IV.
THE TWO WAYS.
IV.
Now, this is the "Catechism of the Two Ways" which I have had copied out for thee, for in it is the essence of the teaching of Jesus, as he himself recognized in speaking to me, as thou wilt shortly hear.
"There are two ways, one of life and one of death, but there is a great difference between the two ways. Now, the way of life is this: first. Thou shalt love God who made thee; secondly, thy neighbor as thyself, and all things whatsoever thou wouldest not should be done to thee, do thou also not do to another. Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not corrupt boys, thou shalt not commit fornication, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not use witchcraft, thou shalt not use enchantments, thou shalt not kill an infant whether before or after birth, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.
"Thou shalt not forswear thyself, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not revile, thou shalt not bear malice.
"Thou shalt not be double-minded nor double-tongued; for duplicity of tongue is a snare of death.
"Thy speech shall not be false nor vain.
"Thou shalt not be covetous, nor an extortioner, nor a hypocrite, nor malignant, nor haughty. Thou shalt not take evil counsel against thy neighbor.
"Thou shalt hate no man, but some thou shalt rebuke, and for some thou shalt pray, and some thou shalt love above thine own soul.
"My child, flee from all evil, and from all that is like unto it.
"Be not soon angry, for anger leadeth to murder; nor given to party-spirit, nor contentious, nor quick-tempered, for from all these are generated murders.
"My child, be not lustful, for lust leadeth to fornication; neither be a filthy talker, nor a lifter-up of the eyes, for from all these things are generated adulteries.
"My child, be not thou an observer of birds, for it leadeth to idolatry; nor a charmer, nor an astrologer, nor a user of purifications; nor be thou willing to look on those things, for from all these is generated idolatry.
"My child, be not a liar, for lying leadeth to theft; nor a lover of money, nor fond of vainglory, for from all these things are generated thefts.
"My child, be not a murmurer, for it leadeth to blasphemy; neither self-willed, nor evil-minded, for from all these things are generated blasphemies.
"Be thou long-suffering, and merciful, and harmless, and quiet, and good, and trembling continually at the words which thou hast heard.
"Thou shalt not exalt thyself, nor shalt thou give presumption to thy soul. Thy soul shall not be joined to the lofty, but with the just and lowly shalt thou converse.
"The events that happen to thee shalt thou accept as good, knowing that without God nothing taketh place.
"My child, thou shalt remember night and day him that speaketh to thee the word of God.
"But thou shalt seek out day by day the faces of the saints, that thou mayest rest in their words.
"Thou shalt not desire division, but shalt make peace between those at strife; so thou shalt judge justly. Thou shalt not respect a person in rebuking for transgressions.
"Thou shalt not be of two minds whether it shall be or not.
"Be not one that stretcheth out his hands to receive, but shutteth them close for giving.
"If thou hast, thou shalt give with thine hands a ransom for thy sins.
"Thou shalt not hesitate to give, nor when thou givest shalt thou murmur, for thou shalt know who is the good recompenser of the reward.
"Thou shalt not turn away from him that needeth, but shalt share all things with thy brother, and shalt not say that they are thine own; for if ye are fellow-sharers in that which is imperishable, how much more in perishable things.
"Thou shalt not take away thine hand from thy son or from thy daughter, but from their youth up shalt thou teach them the fear of God.
"Thou shalt not in thy bitterness lay commands on thy man-servant or thy maid-servant, who hope in the same God, lest they should not fear him who is God over you both; for He cometh not to call men according to the outward appearance, but to those whom the Spirit hath prepared.
"But ye, servants, shall be subject to your masters as to a figure of God in reverence and fear.
"Thou shalt hate all hypocrisy, and everything which is not pleasing to the Lord.
"Thou shalt not forsake the commandments of the Lord, but shalt keep what thou hast received, neither adding thereto nor taking away from it.
"Thou shalt confess thy transgressions, and shalt not come to thy prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of life.
"But the way of death is this. First of all, it is evil and full of curse; murders, adulteries, lusts, fornications, thefts, idolatries, witchcrafts, sorceries, robberies, witnessings, hypocrisies, double-heartedness, deceit, pride, wickedness, self-will, covetousness, filthy talking, jealousy, presumption, haughtiness, flattery.
"Persecutors of the good, hating truth, loving a lie, not knowing the reward of righteousness, not cleaving to that which is good nor to righteous judgment, watching not for the good but for the evil, far from whom is meekness and patience, loving vain things, seeking after reward, not pitying the poor, not toiling with him who is vexed with toil, not knowing Him that made them, murderers of children, destroyers of the image of God, turning away from him that is in need, vexing him that is afflicted, advocates of the rich, lawless judges of the poor, wholly sinful.
"Take heed that no one make thee to err from this way of teaching, since he teacheth thee not according to God."