Page:Suppressed Gospels and Epistles.djvu/202

 dry wood shall be burnt; and it shall be made manifest that they have done evil all the time of their life;

5 And they shall be burnt because they have sinned and have not repented of their sins. And also all the other nations shall be burnt, because they have not acknowledged God their Creator.

6 Do then, therefore, bring forth good fruit, that in the summer thy fruit may be known; and keep thyself from much business, and thou shalt not offend. For they who are involved in much business, sin much; because they are taken up with their affairs, and serve not God.

7 And how can a man that does not serve God, ask anything of God, and receive it? But they who serve him, ask and receive what they desire.

8 But if a man has only one thing to follow, he may serve God, because his mind is not taken off from God, but he serves him with a pure mind.

9 If, therefore, thou shalt do this, thou mayest have fruit in the world to come; and as many as shall do in like manner, shall bring forth fruit.

SIMILITUDE V.
Of a true fast, and the rewards of it: also of the cleanliness of the body.

AS I was fasting, and sitting down in a certain mountain, and giving thanks unto God for all the things that he had done unto me; behold, I saw the Shepherd, who was wont to converse with me, sitting by me, and saying unto me: What has brought thee hither thus early in the morning? I answered, Sir, to-day I keep a station.

2 He answered, What is a station; I replied, it is a fast. He said, What is that fast? I answered, I fast as I have been wont to do. Ye know not, said he, what it is to fast unto God; nor is this a fast which ye keep, profiting nothing with God.

3 Sir, said I, what makes you speak thus? He replied, I speak it, because it is not the true fast which you think that you keep; but I will show you what that is which is a complete fast, and acceptable unto God.

4 Hearken, said he, The Lord does not desire such a needless fast; for by fasting in this manner, thou advancest nothing in righteousness.

5 But the true fast is this: Do nothing wickedly in thy life, but serve God with a pure mind; and keep his commandments, and walk according to his precepts, nor suffer any wicked desire to enter into the mind.

6 But trust in the Lord, that if thou dost these things, any fearest him, and abstaineth from every evil work, thou shall live unto God.

7 If thou shalt do this, thou shall perfect a great fast, and an acceptable one unto the Lord.

8 Hearken unto the similitude which I am about to propose unto thee, as to this matter.

9 A certain man having a farm, and many servants, planted a vineyard in a certain part of his estate for his posterity:

10 And taking a journey into a far country, chose one of his servants which he thought the most faithful and approved, and delivered the vineyard into his care; commanding him that he should stake up the vines. Which if he did, and fulfilled his command, he promised to give him his liberty. Nor did he command him to do any thing more; and so went into a far country.

11 And after that servant had