of the Tower shall be finished 18 I asked her saying I would know the event of the stones and the force of them what it is but she answering said to me art thou better before all that that may be revealed to thee for others are before thee and better then thee to whom it behoved these visions to be revealed but that the Name of God may be honoured to thee it is revealed and shall be revealed because of the doubtful ones who think in their hearts whether these things be or be not say unto them that all these things are true and nothing is out of the truth but all are firm and are surely grounded 19 Hear now also of the stones that are in the structure indeed these four-corner'd-stones and white agreeing in their commixtures these are the APOSTLES and Overseers and Teachers and MINISTERS who have entred in in the clemency of God and ruled their charge and taught and ministred holily and modestly to the elect of God who have slept and who as yet are and have alwaies agreed with them and had peace in themselves and have heard themselves mutually for this also into the structure of the Tower do their commixtures agree 20 But these who are drawn out of the deep and placed into the structure and their commixtures agree with the rest of the stones which are already builded are these who already have fallen asleep and have suffered for the cause of the Name of the Lord. 21 But the rest of the stones that were brought from the earth I would know who they are Lady she saith Those indeed who go in the earth and are not polished those God hath proved because they have entred in into the Righteousnesse of the Lord and have directed their wayes in his Commandments 22 But these that are brought and are put in the structure of the Tower these are the young ones in the faith and the faithful but they are commonished by the Angels to do good for that cause there is not wickednesse found in them 23 But those whom they did reject and placed beside the Tower who are they These are they who have sinned and would do repentance for this they are not cast out far from the Tower because they shall be profitable in the structure if they shall act Repentance They therefore that are about to act Repentance if they shall do Repentance they shall be strong in the faith if now they shall act Repentance while the Tower is a building For if the structure shall be finished now any shall not have a place where he may be put but he shall be a reprobate but he onely shall have this who already is placed beside the Tower 24 But these that were hewed and thrown far from the Tower wilt thou know who they are These are the SONS OF INIQUITY and they have believed in dissimulation and all wickednesse hath not departed from them for this they have not Salvation because they are not profitable in the structure by reason of their wickednesses Wherefore they are hewn and thrown far away because of the anger of the Lord because they have stired him up 25 But the rest of the stones whom thou didst see very many placed not going into the structure these indeed were rugged These are they who have known the Truth and have neither remained in it nor have been joyned to the Saints for this cause they are unprofitable 26 But these that had rents because they have discord in their hearts one against another and have not peace among themselves In presence indeed having peace but when one shall go away from another their wickednesse remains in their hearts These therefore are the rents which the stones have 27 But those that are maimed are they who indeed believed having the most part of iniquity for this cause they are broken and not intire 28 But the white and round and not agreeing into the structure of the Tower who are they Lady She answering to me said How long hitherto art thou foolish and senselesse and ask est all things and understandest nothing These are they that have indeed faith but having also the riches of this world Therefore when tribulation shall come for their riches and negotiations they deny the Lord. 29 I answering say to her Lady when therefore shall they be profitable to the Lord when their riches quoth she shall be circumcised which delight them then shall they be profitable to the Lord unto the building For as a round stone unless it shall be hewn and cast off somewhat from it cannot be made four-corner'd so also they that are rich in this world unlesse their riches shall be circumcised they cannot be profitable to the Lord. 30 From thee first know it when thou wast rich thou wast unprofitable but now thou art profitable and fit for thy LIFE for also thou thy self wast of these stones 31 But the rest of the stones which thou didst see cast far from the Tower and running in the way and to be rolled from the way into desert places these are they who have indeed believed but with their doubting have left their own true WAY thinking themselves to be able to find a better way but they wander and are miserable entering into desert wayes 32 But these that fell into the fire and did burn are they who for ever have departed from the Living God nor doth it any more ascend into their hearts to act repentance because of the desire of their lusts and wickednesses which they work 33 But the rest which fell besides the waters and could not be rolled into the waters who are these These are they who have heard the WORD willing to be baptized in the NAME of the Lord to whom when the Sanctity of the TRUTH came into their memory they draw back themselves and do again walk after their wicked desires 34 Therefore she finished the narration of the Tower but I seeing I was obstinate asked her Whether to all these stones which were thrown away nor did agree into the structure of the Tower is there Repentance and shall they have a place in this Tower They have quoth she Repentance but in this Tower they cannot agree fitly 35 But they shall be put in another place much inferiour to this when they shall have been vexed and have fulfilled the dayes of their transgressions and for this shall they be taken up because they have received THE JUST WORD and then shall it befall them to be released from their punishments if the wicked works which they have wrought shall ascend up into their hearts but if they shall not ascend into their hearts they shall not be saved because of the hardness of their hearts 36 When therefore I left off to ask her of all these things she saith to me wilt thou see another and seeing I was desirous to see I became chearful in countenance she looking back on me smiled and saith to me Seest
then the former but flesh and hairs ancient Hear quoth he also this parable When any one hath now become older he despairs of himself because of his infirmity and poverty and he expecteth nothing else but the last day of his life after that suddenly to him there is left an inheritance and hearing he riseth up and being become chearful he indueth strength and now he sits not down but standeth and is freed from his former sorrows and now he sits not but does manfully 56 So also ye hear ye the revelation which God hath revealed to you because the Lord hath had pitie on you and hath renewed your Spirit and ye have put off your infirmities strength hath come unto you and ye have grown strong in Faith and God having seen your valour hath rejoyced for this cause he hath demonstrated to you the structure of the Tower and he will shew you other things if from your whole heart ye shall have peace among your selves 57 But in the third vision thou sawest her more youthful honest and chearful and her countenance serene for even as if any good messenger should come upon any one sad immediately he forgets his sorrow and expecteth nothing else but the message which he hath heard he is comforted concerning the rest and his Spirit is renovated because of the joy which he hath taken So also ye have gotten the renovation of your spirits seeing these good things 58 And because upon a seat ye saw her sitting it is a strong position because a stool hath four feet and stands strongly For also the world is contained by the four Elements therefore they that shall do Repentance compleatly shall be younger and they that from their whole heart shall act Repentance shall be grounded Thou hast in full the revelation seek nothing more of things to be revealed but if any thing must it shall be revealed to thee VISION IV. 1 BRethren I saw a vision after twenty daies of the former vision the figure of tribulation about to come upon us for I was going on in that way to Campana but from the publick way unto the village are nigh ten furlongs but seldom is any journey made by that place 2 And I walking alone entreated the Lord that these revelations which he shewed to me by his holy Church he would confirm and would grant Repentance unto all his Servants that are scandalized that his Great and Honourable Name may be honoured and because he esteemed me worthy that he should shew unto me his wonders and I should honour him and give him thanks as it were a voice answered unto me DOVBT NOT HERMAS 3 I began therefore to think within me and to say What have I to doubt so grounded by the Lord and who have seen honourable things 4 I went forward a little Brethren and behold I see the dust up to Heaven I began to say within me What do the Cattel come and stir up the dust but it was distant from me as it were a furlong and behold I see the dust more and more arising so that I suspected it to be something from above 5 But the Sun shone a little and behold I see a great beast like unto a Whale and out of his mouth proceeded fiery Locusts but the stature of that beast was almost an hundred foot but he had an head like a round urnal vessel I began to weep and invoke the Lord that he might deliver me from it then I remembred the word which I had heard DOUBT NOT HERMAS 6 Therefore brethren having put on the faith of God and remembred him that taught me great things I delivered my self boldly upon the Beast but so did that beast come so that it could in one stroke crush a City I came near it and the beast so huge extended it self upon the Earth and did shew forth nothing but it's tongue and at all did not move it self until I had past over it all 7 But that beast had upon its head four colours black then red and bloudy then golden then white but after I had gone over it I went forward nigh thirty foot and behold there met me a certain virgin well adorned as if coming out of her bed all in white and shod with white shoes and down to her face having a Mitre but for a covering she had her neat hairs 8 I knew therefore by my former visions because she is the CHURCH and I became more chearful but she saluted me saying Hail thou Man And I saluted her saying Hail Lady But she answering said to me Hath nothing met thee Man I say to her Lady there hath met me such a beast as could consume a people but by the power of God and his singular loving kindnesse I have escaped it 9 Thou hast well escaped it saith she because thou hast thrown down thy solitude and solicitude before the Lord and hast opened thy heart unto him believing that by no other thou couldst be safe except by his Great and Honourable Name for this cause the Lord hath sent his Angel who is over the BEASTS whose name is HEGRIN and he hath stopt it's mouth least it should slaughter thee Great tribulation hast thou escaped because of thy faith and who hast not stood in doubt of such a beast 10 Go therefore and declare to the elected of God his great things and thou shalt say unto them that this beast is the figure of pressure about to come upon them if therefore ye shall prepare you ye shall be able to escape it if your heart shall be pure and without spot and if the rest of your dayes ye shall serve God without complaint cast your solicitudes upon the Lord and he shall direct them Believe God ye who are DOUBTFUL because he can do all things both avert his wrath from you and send you safeguards 11 Wo to these doubtful ones who shall hear these words and shall despise them it had been better for them not to have been born 12 I asked her of these four colours which the Beast had in his head but she answered unto me saying Again thou art curious asking concerning things of this sort And I said Lady demonstrate unto me what these are Hear saith she That BLACK is the World in which ye stay but the FIERY and BLOUDY because this World must perish by bloud and fire 13 But the GOLDEN part are ye who have escaped this World for as by fire Gold is tried and becomes profitable so also are ye tryed who dwell in them Therefore they that shall continue and shall be tried by them shall be purged and as Gold is made better and puts off its drosse so also ye shall cast off all sadnesse and anguish and ye shall be made clean for the structure of the Tower but the WHITE part is of the age about to come on in which the elected Ones of God shall dwell because the elect of God shall be immaculate and pure into
that they who are overseers of Ministrings who have both protected the Poor and the Widdows and have perpetually had a chast conversation therefore these men are protected by the Lord these things whosoever shall do are honoured with the Lord and among the MESSENGERS is their place if they shall persevere even until the Consummation to obey the Lord. 113 Of the ELEVENTH Mountain in which were trees loaden with divers fruits are these who have believed and for the Name of the Lord have undergone Death and with a ready mind have suffered and with their whole heart have delivered up their souls 114 And I said why then Lord have all these trees certain fruits but of them some more fair Hear quoth he whosoever for the Name of the Lord have suffered are esteemed honoured with the Lord and the failings of them all are blotted our because for the Name of the Son of God they have undergone Death 115 But why the fruits of them are unlike and some among them excel Hear thou for whosoever being led to the POWERS being asked have not denied the Lord but with a ready mind have suffered are more honoured with God therefore the fruits that excel are theirs But they who have been timorous and doubtful and have deliberated in their heart whether they should confesse or deny and have suffered their fruits are smaller 116 Therefore beware ye who have such cogitations least this mind remain in you and YE DIE TO GOD ye therefore whosoever for this names sake do undergo death ought to honour the Lord that the Lord esteemes you worthy that ye may bear his Name and all your sins may be redeemed 117 Therefore do ye not rather esteem your selves happy Think ye rather if any of you suffereth him to accomplish a great work for to you the Lord giveth life nor do you understand for your failings did burthen you and unlesse ye should have suffered for the cause of this Name for your sins ye had surely been dead to God These things therefore I say to you whosoever do deliberate of confessing or of denying 118 Confesse ye therefore your selves TO HAVE THE LORD GOD least perhaps denying ye be delivered into bonds for if all the Nations punish their Servants whosoever have denied their Lord. What think ye the Lord about to do to you who hath power of all things Remove therefore from your hearts these disputations that for ever ye may LIVE TO GOD. 119 But of the TWELVTH white Mountain are such who have believed even as INFANTS sincere to whom no malice ascended over their sense nor have they known what is malice but alwayes have remain'd in sincerity Therefore this sort of men without any dubitation shall inhabit the Kingdom of God because in no businesse have they stained the commands of God but with sincerity have remained all the dayes of their life in the same tenour of sense 120 Whosoever therefore quoth he shall remain as Infants not having malice shall be more honourable then all those whom I have already spoken of FOR ALL INFANTS ARE HONOURED WITH THE LORD AND ARE ESTEEMED FIRST happy therefore ye whosoever shall remove from you malice and shall put on innocency because first ye shall see God 121 After he had finished the explanation of all the Mountains I say to him Lord now expound unto me concerning these stones who being brought out of the field into the place of the Reprobate ones were put unto the Structure of the Tower Likewise of these round stones which were added unto the Structure of the Tower and of these who as yet remained round 122 Hear quoth he of the stones these which being brought from off the field were placed into the Structure of the Tower in their place which had been reprobate are the ROOTS of that white Mountain when therefore they who of that Mountain have believed are become innocent the Lord of that Tower hath commanded these which were of the Roots of the Mountain to be put into the Structure 123 For he hath understood if they had gone to the building that they would remain shining nor would any whit of them grow black any more but if he had so added of the rest of the Mountains he had not needed again to visit that Tower and purge it But these are all white who have believed and who are about to believe for they are of the same kind happy this kind because it is innocent 124 Hear now also of these round and splendid stones all these are of this white Mountain but why they are found round the cause is because their riches have a little obscured them from the Truth and have darkned them But from God they have never departed nor hath any evil word proceeded out of their mouth but all Equity Vertue and Truth 125 The MINDE therefore of these when the Lord had seen and them to be able to favour the Truth he commanded them likewise to remain good and their riches to be circumcised for he would not have them to be for altogether taken away that they might do something of good of that which was left to them and LIVE TO GOD because also they are of the good kind Therefore for that cause are they hewn a little and put into the structure of this Tower 126 But the rest who have as yet continued round nor are found fit unto that structure because they have not yet got the SEAL are put again in their own place for they are found very round but this World must be hew'n from them and the vanities of their riches and then they shall be fit in the Kingdom of God 127 For it must needs be that they enter into the Kingdom of God for this harmlesse kind hath the Lord blessed Therefore out of this kind shall not any one perish yea even although any one of them tempted by the most wicked Devil should somewhat fail he will suddenly run back to the Lord his God 128 But happy do I the Messenger of Repentance judge you whosoever are innocent as Infants because your part is good and honoured with God but I say unto you all whosoever have got this SEAL have ye simplicity neither be ye mindful of offences nor remain ye in malice neither let bitternesses become in the Spirit of any one of you in the memory of offences but to these evil rents procure ye remedy and remove them from you that the Lord of the sheep may rejoyce concerning you 129 For he shall rejoyce if he shall find all things sound but if he shall find of such any sheep scattered wo shall be to the sheepherds but if the sheepherds themselves shall be scuttered what shall they answer to him for the sheep What will they say themselves to have been smitten by the sheep it will not be believed to them for IT IS AN INCREDIBLE THING THAT THE SHEEPHERD CAN SUFFER BY THE SHEEP and he is the rather punished for his lye
chastity remains in the heart of a just man there ought an evil cogitation never to arise 2 And I said to him Lord permit me to speak a few words with thee Speak saith he And I said to him Lord if any should have a Wife faithfull in the Lord and should find her in adultery doth the husband sin if he live together with her And he said to me 3 As long as he knoweth not her sin the Husband is without blame dwelling together with her But if the Husband shall know his Wife to have transgressed and the Wife shall not do Repentance and remains in her Fornication and the Husband live with her he shall be guilty of her sin partaker of her Adultery And I said to him What then if the Woman shall continue in her faults And he said Let the Husband send her away and let the Husband remain by himself but if he shall send away his Wife and shall marry another he also committeth Adultery 4 And I said to him What if the woman put away should do repentance and would be returned to her Husband shall she not be received by her Husband And he said to me Yea if her Husband shall not receive her he sinneth and admitteth a great sin to himself but he ought to receive her a sinner who hath done repenpentance But not often for to the servants of God the Repentance is one 5 Because of repentance therefore the Husband having put away his Wife ought not to marry another Here the act is alike both in the Husband and in the VVife not only is it adultery to them who pollute their own flesh but also she who maketh an Image commits Adultery But if in these deeds she persevere and do not repentance depart from her and do not live together with her otherwise also thou shalt be partaker of her sin 6 For this cause it is commanded you that ye remain single both the Husband and the VVife for there may be repentance in a deed of this sort but also I give not occasion that these be so done but that he who hath sinned sin no more but of his former sins God who hath the power of giving soundness shall give a remedy because it is he that hath power of all things 7 Again I asked and said because my Lord hath esteemed me to be worthy that thou shouldest dwell with me alwaies declare unto me a few words because I understand not any thing and my heart is stopped by my former conversation and open to me my sence because I am vehemently stupid and of the the whole I understand nothing 8 And answering he said unto me I am set over to repentance and to all that do repentance I give feeling Doth it not seem to thee to be great wisdome to do repentance because he that doth repentance obtaineth great feeling for he feels himself to have sinned and to have done wickedly in the sight of the Lord and he is remembred BY THE INTELLECT that he hath trespassed and he doth repentance and he worketh not wickedly any more but worketh well and humbleth his Soul and vexeth it because it hath sinned 9 Thou seest therefore that repentance is great SENSE And I said to him for this cause Lord I deligently inquire all things because I am a sinner that I may know what things I may work and may live because many are my sinns And he said unto me thou shalt live if thou thou shalt keep these my commandments and whosoever shall hear and do these commands shall LIVE TO GOD. 10 And I said to him even now Lord I have heard from certain DOCTORS that other repentance there is not except that when we descend into the water and receive the remission of our sinns after that not to sin but to remain in CHASTITY 11 And he saith to me Thou hast rightly heard but now because diligently thou askest all things also this I demonstrate to thee not giving occasion to them who are about to believe or who have believed the Lord. 12 For they who have already believed or who are about to believe the repentance of sins they have not but the remission For to those who were called before these dayes hath the Lord ordained repentantance because the cogitations of the heart God doth know and he knows the infirmity of men and the manifold wickednesse of the Devil with which he endevoureth some mischief to the servants of God and layes wait for them malitiously 13 Therefore the mercifull God hath had compassion of his handy-work And hath placed that repentance and the power of this repentance hath he given to ME And therefore I say to thee that after that calling great and holy if any one shall be tempted by the Devil and shall sin he hath one repentance But thenceforth if he sin and doth repentance it shall not be profitable to the man that doth such things for difficultly shall he LIVE TO GOD. 14. And I said Lord I have revived whenas so diligently I have heard these Commandments for I know that if after this I shall add nothing to my sins I shall be saved And he said safe I say and all whosoever shall do these commands shall be safe And again I said to him Lord because thou patiently hearest me demonstrate unto me this say it quoth he 15 If the Husband or Wife of any one shall depart and any of them shall marry what Doth he sin He that marrieth sinneth not quoth he but if he would remain by himself he acquireth great honour to himself with the Lord Keep therefore CHASTITY and modesty and thou shalt live to God These things that I speak with thee keep thou henceforth from the time wherein I was delivered to thee and dwell in thine house and there shall be remission to thy former sins if thou shalt keep my commandments But also to all there shall be remission who shall keep my commandments COMMAND V. 1 BE thou of a poysed mind quoth he and patient and thou shalt have dominion over all most wicked works and shalt work ALL righteousness Because if thou shalt be PATIENT THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT DWELLETH IN THEE shall be clean and shall not be obscured by any most wicked Spirit But rejoycing it shall be inlarged and shall feast in the VESSELL in which it inhabiteth and it shall obey the Lord chearful in great peace 2 But if any wrath should come over it immediately the holy Spirit which is IN THEE shall be straitened and shall seek to depart for it is suffocated by a most wicked fight and it hath not a place of obeying the Lord as it would for it is tribulated by ANGER Therefore both Spirits when they inhabit together it is pernitious to man 3 For if any one shall pluck up a little wormwood put it into a pot of honey shall not all the honey be destroyed And so much honey by a little wormwoode perisheh and looseth the
he Thou hast indeed very many sins but not so many that thou oughtest to be delivered to this Messenger but many iniquities and transgressions hath thy house committed and therefore that good Messenger stirred up with their deeds hath commanded them a certain space of time to experience vexation that also they of their trespasses may act Repentance and may wash themselves from all the lust of this world Therefore when they shall have done Repentance and shall be purified then that Messenger shall depart from thee who is set over to punishment 3 I say to him Lord if they have so carried themselves that they have exasperated the good Messenger what have I done He answering saith otherwise they cannot suffer torment unlesse thou who art the HEAD of the whole house dost labour for whatsoever thou shalt suffer it must needs be that they also feel it but as long as thou shalt be well established they can experience no vexation 4 And I said but also behold now Lord they do Repentance with their whole hearts And I know quoth he them to act Repentance with all their hearts dost thou therefore forth-with think saith he their transgressions to be abolished who do Repentance 5 Not forthwith immediately but it becomes him who doth Repentance to afflict his soul and make himself humble in mind in every businesse and to suffer many and various vexations and when he shall have suffered all things which shall be appointed him then perhaps he who created him and who formed all things shall be moved towards him with his clemency and shall give some remedy and that so if he shall see his heart who doth Repentance to be pure from every most wicked work 6 But for thee and for thine house it is expedient now to be vexed and it is needful to undergo much vexation even as the Messenger of the Lord enjoyned who delivered thee unto me but rather give thou thanks to the Lord that foreknowing the thing to come he hath esteemed thee worthy to whom he should foretell the tribulation to be at hand to those that can be able to sustein it 7 I say to him and be thou with me Lord and I shall easily sustein all vexation I quoth he will be with thee but also I will entreat that Messenger who is set over to punishment that he may more lightly afflict thee but also in a little time thou shalt undergo the adverse things and again in thy place shalt be restored onely in the humility of mind persevere thou 8 Obey the Lord in a pure mind and thy house and thy sons and in his commands walk thou which I enjoyned thee and thy repentance shall be able to be firm and pure and if these thou with thy house shalt keep the discommodities shall depart from thee but also from all whosoever in these Commandments shall walk every vexation shall depart SIMIL. VIII 1 HE shewed me a willow covering the fields and mountains under whose shadow all these came who were called in the NAME of the Lord and besides that willow stood the Messenger of the Lord exceeding illustrious and eminent and did cut with a great hook from that willow branches and held forth to that people who was under the shaddow of that willow small and as it were rods of a cubit long 2 But after that they had all gotten them he laid down the hook and that tree remained whole even as before I had seen it which thing I admired and disputed within me That Sheepherd saith to me cease to wonder that that whole tree the branches being cut off should remain whole but expect thou now it shall be demonstrated to thee what that Angell may signifie which stretched forth the rods to the people 3 And asked them from them again and in what order every one had taken them in the same also was he called to him and restored the rods which when he had got he considered for from some he received them withered and putrid as if touched by the moth and he commanded these who had delivered this sort of rods to be separate and set by themselves others offered them withered indeed but not touched by the Moth and these he commanded to be set aside 4 Others offered half-withered rods and these also were set by themselves But some gave their rods half withered and having rents and these were set aside others brought their rods of whom the half part was withered but the other half green and these were set aside others brought their rods of whom two parts were green but the third withered and these were set aside 5 Others brought their rods of whom two parts were withered but the third green and these were set aside Some offered their rods a little withered for a very little was withered in their rods that is the very top but they had rents and these were set aside but in the rods of others there was a little green but the rest withered and these were set aside 6 Others came bringing their rods as they had got them green and the greatest part of the people brought rods of this sort and of these this Messenger took great joy and these were set aside others brought their rods green and having blossoms and these were set aside and these also that Messenger received with great joy 7 Others brought their rods green out of which their blossoms budded forth wch blossoms bare certain fruits they that brought this sort of rods were exceeding chearful of countenance but also the Messenger himself indeed took great delight of them no lesse that Sheepherd for the same cause took pleasure 8 Then the Messenger of the Lord commanded Crowns to be brought but there were brought Crowns as if made of Palms and the Messenger crowned these men in whose rods he had found blossoms and fruit and commanded them to go into the TOWER 9 But also these men he sent into the Tower in whose rods without fruit he had found blossoms having given them his SEAL for they had the same vesture that is white as snow with which he commanded them to go into the Tower no less also these who had restored their rods even as they had got them green having given them a white vesture and so he sent them away to go into the Tower 10 These things being finished he saith to that Sheepherd I go but send thou these within the walls in that place wherein every one hath merited to dwell having first considered their rods diligently notwithstanding least any deceive thee consider thou but also if any one shall get by quoth he I will try them upon the ALTAR 11 These things being said to the Sheepherd he departed after he had departed the Sheepherd saith to me Let us take the rods from all and let us plant them if they can flourish again I say to him Lord these that are withered rods how can they re-flourish He saith to me that tree is a