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thee as also, when the desire of many things, and of the best meats, and of drunkenness; when the love of what belongs to others, pride and much speaking, and ambition, and the like things, come upon thee. When therefore these things arise in thy heart, know that the angel of iniquity is with thee. Seeing therefore thou knowest his works, depart from them all, and give no credit to him; because his works are evil, and become not the servants of God. Here therefore thou hast the works of both these angels. Understand now and believe the angel of righteousness, because his instruction is good. For let a man be never so happy, yet if the thoughts of the other angel rise in his heart, that man or woman must needs sin. But let a man or woman be never so wicked, if the works of the angel of righteousness come into his heart, that man or woman must needs do some good. Thou seest therefore how it is good to follow the angel of righteousness. If therefore thou shalt follow him, and submit to his works, thou shalt live unto God. And as many as shall submit to his works, shall live also unto God.

COMMAND VII.

THAT WE MUST FEAR GOD, BUT NOT THE DEVIL.

FEAR God, says he, and keep his commandments; for if thou keepest his commandments thou shalt be powerful in every work, and all thy work shall be excellent ;(m) for by fearing God, thou shalt do every thing well. This is that fear with which

() Vid. Antioch. Hom. cxxvii Eccles. xii 16. (m) Without Comparison, or without mixture.

thou must be affected that thou mayest be saved.But fear not the devil; for if thou fearest the Lord, thou shalt have dominion over him; because there is no power in him: now if there be no power in him, then neither is he to be feared; but he in whom there is excellent power, is to be feared; but he that has no power is despised by every one. Fear the works of the devil, because they are evil: for by fearing the Lord, thou wilt fear and not do the works of the devil, but keep thyself from them. There is therefore

a two-fold fear; if thou wilt not do evil, fear the Lord and thou shalt not do it. But if thou wilt do good, the fear of the Lord is strong, and great, and glorious.(0) Wherefore, fear God and thou shalt live: and whosoever shall fear him and keep his commandments, their life is with the Lord. But they who keep them not, neither is life in them.

COMMAND VIII.

THAT WE MUST FLEE FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD.

I HAVE told thee, said he, that there are two kinds of creatures of the Lord, and that there is a twofold abstinence,(p) From some things therefore thou must abstain, and from others not. I answered, declare to me, sir, from what I must abstain, and from what not. Hearken, said he, keep thyself from evil, and do it not; but abstain not from doing good, but de it for if thou shalt abstain from what is good, and not do it, thou shalt sin. Abstain therefore from all

(0) In the Gr. of Antiochus these words follow, which make the connexion more clear: "Fear also the Lord, and thou shalt be able to do it, for."

() Antioch. Hom. lxxix.

evil, and thou shalt know all righteousness. I said, what evil things are they from which I must abstain? Hearken, said he, from adultery, from drunkenness, from riots, from excess of eating, from daintiness and dishonesty, from pride, from fraud, from lying, from detraction, from hypocrisy, from remembrance of injuries, and from all evil speaking; for these are the works of iniquity, from which the servants of God must abstain; for he that cannot keep himself from these things, cannot live unto God. But hear, said he, what follows of these kind of things: for indeed many more there are from which the servant of God must abstain: from theft and cheating, from false witness, from covetousness, from boasting, and all other things of the like nature. Do these things seem to thee to be evil or not? Indeed they are very evil to the servants of God. Wherefore the servants of God must abstain from all these works. (r) Keep thyself therefore from them, that thou mayest live unto God, and be written among those that abstain from them: and thus have I shewn thee what things thou must avoid. Now learn from what thou must not abstain: abstain not from any good works, but do them; hear, said he, what the virtue of those good works is which thou must do, that thou mayest be saved: the first of all is faith, the fear of the Lord, charity, concord, equity, truth, patience, chastity; there is nothing bet ter than these things in the life of man; who shall keep and do these in their life(s) Hear next what follow these to minister to the widows, not to des pise the fatherless and poor, to redeem the servants of God from necessity, to be hospitable (for in hospitality there is sometimes great fruit) not to be contentious, but be quiet, to be humble above all men, to

(a) Vid. Coteler. in loc.

(s) The sense here is defective, and may be thus restored from the Greek of Athanasius, "whosoever keeps these things, and doth not abstain from them, shall be happy in his life." And so the Lamb. MS. Hæc qui custodierit.

reverence the aged, to labour to be righteous, to respect brotherhood, to bear affronts, to be long suffering, not to cast away those that have fallen from the faith,(w) but to convert them and make them be of good cheer, to admonish sinners, not to oppress those that are our debtors, and all other things of a like kind. Do these things seem to thee to be good or not? And I said, what can be better than these words? Live then, said he, in these commandments, and do not depart from them; for if thou shalt keep all these commandments, thou shalt live unto God. And all they that shall keep these commandments shall live unto God.

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COMMAND IX.

THAT WE MUST ASK OF GOD DAILY, AND WITHOUT DOUBTING.

AGAIN he said unto me, remove from thee all doubting,(y) and question nothing at all, when thou askest any thing of the Lord, saying within thyself, how shall I be able to ask any thing of the Lord and receive it, seeing I have so greatly sinned against him? Do not think thus, but turn unto the Lord with all thy heart, and ask of him without doubting, and thou shalt know the mercy of the Lord, how that he will not forsake thee, but will fulfil the request of thy soul; for God is not as men, mindful of the injuries he has received, but he forgets injuries and has compassion upon his creature. Wherefore purify thy

(w) Add from the Gr. of Athanasius and Antiochus; "not to res - member injuries, to comfort those who labour in their minds.”

(y) Vid. Antioch. Hom. lxxxiii. Confer. Fragm. D. Grabe. Spiš cilèg. tom. i. 393.

heart from all the vices of this present world, and observe the commands I have before delivered unto thee from God; and thou shalt receive whatsoever good things thou shalt ask, and nothing shall be wanting unto thee of all thy petitions, if thou shalt ask of the Lord without doubting. But they that are not such, shall obtain none of those things which they ask ;(2) for they that are full of faith, ask all things with confidence, and receive from the Lord, because they ask without doubting; but he that doubts, shall hardly live unto God, except he repent. Wherefore purify thy heart from doubting, and put on faith, and trust in God, and thou shalt receive all that thou shalt ask.But and if thou shouldst chance to ask somewhat and not (immediately)(a) receive it, yet do not therefore doubt, because thou hast not presently received the petition of thy soul. For it may be thou shalt not presently receive it for thy trial, or else for some sin which thou knowest not; but do not thou leave off to ask, and then thou shalt receive ;(b) else if thou shalt cease to ask, thou must complain of thyself, and not of God, that he has not given unto thee what thou didst desire. Consider therefore this doubting how cruel and pernicious it is, and how it utterly roots out many from the faith, who are very faithful and firm ; for this doubting is the daughter of the devil, and deals very wickedly with the servants of God; despise it therefore, and thou shalt rule over it on every occasion. Put on a firm and powerful faith; for faith promises all things, and perfects all things; but doubting will not believe, that it shall obtain any thing, by all that it can do. Thou seest therefore, says he, how faith cometh from above, from God, and has great

"But

(z) Add from the Gr. both of Athanasius and Antioch. if thou doubtest in thy heart, thou shalt receive none of thy petitions. For those who distrust (or doubt of) God, are like the double minded, who shall obtain none of these things." (a) So MS Lamb. Tardius accipias: and so the Gr. (b) Asking the petition of thy soul.

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