The Forbidden Gospels and Epistles Part 68

15 And let the elders be compa.s.sionate 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 G.o.d and man.

16 Abstaining from all wrath, respect of persons, and unrighteous judgment; and especially being free from all covetousness.

17 Not easy to believe anything against any; not severe in judgment; knowing that we are all debtors in point of sin.

18 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 G.o.d; a and must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ; and shall every one give an account of himself.

19 Let us therefore serve him in fear, and with all reverence as both himself hath commanded; and as the Apostles who have preached the Gospel unto us, and the prophets who have foretold the coming of our Lord have taught us:

20 Being zealous of what is good; abstaining from all offence, and from false brethren; and from those who bear the name of Christ in hypocrisy; who deceive vain men.

CHAPTER III.

1 As to faith in our Saviour Christ; his nature and sufferings, the resurrection and judgment.

3 Exhorts to prayer 5 and steadfastness in the faith, from the examples of Christ, 7 and Apostles and saints, and exhorts to carefulness in all well-doing.

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.

2 And whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own l.u.s.ts, and says that there shall.

neither be any resurrection, nor judgment, he is the first-born of Satan.

3 Wherefore leaving the vanity of many, and their false doctrines; let us return to the word that was delivered to us from the beginning: Watching unto prayer; and persevering in fasting;

4 With supplication beseeching the all seeing G.o.d not to lead us into temptation; as the Lord hath said, The spirit is truly willing, but the flesh is weak.

5 Let us therefore without ceasing hold steadfastly 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.

6 Let us therefore imitate his patience; and if we suffer for his name, let us glorify him; for this example he has given us by himself, and so have we believed.

7 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 among yourselves; and in Paul himself, and the rest of the Apostles:

8 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.

9 For they loved not this present world; but him who died, and was raised again by G.o.d for us.

10 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.

11 When it is in your power to do good defer it not, for charity delivered from death.

12 Be all of you subject one to another, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles; that by your good works, both ye yourselves 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.

13 Therefore teach all men sobriety; in which do ye also exercise yourselves.

CHAPTER IV.

Valens, a presbyter, having fallen into the sin of covetousness, he exhorts them against it.

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 chaste, and true of speech.

2 Keep yourselves from all evil.

For he that in these things cannot govern himself, how shall he be able to prescribe them to another?

3 If a man does not keep himself from covetousness, he shall be polluted with idolatry, and be judged as if he were a Gentile.

4 But who of you are ignorant of the judgment of G.o.d? Do we not know that the saints shall judge the world, as Paul teaches?

5 But I have neither perceived nor heard anything of this kind in you, among whom the blessed Paul laboured; and who are named in the beginning of his Epistle.

6 For he glories of you in all the churches who then only knew G.o.d; for we did not then know him. Wherefore, my brethren, I am exceedingly sorry both for him and for his wife; to whom G.o.d grant a true repentance.

7 And be ye also moderate upon this occasion; and look not upon such as enemies, but call them back as suffering and erring members, that ye may save your whole body: for by so doing, ye shall edify your own selves.

8 For I trust that ye are well exercised in the Holy Scriptures, and that nothing is hid from you but at present it is not granted unto me to practise that which is written, Be angry and sin not; and again, Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

9 Blessed be he that believeth and remembereth these things; which also I trust you do.

10 Now the G.o.d and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he himself who is our everlasting high-priest, the Son of G.o.d, even Jesus Christ, build you up in faith and in truth, and in all meekness and lenity; in patience and long- suffering, in forbearance and chast.i.ty:

11 And grant unto you a lot and portion among his saints, and us with you; and to all that are under the heavens, who shall believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in his Father who raised him from the dead.

12 Pray for all the saints: pray also for kings, and all that are in authority; and for those who persecute you, and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross; that your fruit may be manifest in all; and that ye may be perfect in Christ.

13 Ye wrote to me, both ye, and also Ignatius, that if any one went from hence into Syria, he should bring your letters with him; which also I will take care of, as soon as I shall have a convenient opportunity; either by myself, or him whom I shall send upon your account.

14 The Epistle of Ignatius, which he wrote unto us, together with what others of his have come to our hands, we have sent to you, according to your order; which are subjoined to this Epistle:

15 By which we may be greatly profited; for they treat of faith and patience, and of all things that pertain to edification in the Lord Jesus.

16 What you know certainly of Ignatius, and those that are with him, signify to us.

17 These things have I written unto you by Crescens, whom by this present Epistle I have recommended to you, and do now again commend.

18 For he has had his conversation without blame among us; and I suppose also with you.

19 Ye will also have regard unto his sister when she shall come unto you.

20 Be ye safe in the Lord Jesus Christ; and in favour with all yours. Amen.

THE FIRST PART OF THE BOOK OF HERMAS CALLED HIS VISION.