Men unto Thee to Spy out the Land bring them forth for so hath the King Commanded She answered The two Men whom ye seek came unto Me but presently they departed and are gone Shewing them withall a Contrary way Then she said to the Spies I know that the LORD your God has given this City into your hands for the fear of you is fallen upon All that dwell therein When therefore ye shall have taken it ye shall save Me and my Fathers House And they answered her saying It shall be as Thou hast spoken unto Vs. Therefore when Thou shalt know that we are near thou shalt Gather all thy Family together upon the House top and they shall be saved But all that shall be found without thy House shall be destroyed And they gave her moreover a Sign that she should Hang out of her House a Scarlet Rope Shewing thereby that by the Blood of our Lord there should be Redemption to all that Believe and Hope in God Ye see Beloved How there was not only Faith but Prophesie too in this Woman XIII LET us therefore Humble our selves Brethren laying aside all Pride and Boasting and Foolishness and Anger And let us do as it is written for thus saith the Holy Spirit Let not the Wise Man Glory in his Wisdom nor the Strong Man in his Strength nor the Rich Man in his Riches But let him that Glorieth Glory in the LORD to seek Him and to do Judgment and Justice Above All remembring the words of the Lord Jesus which he spake concerning Equity and Long-suffering saying Be ye Merciful and ye shall obtain Mercy Forgive and ye shall be Forgiven As ye do so shall it be done unto you As ye give so shall it be given unto you As ye judge so shall ye be judged As ye are kind to Others so shall God be kind to you With what Measure ye Meet with the same shall it be measured to you Again By this Command and by these Rules let us establish our selves that so we may always walk obediently to his Holy Words being humble minded For so says the Holy Scripture Vpon Whom shall I look even upon him that is poor and of a Contrite Spirit and that trembles at my Word XIV IT is therefore Just and Righteous Men and Brethren that we should become Obedient unto God rather than follow such as through Pride and Disorder have made themselves the Ring-leaders of a detestable Emulation For it is not an Ordinary Harm that we shall do our selves but rather a very great Danger that we shall run if we shall rashly give up our selves to the Wills of Men who promote Strife and Seditions to turn us aside from what is fitting But let us be kind to One Another according to the Compassion and Sweetness of him that made us For it is written The Merciful shall inherit the Earth and they that are without Evil shall be left upon it But the Transgressors shall perish from off the face of it And again He saith I have seen the Wicked in great Power and spreading himself like the Cedars of Libanus I passed by and Lo he was not I sought his place but it could not be found Keep Innocency and do the thing that is right for there shall be a Remnant to the Peaceable Man XV. LET us therefore hold fast to Those who religiously follow Peace and not to such as only pretend to desire it For He saith in a certain place This People honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me And again They Bless with their Mouth but Curse in their Heart And again He saith They loved him with their Mouth and with their Tongue they lied to Him For their heart was not right with Him neither were they faithful in his Covenant The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips And the tongue that speaketh proud things Who have said with our tongue will we prevail Our lips are our own who is LORD over us For the Oppression of the Poor for the Sighing of the Needy now will I arise saith the LORD I will set him in safety I will deal confidently with him XVI FOR Christ is theirs who are Humble and not who exalt themselves over his Flock The Scepter of the Majesty of God our Lord Jesus Christ came not in the shew of Pride and Arrogance tho' he could have done so But with Humility as the Holy Ghost had before spoken concerning him For thus he saith LORD who hath believed our Report and to whom is the Arm of the LORD revealed For He shall grow up before him as a tender Plant and as a root out of a dry Ground He hath no Form nor Comeliness and when we shall see Him there is no Beauty that we should desire Him He is despised and rejected of Men A man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief And we hid as it were our faces from Him He was despised and we esteemed Him not Surely He hath borne our Griefs and carried our Sorrows yet we did Esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted But he was wounded for our Transgressions He was bruised for our Iniquities The Chastisement of our Peace was upon Him and with his Stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every One to his own way and the LORD hath laid on Him the Iniquity of Vs all He was Oppressed and he was Afflicted yet he Opened not his mouth He is brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter and as a Sheep before her Shearers is Dumb so He openeth not his Mouth He was taken from Prison and from Judgment And who shall declare his Generation For he was cut off out of the Land of the Living For the Transgression of my People was he stricken And he made his Grave with the Wicked and with the Rich in his Death because he had done no Violence neither was any deceit in his Mouth Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him he hath put him to grief When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for sin He shall see his Seed he shall prolong his days And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand He shall see of the travail of his Soul and shall be satisfied by his Knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many For He shall bear their Iniquities Therefore will I divide him a portion with the Great and he shall divide the Spoil with the Strong because He hath poured out his Soul unto death And he was numbred with the Transgressors and he bare the sin of many and made Intercession for the Transgressors And again he Himself saith I am a Worm and no Man a reproach of men and despised of the People All they that see me laugh me to scorn they shout out their lips they shake their head
has multiplied them for his Holy Churches sake is angry with thee because thou hast sinned against me And I answering said unto her Lady If I have sinned against thee tell me where or in what Place or when did I ever speak an unseemly or dishonest Word unto thee Have I not always esteemed thee as a Lady Have I not always reverenced thee as a Sister Why then dost thou imagine these wicked things against me Then she smiling upon me said The desire of Naughtiness has risen up in thy heart Does it not seem to thee to be an ill thing for a Righteous Man to have an evil desire rise up in his heart It is indeed a Sin and that a very great one to such a Man for a righteous Man thinketh what is righteous And whilst he does so and walketh uprightly he shall have the LORD in Heaven favourable unto him in all his Works But as for those who think wickedly in their hearts they take to themselves Death and Captivity and especially those who love this present World and glory in their Riches and regard not the good things that are to come their Souls wander up and down and know not where to fix Now this is the Case of such as are Doubtful who trust not in the LORD and despise and neglect their own life But do thou pray unto the LORD and he will heal thy Sins and the Sins of thy whole House and of all his Saints II. AS soon as she had spoken these Words the Heavens were shut and I remained utterly swallowed up in Sadness and Fear and said within my self If this be laid against me for Sin how can I ever be saved or how shall I ever be able to intreat the LORD for my many and great Sins With what Words shall I beseech him to be merciful unto me As I was thinking over these things and meditating in my self upon them behold a Chair set over against me of the whitest Wool as bright as Snow And there came an old Woman in a bright Garment having a Book in her hand and sate alone and saluted me saying HERMAS hail And I being full of Sorrow and weeping answered Hail Lady and she said unto me Why art thou sad Hermas who wert wont to be patient and modest and always cheerful I answered and said to her Lady a Reproach has been objected to me by an excellent Woman who tells me that I have sinned against her She replied Far be any such thing from the Servant of God But it may be the desire of her has risen up in thy Heart For indeed there is such a Thought even in the Servants of God leading unto Sin Nor ought such a detestable Thought to be in the Servant of God nor should a Spirit that is approved desire that which is evil nor especially HERMAS who contains himself from all wicked Appetites and is full of all Simplicity and of great Innocence III. NEVERTHELESS the LORD is not angry with thee for thine own sake but upon the account of thy House which has committed Wickedness against the LORD and against their Parents And that Act of thy Fondness towards thy Sons in that thou hast not admonished them but hast permitted them to live wickedly and for this Cause the LORD is angry with thee But he will heal all the Evils that are done before thee in thy House For through their Sins and Iniquities thou art wholly consumed in secular Affairs But now the Mercy of God hath taken Compassion upon thee and upon thine House and hath greatly comforted thee only as for thee do not wander but be of an even Mind and comfort thy House As the Workman bringing forth his Work offers it to whomsoever he pleases so shalt thou by teaching every day what is just cut off a great sin Wherefore cease not to admonish thy Sons for the LORD knows that they will repent with all their heart and he will write thee in the Book of Life And when she had said this she added unto me Wilt thou hear me Read I answer'd her Lady I will Hear then said she And opening the Book she read gloriously greatly and wonderfully such things as I could not keep in my Memory For they were terrible Words such as no Man could bear Howbeit I committed her last Words to my Remembrance for they were but few and of great use Behold the mighty LORD who by his invincible Power and with his excellent Wisdom made the World and by his glorious Counsel encompassed the Beauty of his Creature and with the Word of his strength fix'd the Heaven and founded the Earth upon the Waters and by his powerful Vertue establish'd his Holy Church which he hath blessed Behold he will remove the Heavens and the Mountains the Hills and the Seas and all things shall be made Plain for his Elect that he may render unto them the Promise which he has promised with much Honor and Joy if so be that they shall keep the Commandments of God which they have received with great Faith IV. AND when she had made an end of Reading she rose out of the Chair and behold four Young-men came and carried the Chair to the East And she called me unto her and touch'd my Breast and said unto me Did my Reading please thee I answered Lady These last things please me but what went before was severe and hard She said unto me These last things are for the Righteous but the foregoing for the Revolters and Heathen And as she was talking with me Two more appeared and took her up on their shoulders and went to the East where the Chair was And she went chearfully away and as she was going said unto me HERMAS be of good chear VISION II. Again of his Neglect in Correcting his Talkative Wife and of his Lewd Sons and of his Own Manners I. AS I was on the Way to Cumae about the same time that I had been the last Year I began to call to mind the Vision I formerly had And again the Spirit carried me away and brought me into the same Place in which I had been the Year before And when I was come into the Place I fell down upon my Knees and began to Pray unto the LORD and to Honour his Name that he had esteemed me worthy and had manifested unto me my former Sins And when I arose from Prayer behold I saw over against me the Old Woman whom I had seen the last Year walking and reading in a certain Book And she said unto me Can'st thou tell these things to the Elect of God I answered and said unto her Lady I cannot retain such great things in my Memory but give me the Book and I will write them down Take it says she and see that thou restore it again to me As soon as I had receiv'd it I went aside into a certain Place of the Field and transcribed every Letter for I found no
entreats them to follow that which is here given to them LVIII Recommends them to God LIX Desires speedily to hear that this Epistle had had a good Effect upon them LX. And so concludes THE EPISTLE OF St. CLEMENT TO THE Corinthians The Church of God which is at Rome to the Church of God which is at Corinth Elect Sanctified by the Will of God through Jesus Christ our Lord Grace be to you and Peace from the Almighty God by Jesus Christ be multiplied THE suddain and unexpected Dangers and Calamities that have fallen upon Us BELOVED BRETHREN have we fear made us the more slow in our Consideration of those things which you proposed to Us As also of that Wicked and Detestable Sedition so unbecoming the Elect of God which a few heady and self-will'd Men have fomented to such a Degree that your Venerable and Renowned Name so worthy of all Men to be beloved is greatly Blasphemed thereby For who that has ever been among you has not experimented the firmness of your Faith and its Fruitfulness in all Good Works And admired the Temper and Moderation of your Religion in Christ And publish'd abroad the Magnificence of your Hospitality And thought you Happy in your perfect and certain knowledge of the Gospel For ye did all things without respect of Persons and walked according to the Laws of God Being subject to those who had the Rule over you and giving the Honour that was fitting to such as were the Aged among you The young Men ye commanded to think those things that were Modest and Grave The Women ye exhorted to do all things with an unblameable and seemly and pure Conscience Loving their own Husbands as was fitting And that keeping themselves within the Limits of a due Obedience they should order their Houses gravely with all Discretion II. YE were All of you Humble minded not Boasting of any thing Desiring rather to be Subject than to Govern to Give than to Receive being content with the Portion God had dispensed to you And hearkning diligently to his Word ye received it into your Hearts having his Precepts always before your Eyes Thus a firm and blessed and profitable Peace was given unto you and an unsatiable desire of doing Good and a plentiful Effusion of the Holy Ghost was upon all of you And being full of Good Desires ye did with a great readiness and with a Religious Confidence stretch forth your hands to God Almighty beseeching him to be merciful unto you if in any thing ye had unwillingly sinn'd against Him Ye contended day and night for the whole Brotherhood that through the Mercy of God and a Good Conscience the number of his Elect might be saved Ye were sincere and without Offence towards each other not mindful of Injuries All Sedition and Schism was an Abomination unto you Ye bewailed every one his Neighbours Sins esteeming their Defects your Own Ye were kind one to another without grudging being ready to every Good Work And being thus adorn'd with a Conversation altogether Virtuous and Religious ye did All things in the fear of God whose Commandments were written upon the Tables of your Hearts III. ALL Honour and Enlargement was given unto you and so was fulfill'd that which is written My Beloved did Eat and Drink he was Enlarged and waxed Fat and he Kicked From hence came Envy and Strife and Sedition Persecution and Disorder War and Captivity So they who were of no Renown lifted up themselves against the Honourable Those of no Reputation against those that were in Respect The Foolish against the Wise The young Men against the Aged Therefore Righteousness and Peace are departed from you because Every one hath forsaken the Fear of the Lord and is grown blind in His Faith nor walketh by the Rule of Gods Commandments nor liveth as is fitting in Christ But every one follows his own wicked Lusts Having taken up an Ungodly and Unjust Envy by which Death first entred into the World IV. FOR so it is written And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an Offering unto the LORD And Abel He also brought of the Firstlings of his Flock and of the fat thereof And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his Offering But unto Cain and unto his Offering he had not respect And Cain was very Wroth and his Countenance fell And the LORD said unto Cain Why art thou Wroth And why is thy Countenance fallen If thou shalt offer aright but not divide aright hast thou not sinned Hold thy peace Vnto Thee shall be his desire and Thou shalt rule over Him And Cain said unto Abel his Brother let us go down into the Field And it came to pass as they were in the Field that Cain rose up against Abel his Brother and slew him Ye see Brethren how Envy and Emulation wrought the Death of a Brother For this our Father Jacob fled from the Face of his Brother Esau. It was this that caused Joseph to be persecuted even unto Death and Bondage It was this that forced Moses to flee from the Face of Pharaoh King of Egypt when he heard his own Country-man ask him Who made Thee a Prince and a Judge over us Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday For this Aaron and Miriam were shut out of the Camp from the rest of the Congregation seven days Emulation sent Dathan and Abiram quick into the Grave because they raised up a Sedition against Moses the Servant of God For this David was not only hated of Strangers but was persecuted even by Saul the King of Israel V. BUT not to insist upon antient Examples let us come to those Worthies that have been nearest to us and take the brave Examples of our own Age. Through Zeal and Envy the most Faithful and Righteous Pillars of the Church have been persecuted even to the most bitter Deaths Let us set before our Eyes the Holy Apostles Peter by unjust Envy underwent not One or Two but many Sufferings till at last being Martyr'd he went to the place of Glory that was due unto Him For the same cause did Paul in like manner receive the Reward of his Patience Seven times he was in Bonds He was Whipp'd was Stoned He preach'd both in the East and in the West leaving behind Him the Glorious Report of his Faith And so having taught the whole World Righteousness and for that end travell'd even to the utmost Bounds of the West He at last suffer'd Martyrdom by the Command of the Governours and departed out of the World and went unto his Holy place being become a most eminent Pattern of Patience unto All Ages VI. TO
these Holy Apostles we may add a very great number of others who having through Envy undergone in like manner many Pains and Torments have left a Glorious Example to us For this not only Men but even Women have been Persecuted And having suffer'd very grievous and cruel Punishments have finish'd the Course of their Faith with Firmness and though weak in Body yet received a Glorious Reward This has alienated the Minds even of Women from their Husbands and changed what was once said by our Father Adam This is now Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh. In a word Envy and Strife have overturn'd whole Cities and rooted out Great Nations from off the Earth VII THESE Things Beloved we write unto you not only for your Instruction but also for our own Remembrance For we are all in the same Field and the same Combat is prepared for us all Wherefore let Us lay aside all Vain and Empty Cares and let us come up to the Glorious and Venerable Rule of our Holy Calling Let us consider what is Good and Acceptable and Well-pleasing in the Sight of Him that made Us. Let us look stedfastly to the Bloud of Christ and see how Precious his Bloud is in the sight of God Which being shed for our Salvation has obtain'd the Grace of Repentance for all the World Let us search into the Ages that have gone before us and let us learn that our Lord has in every one of them still given place for Repentance to all such as would turn to him Noah preach'd Repentance and as many as hearkened to him were Saved Jonah denounced Destruction against the Ninivites Howbeit they repenting of their Sins appeased God by their Prayers and were saved tho' they were Strangers to the Covenant of God VIII HENCE we find how All the Ministers of the Grace of God have spoken by the Holy Spirit of Repentance And even the Lord of All has himself declared with an Oath concerning it As I live saith the LORD I desire not the death of a Sinner but that He should repent Adding this farther Assurance Turn from your Iniquity O House of Israel Say unto the Children of my People Tho' your sins should reach from Earth to Heaven and tho' they should be redder than Scarlet and blacker than Sackcloth Yet if ye shall turn to me with all your Heart and shall call me Father I will hearken to you as to a Holy People And in another place He saith on this wise Wash ye make you clean put away the Evil of your doings from before mine Eyes Cease to do Evil Learn to do well Seek Judgment relieve the Oppressed judge the Fatherless plead for the Widow Come now and let us reason together saith the LORD Tho' your sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow tho' they be red as Crimson they shall be as Wooll If ye be willing and Obedient ye shall eat the Good of the Land But if ye refuse and rebell ye shall be devoured with the Sword for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it These things has God establish'd by his Almighty Will desiring that all his Beloved should come to Repentance IX WHEREFORE let us obey his Excellent and Glorious Will and imploring his Mercy and Goodness let us fall down upon Our faces before him and Cast our selves upon his Mercy Laying aside all Vanity and Contention and Envy which leads unto Death Let us look up to those who have the most perfectly ministred to his Excellent Glory Let us take Enoch for our Example who being found Righteous in Obedience was translated and his Death was not known Noah being proved to be Faithful did by his Ministry preach Regeneration to the World and the LORD saved by Him all the Living Creatures that went with one Accord together into the Ark. X. SO also Abraham who was called Gods Friend was in like manner found Faithful in as much as he obeyed the Commands of God By Obedience he went out of his own Country and from his own Kindred and from his Fathers House that so forsaking a small Country and a weak Affinity and a little House he might inherit the Promises of God For thus God said unto Him Get Thee out of thy Country and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House unto a Land that I will shew thee And I will make thee a Great Nation and I will bless Thee and make thy Name Great and thou shalt be blessed And I will bless them that bless Thee and Curse them that Curse Thee And in Thee shall all Families of the Earth be Blessed And again when he separated Himself from Lot God said unto him Lift up now thine Eyes and look from the place where thou art Northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward For all the Land which Thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy Seed for ever And I will make thy Seed as the dust of the Earth so that if a Man can number the Dust of the Earth then shall thy Seed also be numbred And again He saith And God brought forth Abraham and said unto Him look now towards Heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them So shall thy Seed be And Abraham believed God and it was counted to Him for Righteousness Through Faith and Hospitality he had a Son given him in his Old Age and through Obedience he offer'd him up in Sacrifice to God upon One of the Mountains which God shew'd unto Him XI BY Hospitality and Godliness was Lot saved out of Sodom when all the Country round about was destroy'd by Fire and Brimstone The LORD thereby making it manifest that he will not forsake Those that trust in Him but will bring the Disobedient to Punishment and Correction For his Wife who went out with Him being of a different Mind and not continuing in the same Obedience was for that very reason set forth for an Example being turn'd into a Pillar of Salt unto this day That so all Men may know that those who are double minded and distrustful of the Power of God are prepared for Condemnation and to be a sign to all succeeding Ages XII BY Faith and Hospitality was Rahab the Harlot Saved For when the Spies were sent by Joshua the Son of Nun to search out Jericho and the King of Jericho knew that they were come to spy out his Country He order'd them to be taken that so they might be put to death Rahab therefore being Hospitable received them and hid them under the Stalks of Flax on the Top of her House And when the Messengers that were sent by the King came unto Her and asked Her saying There came
saying He trusted in the LORD that he would deliver Him let him deliver him seeing he delighted in Him Ye see Beloved what the Pattern is that has been given to Us. For if the Lord thus humbled himself what should we do who are come under the Yoak of his Grace XVII LET us be Followers of those who went about in Goat-skins and Sheep-skins preaching the Coming of Christ. Such were Elias and Elisaeus and Ezekiel the Prophets And let us add to these such others as have received the like Testimony Abraham has been greatly witnessed of having been called the Friend of God And yet He stedfastly beholding the Glory of God says with all Humility I am Dust and Ashes Again of Job it is thus written That he was Just and without Blame True One that served God and abstained from all Evil. Yet he despising himself says No man is free from Pollution no not tho' He should live but one day Moses was called Faithful in all Gods House and by his Conduct God determined to deliver the Israelites from their Stripes and Pains And yet even this Man tho' thus Greatly Honoured spake not greatly of Himself but when the Oracle of God was delivered to him out of the Bush he said Who am I that thou dost send me I am of a slender Voice and a slow Tongue And again He saith I am as the smoak of the Pot. XVIII AND what shall we say of David so highly testified of in the Holy Scriptures To whom God said I have found a Man after my own heart David the Son of Jesse with my Holy Oil have I anointed Him But yet he Himself saith unto God Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness According unto the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my Transgressions Wash me throughly from mine Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin For I acknowledge my Transgressions and my Sin is ever before Me. Against Thee only have I sinned and done this Evil in thy sight that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest and be clear when Thou judgest Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother Conceive me Behold Thou desirest Truth in the Inward parts and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know Wisdom Purge me with Hysop and I shall be Clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow Make me to hear Joy and Gladness that the Bones which Thou hast broken may rejoyce Hide thy face from my sins and blot out All mine Iniquities Create in me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within Me. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from Me. Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit Then will I teach Transgressors thy ways and Sinners shall be converted unto Thee Deliver me from Blood-guiltiness O God thou God of my Salvation and my Tongue shall sing aloud of thy Righteousness O LORD open thou my Lips and my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise For thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in Burnt-offerings The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a Contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise XIX THUS has the Humility and Godly Fear of these great and excellent Men recorded in the Scriptures through Obedience made not only Us but also the Generations before us Better even as many as have received his Holy Oracles with Fear and Truth Having therefore so many and such Great and Glorious Examples let us return to that Peace which was the Mark that from the Beginning was set before Us Let us look up to the Father and Creator of the whole World and let us hold fast to his Glorious and Exceeding Gifts and Benefits which are of Peace Let us consider and behold with the Eyes of our Understandings his Long-suffering Will and think how Gentle and Patient he is towards his whole Creation XX. THE Heavens holding fast to his Appointment are subject to Him in Peace Day and Night accomplish the Courses that he has allotted unto them not disturbing one another The Sun and Moon and all the several Companies and Constellations of the Stars run the Courses that he has appointed to them in Concord without departing in the least from them The Fruitful Earth yields its Food plentifully in due Season both to Man and Beast and to all that is upon it according to His Will not disputing nor altering any thing of what was order'd by Him So also the untrodden and unsearchable Floods of the Deep are kept in by his Command And the Conflux of the vast Sea being brought together at the Creation into its several Collections passes not the Bounds that He has set to it but as he then appointed it so it remains For he said Hitherto shalt thou come and thy Flouds shall be broken within Thee The Ocean unpassable to Mankind and the Worlds that are beyond it are govern'd by the same Commands of their great Master Spring and Summer Autumn and Winter give place peaceably to Each other The several Quarters of the Winds fulfil their work in their Seasons without offending one Another The Ever-flowing Fountains made both for Pleasure and Health never fail to reach out their Breasts to support the Life of Men. Even the smallest Creatures live together in Peace and Concord with Each other All these has the Great Creator and Lord of all commanded to observe Peace and Concord being Good to all But especially to Us who flee to his Mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ to whom be Glory and Majesty for Ever and Ever Amen XXI TAKE heed Beloved that his many Blessings be not to us to Condemnation except we shall walk worthy of Him doing with One Consent what is Good and Pleasing in his Sight The Spirit of the LORD is a Candle searching all the inward parts of the Belly Let us therefore consider how near he is to us and how that none of our Thoughts are hid from him nor any of our Conversation which we have with one Another It is therefore Just that we should not forsake our Rank by doing contrary to his Will Let us chuse to offend a few foolish and inconsiderate Men lifted up and Glorying in their own Pride rather than God Let us Reverence our Lord Jesus Christ whose Bloud was Given for us Let us Honour Those who are set over us let us respect the Aged that are amongst us and let us instruct the younger Men in the Discipline and Fear of the LORD Our Wives let us direct in Doing that which is Good Let them shew forth a lovely Habit of Purity in all their Conversation with a sincere Affection of Meekness Let the government of their
are come upon us Let us therefore be very Reverent and fear the Long-suffering of God that it be not to us unto Condemnation For let Us either fear the Wrath that is to come or let us love the Grace that we at present enjoy That by the one or other of these we may be found in Christ Jesus unto true Life Besides him let nothing be worthy of you for whom also I bear about these Bonds those Spiritual Jewels in which I would to God that through your Prayers I might arise Of which I intreat you to make me always partaker that I may be found in the Lot of the Christians of Ephesus who have always agreed with the Apostles through the Power of Jesus Christ. XII I KNOW both who I am and to whom I write I a Person condemn'd Ye such as have obtain'd Mercy I exposed to danger Ye confirm'd against Danger Ye are the Passage of those that are kill'd for God The Companions of Paul in the Mysteries of the Gospel the Holy the Martyr the deservedly most Happy Paul at whose Feet may I be found when I shall have attain'd unto God who throughout all his Epistle makes mention of you in Christ Jesus XIII LET it be your care therefore to come oftner together to the Praise and Glory of God For when ye meet often together in the same place the Powers of the Devil are destroy'd and his Mischief is dissolved by the Unity of your Faith And indeed nothing is better than Peace by which all War both Spiritual and Earthly is abolish'd XIV OF All which nothing is hid from you if ye have perfect Faith and Charity in Christ Jesus which are the Beginning and End of Life For the Beginning is Faith the End Charity And these two joyned together are of God But all other things are the Followers of Piety No Man professing a true Faith sinneth Neither does he who has Charity hate any The Tree is made manifest by its Fruit So they who profess themselves to be Christians are known by what they do For Christianity is not the Work of an outward Profession but shews it self in the Power of Faith if a Man be found Faithful unto the End XV. IT is better for a Man to hold his Peace and be than to say He is a Christian and not to be It is good to teach if what he says He does likewise There is therefore one Master who spake and it was done And even those things which he did without speaking are worthy of the Father He that possesses the Word of Jesus is truly able to hear his very Silence that he may be Perfect and both do according to what he speaks and be known by those things of which he is silent There is nothing hid from God but even our Secrets are nigh unto Him Let us therefore do all things as becomes those who have God dwelling in them that we may be his Temples and He may be our God As also He is and will manifest himself before our Faces by those things for which we justly love Him XVI BE not deceived Brethren Those that corrupt and defile themselves with others shall not inherit the Kingdom of God If therefore they who do this according to the Flesh have suffered Death How much more shall He dye who by his wicked Doctrine corrupts the Faith of God for which Christ was Crucified He that is thus defiled shall depart into unquenchable Fire and so also shall He that hearkens to him XVII FOR this cause did the LORD suffer the Oyntment to be poured on his Head that he might breath the Breath of Immortality unto his Church Be not ye therefore anointed with the evil Savour of the Doctrine of the Prince of this World Let him not take you Captive from the Life that is set before you And why are we not all Wise seeing we have received the Knowledge of God which is Jesus Christ Why do we suffer our selves foolishly to Perish not considering the Gift which the LORD has truly sent to Us XVIII MY Soul be the Surety of all such as trust in the Cross which is indeed a Scandal to the Unbelievers but to us is Salvation and Life Eternal Where is the Wise Man Where is the Disputer Where is the Boasting of those who are called Wise For our God Jesus Christ was according to the Dispensation of God conceived in the Womb of Mary of the Seed of David by the Holy Ghost Was born and baptized that through his Passion he might purifie Water to the washing away of Sin XIX NOW the Virginity of Mary and her Delivery was kept in secret from the Prince of this World as was also the Death of our Lord Three of the most notable Mysteries of the Gospel yet done in secret by God How then was our Saviour manifested to the World A Star shone in Heaven beyond all the other Stars and its Light was Inexpressible and its Novelty struck Terror into Mens Minds All the rest of the Stars together with the Sun and Moon were the Chorus to this Star But that sent out its Light exceedingly above them All. And Men began to be troubled to think whence this new Star came so unlike to all the Others Hence all the Power of Magick became dissolved and every Bond of Wickedness was destroy'd Mens Ignorance was taken away and the old Kingdom abolished God himself appearing in the Form of a Man for the Renewal of Eternal Life But the Authority which he received was what God had allotted to Him From thenceforth things were disturbed forasmuch as he design'd to abolish Death XX. BUT if Jesus Christ shall give me Grace through your Prayers and it be his Will I purpose in a second Epistle which I will suddenly write unto you to manifest to you more fully the Dispensation of which I have now begun to speak unto the new Man which is Jesus Christ Both in his Faith and Charity in his Suffering and in his Resurrection Especially if the Lord shall make known unto Me that ye all by Name come together in common in one Faith and in one Jesus Christ who was of the Race of David according to the Flesh the Son of Man and Son of God Obeying your Bishop and the Presbytery with an intire Affection breaking one and the same Bread which is the Medicine of Immortality our Antidote that we should not die but live for ever in Christ Jesus XXI MY Soul be for Yours and Theirs whom ye have sent to the Glory of God even unto Smyrna from whence also I write to you Giving Thanks unto the Lord and loving Polycarp even as I do you Remember me as Jesus Christ does remember you Pray for the Church which is in Syria
therefore become them to Guard themselves against such Persons VIII To this end He Exhorts them to follow their Bishop and Pastors But especially their Bishop IX He thanks them for their Kindness to Himself X. And to those that were with Him which God will reward XI He acquaints them with the Ceasing of the Persecution at Antioch And exhorts them to send a Messenger unto them to congratulate with them on this Occasion XII He concludes with his own Salutation and the Remembrances of those that were with Him to them all in General and to several in Particular THE EPISTLE OF St. IGNATIVS TO THE Smyrneans IGNATIUS who is also called THEOPHORUS to the Church of God the Father and of the Beloved Jesus Christ which God hath Blessed with every Good Gift being filled with Faith and Charity so that it is wanting in no Gift To the most Worthy of God and Fruitful in Saints the Church which is at SMYRNA in Asia All Joy through his Immaculate Spirit and through the Word of God I. I GLORIFIE God even Jesus Christ who has thus filled you with all Wisdom For I have understood how that you are settled in an Immoveable Faith as if you were Nailed to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ both in the Flesh and in the Spirit and are confirm'd in Love through the Bloud of Christ being fully perswaded of those things which relate unto our LORD Who truly was of the Race of David according to the Flesh but the Son of God according to the Will and Power of God Truly Born of the Virgin and Baptized of John that so all Righteousness might be fulfilled by him He was also truly Crucified by Pontius Pilate and Herod the Tetrarch for us in the Flesh by the Fruits of which we are saved even by his most Blessed Passion that he might set up a sure Token and Earnest of Hope for all following Ages through his Resurrection to all his Holy and Faithful Servants whether they be Jews or Gentiles in one Body of his Church II. NOW all these things he suffer'd for us that we might be saved And he suffer'd truly as He also truly Raised up himself And not as some Unbelievers say that he only seemed to suffer they themselves only seeming to be And as they Believe so shall it happen unto them when they shall become Spiritual and Incorporeal III. BUT I know that even after his Resurrection he was in the Flesh and I believe that he was so And when he came to those who were with Peter he said unto them Take Handle me and see that I am not an Incorporeal Daemon And straightway they felt Him and Believed being convinced both by his Flesh and Spirit For this cause they despised Death and were found to be above it But after his Resurrection he did Eat and Drink with them as he was Flesh although as to his Spirit he was united to the Father IV. NOW these things Beloved I put you in mind of not questioning but that you your selves also believe that they are so But I arm you before-hand against certain Beasts in the shape of Men whom you must not only not receive but if it be possible must not meet with Only you must pray for them that if it be the Will of God they may repent which yet will be very hard But of this our Lord Jesus Christ has the Power who is our true Life For if all these things were done only in shew by our LORD then do I also only seem to be Bound And why have I given up my self to Death to the Fire to the Sword to Wild Beasts But now the nearer I am to the Sword the nearer am I to God What is between me and the Beasts is between me and God Only in the Name of Jesus Christ who was a Perfect Man and by his Assistance am I ready to suffer All things together with Him V. WHOM some not knowing do deny or rather have been denied by him being the Advocates of Death rather than of the Truth Whom neither the Prophecies nor the Law of Moses have perswaded nor the Gospel it self even to this day nor all our Sufferings For they think also the same things of us For what does a Man profit me if he shall Praise me and Blaspheme my LORD not confessing that he was truly made Man Now he that says this does in effect deny him and is in Death But for the Names of such as do this they being Unbelievers I thought it not fitting to write them unto you Nay God forbid that I should make any mention of them till they shall repent to a true Belief of Christ's Passion which is our Resurrection VI. LET no Man deceive himself Both the things which are in Heaven and the Glory of Angels and Principalities whether Visible or Invisible if they believe not in the Bloud of Christ it shall be to them to Condemnation He that is able to receive this Let him receive it Let no Man's Place or State in the World puff him up That which is worth All is Faith and Charity to which nothing is to be preferred But then consider those who defend a different Opinion from us as to what concerns the Grace of God which is come unto us how contrary they are to the Mind of God They have no regard to Charity No Care of the Widow the Fatherless and the Oppressed Of the Bound or Free of the Hungry or Thirsty VII THEY abstain from the Publick Offices and from the Holy Eucharist because they confess it not to be the Flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ which suffered for our Sins and which the Father of his Goodness raised again from the Dead And for this cause contradicting the Gift of God they die in their Disputes But much better would it be for them to love it that they might one day rise through it It will therefore become you to abstain from such Persons and not to speak with them neither in Private nor in Publick But to hearken to the Prophets and especially to the Gospel in which both Christ's Passion is manifested unto us and his Resurrection perfectly declared But flee all Divisions as the beginning of Evils VIII FOLLOW your Bishop as Jesus Christ the Father And the Presbytery as the Apostles As for the Deacons reverence them as the Command of God Let no Man do any thing of what belongs to the Church without the Bishop Let that Eucharist be look'd upon as Firm and Just which is either offer'd by the Bishop or by Him to whom the Bishop has given his Consent Wheresoever the Bishop shall appear there let the People also be As where Jesus Christ is there is the Catholick Church It is not lawful without the Bishop neither to Baptise nor to celebrate the Holy Communion But whatsoever he shall approve of that is also
an Anvil when it is beaten upon It is the Part of a brave Combatant indeed to be Wounded and yet Overcome And especially we ought to endure all things for Gods sake that he may bear with us Be every day Better than other Consider the Times and expect him Who is above all Time Eternal Invisible though for our sakes made Visible Impalpible and impassible yet for us subjected to Sufferings enduring all manner of ways for our Salvation IV. LET not the Widows be neglected Be thou after God their Guardian Let nothing be done but with thy Knowledge and Consent Neither do thou any thing but according to the Will of God as also thou dost with all Constancy Let your Assemblies be more frequent Inquire into all by Name Overlook not the Men and Maid Servants Neither let them be Puffed up but rather let them be more Subject to the Glory of God that they may obtain from him a better Liberty Let them not desire to be set free from their present Service that they be not Slaves to their own Lusts. V. FLEE Evil Arts Or rather make not any mention of them Say to my Sisters that they love the Lord and be satisfied with their own Husbands both in the Flesh and Spirit In like manner Exhort my Brethren in the Name of Jesus Christ that they Love their Wives even as the LORD the Church If any Man can remain in a Virgin State to the Honour of Christ let him remain without Boasting But if he Boast he is undone And if he thinks that he knows more than the Bishop he is ruined But it becomes all such as are Marryed whether Men or Women to come together with the Consent of the Bishop that so their Marriage may be according to Godliness and not in Lust. Let all things be done to the Honour of God VI. HEARKEN unto the Bishop that God also may hearken unto you My Soul be Security for them that Submit to their Bishop with their Presbyters and Deacons And may my Portion be together with theirs in God Labour with one another Contend together run together suffer together sleep together and rise together as the Stewards and Assessors and Ministers of God Please him under whom ye War and from whom ye receive your Wages Let none of you be found a Deserter But let your Baptism remain as your Arms your Faith as your Helmet your Charity as your Spear your Patience as your whole Armour Let your Works be your Charge that so you may receive a suitable Reward Be long-suffering therefore towards each other in Meekness as God is towards you Let me have Joy of you in all things VII NOW forasmuch as the Church of Antioch in Syria is as I am told in Peace through your Prayers I also have been the more comforted in their Security if so be that by suffering I shall attain unto God that through your Prayer I may be found a faithful Disciple It will be very fit O most worthy Polycarp to call a Select Council and chuse some One whom ye particularly Love and who is patient of Labour that he may be the Messenger of God And that going unto Syria he may Glorifie your incessant Love to the Praise of God A Christian has not the Power of Himself but must be always at leisure for God's Service Now this work is both Gods and yours when ye shall have perfected it For I trust in your favour that ye are ready to do all the good Work that is fitting for you in the LORD Knowing therefore your earnest Affection to the Truth I have exhorted you by this short Epistle VIII BUT forasmuch as I have not been able to Write to all the Churches because I must suddainly Sail from Troas to Neapolis for so is the Command of those to whose pleasure I am subject Do you write to the Churches that are near you as being instructed in the Will of God that they also may do in like manner Let those that are able send Messengers and let the rest send their Letters by those who shall be sent by you That you may be Glorified to all Eternity of which you are worthy I salute all by Name particularly the Wife of Epitropus with all her House and Children I salute Attalus my Well-beloved I salute him who shall be sent by you into Syria Let my Grace be ever with him and with Polycarp who sends him I wish you all Happiness in our God Jesus Christ in whom continue in the Unity and Protection of God I salute Alcé my well-beloved Farewell in the LORD To POLYCARP THE MARTYRDOM'S OF St. IGNATIUS St. POLYCARP Written by Those who were present at their SUFFERING A RELATION OF THE Martyrdom OF St. IGNATIVS I. IT was but a little while after TRAJANS advancement to the Roman Empire that IGNATIUS the Disciple of St. JOHN the Apostle and Evangelist a Man in all things like unto the Apostles govern'd the Church of Antioch Who being scarcely able to mitigate the Storms of many Persecutions before under Domitian as a good Governour by the Helm of Prayer and Fasting by the constancy of his Doctrine and Spiritual Labour opposed himself to the Flouds of the Adversary fearing lest he should happen to overthrow any of those who either wanted Courage or were not so strong in the Faith as was necessary at such a time II. WHEREFORE the Persecution being at present somewhat abated he rejoiced greatly at the firmness of his Church Yet doubted within himself that he had not attain'd to a true love of Christ nor was come up to the Pitch of a Perfect Disciple For he thought that the Confession which is made by Martyrdom would bring him to a yet more close and intimate Union with the LORD Wherefore continuing a few years longer with the Church and after the manner of a Divine Lamp illuminating the Hearts of the faithful by the Exposition of the Holy Scriptures He attain'd to what he had so long and earnestly desired III. FOR Trajan after the Ninth year of his Empire being lifted up with his Victory over the Scythians and Dacians and many other Nations and thinking that the Church of the Christians worshipping the true God were yet wanting in an entire Obedience to him unless he compelled them after the manner of all other People to embrace the Service of Devils He obliged all such as were the Servants of the true God with the Threats of Persecution either to Sacrifice to the Heathen Deities or to Die Wherefore our Brave Souldier of Christ being in fear for the Church of Antioch was voluntarily brought before TRAJAN who was at that time there on his Way to Armenia and the Parthians against whom he was hastning IV. BEING come into the presence of the Emperor TRAJAN the Emperor ask'd him saying What a
doth it shall prosper As for the Wicked it is not so with them but they are as the Dust which the Wind scattereth away from the face of the Earth Therefore the Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment neither the Sinners in the Council of the Righteous For the LORD knoweth the way of the Righteous and the Way of the Vngodly shall perish Consider how he has join'd both the Cross and the Water together For this he saith Blessed are they who putting their Trust in the Cross descend into the Water for they shall have their Reward in due time then saith he will I give it them But as concerning the present time he saith Their Leaves shall not fall Meaning thereby that every Word that shall go out of your Mouth shall through Faith and Charity be to the Conversion and Hope of many In like manner do's another Prophet speak And the Land of Jacob was the Praise of all the Earth that is the Vessel of his Spirit which he there magnifies And what follows And there was a River running on the Right hand and beautiful Trees grew up by it and he that shall eat of them shall live for ever The signification of which is this That we go down into the Water full of Sins and Pollutions but come up again bringing forth Fruit having in our Hearts the Fear and Hope which is in Jesus And whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever That is whosoever shall hearken to those who call them and shall believe shall live for ever XII IN like manner he determins concerning the Cross in another Prophet saying And when shall these things be fulfilled The LORD answers When the Tree that is fallen shall rise and when Bloud shall drop down from the Tree Here you have again mention made both of the Cross and of him that was to be crucified upon it And yet farther he saith in one of the Books of Moses where when Israel was beaten by a strange People to the End that God might remember them how that for their Sins they were deliver'd unto Death the Holy Spirit put it into the Heart of Moses to represent both the Sign of the Cross and of him that was to suffer That so they might know that if they did not believe in him they should be overcome for ever Moses therefore piled up Armour upon Armour in the middle of a rising Ground and standing up high above all of them stretched forth his Arms and so Israel again Conquer'd But no sooner did he let down his Hands but they were again slain And why so To the end they might know that except they trust in him they cannot be saved And in another Prophet he saith I have stretched out my Hands all the Day long to a People disobedient and speaking against my righteous Way And again Moses makes a Type of Jesus to shew that he was to die and then that he whom they thought to be dead was to give Life to others in the Sign of those that fell in Israel For God caused all sorts of Serpents to bite them and they died forasmuch as by a Serpent Transgression began in Eve that so he might convince them that for their Transgressions they shall be delivered into the Pain of Death Moses then himself who had commanded them saying Ye shall not make to your selves any graven or molten Image to be your God yet now did so himself that he might represent to them the Figure of the LORD Jesus For he made a brazen Serpent and set it up on high and called the People together to an Assembly Where being come they intreated Moses that he would make an Attonement for them and pray that they might be healed Then Moses spake unto them saying when any one among you shall be bitten let him come unto the Serpent that is set upon the Pole and let him assuredly trust in him that though he be dead yet he is able to give Life and presently he shall be saved and so they did See therefore how here also you have in this the Glory of Jesus and that in him and to him are all things Again What says Moses to Jesus the Son of Nun when he gave that Name unto him as being a Prophet that all the People might understand that the Father did manifest all things concerning his Son Jesus in Jesus the Son of Nun Moses therefore gave him that Name when he sent him to spy out the Land of Canaan and said Take a Book in thine Hands and write what the LORD saith forasmuch as Jesus the Son of God shall in the last Days cut off by the Roots all the House of Amaleck See here again Jesus not the Son of Man but the Son of God made manifest in a Type and in the Flesh. But because it might hereafter be said that Christ was the Son of David therefore David fearing and well-knowing the Errors of the Wicked saith The LORD said unto my LORD sit thou on my Right Hand until I make thine Enemies thy Footstool And again Isaiah speaketh on this wise The LORD said unto Christ my LORD I have laid hold on his right Hand that the Nations should obey before him and I will break the strength of Kings Behold how both David and Isaiah call him LORD and the Son of God XIII BUT let us go yet farther and enquire whether this People be the Heir or the former and whether the Covenant be with us or with them And first as concerning the People hear what the Scripture saith Isaac prayed for his Wife Rebeckah because she was barren and she conceived Afterwards Rebeckah went forth to enquire of the LORD And the LORD said unto her There are two Nations in thy Womb and two People shall come from thee and the one shall have power over the other and the Greater shall serve the Lesser Understand here who was Isaac who Rebeckah and of whom it was foretold that this People should be Greater than that And in another Prophecy Jacob speaketh more clearly to his Son Joseph saying Behold the LORD hath not taken me from thy Face bring me thy Sons that I may bless them And he brought unto his Father Manasseh and Ephraim desiring that he should bless Manasseh because he was the Elder Therefore Joseph brought him to the Right Hand of his Father Jacob. But Jacob by the Spirit foresaw the Figure of the People that was to come And what saith the Scripture And Jacob crossed his Hands and put his Right Hand upon Ephraim his second and the Younger Son and Blessed him And Joseph said unto Jacob Put thy Right Hand upon the Head of Manasseh for he is my First-born Son And Jacob said unto Joseph I know it my Son I know it but the Greater shall serve the Lesser though he also shall be Blessed Ye see of whom he appointed
is called Simplicity the next Innocence the third Modesty then Discipline and the last of all is Charity When therefore thou shalt have observed the Works of their Mother thou shalt be able to observe all things Lady said I I would know what particular Virtue every one of these has Hear then replied she They have equal Vertues and their Vertues are knit together and follow one another as they were born From Faith proceeds Abstinence from Abstinence Simplicity from Simplicity Innocence from Innocence Modesty from Modesty Discipline and Charity Therefore the Works of these are Holy and Chast and Right Whosoever therefore shall serve these and hold fast to their Works he shall have his Dwelling in the Tower with the Saints of God Then I ask'd her concerning the Times whether the End were now at Hand But she cry'd out with a loud Voice saying O foolish Man Dost thou not see the Tower that it is always building When therefore the Tower shall be finish'd and built it shall have an End and indeed it shall soon be accomplished But do not ask me any more Questions What has been said may suffice for thee and for all the Saints with the renewal of your Spirits For these things have not been revealed to thee only but that thou mayst make them manifest unto all For therefore O HERMAS after three Days thou must understand these Words which I begin to speak unto thee that thou mayst speak them in the Ears of the Saints that when they shall have heard and done them they may be cleansed from their Iniquities and thou together with them IX HEAR me therefore O my Sons I have bred you up in much Simplicity and Modesty and Innocency for the Mercy of God which has dropp'd down upon you in Righteousness that you should be sanctified and justified from all Sin and Wickedness But ye will not cease from your evil Doings Now therefore hearken unto me and have Peace one with another and visit one another and receive one another and do not enjoy the Creatures of God alone Give freely to them that are in need For some by too free feeding contract an Infirmity in their Flesh and do Injury to their Bodies whilst the Flesh of others who have not Food withers away because they want sufficient Nourishment and their Bodies are consum'd Wherefore this Intemperance is hurtful to you who have and do not communicate to them that want Prepare for the Judgment that is about to come upon you Ye that are the more Eminent search out them that are Hungry whilst the Tower is yet unfinish'd For when the Tower shall be finish'd ye shall be willing to do good and shall not find any place for it See therefore ye that glory in your Riches least perhaps they groan who are in want and their Sighing come up unto God and ye be shut out with your Goods without the Gate of the Tower Behold I now warn you who are set over the Church and love the highest Seats be not ye like unto those that work Mischief And they indeed carry about their Poison in Boxes but ye contain your Poison and Medicines in your Hearts and will not purge them and mix your Sense with a Pure Heart that ye may find Mercy with the Great King Take heed my Children that your Dissentions deprive you not of your Lives How will ye instruct the Elect of God when ye your selves want Correction Wherefore admonish one another and be at Peace among your selves that I standing before your Father may give an Account for you unto the LORD X. AND when she had made an end of talking with me the six young Men that built came and carried her to the Tower and four others took up the Seat on which she sate and went away again they also to the Tower I saw not the Faces of these for their Backs were towards me As she was going along I asked her that she would reveal to me what concern'd the three Forms in which she had appear'd unto me But she answering said unto me concerning these things thou must ask some other that they may be revealed unto thee Now Brethren in the First Vision the last Year she appeared unto me exceeding old and sitting in a Chair In another Vision she had indeed a youthful Face but her Flesh and Hair were old and she talked with me standing and was more chearful than the first time In the third Vision she was in all respects much younger and comely to the Eye only she had the Hair of an Aged Person Yet she looked chearful and sate upon a Seat I was therefore very sad concerning these things until I might understand the Vision Wherefore I saw the same Old Woman in a Vision of the Night saying unto me All Prayer needeth Humility Fast therefore and thou shalt learn from the LORD that which thou dost ask I fasted therefore one Day The same Night a young Man appear'd to me and said Why dost thou thus often desire Revelations in thy Prayers Take heed that by asking many things thou hurt not thy Body Let these Revelations suffice thee Canst thou see more notable Revelations than those which thou hast already received I answered and said unto him Sir I only ask this one thing upon the account of the three Figures of the Old Woman that appeared to me that the Revelation may be compleat He answer'd me You are not without Understanding but your Doubts make you so forasmuch as you have not your Heart with the LORD I replyed and said But I shall learn these things more carefully from you XI HEAR then says he concerning the Figures about which you enquire And first in the first Vision she appear'd to thee in the Shape of an Old Woman because your ancient Spirit was decay'd and without Strength by reason of your Infirmities and the Doubtfulness of your Heart For as they who are Old have no hope of renewing themselves nor expect any thing but their Departure So you being weakned through your worldly Affairs gave your self up to Sloath and cast not away your Sollicitude from your self upon the LORD and your Sense was confused and you grew Old in your Sadness But Sir I would know why she sate upon a Chair He answered Because every one that is weak sitteth upon a Chair by reason of his Infirmity that his Weakness may be upheld See therefore the Figure of the first Vision XII IN the second Vision you saw her standing and having a youthful Face and more chearful than her former but her Flesh and her Hair were ancient Hear said he this Parable also When any one grows Old He despairs of himself by reason of his Infirmity and Poverty and expects nothing but the last Day of his Life But on the suddain an Inheritance is left to him and he hears of it and rises and being become chearful he puts on new Strength And now he no longer lies along but