The genuine epistles of the apostolical fathers, S. Barnabas, S. Ignatius, S. Clement, S. Polycarp, the Shepherd of Hermas, and the matyrdoms of St. Ignatius and St. Polycarp, written by those who were present at their sufferings : being, together with the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, a compleat collection of the most primitive antiquity for about CL years after Christ / translated and publish'd, with a large preliminary discourse relating to the several treaties here put together by W. Wake ...

The Fourth SIMILITUDE. As in Summer the living Trees are distinguish'd from the Dry by their Fruit and Green Leaves; so in the World to come the Righteous shall be distinguish'd from the Un∣righteous by their Happiness.

AGAIN he shewed me many other Trees, of which some had Leaves, and others appear'd dry and wither'd. And he said unto me, Seest thou these Trees? I answer'd, Sir, I see them; and some are dry, and others full of Leaves. These Trees, saith he, which are green are the Righteous, who shall pos∣sess the World to come. For the World to come, is the Summer to the Righteous; but to Sinners it is the Winter. When therefore the Mercy of the LORD shall shine forth, then they who serve God shall be made manifest, and plain unto all. For as in the Summer the Fruit of every Tree is shewn and made manifest,

so also the Works of the Righteous shall be declared and made manifest, and they shall all be restored in that World merry and joyful. For the other † kind of Men, namely Wicked, like the Trees which thou sawest dry, shall as such be found dry and with∣out Fruit in that other World; and like dry Wood shall be burnt, and it shall be made manifest that they have done Evil in the time of their Life; and they shall be burnt because they have sinned, and have not repented of their Sins. And also all the other Nations shall be burnt, because they have not acknowledged God their Creator. Do thou therefore bring forth good Fruit, that in the Sum∣mer thy Fruit may be known; and keep thy self from much Business, and thou shalt not offend. For they that are involved in much Business, sin much; because they are taken up with their Affairs, and neglect to serve God. And how can a Man that do's not serve God, ask any thing of God, and receive it? But they who serve him, ask and receive what they desire. But if a Man has only

one thing to follow, he may serve God, because his Mind is not there∣by taken off from God, but he serves him with a pure Mind. If there∣fore thou shalt do thus, thou shalt have Fruit in the World to come; and all, as many as shall do in like manner, shall bring forth Fruit.

Notes

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  Nations.