things are for the righteous, butthe foregoing for the revolters and heathen.
33 And as she was talking with me, two men appeared, and took her upon their shoulders, and went to the east where the chair was.
34 And she went cheerfully away; and as she was going, said unto me, Hermas, be of good cheer.
VISION II.
Again, of his neglect in correcting his talkative wife; and of his lewd sons.
AS I was on the way to Cuma, about the same time that I went the year before, 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.
2 And when I was come into the place, I fell down upon my knees, and began to pray unto the Lord, and to glorify his name, that he had esteemed me worthy, and had manifested unto me my former sins.
3 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.
4 And she said unto me, Canst thou tell these things to the elect of God? I answered and said unto her, Lady, I cannot retain so many things in my memory, but give me the book, and I will write them down.
5 Take it, says she, and see that thou restore it again to me.
6 As soon as I had received it, I went aside into a certain place of the field, and transcribe every letter, for I found no syllables.
7 And as soon as I had finished what was written in the book, the book was suddenly caught out of my hand, but by whom I saw not.
8 After fifteen days, when I had fasted, and entreated the Lord with all earnestness, the knowledge of the writing was revealed unto me. Now the writing was this:--
9 Thy seed, O Hermas! hath sinned against the Lord, and have betrayed their parents, through their great wickedness. And they have been called the betrayers of their parents, and have gone on in their treachery.
10 And now have they added lewdness to their other sins, and the pollutions of their naughtiness: thus have they filled up the measure of their iniquities. But do thou upbraid thy sons with all these words; and thy wife, who shall be as thy sister; and let her learn to refrain her tongue, with which she calumniates.
11 And when she shall hear these things, she will refrain herself, and shall obtain mercy.
12 And they also shall be instructed, when thou shalt have reproached them with these words, which the Lord has commanded to be revealed unto them.
13 Then shall their sins be forgiven, which they have heretofore committed, and the sins of all the saints who have sinned even unto this day; if they shall repent with all their hearts, and remove all doubts out of their hearts.
14 For the Lord hath sworn by his glory concerning his elect, having determined this very time, that if any one shall even now sin, he shall not be saved.
15 For the repentance of the righteous has its end; the days of repentance are fulfilled to all the saints; but to the heathen, there is repentance even unto the last day.
