Christ the only prophet has appeared in different ages
561.
Yet give heed to my first discourse of the truth.
562.
If any one do not allow the man fashioned by the hands of God to have had the Holy Spirit of Christ,
how is he not guilty of the greatest impiety in allowing another born of an impure stock to have it?
563.
Yet he would act most piously, if he should not allow to another to have it,
yet should say that he alone has it,
who has changed his forms and his names from the beginning of the world,
and so reappeared again and again in the world,
until coming upon his own times, and being anointed with mercy for the works of God,
he shall enjoy rest for ever.
564.
His honour it is to bear rule and lordship over all things, in air, earth, and waters.
565.
Yet in addition to these, himself having made man,
he had breath, the indescribable garment of the soul, that he might be able to be immortal.
The eating of the forbidden fruit disallowed
566.
He himself being the only true prophet, fittingly gave names to each animal,
according to the merits of its nature, as having made it.
567.
For if he gave a name to any one, that was also the name of that which was made,
being given by him who made it.
568.
How, then, had he still need to partake of a tree,
that he might know what is good and what is evil, if he was commanded not to eat of it?
569.
Yet this senseless men believe,
who think that a reasonless beast was more powerful than the God who made these things.
Male and female
570.
Yet a companion was created along with him, a female nature,
much differing from him, as quality from substance, as the moon from the sun, as fire from light.
571.
She, as a female ruling the present world as her like,
was entrusted to be the first prophetess, announcing prophecy with all amongst those born of woman.
572.
But the other, as the son of man, being a male,
prophesies better things to the world to come as a male.
Two kinds of prophecy
573.
Let us then understand that there are two kinds of prophecy:
574.
the one male; and let it be defined that the first, being the male,
has been ranked after the other in the order of advent;
yet the second, being female, has been appointed to come first in the advent of the pairs.
575.
This second, therefore, being amongst those born of woman,
as the female superintendent of this present world, wishes to be thought masculine.
576.
Wherefore, stealing the seeds of the male, and sowing them with her own seeds of the flesh,
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she brings forth the fruits—that is, words—as wholly her own.
577.
And she promises that she will give the present earthly riches as a dowry,
wishing to change the slow for the swift, the small for the greater.
The prophetess a misleader
578.
However, she, not only presuming to say and to hear that there are many gods,
yet also believing herself to be one, and in hope of being that which she had not a nature to be,
and throwing away what she had, and as a female being in her courses at the offering of sacrifices,
is stained with blood; and then she pollutes those who touch her.
579.
Yet when she conceives and brings forth temporary kings, she stirs up wars, shedding much blood;
and those who desire to learn truth from her, by telling them all things contrary,
and presenting many and various services,
she keeps them always seeking and finding nothing, even until death.
580.
For from the beginning a cause of death lies upon blind men;
for she, prophesying deceit, and ambiguities, and obliquities, deceives those who believe her.
Cain's name and nature
581.
Hence the ambiguous name which she gave to her first-born son, calling him Cain,
which has a capability of interpretation in two ways;
for it is interpreted both Possession and Envy, as signifying that in the future he was to envy either a woman, or possessions, or the love of the parents towards her.
582.
But if it be none of these, then it will befall him to be called the Possession.
583.
For she possessed him first, which also was advantageous to him.
584.
For he was a murderer and a liar,
and with his sins was not willing to be at peace with respect to the government.
585.
Moreover, those who came forth by succession from him were the first adulterers.
586.
And there were psalteries, and harps, and forgers of instruments of war.
587.
Wherefore also the prophecy of his descendants being full of adulterers and of psalteries,
secretly by means of pleasures excites to wars.
Abel's name and nature
588.
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Yet he who amongst the sons of men had prophecy innate to his soul as belonging to it,
expressly, as being a male, indicating the hopes of the world to come,
called his own son Abel, which without any ambiguity is translated Grief.
589.
For he assigns to his sons to grieve over their deceived brethren.
590.
He does not deceive them when he promises them comfort in the world to come.
591.
When he says that we must pray to one only God, he neither himself speaks of gods,
nor does he believe another who speaks of them.
592.
He keeps the good which he has, and increases more and more.
593.
He hates sacrifices, bloodshed, and libations;
he loves the chaste, the pure, the holy.
594.
He quenches the fire of altars,
represses wars,
teaches pious preachers wisdom,
purges sins,
sanctions marriage,
approves temperance,
leads all to chastity,
makes men liberal,
prescribes justice,
595.
seals those of them who are perfect,
publishes the word of peace,
prophesies explicitly,
speaks decidedly,
frequently makes mention of the eternal fire of punishment,
constantly announces the kingdom of God,
indicates heavenly riches,
promises unfading glory,
shows the remission of sins by works.
The Book of Preachings CHAPTER TWENTY
Divisions 596-625
PREACHINGS 3
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