Lake Apostolic Fathers 2 - Bible Translation

THE SHEPHERD, sim. viii. vi. 2-6
repent? " " He gave repentance to those/' said he,
"whose heart he saw would be pure, and would
serve him with all their heart. But in whom he saw
guile and wickedness, that they would repent
v/ith Jiypocrisy, to them he gave no repentance,
lest they should again defile his name." 3. I said to
him : " Sir, now therefore, explain to me those who
gave up the sticks, what is the character of each and
their dwelling, that when those hear who have
believed and have received the seal, and have broken
it, and have not kept it whole, they may recognize
their own deeds, and repent, and receive a seal
from you and glorify the Lord, that he had mercy
on them, and sent you to renew their spirits." 4.
" Listen," said he, " those whose sticks are dry and
were found moth-eaten are the apostates and the
betrayers of the Church, and blasphemers of the
and moreover they were ashamed
Lord in their sins ;
of nhe name of the Lord which was called over
them.' These then have finally perished to God.
And you see that not even one of them repented,
although they heard tlie words which you spoke to
them, which 1 commanded you ; from such life is
departed. 5. And they who gave up their sticks dry
and not moth-eaten, these are also near them ; for they
were hypocrites, and introduced strange doctrines
and corrupted the servants of God, and especially
those who have sinned, not suffering them to repent,
but persuading them with their foolish doctrines.
These, then, have hope of repentance. 6. And
you see that many of them have repented since I
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