†Known * Inseparable Mind †Which you have not according to use but according to Possession ‖ Who am Bound * Multitude †Your Benevolence * According to God ‖ Vid. Vossium in loc 1 seem'd †Imitators * When. * Flee from Vid. Vossium in loc * Deacons Vossius in loc vid. aliter Cotelerium * A Church is not called * Habit of Body is great Instruction †Power Vid. Vossium Usserium in loc * I understand many things †Measure * Love ‖ Vid. Annot. Vossii in loc * Mildness ‖ Is. * Vid. de hoc loco conjecturas Vossii Cotelerii Junil apud Usserium Comp. Epist. Interpol in loc Et Voss. Annot. in Epist. ad Phil. p. 281. Vid. Usserii Obs Marg. Comp. Coteler ib. * Any thing Isaiah Lii 5 * Without * Seeing or looking on ‖ His Father raising him * The Father * Plants * The Concord of you * Be a Testimony among you Writing * Them * Vndivided ‖ Vid. Annot. Vossii in loc Vid. Pearson Vind. Ignat. Par. 2. ch 16. p. 214. * In. * In. * Type of the 〈◊〉 i. e. The â—huâ—ch of the â—â—mans See 〈◊〉 Annot. in 〈◊〉 * Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc ‖ Worthy of God * Have Grace ‖ My Lot * Is. * As. ‖ Enjoying †From me * Flesh. ‖ Being become a Chorus * Sing †That a Bishop of Syria should be found * That those things also should be firm ‖ Commanded Vid. Annot. Usserii in loc N. 26 27. * God ‖ Perswasion †Vid. Usser Ann. N. 31. * Forbid me ‖ Be not †By whom I may * Vid. Lat. Vet. Interpr Et Annot. Usser N. 33. ‖ Flatter 1 Cor. iv 4 * Ready ‖ Vid. Voss. in loc Usser Annot. N. 48. †Usser Annot. N. 48. Luke xlv 27 * Vid. Coteler in loc Rom. viii 38 39 ‖ Vid. Usser Annot. N. 56. †Ib. N. 57. * That I may enjoy * Ends. ‖ Of this Age. †Vid. Voss. Correct p. 301. * By matter ‖ Take Lay hold on * Vid. Annot. Voss. in loc †What things constrain me * Mind Will. ‖ Who are present †Vid. Voss. Annot in loc * Cotelerius aliter explicat Annot. in loc Usser N. 79. ‖ Voss. in loc Contr. Coteler q. v. * And that shall be †Willed ‖ Vid. Annot. Voss. in loc †By a short Letter * In. ‖ Vid. Vet. Interpr Lat. 1 Cor. xv 8 * According to the Flesh * Vid. Vet. Interpr Lat. ‖ Inseperably * Vid. Vet. Interp Lat. ‖ In. * Ministry belonging to the Publick ‖ Has struck me with Wonder †Those that speak Vain things ‖ In. * Vid. Voss. Annot in loc ‖ Evil. * Very much Poured out ‖ Vid. Voss. in loc * Vid. Voss. in loc * Opinion Council * Of some * Flesh. * Flesh. * Repent ‖ Who will loose from you †Vid. Voss. Annot in loc * Vntouch'd ‖ Messenger or Minister * Vossius a Martyr or Confessor Vid. Annot. in loe ‖ Vid. Vossius Annot. in Ep. ad Smyrn p. 261. * Comp. 1 Cor. vii 25 * Vnto the Lord. Mat. iii. 15 †Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc * Incorpâ—real and 〈◊〉 Luke xxiv 39 John xx 27 * Death ‖ Admonish †Have so * Had true Flesh. †It is Matt. xix 12 * Vid. Epist. Interp. * Vid. Annot. Coteler in loc ‖ The Eucharist * Vid Coteler Annot. * The Multitude * Make a Love-Feast ‖ Return to a sound Mind †Does worship * Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc * Ways ‖ Vid. Epist. Interpol †Spirit * * Vid. Voss. Annot in loc * Vid. Voss. Annot in loc * See for the reason of this Name Voss. Annot in loc Add. Coteler ib. * See Voss. Annot ex Epist. Interpol * Innocent ‖ Vid. 1 Cor. vii 34 †Be at leisure to c. * Vid. Voss. in loc aliter Vet. Lat. Interpr ‖ The Diseases * Superfusions Mat. x. 16 * Vid. Voss. Annot. in loc Collat. cum Coteler ib. ‖ Amaze Thee * Beaten †More Studious Diligent ‖ Being well-setled * Vid. Annot. Coteler in loc * Or Trades †Note that in what follows Ignatius speaks not to Polycarp but as in his Name to the People ‖ Vid. Annot. Vossii Coteler in loc ‖ That which is committed to your Custody to keep secure †The Security of God * Most becoming God * Footmen †Vid. Voss. in loc In the Eternal Work ‖ Ex Vet. Interpr Vid. Voss. in Annot. * Apostolical * Compare the Cotton MS. †Magis Simplices In MS. Cotton Infirmum ‖ As to himself * Order †More to a Familiarity of the Lord. * Candle †Every mans Heart ‖ See the Cotton MS. Comp Annot Usser N. 1 * Many and diverse †To enter into the Worship of Devils with all Nations ‖ Worshippers * Manly ‖ Devil Vid. Pears Vind. Ign. part 2. cap. 12. * Devil †Of those ‖ In our Breast So MS. Cotton To have an understanding of the Gods Or The Gods according to Vnderstanding So the other of A. B. Usher Metaphrastes joyns both together Vid. Annot Usser n 5. * Vid Graâ—â— Metaphr n. 5 * 2 Cor. vi 16 ‖ Spectacle * Beasts eating raw flesh Co. Auditor ‖ and. †Partake of his Spiritual Blessing MS. Cotton Hear his Discourses Metaphrast * To contend to his purpose ‖ That the more suddainly disappearing to the World †To. Acts xxviii 13 14. †The Ship being repell'd from the Forepart would not permit ‖ Hot. * Quietare Plebem ad non expetere perdere Justum ‖ See another Conjecture of Bishop Vsher Annot. n. 32. * Comp. Graec. Metaphrast apud Coteler Prov. x. 24 * According to what praeoccupying in his Epistle he desires to be made his proper fruition ‖ And buried Vid. Annot. Usser in Act. Ignat. n. 37. ‖ Bratificantes Sanctum Pronouncing him Blessed * Having manifested or made known * Philomâ—iia Vid. Annot. Uss. n. 1. Comp. Vet. lat Interpr Euseb. Hist. Eccles. l.iv. c. ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Martyrdom ‖ Him †Martyrdoms * Vid. Correâ—â— Coteler Vâ—â—lei in Annoâ— Euseb. l.iv. â— 15. p. 61. †Shewing to all of us ‖ For they had before their Eyes to escape 1 Cor. ii 9 * Shewn †See Bishop Vsher's Annot. n. 7. Euseb. l. â—v c. 15. â—n eum Annot. Valesii p. 62. D. * Their fearfulness ‖ Life of them * I must be ‖ Justice of the Peace Vid. Usser in loc num 14 15. Vales. in Euseb p. 63. D †Discoursed * Why was all this Diligence Vid Annot. 20 Usser in loc ‖ Freely * Comp. Euseb. l.iv. c. 15. p. 106. B. Edit Vales. Annot. Vales. p. 62. C. ‖ They spake bitter words †Getting out of the Chariot †Change my mind Vid. Vales Annot. in Euseb. p. 63. C. D. â€
lifting up Chast and Undefiled Hands unto him Loving our gracious and merciful Father who has made us to partake of his Election For so it is written When the most High divided the Nations when he separated the Sons of Adam he set the Bounds of the Nations according to the number of his Angels His People Jacob became the Portion of the LORD and Israel the Lot of his Inheritance And in another Place he saith Behold the LORD taketh unto himself a Nation out of the midst of the Nations as a Man taketh the First-fruits of his Flour and the Most Holy shall come out of that Nation XXX WHEREFORE we being a part of the Holy One Let us do all those things that pertain unto Holyness Fleeing all Evil-speaking against one another all filthy and impure Embraces together with all Drunkenness Love of Innovation abominable Concupiscences detestable Adultery and execrable Pride For God resisteth the Proud but giveth Grace to the Humble Let us therefore hold fast to those to whom God has given his Grace And let us put on Concord being Humble Temperate free from all Whispering and Detraction and justified by our Actions not our Words For he saith Doth he that speaketh and heareth many things and that is of a ready Tongue suppose that he is Righteous Blessed is he that is born of a Woman that liveth but a few days Vse not therefore much Speech Let our Praise be of God not of our selves For God hateth those that commend themselves Let the Witness of our good Actions be given to us of others as it was given to the Holy Men that went before us Rashness and Arrogance and Confidence be to them who are Accursed of God But Equity and Humility and Mildness to such as are Blessed by him XXXI LET us then hold fast to his Blessing and let us consider what are the ways by which we may attain unto it Let us look back upon those things that have happened from the beginning For what was our Father Abraham Blessed Was it not because that through Faith he wrought Righteousness and Truth Isaac being fully perswaded of what he knew was to come chearfully yielded himself up for a Sacrifice Jacob with Humility departed out of his own Country fleeing from his Brother and went unto Laban and served him And so the Scepter of the Twelve Tribes of Israel was given unto him XXXII NOW what the Greatness of this Gift was will plainly appear if we shall take the pains distinctly to consider all the parts of it For from him came the Priests and Levites who all Ministred at the Altar of God From him came our Lord Jesus Christ according to the Flesh. From him came the Kings and Princes and Rulers in Judah Nor were the rest of his Tribes in any small Glory God having promis'd that Thy Seed says he shall be as the Stars of Heaven They were all therefore greatly glorified not for their own Sake or for their own Works or for the Righteousness that they themselves wrought but through his Will And we also being called by the same Will in Christ Jesus are not justified by our selves neither by our own Wisdom or Knowledge or Piety or the Works which we have done in the Holiness of our Hearts But by that Faith by which God Almighty has justified those also who were from the Beginning to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen XXXIII WHAT shall we do therefore Brethren Shall we be Sloathful in Well-doing and lay aside our Charity God forbid that any such thing should be done by us But rather let us hasten with all Earnestness and Readiness of Mind to perfect every Good Work For even the Creator and Lord of all things rejoyces in his own Works By his Almighty Power he fixed the Heavens and by his Incomprehensible Wisdom he adorned them He also divided the Earth from the Water with which it is encompassed and fixed it as a secure Tower upon the Foundation of his own Will He also by his Appointment commanded all the Beasts that are upon it to exist So likewise the Sea and all the Creatures that are in it having first created them He enclosed them therein by his Power And above all he with his Holy and Pure Hands formed Man the most Excellent and as to his Understanding truly the greatest of all other Creatures the Character of his own Image For so God says Let us make Man in our Image after our owon Likeness So God created Man Male and Female created he them And having thus finished all these things he commended all that he had made and Blessed them and said Encrease and Multiply We see therefore how all Righteous Men have been adorn'd with Good Works And not only so but even the Lord himself having adorn'd himself with his Works rejoyced Having therefore such an Example let us without Delay fulfill his Will and with all our Strength work the Work of Righteousness XXXIV THE Good Workman with Confidence receives the Bread of his Labour But the Sluggish and Lazy cannot endure to behold him that set him on work We must therefore be ready and forward in Well-doing For from him are all things And thus he foretells us Behold the LORD cometh and his Reward is with him even before his Face to render to every one according to his Works He warns us therefore beforehand with all his Heart to this end that we should not be Sloathful and Negligent in Well-doing Let our Boasting therefore and our Confidence be in God Let us submit our selves to his Will Let us consider the vast Multitude of his Angels how ready they stand to minister unto it As saith the Scripture Thousands of Thousands stood before him and Ten Thousand times Ten Thousand Ministred unto him And they cry'd saying Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts The whole Earth is full of his Glory Wherefore let us also being gathered together in Love and Concord with one another with one Mind as well as one Mouth cry earnestly unto Him that he would make us Partakers of his Great and Glorious Promises For he saith Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things which God has prepared for them that wait for him XXXV How Blessed and Wonderful Beloved are the Gifts of God Life in Immortality Brightness in Righteousness Truth in full Assurance Faith in Conviction Temperance in Holiness And all this has God subjected to our Understandings What therefore shall those things be which he has prepared for them that wait for him The Creator and Father of all things the most Holy He only knows both the Greatness and Beauty of them Let us therefore strive with all Earnestness that we may be found in the number of those
you I will make known my Speech unto you Because I called and ye would not hear I stretched out my words and ye regarded not But ye have set at nought all my Counsel and would none of my reproof I will also laugh at your Calamity and mock when your fear cometh When your Fear cometh as Desolation and your Destruction as a Whirlwind when Distress and Anguish cometh upon you Then shall ye call upon me but I will not hear you The Wicked shall seek me but they shall not find me For that they hated Knowledge and did not seek the Fear of the Lord. They would not hearken unto my Counsel They despised all my Reproof Therefore shall they eat of the Fruit of their own ways and be filled with their own Wickedness LVIII NOW God the Inspector of all things the Father of Spirits and the Lord of all Flesh who hath chosen our Lord Jesus Christ and Us by Him to be his Peculiar People grant to every Soul of Man that calleth upon his Glorious and Holy Name Faith Fear Peace Long-suffering Patience Temperance Holiness and Wisdom unto all well-pleasing in his sight through our High Priest and Protector Jesus Christ by whom be Glory and Majesty and Honour unto Him now and for Ever more Amen LIX THE Messengers whom we have sent unto you Claudius and Ephebus and Valerius and Bito with Fortunatus send back to us again with all speed in Peace and with Joy that they may the sooner acquaint us with your Peace and Concord so much pray'd for and desired by Us And that we may rejoyce in your good Order LX. THE Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and with all others that are any where called by God and through Him To whom be Honour and Glory and Might and Majesty and Dominion by Christ Jesus from Everlasting to Everlasting Amen THE EPISTLE OF St. POLYCARP TO THE Philippians THE CONTENTS After the Salutation 1. HE Commends the Philippians for their Respect to Those who suffer'd for the Gospel and for their own Faith and Piety Numb I. 2. He exhorts Them to continue in Both And that particularly from the Consideration of the Resurrection and Judgment to come N. II. For their better accomplishing whereof He 3. Advises them to call to mind the Doctrine which St. Paul had taught them whilst He was in Person among them and after wrote to them in his Epistle N. III. The Summ of all which he now goes on particularly to set before Them I. As to Practical Duties 1. Faith Hope Charity N. III. 2. Against Covetousness N. IV. 3. The Duties of Husbands Wives Widows Ib. 4. Of Deacons Young Men Virgins N. V. 5. Of Presbyters N. VI. All which He again Inforces with the Consideration of that Account we must one day give to God of all our Actions II. As to Matters of Faith 1. What we are to Believe concerning our Saviour Christ His Nature and Sufferings N. VII 2. Of the Future Resurrection and Judgment Ib. Which being thus set forth He finally Exhorts them 1. To Prayer N. VII 2. To Stedfastness in their Faith N. VIII Inforced from the Examples of the Patience and Constancy Of Our Saviour Christ. Ib. Of his Apostles and Saints N. IX 3. To Carefulness in all Well-doing N. X. And more particularly yet from the Miscarriage of Valens who had been a Presbyter among Them He Exhorts them 4. To beware of Covetousness N. XI 5. Not to be too severe towards such Persons either in their Censures of them or Behaviour towards them N. XII He Prays for them and then Exhorts them 6. To Pray for All others Ib. And having thus done with what was Instructive of his Epistle He advises Them of his sending Ignatius's Epistles to them N. XIII And desires an Account of Him from Them N. XIV And lastly He recommends Crescens by whom he wrote this Epistle together with his Sister to their Favour and Assistance Ib. THE EPISTLE OF St. POLYCARP TO THE Philippians POLYCARP and the PRESBYTERS that are with Him to the Church of God which is at PHILIPPI Mercy unto you and Peace from God Almighty and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour be multiplied I. I REJOYCED greatly with you in our Lord Jesus Christ that ye received the Images of a true Love and accompanied as it behoved you those who were in Bonds becoming Saints which are the Crowns of such as are truly chosen by God and our Lord As also that the Root of the Faith which was preach'd from antient times remains firm in you to this day and brings forth Fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ who suffer'd himself to be brought even to the Death for our Sins Whom God hath raised up having loosed the Pains of Death Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Into which many desire to enter Knowing that by Grace ye are saved not by Works but by the Will of God through Jesus Christ. II. WHEREFORE girding up the Loyns of your Mind Serve the Lord with Fear and in Truth Laying aside all empty and vain Speech and the Error of many Believing in him that raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the Dead and hath given him Glory and a Throne at his right Hand To whom all things are made Subject Both that are in Heaven and that are in Earth whom every Creature shall worship who shall come to be the Judge of the Quick and Dead Whose Bloud God shall require of them that believe not in him but are disobedient to him But he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also raise up us in like manner if we do his Will and walk according to his Commandments and love that which he hath loved Abstaining from all Vnrighteousness inordinate Affection and love of Money from Evil-speaking False Witness not rendring Evil for Evil or Railing for Railing or Striking for Striking or Cursing for Cursing But remembring what the Lord has taught us saying Judge not and ye shall not be judged Forgive and ye shall be forgiven Be ye merciful and ye shall obtain Mercy For with the same measure that ye meet withall it shall be measured to you again And again that Blessed are the Poor and they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of God III. THESE things my Brethren I took not the Liberty of my self to write unto you concerning Righteousness but you your selves before encouraged me to it For neither can I nor any other such as I am come up to the Wisdom of the Blessed and Renowned Paul who being himself in Person with those who then lived did with all Exactness and Soundness teach the Word of Truth and being gone from you wrote an Epistle to you Into which if you look you
will be able to Edifie your selves in the Faith that has been delivered unto you which is the Mother of us All being followed with Hope and led on by a general Love both towards God and towards Christ and towards our Neighbour For if any Man has these things he has fulfilled the Law of Righteousness For he that has Charity is faâ— from all Sin IV. BUT the Love of Money is the Root of all Evil. Knowing therefore that as we brought nothing into this World so neither may we carry any thing out Let us arm our selves with the Armour of Righteousness And teach our selves first to walk according to the Commandments of the Lord and then your Wives to walk likewise according to the Faith that is given to them in Charity and in Purity loving their own Husbands with all Sincerity and all others alike with all Temperance and to bring up their Children in the Instruction and Fear of the Lord. The Widows likewise teach that they be Sober and Discreet as to what concerns the Faith of the Lord Praying always for All Men being far from all Detraction Evil speaking false Witness from Covetousness and from all Evil Knowing that they are the Altars of God who sees all things and from whom nothing is hid Who searches out the very Reasonings and Thoughts and Secrets of our Hearts V. KNOWING therefore that God is not mocked we ought to walk worthy both of his Command and of his Glory Also the Deacons must be Blameless before Him as the Ministers of God in Christ and not of Men. Not false Accusers not Double-tongued not Lovers of Money but Moderate in all things Compassionate Careful walking according to the Truth of the Lord who was the Servant of all Whom if we please in this present World we shall also be made Partakers of that which is to come according as he has promised to us that he will raise us from the Dead And that if we shall walk worthy of him we shall also reign together with him if we believe In like manner the younger Men must be unblamable in all things Above all taking care of their Purity and to restrain themselves from all Evil. For it is good to be cut off from the Lusts that are in the World because every such Lust warreth against the Spirit And neither Fornicators nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind shall inherit the Kingdom of God nor they who do such things as are Foolish and Unreasonable Wherefore ye must abstain from all these things being subject to the Priests and Deacons as unto God and Christ. The Virgins admonish to walk in a spotless and pure Conscience VI. AND let the Elders be Compassionate and Merciful towards all turning them from their Errors seeking out those that are Weak not forgetting the Widows the Fatherless and the Poor but always providing what is Good both in the sight of God and Man Abstaining from all Wrath respect of Persons and unrighteous Judgment And especially being free from all Covetousness Not easie to believe any thing against any not severe in Judgment Knowing that we are all Debtors in point of Sin If therefore we pray to the Lord that he would forgive us we ought also to forgive others For we are all in the sight of our Lord and God and must all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and every one give an account of Himself Let us therefore serve him in fear and with all Reverence as both Himself commanded and as the Apostles and Prophets have preach'd to us who have foretold the Coming of our Lord Being Zealous of what is Good abstaining from all Offence and from all false Brethren and from all that bear the Name of Christ in Hypocrisie who deceive vain Men. VII FOR whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh he is Antichrist And whoever does not confess his Suffering upon the Cross is from the Devil And whosoever perverts the Oracles of the Lord to his own Lusts and says that there shall neither be any Resurrection nor Judgment he is the first Born of Satan Wherefore leaving the Vanity of many and their false Doctrines let us hold fast to the Word that was delivered to us from the Beginning Watching unto Prayer and persevering in Fasting Beseeching with all Supplication the All-seeing God not to lead us into Temptation as the Lord hath said The Spirit truly is willing but the Flesh is weak VIII LET us therefore without ceasing keep stedfastly to Him who is our Hope and the Earnest of our Righteousness even Jesus Christ Who his own self bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree Who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth But suffered all for us that we might live through Him Let us therefore imitate his Patience And if we suffer for his Name let us Glorifie him for this Example he has given us by Himself and so have we believed IX WHEREFORE I exhort all of you that ye obey the Word of Righteousness and exercise all Patience which ye have seen set forth before your Eyes not only in the Blessed Ignatius and Zozimus and Rufus but in others that have been among you and in Paul himself and the rest of the Apostles Being confident of this that all these have not run in vain but in Faith and Righteousness and are gone to the place that was due to them from the Lord with whom also they suffered For they loved not this present World but Him who died and was raised again by God for us X. STAND therefore in these things and follow the Example of the LORD being firm and immutable in the Faith Lovers of the Brotherhood Lovers of one another Companions together in the Truth being kind and gentle towards each other despising none When it is in your power to do good defer it not for Charity delivereth from death Be all of you subject one to another having your Conversation Honest among the Gentiles That by your good Works both ye your selves may receive Praise and the LORD may not be Blasphemed through you But Woe be to him by whom the Name of the LORD is Blasphemed Therefore teach all Men Sobriety in which do ye also exercise your selves XI I AM greatly afflicted for Valens who was once a Presbyter among you that he should so little understand the place that was given to Him in the Church Wherefore I admonish you that ye abstain from Covetousness and that ye be Chast and true of Speech Keep your selves from All Evil. For He that in these things cannot govern Himself How shall he be able to prescribe them to another If a Man does not keep himself from Covetousness He shall be polluted with Idolatry and be judged as if he were a
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
things more fully that Abraham who was the first that gave Circumcision in the Spirit looking forward to JESUS circumcised taking the Mystery of Three Letters For the Scripture says that Abraham circumcised three hundred and eighteen Men of his House But what therefore was the Mystery that was made known unto him I will tell you It consists first in the EIGHTEEN and next in the Three Hundred For the Numeral Letters of Ten and Eight are I H. And these denote JESUS And because the Cross was that by which we were to find Grace therefore he adds Three hundred the note of which is T the Figure of his Cross. Wherefore by two Letters he signified Jesus and by One his Cross. He who has put the Natural Gift of his Doctrin within in us knows that I never shew'd to any one a more Genuine Truth But I trust that ye are worthy of it X. BUT why did Moses say Ye shall not eat of the Swine neither the Eagle nor the Hawk nor the Crow nor any Fish that has not a Scale upon him I answer that under this outside Figure he comprehended three Spiritual Doctrins that were to be gathered from thence Besides which he says to them in the Book of Deutronomy and I will give my Statutes unto this People Wherefore it is not the Command of God that they should not eat but Moses in the Spirit spake unto them Now the Sow he forbad them to eat meaning thus much Thou shalt not join thy self to such Persons as are like unto Swine Who whilst they live in Pleasure forget their God but when any Want pinches them then they know the LORD As the Sow when she is full knows not her Master but when she is hungry she makes a Noise and being again fed is silent Neither says he shalt thou eat the Eagle nor the Hawk nor the Kite nor the Crow that is Thou shalt not keep Company with such kind of Men as know not how by their Labour and Sweat to get themselves Food But injuriosly ravish away the things of others and watch how to lay Snares for them when at the same time they appear to live in perfect Innocence So these Birds alone seek not Food for themselves but sitting idle seek how they may eat of the Flesh which Others have provided being destructive through their Wickedness Neither says he shalt thou eat the Lampry nor the Polypus nor the Cuttle-Fish that is thou shalt not be like such Men by using to converse with them Who are altogether wicked and adjudged to Death For so those Fishes are alone accursed and wallow in the Mire nor swim as other Fishes but tumble in the Dirt at the Bottom of the Deep But he adds Neither shalt thou eat of the Hare To what end To signifie this to us Thou shalt not be an Adulterer nor liken thy self to such Persons For the Hare every year multiplies the places of its Conception and as many years as it lives so many it has Neither shalt thou eat of the Hyena That is again Be not an Adulterer nor a Corrupter of others neither be like to such And wherefore so Because that Creature every year changes its kind and is sometimes Male and sometimes Female For which cause also he justly hated the Weesel to the end that they should not be like such persons who with their Mouths commit Wickedness by reason of their Uncleanness nor joyn themselves with those impure Women who with their Mouths commit Wickedness Because that Animal conceives with its Mouth Moses therefore speaking as concerning Meats deliver'd indeed three great Precepts to them in the Spiritual Signification of those Commands But they according to the desires of the Flesh understood him as if he had only meant it of Meats And therefore David took aright the Knowledge of his threefold Command saying in like manner Blessed is the Man that hath not walked in the Counsel of the Vngodly As the Fishes before mentioned in the Bottom of the Deep in Darkness Nor stood in the Way of Sinners As they who seem to fear the LORD but yet sin as the Sow And hath not sat in the Seat of the Scorners as those Birds who sit and watch that they may devour Here ye have this Matter perfectly set forth and according to the true knowledge of it But says Moses Ye shall eat all that divideth the Hoof and cheweth the Cud. Signifying thereby such an one as having taken his Food knows him that nourisheth him and resting upon him rejoyceth in him And in this he spake well having respect to the Commandment What therefore is it that he says That we should hold fast to them that fear the LORD with those who meditate on the Portion of the Word which they have received in their Heart with those that declare the Righteousness of the LORD and keep his Commandments In short with those who know that to Meditate is a Work of Pleasure and therefore exercise themselves in the Word of the LORD But why might they eat those that clave the Hoof Because the Righteous liveth in this present World but his Expectation is fixed upon the other See Brethren how admirably Moses commanded these things But how should we thus know all this and understand it We therefore understanding aright the Commandments speak as the Lord would have us Wherefore he has circumcised our Ears and our Hearts that we might know these things XI LET us now enquire whether the Lord took care to manifest any thing beforehand concerning WATER and the CROSS Now for the former of these it is written to the People of Israel how they shall not receive that BAPTISM which brings to Forgiveness of Sins but shall institute another to themselves that cannot For thus saith the Prophet Be astonish'd O Heaven and let the Earth tremble at it because this People have done two Great and Wicked things They have left me the Fountain of living Water and have digged for themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no Water Is my holy Mountain Zion a desolate Wilderness For ye shall be as a young Bird when its Nest is taken away And again the Prophet saith I will go before thee and will make plain the Mountains and will break the Gates of Brass and will snap in sundâ—r the Bars of Iron And will give thee dark and hidden and invisible Treasures that they may know I am the LORD God And again He shall dwell in the high Den of the strong Rock And then what follows concerning the Son His Water is faithful Ye shall see the King with Glory and your Soul shall learn the Fear of the LORD And again he saith in another Prophet He that do's these things shall be like a Tree planted by the Currents of Water which shall give its Fruit in its Season It s Leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he
it that they should be the first People and Heirs of the Covenant If therefore God shall have yet farther taken Notice of this by Abraham too Our Understanding of it will then be perfectly established What then saith the Scripture to Abraham when he believed and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness Behold I have made thee a Father of the Nations which without Circumcision believe in the LORD XIV LET us therefore now enquire whether God has fulfilled the Covenant which he sware to our Fathers that he would give this People Yes verily He gave it But they were not worthy to receive it by reason of their Sins For thus saith the Prophet And Moses continued fasting in Mount Sinai to receive the Covenant of the LORD with the People forty Days and forty Nights And he received of the LORD two Tables written with the Finger of the LORD'S Hand in the Spirit And Moses when he had received them brought them down that he might deliver them to the People And the LORD said unto Moses Moses Moses get thee down quickly for the People which thou broughtest out of the Land of Egypt have done Wickedly And Moses understeod that they had again set up a Molten Image and he cast the two Tables out of his Hands and the Tables of the Covenant of the LORD were broken Moses therefore received them but they were not worthy Now then learn how we have received them Moses being a Servant took them but the LORD himself has given them unto us that we might be the People of his Inheritance having suffered all things for us And it was therefore made manifest that they should fill up the Measure of their Sins and that we being made Heirs by him should receive the Covenant of the LORD Jesus And again the Prophet saith Behold I have set thee for a Light unto the Gentiles to be the Saviour of all the Ends of the Earth saith the LORD the God who hath redeemed thee Who for that very End was prepared that by his Own appearing he might redeem our Hearts already devoured by Death and delivered over to the Irregularity of Error from Darkness and establish a Covenant with us by his Word For so it is written that the Father commanded him by delivering of us from Darkness to prepare unto himself a Holy People Wherefore the Prophet saith I the LORD thy God have called thee in Righteousness and I will take thee by the Hand and will strenghthen thee And give thee for a Covenant of the People for a Light of the Gentiles To open the Eyes of the Blind to bring out the Prisoners from the Prison and them that sit in Darkness out of the Prison-House Consider therefore from whence we have been redeemed And again the Prophet saith The Spirit of the LORD is upon me because he hath anointed me he hath sent me to preach glad Tidings to the Lowly to heal the broken in Heart to preach Remission to the Captives and sight unto the Blind To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD and the Day of Restitution to comfort all that mourn XV. FURTHERMORE it is written concerning the Sabbath in the Ten Commandments which God spake in the Mount Sinai to Moses Face to Face Sanctifie the Sabbath of the LORD with pure Hands and with a clean Heart And elsewhere he saith If thy Children shall keep my Sabbaths then will I put my Mercy upon them And even in the beginning of the Creation he makes mention of the Sabbath And God made in six Days the Works of his Hands and he finished them on the seventh Day and he rested the seventh day and sanctified it Consider my Children what that signifies he finish'd them in six Days The meaning of it is this that in six thousand years the LORD God will bring all things to an End For with him One Day is a Thousand Years as himself testifieth saying Behold this day shall be as a thousand years Therefore Children in six Days that is in six thousand years shall All things be accomplished And rested the Seventh Day He meaneth this that when his Son shall come and abolish the Season of the Wicked One and jugde the Ungodly and shall change the Sun and the Moon and the Stars then he shall gloriously rest in that seventh Day He adds lastly Thou shalt sanctifie it with clean Hands and a pure Heart Wherefore we are greatly deceived if we imagin that any one can now sanctifie that Day which God has made Holy without having a Heart pure in all things He will therefore then truly sanctifie it with blessed Rest when we having received the righteous Promise when Iniquity shall be no more all things being renewed by the LORD shall be able to sanctifie it being our selves first made Holy Lastly he saith unto them Your New Moons and your Sabbaths I cannot bear them Consider what he means by it The Sabbaths says he which ye now keep are not acceptable unto me but those which I have made when resting from all things I shall begin the Eighth Day that is the Beginning of the other World For which cause we observe the Eighth Day with Gladness in which Jesus both rose from the dead and manifested himself to his Disciples and so ascended into Heaven XVI IT remains yet that we speak to you concerning the Temple How those miserable Men being deceived have put their trust in the House and not in God himself who made them as if it were the Habitation of God Much after the same manner as the Gentiles have consecrated him in their Temples But learn therefore how the LORD speaketh rendring the Temple vain Who has measured the Heaven with a Span and the Earth with his Hand Is it not I Thus saith the LORD Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool What is the House that ye will build me Or what is the place of my Rest Know therefore that all their Hope is vain And again he speaketh after this manner Behold they that destroy this Temple even they shall build another And so it came to pass For through their Wars it is now destroy'd by their Enemies and the Servants of their Enemies build it up Farthermore it has been made manifest how both the City and the Temple and the People of Israel should be given up For the Scripture saith And it shall come to pass in the last days that the LORD will deliver up the Sheep of his Pasture and their Fold and their Tower unto Destruction And it has come to pass as the LORD hath spoken Let us enquire therefore whether there be any Temple of God Yes there is And that there where himself declares that he would both make and establish it For it is written And it shall be that as soon as the Week shall be compleated the
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
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
God and has great Power But Doubting is an Earthly Spirit and proceedeth from the Devil and has no Strēgth Do thou therefore keep the Vertue of Faith and depart from Doubting in which is no Vertue and thou shalt live unto God And all shall live unto God as many as shall do these things The Tenth COMMAND Of the Sadness of the Heart and that we must take heed not to grieve the Spirit of God that is in us I. PUT all Sadness far from thee for it is the Sister of Doubting and of Anger How Sir said I Is it the Sister of these For Sadness and Anger and Doubting seem to me to be very different from one another And he answered Art thou without Sense that thou dost not understand it For Sadness is the most mischievous of all Spirits and the worst to the Servants of God It destroys the Spirits of all Men and torments the Holy Spirit and again it saves Sir said I I am very foolish and understand not these things I cannot apprehend how it can torment and yet save Hear said he and understand They who never sought out the Truth nor enquired concerning the Majesty of God but only believed are involved in the Affairs of the Heathen And there is another lying Prophet that destroys the Senses of the Servants of God that is of those that are doubtful not of those that fully trust in the LORD Now those doubtful Persons come to him as to a Divine Spirit and enquire of him what shall befal them And this lying Prophet having no Power in him of the Divine Spirit answers them according to their Demands and fills their Souls with Promises according as they desire Howbeit that Prophet is vain and answers vain things to those who are themselves vain And whatsoever is asked of him by vain Men he answers them vainly Nevertheless he speaketh some things truly For the Devil fills him with his Spirit that he may overthrow some of the Righteous II. WHOSOEVER therefore are strong in the Faith of the LORD and have put on the Truth they are not joyned to such Spirits but depart from them But those that are doubtful and often repenting like the Heathens consult them and heap up to themselves great Sin serving Idols As many therefore as are such enquire of them upon every Occasion worship Idols and are foolish and void of the Truth For every Spirit that is given from God is not asked but having the Power of the Divinity speaks all things of its self because it comes from above from the Power of the Holy Spirit But he that being ask'd speaks according to Mens desires and concerning many other Affairs of this present World understands not the things which relate unto God For these Spirits are darkned through such Affairs and corrupted and broken As good Vines if they are neglected are oppress'd with Weeds and Thorns and at last kill'd by them So are the Men who believe such Spirits They fall into many Actions and Businesses and are void of Sense and when they think of things pertaining unto God they understand nothing at all But if at any time they chance to hear any thing concerning the LORD their Thoughts are upon their Business But they that have the Fear of the LORD and search out the Truth concerning God have all their Thoughts with the LORD They apprehend whatsoever is said to them and forthwith they understand it because they have the Fear of the LORD in them For where the Spirit of the LORD dwells there is also a great Sense added Wherefore joyn thy self to the LORD and thou shalt understand and apprehend all things III. LEARN now O Unwise Man How Sadness grieves the Holy Spirit and how it saves When a Man that is doubtful is engaged in any Affair and do's not accomplish it by reason of his Doubting this Sadness enters into him and grieves the Holy Spirit and makes him sad Again Anger when it overtakes any Man for any Business he is greatly moved and Anger possesses his Heart and he is disturb'd in his Work which he is about and afterwards repents because he did amiss Thus both Doubting and Sadness hurt the Holy Spirit Doubting because his Work did not succeed and Sadness because he angr'd the Holy Spirit Remove therefore Sadness from thy self and offend not the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in thee least he ask the LORD and depart from thee For the Spirit of the LORD which is given to us in the Flesh endures not Sadness Wherefore cloath thy self with Chearfulness which has always Favour with the LORD and thou shalt rejoyce in it For every chearful Man do's well and relishes those things that are good and despises Unrighteousness But the sad Man do's wickedly because he grieves the Holy Spirit which is given to the chearful Man And again he do's ill because he prays with Sadness unto the LORD except he first makes a thankful acknowledgment unto him of former Mercies and obtains not of God what he asks For the Prayer of a sad Man has not always Efficacy to come up to the Altar of God And I said unto him Sir Why has not the Prayer of a sad Man Vertue to come up to the Altar of God Because said he that Sadness remaineth in his Heart When therefore a Man's Prayer shall be accompanied with Sadness it will not suffer his Requests to ascend pure to the Altar of God For as Wine when it is mingled with Vinegar has not the Sweetness it had before so Sadness being mix'd with the Holy Spirit suffers not a Man's Prayer to be Pure as it would be otherwise Wherefore purifie thy self from Sadness which is Evil and thou shalt live unto God And all others shall live unto God as many as shall lay aside Sadness and put on Chearfulness The Eleventh COMMAND That the Spirits and Prophets are to be tried by their Works and of a Two-fold Spirit HE shew'd me certain Men sitting upon Benches and one sitting in a Chair And he said unto me Seest thou those who sit upon the Benches Sir said I I see them He answer'd They are the Faithful and he who sits in the Chair is an Earthly Spirit For he cometh not into the Church with the Faithful but avoids it But he joyns himself to the Doubtful and Empty and prophecies to them in hidden Places and Corners and pleases them by speaking according to all the Desires of their Hearts For that which is fitted to empty Vessels is not broken but the one agrees to the other But when such a one comes into the Company of Just Men who have the Spirit of God and they pray unto the LORD that Man is emptied because that Earthly Spirit flies from him and he is dumb and cannot speak any thing As if in a Store-House you shall stop up Wine or Oyl and among those Vessels shall place an empty Jar and shall afterwards come to open it
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
find in your City and shall have Joy without Sadness or Fear Wherefore covet not the Riches of the Heathen for they are destructive to the Servants of God But of your own Abundance which you have do those things by which ye may attain unto Joy And do not commit Adultery nor touch any other Mans Wife nor desire her But covet that which is thy own Business and thou shalt be saved The Second SIMILITUDE As the Vine is supported by the Elm so is the Rich-Man help'd by the Prayers of the Poor AS I was walking into the Field and consider'd the Elm and the Vine and thought with my self of their Fruits an Angel appear'd unto me and said unto me What is it that thou thinkest upon thus long within thy self And I said unto him Sir I think of this Vine and this Elm because their Fruits are fair And he said unto me These two Trees are set for a Pattern to the Servants of God And I said unto him Sir I would know what the Pattern is for which these Trees are set Hearken saith he Seest thou this Vine and this Elm Sir said I I see them This Vine saith he is fruitful but the Elm is a Tree without Fruit. Nevertheless this Vine unless it were set by this Elm and supported by it would not bear much Fruit but lying along upon the Ground would bear ill Fruit because it did not hang upon the Elm Whereas now being supported upon the Elm it bears Fruit both for its self and for that See therefore how the Elm gives no less but rather more Fruit than the Vine How Sir said I do's it bear more Fruit than the Vine Because said he the Vine being supported upon the Elm gives both much and good Fruit Whereas if it lay along upon the Ground it would bear but little and that very ill too This Similitude therefore is set forth to the Servants of God and it represents the Rich and Poor Man I answer'd Sir make this manifest unto me Hear said he The Rich Man has Wealth howbeit towards the LORD he is Poor For he is taken up about his Riches and prays but little to the LORD and the Prayers which he makes are lazy and without force When therefore the Rich Man reaches out to the Poor those things which he wants the Poor Man prays unto the LORD for the Rich and God grants unto the Rich Man all good things because the Poor Man is Rich in Prayer and his Requests have great Power with the LORD Then the Rich Man ministers all things to the Poor because he perceives that he is heard by the LORD and he the more willingly and without doubting affords him what he wants and takes care that nothing be lacking to him And the Poor Man gives Thanks unto the LORD for the Rich because he do's this Work to him from the LORD With Men therefore the Elm is not thought to give any Fruit and they know not neither understand that its Company being added to the Vine the Vine bears a double Encrease both for its self and for the Elm. Even so the Poor praying unto the LORD for the Rich are heard by him and their Riches are encreased because they minister to the Poor of their Wealth They are therefore both made Partakers of each others Good Works Whosoever therefore shall do these things he shall not be forsaken by the LORD but shall be written in the Book of Life Happy are they who are Rich and perceive themselves to be encreased For he that is sensible of this will be able to minister somewhat to others The Third SIMILITUDE As the Green Trees in the Winter cannot be distinguish'd from the Dry so neither can the Righteous from the Wicked in this present World AGAIN he shewed me many Trees whose Leaves were shed and which seemed to me to be wither'd for they were all alike And he said unto me Seest thou these Trees I said Sir I see that they look like dry Trees He answering said unto me These Trees are like unto the Men who live in this present World I reply'd Sir Why are they like unto dryed Trees Because said he neither the Righteous nor Unrighteous are known from one another but are all alike in this present World For this World is as the Winter to the Righteous Men because they are not known but dwell among Sinners As in the Winter all the Trees having lost their Leaves are like dry Trees nor can it be said which are Dry and which are Green So in this present World neither the Righteous nor Wicked are discern'd from each other but they are all alike The Fourth SIMILITUDE As in Summer the living Trees are distinguish'd from the Dry by their Fruit and Green Leaves so in the World to come the Righteous shall be distinguish'd from the Unrighteous by their Happiness AGAIN he shewed me many other Trees of which some had Leaves and others appear'd dry and wither'd And he said unto me Seest thou these Trees I answer'd Sir I see them and some are dry and others full of Leaves These Trees saith he which are green are the Righteous who shall possess the World to come For the World to come is the Summer to the Righteous but to Sinners it is the Winter When therefore the Mercy of the LORD shall shine forth then they who serve God shall be made manifest and plain unto all For as in the Summer the Fruit of every Tree is shewn and made manifest so also the Works of the Righteous shall be declared and made manifest and they shall all be restored in that World merry and joyful For the other kind of Men namely Wicked like the Trees which thou sawest dry shall as such be found dry and without Fruit in that other World and like dry Wood shall be burnt and it shall be made manifest that they have done Evil in the time of their Life and they shall be burnt because they have sinned and have not repented of their Sins And also all the other Nations shall be burnt because they have not acknowledged God their Creator Do thou therefore bring forth good Fruit that in the Summer thy Fruit may be known and keep thy self from much Business and thou shalt not offend For they that are involved in much Business sin much because they are taken up with their Affairs and neglect to serve God And how can a Man that do's not serve God ask any thing of God and receive it But they who serve him ask and receive what they desire But if a Man has only one thing to follow he may serve God because his Mind is not thereby taken off from God but he serves him with a pure Mind If therefore thou shalt do thus thou shalt have Fruit in the World to come and all as many as shall do in like manner shall bring forth Fruit. The Fifth SIMILITUDE Of a True Fast and the Rewards of it
Also of the Cleanness of the Body I. AS I was fasting and sitting down in a certain Mountain and giving Thanks unto God for all the things that he had done unto me behold I saw the Shepherd who was wont to converse with me sitting by me and saying unto me What has brought thee hither thus early in the Morning I answer'd Sir To Day I keep a Station He answer'd What is a Station I reply'd It is a Fast. He said What is that Fast I answer'd I fast as I have been wont to do Ye know not said he what it is to fast unto God nor is this a Fast which ye fast profiting nothing with God Sir said I what makes you speak thus He reply'd I speak it because this is not the true Fast which you think that you fast but I will shew you what that is which is a compleat Fast and acceptable unto God Hearken said he The LORD do's not desire such a needless Fast For by Fasting in this manner thou advancest nothing in Righteousness But the true Fast is this Do nothing wickedly in thy Life but serve God with a pure Mind and keep his Commandments and walk according to his Precepts nor suffer any wicked Desire to dwell in thy Mind And trust in the LORD that if thou dost these things and fearest him and abstainest from every evil Work thou shalt live unto God If thou shalt do this thou shalt perfect a great Fast and an acceptable one unto the LORD II. HEARKEN unto the Similitude which I am about to propose unto thee as to this matter A certain Man having a Farm and many Servants planted a Vineyard in a certain part of his Estate for his Posterity And taking a Journey into a far Country chose one of his Servants which he thought the most faithful and approved and deliver'd the Vineyard into his care commanding him that he should stake up his Vines Which if he did and fulfilled his Command he promised to give him his Liberty Nor did he command him to do any thing more and so went into a far Country After then that that Servant had taken that Charge upon him he did whatsoever his LORD commanded him And when he had staked the Vineyard and found it to be full of Weeds he began to think with himself saying I have done what my Lord commanded me I will now dig this Vineyard and when it is digg'd it will be more beautiful and the Weeds being pull'd up it will bring forth more Fruit and not be choak'd by the Weeds So setting about his Work he digg'd it and pluck'd up all the Weeds that were in it And by that means the Vineyard became very beautiful and prosperous and not over-run and choak'd with Weeds After some time the LORD of the Vineyard comes and goes into the Vineyard and when he saw that it was handsomely stak'd and digg'd and the Weeds pluck'd up that were in it and the Vines flourishing he rejoyced greatly at the Care of his Servant And calling his Son whom he loved and who was to be his Heir and his Friends with whom he was wont to consult he tells them what he had commanded his Servant to do and what his Servant had done more And they immediately congratulated that Servant that he had received so full a Testimony from his Lord. Then he said unto them I indeed promised this Servant his Liberty if he observed the Command which I gave him and he observed it and besides has done a good Work to my Vineyard which has exceedingly pleased me Wherefore for this Work which he hath done I will make him my Heir together with my Son because that when he saw what was good he dissembled it not but did it This Design of the LORD both his Son and his Friends approved namely that this Servant should be Heir together with his Son Not long after this the Master of the Family calling together his Friends sent from his Supper several kinds of Food to that Servant Which when he had received he took so much of them as was sufficient for himself and divided the rest among his Fellow Servants Which when they had received they rejoyced and wish'd that he might find yet greater favour with his Lord for what he had done to them When his Lord heard all these things he was again fill'd with great Joy and calling again his Friends and his Son together he related to them what his Servant had done with the Meats which he had sent unto him They therefore so much the more assented to the Master of the Houshold that he ought to make that Servant his Heir together with his Son III. I SAID unto him Sir I know not these Similitudes neither can I understand them unless you expound them unto me I will says he expound all things unto thee whatsoever I have talk'd with thee or shewn unto thee Keep the Commandments of the LORD and thou shalt be approved and shalt be written in the Number of those that keep his Commandments But if besides those things which the LORD hath commanded thou shalt add some good thing thou shalt purchase to thy self a greater Dignity and be in more favour with the LORD than thou shouldst otherwise have been If therefore thou shalt keep the Commandments of the LORD and shalt add to them these Stations thou shalt rejoyce but especially if thou shalt keep them according to my Commands I said unto him Sir Whatsoever thou shalt command me I will observe for I know that thou wilt be with me I will said he be with thee who hast taken up such a Resolution and I will be with all those who purpose in like manner This Fast saith he whilst thou dost also observe the Commandments of the LORD is exceeding good Thus therefore shalt thou keep it First of all take heed to thy self and keep thy self from every wicked Act and from every filthy Word and from every hurtful Desire and purifie thy Sense from all the Vanity of this present World If thou shalt observe these things this Fast shall be such as it ought to be Thus therefore do Having perform'd what is before written that day on which thou fastest thou shalt taste nothing at all but Bread and Water and computing the Quantity of Food which thou art wont to eat upon other Days thou shalt lay aside the Expence which thou shouldst have made that Day and give it unto the Widow the Fatherless and the Poor And thus thou shalt perfect the Humility of thy Soul that he who receives of it may satisfie his Soul and his Prayer come up to the LORD God for thee If therefore thou shalt thus accomplish thy Fast as I command thee thy Sacrifice shall be acceptable uto the LORD and thy Fast shall be written in his Book This Station thus perform'd is good and pleasing and acceptable unto the LORD These things if thou shalt observe with
false Pleasure for one Day and is one Day tormented that one Day of Punishment is equivalent to a whole years space Thus look how many Days any one pursues his Pleasures so many Years is he punish'd for it You see therefore how that the Time of Worldly Enjoyments is but short but that of Pain and Torments a great deal more V. I REPLY'D Sir forasmuch as I do not understand all these Times of Pleasure and Pain I intreat you that you would explain your self more clearly concerning them He answer'd me saying Thy Foolishness still sticks inseparably unto thee Shouldst thou not rather purifie thy Mind and serve God Take heed least when thy Time is fulfill'd thou shalt be found still unwise Hear then as thou desirest that thou mayst the more easily understand He that gives himself up one Day to his Pleasures and Delights and do's whatsoever his Soul desires is full of great Folly nor understands what he do's but the Day following forgets what he did the Day before For Sweetness and Worldly Pleasure have no Memory by reason of the Folly that is rooted in them But when Pain and Torment befal a Man a Day he is in Effect troubled the whole Year after because his Punishment continues firm in his Memory Wherefore he remembers it with Sorrow the whole Year and then calls to mind his vain Pleasure and Delight and perceives that for the sake of that he was punished Whosoever therefore have deliver'd themselves over to such Pleasures are thus punished because that when they had Life they rendred themselves liable to Death I said unto him Sir And what Pleasures are hurtful He answer'd That is Pleasure to every Man which he do's willingly For the Angry Man gratifying his Passion perceives Pleasure in it and so the Adulterer and Drunkard the Detractor and Lyar and Covetous Man and the Deceiver and whosoever commits any thing like unto these because he gratifies his Infirmities he receives a Satisfaction in the doing of it All these Pleasures and Delights are hurtful to the Servants of God For these therefore they are tormented and suffer Punishment There are also Pleasures that bring Salvation unto Men. For many when they do what is good find Pleasure in it and are attracted by the Delights of it Now this Pleasure is profitable to the Servants of God and brings Life to such Men But those hurtful Pleasures which were before mention'd bring Torments and Punishment And whosoever shall continue in them and shall not repent of what they have done shall gain Death unto themselves The Seventh SIMILITUDE That they who Repent must bring forth Fruits worthy of Repentance AFTER a few Days I saw the same Person that before talked with me in the same Field in which I had before seen the Shepherds And he said unto me What seekest thou Sir said I I came to intreat you that you would command the Shepherd who is the Minister of Punishment to depart out of my House because he greatly afflicts me And he answer'd It is necessary for thee to endure Inconveniencies and Vexations for so that good Angel hath commanded concerning thee because he would try thee Sir said I What so great Offence have I committed that I should be deliver'd to this Messenger Hearken said he Thou art indeed guilty of many Sins yet not so many that thou shouldst be delivered to this Messenger But thy House hath committed many Sins and Offences and therefore that good Messenger being grieved at their Doings commanded that for some time thou shouldst suffer Affliction that they may both repent of what they have done and may wash themselves from all desires of this present World When therefore they shall have repented and be purified then that Messenger which is appointed over thy Punishment shall depart from thee I said unto him Sir If they have behaved themselves so as to anger that good Angel yet what have I done He answer'd They cannot otherwise be afflicted unless thou who art the Head of the Family suffer For whatsoever thou shalt suffer they must needs feel it But as long as thou shalt stand well establish'd they cannot experience any Vexation I replyed But Sir behold they also now repent with all their Hearts I know says he that they repent with all their Hearts but dost thou therefore think that their Offences who repent are immediately blotted out No they are not presently But he that repents must afflict his Soul and shew himself humble in all his Affairs and undergo many and divers Vexations And when he shall have suffer'd all things that were appointed for him then perhaps he that made him and all things besides will be moved with Compassion towards him and afford him some Remedy and especially if he shall perceive his Heart who repents to be pure from every Evil Work But at present it is expedient for thee and for thy House to be grieved and it is needful that thou shouldst endure much Vexation as the Angel of the LORD who committed thee unto me has commanded Rather give Thanks unto the LORD that knowing what was to come he thought thee worthy to whom he should foretel that Trouble was coming upon those that were able to bear it I said unto him Sir Be but thou also with me and I shall easily undergo any Trouble I will said he be with thee and I will ask the Messenger who is set over thy Punishment that he would moderate his Afflictions towards thee And moreover thou shalt suffer Adversity but for a little time and then thou shalt again be restored to thy former Place only continue on in the Humility of thy Mind Obey the LORD with a pure Heart thou and thy House and thy Children and walk in the Commands which I have delivered unto thee And then thy Repentance may be firm and pure And if thou shalt keep these things with thy House all Inconveniencies shall depart from thee And all Vexation shall in like manner depart from all those whosoever shall walk according to these Commands The Eighth SIMILITUDE That there are many kinds of Elect and of Repenting Sinners And how all of them shall receive a Reward proportionable to the Measure of their Repentance and Good Works I. AGAIN he shew'd me a Willow which covered the Fields and the Mountains under whose Shadow came all such as were called by the Name of the LORD And by that Willow stood the Angel of the LORD very excellent and lofty and did cut down Boughs from that Willow with a great Hook and reach'd out to the People that were under the Shadow of that Willow little Rods as it were about a Foot long And when all of them had taken them he laid aside his Hook and the Tree continued intire as I had before seen it At which I wondred and mused within my self Then that Shepherd said unto me Forbear to wonder that that Tree continues whole notwithstanding so many Boughs
therefore they are Black because their kind is wicked Of the second Mountain which was Smooth are the Hypocrites who have believed and the Teachers of Naughtiness And these are next to the foregoing which have not in them the Fruit of Righteousness For as their Mountain is barren and without Fruit so also such kind of Men have indeed the Name of Christians but are empty of Faith nor is there any Fruit of the Truth in them Nevertheless there is room left to them for Repentance if they shall suddainly pursue it But if they shall delay they also shall be Partakers of Death with the foregoing kind I said Sir Why is there room left to those for Repentance and not to the foregoing kind seeing their Sins are well nigh the same There is therefore said he to these a return unto Life because they have not blasphemed their LORD nor betray'd the Servants of God But by their desire of Gain have deceived Men leading them according to the desires of Sinners wherefore they shall suffer for this thing Howbeit there is still left them room for Repentance because they have not spoken any thing wickedly against their LORD XX. THEY who are of the third Mountain which had Thorns and Brambles are those who believed but were some of them Rich others taken up with many Affairs The Brambles are their Riches the Thorns those Affairs in which they were engaged Now they who are entangled in much Business and in Diversity of Affairs joyn not themselves to the Servants of God but wander being called away by those Affairs with which they are choaked And so they which are rich with difficulty yield themselves to the Conversation of the Servants of God fearing least any thing should be ask'd of them These therefore shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of God For as Men walk with difficulty bare-foot over Thorns even so these kind of Men shall scarcely enter into the Kingdom of God Nevertheless there is afforded to all these a return unto Repentance if so be they shall quickly return to it that because in their former days they have neglected to work in the time that is to come they may do some Good If therefore having repented they shall do the Works of Righteousness they shall live But if they shall continue in their Evil Courses they shall be deliver'd to those Women that will take away their Life XXI AS for the fourth Mountain which had much Grass the upper part of which is green but the rest dry and some of which being touch'd with the Heat of the Sun is wither'd it denotes the doubtful who have believed and some others who carry the LORD in their Tongues but have him not in their Heart Therefore their Grass is dry and without Root because they live only in Words but their Works are dead These therefore are neither dead nor living and withal are doubtful For the Doubtful are neither Green nor Dry that is neither Dead nor Alive For as their Grass dries away at the Sight of the Sun so the Doubtful as soon as they hear of Persecution and fear Inconveniences return to their Idols and again serve them and are ashamed to bear the Name of their LORD This kind of Men then is neither Dead nor Alive nevertheless these also may live if they shall presently repent But if not they shall be delivered to those Women who shall take away their Life XXII AS concerning the fifth Mountain that is craggy and yet has green Grass They are of this kind who have believed and are Faithful indeed but believe with Difficulty and are bold and self-conceited that would be thought to know all things but really know nothing Wherefore by reason of this Confidence Knowledge is departed from them and a rash Presumption is entred into them But they carry themselves high and as prudent Men and though they are Fools yet would seem to be Teachers Now by reason of this Folly many of them whilst they magnifie themselves are become vain and empty For Boldness and vain Confidence is a great Seducer Wherefore many of these are cast away But others acknowledging their Error have repented and submitted themselves to those who are knowing And to all the rest of this kind there is Repentance allow'd forasmuch as they were not so much wicked as foolish and void of Understanding If these therefore shall repent they shall live unto God but if not they shall dwell with those Women who shall exercise their Wickedness upon them XXIII FOR what concerns the sixth Mountain having greater and lesser Clefts they are such as have believed but those in which were the lesser Clefts are they who have had Controversies among themselves and by reason of their Quarrels languish in the Faith Nevertheless many of these have repented and so will the rest when they shall hear my Commands for their Controversies are but small and they will easily return unto Repentance But those who have the greater Clefts will be as stiff Stones mindful of Grudges and Offences and practising Anger among themselves These therefore are cast from the Tower and rejected to be put into its Building therefore this kind of Men shall hardly live Our God and LORD who ruleth over all things and has Power over all his Creatures will not remember our Offences but is easily appeased by those who confess their Sins But Man being Languid Mortal Infirm and full of Sins perseveres in his Anger against Man as if it were in his Power to save or to destroy him But I as the Angel who am set over your Repentance admonish you that whosoever among you has any such purpose he would lay it aside and return unto Repentance and the LORD will provide Remedies for your former Sins if you shall purge your selves from this Evil Spirit but if you shall not do it ye shall be delivered to him unto Death XXIV AS for the seventh Mountain in which the Grass was green and flourishing and the whole Mountain fruitful and all kind of Cattel fed upon the Grass of it and the more the Grass was eaten so much the more it flourished they are such as believed and were always good and upright and without any Differences among themselves but still rejoyced in all the Servants of God having put on the Spirit of these Virgins and been always ready to shew Mercy to all Men and easily giving to all Men of their Labours without upbraiding and without Deliberation Wherefore the LORD seeing their Simplicity and Innocence has encreased them in the Works of their Hands and given them Grace in all their Works But I who am appointed over your Repentance exhort you that as many as are of this kind would continue in the same purpose that your Seed may not be rooted out for ever For the LORD hath try'd you and written you into our Number and all your Seed shall dwell with the Son of God for ye are all
of his Spirit XXV AS concerning the eighth Mountain in which were a great many Springs by which every kind of all the Creatures of God was watered they are such as have believed the Apostles which the LORD sent into all the World to preach and some Teachers who have preached and taught purely and sincerely and have not in the least yielded to any Evil Desires but have constantly walked in Righteousness and Truth These therefore have their Conversation among the Angels XXVI AGAIN as for what concerns the ninth Mountain which was desert and full of Serpents they are such as have believed but had many Stains These are such Ministers as discharge their Ministry amiss ravishing away the Goods of the Widows and Fatherless and serve themselves not others out of those things which they have received These if they continue in this Covetousness shall deliver themselves unto Death nor shall there be any hope of Life for them But if they shall be converted and shall discharge their Ministry sincerely they may live As for those which were found rough they are such as have deny'd the Name of the LORD and not return'd again to the LORD but have become savage and wild not applying themselves to the Servants of God but being separated from them have for the sake of a little Anxiety lost their Lives For as a Vine that is forsaken in a Hedge and never dress'd perishes and is choaked by the Weeds and in time becomes wild and ceases to be useful to its LORD So this kind of Men despairing of themselves and being made sour have begun to be unprofitable to their LORD Howbeit to these there is at last Repentance allow'd if they shall not be found from their Hearts to have denied Christ But if any of these shall be found to have denied him from his Heart I cannot tell whether such a one can attain unto Life And I say therefore that if in these Days any one has denied he should return unto Repentance for it cannot be that any one who now denies the LORD can afterwards attain unto Salvation Nevertheless Repentance is proposed unto them who have formerly deny'd But he who will repent must hasten on his Repentance before the Building of this Tower is finished Or if not he shall be delivered by those Women unto Death But they that are maimed are the Deceitful and those who mix one with another These are the Serpents that you saw in that Mountain For as the Poyson of Serpents is deadly unto Men So the Words of such Persons infect and destroy Men. They are therefore maimed in their Faith by reason of that kind of Life in which they lead Howbeit some of them having repented have been saved and so shall others of the same kind be saved if they shall repent but if not they shall die by those Women whose Power and Force they enjoy XXVII FOR what concerns the tenth Mountain in which were the Trees covering the Cattle they are such as have believed and some of them been Bishops that is Governours of the Churches Others are such Stones as have not feignedly but with a chearful Mind entertain'd the Servants of God Then such as have been set over inferior Ministries and have protected the Poor and the Widows and have always kept a chast Conversation therefore they also are protected by the LORD Whosoever shall do on this wise are honour'd with the LORD and their Place is among the Angels if they shall continue to obey the LORD even unto the End XXVIII AS to the eleventh Mountain in which were Trees loaded with several sorts of Fruits they are such as have believed and suffered Death for the Name of the LORD and have endured with a ready Mind and have given up their Lives with all their Hearts And I said Why then Sir have all these Fruit but some fairer than others Hearken said he Whosoever have suffered for the Name of the LORD are esteemed honourable by the LORD and all their Offences are blotted out because they have suffered Death for the Name of the Son of God Hear now why their Fruits are different and some of them excel others They who being brought before Magistrates and being ask'd deny'd not the LORD but suffered with a ready Mind these are more honourable with the LORD The Fruits therefore that are the most fair are these But they who were fearful and doubtful and have deliberated with themselves whether they should confess or deny Christ and yet have suffered their Fruits are smaller because that this Thought came into their Hearts For it is a wicked and evil Thought for a Servant to deliberate whether he should deny his Master Take heed therefore ye who have such Thoughts that this Mind continue not in you and ye die unto God But ye who suffer Death for his Name sake ought to honour the LORD that he has esteem'd you worthy to bear his Name and that you should be delivered from all your Sins And why therefore do you not rather esteem your selves happy Why do you not think that if any one among you suffer he performs a great Work For the LORD giveth you Life and ye understand it not For your Offences did oppress you and had you not suffer'd for his Names sake ye had now been dead unto the LORD Wherefore I speak this unto you who deliberate whether ye should confess or deny him Confess that ye have the LORD for your God least at any time denying him ye be delivered over into Bonds For if all Nations punish their Servants which deny their Masters What think you that the LORD will do unto you who has the Power of all things Remove therefore out of your Hearts these Doubts that ye may live for ever unto God XXIX AS for the twelfth Mountain which was white they are such as have believed like sincere Children into whose Thoughts there never came any Malice nor have they ever known what Sin was but have always continued in their Integrity Wherefore this kind of Men shall without all doubt inherit the Kingdom of God because they have never in any thing defiled the Commandments of God but have continued with Sincerity in the same Condition all the days of their Life Whosoever therefore said he shall continue as Children without Malice shall be more honourable than all those of whom I have yet spoken For all such Children are honour'd by the LORD and esteemed the first of all Happy therefore are ye who have removed all Malice from you and put on Innocence because ye shall first see the LORD And after he had thus ended his Explication of all the Mountains I said unto him Sir Shew me now also what concerns the Stones that were brought out of the Plain and put into the Tower in the room of those that were rejected as also concerning those round Stones which were added into the Building of the Tower and also of those who still continued
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
much Jesus Christ vouchsafed to suffer for our sakes What Recompense then shall we render unto him Or what Fruit that may be worthy of what he has given to us For indeed how great are those Advantages which we owe to him in Relation to our Holiness He has illuminated us as a Father he has called us his Children he has saved us who were lost and undone What Praise shall we ascribe to him Or what Reward that may be answerable to those things which we have received We were defective in our Understandings worshiping Stones and Wood Gold and Silver and Brass the Works of Mens Hands and our whole Life was nothing else but Death Wherefore being encompassed with Darkness and having such a Mist before our Eyes we have look'd up and through his Will have laid aside the Cloud wherewith we were surrounded For he had Compassion upon us and being moved in his Bowels towards us he saved us having beheld in us much Deceit and Destruction and seen that we had no hope of Salvation but only by him Therefore he called us who were not and was pleased from nothing to give us a Being II. REJOICE thou Barren that barest not break forth and cry thou that travailest not for she that is desolate hath many more Children than she that hath an Husband In that he said Rejoice thou Barren that bearest not He spake of us For our Church was barren before that Children were given unto it And again when he said Cry thou that travailest not He implied thus much That after the manner of Women in Travail we should not cease to put up our Prayers unto God only And for what remains Because she that is desolate hath more Children than she that hath an Husband It was therefore added because our People which seem'd to have been forsaken by God now believing in him are become more than they who seem'd to have God And another Scripture saith I came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance The Meaning of which is this that those who were lost must be saved For that is indeed truly great and wonderful not to confirm those things that are yet standing but those which are falling Even so did it seem good to Christ to save what was lost and when he came into the World he saved many and called us who were already perishing III. SEEING then he has shew'd so great Mercy towards us and chiefly for that we who are alive do now no longer sacrifice to dead Gods nor pay any Worship to them but have by him been brought to the Knowledge of the Father of Truth Whereby shall we shew that we do indeed know him but by not denying him by whom we have come to the Knowledge of him For even he himself saith Whosoever shall confess me before Men him will I confess before my Father This therefore is our Reward that if we confess him we shall be saved by him But wherein must we confess him Namely in doing those things which he saith and not disobeying his Commandments By worshiping him not with our Lips only but with all our Heart and with all our Mind For he saith in Isaiah This People honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me IV. LET us not then only call him LORD for that will not save us For he saith Not every one that saith unto me LORD LORD shall be saved but he that doth Righteousness Wherefore Brethren let us confess him by our Works by loving one another in not committing Adultery not speaking Evil against each other not envying one another but by being Temperate Merciful and Good Let us also have a mutual Sense of one anothers Sufferings and not be covetous of Mony But let us by our Good Works confess God and not by those that are otherwise Also let us not fear Men but rather God For this cause and to the End that we should do thus hath the LORD said Though ye should be joyn'd unto me even in my very Bosom and not keep my Commandments I would cast you off and say unto you Depart from me I know not whence you are ye Workers of Iniquity V. WHEREFORE Brethren laying aside our sojourning in this present World let us do the Will of him who has called us and not fear to depart out of this World For the LORD saith Ye shall be as Sheep in the midst of Wolves Peter answered and said What if the Wolves shall tear in pieces the Sheep Jesus said unto Peter Let not the Sheep fear the Wolves after Death And ye also fear not those that kill you and after that have no more that they can do unto you but fear him who after you are dead has power to cast both Soul and Body into Hell Fire For consider Brethren that the sojourning of this Flesh in the present World is but little and of a short Continuance but the Promise of Christ is Great and Wonderful even the rest of the Kingdom that is to come and of Eternal Life But what then must we do that we attain unto it We must be converted to a divine and just Course of Life and look upon all the things of this World as none of ours and not desire them For if we shall desire to possess them we are fallen from the Way of Righteousness VI. FOR thus saith the LORD No Servant can serve two Masters If therefore we shall desire to serve God and Mammon it will be without Profit to us For what will it profit us if we shall gain the whole World and lose our own Souls Now this World and that to come are two Enemies This calls us to Adultery and Corruption to Covetousness and to Deceit but that commands us to renounce these things We cannot therefore be the Friends of both but we must resolve by forsaking one to enjoy the other And we think that it is better to hate the present things as little short-lived and corruptible and to love those which are to come which are truly good and incorruptible For if we do the Will of Christ we shall find Rest But if not nothing shall deliver us from Eternal Punishment if we shall disobey his Commands For even thus saith the Scripture in the Prophet Ezekiel If Noah Job and Daniel should rise up they shall not deliver their Children in Captivity Wherefore if such Righteous Men are not able by their Righteousness to deliver their Children how can we hope to enter into the Kingdom of God except we keep our Baptism Holy and Undefiled Or who shall be our Advocate unless we shall be found to have done what is Holy and Just VII LET us therefore my Brethren contend with all Earnestness knowing that we are now called to the Combat and that many go long Voyages to corruptible Encounters in which all are not concern'd but they only that labour much and