Hermas
The Shepherd
Sixth Commandment
HOW TO RECOGNISE THE TWO SPIRITS ATTENDANT
ON EACH MAN, AND HOW TO DISTINGUISH THE SUGGESTIONS OF THE ONE FROM THOSE OF THE
OTHER.
CHAPTER I.
"I gave you," he said,
"directions in the first commandment to attend to faith, and fear, and
self-restraint." "Even so, sir," said I. And he said, "Now I
wish to show you the powers of these, that you may know what power each
possesses. For their powers are double, and have relation alike to the righteous
and the unrighteous. Trust you, therefore, the righteous, but put no trust in
the unrighteous. For the path of righteousness is straight, but that of
unrighteousness is crooked. But walk in the straight and even way, and mind not
the crooked. For the crooked path has no roads, but has many pathless places and
stumbling-blocks in it, and it is rough and thorny. It is injurious to those who
walk therein. But they who walk in the straight road walk evenly without
stumbling, because it is neither rough nor thorny. You see, then, that it is
better to walk in this road." "I wish to go by this road," said
I. "You will go by it," said he; "and whoever turns to the Lord
with all his heart will walk in it."
CHAPTER II.
"Hear now," said he, "in regard
to faith. There are two angels with a man--one of righteousness, and the other
of iniquity." And I said to him, "How, sir, am I to know the powers of
these, for both angels dwell with me?" "Hear," said he, and
"understand them. The angel of righteousness is gentle and modest, meek and
peaceful. When, therefore, he ascends into your heart, forthwith he talks to you
of righteousness, purity, chastity, contentment, and of every righteous deed and
glorious virtue. When all these ascend into your heart, know that the angel of
righteousness is with you. These are the deeds of the angel of righteousness.
Trust him, then, and his works. Look now at the works of the angel of iniquity.
First, he is wrathful, and bitter, and foolish, and his works are evil, and ruin
the servants of God. When, then, he ascends into your heart, know him by his
works." And I said to him, "How, sir, I shall perceive him, I donor
know." "Hear and understand" said he. "When anger comes upon
you, or harshness, know that he is in you; and you will know this to be the case
also, when you are attacked by a longing after many transactions, and the
richest delicacies, and drunken revels, and divers luxuries, and things
improper, and by a hankering after women, and by overreaching, and pride, and
blustering, and by whatever is like to these. When these ascend into your heart,
know that the angel of iniquity is in you. Now that you know his works, depart
from him, and in no respect trust him, because his deeds are evil, and
unprofitable to the servants of God. These, then, are the actions of both
angels. Understand them, and trust the angel of righteousness; but depart from
the angel of iniquity, because his instruction is bad in every deed. For though
a man be most faithful, and the thought of this angel ascend into his heart,
that man or woman must sin. On the other hand, be a man or woman ever so bad,
yet, if the works of the angel of righteousness ascend into his or her heart, he
or she must do something good. You see, therefore, that it is good to follow the
angel of righteousness, but to bid farewell to the angel of iniquity.
"This commandment exhibits the deeds of
faith, that you may trust the works of the angel of righteousness, and doing
them you may live to God. But believe the works of the angel of iniquity are
hard. If you refuse to do them, you will live to God."
Electronic version copyright ｩ
1997 by New Advent, Inc.
