4 Sir, said I; What so great offence have I committed, that I should be delivered to this messenger?
Hearken, said he: Thou art indeed guilty of many sins, yet not so many that thou shouldest be delivered to this messenger.
5 But thy house hath committed many sins and offences, and therefore that good messenger being grieved at their doings commanded that for some time thou shouldst suffer affliction; that they may both repent of what they have done, and may wash themselves from all the l.u.s.ts of this present world.
6 When therefore they shall have repented, and be purified, then that messenger which is appointed over thy punishment, shall depart from thee.
7 I said unto him; Sir, if they have behaved themselves so as to anger that good angel, yet what have I done? He answered: They cannot otherwise be afflicted, unless thou, who art the head of the family, suffer.
8 For whatsoever thou shalt suffer, they must needs feel it but as long as thou shalt stand well established, they cannot experience any vexation.
9 I replied; But, sir, behold they also now repent with all their hearts. I know, says he, that they repent with all their hearts; but dost thou therefore think that their offences who repent, are immediately blotted out.
10 No, they are not presently; but he that repents must afflict his soul and show himself humble in all his affairs, and undergo many and divers vexations.
11 And when he shall have suffered all things that were appointed for him; then perhaps HE that made him, and formed all things besides, will be moved with compa.s.sion towards him, and afford him some remedy; and especially if HE shall perceive his heart who repents, to be free from every evil work.
12 But at present it is expedient for thee, and for thy house, to be grieved; and it is needful that thou shouldst endure much vexation, as the angel of the Lord who committed thee unto me, has commanded.
13 Rather give thanks unto the Lord, that knowing what was to come he thought thee worthy, to whom he should foretell that trouble was coming upon thee, who art able to bear it.
14 I said unto him; Sir, but be thou also with me, and I shall easily undergo any trouble. I will, said he, be with thee; and I will entreat the messenger who is set over thy punishment, that he would moderate his afflictions towards thee.
15 And moreover thou shalt suffer adversity but for a little time; and then thou shalt again be restored to thy former state; only continue on in the humility of thy mind.
16 Obey the Lord with a pure heart; thou, and thy house, and thy children; and walk in the commands which I have delivered unto thee; and then thy repentance may be firm and pure.
17 And if thou shalt keep these things with thy house, thy inconveniencies shall depart from thee.
18 And all vexation shall in like manner depart from those, whosoever shall walk according to these commands.
SIMILITUDE VIII.
That there are many kinds of elect, and of repenting sinners: and how all of these shall receive a reward proportionable to the measure of their repentance and good works.
AGAIN he showed me a willow which covered the fields and the mountains, under whose shadow came all such as were called by the name of the Lord.
2 And by that willow stood an.
angel of the Lord very excellent and lofty, and did cut down bows from the willow with a great hook; and reached out to the people that were under the shadow of the willow, little rods, as it were about a foot long.
3 And when all of them had taken them, he laid aside his hook, and the tree continued entire, as I had before seen it; at which I wondered, and mused within myself.
4 Then that shepherd said unto me; Forbear to wonder that the tree continues whole, not-with-standing so many boughs have been cut off from it: but stay a little, for now it shall be shown thee, what that angel means, who gave those rods to the people.
5 So he again demanded the rods of them; and in the same order that every one had received them, was he called to him, and restored his rod; which when he had received, he examined them.
6 From some he received them dry and rotten, and as it were touched with the moth; those he commanded to be separated from the rest, and placed by themselves.
Others gave in their rods dry indeed, but not touched with the moth: these also he ordered to be set by themselves.
7 Others gave in their rods half dry; these also were set apart, Others gave in their rods half dry and cleft; these too were set by themselves. Others brought in their rods half dry and half green, and these were in like manner placed by themselves.
8 Others delivered up their rods two parts green, and the third dry; and they too were set apart.
Others brought their rods two parts dry, and the third green; and were also placed by themselves.
9 Others delivered up their rods less dry (for there was but a very little, to wit, their tops dry), but they had clefts, and these were set in like manner by themselves. In the rods of others there was but a little green, and the rest dry; and these were set aside by themselves.
10 Others came, and brought their rods green as they had received them, and the greatest part of the people brought their rods thus; and the messenger greatly rejoiced at these, and they also were put apart by themselves.
11 Others brought in their rods not only green, but full of branches; and these were set aside, being also received by the angel with great joy. Others brought their rods green with branches, and those also some fruit upon them.
12 They who had such rods, were very cheerful; and the angel himself took great joy at them; nor was the shepherd that stood with me, less pleased with them.
13 Then the angel of the Lord commanded crowns to be brought, and the crowns were brought made of palms; and the angel crowned those men in whose rods he found the young branches with fruit, and commanded them to go into the tower.
14 He also sent those into the tower, in whose hands he found branches without fruit, giving a seal unto them. For they had the same garment, that is, one white as snow; with which he bade them go into the tower And so he did to those who returned their rods green as they had received them; giving them a white garment, and so sent them away to go into the tower.
15 Having done this, he said to the shepherd that was with me, I go my way; but do thou send these within the walls, every one into the place in which he has deserved to dwell; examining first their rods, but examine them diligently that no one deceive thee; and if any one shall escape thee, I will try them upon the altar.
Having said this to the shepherd, he departed.
16 After he was gone, the shepherd said unto me; Let us take the rods from them, and plant them; if perchance they may grow green again.
I said unto him; Sir, how can those dry rods ever grow green again?
17 He answered me; That tree.
is a willow, and always loves to live. If therefore these rods shall be planted, and receive a little moisture, many of them will recover themselves.
18 Wherefore I will try, and will pour water upon them, and if any of them can live, I will rejoice with them; but if not, at least by this means I shall be found not to have neglected my part.
19 Then he commanded me to call them; and they all came unto him, every one in the rank in which he stood, and gave him their rods; which having received he planted every one of them in their several orders.
20 And after he had planted them all, he poured much water upon them, insomuch that they were covered with water, and did not appear above it. Then when he had watered them, he said unto me; Let us depart, and after a little time we will return and visit them.
21 For he who created this tree, would have all those live that received rods from it. And I hope now that these rods are thus watered, many of them receiving in the moisture, will recover:
22 I said unto him, Sir, tell me what this tree denotes? For I am greatly astonished, that after so many branches have been cut off, it seems still to be whole: nor does there any thing the less of it appear to remain, which greatly amazes me.
23 He answered, Hearken. This great tree which covers the plains and the mountains, and all the earth, is the law of G.o.d, published throughout the whole world.
24 Now this law is the Son of G.o.d, who is preached to all the ends of the earth. The people that stand under its shadow, are those which have heard his preaching, and believed.
25 The great and venerable angel which you saw, was Michael who had the power over his people, and governs them. For he has planted the law in the hearts of those who have believed: and therefore he visits them to whom lie has given the law, to see if they have kept it.
26 And he examines every one"s rod; and of those, many that are weakened: for those rods are the law of the Lord. Then he discerns all those who have not kept the law, knowing the place of every one of them.
27 I said unto him, Sir, why did he send away some to the tower, and left others here to you?
He replied, those who have transgressed the law, which they received from him, are left in my power, that they may repent of their sins: but they who fulfilled this law and kept it, are under his power.
28 But who then, said I, are those, who went into the tower crowned? He replied, all such as having striven with the devil, have overcome him, are crowned: and they are those, who have suffered hard things, that they might keep the law.