Chapter XXIII.—Be humble, and...

Chapter XXIII.—Be humble, and believe that Christ will come again.

The all-merciful and beneficent Father has bowels [of compassion] towards those that fear Him, and kindly and lovingly bestows His favours upon those who come to Him with a simple mind. Wherefore let us not be double-minded; neither let our soul be lifted ⁹⁸ up on account of His exceedingly great and glorious gifts. Far from us be that which is written, “Wretched are they who are of a double mind, and of a doubting heart; who say, These things we have heard even in the times of our fathers; but, behold, we have grown old, and none of them has happened unto us.” ⁹⁹ Ye foolish ones! compare yourselves to a tree: take [for instance] the vine. First of all, it sheds its leaves, then it buds, next it puts forth leaves, and then it flowers; after that comes the sour grape, and then follows the ripened fruit. Ye perceive how in a little time the fruit of a tree comes to maturity. Of a truth, soon and suddenly shall His will be accomplished, as the Scripture also bears witness, saying, “Speedily will He come, and will not tarry;” ¹⁰⁰ and, “The Lord shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Holy One, for whom ye look.” ¹⁰¹

Footnotes

11:98

Or, as some render, “neither let us have any doubt of.”

11:99

Some regard these words as taken from an apocryphal book, others as derived from a fusion of Jas. i. 8and 2 Pet. 3:3, 4.

11:100

Hab. ii. 3; Heb. x. 37.

11:101

Mal. iii. 1.