Chap. III. I said to him, “Sir, explain to me what this tree means, for I am perplexed about it, be- cause, after so many branches have been cut off, it continues sound, and nothing appears to have been cut away from it. By this, now, I am perplexed.” “Listen,” he said: “This great tree319 that casts its shadow over plains, and mountains, and all the earth, is the law of God that was given to the whole world; and this law is the Son of God,320 proclaimed to the ends of the earth; and the people who are under its shadow are they who have heard the proclam- ation, and have believed upon Him. And the great and glorious angel Michael is he who has authority over this people, and governs them;321 for this is he who gave them the law322 into the hearts of believers: he accordingly superintends them to whom he gave it, to see if they have kept the same. And you see the branches of each one, for the branches are the law. You see, accordingly, many branches that have been rendered useless, and you will know them all—those who have not kept the law; and you will see the dwelling of each one.” I said to him, “Sir, why did he dismiss some into the tower, and leave others to you?” “All,” he answered, “who transgressed the law which they received from him, he left under my power for repentance; but all who have satisfied the law, and kept it, he retains under his own authority.” “Who, then,” I continued, “are they who were crowned, and who go to the tower?” “These are they who have suffered on account of the law; but the others, and they who returned their branches green, and with offshoots, but without fruit, are they who have been afflicted on account of the law, but who have not suffered nor denied323 their law; and they who returned their branches green as they had received them, are the venerable, and the just, and they who have walked carefully in a pure heart, and have kept the command- ments of the Lord. And the rest you will know when I have examined those branches which have been planted and watered.” Chap. IV. And after a few days we came to the place, and the Shepherd sat down in the angel’s place, and I stood beside him. And he said to me, “Gird yourself with pure, undressed linen made of sackcloth;” and seeing me girded, and ready to minister to him, “Summon,” he said, “the men to whom belong the branches that were planted, according to the order in which each one gave them in.” So I went away to the plain, and summoned them all, and 319 [Matt. xiii. 32.] 320 “And by this law the Son of God was preached to all the ends of the earth.”—Vat. [Hermas again introduces here the name which he made his base in Vision ii. 2.] 321 [Dan. x. 21, xii 1; Rev. xii. 7. It is not necessary to accept this statement as doctrine, but the idea may be traced to these texts.] 322 [That is, the New Law, the gospel of the Son of God.] 323 [Vision ii. 2. Denying the Son.] 82 Similitude Eighth. The Sins of the Elect and of the Penitent are of Many…