Page:Suppressed Gospels and Epistles.djvu/101

 curse them that curse thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed,"

8 And again when he separated himself from Lot, God said unto him; I Lift up now thine eves, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward, for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

9 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

10 And again he saith: and God brought forth Abraham, and said unto him; look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: so shall thy seed be.

11 And Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

12 Through faith and hospitality he had a son given him in his old age; and through obedience he offered him up in sacrifice to God, upon one of the mountains which God showed into him.

1  Redemption for such as have been eminent for their faith, kindness, and charity to their neighbours.

BY hospitality and goodliness was Lot saved out of Sodom, when all the country round about was destroyed by fire and brimstone.

2 The Lord thereby making it manifest, that he will not forsake those that trust in him; but will bring the disobedient to punishment and correction.

3 For his wife who went out with him, being of a different mind, and not continuing in the same obedience, was for that reason set forth for an example, being turned into a pillar of salt unto this day.

4 That so all men may know, that those who are double minded, and distrustful of the power of God, are prepared for condemnation, and to be a sign to all succeeding ages.

5 By faith and hospitality was Rahab the harlot saved. For when the spies were sent by Joshua the son of Nun to search out Jericho, and the king of Jericho knew that they were come to spy out his country, he sent men to take them, so that they might be put to death.

6 Rahab therefore, being hospitable, received them, and hid them under the stalks of flax, on the top of her house.

7 And when the messengers that were sent by the king came unto her, and asked her, saying, There came men unto thee to spy out the land, bring them forth, for so hath the king commanded: She answered, The two men whom ye seek came unto me, but presently they departed, and are gone: Not discovering them unto them.

8 Then she said to the spies, I know that the Lord your God has given this city into your hands; for the fear of you is fallen upon all that dwell therein. When, therefore, ye shall have taken it, ye shall save me and my father's house.

9 And they answered her, saying, It shall be as thou hast spoken unto us, Therefore, when thou shalt know that we are near, thou shalt gather all thy family together, upon the house-top and they shall be saved: but all that shall be found without thy house shall be destroyed.

10 And they gave her moreover a sign, that she should hang