last

The king spent some time in praising this man and then asked the last of all, What is the greatest achievement in ruling an empire?

And if he is parsimonious, he is overruled by the Law through the action of Reason, and refrains from gleaning his stubbles or picking the last grapes from his vineyards.

And he spoke to the earth with a loud voice: 'Earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the mighty God, And receive what I commit to you, And guard them until the last times, So that, when you are ordered, you may restore them, So that strangers may not get possession of them.

Then all who have fallen asleep in hope of Him shall rise again. And it shall come to pass at that time that the treasuries will be opened in which is preserved the number of the souls of the righteous, and they shall come forth, and a multitude of souls shall be seen together in one assemblage of one thought, and the first shall rejoice and the last shall not be grieved.

And now recline in anguish and rest in torment till your last time come, in which you will come again, and be tormented still more.'

The last leader of that time will be left alive, when the multitude of his hosts will be put to the sword, and he will be bound, and they will take him up to Mount Zion, and My Messiah will convict him of all his impieties, and will gather and set before him all the works of his hosts.

What therefore will be to them? or how will the last time receive them?

For the first shall receive the last, those whom they were expecting, and the last those of whom they used to hear that they had passed away.

For the first shall receive the last, those whom they were expecting, and the last those of whom they used to hear that they had passed away.

Now that lightning shone exceedingly, so as to illuminate the whole earth, and it healed those regions where the last waters had descended and wrought devastation.

Nevertheless, these also perished at last.

But he also shall fall at last. These are the black waters.

'For the last waters which you have seen which were darker than all that were before them, those which were after the twelfth number, which were collected together, belong to the whole world.

'Hear therefore the interpretation of the last black waters which are to come [after the black]: this the word.

This is the bright lightning which came after the last dark waters.'

Now this shall befall after forty days. Go now therefore during these days and instruct the people so far as you are able, that they may learn so as not to die at the last time, but may learn in order that they may live at the last times.'

Now this shall befall after forty days. Go now therefore during these days and instruct the people so far as you are able, that they may learn so as not to die at the last time, but may learn in order that they may live at the last times.'

He has decreed against you that you should be carried away captive-for what you have suffered is disproportioned to what you have done-in order that, at the last times, you may be found worthy of your fathers.

Of mortal men down to the very last

The last calamity sent forth from heaven,

To ruin, shall at last resolve to fight

Of the last generation, evil doers,

And what next, and what evil last shall be

Shall there a last but greatest evil come.

To whom the first things happened, and the last

And to Rhodes shall come evil last, but greatest.

Speak out for the last time, when men shall be

In the last time, at the turning of the moon,

That they might at the last be filled with joy.

It is the last time of the saints when God

And in the last time shall the sea be dry

At last when the sun sets to rise no more,

The last hold, upon whom the briny sea

In the last age upon the faithless world

Then, fifth, the famous lawless kingdom last

Is the end of the world and the last day

End life at last and scepters leave behind

And unto Rhodes shall come an evil last,

Into the hands of lawless men, at last,

And the last day, and having fallen asleep

Of years shall they rule, and at last shall end.

Ill-fated all their days; and of these last

Last Caesar stretching on the earth his limbs,

And know at last that God's wrath came to thee.

For no short time shall he last nor shall ever

And the Arabians. But when the last

And then the last race of the Latin kings

At first the throne is set up for the liar, but at last his lies shall find (him) out, and they shall spit in his face.

And Jesus answered and said:—In the time when I was in the world, I spoke unto you before I should be glorified, of signs that the end is near, thus:—that there shall be on earth famines and pestilences,’ tumults, and commotions, risings of nations against nations, and those other things whereof I have told you But I commanded you to watch and pray. And now hear, ye children of the light; for My Father who hath sent Me to His inheritance hath predetermined ” in His foreknowledge," that in the last days, out of the latest generation,” there should be vessels 18 [of grace] holy, and honoured, and elect. Wherefore I make known unto you exactly [what are] the things which are about to be, and when he shall arise, that Son of Perdition, the Enemy, the 1 Adversary,” and what he is like.

But on the earth shall be signs; the birth of dragons from mankind, and likewise also of wild beasts; and young women newly wedded shall bring forth’ babes who speak perfectly and announce the last times, and pray” to be put to death. And their looks shall be the looks of [men] far advanced in years; they shall be grey-headed when they are born. Also women ” shall bear babes with four feet: some shall bear spirits only, and some’ shall bear their progeny with unclean spirits. Others [there] shall [be who] practise divination in the womb, and shall speak with familiar spirits; and there shall be many other horrible signs.” z.

But if they are severally chosen to receive‘ the laver, let them be proved and investigated first, how they have lived while catechumens,’ if they have honoured widows, if they have visited the sick, if they have walked in all meekness and love,” if they were earnest in good works. But let them be borne witness to by those who bring them. And when they hear the Gospel, let a hand be laid on them daily. Let them be exorcised from that day when they are chosen. And let them be baptized in the days of Pascha. And when the days approach, let the bishop exorcise each one of them separately by himself, so that he may be persuaded that he is pure. For if there be one that is not pure, or in whom is an unclean spirit, let him be reproved by that unclean spirit. If then any one is found under any such imagination, let him be removed from the midst [of them], and let him be reproved and reproached that he hath not heard the word of the commandments and of instruction faithfully, because the evil and strange spirit abided in him. Let those who are about to receive the laver be taught on the fifth day of the last week only, to wash and bathe’ their heads. But if any woman then be in the customary flux, let her also take in addition another day, washing and bathing beforehand. Let them fast both [on] the Friday and [on] the Saturday.

In the forty days of Pascha, let the people abide in the temple, keeping vigil and praying, hearing the Scriptures and hymns of praise and the books of doctrine. But on the last Saturday let them rise early 4 in he night, and when the catechumens are being exorcised till the Saturday midnight. Let those who are about to be baptized not bring anything else with them except one loaf for the Eucharist.’ But let them be baptized thus. When they come to the water, let the water be pure and flowing. First the babes, then the men, then the women. But if any one desire to approach as it were to virginity, let him first be baptized by the hand of the bishop. Let the women, when they are baptized, loose their hair. Let all the boys who can answer in baptism make the responses and answer after the priest. But if they cannot, let their parents make the responses for them, or some one of their households. But when they who are being baptized go down [to the water], after they make the responses and say [the answers], let the bishop see if there be any of them—either a man having a ring of gold, or a woman having on her gold; for no one should have with him any strange thing in the water, but let him deliver it to those who are near him.” But when they are about to receive the oil for anointing, let the bishop pray over it and give thanks, and let him exorcise another [oil] with an exorcism, the same as in the case of catechumens. And let the deacon bear that which is exorcised, and let the presbyter stand by him. Let him then who standeth by that [oil] on which a giving of thanks over the oil [is said] be on the right hand; but him who standeth by that which is exorcised, on the left. And when he taketh hold of each one, let him ask—he that is being baptized turning to the West—and let him say: Say, I renounce thee, Satan, and all thy service, and thy shows and thy pleasures and all thy works. And when he hath said these things and confessed, let him be anointed with that oil which was exorcised, he who anointeth him saying thus: I anoint [thee] with this oil of exorcism for a deliverance from every evil and unclean spirit, and for a deliverance from every evil. And also, turning him to the Hast, let him say: [Say,] I submit’ to Thee, Father and Son and Holy Ghost, before whom all nature trembleth and is moved. Grant me to do all Thy will without blame. Then after these things let him give him over to the pres- byter who baptizeth. And let them stand in the water naked. But let the deacon descend with him similarly. But when he who is being baptized goeth down into the water, let him that baptizeth him say, putting his hand on him, thus: Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty? Let him that is being baptized say: T believe. Let him immediately baptize him once. Let the priest also say: Dost thou believe also in Christ Jesus the Son of God, who came from the Father, who is of old with the Father, who was born of Mary the Virgin by the Holy Ghost, who was crucified in the days of Pontius Pilate, and died and rose the third day, [who] came to life from the dead, and ascended into heaven and sat down on the right hand of the Father, and cometh to judge the quick and the dead? But when he saith: I believe, let him baptize him the second time. And also let him say: Dost thou believe also in the Holy Ghost, in the holy Church? And let him who is being baptized say: I believe; and thus let him baptize him the third time. Then when he cometh up let him be anointed by the pres- byter with oil over which the giving of thanks has been said, [the presbyter] saying over him: I anoint thee with oil in the Name of Jesus Christ. But let women be anointed by widows who sit in front, the presbyter saying over them [the words]. And let those widows in baptism also beneath a veil receive them by a veil, the bishop saying those Confessions, and so those whom they: cause them to renounce.”

If any one receive any service to carry to a widow or poor woman or any one constantly engaged in a Church work, let him give it the same day; and if not, on the morrow, let him add something to it from his own [property] and so give it. For the bread of the poor hath been kept back in his possession. But in the last week of Pascha, on the fifth day of the week, let the bread and the cup be offered. And he who suffered for that which he hath offered, he [it is] who draweth near. Let the lamp be offered’ in the temple by the deacon, saying: The grace of our Lord [be] with you all. And let all the people say: And with Thy spirit. And let the little boys say spiritual psalms and hymns of praise by the light of the lamp.’ Let all the people respond Hallelujah to the psalm and to the chant sung together, with one accord, with voices in harmony; and let no one kneel until he who speaketh cease. Similarly also when a lection is read or the word of doctrine is spoken. If then the Name of the Lord be spoken, and the rest, as hath sufficiently been made known, let no one bow, having come creeping in.

(THE AGAPE] In the supper or feast, let those who have come together receive [a portion] thus from the shepherd, as for a blessing. But let not a catechumen receive. If any one be of the household of, or related to, one who is a teacher of heathenism,’ let him not accord with him and give praise with him, also let him not eat with him because of relationship or for concord, lest he deliver ineffable things to a wolf and he receive judgment. Let those who are called with the bishop to the house of one who is faithful, eat with gravity and knowledge, not with drunkenness or to debauchery, and not so that he who is present may laugh, or so as to annoy the household" of him that called him; but so let them enter that he who called [them] may pray that the saints may enter into his house, For ye are the salt of the earth,) [as] ye have heard. Because when they eat, let them eat abundantly, [but] so that there may be left over both for you [and] also for those to whom he that called you wisheth [to] send, so that he may have them as foods‘ left over by the saints, and that he may rejoice at that which remaineth over. Let those who come to a feast, being called, not stretch out” a hand before them that are elder. But let the last eat when the first shall have done. Let not those who eat strive in speech, but let them eat in silence; but if any one desire, or the bishop or presbyter ask [a question], let him return answer. But when the bishop saith a word," let every one quietly, praising [him], choose silence for himself, until he also be asked [a question].

[PASCHAL SOLEMNITIES] On the days of Pascha, especially in the last days, on Friday and on Saturday, by night and by day, let the prayers be according to the number of the hymns of praise. But let the word be interpreted at length, and let the lections [be] various and continuous. And let the vigils and anticipations of the night be in good order.