Page:Suppressed Gospels and Epistles.djvu/176

 37 But thou shalt read in this city with the elders of the church.

Of the building of the church triumphant, and of the several sorts of reprobates.

THE vision which I saw, brethren, was this.

2 When I had often fasted and prayed unto the Lord, that he would manifest unto me the revelation, which he had promised by the old woman to show unto me; the same night she appeared unto me, and said unto me,

3 Because thou dost thus afflict thyself, and art so desirous to know all things, come into the field, where thou wilt, and about the sixth hour, I will appear unto thee, and show thee what thou must see.

4 I asked her, saying; Lady, into what part of the field? She answered, wherever thou wilt, only choose a good and a private place. And before I began to speak and tell her the place, she said unto me; I will come where thou wilt.

5 I was therefore, brethren in the field and I observed the hours, and came into the place where I had appointed her to come.

6 And I beheld a bench placed; it was a linen pillow, and over it spread a covering of fine linen.

7 When I saw these things ordered in this manner, and that there was nobody in the place, I began to be astonished, and my hair stood on end, and a, kind of horror seized me; for I was alone.

8 But being come to myself, and calling to mind the glory of God, and taking courage, I fell down upon my knees and began again to confess my sins as before.

9 And whilst I was doing this, the old woman came thither with the six young men whom I had seen before, and stood behind me as I was praying, and heard me praying and confessing my sins unto the Lord.

10 And touching me, she said; Leave off praying now only for thy sins; pray also for righteousness, that thou mayest receive a part of it in thy house.

11 And she lifted me up from the place, and took me by the hand, and brought me to the seat; and said to the young men, go, and build.

12 As soon as they were departed, and we were alone, she said unto me; sit here. I answered her; Lady, let those who are elder sit first. She replied, Sit down as I bid you.

13 And when I would have sat on the right side, she suffered me not, but made a sign to me with her hand, that I should sit on the left.

14 As I was therefore musing, and full of sorrow, that she would not suffer me to sit on the right side, she said unto me, Hermas, why art thou sad?

15 The place which is on the right hand is theirs who have already attained unto God, and have suffered for his name-sake. But there is yet a great deal remaining unto thee, before thou canst sit with them.

16 But continue as thou doest, in thy sincerity, and thou shalt sit with them; as all others shall, who do their works, and shall bear what they have borne.

17 I said to her; Lady, I would know what it is that they have suffered? Hear then, said she: wild beasts, scourgings, imprisonments, and crosses for his name-sake.

18 For this cause the right hand of holiness belongs to them, and to all others as many as shall suffer for the name of God; but the left belongs to the rest.

19 Howbeit the gifts and the promises belong to both, to them on the right, and to those on the left hand; only that sitting on the right hand they have some glory above the others.

20 But thou art desirous to sit