{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">I said to him, “Sir, I do not see the meaning of these\r\nsimilitudes, nor am I able to comprehend them, unless you\r\nexplain them to me.” “I will explain them all to you,” he\r\nsaid, “and whatever I shall mention in the course of our conversations\r\nI will show you. [Keep the commandments of the\r\nLord, and you will be approved, and inscribed amongst the\r\nnumber of those who observe His commands.] And if you\r\ndo any good beyond what is commanded by God, you will\r\ngain for yourself more abundant glory, and will be more\r\nhonoured by God than you would otherwise be. If, therefore,\r\nin keeping the commandments of God, you do, in addition,\r\nthese services, you will have joy if you observe them\r\naccording to my command.” I said to him, “Sir, whatsoever\r\nyou enjoin upon me I will observe, for I know that you are\r\nwith me.” “I will be with you,” he replied, “because you\r\nhave such a desire for doing good; and I will be with all\r\nthose,” he added, “who have such a desire. This fasting,”\r\nhe continued, “is very good, provided the commandments\r\nof the Lord be observed. Thus, then, shall you observe the\r\nfasting which you intend to keep. First of all,<a id=\"r1707\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1707\"><sup>[1707]</sup></a> be on your\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_384\">384</span>guard against every evil word, and every evil desire, and\r\npurify your heart from all the vanities of this world. If you\r\nguard against these things, your fasting will be perfect. And\r\nyou will do also as follows. Having fulfilled what is written,\r\nin the day on which you fast you will taste nothing but bread\r\nand water; and having reckoned up the price of the dishes of\r\nthat day which you intended to have eaten, you will give it\r\nto a widow, or an orphan, or to some person in want, and thus\r\nyou will exhibit humility of mind, so that he who has received\r\nbenefit from your humility may fill his own soul, and pray\r\nfor you to the Lord. If you observe fasting, as I have commanded\r\nyou, your sacrifice will be acceptable to God, and this\r\nfasting will be written down; and the service thus performed is\r\nnoble, and sacred, and acceptable to the Lord. These things,\r\ntherefore, shall you thus observe with your children, and all\r\nyour house, and in observing them you will be blessed; and\r\nas many as hear these words and observe them shall be blessed;\r\nand whatsoever they ask of the Lord they shall receive.”</p>","headings":["The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers","THE PASTOR OF HERMAS.","BOOK THIRD.—SIMILITUDES. SIMILITUDES WHICH HE SPAKE WITH ME.","SIMILITUDE FIFTH. Of true fasting and its reward: also of purity of body."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg77576-paragraph-721"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"e67c0ef5fef5faba2337e4c508f623943b5bfda2f9196bbf2b29948bf5237b2d","edition_title":"The writings of the Apostolic Fathers","edition_translators":["Alexander Roberts","James Donaldson","Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1870,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg77576-f1707","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Historical 1870 English edition; electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f1707","source_ebook":77576,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f1707\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r1707\">1707</a>. </span>Pseudo-Athanasius gives this paragraph as follows: “First of all\r\nbe on your guard to fast from every evil word and evil report, and\r\npurify your heart from every defilement and revenge, and base covetousness.\r\nAnd on the day on which you fast, be content with bread, and\r\nherbs, and water, giving thanks to God. And having calculated the\r\namount of the cost of the meal which you intended to have eaten on\r\nthat day, give it to a widow, or an orphan, or to some one in want, so\r\nthat, having clearly filled his own soul, he shall pray to the Lord on\r\nyour behalf. If you therefore perform your fasting as I enjoined you,\r\nyour sacrifice will be acceptable before the Lord, and inscribed in the\r\nheavens in the day of the requital of the good things that have been\r\nprepared for the righteous.”</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"5cef11d737d7f5d65aa99f44ca2d8e967d725f3bed872960330e88c0905597a9","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/77576/pg77576-images.html#f1707","text_sha256":"4862241c8b4ca3b74aab3567708cd514809c860797c6e3be3ecb0c4d23732e56","verified":false,"work_id":null}