SIMILITUDE VIII.
That there are many kinds of elect, and of
repenting sinners: and how all of these 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,
Others gave in their rods half dry
and cleft; these too were set by
themselves. Others brought in
their rods half dry and half green,
and these were in like manner
placed by themselves.
8 Others delivered up their rods
two parts green, and the third
dry; and they too were set apart.
Others brought their rods two
parts dry, and the third green;
and were also placed by themselves.