VrsroNS oF F{snveNAND l{nrr

Bsrons DaNrs

Eorrso svETTEEN Ganorxen

h,r.usrnauoNs BYArpxaxona Elpnrocn

ITALICA PRESSNEWYORK

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Visions of Hcnocn snd Hell

you may see a tabernacle not made with men's hands,which my heavenly Father has made for me and for theelect." And we beheld it and were full of gladness.

Suddenly there came a voice from heaven, saying,"This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hehas kept my commandments." And then over our headsthere came a great and exceedingly white cloud that boreaway our Lord and Moses and Elias. I trembled and wasafraid; and we looked up, and the heavens opened and wesaw there men in the flesh, and they came and greeted ourLord and Moses and Elias and went into another heaven.And the word of the scripture was fulfilled: "This is thegeneration that seeks him and seeks the face of the God ofJacob." And there was great fear and comrnotion inheaven, and the angels pressed upon one another so thatthe word of the scripture might be fulfilled that says,"Open the gates, you princes." Thereafter heaven, whichhad been open, was shut.

And we prayed and went down from the mountain,glorifying God, who has written the names of therighteous in heaven in the book of life.

aint Paul's O

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ApocalypseI: Inuoduction

During the consulate ofTheodosius Augusms the Younger

and Cynegius there was a certain honorable manthen living atTarsus, in the house thathad been the house ofSt. Paul. An angel appeared to him at night and revealed tohim thathe shouldbreakup thefoundationof thehouse andpublish what he found. But he thought this was a lyingvision.

But a third time the angel came and scourged him andforced him to break up the foundation. He dug and found amarble box inscribed on its sides. In it was the Revelationof SaintPaul and the shoes thathe walked in when he taughtthe word of God. But the man was afraid to open that boxand brought it to the judge.

Fearing that it might be something strange, the judgetook it, sealed as it was with lead, and sent it to the emperorTheodosius. When the emperor received it, he opened it andfound the Revelation of Saint Paul. He sent a copy of it toJerusalem, and he kept the orig inal with him. The fo llowingwas written there.

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Visions of Haoocn dnd l{cll

IIPrologue

Wtrite I was alive I was caught up in my body to the thirdheaven. There the word of the Lord came to me, saying,"Tell this to the people. How long will you transgress andadd sin upon sin and tempt the Lord who made you,saying that you are the children of God, doing the work ofthe devil, walking in the confidence of God, boasting inyour name only but being poor because of your sins?Remember and know that all of creation is subject to God,but only humanity sins. It has dominion over all creation,and sins more than all nature."

Often has the sun, the great light, appealed to the [,ord,saying, "O Lord God Almighty, I look upon the ungod-liness and unrighteous of these people. Allow me, and Iwill deal with them according to my power, so that theymay know that you alone are God." And there came avoice, saying, "I know all these things, for my eye seesand my ear hears, but my long-suffering bears with themuntil they convert and repent. But if they do not return tome, I will judge them all."

Sometimes the moon and the stars have appealed to theLord, saying, "O Lord God Almighty, you have given usrule over the night. How long shall we look upon the un-godliness and fornications and murders that the childrenof humanity commit? Allow us to deal with themaccording to our powers, so that they may know that youalone are God." A voice came to them there, saying, "Iknow all these things, and my eye looks on them and myear hears, but my long-suffering bears with them until

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they convert and repent. But if they do not return to me, Iwill judge them."

Often also the sea has cried out, saying, "O Lord GodAlmighty, these people have polluted your holy name inme. Allow me and I will rise up and cover every forestand tree and all the world until I blot out all the childrenof humanity from before your face, so that they mayknow that you alone are God." Again a voice came,saying, "I know all, for my eye sees all things, and my earhears, but my long-suffering bears with them until theyconvert and repent. But if they do not return, I will judgethem."

Sometimes the waters have also appealed against thechildren of humanity saying, "O Lord God Almighty, thechildren of humanity have all defiled your holy name."And there came a voice, saying, "I know all things beforethey happen, for my eye sees and my ear hears all things,but my long-suffering bears with them until they convert.And if not, I will judge *rem."

Often also the earth has cried out to the Lord againstthe children of humanity, saying, "O Lord God Almighty,I suffer more harm than all your creation, bearing thesepeople's fornications, adulteries, murders, thefts, per-juries, sorceries and witchcrafts, and all the evils that theydo, so that the father rises up against the son, and the sonagainst the father, the stranger against the stranger, everyone to defile his neighbor's wife. The father goes into hisson's bed, and the son likewise goes up on the couch of hisfather; and with all these evils they who offer a sacrificeto your name have polluted your holy place. Therefore Isuffer more harm than the whole of creation, and I do notwish to yield my excellence and my fruits to the childrenof humanity. Allow me and I will destroy the excellenceof my fruits." A voice came there and said, "I know allthings, and there is no one who can hide from his or her

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Viions of Hcovcn snd Hcll

own sin. And I know their ungodliness, but my holinessbears with them until they convert and repent. But if theydo not return to me, I will judge them."

Behold then, you children of humanity. The creaturcis subject to God, but humanity alone sins.

IIIThe Guardian Angels

Children of humanity, you should bless the Lord Godwithout ceasing at all hours and on all days, but especiallywhen the sun sets. For in that hour all the angels go to theLord to worship him and to present the deeds that menand women do from morning until evening, whether theyare good or evil. And there is an angel who goes forttrrejoicing from the person in whom he dwells.

When the sun has set, therefore, at the first hour of thenight, in the same hour goes the angel of every person andof every man and woman, who protects and keeps them,because the person is the image of God. Likewise at thefirst hour of morning, which is the twelfth hour of thenight, all the angels of men and wornen go to meet Godand present all the work that every one has wrought,whether good or evil. Every day and night the angelspresent to God an account of all the deeds of humanity.To you, therefore, I say, O children of humanity, blessthe Lord God without ceasing all the days of your life.

At the hour appointed all the angels, every one re-joicing therefore, come together before God to meet himand worship him. The angels came to worship in thepresence of God, and the spirit came forth to meet them,

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St. Pnil's ApocaQpsc

and there was a voice saying, "Where do you come from,our angels, bringing burden of news?"

They answered and said, "We have come from thosewho have renounced the world for your holy name's sake, !wandering as strangers and in the caves of the rocks, and Rweeping every hour that they dwell on the earth, andhungering and thirsting for the sake of your name, withtheir loins girt, holding in their hands the incense of theirheart, and praying and blessing at every hour, sufferinganguish and subduing themselves, weeping and lamentingmore than all that dwell on the earth. We who are theirangels mourn with them. Therefore, command us to goand minister wherever it pleases you, so that they will notdo otherwise. But command us to minister to the poormore than to all others who dwell on the earth."

The voice of God came to them saying, "Know thatfrom now on my grace will be established with you. Myhelp, which is my dearly beloved Son, will be with them,ruling them at all times. He will minister to them andnever forsake them, for their place is his habitation."

When these angels departed, then other angels camethere to meet and worship there in the presence of themajesty; and they were weeping. The spirit of God wentforth to meet them, and the voice of God came, saying,"Where do you come from, our angels, ministers of thenews of the world, bearing burdens?" They answered andsaid in the presence of God, "We have come from thosewho have called on your name, and the snares of theworld have made them wretched. They have devisedmany excuses at all times and not made so much as onepure prayer out of their whole heart all the time of theirlives. Why then must we be with those who are sinners?"The voice of God came to them, "You must minister tothem until they convert and repent. But if they do notreturn to me, I will judge them."

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Visions of Hcovcn and Hcll

Know therefore, O children of humanity, that what-ever you do, the angels tell it to God, whether it is good orevil.

The Place of the Righteous

After I saw these things, I saw one of the spirinral onescoming toward me, and he caught me up in the spirit andcarried me to the third heaven. And this angel said to me,"Follow me, and I will show you the place where therighteous are taken when they are dead. Thereafter I willtake you to the bottomless pit and show you the souls ofthe sinners and the kind of place they are taken to whenthey are dead."

I went behind the angel, and he took me into heaven,and I looked upon the firmament and saw there thepowers: there was forgetfulness, which deceives anddraws human hearts to itself, and the spirit of slander, andthe spirit of fornication, and the spirit of wrath, and thespirit of insolence; and there were the princes of wicked-nlss. I saw these things beneath the firmament of heaven.

Again I looked and saw angels without mercy' havingno pi1y, whose countenances were full of fury. Theirteeth stuck forward out of their mouths, and their eyesshone like the morning star of the east, and sparks of firewent forth from the hair on their heads and out of theirmouths. And I asked the angel, "Who are these, lord?"The angel answered and said to me, "These are the onesappointed to the souls of sinners in their hour of necessity,

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St. Poil's Apocalypse

even to those who have not believed that they had theLord for their helper and have not trusted in him."

I looked up and saw other angels whose faces shonelike the sun, and their loins were girt with golden girdles,and they held palms in their hands and the sign of God.They were clothed in garments on which was written thename of the Son of God, full of all gentleness and mercy.And I asked the angel, "Lord, who are these who are ofsuch great beauty and compassion?" The angel answeredand said to me, "These are the angels of righteousnesswho are sent to bring the souls of the righteous in theirhour of necessity, even those who have believed that theyhad the Lord for their helper." And I said to him, "Do therighteous and the sinners necessarily meet when they aredead?" The angel answered and said to me, "The way bywhich all pass to God is one, but the righteous have a holyhelper with them and are not troubled when they go toappear in the presence of God."

The Good Soul Departs from Its Body

I said to the angel, "I would like to see the souls of therighteous and the sinners as they depart from the world."The angel answered and said to me, "Look down on theearth." I looked down from heaven upon the earth andsaw the whole world, and it was as if it were nothing tomy eyes. I saw the children of humanity as though theywere nothing and utterly failing. I marvelled and said tothe angel, "Is this the greatness of humanity?" The angelanswered and said to me, "This is it, and these are the ones

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Vicions of Henocn nnd lIell

who do harm from morning till night." I looked and sawa great cloud of fire spread over the whole world and saidto the angel, "What is this, lord?" And he said to me,"This is the unrighteousness that is brewed by the princesof sinners."

When t heard that I sighed and wept and said to theangel, "I wish to wait for the souls of the righteous and thesinners and see how they depart from the body." Theangel answered and said to me, "Look again upon theearth." And I looked and saw the whole world. Men andwomen were like nothing and utterly failing. I lookedand saw a certain man about to die, and the angel said tome, "The one you see is righteous." Again I looked andsaw all the works that he had done in the name of God andall his desires, those he remembered and those he did notremember, all of them stood before his face in the hour ofnecessity. And I saw that the righteous man had grown inrighteousness and found rest and confidence. Before hedeparted from the world holy angels stood there by himand also evil ones. I saw them all, but the evil ones foundno home in him, and the holy ones had power over hissoul and ruled it until it went from his body. They stirredup the soul, saying, "O soul, take notice of your body,which you have come out of, because you must return intothe same body at the Day of Resurrection to receive whatis promised to all the righteous."

They received the soul out of his body and straightwaykissed it as one who was acquainted with them every day,saying to it, "Be of good courage, for you have done thewill of God while you lived on the earth." The angel thatwatched this soul day by day came there to meet it, and hesaid to it, "Be of good courage, soul. I rejoice in youbecause you have done the will of God on earth, for I toldGod all your works, how they stood." Likewise the spiritcame forth to meet it and said, "O soul, do not fear; do not

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be troubled now that you have come to a place that younever knew; but I will be your helper, for I have found inyou a place of refreshment while I dwelt in you when wewere on the earth." And its spirit strengthened it, and itsangel took it up and carried it into heaven. There alsowent out to meet it wicked powers, those that are underheaven. The spirit of error reached it there and said,"Where are you running, soul? Do you presume to enterheaven? Stay and let us see if there is anything of ours inyou. Alas, we have found nothing in you. I see the helpof God and also your angel; and the spirit rejoices witiryou because you did the will of God upon earth."_ They brought it until it worshipped in the presence of!9-d. When they ceased, Michael and all ttre holt of angelsfell-and worshipped his footstool, and at his gates tieysaid together to the soul, "This is the God oi all, whomade you in his image and likeness.', The angel turnedand declared, "Lord, remember his works, for this is thesoul whose works I reported to you, Lord, according toyourjudgment." Likewise the spirit said, "I am the spiritof quickening that breathed upon it. I had refreshmentwhile I dwelt in it, according to your judgment." And thevoice of God came, saying, "Since this soul has notgrieved me, neither will I grieve it, for since it has hadmercy, I also will have mercy. Let it be delivered toMichael the angel of the covenant, and let him lead it intoparadise, rejoicing that it becomes fellow-heir with all thesaints,"

Thereafter I heard the voices of thousands of thou-sands of angels and archangels and the cherubim and thefour-and-twenty elders uttering hymns and glorifying theLord and crying, "Righteous are you, O Lord, andlustare- your judgments, and there is no respect of perJonswith you, but you reward every person aclordingio yourjudgment."

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Visions of Heaven nnd Hell

And the angel answered and said to me, "Do youbelieve and know that whatever every one of you hasdone, he sees it at the hour of your judgment?" And Isaid, "Yes, lord."

VIEvil Souls Depart from Their Bodies

The angel said to me, "Look down again upon the earthand wait for the soul of a wicked man leaving his body,one who has provoked the Lord day and night saying, 'Iknow nothing else in this world. I will eat and drink andenjoy the things that are in the world. For who is he whohas gone down into hell and come up again and told us thatthere is a judgment ttlere?"'

I looked again and saw all the malice of the sinner andall he did, and they stood assembled before him in thehour of necessity. And it happened that in the hour whenhe was led out of his body to the judgment he said, "Itwould have been better for me if I had not been born."After that the holy angels and the evil ones and the soul ofthe sinner came together, and the holy angels found noplace in it. But the evil angels threatened it, and whenthey brought it forth out of the body, the angels ad-monished it three times, saying, "O wretched soul, lookon the flesh that you have come out of, because you mustreturn into your flesh at the Day of Resurrection toreceive the due reward for your sins and your wicked-ness."

When they had brought it forth, its accustomed angelwent in front of it and said to it, "O miserable soul, I am

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the angel that stuck to you and day by day reported to theLord your wil deeds, whatever you wrought by night orday. If it had been in my power I would not have minis-tered to you for even one day; but I could do nothingabout this because God is merciful and a just judge, and hecommanded us not to cease ministering to your soul untilyou should repent, but you have missed the time forrepentance. Indeed I have become a stranger to you andyou to me. Let us go then to the just judge. I will notleave you until I know that from this day on I am astranger to you." And the spirit confounded it, and theangel troubled it.

Therefore when they came to the Principalities, and itwould now attempt to enter heaven, one burden was laidupon it after another: error and forgetfulness and whis-pering met it, and the spirit of fornication and the rest ofthe powers, and said to it, "Wherever are you going,wretched soul, and how do you dare run forward intoheaven? Stay here so that we can see whether we haveproperty of ours in you, for we do not see a holy helperwith you." After that I heard voices in the height of theheavens, saying, "Present this miserable soul to God, sothat it may know that there is a God, whom it hasdespised."

When it entered heaven, therefore, all the angels,thousands upon thousands, saw it, and all cried out withone voice, saying, "Woe to you, miserable soul, for theworks that you did on earth. What answer will you maketo God when you draw near to worship him?" The angelwho was with it answered and said, "Weep with me, mydearly beloved, for I have found no rest in this soul." Theangels answered him and said, "Let this soul be takenaway out of our midst, for since it came in its stench haspassed up to us angels." Then it was presented to worshipin the presence of God. The angel showed it the Lord

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Visions of Hcncn ond Hcll

God who made it after his own image and likeness. Andits angel ran before it, saying, "O Lord God Almighty, Iam the angel of this soul, whose works, not done ac-cording to your judgment, I presented to you day andnight." Likewise the spirit said, "I am the spirit that dweltin it ever since it was made, and I know it in itself, and itdid not follow my will. Judge it, Lord, according to yourjudgment."

The voice of God came to it and said, "Where is thefruit that you have yielded, which is worthy of those goodthings that you received? Did I put a distance of even aday between you and the righteous? Did I not make thesun rise on you even as on the righteous?" It was silent,having nothing to answer. Again the voice came, saying,"Iust is the iudgment of Go{, and therc is no reslect otpersons with God, for whoever has had mercy, he willhave mercy on them, and who has not had mercy, neitherwill God have mercy on them. Let him therefore bedelivered to the angel Tartaruchus who is set over thetorments, and let him cast him into the outer darkness,where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, and let himbe there until the great Day of Judgment." After that Iheard the voice of the angels and archangels saying,"Righteous are you, O Lord, and just is your judgment."

Again I saw a soul who was brought by two angels,weeping and saying, "Have mercy on me, righteous God,O God the judge, for today it is seven days since I left mybody, and I was delivered to these two angels, and theyhave brought me to those places that I had never seen."And God the righteous judge said, "What have you done?Since you have never been merciful, you were deliveredto these angels, who have no mercy, and because you havenot done right, neither have they dealt with you in pity inyour hour of necessity. Therefore, confess the sin thatyou committed while you were in the world." The soul

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answered and said, "Lord, I have not sinned." The righ-teous Lord God was angered with indignation when thesoul said, "I have not sinned," because it lied. And Godsaid, "Do you think that you are still in the world?Although every one of you there hides and conceals yoursin from your neighbor when you sin, here nothing ishidden, for when the souls come to worship before thethrone, both the good works and the sins of everyone aremade manifest." When the soul heard that, it held itspeace, because it had no answer.

I heard the Lord God, the righteous judge, sayingagain, "Come, angel of this soul and stand in the middle."The angel of the sinful soul came holding a sheet ofwriting and said, "These, Lord, in my hands, are all thesins of {nis sou\ trom its youttr up to this da1, trorn tenyears after its birth. If you bid me, Lord, I can tell its actssince it was fifteen years old." And the Lord God therighteous judge said, "I say to you, O angel, I do notdesire an account from you since this soul was fifteenyears old, but declare its sins for the five years before itdied and came here." Again God the righteous judge said,"For by myself and by my holy angels and by my power, Iswear that if it had repented five years before it died, evenfor the length of one year, there would be forgetfulness ofall the evil that it committed before, and it would havepardon and remission of sins, but now let it perish." Theangel of the sinful soul answered and said, "Command,Lord, that angel to bring forth those souls."

In that same hour souls were brought forth into theirmidst, and the soul of the sinner knew them. And theLord said to the soul of the sinner, "I say to you, soul,confess the deeds that you did to these souls whom yousee, when they were in the world." It answered and said,"Lord, it is not yet a full year since I killed this one andshed its blood upon the earth, and with another I

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Visions of Hcnvcn dnd Hcll

committed fornication, and not that only, but I did itmuch harm by taking away its substance." And the LordGod, the righteous judge, said, "Did you not know that ifone does violence to another, and that if the one thatsuffered the violence dies first, that person is kept in thisplace until the one who did the harm dies, and then both ofthem appear before the judge? Then everyone receivesaccording to what he or she did." Then I heard a voicesaying, "Let that soul be delivered into the hands ofTartaruchus, and he must be taken down into hell. Lethim take him into the lower prison, and let him be castinto torments and be left there until the great Day ofJudgment." Again I heard thousands of thousands ofangels singing a hymn to the [,ord and saying, "Righteousare you, O Lord, and just are your judgments."

\rIIThe Third Fleaven

The angel answered and said to me, "Have you under-stood all these things?" And I said, "Yes, lord." He saidto me, "Follow me again, and I will take you and showyou the places of the righteous." I followed the angel, andhe took me up to the third heaven and set me before thedoor of a gate. I looked at it and saw, and the gate wasgold, and there were two pillars of gold full of goldenletters. The angel turned again to me and said, "Blessedare you if you enter by these gates, for it is not permittedto any to enter except those who have maintained thegoodness and pureness of their bodies in all things." Iasked the angel and said, "Lord, tell me why these letters

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St. Pad's Apocalypsc

are set upon these tables?" The angel answered and said tome, "These are the names of the righteous who minister toGod with their whole hearts and who dwell on the earth."Again I said, "Lord, then are their names written whilethey are still on the earth?" And he said, "Not only aretheir names written in heaven, but also the countenanceand the likeness of those who senre God is there, and theyare known to the angels, because they know those whoserve God with their whole hearts before they departfrom the world."

When I had entered the gate of paradise an old mancame there to meet me. His face shone like the sun, and heembraced me and said, "Hail, Paul, dearly beloved ofGod." He kissed me with a joyful face, but he wept, and Isaid to him, "Brother, why do you weep?" Sighing againand weeping he said, "Because we are vexed by humanityand they grieve us sorely, because many are the goodthings that the Lord has prepared, and great are hispromises, but many do not receive them." I asked theangel and said, "Who is this, lord?" And he said to me,"This is Enoch, the scribe of righteousness."

I entered that place, and straightway I saw Elias; andhe came and saluted me with gladness and joy. When hehad seen me he turned away and wept and said to me,"Paul, may you receive the reward for the labor that youhave done among humanity. As for me, I have seen great 'and various good things that God has prepared for all therighteous, and great are the promises of God, but thegreater part do not receive them; yet one and anotherhardly enters these places even with much toil."

The angel answered and said to me, "Whatever things Ishow you now here, and whatever you hear, do not reveal 3them to any on earth." He led me on and showed me, and 3I heard words there that it is not lawful for a human to

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Visions of llespen nnd Hell

say. Againhe said, "Follow me again and I will show youwhat you must describe and tell openly."

VIII

The Second Fleaven

He brought me down from the third heaven and led meinto the second heaven, and he led me again to the firma-ment, and from the firmament he led me to the gates ofheaven. The beginning of its foundation was on the riverthat waters all the earth. I asked the angel and said,"Lord, what river of water is this?" And he said to me,"This is the ocean." Suddenly I came out of heaven andsaw that it is the light of heaven that shines on all theearth. There the earth was seven times brighter than

fsilver. And I said, "Lord, what place is this?" He said toI me, "This is the Land of Promise. Have you not yet heardI what is written: 'Blessed are the meek, for they shallI intrerit the earth'? When they leave the body, the souls ofI the righteous are sent to this place for a time." I said toI the angel, "Shall this land then be made manifest after apime?" The angel answered and said to me, "When Christ,I whom you preach, comes to reign, then by the decree ofI Coa the first earth will be dissolved, and then this Land ofI Promise will be shown, and it will be like dew or a cloud.I Then the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal king, will beI manifested and will come with all his saints to dwell here.I He will reign over them a thousand years, and they will[eat the good things that I will now show you."

St. Poul's Apocalypsc

I looked around that land and saw a river flowing withmilk and honey. There were planted at the brink of theriver trees full of fruit. Now every tree bore twelve har-vests each year, and they had various and diverse fruits,and I saw the fashion of that place and all the work ofGod, and I saw there palm-trees of twenty cubits andothers of ten cubits, and the land was seven times brighterthan silver. The trees were full of fruit from the roots tothe upper branches. And I said to the angel, "Why doesevery tree bring forth fruit in the thousands?" The angelanswered and said to me, "Because the Lord God in hisbounty gives his gifts in abundance to the worttry; becauseof their own will they also afflicted themselves when theywere in the world, doing everything for the sake of hisholy name."

Again I said to the angel, "Lord, are these the onlypromises that the most holy Lord God makes?" He an-swered and said to me, "No, because there are seven timesgreater than these. But I say to you that when therighteous are gone out of the body and see the promisesand the good things that God has prepared for them, theywill sigh and cry yet again, saying, 'Why did we utter aword from our mouths to provoke our neighbor even fora day?"' I asked again and said, "Are these the onlypromises of God?" The angel answered and said to me,"These that you now see are for those who are marriedand keep the purity of their marriage within restraints.But to the virgins, and to those who hunger and thirstafter righteousness and afflict themselves for the name ofthe Lord, God will give things seven-times greater thanthese, which I will now show you."

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Visions of Hcmcn nnd Hell

IXThe Ciw of Christ

After that he took me from that place, and there I saw ariver; and its waters were exceedingly white, whiter thanmilk. I said to the angel, "What is this?" And he said tome, "This is Lake Acherusa where the City of Christ is,but not everyone is allowed to enter that city, for this isthe way that leads to God, and if any are fornicators orungodly, and convert and repent and bear fruits fittingfor repentance, when they first come out of their bodiesthey are brought and worship God, and then by thecommandment of the Lord they are delivered to Michaelthe angel, and he washes them in the Lake Acherusa andso brings them into the City of Christ with those who havenot sinned." I marvelled and blessed the Lord God for allthe things that I saw.

The angel answbred and said to me, "Follow me, and Iwill bring you into the City of Christ." He stood by LakeAcherusa and set me in a golden ship. Angels, threethousand it seemed, sang a hymn before me until I came tothe City of Christ. Those who dwelt in the City of Christrejoiced greatly over me as I came to them, and I enteredand saw the City of Christ. It was all gold, and twelvewalls encircled it, and there were twelve towers inside,and every wall had a furlong between them round about.I said to the angel, "Lord, how much is one furlong?"The angel answered and said to me, "It is as much as thereis between the Lord God and the men and women who areon earth, for the great City of Christ is separate."

There were twelve gates of great beauty in the circuitof the city, and four rivers encircled it. There was a river

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St. Pnul's Apocalypsc

of honey and a river of milk and a river of wine and ariver of oil. I said to the angel, "What are these riversthat encircle this city?" He said to me, "These are the fourrivers that flow abundantly for those who are in this Land .of Promise. These are their names: the river of honey iscalled Phison, and the river of milk Euphrates, and theriver of oil Geon, and the river of wine Tigris. Since therighteous did not use their power over these things whenthey were in the world, but hungered and afflictedthemselves for the Lord God's sake, therefore when theyenter this city the Lord will give them these thingswithout number and without any measure."

When I entered by the gate I saw before the doon ofthe city great and high trees with no fruit, but only leaves.I also saw a few people scattered in the midst of the trees,and they mourned sorely when they saw anyone enter thecity. Those trees did penance for them, humbling them-selves and bowing down, and raising themselves up again.

I saw this and wept with them, and I asked the angeland said, "Lord, who are these who are not permitted toenter the City of Christ?" He said to me, "These are theones who earnestly renounced the world day and nightwith fasting but had a proud heart above others, glori-fying and praising themselves, and doing nothing for.their neighbors. For some they had a friendly greeting,but to others ttrey did not even say'Hail;'and they openedfor those whom they wished to, and if they did any smallthing for a neighbor they were puffed up." And I said,"What then, lord? Has their pride prevented them fromentering the City of Christ?!' The angel answered and saidto me, "The root of all evil is pride. Are they better thanthe Son of God who came to the Jews in great humility?"I asked him and said, "Why is it then that the trees humblethemselves and are again raised up?" The angel answeredand said to me, "Despite all the time that they spent on

3I

Visions of Ilcaocn nnd Hcll

earth serving God, and despite the fact that they wereashamed for a time and humbled themselves because ofthe shame and reproaches of others, they were notgrieved, nor did they repent or cease their pride. Thil il*ny tfte trces humble themselves and are raised up again."t aiteO and said, "Why are they allowed up to the gates ofthe city?" The angel answered and said to me: "Becauseof the great goodness of God, and because this is the en-trance of all his saints who enter this city. Therefore theyare left in this place so that when Christ the eternal kingenters with his saints, when he comes in, all the righteouswill entreat for them. Then they will enter the city withthem. Yet none of them is able to have the confidencethose have who humbled themselves, serving the LordGod all their life long."

But I went forward, and the angel led me and broughtme to the river of honey, and I saw there Isaiah andJeremiah and Ezekiel and Amos and Micah andZachariah, even the lesser and greater prophets, and theygreeted me in the city. I said to the angel, "What path isthis?" And he said to me, "This is the path of theprophets. When anyone who has grieved his soul and notAonl hir own will for God's sake has departed from theworld and has been brought to the Lord God and hasworshipped him, then by the commandment of God thatsoul is dltvered to Michael, who brings it into the city tothis place of the prophets. There they greet the soul astheif friend and neighbor, because it performed the willof God."

Again he led me to the river of milk, and I saw there-all thi children that King Herod killed for the name ofChrist. They greeted me, and the angel said to me, "Allthose who are chaste, when they leave the body, after theyworship the Lord God, they are delivered to Michael andbroughl to the children; and they greet them, saying,

32

St. Paal,s Apocnlypsc

'They are our brothers and sisters and friends andmembers.' Among them they will inherit the promises ofGod."

Again he took me and brought me to the north side ofthe city and led me to the river of wine. There I sawAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Lot and Job and other saints,and they greeted me. I asked and said, "What is this place,lord?" The angel answered and said to me, "All thosewho are entertainers of strangers, when they leave theworld, fint worship the Lord God and then are deliveredto Michael and brought by this path to the city. All therighteous greet this soul as a son or daughter and abrother or sister and say, 'Because you have maintainedkindness and hospitality to strangers, come and have aninheritance in the city of our Lord God., Every one ofthe righteous will receive the good things of God in thecity according to his or her deeds."

Then he took me to the river of oil on the east side ofthe city. There I saw people rejoicing and singing psalms,and said, "'Who are these, lord?" And the angel said tome, "These are the ones who have devoted themselves toGod with their whole heart and had no pride in them.',For all who rejoice in the Lord God and sing praises tothe Lord with their whole heart are brought heri into thiscity.

He took me to the middle of the city, near the twelvewalls. Now there was a higher wall inside, and I askedand said, "Is there a wall in the City of Christ moreexcellent in honor than this one?" The angel answeredand said to me, "The second is better than the first, andlikewise the third than the second; for one excels the otherright up to the twelfth wall." I said, "'Why, lord, does oneexcel the other in glory? Explain it to me.', The angelanswered and said to me, "Through all who have even alittle slander or envy or pride in them, something is taken

O

N)

33

Viions of Hcovcn cnd Hcll

away from this glory, even if he or she is in the City ofChrist. Look behind you."

I turned and saw golden thrones set at the gates, andupon them were people with golden crowns and jewels;and I looked and saw among these twelve thrones set inanother order, which appeared to be of so much glorythat no one could declare their praise. I asked the angeland said, "Lord, who is on the throne?" The angel an-swered and said to me, "These are the thrones of thosewho had goodness and understanding of heart and yetmade themselves foolish for the Lord God's sake,knowing neither the Scriptures nor many psalms. Butkeeping in mind one chapter of the precepts of God, theyperformed it with great diligence and had the rightintention before the Lord God. For these great wonderwill take hold of all the saints before the Lord God, whowill speak together, saying, 'Look and see the unlearnedwho know nothing, and how they have earned such fairraiment and such great glory because of their inno-cencg."'

In the middle of the city I saw a very high altar. Andthere was one standing by the altar whose face shone likethe sun, and he held in his hands a psalter and a harp andsang praises, saying, "Alleluia." And his voice filled thewhole city. When all who were on the towers and thegates heard him, they answered, "Alleluia," so that thefoundations of the city were shaken. I asked the angel andsaid, "Who is this, lord, that is so mighty?" And the angelsaid to me, "This is David. This is the city of Jerusalem.When Christ the king of eternity comes in the fullness ofhis kingdom, he will again go before him to sing hispraises, and all the righteous will sing praises together,answering, 'Alleluia."' I said, "Lord, how is it that only

St. Pnal's APocalYPsc

David above all the rest of the saints began singing thePsalms?" The angel answered and said to me, "'WhenChrist the Son of God sits on the right hand of his Father,David will sing praises before him in the seventh heaven;and as it is done in the heavens, so is it done below, forwithout David it is not lawful to offer a sacrifice to God;but it must be that David sings praises at the hour of theoffering of the body and blood of Christ. As it isperforrred in heaven, so is it also on earth."

I said to the angel, "Lord, what is 'Alleluia'?" Theangel answered and said to me, "You examine and inquireabout all things." And he said to me, "'Alleluia'is spokenin Hebrew, which is the speech of God and the angels.Now the interpretation of 'Alleluia' is this: tecel catmarith macha." And I said, "Lord, what is tecel catmarith macha 2" The angel answered and said to me,"Tecel cat marith macha means 'Let us bless him alltogether."' I asked the angel and said, "Lord, do all thosewho say'Alleluia'bless God?" The angel answered andsaid to me, "Yes, and if any sing 'Alleluia,' and those whoare present do not sing together, they sin in not singingtogether." I said, "Lord, does one also sin if one is dotingor very aged?" The angel answered and said to me, "No,but whoever is able and does not sing together is adespiser of the word, because it would be proud andunworthy if he or she did not bless the Lord God theircreator."

When he had ceased speaking to me, he led me outsidethe city through the midst of the trees and back from theplace of the land of good things and set me at the river ofmilk and honey, and after that he led me to the ocean thatbears the foundations of the heaven. -l\N

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Visions of Hewen and' Hell

XThe Regions of Hell

The angel nrrned and said to me, "Do you realize that youare leaving here?" And I said, "Yes,lord." He said to me,"Come, follow me, and I will show you the souls of theungodly and the sinners, so that you may know what kindof place they have." I went with the angel, and he took mein ihe direction of the sunset, and I saw the beginning ofheaven founded on a great river of water, and I asked,"What river of water is this?" He said to me, "This is theocean that surrounds the whole earth." When I was be-yond the ocean, I looked and there was no light in thatplace, only darkness and sorrow and sadneSs, and Isighed.

I saw there a river of fire burning with heat, and in itthere was a multitude of men and women sunk up to theirknees, and others up to their navels; others also up to theirlips and others up to their hair; and I asked the angel andsiid, "Lord, who are these in the river of fire?" Theangel answered and said to me, "These are neither hot norcoid, for they were not among either the righteous or the

. wicked; for they passed the time of their lives on earth' with some days in prayer but other days in sins andfornication, until their death." I asked and said, "Who arethese, lord, who are sunk up to their knees in fire?" Heanswered and said to me, "These are the ones who whenthey came out of church occupied themselves in disputesand iate hlk. But these who are sunk up to their navelsare the ones who, after they received the body and bloodof Christ, went and committed fornication and did notcease from committing their sins until they died. And

36

St. Pnal's Apocnlypsc

those who are sunk up to their lips slandered one anotherwhen they gathered in the church of God. Those who aresunk up to their eyebrows beckoned one another andsecretly plotted evil against their neighbors."

On the north side I saw a place of various and diversetorments full of men and women, and a river of fireflowed down upon them. And I saw pits exceedinglydeep, and in them were many souls, and the depth of thatplace was like three thousand cubits. I saw them groaningand weeping and saying, "Have mercy on us, Lord." Noone had mercy on them. I asked the angel and said, "'Whoare these, lord?" And the angel answered and said to me,"These are the ones who did not trust in the Lord so thatthey could have him as their helper." I inquired and said,"Lord, if these souls continue like this, with thirty orforty generations cast one upon another, unless they arecast down still deeper, I believe the pits will not containthem." And he said to me, "The abyss has no boundary,for beneath it there follows also what is beneath; and so ifsomeone strong took a stone and threw it into a very deepwell, after many hours it would reach the bottom. Thisabyss is also like that. For when souls are thrown into it,they hardly come to the bottom after five hundred years."

When I heard this, I mourned and lamented for thehuman race. The angel answered and said to me, ',Whydo you mourn? Are you more merciful than God? Forsince God is good and knows that there are torments, hebears patiently with humanity, leaving every one to do hisor her own will for the time that he or she dwells onearth."

Yet I looked again on the river of fire, and I saw therea man caught by the throat by angels, keepers of hell, whohad in their hands an iron with three hooks with whichthey pierced that old man's entrails. I asked the angel andsaid, "Lord, who is this old man upon whom such tor-

5

37

Visions of Heoocn dnd Hell

ments are inflicted?" The angel answered and said to me,"He was a priest who did not fulfill his ministry well,because whJn he was eating and drinking and whoring heoffered the sacrifice to the Lord at his holy altar'"

I saw another old man not far off. Running quickly,four evil angels brought him, and they sank him up to hisknees in thJriver of fire and struck him with stones andwounded his face like a tempest and did not allow him tosay, "Have mercy on me." I asked the angel and he.said to

-i, "H. was a bishop, and he did not fulfill his episcopal

office well, for indeed he received a great name' but hedid not enter into the holiness of him who gave him thatname all his life. He did not give righteous judgment anddid not have compassion for widows and orphans' Butnow he is recompensed according to his iniquity and hisactions."

I saw another man in the river of fire sunk up to theknees, and his hands were stretched out and bloody, andwonns came out of his mouth and his nostrils, and he wasgroaning and lamenting and crying out and said, "Haveitrt"y on *e for I suffer more harm than the rest who arein this torment." I asked, "'Who is this, lord?" And hesaid to me, "He was a deacon who devoured the offeringsand committed fornication and did not do right in thesight of God; therefore he pays the penalty withoutceasing."

t tooked and saw beside him another man whom theyhastily brought and cast into the river of fire, and he wasthere up to his knees. The angel who was over the tor-ments came with a great tazor, red-hot, and with it he cutthat man's lips and ilso his tongue. I sighed and weptandasked, "Wh; is this man, lord?" And he said to me, "Hewas a lector and read to the people, but he did not keep thecommandments of God. Now he also pays his ownpenalty."

3'8

St. Pn*l's Apocnlypsc

I saw another great multitude of pits in the same place,and in the middle of them was a river filled with amultitude of men and women with wonns devouringthem. But I wept and sighed and asked the angel, "Lordwho are these?" And he said to me, "These are the oneswho extorted usury on usury and trusted in their riches,not having hope in God as their helper."

After that I looked and saw a very straight place, andthere was some kind of wall and around it fire. Inside it Isaw men and women gnawing their tongues and asked,"'Who are these, lord?" He said to me, "These are the oneswho mocked the word of God in church, not payingattention to it, but acting as if God and his angels werenothing. Now, therefore, they likewise pay their duepenalty."

I looked in and saw another pool under the pit, and itappeared to be like blood. I asked and said, "Lord, whatis this place?" He said to me, "Into this pit flow all thetorments." I saw men and women sunk up to their lipsand asked, "Who are these, lord?" .And he said to mi,"These are the sorcerers who gave men and womenmagical enchantments, and they found no rest until theydied."

Again I saw men and women of a very blackcountenance in a pit of fire, and I sighed and wept andasked, "'Who are these, lord?" And he said to me, '.fheseare whoremongers and adulterers who had wives of theirown and committed adultery. Likewise the women com-mitted adultery in the same way, although they had theirown husbands. Therefore they pay this penalty withoutceasing."

I saw there girls clothed in black garments, and four Qfearful angels held in their hands red-hot chains and put Gthem on their necks and led them away into darkness.And again I wept and asked the angel, "Who are these,

39

Viions of Hcnn snd Hcll

lord?" And he said to me, "These are the ones who werevirgins but defiled their virginity, and their parents- didrroikoo* it. Therefore they pay their due penalty withoutceasing."

egain I saw men and women there with their handsand fiet cut off. They were naked in a place of ice andsnow, and worms devoured them. When I saw this I weptand asked, "'Who are these, lord?" He said to me, "Theseare the ones who injured the fatherless and the widowsand the poor and did not trust in the Lord' Thereforethey pay their due penalty without ceasing"'

i ioorca and siw others hanging over a channel ofwater, and their tongues were very dry, and many fruitswere set in their sight, and they were not allowed to takeany of them. I askJd, "Who are these, lord?" And he saidto'me, "These are the ones who broke the fast before theappointed time. Therefore without ceasing they pay thispenalty."' I siw other men and women hanging by their eye-brows and their hair, and a river of fire provoked them,and I said, "'Who are these, lord?" And he said to me,',These are the ones who did not give themselves to theirown husbands and wives but to adulterers, and thereforethey pay their due penalty without ceasing"'

i iu* other men and women covered with dust, andtheir appearance was like blood, and they were in a pit ofpitch and brimstone and carried down in a river of fire. I'asked, "Who are these, lord?" And he said to me, "Theseare the ones who committed the wickedness of Sodom andGomorrah, men with men, therefore they pay theirpenalty without ceasing."' I looked and saw men and women dressed in whiteapparel, and their eyes were blind, and they were,set in apit, ana I asked, "Who are these, lord?" He said to me'iTh.., are those heathen who gave alms and did not know

'40

St. Ponl's Apocalypv

the Lord God. Therefore without ceasing they pay theirdue penalty."

I looked and saw other men and women on a spit offire, and beasts were tearing them, and they were notallowed to say, "Lord, have mercy on us." And I saw theangel of the torments laying the most fierce torments on othem and saying, "Acknowledge the Son of God. For you 3were told before, but when the scriptures of God were o'read to you, you paid no attention. Therefore thejudgment of God is just, because your evil actions havetaken hold of you and brought you into these torments.,'But I sighed and wept, and I inquired and said, "'Who arethese men and women who are strangled in this fire andpay the penalty?" He answered me, "These are the womenwho defiled the creation of God when they brought forthchildren from the womb, and these are the men who laywith them. But their children appealed to the Lord Godand to the angels who are over the torments, saying,'Takevengeance for us on our parents, for they have defiled thecreation of God. They had the name of God, but did notobserve his commandments. They gave us as food to dogsand to be trampled on by swine, and others they cast iniothe river.' But those children were delivered to the angelsof Tartarus so that they could be brought into a spaciousplace of mercy. But their fathers and mothers werehauled into everlasting torment."

After that I saw men and women dressed in rags full ofpitch and brimstone of fire, and there were dragonsentwined around their necks and shoulders and feet, andangels with horns of fire constrained them and struckthem and closed up their nostrils, saying to them, "Whydid you not know the time when it was right for you torepent and serve God?" And I asked, "Who are these,lord?" He said to me, "These are the ones who seemed torenounce the world, wearing our habit; but the snares of

4T

Viions of Heown nnd Hell

the world made them miserable. They showed no charityand had no pity on the widows and the fatherless; ttrey didnot take in the stranger and pilgrim, nor offered one holygift, nor had pity ott their neighbor. Their prayers d-idnot go up pure to the Lord God even one day; but themant sttates of the world held them back, and they werenot ;ble to do right in the sight of God. And the angelssurrounded thernin the place of torments; and those whowere in the torments saw them and said to them, 'Indeedwhen we lived in the world we neglected God, and youdid so also. When we were in the world we knew that wewere sinners, but it was said of you: These are righteousand servants of God.' Now we know that you were onlycalled by the name of the Lord.' Therefore they also paytheir due penaltY."

I sighed and wept and said, "Woe to humanity! Woe tothe siniers! To what end were they born?" And the angelanswered and said to me, "Why do you weep? Are youmore merciful than the Lord God who is blessed forever,who has established the judgment and left everyone tochoose good or evil of their own will and to do as theyplease?"- Still I wept again very pained; and he said to me,nDo you weep now, when you have still not seen thegreater torments? Follow me, and you will see seventimes worse than these."

XIThe Pit of Hell

He took me from the north side and put me over a well'and I found it sealed with seven seals. The angel who was

42

St. Pnal's Apocnlypse

with me said to the angel of that place, "Open the mouthof the well so that Paul, the dearly beloved of God, cansee; for the power has been given to him to see all thetorments of hell.l' And the angel said to me, "Stand faroff so that you will be able to endure the stench of thisplace."

When the well was opened, therefore, a hard and veryevil stench immediately arose there out of it. It surpassedall the other torments; and I looked into the well and sawmasses of fire buming on every side, and anguish, and themouth of the pit was so narrow that it took only one in at atime. The angel turned and said to me, "If any are throwninto the well of the abyss, and it is sealed over them, therewill never be any recollection made of them in thepresence of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost orof the holy angels." And I said, "Who are these, lord,who are cast into this well?" He said to me, "They arewhoever does not confess that Christ has come in the fleshand that the Virgin Mary bore him and whoever says ofthe bread and the cup of blessing of the Eucharist that it isnot the body and blood of Christ."

I looked from the north to the west and saw there theworrn that does not sleep, and in that place there was agnashing of teeth. The worms were the length of onecubit, and each had two heads. I saw there men andwomen who were gnashing their teeth in the cold. And Iasked and said, "Lord, who are these in this place?" Hesaid to me, "These are the ones who say that Christ did notrise from the dead, and that our flesh does not rise again."I inquired and said, "Lord, is there no fire or heat in thisplace?" And he said to me, "In this place there is nothingbut cold and snow." Again he said to me, "Even if the sunrose upon them, they would not be warmed because of theextreme cold in this place and the snow." When I heardthis I spread out my hands and wept and sighed, and again

\]-l

43

Visions of Hcapcn nnd Hell

I said, "It would be better for us if we were not born,since we all are sinners."

But when those who were there in that place saw meweeping, with the angel they also cried out and wept,saying, "L,ord God, have mercy on us."

After that I saw heaven open and Michael the arch-angel come down out of heaven, and with him were all thehost of the angels. They came to those who were set intorment. When they saw them they wept again and criedout and said, "Have mercy on us Michael, archangel, havemercy on us and on the human race, for it is by yourprayers that the earth stands. We have now seen the judg-ment and have known the Son of God. It was not possiblefor us to pray for this before we came into this place, forwe heard that there was a judgment before we departedfrom the world, but the snares and the life of the worlddid not allow us to repent." And Michael answered andsaid, "Listen when Michael speaks. I am he who alwaysstands in the presence of God. As the Lord lives, beforewhose face I stand, I do not cease for one day or one nightto pray continually for the human race. I indeed pray forthose who are on earth, but they do not cease committingwickedness and fornication. They create nothing goodwhile they are on earth. You have wasted in vanity thetime when you ought to have repented. But I have alwaysprayed, and now I entreat God to send dew and rain uponthe earth, and still I pray until the earth yields her fruits.And I say that if anyone does just a little good I will strivefor and protect that person until he or she escapes thejudgment of torment.

"Where then are your prayers? Where are yourrepentances? You have wasted your time despicably. Yetweep now, and I and the angels who are with me togetherwith the dearly beloved Paul will weep with you ifpossibly the merciful God will have pity and grant you

44

St. Pd*l,s Apocalpsc

refreshment." When they heard these words they criedout and wept sorely, and all said with one voice, ,,Havemercy on us, O S9n of God.', And I, paul, sigheJ;;said, "O Lord God, have mercy on yJu, creafures, havemercy on the children of humanity, harre mercy uponyour image."

And I saw heaven shake like a tree that is moved by thewind; and suddenly they cast themselves down on theirfaces before the throne. I saw the four_and_twenty eldersand the four beasts worshipping God. I saw the altar andthe veil and the throne, anO ait of them were rejoicing,and the smoke of a sweet odor rose up beside tt, uft_ Jithe throne of God, and I heard a uoicJ saying, ,,!Vht;;;;angels and ministers, do you entreat me?,,- Tiey

"ri;; ;;;saying, "We entreat you, witnessing your great goodnessto humanity." Then I saw the Son"oiCodcorninjil;

out of heaven, and on his head there was a crown. Andwhen those who were in the torments saw him they alicried out with one vgice, saying, 'iuu. mercy on us, Oexalted Son of God. you *j frJ*no has granted refresh_ment to all who are in heaven and on,*tl. Hur" ;;;;yon us also, for since we saw you wehave been refreshed.,iAnd there went forth a voice from the Son of Godthroughout all the placel of torment, .uying, ;Wil g;;;works have you done that you shouri ask refreshmentfrom me? My blood was shed f";t;; and you did noteven repen!: For your sake I wore a cro*n of thorns onrny 1:1d. For you I received blows on .y cheeks, andyou did not even repent. I asked for watei when I i;";upon the cross, and they gave me vinegar mingled withgall. .With a spear they openea my ffit ,iar." ro._ynT:'r sak-e they have_ kilied ,y ,.-ints, the p-pfr.i,,and ftre righteous. And for all these things I gru, y6u .n3p^1"11]t{ for repentanc.e, and you wdutdi"t i.p."i.r er now because of Michael, the archangel of rny

@

Visions of Hemcn nnd Hell

covenant, and the angels who are with him, and because ofPaul, my dearly beloved whom I would not grieve, andbecause of your brethren who are in the world and dooffer holy gifts, and because of your children - for mycommandments are in them - and still more because ofmy own goodness on the day that I rose from the dead, Iwill always grant to all of you who are in tormentrefreshment forever for a day and a night." They allcried out and said, "We bless you, O Son of God, sinceyou have granted us rest for a day and a night, for therefreshment of one day is better to us than the whole timeof our lives when we were on earth. If we had knownclearly that this place was appointed for those who sin, wewould have done no other work whatever, neither tradednor done any wickedness. For what profit was our pridein the world? For this our pride that came out of ourmouth against our neighbors is taken captive. This painand our bitter anguish and tears and the worrns that areunder us, these are worse to us than the torments that wesuffer."

As they thus spoke, the angels of torment and the evilangels were angry with them and said, "How long haveyou wept and sighed? You had no mercy. This is thejudgment of God on those that did not have mercy. Yetyou have received this great grace, refreshment for thenight and day of the Lord's Day, because of Paul thedearly beloved of God who has come down to you."

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46