Page:Suppressed Gospels and Epistles.djvu/136

 planted by the currents of water, which shall give its fruit in its season. Its leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doth it shall prosper.

8 As for the wicked it is not so with them; but they are as the dust which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth.

9 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, neither the sinners in the council of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, and the way of the ungodly shall perish.

10 Consider how he has joined both the cross and the water together.

11 For this he saith: Blessed are they who put their trust in the cross, and descend into the water; for they shall have their reward in due time: then, saith he, will I give it them.

12 But as concerning the present time, he saith, their leaves shall not fall: meaning thereby, that every word that shall go out of your mouth, shall through faith and charity be to the conversion and hope of many.

13 In like manner doth another prophet speak. And the land of Jacob was the praise of all the earth; magnifying thereby the vessel of his spirit.

14 And what follows?--And there was a river running on the right hand, and beautiful trees grew up by it; and he that shall eat of them shall live for ever. The signification of which is this that we go down into the water full of sins and pollutions, but come up again, bringing forth fruit; having in our hearts the fear and hope which is in Jesus, by the spirit. And whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever.

15 That is, whosoever shall hearken to those who call them, and shall believe, shall live for ever.

The subject continued.

IN like manner he determines concerning the cross in another prophet, saying: And when shall these things be fulfilled?

2 The Lord answers: When the tree that is fallen shall rise, and when blood shall drop down from the tree. Here you have again mention made, both of the cross, and of him that was to be crucified upon it.

3 And yet farther he saith by Moses; (when Israel was fighting with, and beaten by, a strange people; to the end that God might put them in mind how that for their sins they were delivered unto death) yea, the holy spirit put it into the heart of Moses, to represent both the sign of the cross, and of him that was to suffer: that so they might know that if they did not believe in him, they should be overcome for ever.

4 Moses therefore I piled up armour upon armour in the middle of a rising ground, and standing up high above all of them, stretched forth his arms, and so Israel again conquered.

5 But no sooner did he let down his hands, but they were again slain. And why so?--To the end they might know, that except they trust in him they cannot be saved.

6 And in another prophet, he saith, I have stretched out my hands all the day long to a people disobedient, and speaking against my righteous way.

7 And again Moses makes a type of Jesus, to show that he was to die, and then that he, whom