Page:Suppressed Gospels and Epistles.djvu/147

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mischief is dissolved by the unity of your faith.

12 And indeed, nothing is better than peace, by which all war both spiritual and earthly is abolished.

13 Of all which, nothing is hid from you, if ye have perfect faith and charity in Christ Jesus, which are the beginning and end of life.

14 For the beginning is faith; the end is charity. And these two joined together, are of God; but all other things which concern a holy life, are the consequences of these.

15 No man professing a true faith, sinneth; neither does he who has charity hate any.

16 The tree is made manifest by its fruit; so they who profess themselves to be Christians are known by what they do.

17 For Christianity is not the work of an outward profession; but shows itself in the power of faith, if a man be found faithful unto the end.

18 It is better for a man to hold his peace, and be; than to say, he is a Christian, and not to be.

19 It is good to teach; if what he says he does likewise.

20 There is therefore one master who spake, and it was done; and even those things which he did without speaking, are worthy of the Father.

21 He that possesses the word of Jesus, is truly able to bear his very silence. That he may be perfect, be will do according to what he speaks, and be known by those things of which he is silent.

22 There is nothing hid from God, but even our secrets are nigh unto him.

23 Let us therefore do all things, as becomes those who have God dwelling in them; that we maybe his temples; and he may be our God as also he is, and will manifest himself before our faces, by those things for which we justly love him,

CHAP. IV.

1 To have a care for the Gospel. 9 The virginity of Mary, the incarnation, and the death of Christ, were hid from the Devil. 11 How the birth of Christ was revealed. 16 Exhorts to unity.

BE not deceived, my brethren: those that corrupt families by adultery, shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

2 If therefore they who do this according to the flesh, have suffered death; how much more shall he die, who by his wicked doctrine corrupts the faith of God, for which Christ was crucified?

3 He that is thus defiled, shall depart into unquenchable fire, and so also shall he that hearkens to him.

4 For this cause did the Lord suffer the ointment to be poured on his head; that he might breathe the breath of immortality unto his church.

5 Be not ye therefore anointed with the evil savour of the doctrine of the prince of this world: let him not take you captive from the life that is set before you.

6 And why are we not all wise, seeing we have received the knowledge of God, which is Jesus Christ? Why do we suffer ourselves foolishly to perish; not considering the gift which the Lord has truly sent to us?

7 Let my life be sacrificed for the doctrine of the cross; which is indeed a scandal to the unbelievers, but to us is salvation and life eternal.

8 Where is the wise man? Where is the disputer? Where is the boasting of those who are called wise?

9 For our Lord Jesus Christ was according to the dispensation of God, conceived in the womb of