The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors Part 22

_Scripture parallel._ "Take nothing for your journey; neither staves nor script; neither bread, neither money, neither have two coats apiece."

19. "They expounded the literal sense of the Holy Scriptures by allegory."

_Scripture parallel._ "Which things are an allegory." (Gal. iv. 24.)

20. "They abjured the pleasures of the body, not desiring mortal offspring, and they renounced marriage, believing it to be detrimental to a holy life." (Mich.)

_Scripture parallel._ It will be recollected that neither Jesus nor Paul ever married, and that they discouraged the marriage relation.

Christ says, "They that shall be counted worthy of that world and the resurrection neither marry nor are given in marriage." And Paul says, "The unmarried careth for the things of the Lord." (i Cor. vii. 32.)

21. "They strove to disengage their minds entirely from the world."

_Scripture parallel_. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

22. "Devoting themselves to the Lord, they provide not for future subsistence."

_Scripture parallel._ "Take no thought for the morrow, what ye shall eat and drink," &c.

23. "Regarding the body as a prison, they were ashamed to give it sustenance." (c. ii. 71.)

_Scripture parallel._ "Who shall change our _vile_ bodies?" (Phil. iii.

21.)

24. "They spent nearly all their time in silent meditation and inward prayer." (c. ii. 71.)

_Scripture parallel._ "Men ought always to pray." (Luke xviii. 1.) "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thess. v. 17.)

25. "Believing the poor were the Lord's favorites, they vowed perpetual chast.i.ty and poverty." (c. ii. 71.)

_Scripture parallel_. "Blessed be ye poor." (Luke vi. 20.) "Hath not G.o.d chosen the poor?" (James ii. 5.)

26. "They devoted themselves entirely to contemplation in divine things." (c. ii. 71.)

_Scripture parallel_. "Mediate upon these (divine) things; give thyself wholly to them." (1 Tim. iv. 15.)

27. "They fasted often, sometimes tasting food but once in three or even six days."

_Scripture parallel._ Christ's disciples were "in fastings often." (2 Cor. xi. 27; see also v. 34.)

28. "They offered no sacrifices, believing that a serious and devout soul was most acceptable." (c. ii. 71.)

_Scripture parallel._ "There is no more offering for sin." (Heb. x. 18.)

29. "They believed in and practiced baptizing the dead." (c. ii. 71.)

_Scripture parallel._ "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead." (1 Cor. xv. 29.)

30. "They gave a mystical sense to the Scriptures, disregarding the letter."

_Scripture parallel._ "The letter killeth, but the spirit maketh alive."

(1 Cor. iii. 6.)

31. "They taught by metaphors, symbols, and parables."

_Scripture parallel._ "Without a parable spake he not unto them." (Matt.

xiii. 34.)

32. "They had many mysteries in their religion which they were sworn to keep secret."

_Scripture parallel._ "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom; to them it is not given." (Matt xiii. 11.) "Great is the mystery of G.o.dliness."

33. "They had in their churches, bishops, elders, deacons, and priests."

_Scripture parallel._ "Ordained elders in every church." (Acts xiv. 23.) For "deacons," see 1 Tim. iii. 1.

34. "When a.s.sembled together they would often sing psalms."

_Scripture parallel._ "Teaching and admonis.h.i.+ng one another in psalms."

(Col. iii. 16.)

35. "They healed and cured the minds and bodies of those who joined them."

_Scripture parallel_ "Healing all manner of sickness," &c. (Matt iv.

23.)

36. "They practiced certain ceremonial purifications by water."

_Scripture parallel_. "The accomplishment of the days of purification."

(Acts xxi. 26.)

37. "They a.s.sembled at the Sabbath festivals clothed in white garments."

_Scripture parallel_ "Shall be clothed in white garments." (Rev. iii.

4.)

38. "They disbelieved in the resurrection of the external body."

_Scripture parallel_ "It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." (1 Cor. xv. 44.)

39. Pliny says, "They were the only sort of men who lived without money and without women."

_Scripture parallel_ "The love of money is the root of all evil." (1 Tim. vi. 10.) Christ's disciples travelled without money and without scrip, and "eschew the l.u.s.ts of the flesh."

40. "They practiced the extremest charity to the poor." (c. ii. 71.)

_Scripture parallel_ "Bestow all thy goods to feed the poor." (1 Cor.

xiii. 3.)

41. "They were skillful in interpreting dreams, and in foretelling future events."