Of the sadness of the heart; and that
we must take, heed not to grieve the
spirit of God that is in us.
PUT all sadness far from thee;
for it is the sister of doubting
and of anger. How, sir, said I
is it the sister of these? For
sadness, and anger, and doubting,
seem to me to be very different
from one another.
2 And he answered: Art thou
without sense that thou dost not
understand it? For sadness is the
most mischievous of all spirits,
and the worst to the servants of
God: It destroys the spirits of all
men, and torments the Holy Spirit,
and it saves again.
3 Sir, said I, I am very foolish,
and understand not these things.
I cannot apprehend how it can
torment, and yet save. Hear, said
he, and understand. They who
never sought out the truth, nor
inquired concerning the majesty
of God, but only believed, are
involved in the affairs of the
heathen.
4 And there is another lying
prophet that destroys the minds
of the servants of God; that is
of those that are doubtful, not of
those that fully trust in the Lord.
Now those doubtful persons come
to him, as to a divine spirit, and
inquire of him what shall befall
them.
5 And this lying prophet, having
no power in him of the Divine
Spirit, answers them according to
their demands, and fills their souls
with promises according as they
desire. Howbeit that prophet is
vain, and answers vain things to
those who are themselves vain.
6 And whatsoever is asked of
him by vain men, he answers them
vainly; nevertheless he speaketh
some things truly. For the Devil
fills him with his spirit, that he
may overthrow some of the
righteous.
7 Whosoever therefore are
strong in the faith of the Lord,
and have put on the truth; they
are not joined to such spirits, but
depart from them. But they that
are doubtful, and often repenting,
like the heathens, consult them,
and heap up to themselves great
sin, serving idols.
8 As many therefore as are
such, inquire of them upon every
occasion; worship idols, and are
foolish; and void of the truth.
For every spirit that is given
from God needs not to be asked:
but having the power of divinity
speaks all things of itself,
because he comes from above;
from the power of God.
10 But he, that being asked
speaks according to men's desires
and concerning many other affairs
of this present world, understands
not the tidings which relate unto
God. For these spirits are darkened
through such affairs, and corrupted,
and broken.
11 As good vines if they are
neglected, are oppressed with weeds
and thorns, and at last killed by
them; so are the men who believe
such spirits.
12 They fall into many actions
and businesses, and are void of
sense, and when they think of
things pertaining unto God, they
understand nothing at all; but
at any time they chance to hear
any thing concerning the Lord,
their thoughts are upon their
business.
13 But they that have the fear
of the Lord, and search out the
truth concerning God, having all
their thoughts towards the Lord;
apprehend whatsoever is said to
them, and forthwith understand
it, because they have the fear
of the Lord in them.
14 For where the spirit of the
Lord dwells, there is also much
understanding added. Wherefore
join thyself to the Lord, and thou
shalt understand all things.
15 Learn now, O unwise man!
how sadness troubleth the Holy
Spirit, and how it saves. When
a man that is doubtful is engaged
in any affair, and does not
accomplish it by reason of his
doubting; this sadness enters
into him, and grieves the Holy
Spirit, and makes him sad.
16 Again anger, when it over.
takes any man for any business he
is greatly moved; and then again
sadness entereth into the heart of
him, who was moved with anger,
and he is troubled for what he hath
done, and repenteth, because he
hath done amiss.
17 This sadness therefore seemeth
to bring salvation, because he
repenteth of his evil deed. But
both the other things, namely,
doubting and sadness, such as
before was mentioned, vex the
spirit: doubting, because his
work did not succeed; and sadness,
because he angered the Holy Spirit.
18 Remove therefore sadness
from thyself, and afflict not the
Holy Spirit which dwelleth in
thee, lest he entreat God, and
depart from thee. For the spirit
of the Lord which is given to
dwell in the flesh, endureth no
such sadness.
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 God what he asks.
21 For the prayer of a sad man
has not always efficacy to come up
to the altar of God. And I said
unto him, Sir, why has not the
prayer of a sad man virtue to come
up to the altar of God? 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 God. 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 God. And all
others shall live unto God, as many
as shall lay aside sadness, and put
on cheerfulness.