Apocryphal New Testament — Historical English Collection

Apocryphal New Testament — Hone/Wake/Jones — Section 44

8 And we came into a certain field, and there he showed me a young shepherd, ^ finely arrayed, with his garments of a purple colour. And he fed large flocks ; and his sheep were full of plea- sure, and in much delight and cheerfulness ; and they skipping, ran here and there. 9 And the shepherd took very great satisfaction in his flock ; and the countenance of that shep- herd was cheerful, running up and down among his flock. 10 T[ Then the angel said unto me, Seest thou this shepherd? I answered, sir, I see him. He said unto me, this is the ^ messenger of delight and pleasure. He therefore corrupts the minds of the servants of God, and turns them from the truth, delighting them with many pleasures, and they perish. 11 For they forget the com- mands of the living God, and live * In them. 236 ' Vid. Annot. Coteler. in loc. Angel. Oj two sorts of SIMILITUDE VI. voluptuous men. in luxury and in vain pleasures, and are corrupted by the evil an- gel, some of them even unto death ; and others to ^ a falling away. 12 1 replied ; I understand not what you mean, by saying unto death, and to a falling away. Hear, says he ; all these sheep which thou sawest exceeding ^ joyful, are such as have for ever departed from God, and given themselves up to the ' lusts of this present time. 13 To these therefore there is no return, by repentance unto life ; because that to their other sins they have added this, that they have blasphemed the name of the Lord. These kind of men are ordained unto death. 14 But those sheep which thou sawest not leaping, but feeding in one place, are such as have in- deed given themselves up to pleasures and delights ; but have not spoken anything wickedly against the Lord. 15 These therefore are only fallen off from the truth, and so have yet hope laid up for them in repentance. For such a fall- ing off hath some hope still left of a renewal ; but they that are dead, are utterly gone forever.