was rocky and inaccessible, on account of the

water.

And it came to pass, when I had crossed the river, and had come unto the plain ground, that I fell upon my knees, and began to pray unto the Lord and to confess my sins; and while I was praying the heaven opened, and I beheld the woman that I loved saluting me from heaven, and saying, “Hail, Hermas." And when I beheld her, I said unto her, "Lady, why doest thou thus ?" But she answered and said, "I was taken up, in order that I might bring to light thy sins before the Lord." And I said unto her, "Hast thou become my accuser ?" "No," said she; "but do thou hearken unto the words that I shall say unto thee. God, who dwelleth in heaven, and who hath made the things that are out of that which is not, is angry with thee because thou hast sinned against me." And I answered and said unto her, "I sinned against thee? In what way? Did I ever say unto thee a disgraceful word? Have I not always considered thee as my mistress? Did I not always respect thee as a sister? Why dost thou utter against me, Lady, these wicked and foul lies ?" But she smiled and said unto me, desire for wickedness hath entered into thy heart. Seemeth it not unto thee to be an evil thing for a just man, that an evil desire should enter into his heart? Yea, it is a sin and a great one. For the just man deviseth just things, and by devising just things is his glory established in the heavens, and he findeth the Lord merciful unto him in all his ways;

"The

but they who desire evil things in their hearts, bring upon themselves death and captivity, especially they who compass this world, and who glory in their wealth, and lay not hold of the good things to come. The souls of those that have no hope, but have cast themselves and their lives away, shall greatly rue it; but do thou pray unto God, and thy sins shall be healed, and those of thy whole house, and of all the saints."

II.

And after that she had spoken these words, the heavens were closed, and I remained trembling all over and sorely troubled. And I said within myself, "If this sin be set down against me, how can I be saved? or how can I obtain forgiveness from God for the multitude of my sins? or with what words shall I ask the Lord to have mercy upon me?"

Now, while I was meditating on these things, and was musing on them in my heart, I beheld in front of me a great white chair made out of white fleeces of wool; and there came an aged woman, clad in very shining raiment, and having a book in her hand, and she sat down by herself on the chair and saluted me, saying, "Hail, Hermas!" And I, sorrowing and weeping, said unto her, "Hail, Lady!" And she said unto me, "Why art thou sorrowful, O Hermas, thou who wert wont to be patient, and good tempered, and ever smiling? why is thy countenance cast down? and why art thou

not joyful?" And I said unto her, "O Lady, I have been reproached by a most excellent woman, who said unto me that I had sinned against her." And she said unto me, "Far be it from the servant of God to do this thing. But of a surety a lust for her must have come into thine heart. Such an intent as this bringeth a charge of sin against the servant of God, for it is an evil and horrible intent that a devout and tried spirit should lust after an evil deed; and especially that the chaste Hermas should do so,-He who abstained from every evil desire, and was full of all simplicity, and of great innocence !"

III.

"But it is not on account of this that God is angry with thee, but in order that thou mayest convert thy house, that hath done iniquity against the Lord, and against you who are their parents. But thou, because thou wert indulgent, didst not rebuke thy house, but didst allow it to become dreadfully wicked. On this account is the Lord angry with thee; but He shall heal all the evils that happened aforetime in thy house, for through the sins and iniquities of thy household, thou hast been corrupted by the affairs of this life. But the mercy of the Lord had compassion upon thee, and upon thy house, and shall make thee strong and establish thee in His glory; only be not slothful, but be of good courage and make thy house strong. For even as the smith, by smiting his work with the hammer,

is master over the thing that he willeth, so the daily word of righteousness is master over all iniquity. Fail not, therefore, to rebuke thy children, for I know that if they shall repent with all their heart, they shall be written in the book of life, together with the saints." And after these words of hers were ended, she saith unto me, "Dost thou wish to hear me read?" I say unto her, "Yea, Lady, I do wish it." She saith unto me, "Be thou a hearer, and hearken unto the glory of God." Then heard I, after a great and wonderful fashion, that which I was not able to remember, for all the words were terrible, and such as no man is able to bear. But the last words I remembered; for they were profitable for us, and mild. "Behold the God of power, who by His invisible mighty strength, and by His great wisdom, hath created the world, and by His magnificent counsel hath crowned His creation with glory, and by His mighty word hath fixed the heaven, and founded the earth upon the waters, and by His own wisdom and foresight hath formed His holy Church, which He hath also blessed! Behold, He changeth the heavens from their places, and the mountains, and the hills, and the stars, and everything becometh smooth before His elect, that He may give unto them the blessing that He hath promised with great glory and joy, if they shall keep with firm faith the laws of God which they have received."

IV.

When, therefore, she had finished reading, and had risen up from the chair, there came four young men, and took up the chair, and departed towards the east. Then she called me, and touched my breast, and said unto me, "Hath my reading pleased thee?" And I say unto her, "These last things pleased me, but the former things were hard and harsh." But she spake unto me, saying, "These last are for the righteous, but the former are for the Gentiles and Apostates." And while she was yet speaking with me, lo! there appeared two men, and they took her up in their arms and departed unto the east, whither also the chair had gone. And she departed joyfully; and as she departed, she said, "Be of good courage, O Hermas!”