barlaam and ioasaph-第11章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


mightiness　of　riches；　no　pomp　of　rank；　no　lavishment　of　bribes；　avail　to　pervert　righteous　judgement。　　For　he；　the　uncorrupt　and　truthful　Judge；　shall　weigh　everything　in　the　balance　of　justice；　every　act；　word　and　thought。　　And　they　that　have　done　good　shall　go　into　life　everlasting；　into　light　unspeakable；　rejoicing　in　the　fellowship　of　the　Angels；　to　enjoy　bliss　ineffable；　standing　in　purity　before　the　Holy　Trinity。　　But　they　that　have　done　evil；　and　all　the　ungodly　and　sinners；　shall　go　into　everlasting　punishment；　which　is　called　Gehenna；　and　outer　darkness；　and　the　worm　that　dieth　not；　and　the　gnashing　of　teeth；　and　a　thousand　other　names　of　punishment；　which　meaneth　rather　　bitterest　of　all；　　alienation　from　God；　the　being　cast　away　from　the　sweetness　of　his　presence；　the　being　deprived　of　that　glory　which　baffleth　description；　the　being　made　a　spectacle　unto　the　whole　creation；　and　the　being　put　to　shame；　and　shame　that　hath　no　ending。　　For；　after　the　passing　of　that　terrible　sentence；　all　things　shall　abide　immutable　and　unchangeable。　　The　blissful　life　of　the　righteous　shall　have　no　close；　neither　shall　the　misery　and　punishment　of　sinners　find　an　end：　because；　after　him；　there　is　no　higher　Judge；　and　no　defence　by　after…works；　no　time　for　amendment；　no　other　way　for　them　that　are　punished；　their　vengeance　being　co…eternal　with　them。

〃Seeing　that　this　is　so；　what　manner　of　persons　ought　we　to　be　in　all　holy　conversation　and　godliness；　that　we　may　be　counted　worthy　to　escape　the　wrath　to　come；　and　to　be　ranged　on　the　right　hand　of　the　Son　of　God？　　For　this　is　the　station　of　the　righteous：　but　to　sinners　is　allotted　the　station　of　misery　on　the　left。　　Then　shall　the　Lord　call　the　righteous　‘Blessed；'　and　shall　lead　them　into　his　everlasting　kingdom。　　But；　as　for　sinners；　with　anger　and　curse　he　will　banish　them　from　his　serene　and　gentle　countenance　the　bitterest　and　hardest　lot　of　all　and　will　send　them　away　into　everlasting　punishment。〃


IX。

Ioasaph　said　unto　him；　〃Great　and　marvellous；　sir；　are　the　things　whereof　thou　tellest　me；　fearful　and　terrible；　if　indeed　these　things　be　so；　and；　if　there　be　after　death　and　dissolution　into　dust　and　ashes；　a　resurrection　and　re…birth；　and　rewards　and　punishments　for　the　deeds　done　during　life。　　But　what　is　the　proof　thereof？　　And　how　have　ye　come　to　learn　that　which　ye　have　not　seen；　that　ye　have　so　steadfastly　and　undoubtingly　believed　it？　　As　for　things　that　have　already　been　done　and　made　manifest　in　deed；　though　ye　saw　them　not；　yet　have　ye　heard　them　from　the　writers　of　history。　　But；　when　it　is　of　the　future　that　ye　preach　tidings　of　such　vast　import；　how　have　ye　made　your　conviction　on　these　matters　sure？〃

Quoth　Barlaam；　〃From　the　past　I　gain　certainty　about　the　future；　for　they　that　preached　the　Gospel；　without　erring　from　the　truth；　but　establishing　their　sayings　by　signs　and　wonders　and　divers　miracles；　themselves　also　spake　of　the　future。　　So；　as　in　the　one　case　they　taught　us　nothing　amiss　or　false；　but　made　all　that　they　said　and　did　to　shine　clearer　than　the　sun；　so　also　in　the　other　matter　they　gave　us　true　doctrine；　even　that　which　our　Lord　and　Master　Jesus　Christ　himself　confirmed　both　by　word　and　deed。　'Verily；'　he　spake；　‘I　say　unto　you；　the　hour　is　coming　in　the　which　all　that　are　in　the　graves　shall　hear　the　voice　of　the　Son　of　God　and　they　that　hear　shall　live：'　and　again；　‘The　hour　cometh　when　the　dead　shall　hear　his　voice；　and　shall　come　forth；　they　that　have　done　good　unto　the　resurrection　of　life；　and　they　that　have　done　evil　unto　the　resurrection　of　damnation。'　　And　again　he　said　concerning　the　resurrection　of　the　dead；　‘Have　ye　not　read　that　which　was　spoken　unto　you　by　God；　saying；　I　am　the　God　of　Abraham；　and　the　God　of　Isaac；　and　the　God　of　Jacob。　　God　is　not　the　God　of　the　dead　but　of　the　living。'　　‘For　as　the　tares　are　gathered　and　burned　in　the　fire；　so　shall　it　be　in　the　end　of　this　age。　　The　Son　of　God　shall　send　forth　his　Angels；　and　they　shall　gather　all　things　that　offend；　and　them　which　do　iniquity；　and　shall　cast　them　into　the　furnace　of　fire；　there　shall　be　wailing　and　gnashing　of　teeth。　　Then　shall　the　righteous　shine　forth　as　the　sun　in　the　kingdom　of　their　father。'　　Thus　spake　he　and　added　this　thereto；　‘Who　hath　ears　to　hear；　let　him　hear。'

〃In　such　words　and　many　more　did　the　Lord　make　manifest　the　resurrection　of　our　bodies；　and　confirm　his　words　in　deed；　by　raising　many　that　were　dead。　　And；　toward　the　end　of　his　life　upon　earth；　he　called　from　the　grave　one　Lazarus　his　friend；　that　had　already　been　four　days　dead　and　stank；　and　thus　he　restored　the　lifeless　to　life。　　Moreover；　the　Lord　himself　became　the　first…fruits　of　that　resurrection　which　is　final　and　no　longer　subject　unto　death；　after　he　had　in　the　flesh　tasted　of　death；　and　on　the　third　day　he　rose　again；　and　became　the　first…born　from　the　dead。　　For　other　men　also　were　raised　from　the　dead；　but　died　once　more；　and　might　not　yet　attain　to　the　likeness　of　the　future　true　resurrection。　　But　he　alone　was　the　leader　of　that　resurrection；　the　first　to　be　raised　to　the　resurrection　immortal。

〃This　was　the　preaching　also　of　them　that　from　the　beginning　were　eye…witnesses　and　ministers　of　the　word；　for　thus　saith　blessed　Paul；　whose　calling　was　not　of　men；　but　from　heaven；　‘Brethren；　I　declare　unto　you　the　Gospel　which　I　preached　unto　you。　　For　I　delivered　unto　you　first　of　all　that　which　I　also　received；　how　that　Christ　died　for　our　sins　according　to　the　Scriptures。　　Now　if　Christ　be　preached　that　he　rose　from　the　dead；　how　say　some　among　you　that　there　is　no　resurrection　of　the　dead？　　For　if　the　dead　rise　not；　then　is　not　Christ　raised。　　And　if　Christ　be　not　raised；　your　faith　is　vain；　ye　are　yet　in　your　sins。　　If　in　this　life　only　we　have　hope　in　Christ；　we　are　of　all　men　most　miserable。　　But　now　is　Christ　risen　from　the　dead　and　become　the　first…fruits　of　them　that　slept。　　For　since　by　man　came　death；　by　man　came　also　the　resurrection　of　the　dead。　　For　as　in　Adam　all　die；　even　so　in　Christ　shall　all　be　made　alive。'　　And　after　a　little　while；　‘For　this　corruptible　must　put　on　incorruption；　and　this　mortal　must　put　on　immortality。　　So　when　this　corruptible　shall　have　put　on　incorruption；　and　this　mortal　shall　have　put　on　immortality；　then　shall　be　brought　to　pass　the　saying　that　is　written；　Death　is　swallowed　up　in　victory。　　O　death　where　is　thy　sting？　　O　grave；　where　is　thy　victory？'　　For　then　the　power　of　death　is　utterly　annulled　and　destroyed；　no　longer　working　in　us；　but　for　the　future　there　is　given　unto　men　immortality　and　incorruption　for　evermore。

〃Beyond　all　question；　therefore；　there　shall　be　a　resurrection　of　the　dead；　and　this　we　believe　undoubtingly。　　Moreover　we　know　that　there　shall　be　rewards　and　punishments　for　the　deeds　done　in　our　life…time；　on　the　dreadful　day　of　Christ's　coming；　‘wherein　the　heavens　shall　be　dissolved　in　fire　and　the　elements　shall　melt　with　fervent　heat；'　as　saith　one　of　the　inspired　clerks　of　God；　‘nevertheless　we；　according　to　his　promise；　look　for　new　heavens　and　a　new　earth。'　　For　that　there　shall　be　rewards　and　punishments　for　men's　works；　and　that　absolutely　nothing；　good　or　bad；　shall　be　overlooked；　but　that　there　is　reserved　a　requital　for　words；　deeds　and　thoughts；　is　plain。　　The　Lord　saith；　'Whosoever　shall　give　to　drink　unto　one　of　these　little　ones　a　cup　of　cold　water　only；　in　the　name　of　a　disciple；　he　shall　in　no　wise　lose　his　reward。'　　And　again　he　saith；　‘When　the　Son　of　man　shall　come　in　his　glory；　and　all　the　holy　Angels　with　him；　then　before　him　shall　be　gathered　all　nations；　and　he　shall　separate　them　one　from　another；　as　a　shepherd　divideth　his　sheep　from　the　goats。　　And　he　shall　set　the　sheep　on　his　right　hand；　but　the　goats　on　the　left。　　Then　shall　the　King　say　unto　them　on　his　right　hand；　‘Come　ye　blessed　of　my　Father；　inherit　the　kingdom　prepared　for　you　from　the　foundation　of　the　world。　　For　I　was　an　hungred；　and　ye　gave　me　meat：　I　was　thirsty；　and　ye　gave　me　drink：　I　was　a　stranger；　and　ye　took　me　in：　naked；　and　ye　clothed　me：　I　was　sick；　and　ye　visited　me：　I　was　in　prison；　and　ye　came　unto　me。'　　Wherefore　saith　he　this；　except　he　count　the　kind　acts　we　do　unto　the　needy　as　done　unto　himself？　　An