(98) For the angels play before and in God, as little children play before their parents, whereby the divine joy is increased.

(61) But stay a little, another sitteth on thy throne, he is kissed, and he is an obedient son to his Father, and does as the Father does.

(17) Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

(1) God's mercy is known through the fruits thereof, But who save God knows His essence? No one knows the very essence of God's attributes A child knows naught of the nature of sexual intercourse, Except what you tell him, that it is like sweetmeats. Yet how far does the pleasure of sexual intercourse Really resemble that derived from sweetmeats? Nevertheless the fiction produces a relation Between you, with your perfect knowledge, and the child; So that the child knows the matter by a similitude,

(13) Is it any wonder that You, the child, feel that instinctive reverence for THE ALL, which feeling we call "religion"--that respect, and reverence for THE FATHER MIND? Is it any wonder that, when you consider the works and wonders of Nature, you are overcome with a mighty feeling which has its roots away down in your inmost being? It is the MOTHER MIND that you are pressing close up to, like a babe to the breast.

(26) And Isaac, his father, said unto him : " Come near and kiss me, my son." And he came near and kissed him. -

(70) Therefore the Father loveth this his only begotten or innate Son so heartily, because he is the light and the meek beneficent welldoing in his body, through whose power the Father's joy and delight riseth up.

(6) ¶Then were brought infants, that Jesus should touch them: but the disciples rebuked them that brought them. Jesus, much displeased, said unto the disciples,

(51) That light should rise very gently or mildly in the Heart of God, and rejoice in the light of God, as a child with its mother; and so there should be a hearty loving and friendly kissing, a very meek and pleasant taste or relish.

(46) And when they come home, they shew them to their parents; and the parents also rejoice in their children, and are merry and cheerly with them.

(11) Therefore I bow down and prostrate my body before Thee, the adorable Lord, and seek Thy grace. Bear with me, Ο Lord, as a father with a son, as a friend with a friend, as a lover with his beloved.

(17) It is He Himself who says, "Little children, a little while I am still with you." Since also God Himself remains blessed and immortal, neither molested nor molesting another; not in consequence of being by nature good, but in proving Himself actually, both Father and good, continues immutably in the self-same goodness. For what is the use of good that does not act and do good?

(6) 4 To say by Nut-Nekhbet, the great: This is (my) beloved, N., (my) son; 4 I have given the horizons to him, that he may be powerful over them like Harachte. 4 All the gods say: "It is a truth that thy beloved among thy children is N., 4 to whom one will do service of courtier for ever."

(3) Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

(463) he has an interest, and the other as a stranger in whom he has no interest? Exactly. But would any of your guardians think or speak of any other guardian as a stranger? Certainly he would not; for every one whom they meet will be regarded by them either as a brother or sister, or father or mother, or son or daughter, or as the child or parent of those who are thus connected with him. Capital, I said; but let me ask you once more: Shall they be a family in name only; or shall they in all their actions be true to the name? For example, in the use of the word ‘father,’ would the care of a father be implied and the filial reverence and duty and obedience to him which the law commands; and is the violator of these duties to be regarded as an impious and unrighteous person who is not likely to receive much good either at the hands of God or of man? Are these to be or not to be the strains which the children will hear repeated in their ears by all the citizens about those who are intimated to them to be their parents and the rest of their kinsfolk? These, he said, and none other; for what can be more ridiculous than for them to utter the names of family ties with the lips only and not to act in the spirit of them? Then in our city the language of harmony and concord will be more often heard than in any other. As I was describing before, when any one is well or ill, the universal word will be ‘with me it is well’ or ‘it is ill.’

(51) Seeing all thy children despise thee, whom thou didst bear, and hast given them suck in their childhood, and who will not give thee any attendance, or minister to thee in thy high or old age:

(14) Now the fact that even children, not yet able to understand the things Divine, become recipients of the holy Birth in God, and of the most holy symbols of the supremely Divine Communion, seems, as you say, to the profane, a fit subject for reasonable laughter, if the Hierarchs teach things Divine to those not able to hear, and vainly transmit the sacred traditions to those who do not understand. And this is still more laughable--that others, on their behalf, repeat the abjurations and the sacred compacts. But thy Hierarchical judgment must not be too hard upon those who are led astray, but, persuasively, and for the purpose of leading them to the light, reply affectionately to the objections alleged by them, bringing forward this fact, in accordance with sacred rule, that not all things Divine are comprehended in our knowledge, but many of the things, unknown by us, have causes beseeming God, unknown to us indeed, but well known to the Ranks above us. Many things also escape even the most exalted Beings, and are known distinctly by the All-Wise and Wise-making Godhead alone. Further, also, concerning this, we affirm the same things which our Godlike initiators conveyed to us, after initiations from the early tradition. For they say, what is also a fact, that infants, being brought up according to a Divine institution, will attain a religious disposition, exempt from every error, and inexperienced in an unholy-life. When our Divine leaders came to this conclusion, it was determined to admit infants upon the following conditions, viz.: that the natural parents of the child presented, should transfer the child to some one of the initiated,--a good teacher of children in Divine things,--and that the child should lead the rest of his life under him, as under a godfather and sponsor, for his religious safe-keeping. The Hierarch then requires him, when he has promised to bring up the child according to the religious life, to pronounce the renunciations and the religious professions, not, as they would jokingly say, by instructing one instead of another in Divine things; for he does not say this, "that on behalf of this child I make, myself, the renunciations and the sacred professions," but, that the child is set apart and enlisted; i.e. I promise to persuade the child, when he has come to a religious mind, through my godly instructions, to bid adieu wholly to things contrary, and to profess and perform the Divine professions. There is here, then, nothing absurd, in my judgment, provided the child is brought up as beseems a godlike training, in having a guide and religious surety, who implants in him a disposition for Divine things, and keeps him inexperienced in things contrary. The Hierarch imparts to the child the sacred, symbols, in order that he may be nourished by them, and may not have any other life but that which always contemplates Divine things; and in religious progress become partaker of them and have a religious disposition in these matters, and be devoutly brought up by his Godlike surety. So great, my son, and so beautiful, are the uniform visions of our Hierarchy, which have been presented to my view; and from others, perhaps, more contemplative minds, these things have been viewed, not only more clearly, but also more divinely. And to thee, as I fancy, more brilliant and more divine beauties will shine forth, by using the foregoing stepping-stones to a higher ray. Impart then, my friend, thyself also, to me, more perfect enlightenment, and shew to mine eyes the more comely and uniform beauties that thou mayst have been able to see, for I am confident that, by what has been said, I shall strike the sparks of the Divine Fire stored up in thee. Thanks be to God. JOHN PARKER.

(74) But the quality externally without them, or externally without their bodies, viz. their mother, is not their propriety, as also their mother is not the child's propriety; also the mother's food is not the child's propriety; but the mother giveth it to the child out of love, seeing she has generated the child.

(13) But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

(50) In this the Deity has its highest delight, as parents have in their children, that its dear and beloved children in heaven behave themselves so well and so friendly; for the Deity in itself playeth or sporteth thus also, one qualifying or fountain spirit [springeth up] in another.