ments and walkest in them, and whosoever heareth and keepeth these commandments shall live before God."

III.

"Still further, Master," said I, "I will go on to inquire of thee." "Speak on," he replied. "I have heard," I said, "from certain teachers that there is no repentance beside that which took place when we went into the water of baptism, and received remission of our former sins." He saith unto me, "Thou hast heard rightly; for so it is, for he who hath received remission of sins must sin no longer, but abide in purity. But since thou seekest to know all things exactly, I will show this unto thee likewise, so as to give no opportunity of offence to those who are about to believe, or who have believed, in the Lord. For they who now have believed, or are about to believe, are no longer in a state of repentance, but have the remission of their former sins. The Lord therefore hath granted repentance to those who have been called before these latter days. For the Lord being an understander of hearts, and knowing all things beforehand, knew the weakness of man, and the craft of the devil, that he would do some evil to the servants of God, and would act wickedly towards them. The Lord therefore, being full of compassion, hath had mercy upon His work, and hath appointed this opportunity of repentance, and the authority over this repentance hath been given unto me. But I tell

D

thee," he said, "after this great and holy calling, if any one go astray, being tempted by the devil, he hath one opportunity of repentance. But if he sin frequently and repent, repentance is unprofitable to this man, for with difficulty will he live.” I say unto him, "I have come to life again from hearing these things accurately from thee, for I know that I shall be saved if I no longer add unto my sins." "Thou shalt be saved," he said, "and all, even as many as shall do these things."

IV.

I answered again and said unto him, "Master, since thou hast once borne with me, tell me this thing likewise." "Say on," he replied. "If a wife or a husband die," I say, "and the survivor marry again, doth he who marrieth sin ?" "No, he sinneth not," he said. "But if he remain by himself he hath more exceeding honour, and gaineth great glory before the Lord. But if he marry he sinneth not. Observe, therefore, purity and holiness, and thou shalt live unto God. Observe from this day forth, on which thou wast given unto me, the things that I say unto thee, and the things that I am about to say, and I will dwell in thine house. But there shall be forgiveness for thy former sins if thou shalt keep my commandments, and there shall be forgiveness for all, if they shall keep these commandments, and walk in this purity."

"BE

The Fifth Commandment.

On Anger.

I.

E thou long-suffering and prudent," he said, "and thou shalt have the mastery over all evil deeds, and shalt work all righteousness. For if thou shalt be long-suffering, the Holy Spirit that dwelleth in thee shall be pure, not being darkened by any other evil spirit; but dwelling at large, shall rejoice and be gladdened together with the vessel in which it dwelleth. Then it shall serve God in gladness, having happiness in itself.

"But if any angry temper approacheth, straightway the Holy Spirit, being delicate, is straitened, not having its dwelling-place clear, and seeketh to depart out of the place. For it is choked by the evil spirit, not being able to serve the Lord as it wisheth, being polluted by evil temper. For the Lord abideth in long-suffering, but the devil abideth in wrath. That both these spirits should dwell together is inexpedient, and evil for that man in whom

they dwell. For if thou take a small quantity of wormwood and pour it into a jar of honey, doth not all the honey become changed, and a very little bitterness destroy the sweetness of the honey, and it no longer hath the same favour with the master when it hath been mixed and hath lost its use? But if the wormwood be not cast into the honey, the honey is found sweet, and is useful to its master. Thou seest, therefore, that patience is sweeter than honey, and useful to God, and the Lord dwelleth in it. But evil temper is bitter and useless. If, therefore, evil temper be mixed with patience, patience is defiled, and its intercession is not useful before God." "I should be glad," I said, "Master, to know the working of evil temper, that I may guard myself against it." "And of a truth," he said, "unless thou guardest thyself and thy house from it, thou hast destroyed all thine hope. But guard thyself from it, for I am with thee. And all men shall abstain from it, even as many as repent with all their heart. For I shall be with them, and shall preserve them. For they have all been justified by the most holy angel."

II.

"Listen," said he, "to the working of anger, how evil it is, and how it subverteth the servants of God by its working, and causeth them to wander from righteousness. But it doth not turn out of the way those who are fully established in the faith; nor can it

work on them, because the power of the Lord is with them; but such as are empty and doubleminded it causeth to wander. For when it beholdeth such persons in tranquillity, it insinuateth itself into the heart of the man; and the man or the woman falleth into bitterness for a mere nothing on account of worldly affairs, either about food, or about some slight, or about some friend, or about giving or receiving, or about some such folly, for all these things are foolish and empty, and inexpedient for the servants of God. But patience is great and hath a strong power, and is mighty; yea, it flourisheth in great prosperity; it is joyous, exulting, free from care, glorifying the Lord on all occasions, having no bitterness in itself, abiding for ever gentle and quiet. This patience dwelleth with them that have perfect faith. But anger is first foolish, light, and senseless. Then from folly ariseth bitterness, and from bitterness anger, and from anger wrath, and from wrath revenge; then revenge, arising from a combination of so many evils, becometh great and incurable sin. For when these spirits dwell in one vessel, where also the Holy Spirit dwelleth, the vessel cannot contain them, but runneth over. The delicate spirit, therefore, not being accustomed to dwell with the evil spirit, nor with bitterness, departeth from that man, and seeketh to dwell with meekness and quiet. Then when it departeth from that man where it was dwelling, the man becometh emptied of the just spirit, and for the future is disorderly in all his actions, and is filled with evil spirits, being torn in this way and