Page 179 - Demo

1656. Mary answered and said: \have fallen to this woman's lot. Concerning the things then which have fallen to her lot, thou hast spoken unto us aforetime in similitude, saying: 7. 'A man owned a fig-tree in his vineyard; and he came to look for its fruit, and he found not a single one on it. He said to the vine-dresser: Lo, three years do I come to look for fruit on this fig-tree, and I have not any produce at all from it. Cut it down then; why doth it make the ground also good for nothing? 8. But he answered and said unto him: My lord, have patience with it still this year, until I dig round it and give it dung; and if it beareth in another year, thou hast let it, but if thou dost not find any [fruit] at all, then hast thou [to] cut it down.' Lo, my Lord, this is the solution of the word.\9. The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: \solution of] the word.\CHAPTER 1231. Mary continued again and said unto the Saviour: \mysteries and hath not done what is worthy of them, but he hath turned and hath sinned, thereafter he hath again repented and hath been in great repentance, -- is it then lawful for my brethren to renew for him the mystery which he hath received, or rather give him a mystery out of the lower mysteries, -- is it lawful, or not?\2. The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: \mystery which he hath received, nor the lower hearken unto him, to forgive his sins; but it is the mysteries which are higher than those which he hath received, which hearken unto him and forgive his sins. 3. Now, therefore, Mary, let thy brethren give him the mystery which is higher than that which he hath received, and they are to accept his repentance from him and forgive his sins, -- the latter indeed, because he hath received it once more, and the former, because he hath towered over them [the lower mysteries] upward, -- the latter indeed hearkeneth not unto him to forgive his sin; but it is the mystery which is higher than that which he hath received, that forgiveth his sins. 4. But if on the other hand he hath received the three mysteries in the two spaces or in the third from within, and he hath turned and transgressed, no mystery hearkeneth unto him to help him in his repentance, neither the higher nor the lower, save the mystery of the First Mystery and the mysteries of the Ineffable, -- it is they which hearken unto him and accept his repentance from him.\