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[1] After I had passed the beast by and had gone
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about thirty feet further, lo! a maiden met me,
adorned as if coming forth from the bridal chamber, all in white and with white sandals, veiled to the forehead, and a turban for a head-dress, but her hair was white.
[2] I recognised from the former visions that it was the Church, and I rejoiced the more. She greeted me saying,
Hail, O man, and I greeted her in return,
Hail, Lady.
[3] She answered me and said,
Did nothing meet you? I said to her,
Yes, Lady, such a beast as could destroy nations, but by the power of the Lord, and by his great mercy, I escaped it.
[4]
You did well to escape it, she said,
because you cast your care upon God, and opened your heart to the Lord, believing that salvation can be found through nothing save through the great and glorious name. Therefore the Lord sent his angel, whose name is Thegri,
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who is over the beast,
and shut his mouth that he should not hurt you. You have escaped great tribulation through your faith, and because you were not double-minded when you saw so great a beast.
[5]
Go then
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and tell the Lord’s elect ones of his great deeds, and tell them that this beast is a type of the great persecution which is to come. If then you are prepared beforehand, and repent with all your hearts towards the Lord, you will be able to escape it, if your heart be made pure and blameless, and you serve the Lord blamelessly for the rest of the days of your life.
Cast your cares upon the Lord, and he will put them straight.
[6]
Believe on the Lord, you who are double-minded, that he can do all things, and turns his wrath away from you, and sends scourges on you who are double-minded. Woe to those who hear these words and disobey; it were better for them not to have been born.
The Shepherd of Hermas. Hermas. . 1913.
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