Lost Books of the Bible (160 page)

39: And Helias for those that received rain and for the dead, that he might live;

40: And Ezechias for the people in the time of Sennacherib; and many pray for many.

41: Now, seeing corruption is matured, and wickedness increased, and the righteous have prayed for the ungodly; will it not be so now also?

42: He answered me, and said, This present life is not the end where much glory abides; therefore have they prayed for the weak.

43: But the day of doom will be the end of this time, and the beginning of the immortality  to come, where corruption is past,

44: Hedonism is at an end, infidelity is cut off, righteousness is increased, and truth is sprung up.

45: No man are able to save him that is destroyed, nor to oppress him that has gotten the victory.

46: I answered then and said, This is my first and last saying, that it had been better not to have given the earth to Adam: or else, when it was given him, to have restrained him from sinning.

47: For what profit is it for men now in this present time to live in heaviness, and after death to look for punishment?

48: O Adam, what have you done? For though it was you that sinned, you are not fallen alone, but we all that come from you.

49: For what profit is it to us, if there be promised us an immortal time, whereas we have done the works that bring death?

50: And that there is promised us an everlasting hope, whereas ourselves being most wicked are made vain?

51: And that there are laid up for us dwellings of health and safety, whereas we have lived wickedly?

52: And that the glory of the most High is kept to defend them which have led a wary life, whereas we have walked in the most wicked ways of all?

53: And that there should be showed a paradise, whose fruit endures for ever, wherein is security and medicine, since we will not enter into it?

54: (For we have walked in unpleasant places.)

55: And that the faces of them which have used abstinence will shine above the stars, whereas our faces will be blacker than darkness?

56: For while we lived and committed sin, we did not considered that we should begin to suffer for it after death.

57: He answered me, and said, This is the condition of the battle, which man that is born upon the earth will fight;

58: That, if he is overcome, he will suffer as you have said: but if he gains victory, he will receive the thing that I say.

59: For this is the life whereof Moses spoke to the people while he lived, saying, Choose you life, that you may live.

60: Nevertheless they did not believe him, nor yet the prophets after him, no nor me which have spoken to them,

61: That there should not be such heaviness in their destruction, as will be joy over them that are persuaded to salvation.

62: I answered then, and said, I know, Lord, that the most High is called merciful, in that he has mercy upon them which are not yet come into the world,

63: And upon those also that turn to his law;

64: And that he is patient, and long suffers those that have sinned, as his creatures;

65: And that he is bountiful, for he is ready to give where it needs;

66: And that he is of great mercy, for he multiplies more and more mercies to them that are present, and that are past, and also to them which are to come.

67: For if he will not multiply his mercies, the world would not continue with them that inherit therein.

68: He forgives for if he did not do so out of his goodness so that they which have committed sin might be relieved of them, the ten thousandth part of men should not remain living.

69: And being judge, if he should not forgive them that are cured with his word, and put out the multitude of contentions,

70: There should be very few left out of an innumerable multitude.

4 Ezra Chapter 8

1: And he answered me, saying, The most High has made this world for many, but the world to come for few.

2: I will illustrate this to you, Esdras; When you ask the earth, it will say to you, that it gives much mold (rotten earth) that earthen vessels are made, but little dust that gold comes of: this is the course of this present world.

3: There are many created, but few will be saved.

4: So I said, Swallow then down, O my soul, understanding, and devour wisdom.

5: For you have agreed to give ear, and are willing to prophesy: for you have only space enough to live.

6: O Lord, if you do not permit your servant, that we may pray before you, and you give us seed to our heart, and the beginnings to our understanding, that there may come fruit of it; how will each man live that is corrupt, who bears the place of a man?

7: For you are alone, and we all one workmanship of your hands, as you have said.

8: For when the body is fashioned now in the mother’s womb, and you gives it members, your creature is preserved in fire and water, and nine months your workmanship endures your creature which is created in her.

9: But that which keeps and is kept will both be preserved: and when the time comes, the womb preserved delivers up the things that grew in it.

10: For you have commanded out of the parts of the body, that is to say, out of the breasts, milk to is given, which is the fruit of the breasts,

11: That the thing which is fashioned may be nourished for a time, till you dispose it to your mercy.

12: You brought it up with your righteousness, and nurtured it in your law, and reformed it with your judgment.

13: And you will give it life as your creature, and quicken it as your work.

14: If therefore you will destroy him which with so great labor was fashioned, it is an easy thing to be ordained by your commandment, that the thing which was made might be preserved.

15: Now therefore, Lord, I will speak; touching man in general, you know best; but touching your people, for whose sake I am sorry;

16: And for yours inheritance, for whose cause I mourn; and for Israel, for whom I am heavy; and for Jacob, for whose sake I am troubled;

17: Therefore will I begin to pray before you for myself and for them: for I see the fall (failure) of us that dwell in the land.

18: But I have heard the swiftness of the judge which is to come.

19: Therefore hear my voice, and understand my words, and I will speak before you.

20: This is the beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken up: and I said, O Lord, you that dwell in everlastingness which watches all things from above in the heaven and in the air;

21: Whose throne is inestimable; whose glory may not be comprehended; before whom the hosts of angels stand with trembling,

22: Whose service is as knowledge of wind and fire; whose word is true, and sayings constant; whose commandment is strong, and ordinance fearful;

23: Whose look dries up the depths, and indignation makes the mountains to melt away; which are the truth witnesses.

24: O hear the prayer of your servant, and give ear to the petition of your creature.

25: For while I live I will speak, and so long as I have understanding I will answer.

26: Look not upon the sins of your people; but on them which serve you in truth.

27: Pay no attention to the devising of the wicked of the heathen, but the desire of those that keep your testimonies in afflictions.

28: Think not about those that have pretended to walk before you: but remember them, which according to your will have known your fear.

29: Let it not be your will to destroy them which have lived like beasts; but to look upon them that have clearly taught your law.

30: Take no indignation at them which are deemed worse than beasts; but love them that always put their trust in your righteousness and glory.

31: For we and our fathers do languish of such diseases but because of us sinners you will be called merciful.

32: For if you have a desire to have mercy upon us, you will be called merciful, to us namely, that have no works of righteousness.

33: For the just, which have many good works laid up with you, will out of their own deeds receive reward.

34: For what is man, that you should take displeasure at him? or what is a corruptible generation, that you should be so bitter toward it?

35: For in truth there is no man among them that is born that has not acted wickedly; and among the faithful there is none which has not acted wrongly.

36: For in this, O Lord, your righteousness and your goodness will be declared, if you be merciful to them which have not the confidence of good works.

37: Then he answered me, and said, Some things have you spoken aright, and according to your words it will be.

38: For indeed I will not think on the disposition of them which have sinned before death, before judgment, before destruction:

39: But I will rejoice over the disposition of the righteous, and I will remember also their pilgrimage, and the salvation, and the reward, that they will have.

40: Like as I have spoken now, so will it come to pass.

41: For as the husbandman sows much seed upon the ground, and plants many trees, and yet the thing that is sown good in his season cometh not up, neither doth all that is planted take root; even so is it of them that are sown in the world; they will not all be saved.

42: I answered then and said, If I have found grace, let me speak.

43: Like as the husbandman’s seed perishes, if it come not up, and receive not your rain in due season; or if there come too much rain, and corrupt it:

44: Even so perishes man also, which is formed with your hands, and is called yours own image, because you are like to him, for whose sake you have made all things, and likened him to the husbandman’s seed.

45: Be not wroth with us but spare your people, and have mercy upon yours own inheritance: for you are merciful to your creature.

46: Then he answered me, and said, Things present are for the present, and things to cometh for such as be to come.

47: For you come far short that you should be able to love my creature more than I.  But I have often times drawn near to you, and to it, but never to the unrighteous.

48: In this also you are marvelous before the most High:

49: In that you have humbled yourself, as it becomes you, and have not judged yourself worthy to be much glorified among the righteous.

50: For many great miseries will be done to them that in the latter time will dwell in the world, because they have walked in great pride.

51: But understand you for yourself, and seek out the glory for such as be like you.

52: For to you is paradise opened, the tree of life is planted, the time to come is prepared, plenteousness is made ready, a city is built, and rest is allowed, yea, perfect goodness and wisdom.

53: The root of evil is sealed up from you, weakness and the moth is hid from you, and corruption is fled into hell to be forgotten:

54: Sorrows are passed, and in the end is showed the treasure of immortality.