Of a two fold desire: that the commands of God,
are not impossible: and that the devil is not
to be feared by them that believe.
AGAIN he said unto me;
remove from thee all evil
desires, and put on good and
holy desires. For having put on a
good desire, thou shalt hate that
which is evil, and bridle it as thou
wilt. But an evil desire is dreadful,
and hard to be tamed.
2 It is very horrible and wild;
and by its wildness consumes men.
And especially if a servant of God
shall chance to fall into it, except
he be very wise, he is ruined by
it. For it destroys those who have
not the garment of a good desire
and are engaged in the affairs of
this present world; and delivers
them unto death.
3 Sir, said I, what are the works
of an evil desire, which bring men
unto death? Shew them to me that
I may depart from them. Hear, said he,
by what works an evil desire bringeth
the servants of God unto death.
4 First of all, it is an evil desire
to covet another man's wife, or
for a woman to covet another's
husband; as also to desire the
dainties of riches; and multitude
of superfluous meats; and drunkenness;
and many delights.
5 For in much delicacy there is
folly; and many pleasures are
needless to the servants of God.
Such lusting therefore is evil and
pernicious, which brings to death
the servants of God. For all such
lusting is from the devil.
6 Whosoever therefore shall
depart from all evil desires,
shall live unto God; but they
that are subject unto them shall
die forever. For this evil lusting
is deadly. Do thou therefore put
on the desire of righteousness,
and being armed with the fear of
the Lord resist all wicked lusting.
7 For this fear dwelleth in good
desires; and, when evil coveting
shall see thee armed with the fear
of the Lord, and resisting it; it
will fly far from thee, and not
appear before thee, but be afraid
of thy armour.
8 And thou shall have the victory,
and be crowned for it; and shall
attain to that desire which is
good; and shall give the victory
which thou hast obtained unto
God, and shall serve him in doing
what thou thyself wouldest do.
9 For if thou shalt serve good
desires, and be subject to them;
then thou shalt be able to get the
dominion over thy wicked lustings;
and they will be subject to thee,
as thou wilt.
10 And I said, Sir, I would
know how to serve that desire
which is good? Hearken, said he,
Fear God, and put thy trust in
him, and love truth, and
righteousness, and do that
which is good.
10 If thou shalt do these things,
thou shall be an approved servant
of God, and serve him; and all
others who shall in like manner
serve a good desire, shall live unto
God.
12 And when he had fulfilled
these twelve commands, he said
unto me, Thou hast now these
commands, walk in them; and exhort
those that hear them, to repent,
and that they keep their
repentance pure all the
remaining days of their life.
13 And fulfil diligently this
ministry which I commit to thee,
and thou shalt receive great
advantage by it, and find favour
with all such as shall repent
and believe thy words. For I am
with thee, and will force them
to believe.
14 And I said unto him, Sir,
these commands are great and
excellent, and able to cheer the
heart of that man that shall be
able to keep them. But, Sir,
I cannot tell, whether they can
be observed by any man?
15 He answered, Thou shalt
easily keep these commands, and
they shall not be hard: howbeit,
if thou shalt suffer it once to
enter into thine heart that they
cannot be kept by any one, thou
shalt not fulfil them.
16 But now I say unto thee,
if thou shalt not observe these
commands, and shall neglect them,
thou shalt not be saved, nor thy
children, nor thy house: because
thou hast judged that these
commands cannot be kept by man.
17 These things he spake
very angrily unto me, insomuch
that he greatly affrighted me,
for he changed his countenance
so that a man could not bear his
anger.
18 And when he saw me altogether
troubled and confounded, he began
to speak more moderately and
cheerfully, saying, O foolish,
and without understanding!
19 Unconstant, not knowing
the majesty of God how great and
wonderful he is; who created the
world for man, and hath made
every creature subject unto him;
and given him all power, that he
should be able to fulfil all these
commands.
20 He is able, said he, to fulfil
all these commands, who has the
Lord in his heart; but they who
have the Lord only in their mouths,
their hearts are hardened, and
they are far from the Lord: to
such persons these commands are
hard and difficult.
21 Therefore, ye that are empty
and light in the faith, put the
Lord your God in your hearts;
and ye shall perceive how that
nothing is more easy than these
commands, nor more pleasant, nor
more gentle and holy.
22 And turn yourselves to the
Lord your God, and forsake the
devil and his pleasures, because
they are evil, and bitter, and
impure. And fear not the devil,
because he has no power over you.
23 For I am with you, the
messenger of repentance, who have
the dominion over him. The devil
doth indeed affright men but his
terror is vain. Wherefore fear
him not, and he will flee from you.
24 And I said unto him; Sir,
hear me speak a few words unto
you. He answered, Say on: A
man indeed desires to keep the
commandments of God, and there
is no one but what prays unto God,
that he may be able to keep his
commandments;
25 But the devil is hard, and
by his power rules over the servants
of God. And he said; He cannot
rule over the servants of God,
who trust in him with all their
hearts.
26 The devil may strive, but he
cannot overcome them.
27 For if ye resist him, he will
flee away with confusion from you.
But they that are not full in the
faith, fear the devil, as if he had
some great power. For the devil
tries the servants of God and if he
finds them empty, he destroys
them.
28 For as man, when he fills up
vessels with good wine, and among
them puts a few vessels half full,
and comes to try and taste of the
vessels, doth not try those that are
full, because he knows that they
are good, but tastes those that are
half full, lest they should grow
sour; (for vessels half full soon
grow sour, and lose the taste of
wine:) so the devil comes to the
servants of God to try them.
29 They that are full of faith
resist him stoutly, and he departs
from them, because he finds no
place where to enter into them
then he goes to those that are not
full of faith, and because he has a
place of entrance he goes into
them, and does what he will with
them, and they become his servants.
30 But I, the messenger of
repentance, say unto you, fear not
the devil, for I am sent unto you,
that I may be with you, as many
as shall repent with your whole
heart, and that I may confirm you
in the faith.
31 Believe therefore, ye who
by reason of your transgressions
have forgot God. and your own
salvation; and adding to your
sins have made your life very
heavy.
32 That if ye shall turn to the
Lord with your whole hearts, and
shall serve him according to his
will; he will heal you of your
former sins, and ye shall have
dominion over all the works of the
devil.
33 Be not then afraid in the
least of his threatenings, for they
are without force, as the nerves of
a dead man. But hearken unto
me, and fear the Lord Almighty,
who is able to save and to destroy
you; and keep his commands, that
ye may live unto God.
34 And I said unto him; Sir,
I am now confirmed in all the
commands of the Lord whilst you
are with me, and I know that you
will break all the powers of the
devil.
35 And we also shall overcome
him, if we shall be able, through
the help of the Lord, to keep these
commands which you have delivered.
36 Thou shalt keep them, said
he, if thou shalt purify thy heart
towards the Lord. And all they
also shall keep them who shall
cleanse their hearts from the vain
desires of the present world, and
shall live unto God.
THE THIRD PART OF THE
BOOK OF HERMAS, CALLED HIS SIMILITUDES.