{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">And I said to him, “I should like to continue my questions.”\r\n“Speak on,” said he. And I said, “I heard, sir, some\r\nteachers maintain that there is no other repentance than\r\nthat which takes place, when we descended into the water\r\nand received remission of our former sins.” He said to me,\r\n“That was sound doctrine which you heard; for that is really\r\nthe case. For he who has received remission of his sins\r\nought not to sin any more, but to live in purity. Since,\r\nhowever, you inquire diligently into all things, I will point\r\nthis also out to you, not as giving occasion for error to those\r\nwho are to believe, or have lately believed, in the Lord. For\r\nthose who have now believed, and those who are to believe,\r\nhave not repentance for their sins; but they have remission\r\nof their previous sins. For to those who have been called\r\nbefore these days, the Lord has set repentance. For the\r\nLord, knowing the heart, and foreknowing all things, knew\r\nthe weakness of men and the manifold wiles of the devil, that\r\nhe would inflict some evil on the servants of God, and would\r\nact wickedly towards them.<a id=\"r1644\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1644\"><sup>[1644]</sup></a> The Lord, therefore, being\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_355\">355</span>merciful, has had mercy on the work of His hand, and has\r\nset repentance for them; and He has entrusted to me power\r\nover this repentance. And therefore I say to you, that if\r\nany one is tempted by the devil, and sins after that great and\r\nholy calling in which the Lord has called His people to everlasting\r\nlife,<a id=\"r1645\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1645\"><sup>[1645]</sup></a> he has opportunity to repent but once. But if\r\nhe should sin frequently after this, and then repent, to such\r\na man his repentance will be of no avail; for with difficulty\r\nwill he live.”<a id=\"r1646\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1646\"><sup>[1646]</sup></a> And I said, “Sir, I feel that life has come\r\nback to me in listening attentively to these commandments;\r\nfor I know that I shall be saved, if in future I sin no more.”\r\nAnd he said, “You will be saved, you and all who keep\r\nthese commandments.”</p>","headings":["The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers","THE PASTOR OF HERMAS.","BOOK SECOND.—COMMANDMENTS.","COMMANDMENT FOURTH. On putting one’s wife away for adultery."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg77576-paragraph-694"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"e802750468640f733e37bf6a42334d9575418678e3f621d944b12a466a14e184","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-f1645","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":"f1645","source_ebook":77576,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f1645\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r1645\">1645</a>. </span><i>In ... life.</i> These words occur only in Pal.</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"5cef11d737d7f5d65aa99f44ca2d8e967d725f3bed872960330e88c0905597a9","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/77576/pg77576-images.html#f1645","text_sha256":"fff45e7a57637f612bdaabddf232a29eeed589003864bbba1de46da89d13465c","verified":false,"work_id":null}