whom he first created. The absence of the master of the household is the time that remains unto his coming. 48 I said unto him, Sir, all these things are very excellent, and wonderful, and good. But, continued I, could I, or any other man besides, though never so wise, have understood these things? 49 Wherefore, now, Sir, tell me what I ask. He replied, Ask me what thou wilt Why, said I, is the Son of God, in this parable, put in the place of a servant? 50 Hearken, said he; The Son of God is not put in the condition of a servant, but in great power and authority. I said unto him, How, sir? I understand it not. This place, the editions 51 Because, said he, the Son set his 'mes- Angels. sengers over those whom the Father delivered which, in all unto him, to keep every one of them; but he of Hermas, is himself labored very much, and suffered much, corrupted, by that he might blot out their offences. wretchedly the collation of editions and MSS., is ed by Dr. 52 For no vineyard can be digged without thus correctmuch labour and pains. Wherefore, having Grabe: blotted out the sins of his people, he showed tem Dominis to them the paths of life, giving them the law adhibuerit, which he had received of the Father. in concilio filium de hæreditate, honestosque di: Spiritum creatus est 53 You see, said he, that he is the Lord of nuncios, au his people, having received all power from his Sanctum, qui Father. But why the Lord did take his Son omnium priinto counsel about dividing the inheritance, pore, in quo and the good angels, hear now. 8 mus, in cor habitaret Deus, collocavit ; in delee scilicet corpore quod tur." created 54 That Holy Spirit, which was created to first of all, he placed in the body in which God ei videba should dwell; namely, in a chosen body, as. Viz. The it seemed good to him. This body, therefore, it of Christ, into which the Holy Spirit was brought, serv-am not ed that Spirit, walking rightly and purely in hot thre modesty; nor ever defiled that Spirit. Third Person of the sacred Trinity. 55 Seeing therefore the body at all times. obeyed the Holy Spirit, and labored rightly and chastely with him, nor faltered at any time; that body, being wearied, conversed indeed servilely, but being mightily approved to God with the Holy Spirit, was accepted by him. 56 For such a stout course pleased God, because he was not defiled in the earth, keeping the Holy Spirit. He called therefore to counsel his Son, and the good angels, that there might be some place of standing given to this body which had served the Holy Spirit without blame; lest it would seem to have lost the reward of its service. 57 For every pure body shall receive its reward, that is found without spot, in which the Holy Spirit has been appointed to dwell. And thus you have now the exposition of this parable also. 58 Sir, said I, I now understand your meaning, since I have heard this exposition. Hearken further, said he; Keep this thy body clean and pure, that the Spirit which shall dwell in it may bear witness unto it, and be judged to have been with thee. 59 Also take heed that it be ot instilled into thy mind that this body perishes, and thou abuse it to any lust. For if thou shalt defile thy body, thou shalt also at the same time defile the Holy Spirit; and if thou shalt defile Thy body, the Holy Spirit, thou shalt not live. according to some copies. t 60 And I said, What if, through ignorance, this should have been already committed before a man heard these words: How can he attain unto salvation, who has thus defiled his body? 61 He replied, As for men's former ac tions, which through ignorance they have 62 But now guard thyself; and seeing God 63 For they are companions together, and the one cannot be defiled but the other will be so too. Keep, therefore, both of them pure, and thou shalt live unto God. T SIMILITUDE VI. Of two sorts of voluptuous men, and of their death, defection, AS I was sitting at home, and praising God for all the things which I had seen, and was thinking concerning the commands, that they were exceeding good, and great, and honest, and pleasant, and such as were able to bring a man to salvation, I said thus within myself: I shall be happy if I shall walk according to these commands, and whosoever shall walk in them shall live unto God. 2 Whilst I was speaking on this wise within myself, I saw him whom I had before been wont to see, sitting by me; and he spake thus unto me: 3 What doubtest thou concerning my commands which I have delivered unto thee? They are good, doubt not, but trust in the Lord, and thou shalt walk in them. For I will give thee strength "to fulfil them. 4 These commands are profitable to those In them. Coteler. loc. in who shall repent of those sins which they have formerly committed; if for the time to come they shall not continue in them. 5 Whosoever therefore ye be that repent, cast away from you the naughtiness of the present world; and put on all virtue, and righteousness, and so shall ye be able to keep these commands; and not sin from henceforth any more. 6 For if ye shall keep yourselves from sin for the time to come, ye shall cut off a great deal of your former sins. Walk in my commands, and ye shall live unto God: These things have I spoken unto you. 7 And when he had said this, he added; Let us go into the field, and I will show thee shepherds of sheep. I replied, Sir, let us go. 。 8 And we came into a certain field, and Vid. Annot. there he showed me a young shepherd, finely arrayed, with his garments of a purple colour. And he fed large flocks; and his sheep were full of pleasure, and in much delight and cheerfulness; and they skipping, ran here and there. "Angel. 9 And the shepherd took very great satisfaction in his flock; and the countenance of that shepherd was cheerful, running up and down among his flock. 10 Then the angel said unto me, Seest thou this shepherd? I answered, Sir, I see him. He said unto me, This is the "messenger of delight and pleasure. He therefore corrupts the minds of the servants of God, and turns them from the truth, delighting them with many pleasures, and they perish. 11 For they forget the commands of the living God, and live in luxury and in vain pleas and are corrupted by this evil angel, some of them even unto death; and others to 'a falling away. Ad defectionem. Lat. y Exultantia. 12 I replied, I understand not what you mean, by saying unto death, and to a falling away. Hear, says he; All those sheep which thou sawest exceeding 'joyful, are such as have forever departed from God, and given themselves up to the lusts of this present austas time. 13 To these therefore there is no return, by repentance, unto life; because that to their other sins they have added this, that they have blasphemed the name of the Lord. These kind of men are ordained unto death. 14 But those sheep which thou sawest not leaping, but feeding in one place, are such as have, indeed, given themselves up to pleasures and delights, but have not spoken any thing wickedly against the Lord. 15 These therefore are only fallen off from the truth, and so have yet hope laid up for them in repentance. For such a falling off hath some hope still left of a renewal; but they that are dead, are utterly gone for ever. a 16 Again we went a little farther forward; and he showed me a great shepherd, who had as it were a rustic figure; clad with a white goat's skin, having his bag upon his shoulder, and in his hand a stick full of knots, and very hard, and a whip in his other hand; and his countenance was stern and sour; enough to affright a man; such was his look. 17 He took from that young shepherd such sheep as lived in pleasures, but did not skip up and down; and drove them into a certain steep craggy place, full of thorns and briars, inso Lat. z In Greek, Athanasius, επιθυμίαις του Αιώνος τούτου. |