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

I said to him Sir, listen to a few words from me. Say what you will, he said. Sir, said I, man desires to keep the commandments of God,

and there is none that does not pray to the Lord, that he may be made strong in his commandments, and submit to them. But the devil is hard, and oppresses them.

He cannot, said he, oppress the servants of the Lord who hope in him with all their heart. The devil can wrestle with them, but he cannot throw them down. If then you resist him, he will be conquered and fly from you, in shame. But as many, said he, as are empty fear the devil as though he had power.

When a man fills very many pots with good wine, and among those pots a few are half empty, he comes to the pots, and does not consider those which are full, for he knows that they are full, but he looks at those which are half empty, fearing that they have gone sour, for empty pots quickly go sour, and the flavour of the wine is spoilt.

So also the devil comes to all the servants of God, tempting them; as many therefore as are full of faith withstand him powerfully, and he departs from them, having no room by which to enter. Then, therefore, he comes to those who are half empty and finding room he enters into them, and does what he will in them, and they become his servants.