Hermas
The Shepherd
Ninth Commandment
PRAYER MUST BE MADE TO
GOD WITHOUT CEASING AND WITH UNWAVERING CONFIDENCE.
He says to me, "Put
away doubting from you and do not hesitate to ask of the Lord, saying to
yourself, 'How can I ask of the Lord and receive from Him, seeing I have
sinned so much against Him?' Do not thus reason with yourself, but with
all your heart turn to the Lord and ask of Him without doubting, and you
will know the multitude of His tender mercies; that He will never leave
you, but fulfil the request of your soul. For He is not like men, who
remember evils done against them; but He Himself remembers not evils,
and has compassion on His own creature, Cleanse, therefore, your heart
from all the vanities of this world, and from the words already
mentioned, and ask of the Lord and you will receive all, and in none of
your requests will you be denied which you make to the Lord without
doubting. But if you doubt in your heart, you will receive none of your
requests. For those who doubt regarding God are double-souled, and
obtain not one of their requests. But those who are perfect in faith ask
everything, trusting in the Lord; and they obtain, because they ask
nothing doubting, and not being double-souled. For every double-souled
man, even if he repent, will with difficulty be saved. Cleanse your
heart, therefore, from all doubt, and put on faith, because it is
strong, and trust God that you will obtain from Him all that you ask.
And if at any time, after you have asked of the Lord, you are slower in
obtaining your request [than you expected], do not doubt because you
have not soon obtained the request of your soul; for invariably it is on
account of some temptation or some sin of which you are ignorant that
you are slower in obtaining your request. Wherefore do not cease to make
the request of your soul, and you will obtain it. But if you grow weary
and waver in your request, blame yourself, and not Him who does not give
to you. Consider this doubting state of mind, for it is wicked and
senseless, and turns many away entirely from the faith, even though they
be very strong. For this doubting is the daughter of the devil, and acts
exceedingly wickedly to the servants of God. Despise, then, doubting,
and gain the mastery over it in everything; clothing yourself with
faith, which is strong and powerful. For faith promises all things,
perfects all things; but doubt having no thorough faith in itself, fails
in every work which it undertakes. You see, then," says he,
"that, faith is from above--from the Lord --and has great power;
but doubt is an earthly spirit, coming from the devil, and has no power.
Serve, then, that which has power, namely faith, and keep away from
doubt, which has no power, and you will live to God. And all will live
to God whose minds have been set on these things."
Electronic version
copyright ｩ 1997
by New Advent, Inc.
