The Forbidden Gospels and Epistles Part 79

21 Therefore, ye that are empty and light in the faith, put the Lord your G.o.d in your hearts; and ye shall perceive how that nothing is more easy than these commands, nor more pleasant, nor more gentle and holy.

22 And turn yourselves to the Lord your G.o.d, and forsake the devil and his pleasures, because they are evil, and bitter, and impure. And fear not the devil, because he has no power over you.

23 For I am with you, the messenger of repentance, who have the dominion over him. The devil doth indeed affright men but his terror is vain. Wherefore fear him not, and he will flee from you.

24 And I said unto him; Sir, hear me speak a few words unto you. He answered, Say on: A man indeed desires to keep the commandments of G.o.d, and there is no one but what prays unto G.o.d, that he may be able to keep his commandments;

25 But the devil is hard, and by his power rules over the servants of G.o.d. And he said; He cannot rule over the servants of G.o.d, who trust in him with all their hearts.

26 The devil may strive, but he cannot overcome them.

27 For if ye resist him, he will flee away with confusion from you.

But they that are not full in the faith, fear the devil, as if he had some great power. For the devil tries the servants of G.o.d and if he finds them empty, he destroys them.

28 For as man, when he fills up vessels with good wine, and among them puts a few vessels half full, and comes to try and taste of the vessels, doth not try those that are full, because he knows that they are good, but tastes those that are half full, lest they should grow sour; (for vessels half full soon grow sour, and lose the taste of wine:) so the devil comes to the servants of G.o.d to try them.

29 They that are full of faith resist him stoutly, and he departs from them, because he finds no place where to enter into them then he goes to those that are not full of faith, and because he has a place of entrance he goes into them, and does what he will with them, and they become his servants.

30 But I, the messenger of repentance, say unto you, fear not the devil, for I am sent unto you, that I may be with you, as many as shall repent with your whole heart, and that I may confirm you in the faith.

31 Believe therefore, ye who by reason of your transgressions have forgot G.o.d and your own salvation; and adding to your sins have made your life very heavy.

32 That if ye shall turn to the Lord with your whole hearts, and shall serve him according to his will; he will heal you of your former sins, and ye shall have dominion over all the works of the devil.

33 Be not then afraid in the least of his threatenings, for they are without force, as the nerves of a dead man. But hearken unto me, and fear the Lord Almighty, who is able to save and to destroy you; and keep his commands, that ye may live unto G.o.d.

34 And I said unto him; Sir, I am now confirmed in all the commands of the Lord whilst you are with me, and I know that you will break all the powers of the devil.

35 And we also shall overcome him, if we shall be able, through the help of the Lord, to keep these commands which you have delivered.

36 Thou shalt keep them, said he, if thou shalt purify thy heart towards the Lord. And all they also shall keep them who shall cleanse their hearts from the vain desires of the present world, and shall live unto G.o.d.

THE THIRD PART OF THE BOOK OF HERMAS, CALLED HIS SIMILITUDES.

SIMILITUDE I.

That seeing we have no abiding city in this world, we ought to look after that which is to come.

AND he said onto me; Ye know that ye who are the servants of the Lord, live here as in a pilgrimage; for your city is far off from this city.

2 If, therefore, ye know your city in which ye are to dwell, why do ye here buy estates, and provide yourselves with delicacies, and stately buildings, and superfluous houses? For he that provides himself these things in this city, does not think of returning into his own city.

3 O foolish, and doubtful, and wretched man; who understandest not that all these things belong to other men, and are under the power of another. For the Lord of this city saith unto thee; Either obey my laws, or depart out of my city.

4 What therefore shalt thou do who art subject to a law in thine own city? Canst thou for thy estate, or for any of those things which thou hast provided, deny thy law? But if thou shalt deny it, and wilt afterwards return into thy own city, thou shalt not be received, but shall be excluded thence.

5 See therefore, that like a man in another country, thou procure no more to thyself than what is necessary, and sufficient for thee; and be ready, that when the G.o.d or Lord of this city shall drive thee out of it thou mayest oppose his law, and go into thine own city; where thou mayest with all cheerfulness live according to thine own law with no wrong.

6 Take heed therefore ye that serve G.o.d, and have him in your hearts: work ye the works of G.o.d, being mindful both of his commands and of his promises, which he has promised; and be a.s.sured that he will make them good unto you; if ye shall keep his commandments.

7 Instead therefore of the possessions that ye would otherwise purchase, redeem those that are in want from their necessities, as every one is able; justify the widows; judge the cause of the fatherless; and spend your riches and your wealth in such works as these.

8 For this end has G.o.d enriched you, that ye might fulfil these kind of services. It is much better to do this, than to buy lands or houses; because all such things shall perish with this present time.

9 But what ye shall do for the name of the Lord, ye shall find in your city, and shall have joy without sadness or fear. Wherefore covet not the riches of the heathen; for they are destructive to the servants of G.o.d.

10 But trade with your own riches which you possess, by which ye may attain unto everlasting joy.

11 And do not commit adultery, nor touch any other man's wife, nor desire her; but covet that which is thy own business, and thou shalt be saved.

SIMILITUDE II.

As the vine is supported by the elm, so is the rich man helped by the prayers of the poor.

AS I was walking into the field, and considered the elm and the vine, and thought with myself of their fruits, an angel appeared unto me, and said unto me; What is it that thou thinkest upon thus long within thyself?

2 And I said unto him, Sir, I think of this vine and this elm because their fruits are fair.

And he said unto me; These two trees are set for a pattern to the servants of G.o.d.

3 And I said unto him, Sir, I would know in what the pattern of these trees which thou mentionest, does consist. Hearken, saith he; seest thou this vine and this elm? Sir, said I, I see them.

4 This vine, saith he, is fruitful, but the elm is a tree without fruit.

Nevertheless this vine unless it were set by this elm, and supported by it, would not bear much fruit; but lying along upon the ground, would bear but ill fruit, because it did not hang upon the elm; whereas, being supported upon the elm, it bears fruit both for itself and for that.

5 See, therefore, how the elm gives no less, but rather more fruit, than the vine. How, Sir, said I, does it bear more fruit than the vine? Because, said he, the vine being supported upon the elm gives both much and good fruit; whereas, if it lay along upon the ground, it would bear but little, and that very ill too.

6 This similitude, therefore, is set forth to the servants of G.o.d; and it represents the rich and poor man. I answered, Sir, make this manifest unto me. Hear, said he; the rich man has wealth: howbeit towards the Lord he is poor; for he is taken up about his riches, and prays but little to the Lord; and the prayers which he makes are lazy and without force.

7 When therefore, the rich man reaches out to the poor those things which he wants, the poor man prays unto the Lord for the rich; and G.o.d grants unto the rich man all good things, because the poor man is rich in prayer; and his requests have great power with the Lord.

8 Then the rich man ministers all thing to the poor, because he perceives that he is heard by the Lord; and he the more willingly and without doubting, affords him what he wants, and takes care that nothing be lacking to him.

9 And the poor man gives thanks unto the Lord for the rich; because they both do their work from the Lord.

10 With men, therefore, the elm is not thought to give any fruit; and they know not, neither understand that its company being added to the vine, the vine bears a double increase, both for itself and for the elm.

11 Even so the poor praying unto the Lord for the rich, are heard by him; and their riches are increased, because they minister to the poor of their wealth.

They are, therefore, both made partakers of each other's good works.

12 Whosoever, therefore, shall do these things, he shall not be forsaken by the Lord, but shall be written in the book of life.