The Forbidden Gospels and Epistles Part 78

19 Wherefore clothe thyself with cheerfulness, which has always favour with the Lord, and thou shalt rejoice in it. For every cheerful man does well; and relishes those things that are good, and despises sadness.

20 But the sad man does always wickedly. First, he doth wickedly, because he grieveth the Holy Spirit, which is given to man being of a cheerful nature. And again he does ill, because be prays with sadness unto the Lord, and maketh not first a thankful acknowledgment unto him of former mercies, and obtains not of G.o.d what he asks.

21 For the prayer of a sad man has not always efficacy to come up to the altar of G.o.d. And I said unto him, Sir, why has not the prayer of a sad man virtue to come up to the altar of G.o.d? Because, said he, that sadness remaineth in his heart.

22 When therefore a man's prayer shall be accompanied with sadness, it will not suffer his requests to ascend pure to the altar of G.o.d. For as wine when it is mingled with vinegar, has not the sweetness it had before; so sadness being mixed with the Holy Spirit, suffers not a man's prayer to be the same as it would be otherwise.

23 Wherefore cleanse thyself from sadness, which is evil, and thou shalt live unto G.o.d. And all others shall live unto G.o.d, as many as shall lay aside sadness, and put on cheerfulness.

COMMAND XI.

That the spirits and prophets are to be tried by their works; and of a twofold, spirit.

HE showed me certain men sitting upon benches, and one sitting in a chair: and he said unto me; Seest thou those who sit upon the benches? Sir, said I, I see them. He answered, They are the faithful; and he who sits in the chair is an earthly spirit.

2 For he cometh not into the a.s.sembly of the faithful, but avoids it. But he joins himself to the doubtful and empty; and prophesies to them in corners and hidden places; and pleases them by speaking according to all the desires of their hearts.

3 For he placing himself among empty vessels, is not broken, but the one fitteth the other. But when he cometh into the company of just men, who are full of the spirit of G.o.d, and they pray unto the Lord; that man is emptied, because that earthly spirit flies from him, and he is dumb, and cannot speak anything.

4 As if in a store-house you shall stop up wine or oil, and among those vessels place an empty jar; and when afterwards you come to open it, you shall find it empty as you stopped it up; so those empty prophets when they come among the spirits of the just, are found to be such as they came.

5 I said, How then shall a man be able to discern them?

Consider what I am going to say concerning both kinds of men; and as I speak unto thee so shalt thou prove the prophet of G.o.d, and the false prophet.

6 And first try the man who hath the spirit of G.o.d, because the spirit which is from above is humble, and quiet, and departs from all wickedness; and from the vain desires of the present world; and makes himself more humble than all men; and answers to none when he is asked; nor to every one singly: for the Spirit of G.o.d doth not speak to a man when he will, but when G.o.d pleases.

7 When therefore a man who hath the Spirit of G.o.d hath come into the church of the righteous, who have the faith of G.o.d, and they pray unto the Lord; then the holy angel of G.o.d fills that man with the blessed Spirit, and he speaks in the congregation as he is moved of G.o.d.

8 Thus therefore is the spirit, of G.o.d known, because whosoever speaketh by the Spirit of G.o.d, speaketh as the Lord will.

9 Hear now concerning the earthly spirit, which is empty and foolish, and without virtue. And first of all the man who is supposed to have the Spirit, (whereas he hath it not in reality), exalteth himself, and desires to have the first seat, and is wicked, and full of words.

10 And spends his time in pleasure, and in all manner of voluptuousness, and receives the reward of his divination; which if he receives not, he does not divine.

11 Should the Spirit of G.o.d receive reward, and divine? It doth not become a prophet of G.o.d so to do.

12 Thus you seethe life of each of these kind of prophets. Wherefore prove that man by his life and works, who says that he hath the Holy Spirit.

And believe the Spirit which comes from G.o.d, and has power as such.

But believe not the earthly and empty spirit, which is from the devil, in whom there is no faith nor virtue.

13 Hear now the similitude which I am about to speak unto thee. Take a stone, and throw it up towards heaven; or take a spout of water, and mount it up thitherward; and see if thou canst reach unto heaven.

14 Sir; said I, how can this be done? For neither of those things which you have mentioned, are possible to be done. And he answered, Therefore as these things cannot be done, so is the earthy spirit without virtue, and without effect.

15 Understand yet farther the power which cometh from above, in this similitude. The grains of hail that drop down are exceedingly small; and yet when they fall upon the head of a man, how do they cause pain to it.

16 And again, consider, the droppings of a house; how the little drops falling upon the earth, work a hollow in the stones.

17 So in like manner the least things which come from above, and fall upon the earth, have great force. Wherefore join thyself to this spirit, which has the power; and depart from the other which is empty.

COMMAND XII.

Of a two fold desire: that the commands of G.o.d, are not impossible: and that the devil is not to be feared by them that believe.

AGAIN he said unto me; remove from thee all evil desires, and put on good and holy desires. For having put on a good desire, thou shalt hate that which is evil, and bridle it as thou wilt. But an evil desire is dreadful, and hard to be tamed.

2 It is very horrible and wild; and by its wildness consumes men.

And especially if a servant of G.o.d shall chance to fall into it, except he be very wise, he is ruined by it. For it destroys those who have not the garment of a good desire and are engaged in the affairs of this present world; and delivers them unto death.

3 Sir, said I, what are the works of an evil desire, which bring men unto death? Shew them to me that I may depart from them. Hear, said he, by what works an evil desire bringeth the servants of G.o.d unto death.

4 First of all, it is an evil desire to covet another man's wife, or for a woman to covet another's husband; as also to desire the dainties of riches; and mult.i.tude of superfluous meats; and drunkenness; and many delights.

5 For in much delicacy there is folly; and many pleasures are needless to the servants of G.o.d.

Such l.u.s.ting therefore is evil and pernicious, which brings to death the servants of G.o.d. For all such l.u.s.ting is from the devil.

6 Whosoever therefore shall depart from all evil desires, shall live unto G.o.d; but they that are subject unto them shall die forever. For this evil l.u.s.ting is deadly. Do thou therefore put on the desire of righteousness, and being armed with the fear of the Lord resist all wicked l.u.s.ting.

7 For this fear dwelleth in good desires; and, when evil coveting shall see thee armed with the fear of the Lord, and resisting it; it will fly far from thee, and not appear before thee, but be afraid of thy armour.

8 And thou shall have the victory, and be crowned for it; and shall attain to that desire which is good; and shall give the victory which thou hast obtained unto G.o.d, and shall serve him in doing what thou thyself wouldest do.

9 For if thou shalt serve good desires, and be subject to them; then thou shalt be able to get the dominion over thy wicked l.u.s.tings; and they will be subject to thee, as thou wilt.

10 And I said, Sir, I would know how to serve that desire which is good? Hearken, said he, Fear G.o.d, and put thy trust in him, and love truth, and righteousness, and do that which is good.

10 If thou shalt do these things, thou shall be an approved servant of G.o.d, and serve him; and all others who shall in like manner serve a good desire, shall live unto G.o.d.

12 And when he had fulfilled these twelve commands, he said unto me, Thou hast now these commands, walk in them; and exhort those that hear them, to repent, and that they keep their repentance pure all the remaining days of their life.

13 And fulfil diligently this ministry which I commit to thee, and thou shalt receive great advantage by it, and find favour with all such as shall repent and believe thy words. For I am with thee, and will force them to believe.

14 And I said unto him, Sir, these commands are great and excellent, and able to cheer the heart of that man that shall be able to keep them. But, Sir, I cannot tell, whether they can be observed by any man?

15 He answered, Thou shalt easily keep these commands, and they shall not be hard: howbeit, if thou shalt suffer it once to enter into thine heart that they cannot be kept by any one, thou shalt not fulfil them.

16 But now I say unto thee, if thou shalt not observe these commands, and shall neglect them, thou shalt not be saved, nor thy children, nor thy house: because thou hast judged that these commands cannot be kept by man.

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

18 And when he saw me altogether troubled and confounded, he began to speak more moderately and cheerfully, saying, O foolish, and without understanding!

19 Unconstant, not knowing the majesty of G.o.d how great and wonderful he is; who created the world for man, and hath made every creature subject unto him; and given him all power, that he should be able to fulfil all these commands.

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