is duly performed, that touches the head.” Homil. xiv. in Act. Apost. T. ix. p. 114.—“Separate me Saul and Barnabas. What mean these words, separate them for the work? For the work of the Apostleship. And consider, by whom they are ordained. By Lucius of Cyrene and Manahen, says the Scripture, (Acts, xii. rather by the Spirit. The less honourable these persons are, the more signal is the grace of God.” Ibid. Homil. xxvii. p. 216.-“ I admonish thee, that thou stir up the grace of God, which is in thee, by the imposition of my hands; that is, the grace of the divine Spirit, which thou hast received, to establish the Church, to work miracles, to execute all the offices of religion.” Homil. i. in ii. Tim. T. xi. p. 661.—“Though the Priesthood be exercised upon earth, yet it ought to be reckoned among the superior goods of heaven. And, justly; for neither man, nor angel nor archangel, nor any created power, but the Holy Ghost himself, established that sacred Order, and instructed men to think, that they exercised a ministry of angels in a mortal body. Wherefore,whoever is raised up to the Priesthood, ought to be as pure as if he were already in heaven among those blessed spirits.—When you see our Lord placed upon the altar, and there offered up, the Bishop celebrating the Sacrifice, and praying; and all purpled, as it were, with that precious blood, do you think, that you are amongst men, and still upon earth ?—Living as yet upon earth, Priests dispose of the things of heaven; and they have received a power which God would give neither to angels, nor archangels. He said to them, and not to angels : whatsoever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. (Mat. xviii. 18.) Temporal Princes have a power to bind, but that is the body: Episcopal power binds the soul, and reaches unto heaven; God ratifying above what the Bishop does below; the Master confirming the sentence of his servant.” De Sacerdotio. L. iii. T. i. p.382-3.
