The Shepherd of Hermas

Therefore this grief seems to bring salvation, because he repented of having done wickedly. Therefore both deeds grieve the Spirit; double-mindedness, because he did not obtain his purpose, and ill temper grieves the Spirit, because he acted wickedly. Both, therefore, are grievous to the Holy Spirit, double-mindedness and ill temper.

Put therefore away from yourself grief, and do not oppress the Holy Spirit which dwells in you, lest it beseech God,[*](Apparently the meaning is beseech God to allow it to depart from the man in whom it is. This is brought out in the variants of A and Ath.) and it depart from you.

For the Spirit of God which is given to this flesh endures neither grief nor oppression.

Put on, therefore, joyfulness, which always[*](Joyfulness) has favour with God and is acceptable to him, and

But the mournful man always does wickedly. First of all he does wickedly because he grieves the Holy Spirit, which is given to man in joyfulness, and secondly he grieves the Holy Spirit by doing wickedly, not praying nor confessing to the Lord. For the intercession of the mournful man has nowhere power to ascend to the altar of God.

Why, said I, does not the intercession of the mournful man ascend to the altar? Because, said he, grief sits in his heart. Therefore, the grief which is mixed with his intercession does not permit the intercession to ascend in purity to the altar. For just as vinegar mixed with wine has not the same agreeableness, so also grief mixed with the Holy Spirit, has not the same power of intercession.