repent with all their hearts; but dost thou therefore think that their offences who repent, are immediately blotted out.
10 No, they are not presently; but he that repents must afflict his soul and show himself humble in all his affairs, and undergo many and divers vexations.
11 And when he shall have suffered all things that were appointed for him; then perhaps HE that made him, and formed all things besides, will be moved with compassion towards him, and afford him some remedy; and especially if HE shall perceive his heart who repents, to be free from every evil work.
12 But at present it is expedient for thee, and for thy house, to be grieved; and it is needful that thou shoudest endure much vexation, as the angel of the Lord who committed thee unto me, has commanded.
13 Rather give thanks unto the Lord, that knowing what was to come he thought thee worthy, to whom he should foretel that trouble was coming upon thee, who art able to bear it.
14 I said unto him; Sir, but be thou also with me, and I shall easily undergo any trouble. I will, said he, be with thee; and I will entreat the messenger who is set over thy punishment, that he would moderate his afflictions towards thee.
15 And moreover thou shalt suffer adversity but for a little time; and then thou shalt again be restored to thy former state; only continue on in the humility of thy mind.
16 Obey the Lord with a pure heart; thou, and thy house, and thy children; and. walk in the commands which I have delivered unto thee; and then thy repentance may be firm and pure.
17 And if thou shalt keep these things with thy house, thy inconveniencies shall depart from thee.
18 And all vexation shall in like manner depart from those, whosoever shall walk according to these commands.
SIMILITUDE VIII.
That there are many kinds of elect, and of repenting sinners: and how all of theca shall receive a reward proportionable to the measure of their repentance and good works.
AGAIN he showed me a willow which covered the fields and the mountains, under whose shadow came all such as were called by the name of the Lord.
2 And by that willow stood an. angel of the Lord very excellent and lofty, and did cut down bows from the willow with a great hook; and reached out to the people that were under the shadow of the willow, little rods, as it were about a foot long.
3 And when all of them had taken them, he laid aside his hook, and the tree continued entire, as I had before seen it; at which I wondered, and mused within myself.
4 Then that shepherd said unto me; Forbear to wonder that the tree continues whole, not-with-standing so many boughs have been cut off from it: but stay a little, for now it shall be shown thee, what that angel means, who gave those rods to the people.
5 So he again demanded the rods of them; and in the same order that every one had received them, was he called to him, and restored his rod; which when he had received, he examined them.
6 From some he received them dry and rotten, and as it were touched with the moth; those he commanded to be separated from the rest, and placed by themselves. Others gave in their rods dry indeed, but not touched with the moth: these also he ordered to be set by themselves.
7 Others gave in their rods half dry; these also were set apart,
