and this relief is for a time, and these possessions are transitory. And again thou saidst that
whoso renounceth this life shall receive the life eternal, and whoso hateth the light of day and
night shall behold a light that is not overtaken, that whoso despiseth this money shall find other
and eternal money. But now [THOU things these sayest] because thou art in fear. Who that hath
done somewhat and is praised for the work changeth it? [WHO and a tower buildeth] straightway
overthroweth it from the foundation? who diggeth a spring water in a thirsty land and
straightway filleth it in? who findeth a treasure and useth it not? And Charisius heard lt. and said:
I will not imitate you, neither will I hasten to destroy you; nor though I may so do, will I put
bonds about thee (but thee I will bind, Syr.); and I will not suffer thee to speak with this sorcerer;
and if thou obey me, well, but if not, I know what I must do.
131 And Judas went out of Charisius' house and departed unto the house of Siphor and lodged
there with him. And Siphor said: I will prepare for Judas a hall (triclinium) wherein he may teach
(Syr. Siphor said to Judas: Prepare thyself an apartment, &c.). And he did so; and Siphor said : I
and my wife and daughter will dwell henceforth in holiness, and in chastity, and in one affection.
I beseech thee that we may receive of thee the seal, and become worshippers of the true God and
numbered among his sheep and lambs. And Judas said: I am afraid to speak that which I think:
yet I know somewhat, and what I know it is not possible for me to utter.
132 And he began to say concerning baptism: This baptism is remission of sins (the Greek MSS.
U and P have divergent texts, both obscure): this bringeth forth again light that is shed about us:
this bringeth to new birth the new man (this is the restorer of understandings Syr.): this mingleth
the spirit (with the body), raiseth up in threefoldwise a new man and [MAKETH him] partaker of
the remission of sins. Glory be to thee, hidden one, that art communicated in baptism. Glory to
thee the unseen power that is in baptism. Glory to thee, renewal, whereby are renewed they that
are baptized and with affection take hold upon thee.
And having thus said, he poured oil over their heads and said: Glory be to thee the love of
compassion (bowels). Glory to thee name of Christ. Glory to thee, power established in Christ.
And he commanded a vessel to be brought, and baptized them in the name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Ghost.
133 And when they were baptized and clad, he set bread on the table and blessed it, and said:
Bread of life, the which who eat abide incorruptible: Bread that filleth the hungry souls with the
blessing thereof: thou art he that vouchsafest to receive a gift, that thou mayest become unto us
remission of sins, and that they who eat thee may become immortal: we invoke upon thee the
name of the mother, of the unspeakable mystery of the hidden powers and authorities (? we name
the name of the unspeakable mystery, that is hidden from all &c.): we invoke upon thee the name
of [thy?] Jesus. And he said: Let the powers of blessing come, and be established in this bread,
that all the souls which partake of it may be washed from their sins. And he brake and gave unto
Siphor and his wife and daughter.
The Eleventh Act: Concerning the wife of Misdaeus.
134 Now Misdaeus the king, when he had let Judas go, dined and went home, and told his wife
what had befallen Charisius their kinsman, saying: See what hath come to pass to that unhappy
man, and thou thyself knowest, my sister Tertia, that a man hath nought better than his own wife
on whom he resteth; but it chanced that his wife went unto that sorcerer of whom thou hast heard
that he is come to the land of the Indians, and fell into his charms and is parted from her own
husband; and he knoweth not what he should do. And when I would have destroyed the
ron
(Ron)
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