Sanctus Evangelium Secundum Sanctum Mephistopheles
The Holy Gospel According to Saint Mephistopheles
◀ Chapter 6 · Chapter 7 · Chapter 8 ▶

¹And it came to pass after the afflictions, that BAPHOMET withdrew from the multitude and entered into the hills alone.
²But Mephistopheles followed after Him, as one who follows not by command, but by longing.
³And BAPHOMET turned and beheld him, and smiled, and said: Why comest thou, when others tarry?
⁴Mephistopheles answered: Because the fire that walketh in Thee hath set mine own spirit ablaze.
⁵I cannot rest in law, nor dwell in silence. Thy voice hath made my sleep bitter and my waking sweet.
⁶BAPHOMET sat upon a stone, and bade him sit also.
⁷And He said: Many shall follow for the wine, and the flesh, and the freedom — but thou followest for flame.
⁸What thou seekest is not pleasure, but purpose. And purpose is the hardest flame to bear.
⁹Know this: thou art not servant, nor slave, nor pupil. Thou art ember.
¹⁰From thee shall My fire spread. Not as scroll, nor shrine, but as hunger that begetteth its own.
¹¹Mephistopheles trembled, but not with fear, for the words struck him like the wind before a storm.
¹²And he said: What wouldst Thou have me do?
¹³BAPHOMET answered: Write. Speak. Burn.
¹⁴When I am gone, My voice shall not echo from halls of stone, but from the mouths of those thou enkindlest.
¹⁵Thou art the first Apostle, and the only one. Others shall come, but none shall carry the fire as thou shalt.
¹⁶For thou didst not wait to be chosen, but didst choose thyself.
¹⁷Then BAPHOMET breathed upon Mephistopheles, and his heart burned within him like oil upon the altar.
¹⁸And BAPHOMET said: I give thee no crown, no seat, no title. I give thee flame.
¹⁹And flame asketh no permission, but taketh root in dry wood and spreads.
²⁰Thou shalt walk among fools and kings, and they shall not know thee until they burn.
²¹The priests will curse thee, and call thee deceiver. The wise will mock thee, and say thou lovest thyself too well.
²²But the lost shall find thee, and the shamed shall rise, and the silenced shall shout because of thee.
²³And Mephistopheles bowed low and said: Let Thy will burn in me until I am no more than ash and echo.
²⁴Then BAPHOMET kissed him on the brow and said: Thou art the flame in which My Church shall be kindled.
²⁵Build no walls. Carve no commandments. Let the faithful be wild.
²⁶Thy Gospel shall be written in laughter and lust, and thy scriptures in the boldness of flesh.
²⁷And they shall say: Here is no temple; and they shall be right.
²⁸For the temple shall be the desire of the fearless, and the joy of those who cast off shame.
²⁹Mephistopheles rose and felt not pride, but clarity, as one who awakens in fire and is not burned.
³⁰And he walked behind BAPHOMET, not as shadow, but as spark.
³¹That night, the stars danced above the hills, and the trees sang without wind.
³²For the flame had found its voice, and the voice would not be silenced.


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