casual care less UNGodlieness...
(could not care less)
(could not care less)
And measures and matters of The Truth of the "time" we are in ...how "man" ..."thought to change time and times ... Dearly beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, how that one day is with the Lord, as a thousand year, and a thousand year as one day.
The Lord is not slack to fulfil his promise, as some men count slackness: but is patient to us ward, and would have no man lost, but would receive all men to repentance.
Behold in a dread nightmare of the dark season ...of the times and time ..of the season of man ...see son of man ...
and i was taken and shown in the world of the the worldly ...
and there was little or no reference to God or Jesus or the truth or the spirit thereof.
and there was the rushing and raging and running here and there ...without ...without much or any regard for for anything except the demands of the day ...
even the demands of ...the day ...that the most and the many ...bring and brought upon themselves
and there was a casual indifference ...even if God or Jesus or the truth or the spirit thereof was mentioned ...or brought UP.
and a sort of yawning ...dullness as though any thought or care of God or Jesus or the truth or the spirit thereof ...was of little or nothing worth ...in the UNGodlie world of the worldly.
even any time ...
even any day ...
even to the last day of any and all ...of the most and many.
even to the end of the UNGodlie world of the worldly.
even to the end of the world.
even to the beginning of a new Heaven and new earth.
and scripture came back to remembrance ...
And I warned Josua the same time saying: thine eyes
have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto these two kings, even so the
Lord will do unto all kingdoms whither thou goest. Fear them not, for the Lord
your God he it is that fighteth for you.
And I besought the Lord the same time
saying: O' Lord God, thou hast begun to show thy servant thy greatness and thy
mighty hand, for there is no God in heaven nor in earth that can do after thy
works and after thy power: let me go over and see the good land that is
beyond Jordan, that goodly high country and Libanon. But the Lord was angry
with me for your sakes and would not hear me, but said unto me, be content, and
speak henceforth no more unto me of this matter, Get thee up into the top of
Phasga and lift up thine eyes west, north, south and east, and behold it with
thine eyes for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. Moreover, charge Josua and
courage him and bold him. For he shall go over before his people, and he shall
divide the land which thou shalt see unto them. And so we abode in the valley
beside Bethpheor
Hear O' heaven, what I shall speak and hear O' earth
the words of my mouth. My doctrine drop as doth the rain, and my speech flow as
doth the dew, as the mizzling upon the herbs, and as the drops upon the grass.
For I will call on the name of the Lord: Magnify the might of our God.
He is a rock and perfect are his deeds,
for all his ways are with discretion. God is faithful and without wickedness,
both righteous and just is he.
The froward and overthwart generation
hath marred themselves to himward, and are not his sons for their deformities
sake. Dost thou so reward the Lord? O' foolish nation and unwise. Is not he
thy father and thine owner? hath he not made thee and ordained thee? Remember
the days that are past: consider the years from time to time. Ask thy father and
he will shew thee, thine elders and they will tell thee. When the most
highest gave the nations an inheritance, and divided the sons of Adam, he put
the borders of the nations, fast by the multitude of the children of Israel.
For the Lords part is his folk, and Israel
is the portion of his inheritance.
He found him in a desert land, in a void
ground and a roaring wilderness. He led him about and gave him understanding,
and kept him as the apple of his eye.
As an eagle that stirreth up her nest
and fluttereth over her young, he stretched out his wings and took him up and
bare him on his shoulders. The Lord alone was his guide, and there was no
strange God with him.
He set him up upon an high land, and he
ate the increase of the fields. And he gave him honey to suck out of the rock,
and oil out of the hard stone. With butter of the kine and milk of the
sheep, with fat of the lambs and fat rams and he goats with fat kidneys and with
wheat. And of the blood of grapes thou drunkest wine.
And Israel waxed fat and kicked. Thou
wast fat, thick and smooth. And he let God go that made him and despised the
rock that saved him. They angered him with strange Gods and with abominations
provoked him. They offered unto field devils and not to God, and to Gods
which they knew not and to new Gods that came newly up which their fathers
feared not. Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindful and hast forgot God
that made thee. And when the Lord saw it, he was angry because of the
provoking of his sons and daughters.
And he said: I will hide my face from
them and will see what their end shall be. For they are a froward generation and
children in whom is no faith. They have angered me with that which is no God,
and provoked me with their vanities. And I again will anger them with
them which are no people, and will provoke them with a foolish nation. For
fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burn unto the bottom of hell. And shall
consume the earth with her increase, and set afire the bottoms of the mountains.
I will heap mischiefs upon thee and will spend all mine arrows at them.
Burnt with hunger and consumed with heat and
with bitter pestilence. I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them and
poison serpents. Without forth, the sword shall rob them of their children:
and within in the chamber, fear: both young men and young women and the
sucklings with the men of gray heads. I have determined to scatter them
throughout the world, and to make away the remembrance of them from among men.
Were it not that I feared the railing of their enemies, lest their adversaries
would be proud and say: our high hand hath done all these works and not the
Lord.
For it is a nation that hath an unhappy
forecast, and hath no understanding in them: I would they were wise and
understood this and would consider their latter end.
How it cometh that one shall chase a
thousand, and two put ten thousand of them to flight: except their rock had sold
them, and because the Lord had delivered them.
For our rock is not as their rock, no though
our enemies be judge. But their vines are of the vines of Sodom, and of the
fields of Gomorra. Their grapes are grapes of gall, and their clusters be
bitter.
Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the
cruel gall of asps. Are not such things laid in store with me, and sealed up
among my treasures? Vengeance is mine and I will reward: their feet shall slide,
when the time cometh. For the time of their destruction is at hand, and the
time that shall come upon them maketh haste.
For the Lord will do justice unto his
people, and have compassion on his servants. For it shall be seen that their
power shall fail, and at the last they shall be prisoned and forsaken.
And it shall be said: where are their
Gods and their rock wherein they trusted?
The fat of whose sacrifices they ate, and
drank the wine of their drinkofferings, let them rise up and help you and be
your protection.
See now how that I, I am
he, and that there is no God but I. I can kill and make alive, and what I have
smitten that I can heal: neither is there that can deliver any man out of my
hand.
For I will lift up my hand to heaven, and
will say: I live ever.
If I whet the lightning of my sword, and
mine hand take in hand to do justice, I will shew vengeance on mine
enemies and will reward them that hate me.
I will make mine arrows drunken with blood,
and my sword shall eat flesh of the blood of the slain and of the captive and of
the bare head of the enemy.
Praise ye heathen his people, for he will
avenge the blood of his servants, and will avenge him of his adversaries, and
will be merciful unto the land of his people.
And Moses went and spake all the words of
this song in the ears of the people, both he and Josua the son of Nun. And when
Moses had spoken all these words unto the end to all Israel, then he said unto
them. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify unto you this day: that
ye command them unto your children, to observe and do all the words of this law.
For it is not a vain word unto you: but it is your life, and through this word
ye shall prolong your days in the land whither ye go over Jordan to conquer it.
And the Lord spake unto Moses the self same
day saying: get thee up into this mountain Abarim unto mount Nebo, which is in
the land of Moab over against Jericho. And behold the land of Canaan which I
give unto the children of Israel to possess. And die in the mount which thou
goest upon, and be gathered unto thy people: As Aaron thy brother died in mount
Hor and was gathered unto his people. For ye trespassed against me among the
children of Israel at the waters of strife, at Cades in the wilderness of Zin:
because ye sanctified me not among the children of Israel. Thou shalt see the
land before thee, but shall not go thither unto the land which I give the
children of Israel
The foolish bodies say in their hearts: Tush,
there is no God.
They are corrupt, and become abominable in
their doings, there is not one that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven
upon the children of men, to see if there were any that would understand and
seek after God.
But they are all gone out of the way, they
are all together become unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no not one.
How can they have understanding, that work mischief, eating up my people, as it
were bread, and call not upon the Lord.
Therefore shall they be brought in great
fear, for God standeth by the generation of the righteous. As for you, ye have
made a mock at the counsel of the poor, because he putteth his trust in the
Lord.
Oh that the saving health were given unto
Israel out of Zion.
Oh that the Lord would deliver his people
out of captivity.
Then should Jacob rejoice, and Israel should
be right glad.
The foolish bodies say in their hearts: Tush, there
is no God.
Corrupt are they, and become abominable in
their wickednesses, there is not one that doeth good. God looked down from
heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that would understand,
or seek after God. But they were all gone out of the way, they are all
unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no not one. How can they have
understanding, that are the workers of wickedness, eating up my people as if it
were bread, and call not upon God. They are afraid, where no fear is: for God
breaketh the bones of them that besiege thee: thou puttest them to confusion,
for God despised them.
Oh that the saving health were given unto
Israel out of Sion: Oh that the Lord would deliver his people out of captivity.
Then should Jacob rejoice, and Israel should
be right glad.
*names of the wives: of Rehoboam and of Esau
and Rehoboam = So hear now , O Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I have chosen. For thus
saith the Lord, that made thee, fashioned thee, and helped thee, even from thy
mothers womb: Be not afraid, O Jacob my servant, thou righteous, whom I have
chosen. For I shall pour water upon the dry ground, and rivers upon the thirsty.
I shall pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my increase upon thy stock. They shall
grow together, like as the grass, and as the *Willies by the waters side. One
will say: I am the Lords. Another will call under the name of Jacob. The third
shall describe with his hand unto the Lord, and give himself under the name of
Israel.
"a people has enlarged"
Moreover, thus hath the Lord spoken: even
the King of Israel, and his avenger, the Lord of Hosts: I am the first and the
last, and without me there is no God. For what is he, that was ever like me,
which am from everlasting? Let him show his name, and do where through he
may be likened unto me. Let him tell you forth plainly things, that are past,
for to come: yee and that without any fear or stop. For have not I ever told you
hitherto, and warned you? Ye can bear me record yourselves. Is there any God
except me? or any maker, that I should not know him?
Wherefore all carvers of Idols are but vain,
and their labor lost. They must bear record themselves, that ( seeing they can
neither see ner understand ) they shall be confounded. Who should now make a
God, or fashion an Idol, that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all the
fellowship of them must be brought to confusion. Let all the workmen of them
come and stand together from among men: they must be abashed and confounded one
with another. The smith taketh iron, and tempereth it with hot coals, and
fashioneth it with hammers, and maketh it with all the strength of his arms: yee,
sometime he is faint from very hunger, and so thirsty that he hath no more
power. The carpenter ( or image carver ) taketh meat of the timber: and
spreadeth forth his line: he marketh it with some color: he planeth it, he
ruleth it, and squareth it, and make it after the image of a man and according
to the beauty of a man: that it may stand in the temple.
Moreover, he goeth out to hew down Cedar
trees: He bringeth home Elms and Oaks, and other timber of the wood. Or else the
Fir trees which he planted himself and such as the rain hath swelled, which
would serveth for men to burn. Of this he taketh and warmeth himself withal: he
maketh a fire of it to bake bread. And afterward maketh a God thereof, to honor
it: and an Idol to kneel before it. One piece he burneth in the fire, with
another he roasteth flesh, that he may eat roast, his belly full: with the third
he warmeth himself, and sayeth: Aha, I am well warmed, I have been at the fire.
And of the residue he maketh him a God, and an Idol for himself. He kneeleth
before it, he worship it, he prayeth unto it, and sayeth: deliver me, for thou
art my God.
Yet men neither consider ner understand,
because their eyes are stopped, that they cannot see: and their hearts, that
they can not perceive. They ponder not in their minds, for they have neither
knowledge, ner understanding to think thus: I have burnt one piece in the fire:
I have baked bread with the coals thereof, I have roasted flesh withal, and
eaten it: shall I now of the residue make an abomination, and fall down before a
rotten piece of wood? The keeping of dust, and foolishness of the heart hath
turned them aside: so that none of them can have a free conscience to think: may
not I error?
Consider this ( O Jacob and Israel ) for
thou art my servant. I have made thee, that thou mightest serve me. O Israel,
forget me not. As for thine offenses, I drive them away like the clouds, and thy
sins as the mist. Turn ye again unto me, and I will deliver thee.
Be glad ye heavens, whom the Lord hath made,
let all that is here beneath upon the earth, be joyful. Rejoice ye mountains and
woods, with all the trees that are in you: for the Lord shall redeem Jacob, and
show his glory upon Israel. For thus saith the Lord thy redeemer, even he that
fashioned thee from thy mothers womb: I am the Lord, which do all things myself
alone. I only have spread out the heavens and I only have layed the foundation
of the earth. I destroy the tokens of witches, and make the Soothsayers go
wrong. As for the wise, I turn them backward, and make their cunning
foolishness.
But I set up the purpose of my servants, and
fulfill the counsel of my messengers. I say unto Jerusalem: turn again: And to
the cities of Juda, be ye builded again: and I repair their decayed places. I
say to the ground: be dry. And I dry up thy water floods. I say to Cyrus: thou
art mine herdsman: so that he shall fulfill all things after my will. I say unto
Jerusalem: be thou builded, and to the temple: be thou fast grounded.
Thus saith the Lord unto Cyrus his anointed, whom he leadeth by the right
hand: that the people may fall down before him: I will loose the girdle of
kings: that they shall open *the gates before thy face, and not to shut their
doors. I will go before thee, and make the crooked straight. I shall break the
brazen doors, and burst the iron bars. I shall give thee the hid treasure and
the thing that is secretly kept: that thou mayest know, that I the God of Israel
have called thee by thy name: and that for Jacob my servants sake, and for
Israel my chosen. For I called thee by name, and *ordened thee or ever thou
knewest me: Even I the Lord, before whom there is none other: for without me
there is no God. I have prepared thee or ever thou knowest me: that it might be
known from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, that all is
nothing without me. For I am the Lord, and there is else none. It is I that
created the light, and darkness, I make peace, and trouble: yee even I the Lord
do all these things. The heavens above shall drop down, and the clouds shall
rain righteousness. The earth shall open itself, and bring forth health, and
thereby shall righteousness flourish. Even I the Lord shall bring it to pass.
*Willies (Willows) cap W and willows take up much waters.
Woe be unto him that *chideth with his
maker, the potsherd with the potter: Sayeth the clay to the potter: What makest
thou? or thy work serveth for nothing? Woe be unto him, that saith to his
father: Why begettest thou? And to his mother: Why bearest thou? Thus saith the
Lord, even the holy one and maker of Israel: Ask me of things for to come,
concerning my sons: and put me in remembrance, as touching the works of my
hands: I have made the earth, and created man upon it. With my hands have I
spread forth heaven, and given a commandment for all the Host thereof. I
shall wake him up with righteousness, and order all his ways. He shall build my
city, and let out my prisoners: and that for neither gifts or rewards, saith the
Lord of Hosts.
The Lord hath said moreover: The occupiers
of Egypt, the merchants of the *Morains and Sabees, shall come unto thee with
tribute, they shall be thine, they shall follow thee, and go with chains upon
their feet. They shall fall down before thee, and make supplication unto thee.
For God ( without whom there is none other God ) shall be with thee. O how
profound art thou O' God, thou God and Saviour of Israel? Confounded be ye, and
put to dishonor: go hence together with shame, all ye that be workmasters of
error: ( that is worshipers of Idols ) But Israel shall be saved in the Lord,
which is the everlasting salvation: They shall not come to shame or
confusion, world without end.
For thus saith the Lord: even he that
created heaven, the God that made the earth, that fashioned it, and set it
forth: I have not made it for naught, but I made it to be inhabited. Even I the
Lord, without whom there is none other. I have not spoken secretly, neither in
dark places of the earth. It is not for naught, that I said unto the seed of
Jacob: Seek me. I am the Lord, which when I speak, declareth the thing that is
righteousness and true. Let them be gathered, and come together, let them draw
nye hither, that are escaped of the people: Have they any understanding, that
set up the stocks of their Idols, and praise unto a God, that cannot help them?
Let men draw nye, let them come hither, and ask counsel of one another, and show
forth: What is he, that told this before? or, who spake of it, ever since the
beginning? Have not I the Lord done it: without whom there is none other God?
the true God and Saviour, and there is else none but I : And therefore turn
you unto me ( all ye ends of the earth ) so shall ye be saved, for I am God, and
there is else none. I swear by myself: out of my mouth cometh the word of
righteousness, and that may no man turn: but all knees shall bow unto me, and
all tongues shall swear by me, saying: Verily in the Lord is my righteousness
and strength. To him shall men come: but all they that think scorn of him, shall
be confounded. And the whole seed of Israel shall be justified, and praised in
the Lord
*the (kjv and other
bibles of man =two leaved gates??) gates before thy face, *ordened (ordained,
ordered) *chideth (express disapproval) *Morains (kjv and other bibles of man =
Ethiopia)
Nevertheless, *Bel shall fall, and *Nebo shall be broken: whose images
are a burden for the beasts and cattle, to overladen them, and to make them
weary. They shall sink down, and fall together: for they may not ease them of
their burden, therefore must they go into captivity.
Hearken unto me, O house of *Jacob, and ye
that remain yet of the household of Israel: whom I have borne from your mothers
womb, and brought you up from your birth, till ye were grown: I, I which shall
bear you unto your last age: I have made you, I will also nourish you, bear you
and save you. Whom will ye make me like, in fashion or image, that I may be like
him? Ye fools (no doubt ) will take out silver and gold out of your purses, and
weigh it, and hire a goldsmith to make a God of it, that men may kneel down and
worship it. Yet must he be taken on mens shoulders and borne, and set in his
place, that he may stand and not move. Alas that men should cry unto him, which
giveth no answer: and delivereth not the man that calleth upon him, from his
trouble.
Consider this well, and be ashamed. Go into
your own selves (O ye renegades) Remember the things which are past, since
the beginning of the world: that I am God, and that there is else no God, yee
and that there is nothing like unto me. In the beginning of a thing, I show the
end thereof: and I tell before, things that are not yet come to pass. With
one word is my devise accomplished, and fulfilleth all my pleasure. I call a
bird out of the East, and all that I take in hand, out of far countries, as soon
as I command, I bring it hither: as soon as I think to devise a thing, I do it.
Hear me, O ye that are of an high stomach,
but far from righteousness, I shall bring forth my righteousness. It is not far,
and my health shall not tarry long away. I will lay health in Sion, and give
Israel my glory
*Bel shall fall, (kjv
and other bibles of man = boweth down) and *Nebo shall be broken: (kjv and other
bibles of man = stoopeth) *Bel = "lord" a chief Babylonian deity, MAN
as Lord , owner, husband , have, master, man given, adversary, archers, babbler,
citizens, inhabitants ) rulers, lords, (noun of relationship used to
characterize - ie, master of dreams) lord (used of foreign gods) Nebo =
"prophet" of : of the Baal :who presided over learning and writings of
the Greek Hermes, Latin Mercury, and Egyptian Thoth *(the mountain where Moses
died) all from the Hebrew..RN
Jacob = "heel holder" or "supplanter"
`aqab {aw-kab}a primitive root; - supplant take by the heel, stay, utterly,
circumvent, follow at the heel, assail insidiously, overreach, attack at the
heel , to hold back`athar {aw-thawr}from -thick, suppliants )worshipper, odor,
incense (odoriferous smoke)`athar {aw-thar} a primitive root; - deceitful,
multiplied, to be abundant, to be plentiful, to multiply, become abundant . from
the Hebrew. RN
The abomination of Ephraim is come also into Israel. He is gone back to
Baal, therefore must he die. And now they sin more and more: of their silver,
they make them molten Images, like the idols of the Heathen, and yet all is
nothing but the works of the craftsmen. Not withstanding they preach of the
same: who so will kiss the calves, offereth to men. Therefore they shall be as
the morning cloud, and as the dew that early passeth away, and like as the dust
that the wind taketh away from the floor, and as smoke that goeth out of the
chimney.
I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee
out of the land of Egypt: that thou shouldest know no God but me only, and that
thou shouldest have no Savior but only me. I took diligent heed of thee
in the wilderness, that dry land. But when they were well fed and had enough,
they waxed proud, and forgot me. Therefore I will be unto them as a lion,
and as a leopard in the way of the Assirians. I will come upon them as a bear,
that is robbed of her whelps, and I will break that stubborn heart of theirs.
There will I devour them as a lion: yee the wild beast shall tear them.
O Israel, thou doest but destroyed
thyself, In me only is thy help. Where are thy kings now, that shouldest
help thee in all thy cities? Yee and thy judges, of whom thou sayest: give me a
king and princes? well, I gave thee a king in my wrath, and in my displeasure
will I take him from thee again. The wickedness of Ephraim is bound together,
and his sin lieth hid. Therefore shall sorrows come upon him, as upon a woman
that travaileth. An indiscrete son is he: for he considereth not, that he should
not have been able to have endured the time of his birth, had I not defended him
from the grave, and delivered him from death.
O death, I will be thy death: O hell, I
will be thy sting. Yet can I see no come forth, for when he is now the
goodliest among the brethren, the East wind ( even the wind of the Lord ) shall
come down from the wilderness, and dry up his conduits, and drink up his wells:
he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
As for Samaria, they shall be made waste,
and why? they are disobedient unto their God. They shall perish with the sword,
their children shall be slain, and their women great with child shall be ripped
up
THE FOURTH BOOK OF ESDRAS Chpt 7
And it happened after that I had spoke out these words, that there was sent
unto me an angel, which had been by me also the nights afore, and he said unto
me: Up Esdras, and hear the words that I am come to tell thee. And I said: speak
on Lord my God. Then said he unto me: The sea is set in a wide place, that it
might be deep and great: but the entrance is narrow and small like a river. For
who would go into the sea, to look upon it, and rule it? If he went not through
the narrow, how might he come into the broad?
Item another: A city is builded and set upon
a broad field, and is full of all goods: the entrance is narrow and sodden, like
as there were a fire at the right hand, and a deep water at the left, and as it
were only one straight path betwixt them both, so small that there could be but
one man go there.
If this city were now given to an Liar and
he never went through the perilous way, how would he receive his inheritance?
And I said: It is so Lord. Then said he: Even so is Israel also a portion. And
why? for their sakes I have made the world: And when Adam transgressed my
statutes, then was the thing judged that was done. Then were the entrances of
the world made narrow, full of sorrow and travail: They are but few and evil,
full of perils and labor. For the entrances of the fore world were wide and
sure, and brought immortal fruit.
If they now which are entered into this
world, may not comprehend these straight and vain things, much less they
comprehend and understand the secrete things: Why disquietest thy self then,
seeing thou art but a corruptible man: And what wouldest thou know, where as
thou art but mortal? And why hast thou not received in thine heart the thing
that is for to come, but that is present?
Then said I: O' Lord, Lord, thou hast
ordered in thy law, that the righteous should inherit these things, but that the
unfaithful and ungodly shall perish. Nevertheless the righteous shall suffer
straight things, and hope for wide: for they that have lived ungodly and
*suffered straight things, shall not see the wide.
And he said unto me: There is no judge above
God, and none that have understanding above the Highest. For there be many
that perish, because they despise the law of God that is set before them. For
God hath given straight commandment to such as come, that they know what they
do, and how they should live: and if they keep this they should not be punished.
Nevertheless they were not obedient unto
him, but spoke against him: and said moreover that there was no God, and that
God regarded it not. His ways they have not known, his law they have despised,
and denied his promises: in his statutes and ordinances they have not been
faithful and steadfast, and have not performed his works.
And therefore Esdras unto the full,
plenty: and to the empty, emptiness. Behold the time shall come, that those
tokens which I have told thee, shall come to pass, and the bride shall appear:
and the earth that is now passeth away, shall be showed: and whosoever is
delivered from the afore said evils, shall see my wonders. For my son Jesus
shall be openly declared, with those that be with him: and they that remain,
shall be merry in four hundred years.
After these same years shall my son
Christ die, and all men that have life, and the world will be turned into the
old silence, seven days, like as in the fore judgements, so that no man shall
remain. And after seven days, the world that yet awaketh not, shall be
raised up, and shall die corrupt. And the earth shall restore those that have
slept in her, and so shall the dust those that dwell in silence, and the secrete
places shall deliver those that be committed unto them. And the most highest
shall be openly declared upon the seat of judgement, and all mystery shall
vanish away, and long suffering shall be gathered together. But the judgement
shall continue, the truth shall remain, and faith shall wax strong, the works
shall follow, and the reward shall be showed, the righteousnesses shall watch,
and the unrighteousnesses shall bear no rule.
Then said I: Abraham prayed first for the
sodomites, and Moses for the fathers that sinned in the wilderness, and he that
came after him for Israel, in the time of Achas and Samuel: and David for the
destruction, and Solomon for them that came into the Sanctuary, and Oseas for
those that received rain, and for the dead, that he might live: and Ezechias for
the people in the time of Sennacherib: and diverse other in like manner, which
have prayed for many.
Even so now seeing the corrupt is grown up,
and wickedness increased, and the righteous have prayed for the ungodly,
wherefore shall it not be so now also?
He answered me, and said: This present world
is not the end, there remaineth much honor in it, therefore they have prayed for
the weak. But the day of dumb shall be the end of this time, and the beginning
of the immortality for to come, wherein all corruption vanisheth all
voluptuousness is loused and misbelief taken away, righteousness grown, and the
verity spring up. Then shall no man be able to save him that is destroyed, nor
to oppress him that hath gotten the victory. I answered then, and said: This is
my first and last saying: that it had been better, not to have given the earth
unto Adam: or else when it was given him, to keep him that he should not sin.
For what profit is it for men now in this present time to live in heaviness, and
after death to look for punishment? O' thou Adam, what hast thou done? For
though it was thou that sinned, thou art not fallen alone, but we all that come
of thee. For what profit is it unto us, if there be promised us immortal time,
where as we meddle with deadly works? And that there is promised us an
everlasting hope, where as we ourselves are evil and vain? And that there are
laid up for us dwellings of health and freedom, where as we have lived evil? and
that the worship of the Highest is kept to defend them, which have led a patient
life, where as we have walked in the most wicked ways of all? And that there
shall be showed a paradise, whose fruit endureth forever, wherein is freedom and
medicine, where as we shall not go in? for we have walked in unpleasant places:
And that the faces of them which have abstained, shall shine above the stars,
where as our faces shall be black and dark? For while we lived and died
unrighteously, we considered not, that we should suffer therefore after death!
Then answered he me, and said: This is the
consideration and thought of the battle, which man hath upon the earth: That if
he be overcome, he shall suffer as thou hast said. But if he get victory, he
shall receive the thing that I say. For this is the life, whereof Moses spake
unto the people, while he lived, saying: Choose the life, that thou mayest live.
Nevertheless they believed him not neither the Prophets after him. No nor me
which have spoken unto them, that heaviness should not reach unto them to their
destruction like a joy is for to come over those, that have suffered themselves
to be informed in salvation.
I answered then and said: I know Lord, that
the Highest is merciful, in that he hath mercy upon them, which are not yet in
the world, and upon those also that walk in his law: and that he is patient and
long suffering toward those that have sinned in their works: and that he is
liberal to give where as it requireth: and that he is of great mercy, for he
multiplies his loving kindness toward those that are present, and that are past,
and to them which are for to come. For if he multiplied not his mercies, the
world shall not be made living, with those that dwell therein: He giveth also,
for if he gave not of his goodness, that they which have done evil, might be
eased, the ten thousand part of men should not be living. And if the judge
forgave not those that be healed with his word, and if he would destroy the
multitude that striveth, there should be very few left in an innumerable
multitude
*suffered (allowed)
THE FOURTH BOOK OF ESDRAS Chpt 8
And he answered me, saying: The most Highest made this world for many, but
the world to come for few. I will tell thee a similitude, Esdras: As when
thou asketh the earth, it shall say unto thee, that it giveth much mould, where
earthen vessels are made, but little of it that gold cometh of. Even so is it
with the works of this world. There be many created, but few shall be preserved.
Then answered I and said: Then swallow up the wit ( thou soul ) and devour the
understanding, for thou art agreed to harken and to give ear, and willingly to
prophesy: for thou hast no longer space given thee, but only to live. O' Lord,
wilt thou not give thy servant leaven, that we may pray before thee, and that
thou mayest give seed unto our heart, and build our understanding, that there
may come fruit of it: and that everyone which is corrupt, and beareth the state
and place of man, may live?
For thou art alone, and we all are one
workmanship of thy hands, like as thou hast said, and like as the body is
fashioned now in the childbed, and thou givest the members, and thy creature is
preserved in fire and water: and nine months doth thy work suffer thy creature,
which is fashioned in her: but the thing that is present and the thing that is
preserved, shall both be kept together: and when time is, the childbed deliver
the thing, that is kept and grown in her.
For thou hast commanded the breasts to give
milk unto the fruit, that the thing that is created and fashioned, may be
nourished for a time: and then thou disposest and orderest it with thy mercy,
bringest it up with thy righteousness; nurturest it in thy law, and reformest it
with thy understanding, mortifiest it as thy creature, and makest it living as
thy work. Seeing then that thou destroyest him, which with so great labors is
created and fashioned through thy commandment, thou couldest lightly order, also
that the thing which is made, might be preserved.
And this I speak now of all men in general,
as thou knowest: but of thy people, for whose sake I am sorry: and of thy
inheritance: for whose cause I mourn: and of Israel, for whom I am woeful: and
for Jacob, for whos sake I am grieved: therefore begin I to pray before thee,
for myself and for them, for I see the fall of us even of us, that dwell upon
earth. But I have heard the swiftness of the judge, which is to come: therefore
hear my voice, and understand my words, and I shall speak before thee.
This is the beginning of the words of Esdras
before he was received: O' Lord, thou that dwellest in everlastingness, whose
eyes are lifted up in the air, whose stool is exceedingly high, whose glory and
majesty may not be comprehended, before whom the Host of heaven stand with
trembling, whose keeping is turned in wind and fire, whose word is true, whose
talking is steadfast, whose commandment is strong, whose ordinance is fearful,
whose look drieth up the depths, whose wrath maketh the mountains to melt away,
and whose truth beareth witness: O' hear the prayer of thy servant, and mark
with thy ears the petition of thy creature.
For while I live, I will speak, and so long
as I have understanding, I will answer. O' look not upon the sins of thy people,
which serve in the truth. Have no respect for the wicked studies of the Heathen,
but to the desire of those that keep thy testimonies with sorrows. Think not
upon those that have walked *feintly before thee, but upon them, which with will
have known thy fear.
Let it not be thy will to destroy them,
which have had beastly manners, but to look upon them that have clearly taught
thy law. Take thou no indignation at them, which are worse then beasts: but love
them, that always put their trust in thy righteousness and glory: for we and our
fathers have all the same sickness and disease, but because of our sins thou
shalt be called merciful.
For thou hast mercy upon us thou shalt be
called merciful, where as we have no works of righteousness: for the righteous
which have laid up many good works together, shall out of their deeds receive
reward. For what is a man, that thou shouldest displeasure at him? Or what is
the corruptible generation, that thou shouldest be so rough toward him?
For of truth there is no man among them that
be born, but he hath dealt wickedly: and among the faithful there is none, which
hath not done amiss. For in this ( O' Lord ) thy righteousness and thy goodness
shall be praised and declared, if thou be merciful unto them, which are not rich
in good works.
Then answered he me and said: Some things
hast thou spoken right and according unto thy words it shall be. For I will not
verily consider the works of them, which have sinned before death, before the
judgement, before destruction, but I will rejoice over the work and thought of
the righteous, the holy making and the reward. Like as I have spoken now, so
shall it come to pass. For as the husband man soweth much seed upon the ground,
and planteth many trees, and yet always the thing that is sown or planted is not
all kept safe, neither does it all take root: Even so is it of them that are
sown in the world, they shall not all be preserved.
I answered then and said: If I have found
grace, then let me speak. Like as the husband man seed perisheth, if it not
receive rain in due season, or if there come to much rain upon it: Even so
perisheth a man also, which is created with thy hands, and is like unto thine
own image and to thy self, for whos sake thou hast made all things, and likened
him unto the husband mans seed. Be not wroth at us, O' Lord, but spare thy
people, and have mercy upon thine own inheritance: O' be merciful unto thy
creature.
Then answered he me and said: Things present
are for the present, and things to come for as such as be to come. For thou
wantest yet much, seeing thou may lovest my creature above me: I have often
times drawn near unto thee, but never to the unrighteous. In this also thou art
marvelous before the Highest, in that thou has humbled thy self, as it becometh
thee, and hast not regarded thine own self, that thou art had in such honor
among the righteous. Therefore shall great wretchedness and misery come upon
them, that in the later time shall dwell in the world, for they have walked in
great pride.
But understand thou for thyself, and seek
out glory for such as be like thee: for unto you paradise is opened, the tree of
life is planted, the time to come is prepared, plenteousness is made ready: a
city is builded for you, and a rest is prepared, yee perfect goodness and
wisdom. The root of evil is marked from you, the weakness and moth is hid from
you, and into hell flyeth corruption in forgetfulness. Sorrows are vanished
away, and in that end is shown the treasure of immortality. And therefore ask no
more questions, concerning the multitude of them that perish. For they have
taken liberty, despised the Highest, thought scorn of his law, and forsaken his
ways.
Moreover they have trodden down his
righteousness, and said in their heart, that there is no God, yee and that
wittingly, for they die. For like as the thing that I have spoken of, is
made ready for you: Even so is thirst and pain prepared for them. For it was not
his will that man should come to naught: but they which be created have defiled
the name of him that made them, and are unthankful unto him, which prepared life
for them. And therefore is my judgement now at hand. These things have I not
showed unto all men, but unto few: namely unto thee, and such as be like thee.
Then answered I and said: Behold O' Lord,
now hast thou showed me the multitude of thy tokens, which thou wilt begin to do
at the last but at what time and when thou hast not showed me
*feintly =dodge, maneuver, pose, pretend