5 When therefore a man is come to such a pass, that he is subject neither to the one nor the other of these (both of which, through the prevalence of custom, and an evil education, cloud and darken the reason), 6 But rather, having dispelled the mist arising from them, and being full of shame, shall by repentance have united both his soul and spirit in the obedience of reason; then, as Paul says, there is in us neither male nor female. 24 A DISCOURSE CONCERNING THE SHEPHERD OF ST. HERMAS. That the Hermas mentioned by St. Paul, Rom. xvi. 14, was proba. bly the author of that book which is here subjoined under his name. There is little remaining of his life, more than what is taken out of his own book. Of his death; uncertain whether he died a martyr. The ancient fathers divided in their opinions concerning this book: nor are our later critics any less. That there are ma. ny useful things in it. 1. THERE is not a greater difference between the learned men of the present times concerning the epistle of St. Barnabas, than there was among the ancient Fathers concerning the authority of that book, which next follows, under the name of Hermas. Who this Hermas was, what he did, and what he suffered for the faith's sake, is in great measure unknown to us. That there was one of that name at Rome when St. Paul wrote his epistle to the church there, his remembrance of him, Rom. xvi. 14, will not suffer us to doubt. is it improbable but that it was the same Hermas afterwards wrote this book: and who appears not only Rom. Maii still to have continued his relation to the church of Rome i but to have written at such a time as may well agree to one of St. Paul's acquaintance. The former of these may be collected from his second vision, i which he seems iv. to have had at the same time that Clement was Bishop of Rome, and to whom therefore he is commanded to Nor b who A Vid. Baron. ¡Vis. ii.num. mond and see Dr. communicate a copy of it: and for the latter, might the * Dr. Ham- conjectures of two of our greatest critics k be allowed, Mr. Dodwell: who apply the affliction of which he speaks in another Cave's Hist. of his visions to the destruction of Jerusalem then at hand, it would follow that this book must have been ! Vis. iv. § 3. written within twelve years after the epistle to the Ro Literar. in Herm. 3. mans, and so in all probability by that Hermas, of whom St. Paul speaks in that epistle. But though I rather Vis. iv. §1. think that the tribulation which Hermas foretold, m relates to the persecution under Domitian, because it is there said to be the trial of the Christians, who should be tried as gold in the fire, but yet should overcome it, Vis. iv. §2, and not be hurt by it: (a character that exactly agrees Apolog.c.5. with what Tertullian writes of that persecution;) yet P Hom. in Rom. lib. X. c. 16. cles. lib. iii. c. 3. even this does not hinder but that the Hermas mentioned by St. Paul, might still be living, and be the author of the book we here have under his name. 2. Hence Origen in his Homily P upon that place of St. Paul before mentioned, delivers it as his opinion, that it was the Hermas there spoken of, who wrote this book. 7 Hist. Ec- But Eusebius does more he tells us that it was the received opinion in those days, that it was composed by him. And that it continued to be so in the age after, Hieron de St. Hierome witnesses; who speaks more positively than Eusebius to the same purpose. From all which we may conclude what is to be judged of that mistake which our latter writers have fallen into, by their too credulously following the author of the Poem against Marcion, under the name of Tertullian, viz. that it was written by Hermes, brother to Pope Pius; in which Script. in Herm. . Lib. iii. Papæ. not only the authors of the pontifical ascribed to Pope In Vit. Pii Damasust and of the pretended decretal epistles of the Epist. i. at- ancient Bishops of Rome, u but the martyrologists of the p. 194, edit. middle ages, Bede, Ado, &c. have generally been in trib. Pio pp. Blondel. volved. 3. It is true Cardinal Baronius has endeavoured to make up this difference, by supposing that the Hermes spoken of by St. Paul, was brother to Pope Pius, and so all parties may be in the right. But besides, that this book was written by Hermas, (not the Hermes of whom St. Paul there speaks ;) the difference of the time renders altogether incredible, that a person of some considerable age at St. Paul's writing his epistle, should have lived so long as that Pope's brother is said to have done whom the Cardinal himself observes to have been living 164 years after Christ; y that is to say, 107 years after the writing of St. Paul's epistle to the Romans. This his Epitomator Spondanus was aware of; and therefore though he seems to have allowed of the conjecture, yet he could not but add this reflection of his own upon it; that according to this reckoning, Hermas must have been 130 years old when he died, and in all probability much older. 4. What the condition of this Hermas was before his conversion, we cannot tell; but that he was a man of some consideration, we may conclude from what we read of him in his third vision: a where he is said to have been formerly unprofitable to the Lord upon the account of those riches, which, after he became a Christian, he seems to have dispensed in works of charity and benefi cence. Vis.ii. n. 2,3. 5. Nor have we any more knowledge how he was converted, than what his condition was before it is probable from several passages in his book, b that he & Vis. i. n. 3. was himself brought over to Christianity some time before his family; who continued still in the practice of many and great impieties. During this while Hermas was not only very kind to them, but seems to have been so indulgent towards them, as to permit them rather to go on in their sins, than he would take any rough measures with them to draw them off from them. 6. But this was not all: he not only patiently bore with them, but was himself disturbed with many anxious cares, to supply them in their extravagancies, and с c See below, Vis. i. n. 2, 3. |