Community Rule

The doctrine of the two spirits — the Spirit of light and the spirit of darkness — by which all flesh is governed until the season of God's visitation.

1The Master shall instruct all the children of light, and shall teach them the nature of all the children of men, even concerning all the kinds of their spirits, with the signs of their works in their generations, and concerning the visitation of their afflictions, and the seasons of their reward.

2From the God of knowledge cometh all that is, and that shall be. Before they were, He established their entire design; and when they come into being for the appointed task — even according to the glorious design — they fulfil their work.

3He hath created man to govern the world; and hath appointed for him two spirits, that he may walk by them until the season of His visitation. They are the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

4From a fountain of light come the generations of truth; and from a source of darkness come the generations of falsehood. In the hand of the Prince of light is dominion over all the sons of righteousness; they walk in the ways of light. And in the hand of the Angel of darkness is dominion over all the sons of falsehood; they walk in the ways of darkness.

5From the Angel of darkness come the straying of all the sons of righteousness; and all their sin, and their iniquities, and their guilt, and the works of their transgression are by his dominion — even according to the mysteries of God, until His season. And all their afflictions, and the seasons of their distress, are wrought by his dominion of malevolence.

6All the spirits of his lot shall cause the sons of light to stumble. But the God of Israel, and the Angel of His truth, shall help all the sons of light. He hath created the spirits of light and of darkness; and upon them He hath founded every work, and upon their ways every service. The one God hath loved for all the ages of eternity; and in all his deeds He taketh pleasure for ever. Of the other He abhorreth the counsel; and all his ways He hateth eternally.

7These are the ways of the spirit of truth in the world: to enlighten the heart of man; to make straight before him every way of true righteousness; to fill his heart with the awe of God's judgments; with a spirit of humility, and patience, and abundant mercy, and eternal goodness, and understanding, and intelligence, and powerful wisdom; that trusteth in all the works of God; that leaneth upon the multitude of His mercies; with a spirit of holiness in the perfection of the holy ones.

8And these are the ways of the spirit of falsehood in the world: greediness; slackness in the service of righteousness; wickedness; falsehood; pride; haughtiness; deceit; cruelty; abundant evil; impatience; folly; insolence; abominable deeds wrought in lust; the way of defilement in the service of impurity; foulness of tongue; blindness of eye; deafness of ear; stiffness of neck; heaviness of heart; walking in the ways of darkness.

9And the visitation of all that walk after this spirit shall be in afflictions wrought by all the angels of destruction. And it shall be in everlasting damnation, by the everlasting wrath of the God of vengeance. They shall have eternal terror, and reproach without end, with the disgrace of being consumed in the fire of the dark regions.

10But all the visitation of them which walk in the spirit of truth shall be unto healing, and an abundance of peace in long days, and unto fruitfulness of seed, with all eternal blessings, and everlasting joy in life eternal, and a crown of glory, with a garment of majesty in the everlasting Light.

11Until now the spirits of truth and falsehood do struggle in the heart of man. But God in His wisdom, and in the mysteries of His knowledge, hath set unto them an end. And in the season of His visitation, He shall destroy falsehood for ever; and the truth shall be revealed unto the world for ever.

12Then shall God refine, in His truth, all the deeds of man. He shall purify for Himself the frame of man — by tearing out all the spirit of falsehood from the bond of his flesh. He shall cleanse him from every wicked deed by the spirit of holiness. Like purifying water He shall sprinkle upon him the spirit of truth, even the cleansing from every abomination, and from every wallowing in falsehood.