Of the sadness of the heart, and of patience.
Be patient, says he, and long-
suffering; so shalt thou have
dominion over all wicked works,
and shall fulfil all righteousness.
2 For if thou shalt be patient,
the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in
thee shall be pure, and not be
darkened by any evil spirit; but
being full of joy shall be enlarged,
and feast in the body in which it
dwells, and serve the Lord with
joy, and in great peace.
3 But if any anger shall overtake
thee, presently the Holy Spirit
which is in thee will be straightened
and seek to depart from thee.
4 For he is choked by the evil
spirit, and has not the liberty of
serving the Lord as he would; for
he is grieved by anger. When,
therefore, both these spirits dwell
together, it is destructive to a
man.
5 As if one should take a little
wormwood, and put it into a vessel
of honey, the whole honey would
be spoiled; and a great quantity
of honey is corrupted by a very
little wormwood, and loses the
sweetness of honey, and is no
longer acceptable to its Lord
because the whole honey is made
bitter, and loses its use.
6 But if no wormwood be put
into the honey, it is sweet and
profitable to its Lord. Thus is
forbearance sweeter than honey,
and profitable to the Lord who
dwelleth in it.
7 But anger is unprofitable.
If therefore anger shall be mixed
with forbearance, the soul is
distressed, and its prayer is
not profitable with God.
8 And I said unto him, Sir,
I would know the sinfulness of
anger, that I may keep myself from
it. And he said unto me, Thou
shall know it; and if thou shalt
not keep thyself from it, thou shalt
lose thy hope with all thy house.
Wherefore depart from it.
9 For I the messenger of
righteousness am with thee, and
all that depart from it: as many
as shall repent with all their hearts,
shall live unto God; and I will be with
them, and will keep them all.
10 For all such as have repented
have been justified by the most
holy messenger, who is a minister
of salvation.
11 And now, says he, hear
the wickedness of anger; how
evil and hurtful is is, and how it
overthrows the servants of God;
for it cannot hurt those that are
full of faith because the power
of God is with them; but it
overthrows the doubtful, and those
that are destitute of faith.
12 For as often as it sees such
men, it casts itself into their
hearts; and so a man or woman
is in bitterness for nothing: for
the things of life, or for sustenance,
or for a vain word, if any should
chance to fall in; or by reason
of any friend, or for a debt,
or for any other superfluous
things of the like nature.
13 For these things are foolish,
and superfluous, and vain to the
servants of God. But equanimity
is strong, and forcible; and of
great power, and sitteth in great
enlargement; is cheerful, rejoicing
in peace; and glorifying God at
all times I with meekness.
14 And this long-suffering
dwells with those that are full of
faith. But anger is foolish, and
light, and empty. Now bitterness
is bred through folly; by
bitterness, anger; by anger, fury;
and this fury arising from so
many evil principles, worketh a
great and incurable sin.
15 For when all these things,
are in the same man in which the
Holy Spirit dwells, the vessel
cannot contain them, but runs
over: and because the Spirit being
tender cannot tarry with the evil
one; it departs and dwells with
him that is meek.
16 When, therefore, it is
departed from the man in whom it
dwelt, that man becomes destitute
of the Holy Spirit, and is afterwards
filled with wicked spirits, and
is blinded with evil thoughts.
Thus doth it happen to all angry
men.
17 Wherefore depart then from
anger, and put on equanimity, and
resist: wrath; so then shalt be
found with modesty and chastity
by God. Take good heed, therefore,
that thou neglect not this commandment.
18. For if thou shalt obey this
command, then thou shalt also be
able to observe the other commandments
which I shall command thee.
19 Wherefore strengthen thyself
now in these commands, that then
mayest live unto God. And whosoever
shall observe these commandments
shall live unto God.