there is none who doth not ask from the Lord that he may keep his Commandments but the Devil is hard and his power hath dominion over the servants of God 18 And he said he cannot quoth he have power over Gods sevants who from their whole hearts believe on the Lord But the Devil can strive but overcome he cannot for if ye resist him he shall fly from you confounded for whosoever are not full of faith they fear the Devil as if having power for the Devil tempteth the servants of God and if he shall find them empty he destroyes them 19 For even as a man when he hath filled vessells with good wine and among these vessels hath put a few half-full and cometh that he may try and taste the vessells he tryes not the full ones for he knows that they are good but the half-ful he tasteth least they have become sower for the half-full vessells grow soon sower and loose the savour of Wine 20 So also the Devil cometh to men the servants of God that he may tempt them but whosoever are full in the faith they resist him strongly and he departeth from them because he hath not a place of entering in Then goeth he to them who are not full in the faith and because he hath a place thereat he entereth into them whatsoever things he will he doth with them and they become his servants 21 But I THE MESSENGER OF REPENTANCE say unto you fear ye not the Devil for I am sent that with you I may be Whosoever from your whole hearts shall act repentance that I may confirm you in the faith Believe ye therefore who because of your sins have forgot God and who rejecting your safety with your sins DO BURTHEN YOUR LIFE That if ye shall be converted to the Lord from your whole Hearts and shall obey him according to his will he shall give remedy to your former sins and ye shall have power of ruling over ALL the works of the Devil 22 But his threats fear ye not at all for they are without power as the nerves of a dead man Therefore hear me and fear the Lord Omnipotent who can save you and destroy you and keep ye his commands that ye may live to God 23 And I said to him Lord even now I am confirmed in all the Commands of the Lord as long as thou art with me and I know that thou wilt break in pieces all the power of the devil But also we shall overcome him if we can the Lord confirming keep these Commands which thou hast injoyned Thou shalt keep them quoth he if thou shalt purifie thine heart to the Lord But also all these shall keep them who shall purifie their hearts from the vain desires of this World and shall LIVE TO GOD. The End of the second Book The Thirk Bood of Hermas the Disciple of Paul which is Intituled of SIMILITUDES SIMIL. I. 1 ANd he said to me know ye the Servants of the Lord to be detained in Pilgrimage For your City is far from this City If therefore ye know your City in which ye are about to dwell why do ye here buy fields and prepare sumptuous things and buildings and superfluous habitations For he who getteth these things in this City doth not bethink to return into his own CITY 2 O foolish O dubious and wretched man Who dost not understand all these to be strange and under the power of another for the Lord of this City sayeth unto thee either make use of my Laws or depart out of my City 3 Thou therefore what wilt thou do hast a Law in thine own City What willst thou be able for thy fields or for any of thy furnitures to deny thy LAW which if thou shalt deny and wouldest return into thy City thou shalt not be received but shalt be excluded thence 4 See Therefore that as one living a far off thou gettest nothing more for thy self then may be necessary and sufficient for thee And be thou prepared least when the Lord of this City would expell thee thou contradict his Law and thou mayst go into thine own City and mayst use thy Law without injury Chearfull 5 See ye therefore who serve God AND HAVE HIM IN YOUR HEARTS work ye the works of God mindfull of his Commands and Promises which he promised and believe him that he will perform them to you if ye shall keep his Commands 6 For the fields therefore which ye would buy redeem the souls out of necessities even as every one is able and absolve the Widows judge for the Orphanes and in works of this sort spend your riches and wealths For unto this hath the Lord inriched you that ye may fulfill such like Ministries Much better is it to do these things then to buy fields and houses because all these things shall perish in this world 7 But what things thou shalt do for the Name of God thou shalt find in thy City and shalt have joy without heavinesse and fear Therefore the Riches of the Nations do not ye desire for they are pernitious to the Servants of God but of your own which ye have do these things by which ye may attain unto joy And do not ye adulterate nor touch ye the Wife of another nor covet her Covet after thine own work and thou shalt be saved SIMIL. II. 1 WHen I walked into the field and considered the ELM and the VINE and thought within me of their fruits An Angell appeared to me and said to me What dost thou think within thee I said to him I reason Lord of this Vine and Elm because the fruits of them are comly 2 And he said to me These two Trees are placed for an example to the Servants of God And I said to him I would know Lord the exemple of them which thou speakest of Hear quoth he Seest thou this Vine and this Elm I see them quoth I Lord This Vine saith he is fruitfull But the Elm is a Tree without fruit but this Vine unlesse it should be wrapped about the ELM and should rest upon it it cannot make much fruit 3 For lying in the earth it yields bad fruits because it hangeth not upon the Elm but if the Vine should be hanged upon the Elm it giveth fruit both for it self and for the Elm See therefore that the Elm yields no less fruit then the Vine but rather more 4 How quoth I Lord more then the Vine Being hanged saith he on the Elm it yieldeth much and good fruit But lying on the earth it yieldeth little and bad fruit Therefore this Similitude is put to the servants of God To the poor and to the rich I answered saying Lord demonstrate it to me 5 Hear quoth he the RICH hath riches but from the Lord he is poor for he is distracted about his riches and hath verry little prayer to the Lord and what he hath he hath it sluggish and not having power when therefore the
THE THREE BOOKS OF Hermas the Disciple of PAVL the Apostle Viz. I. The Church II. The Sheepherd III. The Similitudes Englished by John Pringle LONDON Printed for John White in Thread-needle Street behinde the Old Exchange 1661. The first Book of Hermas the Disciple of Paul which is intituled the CHURCH VISION I. HE who had brought me up sold a certain Girle at Rome but after many years her being seen I again knew and I began to love her as my sister but some time being finished I saw her washed in the River Tyber And I stretched out my hand to her and led her out of the River and having seen her I thought in my heart saying Happy should I be if I could obtain such a Wife both in beauty and manners This only nor any thing else did I think 2 But after some time passing on with these cogitations I honoured the Creature of God thinking how excellent and beautiful it is And when I had walked I fell asleep And the Spirit caught me and carried me by a certain place at the right hand by which man could not travel But the place was among the Rocks and craggy and impassable by reason of waters And when I had past over that place I came into a plain and my knees being bowed I began to pray unto the Lord and to confesse my sins 3 And while I prayed the Heaven opened and I see the woman whom I had desired saluting me from Heaven and saying Hail Hermas And I looking upon her say unto her Lady what dost thou here But she answered unto me I am received hither that I may reprove thy sinnes before the Lord. Lady said I wilt thou reprove me No saith she but hear the words which I am about to say unto thee 4 God who dwelleth in the Heavens and made out of nothing the things that are and multiplied them for his holy Church is angry with thee because thou hast offended against me I answering say unto her Lady if against thee I have offended where or in what place or when did I speak to thee any unseemly word Have I not alwayes esteemed thee as my Mistresse Have I not alwayes respected thee as my Sister Why dost thou imagine those so hainous crimes against me 5 Then she smiling on me saith The concupiscence of wickedness hath arisen in thine heart seems it not to thee to be an unjust thing to a just man if evil concupiscence should arise in his heart It is a sin to him and indeed a great one for a just man thinks just things therefore he thinking the things that are just and he rightly proceeding in the Heavens he shall have the Lord favourable in every businesse of his but who so think wicked things in their hearts death and captivity do they chuse to themselves chiefly they who love this world and glory in their riches and who expect not the good things to come their souls are emptied But these things the doubtful ones do who have not hope in the Lord and despise and neglect their LIFE but pray thou to the Lord and he will heal the sins of thee and of thy whole house and of all the Saints 6 But after she had spoken these words the Heavens were shut and I was altogether in sorrow and fear and said within me If this be imputed sin unto me how shall I be able to be saved or how shall I entreat the Lord for my most abundant sins with what words shall I beseech the Lord that he may be merciful to me 7 These things I revolving and discerning in my heart I see against me a great chair made of wools white as the snow and an old Woman came in a shining Vesture having a book in her hand and she sat alone and saluted me Hail Hermas And I sad and weeping said Hail Lady And she said unto me Why art thou sad Hermas who wast patient and modest and alwayes cheerful I answering say unto her Lady a reproach is cast upon me by an excellent woman saying that I have offended against her But she saith unto me Far be that thing from a servant of God but perhaps the concupisence of her hath arisen in thine heart There is indeed in the Servants of God such a thought bringing in sin for this abominable thought ought not to be in the servant of God nor a proved spirit to covet an evil work and especially Hermas who containeth from all wicked concupisence and is full of all simplicity and great innocency However not because of thee is the Lord angry but for thine house which hath committed-a wickednesse against the Lord and against their Parents And thou seeing thou art a lover of thy sons hast not stir'd up thine house but hast let them passe to be conversant violently for because of this is the Lord angry with thee But he will heal all the evils which are acted against thee in thine house for because of their sins and iniquities thou art consumed through worldly employments for now the loving kindness of God hath pitied thee and thine house and hath preserved thee in GLORY Onely do not thou WANDER but be patient in mind and strengthen thine house Even as a worker in brass producing his work exposeth them to him to whom he will so also thou teaching the daily just word wilt cut off great sin Cease not therefore to admonish thy sons for the Lord knows that they will act repentance from their whole heart and he shall write thee in THE BOOK OF LIFE 9 And when she had finished these words she saith to me Wilt thou hear me reading I say unto her Lady I will Be thou then an hearer And turning over the book she read gloriously and excellently and wonderfully which I was not able to retain in memory for they were terrifying words which man was not able to sustain Yet the last words I commended to memory for they were few and profitable for us 10 Behold the God of powers who by his invisible power and great knowledge hath built the World and by his honourable Council compassed about his Creature with comliness and by his most strong WORD fixed the Heaven and founded the Earth upon the waters and by his powerfull vertue hath built his holy CHURCH which he hath blessed Behold he will remove the Heavens and Mountains Little hills and Seas and all shall be full with his chosen ones that he may render unto them the promise which he re-promised with much honour and joy if they shall keep the statutes of God which they received in great faith 11 And when she had finished in reading she arose from the chair and four young men came and took up likewise the chair to the EAST And she called me to her and touched my breast and saith unto me did my reading please thee I say unto her Lady these last pleased me but the former are cruel and hard but she saith unto me these
involved in the employments and riches of the Heathen men and another is a lying Prophet who destroys the senses of the Servants of God but not of these doubtful ones who trust in the Lord fully 3 Therefore these doubtful ones come as to a Divine and ask him what is about to befall them and that lying Prophet having none of the power of the divine Spirit in him speaketh to them according to their asking and fills their souls with promises even as they would but that PROPHET is empty and answereth empty things to the empty for whatsoever is asked him of vain men he will answer them vain things 4 But some words he speaketh true for the Devil filleth him with his Spirit that he may cast down some of the just whosoever therefore are strong in the faith of the Lord and are cloathed with the TRUTH to such Spirits they are not joyned but depart from them but as many as are doubtful and thenceforth act Repentance they consult even as the Heathens and heap up very great sin to themselves serving IDOLS 5 Whosoever therefore are such they ask for any businesse they worship images and are fools and empty from the TRUTH for EVERY SPIRIT GIVEN OF GOD IS NOT ASKED but having the vertue of the Divinity from it self speaketh all things because it is from above from the power of the divine Spirit but whoso being asked speaketh according to the desire and of many other things of this world they of this sort understand not the questions of the DIVINITY for they are darkned by these businesses and are corrupted and broken 6 As good vines that are neglected by weeds and thorns are pressed and killed so also the men who have credited such they have fallen into many businesses and actions and are made empty from their FEELING and understand nothing at all thinking about riches but if at any time they shall hear of the Lord their SENSE is in their businesses but they that have the fear of the Lord and search out from God the Truth they have every thought unto the Lord all things that are spoken to them they perceive because they have the fear of the Lord in them for WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IN HABITETH THERE also IS adjoyned MUCH FEELING adjoyn thy self therefore to the Lord and thou shalt understand and perceive all things 7 Hear now O unwise after what manner SADNESSE vexeth the holy Spirit and how it makes it whole when a DOUBTFUL one shall fall into any businesse and it doth not succeed to him because of dubitation this sorrow entreth into the man and MAKETH SAD THE HOLY SPIRIT and vexeth it after that again when WRATH shall happen to a man for any businesse he is vehemently enraged and this wrath entreth in into the inward parts of him that is angry and he is vexed in his businesse which he doth and after that repenteth him that he hath done evilly 8 Therefore both these things hurt the holy spirit DOUBTING and SADNESSE Doubting because his action succeeded not and Sadnesse because he caused wrath to his SPIRIT remove sorrow therefore from thee AND DO NOT THOU OFFEND THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH DWELETH IN THEE LEAST IT intreat the Lord and DEPART from thee for the spirit of the Lord which is given into the FLESH indureth not sadnesse 9 Cloath thee therefore with chearfulnesse which alwaies hath favour with the Lord and thou shalt be joyful in it for every chearful man worketh well and savoureth good things and dispiseth unrighteousnesse But a sorrowful man doth evilly because he maketh sad the holy Spirit which is given to the chearful man and again he doth evil in that the sorrowful man intreats the Lord and doth not before make confession and he obtaineth not of God what he asketh for alwaies the prayer of the sorrowful man hath not the force that it may approach the ALTAR of God 10 And I said to him Lord why hath not the prayer of the sorrowful man the power to ascend to the Altar of the Lord Because heavinesse sitteth in his heart Therefore when the prayer of a man shall be mixed with sorrow it will not suffer the prayer to ascend pure to the ALTAR of God for as Wine mixed with Vinegar hath not the same sweetnesse so also heavinesse mixed with the holy Spirit hath not the same prayer clean Therefore cleanse thee from evil sadnesse and thou shalt live to God and they shall all LIVE TO GOD who shall cast away from themselves sadnesse and shall put on chearfulnesse COMMAND XI 1 HE shewed me men sitting on seats and one sitting in a Chaire and he said to me Seest thou those who sit on benches I see them Lord quoth I These are the Faithful and he that sitteth in the Chair is the TERRESTRIALL SPIRIT For into the Church of the men it approacheth not but flyeth away but it applieth it self to the DOUBTFUL ones and empty and in corners and hidden places it divineth to them and it delighteth them in speaking according to all the desires of their heart 2 For what is committed to empty vessels doth not run over but they agree one to another but when it shall come into the company of just men having the SPIRIT of the Divinity and their prayer is to the Lord that man is frustated because that Terestrial Spirit flyeth from him and he becometh dumb nor can speak any thing 3 As in a CELLAR if thou shalt cover Wine or Oyl and amongst these vessels shalt put an empty vessel and again wouldest take off the covering that vessel which thou didst put thou shalt find empty So also EMPTY PROPHETS when they shall come among the spirit of just men such as they come such are they found 4 Thou hast the life of both the Prophets try therefore by life and works the man that saith himself to have the holy Spirit but believe thou the Spirit coming from God having vertue but to the earthly empty spirit which is from the Devil in which there is not faith nor power do not give credit 5 Hear therefore a Similitude which I am about to tell thee Take a stone and cast it toward Heaven Or again take a squirt of water and squirt it out towards Heaven and see if thou canst smite the Heaven How quoth I Lord can these things be For both these which thou hast spoken cannot be done even as therefore these cannot be done So the Terrestrial spirit is without power and without effect 6 Take now the power coming down from above in this similitude The hail is the least grain and when it falls upon the head of a man how doth it bring griefs Or again look on the drop of rain which from the eaves falls on the earth and makes hollow the stone So therefore the least things which from above fall upon the earth have great power Adjoyn thee therefore to this man having the POWER and from that empty one
is nor alive nor dead 96 For as their herbs having seen the Sun withered so also the doubtful as soon as they have heard of persecution fearing discommodities they have returned to images and again have served them and have been ashamed to bear the Name of the Lord Therefore this sort of men are nor alive nor dead but also they may live if suddenly they shall do Repentance but if not already are they delivered to these women who will take away their LIFE 97 But of the FIFTH rough Mountain and having green herbs are of this sort who have believed faithful indeed but difficultly believing and bold and pleasing themselves willing to be seen to know all things and knowing nothing at all Therefore because of this boldness sense hath departed from them and rash arrogance hath entred into them but they have carried themselves high and as if wise and whilst they are fools they covet to seem Teachers because of this folly while they magnifie themselves many of them are emptied 98 For a great Devil is audaciousnesse and vain confidence Therefore of these many are abjected but others having acknowledged their errour have done Repentance and have subjected themselves to those that have a perceiving But also to the rest the like of these is Repentance held forth for neither were they evil but rather unwise and fools Therefore these if they shall do Repentance shall LIVE TO GOD but if not they shall dwell with these women who shall exercise their wickednesses IN THEM 99 Of the SIXT Mountain having clefts more and lesse are of this sort who have believed and these in whom the clefts were lesse these are they who have strived among themselves and because of their complaints languish in the faith But many of them have done Repentance and the rest shall do the same having heard my Commandments for their contentions are small and easily do they return to Repentance 100 But these who have greater as stones will be stubborn they are mindful of grudges offences excercising wrath among themselves These therefore are thrown away from the Tower and reprobated from its Structure therefore these sort of men shall hardly LIVE 101 Our God and Lord who hath Dominion over all things and hath power of his universal Creature will not remember offences but by those that confesse their sins is he easily pleased But man seeing he is languishing Mortal Infirm and filled with sins is perseveringly angry with man as if he could preserve or destroy him 102 But I THE MESSENGER and SET OVER TO REPENTANCE do admonish you that whosoever of you have such a purpose lay it by and run again to Repentance and the Lord shall heal your former failings if from this Devil ye shall purifie your selves but if not ye shall be delivered to him unto Death 103 But of the SEVENTH Mountain in which the herbs were green and sprightly and the whole Mountain was fertile and all kind of cattel took pasture of the herbs of that Mountain and how much the more these herbs were pluckt by so much the more joyous did they reflourish These are of this sort who have believed simple and good alwayes 104 And having no dissentions among themselves but always being joyful of the Servants of God having indued the Spirit of these Virgins and alwayes prompt to do loving kindnesse on all men and of their labours affording easily to all men without upbraiding and deliberation the Lord therefore having seen their simplicity and all their child-likenesse hath increased them in the labours of their hands and hath given them in every work favour 105 But I exhort you the Messenger set over to Repentance to remain in the same purpose whosoever are of this sort LEAST YOUR SEED BE ROOTED OUT FOR EVER for the Lord hath tryed you and hath written you into our number and all your SEED with the Son of God he hath inriched for of his Spirit are ye all 106 But of the EIGHT Mountain in which were many Fountains in whom was watered every kind of the Creature of God are such who have believed the APOSTLES whom the Lord hath sent over the whole World to preach and some Teachers who have chastly and sincerely preached and tought nor have subscribed any thing at all evilly to lust but dayly in equity and truth have walked These therefore have their conversation among the ANGELS 107 But of the NINTH deserted Mountain and having serpents are of this sort who have believed but also had blots these are the MINISTERS doing their Ministry badly SNATCHING AWAY THE GOODS OF WIDDOWS AND PUPILS PROFFERING OTHERS IN THEIR STEAD WITH THESE GOODS WHICH THEY HAVE GOT These if they shall continue in the same coveteousnesse have delivered themselves to death nor was any hope of life in them but if they shall be converted and shall chastly finish their Ministry they may live 108 But these who were found rugged are they who have denied the Name of the Lord nor to the Lord again have returned but have become wild and deserted not applying themselves to Gods servants but separate from them for a little solicitude have let go THEIR LIFE for as a vine left in a hedge to whom there happeneth no dressing doth perish and is choaked by weeds and in time becomes wilde for it ceaseth to be profitable to its Lord. 109 So also this sort of men dispairing of themselves becoming imbittered have begun to be unprofitable to their Lord to these therefore is Repentance committed If from his heart he shall not be found to have denied it whither he can attain life I am ignorant 110 And therefore I say that in these dayes if any hath denied it he may return to Repentance for it cannot be that any one now denying his Lord can afterward attain unto salvation but to them is the proposed Repentance reputed who in times past have denied it for he that is about to act Repentance ought to hasten before the structure of this Tower is finished but if not by these WOMEN he shall be dragged unto Death 111 But they who being maimed are deceitful and threatning one against an other These are the serpents mixed in that Mountain for as the poyson of serpents is destructive to men so also the words of such infect men and destroy them therefore they are maimed from their faith because of this kind of their life in which they linger but some of them having received Repentance have attain'd salvation but also the rest of this sort of men shall equally attain it if they shall do Repentance but if not they shall die with these Women whose force and power they possesse 112 But of the TENTH Mountain in which there were trees covering the Cattel are such who have believed some overseers that is Presidents of Churches but others these stones who not with a feigned but with a cheerful mind alwayes into their houses have received the servants of God And after
astonished and my hairs rose up and as it were a horrour ceized on me seeing I was alone But being returned to my self and having remembred the Glory of God and having taken courage having bowd my knees I confessed to God again the sins which before 4 Behold she cometh thither with six young men whom also I had seen before and she stood behind me and heard me praying and confessing unto the Lord my sins and touching me she said Leave off now to pray so much for thy sins pray also for Righteousnesse that thou mayst receive part of it in thine house 5 And she raised me up from the place and took hold of my hand and led me to the seat and she saith to these young men Go ye and build but after the youths had departed and we were alone she saith to me sit thou here I say to her Lady suffer the Elders before to sit down What I say to thee quoth she Sit thou down And when I would sit at the right side she suffered not but beckned to me with her hand that I should sit at the left side 6 But I bethinking and remaining sad that she had not suffered me to sit at the right side she saith to me Why art thou sad Hermas The place which is at the right side is theirs who already have deserved GOD and have suffered for the cause of his Name But to thee there remains much that thou mayest sit with them as thou remainest in thy simplicity remain thou and thou shalt sit with them and whosoever shall have wrought their works and shall sustain what they have sustained 7 I say unto her Lady I would know what they have sustained Hear quoth she wild Beasts Whips Prisons Crosses for the cause of his Name for this theirs are the right sides of Holinesse and whoso shall suffer for the Name of God but the rest 's are the left sides but to both of them both who at the right hand and who at the left do sit are the gifts and promises only that who sit at the right side have a certain glory but thou art desirous to sit at the right hand with them but thy infirmities are many but thou shalt be purged from thy failings but also all who shall not be doubtfull shall be made clean from all their sins unto this day 8 And when she had said these things she would go away and falling down before her at her feet I besought her by the Lord that to me she would demonstrate the fight which she had re-promised But she again took hold of my hand and lifted me up and made me to sit upon the seat at the left hand and having lifted up a certain splendent rod she saith to me Seest thou a mighty thing I say to her Lady I see nothing Behold Seest thou not over against thee a great Tower which is built upon the waters with four-corner'd stones shining 9 For in a Quadrangle was there a Tower builded by these six Youths who had come with her but others many thousands of men did bring stones but some drew forth stones from the DEEP others took them up from the EARTH and gave them to these six Youths moreover they took them and builded but those stones which were extracted out of the deep they did all place so into the structure for they were polished and convenient for commixture with other stones and so were they conjoyned one to another so that their commixtures could not appear and on this manner did the structure of the Tower appear as if builded of one stone 10 But the rest of the stones which were brought from off the earth some of them indeed they rejected but some they fitted for the structure others they hewed and did cast far from the Tower but many other stones were placed about the Tower and they did not use them for the structure for some of them were RUGGED but others had RENTS but others were WHITE and ROUND not agreeing for the structure of the Tower 11 But I saw other stones to be cast far from the Tower and tumbling into the WAY and not remaining in the way but to be rolled from the way into a desert place but others falling into the FIRE and burning others falling beside the WATER nor to be able to be rolled into the water they indeed being willing to enter into the Water 12 And when she had demonstrated unto me these things she would depart I say to her Lady what doth it profit me to have seen these things and not to know what these things are She answering said to me Thou art a cunning man willing to know these things that are about the Tower Therefore say I Lady that I may declare it to my Brethren and they may be made more chearful and hearing these things may honour the Lord with much glory 13 And she saith many indeed shall hear and when they shall hear some of them shall rejoyce but some shall weep but also they hearing if they shall act repentance they also shall rejoyce Hear now concerning the similitude of the Tower all these things and hitherto be thou not more troublesom to me concerning revelation for these revelations have an end for they are fulfilled but thou desistest not in asking revelations for thou art importunate 14 The Tower indeed which thou seest to be builded Am I the Church who have appeared to thee both now and before Whatsoever therefore thou wouldst ask thou concerning the Tower and I will reveal it to thee that thou mayest rejoyce with the Saints I say unto her Lady because thou hast once esteemed me worthy that thou mayest reveal all things to me reveal them She saith to me whatsoever must be revealed to thee so much shall be revealed that thy heart may be with the Lord and doubt thou not whatsoever thou seest 15 I asked her Why is the Tower built upon the waters Lady I had said unto thee also before thee to be subtle enquiring diligently about the structures therefore thou shalt find the Truth Why therefore the Tower is builded upon the WATERS hear thou because your life is saved by water and shall be for it is founded with the word of his omnipotent and honourable Name for it is contained by the invisible power of God I answering say to her highly do these things carry themselves 16 But these six young men that build who are they Lady These are the Angels of God who at first were constitute to whom the Lord hath delivered his universal Creature of the building edifying and ruling over his Creature for by them shall the structure of the Tower be consummate 17 But the rest that bring stones who are they They also the holy Angels of the Lord but they are more excellent then these therefore when the building of the Tower shall be accomplished they shall altogether feast beside the Tower and shall honour the Lord because the structure
thou seven women about the Tower I see them quoth I Lady 37 This Tower is supported by them according to the Precept of the Lord Hear now the effects of them The first indeed of them who takes hold with her hand is called FAITH by her shall the chosen of God be saved but the other who is guirded about and acteth manfully is called ABSTINENCE she is the Daughter of Faith whosoever therefore shall follow her shall become happy in his LIFE because he shall abstain from all evil works believing that if he shall contain himself from all Concupiscence he shall be an heir of Life Eternal 38 But the other five Lady who are they They are Daughters mutually quoth she but one is called SIMPLICITY another INNOCENCY another MODESTY another DISCIPLINE but another CHARITY Therefore when thou shalt have kept the works of their Mother thou shalt be able to keep all things 39 I would know Lady what vertue each of them hath Hear quoth she They have equal vertues but their vertues are mutually connected and do follow them by course as they are born of Faith is born Abstinence of Abstinence Simplicity of Simplicity Innocency of Innocency Modesty of Modesty Discipline and Charity Therefore their works are holy chast and right whosoever therefore shall serve them and would hold their works he shall have an habitation in the Tower with the Saints of God 40 I asked her of the times if now is the consummation But she exclaimed with a great voice saying O senselesse man dost thou not see the Tower to be alwaies builded Therefore when the Tower shall be consummate and builded it hath an end but also swiftly shall it be finished do not thou any more ask me any thing let this commemoration suffice thee and all the Saints and this renovation of your Spirits 41 But not to thee alone are these things revealed but that thou mayest also demonstrate them to all for after three dayes thou must understand Hermas these words which I begin to say unto thee that thou mayest speak them in the ears of the Saints that they hearing them when they shall have done them they may be cleansed from their wickednesses and thou with them 42 Hear me my Sons I nourished you in much simplicity and innocency and modesty because of the loving-kindnesse of God which distilled upon you in Righteousnesse that ye may be sanctified and justified from all naughtinesse and wickednesse but ye will not cease from your wickednesses 43 Now therefore hear me and have peace one with another and visit ye one another and take ye by course and do not ye alone take the Creatures of God also impart ye more abundantly to the needy for some with many meats contract infirmity of their flesh and violate their flesh but of others who have not meat the flesh of them withereth for that because they have not food sufficient and their body is consumed therefore this intemperance is hurtful to you that have and do not communicate to the needful Attend ye the judgement coming upon you 44 Ye that are more eminent enquire ye out the hungry while as yet the Tower is not consummate for after the Tower shall be finished ye will be willing to do good and shall not have place See therefore ye that glory in your riches least perhaps they groan who stand in need and their groan ascend to the Lord and ye be excluded with your goods out of the gate of the Tower 45 Now therefore I say to you who are over the Church and love the chief seats do not ye become like unto witches and the witches indeed carry their poysons in boxes but ye contain your poyson and drugs in the heart and ye will not purge your hearts and mix your sense with a pure heart that you may have tender mercy from the great KING 46 See therefore Sons least perhaps these your dissentions betray your LIFE how will ye instruct the elected Ones of God when your selves have not Discipline Commonish therefore your selves mutually and be ye appeased among them that also I before your Father appearing may render a reason for you to the Lord. 47 And when she had left off to speak with me these six young men that builded came and took her away to the Tower and the other four took up the seat and they went again into the Tower their faces I saw not because they were averted I asked her going away that she would reveal to me concerning the three shapes in which she had appeared to me But answering she said to me concerning these thou must ask another that it may be revealed to thee 48 But Brethren she appeared to me in the first vision a very old woman in the former year and sitting in a chair But in another vision she had indeed a youthful face but flesh and hairs ancient and standing did speak to me but she was more chearful than first But in the third vision she was all more youthful and comely in countenance onely that she had ancient hairs but she was chearful in face and sitting upon a seat 49 For these very things I was exceedingly sad untill I should know this vision I see that old woman in a vision of the night saying to me All thy asking stands in need of humility fast therefore and thou shalt receive from the Lord what thou requirest 50 Therefore I fasted one day in the same night there appeared to me a youth and said Why dost thou frequently ask revelations in thy prayer see least seeking many things thou hurt thy flesh let these revelations suffice thee canst thou see more strong revelations then what thou hast seen 51 I answering say unto him Lord this alone I ask for the three figures of that old Womon that the Revelation may be made compleat He answered me Ye are not senselesse but your dubitations make senselesse because that ye have not your heart to the Lord. 52 I answered to him and said but from thee we shall know these things more diligently hear saith he of the figures which thou enquirest In the first vision indeed why an old Woman appeared to thee sitting upon a chair because your Spirit is more ancient also is withered and not having force for your infirmities and dubitation of heart 53 For even as Elderly men who have not hope of renewing and nothing else expect but their sleep so also ye infirmed by worldly businesses have delivered up your selves unto slothfulnesse and have not thrown off solicitude from you in the Lord and your sense is confused and ye have waxed old in your sadnesses 54 Why therefore she sate upon a chair I would know Lord He answered because every infirm man sitteth on a chair because of his infirmity that his infirmity may be conteined behold thou hast the figure of the first vision 55 But in the second vision thou didst see her standing and having a youthful face and more chearful
then the former but flesh and hairs ancient Hear quoth he also this parable When any one hath now become older he despairs of himself because of his infirmity and poverty and he expecteth nothing else but the last day of his life after that suddenly to him there is left an inheritance and hearing he riseth up and being become chearful he indueth strength and now he sits not down but standeth and is freed from his former sorrows and now he sits not but does manfully 56 So also ye hear ye the revelation which God hath revealed to you because the Lord hath had pitie on you and hath renewed your Spirit and ye have put off your infirmities strength hath come unto you and ye have grown strong in Faith and God having seen your valour hath rejoyced for this cause he hath demonstrated to you the structure of the Tower and he will shew you other things if from your whole heart ye shall have peace among your selves 57 But in the third vision thou sawest her more youthful honest and chearful and her countenance serene for even as if any good messenger should come upon any one sad immediately he forgets his sorrow and expecteth nothing else but the message which he hath heard he is comforted concerning the rest and his Spirit is renovated because of the joy which he hath taken So also ye have gotten the renovation of your spirits seeing these good things 58 And because upon a seat ye saw her sitting it is a strong position because a stool hath four feet and stands strongly For also the world is contained by the four Elements therefore they that shall do Repentance compleatly shall be younger and they that from their whole heart shall act Repentance shall be grounded Thou hast in full the revelation seek nothing more of things to be revealed but if any thing must it shall be revealed to thee VISION IV. 1 BRethren I saw a vision after twenty daies of the former vision the figure of tribulation about to come upon us for I was going on in that way to Campana but from the publick way unto the village are nigh ten furlongs but seldom is any journey made by that place 2 And I walking alone entreated the Lord that these revelations which he shewed to me by his holy Church he would confirm and would grant Repentance unto all his Servants that are scandalized that his Great and Honourable Name may be honoured and because he esteemed me worthy that he should shew unto me his wonders and I should honour him and give him thanks as it were a voice answered unto me DOVBT NOT HERMAS 3 I began therefore to think within me and to say What have I to doubt so grounded by the Lord and who have seen honourable things 4 I went forward a little Brethren and behold I see the dust up to Heaven I began to say within me What do the Cattel come and stir up the dust but it was distant from me as it were a furlong and behold I see the dust more and more arising so that I suspected it to be something from above 5 But the Sun shone a little and behold I see a great beast like unto a Whale and out of his mouth proceeded fiery Locusts but the stature of that beast was almost an hundred foot but he had an head like a round urnal vessel I began to weep and invoke the Lord that he might deliver me from it then I remembred the word which I had heard DOUBT NOT HERMAS 6 Therefore brethren having put on the faith of God and remembred him that taught me great things I delivered my self boldly upon the Beast but so did that beast come so that it could in one stroke crush a City I came near it and the beast so huge extended it self upon the Earth and did shew forth nothing but it's tongue and at all did not move it self until I had past over it all 7 But that beast had upon its head four colours black then red and bloudy then golden then white but after I had gone over it I went forward nigh thirty foot and behold there met me a certain virgin well adorned as if coming out of her bed all in white and shod with white shoes and down to her face having a Mitre but for a covering she had her neat hairs 8 I knew therefore by my former visions because she is the CHURCH and I became more chearful but she saluted me saying Hail thou Man And I saluted her saying Hail Lady But she answering said to me Hath nothing met thee Man I say to her Lady there hath met me such a beast as could consume a people but by the power of God and his singular loving kindnesse I have escaped it 9 Thou hast well escaped it saith she because thou hast thrown down thy solitude and solicitude before the Lord and hast opened thy heart unto him believing that by no other thou couldst be safe except by his Great and Honourable Name for this cause the Lord hath sent his Angel who is over the BEASTS whose name is HEGRIN and he hath stopt it's mouth least it should slaughter thee Great tribulation hast thou escaped because of thy faith and who hast not stood in doubt of such a beast 10 Go therefore and declare to the elected of God his great things and thou shalt say unto them that this beast is the figure of pressure about to come upon them if therefore ye shall prepare you ye shall be able to escape it if your heart shall be pure and without spot and if the rest of your dayes ye shall serve God without complaint cast your solicitudes upon the Lord and he shall direct them Believe God ye who are DOUBTFUL because he can do all things both avert his wrath from you and send you safeguards 11 Wo to these doubtful ones who shall hear these words and shall despise them it had been better for them not to have been born 12 I asked her of these four colours which the Beast had in his head but she answered unto me saying Again thou art curious asking concerning things of this sort And I said Lady demonstrate unto me what these are Hear saith she That BLACK is the World in which ye stay but the FIERY and BLOUDY because this World must perish by bloud and fire 13 But the GOLDEN part are ye who have escaped this World for as by fire Gold is tried and becomes profitable so also are ye tryed who dwell in them Therefore they that shall continue and shall be tried by them shall be purged and as Gold is made better and puts off its drosse so also ye shall cast off all sadnesse and anguish and ye shall be made clean for the structure of the Tower but the WHITE part is of the age about to come on in which the elected Ones of God shall dwell because the elect of God shall be immaculate and pure into
Life Eternal 14 Thou therefore cease not to speak these things in the ears of the Saints ye have also the figure of great tribulation about to come upon you for if ye would it shall be nothing In your mind retain these things that are prescribed These things when she had said she departed but I saw not to what place she went away But there was a noise made and I turned behind me being afraid and did think that beast was approaching The End of the first Book The second Book of Hermas the Disciple of Paul which is intituled the SHEEPHERD The Proaem 1. WHen I had prayed at home and had sat down upon the Bed there entered a certain man of a reverend face in a Pastoral habit cloathed with a white Cloak carrying a bag in his shoulders and a Rod in his hand and he saluted me and I resaluted him and forthwith he sitteth down next me 2 And saith to me I am sent from that venerable Messenger that I may dwell with thee the rest of the daies of thy life And I thought him to have come to tempt me And I say to him for who art thou for I know to whom I am delivered He saith to me knowest thou not me No quoth I I am that Sheepherd to whom thou art delivered 3 He as yet speaking his figure was changed and when I had known it to be him to whom I was delivered I was confounded and forthwith a fear came in upon me and I was wholly broken with sorrow because I had answered to him so unwisely He saith to me be not confounded but receive power in thy mind in my commandments which I am about to give thee 4 For I am sent quoth he that what things thou didst before see I may shew thee them all again chiefly of these which are useful for YOU First of all my Commandments and the figures of similitudes write thou but the rest as I shall shew them thee so shalt thou write them But therefore I injoyn thee first to write my Commandments and the Similitudes that after that by reading thou may'st more easily keep them 5 Therefore I wrote the commands and similitudes even as he had enjoyned me which being heard if YE shall keep them and in them shall walk and shall exercise them in a PURE MIND ye shall receive from the Lord what things he promised you but if these being heard ye shall not act Repentance but shall add unto your transgressions ye shall receive the adverse things from the Lord all these that Sheepherd the Messenger of Repentance commanded me to write COMMAND I. 1 FIrst of all believe thou that there is one God who created and finished all things and made all things of nothing He capable of all things is alone great who can neither with word be defined nor by the mind conceived 2 Believe therefore on him and fear him and fearing have ABSTINENCE These keep and cast away from thee all naughtinesse and put on the virtue of Righteousnesse and thou shalt LIVE TO GOD if thou shalt keep this Commandment COMMAND II. 1 HE said to me have thou simplicity and be thou innocent and thou shalt be as the infant who knows not malice who hath lost the life of men First of none speak evilly nor willingly hear one speaking evilly But if thou also shalt hear thou shalt be partaker of the sins of the evil speaker and believing thou likewise shalt have sin because thou hast believed him that speaketh evilly of thy brother 2 Detraction is pernitious it is an unconstant devil 〈…〉 it consisteth never in peace but remaineth alwaies in discord contain thee from it and have alwaies peace with thy brother Put on holy CONSTANCY in which are no sins but all are gladsome and do good out of thy labours to all needful ones give simply nothing doubting to whom thou mayst give give to all FOR TO ALL WOULD GOD GIVE OF HIS GOOD THINGS 3 Therefore they that get shall render account to God why they received it and to what But they who get having feigned necessity shall render a reason but he that giveth shall be innocent for as he receiveth from the Lord he accomplished his Ministry in doubting nothing to whom he should give and to whom he should not give and he did this Ministry simply gloriously to God Keep therefore this command as I have spoke to thee that thy repentance may be found simple and it may become well to thy house and have thou A CLEAN HEART COMMAND III. 1 A Gain he said to me love the truth and let all true speech proceed out of thy mouth that THE SPIRIT WHICH THE LORD HATH PLACED IN THY FLESH may be found TRUE with all men and the Lord may be magnified who HATH GIVEN A SPIRIT IN THEE because the Lord is true in every word and there is not a lie in him Therefore they that lie deny the Lord not restoring to God the PLEDGE which they received 2 FOR THEY RECEIVED A SPIRIT WITHOUT LYE This if they render subject to lying they do stain the command of the Lord and become deceivers I having heard these things wept vehemently who when he saw me weeping he said to me why weepest thou And I said because Lord I know not if I can be able to be saved Why saith he 3 And I said because never Lord have I spoken a true word in my life but have alwayes lived in simulation and a lye for the truth I have affirmed to all and there hath not any one contradicted me but trust hath been had to my word how then can I live seeing I have so done And he said to me thou indeed thinkest well and truly for it became thee as the servant of God to walk in the truth and not to conjoyn an evil conscience with the SPIRIT OF TRUTH nor to cause sadness to the holy and true Spirit of God 4 And I said to him Never Lord have I heard these words so diligently And he said to me Now thou hearest them take care after this that also these false things which before thou hast spoken for thy employments with these words that also they may receive faith for also they can receive faith if after this thou shalt speak true things and if thou shalt keep the truth thou shalt be able to attaine LIFE And whosoever shall hear this command and shall do it and shall depart from lying he shall LIVE TO GOD. COMMAND IIII. 1 I Command thee quoth he that thou keep CHASTITY let not the thought of thine heart arise to thee of a strange matrimony or of Fornication for this begetteth great sin but be thou alwaies mindfull of the Lord at all hours and thou shalt NEVER SIN For if this so evil cogitation ascend into thine heart thou commitest a great sin And they that do these things follow the way of death See thou therefore abstain thy self from this cogitation for where
chastity remains in the heart of a just man there ought an evil cogitation never to arise 2 And I said to him Lord permit me to speak a few words with thee Speak saith he And I said to him Lord if any should have a Wife faithfull in the Lord and should find her in adultery doth the husband sin if he live together with her And he said to me 3 As long as he knoweth not her sin the Husband is without blame dwelling together with her But if the Husband shall know his Wife to have transgressed and the Wife shall not do Repentance and remains in her Fornication and the Husband live with her he shall be guilty of her sin partaker of her Adultery And I said to him What then if the Woman shall continue in her faults And he said Let the Husband send her away and let the Husband remain by himself but if he shall send away his Wife and shall marry another he also committeth Adultery 4 And I said to him What if the woman put away should do repentance and would be returned to her Husband shall she not be received by her Husband And he said to me Yea if her Husband shall not receive her he sinneth and admitteth a great sin to himself but he ought to receive her a sinner who hath done repenpentance But not often for to the servants of God the Repentance is one 5 Because of repentance therefore the Husband having put away his Wife ought not to marry another Here the act is alike both in the Husband and in the VVife not only is it adultery to them who pollute their own flesh but also she who maketh an Image commits Adultery But if in these deeds she persevere and do not repentance depart from her and do not live together with her otherwise also thou shalt be partaker of her sin 6 For this cause it is commanded you that ye remain single both the Husband and the VVife for there may be repentance in a deed of this sort but also I give not occasion that these be so done but that he who hath sinned sin no more but of his former sins God who hath the power of giving soundness shall give a remedy because it is he that hath power of all things 7 Again I asked and said because my Lord hath esteemed me to be worthy that thou shouldest dwell with me alwaies declare unto me a few words because I understand not any thing and my heart is stopped by my former conversation and open to me my sence because I am vehemently stupid and of the the whole I understand nothing 8 And answering he said unto me I am set over to repentance and to all that do repentance I give feeling Doth it not seem to thee to be great wisdome to do repentance because he that doth repentance obtaineth great feeling for he feels himself to have sinned and to have done wickedly in the sight of the Lord and he is remembred BY THE INTELLECT that he hath trespassed and he doth repentance and he worketh not wickedly any more but worketh well and humbleth his Soul and vexeth it because it hath sinned 9 Thou seest therefore that repentance is great SENSE And I said to him for this cause Lord I deligently inquire all things because I am a sinner that I may know what things I may work and may live because many are my sinns And he said unto me thou shalt live if thou thou shalt keep these my commandments and whosoever shall hear and do these commands shall LIVE TO GOD. 10 And I said to him even now Lord I have heard from certain DOCTORS that other repentance there is not except that when we descend into the water and receive the remission of our sinns after that not to sin but to remain in CHASTITY 11 And he saith to me Thou hast rightly heard but now because diligently thou askest all things also this I demonstrate to thee not giving occasion to them who are about to believe or who have believed the Lord. 12 For they who have already believed or who are about to believe the repentance of sins they have not but the remission For to those who were called before these dayes hath the Lord ordained repentantance because the cogitations of the heart God doth know and he knows the infirmity of men and the manifold wickednesse of the Devil with which he endevoureth some mischief to the servants of God and layes wait for them malitiously 13 Therefore the mercifull God hath had compassion of his handy-work And hath placed that repentance and the power of this repentance hath he given to ME And therefore I say to thee that after that calling great and holy if any one shall be tempted by the Devil and shall sin he hath one repentance But thenceforth if he sin and doth repentance it shall not be profitable to the man that doth such things for difficultly shall he LIVE TO GOD. 14. And I said Lord I have revived whenas so diligently I have heard these Commandments for I know that if after this I shall add nothing to my sins I shall be saved And he said safe I say and all whosoever shall do these commands shall be safe And again I said to him Lord because thou patiently hearest me demonstrate unto me this say it quoth he 15 If the Husband or Wife of any one shall depart and any of them shall marry what Doth he sin He that marrieth sinneth not quoth he but if he would remain by himself he acquireth great honour to himself with the Lord Keep therefore CHASTITY and modesty and thou shalt live to God These things that I speak with thee keep thou henceforth from the time wherein I was delivered to thee and dwell in thine house and there shall be remission to thy former sins if thou shalt keep my commandments But also to all there shall be remission who shall keep my commandments COMMAND V. 1 BE thou of a poysed mind quoth he and patient and thou shalt have dominion over all most wicked works and shalt work ALL righteousness Because if thou shalt be PATIENT THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT DWELLETH IN THEE shall be clean and shall not be obscured by any most wicked Spirit But rejoycing it shall be inlarged and shall feast in the VESSELL in which it inhabiteth and it shall obey the Lord chearful in great peace 2 But if any wrath should come over it immediately the holy Spirit which is IN THEE shall be straitened and shall seek to depart for it is suffocated by a most wicked fight and it hath not a place of obeying the Lord as it would for it is tribulated by ANGER Therefore both Spirits when they inhabit together it is pernitious to man 3 For if any one shall pluck up a little wormwood put it into a pot of honey shall not all the honey be destroyed And so much honey by a little wormwoode perisheh and looseth the
sweetnsse of honey And now it hath not acceptance with its Lord because all the honey is made bitter and hath lost its use but if wormwood be not put into honey it shall be sweet and in use to its Lord. 4 See therefore how much sweeter equall mindednesses is then honey and he shall be profitable to the Lord that stayeth in it for WRATH is unprofitable If therefore anger shall be mixt with AEQUANIMITY the mind is afflicted and its prayer is not profitable to God 5 And I said to him I would know Lord the wickednesse of anger that I may keep me from it And he said to me Thou shalt know it and if thou shalt not keep thy self from it thou shalt loose thy hope with thy whole house But depart from it for I am with thee the MESSENGER OF EQUITY And all that depart from it whosoever shall do repentance with all their hearts they shall LIVE TO GOD but also I will be with them and will preserve them all 6 For they are all justified who shall do repentance through the most holy ANGELL Hear now quoth he the noughtiness of anger how wicked and how noxious it is and by what manner it overthrows the servants of God for they who are full in the faith it cannot hurt them because the power of God is with them for it over-turns the DOUBTFULL and EMPTY ones 7 But as oft as it shall see such men it injecteth it self into their hearts and of NOTHING either a Husband or a Wife taketh bitternesse because of the things which are in use or for a check or for any superfluous word if any thing by chance should happen or for any friend or debt or for such like superfluous things for these are foolish and superfluous and vain to the servants of God 8 But AEQUANIMITY is valiant and strong and hath great power and fitteth in great Majesty chearful rejoycing in peace and honouring the Lord in every time meekly for this equanimity dwelleth with the firm believers 9 For ANGER is foolish and light and witlesse but of foolishnesse is born bitternesse and of bitternesse wrath but of wrath madnesse This madnesse created of so many evils worketh great sin and uncurable for when all these are in ONE VESSEL VVHERE also THE HOLY SPIRIT REMAINS The Vessel endures not this but floweth over because the tender Spirit cannot with the evil Spirit inhabit it departeth and dwelleth with the MEEK After that when it shall have departed from the man IN VVHOM IT DVVELT the man becomes empty from the holy Spirit and afterward is filled with malignant Spirits and is blinded by evil cogitation 10 Depart thou therefore from wrath and put on AEQUANIMITY and resist wrath and thou shalt be found with modesty and chastity with God See therefore least perhaps thou neglect this Command for if to this Commandment thou shalt perform obedience Also the rest of my commands which I am about to injoyn thee shalt thou be able to keep Therefore now confirm thy self in these commands that thou mayest live to God and whosoever shall keep these Commandments shall LIVE TO GOD. COMMAND VI. 1 I Had injoyned thee quoth he in the first command that thou shouldest keep FAITH and FEAR and PENITENCY Yea quoth I Lord But now I will shew unto thee the vertues of these commandments that thou mayst know their effects how they are placed to the just likewise and to the unjust Thou therefore believe the just but believe the unjust in nothing for righteousnesse hath the right way but unrighteousness the evil but keep thou the right way but the wicked way forsake thou But the evil way hath not a good end but hath many offences 2 It is rough and thorny and leads to destruction and it is noxious to the men that walk in it but whoso seek the right way they walk equally without offence because it is not rough neither thorny Thou seest therefore that better it is to go by this way for thou shalt go saith he whosoever from their whole heart have believed in the Lord they shall go through it 3 Hear now saith he first of FAITH there are two SPIRITS with man one of equity and one of iniquity And I said to him how Lord shall I know that there are two SPIRITS with a man Hear saith he and understand The spirit of righteousnesse is tender gentle and bashfull affable and quiet when therefore it shall ascend into thine heart immediately it speaketh with thee of righteousnesse of modesty of chastity of bountifulnesse of pardon of charity of piety All these when they shall ascend into thine heart know that the spirit of equity is with thee to this GENIUS therefore and to its works give thou credit 4 Take now also the works of the Spirit of iniquity first it is bitter wrathful and foolish and its works are pernitious and overthrow the servants of God when therefore these things shall ascend into thine heart thou shalt understand from its works this to be the spirit of INIQUITY 5 How Lord shall I understand Hear quoth he and understand when wrath shall happen to thee or bitternesse understand that to be IN THEE After that the desire of many works and of the daintiest meats and of drunkennesses and the desirings of many strange things and pride and much speaking and ambition and whatsoever things are like these Thou therefore when thou shalt know its works depart from them all believe it in nothing because its works are evil and do not agree to the servants of God 6 Thou hast therefore the works of both the Spirits understand now and believe the Genius of Righteousnesse because its TEACHING is good For though a man be most happy and the cogitation of the other GENIUS ascend into his heart that man or woman must needs sin But also if a man shall be most wicked or a woman and the works of the GENIUS of righteousnesse ascend up into his heart it must needs be that he or she do somthing of good Thou seest therefore that it is good to follow the Spirit of equity if therefore thou shalt follow it and shalt believe its works thou shalt LIVE TO GOD And they who shall believe its works shall live to God COMMAND VII 1 FEar the Lord quoth he and keep his Commandments for keeping the precepts of God thou shalt be potent in every act and every businesse of thine shall be incomparable for fearing the Lord thou shalt work all good things This is the FEAR wherewith thou must fear that thou mayest be able to be saved but the Devil fear thou not for fearing the Lord thou shalt have dominion over him Because there is no power in him 2 But he in whom power is not he is not so much as to be feared but in whom there is glorious power he also is to be feared for every one having power is also to be feared for he that hath not power is
contemned by all fear thou plainly the fictions of the Devil because they are malignant for fearing thou shalt fear the Lord and the works of the Devil thou shalt not do but shalt abstain thee from them 3 For fear is twofold for if thou wouldst work evil fearing the Lord that indeed thou shalt not do but if thou wouldst work good verily the fear of the Lord is strong great and glorious Therefore FEAR God and thou shalt live whosoever shall fear him keeping his Commandements their LIFE is with the Lord but of those that keep them not neither is life in them COMMAND VIII 1 I Said to thee quoth he that the creatures of God are double and ABSTINENCE is double therefore from some things it behoves to abstain but from some things not Manifest quoth I to me Lord from what things I must abstain and from what not Hear saith he from evil abstain and do not do it but from good do thou not abstain but do it for if thou shalt abstain from good and shalt not do it thou shalt sin Abstain therefore from all evil and thou shalt know all Righteousnesse 2 What wicked things are these quoth I from which I must abstain Hear saith he from Adulteries Drunkennesses and evil Riotings from too much meat from gorgeousnesse and unhonesty from pride from abnegation from lying from defaming from feigned wickednesse from remembrance of injury and from most evil fame for these are the works of iniquity from which it is needful for the servant of God to abstain for he that cannot abstain in these cannot LIVE TO GOD. 3 Hear now quoth he also the consequences of them and indeed there are many things as yet from which the Servant of God ought to abstain from theft from denying from false testimony from covetousnesse from pride and whatever are like to them These therefore seem to be evil to thee do they not Truly they are very evil to the Servants of God from all these therefore ought the servant of God to abstain 4 Abstain thou therefore from all these that thou mayest live to God and mayest be wrote with the ABSTEINERS Therefore these are they from wch thou oughtest to abstein But from which thou oughtest not to abstein Hear thou from all good works abstein not but do them Hear quoth he the vertue of the good works which thou oughtest to work that thou mayest be safe 5 The first of all is Faith the fear of the Lord Charity Concord Equity Verity Patience Chastity then these there is nothing better in the life of men who shall keep these and do them in their life Next hear their consequences To administer to Widows not to despise Orphans and poor men and to redeem the Servants of God out of necessity to be apt to entertain for in Hospitality oftentimes is found good fruit not to contradict to be quiet to become most humble of all men to respect the Elders in birth to study unto Righteousnesse to preserve brother-hood to suffer reproaches to be of a contented mind 6 Not to reject those fallen from the Faith but to make them quiet in mind to admonish the sinners not to presse the debters and if there be any thing like these These seem to thee to be good do they not For what say I is better then these words Live thou therefore in these Commandments and do not depart from them for if thou shalt keep all these Commandements thou shalt live to God and all who shall keep these Commandements shall LIVE TO GOD. COMMAND IX 1 AGain he said to me remove from thee DOVBTING and nothing at all shalt thou doubt asking any thing from the Lord say not within thee But how can I seek any thing from the Lord and obtein Seeing I am a sinner of such great evils against the Lord Do not think this but from thy whole heart be converted to the Lord Ask without doubting and thou shalt know the tender mercy of the Lord that thee he will not forsake but shall fulfill the petition of thy Soul 2 For God is not like men mindful of injuries but he is unmindful of injuries and he hath compassion on his handy-work Purge therefore thine heart from all the vices of this world and observe the predicted words given to thee by God and thou shalt receive all the good things which thou askest and of all thy petitions nothing shall be wanting to thee if without doubting thou shalt ask of the Lord. 3 Who therefore are not such they obtein not at all any thing of these which they ask for whoso are full of Faith they ask all things believing and they receive of the Lord because without DOVBTING they ask for every doubting man if he shall not do repentance shall difficultly LIVE TO GOD. 4 Purifie therefore thine heart from doubting and put on faith and believe God and all things which thou askest shalt thou obtein but if sometimes thou askest a petition dost not get it do not doubt because thou gettest not quickly the petition of thy Soul for perhaps because of tentation or for thy sin which thou art ignorant of thou shalt more slowly get thy petition but do not thou desist in seeking the petition of thy Soul and thou shalt get it but if thou ceasest in asking complain of thy self and not of God that he hath not given it thee 5 See therefore this DOUBTING how pernicious it is and fierce and many by the roots it plucks up from the Faith even very faithful and firm ones for why this doubting is the Daughter of the Devil and very wickedly dealeth she with the Servants of God Contemn therefore doubting and thou shalt rule over her in every thing put on firm and potent faith for faith promiseth all things and accomplisheth all things but doubting doth not believe it self about to obtein any thing in all its works which it doth 6 Thou seest therefore quoth he That faith is from above from God and hath great power but dubitation is an earthly Spirit and from the Devil not having power Keep thou therefore the vertue of faith but from doubting depart thou which hath not vertue and thou shalt live to God and they shall all LIVE TO GOD whosoever shall do these things COMMAND X. 1 DRive far from thee all SADNESSE for she is the sister of doubting and wrath How quoth I Lord is she the Sister of these Sadnesse seems to me one thing another wrath another doubting And he saith without sense thou understandest not for sadnesse of all Spirits is the most wicked and worst to the Servants of God and it destroyeth all their Spirits and vexeth the holy Spirit and again makes it whole 2 I am foolish quoth I Lord and understand not these questions how it can vex and again make whole I understand not Hear quoth he and understand They who never sought out the Truth nor inquired of its Majesty but onely believed they are
depart thou COMMAND XII 1 AGain he said to me remove from thee all evil DESIRE and put on the good and holy desire for having put on the good desire Thou shalt hate the evil and shalt refrain it even as thou wouldest For evil desire is to be abhored and it is difficultly mitigated it is very horrible and wild and with its wildnesse consumeth men especially if into it a servant of God shall fall and unlesse he shall be wise he shall be consumed by it badly 2 But it consumeth such who have not the cloathing of the good desire and it involves them in the businesses of this World and delivers them to death What are the works Lord quoth I of the evil desire which deliver men up to DEATH Demonstrate unto me that I may depart from them Hear saith he in what works evil desire delivers the servants of God to death The spirit of all men is earthly and light and hath not power at all and speaketh many things And I said how then can any know them 3 Hear quoth he of both the VESSELS and as I say to thee so shalt thou try the Prophet of God and the false prophet First so prove the man THAT HATH THE SPIRIT OF GOD because the spirit which is from above is quiet and humble and it departeth from ALL wickednesse and the vain desire of this World and maketh it self more humble then every man AND ANSWERETH TO NO MAM BEING ASKED nor doth it answer to all men NEITHER WHEN MAN WILL DOTH THE SPIRIT OF GOD SPEAK but then it speaketh when God will 4 Therefore WHEN A MAN WHO HATH THE SPIRIT OF GOD SHALL COME INTO THE CHURCH OF JUST MEN having the faith of God and prayer is made to God then THE holy MESSENGER OF the DIVINITY FILLETH THAT MAN WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HE SPEAKETH IN THE THRONG AS GOD WILL So therefore is the spirit of Divinity known in whomsoever the spirit of Divinity speaketh 5 Hear now also of the TERRESTRIALL SPIRIT empty and foolish not having power But first a man is conceived to have this spirit for he exalteth himself and WILL HAVE THE UPPERMOST CHAIR and he is wicked and talkative and converseth in delights and in many pleasures and TAKETH THE REWARD OF HIS DIVINATION WHICH IF HE SHALL NOT GET HE DOTH NOT DIVINE Can the Spirit of God take rewards thus and Divine it doth not beseem the Prophet of God to do these things 6 But EVIL DESIRE is to covet anothers wife or a woman to covet anothers husband and to covet the sumptuousnesse of riches and the multitude of superfluous meats and much drunkennesse and many pleasures for many delights are foolish and many pleasures are superfluous to the servants of God Therefore this evil desire is pernitious which deadneth the servants of God for this desire is of the Devil 7 Therefore whosoever shall depart from evil desire they shall LIVE TO GOD for whosoever shall be subjected to evil desire shall die for ever for this evil desire is mortiferous 8 Thou therefore put on the desire of righteousnesse and armed with the fear of the Lord resist the evil desire for fear dwelleth in the good desire and the evil desire when it shall see thee armed with the fear of the Lord resisting it it shall flie far from thee and shall not appear before thee fearing thy weapons and thou shalt obtain the victory and thou shalt be crowned because of her and attaining unto the good desire and thou shalt give the victory to God which thou hast gotten and shalt serve him in working as thou thy self wouldest 9 But if thou shalt serve the good desire and shalt be subject unto it thou shalt be able to rule over the evil desire and it shall be subjected to thee even as thou wouldest 10 I would know Lord how I ought to serve the GOOD DESIRE Hear quoth he have thou the fear of God and faith in God and love the Truth and love the Righteousnesse and do good These things working thou shalt be a proved servant of the Lord and shalt serve to God and all whosoever shall serve the Good desire shall LIVE TO GOD. 11 These twelve Commands being finished He said to me Thou hast these Commands walk in them and exhort the men that hear them that they do repentance and their repentance shall be made pure the rest of the dayes of their life And this Ministry which to thee I give unfold thou diligently and thou shalt attain much fruit and shalt find favour with all those who shall Act Repentance and shall believe thy words for I am with thee and will constrain them to believe 12 And I said to him Lord these commands are great and excellent and they are able to make glad the heart of that man who shall be able to keep these Commands But I know not Lord whether these Commandments can be kept by man He saith to me these commands thou shalt easily keep and they shall not be hard 13 But notwithstanding if thou shalt affirm in thine heart that they cannot be kept by man thou shalt not keep them But now I say unto thee if thou shalt not keep these Commandments and shalt omit them thou shalt not be saved nor thy sons nor thine house because thy self hast judged that these Commands cannot be kept by man 14 These things he spoke to me vehemently angry so that he terrified me greatly for he had changed his countenance so that man could not be able to sustain his wrath And when he had beheld me all disturbed and confounded he began to speak more moderately and chearfully saying 15 O Foolish and unsensible Inconstant and ignorant of the Majesty of God how great how admirable is it who hath Created the world for man and subjected every Creature to man and hath given him ALL POWER THAT HE MAY HAVE DOMINION OVER THESE COMMANDMENTS he can have Dominion quoth he over all these Commands WHO HATH THE LORD IN HIS HEART but they who have the Lord in their lips and their heart is benumbed these are far from the Lord to them these Commands are hard and difficult 16 Therefore propose unto your selves ye that are empty and light in the faith TO HAVE THE LORD YOUR GOD IN THE HEART And ye shall understand that nothing is more easie then these Commands nor more sweet nor more gentle nor more holy and convert you to the Lord God and forsake the Devil and his pleasures because they are evil and bitter and unclean and fear ye not the devil because in you he hath no power for I am with you the MESSENGER OF REPENTANCE who rule over him but the Devil causeth fear but the fear of him is vain Therefore do not ye fear him and he shall fly from you 17 And I said to him Lord hear me speaking a few words to thee Speak quoth he Man indeed desireth to keep the Commands of God and
he Thou hast indeed very many sins but not so many that thou oughtest to be delivered to this Messenger but many iniquities and transgressions hath thy house committed and therefore that good Messenger stirred up with their deeds hath commanded them a certain space of time to experience vexation that also they of their trespasses may act Repentance and may wash themselves from all the lust of this world Therefore when they shall have done Repentance and shall be purified then that Messenger shall depart from thee who is set over to punishment 3 I say to him Lord if they have so carried themselves that they have exasperated the good Messenger what have I done He answering saith otherwise they cannot suffer torment unlesse thou who art the HEAD of the whole house dost labour for whatsoever thou shalt suffer it must needs be that they also feel it but as long as thou shalt be well established they can experience no vexation 4 And I said but also behold now Lord they do Repentance with their whole hearts And I know quoth he them to act Repentance with all their hearts dost thou therefore forth-with think saith he their transgressions to be abolished who do Repentance 5 Not forthwith immediately but it becomes him who doth Repentance to afflict his soul and make himself humble in mind in every businesse and to suffer many and various vexations and when he shall have suffered all things which shall be appointed him then perhaps he who created him and who formed all things shall be moved towards him with his clemency and shall give some remedy and that so if he shall see his heart who doth Repentance to be pure from every most wicked work 6 But for thee and for thine house it is expedient now to be vexed and it is needful to undergo much vexation even as the Messenger of the Lord enjoyned who delivered thee unto me but rather give thou thanks to the Lord that foreknowing the thing to come he hath esteemed thee worthy to whom he should foretell the tribulation to be at hand to those that can be able to sustein it 7 I say to him and be thou with me Lord and I shall easily sustein all vexation I quoth he will be with thee but also I will entreat that Messenger who is set over to punishment that he may more lightly afflict thee but also in a little time thou shalt undergo the adverse things and again in thy place shalt be restored onely in the humility of mind persevere thou 8 Obey the Lord in a pure mind and thy house and thy sons and in his commands walk thou which I enjoyned thee and thy repentance shall be able to be firm and pure and if these thou with thy house shalt keep the discommodities shall depart from thee but also from all whosoever in these Commandments shall walk every vexation shall depart SIMIL. VIII 1 HE shewed me a willow covering the fields and mountains under whose shadow all these came who were called in the NAME of the Lord and besides that willow stood the Messenger of the Lord exceeding illustrious and eminent and did cut with a great hook from that willow branches and held forth to that people who was under the shaddow of that willow small and as it were rods of a cubit long 2 But after that they had all gotten them he laid down the hook and that tree remained whole even as before I had seen it which thing I admired and disputed within me That Sheepherd saith to me cease to wonder that that whole tree the branches being cut off should remain whole but expect thou now it shall be demonstrated to thee what that Angell may signifie which stretched forth the rods to the people 3 And asked them from them again and in what order every one had taken them in the same also was he called to him and restored the rods which when he had got he considered for from some he received them withered and putrid as if touched by the moth and he commanded these who had delivered this sort of rods to be separate and set by themselves others offered them withered indeed but not touched by the Moth and these he commanded to be set aside 4 Others offered half-withered rods and these also were set by themselves But some gave their rods half withered and having rents and these were set aside others brought their rods of whom the half part was withered but the other half green and these were set aside others brought their rods of whom two parts were green but the third withered and these were set aside 5 Others brought their rods of whom two parts were withered but the third green and these were set aside Some offered their rods a little withered for a very little was withered in their rods that is the very top but they had rents and these were set aside but in the rods of others there was a little green but the rest withered and these were set aside 6 Others came bringing their rods as they had got them green and the greatest part of the people brought rods of this sort and of these this Messenger took great joy and these were set aside others brought their rods green and having blossoms and these were set aside and these also that Messenger received with great joy 7 Others brought their rods green out of which their blossoms budded forth wch blossoms bare certain fruits they that brought this sort of rods were exceeding chearful of countenance but also the Messenger himself indeed took great delight of them no lesse that Sheepherd for the same cause took pleasure 8 Then the Messenger of the Lord commanded Crowns to be brought but there were brought Crowns as if made of Palms and the Messenger crowned these men in whose rods he had found blossoms and fruit and commanded them to go into the TOWER 9 But also these men he sent into the Tower in whose rods without fruit he had found blossoms having given them his SEAL for they had the same vesture that is white as snow with which he commanded them to go into the Tower no less also these who had restored their rods even as they had got them green having given them a white vesture and so he sent them away to go into the Tower 10 These things being finished he saith to that Sheepherd I go but send thou these within the walls in that place wherein every one hath merited to dwell having first considered their rods diligently notwithstanding least any deceive thee consider thou but also if any one shall get by quoth he I will try them upon the ALTAR 11 These things being said to the Sheepherd he departed after he had departed the Sheepherd saith to me Let us take the rods from all and let us plant them if they can flourish again I say to him Lord these that are withered rods how can they re-flourish He saith to me that tree is a
WILLOW and it alwayes loves Life Therefore if these rods shall be planted and should receive a little of moisture very many of them will re-flourish for I will try and will pour under them water and if any of them can live I will gratulate it but if not surely I shall not seem to have been negligent 12 After that he commanded me to call them and as every one of them stood they came in their own order and delivered their rods whom having gotten he planted every one of them in their orders and after he had planted them he poured much water upon them so that they were covered by the water nor stood out of it 13 After that when he had watered them he saith to me let us go and after a few dayes let us return let us visit them for he who created this Tree WOULD HAVE ALL THESE TO LIVE who have taken thereof rods but I hope seeing these rods are poured upon with water many of them are about to live having taken moisture 14 I say to him this Tree Lord demonstrate to me what it is for I am greatly moved that so many branches being cut off it seems to be whole nor doth any thing of it seem to be lesse in which I am greatly amazed 15 Hear quoth he this great Tree which covereth the fields and the mountains and the whole earth is the LAW of God GIVEN UNTO THE WHOLE WORLD But by this law the SON of God is preached in all the ends of the globe of the Earth but the PEOPLE standing beneath its shaddow are these who have heard his Preachings and have BELIEVED 16 But that MESSENGER magnificent and good is MICHAEL who of this people hath power and governs them for he INSERTETH THE LAW IN THEIR HEART who have believed Therefore he visiteth them to whom he hath given the law if they have kept it but he seeth the rod of every one and of them many faulty for these RODS of the Lord are the LAW 17 But after that he knows all those who have not kept the Law knowing the seat of every one of them I say unto him Why quoth I Lord sent he some into the Tower others left here to thee these quoth he whosoever have transgressed the law which from him they got are left in my power that of their trespasses they may do Repentance but who have satisfied the law and have kept it are under his power 18 Who are they therefore Lord quoth I going in CROWNED into the Tower He saith to me Whosoever having wrestled with the devil have OVERCOME HIM these are crowned But they are these who that they might keep the Law have suffered iniquous things But these who delivered their GREEN rods and having BLOSSOMS without fruit have indeed for the same law sustained vexation but have not suffered Death but neither have they denied the Holy Law 19 But these who delivered them GREEN as they GOT them are the MODEST and Just and they have lived in an exceeding PURE MIND and have kept the Commands of God But the rest thou shalt know when I shall consider these rods which I have planted and watered 20 But after a few dayes we returned and in that same place sat that Magnificent Messenger but I stood by him Then he saith to me Gird thee about with a girdle and minister unto me I girded me about with a clean girdle which was made of sack-cloth but as soon as he saw me girded and prepared to minister unto him he saith 21 Câ—ll these men whose rods are planted every one in his own order as they gave them and he led me into the field and I called them all who also all of them stood in their own orders After that he said to them let every one pluck up his own rod and bring it to me 22 And first they delivered them who had withered and putrid ones and whose rods were found putrid and withered he commanded these to stand aside After that they gave who had them withered indeed but not putrid some of these gave green rods but some withered and putrid ones as if touched by the moth These who had delivered them green he commanded to stand apart but those that delivered them arrid and putrid he commanded to stand with the first 23 After that these gave who had had them half withered and having rents many of these gave them green nor having rents but some green having blossoms and in the blossoms fruit even as those who had gone into the Tower crowned Others offered them withered and rotten but some as they were half withered and having rents he commanded every one of these to stand apart some every one in his own order others apart 24 After that they offered who had their rods indeed green but having rents All these delivered them green and stood in their own order But this sheepherd took delight of them that all of them were polished and had put off their rents After that they offered who had the half green and the half withered but of some there were found all green of others half withered of others green and having blossoms all these were sent every one to his own order 25 After that they who had two parts of the Rods green and the third withered many of these gave them green many half withered but the rest withered but not putrid all these were sent every one into his own order Afterward they gave who had had in their rods two parts withered and the third green many also of them offered half withered ones but some withered and putrid but others half withered and having rents but few green Therefore all these stood every one in his own order 26 After that they gave who had had the third green but the rest withered the rods of these for the greater part were found green having little branches and in these little branches fruit and the rest all green Of these rods that sheepherd exceedingly took delight because so he should find them and also they went away into their orders 27 But after he had considered all their rods he saith to me I had said to thee this tree to love LIFE Thou seest that many have done repentance and have attained Salvation I see quoth I Lord. That thou mayst know quoth he the goodnesse and clemency of the Lord to be great and honourable who hath GIVEN his SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO WERE WORTHY to do Repentance 28 And I said why therefore Lord have not all done Repentance He saith to me whose mindes the Lord had seen about to be pure and they about to serve him from their whole hearts to them he hath offered Repentance but them whose deceit and wickednesse he hath beheld and hath taken notice that they were about to return to him deceitfully he hath denied a regresse unto them to Repentance least again they should curse the LAW with these hainous words 29 I say to him now Lord
conversant in iniquities notwithstanding have never departed from God but always have willingly born the NAME of the Lord and willingly in their Hospitalities have intertained the servants of God Therefore having heard this being returned without delay they have done Repentance and have exercised all the righteousnesse of vertue but some of them have died the death and others willingly have suffered adverse things mindful of their deeds 45 After he had finished the explanations of all the rods he saith to me Go and say unto all that they act Repentance and they shall LIVE TO GOD because the Lord moved with his great clemency hath sent me that I should declare Repentance to all also to those who do not deserve because of their deeds to attain Salvation 46 But patient is the Lord and the invitation made by his SON he will keep I say to him I hope Lord it will be that these things being heard all will do Repentance for I believe every one his deeds being acknowledged and the fear of God being accepted to be about to return to Repentance 47 He saith to me whosoever with their whole heart shall do Repentance and shall purifie themselves from ALL the wickednesse which is abovesaid and as yet shall not add unto their trespasses every one of them shall receive from the Lord the remedy of their former sins if they shall nothing doubt of these Commandments and they shall LIVE TO GOD. 48 But they who shall add quoth he unto their trangressions and shall be conversant in the lusts of this World shall damn themselves unto Death But walk thou in these Commands and thou shalt live to God and whosoever shall walk in them and shall rightly exercise them shall LIVE TO GOD But after he had shewed me all these he saith to me the rest after a few dayes I will shew unto thee SIMIL. IX 1 AFter I had written the Mandat's and Similitudes of that Sheepherd THE MESSENGER OF REPENTANCE he came unto me and said unto me I will shew to thee what things soever the SPIRIT hath shown thee which in the figure of the CHURCH spake with thee for the Spirit is the Son of God And because thou wast more infirm in body it was not declared to thee by the Messenger before that thou art strengthened by the Spirit and augmented in forces that thou mayst be able to see the Messenger 2 For then well indeed and magnificiently the building of the Tower was shown to thee by the CHURCH but thou sawest all as if shown by a Virgin But now by a messenger thou art illustrated indeed by the same Spirit but thou must see all these diligently for therefore into thy house am I sent to dwell by that venerable Messenger that seeing thou seest all things potently thou mayst be nought afraid as formerly 3 And he led me up unto the ascent of a Mountain of ARCADIA and we sat down together in the top thereof and he shew'd me a great field about it twelve Mountains of one figure and of another of whom the FIRST was black as soot the second bare without herbs the third full of thorns and thistles the fourth had herbs half withered of whom the upper part was green but that next to the roots withered also some herbs when the SUN had waxed hot became withered 4 The fift Mountain was most rough but it had green herbs the sixt Mountain was full of clefts with some lesser but with some greater but in these clefts there were herbs not very sprightly indeed but they seemed as if flagging but the seventh Mountain had delectable herbs and was all fertile and every kind of Cattels and Fowls of Heaven did take food thereof and how much they did feed of it by so much the more joyous did the herbs grow up 5 The eighth Mountain was filled with Fountains and out of these Fountains was watered the whole kind of the Creature of God The ninth Mountain had no water at all and was all destitute but also it nourished deadly serpents and pernitious to men The tenth Mountain contained high trees and was all shady and under its shade the cattel did ly resting and chewing the cud 6 The eleventh Mountain was replenished with most thick set trees and these trees were seen laden with divers fruits so that whosoever should see would desire to eat of the fruits of them The TWELFTH Mountain was all white and had a most delectable aspect and it self afforded to it self great comliness 7 But in the middle of the field he shewed me a WHITE and Mighty ROCK which had arisen from out the field it self and that Rock was higher then these Mountains and four cornered so that it could sustain the whole World but it seemed to me to be old but it had a new gate which seemed lately hewen out and that gate had a more bright splendor then the Sun so that I admired exceedingly its light 8 But about that gate stood TWELVE VIRGINS of whom four who held the corners of the Port seemed to me to be more worthy but also the rest were worthy but they stood in the four parts of the gate moreover that was also for the grace of these Virgins that they two and two were cloathed with linen coats and decently girded about outwardly in their right arms as if about to lighten some burden so were they prepared for they were exceedingly chearful and prompt 9 These things when I had seen I admired with my self that I should see so great and eminent things and again I admired because of these Virgins that they were so comly and delicate and should stand so constantly and strongly as if about to support the whole Heaven 10 And while I thought these things within me that sheepherd saith to me why dost thou dispute within thy self and art perplexed and dost add solicitude to thy self What ever things thou canst not understand do not attend them as if thou be'st wise but ask the Lord that having received a sense thou mayest understand them 11 What things soever are behind thee thou canst not see but what are before thee thou seest In these therefore which thou canst not see be not perplexed and receive the understanding of these which thou seest leave off to be curious But I will demonstrate to thee all whatsoever I ought to shew thee but now consider the rest 12 And when he had said these things to me I looked up and behold I saw coming six tall and venerable men and all alâ—ke in countenance and calling a certain multitude of men and these that came called by them they also were tall and strong But these six commanded them to build a certain TOWER upon the Gate but then began there a great murmuring to be of those that ran too and fro about the Port of these men who had come to build the Tower 13 But these Virgins who stood about the Gate commanded them to hast the building
delivered by their hands have been cloathed with the power of them And therefore thou seest the whole Tower agreeing with the Rock and made as it were out of one stone 65 So likewise they who have believed God through his Son have put on this spirit behold there shall be one spirit and one body and one colour of their garments But also they shall attain these who shall carry the names of these Virgins 66 And I said why therefore Lord are the stones thrown away which were reprobated seeing also they were translated through the Gate and delivered by the hands of these Virgins into the structure of this Tower Because quoth he thou takest care to inquire all things diligently Here concerning these stones which were cast away 67 All these have got the name of the son of God but also and the power of these Virgins Therefore having got these spirits they were perfected and brought in the number of the servants of God and one body of them began to be and one vesture For the same righteousness did they feel which they did alike excercise 68 But after that they had seen these women whom thou perceivedst first clothed with a black garment with naked shoulders and loosned hair they lusted to solicite them because of their beauty and they were indued with their power but the cloathings of the Virgins they have cast off These therefore are thrown out from the house of God and delivered to these women but these that are not corrupted through their beauty have remained in the house of God Thou hast quoth he the explication of these stones which were abjected 69 And I said if therefore Lord any of the men which are of this sort shall do repentance and shall throw away the desire of these women and being converted shall return to the Virgins and shall put on their power shall they not enter into the house of the Lord They shall enter quoth he if they shall cast off all the works of these women and shall resume the power of these Virgins and in their works shall walk And therefore is there made an intermission of building that if these shall do repentance they may be added into the structure of the Tower but if they shall not do repentance others shall be builded in their place and then they shall be thrown away together 70 For all these things I gave thanks to the Lord that over all in whom his Name was invo'kt being mov'd with clemency he should send the President Messenger of Repentance unto us who have offended him and that he should renew our Spirits now surely decaying nor having hope of Salvation but now he recreateth them unto the renewing of life 71 And I said now Lord demonstrate to me why this Tower is builded not upon on the Earth but upon the Rock and Gate Because quoth he thou art unwise and without understanding therefore thou askest And I said I have need Lord to ask thee all things because I understand nothing at all for all thy answers are great and excellent and which men can scarcely understand 72 Here saith he the Name of the Son of God is great and mighty and by it the WHOLE WORLD IS SUSTEINED if then quoth I every Creature of God is susteined by his Son why doth he not also sustein those who are invited by him and bear his Name and in his Commandments do walk Seest thou not also quoth he that he susteineth those who from their whole hearts carry his NAME Therefore he is their foundation and willingly doth bear them who deny not his Name but willingly sustein him 73 And I said demonstrate to me Lord the names of these Virgins and of these women who were cloathed with a black vesture Hear quoth he the names of the Virgins that are more powerful who obteined the corners of the gate are these The first is called FAITH the second ABSTINENCE the third POWER the fourth PATIENCE but the rest which consist below these are called by these names Simplicity Innocency Chastity Chearfulnesse Truth Wisdom Concord Charity Therefore whosoever bear these names and the Name of the Son of God they shall be able to enter into Gods Kingdom 74 Hear now the names of the women who are cloathed with black cloathing and of these four are more powerful of whom the first is called TREACHERY the second INTEMPERANCE the third UNBELIEF the fourth VOLUPTUOUSNESSE but the followers of these are so called Sadnesse Malice Lust Wrath Lying Folly Puffing up Hatred The Servant of God that beareth these Spirits shall indeed see the Kingdom of God but shall not enter into it 75 But these stones Lord which from the deep were fitted in the structure who are they The TEN quoth he which were placed in the foundations is the first age The following TWENTY FIVE is the second age of just men but these THIRTY are the Prophets of the Lord and Ministers but the FORTY are the Apostles and teachers of the Preaching of the Son of God 76 And I said why therefore Lord did these Virgins also hold forth these stones unto the structure of the Tower translated through the Port And he said for these first have born these spirits and they have not at all departed one from another nor the spirits from the men nor the men from the spirits but these spirits have been joyned to them even untill the day of their rest who except they had had these spirits with them they had not been profitable to the structure of this Tower 77 And I said also now Lord demonstrate to me what seekest thou saith he why quoth I ascended these stones out of the deep and were placed into the building of this Tower Seeing long ago they carri'd the just spirits It must needs be quoth he that by WATER they have to ascend that they may rest for they could not otherwise enter into the Kingdome of God then that they should lay down the mortality of the former life 78 Therefore they being dead were sealed with the SEAL of the Son of God and have entered into the Kingdom of God For before that a man get the name of the Son of God he is designed for death but as soon as he hath got the Seal he is freed from death and delivered to life But that seal is WATER into which men descend being bound unto death but they ascend assigned to life And to them therefore is preached that seal and they have used it that they might enter into the Kingdome of God 79 And I said Therefore why Lord did these forty stones ascend with them from the deep having already that seal And he said because these Apostles and Teachers who have preached the name of the Son of God when having his faith and power they had died They preached to these who had died before them and they gave to them that Seal Therefore they descended into the water with them and again they ascended
that they who are overseers of Ministrings who have both protected the Poor and the Widdows and have perpetually had a chast conversation therefore these men are protected by the Lord these things whosoever shall do are honoured with the Lord and among the MESSENGERS is their place if they shall persevere even until the Consummation to obey the Lord. 113 Of the ELEVENTH Mountain in which were trees loaden with divers fruits are these who have believed and for the Name of the Lord have undergone Death and with a ready mind have suffered and with their whole heart have delivered up their souls 114 And I said why then Lord have all these trees certain fruits but of them some more fair Hear quoth he whosoever for the Name of the Lord have suffered are esteemed honoured with the Lord and the failings of them all are blotted our because for the Name of the Son of God they have undergone Death 115 But why the fruits of them are unlike and some among them excel Hear thou for whosoever being led to the POWERS being asked have not denied the Lord but with a ready mind have suffered are more honoured with God therefore the fruits that excel are theirs But they who have been timorous and doubtful and have deliberated in their heart whether they should confesse or deny and have suffered their fruits are smaller 116 Therefore beware ye who have such cogitations least this mind remain in you and YE DIE TO GOD ye therefore whosoever for this names sake do undergo death ought to honour the Lord that the Lord esteemes you worthy that ye may bear his Name and all your sins may be redeemed 117 Therefore do ye not rather esteem your selves happy Think ye rather if any of you suffereth him to accomplish a great work for to you the Lord giveth life nor do you understand for your failings did burthen you and unlesse ye should have suffered for the cause of this Name for your sins ye had surely been dead to God These things therefore I say to you whosoever do deliberate of confessing or of denying 118 Confesse ye therefore your selves TO HAVE THE LORD GOD least perhaps denying ye be delivered into bonds for if all the Nations punish their Servants whosoever have denied their Lord. What think ye the Lord about to do to you who hath power of all things Remove therefore from your hearts these disputations that for ever ye may LIVE TO GOD. 119 But of the TWELVTH white Mountain are such who have believed even as INFANTS sincere to whom no malice ascended over their sense nor have they known what is malice but alwayes have remain'd in sincerity Therefore this sort of men without any dubitation shall inhabit the Kingdom of God because in no businesse have they stained the commands of God but with sincerity have remained all the dayes of their life in the same tenour of sense 120 Whosoever therefore quoth he shall remain as Infants not having malice shall be more honourable then all those whom I have already spoken of FOR ALL INFANTS ARE HONOURED WITH THE LORD AND ARE ESTEEMED FIRST happy therefore ye whosoever shall remove from you malice and shall put on innocency because first ye shall see God 121 After he had finished the explanation of all the Mountains I say to him Lord now expound unto me concerning these stones who being brought out of the field into the place of the Reprobate ones were put unto the Structure of the Tower Likewise of these round stones which were added unto the Structure of the Tower and of these who as yet remained round 122 Hear quoth he of the stones these which being brought from off the field were placed into the Structure of the Tower in their place which had been reprobate are the ROOTS of that white Mountain when therefore they who of that Mountain have believed are become innocent the Lord of that Tower hath commanded these which were of the Roots of the Mountain to be put into the Structure 123 For he hath understood if they had gone to the building that they would remain shining nor would any whit of them grow black any more but if he had so added of the rest of the Mountains he had not needed again to visit that Tower and purge it But these are all white who have believed and who are about to believe for they are of the same kind happy this kind because it is innocent 124 Hear now also of these round and splendid stones all these are of this white Mountain but why they are found round the cause is because their riches have a little obscured them from the Truth and have darkned them But from God they have never departed nor hath any evil word proceeded out of their mouth but all Equity Vertue and Truth 125 The MINDE therefore of these when the Lord had seen and them to be able to favour the Truth he commanded them likewise to remain good and their riches to be circumcised for he would not have them to be for altogether taken away that they might do something of good of that which was left to them and LIVE TO GOD because also they are of the good kind Therefore for that cause are they hewn a little and put into the structure of this Tower 126 But the rest who have as yet continued round nor are found fit unto that structure because they have not yet got the SEAL are put again in their own place for they are found very round but this World must be hew'n from them and the vanities of their riches and then they shall be fit in the Kingdom of God 127 For it must needs be that they enter into the Kingdom of God for this harmlesse kind hath the Lord blessed Therefore out of this kind shall not any one perish yea even although any one of them tempted by the most wicked Devil should somewhat fail he will suddenly run back to the Lord his God 128 But happy do I the Messenger of Repentance judge you whosoever are innocent as Infants because your part is good and honoured with God but I say unto you all whosoever have got this SEAL have ye simplicity neither be ye mindful of offences nor remain ye in malice neither let bitternesses become in the Spirit of any one of you in the memory of offences but to these evil rents procure ye remedy and remove them from you that the Lord of the sheep may rejoyce concerning you 129 For he shall rejoyce if he shall find all things sound but if he shall find of such any sheep scattered wo shall be to the sheepherds but if the sheepherds themselves shall be scuttered what shall they answer to him for the sheep What will they say themselves to have been smitten by the sheep it will not be believed to them for IT IS AN INCREDIBLE THING THAT THE SHEEPHERD CAN SUFFER BY THE SHEEP and he is the rather punished for his lye
130 And I am a Sheepherd and I must strongly render an account of you therefore provide for your selves while as yet the Tower is building THE LORD DWELLET IN THE MEN THAT LOVE PEACE for true peace is dear but from the contentious and destroy'd with malice he is far away RENDER therefore to him YOUR SPIRIT INTIRE AS YE RECEIVED IT 131 For if thou should'st give to a FULLER a whole garment and would'st lastly receive it whole but the Fuller restores it to thee rent would'st thou receive it Wilt thou not immediately wax angry and pursue him with rebukes Saying I gave my Garment to thee intire why hast thou torn it and made it uselesse Now because of the rent which thou hast made in it it cannot be of use Wilt thou not therefore speak all these words to the Fuller and that of the rent which he makes in thy garment 132 If therefore thou grievest for thy garment and complainest that thou receivest it not intire what thinkest thou THE LORD about to do to thee who HATH GIVEN THEE AN INTIRE SPIRIT and thou hast renderd it all unprofitable so that it can be of no use to its Lord for its use hath begun to be useless when it is corrupted by thee will not therefore the Lord do the same concerning his spirit for this deed Plainly I say to all these whomsoever he shall find to remain in the memory of offences he will do the same 133 His clemency quoth he do not ye spurn but rather honour ye him that he is so patient at your trespasses and is not like you Do ye repentance for that is profitable to you All these things which are above written have I the Sheepherd the Messenger of Repentance shown and spoken to the servants of God 134 If therefore ye shall believe and shall hear my words and shall walk in them and shall correct your walkings ye shall be able to live But if ye shall remain in malice and in the memory of offences none of this sort of sinners shall LIVE TO GGD all these things to be spoken by me are spoken to you 135 That Sheepherd saith to me hast thou asked all things of me And I said yea Lord why therefore hast thou not asked me of the form of the stones placed in the structure that to thee I should explain their forms And I said I forgot Lord Hear now therefore quoth he also of these 136 These are they who have now heard these commands and from their whole hearts have done repentance and when the Lord had seen their repentance good and pure and them to be able to remain in it he commanded their former sins to be blotted out For these forms were their sins and they are made even least they should appear SIMIL. X. 1 AFter I had written out this book that Messenger who had delivered me to that Sheepherd came into the house in which I was and sat down upon the bed and that Sheepherd stood at his right hand After that he called me and said these things to me I have delivered thee quoth he and thy house to this Sheepherd that by him thou mayest be protected 2 Yea quoth I Lord if thou wilt therefore be protected quoth he from all vexation and from all cruelty or have successe in EVERY good work and word and all the vertue of Righteousness walk thou in these commandments which I have given to thee and thou shalt be able to rule over ALL wickedness For to thee keeping these Commands shall ALL the lust sweetness of this world be subjected also success shall follow thee in every good imployment 3 The maturity of him and the modesty receive thou in thee and say to all him to be in great honour and dignity with God and him to be the president of great power and potent in his office To him alone through the whole world the power of Repentance is given seemeth he not to thee to be potent But YE despise the perfection and modesty of him which he hath over YOU 4 I say to him ask him Lord from the time wherein he is in my house whether I have done any thing-out of order or in any thing have offended him And I quoth he know thee to have done nothing out of order neither to be about to do and therefore these speak I with thee that thou mayst persevere for he hath esteemed well of thee with me but thou shalt tell these words to the rest that also they who have done or are about to do Repentance may perceive the same things which thou feelest and he with me may interpret concerning them and I with the Lord. 5 And I quoth I Lord to every man do declare the great things of God but I hope those all who love them and before have sinned having heard these to be about to do Repentance recovering LIFE Remain therefore quoth he in this Ministry and consummate the same but whosoever obey this mans commands shall have life also here and with the Lord great honour 6 But whosoever keep not his commands fly from their own LIFE and oppose it and they who follow not his commandments deliver themselves to DEATH and every one of them shall be GUILTY OF HIS OWN BLOOD but to thee I say that thou keep these commands and thou shalt have remedy of all thy sins but I have sent thee these VIRGINS that they may dwell with thee for I have seen them to be very affable to thee Therefore thou shalt have them helpers that by so much the rather thou mayest keep his commands 7 For it cannot be done that these commands be kept without these Virgins but thou seest them to be willingly with thee but also I will injoyn them that at all from thy house they depart not only do thou make clean thy house for in a clean house they will willingly dwell for they are clean and chaste and industrious and all having favour with the Lord. 8 If therefore thou shalt have thine house pure they will remain with thee but if any little of pollution shall happen forthwith they will depart from thy HOUSE for these Virgins love no pollution at all I say to him I hope Lord me to be about to please them so that in my house they may willingly inhabit alwaies And as he to whom thou hast delivered me complains nothing of me so neither shall they complain 9 He saith to that Sheepherd I see the Servant of God would be willing to see and to keep these commands and to be about to place these Virgins in a clean habitation These when he had said again to that Sheepherd he delivered me and called the Virgins and said to them Because I perceive you to dwell willingly in this mans house I commend him to you and his house that from his house ye depart not at all and they willingly heard these words 10 After that he saith to me Converse thou manfully in this Ministry to every man declare thou the great things of God and thou shalt have acceptance in this Ministry therefore whosoever shall walk in these commands he shall live and shall be happy in his life but whosoever shall neglect them shall not live and shall be unhappy in his life Say to all that they cease not whosoever can do rightly to exercise good works it is profitable for them 11 But I say that every man must be delivered out of discommodities for he that needs and in his daily life suffers discommodities is in great torment and necessity who so therefore delivers such a soul out of necessity acquireth great joy to himself for he who is vexed with this discommodity is vexed with like torment and tortures himself as he who is in fetters 12 For many because of this sort of calamities when they cannot stustein them they bring death to themselves Therefore he who knoweth the calamity of such a man and plucks him not out he admits great sin and becomes GUILTY OF HIS BLOOD Therefore do ye good works whosoever have gotten from the Lord least while ye delay to do the structure of the TOWER be consummate 13 For because of you is the work of its building left off for a time unlesse therefore ye shall hasten to do rightly the Tower shall be finished and ye shall be excluded But after he had spoken with me he arose from the bed and having taken the SHEEPHERD and the VIRGINS he went away but he said to me that he would send back that Sheepherd and these Virgins into mine HOVSE THE END ERRATA PAge 10. l. 19 r. words p. 11. l. 8. r. 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