me of this wickedness and impurity?” With a smile she replied to me, “The desire of
wickedness29 arose within your heart. Is it not your opinion that a righteous man commits
sin when an evil desire arises in his heart? There is sin in such a case, and the sin is great,”
said she; “for the thoughts of a righteous man should be righteous. For by thinking righteously
his character is established in the heavens,30 and he has the Lord merciful to him in every
business. But such as entertain wicked thoughts in their minds are bringing upon themselves
death and captivity; and especially is this the case with those who set their affections on this
world,31 and glory in their riches, and look not forward to the blessings of the life to come.
For many will their regrets be; for they have no hope, but have despaired of themselves and
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their life.32 But do thou pray to God, and He will heal thy sins, and the sins of thy whole
house, and of all the saints.”33
Chap. II.
After she had spoken these words, the heavens were shut. I was overwhelmed with sorrow
and fear, and said to myself, “If this sin is assigned to me, how can I be saved, or how shall
I propitiate God in regard to my sins,34 which are of the grossest character? With what
words shall I ask the Lord to be merciful to me?” While I was thinking over these things,
and discussing them in my mind, I saw opposite to me a chair, white, made of white wool,35
of great size. And there came up an old woman, arrayed in a splendid robe, and with a book
in her hand; and she sat down alone, and saluted me, “Hail, Hermas!” And in sadness and
tears36 I said to her, “Lady, hail!” And she said to me, “Why are you downcast, Hermas? for
you were wont to be patient and temperate, and always smiling. Why are you so gloomy,
29 Wickedness. The desire of fornication.—Lips. [Prov. xxi. 10, xxiv. 9; Matt. v. 28.]
30 Literally, his glory is made straight in the heavens. As long as his thoughts are righteous and his way of life
correct, he will have the Lord in heaven merciful to him.—Vat. When he thinks righteously, he corrects himself,
and his grace will be in heaven, and he will have the Lord merciful in every business.—Pal. His dignity will be
straight in the skies.—Æth. [Prov. x. 24, xi. 23.]
31 [Col. iii. 2; Ps. xlix. 6.]
32 For many … life. For the minds of such become empty. Now this is what the doubters do who have no
hope in the Lord, and despise and neglect their life.—Vat. Their souls not having the hope of life, do not resist
these luxuries: for they despair of themselves and their life.—Pal. [Eph. ii. 12.]
33 [Job xlii. 8.]
34 Literally, perfect. How … sins. How shall I entreat the Lord in regard to my very numerous sins?—Vat.
How can I propitiate the Lord God in these my sins?—Pal. How then shall I be saved, and beg pardon of the
Lord for these my many sins?—Æth. [Mic. vi. 6, 7, 8.]
35 A chair made of white wool, like snow.—Vat. A chair for reclining, and on it a covering of wool, white as
hail.—Æth.
36 And … sorrow. I leaping in spirit with joy at her salutation.—Lips. [The Monatanist austerity glanced at.]
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Vision First. Against Filthy and Proud Thoughts, and the Carelessness of…