Certaine signes shal goe before the day of iudgement. 14. More shal
perish then be saued. 25. Prayer with other good workes, are meanes to
saluation.
AND he answered me, and sayd: Measuring measure thou the time in it
selfe: and it shal be when thou seest, after a certaine part of the
signes which are spoken of before shal passe, 2 then shalt thou
vnderstand, that the same is the time wherin the Highest wil beginne to
visite the world that was made by him. 3 And when there shal be sene in
the world mouing of places, and truble of peoples, 4 then shalt thou
vnderstand, that of these spake the Highest, from the dayes that were
before thee, from the beginning. 5 For as al that is made in the world
hath a beginning, and also a consummation, and the consummation is
manifest: 6 so also the times of the Highest haue the beginning
manifest in wonders and powers, and the consummations in worke and in
signes. 7 And it shal be, euery one that shal be saued, and that can
escape by his workes, and by fayth, in which you haue beleeued, 8 shal
be leaft out of the foresayd dangers, and shal see my saluation in my
land, and in my costes, because I haue sancitifed my selfe from the
world. 9 And then shal they be in miserie, that now haue abused my
wayes: and they that haue reiected them in contempt, shal abide in
torments. 10 For they that knew not me, hauing obtained benefits when
they liued: 11 and they that loathed my law, when they yet had
libertie, 12 and when as yet place of penance was open to them
vnderstoode not, but despised: they must after death in torment know
it. 13 Thou therfore be not yet curious, how the impious shal be
tormented: but inquire how the iust shal be saued, and whose the world
is, and for whom the world is, and when. 14 And I answered, and sayd:
15 I haue spoken hertofore, and now I say, and hereafter wil say: that
they are more which perish then that shal be saued: (Matt 10) 16 as a
floud is multiplied aboue, more then a droppe. 17 And he ansvvered me,
and sayd: Like as the field so also the sedes: and as the flovvers,
such also the colours: and as the workeman, such also the worke: and
such as the husbandman, such is the husbandrie: because it was the time
of the world. 18 And now when I was preparing for them, for these that
now are before the world was made, wherin they should dwel: and no man
gaynsayd me. 19 For then euery man, and now the creator in this world
prepared, and haruest not fayling, and law vnsearchable their manners
are corrupted. 20 And I considered the world, and behold there was
danger because of the cogitations that came in it. 21 And I saw, and
spared it very much: and I kept vnto my selfe a grape kernel of a
cluster, and a plant of a great trybe. 22 Let the multitude therfore
perish, which was borne without cause, and let my kernel be kept, & my
plant: because I finished it with much labour. 23 And thou if thou adde
yet seuen other dayes, but thou shalt not fast in them, 24 thou shalt
goe into a field of flowers, where no house is built: & thou shalt eate
only of the flowers of the field, and flesh thou shalt not tast, and
wine thou shalt not drinke, but only flowers. 25 Pray to the Highest
without intermission, and I wil come, and wil speake with thee. 26 And
I went forth, as he sayd to me, into a field which is called Ardath,
and I sate there among the flowers. And I did eate of the herbes of the
field, and the meate of them made me ful. 27 And it came to passe after
seuen dayes, and I sate downe vpon the grasse, and my hart was trubled
ayayne as before. 28 And my mouth was opened, and I beganne to speake
before the Highest, and sayd: 29 O Lord thou shewing thy selfe to vs,
wast shewed to our fathers in the desert, which is not troden, and
vnfruitful, when they came out of AEgypt: and saying thou saydst: (Ex
19 & 24 / Deut 4) 30 Thou Israel heare me, and sede of Iacob attend to
my wordes. 31 For behold, I sow my lawe in you, and it shal bring forth
fruite in you, and you shal be glorified in it for euer. 32 For our
fathers receiuing the law obserued it not, and kept not my ordinances,
and the fruite of the law did not appeare: for it could not, because it
was thine. 33 For they that receiued it, perished, not keeping that
which had bene sowen in them. (Ex 32) 34 And behold it is the custome,
that when the earth hath receiued sede, or the sea a shippe, or some
vessel meate or drinke: when that shal be destroyed wherin it was
sowne, or into the which it was cast: 35 that which was sowne, or cast
in, or the thinges that were receiued, are destroyed withal, and the
thinges receiued now tarye not with vs: but it is not so done to vs. 36
We in dede that receiued the law, sinning haue perished, and our hart
that receiued it: 37 For the law hath not perished, but hath remayned
in his labour. (Ezech 48) 38 And when I spake these thinges in my hart,
I looked backe with myne eyes, and saw a woman on the right side, and
behold she mourned, and wept with a lowd voice, and was sorrowful in
mynde exceedingly, and her garments rent, and ashes vpon her heade. 39
And I left the cogitations, wherin I was thinking, and I turned to her
and sayd to her: 40 Why weepest thou? and why art thou sorie in mynde.
And she sayd to me: 41 Suffer me my Lord, that I may lament myselfe, &
adde sorrow: because I am of a very pensiue mynde, and am humbled
exceedingly. 42 And I sayd to her, What ayleth thee: tel me. And she
sayd to me: 43 I thy seruant haue beene barren, and haue not borne
childe, hauing a husband thirty yeares. 44 For I euery howre, and
euerie day, and these thirty yeares do beseche the Highest night and
day. 45 And it came to passe, after thirtie yeares God heard me thy
handmayd, and saw my humilitie, and attended to my tribulation, and
gaue me a sonne: and I was very ioyful vpon him, and my husband, and al
my citizens, and we did glorifie the Strong exceedingly. 46 And I
nourished him with much labour. 47 And it came to passe when he was
growen, and came to take a wife, I made a feast day.