1. The fourth vision which I saw, brethren, twenty days after the former vision, was a type of the impending tribulation. I was going into the country by the Campanian Way. From the high road, it is about ten stades; and the place is easy for travelling.

While I was walking alone, I entreated the Lord that He would accomplish the revelations and the visions which He showed me through His holy Church, that He may strengthen me and may give repentance to His servants which have stumbled, so His great and glorious Name may be glorified, for that He held me worthy that He should show me His marvels.

As I gave glory and thanksgiving to Him, there answered me as it were the sound of a voice, "Don't be of a doubtful mind, Hermas."

I began to question in myself and to say, "How can I be of doubtful mind, seeing that I am so firmly founded by the Lord, and have seen glorious things?"

I went on a little, brethren, and what did I see? -- a cloud of dust rising as it were to heaven, and I began to say within myself, "Can it be that cattle are coming, and raising a cloud of dust?" for it was just about a stade from me. As the cloud of dust became greater and greater, I suspected that it was something supernatural.

Then the sun shone out a little, and what did I see? -- a huge beast like some sea-monster, and from its mouth fiery locusts issued forth. And the beast was about a hundred feet in length, and its head was as it were of pottery. And I began to weep, and to entreat the Lord that He would rescue me from it. And I remembered the word which I had heard, "Don't be of a doubtful mind, Hermas."

Therefore, brethren, having put on the faith of the Lord and having called to mind the mighty works that He had taught me, I took courage and gave myself up to the beast. Now the beast was coming on with such a rush, that it might have ruined a city. I come near it, and, huge monster as it was, it stretched itself on the ground, and merely put forth its tongue, and didn't stirred at all until I had passed by it. The beast had on its head four colours; black, then the colour of fire and blood, then gold, then white.

2. Now after I had passed the beast, and had gone forward about thirty feet, and there, a virgin met me, arrayed as if she were going forth from a bride-chamber, all in white and with white sandals, veiled up to her forehead, and her head-covering consisted of a turban, and her hair was white. I knew from the former visions that it was the Church, and I became more cheerful.

She saluted me, saying, "Good morrow, my good man"; and I saluted her in turn:

"Lady, good morrow."

She asked me, "Did nothing meet you?"

I said to her, "Lady, such a huge beast, that could have destroyed whole peoples: but, by the power of the Lord and by His great mercy, I escaped it."

"You escaped it well," she said, "because you cast your care on God, and opened your heart to the Lord, believing that you can be saved by nothing else but by His great and glorious Name. Therefore the Lord sent His angel, who is over the beasts, whose name is Segri, and shut its mouth, so that it would not hurt you. You have escaped a great tribulation by reason of your faith; and because, though you saw so huge a beast, you did not doubt in your mind. Therefore, go and declare to the elect of the

Lord His mighty works, and tell them that this beast is a type of the great tribulation which is to come. If therefore you prepare yourselves beforehand, and repent and turn to the Lord with your whole heart, you shall be able to escape it -- if your heart is made pure and without blemish, and if for the remaining days of your life you serve the Lord blamelessly. Cast your cares on the Lord and He will set them straight. Trust in the Lord, you men of doubtful mind, for He can do all things, yes, He both turns away His wrath from you, and again He sends forth His plagues on you who are of doubtful mind. Woe to those who hear these words and are disobedient; it would have been better for them had they not been born."

3. I asked her concerning the four colours, which the beast had on its head.

"Listen," she said; "the black is this world in which you dwell; and the fire and blood colour shows that this world must perish by blood and fire. The golden part is you who have escaped from this world. As gold is tested by the fire and is made useful, so you also are being tested. As the gold loses its dross, so you also shall cast away all sorrow and tribulation, and shall be purified, and shall be useful for the building of the tower. The white portion is the coming age, in which the elect of God shall dwell; because the elect of God shall be without spot and pure to eternal life. Wherefore, don't cease to speak in the ears of the saints. You have now the symbolism of the tribulation which is coming in power, but if you are willing, it shall amount to nothing. Remember the things that are written beforehand."

With these words she departed, and I didn't see in what direction she went; for a noise was made; and I turned back in fear, thinking that the beast was coming.
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As I prayed in the house, and sat on the couch, there entered a man glorious in his visage, in the garb of a shepherd, with a white skin wrapped about him, and with a wallet on his shoulders and a staff in his hand. He saluted me, and I saluted him in return.

He immediately sat down by my side, and he said to me, "I was sent by the most holy angel, so as to dwell with you the remaining days of your life. Don't be confounded, but strengthen yourself in my commandments which I am about to command you. For I was sent," he said, "so that I might show you again all the things which you saw before, merely the heads which are convenient for you. First of all, write down my commandments and my parables; and the other matters you are to write down as I shall show them to you. The reason why," he said, "I command you to write down first the commandments and parables is, that you may read them off-hand, and may be able to keep them."

So I wrote down the commandments and parables, as he commanded me. If then, when you hear them, you keep them and walk in them, and do them with a pure heart, you shall receive from the Lord all things that He promised you; but if, when you hear them, you do not repent, but still add to your sins, you shall receive from the Lord the opposite. All these the shepherd, the angel of repentance, commanded me so to write.
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