dwells in those that love peace; for peace is i i Perditis malitia. Lat j Antioch. 269 Wherefore restore unto him the spirit entire, as ye received it. For if thou shalt om. civ. give unto a fuller a garment new and whole, thou wilt expect to receive it whole again: if therefore the fuller shall restore it unto thee torn, wouldest thou receive it? 270 Wouldest thou not presently be angry, and reproach him, saying, I gave my garment to thee whole; why hast thou rent it, and made it useless to me? Now it is of no use to me, by reason of the rent which thou hast made in it. Wouldest thou not say all this to a fuller, for the rent which he made in thy garment? 271 If therefore thou wouldest be concerned for thy garment, and complain that thou hast not received it whole, what thinkest thou that the Lord will do, who gave his spirit to thee entire, and thou hast rendered him altogether unprofitable, so that he can be of no use unto his Lord? For being corrupted by [ thee, he is no longer profitable to him. 272 Will not therefore the Lord do the same concerning his Spirit, by reason of thy deed? Undoubtedly, said I, he will do the same to all those whom he shall find to continue in the remembrance of injuries. 273 Tread not then under foot, said he, his mercy; but rather honour him, because he is so patient with respect to your offences, and not like one of you; but repent, for that will be profitable for you. 274 ¶ All these things which are above written, I, the shepherd, the angel of repentance, have shown and spoken to the servants ofGod. 275 If therefore ye shall believe and hearken to these words, and shall walk in them, and shall correct your ways, ye shall live. But if ye shall continue in malice, and in the remembrance of injuries, no such sinners shall live unto God. 276 All these things which were to be spoken by me, I have thus delivered unto you. Then the shepherd said unto me, Hast thou asked all things of me? I answered, Sir, I have. 277 Why then, said he, hast thou not asked concerning the spaces of these stones that were put in the building, that I may explain that also unto thee? I answered, Sir, I forgot it. Hear, then, said he, concerning those also. 278 They are those who have now heard these commands, and have repented with all their hearts: 279 And when the Lord saw that their repentance was good and pure, and that they could continue in it, he commanded their former sins to be blotted out. For these spaces were their sins, and they are therefore made even that they might not appear. SIMILITUDE X. Of repentance and alms-deeds. AFTER that I had written this book, the angel which had delivered me to that shepherd, came into the house where I was, and sat upon the bed, and that shepherd stood at his right hand. 2 Then he called me and said unto me, I de livered thee and thy house to this shepherd, that thou mightest be protected by him. said, Yes, Lord. I 3 If therefore, said he, thou wilt be protected from all vexations and from all cruelty, and have success in every good word and work, and have all virtue and righteousness, walk in those commands which he has given thee, and thou shalt have dominion over all sin. 4 For if thou keepest those commands, all the lust and pleasure of this present world shall be subject to thee: and success shall follow thee in every good undertaking. 5 Take therefore his gravity and modesty towards thee, and say unto all, that he is in great honour and renown with God, and is a 'prince of great authority, and powerful in his office. 6 To him only is the power of repentance committed throughout the whole world. Does he not seem to thee to be of great authority? 7 But ye despise his goodness, and the modesty which he shows towards you. 8 ¶ 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 of fended him in any thing? 9 I know, said he, that thou hast done nothing disorderly, neither wilt thou hereafter do any such thing; and therefore I speak these things with thee that thou mayest persevere; for he has given me a good account concerning thee. * Lat. Mairitatem. ? President. quæ tu se 10 But thou shalt speak these things to others, that they who either have repented, or Eadem shall repent may be like minded with thee; and he may give me as good an account of ant. "What meant by is them also, and I may do the same unto the Lord. 11 I answered, 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 repent, and recover life. 12 Continue therefore, said he, in this ministry, and fulfil it. And whosoever shall do according to the commands of this shepherd, he shall live; and shall have great honour both here and with the Lord. 13 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 shall be every one guilty of his own blood. 14 But I say unto thee, Keep these commandments, and thou shalt find a cure for all thy sins. 15 Moreover, I have sent "these virgins these vir to dwell with thee; for I have seen that they before,Simil. are very kind to thee. gins ;-See sec. Thou shalt therefore 9. v. 139. et have them for thy helpers, that thou mayest the better keep the commands which he hath given thee; for these commands cannot be kept without these virgins. • MS.Lamb. Video ; 16 And I see how they are willing to be with thee; and I will also command them that the close of they shall not all depart from thy house. which ар pears from this section to be the true reading. 17 Only do thou purify thy house; for they will readily dwell in a clean house. For they are clean and chaste, and industrious; and all of them have grace with the Lord. 18 If, therefore, thou shalt have thy house pure, they will abide with thee. But if it shall be never so little polluted, they will immedi ately depart from thy house; for these virgins cannot endure any manner of pollution. 19 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. 20 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. 21 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 man's house, I commend him and his house to you, that ye may not at all depart from his house. they willingly heard these words. And 22 T 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. 23 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. 24 Say unto all, that whosoever can do well, cease not to exercise themselves in good works, for it is profitable unto them. For I " would that all men should be delivered from Say. the inconveniences they lie under. 25 For he that wants, and suffers inconveniences in his daily life, is in great torment and necessity. Whoever, therefore, delivers such a soul from necessity, gets great joy unto himself. 26 For he that is grieved with such inconveniences is equally tormented, as if he were |