The Forbidden Gospels and Epistles Part 70

9 Thy seed, O Hermas! hath sinned against the Lord, and have betrayed their parents, through their great wickedness. And they have been called the betrayers of their parents, and have gone on in their treachery.

10 And now have they added lewdness to their other sins, and the pollutions of their naughtiness: thus have they filled up the measure of their iniquities. But do thou upbraid thy sons with all these words; and thy wife, who shall be as thy sister; and let her learn to refrain her tongue, with which she calumniates.

11 And when she shall hear these things, she will refrain herself, and shall obtain mercy.

12 And they also shall be instructed, when thou shalt have reproached them with these words, which the Lord has commanded to be revealed unto them.

13 Then shall their sins be forgiven, which they have heretofore committed, and the sins of all the saints who have sinned even unto this day; if they shall repent with all their hearts, and remove all doubts out of their hearts.

14 For the Lord hath sworn by his glory concerning his elect, having determined this very time, that if any one shall even now sin, he shall not be saved.

15 For the repentance of the righteous has its end; the days of repentance are fulfilled to all the saints; but to the heathen, there is repentance even unto the last day.

16 Thou shalt therefore say to those who are over the church, that they order their ways in righteousness; so that they may fully receive the promise with much glory.

17 Stand fast therefore ye that work righteousness and continue to do it, that your departure may be with the holy angels.

18 Happy are ye, as many as shall endure the great trial that is at hand, and whosoever shall not deny his life.

19 For the Lord hath sworn by his Son, that whoso, denieth his Son and HIM, being afraid of his life, he will also deny him in the world that is to come.

20 But those who shall never deny him, he will of his exceeding great mercy be favourable unto them.

21 But thou, O Hermas! remember not the evils which thy sons have done, neither neglect thy sister, but take care that they amend of their former sins.

22 For they will be instructed by this doctrine, if thou shalt not be mindful of what they have done wickedly.

23 For the remembrance of evils worketh death, but the forgetting of them eternal life.

24 But thou, O Hermas! hast undergone a great many worldly troubles for the offences of thy house, because thou hast neglected them, as things that did not belong unto thee; and thou art wholly taken up with thy great business.

25 Nevertheless, for this cause shalt thou be saved, that thou hast not departed from the living G.o.d, and thy simplicity and singular continency shall preserve thee, if thou shalt continue in them.

26 Yes, they shall save all such as do such things, and walk in innocence and simplicity.

27 They who are of this kind shall prevail against all impiety, and continue until life eternal.

28 Happy are all they that do righteousness, they shall not be consumed for ever.

29 But thou wilt say, Behold there is a great trial coming. If it seem good to thee, deny him again.

30 The Lord is nigh to them that turn to him, as it is written in the book of Heldam and Modal, who prophesied to the people of Israel in the wilderness.

31 Moreover, brethren, it was revealed to me, as I was sleeping, by a very goodly young man, saying unto me, What thinkest thou of that old woman from whom thou receivedst the book; who is she? I answered, a Sybil.

32 Thou art mistaken said he, she is not. I replied, Who is she then, sir? He answered me, It is the church of G.o.d.

33 And I said unto him, Why then does she appear old? She is therefore, said he, an old woman, because she was the first of all the creation, and the world was made for her.

34 After this I saw a vision at home in my own house, and the old woman, whom I had seen before, came to me and asked me whether I had yet delivered her book to the elders of the church? And I answered, that I had not yet.

35 She replied, Thou hast well done, for I have certain words more to tell thee. But when I shall have finished all the words, they shall be clearly understood by the elect.

36 And thou shalt write two books, and send one to Clement and one to Grapte. For Clement shall send it to the foreign cities, because it is permitted to him so to do: but Grapte shall admonish the widows and orphans.

37 But thou shalt read in this city with the elders of the church.

VISION III.

Of the building of the church triumphant, and of the several sorts of reprobates.

THE vision which I saw, brethren, was this.

2 When I had often fasted and prayed unto the Lord, that he would manifest unto me the revelation, which he had promised by the old woman to show unto me; the same night she appeared unto me, and said unto me,

3 Because thou dost thus afflict thyself, and art so desirous to know all things, come into the field, where thou wilt, and about the sixth hour, I will appear unto thee, and show thee what thou must see.

4 I asked her, saying; Lady, into what part of the field? She answered, wherever thou wilt, only choose a good and a private place.

And before I began to speak and tell her the place, she said unto me; I will come where thou wilt.

5 I was therefore, brethren in the field and I observed the hours, and came into the place where I had appointed her to come.

6 And I beheld a bench placed; it was a linen pillow, and over it spread a covering of fine linen.

7 When I saw these things ordered in this manner, and that there was n.o.body in the place, I began to be astonished, and my hair stood on end, and a kind of horror seized me; for I was alone.

8 But being come to myself, and calling to mind the glory of G.o.d, and taking courage, I fell down upon my knees and began again to confess my sins as before.

9 And whilst I was doing this, the old woman came thither with the six young men whom I had seen before, and stood behind me as I was praying, and heard me praying and confessing my sins unto the Lord.

10 And touching me, she said; Leave off praying now only for thy sins; pray also for righteousness, that thou mayest receive a part of it in thy house.

11 And she lifted me up from the place, and took me by the hand, and brought me to the seat; and said to the young men, go, and build.

12 As soon as they were departed, and we were alone, she said unto me; sit here. I answered her; Lady, let those who are elder sit first.

She replied, Sit down as I bid you.

13 And when I would have sat on the right side, she suffered me not, but made a sign to me with her hand, that I should sit on the left.

14 As I was therefore musing, and full of sorrow, that she would not suffer me to sit on the right side, she said unto me, Hermas, why art thou sad?

15 The place which is on the right hand is theirs who have already attained unto G.o.d, and have suffered for his name-sake. But there is yet a great deal remaining unto thee, before thou canst sit with them.

16 But continue as thou doest, in thy sincerity, and thou shalt sit with them; as all others shall, who do their works, and shall bear what they have borne.

17 I said to her; Lady, I would know what it is that they have suffered? Hear then, said she: wild beasts, scourgings, imprisonments, and crosses for his name-sake.