Again, of his neglect in correcting his talkative wife;
and of his lewd sons.
AS I was on the way to Cuma,
about the same time that I
went the year before, I began to
call to mind the vision I formerly
had. And again the spirit carried
me away, and brought me into the
same place, in which I had been
the year before.
2 And when I was come into the
place, I fell down upon my knees,
and began to pray unto the Lord,
and to glorify his name, that he
had esteemed me worthy, and had
manifested unto me my former
sins.
3 And when I arose from prayer,
behold I saw over against me the
old woman whom I had seen the
last year, walking and reading
in a certain book.
4 And she said unto me, Canst
thou tell these things to the
elect of God? I answered and said
unto her, Lady, I cannot retain
so many things in my memory, but
give me the book, and I will write
them down.
5 Take it, says she, and see that
thou restore it again to me.
6 As soon as I had received it,
I went aside into a certain place
of the field, and transcribe every
letter, for I found no syllables.
7 And as soon as I had finished
what was written in the book, the
book was suddenly caught out of
my hand, but by whom I saw not.
8 After fifteen days, when I
had fasted, and entreated the Lord
with all earnestness, the knowledge
of the writing was revealed unto me.
Now the writing was this:--
9 Thy seed, O Hermas! hath
sinned against the Lord, and have
betrayed their parents, through
their great wickedness. And they
have been called the betrayers of
their parents, and have gone on in
their treachery.
10 And now have they added
lewdness to their other sins, and
the pollutions of their naughtiness:
thus have they filled up the measure
of their iniquities. But do thou
upbraid thy sons with all these
words; and thy wife, who shall be
as thy sister; and let her learn
to refrain her tongue, with which
she calumniates.
11 And when she shall hear these
things, she will refrain herself,
and shall obtain mercy.
12 And they also shall be
instructed, when thou shalt have
reproached them with these words,
which the Lord has commanded to
be revealed unto them.
13 Then shall their sins be
forgiven, which they have heretofore
committed, and the sins of all the
saints who have sinned even unto
this day; if they shall repent with
all their hearts, and remove all
doubts out of their hearts.
14 For the Lord hath sworn by
his glory concerning his elect,
having determined this very time,
that if any one shall even now
sin, he shall not be saved.
15 For the repentance of the
righteous has its end; the days of
repentance are fulfilled to all the
saints; but to the heathen, there
is repentance even unto the last
day.
16 Thou shalt therefore say to
those who are over the church,
that they order their ways in
righteousness; so that they may
fully receive the promise with
much glory.
17 Stand fast therefore ye that
work righteousness and continue
to do it, that your departure may
be with the holy angels.
18 Happy are ye, as many as
shall endure the great trial that is
at hand, and whosoever shall not
deny his life.
19 For the Lord hath sworn by
his Son, that whoso, denieth his
Son and HIM, being afraid of his
life, he will also deny him in the
world that is to come.
20 But those who shall never
deny him, he will of his exceeding
great mercy be favourable unto
them.
21 But thou, O Hermas! remember
not the evils which thy sons have
done, neither neglect thy sister,
but take care that they amend of
their former sins.
22 For they will be instructed
by this doctrine, if thou shalt not
be mindful of what they have done
wickedly.
23 For the remembrance of evils
worketh death, but the forgetting
of them eternal life.
24 But thou, O Hermas! hast
undergone a great many worldly
troubles for the offences of thy
house, because thou hast neglected
them, as things that did not belong
unto thee; and thou art wholly
taken up with thy great business.
25 Nevertheless, for this cause
shalt thou be saved, that thou hast
not departed from the living God,
and thy simplicity and singular
continency shall preserve thee, if
thou shalt continue in them.
26 Yes, they shall save all such
as do such things, and walk in
innocence and simplicity.
27 They who are of this kind
shall prevail against all impiety,
and continue until life eternal.
28 Happy are all they that do
righteousness, they shall not be
consumed for ever.
29 But thou wilt say, Behold
there is a great trial coming. If
it seem good to thee, deny him
again.
30 The Lord is nigh to them that
turn to him, as it is written in
the book of Heldam and Modal,
who prophesied to the people of
Israel in the wilderness.
31 Moreover, brethren, it was
revealed to me, as I was sleeping,
by a very goodly young man, saying
unto me, What thinkest thou of that
old woman from whom thou receivedst
the book; who is she? I answered,
a Sybil.
32 Thou art mistaken said he,
she is not. I replied, Who is she
then, sir? He answered me, It is
the church of God.
33 And I said unto him, Why
then does she appear old? She is
therefore, said he, an old woman,
because she was the first of all
the creation, and the world was
made for her.
34 After this I saw a vision at
home in my own house, and the
old woman, whom I had seen before,
came to me and asked me whether
I had yet delivered her book to
the elders of the church? And
I answered, that I had not yet.
35 She replied, Thou hast well
done, for I have certain words
more to tell thee. But when I
shall have finished all the words,
they shall be clearly understood
by the elect.
36 And thou shalt write two
books, and send one to Clement
and one to Grapte. For Clement
shall send it to the foreign cities,
because it is permitted to him so
to do: but Grapte shall admonish
the widows and orphans.
37 But thou shalt read in this
city with the elders of the church.