make good the Promise before given to our Fathers and preparing himself a New People might demonstrate to them whilst he was upon Earth that after the Resurrection he would judge the World And thus teaching the People of Israel and doing many Wonders and Signs among them he preached to them and shewed the exceeding great Love which he bare towards them And when he chose his Apostles which were afterwards to publish his Gospel he took Men who had been very great Sinners that thereby he might plainly shew That he came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance Then he clearly manifested himself to be the Son of God For had he not come in the Flesh how could Men have been able to look upon him that they might be saved Seeing if we behold only the Sun which was the Work of his Hands and shall hereafter cease to be we are not able to endure stedfastly to look against the Rays of it Wherefore the Son of God came in the Flesh for this Cause that he might fill up the measure of their Iniquity who have persecuted his Prophts unto Death And for the same reason also he suffered For saith God By the Stripes of his Flesh we are healed And again another Prophet When I shall smite the Shepherd the Sheep of the Flock shall be scatter'd Nevertheless he would suffer in this Manner Because it behoved him to suffer upon the Cross. For thus one saith prophecying concerning him Deliver my Soul from the Sword And again They pierced my Hands and my Feet And again The Congregation of wicked Doers rose up against me And again he saith I gave my Back to the Smiters and my Cheeks to be buffeted and my Face I set as an hard Rock VI. AND when he had fulfilled the Commandment of God What says he Who will contend with me Let him stand against me Or who is he that will implead me Let him draw near to the Servant of the LORD Wo be to you Because ye shall all wax old as a Garment the Moth shall eat you up And again the Prophet adds He is put for a Stone of stumbling Behold I lay in Zion for a Foundation a precious Stone a choice Corner-Stone an Honourable Stone And what follows And he that hopeth in him shall live for ever What then Is our Hope built upon a Stone God forbid But because the LORD hath put his Flesh in strength he saith this of it As it is written I have placed my self as a sure Rock And again the Prophet adds The Stone which the Builders refused is become the Head of the Corner And again he saith This is the Great and Wonderful Day which the LORD hath made I write these things the more plainly to you that ye may understand For indeed I could be content even to die for your sakes But what saith the Prophet The Counsel of the Wicked encompassed me about They came about me as Bees about the Hive And Vpon my Vesture they cast Lots Forasmuch then as our Saviour was to appear in the Flesh and suffer his Passion was hereby foretold For thus again saith the Prophet against Israel Wo be to their Soul because they have taken Wicked Counsel against themseves saying Let us lay Snares for the Righteous because he is unprofitable to us Moses also in like manner speaketh to them Behold thus saith the LORD God Enter ye into the Good Land of which the LORD hath sworn to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob that he would give it you and possess it a Land flowing with Milk and Hony Now what the Spiritual meaning of this is learn It is as if it had been said Put your Trust in Jesus who shall be manifested to you in the Flesh. For Man is the Earth which suffers Forasmuch as out of the Substance of the Earth Adam was formed What therefore do's he mean when he says Into a Good Land flowing with Milk and Honey Blessed be our LORD who has given us Wisdom and a Heart to understand his Secrets For so says the Prophet Who shall understand the hard Sayings of the LORD But he that is Wise and Intelligent and that loves his LORD Seeing therefore he has renewed us by the Remission of our Sins he has given us another form that we should have our Souls like the Soul of a Child Even as he himself has form'd us by the Spirit For thus the Scripture saith concerning us where it introduceth the Father speaking to the Son Let us make Man in our Image after our Likeness And let him have Dominion over the Beasts of the Earth and over the Fowls of the Air and over the Fish of the Sea And when the LORD saw the Man which he had form'd that behold he was very Good He said Encrease and multiply and replenish the Earth And this he spake to his Son I will now shew you how he made us into a second Form in the latter Days As also he saith Behold I will make the last as the first Wherefore the Prophet thus foretold it Enter into the Land flowing with Milk and Hony and rule in it Wherefore ye see how we are again formed anew as also he speaks by another Prophet Behold saith the LORD I will take from them that is from those whom the Spirit of the LORD foresaw their Hearts of Stone and I will put into them Hearts of Flesh. Because he was about to be made manifest in the Flesh and to dwell in us For my Brethren the Habitation of our Heart is a Holy Temple unto the LORD As he again saith Wherewithal shall I appear before the LORD my God and be Glorified He answers I will confess unto thee in the Congregation in the midst of my Brethren and will sing unto thee in the Church of the Saints Wherefore we are they whom he has brought into that good Land But what signifies the Milk and Hony Because as the Child is nourish'd first with Milk and then with Hony So we being kept alive with the Belief of his Promises and the Word of his Gospel shall live and have Dominion over the Land For so he foretold above saying Encrease and Multiply and have Dominion over the Fishes c. But who is there that is now able to have this Dominion over the Wild Beasts or Fishes or Fowls of the Air For you know that to Rule is to have Power that a Man should be Lord over what he rules But forasmuch as this we have not now he tells us when we shall have it Namely when he shall become perfect that so we may be made Inheritors of the Covenant of the LORD VII UNDERSTAND then my Beloved Children that the Good God hath before manifested all things unto us that we might know to whom we ought always to
believe in his Works thou shalt live unto God And as many as shall believe in his Works shall live also unto God The Seventh COMMAND That we must fear God but not the Devil FEAR God says he and keep his Commandments For if thou keepest his Commandments thou shalt be powerful in every Work and all thy Counsel shall be excellent For by fearing God thou shalt do every thing well This is that Fear with which thou must be affected that thou mayst be saved But fear not the Devil For if thou fearest the LORD thou shalt have Dominion over him because there is no Power in him Now if there be no Power in him then neither is he to be feared But he in whom Power is Excellent he is also to be feared For every one that has Power is to be feared But he that has no Power is despised by every one Fear the Works of the Devil because they are Evil. For by fearing the LORD thou wilt fear and not do the Works of the Devil but keep thy self from them For there is a twofold Fear For if whilst thou fearest the LORD thou wilt do that which is Evil thou shalt not do even that But if thou wilt do good the Fear of the LORD is Strong and Great and Glorious Wherefore Fear God and thou shalt live And whosoever shall fear him and keep his Commandments their Life is with the LORD But they who keep them not neither is Life in them The Eighth COMMAND That we must Flee from Evil and Do Good I HAVE told thee said he that there are two kinds of Creatures of the LORD and that there is a two-fold Abstinence From some therefore thou must abstain and from others not I answered Tell me Sir from what I must abstain and from what not Hearken said he Keep thy self from Evil and do it not But abstain not from Good but do it For if thou shalt abstain from what is Good and not do it thou shalt sin Abstain therefore from all Evil and thou shalt know all Righteousness I said What Evil things are they from which I must abstain Hearken said he from Adultery from Drunkenness from wicked Riots from Excess of Eating from Daintiness and Dishonesty from Pride from Denials from Lying from Detraction from feigned Wickedness from Remembrance of Injuries and from Evil Reports For these are all the Works of Iniquity from which the Servant of God must abstain For he that cannot keep himself from these things cannot live unto God But hear said he what follows of these kind of things And indeed many more there are from which the Servant of God must abstain From Theft and Cheating from False-Witness from Covetousness from Boasting and all other things of the like Nature Do these things seem to thee to be Evil or not Indeed they are very Evil to the Servants of God Wherefore every such Person must abstain from all these Works Keep thy self therefore from them that thou mayst live unto God and be written among those that abstain from them And thus have I shewn thee what things thou must avoid Now learn from what thou must not abstain Abstain not from any good Works but do them Hear said he what the Vertue of those good Works is which thou must do that thou mayst be saved The first of all is Faith the Fear of the LORD Charity Concord Piety Equity Truth Patience Chastity There is nothing better than these things in the Life of Man who shall keep and do these things in their Life Hear next what follow these To minister to the Widows not to despise the Fatherless and Poor to redeem the Servants of God from Necessity to be Hospitable for in Hospitality there is sometimes great Fruit. Not to be contentious but be quiet to be humble above all Men to reverence the Aged to labour to be Righteous to keep up Brotherhood to bear Affronts to be equal minded not to cast away those that have fallen from the Faith but to make them gentle to admonish Sinners not to oppress those that are our Debtors and all other things of alike kind Do these things seem to thee to be good or not And I said what can be better than these Words Live then said he in these Commandments and do not depart from them For if thou shalt keep all these Commandments thou shalt live unto God And all they that shall keep these Commandments shall live unto God The Ninth COMMAND That we must ask of God daily and without Doubting AGAIN he said unto me Remove from thee all Doubting and Question nothing at all When thou askest any thing of the LORD say not within thy self How shall I be able to ask any thing of the LORD and receive it seeing I am so great a Sinner against him Do not think thus but turn unto the LORD with all thy Heart Ask without Doubting and thou shalt know the Mercy of the LORD How that he will not forsake thee but will fulfil the Request of thy Soul For God is not as Men mindful of the Injuries he has received but he forgets Injuries and has Compassion upon his Creature Wherefore purifie thy Heart from all the Vices of this present World and observe the Commands I have before deliver'd unto thee from God and thou shalt receive whatsoever good things thou shalt ask and nothing shall be wanting unto thee of all thy Petitions if thou shalt ask of the LORD without doubting But they that are not such shall obtain none of those things which they ask For they that are full of Faith ask with Confidence and receive from the LORD because they ask without doubting But he that doubts shall hardly live unto God except he repent Wherefore purifie thy Heart from doubting and put on Faith and trust in God and thou shalt receive all that thou shalt ask But and if thou shouldst chance to ask somewhat and not receive it yet do not therefore doubt because thou hast not presently received the Petition of thy Soul For it may be thou shalt not yet receive it for thy Tryal or else for some Sin which thou knowest not But do not thou leave off to ask and then thou shalt receive Else if thou shalt cease to ask thou must complain of thy self and not of God that he has not given unto thee what thou didst desire Consider therefore this Doubting how cruel and pernicious it is and how it utterly roots out many from the Faith who were very faithful and firm For this Doubting is the Daughter of the Devil and deals very wickedly with its Servants Despise it therefore and thou shalt rule over it on every Occasion Put on a firm and powerful Faith For Faith promises all things and perfects all things But doubting will not believe that it shall obtain any thing by all that it can do Thou seest therefore says he how Faith cometh from above from
dissemble thou shalt not be saved nor thy Children nor thy House Because thou hast judged that these Commands cannot be kept by Man IV. THESE things he spake very angrily unto me insomuch that he greatly affrighted me For he changed his Countenance so that a Man could not bear his Anger And when he saw me altogether troubled and confounded he began to speak more moderately and chearfully saying O foolish and without Understanding Unconstant not knowing the Majesty of God how great but withal how merciful he is who created the World for Man and hath made every Creature subject unto him and given him all Power that he should be able to overcome all these Commands He is able said he to overcome all these Commands who has the LORD in his Heart But they who have the LORD only in their Mouths and their Heart is hardned are far from the LORD To such Persons these Commands are hard and difficult Put therefore ye that are empty and light in the Faith the LORD your God and keep him in your Hearts and ye shall understand how that nothing is more easie then these Commands nor more pleasant nor more gentle and holy And turn your selves to the LORD your God and forsake the Devil and his Pleasures because they are Evil and Bitter and Impure And fear not the Devil because he has no Power over you For I am with you the Messenger of Repentance who have the Dominion over him The Devil do's indeed affright Men but his Terror is vain Wherefore fear him not and he will flee from you V. AND I said unto him Sir Hear me speak a few Words unto you He answer'd Say on A Man indeed desires to keep the Commandments of God and there is no one but what prays unto God that he may be able to keep his Commandments But the Devil is hard and by his Power rules over the Servants of God And he said He cannot rule over the Servants of God who believe in him with all their Hearts The Devil may strive but he cannot overcome them For if ye resist him he will flee away with shame from you But they that are not full in the Faith fear the Devil as if he had some great Power For the Devil tries the Servants of God and if he finds them empty he destroys them For as a Man when he fills up Vessels with good Wine and among them puts a few Vessels half full and comes to try and tast of the Vessels do's not try those that are full because he knows that they are good but tasts those that are half full least they should grow sowre for Vessels half full soon grow sowre and lose the Tast of Wine So the Devil comes to the Servants of God to try them They that are full of Faith resist him stoutly and he departs from them because he finds no place where to enter into them then he go's to those that are not full of Faith and because he has place of entrance he goes into them and do's what he will with them and they become his Servants VI. BUT I the Messenger of Repentance say unto you Fear not the Devil For I am sent unto you that I may be with you as many as shall repent with your whole Heart and that I may confirm you in the Faith Believe therefore ye who by reason of your Transgressions have forgot God and who company your Salvation with your Sins lead your Lives in Trouble that if ye shall turn to the LORD with your whole Hearts and shall serve him according to his Will he will give a Remedy to your Souls notwithstanding your former Sins and ye shall have dominion over all the Works of the Devil Be not then afraid in the least of his Threatnings for they are without force as the Sinews of a dead Man But hearken unto me and fear the LORD Almighty who is able to save and to destroy you and keep his Commands that ye may live unto God And I said unto him Sir I am now confirm'd in all the Commands of the LORD whilst that you are with me and I know that you will break all the Power of the Devil And we also shall overcome him if we shall be able through the help of the LORD to keep these Commands which you have delivered Thou shalt keep them said he if thou shalt purifie thy Heart towards the LORD And all they also shall keep them who shall cleanse their Hearts from the vain desires of the present World and shall live unto God The Third BOOK OF St. HERMAS Which is Called His SIMILITUDES The First SIMILITUDE That seeing we have no abiding City in this World we ought to look after that which is to come AND he said unto me Ye know that ye who are the Servants of the LORD live here as in a Pilgrimage For your City is far off from this City If therefore ye know your City in which ye are to dwell why do ye here buy Estates and provide your selves with Delicacies and stately Buildings and superfluous Houses For he that provides himself these things in this City do's not think of returning into his own City O foolish and doubtful and wretched Man Who understandest not that all these things are other Mens and under the Power of another For the LORD of this City saith unto thee either obey my Laws or depart out of my City What therefore shalt thou do who art subject to a Law in thine own City Canst thou for thy Estate or for any of those things which thou hast provided deny thy Law But if thou shalt deny it and wilt afterwards return into thy own City thou shalt not be received but shalt be excluded thence See therefore that like a Man in another Country thou procure no more to thy self than what is necessary and sufficient for thee and be ready that when the God or LORD of this City shall drive thee out of it thou mayst oppose his Law and go into thine own City where thou mayst with all Chearfulness live according to thine own Law without Wrong Take heed then ye that serve God and have him in your Hearts work ye the Works of God being mindful both of his Commands and of his Promises which he has promised and be assured that he will make them good unto you if ye shall keep his Commandments Instead therefore of the Possessions that ye would otherwise purchase redeem those that are in want from their Necessities as every one is able Justifie the Widows Judge the Cause of the Fatherless and spend your Riches and your Wealth in such Works as these For for this end has God enriched you that ye might fulfil these kind of Services It is much better to do this than to buy Lands or Houses because all such things shall perish with this present Time But what ye shall do for the Name of the LORD ye shall
all that he is in great Honour and Renown with God and is a Prince of great Authority and Powerful in his Office To him only is the Power of Repentance committed throughout the whole World Do's he not seem to thee to be of great Authority But ye despise his Goodness and the Modesty which he shews towards you II. I SAID unto him Sir Ask him since the time that he came into my House whether I have done any thing disorderly or have offended him in any thing I know said he that thou hast done nothing disorderly neither wilt thou hereafter do any thing and therefore I speak these things with thee that thou mayst persevere for he has given me a good Account concerning thee But thou shalt speak these things to others that they who either have repented or shall repent may be of the same opinion with thee and he may give me as good an Account of them also and I may do the same unto the LORD I answer'd Sir I declare to all Men the wonderful Works of God And I hope that all who love them and have before sinned when they shall hear these things will willingly repent and so recover Life Continue therefore said he in this Ministry and perfect it And whosoever shall fulfil the Commands of this Shepherd shall live and shall have great Honour both here and with the LORD But they that shall not keep his Commands flee from their Life and are Adversaries unto it And they that follow not his Commands shall deliver themselves unto Death and every one shall be guilty of his own Bloud But I say unto thee keep these Commandments and thou shalt find a Cure for all thy Sins III. MOREOVER I have sent these Virgins to dwell with thee for I have seen that they are very kind to thee Thou shalt therefore have them for thy Helpers that thou mayst the better keep the Commands which have been given thee for these Commands cannot be kept without these Virgins And thou seest how they are willing to be with thee and I will also command them that they shall not at all depart from thy House Only do thou purifie thy House for they will readily dwell in a clean House For they are Clean and Chast and Industrious and all of them have Grace with the LORD If therefore thou shalt have thy House pure they will abide with thee But if it shall be never so little polluted they will immediately depart from thy House for these Virgins cannot endure any manner of Pollution I said unto him Sir I hope that I shall so please them that they shall always delight to dwell in my House And as he to whom you have committed me makes no Complaint of me so neither shall they complain Then he said to that Shepherd I see that the Servant of God will live and keep these Commandments and place these Virgins in a pure Habitation When he had said this he delivered me again to that Shepherd and called the Virgins and said unto them Forasmuch as I see that ye will readily dwell in this Mans House I commend him and his House to you that ye may not at all depart from his House And they willingly heard these Words IV. THEN he said unto me Go on Manfully in thy Ministry Declare to all Men the great things of God and thou shalt find Grace in this Ministry And whosoever shall walk in these Commands shall live and be happy in his Life But he that shall neglect them shall not live and shall be unhappy in his Life Say unto all that whosoever can do what is right cease not to exercise themselves in good Works For I would that all Men should be delivered from the Inconveniences they lie under For he that wants and suffers Inconveniences in his daily Life is in great Torment and Necessity Whosoever therefore delivers such a Soul from Necessity gets great Joy unto himself For he that is grieved with such Inconveniences is equally tormented as if he were in Chains And many upon the Account of such Calamities being not able to bear them have chosen even to destroy themselves He therefore that knows the Calamity of such a Man and do's not free him from it commits a great Sin and is guilty of his Bloud Wherefore exercise your selves in Good Works as many as have received Ability from the LORD least whilst ye delay to do them the Building of the Tower be finish'd because for your sakes the Building is stopp'd Except therefore ye shall make haste to do well the Tower shall be finish'd and ye shall have no place in it And after he had thus spoken with me he rose up from the Bed and departed taking the Shepherd and Virgins with him Howbeit he said unto me that he would send back the Shepherd and Virgins unto my House Amen The Second EPISTLE OF St. CLEMENT TO THE Corinthians THE CONTENTS Chap. I. THAT we ought to entertain a Worthy Opinion of our Salvation And to do the utmost of what in us lies to express the Value we put upon it by a sincere Obedience to our Saviour Christ and his Gospel II. That God had before prophecy'd by Isaiah that the Gentiles should be saved III IV. That this ought to engage such especially to be very careful to live well without which they will still miscarry V. That whilst we secure to our selves the Favour of God and the Reward of the other World we need not fear what can befal us in this VI. That we cannot serve God and Mammon Nor if we follow the Interests of this present World is it possible for us to escape the Punishment of the Other VII The Consideration of which ought to bring us to Repentance and Holiness VIII And that presently knowing that now whilst we are in this World is the only time for Repentance IX We shall rise and be Judged in those Bodies in which we now are therefore we must live well in them X. That we ought as we value our own Interests to live well however few seem to mind what really is for their Advantage XI And not deceive our selves with any vain Imaginations as if no Punishment should remain for us if we do Evil or Good happen to us hereafter if we behave our selves as we ought to do Seeing God will certainly judge us and render to all of us according to our Works and how soon this may be we can none of us tell The Second EPISTLE OF St. CLEMENT TO THE Corinthians I. BRETRHEN we ought so to think of Jesus Christ as of GOD as of the Judge of the Living and the Dead Nor should we think any less of our Salvation For if we think meanly of it we shall hope only to receive some small Benefit by it And if we shall do so we shall sin not considering from whence we have been called and by whom and to what place and how
from whence I am carried Bound to Rome being the least of all the Faithful which are there as I have been thought worthy to be found to the Glory of God Fare ye well in God the Father and in Jesus Christ our common Hope Amen To the EPHESIANS THE EPISTLE OF St. IGNATIVS TO THE Magnesians THE CONTENTS After the Salutation He declares Chap. I. THE Occasion of his Writing to Them and to the other Churches that were about them And then mentions II. The Arrival of Damas their Bishop and of the rest whom They had sent unto Him III. He exhorts them to all due Reverence and Subjection to their Bishop notwithstanding He was but a Young Man and had not long been in that Great Office among them IV. Which also they must do if they will be Christians indeed V. That we must all ' ere long Die and then be for ever either Happy or Miserable VI. He exhorts them therefore to live Orderly and to maintain a Unity among each other VII And that especially by a due Subjection to their Bishop and Presbyters VIII IX.X He cautions them against false Opinions Especially those of Ebion and the Judaizing Christians XI He Apologizes for this Advice which he gave not to Reprove but to Fore-warn Them XII Whose Faith and Piety he here greatly commends And XIII Exhorts them to go on and increase in Both. XIV He desires their Prayers both for Himself and his Church at Antioch XV. And then concludes all with the Salutations of those who were present with Him at the Writing of this Epistle THE EPISTLE OF St. IGNATIVS TO THE Magnesians IGNATIUS who is also called THEOPHORUS to the Blessed Church by the Grace of God the Father in Jesus Christ our Saviour In whom I salute the Church which is at MAGNESIA near the MAEANDER and wish it all Joy in God the Father and in Jesus Christ. I. WHEN I heard of your well-order'd Love and Charity in God being full of Joy I determined forthwith to speak unto you in the Faith of Jesus Christ. For having been thought worthy to obtain a most Excellent Name in the Bonds which I carry about I salute the Churches wishing in them a Union both of the Body and Spirit of Jesus Christ our Eternal Life As also of Faith and Charity to which nothing is preferred But especially of Jesus and the Father in whom if we undergo and escape all the Injuries of the Prince of this present World we shall enjoy God II. SEEING then I have been judged worthy to see you by DAMAS your most Excellent Bishop and by your very worthy Presbyters BASSUS and APOLLONIUS and by my Fellow Servant SOTIO your Deacon in whom I rejoyce forasmuch as He is subject unto his Bishop as to the Grace of God and to the Presbytery as to the Law of Jesus Christ I determined to Write unto you III. WHEREFORE it will become you also not to take advantage of the Youth of your Bishop but to yield all Reverence to Him according to the Power of God the Father As also I perceive that your Holy Presbyters do not considering his Age which indeed to appearance is Young but as becomes those who are Prudent in God submitting to Him or rather not to Him but to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Bishop of us All. It will therefore behove you with all Sincerity to obey your Bishop in Honour of Him whose pleasure it is that ye should do so Because he that does not do so deceives not the Bishop whom he sees but affronts him that is Invisible For whatsoever of this kind is done it reflects not upon Man but upon God who knows the Secrets of our Hearts IV. IT is therefore fitting that we should not only be called Christians but be so As some call indeed their Governour Bishop but yet do all things without Him But I can never think that such as these have a good Conscience seeing they are not gather'd together thoroughly according to Gods Commandment V. SEEING then all things have an End there are these two indifferently set before Us Death and Life And every one shall dedepart unto his proper place For as there are two sorts of Coins the one of God the other of the World and each of these has its proper Inscription engraven upon it So also is it Here The Unbelievers are of this World but the Faithful through Charity have the Character of God the Father by Jesus Christ By whom if we are not readily disposed to Die unto his Passion His Life is not in Us. VI. FORASMUCH therefore as I have in the Persons before mentioned seen all of you in Faith and Charity I exhort you that ye study to do all things in a Divine Concord Your Bishop presiding in the place of God your Presbyters in the place of the Council of the Apostles And your Deacons most dear to Me being intrusted with the Ministry of Jesus Christ who was with the Father before all Ages and appeared in the End to us Wherefore taking up the same Holy Course see that ye all Reverence one another And let no one look upon his Neighbour after the Flesh but do ye all mutually love each other in Jesus Christ. Let there be nothing that may be able to make a Division among you But be ye united to your Bishop and those who Preside over you to be your Pattern and Direction in the way to Immortality VII AS therefore the LORD did nothing without the Father being united to Him neither by Himself nor yet by his Apostles So neither do ye do any thing without your Bishop and Presbyters Neither endeavour to let any thing appear rational to your selves apart but being come together into the same place have one Common Prayer One Supplication One Mind One Hope in Charity and in Joy undefiled There is One Lord Jesus Christ than whom nothing is Better Wherefore come ye all together as unto one Temple of God as to one Altar as to one Jesus Christ who proceeded from one Father and exists in One and is return'd to One. VIII BE not Deceived with Strange Doctrines nor with Old Fables which are unprofitable For if we still continue to live according to the Jewish Law we do confess our selves not to have received Grace For even the Most Holy Prophets lived according to Christ Jesus And for this cause were they persecuted being inspired by his Grace to convince the Unbelievers and Disobedient that there is one God who has manifested Himself by Jesus Christ his Son who is his Eternal Word not coming forth from Silence who in all things pleased Him that sent Him IX WHEREFORE if they who were conversant in those antient Things are nevertheless come to the Newness of Hope No
Temple of the LORD shall be gloriously built in the Name of the LORD I find therefore that there is a Temple But how shall it be built in the Name of the LORD I will shew you Before that we belived in God the Habitation of our Heart was corruptible and feeble as a Temple truly built with Hands For it was a House full of Idolatry a House of Devils inasmuch as there was done in it whatsoever was contrary unto God But it shall be built in the Name of the LORD Consider how that the Temple of the LORD shall be very gloriously built And by what means that shall be learn Having received Remission of our Sins and trusting in the Name of the LORD we are become Renew'd being again created from the Beginning Wherefore God truly dwells in our House that is in us But how do's he dwell in us The Word of his Faith the Calling of his Promise the Wisdom of his Righteous Judgments the Commands of his Doctrine He himself prophecies within us he himself dwelleth in us and openeth to us who were in Bondage the Gate of Our Temple that is the Mouth of Wisdom having given Repentance to us and by this means has brought us into his incorruptible Temple He therefore that desires to be saved looketh not unto the Man but unto him that dwelleth in him and speaketh by him being struck with Wonder forasmuch as he never either heard him speaking such Words out of his Mouth nor ever desired to hear them This is that Spiritual Temple that is built unto the LORD XVII AND thus I trust I have declared to you as much and with as great Simplicity as I could those things which make for your Salvation so as not to have omitted any thing that might be requisite thereunto For should I speak farther of the Things that now are and of those that are to come you would not yet understand them seeing they lie in Parables This therefore shall suffice as to these things XVIII LET us now go on to the other kind of Knowledge and Doctrine There are two ways of Doctrine and Power The one of Light the other of Darkness But there is a great deal of difference between these two ways For over one are appointed the Angels of God the Leaders of the way of Light Over the others the Angels of Satan And the one is the LORD from Everlasting to Everlasting the other is the Prince of the Time of Unrighteousness XIX NOW the way of Light is this if any one desires to attain to the Place that is appointed for him and will hasten thither by his Works And the Knowledge that has been given to us of walking in it to this Effect * Thou shalt love him that made thee * Thou shalt glorifie him that hath redeemed thee from Death * Thou shalt be simple in Heart and * Rich in the Spirit * Thou shalt not cleave to those that walk in the Way of Death * Thou shalt hate to do any thing that is not pleasing unto God * Thou shalt abhor all Dissimulation * Thou shalt not neglect any of the Commands of the LORD * Thou shalt not exalt thy self but shalt be humble * Thou shalt not take Honour to thy self * Thou shalt not enter into any Wicked Counsel against thy Neighbour * Thou shalt not be confident in thy Heart * Thou shalt not commit * Fornication nor * Adultery Neither shalt thou * corrupt thy self with Mankind * Thou shalt not make use of the Speech which God has given thee to any Impurity * Thou shalt not accept any Mans Person when thou reprovest any ones Faults * Thou shalt be Gentle * Thou shalt be Quiet * Thou shalt tremble at the Words which thou hast heard * Thou shalt not keep any Hatred in thy Heart against thy Brother * Thou shalt not entertain any doubt whether it shall be or not * Thou shalt not take the Name of the LORD in vain * Thou shalt love thy Neighbour above thy own Soul * Thou shalt not destroy thy Conceptions before they are brought forth nor kill them after they are born * Thou shalt not take off thy Hand from thy Son or from thy Daughter but shalt teach them from their youth the Fear of the LORD * Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Goods neither shalt thou be an Extortioner * Neither shall thy Heart be joined to proud Men but thou shalt be numbred among the Righteous and the Lowly * Whatever Troubles shall happen unto thee thou shalt receive them as good * Thou shalt not be double-minded or double-tongu'd for a double Tongue is the Snare of Death * Thou shalt be subject unto the LORD and to inferior Masters as to the Images of God in Fear and Reverence * Thou shalt not be bitter in thy Commands towards any of thy Servants that trust in God least thou chance not to fear him who is over both because he came not to call any with respect of Persons but whomsoever his Spirit had prepared * Thou shalt communicate to thy Neighbour of all thou hast Thou shalt not call any thing thine own For if ye partake in such things as are incorruptible how much more should ye do it in those that are Corruptible * Thou shalt not be forward to speak for the Mouth is the Snare of Death * As far as thou art able keep thy self Pure * Reach not out thine Hand to receive and with-hold it not when thou shouldst give * Thou shalt love as the Apple of thine Eye every one that speaketh unto thee the Word of the LORD * Call to thy Remembrance Day and Night the future Judgment * Thou shalt seek out every Day the Persons of the Righteous * And both seek by thy Speech and go forth to exhort and meditate how thou maiest save thine own Soul * Thou shalt also labour with thy Hands that thy Sins may be forgiven thee * Thou shalt not deliberate whether thou shouldst give * Nor having given murmur at it * Give to every one that asks so shalt thou know who is the good Rewarder of thy Gifts * Keep what thou hast received thou shalt neither add to it or take from it * Let the Wicked be always thy Aversion * Thou shalt judge righteous Judgment * Thou shalt never cause Divisions but shalt make Peace between those that are at variance and bring them together * Thou shalt confess thy Sins * And not come to thy Prayer with an Evil-Conscience This is the Way of Light XX. BUT the Way of Darkness is crooked and full of Cursing For it is the Way of Eternal Death with Punishment in which they that walk meet those things that destroy their own Souls Such are Idolatry Confidence Pride of Power Hypocrisie Double-Mindedness Adultery Murder Rapine Pride Transgression Deceit Malice Arrogance Witchcraft Covetousness and the Want of the Fear of God In this walk those who
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
strive gloriously Let us therefore so contend that we may all of us be crown'd Let us run in the straight Road the Race that is incorruptible And let us in great Numbers pass unto it and strive that we may receive the Crown But and if we cannot all be crown'd let us come as near to it as we are able Moreover we must consider that he who contends in a corruptible Combat if he be found doing any thing that is not fair is taken away and scourged and cast out of the Lists What think ye then that he shall suffer who do's any thing that is not fitting in the Combat of Immortality Thus speaks the Prophet concerning those who keep not their Seal Their Worm shall not die and their Fire shall not be quenched and they shall be for a Spectacle unto all Flesh. VIII LET us therefore repent whilst we are yet upon the Earth For we are as Clay in the Hand of the Artificer For as the Potter if he make a Vessel and it be distorted in his Hands or broken again forms it anew but if he have gone so far as to throw it into the Furnace of Fire he can no more bring any Remedy to it So we whilst we are in this World should repent with our whole Heart for whatsoever Evil we have done in the Flesh while we have yet the time of Repentance that we may be saved by the LORD For after we shall have departed out of this World we shall no longer be able either to confess our Sins or repent in the other Wherefore Brethren let us doing the Will of the Father and keeping our Flesh pure and observing the Commandments of the LORD secure to our selves Eternal Life For the LORD saith in the Gospel If ye have not kept that which was little who will give you that which is great For I say unto you he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much This therefore is what he saith keep your Bodies pure and your Soul without Spot that ye may receive Eternal Life IX AND let not any one among you say that this very Flesh is not judged neither raised up Consider in what were ye saved in what did ye look up if not whilst ye were in this Flesh We must therefore keep our Flesh as the Temple of God For in like manner as ye were called in the Flesh ye shall also come in the Flesh. Even our LORD Jesus Christ who has saved us being first a Spirit was made Flesh and so called us Wherefore we also shall in this Flesh receive the Reward Let us therefore love one another that we may all attain unto the Kingdom of God Whilst we are in a Condition of being healed let us deliver up our selveâ— to God our Physician giving our Reward unto him And what Reward shall we give Repentance out of a pure Heart For he knows all things before-hand and searches out our very Hearts Let us therefore give Praise unto him and that not only with our Mouths but with all our Souls that he may receive us as the Children of God For so the LORD hath said They are my Brethren who do the Will of my Father X. Wherefore my Brethren let us do the Will of our Father who hath call'd us that we may live Let us pursue Vertue and forsake Wickedness as the Forerunner of our Punishment and let us â—lee all Ungodliness that Evils overtake us not For if we shall do our diligence to live well Peace shall follow us And yet how hard is it to find a Man that do's this For almost all are led by Human Fears chusing rather the present Enjoyments than the future Promise For they know not how great a Torment the present Enjoyments bring with them nor what Delights the Promise of what is to come And did they themselves only do this it might the more easily be endured but now they go on to infect innocent Souls with their Evil Doctrins not knowing that both themselves and those that hear them shall receive a double Condemnation XI LET us therefore serve God with a pure Heart and we shall be Righteous But if we shall not serve him nor believe in the Promise of God we shall be miserable For thus saith the Prophet Miserable are the double minded who doubt in their Heart and say These things have we heard and our Fathers have told them unto us but we have seen none of them though we have expected them from Day to Day O ye Fools Consider the Trees take the Vine for an Example First it sheds its Leaves then it Buds then come the Sour Grapes then the Ripe Fruit. Even so my People has born its Disorders and Afflictions but shall hereafter receive good things Wherefore my Brethren let us not doubt in our Minds but let us expect with Hope that we may receive our Reward For he is Faithful who has promised that he will render to every one a Reward according to his Works If therefore we shall do what is just in the Sight of God we shall enter into his Kingdom and shall receive the Promises Which neither Eye has seen nor Ear hard nor have entred into the Heart of Man XII WHEREFORE let us every Hour expect the Kingdom of God in Love and Righteousness because we know not the Day of God's Appearing FINIS An INDEX OF THE Principal Matters contain'd in the foregoing TREATISES A. Alms-giving HOW we ought to give Pag. 369 370. Angels Attend the Death of good Men. 332. Every Man has Two Angels 385. Apostates No Repentance allow'd to them 441 463. They cannot be saved 505 514. B. Baptism Forgives all Sins 290 293. It s Necessity 342. Bishops In the Primitive Church the same as now with us 128 131 136 147 150 178 180 182 185 199 202 214 224. The Reverence due to them 129. That we ought to adhere to the Bishops 199. The Holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper not to be given but by the Bishop or such as he appoints 199 201. Marriage not to be made without his Knowledg and Consent 213. A Bishop ought to instruct as well as govern his Church 220. Exhortations proper for a Bishop Vid. Unity 210 c. Business Much Business a hindrance to Religion 424 507. C. Calamities God sends them upon us to bring us to Repentance 443 444. Charity What true Charity is 67. The Praise of it 67 68. Exhortations to it 353 530. Christ. His Divinity shewn 26 51 106 119.160 162 165 216 271 272 535 His Pre-Existence 131 133 271 544. His Eternity 133 246 492. His two Natures 111 120 194 212. Of his Birth c. 119 135 222. He is our High-Priest and Protectour 77. No coming to God but by him 493 494 536. The Ancient Fathers saved by him 184 502. So are we 538. He suffer'd for our Salvation 195 270 271 c. 536. He truly suffer'd 151.