[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.And I said:Tell me, Sir, why one exceeds another in glory? And the angel answered and said unto me: Allwho have in themselves even a little detraction or zeal or pride, something of his glory would bemade void even if he were in the city of Christ: look backward!And turning round I saw golden thrones placed in each gate, and on them men having goldendiadems and gems:19 and I looked carefully and I saw inside between the twelve men thronesplaced in another rank which appeared of much glory, so that no one is able to recount theirpraise.And I asked the angel and said: My lord, who is on the throne? And the angel answeredand said unto me: Those thrones belong to those who had goodness and understanding of heartand made themselves fools for the sake of the Lord God, nor knew new Scriptures nor psalms,but, mindful of one chapter of the commands of God, and hearing what it contained they wroughtthereby in much diligence and had s fight zeal before the Lord God, and the admiration of themwill seize all the saints in presence of the Lord God, for talking with one another they say, Waitand see the unlearned who know nothing more: by which means they merited so great and such agarment and so great glory on account of their innocence.And I saw in the midst of this city a great altar, very high, and there was one standing near thealtar whose countenance shone as the sun, and he held in his hands a psaltery and harp, and hesang psalms, saying Halleluia! And his voice filled the whole city: at the same time when all theywho were on the towers and gates heard him they responded Halleluia! so that the foundations ofthe city were shaken: and I asked the angel and said, Sir, who is this of so great power? And theangel said to me: This is David: this is the city of Jerusalem, for when Christ the King of Eternityshall come with the assurance of His kingdom, he again shall go before him that he may singpsalms, and all the just at the same time shall sing psalms responding Halleluia! And I said, Sir,how did David alone above the other saints make a beginning of psalm-singing? And the angelanswered and said unto me: Because Christ the Son of God sits at the right hand of His Father,and this David sings psalms before him in the seventh heaven, and as is done in the heavens soalso below, because the host may not be offered to God without David, but it is necessary thatDavid should sing psalms in the hour of the oblation of the body and blood of Christ: as it isperformed in heaven so also on earth.30.And I said to the angel: Sir, what is Alleluia? And the angel answered and said to me: Youask questions about everything.And he said to me, Alleluia is said in the Hebrew language ofGod and angels, for the meaning of Alleluia is this:.20 And I said, Sir,what is ? And the angel answered and said unto me: >tecel235 236is: Let us all bless him together.I asked the angel and said, Sir, do all whosay Alleluia bless the Lord? And the angel answered and said to me: It is so, and again,therefore, if any one sing Alleluia and those who are present do not sing at the same time, theycommit sin because they do not sing along with him, And I said: My lord, does he also sin if hebe hesitating or very old? The angel answered and said unto me: Not so, but he who is able anddoes not join in the singing, know such as a despiser of the Word, and it would be proud andunworthy that he should not bless the Lord God his maker.31.Moreover when he had ceased speaking to me, he led me outside the city through the midstof the trees and far from the places of the land of the good, and put me across the river of milkand honey: and after that he led me over the ocean which supports the foundations of heaven.The angel answered and said unto me: Dost thou understand why thou goest hence? And I said:Yes, sir.And he said to me Come and follow me, and I will show thee the souls of the impiousand sinners, that thou mayest know what manner of place it is.And I proceeded with the angeland he carried me by the setting of the sun, and I saw the beginning of heaven rounded on a greatriver of water, and I asked: What is this river of water? And he said to me: This is Ocean whichsurrounds all the Earth.And when I was at the outer limit of Ocean I looked, and there was nolight in that place, but darkness and sorrow and sadness: and I sighed
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]