unto me And first they deliver'd theirs whose Rods were Dry and Rotten And those whose Rods still continued so he commanded to stand apart Then they came whose Rods were Dry but not Rotten Some of these deliver'd in their Rods Green Others dry and rotten as if they had been touch'd by the Moth. Those who gave them up Green he commanded to stand apart But those whose Rods were dry and rotten he caused to stand with the first sort Then came they whose Rods were half dry and Cleft Many of these gave up their Rods Green but still Cleft Others delivered them up Green with Branches and Fruit upon the Branches like unto theirs who went Crown'd into the Tower Others deliver'd them up Dry and Rotten And some as they were before half dry and cleft Every one of these he order'd to stand apart some by themselves others in their respective Ranks V. THEN came they whose Rods were for the most part Green but cleft These deliver'd their Rods altogether Green and stood in their own Order And the Shepherd rejoiced at these because they were all even and free from their Clefts Then they gave in their Rods who had half Green and half Dry. Of these some were found wholly Green others half dry others green with young Shoots And all these were sent away every one to his proper Rank Then they gave up their Rods who had two parts Green and the rest Dry Many of these gave in their Rods Green many half dry the rest dry but not rotten So these were sent away each to his proper Place Then came they who had their Rods two parts Dry and the third Green many of these delivered up their Rods half dry others dry and rotten others half dry and cleft but few Green And all these were set every one in his own Rank Then they reach'd in their Rods who had them before a third part Green and the rest dry Their Rods were for the most part found Green having little Boughs with Fruit upon them and the rest altogether Green And the Shepherd upon sight of these rejoiced exceedingly because he had sound them thus And they also went to their proper Orders VI. NOW after he had examin'd all their Rods he said unto me I told thee that this Tree loved Life Thou seest how many have repented and attain'd unto Salvation Sir said I I see it That thou mightest know saith he that the Goodness and Mercy of the LORD is Great and to be had in Honour who gave his Spirit to them that were worthy of Repentance I answer'd Sir why then did not all of them repent He reply'd Those whose Minds the LORD foresaw would be Pure and that they would serve him with all their Hearts to them he gave Repentance But for those whose deceit and wickedness he beheld and perceived that they would not truly return unto him to them he deny'd any return unto Repentance least they should again blaspheme his Law with wicked Words I said unto him Now Sir make known unto me what is the place of every one of those who have given up their Rods and what their Portion that when they who have not kept their Seal entire but have cast away the Seal which they received shall hear and believe these things they may acknowledge their Evil-deeds and repent and receiving again their Seal from you may give Glory to God that he was moved with Compassion towards them and sent you to renew their Spirits Hearken said he They whose Rods have been found dry and rotten and as it were touch'd with the Moth are the Deserters and the Betrayers of the Church Who with the rest of their Crimes have also blasphemed the LORD and deny'd his Name which was called upon them Therefore all these are Dead unto God and thou seest that none of them have repented although they have heard my Commands which thou hast delivered unto them From these Men therefore Life is far distant And they also who have deliver'd up their Rods Dry but not Rotten have not been far from them For they have been Counterfeits and brought in Evil-Doctrines and have perverted the Servants of God and especially those who had sinn'd not suffering them to return unto Repentance but keeping them back by their False Doctrines These therefore have Hope and thou seest that many of them have repented since the time that thou hast laid my Commands before them and many more will yet Repent But they that shall not Repent both they have lost Patience and shall lose their Life But they that have repented their place is begun to be within the first Walls and some of them are even gone into the Tower Thou seest therefore said he that in the Repentance of sinners there is Life but that for them who Repent not Death is prepared VII HEAR now concerning those who gave in their Rods half dry and full of Clefts They whose Rods were only half-dry are the Doubtful for they are neither Living nor Dead But they who deliver'd in their Rods not only half-dry but also full of Clefts are both Doubtful and Evil-speakers who detract from those that are absent and have never peace among themselves and that envy one another Howbeit to these there is yet lest space for Repentance for thou seest that some of these also have repented Now all those of this kind who have quickly repented shall have a place in the Tower but they who have been more slow in their Repentance shall dwell within the Walls But they that shall not repent but shall continue on in their wicked Doings shall die the Death As for those who had their Rods Green but yet Cleft they are such as were always Faithful and Good but who had some Envy and Strife among themselves concerning Dignity and Preheminence Now all such are Vain and without Understanding as contend with one another about these things Nevertheless seeing they are otherwise Good if when they shall hear these Commands they shall amend themselves and shall at my Perswasion suddainly repent they shall forthwith begin to dwell in the Tower as they who have truly and worthily repented But if any one shall again return to his Dissention he shall be shut out from the Tower and shall lose his Life For the Life of those who keep the Commandments of the LORD consists in doing what they are commanded not in Principality or in any other Dignity For by Patience and Humility of Mind Men shall attain unto Life but by Seditions and Contempt of the Law they shall purchase Death unto themselves VIII THEY who in their Rods had half Green and half Dry are those who are engag'd in many Affairs nor are wholly applied to Holy things For which Cause half of them liveth and half is dead Wherefore many of these since the time that they have heard my Commands have repented and begun to live in the Tower But some of them have wholly fallen away to
will be able to Edifie your selves in the Faith that has been delivered unto you which is the Mother of us All being followed with Hope and led on by a general Love both towards God and towards Christ and towards our Neighbour For if any Man has these things he has fulfilled the Law of Righteousness For he that has Charity is faâ— from all Sin IV. BUT the Love of Money is the Root of all Evil. Knowing therefore that as we brought nothing into this World so neither may we carry any thing out Let us arm our selves with the Armour of Righteousness And teach our selves first to walk according to the Commandments of the Lord and then your Wives to walk likewise according to the Faith that is given to them in Charity and in Purity loving their own Husbands with all Sincerity and all others alike with all Temperance and to bring up their Children in the Instruction and Fear of the Lord. The Widows likewise teach that they be Sober and Discreet as to what concerns the Faith of the Lord Praying always for All Men being far from all Detraction Evil speaking false Witness from Covetousness and from all Evil Knowing that they are the Altars of God who sees all things and from whom nothing is hid Who searches out the very Reasonings and Thoughts and Secrets of our Hearts V. KNOWING therefore that God is not mocked we ought to walk worthy both of his Command and of his Glory Also the Deacons must be Blameless before Him as the Ministers of God in Christ and not of Men. Not false Accusers not Double-tongued not Lovers of Money but Moderate in all things Compassionate Careful walking according to the Truth of the Lord who was the Servant of all Whom if we please in this present World we shall also be made Partakers of that which is to come according as he has promised to us that he will raise us from the Dead And that if we shall walk worthy of him we shall also reign together with him if we believe In like manner the younger Men must be unblamable in all things Above all taking care of their Purity and to restrain themselves from all Evil. For it is good to be cut off from the Lusts that are in the World because every such Lust warreth against the Spirit And neither Fornicators nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind shall inherit the Kingdom of God nor they who do such things as are Foolish and Unreasonable Wherefore ye must abstain from all these things being subject to the Priests and Deacons as unto God and Christ. The Virgins admonish to walk in a spotless and pure Conscience VI. AND let the Elders be Compassionate and Merciful towards all turning them from their Errors seeking out those that are Weak not forgetting the Widows the Fatherless and the Poor but always providing what is Good both in the sight of God and Man Abstaining from all Wrath respect of Persons and unrighteous Judgment And especially being free from all Covetousness Not easie to believe any thing against any not severe in Judgment Knowing that we are all Debtors in point of Sin If therefore we pray to the Lord that he would forgive us we ought also to forgive others For we are all in the sight of our Lord and God and must all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and every one give an account of Himself Let us therefore serve him in fear and with all Reverence as both Himself commanded and as the Apostles and Prophets have preach'd to us who have foretold the Coming of our Lord Being Zealous of what is Good abstaining from all Offence and from all false Brethren and from all that bear the Name of Christ in Hypocrisie who deceive vain Men. VII FOR whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh he is Antichrist And whoever does not confess his Suffering upon the Cross is from the Devil And whosoever perverts the Oracles of the Lord to his own Lusts and says that there shall neither be any Resurrection nor Judgment he is the first Born of Satan Wherefore leaving the Vanity of many and their false Doctrines let us hold fast to the Word that was delivered to us from the Beginning Watching unto Prayer and persevering in Fasting Beseeching with all Supplication the All-seeing God not to lead us into Temptation as the Lord hath said The Spirit truly is willing but the Flesh is weak VIII LET us therefore without ceasing keep stedfastly to Him who is our Hope and the Earnest of our Righteousness even Jesus Christ Who his own self bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree Who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth But suffered all for us that we might live through Him Let us therefore imitate his Patience And if we suffer for his Name let us Glorifie him for this Example he has given us by Himself and so have we believed IX WHEREFORE I exhort all of you that ye obey the Word of Righteousness and exercise all Patience which ye have seen set forth before your Eyes not only in the Blessed Ignatius and Zozimus and Rufus but in others that have been among you and in Paul himself and the rest of the Apostles Being confident of this that all these have not run in vain but in Faith and Righteousness and are gone to the place that was due to them from the Lord with whom also they suffered For they loved not this present World but Him who died and was raised again by God for us X. STAND therefore in these things and follow the Example of the LORD being firm and immutable in the Faith Lovers of the Brotherhood Lovers of one another Companions together in the Truth being kind and gentle towards each other despising none When it is in your power to do good defer it not for Charity delivereth from death Be all of you subject one to another having your Conversation Honest among the Gentiles That by your good Works both ye your selves may receive Praise and the LORD may not be Blasphemed through you But Woe be to him by whom the Name of the LORD is Blasphemed Therefore teach all Men Sobriety in which do ye also exercise your selves XI I AM greatly afflicted for Valens who was once a Presbyter among you that he should so little understand the place that was given to Him in the Church Wherefore I admonish you that ye abstain from Covetousness and that ye be Chast and true of Speech Keep your selves from All Evil. For He that in these things cannot govern Himself How shall he be able to prescribe them to another If a Man does not keep himself from Covetousness He shall be polluted with Idolatry and be judged as if he were a
thy Children and with all thy House thou shalt be happy And whosoever when they hear these things shall do them they also shall be happy and whatsoever they shall ask of the LORD they shall receive it IV. AND I pray'd him that he would expound unto me the Similitude of the Farm and the Lord and of the Vineyard and of the Servant that had staked the Vine-yard and of the Weeds that were pluck'd out of the Vineyard and of his Son and his Friends which he took into Counsel with him For I understood that that was the Similitude He said unto me Thou art very ready in asking Howbeit thou oughst not to ask any thing for if it be fitting to shew it unto thee it shall be shewed I answer'd him Sir Whatsoever thou shalt shew without explaining it unto me I shall in vain see it And what Similitudes thou shalt propose and not expound them I shall in vain hear them He answered me again saying Whosoever is the Servant of God and has the LORD in his Heart desires Understanding of him and receives it and he explains every Similitude and understands the Words of the LORD which need an Enquiry But they that are lazy and slow to pray doubt to seek from the LORD although the LORD be of such an extraordinary Goodness that without ceasing he giveth all things to them that ask of him Thou therefore who art strengthened by that Venerable Messenger and hast received such a powerful Gift of Prayer seeing thou art not sloathful why dost thou not now ask Understanding of the LORD and receive it I said unto him seeing I have thee present it is necessary that I should seek it of thee and ask thee for thou shewest all things unto me and speakest to me when thou art present But if I should see or hear these things when thou wert not present I would then ask the LORD that he would shew them unto me V. AND he reply'd I said a little before that thou wert subtle and bold and that thou askest the meaning of these Similitudes But because thou still persistest I will unfold to thee the Parable which thou desirest that thou mayst make it known unto all Men. Hear therefore said he and understand The Farm before mention'd denotes the whole Earth The Lord of the Farm is he who created and finished all things and gave Vertue unto them His Son is the Holy Spirit The Servant is the Son of God The Vineyard is the People whom he saves The Stakes are the Messengers which are set over them by the LORD to support his People The Weeds that are pluckt up out of the Vineyard are the Sins which the Servants of God had committed The Food which he sent him from his Supper are the Commands which he gave to his People by his Son The Friends whom he call'd to Counsel with him are the Holy Angels whom he first created The Absence of the Master of the Houshold is the Time that remains unto his Coming I said unto him Sir All these things are very excellent and wonderful and good But continued I could I or any other Man besides though never so wise have understood these things Wherefore now Sir tell me what I ask He replied ask me what thou wilt Why said I is the Son of God in this Parable put in the place of a Servant VI. Hearken said he The Son of God is not put in the condition of a Servant but in great Power and Authority And I answer'd How Sir I understood it not Because said he The Son set his Messengers over those whom the Father deliver'd unto him to keep every one of them but he himself labour'd very much and suffer'd much that he might blot out their Offences For no Vineyard can be digg'd without much Labour and Pains Wherefore having blotted out the Sins of his People he shew'd to them the Paths of Life giving them the Law which he had received of the Father You see said he that he is the LORD of his People having received all Power from his Father But why did the LORD take into Counsel his Son concerning dividing the Inheritance and the Good Angels Hear Because that Messenger hearkned to the Holy Ghost which was first of all infused into the Body in which God should dwell For his Understanding placed him in the Body as it seem'd Good to him This Body therefore into which the Holy Spirit was brought served that Spirit walking rightly and purely in Modesty nor ever defiled that Spirit Seeing therefore the Body at all times obeyed the Holy Spirit and labour'd rightly and chastly with him nor falter'd at any time that Body being wearied conversed indeed Servily but being stoutly approved with the Holy Spirit was accepted by God For such a powerful Course pleased God because he was not defiled in the Earth keeping the Holy Spirit in Council with him He called therefore his Son and the Good Angels that there might be some place of standing given to this Body which had served the Holy Spirit without Complaint least it should seem to have lost the reward of its Service For every pure Body shall receive its reward that is found without Spot in which the Holy Spirit has been appointed to dwell And thus you have now the Exposition of this Parable also VII SIR said I I now understand your Meaning since I have heard this Exposition Hearken farther said he Keep this thy Body Clean and Pure that the Spirit which shall dwell in it may bear Witness unto it and be judged to have been with thee Also take heed that it be not instill'd into thy Mind that this Body perishes and thou abuse it to any Lust. For if thou shalt defile thy Body thou shalt also at the same time defile the Holy Spirit and if thou shalt defile the Holy Spirit thou shalt not live And I said What if through Ignorance this should have been already committed before a Man heard these Words How can he attain unto Salvation who has thus defiled his Body He reply'd As for Mens former Actions which through Ignorance they have committed God only can afford a remedy unto them For all power belongeth unto him But now Guard thy self and seeing God is Almighty and Merciful he will grant a remedy to what thou hast formerly done amiss if for the time to come thou shalt not defile thy Body and Spirit For they are Companions together and the One cannot be defiled but the other will be so too Keep therefore both of them Pure and thou shalt live unto God The Sixth SIMILITUDE Of two sorts of Voluptuous Men and of their Death Defection and of the Continuance of their Pains I. AS I was sitting at home and praising God for all the things which I had seen and was thinking concerning the Commands that they were exceeding Good and Great and Honest and Pleasant and such as would certainly bring a Man to Salvation
of his Spirit XXV AS concerning the eighth Mountain in which were a great many Springs by which every kind of all the Creatures of God was watered they are such as have believed the Apostles which the LORD sent into all the World to preach and some Teachers who have preached and taught purely and sincerely and have not in the least yielded to any Evil Desires but have constantly walked in Righteousness and Truth These therefore have their Conversation among the Angels XXVI AGAIN as for what concerns the ninth Mountain which was desert and full of Serpents they are such as have believed but had many Stains These are such Ministers as discharge their Ministry amiss ravishing away the Goods of the Widows and Fatherless and serve themselves not others out of those things which they have received These if they continue in this Covetousness shall deliver themselves unto Death nor shall there be any hope of Life for them But if they shall be converted and shall discharge their Ministry sincerely they may live As for those which were found rough they are such as have deny'd the Name of the LORD and not return'd again to the LORD but have become savage and wild not applying themselves to the Servants of God but being separated from them have for the sake of a little Anxiety lost their Lives For as a Vine that is forsaken in a Hedge and never dress'd perishes and is choaked by the Weeds and in time becomes wild and ceases to be useful to its LORD So this kind of Men despairing of themselves and being made sour have begun to be unprofitable to their LORD Howbeit to these there is at last Repentance allow'd if they shall not be found from their Hearts to have denied Christ But if any of these shall be found to have denied him from his Heart I cannot tell whether such a one can attain unto Life And I say therefore that if in these Days any one has denied he should return unto Repentance for it cannot be that any one who now denies the LORD can afterwards attain unto Salvation Nevertheless Repentance is proposed unto them who have formerly deny'd But he who will repent must hasten on his Repentance before the Building of this Tower is finished Or if not he shall be delivered by those Women unto Death But they that are maimed are the Deceitful and those who mix one with another These are the Serpents that you saw in that Mountain For as the Poyson of Serpents is deadly unto Men So the Words of such Persons infect and destroy Men. They are therefore maimed in their Faith by reason of that kind of Life in which they lead Howbeit some of them having repented have been saved and so shall others of the same kind be saved if they shall repent but if not they shall die by those Women whose Power and Force they enjoy XXVII FOR what concerns the tenth Mountain in which were the Trees covering the Cattle they are such as have believed and some of them been Bishops that is Governours of the Churches Others are such Stones as have not feignedly but with a chearful Mind entertain'd the Servants of God Then such as have been set over inferior Ministries and have protected the Poor and the Widows and have always kept a chast Conversation therefore they also are protected by the LORD Whosoever shall do on this wise are honour'd with the LORD and their Place is among the Angels if they shall continue to obey the LORD even unto the End XXVIII AS to the eleventh Mountain in which were Trees loaded with several sorts of Fruits they are such as have believed and suffered Death for the Name of the LORD and have endured with a ready Mind and have given up their Lives with all their Hearts And I said Why then Sir have all these Fruit but some fairer than others Hearken said he Whosoever have suffered for the Name of the LORD are esteemed honourable by the LORD and all their Offences are blotted out because they have suffered Death for the Name of the Son of God Hear now why their Fruits are different and some of them excel others They who being brought before Magistrates and being ask'd deny'd not the LORD but suffered with a ready Mind these are more honourable with the LORD The Fruits therefore that are the most fair are these But they who were fearful and doubtful and have deliberated with themselves whether they should confess or deny Christ and yet have suffered their Fruits are smaller because that this Thought came into their Hearts For it is a wicked and evil Thought for a Servant to deliberate whether he should deny his Master Take heed therefore ye who have such Thoughts that this Mind continue not in you and ye die unto God But ye who suffer Death for his Name sake ought to honour the LORD that he has esteem'd you worthy to bear his Name and that you should be delivered from all your Sins And why therefore do you not rather esteem your selves happy Why do you not think that if any one among you suffer he performs a great Work For the LORD giveth you Life and ye understand it not For your Offences did oppress you and had you not suffer'd for his Names sake ye had now been dead unto the LORD Wherefore I speak this unto you who deliberate whether ye should confess or deny him Confess that ye have the LORD for your God least at any time denying him ye be delivered over into Bonds For if all Nations punish their Servants which deny their Masters What think you that the LORD will do unto you who has the Power of all things Remove therefore out of your Hearts these Doubts that ye may live for ever unto God XXIX AS for the twelfth Mountain which was white they are such as have believed like sincere Children into whose Thoughts there never came any Malice nor have they ever known what Sin was but have always continued in their Integrity Wherefore this kind of Men shall without all doubt inherit the Kingdom of God because they have never in any thing defiled the Commandments of God but have continued with Sincerity in the same Condition all the days of their Life Whosoever therefore said he shall continue as Children without Malice shall be more honourable than all those of whom I have yet spoken For all such Children are honour'd by the LORD and esteemed the first of all Happy therefore are ye who have removed all Malice from you and put on Innocence because ye shall first see the LORD And after he had thus ended his Explication of all the Mountains I said unto him Sir Shew me now also what concerns the Stones that were brought out of the Plain and put into the Tower in the room of those that were rejected as also concerning those round Stones which were added into the Building of the Tower and also of those who still continued
Men unto Thee to Spy out the Land bring them forth for so hath the King Commanded She answered The two Men whom ye seek came unto Me but presently they departed and are gone Shewing them withall a Contrary way Then she said to the Spies I know that the LORD your God has given this City into your hands for the fear of you is fallen upon All that dwell therein When therefore ye shall have taken it ye shall save Me and my Fathers House And they answered her saying It shall be as Thou hast spoken unto Vs. Therefore when Thou shalt know that we are near thou shalt Gather all thy Family together upon the House top and they shall be saved But all that shall be found without thy House shall be destroyed And they gave her moreover a Sign that she should Hang out of her House a Scarlet Rope Shewing thereby that by the Blood of our Lord there should be Redemption to all that Believe and Hope in God Ye see Beloved How there was not only Faith but Prophesie too in this Woman XIII LET us therefore Humble our selves Brethren laying aside all Pride and Boasting and Foolishness and Anger And let us do as it is written for thus saith the Holy Spirit Let not the Wise Man Glory in his Wisdom nor the Strong Man in his Strength nor the Rich Man in his Riches But let him that Glorieth Glory in the LORD to seek Him and to do Judgment and Justice Above All remembring the words of the Lord Jesus which he spake concerning Equity and Long-suffering saying Be ye Merciful and ye shall obtain Mercy Forgive and ye shall be Forgiven As ye do so shall it be done unto you As ye give so shall it be given unto you As ye judge so shall ye be judged As ye are kind to Others so shall God be kind to you With what Measure ye Meet with the same shall it be measured to you Again By this Command and by these Rules let us establish our selves that so we may always walk obediently to his Holy Words being humble minded For so says the Holy Scripture Vpon Whom shall I look even upon him that is poor and of a Contrite Spirit and that trembles at my Word XIV IT is therefore Just and Righteous Men and Brethren that we should become Obedient unto God rather than follow such as through Pride and Disorder have made themselves the Ring-leaders of a detestable Emulation For it is not an Ordinary Harm that we shall do our selves but rather a very great Danger that we shall run if we shall rashly give up our selves to the Wills of Men who promote Strife and Seditions to turn us aside from what is fitting But let us be kind to One Another according to the Compassion and Sweetness of him that made us For it is written The Merciful shall inherit the Earth and they that are without Evil shall be left upon it But the Transgressors shall perish from off the face of it And again He saith I have seen the Wicked in great Power and spreading himself like the Cedars of Libanus I passed by and Lo he was not I sought his place but it could not be found Keep Innocency and do the thing that is right for there shall be a Remnant to the Peaceable Man XV. LET us therefore hold fast to Those who religiously follow Peace and not to such as only pretend to desire it For He saith in a certain place This People honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me And again They Bless with their Mouth but Curse in their Heart And again He saith They loved him with their Mouth and with their Tongue they lied to Him For their heart was not right with Him neither were they faithful in his Covenant The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips And the tongue that speaketh proud things Who have said with our tongue will we prevail Our lips are our own who is LORD over us For the Oppression of the Poor for the Sighing of the Needy now will I arise saith the LORD I will set him in safety I will deal confidently with him XVI FOR Christ is theirs who are Humble and not who exalt themselves over his Flock The Scepter of the Majesty of God our Lord Jesus Christ came not in the shew of Pride and Arrogance tho' he could have done so But with Humility as the Holy Ghost had before spoken concerning him For thus he saith LORD who hath believed our Report and to whom is the Arm of the LORD revealed For He shall grow up before him as a tender Plant and as a root out of a dry Ground He hath no Form nor Comeliness and when we shall see Him there is no Beauty that we should desire Him He is despised and rejected of Men A man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief And we hid as it were our faces from Him He was despised and we esteemed Him not Surely He hath borne our Griefs and carried our Sorrows yet we did Esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted But he was wounded for our Transgressions He was bruised for our Iniquities The Chastisement of our Peace was upon Him and with his Stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every One to his own way and the LORD hath laid on Him the Iniquity of Vs all He was Oppressed and he was Afflicted yet he Opened not his mouth He is brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter and as a Sheep before her Shearers is Dumb so He openeth not his Mouth He was taken from Prison and from Judgment And who shall declare his Generation For he was cut off out of the Land of the Living For the Transgression of my People was he stricken And he made his Grave with the Wicked and with the Rich in his Death because he had done no Violence neither was any deceit in his Mouth Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him he hath put him to grief When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for sin He shall see his Seed he shall prolong his days And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand He shall see of the travail of his Soul and shall be satisfied by his Knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many For He shall bear their Iniquities Therefore will I divide him a portion with the Great and he shall divide the Spoil with the Strong because He hath poured out his Soul unto death And he was numbred with the Transgressors and he bare the sin of many and made Intercession for the Transgressors And again he Himself saith I am a Worm and no Man a reproach of men and despised of the People All they that see me laugh me to scorn they shout out their lips they shake their head
what Persons they are to be perform'd That so all things being piously done unto all Well-pleasing they may be acceptable unto him They therefore who make their Offerings at the appointed Seasons are Happy and Accepted Because that obeying the Commandments of the Lord they are free from Sin And the same care must be had of the Persons that Minister unto him For the Chief Priest has his proper Services and to the Priests their proper Place is appointed And to the Levites appertain their proper Ministries And the Lay-man is confined within the Bounds of what is commanded to Lay-men XLI LET every one of you therefore Brethren bless God in his proper Station with a Good Conscience and with all Gravity not exceeding the Rule of his Service that is appointed to him The daily Sacrifices were not offer'd every where nor the Peace-offerings nor the Sacrifices appointed for Sins and Transgressions but only at Jerusalem Nor might they be offer'd in any Place there neither but only at the Altar before the Temple being first diligently examin'd by the High-Priest and the other Ministers we before mentioned They therefore who did any thing besides what was agreeable to his Will were punished with Death Consider Brethren by how much the better Knowledge God has vouchsafed unto us by so much the greater Danger are we exposed to XLII THE Apostles have Preached to us from our Lord JESUS CHRIST Jesus Christ from God Christ therefore was sent by God the Apostles by Christ So both their Offices were orderly fulfill'd according to the Will of God For having received their Command and being fully assured by the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and convinced by the Word of God and the Evidence of the Holy Spirit they went abroad publishing That the Kingdom of God was at Hand And thus Preaching through Countries and Cities and proving by the Spirit the first Fruits of their Conversions they appointed out of them Bishops and Ministers over such as should afterwards believe Nor was this any new Thing Seeing that long before it was written concerning Bishops and Deacons For thus saith the Scripture in a certain place I will appoint their Overseers in Righteousness and their Ministers in Faith XLIII AND what wonder if they to whom such a work was committed by God in Christ establish'd such Officers as we before mentioned When even that Blessed and Faithful Servant in all his House Moses set down in the Holy Scriptures all things that were commanded Him Whom also all the rest of the Prophets follow'd bearing witness with one consent to those things that were appointed by him For He perceiving an Emulation to arise among the Tribes concerning the Priesthood and that there was a Strife about it which of them should be Adorned with that Glorious Title commanded their twelve Captains to bring to him twelve Rods every Tribe being noted upon its Rod according to its Name And he took them and bound them together and sealed them with the Seals of the Twelve Princes of the Tribes and laid them up in the Tabernacle of Witness upon the Table of God And when he had shut the door of the Tabernacle he sealed up the Keys of it in like manner as he had done the Rods And said unto them Men and Brethren Which soever Tribe shall have its Rod Blossom that Tribe has God chosen to Himself to Minister unto Him in Holy Things And when Morning was come He called together All Israel six Hundred Thousand Men and shew'd to their Princes the Seals and opened the Tabernacle of Witness and brought forth the Rods. And the Rod of Aaron was found not only to have Blossom'd but also to have Fruit upon it What think you Beloved Did not Moses before know what should happen Yes verily But to the End there might be no Division nor Tumult in Israel He did in this manner that the Name of the True and Only God might be Glorified To Him be Honour for Ever and Ever Amen XLIV SO likewise our Apostles knew by our Lord Jesus Christ that there should Contentions arise upon the Account of the Ministry And therefore having a perfect fore-knowledge of this they appointed Persons as we have before said and then gave Direction How when they should die other chosen and approved Men should succeed in their Ministry Wherefore we cannot think that those may justly be thrown out of their Ministry who were either Appointed by Them or afterwards Chosen by Eminent Men with the Consent of the whole Church and have with all Lowliness and Innocency ministred to the Flock of Christ in Peace and without Self-interest and for a long time commended by all For it would be no small Sin in us should we cast off those from their Ministry who Holily and without Blame fulfil the Duties of it Blessed are those Priests who having finish'd their Course before these times have obtain'd a fruitful and perfect Dissolution For they have no fear lest any one should turn them out of the place in which they are now establish'd But we see how you have put out some who lived excellently among you from the Ministry with which they were rightly and innocently adorn'd XLV YE are Contentious Brethren and Zealous for things that pertain not unto Salvation Look into the Holy Scriptures which are the true words of the Holy Ghost Ye know that there is nothing unjust or Spurious in them There you shall not find that Just Men were ever cast off by such as were good themselves They were persecuted 't is true but it was by the Wicked and Ungodly They were cast into Prison but they were cast in by those that were Unholy They were stoned but it was by Sinners and Transgressors They were killed but by Accursed Men and such as had taken up an Unjust Envy against them And all these things they underwent Gloriously For what shall we say Brethren Was Daniel cast into the Den of Lyons by Men fearing God Ananias Azarias and Misael were they cast into the Fiery Furnace by Men professing the Excellent and Glorious Worship of the most High God forbid What kind of Persons then were they that did these things They were Men Abominable full of all Wickedness who were incensed to so great a Degree as to bring those into Sufferings who with a Holy and Unblamable Purpose of mind worshipped God Not knowing that the Most High is the Protector and Defender of all such as in a Pure Conscience serve his Holy Name To whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen But they who with a full Perswasion have endured to the end are now made Partakers of Glory and Honour And are Exalted and lifted up by God in their Memorial throughout all Ages Amen XLVI WHEREFORE it will behove us also
you I will make known my Speech unto you Because I called and ye would not hear I stretched out my words and ye regarded not But ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would none of my reproof I will also laugh at your Calamity and mock when your fear cometh When your Fear cometh as Desolation and your Destruction as a Whirlwind when Distress and Anguish cometh upon you Then shall ye call upon me but I will not hear you The Wicked shall seek me but they shall not find me For that they hated Knowledge and did not seek the Fear of the Lord. They would not hearken unto my Counsel They despised all my Reproof Therefore shall they eat of the Fruit of their own ways and be filled with their own Wickedness LVIII NOW God the Inspector of all things the Father of Spirits and the Lord of all Flesh who hath chosen our Lord Jesus Christ and Us by Him to be his Peculiar People grant to every Soul of Man that calleth upon his Glorious and Holy Name Faith Fear Peace Long-suffering Patience Temperance Holiness and Wisdom unto all well-pleasing in his sight through our High Priest and Protector Jesus Christ by whom be Glory and Majesty and Honour unto Him now and for Ever more Amen LIX THE Messengers whom we have sent unto you Claudius and Ephebus and Valerius and Bito with Fortunatus send back to us again with all speed in Peace and with Joy that they may the sooner acquaint us with your Peace and Concord so much pray'd for and desired by Us And that we may rejoyce in your good Order LX. THE Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and with all others that are any where called by God and through Him To whom be Honour and Glory and Might and Majesty and Dominion by Christ Jesus from Everlasting to Everlasting Amen THE EPISTLE OF St. POLYCARP TO THE Philippians THE CONTENTS After the Salutation 1. HE Commends the Philippians for their Respect to Those who suffer'd for the Gospel and for their own Faith and Piety Numb I. 2. He exhorts Them to continue in Both And that particularly from the Consideration of the Resurrection and Judgment to come N. II. For their better accomplishing whereof He 3. Advises them to call to mind the Doctrine which St. Paul had taught them whilst He was in Person among them and after wrote to them in his Epistle N. III. The Summ of all which he now goes on particularly to set before Them I. As to Practical Duties 1. Faith Hope Charity N. III. 2. Against Covetousness N. IV. 3. The Duties of Husbands Wives Widows Ib. 4. Of Deacons Young Men Virgins N. V. 5. Of Presbyters N. VI. All which He again Inforces with the Consideration of that Account we must one day give to God of all our Actions II. As to Matters of Faith 1. What we are to Believe concerning our Saviour Christ His Nature and Sufferings N. VII 2. Of the Future Resurrection and Judgment Ib. Which being thus set forth He finally Exhorts them 1. To Prayer N. VII 2. To Stedfastness in their Faith N. VIII Inforced from the Examples of the Patience and Constancy Of Our Saviour Christ. Ib. Of his Apostles and Saints N. IX 3. To Carefulness in all Well-doing N. X. And more particularly yet from the Miscarriage of Valens who had been a Presbyter among Them He Exhorts them 4. To beware of Covetousness N. XI 5. Not to be too severe towards such Persons either in their Censures of them or Behaviour towards them N. XII He Prays for them and then Exhorts them 6. To Pray for All others Ib. And having thus done with what was Instructive of his Epistle He advises Them of his sending Ignatius's Epistles to them N. XIII And desires an Account of Him from Them N. XIV And lastly He recommends Crescens by whom he wrote this Epistle together with his Sister to their Favour and Assistance Ib. THE EPISTLE OF St. POLYCARP TO THE Philippians POLYCARP and the PRESBYTERS that are with Him to the Church of God which is at PHILIPPI Mercy unto you and Peace from God Almighty and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour be multiplied I. I REJOYCED greatly with you in our Lord Jesus Christ that ye received the Images of a true Love and accompanied as it behoved you those who were in Bonds becoming Saints which are the Crowns of such as are truly chosen by God and our Lord As also that the Root of the Faith which was preach'd from antient times remains firm in you to this day and brings forth Fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ who suffer'd himself to be brought even to the Death for our Sins Whom God hath raised up having loosed the Pains of Death Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Into which many desire to enter Knowing that by Grace ye are saved not by Works but by the Will of God through Jesus Christ. II. WHEREFORE girding up the Loyns of your Mind Serve the Lord with Fear and in Truth Laying aside all empty and vain Speech and the Error of many Believing in him that raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the Dead and hath given him Glory and a Throne at his right Hand To whom all things are made Subject Both that are in Heaven and that are in Earth whom every Creature shall worship who shall come to be the Judge of the Quick and Dead Whose Bloud God shall require of them that believe not in him but are disobedient to him But he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also raise up us in like manner if we do his Will and walk according to his Commandments and love that which he hath loved Abstaining from all Vnrighteousness inordinate Affection and love of Money from Evil-speaking False Witness not rendring Evil for Evil or Railing for Railing or Striking for Striking or Cursing for Cursing But remembring what the Lord has taught us saying Judge not and ye shall not be judged Forgive and ye shall be forgiven Be ye merciful and ye shall obtain Mercy For with the same measure that ye meet withall it shall be measured to you again And again that Blessed are the Poor and they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of God III. THESE things my Brethren I took not the Liberty of my self to write unto you concerning Righteousness but you your selves before encouraged me to it For neither can I nor any other such as I am come up to the Wisdom of the Blessed and Renowned Paul who being himself in Person with those who then lived did with all Exactness and Soundness teach the Word of Truth and being gone from you wrote an Epistle to you Into which if you look you
longer observing Sabbaths but living according to the Commands of the LORD in which also our Life is sprung up by Him and through his Death whom yet some deny By which Mystery we have been brought to Believe and therefore wait that we may be found the Disciples of Jesus Christ our only Master How shall we be able to live Different from Him whose Disciples the very Prophets themselves being did by the Spirit expect Him as their Master And therefore He whom they justly waited for being come raised them up from the Dead X. LET us not then be Insensible of his Goodness for should he have dealt with us according to our Works we had not now had a Being Wherefore being become his Disciples let us learn to live according to the Rules of Christianity For whosoever is called by any other name besides this He is not of God Lay aside therefore the Old and Sower and Evil Leaven and be ye changed into the New Leaven which is Jesus Christ. Be ye salted in Him lest any one among you should be Corrupted for by your smell ye shall be Judged It is Absurd to call your selves by the Name of Jesus Christ and to Judaize For the Christian Religion did not embrace the Jewish but the Jewish the Christian that so every Tongue that Believed might be gathered together unto God XI THESE things my Beloved I write unto you not that I know of any among you that lye under this Error But as one of the least among you I am desirous to forewarn you that ye fall not into the Snares of Vain Doctrine But that ye be fully instructed in the Birth and Suffering and Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Hope which was done in the Time of the Government of Pontius Pilate and that most truly and certainly and from which God forbid that any among you should be turn'd aside XII MAY I therefore have Joy of you in all things if I shall be worthy of it For though I am Bound yet am I not worthy to be compared to one of you that are at Liberty I know that ye are not puffed up for ye have Jesus Christ in your Hearts And especially when I commend you I know that ye are Ashamed as it is written The Just Man condemneth himself XIII STUDY therefore to be confirm'd in the Doctrine of our LORD and of his Apostles that so whatsoever ye do ye may prosper both in Body and Spirit in Faith and Charity in the Son and in the Father and in the Holy Spirit in the Beginning and in the End Together with your most worthy Bishop and the well-wrought Spiritual Crown of your Presbytery and your Deacons which are according to God Be subject to your Bishop and to one another as Jesus Christ to the Father according to the Flesh and the Apostles both to Christ and to the Father and to the Holy Ghost that so ye may be united both in Body and Spirit XIV KNOWING you to be full of God I have the more briefly exhorted you Be mindful of me in your Prayers that I may attain unto God And forget not the Church that is in Syria from which I am not worthy to be called For I stand in need of your Joynt-Prayers in God and of your Charity that the Church which is in Syria may be thought worthy to be nourish'd by your Church XV. THE Ephesians from Smyrna salute you from which place I write unto you Being present here to the Glory of God in like manner as you are who have in all things refresh'd me together with Polycarp the Bishop of the Smyrnaeans The rest of the Churches in the Honour of Jesus Christ salute you Farewel and be ye strengthned in the Concord of God enjoying his Inseparable Spirit which is Jesus Christ. To the MAGNESIANS THE EPISTLE OF St. IGNATIVS TO THE Trallians THE CONTENTS The Salutation Chap. I. HE acknowledges the Coming of their Bishop and his receit of their Charity by Him II. He commends them for their Orderly Subjection to their Bishop Priests and Deacons and exhorts them to continue in it III. He inforces the same Exhortation Commends their Bishop and excuses his not writing more fully to them of this Matter IV. Which he does not least he should seem to take too much upon Him And be too much exalted in his own Conceit which would be very Dangerous to Him Who is afraid even of his Over-great Desire to Suffer least it should be prejudicial to Him V. Another Reason why he did not write more largely to them is that at present they are not able to bear it VI. He warns them against Hereticks who poison the sound Word of Christ And VII Exhorts them by Humility of Mind and Unity with the Church to guard Themselves against Them VIII And this he does not that he knows of any present need they had of this Advice but to prevent any Mischief from falling upon them IX To which End he briefly sets before them the true Doctrine concerning Christ. X. And particularly exposes the Error of some who taught that he seemed only to Die but did not really Suffer XI From these he would have Them flee XII He returns again to his Exhortation of them to Unity And desires their Prayers of which he was much in need XIII Which also he begs for his Church at Antioch And having given them the Salutations of Those who were with Him and once more exhorted them to due Submission to their Bishop c. He Concludes THE EPISTLE OF St. IGNATIVS TO THE Trallians IGNATIUS who is also called THEOPHORUS to the Beloved of God the Father of JESUS CHRIST the Holy Church which is at TRALLES in Asia Elect and Worthy of God Having Peace through the Flesh and Bloud and Passion of Jesus Christ our Hope in the Resurrection which is by him Which also I salute in the Fullness of the Apostolical Character Wishing all Joy and Happiness unto it I. I HAVE heard of your Blameless and Constant Disposition through Patience which not only appears in your Outward Conversation but is habitually rooted and grounded in you In like manner as Polybius your Bishop has declared unto me Who came to me to Smyrna by the Will of God and Jesus Christ and so rejoyced together with me in my Bonds for Jesus Christ that in effect I saw your whole Church in Him Having therefore received the Testimony of your Good Will towards me for Gods sake by Him I rejoyced to find you as also I knew that ye were the Followers of God II. FOR whereas ye are subject to your Bishop as to Jesus Christ ye appear to me to live not after the manner of Men but according to Jesus Christ who died for us that so believing in his Death we might
give Thanks If therefore the Son of God who is the LORD of all and shall come to judge both the Quick and Dead hath suffer'd that by his Stripes we might live Let us believe that the Son of God could not have suffer'd but for us But being crucified they gave him Gall and Vinegar to drink Hear therefore how the Priests of the Temple did foreshew this also The LORD by his Command which was written declar'd that whosoever did not fast the Appointed Fast should die the Death Because he also was one day to offer his Body for our Sins and so the Type of what was done in Isaac be fulfill'd who was offer'd upon the Altar What therefore is it that he says by the Prophet And let them eat of the Goat which is offer'd in the day of the Fast for all their Sins Harken diligently my Brethren And all the Priests and they only shall eat the Inwards not washed with Vinegar And why so Because I know that when I shall hereafter offer my Flesh for the Sins of a New People ye will give me Vinegar to drink mixed with Gall therefore do ye only eat the People fasting the while and lamenting in Sackcloath and Ashes That by this he might fore-shew that he was to suffer by them But hear then how he appointed it Take says he two Goats fair and alike and offer them And let the High Priest take one of them for a Burnt Offering And what must be done with the other Let it be accursed Consider how exactly this appears to have been a Type of Jesus And let all the Congregation spit upon it and prick it and put the Scarlet Wool about its Head And thus let it be carried forth into the Wilderness And this being done he that was appointed to convey the Goat led it into the Wilderness and took away the Scarlet Wool and put it upon a Thorn-Bush whose young Sprouts when we find them in the Field we are wont to eat So the Fruit of that Thorn only is sweet And to what end was this Ceremony Consider One was offered upon the Altar the Other was accursed And why was that which was accursed crown'd Because they shall see Christ in that Day having a Scarlet Garment about his Body and shall say Is not this he whom heretofore we crucified having despised him pierced him mocked him Certainly this is he who then said that he was the Son of God As therefore he shall be then like to what he was on Earth so were the Jews heretotore commanded to take two Goats Fair and Equal That when they shall see our Saviour hereafter coming in the Clouds of Heaven they may be amazed at the Likeness of the Goats Wherefore ye here again see a Type of Jesus who was to suffer for us But what then signifies this That the Wool was to be put into the midst of the Thorns This also is a Figure of Jesus set out to the Church For as he who would take away the Scarlet Wool must undergo many difficulties because that Thorn was very sharp and with difficulty get it So they says Christ that will see me and come to my Kingdom must through many Afflictions and Troubles attain unto me VIII BUT what Type do ye suppose it to have been where it is commanded in the Law that certain Men who had been guilty of many Sins should offer a Heifer and kill it and burn it And the young Men should take up the Ashes and put them in Vessels and tie a piece of Scarlet Wool and Hyssop upon a Stick and so the young Men should sprinkle every one of the People and they should be clear from their Sins Consider how all these things are delivered in a Figure to us This Heifer is Jesus Christ the Wicked Men that were to offer it are those Sinners who brought him to Death Who now are no longer Men there is no more any Glory of those Sinners remaining The young Men that sprinkled them signifie to us those who preach the Forgiveness of Sins and the Purification of the Heart to whom our LORD gave Authority to Preach his Gospel Being at the Beginning Twelve for a witness of the Tribes because there were Twelve Tribes of Israel But why were there Three young Men that were appointed to sprinkle the Sinners In Testimony of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob that they were Great before God And why was the Wool put upon a Stick Because the Kingdom of Jesus was founded upon the Cross And therefore they that put their Trust in him shall live for ever But why was the Wool and Hyssop put together To signifie that in the Kingdom of Christ there shall be evil and base Days in which we shall be saved And because he that has any Disease in the Flesh is by Hyssop purged from the Pollution of it Wherefore these things being thus done to us indeed are evident but to the Jews they are obscure because they hearkned not unto the Voice of the LORD IX AND therefore the Scripture again speaks concerning our Ears that God has circumcised them together with our Hearts For thus saith the LORD in the Holy Prophet By the hearing of the Ear they obeyed me And again They who are afar off shall hear what things I have done and shall understand And again Circumcise your Hearts saith the LORD And again he saith Hear O Israel Thus saith the LORD thy God And again the Spirit of God prophesieth saying Who is there that would live for ever let him hear the Voice of my Son And again Hear O Heaven and give Ear O Earth Because the LORD has spoken these things for a Witness And again he saith Hear the word of the LORD ye Princes of the People And again Hear O Children The Voice of one crying in the Wilderness Wherefore he has circumcised our Ears that we should hear his Word and believe But as for that Circumcision in which the Jews trust it is abolished For the Circumcision of which God spake was not of the Flesh But they have transgressed his Commands because the Evil One hath deceived them For thus God bespeaks them Thus saith the LORD your God Here you may find the New Command Sow not upon Thorns Be circumcised to the LORD your God And what do's he mean by this Hearken unto your LORD and circumcise the Hardness of your Heart and harden not your Neck And again Behold saith the LORD all the Nations are uncircumcised they have not lost their Fore-Skin but this People is not circumcised in Heart But you will say the Jews were circumcised for a Sign And so are all the Syrians and Arabians and all the Priests of their Idols But are they therefore of the Covenant of Israel And even the Egyptians themselves are circumcised Understand therefore Children these
doth it shall prosper As for the Wicked it is not so with them but they are as the Dust which the Wind scattereth away from the face of the Earth Therefore the Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment neither the Sinners in the Council of the Righteous For the LORD knoweth the way of the Righteous and the Way of the Vngodly shall perish Consider how he has join'd both the Cross and the Water together For this he saith Blessed are they who putting their Trust in the Cross descend into the Water for they shall have their Reward in due time then saith he will I give it them But as concerning the present time he saith Their Leaves shall not fall Meaning thereby that every Word that shall go out of your Mouth shall through Faith and Charity be to the Conversion and Hope of many In like manner do's another Prophet speak And the Land of Jacob was the Praise of all the Earth that is the Vessel of his Spirit which he there magnifies And what follows And there was a River running on the Right hand and beautiful Trees grew up by it and he that shall eat of them shall live for ever The signification of which is this That we go down into the Water full of Sins and Pollutions but come up again bringing forth Fruit having in our Hearts the Fear and Hope which is in Jesus And whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever That is whosoever shall hearken to those who call them and shall believe shall live for ever XII IN like manner he determins concerning the Cross in another Prophet saying And when shall these things be fulfilled The LORD answers When the Tree that is fallen shall rise and when Bloud shall drop down from the Tree Here you have again mention made both of the Cross and of him that was to be crucified upon it And yet farther he saith in one of the Books of Moses where when Israel was beaten by a strange People to the End that God might remember them how that for their Sins they were deliver'd unto Death the Holy Spirit put it into the Heart of Moses to represent both the Sign of the Cross and of him that was to suffer That so they might know that if they did not believe in him they should be overcome for ever Moses therefore piled up Armour upon Armour in the middle of a rising Ground and standing up high above all of them stretched forth his Arms and so Israel again Conquer'd But no sooner did he let down his Hands but they were again slain And why so To the end they might know that except they trust in him they cannot be saved And in another Prophet he saith I have stretched out my Hands all the Day long to a People disobedient and speaking against my righteous Way And again Moses makes a Type of Jesus to shew that he was to die and then that he whom they thought to be dead was to give Life to others in the Sign of those that fell in Israel For God caused all sorts of Serpents to bite them and they died forasmuch as by a Serpent Transgression began in Eve that so he might convince them that for their Transgressions they shall be delivered into the Pain of Death Moses then himself who had commanded them saying Ye shall not make to your selves any graven or molten Image to be your God yet now did so himself that he might represent to them the Figure of the LORD Jesus For he made a brazen Serpent and set it up on high and called the People together to an Assembly Where being come they intreated Moses that he would make an Attonement for them and pray that they might be healed Then Moses spake unto them saying when any one among you shall be bitten let him come unto the Serpent that is set upon the Pole and let him assuredly trust in him that though he be dead yet he is able to give Life and presently he shall be saved and so they did See therefore how here also you have in this the Glory of Jesus and that in him and to him are all things Again What says Moses to Jesus the Son of Nun when he gave that Name unto him as being a Prophet that all the People might understand that the Father did manifest all things concerning his Son Jesus in Jesus the Son of Nun Moses therefore gave him that Name when he sent him to spy out the Land of Canaan and said Take a Book in thine Hands and write what the LORD saith forasmuch as Jesus the Son of God shall in the last Days cut off by the Roots all the House of Amaleck See here again Jesus not the Son of Man but the Son of God made manifest in a Type and in the Flesh. But because it might hereafter be said that Christ was the Son of David therefore David fearing and well-knowing the Errors of the Wicked saith The LORD said unto my LORD sit thou on my Right Hand until I make thine Enemies thy Footstool And again Isaiah speaketh on this wise The LORD said unto Christ my LORD I have laid hold on his right Hand that the Nations should obey before him and I will break the strength of Kings Behold how both David and Isaiah call him LORD and the Son of God XIII BUT let us go yet farther and enquire whether this People be the Heir or the former and whether the Covenant be with us or with them And first as concerning the People hear what the Scripture saith Isaac prayed for his Wife Rebeckah because she was barren and she conceived Afterwards Rebeckah went forth to enquire of the LORD And the LORD said unto her There are two Nations in thy Womb and two People shall come from thee and the one shall have power over the other and the Greater shall serve the Lesser Understand here who was Isaac who Rebeckah and of whom it was foretold that this People should be Greater than that And in another Prophecy Jacob speaketh more clearly to his Son Joseph saying Behold the LORD hath not taken me from thy Face bring me thy Sons that I may bless them And he brought unto his Father Manasseh and Ephraim desiring that he should bless Manasseh because he was the Elder Therefore Joseph brought him to the Right Hand of his Father Jacob. But Jacob by the Spirit foresaw the Figure of the People that was to come And what saith the Scripture And Jacob crossed his Hands and put his Right Hand upon Ephraim his second and the Younger Son and Blessed him And Joseph said unto Jacob Put thy Right Hand upon the Head of Manasseh for he is my First-born Son And Jacob said unto Joseph I know it my Son I know it but the Greater shall serve the Lesser though he also shall be Blessed Ye see of whom he appointed
I said thus within my self I shall be happy if I shall walk according to these Commands and whosoever shall walk in them shall live unto God Whilst I was meditating on this wise I saw him whom I had before been wont to see sitting by me and he spake thus unto me What doubtest thou concerning the Commands which I have delivered unto thee Doubt not whether they are Good but trust in the LORD and thou shalt walk in them For I will give thee strength to fulfil them These Commands are profitable to those who shall repent of those sins which they have formerly committed if for the time to come they shall not continue in them Whosoever therefore ye be that Repent cast away from you the naughtiness of the present World And put on all Vertue and all Righteousness and so shall ye be able to keep these Commands neither sin from henceforth any more For if ye shall keep your selves from sin for the time to come ye shall cut off a great deal of your former sins Walk in my Commands and ye shall live unto God These things have I spoken unto you And when he had said this he added let us go into the Field and I will shew thee Shepherds of Sheep I reply'd Sir let us go And we came into a certain Field and there he shew'd me a young Shepherd finely array'd with his Garments of a Purple Colour And he fed large Flocks and his Sheep were full of Pleasure and in much Delight and Chearfulness and they ran here and there as it were rejoicing And the Shepherd took very great Satisfaction in his Flock and the Countenance of that Shepherd was Chearful running up and down among his Flock II. THEN the Angel said unto me See'st thou this Shepherd I answer'd Sir I see him He said unto me this is the Messenger of Delight and Pleasure He therefore corrupts the Minds of the Servants of God and turns them from the Truth delighting them with many Pleasures and they perish For they forget the Commands of the living God and live in luxury and in vain satisfactions and are corrupted by this Evil-Angel some of them unto Death and others even to a falling off from the truth I replied I understand not what you mean by being corrupted unto Death and so falling away Hear says he All those Sheep which thou sawest exceeding fair and joyful are such as have for ever departed from God and given themselves up to the desires of this present Time To these therefore there is no return by Repentance unto Life because that to their other Sins they have added this that they have Blasphemed the Name of the LORD These kind of Men are ordained unto Death But those Sheep which thou sawest not leaping for Joy but feeding in one place are such as have indeed given themselves up to Pleasures and Delights but have not spoken any thing wickedly against the LORD These have not departed from the Truth and therefore have yet Hope laid up for them in Repentance For such a Defection has some hope still left of a renewal But they that are dead are utterly gone for ever Again we went a little farther forward and he shew'd me a great Shepherd who had as it were a Wild Figure clad with a White Goats Skin having his Bag upon his Shoulder and in his Hand a Stick full of Knots and very hard and a Whip in his Other Hand And his Countenance was Stern and Sour enough to affright a Man such was his look He took from that young Shepherd such Sheep as lived in Pleasures but did not skip up and down and drove them into a certain Steep Craggy Place full of Thorns and Briars insomuch that they could not get themselves free from them but being entangled in them fed upon Thorns and Briars and were grievously tormented with his Whipping For he still drove them on nor afforded them any Place or Time to stand still III. WHEN therefore I saw them so cruelly whipp'd and afflicted I was grieved for them because they were greatly tormented nor had they any Rest afforded them And I said unto the Shepherd that was with me Sir Who is this cruel and implacable Shepherd who is moved with no Compassion towards these Sheep He answer'd This Shepherd is indeed the Messenger of the Righteous but is set over them for their Punishment To him therefore are deliver'd those who have erred from God and follow'd the Desires and Pleasures of this World and served them For this Cause he punishes them every one according to their Deserts with cruel and various kind of Pains Sir said I I would know what kind of Pains they are which every one undergoes Hearken said he The several Pains and Torments are those which Men every Day undergo in their present Lives For some suffer Losses others Poverty others divers Sicknesses Some are Unconstant Others suffer injuries from those that are Unworthy Others fall under many other Tryals and Inconveniences Many with an unsetled design aim at many things and it profiteth them not and they say that they have not Success in their Undertakings These things call to their Mind what they have done amiss and they complain of the LORD When therefore they shall have undergon all kind of Vexation and Inconveniencie then they are deliver'd over to me for good Instruction and are confirm'd in the Faith of the LORD and serve the LORD all the rest of their Life with a pure Mind And when they begin to repent of their Sins then they call to mind their Works which they have done amiss and give Honour to God saying That he is a just Judge and that they have deservedly suffer'd all things according to their Deeds And for what remains of their Lives they serve God with a pure Mind and have Success in all their Undertakings and receive from the LORD whatever they desire And then they give thanks unto the LORD that they were deliver'd unto me nor do they suffer any more Cruelty IV. I SAID unto him Sir I intreat you now to shew me one thing What said he dost thou desire I said unto him Are they who depart from the Fear of God tormented for the same time that they enjoy'd their false Delight and Pleasures He answer'd me They are tormented for the same Time And I said unto him they are then tormented but little whereas they who enjoy their Pleasures so as to forget God ought to endure seven times as much Punishment He answer'd me Thou art foolish neither understandest thou the Efficacy of this kind of Punishment I said unto him Sir If I understood it I would not desire you to tell me Hearken said he and learn what the force of both is both of the Pleasure and of the Punishment An hour of Pleasure is terminated within its own Space But one hour of Punishment has the Efficacy of thirty Days Whosoever therefore enjoys his
false Pleasure for one Day and is one Day tormented that one Day of Punishment is equivalent to a whole years space Thus look how many Days any one pursues his Pleasures so many Years is he punish'd for it You see therefore how that the Time of Worldly Enjoyments is but short but that of Pain and Torments a great deal more V. I REPLY'D Sir forasmuch as I do not understand all these Times of Pleasure and Pain I intreat you that you would explain your self more clearly concerning them He answer'd me saying Thy Foolishness still sticks inseparably unto thee Shouldst thou not rather purifie thy Mind and serve God Take heed least when thy Time is fulfill'd thou shalt be found still unwise Hear then as thou desirest that thou mayst the more easily understand He that gives himself up one Day to his Pleasures and Delights and do's whatsoever his Soul desires is full of great Folly nor understands what he do's but the Day following forgets what he did the Day before For Sweetness and Worldly Pleasure have no Memory by reason of the Folly that is rooted in them But when Pain and Torment befal a Man a Day he is in Effect troubled the whole Year after because his Punishment continues firm in his Memory Wherefore he remembers it with Sorrow the whole Year and then calls to mind his vain Pleasure and Delight and perceives that for the sake of that he was punished Whosoever therefore have deliver'd themselves over to such Pleasures are thus punished because that when they had Life they rendred themselves liable to Death I said unto him Sir And what Pleasures are hurtful He answer'd That is Pleasure to every Man which he do's willingly For the Angry Man gratifying his Passion perceives Pleasure in it and so the Adulterer and Drunkard the Detractor and Lyar and Covetous Man and the Deceiver and whosoever commits any thing like unto these because he gratifies his Infirmities he receives a Satisfaction in the doing of it All these Pleasures and Delights are hurtful to the Servants of God For these therefore they are tormented and suffer Punishment There are also Pleasures that bring Salvation unto Men. For many when they do what is good find Pleasure in it and are attracted by the Delights of it Now this Pleasure is profitable to the Servants of God and brings Life to such Men But those hurtful Pleasures which were before mention'd bring Torments and Punishment And whosoever shall continue in them and shall not repent of what they have done shall gain Death unto themselves The Seventh SIMILITUDE That they who Repent must bring forth Fruits worthy of Repentance AFTER a few Days I saw the same Person that before talked with me in the same Field in which I had before seen the Shepherds And he said unto me What seekest thou Sir said I I came to intreat you that you would command the Shepherd who is the Minister of Punishment to depart out of my House because he greatly afflicts me And he answer'd It is necessary for thee to endure Inconveniencies and Vexations for so that good Angel hath commanded concerning thee because he would try thee Sir said I What so great Offence have I committed that I should be deliver'd to this Messenger Hearken said he Thou art indeed guilty of many Sins yet not so many that thou shouldst be delivered to this Messenger But thy House hath committed many Sins and Offences and therefore that good Messenger being grieved at their Doings commanded that for some time thou shouldst suffer Affliction that they may both repent of what they have done and may wash themselves from all desires of this present World When therefore they shall have repented and be purified then that Messenger which is appointed over thy Punishment shall depart from thee I said unto him Sir If they have behaved themselves so as to anger that good Angel yet what have I done He answer'd They cannot otherwise be afflicted unless thou who art the Head of the Family suffer For whatsoever thou shalt suffer they must needs feel it But as long as thou shalt stand well establish'd they cannot experience any Vexation I replyed But Sir behold they also now repent with all their Hearts I know says he that they repent with all their Hearts but dost thou therefore think that their Offences who repent are immediately blotted out No they are not presently But he that repents must afflict his Soul and shew himself humble in all his Affairs and undergo many and divers Vexations And when he shall have suffer'd all things that were appointed for him then perhaps he that made him and all things besides will be moved with Compassion towards him and afford him some Remedy and especially if he shall perceive his Heart who repents to be pure from every Evil Work But at present it is expedient for thee and for thy House to be grieved and it is needful that thou shouldst endure much Vexation as the Angel of the LORD who committed thee unto me has commanded Rather give Thanks unto the LORD that knowing what was to come he thought thee worthy to whom he should foretel that Trouble was coming upon those that were able to bear it I said unto him Sir Be but thou also with me and I shall easily undergo any Trouble I will said he be with thee and I will ask the Messenger who is set over thy Punishment that he would moderate his Afflictions towards thee And moreover thou shalt suffer Adversity but for a little time and then thou shalt again be restored to thy former Place only continue on in the Humility of thy Mind Obey the LORD with a pure Heart thou and thy House and thy Children and walk in the Commands which I have delivered unto thee And then thy Repentance may be firm and pure And if thou shalt keep these things with thy House all Inconveniencies shall depart from thee And all Vexation shall in like manner depart from all those whosoever shall walk according to these Commands The Eighth SIMILITUDE That there are many kinds of Elect and of Repenting Sinners And how all of them shall receive a Reward proportionable to the Measure of their Repentance and Good Works I. AGAIN he shew'd me a Willow which covered the Fields and the Mountains under whose Shadow came all such as were called by the Name of the LORD And by that Willow stood the Angel of the LORD very excellent and lofty and did cut down Boughs from that Willow with a great Hook and reach'd out to the People that were under the Shadow of that Willow little Rods as it were about a Foot long And when all of them had taken them he laid aside his Hook and the Tree continued intire as I had before seen it At which I wondred and mused within my self Then that Shepherd said unto me Forbear to wonder that that Tree continues whole notwithstanding so many Boughs
Power the Fourth Patience the rest which stand beneath these are Simplicity Innocence Chastity Chearfulness Truth Understanding Concord and Charity Whosoever therefore carry these Names and the Name of the Son God shall enter into the Kingdom of God Hear now said he the Names of those Women which were cloathed with the black Garment Of these Four are the principal the First is Perfidiousness the Second Intemperance the Third Infidelity the Fourth Pleasure And the rest which follow are called thus Sadness Malice Lust Anger Lying Foolishness Pride and Hatred The Servant of God which carries these Spirits shall see indeed the Kingdom of God but he shall not enter into it But Sir what are those Stones which were taken out of the Deep and fitted into the Building Then ten said he which were placed at the Foundation are the first Age the following five and twenty the second of Righteous Men. The next thirty five are the Prophets and Ministers of the LORD And the forty are the Apostles and Doctors of the Preaching of the Son of God And I said Sir Why did the Virgins carry even these Stones also through the Gate and so put them into the Building And he said Because these first Spirits carried them and they departed not one from the other neither the Men from the Spirits nor the Spirits from the Men but the Spirits were joyned to those Men even to the day of their Death who if they had not had these Spirits with them they could not have been useful to the Building of this Tower XVI AND I said Sir Shew me this farther He answer'd What do'st thou demand Why did these Stones come out of the Deep and were placed into the Building of this Tower seeing that they long ago carried their just Spirits It was necessary said he for them to ascend by Water and so to be at rest For they could not otherwise enter into the Kingdom of God but by laying aside the Mortality of their former Life They therefore being dead were nevertheless sealed with the Seal of the Son of God and so entred into the Kingdom of God For before a Man receives the Name of the Son of God he is ordained unto Death but when he receives the Seal he is freed from Death and delivered unto Life Now that Seal is Water into which Men go down under the Obligation unto Death but come up appointed unto Life Wherefore to those also was this Seal preached and they made use of it that they might enter into the Kingdom of God And I said Why then Sir did these forty Stones also ascend with them out of the Deep having already received that Seal He answered Because these Apostles and Teachers who preached the Name of the Son of God dying after they had received his Faith and Power preached to them who were dead before and they gave this Seal to them They went down therefore into the Water with them and again came up But these went down alive whereas those who were before dead went down dead but came up alive Through these therefore they received Life and knew the Son of God For which Cause they came up with them and agreed in the Building of the Tower and were not cut but put in intire because they dyed in great Purity being full of Righteousness only this Seal was wanting to them Thus you have the Explication of these things XVII I ANSWER'D Sir Tell me now what concerns those Mountains why they are so different some of one Form and some of another Hear said he These Twelve Mountains which thou seest are Twelve Nations which make up the whole World Wherefore the Son of God is preached to them by those whom he sent unto them But why said I are they different and every one of a several Figure He replied Hearken Those Twelve Nations which possess the whole World are Twelve Peoples And as thou hast beheld these Mountains different so are they I will therefore open to thee the Meaning and Actions of every Mountain But first Sir said I shew me this Seeing these Mountains are so different how have they agreed into the Building of this Tower and are no less bright than those which came out of the Deep Because reply'd he all the Nations under Heaven that have heard and believed have been called in the same one Name of the Son of God Wherefore having received his Seal they have all been made Partakers of the same Prudence and Knowledge and their Faith and Charity have been the same and they have carried the Spirits of these Virgins with his Name And therefore the Building of this Tower seemed of the same Colour and did shine like the Brightness of the Sun Howbeit after that they were thus perswaded and that there began to be one Body of them all some among them polluted themselves and were cast off from the Generation of the Righteous and again return'd to their former State and became even worse than they were before XVIII HOW said I Sir were they worse who knew the LORD He answer'd If he who knows not the LORD liveth wickedly the Punishment of his Wickedness attends him But he who has known the LORD ought to abstain altogether from all Wickedness and more and more be the Servant of Righteousness And do's not he then seem to thee to sin more who ought to follow Goodness if he shall prefer the part of Sin than he who offends without knowing the Vertue of God Wherefore these are indeed ordain'd unto Death But they who have known the LORD and have seen his wonderful Works if they shall live wickedly they shall be doubly punish'd and shall die for ever As therefore thou hast seen that after the Stones were cast out of the Tower which had been rejected they were deliver'd to wicked and cruel Spirits and thou beheldst the Tower so cleansed as if it had all been made of one Stone So the Church of God when it shall be purified the Wicked and Counterfeits the Mischeivous and Doubtful and all that have behaved themselves wickedly in it and committed divers kinds of Sin being cast out shall become one Body and there shall be one Understanding one Opinion one Faith and the same Charity Then shall the son of God rejoice among them and shall receive his People with a pure Will And I said Sir All these things are great and honourable But now shew unto me the Effect and Force of every Mountain that every Soul which trusteth in the LORD when it shall hear these things many honour his Great and Wonderful and Holy Name Hear said he the Variety of these Mountains that is of the twelve Nations XIX THEY who have believed of the first Mountain which is Black are those who have revolted from the Faith and spoken wicked things against the LORD and betray'd the Servants of God To these Death is proposed but there is no Repentance for them And
therefore they are Black because their kind is wicked Of the second Mountain which was Smooth are the Hypocrites who have believed and the Teachers of Naughtiness And these are next to the foregoing which have not in them the Fruit of Righteousness For as their Mountain is barren and without Fruit so also such kind of Men have indeed the Name of Christians but are empty of Faith nor is there any Fruit of the Truth in them Nevertheless there is room left to them for Repentance if they shall suddainly pursue it But if they shall delay they also shall be Partakers of Death with the foregoing kind I said Sir Why is there room left to those for Repentance and not to the foregoing kind seeing their Sins are well nigh the same There is therefore said he to these a return unto Life because they have not blasphemed their LORD nor betray'd the Servants of God But by their desire of Gain have deceived Men leading them according to the desires of Sinners wherefore they shall suffer for this thing Howbeit there is still left them room for Repentance because they have not spoken any thing wickedly against their LORD XX. THEY who are of the third Mountain which had Thorns and Brambles are those who believed but were some of them Rich others taken up with many Affairs The Brambles are their Riches the Thorns those Affairs in which they were engaged Now they who are entangled in much Business and in Diversity of Affairs joyn not themselves to the Servants of God but wander being called away by those Affairs with which they are choaked And so they which are rich with difficulty yield themselves to the Conversation of the Servants of God fearing least any thing should be ask'd of them These therefore shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of God For as Men walk with difficulty bare-foot over Thorns even so these kind of Men shall scarcely enter into the Kingdom of God Nevertheless there is afforded to all these a return unto Repentance if so be they shall quickly return to it that because in their former days they have neglected to work in the time that is to come they may do some Good If therefore having repented they shall do the Works of Righteousness they shall live But if they shall continue in their Evil Courses they shall be deliver'd to those Women that will take away their Life XXI AS for the fourth Mountain which had much Grass the upper part of which is green but the rest dry and some of which being touch'd with the Heat of the Sun is wither'd it denotes the doubtful who have believed and some others who carry the LORD in their Tongues but have him not in their Heart Therefore their Grass is dry and without Root because they live only in Words but their Works are dead These therefore are neither dead nor living and withal are doubtful For the Doubtful are neither Green nor Dry that is neither Dead nor Alive For as their Grass dries away at the Sight of the Sun so the Doubtful as soon as they hear of Persecution and fear Inconveniences return to their Idols and again serve them and are ashamed to bear the Name of their LORD This kind of Men then is neither Dead nor Alive nevertheless these also may live if they shall presently repent But if not they shall be delivered to those Women who shall take away their Life XXII AS concerning the fifth Mountain that is craggy and yet has green Grass They are of this kind who have believed and are Faithful indeed but believe with Difficulty and are bold and self-conceited that would be thought to know all things but really know nothing Wherefore by reason of this Confidence Knowledge is departed from them and a rash Presumption is entred into them But they carry themselves high and as prudent Men and though they are Fools yet would seem to be Teachers Now by reason of this Folly many of them whilst they magnifie themselves are become vain and empty For Boldness and vain Confidence is a great Seducer Wherefore many of these are cast away But others acknowledging their Error have repented and submitted themselves to those who are knowing And to all the rest of this kind there is Repentance allow'd forasmuch as they were not so much wicked as foolish and void of Understanding If these therefore shall repent they shall live unto God but if not they shall dwell with those Women who shall exercise their Wickedness upon them XXIII FOR what concerns the sixth Mountain having greater and lesser Clefts they are such as have believed but those in which were the lesser Clefts are they who have had Controversies among themselves and by reason of their Quarrels languish in the Faith Nevertheless many of these have repented and so will the rest when they shall hear my Commands for their Controversies are but small and they will easily return unto Repentance But those who have the greater Clefts will be as stiff Stones mindful of Grudges and Offences and practising Anger among themselves These therefore are cast from the Tower and rejected to be put into its Building therefore this kind of Men shall hardly live Our God and LORD who ruleth over all things and has Power over all his Creatures will not remember our Offences but is easily appeased by those who confess their Sins But Man being Languid Mortal Infirm and full of Sins perseveres in his Anger against Man as if it were in his Power to save or to destroy him But I as the Angel who am set over your Repentance admonish you that whosoever among you has any such purpose he would lay it aside and return unto Repentance and the LORD will provide Remedies for your former Sins if you shall purge your selves from this Evil Spirit but if you shall not do it ye shall be delivered to him unto Death XXIV AS for the seventh Mountain in which the Grass was green and flourishing and the whole Mountain fruitful and all kind of Cattel fed upon the Grass of it and the more the Grass was eaten so much the more it flourished they are such as believed and were always good and upright and without any Differences among themselves but still rejoyced in all the Servants of God having put on the Spirit of these Virgins and been always ready to shew Mercy to all Men and easily giving to all Men of their Labours without upbraiding and without Deliberation Wherefore the LORD seeing their Simplicity and Innocence has encreased them in the Works of their Hands and given them Grace in all their Works But I who am appointed over your Repentance exhort you that as many as are of this kind would continue in the same purpose that your Seed may not be rooted out for ever For the LORD hath try'd you and written you into our Number and all your Seed shall dwell with the Son of God for ye are all
all that he is in great Honour and Renown with God and is a Prince of great Authority and Powerful in his Office To him only is the Power of Repentance committed throughout the whole World Do's he not seem to thee to be of great Authority But ye despise his Goodness and the Modesty which he shews towards you II. I SAID unto him Sir Ask him since the time that he came into my House whether I have done any thing disorderly or have offended him in any thing I know said he that thou hast done nothing disorderly neither wilt thou hereafter do any thing and therefore I speak these things with thee that thou mayst persevere for he has given me a good Account concerning thee But thou shalt speak these things to others that they who either have repented or shall repent may be of the same opinion with thee and he may give me as good an Account of them also and I may do the same unto the LORD I answer'd Sir I declare to all Men the wonderful Works of God And I hope that all who love them and have before sinned when they shall hear these things will willingly repent and so recover Life Continue therefore said he in this Ministry and perfect it And whosoever shall fulfil the Commands of this Shepherd shall live and shall have great Honour both here and with the LORD But they that shall not keep his Commands flee from their Life and are Adversaries unto it And they that follow not his Commands shall deliver themselves unto Death and every one shall be guilty of his own Bloud But I say unto thee keep these Commandments and thou shalt find a Cure for all thy Sins III. MOREOVER I have sent these Virgins to dwell with thee for I have seen that they are very kind to thee Thou shalt therefore have them for thy Helpers that thou mayst the better keep the Commands which have been given thee for these Commands cannot be kept without these Virgins And thou seest how they are willing to be with thee and I will also command them that they shall not at all depart from thy House Only do thou purifie thy House for they will readily dwell in a clean House For they are Clean and Chast and Industrious and all of them have Grace with the LORD If therefore thou shalt have thy House pure they will abide with thee But if it shall be never so little polluted they will immediately depart from thy House for these Virgins cannot endure any manner of Pollution I said unto him Sir I hope that I shall so please them that they shall always delight to dwell in my House And as he to whom you have committed me makes no Complaint of me so neither shall they complain Then he said to that Shepherd I see that the Servant of God will live and keep these Commandments and place these Virgins in a pure Habitation When he had said this he delivered me again to that Shepherd and called the Virgins and said unto them Forasmuch as I see that ye will readily dwell in this Mans House I commend him and his House to you that ye may not at all depart from his House And they willingly heard these Words IV. THEN he said unto me Go on Manfully in thy Ministry Declare to all Men the great things of God and thou shalt find Grace in this Ministry And whosoever shall walk in these Commands shall live and be happy in his Life But he that shall neglect them shall not live and shall be unhappy in his Life Say unto all that whosoever can do what is right cease not to exercise themselves in good Works For I would that all Men should be delivered from the Inconveniences they lie under For he that wants and suffers Inconveniences in his daily Life is in great Torment and Necessity Whosoever therefore delivers such a Soul from Necessity gets great Joy unto himself For he that is grieved with such Inconveniences is equally tormented as if he were in Chains And many upon the Account of such Calamities being not able to bear them have chosen even to destroy themselves He therefore that knows the Calamity of such a Man and do's not free him from it commits a great Sin and is guilty of his Bloud Wherefore exercise your selves in Good Works as many as have received Ability from the LORD least whilst ye delay to do them the Building of the Tower be finish'd because for your sakes the Building is stopp'd Except therefore ye shall make haste to do well the Tower shall be finish'd and ye shall have no place in it And after he had thus spoken with me he rose up from the Bed and departed taking the Shepherd and Virgins with him Howbeit he said unto me that he would send back the Shepherd and Virgins unto my House Amen The Second EPISTLE OF St. CLEMENT TO THE Corinthians THE CONTENTS Chap. I. THAT we ought to entertain a Worthy Opinion of our Salvation And to do the utmost of what in us lies to express the Value we put upon it by a sincere Obedience to our Saviour Christ and his Gospel II. That God had before prophecy'd by Isaiah that the Gentiles should be saved III IV. That this ought to engage such especially to be very careful to live well without which they will still miscarry V. That whilst we secure to our selves the Favour of God and the Reward of the other World we need not fear what can befal us in this VI. That we cannot serve God and Mammon Nor if we follow the Interests of this present World is it possible for us to escape the Punishment of the Other VII The Consideration of which ought to bring us to Repentance and Holiness VIII And that presently knowing that now whilst we are in this World is the only time for Repentance IX We shall rise and be Judged in those Bodies in which we now are therefore we must live well in them X. That we ought as we value our own Interests to live well however few seem to mind what really is for their Advantage XI And not deceive our selves with any vain Imaginations as if no Punishment should remain for us if we do Evil or Good happen to us hereafter if we behave our selves as we ought to do Seeing God will certainly judge us and render to all of us according to our Works and how soon this may be we can none of us tell The Second EPISTLE OF St. CLEMENT TO THE Corinthians I. BRETRHEN we ought so to think of Jesus Christ as of GOD as of the Judge of the Living and the Dead Nor should we think any less of our Salvation For if we think meanly of it we shall hope only to receive some small Benefit by it And if we shall do so we shall sin not considering from whence we have been called and by whom and to what place and how