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.