Believers not to

17 These things he spake very angrily unto me, insomuch that he greatly affrighted me, For he changed his countenance, so that a man could not bear his anger.

18 And when he saw me altogether troubled and confounded, he began to speak more moderately and cheerfully, saying, foolish, and without understanding! 19 Unconstant, not knowing the majesty of God how great and wonderful he is; who created the world for man, and hath made every creature subject unto him : and given him all power, that he should be able to fulfil all these commands.

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20 He is able, said he, to fulfil all these commands, who has the Lord in his heart: but they who have the Lord only in their mouths, and their heart is hardened, and they are far from the Lord; to such persons these commands are hard and difficult.

21 Put therefore, ye that are empty and light in the faith, the Lord your God in your hearts; and ye shall perceive how that nothing is more easy than these commands, nor more pleasant, nor more gentle and holy.

22 And turn yourselves to the Lord your God, and forsake the devil and his pleasures, because they are evil, and bitter, and impure. And fear not the devil, because he has no power over

24 And I said unto him; Sir, hear me speak a few words unto you. He answered, Say on: A man indeed desires to keep the commandments of God: and there is no one but what prays unto God, that he may be able to keep his commandments.

25 But the devil is hard, and by his power rules over the servants of God. And he said He cannot rule over the servants of God, who trust in him with all their hearts.

26 The devil may strive, but he cannot overcome them.

27 For if ye resist him, he wil} flee away with confusion from you. But they that are not full in the faith, fear the devil, as if he had some great power. For the devil tries the servants of God and if he finds them empty, he destroys them.

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28 For as man, when he fills up vessels with good wine, and among them puts a few vessels half full, and comes to try and taste of the vessels, doth not try those that are full, because he knows that they are good; but tastes those that are half full, lest they should grow sour; (for vessels half full soon grow sour, and lose the taste of wine :) so the devil comes to the servants of God to try them,

29 They that are full of faith resist him stoutly, and he departs from them, because he finds no place where to enter into them: then he goes to those that are not full of faith, and because he has place of entrance, he goes into

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but turn to

the Lord.

of a dead man. But hearken unto me, and fear the Lord Almighty, who is able to save and to destroy you; and keep his commands, that ye may live unto God.

34 And I said unto him; Sir, I am now confirmed in all the commands of the Lord whilst that you are with me, and I know that you will break all the power of the devil.

35 And we also shall overcome him, if we shall be able, through the help of the Lord, to keep these commands which you have delivered

36 Thou shalt keep them, said he, if thou shalt purify thy heart towards the Lord. And all they also shall keep them who shall cleanse their hearts from the vain desires of the present world, and shall live unto God.

3 O foolish, and doubtful, and wretched man; who understandest not that all these things belong to other men, and are under the power of another. For the Lord of this city saith unto thee; Either obey my laws, or depart out of my city.

4 What therefore shalt thou do who art subject to a law in thine own city? Canst thou for thy estate, or for any of those things. which thou hast provided, deny thy law? But if thou shalt deny it, and wilt afterwards return into thy own city, thou shalt not be received, but shall be excluded thence.

5 See therefore, that like a man

in another country, thou procure no more to thyself than what is necessary, and sufficient for thee? and be ready, that when the God or Lord of this city shall drive thee out of it, thou mayst oppose his law, and go into thine own city; where thou mayst with all cheerfulness live according to thine own law with no wrong.

6 Take heed therefore ye that serve God, and have him in your hearts: work ye the works of God, being mindful both of his commands and of his promises, which he has promised; and be assured that he will make them good unto you; if ye shall keep his commandments.

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7 Instead therefore of the possessions that ye would otherwise purchase, redeem those that are in want from their necessities, as every one is able; justify the widows; judge the cause of the fatherless; and spend your riches and your wealth in such works as

The rich helped by

that which is thy own business, and thou shalt be saved.

SIMILITUDE II. As the vine is supported by the elm, so is the rich man helped by the prayers of the poor.

SI was walking into the

A$

field, and considered the elm and the vine, and thought with myself of their fruits, an angel appeared unto me, and said unto me; What is it that thou thinkest upon thus long within thyself?

2 And I said unto him, Sir, I think of this vine and this elm because their fruits are fair. And he said unto me; 3 These two trees are set for a pattern to the servants of God.

3 And I said unto him, Sir, I would know in what the pattern of these trees which thou mentionest, does consist. Hearken, saith he; seest thou this vine and this elm; Sir, said I, I see them.

4 This vine, saith he, is fruitful, but the elm is a tree without fruit. Nevertheless this vine unless it were set by this elm, and supported by it, would not bear much fruit; but lying along upon the ground, would bear but ill fruit, because it did not hang upon the elm; whereas, being, supported upon the elm, it bears fruit both for itself and for that.

5 See, therefore, how the elm gives no less, but rather more fruit, than the vine. How, Sir, said I, does it bear more fruit than the vine? Because, said he, the vine being supported upon the elm gives both much and good fruit; whereas, if it lay along upon the ground, it would bear but little, and that very ill too.

6 This similitude, therefore, is set forth to the servants of God;

and it represents the rich and poor man. I answered, Sir, make this manifest unto me. Hear, said he ; the rich man has wealth; how beit towards the Lord he is poor; for he is taken up about his riches, and prays but little to the Lord; and the prayers which he makes are lazy and without force.

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7 When, therefore, the rich man reaches out to the poor those things which he wants, the poor man prays unto the Lord for the rich; and God grants unto the rich man all good things, because the poor man is rich in prayer; and his requests have great power with the Lord.

8 Then the rich man ministers all things to the poor, because he perceives that he is heard by the Lord; and he the more willingly and without doubting, affords him what he wants, and takes care that nothing be lacking to him.

9 And the poor man gives thanks unto the Lord for the rich; because they do both their work from the Lord.

10 With men, therefore the elm is not thought to give any fruit; and they know not, neither understand that its company being added to the vine, the vine bears a double increase, both for itself and for the elm.

11 Even so the poor praying unto the Lord for the rich, are heard by him; and their riches are increased, because they minister to the poor of their wealth. They are therefore both made partakers of each other's good works.

12 Whosoever, therefore, shall do these things, he shall not be forsaken by the Lord, but shall be written in the book of life.

13 Happy are they who are rich, and perceive themselves to be increased for he that is sensible 1 Distracted.

of this, will be able to minister somewhat to others.

SIMILITUDE III.

As the green trees in the winter cannot be distinguished from the dry; 80 neither can the righteous from the wicked in this present world.

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GAIN he showed me many

trees whose leaves were shed, and which seemed to me to be withered, for they were all alike. And he said unto me, Seest thou these trees? I said, Sir, I see that they look like dry trees.

2 He answering, said unto me; These trees are like unto the men who live in the present world. I replied Sir, why are they like unto dried trees? Because, said he, neither the righteous, nor unrighteous, are known from one another; but all are alike in this present world.

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3 For this world is as the winter to the righteous men, because they are not known, but dwell among sinners.

4 As in the winter all the trees having lost their leaves, are like dry trees; nor can it be discerned which are dry and which are green: so in this present world neither the righteous, nor wicked are discerned from each other; but they are all alike.

SIMILITUDE IV.

As in the summer the living trees are distinguished from the dry by their fruit and green leaves; so in the world to come the righteous shall be distinguished from the unrighteous by their happiness.

GAIN he showed me many other trees, of which some had leaves, and others appear ed dry and withered. And he said unto me, Seest thou these trees? I answered, Sir, I see them; and some are dry, and others full of leaves.

2 Who are.

Of lelievers' fruits.

Of a true fast

3 When, therefore, the mercy of the Lord shall shine forth, then they who serve God shall be made manifest, and plain unto all. For as in the summer the fruit of every tree is shown and made manifest, so also the works of the righteous shall be declared and made manifest, and they shall all be restored in that world merry and joyful.

4 For the other 1 kind of men, namely the wicked, like the trees which thou sawest dry, shall as such be found dry and without fruit in that other world; and like dry wood shall be burnt; and it shall be made manifest that they have done evil all the time of their

life;

SIMILITUDE V. Of a true fust, and the rewards of it, also of the cleanliness of the body.

down in a certain mountain, SI was fasting, and sitting

and giving thanks unto God for all the things that he had done 2 unto me; behold I saw the shepherd, who was wont to converse with me, sitting by me, and saying unto me: What has brought thee hither thus early in the morning? I answered, Sir, to-day, I keep a 3 station.

2 He answered, What is a station? I replied, it is a fast? He said, What is that fast? I answered, I fast, as I have been wont to

6 Do thou, therefore, bring forth good fruit, that in the summer thy fruit may be known; and keep thyself from much business, and thou shalt not offend. For they who are involved in much business, sin much; because they are taken up with their affairs, and serve not God.

7 And how can a man that does not serve God, ask any thing of God, and receive it? But they who serve him, ask and receive what they desire.

8 But, if a man has only one thing to follow, he may serve God, because his mind is not taken off

'Nations. teler, ibid.

With me.

3 Sir, said I, what makes you speak thus? He replied, I speak it, because this is not the true fast which you think that you fast; but I will show you what that is which is a complete fast, and acceptable unto God.

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4 Hearken, said he, The Lord does not desire such a needless fast for by fasting in this manner, thou advancest nothing in righteousness.

55 But the true fast is this: Do nothing wickedly in thy life, but serve God with a pure mind ; and keep his commandments and walk according to his precepts, nor suffer any wicked desire to enter into the mind.