elders of the church?" And I answered, "that I had not yet." She replied, "Thou hast well done; for I have certain words more to tell thee. But when I shall have finished all the words, they shall be clearly understood by the elect. 'And thou shalt write two books; and send one to Cle`ment, and one to Grapté. For Clement shall send it to the foreign cities, because it is permitted to him so to do; but Grapté shall admonish the widows and orphans. But thou shalt read in this city with the elders of the church." VISION III. Of the building of the Church-Triumphant; and, Of the several sorts of Reprobates. I. THE Vision which I saw, Brethren, was this. When I had often fasted, and prayed unto the Lord, that he would manifest unto me the revelation which he had promised by the Old Woman to shew unto me, the same night she appeared unto me, and said unto me, "Because thou dost thus afflict thyself, and art so desirous to know all things, come into the field, where thou wilt; and about the sixth hour I will appear unto thee, and shew thee what thou must see." I asked her, saying, "Lady, into what part of the field?" She answered, "Wherever thou wilt; only choose a good and a private place." And before I began to speak, and to tell her the place, she said unto me, "I will come where thou wilt." I was therefore, Brethren, in the field, and I observed the hours, and came into the place where I had appointed her to come. And I beheld a bench placed; it was a linen pillow, and over it spread a covering of fine 1 Origen. Philocal. cap. 1. linen. When I saw these things ordered in this manner, and that there was nobody in the place, I began to be astonished, and my hair stood on end, and a kind of horror seized me; for I was alone. But being come to myself, and calling to mind the glory of God, and taking courage, I fell down upon my knees, and began again to confess my sins as before. And whilst I was doing this, the Old Woman came thither with the six young men whom I had seen before, and stood behind me as I was praying, and heard me praying and confessing my sins unto the Lord. And, touching me, she said, "Leave off now to pray only for thy sins; pray also for righteousness, that thou mayest receive a part of her in thy house." And she lifted me up from the place, and took me by the hand, and brought me to the seat, and said to the young men, Go, and build." As soon as they were departed, and we were alone, she said unto me, "Sit here." I answered her, "Lady, Let those who are elder sit first." She replied, "Sit down as I bid you." And when I would have sat on the right side, she suffered me not, but made a sign to me with her hand that I should sit on the left. As I was therefore musing, and full of sorrow, that she would not suffer me to sit on the right side, she said unto me, "Hermas, why art thou sad? The place which is on the right hand, is theirs who have already attained unto God, and have suffered for his name's sake. But there is yet a great deal remaining unto thee, before thou canst sit with them. But continue, as thou dost, in thy sincerity, and thou shalt sit with them; as all others shall, that do their works, and shall bear what they have borne." II. I said unto her, "Lady, it is that they have suffered ?" I would know what "Hear then, (said she:) Wild beasts, scourgings, imprisonments, and crosses, for his name's sake. For this cause, the right hand of holiness belongs to them, and to all others as many as shall suffer for the name of God; but the left belongs to the rest. Howbeit, the gifts and the promises belong to both, to them on the right, and to those on the left hand; only that sitting on the right hand, they have some glory above the others. But thou art desirous to sit on the right hand with them; and yet thy defects' are many. But thou shalt be purged from thy defects; as also all who doubt not shall be cleansed from all the sins which they have committed unto this day." And when she had said this, she would have departed; wherefore falling down before her feet, I began to entreat her, for the Lord's sake, that she would shew me the Vision which she had promised. Then she again took me by the hand, and lifted me up, and made me sit upon the seat on the left side; and holding up a certain bright wand, said unto me; "Seest thou that great thing?" I replied, "Lady, I see nothing." She answered, "Dost thou not see over against thee a great tower, which is built upon the water with bright square stones?" For the tower was built upon a square by those six young men that came with her. But many thousands of other men brought stones: some drew them out of the deep: others carried them from the ground, and gave them to the six young men; and they took them, and built. As for those stones which were drawn out of the deep, they put them all into the building; for they were polished, and their squares exactly answered one another; and so one was joined in such wise to 1 Lat.-Exiguitates. the other, that there was no space to be seen where they joined; insomuch that the whole tower appeared to be built as it were of one stone. But as for the other stones that were taken off from the ground, some of them they rejected, others they fitted into the building. As for those which were rejected, some they cut out, and cast them at a distance from the tower; but many others of them lay round about the tower, which they made no use of in the building; for some of these were rough, others had clefts in them, others were white and round, not proper for the building of the tower. But I saw the other stones cast afar off from the tower, and falling into the highway, and yet not continuing in the way, but were rolled from the way into a desert place. Others I saw falling into the fire, and burning; others fell near the water, yet could not roll themselves into it, though very desirous to fall into the water. III. And when she had shewed me these things, she would have departed. But I said unto her, "Lady, What does it profit me to see these things, and not understand what they mean?" She answered and said unto me, "You are very cunning, in that you are desirous to know those things which relate' to the tower." "Yea, (said I) Lady, that I may declare them unto the brethren; and they may rejoice, and hearing these things, may glorify God with great glory." Then she said, Many indeed shall hear them; and when they shall have heard them, some shall rejoice, and others weep. And yet even these, if they shall repent, shall rejoice too. Hear, therefore, what I shall say concerning the parable of the tower; 66 1 Are about. and after this, be no longer importunate with me about the revelation. For these revelations have an end, seeing they are fulfilled; but thou dost not leave off to desire revelations, for thou art very urgent'. As for the tower which thou seest built, it is I myself, namely, the Church, which have appeared to thee both now and heretofore; wherefore ask what thou wilt concerning the tower, and I will reveal it unto thee, that thou mayest rejoice with the saints." I said unto her, "Lady, because thou hast thought me once worthy to receive from thee the revelation of all these things, declare "Whatsothem unto me." She answered me; ever is fit to be revealed unto thee, shall be revealed; only let thy heart be with the Lord, and doubt not, whatsoever thou shalt see." I asked her; "Lady, why is the tower built upon the water?" She replied; " I said before to thee that thou wert very wise, to inquire diligently concerning the building, therefore thou shalt find the truth. Hear, therefore, why the tower is built upon the water:-because your life is and shall be saved by water: for it is founded by the word of the Almighty and Honourable Name, and is supported by the invisible power and virtue of God. IV. And I answering said unto her; "These things are very admirable; but, Lady, who are They are those six young men that build?" (said she) the Angels of God, which were first appointed, and to whom the Lord has delivered all his creatures, to frame and build them up, and to rule over them; for by these the building of the "And who are the rest, tower shall be finished." "They also are the who bring them stones?" holy Angels of the Lord; but the other are more Edit. Oxon. 3 Baptism. 2 Clem. Alex. Strom. xii. |