2Esdras:8

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* And he answered me , saying , The most High hath made this world for many , but the world to come for few . * I will tell thee a similitude , Esdras ; As when thou askest the earth , it shall say unto thee , that it giveth much mould whereof earthen vessels are made , but little dust that gold cometh of : even so is the course of this present world . * There be many created , but few shall be saved . * So answered I and said , Swallow then down , O my soul , understanding , and devour wisdom . * For thou hast agreed to give ear , and art willing to prophesy : for thou hast no longer space than only to live . * O Lord , if thou suffer not thy servant , that we may pray before thee , and thou give us seed unto our heart , and culture to our understanding , that there may come fruit of it ; how shall each man live that is corrupt , who beareth the place of a man ? * For thou art alone , and we all one workmanship of thine hands , like as thou hast said . * For when the body is fashioned now in the mother 's womb , and thou givest it members , thy creature is preserved in fire and water , and nine months doth thy workmanship endure thy creature which is created in her . * But that which keepeth and is kept shall both be preserved : and when the time cometh , the womb preserved delivereth up the things that grew in it . * For thou hast commanded out of the parts of the body , that is to say , out of the breasts , milk to be given , which is the fruit of the breasts , * That the thing which is fashioned may be nourished for a time , till thou disposest it to thy mercy . * Thou broughtest it up with thy righteousness , and nurturedst it in thy law , and reformedst it with thy judgment . * And thou shalt mortify it as thy creature , and quicken it as thy work . * If therefore thou shalt destroy him which with so great labour was fashioned , it is an easy thing to be ordained by thy commandment , that the thing which was made might be preserved . * Now therefore , Lord , I will speak ; touching man in general , thou knowest best ; but touching thy people , for whose sake I am sorry ; * And for thine inheritance , for whose cause I mourn ; and for Israel , for whom I am heavy ; and for Jacob , for whose sake I am troubled ; * Therefore will I begin to pray before thee for myself and for them : for I see the falls of us that dwell in the land . * But I have heard the swiftness of the judge which is to come . * Therefore hear my voice , and understand my words , and I shall speak before thee . This is the beginning of the words of Esdras , before he was taken up : and I said , * O Lord , thou that dwellest in everlastingness which beholdest from above things in the heaven and in the air ; * Whose throne is inestimable ; whose glory may not be comprehended ; before whom the hosts of angels stand with trembling , * Whose service is conversant in wind and fire ; whose word is true , and sayings constant ; whose commandment is strong , and ordinance fearful ; * Whose look drieth up the depths , and indignation maketh the mountains to melt away ; which the truth witnesseth : * O hear the prayer of thy servant , and give ear to the petition of thy creature . * For while I live I will speak , and so long as I have understanding I will answer . * O look not upon the sins of thy people ; but on them which serve thee in truth . * Regard not the wicked inventions of the heathen , but the desire of those that keep thy testimonies in afflictions . * Think not upon those that have walked feignedly before thee : but remember them , which according to thy will have known thy fear . * Let it not be thy will to destroy them which have lived like beasts ; but to look upon them that have clearly taught thy law . * Take thou no indignation at them which are deemed worse than beasts ; but love them that always put their trust in thy righteousness and glory . * For we and our fathers do languish of such diseases : but because of us sinners thou shalt be called merciful . * For if thou hast a desire to have mercy upon us , thou shalt be called merciful , to us namely , that have no works of righteousness . * For the just , which have many good works laid up with thee , shall out of their own deeds receive reward . * For what is man , that thou shouldest take displeasure at him ? or what is a corruptible generation , that thou shouldest be so bitter toward it ? * For in truth them is no man among them that be born , but he hath dealt wickedly ; and among the faithful there is none which hath not done amiss . * For in this , O Lord , thy righteousness and thy goodness shall be declared , if thou be merciful unto them which have not the confidence of good works . * Then answered he me , and said , Some things hast thou spoken aright , and according unto thy words it shall be . * For indeed I will not think on the disposition of them which have sinned before death , before judgment , before destruction : * But I will rejoice over the disposition of the righteous , and I will remember also their pilgrimage , and the salvation , and the reward , that they shall have . * Like as I have spoken now , so shall it come to pass . * For as the husbandman soweth much seed upon the ground , and planteth many trees , and yet the thing that is sown good in his season cometh not up , neither doth all that is planted take root : even so is it of them that are sown in the world ; they shall not all be saved . * I answered then and said , If I have found grace , let me speak . * Like as the husbandman 's seed perisheth , if it come not up , and receive not thy rain in due season ; or if there come too much rain , and corrupt it : * Even so perisheth man also , which is formed with thy hands , and is called thine own image , because thou art like unto him , for whose sake thou hast made all things , and likened him unto the husbandman 's seed . * Be not wroth with us but spare thy people , and have mercy upon thine own inheritance : for thou art merciful unto thy creature . * Then answered he me , and said , Things present are for the present , and things to cometh for such as be to come . * For thou comest far short that thou shouldest be able to love my creature more than I : but I have ofttimes drawn nigh unto thee , and unto it , but never to the unrighteous . * In this also thou art marvellous before the most High : * In that thou hast humbled thyself , as it becometh thee , and hast not judged thyself worthy to be much glorified among the righteous . * For many great miseries shall be done to them that in the latter time shall dwell in the world , because they have walked in great pride . * But understand thou for thyself , and seek out the glory for such as be like thee . * For unto you is paradise opened , the tree of life is planted , the time to come is prepared , plenteousness is made ready , a city is builded , and rest is allowed , yea , perfect goodness and wisdom . * The root of evil is sealed up from you , weakness and the moth is hid from you , and corruption is fled into hell to be forgotten : * Sorrows are passed , and in the end is shewed the treasure of immortality . * And therefore ask thou no more questions concerning the multitude of them that perish . * For when they had taken liberty , they despised the most High , thought scorn of his law , and forsook his ways . * Moreover they have trodden down his righteous , * And said in their heart , that there is no God ; yea , and that knowing they must die . * For as the things aforesaid shalt receive you , so thirst and pain are prepared for them : for it was not his will that men should come to nought : * But they which be created have defiled the name of him that made them , and were unthankful unto him which prepared life for them . * And therefore is my judgment now at hand . * These things have I not shewed unto all men , but unto thee , and a few like thee . Then answered I and said , * Behold , O Lord , now hast thou shewed me the multitude of the wonders , which thou wilt begin to do in the last times : but at what time , thou hast not shewed me .

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