrant  her  in  holding  out  to  them 
 the  right  hand  of  fellowship.  This  might  be  done  through 
 the  medium  of  delegates  sent  out  and  empowered  by  competent 
 authority,  whose  business  it  should  be  to  hold  constant  intercourse 
 with  the  Patriarch  and  with  the  other  Nestorian  Bishops,  whom 
 they  should  seek  to  convince  of  the  great  benefits  which,  by  the 
 blessing  of  God,  would  result  to  their  Church  and  people  through 
 their  cordial  assent  to  the  plan  proposed.  The  following  is  the 
 substance  of  a  proposal,  such  as  we  might  wish  the  Nestorian 
 Bishops  to  make  to  us,  drawn  up  by  an  esteemed  friend  of  mine, 
 of  Magdalen  College,  Oxford,  at  a  time  when  little  more  was 
 known  certainly  of  any  other  error  held  by  them  than  that  of  the 
 Two  Persons.  Whatever  other  points  of  doctrine  the  Church  may 
 see  fit  to  demand  that  they  should  receive  or  reject,  in  order  to 
 the  establishment  of  intercommunion,  might  be  added  hereto, 
 and  the  whole  put  into  such  a  form  as  her  wisdom  may  direct 
 and  approve  of. 
 
 Rough  Sketch  of  Proposal. 
 
 "  Whereas  it  has  been  made  known  to  us,  that  the  Primate 
 and  the  Bishops  of  the  Apostolical  Churches  of  England  are 
 kindly  disposed  towards  us  on  account  of  the  name  of  Christ 
 which  we  bear  among  the  infidels,  and  desire  the  re-establish- 
 ment of  that  solid  union  and  intercommunion  which  our  Lord 
 and  Saviour  prayed  so  earnestly  might  exist  between  His  fol- 
 lowers when  He  was  about  to  suffer,  but  which  has  been  broken 
 off  between  the  Nestorian  Church  and  all  the  other  Apostolical 
 Churches  (which  followed  the  councils  of  Ephesus  and  Chalce- 
 don)  ever  since  the  fifth  century. 
 
 "And  whereas,  this  desire  of  the  English  is  good  and  Chris- 
 tian, and  we  desire  the  same  thing  no  less  than  they,  and  we 
 can  see  many  blessings  which  might  in  time,  by  the  mercy  of 
 God,  come  to  our  Nestorian  Church  and  people,  from  a  close 
 and  brotherly  union  with  the  English  Apostolical  Church  and 
 people :  and  besides  this,  we  learn  that  the  English  Church 
 agrees  more  closely  with  our  Church  in  its  doctrine  and  worship 
 than  any  other  Church,  excepting  only  in  that  one  point  which 
 
 VOL.   II.  A  A 
 
;^54  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 caused  the  original  separation^  for  in  that  they  agree  with  the 
 Pope  of  Rome  and  the  Greek  Patriarch  of  Constantinople,  and 
 with  the  Chaldeans,  who  are  now  united  to  the  Pope,  in  the 
 plain  country  on  the  banks  of  the  Tigris. 
 
 '' Whereas  these  things  are  so,  and  there  is  nothing  else 
 necessary  in  order  to  the  full  and  perfect  union  of  the  English 
 and  the  Nestorian  Churches,  but  that  this  one  point  should  be 
 explained,  and  that  both  parties  should  for  the  future  consent 
 in  one  doctrine  and  one  language,  (and  there  cannot  be  any 
 real  union  unless  we  are  thoroughly  agreed  both  in  the  doctrine 
 of  the  faith  and  in  the  right  words  to  express  it,)  therefore  let 
 us  attempt,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  examine  this  difficulty, 
 and  approach  Him  with  humble  prayer  that  He  will  clear  the 
 eyes  of  our  spirits,  and  not  suffer  those  who  are  brethren  in 
 wish  and  charity  to  be  separated  any  longer,  either  by  error  of 
 understanding  or  by  ambiguity  and  imperfection  of  words. 
 
 "  For  our  parts,  we  sincerely  wish  to  be  reasonable,  and  we 
 will  try  to  offer  here  a  reasonable  proposal,  considering  not  only 
 our  own  feelings,  but  also  those  of  our  brethren,  as  we  trust 
 they  will  be  ready  to  consider  ours,  and  having  heard  and  con- 
 sidered what  we  say,  they  will  be  able  to  tell  us  in  return  whether 
 they  have  any  thing  to  object  to  in  our  offer,  or  whether  there 
 is  yet  any  thing  to  impede  the  re-establishment  of  one  common 
 faith  and  one  brotherly  communion  between  our  Churches. 
 
 "  First,  then,  we  think  it  is  clear,  that  since  there  cannot  be 
 two  truths  contrary  to  each  other,  nor  two  faiths,  but  there  is 
 '  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,^  it  follows  that  either 
 the  difference  between  those  Apostolical  Churches  which  have 
 followed  the  councils  of  Ephesus  and  Chalcedon,  and  the  Nes- 
 torian Church,  which  has  hitherto  rejected  them,  is  trifling  in 
 itself  and  irrelevant  to  the  faith;  or  else,  secondly,  that  either 
 one  party  or  the  other  are  heretics  who  have  fallen  away  from 
 the  true  faith  ;  or,  thirdly,  that  there  is  no  real  difference  at  all, 
 but  only  a  misunderstanding  about  words. 
 
 "  Now  that  the  question  itself  is  trifling,  or  that  it  is  irrele- 
 vant to  the  saving  faith,  no  one  can  pretend.  That  all  the  rest  of 
 the  Apostolical  Churches  which  have  adhered  to  the  councils  of 
 Ephesus  and  Chalcedon,  (for  in  this  all  are  agreed,  both  the 
 Latins  who  are  under  the  Pope,  and  the  Greeks,  and  the  Eng- 
 
CONCLUSION.  355 
 
 lish,)  that  is,  in  a  manner,  all  the  Churches  of  the  whole  world, 
 excepting  the  Nestorians,  are  heretics,  is  what  we  do  not  think 
 it  reasonable  to  suppose ;  for  though  it  is  not  right  to  measure 
 truth  by  the  number  of  its  supporters,  still,  if  our  Lord  sent 
 His  Apostles  to  teach  and  baptize  the  nations  to  the  end  of  the 
 world,  and  promised  always  to  be  with  them,  we  cannot  without 
 too  great  improbability  suppose  that  He  suffered  almost  all  His 
 Church  to  become  heretical  and  wander  from  the  true  faith  by 
 the  councils  of  Ephesus  and  Chalcedon,  and  that  then  after- 
 wards He  increased  the  heretics  continually,  and  let  them  con- 
 vert many  nations,  and  spread  over  all  the  world  during  1400 
 years,  so  that  they  now  number  perhaps  240,000,000  souls  of 
 Christians,  while  He  suffered  the  true  and  orthodox  Church  to 
 remain  confined  in  the  mountains  of  Coordistan,  oppressed  by 
 infidels,  and  scarcely  numbering  more  than  fourteen  Bishops, 
 and  70,000  souls.  This  we  allow  is  not  reasonable  to  assert ; 
 nor,  on  the  other  hand,  can  the  English  blame  us  for  thinking 
 that  God,  Who  has  so  wonderfully  preserved  us  for  1400  years 
 since  our  separation  from  the  rest  of  the  Church,  has  not  utterly 
 cast  us  off  nor  rejected  us,  nor  has  suffered  us  absolutely  to  fall 
 away  into  any  fatal  heresy. 
 
 "  Wherefore,  seeing  that  we  neither  say  on  the  one  hand,  that 
 all  the  rest  of  the  Apostolical  Church  which  is  in  all  the  world  is 
 dead  and  fallen  away  from  the  true  faith,  nor  yet  suppose  on 
 the  other  hand  that  our  own  Nestorian  Church,  though  small,  is 
 abandoned  by  God  to  the  guilt  of  heresy,  it  follows  that  the 
 difference  between  our  Nestorian  Church,  and  the  rest  of  the 
 Apostolical  Churches  which  adhere  to  the  councils  of  Ephesus 
 and  Chalcedon,  however  fiercely  it  may  have  been  contended 
 about,  must  really  be  a  misunderstanding  of  words,  and  no  true 
 difference  in  the  essential  faith  at  all. 
 
 '^  We  are  willing,  therefore,  to  suppose  that  when  the  Church 
 of  Rome,  or  the  British,  or  the  Greek,  say  in  accordance  with 
 the  decrees  of  Ephesus  and  Chalcedon,  that  there  are  '^in  one 
 person  of  Christ  our  Saviour  two  Natures,^  and  when  we  say 
 in  seeming  opposition  to  those  councils  that  there  are  'two 
 Natures,  tv/o  Persons,  one  Parsopa,'  we  do  both  of  us  after  all 
 mean  only  one  and  the  same  thing. — And  this  being  the  case, 
 the  question  which  remains  for  us  to  consider  is,  which  language 
 
 A  a2 
 
356  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 of  the  two  is  to  be  adopted  and  followed  for  the  future  by  all 
 the  Churches  in  common  when  union  is  re-established  ?  Are  all 
 the  other  Apostolical  Churches  to  relinquish  their  own  words  and 
 adopt  ours  ?  or  are  we  to  accept  theirs  ?  We  freely  acknow- 
 ledge that  we  cannot  reasonably  call  upon  them  to  adopt  the 
 language  of  our  Church  and  give  up  their  own^  but  rather  we 
 are  willing  of  our  own  selves  to  offer  to  adopt  theirs;  for  if 
 we  must  choose  for  the  future  one  language  to  express  our 
 common  faith^  it  is  safer  and  more  pious  to  prefer  that  which 
 God  has  more  evidently  favoured  and  prospered  during  so 
 many  ages,  and  besides  it  is  more  reasonable  that  our  Nestorian 
 Church  should  follow  the  language  of  all  the  rest  of  the 
 Apostolical  Church  in  all  the  world  (for  we  need  not  mention  the 
 Monophy sites),  than  that  all  the  rest  of  the  Christian  world 
 should  follow  us  who  are  so  few  in  number. 
 
 "  We  offer  therefore  freely,  and  consent  for  the  future,  to 
 receive  the  Decrees  of  the  Councils  of  Ephesus  and  Chalcedon, 
 (copies  of  which  are  subjoined,)  and  we  consent  to  remove  from 
 the  calendar  of  saints,  and  from  our  church  books,  the  names  of 
 Nestorius  and  Theodorus,  and  any  others  whom  the  rest  of  the 
 Church  may  have  anathematized  by  name,  and  likewise  to  erase 
 and  omit  all  passages  from  the  offices  of  the  Church  in  which 
 language  contrary  to  that  of  the  rest  of  the  Church  and  to  the 
 councils  of  Ephesus  and  Chalcedon  occurs. 
 
 "  On  the  other  hand,  we  desire  of  our  brethren  the  English 
 Bishops,  and  of  the  rest  of  the  Apostolical  Churches  which  have 
 ever  followed  the  Councils  of  Ephesus  and  Chalcedon,  that  they 
 will  allow  us  liberty  to  think  as  we  please  of  the  persons  both  of 
 Nestorius,  Theodorus,  and  others,  so  that  anathematizing  from 
 henceforth  with  the  rest  of  the  Church  those  errors  which  were 
 anathematized  at  Ephesus  and  Chalcedon,  we  need  not  join  in 
 anathematizing  any  particular  persons  whom  they  anathematized, 
 but  may  think  that  either  Nestorius  or  others  were  misunderstood, 
 and  did  not  really  mean  to  maintain  those  heresies  with  which 
 they  are  charged  ;  and  in  like  manner  we  desire  that  we  should 
 by  no  means  be  expected  to  anathematize,  or  be  taken  hereafter 
 to  have  anathematized,  our  fathers,  though  we  consent  to  disuse 
 their  language  for  the  future,  but  rather  that  we  should  be  free 
 to  suppose  that  they  used  that  language,  which  we  now  disuse. 
 
CONCLUSION.  357 
 
 in  a  sense  which  was  not  necessarily  contrary  to  the  true  faith 
 aflS.rmed  by  the  councils  of  Ephesus  and  Chalcedon. 
 
 "  If  this  pur  proposal  appears  good  and  reasonable,  and  there 
 is  no  longer  any  impediment  to  the  establishment  of  unity,  we 
 desire  further  that  two  copies  of  the  canons  of  the  councils  of 
 Ephesus  and  Chalcedon  should  be  prepared  and  signed,  the  one 
 by  the  Primate  and  other  Metropolitans,  Archbishops,  and 
 Bishops  of  the  British,  the  other  by  the  Patriarch  and  Metro- 
 politans, and  Bishops  of  the  Nestorian  Church,  and  that  the 
 Nestorian  Bishops  should  send  the  one  copy  so  subscribed  by 
 themselves  to  the  English  Primate,  and  receive  in  return  the 
 other  copy  subscribed  by  the  English  Bishops  from  the  Primate 
 of  the  English  Church  ;  and  that  after  this  interchange  has  been 
 made  the  liturgy  shall  be  celebrated  in  common,  and  there  shall 
 in  future  be  intercommunion  between  the  Churches,  so  that  any 
 Bishop,  Priest,  Deacon,  or  Layman,  going  from  us  to  any  English 
 Bishop  or  Priest,  shall  be  received  on  exhibiting  letters  com- 
 municatory from  his  own  [Bishop  or]  Patriarch  ;  and  any  Bishop, 
 Priest,  Deacon,  or  Layman,  coming  in  like  manner  from  the 
 English  to  any  of  our  Churches,  shall  be  received  on  exhibiting 
 letters  communicatory  from  his  English  Bishop  [or  Metro- 
 politan.] 
 
 "And  in  the  meantime  it  would  be  our  care  to  make  the  altei-a- 
 tions  which  we  have  above  spoken  of  in  the  Service  Books  of  our 
 Church,  in  which,  as  well  as  printing  the  service  books  them- 
 selves, and  in  establishing  schools,  we  shall  be  glad  to  receive 
 any  assistance  which  our  brethren  may  be  willing  or  able  to  offer.^^ 
 
 From  my  own  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  Patriarch  and 
 with  a  great  number  of  the  Nestorian  clergy,  (many  of  whom, 
 as  has  been  related  in  the  preceding  volume,  were  regularly  pre- 
 sent at  our  Chxirch  services  at  Mosul,  and  thus  became  familiar 
 with  our  ritual,)  I  am  persuaded  that  it  would  not  be  found  so 
 difficult  a  matter,  as  it  may  at  first  sight  appear,  to  obtain  their 
 consent  to  such  terms  of  union,  if  the  plan  were  carried  out  in 
 a  proper  spirit,  and  backed  with  promises  of  assistance  to  restore 
 their  churches,  to  supply  them  with  rituals,  to  establish  schools 
 among  them,  and  otherwise  to  contribute  to  the  building-up  of 
 their  long-neglected  community.      This    union  once    effected, 
 
358  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 how  different  would  be  the  position  of  a  missionary  among  them 
 from  that  of  several  missionaries  of  our  Church  Societies  who 
 have  been  labouring  for  years  in  the  East  without  any  adequate 
 success.  Instead  of  being  eyed  with  suspicion,  and  regarded  as 
 an  alien  who  is  striving  to  form  a  sect  of  his  own,  he  would  be 
 looked  upon  as  a  brother,  and  revered  as  a  teacher  of  the  truth. 
 Their  churches  would  be  open  to  him  at  all  times  to  preach  the 
 glad  tidings  of  the  everlasting  Gospel,  in  them  he  might  dis- 
 pense the  life-giving  sacraments  to  crowds  of  humble  worship- 
 pers, bless  and  absolve  in  the  name  of  his  Master,  catechize 
 children  and  youth,  and  exercise  all  the  other  functions  of  his 
 ministry,  no  man  forbidding  him.  To  what  end  would  it  serve 
 to  establish  schools  among  the  Nestorians,  and  otherwise  to 
 assist  them,  before  some  such  intercommunion  should  take 
 place  between  the  two  churches?  To  what  end  have  such 
 measures  served  in  Egypt  and  Syria,  in  Greece  and  Turkey  ? 
 Many,  it  is  true,  have  been  taught  to  read,  and  have  been 
 educated  in  different  branches  of  knowledge,  and  whilst  such 
 instruction  has  been  limited  to  ordinary  science,  or  has  been  in 
 accordance  with  the  tenets  of  the  Churches  to  which  the  pupils 
 belonged,  the  ecclesiastical  authorities  have  not  opposed  their 
 proceedings.  But  the  instant  that  any  attempt  was  made  to 
 trespass  upon  these,  a  conflict  arose  which  obliged  the  mission- 
 ary to  desist  and  to  leave  the  field.  Thus  those  who  would  have 
 made  proselytes  have  signally  failed,  and  those  whose  object 
 was  rather  to  scatter  seeds  of  general  knowledge  among  the 
 Eastern  Churches,  in  the  hope  that  it  would  eventually  work  as 
 a  leaven  of  religious  reformation  among  them,  from  not  enjoy- 
 ing the  full  confidence  of  the  native  clergy,  and  from  the  very 
 imperfect  Christian  doctrine  which  they  were  at  liberty  to  teach, 
 have  lived  to  see  their  most  promising  scholars  grow  up  more 
 opposed  to  the  religion  of  the  Missionaries  than  others  who  had 
 never  enjoyed  their  tuition,  or  coveting  after  such  places  and 
 appointments,  (for  which  their  education  now  fitted  them,)  as 
 left  them  little  hope  that  any  good  and  lasting  benefit  would 
 result  from  all  the  pains  which  had  been  spent  upon  them. 
 
 But  the  prosecution  of  a  mission  on  the  system  now  proposed 
 would  be  subject  to  no  such  drawbacks  or  hindrances,  and  the 
 effect  thereof  would  not  be  confined  to  the  Nestorian  community. 
 
CONCLUSION.  359 
 
 Like  a  city  set  upon  a  hill  which  cannot  be  hid,  the  light  of 
 Evangelical  truth  and  apostolical  order  proceeding  forth  from 
 this  reformed  body  would  in  due  time  scatter  the  darkness  which 
 partly  pervades  the  other  Churches  in  this  district.  The  Chal- 
 deans already  begin  to  feel  the  thraldom  of  papal  domination, 
 and  many  of  them  yearn  to  throw  off  this  yoke  of  servitude, 
 which  neither  we  nor  our  fathers  could  bear,  and  would  gladly 
 join  themselves  to  their  brethren  the  Nestorians  when  once 
 these,  by  abjuring  their  alleged  heresy,  and  by  otherwise  restor- 
 ing the  ancient  land-marks  of  the  faith,  shall  rightly  lay  claim 
 to  all  the  titles  and  privileges  of  a  true  and  living  branch  of  the 
 one,  holy,  catholic,  and  apostolic  Church.  And  what  heretical 
 or  heterodox  sect  could  stand  against  this  phalanx  of  reformed 
 Christians  ?  One  after  another  the  Jacobite  and  Papal  Syrian 
 communities  would  abandon  their  errors  and  enlist  themselves 
 under  the  same  banner  of  Gospel  truth  and  primitive  discipline. 
 And  when  these  Churches  shall  have  become  one  in  faith  and 
 charity,  then  and  then  only,  may  we  hope  that  from  them  will 
 go  forth  a  fervent  zeal  and  love,  as  in  by-gone  days,  which 
 through  the  power  of  God  shall  reduce^  the  followers  of  the  false 
 prophet  to  the  sway  of  the  Crucified  One,  and  gather  the  hea- 
 then Yezeedees  into  the  fold  of  the  Shepherd  of  Israel. 
 
 But,  it  may  be  asked,  should  the  basis  upon  which  this  plan 
 is  founded  fail^  what  then  ?  Are  the  Nestorians  to  be  left  in 
 their  destitute  spiritual  condition  because  their  ecclesiastical 
 superiors  are  opposed  to  a  reformation  among  them  ?  I  answer. 
 Certainly  not ;  yet  I  would  rather  close  my  eyes  to  such  a  con- 
 tingency, feeling  persuaded  as  I  do  that  God  would  bless  so 
 good  a  work,  undertaken  by  His  own  command,  and  in  His 
 own  appointed  way,  to  the  good  of  those  who  confess  His  holy 
 name,  and  look  for  salvation  from  His  only-begotten  Son  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Yet,  if  He  should  be  pleased  to  leave 
 some  to  the  hardness  of  their  hearts,  the  Church  of  England 
 may  at  the  outset  pursue  the  same  work  on  a  less  extended 
 scale.  There  are,  as  has  been  shown,  a  number  of  Nestorian 
 villages  on  the  mountain  borders,  and  on  the  plains  of  Mosul, 
 which  the  Patriarch  hardly  considers  within  the  limits  of  his 
 jurisdiction,  and  with  which  he  has  little  intercourse.  One  or 
 two  Bishops   can  certainly  be  found,   (and  I  can  vouch  for  the 
 
360  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Presbyters  in  this  district  generally,)  who  would  gladly  fall  in 
 with  the  plan  proposed,  and  enter  at  once  upon  the  reformation 
 of  the  Churches  under  their  care.  For  these  let  an  edition  of 
 the  Holy  Scriptures  in  the  original  Syriac,  and  a  translation  of 
 the  same  into  the  vulgar  dialect  be  printed,  together  with  an 
 entire  series  of  their  expurgated  church  rituals,  and  such  other 
 books  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  education  of  children  in 
 schools,  and  let  them  be  otherwise  assisted  in  the  pious 
 task  of  reformation  by  the  preaching  and  teaching  of  the  mis- 
 sionai'ies  sent  out  from  us,  and  by  all  other  legitimate  means, 
 and  the  grain  of  mustard  seed  thus  sown  and  watered  would,  by 
 the  grace  of  God,  grow  up  and  flourish  until  the  birds  of  heaven 
 should  find  a  lodgement  in  the  branches  thereof. 
 
 May  the  Lord  put  it  into  the  hearts  of  the  Fathers  of  the 
 Church  of  England  to  undertake  this  great  and  glorious  work, 
 and  may  the  blessing  of  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
 Ghost,  be  upon  her  and  upon  her  children  to  all  generations. 
 Amen. 
 
APPENDIX  A. 
 
 INDEX  OF   BIBLICAL  AND   ECCLESIASTICAL 
 WRITINGS, 
 
 Drawn  up  by  Mar  Abd  Yeshua,  Metropolitan  of  Nisibis  and 
 Armenia,  a.d.  1298. 
 
 In  the  strength  of  Thy  help^  0  Lord,  and  aided  by  the  prayers 
 of  all  the  eminently  righteous,  and  of  the  Mother  of  great  name, 
 I  write  an  excellent  treatise,  in  which  I  shall  enumerate  the 
 Divine  Scriptures,  and  all  the  ecclesiastical  writings  of  ancient 
 and  modern  times.  I  shall  moreover  record  the  names  of  the 
 authors  of  the  different  books,  and  the  subjects  of  which  they 
 treat ;  and,  depending  upon  God,  I  begin  with  Moses. 
 
 [PART  FIRST.] 
 
 l^Old  Testament  Scriptures.^ 
 Exodus.'  Moses  wrote  the  Law  in  five  books,  viz. : 
 
 Leviticus. 
 
 N""'*'ei's-  Genesis,    Exodus,    Leviticus,    Numbers,    and 
 
 Deuteronomy.  -^  ^  '  ^ 
 
 judK^".  Deuteronomy.     After  these  follow  the  book  of 
 
 KtiTg"! '  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun,  Judges,  Samuel,  the 
 
 Psalms.    '  book  of  Kiugs,  the  Chronicles,  the  Psalms  of 
 
 Proverbs.  _^       .  ^  __,      -      . 
 
 Ecciesiastes.  David,  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon,  Ecclesiastes, 
 
 Caiitica. 
 
 jesui°the  son  of  Si-       *^^  ^"^S  °^  Sougs,  the   Great  Wisdom,  the 
 is°aikh.        ^'^"'''       Wisdom  of  the  son  of  Sirach,  Job,  Isaiah, 
 
362 
 
 THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Hosea, 
 Joel. 
 Amos. 
 Obadiah. 
 JoDah. 
 Micah. 
 Nahum. 
 Habbacuc. 
 Zephaniah. 
 Haggai. 
 Zechariah. 
 Malachi. 
 Jeremiah. 
 Ezekiel. 
 Daniel. 
 Judith. 
 Ebther. 
 Susanna. 
 Kzra. 
 
 Daniel  the  Less,  pro- 
 bably comprising  the 
 Song  ol    the    Three 
 Children,  and  Bel  and 
 the  Dragon. 
 Baruch. 
 Maccabees. 
 Tobit. 
 
 Hosea,  Joel,  Amos,  Obadiah,  Jonah,  Micah, 
 Nahum,  Habbacuc,  Zephaniah,  Haggai,  Zecha- 
 riah, Malachi,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  Daniel,  Ju- 
 dith, Esther,  Susanna,  Ezra,  Daniel  the  Less, 
 the  Epistle  of  Baruch,  the  Traditions  [or  Ex- 
 positions] of  the  Elders,  Josephus  the  his- 
 torian, the  book  of  Proverbs,  the  Narrative  of 
 the  sons  of  Solomona,  the  Maccabees,  an 
 account  of  Herod  the  king,  the  book  of  the 
 destruction  of  the  latter  Jerusalem  by  Titus, 
 the  book  of  Asenath  the  v^ife  of  Joseph  the 
 son  of  Jacob  the  righteous,  and  the  book  of 
 Tobias  and  Tobit  the  Israelites.* 
 
 [PART   SECOND.] 
 
 \_New  Testament  Scriptures.'] 
 
 Matthew. 
 
 Mark. 
 
 Luke. 
 
 John. 
 
 Acts  of  Apostles. 
 
 Epistle  of  James. 
 Epistles  of  Peter, 
 Epistles  of  John. 
 
 Epistles  to  the 
 
 Romans. 
 
 1  Corinthians. 
 
 Having  enumerated  the  books  of  the  Old 
 Testament,  we  shall  now  record  those  of  the 
 New  Testament.  First,  Matthew  wrote  in 
 Palestine,  in  the  Hebrew  tongue.  After  him 
 comes  Mark,  who  wrote  in  Latin  at  Rome. 
 Luke,  in  Alexandria,  spoke  and  wrote  in  Greek. 
 John  also  wrote  his  Gospel  in  Greek  at  Ephe- 
 sus.  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles  were  written 
 by  Luke  to  Theophilus ;  and  the  three  Epistles 
 of  James,  Peter,  and  John,  were  written  in  all 
 languages,  and  called  Catholic.  Besides  these 
 there  are  fourteen  Epistles  of  the  great  Apostle 
 Paul,  viz.,  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  written 
 from  Corinth ;  the  First  Epistle  to  the  Corin- 
 thians, written  from  Ephesus  and  sent  by  the 
 
 *  The  "Narratives,"  and  several  of  the  other  works  enumerated  in  the  latter 
 part  of  this  paragraph,  are  probably  legends  such  as  are  frequently  met  with  in 
 the  East.  Some  of  these  are  written  with  much  pathos,  and  form  epic  poems, 
 set  to  the  most  plaintive  chants.  The  Legend  of  Joseph  is  very  common 
 among  Mohammedans  as  well  as  Christians,  and  many  strolling  derweeshes  ob- 
 tain a  living  by  reciting  it  from  house  to  house. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 363 
 
 2  Corinthians. 
 
 hands  of  Timothy ;  the  Second  to  the  Corin- 
 thians, written  from  Philippi  of  Macedonia 
 the  great,   and  sent  by  the  hands  of  Titus ; 
 
 Gaiatians.  the  EpIstle  to  the  Galatians,  written  at  Rome, 
 
 and  sent  by  the  same  person ;  the  Epistle  to 
 
 Ephesians.  the  Ephesians,  also  written  at  Rome,  and  sent 
 
 Phiiippians.  by  Tychicus;  the  Epistle  to  the  Philippians, 
 
 written  at  the  same  place,  and  sent  by  the 
 hands   of  Epaphroditus ;    the  Epistle    to   the 
 
 coiossians.  Colossians,    Written    at   Rome,    and    sent    by 
 
 Tychicus  the  true  disciple ;  the  First  Epistle  to 
 
 1  Thessaionians,  the  Thessalonians,  written  at  Athens,  and  sent 
 
 by  the  hands  of  Timothy ;  the  Second  to  the 
 
 2  Thessalonians.  Thessalonians,  written  at  Laodicea  of  Pisidia, 
 
 and  sent  also  by  Timothy ;  the  First  Epistle  to 
 
 1  Timothy.  Timothy,  also  written  from  Laodicea  of  Pisidia, 
 
 and  sent  by  the  hands  of  Luke;  the  Second 
 
 2  Timothy.  to  Timothy,  written  from  Rome,  and  sent  by 
 
 the  hands  of  Luke,  the  Physician  and  Evan- 
 Titus,  gelist ;  the  Epistle  to  Titus,  written  at  Nica- 
 
 polis,  and  sent  by  the  hands  of  Epaphroditus ; 
 Philemon.  the  Epistlc  to  Philemou,  written  at  Rome,  and 
 
 sent  by  Onesimus,  the  slave  of  Philemon  ;  the 
 Hebrews,  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  written  in  Italy,  and 
 
 sent  by  the  hands  of  Timothy,  the  spiritual 
 son.  And  the  [Harmony  of  the]  Gospels,  called  the  Diatesseron, 
 collated  by  a  man  of  Alexandria  named  Amonis,  who  is  Tatian. 
 
 [PART  THIRD.] 
 
 [Writings  of  Western  Fathers. ^ 
 
 The  following  were  written  by  disciples  of  the  Apostles  :  the 
 book  of  Dionysius,  the  heavenly  philosopher ;  the  book  of 
 Clemens,  one  of  the  Seventy ;  the  Narratives  of  Peter,  Paul,  and 
 John,  and  the  other  Apostles  ;  and  the  Apostolic  Constitutions. 
 
 Africanus  the  Happy,  Bishop  of  Emmaus,  wrote  a  Commen- 
 tary on  the  New  Testament  and  a  Chronicon. 
 
364  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Hippolytus^  Bishop  and  Martyr^  wrote  a  book  on  tlie  Life  and 
 Actions  of  ChrisTj  an  Exposition  of  Daniel  the  Less  and 
 Susanna,  also  Sentences  against  Gains,  an  Introduction  on 
 the  Advent  of  Christ,  and  an  Exposition  of  the  Gospel  of 
 S.  John. 
 
 Damasus,  Bishop  of  Borne,  wrote  an  account  of  the  Faith, 
 and  drew  up  several  Canons,  as  did  also  Ignatius. 
 
 Symmachus  is  mentioned  by  the  Expositor  [Theodorus  of 
 Mopsuestia]  as  having  written  several  works,  one  of  which  is 
 entitled  the  Distinction  of  the  Commandments. 
 
 Eusebius  of  Csesarea  wrote  a  history  in  two  volumes,  a  treatise 
 on  the  Divine  Advent,  a  Chronicon,  a  book  solving  the  contradic- 
 tions contained  in  the  Gospels,  another  entitled  a  Picture  of  the 
 World,  an  account  of  Constantine  and  of  the  Martyrs  of  the 
 West,  and  an  epic  poem  in  their  praise,  a  narrative  of  a  drought 
 of  rain,  and  a  defence  of  Origen  which  was  condemned  by 
 Theodorus. 
 
 Athanasius  the  Great,  Patriarch  of  Alexandria,  wrote  many 
 epistles  and  treatises  on  the  orthodox  faith,  an  account  of  his 
 flight,  and  a  narrative  of  S,  Anthony,  which  was  sent  by  him  to 
 Epictetus. 
 
 Basil  the  Great  wrote  a  work  on  the  Six  days  of  Creation, 
 besides  many  other  dissertations,  narratives,  and  epistles. 
 
 Gregoi'y  of  Nyssa  wrote  many  treatises,  among  which  are 
 an  Exposition  of  the  Lord^s  Prayer  and  of  the  Beatitudes,  a 
 book  of  poems,  a  dissertation  on  the  Resurrection,  a  dissertation 
 on  the  Creation  of  Man  which  he  sent  to  his  sister,  another  on 
 Natural  Philosophy,  one  against  the  Gentiles,  an  exposition  of 
 the  Song  of  Solomon  in  two  volumes,  and  a  treatise  on  the 
 soul. 
 
 Gregory  Nazianzen  the  Great  wrote  five  volumes,  and  a  collec- 
 tion of  Poems,  several  Essays  for  Csesar,  a  work  called  Tragoedia, 
 and  a  book  against  the  Theopaschites. 
 
 John  Chrysostom  wrote  an  exposition  of  the  Gospels  of  SS. 
 Matthew  and  John,  each  consisting  of  two  volumes,  an  Expo- 
 sition of  the  Apostolic  writings,  a  book  on  the  Priesthood, 
 another  on  Baptism,  a  treatise  against  the  Jews,  a  book  on  the 
 Monks  of  Egypt,  a  book  of  Consolations,  a  treatise  on  Repent- 
 
APPENDIX.  365 
 
 ance^  a  treatise  written  to  Justinian,  another  to  Mitidus  the 
 Bishop,  another  on  Generations,  besides  many  epistles  on  various 
 subjects. 
 
 Diodorus  of  Tarsus  wrote  sixty  books,  most  of  which  were 
 burnt  by  the  Arians;  among  those  remaining  are  the  book 
 entitled  the  Division  of  Food,  one  written  against  Chaldeanism, 
 one  against  the  Eunomians,  another  against  the  Manicheans, 
 another  against  Apollinaris,  and  an  exposition  of  a  portion  of 
 S.  Matthew's  Gospel. 
 
 Theodorus  the  Expositor  wrote  forty-one  volumes  containing 
 one  hundred  and  fifty  prophecies,  each  prophecy  divided  into 
 thirty  chapters.  He  also  wrote  a  theoretical  and  practical  ex- 
 position of  Genesis  in  three  books,  which  he  sent  to  Elipia  the 
 great;  an  exposition  of  the  Psalms  in  five  books,  sent  by  him  to 
 Cedron  and  his  brother  j  an  exposition  of  the  Twelve  Prophets 
 in  two  volumes  for  Maurice;  an  exposition  of  Samuel  in  one 
 book,  which  he  sent  to  Marius  ;  an  exposition  of  Job,  sent  to 
 Cyril  of  Egypt ;  an  exposition  of  Ecclesiastes  in  one  book, 
 written  at  the  request  of  Porphyry  ;  also  an  exposition  of  Isaiah, 
 Ezekiel,  Jeremiah,  and  Daniel,  each  in  one  book.  These  were 
 his  labours  on  the  Old  Testament. 
 
 On  the  New  Testament,  he  wrote  an  exposition  of  S.  Matthew 
 to  Julia  in  one  book,  and  another  of  SS.  Luke  and  John,  in  two 
 books,  to  Eusebius ;  an  exposition  of  the  Acts  in  one  book,  to 
 Basil ;  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  also  to  Eusebius ;  on  the 
 Epistles  to  the  Corinthians,  in  two  books,  at  the  request  of 
 Theodora ;  and  on  the  Epistles  to  the  Galatians,  Ephesians, 
 Philippians,  and  Colossians,  for  Staurachius.  The  Epistles  to 
 the  Thessalonians  he  expounded  for  Jacob,  and  the  two  Epistles 
 to  Timothy  for  Peter,  and  those  to  Titus  and  Philemon  for 
 Corinne,  and  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  he  expounded  for  the 
 same  person.  All  his  expositions  of  the  Apostle  Paul  he  col- 
 lected in  five  volumes,  and  he  wrote,  besides  these,  a  work  on 
 the  Sacraments,  and  another  on  Faith,  and  another  on  the 
 Priesthood,  also  two  books  on  the  Holy  Spikit,  and  one  on 
 the  Incarnation,  in  two  volumes ;  and  two  other  books  against 
 such  as  say  that  man  cannot  help  sinning,  and  two  against  the 
 Magians,  and  one  addressed  to  the  Monks,  and  one  on  Perfection, 
 and  another  for  Basil,  and  another  on  the  union  of  the  two 
 
366  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 natures  and  persons  in  Christ,  and  a  book  of  Jewels  in  which 
 he  collected  all  his  epistles,  and  a  treatise  on  the  enacting  of 
 Laws,  with  which  he  concluded  his  writings. 
 
 Nestorius  the  Patriarch  wrote  many  celebrated  works,  most  of 
 which  were  destroyed  by  the  blasphemers.  Of  those  remaining, 
 one  is  entitled  the  Tragoedia,  one  dedicated  to  Heraclides, 
 and  an  epistle  to  Cosmas,  which  was  written  in  the  time  of 
 Paul.  He  wrote,  moreover,  a  large  liturgy  which  was  trans- 
 lated [into  Syriac]  by  Tooma  and  Mar  Awa.  There  is  also  of 
 his  a  book  of  epistles,  an  Antiphonary,  and  a  collection  of  epic 
 poems. 
 
 Theodotus,  the  disciple  of  Theodorus  the  Expositor,  wrote 
 an  exposition  of  Isaiah  in  two  volumes,  and  in  another  work  he 
 has  explained  the  occasion  of  the  writing  of  the  different  Psalms 
 of  David,  and  to  what  occasions  their  use  is  adapted. 
 
 Aquilinus  wrote  a  commentary  on  S.  Matthew  and  S.  John 
 the  son  of  Zebedee  after  the  traditions  of  the  ancients. 
 
 Basilius  wrote  several  Antiphonaries,  and  other  treatises. 
 
 Chiore  wrote  on  the  different  kinds  of  worship,  and  several 
 narratives. 
 
 Irenseus  of  Tyre  wrote  five  histories  on  the  persecution  of 
 Mar  Nestorius,  and  on  all  the  events  which  transpired  during 
 that  period. 
 
 Phileteus  expounded  Ezekiel  in  two  volumes,  and  wrote  a 
 book  named,  from  its  subject,  the  Healer. 
 
 Theodoret  of  Cyprus  wrote  a  book  entitled  "  Phileteus,"  one 
 against  Origen,  another  called  the  "  Division  of  Food,"  an 
 exposition  of  Daniel,  excellent  histories.  Apologies  for  our 
 righteous  Fathers  in  two  volumes,  a  solution  of  the  Sentences  of 
 Cyril,  a  book  against  the  Philosophers,  and  many  epistles  con- 
 taining much  learning  and  knowledge. 
 
 Socrates  wrote  two  volumes  of  History,  and  an  account  of  the 
 Emperors  Constantine  and  Jovian. 
 
 Titus  WTOte  a  work  against  Manes. 
 
 Arniastatseus  also  wrote  a  work  against  Manes. 
 
 Theophilus,  the  Persian,  wrote  against  Dostseus,  and  another 
 work  in  which  he  solved  the  Sentences  of  Cyril. 
 
 Eutheris  wrote  a  book  against  the  Patripassians,  several  nar- 
 ratives, antiphonse,  and  expositions  of  the  Gospel. 
 
APPENDIX.  367 
 
 Epiphanes  wrote  a  work  on  the  Divine  Advent,  and  another 
 on  the  different  heresies  which  had  arisen  up  to  his  time. 
 
 Zenobius  wrote  against  Marcion  and  Pamphilus,  and  epistles 
 to  Isidoi'e,  Lycullus,  Abraham  and  Job. 
 
 Eusebius  of  Emesa  wrote  a  book  against  the  Jews,  and  on  the 
 ceremonies  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  a  narrative  of  Stephen. 
 
 Father  Macarius  wrote  three  books  on  the  right  mode  of 
 living. 
 
 Marcus  wrote  a  book  of  chapters. 
 
 John  wrote  histories. 
 
 Evagrius  wrote  three  books. 
 
 Father  Isaiah  wrote  one  book. 
 
 Ammonius  wrote  epistles. 
 
 Macarius,  not  the  same  just  mentioned,  wrote  several  narra- 
 tives. 
 
 Xistus  wrote  a  book  of  sacred  poems,  and  a  work  on  the 
 Lovers  of  God. 
 
 Nilus  the  Monk  wrote  two  wonderful  volumes. 
 
 Palladius  and  Hierome  wrote  the  book  of  Paradise,  and  the 
 sayings  and  injunctions  of  the  Elders  in  three  volumes. 
 
 John  of  Apamea,  wrote  three  books,  and  several  epistles  on 
 the  Spiritual  Life,  on  the  Effects  of  Sin,  and  on  Perfection. 
 
 Jacob,  the  disciple,  wrote  a  short  exposition  of  S.  Matthew, 
 of  the  Epistles,  and  of  the  Prophet  Jeremiah. 
 
 [PART   FOURTH.] 
 [^Writings  of  Syrian  Fathers.] 
 
 After  having  enumerated  the  writings  of  the  Greek  Fathers 
 we  now  begin  to  record  the  writings  of  the  Syrian*  Fathers. 
 
 Shimeon  Barsabbai  wrote  epistles  to  Mar  Acac. 
 
 Meelis  wrote  epistles  and  treatises  on  various  subjects. 
 
 Mar  Yaw~ahui  wrote  an  epistle  to  the  Eastern  Papa,  in  whose 
 days  a  letter  was  written  by  the  Westerns  raising  this  Eastern 
 
 *  "  Syro-Nestoi'ian  "  Fathers  are  doubtless  intended.  The  Syrian  authors  in 
 this  list  who  existed  prior  to  the  Council  of  Ephesus,  are  claimed  as  co-reli- 
 gionists hy  the  Nestorians. 
 
368  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 See  into  a  Patriarchate.  The  letter  was  sent,  with  all  honour, 
 by  the  hands  of  Agepta  of  Elam. 
 
 Ephraem  the  Great,  called  the  Prophet  of  the  Syrians,  wrote 
 a  commentary  on  Genesis,  Exodus,  Leviticus,  Joshua,  Judges, 
 Samuel,  the  Kings,  the  Psalms,  Isaiah,  the  Twelve  Prophets, 
 Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  and  Daniel ;  besides  other  books  and  Epistles 
 on  the  faith  of  the  Church,  poems,  anthems,  and  hymns,  and 
 the  Anneedhe,  [Services  for  the  dead] .  He  wrote  also  on  the 
 alphabet,  a  controversy  with  the  Jews,  and  treatises  against 
 Manes,  Bardassenes,  and  Marcion,  and  an  answer  to  the  blas- 
 phemy of  Julian. 
 
 Narsai,  the  Harp  of  the  Soul,  wrote  an  exposition  of  Genesis, 
 Exodus,  Leviticus,  Numbers,  Joshua,  Judges,  Ecclesiastes, 
 Isaiah,  the  twelve  minor  Prophets,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  and 
 Daniel.  He  wrote  also  twelve  other  books,  three  hundred  and 
 sixty  poems,  a  Liturgy,  an  exposition  of  the  Sacraments,  and  a 
 treatise  on  Baptism.  He  wrote,  moreover.  Consolations,  Anti- 
 phonse,  hymns,  litanies,  homilies,  and  a  treatise  on  an  Evil 
 Life. 
 
 Barsoma  wrote  homilies,  anthems,  and  other  poems  :  also  a 
 liturgy,  and  many  epistles. 
 
 Aui'aham  of  Beit  Babban  wrote  an  exposition  of  Joshua, 
 Judges,  Kings,  the  Wisdom  of  the  son  of  Sirach,  and  Isaiah,  in 
 two  volumes;  also  a  Commentary  on  the  twelve  minor  Prophets, 
 on  Daniel,  and  the  Song  of  Solomon,  and  a  book  of  Moutwe,^ 
 divided  into  chapters. 
 
 Johanan  of  Beit  Babban,  wrote  a  commentary  on  Genesis, 
 Leviticus,  Numbers,  Job,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  Px'overbs,  a  book 
 against  the  Magi,  one  on  the  Customs  of  the  Jews,  and  another 
 against  heretics.  He  wrote  also  a  poem  on  the  humiliation  of 
 the  Ninevites,  one  on  the  death  of  Chosroes,  and  another  on  the 
 plague  which  visited  Nisibis,  together  with  consolations  for  all 
 conditions  of  men,  a  Catechism  on  the  Old  and  New  Testament, 
 hymns,  poems,  and  a  treatise  on  Chanting. 
 
 Marootha,  Bishop  of  Meiparket,  the  learned  physician,  wrote 
 a  book  of  Evidences,  Antiphonse,  and   hymns  in  honour  of  the 
 
 *  Literally,  "  Thrones,"  as  in  Coloss.  i.  16,  of  the  Syriac  version.  The  term 
 is  here  applied  to  certain  prayers  appointed  to  be  used  at  the  Nocturns,  and 
 which  are  recited  alternately  by  priest  and  people,  all  being  seated  on  the  ground. 
 
APPENDIX.  369 
 
 Martyrs.  He  also  expounded  the  Canons  of  the  318  [of  Nice], 
 and  wrote  a  full  account  of  that  Holy  Synod. 
 
 Mar  Awa  the  Great  translated  the  entire  Old  Testament  from 
 the  Greek  into  this  Syriac  tongue ;  he  also  wrote  an  exposition 
 of  Genesis,  the  Psalmsj  Proverbs,  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  the 
 second  to  the  Corinthians,  the  three  following  Epistles,  and  that 
 also  to  the  Hebrews,  He  wrote,  moreover,  several  poems  and 
 anthems  for  the  Canons  *  of  the  Psalter,  a  synodal  epistle  on  the 
 Discipline  of  the  Church,  and  other  Ecclesiastical  Rules  and 
 Canons. 
 
 Hnana  of  Hdheiyyeb  wrote  a  Commentary  on  the  Psalms, 
 Genesis,  Job,  the  Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes,  the  Song  of  Solomon, 
 the  Twelve  Prophets,  on  the  Gospel  of  S.  Mark,  and  the  Epistles 
 of  S.  Paul.  Also  an  exposition  of  the  Faith  and  Sacraments,  a 
 Catechism  and  a  Treatise  on  the  Origin  of  the  Festival  of  Palms, 
 with  poems  thereon.  Besides  these  he  wrote  on  the  origin  of 
 the  festivals  of  Golden  Ei'iday,t  of  that  in  commemoration  of 
 the  Humiliation  of  the  Ninevites,  and  on  the  Invention  of  the 
 Cross,  with  many  other  works  condemned  by  Theodorus  of 
 Mopsuestia. 
 
 Eprahat,  the  wise  Persian,  of  happy  memory,  wrote  two 
 books,  and  many  poems  alphabetically  arranged. 
 
 Heeba,  Comar,  and  Proba,  translated  the  writings  of  Theodo- 
 rus of  Mopsuestia  from  Greek  into  Syriac,  as  they  did  also  the 
 works  of  Aristotle.  This  same  Heeba  wrote  also  a  commentary 
 on  the  Proverbs,  Antiphons,  and  other  poems,  and  a  polemical 
 work  against  the  heretics. 
 
 The  Disciples  of  Mar  Awa  wrote  many  poems,  and  an  exposi- 
 tion of  the  prophecy  of  Daniel. 
 
 Tooma  of  Edessa  wrote  on  the  origin  of  the  Feasts  of  the  Na- 
 tivity and  Epiphany,  an  epistle  to  Kale,  a  work  against  astrology, 
 a  book  of  Consolations,  and  a  polemical  treatise  against  heretics. 
 
 Serghees  of  Reish  Aina  wrote  a  treatise  on  Logic. 
 
 Paul  of  Nisibis  wrote  a  Commentary  on  the  Bible,  a  treatise 
 against  Caesar,  and  various  epistles. 
 
 *  Canons  here  signify  the  occasional  collects  introduced  into  the  Psalms  as 
 used  in  the  Church. 
 
 t  The  first  Friday  after  Whitsunday;  so  called  from  the  answer  of  S.  Peter  to 
 the  impotent  man :  "  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none,"  &c.  Acts  iii.  6. 
 
 B    B 
 
370  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Babai  the  Great  wrote  eighty-three  books,  in  one  of  which  he 
 gives  an  account  of  the  origin  of  the  Eeast  of  Palms,  a 
 dissertation  on  the  union  of  Christ's  humanity  and  divinity, 
 and  an  exposition  of  the  Book  of  Hundreds.  *  He  also 
 expounded  the  book  written  by  the  Father  Marcos,  wrote  an 
 account  of  Diodorus  and  his  followers,  of  the  Peast  of  the  Cross, 
 and  of  the  Saints  for  the  cycle  of  the  year,  such  as  the  Feasts  of 
 S.  Mary,  S.  John,  and  the  other  feasts  and  commemorations. 
 He  moreover  wrote  a  book  for  conventual  Novices,  an  epistle  to 
 Joseph  the  Seer,  rules  for  Monks,  and  an  exposition  of  the  whole 
 Bible.  Also  a  work  on  the  Causes  of  Things,  in  which  he 
 speaks  of  Mattai  who  was  translated,  of  Auraham  of  Nisibis,  and 
 of  Gawriel  of  Kutr  [or  Kutra.] 
 
 Dad-Yeshua  expounded  the  "  Paradise "  of  the  Westerns, 
 and  the  work  of  Father  Isaiah,  and  wrote  other  books  on  the 
 right  mode  of  living.  He  also  wrote  a  hymn  on  the  consecra- 
 tion of  a  Cell,  a  funeral  Dirge,  several  Epistles,  and  a  Catechism 
 on  the  Spiritual  Life  and  Quiet. 
 
 Joseph  the  Seer  wrote  1900  chapters  on  various  theological 
 subjects,  and  a  book  called  the  "  Treasure,"  in  which  he  solves 
 many  difficult  questions.  He  also  wrote  a  work  on  Calamities, 
 an  Exposition  of  the  work  entitled  the  "  Merchant's  Book," 
 and  another,  in  two  volumes,  on  the  Paradise  of  the  Easterns, 
 which  contains  many  historical  notices.  Besides  these,  he  com- 
 posed a  commentary  on  the  Prophet  Ezekiel,  a  treatise  on  the 
 Festivals,  and  an  exposition  of  the  Heads  of  Knowledge,  and 
 of  the  works  of  Dionysius.  He  moreover  expounded  the 
 Vision  of  Mar  Gregorius,  and  wrote  epistles  on  the  life  of 
 Anchorites. 
 
 John  of  Dilyatha  wrote  two  books,  besides  epistles  on  the 
 monastic  life. 
 
 Ishak  of  Nineveh  wrote  seven  books  on  the  spiritual  and 
 divine  Sacraments,  and  one  on  the  Distribution  of  Food. 
 
 Yeshua-yau,  of  Gadhla,  wrote  a  commentary  on  the  Psalms, 
 together  with  epistles,  dissertations,  and  poems  on  various 
 subjects. 
 
 *  Kthawa  d^Mawdtha,  a  learned  but  very  diiScult  treatise,  of  which  there  are 
 a  few  copies  still  extant.  It  is  divided  into  a  hundred  sections,  and  is  supposed 
 to  have  been  written  by  Evagrius. 
 
APPENDIX.  371 
 
 Yeshua-yau,  of  Erzona,  wrote  a  work  against  Eunomius,  and 
 another  against  an  heretical  Bishop.  Also  twenty-three  Queries 
 on  the  Sacraments  of  the  Churchy  a  Synodal  Preface,  Epistles, 
 and  Canons. 
 
 Cyprian,  of  Nisibis,  expounded  the  Theology  of  Gregory  the 
 Great,  and  compiled  an  Ordination  Office. 
 
 Yeshua-yau,  of  Hdheyyeb,  wrote  on  a  Change  of  Mind,  and 
 an  Advice  to  Monastic  Novices.  He  also  arranged  the  Khudhra, 
 and  the  Baptismal  Office,  and  wrote  an  Office  for  the  Consecra- 
 tion of  a  New  Church,  as  also  an  Ordination  Office,  and  the 
 Office  of  Hoosdye.  He  wrote,  moreover,  many  antiphons, 
 epic  poems,  epistles,  anthems,  and  Consolations,  in  the  most 
 beautiful  style,  and  a  controversial  treatise  against  certain 
 persons* 
 
 Hnan-Yeshua  wrote  a  treatise  on  Chanting. 
 
 Michael  composed  a  book  of  Inquiries  into  the  Bible,  in 
 three  volumes. 
 
 Theodore,  Metropolitan  of  Marro,  wrote  an  account  of  Mar 
 Eughene,  and  of  the  Greek  doctors,  in  poetry ;  also  an  Expo- 
 sition of  the  Psalms,  and  other  poems,  in  which  he  answered 
 the  ten  theses  of  Serghees.  He  composed  another  excellent 
 book,  moreover,  at  the  instance  of  Mar  Awa,  the  Catholicos. 
 
 Gawriel,  brother  of  the  above,  and  Bishop  of  Hormuzdshir, 
 wrote  a  work  against  Manes,  and  another  against  the  Chaldeans, 
 besides  Homilies  and  other  treatises  on  various  subjects,  to  the 
 extent  of  about  three  hundred  chapters. 
 
 Elia,  Metropolitan  of  Marro,  wrote  antiphons.  Consolations, 
 and  a  Commentary  on  all  the  Gospel  Lessons ;  also  epistles, 
 and  an  account  of  the  origin  of  the  Moutwe,  and  an  Exposi- 
 tion of  the  Proverbs,  Genesis,  the  Psalms,  Ecclesiastes,  the  Song 
 of  Solomon,  the  Wisdom  of  the  Son  of  Sirach,  Isaiah,  the 
 Twelve  Prophets,  and  the  Epistles  of  the  Apostle  Paul.  He 
 also  compiled  an  authentic  History. 
 
 Gheorghees,  Catholicos,  wrote  hymns,  anthems,  a  Litany 
 for  the  Fast  of  the  Ninevites,  and  a  few  other  Canons  and 
 poems. 
 
 Gawriel  Arya,  of  the  family  of  Ishak  of  Nineveh,  wrote  an 
 Exposition  of  many  extracts  taken  from  the  whole  Bible. 
 
 Hnan-Yeshua,  surnamed   Hgheera   [the  lame]    wrote  anti- 
 
 B  B  2 
 
372  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 phons,  epistles.  Consolations,  homilies,  poems,  and  several 
 catechisms :  also  a  book  of  Thanksgiving,  on  account  of 
 Serghees  Doda,  Two  Reasons  for  Schools,  and  an  Analogical 
 exposition. 
 
 Awa,  of  Cashgar,  wrote  several  homilies  and  epistles,  a  book 
 on  the  rules  of  Logic,  and  another  in  which  he  explains  the 
 Logic  of  Aristotle. 
 
 Hnan-Yeshua,  Catholicos,  wrote  a  collection  of  epistles,  Con- 
 solations, and  anthems,  in  five  books,  besides  other  poems  and 
 ten  dissertations. 
 
 Awa  bar  Brikh  Sowyane  wrote  a  work  on  Strategy,  several 
 expositions,  and  antiphons  full  of  wisdom. 
 
 Timatheos  wrote  a  book  on  the  Stars,  another  against  the 
 Mehdi,  another  on  Church  Matters,  with  many  Synodal  Canons, 
 two  hundred  epistles  collected  into  two  volumes,  a  catechism, 
 and  a  dissertation  against  heretics. 
 
 Ephram,  of  Elam,  wrote  a  work  on  the  Faith. 
 
 Tooris,  the  Anchorite,  composed  a  book  in  two  volumes. 
 
 Hoonein,  the  physician,  the  son  of  Ishak,  wrote  a  book  on 
 the  fear  of  God,  a  Grammar,  and  a  Vocabulary. 
 
 Yeshua  bar  Nun  wrote  a  work  called  "  Theologia,"  Inquiries 
 into  the  Bible,  in  two  volumes,  a  book  of  sentences,  of  the 
 Causes  of  things.  Consolations,  and  epistles.  He  wrote  also  on 
 the  different  Church  Services,  antiphons,  and  anthems. 
 
 Elisha,  the  Expounder,  wrote  a  Commentary  on  Job,  and  on 
 the  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  and  on  the  three  follow- 
 ing epistles.  He  also  composed  an  account  of  the  Moutwe, 
 and  another  of  the  Martyrs,  a  book  of  Thanksgivings,  and  a 
 poem  on  Shimoon  of  Germakh.  Besides  which  he  explained 
 the  Chronicon  of  Eusebius. 
 
 Soreen,  the  Expounder,  wrote  in  Greek  against  the  heretics, 
 and  a  book  of  evidences. 
 
 Bar  Had-Bshabba,  the  Arab,  wrote  a  work  entitled  "  The 
 Book  of  Treasures,"  in  three  volumes,  and  other  polemical 
 treatises,  against  the  Gentiles,  such  as  idolaters  and  others. 
 He  also  wrote  a  history,  and  an  account  of  Mar  Diodorus  and 
 his  followers,  and  an  exposition  of  Mark  the  Evangelist,  and 
 of  the  Psalter. 
 
 Mikha,  the  Doctor,  wrote  Five  Causes  of  the  Moutwe,  a.  poem 
 
APPENDIX,  373 
 
 on  Cantropos  [?],  and  another  on  Mar  Sawr-Yeshuaj  of  Lashuni. 
 Also  an  exposition  of  the  books  of  the  Kings  of  Israel. 
 
 Kiore  wrote  various  dissertations,  homilies,  and  anaphorse. 
 
 Paulona  wrote  poems,  a  dissertation  against  inquirers,  a  trea- 
 tise against  Marcion,  a  book  on  Believers,  and  another  on 
 the  Creed. 
 
 Serghees  wrote  an  exposition  of  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  and  of 
 Daniel,  after  the  style  of  the  ancients. 
 
 Mari,  the  Persian,  wrote  a  Commentary  on  Daniel,  an  expla- 
 nation of  the  epistle  of  Akak,  and  a  work  against  the  Magi  of 
 Nisibis. 
 
 Auraham,  of  Mahoze,  wrote  Consolations,  Epistles,  an  account 
 of  all  the  Festivals,  and  a  book  of  Antiphons. 
 
 Paulos,  of  Ambar,  wrote  a  work  against  the  epistle  of  Omar, 
 Consolations,  and  Antiphons,  and  a  treatise  against  different 
 persons. 
 
 Gawriel,  of  Kotra,  wrote  a  poem  on  the  union  of  Christ,  and 
 a  solution  of  the  difficulties  of  the  Faith. 
 
 Yakoob,  of  Kelta,  wrote  an  exposition  of  the  Proverbs,  poems 
 on  Diodorus,  and  a  book  on  the  Faith  of  the  Church. 
 
 Barsoma,  of  Kerkook,  wrote  a  work  called  "  the  Liver," 
 and  another  containing  thanksgivings.  Consolations,  and  An- 
 tiphons. 
 
 Ab  Yeshua,  Bar  Bahrees,  Metropolitan  of  Athur,  wrote  on 
 the  Division  of  Inheritances,  and  an  Explanation  of  the  different 
 Church  Services, 
 
 Daniel,  of  Toowaneetha,  Bishop  of  Tahl,  wrote  a  work  entitled 
 "  the  Book  of  Lihes,^^  Consolations,  and  Antiphons.  Also  a 
 book  solving  the  difficulties  contained  in  Holy  Scripture,  Replies 
 to  different  Queries,  one  of  Thanksgiving,  another  of  Poems,  a 
 Solution  of  the  difficulties  in  the  writings  of  Mar  Ishak  of 
 Nineveh,  and  an  exposition  of  the  Heads  of  Knowledge.  • 
 
 Auraham,  Metropolitan  of  Basra,  wrote  several  epistles. 
 
 Ahoob,  of  Kotra,  wrote  a  Commentary  on  the  Old  and  New 
 Testaments  with  the  exception  of  the  Pentateuch. 
 
 Dinha  expounded  the  Psalms,  and  wrote  Consolations,  and 
 other  treatises  on  Church  subjects.  He  also  explained  the  two 
 books  of  Gregory,  and  the  Logic  of  Aristotle. 
 
 Shalleeta,  Bishop  of  Reish   Aina,  wrote  Antiphons,  Consola- 
 
374  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 tionsj  Prayers,  Canons,  and  hootamdt,  [collects  for  the  conclu- 
 sion of  Divine  Service] .     He  also  expounded  two  Litanies. 
 
 Babai,  tlie  Persian,  who  became  Bishop  of  Biu  Ardsheer, 
 wrote  a  work  solving  various  difficult  questions. 
 
 Shehdost,  of  Teheran,  wrote  several  Synodal  Epistles  and 
 Letters,  besides  many  small  poems  and  Antiphons. 
 
 Habeeb,  the  Anchorite,  wrote  Meditations  on  the  Life  of 
 Christ,  Elements  of  Knowledge,  and  made  several  chants  and 
 tunes  for  Anthems. 
 
 Babai  of  Nisibis,  wrote  poems,  epistles,  hymns,  narratives, 
 and  several  homilies. 
 
 Shimoon  of  Taibootha,  wrote  a  work  entitled  "  the  way  to 
 live,^'  another  on  Medicine,  and  an  Exposition  of  the  Sacraments. 
 
 Yohanan  el-Ezrak,  of  Heerta,  wrote  a  book  of  Homilies,  a 
 Guide,  and  two  hundred  and  eighty  epistles. 
 
 Yohanan  of  Deilom  wrote  nine  poems. 
 
 Mar  Yau,  wrote  an  epistle  and  an  exposition  of  the  same  for 
 Epni  Maran. 
 
 Yeshua  Pana,  of  Kotra,  wrote  hortatory  poems,  an  exposition 
 of  the  '^  Book  of  Hundreds,"  another  on  the  Philosophy  of  the 
 Soul,  and  many  poems,  anthems,  epistles.  Consolations,  and 
 hymns,  arranged  alphabetically. 
 
 Babai,  the  Scribe,  of  Maarra,  wrote  a  work  on  the  Distinction 
 of  Things. 
 
 The  Turkish  Expounder  wrote  a  work  on  the  Joys  of  Heaven. 
 
 Mar  Shooha  '1  Maran,  of  Seleucia,  wrote  a  work  called  the 
 "  Book  of  Portions,"  another  on  Elements  of  Knowledge,  besides 
 many  useful  epistles. 
 
 Yohanan  bar  Pinkhaye  wrote  seven  books,  one  on  the  Educa- 
 tion of  Children,  a  controversial  treatise  against  the  "  Words  of 
 a  Merchant,'^  one  against  Idolatry,  one  on  the  Seven  Eyes  of 
 the  Lord,  one  on  Perfection,  and  a  Catechism. 
 
 Auraham,  of  Nethpra,  wrote  many  works. 
 
 Gregorius,  of  Deir,  wrote  one  book  and  several  epistles. 
 
 Akb-Shma  wrote  homilies.  Consolations,  anthems,  on  the 
 Principles  of  Knowledge  and  Proverbs. 
 
 Akhoodeme  wrote  against  the  Philosophers  and  Magi,  and  on 
 the  limits  of  things.  He  also  wrote  a  book  on  Logic,  another 
 on  the  Persons  [of  Christ],  and  a  third  on  the  inquiry  :  "  Has 
 
APPENDIX.  375 
 
 the  will  power  over  the  nature  of  man  ?  "  in  two  parts.  He 
 also  wrote  on  the  Soul,  showing  that  man  is  a  small  world  in 
 himself,  besides  many  other  instructive  treatises  in  beautiful 
 style  and  language. 
 
 Auraham  bar  Dishended,  wrote  a  Book  of  Advice^  an  exposi- 
 tion of  the  writings  of  Father  Marcos^  a  treatise  against  the 
 Jews,  another  entitled  "  the  Way  of  the  King,"  poems  on  E,e- 
 pentancBj  and  many  epistles  on  various  subjects. 
 
 Yeshua-Bukht  wrote  a  book  on  All  Things,  and  another  on 
 Church  Matters,  and  poems  on  the  Air. 
 
 Yeshua-Dnah,  of  Basra,  wrote  three  books  of  History,  an 
 exposition  of  Logic,  Consolations,  Anthems,  and  Poems,  and  a 
 treatise  on  Chastity,  in  which  he  collected  an  account  of  all  the 
 Saints. 
 
 Auraham  bar  Lipah  wrote  a  Rationale  of  the  different 
 Services. 
 
 Alexandros  wrote  a  work  against  the  blasphemy  of  Julian. 
 
 Poplius  wrote  two  books,  one  on  Holy  Things,  and  a 
 Remembrancer. 
 
 Abd  Mesheeh,  of  Heerta,  wrote  a  book  rich  in  meaning. 
 
 Theodorus  bar  Coozai  wrote  a  Scholion,  a  History,  and  many 
 other  dissertations. 
 
 Abd  Yeshua  bar  Akarwe  wrote  several  anthems,  and  a  work 
 on  the  origin  of  Things. 
 
 Andraos  wrote  antiphons,  and  a  work  on  the  diacritical  and 
 vowel  points. 
 
 Gawriel,  of  Basra,  collected  all  the  Synodal  Canons,  in  two 
 volumes,  and  added  thereto  several  dissertations, 
 
 Yohanan,  of  Germaka,  wrote  on  the  Principles  of  Knowledge, 
 Rules  for  Novices,  a  short  Chronicon,  an  account  of  Mar 
 Koodehwi,  and  many  poems  and  anthems. 
 
 Auraham,  of  Beit  Hale,  wrote  a  treatise  against  the  Tai 
 [Arabs.] 
 
 Mar  Shlemon,  Bishop  of  Hdhetta  near  Mosul,  wrote  several 
 narratives,  and  a  treatise  on  the  Monastic  Life. 
 
 Yeshua-dad,  also  of  Hdhetta,  wrote  a  Commentary  on  the 
 New  Testament,  and  a  short  exposition  of  the  Pentateuch. 
 
 Aboo-Nuah  wrote  a  work  against  the  Koran,  a  treatise  against 
 Heretics,  and  on  several  other  subjects. 
 
376  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Kindi  wrote  an  excellent  work  on  Polemics,  and  another  on 
 the  Faith. 
 
 Dad-Yeshua  wrote  a  wonderful  exposition  of  Daniel,  of  the 
 Kings,  and  of  the  book  of  Wisdom,  in  three  volumes. 
 
 Yohanan,  of  Nineveh,  wrote  a  work  on  Controversy. 
 
 Kuriakos  wrote  an  exposition  of  the  Faith  and  Sacraments, 
 another  work  on  the  Nativity  and  Epiphany,  and  a  Commen- 
 tary on  the  Epistles  of  S.  Paul. 
 
 Shimoon  bar  Tabbahe  wrote  a  History. 
 
 Meshikha  Skha  also  wrote  a  History. 
 
 Mar  Athken,  the  Anchorite,  wrote  a  Controversy  with  the 
 Wise  Brother,  and  many  epistles  on  the  right  way  of  living. 
 
 Gheorghees,  of  Nishra,  wrote  a  book  on  Obedience. 
 
 Anos,  of  Piros-Shaboor,  wrote  poems.  Consolations,  and  many 
 other  works. 
 
 Bood  Piryadotha  wrote  poems  on  the  Faith,  a  treatise  against 
 the  Manichees,  and  another  against  the  followers  of  Marcion. 
 He  also  wrote  a  work  in  Greek,  entitled  "  Alep-Megheen,"  and 
 it  was  he  who  translated  "  Kleilagh  oo  Dimnagh  ^'*  from  the 
 Indian  language. 
 
 Daniel,  of  Beish  Aina,  wrote  poems  against  the  Marcionites, 
 Manichees,  Heretics,  and  Chaldeans. 
 
 *  This  famous  collection  of  Fables  is  recorded  by  all  Arabian  historians  to  have 
 been  translated  from  the  original  into  Pehlvi  by  one  Barzooyah,  who  was  com- 
 missioned to  execute  the  task  by  the  then  reigning  king  of  Persia  Nooshirwan, 
 about  the  year  A. D.  510.  Baron  de  Sacy,  who  published  in  1816  an  excellent 
 edition  of  the  Arabic  Version  translated  from  the  Pehlvi  by  Abdallah  bin  'ool 
 Mukatta,  after  expressing  his  doubt  of  this  testimony  to  Bood's  labour  as  recorded 
 by  Mar  Abd-Yeshua,  suggests  the  following  adjustment  of  the  apparent  contra- 
 diction existing  between  him  and  the  Arabian  historians  :  "  On  the  other  hand, 
 we  may  suppose  that  Barzooyah  was  a  Christian  monk,  who  had  been  employed 
 in  the  Indian  territory  bordering  on  Persia,  and  that  to  a  knowledge  of  his  own 
 native  tongue,  and  the  Syriac  of  his  Church,  he  joined  an  acquaintance  with  the 
 language  of  India,  and  hence  was  employed  by  Nooshirwan  to  translate  the  work 
 called  Calila  oo  Dimna.  Abd-Yeshua  does  not  state  that  the  translation  made 
 by  Bood  was  into  Syriac  ;  he  moreover  speaks  of  it  as  a  fact  generally  known  ; 
 hence  it  is  not  improbable  that  he  understood  Bood  and  Barzooyah  to  be  the 
 same  person."  De  Sacy  adduces  several  plausible  reasons  in  support  of  this 
 hypothesis,  in  his  "  Memoire  Historique,"  appended  to  his  Arabic  edition  of  the 
 work  in  question. 
 
 Assemanni,  as  quoted  by  the  learned  Baron,  states  that  Bood  lived  during  the 
 patriarchate  of  Ezekiel.     This  is  a  mistake,  since  the  name  of  the  Patriarch  who 
 
APPENDIX.  377 
 
 Auraham  bar  Kardakhe  wrote  anthems^  Consolations^  poems, 
 and  homilies,  and  an  Epistle  against  Shisban. 
 
 Nathniel  wrote  against  the  followers  of  Severus,  against 
 Manes,  and  against  the  Kanthi  and  Mandri  [Sabseans],  and  an 
 Exposition  of  the  Psalms. 
 
 Elisha  bar  Sabine  wrote  an  Exposition  of  the  Psalter,  on 
 Different  Opinions,  and  a  chapter  of  Proverbs. 
 
 Auraham  Katteena  wrote  Catechisms. 
 
 Shimoon,  of  Kurdlah,  wrote  1,028  poems  and  anthems. 
 
 Father  Yazeedad  wrote  a  vocabulary  called  "  Lookate.^' 
 
 Bar  Shhak  wrote  one  book. 
 
 Damanis  wrote  poems. 
 
 Susai,  of  Sus,  wrote  a  book  of  Thanksgivings. 
 
 Auraham  Saba  wrote  a  beautiful  Catechism. 
 
 Gregor,  of  Shushtre,  wrote  a  work  against  Heathenism,  on 
 Natural  Evidences,  Consolations,  anthems,  a  narrative  of  Aura- 
 ham of  Shushtre,  a  History,  and  an  account  of  the  different 
 Festivals.  It  was  he  who  originated  the  chant  "  Ittayyeb 
 b'awadheicon."* 
 
 Bar  Sehde,  of  Kerkook,  wrote  a  History,  and  a  work  against 
 the  Magi,  the  disciples  of  Zoroaster. 
 
 Jacob,  of  Edessa,  wrote  a  Book  of  the  Times,  and  a  Chronicon. 
 
 Shimoon,  of  Bedhka,  wrote  a  Histoi-y. 
 
 Ara  wrote  a  work  against  the  Magi,  and  another  against 
 BardasseneSj  entitled  "  Beetles." 
 
 Pakor  wrote  one  book. 
 
 Bar  Dkosi  wrote  two  volumes  against  the  Chaldeans,  and 
 another  against  Porphyry  the  heretic. 
 
 Daniel  ibn  Mariam  wrote  a  History  in  four  volumes,  and 
 another  expounding  the  Chronicon. 
 
 Zacchai,  of  Supna,  wrote  on  the  Wonders  of  the  World. 
 
 Bar  Daknana  wrote  poems  for  the  consolation  of  the  sorrowing. 
 
 Yohanan  bar  Abgare  wrote  Canons  and  Homilies  on  Church 
 matters,  and  on  the  Division  of  Inheritances. 
 
 filled  the  Eastern  See  during  the  reign  of  Chosroes  Anooshirwan  was  "  Sheela  " 
 [Silas.] 
 
 "  Piryadotha,"  the  title  given  to  Bood,  signifies  "  Presbyter  circuitor,  seu 
 visitator  ;"  and  seems  to  be  cognate  with  our  "  Dean."  I  have  so  translated  it 
 wherever  it  has  occurred  throughout  this  work. 
 
 *  This  chant  is  still  in  use  among  the  Nestorians. 
 
378  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Mar  Daweedh;  of  Beit  Rabban,  wrote  on  the  Boundaries  of 
 countries^  and  on  the  Changes  of  nights  and  days. 
 
 Yohanan,  of  Estooni,  wrote  a  Grammar. 
 
 Yohanan  bar  Khamees,  Bishop  of  Temnoon^  also  wrote  a 
 Grammar. 
 
 Bar  Bahlool  collated  a  Lexicon  from  many  books,  assisted  by 
 Yeshua  bar  Ali  the  Physician,  Marozi,  and  Gawriel. 
 
 Elia,  of  Azak,  wrote  three  books  of  poetry,  questions,  epistles, 
 prefaces  and  anthems. 
 
 Dad- Yeshua,  Bishop  of  Heerta,  called  Mattushuah,  wrote  a 
 Catechism  on  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  Anthems. 
 
 Andor,  the  Scholar,  wrote  a  dissertation  on  many  things, 
 arranged  alphabetically,  which  he  sent  to  his  friend  Koorta. 
 
 Elia  bar  Kanosh  wrote  Benedictions,  Narratives,  a  treatise  on 
 the  use  of  the  Psalms,  and  on  the  Sacraments  of  the  Church. 
 
 Mar  Elia,  the  First,  wrote  Decrees,  a  treatise  on  Church 
 matters,  and  a  Grammar. 
 
 Yohanan  bar  Keldon  wrote  a  valuable  work  called  "Busnaya," 
 another  on  the  Most  Beautiful,  and  a  third  on  the  Merchandize 
 of  the  Monks. 
 
 Elia  bar  Yeshnaya,  Metropolitan  of  Nisibis,  wrote  a  History, 
 a  Grammar,  poems,  four  books  of  Church  rules,  and  epistles  on 
 various  subjects  in  Syriac  and  Arabic. 
 
 Behishua,  of  Kamool,  wrote  on  the  Monastic  life. 
 
 Yohanan  Hermis  wrote  poems. 
 
 Emmanuel,  the  Doctor,  wrote  a  work  on  the  six  days  of 
 Creation  in  poetry,  homilies,  and  expositions. 
 
 Gawriel,  Bishop  of  Shabookhwest,  wrote  a  catechism,  homilies, 
 controversies.  Consolations,  and  anthems. 
 
 The  Greek  Emperors  Constantine,  Leo,  and  Theodosius  the 
 Great,  convened  the  Synods  of  the  Westerns,  that  of  the 
 Apostles,  of  Nice,  of  Byzantium,  of  Gangra,  the  false  one  of 
 
 Ephesus,  that  of  Chalcedon,  of  Antioch,  and  the of  the 
 
 Greek  Emperors.* 
 
 And  we  possess  the  Eastern  Synods  of  Ishak,  of  Barsoma,  of 
 Mar  Awa,  of  Mar  Hezkiel,  of  Yosep,  of  Yeshua-yau,  of  Mar 
 
 *  The  meaning  of  the  original  is  somewhat  obscure  in  this  passage,  but  I  con- 
 ceive the  writer  to  signify  that  the  Nestorians  possess  the  Acts  of  these  Councils 
 and  Synods. 
 
APPENDIX.  379 
 
 Timataos,  of  Yeshua  bar  Nun_,  of  Yohanan,  the  Acts  of  Shimoon^ 
 the  Acts  of  Yeshua-Bukht,  Metropolitan  of  Persia,  and  those  of 
 Abd  Yeshua  and  of  Gheorghees,  Metropolitans  of  Athor,  besides 
 two  volumes  of  Synods  collated  by  Gawriel,  Metropolitan  of 
 Basra,  and  another  of  the  Catholicos  Mar  Elia  the  Eirst,  and 
 four  of  Elia  of  Nisibis,  surnamed  Bar  Ishnaya.  We  possess, 
 moreover,  many  other  books  whose  authors^  names  are  unknown ; 
 such  as  the  book  entitled  "  the  Enlightenment,^'  and  the  book 
 on  the  Union.    [Here  several  lines  of  the  original  are  destroyed.] 
 
 Shlemon,  of  Khlat,  of  Basra  [prob.  Metrop.],  wrote  a  work 
 entitled  Debboreetha  [lit.  The  Bee],  another  on  the  Heavens 
 and  the  Earth,  and  several  poems. 
 
 Abd  Yeshua,  my  vile  self,  wrote  a  Commentary  on  the  Bible 
 [MS.  defaced],  the  book  of  the  Paradise  of  Eden,  a  collection  of 
 Synods  in  Arabic,  the  book  entitled  Marghianeetha^  on  the  Truth 
 of  the  Eaith,  a  treatise  on  the  Mysteries  of  the  Grecian  Philoso- 
 phers, and  another  called  "  Scholasticus,"  against  heresy.  I 
 also  collated  a  book  of  Church  Laws  and  Discipline,  and  another 
 consisting  of  twelve  treatises  on  knowledge  in  general,  besides 
 Consolations,  antiphons,  and  anthems,  for  various  occasions,  an 
 explanation  of  the  Epistle  sent  by  Aristotle  to  Alexander  the 
 Great  [MS.  defaced],  also  a  work  solving  many  difficult  ques- 
 tions, and  one  of  arguments,  proverbs,  and  riddles. 
 
 After  the  best  of  our  ability  we  have  recorded  the  books  which 
 we  have  seen,  our  object  being  to  show  that  the  perusal  of  them 
 is  profitable.  The  authors  spake  by  the  Spirit,  according  to  the 
 testimony  of  Paul  the  Apostle ;  may  their  prayers  keep  and  in- 
 vest with  glory  us,  the  sheep  of  Christ,  and  may  their  memory 
 endure  for  ever,  inasmuch  as  they  enhghtened  the  Church  by 
 their  wisdom,  and  enriched  her  children  by  their  attainments. 
 Glory  be  to  that  Spirit  by  whom  they  themselves  were  enriched. 
 
 Here  endeth  the  catalogue  of  all  the  Church  books,  written 
 by  the  undeserving  Abd  Yeshua,  Metropolitan  of  Nisibis  and 
 Armenia.     To  God  be  thanksgiving  and  glory  for  ever.     Amen. 
 
 *  For  a  translation,  see  the  next  page. 
 
380  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 APPENDIX   B. 
 
 A    TRANSLATION    OF 
 
 THE      JEWEL, 
 
 Written  by  Mar  Ahd  Yeshua,  Nestorian  Metropolitan  of  Nisibis 
 and  Armenia,  a.d.  1298. 
 
 In  the  strength  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  begin  to  write 
 the  book  called  Marghianeetha,  (lit.  "  The  Jewel,")  on  the  truth 
 of  Christianity.  Written  by  the  undeserving  Abd  Yeshua^ 
 Metropolitan  of  Nisibis  and  Armenia.  O  Lord,  help  us. 
 Amen. 
 
 [Preamble^ 
 
 0  God  the  Cause  of  all  things^  the  Enlightener  of  all  men, 
 the  Giver  of  life  and  existence  to  all  beings  corporeal  and  incor- 
 poreal, the  Vast  Ocean  of  every  blessing,  the  Unfathomable 
 Depth  of  every  knowledge,  the  Righteous  One  whose  Nature  is 
 all-merciful,  the  Lover  of  mankind,  and  the  Eternal  Spring  of 
 all  goodness. — Thy  Godhead  is  worthy  of  all  praise  and  honour, 
 and  to  Thy  Greatness  it  is  fit  that  unceasing  thanks  should  be 
 offered  for  Thy  wonderful  providence  towards  the  world  above 
 and  the  world  beneath,  and  for  the  abundance  of  Thy  mercies 
 towards  Thy  heavenly  and  earthly  creatures.  With  the  humility 
 of  a  servant  we  implore  Thy  Eternity,  and  with  earnest  longing 
 we  beseech  Thy  Unspeakable  Love,  to  select  us  as  unsullied  and 
 chosen  vessels  for  Thy  hidden  Treasury,  and  to  make  us  abodes 
 
APPENDIX,  381 
 
 of  beauty  and  purity  for  the  inhabitation  of  Thy  Trinity  :  that 
 by  Thy  help  we  naay  be  drawn  up  out  of  the  drowning  sea  of 
 this  material  world,  and  be  lifted  up  to  the  holy  of  holies,  the 
 place  of  Thy  divine  mysteries,  and  be  transformed  into  That 
 Likeness  which  is  above  all  likeness ;  and  that  through  the 
 rays  of  Thy  Everlasting  Light  we  may  shine  forth  for  ever,  being 
 eternal,  and  live  and  be  confirmed  far  beyond  the  reach  of  all 
 error  of  mind  or  of  body,  and  become  the  companions  of  those 
 who  are  near  to  Thee  in  spirit  and  in  act,  and  be  happy  both 
 here  and  there  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 The  chief  of  our  community  and  the  father  of  our  people, 
 after  having  been  graciously  pleased  to  approve  of  my  book 
 entitled  "  the  Paradise  of  Eden,^'  written  by  me  in  varied  versi- 
 fication, directed  me  to  write  another  in  proof  of  the  truth  and 
 certainty  of  the  Christian  faith,  for  the  perusal  and  study  of  his 
 disciples,  and  for  the  benefit  of  all  the  lovers  of  Christ  under 
 his  sway,  as  it  will  be  an  evidence  of  his  own  zeal  and  renown 
 to  those  who  shall  come  after.  As  an  obedient  servant  I  obeyed 
 his  profitable  injunction,  and  wrote  this  small  book,  small  in 
 size  and  brief,  but  precious  in  its  subject  matter.  Hence  I  have 
 called  it  "  The  Jewel "  of  the  truth  of  Christianity  ;  and  herein 
 I  have  briefly  treated  of  the  origin,  roots,  plants  and  branches 
 of  the  teaching  of  the  Church,  and  have  divided  it  into  five 
 parts,  each  part  subdivided  into  chapters.  And  now  I  conjure, 
 and  most  humbly  and  earnestly  beseech,  evei-y  lover  of  God 
 into  whose  hands  this  book  may  fall,  or  who  may  read  it,  copy 
 it,  or  hear  it,  that,  for  the  love  of  Christ,  he  will  not  censure 
 me  for  whatsoever  I  have  written,  but  on  the  contrary  pray  for 
 me,  inasmuch  as  I  have  spent  much  labour  therein,  although  as 
 regards  myself  I  am  very  weak  and  unworthy.  Let  every  one 
 follow  herein  whatever  approves  itself  to  his  own  mind;  and 
 may  God  make  them  and  us  meet  for  blessedness,  and  enable 
 both  to  attain  the  truth. 
 
383  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 PART     I. 
 
 OF    GOD. 
 
 CHAPTER     I. 
 
 That   there  is  a  God^  and  that  the  world  is  created,  made,  and 
 
 temporal. 
 
 S.  Paul  the  heavenly  apostle^  the  treasury  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost^  and  the  spiritual  philosopher,  has,  through  the  Spirit, 
 laid  an  admirable  foundation  for  Theology,  by  his  saying,  that 
 men  "  should  seek  God,  and  feel  after  Him,  and  find  Him  out 
 from  His  creation."  Inasmuch  as  the  artificer  is  known  by  his 
 work,  and  the  maker  through  the  thing  made. 
 
 That  the  world  is  made,  and  created,  and  had  a  beginning  in 
 time  we  know  from  this  : — This  world  is  compounded,  framed, 
 and  disposed,  as  a  whole,  and  in  all  its  parts ;  and  every  thing 
 that  is  compounded,  framed,  and  disposed,  must  have  a  com- 
 pounder, framer,  and  disposer.  That  it  is  compound  is  proved 
 from  its  whole  being  made  up  of  many  parts,  and  from  all  its 
 bodies  being  made  up  of  matter  and  kinds,  and  from  the  visible 
 and  invisible  movers  therein.  But  the  most  certain  witness  of 
 its  being  framed  is  man,  who  is  a  small  world  in  himself,  and  in 
 whose  formation  all  creation  is  brought  together,  as  one  of  the 
 sages  has  said  :  "  Man  is  an  epitome  of  the  whole  world,  and  of 
 the  whole  frame  of  creation." 
 
 Now  that  the  world  is  disposed  is  clear  from  the  wonderful 
 order  of  the  heavens,  the  planets,  the  elements,  with  all  their 
 productive  powers,  generating  plants,  trees,  mines,  and  the 
 members  of  beasts  and  of  men,  the  astonishing  order  of  which 
 surpasses  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  all  created  beings. 
 
APPENDIX.  383 
 
 In  the  same  way  the  ancient  philosophers  concluded  that 
 every  motion  must  have  a  mover,  until  they  arrived  at  Him 
 Who  is  not  moved.  Who  is  the  Cause  of  all,  and  of  Whom  they 
 predicated  that  He  must  be  good,  wise,  and  almighty.  Good, 
 inasmuch  as  He  created  the  world  without  a  cause  [i.e.  of  His 
 own  motion]  ;  wise,  because  of  the  admirable  order  and  frame 
 displayed  in  the  universe  ;  almighty,  because  He  overcame  the 
 things  which  are  naturally  destructive  of  each  other,  and 
 brought  them  together  in  one  agreement. 
 
 Further,  this  world  is  made  up  of  quality  and  quantity,  as 
 respects  its  bodies  and  spirits,  and  of  different  dimensions  and 
 extensions,  of  which  the  mind  can  inquire,  why  they  were  not 
 less  or  more,  higher  or  lower  than  they  are.  And  when  it 
 would  know  a  cause  for  the  appropriated  designs,  resemblances, 
 and  dimensions,  of  all  and  of  each,  and  for  their  existence  and 
 continuance  as  they  are,  it  can  find  no  other  than  the  will  and 
 intelligence  of  the  Creator,  who  created  and  disposed  them  after 
 His  own  will,  and  as  He  knew  would  be  best  and  most  fit. 
 The  artificer  must  of  necessity  exist  before  the  work,  in  order 
 that  it  may  be  proved  of  him  that  he  is  really  the  maker  of  that 
 which  did  not  exist  before,  and  that  he  made  it.  This  truth, 
 then,  being  confirmed,  it  results  that  the  world  is  made,  and  had 
 a  beginning  in  time,  and  is  not  eternal.  It  also  results  that  it 
 has  a  Maker,  Who  is  good,  wise,  eternal,  strong,  and  possessed 
 of  a  will. 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 That  God  is  one  and  not  many. 
 
 That  the  Maker  of  this  world  is  one  and  not  many  may  be 
 proved  thus : — It  is  impossible  that  many  can  possess  one, 
 perfect,  unchangeable,  self-consentaneous  will;  because  they 
 must  either  be  co-equal  in  substance,  and  in  every  thing  apper- 
 taining thereto,  which  would  destroy  plurality  by  the  non- 
 existence of  distinction,  or  anything  distinguishing,  just  as  it 
 is  inconsistent  to  conceive  of  the  existence  of  two  blacknesses, 
 alike  in  every  respect,  and  not  distinguishable,  and  having  but 
 one  and  the  same   substance  : — or  they  must  be  distinct  from 
 
384  THE    NESTORIANS   AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 each  other  in  substance,  and  in  what  appertains  thereto ;  when 
 they  would  be  contrary  the  one  to  the  other,  and  destructive 
 the  one  of  the  other.  But  existence  could  not  exist  between 
 two  opposing  makers,  nor  could  a  perfect  work  proceed  from 
 them. — Or  they  must  be  alike  in  substance,  and  distinct  in 
 what  appertains  thereto,  each  one  having  an  appropriate  quality 
 by  which  he  is  distinguishable  from  his  associates ;  when  they 
 would  all  be  compounded  of  the  things  in  which  they  are  alike, 
 and  of  those  in  which  they  are  distinguishable.  But  every 
 compound  thing  is  made,  and  must  have  a  maker  and  com- 
 pounder ;  hence  results  the  truth  of  that  declaration :  "  The 
 Lord  our  God  is  One  God  ;  and  though  there  be  gods  many 
 and  lords  many,  to  us  there  is  but  one  God." 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 That  God  is  Eternal. 
 
 Everything  that  exists  must  be  either  eternal  or  temporal ; 
 and  everything  temporal  has  a  cause  and  maker,  and  time  and 
 maker  must  be  pre-existent  to  it.  But  that  the  cause  of  all 
 things  is  without  a  cause,  and  that  the  Maker  of  all  things  has 
 no  maker,  every  right  and  unprejudiced  mind  is  assured  of, 
 because  it  is  natural  to  it  so  to  judge.  It  results,  then,  that 
 the  Self-existent  is  the  Creator,  and  the  Eternal,  anterior  to 
 time,  because  He  Himself  created  time.  For  time  is  a  reckoning 
 of  the  motions  of  bodies,  and  as  we  have  already  proved  that 
 He  is  the  Creator  of  these,  therefore  He  is  eternal,  and  without 
 beginning.  Now  that  which  has  no  beginning,  can  be  reach- 
 able by  no  end,  and  must  possess  of  these  two  opposite  extremes 
 whatsoever  is  the  most  high  and  the  most  glorious,  as  truth, 
 light,  and  life,  and  must  be  the  Best,  the  Wisest,  the  Almighty. 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 That  God  is  incomprehensible. 
 
 Every  thing  comprehensible  is  comprehended   either  by  the 
 senses,  or  by  the  mind ;  and  that  which  is   comprehended  by 
 
APPENDIX.  385 
 
 the  senses  must  be  either  a  body  or  an  accident.  But  the 
 adorable  God  is  not  a  body ;  for  every  body  is  compound,  and 
 every  body  occupies  space,  and  every  body  has  limits,  all  vs^hich 
 is  opposed  to  the  Self-existent.  Nor  is  He  an  accident ;  for  an 
 accident  cannot  exist  alone,  but  requires  a  substance  wherein  to 
 exist. 
 
 All  that  is  comprehended  by  the  mind,  the  miud  must 
 either  stretch  to  the  ends  of  its  length  and  breadth,  (which  are 
 parts  of  its  limits  distinguishing  it  from  what  it  is  not,)  in  order 
 that  it  may  in  reality  comprehend  it ;  but  hereby  the  thing  is 
 at  once  limited,  and  extension  and  dimension  are  foreign  to  the 
 nature  of  the  Self-existent : — or  the  mind  does  not  stretch  to 
 its  end,  or  to  the  boundaries  which  limit  it;  but  this  is  not 
 comprehension.  Hence  the  Divine  Nature  is  incomprehensible, 
 it  being  impossible  for  the  mind  to  comprehend  aught  of  the 
 knowledge  of  the  Self-existent,  except  that  He  does  exist. 
 
 It  is  said  of  a  certain  great  philosopher,  that  he  always  used 
 this  prayer :  "  0  Thou  cause  of  the  motion  of  my  soul,  grant 
 me  to  know  that  subtle  essence  which  moves  me,  what  it  is, 
 and  what  it  is  like.  But  not  even  that  subtle  essence  where- 
 with I  am  endowed,  and  whei'eby  I  am  capable  of  knowing,  can 
 comprehend  what  Thou  art,  and  how  Thou  art.  This  only  it 
 can  know,  that  Thou  dost  exist.'^ 
 
 Now,  when  we  say  [of  God]  that  He  is  invisible,  incompre- 
 hensible, impassible,  and  immutable,  we  do  not  describe  what 
 He  is,  but  what  He  is  not. 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 Of  the  Trinity. 
 
 Everything  that  exists  must  be  either  a  material  body  whose 
 existence  is  the  subject  of  accidents  and  changes,  and  is  acted 
 upon  by  whatever  is  opposed  to  it;  or  not  a  body,  and  conse- 
 quently not  the  subject  of  any  of  these  things.  Now,  we  have 
 already  proved,  that  God,  (glory  be  to  His  incomprehensibility,) 
 is  not  a  body,  and  therefore  is  not  subject  to  anything  per- 
 taining to  materiality,  from  which  He  is  infinitely  removed. 
 
 Whatever  is  immaterial,  and  not  subject  to  anything  apper- 
 taining to  matter,  the  traditions   of  the  ancients  call   Mind. 
 
 VOL.  ir.  c  c 
 
386  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 And  whatever  is  exclusive  of  matter,  and  of  what  appertains 
 thereto,  must  be  knowing,  and  must  know  himself,  because 
 himself  is  ever  present  and  known  to  him,  and  he  is  not  de- 
 pendent on  anything  but  himself.  And  whatever  knows  him- 
 self must  be  living.     Therefore  God  is  Wise  and  Living. 
 
 Now,  he  who  is  wise  is  wise  because  of  his  wisdom  ;  and  he 
 who  is  living  is  living  because  he  has  life.  This  is  the  mystery 
 of  the  Trinity,  which  the  Church  confesses  of  the  Adorable 
 Essence :  The  Mind,  Wisdom,  and  Life,  Three  co-essential 
 proprieties  in  One,  and  One  who  is  glorified  in  three  proprieties. 
 [The  Church]  has  called  the  Mind,  Father  and  Begetter, 
 because  He  is  the  Cause  of  all,  and  First.  [She]  has  called  the 
 Son,  Wisdom  and  Begotten,  because  He  is  begotten  of  the 
 Mind,  and  by  Him  everything  was  made  and  created.  [She]  has 
 called  Life  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  Proceeding,  because  there  is 
 no  other  Holy  Ghost  but  He.  He  who  is  Holy  is  unchange- 
 able, according  to  the  expositions  of  received  expositors ;  and 
 this  is  that  which  is  declared  by  John  the  Divine,  the  son  of 
 Zebedee :  "  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word  ;"  and,  "  the  Light 
 is  the  life  of  man." 
 
 Now,  as  the  reasonable  soul  has  a  three-fold  energy,  mind, 
 word,  and  life,  and  is  one  and  not  three ;  even  so  should  we 
 conceive  of  the  Three  in  One,  and  One  in  Three.  The  sun 
 also,  which  is  one  in  its  disk,  radiance,  and  heat,  is  another 
 simile  adduced  by  the  second  Theologus  Paul,  the  chosen  vessel : 
 "  He  is  the  brightness  of  His  glory,  and  the  Express  Image  of 
 His  Person  /'  and,  again :  ''  Christ,  the  power  of  God,  and 
 the  wisdom  of  God." 
 
 Further,  every  thing  that  exists  is  either  an  accident  or  a 
 substance.  But  the  Self-existent  can  in  no  wise  be  susceptible 
 of  accidents.  Therefore  these  three  proprieties  must  be  essential, 
 and  are  on  this  account  called  persons,  and  not  accidental 
 powers,  and  do  not  cause  any  change  or  plurality  in  the  essence 
 of  the  Self-existent;  for  He  is  the  Mind,  the  Same  He  is  the 
 Wisdom,  the  Same  He  is  the  Life,  Who  ever  begat  without 
 cessation,  and  puts  forth  [makes  to  proceed^  without  distance 
 [i.e.  without  removal  from  Himself.]  These  things  [cessation 
 and  distance]  are  infinitely  removed  from  Him,  and  appertain 
 to  bodies. 
 
APPENDIX,  387 
 
 Now,  there  is  no  real  likeness  between  created  natures  and 
 the  Nature  of  the  Self-existent,  and  a  simile  does  not  in  every 
 thing  resemble  that  which  is  compared  by  it;  for  then  the 
 simile  and  that  which  is  compared  by  it  would  be  the  thing 
 itself,  and  we  [who  have  just  instituted  several  comparisons] 
 should  not  be  unlike  the  man  who  attempts  to  compare  a  thing 
 by  the  self-same  thing. 
 
 The  mystery  of  the  Trinity  is  expressed  in  the  words  of  the 
 Old  Testament :  "  Let  us  make  man  in  our  own  image,  after 
 our  likeness  ;^'  the  occurrence  of  the  letter  noon  three  times  in 
 this  sentence  is  an  indication  of  the  Trinity.  The  "  Holy" 
 thrice  repeated  in  the  seraphic  hymn,  as  mentioned  by  Isaiah, 
 joined  with  one  "  Lord,"  attests  Three  Persons  in  One  Essence. 
 The  words  of  David,  also,  are  of  the  same  import :  "  By  the 
 Word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made,  and  all  the  host  of 
 them  by  the  breath  of  His  mouth;"  and  many  other  like 
 references.  Let  the  heathen,  then,  and  Jews  who  rail  at  the 
 truth  of  the  Catholic  Church,  on  account  of  her  faith  in  the 
 Trinity,  be  confounded  and  put  to  shame.  Here  endeth  the 
 first  part. 
 
 cc2 
 
388 
 
 THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS, 
 
 PART    II. 
 
 ON    THE    CREATION. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 On  the  Creation  of  the   Universe. 
 
 He  to  Whom  time  was  before  He  wrought,  and  subsequently 
 began  to  work,  must  have  wrought  either  by  compulsion,  or 
 through  necessity,  or  from  a  motive  of  goodness.  But  God  did 
 not  create  the  world  of  compulsion,  because  there  was  no  other 
 God  beside  Him,  nor  any  other  Essence  to  compel  Him  to  act. 
 Neither  of  necessity,  because  His  Essence  is  perfect,  and  in 
 nothing  wanting,  and  He  is  the  Giver  of  all  perfection,  and  is 
 Himself  imperfect  in  nothing,  either  in  His  Essence,  or  in  what 
 appertains  thereto.  It  justly  results,  then,  that  He  created  the 
 world  of  His  goodness  and  love.  He  being  essentially  the  origin 
 of  all  good  and  bounteous  things. 
 
 First  He  created  the  Angels,  the  heavens,  and  the  four  ele- 
 ments, the  light,  and  the  planets.  After  that  trees  and  plants ; 
 then  the  different  classes  of  animals,  with  their  various  species. 
 And  when  He  had  adorned  the  universe  with  every  good  thing, 
 and  made  it  like  the  chamber  of  a  bridegroom,  and  a  wonderful 
 paradise,  on  the  sixth  day,  after  the  heavens  and  the  earth  with 
 all  their  hosts  were  finished.  He  created  the  first  Adam,  the  father 
 of  the  human  race,  "  in  the  Image  of  God  created  He  him,^' 
 according  to  the  testimony  of  the  blessed  Moses,  the  first-born 
 of  the  Prophets,  and  the  first  of  the  scribes.  And  he  was 
 called  an  image  [of  God]  for  three  reasons :  First,  on  account 
 of  the  reasonable  soul  with  which  he  was  endowed,  and  which 
 
APPENDIX.  389 
 
 is  a  likeness  of  the  Divine  Image  in  a  twofold  respect^  first,  iu 
 its  spirituality,  subtilty,  and  incorporeality ;  and,  again,  because 
 in  his  mind,  word,  and  life,  man  is  an  emblem  of  the  Trinity. 
 Secondly,  on  account  of  his  power  over  all,  [Gen.  i.  26,]  his 
 sovereignty,  and  his  free  will.  Thirdly,  because  from  him  God 
 intended  to  take  a  temple  for  His  union  [thereto],  and  to  be 
 worshipped  of  all  with  it  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 On  Man's  First  Sin. 
 
 After  God  had  thus  created  man  a  reasonable  image,  a  won- 
 derful temple,  and  a  bond  of  the  universe,  in  short,  a  small 
 world  existing  in  the  great  world.  He  took  from  him  a  rib  and 
 made  therewith  woman,  and  placed  them  in  the  delectable 
 paradise  of  Eden  which  He  had  prepared  for  them,  and  com- 
 manded them  that  they  might  eat  of  all  the  trees  in  paradise, 
 but  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  they  were  not 
 to  eat.  And  He  further  decreed,  that  in  the  day  they  should  eat 
 thereof  they  should  die  the  death.  Now,  hereby  God  declared 
 the  freedom  of  man's  will ;  for,  had  they  not  been  free  to  act. 
 He  would  have  wronged  them  in  punishing  their  transgression 
 of  the  command ;  whereas,  if  they  were  really  free  agents.  He 
 justly  condemned  them,  inasmuch  as  with  'wicked  intent,  and 
 in  their  own  self-sufficiency,  they  trampled  upon  and  despised 
 the  Divine  command,  in  order  that  they  might  become  gods, 
 and  be  released  from  obedience  to  their  Creator,  after  the  advice 
 of  the  devil  who  deceived  them.  Because  of  this,  they  became 
 debtors  to  death,  and  fell  under  subjection  to  the  devil,  and  were 
 shorn  of  their  glory,  and  put  on  shame,  and  were  removed  from 
 the  companionship  of  angels,  and  became  mourners  in  a  land  of 
 curses.  Their  children  also,  because  they  walked  in  the  self- 
 same way  of  transgression,  bound  more  tightly  the  yoke  of  the 
 devil,  and  of  death,  on  their  necks,  and  these  forgat  their 
 Creator,  and  walked  after  their  own  hearts'  lust,  and  the  desires 
 of  their  own  minds,  and  nourished  iniquity,  and  strengthened 
 rebellion,—"  who,  being  past  feeling,  gave  themselves  over  unto 
 
390  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR   RITUALS. 
 
 lasciviousness,  to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness."  On 
 this  account  justice  woke  up,  and  led  Noah  and  his  family  into 
 the  ark,  which  the  Long-suffering  had  ordered  to  be  made  in  the 
 hope  of  their  repentance.  And  every  mortal  was  destroyed  by 
 the  flood,  and  the  earth  was  cleansed  from  their  wickedness. 
 And  thus  after  two  thousand  years,  more  or  less,  that  barbarous 
 dispensation  was  brought  to  an  end. 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 On  the  Divine  Laws  and  Ordinances,  and  of  the  Prophets. 
 
 When  Noah  went  forth  from  the  ark,  God  gave  him  ordinances 
 adapted  to  the  infancy  of  human  nature ;  but,  gradually,  as  his 
 race  increased,  they  forgat  these,  and  some  of  them  deemed  it 
 right  to  worship  the  images  of  those  whom  they  revered,  whilst 
 others  joined  in  a  ruinous  confederacy,  and  made  a  vain  counsel 
 that  they  would  build  a  tower  and  a  place  wherein  to  rebel 
 against  God  ;  so  that  in  case  of  another  flood  being  sent  in  His 
 anger,  it  might  serve  them  as  a  place  of  refuge ;  or  in  case  of 
 His  commanding  any  thing  contrary  to  their  will,  they  might 
 thereby  ascend  and  war  against  heaven.  And  after  that  God 
 had  confounded  their  tongues,  and  scattered  them  to  the  four 
 winds  of  heaven,  because  of  this,  they  added  idolatry  to  their 
 wickedness,  and  sacrificed  their  sons  and  their  daughters  to 
 devils,  and  served  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator.  God 
 then  chose  our  father  Abraham,  from  whose  seed  He  purposed 
 to  take  to  Himself  an  everlasting  temple,  gave  him  the  cove- 
 nant of  circumcision,  and  entered  into  a  compact  with  him,  and 
 in  him  began  the  way  of  the  fear  of  God  called  Hebrew.  After 
 this,  through  successive  generations,  God  raised  up  of  his  family 
 good  and  righteous  persons,  who  laboured  in  vain  to  make  men 
 return  unto  the  Lord.  Then  Moses,  the  head  of  the  Prophets, 
 was  chosen,  and  to  him  were  given  written  laws  and  ordinances, 
 such  as  were  not  vouchsafed  to  the  three  dispensations  which 
 preceded  him.  And  in  him  began  the  Jewish  dispensation, 
 which  like  a  child  who  has  not  yet  attained  to  perfect  know- 
 ledge, was  taught  to  read  in  the  old  law,  which  enjoined  that 
 
APPENDIX.  391 
 
 good  should  be  done  towards  relations,  and  towards  the  good, 
 and  evil  to  evil  doers  and  enemies.  It  moreover  represented 
 God  after  the  similitude  of  man,  with  bodily  members,  as  dwell- 
 ing at  Jerusalem,  as  abiding  on  Mount  Sion  and  among  the  con- 
 gregation of  Israel.  It  makes  no  mention  of  hell,  or  of  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven ;  but  it  threatens  the  transgressors  of  its 
 laws  with  corporal  punishments,  such  as  submission  to  enemies, 
 the  being  scattered  among  the  heathen,  with  drought,  famine, 
 poverty,  and  barrenness ;  whilst,  on  the  other  hand,  the  good 
 are  rewarded  with  eai'thly  and  temporal  rewards.  All  the  Pro- 
 phets who  succeeded  Moses  followed  and  confirmed  this  way, 
 and  for  it  they  submitted  to  every  species  of  trial  and  per- 
 secution. 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 Prophecies  concerning  Christ. 
 
 All  the  holy  Prophets  prophesied  of  Christ,  Who  was  to 
 bring  salvation  to  the  world,  and  to  create  all  things  new. 
 And,  in  order  not  to  lengthen  our  discourse,  we  shall  adduce 
 the  witness  of  six  of  the  greatest  among  them. 
 
 In  the  first  place  Israel,  the  father  of  the  Prophets  declared : 
 "  The  sceptre,"  that  is,  a  king,  "  shall  not  depart  from  Judah, 
 nor  a  lawgiver,"  that  is,  a  Prophet,  "from  between  his  feet, 
 until  He  shall  come  Whose  it  is,  and  Him  shall  the  nations  wait 
 for  j"  together  with  the  remaining  portion  of  the  chapter. 
 
 Moses  says  :  "  the  Lord  thy  God  will  raise  up  unto  thee 
 a  great  prophet  from  the  midst  of  thee,  of  thy  brethren,  like 
 unto  me ;  unto  Him  shall  ye  hearken  ....  and  whosoever 
 will  not  hearken  to  that  Prophet  shall  be  cut  ofi"  from  among 
 his  people."  The  deliverance  of  Israel,  moreover,  out  of  the 
 hand  of  Pharaoh,  was  a  type  of  the  redemption  of  all  from 
 under  the  power  of  the  chief  of  this  world.  The  manna,  also, 
 prefigured  the  mystery  of  our  Lord's  Body ;  the  water  from 
 the  rock,  the  drinking  of  His  Blood ;  and  the  brazen  serpent, 
 the  life-giving  Cross. 
 
 David  likewise  fully  prophesied  of  Christ  in  the  Psalm, 
 "  Why  do  the  heathen  rage  V  and  in  that  beginning  with  "  O 
 
393  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Lord  our  God,  how  glorious  is  Thy  Name  in  all  the  earth  V 
 and  in  that,  "  My  heart  is  inditing  of  a  good  matter  ;"  as  also 
 in  the  Psalm,  "  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  sit  Thou  on  My 
 right  hand." 
 
 Isaiah  prophesies  :  "  Behold  a  Virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bring 
 forth  a  Child,  and  they  shall  call  His  name  Emmanuel,  which 
 being  interpreted  is,  God  with  us,  and  His  name  shall  be 
 called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Prince  of 
 Peace,  the  Everlasting  Father."  And,  again :  "  He  was 
 wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  our  iniquities  ; 
 the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  Him ;"  to  the  end  of 
 the  chapter. 
 
 Zechariah  says :  "  Fear  not,  0  daughter  of  Sion,  behold  thy 
 King  Cometh  unto  thee,  lowly,  and  riding  upon  an  ass,  and  upon 
 a  colt  the  foal  of  an  ass.'^ 
 
 Daniel,  after  having  fixed  the  period  of  the  seventy  weeks 
 which  were  to  precede  His  appearance,  writes  :  "  Messiah  shall 
 be  cut  ofi",  and  shall  have  nothing ;  and  the  holy  city  shaU  be 
 destroyed,  and  the  sacrifice  and  oblation  shall  cease."  And, 
 again  :  "  I  beheld  till  the  thrones  were  placed,  and  the  Ancient 
 of  Days  did  sit  j  and  I  saw  one  like  the  Son  of  Man  come  with 
 the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the  Ancient  of  Days ;  and 
 there  was  given  to  Him  dominion  and  kingdom,  that  all  people, 
 nations,  and  languages,  should  serve  Him ;  for  His  dominion 
 shall  not  pass  away ;  and  His  kingdom  shall  not  be  destroyed." 
 Here  endeth  the  Second  Part. 
 
393 
 
 PART  III. 
 
 ON    THE    CHRISTIAN    DISPENSATION. 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 On  the  advent  of  Christ,  and  of  His  union  [of  the  divine  with  the 
 human  nature.^ 
 
 Justice  is  an  universal  benefit,,  since  whatsoever  man  would 
 have  others  do  to  him,  justice  demands  that  he  should  do  to 
 them ;  and  whatsoever  he  would  not  have  men  do  to  him,  let 
 him  not  do  the  same  to  them.  This  is  the  Law  and  the  Pro- 
 phets, as  saith  the  Saviour.  But  as  the  prophets  could  not 
 hereby  reduce  to  perfect  order  the  lives  of  men,  and  bring  them 
 to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  by  causing  them  to  forego  idols  and 
 follow  the  divine  commands,  in  order  that  they  might  be  saved, 
 there  remained  no  other  way  for  the  renewal  of  our  nature,  and 
 for  the  reformation  of  our  lives,  but  that  God  should  appear  in 
 the  world.  Like  a  sovereign,  who  having  sent  many  messengers 
 to  dispense  the  affairs  of  his  kingdom,  and  to  put  in  order  those 
 whom  he  would  reconcile,  if  these  should  be  overcome  because 
 of  their  weakness,  and  be  unable  to  effect  any  thing,  he  goes 
 in  person  to  put  those  of  that  country  in  order.  But  since  God 
 is  invisible,  and  because  were  it  possible  for  Him  to  appear  to  the 
 created  as  He  is,  all  men  would  be  destroyed  by  the  effulgence 
 of  His  brightness  ;  therefore  He  took  to  Himself  a  man  for  His 
 habitation,  and  made  him  His  temple,  and  the  place  of  His 
 abiding,  and  thus  united  an  offspring  of  mortal  nature  to  His 
 Divinity,  in  an  everlasting,  indissoluble  union,  and  made  it  a 
 co-partaker  of  His  sovereignty,  authority,  and  dominion. — That 
 is,  the  Divine  Essence  enlightened  the  human  nature  by  its 
 union  therewith,  as  the  pure  and  faultless  jewel  is  enlightened 
 
394  THE    NESTORIANS   AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 by  the  rays  of  the  sun  falling  upon  it,  causing  the  nature  of  that 
 which  is  enlightened  to  be  like  the  nature  of  that  which  en- 
 lightened it,  and  causing  the  sight  to  be  affected  by  the  rays 
 and  brightness  pertaining  to  the  nature  of  that  which  received, 
 as  it  is  by  the  nature  of  that  which  communicated,  the  light,  no 
 change  whatever  taking  place  in  the  agent  by  his  action  on  that 
 which  was  acted  upon.  And,  again,  just  as  speech  hidden  in 
 the  soul  is  united  to  written  discourse  by  the  consent  of  the 
 mind,  and  is  transmitted  from  one  spot  to  another  without  itself 
 moving,  from  its  place, — so  the  Word  of  the  Father  united 
 with  the  man  of  us,  through  the  mind,  and  came  into  this  our 
 world,  without,  in  His  self- existence,  leaving  the  Father  : — 
 "  The  Word  became  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us."  A  devout  and 
 pious  man  laboured  for  many  years  in  prayer  to  God,  that  He 
 would  disclose  to  him  the  meaning  of  this  declaration.  A  voice 
 from  heaven  was  at  length  vouchsafed  to  him,  saying  :  "  Ascribe 
 to  the  flesh  the  word  '  became,'  and  to  the  '  Word '  ascribe  'dwelt 
 among  us.'  "     Such  was  the  answer. 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 On  the  life  and  actions  of  Christ. 
 
 When  the  angel  saluted  the  Blessed  Virgin,  saying:  ''the 
 Lord  be  with  thee  ;  blessed  art  thou  among  women  j"  God  the 
 Word,  beyond  all  doubt,  united  Himself  at  that  moment  with 
 that  which  He  formed  simultaneously,  and  without  human  seed, 
 in  the  womb  of  the  Holy  Virgin,  and  to  which  He  gave  the 
 name  of  the  "  Highest ;"  at  whose  birth,  also.  He  wrought 
 miracles,  and  diffused  joy  over  the  whole  world,  and  endued  It 
 with  perfect  wisdom,  grace  and  stature.  And  when  He  had 
 attained  the  age  of  thirty  years,  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  Tiberius 
 Caesar,  and  the  three  hundred  and  forty-first  of  Alexander,  He 
 presented  Himself  to  the  baptism  of  John.  Not  that  His  purity 
 needed  a  baptism  of  water ;  but  in  order  that  He  might  become 
 a  pattern  and  example  to  us  in  every  thing.  He  was  baptized, 
 and  He  commanded  that  we  should  be  baptized.  He  fasted, 
 and  directed  us  to  fast.  He  prayed  and  taught  us  to  pray.  He 
 humbled  Himself,  and  instructed  us  to  be  humble.     He  was 
 
APPENDIX.  395 
 
 lowly  in  the  exercise  of  every  virtue,  and  enjoined  us  to  be 
 lowly. — "  Whosoever  shall  do  and  teach  these  things,  shall  be 
 called  great  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
 
 And  after  having  wrought  signs  and  wonders  in  the  land  of 
 Judah,  such  as,  the  healing  of  the  sick,  the  raising  of  the  dead, 
 the  opening  of  the  blind  eyes,  the  making  the  lame  to  walk, 
 casting  out  devils,  and  revealing  hidden  mysteries.  He  drew 
 near  to  the  time  when  He  was  to  pay  the  debt  of  the  first 
 Adam^s  transgression,  and  to  cancel  the  writing  of  condemna- 
 tion against  his  race,  and  to  reveal,  by  an  example,  the  mystery 
 of  the  general  resurrection.  He  suffered,  and  was  crucified 
 under  Pontius  Pilate,  He  died,  and  was  buried,  and  rose  again 
 on  the  third  day,  as  it  is  written.  After  His  resurrection.  He 
 appeared  to  His  disciples  through  many  signs  during  the  space 
 of  forty  days,  saying  unto  them  :  "  All  power  is  given  unto  Me 
 in  heaven  and  on  earth.  As  My  Father,  hath  sent  Me,  even 
 so  send  I  you.  Go  and  disciple  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in 
 the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  teaching  them  to  observe  all  that  I  have  commanded 
 you;  and,  behold,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of 
 the  world.  Amen."  "  And  He  brought  them  out  to  Bethany,  and 
 lifted  up  His  hands  and  blessed  them  ;  and,  as  He  blessed  them. 
 He  separated  from  them,  and  ascended  up  to  heaven,  and  sat  on 
 the  right  hand  of  God.  Then  the  disciples  went  forth  and 
 preached  in  every  place,  the  Lord  helping  them,  and  confirming 
 their  words  by  the  miracles  which  they  wrought."  This  is  the 
 origin  of  Christianity  ;  its  truth  we  shall  establish  in  the  follow- 
 ing chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 On  the  truth  of  Christianity. 
 
 Christianity  is  the  belief  in  One  Divine  Essence,  in  Three 
 Persons,  and  the  confession  of  Christ  as  has  already  been  ex- 
 plained, and  the  belief  in  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  a  judg- 
 ment to  come,  and  a  new  and  eternal  life,  all  which  articles  of 
 faith  are  spiritual  and  unworldly.  For  the  rational  soul  has  a 
 threefold  power,  lust,  anger,  and  discriminating  judgment,  from 
 
395  THE    NESTOaiANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 the  excess  or  the  want  of  a  due  proportion  of  which,  evil  acts 
 and  follies  proceed,  and  from  the  harmony  of  which  proceed  vir- 
 tues. Our  Gospel,  however,  inculcates  with  regard  to  each  of 
 these  what  is  superior  to  nature.  Thus,  with  regard  to  lust, 
 Christ  saith  :  "  Whosoever  shall  look  upon  a  woman  to  lust  after 
 her,  hath  committed  adultery  already  in  his  heart."  Again : 
 "  Be  ye  like  the  birds  of  heaven,  and  like  the  flowers  of  the  field/' 
 And,  again  :  "  Take  no  thought  for  the  morrow."  Of  anger. 
 He  saith  :  "  Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  and 
 do  good  to  them  that  despitefuUy  use  you."  Of  discriminating 
 judgment ;  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  life  everlasting,  and 
 everlasting  life  is  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  : — "  This  is  eternal 
 life,  to  know  Thee  the  Only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom 
 Thou  hast  sent."  "What  exalted  doctrine  is  this  !  and  what 
 truth  can  be  superior  to  this,  or  more  certain  ? 
 
 The  truth  of  Christianity  is  indicated  by  this  also,  that  hke 
 philosophy,  it  is  divided  into  theory  and  practice.  The  end  of 
 its  theory  is  truth,  as  we  have  already  shown,  and  shall  yet  fur- 
 ther show ;  and  the  end  of  its  practice  is  virtue,  as  we  proved 
 by  what  we  said  of  the  powers  of  the  soul,  in  regard  of  which  it 
 demands  purity  of  thought,  and  the  sanctification  of  the  spirit, 
 and  enjoins  good  to  be  done  to  evil-doers,  the  love  of  our  enemies, 
 and  that  we  should  bless  those  who  curse  us. 
 
 The  truth  of  the  Christian  religion  is  still  further  established 
 by  the  credibility  of  those  who  preached  it, — who  preached  and 
 wrote  of  Christ, — men,  who  without  exercising  any  compul- 
 sion, and  without  holding  out  any  lure,  were  received  by  people 
 of  various  tongues,  by  kings,  sages,  and  philosophers ;  for  who- 
 soever abandons  the  religion  of  his  forefathers,  and  follows  him 
 who  calls  him  to  embrace  another,  must  do  so  either  from  fear, 
 or  because  of  the  allurement  held  out  to  him,  or  he  is  led  by  the 
 supernatural  signs  and  wonders  by  which  it  is  attested.  But 
 the  blessed  Apostles  had  neither  weapons  nor  soldiery  to 
 terrify  any  ;  neither  had  they  possessions  or  riches  wherewith  to 
 allure ;  it  results,  then,  that  the  world  bowed  to  listen  to  them 
 on  account  of  the  supernatural  signs  and  wonders  which  they 
 wrought.  But  God  does  not  work  miracles  by  the  hands  of 
 false  men,  lest  they  should  cause  His  servants  to  err,  and  cor- 
 rupt the  work  of  His  hands.     The  Apostles,  therefore,  were  true 
 
APPENDIX.  397 
 
 and  not  false  men ;  and  if  they  were  true,  those  things  which 
 we  confess  of  Christ,  and  which  we  have  received  from  their 
 preaching  and  writings,  the  Christian  Church  holds  to  be  true, 
 because  those  who  delivered  them  were  true. 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 On  the  different  Sects. 
 
 When  the  light  of  Christ's  brightness,  shed  abroad  by  these 
 preachers,  had  scattered  the  darkness  of  error  from  the  face  of 
 the  world,  idolatry  ceased,  and  the  worship  of  pictures  and 
 molten  images  passed  away,  and  the  earth  was  cleansed  from 
 the  abomination  of  sacrifices  and  unclean  rites,  and  the  inhabi- 
 tants of  the  world  learned  goodness,  holiness,  humility,  and 
 gentleness,  and  the  earth  was  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord 
 as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.  This  filled  Satan  with  envy  and 
 rage,  and  he  forthwith  proceeded  to  act  towards  us  as  he  had 
 acted  towards  Adam  ;  so  that  after  the  Apostles,  and  their  dis- 
 ciples, and  their  immediate  successors,  had  slept.  Christians 
 rose  up  against  each  other,  and  divisions  and  controversies 
 sprung  up  among  them,  and  heresies  without  number  increased 
 in  the  Church  of  Christ,  until  they  went  so  far  as  to  compass 
 each  other's  destruction,  and  regarded  each  other  as  infidels  de- 
 serving of  death.  How  many  false  doctrines  were  rife,  and  how 
 many  crimes  were  perpetrated  in  those  days,  we  learn  from  the 
 histories  of  Mar  Eusebius.  On  account  of  these  things,  the  (Ecu- 
 menical Council  of  the  318  was  convened,  by  order  of  the  good 
 and  CHRiST-loving  Emperor  and  Saint  Constantine,  in  the  year 
 of  Alexander  636,  and  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  and  by  proofs 
 adduced  from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  they  decreed,  interpreted, 
 enlightened,  disclosed,  manifested,  and  confirmed,  the  orthodox 
 faith ;  and  by  strong  argument,  and  with  words  of  sound  doc- 
 trine, they  condemned  all  the  heresiarchs,  excommunicated  and 
 cut  them  off  from  the  body  of  Christ,  as  being  diseased  mem- 
 bers not  susceptible  of  cure.  And  thus  the  Catholic  Church 
 was  purified  from  every  stain  of  vain  worship  and  false  doctrine, 
 and  all  the  world,  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  to  the  going  down 
 of  the  same,  was  of  one  mind,  and  of  one  Church. 
 
398  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 About  one  hundred  years  after  this  a  dispute  arose  between 
 Cyril  Patriarch  of  Alexandria,  and  Mar  Nestorius  Patriarch  of 
 Byzantium,  respecting  the  Incarnate  Word.     In  the  confession 
 of  the  Trinity  all  Christians  agree,  for  all  receive  the  Nicene 
 Creed,  which  creed  confesses  that  the  Trinity  is  co-equal  in 
 essence,  dignity,  power  and  will;  and  all  confess  of  Christ 
 that  He  is  perfect  God  and  perfect  Man,  being  fully  persuaded 
 thereof  by  the  declarations  of  the  Gospels,  of  Saint  Paul,  and  of 
 the  318  Fathers.     The  dispute  which  now  arose  respected  the 
 manner  of  the  Union,  and  the  words  used  to  express  it.     Cyril 
 maintained  that  we  ought  to  call  the  Virgin  "  Mother  of  God," 
 and  wrote  twelve  Sentences  excommunicating  all  who   should, 
 in  any  way,  draw   a    distinction    between    the    divinity    and 
 humanity  of  Christ  after   the  union.     Nestorius  replied    to 
 these  Sentences,  and  showed  that  they  were  erroneous,  and  with 
 respect  to  the  appellation  "  Mother  of  God,'^  he  argued  that  it 
 did  not  exist  either  in  the  writings  of  the  Prophets  or  Apostles. 
 The  Prophets  prophesied  of  Christ  to  come,  and  the  Apostles 
 preached  of  that  same  Christ,  predicted  by  the  Prophets  as 
 coming  into  the  world,  that  this  was  He  Who  was  born  of 
 Mary.     Now,  were  we  to  use  the  expression  "  Mother  of  Man ' 
 only,  we  should  be  like    Paul  of  Samosata,  and  Photinus  of 
 Galatia,  who  said  of  our  Lord  tliat  He  was  but  a  mere  man 
 like  one  of  the  prophets,  and  on  this  account  they  were  excom- 
 municated ;  so  if  we  use  the  bare  expression  "  Mother  of  God," 
 we  become  like  Simon  and  Menander,  who  say  that  God  did 
 not  take  a  body  from  Mary ;  but  that  His  life  and  actions  were 
 in  appearance  only  and  not  real,  and  on  that  account  they  also 
 were  excommunicated.     But  we  call  the  Virgin  "  Mother  of 
 Christ,"  the  name  used  by  Prophets  and  Apostles,  and  which 
 denotes  the  union  generally.     Cyril,  in  the  Sentences  which  he 
 drew  up,  and  in  which  he  excommunicated  all  who  shall  dis- 
 tinguish between  the  divinity  and  humanity  of  Christ,  virtually 
 excommunicates  the  Holy  Scriptures,    since  the  Apostles  and 
 Prophets  do  distinguish  between  the  natures  of  the  Person  re- 
 specting Whom  the  dispute  is,  and  from  these  the  holy  Fathers 
 learnt  to  confess  of  Christ,  that  He  is  perfect  God  and  perfect 
 Man,  the  Likeness  of  God  and  the  likeness  of  a  servant,  the 
 Son  of  David  and  the  Son  of  the  Highest,  flesh  and  Word. 
 
APPENDIX.  399 
 
 From  this  time  commenced  the  division  of  the  Church ;  some 
 followed  Nestorius,  whilst  others  went  after  Cyril,  both  parties 
 mutually  anathematizing  each  other ;  from  which  resulted  sects, 
 and  the  slaughter,  exile,  imprisonment,  and  persecution  of  the 
 Fathers,  such  as  had  never  been  before,  as  is  fully  recorded  in 
 the  histories  of  Irenseus,  Bishop  of  Tyre.  After  this,  tumult 
 and  discord  went  on  increasing  until  the  zealous  and  Christ- 
 loving  Marcian  undertook  to  convene  the  great  Council  of  the 
 633  in  the  town  of  Chalcedon,  and  commanded  that  both  parties 
 should  be  examined  and  judged,  and  that  whosoever  did  not 
 follow  the  truth  and  faith  as  declared  by  this  Council  should  be 
 expelled  the  Church,  in  order  that  the  Church  might  be  united 
 in  one  perfect  agreement.  This  Council  confirmed  the  confes- 
 sion, that  there  are  two  natures  in  Christ,  distinct  in  the 
 attributes  of  each,  and  also  two  wills,  and  anathematized  all  who 
 should  speak  of  mixture,  which  destroys  the  two  natures.  But 
 because  in  Greek  there  is  no  difference  between  the  meaning  of 
 the  word  Person  and  Parsopa,  they  confessed  but  one  Person  in 
 Christ.  And  when  the  party  of  Cyril  was  not  satisfied  with 
 the  expression  "two  Natures,'-*  and  the  party  of  Nestorius  with 
 the  expression  "  one  Person,'^  an  imperial  edict  was  issued  de- 
 claring all  who  did  not  consent  to  this  doctrine  degraded  from 
 their  dignity.  Some  were  made  to  submit  through  compulsion  ; 
 but  the  remainder  maintained  their  own  opinions. 
 
 Christianity  thus  became  divided  into  three  sects :  the  first 
 confessing  One  Nature  and  One  Person  in  Christ,  which  doc- 
 trine is  held  by  the  Copts,  Egyptians,  and  Abyssinians,  after 
 the  tradition  of  Cyril  their  Patriarch ;  and  this  is  called  the 
 Jacobite  sect,  from  a  certain  Syrian  doctor  called  Jacob,  who 
 laboured  zealously  to  spread  the  doctrines  of  Cyril  among  the 
 Syrians  and  Armenians. 
 
 The  second  sect  are  those  who  confess  the  doctrine  of  two 
 natures  and  one  Person  in  Christ,  and  these  are  called  "  Mel- 
 chites,"  because  it  was  imposed  forcibly  by  the  king.  This  is 
 the  doctrine  which  is  received  by  the  Eomans  called  Pranks, 
 and  by  the  Constantinopolitans  who  are  Greeks,  and  by  all  the 
 people  of  the  West,  such  as  the  Russians,  Alani,  Circassians, 
 Assa'i,  [?]  Georgians,  and  their  neighbours.  But  the  Franks 
 differ  from  the  rest  of  these   in  maintaining  that  the  Holy 
 
400  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Spirit  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  in  their 
 use  of  unleavened  bread  in  the  Lord's  Supper.  These  two 
 sects  accepted  the  appellation  "  Mother  of  God  ;"  but  the 
 Jacobites  have  added  to  the  cnnon  :  "  Holy  God/'  &c.  "Who 
 wast  crucified  for  us," 
 
 The  third  sect  which  confesses  two  Natures  and  two  Persons 
 in  Christ  is  called  the  sect  of  the  Nestorians.  As  to  the 
 Easterns,  however,  because  they  never  changed  their  faith,  but 
 kept  it  as  they  received  it  from  the  Apostles,  they  were  unjustly 
 styled  "  Nestorians,"  since  Nestorius  was  not  their  Patriarch, 
 neither  did  they  understand  his  language;  but  when  they 
 heard  that  he  taught  the  doctrine  of  the  two  Natures  and  two 
 Persons,  one  Son  of  God,  one  Christ,  and  that  he  confessed 
 the  orthodox  faith,  they  bore  witness  to  him,  because  they 
 themselves  held  the  same  faith.  Nestorius,  then,  followed 
 them,  and  not  they  him,  and  that  more  especially  in  the  matter 
 of  the  appellation  "  Mother  of  Christ."  Therefore  when  called 
 upon  to  excommunicate  him,  they  refused,  maintaining  that 
 their  excommunication  of  Nestorius  would  be  equivalent  to  their 
 excommunication  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  and  the  holy  Apostles, 
 from  which  they  received  what  they  professed,  and  for  which 
 we  are  censured  together  with  Nestorius,  as  shall  appear  in  the 
 following  chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 Refutation  of  the  foregoing  Creeds. 
 
 After  having  carefully  distinguished  the  above  Creeds,  we 
 shall  now  briefly  refute  two  of  them. 
 
 First :  If  it  is  right  to  believe  that  there  is  but  one  nature 
 and  one  Person  in  Christ  after  the  union,  either  the  human 
 nature  and  person  are  destroyed  through  the  union ; — here  is 
 destruction,  not  salvation.  Or,  the  Divine  Nature  and  Person 
 are  destroyed ; — a  monstrous  profanity.  Or,  the  two  natures 
 and  two  persons  were  mingled  and  confounded  together  j — be- 
 hold hence  a  corruption  !  neither  divinity  nor  humanity  any 
 longer  existing.     Mar  Yohanan  bar  Pinkhaye  adduced  the  name 
 
APPENDIX.  401 
 
 of  Christ,  written  with  black  and  red  ink,  by  way  of  illustrat- 
 ing this  confused  union  which  the  Jacobites  believe,  and  the 
 union  of  adherence  which  we  believe;  thus,  CHRIST, 
 behold  corruption !  behold  confusion !  Is  it  red  ink  ?  It 
 is  not.  Is  it  black  ink?  It  is  not.  Now  look  at  this 
 CHRIST  behold  beauty!  behold  light!  Is  it  black 
 ink  ?     It  is.     Is  it  red  ink?     It  is. 
 
 Secondly :  The  Divine  Nature  and  Person,  before  and  after 
 the  union,  is  an  eternal,  uncompounded  Spirit.  But  the  human 
 nature  and  person  is  a  temporal  and  compound  body.  Now,  if 
 the  union  destroys  the  attributes  which  distinguish  the  natures 
 and  persons  in  Christ,  either  the  one  or  the  other  of  these  be- 
 comes a  nonentity,  or  they  become  a  thing  which  is  neither 
 God  nor  man.  But  if  the  union  does  not  destroy  the  attributes 
 which  distinguish  the  natures  and  persons  in  Christ  ;  then 
 Christ  must  exist  in  two  natures  and  two  persons,  which 
 united  in  the  Parsopa  of  the  Filiation. 
 
 Thirdly,  the  Gospel  declares,  that  the  infant  Christ  "in- 
 creased in  stature,  and  in  wisdom,  and  in  favour  with  God  and 
 man."  And  the  Apostle  Peter  says  :  "  Jesus,  a  Man  of  God, 
 approved  among  you  by  miracles,  and  wonders,  and  signs,  which 
 God  did  by  Him  in  the  midst  of  you."  And,  again,  S.  Paul, 
 the  master-builder  of  the  Church  testifies,  that  "  there  is  one 
 God,  and  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  the  Man  Christ 
 Jesus."  These  three  quotations  most  clearly  affirm  of  Christ, 
 after  the  union,  that  He  existed  in  two  natures  and  two  persons, 
 and  whosoever  shall  dispute  these  testimonies  is  far  removed 
 from  all  truth. 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 On  the  title  "  Mother  of  God." 
 
 First :  If  the  Virgin  is  the  "  Mother  of  God,"  and  we  under- 
 stand by  the  word  "God,"  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  ; 
 then  she  brought  forth  the  Trinity,  and  not  the  one  only  Son. 
 
 Secondly  :  If  the  Virgin  is  the  "  Mother  of  God,"  and  if  He 
 whom  she  brought  forth  suffered,  died,  and  was  buried,  as  the 
 
 VOL.   II.  D  D 
 
403  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 four  Evangelists  testify,  either  ye  hold  that  He  died  in  reality, 
 (and  he  who  really  dies  has  no  power  whatever  to  revivify  others 
 or  himself,  but  must  remain  in  death  for  ever,)  and  thus  ye  de- 
 clare false  the  saying  that  He  rose  again  :  Or,  ye  hold  that  He 
 died  in  appearance  only,  and  in  the  same  way  rose  again,  (in 
 which  case  He  could  not  have  arisen  in  reality,  seeing  that  He 
 did  not  die  in  reality  ;)  then  the  hope  of  the  resurrection  is  vain, 
 since  hereby  the  saying  that  "  He  hath  raised  us  up  with 
 Christ  "  is  made  void. 
 
 Thirdly  :  If  Mary  is  the  "  Mother  of  God,''  and  Peter  testi- 
 fieth  of  Him  whom  she  brought  forth,  saying :  "  Thou  art  the 
 Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Living  God;"  then,  according  to  you, 
 she  is  not  the  Mother  of  Christ,- but  the  mother  of  His  Father, 
 and  Christ  is  her  grandson,  not  her  Son,  and  she  is  the  mother 
 of  His  Father.     Where,  then,  is  the  mother  of  Christ  ? 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 Of  four  Persons. 
 
 First.  If  by  our  confession  of  Two  Persons  in  Christ  there 
 result  four  Persons  in  the  Trinity ;  then,  by  your  confession  of 
 two  natures  in  Christ  there  must  equally  result  two  natures  in 
 the  Deity. 
 
 Secondly.  If  the  Trinity,  as  is  admitted  by  all,  is  eternal 
 and  uncompounded,  and  the  human  person  temporal  and  com- 
 pound, how  can  this,  in  any  way,  be  considered  as  a  fourth 
 person  to  That  ? 
 
 Thirdly.  If  yve  maintained  two  Sons  in  Christ,  this  charge 
 might  justly  be  brought  against  us ;  because  the  Father  and 
 the  Spirit,  with  these  two  Sons,  would  make  four  persons. 
 But  seeing  that  we  confess  but  one  Son,  one  Christ,  one  Par- 
 sopa,  we  have  no  fear  of  being  guilty  of  blasphemy. 
 
 CHAPTER     VIII. 
 Of  the  Church. 
 
 The  term  "  Church  "  imports  a  congregation,  and  an  assembly 
 met  tosrether  to  unite  in  acts  of  celebration.     It  is  a  model  of 
 
APPENDIX.  403 
 
 things  above ;  for  as  the  nine  orders  which  minister  to  the  Most 
 High  are  divided  into  three  degrees,  just  so  the  Church,  The 
 Patriarchs,  Metropolitans,  and  Bishops,  occupy  the  place  of  the 
 Cherubim,  Seraphim,  and  Thrones ;  the  Archdeacons,  Deans, 
 and  Presbyters,  the  place  of  the  Dominions,  Virtues,  and  Powers ; 
 the  Deacons,  Subdeacons,  and  Readers,  the  place  of  the  Princi- 
 palities, Archangels,  and  Angels.  The  name  "  Church,"  as  we 
 have  said,  has  this  signification ;  for  Christ  does  not  call  material 
 foundations  and  stones  "  a  Church,"  but  the  congregation  which 
 believes  in  Him.  The  nave  and  the  altar  are  called  the  Church 
 metaphorically,  just  as  the  people  of  a  city  are  called  by  the 
 name  of  the  city,  as  when  it  is  said :  "  all  the  city  went  out  to 
 meet  Jesus."  And  just  as  the  city  itself  is  often  called  by  the 
 name  of  the  city,  as  when  it  is  said ;  "  He  entered  into  the 
 city." 
 
 VOL.  Ilr  B  B 
 
404  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 PAET  IV. 
 
 OF    THE    CHURCH    SACRAMENTS. 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 On  the  number  of  the  Church  Sacraments. 
 
 The  Sacraments  of  the  Churchy  according  to  the  Divine  Scrip- 
 tures^ are  seven  in  number;  1.  The  Priesthood^  which  is  the 
 ministry  of  all  the  other  Sacraments.  2.  Holy  Baptism.  3. 
 The  Oil  of  Unction.  4.  The  Oblation  of  the  Body  and  Blood 
 of  Christ.  5.  Absolution.  6.  The  Holy  Leaven.  7.  The 
 sign  of  the  life-giving  Cross.  These  are  necessary  because  of 
 the  wants  of  man  in  this  carnal  world. 
 
 In  order  for  a  man  to  be,  and  to  exist  in  the  world,  he  must 
 be  born  of  a  carnal  mother  through  a  carnal  father,  though  the 
 figure  and  perfection  of  man  come  from  the  Father  of  Lights. 
 In  like  manner,  in  order  to  belong  to  a  world  of  immortality, 
 it  is  requisite  to  be  born  of  the  spiritual  womb  of  baptism, 
 through  the  spiritual  father,  the  priest,  notwithstanding  that 
 form  and  perfection  are  imparted  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  by 
 the  power  of  The  Highest. 
 
 Further,  it  is  requisite  for  every  one  belonging  to  this  world 
 to  sustain  his  temporal  life  by  temporal  food,  and  earthly  drink. 
 So,  in  like  manner,  spiritual  meat  and  divine  drink  are  a  means 
 to  him  who  is  baptized  for  sustaining  his  eternal  life  in  God. 
 
 Again,  as  every  one  who  is  in  the  body,  through  the  changes 
 of  the  times,  and  bad  living,  is  subject  to  sickness  and  disease, 
 and  is  in  need  of  physicians  who  will  restore  him  to  his  former 
 health  if  he  follow  their  injunctions;  so  the  man  of  God, 
 through  the  efifects  of  sin,  and  immoral  living,  falls  into  the 
 
APPENDIX.  405 
 
 disorders  of  iniquity^  and  receives  health  from  the  priests  of  the 
 Church,  the  spiritual  physicians,  if  he  orders  himself  after  their 
 directions. 
 
 The  Oil  of  Unction  is  used  in  the  birth  which  is  by  baptism, 
 and  the  Holy  Leaven  is  used  in  the  spiritual  food  of  the  Body  of 
 Christ.  The  Sign  of  the  life-giving  Cross  is  that  by  which 
 Christians  are  ever  kept,  and  by  it  all  the  other  Sacraments  are 
 sealed  and  perfected. 
 
 But  some  Christians  who  possess  not  the  Leaven  reckon 
 Marriage,  according  to  Christ's  ordinance,  (whereby  in  the 
 place  of  a  mortal  deceased  another  is  raised  up,)  the  seventh 
 Sacrament. 
 
 Should  any  from  without  inquire  what  constitutes  the  holi- 
 ness and  sacramental  nature  of  each  of  these  Seven  Sacraments, 
 we  reply  that  these  three  things  sanctify  them  :  First,  a  true 
 priest,  who  has  attained  the  priesthood  rightly,  according  to  the 
 requirements  of  the  Church.  Secondly,  the  word  and  com- 
 mand of  the  Lord  of  Sacraments,  whereby  He  ordained  each  of 
 them.  Thirdly,  right  intention  and  confirmed  faith  on  the  part 
 of  those  who  partake  of  them,  believing  that  the  effect  of  the 
 Sacraments  takes  place  by  a  heavenly  power. 
 
 We  shall  now  treat  briefly  of  each  of  the  Sacraments  separately. 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 Of  the  Priesthood. 
 
 The  Priesthood  is  the  ministry  of  mediation  between  God 
 and  man  in  those  things  which  impart  forgiveness  of  sins,  convey 
 blessings,  and  put  away  wrath.  It  is  divided  into  imperfect,  as 
 was  that  of  the  law ;  and  perfect,  as  is  that  of  the  Church. 
 
 The  foundation  of  the  Priesthood  in  the  Church  is  laid  on  that 
 declaration  of  the  Lord  of  the  Priesthood  to  S.  Peter,  in  the 
 town  of  Csesarea  Philippi :  "  To  thee  I  give  the  keys  of  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven ;  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall 
 be  bound  in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth, 
 shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."  Its  superstructure  comes  from  that 
 other  injunction  :  "  Feed  My  lambs.  Feed  My  sheep.  Feed  My 
 sheep."     Its  ornament  and  perfection  from  Christ's  breathing 
 
 E  E  3 
 
406  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEJR    RITUALS. 
 
 on  the  Apostles  when  He  said  :  "  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost  ; 
 whosesoever  sins  ye  remits  they  are  remitted ;  and  whosesoever 
 sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained." 
 
 The  old  Priesthood  was  one  of  generation,  was  not  irrespective 
 of  family,  and  did  not  depend  upon  the  will  of  those  who  suc- 
 ceeded to  it.  But  the  new  Priesthood  handed  down  from  the 
 Apostles,  and  imparted  in  the  Church  through  the  laying  on  of 
 hands,  is  committed  to  those  who  are  deemed  worthy  of  it 
 after  examination  had  of  their  life  and  conversation. — "Let 
 these  be  first  proved,  and  then  let  them  minister  being  found 
 blameless."  Therefore  the  perfection  of  this  and  the  imperfec- 
 tion of  that  Priesthood  is  evident,  since  we  know  that  very  many 
 wicked  children  are  begotten  to  righteous  fathers,  as  Cain,  Ham, 
 and  the  children  of  Lot,  of  Moses,  Eli,  and  others ;  and  good 
 children  are  begotten  of  wicked  fathers,  as  Melchizedek,  [?] 
 Abraham,  and  others.  Moreover,  the  former  Priesthood  was 
 conferred  by  material  oil ;  but  this  latter  by  the  immaterial 
 unction  of  the  Spirit,  through  the  laying  on  of  hands. 
 
 As  to  the  matter  of  the  rules  whereby  he  who  desires  the 
 priesthood  is  to  be  tried,  whether  he  be  worthy  or  not,  let  him 
 who  wishes  to  know  this  attend  to  the  words  of  S.  Paul,  the 
 tongue  of  the  Spirit:  "If  a  man  desire  the  presbyterate  he 
 desireth  a  good  work.  A  Presbyter,  then,  must  be  blameless, 
 the  husband  of  one  wife,  vigilant,  sober,  of  good  behaviour,  given 
 to  hospitahty,  apt  to  teach ;  not  given  to  wine,  no  striker,  not 
 greedy  of  filthy  lucre,  but  patient,  not  a  brawler,  not  covetous ; 
 one  that  ruleth  well  his  own  house,  having  his  children  in  sub- 
 jection with  all  gravity ;  (for  if  a  man  know  not  how  to  rule  his 
 own  house,  how  shall  he  take  care  of  the  Church  of  God  ?)  not 
 a  novice,  lest  being  lifted  up  with  pride  he  fall  into  the  condem- 
 nation of  the  devil.  Moreover  he  must  have  a  good  report  of 
 them  which  are  without  -,  lest  he  fall  into  reproach,  and  the 
 snare  of  the  devil.  Likewise  must  the  deacons  be  grave,  not 
 double-tongued,  not  given  to  much  wine,  not  greedy  of  filthy 
 lucre;  holding  the  mystery  of  the  faith  in  a  pure  conscience. 
 And  let  these,"  that  is,  all  the  degrees  of  the  priesthood,  "  be 
 first  proved,  and  then  let  them  use  the  office  of  a  minister  being 
 found  blameless/^ 
 
APPENDIX.  407 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 Of  Baptism. 
 
 Baptism  is  tlie  immersion  in  and  the  washing  with  water^  and 
 of  this  there  are  five  kinds  :  1.  The  washing  off  of  the  filth  of 
 the  body^  as  is  commonly  done  by  all  men.  2.  The  legal  wash- 
 ings, whereby  it  was  believed  that  purity  towards  God  from  all 
 carnal  uncleanness  was  attained.  3.  Those  of  the  traditions  of 
 the  elders,  such  as  "the  washing  of  cups,  and  pots,  brazen 
 vessels,  and  tables,^^  and  as  "  when  they  come  from  the  market, 
 except  they  wash,  they  eat  not.'^  4.  The  baptism  of  John, 
 whereby  he  preached  only  repentance  and  the  forgiveness  of 
 sins.  5.  The  baptism  of  our  Saviour,  which  is  received, 
 through  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  the  gift  of  adoption,  for  the 
 resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  for  everlasting  life;  which  is 
 "  the  circumcision  made  without  hands,  in  putting  off  the  body 
 of  the  sins  of  the  flesh  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ."  For 
 as  the  circumcision  of  the  flesh  was  given  for  a  sign  denoting 
 those  who  were  of  the  family  of  Israel  of  old  according  to  the 
 flesh  ;  so  the  baptism  of  Christ  is  a  sign  of  spiritual  relation- 
 ship to  the  new  Israel,  viz.,  those  who  are  the  called,  and  the 
 children  of  God.  "  Those  who  received  Him,  to  them  gave 
 He  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God." 
 
 The  matte?'  of  Baptism  is  pure  water.  "  Except  a  man  be 
 born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  king- 
 dom of  God."  The  form,  baptism  "in  the  Name  of  the 
 Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,"  according  to  the  words  of 
 the  Saviour. 
 
 There  is  also  a  Sixth  Baptism,  that  of  blood,  as  our  Lord  has 
 noticed :  "  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with,  and  how  am  I 
 straitened  until  it  is  accomplished."  Also  a  Seventh  Baptism, 
 of  tears,  after  the  saying  of  the  Fathers.  These  two  are  allied 
 to  the  Fifth,  which  is  an  emblem  of  death  and  the  resurrection. 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 Of  the  Oil  of  Unction. 
 
 The  Oil  of  Unction  is  an  apostolical  tradition,  and  there  is 
 
408  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS, 
 
 still  kept  up  in  the  Churcli  of  God  a  succession  of  that  which 
 was  consecrated  by  the  Apostles.  The  end  of  its  use  we  learn 
 from  its  own  physical  properties,  and  from  the  sacred  Scriptures, 
 The  Bible  instructs  us  that,  according  to  the  Law,  such  as  were 
 set  apart  for  the  typical  priesthood,  or  for  earthly  sovereignty, 
 were  anointed  with  the  oil  of  unction.  And  in  like  manner  with 
 us :  such  as  are  separated  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  to  the 
 true  priesthood,  must  be  anointed  with  this  same  manifoldly 
 symbolical  unction,  in  order  that  they  may  be  truly  anointed 
 ones  and  brethren  of  Christ,  Who  by  His  union  with  God  is 
 truly  and  supernaturally  anointed.  "  Therefore  hath  the  Lord 
 Thy  God  anointed  Thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  Thy 
 fellows.^'  He  is  the  Anointer  and  the  Anointed  :  the  Anointer 
 by  His  Divinity,  and  the  Anointed  by  His  humanity. 
 
 As  to  the  natural  properties  of  oil,  we  know  that  the  most 
 eminent  artists,  after  having  completed  a  picture  with  all  its 
 rich  colouring,  anoint  it  with  oil,  in  order  that  it  may  not  easily 
 be  injured,  or  receive  damage  when  brought  into  contact  with 
 other  objects.  In  like  manner,  those  who  are  drawn  after  the 
 Likeness  of  the  Heavenly  King  are  for  the  same  reason  anointed, 
 lest  they  should  receive  damage  from  the  chances  of  the  world 
 and  from  the  opposition  of  the  devil. 
 
 The  matter  of  the  Oil  of  Unction  is  pure  olive  oil.     The  form 
 the  apostolical  benediction. 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 Of  the  Oblation. 
 
 The  Oblation  is  a  service  offered  up  by  those  below  to  those 
 above,  through  material  elements,  in  hope  of  the  forgiveness  of 
 sins  and  of  an  answer  to  prayer.  The  old  oblations  consisted  of 
 irrational  animals  and  of  the  blood  of  bodies,  but  with  us  the 
 Only-begotten  of  God,  Who  took  upon  Him  the  form  of  a 
 servant.  He  offered  His  own  body  a  sacrifice  to  His  Father  for 
 the  life  of  the  world,  and  hence  He  is  called  by  John,  "  The 
 Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world.^^  And 
 again  it  is  said  of  Him,  that  "  His  blood  is  the  new  testament, 
 shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins."     And  again  :  "  So  God 
 
APPENDIX.  409 
 
 loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His  Only-begotten  Son/'  Who 
 was  offered  up  to  His  Father  a  living,  rational  sacrifice  for  all 
 mankind,  thereby  reconciling  the  world  to  Himself,  and  bring- 
 ing salvation  to  angels  and  to  men.  Now,  seeing  that  it  was 
 impossible  that  His  identical  sacrifice  upon  the  cross  for  the  sal- 
 vation of  all  could  be  showed  forth,  in  every  place,  throughout 
 all  ages,  and  to  all  men,  just  as  it  was,  without  any  alteration. 
 He  beheld  with  an  eye  of  mercy,  and  in  wisdom  and  compassion 
 thus  ordained :  "  In  that  night  in  which  He  was  betrayed  for 
 the  life  of  the  world.  He  took  bread  into  His  holy,  pure,  and 
 immaculate  hands,  blessed,  brake,  and  gave  it  to  His  disciples, 
 saying  :  This  is  My  body  which  is  broken  for  the  sins  of  the 
 world.  And  also  of  the  cup,  He  gave  thanks,  and  gave  it  to 
 them,  saying :  This  is  My  Blood  of  the  new  testament,  which 
 is  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Take  and  eat  all  of 
 you  of  this  bread,  and  drink  of  this  cup,  and  do  this,  whenever 
 ye  shall  meet  together,  in  remembrance  of  Me.^^  Through  this 
 divine  institution  the  bread  is  changed  into  His  Holy  Body,  and 
 the  wine  into  His  Precious  Blood,  and  they  impart,  to  all  who 
 receive  them  in  faith  and  without  doubting,  the  forgiveness  of 
 sins,  purification,  enlightenment,  pardon,  the  great  hope  of  the 
 resurrection  from  the  dead,  the  inheritance  of  heaven,  and  the 
 new  life.  Whenever  we  approach  these  Sacraments  we  meet 
 with  Christ  Himself,  and  His  very  Self  we  take  into  our  hands 
 and  kiss,  and  thereby  we  are  joined  to  and  with  Christ,  His 
 holy  Body  mixing  with  our  bodies,  and  His  pure  Blood  mingling 
 with  our  blood,  and  by  faith  we  know  Him  that  is  in  heaven 
 and  Him  that  is  in  the  Church,  to  be  but  one  Body. 
 
 The  matter  of  this  Sacrament  Christ  ordained  to  be  of  wheat 
 and  wine,  as  being  most  fit  to  represent  body  and  blood.  The 
 form  He  conveys  through  His  life-giving  word,  and  by  the 
 descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 Of  the  Holy  Leaven. 
 
 The  holy  and  blessed  Apostles,  Thomas  and  Bartholomew  of 
 the  Twelve,  and  Adi  and  Mari  of  the  Seventy,  who  discipled  the 
 
410  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 East,  committed  to  all  the  Eastern  Churches  a  Holy  Leaven,  to 
 be  kept  for  the  perfecting  of  the  administration  of  the  Sacra- 
 ment of  our  LoRD^s  Body  until  His  coming  again.  And  should 
 any  Christians  dispute  the  fact  of  the  above-mentioned  Apostles 
 having  committed  to  those  of  the  East  this  Leaven,  on  the 
 ground  that  Peter,  the  head  of  the  Apostles,  and  his  companions 
 did  not  commit  it  to  the  Westerns,  and  should  object  to  us  on 
 this  wise :  '^  If  it  be  as  you  say,  then  one  of  these  two  conse- 
 quences must  result :  either  the  Apostles  did  not  agree  in  their 
 mode  of  discipling,  which  is  impossible,  or  this  tradition  of 
 yours  is  false."  We  reply :  The  Easterns  from  the  day  of  their 
 discipleship  up  to  this  day  have  kept  their  faith  as  a  sacred 
 deposit,  and  have  observed,  without  change,  the  Apostolical 
 Canons ;  and  notwithstanding  all  the  persecutions  which  they 
 have  suffered  from  many  kings,  and  their  subjection  to  the 
 severe  yoke  of  a  foreign  power,  they  have  never  altered  their 
 creed  nor  changed  their  canons.  Such  as  are  well  versed  in 
 such  matters  know  full  well  the  labour  and  care  required  on  the 
 part  of  Christians  to  observe  these  canons,  and  more  especially 
 to  preserve  this  Leaven,  in  a  difficult  country,  where  there  is  no 
 Christian  sovereign  to  support  them,  nor  any  commander  to 
 back  them,  and  where  they  are  continually  persecuted,  vexed, 
 and  troubled.  Had  this  Leaven  not  been  of  apostolical  trans- 
 mission they  would  not,  most  assuredly,  have  endured  all  these 
 afflictions  and  trials  to  keep  it  together  with  the  orthodox 
 faith. 
 
 Then,  as  to  their  argument  drawn  from  Peter  and  the  great 
 Apostles  who  discipled  the  west,  we  have  this  to  oppose  to  them, 
 — that  those  Apostles  did  transmit  the  same  to  the  Westerns, 
 but  that  with  their  alteration  of  the  faith,  the  canons  also  were 
 corrupted,  through  the  influence  of  heretical  rulers.  And,  in 
 proof  of  this  statement,  we  urge  that  if  they  all  held  the  tradi- 
 tions of  the  Apostles,  the  Franks  would  not  offer  an  unleavened, 
 and  the  Romans  [Greeks]  a  leavened  oblation ;  since  the  Apos- 
 tles did  not  transmit  it  in  two  different  ways.  Therefore  the 
 Westerns  have  changed  the  faith  and  the  canons,  and  not  the 
 Easterns. 
 
APPENDIX.  411 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 Of  Absolution  and  Repentance. 
 
 The  human  race  is  frail,  and  easily  inclined  to  evil,  and  it  is 
 hardly  possible  that  all  should  not  be  tried  with  spiritual 
 diseases ;  and  on  this  account  the  healing  priesthood  was 
 given  to  heal  freely. — "  Whosesoever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are 
 remitted."  "The  whole  have  no  need  of  a  physician;  but 
 such  as  are  variously  sick.^'  And,  again  :  "  I  came  not  to  call 
 the  righteous,  but  sinners  unto  repentance."  The  parables 
 of  the  Prodigal  Son,  of  the  Hundred  Sheep,  and  of  the  Two 
 Debtors,  were  moreover  intended  to  raise  the  hope  of  sin- 
 ners, and  to  open  to  them  the  gate  of  repentance  which  leads  to 
 heaven  and  imparts  heavenly  happiness.  To  the  same  end 
 serve  the  case  of  Peter  after  his  denial  of  Christ,  and  of  Paul 
 after  his  persecution,  and  the  woman  who  was  a  sinner,  the 
 Publican,  and  the  Thief  upon  the  cross.  Hence  it  behoves  be- 
 lievers when,  through  the  infirmity  of  their  human  nature, 
 which  all  cannot  keep  upright,  they  are  overcome  of  sin,  to  seek 
 the  Christian  Dispensary,  and  to  open  their  diseases  to  the  spi- 
 ritual Physicians,  that  by  absolution  and  penance  they  may 
 obtain  the  cure  of  their  souls,  and  afterwards  go  and  partake  of 
 the  Lord's  Feast  in  purity,  agreeably  with  the  injunction  of  the 
 eminent  doctor,  who  writes  thus :  "  Our  Lord  has  committed 
 the  medicine  of  repentance  to  learned  physicians,  the  priests  of 
 the  Church.  Whomsoever,  therefore,  Satan  has  cast  into  the 
 disease  of  sin,  let  him  come  and  show  his  wounds  to  the  disci- 
 ples of  the  Wise  Physician,  who  will  heal  him  with  spiritual 
 medicine.''*  These  things  will  most  assuredly  result  if  they  are 
 done  in  faith,  and  not  after  a  worldly  manner,  for  "  whatsoever 
 is  not  of  faith  is  sin."  Just  as  some,  for  lucre's  sake,  have 
 made  of  this  sacred  thing  a  merchandize,  and  a  source  of  tem- 
 poral profit. 
 
 *  This  is  a  quotation  from  the  service  appointed  in  the  Khudhra,  to  be  read 
 on  the  first  day  of  the  commemoration  of  the  Fast  of  the  Ninevites. 
 
412  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 CHAPTER  VIII. 
 Of  Matrimony  and  of  Virginity. 
 
 Marriage  after  the  ordinance  of  Christ,  and  entered  into  for 
 the  sake  of  the  care  and  labour  of  a  wife  about  the  house,  and 
 for  the  bringing  up  of  children  in  the  fear  of  God,  without  idle- 
 ness or  murmuring,  and  in  order  that  the  eye  may  not  wander 
 towards  that  which  belongs  to  others, — this  is  called  in  Scrip- 
 ture a  holy  estate  : — ^'  Marriage  is  honourable  in  all,  and  the 
 bed  undefiled."  Paul  makes  it  the  mystery  of  things  far  above 
 this  world  : — "  This  is  a  great  mystery,  but  I  speak  of  Christ 
 and  His  Church."  Hence  divorce  is  unlawful  except  for  the 
 cause  of  adultery.  For  adultery  of  the  soul,  which  is  divisible 
 into  three  kinds  :  sorcery,  denial  of  the  faith,  and  murder.  Or 
 of  the  body  : — "  Whosoever  shall  put  away  his  wife,  saving  for 
 the  cause  of  fornication,  causeth  her  to  commit  adultery ;  and 
 whosoever  shall  marry  her  that  is  divorced  committeth  adultery." 
 
 With  regard  to  Virginity,  the  steward  of  God's  house  saith  : 
 "  I  have  no  commandment  of  the  Lord  ;"  for  the  command- 
 ment of  the  Lord  enjoins  matrimony.  But  should  any  one 
 desire  to  keep  his  virginity,  and  to  follow,  in  this  respect,  the 
 example  of  the  Baptist,  of  the  Saviour,  of  Elijah,  and  of  Paul, 
 it  is  allowable  for  him  so  to  do,  agreeably  with  the  permission, 
 and  not  after  the  command  of  God.  Not,  moreover,  because 
 he  counts  marriage  an  unholy  and  contemptible  thing,  but  on 
 account  of  what  it  entails,  such  as  the  being  obliged  to  mix 
 with  the  multitude,  to  have  and  to  hold  converse  with  them, 
 and  to  reside  in  towns  and  villages,  from  all  of  which  difficul- 
 ties arise,  which  ofttimes  make  the  yoke  of  marriage  heavy  by 
 increasing  one's  cares,  and  thus  the  souFs  advancement  is  hin- 
 dered through  its  manifold  connection  with  the  world.  Not- 
 withstanding this,  however,  he  who  makes  a  vow  of  virginity, 
 and  does  not  become  like  a  spiritual  angel  in  theory  and  in 
 practice,  is  inferior  to  a  lax  married  man ;  for  "  no  man  that 
 warreth  entangleth  himself  with  the  affairs  of  this  life."  Here 
 endeth  the  Fourth  Part. 
 
413 
 
 PART  V. 
 
 ON    THE   THEORY     OI*    THOSE     THINGS    WHICH    PREFIGURE     THE 
 WORLD    TO    COME. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 Of  worshipping  towards  the  East. 
 
 The  custom  of  worshipping  toward  the  East  is  the  subject  of 
 an  apostolical  canon,  and  is  founded  upon  that  saying  of  our 
 Blessed  Lord  :  "  As  the  lightning  cometh  forth  from  the  east 
 and  shineth  towards  the  west,  so  shall  the  coming  of  the  Son 
 of  Man  be."  And  because  "  of  that  day  and  of  that  hour 
 knoweth  no  man,  neither  the  angels  "  of  heaven,  it  becometh  us 
 ever  to  be  on  the  watch,  with  our  faces  turned  towards  the  pro- 
 mise of  His  coming.  This  custom  is  therefore  profitable  in  two 
 ways  ;  first,  because  it  stirs  up  the  remembrance  of  the  end,  and 
 of  the  judgment  to  come,  which  is  a  preservative  against  evil ; 
 and,  secondly,  because  it  brings  to  mind  our  old  place  from 
 which  we  were  driven  out  on  account  of  our  sins,  viz.  Para- 
 dise, which  is  situated  in  the  East,  and  thereby  we  are  led 
 to  lay  hold  on  repentance. 
 
 It  is  written  in  the  Commentaries  of  Mar  Ephraim,  that  the 
 angel  Gabriel  appeared  to  the  Virgin  from  the  East,  and  that 
 when  he  said  unto  her,  ^'  Hail,  thou  highly  favoured ! '"'  she 
 worshipped  at  his  salutation  towards  the  East.  And  when  our 
 Lord  ascended  up  to  heaven.  His  face  was  turned  toward  the 
 west,  in  the  same  way  in  which  He  will  come  at  the  Resurrec- 
 tion. The  disciples  who  were  before  Him,  and  looking  at  Him 
 ascending,  worshipped  Him  towards  the  East,  and  the  angels 
 said  unto  them  :  "  This  same  Jesus  which  is  taken  up  from  you 
 into  heaven,  shall  so  come,  in  like  manner,  as  ye  have  seen 
 
414  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 Him  go  into  heaven."  And  the  early  commentators  have 
 added  that  on  the  first  day  the  seven  essences  were  created  in 
 silence,  and  afterwards  the  voice  went  forth,  "  Let  there  be 
 light."  The  angels,  who  knew  not  that  they  had  a  Creator, 
 when  they  heard  the  voice,  concluded  that  if  an  effect  followed  it 
 the  Speaker  must  be  their  Creator,  and  the  Creator  of  all.  "  And 
 there  was  light,"  instantaneously.  Then  all  of  them  worshipped 
 towards  that  part  from  whence  the  light  sprang  forth,  which 
 was  the  East;  and  this  is  what  Job  the  blessed  says  :  '^When 
 I  created  the  morning  star,  all  My  angels  worshipped  Me." 
 [Syriac  Version.] 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 On  the  Worship  of  the  Lord's  Cross. 
 
 We  worship  Christ^s  humanity  because  of  the  Godhead  in 
 Him;  so,  through  the  Cross,  we  worship  God  our  Saviour. 
 The  "  Cross  "  is  the  name  of  Christ,  being  equivalent  to  our 
 saying  the  "  killed,"  the  "  worshipped,"  *  and  does  not  rightly 
 designate  wood,  silver,  or  brass.  Now  the  great  foundation  of 
 Christianity  is  the  confession  that  through  the  Cross  renewal 
 and  universal  salvation  were  obtained  for  all,  and  that  Cross 
 which  we  use  is  the  same  sign  of  our  Lord  as  is  to  appear  in 
 the  heavens  before  His  coming,  as  He  Himself  has  foretold. 
 When,  therefore,  we  look  upon  this  emblem  of  our  salvation,  we 
 conceive  as  though  we  were  beholding  our  Saviour  outstretched 
 upon  it  for  the  remission  of  our  sins,  and  for  the  renewal  of  all 
 creation.  Hence  we  offer  a  fervent  and  eucharistic  worship,  not 
 to  the  fashioned  matter  of  the  Cross ;  but  to  Him  whom  we 
 figure  as  upon  it,  and  above  all  to  God,  who  gave  His  Son  to  be 
 a  Cross  [i.e.  crucified]  for  us,  through  whose  crucifixion  He 
 wrought  out  renewal  and  redemption  for  us,  and  through  Whom 
 He  gives  to  such  as  are  worthy  everlasting  life  in  the  kingdom 
 of  heaven.     "  For  if,  while  we  were  yet  enemies,  we  were  recon- 
 
 *  The  Syriac  sleewa,  signifies  literally  the  "  crucified,"  and  is  in  the  same 
 verbal  passive  form  as  kteela,  zgheedha,  "  killed,"  "  worshipped,"  adduced  by 
 the  author  in  the  text. 
 
APPENDIX.  415 
 
 ciled  unto  God  by  His  Son  ;  how  mucli  more  shall  we  be  saved 
 through  His  life/^ 
 
 By  this  sign  the  Apostles  wrought  miracles^  and  the  laying 
 on  of  hands  for  the  Priesthood,  and  all  the  other  Sacraments  of 
 the  Church  are  perfected  thereby.  These  things,  handed  down 
 from  the  Apostles,  and  confirmed  by  all  those  who  succeeded 
 them,  declare  that  "  the  preaching  of  the  Cross  is  to  them  that 
 perish  foolishness ;  but  unto  us  which  are  saved  it  is  the  power 
 of  God/' 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 Of  the  holy  First  Day  of  the   Week,  and  of  the  Festivals  com- 
 memorative of  our  Lord. 
 
 The  observance  of  the  First  day  of  the  Week  is  also  the  matter 
 of  an  Apostolical  Canon,  it  being  the  great  day  on  which  our 
 Saviour  rose  from  the  dead,  and  by  His  resurrection  made  all 
 created  beings  to  rejoice  by  giving  them,  in  His  own  Person,  a 
 most  certain  proof  of  the  general  resurrection  and  of  everlasting 
 life.  For  as  the  First-born  of  men  arose  on  the  first  day  of  the 
 week,  so  shall  all  the  race  of  Adam  arise  on  that  same  day, — a 
 day  which  shall  be  the  commencement  of  an  endless  world, — of 
 that  world  which  shall  not  begin  with  a  beginning,  but  which  is 
 to  appear.  Surely  it  becomes  us  to  hallow  the  day  on  which 
 such  great  events  transpired,  and,  seeing  that  at  the  resurrec- 
 tion all  worldly  labours  shall  cease,  and  all  shall  return  to  the 
 worship  of  God,  and  be  engaged  in  the  contemplation  of  His 
 unutterable  mysteries ;  hence  the  Apostles  ordained,  that  on  the 
 first  day  of  the  week  Christians  should  suspend  all  worldly 
 occupations,  and  engage  in  prayer  to  God,  in  reading  the  Holy 
 Scriptures,  and  in  meditating  on  the  life  of  Christ.  And  they 
 enjoined  more  especially  the  study  of  the  Prophetical  books, 
 which  are,  as  it  were,  the  foundation  and  introduction  to  the 
 truth  of  the  life  and  actions  of  Christ,  Who  came  to  fulfil  the 
 prophecies  and  not  to  destroy;  (for  He  who  cometh  to  perfect 
 that  which  was  imperfect,  though  in  some  things  he  substituteth 
 perfection  for  imperfection,  how  can  such  a  one  be  deemed  a 
 looser  or  destroyer  ?)  "  Search  the  Scriptures,  for  in  them  ye 
 think  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  they  are  they  which  testify  "  that 
 
416  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 the  Father  hath  sent  Me.  Hence  the  Apostles  enjoined  that 
 the  Prophets  should  be  read  first,  and  after  these  the  Gospel 
 which  is  their  fulfilment  and  seal.  And  this  ordinance  we  ob- 
 serve every  Sunday  in  remembrance  of  the  resurrection  to  come, 
 when  all  shall  be  rewarded  according  to  their  works,  that  hereby 
 we  may  be  led  to  eschew  evil  and  to  do  good. 
 
 In  like  manner,  and  with  the  same  design,  the  Church  cele- 
 brates year  by  year  the  life  and  actions  of  our  blessed  Lord, 
 lest,  from  not  being  commemorated,  those  benefits  which  are 
 given  to  us  through  the  advent  of  Christ  should  be  withheld 
 from  us,  and  should  finally  be  lost  to  us  in  the  darkness  of 
 error. 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 Of  Friday. 
 
 This  used  to  be  called  the  sixth  day  until  the  sun  set  upon  it 
 at  the  crucifixion  of  our  Saviour,  and  darkness  prevailed  over 
 all  creation  on  account  of  the  temerity  of  the  Jews ;  and  hence  it 
 is  called  arohta  [the  setting  of  the  sun] .  Creation,  we  say,  put  on 
 the  garment  of  mourning  and  affliction  because  of  the  enor- 
 mity of  the  first  sin,  and  because  of  the  sins  of  all,  for  which 
 He  died  Who  had  committed  no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found 
 in  His  mouth.  The  sun  was  hid  from  the  heavens,  the  earth 
 shook  and  quaked,  the  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent,  and  the 
 rocks  were  riven,  and  no  carnivorous  animals  or  birds  of  prey 
 ate  meat  on  that  day,  or  went  near  to  any  carcasses,  in  reverence 
 to  the  holy  corpse  of  the  Saviour  which  was  outstretched  upon 
 the  wood,  as  we  understand  from  the  comments  of  Mar  Ephrem. 
 Hence  the  Apostles  made  a  Canon,  that  Christians  should  not 
 eat  meat  on  this  day,  neither  on  Wednesday,  on  which  latter 
 day  the  Jews  took  counsel  together  to  kill  the  Saviour,  and 
 agreed  upon  the  price  of  the  innocent  blood  with  Judas  Iscariot. 
 On  this  account  Wednesday  is  included  in  the  same  Canon. 
 And,  in  truth,  Friday  ought  to  be  a  day  of  mourning  with  all, 
 because  on  it,  for  the  transgression  of  the  first  Adam,  the  sen- 
 tence of  death  was  passed  upon  all  our  race,  and  we  were  driven 
 
APPENDIX.  417 
 
 from  Paradise  into  a  land  of  curses.  On  this  same  day  the 
 flood  took  place,  in  the  time  of  Noah,  and  destroyed  all  man- 
 kind; and  thereon  also  Satan  warred  with  the  First-Born  of 
 men,  viz.  on  the  last  of  the  forty  days,  as  he  did  on  the  day  of 
 the  Passion. 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 Of  Fasting,  Prayer,  and  Almsgiving. 
 
 The  foundation  of  the  virtues  of  true  godliness  with  such  as 
 believe  in  the  resurrection,  and  exercise  themselves  therein  in 
 hope  of  the  world  to  come,  consists  of  these  three.  Fasting, 
 Prayer,  and  Mercy,  wrought  with  the  end  enjoined  in  the  Gos- 
 pel, and  not  from  any  other  motive.  As  one  of  our  sages  has 
 said  :  ''  Fasting  is  superior  to  all  passiveness,  and  Prayer  su- 
 perior to  all  other  action;  but  Mercy  is  the  being  like  God." 
 
 Now  Fasting  is  of  two  kinds:  outward,  from  food;  and  in- 
 ward, from  evil.  It  tends  to  induce  the  rich  to  show  mercy  to 
 others,  for  by  tasting  the  bitterness  of  hunger  and  thirst  them- 
 selves, they  are  made  to  feel  what  the  poor  experience.  It  more- 
 over tends  to  sanctify  the  senses,  purify  the  thoughts,  and  to 
 make  us  resemble  the  angels. 
 
 Prayer  is  not  only  the  key  of  the  Lord's  treasury,  but  a 
 spiritual  converse,  as  one  of  the  fathers  has  said  :  "  My  son, 
 when  thou  art  engaged  in  prayer,  thou  dost  speak  with  God  ; 
 and  when  thou  readest  the  Scriptures,  God  speaketh  with  thee.'' 
 
 Mercy  doth  not  only  make  us  resemble  God,  Whom  there  is 
 none  like,  but  it  is  also  a  medium  for  the  exercise  of  wisdom  on 
 the  part  of  the  followers  of  Christ,  Who,  througTi  the  needy, 
 sends  forward  to  heaven  those  things  which  we  love  and  esteem, 
 and  declares  that  in  them  we  shall  have  joy  and  exultation  with- 
 out end  :  "  Lay  not  up  to  yourselves  treasures  on  earth,  where 
 moth  and  rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  break  through 
 and  steal ;  but  lay  up  unto  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  .  .  . 
 for  where  your  treasure  is  there  will  your  heart  be  also."  There 
 is  a  passage  in  the  life  of  Saint  Thomas  the  Apostle,  which 
 beautifully  illustrates  this  Scripture.      Having  undertaken  to 
 
418  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 build  a  magnificent  palace  for  the  Emperor  of  India^  and  re- 
 ceived vast  sums  for  this  purpose,  which  he  distributed  among 
 the  poor,  when  asked  about  it,  he  replied  that  he  had  built  the 
 palace  in  heaven  :  and  the  fact  was  confirmed  by  the  testimony 
 of  a  deceased  brother  of  the  Emperor,  who  was  restored  to  life 
 through  the  prayers  of  the  Apostle.  By  the  exercise  of  mercy 
 men  are  made  worthy  of  receiving  Angels  unawares ;  and  to 
 Cornelius  it  was  said  :  "  Thy  prayers  and  thine  alms  are  come 
 up  for  a  memorial  before  God."  The  Prophets  and  Apostles 
 moreover  testify  that  this  is  the  only  way  by  which  the  rich  can 
 attain  unto  God. 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 Of  the  Girdle. 
 
 The  girding  of  Christians  at  the  time  of  prayer,  though  it 
 betokens  a  preparedness  for  service,  and  a  ready  appearance 
 before  the  Lord,  after  the  manner  of  those  who  stand  in  the 
 presence  of  the  kings  of  the  earth ;  yet  it  is  nevertheless  the 
 subject  of  a  Divine  command  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
 ments. In  the  Old  Testament  the  girdle  was  ordered  to  be 
 worn  by  the  Priests,  the  sons  of  Levi,  with  the  other  parts  of 
 their  vestment ;  and  in  the  New  Testament  we  read :  *^  Let 
 your  loins  be  girt  about,  and  your  lamps  burning,  and  be  like 
 those  servants  waiting  for  their  Lord's  coming."  The  blessed 
 John  the  Baptist  had  his  loins  girt  about  with  a  leathern  girdle ; 
 and  it  is  said  of  S.  Paul  in  the  Acts,  that  the  Prophet  Agabus 
 took  the  girdle  from  oflF  his  waist,  and  girded  himself  therewith. 
 
 Now  there  is  a  threefold  object  in  the  use  of  the  girdle  : 
 First,  he  who  binds  up  his  loins  bears  the  sign  of  worship  and 
 ministry,  and  intimates  that  he  is  a  worshipper  and  minister  in 
 the  kingdom.  Secondly,  as  it  was  enjoined  by  our  Lord,  it 
 betokens  a  wakeful  mind,  pure  intention,  and  the  being  in 
 wait  for  Him,  Who  is  to  return  from  the  feast,  and  to  conduct 
 all  with  Him  thither.  Thirdly,  it  is  an  emblem  of  death  : 
 "  another  shall  gird  thee,  and  lead  thee  where  thou  wouldest 
 not."     Those  who  set  out  on  a  journey  generally  gird  up  their 
 
APPENDIX.  419 
 
 loins  j  and  so  it  becometh  us  mortals  and  wayfarers,  whose  days, 
 in  spite  of  ourselves,  have  been  brought  forward  on  the  road 
 which  leadeth  above,  to  make  ready  a  viaticum  which  shall  be 
 useful  to  us  in  the  other  world,  viz.  a  right  theory  of  the  or- 
 thodox faith,  and  the  practice  of  good  works.  The  use  of  the 
 girdle  teaches  us  these  things. 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 Of  the  Resurrection,  the  Judgment  to  come,  and  Everlasting  Life. 
 
 He  who  commenceth  a  work  must  have  a  design  therein,  and 
 when  this  is  attained  he  ceases  working,  and  maketh  an  end  of 
 his  work,  otherwise  his  labour  is  vain  and  unprofitable.  Now 
 God,  who  is  all-wise,  did  not  create  His  creation  in  vain,  and 
 without  a  design ;  but,  as  we  have  already  shown.  He  created  it 
 in  consummate  wisdom,  and  with  an  exalted  purpose,  to  be  the 
 study  of  His  rational  creatures,  and  for  the  perfection  of  His 
 Likeness  in  them.  And  when  the  time  decreed  in  His  wisdom 
 shall  arrive.  He  will  bring  this  world  to  an  end ;  for  every  be- 
 ginning is  the  beginning  of  an  end,  and,  contrarily,  every  end 
 is  the  end  of  a  beginning.  On  this  subject  a  certain  godly 
 man  has  said  :  "  When  the  tenth  circle*  shall  be  made  up  from 
 among  men,  then  shall  the  end  be,  and  the  cutting  off  of  time 
 shall  come,  and  shall  not  fail."  On  that  day  the  sun  shall  set 
 and  shall  not  rise  again,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven, 
 and  all  this  world  shall  become  a  chaos  of  darkness,  and  all  the 
 motions  of  the  elements  shall  cease.  Then  shall  the  sign  of 
 the  Son  of  God,  the  shining  Cross,  appear  in  the  heavens  with 
 power  and  great  glory,  accompanied  with  the  awful  sounds  of 
 the  trumpets  of  angels.  Thus  shall  Christ,  the  King  of  kings, 
 appear  like  the  lightning  which  cometh  from  the  east,  and 
 shineth  towards  the  west.  His  glorious  appearance  shall 
 shake  all  the  ends  of  th6  heavens,  and  all  the  foundations 
 of  the  earth,  and  He  shall  then  cry  out  with  His  life-giving 
 voice  :  Let  the  resurrection  and  the  renewal  be.     This  is  the 
 
 *  There  is  a  reference  here  to  the  nine  orders  of  Angels,  who  are  said  to 
 minister  in  the  Church  above.     See  Part  III.,  Chapter  viii. 
 VOL.  II.  F  F 
 
420  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 last  trumpet^  at  the  sound  of  which  the  wind  of  revivification 
 shall  blow  and  enter  into  those  who  shall  be  alive,  and  shall 
 divest  them  of  their  grossness,  and  suddenly,  as  in  the- twin- 
 kling of  an  eye,  they  shall  be  changed  into  the  likeness  of  Angels. 
 And  it  shall  likewise  enter  into  the  dead,  and  these  also  shall 
 rise  up  incorruptible.  Then  shall  the  righteous  ascend  up  into 
 the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  shall  enter  with  their  Lord  into 
 the  chamber  of  the  Bridegroom  above,  and  with  unspeakable 
 joy  shall  exult  in  the  visions  and  revelations  which  through  His 
 light  shall  shine  in  upon  them.  This  is  true  happiness.  But, 
 as  to  the  wicked,  they  shall  remain  upon  the  earth  in  darkness 
 in  which  none  can  walk,  and  shall  be  consumed  with  the  fire  of 
 remorse  for  those  things  which  they  have  committed,  and  be- 
 cause they  bartered  everlasting  bliss  for  temporal  and  deceptive 
 enjoyments,  and  a  real  possession  for  the  dung  of  earth.  This 
 is  the  true  hell,  whose  fire  is  not  quenched,  and  whose  worm 
 dieth  not. 
 
 But  as  to  those  who  are  deceived,  and  who  fancy  that  ever- 
 lasting life  consists  of  something  corporeal,  such  as  eating,  and 
 drinking,  and  marriage,  things  which  appertain  to  mortals,  our 
 Saviour  reproves  such  when  He  says  :  "  In  the  resurrection  they 
 neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but  are  as  the  Angels 
 o  God  in  heaven.'^  Eating  and  drinking  are  profitable  for  the 
 body,  because  by  replacing  the  humours  which  go  out  thence 
 they  preserve  the  person  from  decay.  And  marriage,  likewise, 
 by  raising  up  one  for  the  one  who  dies,  keeps  up  the  species 
 until  the  number  decreed  in  the  Everlasting  Purpose  is  made 
 up.  Then  as  these  two  efifects  will  cease,  the  causes  also  by 
 which  they  existed  must  necessarily  cease.  Moreover  all  carnal 
 blessings  serve  for  the  warding  ofi"  of  pain ;  but,  as  we  have  before 
 observed,  when  man  exceeds  in  the  use  of  them  they  turn  into 
 evils.  As,  for  example,  meat  and  drink  :  one  realizes  the  bless- 
 ings of  these  after  the  pain  experienced  from  hunger  and  thirst ; 
 but  used  inordinately  and  greedily,  they  bring  pain  and  disease, 
 if  not  death.  And  so  with  all  the  good  things  of  this  world; 
 but  with  spiritual  blessings  it  is  not  so,  for  the  more  one  desires 
 and  partakes  of  these,  he  ever  desireth  more,  as  is  seen  in  the 
 case  of  those  who  seek  after  knowledge,  science,  and  wisdom. 
 
 But,  now,  should  any  doubtingly  inquire  how  bodies  can  rise 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 421 
 
 again  whicli  have  been  destroyed,  and  which  have  mingled  with 
 the  dust,  which  have  been  eaten  of  wild  beasts,  or  consumed  by- 
 fire,  or  drowned  in  water  ?  we  reply  :  Should  a  piece  of  iron  be 
 broken  into  impalpable  powder,  and  be  mixed  with  dust  and 
 sand,  the  hidden  power  of  a  magnet  will  at  once  separate  the 
 atoms  fx'om  the  dust  and  sand,  and  from  whatever  other  hetero- 
 geneous bodies  with  which  they  may  have  been  mixed ;  and  if 
 such  virtue  resides  in  the  magnet,  how  much  more  possible  is 
 it  for  the  power  of  the  Creator,  in  His  wisdom,  to  separate, 
 bring  together,  and  remodel  the  bodies  of  men  at  the  re- 
 surrection ! 
 
 Or,  again :  if  a  skilful  and  ingenious  mechanic  should  form 
 a  figure  from  many  materials,  and  should  conceal  each  of  these 
 separate  materials  in  a  particular  part  of  his  house,  no  one 
 knowing  the  place  where  they  are  hidden  but  himself;  if  asked 
 to  construct  that  figure,  could  he  not  at  once,  and  without  hesi  - 
 tation,  bring  forth  every  part  from  its  separate  hiding  place,  and 
 put  all  the  different  parts  together  in  their  proper  order  without 
 any  mistake  ?  How  much  more  easy  must  a  like  work  be  to  Him 
 Who  is  the  Only  Wise,  the  Almighty  !  Our  bodies,  through  cor- 
 ruption, I'eturn  at  last  to  the  four  elements  of  which  they  were 
 composed ;  the  skill  whereby  these  parts  were  put  together  in 
 our  likeness  is  hidden  with  God,  and  when  it  pleaseth  Him,  He 
 can  restore  each  part  to  its  place,  in  its  separate  shape  and 
 quantity,  so  as  to  make  it  conformable  to  that  figure,  the  linea- 
 ments of  which  are  hidden  with  Him.  Then  shall  every  human 
 body  arise,  just  as  it  was,  ^^in  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of 
 Christ.^^  As  to  the  final  rewards  and  punishments,  these  shall 
 be  distributed  according  to  the  deserts  of  each,  in  perfect  justice  : 
 "  the  wicked  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment ;  but 
 the  righteous  into  life  eternal." 
 
 "  Now  unto  Him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly 
 above  all  that  we  ask  or  think,  according  to  the  power  that 
 worketh  in  us,  unto  Him  be  glory  in  the  Church  by  Christ 
 Jesus,  throughout  all  ages,  world  without  end.     Amen." 
 
 Here  endeth,  by  the  help  of  God,  the  book  called  Marghia- 
 neetha,  on  the  truth  of  Christianity,  written  by  the  undeserving 
 Abd  Yeshua,  Metropolitan  of  Nisibis  and  Armenia.  To  our 
 God  be  glory  and  thanksgiving  for  ever.     Amen. 
 
423  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 This  useful  book  was  written  in  the  month  of  September,  in 
 the  year  of  Alexander  1609,  in  the  blessed  city  of  Khlat,  in 
 the  Church  of  the  blessed  Nestorians ;  and  to  God  be  praise, 
 honour,  thanks,  and  worship,  for  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Written  by  the  frail  hands  of  the  author  for  the  benefit  of 
 his  own  soul,  and  for  the  profit  of  all  who  may  possess  it.  May 
 the  Lord  endue  all  such  with  wisdom.     Amen. 
 
NOTES   BY   THE    EDTTOE. 
 
 ^  Answering,  in  great  measure,  to  the  Greek  and  Slavonic  Cathisma. 
 
 2  The  author  has  throughout  spoken  of  Lauds  as  Matins  j  just  in  the 
 same  way  as  the  Greek  upBpov  is  frequently  translated  by  the  latter  instead 
 of  by  the  former. 
 
 3  Just  as  the  Greek  Liturgies  of  S.  Chrysostom  and  S.  Basil  are  always 
 given  "  according  to  the  use  of  the  Great  Church  and  the  Holy  Mountain." 
 
 *  That  is,  the  Nestorian  Church  has  retained  the  ancient  custom  of  a 
 Prophecy,  as  did  the  Greek  Liturgy  of  S.  James;  {eha  avayiviiiffKirai 
 Si€|oSiKCtiTOTa  Tci  'Upa  \6yia  ttjs  iraXaias  Sia0^K7js,  Kal  ruv  Ilpo<t)7iTUV :)  as  did 
 also  the  Galilean  Liturgy ;  as  does  the  Mozarabic ;  as  did  the  African ; 
 and  as  the  Apostolic  Canons  enjoin  :  fiera  tV  avdyvcefftv  rov  vi^ov  koI  tup 
 lIpotp-nTup,  tS>v  t6  firiffroXwv  rifiZv  Koi  irpd^ewu  Kal  twv  tvayyeXlccf,  K.  r.  A. 
 This  also  was  the  use  of  the  Ambrosian  rite;  and  still  is  so,  during 
 Lent. 
 
 s  But  does  not  this  office  rather  answer  to  that  of  the  Deacon  of  the 
 Gospel,  honourably  distinguished  by  that  title  from  his  fellows,  in  some 
 of  the  Eastern  Churches  ? 
 
 6  Answering  therefore  to  the  Roman  Gradual,  or  nearly  so. 
 
 7  This  is  not  precisely  correct.  The  Shooraya  precisely  answers  to  the 
 Mozarabic  Psalterium.  j  and  the  graduals  which  follow  the  Prophecies  at 
 the  Ember  seasons  in  the  Latin  Church.  But  the  Constantinopolitan 
 prokeimenon  though  occurring  in  the  same  place,  is  a  different  thing.  As 
 I  have  elsewhere  said :  "  The  Armenian  Psalm  precedes  the  Prophecy, 
 the  Mozarabic  Psalterium"  (and  we  may  also  add  the  Ambrosian  Psalm- 
 ellus,  and  Galilean  Psalmus  responsorius)  "  follows  it,  but  both  are  its  epi- 
 tomes :  the  Constantinopolitan  prokeimenon  precedes,  the  Roman  Gradual 
 follows,  the;^Epistle ;  but  both  are  its  epitomes." 
 
 8  Not  so.  It  holds  the  place  of  the  Roman  Gradual,  and  the  office, 
 though  not  the  exact  place,  of  the  Constantinopolitan  ^ro^emenow.  No- 
 thing in  the  whole  range  of  the  Constantinopolitan  Liturgy  bears  the 
 
424  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 slightest  resemblance  to  Sequences.     The  Nestorian  Khamees  and  Warda 
 come  rather  nearer  to  them. 
 
 ^  This  I  do  not  understand,  unless  the  author  means  that  at  the  end  of 
 the  Nocturns  there  follows  a  kind  of  ahoi,  such  as  in  the  Constantinopo- 
 litan  Church  follows  the  opdpov. 
 
 ^°  That  is,  I  suppose,  as  in  the  Eastern  Church,  after  each  stasis  of  the 
 Cathisma  or  Hoolala. 
 
 "  These  latter  therefore  answer  to  the  Koinonicon  of  the  Eastern,  and 
 Communio  of  the  Western  Church,  in  their  original. 
 
 ^^  The  following  anthem  is  clearly  derived  in  great  measure,  from  the 
 letter  of  S.  Leo  to  S.  Flavian, — a  curious  instance  of  the  adoption  of  the 
 words  of  a  Catholic  Doctor  by  the  Nestorians  after  their  fall  into  heresy. 
 
 '^  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  point  out  the  mistake  by  which  the  Copts 
 are  made  "  Chalcedonians." 
 
 "  The  flat  downright  heresy  of  this  passage  is  well  worthy  notice. 
 
 ^^  It  is  curious  to  observe  here  how  this  Nestorian  writer  uses  the  very 
 same  kind  of  arguments  that  the  Arians  employed  against  the  Homoou- 
 sion,  namely,  the  aflBxing  an  earthly  sense  to  a  spiritual  expression,  and 
 thus  endeavouring  to  obtain  a  reductio  ad  absurdum. 
 
 ^®  This  can  scarcely  be  said  with  any  accuracy :  Nestorius  is  simply 
 commemorated  with  other  doctors  :  as  S.  John  Chrysostom,  for  example, 
 is  in  the  orthodox  Eastern  Church. 
 
 ^''  It  is  clear  that,  however  satisfactory  it  might  be  to  the  Nestorians  to 
 find  that  they  had  only  misapprehended,  not  contradicted,  the  Council  of 
 Ephesus,  their  absolute  and  unconditional  reception  of  its  decrees  is  the 
 sine  qua  non  on  which  their  reconciliation  to  the  Church  must  depend. 
 
 ^^  I  cannot  but  add  that,  granting  all  this,  it  does  not  in  the  least  touch 
 on  the  essence  of  Nestorian  heresy. 
 
 ^'  It  is  easy  to  see  what  Abd-Yeshua  means :  but  all  his  language  in 
 this  paragraph  is  so  extremely  lax,  that  it  might  almost  be  taken  to  signify 
 whatever  a  reader  pleased. 
 
 2°  This,  it  is  clear,  if  taken  in  its  literal  sense,  is  fearful  heresy. 
 
 21  Here  the  word  Person  is  manifestly  used  in  the  way  in  which  hypos- 
 tasis was  so  often  employed,  especially  by  the  Western  Church,  in  the 
 sense  of  bvcrla, — not  as  now,  in  the  sense  of  ■n-pda'wirov.  Otherwise  this 
 sentence  would  be  pure  Sabellianism. 
 
 ^^  If  the  Nestorians  would  employ  the  term  Parsopa  always,  and  only, 
 in  the  sense  of  Person,  and  would  give  up  their  other  term  for  Person,  by 
 which  sometimes  they  mean  Hypostasis,  and  sometimes  Ousia,  they  might 
 find  it  far  easier  to  receive  the  decrees  of  Ephesus.     At  all  events,  they 
 
NOTES    BY    THE    EDITOR.  425 
 
 would  very  much  simplify  the  excessive  mistiness  of  their  own  theological 
 
 statements. 
 
 ^^  There  is  a  confusion  in  the  use  of  this  word,  which  was  perhaps  un- 
 avoidable, but  is  certainly  perplexing.  It  is  generally  used  in  the  sense 
 of  hypostatic  propriety,  as  indeed  the  "  Proprium  est  Sp.  S.  procedere  " 
 shows.  But  yet  in  the  text  we  read  of  a  "  deeleita  of  one  Invisible  Es- 
 sence," which  if  translated  hypostatical  propriety,  would  either  be  nonsense 
 or  Sabellianism.     And  so  in  page  63. 
 
 ^  That  is,  that  they  sometimes  speak  in  an  orthodox  manner :  but  the 
 sum  and  substance  of  preceding  quotations  is  plainly  heretical. 
 
 ^*  Had  Mr.  Badger  been  more  practically  acquainted  with  the  Filioque 
 controversy,  perhaps  he  might  have  written  this  paragraph  differently :  at 
 all  events,  whatever  single  expressions  may  be  quoted  here  and  there 
 from  Nestorian  rituals,  it  is  certain  that  they  hold  the  Single  Procession 
 as  strongly  as  any  other  Eastern  Christians :  1.  Because  the  Latin  innova- 
 tion has  never  been  imputed  to  them  by  the  orthodox  Eastern  Church. 
 2.  Because  Theodoret,  their  great  pattern,  used  it  as  a  reductio  ad  absur- 
 dum  in  his  writings  against  S.  Cyril. 
 
 28  27  28  j^  is  difficult  to  see  how  these  anathemas  of  two  Catholic 
 Verities, — that  God  died, — and  that  S.  Mary  is  the  Mother  of  God, — 
 and  of  one  Catholic  doctor,  S.  Cyril,  are  to  serve  the  cause  of  Nestorian 
 orthodoxy. 
 
 ^^  That  some  Nestorian  writers  have  been  heretical  on  the  subject  of 
 Original  Sin  there  can  be  no  doubt.  Sabarjesus,  Catholicos  of  Chaldea, 
 actually  condemned  the  tenet  in  the  synod  of  596.  And  the  Nestorian 
 Ritual  contains  an  office  of  burial  for  unbaptized  infants. 
 
 ^°  This  argument  against  all  Creeds  is  a  curious  instance  of  that  Pro- 
 testant error  which,  alone  of  all  the  Christian  communions  of  the  East, 
 seems  to  lurk  among  the  Nestorians. 
 
 ^^  It  is  rather  strange  to  have  the  point  of  Nestorian  heresy  alleged  in 
 proof  of  the  XXIst  Article. 
 
 ^^  On  the  present  disuse  of  Confession  among  the  Nestorians,  Joseph  II. 
 thus  speaks :  "  We  say  that,  among  all  Christians,  heretical  as  well  as 
 orthodox,  confession  of  sins  is  in  use  :  among  you  only  it  is  obsolete,  and 
 its  memory  hath  perished The  rest  come  to  sacramental  com- 
 munion as  an  ass  to  hay,  without  doing  penance,  or  forsaking  their  sins." 
 
 ^^  All  these  extracts,  it  need  scarcely  be  observed,  are  no  more  than 
 might  be  found  in  any  Roman  work  on  the  subject :  though  undoubtedly 
 those  given  from  the  Khudhra,  in  pages  171  and  172,  do  seem  at  variance 
 with  the  doctrine  of  the  Latin  and  of  the  Eastern  Churches. 
 
 ^^  I.e.  Babseus  II.  (498,)  and  Silas,  (503,)  both  men  of  infamous 
 character.    The  former  could  neither  read  nor  write. 
 
426  THE    NESTORIANS    AND    THEIR    RITUALS. 
 
 ^  I  have  explained  in  another  place  (Introduction  to  the  History  of  the 
 Eastern  Church,  vol.  ii.  p.  980,)  how  completely  this  answers  to  the  raising 
 the  aer  from  the  holy  gifts  in  the  liturgy,  and  how  the  parallelism  of  the 
 two  ojBfices  is  continued  throughout. 
 
 ^^  This  approximation  to  Western  formulae  is  observable.     Renaudot 
 
 points  the  passage  differently.     (Lit.  Or.  ii.  627.  Ed.  1847.)  " per 
 
 orationem  et  intercessionem  eorum  qui  placuerunt  coram  te.    Respice  ad 
 nos,"  &c.  Neither  sounds  very  Eastern. 
 
 ^^  This  interpellation  of  the  Deacon  is  not  given  in  many  copies  of  this 
 Liturgy ;  and  it  is,  I  am  persuaded,  in  its  origin,  Syro-Jacobite. 
 
 ^^  This  formula  is  peculiar  to  the  Liturgies  of  Constantinople  and 
 this  :  I  have  explained  the  consequences  to  be  deduced  in  the  Introduction 
 to  the  History  of  the  Holy  Eastern  Church,  i.  505. 
 
 ^^  I  cannot  but  believe  that  this,  like  the  ivKiyn<^ov,  dda-irora,  of  the  Greek, 
 is  only  the  Jube  Domine  benedicere  of  the  Latins,  and  should  be  so  trans- 
 lated. 
 
 *"  The  Koinonicon  of  the  Greek  Church, 
 
 ^^  The  fact  and  reason  of  this  omission  is  discussed  in  the  Introduction 
 to  the  History  of  the  Holy  Eastern  Church. 
 
 *^  That  is,  among  the  Nestorians,  as  in  all  the  rest  of  the  East,  only  one 
 celebration  can  take  place  on  one  altar  in  the  same  day. 
 
 ^  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  direct  the  reader's  attention  to  the  sub- 
 limity of  the  concluding  portion  of  this  anthem,  the  Dies  Irse  of  the  Nes- 
 torians, 
 
 J,   MASTERS    AND    CO.,    PRINTJEBS,    ALDERS6ATB    STREET,   LONDON. 
 
October,  1851 
 
 NEW    WORKS 
 
 PUBLISHED    BY 
 
 JOSEPH     MASTERS, 
 
 33,  ALDERSGATE  STREET, 
 
 78,     NEW    BOND     STREET, 
 
 LO  N  D  O 
 
 J.  MASTERS  respectfully  calls  attention  to  his  New  List  of  Theological  and  other 
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 portant of  aU  subjects.     In  this  List  may  be  found  works  by  the  following  Authors  : — 
 
 Rev.  W.  Heygate 
 Rev.  Henry  Hopwood 
 Rev.  W.  J.  Irons 
 Rev.  J.  Jebb 
 Rev,  W.  H.  Mill,  D.D. 
 Rev.  E.  Monro 
 Rev.  J.  M.  Neale 
 Rev.  F.  E.  Paget 
 Rev.  G.  A.  Poole 
 Rev.  C.  E.  Prichard 
 
 Rev.  W.  Adams 
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 Bishop  of  Brechin 
 Rev.  W.  J.  Butler 
 Rev.  John  Mill  Chanter 
 Rev.  R.  Cresswell 
 Rev.  W.  B.  Flower 
 Rev.  J.  Ford 
 Rev.  Samuel  Fox 
 Rev.  W.  Gresley 
 
 Rev.  J.  F.  Russell 
 Rev.  W.  E.  Scudamore 
 Rev,  H.  S.  Slight 
 Rev.  C.  F.  Smith 
 Rev.  H.  Stretton 
 Rev.  W.  H.  Teale 
 Rev.  R.  Tomlins 
 Rev.  A.  Watson 
 Rev.  I.  Williams 
 Rev.  C.  Wray. 
 
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ALDEBS6ATE    STREET,    AND     NEW    BOND     STREET.  11 
 
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ALDKRSGATE    STREET,    AND    NEW    BOND    STREET.  13 
 
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14  WORKS    PUBLISHED    BY    J.    MASTERS, 
 
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ALDERSGATE    STREET,    AND    NEW    BOND    STREET.  1  5 
 
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16  WORKS    PUBLISHED    BY    J.    MASTESS, 
 
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ALDERSGATE    STREET,    AND    NEW    BOND    STREET.  17 
 
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 BY   THE    REV.    W.    J.     IRONS,    B.D., 
 
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 The  Judgments  on  Baptismal  Regeneration ;  with 
 
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 Island  of  Liberty  (The).     By  the  Author  of  ''  Theo- 
 
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18  WORKS    PUBLISHED    BY    J,    MASTERS, 
 
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 of  the  Kings  and  Prophets  of  Israel  and  Judah,  and  of  the  Kings  of  Syria,  Assyria, 
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22  WORKS    PUBLISHED    BY    J.    MASTERS, 
 
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ALDERSGATE    STREET,    AND    NEW    BOND    STREET.  23 
 
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^4  WORKS    PUBLISHED    BY    J.    MASTERS, 
 
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32  WORKS    PUBLISHED    BY    J.    MASTERS, 
 
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ALDERSGATE    STREET,    AND    NEW    BOND    STREET.  33 
 
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40 
 
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 41 
 
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42 
 
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44  WORKS    PUBLISHED    BY    J.    MASTERS, 
 
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 20  On  Hearing  the  V/ord.     By  Bishop  Sbabury.     Id. 
 
 21  The  Old  Paths.     By  Bishop  Hobart.     id. 
 
 22  Holy  Baptism.     A  Homily  for  tne  Times,     id. 
 
 23  The  Way  of  Living  in  a  Method  and  by  Rule.     Id. 
 y4  Life  of  S.  Cyprian.    Id. 
 
46  WORKS    PUBLISHED    BY    J.    MASTERS, 
 
 TRACTS  FOR  THE  MIDDLE  CLASSES.     Published  under  the  superintendence 
 of  the  South  Church  Union. 
 
 1  Why  a  Man  may  not  Marry  his  Deceased  Wife's  Sister,    id. 
 
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48  WORSS    PUBLISHED    BY    J.    MASTjSES, 
 
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