The suppressed Gospels and Epistles of the original New Testament of Jesus the Christ/Chapter 22 - Wikisource, the free online library (2024)

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THE SECOND PART OF THE
BOOK OF HERMAS, CALLED HIS COMMANDS.

Introduction.

WHEN I had prayed at home, and was sat down upon the bed, a certain man came in to me with a reverend look, in the habit of a Shepherd, clothed with a white cloak, having his bag upon his back, and his staff in his hand, and saluted me.

² I returned his salutation, and immediately he sat down by me, and said unto me, I am sent by that venerable messenger, that I should dwell with thee all the remaining days of thy life.

³ But I thought that he was come to try me, and said unto him, Who are you? For I know to whom I am committed. He said unto me, Do you not know me? I answered no. I am, said he, that shepherd to whose care you are delivered.

⁴ Whilst he was yet speaking, his shape was changed; and when I knew that it was he to whom I was committed, I was ashamed, and a sudden fear came upon me, and I was utterly overcome with sadness, because I had spoken so foolishly unto him.

⁵ But he said unto me, Be not ashamed, but receive strength in thy mind, through the commands which I am about to deliver unto thee. For, said he, I am sent to show unto thee all those things again, which thou hast seen before, but especially such of them as may be of most use unto thee.

⁶ And first of all write my Commands and Similitudes, the rest thou shall so write as I shall show unto thee. But I therefore bid thee first of all write my Commands and Similitudes, that by often reading of them thou mayest the more easily ^[1]keep them in memory.

⁷ Whereupon I wrote his Commands and Similitudes, as he bade me.

⁸ Which things if when you have heard, ye shall observe to do them, and shall walk according to them, and exercise yourselves in them with a pure mind, ye shall receive from the Lord those things which he has promised unto you.

⁹ But if having heard them ye shall not repent, but shall still go on to add to your sins, ^[2]ye shall be punished by him.

¹⁰ All these things that Shepherd, the angel of repentance, commanded me to write.

COMMAND I.

Of believing in one God.

FIRST of ^[3]all believe that there is one God who created and brought all things out of nothing into existence.

² He comprehends all things, and is only infinite, not to be comprehended by any.

³ Who can neither be defined by any words, nor conceived by the mind.

⁴ Therefore believe in him, and fear him; and fearing him ^[4]abstain from all evil.

⁵ Keep these things, and cast all ^[5]lust and iniquity far from thee, and put on righteousness, and thou shalt live to God, if thou shalt keep his commandment.

COMMAND II.

That we must avoid detraction, and do our alms-deeds with simplicity.

​HE said unto me, Be innocentand without disguise; so shaltthou be like an infant who knowsno malice which destroys thelife of man.

2 Especially see that thou speakevil of none, nor willingly hearany one speak evil of others.

3 For if thou observest not this,thou also who hearest shall bepartaker of the sin of him thatspeaketh evil, by believing theslander, and thou also shalt havesin, because thou believedst himthat spoke evil of thy brother.

4 Detraction is a perniciousthing; an inconstant, evil spirit;that never continues in peace, butis always in discord. Whereforerefrain thyself from it, and keeppeace ever more with thy brother.

5 Put on an holy constancy,in which there are no sins, butall is full of joy; and do goodof thy labours.

6 Give without distinction toall that are in want, not doubtingto whom thou givest.

7 But give to all, for God willhave us give to all, of all his owngifts. They therefore that receiveshall give an account to God, bothwherefore they received and forwhat end.

8 And they that receive withoutreal need, shall give an accountfor it; but he that gives shall beinnocent.

9 For he has fulfilled his dutyas he received it from God; notmaking any choice to whom heshould give, and to whom not.And this service he did withsimplicity and to the gloryof God.

10 Keep therefore this commandaccording as I have delivered itinto thee: that thy repentancenay be found to be sincere, andthat good may come to thy house;and have a pure heart.

COMMAND III.

Of avoiding lying, and the repentance of Hermas for his dissimulation.

MOREOVER he said unto melove truth; and let all thespeech be true which proceeds outof thy mouth.

2 That the spirit which the Lordhath given to dwell in thy fleshmay be found true towards allmen; and the Lord be glorified,who hath given such a spirit untothee: because God is true in allhis words, and in him there is nolie.

3 They therefore that lie, denythe Lord, and become robbers ofthe Lord, not rendering to Godwhat they received from him.

4 For they received the spiritfree from lying: If therefore theymake that a liar, they defile whatwas committed to them by theLord, and become deceivers.

5 When I heard this, I weptbitterly; and when he saw meweeping, he said unto me, Whyweepest thou? And I said, Because,sir, I doubt whether I can be saved.

6 He asked me, Wherefore?I replied, Because, sir, I neverspake a true word in my life; butalways lived in dissimulation, andaffirmed a lie for truth to all men;and no man contradicted me, butall gave credit to my words. Howthen can I live, seeing I have donein this manner?

7 And he said unto me, Thouthinkest well and truly; for thououghtest, as the servant of God,to have walked in the truth, andnot have joined an evil consciencewith the spirit of truth, nor havegrieved the holy and true Spiritof God.

8 And I replied unto him,Sir, I never before hearkenedso diligently to these things.He ​answered, Now thou hearest themTake care from henceforth, thateven those things which thou hastformerly spoken falsely for thesake of thy business, may, bythy present truth receive pardon.

9 For even those things maybe forgiven, if for the time to comethou shalt speak the truth; andby so doing thou mayest attainunto life.

10 And whosoever shall hearkenunto this command, and do it,and shall depart from all lying,he shall live unto God.

COMMAND IV.

Of putting away one's wife for adultery.

FURTHERMORE, said he, Icommand thee, that thou keepthyself chaste; and that thousuffer not any thought of anyother marriage, or of fornication,to enter into thy heart; for sucha thought produces great sin.

2 But be thou at all times mindfulof the Lord, and thou shalt neversin. For if such an evil thoughtshould arise in thy heart, thenthou shall be guilty of a greatsin; and they who do such things,follow the way of death.

3 Look therefore to thyself, andkeep thyself from such a thought;for where chastity remains in theheart of a righteous man, there anevil thought ought never to arise.

4 And I said unto him, Sir,suffer me to speak a little to you.He bade me say on. And I answered,Sir, if a man that is faithfulin the Lord shall have a wife,and shall catch her in adultery;doth a man sin that continues tolive still with her?

5 And he said unto me, As longas he is ignorant of her sin, hecommits no fault in living withher; but if a man shall know hiswife to, have offended, and sheshall not repent of her sin, but goon still in her fornication, and aman shall continue neverthelessto live with her, he shall becomeguilty of her sin, and partake withher in her adultery.

6 And I said unto him, Whattherefore is to be done, if thewoman continues on in her sin?He answered, Let her husband puther away, and let him continueby himself; but if he shall putaway his wife and marry another,he also doth commit adultery.

7 And I said, What, if thewoman that is so put away, shouldrepent, and be willing to returnto her husband, shall she not bereceived by him? He said unto me,Yes; and if her husband shallnot receive her, he will sin, andcommit a great offence againsthimself; for he ought to receivethe offender, if she repents: onlynot often.

8 For, to the servants of God,there is but one repentance; andfor this cause a man that puttethaway his wife ought not to takeanother, because she may repent.

9 This act is alike both in theman and in the woman. Now theycommit adultery, not only whopollute their flesh, but whoalso make an image. If thereforea woman perseveres in any thingof this kind, and repents not,depart from her; and live not withher, otherwise thou also shalt bepartaker of her sin.

10 But it is therefore commandedthat both the man and the womanshould remain unmarried, becausesuch persons may repent.

11 Nor do I in this administerany occasion for the doing of thesethings; but rather that whoso hasoffended, should not offend anymore.

12 But for their former sins,God who has the power of healingwill give a remedy; for he hasthe power of all things.

13 I asked him again, andsaid, Seeing the Lord hath thoughtme worthy that thou shouldestdwell with me continually, speak ​a few words unto me, because Iunderstand nothing, and my heartis hardened through my formerconversation; and open myunderstanding because I am verydull, and apprehend nothing at all.

14 And he answering saidunto me, I am the minister ofrepentance, and give understandingto all that repent. Does it notseem to thee to be a very wisething to repent? Because he thatdoes so gets great understanding.

15 For he is sensible that hehath sinned and done wickedly inthe sight of the Lord, and heremembers within himself that hehas offended, and repents and doesno more wickedly, but does thatwhich is good, and humbles hissoul and afflicts it, because he hasoffended. You see therefore thatrepentance is great wisdom.

16 And I said unto him, For thiscause, sir, I inquire diligentlyinto all things, because I am asinner, that I may know what Imust do that I may live; becausemy sins are many.

17 And he said unto me, Thoushalt live if thou shalt keep thesemy commandments. And whosoevershall hear and do these commandsshall live unto God.

18 And I said unto him, I haveeven now heard from certainteachers, that there is no otherrepentance beside that of baptism,when we go down into the water,and receive the forgiveness of oursins; and that after that, we mustsin no more, but live in purity.

19 And he said unto me, Thouhast been rightly informed. Never-the-less seeing now thou inquirestdiligently into all things, I willmanifest this also unto thee; yetnot so as to give any occasion ofsinning, either to those who shallhereafter believe, or to thosewho have already believed in theLord.

20 For neither they who havenewly believed, or shall hereafterbelieve, have any repentance of sins,but forgiveness of them.

21 But as to those who havebeen called to the faith, and sincethat are fallen into any gross sin,the Lord hath appointed repentance,because God knoweth the thoughtsof all men's hearts, and theirinfirmities, and the manifoldwickedness of the devil, who isalways contriving somethingagainst the servants of God, andmaliciously lays snares for them.

22 Therefore our merciful Lordhad compassion towards his creature,and appointed that repentance, andgave unto me the power of it. Andtherefore I say unto thee, if anyone after that great and holycalling shall be tempted by thedevil and sin, he has one repentance.But if he shall often sin and repent,it shall not profit such a one;for he shall hardly live unto God.

23 And I said, Sir, I am restoredagain to life since I have thusdiligently hearkened to thesecommands. For I perceive that if Ishall not hereafter add any moreof my sins, I shall be saved.

24 And he said, Thou shalt besaved: and so shall all others, asmany as shall observe thesecommandments.

25 And again I said unto him,Sir, seeing thou hearest mepatiently, show me yet one thingmore. Tell me, saith he, what itis.

26 And I said, If a husband ora wife die, and the party whichsurvives marry again, does he sinin so doing? He that marriessays he, sins not: howbeit, ifhe shall remain single, he shallthereby gain to himself greathonour before the Lord.

27 Keep therefore thy chastityand modesty, and thou shalt liveunto God. Observe from hence ​forththose things which I speakwith thee, and command thee toobserve, from the time that Ihave been delivered unto thee, anddwell in thy house.

28 So shall thy former sins beforgiven, if thou shalt keep thesemy commandments. And in likemanner shall all others be forgiven,who shall observe these my commandments.

COMMAND V.

Of the sadness of the heart, and of patience.

Be patient, says he, and long-suffering; so shalt thou havedominion over all wicked works,and shall fulfil all righteousness.

2 For if thou shalt be patient,the Holy Spirit which dwelleth inthee shall be pure, and not bedarkened by any evil spirit; butbeing full of joy shall be enlarged,and feast in the body in which itdwells, and serve the Lord withjoy, and in great peace.

3 But if any anger shall overtakethee, presently the Holy Spiritwhich is in thee will be straightenedand seek to depart from thee.

4 For he is choked by the evilspirit, and has not the liberty ofserving the Lord as he would; forhe is grieved by anger. When,therefore, both these spirits dwelltogether, it is destructive to aman.

5 As if one should take a littlewormwood, and put it into a vesselof honey, the whole honey wouldbe spoiled; and a great quantityof honey is corrupted by a verylittle wormwood, and loses thesweetness of honey, and is nolonger acceptable to its Lordbecause the whole honey is madebitter, and loses its use.

6 But if no wormwood be putinto the honey, it is sweet andprofitable to its Lord. Thus isforbearance sweeter than honey,and profitable to the Lord whodwelleth in it.

7 But anger is unprofitable.If therefore anger shall be mixedwith forbearance, the soul isdistressed, and its prayer isnot profitable with God.

8 And I said unto him, Sir,I would know the sinfulness ofanger, that I may keep myself fromit. And he said unto me, Thoushall know it; and if thou shaltnot keep thyself from it, thou shaltlose thy hope with all thy house.Wherefore depart from it.

9 For I the messenger ofrighteousness am with thee, andall that depart from it: as manyas shall repent with all their hearts,shall live unto God; and I will be withthem, and will keep them all.

10 For all such as have repentedhave been justified by the mostholy messenger, who is a ministerof salvation.

11 And now, says he, hearthe wickedness of anger; howevil and hurtful is is, and how itoverthrows the servants of God;for it cannot hurt those that arefull of faith because the powerof God is with them; but itoverthrows the doubtful, and thosethat are destitute of faith.

12 For as often as it sees suchmen, it casts itself into theirhearts; and so a man or womanis in bitterness for nothing: forthe things of life, or for sustenance,or for a vain word, if any shouldchance to fall in; or by reasonof any friend, or for a debt,or for any other superfluousthings of the like nature.

13 For these things are foolish,and superfluous, and vain to theservants of God. But equanimityis strong, and forcible; and ofgreat power, and sitteth in greatenlargement; is cheerful, rejoicing ​in peace; and glorifying God atall times I with meekness.

14 And this long-sufferingdwells with those that are full offaith. But anger is foolish, andlight, and empty. Now bitternessis bred through folly; bybitterness, anger; by anger, fury;and this fury arising from somany evil principles, worketh agreat and incurable sin.

15 For when all these things,are in the same man in which theHoly Spirit dwells, the vesselcannot contain them, but runsover: and because the Spirit beingtender cannot tarry with the evilone; it departs and dwells withhim that is meek.

16 When, therefore, it isdeparted from the man in whom itdwelt, that man becomes destituteof the Holy Spirit, and is afterwardsfilled with wicked spirits, andis blinded with evil thoughts.Thus doth it happen to all angrymen.

17 Wherefore depart then fromanger, and put on equanimity, andresist: wrath; so then shalt befound with modesty and chastityby God. Take good heed, therefore,that thou neglect not this commandment.

18. For if thou shalt obey thiscommand, then thou shalt also beable to observe the other commandmentswhich I shall command thee.

19 Wherefore strengthen thyselfnow in these commands, that thenmayest live unto God. And whosoevershall observe these commandmentsshall live unto God.

COMMAND VI.

That every man has two angels and of the suggestions of both.

I COMMANDED thee, said he,in my first commandments,that thou shouldst keep faith andfear, and repentance. Yes, sir,said I.

2 He continued. But now Iwill shew thee the virtues of thesecommands, that then mayest knowtheir effects; how they areprescribed alike to the justand unjust.

3 Do thou therefore believe therighteous, but give no credit tothe unrighteous. For righteousnesskeepeth the right way, butunrighteousness the wicked way.

4 Do thou therefore keep theright way, and leave that which isevil. For the evil way has not agood end, but hath many stumbling-blocks; it is rugged and fullof thorns, and leads to destruction;and it is hurtful to all suchas walk in it.

5 But they who go in the rightway walk with evenness, and withoutoffence; because it is not roughnor thorny.

6 Thou seest therefore how it isbest to walk in this way. Thoushalt therefore go, says he, and allothers, as many as believe in Godwith all their heart, shall gothrough it.

7 And now, says he, I understandfirst of all what belongs to faith.There are two angels with man;one of righteousness, the otherof iniquity.

8 And I said unto him, Sir,how shall I know that there are ​two such angels with man? Hear,says he, and understand.

9 The angel of righteousness,is mild and modest, and gentle,and quiet. When, therefore, hegets into thy heart, immediatelyhe talks with thee of righteousness,of modesty, of chastity, ofbountifulness, of forgiveness,of charity, and piety.

10 When all these things comeinto thy heart, know then that theangel of righteousness is with thee.Wherefore hearken to this angeland to his works.

11 Learn also the works of theangel of iniquity. He is first ofall bitter, and angry, and foolish;and his works are pernicious, andoverthrow the servants of God.When therefore these things comeinto thine heart; thou shalt knowby his works, that this is the angelof iniquity.

12 And I said unto him, Sir,how shall I understand thesethings? Hear, says he, andunderstand; When anger overtakesthee, or bitterness, know that he isin thee:

13 As also, when the desire ofmany things, and of the best meats,and of drunkenness; when thelove of what belongs to others,pride, and much speaking, andambition; and the like things,come upon thee.

14 When therefore these thingsarise in thine heart, know that theangel of iniquity is with thee.Seeing therefore thou knowest hisworks, depart from them all, andgive no credit to him: because hisworks are evil, and become not theservants of God.

15 Here therefore thou hastthe works of both these angels.Understand now and believe theangel of righteousness, becausehis instruction is good.

16 For let a man be never sohappy; yet if the thoughts of theother angel arise in his heart, thatman or woman must needs sin.

17 But let man or woman benever so wicked, if the works ofthe angel of righteousness comeinto their hearts, that man orwoman must needs do some good.

18 Thou seest therefore howit is good to follow the angel ofrighteousness. If therefore thoushall follow him, and submit tohis works, thou shalt live unto God.And as many as shall submit tohis work shall live also unto God.

COMMAND VII.

That we must fear God but not the Devil.

FEAR God, says he, and keephis commandments. For ifthou keepest his commandmentsthou shalt be powerful in everywork, and all thy works shall beexcellent. For by fearing God,thou shalt do everything well.

2 This is that tear with whichthou must be affected that thoumayest be saved. But fear notthe Devil: for if thou fearest theLord, thou shalt have dominionover him; because there is nopower in him.

3 Now if there be no power inhim, then neither is he to befeared: for every one that haspower, is to be feared. But hethat has no power is despised byevery one.

4 Fear the works of the Devil,because they are evil. For byfearing the Lord, thou wilt fearand do not the works of the Devil,but keep thyself from them.

5 There is therefore a twofoldfear; if thou wilt not do evil, fearthe Lord and thou shalt not do it.But if thou wilt do good, the fearof the Lord is strong, and greatand glorious.

6 Wherefore, fear God and thoushalt live: and whosoever shallfear him, and keep his commandments,their life is with the Lord.But they who keep them not,neither is there life in them.

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COMMAND VIII.

That we must flee from evil, and do good works.

I HAVE told thee, said he,that there are two kinds ofcreatures of the Lord, and thatthere is a two-fold abstinence.From some things therefore thoumust abstain, and from others not.

2 I answered, Declare to me,sir, from what I must abstain, andfrom what not. Hearken, said he,Keep thyself from evil, and do itnot; yet abstain not from good,but do it. For if thou shalt abstainfrom what is good, and not do it,thou shalt sin. Abstain thereforefrom all evil, and thou shalt knowall righteousness.

3 I said, What evil things arethey from which I must abstain?Hearken, said he; from adultery,from drunkenness, from riots, fromexcess of eating, from daintinessand dishonesty, from pride, fromfraud, from lying, from detraction,from hypocrisy, from remembranceof injuries, and from all evilspeaking.

4 For these are the works ofiniquity, from which the servantof God must abstain. For he thatcannot keep himself from thesethings, cannot live unto God.

5 But hear, said he, whatfollows of these kind of things:for indeed many more there arefrom which the servant of God mustabstain. From theft, and cheating;from false witness, from covetousness,from boasting, and all other thingsof the like nature.

6 Do these things seem to theeto be evil or not? Indeed theyare very evil to the servants ofGod, Wherefore the servant ofGod must abstain from all theseworks.

7 Keep thyself therefore fromthem, that thou mayest live untoGod, and be written among thosethat abstain from them. And thushave I shown thee what thingsthou must avoid: now learn fromwhat thou must not abstain.

8 Abstain not from any goodworks, but do them. Hear, saidhe, what the virtue of those goodworks is which thou must do, thatthou mayest be saved. The firstof all is faith; the fear of theLord; charity; concord; equity;truth; patience; chastity.

9 There is nothing better thanthese things in the life of men;who shall keep and do thesethings in their life. Hear nextwhat follow these.

10 To minister to the widows;not to despise the fatherless andpoor; to redeem the servants ofGod from necessity; to be hospitable(for in hospitality there issometimes great fruit); not to becontentious, but be quiet.

11 To be humble above all men;to reverence the aged; to labourto be righteous; to respect thebrotherhood; to bear affronts; tobe long-suffering; not to castaway those that have fallen fromthe faith, but to convert them, andmake them be of good cheer: toadmonish sinners; not to oppressthose that are our debtors; and allother things of a like kind.

12 Do these things seem to theeto be good or not? And I said,What can be better than thesewords? Live then, said he, inthese commandments, and do notdepart from them. For if thoushalt keep all these commandments,thou shalt live unto God. And allthey that shall keep thesecommandments shall live unto God.

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COMMAND IX.

That we must ask of God daily; and without doubting.

AGAIN he said unto me; remove fromthee all doubting; and questionnothing at all when thou askestany thing of the Lord; sayingwithin thyself, how shall Ibe able to ask any thing of theLord and receive it, seeing I haveso greatly sinned against him?

2 Do not think thus, but turnunto the Lord with all thy heart,and ask of him without doubting,and thou shalt know the mercy ofthe Lord; bow that he will notforsake thee, but will fulfil therequest of thy soul.

3 For God is not as men, mindfulof the injuries he has received;but he forgets injuries, and hascompassion upon his creature.

4 Wherefore purify thy heartfrom all the vices of this presentworld; and observe the commandsI have before delivered unto theefrom God; and thon shall receivewhatsoever good things thou shaltask, and nothing shall be wantingunto thee of all thy petitions; ifthou shalt ask of the Lord withoutdoubting.

5 But they that are not such,shall obtain none of those thingswhich they ask. For they that arefull of faith, ask all things withconfidence, and receive from theLord, because they ask withoutdoubting. But he that doubts,shall hardly live unto God, excepthe repent.

6 Wherefore purify thy heartfrom doubting, and put on faith,and trust in God, and thou shallreceive all that thou shalt ask.But if thou shouldest chance toask something, and not immediatelyreceive it, yet do not thereforedoubt, because thou hast notpresently received the petitionof thy soul.

7 For it may be thou shalt notpresently receive it for thy trial,or else for some sin which thouknowest not. But do not thouleave off to ask, and then thoushalt receive. Else if thou shaltcease to ask, thou must complainof thyself, and not of God, that hehas not given unto thee what thoudidst desire.

8 Consider therefore this doubtinghow cruel and pernicious it is;and how it utterly roots out manyfrom the faith, who were veryfaithful and firm. For this doubtingis the daughter of the Devil, anddeals very wickedly with theservants of God.

9 Despise it therefore, and thoushalt rule over it on every occasion.Put on a firm and powerful faith:for faith promises all thingsand perfects all things. Butdoubting will not believe that itshall obtain any thing by all thatit can do.

10. Thou seest therefore, sayshe, how faith cometh from abovefrom God; and hath great power.But doubting is an earthly spirit,and proceedeth from the Devil,and has no strength.

11 Do thou therefore keep thevirtue of faith, and depart fromdoubting, in which is no virtue,and thou shalt live unto God. Andall shall live unto God, as manyas do these things.

COMMAND X.

Of the sadness of the heart; and that we must take, heed not to grieve the spirit of God that is in us.

PUT all sadness far from thee;for it is the sister of doubtingand of anger. How, sir, said Iis it the sister of these? Forsadness, and anger, and doubting,seem to me to be very differentfrom one another.

2 And he answered: Art thouwithout sense that thou dost not ​understand it? For sadness is themost mischievous of all spirits,and the worst to the servants ofGod: It destroys the spirits of allmen, and torments the Holy Spirit,and it saves again.

3 Sir, said I, I am very foolish,and understand not these things.I cannot apprehend how it cantorment, and yet save. Hear, saidhe, and understand. They whonever sought out the truth, norinquired concerning the majestyof God, but only believed, areinvolved in the affairs of theheathen.

4 And there is another lyingprophet that destroys the mindsof the servants of God; that isof those that are doubtful, not ofthose that fully trust in the Lord.Now those doubtful persons cometo him, as to a divine spirit, andinquire of him what shall befallthem.

5 And this lying prophet, havingno power in him of the DivineSpirit, answers them according totheir demands, and fills their soulswith promises according as theydesire. Howbeit that prophet isvain, and answers vain things tothose who are themselves vain.

6 And whatsoever is asked ofhim by vain men, he answers themvainly; nevertheless he speakethsome things truly. For the Devilfills him with his spirit, that hemay overthrow some of therighteous.

7 Whosoever therefore arestrong in the faith of the Lord,and have put on the truth; theyare not joined to such spirits, butdepart from them. But they thatare doubtful, and often repenting,like the heathens, consult them,and heap up to themselves greatsin, serving idols.

8 As many therefore as aresuch, inquire of them upon everyoccasion; worship idols, and arefoolish; and void of the truth.For every spirit that is givenfrom God needs not to be asked:but having the power of divinityspeaks all things of itself,because he comes from above;from the power of God.

10 But he, that being askedspeaks according to men's desiresand concerning many other affairsof this present world, understandsnot the tidings which relate untoGod. For these spirits are darkenedthrough such affairs, and corrupted,and broken.

11 As good vines if they areneglected, are oppressed with weedsand thorns, and at last killed bythem; so are the men who believesuch spirits.

12 They fall into many actionsand businesses, and are void ofsense, and when they think ofthings pertaining unto God, theyunderstand nothing at all; butat any time they chance to hearany thing concerning the Lord,their thoughts are upon theirbusiness.

13 But they that have the fearof the Lord, and search out thetruth concerning God, having alltheir thoughts towards the Lord;apprehend whatsoever is said tothem, and forthwith understandit, because they have the fearof the Lord in them.

14 For where the spirit of theLord dwells, there is also muchunderstanding added. Whereforejoin thyself to the Lord, and thoushalt understand all things.

15 Learn now, O unwise man!how sadness troubleth the HolySpirit, and how it saves. Whena man that is doubtful is engagedin any affair, and does notaccomplish it by reason of hisdoubting; this sadness entersinto him, and grieves the HolySpirit, and makes him sad.

16 Again anger, when it over.takes any man for any business heis greatly moved; and then againsadness entereth into the heart of ​him, who was moved with anger,and he is troubled for what he hathdone, and repenteth, because hehath done amiss.

17 This sadness therefore seemethto bring salvation, because herepenteth of his evil deed. Butboth the other things, namely,doubting and sadness, such asbefore was mentioned, vex thespirit: doubting, because hiswork did not succeed; and sadness,because he angered the Holy Spirit.

18 Remove therefore sadnessfrom thyself, and afflict not theHoly Spirit which dwelleth inthee, lest he entreat God, anddepart from thee. For the spiritof the Lord which is given todwell in the flesh, endureth nosuch sadness.

19 Wherefore clothe thyselfwith cheerfulness, which has alwaysfavour with the Lord, and thou shaltrejoice in it. For every cheerfulman does well; and relishes thosethings that are good, and despisessadness.

20 But the sad man does alwayswickedly. First, he doth wickedly,because he grieveth the Holy Spirit,which is given to man being of acheerful nature. And again he doesill, because be prays with sadnessunto the Lord, and maketh not firsta thankful acknowledgment unto himof former mercies, and obtains notof God what he asks.

21 For the prayer of a sad manhas not always efficacy to come upto the altar of God. And I saidunto him, Sir, why has not theprayer of a sad man virtue to comeup to the altar of God? Because,said he, that sadness remaineth inhis heart.

22 When therefore a man'sprayer shall be accompanied withsadness, it will not suffer hisrequests to ascend pure to the altarof God. For as wine when it ismingled with vinegar, has not thesweetness it had before; so sadnessbeing mixed with the Holy Spirit,suffers not a man's prayer to bethe same as it would be otherwise.

23 Wherefore cleanse thyselffrom sadness, which is evil, andthou shalt live unto God. And allothers shall live unto God, as manyas shall lay aside sadness, and puton cheerfulness.

COMMAND XI.

That the spirits and prophets are to be tried by their works; and of a twofold, spirit.

HE showed me certain mensitting upon benches, andone sitting in a chair: and he saidunto me; Seest thou those who situpon the benches? Sir, said I,I see them. He answered, Theyare the faithful; and he who sitsin the chair is an earthly spirit.

2 For he cometh not into theassembly of the faitful, but avoidsit. But he joins himself to thedoubtful and empty; and prophesiesto them in corners and hidden places;and pleases them by speaking accordingto all the desires of their hearts.

3 For he placing himself amongempty vessels, is not broken, butthe one fitteth the other. Butwhen he cometh into the companyof just men, who are full of thespirit of God, and they pray untothe Lord; that man is emptied,because that earthly spirit fliesfrom him, and he is dumb, andcannot speak anything.

4 As if in a store-house youshall stop up wine or oil, andamong those vessels place anempty jar; and when afterwardsyou come to open it, you shallfind it empty as you stopped it up;so those empty prophets whenthey come among the spirits of ​the just, are found to be such asthey came.

5 I said, How then shall aman be able to discern them?Consider what I am going to sayconcerning both kinds of men;and as I speak unto thee so shaltthou prove the prophet of God,and the false prophet.

6 And first try the man whohath the spirit of God, becausethe spirit which is from above ishumble, and quiet, and departsfrom all wickedness; and from thevain desires of the present world;and makes himself more humblethan all men; and answers to nonewhen he is asked; nor to everyone singly: for the Spirit of Goddoth not speak to a man when hewill, but when God pleases.

7 When therefore a man who haththe Spirit of God hath come intothe church of the righteous, whohave the faith of God, and theypray unto the Lord; then the holyangel of God fills that man withthe blessed Spirit, and he speaksin the congregation as he is movedof God.

8 Thus therefore is the spirit,of God known, because whosoeverspeaketh by the Spirit of God,speaketh as the Lord will.

9 Hear now concerning theearthly spirit, which is empty andfoolish, and without virtue. Andfirst of all the man who is supposedto have the Spirit, (whereas he hathit not in reality), exalteth himself,and desires to have the first seat,and is wicked, and full of words.

10 And spends his time in pleasure,and in all manner of voluptuousness,and receives the reward of hisdivination; which if he receivesnot, he does not divine.

11 Should the Spirit of Godreceive reward, and divine? It dothnot become a prophet of God so todo.

12 Thus you seethe life of eachof these kind of prophets. Whereforeprove that man by his life and works,who says that he hath the Holy Spirit.And believe the Spirit which comesfrom God, and has power as such.But believe not the earthly andempty spirit, which is from thedevil, in whom there is no faithnor virtue.

13 Hear now the similitudewhich I am about to speak untothee. Take a stone, and throw itup towards heaven; or take aspout of water, and mount it upthitherward; and see if thoucanst reach unto heaven.

14 Sir; said I, how can this bedone? For neither of those thingswhich you have mentioned, arepossible to be done. And heanswered, Therefore as these thingscannot be done, so is the earthyspirit without virtue, and withouteffect.

15 Understand yet farther thepower which cometh from above,in this similitude. The grains ofhail that drop down are exceedinglysmall; and yet when they fall uponthe head of a man, how do theycause pain to it.

16 And again, consider, thedroppings of a house; how thelittle drops falling upon the earth,work a hollow in the stones.

17 So in like manner the leastthings which come from above,and fall upon the earth, have greatforce. Wherefore join thyselfto this spirit, which has thepower; and depart from the otherwhich is empty.

COMMAND XII.

Of a two fold desire: that the commands of God, are not impossible: and that the devil is not to be feared by them that believe.

​AGAIN he said unto me;remove from thee all evildesires, and put on good andholy desires. For having put on agood desire, thou shalt hate thatwhich is evil, and bridle it as thouwilt. But an evil desire is dreadful,and hard to be tamed.

2 It is very horrible and wild;and by its wildness consumes men.And especially if a servant of Godshall chance to fall into it, excepthe be very wise, he is ruined byit. For it destroys those who havenot the garment of a good desireand are engaged in the affairs ofthis present world; and deliversthem unto death.

3 Sir, said I, what are the worksof an evil desire, which bring menunto death? Shew them to me thatI may depart from them. Hear, said he,by what works an evil desire bringeththe servants of God unto death.

4 First of all, it is an evil desireto covet another man's wife, orfor a woman to covet another'shusband; as also to desire thedainties of riches; and multitudeof superfluous meats; and drunkenness;and many delights.

5 For in much delicacy there isfolly; and many pleasures areneedless to the servants of God.Such lusting therefore is evil andpernicious, which brings to deaththe servants of God. For all suchlusting is from the devil.

6 Whosoever therefore shalldepart from all evil desires,shall live unto God; but theythat are subject unto them shalldie forever. For this evil lustingis deadly. Do thou therefore puton the desire of righteousness,and being armed with the fear ofthe Lord resist all wicked lusting.

7 For this fear dwelleth in gooddesires; and, when evil covetingshall see thee armed with the fearof the Lord, and resisting it; itwill fly far from thee, and notappear before thee, but be afraidof thy armour.

8 And thou shall have the victory,and be crowned for it; and shallattain to that desire which isgood; and shall give the victorywhich thou hast obtained untoGod, and shall serve him in doingwhat thou thyself wouldest do.

9 For if thou shalt serve gooddesires, and be subject to them;then thou shalt be able to get thedominion over thy wicked lustings;and they will be subject to thee,as thou wilt.

10 And I said, Sir, I wouldknow how to serve that desirewhich is good? Hearken, said he,Fear God, and put thy trust inhim, and love truth, andrighteousness, and do thatwhich is good.

10 If thou shalt do these things,thou shall be an approved servantof God, and serve him; and allothers who shall in like mannerserve a good desire, shall live untoGod.

12 And when he had fulfilledthese twelve commands, he saidunto me, Thou hast now thesecommands, walk in them; and exhortthose that hear them, to repent,and that they keep theirrepentance pure all theremaining days of their life.

13 And fulfil diligently thisministry which I commit to thee,and thou shalt receive greatadvantage by it, and find favourwith all such as shall repentand believe thy words. For I amwith thee, and will force themto believe.

14 And I said unto him, Sir,these commands are great andexcellent, and able to cheer theheart of that man that shall beable to keep them. But, Sir,I cannot tell, whether they canbe observed by any man?

15 He answered, Thou shalteasily keep these commands, andthey shall not be hard: howbeit,if thou shalt suffer it once toenter ​into thine heart that theycannot be kept by any one, thoushalt not fulfil them.

16 But now I say unto thee,if thou shalt not observe thesecommands, and shall neglect them,thou shalt not be saved, nor thychildren, nor thy house: becausethou hast judged that thesecommands cannot be kept by man.

17 These things he spakevery angrily unto me, insomuchthat he greatly affrighted me,for he changed his countenanceso that a man could not bear hisanger.

18 And when he saw me altogethertroubled and confounded, he beganto speak more moderately andcheerfully, saying, O foolish,and without understanding!

19 Unconstant, not knowingthe majesty of God how great andwonderful he is; who created theworld for man, and hath madeevery creature subject unto him;and given him all power, that heshould be able to fulfil all thesecommands.

20 He is able, said he, to fulfilall these commands, who has theLord in his heart; but they whohave the Lord only in their mouths,their hearts are hardened, andthey are far from the Lord: tosuch persons these commands arehard and difficult.

21 Therefore, ye that are emptyand light in the faith, put theLord your God in your hearts;and ye shall perceive how thatnothing is more easy than thesecommands, nor more pleasant, normore gentle and holy.

22 And turn yourselves to theLord your God, and forsake thedevil and his pleasures, becausethey are evil, and bitter, andimpure. And fear not the devil,because he has no power over you.

23 For I am with you, themessenger of repentance, who havethe dominion over him. The devildoth indeed affright men but histerror is vain. Wherefore fearhim not, and he will flee from you.

24 And I said unto him; Sir,hear me speak a few words untoyou. He answered, Say on: Aman indeed desires to keep thecommandments of God, and thereis no one but what prays unto God,that he may be able to keep hiscommandments;

25 But the devil is hard, andby his power rules over the servantsof God. And he said; He cannotrule over the servants of God,who trust in him with all theirhearts.

26 The devil may strive, but hecannot overcome them.

27 For if ye resist him, he willflee away with confusion from you.But they that are not full in thefaith, fear the devil, as if he hadsome great power. For the deviltries the servants of God and if hefinds them empty, he destroysthem.

28 For as man, when he fills upvessels with good wine, and amongthem puts a few vessels half full,and comes to try and taste of thevessels, doth not try those that arefull, because he knows that theyare good, but tastes those that arehalf full, lest they should growsour; (for vessels half full soongrow sour, and lose the taste ofwine:) so the devil comes to theservants of God to try them.

29 They that are full of faithresist him stoutly, and he departsfrom them, because he finds noplace where to enter into themthen he goes to those that are notfull of faith, and because he has aplace of entrance he goes intothem, and does what he will withthem, and they become his servants.

30 But I, the messenger ofrepentance, say unto you, fear notthe devil, for I am sent unto you,that I may be with you, as manyas shall repent with your wholeheart, and that I may confirm youin the faith.

​^{31 [6]}Believe therefore, ye who by reason of your transgressions have ^[7]forgot God. and your own salvation; and adding to your sins have made your life very heavy.

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

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

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

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

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