The Shepherd of Hermas

Hermas

Hermas. The Apostolic Fathers with an English translation by Kirsopp Lake. In Two Volumes. Vol. II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1913

He said to me, Put away from yourself every[*](Desire) evil desire, but put on the desire which is good and holy; for by putting on this desire you will hate the wicked desire, and will curb it as you will.

For the wicked desire is cruel and hard to tame, for it is fearful, and destroys men greatly in its cruelty, but

especially if a servant of God fall into it, and be not prudent, he is terribly destroyed by it. But it destroys such as have not the good desire as a covering, but are mixed with this world; these then it delivers to death.

What, sir, said I, are the deeds of the wicked desire, which deliver men to death? Let me know that I may refrain from them. Listen, said he, by what deeds the evil desire brings to death the servants of God.