wer of it. And
therefore I say unto thee, if any
one after that great and holy
calling shall be tempted by the
devil and sin, he has one repentance.
But if he shall often sin and repent,
it shall not profit such a one;
for he shall hardly live unto God.

23 And I said, Sir, I am restored
again to life since I have thus
diligently hearkened to these
commands. For I perceive that if I
shall not hereafter add any more
of my sins, I shall be saved.

24 And he said, Thou shalt be
saved: and so shall all others, as
many as shall observe these
commandments.

25 And again I said unto him,
Sir, seeing thou hearest me
patiently, show me yet one thing
more. Tell me, saith he, what it
is.

26 And I said, If a husband or
a wife die, and the party which
survives marry again, does he sin
in so doing? He that marries
says he, sins not: howbeit, if
he shall remain single, he shall
thereby gain to himself great
honour before the Lord.

27 Keep therefore thy chastity
and modesty, and thou shalt live
unto God. Observe from henceforth
those things which I speak
with thee, and command thee to
observe, from the time that I
have been delivered unto thee, and
dwell in thy house.

28 So shall thy former sins be
forgiven, if thou shalt keep these
my commandments. And in like
manner shall all others be forgiven,
who shall observe these my commandments.

COMMAND V.

Of the sadness of the heart, and of patience.

Be patient, says he, and long-
suffering; so shalt thou have
dominion over all wicked works,
and shall fulfil all righteousness.

2 For if thou shalt be patient,
the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in
thee shall be pure, and not be
darkened by any evil spirit; but
being full of joy shall be enlarged,
and feast in the body in which it
dwells, and serve the Lord with
joy, and in great peace.

3 But if any anger shall overtake
thee, presently the Holy Spirit
which is in thee will be straightened
and seek to depart from thee.

4 For he is choked by the evil
spirit, and has not the liberty of
serving the Lord as he would; for
he is grieved by anger. When,
therefore, both these spirits dwell
together, it is destructive to a
man.

5 As if one should take a little
wormwood, and put it into a vessel
of honey, the whole honey would
be spoiled; and a great quantity
of honey is corrupted by a very
little wormwood, and loses the
sweetness of honey, and is no
longer acceptable to its Lord