Christian saints -- India -- Romances; Gautama Buddha -- Legends -- Adaptations; Princes -- India -- Romances
"By his grace also, I came to know thy ease, and was sent to teach thee
the lessons that I have learned and observed from my youth even to
these grey hairs. If then thou shalt believe and be baptized, thou
shalt be saved; but if thou believe not, thou shalt be damned. All the
things that thou seest to-day, wherein thou gloriest,--pomp, luxury,
riches, and all the deceitfulness of life,--quickly pass away; and they
shall cast thee hence whether thou wilt or no. And thy body will be
imprisoned in a tiny grave, left in utter loneliness, and bereft of all
company of kith and kin. And all the pleasant things of the world
shall perish; and instead of the beauty and fragrance of to-day, thou
shalt be encompassed with horror and the stink of corruption. But thy
soul shall they hurl into the nether-regions of the earth, into the
condemnation of Hades, until the final resurrection, when re-united to
her body, she shall be cast forth from the presence of the Lord and be
delivered to hell fire, which burneth everlastingly. These, and far
worse haps than these, shall be thy destiny, if thou continue in
unbelief.
"But and if thou readily obey him that calleth thee to salvation, and
if thou run unto him with desire and joy, and be signed with his light,
and follow him without turn, renouncing every thing, and cleaving only
unto him, hear what manner of security and happiness shall be thine.
'When thou sittest down, thou shall not be afraid of sudden fear. When
thou liest down, sweet shall be thy sleep.' And thou shalt not be
afraid of terror coming or the assaults of evil spirits, but shalt go
thy way bold as any lion, and shalt live in bliss and everlasting
joyaunce. For joy and praise shall crown thy head, and gladness shall
befall thee there, where pain and sorrow and wailing shall flee away.'
'Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health
shall rise speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee, and
the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.' Then shalt thou call, and
the Lord shall answer; while thou art yet speaking, he shall say, 'Here
am I.' 'I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, and
will not remember them. Put me in remembrance: let us plead together:
declare thou thy sins that thou mayst be justified.' 'Though thy sins
be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow: though they be red as
crimson I will make them white as wool, for the mouth of the Lord hath
spoken it.'"
XI.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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