Satan: Fell through Pride or through disobedience?

We know Satan always tempts man to do evil.But do you know he fell through Pride or through disobedience? To find its answer, we have to go back to the initial stage of creation Human.

When God intend to create human, He created a mass of earth, and then left it for twenty-five thousand years without doing aught else; Satan, who was as it were priest and head of the angels, by the great understanding that he possessed, knew that God of that mass of earth was to take one hundred and forty four thousand signed with the mark of prophecy, and the soul of His Habib, the seal of His Messengers, had created sixty thousand years before aught else;.Therefore, being indignant, he instigated the angels, saying: "Look you, one day God shall will that this earth be revered by us. Wherefore consider that we are spirit, and therefore it is not fitting so to do."

Many therefore forsook God.

Whereupon said God, one day when all the angels were assembled: "Let each one that holds me for his lord straightway do reverence to this earth."

They that loved God bowed themselves, but Satan, with them that were of his mind, said: "O Lord, we are spirit, and therefore it is not just that we should do reverence to this clay;."

Having said this, Satan became horrid and of fearsome look, and his followers became hideous; because for their rebellion God took away from them the beauty wherewith he had endued them in creating them. Whereat the holy angels, when, lifting their heads, they saw how terrible a monster Satan;had become, and his followers, cast down their face to earth in fear.

Then said Satan: "O Lord, you have unjustly made me hideous, but I am content there at, because I desire to annul all that you shall do.’

And the other devils said: "Calf him not Lord, O Lucifer;, for you are Lord."

Then said God to the followers of Satan: "Repent you, and recognize me as God, your creator."

They answered: "We repent of having done you any reverence, for that you are not just; but Satan is just.’ 
Then said God: "Depart from me, O you cursed, for I have no mercy on you."

And in his departing Satan spat up that mass of earth, and that spittle the angel Gabriel lifted up with some earth, so that therefore now man has the navel in his belly." 

He who makes not prayer is more wicked than Satan, and shall suffer greater torments. Because Satan had, before his fall, no example of fearing, nor did God so much as send him any prophet to invite him to repentance: but man now that all the prophets already come even the Messiah, the seal of the prophets, because so God wills. Jesus prepare his way and albeit he had infinite examples of the justice of God, lived carelessly without any fear, as though there were no God. Even as of such spoke the prophet David; "The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. Therefore, are they corrupt and become abominable, without one of them doing good."

Now we will see how man sinned through pride? Again we have to back to the story of creation. When God has expelled Satan, and the angel Gabriel had purified that mass of earth whereon Satan spat, God created everything that lives, both of the animals that fly and of them that walk and swim, and he adorned the world with all that it has.

One day Satan approached to the gates of paradise, and, seeing the horses eating grass, he announced to them that if that mass of earth should receive a soul there would be for them grievous labour; and that therefore it would be to their advantage to trample that piece of earth in such wise that it should be no more good for anything.

The horses aroused themselves and impetuously set themselves to run over that piece of earth which lay among lilies and roses;. Whereupon God gave spirit to that unclean portion of earth upon which lay the spittle of Satan, which Gabriel had taken up from the mass; and raised up the dog, who, barking, filled the horses with fear, and they fled.

Then God gave his soul to man, while all the holy angels sang: "Blessed be your holy name, O God our Lord."

"Adam, having sprung upon his feet, saw in the air a writing that shone like the sun;, which said: "There is only one God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God."

Whereupon Adam opened his mouth and said: "I thank you, O Lord my God, that you have deigned to create me; but tell me. I pray you, what means the message of these words: "Muhammad is Messenger of God. Have there been other men before me?"

'Then said God: "Be you welcome, O my servant Adam. I tell you that you are the first man whom I have created. And he whom you have seen [mentioned] is your son, who shall come into the world many years hence, and shall be my Messenger, for whom I have created all things; who shall give light to the world when he shall come; whose soul was set in a celestial splendour;sixty thousand years before I made any. thing."

Adam besought God, saying: "Lord, grant me this writing upon the nails of the fingers of my hands."

Then God gave to the first man upon his thumbs that writing; upon the thumb-nail of the right hand it said: "There is only one God;," and upon the thumb-nail of the left it said: "Muhammad is Messenger ;of God." Then with fatherly affection Adam, the first man kissed those words, and rubbed his eyes, and said: "Blessed be that day when you shall come to the world."

Seeing the man alone, God said: "It is not well that he should remain alone."

Wherefore he made him to sleep, and took a rib from near his heart, filling the place with flesh. Of that rib made he Eve, and gave her to Adam for his wife.

He set the twain of them as lords of Paradise, to whom he said: "Behold I give to you every fruit to eat, except the apples and the corn" whereof he said: "Beware that in no wise you eat of these fruits, for you shall become unclean, insomuch that I shall not suffer. You to remain here, but shall drive you forth, and you shall suffer great miseries." 

When Satan had knowledge of this he became mad with indignation, and so he drew near to the gate of paradise where a horrid serpent with legs like a camel, and nails on his feet [that] cut like a razor on every side, stood on guard. The enemy said to him: 'Let me to enter into paradise.'

The serpent answered: 'How shall I let you enter [since] God has commanded me to cast you out?'

Satan answered: 'You see how much God loves you; he has set you outside of paradise to keep guard over a lump of clay, which is man! If you bring me into paradise I will make you so terrible that every one shall flee you, and so you shall go and stay at your pleasure.'

Then the serpent said: 'And how shall I set you within [paradise]?'

Satan said, 'You are great: therefore, open your mouth, and I will enter into your belly, and so [when] you enter into paradise [you] shall place me near to those two lumps of clay that are newly walking upon the earth.'

Then the serpent did so, and placed Satan near Eve, for Adam, her husband, was sleeping. Satan presented himself before the woman like a beauteous angel, and said to her: 'Why do you not eat of those apples and corn?'

Eve answered: 'Our God has said to us that [if we] eat [them] we shall be unclean, and he will drive us from paradise.'

Satan answered: 'He does not speak the truth! You must know that God is wicked and envious, and suffers no equals, but keeps every one as a slave. [This is] why he has said this [to you]; in order that you may not become equal to him. But if you and your companion do according to my counsel, you shall eat of those fruits as [you eat] of the other [fruits], and you shall not remain subject to others but like God you shall know good and evil, and you shall do whatever you please, because you shall be equal to God.'

Then Eve took and ate of those [fruits], and when her husband awoke she told [him everything] that Satan had said; and he took and ate the fruit [when] his wife offered them to him. But, as the food was going down, he remembered the words of God, and, wishing to stop the food, he put his hand into his throat, where every man has the mark

Then both of them knew that they were naked, and, being ashamed, they took fig leaves and made a clothing for their secret parts. When midday was passed, God appeared to them, and called Adam, saying: 'Adam, where are you?'

He answered: 'Lord, I hid myself from your presence because my wife and I are naked, and so we are ashamed to present ourselves before you.'

Then God said: 'And who has robbed you of your innocence, unless you have eaten the fruit [that makes you] unclean, and will not be able to abide [any] longer in paradise?'

Adam answered: 'O Lord, the wife whom you have given me [urged] me to eat [it] and so I have eaten it.'

Then God said to the woman: 'Why did you give [this] food to your husband?'

Eve answered: 'Satan deceived me, and so I ate [the fruit].'

'And how did that reprobate enter into [the garden]?' said God.

Eve answered: 'A serpent that stands at the northern gate brought him near to me.'

Then God said to Adam: 'Because you have [listened to] your wife and have eaten the fruit, cursed be the earth in your works; it shall bring forth brambles and thorns for you, and you shall eat bread by the sweat of your face. Remember that you are earth, and to earth you return.'

And he spoke to Eve, saying: 'And you who did [listen] to Satan, and gave the food to your husband, shall abide under the dominion of man, who shall keep you as a slave, and you shall bear children with travail.'

And having called the serpent, God called the angel Michael, who holds the sword of God, [and] said: 'First drive this wicked serpent forth from paradise, and when outside cut off his legs: for if he wants to walk, he must trail his body upon the earth.'

Afterwards God called Satan, who came laughing, and he said to him: 'Because you, reprobate, have deceived [Adam and Eve] and have made them unclean, I will that every uncleanness [from] them and [from] all their children - [of which] they shall be truly penitent and shall serve me - in going forth from their body shall enter through your mouth, and so shall you be satiated with uncleanness.'

Satan then gave a horrible roar, and said: 'Since you will to make me [continually] worse, I will make me that which I shall be able!'

Then said God: 'Depart, cursed one, from my presence!'

Then Satan departed, and God said to Adam [and] Eve, who were both weeping: 'Go forth from paradise, and do penance, and do not let your hope fail, for I will send your son so that your seed shall lift the dominion of Satan from off the human race: for I will give all things to he who shall come, my Messenger.'

God hid himself [from Adam and Eve], and the angel Michael drove them forth from paradise. Then, Adam, turning around, saw written above the gate, There is only one God, and Muhammad is Messenger of God. Weeping, he said: 'May it be pleasing to God, O my son, that you come quickly and draw us out of misery.'

And this is the story of Satan, who fell through pride  by despising man.

The End.
Not Yet Verified.

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God: Is He Jealous for His Honour?.

Before answering this, we have to clarify, what is God that actually means here. God, as defined by Prophet Isa-

"God is a good without which there is naught good; God is a being without which there is naught that is; God is a life without which there is naught that liveth; so great that he filleth all and is everywhere. He alone hath no equal. He hath had no beginning, nor will he ever have an end, but to everything hath he given a beginning, and to everything shall he give an end. He hath no father nor mother; he hath no sons. nor brethren. nor companions.

And because God hath no body, therefore he eateth not, sleepeth not, dieth not, walketh not, moveth not, but abideth eternally without human similitude, for that he is incorporeal, uncompounded, immaterial, of the most simple substance. 
He is so good that he loveth goodness only; he is so just that when he punisheth or pardoneth it cannot be gainsaid.

In short, here on earth no one canst see him nor know him perfectly; but in his kingdom the righteous one shalt see him for ever: wherein consisteth all our happiness and glory.'"  

Now for answering the Question we have to say, "Yes, it's true that God is jealous for His honour. 

When a youth loves a lady, and she does not love him, but another, he is moved to indignation and slays his rival. Even so, does God: for, when Israel has loved anything such that he forgets God, God has brought such a thing to nothing.

Now what thing is more dear to God here on earth than the priesthood and the holy Temple? Nevertheless, in the time of Jeremiah the prophet, when the people had forgotten God, and boasted only of the Temple, for that there was none like it in all the world, God raised up his wrath by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and with an army caused him to take the holy city and burn it with the sacred Temple, such that the sacred things which the prophets of God trembled to touch were trodden under foot by infidels full of wickedness.

Abraham loved his son Ishmael a little more than was right, so in order to kill that evil love out of the heart of Abraham, God commanded that he should slay his son: which he would have done had the knife cut.

David loved Absalom vehemently, and therefore God brought it to pass that the son rebelled against his father and was suspended by his hair and slain by Joab. O fearful judgement of God, that Absalom loved his hair above all things, and this was turned into a rope to hang him!

Innocent Job came near to loving his seven sons and three daughters [too much], when God gave him into the hand of Satan, who not only deprived him of his sons and his riches in one day, but also struck him with grievous sickness, such that worms came out of his flesh for the next seven years.

Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons, so God caused him to be sold, and caused Jacob to be deceived by these same sons, such that he believed that the beasts had devoured his son, and so lived in mourning for ten years."

"As God lives", Isa said, "I fear that God will be angered against me. Therefore all of you, said Jesus: must go through Judea and Israel, preaching the truth to the twelve tribes, that they may be undeceived."

Therefore, he said, "Let us make prayer and fast for three days, and from henceforth every evening when the first star shall appear, when prayer is made to God, let us make prayer three times, asking him for mercy three times: because the sin of Israel is three times more grievous than other sins." 

End.
Not yet Verified.

Sources:
Gospel of Barnabas,

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Evildoers: Should You Call for a Vengeance or Pray for them?.

When Jesus with his disciples near to a city of the Samaritans, the city dwellers would not let him enter the city, nor would they sell bread to them. After passing certain days James and John said to Jesus: "Master, may it please you that we pray God that he send down fire from heaven upon these people?"

He answered: "You know not by what spirit you are led, that you so speak. Remember that God determined to destroy Nineveh because he did not find one who feared God in that city; the which was so wicked that God, having called Jonah; the prophet to send him to that city, he would fain for fear of the people have fled to Tarsus;,wherefore God caused him to be cast into the sea, and received by a fish and cast up near to Nineveh. And he preaching there, that people was converted to repentance, so that God had mercy on them.

Woe to them that call for vengeance; for on themselves it shall come, seeing that every man has in himself cause for the vengeance of God. Now tell me, have you created this city with this people? Aassuredly no. For all creatures united together could not create a single new fly from nothing, and this it is to create. If the blessed God who has created this city now sustains it, why desire you to destroy it? Why did you not say: "May it please you, master, that we pray to the Lord our God that this people may be converted to penitence?"

The proper act of a Mumin is to pray to God for those who do evil. Thus did Abel when his brother Cain, accursed of God, slew him. Thus did Abraham; for Pharaoh;, who took from him his wife, and whom therefore, the angel of God did not slay, but only struck with infirmity. Thus did Zechariah when, by decree of the impious king, he was slain in the Temple. Thus did Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and David, with all the friends of God and holy Prophets.

Tell me, if a brother were stricken with frenzy, would you slay him because he spoke evil and struck those who came near him? Assuredly you would not do so; but rather would you endeavour to restore his health with medicines suitable to his infirmity."

"As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, a sinner is of infirm mind when he persecutes a man. For tell me, is there anyone who would break his head for the sake of tearing the cloak of his enemy? Now how can he be of sane mind who separates himself from God, the head of his soul, in order that he may injure the body of his enemy?

"Tell me, O man, who is your enemy? Assuredly your body, and every one who praises you. Wherefore if you were of sane mind you would kiss the hand of those who revile you, and present gifts to those who persecute you and strike you much; because, O man because the more that for your sins you are reviled and persecuted in this life the less shall you be in the day of judgment.

But tell me, O man, if the saints and prophets of God have been persecuted and defamed by the world even though they were innocent, what shall be done to you, O sinner? and if they endured all with patience, praying for their persecutors, what shouldst you do, O man, who are worthy of hell?

Tell me, do you not know that Shimei cursed the servant of God, David the prophet, and threw stones at him? Now what said David to those who would fain have killed Shimei? "What is it to you, O Joab, that you would kill Shimei? Let him curse me, for this is the will of God, who will turn this curse into a blessing."
And thus it was; for God saw the patience of David and delivered him from the persecution of his own son, Absalom.

Assuredly not a leaf stirs without the will of God. Wherefore, when you are in tribulation do not think of how much you have borne, nor of him who afflicts you; but consider how much for your sins you are worthy to receive at the hand of the devils of hell. You are angry with this city because it would not receive us, nor sell bread to us. Tell me, are these people your slaves? have you given them this city? have you given them their corn? Or have you helped them to reap it? Assuredly no; for you are strangers in this land, and poor men. What thing is this then that you say?"

The End.

Not Yet Verified.

Source: Gospel of Barnabas

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Qiyamah: The Horrible Sign at the End of the Days.

Jesus, one of the Prophet of God, sent to the house of Israel for the health of the feeble and the correction of sinners,. He did not died but God lifted him to Heaven. The wicked men who after his departure from the world annulled the truth of his gospel by the operation of Satan. But he will return towards the end, and with him will come Enoch and Elijah, and they will testify against the wicked, whose end shall be accursed.

Before that day, great destruction shall come upon the world, for there shall be war so cruel and pitiless that the father shall slay the son, and the son shall slay the father by reason of the factions of peoples. Wherefore the cities shall be annihilated, and the country shall become desert. Such pestilences shall come that none shall be found to bear the dead to burial, so that they shall be left as food for beasts.

To those who remain upon the earth God shall send such scarcity that bread shall be valued above gold, and they shall eat all manner of unclean things. That shall be a period of time, in which scarce any one shall be heard to say: "I have sinned, have mercy on me, O God"; but with horrible voices they shall blaspheme Him who is glorious and blessed for ever. After this, as that day draws near, for fifteen days, shall come every day a horrible sign over the inhabitants of the earth.

-The first day the sun shall run its course in heaven without light, but black as the dye of cloth; and it shall give groans, as a father who groans for a son near to death.

-The second day the moon shall be turned into blood, and blood shall come upon the earth like dew.

-The third day the stars shall be seen to fight among themselves like an army of enemies.

-The fourth day the stones and rocks shall dash against each other as cruel enemies.

-The fifth day every plant and herb shall weep blood.

-The sixth day the sea shall rise without leaving its place to the height of one hundred and fifty cubits, and shall stand all day like a wall.

-The seventh day it shall on the contrary sink so low as scarcely to be seen.

-The eighth day the birds and the animals of the earth and of the water shall gather themselves close together, and shall give forth roars and cries.

-The ninth day there shall be a hailstorm so horrible that it shall kill [such] that scarcely the tenth part of the living shall escape.

-The tenth day shall come such horrible lightning and thunder [such] that the third part of the mountains shall be split and scorched.

-The eleventh day every river shall run backwards, and shall run blood and not water.

-The twelfth day every created thing shall groan and cry.

-The thirteenth day the heaven shall be rolled up like a book, and it shall rain fire, so that every living thing shall die.

-The fourteenth day there shall be an earthquake so horrible that the tops of the mountains shall fly through the air like birds, and all the earth shall become a plain.

-The fifteenth day the holy angels shall die, and God alone shall remain alive; to whom be honour and glory."

When these signs be passed, there shall be darkness over the world forty years, God alone being alive, to whom be honour and glory forever.

The End.
Not Yet Verified.

Source:
Gospel of Barnabas.

Eye: Is the Origin of Every Carnal Sin?.

Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal

14 Jan. 2013

"নয়না এখানে যাদু জানে সখা এক আঁখি-ইশারায়

লক্ষ যুগের মহা-তপস্যা কোথায় উবিয়া যায়।"

                                       ----Kazi Nazrul Islam.

Eye is the Origin of every carnal sin. And, he who has not bodily eyes is secure not to receive punishment but only to the third degree, while he that has eyes receives it to the seventh degree. How to justified this?

Human Eye

In the time of the Prophet Elijah it came to pass that Elijah seeing a blind man weeping, a man of good life, asked him saying: "Why weep you, O brother?"

The blind man answered: "I weep because I cannot see Elijah the prophet, the Holy-one of God."
Then Elijah rebuked him, saying: "Cease from weeping, O man, for in weeping you sin."
The blind man answered: "Now tell me, is it a sin to see a holy Prophet of God, that raises the dead and makes the fire to come down from heaven?"

Elijah answered: "You speak not the truth, for Elijah is not able to do anything of all that you say, because he is a man as you are. For all the men in the world cannot make one fly to be born."
Said the blind man: "You say this, O man, because Elijah must have rebuked you for some sin of your, wherefore you hate him."
Elijah answered: "May it please God that you be speaking the truth; because, O brother, if I should hate Elijah I should love God, and the more I should hate Elijah the more I should love God."

Hereupon was the blind man greatly angered, and said: "As God lives, you are an impious fellow! Can God then be loved while one hates the Prophets of God? Be gone forth with, for I will not listen to you any longer!"
Elijah answered: "Brother, now may you see with your intellect how evil is bodily seeing. For you desire sight to see Elijah, and hate Elijah with your soul."
The blind man answered: "Now begone' for you are the devil that would make me sin against the Holy-one of God."

Then Elijah gave a sigh, and said with tears: "You have spoken the truth, O brother, for my flesh, which you desire to see, separates you from God."
Said the blind man: "I do not wish to see you; no, if I had my eyes, I would close them so as not to see you?"
Then said Elijah: "Know, brother, that I am Elijah!"
The blind man answered: "You speak not the truth."
Then said the disciples of Elijah: "Brother, he truly is the Prophet of God, Elijah."

"Let him tell me," said the blind man, "if he be the prophet. Of what seed I am, and how I became blind?" -
Elijah answered: "You are of the tribe of Levi; and because you, in entering the Temple of God, looks lewdly upon a woman, you being near the sanctuary, our God took away your sight."
Then the blind man weeping said: "Pardon me, O holy Prophet of God, for I have sinned in speaking with you; for if I had seen you I should not have sinned."

Elijah answered: "May our God pardon you, O brother, because as regards me I know that you have told me the truth, seeing that the more I hate myself the more I love God, and if you saw me you would still your desire, which is not pleasing to God. For Elijah is not your creator, but God; whence, so far as concerns you, I am the devil," said Elijah weeping, "because I turn you aside from your creator. Weep then, O brother, because you have not that light which would make you see the true from the false, for if you had had that you would not have despised my doctrine. Wherefore I say to you, that many desire to see me and come from far to see me, who despise my words. Wherefore it were better for them, for their salvation, that they had no eyes, seeing that everyone that finds pleasure in the creature, be he who he may, and seeks not to find pleasure in God, has made an idol in his heart, and forsaken God."

Do we get  all that what Elijah said?" In truth, we have understood, and we are beside ourselves at the knowledge that here on earth there are very few that are not idolaters."

You speak the truth, for now was Israel desirous to establish the idolatry that they have in their hearts, in holding me for God, many of whom have now despised my teaching, saying that I could make myself lord of all Judea, if I confessed myself to be God, and that I am mad to wish to live in poverty among desert places, and not abide continually among princes in delicate living.

Oh hapless man, that prizes the light that is common to flies and ants and despises the light that is common only to angels and prophets and holy friends of God! If, then, the eye shall not be guarded, I tell you that it is impossible not to fall headlong into lust.

Wherefore Jeremiah the prophet, weeping vehemently, said truly: "My eye is a thief that robs my soul." For therefore did David our father pray with greatest longing to God our Lord that he would turn away his eyes in order that he might not behold vanity. For truly everything which has an end is vain.

Tell me then, if one had two pence to buy bread, would he spend it to buy smoke? Assuredly not, seeing that smoke does hurt to the eyes and gives no sustenance to the body. Even so then let man do, for with the outward sight of his eyes and the inward sight of his mind he should seek to know God his creator and the good pleasure of his will, and should not make the creature his end, which causes him to lose the creator.”

For truly every time that a man beholds a thing and forgets God who has made it for man, he has sinned. For if a friend of yours should give you somewhat to keep in memory of him, and you should sell it and forget your friend, you have offended against your friend. Even so does man; for when he beholds the creature and has not in memory the creator, who for love of man has created it, he sins against God his creator by ingratitude. He therefore who shall behold women and shall forget God who for the good of man created woman, he will love her and desire her. And to such degree will this lust of his break forth, that he will love everything like to the thing loved: so that hence comes that sin of which it is a shame to have memory.

If, then, man shall put a bridle upon his eyes, he shall be lord of the sense, which cannot desire that which is not presented to it. For so shall the flesh be subject to the spirit.Because as the ship cannot move without wind, so the flesh without the sense cannot sin.

That thereafter it would be necessary for the penitent to turn story-telling into prayer, reason itself shows, even if it were not also a precept of God. For in every idle word man sins, and our God blots out sin by reason of prayer. For that prayer is the advocate of the soul; prayer is the medicine of the soul; prayer is the defence of the heart; prayer is the weapon of faith, prayer, is the bridle of sense; prayer is the salt of the flesh that suffers it not to be corrupted by sin.

I tell you that prayer is the hands of our life, whereby the man that prays shall defend himself in the day of judgment: for he shall keep his soul from sin here on earth, and shall preserve his heart that it be not touched by evil desires; offending Satan because he shall keep his sense within the Law of God, and his flesh shall walk in righteousness;, receiving from God all that he shall ask.

As God lives, in whose presence we are, a man without prayer can no more be a man of good works than a dumb man can plead his cause to a blind one; than fistula can be healed without unguent; a man defend himself without movement; or attack another without weapons, sail without rudder, or preserve dead flesh without salt;. For truly he who has no hand cannot receive. If man could change dung into gold and clay into sugar; what would he do?

The End.

Not Yet Verified.

Source:

Gospel of Barnabas..

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Humility: How it can be True and False?

Who created man out of nothing? 
Surely it was God, who also gave [man] the whole world for his benefit. But man by sinning has spent it all, for because of sin the world is turned against man, and man in his misery has nothing to give to God but works corrupted by sin. For, sinning every day, he makes his own work corrupt, as Isaiah the prophet says: Our righteousnesses are as a menstruous cloth.

How, then, shall man have merit, seeing he is unable to give satisfaction? Is it, perhaps, that man does not sin? It is certain that our God says by his prophet David: Seven times a day falls the righteous. How then falls the unrighteous?

And if our righteousnesses are corrupt, how abominable are our unrighteousnesses! As God lives, there is nothing that a man should shun more than this saying: 'I merit.' Brother, let a man know the works of his hands, and he will straightway see his merit. Every good thing that comes out of a man, truly, man does not do it, but God works it in him; for his being is of God who created him. That which man does is to contradict God his creator and to commit sin, [and so] he merits not reward, but torment.

'Not only has God created man, as I say, but he created him perfect. He has given him the whole world; after the departure from paradise he has given him two angels to guard him, he has sent him the prophets, he has granted him the Law, he has granted him the faith, every moment he delivers him from Satan, he is fain to give him paradise; no more, God wills to give himself to man. 

Consider, then, the debt, if it is great! [a debt] to cancel which you would need to have created man of yourselves out of nothing, to have created as many prophets as God has sent, with a world and a paradise, no, more, with a God great and good as is our God, and to give it ne all to God. 

So would the debt be cancelled and there would remain to you only the obligation to give thanks to God. But since you are not able to create a single fly, and seeing there is but one God who is lord of all things, how shall you be able to cancel your debt? Assuredly, if a man should lend you an hundred pieces of gold, you would be obliged to restore an hundred pieces of gold.

Accordingly, the sense of this, O brother, is that God, being lord of paradise and of everything, can say that which pleases him, and give whatsoever pleases him. Wherefore, when he said to Abraham: "I will be your great reward," Abraham; could not say: "God is my reward," but "God is my gift and my debt."

So when you discourse to the people, O brother, you ought thus to explain this passage: that God will give to man such and such things if man works well. When God shall speak to you, O man, and shall say: "O my servant, you have wrought well for love of me; what reward seek you from me, your God?" answer you: "Lord, seeing I am the work of your hands, it is not fitting that there should be in me sin, which Satan; loves. Therefore, Lord, for your own glory, have mercy upon' the works of your hands.

And if God say: "I have pardoned you, and now I would fain reward you"; answer you: "Lord, I merit punishment for what I have done, and for what you have done you merit to be glorified. Punish, Lord, in me what I have done, and save that which you have wrought."

And if God say: "What punishment seems to you fitting for your sin?" do you answer; "As much, O Lord, as all the reprobate shall suffer."

And if God say: "Wherefore seek you so great punish. men, O my faithful servant?" answer you: "Because every one of them, if they had received from you as much as I have received, would have served you more faithfully than I [have done]."

And if God say: "When will you receive this punishment, and for how long a time?" answer you: "Now, and without end." As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, such a man would be more pleasing to God than all his holy angels. For God loves true humility, and hates pride.'

ie what I have to told is that God loves true humility. Now you may asked, what is humility, and how it can be true and false?.' 

"Truly, he who becomes not as a little child shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. for this is true humility. For if you ask a little child: "Who has made your garments?"  

He will answer: "My father." 
If you ask him: "Whose is the house where he lives?"
He will say: "My father's." 
If you shall say: "Who gives you to eat?"  
He will reply: "My father." 
If you shall say: "Who has taught you to walk and to speak?" 
He will answer; "My father." 

But if you shall say: "Who has broken your forehead, for that you have your forehead so bound up?"  
He will answer: "I fell down, and so did I break my head."

If you shall say: "Now why did you fall down?"  
He will answer: "See you not that I am little, so that I have not the strength to walk and run like a grown man? So my father must needs take me by the hand if I would walk firmly. But in order that I might learn to walk well, my father left me for a little space, and I, wishing to run, fell down." 
If you shall say: "And what said your father?" 
He will answer: "Now why did you not walk quite slowly? See that in future you leave not my side." 

He who in truth of heart recognizes God as the author of all good, and himself as the author of sin, shall be truly humble. But whoever shall speak with the tongue as the child speaks, and shall contradict [the same] in act, assuredly he has false humility and true pride. For pride is then at its height when it makes use of humble things, that it be not reprehended and spurned of men.

True humility is a lowliness of the soul whereby man knows himself in truth; but false humility is a mist from hell which so darkens the understanding of the soul that what a man ought to ascribe to himself, he ascribes to God, and what he ought to ascribe to God, he ascribes to himself.

Thus, the man of false humility will say that he is a grievous sinner, but when one tells him that he is a sinner he will wax wroth against him, and will persecute him. The man of false humility will say that God has given him all that he has, but that he on his part has not slumbered,but done good works. And these Pharisees of this present time, brethren, tell me how they walk.'

The Pharisees of the present time have the garments and the name of Pharisees, but in their heart and their works they are Canaanites. And would to God they usurped not such a name, for then would they not deceive the simple! O ancient time, how cruelly have you dealt with us, that have taken away from us the true Pharisees and left us the false!'

The End.
Not Yet Verified.

Source: 
The Gospel of Barnabas

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Learning: Is a Precept of God.

Bread is not so good for the temporal life as is learning for the eternal life? Know you not that it is a precept of God to learn? For thus says God: Ask of your elders, and they shall teach you. And of the Law says God: See that my precept be before your eyes, and when you sit down, and when you walk, and at all times meditate thereon. Whether, then, it is good not to learn, you may now know. He who despises wisdom, for he is sure to lose eternal life."

One may say that Job learned not from a master, nor Abraham; nevertheless they became holy ones and Prophets. Its true and actually they don't need to Learn, because, he who is of the bridegroom's house does not need to be invited to the marriage, as he dwells in the house where the marriage is held; but they that are far from the house. And we know that the prophets of God are in the house of God's grace and mercy, and so have the Law of God manifest in them: as David our father says on this matter: The Law of his God is in his heart; therefore his path shall not be digged up.

Our God in creating man not only created him righteous, but inserted in his heart a light that should show to him that it is fitting to serve God. Wherefore, even if this light be darkened after sin, yet is it not extinguished. For every nation has the desire to serve God, though they have lost God and serve false and lying gods.

Accordingly it is necessary that a man be taught of the prophets of God, for he may clear the light to learn the way to go to paradise, by serving God well: just as it is necessary that he who has his eyes through him diseased should be guided and helped."

Now, It is a Question that how shall the prophets teach us if they are dead; and how shall he be taught who has not knowledge of the prophets?"

The doctrine of the Prophet is written down, for you to study. He who despises the prophecy, despises not only the prophet, but also God who has sent the prophet. But concerning such as know not the prophet, as are the nations, Say, if there shall live in those regions any man who lives as his heart shall show him, not doing to others that which he would not receive from others, and giving to his neighbour that which he would receive from others, such a man shall not be forsaken of the mercy of God.

Wherefore at death, if not sooner, God will show him and give him his Law with mercy. Perhaps you think that God has given the Law for love of the Law? 

Assuredly this is not true, but rather has God given his Law in order that man might work good for love of God. And so if God shall find a man who for love of him works good, shall he perhaps despise him?

No, surely, but rather will he love him more than those to whom he has given the Law. For an example: There was a man who had great possessions; and in his territory he had desert land that only bore unfruitful things. And so, as he was walking out one day through such desert land, he found among such unfruitful plants a plant that had delicate fruits.

Whereupon this man said: "Now how does this plant here bear these so delicate fruits? Assuredly I will not that it be cut down and put on the fire with the rest."
And having called his servants he made them dig it up and set it in his garden. Even so, I tell you, that our God shall preserve from the flames of hell those who work righteousness;,wheresoever they be."

"Tell me, where dwelt Job but in Ur among idolaters? And at the time of the flood, how writes Moses? Tell me. He says: "Noah truly found grace before God." 

Our father Abraham had a father without faith, for he made and worshipped false idols. Lot abode among the most wicked men on earth. Daniel as a child, with Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar in such wise that they were but two years old when they were taken; and they were nurtured among the multitude of idolatrous servants.

As God lives, even as the fire burns dry things and converts them into fire, making no difference between olive and cypress and palm; even so our God has mercy on every one that works righteously, making no difference between Jew, Scythian, Greek, or Ishmaelite.

But let not your heart stop there, because where God has sent the prophet it is necessary entirely to deny your own judgment and to follow the prophet, and not to say: 'Why says he thus? Why does he thus forbid and command?'
But say: 'Thus God wills. Thus God commands.' Now what said God to Moses when Israel despised Moses? They have not despised you, but they have despised me.

Truly, man ought to spend all the time of his life not in learning how to speak or to read, but in learning how to work well. Now tell me, who is that servant of Herod who would not study to please him by serving him with all diligence?

Woe to the world that studies only to please a body that is clay and dung, and studies not but forgets the service of God who has made all things, who is blessed for evermore."

The End.

Not Yet Verified.

Source:
Gospel of Barnabas.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Ancient Temper: How it Lays Wait for Man?

In four ways tempts that wicked one. The first is when he tempts by himself, with thoughts. The second is when he tempts with words and deeds by means of his servants; the third is when he tempts with false doctrine; the fourth is when he tempts with false visions. Now how cautious ought men to be, and all the more according as he has in his favour the flesh of man, which loves sin as he who has fever loves water.

Truly, if a man fear God he shall have victory over all, as says David His prophet: "God shall give His angels charge over you, who shall keep your ways, so that the devil shall not cause you to stumble. A thousand shall fall on your left hand, and ten thousand on your right hand, so that they shall not come near you."

Furthermore, our God with great love promised to us by the same David to keep us, saying: "I give to you understanding, which shall teach you; and in your ways wherein you shall walk I will cause My eye to rest upon you."

But what shall I say? He has said by Isaiah: "Can a mother forget the child of her womb? But I say to you, that when she forget, I will not forget you."

Tell me, then, who shall fear Satan, having for guard the angels and for protection the living God?

Nevertheless, it is necessary, as says the prophet Solomon, that "You, my son, that are come to fear the Lord, prepare your soul for temptations."

Truly, a man ought to do as the banker who examines money, examining his thoughts, that he sin not against God his creator.

There have been and are in the world men who hold not thought for sin [and] who are in the greatest error. Tell me, how [did] Satan sin? It is certain that he sinned in the thought he was more worthy than man. Solomon sinned in thinking to invite all the creatures of God to a feast, [so] a fish corrected him by eating all that he had prepared.

Not without cause, Prophet David says, that to ascend in one's heart sets one in the valley of tears. And why does God cry by his prophet Isaiah, saying: ‘Take away your evil thoughts from my eyes?’ And to what purpose [does] Solomon say, ‘With all your keeping, keep your heart?"

As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, all [scripture speaks] against the evil thoughts with which sin is committed, for without thinking it is not possible to sin. Now tell me, when the husbandman plants the vineyard does he set the plants deep? Assuredly yes. Satan does [the same]. In planting sin [he] does not stop at the eye or the ear, but passes into the heart, which is God's dwelling, as Moses His servant, [said]: I will dwell in them, in order that they may walk in my Law.

Now tell me, if Herod the king gave you a house to keep in which he desired to dwell, would you let Pilate, his enemy, enter there or place his goods in it? Surely not. Then how much less ought you let Satan enter into your heart, or place his thoughts [in your heart]. Our God has given you your heart to keep, which is His dwelling.

Observe, therefore, [how] the banker considers [his] money. [He considers] whether the image of Caesar is right, whether the silver is good or false, and whether it is of due weight. He turns it over much in his hand. Ah, mad world! How prudent you are in your business; in the last day you will reprove and judge the servants of God of negligence and carelessness, for without doubt your servants are more prudent than the servants of God.

Tell me, now, who is he who examines a thought as the banker a silver coin? No one."

Now, how is the examination of a thought like to [that of] a coin?"

The answer is: "The good silver in the thought is piety, because every impious thought comes of the devil. The right image is the example of the holy ones and prophets, which we ought to follow; and the weight of the thought is the love of God by which all ought to be done. Whereupon the enemy will bring there impious thoughts against your neighbour, [thoughts] conformed to the world, to corrupt the flesh; [thoughts] of earthly love to corrupt the love of God."

Do not think that you ought to think little, in order that you may not !fall into temptation. Actually, two things are necessary for you. The first is to exercise yourselves much, and the second is to talk little: for idleness is a sink wherein is gathered every unclean thought, and too much talking is a sponge which picks up iniquities. It is, therefore, necessary not only your working should hold the body occupied, but also that the soul be occupied with prayer. For it needs never to cease from prayer.

For an example: There was a man who paid ill, wherefore none that knew him would go to till his fields. Whereupon he, like a wicked man, said: 'I will go to the market-place to find idle ones who are doing nothing, and will therefore come to till my vines.'

This man went forth from his house, and found many strangers who were standing in idleness, and had no money. To them he spoke, and led them to his vineyard. But truly none that knew him and had work for his hands went thither.

He is Satan, that one who pays ill; for he gives labour, and man receives for it the eternal fires in his service. Wherefore he has gone forth from paradise, and goes in search of labourers. Assuredly he sets to his labours those who stand in idleness whoever they be, but much more those who do not know him. It is not in any wise enough for any one to know evil in order to escape it, but it behoves to work at good in order to overcome it."

For an example. There was a man who had three vineyards, which he let out to three husbandman. Because the first knew not how to cultivate the vineyard the vineyard brought forth only leaves. The second taught the third how the vines ought to be cultivated; and he most excellently hearkened to his words; and he cultivated his, as he told him, insomuch that the vineyard of the third bore much.

But the second left his vineyard uncultivated, spending his time solely in talking. When the time was come for paying the rent to the lord of the vineyard, the first said: "Lord, I know not how your vineyard ought to be cultivated: therefore I have not received any fruit this year."

The lord answered: "O fool, do you dwell alone in the world, that you has not asked counsel of my second vinedresser, who knows well how to cultivate the land? Certain it is that you shall pay me."

And having said this he condemned him to work in prison until he should pay his lord; who moved with pity at his simplicity liberated him, saying: "Begone, for I will not that you work longer at my vineyard; it is enough for you that I give you your debt."

The second came, to whom the lord said: "Welcome, my vinedresser! Where are the fruits that you owe me? Assuredly, since you know well how to prune the vines, the vineyard that I let out to you must needs have borne much fruit."

The second answered: "O lord, your vineyard is backward because I have not pruned the wood nor worked up the soil; but the vineyard has not borne fruit, so I cannot pay you."

Whereupon the lord called the third and with wonder said: "You said to me that this man, to whom I let out the second vineyard, taught you perfectly to cultivate the vineyard which I let out to you. How then can it be that the vineyard I let out to him should not have borne fruit, seeing it is all one soil."

The third answered: "Lord, the vines are not cultivated by talking only, but he needs must sweat a shirt every day who wills to make it bring forth its fruit. And how shall your vineyard of your vinedresser bear fruit, O lord, if he does nothing but waste the time in talking? Sure it is, O lord, that if he had put into practice his own words, [while] I who cannot talk so much have given you the rent for two years, he would have given you the rent of the vineyard for five years."

The lord was wroth, and said with scorn to the vinedresser, "And so you have wrought a great work in not cutting away the wood and levelling the vineyard, wherefore there is owing to you a great reward!"

And having called his servants he had him beaten without any mercy. And then he put him into prison under the keeping of a cruel servant who beat him every day, and never was willing to set him free for prayers of his friends."

Truly, on the day of judgment many shall say to God: "Lord, we have preached and taught by your Law."

Against them even the stones shall cry out, saying: "When you preached to others, with your own tongue you condemned yourselves, O workers of iniquity." 

"He who knows the truth and works the contrary shall be punished with such grievous penalty that Satan shall almost have compassion on him.

Tell me, now has our God given us the Law for knowing or for working? Truly, all knowledge has for end that wisdom which works all it knows. 
Tell me, if one were sitting at table and with his eyes beheld delicate meats, but with his hands should choose unclean things and eat those, would not he be mad?"

"Yes, assuredly," said the disciples.

Then Jesus said: "O mad beyond all mad men are you, O man, that with your understanding know heaven, and with your hands choose earth; with your understanding know God, and with your affection desire the world; with your understanding know the delights of paradise, and with your works choose the miseries of hell. Brave soldier that leaves the sword and carries the scabbard to fight! Now, know you not that he who walks by night desires light, not only to see the light, but rather to see the good road, in order that he may pass safely to the inn?

O miserable world, to be a thousand times despised and abhorred! since our God by his holy prophets has ever willed to grant it to know the way to go to his country and his rest: but you, wicked one, not only wiliest not to go, but, which is worse, have despised the light! True is the proverb of the camel that it likes not clear water to drink, because it desires not to see its own ugly face. So does the ungodly who works ill; for he hates the light lest his evil works should be known.

But he who receives wisdom, and not only works not well, but, which is worse, employs it for evil, is like to him who should use the gifts as instruments to slay the giver." 

Its true that God had not compassion on the fall of Satan, but yet [had compassion on the fall of Adam; And let this suffice you to know the unhappy condition of him who knows good and does evil.

The End.
Not yet Verified.

Source: -Gospel of Barnabas.